Around the World Once More


September 26, 2023

Whiskies of the World Once More
(For Antoine Dupont)

So to speak, while the whisky world is getting less and less Scotch-centric. I rarely read my own website (that's Whiskyfun) but when I do I realise that I have an entry for, say Ladyburn, while I haven't any proper one for, say Yamazaki, Kavalan or even Buffalo Trace. Indeed, that's because WF was 'designed' (yeah well) in the very early 2000s, but still, I'm starting to feel shame… Anyway, once more we'll start this off from France, where it's been a good three months since we've had either a riot or a major demonstration. People seem to be falling asleep... Or they are all dead drunk.

I'll add that for a good ten years, my friends here, who are quite foreign to whisky and who, of course, never read Whiskyfun (they are quite right), have asked me if 'Japanese whiskies were really that good.' However, for the last two or three years, they have rather been asking me if 'French whiskies are of any interest.' In both cases, my answer was and still is 'yes, but do your research before buying just anything.' I don't think they really listen to me; that said, they are not whisky drinkers anyway. Well, let's get back to it with a little French whisky. French, really?

Black Mountain 'BM N°1 Excellence' (42%, OB, France, +/-2021)

Good one, this one is 'blended and refined in Occitanie in French oak casks'. Occitanie is a large part of southwest France. The gimmick is as big as that of all these Japanese whiskies that have nothing Japanese about them. And nothing 'craft', except the price. Colour: white wine. Nose: thinnish, with some raw sawdust and bits of pear and fantasy kirschwasser, over cold pancakes and some sourdough. Mouth: not totally terrible, to be honest, but really too sweet at this point. Sweetened porridge, pear juice, ripe apples… Not too bad, just very young. Finish: short, a little sugary. Comments: I had feared this would have been much worse, but as we sometimes say, it sure isn't Brora 1972. Neither is it Kornog or Hautes Glaces.
SGP:630 - 69 points.

Speaking of Hautes Glaces…

Domaine des Hautes Glaces 'Indigene' (44%, OB, France, 2023)

This brand new organic single malt by DHG is said to 'taste of the Alps'. Let's see if we find any genepy or chartreuse… or gentian for that matter. Or marmot droppings… Colour: white wine. Nose: very Hautes Glaces. Alpine bread, alpine pumpernickel, alpine caraway, alpine sourdough, alpine roots indeed… In truth this is all perfect, even a notch mezcaly here and there. Do we also find glacier water? Maybe… Mouth: grapefruit and coriander at first, touch of juniper, fennel seeds, a touch of horseradish, rather a little apple liqueur (than chartreuse), dill, lemongrass, woodruff syrup… Indeed, there is a mountainous aspect to this zesty single malt. Finish: long, a little citric, bready… Poppy seeds and a drop of gentian liqueur. Comments: they are masters of this style, a very natural style that is one of my favourites. Besides, this new bottle undoubtedly doesn't take up too much shelf space - and let's forget about the 'Haig Club' aspect, shall we?
SGP:561 - 88 points.

It makes you want to try another one...

Domaine des Hautes Glaces 'Epistémè R18P23 Yellow Square' (47%, OB, France, 1798 bottles, 2023)

100% organic malted rye here, and totally 'parcellaire', in the footsteps of ex-Bruichladdich Mark Reynier (Waterford, Renegade Rum). Let me translate: 'we're at the foot of the cliffs of Mont-Aiguille, in limestone scree fed by the running waters of the Vercors and their sediments.' Indeed you'd believe you're at a winemaker's, and I say that's great. Colour: white wine. Nose: sometimes rye makes your whisky (I almost wrote whiskey) kind of smoky and that's rather the case here. A lot of chalk dissolved in lemon juice, calcite, a touch of white Hermitage, husk, a tiny gherkin, one olive… I am so fond of these style and concept that are so close to wine! Mouth: grand. Amazing citrus, flabbergasting earthy honey (stuff like that), those small plants and flowers that you'd find in the woods, woodruff indeed, sage, rosemary, anise, wild mustard seeds … And the honeyed side alone is worth it, but I won't list all honeys I'm finding in there, don't worry. Finish: it's the freshness that's impressive. Comments: sometimes it feels like they made the best aged gin in the world by taking the most difficult path of all. Indeed there is a little juniper too. Fantastic, top of French whisky. That said, could we have a slightly less complicated name next time?
SGP:572 - 91 points.

Domaine des Hautes Glaces 'Epistémè R18P23 Yellow Round' (47%, OB, France, 894 bottles, 2023)

I quote, this time 'we are on the slopes of Serre Vulson - the rhyolitic hill from which our spring water emerges -, in a small plot of the Hautes Glaces farm.' So just another 'parcellaire'. I have to say it is all rather cryptic and one would almost need a PhD in symbology to understand it all - or quite a few more glasses of DHG. They like treasure hunts, in the Alps! Colour: white wine. Nose: I find this one a little fatter, a little more mineral too, with a little more caraway and notes of wine from Savoie. Say Chignin-Bergeron, there. It would also tend to become a little medicinal. Bandages. Mouth: indeed, I think this one is a little more boisterous, a tad less elegant, indeed a notch fatter, with echoes of mild and sweet Indian curry. But we remain within the same family, obviously. Finish: long, rather rich, exquisite, breadier and spicier now. More horseradish, mustard and sweet curry. Comments: both are stunning but I liked the 'square' one a little better. The graphic codes resemble the signs along the paths in the Alps. Have I ever told you that my godfather was the president of the Alpine Club? I'm not joking!
SGP:561 - 89 points.

Oh let's just stay in France for our last one today…

Armorik 2007/2022 (62.2%, Spirit Paradise, France, Vinho STR, cask #8173)

Armorik 2017/2022 (62.2%, Spirit Paradise, France, Vinho STR, cask #8173)

This by our friend Philippe. We've had a sister cask, ex-refill sherry, earlier in June and thought it was excellent (WF 87). But let's see if the Breton whisky will have resisted an STR 'vinho'cask (how Kavalan is that?) Colour: deep gold. Nose: bread, celeriac, concrete dust, old cellar, and certainly a lot of ethanol. Not that it would burn you but let's not take any chances. With water: gets much gentler, with some fresh warm croissants (how bizarre) and dried flowers, hay, porridge and blackcurrant buds and leaves. We got closer to the grist, so to speak. Mouth (neat): strawberry bread, capsicum, juniper and antifreeze. I'm only half-joking. With water: it got much fruitier, with some prickly pears, grenadine, gooseberries, indeed strawberries, and even some raspberry eau-de-vie. BTW, just tried some wild strawberry e-d-v by the house Miclo in Lapoutroie the other day, it was excellent. Finish: long, even more on red berries, but without any obvious wineyness. Capsicum and cassis buds are back in the aftertaste. Comments: I would tend to prefer a more classic cask-bill, as we say, but I haven't got anything against strawberries and raspberries. Who would!
SGP:661 - 85 points.

Well, we haven't gone very far, since we stayed in France today. We haven't burned too much kerosene, have we. But wait, let's add one…

Twelve 'Porphyre' (57%, OB, France, 450 bottles, 2023)

This time we're in Laguiole in Aubrac; in Aveyron, so in the south of the 'Massif Central' mountains. We've had a 'Blue Onyx' from theirs a few weeks ago, it had been pretty good. This Porphyre was aged in some ex-Italian red vermouth cask, so let's expect something pretty extravagant. Colour: straw. Nose: rather a lot of clay, peonies, tomato leaves, with touches of hard cheese, mulled wine, goji berries, blood oranges, a little wet plaster… All a little unusual, all good fun. With water: garden earth, mashed potatoes and turnips, cherries… Mouth (neat): whacky, very earthy, full of eggplant, tomato indeed, more blood oranges, kirsch, tobacco… Not something I've tried before, but fear not, we remain in whisky territory. With water: some burnt herbs, stems, leaves… Finish: long, a tad more bitter, but that's not problem. Notes of myrtle liqueur. Lovely fruity and herbal aftertaste. Comments: not your average whisky for sure, but it deserves all our sympathy and certainly a good score. Mind you, an ex-vermouth cask, quite a challenge.
SGP:561 - 80 points.

Check the index of all Wordl Whiskies we've tasted so far