A small quartet of independent Glen Moray


July 5, 2024

A few whiskies from around the world once again

And yes, we’re leaving from France, as usual.

A. Roborel de Climens (48%, OB, French oak + Vin jaune Domaine Badoz, 1997 bottles)

30 months in each kind of cask. Colour: gold. Nose: lovely notes of vin jaune, indeed, but also a hint of vin de paille which rounds the ensemble nicely. It isn’t as dry as one might expect, and the mustard, green walnuts, Savagnin, and curry notes aren’t overly dominant. It’s really very pleasant, bright, but not too much so, with everything blending rather well. In short, no dissonance here. Mouth: quite a lot of pears to start with, followed by touches of burnt wood. Indeed, it has a distinct Jura wine character, particularly vin jaune, but always balanced without that ultra-dry edge that we adore but isn’t necessarily fitting for a whisky. There are also notes of very ripe peaches. Finish: lovely length, the whole remaining quite smooth and well-mingled, always with a few raisins and that vin de paille character, but without any excess. Fresh walnuts and walnut liqueur complete the ensemble as expected. Comments: many French bottlers have tried to finish whiskies in vin jaune casks given the proximity in style between vin jaune and Sherry like finos. In my opinion, it hasn’t always worked, but here it does, without the harsh edge one might anticipate.
SGP:551 - 86 points.

Maltage 2018/2023 (52.9%, OB, Switzerland, fine de Merlot and bourbon)

MaltAge 2018/2023 (52.9%, OB, Switzerland, fine de Merlot and bourbon)

Colour: straw. Nose: a nose with quite a bit of depth, a slight burnt side, but also notes of soft sweets like Jelly Babies from Haribo, little orange sweets, and then some panettone dough and orange blossom. And of course, a slight muesli aspect, which, for some Swiss, is naturally only natural. But of course. With water: these Merlot stories really remind me of the film Sideways, which has already amused many wine enthusiasts. In any case, here we are not dealing with the old Pomerol side; it's much more about fresh fruits, especially after adding water. Then a slight earthy note appears, which is absolutely not unpleasant—quite the opposite, in fact. Mouth (neat): it's quite oily, somewhat rich, with a lovely fruity start featuring hints of papaya, Granny Smith apple, a bit of anise, some gentian, and perhaps celery. Overall, it's quite nicely balanced with depth. I really like it. With water: water further enhances the balance between the fresh fruits, the sweets, and the rooty, earthy side. Finish: a lovely length, always on those same slightly sweet root aromas and fresh fruits. Comments: this little Merlot has done a good job after all. So, red or white? It’s largely on par with a very good natural young Speyside, in my humble opinion. The merlot does not feel odd, I insist (believe me!)
SGP:641 - 85 points.

Well, it is true that it is now quite difficult to avoid any wine influence among all the world's new little whiskies, but the Scots are certainly not lagging behind, are they?

Morris of Rutherglen ‘Tokay Barrel’ (48%, OB, Australia, +/-2023)

Here we are in the state of Victoria with whisky makers who love to multiply the flavourings in various wine casks. Last time, we tasted whisky aged in smoked Muscat casks; it was quite an endeavour, but it wasn't bad at all (WF 83). This time, it's from Tokaji. I wonder if they imported one or several casks from Hungary. Did they really do that? Colour: gold. Nose: roasted with a touch of rubber and a basaltic aspect reminiscent of burnt cakes, not exactly typical of Australia, I concede. Then we have caramelised nuts and grilled pistachios, all working rather well together. The Tokaji influence is present but not overpowering, unlike some other Tokaji-cask finishes we've encountered in the past. Mouth: yes, it works fairly well, not too dissonant, though it does come off as slightly pre-mixed and perhaps a tad too sweet. Certainly not Eszencias-level, I imagine. Was it a true Tokaji cask? Finish: medium length with a faint smokiness, perhaps a hint of sulphur, mustard, and grilled nuts. There's a growing difficult influence, alongside bitter oranges. The aftertaste is a touch too bitter, somewhat artichoke-like. Comments: it started off promisingly but became a bit dissonant towards the end.
SGP:561 - 79 points.

Where we often laugh ourselves silly is when we receive press releases announcing that such and such distillery is innovating greatly by pairing their whiskies with various wines. They are all doing this at the moment and, of course, they have all found the Philosopher's Stone.

Morris-of-Rutherglen-Port-Barrel-47.5-OB-Australia-2023

Morris of Rutherglen ‘Port Barrel’ (47.5%, OB, Australia, +/-2023)

Of course, Port is an absolute must; is there still a range of whiskies that don't include Port casks? Colour: full gold. Nose: we quite like this as there's plenty of honey, and we do love honey. It's rather surprising since Port casks typically start with red berries, making one wonder if this might be white Port. In any case, these honeyed notes meld quite well with the malt, lending a delightful honey cake character that's anything but unpleasant. There's scarcely any blackcurrant, raspberry, strawberry, or other small fruits to be found. Mouth: and it works quite well on the palate, like a honey cake this time, with strawberry cake reminiscent of a fraisier, along with pistachio, baked honey, and a pronounced caramel note, with some flavoured coffee hints in the background à la Starbucks. It’s increasingly liquid caramel in fact. Finish: of medium length, it leans towards a sort of butterscotch flavoured with raspberry—quite amusing and not at all unpleasant, with a hint of ganache as well. Comments: it's not what one would expect, but I find this little Port quite easily outshines the Tokaji. The honeyed aspect is very nice.
SGP:651 – 84 points.

Kinglake 2019/2023 ‘L’Américain’ (61%, OB, Australia, finished in Fernando de Castilla PX, 160 bottles)

Actually only 18 months in ex-bourbon, then 24 months in sherry. We have already had several excellent whiskies from Kinglake, including a version called ‘American Werewolf in Paris,’ of which this one appears to be the sister cask. Of course, the house of Fernando de Castilla is very renowned. Colour: gold. Nose: curiously delicate for a whisky bottled at over 60%, and quite floral, making it rather elegant with a slightly feminine touch as one might have said a few years back, featuring hints of lily of the valley, wisteria, and a touch of orange cake. With water: The oils come to the fore, revealing some motor oil drops, V12 engine oil, paraffin oil, and a bit of kerosene – not expected, but rather charming. Mouth (neat): on the palate, it hits harder, of course, but that's the higher alcohol content making the whisky delightfully oily and rich, though slightly aggressive and a tad bitter. Best to add water swiftly. With water: it's tamed now, gentler, not really syrupy but almost, with notes of honey, mead, and faint hints of molasses. Perhaps some new wood in the background, though that shouldn't come from the Fernando de Castilla cask. Finish: medium length, elegant, with orange cake and nougat. The motor oil note lingers a bit in the aftertaste. Comments: and since we love motorsports... By the way, did you know that a cow pollutes more than a hundred V12 engines? And yet, we love animals at Whiskyfun Towers. SGP:
652 - 87 points.

It looks like we're a bit stuck in Australia, but we certainly won't complain about it.

Spring Bay 4 yo 2019/2023 (65.8%, Truth & Consequence, Tasmania, 100l Apera, cask #216)

Remember, apera used to be called ‘Australian sherry’, but they eventually chose another name. Sherry belongs to the Sherry triangle of Spain, naturally. Or we all call all world whiskies ‘Scotch’. Colour: golden amber. Nose: very, very lovely with abundant notes of grilled walnut, polish, slightly burnt kougelhopf, and subtle hints of beef broth with parsley and chervil. There's also a profusion of grilled hazelnuts and pecans, accompanied by a touch of very dark, concentrated maple syrup. I'm quite impressed. With water: the walnut and the polish become even more pronounced, along with a fair bit of modelling clay. The rest meanders between slightly overbaked cakes and caramel tarte, and it's all excellent. Mouth (neat): I really must take a closer look at this Spring Bay distillery, which I seem not to have known before. There's a slight varnish note that melds with touches of nutmeg and rather unusual saffron. Parsley makes another appearance, along with a hint of maple syrup that enhances the whole. With water: chestnut honey! My favourite, how convenient. The spices also come through more prominently, particularly clove and juniper. Finish: beautiful length, with cedarwood, a hint of nutmeg, and a bit of paprika—everything works well together. It seems there's a touch of smoked paprika; I absolutely adore smoked paprika; do you know it? Comments: I've just noticed that Angus reviewed a Spring Bay for The Whisky List and loved it (WF 88). Well, we won't need much convincing then.
SGP:662 - 87 points.

Killara-5-yo-2017-2023-63.5-Truth-Consequence-Tasmania-French-oak-Port-cask-cask-KD-TC001-53-bottles

Killara 5 yo 2017/2023 (63.5%, Truth & Consequence, Tasmania, French oak Port cask, cask # KD-TC001, 53 bottles)

This, is a first at château WF. Everyone will hate me for saying this, but in reality, all the new distilleries around the world look somewhat similar, although they are all quite lovely, of course. Colour: amber. Nose: a tad strong, of course, but with a lovely caramel, pretty pralines, nougat, and always some burnt cake. One inevitably thinks the cask had a lot of influence, bringing us back to the eternal question of whether whisky is really just about wood, which is clearly completely false, yet somewhat true. In any case, there's not much of a vinous presence marked by red fruits, Port, etc. With water: a bit of natural yoghurt, a touch of raw ham, and a hint of dust and rennet… rather unusual, indeed. Mouth (neat): of course, it's good, with a Bourbon-like aspect, but also notes of Swiss cheese or Comté, caramel, hints of mashed turnip, and quite a bit of pipe tobacco. Nutmeg and saffron linger in the background. With water: a return of caramel that pleases everyone. In fact, it's more of a caramel heading towards fudge, as found in whisky countries' tourist shops. Finish: a slight touch of yoghurt, mashed turnips, etc. Perhaps not its finest moment. Pepper in the aftertaste. Comments: it's nice, but I find the Spring Bay somewhat superior, at least cleaner. It might be the other way around next time.
SGP:561 - 83 points.

Scapegrace ‘Fortitude’ (46%, OB, New Zealand, release V, virgin French oak, 8,643 bottles, 2023)

I know we’ve changed country. It’s a bit sad that it’s NAS, no one expects old age from a new whisky, but it’s always nice to know. This is our very first Scapegrace on WF, even Angus has never tried it. Of course, it was available at Whisky Live Paris last year, but the issue is that there are millions of new spirits at Whisky Live Paris, and we're unlikely to prioritise NAS, even if it’s Ardbeg. There, I’ve said it. Colour: golden amber. Nose: really focused on fresh wood, a soft wood of course, but well toasted in the style of many new very young bourbons, whether sourced or not. A hint of charcoal, but also some notes of cranberry and raspberries, it seems very young and very wood-driven, but honestly, it's pleasant. Mouth: it's like pine wood with hints of thyme, resins, pinecones, nutmeg, and certainly ginger. The cask is doing the heavy lifting here. Finish: it's extremely well-constructed but for me, it's too dominated by the cask, not much of the distillate comes through. Plenty of sweet and honeyed spices, it feels like you're in a souk in Istanbul. Comments: very nice but it has a bit of a laboratory feel. We'll have to see how it evolves over the years.
SGP:551 - 78 points.

One last one, let’s make it a Hellyers Road, please.

Hellyers Road 19 yo 2004/2023 (69.9%, OB, LMDW, New Vibrations, Tasmania, peated, American oak, cask #4085.05)

I find these new bottles a bit neutral, but at least they fit on the shelves. For me, Hellyers Road is among the best distilleries in the world, similar to Smögen in Sweden or Millstone in Holland. Of course, there are others; these were just examples. Colour: gold. Nose: sublime, Ardbeggian, with hints of rubber boots, mango, pink grapefruit, and a crystalline peat that leans heavily on lemon, with touches of absinthe, dill, and mandarin. It’s brilliantly luminous and simply irresistible, even at nearly 70% ABV. With water: strictly no change, how curious! With more water: still no change! At around 40% ABV: same. Mouth (neat): sublime. Lemons, mint, herbal smoke, seaweed, smoked salmon, samphire, bouchot mussels, grapefruit… With water: extraordinary notes of exotic fruits, herbal smoke, leaves, and all sorts of lemon. Finish: not eternal, but of ultimate precision on the finest of citrus. Comments: these Hellyers Road whiskies have become extraordinary, such a pity we live 16,725.55 km away as the crow flies. They ought to set up small-scale production units abroad, much like the brewers do. I’ve got room in my garden for a ‘pocket distillery’. Otherwise, this is a magnificent whisky, perfectly balanced, almost Raphael-esque. The only slight drawback is the aftertaste, which is just a tad below the rest, but that’s being nit-picky.
SGP:665 - 92 points.

It's been great Downunda, see you.

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