Another Olympic Session 3


July 29, 2024

Another Olympic Session (3)

Starting from France, as usual…

A typical cognac still aka alambic Charentais. More and more whisky is being made in Charentais stills these days (photo Sémhur, Cherves de Cognac)

Khêmeia (43%, OB, Distillerie d’Aumagne, France, 2023)

Sounds a bit like 'Kamala', no? In recent years, there's been a trend among cognac producers - and anyone with alembics in France - like Louis Royer here, to dabble in whisky production using their Charentais stills. This often results in lighter, less textured whiskies compared to their Scottish counterparts, but generally of good quality despite their youth. Whether they can break out beyond the local market remains to be seen. This wee Khêmeia exemplifies this trend. Colour: gold. Nose: technically near-perfect in a modern style, bourbon-influenced without overdoing it. Ripe banana, vanilla, sponge cake, a hint of fresh sawdust, and tropical fruits like papaya mingle with drops of orange, peach, and melon liqueur. The young age isn't too obvious at this point. Mouth: a bit of ginger and white pepper at first, but the distillate brings notes of toasted malt, a slight salinity, and again, peach and melon. There's a hint of bitter almonds as well. Finish: decent length, more herbaceous, with a light chalky quality, some lemon, and those saline touches reappearing to lift everything. Comments: I quite like this little Khêmeia. The name, meaning 'alchemy' in Greek, suits it well.
SGP:551 - 83 points.

Amaethon (45%, OB, France, +/-2023)

Might sound Greek, but it's Gaulish, apparently. Astérix’s whisky? Distilled from French barley, much like many a Scot, though the distillery of origin remains a mystery to me. Colour: white wine. Nose: very charming, this really does come across as a quality malt distilled by serious craftsmen. Fresh apple, lemon, and mirabelles, then a touch of porridge, bread dough, and croissants (though that doesn’t prove it's French, does it?). A bit of modelling clay and candle wax too. Mouth: very good on the palate, more tense than its Charentais counterpart, with lemon and white pepper again, followed by apples and pears. There's a delightful coastal and smoky edge. Some fresh wood appears later, indicating its youth. Finish: good length, with lemon, a hint of brine, and a touch of bitterness. Comments: it's difficult to achieve more complexity at such a young age. Much like Khêmeia, they haven't taken many stylistic risks, but you can't fault them for that. Reminds me of some not-so-Japanese Japanese whiskies.
SGP:551 - 83 points.

Kalwijck-2019-2023-Higgledy-Piggledy-46-OB-Netherlands-oloroso-525-bottles-2023

Kalwijck 2019/2023 ‘Higgledy Piggledy’ (46%, OB, Netherlands, oloroso, 525 bottles, +/-2023)

Has me curious about the proper pronunciation of 'Kalwijck,' so any accurate info would be appreciated. This is a grain whisky, Maize I suppose, but they also produce liqueurs and, naturally, genever. Colour: straw. Nose: the oloroso influence is subtle, but there are delightful wafts of root vegetables, turnip, beetroot, along with white asparagus, coriander seeds, charcoal, and fig leaves. It's far more unusual and specific than the French offerings, and thankfully lacks the dullness that grain whiskies can sometimes exhibit. Mouth: it may not be very deep, but the profile is charming, with that charcoal and those root notes, particularly celery, followed by rye and a tobacco smoke element. There are hints of bitter almonds, a touch of tar, earthiness, and a notably oily texture for a grain whisky. Could the oloroso cask have been previously boosted with peated malt whisky? Finish: it loses a few points here due to an uncontrolled herbaceous bitterness, but nevermind. Some ashes. Comments: I believe this has great potential. It's certainly very 'different.'
SGP:462 - 81 points.

Since we mentioned rye...

Goldwaescher 5 yo 2018/2023 ‘Malted Rye’ (52.5%, OB, Switzerland, Swiss oak, cask #41)

We’re in Willisau here, mind you. Several distillers have already told me that working with malted rye was ‘insane’, but there you go, this could not frighten a proper Swiss distiller. BTW we’ve tried sister cask #44 in January, it was pretty superb (WF 87). Colour: deep gold. Nose: it deviates wildly, and we love that. Banana and curry cake, with honey and geranium syrup. Then an abundance of pumpernickel. With water: even more curry, saffron, also touches of pink grapefruit… Mouth (neat): it’s not really whisky, it’s more like a blend of wood-aged eaux de vie. The problem is, we love it. Eau-de-vie of beer, celery, gentian, Jerusalem artichokes… All this is bizarre, I grant you, but it’s really very good. With water: all the same, with very lemony hops at the helm. Finish: long, with the earthy side and the lemon coming out even more. A sweet and spicy aftertaste. Comments: nice job. Goldwaescher means gold panner, it looks like they’ve struck a vein in Willisau.
SGP:661 - 86 points.

While we're at it with the strange, back to Holland...

Millstone 2019/2024 (57.3%, OB for The Whisky Jury, refill PX hogshead, cask #2547, 319 bottles)

Ah, a peated one, brace yourselves. We've got much older Millstones to sample at WF HQ, but let's not overdo it with the good stuff all at once. Colour: full gold. Nose: imagine a homemade gingerbread loaded with honey, left in a smoker for a good while. Simple, isn't it? With water: a profusion of vegetal ashes, cigar smoke, horseradish, rowan, and mullein, with a hint of holly eau-de-vie, then Brussels sprouts. Save the Brussels sprouts! Mouth (neat): it packs quite a punch and is extremely concentrated, making it a bit bitter at this stage. Citrus peels. With water: still firm and rich, but more approachable, with touches of ripe strawberries (a classic in some peated whiskies, in my personal experience), then pepper, turmeric, and hints of juniper. And pepper again. Finish: very long, surprisingly balanced, but still a tad extreme. Bitter oranges, salt, Brussels sprouts, seaweed, tobacco, pepper... rather extreme pepper in the aftertaste. Comments: I love it, but it's still a young pup. One of those that nip at your ankles, just for fun.
SGP:566 - 87 points.

Current Medal Standing
(July 29, Updated Daily)

Gold		UK Bimber ‘Wimbledon’ (56.6%, OB, England, The Spirit of the Underground, Vino de Naranja cask, cask #310/5, 298 bottles, 2024)
Silver		UK Penderyn 13 yo 2010/2023 (59.5%, OB, Wales, LMDW New Vibrations, second fill bourbon, cask #313/2010)
Bronze		Italy Exmu ‘Spirit of Sardinia’ (45.5%, OB, Italy, bourbon, +/-2024)