Heading North Once More


February 12, 2024

Heading North Once More

It's been a few years now that Scandinavia has managed to create a real style of malt whisky that's quite coherent, more coherent in any case than anything you can find elsewhere in the world, apart maybe in Scotland. Of course, there are a very large number of new whisky countries, but we do not find, for the moment, a real uniqueness, nor even a unity of style, including in Japan which seems to be continuing to source elsewhere a part of its 'Japanese whiskies'.

Teerenpeli 8 yo 'ÄES' (43%, OB, Finland, Distiller's Choice, rum finish, 693 bottles, 2013)

A rather older bottle. We've already had some very good Teerenpeli, some funny ones too I have to add. Colour: straw. Nose: some pinewood smoke at first, some truffles, artichoke and cabbage, then new plastics and some kind of smoked porridge. A little bizarre but pretty funny indeed. Shoe polish and vanilla. Mouth: sweeter, less extreme, but no less on porridge and funny smokes. A few bitter herbs, a little cardboard, some kind of salty sawdust, myrtle, turmeric… Finish: pretty long, saltier, a little dusty and oaky. Perhaps a little rum indeed in the aftertaste. Comments: rather fine but dry and not really the easiest baby in my book, I think we'll try another Teerenpeli immediately.
SGP:362 - 79 points.,

Teerenpeli 2016/2021 (50.7%, OB, for Sydspetsens Malt Whisky Sällskap, oloroso sherry cask, cask #01/16, 64 litres)

Colour: copper amber. Nose: a little artichoke and black truffle this time again, but the sherry's walnuts and autumn leaves are making it rather straighter. There's a fino-y side too, which takes the biscuit as this is oloroso. A feeling of veil/flor and just baker's yeast and leaven. With water: more of the same, plus a little chalky earth. Old cellar, dunnage… Mouth (neat): ah good sherry indeed, full of walnuts in all their guises, especially as liqueur and wine. More truffle as well, aubergine, perhaps a thin slice of carrot cake… With water: walnut cake and lapsang souchong, perfect for 5 o'clock. Finish: long, a notch leafy and leathery, beyond all these fresh and old walnuts. Comments: a lot of action in this one.
SGP:362 - 84 points.

More Finnish oloroso…

Kyrö 'Malted Rye Oloroso' (47.2%, OB, +/-2023)

We've recently tried some excellent Kyrö Wood Smoke and Peat Smoke (WF 87 – 85). Colour: gold. Nose: so different, so idiosyncratic, so much on broken branches and crushed leaves, tomato bush, walnut skins, rye bread, peppermint, lavender (only small touches)… Mouth (neat): excellent sweet and bready rye, with a perfect sourness, cider apples, lavender indeed, riesling, then rather a lot of new oak, apparently, leaves, cinnamon, mead, Campari, nots of raw agave wine… Finish: long, full of rye and sour apples, then pineapple liqueur (new oak, possibly). Grittier aftertaste. Comments: not some classic Nordic and it's probably a little controversial, but when you taste a lot of whiskies, you're always game for more differences.
SGP:551 - 85 points.

Myken 5 yo (53.8%, OB, Norway, Dr Jekyll's Nordic Series, casks #16/024 + 17/017, 2023)

This one for the famous Dr Jekyll's Pub in Oslo. It's a vatting of an ex-Pineau cask and a first fill sherry. Remember, Pineau is aged grape must muted with cognac, so it is not exactly wine. Colour: gold. Nose: fully on custard, tarte tatin and crème brûlée, plus a little triple-sec and maraschino. There, you have it, it's truly international. With water: touch of new wool, new jumper, even new trainers, and rather a lot of dough. The sherry and the Pineau did not totally get over the pretty bready spirit. Mouth (neat): very good, firm, with more triple-sec over breads, cakes and oak. I do think I'm getting the Pineau. With water: its gained complexity and… raisins. Always quite a lot of Cointreau or Grand-Marnier (or any other brands you fancy). Finish: medium. Raisin rolls with rather a lot of icing sugar and cinnamon. More straight oak in the aftertaste, which was to be expected. Comments: very excellent, even if the Pineau probably made it rather extra-sweet. Good fun that Pineau casks no one had ever heard of before have now managed to invade whiskydom, up to the north of Norway. Having said, that, there's always been a lot of trade along the coasts, from Portugal, Spain and France up to Bergen and further north.
SGP:651 - 85 points.

Smögen 10 yo 2013/2023 (55.7%, OB, Sweden, Dr Jekyll's Nordic Series, virgin Swedish oak and oloroso hogshead, 448 bottles)

Smögen, one of the few kings of the continent. Colour: full gold. Nose: another funny one, with notes of juniper wood (ala early Mackmyra, ha) and sauna oils first, then tyre smoke and brand new shoes. And litres of raw porridge, young Ardbeg (yep) and new engine oil. With water: wonderful raw wool and proper bread (or pizza) dough. Mouth (neat): very smart cask-bill. A lot of lemon zest, pinewood, lemongrass, grapefruit, pine needles. To be honest I just couldn't recognise Swedish oak even if I tried hard – in fact I used to believe they had cut all the old oak trees to build ships – but indeed this is awesome. Pine smoke and lemon. With water: it's become more medicinal, more towards eucalyptus. Could be that Swedish oak would be closer to eucalyptus (than French of American oaks are). But sessile or pedunculate? (oh S., please). Finish: long, smoky, lemony and resinous. Comments: my favourites remain the bourbons, but there's no denying that this is rather great too.
SGP:566 - 89 points.

Mosgaard 5 yo 2018/2023 (59.3%, OB, Denmark, Dr Jekyll's Nordic Series, Port cask, cask # 501801, 120 bottles)

First ever Mosgaard on little WF, thank you Dr Jekyll! We're near Odense, not too far from Copenhagen. Colour: dark amber/honey. Nose: prunes, plum wine, umeshu, potting soil, blackberry jam, coffee and wild pinot noir. I'm rather reminded of some early Lark from the other side of the world. Those in local 'Port', naturally. With water: it's become a pack of… Mars bars. Mouth (neat): between heavy Port and heavy PX, I would say. Very heavy wineyness, some black pepper too, I suppose, or say hope water will unlock the grapey fortress… With water: indeed, some blood oranges are kicking in, bay leaves, hoisin sauce, red grape juice, a little cassis liqueur… But we're still rather a little closer to fortified wine than to malt whisky. Finish: long, grapey and very peppery. Comments: rather for Port lovers, I would say. Rather perfect technically, but I wouldn't claim I've learned much about Mosgaard's distillate. Next time, I suppose.
SGP:661 - 83 points.

Mosgaard 5 yo 2018/2023 'Peat & Port' (59%, OB, Denmark, Dr Jekyll's Nordic Series, cask #301807, 120 bottles)

I've called my mother and my children, updated my last will and testament, so I've got a peaceful soul and I think I'm ready for this one now. Colour: deep gold. Nose: used fireworks and umeshu indeed. Diesel fumes too, brake dust, blood oranges, a little ginger liqueur, rainwater, garden pit… With water: more rainwater. A little street in Singapore after a downpour. Mouth (neat): there's some connection happening, I'm almost liking this… a lot. Even if it's totally unbalanced and ruthless. I mean, crème de cassis and coal tar, what the fudge? With water: fudge indeed! And pink pepper, cassis, sweet tomato sauce, mint syrup, elderberry liqueur (St. Germain)… Finish: long, smoky, thicker but better balanced as well. Raisins, ginger, Szechuan pepper… Comments: I would suppose you could make some nice spritzer out of this one. Like this + Dom-Pé + Perrier.
SGP:664 - 87 points.

(Danke sehr, Henrik)