Olympics new session, Day 7


August 2, 2024

Olympics new session (Day 7)

Kicking this off from France, as we almost always do, as you know.

The left exhaust of a Mustand GT (GaudinX)

Alfred Giraud ‘Horizon’ (46.1%, OB, France, +/-2024)

The bottle is quite chic, with no sign of cost-cutting. It's a far cry from a 100% ChatGPT label that hits you like a punch to the jaw and sternum. Inside, there's a blend of fourteen different maturations, including Cognac, Bordeaux, and Pineau... Essentially, this should neutralize and allow the distillate to shine. Colour: dark white wine. Remember, white wine is yellow. Nose: on brioche dough, banana cake, canned peaches, freshly baked croissants, small white flowers (woodruff, honeysuckle, clover), then custard and fresh kougelhopf. Very elegant, without a single off note. Mouth: the wood is more present, as almost always, with white pepper and a good amount of well-infused green tea, but the balance is maintained, with apples and mandarins adding their fresh fruitiness. Elegance is the word here, nearly replacing complexity. But elegance is a virtue, whereas complexity isn't necessarily so (S., we get it). Finish: not very long and only slightly sweet (Pineau?), but ripe banana and apple stay in control. Touches of young Cognac in the aftertaste. Comments: everything is very chic in this very young bottle, both the container and its contents. It’s more Kamala than Donald if you see what I mean. Top job.
SGP:561 - 86 points.

Kalkwijck 2019/2023 ‘Higgledy Piggledy Rye’ (44%, OB, The Netherlands, American oak, 480 bottles, +/-2023)

Back on WF, this famous Dutch distillery with the unpronounceable name. Their corn whisky was quite lovely a few days ago – oh, and we do like horses – and rye. Colour: gold. Nose: oui, yes, ja, da, securo. A magnificent nose of custard, asparagus and leeks, sunflower seeds, fresh sesame, celeriac, and radishes, and freshly cut rye bread from a large loaf, out in the countryside. Mouth: I find that rye whisky is where the very young distilleries, from Holland to Hungary, express themselves best. Very nice bitterness, cinchona, all sorts of seeds, roots... And above all, there's no comparison to the Scottish masters. Finish: likewise, roots and seeds, plus a tremendous earthy side, followed by caraway and very fruity peppers. Comments: I love it, I love this rustic character. How do you say it, Call-Witch? It gives a little ‘ooh-ha’ vibe.
SGP:562 - 87 points.

Herr Lüthy ‘Lorentin Edition Musée’ (52%, OB, Switzerland, 248 bottles, +/-2024)

Awesome presenetation here. One of those improbable things our dear Swiss friends (we have Swiss family) know how to delight us with. A magnificent roving still, which has wandered who knows where for many years, and then this whisky that almost has a national glory status, akin to William Tell and Patrick Juvet. Let’s see... Colour: full gold. Nose: it smells of rye again, then fresh peat, then gentian, then toffee. There's a ‘blended’ side to it. With water: new plastic, engine oil, crushed mustard seeds. Mouth (neat): a perfect start on spiced bread and rye, followed by a bit of peppered peat. It’s very good, just a bit odd. With water: it’s funny, just a bit disordered. Ginger sneaks in. Finish: medium length, earthy spices, and a maritime touch that even Lake Geneva on its best days couldn’t offer. Comments: it’s great, but I fear I haven’t understood much. I’m sure it’s my fault.
SGP:462 - 82 points.

While we’re in Switzerland…

Goldwäscher 2018/2023 (52.5%, OB, Switzerland, pure malted rye, cask #41)

Here we are back at Diwisa in Willisau. These people are completely mad, and we love that, of course, as life is too short anyway. Colour: dark gold. Nose: these malted ryes are indeed mad. The problem is that it’s superb on the nose, between smoked banana and mustard celery, with a hint of mashed sardines on a buttered toast. I grant you, this is very improbable, but I guarantee it’s perfect. Improbable, but perfect (say it again, S.) With water: not much change. Fermenting cereals. Mouth (neat): rye, cumin, ginger, and wild cherry eau-de-vie. You can taste wild cherry eau-de-vie at Marcel Windholtz in Ribeauvillé, it’s worth it! And it's not far from Switzerland. Also a bit of wild raspberry eau-de-vie - from Miclo this time, as ‘heart of the still’ (Coeur de Chauffe), please. With water: superb, fresh, earthy, authentic (what?) Very nice notes of bitter oranges. Finish: long and on breads and gingerbread. Comments: frankly, it’s very good, very close to raw materials. Hoppla.
SGP:561 - 86 points.

The Lakes ‘The One Port Cask’ (46.6%, OB, England, +/-2023)

They write this is a ‘fine blended whisky’. Blended? Anyway, we tried a first ‘The One’ bottled around 2017 at 40%, but a lot of water has passed under the bridge since. Let’s be honest, we love Port, but not necessarily in our whisky. But after all, it’s just a modest finishing… Colour: gold. Nose: pleasant, simple, uncomplicated, on buttered toast and blackberry jam, blackcurrant bud, and a tiny hint of gunpowder. It’s okay. Mouth: it’s indeed okay, with a touch of sawdust, blackcurrant syrup, pepper, and bitter orange. It tingles a bit. The cask becomes quite dominant quickly, with more and more green pepper. Finish: long and increasingly vegetal and peppery. Bell pepper. Comments: we’ve tasted several excellent Lakes whiskies, but not sure this one is among them. There will be others. Let the distillery that has never released a slightly lame duck cast the first stave!
SGP:371 - 72 points.

So we're going to look for a another one to finish off...

Balcones ‘Brimstone’ (53%, OB, USA, +/-2023)

Rather splendid the last time we sampled this Brimstone, back in 2012 (WF 85). Sweet Vishnu, that's twelve years ago. Still corn whisky? Indeed, roasted blue corn, they say. They also mention it’s ‘Texas Scrub Oak Smoked’, which doesn’t mean much to us. Colour: red amber. Nose: jolly good fun. The exhaust of a Mustang, the varnish on Billy Gibbons’ brand new Stratocaster, and a myriad of peppers of all kinds. How Texas is this, baby? With water: clove and compost. Incredible smoky side, very distinctive, almost alien. Mouth (neat): very amusing, on bitter chocolate, intense mocha, tobacco, and the wildest roots. Aren’t they a bit mad as well? With water: careful, not too much! Or none at all... A poor swimmer (where’s Mark Spitz?) but otherwise it remains fun, very spicy, increasingly on coriander seeds and juniper berries. Finish: long, spicy, and woody. A touch of thuja wood and soot. Comments: let’s say we remain conservative and won't change the score, twelve years on. It was all a bit dizzying today.
SGP:362 - 85 points.

Current Medal Standing
(August 2, Updated Daily)

Gold		Japan Yamazaki 18 yo ’Suntory 100th Anniversary’ (48%, OB, Japan, Mizunara, 2023)
Silver		Japan Shizuoka 2019/2023 (65.2%, Asta Morris, Japan, peated, pot still K, bourbon barrel, cask #1222, 302 bottles)
Bronze		Japan Shizuoka ‘United S - Summer Edition 2023’ (50.5%, OB, Japan, first-fill bourbon)