The Olympics, Day 8


August 5, 2024

The Olympics, Day 8

We continue our little Olympic sessions, with whiskies from quite different nations. For now, the Japanese reign supreme, especially since the Scots are out of the competition this time. You see, they usually take up more than two-thirds of the space on this miserable little website. We're starting with France once again...

Tha aptly named French actress Carole Bouquet with a bottle of her Passito di Pantelleria 'Sangue d'Oro' (BestIlmage)

Wambrechies 2016 'Brut de Fût' (54.3%, OB, France, +/-2024)

We tasted a very good Wambrechies aka Claeyssens a few weeks ago. They were one of the pioneers of whisky in France (1998) but are also famous for their French genièvre, somewhat like the excellent Zuidam in the Netherlands. They are located near Lille. Colour: white wine. Nose: very precise, with strong notes of fresh bread and beer, accompanied by subtle hints of anise and mustard, and the unavoidable crème anglaise. It's pure and delightful, doing the job splendidly. With water: add apple tarte topped with a touch of honey and cinnamon. Mouth (neat): similar profile, pure and focused on cereals, with a few lemony notes and a hint of grass (grass juice, as was the trend in the 1980s, believed to be very healthy). A few notes of pear eau-de-vie. With water: a bit tighter, which is excellent. Of course, there's a touch of juniper spirit, but that's likely our minds playing tricks on us. Finish: medium length, still on bread, spices, apples, and pears. Comments: for me, it's nearly on par with the excellent Wambrechies 'Madeira'.
SGP:551 - 86 points.

Filey Bay 'Port Finish – Batch 1' (46%, OB, England, ex-bourbon + ruby Port, 3,300 bottles, 2022)

One might wonder what would become of whiskies from Great Britain, including Scotland, without the PX and the Port, wouldn't they? We are in Yorkshire. We had a very amusing – and good – 'Porter cask' in May (WF 85). Grain & grain, logically. This has spent 22 months in Port casks. Colour: gold. Nose: good news, the Port is discreet, you don't find bags of blackcurrants and raspberries, rather some touches of raisins and goji berries atop an orange cake. Or something like that. Mouth: a bit more 'Port', crushed strawberries and pepper, blueberry liqueur, grenadine... Entering the world of whisky + wine blending, but it's not unpleasant at all, just slightly offbeat, for me. Finish: medium length, similar flavours, plus some bud notes. Comments: thanks to these whiskies, at the end of a meal, you can ask your guests "whisky, port, or both at the same time?" We'll soon have a much greater Filey Bay, having said that.
SGP: 741 - 80 points.

Kyrö 'Malt Rye' (47.2%, OB, Finland, +/-2023)

This is 100% malted rye. It's becoming at tad more common in Europe, or rather it’s getting less rare and at Château WF, we're delighted. With few exceptions, we love it. Colour: gold. Nose: admirably floral, with essences of barks and fruits of all kinds. There's a touch of lavender and juniper, followed by apricot and smoked sesame seeds. Not to mention a 10-kilo bag of speculoos. Okay, 5 kilos... I love this nose, let's hope the palate... Mouth: well yes. It's certainly a bit extreme on the spices and barks, but I think that's exactly what we love in these ‘deviant’ drams. Plenty of small citrus fruits, lavender again, lots of thyme and rosemary, and even a bit of coriander (ground seeds). Yet, it remains unmistakably whisky. Finish: very long and spicy, with the usual soapy touches of this kind, which we quite like, then a lavender + juniper duo. Comments: we had tasted an oloroso version which was excellent (WF 85) but this one is more precise, purer. And probably a bit mad.
SGP:562 - 87 points.

To Italy. That new Exmu from Sardinia had been superb the other day.

InQuota ‘Passito de Pantelleria Cask Finish’ (43.3%, OB, Italy, Villa de Varda, 1975 bottles, +/-2023)

This is distilled in Trentino Alto Adige, in the Italian Alps, but the finishing casks hail from the volcanic island of Pantelleria (right between Sicily and Tunisia), where actress Carole Bouquet owns a wine estate. Her wines are very good in our opinion, but you must like them extremely sweet. Colour: white wine. Nose: chalk and ripe orchard fruits. Whiffs of flour, tapioca, I’m even about to add ‘semolina’ or ‘polenta’. What’s sure is that it is not bursting with raisins, perhaps just one or two small dried figs and a spoonful of honey. Mouth: the wine feels now, this is very sweet, you cannot help but think of ice wine over some pastries. Some fresh oak, some vanilla, some honey. Too bad the structure is so light. Finish: rather on sweet wine indeed, but short. More honeyed yet. Some new oak in the background. Comments: rather a wine-like whisky on the palate, especially as the low alcohol content doesn’t really help. I think their Dolomiti Spruce Cask Finish was much better; in any case, more to my taste (WF 84).
SGP: 630 - 75 points.

Rampur 8 yo 2015/2023 (55.8%, OB, India, New Vibrations by LMDW, first fill bourbon, cask #2607, 135 bottles)

We’re in Uttar Pradesh this time. More accustomed to Amrut or even Paul John, but Rampur counts as well! Let’s forget about the rather traumatising McDowell’s N°1 ‘Diet Mate’ (WF 15 in 2009) … Colour: gold. Nose: one immediately thinks of several Asian malts, with very 'prepared' wood that highlights the vanilla, cakes, and the famous banana and mango duo which is always so alluring. No flaws in sight. With water: more on fresh cake, madeleines… Mouth (neat): we find that impeccable fruity composition of mango and banana, and even a touch of lychee which takes us straight to a late harvest Gewurz. Some rose liqueur. It’s very well done, perhaps one could try adding a few drops to a glass of champagne. With water: here come the quince and apricot liqueurs. Finish: long, very fruity, expansive, extroverted, exuberant (we get it, S.) A slight saline touch in the aftertaste. Comments: this 'too much' aspect really appeals to me, pass me the bottle of champagne please.
SGP: 731 - 86 points.

Millstone 26 yo 1996/2022 (47.7%, OB for The Whisky Exchange, Netherlands, American oak, cask #1372, 264 bottles)

It must be said right away that we quite adored the bulldozer that was the oloroso version (cask #4152, WF 89). Colour: gold. Nose: full-on oils, sesame, roasted sesame, peanut, hazelnut, sweet almond... Then more resinous oils, rye, thyme honey (it’s sublime, thyme honey), macarons, Earl Grey tea, slightly damp old cardboard... There’s a kind of elegance here that I really like, even those very slightly musty notes (old wine cellar). Mouth: very oily start again (peanut) then an immediate explosion of exotic fruits and walnut and cinnamon cake drizzled with a bit of grappa. Very slight metallic touch (old silver spoon). Finish: not extraordinarily long for a Millstone, but these very ripe fruits with rosehip tea and cherry stems work very well. Old walnuts in the aftertaste – without any oloroso! Comments: what’s also great with Millstone is that you absolutely never get bored.
SGP: 651 - 90 points.

Current Medal Standing
(August 5, 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)