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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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February 19, 2026 |
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The World Sessions,
A new little trip from Tasmania to the Netherlands |
To tell the truth, it’s generally at festivals or trade fairs that we come across many of these so-called “world whiskies”, which, in the Scottish fashion, are defined as whiskies that are neither Scottish, nor Irish, nor Japanese, nor American. Nor French either, since we’re French (go figure). These days, that amounts to quite a lot of different countries – and hundreds of whiskies to taste… Right then, let’s just pick one at random… |
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| Dried elephant dung, as they use it at Ondjaba, Namibia. We’re not so far removed from Islay peat, are we… (WF) |
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Collington Mill ‘El Sol’ (46%, OB, Tasmania, ex-sherry barrel, +/-2025) 
Here we are in Oatlands. It is rather amusing that they call this a ‘cool climate single malt whisky’ since hot climate ones seem much scarcer to me. The sherry casks in which this batch was matured apparently encompassed more or less every style of sherry according to their website. Colour: red amber. Nose: a nose of raisin loaf, fruitcake, dried figs and damp topsoil, all complemented by a touch of amaro, ginger, rye bread and aniseed. It is a pretty nose, most pleasantly earthy. Mouth: the casks are doing a fair portion of the work, yet I rather enjoy this very unusual aniseed and earthy side, with a coffee plus pastis combination that could seem really too much yet works rather well here. Finish: long, on peppered caramel, or caramelised pepper, then bitter orange liqueur. Or Campari and orange, if you prefer. Comments: genuinely a lovely surprise, even if it is probably very young.
SGP:661 - 83 points. |
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Carpathian Single Malt ‘Peated’ (46%, OB, Romania, bourbon, cask #2975, 321 bottles, 2024) 
First Romanian whisky for me! Colour: full gold. Nose: a nose reminiscent of ale matured in a peated whisky cask; in any case we have encountered this sort of thing on Islay before. Very light soapiness, mastic, shoe polish, farmhouse bread and eucalyptus. It is amusing, though not exactly easy. Mouth: a thousand times better on the palate than on the nose, already fruitier (citrus), then with lovely white and pink peppercorns. It is the fate of many very young whiskies; one could almost skip straight to the palate. Finish: long, with a pleasing sourdough note, smoked lemon, and Swedish crispbread with pumpkin seeds. A touch of chilli afterwards (rougail). Comments: a curious little beast, the nose genuinely gave us pause, yet the palate, including its honesty if one may put it that way, very nearly won us over.
SGP:673 - 80 points. |
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Ondjaba ‘Classic’ (46%, OB, Namibia, triple-grain, +/-2025)
We have already tasted one of those improbable whiskies smoked with elephant dung (indeed) and believe it or not we rather liked it (WF 83). Besides, the people are utterly charming, the elephants too of course, so let us taste this recent version with no prejudice whatsoever. One does enjoy that mention on the back label, ‘Alcohol reduces driving ability’. Seriously! Well then, the bottle also comes with gold from the World Spirit Competition in San Francisco, but nothing too alarming, let us not hold it against them if you please. Colour: full gold. Nose: frankly, I quite like it, the elephant dung having been reduced to its dry vegetal components, there is no, well… you see what I mean. Sake, geranium potting soil, pot-pourri, umeshu, green cigars as found in Indonesia, even a Gudang Garam cigarette… lit. Splendid. Mouth: it is chiefly on the palate that it impresses, with a very unusual spicy and earthy side, yet really rather pretty. One thinks of nutmeg and coriander seed, and of a whole array of African spices that we would not even begin to name, let alone describe. It is truly very good, very unusual, yet eminently ‘whisky’. Finish: good length, with a slightly aniseed freshness. Comments: our compliments to the elephants, I do hope they will remember (very clever, S.).
SGP:563 - 84 points. |
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Säntis ‘Edition Kamor’ (48%, OB, Switzerland, +/-2025) 
I have already written many times how much I enjoy the wildly improbable fun of Säntis, with their maturations in former beer casks. And of course, Appenzell… As it happens, I do have a secret lasagne recipe in which I use Appenzell cheese, but this is neither the time nor the place to go into that, is it. Colour: deep gold. Nose: somewhere between burnt plastic and roasted chestnuts, then kirsch, pumpernickel and the exhaust fumes of an old Mercedes-Benz. It may sound utterly unlikely, but believe me, it works… rather like an old Mercedes-Benz. Tip top. Mouth: on the palate it is even more unusual at first, then little by little it edges back towards proper malty orthodoxy, thanks to bitter oranges and small sharp cherries. I find it excellent. Finish: long and ultimately more classical, chiefly on oranges, earth and white pepper. Comments: but what on earth does ‘Kamor’ mean?
SGP:562 - 86 points. |
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Kinglake 2019/2022 ‘In the Blood’ (61%, OB, Australia, batch #1TB2, 76 bottles)
We had already tasted another ‘In the Blood’, though at a much gentler strength. All these things are excellent yet frankly improbable. Life is too short to be bored, in any case… Colour: reddish amber. Nose: strawberry jam spread thickly over a large slice of rye bread, then glacé cherries and gingerbread, in the Dijon manner. Nonnettes. With water: everything relaxes, the cereals emerge in a Fruit Loops fashion, the strawberries express themselves as artisanal yoghurt, while a very fruity beer takes then control. Mouth (neat): the strawberry and cherry jam side is even more pronounced, all the more so as it is bolstered by pink peppercorn. The trouble is it works. And life really is too short. With water: extreme fruitiness, almost litchi, but no matter, it works, and life is too short. Finish: pink pepper, strawberry liqueur and Aperol take charge. In short, everything is red or pink here. Comments: to be entirely honest, we would not forgive this from a large and arrogant Scottish distillery swollen with ‘lifestyle’ branding, but here one surrenders with trust and curiosity. And I swear we rather love it; life is too short.
SGP:761 - 86 points. |
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Starward 2017/2024 ‘Botrytis Cask’ (48%, OB, Australia) 
Botrytis cask, the best of the year, mention it to your horse and it will kick you. It appears to be semillon, thus very probably a Bordeaux wine cask, think Sauternes, but also Cérons, Cadillac or a few others. Or even Bergerac, or indeed the Hunter Valley in Australia. Quite. By the way, botrytis is what one calls noble rot. Colour: red amber. Nose: it is pretty, it is simple, it is packed with vine peach liqueur and sweet muscat. That is more or less the whole story, yet it is pleasant enough. Mouth: good news, we avoid the Schweppes Agrum’ side, yet it remains rather monolithic, somewhat ‘manufactured’, very far from other Starward expressions that we have greatly enjoyed. Finish: fairly long and rather on Aperol Spritz. Comments: not entirely our cup of tea, but if you are an Aperol Spritz enthusiast, do try this baby. You could always add prosecco, San Pellegrino and a slice of blood orange.
SGP:661 - 76 points. |
We’ll stop there for this time, and we won’t take any chances, okay? |
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Millstone 9 yo 2016/2025 (54.2%, Dràm Mor, Netherlands, PX butt, cask #B0309, 688 bottles)
A reminder that we hold Millstone/Zuidam in rather high esteem. And Dràm Mor too, of course. Colour: golden amber. Nose: somewhere between a rugby changing room, a maturing cellar of cooked-curd cheeses (Gouda of course, Comté, Gruyère), and fresh gingerbread. With water: it softens a little, moving towards candied ginger and fresh turmeric, but also raisins. After all, there is Pedro involved. Mouth (neat): it gathers itself around orange marmalade and raisins of every persuasion, with fruit loaves in the background, wavering between apricot, hazelnut and fig. All that is missing is a slice of truffled Alsatian goose foie gras. With water: black pepper takes back control and rebalances the whole, yet we never quite leave that fruitcake territory. I had forgotten to mention the apricot, by the way. Ah no, you are quite right. Finish: fairly long, marked by raisins. Comments: a splendid little beast, even if some Millstone can be far more extreme. Then again, the world news is extreme enough as it is, is it not.
SGP:651 - 85 points. |
All right then, just one last one… |
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Millstone 27 yo 1998/2025 ‘Special #38’ (48.58%, OB, Netherlands, oloroso, 467 bottles)
Special 38, that rather sounds like the name of a handgun, does it not. So let us proceed filled with peace and understanding… Oh and we do so admire here the coquettish precision of the strength stated to the hundredth of a degree. Colour: dark red amber. Nose: here is irrefutable proof that they were already producing great distillates in the last century. Geraniums, gingerbread, caraway and poppy seeds, black and grey pepper, clove, juniper, dried morels, treacle honey. Will that do? Mouth: we have rarely come so close to proper old-fashioned gingerbread. Magnificent cumin, old walnuts, fir honey, hoisin sauce and pepper liqueur. Also plenty of coniferous saps, which then lead the whole towards becoming perhaps a little drying in the end. That is typical of these distillates and these hyperactive casks when they reach great age, I would say, modestly. Finish: probably the less obvious part, as it dries somewhat and becomes a little too bitter for my taste. Nothing will rescue it thereafter, not even orange zest… bitter. Comments: rather like a Madonna concert, it does not necessarily end brilliantly. But that too is a matter of age…
SGP:372 - 82 points. |
Come on then, adapting is surviving, isn’t it? And persevering as well… |
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Millstone 20 yo 2005/2025 (48.8%, OB, Netherlands, virgin American oak, cask #693, 135 bottles, 2025) 
Colour: dark red amber. Nose: bourbon from Holland, and not just any. Magnificent ‘Saturday morning at Ikea’, though without the toxic meatballs, more lavender biscuits, varnish and glue, vanilla, bergamots, fresh oil paint (come on, Van Gogh since we are in Holland), fig leaves… I was almost about to mention tulips, but that would have been pushing it. In short, on the nose it is a rather grand bourbon. Mouth: magnificent on the palate. Glues, varnishes and banana extract, all in total abandon. I am not entirely sure this is legal, yet here we adore this almost chemical side. Vanillin and geranium syrup attempt to round it all off, yet it ends up on strawberry and cherry. Well then. Finish: very long, spicy, still ‘chemical’, yet ultimately very beautiful. Rye bread in full majesty. Comments: hateful and brilliant at the same time, this is contemporary whisky art. One does not judge in the end, one can only witness it. … Since great spirits converse with the gods… Do you disagree?
SGP:561 - 89 points. |
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