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| Hi, you're in the Archives, September 2024 - Part 2 |
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September 30, 2024 |
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WF's Little Duos, today Old Pulteney in opulent versions |
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| Wick harbour (Wick Harbour Authority) |
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| Let's have a 16-year-old at a modest strength and the recent 25-year-old. |
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Old Pulteney 16 yo ‘Travellers' Exclusive’ (43%, OB, bourbon and Spanish oak, 2023) 
The poor travellers have only been granted 43% ABV. Rather odd and quite ‘un-Pulteney’, I must say, but on the bright side, it gives us a rare opportunity to have a grumble about Pulteney, which we haven’t done much of in recent years. Ha! Colour: gold. Nose: despite the low ABV, it still retains that maritime, saline edge, almost peaty without actually being peaty, plus those slightly overripe and fresh apple notes. There’s a touch of bubblegum, some jelly babies, and a handful of orange-flavoured sweets... However, it’s often on the palate that lighter spirits reveal their true nature, so let’s see... Mouth: it’s pleasant enough but, indeed, lacks punch—such a shame. There’s fruit juice, a bit of grapefruit, some toasted wood, a little tinned peach, and hints of honey… but it struggles to take off. The effect is odd and somewhat frustrating. Finish: short, and the difference from the 46% versions is glaring. Some sour candies, a bit of icing sugar, and a touch of honey and pine sap lozenge... Comments: it’s all down to the bottling strength, really; the juice itself is thoroughly charming, with that honeyed and maritime character. Still rather good though.
SGP:641 - 83 points. |
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Old Pulteney 25 yo (46%, OB, American oak and Spanish oak casks, +/-2024) 
This one’s undergone a secondary maturation in ‘Spanish oak’. We tried an earlier version in 2017 that was excellent but somewhat overshadowed by younger, more vibrant editions. Let’s see how this one fares… Colour: gold. Nose: plenty of oranges and honey, with a touch of liquorice and olive oil, followed by nougat, roasted caramelised peanuts, and a hefty slice of millionaire’s shortbread. We’re almost in family-sized Mars bar territory here. Mouth: this is a Pulteney without its usual fresh, maritime character, instead rather dominated by the ‘Spanish oak’ (I suspect sherry-like). Salted caramel, toffee, butterscotch, then a hint of stout, chocolate, coffee liqueur, chestnut cream… and back to that salted caramel. Finish: medium length, chocolatey with plenty of caramel. Lightly salt a Mars bar and you’ve got it—no need to deep fry it! A little orange and salt linger in the aftertaste. Comments: a more opulent Pulteney, but you need to listen to the background, if you know what I mean. A coastal whisky without a sea view, but you can tell it’s not far off.
SGP:651 - 87 points. |
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September 29, 2024 |
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Return of the rums on Whiskyfun
After armagnacs and cognacs, some of intergalactic calibre, let's return to rums this Sunday, and I'm sure a few will send us to the stars as well (don't make me say what I didn't say!).
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Trois Rivières 2007 (42%, OB, Martinique, agricole, cognac cask, cask #M2-15) 
Not entirely sure when this single cask was released, though it’s clear it spent a good spell in ex-cognac Limousin oak. Colour: gold. Nose: unmistakably with pencil shavings, gorse, and fresh cane juice, followed by a touch of cinnamon cookies. The cognac influence comes through gently, offering just three sultanas and half a ripe peach, which is fine by me. Mouth: much the same impression, with liquorice, cedarwood, and cinnamon leading the charge before ripe plums, peaches, and apricots make an appearance. It leans heavily on the oak, but I’d say that works quite well for this style of rum. Finish: there’s that subtle salty note you often find in Martinique and Guadeloupe, accompanied by oak, tea, pepper, and a bit more cinnamon in the aftertaste. Comments: fully aged on location, and you can tell, especially with a cask as active as this one. Still, it feels true to the local style.
SGP:571 - 82 points. |
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Isautier 13 yo 2008/2023 ‘L’aventurier’ (58%, OB, La Réunion, LMdW, 581 bottles)
This one’s a ‘rhum traditionnel’, meaning molasses-based from column stills, not cane juice like agricole. We’ve seen some cracking Isautier lately, which is a surprise as we used to think they mainly dabbled in ‘arranged’ rums (flavoured or infused). Colour: full gold. Nose: there’s a delightful ‘bourbon’ feel to this, in the best sense, with vanilla, oranges, and just a hint of varnish, followed by beautifully ripe bananas and apricots. A touch of grated coconut, though with restraint. With water: orange cake and vanilla cake—a perfect little breakfast, I reckon. A touch of grey pepper too. Mouth (neat): an absolute explosion of exotic fruits and honey. Pineapple, banana, and apricots all drenched in honey and maple syrup. Though to be fair, it’s a bit hot to enjoy neat. With water: it becomes spicier and more floral, with a gentle curry paste vibe—ideal for your poultry, be it chicken, guinea fowl, goose, duck, or even capon (they’ve got it, S.). Finish: fairly long, mellow, with well-behaved spices, honey, and soft liquorice lozenges. Comments: a lovely balance of sweetness and power, which we’re very fond of.
SGP:651 - 85 points. |
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Ten Cane 12 yo 2012/2024 (58.6%, Whisky Concerto, Trinidad, Recital 8.1)
We remember Ten Cane as a distillery launched in 2007 by LVMH in Trinidad, but it was closed rather quickly. Still, this is pure cane juice distilled in pot stills. Colour: gold. Nose: it’s surprisingly soft and even light for a pot still rum, but the fruitiness is lovely, with the usual bananas, a bit of white chocolate, and a touch of oiliness in the background. I doubt they were aiming for an ester-forward rum, likely not, as it seems they were targeting the American market. With water: not much change here. Mouth (neat): it’s sharper, more mineral, and salty, with more esters this time around. Reminds me a bit of a low-marque Worthy Park. Lovely notes of mangoes. With water: it finds a beautiful balance, becoming more agricole-like, with an increasing presence of citrus and even a bit of seawater. It’s improving, and I’m liking it more and more. Finish: more vegetal and mineral, and you might even say black olives are showing up... Comments: a very nice development, but it does need a bit of time. Perhaps LVMH should’ve called in Beyoncé—or maybe Naomi Chin Wing.
SGP:542 - 85 points. |
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Brazil 13 yo 2011/2024 (55.5%, FRC for Sea Shepherd, Kirsch Import, American oak + Imburana)
It seems this noble offering (right, 100 points for the cause) is made from both molasses and cane juice. As for imburana, I believe it’s the same as amburana (Amburana Cearensis), sometimes used in artisanal cachaça, and let’s hope it has no connection to Amazon deforestation. Colour: gold. Nose: the wood is overwhelmingly present, but to be fair, cherry or wild cherry wood is highly aromatic. Trust me, I used to sell furniture when I was a student. Really. Plenty of varnish and cherry stones, which on the nose are almost the same thing. With water: glue and varnish, like the latest batch from Ikea, or a fresh wetsuit… Mouth (neat): incredibly original, which of course makes it instantly likable. Rubber, kirsch, bitter almonds, varnish, sour cherries... With water: we’re sailing through all sorts of stone fruits, from cherry to plum. Putty, varnish, hint of soap, and pine resin, which is becoming more prominent. Finish: long, with a massive burst of lemon finally stepping in to take charge, plus heaps of bay leaves. Comments: it’s got a medicinal edge and is downright mad. Very mad, actually. Hold on, was it cachaça?
SGP:372 - 86 points. |
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Mhoba ‘Strand 101’ (58%, OB, South Africa, +/-2023) 
They mention it’s a ‘high ester and glass cask blend’. Glass cask? Have our dreams finally come true? This is distilled from local Nkomazi cane juice. Colour: gold. Nose: I absolutely love this. Half-rotten bananas and petrol—believe me, there’s nothing more beautiful, and for once, I’m not joking. With water: cauliflower and leek! All in a vanilla sauce. Mouth (neat): I adore it. Varnish, overripe yellow fruits, brine, petrol. Who hasn’t siphoned their mate’s car after running out of fuel in the middle of nowhere? With water: this is so weird, and so good. Together with that crazy Brazilian rum, they make quite the pair. Finish: long, acetic, and downright bacterial. I’m a big fan of this. Comments: it’s like a glue spirit, and I’m almost embarrassed to say I totally love it. Hats off to the South Africans—they make their rum like they play rugby: with no unnecessary frills.
SGP:563 - 89 points. |
Since we were talking about rugby... |
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Fiji 2015/2024 (60.90%, Zn09, 195 bottles)
From South Pacific, naturally, often called the "Jamaicans of the Pacific." Much respect for the Fijians, and of course for Zéro Nine Spirits, who offer us what is likely a wonderfully excessive rum. Colour: pale gold. Nose: ah, not an ultra-estery Fijian, it’s actually rather gentle, with notes of vanilla and apple, older wood, and yellow flowers. You get the picture. With water: indeed, a few faint hints of old putty, but that’s about it as far as phenols or esters are concerned. Mouth (neat): let’s say it’s a Fijian halfway in style, somewhat reminiscent of the Ten Cane we just tasted. It really seems to need water. With water: lovely, well-balanced, apples and oranges, with a bit of blond tobacco. Finish: medium length, with a slightly sweet aftertaste. Orange liqueur. Comments: really nice, but without the usual rough edges. We’ve got more Zn09 to taste, so we’ll see how those go very soon.
SGP:640 - 82 points. |
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Jamaïque 2013/2023 (65.5%, L’Esprit, Maison de l’Hédonisme 10th anniversary, cask #MDH 2013-1, 246 bottles) 
Maison de l’Hédonisme? Love that! Colour: full gold. Nose: classic esters, but of the lighter, rounder Jamaican variety, so we already have an idea of what this is not. Brilliant, with a few dry, bushy notes, followed by unexpected wafts of geranium flowers, rose jelly, and a sweet Tokaji-like quality. It’s perfectly balanced and delicate, almost like a top white Irouléguy (just for the wine geeks who may have wandered onto WF by mistake). With water: glue, fresh plywood, wallpaper paste, beeswax, and some all-purpose car polish (does it all, but best not to drink it). Mouth (neat): absolute beauty, tense, simple, ultimate. Vineyard peach, petrol, seawater, and mango. Nothing to discard in this likely Worthy Park. With water: I’m flat on my stomach now, which makes typing on a MacBook quite tricky. Finish: long. Oranges, seawater, petrol, papayas, and tar. Comments: what a magnificent spirit. Such a shame the origin can’t be disclosed—too bad for the distillery.
SGP:653 - 90 points. |
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Caroni 1999/2024 ‘Rum Bullion’ (58.9%, Jean Boyer, Trinidad, cask #223, 262 bottles)
Still thinking about you, Jean Marie. Colour: amber. Nose: this is unreal. Every type of wood imaginable (beech, oak, fir, walnut, cedar, thuja, cherry...) plus glue and varnish. It’s like a symphony orchestra that Walt Disney himself wouldn’t have disowned. Throw in some tar, pitch, ski wax, and more varnish. With water: only slightly fruitier, with a touch of stone fruits, especially cherries. A bit of lanolin. Mouth (neat): loads of resinous wood, which theoretically shouldn’t be great, but in this specific context, it works a treat—especially as it ties in with peach skin, leading to fresh peach. You get the drift. With water: rubber, plastic, tar, chervil, and grapefruit. As we say in French, ça bastonne—it’s a real brawl. Finish: long, resinous, tarry, and increasingly bitter. Comments: best not to add too much water here. The wood’s almost taken control, but it’s Caroni, so of course it’s a bit mad.
SGP:373 - 89 points. |
 Check the index of all rums we've tasted so far
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September 27, 2024 |
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A few more American whiskies
We've been quite impressed by American malts and ryes lately, and by the fact that, in most cases, they manage to stand out without relying too heavily on those 'alien' casks that other countries sometimes use to the point of excess to flavour their whiskies. In short, enough with the barriques, long live the barrels! |
Louis XVI of Bourbon, King of France at the time
when the famous Bourbon County in Kentucky
adopted his family name in 1785. Unfortunately,
that didn’t bring him much luck... |
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Stranahan’s ‘Blue Peak’ (43%, OB, USA, single malt, +/-2024)
From Colorado. One of the pioneers of American malt, Stranahan’s was talked about quite a bit around fifteen years ago (I think). They seem rather quiet in Europe these days, though. We really enjoyed a ‘Batch 112’ ten years ago (WF 86). This Blue Peak is aged for 4 years in new American oak, followed by a ‘solera finish’, though I’ve no clue what that actually entails. Some kind of barrel homogenisation? A perpetual vat? Spanish ex-solera butts? Colour: dark gold. Nose: young, with quite a present woodiness, but not out of place in this setting. Loads of cinnamon and nutmeg, followed by ginger, cocoa, slightly acidic coffee (or mocha), and black tea. It’s fairly dry and austere, without any obvious beams. By which I mean, no blatant vanilla or coconut. Mouth: still quite austere, dry, woody, with teas, then brown sugar, slightly unripe fruits, and oak spices. It gradually becomes more fruity, with apples and plums. Finish: not very long, with no major shifts, but a return of that cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg trio towards the end. Comments: young, no frills, and very good in my book.
SGP:551 - 84 points. |
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Sonoma ‘California Rye’ (46.5%, OB, USA, 2024)
Never been disappointed by these Sonoma whiskies, which I first discovered in a small grocery in the… Napa Valley. Their ‘Sonoma County Rye’ was excellent as well (WF 86). That said, this bottle states ‘a blend of straight rye whiskeys’, which is a bit puzzling. Is it sourced? Colour: gold. Nose: I may need to start watching out for these ryes. Stunning oranges, bitter oranges, hints of juniper, caraway, vanilla cream, and coriander… No, I’m not describing a gin. Mouth: the mix of these spices and aged triple-sec is pretty irresistible, at least for me. A lovely freshness, all very straightforward. Finish: a bit of honey and maple syrup come in to round out the sweetness. Some speculoos in the aftertaste (not very Californian, that) and more wood spices. Comments: we really ought to start a world rye club.
SGP:651 - 86 points. |
... and since we're persistent, or at least we try to be... |
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Michter’s 10 yo ‘Kentucky Straight Rye’ (46.4%, OB, USA, +/-2024)
This single barrel Rye carries the 'Straight' designation, which means it's been aged for at least two years, not that it’s 100% rye—though it is, of course, mostly rye (at least 51%). Without ‘Straight’, there wouldn’t be any minimum ageing requirement. Colour: amber. Nose: utterly beautiful, with apricots, varnish, and glue (which we adore), rose petals, jasmine, mango, flambéed bananas, a gentler juniper touch, well-balanced vanilla, and honey. The balance here is impeccable. Mouth: there’s a real bourbon-like quality, but with more cooked and fresh fruits. The bananas return (think banana tarte), alongside plums, peaches, and pears, all wrapped in honey, with that lovely varnish note we’re so fond of. Finish: rather long and delightfully fruity. Lavender sweets, honey, pear, and a touch of juniper. Comments: Michter’s now distils on their own, but it’s unclear if this batch is from their own production. But frankly, this is excellent, fresh, and cheerful. Definitely not a rye-bomb, though.
SGP:651 - 88 points. |
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Never Say Die ‘Barrel Strength’ (60.5%, OB, Kentucky Straight Bourbon, barrel, cask #8) 
Billed as having ‘Kentucky provenance, English character’, though one might cheekily add ‘and French taster’. What could possibly go wrong? Intriguingly, it’s distilled in Kentucky and finished in England—though by ‘finished’, they thankfully don’t mean ‘consumed’. Made from 75% corn, so we’re expecting sweetness. Colour: deep gold. Nose: neat, it’s all about milk chocolate and pancake syrup. With water: a few oily touches (peanut), light earthiness, pistachios, and an Italian-style hazelnut liqueur note. Mouth (neat): very hot, leaning towards grain territory, with a mountain of jelly babies and a splash of coffee liqueur. With water: reminds one of North British, but with a bit more backbone. Apple juice, corn syrup, vanilla, and sweets. Finish: not very long, really all about the sweets—English sweets, of course. A frappuccino note lingers in the aftertaste—those cheeky Americans! Comments: a high-powered bourbon with a light structure. I probably should have tasted this before the ryes, my mistake. Mea culpa.
SGP:720 - 79 points. |
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Leiper’s Fork 4 yo ‘bottled in bond’ (50%, OB, Tennessee Whiskey, new American oak #4, +/-2024)
With a mashbill of 70% corn, we’re venturing into familiar territory. Colour: deep gold. Nose: there’s that classic candy sweetness and maple syrup, but here it’s bolstered by more vanilla and a bit of structure from the oak. A touch of apple juice as well, which is rather pleasant. With water: much the same. Mouth (neat): toasted brioche, followed by a nicely earthy and rooty side. Cooked turnips with honey, or something along those lines, then a return of syrup—cane or agave perhaps. With water: the wood asserts itself more, with ginger, turmeric, and then a dose of sugar. Finish: a bit of rye now comes through, alongside a hint of soft rum. The maple syrup makes a reappearance in the aftertaste. Comments: it’s enjoyable, though I find spirits so heavily dominated by corn a bit lacking in structure. Still, yes, it’s quite nice.
SGP:730 - 81 points. |
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Heaven’s Door ‘Schlumberger Selection 6’ (59.4%, OB, Tennessee, Straight Bourbon whiskey, single barrel, cask #28897)
A 5-year-old bottling for Germany, and yes, co-created by none other than Bob Dylan—between Bob Dylan and Beyoncé, well, I’m not torn at all! Colour: full gold. Nose: mint and liquorice over wood shavings and ripe apples. As they say, it speaks—and it speaks well. With water: a slice of rye bread and still a bit of sawdust, but that’s not a bad thing at all. Some lovely forest notes, mushrooms, moss—indeed it’s really quite nice. Mouth (neat): powerful, well-balanced, in a similar vein to Leiper’s Fork but with more honey and a hint of saffron. Also a touch of pine resin. Quite enjoyable. With water: water works wonders, bringing out varnish (the opposite of what usually happens) and honeyed baked fruits, with a bit of grated ginger. Finish: rather long, with saffron making a notable return. A slightly dry, matte note in the aftertaste, thanks to the young wood. Comments: the answer, my friend…
SGP:651 - 83 points. |
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Westward ‘Pinot Noir Cask’ (45%, OB, USA, single malt, +/-2023)
This little gem, ‘powered by Diageo/Distill Ventures’, was finished for two years in Oregon Pinot Noir casks. If you’re going to add wine, might as well keep it local, right? Colour: gold, less pink than earlier batches. Nose: the real triumph here, in my opinion, is that you don’t actually smell the red wine. Instead, you get oranges (without that sangria note), Oriental pastries, honey, orange blossom, rustic bread, pumpernickel, a hint of earthy tobacco, a delicate touch of wood glue, and pink pepper. It’s all spot-on. Mouth: the kind of whisky I want to dislike—if you catch my drift. But it’s actually a tad sweeter than expected, yet beautifully balanced with a slight vinegary edge, a touch of game, and that ‘old rag’ and black cherry note that’s so typical of a good Pinot Noir. The most baffling thing is there’s no clash at all—it must be some sort of magic. Finish: long, with pumpernickel and gingerbread. A hint of cherry liqueur (guignolet) lingers, with lovely spices in the aftertaste. Comments: I’m almost ashamed of how much I like this. Shh, don’t tell anyone—especially not the Burgundians.
SGP:651 - 87 points. |
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Heritage Distilling Co. 5 yo 2018/2023 (61.15%, American Single Cask, chocolate malted barley, USA, new oak heavy char, cask #0003, 223 bottles)
Well, here we are back in Washington State. These folks absolutely floored us back in August with their 2016 100% rye under the same banner (WF 91). Just a quick note, 'chocolate malt' refers to heavily roasted malt and has nothing to do with actual chocolate. Colour: reddish amber. Nose: wham, right in the face. Tar, coffee grounds, earth, new plastic, fig and tomato leaves, and an old tea box... What on earth is this? With water: rather amusing, it all settles down a bit, but then we get some lovely notes of spinach, sorrel, wild garlic, thyme, marjoram... and yes, some chocolate. Mouth (neat): highly improbable. Loads of myrtle, smoke, slightly acidic tar, a bit of wild moutai, fish stock, plastic... It’s so bonkers that you start to wonder if there’s some nuclear waste in here as well (are you alright, S.?). With water: still absolutely mad. Vin Jaune, mustard, glue, plastics, seawater… Finish: very long, salty, and acidic, with a strong sorrel, olive, and black garlic character. Comments: first of all, is this even legal? And secondly, is it moral? Never tasted anything like this. PS: I love it.
SGP:283 - 90 points. |
Right, let's at least try to find some form of redemption, we can't stay like this... |
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2BAR Spirits 4 yo 2019/2023 (58.94%, American Single Cask, Straight Bourbon whiskey, ex-red wine finish, USA, cask #0005, 286 bottles)
We're still on the West Coast, this time in Seattle. The mention of a red wine finish is always a bit daunting, but there are the odd pleasant surprises – as we've seen with Westward. By the way, 2BAR Spirits claim their goal is simple: ‘make a damn fine whiskey’. Fair enough. Colour: reddish amber. Nose: they’re starting to get a bit boring with their fantastic juices. Strawberry tarte, chestnut honey, fresh malt, orange jam, maple syrup. No red berries, save for a touch of cooked strawberry. With water: a literal explosion of morello cherry. Unlikely, but stunning, especially since we're rather fond of cherries. Mouth (neat): you can feel the wine, but you can also feel the bourbon’s ‘malty’ character, or so it seems. Black tea, spices, cracked pepper, cherry jam. With water: brioche, walnuts, cherries, pepper, and Blanc de Noirs Champagne. They’re infuriatingly good, honestly. Surely, they must be using some form of AI, especially since they're up in the Pacific Northwest. Finish: long, textured, elegant, almost creamy. Cherry marmalade with honey and pepper. Only the aftertaste is a tad chocolatey and drying, with a fairly strong tannic note. Comments: the perfect counterpart to the Heritage Distilling Co., it’s like watching Beauty and the Beast all over again. In any case, this whole series by ‘American Single Cask’ is of an incredibly high standard and, most importantly, wonderfully entertaining for a taster who might occasionally feel a tad jaded. But I imagine, alas, that they don’t have millions of barrels.
SGP:561 - 90 points. |
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September 26, 2024 |
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WF’s Little Duos, today new Glendronach 18 vs… we’ll see |
Enthusiasts have always enjoyed discussing the changes in Glendronach's core range, I don't know why.
Glendronach's stillhouse in 2003 (MM Archive, Craig)
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Glendronach 18 yo 'Sherry Cask Matured' (46%, OB, 2024)
New look! Matured in Oloroso. They mention ‘Spanish oak casks’ on the label, but I’ve always thought that term could be a tad misleading (not just with Glendronach, mind). What exactly is ‘Spanish’ here, the oak, the casks, or both? That said, we were quite fond of the previous 18-year-old ‘Allardice’ (around 86 points), though it didn’t exactly have us swinging from the rafters – we used to prefer the 15-year-old. Colour: amber. Nose: there’s that Mars bar and millionaire’s shortbread note, followed by a hint of tar and damp earth. It’s got that dunnage warehouse feel, which I rather like. Then, as expected, the walnut wine shows up, with a touch of mustard and clove, before we nose into an old tin of black tea. Nothing to complain about. Mouth: perhaps a touch less precise, opening on peppered chocolate and espresso, moving into Catalan rancio, old walnuts, brown tobacco, and finally, oranges. The texture is a bit lighter than I anticipated, but it all works beautifully. Finish: medium length, with black tea, walnuts, and chocolate with a coffee edge. Comments: I’m not sure if it’s full-on Oloroso maturation or a three-year rerack or so, but I think it’s very well done. For my money, there’s absolutely no reason to think it’s any less good than the Allardice – and hey, I rather prefer the new look.
SGP:561 - 87 points. |
Let’s find a worthy sparring partner... |
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Glendronach 1996/2010 (57.2%, Malts of Scotland, sherry butt, cask #195, 287 bottles)
Don’t ask me why we’re only getting around to this beauty now—I haven’t the faintest idea. Forgotten backlog, I suppose. Colour: deep reddish amber. Nose: full-on sherry, massive and earthy with a lovely mentholated, almost medicinal character. Loads of camphor, a cedar cigar box (fully stocked, of course), fermented figs, aged pinot noir, cherry liqueur, a hint of turpentine, and linseed oil… I find it rather astounding, and it seems to have improved over its fourteen years in glass. With water: old fabrics, pepper, figs, prunes, and a touch of Ténarèze. Mouth (neat): superb, very much in line with the nose, showing mint, camphor, chocolate, kirsch-soaked cherries, cracked pepper, bitter oranges, and quinine… It’s truly magnificent. With water: unstoppable. Even earthier, more on cloves and juniper… and black pepper chocolate. Finish: very long, so powerful it almost seems peated. Or nearly so. Seville oranges linger on the aftertaste. Comments: I’m not sure this incredible dram was quite like this in 2010. A proper sherry monster, in every sense.
SGP:562 - 91 points. |
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September 25, 2024 |
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Glenfiddich and shochu on the table
The latest 'a bit pricey' Glenfiddich, Grand Château, was finished for 9 years in red Bordeaux, though no one knows which one, which makes us a little uneasy, especially since it's nothing experimental, as everyone is offering 'Bordeausky' this year. So we decided to instead enjoy last year’s Yozakura, but first, our traditional aperitif...
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Glenfiddich ‘Reserve Cask’ (40%, OB, travel retail, 1l, +/-2024) 
It’s on the pricier side for NAS in the perilous land of travel retail, but they’ve 'married' it in a solera vat, so there. Previous batches have left us slightly underwhelmed, but I’m sure it will serve as a perfect steppingstone to the Yozakura. Colour: gold. Nose: apples, pears, and a touch of sawdust, followed by herbal teas and a bit of hay. Not much backbone or punch here, one could say, but at least there are no off notes. Some pleasant tinned peaches do make a late entrance, though. Mouth: ah, this is where it falters a bit. Still that hay, but now with a slightly soapy edge, alongside white sugar and a supermarket blend of herbal teas. Unfortunately, the peaches never quite show up on the palate. Finish: short, a bit cardboardy, with some sweetened apple juice or sweet cider. Comments: something may have gone awry here. It’s still acceptable, let’s not exaggerate, but somewhat disappointing for a grand name like Glenfiddich.
SGP:341 - 70 points. |
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Glenfiddich 29 yo ‘Grand Yozakura’ (45.1%, OB, Japanese Awamori Finish, 2023)
This one spent its final six months in Shochu casks from Okinawa, also known as Awamori. As far as I understand, Awamori uses a different kind of fungus for fermentation—koji, the famous one—but the rice itself is Thai. Well, why not? Colour: gold. Nose: not immensely expressive at first, but it’s rather elegant, with a slightly fermentative side—sweet potato purée, mead, fresh almonds, green bananas, and a bit of pumpkin. A touch of brown sugar and orange biscuits later rounds things out. How does one say ‘it’s nice’ in Japanese? Mouth: a lovely start with triple sec and black tea, followed by hints of ale (that must be the Awamori influence) and spiced apple compote with cinnamon and lemon. The underlying distillate, after 28 or 29 years in the cask, doesn’t seem particularly expressive. Naturally, your brain might detect some sake, but are there truly any sake notes? Finish: medium length, with no major shifts, but it does turn softer in the end, slightly jammy, with a hint of demerara sugar. Comments: it’s fine and delicate, perhaps best suited for a spot of meditation or yoga. Still, I prefer the ‘Grande Couronne’ from 2021 (WF 89) and, of course, the 40-year-old from a decade ago. I seem to recall we used to enjoy more old ‘Fiddichs back then and earlier.
SGP:551 - 86 points. |
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September 24, 2024 |
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A small box full of high-quality Irish whiskies
We'll start with a Jameson, because last time, the basic Jameson seemed as empty as an old coconut to us, and because it's only fair to give it another chance (even though Jameson probably has absolutely nothing to do with WF). |
New Boann Distillery (Boann) |
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Jameson ‘Caskmates IPA Edition’ (40%, OB, Irish blend, finished in craft beer barrels, +/-2024)
One would expect a few aromas in here, no? Presumably, the casks were prepared with IPA (from Franciscan Well in Cork), rather than used for actual ageing of the beer. Not too sure… Colour: gold. Nose: not exactly explosive, but indeed, there are considerably more aromas than in the standard Jameson. Some hay, a little touch of freshly cut grass, then tangerines (the IPA influence, perhaps?), apples, and a faint hint of potpourri and chamomile. Still, it remains fairly light. Mouth: light again, but not unpleasant. Once more, a little tangerine, along with herbal teas, rosehip, and possibly a touch of citrusy hops (Citra and the like), with a smidgen of ginger. Finish: short, light, but clean. A hint of lemon liqueur. Comments: this is clearly a step above the rather skeletal regular Jameson (WF 60). Cheers to beer!
SGP: 431 - 76 points. |
We're staying at Middleton. |
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Green Spot ‘Finished in Château Léoville Barton’ (46%, OB, Irish single pot still, 2023)
‘Celebrating a shared Irish heritage,’ it proudly states, and indeed, the ‘Barton’ of Barton & Guestier hailed from Ireland in… 1725. The label also mentions that this expression ‘was finished in casks previously filled with wine from the famed Château Léoville Barton,’ which, of course, could mean a number of things, but let’s press on. Colour: gold. Nose: initially, we're in similar territory to Jameson IPA, though this one’s a touch more robust. There’s little in the way of aromas that would evoke the illustrious Second Growth of Saint-Julien, though that's no bad thing, as we’re treated to lovely notes of ripe apples, plums, quince, and yellow melon. There's also that characteristic hint of copper coins, something often found in these Irish whiskeys. A few freshly bloomed peonies too, which is rather charming. Mouth: very nice, firmer than expected, with a true Irish character. There’s a little clafoutis and Linzertorte in there, followed by a return of hay, a bit of cinnamon (in a cake-like way), and some greenish bay leaf. Finish: of medium length, with orange zest, a touch more bay leaf, and even a hint of green pepper—could that be the Cabernet influence? Then, a bit of marzipan and orange cake to round things off. Comments: I really do like this one, and it’s not overly wine-influenced, which is a relief. That said, I think I prefer the regular Green Spot at 40% (WF 85) by a small margin.
SGP: 551 – 84 points. |
Let's stay a little longer at Midleton... |
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Redbreast 27 yo ‘Batch 5’ (54.6%, OB, Irish single pot still, 2024)
The latest release, ‘graced’ with a touch of Ruby Port, but I’ve no doubt that won’t detract from the splendour you’d expect from a 27-year-old Redbreast. Colour: gold with a hint of apricot. Nose: a generous waft of old copper right from the start, as if you were nosing an antique still (and not one polished to a shine). Then comes peony and oleander – clearly showing its kinship with Green Spot – along with, of course, the famed mango, pink grapefruit, honey, and ripe cherries. Truly delightful on the nose. With water: just a whisper of coconut, posh face cream, and prickly pear... Mouth (neat): an absolute stunner, reminiscent of ancient single malts from a very old distillery much further north. A massive basket of tropical fruits drenched in honey, with a drizzle of caramel to finish. That’s about it. With water: vineyard peaches appear, but do go easy on the water, it’s not the strongest swimmer. Finish: not the longest, but very, very fruity, still on mango and vineyard peaches, and wonderfully free of any rough edges. Comments: A magnificent Redbreast, not as ‘red’ as you might think despite the Ruby.
SGP:641 - 90 points. |
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Boann ‘Madeira Cask’ (47%, OB, Irish single pot still, 2024)
A brand-new distillery, and their first whisky, which I believe was launched at the Whisky Show in London. It’s still rather curious how every new whisky seems to get the wine treatment these days, but if it helps the vintners, so be it. Besides, Madeira, like sherry, isn’t quite the same as wine, is it? It’s fortified wine, after all. The distillery sits on the east coast, neatly between Dundalk to the north and Dublin to the south. Colour: straw. Nose: lovely brioche and panettone notes, so think raisins and orange blossom, with a handful of yellow flowers, mirabelle plums, and a touch of pear. A bit of grist in the background, hinting at its youth. It’s charming, natural, and well-balanced. Perhaps a couple of walnuts, likely from Madeira. I mean from the Madeira cask, of course. Mouth: I like it a lot – orange juice, cassata, Christstollen, apple juice, with a dash of spiced honey (caraway, star anise), and that’s that. Finish: medium length, balanced, with a hint of sweet bread, barley, and a very subtle rye and pepper note in the background. Comments: definitely not one of those new whiskies thrown together without care, ‘with a trowel’ as we say in French, if you catch my drift. Certainly a success.
SGP:551 - 84 points. |
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Waterford ‘Heritage Goldthorpe’ (50%, OB, Irish single malt, 6,500 bottles, 2024)
Well, we’re moving from single farms/estates to single varietals, which is rather intriguing. Goldthorpe is a rare centennial variety, reintroduced by Waterford in collaboration with the Irish Ministry of Agriculture, apparently starting from just a single small packet of seeds. There’s a delightful Jurassic Park vibe to the whole thing, though presumably with far less danger involved. Let’s see if the fracas of time can be felt in the glass… Colour: white wine. Nose: hard to pin down, should’ve sampled the new make first. It comes across as fairly oily, with a lovely citric profile, hints of chives, dill, lemon-mint, then some green melon and even a touch of Petit Manseng. With water: more melon and lemon, a bit of damp earth. Mouth (neat): starts off both citric and oily, then quickly ramps up into a bold, herbal character with an almost mezcal-like quality, though without the smoke. It scrapes the palate a bit, but in the most pleasant way! With water: it softens, as one would expect. Finish: long, increasingly lemony—absolutely delightful. Comments: it feels a bit strange to sip on such a historical – and splendid - whisky as though it were just any other dram. Surely, this deserves at least a lecture, if not an entire seminar, delivered by some wild-haired, veteran university professors. Still, we absolutely love it—it’s cutting-edge… History.
SGP:561 - 90 points. |
People often ask me what they should collect. Well, here's an idea: whiskies distilled from ancient grain varieties, such as Bere, Chevalier, Golden Promise, Hunter, or even Goldthorpe barley! And then, of course, there's biodynamic whisky... |
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Waterford ‘Biodynamic Cuvée Luna’ (50%, OB, Irish single malt, 2024)
An intriguing blend from three farms practising biodynamics. We had a soft spot for the first release back in 2021, Luna 1.1 (WF90). I know some biodynamic winemakers in Alsace who swear you can see the wine moving in the barrels with the phases of the moon. But let’s taste this new Luna without consulting any anthroposophical calendar to check if it’s the ideal moment… Colour: white wine. Nose: absolutely pristine, like a barely cooled fruit-studded brioche, paired with a delicate touch of soft spices. I find this precise simplicity quite stunning. With water: a hint of Williams pear emerges. Mouth (neat): quite different from the nose, much fruitier, with a light caramelised edge and even a bit of smoke (heavily toasted wood). Very good. With water: a maritime touch appears, a bit of vanilla, and perhaps a small glass of manzanilla (nuts, mustard, curry). Finish: carries on in the same vein, with just a hint of apples in the aftertaste. Comments: no point, nor even possible, to say whether this Luna or the Heritage is superior. I suppose the next step is to grow Goldthorpe barley biodynamically.
SGP:551 - 90 points. |
I'd also like to try a Dingle. We have quite a few that are finished in alien casks, so that will be for later. Fortunately, we also have an ex-bourbon one for Kirsch Import. |
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Dingle 2015/2024 (59.2%, OB, for Kirsch Import, Irish single malt, bourbon, 264 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: it opens with a definite triple-IPA vibe, bursting with citrus, fennel, elderflower, and a curious note of young Swiss cheese (Fribourg, perhaps). There's also a slight whiff of gym socks, or perhaps that post-rugby third-half atmosphere that we’ll need to work through. Let’s see how it evolves. With water: no change, really, maybe even heading a bit towards Parmesan territory. Mouth (neat): powerful, earthy, and brimming with lemony zest, borderline raw tequila straight from the still. It's unlike any other malt, truly unique. If I were Angus, I’d quote Disraeli here, but alas, I’m not. With water: ah, now we’re talking! Bright lemons, rhubarb, celeriac, and perhaps a touch of agave, with a cheeky nibble of Gruyère making an appearance. Finish: still a bit mad, but for the seasoned taster, it’s a real charmer. Or so I believe. Elderflower pops back in the aftertaste (St Germain, Hugo, that sort of thing). Comments: best enjoyed alongside a hearty fondue, be it Savoyard or Swiss. Or why not just pour it straight into your caquelon? Honestly, this one defies scoring, so do take all of this with a pinch of salt.
SGP:672 - 85 points. |
Probably the exact opposite… |
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Bushmills 20 yo 2002/2023 (54%, The Whisky Blues, Irish single malt, cask #11344, 212 bottles)
The label appears to feature Irish distillers doing some pub crawling on a Friday evening, though it might just as well depict some Asian birds, perhaps dancing cranes? Colour: white wine. Nose: an astonishingly pure and simple Bushmills. Bark, bananas, and apples. That’s it, and yet, it’s everything. With water: a touch of Irish meadow honey emerges. Mouth (neat): indeed, it starts out as a crisp, crystalline whisky, but soon explodes into that unmistakably fruity profile. Papayas, mangos, bananas, blackberries, guavas, buttered pears, followed by a handful of liquorice allsorts. You’ll notice I haven’t yet mentioned passion fruit or citrus. For now. With water: well, still no passion fruit, but it becomes a touch rounder, almost heading towards agricole rum. Finish: long and leaning even more into that agricole rum profile. Well, I never! Honey and vanilla linger on the aftertaste. Comments: joking aside, this is stunning, even if it’s a bit ‘wham-bam’, as Bushmills can be.
SGP:740 - 89 points. |
We'll double-check that... |
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The Lime Tree 20 yo 2003/2024 (52%, The Whisky Cask Company, Tree of Life, bourbon, 205 bottles)
Back to Switzerland with this release from TWCC, which we’re optimistic about based solely on past experiences with the brand (what?). Let’s see if there’s any reason this wouldn’t be Bushmills. Colour: white wine. Nose: I fear it’s nearly identical to the previous dram, though a touch earthier, with new notes of peanut butter and sesame oil. With water: immense. Fruits, peanuts, and a touch of putty. There’s your summary. Mouth (neat): this time the citrus takes the lead and refuses to let go. Grapefruits, lime, yuzu, all drizzled with honey. Splendid. With water: peaches—stewed, in syrup, in liqueur, and eau-de-vie (watch out for that prussic acid). Finish: very fruity, honeyed, easy-going, and fresh. Comments: careful, this Swiss beauty is prone to some serious evaporation. You know what I mean, don’t you?
SGP:751 - 91 points. |
I think one of the most difficult things for an inattentive taster to do is to distinguish, in a blind tasting, between a Bushmills and a Cooley of the same age and from the same cask. |
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Cooley 23 yo 2001/2024 (55.2%, Liquid Treasures for The Antelope Macau, refill barrel, cask #144972, 265 bottles)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: well, yes, it’s so very close! Perhaps a touch oilier and more malty than a Bushmills, but really, there are fewer differences here than between a Mercedes-Benz from 20 years ago and a Lexus from 15. With water: it diverges a bit more, becoming tauter, livelier, almost sharp on the nose. Quite delightful, indeed. Mouth (neat): similar impressions – the Cooley is a touch zippier, more robust, with a bit more lemony zing, though naturally the cask plays its part. With water: it slices right through you. Concentrated lemon juice meets agave syrup. Finish: now superbly taut, herbaceous – you could nearly enjoy it with oysters. Comments: nonsense I’ve been telling you, really. Both whiskeys are magnificent, but in the end, they’re rather different.
SGP:561 - 89 points. |
Of course, we're starting to exaggerate, but "exaggeration" is one of my favourite words in the British vocabulary. Come on, let's keep going. |
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Irish Diamonds 21 yo 2002/2023 ‘Small Batch No.12’ (56.4%, Alambic Classique, sherry cask, cask #23081, 252 bottles)
Well then, we’re here at last, aren’t we? The big question—Cooley or Bushmills? Colour: pale gold. Nose: it’s gentler, honeyed, and while it should hail from Northern Ireland, there’s no guarantee, naturally. Notes of banana jam, maple syrup, and wonderfully ripe papaya and guava, followed by something more grounded—broken roots, branches, a touch of orgeat and pistachio syrup... truth be told, we’re a bit lost in the best way. With water: is that cane juice? Really? And a touch of rolling tobacco too? Mouth (neat): rich and fruity, though there’s a caramelised edge with walnut cake and a bit of kougelhopf—ah, that’s the sherry speaking. With water: walnut liqueur, autumn leaves, more tobacco… sherry again. Finish: sherry all the way. Lovely length with a bittersweet orange note, ending on chocolate. Comments: a proper self-sabotage situation—how on earth can one tell Cooley from Bushmills at this age, especially with all that sherry influence? That said, it’s excellent.
SGP:661 - 87 points. |
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Teeling 13 yo 2008/2022 (57.8%, OB for Passion for Whisky, single malt Irish whiskey, PX finish, cask #29639, 276 bottles)
I can’t quite remember if this vintage hails from Cooley or Teeling—utterly shameful, perhaps I should just start a gin blog instead. Colour: amber. Nose: sherry takes the lead here, with thick notes of chocolate, Ovaltine, walnut liqueur, devilled sauce, and pipe tobacco. It’s a bit jarring after the lovely bourbon-inflected whiskies we’ve been enjoying today. With water: glue and varnish appear, and it turns bone dry, which is rather unusual for PX, typically thought of as ‘dulce’. Mouth (neat): somewhere between a young Armagnac, walnut wine, a vintage Maury, and double-distilled bitter orange liqueur. It practically assaults the gums, and I’m barely exaggerating. With water: caramel, toffee, Japanese instant noodles, and some quite mad molasses. Finish: very long, very thick, and really quite extreme. Comments: utterly a love-it-or-hate-it dram. Sherry in the extreme—best suited for whisky athletes or those with wild imaginations. Could be illegal in some countries.
SGP:672 - 85 points. |
I think, all in all, we’ve pretty much experienced the best of Ireland today. We’re not going to calculate it, but I’m sure the average score is huge. |
Check the index of all Irish we've tasted so far |
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September 23, 2024 |
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A duo of Benromach,
from 10 to 50 years old |
It really is the season of the old glories, starting from the dazzling Whisky Show in London to Whisky Live Paris and probably right up until Christmas. 40 years, 50 years, 60 years or more... With a bear market, it’s also likely more than time for the owners to try and get the most out of them. Many are still presented in relatively elegant decanters, like Benromach’s new 50-year-old that we’ll be tasting today, while others are so ridiculous and over-the-top that neither Bollywood, Vegas, nor maybe even Changi or Heathrow Terminal 5 would want them. Although, at Terminal 5... And you? You’d just be terrified of the consequences if you accidentally sat on one. |
A new Neo-Brezhnevian decanter. It's real! |
Right then, first an aperitif please, to recover from these devastating thoughts... |
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Benromach 10 yo 2013/2024 'Contrasts: Virgin Oak' (46%, OB, virgin American oak matured)
Like many others, Benromach is releasing some younger expressions showcasing various cask types. The very good news is that Benromach doesn’t only rely on such releases. With virgin white oak, one would expect banana and coconut, wouldn’t they… Colour: full gold. Nose: indeed, banana and coconut, with vanilla, orange blossom brioche, papaya, wormwood, followed by a hint of tin, white asparagus, broken branches, spearmint, and a rather restrained touch of new wood. It’s elegant, well-managed, even if the more natural, wilder side of the distillate has been softened by the treatment, or so it seems. Mouth: the wood is more present, with pencil shavings, fir sawdust, and over-brewed green tea. Orange and that banana reappear to offset things a bit, later joined by shortbread and even a touch of butterscotch. Phew. Finish: medium length, with more ginger and turmeric, and a rather obvious bitterness. I’d say that’s the wood again. Some orange liqueur swoops in at the last minute to restore balance. Comments: a tricky exercise, especially as the casks don’t seem to have been of the ‘heavy char’ type. It’s come out well, very well even, and is certainly better than last year’s Bordeaux Finish.
SGP: 461 - 84 points. |
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Benromach 50 yo 1972/2023 (54.6%, OB, first fill sherry finish, 248 bottles, 2024)
I absolutely adore their four pillars that form some kind of motto, ‘Barley, Water, Yeast, People’. Sure, time might be missing, but it’s still so much nicer than ‘Wood, Wine, Char, Speed’, in my humble opinion. There was already a splendid 50-year-old from 1969/2019 (WF 91) and even a 55-year-old from 1949/2005, which I found slightly more tired at the time (WF 88), while grumbling about its exorbitant price of £3,000, back then! This time we’re well over €22,000, but honestly, the latest Toyota Yaris is really quite ugly, so it's a no-brainer. But let’s stop talking about price, that’s vulgar, and taste this probable little marvel, distilled back when the DCL was still running the show before closing the distillery in 1983, along with many others, until it was revived and relaunched by Gordon & MacPhail… Colour: pale amber. |
Nose: it’s splendid, and to be honest, it reminds me of other old glories from G&M with high ABV (Glen Grant, Glenlivet, etc.) to the point that I wonder if what we have in our glass isn’t actually some of G&M’s old stock. Sublime oranges, in liqueur or natural, dark honey (they tend to have more aroma than lighter ones, generally speaking), ancient furniture polished for centuries, old leathers and fabrics, then floral jellies and those English tobaccos we’ve always loved. It’s like stepping into Dunhill’s shop in London in the very decade this beauty was distilled. With water (just three drops, no more): orange blossom cake and honey. Sublimely simple. Mouth (neat): incredible and, quite frankly, very ‘old G&M’. That very refined oak, hints of cedar, ripe fruits (simple apples), cinnamon biscuits, touches of varnish and tobacco, that mead from the Breton countryside or elsewhere… With water: a tiny spoonful of wild strawberry jam and a micro grain of salt – I’ll leave the origin up to you. Splendid. Finish: at this age, a touch of tannicity is inevitable in the finish, with pine needles, black tea, and even darker chocolate. Tobacco, peaches in syrup, and honey then sign off beautifully. The light sherry finish did its job well. Comments: please don’t take my word for it when I speculate about old G&M stock—it’s just my musings.
SGP: 561 - 93 points. |
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September 22, 2024 |
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A word of caution
Let me please remind you that my humble assessments of any spirits are done from the point of view of a malt whisky enthusiast who, what's more, is aboslutely not an expert in rum, brandy, tequila, vodka, gin or any other spirits. Thank you – and peace! |
A few more fine Cognacs
We were really pleased with the cognacs we tried last week, so we decided to have more before Whisky Live Paris next weekend. After all, Whisky Live is also Cognac Live, Rum Live, Armagnac Live, Shochu Live, Friends Live, and mind you, Daiquiri Live. Which is another story altogether – see you there if I’m still alive!
The "Ban de la Distillation" festival, which marks the start of the distillation season, will take place on the 25th and 26th of October this year, in and around Cognac. (Grand:Cognac)
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ABK6 ‘XO’ (40%, OB, Grande Champagne, +/-2023)
I believe we've gone through the entire range this year, though this XO, at a rather modest strength, had been notably absent until now. Colour: gold. Nose: lovely, very fruity, and initially quite fresh, before more honey and maple syrup step in to smooth things out, giving it a more pastry-like character. The maple syrup becomes increasingly pronounced—top-quality stuff, of course. Mouth: while the 40% ABV is a tad frustrating, it remains perfectly acceptable here, as that superb maple syrup continues to dominate, with a touch of caramel and pancake sauce (molasses and corn syrup) following closely behind. Some dark chocolate and coffee then introduce a hint of bitterness, though the fruit stays rather shy. Finish: medium length, with walnut cake and a few raisins, rounded off by a generous dollop of caramel in the aftertaste. Comments: perhaps not one for the malt purists after all, but it’s certainly a decent drop, no question.
SGP:630 - 81 points. |
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Drouet ‘VSOP’ (40%, OB, Grande Champagne, +/-2022)
A classic house with a 40-hectare estate and an excellent reputation. The eaux-de-vie here are said to be between 5 and 10 years old, so we can expect a certain freshness. Colour: gold. Nose: quite the opposite of the previous one, with more personality and greener fruits (apple), even a hint of fresh rubber, which is rather enjoyable. There’s also a touch of orange marmalade. Despite the lower strength, we’re much closer to the kind of Cognac that might appeal to malt drinkers, in my opinion. Mouth: lovely tension, with fresh and stewed fruits, even some jam and liqueur (peach, apricot), and a touch of caramel but not too much. There’s also a bit of black tea, perhaps Earl Grey. Finish: a little short but fresh, without feeling immature. It becomes more drying as it goes on, which costs it a few points in my book. Comments: a pleasant little VSOP, with some malt-like qualities, though other sides are less so. We'll have to track down some more ‘upmarket’ releases at WL Paris.
SGP:551 - 80 points. |
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Guillaume Duluc ‘VSOP Lot 19’ (67.6%, Authentic Spirits, single cask, Grande Champagne, 2024)
67%? Are they trying to assassinate some poor blogger? This could cost them dearly. As for ‘Lot 19’, we assume it's 2019 and not 1919 (pointless comment, I know). Colour: white wine. Nose: herbal, with apple and pear skins, greengages, gooseberries, a touch of vanilla, and marzipan. Seems rather good, but we’re in desperate need of water. With water: brilliant, now the skins and seeds come through, which we quite like. Proof that we’re not holding a grudge (given the ABV). Seriously, there’s also earth, hints of the first rain, and a bit of kernel (I know what you’re thinking). Mouth (neat): it burns a little, very much in the territory of ‘new make straight from the receiver’, with just a hint of vanilla. Other than that, it’s pear, pear, and more pear. Fair enough. With water: it opens up immediately, becoming slightly liquorice-like, with a faint touch of aniseed, and even a bit of pink grapefruit and orange blossom honey. Magical! Finish: long, fresh, with a hint of salinity that pairs beautifully with the liquorice. Comments: we’re used to tasting very old cognacs, and we won’t complain about that, but stumbling upon young gems like this is a joy. Just be sure to budget for extra water. Between 40% and 67%, I must admit… I still prefer 67%.
SGP:661 - 86 points. |
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Private Bottling ‘Lot 89’ (57.4%, Malternative Belgium for Cavavin Belval, Petite Champagne, 120 bottles, 2023)
An anonymous bouilleur de cru bottling for Luxembourg, via Malternative Belgium. Not only are the Belgians snapping up our finest cognacs—can’t blame them for that—but now the Luxembourgers are getting in on the action too. Colour: amber with red hues. Nose: some similarities with the young one we just tasted, but of course this one is much more mature, though still fresh and fruity, with marzipan, kirsch, almond, and a light touch of icing sugar and Calvados. With water: absolutely no change, so you can save your water this time, unless you just want to tame it a bit. Mouth (neat): wonderfully rustic. Ripe grapes, apple juice, sloe berries, quince brandy… this one really speaks! With water: still robust and earthy, right up my street. The ‘parlour cognacs’ can be a bit dull in comparison. Here you’ve got baked apples, roasted pears, and a whole medley of fruit eaux-de-vie, not just kirsch. Quince indeed, for example. Finish: long and still delightfully rustic. Playful sugary and medicinal notes in the aftertaste, almost Japanese in style. Comments: quite superb, and how wonderful that this cask wasn’t blended.
SGP:561 - 86 points. |
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Vaudon ‘Lot 75/78/80’ (54.2%, Grape of the Art, Fins Bois, 2024)
Vaudon seems to be connected with François Voyer and specialise in Fins Bois. We’ve already enjoyed two or three excellent Vaudons. Colour: dark gold. Nose: the typical apples and pears from this region (at least according to my humble experience), along with herbs, hay, herbal teas, and melon skin. With water: honey and dried fruits come in to add a bit more roundness. There are also some nice touches of beeswax, wood polish, fresh mastic, and balsa… really a lovely nose. Mouth (neat): apples and pears remain front and centre, but now we’ve got crème de menthe, liquorice, elegant old wood, cedar, and even a few tiny mushrooms. With water: it loves water, so feel free to add a generous splash. It’s like getting two bottles for the price of one! Honeyed apples and pears, tinned plums, still that charming old wood, and notes of pollen… Finish: a few touches of cappuccino, leading to a coffee-schnapps vibe. Comments: this multi-vintage is superb as well. And I assure you, it holds steady even at 25% ABV without batting an eyelid.
SGP:651 - 88 points. |
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Famille Cabanne ‘Lot no.79’ (62.5%, Passie voor Whisky, Bons Bois, 2024)
Yes, the Dutch are in on it too. Thrilled to have a Bons Bois, and let’s hope we stumble upon more Bois Ordinaires as well, even just for fun. Colour: amber. Nose: there’s a lot of fuss around the Cognac Crus, but it’s clear that a well-crafted Bons Bois by skilled vignerons-distillers is far more exciting than some mass-produced Grandes Champagnes that’ll move you as much as the latest Oasis track. These wafts of sandalwood and overripe apples are simply sublime. With water: top-tier praline, somewhere between nougat and roasted almonds. An irresistible nose. Mouth (neat): rich, almost syrupy, like a grand Sauternes. Think apple icewine (or ice cider?) as they make in Canada, peach liqueur, rowanberry eau-de-vie… You get the idea. With water: truly a magnificent cognac. Simple and sublime, simply sublime (I sound like an ‘80s brochure, I know). Finish: long, rich, almost oily, yet with utterly wild elegance. Comments: I haven’t had time to check, but I may have tasted a great Bons Bois before, perhaps from Grosperrin, but I’m genuinely impressed here. Didn’t see this coming, honestly.
SGP:651 - 91 points. |
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Vallein Tercinier ‘Lot n°71’ (54.1%, OB for Flickenschild, Petite Champagne, 2024)
And now the Germans… And those featherlight labels from VT—always giving off that "what's inside the bottle is what matters" vibe! Meanwhile, so many spirit bottles scream the opposite… but one doesn’t exclude the other, does it? Colour: amber. Nose: cocoa, hazelnut spread (indeed, Nutella), almond and hazelnut liqueurs, halva, nougat, sesame oil, milk chocolate… This one almost feels a bit indulgent, but it’s nearly impossible to resist. With water: a hint of marmalade joins the party, almost like in an old Dalmore. Mouth (neat): where there was hazelnut and chocolate on the nose, now we’ve got cooked, jammy, and fresh fruits—exotic ones, too, mixed with sultanas. Mangoes and sultanas, what a combo! There are even drops of Muscat wine. With water: it’s grand, it’s easy, almost refreshing. Okay, maybe I’m pushing it there. Finish: long and deeply fruity, with a wonderful array of fresh herbs and spices that lightly tickle your senses. Comments: this time, we must admit we saw it coming.
SGP:651 - 91 points. |
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Tiffon ‘V.45’ (45.2%, Old Master Spirit, Petite Champagne, 2023)
And now the Australians… 60 years in a wet cellar at Tiffon’s, followed by about 20 years in a demi-john. It’s important to note that this charming baby was distilled just after the war, so it’s possible that the ‘V’ in the name stands for ‘Victory’ rather than ‘Vintage’. Just a bit of speculation... Colour: reddish amber. Nose: wonderfully classic, with peaches poached in Sauternes, apricot tarte, and perhaps a small glass of the same Sauternes on the side. I’d swear there’s a touch of botrytis here, but let’s not get too fancy. In any case, this is the perfect dessert—perhaps with a scoop of artisan vanilla ice cream? Mouth: absolutely magical freshness and fruitiness. In the world of malt whisky, this reminds me of the very old Balblairs from G&M, say, 1950s distillations. It’s dazzlingly fruity—so much so that there’s no need to list them all, they’re just ‘fresh fruits’. In the background, tiny hints of nuts, bouillon, tobacco, jams, candied fruits, and cooked wines… but that’s just the age talking. Ouah! (French equivalent of ‘wow!’) Finish: not eternal—its only tiny flaw, perhaps—but irresistibly fruity to the very end. Comments: very, very, very, very, very great Petite Champagne. The epitome of a malternative spirit.
SGP:751 - 93 points. |
Dring-dring, last one, let’s make it another Bons Bois please… |
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Vallein Tercinier ‘Lot 55 Arôme Exquis’ (41.50%, Malternative Belgium, Bons Bois, 2024)
A very early rock-and-roll Cognac, transferred to demijohns in 2010, meaning it should be around 54 years old, give or take. Remember, vintages refer to the harvest year, and they must distill within a fairly short window—they can’t sit on the wines forever. Colour: full gold. Nose: get out of here, this is ridiculously fruity, subtle, almondy, waxy—you could almost mistake it for an unpeated early 1970s Clynelish. Plum tart dusted with grated cinnamon. An unbelievable nose, with a dazzling honeyed side. Mouth: as expected, the palate doesn’t quite hit those ‘out of this world’ heights, and perhaps that’s why they transferred it to demijohns 15 years ago, as the strength was likely getting a bit low. But it’s still stunningly beautiful, full of ripe apples, wild berries, particularly dried blackberries, and dried jujubes. Finish: this is where it becomes more anecdotal. Pleasant, with dried fruits and a hint of mint, though it’s not the part you’ll remember tomorrow morning. Slightly green tea in the aftertaste. Comments: the nose alone is worth 93-94 points for me. It’s no wonder they named it ‘arôme exquis’.
SGP:661 - 90 points. |
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September 21, 2024 |
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Angus's Corner
From our correspondent and
skilled taster Angus MacRaild in Scotland
‘Age is just a (often meaningless) number. Flavour is king!’
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This week I was asked to speak at an event in London called the Distiller's Debate, it's an annual event hosted by the Worshipful Company of Distillers. The motion up for debate this year was 'This house believes age is overrated'. I was asked to speak against the motion (as you can probably imagine), and I thought that I would share the text of my presentation with you here. I'm also pleased to report that we won the debate. |
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‘Age is just a (often meaningless) number. Flavour is king!’ |
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This was an opinion, quoted verbatim, that I ladled from the internet the other day. It’s a good illustration of a common argument against age and age statements in the world of spirits. It’s also easily countered by the fact that age is one of the foundational contributors to flavour in whisky. |
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| Chivas's major consumer campaign, 'The Age Matters', 2010 (duty free and domestic markets worldwide). Acording to Tshe Moodie Davitt Report, 'The drive was prompted by new research commissioned by Chivas Brothers, which showed that 94% of consumers believe the age statement serves as an indicator of quality, while 93% believe that older whiskies are better quality and 89% actively look for an age statement when making a decision to purchase.' |
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I believe that age is not only important, but fundamental to whisky as a drink. Not only Scotch whiskies, but all distillates around the world that fall within that category and which are filled into some kind of container where they will spend time - whether they’re matured in Goa or Islay. I believe it is information that helps us interpret whisky on a more analytical and critical level. It is a definer of value that underpins the commercial strength of most Whisky. And, as a representative measure of time, it performs some essential cognitive magic in fascinating people with the drink in the first place and holding that fascination captive. |
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Let’s imagine for moment that we have the replicator technology from Star Trek (Enterprise D, to be exact) and we can say ‘Computer: Laphroaig 1967 Samaroli – neat’. Does that instantaneously conjured dram have the same magic? Does it give the drinker the same combination of organoleptic and emotional pleasures? Is the experience as special? As memorable? |
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"Age is information, not only in the sense of transparency on behalf of the producer, but rather in the broader sense of what it helps us to understand about a whisky." |
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I’ve tasted a few examples of very rapidly made ‘whiskies’ which are essentially supposed to delete the maturation requirement, and in my view we are a very long way from being able to recreate the subtle character of any number of cask, distillate and traditional age combinations that you care to mention. But if we did achieve that, if we could make something that tasted like Talisker 10yo in the space of time it took to manufacture a large batch of Irn Bru, would as many people still be interested? Would, and should, it still be whisky? |
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Age is information, not only in the sense of transparency on behalf of the producer, but rather in the broader sense of what it helps us to understand about a whisky. If we know a cask type, or the composite of its ingredients, or something of the geography it has matured in – whether natural or artificial – the age of the whisky is a fundamental key to understanding why a particular whisky tastes the way it does. |
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Most medium sized whisky producers, and all large ones, can summon from their inventories individual casks which buck the expectations we might place on age. “OMG, this cask of 1960 Lagavulin tastes like a 4yo Drumguish!” or “Great LOL of China! This 10 year old Speyburn is cosplaying as a 1940 Macallan! Let’s immediately bottle it in the most laughably impractical vessel we can lay our hands on!” |
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These exceptions only serve to illustrate how important age is, because when it defies our expectations we immediately recognise a whisky as fascinating, not necessarily ‘good’ but compelling in its difference. It demonstrates by default the way age has helped to shape that broad consensus of our most basic, shared perceptions about whisky. For well over a century, it has provided a useful context in which to think about, understand and assess Scotch Whisky. We broadly agree on what whisky from certain cask types at certain ages usually tastes like – that’s what helps us spot those intriguing anomalies. |
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"There are so many aspects of the characteristics of individual whiskies that only come to full appreciation when age is known" |
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If the climate crisis visits upon Scotland a climate that alters the broad maturation profile of Scotch Whisky, that shifts the profile of this ‘shared consensus’, this will not change the underlying importance of age as information; of age as a route into helping us understand and think about different whiskies. If maturation occurs more rapidly, knowledge of age remains critical to recognising, understanding and defining that. |
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There are so many aspects of the characteristics of individual whiskies that only come to full appreciation when age is known alongside those other factors. Focus on specific, flavour-creating agents such as fermentation and yeast type, or mashing process, or cask type, are all elevated and contextualised by knowledge of age. In this way, it is a key that accesses deeper meaning in other knowledge. |
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In recent decades we’ve seen a profoundly lopsided focus on the importance of wood in Scotch Whisky production. Huge resources have been poured into the sourcing and development of ever more active, ever more technologically accomplished cask types. I believe this is because it is an area of production where the producer has some degree of agency over time. Whisky is a lucrative product but takes bloody ages to bring to market as a properly mature product. Little wonder producers turn to the power of wood to shorten that gap between production and product. Little wonder also that they spent considerable efforts to turn our attention as drinkers away from concerns and interest in age and age statements (quick shout out here to our ‘flavour led’ opinion on the internet). Although, thankfully, that phenomena seems to be waning, perhaps as more producers realised that age remains a potent factor in motivating sales? |
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Little wonder either, that many of the smaller, newer, independent producers seek to re-align quality with youth. With a business focused on single malt, and without the traditional revenue of filling contracts, they have no other choice. These new distilleries are plentiful, and many are understandably seeking to achieve high quality single malt at the most youthful, legally allowable ages. Most release 3 – 5 year old whiskies, but those ages are still critically important. Our conceptions about age are so often tied to long-established ideas about its marketability one way or the other: old = expensive and rare; young = juvenile, cheap and not very good. Sometimes old = overly woody and tired, usually labelled as such by people who either don’t have or can’t afford old whiskies. Being able to invert pre-conceptions and positively buck quality trends is smart and powerful in a highly competitive marketplace. On the flip side, those new, young whiskies which are lacking in character or quality are so often met with the same critique: it’s too young, it’s too immature, it needs more age, I’m looking forward to trying this when it’s older, etc. |
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Broadly speaking though, in my view the modern reality of Scotch Whisky is teaching us that quality can be de-coupled from higher age. Producers of all scales are getting better and better at creating very good younger whiskies. It is reminding us of the critical importance of distillate as a foundational building block of quality. Of course, wood, as an agent of flavour and a driver of maturation is critical, but striking the balance with characterful distillate and time is what forges more meaningful and I’d argue more valuable quality. And none of it means that age loses its significance or importance: whether something is judged to be insufficiently mature, or impressive for its youth, the critical lens through which both judgements are arrived at is age. Above all, it remains essential in the dual role of kindling fascination and providing contextualising information for the customer and drinker. |
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"Broadly speaking though, in my view the modern reality of Scotch Whisky is teaching us that quality can be de-coupled from higher age." |
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But let’s extricate ourselves from the swamp of geekery for a moment and think about it from the perspective of the more casual consumer, perusing the selection of whiskies on the shelves of the local supermarket. The phrase ‘10 years old’ – or any age statement you care to substitute – is doing a lot of subliminal heavy lifting in the brain. ‘Ten Years Old’ has more allure and more direct meaning than ‘Seven Wood’, ‘Select’ or any number of those product names plucked from the fathomless tombola of the Gaelic language, forever teetering on the precipice of un-pronounceability. |
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Because age is also time, and time is one of the very few things as a species we cannot buy more of. Witness the billions poured into life extension technologies by countless tech bros. We often crave more time and we are terrified of the remorseless, steadily increasing rapidity of its passing as we ourselves age. There is something fundamentally captivating and astonishing about the thought of a spirit that has sat in an oak cask, doing nothing over the expanse of a decade or more. We are instantly motivated to think of our own lives and all the churn of living we did in that space of time. The whisky has matured and so have we, neither thing is inert, but in buying the bottle there’s something about the element of stated time involved that is part of the allure, the fascination and the philosophy behind the enjoyment. That fascination is the hook, and the flavour is the net. We cannot deny the immense role ‘age’ has played in the creation of generations of consumers that make all our respective businesses possible. |
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I think, as embedded industry enthusiasts and professionals, we all too easily overlook this fundamental aspect of whisky: its age, and the power the simple reality behind that number on the bottle has to captivate people on quite a deep, sub-conscious level. In this sense, age is fundamental, not only at every stage of enthusiasm - from novice to nerd - but from the consciously critical and analytical perspective, to the subconscious and emotional level. |
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Let’s return to the questions posed by our hypothetical Star Trek scenario. A world where we’ve got the greatest ever whisky flavours freely on tap and in abundance. It’s also, incidentally, a post-money utopia where we are all out of business. We’re all funemployed, in a state of perpetual euphoria induced by the pints of perfectly replicated Bowmore Bouquet we’re quaffing over breakfast. |
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The question this scenario really poses is: if technology successfully deletes time and the requirement for age from whisky, is the drink that remains still whisky? My thinking on this is by no means complete, but for now I would simply say: it’s probably whisky, Jim, but not as we know it. |
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Personally speaking, I know that it would not be a drink that would interest me to the same extent, it would not have the same weight of fascination, romance and power. Remove the age and you take away a fundamental lynch pin of what presently makes it extremely special, remarkable and fun as a drink. |
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As you may have noticed, we are not in this world – not yet, anyway. As I’ve touched upon though, we are in a whisky world full of changes and new directions, some, like a changing climate, profound and daunting in its implication. But there’s many that are also exciting and positive for our product, its culture and community. And I passionately believe that none of them yet threaten the role, function and broad, vital importance of age to whisky. Age is not overrated, if anything it’s quite the opposite. Live long and prosper. Thank you! - Angus |
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I thought it would be good to round that off with a quick couple of notes that might fit some of the themes of the above text. Age and its importance even in relative youth, the ability (and requirement) of new distilleries to produce better whiskies at younger ages and the many positive vibes about the future of malt whisky coming out of Scotland these days. Why not a pair of bottlings from the relatively new (and charming) Highland distillery, GlenWyvis? |
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GlenWyvis 3 yo 2018/2022 'Batch 02/18' (46.5%, OB, 60% bourbon, 25% oloroso, 15% refill, 8000 bottles) 
Colour: pale straw. Nose: probably about as 'mature' a nose as you can get at this age, without using peat, excessive oak influence or less modern production techniques. It's very pure on freshly malted cereals, buttered toast, pressed flowers and some lemon barley water. There's a gentleness about it which is very charming and I don't detect anything excessively feinty or new makey. Mouth: again the feeling is of pure, au naturel raw ingredients. Lots of grains, light ales, cereals, white tea, some pollens and also a little clay and an impression of mineral oil. Simple, direct but very well put together I would say. One of those examples of good but still young whisky that gives you a very positive sense about where it's headed. Finish: medium, a tad green and sappy, also getting sharper, tarter and even a little salty. Here you feel it becomes a little rough around the edges. Comments: like so many of these very early, very young new wave Scottish whiskies, it shows great promise, but the underlying feeling is of anticipation for a few more years to get under the belts of these stocks. SGP: 551 - 82 points. |
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GlenWyvis 2018/2023 (53.9%, Berry Bros & Rudd 'The Pioneers', casks #1501+1502, hogshead with quarter casks finish, 409 bottles) 
From part of a very cool series that Berry's did last year. Colour: white wine. Nose: greener, more on finger limes, chalk, mineral oils and some fatter notes suggestive of sheep wool, lanolin, freshly milled grist and rye bread. This rather green-tinged sharpness that makes you think of nettles, kiwi and gooseberry - or sauvignon blanc perhaps - is very impressive. With water: pure, sharp green fruits, full of acidity, crushed nettles, snapped flower stems, vase water and limestone. Mouth: we're going really towards fruit eau de vies here. Loads of mirabelle, kirsch, poire williams etc. More of these lovely tart, crisp cereal notes beneath that, under ripe cider apple and things like bramble leaf and lemon rind. With water: a little rounder, a notch sweeter but still plenty of these lovely fruit eau de vie impressions and still this perfect green sharpness. Finish: medium length, getting a little peppery and, funnily enough, a little salty again. Comments: don't get me wrong, it's a young whisky, but in my view it's a very good young whisky that makes an asset of its youth with all these rather wonderful sharp, green fruity edges that bring a playfulness and brightness to the drinking experience which is both fun and pleasurable. I also think the sensitive use of the quarter casks is really well done, there's no excessive oak getting in the way of the distillate. SGP: 561 - 86 points. |
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September 20, 2024 |
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Just two or three or maybe four
Highland Parks for my birthday |
Well, it’s my birthday today. Not Whiskyfun’s, my own. That’s ((82+26)/40,5) years, I think, and I thought we could taste two or three pretty special Highland Parks for the occasion, what do you say? We’ll also be sampling plenty of Secret Orkneys or Whitlaws soon, but not today. Let’s try to start with a bit of flair, with an aperitif at 43.4% vol.
The humble author in 2002, around the early days of Whiskyfun, with some fairly recent whiskies, including, if I recall correctly, an HP from Murray McDavid. How time flies, and so on, and so on, and so on...
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Highland Park 15 yo 1964/1979 (86.8 US proof, Averys for Corti Brothers, 75cl)
A marvellous bottling from Averys of Bristol, imported by Marshal Taylor Limited of San Francisco for the renowned Corti Brothers, ‘gourmet food and fine wine specialists in Sacramento since 1947’. We’ve sampled the 1963, 1968, and 1970 versions before, but never this rare 1964. Colour: white wine. Nose: absolutely splendid, with pinpoint precision on fireplace ashes, lime, and seawater. There’s an unexpectedly fresh, medicinal peat, followed by a full-on assault of tangerines—think an entire truckload. A touch of chalk rounds out this picture of pure joy. Mouth: firmer and even quite powerful, waxy, smoky, then it softens a bit with notes of aromatic white wine (Rhône valley) and honey. Overripe plums and peaches emerge, alongside a curious hint of langoustines—yes, really. The island character is deeply pronounced, though the palate is rounder than the nose, akin to certain rums. It’s gentler than other Corti vintages, at least as far as memory serves. Finish: long, both round and perfumed, with a coastal smokiness. There’s a subtle hint of sweet radish in the background. Comments: more precise on the nose than the palate, but it’s all absolutely marvellous. These Highland Parks distilled in the 1960s were in a league of their own, much like the Laphroaigs or Bowmores. I’ll have to visit Corti Brothers someday—who knows, there might still be some old cases hidden behind stacks of empty crates in a cellar somewhere. Who said the future belong to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams?
SGP:562 - 93 points. |
What we like about US proof degrees is that they are much easier to convert than UK proof degrees. You just divide by two, and voilà, you have the % alcohol by volume. |
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Highland Park 1988/2023 ‘Vintage Release’ (43.8%, OB, bourbon hogsheads and European oak, 625 bottles)
I'm so eager to taste this recent baby that I won't even bother writing an introductory sentence (but you just did, S.) Colour: full gold. Nose: well, they may have made a mistake here—surely this is a cask from the 1960s? It certainly has that wonderfully honeyed, delicately minty profile, with tiny hints of camphor and grapefruit liqueur, rounded off by moss, ferns, and the smell of a freshly opened pack of cigarettes (you know, the ones doctors used to prefer in old adverts). Gentle whiffs of old wood, a dusty wine cellar, perhaps even a touch of morels. Absolutely masterful, this 1968… I mean, 1988. Mouth: a little more robust and rustic, as one might expect, but still magnificent, with very ripe apples, maybe a couple of raspberries, apricot, honey, a hint of lavender sweets, a touch of pink pepper, and then some orange marmalade and quince paste. At no point do the 43.8% ABV feel a tad too low. Finish: almost long, still beautifully honeyed, with a few sultanas and a hint of orange blossom water. A trace of smoke lingers on the aftertaste. Comments: no need to beat around the bush—this is up there with the best, on par with the Averys. Though this official +/- 35-year-old (which also happens to be my age, ha!) feels noticeably richer. Perhaps a well-timed family re-racking did the trick.
SGP: 651 - 92 points. |
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Highland Park 54 yo 1970/2024 (42%, Duncan Taylor, Rarest Collection, Accolade, sherry oak cask, cask #3254, 158 decanters)
Presented in a ‘dagger-type’ decanter, which could certainly double, once emptied, as an elegant vessel for airing your Pétrus or Romanée-Conti before dinner. Notably, this Highland Park has spent its entire life in the same sherry cask, without any boosting along the way. I must say, Duncan Taylor’s way of showcasing their treasures from old casks is nothing short of spectacular. Colour: full gold. Nose: absolutely magical, decanter or no decanter. It reminds me of the official ‘John Goodwin Retirement’ release if that rings a bell. Glorious honey, Sauternes, vineyard peaches, apricot ganache, and a touch of peppermint, followed by rosewood and sandalwood. The nose is almost simple, compact even, which is a tremendous quality after more than 50 years. It also evokes a fine, similarly aged Grande Champagne, which is certainly no bad thing either. Mouth: I expected some wood upfront, but no, it’s as fresh as a daisy, still dripping in honey, old Sauternes, and aged Cognac, with more blood oranges than anticipated, even a hint of mangoes and guavas—an unexpected delight! Praline and nougat round it out, though it hardly needs that support. Finish: a hint of wood at last, possibly Darjeeling ‘first flush’ (if I’m not mistaken), but the oranges, mangoes, and honey quickly reassert themselves after a few seconds. The aftertaste is astoundingly fresh and fruity. Comments: people often say those who buy bottles like this (north of £20K) never actually open them. Well, if that’s true, they’re missing out. What a marvel! And again, those 42% don’t show at all—this is by no means a lightweight malt. Now, for the obligatory downside (thesis and antithesis, as it were): a decanter crafted like this will certainly gather a bit of dust, no? And if you leave it in its box, it loses a touch of its allure. Certainly a cruel dilemma. Oh, and whatever you do, don’t drop this ‘dagger’ bottle on your foot, or worse, on your priceless Renaissance tiles in the kitchen.
SGP:651 - 94 points. |
Right, one last one, a bit cheaper though, just to come back down to earth after those three absolute gems from Orkney, Sacramento, and Huntly... |
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Highland Park 18 yo 2004/2022 (59.7%, Ferg & Harris, oloroso cask finish, cask #4689, 285 bottles)
I do believe this is the first time we’re sampling a malt from these new independent bottlers. No offence intended, but the name does sound a bit like a British royal couple, doesn’t it? Joking aside, it’s refreshing to see the distillery’s full name on an indie label again. Colour: gold. Nose: discreet but noticeable sherry, bringing chocolate and walnut liqueur to a base that’s very much ‘modern HP’, earthy, coastal, and gently smoky. Lapsang and Assam teas make an appearance as well. It’s also a tad strong. So, with water: cigars, leather, and cherry wood come to the fore, with a faint touch of cured ham. Mouth (neat): bold and utterly delightful, salty, lemony, earthy, with plenty of nuts, leather, and a whisper of mustard. There’s a rather amusing back-and-forth between the distillate and the Oloroso finish, almost like a game of ping-pong. With water: a subtle floral note emerges—jasmine, violet, lavender—all very delicate. And of course, a bit of heather honey. Finish: long, mineral, smoky, but also honeyed with a scattering of dried fruits. Chocolate with a pinch of salt lingers on the aftertaste. Comments: this excellent middle-aged dram has held its own remarkably well after three old legends, hats off to it, that wasn’t an easy feat.
SGP:552 - 88 points. |
(Merci beaucoup Logan, also Kirsty and Martin - and cheers, Olivier!) |
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September 19, 2024 |
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WF’s Little Duos,
today Glengoyne OB vs IB |
We’re very fond of Glengoyne, which has remained "unhurried since 1833." The story of the road that marks the boundary between the Highlands and Lowlands of Scotland, running right between the distillery and the warehouses, has always struck us. The distillery is thus in the Highlands, while the whisky matures in the Lowlands. It's always a fun fact to share, though I should probably check if it's still true.
In 2002, Glengoyne ran this print ad highlighting the fact that their malt was air-dried rather than peat-smoked... Rather like an 'old' Porsche, with the 911s having given up air cooling in 1998. It always gave us a bit of a laugh (in a good-natured way)
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Glengoyne 24 yo ‘White Oak’ (47.8%, OB, 1st fill bourbon and virgin oak, 2024)
‘White oak’ is American oak, of course. I suppose they use this designation to differentiate it from 'sherry wood', though most sherry casks are also made from American oak. No matter, it’s a lovely name. I do recall Glengoyne’s very rare ‘Scottish oak’ bottlings— a practice few could maintain, given the scarcity and twisted nature of Scottish oaks. Colour: gold. Nose: you can really feel the new wood here—fresh sawdust, peppermint, and citrus from the virgin oak, followed by a generous helping of coconut and some rather expressive elderflowers. There’s also broom in the mix, with a backdrop of fresh varnish, vanilla, and perhaps even a touch of rye, no doubt from the bourbon casks. What’s surprising is that, despite the wood taking the lead (white oak indeed), it’s very enjoyable, even somewhat spectacular. After a few minutes, some mashed potato notes creep in. Mouth: similar impression—wood-forward but fresh and fruity, mainly on citrus. It doesn’t seem like the barrels were overly charred. Lots of green tea and sawdust, with that pencil shavings note that sometimes shows up. Finish: long, leaning towards heavily brewed black tea with two slices of lemon instead of just one. But no milk, thank you very much. Comments: you really get the sense they wanted to showcase the oak itself, which is quite unusual. This unusualness makes scoring tricky, as we lack clear references. Let’s go with the blogger method 3.0—‘do I like it or not’. Well, I like it.
SGP:670 - 86 points. |
Number two will probably be the exact opposite... |
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Glengoyne 16 yo 2007/2023 (52.5%, Asta Morris, sherry, cask #AM124, 249 bottles)
Should be a quick one, especially with a cask number starting with AM (no bother, inside joke). Colour: gold, so likely not 1st fill. Nose: Brussels sprouts, walnuts, bitter chocolate, tobacco, a touch of leather, a small handful of raisins and dates, then a dash of ras-el-hanout and an amontillado edge. It’s like stepping into a bodega in Jerez, really – perhaps it is first fill after all. Mouth: perfect, tobacco and walnut wine with a hint of orange sweets in the background. The ras-el-hanout returns, along with that leather and cigar note. There’s a lovely bitterness, reminiscent of something Italian, like Fernet-Branca. Finish: much the same, though a lighter, more delicate fruitiness emerges. Reminds me of the lemon syrup the old-timers in Alsace would add to their bitter (amer) in their beers. Comments: I love that very dry, almost austere profile (which is rather un-Belgian, but never mind). Oh, and did you notice we haven’t even mentioned football?
SGP:371 - 88 points. |
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September 18, 2024 |
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6 new cats from the West Coast of Alba
The London Whisky Show was a chance to discover a good number of new releases from young distilleries, most of them driven by passionate and enthusiastic teams. |
Isle of Raasay (Isle of Raasay Distillery) |
Sometimes, this was a striking contrast with a couple of old names that were present too, which suddenly felt rather a little dusty and tired to me. But thank goodness, the very vast majority of the big players seemed to be in excellent shape despite some of the new market figures, so please, let’s not jump to any hasty conclusions. |
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Isle of Harris 'The Hearach' (46%, OB, batch 16, 2024)
I had the pleasure of sampling the excellent batch 15 back in August, jokingly bemoaning the fact that batch 16 had already been released. Fortunately, batch 16 is now on the tasting table, though I can't help but wonder if batch 17 has already crept onto the scene. Perhaps not… Colour: white wine. Nose: it strikes me as a little less smoky this time around; but as I don’t have both batches side by side, I’ll leave it there. Delightful notes of apple cake, fruity beer, soft vegetables (carrot purée), and freshly baked morning pastries. A lovely, rather barley-forward nose. Mouth: the smoke is much more prominent here, a peppery, vegetal smoke, quite dry but in a very charming way. I even get a bit of chilli mingling with lime, giving it a slight 'Hebridean daiquiri' vibe, if you will. There’s also some earthiness, mineral dust, mustard, and as I noted last time, a little 'Fort William' character, if you catch my drift. Finish: long, decidedly salty, with just a touch of roguishness. There’s an aftertaste of roots, particularly gentian. Comments: it’s fantastic that they’ve maintained their style without veering off in every direction like so many others.
SGP:462 – 87 points. |
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Ardnahoe ‘Infinite Loch’ (50%, OB, bourbon and oloroso, 2024)
This is the third release from Ardnahoe, with the first two being very much to my taste. For a distillery, an 'infinite' loch can only be a blessing, even on Islay, if you recall the droughts of the late 1960s that forced distilleries to shut down. Here, Ardnahoe evokes a loch infinite in its depths, though as long as they don’t start conjuring up Ardbeg-style legends, we’re safe—no sixteen-armed freshwater octopus or Islay Nessie, thankfully! Colour: pale gold. Nose: incredible, I find it very ‘West Coast’ as well as distinctly Islay. In short, West of Scotland, East of Islay. There’s a slightly oily, robust quality, yet with the grace and precision of a gymnast. Smoked oysters are very present, perhaps some mussels too, crabs from the Sound, seaweed, followed by bergamot, oranges, wet chalk, and clay... With water: more wet chalk and that famous old tweed jacket from the Islay Woollen Mill, one that’s seen plenty of rain, storms, and vintages. Mouth (neat): this is superb. Green pepper, oranges, grapefruits, seafood, lightly oily smoke, almonds, green apples, sushi, and a hint of green olive... With water: a few more spices, cinnamon, turmeric, a touch of ginger, and then some Kildalton tar. Finish: long, salty, somewhat rich and oily, with more smoked fish. Comments: while it can’t quite match the surprise of the Inaugural Release, this first ‘regular’ version is rather brilliant. I’ll add that it only needs a drop of water—best not to drown it.
SGP:557 – 88 points. |
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Nc’nean 2020+older/2024 ‘Cask Strength MN21’ (59%, OB, 5,021 bottles)
It’s organic, ‘made by nature not rules’, sustainable - a word now compulsory just everywhere - but also 55% ex-STRed red wine cask, which I find a bit at odds with the concept, and certainly not very ‘terroiry’. Then again, it’s what’s in the glass that matters, is it not? Colour: gold. Nose: the STR influence is clear, with rose jelly, peonies, blood oranges, bubblegum, Szechuan pepper, and even some very fruity and feisty hops. On the other hand, it’s not overtly vinous at all, which is the beauty of these STR wine casks everyone’s using these days. Strawberry-vanilla ice cream. With water: as is often the case, it returns to the barley, with scones, croissants, chamomile, and a tiny touch of roasted nuts. Mouth (neat): this is very good, full-bodied, lemony, and clearly led by the cask influence, but it’s all been expertly crafted, very much in the style of Dr Swan. Highly technical, but very well done. K*****n, get out of this bottle! With water: hints of parsley and dill, then limoncello and elderflower liqueur. Finish: long, with pepper liqueur, a certain sweetness, and triple sec. Comments: very modern, very good. I find it more successful than the previous batch, but we much prefer the pure ‘hogshead’ versions like the one from Berry Bros, where the excellent distillate shines through more.
SGP:751 – 85 points. |
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Isle of Raasay 5 yo ‘Unpeated’ (61.4%, OB, Na Sia Cask Series, Chinkapin oak cask, cask #19/543, 2024)
Ha, they don’t call this 5 years old, they say it’s 5 years young. Clever. It seems the less charming full name of Chinkapin oak is Quercus Muehlenbergii. Not quite as sexy, is it? I believe it was Glenmorangie’s Dr Bill who first brought Chinkapin oak to the fore some years back. Colour: deep gold. Nose: straight in with the Jaffa cakes—chocolate, sponge cake, and orange marmalade. With water: guava liqueur sidles in, joined by vineyard peaches and young summer cheese, something along the lines of Comté or Gruyère. Very pleasant. Mouth (neat): rich, thick, and liqueur-like. Loads of saffron, pink pepper, and blood oranges. With water: an explosion of exotic fruits, followed by a crescendo of spices—chilli, fermented tofu, masala, cardamom… rather mad, to be honest. A return of chocolate lingers in the background. Finish: long, rich, fruity, and loaded with… fruity spices. Comments: it’s more of a stylistic exercise, a bit like Nc’nean’s in a way, but crazier. I suspect the Chinkapin was nearly charred to oblivion. Spectacular stuff, perfect for those friends who think all whisky tastes the same. We all have those friends, don’t we?
SGP:761 - 85 points. |
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Isle of Raasay 5 yo ‘Peated’ (61.9%, OB, Na Sia Cask Series, peated Chinkapin oak cask, cask #19/74, 2024)
There may be a bit of confusion here, as the label reads ‘matured in a peated Chinkapin oak cask,’ which might suggest some crude flavouring with peated whisky, as more and more operators are doing (in-cask blending). But then it also says ‘Scottish barley malted with Highland peat,’ which suggests the exact opposite and is far more reassuring. I’m certain it’s the latter—a proper peated whisky, not some fake peater. Colour: deep gold. Nose: chocolate returns, along with Nutella, peanut butter, and pencil shavings. With water: orange juice, a cigarette smouldering in the ashtray, and a few slices of wild Spanish ham—proper pata negra. Mouth (neat): like running into Mike Tyson in a dark alley at nighttime to quickly cross the street... With water: now we’re getting somewhere, it’s rich, thick, spicy, and certainly woody this time, as though the peat brings out the tannins. The rest is a battle between bitter oranges and pink grapefruit. Let’s not forget the Szechuan pepper, which isn’t far off either. Not an ‘ultimate’ peater. Finish: more exotic fruits, white chocolate, and even a hint of young bourbon. Comments: both Raasays are rather extreme, and I can’t quite pick a favourite—they don’t fit into any particular mould. Very cask-driven, a bit like the Nc’nean, which may limit them in some ways but also makes them quite fun. There’s a slight Fiat Multipla vibe to them, if you catch my drift.
SGP:665 - 85 points. |
Alright, I know we’ve said we’d have the Adnamurchans separate from now on, in 'specialised' sessions, but they are on the West Coast, aren’t they? |
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Ardnamurchan ‘The Midgie’ (48%, OB, 6,200 bottles, 2024)
A rather charming tribute, it seems, to those pesky little midges that can be a bit of a nuisance when one visits Scotland at certain times. It’s a blend of casks, including sherry, bourbon, Sauternes, and Madeira. No wonder it might attract the midges, ha! Colour: pale gold. Nose: you don’t really get the Madeira, nor the Sauternes, or even the sherry for that matter, so I’d imagine these were second or even third-fill casks, no? The result, however, is impeccable. There’s a lovely smoky focaccia vibe, buttery croissants, and delightful notes of smoked paprika (how good is that!), alongside hints of new tyres, spent oil, and fresh concrete… and perhaps just a whisper of Madeira after all. Really, it’s spot on. Mouth: the peat comes through more on the palate than on the nose, with green pepper, creosote, tar, smoked kippers, lemon, and apple, plus oysters and a few drops of Tabasco. Finish: long and beautiful, with a slightly herbal touch. Think samphire, lemon, and a drop of seawater. Comments: utterly delightful and very peaty. The good side of midges, as it were.
SGP:566 - 88 points. |
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September 17, 2024 |
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New Bowmore 21 PX Sherry and indie friends
We’ll do as we often do: start with the official one, then move on to some independent companions.
Smoked chocolate (The Chalk Board)
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Bowmore 21 yo ‘Sherry Oak Cask’ (46.8%, OB, 2024)
A new range, matured in bourbon and oloroso, then, ahem, finished in PX. Was that really necessary? But of course, we do love Bowmore, so whether it's PX-finished or not, it could still be very good. One does start to wonder, though, if southern Spain can produce enough PX to satisfy the Scots, and every other distiller in the world? (Of course they can). Colour: amber. Nose: I feel the sherry and peat somewhat cancel each other out, but without causing any real issue. You need to give it time, but then the figs, raisins, and dates from the PX come through, followed by miso, umami, tobacco, and Maggi, leading eventually to a rather charming hint of smoked ham and mashed peas. It's a fun nose, even if we ‘naturally’ prefer the more crystalline Bowmores. Mouth: really good, with cherries and dates, though somewhat anecdotal. Smoked chocolate, ham, then a growing sweet-and-savoury note—almost like African cuisine, which is excellent, by the way. Finish: medium length, more on raisins, PX, milk chocolate, and a touch of corn syrup. A faint hint of molasses. Comments: I feel like I'm back around the year 2000, with all those finishes they were starting to do—Claret, Darkest, etc. Not entirely my thing, but technically it's very well done, even if it’s a bit on the sweet side.
SGP:654 - 83 points. |
Well, this is obviously the ideal situation for indies with a natural style, or for truly sherry-matured ones... In fact, it’s probably a little unfair for the official brand. |
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Bowmore 26 yo 1997/2023 (50.1%, The Whisky Blues, butt, cask #64, 317 bottles)
Good heavens, by Vishnu, this one's going to be a proper ordeal, so let's rip the plaster off quickly, shall we? Colour: gold. Nose: smoked almonds, lapsang souchong, camphor, seawater, oysters, and seaweed. With water: damp chalk, exhaust fumes, ashes, smoked almonds, cider apples, and clams. Mouth (neat): lemon, smoked salmon, ashes, brine, green olives, oregano, and tarragon. With water: bergamot and ashes, with a faintly oily texture. Finish: long and precise, with tiny hints of candied ginger, more lemon, crabs, ashes, lemon marmalade, and smoked ham. Comments: no need to say much, other than that the sherry has been masterfully handled here.
SGP:555 - 90 points. |
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Bowmore 20 yo 2004/2024 (54.5%, Islay Sponge, Part V, refill hogshead, 183 bottles)
That a sponge would know its way around a whisky as maritime as this comes as no surprise (S., 1/5). Colour: pale gold. Nose: boot polish, camphor, oysters, low-tide beach sand, seaweed, almond milk, and white asparagus... Crystal-clear and masterful. Wait, there are even faint notes of natural sponge, making this whisky utterly circular, perhaps even pataphysical. With water: oh yes, ashes, charcoal, polish, soot (from candles), and green apples. Mouth (neat): ashes and lemon, along with whelks and winkles. There you go. It’s perhaps slightly underwhelming compared to the nose at first. With water: no, not at all. Ashes, brine, oysters, Riesling, and cut apples. Finish: much the same. A faintly oily aftertaste (orgeat syrup). Comments: throughout, it danced between 90 and 91. But out of deference and respect for the official bottling, let’s call it…
SGP:555 - 90 points. |
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Bowmore 20 yo 2004/2024 (53.3%, WhiskyLand, refill hogshead, 171 bottles)
You know, Whisky Sponge and WhiskyLand are much of a muchness. But wait, was 2004 really 20 years ago? Colour: gold. Nose: quite similar to the Sponge, which is certainly good news. Perhaps a touch more mineral and slightly less expressive, but it gains in elegance. Think sushi, small lemons, finger lime, yuzu, and Sauvignon Blanc rather than Riesling… With water: it gets even closer to the Sponge, to the point where telling them apart becomes tricky. Mouth (neat): smoked lemon and cigar ashes in your glass. With water: slightly tauter than the Sponge, with hints of melon and peach, but honestly, you could drink a double magnum of each and still not tell them apart for certain. Best to skip that challenge, I think. Finish: superb. Matte ashes and a touch of cocoa. Comments: a magnificent WhiskyCoast… I mean, WhiskyLand. The score is merely anecdotal.
SGP:555 - 90 points. |
Total respect for Bowmore, but pouring such a distillate into PX for finishing, to me, is like drizzling cane syrup over ossetra caviar. Or wearing a Davy Crockett hat while driving your Aston Martin, to keep within a theme fitting the brand. Anyway, see you next time… |
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September 16, 2024 |
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A few recent Laphroaigs
including the lauded new 18 |
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| Twilight at Laphroaig (WF Archive, 2015) |
This time, we won’t have any ‘Secret Islay’, ‘Williamson’, ‘Leapfrog’ or ‘Bessie’s Best’... Unless we have an older one, just as an aperitif. Perhaps an old ‘Laudable’ from DL? |
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Laudable 1985/2000 (50%, Douglas Laing, Old Malt Cask, 303 bottles)
One of the first OMCs, actually named ‘Director’s Laudable Selection’. This hails from the days when Laphroaig started getting a bit feisty with independents using their name, which is, after all, just the name of a place. But we won’t get into legalities, as that’s hardly our forte, and we wouldn’t do it for tuppence anyway. Colour: pale white wine. Nose: lovely, more crystalline than the OBs of the time, leaning towards lemon juice and green apple, with a more vegetal peat, though the medicinal elements catch up rather quickly, especially mercurochrome and iodine tincture… With water: some bitter smoked almonds, elderflower, and a hint of old paper… A bit of OBE may have started working its (very relative) magic here. Mouth (neat): oddly sweet this time, and we can’t help but use ‘limoncello’ as a descriptor. Sweet and slightly sour, with loads of ash and oysters. With water: barley syrup, brine, and lemon syrup. The brine and sweetness tussle a bit. Finish: rather long, becoming more taut, medicinal, very peaty, and quite sour. A syrupy aftertaste again. Comments: strange, it carried this surprising sweetness throughout the palate. Not the easiest of vintages.
SGP:676 - 86 points. |
Let's jump ahead 25 years... |
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Laphroaig 18 yo (48%, OB, ex-bourbon, 2024)
Here we have the new Laphroaig 18-year-old, making a return after around a decade of absence. To be honest, I wasn’t particularly fond of the old version, which I found rather overly influenced by new American oak (WF 84) and notably inferior to the 15-year-old. It was often described as being ‘a bit plankish’. Colour: white wine. Hurray, as the previous 18 was more golden. Nose: straight to the hospital here. Bandages, camphor, a variety of balms, iodine, fresh plaster, followed by lemon and smoked oysters. It’s not an overly complex nose, but for me, it ticks all the boxes. More importantly, it buries our aperitif six feet under – or rather, under the beach! Mouth: perfect, powerful, sharp, saline, lemony, and intensely smoky. There are some small berries, a hint of rubber, a touch of tar, and a very persistent smoky, maritime character. It gradually becomes creamier, but never excessively so; the white oak behaves admirably. Finish: long, with a lovely bitterness that’s ever so slightly syrupy. The citrus pushes through in the aftertaste, joined by fresh bitter almonds. Comments: absolutely to my taste, closer to the distillate than some of the more recent official Laphroaigs, and clearly superior to the old 18.
SGP:457 - 89 points. |
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Laphroaig 10 yo 'Original Cask Strength Batch 16' (58.5%, OB, Dec 22)
We’re constantly behind with these 10 C/S batches, and frankly, we’re rather ashamed. That said, they’ve become quite different from the older versions. Colour: full gold. Nose: richer than the 18, oilier, but with lovely notes of yellow pepper atop the peat and candied oranges. With water: I really like this. Chalk, plaster, shoe polish, peppers, tar, fresh paint, putty, carbolineum, and a touch of barley sugar... So far, nothing to complain about. Mouth (neat): extremely zesty. Lemon juice, ashes, green pepper, sea water, chillies, and truffled olive oil. As they say, it packs quite a punch. With water: it swims beautifully, though it does become, once again, a bit liqueur-like, a touch sweeter. We’ll mention limoncello once more. Other than that, it’s pretty much spot on. Finish: very long, with smoky, sweet, and salty citrus notes. Quite the profile. Comments: I think this is – or rather, was – an excellent batch. We might have to skip two or three to catch up over the next few months or years.
SGP:557 - 88 points. |
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Laphroaig 36 yo (40.2%, OB, The Archive Collection, second-fill oloroso finish, 400 bottles, 2024)
It seems this one’s a 1985 vintage, much like our early Laudable. Giving a finishing touch to an old legend like this malt feels a bit like the cosmetic surgery some ageing actresses undergo. Naturally, one thinks of dear Nicole K… or perhaps Ardbeg 1965. But who are we to judge, after all? Colour: gold, no darker than that. Nose: the sherry remains delightfully subtle, while the hallmark passion fruit and mango of old Laphroaigs are very much present. There’s also yellow peach, followed by old fabrics, a touch of beeswax polish, some cough drops, and a drop of gentian liqueur (Avèze, Suze). I find this much nicer than I’d feared, and in the end, it reminds me a little of the Ardbeg 30 ‘Very Old’. Indeed. Or even, in some ways, the Laphroaig 40/1960. Mouth: as expected, it’s more tired on the palate, though the initial attack is still decent – this is very much a whisky for the nose. A bit of old wood, herbal teas, orange and cinnamon biscuits, and some old walnuts, probably from the oloroso. After that magnificent nose, the palate is almost anecdotal. Finish: short, dry, with a hint of lightly brewed lapsang souchong tea. Comments: it’s charming. It’s a bit like an old black-and-white film or a 78rpm jazz record, something like vintage Ellington. But really, it’s a Laphroaig for the nose. I believe the resemblance to that superb 40-year-old stops there.
SGP:464 - 85 points. |
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September 15, 2024 |
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It's grand and grander Cognac Sunday at WF
We’ll try to avoid a vertical tasting this time, even though we rarely manage it, but let’s give it a go at random. Well, when I say ‘at random’, we’ll still focus on the ‘good small producers’ and, as usual, steer clear of the mainstream. In any case, the mainstream isn’t that keen, its scouts rarely make it to Château Whiskyfun, and you certainly won’t catch me going off to track them down here or there. Besides, remember that our main goal is to find ‘malternatives’. |
Heather honey
(Domaine Apicole de Chezelles) |
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Frapin ‘Extra’ (40%, OB, Grande Champagne, +/-2024)
A venerable cognac, entirely from their own estate, distilled on its lees. The 40% ABV and old-school presentation certainly lean into the 'retro' aesthetic, but it’s rumoured this grand old bottle contains spirits up to forty or fifty years old, though nothing is explicitly stated. Let's enjoy it. Colour: deep gold. Nose: we're quite close to the vine here, with a honeyed side and a whiff of Sémillon. The usual suspects of tinned peaches and apricots are present, followed by sultanas and a bag of liquorice allsorts, with some cedarwood and a touch of incense rounding it off. Delicate and elegant, if a tad traditional and, indeed, a little retro. Mouth: very soft, delicate, without much oomph or zing, but this smoothness is rather charming. It’s all about raisins, peach, sweet dessert wine, and a hint of tobacco. Alas, it fades a bit too quickly, at least for a malt enthusiast. Finish: very short, slightly resinous with oak, and a bit frustrating. Some apricots, sultanas, a touch of caramel, and a few orange zests. Comments: at least they didn’t finish it in mizunara. Seriously, it’s really good, even very good, just… a touch frustrating.
SGP: 6541 - 85 points. |
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Famille Cabanne ‘Lot no.100’ (46.2%, The Whisky Jury, 100th release, Grande Champagne, 199 bottles)
All rijks, I mean, all right! (not very funny, S.) The spirits from The Whisky Jury never fail to impress, and this 100th release promises to be even more so, as it seems to hold a cognac from Cabanne that is 100 years old or more. We're not entirely sure if it spent all those years in wood—perhaps some time in demi-johns, but perhaps not. Maybe we’ll find out, but in the meantime... Colour: reddish amber. Nose: good heavens, what a nose! Incredibly aromatic yet without a trace of vulgarity—quite the opposite—with a hint of old Sauternes, broom flowers, honeysuckle, and dozens of different kinds of honey. Then, finally, a little spoonful of apricot jam, like a diamond nestled in a golden diadem (getting carried away, am I?). A few more humble pine needles round off the nose. Mouth: the magic of time. There’s still firmness, with those slightly resinous notes that come with great age, but also a cascade of dried and cooked fruits, led by sultanas and, as often, peach liqueur and apricot jam. Magnificent notes of small dried figs, with a touch of argan oil adding structure in the background. Finish: medium length but firm, always with that sublime balance of pine and sultanas. Perfectly ripe yellow peach and a little coffee bring up the rear with flair. Comments: I was tempted to give this 100-year-old a perfect 100 points for the 100th anniversary, and let’s say I symbolically do, but strictly speaking, we’re closer to a very high...
SGP: 661 - 92 points. |
I find it quite amusing that, for example, for the price of one bottle of a 58 year-old, pretty dispensable family-owned old Speyside malt, you could treat yourself to exactly 100 (one hundred) bottles of the 1965 we’re about to taste. |
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Les Grandes Jouberteries 'Lot 65' (49.5%, Authentic Spirits, Fins Bois, +/-2024)
We're in Val des Vignes, and this Fins Bois is 100% ugni blanc. Colour: deep gold. Nose: magnificent, with more focus on fruit skins, liquorice wood, ripe apple, and chestnut honey. There's even a faint whiff of sea air, which is curious given we're a hundred kilometres from the ocean. Perfect, in its sublime simplicity. Mouth: it certainly doesn't feel its fifty years. There's a wonderful tension here, with oranges, apples, and peaches at the forefront, and not a single raisin in sight. Instead, we get those dried and preserved apricots we all adore—oh, and in jam form too. I also sense tiny saline notes mingling with liquorice and just a hint of lavender liqueur. Only a touch, though. Finish: long, fresh, and almost a bit malty. Cinnamon biscuits. Comments: a dram of great elegance, with perfect tension and a hint of acidity akin to a fine white wine. You could almost drink it with oysters—Arcachon, naturally.
SGP:661 - 91 points. |
Another Fins Bois (and I promise we won’t talk about pushy old malts any more today) … |
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Marie Foucher ‘La Découverte Lot 77’ (51.74%, Malternative Belgium, Fins Bois, 396 bottles, 2024)
This time we find ourselves in Foussignac, while 1977 recalls none other than Talking Heads, and in France, Cerrone (gasp…). Colour: deep gold. Nose: a compact affair at first, all about almond croissants dripping in honey, then a splash of orange liqueur. A drop of water should liven things up a bit... With Water: yes, indeed, more layers of honey emerge, alongside roasted peanuts and cashews, praline, a hint of orange blossom, dried pear, and figs. Mouth (neat): very precise and incredibly fresh, brimming with citrus. Orange liqueur dominates, with a subtle nod to elderflower liqueur (though the elderflower stays in check, thankfully). With Water: a touch of oak peeks through, followed by herbal teas, black tea, and a faint tannic edge. Finish: long, with various citrus zests, while black tea lingers boldly in the aftertaste. Comments: Cognac and water aren’t always the easiest pair, but this is a truly excellent cognac regardless.
SGP:561 - 89 points. |
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Laurichesse ‘Les Jeux de Fruits Lot 75’ (46.8%, Malternative Belgium and Maltopedia China, Grande Champagne, 528 bottles, 2024)
A clever play on words between ‘jus de fruits’ (fruit juice) and ‘jeux de fruits’ (fruit games). Colour: amber. Nose: it’s a slow build, not immediate, it takes its time, starting off charmingly fruity (peaches) and then becoming far more complex while staying compact. In any case, coherent – if that makes sense? So, peaches, guava, orange blossom, North African pastries, then blood oranges, hints of mango, and even a touch of agricole rum in the style of J.M. – I promise you. Mouth: pencils down, sermon over. Peaches, mangos, old Bushmills, old Littlemill, old Lochside, old Balblair (S., didn’t we say no more malt talk today?). It’s as if this fruit bomb had spent a bit of time in new American oak, though we highly doubt it. Either way, it’s simply unbeatable, nothing to be done but bow down. Finish: the same. Fresh, with liquorice in the aftertaste. Comments: ‘Jeux de Fruits,’ indeed! A truly adorable cognac, at the very top. Only one flaw – you already know everything from its name; no need to even taste it. Just kidding.
SGP:751 - 92 points. |
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Jean-Luc Pasquet ‘Lot 73’ (48.3%, OB for WhiskyJace, Grande Champagne, 2024)
The house of J-L Pasquet continues to grace the world with its marvellous cognacs, either directly or through independent bottlers across the globe who are highly discerning in their selections (end of the advert; price: a small glass of chilled pineau, please). Colour: amber. Nose: this one feels a touch riper than the others, leaning towards overripe apple, medlar, and even some frozen service tree fruit, giving it a subtle old Meursault vibe, which is, of course, high praise. Hints of orange zest, orgeat, and almond milk follow. Mouth: similar to the previous with just a tad more oak, which translates into Earl Grey and chamomile. Otherwise, the familiar guava, apple, mango, liquorice, fir bud liqueur, and a drop of muscat make their appearance. Finish: rather long, a bit more peppery, with possible hints of quinine. Orange peels and pine needles march along in the aftertaste. Comments: just a tiny bit more wood in the aftertaste, but still a greatly excellent cognac.
SGP:651 - 90 points. |
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Mauxion 1960/2024 (42%, OB for Passion for Whisky, Fins Bois, 78 bottles)
A small outturn, but from a grand vintage, mine. Indeed, that silly joke everyone’s always doing. Colour: deep gold. Nose: meadow honey, peaches in syrup, hints of rosewood, a faint touch of beeswax polish, a whisper of beech smoke, and some beeswax. The balance is perfect, almost deceptively simple due to its flawlessness. Mouth: teas and pink peppercorns, citrus peel, peach skin, followed by fig wine, arrack, herbal teas, and mullein syrup... This lot has turned ever so slightly lighter, perhaps missing a bit of kick, but the profile remains absolutely wonderful. Finish: medium length, very much focused on herbal teas. Verbena, raisins, hints of strawberry, with just a touch of tea and cardboard in the aftertaste. Comments: it feels as though it’s bidding us farewell on the palate, which is rather moving. I think it was captured at just the right moment. Still sublime, like a great actress in her twilight years (you know what I mean).
SGP:541 - 89 points. |
Shall we try some really old ones again? Let's say, to celebrate the approach of autumn. |
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Tiffon 'T.V.RES.' (43.6%, Malternative Belgium for The Antelope Macau and Kanpaikai Japan, Grande Champagne, 2023)
We could try to guess what 'TV RES' stands for, but we won’t bother – the names Tiffon and Malternative Belgium are enough to go by. All right, maybe 'Très Vieille Réserve'? The sort of phrase that rarely means much but is always endearing. Colour: glowing amber. Nose: it comes across as lightly jammy, with sultanas, mirabelle plum and damson jam, then a delicate touch of menthol and earthy tones. A bit of pipe tobacco, damp potting soil, prunes… I’d even dare to say there’s a hint of old Armagnac, but of course, that’s impossible. Mouth: similar feelings. Notes of old wood, tobacco, a leathery quality, dark chocolate, menthol, countryside black tea, and liquorice wood… It’s beautiful, very different from the others, and perhaps quite ancient. A hint of very old pu-ehr tea begins to emerge. Finish: medium in length but with a splendid earthy quality. Chocolate, prunes, and peppermint lingering in the aftertaste. Comments: yes, it does feel very old. It’s superbly, superbly good, in a style quite distinct from all the others, perhaps more classic.
SGP:562 - 90 points. |
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Mauxion ‘Lot 36’ (43.2%, OB for Passion for Whisky, Borderies, 2024)
Well, here we are, skipping right over the Second World War, and we find ourselves in the Borderies – the 'frontiers'. Eighty years in cask, followed by just a few years in a demijohn to enjoy a well-earned paradise. I must say, it’s always a moving experience to taste cognacs that ‘could have been sipped without a second thought during the war, yet narrowly escaped that fate’. Colour: gold. Really not dark. Nose: oh, how lovely this is! Moss, ferns, mushrooms, mint, camphor, melon, overripe apples, and those everlasting honeys… did you know honey is the best-preserved organic product of all? Mouth: quite incredible how fresh it is after 80 years in cask. The honeys and ripe fruits are staggeringly vibrant—apples, melons, peaches of course—followed by earth, tobacco, verbena, mint, anise, gentian, bergamot, a touch of mead, and even, for fun, a drop of Buckfast tonic wine. Really. Finish: beautifully long, without the slightest hint of misplaced wood. Roasted and caramelised pecans in the aftertaste. Comments: astonishingly fresh and precise after all these years. The successive cellar masters who oversaw this cask did a top-notch job, unless it’s all down to luck. If so, hooray for luck! Let’s not forget the ultimate rule everyone’s overlooked: when it comes to maturation, the best method is often ‘to do nothing at all’ as old managers used to claim, though that’s become hardly modern. Long live the passing of time!
SGP:651 - 93 points. |
It all comes down to one last one... |
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Vallein Tercinier 1935/2024 (47%, OB for Kirsch Import, Petite Champagne)
Now, this charming drop was transferred to demijohns in 1990, so technically speaking, it spent 55 years in wood hence is a 55 years old. Personally, I’d consider time in glass as well, never fully sealed (for glass containers can't be entirely sealed, unless you're in some sort of vacuum chamber at a constant temperature). Let’s say, it counts for roughly twenty percent of the time in wood, just a wild guess. So, 55 years + (34*0.20) gives us around 62 years, give or take. Open to debate, naturally. Colour: amber (Baltic variety). Nose: old waxes, beeswax polish, a vintage library with cedarwood, fir, yew, and a good deal of thuja. Orchard apples, and the interior of an old Jag (a proper Jag, mind you), then we get some mint, eucalyptus, Tiger Balm, and even a whiff of old Ardbeg – and I’m not joking (think early 1970s). Of course, a few raisins sneak in too. Mouth: resins, pine needles, and a lot of liquorice wood start to take over a bit, which makes it clear why some very clever soul decided to move this nectar into glass in 1990 – just imagine, that was before Oasis even formed! The fruit has been beautifully preserved, leaning more towards liqueurs, sweet wines, orange liqueur, and even a touch of calvados. There's some verbena in there as well. Finish: long and almost refreshing with all that menthol, liquorice, and indeed, the verbena too. Comments: this is a true journey across multiple temporal dimensions. A magnificent cognac that highlights why quick-fix flavouring with any kind of thing (no names mentioned) simply doesn’t cut it. The whisky world should catch on to that again soon enough.
SGP: 661 - 92 points. |
Serge from cognacfun.com signing off. |
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Best spirits Serge tried those weeks, 90+ points only
Benromach 50 yo 1972/2023 (54.6%, OB, first fill sherry finish, 248 bottles, 2024)
Bowmore 26 yo 1997/2023 (50.1%, The Whisky Blues, butt, cask #64, 317 bottles)
Bowmore 20 yo 2004/2024 (54.5%, Islay Sponge, Part V, refill hogshead, 183 bottles)
Bowmore 20 yo 2004/2024 (53.3%, WhiskyLand, refill hogshead, 171 bottles)
Glendronach 1996/2010 (57.2%, Malts of Scotland, sherry butt, cask #195, 287 bottles)
Highland Park 15 yo 1964/1979 (86.8 US proof, Averys for Corti Brothers, 75cl)
Highland Park 54 yo 1970/2024 (42%, Duncan Taylor, Rarest Collection, Accolade, sherry oak cask, cask #3254, 158 decanters)
Highland Park 1988/2023 ‘Vintage Release’ (43.8%, OB, bourbon hogsheads and European oak, 625 bottles)
2BAR Spirits 4 yo 2019/2023 (58.94%, American Single Cask, Straight Bourbon whiskey, ex-red wine finish, USA, cask #0005, 286 bottles)
Heritage Distilling Co. 5 yo 2018/2023 (61.15%, American Single Cask, chocolate malted barley, USA, new oak heavy char, cask #0003, 223 bottles)
Redbreast 27 yo ‘Batch 5’ (54.6%, OB, Irish single pot still, 2024)
The Lime Tree 20 yo 2003/2024 (52%, The Whisky Cask Company, Tree of Life, bourbon, 205 bottles)
Waterford ‘Heritage Goldthorpe’ (50%, OB, Irish single malt, 6,500 bottles, 2024)
Waterford ‘Biodynamic Cuvée Luna’ (50%, OB, Irish single malt, 2024)
Jamaïque 2013/2023 (65.5%, L’Esprit, Maison de l’Hédonisme 10th anniversary, cask #MDH 2013-1, 246 bottles)
Famille Cabanne ‘Lot no.100’ (46.2%, The Whisky Jury, 100th release, Grande Champagne, 199 bottles)
Famille Cabanne ‘Lot no.79’ (62.5%, Passie voor Whisky, Bons Bois, 2024)
Les Grandes Jouberteries 'Lot 65' (49.5%, Authentic Spirits, Fins Bois, +/-2024)
Laurichesse ‘Les Jeux de Fruits Lot 75’ (46.8%, Malternative Belgium and Maltopedia China, Grande Champagne, 528 bottles, 2024)
Mauxion ‘Lot 36’ (43.2%, OB for Passion for Whisky, Borderies, 2024)
Jean-Luc Pasquet ‘Lot 73’ (48.3%, OB for WhiskyJace, Grande Champagne, 2024)
Tiffon 'T.V.RES.' (43.6%, Malternative Belgium for The Antelope Macau and Kanpaikai Japan, Grande Champagne, 2023)
Tiffon ‘V.45’ (45.2%, Old Master Spirit, Petite Champagne, 2023)
Vallein Tercinier 1935/2024 (47%, OB for Kirsch Import, Petite Champagne)
Vallein Tercinier ‘Lot 55 Arôme Exquis’ (41.50%, Malternative Belgium, Bons Bois, 2024)
Vallein Tercinier ‘Lot n°71’ (54.1%, OB for Flickenschild, Petite Champagne, 2024)
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