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Dwelling
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| Hello, that is one in every of our (virtually) each day tastings. Santé! |
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June 20, 2021
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Summer season Duets
Right now Grande Champagne |
| Certainly that is Malternative Day at Château Whiskyfun. Since we’ll have solely two Grande Champagne as we speak – bear in mind Grande Champagne is NOT one other title for a magnum of champagne – let’s give attention to masters of choice and “élevage” Jean Grosperrin, for those who do not thoughts. |
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Grande Champagne N.33-39 (47,4%, Jean Grosperrin for Wu Dram Clan, 2021) 
We’ve completely no doubts about the truth that this was distilled within the Thirties and that consequently, this Cognac is no less than eighty years previous, however the small outturn (26 litres) might recommend that it is spent part of that point in a paradis, so in a demijohn. We’ll should enquire (properly I believe we cannot). Possibly is it to be remembered that Grande Champagne is presumably the best of all Crus and that it is fully situated within the Charentes. The place in addition they make glorious butter, by the best way, however that is one other story. Yeah nice, I am going to discover notes of butter now… Color: wealthy amber Nostril: tiny whiffs of cellulose and polish at first, then maybe just a little bourbon (Pappy’s greatest, anybody?) earlier than the pendulum would cease swinging above a surprising, agency and somewhat tight mixture of ripe apricots, peaches, melons and mirabelles. Then many ripe figs and touches of menthol, liquorice, glazed chestnuts (marrons glacés) and previous pineau. Very good fruity freshness and tightness right here. Mouth: oh, sucking cigars, cinnamon bark, espresso beans, tarry lozenges, then it might unfold in the direction of extra fruits and an apparent floral aspect, on these flower jellies that go so properly with foie gras (are you guys actually going to ban foie gras within the UK?) As soon as once more it is a agency mixture, with heavy liquorice, maybe a contact of molasses, perhaps just a few drops of previous Neisson (imagine me). In brief, this one’s firing on strictly all cylinders whereas it is obtained fairly just a few of them. End: lengthy and tight. Very good wooden, extraordinarily properly built-in. Extra espresso within the aftertaste, a drop of brown beer (say Paulaner’s Salvator, had one final evening, nice stuff I believe, though I am no beer man in any respect.) Feedback: I have been searching for flaws and located none.
SGP:462 – 91 factors. |
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Alright, again to the Roaring Twenties…
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Grande Champagne N.24 (42.8%, Jean Grosperrin, L 846, +/-2021)
I am undecided that is the correct image as the nice individuals at Grosperrin appear to be placing far more effort into deciding on and maturing nice cognacs than into offering ‘the world’ with applicable footage of their new releases. However shh, do not inform them however I imagine it’s higher and smarter that means, it’s good to deserve these, they’re by no means ‘apparent’ and I imagine their advertising funds have to be equal to the value of a bottle of Macallan NAS for Venezuela. Anyway, it is a 1924, not a 1824 (ha!) Even Keith Richards wasn’t born… Color: deep amber. Nostril: fascinating, as contemporary because the Wu Dram Clan, as fruity, maybe a notch extra on peonies and peaches, with just a little extra incense, cedarwood, varied stewed fruits and ‘darkish’ honeys, plus very previous vintages of Sauternes, with elegant botrytis and ‘grilledness’. Rose petals after a couple of minutes, previous fragrance (I am typically quoting Pleasure), ylang-ylang… That is actually fabulous. Mouth: extra ‘basic’ Cognac than the 1933-1939, with raisins, preserved peaches and plums, some previous rancio, a contact of previous amontillado, some espresso, chocolate, walnuts, tobacco, liquorice… It tends to change into a tad extra ‘closed’ and dry, just a little extra on espresso, and I can’t not consider that real Luwak that my daughter introduced again from Indonesia. Previous walnuts and different nuts. Roasted pecans, maybe. The low power doesn’t really feel, it is obtained good physique and texture. End: medium, somewhat extra on black tea, Russian-style, tobacco, filter espresso… Somewhat extra sweetness within the aftertaste, round prunes and raisins maybe. Feedback: it isn’t unattainable that this one would have spent extra time in wooden. Splendid very previous Cognac that you can quaff identical to that. Which is harmful, we agree.
SGP:461 – 90 factors. |
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June 18, 2021
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As a result of Teaninich is fairly near Clynelish… architecturally.
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Teaninich 9 yo (46%, James Eadie, Small Batch, 1084 bottles, 2020) 
From three casks, barrels and hoggies. We do know that James Eadie are extraordinarily good at bottling younger malts that will be ‘prepared’. Color: pale white wine. Nostril: they did it once more. Immaculate, completely barley-driven, gristy and doughy malt, with good construction and simply the correct quantities of candy yeastiness and ripe apples. An ideal beer, only a wee bit stronger. Mouth: glorious. Touches of espresso (dregs), earth, contemporary baguette, then bread certainly, vanilla fudge, ale, beeswax… A really warming dram that, having mentioned that, you can quaff like Champagne. So, cautious… End: fairly lengthy and very barley-y. That is the entire level, is it not. These coffee-ish notes within the aftertaste, café latte, cappuccino… Feedback: maybe a tad Starbucksian, however within the phrases of Pete Rodriguez, I prefer it like that.
SGP:551 – 86 factors. |
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James Eadie had one other proposition final 12 months…
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Teaninich 12 yo 2008/2020 (51.5%, James Eadie, 1st fill oloroso hogshead end, cask # 354556, 246 bottles) 
So, the other I suppose… Color: espresso. Nostril: not that extravagant, somewhat well-mannered, somewhat on espresso and pipe tobacco, then somewhat on herbs resembling parsley and coriander. Somewhat rosemary too, mole sauce, hoisin… With water: sawn oak and walnut stain, I’d say. Undecided it wants water. Mouth (neat): some dry Jägermeister and a big bag of cocoa and low. Walnuts as properly, after all, and touches of pencil shavings. I suppose the ending time has been comparatively quick. With water: very positive however I imagine we’re touching the bounds of this set-up. Some bonbons, oily herbs, liquorice cordial, Ricola (have you learnt of Ricola?) … I’ve the sensation that we have left Whiskydom. End: somewhat lengthy, on espresso and herbs, which isn’t, thoughts you, as emetic as you’ll suppose. Feedback: I am just a little misplaced right here. What to think about this? Some type of readymade coffee-schnapps? And who would recognise Teaninich? The Distillery Supervisor?
SGP:461 – 80 factors. |
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Teaninich 1999/2019 (49.7%, Dutch Connection, Michiel Wigman, They Impressed, 238 bottles)
Together with his bottlings our good friend Michiel is paying tribute to individuals who actually counted, Gandhi, Mandela, Churchill, Kennedy, Jim McEwan… Color: white wine. Nostril: gentle, clear, virtually diaphanous malt whisky, on crushed bananas, bread, pastries, oatcakes, porridge… I am undecided you can come any nearer to ‘the barley’. With water: fantastic earth, flour, concrete mud, paper… Mouth (neat): a wee dusty/cardboardy feeling at first, then somewhat lots of espresso and kirschwasser. Uncooked within the good sense. With water: bitter juices, weissbeer, cherry juice… End: medium, fairly yeasty and bitter/candy. Feedback: this one’s very near nature. Excuse me, to Nature.
SGP:351 – 85 factors. |
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Teaninich 12 yo 2008/2021 (48.5%, WhiskySponge, refill hogshead, 257 bottles)
Color: white wine. Nostril: much more pure and uncooked than Michiel’s, that is virtually ink combined with chalk and M&S’s pancake combine. Do M&S make any pancake combine? Then paraffin, plasticine, limestone, lambswool and fresh-broken branches. Maybe just a little mental? Do sponges have brains? Mouth: understood. The cask having its say now, with café latte and roasted hazelnuts, sesame oil, touches of triple-sec, curaçao, then extra natural and spicy touches, thyme maybe, juniper… End: somewhat lengthy, somewhat natural and somewhat bitter. Feedback: very mental however I type of prefer it. Similar feeling as while you would learn Conflict and Peace in German, solely a lot quicker. So all in all, this wee whisky saves you time!
SGP:351 – 85 factors. |
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Teaninich 11 yo 2008/2020 (60.4%, The Single Malts of Scotland, Elixir Distillers, hogshead, cask #715790, 313 bottles) 
I’ve referred to as my lawyer, we might proceed… Color: white wine. Nostril: no actually, bread, ink… Are we speculated to destroy our olfactory bulb and mind to attempt to detect any clear aromas and even molecules right here? Wooden alcohol, grasses… With water: no. Whisky for masochists, which we’re not. Mouth (neat): uncooked, ethanoly, harsh, unethical, dictatorial, unsexy, grassy, virtually fascist whisky. No actually, do this one, we’ll discuss later. With water: just a little higher, fruitier, however frankly, we might certainly solely drink this if we might have run out of Absolut, Jägermeister, Tanqueray and Havana Membership. End: medium, grassy, bitter, pointless. Feedback: good enjoyable, however these are the bounds of malt whisky. You could possibly intellectualise something however on the finish of the day, would you will have one other glass? The reply is a transparent and resounding ‘no’ right here. For as soon as, however London, every part alright?
SGP:451 – 70 factors. |
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Teaninich 13 yo 2007/2020 (55.8%, Adelphi for Hotmalt Taiwan, cask #301265, 522 bottles) 
Appears like that is espresso liqueur… BTW we do not hear a lot of our pricey buddies at Adelphi’s as of late, hope they’re doing positive! Now they have to be very busy with their very own distillery… Color: reddish espresso. Nostril: wooden oils, teak, balsam, gianduja, café latte, Bulldog sauce, fresh-sawn MDM or plywood, prunes… With water: somewhat comparable, solely with extra meaty and natural touches. Hen broth, bouillons, miso and stuff… Mouth (neat): very thick, extraordinarily extractive (good, S.!) and actually fairly harsh. These high-extraction whiskies will be enjoyable, however this time we’re in doom-metal-black-hard-rock territory. Even Ozzy can be afraid; no, after all not Keef. With water: meat and chocolate. A brand new enterprise concept, some chocolate flavoured with beef, hen, veal, pork, shrimp, foie gras… What would you say? Good, let’s do it 50/50… End: very lengthy, bitterer, brutal, inexperienced, salty… Feedback: humorous and even motivating, however excessive; would we take one other glass? Is it actually moreish? NO.
SGP:672 – 79 factors. |
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A a lot older Teaninich and we’re accomplished. Boy, Teaninich!
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Teaninich 27 yo 1958/1985 (46%, Cadenhead, dumpy)
This one from when Cadenhead have been nonetheless in Aberdeen. Was the ‘previous girl’ nonetheless on the helm? By the best way, whereas we’re at t it, many entities are claiming that they’ve pioneered the entire 46% vol. concept. Yeah proper. It’s also to be famous that this was distilled earlier than Teaninich doubled its capability of manufacturing, in 1962. Possibly additionally that Teaninich is an especially fashionable Distillery, however that wasn’t the case again in 1958. Color: straw. Nostril: that is the factor, all these ‘black dumpies’ by Cadenhead do share some frequent traits and after 30 or 35 or 40 years in glass, it is arduous to say whether or not some aromas or flavours have been there when the casks have been disgorged, or If it was all generated throughout bottle growing old. On this very case, we have massive notes of steel polish, previous copper cash, previous toolbox and even ‘previous bike’. However is that this Teaninich or is it Cadenhead? Mouth: previous broths, oils, ointments.. Some inks, herbs, bouillons, some saltiness, some meat, marrow, chilly cuts, leek soup… No straightforward malt whisky for positive, and no fruits to be seen. There’s even one thing oxidative, dry sherry fashion. End: somewhat lengthy, somewhat on salt, paraffin, marrow, putty, walnuts, oloroso and bitter oranges. Is that this just a little unlikely? You guess! Feedback: this was bottled 35 years in the past. It is starting to nosedive, I am positive. Safe your investments, buddies; bottles of whisky, whether or not the extent is okay or not, aren’t everlasting!
SGP:263 – 85 factors. |
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