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| Hello, that is one in every of our (nearly) day by day tastings. Santé! |
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February 3, 2022
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Around the globe as soon as extra |
| They was very marginal twenty years in the past, and we now do such ‘world’ periods nearly as soon as per week. Let’s take off from Charles-De-Gaulle. I do know, I do know… |
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Alfred Giraud ‘Héritage’ (45.9%, OB, France, 2021) 
They’ve blended there totally different French malt whiskies and additional matured the end-result in some outdated cognac casks. We have already tried an handful of A. Girauds, all have been good or excellent in my e-book. Additional-care has been given to the maturation, which is fairly ‘Cognacqy’. It is true that we have usually puzzled why some Scots do not do it because the Cognaçais do. Color: gold. Nostril: actually, very nice, contemporary and floral, with stewed mirabelles and peaches, honeysuckle, sultanas and solely a really tiny spiciness. A little bit custard. Fairly smooth. Mouth: actually good, malty and fruity, with wonderful truffles, dandelions, raisin rolls, preserved peaches and apricots, then extra breadiness and simply touches of some quite liquoricy and earthy outdated oak. End: medium, with notes of tarte tatin, cinnamon and only a contact of candy beer. In spite of everything, that is malt whisky. A small meaty contact within the aftertaste (ham). Feedback: this one goes down extraordinarily effectively. Sensible maturation and a beautiful decanter in addition. A beautiful future single-flower vase.
SGP:451 – 87 factors. |
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Miyagikyo ‘Discovery Peated’ (48%, OB, Japan, LMDW, bottles, 4812 bottles, 2021) 
Its bro the Yoichi ‘Discovery Non-Peated’ had been comparatively good right here the opposite day (WF 88). This can be a peated Miyagikyo, not too certain that is very uncommon certainly as I consider we have already tried fairly a bunch prior to now. Anyway, let’s do this unagestated new one… Color: straw. Nostril: don’t anticipate Ardbeg Provenance, that is solely calmly peated, though it will be a ‘peaty whisky’ for certain. Outdated cellars, teak and eucalyptus, thuja, macha (how very Japanese), then cedarwood, balsam, starfruits and inexperienced plums. An apparent (to me, not less than) Japanness, which I discover each refreshing and reassuring. Mouth: extra, way more smoke, with quite large notes of burnt rubber and thyme tea and honey, ashes, just a little ink maybe, actually some edible roots (turnips and celeriac), then inexperienced spices and, drumroll, our descriptor of the week, gentian! End: lengthy, quite on citrus and menthol, that mixture that at all times wins it. Some tar and once more just a little rubber within the aftertaste. Feedback: so, it seems that each are nice, the Yoichi and the Miyagikyo. Now it stays a bizarre feeling to sip an excellent whisky with out having the smallest clue about its age. Name me old-guard and I ship you my Moldavian pals. Or, why not, some Yakuza.
SGP:554 – 88 factors. |
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Why not in a single day in Japan…
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Komagate 2018/2021 (59%, OB, Kirsch Import, Japan, American virgin oak, cask #4047)
This from Shinshu. I am going to need to confess that I maintain forgetting about what’s at stake right here, between Mars, Komagate, Tsunuki, Shinshu, Hombo Shuzo, Yakushima… You’d want a Jodie-Foster-IQ to know – and never neglect – about the whole lot. Color: gold. Nostril: bread, brioche, panettone, custard and kougelhopf. With water: wonderful resinous-like oak. As soon as once more I am reminded of these wild woods they generally use within the cachaça enterprise. Shh… Mouth (neat): high-class. I hate it that I’d love such an earthshattering younger whisky, I am shedding my vanity. Excellent candy oaky/citrusy spices, papayas, bananas and quinces. East meets west, as they are saying. If it was doctored, the physician was a grasp. Gorgeous. With water: do not add an excessive amount of otherwise you’ll carry sawdust out. Aside from that, at 50%, it is picture-perfect. End: medium and, do not dream an excessive amount of, just a little easy now. That is the place the youth feels. Pinewood and banana skins. Feedback: significantly, nice stuff, it is simply that you just’d want a PhD in pipette-handling to get it precisely proper ’til the tip, I’d assume.
SGP:561 – 86 factors. |
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Westward ‘Patrick Ahluwalia Barrel Choose’ (62.5%, OB, USA, Kirsch Import, cask #568, 2021)
Virgin American Oak Char Stage 2 and a Patrick Ahluwalia Barrel. I am misplaced, I stop, I hand over. I am solely half-joking, my good friend; guess what, I am not even going to attempt to discover out about that Patrick-Ahluwalia man who, I am certain, is an entrancing particular person. However boy is whisky getting sophisticated! Color: gold. Nostril: cellulosic varnish all over, then balsa, cedar and thuja woods. Spectacular woodworks. Inexperienced bananas and walnuts in ambush. With water: luminous minty and lemony woods. A night at IKEA Ueber-Status. Besides that IKEA Ueber-Status doesn’t exist – but? Cheques in Euros, please. Mouth (neat): simply nice. Heavy oaks, grapefruit skins, eucalyptus, epicea, verbena, lemon curd, cough medication… With water: Oregon’s about woods, is it not? Maybe a tad ‘an excessive amount of’ now. Very heavy black tea and a jar of peanut butter. End: lengthy, dry, spicy. Rubbers, chlorophyl, nutmeg and juniper. Feedback: who’s Patrick Ahluwalia? The Supervisor? Kudos, nice drop, however this one too we have to maintain beneath management. Very excessive important oils.
SGP:472 – 85 factors. |
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Let’s keep at Kirsch’s and but transfer to Eire…
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Knappogue Fort 27 yo 1994/2021 (51.1%, Ex Libris ‘The Egocentric Big’, Eire, Kirsch Import, bourbon, cask #888142, 196 bottles)
A shock Oscar-Wilde bottling after the three most beautiful ones that LMDW was having again in September. Or October. Or November. Count on an utter Bushmills-like fruit bomb. Color: gentle gold. Nostril: naturally, williams pears, papayas, mangos, muscat grapes and blood oranges. This was to be anticipated. With water: gooseberries and greengages. It is not that it went extra minimal, it is simply that it went all the way down to the core. Mouth (neat): these are so good. Magnificent grapefruits, apples, vine peaches and inexperienced liquorice. Chic. With water: this time once more, don’t add an excessive amount of water otherwise you’ll make it syrupy, like a free liqueur at a Chinese language restaurant. I am quite joking however no, be very cautious with water. Swims like a brick, as they are saying in Glasgow. End: gorgeous when neat, vulgar with water. Litchis and low-cost gewurz. Feedback: yeah I do know this was quick, however there was no small speak to be finished within the first place. A refreshing tightly fruity masterpiece, so long as this time once more, you’ll be a pipette grasp.
SGP:641 – 89 factors. |
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Whereas we’re in Eire, a final one…
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Teeling 29 yo 1991/2021 (52.4%, OB for The Whisky Trade, Eire, rum cask, cask #10568)
Certain a rum cask stings the eyes in such circumstances, however let’s keep in mind that a number of the most legendary outdated Springbanks had been ‘ex-rum’. Nicely, I consider there was two of them. By the best way, I doubt this is able to be Cooley, however I am fairly certain it was double-distilled. The plot thickens… Color: gold. Nostril: scones and fudge. Not fairly a fruit bomb, quite a pastry bazooka. Mango jam, dried figs, butterscotch, millionaire shortbread, puréed chestnuts and blueberry muffins. I imply, treasured (and rich) outdated girls ought to love this. With water: will get narrower, on inexperienced teas. Mouth (neat): numerous manuka honey, then late-harvest pinot gris and riesling, juicy golden sultanas, and a tighter, nearly vegetable-like ending. Palm coronary heart? A peaty facet too, which comes completely surprising. With water: swims very effectively however will get utterly totally different. No smoke, quite cherries-in-kirsch and dates crammed with marzipan. A little bit unsure, truly. End: we have misplaced management. Don’t add any waters, even glacier drops or Antarctic backside water. Feedback: gorgeous drop, it is simply the lousiest swimmer ever. Suppose Boris Johnson (I’m not about to drop the case, to assume that that impaired human tardigrade remains to be the chief of Scotch, Welsh, Northern Irish and English whisky!)
SGP:541 – 89 factors. |
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