Final week we had an attention-grabbing Nordic whisky session, at present we concentrate on whisky from France. In lower than ten years, French manufacturing has quadrupled, with over a million bottles stuffed every year and over 80 lively distilleries. They even have two protected geographical indications (Brittany and Alsace).
Clearly La Maison du Whisky is selling French whisky, and never so way back that they had a curated set of samples which is on the base of this session.
We begin with Eddu, made at Distillerie des Menhirs in Bretagne. That is pure buckwheat whisky. We’re attempting the oldest launch ever from the home, distilled in 2004 and matured in an ex-cognac cask.
Eddu 17 yo 2004 (49%, OB for LMdW 2021, ex-cognac cask, 392 btl.)
Nostril: very contemporary and fragrant, with a high-pitched citrus word, then unripe pears, tangerines and hints of banana yoghurt. It exhibits a floral, nearly perfumed facet as properly, evoking contemporary laundry. I do detect some cognac parts on this. Whiffs of white pepper and ginger within the background, alongside natural hints of sage.
Mouth: once more a aromatic, even barely perfumed profile. Inexperienced apples and pears, lemon peels and floral honey. Then a bitterness units in, between herbs and grapefruit zest. Calmly resinous notes too. Some salted caramel and low notes seem ultimately, leaving a darker impression. Fairly complicated, regardless of its quirky facet.
End: medium, on lemonade, Earl Gray tea and a lightweight medicinal word.
Fascinating whisky that’s laborious to pin down. I’m nonetheless attempting to resolve whether or not I discover the perfumed notes stunning (on the nostril) or disturbing (on the palate). The cognac feels a bit ‘on high’ as properly. That mentioned, good whisky to spend a night with. Nonetheless obtainable from The Whisky Change as an illustration.
The following one is a single malt whisky produced on the Ninkasi brewery / distillery (round Lyon). It was aged in a Vin Doux Naturel cask from the city of Rasteau (Southern Rhône). These candy wines (most of them rosé from Grenache grapes) are just like those from Rivesaltes or Maury as an illustration, with a attribute “maderized” rancio impact. After that, it spent 10 months in a closely toasted French oak barrel.
Ninkasi 4 yo 2017 (49,5%, OB 2021, Rasteau VDN cask + heavy toast end #22, 342 btl.)
Nostril: fairly candy and rounded, with ripe grapes, peaches and cherries. Fragrant raspberry jam. Hints of panettone and caramel, with mild oxidative notes. Walnuts, light grainy notes and white pepper as properly.
Mouth: extra grainy now. Extra easy as properly. Hob nobs, vanilla cake, berry sweetness and raisins. Some parts of a Scotch grain whisky as properly – the combination of vanilla, leather-based and new wooden. Peaches and purple fruit jam.
End: fairly lengthy, nonetheless grainy, with added spicy hints, liquorice and a floral minty contact.
Total this spirit is much less distinctive than the one from Eddu, however then again the Rasteau cask works fairly properly. The French equal of Waterford whisky in a means, with much less emphasis on terroir of the barley, I suppose. Bought out however LMdW is now promoting the Small Batch Version 2022. Rating: 82/100
Now Alpenglow 2015 (from a small city in Rhône-Alpes) initially matured in an ex-Oloroso cask and completed in a Pineau de Charentes barrel.
Alpenglow 2015 (50%, LMdW ‘Model Française’ 2021, Oloroso + Pineau de Charentes cask #20, 396 btl.)
Nostril: heavy wooden aromas (pine) but in addition light peaty notes. Chilly ashes, mentholated notes and iodine. The bottom notes are caramelized nuts, toffee, gingerbread and blackcurrants – that’s the Oloroso speaking. Black peppercorns and heather honey as properly.
Mouth: actually candy. Oloroso with Pineau provides us Pedro Ximénez apparently. Cassis, chocolate and honey, with stewed plums and strawberry jam. Then smoky notes and pinewood once more, with candy natural notes, chestnuts and a tobacco sourness in direction of the tip.
End: fairly lengthy, with extra tobacco, candied ginger, candy natural tea and a touch of espresso.
A really rustic whisky, barely overtaken by the casks and the avalanche of sweetness. Not precisely refined, however the peat & sherry combo is kind of profitable. Nonetheless obtainable from TWE. Rating: 84/100
Distillerie de Paris 3 yo (52,5%, OB 2021, Chestnut cask end, 50 cl)
Nostril: ouch, that’s numerous chestnut. As a substitute of the vanilla of American white oak, this offers you a hotter, musty and evenly mustardy scent. Someway it jogs my memory extra of dusty cabinets and cardboard than basic white oak. Additionally hints of linseed oil, tamarind, moist hay, pecan nuts and inexperienced walnuts. Nonetheless the dustiness prevails.
Mouth: begins candy and spicy, with ginger, cinnamon and liquorice. Then it turns into actually floral, with hints of juniper, gentian, lemon peels, coriander seeds and star anise. Very gin-like (additionally they produce gin…), combined with some rye notes.
End: fairly lengthy, with mint, lemon, natural liqueur and anise.
If Scotch whisky is the middle of the only malt world, then that is the furthest I’ve drifted off in a really very long time. Pure witchcraft. A crossover of whisky, gin and wooden juice. Intresting spirit, however not totally convincing within the whisky paradigm. Rating: 79/100
Domaine des Hautes Glaces ‘Flavis’ 2016 (58%, OB for LMdW 2021, Vin Jaune cask, 294 btl.)
Nostril: ouch, that’s numerous caramel. Werther’s Authentic. Butterscotch and white chocolate latte. Then caramelized apple, butter croissants and brioche. Beurre noisette. Mazapán de Toledo. Porridge, toasted wooden and mild spice.
Mouth: huge and pretty oily, with a barely aggressive, tough edge. There’s the acrid dryness of the Vin Jaune, with aniseed and caraway seeds, in addition to walnuts and hazelnuts. Some candied citrus peels and Mediterranean herbs.
End: medium lengthy, with darkish spice, hints of bitter chocolate and ginger.
Personally I’m not a fan of caramel. Neither in whisky, nor in desserts. That makes it laborious for me to recover from the nostril. The palate is barely tough and doesn’t win me over both. Rating: 80/100
This session was huge enjoyable. We could not have found any belters, nevertheless it’s cool to widen your scope and contemplate the strengths of all these experiments. Whisky is much more various than what Scotland is providing, little question. Then again this French ensemble feels a bit unbridled and has a couple of classes to be taught by way of stability.
