I’ve been off espresso for the reason that begin of 2022. Consequently, at any time when I odor espresso, I can really feel its aromas attain for the deepest elements of my mind. It should be some form of withdrawal impact as a result of I really feel prefer it’s calling me. Smelling beautiful and unfamiliar booze provides me the identical sensation.
The most up-to-date beautiful and unfamiliar spirits to provide the deepest crevices of my mind a heat hug are a few these experimental releases from Christrian Drouin. There are at the moment 4 expressions; I’ve solely the Hampden Angels and the Lengthy Pond Angels. When you’ve had Pays d’Auge Calvados, then you realize there might be an apple funk. Add to that the funk that you just get from Jamaican rum, and these are a funk junkie’s moist dream come true.
Hampden Angels is a 14 yr previous eau de vie de cidre that’s been completed for eight months in 4 ex-Hampden rum casks. Only one,296 bottles had been produced. As a result of Hampden makes use of ex-bourbon casks and it’s additionally been utilized by Christian Drouin for this expression, they’re not allowed by the AOC to name this a Calvados. So, it’s labeled as eau de vie de cidre (cider spirit). For these unfamiliar with what eau-de-vie is, it’s the catchall French time period for spirits. In English, it means water of life.
Lengthy Pond Angels can be a 14 yr previous Calvados. Nevertheless, it’s been completed for seven months in French oak casks that held Lengthy Pond’s ITP rum. ITP is Lengthy Pond’s marque with the bottom ester. Only one,890 of those had been bottled. As a result of the rum was aged in French oak, that is allowed to be referred to as Calvados.
The opposite two expressions every have completely different age statements and had been completed individually in ex-Hine Cognac casks and ex-Mars Japanese whisky casks.
It’s refreshing to search out extra French brandy firms turning into extra experimental. I say this as a result of many of the ones I’ve encountered have a tendency to remain conventional. What’s additionally refreshing is that Christian Drouin nonetheless bottled expressions like Hampden Angels regardless of them not being allowed to name it a Calvados. That is daring for a model since plenty of shoppers are likely to solely discover the class placed on a label. They’re much less more likely to not know what an eau de vie de cidre is. However then once more, Christian Drouin is a cream of the crop model that’s not centuries previous. So, I suppose they’ve determined that a part of their goal market are largely curious lovers who’ve good style.
Experimental de Christian Drouin Plantation Lengthy Pond Angels 14 yr previous Calvados – Overview
45% ABV. Small batch #4. £94.95 from The Whiskey Trade.
Coloration: Honey.
On the nostril: A fruit salad. I get medium aromas of apple cider, Fuji apples, Granny Smith apples with pores and skin, pineapple juice, cane vinegar, honey, butterscotch, toffee, and pineapple syrup and tepache.
Within the mouth: Extra acidic than fruity in comparison with the nostril. There’s this enveloping style of Granny Smith apples with pores and skin and apple cider. The feel is just like biting into the Granny Smith apples however combined with the feeling of biting right into a pineapple. After it are lighter tastes of tepache, pineapples, yellow bell pepper, honey, and butterscotch.
Conclusions:
That is an acid journey. Any Jamaican rum and/or Calvados fan will love this. The funk in each spirits actually mesh nicely as in the event that they had been made to be collectively.
Rating: 7/10
Experimental de Christian Drouin Plantation Hampen Angels 14 yr previous Eau de vie de Cidre – Overview
44% ABV. Small Batch #1. £89.95 from Royal Mile Whiskies.
Coloration: Butterscotch
On the nostril: A great deal of completely different pineapple aromas with hints of apples to again it up. I get medium to pronounced aromas of pineapple juice, pineapple syrup, butterscotch, cane vinegar, papaya and apple cider. In between are refined aromas of leather-based, ripe cherries, blood orange, dusty picket furnishings, and mothballs.
Within the mouth: Much less pineapples however nonetheless very fruity. I get lengthy and medium to pronounced tastes of pineapple juice, pineapple syrup, apple juice, apple cider, blood orange and ripe golden cherries. In between are refined tastes of kiwi fruit, lime peel, papaya, and butterscotch.
Conclusions:
That is the other of the Lengthy Pond, however nonetheless an acid journey. Within the Lengthy Pond Angels, the Lengthy Pond lends much less of its flavors. I’m guessing that is because of the much less funky ITP that was within the French oak, which resulted within the Calvados taste being extra dominant.
In the meantime, the Hampden flavors listed below are stronger regardless of the quick length of the cask end. I think the Hampden within the casks used had been of a marque that used dunder, therefore the pineapple and cherry flavors… which implies the ex-Hampdens casks used for this are at the least LROKs.
This can be a good and refined element, however the coloration of the wax and font point out the dominant flavors you’ll be getting. The Lengthy Pond Angels had extra inexperienced apple flavors, therefore the inexperienced coloration, whereas the Hampden Angels had extra pineapple taste therefore the yellow coloration.
Rating: 9/10
Total, these are two actually good experimental releases from Christian Drouin. Hopefully, they do extra of those releases. They’ll rely on me to be one among their patrons.
Please see the scoring bands right here earlier than whinging.
