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Dwelling
Hundreds of tastings,
all of the music,
all of the rambligs
and all of the enjoyable
(hopefully!)
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| Hello, that is certainly one of our (virtually) every day tastings. Santé! |
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November 10, 2021
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| Ranging from France, naturally. I’d add that the quantities of ‘overseas’ whiskies reaching Château WF today are actually getting large. Count on extra travelling within the coming months… |
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Alfred Giraud ‘Harmonie’ (46.1%, OB, France, 2021) 
A surprising decanter that might remind us that this child’s stemming from the Cognac area. That is really a French blended malt that is primarily been matured and marriaged in ex-old cognac casks by the home Giraud. The names of the distilleries they’ve sourced their malts from should not disclosed. Ought to we count on some sort of French ‘Blue Label’? Color: gold. Nostril: wee, I imply petits whiffs of smoke ala HP for starters, with some pear and melon liqueurs quickly to chime in, and a few sultanas and peach syrups reminding us that some cognac was considerably concerned. Goes on with some traditional vanilla and a few malt, in addition to touches of sawdust (new oak) and menthol. This works thus far… Mouth: within the personal phrases of Mark Z., that is considerably meta or somewhat metanoiacal at first (whisky and cognac) and definitely not completely conventional. Some earthy fragrant herbs, peach skins, honeydew and even mead, some tea from the French oak, then extra herbs (black pu-her) and simply previous cognac. It’s ‘cross’ for positive, even when by nature, that is whisky. A minimal earthy smokiness. Strong physique, I at all times take pleasure in these uncomplicated sorts of strengths. End: fairly lengthy and, I’ve to say, even nicer, extra complicated, with the wee smoke making a dramatic return. Nicely in reality, it is on the end that the smoke’s most blatant. Superb now. Feedback: this French child by no means stopped enhancing in my glass. Like 82, 83, 84, 85… …
SGP:641 – 86 factors. |
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That was an excellent begin, let’s transfer on to… the place? To the true metaverse?
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Out Of This World Whisky Mix (43.6%, The Boutique-y Whisky Firm, blended world whisky, 240 bottles, 2021)
That is ‘a mix of extremely particular whiskies from planet earth’, which implies that neither Musk, nor Branson, nor Bezos, or every other rich pseudo-Martians had been concerned right here. Phew. Color: gold. Nostril: somewhat in direction of bourbon, no? Or Canadian? There are oils, together with important ones, slightly thyme, menthol, fern, dill, all that over vanilla, maple syrup and the tiniest quantity of coconut. I’ve so as to add that that is somewhat superior IMHO, whether or not some A.I. made this or if it was somewhat Dr Sam S who was on the pipette. Mouth: sure, excellent! As soon as once more slightly maize-y maybe, on vanilla, popcorn, nougat… However actually it does the job. End: candy, a tad earthy now, with slightly puréed chestnut and a few vanilla cream. Feedback: surpize bonege! Certainly, that is Esperanto (I’d assume), any true world-whisky’s real language.
SGP:641 – 85 factors. |
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What is the precise reverse of a complete world whisky? That is proper, an ueber-terroiry one…
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Waterford ‘Luna 1.1’ (50%, OB, Eire, biodynamic, 2021) 
I first tried this one at Whisky Stay Paris this yr and located it that good that I included it amongst my three ‘coups de coeur’ as I used to be doing a wee tutored tasting session there (what they name a masterclass, think about). As for what biodynamy/biodymamics is, for instance you may see it both as a somewhat esoteric approach of rising vegetation, taking the moon and different ‘humorous’ facets under consideration, or simply as an ueber-organic technique that, by the way, is now being utilized by most of the most prestigious wine estates on this planet, whereas some would not even let you know. In fact, past what’s within the glass, biodynamy retains the land alive for the longer term generations. Good, in the event you do not thoughts, let’s not begin a (very foolish) e-book about biodynamy… Color: barley straw. Ha. Nostril: pear cake, tarte aux poires, pear pie, pears poached in pinot gris, pear paste… Then slightly hops and candy brioche dough, a contact of limestone gravel, grist… With water: all issues cereals, with some chalk too, together with husk, plus fats citrons and lemons. We’re virtually within the neighbourhood of Pouilly-sur-Loire. Mouth (neat): that is what I had seen in Paris, this fatness, this thicker mouth really feel, this sense of getting some sort of (unroasted) sesame oil with slightly honey and orange blossom water in your mouth… Plus, naturally, pear pie. Or, there, Irish the wrong way up pear tart. Irish tatin! With water: one of the best half, it is only a mattress of barley and oils. Water made it even fatter. End: somewhat lengthy and, as virtually at all times with younger whiskies, a tad greener, extra bitter, extra on fruit peel, particularly apples (somewhat than pears). Feedback: it is the feel, it is alive! Nonetheless a lot impressed, and that is not as a result of I would not wish to return on my Parisian choice, cross my coronary heart.
SGP:461 – 90 factors. |
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Since evidently we’re into opposites at this time, let’s keep in Eire…
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Bushmills 32 yo 1989/2021 ‘Port Cask’ (50.1%, OB, for LMDW, Eire, 205 bottles)
That will be northern Eire. A end on such an previous juice, let’s simply hope – however I’ve little doubts – that the make’s proverbial and really extravagant tropical fruitiness was not drown in raspberry and cassis juice. Color: very marginally rosé gold. Nostril: oh! What a surprising, complicated, elegant and but barely ‘in-your-face’ avalanche of mangos, ripe bananas and pineapples, papayas, maracuja, rambutans, blood oranges, orange blossom honey, pollens, apricot nectar… It is humorous that it might be geared in direction of western orchards after a couple of seconds, that is very good! Now I don’t really discover cassis or raspberries, maybe cranberries? Maybe wild wee strawberries?… With water: unbelievable, somewhat on pink peppers, hawthorn, pink grapefruits, maybe a wee little bit of macaron à la rose from Ladurée’s (a factor for girls and gastronomes)… Mouth (neat): simply completely on par with the beautiful indie (undisclosed) Bushmills from comparable vintages. Does the Port deliver one thing new? Maybe, certainly, touches of strawberries and raspberries, however apart from that, it is only a tropical fruity storm. With water: I’ve to say that raspberries get extra noticeable, however the tropicals (and topicals) preserve preventing again. End: medium – these are by no means extraordinarily lengthy – however nonetheless arrogantly fruity. These well-known ‘fruit salads’. Feedback: I imagine it is an costly bottle, which is an efficient factor as a result of in any other case, many people would down a case inside two weeks. Extraordinarily drinkable, whereas the Port end was executed in a civilised vogue. I simply completely find it irresistible; everybody would.
SGP:751 – 92 factors. |
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The place are we? All proper, let’s play rugby and after an previous Irish, strive an previous Kiwi (there aren’t any previous French whiskies but, I am afraid)…
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The New Zealand Whisky 33 yo 1988/2021 (58%, OB, for LMDW, New Zealand, bourbon, cask #62, 224 bottles) 
That is, certainly, previous Willowbank/Lammerlaw/Milford inventory. Bear in mind the distillery was closed within the yr 2000, so it is actually cool that the casks had been saved whereas, I suppose, nobody was actually caring again in these days. As for the previous casks we may strive thus far, it is somewhat been a rollercoaster in my wee e-book, however some have been wonderful, so hope is there… Color: gold. Nostril: an entire totally different recreation, no must say, however this child’s removed from being ridiculous after the beautiful Bushmills, it is even bought part of that tropicalness (grapefruits, but additionally medlars and prickly pears), with a leafy smoke and touches of earthier chlorophyl and elderflowers. And mistletoe, maybe? Was this a peated make? With water: extra malt, beers, flours, dough items… Mouth (neat): a bit shaky right here and there, nicely you’d really feel that there hasn’t been a Dr Swan or a Dr Lumsden behind this cask all alongside these years, however then again, you may take pleasure in these natural teas, these teaish tannins, these zests, these greener spices (contemporary cardamom seeds, fennel seeds), and simply these apples and quinces baked with cinnamon and wee bits of orange zests. Yummy. With water: some notes that you’d somewhat discover in some rums, particularly floral ones that might remind me of Mauritius or La Réunion. Ylang-Ylang? Blood oranges for positive. End: medium, intriguing as a result of newer flavours would come out, resembling some spices, caraway, notes of rose jelly or Turkish delights, aniseed, litchis… Feedback: I’d suppose this was one of many higher casks. Positive it is slightly anecdotal… I’ve to say I am slightly stunned that our pals in NZ didn’t preserve all of the casks for native consumption (not less than we may have overwhelmed the All Blacks extra usually, ha).
SGP:651 – 88 factors. |
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