Decadent Drinks simply introduced a brand new sequence referred to as NAS – brief for Notable Age Statements. The reasoning behind this sequence is that age issues in the case of tremendous spirits. Whether or not it’s younger or outdated, the information of how lengthy the spirit has matured is important to drinkers and lovers.
On the labels you’ll discover a reasonably outstanding quantity certainly – the age is the most important piece of data by far. However the distillery identify and classic are a lot small than you’d anticipate. The color tells you what sort of spirit you’re ingesting: teal for whisky, purple for rum, orange for armagnac and black for cognac. The primary 4 bottlings on this NAS sequence will probably be launched over the approaching months.
Right now we’re making an attempt two whisky releases. First there’s a 30 12 months Outdated Blended Malt aged in a sherry butt. That is vatted inventory of quite a few outdated Signatory cask samples and bottling ends, married in a contemporary sherry cask. A number of the malts inside hail from closed distilleries and date again to the Sixties.
The opposite one if a 7 12 months Outdated Ben Nevis drawn from a second fill sherry butt and bottled at 100° proof. This could show malts will also be charismatic at a youthful age. The subsequent launch will probably be a 58 12 months Outdated Armagnac from Château de Gaube, due in November 2022.
Blended Malt Whisky 30 yo (45,4%, Decadent Drinks 2022, NAS n°1, sherrywood, 553 btl.)
Nostril: a barely ethereal profile with orange peels, resinous notes, rubbed flower petals and scented wax. Fairly delicate, however actually lovely. Mint leaves. Gentle hints of nectarines and tangerines towards a background of cigar containers, shoe polish and dusty church attics. Refined gorse flowers. This actually takes you again to the Sixties, with not one of the youthful elements disturbing the venerable old-style character.
Mouth: comparable low-key fruits like tangerines and orange peels, with gentle hints of berries. There’s fairly a vibrant spicy word (ginger / pepper) together with natural tea and delicate eucalyptus. Then a sourness units in, displaying tobacco and a touch of grapefruit. Gentle leafy notes, in addition to some outdated woody character.
End: first rate size, however barely skinny, on drying leafy notes, walnuts and dried herbs.
The recipe for that is completely depraved after all. Malts relationship again to the Sixties, married with youthful malts and aged in (refill?) sherrywood for a few years. It’s unimaginable to copy. These undisclosed Seventies Speyside whiskies come shut, but it surely feels even older. On this case I swear you may nearly decide up an OBE impact – from a contemporary bottle. A bit fragile right here and there, however this has a completely distinctive attraction. This may go on sale at this time from Decadent Drinks.
Ben Nevis 7 yo 2014 (57,1%, Decadent Drinks 2022, NAS n°2, second fill sherry butt, 328 btl.)
Nostril: fudgy sherry on high of damp earthy notes and raisin pastries. The sherry is fairly clear – in truth the Ben Nevis spirit as effectively. Hints of hay and autumn leaves, oranges, dough and waxy notes. Echoes of lamp oil.
Mouth: fairly assertive now. It’s younger however characterful. A good mixture of orange peels, drops of natural bitters and engine oil. Then lemon juice and darkish fruits, with a rising dry facet of leather-based and chalk. Slightly oak char too.
End: lengthy, nonetheless forwards and backwards between charred spice, roasted nuts and waxed lemon pores and skin. Some espresso as effectively.
Younger Ben Nevis doesn’t all the time work with sherry wooden, however this is without doubt one of the higher examples. Fairly agency, however you may’t accuse this whisky of being a dime in a dozen. Rating: 87/100
