Springbank eat, sleep, dram, repeat tour was absolutely worth the journey and the price. For those of you considering the adventure, here are some tips.
The last few years Armagnac has experienced a small renaissance. The traditional single producer rustic brandy has struck a chord with connoisseurs. At the start..
SMWS 26.151 – Fragrance clings to the hand that gives flowers – Clynelish 26yo 47.3%
Let’s do a SMWS Clynelish tasting! I’ve had very little Clynelish and have heard wonderful things about this bottle. Nose Tangerine, peach/apricot cobbler, honeysuckle, jasmine,..
Christian Binner Poire Williams 2014 / 2026 Eau de Vie D’alsace by Authentic Spirits
Nose: I first tried this on a picnic table littered with dozens of bottles. Nicolas had brought one of the most elegant pears from Heibl I have tried in years. And then Aurelian plunked one of these on the table. “I was only able to get a small bonbone” he said, 20 some odd bottles, but tell me what you think. In a world of eau-de-elegance, this is the fucking Chuck Norris of Poire Williams. Insane. Pear skins dominate, with a huge juicy nose, fresh and crisp, then towards the end a hint of ripeness. It needs resting in glass, with a zap of sharpness that vanishes about 5 minutes in. The nose just gets better with time. Empty glass shines.
Palate: An explosion of flavor. And yet with all its intensity, its not funky, its not estery, its not overwhelming. Its full metal pear. Juicy, crunchy, skins and all, melting in my mouth. The alcohol is intense and yet doesn’t overwhelm the flavor. But you have to be comfortable with a healthy burn. Like eating spicy chinese. Water rounds out the flavor, but somehow the alcohol burns a touch with water in a way I didn’t expect.
Rating: 8 / 10 – I’ve poured it three times tonight. And I’m debating asking Aurelien to set another aside. Nearly all the classic eau de vie I have really needs to be the first pour in a lineup. This is the exception. It can easily go last in a heavyweight round and come out swinging. The ABV won’t be for everyone, but it’s perfect for me tonight. I could see dropping this to a 7 if I weren’t a high proof fan.
Vieux Sajous 2018 / 2023 5 Year Grand Terroir Saint Michel de l’Attalaye 57.5% by Velier VSGB
Nose: clarified butter / ghee, dried lemon peel, crayola crayons, rye seed cracker or buckwheat crepes drizzled with honey.
Palate: jasmine flower honey, kumquat peel and golden berries. cinnamon life cereal – the king of breakfast. How the cereal companies ever convinced my parents that those aren’t desert is pure magic. teddy grahams.
Rating: 7 / 10 – I truly appreciate when someone manages to tiptoe into esters without jumping the shark. This is so well balanced.
Rating: 5 / 10 – complex, juicy ,estery, tasty. I came in ready to be assaulted given my clairin experience. Not the case at all, this seems promising.
Nose: compared to the last Pagos, this one is far less funky on the nose, which is interesting given the higher ester count. Nice touch of sherry notes, dates, figs, walnuts. With time you pick up some sulphur. Fresh cut apple, cider vinegar.
Palate: lightest touch of sulphur is not pleasant, and quickly fades. Once you get past that the remaining palate is quite nice, good balance of ester to sherry where the esters are more refined. Well integrated graphite and tropical fruits. Grilled leaks. Mussels in sherry stock.
Rating: 6 / 10 – for me to be willing to skirt a touch of sulfur says just how well built this blend is. The sherry and ester plays so well together.
Nose: lovely rum funk, touch of cinnamon and sandalwood, wool ski socks, fermented overripe apricots, raisins, burning a pile of plant matter that is still slightly green, and a weird funky salinity.
Palate: nice initial touch of sweetness, clove cigarette, strong briney note of olives or a salted sheep cheese, hints of cardamom and carraway, overripe fruit leaning into the fake bubblegum flavor they used in the mould I had to sit still in when crafting my retainer. Five minutes is a long time for a tween to sit still.
Rating: 5 / 10 – While there is a lot going on that works, there is one strange note that underlies it. Like when you get a heavily rancio oloroso, which I personally struggle with the meaty side of the schwartz.
