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,..
Château Mouton Rothschild 2001 Eau-de-Vie de Prune 42%
Nose: lightly toasted almonds. those amazing looking fruit shaped marzipan pastries. Almond blossom honey. Mirabel jam spread on whole grain farm bread. Baked apricots. The plum trees in my grandparents’ orchard ~1.5 hrs from Paris. Which interestingly smelled incredibly different from the plums my mom had in our orchard in LA. My grandparents’ mirabelle were quite floral in character, while mom’s red plums had deeper fruit basenotes. The fact that I remember it given how young I was is sort of silly, but you only need to eat green plums and cherries once and you don’t forget. The nose is just elegant.
Palate: a burst of mirabelle (small bright yellow plums) with vibrant citrus notes. Followed by a more rounded plum character. The acidity is lovely. This glass really benefits from larger sips. White apricot tea with honey. Kumquat peel. Aji dulce peppers. Touch of warm cinnamon. Beneath the sweetness is a potent floral layer. Tiptoeing on the edge of a bath balm / spa body soap. I’m often quite hesitant with that layer of floral potency, but somehow Sascha and I are reversed – I can see my way past it, and he found it too much. But if I focus on that, then it’s an issue for me too.
Rating: 7 / 10 – 5 species of plums, aged 15+ years on oak, then more of glass.I genuinely am unsure if this is a 2001 distillation or a 2001 bottling. It has LP2001 on the back label. They seem to vary in ABV, from 40 – 42% depending on the release. The retail on this is a doozie, but after a few attempts at auction I landed one within my budget and brought it to share at the Stuttgart Armagnac Festival.
Nose: walnuts, nestle cocoa powder, vanilla pudding cup, dusty cabinet, fresh cut woodpile and a lick of climbing chalk.
Palate: a very light palate, surprisingly so. The wood takes first position, but gently, with a light vanilla caramel note. Touch of sandalwood. A light bitter vegetal note, dandelion greens and the bite of lime zest. I have to listen intently to find much.
Rating: 5 / 10 – I wish they had gone for a hint more concentration. Maybe 46-50%? I feel like at this abv it’s lost its mojo. Its a perfectly acceptable pour, but nothing more.
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.
