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,..
Nose: The day we moved to the canaries and walked into our first grocery store, we had an intense moment of deja vu. A large box of fresh, luscious ripe Driscol strawberries sat right at the entrance. I understand when I see the same candy brand in different countries, but the fact that the strawberry grower who produced most of California’s berries not 10 miles from our home, was the main provider to a small island off of Africa, that was a strange moment of global awakening. It’s all connected. We’d pick strawberries and set them on warm hay. Mom would get such an abundance when I lived in LA that we would dehydrate them, concentrating their flavors and adding a touch of tannic intensity. While we have pineapples on the island, they are odd stunted little creatures, nothing like the potent juicy ones from our time in Hawaii. I loved grilling on the lanai, cutting a pineapple in half and caramelizing it on the bbq. I’ve had this a few times and those two notes, ripe strawberries and overripe pineapple are the DNA I associate with HERR. But tonight I also get that cloying smell that comes from hanging next to the cotton candy machine during carnaval. And the slightest moment of brine and salinity, olives and red bell peppers marinated together.
Palate: The palate is so deeply concentrated as to make me pucker. Potent cedar note first followed by a wallop of sweet eucalyptus honey lozenges. Papaya while still firm. Twice fried sweet plantains with lime and seasalt. Pineapple dance party. The hint of salinity on the nose is a full on tsunami, dutch double salted licorice. I honestly would love this whole experience as a bubble gum flavor.
Rating: 7 / 10 – this is amazing. While I truly enjoy the powerful complexity in this bottling, it’s so overwhelming as to be a tiny sipper. I would rarely reach for it. But it is also not my favorite HERR. That was the black label with the pink ribbon – 57 if I remember – that Christian poured for me? That was all the glorious fruit and none of the intense salinity.
Nose: Whole wheat pasta shells fresh from the pot before I pour on the flavor. Fragrant blueberries. Flan. A piquant french oak lick. A&W Cream soda. Or perhaps birch beer. Shag carpet in an old folks home. Perhaps not the most complimentary description but hot damn its spot on. The nose has a feeling that its oomph has faded, guessing this has been long in the bottle. Unfortunately, the sample has been in my cupboard for quite some time and I don’t know the bottling date.
Palate: dusty at first, but quickly hits full blown maple syrup notes with a surprisingly thick gourmand mouthfeel for the abv. The wood plays a central role, with minimal impact from the uni blanc. The lightest moment of cinnamon and nutmeg and the bite of old timey sodas from the nose was legit. Old and slightly stale walnuts, maybe heading towards dried boletes but missing the umami. Perhaps that is optimistic. A thick yet somehow ephemeral palate.
Rating: 5 / 10 – Somehow this managed to be easily drinkable and yet I can’t shake the feeling that its prime years are long behind it. The flavours have all blended together and lost their character, with a pervasive dustiness that doesn’t do it any favors. I’ve had many great Laberdolive, and this wasn’t one of them. But perhaps it’s just the injustice of time passing.
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.
