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: plum spice cake, coffee cherry tea (cascara), orange juice soaked dried cranberries, sauteed figs and stilton on rye crackers, caramelized onions with a dash of sherry, tiny hint of peppermint oil, cedar or camphor, old campfire in the morning
Palate: he peat plays a larger role on the palate than it did on the nose, and yet is quite well integrated with a rich sherry berry syrup. A big lick of cabinet spices, like mom’s plum butter, which just tastes like a warm xmas hug. Also reminds me of the sweet viscosity of prickly pear juice. Ashy and cold smoke without going medicinal. I was worried I’d get clobbered by some medicinal eucalyptus vibe given the nose, but it’s not there on the palate. More like a cold brew coffee. And rye flour waffles (try them – savory and works well with cream cheese and smoked salmon).
Rating: 6 / 10 – mashbill of peated malt, unmalted barley, oats, wheat and rye. A bit of everything into the kettle. Creates a fun and nuanced profile. For a tiny baby, this is excellent, and I look forward to trying more of their releases.
Nose: This is so different from my expectations that I walked away from the glass for a minute. Starting over. A bright green note – wheatgrass sweetened with apple juice. Waffle fries, when they are extra crunchy and almost tempura like in texture. Mayer lemon wafers and almond biscotti – the hard ones which require a coffee bath to be the slightest bit edible. Whisps of cinnamon and nutmeg on overnight oatmeal. And a strong newmake essence.
Palate: oh, much more inviting than the nose… a very rounded and gentle palate. Chamomile tea with a tiny squeeze of honey. A warm water/oatmilk with a dusting of chocolate and cardamom. Grapefruit zest. The grains are the primary flavor, but I don’t know the mashbill – there is something quite potatoey on top of malt. The palate does carry that new make character from the nose and is quite drinkable.
Rating: From the description, something different is happening in the aging, but it’s written so vaguely “An experimental Amontillado Sherry barrel with rested Ban entwining whisky, fig, chocolate, and madeira using a unique cocktail aging method.” Anyone know what that actually means? I don’t love the nose, but the palate is quite drinkable. I’d happily take a pour in a bar, but probably not buy a bottle.You rock @ Diarmuid Roche for sharing the pour.
Nose: ripe red plums, sticky prunes, pomegranate molasses, chocolate covered freeze dried cherries, nutmeg, home crafted cola
Palate: nutella crepes, toasted pecans, cacao nibs, dr pepper reduction, cloves, browned butter, hints of cassis. The mouthfeel is both gentle and yet coats my mouth. At this abv the spirit performs beautifully.
Rating: 7 / 10 – a wood lover’s pour. nothing complex but down right tasty.
Nose: quince, unripe apricot, fresh cut leeks, grapefruit peel and crystalized ginger, cedar closet, licorice root, aspirin.
Palate: nectarines caramelized with a touch of brown sugar and butter, maple syrup on fluffy pancakes, carambar – haven’t had one in a long time, guaranteed to peel off your brackets by the third caramel, dried mango, lychee syrup… such a gorgeous tropical note, entering cognac territory here. After a few minutes, I can still taste the caramel notes but have an odd cotton mouth sensation.
Rating: 7 / 10 – while I don’t love-love the nose, damn that palate shines with brilliant tropical fruits and luscious sweetness. The palate is a 8, even a 9, but the strange offset with the nose is a discombobulating.
Nine Leaves Ace of “Guru” 2018 Ex-Armagnac (3 Casks) 59% by Velier
Nose: nosing I would swear we are talking grain whisky or a buckwheat brown sugar shochu. Oats forward. Clarified butter, tangerine spa water, unripe pineapple and tart green grapes. Water improved the nose rounding it out. It’s quite piquant.
Palate: Tangerine/orange and whipped cream. cooked barley. Oats and creamy mouthfeel. Mirin. A dollop of spearmint, but overriding it all is a sharp and green wood. A note which becomes overwhelmingly dominant with a splash of water.
Rating: 5 / 10 – Label 10. Novelty 10. But this is about the liquid. I would never ever guess this was a rum. This is strange. Almost too intense or not intense enough. Might be a perfect candidate for a highball. And sparkling added, tested and approved.
