Nose: First sniff… is the waiting. My nose hair tingle but not much else. I set it down and watched my son toss and turn. Spring is rough following daylight savings. Not that bedtime is ever easy. And so I wait. Chemical smells waft and then subside. A sharper smell, burnt toast and green peppercorn. Grilled leeks & green peppers. Needs a touch of umami and it could be a solid shish kabob. Instead it moved towards soil splashed with clay. An understated nose. Not quite sure what to expect.

Palate: Alright, not actually surprised. I would spend part of the summer in the french countryside with my grandparents as a child. The sun would bake everything. We’d wander dry fields, where the dust would get kicked up by my sneakers and coat everything. You could taste it for hours. It would make me dream of refreshment… only to be teased, cucumber spa water left out in the sun. Heavily mineralized hard water. Touch of a limestone.

Rating: 5 / 10 – This isn’t bad. Reminds me of a very gentle orujo. I doubt I would reach for it intentionally, but if served while sitting around an old farm table with my grandfather’s Pétanque buddies instead of pastice, I’d drink it and feel special.