5 Archives - The Distillates

Tasting Notes Rated: 5

Armagnac

Shane

Gerard Laberdolive Domaine de Jaurrey 1976 @ 46%

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.

Shane

J. Bally Millesime 2002 @ 43%

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.

Vieux Sajous 2017 / 2021 4 Year Grand Terroir Saint Michel de l’Attalaye 56.3% by Velier VSGB

Nose: esters ahoy, touches of diesel, playdough, clarified butter / ghee, dried lemon peel, crayola crayons, ginger molasses cookie.

Palate: caraway seeds, cardamom, clove, slightly drying, cinnamon honey.

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.

Hampden Estate Pagos 2022 394 gr/hlpa ester 52% by Velier VSGB

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.

Shane

Daftmill 2010/2023 Winter Edition Year 46%

Nose: Vanilla custard, lemon, clove, grape skins

Palate: Vanilla wafers, oatmeal cookie, daisies. mild bourbon notes

Rating: 5 / 10 – a completely pleasant note. No objections, but nothing particularly special.

Shane

Tamdhu 12 Year Coreline

Nose: Carraway, grapefruit peel, white peach, white tea, hint of limestone

Palate: Tiny hint of caramel, peaches, pink peppercorn

Rating: 5 / 10 – simple and lovely but nothing extraordinary

Balcones Texas Single Malt Whisky Plumpjack “Texicali Booze” #16009 EU Oak Bottled 64.1%

Nose: grape jolly rancher, sarsaparilla, salted dark licorice, anchovy, dry old wallet

Palate: copper, grape electrolytes, both artificial and salty. a lick of port reduction on a cutlet. Cut globe grapes in tonic.

Rating: 5 / 10 (Ryan / Shane) – this is an odd one. It’s both enjoyable and kind of hard to drink. In ryan words … I think I like it… maybe… It’s a fun little ride?

Shane

Mortlach 15 Year Game of Thrones @ 46%

Nose: Bosc pears, honey chamomile tea, coconut, hint of pineapple

Palate: Honeydew melon, ginger ale, lemon peel

Rating: 5 / 10 – this is fine but nothing special

Shane

Magnificent Beast – Hydra by Crowded Barrel 50%

Nose: Toasted hazelnuts, raspberry going redvines, ash and dry soil.

Palate: Hot on the first sip, feels like a young spirit, but the long finish really comes to life, milk chocolate with hazlenut, vanilla, leather

Rating: 5 / 10 – a blend of different texas whiskies, 3 balcones casks making up 53%, Manatawny Still Works Distillery (Closed), crowded barrel single malt and a 15yr light whiskey.

Shane

Edradour 10 Year 2011 cask 429 Sherry Butt 47% by Signatory

Nose: Toasted almonds, dried figs, cherries

Palate: Coffee, dried cherries, chicory, delicate

Rating: 5 / 10 – nicely rounded and the most delicate edradour I’ve tried

Springbank 12Y CS #1 54.6%

Nose: Old dried apple rings, bandaids, dried citrus peel, hint of old campfire or roasted coffee

Palate: Bright tangerine-lemon cleaner, rootbeer bottle caps, dandelion tea, endives salad

Rating: 4 (Ryan) 5 (Shane)/ 10 – Tonight I’m enjoying the bitterness, but I could see it being too much.

Shane

Savanna 15 Intense Savanna Rhum Traditionnel Vieux 1999 #973 46%

Nose: Spearmint lifesavers.

Palate: Floral, spearmint lifesavers, dried potpourri, strange herbal/woody medicinal finish

Rating: 5 / 10

Springbank 12 Burgundy 53.5%

Nose: Raspberry fruit tart, dollop of gorgonzola, sea air, bandaid, swedish fish

Palate: Dry tannins, bitting, layered over a beautiful classic springbank matinime palate. Mussels. Bandaids.

Rating: 5 / 10 – nice sprngbank spirit but red wine adds little.

Longmorn 1996 17 Year 59% by The Ultimate (van Wees)

Nose: Milk chocolate

Palate: Spanish hot chocolate with churros, coffee, cranberries. This runs hot. Way too hot. 4th pour, should not be this hot

Rating: 5 / 10 – solid sherry palate, but weak nose and hot hotness

Balcones True Blue 2021 (Discontinued) 50%

Nose: Metallic, floral, berries, celeriac, cornichons and pickling brine.

Palate: Packing tape, that bitter/vegetal balcones dna, mirepoix

Rating: 5 / 10