Tag: 64.2% ABV

Rating 7/ 10
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Balcones 4 Year 64.15% for Single Cask Nation

Nose: Exotic woods, sandlewood, potpourri, wintergreen, with water this nose comes to life: vietnamese cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, rose hip, camphor

Palate: Rye toast with marmite spread and an espresso shot. Chocolate covered espresso beans, Carrob, leather… I would totally add this to a mole sauce… with water it explodes with vanilla, and the cinamon… a mexican hot chocolate.

Rating: 7 as is, a 9 with water / 10 – a hands down amazing pour, but I could only handle one bottle of this. But with water, holy shit it’s even better.

Rating 7/ 10
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Balcones ~Single~ Double Cask Nation 64.15%

Nose: Brown sugar, slightly floral, brine, honey.

Palate: Leather, oak, pond water, very peppery, licking envelope, nice toasted note on the finish

Rating: 7 (Shane) 5 (Ryan) / 10 – simple and pleasant

Rating 4/ 10
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Savanna 2003 16 Year Collection Métissage Maputo Cask #988 64.2%

Nose: First instinct is masala. Or some kind of wine cask. But I then doubt myself. Which is frankly a reflection of my week. Shit got heavy enough I started baking during calls. Embraced the call of thick moist banana bread. I added espresso grounds, dark chocolate nibs and a big old dollop of a high ester beast. And folded in greek yogurt. This is probably one of the more restrained noses and it has a dry grass and high wood note that isn’t my jam.

Palate: Astringent, young grape eau de vie notes. I could almost believe this is an older armagnac that lost its way and went flat, but then the sweetness layers in. A bit of oaky chew, but not the spice cabinet. Hints of herbal and bitter forest mushrooms. Damn dude, I don’t love this.

Rating: 4 / 10 – Ohh I looked it up and it’s a Darroze finish. Wish they shared what domaine. Mostly so I know what not to send as a finishing cask. But it does have that bitter herbality I often find in some of the older Darroze bottlings which I try to avoid.