| |
Home
Thousands of tastings,
all the music,
all the rambligs
and all the fun
(hopefully!)
Whiskyfun.com
Guaranteed ad-free
copyright 2002-2015
|
 |
|
| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
| |
|
| |
| |
April 12, 2015 |
|
  |
Malternatives on Sunday,
today rowan eau-de-vie |
While ‘obvious’ fruit eaux-de-vie and spirits, such as pears or raspberries, do not make for serious malternatives in my book, because of their one-dimensional style - however great they can be - that’s less the case with small berries of various sorts, sometimes because their stones add much more complexity. Right, sometimes a little too much prussic acid as well, that’s why one should not drink too much of them. And as some statistician would say, the smaller the berries, the bigger the stones. Relatively, of course. Right, let’s have some rowan today… |
|
Sorbier des Oiseleurs (43%, OB, René de Miscault, eau-de-vie, Alsace, +/-2013)  Also called sorbier des oiseaux, simply sorbier, or Vogelbeer in German, or rowan in English. The small red berries first macerate in neutral spirit (apple) and are then distilled, although some old guys used to make some ‘pure’ fermented sorbier as well. Imagine the yield, would make a Scottish accountant cry – or worse. Colour: white. Nose: ah yes, this is wonderfully almondy. The stones are doing the largest part of the job here, but these notes of marzipan, barley water, fresh artisan-made varnish and maraschino are just beautiful. It’s a delicate and complex spirit. Mouth: sadly, there’s a little too much sugar in the arrival, which I’ve already noticed with this maker, but apart from that slightly liqueury side, there’s a perfect earthy/almondy development, with touches of absinth, marzipan, grapefruit liqueur and sweet liquorice. Good body, and a perfect strength. It’s even a little hot. Finish: long, almondy, with these varnishy touches that aren’t detrimental, quite the contrary. A salty touch in the aftertaste. Comments: very good rowan eau-de-vie, we’re approaching the realm of the great white tequilas, in a way. A pity that there’s this sugar. SGP:551 - 79 points. |
|
Sorbier 'Tradition' (40%, OB, Miclo, eau-de-vie, Alsace, +/-2014)  The house Miclo’s located in Lapoutroie, which is in the Welche part of Alsace, which is its tiny French-speaking part. The Pays Welche is Celtic and not Germanic – and by the way, my ancestors were Welche, which is why my name doesn’t sound Germanic. So kind of French in Germanic Alsace, which lies in France. Complicated enough? I can do worse ;-). Colour: white. Nose: it’s a fresher and earthier style, with whiffs of roots and gentian (didn’t they just distil gentian and not thoroughly cleaned the pipes? I’m joking.) Then a touch of celeriac, as well as, perhaps, more fruitiness. A nose that’s a little less easy/sexy, but that usually suggests a nicer palate. Yeah, same as with whisky. Mouth: not 100% sure, there’s a whacky dirtiness, and a lack of definition, with something meaty and burnt. Not what you’re looking for when you make fruit eau-de-vie, even out of small berries. Finish: medium, with some caraway this time. Pepper. Indeed, unexpected. Comments: not too impressed. SGP: 461 – 60 points. |
|
Vogelbeer (42%, OB, Lantenhammer, Bavaria, +/-2014)  Lantenhammer are also the owners of Slyrs Distillery in Schliersee, but they’ve been smart enough to not distil whisky in their fruit stills – and conversely. So, this is a different distillery. Great people by the way, with a lot of attention to detail. Colour: white. Nose: back to the style of the Miscault, with rather aromatic notes of fruit stones, almonds, varnish, barley water, and amaretti. It’s fresh and clean, and relatively easy, it seems. Mouth: it is a little bit too sugary again, but not that sugary. The rest is rather excellent, earthy and almondy, with some fresh touches of myrtle and gentian (again), fennel, bay leaves… Finish: rather long, a wee bit bitter (Campari) but that’s all fine. The sugar doesn’t feel – provided there was any in the first place, and only the aftertaste is a little soapy, but that almost always happens with stone fruits, it’s not a flaw. Comments: sehr gut in meiner Meinung. SGP:361 - 82 points. |
|
Sorbier des Oiseaux (45%, OB, J. Nussbaumer, eau-de-vie, Alsace, +/-2014) Again, maceration instead of fermentation here. Nussbaumer is a highly reputed house that’s located in Steige, a wee place where just everybody used to distil fruits or else in the old days. You’re right, life expectancy was not so high at the time. Colour: white. Nose: first these celeriac-like notes that come together with some fennel and a very wee hint of catnip, then a brand new box of amaretti. We’re relatively close to some good kirsch (cherry) at this point. Maybe a tiny touch of rubber. Mouth: big! An ‘Islay’ of eau-de-vie, with big earthy flavours, some roots, almonds of course, more kirsch, a little cinchona or quinine, and then hints of triple-sec/Cointreau that will prevent the finish to become too bitter. Well, in theory, let’s check that. Finish: indeed, the slightly orange-y side adds some roundness, while the almondy/rooty side keeps singing loud. A long, almost invading finish. Comments: it’s a tad brutal at times, a tad peasant, but that adds authenticity. And I don’t feel any added sugar. Same league as the Bavarian. SGP:461 - 82 points. |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
