Crazy world sessions Number Five


December 28, 2020

	Crazy world sessions to put a proper end to a messy year
	Number Five

High powers today. Let’s start this from France. Right, more French logic in action…

Glann ar Mor 2007/2020 (57.7%, La Maison du Whisky, Version Française, France, 1st fill bourbon barrel, cask #13128, 184 bottles)

I don’t quite know what a ‘French version’ of a French whisky could be, but we have never been afraid of moderate tautologies ourselves. Anyway, this is a very rare independent version of Glann ar Mor, in truth I believe it’s the first one. The distillery has recently changed hands but this is fully the work of Jean Donnay, and probably one of the earliest casks, fully matured on the shores of northern Brittany. I don’t think I’ve ever tried such an old one… Colour: gold. Nose: what’s striking here is the impeccable balance, and the way it remained very close to the raw ingredients all along. Barley (grist), yeast, vanilla, then rather brioche and croissants, before the fruits that would usually come with proper bourbon maturation would chime in (bananas, guavas, some toasted marshmallow). Very clean and pure. With water: waxes, fruit skins, a hint of coconut and a little liquorice wood. All that works very well. Mouth (neat): the oak bites you a wee bit at first but that could also be the high alcohol. Touches of buttered tea, green peppercorn, a little turmeric... I would say it needs water on the palate. With water: these notes of fruit and vegetable skins are pretty perfect. Apples and pepper. Finish: long and spicy. Cinnamon, pepper, a touch of rhubarb. Very spicy aftertaste, with a tiny salty touch. Comments: very good, dry, an early Glann ar Mor that’s feeling very ‘natural’ and quite surprisingly, perhaps not yet perfectly polished. No flavourings in the way, that’s cool too.
SGP:461 - 86 points.

Let’s cross the channel…

Cotswolds ‘Small Batch 20 rue d’Anjou’ (60.8%, OB for LMDW, 480 bottles, 2020)

Four different casks (the usual bourbon, virgin, oloroso and PX) and less than 500 bottles, so either there’s more juice elsewhere, or those were quarter casks. Colour: gold. Nose: we’re rather navigating around the idea of a coffee shop at first (not in A’dam mind you) with macchiato, scones, toffee, butterscotch and millionaire shortbread. All right, Mars bar, if you must. Flowers come out later on (lilies), together with a very soft spiciness, around shy and subtle curry powders. Some oloroso coming out too (balsamico and walnut wine). With water: rather on many herbal teas. Earl grey, bergamots… Mouth (neat): a feeling of kirsch matured in acacia wood at first, bitter oranges, cardamom and caraway, mustardy liqueurs… But it is strong. With water: tangerines and grapefruits are moving forward. This just always works. Finish: long, more on teas, malt, chicory, stout and cigars. Good chocolate in the aftertaste. Comments: very nice string, I mean cask quartet. Class. Lovely chocolaty development.
SGP:451 - 87 points.

Let’s fly to virtually Covid-free Taiwan…

Nantou ‘Omar’ 2014/2018 (56%, OB, Taiwan, Hotmalt, the Keeper Richard’s Choice II, cask #10841117, 210 bottles)

All right, the Keeper Serge trying the Keeper Richard’s selection here… Nantou’s sometimes overshadowed by Kavalan, but in my book they deserve only praise. Colour: straw. Nose: it’s a peaty one. Crabs, oysters, lemons, chalk, ashes, charcoal, menthol… This one reminds me of that distillery on the Sound of Islay that doesn’t start with a B. With water: absolutely perfect. A working kiln, some eucalyptus, a little porridge, dough, beer… This is just perfect indeed. Mouth (neat): not many peaty makes do manage to go the distance next to an Islay, but I believe this one does. What never works, in my little book, is a light, thin distillate that would be smoked. There are a few on Scotland’s mainland. This is different, it’s perfectly tight, focused, on pretty much the same flavours as on the nose. Let me repeat, crabs, oysters, lemons, chalk, ashes, charcoal, menthol… With water: I repeat, this is perfect. Sublime limey and sappy profile. Finish: rather long, still ueber-clean, perfectly well defined, with a splendid saltiness (licking potassium). Comments: Keeper Serge says this is perfect at just 4, and well worth a 90%. Or 90 points.
SGP:556 - 90 points.

Off to Australia…

Sullivan’s Cove 10 yo (67.3%, Artist by La Maison du Whisky, Australian tawny, cask #TD0305, 336 bottles)

Sullivan’s Cove 10 yo (67.3%, Artist by La Maison du Whisky, Australian tawny, cask #TD0305, 336 bottles)
LMDW had a brilliant 12yo together with the Liquor Library, two years ago. This one’s a little scary, I mean, I know water’s becoming precious but 67% vol.? Not even sure my insurance company would reimburse me, should anything happen… (like, fire, an explosion, sudden death, a good faint, a seizure, suffocation…) Colour: amber. Nose: probably great. Linden and elder flowers, blood oranges, masala, Timut pepper, Guerlain moisturiser, Bovril, and really a lot of ethanol. With water: the umami-y notes are taking over. That’s very pleasing. Mole, soy sauce, hoisin… This is just sublime in my book. Mouth (neat): orangey praline, corne de gazelle pastry, honey water… Great but boy does it burn. With water: salty, miso-y, sour and fermentary. Everything I like. Finish: the spices are taking over, this sure wasn’t silent wood. Seville oranges and all spices the Supreme Being has ever invented. Comments: just a little more restraint at the wood department would have ensured a 90-mark. But fab drop.
SGP:562 - 88 points.

And to ‘Murika!

Heaven Hill 10 yo 2010/2020 ‘Corn Whiskey’ (59.3%, Artful Dodger Collective, USA, Port pipe, cask # 152726, 2020)

So, there was some Heaven Hill lying in a Port pipe? It’s true that no one’s saying this is bourbon… The Scots are distilling maize/corn too but I believe the Americans let many more congeners go through. I could be wrong, though… Colour: copper amber. Nose: fully on cellulosic varnish, nail polish remover, and brand new wooden chessboard - it seems that they’re making them on a just-in-time basis since Netflix’s The Queen Gambit came out. I have to say I like this, even if, or maybe because I do not detect much Port, or was it white Port? With water: b.u.t.t.e.r.s.c.o.t.c.h. That’s rather perfect. Then a growing bourbonness, I’d even swear I’m detecting some rye. I must be dreaming. Mouth (neat): extremely strong. Takes you tongue and twists it. Water is obligatory. With water: ah good! Not one of those simplistic corn whiskeys that you could find for cheap, rather a well-constructed, even slightly malty bourbon. Only the body’s a tad thin(nish). Coconut wine, praline, vanilla fudge, violet and lavender drops, and this feeling of dinking a very tiny drop of cologne water. Don’t do that. Finish: these whiskeys or bourbons are often losing steam at the finish, in my meagre experience, but this one rather lasts the course. A little sour wood in the aftertaste, not the best part indeed. Comments: we’re absolutely not used to these whiskies, and keep looking for thicker, oilier bodies. It’s our problem. Nah, another very good drop from Artful Dodger’s, unsurprisingly.
SGP:561 - 86 points.