World sessions Number Twenty-One


May 24, 2021

	World sessions Number Twenty-One
	Italy, 547 points! Well, not quite but let's celebrate the victory of the Italian squad at the Eurovision song contest. What a strange event! With lockdowns and curfews still on in many countries, such as France, I suppose many more people have been watching this real live museum of popular music this year. Like, 1950-1980.

Puni 'Arte No. 1' (43%, OB, Italy, 3,000 bottles, 2020)

The Puni 'Gold' had been rather not too bad earlier this year (WF 78). This one is a limited edition, let's see if it is very 1970, as was their national rock band the other night (they were pretty good, I think). This one is said to have been aged 'for almost seven years' in bourbon and refill Scotch. Colour: white wine. Nose: very bready, with touches of smoke and lemon, plus a little chalk. Porridge, grapefruits, touch of pineapple and pear… There's something coastal to this, which may suggest that some ex-coastal Scotch malt casks have been in use. Mouth: the peat is obvious, this rather feels like some in-cask blending. Was some Laphroaig used here too? Caol Ila? The whole idea is a little sketchy, as it is elsewhere including in Scotland, but once again, I believe it rather worked to take that short cut. Finish: medium, fruity and peaty. Comments: a modern and rather well-made world blend. In tune with the times, I would say.
SGP:643 - 82 points.

Let's cross the Alps…

Puni 'Arte No. 1' (43%, OB, Italy, 3,000 bottles, 2020)

Domaine des Hautes Glaces 'Moissons Single Malt' (44.8%, OB, France, +/-2020)
This is their regular single malt, while they also have a single rye under the 'Moissons' banner. In French, moissons means harvest. This is a vatting of 13 casks from six vintages. I believe, but I could be wrong, that no wine casks have been harmed in the process. Colour: white wine. Nose: totally and fully on cereals, earth, bread, yeasts, grist, flours, husk… I'm sure you get the picture, this is as close to the raw materials as you can get. Love this both organoleptically and philosophically. Whiffs of orange and acacia blossom coming out after a few minutes, which is even more lovely. A little celery too. Mouth: firm and totally on cereals and citrus once again. Focaccia and panettone, we're back in Italy! More orange blossom, some oils (sesame?), bread, touches of cardamom and caraway, wholegrain breads… Finish: rather long, with a rather earthy and salty background that could make you think of mezcal. Comments: this is what I was expecting. Great work on this side of the Alps.
SGP:461 - 87 points.

To England! And no, we won't mention the Eurovision contest…

Puni 'Arte No. 1' (43%, OB, Italy, 3,000 bottles, 2020)

Cotswolds (46%, OB, England, +/-2021)

This too is the distillery's 'regular' single malt. I know it is their latest batch, but I just don't know about the details. Not even sure this is the right picture. Colour: straw. Nose: good fun to have this one after the Moissons, as this is much softer, rather more on vanilla, overripe apples, toasted oak, gooseberries, perhaps melons… So it is more 'moderate', but everything's in place and I find this nose rather perfect given that it's probably very young. Mouth: excellent, in a whole different style than that of the DHG. Probably more cask influence, with a little varnish, fruit drops, bonbons, vanilla, lemon curd, then baby bananas and liquorice allsorts… Finish: medium, very fruity and 'bonbony'. Foam bananas kept in oak, vanilla, touch of coconut.... Comments: quite a few younger distilleries are doing it according to the rule book, while a decade or two ago, many were doing it more or less at random. Like, hey, let's experiment!
SGP:641 - 85 points.

Cley 'Malt and Rye' (58%, OB, The Netherlands, Vat 114 Batch 11/20, 2020)

Whilst it wasn't totally there yet, I rather enjoyed the very young 3 yo C/S by Cley the other day. This should be more brutal… Colour: apricot. Nose: good fun, but indeed it is a little brutal. I seem to find some kind of smoky fudge, certainly a lot of milk chocolate, some rye for sure and some buckwheat too, some very rich modern-style beer (I know zilch about beer but I've tried a MIkkeler (sp?) the other day that was nosing a bit like this…) Something wild too, almost animal. With water: a wide range of gingerbreads from all over Europe, from Rotterdam to, say Vienna. Did I ever tell you that I'm a confessed sucker for gingerbread? Mouth (neat): too strong for me but this heavy bourbon from Holland seems to work. Huge gingerbread, Stolle, violet drops, marmalade, cinnamon rolls… Good fun, I'm sure. With water: ticks all my preferred boxes. Rich, spicy, honeyed, on breads, wild cookies, and of course gingerbread. Big black raisins too. Frankly, I would have said great yet crazy garage whiskey from Murica. Finish: long, just perfect, without any embarrassing woody notes. Lovely sweet spiciness that makes you think of Christmas. Yep I know this is the month of May. Only the aftertaste is a wee tad green and bitter. A wee tad… Comments: there. Love rye and love this. I love the bottles too.
SGP:662 - 87 points.

Good, a looong flight to the other side of the planet now…

Hellyers Road 2013/2020 (61%, OB for Taiwan, Tasmania/Australia, Masters Series, sherry, cask #14132.12)

We've tried several other Hellyers Road for these most honourable bottlers, all have been top-notch. Now when they say sherry, does that mean that some sherry butts are being shipped from Jerez to Tasmania? Colour: gold. Nose: masters indeed. This burns a bit, of course, but there's this aroma that I just adore, a large box of Läckerlis from Basel, Switzerland. How 'world' is this? Gingerbread is here for sure, but water is needed. With water: gets pretty complex, with various honeys (blue gum, perhaps? I'm joking, that's the floral emblem of Tasmania), beers, hops, wild yeasts, some sweeter turmeric, Seville oranges, touch of litchi liqueur… Mouth (neat): sublime. Triple sec, aniseed, marmalade, juniper and caraway, Cointreau, chartreuse… It's extremely expressive even at 61% and some would wonder if this wasn't made in a lab, as some make some 'rums'. Of course it wasn't. Sublime, really. With water: orange liqueur aged in oak! Does that really fit here? On the one hand, some would argue that this is not whisky. I mean, it does not quite taste like/of whisky. On the other hand, it is excellent, rich, bold, fun and just intriguing, with these notes of tangerine liqueur and Szechuan pepper. Finish: long, spicy and citrusy. Comments: sherry? Did we see any sherry? Probably a little controversial, but I for one am finding this crazy concoction just terrific.
SGP:661 - 88 points.

Boy, those Dutch and Tasmanian whiskies were monsters! Let's just cancel the Auchentoshan session I had planned, if you agree…