Tastes
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Casamigos Añejo Tequila
Tequila Añejo — Highlands, Jalisco, Mexico
Reviewed April 14, 2018 (edited January 17, 2020)Nose: Vanilla, wood ash, white pepper, caramelized (almost burnt) sugar, cocoa and burnt wood. There are some metallic/mineral aromas. Palate: A light arrival with spicy notes, followed by sweetness reminiscent of molasses. Tropical fruit hints, golden syrup, vanilla but some rather tannic oak appears towards the finish. Finish: Short. The barrel comes to dominate in the aftertaste with bitter tannins. The profile is soft and reserved but simultaneously clumsy and loud. This añejo tequila starts off promisingly enough but somewhere during the tasting it turns towards the dark side and a metallic, tannic thread weaves uncomfortably through it. It was too long in the barrels, I think, and I suspect they were not great barrels either. The spirit is clean and well made, and resting improves it (the reposado is very pleasant) but for me this expression is over-oaked. In comparison to other matured tequila that I’ve tasted it is a little rough and simple. “Above Average” : 80/100 (3 stars)85.0 AUD per Bottle -
Casamigos Reposado Tequila
Tequila Reposado — Los Altos, Jalisco, Mexico
Reviewed April 14, 2018 (edited November 9, 2018)Nose: Mild peppermint, green capsicum, sappy agave, light vanilla, caramel and sweet woody notes. There is a supporting smoky-oak aroma like barrel char and light hints of tropical fruit and spices. Palate: The arrival is soft and sweet, mostly vanilla and caramelized sugars from the agave but balanced by a touch of pepper. A more vegetal and herbal quality emerges as it develops with mint, menthol, lime, sage, oregano, pine resin and walnuts coming forward. There is a mild briny note but the foundation sweet quality that never fades. The texture is creamy, almost like savory salted caramel. Finish: Short. Sweet vegetal flavours fade into the aftertaste which concludes with a peppery note and a hint of oak. A pleasant sipping tequila that I thought was considerably better than either the blanco or añejo expressions from Casamigos. The short period of aging develops some character and depth in the spirit, which is lacking in the blanco, but the barrels have not yet come to dominate the profile as they do in the añejo. Reasonable value and a good choice for an easy sipping tequila or a mixing ingredient. “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars)80.0 AUD per Bottle -
Casamigos Blanco Tequila
Tequila Blanco — Los Altos, Jalisco, Mexico
Reviewed April 14, 2018 (edited April 6, 2022)Nose: Faintly minty and "green" - light vegetal, sappy notes. Not a lot more. Palate: Light minty arrival. Some soft mineral notes and a little background fruitiness. The overwhelming impression of the palate is of very high grade ethanol and it's somewhat watery in texture. Finish: Short. Faint citrus and mint. Rather sweet i the aftertaste but ethanol is the main memory. This is a well made, clean tequila but the nose is somewhat nondescript and the palate very simplistic. The aromas and flavours peel back like onion layers - but it's only a few layers deep before you hit the ethanol core. It tasted to me like a well made vodka with an infusion of green vegetal aromas and flavours - like the addition of some water in which Brussels sprouts had been simmered for 30 minutes. It's simple and unfussy but rather engineered. In comparison to the whole spectrum of tequila it's on the good side of average, but I didn't think it was interesting enough to describe as above average. "Average" : 78/100 (2.75 stars)70.0 AUD per Bottle -
Japanese whisky tasting evening, Sydney 28 March 18, Whisky #7. Nose: Rich but crisp, fruity (berries and red grapes), damask rose, fragrant honey, oat cluster cereal, rich leather, subtle aromas of sandalwood and almond blossom. It’s a heady but not cloying nose. Palate: Solid malty arrival flowing into a development that is founded on cereal (barley sugar?) and citrus flavours with just enough spice and honey to tie it all together. It’s a warm and enveloping palate – soft, creamy, balanced and seductive. Towards the finish a fragrant oak component moves to the front. Finish: Medium. Fragrant spicy cereal with a little honey and some warmth – a touch of stem ginger preserved in syrup and a very faint smokiness. I’ve been slow off the mark with regard to Japanese whisky – this tasting event was my first real immersion. The Yamazaki 12 was the last expression in the flyte, and in comparison to the earlier whiskies it stood out like a lighthouse beacon on a dark night. I remember saying aloud “ah, now we’re getting somewhere!”. It has a profile that is both akin to scotch whisky but also shows a character of its own that is assured and satisfying. It is not hampered by a self-conscious need to prove its worth against anything else or trumpet its national origin as a selling point – it is simply a very good whisky. Actually, it’s quite a superior whisky. The price has sky-rocketed of late and supplies are mostly sold out locally, but it can still be found in Australia if you search. The Distiller official notes are right on target. "Very Good" : 86/100 (4 stars)350.0 AUD per Bottle
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Del Maguey Espadín Especial Mezcal
Mezcal Joven — Oaxaca, Mexico
Reviewed April 8, 2018 (edited August 7, 2022)* My bottle: From Lot no. SMA-124 Nose: Supurbly soft, rounded, fruity and floral notes with a light sandalwood background. Sweet plant sap and a touch of briny tang. Reminiscent of a crisp maritime highland single malt with a subtle sherry finish and a suggestion of smoke. A dash of water both softens and enhances the smoke. A really enjoyable nose. Palate: A fascinating balance between salt and sweet. There is a light sweet and fruity arrival, which quickly morphs into a briny character. In the development chilli heat emerges, but no pepper - it's more fruity than spicy. As it sits in the mouth smokiness begins to unfold and then suddenly an intense second wave of salt floods the palate, only to vanish again just as quickly. Finish: Long, salt/sweet, warm and smooth. The salty and smoky vegetal notes continue into the distance. Eventually the saltiness is replaced by a mineral sweetness. Quite briny, but there is an alluring soft creaminess to the nose that draws you back again and again. The palate is initially almost shy and restrained, but it quickly and unexpectedly blossoms. The strong salty note might be a bit too much for some palates - if so a dash of water opens things up wonderfully and reveals a balancing sweetness. "Good" : 84/100 (3.75 stars)125.0 AUD per Bottle -
Damoiseau 3 year Rhum Vieux Agricole
Rhum Agricole Vieux — Guadeloupe
Reviewed April 8, 2018 (edited July 18, 2022)Nose: Grassy, herbal, white sugar, faint burnt sugar, ash. Palate: An arrival almost like a fino sherry, coupled with a funky hogo. Light and elegant in character. A restrained, thin mouthfeel. In the background there are dried fruit flavours, but they are very subtle. Finish: Medium. Fresh cane juice, chlorophyll, flinty and with a slightly anise character. A smooth and herbacious rum but definitely one that's only for agricole fans. The grassy cane presence is barely tempered by 3 years in oak and whether you would describe this as "fresh and vibrant" or just plain "juvenile" would be a matter of personal taste. It's enjoyable as a slightly austere sipping rum and comes into its own as a hot climate aperitif. It mixes well and makes a very refreshing ti punch, in fact it combines very well with citrus flavours in any context. Enjoyable, but not the finest rhum agricole by any means, and a bit on the expensive side for what it is. "Above Average" : 80/100 (3 stars)100.0 AUD per Bottle -
Nose: Sweet and heavily featuring molasses and brown sugar. Some trace fruity notes (banana mainly) and a little caramel. Palate: Sweet and carrying on with the sugary notes from the nose. Finish: Short and sweet. A pretty simplistic medium-dark rum that is not really up to sipping neat - very much a mixer, but with such a sweet profile that in combination with cola or fruit juice it borders on cloying, almost sickly. This is very cheap in Cuba, and is one of the cheapest imported rums you can buy in Australia. It's OK over lots of ice with soda, a dash of bitters and a slice of lemon. Pretty much the rum equivalent of Johnnie Walker Red Label - acceptable when correctly used as a mixer. "Adequate" : 72/100 (2 stars)43.0 AUD per Bottle
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Manly Spirits Coastal Citrus Gin
Modern Gin — Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Reviewed April 8, 2018 (edited October 21, 2024)Nose: Several diverse citrus aromas - lemon, lemongrass, lemon myrtle, orange peel - not too bright but not overly warm either. Ocean breezes against a subtle juniper background and there is a sweet component that ties it all together. Very good balance. Palate: The arrival is bright citrus and faintly briny. Quite bracing. As it settles, more rounded citrus comes to the front, slowly giving way to a foundation sweetness. The mouthfeel is smooth and creamy. Finish: The juniper element only comes forward in the medium finish, which has a touch of sweetness and trace pepper spice. A good modern style gin with a prominent citrus profile that dismisses juniper to a supporting role. The secret ingredient here is sea parsley - a seaweed that is foraged from the local beaches. It provides a slight briny tinge and an umami note and is an inspired addition. Manly Spirits is a very young distillery but David, Vanessa and team have really hit the ground running. Their gin is produced in a dedicated German hybrid still and is most definitely not being created just to pay the bills until the whisky is ready in a couple of years (the whisky is being produced in a pair of large and beautiful copper pot stills that are custom designed by David). In addition to this expression they are also producing a dry gin and a botanical infused vodka, both of which are very good. This gin is very refreshing to sip over ice, and makes an excellent long G&T. "Good" : 83/100 (3.5 stars)80.0 AUD per Bottle -
Husk Distillers Ink Dry Gin
Modern Gin — Tweed Valley, NSW, Australia
Reviewed April 4, 2018 (edited October 31, 2023)Husk Farm Distillery, October 26th 2024, Gin #2 This was a re-taste of a gin I have had several times since I first reviewed it here 5 years ago. Looking at my old review notes the profile seems to be unchanged but I was surprised to see that I only gave this 83/100 at the time. I've increased that now as this is definitely one of the better local gins, and worthy of a score to match. "Very Good" : 85/100 (4 stars) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Original review from 2018: Nose: Sweet, citrus (sherbet lemon, lime, grapefruit), slightly floral (lavender). A bracing and forthright nose with the juniper well in the background. Palate: Sweet and bright, peppery spice, aniseed, licorice, cardamom, cinnamon, lemon zest, orange zest. There's a faintly anesthetic note to the palate. Finish: Sweet citrus, smooth and soft. A herbal licorice note. The instantly outstanding feature is the colour, which is a deep and purple/blue. This is not due to the addition of artificial colour, but derives from the steeping of Butterfly Pea petals in the spirit after distillation. This plant, known as bunga telang in southeast asia, is used as a food colouring in several traditional dishes and drinks. Interestingly, when carbonated or acidic water is added to the spirit it turns from opaque purple-blue to a delicate and very attractive transparent pink. It would be easy to dismiss the use of this plant as a gimmick and to treat this gin as little more than a novelty except for one thing - it's a good gin. The flavour focuses on citrus and sweet components instead of juniper, and is very refreshing and cooling. It's one of the few gins I enjoy sipping neat or over ice and it also makes a very tasty gin and tonic. "Good" : 83/100 (3.5 stars)80.0 AUD per Bottle -
Reserva de Don Chuy Autentico Reposado Mezcal
Mezcal Reposado — Zacatecas, Mexico, Mexico
Reviewed April 3, 2018 (edited November 9, 2018)Nose: Pepper. Strong eye-watering black pepper, and a little chilli. A background of light red wine. Palate: A fairly soft and winey arrival that develops into simple pepper-water with alcohol. Finish: Short, with little going on. Ethanol, some lingering winey notes, and the all-pervading ground pepper. Recently I embarked on a voyage of discovery into the (for me) previously uncharted waters of mezcal. Most of my acquisitions so far have been top-shelf expressions but to gain some balance I also purchased a few inexpensive mezcals for comparison and to set a baseline. This Don Chuy stuff sure sets the bottom level baseline. It's really only possible to drink this neat if you take it in very small sips, preferably under duress so you can deny culpability. I'd class it as about the same level of quality as Grant's blended scotch or Beenleigh Rum - more useful as a weapon in a bar-room brawl than for actual consumption. As a mixer it becomes palatable, and diluting it with orange or pineapple juice works wonders. I'm grateful that this is bottled at 38% - I can't imagine what it would be like at high abv (the horror ... the horror). The manufacturer has a NOM (Z106C), so presumably it has been checked and won't actually send you blind. On the basis of that I'm awarding 1 star. I'll grudgingly give it another half because once thoroughly drowned with ice and fruit juice it's acceptable as a long cooler. It would probably be acceptable in cocktails, but I wouldn't do it by choice. "Inferior" : 66/100 (1.5 stars)40.0 AUD per Bottle
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