Tastes

Nose: Mild orchard fruit, mild cereal, mild vanilla, a hint of mild citrus. Mild … mild … mild … Palate: Soft, smooth clean entry. Dried fruit compote (apricots, figs, pears) reconstituted with honey-water. Chestnut and hazelnut butter with a little spice (sweet cinnamon, clove, mild ginger). Some soft cereals and tannins. The mouthfeel is velvety and agreeable but the whisky lacks density and presence. The structure is fragile and it falls apart very easily with dilution. Finish: Medium. Semi-sweet fruity but well balanced aftertaste. This tasting was from batch DC076, distilled in 2001 (under Bill Lark’s watch) at the old Sullivans Cove distillery and bottled in 2014 at 40%. The casking was 40% French oak ex-port casks and 60% ex-bourbon. The bottle was gifted to me by a friend who is not a whisky drinker but had received it from his brother-in-law some years ago. It's a clean and highly approachable whisky with a profile that is similar to several mid-shelf highland and Speyside scotch single malts, in particular it bears a resemblance to Balvenie. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it – in fact it is a very nice whisky, however it is absurdly over-hyped and ferociously overpriced. This is the “affordable” Sullivans Cove whisky (at around AUD$400-600). Their contemporary core-range American Oak expression is around AUD$800-1,000 and the French Oak AUD$1,200 or more. In my opinion nothing they produce is worth the prices they charge. I could buy 5 bottles of Balvenie 12 (or anything in that price range) for the cost of one bottle of this and I'd be getting whisky that was at least equivalent if not better. Sullivan’s Cove is a complex whisky to review – more so than you might think. Since its founding in 1994 the distillery has gone through three distinct changes of ownership, declared bankruptcy twice, and moved its physical location (in 2004). Each change has seen an almost complete overhaul in distillery staff and the “recipe” for the core range products has completely changed several times. When all this happens at a small artisanal distillery that has only existed for 27 years it is inevitable that the product will be extremely batch-variable, and so is the case here. There should really be a different entry for every batch of Double-Cask – I’ve tasted many and they vary greatly – almost shockingly. It should also be noted that the whisky is steadily getting better overall and is more consistent nowadays under the very capable management of Heather Tillott. The whisky sold by the original owners was utterly dreadful and Sullivan's Cove did not shake off its poor local reputation until the early 2000s, when the "2nd Generation" distillery's spirit (designed by Bill Lark) started to hit the market. This is the stuff that won all the medals and was highly rated by Jim Murray. For better or worse that put Sullivan's Cove and Tasmanian whisky in general on the map but the result was the same as for many Japanese distilleries - huge demand and little stock. BTW - the official Distiller scope notes for this listing are incorrect in a couple of details. Double-Cask was 40% abv up until 2017 at which point it increased to 45% or 47.5% which greatly improved the expression. The distillery only has one still (not "stills") which is used for both wash and spirit runs. She's called “Myrtle”. Double Cask is always a combination of French oak ex-port and American oak ex-bourbon, but the proportion varies for each batch. "Good" : 83/100 (3.5 stars)

Nose: Sweet, aromatic baking spices (caraway, cardamom). Clean, earthy cereal aromas, a little mint, caramel and rye bread. A hint of grape-flavoured candy cane and a whiff of good oak. Palate: Expansive, sweet, spicy arrival. Oak spices, apple, chocolate, caramel fudge, anise and cinnamon, a touch of orange zest. The texture is very pleasant and has good weight. It’s oily but silky with a fresh, crisp quality. There is noticeable progression on the palate as a second wave of spicy flavours emerges after the initial finish seems to have passed. Very satisfying. Finish: Long. Sweet initially but eventually turning dry as citrus zest and spice outlasts the toffee. This is a well-composed rye. Gospel Distillers are located in the inner-city suburb of Brunswick in Melbourne, Victoria. This spirit is produced from 100% unmalted Australian rye which is double-distilled then aged in a 5-tier solera system (this comprises a top criadera of virgin American oak barrels, intermediate criaderas of second-fill bourbon barrels, and a solera of ex-Australian red wine casks). This is aged for less than 2 years so it does not qualify as whisky under Australian law, hence the name being just "The Gospel Solera Rye". The listing title here is a little misleading, but as it qualifies as "whiskey" under U.S. law then does it matter? Hmm. Some young distilleries try a bit too hard, particularly with their initial releases. There can be a tendency to throw everything including the kitchen sink into the still in order to produce the most ostentatious spirit possible, and this can sometimes create a confused, ponderous whisky. Thankfully, The Gospel Distillers have avoided this temptation and instead have produced a crisp, clean spirit with a forceful profile and very good balance. It is pleasant sipped neat, but I enjoyed it more over a couple of rocks. However, it is in mixed drinks where this really shows its talent. I’m currently enjoying a Sazerac made with it and a rinse of Jade Esprit Edouard. The two spirits are equally matched with The Gospel in no way intimidated by the presence of the towering Jade absinthe. Bravo. It’s equally at home in a simpler mixed drink. A shot with a slice of orange, a rock and topped up with ginger ale is magic. One of the more enjoyable local whiskies I’ve tasted for a while, and I believe their Straight Rye is even better. Recommended. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)

Michel Couvreur virtual tasting, 21 October 2021. Whisky #5 Nose: Peat smoke. Big bush-fire smoke, medicinal brine, citrus fruit, menthol, gunpowder, pipe tobacco, old leather. No sign at all of alcohol. An excellent nose. Palate: Sweet, big, full peaty arrival with the peat billowing above stewed fruits. Chocolate, baking spices, red fruits, walnuts and chewing tobacco. The texture is very good and you cannot taste the alcohol at all when neat. It swims very well and explodes with flavour from just a dash of water. Finish: Medium/long. Smoked dates and figs, fading to a sherried aftertaste. I have not investigated Michel Couvreur whiskies previously but a recent virtual tasting event based on 5 expressions piqued my interest. This was my equal favourite expression from the tasting, and in my opinion it was significantly superior to the rest (with one exception). This is a big peated sherry-finish whisky, but it also has clarity, nuance, balance and complexity. It is excellent neat and the high alcohol is exceptionally well contained, being not noticed at all. There is wonderful progression in the palate which goes through several waves of development. This expression was a limited edition single cask, cask-strength bottling by Barrel & Batch Whisky Co-Op. At the tasting session when the cask was being selected one of the Barrel & Batch partners commented that it was like the Candid expression’s big brother, and Jean Arnaud (the manager of Michel Couvreur) said “Yes! It is Candid’s grand frère!” - hence the name. The distillate for this expression was from “an unidentified Islay distillery”. The rumour is that it was Ardbeg and in my opinion it does smell and taste very much like Ardbeg - in fact it's not that dissimilar to Uigedail. This was the second of the Michel Couvreur whiskies I tasted that I would consider buying, but unfortunately it is no longer available. Like the Fleeting Q it was AUD$225 for a 500ml bottle when available and in my opinion worth every cent. Part of the purpose of the Barrel & Batch tasting was to poll the participants regarding the next special cask bottling from Michel Couvreur. The voting was split equally between “Fleeting Q” and “Grand Frère”. I voted for Fleeting Q but I’d be just as happy to see another whisky like this one available. Very Good : 86/100 (4 stars)

Michel Couvreur virtual tasting, 21 October 2021. Whisky #4 Nose: Fruity, floral, fortified wine, red berries, strawberries, hazelnuts and orange liqueur. There is a well-defined but not dominating presence of oak. The high alcohol is not at all noticeable. Palate: Full, rich stewed fruits and berries. Sweet at first but an underlying dryness gradually grows in the development. The red fruit and wine notes gain complexity over time before giving way to orange marmalade. The texture is excellent – both drying and oily. There is a little heat from the alcohol, but it is barely noticed. Finish: Medium. Fruity and dry with an aftertaste that lingers into dark chocolate. I have not investigated Michel Couvreur whiskies previously but a recent virtual tasting event based on 5 expressions piqued my interest. This whisky was my equal favourite expression from the tasting, and in my opinion it was significantly superior to the rest (with one exception). It is very good neat and also takes water well, gaining a little softness and sweetness but retaining its complexity and balance. Distilled on the 13th November 2010 and bottled on the 3rd February 2021. This whisky was matured in two Colheita port pipes, producing 2000 bottles. Colheita port is a vintage tawny of at least 7 years, however many casks are considerably older. I don’t know the age of the pipes used for this maturation but given the excellent density and complexity of flavor they have imparted I’m certain they were not juveniles. This was the first Michel Couvreur whisky I tasted that I would consider buying, but sadly it is also one of the more expensive expressions at AUD$225 for a 500ml bottle. Very Good : 86/100 (4 stars)

Michel Couvreur virtual tasting, 21 October 2021. Whisky #3 Nose: Briny maritime peat, soot, seaweed, musty herbs, driftwood campfire on the beach. Over time there is a note of gunpowder. Palate: Sweet, oily, spicy arrival (ginger, white pepper). Candied orange peel and cocoa in the development with creamy vanilla, red grapes and an iodine note. Finish: Medium/short. Smoky, sweet with lingering spice. I have not investigated Michel Couvreur whiskies previously but a recent virtual tasting event based on 5 expressions piqued my interest. This is very reminiscent of Caol Ila – if that is not the origin of the spirit for this expression anyone could be forgiven for assuming so as it shows the particular maritime qualities of Caol Ila in spades. This very pleasant whisky was matured for 9 years in small PX sherry casks but the oak influence is well balanced and does not dominate the distillate. It is clear, crisp and sharp but not hard. I enjoyed it a lot but as with all the younger, low strength, Michel Couvreur whiskies I tasted at the event I could not imagine why I would buy a bottle when the same quality and style is available from half a dozen Scottish distilleries, and at considerably less cost. "Good" : 83/100 (3.5 stars )

Michel Couvreur virtual tasting, 21 October 2021. Whisky #2 Nose: Sweet maritime peat, ash, light tropical fruit hints, brine. Palate: Sweet, soft arrival with an oily texture, light fruit notes and a honeyed tone. The fruit comes further into focus in the development and an ashy smoke quality is prominent and builds throughout the palate and into the finish. Finish: Medium/short. Smoky, sweet. I have not investigated Michel Couvreur whiskies previously but a recent virtual tasting event based on 5 expressions piqued my interest. This is highly reminiscent of a soft Islay peated malt. I don’t know what the distillate was but I’d bet on peated Bunnahabhain. There is a quality to it that is similar to Kilchoman as well, but Bunnahabhain is a more likely supplier of wholesale clearic. It’s an enjoyable peated whisky, gentle and easy to drink and there are certainly no off-notes but I couldn’t help feeling it was a bit generic. For all its declared 12 years of age it still comes across as a little young even though it is supposed to contain whiskies up to 20 years old, and there is not a lot of complexity. I like my single malts to have a little more bite than this, but I guess that's not the Couvreur philosophy of maturation. "Above Average" : 82/100 (3.25 stars )

Michel Couvreur virtual tasting, 21 October 2021. Whisky #1 Nose: There is a rubbery note on the initial nosing but it blows off almost immediately leaving a fresh, waxy, cereal, malty nose that is good but betrays the youth of the whisky. Palate: A hot, spicy entry that is a little rough around the edges. It turns grassy-sweet in the development but remains spicy and particularly bright on the palate. There is an almost effervescent quality to it. Finish: Medium/short. The whisky is cereal-focused throughout although some fruity notes develop towards the end. I have not investigated Michel Couvreur whiskies previously but a recent virtual tasting event based on 5 expressions piqued my interest. This Intravaganza is a core-range product that is matured for 3-4 years in moscatel and oloroso casks which lend it a sharp, fizzy young oak quality. It improves greatly after resting in the glass for a while but never achieves any sort of stature. This is an OK but average young malt whisky. It is undeniably clean and crisp but it fairly screams its youth to the world. The casks used are obviously of high quality but I wish the juice was left to stew in them for about 3-5 more years. It’s also playing fast and loose with accepted terminology for them to call this “cask strength” whisky when it is a vatting reduced to exactly 50% abv. This is highly reminiscent of several Scottish single malts that are often considered to be “starting” malts – Glenfiddich 12, Glenmorangie Original, Glen Grant 12, etc. The problem is that this is about twice the price and at that cost it is hard to recommend. "Above Average" : 80/100 (3 stars)