Tastes

Nose: Nectarine, peach, apricot, brioche. Toasted almond, grassy notes and fresh oak cask aromas. Palate: A delicate arrival with a hint of acidity and some light spice, but squarely focused on fruity flavours. Slightly drier on the palate than the sauvignon finished expression I tasted prior to this, not as soft but elegant and crisp. As it sits on the palate it gains a hint of sweetness. The texture is pleasant with a poised and reserved oiliness. Finish: Short. Elegantly fruity with a touch of oak tannin in the aftertaste. Roborel de Climens is a recently formed company based in Bordeaux. The owner, Aymeric Roborel de Climens, is an experienced winemaker who has turned his attention to whisky production. The company is not a distillery but rather an independent producer that sources new-make spirit and matures it in selected, top quality French oak casks. The maturation process involves two phases. First, new-make spirit (sourced from Distillerie Artisanale HEPP in Uberach, Alsace) is matured in a combination of new and refill French oak casks (about 80% are refill casks and also come from the HEPP distillery). This phase lasts 3-4 years and provides structure and body to the whisky. The whisky is then finished for 6-12 months in ex-wine casks, each expression being matured in a specific type of cask. This was the second Roborel de Climens whisky I tasted at the Whisky Show and in this case the finish was in ex-rosé barrels from Château Sainte-Marguerite, a Côtes de Provence Cru Classé. It shares many characteristics with the sauvignon-finish whisky but given the youth of both expressions and the lightness of their respective finishings that is not surprising. This had an earthier and slightly heavier character with better balance, but the light floral notes, the prominent stone-fruit aromas and flavours, and the mouthfeel were all similar. The finish is still short but just a little longer than the sauvignon-finished expression. Overall, I thought it was the better whisky, not by a long margin but sufficient to justify summarising it as “above average”. At the asking price it just barely qualifies as reasonable value and once again it is regrettable that it is bottled at only 40% abv. I'm certain that a few degrees more proof would allow greater complexity to show through. Tasted at the Sydney Whisky Show, 15 May 2021, my tasting #17 from bottle 409/750. “Above Average” : 80/100 (3 stars)

Nose: Huge white fruit aromas (white grapes, nectarine, gooseberry, lichee), hints of lemon, green apple. Highly reminiscent of a crisp young white muscat. Palate: Fruity and sweet arrival with a balancing acidic note. The fruit flavours build through the development with white grape, pear, peach, sweet red apple and apricot appearing. The texture is soft. A cereal note is apparent after repeated sips, but it is young in character and gristy rather than malty. Finish: Short. Fruity, soft and slightly floral. Roborel de Climens is a recently formed company based in Bordeaux. The owner, Aymeric Roborel de Climens, is an experienced winemaker who has turned his attention to whisky production. The company is not a distillery but rather an independent producer that sources new-make spirit and matures it in selected, top quality French oak casks. The maturation process involves two phases. First, new-make spirit (sourced from Distillerie Artisanale HEPP in Uberach, Alsace) is matured in a combination of new and refill French oak casks (about 80% are refill casks and also come from the HEPP distillery). This phase lasts 3-4 years and provides structure and body to the whisky. The whisky is then finished for 6-12 months in ex-wine casks, each expression being matured in a specific type of cask. In this case the finishing was in ex-sauvignon casks sourced from Clos Floridène in Bordeaux. Sometimes too much emphasis is placed on age in relation to whisky. Maturity can be a good thing and venerable old scotch whisky is a delight to taste, however it is a mistake to assume there is any sort of minimum or “sweet spot” age that applies to all whisky. Young whisky like this can also be a delight, just as young sparkling wine can be delightful in the right context. That said, I did feel that this expression was particularly juvenile and I think it would have been improved by another year in the initial casks. It is a charming, vivacious whisky with an almost astonishingly fresh and clean profile, but it lacks complexity and is unbalanced and overburdened by the fruity aromas and flavours from the wine cask. It is also a shame that it was bottled at only 40% abv. Tasted at the Sydney Whisky Show, 15 May 2021, my tasting #16 from bottle 181/750. This was the first of four Roborel de Climens expressions I tasted on the day. Reviews of the other three are incoming. "Average" : 78/100 (2.75 stars)

Nose: Butterscotch rolls with cinnamon sugar, toasted almonds, caramel sauce, vanilla essence and musky oak. Palate: Woody and caramel on the arrival. Vanilla, leather, and rye-derived baking spices appear in the development (cinnamon, nutmeg, caraway, fennel) and dried cherries and almonds emerge later. The texture is chewy with an interesting balance between tannin and oil, but it is not bitter and has good weight. Finish: Medium/short. Spicy/sweet woody notes, a little gripping but not astringent or hot. I enjoyed this bourbon a good deal more than I had expected. It has complexity and progresses through waves of development and does not show an overemphasized woody character. On the contrary, it is more refined and subtle than the WR Double Oaked expression. If anything it seems more like an amplified version of the introductory level Reserve Bourbon. Very pleasant, good when neat and it also takes water well, developing a little more sweetness. This is probably my favourite of the distillery’s 90.4 proof expressions. It is not ordinarily available in Australia and was provided as a special tasting at the Whisky Show. Tasted at the Sydney Whisky Show, 15 May 2021, my tasting #15 “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars)

Nose: Cherry cola, vanilla pod, pine sap, caramel sauce, brown sugar, oak chips, a faint aroma of burning leaves. Palate: Oatmeal biscuits, diluted malt extract, buttered popcorn and smoked dried cherries on the arrival. The development shows more of the same, intensified by leathery cocoa notes and a persistent, mild but faintly resinous background smoke. Ginger, chicory and rye spice with an odd character. The texture is good, full and satisfying. Finish: Medium. Chocolate malted milk, mildly smoky and drying. An unusual whisky – interesting to taste but I would not want a bottle. It seemed to be uncertain as to its own character. There are five quite separate facets to it: corn, barley-malt, cherries, oak wood and smoke. The combination of these elements necessarily presents complexity, but complexity does not equal balance or integration. In fact, I thought this was quite incoherent, like a room full of voices, none particularly loud but confusing as a whole with each trying to talk over the others. The sweet sherry note was nice, the dry profile (from the high malt content) was a good counterpoint to the sweetness, and the cask influence was fine. However each actor was performing in a different play. I’m also not a big fan of wood smoke as a drying process. It’s legitimate, sure – I just don’t like the taste. Peat smoke has a certain softness of character that is not found in wood smoke and I’ve yet to taste any wood-smoked whisky that has appealed. This is also rather overpriced and in the final analysis only just above average for me. Tasted at the Sydney Whisky Show, 15 May 2021, my tasting #14 “Above Average” : 82/100 (3.25 stars)

Nose: Peach flan, dusted with brown and cinnamon sugar, warm from the oven, slightly caramelised and topped with fresh vanilla cream. A cup of strong black coffee spiked with hazelnut syrup on the side. An apple pie with almonds and cloves is still baking. The farmhouse kitchen is full of old but recently waxed oak furniture. Palate: Nutty and buttery on the arrival – pecans, fresh walnuts and popcorn. The spiced stone-fruits from the nose appear again as it develops, together with caramel, vanilla and lightly astringent oak tannin that veers towards dark bitter chocolate in the finish. The texture is good – mouth coating and silky but with a mild tannic grip. Finish: Medium/long. Nutty, spicy and oaky. I’ve not tried many Woodford Reserve whiskies as we don’t get the full range of expressions over here, so my past experience has been limited to the standard release, the Double Oaked, and the truly excellent 125.8 proof Masters Collection bottling. I enjoyed all of those so when I saw the Woodford Reserve stand at the Whisky Show, and particularly several of the tall round Masters Collection bottles, I made sure to include it in my itinerary for the afternoon. WR were presenting a small range of expressions I’d not encountered before, including this one. I had thought that all the Masters Collection were at high proof, which it turns out is not the case, but the whiskies did not disappoint. This one was particularly enjoyable with an approachable character that was only slightly let down by being a touch unbalanced. When a whiskey is specifically crafted to showcase oak casks it may seem a little harsh to criticize it for being too oaky, but … well, it is. Just a bit. The price is also highly variable over here. I’ve seen it for as much as $250, as low as $160, and it generally hovers around $200. Even at the lowest price it’s still almost three times as much as the WR core-range straight bourbon. I don’t subtract from a score just because of price, but given that the core-range bottling is almost the same strength and very good in its own right it becomes difficult to recommend this. Tasted at the Sydney Whisky Show, 15 May 2021, my tasting #13 “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars)

Nose: Coal-fire smoke, raspberries, strawberries, rose hip tisane. The signature Ledaig sooty smoke is very apparent and there is also a mossy, earthy quality. Some restrained cinnamon and clove. Palate: Similar to the nose, coal smoke and red berries on the arrival leading into a mildly spiced and cereal-focused development with white pepper, cinnamon and a little salt. The texture is medium and pleasantly dry, becoming more drying as it progresses with a grassy, hay-like note appearing and the salty maritime quality building into the finish. Finish: Medium. Spicy/sweet fruits and a waft of distant charcoal that dissolves into a dry, briny aftertaste with a hint of the red berries. A maritime malt which, although technically “heavily peated” at 30-40ppm, has good balance between its smoky and wine-influenced facets. Ledaig does not show bonfire or barbecue smoke notes (at least in my experience). Instead, it has a sooty, mineral quality that is not unlike smelling a coal scuttle or unburnt barbecue briquettes. It’s a dry, almost austere character that I have always found very appealing. Its unpeated stablemate, Tobermory, also has this dry, mineralic austerity. This NAS expression was the first release in the distillery’s Sinclair Series, named after John Sinclair who founded the distillery in 1798. Initially matured in refill bourbon casks and then finished in ex-Rioja wine casks of undisclosed origin, it has the youthful exuberance and smokiness of young peated whisky, but it is certainly not rough or immature. I’d say it is around 5-8 years old. On first tasting I was reminded of the very good Ledaig 10 year old but without that expression’s citrus and ginger notes and instead featuring a cosy blanket of sweet red fruit. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)

Nose: Sherry, malt, raisins, tablet (a fudge-like Scottish sweet), toasted cereal, roasted nuts, a little orange zest and a smidge of vanilla. Crisp, clean oak cask. It has a full-bodied richness of aroma but no intrusive sulphur. Adding water brings out orange juice notes and slightly mutes the nose, but it's good either neat or watered. Palate: Sweet but firm arrival with stewed dark fruits, toffee, lots of malt extract, dark chocolate and espresso. Like the nose it has a fresh, crisp presentation. At first you think it will be a stereotypical “Christmas cake” sherried malt but suddenly the development jack-knifes and is overturned by a peppery explosion. The texture is good but not heavy. A dash of water tames the spices just a bit, reveals a little more complexity in the late development and adds a creamy quality to the mouthfeel. Finish: Medium. Sherried fruits sitting on a wave of pepper, chilli and hot ginger that slowly fades into a malty, dark fruit aftertaste. Adding water leaves the aftertaste a fraction sweeter. A good blended malt and an excellent example of just how good such blends can be. This is an exemplar of great sherry maturation and combination. Apparently (according to the Douglas Laing site) it contains Macallan, Mortlach and Glenrothes (among other sherried malts) and frankly I’d rather have it than the introductory versions of any of those named brands. Well, OK – maybe not the new Mortlach 12 - that's pretty nice. The bottle has the words “Small Batch Release” on the label but don’t think this is just meaningless marketing speak. This genuinely is a batch product and although the quality has been consistently high across the years the profile has drifted and recent batches have been spicier than it was on introduction. This tasting was from a bottle with the code “L 02 02 18 / Batch 15” (2018) that I bought in early 2020 and it is definitely one of the spicy ones. It responds very well to gentle dilution. A half teaspoon of water does not spoil anything but mutes the spiciness just a fraction, makes it a little more cohesive and lengthens the finish. A dash of water also immediately brings out a beautiful haze – this absolutely has not been chill-filtered, and I’d say it has only had very light barrier filtration. Bravo. This is a recommended dram for neat or diluted sipping, or for mixing where the spicy notes will work excellently against sweet flavours. Regular retail in Australia is $110 which is very reasonable. My bottle was $85 about a year ago on special and a bargain at the price - I should have bought several. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 rock-solid stars)

Nose: Intensely fragrant and complex. Herbal honey (acacia and leatherwood), nougat, beeswax, gooseberries, cherries, lilac, jasmine, apple blossom, sandalwood, Cointreau, freshly grated ginger, tamarind, mango conserve and an all pervasive, hauntingly reminiscent aroma of strawberry gummy sweets! Wow - what a nose! Adding water does not change the profile very much but adds weight and density. Palate: Lightly spicy, sweet and fruity on the arrival like mild mango chutney. It builds in complexity through the development with a fascinating progression through makrut lime leaf, basil and bay leaf, crystallised ginger, glacé pineapple, pine resin, unfiltered olive oil, honey, camphor, sweet cinnamon and a touch of oak. This is no simple caramel and vanilla dominated profile - it's more like a tropical fruit curry. The texture is rich, creamy and enveloping. Water adds to the creamy texture and softens the palate without unbalancing or muting the presentation. Finish: Very, very long. Spicy and sweet with a focus on fresh tropical fruit and honey. A lingering aftertaste of marshmallow and fruit salad with a tiny tannin presence. A zesty, feisty, sprightly gymnast of a whisky with youthful verve that completely belies its 23 years of age, yet a simultaneous maturity that lends authority and control. This whisky is the perfect marriage of distillate and cask and was bottled at the very apex of its maturation. Whoever was responsible for the wood management deserves a medal. Allt-a-Bhainne is not well known and until very recently there was no official bottling. There have only been about 40 expressions over the last 40 years, all from independent bottlers, and they have varied considerably. I’ve sampled it a few times in the past and not been particularly impressed, but this is an outstanding dram and certainly the best Allt-a-Bhainne I’ve ever tasted. It was also easily the most interesting thing I tasted at this year's Whisky Show. However, my friend who was also at the show that day did not care for this at all and seemed perplexed by how taken I was with it. I can understand why as it is not a typical “old” whisky character and the oak influence is not dominant. Lovers of Dalmore or Macallan would run shrieking from this dram, but if you favour Springbank or Mortlach you’d probably be seduced, as was I. The nose is shimmering with intensity and poised on the very knife-edge of caricature it is so floral and fruity. The sensation of smelling sour candy or Haribo gummy bears is inescapable and yet it seems completely natural, at ease with itself and not weird in the slightest. It’s almost as if this whisky is laughing with and at you, teasing and whispering “You want to know how far I’ll go? THIS is how far!”. The palate has a breathtakingly clean and fresh arrival that initially bursts on the palate like delicate, tannic, popping candy before instantly subsiding into a complex, unusual but very well balanced and satisfying profile. There is a little bit of heat from the high proof but you would never for an instant think this was 60.2% abv. I tasted it blind the first time and guessed it was in the low 50s. Some high-proof whiskies are excessively tight and need a lot of water to open and tell their story. In contrast, this is approachable, relaxed and immediately revealing when neat but continues to evolve and present new facets when diluted. Every sip was a renewed adventure and delight. My tasting #11 at the Sydney Whisky Show, 15 May 2021. Tasted from bottle 123/324, distilled 7 January 1997 and bottled 26 November 2020 for Rolling Cask Whisky. At AUD$240 for a 500ml bottle this is not cheap (the equivalent of US$280 for a 750ml bottle) but in my opinion it is worth every cent. I hesitated to buy it at that price and missed out, and I’m kicking myself now. “Excellent, just a whisker short of Outstanding" : 89/100 (4.75 stars)

Nose: Malt, butterscotch, honey, warm croissants and a pinch of cinnamon. A pleasantly rounded and rich nose. A dash of water mutes the aromas … perhaps a little too much? Palate: Honey and spices on the arrival (dill, fennel) with a texture like crème brûlée. Cereal, vanilla and lots of malt – almost like malted milk powder at times. Hearty and satisfying. Adding water does not change the profile a great deal, it just becomes less intense with a hint of peaches emerging. Finish: Long. Malt and vanilla into the aftertaste with an unexpected late peppery note. A pleasant single malt but maybe not one of the most interesting expressions I’ve tasted from Tomintoul. It’s reminiscent of the core range 16 year old with a little more heft, which is not a damning comparison at all as I’m quite partial to that whisky. However, while the 16 y.o. is a very soft, accessible and reasonably priced dram I’m not sure I would pay any more to own a bottle of this, particularly as it is only a 500ml bottle. Unfortunately, I did not make a note of either the abv strength or the price, but I believe it was in the mid 50% range and around $150. I’ll correct that later if I can find the precise information. This tasting was from bottle 136/424. I know virtually nothing about Rolling Cask Pty Ltd other than that it is a private company based in Sydney’s northern suburbs and that it was registered less than a year ago. They seem to be an independent bottler with just a few expressions at the moment, but details are almost impossible to find. All I can say is that based on the two bottles of their product that I have tasted so far they are doing a good job and I hope to see more from them in the future. Tasted at the Sydney Whisky Show, May 15, 2021. My tasting #10 “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)