Tastes
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Aberlour Triple Cask
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed February 10, 2021 (edited April 29, 2021)Nose: Stewed fruit compote (apricot, apple, peach, raisin, current). Crème brûlée, vanilla and a trace of oak cask. There is a floral fragrance that becomes more distinct with time (strawberry, jonquil, lily-of-the-valley, honeysuckle – all very sweet honeyed aromas). Not the most complex nose but cohesive and leaning strongly towards a sweet profile. There’s a suggestion of cherry and almond nougat about it. Palate: Sweet, gentle arrival with the focus again on stewed fruits. A little tannin, liquorice and pepper appear in the mid-palate but for the most part it's very similar to the nose. The texture is slightly oily. Finish: Medium/short. Sweet preserved fruit. A pleasant whisky but not anything particularly special. I certainly wouldn’t turn down a free pour and it would be very agreeable as a soothing nightcap dram. The floral notes are particularly suited to quiet late-night sipping. The nose is notably sweet, hinting at almost syrupy toffee notes like caramelized popcorn and nut mixture. The palate follows through on this to an extent, but is not as sickly sweet as you might fear. The only fault, if it is a fault, is simplicity. This whisky reminded me strongly of Strathisla 12 year old – another very soft and gentle dram with a similarly floral character – and I’m rating it the same. This tasting was from a sample I’ve had for ages but only got around to tasting today. I don’t think this is still available but I’ve quoted the price it would have been when it was on the shelves. If you come across a dusty bottle of this for that sort of money it’s worth buying if you enjoy gentle whiskies like Strathisla or Tomintoul. However if you want a forceful sherry-bomb you’re better off with Aberlour a'bunadh which is a much "bigger" expression for not a lot more cash. “Above Average” : 82/100 (3.25 stars)120.0 AUD per Bottle -
Appearance: (neat) Transparent old gold. (louched) Off-white, creamy with a hint of yellow. The louche is thick by 1:1 and persists up to 1:4. Cloudy, dense and pearlescent. Aroma: Fragrantly herbal when neat with liquorice, mint and floral aromas (freesia and violets). A hint of green Chartreuse, cardamom and something medicinal (but pleasant) in the background. The nose dies off with dilution. Flavour and Texture: Herbal, sweet and anise-driven entry but it’s not unrelenting or ham-fisted. The anise is complex and nuanced with woody, herbal qualities and there is a very fine balancing floral component. The palate is crisp and refreshing. It’s like salmiak rockies that have been stored in a dresser drawer with a wildflower drawer liner or potpourri. The texture is not creamy and dense like absinthe but it does have “weight” on the tongue. The finish is medium/short with anise flavours lingering. There are no hard bitter or sharp flavours in the aftertaste but it is a little truncated. A very good pastis – one of the best. Henri Bardouin has a complex recipe that includes over 60 botanicals, but like all pastis the complexity is there to balance and support star anise, which is the undisputed prima donna of this drink. It’s always hard to review pastis as they can’t help but seem like absinthe’s younger and less talented sisters (still cute and charming for sure) and I miss the complex bitterness and lime overtones of grand wormwood and melissa. It is, however, a much simpler drink to prepare as it just needs a good pour of ice water followed by a couple of ice cubes. I guess you could call it the “everyday” substitute absinthe. Pastis also seem to have (to my stomach anyway) a naturally calmative property, and I very much enjoy taking them as either an aperitif or digestif. They are also delicious and cooling on a hot summer day. Distilleries et Domaines de Provence was founded as Distillerie de Lure in 1898 but its modern incarnation dates from 1974. They are acknowledged as one of the premier pastis producers and they also create RinQuinQuin peach aperitif and a range of other liqueurs. If you do not already know pastis, the so-called "milk of Marseilles”, and want to become acquainted you could do a lot worse than getting to know Henri Bardouin. “Very Good” : 85/100 (4 stars)90.0 AUD per Bottle
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Jade 1901 Absinthe Supérieure
Absinthe — Maine-et-Loire, France
Reviewed February 3, 2021 (edited August 17, 2022)Appearance: (neat) Green-tinged 18 carat gold. (louched) Dark, thick milky-green that is so dense it looks like a milkshake. The louche is slow to start and magnificent to behold. Thick swirling trails appear from every drop of water, entwining and embroiling. When the cloudiness starts to show it swims into focus from numerous points in the liquid, eventually coalescing into a thick fog with a blanket of olive-gold surface oils. The oils are fully emulsified by about 1:3 dilution. Released aromas of anise and wormwood are particularly noticeable throughout this process. Aroma: A rich, intoxicating bouquet of spring flowers and herbs. It has a pungent wildflower personality with a heady fennel and anise component. There are also bold, intense aromas more associated with spice-forward curries and tagines - curry leaf, cardamom seed, cumin, liquorice, fenugreek, tamarind and anise. These are enlivened by brighter aromas of peppermint, spearmint, oil of wintergreen and lemon sorbet. The complexity is remarkable. It has the woody, herbal quality displayed by all good absinthe but the presentation in this case is particularly subtle and light of touch. A wooded frisson applied to a citrus/spice persona. Flavour: The entry is sweet, bitter, spicy, slightly astringent and numbing. The profile is a balance of fennel, green anise and wormwood with supporting herbal complexity that suggests pine-forests and dark, moist earth. There is a little saltiness and a bright resinous note almost like juniper. The texture is lush and oily and the aftertaste is exceptionally long and focused on the anise and wormwood with an almost black jellybean/liquorice flavor. Half an hour after finishing a glass I can still clearly taste the complex array of flavours on the palate. Stunning. Initially I tasted this when the surface oils had just absorbed, at about 1:3 dilution. At that point it was explosively intense and flooded the palate with flavor, but subsequent sips became almost overbearing. Experienced absentheurs will probably like it at this point but I added more ice water and took it to about 1:5 dilution. At this point it was much friendlier but still presented a huge personality. This peerless work of art was the second product created by Ted Breaux based on his analysis of 19th century absinthe samples. In this case the absinthes came from Pernod bottles and Mr Breaux's final product is as close as most of us will ever get to fin de siècle Pernod Fils absinthe. Enthusiasts and critics who have had the singular fortune of tasting genuine pre-ban Pernod absinthe are agreed that this expression bears a strong similarity to the original article and I weep tears of joy that I am blessed with even a simulacrum of the original. Jade 1901 is produced entirely by hand in small batches at Distillerie Combier in Saumur. The stills used are the original 19th century Pernod Fils stills from Pontarlier which were bought by Combier in 1920 after the absinthe ban came into effect. Ted Breaux used to produce every batch personally but I believe he has now entrusted ongoing production to the distillery. The base spirit is grape marc and the new absinthe is aged for three years in oak casks before being bottled. It is a naturally coloured verte absinthe but I’m uncertain at which point the colour (derived from nettle maceration) is added. This is not an absinthe that I would drink every day, just as I would not drink Octomore or Caroni every day. This is an intense experience to savour and respect when you have time and are in the right mood. It is another wonderful absinthe from the Jade portfolio that I can enthusiastically recommend. If you are serious about investigating the glorious world of absinthe you NEED to taste this. “Outstanding” : 96/100 (5 stars)199.0 AUD per Bottle -
Cappelletti Aperitivo Americano Rosso
Other Aromatized Wine — Trentino, Italy
Reviewed February 3, 2021 (edited August 6, 2023)Appearance: Bright ruby red. Aroma: Bittersweet herbal aromas that are reminiscent of an alpine amaro. Gentian, aged red wine, mountain herbs, deep citrus zest aromas. Complex and interesting. Flavour and Texture: Sweet but full-bodied with herbal bitterness to add balance. Very reserved citrus flavours. Mouth-watering and earthy, with sage and gentian in the aftertaste. Thanks to @bigwhitemike for suggesting this to me a couple of months ago. I bought a bottle that day but as I had a heap of things already open and in need of finishing I’ve only just got around to tasting it. A very good aperitivo, it’s a new favourite and a definite step up from most. In profile it is somewhere between Aperol, Select and Campari but more interesting than the first two and less bitter than the third. Cappelletti produce a very good alpine amaro called Pasubio that is based on aged red wine – I could easily believe that this is either derived from that drink or else shares an ingredient recipe or manufacturing process. It’s enjoyable neat, and improved with a few ice cubes. It is versatile and mixes well with everything from soda water to dry sparkling wine to lemonade. Even tonic water works well. The complex bitter herbal personality at its base is the key as it works particularly well with the wine component. Delicious and more interesting than most aperitivi. In comparison, an Aperol spritz tastes like Fanta orange soda. “Excellent” : 88/100 (4.5 stars)35.0 AUD per Bottle -
Appearance: Bright artificial orange/red. Aroma: Sweetened citrus, mainly orange and grapefruit. The merest hint of spice. Flavour and Texture: Sugary sweet citrus zest with some herbal bitterness when neat. It is greatly improved when used as a flavor base for a spritz with prosecco, champagne or even just soda. The sweetness needs to be reduced to a balancing role before the complexity of palate shows through. An agreeable aperitivo, but not one that lives on the top shelf. It is similar to Aperol but is less fresh citrus forward and more herbal. There is a grapefruit note that gains in prominence when diluted, but whether it is actually derived from grapefruit oils or is a combination of citrus and gentian, I couldn’t say. Gentian itself is certainly noticeable – in fact Luxardo is something like Aperol with a splash of Suze. Good value and certainly worth a try as an alternative in your usual favourite summer spritz, but for my palate probably the most "generic" of the aperitivi I've tried. “Average” : 79/100 (2.75 stars)25.0 AUD per Bottle
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Duplais Balance Verte Absinthe
Absinthe — Kallnach, Switzerland
Reviewed January 31, 2021 (edited July 12, 2023)Appearance: (neat) Pale moss with yellow peridot highlights. (louched) Pale, opalescent with an off-white bluish hue. The louche starts slowly but then suddenly blossoms just before 1:1 and is fully formed by 1:3, however it is not a strong louche and has a cloudy appearance rather than being dense and opaque. Against a strong light the louche is misty. Nose: (neat) Green anise, fennel, mint. Fresh piney notes and hint of almond. (louched) The aromas develop strongly with the first drops of water and are easily noticed from a distance. Clean and fresh in character with well defined wormwood. The anise is held in check and there is a light floral and spearmint presence along with a woody note. Palate: Poised and delicate. The balance between the holy trinity of green anise, grand wormwood and fennel is good with the green anise being slightly forward. The palate has a pleasant texture but it is not quite creamy. As the palate develops you notice subtle woody qualities, and later more complex alpine herbal flavours and a forceful presence of mint. At no time is there any suggestion of hard or gripping notes, even at very low dilution ratios, but there is an agreeable bitter taste to the later palate and finish. I’d recommend not over-watering this absinthe as its delicate character can easily be drowned. I’d suggest a ratio of 1:3, at which point there is a little tangy numbingness to the sides of the tongue and the palate is at its best. Duplais Balance was formulated by Oliver Matter at Matter-Luginbuhl distillery, located near Bern. His recipe was based on one from Paul Duplais’ 1855 book “A Treatise on the Manufacture & Distillation of Alcoholic Liqueurs”. It is a well constructed absinthe that, like its name, displays excellent balance. However the name is actually an hommage to musician and artist Jhonn Balance who died tragically following an accident in 2004. This is a good absinthe, and very well made, however it is not one of the greats and as it costs the same as any of the Jade range I would recommend one of those instead. I have mostly been using this for making Sazaracs rather than taking it diluted on its own. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5)199.0 AUD per Bottle -
Plantation Pineapple Stiggins' Fancy Rum
Flavored Rum — Multiple Countries
Reviewed January 30, 2021 (edited February 28, 2021)Nose: Light fruity aromas (peach, apricot, rockmelon) with a fragrant character, as if there is a hint of frangipani or jasmine. Pineapple is there, but reserved and subtle. Brown sugar, vanilla, and just a hint of oak cask. Palate: Very soft and supple arrival. Sweet, but not syrupy, more like nectar or honey-water. The pineapple presence is again subtle but it is pervasive. You can’t fail to notice it, but it is not at all heavy or gauche. Vanilla notes and tropical fruit fill out the sweet palate development. The texture is beguiling. Finish: Short. Sweet, fruity, mild sugars and suggestions of very soft spice. This is one of those drinks I’ve been meaning to try for a long time but kept putting off. It catches my eye every time I’m at the liquor shop but until today I’ve always reached past it, not because I didn’t think it would be good, but because something else always looked more interesting. Today it happened to be on sale so the time had come, and now I’m wishing I’d not waited so long. This is delightful. I’ve tasted a number of flavoured and spiced rums (although admittedly it’s not a favourite category) and this is without doubt the best I’ve experienced. The naturalness of the pineapple presence is captivating and akin to freshly squeezed pineapple juice that has been diluted just a little with sweetened water. Although there is a fairly hefty dosage employed (20g/litre) on this occasion it works very well and there is something about this rum that is half-way between a liqueur and a spirit. My usual preference is for big, estery rums with loud hogo and I avoid sweet rums as they are cloying to my palate. However the sweetness of this flavoured rum works because it is restrained and the texture is light and delicate. It’s delicious neat as a digestif and we have several ideas for using it in cocktails (it teams well with coconut milk) or as an addition to spritzes and sangria. My favourite ways to take it so far are either neat or as a long drink (30ml Pineapple Stiggins over 3-4 ice cubes, 100ml dry ginger ale, a slice of lime and top up with soda water). “Very Good” : 85/100 (4 stars)62.0 AUD per Bottle -
Black Gate 520s Peated Cask Strength
Single Malt — Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia
Reviewed January 20, 2021 (edited July 13, 2022)Whisky Tasting : The Oak Barrel, Sydney, 19 January 2021. Whisky #6 Nose: Orchard fruits, mild peat, honeysuckle, roast beef, charcoal, toffee, flamed orange peel, burnt butter, a hint of liquorice. The nose is ultra-tight and very spirity when neat and must be reduced with water to allow its full potential to be revealed. Palate: Sweet syrup, toffee, caramel, malt extract, plum pudding, almost-rotting tropical fruits. That’s just the arrival. The development brings raspberry and blackberry jams, maple-glazed barbecue, sweet tobacco and buttered soot. The texture is full, heavy, rich and mouth-coating. Finish: Very long. Peated Christmas cake. What an amazing whisky – it’s like a mixture of Glenfarclas 105 and Ardbeg Uigeadail, and yes you read that strength correctly. This is 71.3% abv. The astonishing thing is that it is not only drinkable at that neat strength (but you need to be careful!) but it is delicious. It is like drinking highly peated, highly flavoured thinned molasses. Black Gate is fast becoming one of my favourite Australian distilleries. Run by Brian and Genise Hollingworth, it is a small operation with a growing cult following They are located at Mendooran near Dubbo in country NSW where the daily temperature at can fluctuate by up to 40 degrees celsius. Their stills are small and direct-fired, producing an oily, pungent, highly flavoursome new-make with toasted cereal and caramelised sugar notes. The spirit is matured in small casks (some extremely small) and yet while Brian manages to coax as much flavour and aroma as possible from them he somehow manages to avoid tannins. The malt for this expression was heavily peated and imported from Bairds in Scotland. The spirit was aged in five 20 litre(!) refill ex-apera casks that were vatted for bottling. Like many Australian whiskies this one is expensive at the equivalent of US$170 for a 500ml bottle, but for once the cost is justified. This is a very good artisanal whisky and for me it stole the show at the tasting. “Very Good” : 89/100 (4.75 stars)220.0 AUD per Bottle -
Corowa Distilling Co. Peated Single Barrel #242
Single Malt — New South Wales, Australia
Reviewed January 20, 2021 (edited January 26, 2021)Whisky Tasting : The Oak Barrel, Sydney, 19 January 2021. Whisky #5 Nose: Light fruity and floral notes on first nosing. A green-hay and cereal character, sweet and fragrant with hints of vanilla, honey and oak cask. Very little trace of peat – virtually none on first nosing (but see the comments below). Palate: Sweet smoky and fruity arrival. Citrus, apple, pear and a considerably greater smoke presence than the nose would lead you to expect. Not ashen or sooty smoke either, but reminiscent of mild highland peat-smoke. The smoke builds as it develops but there is also a slight sour plastic note towards the finish. The texture is pleasant – lightly creamy/oily but not heavy. Finish: Medium/long. Smoked fruit and cereal but the hint of plastic remains. A single-cask expression of Corowa’s clean, crisp distillate that was matured in a first-fill American oak barrel for just over 2 ½ years. It has a very agreeable light, fruity and cereal character with a touch of sweetness, and I was not at all surprised to learn that it was an ex-Jack Daniels barrel. Curiously, you would hardly tell it is a peated whisky from the initial aromas. There is the faintest hint of char but no real peat-smoke quality. However, the taste is very smoky right from the arrival and it develops billows of barbecued fruit as it rests on the palate. It’s not a meat-barbecue or maritime smoke and there is no salinity. When you go back to the nose again after the initial taste the peat smoke is now obvious, and this "feedback loop" builds as you continue to taste and nose. It’s a very pleasant whisky but it’s not outstanding. There is nothing specific to criticize, but it is very similar to a lot of other light, fruity, peated whiskies and it tends to disappear in the crowd. This is an issue given the price which is quite high. AUD$199 for a 500 ml bottle translates to the equivalent of US$230 for a standard 750ml bottle. That’s an awful lot to pay for just another “OK” peated whisky. Certainly worth a pour, but I wouldn’t buy a bottle. “Above Average” : 81/100 (3 stars)199.0 AUD per Bottle -
Chief's Son "900 Standard" Single Cask #58
Single Malt — Mornington Peninsula, Victoria , Australia
Reviewed January 19, 2021 (edited January 20, 2021)Whisky Tasting : The Oak Barrel, Sydney, 19 January 2021. Whisky #3 Nose: Fresh-cut hay, orchard fruits, tobacco, sultanas, leather, wood shavings. Clean, with a hint of vanilla, but it’s too tightly wrapped when neat to reveal its full character and there is an initial pall of ethanol that has to disperse before you can come to grips with it. A dash of water helps to reveal the nose. Palate: Very cereal-centric arrival. Bright grains with an herbal compote, anise, ginger, cinnamon, pepper and cacao. Like the nose it is tight and hot when neat and although it is a “big” whisky it is a little thin in texture. As it develops a more toasted grain flavour becomes apparent. Water tames the palate but does not substantially change the profile or unbalance it. Finish: Medium. Toasted cereal turning to sweet/tart dark fruit notes in the aftertaste. Water initially kills the nose but given time to recompose it gains body and sweetness. The palate is brisk and spicy, even when diluted down to well below 40%. It’s a hot whisky with the casks clearly apparent as a separate woody aroma, but not really cooperating with the spirit. It is well balanced but seems young. However it also shows a lot of potential – there is a strong personality to the distillate that will stand up to long maturation in the right conditions and gain greater depth of character. The big issue for me is the high price. Regardless of how good this may be and what potential it shows, right now it is the same price as a bottle of 18 year old Springbank and it is simply not of that class. “Above Average” : 82/100 (3.25 stars)270.0 AUD per Bottle
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