Kornog Côteaux De Layon 2018

My local shopkeeper dared me to leave the usual 'beaten track' of Islay Whiskies when looking for a good peated drams and suggested this 'Kornog' from the 'Glann ar Mor Distillery' in the French Brittany. While I've tried (and purchased) a fair deal of non-Islay peated drams before (Ledaig, Talisker, ... ), I was a bit hesitant to shell out for a French whisky - peated or not. He appreciated my hesitation and let me taste a wee dram of this one. He asked me to forget that it was French, and then try to and judge it solely on its taste. He was right: On the nose, I found a mild but pleasant peat-smoke, blended with some fruits, while on the palate the peat and fruit-tones gets accompanied by some cinnamon and other spices plus, surprisingly, a hint of onions. It's also way sweeter that the nose would suggest, but not overly sweet. The aftertaste lasts a while, is pleasing and adds some figs to the sweat smoke. I was so positively surprised, that I purchased a bottle, and I'm not going to regret it! This Kornog is matured on ex-'Côteaux Du Layon' barrels - a sweet French white wine. It certainly adds to the full, round and balanced character of this whisky. Only 659 bottles were released/available, so for it's price a real treasure!