Author Archives: Carissa Hickling

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About Carissa Hickling

Originally from Canada, then India for 20 years, now working in Germany... and quite a 'Whisky Lady' too!

Whisky Lady – April til June 2025

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This was a quarter of change and an opportunity to catch a breath, and reconnect with family and friends. This is why my whisky tasting notes are an assortment of countries, experiences past and present, reflecting a time of transition in every way – professionally and with family too.

In Germany, we joined a special charitable event in March which featured delicious Ethiopian food and African whiskies, organised by the good folks at Hawelti. It was such an interesting variety of spirits, grains, and single malts – what a treat!

We also had a few whisky farewell evenings, helping me clean out my Nurnberg, Germany whisky cabinet before the big move back to Mumbai, India. We began with an evening of contrast and compare! We started with a Glenglassaugh, moved on to a trio of Kavalan Solists and closed with a standard and special Port finished The Six Isles.

This was followed by another evening with a North American theme featuring a Shelter Point Ripple Rock from a Whisky Ladies of Mumbai evening, then a trio from America with 10th Street. We closed our evening with some classics – a revisit of Chorlton’s Tomintoul and Glen Ord.

In Mumbai, we brought together the Whisky Ladies and Bombay Malt & Cigar gents in January, after a few years of hiatus. It was such fun to gather, consider, and enjoy. We selected a trio of easy-drinking Welsh Penderyn’s followed by a new American entrant – 10th Street STR Dragon. Whilst we didn’t specifically intend it to be an exploration of Port, it turned out to be a clear theme.

It was also my turn to host the Bombay Malt & Cigar gents’ whiskies, for which I decided to go for a Scottish whisky regions theme, with a bonus of Island – Highland Park.

In the spirit of catching up, I also stumbled across tasting notes for a missed entry about South Korea’s Ki-One whisky at London’s 2024 Whisky Show.

Nurnberg’s The Village Whisky show was back! And yet again, I could not join – felled by terrible flu. I seem to have the WORST luck with this whisky festival. The 1st time in 2020, we had COVID looming around the corner. It was then cancelled. In 2023, I had major dental issues, making tasting impossible. This was followed in 2024 with a busted ankle, making walking and standing challenging – something you must do A LOT to get the most out of a whisky festival! Hence, I went only to catch the Milk & Honey Masterclass and a small toast with the Sharing Angels. I had great hopes that 2025 would break my bad luck – nope!

Talk about delayed posting! However, I’m proud to share that I am fully caught up. All scribbles have been converted into posts! I can’t wait to see what next quarter has in store – both in life and whisky-wise!

Curious to know more? Check out a few more summaries:

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Israel’s Milk and Honey Masterclass

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Years ago, a friend shared a small sample of new-make spirit from Milk & Honey. It was quite promising, and though only one element of a complex and creative equation that goes into producing a good dram, an intriguing start.

Fast forward to Nurnberg’s The Village Whisky Fest in 2024. My friends and I were curious about this distillery, so we signed up for the Masterclass with Shilton Almeida. Previously with Paul John from Goa, Shilton is known to spin yarns as good as any Scotsman, so we knew we were in for an amusing and educational time!

Before us were five drams…. Shilton shared a philosophy of working with the five different climates of Israel.

So, what is the story with their Elements expressions?

The M&H Elements series is a composition of flavors and aromas assembled from meticulously selected casks that bring forward characters enhanced by the casks’ wood, origin, and history. Each expression in this series begins with the M&H Classic Single Malt Whisky and is complemented with whisky matured in various hand-picked, superlative, and quality oak casks, culminating in a beautiful natural color, impressive flavors, and a well-balanced single malt. The M&H Elements manifest the combination of traditional distillation methods with rapid but graceful hot climate maturation.

M&H Elements Pomegranate Wine Cask Special Edition 46%

We began with something that was already unique – a pomegranate wine cask! What did we think?

  • Nose – Surprisingly rum-like, very sweet and dessert-like, followed by a hint of pomegranate with its slightly bitter element from the seeds, then shifted back into a heavy honey, dark chocolate with a hint of marmalade
  • Palate – A lovely texture, rolling about the mouth with fruits and sugars, with a touch of sourness too
  • Finish – Light, juicy red berries

This was a delightful fresh summery whisky. Shilton shared how it was initially aged in ex-bourbon casks, before spending six months in ex-pomegranate wine casks, crafting a rather unique experience. Does it work? Yes, rather well!

Shilton shared our next expression was matured in an STR cask – Shaved, Toasted & Re-chared in an ex Red wine barrique. 

M&H Single Cask 55.5%

  • Nose – Deliciously sweet, honey, vanilla, and guava
  • Palate – Wood spice, tropical fruits like bananas and mangoes, sweet, and spice and everything nice!
  • Finish – Long and strong, really lasts with subtle fruits

Now this one is rather juicy! It was described as an “easy sipping dram”, yet with enough of a spice kick to keep it interesting. And whilst STR casks are not necessarily my favourite, in this case it worked with an enjoyable influence of the red wine barrique.

We moved on to the Apex terroir expressions, exploring the impact of both the cask and the environment, selecting distinctly different conditions in Israel.

We began with the expression matured in the Dead Sea – the lowest location on Earth, where the M&H share that 

the air pressure and high temperatures practically squeeze flavour from our casks, resulting in an intense dram that clearly reflects the climatic terroir the whisky endured.

Full of minerality and spice as well as a well rounded sweetness, this is a unique insight into the most extreme exploration of whisky terroir ever attempted.

M&H APEX Dead Sea 56.5%

  • Nose – So much going on here! A wonderful, rich perfume, vanilla, chocolate, joined by a marvelous marmalade
  • Palate – It had an “aged” feel, dangerous, full of spice, more of the marmalade joined by sweet spices and something savoury too
  • Finish – Very loong, from sweet spices to saline, most enjoyable

This is the kind of expression that demands one to slow down and pay attention.  This was NOT the kind of whsky one wishes to encounter at a festival with a mere sniff and swish. It had a lovely mix of sweet, spice, savoury and saline.

Their official tasting notes indicate:

  • Aroma: Sweet with French vanilla and mocha nestled within a cigar box.
  • Palate: Gentle black tea is followed by a rush of warm spices such as cinnamon, coriander seeds, and dark cocoa powder.
  • Finish: Long and satisfying with candied ginger and cloves, joined by characteristically minerally sea salt

Shilton shared that this expression was 70% ex-Bourbon, 25% STR, and 5% virgin oak.

A most intriguing and enjoyable dram!

The M&H Apex Sherry was our next whisky, matured in Olorosso PX casks…

M&H APEX Sherry 53.6% 

  • Nose – Full sherry aromas, heavy dark plums, rum raisins, spice, a delicious Christmas cake
  • Palate – Wow! A robust round rich and chewy sherry with some lovely elements
  • Finish – Another rather delicious dram
  • Water – Helps make it even juicier, more well-rounded as it opened more

This was the most voluptuous of the quintet! Indulgent and enjoyable.

We closed with the Apex Peated expression, finished in a fortified red wine cask.

M&H APEX Peated Fort Red Wine 55.3% 

  • Nose – There is a sweet marshmallow initially, then it reveals the peat, ashy yet fruity
  • Palate – Very ashy, shifts into a meaty, sweet BBQ sauce, very chewy
  • Finish – Strong, the ash continues

The peat was initially subtle on the nose yet ashy and dry on the palate. A conversation dram. Challenging. Curious. And a rather smart way to close our Masterclass!

The official tasting notes are:

  • Nose: Red dried fruits, waxy with notes of wine cork and cigar box. Sweet peat and oak.
  • Palate: Chewy, peaty, and spicy with caramel, dark fruits, and a hint of smoky tannins.
  • Finish: Long with warm spices and cocoa. Oaky and peaty with orange peel.

Well worth exploring all five expressions! An informative and entertaining Masterclass – many thanks!

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Glenglassaugh Octaves Classic 44%

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Our Nurnberg Whisky Explorers’ April evening was a mix of offerings. We began our explorations with a curiosity – a Glenglassaugh Octaves Classic. We then moved on to a trio of cask strength single cask expressions from Taiwan – specifically the Kavalan Solist Trio of Sherry, Vinho Barrique, and Port. We closed our tasting with The Six Isles Scottish blend, comparing their standard expression with their special Port edition.

So… why was the Glenglassaugh a curiosity? I’ve shared below my mixed experience with this distillery. From a stellar example of the original spirit from 1965 with a remarkable 40 year to a lasting impression of the early expressions from the new distillery, that they were brought out just a little too, well, early! 

A fellow whisky explorer in Nurnberg also had similar mixed experiences. Which is exactly why he purchased this special edition Octaves Classic, to see what Rachel Barrie could do with smaller batches with higher spirit / wood contact possible with Octaves.

The result? Read on…

Glenglassaugh Octaves Classic Batch 2, 44%

  • Nose – A distinctive metallic edge, followed by some exotic fruits, then chocolate and vanilla. Some sulfur too.
  • Palate – Harsh at first, tingling and prickly, peppery, quite wood forward, then as it settled, it revealed fruits – mostly tropical – becoming a bit sweeter and smoother the more time it spent in the glass
  • Finish – A bit bitter initially like coffee, then warmed up

Let’s just say that we weren’t exactly won over!

What more do we know? Not much. Whilst this expression is no longer on the official Glenglassaugh Distillery site, it was a combination of Bourbon, Pedro Ximénez, and Amontillado Sherry Cask Octaves.

Whilst I’m happy to have a chance to revisit this revived distillery a decade after my initial experience, it still isn’t a priority for future explorations.

What about other Glenglassaugh experiences? Read on…

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Kavalan Solist Trio of Sherry, Vinho Barrique, Port

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Kavalan from Taiwan has enjoyed immense popularity, particularly for its singular Solist line of cask-strength single cask single malts with different finishes. Some years ago, our Mumbai-based whisky clubs had a bit of a love affair with Kavalan. From a notable evening dedicated to trio of Kavalan Solist Brandy, Port and Sherry to a terrific zip through nearly their full collection in Singapore at Whisky Live in 2017!

The Bombay Malt and Cigar lads decided to crack open three in May 2024. Ideally, I would have brought my Kavalan Solist Bourbon to join the Sherry, Vinho Barrique and Port! However, alas this was yet another Mumbai tasting that I missed. Kindly, our host set aside some generous samples which I had the pleasure of sharing a year later with our Nürberg Whisky Explorers group – what fun!

Kavalan Solist Sherry

  • Nose – Oh my! Rich coffee liqueur, sherry, intense and dense
  • Palate – Flavour packed! Sweet, very dense, a real sherry bomb with tobacco, a nutty chocolate, bursting with sweet spices, wood was also prominent, and above all rich, chewy, strong coffee
  • Finish – A very long finish with black licorice
  • Water – Helps make it plumper, juicy fruits on the nose with dried figs and dates on the palate

This was a classic Kavalan Solist – highly compacted and complex. It is sweet without being overly so. Intense and interesting yet not overwhelming. A rich, beautiful dram bursting with character.

Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique Cask No W160331032A 57.1% (201 bottles)

  • Nose – What a contrast from the sherry! There was a delightful, sweet mahogany wood on the nose, warming into a creamy, buttery chocolate chased by sweet jasmine
  • Palate – Fruity, juicy, smooth chocolate, really quite voluptuous! Oily, tobacco joins the fruit
  • Finish – Long and luscious

Curiously, we were not in the least interested in adding water – it was perfect just as is! Perhaps we should have started with this one – it is almost too polite after the robust sherry.

Kavalan Solist Port

  • Nose – Sharp and makes you work! Tobacco, molasses, sugary chocolate-covered coffee beans, then fresh wood… as it opened, it was joined by fruit
  • Palate – Strong, very dry, furry on the tongue, chocolate raisins
  • Finish – A long finish
  • Revisit – We came back to this expression after some time and found a rather delicious sweet caramelized onion, almost like bacon jam – yum!

In some ways, this was the “smoothest” of the trio. It became sweeter the more time it spent in the glass. From memory, the last Kavalan Solist Port I tried clearly had a fortified sweet wine element, whereas this was not so distinctly Port per se.

For me the highlight was sharing these intense, highly concentrated cask strength expressions with a new audience in Germany. None other than I had tried Kavalan before with this trio a terrific introduction for seasoned whisky aficionados.

A pity we didn’t have the exact cask numbers and alcohol strength for the Sherry and Port, however, they were likely purchased around 2021 – 2022. Whereas the Vinho Barrique was bought in June 2022 for Eur 125 in Germany, then traveled back to the UK and on to India.

Other Kavalans tasted over the years….

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Introducing 10th Street American Single Malts

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These days, a Canadian enjoying an American whisky is considered highly unpatriotic! However, back in 2024 when this trio came to me, we were still cordial neighbours. Setting politics aside, it has been some time since I was intrigued by whisky from “south of the border,” like 10th Street….

10th Street is the brainchild of a IIT grads from India who built successful careers in San Jose, California. Over the years, they discovered a mutual love whisky and, like all good Silicon Valley stories, started tinkering with making their own spirits until the experiments evolved from curiosity into a business!

I brought the 10th Street Triple Cask to a January 2025 evening with the Whisky Ladies and Bombay Malt & Cigar gentlemen. I then took a sample to Nürnberg to try alongside two minis.

10th Street Triple Cask “Dragon” STR Single Malt (2024) Barrel No 476 55.6%

  • Colour – Deep ruby red, almost like coffee
  • Nose – Jackfruit, perhaps even a hint of citrus to start? Another thought dragon fruit. Bottom line, there was fruit but not your typical orchard or tropical fruits. Grainy, jeera powder, more like rye than whisky at first, then opens to sweet bananas, walnuts, rum cake, loads of ginger… over time the bananas became overripe. It then shifted into a caramel custard… and finally a lovely floral aroma emerged – apple blossoms on a warm sunny day…
  • Palate – I’m awake now! Powdered garam masala, cinnamon, and black pepper. Lots of body, syrupy chocolate-filled liqueur – Williams pear? Oily with a great mouthful. The spice was joined by something almost like chewing on coffee beans.
  • Finish – When first opened, we experienced a big flavourful finish with great staying power… however, in the sample tried months later the finish was much shorter
  • Revisit – We set this aside and returned to candy floss on the nose with fruits and nuts on the palate. Yum!

One person remarked that the aromas reminded him of a beef brisket! Another thought the finish was like breathing “thick air”. We particularly enjoyed how the nose evolved and the contrast of sweet aromas with a substantial body.

Here’s what the folks at 10th Street have to say:

We were not surprised that our Triple Cask was crowned the best whisky at Whiskies of the World, beating several renowned whiskies. You can learn more about the competition here. First released in the 2024, the year of the Dragon, our pot still distilled, non-chill filtered single malt has spent time in three different casks. After aging in STR casks, it was finished in Wine Casks followed by Port Casks. The result is a delicious whisky with complex layers and a lingering finish. Enjoy the Dragon.

Tasting Notes: The nose is rich and aromatic, with prominent notes of dried fruit, caramel, and toasted oak. Subtle hints of spice, dark chocolate, and a touch of citrus add depth to the aroma.

This whisky is full-bodied and intense on the palate, delivering bold flavors of toffee, dark chocolate, and roasted nuts. The influence of the triple cask aging adds layers of spice, charred wood, and a slight smokiness, balanced by sweeter notes of vanilla and honey.

What fun! This was certainly an interesting start. A few months later in Nürnberg, I sat down to revisit the Triple Cask “Dragon” together with the Port Peated and STR. Here is what my tasting companion and I found…

10th Street STR Single Malt 56.2% 

  • Nose – Cloves, semi-dried dates, baklava, raisins, red licorice, cranberries, aamchor, a hint of herbs like a mix of fresh mint and basil
  • Palate – Nice and spicy, a bit sour like sour cherry or plum – it reminded me of li hing mui, some oak, as it continued to open, it became sweeter and sweeter, revealing a Linden flower honey
  • Finish – Like on the palate, it sweetened the more as it lingered, then shifted into something a bit sour and herbal

I couldn’t help myself – though I was tasting in Germany, I kept having associations with distinctly Indian elements – from raw mango powder (aamchor) to a bit sour (khatta) and also Chinese with li hing mui. Fascinating!

10th Street Port Cask Peated Single Malt 58.2%

  • Nose – A sea salty maritime peat, balsamic, kalamata black olive brine – think of a delightfully dirty martini! Over time, the balsamic element disappeared to be replaced by smoked meats, and then finally, a hint of port emerged
  • Palate – Surprisingly soft, a lovely cinnamon peat, dry yet balanced, a gentle sweet peat
  • Finish – Here we have a finish where the peat lingers

There are so many different kinds of peat. This one clearly fell into the more ‘maritime’ category. And like all the 10th Street expressions, we found it sweetened over time.

Whilst the STR and Port Peated expressions were interesting, we returned to the “Dragon” Triple Cask – enjoying both the complexity of its aromas and leisurely sipping.

You can tell this is a passion project combined with engineering precision. No shortcuts. Deliberately narrow cuts. Experimentation? Sure! The technical geek side mingles with artistry. Focusing purely on the domestic US market – that too only a few states – it will be interesting to see how 10th Street continues to evolve in the coming years. In the interim – bravo for a solid start!!

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Contrast and compare – The Six Isles Standard vs Port

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Early May in Nurnberg can be glorious – everything goes from grey to green, the sun often comes out, long days, warm but not sweltering. Whisky sipping is still possible, just veers more towards brighter, lighter styles away from heavy peats or dense sherries.

By a remarkable coincidence, a tasting companion brought a Six Isles Port expression to our evening, along with a 20 ml sample from an Advent Calendar. One sample alone was insufficient for a tasting… that was when I remembered I had the same Advent Calendar with another sample and also one from my Canada stash too! And this is how we had sufficient to try both the original and Port finish!

For those unfamiliar with this blend, The Six Isles celebrates Scottish island whiskies, embracing the maritime sensibility with light peat. The distilleries are fairly clear from most of the Islands via their descriptions:

  • Arran brings harmony with its Lochranza distillery
  • Jura distinctiveness – obviously Jura!
  • Mull is dramatic and colourful in its landscape and harbour – Tobermoray / Ledaig
  • Skye is a land of mountain ranges, rugged characterful – Talisker
  • Orkney in the far north with honey, wood smoke – Highland Park (likely not the Scapa)
  • Islay brings the wisp of peat smoke, with the distillery a mystery

This is a “pure” or “blended malt” with no grain whisky. Below is a picture of their old label for the standard expression…

The Six Isles 46%

  • Nose – Aromatic smoke, gentle, clear maritime stamp with the spray of sea salt – one taster even found a bit of Agave!
  • Palate – Whilst most enjoyable, it is a bit “light’ or superficial, missing a bit of depth
  • Finish – Short yet entirely pleasant

Overall, we pronounced it a good blend – the peat tobacco was light, keeping this more in the vein of a summer dram than one reserved for a cold winter day.

One tasting companion quipped, “It arrives like an Arran and leaves like an Islay“.

Six Isles Port Finish 48%

  • Nose – Similar vein as the standard, yet with more substance… a hint of port in the aromas, yet quite subtle… some fruit, a bit of vanilla
  • Palate – Caramelised bacon, very sweet and fruity – a bit citrusy with melons too, more pronounced tobacco as well
  • Finish – A nice cinnamon peat on the finish

We found this sharper with more depth than the standard expression. The extra 2% strength likely added to its character – everything had just a dash more “Ooomph!”

Here’s what they have to say about their Port finish:

  • Nose: Fragrant smoke, orange peel and cranberry, bonoffee tart and fresh dill
  • Palate: Red fruits and cream, a hint of vanilla, watermelon, grapefruit and soft peat smoke
  • Finish: Short, crisp and sweet with a mild lingering peat

After reading their tasting notes, I would tend to agree! Above all – what fun to compare these two expressions side by side!

PS – Both the Port expression and photos come courtesy of a Nurnberg International Whisky Explorers club!

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Shelter Point’s Ripple Rock 46%

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Since our first experience with Shelter Point in 2017, we’ve enjoyed keeping up with their different expressions. Thankfully, I’m not the only fan, so sometimes I benefit from purchases made by a fellow Canadian! Which is how this particular bottle made its way from Vancouver, Canada to Mumbai, India, then a sample to Nürnberg, Germany!

Shelter Point Ripple Rock 46%

  • Nose – There was a distinctly mineral quality, a bit chalky, some saline or sea salt. Quite straightforward, oak, herbs. As it opened, it revealed a subtle roasted caramel buttered popcorn. As more time passed, it became sweeter with raisins and richer with a hint of chocolate
  • Palate – A nice spice, a touch bitter with nuts, wood forward, toast, some cloves… like the nose, the more time this dram spent in the glass, the more it sweetened
  • Finish –  A light finish

As we continued to sniff and sip, we declared this a nice “accompaniment” whisky. Something to enjoy in autumn as dusk falls. Nice.

What more do we know? Well, check out what the folks at Shelter Point have to say about their Ripple Rock expression:

Campbell River’s 1958 Ripple Rock explosion is the inspiration for our latest single malt whisky. It has spent 6 years in American oak before finishing for 18 months in an alligator charred Virgin Oak cask.

And their official Tasting Notes:

On the nose, The Ripple Rock has distinct notes of vanilla with a slight chocolate note. The palate is spicy with an intense chocolate flavour all leading to a wonderfully satisfying finish that is long with an assortment of spiciness, chocolate and vanilla

Retailing in Canada for CND 78, it was opened for the Whisky Ladies of Mumbai in June 2024 with the sample tasted in May 2025.

Curious about other experiences? Here are a few more Shelter Points sampled by the Nurnberg’s Whisky Explorers:

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Canadian stash – Benjamin Kuentz, 6 Isles, Clynelish 14, Balblair 16

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In October 2024, I found myself in Winnipeg, enjoying a relaxing evening with friends, cracking open the Whisky Warehouse No 8 quartet – sweet! Talk turned to how our open whisky bottles sit in our respective cupboards for years – with our infrequent imbibing. This led to an offer to refill the 20 ml bottles emptied from our tasting with a few “take-home” presents.

I perused the familiar drams in their well-stocked whisky cabinet, selecting whiskies all previously tried… The concept was simple – consider ones where I could easily craft an interesting compare and contrast experience with related expressions.

From France, Benjamin Kuentz’s Aveux Gourmands 46%. And my pairing choice? My 2024 London Whisky Show pick was from Woven with their Homemade expression. It was appealing because its salty butterscotch reminded me of the Aveux Gournands – or at least that was my impression at the Show!

My actual tasting experience? Interesting! Beginning with the Woven, I got the salty caramel element that first triggered the link between these two whiskies. However, when contrasted with the delicious, sweet, salty yumminess of the Aveux Gournands, the Woven Homemade was a touch bitter.

Six Isles 43% – literally a blend of whiskies from six Scottish Islands – Orkney, Skye, Mull, Jura, Islay, Arran. As it is a blend, I initially planned to try with a different Woven blend. However, the whisky universe had other plans, and instead it featured in a lovely evening comparing this standard expression with a special Port finish one!

I then picked a Highland with the lovely Clynelish 14 year 46% to compare with the 12 year old 2023 London Whisky Show Festival bottling! Whilst the fest bottle has been opened in India, the mini has yet to reach Mumbai…

The Balblair 16 is such a classic! And no longer available. For this one, I have my eye on comparing it with David’s 2025 spring Chorlton release – also a 16-year-old bottled at cask strength. As the Chorlton is in London and not prioritised for bringing to India for another year or so, this pairing will simply have to wait too!

Curious to learn more? You will simply have to be patient til the pairing opportunities occur!

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London’s Whisky Show 2024 – Introducing Korea’s Ki One

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At London’s Whisky Show 2024, we were introduced to a few new distilleries. From Islay, we checked out Ardnahoe. From England, we sampled what Wire Works had to offer. New Zealand introduced us to Cardrona and Thomson. Then from the Mainstage, we tried Japan’s Kanosuke and Ireland’s Boann.

But Korea? Enter Three Societies, touted as Korea’s first whisky distillery. Founded in 2020 by Bryan Do, a Korean-American with Scotland’s Andrew Shand, the distillery already offer several different expressions. At the Whisky Show, we had the opportunity to try Virgin American Oak, Peated, and PX.

Ki One Batch 6 PX (2024) 53.5%

I picked the PX and found it quite curious. On the nose, I found Elderflower, a kind of “eau de vie”, fruity, floral, with an overall sweetness. On the palate, it was so sweet that it was like sipping a spiced liqueur rather than whisky. I didn’t note much of a finish, however in fairness, this was just a quick sniff, swish, and spit, so much can be missed!

What more do they have to say about this expression?

KI-ONE Batch 6 is matured in Pedro Ximenez (PX) sherry casks, allowing you to experience the well-balanced body with sweet character of the PX casks, which are beloved among whisky enthusiasts.

With the official tasting notes:

  • NOSE    SWEET DRIED FRUITS
  • TASTE    RICH RAISINS, DATES AND FIGS
  • FINISH    VANILLA, APPLES, AND PLUMS WITH NUTMEG, SPICY FINISH

An interesting start, and curious to see how this new entrant from Asia fares over the coming years.

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From Germany to Afrika!

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Whisky friends just outside Nuremberg know how much I love Ethiopian cuisine – it is one of my favourite “comfort” foods! So when they stumbled upon an event raising funds for charities in Africa that combined Ethiopian food and whisky, we simply had to go!

It was my first introduction to the team behind Hawelti – Marcel Heuer and Negassty Abraha – who are doing impressive work! They were joined by Markus Giesbert of African Spirits, who supplied, sourced, or was even part of producing the spirits we explored.

This was their 6th event, where we walked into a community of supporters of different ages, coming together over passions to enjoy good food, explore interesting whiskies, whilst raising funds for good causes.

6th Benefiz-Whisky-Tasting mit afrikanischem Whisky und äthiopischem Essen

It was such an interesting variety of spirits, grains, and single malts!

  1. Projekt 3 Ethiopian Beer Brandy 40%
  2. Projekt 4 Acacia barrel aged Beer Brandy 40%
  3. Boplaas 5 year Single Grain 43.6%
  4. Heimer 2021 Grain 43%
  5. Three Ships 12 year Single Malt Peated 46.3%
  6. Ondjaba Single Edition No 1 Triple Grain 54.8% from Namibia
  7. Bains 18 year Oloroso 50.5%
  8. Projekt 01 Strathmill 10 year Hawelti Anniversary 65.7%

Projekt 3 Ethiopian Beer Brandy (29 Jan 2022 – 01 Mar 2022) 40% 160 bottles. ~Eur 40 for 500ml

We began with a spirit rather than whisky…  A product of necessity to avoid wasting Ethiopian Walia beer that would expire during the coronavirus pandemic. Rather than waste, Syelle & Alemash,  Severin Simon aka Feinbrenneri Simon’s, and African Spirits set about converting a problem into a new project – making spirits! As the Bierbrand was being poured, we watched a video on its making. Markus shared that nearly 5,000 bottles of Walia beer went into making their Projekts. What did we think?

  • Colour – Clear
  • Nose – There was no doubt this came from beer! It was also fruity, much more like sniffing schnapps or a new make spirit, yet interesting
  • Palate – To be honest, it was a bit peculiar, smooth, like having heavy alcohol juice, cold potatoes, sweet
  • Finish – Nothing except spirit

This was certainly an unexpected start to our evening. Once we adjusted to the spirit, it was quite pleasant and distinctive.

Projekt 4 Acacia barrel aged beer brandy 40% ~Eur 42 for 500 ml

We progressed to the next experiment, which was also beer brandy that was aged for 22 months in Acacia barrels which previously held rum. This Projekt was considered a ‘precursor’ to whisky… stepping in that direction.

The colour was pale straw, the aromas of very old bananas, well past their prime, even a bit of mouldy hay. And the taste? Well… it reminded me of cough drops from the former East Germany that are effective but not so tasty.

Some experiments work, and some are not so successful. I would say kudos for effort in trying to rescue the beer before expiry, however, this isn’t my tipple.

Boplaas 5 year Small Batch Single Grain 43.6% ~Eur 40 for 700 ml

Our journey then shifted from beer brandy to single-grain from Boplaas, a winery and distillery based in a few locations along the Klein Karoo & Garden Route in South Africa. Whilst primarily known for their wine and port, their spirits range from brandy to gin, single grain to single malt. Like many warmer climates, the Angels Share is high. Though 5 years is quite a short period of maturation for a grain whisky, in South Africa, the maturation is accelerated by the heat and evaporation.

  • Nose – Flower power, a lovely perfume, joined by tropical fruits, some almond paste, then settled into pineapple and mangoes
  • Palate – A light, easy drinking dram, sweet, subtle, and enjoyable
  • Finish – Limited with a touch of wood, yet sweet

We had a sigh of happiness. As whisky enthusiasts, this is more in our direction than the Beer Brandy experiments.

What more do we know? After aging in ex-bourbon barrels, this single grain was finished in ex-Brandy casks.

Heimer 2021 Grain 43% ~Eur 49, not available in Europe

We continued with another grain, shifting to Heimer from Qualito Craft distillery in Phalaborwa, South Africa. Unlike a whisky that leaves the barrel behind when bottled, this single grain had wood shavings in the bottle, to continue to infuse the spirit with further flavour. The shavings came from a broken cask that took on a new life as part of an experiment.

  • Nose – Mmmm vanilla, quite inviting on the nose, a nice wood perfume, caramel, fruity
  • Palate – Very sweet, like a dessert whisky or even liqueur, smooth, distinctly different
  • Finish – Short with an odd varnish end, quite dry

We joked that this was like having a vanilla whisky liqueur not grain. This would not be for a traditional whisky drinker, however is an interesting experience. Unlike some experiments, this was worth trying…

Three Ships 12 year Single Malt 46.3% ~Eur 49 for 700 ml

We next turned to our first single malt of the evening. Coming from the James Sedwick Distillery in South Africa, master distiller Andy Watts aims to bring to the world a peated whisky in a Scottish style. The peated barley is from Europe (30 ppm), then was distilled using pot stills, followed by maturing in 2nd and 3rd fill American oak casks. The thinking behind using re-fill casks is to counter the intensity from maturing ‘faster’ in a warmer climate than Scotland.

What did we think?

  • Nose – Unlike the earlier tipples, the first whiff was certainly in “whisky” territory! Vanilla, wood, sweet… yet also had a heady quality like walking into a room full of varnish, polish or oil-based paint
  • Palate – A hint of tar, woody, very dry, deeper dry, with a sharp bite of spice, some smoked herbs
  • Finish – There with a sweet honey and sour or tart citrus quality
  • Water – We thought to see what water would do… Made it a bit sweeter with some hints of fruits emerging

I can imagine this would do better in Europe than in Scotland as it clearly is far from a Scottish style.

Ondjaba Single Edition No 01 Triple Grain 54.5% ~Eur 80 for 700 ml

We moved from South Africa to Namibia with Ondjaba. What is the story here?

Ondjaba gets its name from the indigenous Ovambo word meaning ‘Elephant’.

For our various editions, we use a variety of grainbills from Maize, Barely, Wheat, Rye and Mahangu (pearl millet).
All are smoked over elephant dung, then aged in various casks – virgin casks and our own former wine barrels under the Namibian sun.

Yes, you read that correctly. In lieu of peat, the distillery uses elephant poo to dry the grains.

  • Colour – Like coffee
  • Nose – Instant coffee pellets, wood, sharp alcohol
  • Palate – Bitter, burnt spice, lots of coffee, metallic, very unique and difficult to describe
  • Finish – Stays with that coffee metallic element
  • Water – No change on the nose, helps mellow the palate a bit

Having spent decades in India, I know well how important cow dung is as a source of fuel and more. Food cooked over cow dung patties have a distinctive flavour that is quite delicious. So in principal, I wasn’t averse to the concept of elephant dung.

All our faces said it – this was not a dram for us.

Bains 18 year Oloroso 50.5% ~Eur 190 for 1 litre

Before this evening, if you had said “Name an African whisky”, I would have immediately responded with Bains – the grain whiskies from James Sedgwick Distillery.

  • Nose – Fresh and inviting, clear sherry elements, lots of fruits – including fresh dates, sweet spices, had an almost restrained elegance
  • Palate – Lovely sherry influence, soft, nuanced… yet no pushover. There was a lovely interplay of sweet and spice.
  • Finish – Lingers with gentle, sweet spices and hint of wood

Now we are down to business! By far, this was the best dram of the evening. We thoroughly enjoyed the Bains and were happy to close our evening on this note.

Projekt 01 Strathmill 10 year Hawelti Anniversary 65.7% ~Eur 80 for 500 ml

The evening was apparently NOT over yet! We returned to where we started with the Projekt whiskies. Why? This was a special bottle in collaboration with Hawelti to commemorate their 10 years, with each bottle also triggering a Eur 10 donation to support Hawelti’s initiatives in Africa. What more do we know?

Distillery: Strathmill
Distilled: 14.01.2014
Bottling: 14.01.2024
Cask No. 800362: 2014 – 2020 (Matured in ex-Bourbon Cask)
Cask No. 7 – 9 (Refill): 2020 – 2024 (Triple Cask Finish – Acacia / Bourbon / Sherry)
Number of bottles: 55

For us, it was simply one too many, and aside from jotting down ‘dragon fire’, we simply stopped. We preferred to reflect on the remarkable range of experiences the evening delivered.

The event closed with an auction – selling the remainder of the drams sampled in the evening plus a further donation. There were several items on sale too – from honey to spices to crafts. Naturally, we walked out with full bellies, lighter pocketbooks, and smiles on our faces.

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