Category Archives: European

Whisky Ladies September 2025 – Baltach Wismaria Whisky 43%  

Posted on by
Reply

There’s something quietly compelling about the Baltic Sea region — old bricks, sea-salt carried on the cool wind, a popular place to escape by several countries – Germany included! And in this atmospheric setting sits Hinricus Noyte’s Spirituosen in Wismar, a craft distillery that links its name to the 15th century with the first recorded brau­herr in Wismar, Hinricus Noyte! The current incarnation has been dabbling in whiskies, gin, and other spirits in small batches since 2010.

Remarkable for such a small distillery, a bottle of their “Whisky” (presumably a single malt) made its way from Deutschland to India for our Whisky Ladies of Mumbai evening in September 2025!

All we knew is that it came from the Oostsea (aka Baltic Sea) and the whisky was matured in an ex-Bourbon cask before being finished in a Sherry cask. So what did we think?

Baltach Wismaria Whisky 43%

  • Nose – It began a bit strange, like a funky cheese, then jalapenos in brine, fish oil, loads of sea spray, spoiled sardine can, a tannery, hospital disinfectant, mushrooms, fermented mash tun, very umami, bread with fruit, old house with dust, must, mold, and mildew, or a smelly old shoe…
  • Palate – Ashy fish oil, sweet yet decidedly “off”, pure maritime salt water, fungal, canned squid in brine
  • Finish – Bitter

Some whiskies get a universal “harrah” from the ladies; most get a range of largely positive reactions. However, sometimes we find a highly divisive dram – with clear detractors vs supporters. This was such a whisky – few found favour, but those that did had distinctly different insights and impressions.

For me? It was a clear “Nope!” I just couldn’t push myself beyond 2 sips and simply had to set it aside. Sitting next to me was another “hard pass” – dubbing it a “migraine malt”. And yes – this is a real thing – spirits that take a wide cut can often induce headaches!

The official tasting notes for this bottle were not on their website, however, there were related expressions – peated and unpeated – available for around Eur 50 for 500 ml.

So whilst for most this was a “miss”, there were a few staunch defenders of its unique style. And that’s what our evenings are all about – exploring together different whiskies to help evolve our knowledge, experiences, and palate preferences! Agreeing all the time simply wouldn’t be as much fun!

The Whisky Ladies of Mumbai sampled Baltach Whisky along with:

Curious to know more? Why not follow Whisky Lady on:

Whisky Ladies September 2025 – Slyrs Amontillado 46%

Posted on by
Reply

For the last 5+ years, Bavaria has been my home! I can vouch for it being about much more than beer steins and lederhosen! There are a few interesting whisky distilleries and this one – Slyrs – is tucked away on the shores of Lake Schliersee. Founded in 1999 by Florian Stetter, this alpine distillery keeps experimenting — from classic American oak to wine, rum, and fortified-wine finishes. With 25 years of experience, there have been hits, misses, and some that lie in between!

One of its newer and more intriguing creations – SLYRS Amontillado Cask Finish – kicked off our Whisky Ladies September 2025 evening. Amontillado is a dry sherry, darker than Fino but lighter than Oloroso, and is known to be gentler, with a nutty style… we were intrigued how it would work with the often bold Slyrs approach!

What did we think?

Slyrs Amontillado Cask 46%

  • Nose – It greeted us with rum raisin, stewed boozy plums, cherries, a heavy mulled wine, with generous sweet spices of cloves, allspice, and cinnamon. From Amarula liqueur to overripe apples, there were loads of fruit! Over time, it also revealed a rich dark chocolate, slightly bitter coffee, and then as it opened, caramelised pecans or roasted almonds with a dusting of salt, converging into a fresh out of the oven pecan pie! Beneath all of this, however, was something faintly musty, a touch of mildew…
  • Palate – Lots of sweet and spice, like chewing Big Red cinnamon gum! Hearty, with the full range of black, white, and green peppercorns, joining green and red chillies. Yet it wasn’t too spicy either! Instead, there was a hint of orange zest, more dried fruits, bread, and a salty tang too – think of a vegetarian bacon jam.
  • Finish – It was dry, a bit bitter, with lots of red wine tannins, almost a balsamic vinegar quality

The aromas were complex, think Rumtopf — that wonderfully boozy German tradition of layering seasonal fruits with sugar and dark rum to create a lush, jammy preserve. This SLYRS captures that same spirit: rich, stewed fruit sweetness laced with warming spice and just enough alcohol kick to keep things lively.

For all of us, the nose was the most interesting part. By contrast, the palate was fairly straightforward, with nothing really standing out. And the finish? It had mixed reviews.

Think of this like a Bavarian alpine hike ending at a Spanish tapas bar! Overall, it received a positive reaction from the Whisky Ladies. A far cry from our inaugural experience with Slyrs 51 nearly 10 years ago! In short – it was a great winter dram, with a slightly indulgent, old-world vibe, like something your grandmother would pull from the pantry at Christmas.

However, don’t leave it in your glass too long! That mildew element we found towards the end? Let’s just say it became more pronounced, going from inviting to frankly a bit funky!

Curious what the folks at Slyrs have to say?

  • Colour: Golden yellow sparkling
  • Aroma: Fruity with apple, green hazelnuts, and a hint of vanilla.
  • Taste: Strong, spicy, fiery.
  • Finish: Slightly salty finish with a long finish.

As of September 2025, it was still available – a 375 ml bottle goes for around Eur 45.50.

We then moved on to:

  • Baltech Wismaria 43%
  • Miyagikyo Grande 48%

For a few ladies, this was the “hit” of the evening! Personally, I quite enjoyed being happily surprised and look forward to my next Slyrs experience – with a Marsala expression waiting in my whisky cabinet!

Curious to know more? Why not follow Whisky Lady on:

Nurnberg Whisky Explorer’s 2025 kick off!

Posted on by
Reply

In 2025, our Nurnberg Whisky Explorers group abandoned all pretense of mostly monthly gatherings and opted for the more realistic goal of quarterly connects.

Our first session had no designated theme – the choice was entirely up to our four contributors. The result was a terrific combination of distinct drams, each bringing their unique voice to the chorus, with no competition or unfavourable comparisons.

So what did we explore?

  • Dewar’s 8 year Japanese Smooth 43%
  • Woven Homemade 46.4%
  • Green Spot Château Léoville Barton Bordeuax Finish 46%
  • Teerenpeli 10 year 43%

Interestingly, three were blends – two of Scottish origin and one Irish – closing with a special Finnish single malt. For me, it was an evening of mostly revisits – albeit nearly a decade later! Which made it such fun to experience anew!

Dewar’s 8 year Japanese Smooth Mizunara Wood Finish 43% ~Eur 21

Dewar’s is such a well-known blend. And yet, joining the standards are a few expressions that play with different elements – enter the Dewar’s finished in Japanese Mizunara Wood. What did we find?

  • Nose – Warm, honey with a hint of vanilla, shifting into a fresh citrus
  • Palate – It had a prickly spice, oak, a dash of sweet dry spices like cinnamon, and lots of vanilla
  • Finish – Hint of wax or a touch of salt depending on who you asked, quite dry

With a name like “Japanese Smooth”, we anticipated something silky soft with a nuanced floral element, maybe even a bit of light fruit? The mizunara wood finish certainly made this an interesting Dewar’s expression, however, was it floral or fruity? Not so much.

Setting aside preconceived notions, it was just the right way to start our evening and well worth trying. Even with the revisit, after sampling the other three, it held its own.

Woven Homemade 46.4% ~Eur 38 8120 bottles (500 ml)

Imagine entering an apothecary shop… or bringing together a couple of chemist with a wild array of options.. all about crafting an interesting experience. That’s what you can expect with a Woven whisky blend.

  • Nose – Began with lemon custard and butter, warm biscuits, green apple, slightly sour apple sauce
  • Palate – Start creamy, buttery, some rosehip, nutty oil, then shifts into becoming very dry
  • Finish – From lemon drop candy, to nutty butter, increasingly bitter over time

Very distinctive and unique. One described it as “effervescent” reminding him of a children’s fizzy medicine – brausetabletten. For all of us, it was remarkable how its character changed, Really quite interesting from an Apple martini to creamy nutty to dry and bitter. This was no “easy” blend – instead, it challenged us – in a good way. With the revisit, it also retained its specific character.

What more do we know? Only that it is a blend of two Speyside whiskies  (41.78% and 29.99%) and a Lowland grain (28.23%), likely blended 14 May 2023 with 70 days “marrying” period. In character, it was evaluated by the folks at Woven as somewhere between Balanced and Complex. And yes – we appreciated the other options – Fresh and Exploratory. And finally, it has a clear “nod” to BNJ – a bit of a cult whisky blend in some circles that also boasts a high malt portion.

You can find more details here: Woven Homemade.

Green Spot Château Léoville Barton Bordeaux Wine Finish 46% ~Eur 55

We then moved from Scotland to Ireland. This was no ordinary Green Spot! A year ago, our contributor brought the standard edition — a pleasure to revisit! This time, it was the Green Spot expression finished in Bordeaux casks…

  • Nose – It began with melted caramel, tobacco leaf, and tannins, warm and heavy, the longer it remained in the glass, the more prominent the brown sugar aroma became
  • Palate – Very pronounced red wine influence! There was an interesting undertone of oak and tannins, rich, rolling around in your mouth
  • Finish – Long finish, dry

The red wine cask was so prominent, that we speculated they must have finished in a rather “wet” cask, leaving a fair amount of Château Léoville Barton to mingle with the whiskey. Or as one whisky aficionado quipped “This is how wine should taste!”

Truth be told, as we tasted, I didn’t immediately remember being introduced to this expression some six years earlier at an Irish evening in Mumbai! This Is why it is such fun to have random evenings – you never know what will turn up and with it a fresh perspective too.

Teerenpeli 10 year 43% ~Eur 73

For me, the true treat of the night was an opportunity to revisit the Teerenpeli 10 year. It captivated my fancy in 2016 during a Whisky Ladies European focused tasting. How did I discover it? Its launch was at the 2015 London Whisky Show and came to me as a strong recommendation from the lads at TWE. What did we think?

  • Nose – Fruity, with a dusky, earthy element, a puff of smoke, a hint of coastal sea air, chased by vanilla
  • Palate – Incredibly smooth – like sliding into silk pajamas, then being enveloped in a soft velvet lightly peaty embrace, it has a subtle citrus peat, rich and well-rounded with a light heat of pepper
  • Finish – Carries on the warm embrace, with a touch of sea salt

This bottle was purchased by our contributor during a memorable trip to Finland nearly a year ago – just for our wee group to try. And it did not disappoint.

There was such a lot going on – so rewarding! The kind of single malt that evokes an emotional connection, memories of a special lebkuchen with citrusy sugar glaze, or enjoying a sunset outdoors from a porch on a cool fall evening, kept cozy and warm in a fuzzy blanket.

Above, for me, it was such a special treat to revisit – thank you!!

What more do we know? It gains its specific character from Finnish barley malt matured in 85% bourbon and 15% sherry casks. Since I last tried it, they not only refreshed the packaging, Teerenpeli also updated their official tasting notes to:

  • Nose – Butterscotch, vanilla, slightly oaky
  • Palate – Rich maltiness, fruity, smooth vanilla 

Would we agree? Certainly! You can find out more here: Teerenpeli 10 year.

PS Our contributor also highly recommends another Finish spirit – Artic Blue gin.

And there you have it – an evening exploring four distinct drams. Unlike some evenings, all were “hits” with narry a “miss”. Each brought something interesting to expand and challenge our collective tasing journeys. And that is exactly why such tasting evenings are so much fun!

Are you in the area? Interested in joining our Nurnberg Whisky Explorer events? Just comment here with the best way to reach you.

And if you don’t want to miss a post, why not follow Whisky Lady on:

Friendly February Dram Exchange

Posted on by
Reply

It was a surprisingly warm and sunny weekend for February. It was also a perfect opportunity for a few friends to get together and exchange a few drams. Some were already open. Others had been waiting for just this kind of evening.

We had 13 whiskies on offer and the hardest decision was where to start and where to stop? What did we have displayed to explore?

We chose to begin with the youngest and most recently opened distillery from the Hebridean Island distillery Raasay… Their aim is to produce a lightly peated whisky with rich flavourts. This was my first sample of the “real” Raasay as my earlier brush was a “pre” offering in their intended style “While we wait.”

We thought this would be a light dram to whet our appetite for more… what we discovered was a bit different!

Raasay Single Malt 46.4%

  • Nose – Fresh, young and vibrant, malty and maritime, slight smoke, more herbal than floral or fruity, after time a whiff of smoked meats
  • Palate – Surprisingly peaty – much more pronounced than anticipated, and yet not a “heavy” peat, the herbal quality follows through, with some bitter tannins, nuts, and quite autumnal
  • Finish – Cinnamon fading into a faintly bitter finish
  • Water – Initially didn’t think would be needed, but worth trying. For me, it became sweeter with a mineral or granite element
  • Revisit – Much later, I revisited the empty glass, the aromas were ashy, a bit like the remaining long-forgotten antique kitchen fireplace, from generations before

The thing about whiskies, slowing down to discern different aromas are the memories a smell triggers. For me, the hint of smoked meats took me back to Montreal. The palate overall was smooth and pleasant.

What more do we know? Their aim?

Our flagship Isle of Raasay Single Malt Whisky, 46.4% ABV, natural colour, non-chill filtered.

Lightly peated with rich dark fruit flavours.

We set out to emulate some older styles of Hebridean single malt whiskies, with subtle, fragrant smokiness balanced with dark fruit flavours.

It was matured in six different casks – this is what they have to say:

Two Isle of Raasay spirits – peated and unpeated – are matured separately in first fill Rye whiskey, fresh Chinkapin oak and first fill Bordeaux red wine casks. These six recipe casks marry together to create the perfect dram with real elegance, complexity and depth of character.

With this knowledge, we could see where the tannins came from, however elegant? Complex? And dark fruits? Not in what we found, however, it was an interesting start!

Next up? A revisit of a former friend – Aureum – which is unfortunately no more. What did we think?

Ziegler’s Aureum 7-year Single Malt (2008 – 2015) Chateau Lafite Rothschild 47%

  • Colour – Gold
  • Nose – Welcome! These are the kinds of aromas that explain why we were so captivated by Aureum. Sweet chestnuts, green and fresh, fruity… then deepens into chocolate, sweet vanilla custard then green apple, then a dessert feast of apple pie with vanilla ice cream!
  • Palate – First sip was a bit odd, then once calibrated to the unique style of Aureum with its use of chestnut wood, we found it to be smooth, sweet… getting sweeter with each sip!
  • Finish – Lingers with more sweet wood

Overall it was a clear reminder that this was once a distinctive distillery producing unique drams – aiming for craft and quality. I can only repeat that it is such a pity that Ziegler abandoned their decade-long foray into such single malts to go down the Freud route.

We then moved on to Ireland, to discover Ireland’s West Cork was nothing like the sociable dram we anticipated….

West Cork Calvados Cask Finish 43%

  • Colour – Light straw
  • Nose – No mistaking there is Calvados involved here! It reminded me of the kind of juice we used to make from our garden apples – pulp and seeds and all would go in. Then it shifted to something that could best be described as fresh-pressed coffee
  • Palate – We found it a bit “pushy” at first. Young, a bit brash, and curiously unfinished, dry and bitter with a hint of nuts of some kind
  • Finish – Limited, what there was we found bitter, like chewing an espresso bean
  • Water – We hoped it might bring out some other element – instead just kicked up the spice

Overall this didn’t attract new fans. Now I’ve had a few mighty fine whiskies with Calvados finish. Mackmyra Äppelblom 46.1% and Rampur’s Jugalbandi come to mind…  The folks over at West Cork don’t try to over-sell this as a complex dram, instead, point imbibers in the direction of cocktails – a ginger mule to be more precise.

I then steered us towards a pair of Chorlton‘s – a contrast and comparison of two Glentauchers. Both sherry casks, both lovely just in different ways – both deserving their own posts – just check out Glentauchers 8 year and Glentauchers 14 year! We then cracked open some exceptional chocolates – what a fabulous pairing!

That is where our journeys diverged. For me, I thought to continue the chocolate pairing and thought to revisit the Super Sonic Sherry Blend and the Amrut Port Pipe Peated. Whereas others explored the Amrut, Indri, Kamet, and Staoisha. Overall it was simply a lovely evening and a nice way to keep at bay the dull dreary February blues!

If you don’t want to miss a post, why not follow Whisky Lady on:

Switzerland’s Säntis 6 year Snow White No 8 Pineau 48%

Posted on by
Reply

Switzerland is known for many things – gorgeous mountains and lakes, chocolate and cheese, watches and banking… but whisky? That isn’t exactly the first thing you think of… in fact, just 25 years ago it wasn’t even legal! However, like many parts of the world, Switzerland is now very much in the whisky-making game.

My first brush was the Old Bear from Langatun Distillery – courtesy of a recommendation from the good folks at The Whisky Exchange in London. It was smoky and certainly left an impression.

Next up was a random selection from a spirits shop in Munich on a trip, before there was even a possibility of moving to Germany. In this case, it was the surprisingly accessible Forty-Three Swiss Highland Single Malt Whisky.

Fast forward a few years and I found myself living in Nurnberg, Germany. And three years ago, in December 2020, there was a mini from Säntis in an Advent Kalendar I tackled as a pre-Christmas project.  In this case, it was the Säntis Malt Himmelberg Edition 43%. I have to admit, it didn’t exactly impress. Why? In part because it reminded me of drinking a Radler – a sweet lemony beer – more than whisky!

So when a Säntis was recommended for our European whisky session in December 2023, I decided to keep an open mind. I have learned one should not judge a distillery solely based on one experience alone.

What did we think?

Säntis No. 8 Snow White 6-year Pineau 48%

  • Nose – At first it was just a hit of alcohol, then sweetened into candy, a bit nutty, plum skins, curiously it reminded me more of schnapps than whisky!
  • Palate – A bit aggressive and prickly, past the pepper were wine tannins, shifting from plum skin to grape, very dry and a mixed red fruit jam (the kind that doesn’t have a distinguishable type of berry or fruit), lemon-lime soda (or dare I say? Radler!), maybe joined by some cherry?
  • Finish – It was like it was impersonating a sherry finish but wasn’t quite able to pull it off, some generic cola

We really didn’t mean to be uncharitable, however descriptions like “headache-inducing” and “one flavour blob” were bantered about. We generally agreed that the nose outperformed the palate and finish. And if anything, it had a schnapps-like quality – depending on your opinion of schnapps, this could be a good or not-so-good thing.

Our discussion turned to the many distilleries around Germany and Switzerland that started off brewing beer or distilling schnapps, and then veered into the whisky business. Using stills meant more for distilling fruit than malted barley mash does lead to some curious results. I confessed how my original impression of German whiskies was direct to the point of being a bit harsh, lacking nuance and complexity. Until I discovered St Kilian and Aureum and a few notable others, which both show a different, much more interesting range and style.

But back to the Säntis, our whisky contributor shared the story of the Lochar distillery’s Swiss “whisky trek“…. starting with one inn, there are now some 26 barrels found at different hiking locations around Switzerland. Each barrel is slightly different, thanks to the differing maturing conditions such as altitude or barrels.

She found the boxed set with two nosing glasses – available online for around Eur 72. What more do we know? It was initially aged for 5.5 years in small beer barrels of the Appenzeller Brewery Locher before being finished for 8 months in ex-Pineau des Charentes casks from France.

It was a bit of a disappointment, however, we then thought to put it into context. If we spent a day trekking in the alps, the crisp cool air, coming in from such exertions, would this do the trick? Perhaps. And context is everything! So let us be more charitable and go back to the glorious views, cheese fondus, and chocolate… In my case, a memory of a couple of days in Weggis earlier this summer, including a boat trip on Lake Lucerne for a fabulous meal with great company.

What else did we explore in our European evening?

Don’t want to miss a post? You can follow Whisky Lady in India on:

Closing the year with a continental European exploration…

Posted on by
Reply

We held our last Nurnberg International Whisky evening mid December. It was an exploration of continental European whiskies and more from France, Switzerland, Denmark, Germany, and Portugal. We went well beyond our three-bottle focus however it made for a proper year-end close to an evolving tasting group.

So what did we explore?

So let’s begin at the beginning… from our 1st session, we were introduced to the concept of a calibration dram. In this case, I thought the Bellevoye would be a nice way to set the stage for our evening. Their whiskies are approachable and generally have an easy-drinking style – a perfect way to “whet the appetite” for delights to come. As each bottle had a slightly different approach, I gave everyone the option to choose which best matched their mood and inclination. The reactions to the different options –  Blue (French Oak), White (Sauternes) or Red (Grand Cru) were so positive that a couple of folks did a tasting within a tasting – sampling all three!

We then moved on to the Whisky “Main Course”… and for that, you will simply have to check out the separate tasting notes. Suffice it to say, the Fary Lochan was a singular and memorable whisky, the Ayer’s surprised us by being far more enjoyable and interesting than expected, and the Säntis? Well, it was a bit of a disappointment, however, that goes with the territory when exploring whiskies! It is also a good example of a certain direct style of whisky that works for some.

In between, a mystery bottle was circulated. It was completely unlabelled with no clue provided. We sniffed it. Sipped it. Considered it. Whilst nothing remarkable, we gave it due attention discovering beneath the plastic and diesel was a dark cherry, mowed grass, wood polish, and then sweet cotton candy. On the palate, it was easy to drink, perhaps a hint of tobacco but nothing else really stood out. The reveal? Not a whisky at all. Instead, Arc Royal VS Cognac 40%, which is available for a mere Eur 20 at any Aldi. Our contributor pulled out a printout of wildly different tasting notes – from those that completely trashed the Cognac to those that were exceedingly kind. In our case? We were somewhere in between, but generally positive.

We closed with a merry round of nibbles and a few additional splashes of this and that… including a Madeira from Marques Campoalto. Increasingly we are seeing whisky finished in ex-Madeira casks. The Welsh Penderyn was an early adopter of using Madeira cask finish for a core expression, however, the Irish also joined this bandwagon with Tyrconnell, with the Scots also part of this trend – such as Loch Lomond’s Inchmurrin Madeira and many more. This is exactly why one member brought a bottle along – to show how the original fortified wine smells and tastes to help us better understand how this contributes to the final Whisky product with a Madeira finish.

As a kind of “desert”, we closed with a Beerenweine honey whisky liqueur – the kind of liqueur that you can get at local Medieval fairs all over Germany. In fact, I brought a bottle of their herbal schnapps – called Druids Fire – back to Winnipeg for a bit of fun.

As this company also makes mead, talk turned to the local honeyed mead available at the Medieval pub near the castle, how some folk’s palates tend towards sweet and others not (in case you wondered, I am generally in the not category). This is why when I did try a wee sample, I was reminded why I prefer my whisky unadulterated and not overly sweet!

Overall it was an evening that crossed the line from careful consideration of three focus whiskies to something social, making for a marvelous evening and a brilliant way to close the year.

If you are in the Nurnberg, Germany area and interested in learning more about our Nurnberg Whisky Explorers activities, check us out on Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/nurnberg-whisky-explorers/

Don’t want to miss a post? You can follow Whisky Lady in Germany & India on:

Finch Schwabian Whisky – An Exploration of 8 Expressions

Posted on by
Reply

Welcome to the Schwabian Alps! My explorations of German distilleries continue with Finch distillery… For those not familiar, the Schwabian Apls are found to the east of the Black Forrest, north of the Bavarian Alps, the Swabian Alps (Schwäbische Alb in German) are sometimes overlooked.

“Ulm, where the Danube swiftly flows, forms the boundary in the south, while the Neckar runs past half-timbered towns, limestone crags, beech woods, juniper-cloaked heaths, hilltop ducal castles, and robber-knight ruins further north.” (Lonely Planet)

As for Finch distillery, like several continental European distilleries, there is quite a lot of experimentation with various grains and casks. And what better way to explore these possibilities than with a set of miniatures – from barley to a variety of relatively obscure kinds of wheat to rye. As for casks? A mix of red wine, port, sherry and American Oak. 

In this case, the set was a compact gift-wrapped treat! 

Fun to open…

Even more fun to explore…

So what is contained in this Finch octet tasting set?

  • Finch Fine Selection 6 year Single Malt 42%
  • Finch Cask Strength 8 year Emmer Edition 3, 54.6% 
  • Finch Special Grain 8 year Spelt Port 42% 
  • Finch Distillers Choice 8 year Barrique Cask 42%
  • Finch Special Edition 8 year WOA Bullhead Single Malt 46% 
  • Finch Distillers Choice 8 year Single Malt Sherry Cask 46% 
  • Finch Special Grain 6 year Rye Edition 46%
  • Finch Distillers Choice 10 year Single Malt Smoky 46%

So now… on to the most fun part – tasting!

Where to start? We initially opened the 1st listed on the guide – the Emmer Edition 3 Cask Strength – however, we realised immediately the folly of this approach and switched instead to the Finch Single Malt. 

Finch Fine Selection 6 year Single Malt 42% (est. Eur 40 for 500ml)

The folks at Finch share that the barley for this Single Malt comes from their own cultivation, matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and wine casks.

  • Nose – Initially quite fruity, then rubber took over – as in really quite rubbery – like childhood-flavoured erasers. As it settled in the glass, the aroma became sweeter with cereals. Over time it also shifted into roasted barley with honey, some green apples or green grapes
  • Palate – The first sip was a bit brash, full of hay sweetness, waxy chocolate, more of the cereals
  • Finish – Reminded us more of a simple single grain than single malt – there for but a moment and then disappeared

Overall this wasn’t the best beginning. It was compared with a breakfast cereal – Smacks – made of puffed wheat and honey. Whilst nothing was “off”, we just weren’t yet excited. 

Finch Cask Strength 8 year Emmer Edition 3, Re Wine Barrels 54.6% (est. Eur 59 for 500ml)

Next up, we returned to the cask strength we initially cracked open. Rather than barley, this whisky uses a grain – black emmer – from the Finch farm on the plateau of the Swabian Alb. What is Emmer you may ask? Otherwise known as Triticum decoction is a plant species from the wheat genus. It is one of the oldest cultivated grains, yet hardly grown today. This type of wheat with long-awned, usually two-flowered spikelets is hardly grown in Europe today – if it is, it is essentially black emmer.

  • Nose – Initially very shy, then spirity, slowly opening into marzipan, caramel, biscuits, hint of red wine or raisins
  • Palate – Started like a sour calvados, then from tart apples to pears, giving way to clear red wine influence
  • Finish – Light
  • Revisit – What a lovely perfume, silky smooth on the palate, closing with a light spice finish

Could clearly tell this is a grain rather than a single malt, yet we enjoyed it much more than the 6 year Single Malt expression. Whilst it came across as young, once the nose opened up, it was quite inviting…

Finch 8 year Dinkel Port 42% (est. Eur 49 for 500ml)

This expression uses another lesser-known grain for whiskies – spelt – this time, combined with an ex-Port cask.

  • Nose – The first whiff was very promising. Light yet very sweet. It was a bit like cotton candy or the powder on a marshmallow.
  • Palate – Sparkling grape juice, sweet spices, smooth and surprisingly light for a port-matured whisky.
  • Finish – Honey and raisins

Our overall impression was that it makes a nice starter whisky. The aromas were appealing and the palate enjoyable.

Finch Distillers Choice 8 year Red Wine Barrique Cask 42% (est. Eur 49 for 500ml)

We now shifted into “weizen und gersten”, in other words – wheat and barley, matured in a Red Wine Barrique.

  • Nose – Oh nice! Juicy red berries. black forest cake
  • Palate – Very light, sweet, red cherries and a touch of chocolate
  • Finish – Light

Again, like the others, it comes across as young and spirity. Then once it settles in, quite pleasant. What we would consider an ‘entry-level’ whisky – an interesting way to introduce folks new to whisky. Whilst not complex, it has enough interesting going on to engage.

Finch Special Edition 8 year W.O.A. Bullhead Single Malt 46% (est. Eur 49 for 500ml)

For those not familiar, W.O.A. is Wacken Open Air – a massive heavy metal music festival in northern Germany. This particular expression was made for this festival – matured in three casks: American oak, Port and red wine.

  • Nose – Wood, honey, bourbon-like, lots of vanilla, fruity and sweet, pleasant
  • Palate – Hmm.. a bit peculiar and confused. It had a bit of a grain or bourbon bite with wine. There were different elements – each on their own interesting yet somehow didn’t come together harmoniously.
  • Finish – Unremarkable

Our discussion centered around the festival and the conclusion this could be a great festival drinking whisky. On its own, in a festival setting, the combination of elements would just join the cacophony of pounding Heavy Metal music. But in comparison with the other Finch whiskies sampled that cool late November evening? Alas, it fell a bit short.

Finch Distillers Choice 8 year Single Malt Sherry Cask 46%  (est. Eur 59 for 500ml)

Next up was a shift into a more classically styled single malt. No rare grains or cask experimentations here. Just barley, and an ex-sherry cask – back to the basics.

  • Nose – Our first impression was – this is no heavy sherry, yet still unmistakable. Raisins, creamy sweet spices, cracked black peppercorn
  • Palate – Thick and creamy, sweet with more of those raisins and spice, 
  • Finish – Spicy yet still light

This one simply goes down exceedingly easily. A solid package. For one of us – it was the clear favourite of the evening!

Finch Special Grain 6 year Rye 2nd Edition 46% (est. Eur 49 for 500ml)

We then decided to shift into Rye, again from Schwabian rye, matured fully in red wine barrels.

  • Nose – Yup! This is definitely rye, yet also soft and sweet. Almond paste, marzipan 
  • Palate – Sweet nuts – like pecans, quite atypical
  • Finish – One of the few Finch finishes that stays – spirity, dry 

Rye but not a typical rye. Also quite different from the other Finch whiskies.  Perhaps this is the influence of the red wine cask?

Finch Distillers Choice 10 year Single Malt Smoky 46% (est. Eur 49 for 500ml)

We closed with the peaty expression. They share it is a combination of their local barley and oak smoked malt, then matured in wine barrels plus Islay barrels. 

  • Nose – Ashy, like cold coal, smoke…. after some time we could finally detect a few additional elements – a bit of caramel nuts, speck
  • Palate – Hmm… the tasting notes say marshmallows, but for us it was only the black ash of a burnt marshmallow. Burnt honey nut, burnt toast with a little bit of honey, very  dry, granite stone
  • Finish – The ash remains, with a hint of caramel

This was a total departure from all the others. The only consistency was that it also came across as youngish despite being matured for 10 years. Also, whilst ash was the single predominant feature, it wasn’t the forceful hit of a Smokehead, instead it was light ash. For us though, ash is ash and not our favoured type of peaty whisky.

Finch isn’t Scottish, it isn’t trying to be. Instead they are celebrating what is available locally for a range of experiments – some more appealing than others for us. The single malt and smoky were not our whisky style, however the Sherry, the Emmer and Dinkel Port stood out. Even the Rye, with its lighter touch, was interesting.

These aren’t the only Finch whiskies in my Germany Whisky Cabinet! I also have the following pair, ready and waiting for the right opportunity!

  • Finch 5-year Single Malt Sherry 42%
  • Finch 8-year “Barrel Proof” ex-Red wine, Bourbon, and Port Cask 54%

Curious to know more? Why not follow Whisky Lady on:

That Boutique-y Whisky Co – Cinema Expressions

Posted on by
Reply

After exploring That Boutique-y Whisky Co’s new “core” range, a trip down under with their Australian “Return to Oz” range, we closed our explorations at London’s 2023 Whisky Show with their new Cinema expressions!

We didn’t get through them all, however, each was distinctive and worth sampling!

Here is what we tried:

  • Italy’s Puni 4 year old (2023) Batch 2 46.1% for GBP 75
  • Sweden’s Mackmyra 9 year old (2023) Batch 3 46.8% for GBP 100
  • Australia’s Corowa 4 year old (2023) Batch 2 46.8% for GBP 100
  • Scotland’s Aultmore 13 year old (2023) Batch 18, 50% for GBP 75

So where did we begin?

Puni 4 year old (2023) Batch 2 46.1%

My eye immediately spotted the Puni – it had been years since I sampled anything from this Italian distillery. Normally I’m meticulous about capturing some kind of impression – even if it is just a few words that trigger evoking some kind of memory weeks and sometimes months later when I take the time to write up what I found. In this case? Nothing! So you will just have to tolerate my sharing with the good folks at TBWC have this to say:

PUNI is the first Italian whisky distillery, located high in the Italian alps, in an environment well suited to growing cereal crops. The distillery takes its name from the local river, Puni. Their striking distillery design, a 13-metre tall red brick cube is unusual, as is the combination of three malted cereals in their mash bill recipe. This release uses their three malt mashbill, and has been matured in an ex-bourbon barrel and finished in a Pinot Noir Cask, which we’ve then finished in a Sherry cask, so this is a fruity little number

Recommended movie for watching while sipping this whisky: ‘The Good, Bad, and The Ugly’

And their official tasting notes?

  • N: Malty, Digestive biscuits topped with blackcurrant jam. More sweet notes follow, with hints of wild strawberries and some nutty, woody spices.
  • P: The malty biscuit notes are followed by a fruity sweetness, nicely balanced with some woody spices.
  • F: A medium length finish with some chilli chocolate.

Mackmyra 9 year old “Duka Upp Til Fika” (2023) Batch 3 46.8%

Thanks to a lovely Swedish whisky-tasting companion, I’ve had the pleasure to explore quite a few Mackmyra’s over the years and even go on a tour of the distillery. Whilst they have a real range – largely split between their “Elegant” (aka without peat) and “smokey” styles, they have quite a range of experimentation. If you really pushed me to describe, I would default to calling it a “Ccandi” style – thinking of minimalist wood furniture, with clean lines, something fresh producing an overall quite pleasing effect.

Then to explain this time it would be with roasted green tea? Hmm…. either it will completely work or be a total disaster! My reaction? It is worth trying. There was subtle fruitiness, fresh cedar or pine on the nose yet also something a bit bitter. On the palate, it was harder to describe. Some herbal elements and something else that could not be captured by a mere sniff and swish. 

What more do they have to say?

Now this is something very interesting for the original ‘Nordics’ distillery; Mackmyra were founded in 1999 and have really led the way in the Nordic whisky scene. This is a 9 Year Old Swedish Single Malt that has spent time in a cask that has been seasoned with Hojicha Green Tea. Hojicha is a Japanese green tea that originated in Kyoto 100 years ago. Unlike traditional green teas, Hojicha is roasted after the leaves are steamed.

Recommended movie for watching while sipping this whisky: ‘The Seventh Seal’

And TBWC official tasting notes:

  • N: Signature Mackmyra notes of banana and pear initially. This is quickly followed by an earthiness of petrichor and some fresh cedar notes.
  • P: Fresh and fruity. Light and nimble. A tropical fruit salad of papaya, not fully ripe banana and hints of coconut, vanilla, and caramel flavours, with some chilli spices.
  • F: As the spiciness fades some sweet, drying, herbal green tea notes come through.

Would I agree? Why certainly!

Corowa 4 year old (2023) Batch 2 46.8%

This was my first intro to Corowa distillery. Founded in 2010 in New South Wales, it is in the heart of prime Australian wine region! No surprise then that they chose to use local Australian wine casks to mature their whiskies. In this case – Muscat. 

My tasting notes are brief but clear! I found quite an organic “farm-like” quality to this whisky. Sweet yet also quite minerally. On the palate it was surprisingly smooth yet also came with a kick. Yes this sounds like a contradiction but that’s what I discovered! Bold fruity flavors and a lot more of that mineral element.

And what does TBWC have to say?

Our second cask from Australia’s Corowa distillery is a 4 Year Old Single Malt Whisky, that’s been matured in an ex-Muscat cask. Muscat vines have been cultivated in Australia for about 100 years. Several different types of Muscat grape are grown as wine grapes and several different wine styles have been developed ranging from crisp dry whites, to rich late harvest sweet wines and the unique and world renowned fortified Liqueur Muscats.

Recommended movie for watching while sipping this whisky: ‘Mad Max’

As for their official tasting notes, here you go!

  • N: Bitter chocolate, molasses, Medjool dates, figs, with hints of white pepper, flint, and wild fennel
  • P: Big, bold, and fruity! Dried fruits; raisins figs, dates. Malt loaf, and a mineral spice with a hint of ginger too. This is really tasty!
  • F: Longer than I was expecting, with that mineral flinty spice and some bitter chocolate nibs…

Well, I would certainly concur with all the mineral references! From a fuzzy memory, the balance also seems to jibe with my experience. 

Aultmore 13 year old (2023) Batch 18, 50% 

Aultmore’s can be quite summery drams yet with substance – this was no exception! It was fruity and citrusy fresh, throw in some baked goods – simply delicious on the nose. Whereas on the palate, the sweetness was there but also yes – call it the power of suggestion – something a bit soapy too! Then a hint of bitter – again just enough to remind you this dram is not a complete lightweight!

What do they have to say?

Aultmore malt has always been revered by blenders as the perfect whisky to build up a blend. Our 14 Year Old has spent 11 years in a refill ex-bourbon cask until we got our hands on it, and Dr. Whisky had this re-racked into a first-fill bourbon in 2019 for reasons that can only be disclosed in the secrecy of ‘Bath Night.’

Recommended movie for watching while sipping this whisky: ‘Fight Club’

And their tasting notes?

  • N: A soft oiliness; peanut oil perhaps? Panettone, macaroons, grist, digestive biscuits. Followed by some citrus notes; grapefruit and lime
  • P: Pilsner lager with a wedge of lime, summer grasses,a little green tea bitterness. I like this!
  • F: Medium length, chalky, grassy, with some pepper lingering.

Wow! And what fun! I love how they chose to not only introduce their new core range as a “constant” but to also have 3 distinct sessions throughout the day. Whilst we missed one, I figure catching 2 out of 3 isn’t bad! Can’t wait to see what these folks do next!

And if you don’t want to miss a post, why not follow Whisky Lady on:

Paris Whisky Live 2022 – Arlett

Posted on by
Reply

After spending some time wandering around the Scotland section and a stop by India too…. we happily returned to close our day at Paris Whisky Live in the French section. Distillerie Tessendier As the story goes, the Tessendier family has been distilling for generations. Their latest project is a “vintage-styled” whisky brand that pays tribute to the 1950s and more specifically the matriarch – Arlett – mother of Jérôme and Lilian.

This was my last stop at the festival, so hope I can both be forgiven for the limited notes and delay in sharing impressions. 

First off – the bottles themselves are works of art and the colour remarkable too! As for the liquid gold? 

Arlett Single Malt 45% 

  • Nose – Started off with sour cream, then sweetened, young yet promising, yummy pastries
  • Palate – Lots of baked goods, apple sauce
  • Finish – Tobacco and leather with a touch of oak, very round finish
  • Water – Creamy oats 

Matured for a mere three years, we overall found it delicate, layered with real promise.

Arlett Mizanura 48% 

  • Nose – Resin, woody, caramel apples
  • Palate – Nice spice, peppery, more apples
  • Finish – Lovely and sweet
  • Water – Creamy soft brie cheese

A clear shift from the dessert-like core expression – this was also fruity yet with some savory elements too.

Arlett Tourbe 43% 

  • Nose – Smoky then mild peat
  • Palate – Charcoal and soft wood
  • Finish – Cinnamon

Their last was a peat expression – using Scottish peat. Here we thought it would be the kind of dram to end your evening… and with that we ended our evening and fabulous whisky weekend!

If you don’t want to miss a post, why not follow Whisky Lady on:

St Kilian Berry Metal Cocktail – with peat??

Posted on by
Reply

Sometimes you are just in the mood for a refreshing cocktail – especially on a warm summer evening! However, using an intensely peaty berry-infused liquor isn’t intuitively the “go-to” standard base…

However, that’s exactly the kind of experimentation you can expect from the folks over at St Kilian. So when we saw the cocktail suggestion for St Kilian Grave Digger – Berry Metal 40% Liqueur, we had to try it!

It came to us as #8 in a recent St Kilian tasting set – part of their December 2022 launch of some new expressions. On its own, the Berry Metal liqueur is an incredibly potent burst of berry “wow!” with a peaty kick.

So then we simply had to try it in a cocktail. They provided a recommended recipe – something they called a St Killian Berry Tonic. It is simple and straightforward, and most importantly, we just so happened to have everything needed.

If you don’t want to miss a post, why not follow Whisky Lady on: