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Category Archives: Beyond Scotland

Whisky Show 2023 – Indri’s Diwali Special Edition

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What is truly fabulous about London’s Whisky Show 2023 is the sheer range of whisky exhibitors. And this year, there was not one but three stands from India with Amrut, Rampur, and Indri.

For those not familiar, Surrinder Kumar was previously the genius behind much of Amrut’s success and now is bringing his keen nose and ideas to Picaddily as an advisor Master Blender and Distiller for their Indri whisky brand.

As much of the stock at Picadilly Distillers was laid well in advance of Surrinder’s involvement, the art here is picking just the right casks and combinations to bottle now or see the potential to move in a different direction by re-casking in a different barrel. 

Whilst we were late into our tasting day and very nearly “done”, Surrinder shared that the Indri Diwali Collector’s Edition 2023 is really very special and not to be missed! I’m very glad he insisted as it was indeed worth sampling and in some ways, I was reminded a bit of the remarkable Amrut Port Pipe Peated special release for The Vault Biennale in 2019. 

Indri Peated PX Diwali Collector’s Edition 2023 60.5%

Whilst I didn’t take detailed notes, I captured the following: Full, robust with peat and sweet on the nose and a lovely juicy palate. Delicious!

Surrinder also shared how it brought together casks from the US (ex-bourbon), UK (ex-peated), and India.

Here is what they have to say:

Indri Diwali Collector’s Edition 2023 is a peated Indian single malt made with six-row barley, distilled in traditional copper pot stills crafted in India. Carefully matured in PX Sherry Casks for a significantly long time amidst the sub-tropical climate of North India, this unique expression entices you with a whiff of smoke and awakens your senses to a myriad of flavours such as candied dried fruits, toasted nuts, subtle spices, oak, bittersweet chocolate and more.

It was worth stopping, visiting and sipping at London’s Whisky Show 2023.

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That Boutique-y Whisky Co – Cinema Expressions

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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!

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That Boutique-y Whisky Co – Oz range

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After exploring their new “core” range, next up in our That Boutique-y Whisky Co explorations at London’s 2023 Whisky Show, was a trip down under!

This was their 2nd collection, released at a time when there are a remarkable 318 Australian distilleries in operation – producing a range of spirits from whisky to gin, vodka, and rum. In their “Return to Oz” line-up, we managed to try:

  • The Gospel 3 year Rye Batch 1 58.6% 434 Bottles GBP 75
  • Launceston 5 year Single Malt Batch 1 62.5% 187 Bottles GBP 150
  • Limeburners 5 year Single Malt Batch 1 51.5% 434 Bottles GBP 145
  • Tria Prima 2 year Single Malt Spirit Batch 1 52.2% 232 Bottles GBP 140
  • Chief’s Son 5 year Single Malt Batch 1 52.1% 462 Bottles GBP 140
  • Fleurieu 3 year Batch 2 Single Malt 65% 428 Bottles GBP 145

Given this was a festival setting, we sniffed, swished, and spit our way through the collection, so my impressions are quite limited. Though it was good fun to have a wee saunter around these Australian drams… 

So… we began with one that Dave openly admitted is one of his festival drams (yes – that’s what’s in the glass in the pic)! 

The Gospel 3 year Rye Batch 1 58.6% 

The Gospel distillery from Melbourne produces a range of ryes – in this case, matured in an Australian red wine cask finish. We understand they use a mash bill of 51% Australian unmalted rye, and 49% malted barley, from the Murray Mallee region of South Australia.

What did we think? No question this was a rye and yet with a twist! Lots of juicy fruits, plum, red grape peel, with some spice and sweetness. As for the palate, more rye with dark fruits and some ground white pepper and sweet spices.

Launceston 5 year Single Malt Batch 1 62.5%

Based in Tasmanian, Launceston distillery is located in an airport Hangar which was built in 1932. Their focus is on local ingredients and production with local people. They produce a range from unpeated ex-bourbon to Tawny port finish, to Apera (Australian sherry), to rum, including some peat expressions too. As for this particular bottle? It was matured in an ex-Bourbon barrel.

Dave described it as the closest to a Scottish style. On the nose, it was a delicious dessert, generous and creamy with sweet spices. On the palate, it was beautiful – marvelously sweet, spicy, and robust – full and flavourful.

Limeburners 5 year Single Malt Batch 1 51.5%

Next up in our Oz journey was a shift to Western Australia with Limeburners Distillery. They share how their spirit is matured in second-fill American oak bourbon barrels, and then some expressions are further finished in Australian fortified wine barrels. They also have peated whiskies using locally sourced peat from the Valley of the Giants in nearby Walpole. In the same region, the parent company Great Southern Distilling has three distilleries – making gin, malt, grain, and rye whisky. We tried their single malt, matured in an ex-Pedro Ximenez Apera cask.

This one was very memorable. Call it the power of suggestion or something else, however, we began with key lime tart, then an exuberant red berry and raisins. The 1st sip was a powerhouse – rich, dark, spicy and bursting with flavours, including a bit of black forest cake! We kept the glass without rinsing for some time – what a delightful perfume sweetly floral with lime cordial! 

Tria Prima 2 year Single Malt Spirit Batch 1 52.2%

We then moved on to something completely different! Just like bourbon only requires only two years to be called whisky, so too does Australia consider two years sufficient to be known as whisky. Which is exactly how long this “spirit” from Tria Prima Distillery matured.

Turns out there is quite the TBWC connection. As the TBWC folks tell, this distillery was founded in 2017 by a fan – Paul Shand, and his wife Trang, with funds from Paul’s whisky collection – including TBWC bottles. So what did Paul do with his investment? In the case of this TBWC bottle, it was matured in an ex-Grant Burge (red wine) and 1st fill Tawny cask.

And what was the result? Something rather fun – fruiting, plummy, with a quite strong wine influence. Even on the palate, the Tawny port comes through loud and clear.

Chief’s Son 5 year Single Malt Batch 1 52.1%

What next? Chief’s Son was started near Melburn by spouses Stuart and Naomi McIntosh in 2016 after a trip to Scotland. Their approach is hand-made and small scale – as in an annual capacity of 5000 liters small! As for the expression bottled by TBWC, it was matured in an ex-Apera cask.

What did we find? Lots of big fruits and sherry influence, with some light peat. 

Fleurieu 3 year Batch 2 Single Malt 65%

Last in our tasting was Fleurieu Distillery from outside of Adelaide. Another family-owned distillery, Gareth & Angela Andrews were earlier brewers before turning their attention to whisky. Dave shared how their casks are named after family members rather than numbered.

It greeted us with a big bold peat on the nose – apparently, this was the distillery folks were inspired by a Caol Ila style peat. It was joined by a sea breeze and full flavours on the palate.

There was another expression on offer – Corowa 4 year Single Malt Batch 1 48.5% – however we found ourselves pausing and then passed.

What followed? After many explorations of other stalls, we simply had to return to TBWC for their “At The Movies” expressions!

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That Boutique-y Whisky Co – New Core Range

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No Whisky Show is truly complete without the dynamic duo of Dave Worthington & Sam Simmonds. That Boutique-y Whisky Co is just a “must go”! 

At London’s 2023 Whisky Show, you could spend the entire day at their wee stall! This year, they introduced their new core range along with three different features:

  • Land of Oz
  • American
  • Cinema expressions

We somehow managed to stick with just a partial sampling of the Core Range, Oz, and Cinema… however that took rather a large amount of restraint!

Starting with the World Whisky Blend (fabulous and affordable!), the good folks at Atom Brands aka That Boutique-y Whisky Co, decided it was time to have something a bit more regular and dependable for fans. Shifting from 500ml bottles of unique expressions with sometimes only 100+ bottles in existence where you could “blink” and they are gone, their new core range can be found in “industry standard” 700ml bottles, all at a traditional strength of 45.8% in batches of approx 1,000 liters, with the intention of being much more accessible.

Naturally, there had to be something a bit cheeky about the approach with Emily Chappell’s labels! With a nod to traditional scotch whisky which often featured deer… in this case, the age of the deer was linked to the age of the dram… except of course for the Canadian whisky, it simply had to be a moose! Dave also shared the bottle colours are meant to reflect the northern lights too. 

Which was exactly where we began, the good Canuck that I am! 

Canadian Corn 8 year 45.8% (GBP 38)

Big bold and sweet aromas, caramel toffee sweetness, nutty, and more! And on the palate? Even more of that dramatic desert with some cracking ginger spice. Yet even with all the big bold aromas and flavours, it was in harmony and not overwhelming. A fun, fabulous sweet treat with a punch.

What more do we know? It was matured in 100% Oloroso casks. As for official tasting notes?

  • Nose – Fruity muffins, buttery oak, opening up into sherried goodness: raisins, prunes, dates, drizzles of runny toffee and toasted nuts.
  • Taste – Big, bold, and fruity! Toffee ripple ice cream, wafer, and popcorn join toasted almonds and cooked peach, white cracks of black pepper nestle in the depths.

Where did we go next? We then shifted to the oldest offering in this new core range – the 30-year-old blended grain!

Blended Grain 30 year 45.8% GBP 75

As bold and youthful as the Canadian corn was, we shifted to a genteel dame with the blended grain. On the nose, it was a friendly ‘breakfast dram’ with delicious buttery pastries, honey, and a hint of marmalade, some cream with vanilla. Then on the palate? Soft, even creamier, and far too easy to drink. This one was dangerous in its deceptively easy style. Yum!

What more do we know? It is a blend of refill casks of ex-Bourbon hogsheads and ex-Sherry octaves. As for tasting notes?

  • Nose – Honeycomb, red grapes, immensely buttery biscuits or shortbread, waxy orange peel, polished oak and a touch of floral spring breeze.
  • Palate –  Thick, textured with rich butterscotch, freshly baked cookies with still-soft chocolate chunks, hints of cedar and white pepper in the finish.

Next up was the Speyside….

Speyside 12 year 45.8% GBP 45

If the Canadian was big and bold, the Grain genteel and intoxicating, the Speyside was a sherry delight with substance!

On the nose, we found crunchy chocolate caramel with roasted nuts, some fruity sweetness too, and a puff of smoke. It had real substance on the palate – this was no lightweight! Warm and full of classic sherry dark fruits combined with a hint of salt. Far too drinkable too!

What more do we know? It is a combination of all-new Oloroso casks.. with the official tasting notes:

  • Nose – Caramelised nuts and chocolate mousse, flamed orange peel, cinnamon, earthy density, punchy cassia, and smoky oak.
  • Taste – Fruity, chewy and spicy. Tangy cranberry, salty jerky, oily walnuts, an absolute belter of a Speyside whisky. Complex and quaffable.

We held off on checking out the Highland 18 year and Islay 8 year. I’m sure they are equally worth checking out. Our overall conclusion for the trio we tried is that each is, in its distinctive way, simply too easy to drink. Which I supposed is exactly what they were aiming for with this more accessible range – bravo!

What next? Well… join me as we dive into a selection from Australia!

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More Minis – Nc’Nean, Tipperary, Gulliver’s 47

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Continuing my wee whisky mini explorations, I turned to a combination of two different sets… mixing up countries and styles!

For Nc’Nean, this mini came after I’d already purchased a full bottle with thoughts to bring it back to Mumbai for the Whisky Ladies. I knew it would be young but had been impressed with meeting the women leading the way with this fresh new independent distillery – committed to sustainable production, carbon-neutral, using recycled glass for the bottles, and most importantly passionate about crafting a fine dram in harmony with our planet.

Nc’Nean Single Scottish Malt Batch 7, 46%

  • Colour – Light gold
  • Nose – How delightfully fresh, fresh barley, light orange citrus
  • Palate – Initially prickly then gentled, quite young and active, some ginger, tinned pineapple, honey sweetness with something a bit rustic, tannins belying a wine cask influence? If yes, it was subtle and balanced
  • Finish – Waxy, a touch bitter like roasted nuts, light spice, a touch of orange oil

The challenge with tasting minis is that sometimes it simply isn’t enough! I was glad that I have a bottle to explore another time at leisure with friends.

I then shifted gears from Scotland to the Emerald Isles…

Tipperary 8 year Red Wine Cask Finish, Cask RC00117, 59.5%

  • Colour – What colour! A bright ruby
  • Nose – Bold blackberries, spice
  • Palate – Brash, a bit harsh and spicy, with some strong oak undertones, tannins and juicy red berries, like chewy red gummy bears
  • Finish – Sweet and tart at the same time, oak spice chasing

If Nc’Nean had a subtle hand, here there was no mistaking the use of a red wine cask with the Tipperary. So heavy, I wondered if it could have been finished in a decidedly “wet” cask leaving some wine behind? There is nothing shy about this whisky!

Whilst the Irish distillery is undisclosed, the folks at Tipperary have started their own distillery and in time will be putting out their own whisky. In the interim, this bottling of another is retailing for Eur 68.

And then on to a third country – England – with a lightly peated dram from The English Whisky Company:

Gulliver’s 47 Single English Malt 47%

  • Colour – Pale white gold, nearly translucent
  • Nose – Fresh sea breeze and smoke, angel food cake, citrus, layers of soft peat
  • Palate – Delightful! Gentle sweet peat, apples, buttery, lovely malty, most
  • Finish – Sweet tobacco leaf, lingering cinnamon

I really enjoyed this one – rolling around the palate – the peat was subtle yet satisfying. A rather nice dram.

What more do we know? It was aged in bourbon casks from Jim Bean, with the brand inspired by Samuel Gulliver an explorer who brought wines, spirits and liqueurs from around the world back to 18th century Britain. You can find this for Eur 60.

What fun to mix and match tasting from two new distilleries and one brand with a distillery to be!

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Paris Whisky Live 2022 – Arlett

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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!

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St Kilian Berry Metal Cocktail – with peat??

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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.

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Deconstructing the St Kilian Signature Edition ‘Thirteen’!

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A Single Malt simply means malts from the same distillery. Unless it is specifically designated as a “Single Cask”, it could mean wildly different types of casks used in order to achieve the desired outcome.

In the case of St Kilian’s Thirteen Signature Edition, it is a mix of five different virgin casks – put differently, these are all “fresh” casks that never held any other liquid like Bourbon or Sherry before being used to mature the whisky. Master Blender Mario Rudolf chose Palatinate and Hungarian oak combined with “unique” woods like wild robinia (mock acacia), chestnut, and cherry. The oldest whisky was approx 6 years and the youngest 3 years. All used Scottish peat smoke malt with 54 ppm – hence this falls into St Kilian’s peated range.

In Scotland, there are regulations that stipulate that only Oak wood may be used, however, the rules are considerably more relaxed in countries like the USA, Ireland, or Germany. This enables considerable experimentation – from apple wood chips to chestnut! This expression clearly falls into the “experimental” category!

So how did we go about exploring this tasting set? We began by calibrating our palates – cracking open the delicious Classic “Mild & Fruity” 46% (the lone black bottle ie unpeated whisky) before shifting to peat with the balanced Peaty “Rich & Smoky” 46%. It was a perfect way to start!

We then tasted the ‘Thirteen’ to get a feel for the combination before going step by step through each component and then revisiting the ‘Thirteen’ again. What a super cool concept – sharing transparently the five different elements that go into creating the Signature Thirteen expression.

So let’s take you on our tasting journey…

Signature Edition ‘Thirteen’ (2016/18/19 – 2022) 53.9%

  • Nose – Yummy! We were immediately greeted by maple glazed smoked bacon, a campfire with fatty bacon, charred peppers, cherries, a hint of wood
  • Palate – Quite a contrast – cinnamon bark, bittersweet, light ginger, some peppers, oak, mild peat, and overall quite dry
  • Finish – A spice burn, slightly ashy
  • Water – Makes a big difference – brings out the fruit and cream, shifting from dry to juicy.

Overall we found the nose really quite wonderful, with the palate having a curious yet interesting character. This is no “easy” dram but certainly one to experience!

32% of Thirteen: Virgin Hungarian Oak (2016 – 2022) 61.3% Ungarischer Eiche

We began with the largest component – virgin Quercus Petraea aka Hungarian Oak.

On the nose, it had a fresh and clean approach – like shaved wood that then deepened into a nutty aroma – particularly Brazil nuts. As for the taste? Warm and really quite fabulous, joined by a prickly spice. Surprisingly smooth and mature for a mere 6-year-old – and that too at cask strength!

We speculated that this may also be a base for their Peated Rich & Smoky – at least we found elements of what we enjoy in that blend also in it. What a promising start!

27% of Thirteen: Virgin Chestnut/Kastanie (2019 – 2022) 53.4%

We moved on to Chestnut – a wood that outside of Scotland, some whisky distilleries are increasingly exploring as an alternative to Oak – at least for some time. I’ve tried several experiments from Sweden’s Agitator to Ireland’s Method & Madness to Germany’s Aureum.

We found it more subtle than anticipated. On the nose, it was like new fresh chestnuts before roasting – green and unripe – fragrant with a hint of fruit and only the lightest touch of sweet peat. Whereas on the palate? Quite interesting, with a substantive texture with a light spice spike at the back. Then it finished with herbal elements with a touch of bitterness.

Overall we found this one quite mild with a smooth warmth that lingers. Rather nice!

27% of Thirteen: Virgin Wild Robinia / Wilde Robine (2019 – 2022) 61.8% 

We moved on to a wood called “Wild Robinia” – an Eastern European timber, considered a “mock Acacia” – a tropical timber, native to Africa, Australia, and South America.

We had no idea what to expect, however, suffice to say, this one was VERY different and hard to describe. The aroma was a bit elusive whereas the palate? Hmmm…. It was strong, forceful with an “in your face” harshness, heavy bitter roasted nuts. Curiously, it reminded us a bit of a strawberry stomach medicine.

Though we had only 2cl between the two of us, we found this one definitely needed a dash of water. Certainly helps… however overall this one wasn’t for us – at least as a stand-alone.

We struggled to understand why to add something so brash as the Wilde Robine into the mix… until we finished tasting all five elements and revisited the Thirteen.

11% of Thirteen: Virgin Palatinate Oak / Pfälzer Eiche (2018 – 2022) 60.6% 

We then moved on to a more traditional wood – Oak – more specifically Palatinate Oak from SouthWestern Germany.

Ahh… nice! Back to more traditional aromas – mild and fruity like a fruit stew. On the palate, we found sweet spices, warm with a mild almost “numbing” astringency on the finish.

This was a return to more familiar territory. And whilst it was a smaller portion of the Thirteen, we thought perhaps it added some of the fruit!

3% of Thirteen: Virgin Cherry/Kirsche (2018 – 2022) 61.7% 

We closed our “deconstruction” exploration with Cherry wood. St Kilian has some company experimenting with this wood – both Teeling and Woodford Reserve have expressions that are partly finished in Cherry. Reputed to be more porous than oak leading to intense flavours.

So what did we find?

Woooaaah! Smells like Cherry wood, freshly chopped, green, carnation flower, dank, musty… and on the palate? Varnish, so dry it made one almost “pucker up!”, more of that carnation, green and unripe fruits, wood polish, bitter cherry cough syrup\. Followed by a smokey finish.

On its own, this wouldn’t work but we could see how this whisky would add an interesting counterpart.

100% Signature Edition ‘Thirteen’ (2016/18/19 – 2022) 53.9% Revisited

We reflected on each of the five elements. On their own, we could see real promise in both the Hungarian and Palatinate Oaks and also the Chestnut… On its own the WIld Robinia didn’t work, however, with the revisit, we could understand how it added depth to the character. Similarly, the cherry solo would be too intense however with just a touch, that distinctive aroma augments rather than detracts.

Clearly, this is an example where the sum is greater than its parts! What a fabulous experience to have an opportunity to deconstruct the St Kilian Signature Edition Thirteen!

SINGLE MALT WHISKEY THIRTEEN FACE 1

Here is what the folks at St Kilian have to say:

The special thing about the smoky Signature Edition THIRTEEN is its unusual composition. Because it is a composition of five different wood species. Thus, in addition to Palatinate and Hungarian oak, unique woods such as wild robinia (false acacia), chestnut and cherry were used. Distillates from 2016, 2018 and 2019, made from 54 ppm Scottish peat smoke malt, matured in the five virgin-fresh wood barrels to create a full-bodied, color-intensive single malt with a strong character.

And their official tasting notes:

  • Appearance – Amber
  • Aroma – Intense fruit notes of ripe cherries and apricots harmonize with creamy vanilla, fine peat smoke and a juicy BBQ note, complemented by aromatic wood tones and spicy oak.
  • Taste – Juicy apricots, red cherries and sweet vanilla cream combine with warming notes of wood, finely spicy oak, white pepper and a hint of ginger, subtly wrapped in aromatic peat smoke.
  • Finish – The creamy, spicy blend of dark fruit jam and fine tannins has a pleasantly long lingering finish with warming peat smoke, subtle dry ash notes and a hint of cocoa.

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Shelter Point – Canadian whisky stash!

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There I was back in November 2020… sitting in Nurnberg on a rather cool, miserable, overcast day… missing being ‘home’… both my India home with my amazing spouse (especially as it was our birthday week!) and my Canadian home with family and friends.

So what’s a gal to do? Buy a whisky birthday present, of course! That’s exactly what I did. A Shelter Point trio that was patiently waiting at my parent’s place in Winnipeg ever since…

  • Shelter Point 5-year “The Collective” (2020) 46% (375 ml)
  • Shelter Point 7-year Single Cask, Triple Grain (unmalted & malted barley, rye), 5th Edition (2020) 43%, Bottle 205/288 (750 ml)
  • Shelter Point Montfort District Lot 151 Single Grain Whisky (2020) 46% (375 ml)

At the time, I never imagined it would take until late May 2023 for me to finally make the trip to Canada! By that point, the initial trio were joined by a further quartet:

  • Shelter Point “Smoke & Oak” (2021) Batch #1 46% (375 ml)
  • Shelter Point 6-year “Double Barrel” (2021) 6th Edition 46% (Coastal Black’s Blackberry Wine) (375 ml)
  • Shelter Point 6-year “The Forbidden” (2021) Batch #2, 47% (375ml)
  • Shelter Point 10-year Artisanal Cask Strength (2021) 57.8% (750 ml)

Now I have a problem of plenty! It was a tough call to select which made the final cut for the journey to Germany. Will some or all of these eventually continue their journey to India for the Whisky Ladies of Mumbai? And how long will we need to wait to hold a session? Will it be another year (or more) til some of these beauties make their way into a glass?

When I have the answer, you will have the answer. Til then… Slainthe!

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St Kilian Classic + Peated – Balanced + Beautiful!

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I love tasting sets! It is such a terrific way to explore different whiskies – a teasing taste that tells which you want to have more and which was enough to just have that one experience!

In the case of two recent St Kilian tasting sets, their new “standard” expressions are so enjoyable that as soon as I return from Canada to Germany, they’ll be ordered to share with folks back in India (yes – I lead a slightly complicated life, geographically speaking!).

These notes are from a tasting experience in Winnipeg, Canada, where we began our St Kilian experience with this pair:

  • Classic – Mild & Fruity 46%
  • Peated – Rich & Smoky 46%

Naturally, we began with the “Classic” aka Mild & Fruity.. which indeed lived up to its name!

I’ve tasted this particular expression both in Germany and Canada – loved it both times! Here is an amalgam of both experiences:

  • Nose – A happy sunshine aroma – first whiff and yum! It had lovely warm white peaches, apricots, ripe pears, yellow plums, raspberry cream, baked banana bread, red licorice… it reminded us just a little bit of a bunch of juicy fruity gourmet gummy bears! Accompanying all the delicious fruits were some light sweet spices
  • Palate – Delicious! Silky smooth and more like a fruit spirit than whisky! Yet richer, with some depth of character giving a firm fabulous foundation to the experience! We found some lovely baked pear tart, caramel drizzled banana cream pie, marzipan, toffee, and vanilla cream with just a hint of something deeper, adding an oak spice and fruit interplay
  • Finish – A fabulously fruity and desert-like finish, chased by honey sweetness

In short – yum! It was a veritable fruit basket! The aroma at one point reminded me of a Raspberry soda – the kind that you specifically get at a Parsi wedding! It’s exceedingly “sippable”, with the only danger being an empty glass!

This is MY kind of St Kilian – fruity, fun, and fabulous!

MILD FRUITY FRONT 1So what goes into creating an expression like this? The folks at St. Kilian shared that their Classic is a combination of different ex-bourbon casks (70%) and Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks (30%).

  • Appearance – Light gold
  • Aroma – Multi-layered fruity notes of ripe apricots, peaches, yellow plums and plantains are combined with creamy vanilla to create a sweet blend of fruit, which is accompanied by delicately spicy oak and a delicate herbal note of fresh mint and some sage.
  • Taste – Balanced sweetness and at the same time warming with apricots and peaches, creamy toffee and spicy oak aromas, refined with a pinch of piquant white pepper and perfectly rounded off with a hint of fresh mint.
  • Finish – Creamy caramel notes linger for a pleasantly long time with fine brittle, subtly dry oak spice and a hint of fine herbs.

Overall, I would concur – our experience and the official tasting notes are quite well aligned, we just didn’t catch the herbal notes, however, we also didn’t give the whisky much time in the glass!.

We then moved on to the Peated expression, Rich & Smoky, tasted only in Canada. And what did we discover?

  • Nose – A summer campfire, with properly dried wood so it is a sweet smoke, we also found Montreal smoked meats (beef brisket or pastrami – take your pick!), a slightly saline sea breeze, a hint of brazil nut, muskat grapes… the more time it spent in the glass the fruitier and sweeter it became, revealing some of the apricots and yellow plums found in the Classic
  • Palate – Clean, mild peat with an initial “zap” that quickly mellows to become incredibly smooth. Long and balanced. A little fruit, some oak, and sweet spices married perfectly with a gentle peat.
  • Finish – Lingers with a delicious cinnamon spice

Just like the Classic, this was exceedingly balanced, enveloping in a warm and cosey embrace. It is approachable and comforting at the same time. VERY well done!

RICH SMOKY FRONT 1

What more do the folks at St Kilian have to say? Obviously, they use peat! In this case, barley malt from the Scottish Highlands with a phenol content of 54 ppm. And like the Classic expression, it is also a combination of different ex-bourbon casks (70%) and Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks (30%).

Their official tasting notes share:

  • Appearance – Gold
  • Aroma – The beguiling fruit bouquet of grilled apricots, juicy pears and ripe bananas is refined with sweet vanilla and a dash of lime, perfectly surrounded by mild peat smoke and complemented by dry ash tones with cooling mint.
  • Taste – Full-bodied, sweet and fruity with vanilla, apricots and pears, in a harmonious interplay with creamy toffee and delicate peat smoke, which elegantly underlines the warming oak spice with a pinch of white pepper and fresh mint.
  • Finish – Pleasantly warming with creamy fruit compote and dark toffee, which are accompanied by ashy smoke and a subtle dry oak spice for a long time.

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