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| Hello, that is considered one of our (virtually) every day tastings. Santé! |
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August 1, 2025
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Right this moment, we’re setting off round
the world once more
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| The Chuan, Eimeishan, Sichuan, China (The Chuan) |
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There actually are an unimaginable variety of new whiskies from everywhere in the world, it is genuinely thrilling, even when it’s kind of onerous to maintain up with, one has to confess… We’re ranging from France, as common.
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Tchankat ‘Classique’ (43%, OB, France, +/-2025) 
A whisky from the land of Armagnac, down in Gascony. Thoughts you, this isn’t malt, quite 80% maize, 10% barley and 10% rye. It’s been matured for 3 years in re-toasted Saint-Julien casks, so the cabernet affect ought to stay considerably restrained. Color: deep gold. Nostril: not half dangerous, and fortunately it doesn’t reek of cassis or strawberry from fifty yards away, as a substitute we’re extra in shortbread and damp stones territory. Even the maize doesn’t appear to be overdoing it on the sweetness entrance, a minimum of not on the nostril. In brief, it’s quite likeable. Mouth: properly performed, the French oak brings alongside a justifiable share of spices however that truly creates a quite sensible model right here, re-toasting the casks was clearly a shrewd transfer. Cherry tart dusted with cinnamon and gray pepper, though the feel is only a tad on the sunshine aspect. No concept whether or not they’ve used their Armagnac stills (that is the Samalens home pulling the strings right here) however it works a deal with. We’re veering increasingly more in the direction of kirsch and even guignolet. End: medium in size, nonetheless spicy, with a contact of woodiness persisting. Feedback: little question about it, that is properly crafted and doesn’t go off in all instructions. You couldn’t even name it ‘winey’.
SGP:541 – 82 factors. |
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Let’s head to Brittany and Burgundy whereas we’re at it…
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Eddu ‘Carnet de Voyages – fûts de Bourgogne’ (46%, OB, France, 650 bottles)
A ending of buckwheat whisky in Corton Grand Cru casks. That stated, we’ve by no means been in a position, empirically talking, to determine a direct organoleptic hyperlink between the status of a wine and the standard of a whisky completed in its casks. Frankly, between a Corton and a passetoutgrain, you’re unlikely to note an actual distinction if the cask high quality is comparable. Now admittedly, it not often is… Color: gold. Nostril: that is distinctly earthy, barely gamey, a contact madeira-like, with even a faint foxiness that’s not essentially misplaced on this context. The much-anticipated blackcurrants and stewed cherries solely make a late look. Mouth: we’re properly off the overwhelmed path of malt whiskies right here, edging nearer to sure cask-aged gins in truth, with some fairly surprising citrus notes layered with wild mushrooms. It’s jolly amusing and even quite good, if one is recreation for an journey. End: lengthy, spicier, once more principally steered by citrus and forest flooring. Feedback: I’d say this sits roughly in the identical league because the earlier one.
SGP:551 – 82 factors. |
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Tanaka (40%, OB, Vietnam, +/-2025) 
Right here now we have a rice whisky, produced by a Japanese gentleman in Vietnam. Hooray, it’s our very first Vietnamese whisky! Color: pale gold. Nostril: it’s exceedingly mild, leaning on vanilla, inexperienced tea, natural infusions, a contact of rock sugar, and a little bit extra vanilla… Because it’s all very light, it might probably’t presumably offend – and certainly it doesn’t. Mouth: it’s candy, mild, missing in texture, with faint hints of roasted hazelnuts, corn syrup, then just a few tea-like tannins. End: very quick. A splash of gray pepper. Feedback: it’s likeable sufficient however I’d say it completely requires ice. Which, in fact, we didn’t use.
SGP:320 – 65 factors. |
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The Chuan (40%, OB, China, Pure Malt, +/-2025) 
Right here’s the overall launch from this splendid distillery in Sichuan (courtesy of Pernod Ricard), which we had the pleasure of visiting in Could. We’d already loved two particular editions, and right here comes probably the most extensively obtainable model, in all probability probably the most approachable too, bottled at a pleasant 40% vol. Beware, there’s Chinese language mizunara oak inside! Color: gold. Nostril: we’re getting that Far-Japanese Speyside character once more, a broadly basic malty construction uplifted by quite ‘Chinese language’ notes, corresponding to dried citrus peels (chen-pi), which we’re quite keen on, particularly in older variations twenty years and up. There’s additionally a peculiar fermentary word that immediately recollects the place itself, notably their plum wine. Salted butter toffee ties all of it collectively properly. Mouth: very sensible. The saline, resinous oak brings fir timber to thoughts, the plum comes again with gusto, as does the toffee, then a well-mannered array of spices joins in. That stated, that is miles away from the hyper-spicy Sichuan delicacies model – of which we sampled some fairly… exceptional examples, let’s say. Because the locals put it, ‘it punches’. This pure malt, nevertheless, is far gentler… End: again into extra basic territory with espresso, chocolate, prunes and richly malty darkish beer. The 40% vol. by no means posed an issue. Feedback: one typically avoids utilizing the time period ‘entry stage’, and on this case, that might’ve been a mistake certainly.
SGP:551 – 87 factors. |
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Amber Lane 4 yo 2020/2024 (61%, Fact & Consequence, Australia, 1st fill bourbon barrel, cask #94, 107 bottles)
Naturally, they took residence gold on the IWSC. They use a pot nonetheless and practise double distillation, so a quite intermittent course of, let’s say. Angus tried an Amber Lane some time in the past – and fairly preferred it – however I’ve by no means had one in my glass, I’m afraid. The distillery is positioned in New South Wales. Color: gold. Nostril: inevitably a bit scorching at this energy, the ethanol is kind of ahead however nothing out of the peculiar. Wee liqueurs, sugar-coated eggs, candy African bread… We’ll be needing water. With water: fairly a little bit of saponification at first, then it settles down and heads in the direction of contemporary ginger, after which the entire thing begins to enhance steadily. Orange cake, baklavas, numerous different Levantine pastries… Mouth (neat): a bit eau-de-vie-like at first, with a plum core and citrusy flashes on prime. I consider water is crucial right here, because it so typically is (properly performed, S.) With water: very good now, mainly on citrus zest, nonetheless with some contemporary ginger clinging on. End: medium size, nice, with plum jam and ginger. Feedback: I believe it is a correct success, even when the youth is displaying.
SGP:641 – 82 factors. |
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Hellyers Highway 21 yo ‘Peated’ (52.5%, OB, Australia/Tasmania, cask #20FO5c01, 2025) 
This one’s a double maturation with 4 years spent in peated whisky casks. So it’s not a peated distillate per se however do word the second maturation occurred in casks that had held peated malt additionally produced by Hellyers Highway. So it’s self-double maturation, if that’s even a time period. Color: pale gold. Nostril: simply image this, you’re smoking mango and cassata in peat smoke, then including grapefruit juice and white Sancerre. Or Australian sauvignon blanc in case you choose. With water: in come the wilder touches, mud, uncooked wool, bread dough, grist, however the mango and banana nonetheless hold the place so as. Mouth (neat): completely pure and exact, the smokiness is assertive but wonderful (should’ve been a really closely peated cask) whereas a myriad of white and yellow fruits, each grand and humble, frolic within the background. The oak is ever so barely noticeable. With water: glorious stuff, saline, completely poised, with as soon as once more the character of a fantastic white wine. With oysters! End: lengthy, on lemon, ashes, smoked fish and focaccia. Feedback: nothing explicit so as to add, that is basic Hellyers Highway proper the place we anticipate it. That stated, attaining such a peaty profile from a mere ending, nevertheless prolonged, exhibits as soon as once more simply how dominant, and even invasive, these molecules will be. However that’s simply how we prefer it…
SGP:645 – 90 factors. |
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Since we’re within the Commonwealth, right here’s one other one ‘peated by the cask’…
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Spirit of Yorkshire 6 yo 2018/2025 (57.1%, Decadent Drams, England, 2nd fill ex-Islay Barrel, 249 bottles) 
In different phrases, that is Filey Bay, which we’ve already sampled a number of occasions. We had nice enjoyable earlier this 12 months with their quite good ‘Orange Wine Barrique’. Color: white wine. Nostril: clearly, except you’re a seasoned Filey Bay skilled, it’s difficult to find out what comes from the distillate and what from the ex-Islay barrel. In any case, we’re close to bread, grist, oil, chalky white soil à la albariza, and even, I child you not, Alsatian flammekueche (flatbread, fromage blanc, bacon, onions). Hints of paraffin, moist chalk… With water: edging even nearer to cereals and ashes. Mouth (neat): exact, peaty, lemony, yeasty. There are, albeit with much less depth and complexity in fact, sure resemblances to Tasmanian whisky. With water: the entire turns into extra built-in, citrus stands out, there’s even a medicinal aspect (ha-ha!) and, shall we embrace, a contact extra gentleness. It’s very properly performed. End: fruits and some drops of crème de menthe take over, virtually pushing out the Islay peat. Feedback: to be sincere, we had our doubts, however as we went alongside and stored including a little bit Vittel (Nestlé, we didn’t discover the cheque) this pretty composition got here collectively superbly. No, no politics.
SGP:655 – 88 factors. |
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Go on then, one final one, let’s head again to the Far East…
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Nantou Omar 2015/2024 (53.8%, OB for HNWS, The Antelope & Kanpakai, Taiwan, virgin oak, cask #01180385, 187 bottles)
Only a reminder that these Omars are produced by TTL, a Taiwanese state-owned firm. We’ve already tasted some cracking ones and in reality, we’re planning a full ‘Omar’ session quickly with a very good dozen or so. God prepared… Color: gold. Nostril: that is all about barley purity and closely charred oak, so assume croissants, vanilla, banana and the like. In brief, it’s easy but rendered in high-def. With water: contemporary herbs emerge, basil, mint, oysterplant, lemongrass, watercress… Mouth (neat): in my humble opinion, Omar leans nearer to the Japanese in model when in comparison with its compatriot Kavalan (which we’re additionally quite keen on) whose strategy is arguably extra ‘worldwide’. Anyway, this opens with a stunning, forthright assault, extraordinarily near yeast and barley, and due to this fact beer. It follows that very same line. With water: notes of ginger, turmeric, ginseng, together with yellow peaches. End: pretty lengthy, on natural infusions, vanilla and contemporary oak. Feedback: maybe not ultra-distinctive, however the high quality stays very excessive in my most humble opinion.
SGP:561 – 87 factors. |
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World malt whiskies simply carry on bettering, I get the sensation fewer and fewer fall into the sub-75-point class today. Until it’s the state of the world with its quite a few predators that’s making us need to paint every thing in a rosier mild.
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