Villa de Varda is a producer of grappa in Trentino, Italy (not that removed from the opposite distillery Puni). In addition to grappa additionally they make inQuota, a mountain whisky produced from barley and rye grown at excessive altitude and water from the Dolomites.
We’re attempting their Mountain Rye, which is the one model that appears to be matured in plain oak. Their barley-based whisky is completed in spruce casks, Amarone casks or Passito di Pantelleria casks.
Villa de Varda inquota – Mountain Rye 6 yo 2017 (43,2%, OB 2023, 1978 btl.)
Nostril: citrusy and natural / floral at first, in a manner that jogs my memory of gin or – certainly – grappa. Cardamom, lemon and orange peels, juniper. Then a bit of sunshine cake and white bread, with unripe pear, jasmine and rosewater within the distance. Pine needles as properly.
Mouth: delicate, nonetheless having this contemporary mixture of juniper, lemons and inexperienced fruits. Possibly a touch of inexperienced banana. Mid-palate it turns into spirity and eau-de-vie-ish, again to grappa. Ginger and aniseed comes out. Then a light-weight dustiness of rye bread and a light-weight trace of tea as properly.
End: medium size. Spices and the wine acquire observe once more, together with this creamy fruity layer and a few caramel.
This Inquota is all very mild and heady, revolving a bit an excessive amount of round grappa for my part. Undecided the way you’d get this sort of character once you’re not distilling grapes, however anyway. Nothing towards artisan grappa after all, however calling this whisky could also be setting false expectations. A gimmick, for my part. It appears to be properly represented in The Netherlands for some motive – I discovered it at Whiskysite.nl
