With Ardbeg Committee Releases well beyond my price range I’ll settle for one of their core bottlings – Wee Beastie – and in a naggin bottle too!
Simply pouring this whisky results in strong aromas of coastal peat smoke wafting around.
It’s surprisingly delicate on the palate – before that gorgeous smokiness gradually takes over.
Wee Beastie leaves with a very dry prickliness immediately making you want more!
A Monster Of A Dram indeed!
Sláinte
You gotta hand it to An Fear Grinn – they do release some delicious whiskey.
It helps – of course – that they’re all presented non chill filtered & natural colour at usually 46% – or above.
This – to me at least – accentuates the strength of flavour within.
Their latest release – Móinteach No 2 – is a follow on from the original peated single malt Móinteach of last year.
There’s a classic iodiney, TCP kind of nose going on with No 2. Not overpowering – just very clearly stated.
Clean & crisp on the palate. Lovely freshness. Again the peat influence is evident.
Finishes with a lip-smacking dryness coating the mouth in a prickly tingliness which excites & leaves with a soft smokiness.
An elegantly presented smoker of a malt.
Catch it while you can!
Sláinte
An Fear Grinn website here.
My blog on Móinteach here.
Sample kindly supplied by An Fear Grinn.
I enjoy exploring Mezcal.
Rather than use 1 type of agave for distillation like Tequila – Mezcal uses up to 40 different varietals offering a far wider flavour spectrum.
Mezcal Artesanal must also prepare that agave – agave angustifolia for La Medida – in earthen or stone pits giving a smoky element to the product – which attracts me.
There’s a stack of information on the back label – but how it tastes is paramount to me – so I poured a glass.
The earthy agave notes are quite soft & subtle, augmented by a gentle smokiness which enticed.
Smooth oily mouthfeel slowly develops an engaging dry vegetal smoke giving a warm embrace to the proceedings.
Leaves with a dry prickly pepper fading away.
La Medida is a well balanced offering showcasing a complex interplay between the vegetal agave notes & those fabulous smoky vibes.
Very engaging!
Sláinte
For an explanation of Mezcal rules read here.
La Medida website here.
I’m smitten with Märzen.
The smoky BBQ flavours just win me over.
Using barley dried over a beechwood log fire – the richness, depth & above all – smokiness – of this traditional German style screams out YES to my palate.
I’ve moved over to the Rauchbier side!
Prost!
I’m working my way through a rather large lockdown purchase of miniatures.
They were chosen to try out spirits I’d not encountered before & have proved very entertaining.
These 2 whiskies are English based.
Raisthorpe Manor are a fine food & drinks company operating from a farm in Yorkshire. Their Game Keepers Tipple is a sourced Scottish blend & comes in a handy flask shaped bottle to match the humorous character on the label.
Light brown in colour.
Displays a very mild honeyed nose.
The palate is sweet & mellow with a good mouthfeel & pleasing depth of flavour. It reminded me of a Highland style.
A touch of spice on the rear appealed to me.
A very pleasant easy sipper.
The English Smokey is distilled in Norfolk.
I’ve previously encountered their Chapter 15 heavily peated offering & was impressed. This is a milder version.
Softly peated aromas greet you.
Mild on the palate, the smoke gradually rises in intensity leaving a drying mouthfeel.
A lasting prickly tingling wraps up this lovely single malt.
Very nice.
I couldn’t say either are outstanding – but both are very engaging.
Anything with smoke almost automatically wins out for me – but Raisthorpe’s Game Keeper performed admirably.
Fine whiskies indeed!
Sláinte
Have you ever encountered a spirit that simply reels you in with seductive aromas?
Entices you with fabulous flavours?
Entertains as it dances merrily on your palate?
Well that’s how La Penca struck me.
Simmering smokiness on the nose.
Smooth earthy agave intermingling with campfire warmth.
The embers gently fading away in a cosy embrace.
Should have bought the large bottle!
Sheer delight.
Sláinte
Joven is young or unaged.
Con Gusano is with worm.
La Penca uses Salmiana agave for distillation.
Smoke isn’t exclusively either peat – nor restricted to whiskey.
The fuel used to dry the barley – or other grains – imparts a wide variety of flavours to the resultant beverage.
For this Galway Bay Märzen – a popular style of German lager – beechwood is the choice.
I was keen to sample the results.
There’s an element of trompe l’oeil going on here.
You expect a dark, heavy ale – but get a light, refreshing lager overlaid with a soft, attractive wood fired smokiness.
An excellent accompaniment to those lazy sunny afternoon BBQ’s.
Sláinte
If you’re out shopping for some sliced ham – as I was – and you come across a Whiskey Smoked one – there can only be one response – buy it!
Now it might be a gimmick.
It might not be up to much.
But it sure is worth a punt!
I happily slapped a few slices in a sandwich layered with mayonnaise for a taster.
Very nice!
To be fair no whiskey has been used in the smoking. It’s the whiskey wood chips that provide the fuel source for the aromatic smoke after the spirited liquid has been removed.
Trying the ham ‘neat’ did reveal some subtle smokiness which gave welcome added flavour.
Suited my palate just fine!
Sláinte
One of the most innovative & interesting new whiskeys I managed to sample at the recent Whiskey Live Dublin event was a 10 year old grain finished in ex-Mezcal casks.
Mezcal might not be familiar to many – I only recently sampled one myself – hence I thought it timely to explore this drink.
Mezcal is a distilled spirit made from the agave plant. It has Geographical Indication status and must be made in Mexico.
Mezcal has a long history & tradition involving roasting pits to process the raw agave. The addition of agave fibres to boost flavour during fermentation and distillation in pot stills made of clay – at least for the highest grade of Ancestral Mezcal.
The Monte Alban before me would be an entry level Mezcal – it’s all I could find at my local store – and is produced in Mexico for the Sazerac group.
The nose is very pungent with heavy deep earthy notes complimented by a mere wisp of smoke.
Very smooth & approachable on the palate. The earthy aromas dominate in an oily mouthfeel which slowly dries out leaving a lovely ash laden quality on the long finish.
I found this a very satisfying and intriguing spirit.
One that pulls me in.
I’m certainly looking forward to seeing what Mezcal flavours come through in the final mix of the retail version Mezcal finished Irish Whiskey from JJ Corry.
Sláinte
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