Le Breuil Oloroso Finish

Le Breuil Oloroso Finish

Official bottling
Single malt - Normandy 
Light amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Toffee, candied orange peel, raisins, damson jam, clotted cream, red grapes, hints of dark chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, tingly, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Dark chocolate, malted grains, menthol, dried apples, candied orange peel, damson jam, raisins, cloves. 
Finish: Long. Menthol, camphor, fresh baked bread, raisins, dried apples. 

Comments: 

Citrusy and laden with notes of dried fruit. Lots of creamy notes too, as well as a nip of dark chocolate. It builds to a lovely long mentholated finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Brenne Special Edition (Pineau de Charentes Finish)

Brenne Special Edition (Pineau de Charentes Finish)

Official bottling
Single malt - Poitou-Charentes
Dark yellow gold
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Artificial grape flavour, sultanas, cream, artificial melon flavour, honeydew melons, bubble gum. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Artificial melon flavour, mint, sultanas, white wine, icing sugar, white pepper, bubble gum. 
Finish: Medium. Bubble gum, icing sugar, sultanas, raspberries, artificial grape flavour. 

Comments: 

Floral and fragrant, definitely an improvement on previous bottlings. Tastes rather like melon Ramune, the Japanese soft drink, especially at this low ABV.

Verdict:

I like this.

Coperies Single Malt (French Fortified Wine Cask Finish)

Coperies Single Malt (French Fortified Wine Casks Finish)

Official bottling
Single malt - Poitou-Charentes
Amber 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Molasses, raisins, raspberry jam, black pepper, coffee. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, cool, expands slightly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Molasses, raspberry jam, magic marker, surgical spirit, dark chocolate, hints of orange peel. 
Finish: Medium. Coffee, dark chocolate, orange peel, vanilla, hints of new plastic. 

Comments: 

Very estery with lots of volatile flavours. Notes of antiseptic and surgical spirit predominate, followed by a wave of dark chocolate. It’s got a bitter, fragrant finish, mostly coffee with some estery fruit.

Verdict:

I like this.

Arlett Single Malt Tourbe

Arlett Single Malt Tourbe

Official bottling
Single malt - Poitou-Charentes
Pale gold
43% ABV

Dram

Nose: Mangoes, smoke, leather, lemon zest, photocopy paper, autumn leaves, nutmeg, hints of orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Germolene, autumn leaves, peaches, mangoes, orange peel, nutmeg, cloves, gauze bandages, hints of charcoal ash. 
Finish: Medium. Gauze bandages, germolene, autumn leaves, mangoes, orange peel. 

Comments: 

Medicinal peat, with feinty, slightly chemical flavours. There’s also leather, and earthiness, but also tropical fruit and spice. A very interesting whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

Arlett Finition Barbados Rhum Cask

Arlett Finition Barbados Rhum Cask

Official bottling

Single malt - Poitou-Charentes
Pale orange gold
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Mangoes, photocopy paper, peaches, white pepper, nectarines, lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, volatile. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Mangoes, peaches, nectarines, bananas, Demerara sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, hints of pineapples. 
Finish: Short. Mangoes, bananas, Demerara sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon. 

Comments: 

This whisky is well made, with the funky rum and tropical fruit flavours very clearly defined. Lots of peaches and nectarines as well. One of the best rum casks I’ve had.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Eddu 14yo Batch 1

Eddu 14yo Batch 1

That Boutique-y Whisky Company, Master of Malt
Single malt - Brittany 
Bright gold
47.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Mint, orange peel, vitamin C tablets, lemon zest, malted grains, pear drops, hints of sea salt. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Malted grains, vitamin C tablets, lemon zest, orange peel, lemon juice, hints of fresh baked bread. 
Finish: Medium. Coffee, malted grains, fresh baked bread, white pepper, hints of orange peel. 

Comments: 

Citrusy, light mouth feel at first then sits heavier on the tongue. Quite malty with plenty of fruit. A nice finish that turns bitter and fragrant. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Brenne 10yo

Brenne 10yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Poitou-Charentes
Golden
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Magic marker, lemon zest, grapefruit, pomeloes, cinnamon, pencil erasers, hints of pencil lead. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, volatile, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. White grapes, sultanas, honey, fresh cut grass, cinnamon, pomeloes. 
Finish: Medium. Cinnamon, lemon zest, grapefruit, sultanas, hints of damson jam. 

Comments: 

Citrusy and feinty, also some esters. Good jammy notes on the finish as well, although there’s a hint of bitterness that reminds me of grapefruit. This is not the same as the early Brennes I tried. It’s much better.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 157.2 (Warenghem 7yo 2016/2024)

SMWS 157.2 (Warenghem 7yo 2016/2024)

2024, SMWS
Single malt - Brittany
Amber
61.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Toffee, fresh cut grass, hay, chocolate, cinnamon, coffee, hints of brown paper. With water, coffee, toffee, cinnamon, chillies. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, hot, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Chocolate, cinnamon, black tea, hay, raisins, leather, toffee, hints of damson jam. With water, coffee, chocolate, toffee, cinnamon. 
Finish: Medium. Coffee, hay, brown paper, cinnamon. 

Comments: 

Very sweet and grassy, lots of cinnamon notes. These become more prominent with water, and combine with coffee and chocolate too. A very active cask, which obscures the best characteristics of the distillery though.

Verdict:

I like this.

Domaine Hautes Glaces Epistémè R18P23 Yellow Circle

Domaine Hautes Glaces Epistémè R18P23 Yellow Circle

Official bottling 
Single rye - Rhône-Alpes
Pale gold
47% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, vitamin C tablets, white pepper, sultanas, rye bread, brass polish. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, tingly, loosens. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Rye bread, black pepper, new plastic, brass polish, vitamin C tablets, lemon juice, hints of cream, hints of sea salt. 
Finish: Short. Cream, rye bread, lemon juice, black pepper, sea salt. 

Comments: 

Pure rye, very bitter whisky. But the bitterness covers a lot of citrus notes, and there’s a hint of cream and sea salt. Unusual, but very drinkable. Different stuff to scotch for sure. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Domaine Hautes Glaces Epistémè RP18P23 Yellow Square

Domaine Hautes Glaces Epistémè R18P23 Yellow Square

Official bottling 
Single rye - Rhône-Alpes
Pale yellow
47% ABV
Dram

Nose: Rye bread, fresh cut grass, oatcakes, pine needles, leather, molasses. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, thickens, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Rye bread, molasses, black pepper, new plastic, smoke, leather, brass polish. 
Finish: Medium. Hoppy beer, fresh cut grass, oatcakes, coffee, smoke. 

Comments: 

This must be almost all rye, with very little barley in it. It’s bitter and pungent, with the rye flavour predominating. There’s a fair amount of smoke here too, quite unexpectedly. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Coperies Single Malt

Coperies Single Malt

Official bottling
Single malt - Poitou-Charentes
Orange gold
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Brass polish, coffee, orange peel, passionfruit, orange juice, cream, blueberry jam. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, slippery, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Milk chocolate, honey, orange peel, blueberry jam, malted grains, coffee, hints of black pepper. 
Finish: Medium. Coffee, black pepper, malted grains, passionfruit. 

Comments: 

Fruity, tart, but with a good milky cocoa sweetness. Why, it’s almost chocolatey. There’s also jam notes, and a bitter, fragrant note that’s reminiscent of coffee. It’s a good dram from a distillery that normally makes eau-de-vie.

Verdict:

I like this.

Kornog 6yo PX Butt (Whisky Exchange Exclusive)

Kornog 6y PX Butt (Whisky Exchange Exclusive)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Brittany
Straw
60.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanuts, white spirit, autumn leaves, petrichor, peat, oak chips, hints of yoghurt. With water, peanuts, tyre rubber, petrichor, lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, astringent, mouth coating, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. White spirit, autumn leaves, petrichor, sultanas, lemon zest, hints of smoked bacon. With water, cream, petrichor, yoghurt, hints of tyre rubber. 
Finish: Medium. Peanuts, germolene, autumn leaves, lemon zest, petrichor. 

Comments: 

Well, it must be a refill PX butt. Lots of smoky creamy lactic notes, not much of the raisins or red fruits that one might reasonably expect. Good level of complexity, nicely stripped back dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Kornog 13yo 2007 Sauternes Cask

Kornog 13yo 2007 Sauternes Cask 

Animal Spirits
Single malt - Brittany
Mahogany
57% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, peat, vanilla, orange peel, smoke, cinder toffee, tyre rubber. With water, raisins, candied oranges, vanilla, butterscotch. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, astringent, warm. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Peat, smoke, peanuts, leather, hibiscus, orange peel, cinder toffee, rubber bands, wet stones. With water, rubber bands, raisins, candied oranges, peanuts. 
Finish: Long. Peanuts, wet stones, rubber bands, smoke. 

Comments: 

Cask 937. Sweet wine cask on peated distillate can be hit or miss. This one is sort of a hit, I guess - lots of sweet floral notes that float on top of robust peat. I can’t tell whether the sulphur is from the wine cask or from the distillate. From a Singaporean bottler that’s new to me. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Amaethon Single Malt

Amaethon Single Malt

Spiritique
Single malt - Champagne-Ardenne
Pale gold
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: White wine, sumac, lemon zest, cream, yoghurt, hints of green tea. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery around the edges, expands, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour bitter. Sultanas, green tea, lemon zest, cream, sourdough bread, malted grains. 
Finish: Short. Sourdough bread, white grapes, green tea, hints of yoghurt. 

Comments: 

I think this may be Rozeliures whisky, but I’m not sure. So it goes down as ‘unknown’. It’s a little thin and simple, even with the higher ABV. There’s some fruit on the tongue but it’s not well developed.

Verdict:

Not bad.

Armorik Whisky Breton

Armorik Whisky Breton

Official bottling 
Single malt - Brittany
Lemon yellow
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Magic marker, leather, lemon zest, malted grains, hay, hints of white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, warm, slightly oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Leather, lemon zest, white pepper, vanilla, marshmallows, hay, hints of roast pork. 
Finish: Medium. Malted grains, leather, white pepper, magic marker, pear drops. 

Comments: 

Entry level Armorik. It’s meaty and estery, quite a hefty, oily whisky. It’s a bit like eating a meal, lots of differences between initial sip and end sip. Rewards introspection, something quite unusual for a NAS core range bottling.

Verdict:

I like this.

Veuve Goudoulin Single Malt (bottled 2019)

Veuve Goudoulin Single Malt (bottled 2019)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Midi-Pyrenees
Dark gold
43.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, lemon juice, yoghurt, malted grains, fresh cut grass, peaches, hints of balsamic vinegar. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, airy, tingly, loosens. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Fresh cut grass, jasmine, green tea, white grapes, apricot jam, hints of orange blossom. 
Finish: Medium. Sandalwood, peaches, white grapes, yogurt. 

Comments: 

Whisky from an Armagnac producer! It’s a little sweet, like overripe fruits, but there’s a lot of complexity in what must be quite a young whisky. I don’t think Veuve Goudoulin should stop making Armagnac, but they could make more whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

Le Breuil Origine

Le Breuil Origine

Official bottling
Single malt - Normandy
Straw
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pear drops, apples, fresh cut grass, vanilla, malted grains, green tea. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, warm, tingly, expands. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Vanilla, apples, fresh cut grass, acacia honey, malted grains, elderflower, hints of butterscotch. 
Finish: Long. Acacia honey, malted grains, apples, fresh cut grass. 

Comments: 

This was surprisingly good, although perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised. Chateau du Breuil makes excellent calvados after all. The whisky is indeed appley, with gentle and light floral notes. Very nice indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Armorik Triagoz

Armorik Triagoz

Official bottling 
Single malt - Brittany
Straw
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon sweets, green tea, sandalwood, smoke, fresh cut grass, hints of tobacco leaf. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, loosens, warm. 
Tasting:  Sour bitter. Fresh cut grass, tobacco leaf, honey, vanilla, green tea, coffee, malted grains. 
Finish: Short. Coffee, green tea, malted grains, fresh cut grass. 

Comments: 

Distilled in 2013. It’s got great complexity, and a big heap of cereal as a backbone. Lots of herbal, bitter notes dance on the tongue. Great stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Fontagard Single Malt PNDC 9918-9

Fontagard Single Malt PNDC 9918-9

Official bottling 
Single malt - Poitou-Charentes
Pale green gold
44% ABV
Dram

Nose: Seaweed, fresh cut grass, pears, new plastic, overripe peaches, lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, slippery, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour salty. Seaweed, fresh cut grass, lemon zest, thyme, peaches, new plastic, white pepper. 
Finish: Medium. Thyme, peaches, lemon zest, seaweed. 

Comments: 

Young, around 3 years old, and it shows. Some interesting kelp seaweed notes give way to estery new plastic notes on the nose. On the tongue it has more of the same, although with a bit more grassy freshness. French whisky divides opinion.

Verdict:

Not bad. 

Eddu Version Francaise

Eddu Version Francaise

Official bottling 
Single malt - Brittany
Golden, hints of orange
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange juice, lemon zest, honeycomb, pomeloes, golden syrup, anise, cream, hints of leather. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, tingly, slightly oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Honeycomb, pomeloes, peaches, anise, white pepper, brown paper, hints of jasmine. 
Finish: Medium. Honeycomb, black tea, golden syrup, peaches, hints of leather. 

Comments: 

Well now. That slightly chalky vitamin C tablet note that was present in previous Eddus has mellowed and deepened, losing its chalkiness, and become much more like anise and orange juice. This is sweet and luscious, very enjoyable indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.