Completely superfluous as wearing ties during the lockdown, the amazing chronicles from the world of whisky tasting come back. Whisky tastings – as you may have noticed, unless you were hibernated in February – have changed a bit. No more evenings in suburban bars sniffing peated drams, no more after-tasting beer sessions, no more risk of driving licences being revoked.
In short, the virtual metamorphosis of whisky tastings has its pros and cons. We are more traditionalist than Pope Ratzinger, so we can’t wait to get back to them in person, but we confess we’ve participated in more than one of these virtual séances (we’re talking about spirits, aren’t we?). Among surreal backgrounds, presentations of malts interrupted by grilled meat dishes and schizophrenic chats, let’s admit we had fun. To sum up this magnificent period of Zoomers’ madness, here are four whiskies chosen with as much lack of logic. Two from Wilson & Morgan, one from the Milano Whisky Festival guys and one from Golden Still, which would still be Andrea and Giuseppe from MWF, who have more heteronyms than Pessoa.
Four independent and Italian whiskies that will forever remind us of those magical nights when Andrea Giannone looked like Schillaci in 1990 World Cup and Jacopo & Giacomo like Bennato and Nannini. Who’s going to play the ungrateful role of Zenga in the semifinals?
Bunnahabhain 5 yo (2014/2019, Wilson & Morgan, 48%)
The Bunnas in swaddling clothes are the electric scooters of independent whiskies: you get distracted for a moment and they appear everywhere. Which is a good thing, to be true, because the distillate is always very pleasant and above all they’re less dangerous than scooters. We came across this one, selected by Fabio Rossi, during the jury of the Milano Whisky Festival and the notes indicate it as “young”. Enlightening, isn’it?
In fact, it doesn’t hide the boy’s soul from the nose. Hanging like bees on the cradle, there are hints of candied fruit (cedar above all), white grape, pear and the usual lemon. Citrus and sweet, just liquid sugar and a hint of vanilla. Gradually, however, an interesting herbaceous air of thyme and mint, even basil, pops up. The peat is not devastating, but clearly reminiscent of smoked swordfish. In the mouth it is pleasantly pungent, divided into two hemispheres: one sweet and simple, pear, peach and white grape. Another fresh and peaty, played among aloe, still smoked swordfish and perhaps scorched swordfish (have you ever find it at the supermarket? Well, you can make it by yourselves with a lighter…).
Smoked finish, but aromatic and sweet: incense, ylang ylang and a bit of kiwi fruit. It’s not one of those miracle kids who reads Tolstoj at the kindergarten, ok. But in his youth it has no defects, the alcohol is not noticeable, and in addition there are two or three distinct and intense aromas you’ll definetely appreciate. 84/100 earned, go buy yourself some candies, good boy.
Tomatin 7 yo “The golden still” (2006/2014, The Whisky Broker, 46%)
From kindergarten to primary school. This kid is garrolous and makes you sympathetic right away. Also because it comes off in 20-cl little bottles, as if they were for “personal consumption”. Singing “trallalallallà” and going for daisies, you sniff it with a light heart. And immediately you feel like being at the greengrocer’s counter: yellow plums, percoche peaches, bananas, pineapple. A Tuttifrutti nose, from which the suggestions of esters and yeast, perfect for a 7 yo like a t-shirt with dinosaurs. The little boy also brings to the classroom a little box full of sweets: custard and toffee. But with time, however, our child gets a little mixed up: a little alcohol, a bit of metal and a hint of wet hay and bitter almond. Hey, you: have you put fish food in the folder again, haven’t you?
In the mouth the baby needs psychological support, because it attacks sweet with a lot of acacia honey, but immediately changes its face. It gets drier, cleaner and almost bitter: from the cream it goes until the red apple peel, then to the peach pit, with lots of ginger. Oily body, unexpected edges. Bipolar, the boy. The finish is consistent with the last palate, long and bitter, between ginger and Ale beer.
You know those creepy kids who sometimes stop and stare at you like they’re the Antichrist? Carefree at first, all serious and sharp in development. You need a support teacher, but the potential is there: 82/100.
Ledaig 2008 (2018, Wilson & Morgan, 48%)
Rossi & Rossi, bottler from Treviso, provides another snappy, maritime and peaty dram, which has reached the threshold of junior high school. We’re not on Islay, but on the island of Mull, but we don’t discriminate anyone and we welcome open jaws every malt from every corner of Scotland. First nose, first surprise: is it really Ledaig? It comes to mind an old stye police report: “The suspect was wandering around misrepresented in women’s clothing”. This Ledaig is misrepresented in civilian clothes, it left on Mull that fascinating load of dirty notes making it so particular. Here instead the nose is extremely clean, with a nice vegetable peat in evidence. Neither bacon nor putrid fishing boats. Here we have notes of burnt grass (but also cut grass left there) and burnt wholemeal bread. There is also a lot of citrus fruit, all between limes and lemons, and a pineapple almost gone, not dominant but present. The distillate wins, and it is a surprisingly fine distillate, with an idea of poutpourri, too. To make it clear, there’s a touch of pickles and olives brine.
In the mouth there is no change of register, the suspect is still misrepresenting itself. It wears a fake mustache, a wig, heels… And it’s covered with powerful, burnt, sooty peat. Underneath remains the sweet lemon and a little bit of seaweed, but the somatic features of Ledaig (leather, boots, sausage…) are not there. Just as they don’t exist in the endless finish, when in the sooty, sapid peat, a salty, marine, grilled squid and a spicy fresh ginger peep out. Serge has wondered if Ledaig is becoming the new Ardbeg. Given the right proportions, this looks a lot like it: naked, clean, intense. Inspector, this young man may be misrepresented, but it’s a 88/100.
Glenburgie 15 yo (2002/2018, A&G, 50%)
We finally get into high school with a 15-year-old boy who, judging by that beautiful light color in the glass, is a good guy, judicious and respectable. We know that a beard doesn’t make a philosopher, but in this case it will. Because from the very first nose it has everything to become the teacher’s pet. The student brings the whole program of white fruit, from pear to white melon, with a very fresh essay entitled “white musk and hints of talcum powder”. The teacher is well disposed. Our little nerd then shows that he also knows the never-cloying-sweetness formula: Paradise cake, sugared almonds and marzipan. Over time, a mineral and herbaceous note, very pleasant, almost herbal tea. With these premises, the palate examination is easy: it does not disappoint here either, fruity and pleasant, with a warm but not aggressive alcohol. Grapefruit is added to the fruity side, giving a sense of sparkling cleanliness. On the background of a delicate millefiori honey, the main theme of cereal and almond bar develops. It’s still herbal, and it becomes more evident in the finish (which is also nice and long): grapefruit and sweetened herbal tea.
A crisp, satisfying student (pardon, whisky). It is exemplary for cleanliness and for that green soul, starting from the fruit and arriving to herbs, passing through cereal. The whole experience definetely intense. Perhaps it lacks a bit of complexity, but evidently the barrels were not overwhelming, and this is indeed a good thing, because the one man show is by the distillate. 85/100.
