Dram data:
Distillery: – (Blend)
Bottler: Black Mountain Compagnie
Distilled: –
Bottled: 2016
Age: NAS (5-6yo with ca. 2 years additional maturation)
Limitation: 3000 bottles
Casks: French spirits cask finish
Alcohol: 45%
probably chill filtered, no colouring info
Whiskybase link
Finally, the first whisky review of 2017 after what feels like an eternity of “bad nose days”. Why not start with a surprise package from France, from the guys behind the “Black mountain compagnie”. They already released two different blended whiskies, one of which I’ve reviewed here. This latest release is the same basic blend recipe, but with an added 20% of “two different smoky whiskies” followed by a marrying stage – not in Scotland, but in France. All in all about 2 years of maturation were carried out in France, so despite having Scottish ingredients, it cannot be called Scotch. Let’s take a look!
Tasting notes:
Colour: straw
The nose features an undeniable smoky note right upon the first contact. Delicate smoke, almost like burning flower petals. Light and floral with delicate vanilla notes and early spring flowers, oranges, grapes, pickled ginger, green apples, some coconut and fudge. Not an in-your-face whisky but thanks to the 45% ABV with a bit more oomph than your standard blends and more elegant. Undeniably the same base (house) style as the BM 1, but the added smoky component does add an additional layer. The palate is the same light base style, with floral smoke up front. Quite chewy and mouth-coating, actually (while keeping a light profile). Creamy vanilla base with a touch of honey, pickled ginger, grape juice, essential flower oil, red apples and ripe pears with a slight fresh-cut grass greenness in the background. Almost like a young, delicate, well-dressed French lady. There will be people who disagree with me, but I like this understated, light, elegant style. Not every whisky needs to be slaughtered with extreme cask influence and finishes. The short to medium-long finish is elegant and well-rounded (almost oily, at least quite viscous) upon swallowing, with a hint of smoke and the same flowery, slightly fruity, somewhat green base style.
Verdict:
Well, that was a very pleasant experience. A very enjoyable dram indeed. Light, fruity, floral, slightly smoky (but in an unusual way) and with an undeniable wine-based-distillate-cask influence. I like what they’re doing! Buying good base whisky in Scotland and further maturing them in France in French casks. They can’t call it Scotch anymore, but who cares if it’s tasty!
Score: 80/100
(Nose: 79 Palate: 82 Finish: 80)
Sample kindly provided by the Black Mountain Compagnie