Clément Gaillard
Karuizawa 31 Year Old 1981 Noh Whisky
56%, 70 cl, 2013, Sherry Butt #155, Number One Drinks - 595 bottles
When asked which is my favourite Karuizawa, this one often comes to mind. I can’t say if it’s the best, but I am particularly fond of its notes of Mirabelle plum, kumquat and physalis that add nuances to the distillery’s typical trademarks, such as incense, old leather and sandalwood, with, at times, a few animal aromas that lead us to game and musk. As a whole, it is particularly appealing at this time of the year.
Karuizawa 29 Year Old 1983 Noh Whisky
59.4%, 70 cl, 2012, Sherry Hogshead #5322, Number One Drinks - 205 bottles
Two Karuizawa are better than one, so I thought I’d make the most of this auction to taste another whisky from this famous distillery. Once again, it boasts incredible charm. In this bottling, Karuizawa is spicy (clove, pepper), earthy (black truffle, vetiver) and smoky. It is also slightly reminiscent of the powerful fragrance found on an old leather jacket. Allowed to breathe a little, a certain freshness takes hold with notes of mint and star anise that drift towards tiger balm. As a whole, incredibly complex and sensual.
Salvatore Mannino
40%, 70cl
When Compass Box’s founder John Glaser first created his company, he had only one goal in mind: to restore blends to their former glory and “make as many people as possible fall in love with whisky, even those who don’t like it”. It was the year 2000 and single malts were more popular than ever. Asyla was one of Compass Box’s very first bottlings, alongside Eleuthera and Hedonism. When tasting this whisky, there can be no doubt that John Glaser has well and truly succeeded in his mission. The elegance and freshness of the nose are confirmed on the palate, with floral, aniseed and mentholated notes, as well as malted and vanilla notes that bring exactly the right amount of roundness and richness. It really is a shame production of this blend has ceased, as it is the perfect example of balance. A blend with a capital B.
Bunnahabhain 2003 Over 10 Years Artist #4
58,8%, 70cl, 2014, Sherry Butt #1149 - 579 bottles
The Bunnahabhain distillery was for a long time overshadowed by its Islay sisters as, up until 1997, it only produced unpeated whisky. Since then, 35% of its production has been dedicated to the profile for which the Queen of the Hebrides is renowned and which is so popular among peat lovers. And yet it is in its unpeated versions that Bunnahabhain really comes into its own, with this bottling being the perfect example... Although... The dense and generous nose takes us through notes of dark chocolate, beeswax and nuts. These are followed by exotic fruits (mango) and a salty aspect, then suddenly by a light veil of smoke. The full-bodied palate confirms the nose and is enriched with notes of sherry and toffee. Here again, might there be a soupçon of peat in the air? The finish is long, featuring Bunnahabhain’s characteristic notes of spice and iodine. Revealing astounding maturity, this 10 year old seems much older than its years.
