The View from the Golden Promise is a chance to see the bottles under the hammer at finespirits.auction in a new light. To give you this fresh perspective, we’ve called Stanislas Kindrow, expert from the Golden Promise Whisky Bar.
STANISLAS KINDROZ
KARUIZAWA 1981 Cask No.7924
La Maison du Whisky discovered Karuizawa in 2007 through a 1992 vintage (cask #6978). Since its first visit to the distillery in May 2010, the French distributor has had the opportunity to select a large number of its casks, including this cask no. 7924 bottled in 2011 after 30 years’ maturation in a sherry butt. This is a tasting where you should expect anything but freshness! The malt’s mahogany colour is telling enough and the nose immediately delves into Karuizawa’s rustic nature. Notes of leather, wax, dye, pecan and cigar tobacco create an austere atmosphere. This is a Karuizawa that meanders between the world of sherry and Jura vin jaune. The immensely long palate is sure to appeal to all fans of musky Karuizawa with very intense animal notes. This incredibly well-balanced bottling should be uncorked only by those that enjoy deeply sherried whiskies and muscly Karuizawa.
PORT ELLEN 20 ans 1978 Rare Malts
This 20 year old version is one of two Port Ellens bottled for the Rare Malts Collection
launched by Diageo in the mid-1990s. Like the vast majority of these bottlings, it is a truly immense Port Ellen. The enveloping nose is at once mineral (coal, slate), vegetal (moss), animal (tough meat) and spicy (pepper sauce). A drop of water further brings out the smoke on the nose. Following on from these voluptuous aromas, the palate is well-integrated. Marine, smoky, vegetal, aniseed, rich and salty sequences come one after another. The salty end of the palate creates a bridge with the finish. Lemon notes appear when water is added, as well as a spicy backbone on the finish. This Rare Malt might not have the finesse of some Port Ellen releases, but it is certainly equipped with incredible generosity. Yet another outstanding Port Ellen.
CHICHIBU 2011 Tay Bak Chiang “And The Clouds Parted”
This Chichibu selected by La Maison du Whisky in 2015 has been spurned by some enthusiasts due to its maturation in a Madeira hogshead, accused of masking the beautiful spirit produced by Ichiro Akuto. But oh how wrong they are! Although this bottling perhaps lacks the same purity offered by a bourbon cask Chichibu, it would be a lie to say the spirit has been completely removed from the equation. Firstly, the bold character of young Chichibu remains, and the Madeira cask ageing brings boundless breadth, where Chichibu can otherwise be more slender. Finally, Chichibu’s fresh distillate plays an influential role throughout the tasting. Floral notes, waxy notes, spices and very ripe fruits all help forge the character of this expression. The perfect marriage between the Madeira wine and malted barley spirit!
