David's Drink Diaries - Issue 8
Teerenpeli Distillery
My tasting desk is rather full at the moment due to a break over the festive period, resulting in a longer-than-usual diary entry. As you might have noticed, I have started to incorporate wine into my musings, a trade I was in for many years. This diversification into wine feels like a homecoming of sorts, blending my past with the present. In this edition, I'm excited to share my thoughts on a few wines that have caught my eye—and taste buds. My goal is to share details of the region and wines - to me, the drinks industry is fundamentally about people, and I plan to share their stories with you.
WINES
Laurent Miquel La Verité 2021 £19.99 at Waitrose
The Miquel family has been part of the Languedoc wine-making landscape since the 18th century, with Laurent taking the helm to continue the family's legacy into the modern era.
The vineyard is nestled in the heart of the region, at the crossroads of Mediterranean and Atlantic influences. Sustainability is a cornerstone of Laurent’s philosophy. Vineyard management is designed to promote biodiversity, including the preservation of native flora and fauna, soil health management, and the use of organic fertilisers.
This Viognier was wonderfully perfumed in a sophisticated fashion. It didn’t shout out loudly as some new world examples might, instead showing elegance with beautiful ripe apricots, and hints of lime and honey on the nose. Taste-wise, it was creamy with an abundance of perfectly ready-to-eat peaches, vanilla, honey and a surprising dryness. Available from Waitrose this is a real cracker of a wine for the price.
Domaine Jones Vineyard Collection Grenache Gris 2022 £14.50 at The Wine Society
Katie Jones believed she had purchased a vineyard solely planted with Grenache Noir. However, come the following spring when the vines began to blossom, she discovered the unexpected addition of Grenache Gris, Muscat, and Carignan in the vineyard. The terrain is challenging, situated in a remote, elevated location near the craggy landscapes just below the Cathar fortress of Queribus. This area is enveloped by the untamed garrigue and features soil composed of black schist, known for its notorious difficulty in cultivation. But Katie triumphs here and this Grenache Gris is herbaceous and citrus with lovely hints of peach and a gorgeous minerality. Katie suggests that this would accompany Asian food very well and I agree.
Domaine Jones A Different Direction Blanc 2022 £14.50 at The Wine Society
This is a blended wine from Katie, but I could not see what varieties are in the blend. Regardless, it is relatively dry and herbaceous, again with peach, so think it is probably Grenache Gris with other grapes used as a sort of seasoning. It was a little fuller on the palate than straight Grenache Gris and also showed notes of Key Lime Pie and cream. It had a little more complexity as well.
Domaine Jones Fitou 2021 £14.50 at The Wine Society
Fitou is recognised for producing robust and characterful red wines and was first established in the Languedoc in 1948. The Carignan grape often forms the backbone of the blend, contributing structure, colour, and a spectrum of red and dark fruit flavours, whilst Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre add some extra structure, tannin and flavour.
The Fitou appellation extends to nine villages of which Tuchan, with a population of circa 800 is one. The landscape is dominated here by the now imposing, but derelict Château d'Aguilar, a 12th-century castle, that sits high on a hill overlooking the village and surrounding area.
Katie has produced a lovely deep-coloured wine with a fragrant nose of cherries and plums with a hint of thyme in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with light tannins that work with the lush fruits comprising damson, blackcurrants and some herbs. This is a great springtime wine, for when the sun starts to show through and the evenings get longer.
WHISKY
To celebrate its 200th anniversary, The Macallan has collaborated with Cirque du Soleil to bring an unparalleled, theatrical event to The Macallan Estate. This collaboration merges The Macallan's unrivalled whisky-making with Cirque du Soleil's talent in the performing arts.
"Cirque du Soleil SPIRIT" offers a distinct, immersive sensory journey that invites guests into a theatrical rendition of the Scottish Highlands. Set against the picturesque Macallan Estate, this event leverages the estate's breathtaking scenery to amplify the event's ambience, offering a beautiful setting that enhances the narrative's depth.
The narrative centres around Davonna, a formidable spiritual protector of the Scottish Highlands, and Ayla, a young colourist and daughter of a cherished Master Whisky Maker. Together, they embark on an exploration through the highlands' stunning natural landscapes, encountering mythical, folklore-inspired characters along the way.
Tickets for this exclusive experience are now on sale. The event is scheduled to run daily, except Sundays, starting with a premiere on May 9th and opening to the public from May 10th to May 31st, 2024. Event Dates: May 10th - May 31st, 2024, with one showing per day (excluding Sundays)
https://www.themacallan.com/en/experience-the-macallan/cirque-du-soleil
BUSHMILLS
I have to confess that my experience with Irish whiskey is a little limited, and something I need to remedy. Over the past few months, I have genuinely been excited by what I have tasted. From experimental finishes from Method & Madness to the Yellow Spot 24-year-old I wrote about in a previous edition of this magazine. It is a category that is alive, yet one whose PR companies aren’t getting the message across properly. There are of course exceptions, such as Micil, which I tasted last year, but on the whole, as a whisky writer, not much comes across my desk.
Bushmills are on top of it. You may remember a dinner I attended last year which was fabulous, and a great re-familiarisation into what the oldest surviving distillery in the world is doing. I truly love what Alex, the master blender, is creating. To blend two whiskies of this age takes skill and understanding, it is about marrying flavours that work together and complement each other. It is about building layers of flavour to give complexity and mouthfeel, all whisky knowing the world's whisky media is going to be analysing the results. It has to be treated like an actor might see a part as having Oscar potential. Full commitment and dedication to the craft.
I hope to visit Bushmills this year and write a full feature on just how important the distillery is.
Bushmills 25-year-old - £790 from The Whisky Exchange
This was Initially aged in bourbon barrels and sherry butts then finished in first-fill ruby port pipe oak casks for an additional 21 years which has produced a wonderful whiskey that has a rich mahogany colour and deep flavours. Think of a summer pudding served with a plum compote and a caramelised vanilla cream. It has layers of flavour, with roasted nuts, chocolate and spice all present, with the latter two becoming more dominant on the finish. One of the tastiest 25-year-old whiskies I have sampled.
Bushmills 30-year-old £1975 from Master of Malt
This was matured in bourbon barrels and sherry butts for 14 years before finishing in first-fill Pedro Ximénez casks for 16 years, giving a whiskey that is simply delicious. It was full of caramelised figs, hazelnuts, brioche and marmalade. Cloves, vanilla and herbaceous notes lingered on the palate, moving aside to allow the buttered toast, damson jam and fig so shine. The finish lasted for well over 2 minutes. A whisky to savour and take seriously with friends as it delivers more with every taste.
TEERENPELI
Amidst the serene beauty of Nordic landscapes, which I have been fortunate to experience first-hand on skiing trips, is Teerenpeli. Like many Nordic countries, the distillery observes Finnish tradition but is also forward-thinking in its environmental responsibilities.
Established in 2002, Teerenpeli Distillery emerged from a family-owned brewery and restaurant business. Situated in Lahti, approximately 100 kilometres north of Helsinki, the distillery became Finland's pioneer in whisky, embarking on a journey that was as much about crafting a unique Finnish whisky as it was about embracing and promoting sustainable distilling methods.
It is an independent family-owned company, owned by Anssi and Marianne Pyysing, and part of Teerenpeli Group, comprising 11 restaurants. Anssi established the first Teerenpeli restaurant, Teerenpeli Lahti in 1994, with Teerenpeli Brewery starting to operate in 1995 in the backroom of the restaurant.
The Teerenpeli Distillery started distilling downstairs in the Restaurant Taivaanranta, Lahti, in 2002, a restaurant also owned by Anssi and Marianne Pyysing. In 2015 Teerenpeli Distillery moved to next to Teerenpeli Brewery in Lotila, 10 minutes from the center of Lahti to bigger premises.
I asked Veera Pastinen from the distillery a few questions, starting with sustainability:-
You use sawdust from a local mill to create the heat needed in the whisky-making process. Does this come in compressed blocks?
We buy wood pellets for the power plant. The sawdust is compressed into pellets, and we use those pellets for the heating in our pellet power plant.
This has reduced your carbon footprint by 90% compared to fossil fuels. Would it be easy for other distilleries to do the same?
Changing the heating processes and building up your own power plant for the brewery & distillery is a lot of work and requires big investments.
Do you face any unique challenges in Finland?
The legislation is really strict in Finland regarding selling and marketing alcohol products. For example, we can not sell our whiskies online or from the Visitor Center at Teerenpeli Brewery & Distillery. The only advertisement we can do for our single malt whiskies is in restaurants with an alcohol license.
What experimental whiskies have you made?
We experiment with different kinds of oak casks with the maturation. Teerenpeli Distillery operates with Teerenpeli Brewery which gives us great possibilities with maturating beer in whisky casks and vice versa.
Are the Finnish people very proud of what you are achieving and supporting you accordingly?
We are happy and thankful to say that yes, they are! We get great support from Finns, especially since the IWSC Worldwide Whisky Producer 2020 award, which was highly celebrated here and had good results in both domestic and international sales.
10-year-old Single Malt 43%
This had a delicate aroma of rich tea biscuits, lemon posset and honey. The palate is savoury and fuller than the nose suggests. Cereal notes, almost like sugar puffs taste-wise.
Kulo 7-year-old Sherry matured Single Malt 50.7%
I wasn’t sure if I should taste this or the 10-year-old first, but decided with the sherry maturation this should be second, which makes sense given the higher abv. The label of my miniature doesn’t say the type of sherry cask used but I get amontillado from the nose, with a lovely nuttiness. The influence of the sherry is immediately apparent with the sweetness that lands on my tongue. I get some citrus notes, mainly candied orange peel, nutmeg and hazelnuts. The length is good with the flavour permutation around for quite some time with menthol notes appearing.
Savu Gently Peated Single Malt 43%
The peat has given a wonderful aroma to this non-age-statement expression. It balances well with the ever-present citrus notes that seem to be a character of the new make. It is more end of the bbq than raging so a lovely elegance to it. The palate is relatively light, but fruity and would be perfect on a summer evening, sitting outside and enjoying while the BBQ is cooking.
Palo Peated Sherry Single Malt 46%
This is a lot more pronounced on the nose, with marzipan dancing with the smoke. A little meatiness is also evident. The sherry influence works so well with the smoke, adding another layer of interest and flavour. It isn’t the most complex whisky but is very tasty.
TIN SHED DISTILLERY
I love Tin Shed for its delicious, and shall I say, robust whisky. It excites me as they simply do not do boring, everything I have sampled from them has been full of flavour and just tasty. This has helped them quickly become a standout in the Australian whisky scene. They started distilling in 2013, and since then have been committed to producing whisky on their terms. Whisky that they want to drink themselves. The success they have achieved has seen them recently move to a larger premise to increase production to keep up with demand. My most recent tasting included the following:-
Talamara 40%
My first impression of the nose was of a mature Riesling from Germany, and I mean that in a positive way. It played with my senses a lot as I also picked up hints of curry spices and vanilla. There is a smokiness to this (I have not checked if it has been peated or not) with caramel, butterscotch and vanilla all present. I don’t get the Riesling or curry on the palate.
Batch 23 46%
The nose is full of dark morello cherries in syrup, tangerine, vanilla and hints of liquorice. On the palate, I get chocolate brownies and cherry compote with vanilla cream, followed by Terry’s chocolate orange and Medjool dates. Full-bodied and typical of the distillery, this does not disappoint.
Gold 7 56%
A big nose like a bourbon, full of vanilla, toffee and ginger cake. On the palate, it has baking spices with ginger cake being predominant with hints of caramel, liquorice, hazelnut honey and roasted chestnuts. The length is impressive with toasted brioche and butter coming through.
Vic 60th Birthday 45.5%
What a nose - full of confectionary including strawberry laces, love hearts, sherbert, and parma violet. It certainly draws you in and after a few minutes of was getting some Rye aromas coming through, then apricots. It has a very nice mouth feel full of raisins, honey, molasses, lemon verbena, ground almonds and blackcurrants.
COGNAC
COURVOISIER
Maison Courvoisier has recently joined forces with the internationally acclaimed Chinese artist Jiannan Huang to introduce The Dragon Collection, a special three-part series of bottles in honour of the Lunar New Year. This unique collection, featuring the Courvoisier Year of the Dragon Blend, L’Essence, and XO, celebrates the dragon, the only legendary creature in the Lunar Calendar, known for symbolizing good fortune to many who observe the Lunar New Year.
Under Huang's leadership, his team has applied their mastery in enamel and traditional Chinese craftsmanship to produce each distinctive bottle, highlighting Courvoisier's deep-rooted heritage and artisanship.
L’Essence is priced at £3,000, and it will be sold at Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, and The Whisky Exchange; the XO, with a recommended retail price of £135, will be available at Harrods, The Whisky Exchange, Selfridges, and Harvey Nichols.
