Santis Malt - Edition Dreifaltigkeit

Was playing poker at a R's place and he recommended we try some interesting whisky from Switzerland that his wife recently bought called Santis Malt. What makes this whisky unique is that it is stored in oak wood beer barrels instead of the usual oak or sherry casks. On top of that, they have a few different products in the market and this one we sampled was the Edition Dreifaltigkeit, which won Jim Murray's European Whisky of the Year in 2010.

Photo courtesy of: www.saentismalt.ch

Probably the only culture in the world rivaling the Japanese in terms of meticulousness and attention to detail would be the Swiss. Santis Malt keeps the reputation intact by sourcing water from the Swiss Alps and grain from Switzerland grown under extreme weather conditions to impart an idiomatic Swiss flavour to the whisky. On top of that, the bottle labels are personally designed and hand-cut by the managing director himself.

 

Comments: This whisky definitely has a very distinct flavour, very unlike traditional whiskies. Strong malt profile with a hint of beer and a smokiness that is closer to smoked duck than the usual Islay peatiness. Very well done for a relatively new distillery. Definitely worth a try!

Halloween Whisky - Glenfiddich 30 Year & Yamazaki 25 Year

Had the pleasure of going to a friend's place for a pre-Halloween dinner and unexpectedly, some seriously fine whisky. 

The first whisky we savoured was the Glenfiddich 30. I've always liked Glenfiddichs and the opportunity to taste on of their top end drams was definitely a treat. This one recently won the Gold Medal at the International Spirits Challenge in 2013.

Comments: Overall a superb whisky that goes down very well and suits all palates. Great balance overall with blends of citrus fruit, honey and vanilla overtones for a mellow, distinct flavour.

A Glenfiddich 30yr would typically be the highlight of any good night out...until an even rarer Yamazaki 25yr gets pulled out of the cabinet. This is the World Whisky Awards 2012 winner of Best Single Malt and is practically sold out everywhere.

Comments: Talk about intense. Chocolate? Coffee? Sherry? Surprisingly flavourful and deep for a 43% whisky. And the finish just goes on and on...lovely stuff.

Kavalan Solist Fino

Went to a friend's place recently and he told me that he had this whisky that I absolutely must try from Taiwan. It was the Kavalan Solist Fino and apparently won Jim Murray's Best New World Whisky in 2012 (97 points!!!) and WWA Best New World Single Malt Whisky.

We know the Taiwanese love their whisky but who would have thought that they would be able to make something seriously decent in such a short span of time! This whisky is full-on sherry with hints of nuttiness, sweet fruits and liquorice. The finish though is slightly on the bitter side and not really my cup of tea unfortunately. Otherwise, an interesting whisky to try for sure.