Whisky: Michel Couvreur “Candid”

Country/Region: Scotland/France

ABV: 49%

Cask: Sherry Cask

Nose: Berries and cranberry juice, baking spices, black plums, lacquered oak, dried grass, a kiss of charred wood.

Palate:  Medium-bodied, musty, dried fruit, leather, baked plum, dried grass, hints of tobacco, brown sugar and molasses at the end.

Finish: Medium to long with stone fruit, leather, and brown sugar.

Score: 7

Mental Image: Barnyard Wedding Chic

Narrative & Notes: The aroma led me on a barnyard jaunt— not a musty animal barn, but a classy faux-barn wedding venue with bales of straw, berry studded deserts, cranberry and lime cocktails, wine mulled with cinnamon and clove, and baking plums in a pastry crust. Faint hints of charred oak lingered behind lacquered wood and Grape nerds— cowboy-chic centerpieces? The palate was medium-bodied with musty dried fruits and leather. Fruit cakes and baked black plums came to mind with subtle notions of dried grass and tobacco. Brown sugar and stone fruits lingered at the end with molasses, never too sweet and balanced by underlying musty earth and leather. The finish was medium to long with stone fruit, leather, and brown sugar.

Photogenic hay bales and a dessert table loaded with fruit cobblers— I may have some personal experience with this. Not my wedding; the wife and I opted to throw a party at a brewery than have a traditional ceremony and party. But there is a specific type of barn-chic wedding that I have attended several times.

The flavor profile was not entirely my jam, but in much the same way that rhythmic gymnastics is not my jam, when it is done well, even a rube like me can appreciate the artistry. This whisky was immaculately balanced between sweet fruit and musty earth; it was like threading a needle or walking a tightrope. The nose and palate were fairly classic sherry, yet not overdone, reminding me at times of a teenage refill sherry Bunnahabhain. The finish was outstanding, long-lasting, and just as pleasantly balanced in sweetness and flavor.

Overall, delightful. Reviews online suggest some of the releases may be a bit funkier and that dirty, earthy side a bit stronger. Perhaps this whisky has a bit of batch variation; this release was lovely.

Image Credit: Roma Wine & Spirits NYC