Ninkasi 5 Year (2017), Version Française
A quick note before anything else. This week, my three French single malt reviews were done with industry samples provided free of charge and without any pesky strings attached. As ever, I am unsure if that led me to grade harder or easier, but I prefer ant entanglements to be upfront. For more, check out the ethics statement we use on Maltrunners.com.
Whisky: Ninkasi 5 Year (2017), Version Française
Country/Region: France
ABV: 46%
Cask: New Oak, Cognac
Age: 5 Years (Distilled 2017, Bottled 2022)
Nose: Citrus, toasted grains and graham crackers, honey, touch of coconut oil and chalk, lemon zest, apple and kumquat, dry oak.
Palate: Light-bodied and vibrant, tropical fruit, dried pineapple and mango, hints of vanilla, roasted brazil and macadamia nuts, mellow grain with a touch of earth and honey, mellow dried fruits lingered at the end with gentle oak and hints of dried flowers.
Finish: Medium-length with subtle dried fruits and wistful herbs.
Score: 5-6
Mental Image: Premium Granola Mix
Narrative & Notes: Pleasant and unassuming, this malt from France’s Ninkasi distillery showed off lovely citrus and sweet grains with a touch of vanilla and dried tropical fruits. The distillery has a unique setup for whisky making with its Charentais still, a sort of highly refined alembic still more commonly used for cognac or rum production than whisky. After a year of maturation in new oak, the malt is typically placed in cognac or wine barrels to finish. Between the unique still and wood management program, the distillery reflects a melding of traditions from Scotland, the United States, and France. After a year, the malt is typically placed in cognac or wine barrels to finish its maturation.
My wife, who tasted this blind beyond knowing that it was from France and not peated, immediately pegged it as a cognac cask maturation. She picked out the floral notions she saw fluttering near the end as lilac, which is very much in keeping with the goal of Ninkasi to create a mildly fruity and floral malt. The dried fruits and cereal on the palate reminded me of the granola I used to buy all the time, which had occasional toasted chunks flavored with honey and vanilla, macadamia nuts, and dried pieces of pineapple, mango, and kiwi. My wife found less tropical fruits and more dried apples and orchard fruits, though we both picked up on a lovely vanilla tying the fruits to softer and drier oak.
I thought this was a gentle malt, the kind you might sip at the end of a hot day. I did not have enough to do much in the way of cocktail experiments, but this felt perfect for a classic soda water high ball or maybe one with ginger ale.
