🥃 Whisky Auctioneer

Thank you Manny for giving me the change to taste this quirky snake boy

Red Fruit Cocktail The third and one-but-last release in the Animals Series of Mark & Manny's Malts is a little special. This is a Breton malt from the French Distillerie Warenghem in Lannion. This is, by the way, the very first independent bottling of Armorik, of which we are very proud. Them too, as they allowed us to use their typical bottle. This is a single malt that was distilled at the end of July 2008 and matured on a Port cask. It was bottled early July 2016 and is thus just a few weeks shy of being 8 years old. The nose is special to say the least. Baby breath at first, followed by red berries, almonds, unbaked bread dough, cherries, baked apples and even tomato ketchup. After a few moments something metallic kicks in, as if poured from a can. A touch umami and quite feisty. Iodine and pepper. Special indeed. After it settles, it becomes a whole lot sweeter as the port cask puts its foot down. It is all about red fruit and vanilla now. The arrival is sturdy and piquant on pepper, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg before an explosion of red fruit takes place. Strawberries, raspberries, red berries of all sorts in a wonderful fruit cocktail. A bitter touch of the wood makes it slightly drying. The finish is warm and drying with winegums and cinnamon at the death. You have to give it some time for the nose to settle, but once it does, your patience will be rewarded, especially on the palate and finish. A French malt delight, our Python!

Pours a medium colored golden copper. Scent is gentle, warm woody notes arise, giving an entry to the maltyness beneath. Mild fruityness joins the party (green treefruit, but also very subtile notes (or implemented idea's?) of the Port. Taste is very smooth. Warming alcohol, not burning. A tad to the sweeter side, with again most of the spotlight for the oak, followed by a solid maltyness. Touches of fruit arise again, more emphasis on the esters than the port fruityness. Lovely base, lovely finish, and very in balance with the alcohol. Personally, this doesn't 'pop' for me, not making it a one-of-a-kind seek-out whisky, but this specifically, would be a great benchmark for what I like. If it's as good (or better) compared to this, i'll buy it. That being said, the more I sipped my taster, the more I started to like it. Even if it's hard to pinpoint why exactly. Balance, I guess?