Tasting notes·Hercynian Distilling Co.
Elsburn Rivesaltes Casks - Batch No. 001
The Elsburn Rivesaltes Casks Batch No. 001 is a German single malt from Hercynian Distilling Co. that draws its character from a sweet wine context rooted in Rivesaltes in L’Occitanie. In the glass, it presents itself as rich, sweet-fruity, and surprisingly approachable – exactly the kind of bottling that simply works without much fuss.
The panel
Mean 80.0 · spread 0
Value for money 3/5
- Distillery
- Hercynian Distilling Co.
- Type
- Single Malt
- Country
- Germany
- Strength
- 46% ABV
- Character
- rich
Tasting
Nose
On the nose, grapes and raisins immediately push to the forefront, red-fruited, juicy, and with considerable intensity. Added to that are caramel and that slightly aged impression of an old leather sofa, which gives the whole more character than many a slick, boring standard bottling. Overall, the aroma comes across as easy-drinking and open, without losing itself in meaningless sweetness.
Palate
On the palate, the whisky is once again very easy-drinking and stylistically goes quite clearly in a direction that many would blindly take for sherry cask. It presents itself as juicy and full-bodied, with figs and dates as the core aromas. Cinnamon adds a spicy accent and keeps the sweet fruit somewhat in line before the whole thing becomes too dessert-wine-heavy.
Finish
The finish is soft and spicy, with medium length. Baking cocoa and delicate dark chocolate linger at the end and give the whisky a pleasantly dark echo. It is not a dramatic finale, but a coherent one.
Verdicts
Marcel
Pleasant and easy-drinking – and yes, sometimes exactly that is entirely enough, even if some tasters first need a philosophical seminar for it. It goes particularly well with dark chocolate, because the cocoa-bitter side of the finish connects cleanly there.
Sascha
Tastes good to me, is easy-drinking and pleasingly unexcited. The classic sweet wine maturation is clearly in the foreground here, without trying to make itself seem more important than it is with unnecessary frills.
What it is worth
No auction record for this distillery, so we cannot tell you what this bottle is worth. We would rather say that than guess.