Natu Nobilis Review


“Not Quite As Noble As The Name Suggests”

Country: Brazil
Brand: Natu Nobilis
Type: Blended Whisky
Age: NAS
Alcohol: 39%

Colour: Deep Copper (Caramel is added for colouring)

Nose: Nose: Alcohol, Refill-Oak, Nut Shells, Dried Fruit, Toast and Margarine, Treacle, Toffee and traces of Green Apple, Malt and Honey. I must say I've smelled far worse at this Price Level. It's all very Thin of course and it's really Borderline Whisky as the Industrial Alcohol is in full control.

Taste: Edgy, Hot, Thin and Watery. The Alcohol stings a bit. I find Refill-Oak, Sugar, Toffee, Nut Shells, light Licorice and Sharp Wood Spice.

Finish: Short, Sharp and Bitter-Sweet with Alcohol, Sugar, Refill-Oak, Toffee, Nut Shells, light Licorice and Pepper.

Rating: 63.5 

Nose: 17 – Taste: 16 – Finish: 15  – Overall: 15.5 

With added Water the Heat dies down but I wouldn't call it Whisky anymore.


General Remarks. This Blended Whisky is bottled in Brazil by Pernod Ricard Brasil. It contains imported Malt Whiskies from Scotland that are supplied by J.E. Seagram. I would presume that these Malt Whiskies are produced by one or more of the Pernod Ricard distilleries in the Highlands. Locally distilled alcohol and water are subsequently added by Pernod Ricard Brasil. Natu Nobilis was launched in 1969 and it's still one of the Market Leaders, especially in Southern and Central parts of Brazil.

Drinking Experience Neat: Below Average.

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Just barely acceptable but without giving any real pleasure.

Conclusion: If you're looking for relatively cheap Alcohol with a nice Caramel colour and packed in a nice bottle, Natu Nobilis might just be what you're looking for. If you want to appreciate a nice Blended whisky though, go look somewhere else.  Of the whiskies elaborated in Brazil, Natu Nobilis is the "best" so far. The Nose is acceptable in this Price Class. But Palate and Finish are Edgy, Sharp and Bitter and are completely dominated by the industrial Alcohol. If you must drink Natu Nobilis, better drown it in ice. These days, it's nearly impossible to find a cheap good whisky. The best alternative still is a standard American Bourbon or Whiskey!

Jan van den Ende                                                                       May 7, 2015

7 comments:

nonsmokinjoe said...

Natu Nobilis is nowhere near as bad as some of the commentatators will let you know. Like most Brazilian blends it is distinctly "grainy" which is the Brazilian part of it, but the malt or "Scotch" part of it is very good quality. Not fair to compare this with very aged products or whiskies with high malt content, which are usually over R$100 a bottle. For the price (c.R$30) not at all a bad buy, especially if you like the corn taste. I would say it is halfway between a scotch and a bourbon. Especially good "on the rocks" (com gelo).

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi Nonsmokinjoe! Thanks for commenting! Sorry for the late reply but I was traveling. Of course you can't compare it to Quality Single Malt Whiskies and of course it's cheap. But personally I find it unattractive even considering the price level. And I don't agree with you on the Malt component. It tastes very young and I'm sure 3rd and/or 4th refill casks were used for maturation. But that's only my opinion of course! If you like it, enjoy it by all means. Cheers, Jan!

Unknown said...

You have to be joking, I bought this but it is just alcohol, it doesn't even tenderise meat very well.

Unknown said...

Agree totally. Many people who drink it and then drink just a cheap Scottish whiskey, taste the difference instantly...

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi there thanks for commenting.Please leave your (first) name next time around. At this price level you can't expect to buy a decent whisky. But it's a little bit better than the rest of the "whiskies" elaborated in Brazil. But I agree, it's certainly not enjoyable.
Cheers
Jan

appel said...

Hey dudes, enjoying one of these right now. I'm a novice drinker so I could relate to it tasting a little too strong altough that's the only alcohol that was available in the grocery store. Interesting. It seemed to me whiskey did taste a heck of a lot too strong for my taste, but I can have quite a fun with one of these in a weekend. yea it has added color and maybe it's really more industrial alcohol, but believe you me, at this price level, there are more bitter drinks to be had and they really, really taste awful (other average brazilian liquors are VERY bitter, and if that's the taste of industrial alcohol in this single whiskey, heck, the rest is pretty much gasoline then. Examples: Caninha 51, a very bitter brandy made to taste worse than your average vodka. Of couse, like all things in life, this goes well with the motto "Appreciate with moderation", as after each glug it seens like the bowels of hell are getting lit and the fumes are leaving my nostrils, but to each their own, I do appreciate the taste of this brandy, to a level, but that might be for the simple fact of my inacessibility to purchase better, more aged, other liquors.

Jan van den Ende said...

Hi there, thanks for your enjoyable comment. Please leave your (first ) name around next time. Makes it more personal. Really sorry for the late reply. I was in Germany for a few months on family matters. If I look for enjoyable booze at a fair price I always end up with a bottle of standard Bourbon. Best Price/Quality ratio. Much better than Natu end the likes. Cheers,Jan.