Showing posts with label Millstone 2014. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Millstone 2014. Show all posts

Millstone 2014 Cask Sample Review


“Active Little Cask”

Country: The Netherlands
Brand: Millstone 2014 (Sherry Octave Cask # 3 Casqueteers)
Type: Single Cask Sample
Age: 2 Years
ABV: Not Provided 
Chill-Filtration: N/A
Whisky Review # 548
Sample provided by Adri from the Netherlands. Many Thanks!

Colour: Mahogany/Chestnut (Natural Colour - Very Active Cask)

Nose: The Spirit is certainly maturing rapidly. The Casqueteers are considering a total cask time of 3-4 Years and that seems indeed adequate. The influence of the Sherry Wood is very clear, both in Colour and Aromas. The first impressions are Toasted Barley, Plum Jam, Fortified Wine (Oloroso Sherry, Port Wine), Oak and Wood Stain. I also find Buttered Cake, Coconut, Dried Fruit (Raisins and perhaps Apricot), Ripe Banana, Puff Pastry and some traces of Spice, Espresso, Chocolate, floral Perfume and Bitter Orange. The Alcohol is not fully integrated as is expected at this stage. The octave is a small cask and the Wood-Spirit contact is intense. A larger cask might provide a better balance between the character of the Zuidam Spirit and the Sherry Wood. Certainly something to consider. As it is, Cask # 3 seems to develop into a rich and full after dinner Whisky in the line of Brandy or Port Wine. 

Palate: Here the youth of the Spirit is more noticeable. And so is the Alcohol. On the Palate, this Millstone is Bitter-Sweet, slightly Sour and Spicy. I find Sweet Toasted Barley, Caramel, Oak and Wood Stain, Assorted Dried Fruits and Nuts, Sherry, Port Wine, light Honey, light Vanilla, Coconut, Bitter Orange, Grapefruit, Pepper, Cinnamon and Cloves.

Finish: Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet and slightly Sour. Medium Spicy and with a light Alcohol Bite. I find Toasted Barley, Buttered Cake, Wax, Oak and Wood Stain, Nuts, Butterscotch, Orange, Cinnamon, Cloves, Pepper and traces of Milk Chocolate, Coconut, Espresso and Vanilla. Quite Dry in the end.

I added a little Water and the Spirit calms down a bit as the Alcohol retreats. I find a little Porridge with Butter and Milk showing a bit more of the original Distillery characteristics. A little Honey as well. Palate and Finish become less "heavy" too and the Spices develop nicely now. Nosing and Tasting are less intense this way. I certainly recommend to add a little Water, at least at this stage of maturation.   

Cask # 3 (Picture Credit: The Casqueteers)

General Remarks: The Zuidam Distillery was founded in 1974 by Fred van Zuidam and his wife Helene and is currently run by their sons Patrick and Gilbert. It is located in Baarle-Nassau on the Dutch-Belgian border and is the main Distillery in The Netherlands that ferments, distills, ages and bottles at its own premises. Next to Malt Whiskies, Zuidam also produces Rye Whisky, Gin, Rum, Genever and Liqueurs. The name Millstone derives from the Windmills that are used by Zuidam to mill the Malted Barley. The distillery has been expanding rapidly during the last couple of years. Their range includes a/o the 5 Years (in a peated and unpeated version), the 10 Years American Oak, the 10 Years French Oak, the 12 Years Sherry Oak and the 100% Rye.

Early 2014, the Casqueteers acquired 3 octaves of around 50 litres each of Millstone Spirit. The octaves were made of used Sherry Wood. The three casks with Cask # 1,2 and 3 were filled on February 10, 2014. They will most likely mature for a period of 3 to 4 years. Samples were drawn in February 2016 and today I'm reviewing a sample of cask # 3. 

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good  

Score: N/A. I only score bottled Whiskies.

Conclusion: Cask # 3 is without any doubt a very active cask. I have tasted quite a few Millstone whiskies in the meantime and I'm familiar with the Distillery characteristics. As I wrote above, the small cask allows a very intense contact between the Spirit and the Sherry Wood. In my opinion, the Wood might start to dominate the Spirit, certainly considering the fact that the Spirit will mature for an other year or two. The end result will likely be a very Full and perhaps slightly "Heavy" after dinner Whisky. During the Nosing and Tasting, images of mature Port Wine appeared in my mind all the time. My advise is to taste the Spirit again in early 2017 to decide the best time for bottling. Also I think that on another occasion, a larger cask might provide a better balance between the Fruity, Malty Distillery character and the active Sherry Wood. In any case, Good Luck and Cheers!

Casqueteers 

In 2011 three Whisky fans from the Netherlands jointly decided to buy a cask of Bunnahabhain 1986. The experiment was a success and the idea was taken a step further. Other selected casks would be bought and each cask would be offered up for sale in a limited number of parts per cask. The idea was to have a relatively small number of owners per cask that would facilitate joint tasting sessions. In the meantime 200 owners from Europe and Asia possess 45 casks from distilleries like Clynelish, Tomatin, Littlemill, Wolfburn, Strathearn, Isle of Harris, Tormore, Mortlach and Miltonduff. If you are interested to participate in this project, please visit their website: www.casQueteers.com

Jan van den Ende                                                                      June 23, 2016

The New Pot Stills at Zuidam.