Armorik Maître de Chai

 

 

 

50°

Distillery : Warenghem - France

French and Portuguese Wine, Bourbon, Oloroso Sherry and Virgin French Oak Barrels

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

For this limited edition of 2,500 bottles, the distillery gave total freedom to its Maître de Chai Erwan Lefebvre, who decided to blend about ten very different casks: two 1st Fill Casks of Savennières wine, a dry white wine from the Pays de la Loire region, filled in 2015 and 2017, a 1st Fill cask of Pineau des Charentes, a sweet wine produced partly with cognac, filled in 2018, one 1st Fill Cask of Banyuls, a sweet natural wine from the Pyrenees, filled in 2019, a 1st Fill cask of Portuguese Vinho, filled in 2017,, 2 Barrels of Bourbon, one Refill, the other 1st Fill, filled in 2009 and 2012, two 1st Fill casks of Oloroso Sherry casks filled in 2014, one made from Spanish oak, the other from american oak, and finally a French virgin oak cask filled in 2017. So, the result is aged between 4 and 13 years and should give a wide range of flavours.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is a little imperfect, a mixture of alcohol, cheese and dried herbs. Pear and other orchard fruits, slight minty freshness. Pinch of salt. A drop of honey. Something mineral, between gravel and slate, or quartz. Palate initially mellow, egg custard, then spicy, peppery, with a slight thickness, bunches of grapes, plums. The finish is of medium length, a little scratchy on the glottis, small explosion, then red fruits which pass quickly, light woodiness, and finally marine fragrances, foam, fish, and caramel.

 

In Short, 

I have the feeling that there are too many different casks, which cancels out certain flavours, a bit like putting too much spice in a dish. As is often the case with French whisky, there's a lot of audacity here, an appetite for experimentation, but it's not very successful. What remains is something mineral and fruity that is quite pleasant to drink, but with some notable flaws. The price is fairly high, but acceptable if you go to the right places.

Score : 84

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Francis Cabrel - C'est écrit