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Israel’s M&H (“Milk & Honey”) has been exhausting at work innovating with its distinctive single malts, laying down all method of surprising single barrels that one hardly ever sees from the mainstream, a lot much less out of a whisky rarity like Israel. Lately we acquired a group of those bottlings, together with three single barrel choices and one launch of the model’s top-end Apex collection launch.
The frequent theme right here is location: Three of those whiskies had been aged on the Useless Sea, the bottom place on earth and one of many hottest, which permits for some excessive ageing circumstances to happen. (M&H says these whiskies, that are only some years previous, misplaced 25% of their quantity throughout their time in cask.)
The one non-Useless Sea whisky here’s a clone of one of many single casks within the combine. It was aged in additional temperate circumstances in Tel Aviv, making for one of the crucial instructive examples of the affect of maturation location that I’ve ever encountered.
Full particulars for every of the whiskies tasted comply with together with our notes and ideas. Let’s dig in.
M&H Single Cask Ex-Rye Cask 33 Months Previous Cask #2018-1008 – Matured in Tel Aviv. Shiny and sunny — beginning with the golden hue — this whisky presents a nostril of recent lemon peel and restrained barrel char, touched frivolously with mint and a few camphor. Gently smoky because it develops in glass, it’s powerfully fragrant however wholly approachable, a uncommon mixture. The palate retains the theme going, a rounded slug of butterscotch sweet with notes of orange peel, baking spices, and — sure — honey. Loads of warmth on the toasty end because of the 55% abv, however by no means off-putting. Easygoing, however one in every of my favourite expressions from M&H thus far. 110 proof. A- / $100
M&H Single Cask Ex-Rye Cask 33 Months Previous Cask #2018-1015 – Matured on the Useless Sea. Clearly darker in shade, with a a lot fruitier character on the nostril — stewed prunes and mulling spices dominate the wealthy, and barely underdeveloped aroma. Heavy and gummy, the whisky exhibits a way more important barrel affect, laden with notes of cooked figs and a few Port wine. The end is overwhelming with wooden parts, in the end clashing with the massive, chewed-up fruit bomb. As completely different as may be from the Tel Aviv cask. 110 proof. B / $100
M&H Single Cask STR Cask Cask #2018-0820 – Matured on the Useless Sea in a stripped and recharred cask; no age information on the pattern however it’s secure to imagine it’s about the identical because the above. Ruddy orange in shade, the whisky is frivolously woody on the nostril, with ample fruit that runs to apricots and peaches. The fruitier parts shortly come to dominate the palate, layering silky stone fruit and a few gentle brown sugar notes with a component of floral character that develops later within the recreation — hibiscus and a contact of lilac. Some toasty barrel char makes a reprise look on the end, however it’s understated. Highly effective however by no means perfumy, the whisky blends each of the above kinds into a beautiful, cohesive complete that works much better than it does within the ex-rye cask aged in the identical location. 110 proof. A- / $100
M&H Apex Useless Sea – The Apex collection is a line of uncommon and semi-experimental releases, this providing born (naturally) from ageing on the Useless Sea. The spirit carries no different manufacturing data, besides that it’s aged in a wide range of cask sorts all saved on this ultra-hot area. The outcomes are stable, paying homage to the above STR Cask expression. A number of wooden and fruit on the nostril, a bit higher balanced than the STR version with the fruit taking over a extra sultry, nuanced aroma that makes room for spices and a few pepper amidst the bottom of apricots and orange peel. The palate fires off parts of banana, peaches, and extra of that apricot character, all robust and vigorous. A lot much less floral than the STR, there’s nonetheless a contact of hibiscus right here however it’s drowned out by pink berries and a contact of chocolate. Stunning however racy, and exhausting to place down. 112.4 proof. A / $120
M&H Apex Useless Sea
$120
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