Nope – we are not in the Bahamas, but in Germany. The home of some of the best whisky tasting festivals and over 120+ active distilleries.
My good friend, Seth Vogelman, has been raving about this find for a few months now. And he kindly gave me a sample 50ml bottle to try.
I confess to having little knowledge of continental whiskies. The French industry is particularly strong. It has historically been one of the Scottish industry’s largest markets. And the distillery at Armorik has been ramping up an excellent reputation.
Distilling techniques were known in the Nassau region, recognised for its fruit growing, as far back as even the 17th Century. The distillery itself was set up in the latter part of the 19th Century.
The bottle presented to me has a 40% ABV. It assumedly chill-filtered and contains some colouring. However, to be fair, the colour reminds me of apple juice rather than a bombastic sherry bomb of a whisky.
I looked at the website, and was amazed to find a kosher certificate displayed very prominently
There are very few reviews available of this whisky. I did find one from the ever reliable WhiskyJason, created back in 2021. He speaks about the use of bourbon barrels, including from Jack Daniels. I was definitely intrigued as I tore open the wrapping.
Nose: Light lemon sensation, biscuity, marshmallow and sweet. Unusual, but I am not sure that I liked it. Still, my curiosity was roused further.
Palate: Sweet, honey, green apples, pleasant, but no depth. Are they using weak casks or a rapid maturation time?
Finish: Rapid. There is no stated age statement and I suspect it is barely 4 years.
At this stage in the game, I was disappointed. My last hope was to add a couple of drops of water, which actually proved to be a game changer.
The nosing still left me unconvinced. Yet, on the palate, I received plums and peaches, and the finish was very decent.
Would I look to buy this for myself? If I wanted a bottle that introduces people to whisky, something away from the Glen Morays etc, I would surely consider this. And I suspect it would be excellent is a summery cocktail, but I cannot go further than that at this stage.
