EtOH Arbejd

Nose: Fruity and well-rounded, with sherry notes, honey, crisp peat smoke, and a hint of maritime brine. Palate: The initial taste is sweet, focusing on lemon, preserved ginger in syrup, and honey – it bears a curious resemblance to sweetened lemon and ginger tea. It has a brief entry followed by a short development during which the smoke notes appear. The flavors are subtle, mellow, and not as pronounced as the aromas on the nose. The development moves towards spice, mint, and fennel near the finish. The mouthfeel is pleasant, but somewhat lacking in body. Finish: Medium. Smoky and sweet with spice notes lingering into the aftertaste. I was given this to sample blind at a local liquor store yesterday and was challenged to identify its origin. I initially thought it was a young Scottish malt of 8-9 years, possessing a fruity and honeyed distillate character but with a significant finish of some kind. Imagine something a distiller might create, like a young Glenmorangie finished in casks that previously held a robust sherried peaty whisky. In reality, this spirit is Scottish peated new-make aged for only nine days. Yes, that's correct – nine days. It is produced by EtOH Spirits, a small Danish company established by an inventor, food scientist, and brewery engineer based in Copenhagen. This individual has devised a rapid maturation process that combines ultrasound technology with chemical additives (no need to worry – simply substances like citric acid) under pressure and heat. If I had tasted this as part of a blind lineup of Scottish and international malt whiskies, I would not have been able to confidently state that it wasn't whisky. However, I certainly would not have singled it out for special commendation either. It is of good quality, very drinkable, and comparable to something like Glen Moray Classic Peated – though this is considerably more expensive than that particular single malt. Once perfected, rapid maturation will undoubtedly become a significant trend; it's inevitable. It will very likely become a standard technique employed by major distilleries, and I foresee a future where mass-market blended scotch and bourbon are largely replaced by new categories of "aged spirit," and I would have no objection to using such a product with my mixer. Whether this process, or any similar one, will ever be capable of replicating the qualities of extended maturation in a fine cask remains another question. EtOH Spirits has certainly not reached that point yet, and their product is by far the most impressive and convincing rapidly-aged spirit I have encountered thus far. Would I purchase a bottle of this? No, not at the current price, but I would gladly accept another serving. However, if the price were reduced to match that of Loch Lomond Reserve, then yes – I would buy it then. "Good": 83/100 (3.5 stars)