Rozelieures Origine Collection

I'm opening a spirit I was fortunate to receive, and it hits me with an intense aroma. After letting it rest for fifteen minutes while I cleaned up from a fantastic roast chicken dinner, I'm pleased to find the dram much more inviting. I'm eager to enjoy this; I find cognac cask finishes for whiskies to be quite intriguing. My thanks to a friend for this sample. Nose: Beautifully sweet pears, toasty grainy cereal, marzipan (surprisingly delightful), very ripe banana, a hint of dry leaf (tobacco?), and a suggestion of dried fruit. It's big, bold, and intricate. Palate: Moderately rich with a subtle oily texture. Nothing remarkable, though. It presents as quite young with grainy cereals and a distinctly vegetal-leafy character. There's a significant sweetness, like a dense syrupy fruit reduction with cherries and orange. Successive sips brought a grittiness, reminiscent of the dusty remains of an oat bag. Finish: Brief. Lingering spirit, nuttiness, and a faint trace of smoke. Grits are the most persistent element. This French offering is interesting and shows potential for development. The nose is an intensely complex introduction, not in the sophisticated way of a worldly scholar, but rather like a lion suddenly released into a playground. I'm confident this nose will be excellent with more age. However, that's where my enjoyment stops. The palate is aggressively young with a grist-forward character that sometimes borders on acrid, featuring a strong vegetal and spirit presence. It reminds me of a flavor note I found confusing in Loch Lomond Original (I can't escape that memory). My takeaway is that the nose deceives in this generously provided, highly interesting young whisky. A spirited taste entry, number 164. Displayed with a lapis-lazuli specimen from Sar-e-sang, Afghanistan. Lapis-lazuli is not a single mineral but an aggregate; its blue hue comes from lazurite, with traces of brassy pyrite. These rocks formed from limestones altered by hydrothermal processes involving circulating metamorphic fluids.

Nose: Cereal grains, abundant pear, banana, hazelnut, chestnut, dried fruit, a hint of citrus, and a trace of smoke and vanilla. Palate: A young, sweet, grainy cereal arrival. The development reveals sherry influence with grape and mild fruit notes and an oily hint. There's an interesting vegetal fruit note akin to mezcal, like green mango. The texture is acceptable, perhaps a little watery, but it presents a very "young" profile. Finish: Brief. A slight spirit burn on the aftertaste, but crisp, sweet cereal remains. NOTE: Allow this whisky to rest in the glass for some time before tasting - it benefits greatly from a little rest for a young expression. This is a youthful and spirited malt but it is by no means poor. However, it is clearly a crisp and cereal-driven distillate given only a few years in very bright, new casks. It bears a surprising resemblance to some young Australian whiskies, especially Hellyer's Road. They share the same young cereal, lactic, grainy profile. G.Rozelieures began production in 2003 and is now France's largest whisky distillery, but like many new distilleries, they are still finding their way (interestingly, some young distilleries, like Wolfburn, seem to skip this phase and immediately produce magnificent whisky). They handle as much as possible internally, including their own maltings, and are energy sustainable. Commendable. Enjoyable, but I predict this distillery has only just embarked on its initial journey. Keep an eye on them; in a couple of decades, they will produce remarkable things - just wait until they utilize some fine ex-armagnac casks. This particular bottling offers fair value, priced in Australia to compete with mid-tier blended malts, and it performs well. "Good": 83/100 (3.5 stars)

The aroma is much better than the taste, featuring notes of dried fruit, a touch of salt, and smoke. It comes across as an immature whisky, and the short finish doesn't help. It's not really my preference, but it's acceptable overall.

Nose: White wine, vanilla, marzipan. Delicate. Taste: White wine, cognac. Dry, vanilla, lacking depth. Noticeable bite and thin mouthfeel.

Intricate flavors, hints of blue cheese and wildness with a touch of peat. Good body with a pleasant, spicy finish.

A slightly oily scent gives way to a sweet, mildly smoky palate.