Rozelieures Rare Collection

Aroma: Cereal and fruity (a bright note of white grape juice). Some vanilla, caramel, and a yeasty scent. As it rests and opens up, the peat smoke becomes increasingly apparent. Flavor: A sweet, smooth, and fruity initial taste. The flavor develops further with the fruit notes and has a distinct smoky undertone that is more noticeable than the smoke aroma in the nose. An enjoyable flavor overall, with hints of dried fruit and salt-water taffy towards the end. Finish: Brief. Cereal and fruity. Pleasant and straightforward, but crafted to a high standard - the unaged spirit is clearly the same as that used in their "Origine" single malt, which is aged in sherry and cognac casks. This particular expression gets additional finishing in ex-Sauternes casks, which were clearly top-quality and very fresh - either first-fill or lightly used second-fill. Like its counterpart, this is a bright, young whisky that greatly benefits from resting in the glass for some time. To say it opens up is a massive understatement. It's sweet, aromatic, cereal-forward, malty, fruity, and reminds me somewhat of wine-finished Kilchoman expressions. I opened this and the Blue Origin together a couple of weeks ago, and at that time I favored the other whisky. This one seemed a bit unbalanced and brought to mind some less-than-stellar Australian wine-cask finished whiskies (it had a similar grapey-plywood character). However, it has improved over time, and I've grown to appreciate it more. It has now surpassed the other malt, having gained refinement, and the wood influence is smoother and more subdued. Never judge a bottle solely from the initial pour. Highly enjoyable, and considering the very reasonable price, this is a fantastic deal. Get it while you can. "Good": 83/100 (3.5 stars)

Sample from Drammers Club online tasting. Nose: Smoky peat, pepper, raisins, pears, floral notes, sultanas, dark chocolate, white chocolate, cherry, caramel, apricots, citrus, almonds, hazelnuts, vanilla, banana Palate: Smoky peat, pepper, caramel, floral notes, vanilla, caramel, raisins, white chocolate-covered cherries Finish: Vanilla, honey, floral notes, smoke, pepper A pleasant sweet and smoky combination, would be improved at 46% abv

This is quite pleasant. Flavors of fruit and white grape, lively and refreshing. Good harmony between the sweetness and malt notes. No harshness that reveals its youth. The finish is a bit short, but it otherwise delivers a lot of flavor for its alcohol content. Another impressive French whisky.

Pleasant aroma. Cereal, light fruit, grape, and some mild peat compete for attention. They all appear on the palate, though distinguishing them individually is challenging. A bit of lingering wood spice and a sweet finish. It would serve excellently as a digestif.

Lacks the fruitiness and flavor intensity of the Origine, though its nose has considerably more caramel. The palate is quite bad and should be avoided, with a bitter finish. I would only recommend using this as a fragrance.

At the Shangri La Hotel in Paris with a companion.