Roborel de Climens 2017 Finition du Château Sainte Marguerite

Nose: Smells of nectarine, peach, apricot, brioche. Also toasted almond, grassy notes, and fresh oak cask aromas. Palate: A gentle arrival with a hint of acidity and some light spice, but primarily focused on fruity flavors. It's slightly drier on the palate than the sauvignon finished version I tried previously, not as soft but elegant and crisp. As it rests on the palate, it develops a hint of sweetness. The texture is pleasant with a poised and reserved oiliness. Finish: Short. Elegantly fruity with a touch of oak tannin in the aftertaste. This producer sources new-make spirit and matures it in selected, top quality French oak casks, with a finishing period in ex-wine casks. This expression was finished in ex-rosé barrels from Château Sainte-Marguerite. It shares many characteristics with the sauvignon-finished whisky but given the youth of both expressions and the lightness of their respective finishings that is not surprising. This had an earthier and slightly heavier character with better balance, but the light floral notes, the prominent stone-fruit aromas and flavors, and the mouthfeel were all similar. The finish is still short but just a little longer than the sauvignon-finished expression. Overall, I thought it was the better whisky, not by a long margin but sufficient to justify summarising it as “above average”. At the asking price it just barely qualifies as reasonable value and once again it is regrettable that it is bottled at only 40% abv. I'm certain that a few degrees more proof would allow greater complexity to show through.