Issue 047: The Ember Beneath - Warmth Without Warning

Issue No. 47 — May 12, 2026

Your daily discovery of 8 exceptional wines and spirits

In This Issue

Bourbon Scotch Whisky Irish Whiskey Tequila Gin Rum Red Wine White Wine

Classification: Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Barrels

Brand: Isaac Bowman

Distillery: A. Smith Bowman Distillery

Proof: 92 (46% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Deep mahogany with reddish-copper highlights

MSRP: $35–$45

Mash Bill: Corn, malted barley, rye (undisclosed proportions, sourced from Buffalo Trace)

Barrel Type: New charred American oak, finished in port barrels

Nose: Ripe cherry and butterscotch lead, followed by a wave of dark cocoa and dried raisins. Beneath that sits a quiet charred oak note that grows as the glass opens.

Palate: Rich and full-bodied. The port cask influence brings a berry-forward sweetness that competes with toasted vanilla and brown spice. A leathery mid-palate emerges halfway through, grounding the fruit.

Finish: Long and warming with lingering cherry, charred oak, and a faint tobacco exhale that stays well after the sip.

Bourbon Kit Aromas: Cherry, Butterscotch, Charred Oak, Raisins, Leather

The Verdict: Isaac Bowman delivers a bourbon that plays two hands simultaneously — fruit-driven and barrel-intensive. The port finish adds genuine depth rather than gimmickry, and the price makes it an exceptional value for what's in the glass.

Classification: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Brand: Edradour

Distillery: Edradour Distillery

Proof: 80 (40% ABV)

Age: 10 Year

Color: Warm gold with amber edges

MSRP: $50–$70

Region: Highlands

Mash Bill: 100% malted barley

Distillation: Double distilled in copper pot stills

Maturation: Predominantly ex-sherry casks with some ex-bourbon

Cask Type: Ex-sherry and ex-bourbon

Peat Level (PPM): Unpeated

Chill-Filtered: Yes

Nose: Honeyed malt and dried fruit open gently, with a subtle thread of almond and vanilla beneath. A faint clove spice sharpens the edges after a few minutes in the glass.

Palate: Creamy and buttery at entry, moving into a surprisingly complex mid-palate of cocoa, peach, and toasted wood. The body is medium but there's a persistence that belies its modest proof.

Finish: Warm and malty with dried fruit and a quiet earthy note that lingers longer than expected.

Whisky Kit Aromas: Honey, Dried Fruit, Almond, Buttery, Clove Spice

The Verdict: Edradour is often called Scotland's smallest traditional distillery, and its 10 Year proves that limited scale can produce outsized character. It's an approachable Highland malt with hidden layers that reward a slow pour.

Classification: Blended Irish Whiskey

Brand: Writers' Tears

Distillery: Walsh Whiskey Distillery (Royal Oak)

Proof: 80 (40% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Pale gold with honeyed reflections

MSRP: $40–$55

Mash Bill: Blend of single pot still (malted and unmalted barley) and single malt

Distillation: Triple distilled in copper pot stills

Maturation: Initially matured in ex-bourbon casks, finished in American oak virgin casks

Chill-Filtered: Yes

Nose: Fresh-cut grass and honey greet first, followed by vanilla and a soft floral rosewater accent. There's an underlying nuttiness — hazelnut — that anchors the lighter top notes.

Palate: Silky entry with a surprising depth of caramel and orchard fruit. The double oak maturation brings a woody backbone that the single pot still component weaves through with buttery richness.

Finish: Medium-length with gentle clove spice, trailing honey, and a clean woody fade.

Whiskey Kit Aromas: Honey, Green (Cut Grass), Vanilla, Nut (Hazelnut), Woody

The Verdict: The Double Oak edition adds structural complexity to the Writers' Tears range without losing the elegance the brand is known for. The second maturation in American oak virgin casks introduces toast and spice while keeping the pot still character intact. A smart step up from the original.

Classification: Blanco Tequila (100% Agave)

Brand: Fuenteseca

Distillery: Tequilera del Salto de Juanacatlán

Proof: 86 (43% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Crystal clear with faint silver reflections

MSRP: $55–$75

Agave: 100% Blue Weber Agave (estate grown, 2018 harvest)

Cooking Method: Traditional stone ovens (horno), tahona and roller mill extraction

NOM: NOM 1146

Additives Free: Yes

Nose: Deeply herbaceous — cooked agave, wet mineral earth, and a citrus peel brightness. There's a faint floral note that floats above the earthiness. Time in the glass reveals a subtle yeasty bread note.

Palate: Clean and precise with roasted agave front and center. Green herbs and white pepper follow, complemented by a mineral backbone that gives the tequila real structure. The mid-palate shifts toward citrus and a hint of almond.

Finish: Long and dry with lingering pepper, earth, and a clean agave echo.

Tequila Kit Aromas: Agave (Cooked), Earth (Mineral, Soil Notes), Citrus (Lemon, Lime, Orange, Grapefruit), Pepper, Herbal (Mint, Thyme, Eucalyptus), Yeast (Bready)

The Verdict: Fuenteseca's Cosecha series emphasizes vintage-dated agave, and the 2018 harvest delivers a blanco that tastes like terroir in a glass. This is a tequila for sipping — unhurried and unapologetic about its complexity. Not a mixer, not a party pour. A conversation piece.

Classification: Premium Gin

Brand: Brockmans

Distillery: G&J Distillers

Proof: 76 (38% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Clear

MSRP: $30–$40

Style: Contemporary/New Western

Botanicals: Juniper, coriander, blood orange peel, grapefruit, lavender, rose petals, orris root, angelica, cassia bark

Base Spirit: Grain neutral spirit

Distillation: Pot distilled in traditional copper stills

Nose: Bright blood orange dominates, supported by soft floral rose and a gentle coriander warmth. The juniper is present but pulled back, allowing the citrus to lead.

Palate: Smooth and medium-bodied with orange peel sweetness layered over lavender and a whisper of vanilla. The mid-palate reveals a subtle grapefruit bitterness and orris root powder that provide depth beneath the fruit.

Finish: Clean and moderately long with lingering orange zest and a floral fadeout.

Gin Kit Aromas: Orange, Floral (Rose), Coriander, Lavender, Grapefruit

The Verdict: Brockmans Orange Kiss takes the brand's fruit-forward philosophy and sharpens it around a single citrus theme. It's a gin that works brilliantly in a spritz but has enough botanical structure to stand up in a Martini variation. The lower proof keeps it sessionable without diluting the aromatics.

Classification: Aged Cuban Rum

Brand: Havana Club

Distillery: Havana Club Distillery (San José de las Lajas)

Proof: 80 (40% ABV)

Age: 7 Year

Color: Deep amber with bronze edges

MSRP: $35–$50

Base Ingredients: Sugarcane molasses

Distillation: Continuous column distillation followed by pot still blending

Nose: Rich molasses and toffee open first, with dried tropical fruit and a hint of tobacco emerging behind. There's a clean oakiness that provides structure without dominating.

Palate: Full and smooth with dark chocolate, vanilla, and a dried fruit sweetness that avoids cloying. The cask aging adds leather and a subtle roasted quality. Spice builds gradually through the mid-palate.

Finish: Long and warm with lingering toffee, tobacco, and a clean oak resolve.

Rum Kit Aromas: Molasses, Toffee, Tobacco, Oak, Vanilla, Dried Fruit

The Verdict: Havana Club 7 is a benchmark for aged Cuban rum — disciplined blending, clear identity, and a balance between sweetness and dry complexity. It's a rum that demands respect in an Old Fashioned or a daiquiri, but frankly it's best appreciated neat where the seven years of tropically aged barrel work can speak for themselves.

Classification: Côtes du Rhône AOC

Brand: E. Guigal

ABV: 14%

Primary Varietal: Syrah

Blend: Approximately 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre

Vineyards: Selected parcels across the Côtes du Rhône appellation

Maturation: Destemmed, temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel and concrete

Color: Deep ruby-purple with violet edges

MSRP: $12–$18

Nose: Dark berry fruit — blackcurrant and cherry — with undertones of violet and cracked black pepper. A subtle cedar note hovers in the background.

Palate: Medium-bodied with concentrated berry fruit and a savory, gamey mid-palate that adds complexity well beyond the price point. Soft tannins frame hints of vanilla and toasted oak.

Finish: Medium-length with fading cherry, a touch of mint, and clean fruit.

Wine Kit Aromas: Blackcurrant, Cherry, Violet, Cedar, Gamey

The Verdict: Guigal's Côtes du Rhône Rouge remains one of the great benchmarks for southern Rhône value wine. The 2021 vintage delivers generous fruit concentration while maintaining the savory, slightly wild character that makes this blend so food-friendly. At this price, there's no excuse not to have a case.

Classification: Sancerre AOC

Brand: Domaine Vacheron

ABV: 13%

Primary Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc

Blend: 100% Sauvignon Blanc

Vineyards: Estate vineyards across Sancerre — Les Romains (flint), La Côte (clay-limestone), Le Paradis (chalk)

Vinification: Whole-cluster pressed, natural yeast fermentation, aged on fine lees in a mix of stainless steel and neutral oak

Color: Pale straw with green-silver glints

MSRP: $30–$42

Nose: Gooseberry and citrus zest rise immediately, undercut by a flinty minerality and a whisper of green grass. There's a delicate floral note — almost rose petal — that surfaces as the wine warms.

Palate: Taut and precise with bright acidity carrying flavors of green apple, gooseberry, and white grapefruit. The mid-palate reveals a chalky mineral texture that gives the wine real grip and persistence. Subtle honeyed undertones emerge on the second sip.

Finish: Long and focused with lingering citrus, wet stone, and a clean, mouthwatering close.

Wine Kit Aromas: Gooseberry, Citrus (Generic), Green (Cut Grass), Floral (Rose), Honey

The Verdict: Domaine Vacheron consistently produces Sancerre that goes beyond the category's often one-dimensional reputation. The 2022 vintage is beautifully balanced — fruit-driven enough to enjoy young, mineral enough to age, and structured enough to pair with serious food. This is textbook Sauvignon Blanc from one of the appellation's finest growers.

Join the School of Wine and Spirits Community

Connect with fellow connoisseurs, share tasting notes, and go deeper into every pour.
Sign up at skool.com/schoolofwineandspirits

Robert R. Mohr, CPA, CGMA, WSET Level 3, WSG Certified Spirits Specialist — author of America's Spirit, Scotland's Spirit, Ireland's Spirit, The Ultimate Northern Italian Wine Journey, The Tequila y Mezcal Revolution, The Definitive Pocket Guide to Chablis, The Definitive Pocket Guide to the Côte d'Or, and Strategic Tuning. Published author of the Aroma Academy Tequila/Mezcal and Distiller's training kits.

The Still & The Vine is a daily publication of the School of Wine and Spirits.

schoolofwineandspirits.com  ·  Amazon Author Page