Issue 080: The Stillness Before Bloom - Dormancy Becomes Flavor

Issue No. 80 — June 14, 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

Brand: John J. Bowman

Distillery: A. Smith Bowman Distillery

Proof: 100 (50% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Deep burnished amber with copper highlights

MSRP: $50–$65

Mash Bill: Undisclosed

Barrel Type: New charred American white oak

Single Barrel: Yes

Nose: Immediate caramel and vanilla custard, followed by toasted pecans and dried cherry. A faint undercurrent of charred oak and leather emerges with time in the glass.

Palate: Rich and coating, with brown sugar, dark chocolate, and baking spice leading into a mid-palate of ripe red apple and corn sweetness. The oak integration is seamless, providing structure without bitterness.

Finish: Long and warming, with lingering butterscotch, tobacco leaf, and a final whisper of charred oak.

Bourbon Kit Aromas: Caramel, Vanilla, Pecan, Charred Oak, Cherry

The Verdict: A. Smith Bowman's single barrel program delivers remarkable consistency for a non-age-stated bourbon. This bottle punches well above its price, offering the kind of depth and balance that rewards patient sipping. It's a quiet powerhouse from a distillery that deserves more attention.

Classification: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Brand: Strathisla

Distillery: Strathisla Distillery

Proof: 80 (40% ABV)

Age: 12 Year

Color: Warm gold with honeyed amber edges

MSRP: $55–$75

Region: Speyside

Mash Bill: 100% malted barley

Distillation: Double distilled in traditional copper pot stills

Maturation: Aged 12 years in a combination of American oak and European oak ex-sherry casks

Cask Type: American oak and ex-sherry casks

Peat Level (PPM): Unpeated

Chill-Filtered: Yes

Nose: Ripe peach and honey mingle with a subtle malty backbone. Dried apricot and vanilla come forward, with a touch of hazelnut and gentle floral rosewater notes underneath.

Palate: Smooth and medium-bodied, with buttery orchard fruit, caramel, and toasted almond. A gentle spice of clove builds at mid-palate, balanced by persistent honeyed sweetness.

Finish: Medium length, with lingering malt, dried fruit, and a clean woody fade.

Whisky Kit Aromas: Peach, Honey, Buttery, Vanilla, Nut (Hazelnut)

The Verdict: Strathisla is the spiritual home of Chivas Regal, yet its single malt releases remain criminally overlooked. This 12 year old is textbook Speyside — approachable, fruity, and generous — without a single sharp edge. It rewards anyone willing to look past the blending-house reputation.

Classification: Single Malt Irish Whiskey

Brand: Athrú

Distillery: Lough Gill Distillery

Proof: 92 (46% ABV)

Age: 14 Year

Color: Rich amber with russet tones

MSRP: $80–$100

Mash Bill: 100% malted barley

Distillation: Triple distilled

Maturation: 14 years in ex-bourbon casks with an oloroso sherry cask finish

Chill-Filtered: Non-chill filtered

Nose: Dried fig, dark toffee, and beeswax honey lead, followed by warm clove spice and a delicate thread of orange zest. A faint earthy note lingers beneath.

Palate: Full-bodied and layered, with cocoa, toasted hazelnut, and dried apricot. The sherry influence is present but measured, lending depth without overwhelming the malt character. Creamy mouthfeel with gentle woody tannins.

Finish: Long and warming, with cocoa, dried fruit, and a lingering earthy sweetness that slowly recedes.

Whiskey Kit Aromas: Dried Fruit, Honey, Clove Spice, Cocoa (Dark), Earthy

The Verdict: Athrú's Keshcorran bottling, named for the caves of County Sligo, showcases what careful cask management can achieve with well-aged Irish malt. The 14 years of maturation deliver complexity without weight, and the non-chill-filtered bottling at 46% preserves texture and nuance. A contemplative whiskey for contemplative evenings.

Classification: Extra Añejo Tequila

Brand: Don Pilar

Distillery: NOM 1472 — Destilería Leyros

Proof: 80 (40% ABV)

Age: 3-Year

Color: Deep mahogany with reddish-copper reflections

MSRP: $90–$120

Agave: 100% Blue Weber Agave

Cooking Method: Stone oven roasted, tahona and roller mill crushed, natural fermentation, copper pot distilled

NOM: 1472

Additives Free: Yes

Nose: Rich cooked agave sweetness meets dark chocolate and toasted oak. Vanilla and butterscotch layer beneath, with subtle leather and a hint of cinnamon warmth.

Palate: Luxuriously thick, with caramel, roasted agave, espresso, and dark cocoa unfolding in waves. The oak presence is assertive but well-integrated, and a gentle peppery heat arrives mid-palate to cut the sweetness.

Finish: Very long, with tobacco, vanilla, and dark chocolate tapering to a warm, leathery close.

Tequila Kit Aromas: Agave (Cooked), Chocolate (Dark Chocolate, Cocoa), Vanilla, Oak, Leather, Pepper

The Verdict: Don Pilar's extra añejo is unapologetically wood-forward, yet the agave heart never goes missing. Three years in American oak barrels develop a spirit that approaches brandy-like richness while retaining its tequila identity. For those who enjoy sipping tequila like a fine cognac, this delivers without pretension.

Classification: New Zealand Dry Gin

Brand: Scapegrace

Distillery: Scapegrace Distillery

Proof: 84.6 (42.3% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Crystal clear

MSRP: $35–$45

Style: Dry Gin

Botanicals: Juniper, coriander seed, angelica root, orange peel, lemon peel, nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, liquorice root, Szechuan pepper

Base Spirit: Neutral grain spirit

Distillation: Single-shot distillation in a copper pot still

Nose: Crisp juniper pine leads, immediately joined by lemon zest, orange blossom, and a subtle floral lift. Coriander seed and a whisper of nutmeg develop beneath.

Palate: Clean and precise, with juniper and citrus in close harmony. A soft peppery spice emerges mid-palate, balanced by a gentle sweetness reminiscent of angelica root. The texture is smooth without being oily.

Finish: Medium, with lingering juniper, citrus pith, and a dry, peppery close.

Gin Kit Aromas: Juniper (Pine), Lemon, Orange, Coriander, Peppery

The Verdict: Scapegrace Classic proves that Southern Hemisphere distillers can match — and sometimes surpass — their London counterparts in the dry gin arena. The botanical balance here is tight and purposeful, with nothing competing for attention. It's a gin that works equally well in a Martini or a simple G&T, which is the highest compliment a classic-style gin can receive.

Classification: Single Estate Aged Jamaican Rum

Brand: Worthy Park

Distillery: Worthy Park Estate

Proof: 92 (46% ABV)

Age: Vintage 2006

Color: Deep amber with mahogany edges

MSRP: $85–$110

Base Ingredients: Blackstrap molasses from estate-grown sugarcane

Distillation: Double retort copper pot still distillation

Nose: Tropical fruit compote — overripe banana and mango — with underlying molasses and a funky ester quality. Toasted coconut, oak tannins, and a faint whiff of tobacco emerge with time.

Palate: Full and oily, with dark toffee, dried fruit, and coffee arriving first. A pronounced Jamaican funk — part tropical, part earthy — weaves through the mid-palate. Oak spice and leather ground the sweetness without muting the estate character.

Finish: Long and complex, with molasses, tobacco, and tropical fruit fading slowly into warm oak.

Rum Kit Aromas: Tropical Fruits, Molasses, Toffee, Oak, Tobacco, Coffee

The Verdict: This vintage expression from one of Jamaica's oldest sugar estates demonstrates why single-estate rum matters. The extended tropical aging concentrates flavor and builds a level of complexity that blended rums rarely achieve. The funk is present but controlled, making this accessible to both rum veterans and curious newcomers.

Classification: Crozes-Hermitage AOC

Brand: Domaine Alain Graillot

ABV: 13%

Primary Varietal: Syrah

Blend: 100% Syrah

Vineyards: Estate vineyards in Crozes-Hermitage, glacial terrace soils

Maturation: Destemmed, cold maceration followed by traditional fermentation, aged 12 months in used French oak and concrete

Color: Deep ruby-violet with purple rim

MSRP: $30–$40

Nose: Intense black cherry and violet, layered with cracked black pepper and a hint of smoked meat. A subtle herbal quality — thyme, perhaps — sits underneath.

Palate: Medium-to-full bodied with juicy dark berry fruit, gentle tannins, and a savory, almost meaty character. Fresh acidity keeps the fruit honest, while subtle oak contributes cedar and spice without dominating the varietal expression.

Finish: Medium-long, with blackcurrant, pepper, and a clean minerality.

Wine Kit Aromas: Cherry, Violet, Cedar, Berry (Generic), Blackcurrant

The Verdict: Alain Graillot has long been the benchmark for what Crozes-Hermitage can achieve at an accessible price. The 2021 vintage captures the Northern Rhône's signature combination of fruit power and savory restraint. This is Syrah as site expression — honest, vibrant, and deeply satisfying without needing a decade of cellaring.

Classification: Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC

Brand: Domaine de la Taille aux Loups

ABV: 13%

Primary Varietal: Chenin Blanc

Blend: 100% Chenin Blanc

Vineyards: Clos de Mosny, single-vineyard parcel in Montlouis-sur-Loire, clay-flint soils

Vinification: Whole cluster pressed, spontaneous fermentation, aged on fine lees in old French oak and stainless steel for 8 months

Color: Pale straw with green-gold highlights

MSRP: $28–$38

Nose: White flowers and green apple, joined by honeydew melon and a chalky mineral edge. A faint waxy quality adds intrigue.

Palate: Taut and precise, with citrus pith, ripe pear, and a honeyed mid-palate that avoids cloying sweetness. The acidity is bright and driving, carrying the fruit across a palate of surprising length. A gentle toasted quality hints at the wine's lees contact.

Finish: Clean and persistent, with lingering citrus, green apple, and a stony minerality.

Wine Kit Aromas: Apple (Green), Honey, Citrus (Generic), Melon, Toasted

The Verdict: Jacky Blot's Montlouis bottlings have long rivaled the finest Vouvrays across the river, and this Clos de Mosny demonstrates why. The 2023 vintage is taut and energetic, with Chenin Blanc's signature tension between richness and acidity on full display. Drink it now for freshness, or give it a year or two to see the complexity unfold.

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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.

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