Issue 133: The Depth of Stillness - Tension Held Within

Issue No. 133 — August 6, 2026

Your daily discovery of 8 exceptional wines and spirits

There is a kind of stillness that hums. Not silence, but a gathered intensity — the held breath before a chord resolves, the surface of water just before it breaks. The best bottles carry this quality: layers that don't announce themselves but unfold only when you slow down enough to receive them.

Today's lineup spans eight categories, each one chosen for its interior depth. These are producers who trust their raw materials and refuse to overplay their hand. From a wheated bourbon's velvet restraint to a volcanic white wine's mineral tension, this issue rewards close attention.

Today's aroma training explores the quiet intensity of ingredients that don't shout — the earthy minerals, honeyed grains, and restrained fruits that reveal themselves only with patient attention. These are aromas that reward slowing down.

Don’t see your special bottle? Request a review at reviews.schoolofwineandspirits.com/request-review — we’ll get to it. See every bottle we’ve reviewed to date at reviews.schoolofwineandspirits.com.

In This Issue

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

Bourbon W.L. Weller 12 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Distilled at Buffalo Trace on the banks of the Kentucky River, this wheated bourbon carries forward William Larue Weller's mid-19th-century conviction that wheat could yield a gentler, more nuanced whiskey than rye.

Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Brand: W.L. Weller

Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery

Proof: 90 (45% ABV)

Age: 12 Year

Color: Warm amber with burnished copper edges

MSRP: $35–$50

Mash Bill: Wheat, Corn, Malted Barley (exact ratios undisclosed)

Barrel Type: New charred American oak

Wheated: Yes

Nose: A refined wave of caramel and toasted wheat opens the nose, underscored by soft vanilla and dried apricot. With time in the glass, faint notes of butterscotch and baking spice emerge, carrying a hint of polished oak.

Palate: Silky and full-bodied, with a honeyed sweetness that never cloys. Butterscotch and warm baked apple ride alongside toasted grain, while subtle leather and a whisper of dark cocoa provide backbone. The wheat-forward mash bill lends a rounded, almost pillowy texture.

Finish: Medium-long and gently drying, with vanilla, oak tannins, and a lingering caramel warmth that fades gracefully.

Bourbon Kit Aromas: Wheat, Butterscotch, Vanilla, Caramel, Oak

The Verdict: This is a masterclass in what wheat can do when given twelve years of patience. The texture alone justifies the hunt — soft without being simple, layered without being loud. At its suggested retail, it remains one of bourbon's most elegant values, though secondary market prices tell a different story.

Cocktail — Paper Plane Variation — 2 oz W.L. Weller 12 · 0.75 oz Amaro Nonino · 0.75 oz Aperol · 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice · Shake with ice and strain into a coupe.

Pair with: A warm brown butter pecan tart with a pinch of fleur de sel mirrors the bourbon's butterscotch sweetness while the salt lifts its subtler oak and leather notes.

Awards: Double Gold, San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2020

Scotch Whisky Deanston 18 Year Old Bourbon Cask Matured Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Housed in a converted 18th-century cotton mill on the River Teith, Deanston is powered entirely by its own hydroelectric turbine, making it one of Scotland's few self-sufficient distilleries.

Classification: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Brand: Deanston

Distillery: Deanston Distillery

Proof: 92.6 (46.3% ABV)

Age: 18 Year

Color: Bright gold with pale straw highlights

MSRP: $90–$120

Region: Highland

Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley

Distillation: Double distilled in copper pot stills

Maturation: 18 years in first-fill and refill bourbon barrels

Cask Type: Bourbon barrels

Peat Level (PPM): Unpeated

Chill-Filtered: Non-chill filtered

Nose: Clean malt and honey dominate initially, followed by ripe peach and a floral rosewater note that lifts the profile. Underneath, a gentle vanillin oakiness and a hint of almond paste provide grounding.

Palate: Creamy and medium-bodied, with buttery cereals giving way to dried fruit and a subtle coconut sweetness from the bourbon casks. Clove spice and a faint citrus brightness keep the sweetness in check. There's a waxy, almost lanolin-like texture that speaks to unhurried maturation.

Finish: Long and warming, with lingering honey, gentle oak, and a dry malt note that invites the next sip.

Whisky Kit Aromas: Honey, Peach, Buttery, Coconut, Clove Spice

The Verdict: Deanston operates well below the radar in Highland single malt circles, which is exactly what makes bottles like this such satisfying discoveries. Eighteen years of patient bourbon-cask aging have produced a whisky of real composure — nothing shouts, but nothing is missing. Non-chill filtered and natural color, as is their standard.

Cocktail — Highland Peach Highball — 2 oz Deanston 18 · 0.5 oz honey syrup · 4 oz chilled sparkling water · 2 dashes peach bitters · Build over ice in a tall glass, stir gently, garnish with a peach slice.

Pair with: A wedge of 24-month Comté alongside a sliver of raw honeycomb echoes the whisky's buttery cereal notes and floral honey character.

Awards: Gold, International Wine & Spirit Competition 2022

Irish Whiskey Dunville's 10 Year Old PX Cask Single Malt Irish Whiskey

Once a titan of Belfast's Royal Irish Distilleries silenced in 1936, Dunville's was resurrected in 2012 by the Echlinville Distillery on the Ards Peninsula, where the name now carries a new generation of carefully sherry-matured single malts.

Classification: Single Malt Irish Whiskey

Brand: Dunville's

Distillery: Echlinville Distillery (bottler; sourced malt matured and finished at Echlinville, County Down)

Proof: 92 proof (46% ABV)

Age: 10 Year Old

Color: Deep amber with russet edges

MSRP: $75 USD

Mash Bill: 100% malted barley

Distillation: Triple-distilled in traditional copper pot stills

Maturation: Matured in ex-bourbon casks and finished in first-fill Pedro Ximénez sherry butts

Chill-Filtered: Non-chill filtered

Nose: Raisin-soaked sponge cake, toasted almond, milk chocolate, and a whisper of orange peel, with a background of polished oak and dark honey.

Palate: Rich and layered — fig jam, dark muscovado, roasted hazelnut, and clove-dusted stewed plum. The malt holds its shape beneath the sherry, offering a taut cereal backbone that keeps the sweetness in check.

Finish: Long, gently drying, with lingering cocoa, walnut skin, and a resinous echo of oak spice.

Whiskey Kit Aromas: Dried Fruit, Cocoa (Dark), Nut (Hazelnut), Malt, Woody, Orange

The Verdict: A masterclass in restraint: the PX cask is expressive but never smothering, and the malt's quiet strength gives the whiskey a compressed, brooding energy — tension held within, indeed.

Cocktail — The Silent Reservoir — 2 oz Dunville's 10 PX, 0.25 oz Pedro Ximénez sherry, 2 dashes Angostura bitters, 1 dash orange bitters. Stir with ice for 30 seconds; strain into a chilled coupe. Express an orange peel over the surface and discard.

Pair with: Aged Coolea cheese with fig chutney and toasted walnut bread, or a slice of dark chocolate torte with sea salt.

Awards: Gold Medal, Irish Whiskey Masters (The Spirits Business); consistently high scores from Irish Whiskey Blogger and Whisky Advocate reviews.

Tequila Siembra Valles High Proof Blanco

Conceived by David Suro-Piñera as an unfiltered expression of the Valles terroir, Siembra Valles High Proof was built to preserve the volatile aromatics and structural minerality that lower-proof bottlings tend to soften into silence.

Classification: Blanco (Plata), 100% Blue Weber Agave

Brand: Siembra Valles

Distillery: Tequilera Simbolo (formerly produced at various NOM sites; current release NOM 1123)

Proof: 108 proof (54% ABV)

Age: NAS (unaged)

Color: Clear / crystalline

MSRP: $70

Agave: 100% Blue Weber Agave (Agave tequilana), sourced from mature plants in the Valles (lowlands) region of Jalisco

Cooking Method: Traditional cooking in masonry ovens, milled and fermented with fibers, distilled twice in copper pot stills, bottled unfiltered at still strength without water reduction to proof

NOM: NOM 1123

Additives Free: Yes

Nose: A taut coil of cooked agave, wet river stone, and green olive brine, threaded with white pepper, lime zest, and a whisper of eucalyptus. Air brings out a subtle sweetness — pineapple core and honeyed masa.

Palate: Structured and vibrating with restrained power. Roasted agave arrives first, followed by cracked black pepper, mineral salinity, and citrus pith. Mid-palate reveals herbal bitterness — thyme, wet grass — before a wave of warm cinnamon and cooked pear.

Finish: Long, dry, and mineral-driven. The heat is present but composed, unwinding slowly into peppery agave fiber, lime peel, and a faint saline echo.

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

The Verdict: A masterclass in high-proof tension: nothing loose, nothing loud. Siembra Valles High Proof is where traditional Valles craft meets amplified expression, and it rewards the drinker who leans in rather than backs away.

Cocktail — The Coiled Spring — 1.5 oz Siembra Valles High Proof, 0.75 oz fresh lime juice, 0.5 oz agave syrup (1:1), 3 dashes celery bitters, 1 thin cucumber ribbon. Shake with ice, double-strain into a chilled coupe, garnish with the cucumber ribbon and a pinch of flaky sea salt on the rim.

Pair with: Grilled octopus with smoked paprika, charred lemon, and a green olive tapenade — the tequila's salinity and pepper meet the char and brine head-on.

Awards: Widely regarded as a benchmark high-proof blanco among tequila critics; frequently cited in Tequila Matchmaker top-rated additive-free listings.

Gin Botanica Spiritvs London Dry Gin

Hand-distilled in small copper pot stills in Surrey's countryside, Botanica Spiritvs was founded by a former pharmaceutical chemist who applies analytical precision to traditional London Dry methods.

Classification: London Dry Gin

Brand: Botanica Spiritvs

Distillery: Botanica Spiritvs Distillery

Proof: 90 (45% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Crystal clear

MSRP: $39 - $50

Style: London Dry

Botanicals: Juniper, coriander seed, angelica root, orris root, cassia bark, lemon peel, violet

Base Spirit: Neutral grain spirit

Distillation: Single-shot distillation in a copper pot still

Nose: Pine-forward juniper opens with authority, quickly joined by coriander seed warmth and a floral violet note that adds an unexpected elegance. Beneath, angelica root provides an earthy, woody baseline, and a faint citrus peel brightness shimmers at the edges.

Palate: Crisp and dry, with herbaceous juniper leading a well-structured mid-palate. Coriander and cassia bark spice give warmth without heaviness. A lemon zest brightness cuts through, and the orris root lends a velvety, almost powdery texture that lingers.

Finish: Clean and moderately long, with juniper and angelica root trailing off into a dry, peppery warmth.

Gin Kit Aromas: Juniper (Pine), Coriander, Violet, Angelica, Lemon

The Verdict: Botanica Spiritvs is a small-batch operation that gets the London Dry fundamentals right: juniper-led, balanced, and built for purpose. It holds its structure in a Martini without overwhelming the vermouth, and carries enough botanical depth to stand up neat. A quiet overachiever in a crowded category.

Cocktail — Classic Martini — 2.5 oz Botanica Spiritvs Gin · 0.5 oz dry vermouth · Stir with ice for 30 seconds, strain into a chilled coupe, garnish with a lemon twist.

Pair with: Fresh oysters with a classic shallot and red wine vinegar mignonette complement the gin's brininess and juniper bite, while the lemon citrus notes bridge the two.

Rum Rhum Rhum PMG Blanc

Born from the improbable partnership of Velier's Luca Gargano and legendary Italian grappa distiller Gianni Capovilla, Rhum Rhum is distilled in bespoke copper pot stills on Marie-Galante using only cane juice from Bielle's estate — a rhum agricole made with the meticulous slow-distillation ethos of a Friulian eau-de-vie.

Classification: Rhum Agricole Blanc (Pure Cane Juice)

Brand: Rhum Rhum

Distillery: Distillerie Bielle

Proof: 112 proof (56% ABV)

Age: NAS (Unaged)

Color: Clear, water-white with faint viscosity

MSRP: $55

Base Ingredients: Fresh sugarcane juice from Bielle estate, Marie-Galante

Distillation: Slow double distillation in bespoke Müller copper pot stills designed by Gianni Capovilla; long fermentation from single-varietal cane juice, no reduction with demineralized water rushed — rested before bottling.

Nose: A taut, high-tension bouquet — freshly crushed sugarcane and green olive brine lead, followed by white pepper, cucumber skin, damp limestone, and a lift of lime zest. Underneath, a subtle floral thread of jasmine and sugar snap pea.

Palate: Muscular yet precise. Grassy cane juice arrives with saline weight, then unfurls into green mango, fennel frond, unripe pear, and a bright chlorophyll rush. The 56% ABV is coiled rather than aggressive, holding oily texture and vegetal minerality in perfect suspension.

Finish: Long, saline, and mineral — sugarcane pulp, wet stone, and a whisper of anise linger with slow-release warmth. Dry, structured, and almost briny at the very end.

Rum Kit Aromas: Agricole, Citrus (Generic), Tropical Fruits, Spice (Generic)

The Verdict: A benchmark unaged agricole that showcases the tension between raw agricultural power and Italian-style precision — Luca Gargano and Gianni Capovilla's collaboration remains one of the most articulate white rums on Earth.

Cocktail — Held Breath Ti' Punch — 2 oz Rhum Rhum PMG Blanc, 1 barspoon fresh cane syrup (sirop de canne), 1 thick disc of lime pressed lightly to express oil. Combine in a rocks glass, stir gently three times, no ice. Serve as chacun prépare sa propre mort — each drinker adjusts to taste.

Pair with: Grilled octopus with lemon, olive oil, and Espelette pepper; or raw oysters with a mignonette of green apple and shallot.

Awards: Consistently rated among the world's finest agricole blancs by Rum Howler, The Fat Rum Pirate, and Serious Eats' spirit reviewers.

Red Wine Fattoria di Selvapiana Chianti Rufina Riserva Vigneto Bucerchiale 2019

Owned by the Giuntini family since 1827, Selvapiana sits in the cooler, higher-elevation Rufina hills east of Florence, where estate director Federico Giuntini crafts Bucerchiale from a single south-facing vineyard planted in 1968 — one of the most consistently age-worthy Sangiovese crus in Tuscany.

Classification: Chianti Rufina Riserva DOCG

Brand: Fattoria Selvapiana

Distillery: Fattoria di Selvapiana

ABV: 13.5%

Primary Varietal: Sangiovese

Blend: 100% Sangiovese

Vineyards: Single-vineyard Bucerchiale, a 25-acre south-facing parcel at roughly 300 meters elevation on galestro and alberese soils in Pontassieve; vines averaging 40+ years old.

Maturation: Hand-harvested; fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts and gentle extraction; aged approximately 24 months in large Slavonian oak botti (20–30 hl), followed by extended bottle aging before release.

Color: Translucent ruby garnet with a slight brick edge

MSRP: $35

Nose: Sour cherry, dried rose petal, tobacco leaf, iron filings, and a whiff of Mediterranean herbs — sage and wild fennel — over a stony, almost cool-air minerality.

Palate: Wiry and taut, with red cherry and pomegranate driven by piercing acidity; sanguine and savory mid-palate flavors of leather, cured meat, and dried orange peel unfold against fine-grained, chalky tannins.

Finish: Long, saline, and echoing — cherry pit, dried herbs, and a mineral hum that lingers with real tension.

Wine Kit Aromas: Cherry, Floral (Rose), Berry (Generic), Cedar, Woody

The Verdict: A quietly serious Chianti Rufina that trades power for poise; drinking well now with an hour in the decanter, but built for a decade or more in the cellar.

Cocktail — Not applicable — serve at 60–64°F in a Burgundy-style glass, decanted 45–60 minutes. — N/A — this is a wine intended for the table, not a mixing component.

Pair with: Bistecca alla fiorentina, wild boar ragù over pappardelle, aged pecorino toscano, or grilled quail with rosemary.

Awards: Consistently rated 94–96 points across recent vintages by Wine Advocate, Vinous, and James Suckling; long regarded as a benchmark of the Rufina zone.

White Wine Donnafugata Anthìlia Sicilia Bianco DOC 2023

Produced by the Rallo family at their estate in Contessa Entellina in western Sicily, Anthìlia is named after a mythological figure and draws from indigenous grape varieties grown in the island's arid, mineral-rich soils.

Classification: Sicilia DOC Bianco

Brand: Donnafugata

ABV: 12.5%

Primary Varietal: Catarratto

Blend: Catarratto with Ansonica (Inzolia)

Vineyards: Estate vineyards in Contessa Entellina, western Sicily

Vinification: Hand-harvested, cold-macerated, temperature-controlled stainless steel fermentation with selected yeasts, brief aging on fine lees

Color: Pale straw with greenish reflections

MSRP: $14–$18

Nose: Bright citrus — lemon peel and pink grapefruit — opens alongside white peach and a faint floral quality reminiscent of jasmine. A grassy, herbal undercurrent and subtle almond note add interest beneath the fruit.

Palate: Fresh and medium-bodied, with crisp green apple acidity and flavors of citrus zest, ripe melon, and a saline minerality that speaks to the Sicilian terroir. The texture is smooth but lively, with enough weight to feel satisfying without any heaviness.

Finish: Clean and refreshing, with lingering citrus, a gentle almond bitterness, and a mineral snap on the close.

Wine Kit Aromas: Citrus (Generic), Melon, Apple (Green), Green (Cut Grass), Nut (Almond/Coconut)

The Verdict: Donnafugata consistently delivers one of southern Italy's best-value whites with Anthìlia. The Catarratto and Ansonica blend achieves a balance that many more expensive bottles struggle with: aromatic generosity paired with structural discipline. At this price point, it's a refrigerator staple for anyone who drinks wine seriously.

Pair with: Lightly grilled swordfish steaks served alongside a classic Sicilian caponata of eggplant, tomato, capers, and pine nuts mirror the wine's Mediterranean character and complement its crisp acidity.

Train Your Nose: Today's Aroma Spotlight

Each product in today's lineup connects to a specific aroma profile you can train with your kit. Whether it's the charred oak of the bourbon, the coastal brine of the scotch, or the agave earthiness of the tequila — your nose is the instrument. Use the kit references below to isolate each aroma before your next pour, then see if you catch it in the glass.

Today's Kit Reference

Today's Product	Key Aromas	Train With
W.L. Weller 12 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Bourbon)	Wheat, Butterscotch, Vanilla, Caramel, Oak	Bourbon Kit
Deanston 18 Year Old Bourbon Cask Matured Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (Scotch Whisky)	Honey, Peach, Buttery, Coconut, Clove Spice	Whisky Kit
Dunville's 10 Year Old PX Cask Single Malt Irish Whiskey (Irish Whiskey)	Dried Fruit, Cocoa (Dark), Nut (Hazelnut), Malt, Woody, Orange	Whiskey Kit
Siembra Valles High Proof Blanco (Tequila)	Agave (Cooked), Pepper, Citrus (Lemon, Lime, Orange, Grapefruit), Earth (Mineral, Soil Notes), Herbal (Mint, Thyme, Eucalyptus), Cinnamon	Tequila Kit
Botanica Spiritvs London Dry Gin (Gin)	Juniper (Pine), Coriander, Violet, Angelica, Lemon	Gin Kit
Rhum Rhum PMG Blanc (Rum)	Agricole, Citrus (Generic), Tropical Fruits, Spice (Generic)	Rum Kit
Fattoria di Selvapiana Chianti Rufina Riserva Vigneto Bucerchiale 2019 (Red Wine)	Cherry, Floral (Rose), Berry (Generic), Cedar, Woody	Wine Kit
Donnafugata Anthìlia Sicilia Bianco DOC 2023 (White Wine)	Citrus (Generic), Melon, Apple (Green), Green (Cut Grass), Nut (Almond/Coconut)	Wine Kit

Explore the School of Wine and Spirits

Train your nose to detect these subtle layers with the School of Wine and Spirits aroma kit, designed to build the sensory vocabulary that transforms tasting from intuition into understanding. Our Aroma Masterclass Kits are designed to teach it to you, one aroma at a time.

Our books on Amazon go deeper into the science and history behind every sip — from America's Spirit, Scotland's Spirit, Ireland's Spirit, The Ultimate Northern Italian Wine Journey, The Tequila y Mezcal Revolution, Chablis, and Côte d'Or pocket guides.

Explore our Aroma Masterclass kits and books at schoolofwineandspirits.com

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The depth is already in the glass — the kit teaches you where to find it.

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Until tomorrow's pour — cheers.

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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