Issue 038: The Fermenter's Diary - Time Written in Liquid

Issue No. 38 — May 3, 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: Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Brand: Smooth Ambler

Distillery: Smooth Ambler Spirits (sourced from MGP)

Proof: 99.0 (49.5% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Rich amber with copper edges

MSRP: $45–$60

Mash Bill: Approximately 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley

Barrel Type: New charred American oak

Single Barrel: Yes

Nose: A generous wave of butterscotch and toasted oak opens the pour, layered with dried cherry and a hint of leather. Beneath that, there's a gentle cornbread sweetness that grounds the aromatics.

Palate: The entry is viscous and caramel-forward, quickly expanding into baking spices and dark cocoa. Midpalate reveals rye-driven pepper and a pleasant nuttiness that adds complexity without sharpness.

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

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

The Verdict: Smooth Ambler's single barrel selections showcase the best of what MGP distillate can become with careful cask choice. This is a bourbon that punches above its price point, rewarding both neat contemplation and cocktail duty. A workhorse with hidden depth.

Classification: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Brand: Tobermory

Distillery: Tobermory Distillery

Proof: 92.6 (46.3% ABV)

Age: 12 Year

Color: Pale gold with green-tinged highlights

MSRP: $55–$75

Region: Islands (Isle of Mull)

Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley

Distillation: Double distilled in copper pot stills

Maturation: Bourbon and sherry cask maturation

Cask Type: Ex-bourbon and ex-sherry

Peat Level (PPM): Unpeated

Chill-Filtered: Non-chill filtered

Nose: Bright citrus peel leads, followed by honey-drizzled malt and a whisper of cut grass. There's a subtle minerality underneath — almost coastal — with hints of almond and vanilla.

Palate: Medium-bodied with a clean, slightly oily texture. Honey and peach dominate early, giving way to a pleasant woody spice and a flicker of earthy depth at the center.

Finish: Medium length, drying gently with lingering honey and a trace of green herbaceousness.

Whisky Kit Aromas: Honey, Malt, Peach, Green (Cut Grass), Vanilla

The Verdict: Tobermory 12 is one of the most underrated island malts in Scotland. It avoids peat entirely, instead offering a clean, fruity, and gently complex character shaped by long fermentation and unhurried maturation. An ideal entry point into Mull's distinctive terroir.

Classification: Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

Brand: Dingle

Distillery: Dingle Distillery

Proof: 92.6 (46.3% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Burnished gold

MSRP: $65–$85

Mash Bill: Malted and unmalted barley

Distillation: Triple distilled in copper pot stills

Maturation: Bourbon and sherry cask maturation

Chill-Filtered: Non-chill filtered

Nose: A captivating mix of honeyed orchard fruit and beeswax opens up, trailed by clove spice and toasted almond. A faint rosewater note emerges with time in the glass.

Palate: Creamy and full-bodied, with the signature pot still oiliness carrying waves of dried fruit, cocoa, and gentle earthy tones. There's a pleasing interplay between sweet vanilla and peppery spice.

Finish: Long and warming, with woody spice and lingering dried fruit slowly fading into a clean, dry close.

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

The Verdict: Dingle's single pot still expression captures the essence of this Kerry-based distillery's meticulous craft. The combination of malted and unmalted barley yields a richly textured whiskey that sits comfortably alongside more established pot still names. It rewards slow sipping.

Classification: Extra Añejo Tequila

Brand: Cascahuin

Distillery: Destilería Cascahuin

Proof: 80.0 (40% ABV)

Age: 3-Year

Color: Deep mahogany with amber highlights

MSRP: $95–$120

Agave: 100% Blue Weber Agave

Cooking Method: Tahona and roller mill extraction, natural fermentation

NOM: NOM 1123

Additives Free: Yes

Nose: Rich cooked agave mingles with dark chocolate and dried vanilla bean. Beneath the sweetness, there's a subtle smokiness and warm leather note that nods to the extended barrel time.

Palate: Lush and layered — butterscotch and caramel open the mid-palate before yielding to roasted coffee and cinnamon spice. The agave backbone persists throughout, keeping this grounded despite the oak influence.

Finish: Exceptionally long, with tobacco and dark chocolate slowly receding into a gentle, earthy warmth.

Tequila Kit Aromas: Agave (Cooked), Chocolate (Dark Chocolate, Cocoa), Vanilla, Coffee, Tobacco

The Verdict: Cascahuin is a family-owned distillery that has earned serious credibility among tequila purists, and this extra añejo demonstrates why. Three years in oak could easily overwhelm, but the agave identity survives beautifully. This is a contemplative pour that never loses its soul.

Classification: Dry Gin

Brand: Perfume Trees

Distillery: Two Moons Distillery

Proof: 90.0 (45% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Crystal clear

MSRP: $55–$70

Style: Dry Gin

Botanicals: Juniper, coriander, angelica root, cassia bark, grapefruit peel, ginger, white champaca, Aglaia flowers

Base Spirit: Neutral grain spirit

Distillation: Vapor infusion and maceration in a copper pot still

Nose: Juniper leads confidently but quickly makes room for a burst of grapefruit peel and delicate floral notes. An undercurrent of ginger and warm cassia bark adds aromatic depth.

Palate: Silky entry with a bright citrus-forward profile — lemon zest and grapefruit intertwine with herbaceous juniper. Midpalate, the floral rose character blooms alongside angelica root and a flash of white pepper.

Finish: Clean and moderately long, with juniper and ginger warmth persisting as the florals gently recede.

Gin Kit Aromas: Juniper (Green), Grapefruit, Floral (Rose), Ginger, Cassia Bark

The Verdict: Named for the Aglaia trees that once blanketed Hong Kong's hillsides, Perfume Trees Gin channels East Asian botanicals through an unmistakably London Dry framework. The result is precise, aromatic, and deeply refreshing. It bridges traditions without losing identity.

Classification: Single Blended Rum

Brand: Foursquare

Distillery: Foursquare Distillery

Proof: 96.0 (48% ABV)

Age: 11-Year

Color: Deep burnished amber

MSRP: $80–$100

Base Ingredients: Barbados molasses

Distillation: Blend of pot still and column still rum

Nose: Toffee and roasted almond open up immediately, followed by dried tropical fruits and a rich undercurrent of vanilla-laced oak. A subtle sherry note weaves through the background.

Palate: Dense and full-bodied, with layers of molasses, dark chocolate, and spice unfolding across the palate. The column and pot still blend provides both elegance and weight, with a citrus brightness that lifts the heavier notes.

Finish: Remarkably long, with oak, toffee, and a whisper of tobacco trailing off into a clean, warming close.

Rum Kit Aromas: Toffee, Oak, Vanilla, Chocolate, Dried Fruit, Spice (Generic)

The Verdict: Richard Seale's Exceptional Cask series consistently delivers some of the finest aged rum on earth, and Indelible is no exception. The 11-year maturation in Barbados's tropical climate accelerates aging dramatically, yielding complexity that rivals spirits twice its stated age. Essential for any serious rum shelf.

Classification: DO Bierzo Red Wine

Brand: Descendientes de J. Palacios

ABV: 13.5%

Primary Varietal: Mencía

Blend: Predominantly Mencía with small amounts of other local varieties

Vineyards: Old-vine parcels across the Bierzo DO, many at elevation on slate soils

Maturation: Whole-cluster fermentation in stainless steel, brief French oak aging

Color: Vibrant ruby with violet rim

MSRP: $18–$25

Nose: Intense aromas of fresh cherry and crushed violets, with a thread of minerality and a hint of green herbs. A subtle marzipan note adds intrigue beneath the fruit.

Palate: Medium-bodied and immediately expressive, with juicy red berry fruit, a floral lift of rose, and fine-grained tannins. A gentle mintiness emerges midpalate alongside a clean, stony minerality.

Finish: Medium length, with cherry and violet persistence and a refreshing, slightly earthy close.

Wine Kit Aromas: Cherry, Violet, Marzipan, Mint, Berry (Generic)

The Verdict: Alvaro Palacios and his nephew Ricardo brought global attention to Bierzo's old-vine Mencía, and Pétalos remains their most accessible expression of that mission. The 2022 vintage is vibrant and perfumed, demonstrating why this grape — when farmed with conviction — can rival Burgundy for sheer aromatic beauty at a fraction of the cost.

Classification: Sancerre AOC White Wine

Brand: Domaine François Cotat

ABV: 13.5%

Primary Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc

Blend: 100% Sauvignon Blanc

Vineyards: Les Monts Damnés — steep south-facing slopes on Kimmeridgian clay-limestone, Chavignol

Vinification: Late harvest, native yeast fermentation in old oak barrels, extended lees aging, minimal intervention

Color: Pale straw with green-gold reflections

MSRP: $50–$70

Nose: Concentrated citrus zest and white floral notes open the glass, followed by ripe gooseberry and a distinctive flinty minerality. A faint honeyed quality hints at the late-harvest philosophy.

Palate: Remarkably full for Sancerre, with layers of citrus, green apple, and gooseberry framed by a textured, almost waxy mouthfeel. The acidity is bright but perfectly integrated, carrying a subtle toasted quality from extended lees contact.

Finish: Long and mineral-driven, with gooseberry and citrus echoing cleanly before a gently honeyed fade.

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

The Verdict: François Cotat is arguably the most singular producer in Sancerre, picking far later than his neighbors and allowing wild fermentation to run its course. The Les Monts Damnés vineyard — its vines clinging to perilously steep Kimmeridgian slopes — yields a Sauvignon Blanc of almost Burgundian density. This is Sancerre for people who think they've outgrown Sancerre.

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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.

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