Issue 041: The Cartographer's Glass - Charting Invisible Terrains

Issue No. 41 — May 6, 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: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Brand: Old Fitzgerald

Distillery: Heaven Hill Distillery

Proof: 100 (50% ABV)

Age: 9 Year

Color: Burnished copper with amber edges

MSRP: $90–$130

Mash Bill: Wheat-forward (exact proprietary; corn, wheat, malted barley)

Barrel Type: New charred American oak

Bottled in Bond: Yes

Wheated: Yes

Nose: Caramel-dipped wheat toast leads, followed by a wave of ripe cherry and warm butterscotch. Underneath lies a faint dustiness — dried corn husk mingling with soft floral carnation notes.

Palate: The entry is creamy and wheated, with maple syrup sweetness giving way to baking spices and toasted oak. Mid-palate shifts toward dark cocoa and a touch of leather, grounded by a pleasant earthiness.

Finish: Long and warming, with butterscotch and charred oak lingering alongside a whisper of dried cherry. The wheat softness cushions the final beat of brown spice.

Bourbon Kit Aromas: Butterscotch, Cherry, Wheat, Charred Oak, Maple Syrup

The Verdict: Old Fitzgerald's decanter series continues to reward patience. This 9-year bottled-in-bond expression balances wheated sweetness with genuine barrel complexity, offering structure without aggression. A bourbon that rewards slow, attentive sipping.

Classification: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Brand: Glen Grant

Distillery: Glen Grant Distillery

Proof: 86 (43% ABV)

Age: 18 Year

Color: Pale gold with straw highlights

MSRP: $110–$140

Region: Speyside

Mash Bill: 100% malted barley

Distillation: Copper pot stills with purifiers

Maturation: First-fill and refill American oak bourbon casks, first-fill European oak sherry casks

Cask Type: Ex-bourbon and ex-sherry

Peat Level (PPM): Unpeated

Chill-Filtered: Non-chill filtered

Nose: A refined opening of orchard peach and almond frangipane, threaded with delicate honey. Underneath, vanilla and a trace of coconut emerge from long cask interaction.

Palate: Silky and elegant. Peach and dried fruit arrive first, followed by a nutty hazelnut core and gentle clove spice. The malt backbone is clean, with a whisper of green cut grass adding freshness mid-palate.

Finish: Medium-long and graceful, with honey and almond tapering into soft woody warmth. There's no bitterness — just a clean, lingering sweetness.

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

The Verdict: Glen Grant 18 is an exercise in restraint and transparency. Speyside character at its most precise — fruit-forward, nut-accented, and impeccably balanced. This is a malt for those who value clarity over volume.

Classification: Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

Brand: Midleton

Distillery: Midleton Distillery

Proof: 114.2 (57.1% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Deep gold with honey tones

MSRP: $280–$340

Mash Bill: Malted and unmalted barley (single pot still)

Distillation: Triple distilled in copper pot stills

Maturation: Aged in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, finished in virgin Irish oak from Knockrath Forest

Chill-Filtered: Non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: Intensely aromatic — toasted Irish oak meets rosewater florality and dark cocoa. Honeycomb sweetness is layered with clove spice and dried apricot, while a gentle earthy undertone anchors the complexity.

Palate: Full-bodied and richly textured. Dark cocoa and honey dominate the entry, giving way to dried fruit and a pronounced woody character unique to the native Irish oak. Clove and almond emerge at mid-palate, with an almost waxy mouthfeel.

Finish: Exceptionally long, with waves of cocoa, earthy oak tannin, and lingering honeyed sweetness. The native wood imprint persists well after the final sip.

Whiskey Kit Aromas: Cocoa (Dark), Honey, Woody, Clove Spice, Dried Fruit, Floral (Rosewater)

The Verdict: This expression is a genuine cartographic exercise — each tree in Knockrath Forest imparts a unique fingerprint. The Irish oak finish adds tannins and flavors unlike anything found in standard bourbon or sherry casks. It's bold, complex, and unmistakably Irish in its sense of place.

Classification: Añejo Tequila

Brand: Tierra Noble

Distillery: NOM 1079 (Tierra Noble Distillery)

Proof: 80 (40% ABV)

Age: 18 Months

Color: Rich amber with copper glints

MSRP: $55–$75

Agave: 100% Blue Weber Agave (Highland, Los Altos de Jalisco)

Cooking Method: Slow-cooked in brick ovens, crushed, fermented with native yeast, double distilled in copper pot stills

NOM: NOM 1079

Additives Free: Yes

Nose: Cooked agave leads confidently, trailed by butterscotch and a dusting of cinnamon. Vanilla and toasted oak develop as the glass opens, with a faint floral lavender note adding elegance.

Palate: Smooth and layered. Caramel and honey form a sweet foundation, balanced by peppery spice and earthy mineral notes. Mid-palate brings dark chocolate and a gentle oakiness that frames without overwhelming the agave core.

Finish: Medium-long, with vanilla and cinnamon fading slowly over a bed of warm oak and lingering cooked agave.

Tequila Kit Aromas: Agave (Cooked), Butterscotch, Cinnamon, Vanilla, Honey

The Verdict: Tierra Noble's añejo is a masterclass in restraint for the category. The 18-month aging in French oak imparts structure and spice without erasing the agave identity. It competes well above its price point, delivering nuance that rewards careful attention.

Classification: Distilled Gin

Brand: Nordés

Distillery: Destilería Nordés

Proof: 80 (40% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Crystal clear

MSRP: $35–$45

Style: Contemporary / New Western

Botanicals: Juniper, eucalyptus, lemon verbena, salvia, laurel, Galician wild mint, gorse flower, samphire, hibiscus, lemon peel, cardamom, ginger

Base Spirit: Albariño grape spirit

Distillation: Base spirit from Albariño grapes; botanicals macerated and distilled in small copper pot stills

Nose: Floral and aromatic — rose petal and lavender dominate, softened by a round grapefruit citrus note. Juniper is present but secondary, almost herbaceous and waxy rather than resinous.

Palate: Silky and surprisingly textured. Grapefruit and lemon zest provide brightness, while eucalyptus-infused juniper and a subtle violet-like florality create an unmistakably Atlantic-coastal character. A gentle peppery warmth builds through the mid-palate.

Finish: Clean and medium-length, with lingering lavender and a trace of lemon peel that fades into soft herbaceousness.

Gin Kit Aromas: Lavender, Grapefruit, Juniper (Herbaceous/Waxy), Floral (Rose), Lemon

The Verdict: Nordés upends London Dry expectations by leading with Galician florals and Atlantic botanicals rather than juniper. Its Albariño grape base spirit lends a vinous roundness that sets it apart. Best explored in a simple gin and tonic with a grapefruit twist to let the terroir sing.

Classification: Rhum (Aged)

Brand: Barbancourt

Distillery: Société du Rhum Barbancourt

Proof: 86 (43% ABV)

Age: 15 Year

Color: Deep mahogany with reddish-brown edges

MSRP: $45–$60

Base Ingredients: Fresh sugarcane juice

Distillation: Double distilled in copper pot stills from fresh sugarcane juice

Nose: Rich and complex — dried tropical fruits and dark chocolate lead, followed by worn leather and tobacco. Oak is prominent but integrated, with a caramel undertone and faint coffee notes.

Palate: Full-bodied and layered. Dark toffee and molasses provide sweetness, while spice and oak tannins add backbone. Coffee and chocolate flavors interweave with a distinct dried fruit character. There's an earthy, almost agricole-adjacent freshness lurking beneath the aged richness.

Finish: Long and warming, with tobacco, leather, and lingering toffee. A last note of dried orange peel emerges as it fades.

Rum Kit Aromas: Chocolate, Tobacco, Toffee, Leather, Dried Fruit, Coffee

The Verdict: Barbancourt 15 occupies a unique position — distilled from sugarcane juice like agricole rhum but aged with the patience of a grand rum house. Fifteen years in Limousin oak give it a brandy-like sophistication rare at this price. Haiti's terroir and resilience are in every sip.

Classification: Pommard Premier Cru AOC

Brand: Domaine du Comte Armand

ABV: 13.5%

Primary Varietal: Pinot Noir

Blend: 100% Pinot Noir

Vineyards: Clos des Epeneaux (monopole), Pommard 1er Cru

Maturation: Hand-harvested, partial whole-cluster fermentation, indigenous yeasts, gentle extraction

Color: Deep ruby with garnet rim

MSRP: $130–$175

Nose: Dark cherry and violet lead with striking intensity, layered over earthy forest floor and cedar. A subtle gamey note adds complexity, while a hint of mint provides unexpected freshness.

Palate: Structured and powerful for Pommard, yet elegant. Blackcurrant and cherry dominate, framed by fine-grained tannins and woody oak spice. Mid-palate reveals floral rose character and a toasted quality from judicious barrel aging. There is genuine depth here.

Finish: Long and savory, with cedar and blackcurrant persisting, a whisper of violet, and a mineral backbone that recalls the limestone beneath the vineyard.

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

The Verdict: Clos des Epeneaux is a monopole — one of Burgundy's rarest single-owner premier cru vineyards. The 2020 vintage shows the warmth of the year but retains the tension and structure that make Pommard compelling. This is Pinot Noir shaped by a very specific piece of earth, and it shows.

Classification: Etna Bianco DOC

Brand: Planeta

ABV: 12.5%

Primary Varietal: Carricante

Blend: 100% Carricante

Vineyards: Feudo di Mezzo, Contrada Sciaranuova (north slope of Mount Etna)

Vinification: Hand-harvested, gentle pressing, temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel, aged on fine lees

Color: Pale straw with green-gold reflections

MSRP: $22–$30

Nose: Citrus-driven — lemon zest and white grapefruit — with underlying green apple freshness and a subtle flinty mineral note. A delicate floral whisper of white blossoms adds elegance.

Palate: Vibrant and taut. Green apple and citrus dominate, with a saline, almost chalky minerality reflecting the volcanic terroir. Mid-palate offers a slight honeyed roundness that prevents austerity, while gooseberry tartness adds verve.

Finish: Clean and persistent, with citrus pith and a stony mineral echo that lingers. The volcanic signature is unmistakable.

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

The Verdict: Planeta's Etna Bianco is a compelling introduction to Carricante, the indigenous white grape of Mount Etna's northern slopes. The 2022 vintage balances ripeness and acidity with precision. At this price, it's one of the most transparent expressions of volcanic terroir available.

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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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