Issue 051: The Borrowed Season - Time on Loan

Issue No. 51 — May 16, 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: Four Grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Brand: Penelope Bourbon

Distillery: MGP of Indiana (sourced) / Penelope Bourbon

Proof: 104 (52% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Burnished copper with amber edges

MSRP: $55–$70

Mash Bill: Corn, Wheat, Rye, Malted Barley (four-grain blend)

Barrel Type: New charred American oak

Nose: Opens with a rush of toasted caramel and brown baking spices, followed by a deeper layer of dried cherry and buttered corn. A faint leather note lingers beneath everything, adding gravitas.

Palate: Medium-full body with immediate butterscotch sweetness that gives way to rye spice and roasted pecan. The four-grain mash bill creates a layered texture — wheat softness, corn sweetness, rye bite, and malt backbone all arrive in sequence.

Finish: Long and warming, with charred oak and a trailing note of maple syrup that fades into earthy tobacco.

Bourbon Kit Aromas: Caramel, Brown Spices, Cherry, Butterscotch, Pecan

The Verdict: Penelope's Architect bottling proves that a well-blended four-grain bourbon can rival single barrel releases for complexity. The higher proof carries flavor without heat. A serious sipper that rewards patience in the glass.

Classification: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Brand: GlenDronach

Distillery: GlenDronach Distillery

Proof: 92 (46% ABV)

Age: 18 Year

Color: Deep mahogany with garnet reflections

MSRP: $150–$190

Region: Highland

Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley

Distillation: Copper pot stills, slow distillation

Maturation: Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, minimum 18 years

Cask Type: Oloroso and PX sherry casks

Peat Level (PPM): Unpeated

Chill-Filtered: Non-chill filtered

Nose: Rich dried fruit — dates, figs, and stewed plums — alongside dark cocoa and a wave of oloroso sherry sweetness. Beneath the fruit lies a quiet smokiness and worn leather.

Palate: Full-bodied and intensely sherried. Dark chocolate gives way to marmalade and clove spice, with a buttery mouthfeel that coats every surface. Hazelnut and a hint of rosewater emerge mid-palate as the spirit opens up.

Finish: Exceptionally long, with dried fruit, earthy oak, and a final whisper of orange peel that lingers for minutes.

Whisky Kit Aromas: Dried Fruit, Cocoa (Dark), Clove Spice, Nut (Hazelnut), Orange

The Verdict: Named for the legendary manager who shaped GlenDronach's sherry-forward identity, the 18 Year Allardice is a masterclass in what extended oloroso maturation can achieve. It never overplays its hand — the sherry enriches rather than dominates. One of the great value propositions in aged Scotch.

Classification: Blended Irish Whiskey

Brand: Jameson

Distillery: Midleton Distillery

Proof: 92 (46% ABV)

Age: 18 Year

Color: Rich gold with deep amber highlights

MSRP: $200–$250

Mash Bill: Blend of single pot still and grain whiskey

Distillation: Triple distilled, copper pot and column stills

Maturation: Bourbon and sherry casks, finished in first-fill bourbon barrels at Bow Street

Chill-Filtered: Non-chill filtered

Nose: Generous honey and vanilla open the nose, followed by layers of dried apricot, toasted almond, and a gentle floral rosewater note. A touch of pot still spice adds definition.

Palate: Silky and full. Toffee and cocoa arrive first, then a wave of peach and malt, laced with a clove warmth that builds slowly. The blend of grain and pot still whiskeys creates remarkable textural range.

Finish: Long and composed, with lingering woody spice, caramel, and a final ethereal sweetness.

Whiskey Kit Aromas: Honey, Vanilla, Peach, Cocoa (Dark), Clove Spice, Almond

The Verdict: The Bow Street 18 represents the pinnacle of the Jameson range, finished in first-fill bourbon barrels at the old Bow Street location in Dublin. Eighteen years have stripped away any rough edges while amplifying the pot still character that defines great Irish whiskey. A contemplative pour that earns every year of its age.

Classification: Extra Añejo Tequila

Brand: Don Fulano

Distillery: Tequilera Corralejo / La Tequileña

Proof: 80 (40% ABV)

Age: 5-Year

Color: Deep burnished copper with mahogany tones

MSRP: $180–$240

Agave: 100% Blue Weber Agave (Highland)

Cooking Method: Brick oven cooked, natural fermentation, copper pot distillation

NOM: NOM 1146

Additives Free: Yes

Nose: Cooked agave and dark chocolate open the nose with authority, followed by butterscotch, dried tobacco leaf, and baking spices. A background note of toasted coconut adds tropical warmth.

Palate: Velvety and concentrated. Caramel and vanilla dominate the entry, but the mid-palate reveals roasted coffee, cinnamon, and a persistent minerality that keeps the sweetness honest. The oak influence is substantial but never overwhelms the agave core.

Finish: Extraordinarily long, with leather, smoke, and a final return of cooked agave sweetness that lingers like a whispered reminder of what started the journey.

Tequila Kit Aromas: Agave (Cooked), Chocolate (Dark Chocolate, Cocoa), Butterscotch, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Leather

The Verdict: Five years in a combination of French and American oak have transformed Don Fulano's highland agave into something approaching fine cognac territory. The Imperial bottling is proof that extra añejo tequila, done without additives, can stand beside the world's great aged spirits. The agave persists — that's the mark of quality.

Classification: Dry Gin

Brand: Rutte

Distillery: Rutte Distillery

Proof: 86 (43% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Crystal clear

MSRP: $30–$40

Style: Dry Gin

Botanicals: Juniper, celery seed, coriander, angelica root, lemon peel, nutmeg, pepper

Base Spirit: Neutral grain spirit

Distillation: Pot distilled with botanical basket

Nose: An unusual and immediately recognizable profile: fresh celery seed leads, flanked by crisp juniper and a citrus brightness of lemon and grapefruit. Beneath those savory top notes, angelica root and a dusting of white pepper provide structure.

Palate: Herbaceous and dry, with juniper asserting itself mid-palate while the celery botanical weaves through as a savory thread. Coriander warmth and a slight nutmeg spice round out the middle, leading into a clean, angular finish.

Finish: Medium-length and refreshing, with lingering juniper, a whisper of celery, and a peppery close.

Gin Kit Aromas: Juniper (Green), Lemon, Grapefruit, Angelica, Peppery, Nutmeg

The Verdict: Rutte has been distilling in Dordrecht since 1872, and the Celery Gin — based on an original 19th-century recipe — remains their most distinctive expression. It's a reminder that botanical innovation in gin didn't start in the 2010s. The celery adds genuine complexity without gimmickry, making this an exceptional Dirty Martini gin.

Classification: Single Blended Rum

Brand: Foursquare

Distillery: Foursquare Distillery

Proof: 122 (61% ABV)

Age: 14-Year

Color: Deep tawny amber with copper glints

MSRP: $85–$120

Base Ingredients: Barbados molasses

Distillation: Blend of pot and column still distillate

Nose: Immediately rich and layered: toffee, roasted coffee beans, and dark chocolate lead, followed by dried tropical fruits and a deep oakiness. A secondary wave brings tobacco leaf and a hint of orange zest.

Palate: Full-bodied and remarkably smooth for its proof. Molasses and vanilla create a sweet foundation, but cask influence adds roasted oak, leather, and espresso bitterness that keeps everything balanced. Mid-palate, tropical fruit and coconut cream emerge, adding welcome brightness.

Finish: Immensely long, with toffee, tobacco, and a final burst of dried fruit that refuses to leave.

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

The Verdict: Richard Seale's Exceptional Cask Selection series is the benchmark for aged Barbadian rum, and the 14-year Redoutable is among the finest entries. The blend of pot and column distillate, matured entirely in ex-bourbon and ex-Madeira casks, achieves a complexity that rivals premium single malt Scotch. Cask strength and additive-free — this is rum at its most honest.

Classification: Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC

Brand: Domaine de la Janasse

ABV: 15.5%

Primary Varietal: Grenache

Blend: Grenache (dominant), Mourvèdre, Syrah

Vineyards: Old vine parcels across multiple Châteauneuf-du-Pape lieux-dits, galets roulés soils

Maturation: Destemmed, cold maceration, fermented in concrete and stainless steel, aged 18 months in French oak

Color: Opaque purple-black with violet rim

MSRP: $80–$110

Nose: Explosive dark fruit — blackcurrant, crushed blackberry — layered with violets, dried lavender, and a savory garrigue note. Beneath the fruit, hints of cedar, toasted spice, and a faint meatiness emerge with air.

Palate: Massive yet refined. The palate delivers concentrated berry fruit, framed by fine-grained tannins and a mineral freshness that lifts everything. Mid-palate brings cedar, mint, and a subtle rosemary-like herbal quality. The old vines contribute a density that younger plantings simply cannot match.

Finish: Very long and layered, with blackcurrant, toasted oak, and a lingering floral violet note.

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

The Verdict: The Vieilles Vignes cuvée from Janasse is the estate's crown jewel — sourced from Grenache vines averaging 80+ years old. The 2019 vintage gave Southern Rhône producers a near-perfect growing season, and Janasse capitalized fully. This is a wine that will evolve for two decades, but it's already showing extraordinary poise. A benchmark Châteauneuf.

Classification: Alsace Grand Cru AOC

Brand: Domaine Albert Mann

ABV: 13.5%

Primary Varietal: Pinot Gris

Blend: 100% Pinot Gris

Vineyards: Grand Cru Hengst, Wintzenheim, Alsace — marl and limestone soils, south-southeast exposure

Vinification: Whole cluster pressed, fermented in large oak foudres with indigenous yeasts, aged on fine lees for 12 months

Color: Deep golden yellow with amber tinge

MSRP: $45–$65

Nose: Ripe quince and honeycomb open the nose, joined by a waxy marzipan note and subtle smokiness from the marl-limestone soils. With air, hints of white flowers and a faintly minty herbal quality develop.

Palate: Rich and textured, with honeyed stone fruit balanced by a firm mineral spine. The Grand Cru Hengst terroir delivers weight and concentration — melon, toasted almond, and a buttery richness coat the palate, while vibrant acidity keeps everything taut and focused.

Finish: Long and persistent, with lingering honey, citrus zest, and a savory, almost woody minerality.

Wine Kit Aromas: Honey, Marzipan, Melon, Buttery, Citrus (Generic), Toasted

The Verdict: Albert Mann farms biodynamically across some of Alsace's greatest vineyard sites, and the Grand Cru Hengst is among their finest expressions. The 2021 vintage offered balance between ripeness and freshness, and this Pinot Gris captures that perfectly — opulent but structured, generous but never heavy. A serious Alsatian white that demands good food and focused attention.

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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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