Issue 052: The Gathering Dark - Depth Before Daylight

Issue No. 52 — May 17, 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: Stagg Jr.

Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery

Proof: 131.1 (65.55% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Deep mahogany with crimson edges

MSRP: $55–$70

Mash Bill: Mashbill #1: Corn, Rye, Malted Barley (exact percentages undisclosed)

Barrel Type: New charred American oak

Nose: An avalanche of dark cherry and charred oak hits first, followed by waves of brown sugar and leather. Beneath the initial intensity, roasted pecans and a thread of dark chocolate emerge with patience.

Palate: Full-bodied and unapologetically bold. Butterscotch and tobacco intertwine with ripe cherry and espresso-dark caramel. Despite the proof, there is a surprising evenness — the sweetness and spice negotiate rather than fight.

Finish: Long and warming, with charred oak, dark cocoa, and lingering cherry. The tobacco note persists well after the glass is empty.

Bourbon Kit Aromas: Charred Oak, Cherry, Butterscotch, Tobacco, Cocoa (Dark)

The Verdict: Stagg Jr. delivers barrel-proof intensity without losing its composure. This is a bourbon that rewards patience — a splash of water opens a secondary layer of vanilla and corn sweetness. It belongs in the conversation with whiskeys twice its price.

Classification: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Brand: GlenAllachie

Distillery: GlenAllachie Distillery

Proof: 92 (46% ABV)

Age: 15 Year

Color: Rich amber with deep copper reflections

MSRP: $85–$110

Region: Speyside

Mash Bill: 100% malted barley

Distillation: Copper pot stills, slow distillation

Maturation: Pedro Ximénez, oloroso, and virgin oak casks, minimum 15 years

Cask Type: Pedro Ximénez, Oloroso, Virgin Oak

Peat Level (PPM): Unpeated

Chill-Filtered: Non-chill filtered, natural color

Nose: Dark dried fruits — figs, dates, and raisin — lead the way, followed by layers of cocoa and toasted hazelnut. A subtle rosewater note surfaces behind the richness, lending elegance.

Palate: Thick and mouth-coating, with waves of caramel, stewed plums, and dark chocolate. Clove spice and a hint of orange zest provide counterpoint. The sherry influence is unmistakable but never cloying.

Finish: Long and warming, with lingering dried fruit and earthy oak. Cocoa powder dusts the aftertaste.

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

The Verdict: Billy Walker's hand is all over this whisky, and it shows. The vatting of multiple sherry cask types creates a complexity that feels layered rather than loud. Non-chill-filtered at 46%, it retains every ounce of texture the wood intended to give.

Classification: Single Malt Irish Whiskey

Brand: Bushmills

Distillery: Old Bushmills Distillery

Proof: 80 (40% ABV)

Age: 21 Year

Color: Burnished gold with tawny amber edges

MSRP: $200–$260

Mash Bill: 100% malted barley

Distillation: Triple-distilled in copper pot stills

Maturation: Oloroso sherry and bourbon casks, finished in Madeira casks, minimum 21 years

Chill-Filtered: Chill filtered

Nose: Honeyed malt and dried apricot introduce themselves gently, followed by vanilla, polished oak, and a whisper of rosewater. There is an almost perfumed quality, restrained and sophisticated.

Palate: Silky entry with layers of caramel, peach, and toasted almond. The wood influence is present but never dominant — it speaks in undertones of clove spice and soft cocoa. Remarkably balanced for its age.

Finish: Medium-long with lingering honey, subtle dried fruit, and a clean woody fade. The elegance of the spirit persists.

Whiskey Kit Aromas: Honey, Peach, Vanilla, Clove Spice, Dried Fruit

The Verdict: This is Irish whiskey at its most refined. The 21 years across oloroso sherry and bourbon casks, finished in Madeira, create a tapestry of flavor that never overwhelms. It asks you to slow down. That request is worth honoring.

Classification: Extra Añejo Tequila

Brand: Tears of Llorona

Distillery: NOM 1146 (La Tequileña)

Proof: 86 (43% ABV)

Age: 5 Year

Color: Deep burnished copper with mahogany tints

MSRP: $230–$280

Agave: 100% Blue Weber Agave

Cooking Method: Slow-cooked in stone ovens, tahona and roller mill extraction

NOM: 1146

Additives Free: Yes

Nose: Cooked agave and dark chocolate arrive first, followed by butterscotch, tobacco, and dried mango. An undercurrent of warm cinnamon and toasted oak rounds out a complex, inviting bouquet.

Palate: Lush and layered. Caramel and vanilla form the backbone, but the spirit's agave origin stays centered — cooked agave weaves through flavors of coffee, leather, and baking spice. The oak is integrated, not imposed.

Finish: Extraordinarily long, with fading notes of chocolate, espresso, and sweet tobacco. The agave whispers its farewell gently.

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

The Verdict: Tears of Llorona is one of the benchmarks for extra añejo tequila. Five years in a combination of Scotch and sherry casks gives it a complexity that rivals fine aged spirits from any tradition. The agave never surrenders to the wood — that balance is the achievement.

Classification: African Juniper Gin

Brand: Procera

Distillery: Procera Distillery

Proof: 88 (44% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Crystal clear with faint silvery glints

MSRP: $45–$55

Style: African Juniper Dry Gin

Botanicals: African juniper (Juniperus procera), coriander, pink peppercorn, angelica root, lavender, lemon peel, grapefruit peel

Base Spirit: Grain neutral spirit

Distillation: Vapor infusion in a bespoke copper pot still

Nose: Bright, resinous juniper strikes first — distinctly different from European juniper, with a piney, almost cedary quality. Pink peppercorn and coriander follow, with gentle lavender and a lemon zest brightness.

Palate: Dry and assertive. The African juniper delivers a woody, resinous backbone that is denser and more aromatic than its Mediterranean cousin. Mid-palate brings grapefruit and angelica root, with a peppery warmth building steadily.

Finish: Medium-long, with lingering juniper pine, black pepper, and a clean citrus echo.

Gin Kit Aromas: Juniper (Pine), Juniper (Woody/Resinous), Coriander, Lavender, Peppery, Grapefruit

The Verdict: Procera proves terroir isn't a concept limited to wine. The wild-harvested Juniperus procera from Kenya's highlands gives this gin a character unlike anything from the London or European tradition. It's juniper-forward, but a different juniper — and that distinction is worth exploring.

Classification: Aged Rum Blend

Brand: Plantation

Distillery: Blended — Darsa (Guatemala) and Travellers Liquors (Belize)

Proof: 84 (42% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Deep amber with reddish-brown highlights

MSRP: $30–$40

Base Ingredients: Sugarcane molasses

Distillation: Blend of column and pot still rums

Nose: Rich toffee and dried tropical fruits dominate, followed by baking spice and a gentle oakiness. Underpinning it all is a molasses depth and faint coffee note that signals serious barrel time.

Palate: Smooth and medium-bodied with caramel, chocolate, and a pleasant coconut creaminess. Tobacco leaf and vanilla intertwine mid-palate, and a hint of orange peel adds brightness. The blend of column and pot still rums gives both elegance and heft.

Finish: Medium-long with lingering toffee, gentle oak tannins, and a soft vanilla fade.

Rum Kit Aromas: Toffee, Chocolate, Coconut, Tobacco, Vanilla, Oak

The Verdict: This blend leverages Plantation's signature double-aging technique — tropical maturation followed by finishing in French cognac casks. The result is a rum that punches well above its price point, balancing sweetness with genuine complexity. Excellent neat, formidable in cocktails.

Classification: Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC

Brand: Domaine de Villeneuve

ABV: 14.5%

Primary Varietal: Grenache

Blend: Grenache (70%), Mourvèdre (20%), Syrah (10%)

Vineyards: Old vines (60+ years) on galets roulés over clay-limestone subsoil

Maturation: Destemmed, fermented in concrete vats, aged 18 months in foudres

Color: Deep garnet with violet rim

MSRP: $50–$70

Nose: Ripe blackcurrant and crushed cherry lead, layered with dried herbs, violet, and a subtle gamey undercurrent. The garrigue character — that wild scrubland scent of Southern France — weaves through the fruit.

Palate: Full-bodied and structured. Dark berry fruit is framed by fine-grained tannins and a cedar spice note. A toasted quality emerges mid-palate alongside a whisper of mint. The old vines deliver concentration without heaviness.

Finish: Long and resonant with fading blackcurrant, cedar, and earthy minerality.

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

The Verdict: Domaine de Villeneuve flies under the radar in an appellation crowded with famous names. That relative obscurity is the drinker's advantage. The 2020 vintage delivered generous fruit without losing the structure that defines great Châteauneuf. This is serious Southern Rhône wine at a fair price.

Classification: Vouvray AOC Sec

Brand: Domaine Huet

ABV: 13%

Primary Varietal: Chenin Blanc

Blend: 100% Chenin Blanc

Vineyards: Le Mont — south-facing slopes on clay and silex over tuffeau limestone, biodynamically farmed

Vinification: Whole-cluster pressed, indigenous yeast fermentation, aged in old oak demi-muids and stainless steel

Color: Pale straw with green-gold highlights

MSRP: $35–$50

Nose: Ripe green apple and quince open the bouquet, followed by honeysuckle, a hint of chamomile, and a chalky mineral note. There is an almost waxy texture to the aroma — the mark of great Chenin Blanc from tuffeau limestone soils.

Palate: Precise and taut, with citrus and green apple acidity carrying flavors of pear, beeswax, and a subtle toasted almond quality. The mid-palate broadens into ripe melon before snapping back to mineral tension. Beautifully dry without being austere.

Finish: Long and mineral-driven, with lingering citrus and a saline, almost flint-like character.

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

The Verdict: Huet's Le Mont vineyard sits on clay and silex over tuffeau limestone, and biodynamic farming since 1990 has only deepened the site's voice. The 2022 sec is a stunning expression of Chenin Blanc's ability to be simultaneously generous and razor-sharp. Age it or drink it now — both paths reward.

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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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