Issue 115: The Bend in the River - Currents Shape Character

Issue No. 115 — July 19, 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 Rye Whiskey

Brand: Wilderness Trail

Distillery: Wilderness Trail Distillery

Proof: 100 (50% ABV)

Age: 4-Year

Color: Bright copper with amber edges

MSRP: $55–$70

Mash Bill: 56% Rye, 33% Corn, 11% Malted Barley

Barrel Type: New charred American oak (Level 3 char)

Bottled in Bond: Yes

Single Barrel: Yes

Nose: An immediate rush of rye spice and dried orange peel, followed by waves of caramel and toasted oak. Underneath, there's a clean corn sweetness and a thread of dark cherry that holds everything together.

Palate: The entry is crisp and spice-forward, with rye grain asserting itself before yielding to buttery vanilla and a touch of maple syrup. Mid-palate brings leather and charred oak, giving the whiskey surprising depth for its age.

Finish: Medium-long with lingering brown spices and a final note of butterscotch that fades into dry oak tannin.

Bourbon Kit Aromas: Rye, Caramel, Charred Oak, Vanilla, Orange

The Verdict: Wilderness Trail's scientific approach to fermentation pays dividends here. This is a rye-heavy bourbon alternative that punches well above its age statement, delivering complexity that many older bottles envy. The bottled-in-bond designation isn't just a label—it's a promise delivered.

Classification: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Brand: Old Pulteney

Distillery: Pulteney Distillery

Proof: 92 proof (46% ABV)

Age: 18 Year Old

Color: Deep amber with copper glints

MSRP: $150

Region: Highland (Northern)

Mash Bill: 100% malted barley

Distillation: Double distilled in Pulteney's uniquely shaped stills — the wash still has a flat top (the swan neck was reportedly cut off to fit in the still house) and a large boil ball, producing a distinctively rich, oily spirit.

Maturation: Matured for 18 years in a combination of ex-bourbon American oak and Spanish ex-Sherry oak casks in coastal warehouses.

Cask Type: Ex-bourbon and ex-Spanish Sherry oak

Peat Level (PPM): Unpeated

Chill-Filtered: No

Nose: Rich sherry sweetness leads with dried figs, dates, and orange marmalade, followed by soft brine, toasted almond, and a whisper of leather and beeswax.

Palate: Silky and full-bodied with layers of dark chocolate, candied orange peel, cinnamon-dusted raisins, and a maritime saltiness that lifts the sweetness into balance.

Finish: Long and warming, with lingering sherry-soaked oak, dark toffee, sea spray, and a gentle spiced dryness.

Whisky Kit Aromas: Dried Fruit, Orange, Almond, Cocoa (Dark), Woody, Honey

The Verdict: A masterclass in how coastal air and sherry cask maturation can converge — the sea's influence never overwhelms, but subtly sharpens every note.

Classification: Single Malt Irish Whiskey

Brand: Waterford

Distillery: Waterford Distillery

Proof: 100 (50% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Light gold with lemon tints

MSRP: $150+

Mash Bill: 100% Irish-grown malted barley (Ballymorgan farm)

Distillation: Double distilled

Maturation: First-fill American oak and premium French oak

Chill-Filtered: Non-chill filtered, natural color

Nose: Intensely green and herbaceous, with fresh-cut grass leading into honeyed orchard fruit and a whisper of vanilla. There's a chalky, mineral quality underneath—the terroir making itself known—along with delicate peach and almond notes.

Palate: Silky and medium-bodied with layers of green apple and honey, evolving into a spiced mid-palate of clove and dried fruit. The malt backbone is clean and prominent, carrying the farm's character through every sip.

Finish: Long and gently earthy with lingering green herbs and a final note of toasted barley.

Whiskey Kit Aromas: Green (Cut Grass), Honey, Peach, Almond, Earthy

The Verdict: Waterford's single-farm philosophy reaches its clearest expression in the Ballymorgan series. This third edition shows increased confidence and complexity, proving that Irish terroir is not a marketing concept but a sensory reality. The combination of scientific precision and farming heritage makes this one of the most intellectually satisfying Irish whiskeys available.

Classification: Extra Añejo Tequila

Brand: El Tesoro

Distillery: La Alteña Distillery (NOM 1139)

Proof: 80 (40% ABV)

Age: 4-Year

Color: Deep mahogany with copper reflections

MSRP: $120–$150

Agave: 100% Blue Weber Agave (Highland, Arandas)

Cooking Method: Tahona-crushed, brick ovens for cooking, natural fermentation

NOM: NOM 1139

Additives Free: Yes

Nose: Rich cooked agave and dark chocolate unfold first, followed by butterscotch and dried vanilla bean. Oak influence is prominent but integrated, with wisps of tobacco and cinnamon adding complexity. A faint mineral earthiness sits beneath everything.

Palate: Luxuriously thick on entry, with caramel and roasted agave forming the foundation. The oak is assertive without being woody, delivering coffee and leather notes alongside sweet butterscotch. A peppery warmth develops mid-palate, keeping things lively.

Finish: Very long, with dark chocolate and tobacco slowly fading into warm oak and a final echo of cooked agave.

Tequila Kit Aromas: Agave (Cooked), Chocolate (Dark Chocolate, Cocoa), Butterscotch, Oak, Tobacco, Pepper

The Verdict: El Tesoro's Extra Añejo demonstrates that extended aging and traditional tahona production can coexist beautifully. Where many extra añejos lose their agave identity to oak, this bottle maintains a clear conversation between the plant and the barrel. It's a tequila for bourbon lovers and tequila purists alike—a rare bridge between two worlds.

Classification: London Dry Gin

Brand: Boatyard Distillery

Distillery: Boatyard Distillery

Proof: 92 proof (46% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Clear

MSRP: $38 USD (750ml)

Style: Juniper-forward London Dry with a foraged Irish botanical signature

Botanicals: Juniper, coriander, lemon peel, licorice root, angelica root, orris root, grains of paradise, sweet gale (bog myrtle)Organic juniper (double dose), coriander seed, angelica root, orris root, liquorice, cassia, lemon peel, cubeb pepper, and hand-foraged sweet gale (bog myrtle) from the McGirr family bogland.

Base Spirit: Organic wheat spirit

Nose: Bright, oily juniper leads with a resinous pine snap, followed by lifted lemon zest and a soft herbal wash of sweet gale (bog myrtle). Coriander seed adds a warm citrus-spice underpinning, with a faint whisper of damp meadow.

Palate: Generously juniper-forward — the 'double' refers to a double dose of organic juniper in the botanical basket — with waxy pine oils coating the mouth. Sweet gale brings a resinous, slightly medicinal herbal note reminiscent of the Fermanagh wetlands. Coriander, angelica, and cubeb pepper build a peppery mid-palate, while lemon peel keeps everything lifted.

Finish: Long and dry, with lingering pine resin, cracked pepper, and a cool herbaceous echo of the bog. Clean, structured, unmistakably classical.

Gin Kit Aromas: Juniper (Pine), Juniper (Woody/Resinous), Coriander, Lemon, Angelica, Peppery

The Verdict: A gin shaped by the freshwater currents of Lough Erne and the wetlands surrounding it — Boatyard makes an uncompromising case for terroir-driven London Dry. Its double juniper charge and locally foraged sweet gale give it a spine and identity that most gins twice its price can't match.

Classification: Rhum Vieux Agricole

Brand: Damoiseau

Distillery: Distillerie Damoiseau (Bellevue)

Proof: 84 proof (42% ABV)

Age: 5 Year Old

Color: Deep amber with copper highlights

MSRP: $120 USD

Base Ingredients: Fresh-pressed sugarcane juice from Grande-Terre

Distillation: Single-column creole still distillation, then aged a minimum of five years in ex-bourbon oak casks in tropical conditions

Nose: Sun-warmed sugarcane and vanilla pod lead, followed by candied orange peel, roasted almond, and a whisper of pipe tobacco. Air brings out lightly charred oak and a saline note that recalls the trade winds crossing the cane fields.

Palate: Silky and layered — grilled pineapple and banana bread up front, then baking spice, honeyed toffee, and a grassy agricole backbone that keeps the sweetness in check. Mid-palate reveals cocoa nib, dried apricot, and toasted coconut.

Finish: Long and warming, with lingering vanilla, cedar, and a faint bittersweet cane-syrup note that fades into leather and clove.

Rum Kit Aromas: Agricole, Vanilla, Oak, Tropical Fruits, Nut (Almond/Coconut), Tobacco

The Verdict: A benchmark aged rhum agricole that rewards patient sipping. Damoiseau's five-year expression bridges the vegetal brightness of the style with genuine barrel maturity, offering exceptional value for anyone exploring French Caribbean rums beyond Martinique.

Classification: Etna Rosso DOC

Brand: Tenuta delle Terre Nere

ABV: 13.5%

Primary Varietal: Nerello Mascalese

Blend: 98% Nerello Mascalese, 2% Nerello Cappuccio

Vineyards: Multiple contrade on Etna's northern slope, 600–900m elevation

Maturation: Destemmed, fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts, aged in large Slavonian oak casks

Color: Translucent ruby with garnet rim

MSRP: $25–$32

Nose: Bright red cherry and crushed wild berry mingle with delicate rose petal and a distinct volcanic mineral note. A gentle herbal quality and a hint of dried mint add complexity without weight.

Palate: Ethereal and lifted on entry, with cherry and berry fruit carried on fine-grained tannins. The volcanic terroir manifests as a stony, almost saline minerality that runs the length of the palate. There's a subtle smokiness and a whisper of green pepper that keeps it savory.

Finish: Long and persistent with lingering cherry, mineral tension, and dried floral notes.

Wine Kit Aromas: Cherry, Berry (Generic), Floral (Rose), Mint, Green Peppers

The Verdict: Marc de Grazia's estate wines from Etna's northern slopes have done more than almost anyone to redefine Sicilian wine's identity. This base Etna Rosso—from vines at 600–900 meters on volcanic soil—delivers a clarity of fruit and terroir that many wines at three times the price can't match. Nerello Mascalese proves once again it belongs in the conversation with Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir.

Classification: Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie AOC

Brand: Domaine de la Pépière

ABV: 12.5%

Primary Varietal: Melon de Bourgogne

Blend: 100% Melon de Bourgogne

Vineyards: Les Gras Moutons, gneiss and gabbro soils, old vines

Vinification: Hand-harvested, whole-cluster pressed, fermented with indigenous yeasts, extended sur lie aging

Color: Pale straw with silver-green reflections

MSRP: $22–$30

Nose: Sea spray and crushed granite dominate the opening, followed by green apple and a thread of citrus zest. A faint floral note and the barest hint of yeasty lees complexity emerge with air, grounding the bright aromatics.

Palate: Razor-sharp acidity frames the palate, with green apple and citrus giving way to a saline, almost oyster-shell minerality. The extended lees contact adds a subtle creaminess that prevents the wine from feeling austere, and a hint of melon adds a soft mid-palate sweetness.

Finish: Crisp and lingering with citrus pith and mineral persistence that invites the next sip.

Wine Kit Aromas: Apple (Green), Citrus (Generic), Melon, Green (Cut Grass), Toasted

The Verdict: Marc Ollivier and Rémi Branger have spent decades proving that Muscadet is one of the great undervalued wine regions of Europe. Les Gras Moutons, from gneiss and gabbro soils, delivers a specificity of place that demands attention. At this price point, there may be no better expression of mineral-driven white wine anywhere. It's a sommelier's secret that deserves a wider audience.

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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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