Issue 119: The Salt in the Wood - Mineral Meets Memory

Issue No. 119 — July 23, 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: Calumet Farm

Distillery: Undisclosed (Kentucky)

Proof: 106 (53% ABV)

Age: 12 Year

Color: Deep burnished copper with mahogany edges

MSRP: $55–$70

Mash Bill: Undisclosed (high corn with rye)

Barrel Type: New charred American oak

Nose: Rich butterscotch and dark cherry greet you immediately, layered over charred oak and a faint whiff of leather. Deeper inhalation reveals toasted pecans and a thread of dried orange peel.

Palate: Full-bodied and viscous with caramel up front, transitioning to baking spices and dark cocoa mid-palate. The oak influence is pronounced but balanced, with a subtle mineral quality running beneath the sweetness.

Finish: Long and warming, with charred oak, tobacco leaf, and a lingering butterscotch sweetness that fades slowly.

Bourbon Kit Aromas: Butterscotch, Charred Oak, Cherry, Pecan, Tobacco

The Verdict: Twelve years in the barrel has given this bourbon real depth without becoming overly tannic. The interplay of sweetness and char is well-managed, and the proof carries the flavors effectively without overwhelming heat. A solid shelf staple for anyone who favors mature, oak-forward bourbon.

Classification: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Brand: Tullibardine

Distillery: Tullibardine Distillery

Proof: 86 (43% ABV)

Age: 25 Year

Color: Rich old gold with amber highlights

MSRP: $400–$450

Region: Highlands

Mash Bill: 100% malted barley

Distillation: Double distilled in copper pot stills

Maturation: Aged 25 years in first-fill bourbon and sherry casks

Cask Type: First-fill bourbon and sherry casks

Peat Level (PPM): Unpeated

Chill-Filtered: Non-chill filtered

Nose: Honeyed dried fruit leads the way, with stewed peach and orange marmalade beneath. Gentle vanilla and a polished woody quality emerge as it opens, with just a trace of beeswax.

Palate: Silky and refined, delivering layers of caramel and almond toffee, balanced by earthy undertones and clove spice. The oak is deeply integrated after a quarter century, contributing structure rather than dominance.

Finish: Exceptionally long with dried fruit, honey, and a fading warmth of cocoa and aged wood.

Whisky Kit Aromas: Honey, Dried Fruit, Peach, Vanilla, Woody, Clove Spice

The Verdict: Twenty-five years in wood has produced a whisky of real elegance without the tannic heaviness that can plague over-aged expressions. The fruit and oak are in genuine harmony here, and the mouthfeel is remarkably supple. This is patient distilling rewarded.

Classification: Single Malt Irish Whiskey

Brand: Waterford

Distillery: Waterford Distillery

Proof: 100 (50% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Bright pale gold

MSRP: $90–$110

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

Distillation: Double distilled

Maturation: Predominantly first-fill American oak bourbon casks with French oak

Chill-Filtered: Non-chill filtered, natural colour

Nose: Immediate green orchard fruit — crisp pear and green apple — layered with honey and a distinctive earthy quality. Beneath that sits a gentle vanilla and a hint of cut grass that speaks to the barley's origin.

Palate: Medium-bodied with a pronounced malty backbone, giving way to buttery mid-palate notes and a saline minerality. Peach and a whisper of floral rosewater develop as it warms, with gentle woody spice on the back palate.

Finish: Clean and persistent, with lingering honeyed malt and an earthy, almost chalky character.

Whiskey Kit Aromas: Honey, Earthy, Malt, Buttery, Peach

The Verdict: Waterford's terroir-obsessed approach finds clear expression here. The Sheestown farm's particular soil profile — heavy clay over limestone — translates into a whiskey with genuine mineral identity. This is Irish whiskey that asks you to taste the field, not just the barrel.

Classification: Reposado Tequila

Brand: Tequila Ocho

Distillery: Destilería La Alteña

Proof: 80 (40% ABV)

Age: 2-Month

Color: Pale straw with golden glints

MSRP: $55–$70

Agave: 100% Blue Weber Agave (single estate)

Cooking Method: Tahona-crushed, brick oven-cooked, copper pot distilled

NOM: NOM 1474

Additives Free: Yes

Nose: Bright cooked agave opens the aroma, followed by citrus zest and a mineral earthiness that shifts with each return. Light vanilla and fresh green herbs linger underneath, with a delicate floral quality.

Palate: Clean and focused, with cooked agave sweetness balanced by white pepper and a distinct mineral backbone. Mid-palate brings hints of green apple and a touch of butter, while the oak influence is restrained and supportive.

Finish: Medium-length with lingering agave, a peppery tingle, and a saline mineral note that keeps you reaching for the next sip.

Tequila Kit Aromas: Agave (Cooked), Citrus (Lemon, Lime, Orange, Grapefruit), Earth (Mineral, Soil Notes), Pepper, Vanilla

The Verdict: The 2022 vintage showcases Ocho's commitment to single-estate terroir — each year's release tastes different because the agave comes from a different rancho. The brief reposado rest adds just enough roundness without masking the agave's voice. This is tequila that respects its raw material above all.

Classification: Small Batch Scottish Gin

Brand: Rock Rose

Distillery: Dunnet Bay Distillers

Proof: 83.4 (41.7% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Crystal clear

MSRP: $35–$45

Style: Contemporary Scottish Dry Gin

Botanicals: Juniper, coriander seed, rhodiola rosea, rowan berries, blueberries, sea buckthorn, verbena, orange peel

Base Spirit: Neutral wheat spirit

Distillation: Small batch pot distillation using a custom copper still named 'Elizabeth'

Nose: Juniper leads cleanly, both green and resinous, with a wave of sweet orange and a gentle floral undertone. Behind that sits a warming ginger note and an herbaceous quality from the local botanicals.

Palate: Bright and textured, with a piney juniper core supported by coriander seed warmth and a citrus-forward brightness. Mid-palate develops a delicate rose-petal quality alongside a subtle peppery kick that adds structure.

Finish: Medium-length with lingering juniper and a dry, slightly peppery close tempered by residual floral sweetness.

Gin Kit Aromas: Juniper (Green), Juniper (Woody/Resinous), Orange, Ginger, Peppery

The Verdict: Dunnet Bay is about as far north as mainland Scotland goes, and the harshness of the landscape seems to translate into a gin of real backbone. The local rhodiola rosea root adds an unusual floral dimension without becoming perfumed. This is craft gin with a genuine sense of place.

Classification: Pure Single Jamaican Rum

Brand: Habitation Velier

Distillery: Hampden Estate

Proof: 126.4 (63.2% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Deep golden amber

MSRP: $110–$140

Base Ingredients: Molasses

Distillation: Pot distilled using Hampden's traditional double retort copper pot stills

Nose: Intense tropical fruit — overripe banana and pineapple — weave through a haze of funky esters and a tarry, almost medicinal note. Beneath the fruit, there is old leather, a touch of coffee, and a rum-pot richness that signals serious age and cask influence.

Palate: Massive and layered, opening with concentrated tropical fruits before shifting into dark chocolate, espresso, and a pronounced oakiness. The high proof carries everything with authority. Salted caramel and dried orange emerge on the mid-palate, framed by a leathery tannic grip.

Finish: Extraordinarily long, with lingering coffee, tropical fruit, leather, and a slow fade of oak tannin and molasses.

Rum Kit Aromas: Tropical Fruits, Banana, Leather, Coffee, Oak, Caramel

The Verdict: This is not a gentle introduction to Jamaican rum. The LFCH marque denotes a specific ester profile that Hampden has maintained for generations, and Velier's decision to bottle it at cask strength preserves every ounce of its complexity. Add water gradually and watch it unfold. For those who want rum that challenges as much as it rewards, this delivers.

Classification: Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC

Brand: Domaine de la Mordorée

ABV: 15.5%

Primary Varietal: Grenache

Blend: Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Counoise, Vaccarèse

Vineyards: Old vines (90+ years average), galets roulés soils, multiple Châteauneuf-du-Pape parcels

Maturation: Destemmed, traditional vatting, indigenous yeast fermentation

Color: Deep garnet with violet-black edges

MSRP: $85–$120

Nose: Dark cherry and blackcurrant dominate, interlaced with dried violet and a smoky, garrigue-like herbal quality. There is a pronounced mineral undertone — like warm stone — with hints of cedar and a subtle meatiness.

Palate: Dense and structured, with layers of black fruit, cedar, and a savory, almost gamey character that speaks to its old-vine Grenache base. The tannins are fine-grained but firm, and a streak of mint freshness prevents the richness from becoming heavy.

Finish: Very long and complex, with lingering blackcurrant, cedar, and a stony mineral note that recalls the galets roulés of the appellation.

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

The Verdict: The Cuvée de la Reine des Bois consistently stands among the top cuvées of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and 2020 is a great vintage for the southern Rhône. The wine has the concentration and structure to age for two decades, but its balance makes it approachable now with a proper decant. This is Châteauneuf that knows what it is.

Classification: Chablis Premier Cru AOC

Brand: Domaine Vincent Dauvissat

ABV: 13.0%

Primary Varietal: Chardonnay

Blend: 100% Chardonnay

Vineyards: La Forest premier cru vineyard, Kimmeridgian limestone and clay soils, south-southwest exposure

Vinification: Whole-cluster pressed, indigenous yeast fermentation, extended lees aging, minimal sulfur regime

Color: Pale green-gold with silver highlights

MSRP: $80–$110

Nose: Precise and mineral-driven, opening with crushed oyster shell and wet stone before yielding to green apple, lemon zest, and a faint floral note. There is a subtle honeyed quality that emerges as the wine warms in the glass.

Palate: Taut and focused, with bracing acidity carrying flavors of green apple and citrus across a flinty, chalky palate. The mid-palate broadens to reveal hints of almond and a waxy texture from extended lees contact, while the mineral spine never relents.

Finish: Long and saline, with lingering citrus and a chalky minerality that leaves a lasting impression of purity.

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

The Verdict: Dauvissat is the gold standard for premier cru Chablis, and La Forest is among the finest plots in the appellation. The 2022 vintage delivered concentration without losing Chablis's essential tension. This is a wine about restraint and focus — mineral precision without any extraneous noise. Drink it now for its nerve, or cellar it and watch it gain complexity.

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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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