Have a look at the previously reviewed Goldlys Limousin cask.

Goldlys 21 yo 1989 Sherry wood
(46%, OB 2010, 680 btl.)

Nose: the first thing I pick up – and quite strongly so – is Nivea cream. You know, the white, fat cream that our grandmothers use to moisturize their skin. Not bad, but rather unexpected. This fades after a while and makes place for notes of rye, oak polish and dried banana. A whiff of mint. There’s a sweet, fruitier side to it from the sherry, but overall it’s not really my kind of profile. Mouth: quite oaky and peppery with a big emphasis on the rye, so it seems. Green banana skin. Some eucalyptus and cloves. Not much sherry influence here. Finish: smooth but it drops very quickly.

This single cask Goldlys should arrive in stores as we speak, just in time for Father’s Day. If your dad likes rye whiskey (or some bourbons like Woodford Reserve), this could be an interesting gift with a nice wooden box. If he’s into single malts, then you’re taking quite a risk. Around € 30.

Score: 71/100

Let’s be honest, most of the Belgian whiskies are curiosities hardly worth buying, but a couple of weeks ago, I received an e-mail from Bert Bruyneel telling me I would be surprised by this one!

Limousin is a French region around the city of Limoges. It’s not a great wine producing area but Limousin is well known for their oak barrels, used in other regions for maturing white wine.

Goldlys 1994 ‘Single cask Limousin’ 
(55%, OB 2009, 440 btl.)

Nose: starts on white wood glue but it gets better. The oak stays very present, but it is balanced by fruity notes (yellow apples, unripe banana). Burnt sugar. Vanilla. Some waxy notes. Nice but there’s something artificial that kind of spoils it for me. Mouth: certainly not as sweet as I would have expected. Very very resinous, is this liquid pine tree? Similar to some bourbons in that respect (Pappy Van Winkle 20 years old pops to mind). Herbal notes. Lots of spices (nutmeg, ginger and pepper). Some notes of burnt caramel as well. The fruit seems to be buried somewhere. Finish: rather short and dry, mostly the wood that’s talking.

My fellow reviewers really like this and there’s not a single bottle left in stores. Still I don’t really get the hype. Sure, it’s different and probably the best Belgian whisky to date, but when tasted blind I would say this is closer to a mediocre bourbon than to a quality Scotch. € 30.

Score: 77/100

Thanks for the sample, Bert!