A few days ago I was at a tasting organised by the people behind Belgian whisky club Crann. Jürgen Vromans (also known as The Whisky Mercenary) was there to announce he would be importing a new series of bottlings from Hong Kong. Then he gave the word to Winnie and Richard, who are part of the whisky collective Whisky Concerto and also own the broker / bottling business called Cask Le Sens. They’re also the European connection of the brand, living in Finland and the UK. Hence the UK webshop.
Now they weren’t expecting me at this tasting, and I don’t like to score whisky at a tasting. Let’s say the setting isn’t controlled enough. However I’d like to compile a few of the notes I took, together with one regular review of a whisky that I was able to take home for a more in-depth try. It happened to be my personal favourite of the evening.
It’s a 2013 Smögen (peated, of course) and the oldest independently bottled Smögen, according to the bottler. While the owner Pär Caldenby generally prefers Oloroso over PX, he was apparently very fond of this one.
Smögen 12 yo 2013 (58,3%, Cask Le Sens + The Antelope 2025, first-fill Pedro Ximénez sherry hogshead #5:2, 274 btl.)
Nose: there’s a very deep smoky note with a great greasy / farmy edge and whiffs of new inner tubes. Rich and elegant at the same time. Later there is cedar wood, wet earth and tobacco leaves, as well as some oriental herbs and a little coffee. Then fruity flashes, like cranberry and plum, as well as a faint citrusy edge. Such a great, warming character – I love this style.
Mouth: warm, ashy smoke again, with tarry elements and some medicinal notes (camphor). Some resinous touches, liquorice and a little eucalyptus. Then caramelly notes (but not in a sticky way), a hint of cocoa and hints of new tyres again. Subtle juniper for extra freshness.
Finish: long, really nice, with more tar, sweet and sour berries, along with walnuts and a salty note.
I was quite impressed with this at the tasting, and a second assessment only confirmed the fact that Smögen knows the craft of making peated whisky. Also, a nice cask selection.
Glen Garioch 13 yo 2011 (57,8%, Whisky Concerto ‘Recital’ 2025, first-fill bourbon barrel #3732, 120 btl.)
N: clean and fairly bright. Citrus with light floral elements. Later also vanilla (or madeleines as Winnie suggested). M: more citrus (grapefruit) with clean bourbon wood adding white pepper and ginger. 〉〉〉 Very much what you’d expect from a good bourbon cask, even though the Garioch spirit isn’t entirely in character, and certainly not unique.
Glen Elgin 15 yo 2008 (54,1%, Whisky Concerto for Highlander Inn Chichibu 2023, refill hogshead #806157, 240 btl.)
N: bourbon-influenced again. Quite some honey and plenty of plain malty notes (perhaps a little too much). Gingery notes and light caramel. M: malt, malt, malt with a rather waxy / fatty character. Mild oak spice, light bitterness, but also honey and citrus candy. 〉〉〉 Interesting fatty style, good middle-aged whisky.
Uitvlugt / Port Mourant 22 yo 1999 (43,2%, Whisky Concerto 2021, refill American oak cask #39, 173 btl.)
N: mild funk, grass and hay, polished brassware, black olives and overripe banana. M: nicely tropical, kind of a TDL-style at times. Pink grapefruit. Light esters. Then liquorice, hay, some petrol, salt and light bitterness. 〉〉〉 They claim it’s a rum for whisky lovers who don’t like extreme rum. Perhaps, yes. I just think it’s an excellent Guyana rum. I’m sure this would reach 90 points in my book.
Blended Malt 7 yo ‘Le Flâneur’ (58,8%, Whisky Concerto ‘Recital’ 2025, second-fill Palo Cortado quarter cask finish, 153 btl.)
N: no in-your-face-smoke. Spicy notes, some red fruit, toffee caramel, hints of mocha, barbecue ashes. M: more smoke now, also lots of spice. Black pepper, seaweed, a slightly winey kind of sherry, with sweet dried fruit and a whiff of coffee. 〉〉〉 Teaspooned Islay whisky matured in an ex-Glenlossie cask. Really good, even though the (quarter) cask influence is clearly noticeable.
Inchgower 16 yo 2009 (56,6%, Cask Le Sens + The Whiskyfind 2025, Oloroso hogshead #801568)
N: a slightly rummy / brandy-like start. Ginger, toffee, whiffs of varnish, dates and orange peels. Quite a volatile profile. M: more ginger, caramel, woody notes, hints of clove oil. Then toasted coconut and cocoa. Not as fruity as I’d hoped. 〉〉〉 A modern sherry cask. Good but in the bottom half of this session, in my opinion.