achievers: under- and over-
A couple of recent after-dinner tipples:
Glenmorangie The Nectar d'Or: A 12-year-old single malt matured in ex-bourbon casks and finished in selected Sauternes casks. Light gold color, rather closed and begging for a bit of water to open both the nose and the flavors. Toffee, citrus (mainly lemon), vanilla; a bit thin on the back end with a short finish. Certainly not bad, but not what I was hoping for. An underachiever.
On the other end of the scale, however... 2004 Two Hands Winery "For Love or Money" Cane-Cut Semillon, Barossa Valley (Australia). Wow. Sweet (103 g/L residual sugar) without being syrupy or cloying, perfectly balanced and only 11% ABV. Fresh and dried apricots, lemon peel, honey and a suggestion of vanilla oak; somehow managing to be both satisfyingly rich and silky yet weightless in the mouth. Paired with a spicy tart-apple pie, it made me wish I hadn't eaten all day so I could justify several servings of both. Definite overachiever.
Glenmorangie The Nectar d'Or: A 12-year-old single malt matured in ex-bourbon casks and finished in selected Sauternes casks. Light gold color, rather closed and begging for a bit of water to open both the nose and the flavors. Toffee, citrus (mainly lemon), vanilla; a bit thin on the back end with a short finish. Certainly not bad, but not what I was hoping for. An underachiever.
On the other end of the scale, however... 2004 Two Hands Winery "For Love or Money" Cane-Cut Semillon, Barossa Valley (Australia). Wow. Sweet (103 g/L residual sugar) without being syrupy or cloying, perfectly balanced and only 11% ABV. Fresh and dried apricots, lemon peel, honey and a suggestion of vanilla oak; somehow managing to be both satisfyingly rich and silky yet weightless in the mouth. Paired with a spicy tart-apple pie, it made me wish I hadn't eaten all day so I could justify several servings of both. Definite overachiever.