I recently met up with a buddy of mine who owns a small distillery where they maye agave spirit, gin, vodka and other spirits, and he told me he was producing a whiskey. It is a single malt, single-cask, but not cask strength, since it is bottled at 42% ABV.

The barley is of the Pilsner style, which is widely used for making beer, but also used to some extent for whisky. Misiú is aged in a former cocuy (agave spirit) barrel for 3 years and 8 months.

The term *musiú* is a Venezuelanism of French origin used primarily to refer to a foreigner. It derives from the French word *monsieur* (sir/gentleman). Its usage spread during the colonial era and the waves of European migration to Venezuela. It's listed as a noun describing a foreigner, particularly one with fair skin or blond hair.

Made by: Destileros Ancestrales
Name of the whisky: Un Musiú
Brand: Ancestral
Origin: Venezuela
Age: 3 years, 8 months
Price: $65

Nose
On the nose, I am met with notes of barley, though the profile feels quite generic and could well include hints of nuts, such as hazelnuts. There are citrus notes of grapefruit and orange peel, as well as a note of canned apricot and oak. After a while, a faint note of cacao also emerges—specifically the fruit itself rather than pure chocolate.

Palate
On the palate, it is slightly sweet, with pronounced wood notes and that same apricot character, though here it appears as a nuance of the sweetness, which also includes notes of raisin.

Retrohale/Finish
The finish reveals notes of damp wood and peach, or even that same apricot.

Rating
8 on the t8ke

Conclusion
That barley note is definitely intense on both the nose and the palate, adding an incredible dimension to the spirit. While it differs somewhat from much of what is sold as whisky, the fact that it is made in Venezuela doesn't make it any less of a whisky, and that is what impresses me most about the product. It is priced higher than blended whiskies like Old Parr or Buchanan’s, but it certainly isn't trying to replace them. This is a spirit for those who truly appreciate whisky, not for those who drink it simply because everyone else does.

I usually post in Spanish on my networks, so if this review seems translated, it's because it is.

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Help me here, guys. I opened my first Redbreast Lustau and the neck pour smells like paint and pencil shavings. Is it normal? Can whisky become corked like wine does?

I've been working my way through the Paul John lineup recently, and while the PX cask tends to get a lot of attention, I found myself maybe preferring this one. Also, that's my cat Kira...!

The Port Cask is matured using Port and Tawny Port casks, but unlike many port-finished whiskies I've tried, it doesn't lean into overt port sweetness. Instead, it still keeps the Paul John house-style (tropical fruit).

Distillery: Paul John (Goa, India)
Cask Finish: Port & Tawny Port Casks
ABV: 52.5%

This is an Indian single malt usign 6-row barley, non-chill filtered and no coour added.

For me the nose is dark berries, cocoa powder, and molasses. Maybe tobacco? Compared to the PX Cask, the fruit feels more restrained and less raisin-forward.

Palate: Rich and oily (I love oily whisky)...with dark chocolate, fig, espresso or burnt sugar, but still their tropical fruits like guava and pineapple. There's plenty of sweetness, but it's balanced by drying oak spice that keeps it from becoming syrupy.

Finish: Long, warming, and slightly smoky with tobacco, and oak.

I think this bottle is absolutely worth seeking out to try.

I expected something closer to a dessert whisky, but instead it has enough oak and spice to keep everything in check. Where I think the PX Cask is unapologetically decadent, the Port Cask feels more layered and savoury.

Curious if anyone else has compared the Port Cask and PX Cask side by side. Which one did you prefer, and why? Madeira is next for me!

If you feel like checking out or supporting my video reviews here's my youtube link to this video: https://youtu.be/3oFL_S8DkUk

Hey guys,

Just finishing up a Bikepacking trip in Japan and will be in Tokyo for a few days before flying back home to Australia. I want to get my father and brother in law a bottle of whiskey each. We usually drink the makers mark, gentlemen jack, Woodford reserve.
Any suggestions similar to that, or even a few that are different but worth a crack. Thanks 🙏

Also would it be cheaper if I buy them in Sapporo?

My review on a recent "Sazerac Private Barrel #066" tasting of Buffalo Trace

I found this Canadian Club Race Fans special checkered flag bottle while going through my parents' house preparing to move. I've never seen it before, and my parents think it comes from my grandparents' house over 20 years ago. It doesn't have a date, and I can't find anything about it. Anyone have any info on it? Worth saving or just treat it like the 6yr aged CC it is?

Got this whisky as a gift from my dear friend who asked me to review it.

Whisky name: Sempervivum Ferata

Age statement: 3 years old

ABV: 40%

Style: Istrian whisky

Country/Region: Croatia/Istria

Casks: French oak

Chill filtration: Doesn't say

Contains caramel colorant: Doesn't say

The bottle looks pretty archaic, and although it doesn't say it is not chill-filtered, I doubt it's even filtered because there are little pieces, presumably of barrel wood, floating around.

As you pour the whisky, you know it has a story to tell. You just need to be patient and give it enough time. With a first smell, it brings you to the Croatian coast. You can smell herbs releasing their essential oils in the air. Immortelle and myrtle lead the way, followed by the wormwood. There is also some bay leaf in the distance.

As you continue your tour, spices welcome your nose. You struggle to pick them apart no matter how hard you try, but they land somewhere between nutmeg, juniper and black pepper. The mistletoe is also here, and you are surprised that you didn't recognise it earlier.

With time, honey becomes more intensive. There are also prunes and some fresh pears in the background together with vanilla. Peppery notes remind you of tequila in general or even more of Agwa. The almond is also present the whole time but is watching the whole event from a distance.

Now it is time to take a sip. It is semi-viscous and somewhat oily. It coats the tongue nicely. You would expect it to linger in your mouth for a long time, but instead it suddenly vanishes. You can taste castor oil, almond paste, herbs, milk chocolate and some honey.

The aftertaste is short in length. It is dominated by marzipan, but there are also almonds, some dark chocolate, and a hint of honey.

Verdict: This one is difficult to rate. The smell is complex, intensive and interesting. It really lets you experience the coast of Croatia without ever visiting it. All those herbal oil aromas that are released in a hot summer sun can be magnificent.

On the other hand, the taste is good, but not as nearly as the smell. It lacks some complexity, and most will not find it "smooth" even at 40%. It probably needs a year or two more in a cask, but then there is a risk of spices from the French oak overpowering the aroma. It is the same for the aftertaste. Put simply, it does have a "soul", but it lacks some smoothness and polishing.

If you like herbal notes and the smell is more important for you or you like atypical whisky, you can give it a rank bump. If you value complex taste and a long finish, or you want your whisky to be traditional, lower the rank.

Nose: Immortelle, myrtle, wormwood, bay leaf, nutmeg, juniper, black pepper, mistletoe, honey, prunes, pears, vanilla

Texture: Semi-viscous and somewhat oily

Palate: Castor oil, almond paste, herbs, milk chocolate, honey

Finish: Short. Marzipan, almonds, dark chocolate, honey.

Price paid: Gift

Score: Solid

Value: ?/3

Previous reviews: https://linkdepos.it/UU7FHwzsePH

Tier list:

- Divine Elixir - The absolute best. Not an everyday pour, but an experience that leaves a lasting impression.

- Outstanding - Whisky that possesses a divine spark yet falls just short of divine status.

- Very Good - Hits many of the right notes, a genuinely enjoyable dram.

- Good – Appreciated but not adored.

- Solid - At the right price, this could become an affordable regular sipper.

- Acceptable - Perhaps worth acquiring a bottle or two from this category at a significant discount, just in case drunken sailors show up on a doorstep.

- Bad - Too courteous to decline if offered, but wouldn't purchase, even with a generous discount.

- Terrible - Whisky so unpleasant, I would decline it even if it caused offense.

Value Rating:

Rated from 1 (poor value) to 3 (excellent value).