Brazilian Single Malt Whisky | 48% ABV

Score: 7/10

**Very Good Indeed.**
***TL;DR***
*So good it’s bringing people together*

We All Have Bad Days

I had one of these days a few weeks ago. You know the feeling, there are some days when nothing goes as planned.

I’d been on holiday in Corsica with my family for a week in late May and early June, and boy, did I need it. Work has been exhausting for the past weeks, coupled with the fact that the weather around here, as is the case with most of northern Europe right now, has been horrible for months. It’s mid June and it feels like we’re in October. Anyway, you get it, I needed this Corsican break badly.

And well, it was quite nice. Warm but not scorching weather, the sea, barbecues, ice creams, the whole lot. Perfect. Alas, it was over in a heartbeat, and upon arrival back in the Parisian rain, it was time to get back to work. I’m not going to get into the details, but here’s the gist of it.

I left my workplace in a certain state, it was run by some of my colleagues during my holidays, and when I got back to it, I found it in a state which was, let’s say, disappointing. Which meant more work for me to get it back up to standards I deemed acceptable. This was on top of all the emails that needed responses, orders to place and a fridge dying on me with no warning. Needless to say, I spent a few hectic days and, once more, I was craving a little dose of happiness.

In comes Pedro.

Some of you might know Pedro as one of the Brazilian contingent of the Aqvavitae Barflies. I had briefly met him about a year ago, as he was passing through Paris. Earlier this year, he messaged me to tell me he was going to be in Paris during the first week of June, and wanted to know if I could arrange a little informal tasting with spirits enthusiasts, as he planned on bringing with him a few bottles of Brazilian spirits. Of course I said yes, and we settled on a Thursday evening, a few days after my return from Corsica.

I in turn messaged a few friends to see who was going to be available, and assembled a crew of avid tasters to take part in this wee evening. We were originally supposed to be around 10 people, but Parisians being Parisians, we only ended up being 6 on the day, including Pedro and his lovely wife Mariana.

The meeting spot was the cheese shop we just opened this year in the north west of Paris, where a big table was installed, and Lucas, our cheesemonger, had prepared delicious platters of cheeses, aged on site, alongside beautiful Italian charcuterie. Thinly sliced smoked and cooked pancetta anyone?

So I arrived, a bit late - I’m a Parisian as well after all - and tired from another day full of mostly bad surprises. Sitting at the wooden table, meeting new friends and greeting old ones had the effect you expect it to have. All the worries were instantly forgotten, and we started tasting and connecting over our common love of anything well distilled. The night was about more than the liquid though, as we talked about all things whisky, rum, beer or cognac related. Life in France and Brazil too, as well as Pedro and Mariana’s experience of the French countryside.

Pedro had brought with him six bottles. One bottle of an un-aged wine brandy, two of cachaça (Brazilian rum), and three of whisky. My pals brought some samples to share, including some American whiskies, a limited edition vatting from the Northmaen distillery in Northern France and a single cask Imperial from Gordon & Macphail. We finished the tasting with my contribution to this evening, a bottle of Kilkerran Heavily peated batch 7, putting an end to the night and our tasting abilities with its rich, gorgeous creamy peat. The time of the last metro was nearing, so we all parted ways, bellies full of fat and whisky, and minds at peace, still running on the dopamine from a wonderful evening.

Oh, one thing though. When Pedro left, he told us to split the bottles between ourselves, as he was not willing to risk bringing back open bottles to Brazil. I still am amazed at the generosity of this man, who bought six bottles, muled them to the other side of the world to share them with complete strangers, had a dram off of each and then gave the rest away. What a legend. I suddenly felt like the little sample pack I gave him was not enough, and Pedro, if you read these lines, I’ll make it up to you.

This evening in fine company was all the relief I needed to get back on track. It is marvellous what a chat with good people around good drams can do for you. Thank you Pedro, thank you Mariana and thanks to all my Parisian whisky pals; even the ones who didn’t come. You know the old adage, it’s been told and repeated ad nauseam, but I’ll say it again anyway; it’s not about the whisky, it’s about the people.

Review

Union Distillery 2005, 16 year old Brazilian single malt whisky, Lot: 01-22, 48% ABV
£n/a - gifted. Around €90 retail with some availability in Europe.

This Union 2005 was, along with the Kilkerran, to me, the star of the evening. Albeit in a very different style. Everyone around the table was really impressed by the quality of this single malt, coming from a distillery we had never heard of. 16 years old as well, can you imagine. I was lucky enough to bring the bottle home with me, and it quickly felt mandatory to share this story and whisky with you all, as it is too good not to.

From what Pedro told us, Union is one of the oldest whisky distilleries in Brazil, but does not bottle that much under its own name. Sure, there is an NAS official bottling, which we tasted as well and is really good, and there also seems to be a peated variant, but they make most of their income by selling casks in bulk, particularly to Pernod Ricard, to be blended in one of their Brazilian whisky brands. The story goes that owners of Union distillery don’t really know they are a diamond in the rough, and that the reason this vintage bottling exists is that they simply forgot about those casks.

Now, quick sidenote: I don’t know how it works in Brazil, but I’m always a little sceptical concerning these tales of lost whisky, found in the back of an old warehouse. Surely, the customs would notice if casks went missing, as the distillery is supposed to pay taxes on them at some point, right?

The whisky was fully matured in ex-bourbon casks, which is brilliant. Can you imagine if they finished rare and precious 16 years old Brazilian single malt in, say, Argentinian red wine casks ? Thank god the people at Union are sensible. Nothing against Argentinian wine though, just don’t mix it with my whisky.

Nose

Baked apples, ground cinnamon, and fresh vanilla are immediately obvious. Apple flakes and dried peaches come next. Quite a fruity nose, reminiscent of a bourbon-matured Linkwood of the same age (wink wink Murdo and Wally).

There’s also a creamy aspect to it, mainly in the form of a dollop of vanilla ice cream dropped onto a slice of tarte tatin. Also some pineapple, but roasted. Some floral aromas, mainly roses and orange flower water, as well as subtle hints of coconut cream and milk chocolate. Water brings out the freshness in the nose, in the form of lemon zests, as well as a farmy cider side and vanilla sponge cake.

Palate

Round and creamy arrival, tasting like mom’s apple tart 30 minutes after it’s out of the oven, crème Chantilly, followed by wood spices. It is warming and shows impressive length. Cinnamon and nutmeg are mild but present, as well as fresh vanilla, and a juicy apple flavour reminding me of pommeau de Normandie (Apple juice fortified with Calvados and aged in casks). Water increases the creamy mouthfeel slightly, as well as the soft spices aspect.

The Dregs

Man, this is good whisky. In fact, this is really good whisky, as the score suggests. But the best thing about it is that it was a tool to bring people together. We all had some great fun that wee evening, and I can’t wait for the next time I’ll be able to share drams with whisky enthusiasts, wherever they come from.

For some of us who are not based in the UK, it can sometimes feel like we’re a bit late to everything, and like we’re missing some of the stuff that goes on in Glasgow or Campbeltown or on Islay, especially at this time of the year, so moments like that matter a great deal.

All of this sealed the deal on my next holiday destination. Glasgow Whisky Festival, November 2024. I’m going, and apparently a certain Brazilian dude and his wife are as well. Question is, will you be there?

This review’s soundtrack shall also be Brazilian ! Now, I don’t know many artists from Brazil, but I do know Sepultura, and I’m sure many among you educated readers do as well, but for those who don’t, give the song Ratamahatta a try!

Score: 7/10

Review - Wally

Union Distillery 2005, 16 year old Brazilian single malt whisky, Lot: 01-22, 48% ABV
£n/a - gifted. Around €90 retail with some availability in Europe.

My bottle of this surprising liquid came through the Mule Network: whisky fans dotted around the globe finding ways to get special, rarely exported bottles into each other's hands to celebrate what’s happening where. When huge effort is applied to do so, you know there’s a good chance someone, somewhere is excited to share it. That’s what happened here.

Sent via a mule known as Andre De Almeida, this one came from a friend I’ve yet to meet. Let’s call him Rafael.

I believe he and Pedro are very good friends and involved in the Academia de Whisky project, spreading whisky wisdom across Brazil and other Portuguese-speaking countries.

I think they’re the kind of folk I’d love to spend an evening with, cheese and Italian charcuterie optional.

Score: 7/10

**Very good indeed.**
***TL;DR***
*Good mature scotch, from Brazil*

Nose

Oaky vanilla with sandalwood and candle wax, some tannins and a light acetone note before warm honey and candied orange peel, sweet satsumas too. Gingerbread, doughy madeira loaf and Biscoff caramelised biscuits. Butter, olive oil and cinnamon on the finish. Water brings a creaminess to things.

Palate

A spicy arrival with a clean and creamy mouthfeel. Quite oak-driven, some bitterness with the orange switching to sweet, pink grapefruit. Golden syrup. Cloves and star anise. Creamy chocolate; think Terry’s chocolate orange, with ginger and a touch of cinnamon on the finish.

The bitterness prevails on the finish too, but it’s balanced and not overcooked. Water takes the edge off the bitterness but also softens out some of the spice and definition, a drop or two is enough to get the best out of the glass.

The Dregs

Is this scotch? No, of course not. But it is a faithful take on it; an homage to scotch. This could camouflage itself nicely in a lineup of good scotch. In fact, despite not speaking much in the way of Portuguese I’m pretty certain the tissue insert here is an ode to whisky history and even mentions Friar John Cor and the eight bols of malt quotation from 1494.

Like Ainsley, I wasn’t familiar with Union Distillery in Brazil, bar a sample of a young Cadenhead’s release not long ago, but I was even less aware that it could have mature spirit of this age. That it’s also of significant quality too is a surprise indeed.

The feeling here is of a mature single malt scotch that’s a vatting of mostly first-fill and a little refill ex-bourbon casks. If you’re sensitive to white-oak derived flavours you might find this a little sharp, but nothing a teaspoon of water doesn’t cure. For me, I prefer it close to neat, with just a drop or two to wake things (interestingly, they include a handy little water dropper - with instructions on deployment - in the package for this very purpose).

There’s complexity, mouthfeel and balanced flavours here. Nothing too sweet, nothing too spicy and nothing too ‘foreign’ for regular scotch whisky drinkers. It’s yet another example of how the world is making whisky these days, and making it well.

The bottle is awkward though, there’s no easy way to hold the slab-sided shape, without fear of it slipping as you pour, I end up choking the neck which is still cumbersome. Also, these super-wide bottles annoy retailers, where shelf width is at a premium. It’s not a hack to getting more visibility when those retailers simply turn them on their side. Still, not in any way a concern for a small outturn, but if there were to be more releases of this, which I’d welcome, it could do with being in a more practical package. For now, it’s actually a shame there’s not more of this around.

Overall, a delicious pleasure to own and drink and wonderful to surprise people with.

Brazilian malt whisky. Amazing. And one that’ll help turn around any bad day.

Score: 7/10 WMc

Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. AF

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