Black Mountain Notes Fumées (2016)

Black Mountain is a French company that’s planning to build a distillery in the south-west of France in the foreseeable future. In the meantime they’ve released a couple of blends, using Scottish whisky. I’ve tasted their Whisky Selection No.1 already, and now it’s time to try the Black Mountain Notes Fumées.

This whisky is blended in an interesting way. The Notes Fumées started as a 3 year old blend from Scottish whisky, which then spent a further 12 to 16 months in Occitania in the south west France, in casks used to mature an undisclosed local grape-based spirit. Two other smoky Scotch whiskies were then added at a proportion of 20 percent, before the blend spent “several further weeks” in 3rd- and 4th fill casks, to give the several components a chance to integrate.

Black Mountain Notes Fumées (45%, OB, 3000 bts.)

Nose: Soft notes of sauerkraut, which is reminiscent of young ex-bourbon matured Ledaig, but less intense of course. A hint of vegetal peat, and very mellow wood smoke. Vanilla and porridge, as well as citrus (lemon) and stone (peach) fruits. Quite appealing.
Taste: Soft smoke with the lightest touch of peat, but also a definitive fruitiness. Sweet grapes and some sugary breakfast cereal. Ends less pleasant. Burned plastic?
Finish: Short, with the plastic still in play, but now transforming into a more vegetal note.

Rating: 78

An interesting recipe with an interesting result. The restraint smoke is much to my liking, but the palate has some off-notes, while the finish is too short.

Sample provided by Black Mountain