Water of Life

Teerenpeli 

While I harbour a fondness for Finland and have visited quite a few times, the land of the thousand lakes is arguably more known for vodka rather than being fertile ground for the production of premium quality Single Malt whiskies. 

Needless to say, I was intrigued when I learned about a Finnish family owned distillery that was not only using traditional pot still distilling equipment from Scotland, but is being lauded the world over for the quality of its expressions based on how they channel their alchemy through access to excellent ground water and premium grade local barley.

My first exposure to Teerenpeli Distillery was via their 10 year old bottling, which has been matured in a combination of bourbon and sherry casks and was originally launched six years ago. 

What tickles the nostrils upon approach is a melange of butterscotch, dark chocolatey toffee and vanilla aromas, accentuated by nectarines, apples and liquorice highlights, which sit comfortably on a backbone of malt.

Things get interesting on the palate with a slightly oily mouthfeel with an initial peppery, spicy kick, which then meanders into fruit candy territory, rounded out by an earthy and savoury oakiness.

The medium-length finish is dominated by an interestingly astringent salty taste, ultimately returning to the aforementioned spicy kick.

Kaski, a reference to preparing a field for a new cycle of farming by burning it, is Teerenpeli’s dedicated sherry cask expression and what initially was only meant to be one off single batch release proved to be so popular that the distillery opted to incorporate it into its portfolio with batches being produced on an on-going basis - a wise move, given the fact that its similarity to cognac resonates very well with the preferences of Finish fine spirits aficionados.

Exclusively matured for six years in sherry casks, Kaski entices the nose with a brown sugary, red fruity and raisiny bouquet, which is counterpointed by earthy, orangey, black peppery nuances.

On the top of the mouth, what the nose promised transitions seamlessly into woody oakiness, interesting bitter notes, a bit of a spicy kick, all of which is sealed with a rich grain-like crescendo.

Nice.

Being a peat aficionado, I was looking forward to sampling Teerenpeli’s Savu expression, the name of which translates poignantly to the equivalent of “smoke”.

Clocking in at 43%, this little number had been napping in Bourbon and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks and is based on peat from the United Kingdom that has been refined in Belgium.

On the nose, delicate nuances of soot and cold smoke sit against a fruity backdrop. 

Flavour-wise there is peat resting on a blanket of delicate smokiness but not of the tested and tried Islay kind: The way spicy undertones are weaved in to play the claviature between sweet and savoury adds layers of complexity with the influence of the sherry casks omnipresent, which continues to reverberate through the elongated finish. 

A fantastic and more-ish drop. I’d love to see where smoking their own peat locally would take it flavourwise.

Summa summarum, Teerenpeli is a distillery that has created its own idiosyncratic Nordic DNA, which honours the traditions of Scotland yet imbues each expression with their very own je ne sais quoi.

Bladnoch Vinaya

I have covered the Lowland distillery Bladnoch and their excellent core range previously as part of this series and have shed light on the fact that after having been acquired by Australian entrepreneur David Prior six years ago and a revamp of epic proportions, it has further blossomed and bloomed through a well-calibrated approach that both honours the legacy of the distillery as well as steering it forward with new and limited editions.

With Vinaya, Bladnoch’s newest expression, the former is being executed par excellence as it is essentially a liquid pale-golden bow to the distillery’ founders with the name denoting “respect” and “gratitude” in Sankrit.

Upon approach, light brown-sugary, grassy and honeyed aromas place the nose on the floral and sweeter side of the spectrum, with sultanas, cinnamon, almonds and a dominant oaty note blending in.

What the nose promised, comes to full fruition on the palate: 

The journey starts on the fruity side of things with juicy nuances of apples blending in with the aforementioned grassy, hay notes, flanked by hints of honey, butterscotch and milk chocolate, before it culminates in a warming cinnamon-spicy climax, which are backed by hazelnutty flavours. 

What is interesting is that the range of flavours do not cancel each other out but elevate on another, resulting in a delightfully complex and layered flavour profile, with all components artfully and harmoniously coming together.

The medium-length has the sweeter notes still reverberate yet leaves the limelight on the oaky maltiness and a spicy, powerful clove-sque punch with comes with slightly citrussy flavours in its wake, evoking emotions of purity and indulgence.

Summa summarum, clocking in at 46.7% ABV, Bladnoch’s Vinaya expression is a rich and indulgent addition to the distillery’s ever expanding portfolio with the maturation in first fill Bourbon and first fill Sherry casks giving it a brilliantly complex flavour profile.

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The Formative Years - Leeway

Desperate Measures from 1991 raised quite a few question marks with me when it was first released and did not enter heavy rotation.

Revisiting it a couple of years later, it was a delight to have more of an understanding to see it for what it was – a masterpiece put out by a band that had evolved in terms of experimentation by merging well-calibrated element of hardcore, metal, thrash and even hip hop to arrive with a for the timely context new and boundary pushing sound of their own.

A factor that certainly contributed to Leeway playing in a league of its own is singer Eddie Sutton's inimitable singing style, which pierces the thick and crunchy foundation of heavy riffs and infuses them with otherworldly melodies.

I will deliberately draw a veil of silence over Leeway’s musical output and albums that followed Desperate Measures, but their first two albums remain timeless guitar-driven, groovy classics that introduced the energy and original song-writing skills that bands like Metallica offered into street oriented punk and hardcore.

With both albums having been released thirty years ago, Leeway’s legacy looms large as with their musical output they manage to still ignite the imagination of hardcore musicians looking to evolve past the confines of hardcore and metal, e.g. bands like Iron Age and Power Trip.

A band gateway band that made me delve deeper into thrash and crossover territory and one that is in my NYHC pantheon right next to The Icemen.

Into the Wild – Zorali gear,  tunes and silence.

I dig hiking as much as the next man and have done a fair share of backpacking in my time, both because of the need to make a virtue out of a nexessity, i.e. tight budgets, but also in a bid to deliberately get out there and engage directly with what Mark Twain referred to as “the territory”.

Especially in more remote corners of this earthround, roaming with little more than a backpack has its appeal, e.g. climbing the sacred mountains of China, the hills of Papua New Guinea or Tibet.

Music is of course a steady companion and it has its advantages to turn up the perfect soundtrack at the push of a button to bathe in whatever nature has to offer and soak in its splendour, however, there is also something to be said for not being serenaded all the time by your favourite tunes as the exposure to the sounds of new and never before explored surrounds in the outdoors can be an extremely giving source of inspiration and beauty.

There is certainly music that seems to have been made with the great wide open and freedom in mind.

If you expose yourself to the element off the beaten track chances are that you will get your ass kicked by pretty much everything you could and could not plan for, be it weather conditions or having underestimated the toll climbs, elevations and distances would take.

When I first started travel that entailed hiking, I naively thought that a hoody, comfortable pants, sturdy footgear, a rain jacket along with a backpack would do the trick, which is essentially not wrong.

However, getting the quality, durability, versatility and weight of the gear right proves to be essential if you do more than go for something more than a walk in the countryside of wherever you reside. As you might guess, cheap and flimsy gear from flashy brands is not exactly what you’d be looking for. 

All the better when the founders of the outdoor gear brand you choose created their gear spurned by their love for the outdoors and extensive experience when it comes to conquering difficult territory, which is the entity known as Zorali entered my world.
Zorali’s ethos is based on the ideas of sustainability, the thrive to push themselves to do better and that getting out there is nurturing one’s soul. Not a bad start.

The fact that their gear is easy on the eye does paired with the use of environmentally certified natural fibres like hemp, recycled fabrics and cotton does not hurt either.

When going for hikes on the extensive and strenuous end of the spectrum, breathability is a major factor, which is e.g. where Zorali’s Stash-It Packable borderline weightless anorak comes in.

Made from recycled ripstop polyester, this little number is not only ideal for hikes, but has become a trusted companion even for formal occasions to shield me from the elements whenever need be. Subtle and elegant in design, it could not be a more versatile everyday carry essential.

For hikes during the colder months of the year, breathable and warm socks as well as beanies are essential. Bonus points if in the sock department along with moisture wicking attributes, a tad bit of cushioning is provided as with Zorali’s merino wool ones. The Southerly Buster beanies live up to their name in that the wool base ribbed-knit style not only keeps you warm when needed but draws sweat away while repelling rain.

Over the last eighteen months with borders locked down on terra australis, plans galore have been made in regards to making the most of the next travel overseas and no matter the climate, chances are that Zorali gear will be a steady companion.

The Formative Years - Die Kreuzen

There are bands that you listen to once and they are etched into your brain forever.

I vividly remember when I first heard Die Kreuzen’s first album , which included their newly recorded versions of the tracks from their debut 7” Cows and Beer. It was during one of my regular phone calls with an older scenester, who I struck up a friendship with in my early teens to learn more about punk and hardcore. The record was playing in the background and I could not believe my ears. He was kind enough to record it on a cassette tape and mailed it to me.

I was hooked immediately by the velocity and tight delivery of the twenty-one songs, all of which are explosive in nature yet for the genre and its timely context they were recorded, i.e. 1984, it was insanely well-executed, crisply recorded and articulated. I had to get the vinyl and included it in my next order from Touch & Go Records.

Incorrectly named with the intention to be the Teutonic equivalent to “The Crosses”, Die Kreuzen sounded furious, raw and maniacal – it was a sonic whirlwind pressed onto vinyl, with the screamed, possessed sounding vitriolic vocals only adding to the appeal that the trebly distorted guitars and the off-kitler galloping drums laid out.

A perfect album with a sound that has inspired a myriad of iconic bands and provided pretty much the template and opened doors for bands like ABC Diabolo and Rorschach.

Having recently revisited Die Kreuzen’s discography, it was interesting to see the development to the second album, which saw them adapt a deliberately softer, new wavy conceptual sound, culminating in their third album, Century Days, which saw not only Butch Vig at the helm of production but had incorporate a piano and a horn section with the trademark screechy vocals being the only constant, before anticipating what would become grunge with their album Cement in 1991.

If there ever was a hardcore punk that was lightyears ahead of its time in the first half of the 1980s, Die Kreuzen would definitely be a contender with their thrashy energy, well-thought out song structures and on-point delivery

Water of Life – 78 Degrees Distillery & Duncan Taylor Octaves

I vividly remember my first exposure to 78 Degrees Distillery: It was at a local gin tasting that I was proffered their Classic Gin expression, which not only ticked all the boxes in terms of being small batch juniper juice at the higher end of the spectrum, but also convinced with its idiosyncratic South Australian twist via the use of local ingredients and a unique never before used melange of twelve botanicals. 

I remember the occasion as I asked about the significance of the “78 degrees” which lead to the naming, and was explained that it constitutes the boiling point of alcohol and hence signifies the enabler for distilling.

Vapour infused and sourced from a grape base, the drop instantaneously conveyed that 78 Degrees Distillery are not in the game to merely replicate existing styles but to carve out their own lane with their emissions paying homage in equal measure to both Australia’s traditions as well as what it has and will evolve to.

Needless to say, I was intrigued and could not wait until 78 Degrees was going to channel its alchemy in the creation of their own new world order whiskies in innovative and sustainable ways, with their focus firmly set on making all facets of the production and ingredients transparent.

The first 78 Degrees whiskey I had the opportunity to try from their accolades decorated range was their Muscat Finish expression. 

Clocking in at 44% ABV, this limited little number is an example par excellence for expertly showcasing Australian characteristics in terms of style and flavour by handcrafting single paddock, unmalted barley to create a unique melange with eleven speciality malts.

Given the higher sugar residue of Muscat and the stone fruity nuances the casks offer, it is not further wondrous that what tickles the nostrils is a tour de force in terms of dark chocolatey and raisiny aromas, with a delicate whiff of smoke.

What the nose promises transitions seamlessly to the palate where luscious layers of chocolate are backed by the both sweet and savoury flavours of raisins, culminating in a crescendo that is crowned by a spicy, peppery kick.

The elongated finish reverberates in the realm of dark fruity flavours, set against a backdrop of molasses and dark sugars, which is pierced by cinnamon, glove and peppery highlights. The fact that the finish is crowned with a deliciously smoky climax leaves one lusting for another dram.

Given the limited nature of the release, this will be gone sooner than later and anyone remotely into innovative, artisanal Australian whiskies would be well advised to scoop up a bottle ASAP.

I cannot wait to try 78 Degrees’ much fabled about grain whiskey as well as their Corsair Smoked expression, which has me salivating thinking of the fact that it is not only peated but has been smoked with gum and cherry wood.

We have covered the excellent emissions of the independent bottler Duncan Taylor before from a range of angles as part of this series and while I have yet to come across anything bottled by them that does not delight me, I could not wait to get my paws on a sample from a series that sees their team experiment with maturing whiskies in smaller sized Octave casks (about an eighth of the size of a regular butt cask) to allow for more wood interaction in a bid to enhance the respective whisky’s flavour profile to become more complex and sophisticated.

Duncan Taylor's trademarked Octave series encapsulates juice from the cream of the crop of iconic Scottish distilleries, resulting in an extensive portfolio of currently close to fifty Octave Invigorated expressions.

My first exposure to the Octave series was via a sample of a Beldorney expression, which after napping for twenty-three year oak, has undergone Duncan Taylor’s “Octivation” process for six months to spice things up with the finishing touches.

With a dark amber hue, upon approach the nostrils are tickled by an avalanche of fruity aromas on the pear and apple-cidery side of things, which then transitions into raspberry and more tropical territory, pierced by zesty orangery, vanilla and cinnamon-ey highlights.
What the nose promised, continues on the top of the mouth against a backdrop of honey, lemon and a delicate waxiness sitting on a backbone of resinous oak, counterpointed by a soft peppery-spicy climax.

The elongated finish culminates in a reverberating and immensely moreish vanilla crescendo, backed by on oaky earthiness. An exercise par excellence in yumminess and it would have been fantastic to sample this dram side-by-side next to a twenty-three year old Beldorney, to pinpoint where the Octave casks have enhanced the flavour profile.

The common denominator of Duncan Taylor’s Dimensions series is that under its banner, single casks are bottled at cask strength  without any further dilutions to ensure each expression brings out the purest facets and complexities of the respective distilleries’ DNA.

The Highland Park 16 Year Old Dimensions is a borderline ideal companion to the aforementioned Beldorney in that sweet and floral aromas reign supreme and catch my fancy as I detect the most delicate hint of smoky peat. 

On the palate, the warming alcohol sets the stage for  sour, sweet, musty/earthy, fruity flavours to dance with peat, which with the addition of a couple of drops of H2) only intensifies.

The well-rounded medium-length finish is warm and dry with spiced oak, cloves and a whiff of cold smoke.

I can only hope that one day I can taste how Duncan Taylor channels its alchemy when it comes to Islay distilleries.

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