Milk & Honey Dead Sea - 56.2%

 

Located in a small neighbourhood of Tel Aviv, Milk & Honey were the first whisky distillery in Israel. The hot, Mediterranean climate and almost limitless sunshine allows for quicker maturation, although they still follow the traditional three year rule.

Alongside a typical core range of casks including ex- bourbon casks, ex-red wine casks and STR, the distillery also like to experiment with interesting new types of cask such as pomegranate wine and kosher sherry, and also with maturation in different environments.

From the distillery

This single malt is the first ever whisky aged in the lowest place on Earth, the Dead Sea. With temperatures climbing as high as 50°C, this whisky is as strong and intense as the conditions under which it was matured in.

Non chilled filter. Natural colour. 56.2% alc/vol.

Aroma: Sweet with French vanilla and mocha, notes of cigar box and a refreshing hint of spearmint, pleasant oakiness in the background.

Palate: A gentle beginning with black tea leaves followed by a powerful wave of warm spices such as cinnamon and coriander seeds, dark cocoa powder and a pinch of crushed white pepper.

Finish: Long and satisfying with candied ginger and cloves, joined by a bouquet of toasted herbs and coarse sea salt.

This is another example of the Apex series, a premium range which explores the effects of cask and/or terroir, sometimes in highly innovative ways. This series will vary immensely in its expressions, even cask types which appear similar may yield very different results.

This particular expression is a fascinating exploration of the effects of terroir, or more specifically altitude, temperature and humidity. In this experiment, they took 30 casks of various types (including ex-bourbon, ex-Islay, ex-rye, STR) and transported them to the Dead Sea region, 430m below sea level. At the same time they took 30 identical casks and matured them in Tel Aviv. 

At the Dead Sea location, the casks were matured for a year in a metal cage on a hotel roof and left exposed to the elements. In addition to extreme air pressure, the winters in this region can be freezing, whilst the summer temperatures reach 50°C. Under these conditions, the Angel’s Share can reach a staggering 25% per year.

After one year, the casks were relocated back to Tel Aviv where they were matured alongside the other casks for another two years. Following this final maturation, all of the casks were married together and bottled at 56.2%

Tasting Notes:

Appearance: Burnished gold, viscous, swirling produces a thin line which beads quickly before breaking and falling as very slow, thin legs.

Nose: Initially vanilla, followed by creamy coffee, tobacco leaf and the merest hint of menthol. 

Palate: Creamy, chewy mouthfeel, butterscotch toffee, mocha, vanilla pod, manuka honey, a faint trace of smoke and a touch of brine, cinnamon and white pepper provide warmth and a spicy prickle. A little water brings out more of the mocha, toffee and honey but at the expense of a little of the creaminess.

Finish: Dark toffee, vanilla, slightly salty and a peppery spice.

Summary: This is a whisky with an incredible story, and one which manages to live up to it's billing. It's rich, complex, slightly spicy and with a maturity which belies it's youth. A lovely whisky and a credit to the innovative approach taken by the distillery.

As with the Pomegranate Wine Cask expression, this is a whisky at the premium end of the M&H range, and as such carries a relatively premium price around the £100 mark. However, if you're looking for something out of the ordinary, this is well worth seeking out.

If you would like more information on this whisky, or the Milk & Honey distillery, follow the link to the company website.