Dubhghlas meets Dutch Whiskyteers

For those who have been following the blog for a longer time, you’ll know that I’m a huge fan of the Dubhghlas Distillery from Zwartsluis (NL) ever since I went there for my Advanced Whisky Ambassador course. The ingenuity with which they make their products is a joy to behold and I’m always eager to taste their latest creations. Just last week they distilled a batch of peated new make spirit (which will ofcourse become whisky in a few years’ time) and at Whisky in Leiden they surprised me with a sample. Which I will be trying today, on this very special Whisky Wednesday.

A very special Whisky Wednesday it is indeed, as it’s also my 35^th birthday today! Later tonight I have another fun live session with the Drambuddies planned and we’ll be tasting some stunning whisky’s there as well! But I felt this Peated Dubhghlas would be the perfect dram to kick it all off. After all, birthdays are a celebration of the start of your life. And the start of a life for whisky is new make spirit!

 But with Birthday’s it’s not just about what you drink… it’s also about what you eat! Unfortunately, I already ate the cake, but thankfully there are still some chocolates left. And not just any chocolates, these are whisky chocolates. Made by the Dutch Whiskyteers and filled with Dubhghlas spirit! And thus, this will be a double review, of both spirit and spirit filled chocolate.

Tasting Notes: Dubhghlas Peated New Make Spirit

Nose:

On the nose the peat is immediately apparent, yet not overwhelming at all. It’s nicely balanced with a malty influence that makes me feel as if I’ve just been served a nice hot bowl of porridge. There’s a slight minerality to it as well, which reminds me of a babbling brook high up in the alps. (Which I know you’re not supposed to drink straight from the source technically, but as a child I could never resist).

Palate:

A hefty palate waits for you when you take your first sip. It’s very sugar forward, with a cane sugar syrup note to it. Behind that sweetness the malt is still there as well, porridge and waffle batter are plenty available. There’s also a little bit of meatyness to this new make, thanks to the influence of the peat. But it’s a rather mild and delicate peat that seems to compliment the sweetness quite well. It reminds me of a honeyed ham. Without a doubt delicious!

Finish:

There’s a medium finish to this new make, but as of yet it’s still rather uneventful. The flavours from the palate just softly fade and after a while turn slightly sour (think limes). But for a new make that is more than ok. In the end I expect the barrel to add plenty of flavour to this dram and depending on how well that interaction turns out that should carry nicely into the finish.

Verdict:

This is a very promising new make. It’s not whisky yet and thus I won’t give it any rating, but I will say this: I can’t wait to try a sample of this once it’s seen the inside of a barrel for a few years. Dubhghlas always manages to surprise me with the quality of their products and this new make is no exception to that rule.

Food Pairing

Aah yes, time for the chocolates! And before I write a little bit about what they look and taste like I’d like to give you a bit more details on the people who made them: the Dutch Whiskyteers. The Dutch Whiskyteers consists of Lisette and Peter who, out of their love for Scotch Whisky, decided to put Dutch Distillery’s on the map as well. For this purpose, they represent several Dutch whisky labels. At practically every festival in The Netherlands you’ll find them to pour you the latest and greatest of what The Netherlands has to offer. And to add to their repertoire they also started making chocolates filled with those exact same spirits!

When Lisette offered me a box for today’s review and I heard they were filled with Dubhghlas, I was immediately exciterd. Dubhghlas and chocolate, it seems like a match made in heaven. In the box I’m finding two different types of chocolate, one dark and one white. I tasted the white chocolate first and though I can only barely taste the influence from Dubghlas I must admit, this some very delicious chocolate. The main note I’m getting from the filling is a mocha that I absolutely adore! On the dark chocolate the influence from the Dubhghlas is much more noticeable. And though I do love finding that spirit note in my chocolate, I must admit that in the end I still preferred the white chocolate one.

In the end these chocolates we’re both delicious though and they made for a perfect pairing with a glass of Dubhghlas Peated New Make. This combination made for an excellent start of my day, and I can’t wait to share some more drams with all of you tonight on Instagram Live.

Hope to see you soon!