The Devil’s Share – Genesis

There’s a new Independent Bottler in The Netherlands and they’re kicking things of with a bang! The Devil’s Share Genesis is their inaugural release and they went for a Speyside Single Malt with a finish in an Grand Cru Red Wine Cask, which really did wonders for this dram (I’m not exaggerating at all in my tasting notes below, it’s a stunner of a dram).

For now it’s not yet released to the general public, but when it is I’ll make sure to let you know. Until then, if you’d like to know more about getting your hands on a bottle, feel free to reach out to the team behind The Devil’s Share through [email protected].

Stats:

Age: 14 years old
ABV: 56.1%
Category: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Finish: Gran Cru ex-Red Wine Cask
Chill-Filtered: No
Natural Colour: Yes

Nose:

Forest fruit meringue splashes out of the glass. Notes of candied cherry, dried strawberries, and freshly prepared plum jam greet you. Crème brûlée with sugared cranberries and warm roasted cane sugar complete the dish. A drop of water brings the nose even more to life and brings out notes of oliebollen, candied figs and caramelized apples.

Palette:

Dried figs, port syrup, and apricot jam accompanied by an almost syrupy mouthfeel. The palette of this dram screams to be enjoyed with a beautifully composed cheese platter. Mandarins, oranges, nutmeg, and freshly planed wood shavings. Grapes affected by pourriture noble, cloves, and licorice. A whisky where you continue to discover new flavors every sip, time and time again. A drop of water brings out notes of white chocolate, warm caramel and just a hint of white pepper.

Finish:

A medium long finish, which transforms the mouthfeel from syrupy to dry. Notes of dried strawberry, maraschino cherry, and Madagascar vanilla remain. But for the first time, some dark notes also emerge, from freshly roasted coffee beans, mocha and cocoa. The finish takes the complexity of this whisky to a whole new level. After adding a few drops of water, the focus is even more on the dark tones.

Conclusion:

Genesis, the first release from The Devil’s Share and what a hit to start with! The finish in Grand Cru wine barrels has done wonders for this whiskey and gives it a complexity that you would normally expect from a much older whisky. The fact that you can discover new flavors again and again means that this dram will be the perfect companion for the evenings of many a whisky lover.