BENJAMIN KUENTZ SPICY NOUBA

Also Read Maison Benjamin Kuentz

UISCE DE PROFUNDIS

AVEUX GOURMANDS

AUX PARTICULES VINES # 2

 

I told you, a while ago, that the Charente distilleries were certainly promised to a great future and tended to awaken the blenders (notably with the "new" Charente whisky distillery, FONTAGARD, see here the article on the subject).

 

A good example of this craze is the work of the "French John Glaser" Benjamin KUENTZ on his two new series: VEGETAL MUSETTE and especially SPICY NOUBA (which I propose to taste today). 

 

It didn't take long for this talent-spotting experimenter to go and have a look around Cognac, he who never hesitates to get wet and try some sometimes surprising and above all unusual ageing. We remember his UISCE DE PROFONDIS (aged under the sea that I tasted for you a short time ago -ici-).

 

We will see here that these two new bottles (bigger than usual by the way) are also surprising.

 

So what kind of treatment has been reserved for our Charentes whiskies? 

 

 

On the one hand, we will have a whisky as fresh as a spring morning, aged according to its mysterious origins in the region, in cognac casks for 3 years: the freshness and morning vigour of VEGETAL MUSETTE.

 

On the other hand, the heat of a late summer afternoon with spices with a whisky coming directly from the FONTAGARD distillery and also aged in cognac casks but with a surprising and unusual finish: casks of Italian Vermouth and ginger brandy: the roundness, the fruitiness and the spices of SPICY NOUBA.

 

This is the one I suggest you discover!

 


SPICY NOUBA review

The youth of SPICY NOUBA gives it a fairly light golden colour but with some more pronounced reflections.

 

When the nose enters the glass, it will discover sweet aromas that become warmer and warmer.

 

At first, the nose will be fresh but very fruity. One finds the "Fontagardian" CGNC scent (see here the article on the subject). Nevertheless, it will then release a hint of peat smoke (very pleasant) and already some spices.

 

In the second passage, the spices become more and more marked with ginger and pepper. Then come some very sweet notes of ripe peach.

 

The third passage picks up a few degrees of temperature and even more sugar. Notes of melon emerge, making it sweet and mellow. At the end, the nose is wrapped up in a residue of peat smoke and vanilla.

 

In the palm of the hand we detect a mixture of smoke and fruit.

 

In the mouth it is soft and sweet.

 

The tasting begins with notes of sweet yellow fruit. This is followed by a very slight pungent sensation which then softens towards velvet.

 

Then comes the spices that call on the tip of the tongue (ginger) and then spread out over this velvet. They warm up the mouth but are counterbalanced by a peaty touch that brings back the freshness.

 

The finish is long and will bring back its spices in the mouth when in the throat will appear a taste of apple and more surprisingly of gentian!

 

The Nuba in the throat in a way!