Langatun Old Bear 2009

Langatun is a Swiss whisky (Swissky?) with a long history. In 1857, Jakob Baumberger took over a small brewery in Langenthal (a village formerly known as Langatun). He started brewing and distilling there, quite a successful business that was taken over by his sons. They also ran a malting plant and a peat cutting activity.

I’m not sure why there was a gap after that, but in 2007, Jakob’s grandson Hans reignited the family tradition and started producing unpeated whisky (Langatun Old Deer), peated whisky (Langatun  Old Bear), whisky liqueur, rum, vodka, rye, bourbon and fruit spirits.

While Old Deer is matured in Chardonnay and Sherry casks, the peated Old Bear is aged in Châteauneuf-du-Pape red wine casks. We’re trying the cask strength version.

Langatun Old Bear 5 yo 2009 (62,3%, OB 2014, peated, Châteauneuf-du-Pape casks)

Nose: fresh wood, young but nice. Berry fruits and candied oranges. Honey. Clear smoke, but well integrated. A faint spiciness too.

Mouth: powerful, very sugary and very smoky now. Lots of caramel and candy sugar sweetness. Red berries, raspberry candy from the red wine casks, but also less impressive, plain winey notes. Sweet grape juice. Some tannins too. The peat stays stronger than on the nose.

Finish: long, a tad more bitter and herbal now, but still sweet and deeply smoked.

This Langatun Old Bear is a fairly simple, very sweet, but enjoyable whisky. The wine influence is just right. Around € 60.

Score: 84/100