Armorik, a French single malt whisky produced by Warenghem distillery. I must admit I have very little experience with their products.
This single malt is matured in a virgin Breton Oak cask, from locally grown wood.
Armorik 7 yo (50%, That Boutique-y Whisky Co. ‘World Series’ 2020, Batch #1, Breton oak cask)
Nose: virgin wood indeed, revolving around nutmeg and pepper with underlying notes of brioche and sweet apples. Hints of custard. Bready notes, subtle nuts. Light whiffs of pinewood and mint. The spirit seems quite rich and well-made, certainly on par with what they make in Scotland.
Mouth: again quite bready and malty, with the spices punching it up. A lot of nutmeg now, alongside menthol and a varnished, lightly perfumed woody note. Cardamom. Sour cherries. After that maple syrup, hints of plums, burnt cake and crème brûlée.
Finish: long, all about the wood spice now, with some dark chocolate in the end.
It’s always difficult to get the right balance between whisky and aromatic virgin oak. In this case the wood tips the scale in its favour. Available from Master of Malt for instance.