Stauning Bastard Danish Rye Whisky (700ml)

This three year old rye sees a six month finishing in x-mezcal casks. Initially shy, the nose has an almost floral-grassy quality, developing with cocoa and a vague fruitiness. At first sip, the malted rye and barley provide a mouthfeel and taste that suggests a single malt. The character of the grain gains momentum as buttered dark rye bread with a spiciness typical of the genre. Pickled ginger, wasabi heat and suggestions of dried herbs and wood smoke complete the finish. Almost as delicious as it is difficult to classify. 46.3% Alc./Vol.

Other reviews... a great fusion of herbal and spice aromas on the nose, with a touch of cinnamon, almond shells, rye bread, and a gentle smoky haze. Full of hedonistic pleasures, this is sweet but not fruity, with cinnamon, an intensity of rye spices, and more direct mezcal influences and long-lasting flavors. 92 points - whiskyadvocate.com

...Wie bitte, what bastard? Can you, in non-Japanese whisky, bear the name of a distillery and yet be a bastard? In any case, this is 70% malted rye and 30% malted barley, aged in deep-charred casks, and finished in… drumroll please… Mezcal! So yeah, an utter bastard… Colour: gold. Nose: right, perhaps a little too much. You do get the agave-y smells, which are always extremely singular, and you get that rich floral fruitiness that you could find in some young American ryes. Violets, lavender, sour peaches, then moist high-honey gingerbread, more gingerbread, even more gingerbread, a cartload of gingerbread… And tequila! Not too sure, but good fun. Mouth: this is almost tweaked aquavit, almost a real shamble... So, ginger wine, tonic, tequila, lavender, rye bread, gingerbread (you bet), beech smoke, pink pepper… Finish: rather long, round and yet fruity and spicy, with more sweet 'ex-char' vanilla. Comments: we've heard Diageo were doing stuff with whisky and tequila, but it is the first time I'm encountering such an UFW (unidentified flying whisky). Now, doesn't Stauning Distillery kind of belong to Diageo? That may explain why this is all a little 'hipstery'. 83 points - whiskyfun.com