Milk & Honey 3 Year Old 2017 Sherry Cask Goren’s Whisky

Okay, this is something special, because although an official release of the Milk & Honey distillery, it comes in a completely different type of bottle (and one that is usually used for very exclusive Japanese whisky, but this aside). It is an exclusive selection of the master distiller from Tel Aviv, Tomer Goren. The series – which was given the name Goren's Whisky – currently contains two releases: a sherry cask and an STR cask. We start with the sherry cask, because it is slightly less high in alcohol.

Wow! The influence of the sherry is enormous. All kinds of dark fruit with plums and dates in the lead. This might as well have been an Aberlour a'bunadh or GlenDronach single cask . And yet... M&H's DNA does its utmost to pierce through it. But it barely works. Molded wood, origin chocolate, beef jerky and rubber boots. Very sweet with a funky edge. And absolutely amazing.

A big taste bomb, indeed. Firm start with all kinds of herbs such as nutmeg, cloves and chili pepper that mask the dark fruit a bit and even give a light drying effect to the malt, but that does not alter the fact that I again get a lot of dates and even candied cherries. It makes my mouth all warm. But admittedly, I don't get anything from the distillery character anymore.

The finish starts sweet, then goes through a spicy detour to gently drying, but is very satisfying, albeit slightly alcoholic.

What particularly intrigues me is the fact that this malt is only three years old and already so round and rich. Maybe I should add Tel Aviv to my bucket list to discover the climate there.