The Copper Still Hums

Issue No. 69 — June 3, 2026

Your daily discovery of 8 exceptional wines and spirits

In This Issue

Bourbon Scotch Whisky Irish Whiskey Tequila Gin Rum Red Wine White Wine

Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Brand: Old Forester

Distillery: Brown-Forman Distillery

Proof: 93 (46.5% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Deep mahogany with garnet edges

MSRP: $55–$65

Mash Bill: 72% Corn, 18% Rye, 10% Malted Barley

Barrel Type: New charred American oak, then re-barreled into a lightly toasted new oak barrel

Nose: Rich dark chocolate and caramel dominate the first pass, followed by toasted pecans and a flicker of dried orange peel. Underneath, there's a persistent butterscotch sweetness layered over charred oak.

Palate: Dense and chewy, with cocoa nib and brown sugar up front. Baking spices — cinnamon and allspice — arrive mid-palate alongside a subtle leather note. The double-barreled treatment gives it a tannic grip unusual for its proof.

Finish: Long and warming, with lingering dark chocolate, toasted oak, and a faint trace of cherry. The char influence stays present through the final fade.

Bourbon Kit Aromas: Cocoa (Dark), Caramel, Butterscotch, Charred Oak, Cherry

The Verdict: Old Forester 1910 demonstrates what a second barrel entry can do: it deepens complexity without burying the distillery's signature fruity-spicy character. This is a bourbon that rewards patience and works beautifully neat. A strong value at its price point.

Classification: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Brand: Ardbeg

Distillery: Ardbeg Distillery

Proof: 108.4 (54.2% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Deep amber gold with copper highlights

MSRP: $80–$100

Region: Islay

Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley

Distillation: Double distilled in copper pot stills

Maturation: Ex-bourbon barrels and oloroso sherry butts

Cask Type: Ex-bourbon and oloroso sherry

Peat Level (PPM): ~55 ppm

Chill-Filtered: Non-chill filtered

Nose: A dramatic collision of maritime peat smoke and sherry sweetness. Dark chocolate, espresso, and dried figs emerge beneath the smoky curtain. A few drops of water reveal Christmas cake and a whiff of iodine.

Palate: Intensely layered — smoky bacon, raisined malt, and black treacle fight for attention in the best possible way. The cask strength delivery amplifies everything without tipping into harshness. There's a surprising floral note, almost like rosewater, that appears mid-palate.

Finish: Extraordinarily long. Peat smoke, dark cocoa, and dried fruit linger for minutes. A medicinal, tarry quality emerges at the very end, grounding the sweetness.

Whisky Kit Aromas: Peaty, Smoky, Dried Fruit, Cocoa (Dark), Floral (Rosewater), Medicinal

The Verdict: Uigeadail is one of the great arguments for marrying peated malt with sherry casks. The interplay between smoke and fruit is endlessly rewarding, and the cask strength bottling lets the drinker find their own balance with water. An essential Islay experience.

Classification: Single Malt Irish Whiskey

Brand: Teeling

Distillery: Teeling Whiskey Distillery

Proof: 92 (46% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Bright gold with amber tones

MSRP: $45–$60

Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley

Distillation: Triple distilled in copper pot stills

Maturation: Five different wine cask types: sherry, port, Madeira, white Burgundy, Cabernet Sauvignon

Chill-Filtered: Non-chill filtered

Nose: Tropical fruit — pineapple and mango — lead confidently, backed by vanilla and a gentle waft of clove spice. There's an underlying nuttiness, like toasted hazelnuts, and a faint herbaceous quality that hints at the wine cask maturation.

Palate: Silky and medium-bodied. Stone fruit and honey coat the tongue, followed by a warming clove and white pepper kick. The influence of five different wine cask finishes creates a kaleidoscopic sweetness that never becomes cloying.

Finish: Medium-long, with dried apricot, subtle oak tannins, and a final wisp of dark cocoa. Clean and balanced.

Whiskey Kit Aromas: Clove Spice, Honey, Vanilla, Nut (Hazelnut), Cocoa (Dark)

The Verdict: Teeling's Single Malt is a showcase for creative cask management. The five wine cask finishes could easily result in chaos, but instead they produce a harmonious, fruit-forward whiskey that retains grain character. Bottled at 46% without chill filtration, it's honest and well-made.

Classification: Extra Añejo Tequila

Brand: Tequila Ocho

Distillery: Destilería Tequila Ocho (La Alteña)

Proof: 80 (40% ABV)

Age: 3-Year

Color: Deep burnished copper

MSRP: $120–$150

Agave: 100% Blue Weber Agave, single estate (Rancho El Bajío, 2018 vintage)

Cooking Method: Slow-roasted in brick ovens, roller mill extraction, natural fermentation with well water yeast, double distilled in copper pot stills

NOM: NOM 1474

Additives Free: Yes

Nose: Rich caramel and toasted oak lead, with roasted agave and butterscotch beneath. There's a distinct note of cinnamon bark and dried mango, plus a faint trace of tobacco leaf that signals extended barrel time.

Palate: Full-bodied and elegant. Cooked agave remains present despite three years of oak, joined by vanilla custard, dark chocolate, and a savory black pepper note. The texture is almost oily, coating the mouth with layered sweetness and spice.

Finish: Long and contemplative. Oak tannins and caramel fade slowly, leaving behind a final impression of roasted agave and warm cinnamon.

Tequila Kit Aromas: Agave (Cooked), Caramel, Oak, Cinnamon, Vanilla, Tobacco

The Verdict: Tequila Ocho's Extra Añejo proves that extended aging doesn't have to erase agave character. The 2018 single-estate vintage delivers terroir transparency even through three years of American oak. This is a sipping tequila of the highest order, balancing barrel influence with the distillery's trademark field-driven identity.

Classification: Cask Rested Gin

Brand: Hayman's

Distillery: Hayman's Distillery

Proof: 82.2 (41.1% ABV)

Age: NAS (3 weeks rested)

Color: Pale straw gold

MSRP: $30–$40

Style: Cask Rested London Dry

Botanicals: Juniper, coriander, angelica root, cassia bark, orris root, nutmeg, orange peel, lemon peel, cinnamon

Base Spirit: English Wheat Neutral Grain Spirit

Distillation: One-shot distillation in copper pot stills

Nose: Juniper leads clearly, with a honeyed warmth from the brief cask rest. Coriander seed and cassia bark provide spice, while gentle vanilla and a whisper of orris root add floral depth.

Palate: The oak contact broadens the gin's mouthfeel without overwhelming the botanicals. Juniper remains the star, supported by citrus peel, angelica, and a subtle nutmeg warmth. There's a pleasing roundness absent from standard London Drys.

Finish: Medium, with lingering juniper, a touch of vanilla, and a faint cinnamon-like warmth from the cassia bark.

Gin Kit Aromas: Juniper (Pine), Coriander, Cassia Bark, Vanilla, Orris Root

The Verdict: Hayman's Cask Rested Gin sits at an interesting intersection — too botanical to be a whiskey, too rounded to be a classic London Dry. The three-week rest in Scotch casks adds just enough warmth and texture to make this a compelling neat sipper and an unconventional cocktail base. A bridge spirit worth exploring.

Classification: Rhum Agricole Vieux

Brand: Rhum J.M

Distillery: Distillerie J.M

Proof: 84 (42% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Rich amber with tawny edges

MSRP: $45–$55

Base Ingredients: Fresh-pressed sugarcane juice (AOC Martinique)

Distillation: Distilled in copper column still

Nose: Fresh sugarcane and grassy agricole funk meet caramel and dried tropical fruits. There's a pleasant oakiness and subtle vanilla, with a hint of banana that nods to the rhum's fermentation character.

Palate: Medium-bodied with a distinctive agricole backbone — vegetal, bright, and energetic. Toffee and oak spice arrive mid-palate, supported by dried mango and a suggestion of roasted coffee. The texture has a pleasant oiliness.

Finish: Medium-long, with lingering oak tannins, molasses sweetness, and a final flash of white pepper spice. The agricole grassiness stays present throughout.

Rum Kit Aromas: Agricole, Caramel, Tropical Fruits, Oak, Toffee, Banana

The Verdict: Cuvée 1845 is an excellent entry into aged Martinique rhum agricole. It balances the category's signature grassy vitality with enough barrel influence to appeal to whiskey drinkers, without surrendering its terroir-driven identity. A versatile bottle — equally at home in a Ti' Punch as it is sipped neat.

Classification: Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC

Brand: Domaine du Vieux Donjon

ABV: 15%

Primary Varietal: Grenache

Blend: 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre

Vineyards: Various parcels across Châteauneuf-du-Pape, vines averaging 60+ years old

Maturation: Destemmed, fermented in concrete, aged in large oak foudres for 18 months

Color: Deep garnet with violet rim

MSRP: $45–$60

Nose: Dark cherry and blackcurrant lead, wrapped in dried herbs and a hint of sun-warmed garrigue. There's a floral lift — violet and rose — and a subtle meaty, gamey quality that speaks to the terroir's galettes of sun-baked stones.

Palate: Full-bodied but never heavy. Ripe berry fruit is framed by fine-grained tannins and a cedar-like spice from careful élevage. Mid-palate, mint and rosemary appear alongside a savory undertow. The warmth of the 2020 vintage is well-managed.

Finish: Long and layered, with cherry, toasted herbs, and a mineral persistence that carries the wine well beyond the last sip.

Wine Kit Aromas: Cherry, Blackcurrant, Violet, Gamey, Cedar, Mint

The Verdict: Vieux Donjon is one of Châteauneuf's best-kept secrets — a traditionally made wine from old vines that consistently punches above its price. The 2020 vintage channels the appellation's sun-soaked power while maintaining freshness and drinkability. This will age gracefully for a decade or more, but it's already singing.

Classification: Vouvray AOC Pétillant

Brand: Domaine Huët

ABV: 12.5%

Primary Varietal: Chenin Blanc

Blend: 100% Chenin Blanc

Vineyards: Le Haut-Lieu, Le Mont, Clos du Bourg — various parcels

Vinification: Whole-cluster pressing, primary fermentation in large oak, traditional method secondary fermentation in bottle, extended lees aging

Color: Pale gold with fine, persistent bubbles

MSRP: $25–$35

Nose: Green apple and white flowers dominate, with a chalky mineral undercurrent from the tuffeau limestone soils. Hints of honey and marzipan add complexity, alongside a subtle toasty quality from bottle aging on lees.

Palate: Delicate mousse with a racy, citrus-driven acidity. The mid-palate delivers honeyed orchard fruit — pear and apple — and a faint gooseberry note. The minerality is pronounced, almost saline, giving the wine a real sense of place.

Finish: Crisp and refreshing, with lingering green apple, a whisper of mint, and a chalky, stony persistence that invites the next sip.

Wine Kit Aromas: Apple (Green), Honey, Marzipan, Citrus (Generic), Toasted, Gooseberry

The Verdict: Huët's Pétillant is one of the Loire's great values — biodynamically farmed Chenin Blanc with more complexity than many Champagnes at twice the price. The gentler pétillant mousse lets the terroir and fruit shine without the distraction of aggressive bubbles. An ideal aperitif or oyster wine.

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Robert R. Mohr, CPA, CGMA, WSET Level 3, WSG Certified Spirits Specialist — author of America's Spirit, Scotland's Spirit, Ireland's Spirit, The Ultimate Northern Italian Wine Journey, The Tequila y Mezcal Revolution, The Definitive Pocket Guide to Chablis, The Definitive Pocket Guide to the Côte d'Or, and Strategic Tuning. Published author of the Aroma Academy Tequila/Mezcal and Distiller's training kits.

The Still & The Vine is a daily publication of the School of Wine and Spirits.

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