Guillon Louvois ‘Le Single Malt’ 46%
Bourbon – Maury/ Tasted: Nov 2007
Crisp and fresh, fern like aromas. It’s edgy and oily with hard barley, tobacco and earth. It has a foxy, sort of Baco 22a (the weird and wonderful hybrid grape of Armagnac) quality. There is some malt and a slightly floral winey orange top note.
On the palate it is oily and foxy, resembling the characteristics of a good quality marc. A lovely purity with a bitter chocolate and slightly winey middle. The finish is pure unsugared custard with that ferny/ tobacco/ foxiness returning on the finish. The spirit is around 5 years and although not perfect I think it shows a great deal of promise. Fancy something different? Oui Monsieur!!!
Guillon Louvois ‘Le Single Malt’ 43%
Bourbon – Meursault/ Tasted: Nov 2007
After the 46% bottling this is a big disappointment and seems to be a bit un-integrated. The nose is winey and marc like with rose petals, and a very unpleasant whiff of vinyl/ rubber/ plastic, which is off putting to say the least!
The palate is not much better. Initially it is quiet sweet and winey, with the marc like rose petal noticeable along with spice and a very fleeting peat note. It is definitely lacking in balance, it is cloyingly sweet like sugar candy dissolved in rose water and Turkish delight!
Whisky According to Chris Whiskyman 