Banchereau Napoleon (8 years old) 40%
Tasted: Sept 2011
A pungent, almost peated nose – Oooh that’s good! The aromas are grippy and edgy with a lovely dried fruit rancio with hints of citrus and cinnamon. Delicate and elegant.
The soft oak shows first on the palate before some lovely subtle but edgy mineral laced dried fruit emerges on the middle. Vibrant and piquant, yet there are plenty of balancing oils. Again slightly whisk-like in its character with hints of violets and that earthy/ peaty note showing in the finish.
Banchereau XO (12 years old) 40%
Tasted: Sept 2011
A stunning nose! The aromas are very reminiscent of an old grain whisky, deep, earthy and luscious with seeped dried raisins and citrus rind. Superb complexity, extremely polished with hints of sweet spices, liquorice and oak.
The palate opens with some dense, luscious, sweet dried fruit with hints of nuts, liquorice, oak and mature honey. Very harmonious and complex. Stunning depth with the oak imparting a touch of bitter, peppery spice, however there is more than enough sweetness to balance that bitterness. Superb length and polished finish.
Banchereau Grande Champagne XO (25 years old) 40%
Tasted: Sept 2011
A seriously stunning nose! Subtle, yet deep and seriously polished. Gently spiced dried fruit is shot through with the most luxuriously lazy mature honey aromas imaginable, followed by yet more sweet spices and a slight menthol note. Very full but wonderfully balanced by some vibrant citrus notes.
Sumptuously smooth and mature on the palate. Seriously mouth-filling, liquid mature honey mingles with raisins, dried grape and hints of died coriander and cinnamon. There is a brief but intense mouth-watering middle before loads of sweet almond and vanilla notes arrive. Poised and balanced with a slight bitterness from the oak and hints of coffee/ hickory. Incredibly long with the sweet spices returning.
Banchereau Hors d’Age (40 year old) 40%
Tasted: Dec 2011
A clean and quite mineral laced nose of light toffee coated orange/ Satsuma along with hints of brown sugar and honey. A beautifully deep, yet delicate and elegant dried fruit rancio, which is supplemented by some sweet plum and date notes. Gentle cinnamon and light sandalwood float in along with a touch of perfume. A stunningly mellow, mature and rich nose.
Like the nose the palate open with a clean minerality, which gives a vibrant edge to the dried fruit as it mingles seamlessly with mature honey and alcohol soaked sultanas with a hint of citrus rind. Beautifully soft spices emerge on the middle. Extremely mouth filling but surprisingly light on its feet. Just like the Grande Champagne XO there is plenty of sweet almond and vanilla oak notes on the finish, but there is no bittering out of the finish as the warming, sweet semi-dried plum and cherry notes remerge as does the minerality. Wonderfully elegant and amazingly long.
Whisky According to Chris Whiskyman 