Blo Nardini 15 year old Grappa 50%
Tasted: June 2008
A classic decaying rose petal nose with citrus, lemon and apricot. Quiet fruity/ squishy in actual fact with herbs, grapes and leafy mint. Soft-ish (for grappa!) on the palate with rose petals, doughy banana, straw, farmyards and apricot. Extremely spicy – pure cinnamon sticks. Good length but a touch cloying. With water the nose becomes a bit plasticy and the palate becomes a lot more sugary – sweet and extremely cloying now.
Domenis Grappa – Friulana 45%
100% Friulana/ Tasted: Sept 2014
The aromas are raw and manurey with a distinct straw-like pungency and raw plant-pulp character. Beneath is a light perfumed note.
The palate is light but pungent. Again distinctly straw-like, but not quite as raw as the nose would suggest. Young and oily with a hints of perfumed grape in the finish.
Domenis Grappa – Storica 50%
Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Friulana/ Tasted: Sept 2014
Pungent, raw, straw-like and manurey. Quite similar in character to the 100% Friulana bottling.
The palate is a touch sweeter and softer with a pleasant creaminess which sort of balances the earthy, edgy, straw-like notes. Long and continuing quite sweet and creamy with a perfumed Turkish delight-esque after-taste.
Domenis Grappa – Storica Nera 50%
Merlot and Cabernet/ Tasted: Sept 2014
Very pungent and grapey aromas of straw-like black fruits and pepper.
The palate is soft and a little jammy with a greater depth of black fruit which make it feel less raw. Again straw-like with a good nutty and spicy finish.
Domenis Grappa – Stravecchi Cinque 50%
Red and white grapes aged for a minimum of 5 years/ Tasted: Sept 2014
Now this is a lovely nose! Full of soft fruit – pineapple, apricot and black berry. Aging has removed the majority of the rawness and straw-like notes of the other bottlings. Pleasantly sweet if a little jammy with late spice, honey and subtle wood notes.
The palate is soft and honeyed. Again the black fruits are a little jammy but that sweetness balances the light straw notes. Earthy with plenty of warm spice on the middle, with the oak definitely softening and taking the edge of the spirit. Long, slightly perfumed finish.
Domenis Grappa Riserva Dieci 50%
Red and white grapes aged for 5 years in oak before being finished for 3 years in stainless steel tanks.
Tasted: Sept 2014
The nose has a lovely, soft pungency. Plenty of oak notes greet the nose along with duty spices. The oak is balanced by the depth of dried red and white fruit, liquorice and bitter chocolate. Give it some time in the glass and the spirit comes through with an almost whisky-like demeanour.
Soft and very fruity on the palate with slightly jammy, plumy black fruit, straw and citrus (orange). Some seriously bitter dark chocolate and pepper balances the fruit sweetness as the oak arrives. Although the oak does dry the finish a little it continues to add hints of clove and more pepper! Very warming finish with just a touch of perfumed Turkish delight in the after-taste. Oh and pepper!
Whisky According to Chris Whiskyman 