Read about it here - we taste test whisky from Israel. Yes, you read that right; Israel. Did you even know that Israel produces whisky? We didn't until recently! Can you even make decent whisky in a country where the temperature in summer is over 30 degrees and in winter it doesn't drop below 15 degrees? In Scotland, they rarely have many days above 20 degrees, so the maturation in wooden casks is likely to give a completely different character - or is it? It's a very good question, and this time we're tasting whisky from the Milk & Honey (M&H) distillery located in Tel Aviv in western Israel bordering the Mediterranean Sea.
M&H make different types of whiskies that all fit into one of their ranges. They have a classic single malt that has been aged in bourbon casks and STR red wine casks, which gives a light and balanced character to their whisky. In addition, they have their Elements series, which is their classic whisky that is complimented with whisky from specially selected quality casks. These are either sherry casks, red wine casks or peated casks. This blend makes for a well-balanced single malt whisky. We have tasted their classic single malt as well as all three in their Elements series. Here is our tasting experience:
M&H Classic single malt, 46%
In the aroma, there are clear notes of sweetness from bourbon barrels that come through. There are also notes of vanilla and a hint of cinnamon spice. On the palate, there are classic whisky notes with hints of vanilla, oak and dried fruits. Very smooth and easy drinking. The taste does not suggest that it is only a three-year-old whisky, but is reminiscent of an older whisky. Perhaps this is due to the higher temperatures in Israel, which causes the whisky to mature faster? In the aftertaste, there are the same notes just as the whisky lands on the tongue that linger for a while. All in all, a very easy-drinking traditional whisky with classic whisky characteristics.
M&H Elements Red wine, 46%
This whisky has notes of ripe plums and light citrus in the aroma. On the tongue, this is a very smooth whisky with fruity notes, light sweetness, ginger and oak character. You get a tingling sensation on the tongue after the whisky has landed. In the aftertaste, there is a vinous dryness that takes over as the flavor slowly disappears.
M&H Elements Sherry, 46%
The color of the whisky is a light brownish hue with a reddish/orange
tinge. When smelling the whisky, there is a mild aroma with notes of a slight fruity sweetness, ripe plums/cherries and hints of vanilla and oak. Despite the mild scent, the whisky is full-bodied when it hits the tongue. Overall, very elegant and balanced.
The
notes of ripe berries and honey slowly take over the taste palette, followed by a chocolatey taste at the end.
M&H Elements Peated, 46%
The color of the whisky is reminiscent of unripe chestnuts in a light brownish hue. Unlike the first three, you can smell that this is a peated version. A mild smoke hits the nose, which, along with the classic whisky characteristics, makes you want to taste it immediately. The same light smoke comes through on the palate with hints of sea salt and a mild citrus sensation. This light smoke and citrus lingers in the aftertaste. The overall light smoke and smoothness makes this a good whisky for the inexperienced whisky connoisseur in the smoke area, or for those who like mild smoke notes.
In addition to the above whiskies, M&H has their APEX series, which are experimental and innovative bottlings that have been aged in unique casks. These include finishes in casks such as tequilla, pomegranate wine and orange wine. Their APEX series also has a branch of single cask bottlings that are only made in limited numbers. For other limited edition whiskies, H&M also releases an Art & Craft series, which are some of the distillery's most exceptional quality casks that are only released in very limited numbers. Most unusual of all, they also have a whisky that has been aged more than 400 meters below the water level in the dead sea, where temperatures can be as high as 50 degrees Celsius!
This
must be a maturation of a very special kind!
Overall, these are very light and elegant whiskies that would not be considered to be as young as they are. Whether this is due to the warm climate or simply because the distillery is on to something is anyone's guess. Their classic whisky and their Element peated are both very balanced and give a good impression of what unsmoked and smoked whisky is. They will therefore be perfect for the whisky connoisseur who is not into the smoky islay whiskies, or for the newbie smoker who is experimenting with what smoked whisky is. The Element range also offers the opportunity to try their sherry and red wine cask-aged whiskies for a more complete taste experience. We're excited to try more of their bottlings in the future.
