Words by: Simon Difford

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Midleton Barry Crocket Legacy Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

46% alc./vol.
Producer: Midleton Distillery

Named after the second generation master distiller, Barry Crockett, Legacy is a single pot still Irish whiskey aged 10-22 years mostly in first-fill ex-bourbon casks, with some whiskey matured in unseasoned virgin American oak casks also introduced to the blend. Bottled without chill filtration.

Barry Crocket was master distiller at Midleton Distillery for over three decades before his retirement in March 2013. He was born in the Distiller's Cottage within the distillery grounds where his father, Max Crockett, was previously master distiller. Barry served as apprentice to his father, eventually succeeding him in 1981. Max handed over to his son and protégé at the time when the new Midleton Distillery was being commissioned. Similarly, 32 years later, Barry handed over to Brian Nation at a time when Midleton's new brew hall and still room was being commissioned.

Barry and his father before him did much to help shape Midleton so it's fitting that the Crockett name sits proudly on this excellent single pot still Irish whiskey. In Barry's own words "this delivers the full expectation of what people would have had in relation to pot still whiskey from the Midleton Distillery."

Appearance: (bottle N0. 003543 MSPS.11) Clear, bright golden.
Aroma: Inviting and delicate. New leather, cedar wood, toast and vanilla with acacia honey, dried apricot, cocao, lime zest and honeysuckle blossom. Water teases out more fruity aromas.
Taste: This graceful yet characterful whiskey is light to medium bodied and delicately spicy with cinnamon and white peppery oak which balances sweet vanilla, ripe orchard and boiled sweet fruit. Notes of lime zest, doughy bread crust, cacao and warm woody flavours.
Aftertaste: Medium length finish with rich vanilla and dried apricot balanced by elegant oak and delicate spice. A truly lovely and very knowledgably man suitably honoured by a fabulous whiskey.
diffordsguide rating: 5+/5

Bigallet Le Grand Tetras Genepi Liqueur

40% alc./vol.
Producer: Bigallet SAS

Génépi Grand Tetras is flavoured by infusing and distilling sprigs of the wild plant Génépi Artemisia Mutuellina, which grows above 2000 metres in the Alps. The Bigallet Distillery itself lies an the foothills of the Alps.

Appearance: Clear, pale golden.
Aroma: Anise, piney juniper/Christmas tree in a warm room and delicate vanilla.
Taste: Complex and herbal with strong black pepper spice, lemon zest and subtle aniseed. There's a smoothing leathery buttery note which is amplified with a slash of water. Balanced rather than sweet.
Aftertaste: Peppery finish with light lingering anise freshness.
diffordsguide rating: 4/5

Williams Chase Single Botanical Gin (Chase Juniper Vodka)

40% alc./vol.
Producer: Chase Distillery

Is it a single botanical gin? Or is it a juniper flavoured vodka? The answer - it's both. So appropriately one side of the bottle is labelled "Limited Edition Chase Juniper Vodka" while the other side is labelled "Williams Chase Single Botanical Gin. Perhaps it's just bi-polar?

Like other Chase vodkas, and indeed gins, this is based on potato spirit distilled at Chase's family-owned farm distillery from potatoes grown on the farm. The juniper berries which flavour this gin (not, incidentally, from the farm) are distilled in the farm's copper gin still with the potato spirit. Limited edition of 1,000 bottles.

Appearance: (First batch, bottle no 908 of 1000) Crystal clear.
Aroma: Clean and fresh - even freshening, leathery eucalyptus with delicate piney spice.
Taste: Clean, eucalyptus, lavender, camphor, pine and faint overripe banana garnished with mild black pepper.
Aftertaste: Pine and cleansing cracked black pepper.
diffordsguide rating: 5/5

Debowa Vodka

40% alc./vol.
Producer: Debowa Distillery

Dębowa, pronounced 'Dem-Bov-A', means 'oak' in Polish and appropriately the bottle depicts a mature oak tree and contains a thin slither of oak. Some bottles even come encased in oak with an oak screw cap.

Appearance: (produced 24-Oct-12) Crystal clear.
Aroma: Clean but characterful with subtle burnt toast, faint oaky vanilla and delicate spice.
Taste: There's a creamy mouthfeel to this very slightly sweet vodka, which like the nose, has a toasty bready character with delicate oaky vanilla and black pepper spice.
Aftertaste: Slightly nutty bready finish with subdued black pepper spice.
diffordsguide rating: 5+/5

Bigallet Thyme Liqueur

35% alc./vol.
Producer: Bigallet SAS

Made by the slow maceration and distillation of thyme sprigs in beet neutral alcohol.

Appearance: Clear, pale straw golden.
Aroma: Wonderfully fresh and fragrant thyme.
Taste: Powerful thyme herbal flavours with enlivening spicy freshness, yet silky and smoothing.
Aftertaste: Long herbal thyme finish with lingering piney freshness.
diffordsguide rating: 5+/5

Malibu Red Liqueur

29.9% alc./vol.
Producer: Pernod Ricard Espana SA

A white rum and Olmeca tequila-based coconut-flavoured liqueur launched as an extension to the Malibu range in March 2012.

Appearance: Crystal clear.
Aroma: Vanilla, milky chocolate, mocha coffee and subtle tequila.
Taste: Creamy, sweet, latte coffee and vanilla ice-cream with drying earthy tequila.
Aftertaste: Lightly spiced peppery tequila bite with hefty creamy vanilla and caffe latte.
diffordsguide rating: 4.5/5

Giffard Crème de Cacao White Liqueur

25% alc./vol.
Producer: Giffard & Cie

This clear, chocolate-flavoured liqueur is made with distillates of cocoa beans, a fourth generation family-owned and -run liqueur producer in France's Loire Valley.

Appearance: Crystal clear.
Aroma: Although this liqueur is clear its pungent nose is of cacao powder and dark chocolate with slight biscuity influence.
Taste: Slightly syrupy and sweet with cacao and chocolate biscuit (Bourbon biscuits).
Aftertaste: Dark chocolate and coffee.
diffordsguide rating: 4.5/5

Giffard Crème de Cacao Brown Liqueur

25% alc./vol.
Producer: Giffard & Cie

This chocolate-flavoured liqueur is made with distillates of cocoa beans by Giffard & Cie, a fourth generation family-owned and -run liqueur producer in France's Loire Valley.

Appearance: Cloudy, deep brown with shades of amber.
Aroma: Cocoa beans, chocolate and vanilla. (Not nearly as intense as Giffard's White Crème de Cacao.)
Taste: Cocoa beans, coffee and chocolate with some vanilla. Creamy rather than syrupy mouthfeel and superbly sugar to bitter chocolate balance with faint black pepper spice. Far more flavoursome than the relatively closed nose would suggest.
Aftertaste: Medium length coffee, cocoa bean and dark chocolate finish.
diffordsguide rating: 4.5/5

Giffard Cassis Noir de Bourgogne Liqueur

20% alc./vol.
Producer: Giffard & Cie

Part of Giffard's Premium liqueur range, this cassis liqueur is made by the slow maceration of 'Noir de Bougogne' blackcurrants in neutral alcohol. The complexity and depth of flavour is increased by the addition of an infusion of cassis buds.

Appearance: Clear, deep burgundy red with shades of purple.
Aroma: Alluring, pungent blackcurrant fruit with green notes and faint woodiness.
Taste: Rich and at the same time wonderfully tart. Intense and indulgent sweetened ripe blackberry fruit with balancing tartness and faint woody tannins.
Aftertaste: Long, lingering berry fruit with green tart notes.
diffordsguide rating: 5+/5

Giffard Creme Fruit de la Passion Liqueur

16% alc./vol.
Producer: Giffard & Cie

A fruit crème made from concentrated passion fruit juice by Giffard & Cie, a fourth generation family-owned and run liqueur producer in France's Loire Valley.

Appearance: Clear, antique gold with shades of orange.
Aroma: Clean, pungent passion fruit flesh with note of dried apricot.
Taste: Sweet and syrupy with strong fresh passion fruit flavours and jammy, boiled sweet notes. Balancing citric acidic bite.
Aftertaste: Lingering citric acidity with fading passion fruit.
diffordsguide rating: 4/5

Giffard Mangalore d'Epices et de Piment Liqueur

40% alc./vol.
Producer: Giffard & Cie

Inspired by India and its spices, this liqueur is flavoured with cinnamon, cardamom and chili by Giffard & Cie. Named after the port city of Mangalore, situated at the union of the Netravathi and Gurpur Rivers in the west coast of southern India. Known as Mangalapura in the local Tulu language, Mangalore derives its origin from the temple of Mangaladevi, dedicated to the Goddess Mangaladevi.

Appearance: Clear, light scarlet red.
Aroma: Spicy, floral and herbaceous with pimento, orange zest, cinnamon and black pepper being most obvious.
Taste: Immediate aggressive chilli heat, cracked black pepper and cinnamon spice with pimento.
Aftertaste: Pronounced cinnamon and cardamom with lingering chilli heat and black pepper spice. Consider using in place of fresh chillies in cocktails - delivers far more predicable heat. Not easy to appreciate neat.
diffordsguide rating: 4/5

Giffard Creme de Rose Liqueur

16% alc./vol.
Producer: Giffard & Cie

Giffard & Cie, a fourth generation family-owned and run producer in France's Loire Valley, make this liqueur made from the slow maceration of rose and natural rose extracts in beet neutral alcohol.

Appearance: Clear, orange pink with slight terracotta shades.
Aroma: Floral rose blossom -rose water scents with grannie's talcum powder.
Taste: Sweet but well balanced with clean rose blossom and very delicate spice.
Aftertaste: Fairly long finish is a continuation of the palate.
diffordsguide rating: 4.5/5