Edition Alpstein XIV - Dolç de Mendoza Finish (48%abv)

THE ALPSTEIN SERIES (48% VOL.)
The cellars in which Säntis Malt matures can be found at the foot of the Alpstein. Every cask is an individual rarity full of character and is carefully selected by the master distiller. When it is first laid down in the oak beer casks seeped in history, the whisky ­obtains its award-winning quality. The finish follows in a bourbon, port, sherry, wine or other special cask The whisky is produced as a continuous, limited «Edition Alpstein».

 
Currently: Alpstein XIV

Maturation: 5 years in oak wood beer casks
Finish: 2 years in Dolç de Mendoza barriques (red sweet-wine)
Alc.: 48% vol.
Limited: 2200 bottles à 50cl

Maturing or finishing in sweetwine barrels is a well established instrument for the aromatic development of whiskies. Most of the past thirteen bottlings of the Alpstein-series are the best example for that. However, everything has changed with the 14^th bottling! For the first time not the at this point known barrels were used. Previously utilising sherry and port barrels, it now features barrels previously used for Dolç de Mendoza sweet wine from Alicante.

The brewery and distillery sitting in the heart of Appenzell has made good experiences with the barrels of the prized vineyard Mendoza on the west coast of Spain previously. This was openly proven with the whisky of the Whisky-Trek-series, which was matured in the same barrels. The whisky, which is exclusively available in the visitor’s centre of the brewery, quickly turned out to be a fan-favourite of the complete series.

As previously done with all the bottlings of the Alpstein-edition, this whisky was matured for five years in traditional beer casks, to then move on and receive a two year long finish in the Spanish sweet wine barrels from Alicante. A total of 2’200 bottles were produced.

Colour: glistening copper with golden traces

Nose: apple peel, pear peel, sponge cake, spicy-sweet with wine, a little herbal in the notion of freshly dried hay, rum-raisins,  vanilla, candied orange peel, cocktail-cherries, dried plums as well as plum purée, a very soft beer-note in the background

Palate: roast aromas and dried pear, spicy like nutmeg, tonka bean and cardamom, vanilla and a few cloves, dark chocolate filled with plum jam and marzipan

Finish: warm and spicy, satisfyingly mouth-warming, especially in the centre of the tongue a warm spot is established, during this a silky, smooth feeling is developed

Comment: This whisky has an extraordinary complexity, one never before witnessed in this intensity in a bottling of Alpstein.

march 2018 / Julia Nourney

About the winery "Pepe Mendoza"

The oenologist Pepe Mendoza is a perfectionist, a true quality fanatic. He works exclusively with his own, natural yeast strains. His red wines are neither polished nor filtered. He leaves the wines enough time to mature and to clarify themselves. It is only marketed when quality and drinking quality meet Pepes highest demands. Pepe Mendoza was rightly chosen in 2000 as one of the top five winemakers in Spain.

About his sweet wine "Dolc de mendoza"

Dolç de Mendoza is a natural sweet wine produced from Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Pinot Noir grapes. The grapes come from the vineyards of the winery located on the location El Chaconero in the village Cabezo de la Virgen, in Villena. Dolç de Mendoza is made only in very special vintages, as it is necessary that the grapes are especially healthy so that they survive the overripe well before they are harvested in the first week of December. After harvesting, the grapes are squeezed and stalked to be filled in stainless steel tanks where the fermentation takes place. The yeast then converts the sugar into alcohol and thus the must is fermented up to an alcohol content of 14%. Due to the high alcohol content, a large part of the yeast already dies before and so remains in the wine exactly the right degree of alcohol and residual sugar. Then it is bottled in new oak barrels made of American oak to refine the tannins and give it roasted notes that are then noticeable in the finish. It is bottled without cooling and without clarification and so, after a while, a natural sediment can occur