Shelter Point Double Barreled 3rd Release French Oak
50% ABV - British Columbia, Canada
Nose: Red fruits, stone fruit (nectarine), and floral notes. It’s really clean, and not overly complex nor simplistic. No off flavours.
Taste: The flavours further develop into plums, more florals, wine notes, faint citrus, and black cherries - all surrounded by sweet, fruit spices. Great transition.
Finish: Although I think it enters on a sour note, the finish is all about baked fruit and spices. Slightly drying.
Shelter Point is hands down an amazing whisky producer. They are really making a name for themselves with the quality of spirit they put on shelves; it’s really cool to see them mentioned in personal "top Canadian whisky" lists and recommendations, and always spoken of in high regard. I’m lucky to live so close to the source and I’ve had opportunities to taste their spirits right from the first release – though still have to visit the distillery itself!
The Double Barreled series mark my favourite releases by Shelter Point - so far my only purchases too (excluding gifts)! Comparing this release, finished for 335 days in ex-Pinot Noir casks, with the previous release, that only spent 1993 hours, I actually prefer the shorter time length. At some point I’ll get around to doing a side-by-side, but, currently, the other bottle I have is sitting unopened.
This whisky, the third release in the series, is very easy to approach and the finishing puts a thick blanket of fruit sweetness overtop the house flavours. I think it could appease quite a range of spirits enthusiasts and it certainly doesn’t collect dust in stores. This is an easy recommendation and priced well in the market considering batch size.
And if anyone sees the first Double Barreled release - the ex-Blackberry Wine cask - please let me know! I don’t think that they can be found in the wild anymore, but a drample swap would be equally amazing…
Details: Aged 5.5 Years ex-Bourbon. Finished 335 Days ex-Pinot Noir (Quails’ Gate). Bottled in 2019. Bottle Number 1278 of 1554.
Tasting Notes (Official): Nose: A deep, rich berry jam with dark chocolate and vanilla. Stewed fruits, oak and rum raisins followed by a pick and mix of your favourite candy shop treats. Palate: Sweet, juicy stewed fruits with oak and cherry pie. Finish: A warm peppery finish with fruit and nuts.
Tasted 24 September 2019. (Posted 26 September 2019.)
