Secret Distillery

A Secret Speyside 2010 Elixir Distillers

A Speyside Distillery 2010 Elixir Distillers

Coldorak

Today’s review focuses on a single bottle, as, usually, we’re trying to review at least two at the same time, for comparison purposes. Coming from Elixir Distillers’ The Single Malts of Scotland range, it features a mystery Speyside distillery. As noted previously, distilleries often withhold permission for independent bottlers to use their brand names. This reluctance reflects a concern about independent bottlings, potentially outperforming official, high-volume releases and thereby affecting the distillery’s reputation. Consequently, independent bottlers frequently present their whiskies under anonymous or vague labels. In this case, the 2010 vintage labelled simply as ’A Speyside Distillery’ by Elixir Distillers invites speculation about its true origin.

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Two Calvados Swell de Spirits

Two Calvados From Swell de Spirits

Coldorak

Calvados is a brandy from the Normandy region of France, crafted from apples and sometimes pears. The spirit dates back to 1553, when the first known Norman distillation occurred. About 50 years later, the guild for cider distillation was created. Calvados got its protected name in 1942. The production of Calvados begins in the orchard, where cider apples, known for their richness in tannins, are harvested. Unlike regular apples, cider fruits are small. There are roughly 300 varieties of apples that Calvados producers can use. After harvest, the apples are mashed and pressed to extract the juice, which is then fermented into cider. This cider is then distilled to separate the alcohol from the water. Depending on the appellation, either a pot still or a column still is used for distillation. The resulting eau-de-vie is then aged in oak casks for a minimum of two years before being sold as Calvados. We review two Calvados from Swell de Spirits, a now well-known French independent bottler.

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