Bastille 1789 Rare Whiskey NV / 750 ml.

Aged five to seven years in French oak, this smooth, elegant whisky offers bold, fruity aromatics, with just the faintest suggestion of smoke. On the palate, smoke is evident from the first sip, gentle but persistent, floating over vanilla and almond flavors. That long exhale of smoke continues into the fade, alongside a burst of dry cigar box spice and burnt orange peel.

Master distiller Jean-Marc Daucourt uses French wheat and malted barley in his distillations and ages his spirit in different woods, noticeably Limousin oak. The nose brings marmalade, newly unfurled bracken, sanded wood on a workshop bench, light pepper, dried apricot, and pineapple. It’s a well-balanced dram showing marmalade sweetness, fruit pastilles, lime zest, and ginger, which adds to the toasted, spicy tingle. The creamy mouthfeel concludes with the spices in retreat, leaving an orange hum. Some kind of wonderful.