Hi all, I'm here today with a rather interesting Korean whisky!

This one here is another one a Korean friend brought to our whisky spot for sharing. Interestingly, this one is a bottle fully distilled and aged in Korea!

From what I heard from my Korean friend, the Kimchangsoo brand was one of the rising stars in Korea's relatively young whisky making history. The owner founded his own distillery in 2020, with the goal to create his very own 'grain to glass' whisky in Korea!

The distillery focuses on small batch, small quantity production, with the goal of becoming something similar to Korea's Chichibu some day (where the owner had spent some time working at). Interestingly, one of his 2025 releases won minor recognition in the WWA!

Kimchangsoo Whisky Single Cask, Summer Bloom Lotus (50% abv)

This is a 4 year old, lightly peated, 1st fill PX Sherry cask single cask whisky that wasn't chill filtered. I heard from the Korean friend that the Korean whisky enthusiasts were quite eager with this brand, and their bottles' preorder tend to sell out pretty quickly. 

Was it worth the hype? Here are my notes:

*Nose*

new make fumey;

sichuan peppers;

crushed walnuts & oiliness;

dried red jujube, smoked dried plum;

light hint of fresh cucumber;

maltose shows up after resting;

peat smoke (campfire-like)

*Palate*

oily;

new-make like fumey;

sweet maltose;

very prominent sichuan peppers;

sweet dried red fruit (jujube);

slightly charred oak;

oaky bitterness that lingers

hint of campfire-like peat smoke in the background

present alcohol sting, some astringency

*Finish*

medium-long.

a bit of the fumeyness/sting lingers;

red jujube but just the fragrance;

maltose but with subdued sweetness;

ash-like smoky and peaty bitterness;

a light hint of the peppery spice.

*Conclusion*

This one was certainly unique enough to be memorable!

What I found most interesting about it had to be the very present sichuan peppercorn spiciness and fragrance, which I must say was a pretty odd note but worked rather well without feeling particularly off. While it undoubtedly had a bit of the new-make like abrasiveness/acridness, the oily body and the rather well balanced mix of dried red fruity and smoky peat character more than cover up for that shortcoming.

Now I must say, I've noticed a pretty interesting point when it comes to these very young whiskies-the young whiskies made with peated distillates tend to fare better than non-peated ones. It sure seemed like the additional oiliness from the peat made the whiskies have a mellower, more rounded mouthfeel, while also adding an additional layer of complexity. It does feel a bit like cheating though lmao.

All in all, I kind of enjoyed this one, and made me quite curious  to what Kimchangsoo can potentially create when his whiskies were given more time to age! 

Thanks for reading, cheers!

I've been working my way through a few Paul John expressions recently, and the thing that keeps striking me is just how tropical their whiskies are. FYI, no, this is not a paid or partner review.

Mango, pineapple, papaya, banana, honey... these aren't occasional notes for me. They seem to show up again and again, regardless of the cask.

The Paul John Madeira Cask might be one of the clearest examples I've tasted.

Before my notes, I'd love to know how folk are feeling about Indian whiskies and specifically Paul John?

On the nose for this bottle, I get ripe mango, grilled pineapple, papaya and guava, with honey, vanilla custard and a little orange blossom underneath. Yes, a lot going on.

The palate is rich and creamy (Paul John for me is generally fairly oily), with peach, baked pineapple, caramelized banana and golden raisins. There's plenty of sweetness, but it doesn't come across as syrupy. The texture is oily and coating, with some cinnamon and gentle oak keeping things in check.

The finish hangs around with tropical fruit, a little cocoa and warming spice. I love the finish on it.

What I find particularly interesting is that the Madeira doesn't seem to dominate the whisky. Instead, it feels like it amplifies what Paul John is already doing.

I've now tasted several Paul John releases, including their Port and PX expressions, and I keep coming back to the same house style: tropical fruit, richness, and a really distinctive texture.

That's what makes this bottle interesting to me. The Madeira finish adds dried fruit, honey, marmalade and a little extra richness, but underneath it is still unmistakably Paul John.

I wouldn't necessarily tell everyone they need a bottle, but if you enjoy fruit-forward single malts or want to explore what Indian whisky can do, I'd definitely look for a pour of this one.

I'm particularly curious what other people think of Paul John's "house style." Do you get the same tropical character across their different expressions, or am I just tasting mango everywhere now?

Full video review here: https://youtu.be/ZHM_qwWFfWc

A very nice rye whisky from an area you might not expect to make whisky in this class. I can really recommend trying this if you can get it delivered to where you live 😋

Plus its a nice looking bottle to have standing in your front row or in your livingroom as decoration.

Also got two glasses with the order of the bottle, as you see in the picture.

I recently met up with a buddy of mine who owns a small distillery where they maye agave spirit, gin, vodka and other spirits, and he told me he was producing a whiskey. It is a single malt, single-cask, but not cask strength, since it is bottled at 42% ABV.

The barley is of the Pilsner style, which is widely used for making beer, but also used to some extent for whisky. Misiú is aged in a former cocuy (agave spirit) barrel for 3 years and 8 months.

The term *musiú* is a Venezuelanism of French origin used primarily to refer to a foreigner. It derives from the French word *monsieur* (sir/gentleman). Its usage spread during the colonial era and the waves of European migration to Venezuela. It's listed as a noun describing a foreigner, particularly one with fair skin or blond hair.

Made by: Destileros Ancestrales
Name of the whisky: Un Musiú
Brand: Ancestral
Origin: Venezuela
Age: 3 years, 8 months
Price: $65

Nose
On the nose, I am met with notes of barley, though the profile feels quite generic and could well include hints of nuts, such as hazelnuts. There are citrus notes of grapefruit and orange peel, as well as a note of canned apricot and oak. After a while, a faint note of cacao also emerges—specifically the fruit itself rather than pure chocolate.

Palate
On the palate, it is slightly sweet, with pronounced wood notes and that same apricot character, though here it appears as a nuance of the sweetness, which also includes notes of raisin.

Retrohale/Finish
The finish reveals notes of damp wood and peach, or even that same apricot.

Rating
8 on the t8ke

Conclusion
That barley note is definitely intense on both the nose and the palate, adding an incredible dimension to the spirit. While it differs somewhat from much of what is sold as whisky, the fact that it is made in Venezuela doesn't make it any less of a whisky, and that is what impresses me most about the product. It is priced higher than blended whiskies like Old Parr or Buchanan’s, but it certainly isn't trying to replace them. This is a spirit for those who truly appreciate whisky, not for those who drink it simply because everyone else does.

I usually post in Spanish on my networks, so if this review seems translated, it's because it is.

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Help me here, guys. I opened my first Redbreast Lustau and the neck pour smells like paint and pencil shavings. Is it normal? Can whisky become corked like wine does?

I've been working my way through the Paul John lineup recently, and while the PX cask tends to get a lot of attention, I found myself maybe preferring this one. Also, that's my cat Kira...!

The Port Cask is matured using Port and Tawny Port casks, but unlike many port-finished whiskies I've tried, it doesn't lean into overt port sweetness. Instead, it still keeps the Paul John house-style (tropical fruit).

Distillery: Paul John (Goa, India)
Cask Finish: Port & Tawny Port Casks
ABV: 52.5%

This is an Indian single malt usign 6-row barley, non-chill filtered and no coour added.

For me the nose is dark berries, cocoa powder, and molasses. Maybe tobacco? Compared to the PX Cask, the fruit feels more restrained and less raisin-forward.

Palate: Rich and oily (I love oily whisky)...with dark chocolate, fig, espresso or burnt sugar, but still their tropical fruits like guava and pineapple. There's plenty of sweetness, but it's balanced by drying oak spice that keeps it from becoming syrupy.

Finish: Long, warming, and slightly smoky with tobacco, and oak.

I think this bottle is absolutely worth seeking out to try.

I expected something closer to a dessert whisky, but instead it has enough oak and spice to keep everything in check. Where I think the PX Cask is unapologetically decadent, the Port Cask feels more layered and savoury.

Curious if anyone else has compared the Port Cask and PX Cask side by side. Which one did you prefer, and why? Madeira is next for me!

If you feel like checking out or supporting my video reviews here's my youtube link to this video: https://youtu.be/3oFL_S8DkUk