Michel Couvreur Peaty Overaged Malt Whisky Review

2015 Axis of WhiskyFest Tasting no. 7. Michel Couvreur Peaty Overaged Malt Whisky. 43% ABV. 12 years old.

If there was a standout at inaugural Axis of WhiskyFest, this was it.  A sherried blend by recently departed Belgian legend Michel Couvreur,  who took new make spirit from top Scottish single malt distillers,  then aged them in his hand-picked sherry casks in caves he dug in Burgundy.

They might have been lost with his untimely passing in 20014, had his protege not taken up the task and started releasing them to selected sellers — including the unsurpassable K&L Wines.

Huge sweet creamy unfiltered mix of peat and sherry. The latter, from fresh Jerez casks Couvreur picked himself in Spain, takes the lead. Like a sherried pre-closing Bruichladdich? A peated ultrarich Macallan? Whatever it is, it’s damn good.

Hats off to Couvreur and K&L — in this and all things. -BO