Mackmyra Seasonal Releases - Limousin

Swedish distillery @Mackmyra release two annual Säsongswhisky 'seasonal' whiskies usually featuring innovative seasonal characteristics focusing on unusual finishes often reflecting the prevailing season.

I've tried a number of them and they are often unusual. This season's release is Limousin, let's see what it's like...

Sweden don't have the same stuck-in-the-mud restrictions on the use of casks that the Scottish whisky industry has. Whilst Scottish distillers must:

"Mature in new oak casks and/or in oak casks which have only been used to mature wine (still or fortified) and/or beer/ale and/or spirits with the exception of: 

• Wine, beer/ale or spirits produced from, or made with, stone fruits; 

• Beer/ale to which fruit, flavouring or sweetening has been added after fermentation; 

• Spirits to which fruit, flavouring or sweetening has been added after distillation and where such previous maturation is part of the traditional processes for those wines, beer/ales or spirits."

their Swedish cousins are free to use whatever they like and Mackmyra in particular do.

Previous Säsongswhisky releases (as listed at the end of this blog) have included Glühwine, Calvados,  Amarone, Cloudberry wine and even Green Tea soaked casks, this particular release is a marriage of 6 different cask types::

• Cognac barrel, 350L (1st French oak), elegant recipe
• American oak barrel saturated with Oloroso,  200L & 128L (fresh, 1st & 2nd)
• American oak barrel, 200L & 128L
• Raspberry wine 100L
• Swedish oak barrel 30L
• Ex-Bourbon barrel, 200L

Distillery notes: 

When the sun is just above the horizon and the sunbeams are travelling low, a magical light appears that only mother nature can deliver. Time stops and you don’t think about bills, social media or what to eat for dinner – You are absolutely present and at the same time you almost forget that you exist. You are a small piece of the puzzle in a perfect moment.

Forever captured by artists and photographers alike, the magic of the golden hour over the French countryside is the inspiration for Mackmyra Limousin. A fruity, playful, gently-balanced Swedish single malt whisky, predominantly seasoned with French Oak casks that previously held Cognac from sun-kissed grapes 

Nose: Fruity, with notes of sweet and citrus fruits. Distinct vanilla with dried fruit, prune and orange zest.

Taste: Round taste with vanilla caramel, dried fruit, sweet almond and dark chocolate. A light spiciness from the oak, with light sour grape tones, ginger and matured pear.

Aftertaste: Vinous, sun-ripened grapes with oak notes and soft pear caramel.

My thoughts:

Appearance: Mid gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thick line, slowly bead up and fall as slow thick legs 

 

Nose: Sweet, stewed orchard fruit: apples, pears, apricots; a little pastry, icing sugar and some oak spice. A little time and air offers citrus zest and some coconut mushrooms.

Palate: Creamy arrival, slightly drying - the orchard fruit from the nose is here, along with the oak spice and citrus. There's a little honey, toffee and some bitter dark chocolate. After a few sips you end up with a very dry mouth, almond and coconut notes 

Finish: Lingering oak spice, orchard fruit and dark chocolate.

Thoughts: My first thought when I heard of this release is that it would be similar to the Loch Lomond 14yo  one of my favourite go to drams. It shares some similar characteristics - sweetness, fruit, spice and nut notes but is also a little different - there's no smoke (maybe the casks weren't charred?) but it adds a little berry fruit and jam notes from the oloroso and wine casks. They end up being two quite different drams. I enjoyed both, try them and let me know what you think!

Many thanks to @Mackmyra for the sample!

Geeky stuff:

This is the 18th and final Säsongswhisky Release from Mackmyra but I'm sure they'll still be coming up with some interesting releases!

Säsongswhisky Releases
Released	Name		ABV	Cask types
Mar '22	Limousin	Limousin	46.1%	French Limousin Oak cask that previously held Cognac
Sep '21	Stjärnrök	Star Smoke	46.1%	Ex-bourbon, Oloroso & Cloudberry wine seasoned Swedish Oak
Mar '21	Björksav	Birch Sap	46.1%	Swedish Birch Sap wine casks
Sep '20	Jaktlycka	Happy hunting	46.1%	Swedish berry wine casks
Mar '20	Grönt Te	Green Tea	46.1%	Newly saturated Ex-Oloroso casks rinsed with Green Tea
Sep '19	Vintersol	Winter Sun	46.1%	Quinta Do Vallado Port Wine casks
Mar '19	Äppelblom	Apple Bloom	46.1%	Christian Drouin Calvados casks
Sep '18	Vinterglöd	Winter Glow	46.1%	Swedish mulled wine and PX Sherry casks
Apr '18	Gruvguld	Gold from the mine	46.1%	Oloroso and PX sherry
Mar '17	Ten Years	Ten Years	46.1%	Bourbon, Oloroso and new American oak casks
Sep '17	Skördetid	Harvest Time	46.1%	Masi Amarone cask
Sep '16	Vinterdröm	Winter dream	46.1%	Plantation Rum casks
Mar '16	Blomstertid	Flowering time	46.1%	Swedish cherry wine casks
Oct '15	Vinterrök	Winter smoke	46.1%	Scottish Strong Ale casks
May '15	Sommartid	Summertime	46.1%	Swedish cloudberry wine casks
Oct '14	Iskristall	Ice crystal	46.1%	Pedro Ximenez sherry casks
May '14	Midnattssol	Midnight Sun	46.1%	Swedish wine made from birch sap
Oct '13	Midvinter	Midwinter	46.1%	French Bordeaux casks, glühwine casks and sherry casks