French whisky bottler adds smoky expression

French whisky bottler Black Mountain has released a third edition in its Selection range – a blended smoky expression known as Notes Fumées.

Presented in a black painted bottle, the no-age-statement expression is described as “delicately smoky” and was developed to meet the needs of “future consumers”.

According to the Black Mountain team, the Notes Fumées liquid started as a three-year-old Scotch blend, which was then matured for 12 to 16 months in Occitania, south west France, in casks used to mature an undisclosed local grape-based spirit. Two other smoky whiskies were then added, before the blend spent “several further weeks” in third- and fouth-fill casks.

Given nosing and tasting notes for Black Mountain Notes Fumées include “floral and fruity with subtle herbal notes, a slightly medicinal profile and some aromas of toasted bread, dried fruits and vanilla”.

“A significant part, although not a majority, of fine whisky enthusiasts showed a real interest for peaty, smoky whiskies,” said Cédric Leprette, co-founder of Black Mountain, on the development of the liquid. “Committed to answer their needs in the best possible way, we then went on a quest to find the nectar that would suit their palate.

“The biggest challenge for us was not to shift away from our specific aromatic profile, mainly based on fruity and floral notes with a hint of spices.”

Leprette continued: “It wasn’t about offering a whisky meant to compete with the famous peaty beasts of Islay, renowned for this specific aromatic profile, but more creating a pleasant whisky with character, showing both a certain lightness and clear smoky notes that would appeal to smoky-whisky fans and novices alike.”

The Black Mountain team is currently planning to build a distillery in Haute Languedoc, set for completion in 2018. With its Selection range, the company is releasing whiskies to indicate the style of its future produce.

“In France, unlike Scotland and Ireland, peat bogs are rare and protected as they are fragile natural environments being home to sensitive flora and fauna,” Leprette added. “They also cannot regenerate. It is therefore completely impossible for us to use French peat and that’s why we chose to go smoky instead of peaty.”

Notes Fumées will be launched shortly, with 3,000 bottles to be released onto the market by the end of 2016.
Earlier this year, Black Mountain partnered with sail transport firm TransOceanic Wind Transport to send a cask on board a boat to mature at sea for six months.