Michel Couvreur Fleeting Q

Michel Couvreur virtual tasting, 21 October 2021. Whisky #4 Nose: Fruity, floral, fortified wine, red berries, strawberries, hazelnuts and orange liqueur. There is a well-defined but not dominating presence of oak. The high alcohol is not at all noticeable. Palate: Full, rich stewed fruits and berries. Sweet at first but an underlying dryness gradually grows in the development. The red fruit and wine notes gain complexity over time before giving way to orange marmalade. The texture is excellent – both drying and oily. There is a little heat from the alcohol, but it is barely noticed. Finish: Medium. Fruity and dry with an aftertaste that lingers into dark chocolate. I have not investigated Michel Couvreur whiskies previously but a recent virtual tasting event based on 5 expressions piqued my interest. This whisky was my equal favourite expression from the tasting, and in my opinion it was significantly superior to the rest (with one exception). It is very good neat and also takes water well, gaining a little softness and sweetness but retaining its complexity and balance. Distilled on the 13th November 2010 and bottled on the 3rd February 2021. This whisky was matured in two Colheita port pipes, producing 2000 bottles. Colheita port is a vintage tawny of at least 7 years, however many casks are considerably older. I don’t know the age of the pipes used for this maturation but given the excellent density and complexity of flavor they have imparted I’m certain they were not juveniles. This was the first Michel Couvreur whisky I tasted that I would consider buying, but sadly it is also one of the more expensive expressions at AUD$225 for a 500ml bottle. Very Good : 86/100 (4 stars)