Säntis Malt Edition Dreifaltigkeit

On a work trip to Switzerland last week, a colleague warned me not to wear good clothes to the restaurant that evening. You’ll never remove the smell of meat, she said. She wasn’t kidding: it turns out that cooking slabs of venison, beef, lamb, horse and ostrich on individual hot stones is a great way to keep vegetarians away from your wardrobe. I was transported back to that restaurant once I got home and opened the bottle of Swiss single malt I bought at Zurich airport. Those heavy chunks of red meat that seemed to dominate every menu I perused last week have been seasoned, smoked and somehow converted into whisky. Bold, smoky beef flavors are the signature of the palate here, and they are as delicious as a lean piece of meat sizzling on a rock. But there’s a whole lot more to this whisky than grilled deer. There are notes of caramel and cherry cola too, and a weird but compelling aroma of white emulsion paint on the nose. That takes some getting used to as at first it bears little resemblance to anything on the palate and, as I said, the initial thing that comes to mind is paint, not hitherto recognized as a desirable characteristic in a whisky. But with time it unfurls into herbal lozenges (Ricola, of course) and maraschino cherries and is anyhow lost amid the aromas of gravy that seem to slowly fill the room after you’ve poured a glass. I should also note that the oily caramel finish is longer than an Alpine ski run. This is a unique and delicious whisky that I suspect will go down quickly. I’ll just have to temper my urgency to pour it in case I spill some on my clothes. While the sweatshirt I wore to the restaurant has finally stopped smelling, a few drops of Santis on my pants may be enough to summon a pack of salivating dogs.

The nose starts with a campfire around pine trees then a slew of charred game meats followed by dates, pomegranates and caramelized pears that transitions to molasses, sassafras and cardamom with low ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with creamy sweet orchard fruit that quickly veers toward charred asparagus and pine cones then a slew of charred game meats, grilled portobellos and espresso followed by dates, balsamic strawberries and caramelized pears that transitions to anise, sassafras and cardamom with medium ethanol burn. The finish is long with campfire around pine trees, vanilla creme brûlée, charred game meats, grilled portobellos, rosemary, sassafras and cardamom. This is a really unique single malt that’s likely not for everyone. The nose is dominated by a campfire that is underscored with charred game meats, sweet fruits and spices that carries over to the taste with the addition of charred vegetables before finishing long with smoky campfire, charred vegetables and sweet sassafras that lingers for minutes after each sip. I wasn’t sure how I felt about this on the first few sips but over time it grew on me and by the time my glass was empty, I was wishing I had another pour to explore. This seems like one that could likely be polarizing with those smoke and charred vegetables notes but I’d recommend anyone to try a dram if they get the chance as it’s one that will be memorable either way. Thanks so much @Richard-ModernDrinking for the generous pour of this one as I doubt I ever would have tried this otherwise.

​ This is one of three samples of my latest sampler from Flaviar. Santis is a Swiss brewery/distillery that has very old oak beer barrels that they have turned to aging a peated single malt whiskey. This sample is the Dreifaltigkeit Edition of their whiskey which is dried with peat from a local moor. A quick look at winsearcher.com shows it is not available in the US. I gotta say, this is a pretty incredible dram! According to the literature with the sample and the info I was able to find online, this is an NAS single malt whiskey aged in oak beer barrels. It is bottled at a very respectable 52% ABV. In the glass it is a gorgeous dark amber, almost mahogany color. Swirling gives a thick oily coating that produces nice thick legs. On the nose the smoke is certainly noticable, but not overpowering. There is none of the Islay/Laphroaig "band-aid" smell. I got a fairly strong smoky oak, with some sweet vanilla notes. After a while I could pick up smoked meat, dried fruits, and spices. Really great nose. The smoke was moderate on the nose, but really hits hard on the palate. First impression in the mouth was of smoke and ash, with a slight malty sweetness. It has a slick, full mouthfeel. Considering this is over 50% ABV, the heat/burn was minimal, really smooth! But the finish is where this whiskey really shines. It is long and smoky with BBQ, smoked ham, and vanilla tones rounding it out. It just hangs on forever, making you want to go back for more. Overall this is one of the best whiskeys I have had. Solid 4.5/90.

A productive day prepping the house this Sunday. Stripped the wrought iron rails and painted them. Replaced rotten fascia on the shed and mowed the lawn. A quiet dusk in the house (me flying solo this weekend), listening to some Beck. It’s been some time since I reviewed a pour. Was knocked out last week with a head cold. Needless to say, a pour is much anticipated. Found this small sample from @PBMichiganWolverine that must has been sitting in my collection of samples (was this with the SDT?) A crisp, clean nose greets you on the nose, from the amber colored liquid. Hints of pine sap with spearmint dance. Dark honey, vanilla, charcoal and pine wood are faint but detectable. That dark honey becomes richer over time. Conjures images, in my mind, of cozy, snug Catskills home on a chilled, clear wintry evening. The liquid is as light as air on the palate. Sweet maple syrup with a dash of white pepper with applewood smoked bacon; sweet, salty and tasty. This finishes slightly warming and the sweet maple syrup and slight salty, smokiness lingers for a medium length of time. The sample I had was a small one ounce pour and I do wish I had some more. This is an easy, simple delicious dram the starts with an inviting bouquet, teases the palate with sweet, smoke and salt a fades like the winter sunset: warmly, quickly and beautifully. [Tasted: 11/4/18][89/100]

Really a well made whiskey! I just opened the bottle this evening, ready to share with friends and family over the Thanksgiving break. The nose reminds me of my younger days during the northern Vermont winters. I used to have this hearty breakfast of pancakes with maple syrup and smoked bacon. I then spent the rest of my day doing moguls., ending the evening over a nice crackling fire and some dark ale. This smells just like that Vermont winter maple and bacon. The taste then doesn't disappoint. It's meaty, oily. Pungent grilled meats. The finish is long and lingering, almost a bitter sweet finish. Like that cracking fire and dark ale. I especially love the color...it's a burnt reddish brown, like maple glazed biscuits. Now...only if I still had the legs and stamina to do a full day of mogul skiing....but this glass of Swiss will have to do

If you frolic in the garden of eccentrics and oddballs, then Säntis Malt Dreifaltigkeit is an obvious 'must try'. Heavily peated and matured in old beer casks, this Swiss obscurity would scare off any vegetarian. An onslaught of smoky, meaty and fatty aromas dominates the nose, ranging from bacon and BBQ sauce to kippers and burned matches. On the palate, notes of hops, Guinness and bitter herbs wrestle with the thick peat blanket. Salmiak, Jamón and a touch of soap mark the intense aftertaste. A unique flavor bomb that you will either love or hate. RATING: 3.7/5.0 stars ≙ 85 pts → ABOVE AVERAGE [+]