Grosperrin Fins Bois Heritage N°45 52,2%

The latest bottling of this famous Fins Bois Heritage N°45. 80yo and still in cask, so you expect something with a solid backbone to endure such a long oak aging. 1945. 52,2%. Fins Bois. Let’s go!

Colour: Mahogany with orange lights. Irregular heavy tears.

Nose: Explosive exotic notes: banana stew, raw mango. Intensely rancioted. Deep tea-ish shades. Precious wood. Orangette (Patrick Roger style). Sage-infused butter. Slightly medicinal mix of clove and ginger. Carrot/butternut soup. A faint waxy touch.

Palate: Marvelous acidulous notes, mainly on overripe peach, blueberry juice, bergamot sweets. Brutal. A one-way ticket to Rancioland. Massive licorice in the aftertaste. Juicy AF. Gentle mentholated tones. Meaty/musky hints.

Last Notes: Heady floral notes on orange blossom. Chamomile and verbena infusion. What began brutally becomes more refined with air. Delicious umami on soy sauce and chicken broth. Even fresher with time, especially on herbal shades. Full of acetate in the mouth length. Baba-au-rhum fighting with fresh leather. It ends on Capovilla’s peach eau-de-vie. Bang!

Crazy good. Unlimited rancio paired with insolent freshness: a devilish recipe. Slightly different from Sponge bottling. It has to be from a privileged Fins Bois terroir. I mean, how is it possible to go through time so easily?