Dumangin Whisky Penderyn Single Malt

Tasting Notes

Andrew's Tasting Note

Nose: crème brulee and grape KoolAid; Hubba Bubba, grape extract and quince paste; silky leather and firm spices eventually make way for some grassy malt.

Palate: rich, fruity and very spicy; grassy but chewy malt with some delicate tropical fruits struggling to pop up: mango and pineapple; the grape notes are there, more Hubba Bubba, but after a strong coffee and quince paste with cloves; firm leather and tobacco leaf; late Dutch licorice and fennel seed.

Finish: dominated by spice; the grape and malt notes are still there, but the long warming finish is lorded over but hot cinnamon, fennel seeds, clove and Dutch licorice.

Comment: comes across almost like a dark sherried single malt, spice heavy, but without the nuttiness; a decent malt, but not my favourite of the six!

Winery

What do Kate and William (the Royals) and Paul McCartney and Gordon Ramsay have in common? Beyond all hailing from the United Kingdom, they also all drink Dumangin Champagne.

Who are the Dumangins? The family have been growers in the 1er Cru village of Chigny-Les-Roses since the early 1900s and their family can be traced back to working in the vineyards since the 1650s. Gilles Dumangin is the present owner and has worked tirelessly to ward off takeovers from big-name Champagne houses. They are a small family business that makes great-tasting Champagne.

Dumangin Champagne is a 130-year-old family-owned Champagne producer from the Premier Cru Terroirs of the “Montagne de Reims.” Today the winery is run by Gilles Dumangin, a 4th generation Cellar Master & winemaker, who modernized the brand in the 1990s. Although not certified organic, Dumangin takes an organic approach to the tending and harvesting of fruit at its 29 vineyard parcels. The wines are treated with care and aged much longer than the industry standards; no younger than 3 years for non-vintage Champagnes, and after no less than 9 years for vintage wines. The Champagnes are only blended on the day they are bottled.

Gilles has also expanded the Dumangin repertoire over the past 20 years. Dumangin also produces Ratafia Champenois which is a fortified wine from the Champagne region of France typically made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Brandy or a neutral grape spirit is added to the grape juice before fermentation. He has also become an independent bottler of whisky - sourcing casks from various Scottish, American, and European whisky makers and then finishing the whisky in his own Ratafia Casks.

Kensington Wine Market is privileged to work with Gilles Dumangin, his family and his team. We are proud to be one of the exclusive sellers of Dumangin Champagne for nearly two decades.