Issue 182 · September 24, 2026
The Grain of Grit
Theme: Earned Through Friction
Eight bottles shaped by resistance — from harsh climates and stubborn traditions to uncompromising processes that force flavor through difficulty rather than ease.
The best things rarely come easy. In spirits and wine, resistance is often the secret ingredient — the cold snap that concentrates a grape, the unforgiving limestone soil that starves a vine into producing something extraordinary, the distiller who refuses to cut corners when efficiency demands it. This issue celebrates bottles born from friction, from the grind of stone and the push against convention.
From a Kentucky bourbon aged without shortcuts to a Scotch forged in coastal gales, from a gin that leans into bitter botanicals to a wine pulled from volcanic rock, today's eight selections share a common thread: they were made harder on purpose, and they're better for it.
Today's aroma theme explores the scents of resistance — the smoky, mineral, earthy, and bitter notes that emerge when producers push through difficulty rather than around it. From charred oak and peat smoke to mineral-driven terroir and roasted malt, these are the aromas that carry the story of friction in every sip.
Don’t see your special bottle? Request a review at reviews.schoolofwineandspirits.com/request-review — we’ll get to it. See every bottle we’ve reviewed to date at reviews.schoolofwineandspirits.com.
Bourbon Michter's US*1 Unblended American Whiskey
Michter's traces its heritage to 1753 in Pennsylvania, and today its Louisville distillery produces each whiskey in small batches, aging only until the flavor profile meets their exacting standards rather than targeting a fixed number of years.
Classification: American Whiskey
Brand: Michter's
Distillery: Michter's Distillery
Proof: 83.4 (41.7% ABV)
Age: NAS
Color: Warm amber with golden edges
MSRP: $45–$55
Mash Bill: Proprietary (primarily corn with rye and malted barley)
Barrel Type: New charred American oak (custom char and toast)
Nose: Caramel and butterscotch open with conviction, followed by dried apple and a dusting of cinnamon-tinged oak. A faint corn sweetness rises beneath toasted pecan.
Palate: Medium-bodied with a buttery entry that unfolds into caramel, vanilla, and charred oak. A gentle rye spice emerges mid-palate alongside a thread of dark cocoa.
Finish: Medium length, trailing butterscotch and soft leather with a lingering oak warmth.
Cocktail — The Gritstone Sour — 2 oz Michter's US*1 Unblended American · 1 oz fresh lemon juice · 0.75 oz demerara syrup · 1 egg white · Dry shake, then shake with ice, strain into a coupe, dash Angostura on foam.
Pair with: The smoky fat of pork belly plays into the whiskey's charred oak notes, while a tangy slaw cuts through the butterscotch richness.
Awards: Gold Medal, San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2023
Scotch Whisky Talisker 57° North
Talisker has stood on the shores of Loch Harport since 1830, the only distillery on Skye, producing whisky inseparable from the island's volcanic rock, Atlantic storms, and peat-smoke air.
Classification: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Brand: Talisker
Distillery: Talisker Distillery
Proof: 114 (57% ABV)
Age: NAS
Color: Burnished gold with copper highlights
MSRP: $85–$110
Region: Islands (Isle of Skye)
Mash Bill: 100% malted barley
Distillation: Double distilled in copper pot stills with worm tub condensers
Maturation: Refill American oak and European oak casks
Cask Type: Refill American oak and European oak
Peat Level (PPM): Approximately 18-22 ppm
Chill-Filtered: Non-chill filtered
Nose: A bracing wave of sea salt and black pepper gives way to smoky peat, charred wood, and a medicinal iodine note. Underneath, ripe peach and honey emerge with patience.
Palate: Full-bodied and commanding, with intense peppery smoke meeting sweet malt and dried fruit. The high proof amplifies everything without burning — a surge of maritime brine, clove spice, and dark chocolate.
Finish: Long and warming, with lingering smoky pepper, a touch of vanilla, and coastal minerality that refuses to fade.
Pair with: The char and fat of lamb chops mirror the whisky's smoky intensity, while rosemary and garlic complement its herbal peat character.
Irish Whiskey Teeling Stout Cask Finish Small Batch Irish Whiskey
The Teeling family returned whiskey distilling to Dublin's city center in 2015, building the first new distillery in the capital in over 125 years and reviving a tradition that once made Dublin the whiskey capital of the world.
Classification: Blended Irish Whiskey
Brand: Teeling
Distillery: Teeling Whiskey Distillery
Proof: 92 (46% ABV)
Age: NAS
Color: Deep amber with russet tones
MSRP: $35–$45
Mash Bill: Blend of malt and grain whiskey
Distillation: Triple Distilled Blended
Maturation: Initially aged in bourbon barrels, then finished in 200-litre craft stout beer casks
Chill-Filtered: Non-chill filtered
Nose: Rich cocoa and roasted coffee beans lead, layered with caramel and a subtle earthy maltiness. A faint floral note of rosewater lingers at the edges.
Palate: Medium-bodied with a creamy mouthfeel carrying dark chocolate, toasted malt, and a mild clove spice. The stout cask influence adds a roasted bitterness that balances the caramel sweetness perfectly.
Finish: Medium, drying with cocoa, espresso, and a whisper of woody tannin.
Cocktail — Dublin Espresso — 2 oz Teeling Stout Cask · 1 oz cold brew coffee · 0.5 oz demerara syrup · 2 dashes chocolate bitters · Shake with ice, strain into a chilled coupe.
Pair with: The brownie's bittersweet chocolate amplifies the stout-cask roast character, while flaky sea salt lifts the whiskey's caramel notes.
Tequila Tequila Excellia Reposado
When Frenchman Sébastien Robicquet—better known in spirits circles for his work with cognac and Grey Goose vodka—turned his attention to tequila, he brought an outsider's conviction that French oak could transform agave spirit. The friction was immediate: traditionalists scoffed at the idea of resting tequila in barrels seasoned by sweet Bordeaux wines. But Robicquet understood that the best things are often born from collision. Excellia's French oak maturation imparts a refined tannic structure rarely found in reposados, creating a spirit that belongs to both Mexico and France yet bows to neither. The name itself—from the Latin 'excellere,' to rise above—speaks to the belief that greatness emerges only when you push against convention.
Classification: Reposado
Brand: Excellia
Distillery: Destilería Leyros (NOM 1489)
Proof: 80
Age: NAS (rested in French oak from Sauternes wine production)
Color: Pale gold with straw highlights
MSRP: 52.99
Nose: Cooked agave leads with a honeyed sweetness, followed by dried apricot, white pepper, and a faint whiff of toasted brioche from the Sauternes-seasoned French oak. There's a mineral undertone, like river stones warmed by the sun, that hints at the volcanic terroir of the lowlands.
Palate: Medium-bodied with surprising tension. The agave arrives bright and slightly herbaceous before the friction of barrel influence asserts itself—caramel, baking spice, and a savory butterscotch that refuses to be merely sweet. A persistent citrus thread—blood orange peel—cuts through the richness, keeping the palate alert. The French oak contributes a finer, more restrained tannin than American oak would, lending an almost wine-like structure.
Finish: Medium-long and gritty in the best sense. White pepper and cinnamon linger alongside a drying mineral note, while the cooked agave reasserts itself on the exhale. There's a pleasant astringency—earned, not harsh—that calls you back for another sip.
Cocktail — The Grinding Stone — 2 oz Excellia Reposado · 0.75 oz fresh blood orange juice · 0.5 oz honey syrup (2:1 honey to water) · 0.25 oz Amaro Nonino · 2 dashes mole bitters · Combine all ingredients in a mixing tin with ice. Shake vigorously for 12 seconds. Double strain into a rocks glass over a single large ice cube. Garnish with the peppered blood orange wheel. · Garnish: Thin wheel of blood orange dusted with cracked black pepper · Glass: Rocks glass
Pair with: Slow-braised duck leg, crisped in its own rendered fat and shredded into warm corn tortillas, mirrors the reposado's balance of richness and restraint. The charred tomatillo salsa—blackened on a comal until blistered and acidic—echoes the spirit's mineral grit and citrus thread. A scattering of raw white onion and cilantro provides the bright counterpoint that lets both the food and the tequila breathe.
Gin Bobby's Schiedam Dry Gin
In Schiedam — the historic Dutch capital of genever — the Herman Jansen Distillery has been operating since 1777. Bobby's Gin was created by Sebastiaan van Bokkel, who named it for his Indonesian grandfather, Bobby, who blended Dutch and Indonesian culinary traditions in his kitchen. That cultural friction — East meeting West not in harmony but in productive tension — is the gin's animating force. Indonesian botanicals like lemongrass, clove, and cubeb pepper are forced into dialogue with classic European juniper and coriander inside copper pot stills that have seen centuries of use. Every batch is a negotiation between two botanical philosophies, and the result carries the earned complexity of that collision.
Classification: Dry Gin
Brand: Bobby's
Distillery: Herman Jansen Distillery
Proof: 84
Age: NAS
Color: Crystal clear
MSRP: 34.99
Nose: Indonesian lemongrass leads assertively, followed by green juniper, coriander seed, fresh cubeb pepper, and a whisper of clove. A faint citrus peel sweetness appears after the glass warms, binding the spice notes into something cohesive and quietly confrontational.
Palate: Medium-bodied with genuine texture. Lemongrass and rosemary arrive first with peppery heat, then juniper pushes through the middle — resinous and earthy rather than bright. Indonesian spices (clove, cinnamon) create friction against the cooler European botanicals. A cardamom-like warmth lingers alongside fennel seed and a subtle floral note.
Finish: Medium-long and dry, with cubeb pepper heat persisting alongside juniper resin and a fading trail of lemongrass. There's a pleasant gritty, almost mineral quality as the spices slowly recede.
Cocktail — The Crossing — 2 oz Bobby's Schiedam Dry Gin · 0.75 oz fresh lime juice · 0.5 oz ginger syrup · 0.25 oz green Chartreuse · 2 dashes celery bitters · Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake hard for 12 seconds. Double-strain into a chilled coupe. Lay the lemongrass stalk across the rim and dust with cracked black pepper. · Garnish: Lemongrass stalk and a pinch of cracked black pepper · Glass: Coupe
Pair with: These golden, craggy-edged corn fritters — seasoned with garlic, scallion, and celery leaf — mirror the gin's Indonesian-Dutch duality. The fritter's crispy exterior and sweet corn interior find friction with Bobby's peppery lemongrass heat, while the gin's juniper backbone cuts through the frying oil. A sambal dipping sauce on the side amplifies the cubeb pepper finish, creating a pairing that feels both unexpected and deeply correct.
Awards: Gold Medal — San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2019, Gold Medal — International Wine & Spirit Competition 2020, Silver Medal — The Gin Masters 2021
Rum Cane Island Jamaica 12 Year Old Single Country Rum
Founded by rum enthusiasts in the Netherlands, Cane Island bottles single-country expressions without added sugar or coloring, splitting maturation between the tropics and cooler European cellars to let the spirit evolve through the friction of two climates.
Classification: Aged Jamaican Pot Still Rum
Brand: Cane Island
Distillery: Undisclosed Jamaican pot still distillery (blend sourced from Jamaica)
Proof: 86 proof (43% ABV)
Age: 12 Year Old
Color: Burnished amber with copper highlights
MSRP: $65 USD
Base Ingredients: Jamaican molasses from sugarcane
Distillation: Pot still distillation in Jamaica; blend of aged Jamaican pot still rums matured 12 years across tropical (Jamaica) and continental (Netherlands) climates in ex-bourbon oak, bottled without added sugar or coloring.
Nose: Ripe banana and overripe pineapple lead, layered with warm brown sugar, toasted oak, and a faint whiff of the classic Jamaican hogo — glue and tropical funk kept in check by age.
Palate: Medium-bodied and dry-leaning, with baked banana, caramelized pineapple, allspice, and orange peel giving way to milk chocolate, roasted almond, and a mineral pot-still bite.
Finish: Long and warming, with lingering dried fruit, tobacco leaf, and a resurgence of that trademark funk on the exhale.
Cocktail — The Kingston Handshake — 2 oz Cane Island Jamaica 12, 0.75 oz fresh lime juice, 0.5 oz honey syrup (2:1), 0.25 oz allspice dram, 2 dashes Angostura bitters. Shake with ice, strain into a coupe, garnish with a flamed orange peel.
Pair with: Jerk-spiced pork shoulder with grilled pineapple and coconut rice — the char and sweetness mirror the rum's smoky-fruit spine.
Awards: Silver Medal, International Rum Conference (Madrid); recognized in Rum & Cachaça Masters competitions for its Single Country series.
Red Wine Domaine de la Tournelle Arbois Poulsard 2022
Evelyne and Pascal Clairet farm five hectares of vines around Arbois using biodynamic methods, crafting Jura wines with minimal intervention that express the region's singular limestone-and-marl terroir.
Classification: Arbois AOC
Brand: Domaine de la Tournelle
ABV: 12.5%
Primary Varietal: Poulsard
Blend: 100% Poulsard
Vineyards: Various plots around Arbois, limestone and marl soils
Maturation: Whole-cluster fermentation, minimal sulfur, natural yeast, aged in older oak foudres
Color: Translucent ruby-garnet, almost rosé in intensity
MSRP: $25–$35
Nose: Ethereal red cherry and wild strawberry mingle with dried rose petals and a faint earthy, forest-floor note. There is a quiet herbal quality, like dried thyme.
Palate: Light-bodied but deeply flavored, with tart cherry, cranberry, and a hint of citrus peel. The tannins are nearly invisible, replaced by a mineral grip and gentle bitterness that recalls tea leaves.
Finish: Medium, with lingering cherry, a saline mineral note, and a clean, lifted acidity.
Pair with: Aged Comté from the same Jura region mirrors the wine's nutty undertones, while the vinegar bite of cornichons amplifies its tart fruit character.
White Wine Domaine des Baumard Savennières Clos du Papillon 2022
The Baumard family has cultivated vines in the Loire since the 17th century, and their walled Clos du Papillon vineyard — named for the butterfly-shaped plot on the slopes of Savennières — produces one of France's most cellar-worthy dry Chenin Blancs.
Classification: Savennières AOC
Brand: Domaine des Baumard
ABV: 13.5%
Primary Varietal: Chenin Blanc
Blend: 100% Chenin Blanc
Vineyards: Clos du Papillon, south-facing slopes of schist and volcanic rhyolite in Savennières
Vinification: Hand-harvested, whole-cluster pressed, fermented in stainless steel, aged on fine lees
Color: Pale gold with green reflections
MSRP: $35–$50
Nose: Intense aromas of quince, green apple, and white flowers lead, with a pronounced mineral character like wet stone. Hints of honey and acacia emerge with air.
Palate: Full-bodied and taut, with a steely acidity that frames ripe pear, citrus zest, and a chalky mineral core. A slight waxy texture adds depth without heaviness.
Finish: Long and bone-dry, with persistent mineral salinity, a touch of bitter almond, and a clean citrus echo.
Pair with: The Loire's classic fish-and-butter-sauce pairing mirrors the wine's body and acidity, with the beurre blanc's richness balanced by the Chenin's mineral grip.
Train Your Nose: Today's Aroma Spotlight
Today's aroma theme explores the scents of resistance — the smoky, mineral, earthy, and bitter notes that emerge when producers push through difficulty rather than around it. From charred oak and peat smoke to mineral-driven terroir and roasted malt, these are the aromas that carry the story of friction in every sip.
Each bottle below maps to aromas you can isolate with your kit before your next pour — then see if you catch them in the glass.
Today's Kit Reference
| Today's Product | Key Aromas | Train With |
|---|---|---|
| Michter's US*1 Unblended American Whiskey (Bourbon) | Butterscotch, Caramel, Charred Oak, Vanilla, Pecan | Bourbon Kit |
| Talisker 57° North (Scotch Whisky) | Smoky, Peaty, Clove Spice, Peach, Honey, Woody | Whisky Kit |
| Teeling Stout Cask Finish Small Batch Irish Whiskey (Irish Whiskey) | Cocoa (Dark), Caramel, Malt, Clove Spice, Earthy | Whiskey Kit |
| Tequila Excellia Reposado (Tequila) | Agave (Cooked), Honey, Pepper, Caramel, Citrus (Lemon, Lime, Orange, Grapefruit), Earth (Mineral, Soil Notes) | Tequila Kit |
| Bobby's Schiedam Dry Gin (Gin) | Juniper (Herbaceous/Waxy), Coriander, Peppery, Lemon, Ginger | Gin Kit |
| Cane Island Jamaica 12 Year Old Single Country Rum (Rum) | Banana, Tropical Fruits, Oak, Tobacco, Molasses, Nut (Almond/Coconut) | Rum Kit |
| Domaine de la Tournelle Arbois Poulsard 2022 (Red Wine) | Cherry, Floral (Rose), Berry (Generic), Citrus (Generic), Mint | Wine Kit |
| Domaine des Baumard Savennières Clos du Papillon 2022 (White Wine) | Apple (Green), Citrus (Generic), Honey, Nut (Almond/Coconut), Green (Cut Grass) | Wine Kit |
Explore the School of Wine and Spirits
Train your palate to recognize the aromas behind today's eight bottles with the School of Wine and Spirits tasting kit. Our Aroma Masterclass Kits are designed to teach it to you, one aroma at a time.
Our books on Amazon go deeper into the science and history behind every sip — from America's Spirit, Scotland's Spirit, Ireland's Spirit, The Ultimate Northern Italian Wine Journey, The Tequila y Mezcal Revolution, Chablis, and Côte d'Or pocket guides.
Explore our Aroma Masterclass kits and books at schoolofwineandspirits.com
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Every great palate was built one deliberate sniff at a time — start building yours today.
Until tomorrow's pour — cheers.
The Still & The Vine is a daily publication of the School of Wine and Spirits.
Michter's US*1 Unblended American Whiskey
Michter's
Michter's Unblended American is a study in restraint — whiskey that doesn't shout but rewards close attention. It bridges bourbon and rye sensibilities without committing fully to either, offering a versatile and deeply satisfying pour.
Talisker 57° North
Talisker
Named for the latitude of its rugged Skye home, 57° North is Talisker at full intensity. The cask-strength delivery strips away nothing, presenting a whisky shaped by storm-battered coastline. This is not a gentle dram — it demands engagement and rewards it generously.
Teeling Stout Cask Finish Small Batch Irish Whiskey
Teeling
Teeling's stout cask finish is an exercise in creative abrasion — the roasted, bitter character of Irish stout barrels pushes against the spirit's natural sweetness, creating tension that resolves beautifully. It's a Dublin dram with real backbone.
Tequila Excellia Reposado
Excellia
Excellia Reposado is a tequila forged through deliberate friction: highland agave meets unconventional French oak from Sauternes casks, a pairing that shouldn't work as elegantly as it does. The result is a reposado that earns its complexity the hard way—through the tension between sweet and savory, Old World winemaking tradition and New World agave spirit. It's a bottle that rewards patience and attention, perfectly at home in this issue's theme of things made finer by resistance.
Bobby's Schiedam Dry Gin
Bobby's
Bobby's earns its place through cultural friction — the collision of Indonesian and Dutch botanical traditions creates a gin that feels like it was wrestled into existence. Named for the grandfather who blended two worlds in colonial-era Indonesia, this Schiedam-distilled spirit doesn't smooth away its contradictions; it embraces them. The lemongrass-juniper tension on the palate is genuinely compelling, and the spice backbone gives it uncommon structure for cocktails while remaining rewarding neat. A gin that carries the grit of its story in every sip.
Domaine de la Tournelle Arbois Poulsard 2022
Domaine de la Tournelle
Poulsard from the Jura is one of wine's great underdog grapes — thin-skinned, fragile, and demanding of precise winemaking. La Tournelle's organic and biodynamic approach coaxes remarkable complexity from this delicate variety, producing a wine that's simultaneously ethereal and tenacious.
Domaine des Baumard Savennières Clos du Papillon 2022
Domaine des Baumard
Savennières demands patience — from the vine and from the drinker. Clos du Papillon is Baumard's crown jewel, a Chenin Blanc of enormous concentration and restraint that unfolds over years. Even young, it communicates the flinty schist soils with startling clarity.
Cane Island Jamaica 12 Year Old Single Country Rum
Cane Island
A confident, unsweetened Jamaican that bridges accessibility and authenticity — funky enough for purists, refined enough for newcomers to pot-still rum.
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