Velier Nine Leaves Sherry Pedro Ximénez 2020

Un rhum dégusté au Whisky Live Paris en 2025. Le Sherry se sent au nez et il apporte de la douceur. Le saké est au second plan derrière les agrumes (yuzu) et les fruits jaunes. L’alcool est un peu trop présent en bouche mais l’impression est entière avec pas mal d’épices. La finale est moyenne avec un bois et un côte saké un peu plus marqués. De la douceur aussi. Les deux single cask n’ont fait bonne impression mais j’ai préféré le chêne espagnol pour sa meilleure intégration de l’alcool.

Oh man, another really bad one. I really suspect that this stuff wasn't just finished in a barrel, but that liters of sherry were added to it. Much too sherry-dominant for me.

Whisky Live Paris 2025

#5714 27.09.2025 Day one of the Whisky Live 2025, which this year looks better organized/arranged inside. I was excited about this release because lats years releases were pretty good. I did get disappointed though because I think the quality dropped quite a bit. Light fruity with some sugarcane, herbal and spice notes. The sake notes are very subtle in the profile. There is also a light medicinal touch in the profile.

Tasted as a mystic: Something with berries, wine sourness, ash, and wood. Thought it was whiskey (some kind of Edradour or Balvenie) — berry and menthol, wine, citrus and ash notes, sweet and spicy, liqueur, seems quite strong, ashy smoke and thick liqueur with spices on the palate.

The Single Cask is better than the Blend from the same vintage with the same aging. The sherry brings its usual heaviness between raisins and prunes, spices, and alcoholic notes. There are also notes of sake, herbaceous notes of sugar cane, a hint of honey, wood, and anise. It is a round and rather rich nose, to be honest. On the palate, the profile continues with influences of sherry, oak, caramel, and vegetal notes. Citrus and sugar cane bring a touch of elegance to this somewhat heavy profile. There are also some medicinal notes. The profile is much better than on the Blend, with more flavors and more richness. The alcohol is fairly well integrated, although its strength is still noticeable. The finish is long and dry but well executed, with dried fruit (raisins) and citrus, brown sugar, roasted, spicy and vegetal notes. The profile is livelier, spicier and more oriental. The profile is already better than what has been produced, but this premium and experimental cuvée is not enough to earn it five stars.

Messetasting Whisky Live Paris. Eindrücke und Bewertung basieren auf unmittelbaren Eindrücken aus dem Tastingglas. Leider ein eher flacher Rum, der merklich vom Sherry-Fass profitiert, da durch die Süsse etwas mehr Spannung ins Profil kommt. Davon abgesehen für mich nur bedingt überzeugend.

One of the poorer Nine Leaves bottlings. The typical Nine Leaves notes are still present, but everything is very flat and the bottling is dominated by the finish. Unfortunately, I also found the alcohol poorly integrated.

Of the last three bottlings, I like this one best, as the Nine Leaves DNA is still reasonably recognizable here.

Nine Leaves profile still recognizable, but sherry finish already very dominant.

Cette année, j’ai pu déguster toute la lineup, et… malheureusement, ce n’est pas mieux. Les rhums sont plus jeunes (2017 à 2020) et, globalement, encore moins convaincants. La série mise surtout sur les finishes : 2020 Sherry Pedro Ximénez – 60 % et 59 % 2018 Spanish Oak – 59 % 2018 Armagnac Cask – 59 % 2017 Red Wine Cask – 60 % S’il fallait en sauver un, ce serait le 2018 Spanish Oak : une finale dense, corsée, avec cette impression de “mâcher un bâton de réglisse”. Intéressant, sans être transcendant. On sent clairement que cette gamme reste expérimentale, en quête d’un équilibre entre la base et le type de vieillissement. Mais pour l’instant, je dois l’avouer : je ne suis pas le public visé. Des rhums de dégustation plus que de plaisir, parfaits pour un club de dégustation ou une session découverte, mais pas vraiment des bouteilles que j’aurais envie de garder dans mon bar.

Nine leaves is not my top distillery

Delicious, but a little too much sherry and a little too little Nine Leaves ID