Yesterday we celebrated our 70th Independence day and with such a round nice number our lively local whisky scene didn’t kept quiet. The Golan Heights Distillery released a special limited anniversary edition of their two grain whisky Golani that was finished in a Brandy cask.

The Golani spirit spent 2.5 years in red wine cask (like the regular Golani Vino) and then 50 liters were finished in a 50L cask which held Brandy (distilled at the distillery) for another 6 months. 70 bottles were released to the market bottled at 49.7%.

Golan Heights Distillery Golani Brandy Finish (49.7%, 250NIS/~€57)

Nose: Soft brandy influence, sweet grapes, red wine, then there’s the trademarked toffee and butterscotch of the distillery in the backseat and green apples.

Palate: Starts spicy with oak spices, cinnamon, toasted oak, black pepper. Then it gets bready followed by tannins, apples, green grapes peels and ending on a drying sensation but it’s mellow and spicy.

Finish: Short medium length, red wine tannins, dryness, green apples, green grapes peels and Calvados sweetness.

Thoughts: This is quite lovely. If you recall my previous reviews, I preferred the Golani Black over Golani Vino but this Brandy finish with the Brandy and Calvados-like impact elevates the final result into a soft, balanced (even if young) tasty whisky.