Best Shot Whisky Reviews

“Lamas Special”

Introduction:

The Lamas distillery is located in Matozinhos in the state of Minas Gerais. It was founded by the Lamas Brothers in 2019 after 10 years of private try-outs. Lamas is now run by the second and third generation family members. Lamas produces Cachaça, Gin, Rum, Vodka and Whisky. So far I have only tasted one expression from this distillery the Nimbus Caledonia. Last year however I was able to buy a set of 5 miniatures and this year I received another sample from a friend. So it's more than time to present a special around these six Lamas Whiskies. Enjoy!

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Whisky Review # 1041

Country: Brazil 🇧🇷

Region: State of Minas Gerais

Brand: Lamas The Dog's Bollocks II - Limited Edition - 500 Bottles

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS (Probably around 5 Years)

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: American Oak Ex-Bourbon casks with Brazilian Moscatel cask Finish
Chill Filtration: No

Sample provided by Mauricio from Brazil. Many Thanks!
Average Price: US$ 45 (November 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Okay
Buying Advice: 😐 It's borderline okay but don't expect substantial Peat

Colour:

Golden Amber (Natural Colour)

Nose:

The Nose is Light but certainly not unpleasant. It's Sweet, Malty and Yeasty. The Alcohol is noticeable so please avoid to nose in the middle of the glass. I would've expected much more Peat/Smoke though as this Lamas is made with 80% peated Malt. In reality there's only a mere afterthought of Smoke in the background. But it's a decent Nose for a young Brazilian Single Malt.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Yeast, Salted Caramel, Sweet White Wine, Mixed Dried Fruit and Nuts, Orange, Mandarin, Pineapple, Mint and Cilantro.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Honey, Dusty Track (Earth), Smoldering Embers, Pencil Shavings, Floral Spray, Red Berries, Leather, Cinnamon, Ginger and a hint of Hospital.

Palate:

A slightly Hot and Thin mix of Sweet, Bitter and Sour notes. The Smoke is more noticeable but still stays in the background. It's not bad but it does lack structure and depth.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Yeast, Mixed Dried Fruit and Nuts, Red Berries, slightly Sour White Wine, Orange, Grapefruit, Charred Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon and Ginger.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Caramel, Brown Sugar, Factory Smoke, Dirty Earth, Mandarin, Lemon, Leather, In-Door Plants, Mint and Cilantro.

Finish:

Middle-Long, Bitter Sweet and a bit Hot. The Bitterness increases towards the Dry end. It's quite Acidic as well. Not the best part of this Lamas. The Smoke is more noticeable at this point and slightly Dirty. I find Sweet Barley, Yeast, Charred Oak, Factory Smoke, Dusty Earth, slightly Sour Sweet White Wine, Mixed Dried Fruits and Nuts, Red Berries, Orange, Grapefruit, Lemon, Mandarin, Pepper, Cinnamon, Mint, Cilantro and a hint of Leather.

Drinking Advice:

I added a bit of Water and that brings more Malt and Fruit (Canned Peaches and Apricots) to the Nose. A bit of Paper and perhaps Plastic as well. The Palate does not benefit in the same way and the Finish becomes quite Short. I prefer it neat but you can certainly experiment with a few drops at a time.

Rating: 6.5 (******1/2)

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 6.5 - Finish: 6

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay

Conclusion:

The Dog's Bollocks II Single Malt is produced in partnership with Caledonia Whisky

& Co and Mauricio Porto who run a great Whisky Bar/Shop/Tasting center in São Paulo. It's made with 80% peated Malt (50 PPM) and 20% traditional Malt. The name of this Lamas Single Malt is slang for something really good.

Brazilian Whisky production is still in its infancy and most of the Single Malts that go to the market are quite young and still rather immature. But distilleries like Lamas are certainly moving in the right direction. The Bollocks II edition is not bad but slightly edgy & incoherent. It also disappoints in the Peat/Smoke department. The latter issue should be addressed in future editions as the peated aspect can be an important and positive marketing issue.

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende

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Whisky Review # 1042

Country: Brazil 🇧🇷

Region: State of Minas Gerais

Brand: Lamas Canem - Single Wood Series

Type: Blended Brazilan Whisky
Age: NAS (My Guess: 3-5 Years)

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: American Oak Ex-Bourbon Casks
Chill Filtration: No

Average Price: US$ 25-35 (October-November 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Okay I guess
Buying Advice: 👎 Unpleasant as a sipping Whisky. I prefer Bourbon for mixing.

Colour:

Golden (Natural Colour)

Nose:

The typical mixture of New Oak and Varnish reminds me strongly of Young West-European mainland whiskies. The rather Thin Canem nose presents strong Grain Alcohol and is mostly Sugary Sweet although there are a few light Bitter and Salty notes as well. You should not directly compare this to Scottish Blends as it smells totally different. I must admit this Nose does not appeal to me.

Main Aromas:

Grain Alcohol, Malted Barley, Sugar, Yeast, Tannic Charred New Oak, Fresh Herbs, Cooked Green Vegetables, Artificial Fruit Candies, Pepper, Aniseed, Licorice and Menthol.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Honey, Salted Caramel, Toast with Margarine, Nuts and Nutshells, Dirty Earth, Cheap Floral Soap, Nougat and Cinnamon.

Palate:

Young, Thin, slightly Hot and mostly Sugary Sweet. A few light Bitter & Salty notes can be found as well. This is definitively not a sipping Whisky.

Main Flavours:

Grain Alcohol, Malted Barley, Yeast, Fresh Herbs, Sugar, Cooked Green Vegetables, Nuts and Nutshells, Charred New Oak, Pepper, Licorice and Menthol.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Artificial Fruit Candies, Leather, Pencil Shavings, Aniseed and Cinnamon.

Finish:

Short, Thin and Sugary Sweet. This is Young stuff. The Grain Alcohol totally rules. A few very light Bitter notes as well. I find Grain Alcohol, Malted Barley, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Sugar, Tannic New Oak, Pencil Shavings, Honey, Pepper, Nuts & Nutshells, Menthol and Licorice. Your mouth becomes Dry after a few minutes.

Drinking Advice:

I added a bit of Water and that actually brings out some Fruit like Nectarine or Peach on the Nose. The Palate becomes too Thin though & the Finish disappears.

Rating: 5 (*****)

Nose: 5.5 - Taste: 5 - Finish: 5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

Drinking Experience Neat: Below average

Conclusion:

The Lamas Canem is a mix of Grain Whisky (2/3) and Malt Whisky (1/3). Lamas Plenus provides the Malt for this Blend.

The Canem is also a dog but without the bullocks😜. The Canem is Young, Thin & Hot and is ruled by Grain Alcohol. It lacks interesting Aromas and Flavours and is not good enough as a sipping Whisky. It becomes too Thin over Ice and while you could probably use it in mixed drinks I personally prefer Bourbon as it is more flavourful. So all in all I can't recommend this Lamas Canem. Who Let the Dogs Out?

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende

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Whisky Review # 1043

Country: Brazil
Region: State of Minas Gerais

Brand: Lamas Plenus

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS (My Guess: 5-6 Years)

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: American Oak Ex-Bourbon casks
Chill Filtration: No

Average Price: US$ 25-35 (November 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 Good
Buying Advice: 😐 It's not very complex but a good start to get to know Lamas

Colour:

Light Golden (Natural Colour)

Nose:

I recognize the Malt Aromas I found in the Canem Blend. The Nose of the Plenus is much softer and more pleasant than its blended brother. It's a Young Whisky and you will notice the New Oak and the Varnish but all in all it's not bad. It's mostly Sweet with a very light Bitterness in the background. The Alcohol is present but does not interfere with the Nosing procedures.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Butter & Margarine Mix, Grains, Slightly Burnt Caramel, Nectarine, Vanilla, New Oak, Yeast, Orange, Varnish, Ginger and Aniseed.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Coconut, Molasses, Apricot-filled Pastry, Fresh White Bread, Straw, Milk Chocolate, Lemon, Pepper, Cinnamon and a Floral/Green note I can't quite place. A very light hint of Sweat in the background.

Palate:

Young, Thin and a little Hot. Mainly Sweet but with developing Bitterness and a light Salty note in the background. It's okay and certainly lesss aggressive than the bottom-shelf Blended Scotch Whiskies like JW Red that are popular in Brazil.

Main Flavours:

Malted Barley, Salted Caramel, Brown Sugar, Grain, Butter-Margarine Mix, Yeast, Tutti-Frutti flavored Bubble Gum, New Oak, Varnish, Pepper, Ginger, Aniseed and Mint.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Vanilla, Nuts, Grass and Straw, Peanut Butter, Orange, Green Herbs, light Rubber, Nutmeg and Cinnamon. A hint of a Petrol station.

Finish:

Short/Medium Long, Young, Thin & a little Hot. It starts Sweet but the Bitterness increases towards the Medium-Dry end. I find Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Brown Sugar, Caffe Latte, New Oak, Varnish, Tutti-Frutti flavored Bubble Gum, Grass and Yeast, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, Orange, Tooth Paste, Petrol Station, Peanut Butter and this lingering Floral/Green note.

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water & that helps to calm down the Alcohol. The Palate becomes more Fruity but you will lose some other Flavours. The Finish becomes almost non-existent. I think you should try it both ways. I prefer it neat though.

Rating: 7 (*******)

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 7 - Finish: 6

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay

Conclusion:

Plenus is Latin for Complete. It's the standard entry Single Malt of the distillery. Indeed it's a good place to start getting to know Lamas. It's easy to drink and not at all aggressive. It's not a complex Single Malt and its Youth is noticeable. And I never like these New Wood notes. I would really love to see this Spirit mature for an adequate time in a good cask. I do hope that Lamas will offer such expressions in the future!

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende

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“Sweet Talkin’ Guy”

Whisky Review # 1044

Country: Brazil
Region: State of Minas Gerais

Brand: Lamas Rarus

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS (My Guess: 5-7 Years)

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: American Oak Ex-Bourbon Casks with Finish in Rum Norma American Oak Casks
Chill Filtration: No

Average Price: US$ 40 (November 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Okay in US$ but expensive in Brazilian Reais
Buying Advice: 😐 It's a Young whisky but the Rum cask finish works

Colour:

Amber with shades of Orange (Natural Colour)

Nose:

This smells like a slightly sweeter and less nervous version of the Plenus. You can certainly smell the Rum casks but it's not overpowering leading me to suspect a Finish of something between 6 months and 1 Year. The Nose is Young but pleasant with lots of Sugary, Fruity & Yeasty notes. The Alcohol is there but does not spoil the Nosing pleasure.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Molasses, Yeast, Dough, Straw, Banana Ice Cream, Coconut, Orange, Oak, Fresh Herbs and Flowers, Aniseed and Ginger.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Brown Sugar, Caramel, Buttered Toast, Bounty Candy Bar, Nuts, Nectarine, Peach, Apricot, Papaya, Lemon, Caffe Latte, Milk Chocolate, Cinnamon and Pepper. A very light hint of Nail Polish. I also get Strawberries after a while.

Palate:

Young, Thin and slightly Hot. Mainly Bitter-Sweet. Not perfect at all but probably my favorite Lamas palate until now. The Sweetness of the Rum suppresses the light off-notes that the Plenus shows (Varnish, Petrol). The Alcohol is certainly more present now.

Main Flavours:

Malted Barley, Vanilla, Caramel, Yeast, Dough, Molasses, Grass & Straw, Orange, Banana, Strawberry, Milk Chocolate, Caffe Latte, Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Aniseed and Mint.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Buttered Toast, Fresh Herbs & Green Vegetables, Nuts, Bounty Candy Bars and shaved Coconut, Varnish, Peanut Butter, Ginger, Nutmeg and Cloves.

Finish:

Young, Medium Long, slightly Thin & a little Hot. Bitter-Sweet with a few light Sour notes. Medium Dry. I find Sweet Barley, Molasses, Vanilla, Brown Sugar, Caramel, Yeast, Fresh Herbs, Caffe latte, Milk Chocolate, Grass and Straw, Banana, Honey, Raspberry, Orange, Peanuts, Oak, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves and Aniseed. After a while some Mint, Nail Polish and a Green Flowery note I can't put my finger on.

Drinking Advice:

No need to add Water to this Rarus.

Rating: 7 (*******)

Nose: 8 - Taste: 7 - Finish: 6

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good

Conclusion:

Rarus is Latin for Rare. It's probably the first Brazilian Single Malt that received a rum cask Finish. The Norma Rum is also produced by Lamas and the idea was born during a visit to the Balvenie distillery. If you're interested you can find the review of the Balvenie Caribbean Cask here.

The Rarus is still a Young and rather Thin Single Malt but the Rough edges that are still there are somewhat camouflaged by the Rum cask finish. In my opinion this Rum Finish works and it does not overpower the spirit with cloying Sweetness. I would really love to try a 12 year old Lamas with a one year Rum cask Finish. Who knows what the future brings!

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende

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“Whisky Sour”

Whisky Review # 1045

Country: Brazil
Region: State of Minas Gerais

Brand: Lamas Verus

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS (My Guess: 5-7 Years)

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon Casks with European Port Style Cask Finish
Chill Filtration: No

Average Price: US$ 35 (November 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Okay in US$ but expensive in Brazilian Reais

Buying Advice: 👎 The Finish leaves this Lamas too Sour in my opinion

Colour:

Dark Gold (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Quite Fruity thanks to the Port style Finish. A little Sour and slightly artificial but not bad. It's Young, Light, Yeasty and Medium-Sweet. The Alcohol is present but does not interfere with the Nosing.

Main Aromas:

Malted Barley, Vanilla, Yeast, Bread Dough, Grains, Red Wine Vinegar, Nectarine, Caffe Latte sprinkled with Milk-Chocolate chips, Straw, (New) Oak and Cinnamon.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Nuts, Brown Sugar, Buttered Toast, Red Berries, Bounty Bars, Apricot Jam, Citrus, Varnish, Plastic, Ginger, Aniseed, Pepper and a Flowery note I can't put my finger on.

Palate:

Young, Thin, Hot, Bitter Sweet, Sour and a little Musty. A bit of a disappointment after the Nose.

Main Flavours:

Malted Barley, Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Yeast, Grains, Grass & Straw, Red Wine, New Oak, Tutti-Frutti-flavoured Bubble Gum, Pepper, Cinnamon and Menthol/Mint.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Caramel, Nuts, Butter-Margarine Mix, Citrus, Old Peanuts, Herbs, Rubber, Varnish, Petrol, Ginger, Nutmeg and Aniseed.

Finish:

Thin, Hot, Bitter-Sweet, Sour, Medium-Dry and on the Short side. A few off-notes that remind me of Plastic, Rubber, Varnish and Petrol. I also find Malted Barley, Vanilla, Brown Sugar, Yeast, Grass, Old Peanuts, Citrus, Tutti-Frutti Bubble Gum, Red Wine, (New) Oak, Pepper, Menthol, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg and Aniseed.

Drinking Advice:

I added a bit of Water and that helps to take some of the heat of the Palate. A bit more Fruit as well. But it somehow spoils the Nose and practically eliminates the Finish. Just add a few drops and see what happens.

Rating: 6.5 (******1/2)

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 6.5 - Finish: 5.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

Drinking Experience Neat: The Nose is okay but the rest is below average

Conclusion:

Verus is Latin and means Genuine or Truthful. I genuinely think that in this case the Finish does not do a great job. You would not say that during Nosing but on the Palate and in the Finish you can not help but notice the Sour influence of the Port-style Red Wine Finish. I think Lamas might consider importing a few good Ex-Port casks from Portugal if they consider maintaining the Verus in the line-up. As presented I do not recommend this Lamas expression.

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende

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Whisky Review # 1046

Country: Brazil
Region: State of Minas Gerais

Brand: Lamas Nimbus Robustus

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS (My Guess: 5-7 Years)

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 54%
Maturation: American Oak Ex-Bourbon Casks
Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 40-50 (November 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio:😐 Okay in US$ but expensive in Brazilian Reais

Buying Advice:👍Interesting to compare to young peated Islay Malt (Kilchoman)

Colour:

Golden Sunlight (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Be sure to give this Lamas enough time in the glass and refrain from Nosing in the middle of your glass as there's a lot of Alcohol around. When nosing it for the first time it reminded me of a peated West-European mainland Whisky with lots of new Oak and Varnish. After a while however the Lamas Yeast becomes more clear. The ABV is substantial and this Nimbus is a bit aggressive on the Nose. Not really bad though.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Malted Barley, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Yeast, Dusty New Oak and Varnish, Slightly Dirty Factory Smoke, Pork on the BBBQ sprinkled with Herbs and Lemon, Slivovitz, Rubber, Gas Station, Pepper, Cinnamon, Aniseed and Mint.
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Brown Sugar, Honey, Caramel, Dusty Earth, Musty Cellar, Resin, Ashes, Grapefruit and Dark Red Berries, Green Paprika, Ginger, Cloves, Cardamom and a Green or Cooked Vegetables note I can't quite put my finger on.

Palate:

Mainly Sweet but with a few Bitter and Salty notes as well. The Smoke is on the Dirty side and on a whole you get a bit of a Burnt sensation.

Main Flavours:

Sweet malted Barley, Burnt Toast, Vanilla, Caramel, Yeast, Dirty Factory Smoke, Burnt Pork on the BBQ, Dusty New Oak, Varnish, Rubber, Pepper, Cinnamon and Menthol.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Grass & Straw, Brown Sugar, Spent Matches, Dirty Earth, Cold Bonfire, Slivovitz, Leather, Lemon, Grapefruit, Dark Red Berries, Nuts, Cooked Vegetables, Herbal Tea and Ginger.

Finish:

Middle-Long and a little Hot. Mostly Sweet but with an interesting Salty note in the background. A bit of a Metallic aftertaste. I find Sweet Malted Barley, Burnt Toast, Caramel, Vanilla, Yeast, Factory Smoke, Dusty Earth, slightly Burnt Pork on the BBQ, Dusty New Oak, Nuts, Cooked Vegetables, Slivovitz, Hospital, Ashes, Herbal Tea, Varnish, Petrol, Grapefruit, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Aniseed, Menthol & Stale Espresso. Quite Dry and slightly Bitter and Rubbery after a while.

Drinking Advice:

I added a bit of Water and that helps to calm down the Alcohol of course. But it also removes the Soul of this Robustus. So while you certainly can add a few drops to this Lamas I prefer it neat.

Rating: 7 (*******)

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 7 - Finish: 6.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay. I like the Nose but the rest is merely okay

Conclusion:

Nimbus is Latin for Cloud & Robustus stands for Strong. This Lamas is made with Barley that is smoked with Eucalyptus Wood. So it's not peated but smoked. It's basically a Lamas Nimbus with a higher ABV.

While not necessarily the best Lamas I've tasted, the Nimbus Robustus is without a doubt interesting to review. If only to be able to compare it to a young peated Islay Malt like Kilchoman. And while Lamas is certainly not yet on par right now with its Scottish peers I do see a future for smoked Lamas Single Malt as it's a differential on the local market.

Final Thoughts:

The Brazilian Whisky Industry does not yet have a long history & experience when compared to their Scottish brothers. But like in the Wine industry they are quick to learn. Lamas is certainly one of the better Brazilian Whisky distilleries but I feel there's still room for improvement. In the production process they should look for ways to eliminate the very strong Yeast Aromas and Flavours. As far as cask management is concerned it's better to steer away from new wood and use exclusively traditional Ex-Bourbon casks or Sherried Wood. When a second cask Finish is required or wanted, better import original casks that were used for the original product. And, finally, please give the Spirit sufficient time to mature. Time and a good cask make a good whisky. I wish Lamas all the success in the world and hope to be able to taste a fully matured Lamas Single Malt in the future!

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende November 13, 2024

Glenlivet Caribbean Reserve

Lamas The Dog's Bollocks II - Lamas Canem - Lamas Plenus - Lamas Rarus - Lamas Verus - Lamas Nimbus Robustus