M&H Pomegranate Wine Cask – The Festival Sample Bottle Versus the “Elements” Series

M&H Pomegranate Wine Cask – The "Jerusalem Whiskey Experience 2023" Festival Sample Bottle Versus the “Elements” Series

This article includes two whisky reviews:

1. The M&H “Jerusalem Whiskey Experience 2023” Festival Pomegranate Wine Single Cask Sample bottling.

2. The M&H "Elements" Pomegranate Wine Cask Rosh Hashana Special Edition.

Note: The Milk And Honey distillery now wishes to be known as M&H. I’ll explain why, bli Neder in my next article.

This article also contains a discussion of Full-Term Maturation versus Finishes.

What is Pomegranate Wine?

Seeing as both these Single Malts were matured in Pomegranate Wine Casks, it’s important to know what the previous contents of the cask is all about in order to give us a greater appreciation of its flavour influence upon the whisky, just as we would for Ex-Bourbon, Ex-Port, Ex-Sherry, Ex-Rum etc,  

According to the Rimon Winery website, their wine is made from a specific pomegranate, grown for maximum concentrated flavour content. When the pomegranates have reached the desired level of ripeness they are then crushed and go through a fermentation process similar to Dry Red grape wines. Likewise, they are aged in French Oak Barrique casks for a period of 12 to 18 months or more.

A typical Rimon “Dry” wine (i.e., one where no sugar is added), displays a beautiful bright reddish-purple colour, a uniquely pomegranate rich fruit aroma and flavour, with a hint of black pepper coming from the cask.

See the Rimon Winery Website for further details:

I’ve tried quite a few bottles of Rimmonim (Pomegranate in Hebrew) Dry Red wine from the Rimon winery in Dalton (unsuitable for Kiddush by the way but lovely to serve during the seuda), and they were absolutely delicious. I’ve also tried their Pomegranate Port Style Fortified wine which was very impressive as well.

How can you describe to someone who knows the taste of a descent Dry Red wine but has never tried wine from Pomegranate juice?

The flavour character is similar but Rimmonim Wine is more intense and more tart, like black currents. Many describe the tartness as cranberries like. There is also sweet red cherries and berries rather than the softer flavours you get from red grapes. Aromatic spices, smooth tannins, cooked black pepper and an unusual combination of just a hint of bitter Pomegranate white pith like notes with intense ultra-sweet pomegranate juice.

Pomegranates And The Land of Israel

Pomegranates or Rimmonim, are indigenous to Eretz Yisrael (The Land of Israel) and mentioned in the Torah as one of the Seven Holy Species of Eretz Yisrael.

אֶ֤רֶץ חִטָּה֙ וּשְׂעֹרָ֔ה וְגֶ֥פֶן וּתְאֵנָ֖ה וְרִמּ֑וֹן אֶֽרֶץ־זֵ֥ית שֶׁ֖מֶן וּדְבָֽשׁ

“…a land of Wheat, Barley, Grape Vines, Figs, Pomegranates, Olives and Date Honey”. (Devarim 8:8).

I am not aware of any other distillery from anywhere in the world that also matures in Pomegranate Casks. So, I would say that for M&H to mature their whisky in these Casks, it really does give these whiskies a uniquely Israeli flavour. 

The M&H “Jerusalem Whiskey Experience 2023” Festival Pomegranate Wine Single Cask Sample bottling.

M&H Pomegranate Wine Cask	Data Sheet
Owner:	M&H
Barcode:	None
Single Cask:	Cask No. 2018-0816B
Cask Type:	225L “Saury” Ex-Pomegranate Wine Barrique Cask
Price:	Was NIS 85 for a 200 ml sample bottle
Alcohol:	64.9% abv Cask Strength*
Age	5 Years
Distillation Date:	24/06/2018
Bottling Date:	17-18/05/2023
Non-Chill-Filtered:	Yes
Natural Colour:	Yes
Kashrus Issues:	None
Kosher Certification:	Star-K

*As can be seen from the photo, the cask stated 64.9% abv but the label erroneously states 64.1% abv. I was told that it was a typo on the label. However, at 64% abv plus, an extra 0.8% isn’t going to make that much difference.

The Jerusalem Whiskey Experience 2023

(Yes, I know I’ve written “Whiskey” and not “Whisky” but that’s how the festival organisers spelt it).

These 200 ml Sample bottles were filled straight from the cask at the M&H stand at the “Jerusalem Whiskey Experience 2023”, between the 17^th and 18^th May of that year. It took place in the beautiful and atmospheric "Ticho House" Museum, built in the early 1860s.

https://www.timeout.com/israel/museums/ticho-house

Unfortunately, I was upset to find out that there would be no follow up whisky festival in 2024. I don’t know why as I thought that it had been a tremendous success. For the few hours I was there, all the stands were busy and it seemed to me that people were buying a lot of bottles. I also noticed that everyone there seemed to be genuine Single Malt Whisky enthusiasts.

I did not see any of the “boozer” types, out to get smashed, associated with other types of alcohol and spirits festivals. I realise that this is going to sound snobbish but I really do think that the atmosphere was a lot more cultured and similar to UK Whisky festivals compared to the, shall we say more rowdy annual Tel Aviv Whisky festival. People ask me why they haven’t seen me at the Tel Aviv Whisky festival. Let’s just say that the atmosphere there isn’t really “my cup tea” or “my style of whisky festival”. (Nuff Said)

In order to get to both the Golani/Yerushalmi and M&H Distillery stands you had to go inside the main building and walk up the stairs to the first floor. The Golani Distillery stand was inside, whilst the M&H was outside on the huge balcony. Both places were packed. Both distilleries also featured a special Festival bottling.

The Yerushalmi Festival Bottling

When I arrived, it seemed as if all the Yerushalmi Special Festival bottling had already sold out. However, after giving me a very generous sample in my glass, Alona Zibell (wife of David Zibell, owner of Golani), managed to find me one bottle stashed away and promised to put another aside for me which they had left back at the distillery.

Then I proceeded to the M&H stand. In order to purchase these bottles, you first had to pay around the corner at the café and then return with the receipt, where upon the bottles were filled straight from this cask. I bought two bottles as always. One to open, one to put away.

 

Tasting Notes for the M&H Pomegranate Wine Cask Sample Bottle for the “Jerusalem Whiskey Experience 2023”

Appearance

A deep red-wine colour. Thick syrupy legs. Despite swirling the whisky around the glass, globules of alcohol stubbornly stuck to the inside of the Glencairn glass and wouldn't budge, splendidly demonstrating the effects of simple Barrier filtration and a high alcohol level.

On The Nose

Even at almost 65% abv and with no water added, putting your nose to the glass, you notice that this has a wonderful, intensely dark fruity sweet smell with no discernible nostril burn at all. Those big dark red fruity notes remind me of thick tart Raspberry Jam, Ripe Pomegranate juice (surprise surprise), Cognac, dark chocolate, polished sweet mahogany and walnut wood (what I call Cocktail cabinet smells). There is a wonderful aroma of “distillery warehouse” spicy Oak Cask. That’s something I really enjoy finding in a whisky.

Rich Honey and almond cake (the one where they put a full teaspoon of coffee in as their secret ingredients).

With Water added, the aromas really open up with strangely, more alcohol spirit notes. It now has a mineral-ly mountain stone smell about it, but still dominant on the nose are those plump dark red fruits with a touch of nice walnut dryness.

Tasting

Now with water added, you get a big mouthfeel of chocolates with liquid cherry liquor centres. Cranberries, black cherries, prunes and figs.

One layer below you have polished mahogany wood, beeswax honey and vanilla spice cake. There is a lovely taste of fresh walnuts straight out of their cracked shells, with slight dryness of the remnants of the inside of the shell still attached.

Compared to your typical Ex-STR Wine cask matured Single Malt whisky, the flavours in this Pomegranate Wine Cask Single Malt are much stronger and far more intense, like contrasting freshly made blackcurrant jam with blackcurrant cordial drink after having been diluted with water. There is more texture as well as flavour.

This Ex-Pomegranate Wine Cask Single Malt Whisky, straight from the cask gives you a wonderfully full-bodied, textured mouth and nose experience. It nevertheless remains perfectly balanced with everything in its place. What I mean by that, is that sometimes you can get a First-Fill Ex-Port or Ex-PX Cask Single Malt where the flavour from the previous content (i.e., the wine), can completely overpower and wipe out all the other flavour influences. Tomer Goren, "Head Distiller" of M&H, has managed to avoid this.

The Difference Between A Single Malt Matured Full-Term and One Simply Finished in a First-Fill Cask.

This is really the big difference between a whisky matured full-term in a First-Fill cask and a whisky which is simply finished in a First-Fill cask for a number of months. With Single Malts which have been finished, you can still sense that it’s just a coating. Noone for instance, would claim that chocolate coated digestive biscuits tastes similar to biscuits made with chocolate.

Conclusion

So, this is simply a beautiful Single Malt and immensely enjoyable to drink. It's the oldest M&H I've yet tasted at 5 Years, which by Israeli climate standards is equivalent to something like 15 "Scotch Whisky" Years Old?

There is no mistaking it! This is full-on utterly delicious Rimmonim Wine flavour. The M&H Single Cask has the same distinctive flavour profile as Pomegranate Wine but with the addition of cake cereal notes. In short, it’s everything one would expect from a First-Fill Rimmonim Wine cask Single malt Whisky. This little sample bottle was a true delight. I would have loved to have bought a few full-sized bottles of this to keep for a rainy day.

It’s one of those whiskies which you can serve to almost anyone and for any occasion. A whisky where you can spend half an hour discovering all its complex aromas and flavours and also sit back with a glass and relax amongst friends.

 

M&H Elements Pomegranate Wine Cask, Special Edition for Rosh Hashana

 

M&H Elements	Data Sheet
Owner:	M&H
Barcode:	7290109232522
Price:	Around NIS 280
Alcohol:	46% abv
Age	NAS - Unknown
Non-Chill-Filtered:	Yes
Natural Colour:	Yes
Kashrus Issues:	None
Kosher Certification:	Star-K

 A Review of a Special Edition for Rosh Hashana on Chanukah?

At the time of writing we are actually celebrating the festival of Chanukah. I happened to be in a wine shop in Yerushalayim a few weeks ago and saw these two bottles of “Elements Pomegranate Wine Cask – Special Edition for Rosh Hashana” on special offer. They were obviously trying to clear the shelves of old unsold bottles for new stock.

Having so much enjoyed the Pomegranate Single Cask sample bottling I bought at the ”Jerusalem Whiskey Experience 2023” Festival, I jumped at the chance to buy these bottles which as I said, were being sold at a really good price.

I was contemplating waiting until next Rosh Hashana to publish this review but decided to do it now, as it will act as an introduction to forthcoming M&H Single malt reviews I plan on uploading in the next few weeks.

The M&H “Elements” Series

M&H (Milk & Honey) has three ranges (not including their distillery only bottlings). There’s the core-range “Elements” series, the “APEX” series and the “Art & Craft” series.

The Elements Series consists of the “Elements Sherry Cask”, “Elements Peated”, “Elements Red Wine” and now the “Elements Pomegranate Wine”.

Please be aware that all the “Elements Series” are not matured in casks of a single type, as implied by “Sherry Cask” or “STR Cask” printed on the front label but actually consist of a marriage or vatting of different type casks (primarily Ex-Bourbon, STR Wine casks), with only an emphasis on the cask type named on the label. The casks are also a combination of First-Fill and Refill, so you only get a mild reference to the previous contents of the stated cask. I suppose you could describe them as “A Compromise of Flavours” series. I was about to find out that this Pomegranate Wine Cask is a perfect example of the style.

I must admit that at the time of purchase, I naively assumed that I’d be getting a similar tasting experience from these “Elements” Pomegranate Wine Cask Single Malts to the sample bottle I bought at the festival. How wrong I was!

I was in for a bit of a disappointment. From the very first sniff into the glass it was clear that this “Elements” Series bottling was nothing like the festival Sample bottling of Pomegranate Wine Cask I had so much enjoyed the year before.

 

Pomegranates and Rosh Hashana

Editor’s Note: Again, Yes, I Know it’s Chanukah now but it would be deficient of me not to explain the connection of Pomegranates to Rosh Hashana.

This Elements Pomegranate Wine Cask was originally a special release celebrating Rosh Hashana – The Jewish New Year. However, if I am not mistaken, they have now made it part of the core-range of the Elements series.

Vayikra 23:24 “Speak to the Children of Israel, saying: ‘You must celebrate the first day of the seventh month as a day of rest—a remembrance of the shofar blast; a holy occasion.

כד דַּבֵּ֛ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר בַּחֹ֨דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֜י בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֗דֶשׁ יִֽהְיֶה לָכֶם֙ שַׁבָּת֔וֹן זִכְר֥וֹן תְּרוּעָ֖ה מִקְרָא־קֹֽדֶשׁ:

Rosh Hashana or “The Head of the Year” is a two-day Yom Tov, which has two parallel themes:

1. To recognise Hashem (G-d) as our Father, who wants a continued loving relationship with His children and

2. To declare Hashem as our King, who will assess us for our conduct over the previous year and judge us accordingly.

Our Father, Our King, we have sinned before You. Our Father, Our King, we have no King besides You. Our Father, Our King, act compassionately with us for the sake of Your name. Our Father, Our King, renew for us a good [new] year.

אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ חָטָאנוּ לְפָנֶיךָ אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ אֵין לָנוּ מֶלֶךְ אֶלָּא אָתָּה אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ עֲשֵׂה עִמָּנוּ לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ חַדֵּשׁ עָלֵינוּ שָׁנָה טוֹבָה

Rosh Hashana can be quite an emotionally antithetical and paradoxical two days. On one hand, we are celebrating our closeness to “Our Father, Our King” in an annual coronation of affirmation, by wearing smart clothing and eating and drinking festive meals as we would do if we were celebrating the crowning of a human king. But at the same time, there is a feeling of solemnness, not a little anxiety and nervous tension as we contemplate the fact that Hashem, the King of Kings, is judging us.

At the beginning of the evening seuda (festive meal) we eat various symbolic foods with an accompanying wish which reflect these ideas.

In Chutz LaAretz (Outside of Israel) apples (specifically apples dipped in honey), is the fruit most associated with Rosh Hashana and this is what’s eaten first. We dip the apple in honey at the beginning of the evening seuda (festive meal) and recite together the following wish:

יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ ה' אלוקינו ואלקי אבותינו, שֶתְחַדֵש עָלֵינוּ שָנָה טוֹבָה וּמְתוּקָה

“May it be Your will, Hashem, our G-d and the G-d of our forefathers, that you grant us a good and sweet new year”.

However, many Jews in Israel tend to concentrate more on the native Pomegranate as the central fruit that most symbolises Rosh Hashana. For some it takes precedence over the apple, for others it comes next on the list of symbolic foods.

The most obvious connection to Rosh Hashana is the fact that the pomegranate has its own “Royal crown”, symbolising our recognition that Hashem is our King and there is no other besides Him. After the pomegranate has been eaten, some have the minhag (custom) of leaving the crown on the table throughout the seuda (which is cut off the top before splitting the fruit open and separating all the seeds). The many seeds covered in the sweet reddish-purple flesh represents the many mitzvos (commandments) that Hashem has given us to observe. After we have eaten the fruit, we say:

יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ ה' אלוקינו ואלקי אבותינו, שנרבם זכיות כרמון.

“May it be Your will, Hashem, our G-d and the G-d of our forefathers, that our merits increase like the [many] seeds of the pomegranate”.

…and now for the review.

Tasting Notes for the M&H Elements Pomegranate Wine Cask

Appearance

The colour is a golden honey brown. Compared to the Whisky Festival sample, it is far paler which again leads me to believe that we are dealing here with a Second-Fill Pomegranate Wine Cask. Alcohol tears are very respectable with large beads of whisky sticking to the inside of the glass, displaying a certain amount of oiliness.

Nosing

As mentioned above, my initial reaction was one of disappointment. On the nose, the liquid has a vague sweet Red Wine and Vanilla Custard note to it but unlike the Festival Sampling bottling, you certainly would not recognise any specific Pomegranate flavour in it. I had not taken into consideration the fact that being from the “Elements” series, this was a marriage of other cask types like STR red Wine and American Oak barrels, and I also suspect that these Pomegranate casks are Refill casks, that is, that they have been used once before to mature whisky for the APEX Pomegranate Wine Cask series. (Just a guess).

Once I had got over my initial disappointment, I began to notice that this Elements Pomegranate Wine Cask actually had some very pleasant notes of “Cocktail Cabinet” beeswax polished wood, honey, sweet caramel tea and mixed red berries fruit cake with delicately roasted spices. Even at 46% abv without dilution, it has a really agreeable and well-balanced nose.

On The Palate

After I had realised that this wasn’t going to give me that full-on Rimmonim flavour I had so much enjoyed with the sample bottling, I began to judge this whisky on its own merits, as a well-made and excellently balanced vaguely red-fruit flavoured Single Malt. Mixed Red fruits, vanilla, wet strawberry fruit cake and polished wood spices.

Finish

Soft polished oak and mild tannins, more red fruit and caramel. Relatively short but fruity sweet finish.

Conclusions

In truth, the M&H Elements Pomegranate Wine Cask is a very nice, easy going sipping whisky and anyone without my unrealistic preconceptions would thoroughly enjoy this as a really well balanced, vaguely red fruity and beeswax polish oak sweet dram. It is quite delicious.

I’d certainly recommend this whisky if you can get it for under NIS 250, as it’s expertly well-crafted and perfect for an after-dinner dram, but don’t expect it to taste of Pomegranate wine.

If you want the same experience I got from the Distillery Single Cask sample bottlings, then you’ll need to go to the distillery and if you’re lucky, they might have a full-size Distillery Exclusive there.

Failing this, there is an “APEX” Series Pomegranate Wine Cask bottling - Cask Strength. There have been various editions. Some I believe were matured Full-Term in Ex-Pomegranate Wine Casks like the exhibition sample (these are obviously the preferred types if you can find them), and some have been initially matured in Ex-Bourbon barrels and then finished in a Single First-Fill Pomegranate Port Style (fortified Wine) Cask. The example I bought to review at a later date (shown above) was finished for six months in this Port Style  Pomegranate Wine Cask and bottled at 57.4% abv.

I have yet to open the bottle but would imagine that it's likely to give you more of a  Pomegranate flavour profile than the Elements Edition, despite it being a relatively short Finish. (I'm still on the lookout for an Apex Pomegranate Wine Cask matured Full-Term).

Checking the price here in Israel, I see the APEX Single Pomegranate Wine Cask is being sold at a very reasonable NIS 380-430, which makes the Elements Pomegranate Wine Cask at NIS 280-300, poor value for money, unless like me, you find it on special offer for NIS 250 or less.

In London however, I’ve seen the APEX Pomegranate Single Cask for over £100. In my humble opinion, it’s not worth three figures in Pounds Sterling. I’d wait until your next trip to Israel where you can bring back a few bottles of M&H APEX for Rosh Hashana, where you will be able to taste the Rimmonim!

The APEX Pomegranate Wine Cask edition is definitely on my list for purchases for 2025, unless I manage to find a Distillery Exclusive Full-size bottling of Full-Term matured Pomegranate Wine Cask.

Examples of some Distillery Exclusive bottlings

Incredibly, the distillery Exclusive Cask Strength Single Cask bottlings are only NIS 300 in the distillery shop. In my opinion, that‘s more than a bargain, it’s frankly too cheap! I bet you haven’t heard me say that too many times.