Wine Talk: Tel Aviv's Angels

Published date07 January 2021
AuthorADAM MONTEFIORE
Date07 January 2021
The artisan Julius was the first. I have tasted some of their products, which are truly outstanding.

The largest is the Milk & Honey Distillery, whose mission is to bring Israel into the world of whisky. Whisky is mainly produced in five countries: Scotland, Canada, Japan where it is known as whisky, and Ireland and America, where it is spelled with an "e" – whiskey. In recent years there have been many new countries making whisky for the first time. The most famous of these is Taiwan. Their Kavalan brand astonished the world by winning some major awards. The hot humid weather in Taiwan is similar to Israel's climate.

Fast forward to 2012. A few hi-tech'ists, led by Gal Kalkshtein, dreamt big and decided to bring authentic whisky to the Holy Land. No corners were cut. They employed the late Dr. Jim Swan, one of the main gurus of the whisky world, as a consultant. He was the adviser to Kavalan and a specialist in whisky in hot countries. Tomer Goren, ex-brewer, whisky fanatic and now master distiller, became the chef. He worked at both Tomintoul and Springbank in Scotland. Springbank is one of my favorite distilleries. It is like a time capsule from another era.

The name Milk & Honey could not be more biblical. The "Promised Land" was referred to as a land of milk and honey. I have read that in days gone by, Scots added milk and honey to their whisky to make it more palatable. I do not know if it is true, but as I always say (as did Mark Twain), never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

I DECIDED to visit these enterprising gentlemen in south Tel Aviv.

I arrived at what was once a bakery not far from Jaffa, within walking distance of the sea. I entered a nondescript door and had the feeling I had entered a nightclub. The first thing you notice is the garish logo. It is of a bull decorated in the blue and black stripes of a bumble bee.

Why the bull?

"Well, we tried it with a cow first, but the bull looked better!" was the answer.

The visitor center is painted in the brand colors. There are colorful graffiti-style whisky messages on the walls. There were a number of workers buzzing about wearing M&H polo shirts. All were young, smiling and they gave a feeling of liveliness and creativity. You certainly felt the spirit and energy of the Israeli start-up.

The proof in the pudding was in the eating. When I sat down to taste, I was offered one dram aged in a barrel previously used to age pomegranate wine. There was another matured in a barrel in which...

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