Licorera Cihuatán Folklore Dualidad (France)

Licorera Cihuatán Folklore Dualidad (France) is a single cask from Licorera Cihuatán in El Salvador, the eighteen year old sibling in the Folklore line bottled for France and a near twin to its seventeen year old counterpart. Column-distilled and released at cask strength, it carries an extra year in wood and presents the distillery's long-aged stock undiluted, a deep, single-barrel look at this Salvadoran producer.

Eighteen years in ex-bourbon oak have shaped a sweet, mature profile with a touch more nuttiness than its sibling. The nose brings caramel, vanilla, marzipan and a faint medicinal edge, while the palate is sweet and toasted with a brown-sugar richness and a clear barrel grip, the finish settling into caramel, barrel and leather. At 53.6% the strength gives the wood and sweetness real presence. This is an oak-forward, dessert-leaning single cask, Cihuatán shown at full proof and at the upper end of its ageing.