Tasting

Anyone smelling an M&H for the first time often expects smoky peat and is caught off guard. Most releases smell of ripe stone fruit, honey, and a hint of vanilla, a legacy of the fruity yeast and the fast, hot maturation.

The Classic Single Malt shows this fruity side most clearly, with apricot, a touch of caramel, and a slightly oily texture on the palate. The Elements Sherry, on the other hand, matures in kosher sherry casks from Jerez and brings dark raisins, nuts, and a pinch of cinnamon, fuller and denser than the Classic. For those who like it extreme, there's the Apex Terroir Dead Sea, matured by the Dead Sea: salty, mineral, almost like a breeze off the shore itself.

In Israel's heat, the wood works noticeably faster than in cooler countries. That's why a three-year-old M&H often tastes as if it carries more cask influence than you'd expect from a whisky of the same age matured in a cooler climate. A few drops of water open up the aromas further, especially with the more powerful cask expressions. A nosing glass with a narrow opening concentrates the aroma before it disperses into the room.

It's best to taste at room temperature and without rushing. A small sip neat first, then diluted with a little water, reveals how the fruit and cask notes shift. Between samples, a sip of water and a piece of dry bread help keep the palate fresh so each release can show its own character. A neutral glass, free of any competing scents nearby, also helps ensure nothing distorts the impression.