Italian Elegance in a Glass: Savoring the Exquisite Flavors of Puni Alba, a Surprisingly Stunning Italian Whisky
The single-malt Alba from the Puni distillery is a sumptuous and baroque whisky, full of suggestions, profound, and ambitious. As you know, it is an Italian single malt, a proudly Italian malt distillate made in the Puni distilleries in the mountains of Glorenza, a beautiful village in Val Venosta.
We had already tasted Nova single malt, which was very sharp and citrusy and immediately loved by our glasses. It was a hymn to malt purity, an unwavering declaration of love.
So, we had high hopes for Alba, and it did not let us down, even though it is a whiskey with a lot of smells, hints, and suggestions.
Let’s say that the purity of Nova has given way to experimentation with barrels, which, fascinating as they are and adding exotic and pastry notes, definitely cover the finesse of the malt.
It is not a negative note. We do not want to say this Alba whiskey is creaky and less good than the Nova. Of course not. They are two distilled spirits at the antipodes, and making comparisons would be useless.
Indeed, the innovative concept behind this Alba whisky is commendable: combining two worlds, Sicily and Scotland. As we read on the label of this bottle, it turns out that the whisky first ages in barrels used for the production of Marsala and then passes into barrels used to age peated Scotch.
Two lands, two ports, two completely different products that share the salt of the sea: the result is a compelling whisky that is vibrant and opulent while remaining arabesque and picturesque. Austere whiskey lovers will find it aromatically uplifting, but honestly, we liked it.
The malt can take on a thousand different personalities, but it never becomes distorted. The outstanding quality of the raw material is guaranteed by the barley grown on its own by the distillery and the crystal clear waters from the Puni river.
How is made?
As mentioned, all the ingredients are homemade, strictly at zero kilometers. After the distillation in the alembic, the distillate rests for three years in barrels used for Marsala and then passes through the woods used to produce peated Scotch. The idea is by no means evil.
The bouquet
The nose is broad, chocolaty, and full of candied fruit, spices, cocoa, and hints of pastry. You can smell a rain of panettone and almonds. There is everything: we start with a baked tropical plantation, dates, and candied oranges, then we move on to spices, coffee, and closes with a nutty crescendo of walnuts and oxidized tones due to Marsala.
Slight medicinal traces to give breath and freshness and a whispered peat smoke, just enough to transversely cut a very sweet aromatic profile. Overall it is varied but, at the same time, challenging, not very easy to read with all these facets.
What does single malt Puni Alba taste like?
It is warm, of great texture, and alcoholic, but never rude on the palate. It moves with elegance between spicy tips, pepper, and the decidedly oxidized flavors of marzipan and almonds to boost the sip. Very long finish, spiced with the biscuit flavor of malt that emerges overwhelmingly from a sea of dried fruit.
Talking about this single-malt Alba whiskey from the Puni distillery is exciting and, at the same time, challenging. It’s hard to describe the richness of this distillate, which is so grandiose and ambitious, without sounding biased.
Its genesis—the aging in Marsala barrels—shapes it, making it unique, forging its identity, but at the same time imposing on it an exact stylistic path. Since it is such a unique and brave dram, we can’t help but recommend it to all fans of single malt.
After all, it is always a malt child. And we’ve seen a thousand experiments in this field, none of which made sense in terms of taste or alcohol content.
The elegance of the trait is indisputable. It’s the son of a terroir that brings together the Dolomites, Sicily, and Scotland, all of which are thousands of miles away from each other. As a first blend, we can’t really complain, though. The name of this bottle is evocative, a tribute: Alba in Gaelic was the ancient name of Scotland.
Price of Puni Alba single malt
€ 69.90: an acceptable price for an artisanal distillate, produced in human and not industrial quantities.
Food Pairings
Chocolate cupcakes, cheesecakes, ciambella, Tiramisù and chocolate salami.