Nelcius Cabernet Sauvignon Finish French Whisky
40% ABV (80 proof) | 700mL | French single malt, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wine-barrel finish | Château Laujac, Médoc, France — the Nelcius Cabernet Sauvignon Finish is the wine-forward sibling of Nelcius Premium: a 100% French single malt aged 2 years in French oak, then finished for about a year in barrels that previously held Château Laujac's own AOC Médoc wines made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Bottled at 80 proof — available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
Maker René-Philippe Duboscq built Nelcius on a simple idea: a Médoc wine estate should make whisky with wine-estate logic. Where the Premium spends its final year in mixed Médoc wine barrels, this expression gets a dedicated 100% Cabernet Sauvignon finish, per the brand's own tech sheet — and it shows. Expect vanilla and brown sugar from the oak, sweetness from the wine-barrel finish, and a well-balanced, lively palate with Cabernet fruit woven through. A distinct expression from the 90-proof Premium, for whiskey drinkers curious about wine-cask whisky done at the source.
Tasting notes
Official brand tech sheet (translated): nose of spirit-forward fruits and brown sugar, fairly discreet; palate well-balanced and lively, prominent vanilla, with sweetness contributed by the Cabernet Sauvignon finish barrel. Corroborated notes: vanilla, brown sugar, fruit and Cabernet Sauvignon character.
Why buy it from Del Mesa Liquor
- Dedicated 100% Cabernet Sauvignon finish — a full year in Château Laujac's own Médoc barrels
- 100% French single malt — grown, malted, distilled and matured in France
- Named for the 1966 Prix du Jockey Club-winning racehorse Nelcius
- Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor
How to serve it
Neat to appreciate the wine-barrel sweetness, or over a large cube. Pairs well with hard cheeses and dark chocolate.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the same as Nelcius Premium?
No — a distinct expression. The Premium is 45% ABV (90 proof) finished in mixed Médoc wine barrels; this is 40% ABV (80 proof) with a dedicated ~1-year finish in 100% Cabernet Sauvignon barrels. Do not confuse the two.
Why 80 proof when some listings say 90?
The brand's official tech sheet says 40% TAV (80 proof), corroborated by Caskers. Some retailer listings wrongly show 90 proof — the copy here follows the official figure.
Where is it made?
Château Laujac in the Médoc, France — French barley, French oak, French wine barrels, all under one estate.