Crown Royal NAS 40% Canadian Blended
One from Ontario, I had to try another Canadian whisky after the Long Wood disaster at the start of this session. This one at least got the look with its fancy decanter and italian import sticker on the top. This one has more punch on the nose, like a finer blend, say the Chivas Regal, it got something going on, there's onions, peppers, and spirity notes. The taste is light, but more pleasant than the Long Wood, some delightful cheese character, cream cheese and vanilla, ending on a peppery and a bit smoky note.
Two up from the Long Wood: 4
Johnny Drum 15yo 50.5% OB Kentucky Straight Bourbon
An american brand I haven't seen around much. At a strength suggesting it could be bottled at cask strength. I haven't tried enough bourbons to have any meanings of it, but I guess they've maybe got a fairly bad reputation due to the likes of Jim Beam and Jack Daniel's? At least those didn't blink on my top of the list radar. Rosé wine color, and what a nose, malt syrup, honey, buttered corn, crispy caramel, forgive me America! But what about the taste? Ground peppers, warm sun-dried tomatoes, cheap cigarillos, far from the wonderful nose. Needs water. Usually I say I dilute the whisky, but now I'd rather say I reduced it, it needed plenty water. The taste doesn't get much better, still there's this aftertaste that you get from cheap cigarillos that can sit through the entire evening.
For nosing purposes only: 3.5
Three Ships 10yo 43% OB South Africa
On this I have no clue what to expect, South Africa?? I know they make some good wine, so good casks should easily be within reach. But producing whisky in that hot climate, and god knows what quality the water holds? I can't see much peat or other natural stuff flavoring the water in in the rivers leading into Johannesburg and other cities? Maybe I'm wrong? Now this is interesting, it smells sort of Highland style, peppery, fresh cut grass, a bit smoky, but most of all extremely fresh, kind of like a young Ben Nevis. The taste is very well indeed, peppery notes, lots of licorice, floral, pine, and delicious mushrooms, in cream sauce...mmm...
A whisky with twists and turns, a wild ride: 6
Good Knight 42.8% Indian Grain Spirit Whisky
Some Grain Spirit Whisky from a funky-looking 90ml. decanter, made by the Hindustan Distilleries. I have already had a train wreck of an Indian "whisky" with the Sikkim Gold single molasses whisky, so I'm kinda down on the expectations here. But "Grain Spirit" must mean its at least whisky at some point in the making, but when it has no age statement, it could be new-make with caramel? On the other hand, they say whisky matures faster in India where the climate is hotter. Anyway, let's try it. Smells very minty, almost all on mint drops, nothing that shows any sort of whisky-style yet. The taste is sweet and again minty, like something at about 15% for kids in their late teens to mix with coca cola. One of the most dubious whiskies I've tried so far, hard to judge as it isn't bad in any way, just very light in style and not whisky-like in any way.
I'll be gentle with this one: 3
Nikka Taketsuru 17yo 43%
Sometimes I think I might be the only whiskylover left on the planet not to hail the Japanese single malts as the new "it" when it comes to finer whisky. On the other hand I haven't tried that many yet, so maybe this can shed some light for me on the not so recent buzz. Definetively got much more going on the nose than the Long Wood, camphor, vanilla, honey, spicy, mustard and perfumy. The taste is at first silky smooth with some indian ground spices, hot, but yet light, hard to describe any better than light chili and turmeric. Then it turns spicier with some added black pepper, peat and oaky aftertaste. Addition of water gives it a milder yet more bitter flavour, like chewing acrylic clothing.
Initially presentable, but didn't handle water well: 3.5
Long Wood 8yo 40% Canadian Blend
I'm going for a international journey today, as I have felt a bit of contrast lacking in the last scottish malt sessions. Maybe this will surprise me, or just reconfirm my belief in Scottish single malt whisky? From before I have tried some Japanese that satisfied me somewhat, and a couple Irish ones with the 8yo Greenore being the definite cream of the crop. What I do know is that this tim it's gonna be something else. Starting off with some "Finest pure handselected" Canadian whisky. Sounds like something from Scotland at least. Smells fusel, oily, young grain whisky. The taste is way over the line when it comes to sweetness, a bit floral and mostly supersweet. It says on the back it's been adjusted with caramel, and I could guess its not only the color thats been adjusted. The taste is caramel, onions and bitter spirit.
I hope there are better Canadians out there: 2
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