This is the one I've been looking most forward to of the alternative origin tastings I've done this summer, it is also the last one in a while. A couple of Kavalan singles from Taiwan, a mexican from the 1930's, one from Brazil and a couple more. The reason for these weird tastings was not only to broaden my horizon, but I also felt a bit stuck in a rut when it came to scotch, as it was about 99% of what I tasted it became slightly boring. Well, not any more, as lately even whiskies like Glen Rothes and Glen Keith (not normally my favorites) have become characters to be reckoned with in the whisky play. I believe its the result of a combination of trying whiskies from outside Scotland and doing verticals. Anyhow, up until now I think the only whiskies from abroad I'd be willing to buy a full bottle of is the french Glann Ar Mor and the Glen Els from Germany. Time to discover more!
Mark One NAS 40% Blend Brazil
A Brazilian blended whisky, when drinking blends from South-America, Asia and so on, it is important to make sure its not just imported scotch whisky that's been blended abroad, at least if you like to try something exotic. This looks like an older bottling, weary sticker and a funky 80's looking triangle bottle. Smells licorice and Vodka and some caramel fudge. The taste is pleasant at first, initially this caramel fudge flavor that I found on the nose, shortly overturned by a dry wheat-flavour, not unlike Vodka. It's a nice whisky, but somewhat undemanding and it has this plastic aftertaste that won't go away for a while.
Boring, bland, like some of the sub-par scotch blends: 3.5
Magisa NAS 40% Blend Spain
I had the Embrujo from Spain the other day, and it was to put it politely, a bit boring. This one has the color of straw, and the bottle seems to be from a while back. It smells This one smells dry yeast and hay. I have tried some lowlanders with this light and dry expression. Bladnoch and Auchentoshan being two of em. It develops a bit when given time, and it's rather nice in all its simplicity. The taste is sweet and light, lots of honey, cigar, syrupy, a bit cloying. A dessert malt. Not much on the finish. I have to say that it would work perfect as a starter to just about any whisky night, except if the theme were to be Islay.
Fresh, dry and sweet, perfect starter malt: 5.5
Old Sailor Viejo Marino NAS ?% Mexico 1930's
This whisky used to cost 6 cents back in the 30's. It says on the label that its a bourbon Type whisky, and it bears the print of the face of a freaky looking sailor's in front of some sailboats. I see that some of the glue inside the cork has fallen down into the liquid, but I'll sift those sediments out before tasting, of course. Dark brown color, smells bourbon, or Gentleman Jack to be a bit more precise. The taste is This is horrible, far from my finest moment, it smells like rancid ice-tea, peach flavor. I can't have more than a sip of this one, next please!
Quite terrible: 1.5
Kavalan NAS 40% OB Concertmaster Port Cask Finish
It's far between each time I'm blown away by a whisky that's been in a Port Cask, but I remember one Laphroaig that was amazing. This is the first single malt of this session, and I certainly hope its a massive jump up from the sailor whisky. It has a nice, red hue, an active port cask? The nose suggests sweet port style whisky, tawny, small amount of peat, now this seems to be the real deal, or am I desperately looking for something that assembles scotch? Let's taste. The taste is burnt, sulphury, not pleasant at all. it's hard to find anything else to describe it with. Maybe should it be bottled at higher strength, something seems to have gone completely wrong with this one although it smells nice.
No thanks, too much cask influence, and a weak spirit: 2.5
Kavalan NAS 58.7% OB Solist Sherry-matured
From what it looks like, this has been fully matured in a sherry cask. And by the way, at this strength, and the temperatures in Taiwan, it can't be matured much longer than 5-6 years. If I'm wrong, please e-mail me so that I can change my statement. Dark brown color, let's see if my prediction of a better whisky at cask strength is true. It smells very strongly of sherry, cream sherry, a fantastic nose, but will the tasting be more uplifting than the Concertmasters?. The taste is rich, sweet and dry, like some amontillado, right between oloroso and fino sherry. The cask influence is extreme, I can't remember ever trying a whisky with an influence that completely overpowers all other flavors in a way that this do. I have to say that combined with the Aberlour A'bunadh, which is the closest I can think of from Scotland, it is in the same league, it just lacks a distillery character, a bit like the Concertmaster, or maybe Kavalan's just a very impotent spirit. I believe it can handle some water. Now it becomes much more fragrant, peppery, red wine vinegar, some peat and some dry red wine.
Very well made whisky, best of the international bunch so far: 6.5
Amrut NAS ?-2007 61.9% Indian
I believe this is the most famous of the foreigners I've tried up until now in whisky-circles. I have never fallen for Amrut the way I know many others have, but maybe this one will change my mind. It smells vanilla, licorice, orange marmalade and butter. I like it a lot, much better than the watered down versions I've tried up until now. No, wait.. It also smells a lot like strong ale. The taste is oh so sweet, intense vanilla at first, the aftertaste is just spirity. Let's add some water. Now it becomes a bit more spirity. To be honest I did enjoy it more before it was diluted. Anyway, this is a really good whisky when given time.
A perfect ending to this rather two-sided tasting: 6.5
Ingen kommentarer:
Legg inn en kommentar