I'm taking a world tour today, only leaving out North America. I know I do these tastings just for fun, and these whiskies especially, but if lucky, maybe I'll discover a fantastic whisky along the way? Who knows, at least it gives me a break from the scottish malt palate once in a while. And I believe that is important. And also, after my last Bruichladdich Vertical ending with three whiskies around 60%, it's nice to give my palate something a bit more comfortable (hopefully).
Tullamore Dew 10yo ?% OB Blend Ceramic Decanter 60's/70's
An old miniature decanter with no abv. statement, my guess is that it's 40% anyway. But after this much time in the decanter there's probably even a little less. The whisky has got a beautiful orange hue, some E's perhaps? There seems to be little or no evaporation in this one as the contents are 5cl on the mark. It smells fresh and light, and a little malty. The taste is grainy and spirity, with a light phenolic touch. But on the more positive side, it's very fresh, even after all these years. It needs a while to let loose that malty and herbal flavor often found in triple distilled mainland whiskies. But when it does it shows to be a fine old whisky, far from excellent, but it has something about it, I guess it's the freshness combined with an old rustic malty style that's hard to find in newer bottlings. The aftertaste is long, mundane, and very malty, and it's not even a malt whisky.
Old style whisky: 6
Bond 79 NAS ?% Blend Kenya Wine Agencies Ltd.
Yesterday I saw a fishing show with british actor Robson Greene fishing in Kenya, so why not get inspired to try some Kenyan whisky. One without an abv.statement, so I'll once again guess that it is somewhere around the 40% 70proof mark. This is, as the leather bound cyprus whisky I had a while back "A blend of Superior Scotch malt whiskies and extra quality local spirits". I love the designation "extra quality local spirits", there's just so much to read from it(!). This could be some whisky blended with african moonshine, who'd know? The regulations outside Europe, Japan and America aren't as strict as I'm used too. Time to stop being condescending and instead try the spirit for myself. Funky color, sort of like white tea. It smells light, almost as light as white tea, if I had this blind I'd thought it be some sort of diluted sake. The taste is watery, some spirit in the background, a bit like blossom liqueur, or orange liqueur, just without the orange, this is actually worse than what I could imagine.
The first whisky ever to be poured down my drain: 1
Diplomat NAS 40% Blend Colombia Industria Colombiana
Let's head west again after the last disaster, way west, I fear this one could be somewhere in the lines of the Bond 79, but at least it's 40%abv. The Bond 79 seemed to be more like somewhere int the 15-20%abv. Orange hue, surely lots of artificial coloring. It does taste like some low end blends, not too bad, or better than the Bond 79 that is. Maybe I've just found a new low when comparing whiskies. The taste is, well, as undemanding as it gets, a small spirity note and some sweet licorice, but that's about it. At least it doesn't go in the sink.
A bit better than Bond 79, but not much: 1.1
Mashity 18yo 40% Blend China DIJ 99 Wine Industries Ltd.
A blend from the Shantou region of China, that seems to be not so much chinese as it tries to be scotch. The label and bottle looks like a bad replica of the 12yo Chivas Regal. The label states "Mashity 18yo Scotch Taste Whisky" and on the backside it says "Mashity 18yo SCOTLAND(yes, with capital letters only on this word) Whisky". It says it's made by morisson distillers, so actually it could actually include some 18yo(+) Bowmore? A very good purchase at 2.5quid a 7cl then? OK, so its not chinese then, just made for the chinese market, slightly peated (hopefully) and stuff. It smells a bit peaty, small amount of Bowmore in this one, it's quite fresh and young for an 18yo, some saltiness, herbs, newly washed linen and marker ink. Green apples, freshly cut grass(when emptying the lawn mower), and some buttery biscuits. The taste is smooth and fat, like grease of a steak and white wine reduction. The aftertaste is peaty and plastic, some funky stuff in the end to ruin what would otherwise be a very god example of a whisky that could knock down a few single malts.
Smooth until the finish: 5
King Barleycorn NAS 43% OB Czech Republik
I have heard bad things about this whisky, but I know there are many very good czech whiskies around, so their distilling techniques should be up to par. First single malt in this session, smells slightly burnt, burnt matches and ashtray. The nose is spice, cinnamon, spirity, grassy, ink, glue. I'm afraid this doesn't strike a chord with me either so far. The taste is sweet, candy, butterscotch, not much more, teenage booze. It's a sweet and fine whisky, but it lacks a real aftertaste and some depth.
This one says "Hi, I'm spirit, have a shot".: 4
Milford 20yo 43% OB New Zealand
The only one of today's session that I predicted was gonna be able to play with the big boys, good scotch single malts that is, but I have to admit that the Tullamore Dew from some decades back really surprised me. Natural color in this one, and twenty years, could be a cracker. It smells light and fresh, bourbon cask, lots of vanilla and hay, along with some paint thinner, but it's mostly a delicate piece. The taste is oily, silky and a bit burnt, this could use some h2o. Now it becomes more sour, much bigger, sour apples, guacamole and fat creme. It is good, and for those who like this kind of flavor it will be absolute excellent, but I have a slight problem with this thick and burnt smell, it's sort of smoky just without peat and the needed rawness.
A light, smoky, fruity whisky: 5.5
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