I have to say that I never made a relationship with Glenlivet, yes I'd call it relationship, as no man (or woman) tastes a whisky all the same. The whisky is the constant and the x is you (how clever). But I bring this up with this whisky as it holds the oldest license for distillation in Scotland, one year prior to the one of Fettercairn, yet its not riding a hype these days. More a middle of the road distillery, but perhaps these ones can prove why it used to be a force to be reckoned with on every level.
Glenlivet 38yo 1973-2011 47.5% The Whiskyman LSD
Yes, it's a reference to an old Beatles song. This cask made only 78 bottles, and considering the still pretty high %abv. it should be able to make some more, maybe there's some whisky left in the cask, or transferred to a smaller cask for finishing? Impressive stuff anyway. Golden color, smells heavy of gingerbread, rye and moss, needs some time to adjust. Lavender after a while, a perfumy old one, but in a good way. Needs some swirls, and why do people say that swirling whisky ain't right. Oxygen opens whisky up, more swirling, more oxygen. And for that matter, how can anyone say Richard Paterson ain't right??? Now, back to the story. Even a while later it is on the light and floral side. The taste is floral and honeyed, some vanilla, egg cream and balsamic vinegar. Needs water. With a small splash it hits some peppery and vanilla notes, classical bourbon maturation, although I'm not sure. But for 38 years I would've expected a bit more.
To be fair, this is not the best Glenlivet I've had: 5
Glenlivet 8yo 57% George & J.G. Smith's G&M
One of two from J.G. Smith's bottled by G&M. J.G. Smith's once owned the Glenlivet Distillery. This one holds a white cap, bottled somewhere in the 80's I would imagine. A flat bottle. Smells fresh, citrus, onions, glue, lime, green tea, light and fresh on the nose. This is a good one, I can feel it already. The taste is citrussy, lime and lemon, green grapes, good stuff. But this is old style, no vanilla or coriander or any other stuff that is to be found in recent bottlings, this is all on sour citrus and dried grass, hay, dried herbs, old but good. One that makes me think back on the days when whisky weren't as coordinated by casks as it is today.
It's far from perfect, but it's got that old style feeling: 5
Glenlivet 12yo 57% George & J.G. Smith's G&M
A much darker one, with a golden cap this time. Oh yes, more on the oaky side this time with black peppers, mashed carrots, vegetable stew, fennels, pickled cucumbers and overripe avocados. A vegetal malt whisky so far. The taste is oaky as h..., but nice, one of the better young ones at high strength from this distillery. I do like the ripe berries and the avocado, sort of fat grassiness that's in it. I believe water could be the answer in this one. Water makes it more rustic, sun-dried tomatoes, sweet chili, roasted pecan nuts, roasted almonds, sweet and nutty. Much better now. The aftertaste is again sweet almond cake and honey glazed nuts.
Give it water and it' the perfect after-meal whisky: 6
OK, I remember promising you some Benriach, well, next tasting is: Benriach Distillery
tirsdag 29. november 2011
søndag 27. november 2011
4 Port Ellens from Signatory at 43%abv.
Something a bit legendary today, my first ever Port Ellen vertical. I am perhaps not the most eager Port Ellen drinker, but I find it a bit finer than the rougher likes of Caol Ila, Ardbeg and Laphroaig. Anyway, as Port Ellen is one of the most talked about whiskies online, I don't see any need of further presentation from me.
Port Ellen 26yo 43% Signatory Vintage
From a flagon-like miniature, recent bottling. No vintage or cask and bottle number on this one. At 26 years of age, this is the oldest one in this tasting, but does that really matter? Not to me. Golden color, this one could come from a batch of several different casks, some sherry wood involved here maybe? Not many odors here, seems like a neutral spirit so far. Needs some time to open up I guess. After a while I still get nothing, perhaps is this some sort of really shy Islayer? The taste is, well, this cannot be whisky? It's so light, more like tea. Wow, the disappointment of the millenium perhaps? To sum this one up then. A wee hint of earl grey and a small hint on soap in the aftertaste. Seriously flawed whisky.
Rather add tea to your Vodka, cheaper and probably even better: 1
Port Ellen 17yo 1974-1992 43% Signatory Vintage cask#6199 btl.224/2400
This one then, with the old feather on the left side of the "S" on the label, so much nicer than the newer labels, with hand-signed bottle number. But that's how it rolls. Renewal seems to be needed in these days as whisky sale is expanding throughout the world. White wine color, earthy and dusty on the nose, old attic style, small hints of peat along with some bitterness. The taste is fruity with lots of lemon peel and grapefruit. Salty to, some of that sea salt and wax(?) that I was presuming. Not much peat in the tasting on this one either, but it has much else going on, very coastal, fish stock, lemon, salt, ashes, vanilla, reminds me of some older bottlings from Old Pulteney.
Delightfully coastal: 8
Port Ellen 14yo 43% Signatory Vintage Scottish Wildlife
One for the Scottish Wildlife Trust, I have two of those tonight, lets start with the oldest one. White wine color, smells light, peaty and spirity. Reminds me a bit of the Ardbeg Blasda, though I know that's not as peated. The taste is more on the raw and sweet side, a perfect starter for any peaty tasting. Light, seaweed, honey, apricot jam, vanilla, oily, stearic, some touch of peat and a small hint of orange peel. The aftertaste is peaty and burnt, lightly burnt if there is such a thing.
Lighter than the 17yo, and a bit more weak-ish, but still good: 5.5
Port Ellen 10yo 43% Signatory Scottish Wildlife
Second on for the Scottish Wildlife Trust, and I do believe this will be my only chance in this lifetime to try such a young Port Ellen, only 10yo. Imagine if it was bottled at cask strength... I'm drooling just by the thought. You might have noticed that I don't always believe that age improves a whisky, many whiskies have reached their top level at very young age and I applaud the bottlers daring to release those even if they come from a distillery that will be worth much more if let to rest for longer. Ledaig, Fettercairn and Lagavulin are some of those distilleries that at a young age and bottled at cask strength, can compete with the best of what others have to offer (in my opinion). Anyway, back to the notes, this one is a bit darker than the 14yo, sort of in between white wine and apple juice. It smells of leather and old jeans, rustic, dried paprika, sweet chili, indian spices, different kormas, far from the other ones so far in this tasting. The taste is sweet and light, toffee-pudding, caramel sauce, honey nectar, sweet soy sauce. This is a very strange one, but interesting. Again this sweet dried paprika kicks in. The finish is light and short, no peat or smoke in this one. If this what become of the average Port Ellen after 10 years I wouldn't complain too much about the closing, but this surely isn't representable for many of the great bottlings that's now out there. Pricy and old...:(
The palate was good, otherwise no blast from the past: 4.5
Next tasting: Benriach Distillery
Port Ellen 26yo 43% Signatory Vintage
From a flagon-like miniature, recent bottling. No vintage or cask and bottle number on this one. At 26 years of age, this is the oldest one in this tasting, but does that really matter? Not to me. Golden color, this one could come from a batch of several different casks, some sherry wood involved here maybe? Not many odors here, seems like a neutral spirit so far. Needs some time to open up I guess. After a while I still get nothing, perhaps is this some sort of really shy Islayer? The taste is, well, this cannot be whisky? It's so light, more like tea. Wow, the disappointment of the millenium perhaps? To sum this one up then. A wee hint of earl grey and a small hint on soap in the aftertaste. Seriously flawed whisky.
Rather add tea to your Vodka, cheaper and probably even better: 1
Port Ellen 17yo 1974-1992 43% Signatory Vintage cask#6199 btl.224/2400
This one then, with the old feather on the left side of the "S" on the label, so much nicer than the newer labels, with hand-signed bottle number. But that's how it rolls. Renewal seems to be needed in these days as whisky sale is expanding throughout the world. White wine color, earthy and dusty on the nose, old attic style, small hints of peat along with some bitterness. The taste is fruity with lots of lemon peel and grapefruit. Salty to, some of that sea salt and wax(?) that I was presuming. Not much peat in the tasting on this one either, but it has much else going on, very coastal, fish stock, lemon, salt, ashes, vanilla, reminds me of some older bottlings from Old Pulteney.
Delightfully coastal: 8
Port Ellen 14yo 43% Signatory Vintage Scottish Wildlife
One for the Scottish Wildlife Trust, I have two of those tonight, lets start with the oldest one. White wine color, smells light, peaty and spirity. Reminds me a bit of the Ardbeg Blasda, though I know that's not as peated. The taste is more on the raw and sweet side, a perfect starter for any peaty tasting. Light, seaweed, honey, apricot jam, vanilla, oily, stearic, some touch of peat and a small hint of orange peel. The aftertaste is peaty and burnt, lightly burnt if there is such a thing.
Lighter than the 17yo, and a bit more weak-ish, but still good: 5.5
Port Ellen 10yo 43% Signatory Scottish Wildlife
Second on for the Scottish Wildlife Trust, and I do believe this will be my only chance in this lifetime to try such a young Port Ellen, only 10yo. Imagine if it was bottled at cask strength... I'm drooling just by the thought. You might have noticed that I don't always believe that age improves a whisky, many whiskies have reached their top level at very young age and I applaud the bottlers daring to release those even if they come from a distillery that will be worth much more if let to rest for longer. Ledaig, Fettercairn and Lagavulin are some of those distilleries that at a young age and bottled at cask strength, can compete with the best of what others have to offer (in my opinion). Anyway, back to the notes, this one is a bit darker than the 14yo, sort of in between white wine and apple juice. It smells of leather and old jeans, rustic, dried paprika, sweet chili, indian spices, different kormas, far from the other ones so far in this tasting. The taste is sweet and light, toffee-pudding, caramel sauce, honey nectar, sweet soy sauce. This is a very strange one, but interesting. Again this sweet dried paprika kicks in. The finish is light and short, no peat or smoke in this one. If this what become of the average Port Ellen after 10 years I wouldn't complain too much about the closing, but this surely isn't representable for many of the great bottlings that's now out there. Pricy and old...:(
The palate was good, otherwise no blast from the past: 4.5
Next tasting: Benriach Distillery
lørdag 26. november 2011
6 youngsters from Springbank Distillery
I have not yet come around to the Springbank and why it's so popular. I have tasted about equally many good ones as bad ones, as I have from most other distilleries. Many people mention the craft, and some mention older bottlings from way back. I did enjoy the recent Springbank CV a lot when tasting at a friends house the other day, so perhaps there's gold in the newer productions as well? I'll try and find out today by trying 6 young versions, 4 Springbanks, 1 hazelburn and 1 Longrow.
Hazelburn 8yo 46% OB
This is an unpeated whisky, light in color with a standard watered down strength. I think I only did try one Hazelburn before, which was quite good. Think it ended up on a 7. Smells light, malty, hay, some caramel sweetness, butterscotch, grows on me after a while in the glass. Becomes more robust, peppery, green apples and burnt rubber. The taste is quite spirity, apple cider, lemon meringue, light and spirity, and some restrained fruitiness. After a while it becomes less demanding and a bit boring, light style, light stuff, light in every way. Reminds me of some older Glen Grants that were bottled at young age. Light and spirity at first, then a bit fruity and dies within minutes when oxygen is added to the mix.
I hope to find other Hazelburns that can correct my current impression: 3.5
Springbank NAS 46% OB CV 2010
I tasted a recent bottling of this version that was newly opened the same night a couple months ago. That was very good, will this one be the same? It should in theory. Smells grassy, honey, leather, waxy, old style. I do like this one so far. The taste is peppery and peaty, could be mixed with some old style Ledaig, the 80's and 90's bottlings were very little coastal when thinking of the geographic position of the distillery. Peppery, peaty, licorice, a pretty straight and unsophisticated malt. Sort of an entry level Springbank, which I think it should be. Easily drinkable, light in style, but the nose is the star as it brings it up a notch from total mediocracy.
A good whisky, but not for the adventurous kind: 4.5
Springbank 11yo 1997-2009 55.1% OB
As the hurricane, or storm as might be the meteorologically correct term, "Berit" is raging on the banks of Norway, how appropriate is it not to sit down with this spanish madeira matured Springbank and dream of golden sand and degrees just below 30? Enough of that! This one has a nice golden brown, sort of dark rum color. Smells sweet, honey and coriander, spicy and sweet must say, wow! I do like this far lot better than the past two!!! Exotic treat, honey continues as well as dark berries, cinnamon, oyster and pineapple, sweet and salty at the same time! And Guinnes stout as well. Heavy stuff! The taste is more peaty, and sour, reminds me a bit about some dirty harry liqueur (licorice liqueur). Also a bit on the dry side, needs water perhaps. With some water it becomes again like this summer breeze, notes of hawaiian fruits, pine apples and coconuts, leather, rum style, some honey, but less spicy than the nose. The finish is burnt and peppery, not the best I've had.
A fun whisky, not a malt whisky style, more like a rum whisky?: 6
Springbank 10yo 57% OB
This is one of the two that's also known as 100 Proof bottlings. Proof is the american measurement of alcohol within a liquid. 70proof=40%, 80proof=46% and 100proof=57%. I think those are the most commonly used strengths that are printed in both values. Smells light and sugary, roasted almonds, toffee, burnt sugar, dried fruits, mango and apricot. The taste is very peaty and peppery, and again a bit one-dimensional, as with the CV. When given some time, let's say 15 minutes it opens up a bit. oaky, salty licorice, pork stock, smoked ham, could've been a rustic treat, but it's just a bit too spirity for my taste. I know there are people that loves this stuff, but not me. Burnt, spirity, with some nice hints of greatness lurking in the background. Come out please!!!
I wish some of these Springbanks performed as well on the palate as on the nose: 4.5
Springbank 11yo 1997-2008 59.4% OB for Oddbins cask#789
A cask matured one, for Oddbins, which is the main high street liquor chain if trying to get hold of a bottle of whisky in the UK. A bit pricey, and sort of main-stream, what whisky is concerned if you ask me. I am yet to find a decent bottle of Fettercairn in an Oddbins shop. I had an exclusive for Oddbins a couple years back, it was an oloroso-matured Bruichladdich, an I remember it was not my favorite, by far. Let's hope this one does better. Brown color, smooth sherried, oloroso on the nose, not as sweet as it could've been, but very round...(?) Sort of a mellow sweetness and cinnamon and nutmeg, barbeque, leather, shallots, steam from cooked red wine, garlic, basil, roasted bacon, onions and red bell peppers. Amazing so far, but I hope the palate won't disappoint me like it has to a certain degree so far in this tasting. The taste is Wow! But not necessarily in a good way, it's all on soft sweet licorice, allsorts style, almost like a candy whisky, and sour on the gums, but what is happening here, no aftertaste at all... Maybe it needs water. With water it becomes a bit more enjoyable, roasted nuts and black peppers are added to the mix, but still, a huge disappointment on the palate.
This malt should be a deodorant, smells fantastic, but I don't wanna drink it: 3
Longrow 10yo 57% OB
Another 100proof one, Longrow is the most peated of the Springbank family, and I do not have too much experience with it. But I remember quite well one that was finished on Gajo Barolo wood (or something like that) that was far from my liking. Could the peat in this one make it clim a bit higher on the scale than the Springbank version did? Smells peaty, vanilla, cream, milky, ever been to a dairy? I'm getting mixed input from this one, it's hard to describe. Peaty, yet so soft an silky. Time to taste. The taste is peaty yes, and smoky, briny, bonfire, crispy batter and salty sausage, meaty if you know what I mean, excellent stuff. Finally one that where as good, or even better on the palate than the on the nose. This one could easily flogg any Islay whisky any day. Even now, about ten minutes since last swallow I can still feel that peat sensation.
You have to like peat, and I do: 6.5
Next tasting: Port Ellen Distillery
Hazelburn 8yo 46% OB
This is an unpeated whisky, light in color with a standard watered down strength. I think I only did try one Hazelburn before, which was quite good. Think it ended up on a 7. Smells light, malty, hay, some caramel sweetness, butterscotch, grows on me after a while in the glass. Becomes more robust, peppery, green apples and burnt rubber. The taste is quite spirity, apple cider, lemon meringue, light and spirity, and some restrained fruitiness. After a while it becomes less demanding and a bit boring, light style, light stuff, light in every way. Reminds me of some older Glen Grants that were bottled at young age. Light and spirity at first, then a bit fruity and dies within minutes when oxygen is added to the mix.
I hope to find other Hazelburns that can correct my current impression: 3.5
Springbank NAS 46% OB CV 2010
I tasted a recent bottling of this version that was newly opened the same night a couple months ago. That was very good, will this one be the same? It should in theory. Smells grassy, honey, leather, waxy, old style. I do like this one so far. The taste is peppery and peaty, could be mixed with some old style Ledaig, the 80's and 90's bottlings were very little coastal when thinking of the geographic position of the distillery. Peppery, peaty, licorice, a pretty straight and unsophisticated malt. Sort of an entry level Springbank, which I think it should be. Easily drinkable, light in style, but the nose is the star as it brings it up a notch from total mediocracy.
A good whisky, but not for the adventurous kind: 4.5
Springbank 11yo 1997-2009 55.1% OB
As the hurricane, or storm as might be the meteorologically correct term, "Berit" is raging on the banks of Norway, how appropriate is it not to sit down with this spanish madeira matured Springbank and dream of golden sand and degrees just below 30? Enough of that! This one has a nice golden brown, sort of dark rum color. Smells sweet, honey and coriander, spicy and sweet must say, wow! I do like this far lot better than the past two!!! Exotic treat, honey continues as well as dark berries, cinnamon, oyster and pineapple, sweet and salty at the same time! And Guinnes stout as well. Heavy stuff! The taste is more peaty, and sour, reminds me a bit about some dirty harry liqueur (licorice liqueur). Also a bit on the dry side, needs water perhaps. With some water it becomes again like this summer breeze, notes of hawaiian fruits, pine apples and coconuts, leather, rum style, some honey, but less spicy than the nose. The finish is burnt and peppery, not the best I've had.
A fun whisky, not a malt whisky style, more like a rum whisky?: 6
Springbank 10yo 57% OB
This is one of the two that's also known as 100 Proof bottlings. Proof is the american measurement of alcohol within a liquid. 70proof=40%, 80proof=46% and 100proof=57%. I think those are the most commonly used strengths that are printed in both values. Smells light and sugary, roasted almonds, toffee, burnt sugar, dried fruits, mango and apricot. The taste is very peaty and peppery, and again a bit one-dimensional, as with the CV. When given some time, let's say 15 minutes it opens up a bit. oaky, salty licorice, pork stock, smoked ham, could've been a rustic treat, but it's just a bit too spirity for my taste. I know there are people that loves this stuff, but not me. Burnt, spirity, with some nice hints of greatness lurking in the background. Come out please!!!
I wish some of these Springbanks performed as well on the palate as on the nose: 4.5
Springbank 11yo 1997-2008 59.4% OB for Oddbins cask#789
A cask matured one, for Oddbins, which is the main high street liquor chain if trying to get hold of a bottle of whisky in the UK. A bit pricey, and sort of main-stream, what whisky is concerned if you ask me. I am yet to find a decent bottle of Fettercairn in an Oddbins shop. I had an exclusive for Oddbins a couple years back, it was an oloroso-matured Bruichladdich, an I remember it was not my favorite, by far. Let's hope this one does better. Brown color, smooth sherried, oloroso on the nose, not as sweet as it could've been, but very round...(?) Sort of a mellow sweetness and cinnamon and nutmeg, barbeque, leather, shallots, steam from cooked red wine, garlic, basil, roasted bacon, onions and red bell peppers. Amazing so far, but I hope the palate won't disappoint me like it has to a certain degree so far in this tasting. The taste is Wow! But not necessarily in a good way, it's all on soft sweet licorice, allsorts style, almost like a candy whisky, and sour on the gums, but what is happening here, no aftertaste at all... Maybe it needs water. With water it becomes a bit more enjoyable, roasted nuts and black peppers are added to the mix, but still, a huge disappointment on the palate.
This malt should be a deodorant, smells fantastic, but I don't wanna drink it: 3
Longrow 10yo 57% OB
Another 100proof one, Longrow is the most peated of the Springbank family, and I do not have too much experience with it. But I remember quite well one that was finished on Gajo Barolo wood (or something like that) that was far from my liking. Could the peat in this one make it clim a bit higher on the scale than the Springbank version did? Smells peaty, vanilla, cream, milky, ever been to a dairy? I'm getting mixed input from this one, it's hard to describe. Peaty, yet so soft an silky. Time to taste. The taste is peaty yes, and smoky, briny, bonfire, crispy batter and salty sausage, meaty if you know what I mean, excellent stuff. Finally one that where as good, or even better on the palate than the on the nose. This one could easily flogg any Islay whisky any day. Even now, about ten minutes since last swallow I can still feel that peat sensation.
You have to like peat, and I do: 6.5
Next tasting: Port Ellen Distillery
torsdag 24. november 2011
5 Glengoynes, two distilled in 1969
I'll start and end this session with Glengoynes distilled in 1969. The other ones are somewhat of a mixed bag. I know there are many people that's enthusiastic about older and sherried variants of this malt. I am too, but that oloroso influence can be a bit too much for me sometimes. In this tasting I'll try some variants that seems to come from other sherry casks, say a fino cask for instance. I hope it does well!
Glengoyne 1969-? 47% OB Vintage Reserve
According to whiskysites such as the whiskybase.com, there were released 2742 bottles from this batch. I wonder how many are still left. I think that the Lang Brothers acquired Glengoyne in 1965 and started releasing the Vintage Reserve series in 1967, so this is the third release from this series then. A nice golden hue. On the label it says "Unfiltered", and there is some small sediments svimming around in there, but far from the fish one can find in some of the Raw Cask bottlings from Blackadder. Smells light, vanilla, candy floss, herbal, basil, needs time, eventually it becomes oakier, chili paste, leather and more vanilla. This one needs lots of time to expand itself in the glass. The taste is of rustic quality, old carpet, bonfire, burnt oak, dusty attic, you know what I mean... It's old and elegant with some camphor and more flowery style. It fills the mouth very well, it explodes on the Circumvallate Papilla, or back of the tongue if you like, leading to a licorice, rubbery, chili, smoked bacon, dried red paprika and dried onions finish. I mean, really rustic/old style. Is some of it a result of the non-filtration?
Not a single Oloroso cask, but ever so good: 8.5
Glengoyne 21yo 1986-2008 OB cask#1391
A more modern version from a sherry butt, with those dreadful suggested taste characteristics on the label, for you to read and then make expectations of what to taste even before pouring a wee drop from the bottle. I hate it, because it's not represented as an objective taste note at all. I believe that marketing also should have some limits. I don't want to know what my whisky should taste like, I don't even want to know what it could taste like, I just want to try it and find out for myself!!! I remember one time I was attending a whisky tasting event, and a large group of people were buzzing over a young macAllan. Suddenly one says with a somewhat loud voice, in Norwegian, "Oh, it's unripe bananas". And suddenly everybody started saying that it tasted like unripe bananas. I have tried that bottling on a later occasion, a youngster Macallan from Douglas Laings OMC-series, and there were no unripe bananas. But surely I was looking for them much more than enjoying the whisky as a kid exploring the playground first day at kindergarden, which is something I usually do. Never know what's there to be found. But now I'm losing my trail here, Glengoyne, yes. Dark one, smells well, cinnamon, strawberries, a bit burnt and phenolic, fresh cut grass, reminds me of the 8yo Glengoyne bottling called "A Strawberry Ballerina" a couple years back, from the SMWS. Prunes and dried sage. The taste is bitter and herbal, sage, nettle soup, grassy, roasted vegetables, onions and carrots. A light style, needs water. With water it gets better, a certain aftertaste appears, which has been absent up until now. Red onions and smoked and salted mutton meat. Not very interesting, has a long way to go before it reaches the standards of the 1969, but enjoyable, and a good christmas whisky. Aperitif style. Btw, longest tasting note yet, I think!
Good stuff, but a bit dull: 5.5
Glengoyne 11yo 1997-2008 56.5% OB for Oslo Whisky Festival
One from a bourbon hogshead, how will it compare? Although a citizen of Norway, I have never been to the Oslo Whisky Festival, and I'm not sure I ever will be, not much Fettercairn going around up there. But from what I've heard, it's usually an annual success! This one is definitively on the light side of light, some easy vanilla and clean grassiness. Some black pepper as well, but it's really straight forward. The taste is sweet, spirit marker, vinyl, dried onions and leather. A big whisky in some aspects, but it has little or no aftertaste, after the initial palate ends an otherwise fun adventure. It would be fun to try an even higher %abv.'ed Glengoyne, say 60+%abv... And guess what? There's two of those coming up now!
Fine, interesting, funny, the Night Garden of malt whisky: 6
Glengoyne 10yo 2000-2011 61% OB The Distillery Cask cask#1016
One that's handbottled at the distillery, haven't quite come around to finding the pros of drinking a handbottled whisky or even the cons of drinking a machine bottled. Is it a selling trick pointed at the romantics? Help? This on is from a first fill sherry cask, sounds good. I think that too many older sherries are bottled way too late, when even at cask strength their in their low 40's what %abv is concerned. I have tried some young high strength sherried OB's and they're usually great. It smells sweet, ripe bananas, strawberry, honey, vanilla and mashed horseradish. Sweet stuff. The taste is not far from the 21yo, more raw, more peppery, and not as delightful, I mean, no strawberries or prunes here. Mostly burnt, needs water. With water it gets drier, not much more.
Biggest disappointment so far tonight, boring stuff: 2.5
Glengoyne 26yo 1969-1996 62.2% Cadenhead's
The first one born in 1969 was great, what about this one, distilled July 1969, calls for a certain song doesn't it? "sherrywood matured" it says. Nice orange hue. Smells cinnamon and honey, rustic sweet, and much lighter than the other sherried versions, in a good way. It's far from as phenolic as the other ones. A bit perfumy, and again these strawberries. The taste is burnt, licorice, fino sherry, bitter. Needs some water. When diluted it gets more peppery and sweet, chili and mint leaves. Much more interesting. Burning. I like it, but it is far from as good as the Vintage Reserve of same vintage.
Needs water to become interesting, even though sort of bitter and spirity: 6
Next tasting: Springbank Distillery
Glengoyne 1969-? 47% OB Vintage Reserve
According to whiskysites such as the whiskybase.com, there were released 2742 bottles from this batch. I wonder how many are still left. I think that the Lang Brothers acquired Glengoyne in 1965 and started releasing the Vintage Reserve series in 1967, so this is the third release from this series then. A nice golden hue. On the label it says "Unfiltered", and there is some small sediments svimming around in there, but far from the fish one can find in some of the Raw Cask bottlings from Blackadder. Smells light, vanilla, candy floss, herbal, basil, needs time, eventually it becomes oakier, chili paste, leather and more vanilla. This one needs lots of time to expand itself in the glass. The taste is of rustic quality, old carpet, bonfire, burnt oak, dusty attic, you know what I mean... It's old and elegant with some camphor and more flowery style. It fills the mouth very well, it explodes on the Circumvallate Papilla, or back of the tongue if you like, leading to a licorice, rubbery, chili, smoked bacon, dried red paprika and dried onions finish. I mean, really rustic/old style. Is some of it a result of the non-filtration?
Not a single Oloroso cask, but ever so good: 8.5
Glengoyne 21yo 1986-2008 OB cask#1391
A more modern version from a sherry butt, with those dreadful suggested taste characteristics on the label, for you to read and then make expectations of what to taste even before pouring a wee drop from the bottle. I hate it, because it's not represented as an objective taste note at all. I believe that marketing also should have some limits. I don't want to know what my whisky should taste like, I don't even want to know what it could taste like, I just want to try it and find out for myself!!! I remember one time I was attending a whisky tasting event, and a large group of people were buzzing over a young macAllan. Suddenly one says with a somewhat loud voice, in Norwegian, "Oh, it's unripe bananas". And suddenly everybody started saying that it tasted like unripe bananas. I have tried that bottling on a later occasion, a youngster Macallan from Douglas Laings OMC-series, and there were no unripe bananas. But surely I was looking for them much more than enjoying the whisky as a kid exploring the playground first day at kindergarden, which is something I usually do. Never know what's there to be found. But now I'm losing my trail here, Glengoyne, yes. Dark one, smells well, cinnamon, strawberries, a bit burnt and phenolic, fresh cut grass, reminds me of the 8yo Glengoyne bottling called "A Strawberry Ballerina" a couple years back, from the SMWS. Prunes and dried sage. The taste is bitter and herbal, sage, nettle soup, grassy, roasted vegetables, onions and carrots. A light style, needs water. With water it gets better, a certain aftertaste appears, which has been absent up until now. Red onions and smoked and salted mutton meat. Not very interesting, has a long way to go before it reaches the standards of the 1969, but enjoyable, and a good christmas whisky. Aperitif style. Btw, longest tasting note yet, I think!
Good stuff, but a bit dull: 5.5
Glengoyne 11yo 1997-2008 56.5% OB for Oslo Whisky Festival
One from a bourbon hogshead, how will it compare? Although a citizen of Norway, I have never been to the Oslo Whisky Festival, and I'm not sure I ever will be, not much Fettercairn going around up there. But from what I've heard, it's usually an annual success! This one is definitively on the light side of light, some easy vanilla and clean grassiness. Some black pepper as well, but it's really straight forward. The taste is sweet, spirit marker, vinyl, dried onions and leather. A big whisky in some aspects, but it has little or no aftertaste, after the initial palate ends an otherwise fun adventure. It would be fun to try an even higher %abv.'ed Glengoyne, say 60+%abv... And guess what? There's two of those coming up now!
Fine, interesting, funny, the Night Garden of malt whisky: 6
Glengoyne 10yo 2000-2011 61% OB The Distillery Cask cask#1016
One that's handbottled at the distillery, haven't quite come around to finding the pros of drinking a handbottled whisky or even the cons of drinking a machine bottled. Is it a selling trick pointed at the romantics? Help? This on is from a first fill sherry cask, sounds good. I think that too many older sherries are bottled way too late, when even at cask strength their in their low 40's what %abv is concerned. I have tried some young high strength sherried OB's and they're usually great. It smells sweet, ripe bananas, strawberry, honey, vanilla and mashed horseradish. Sweet stuff. The taste is not far from the 21yo, more raw, more peppery, and not as delightful, I mean, no strawberries or prunes here. Mostly burnt, needs water. With water it gets drier, not much more.
Biggest disappointment so far tonight, boring stuff: 2.5
Glengoyne 26yo 1969-1996 62.2% Cadenhead's
The first one born in 1969 was great, what about this one, distilled July 1969, calls for a certain song doesn't it? "sherrywood matured" it says. Nice orange hue. Smells cinnamon and honey, rustic sweet, and much lighter than the other sherried versions, in a good way. It's far from as phenolic as the other ones. A bit perfumy, and again these strawberries. The taste is burnt, licorice, fino sherry, bitter. Needs some water. When diluted it gets more peppery and sweet, chili and mint leaves. Much more interesting. Burning. I like it, but it is far from as good as the Vintage Reserve of same vintage.
Needs water to become interesting, even though sort of bitter and spirity: 6
Next tasting: Springbank Distillery
tirsdag 22. november 2011
4 Glen Ords, oldest one distilled almost 50 years ago.
Not much experience with the Glen Ord Distillery. Not on my radar too often, but I remember my first ever tasting being a 5cl miniature of the traditional 12yo OB with a green label. I think it was back in 2008 when I was on a school trip to London and found this miniature plastic bottle in amongst some cheap liqueurs and rum miniatures in a pretty worn down shop right by the Angel underground station. Not the best area. Anyway, the whisky wasn't bad, I remember it threw some punches of nice smokiness. Time to try some more from this distillery.
Glen Ord 8yo 1998-2006 43% Jean Boyer Gifted Stills
I believe this one is the first one I've tried from the "gifted stills"-series. White wine color, Smells dry, coriander, hummus, turkish spices, turmeric, cumin, dry and spicy. Reminds me of some of the better russian Vodkas I've tasted, fairly substantial grain and spice character, I was suspecting it to be more on the raw side. The taste is light, onions, grainy, radish, some sweetness that reminds me of boiled parsnip. Some rutabaga as well. Needs some water. Now it gets more peppery and spicy, cinnamon, turmeric, iron and cress, something strange is going on here, yet it all feels so interestingly peculiar. I don't know what I'd think of this one if held a few more years in cask, or bottled at cask strength. Many hints of great potential.
Needs a couple years more, but potentially a class whisky: 5.5
Glen Ord 20yo 1990-2010 54.4% Bladnoch Distillery Forum cask#1160
A bit darker in color than the 8yo, but still what I'd call white wine. 20 years and cask strength should bring more to this one than what the cask may provided last dram. As Bladnoch has now moved on to new owners, what will happen to its Distillery Forum who's bottling so many good old whiskies at very fair prices? I hope they continue... This one smells oaky and burnt, enormous oak and spirity nose. I'll let it rest for some time. When given time it opens up a bit and shows these green herbal notes alongside some red wine vinegar and tropical fruit smells, you know, spanish fruit fairs and warm air. Reminds me more of a lowlander. The taste is light and citrussy, melon, grape fruit, lemons, green grapes, fruity and sour. Minty aftertaste. This one is a joy to drink, and doesn't need any water, only enough time and your patience.
Absolute beauty, though no highlander in style: 7
Ord 27yo 1962-1989 55.4% Cadenhead's
A bit of personal history here as I'm quite sure I will never ever try another Glen Ord distilled as long ago as this one, almost fifty years! That's something else! I notice they have skipped the "Glen" and just named it "Ord". I cannot find any information confirming that "Ord" ever was their official name, maybe a funky spell by Cadenhead's like the "Blair Atholl" that can be found on some old bottlings. This one is way darker, golden brown. Smells huge, resinous, oloroso style, honey, nutmeg, chili, fresh mountain air, thyme, mint drops, strawberry jam, coconut, it just keeps changing over a period of at least 15 minutes, just keep nosing, don't wanna miss a part of this show! The taste is sweet and definitively sherried, heavy and rich sherry, cinnamon, malt syrup, cough mixture, carrot juice, tomato sauce, ginger, and that fine Glen Ordy minty aftertaste that I now start recognizing as somewhat of a trademark for this malt. Excellent stuff!
Shows that Glen Ord can take sherry very well too: 9
Glen Ord 28yo 1975-2003 58.3% OB
Finally an OB, oldest of the bunch what oak maturation is concerned, but what about that somewhat disputed X-factor commonly referred to as "cask maturation"? We'll see. Smells big this one too. Not as advanced as the Cadenhead's but more assertive odors. It has strawberry bubblegum, distinctive rosé wine, vanilla and light licorice. The taste is sweet and rying with a clear spirity sting in the aftertaste, needs some water. With additional water it becomes more peppery, rye bread, dry corn, a bit of a letdown to be honest. Not nearly as complex as the it's three predecessors, but the nose was quite alright. Also lacking the amazing minty aftertaste.
All in all an OK whisky, but at this age, not nearly good enough: 3.5
Next tasting: Glengoyne Distillery
Glen Ord 8yo 1998-2006 43% Jean Boyer Gifted Stills
I believe this one is the first one I've tried from the "gifted stills"-series. White wine color, Smells dry, coriander, hummus, turkish spices, turmeric, cumin, dry and spicy. Reminds me of some of the better russian Vodkas I've tasted, fairly substantial grain and spice character, I was suspecting it to be more on the raw side. The taste is light, onions, grainy, radish, some sweetness that reminds me of boiled parsnip. Some rutabaga as well. Needs some water. Now it gets more peppery and spicy, cinnamon, turmeric, iron and cress, something strange is going on here, yet it all feels so interestingly peculiar. I don't know what I'd think of this one if held a few more years in cask, or bottled at cask strength. Many hints of great potential.
Needs a couple years more, but potentially a class whisky: 5.5
Glen Ord 20yo 1990-2010 54.4% Bladnoch Distillery Forum cask#1160
A bit darker in color than the 8yo, but still what I'd call white wine. 20 years and cask strength should bring more to this one than what the cask may provided last dram. As Bladnoch has now moved on to new owners, what will happen to its Distillery Forum who's bottling so many good old whiskies at very fair prices? I hope they continue... This one smells oaky and burnt, enormous oak and spirity nose. I'll let it rest for some time. When given time it opens up a bit and shows these green herbal notes alongside some red wine vinegar and tropical fruit smells, you know, spanish fruit fairs and warm air. Reminds me more of a lowlander. The taste is light and citrussy, melon, grape fruit, lemons, green grapes, fruity and sour. Minty aftertaste. This one is a joy to drink, and doesn't need any water, only enough time and your patience.
Absolute beauty, though no highlander in style: 7
Ord 27yo 1962-1989 55.4% Cadenhead's
A bit of personal history here as I'm quite sure I will never ever try another Glen Ord distilled as long ago as this one, almost fifty years! That's something else! I notice they have skipped the "Glen" and just named it "Ord". I cannot find any information confirming that "Ord" ever was their official name, maybe a funky spell by Cadenhead's like the "Blair Atholl" that can be found on some old bottlings. This one is way darker, golden brown. Smells huge, resinous, oloroso style, honey, nutmeg, chili, fresh mountain air, thyme, mint drops, strawberry jam, coconut, it just keeps changing over a period of at least 15 minutes, just keep nosing, don't wanna miss a part of this show! The taste is sweet and definitively sherried, heavy and rich sherry, cinnamon, malt syrup, cough mixture, carrot juice, tomato sauce, ginger, and that fine Glen Ordy minty aftertaste that I now start recognizing as somewhat of a trademark for this malt. Excellent stuff!
Shows that Glen Ord can take sherry very well too: 9
Glen Ord 28yo 1975-2003 58.3% OB
Finally an OB, oldest of the bunch what oak maturation is concerned, but what about that somewhat disputed X-factor commonly referred to as "cask maturation"? We'll see. Smells big this one too. Not as advanced as the Cadenhead's but more assertive odors. It has strawberry bubblegum, distinctive rosé wine, vanilla and light licorice. The taste is sweet and rying with a clear spirity sting in the aftertaste, needs some water. With additional water it becomes more peppery, rye bread, dry corn, a bit of a letdown to be honest. Not nearly as complex as the it's three predecessors, but the nose was quite alright. Also lacking the amazing minty aftertaste.
All in all an OK whisky, but at this age, not nearly good enough: 3.5
Next tasting: Glengoyne Distillery
fredag 18. november 2011
4 Glen Grants
I have to confess that Glen Grant was maybe one of the last distilleries that I opened my eyes to, even though I had an older G&M bottling that was spectacular way back in 2009. There are already a huge buzz following older sherried bottlings from this distillery, I'll have one of those today alongside two bourbon single casks and one vintage standard at 40%.
Glen Grant 17yo 1990-2007 40% OB by G&M
There were a large number of different "OB's" from Glen Grant when they were owned by Gordon & Macphail, not so many nowadays, even though many of the older ones were pretty sharp. This one has a light color, addition of E's are present. It smells light, wheat, hay, vanilla, dry and sweet notes. The taste is so light it's almost too smooth for me. It's a perfectly good starter whisky, or one to have alongside some seafood dishes. Light, summer style, I like it a lot, bot be sure to enjoy this one neat, and before having other, stronger flavors on the palate. Touch of green apples in the finish.
Perfectly drinkable, enjoyable any given day: 6
Glen Grant 35yo 1974-2009 48.8% Duncan Taylor
From a sherry octave, light color, earl grey. Considering the age, this one could very well be one of the much talked about older sherried Glen Grants. Sweet honey and cinnamon, dry grapes and red apples, nice stuff. The taste is heathery, dry, cinnamon and onion. Lots of cinnamon, the most recognizable flavor in this one. Maybe it needs some water? When diluted it turns more minty and sweeter, peppery as well as gritty/grainy and bitter. The taste is much better without additional added water.
Without water it's a very good whisky, though a bit light: 7
Glen Grant 23yo 1985-2008 55.8% First Cask cask#10182
One entirely matured in a Bourbon Hogshead, so this should be for the sweet toothed among us. It smells light, vanilla, cream, cauliflower mash, swede drain, cauliflower puree, dried paprika and squash. The taste is better than the nose, drying, hot cinnamon and white peppers, coriander, basil and laurels. Sweet licorice and roasted candied almonds on the finish. Another Glen Grant that's perfectly drinkable, yet a bit too light to create a fuzz. I think this one is maybe the essence of what most of recent Glen Grants has to offer, light style with some dryness and bourbon-influence.
Very well put together: 6.5
Glen Grant 15yo 1992-2007 59.9% OB cask#17163 btl.53/378
I think this is the highest %abv I've yet found in a Glen Grant, and being as soft and light as it usually comes across in my book, maybe this will give it an aromatic lift? Funky looking bottle, slender at bottom, and broadens towards the top, with a small neck. It looks almost like some kind of sportsman´s trophy. Light golden hue, smells spirity and herbal, wool, burnt acrylic clothing, cheap soap bars and wine gum. Sweet and obscure. The taste is burnt and sweet, strange stuff, sprity and soapy. Needs water. With added water it becomes sweeter, but the soapy notes seems to have left, so has the spirity, now there's more toffee and caramel present and some banana and cream. A vast improvement in my opinion.
Nice stuff, but remember water, if not it's too spirity, at least for me: 6.5
Next tasting: Glen Ord Distillery
Glen Grant 17yo 1990-2007 40% OB by G&M
There were a large number of different "OB's" from Glen Grant when they were owned by Gordon & Macphail, not so many nowadays, even though many of the older ones were pretty sharp. This one has a light color, addition of E's are present. It smells light, wheat, hay, vanilla, dry and sweet notes. The taste is so light it's almost too smooth for me. It's a perfectly good starter whisky, or one to have alongside some seafood dishes. Light, summer style, I like it a lot, bot be sure to enjoy this one neat, and before having other, stronger flavors on the palate. Touch of green apples in the finish.
Perfectly drinkable, enjoyable any given day: 6
Glen Grant 35yo 1974-2009 48.8% Duncan Taylor
From a sherry octave, light color, earl grey. Considering the age, this one could very well be one of the much talked about older sherried Glen Grants. Sweet honey and cinnamon, dry grapes and red apples, nice stuff. The taste is heathery, dry, cinnamon and onion. Lots of cinnamon, the most recognizable flavor in this one. Maybe it needs some water? When diluted it turns more minty and sweeter, peppery as well as gritty/grainy and bitter. The taste is much better without additional added water.
Without water it's a very good whisky, though a bit light: 7
Glen Grant 23yo 1985-2008 55.8% First Cask cask#10182
One entirely matured in a Bourbon Hogshead, so this should be for the sweet toothed among us. It smells light, vanilla, cream, cauliflower mash, swede drain, cauliflower puree, dried paprika and squash. The taste is better than the nose, drying, hot cinnamon and white peppers, coriander, basil and laurels. Sweet licorice and roasted candied almonds on the finish. Another Glen Grant that's perfectly drinkable, yet a bit too light to create a fuzz. I think this one is maybe the essence of what most of recent Glen Grants has to offer, light style with some dryness and bourbon-influence.
Very well put together: 6.5
Glen Grant 15yo 1992-2007 59.9% OB cask#17163 btl.53/378
I think this is the highest %abv I've yet found in a Glen Grant, and being as soft and light as it usually comes across in my book, maybe this will give it an aromatic lift? Funky looking bottle, slender at bottom, and broadens towards the top, with a small neck. It looks almost like some kind of sportsman´s trophy. Light golden hue, smells spirity and herbal, wool, burnt acrylic clothing, cheap soap bars and wine gum. Sweet and obscure. The taste is burnt and sweet, strange stuff, sprity and soapy. Needs water. With added water it becomes sweeter, but the soapy notes seems to have left, so has the spirity, now there's more toffee and caramel present and some banana and cream. A vast improvement in my opinion.
Nice stuff, but remember water, if not it's too spirity, at least for me: 6.5
Next tasting: Glen Ord Distillery
4 young spirits that never made it to whisky
I have to say I have been dreading this tasting a while, as I haven't found too much good to say about any of the raw and spirity new-makes I've tried up until now. But this one is quite special as two of these has been pampered with by human hands, one by myself. The priorly talked about cask project both here:
http://www.maltdiary.com/2011/06/making-my-own-whisky-in-1-2-3.html
and here:
http://www.maltdiary.com/2011/09/follow-up-on-my-cask-project.html
Let's try it alongside some other youngsters and see how it does.
Loch Ewe 0yo 50.6% OB Distilled 30.6.2011
A small 100ml bottle, or jar if you like. I actually considered for a moment, putting this on a miniature cask and let it rest for 3 years just to be able to say that I've tried whisky from Loch Ewe Distillery. On the other hand, how would I be sure it still were 40% or more, and what disastrous oak impact would this poor newmake gain? It smells, well, spirity, harsh, cedar wood and stale wet hay. Not too bad, I'm confused as to why there's such a fine wood scent to a new-make? The taste is light and peppery, I like it, some bitter spirity notes of shoe laces and rubber. Synthetic, but very clean and pure spirit. I prefer it to many other new-makes. I think this could be doing very well after some years in oak casks. But for now, it hasn't developed enough to give more than a score based on potential. What's funky with this one is that a small amount of water makes it blue!
A nice and clean new-make, a good alternative to Vodka: 5
Celp NAS 55% The Ultimate Whisky Company (Lagavulin) The Seaweed Experience
A version of the old and almost forgotten Celp, a drink that was used for health resons back in the days of monks and kings and whatnot. I believe it originally was Knockeen with seaweed, made in Ireland, but now some dutch guys have tried recreating it with spirit from Lagavulin (if my sources are correct), some fresh water grass and green coloring. It's bottled in Scotland, so the grass and all that is scottish at least. Looks like some green tea. Smells pretty nice, clear coastal notes, waxy, salty, fish stock, herbal, oregano, basil, choriander, burnt junipers, and again extremely clean. The taste is thick, burnt, sweet, salty, bitter, herbal, loads of salt and lime zest, a most pleasing surprise.
This is excellent spirit, Lagavulin should be proud: 6.5
Glenglassaugh 0yo 50+/-% 3 months in 1l. cream sherry butt
Very dark, like some oloroso sherry, on the borderline between brown and red. Smells young and fresh, yet sherried and sweet. A bit minty and wet grass, flowers, honey and cinnamon. Things sure do happen quick in these small casks, but remember to let the whisky breath enough after pouring a glass. The taste is light and sweet, perhaps a bit too sweet, seems the cask did get the better of the spirit. It has a warming aftertaste of some very tamed peat. Small smoke and huge sherry, it's not fantastic, but a bloody good try if you ask me. Next time I do this project I'm going to use a new-make with higher strength so that it keeps enough stamina to last a couple months on sherry cask, at least.
Nice stuff, smooth sherry, fine smokiness, few malt notes: 6.5
Bladnoch 0yo 61% 3 months in 1l. refill cream sherry butt
Half and half regular Bladnoch newmake at 50%abv. and peated Bladnoch newmake at 72%abv. I lost a bit of time on this one, and I believe it only captured 2.5 months or so in the cask. But if the influence is as strong as it was on the Glenglassaugh it might be for the better. Lighter in color, more towards an amber, orange hue. Smells peaty and spirity, not a typical lowlander to say the least. Interesting, a wild card, crazy strength, huge peatiness and some sweet syrupy, honey whiffs. The taste is dry and sweet, honey and wool, just a bit too dry, needs water. With water it gets burnt and spirity. I guess this could use a month or two more on wood.
Weird one, I'm considering giving it a refurbish on more oak: 3
Next tasting: Glen Grant Distillery
http://www.maltdiary.com/2011/06/making-my-own-whisky-in-1-2-3.html
and here:
http://www.maltdiary.com/2011/09/follow-up-on-my-cask-project.html
Let's try it alongside some other youngsters and see how it does.
Loch Ewe 0yo 50.6% OB Distilled 30.6.2011
A small 100ml bottle, or jar if you like. I actually considered for a moment, putting this on a miniature cask and let it rest for 3 years just to be able to say that I've tried whisky from Loch Ewe Distillery. On the other hand, how would I be sure it still were 40% or more, and what disastrous oak impact would this poor newmake gain? It smells, well, spirity, harsh, cedar wood and stale wet hay. Not too bad, I'm confused as to why there's such a fine wood scent to a new-make? The taste is light and peppery, I like it, some bitter spirity notes of shoe laces and rubber. Synthetic, but very clean and pure spirit. I prefer it to many other new-makes. I think this could be doing very well after some years in oak casks. But for now, it hasn't developed enough to give more than a score based on potential. What's funky with this one is that a small amount of water makes it blue!
A nice and clean new-make, a good alternative to Vodka: 5
Celp NAS 55% The Ultimate Whisky Company (Lagavulin) The Seaweed Experience
A version of the old and almost forgotten Celp, a drink that was used for health resons back in the days of monks and kings and whatnot. I believe it originally was Knockeen with seaweed, made in Ireland, but now some dutch guys have tried recreating it with spirit from Lagavulin (if my sources are correct), some fresh water grass and green coloring. It's bottled in Scotland, so the grass and all that is scottish at least. Looks like some green tea. Smells pretty nice, clear coastal notes, waxy, salty, fish stock, herbal, oregano, basil, choriander, burnt junipers, and again extremely clean. The taste is thick, burnt, sweet, salty, bitter, herbal, loads of salt and lime zest, a most pleasing surprise.
This is excellent spirit, Lagavulin should be proud: 6.5
Glenglassaugh 0yo 50+/-% 3 months in 1l. cream sherry butt
Very dark, like some oloroso sherry, on the borderline between brown and red. Smells young and fresh, yet sherried and sweet. A bit minty and wet grass, flowers, honey and cinnamon. Things sure do happen quick in these small casks, but remember to let the whisky breath enough after pouring a glass. The taste is light and sweet, perhaps a bit too sweet, seems the cask did get the better of the spirit. It has a warming aftertaste of some very tamed peat. Small smoke and huge sherry, it's not fantastic, but a bloody good try if you ask me. Next time I do this project I'm going to use a new-make with higher strength so that it keeps enough stamina to last a couple months on sherry cask, at least.
Nice stuff, smooth sherry, fine smokiness, few malt notes: 6.5
Bladnoch 0yo 61% 3 months in 1l. refill cream sherry butt
Half and half regular Bladnoch newmake at 50%abv. and peated Bladnoch newmake at 72%abv. I lost a bit of time on this one, and I believe it only captured 2.5 months or so in the cask. But if the influence is as strong as it was on the Glenglassaugh it might be for the better. Lighter in color, more towards an amber, orange hue. Smells peaty and spirity, not a typical lowlander to say the least. Interesting, a wild card, crazy strength, huge peatiness and some sweet syrupy, honey whiffs. The taste is dry and sweet, honey and wool, just a bit too dry, needs water. With water it gets burnt and spirity. I guess this could use a month or two more on wood.
Weird one, I'm considering giving it a refurbish on more oak: 3
Next tasting: Glen Grant Distillery
onsdag 16. november 2011
4 young Bowmores
Time to try some Bowmore, one of the single malts that I have tried the most expressions of. And to say the least, it's had its ups and downs, never know what to expect from Bowmore. Many older Bowmores from 70's and 80's are cherished items amongst collectors or enthusiasts with whole lotta dough on their hands. I'm not one of them, so I will in this session try 4 whiskies none older than 11yo.
Operation Overlord 2004 D-Day 60th anniversary NAS 43% OB/IB??? btl.2/100
Come to think of it, this is perhaps not even a Bowmore, as there is no label stating that, or any online information to confirm. The only source to back up this conclusion is that the seller said so! I guess I'll just have to believe him until now at least. Time to try and see for myself, can I distinguish if this is a Bowmore or not? Light color, somewhere in the middle of apple juice and white wine. Smells spirity, marshmallows, soft apple and grenadine, a little smokiness and some almond oil. Lots of almond oil actually. The taste is light and spirity, I can't say wether this is a Bowmore or not as there are small smoky hints all the way. If I were to guess I'd thought it'd be a less than good young Ledaig or even a more recent young Bruichladdich. Most of all it is spirity, bad bad spirit.
Can be Bowmore, but far from a good one: 2
Bowmore 10yo 1984-1994 43% OB Commemorating Seve Ballesteros St. Andrews OC winner 1984
A golfers whisky? Seve Ballesteros won the Open Championships back in 1984, with an incredible, I guess, 276 score! I have never known the sport(!) of Golf, so no idea, but I know the sport of whisky, and now I'm going to perform some;) A bit darker than the O.O.-version, albeit more golden, apple juice. Smells light, mild, cream cheese, salt, bonfire, fresh air, day after rain, oranges. This one is far less smoky than the O.O. on the nose, but yet more fun and refreshing. The taste is light, soapy and peppery, one of the lightest Islayers I've ever had. It's not bad in any way, it just doesn't manage to make an impact of anything other than being a sweet, light whisky. Maybe, even though I doubt it in this case, I wonder if this could use some water?Dilution is not the answer here, more off-notes, chalk, industrial glue and spirity notes.
Better on the nose, same on the palate, worse on the finish than the O.O.: 2
Bowmore 10yo 2000-2010 45% James MacArthur's cask#20090
This one is of somewhat younger age than the previous two, and I have a huge appreciation for James MacArthur's as they bottle many great young whiskies at cask strength that's hard to come by anywhere else unless huge money is put on the table. Seems some distilleries are only worth bottling at crazy old age, to the IB's. Money talks, and have always done that. Anyway, back to the notes. Color of white wine, smells more smoky than the other two, and a bit burnt, not sophisticated like older sherried islayers, but it has that smoky, salty style that most "good" islayers do. Real stuff!!! Amazing peatiness, perfect, but it don't get much competition in this one. It tastes like bitter beer, hints of light, summer style salty air, sea style, dried algae, coastal flavors, fish eggs, but all that aside, it's mostly peppery. Hardcore light Islay style, doesn't make sense, but I could drink as much as I'd like of this and never be disappointed.
Light, peppery, coastal, young and new Islay in a glass: 4
Bowmore 11yo 1979-1990 58.4% Cadenhead's
I know there are rumors around saying that something terrible happened to Bowmore during the 80's, the quality of their new-make went down. I have no idea, I have never tried a Bowmore distilled in the 70's. Up until now that is. As I mentioned in last taste note, J.McA. is a company bottling unusual whiskies, and so is Cadenhead's lots of whiskies that you'll probably never be likely to find alikes of was bottled by Cadenhead's in the 60's 70's and 80's. Again this light white wine color, smells phenolic, burnt, ashes, sawdust, honey and vanilla, even coconut oil. Amazing in all it's startled glory. It's one of movies that never would've won the Oscars due to low investments in productions, yet the story is so great it covers the whole range of emotions in the jury. Give it time an it opens up on burnt oak, nuts, almond, extreme peat, smokiness, raw fish, sea salt, honey, bonfire, crushed maize and sweet floral notes and gazebo papers(old books). The taste is so peaty and powerful!!! This seems even more peaty than many Laphroaigs, Octomores, Ardbegs and so on. It's just so concentrated! I'm almost getting angry now!!! Why don't they bottle Bowmore like this anymore? I'll let in some water just to cool myself down. Now it becomes just the perfect dry apple core on caramel and cinnamon finish.
Well, smooth and perfect is wasn't, but it was something else as Sid'd tell you: 7.5
Next tasting: Spirits!!! (A special non-whisky whisky treat)
Operation Overlord 2004 D-Day 60th anniversary NAS 43% OB/IB??? btl.2/100
Come to think of it, this is perhaps not even a Bowmore, as there is no label stating that, or any online information to confirm. The only source to back up this conclusion is that the seller said so! I guess I'll just have to believe him until now at least. Time to try and see for myself, can I distinguish if this is a Bowmore or not? Light color, somewhere in the middle of apple juice and white wine. Smells spirity, marshmallows, soft apple and grenadine, a little smokiness and some almond oil. Lots of almond oil actually. The taste is light and spirity, I can't say wether this is a Bowmore or not as there are small smoky hints all the way. If I were to guess I'd thought it'd be a less than good young Ledaig or even a more recent young Bruichladdich. Most of all it is spirity, bad bad spirit.
Can be Bowmore, but far from a good one: 2
Bowmore 10yo 1984-1994 43% OB Commemorating Seve Ballesteros St. Andrews OC winner 1984
A golfers whisky? Seve Ballesteros won the Open Championships back in 1984, with an incredible, I guess, 276 score! I have never known the sport(!) of Golf, so no idea, but I know the sport of whisky, and now I'm going to perform some;) A bit darker than the O.O.-version, albeit more golden, apple juice. Smells light, mild, cream cheese, salt, bonfire, fresh air, day after rain, oranges. This one is far less smoky than the O.O. on the nose, but yet more fun and refreshing. The taste is light, soapy and peppery, one of the lightest Islayers I've ever had. It's not bad in any way, it just doesn't manage to make an impact of anything other than being a sweet, light whisky. Maybe, even though I doubt it in this case, I wonder if this could use some water?Dilution is not the answer here, more off-notes, chalk, industrial glue and spirity notes.
Better on the nose, same on the palate, worse on the finish than the O.O.: 2
Bowmore 10yo 2000-2010 45% James MacArthur's cask#20090
This one is of somewhat younger age than the previous two, and I have a huge appreciation for James MacArthur's as they bottle many great young whiskies at cask strength that's hard to come by anywhere else unless huge money is put on the table. Seems some distilleries are only worth bottling at crazy old age, to the IB's. Money talks, and have always done that. Anyway, back to the notes. Color of white wine, smells more smoky than the other two, and a bit burnt, not sophisticated like older sherried islayers, but it has that smoky, salty style that most "good" islayers do. Real stuff!!! Amazing peatiness, perfect, but it don't get much competition in this one. It tastes like bitter beer, hints of light, summer style salty air, sea style, dried algae, coastal flavors, fish eggs, but all that aside, it's mostly peppery. Hardcore light Islay style, doesn't make sense, but I could drink as much as I'd like of this and never be disappointed.
Light, peppery, coastal, young and new Islay in a glass: 4
Bowmore 11yo 1979-1990 58.4% Cadenhead's
I know there are rumors around saying that something terrible happened to Bowmore during the 80's, the quality of their new-make went down. I have no idea, I have never tried a Bowmore distilled in the 70's. Up until now that is. As I mentioned in last taste note, J.McA. is a company bottling unusual whiskies, and so is Cadenhead's lots of whiskies that you'll probably never be likely to find alikes of was bottled by Cadenhead's in the 60's 70's and 80's. Again this light white wine color, smells phenolic, burnt, ashes, sawdust, honey and vanilla, even coconut oil. Amazing in all it's startled glory. It's one of movies that never would've won the Oscars due to low investments in productions, yet the story is so great it covers the whole range of emotions in the jury. Give it time an it opens up on burnt oak, nuts, almond, extreme peat, smokiness, raw fish, sea salt, honey, bonfire, crushed maize and sweet floral notes and gazebo papers(old books). The taste is so peaty and powerful!!! This seems even more peaty than many Laphroaigs, Octomores, Ardbegs and so on. It's just so concentrated! I'm almost getting angry now!!! Why don't they bottle Bowmore like this anymore? I'll let in some water just to cool myself down. Now it becomes just the perfect dry apple core on caramel and cinnamon finish.
Well, smooth and perfect is wasn't, but it was something else as Sid'd tell you: 7.5
Next tasting: Spirits!!! (A special non-whisky whisky treat)
torsdag 10. november 2011
6 different grain distilleries ranging 10-45 years old
I haven't yet had my grand revelation to the often referred point that many older grain whiskies are solid gold. Maybe this tasting will prove different, at least I hope so. Some of these distilleries I have never tried before. It's gonna be interesting, that I know for sure looking at the lineup.
Invergordon 37yo 1972-2009 44% First Cask cask#63641
I have only tried the 10yo standard Invergordon, which was not to my surprise, a pretty neutral and weak grain whisky. I know much of it goes into the Whyte & MacKay blends. Which is usually much to my liking. At this age it still smells like a light and young whisky, needs some time to open up at this age. Licorice, wheat flour, dried hay, wheat, dry and light, lighter than most blends I've come across. Not much from the cask so far, a bourbon cask by the way. The taste is light (surprise!!!), lemon, vanilla, paper and raw wheat flour. It's so sweet and light I wouldn't dare add water, but for my own research's sake, I will in this case. With a small addition it becomes a bit spirity.
A fine and gentle whisky, but yawn...: 4.5
Garnheath 43yo 1967-2010 44.4% Clan Denny cask#6642
From a hogshead, this one should really have a wood impact, considering it's age in wood. I haven't got much experience with either the bottler or the distillery, having had only one or two bottlings from Clan Denny ahead of this one. And one from Garnheath, which I think also were from C.D. and 45 years of age. Another one that's light in color. smells citrussy, lemons and grape fruit, interesting, but also very light when considering time in cask and that its bottled at cask strength. Some minty and peppery notes as well, again it seems much younger than its actual age. The taste is light and intensely herbal, lots of greens, again some lemon and mint, basil and chives, again a small disappointment, but a step or two up from the Invergordon, a bit fuller in flavor.
At this age, well I guess it could've gone several more years one oak: 5.5
North British 45yo 1963-2008 50.7% Signatory Vintage
The matriarch of the bunch, the old grand-dad, 45 years old, I do not often come across whiskies at this age, and I usually don't even remotely consider buying them because of the ridiculous expense. But thankfully there are cheaper alternatives, like blends or grains, which usually comes much fairer priced. This one is much darker than the prior two, orange hue. Much more powerful on the nose, radishes, phenols, dried sage, dried basils, sort of a sherried take on a very herbal whisky. But then I have to say, if this is the case, after so long time, the spirit stands up well to the sherry influence. Some rum as well. The taste is sweet and burnt, phenolic, sugar candy, more like port than sherry, plums and vanilla fudge. Water is needed. Now it gets some more vanilla and bitterness.
It has more edge to it, but it struggles with some off-notes: 5
Greenore 10yo 2000-2011 52.9% OB for Belgium cask#87
Irish single grain, I've had one before, but this is my first one at cask strength. Pale color, probably from bourbon casks. This most definitively bourbon matured, huge vanilla, cream and lemon on the nose, a sweet treat, but it's so intense it makes up for the lack of so-called complexity. The taste is just what the nose promised, intense lemon, vanilla, vanilla curd, full fat cream and some raisins. Little to no aftertaste. Well done job cask(s)!
Fantastic in all its simplicity: 7
Cameronbridge 30yo Adelphi 1979-2009 56.6% Adelphi
I had a 30yo Cameronbridge from Adelphi a couple of years back, it was superb, I think I rated it a 9.5'er. This one is sort of light, color of very light rosé wine, I remember the 9.5 one to be way darker, but I could be wrong. It smells peppery, soft fruits, tannins, honey, melted butter and sugar, I love it so far. The taste is... oh, now it's all coming back to me, honey, leather, cough syrup, light phenols, sherry, drying (in a very good way), licorice, red paprika, coffee, cream (bailey's), sun-dried tomatoes, cinnamon, wow!!! I don't think I can describe this one much more without becoming pretentiously positive.
Fantastic, but not the same, served more chilled this time, still: 9.5
Carsebridge 26yo 1979-2005 60.3% Duncan Taylor cask#32903
First one popping the 60% limit, I know I'm a bit of a criminal drinking alcoholic beverage at this strength in the country of which I'm residing. It's a strange law as I think there are so many whiskies +60% that's absolutely amazing. But I don't think it's the malt drinkers they're after. Anyway, if opportunity shows, please do try an older sherried 60+% single malt, as I have never been disappointed by such, and I've tried a few. many older whiskies that falls in %abv. into the 40's loses a lit of it's punch(if u know what I mean), but at high proof, the spirit handles the wood impact in glorious manner. Enough now, let's taste. light golden color, smells much more spirity than the Cameronbridge, burnt sugar, some vanilla, and red plums, prunes, sweet rounded fruitiness. Tight stuff, if you know what I mean... Smells dry. The taste is very burnt and dry, yet with a sort of prunes and juniper berries mixed taste, dark fruits. I'll add some water though maybe not needed in this one. With water it becomes lighter, and pretty boring, leather and mashed potatoes, avocado, fat.
It's good enough undiluted, don't add water: 6.5
Next tasting: Bowmore Distillery
Invergordon 37yo 1972-2009 44% First Cask cask#63641
I have only tried the 10yo standard Invergordon, which was not to my surprise, a pretty neutral and weak grain whisky. I know much of it goes into the Whyte & MacKay blends. Which is usually much to my liking. At this age it still smells like a light and young whisky, needs some time to open up at this age. Licorice, wheat flour, dried hay, wheat, dry and light, lighter than most blends I've come across. Not much from the cask so far, a bourbon cask by the way. The taste is light (surprise!!!), lemon, vanilla, paper and raw wheat flour. It's so sweet and light I wouldn't dare add water, but for my own research's sake, I will in this case. With a small addition it becomes a bit spirity.
A fine and gentle whisky, but yawn...: 4.5
Garnheath 43yo 1967-2010 44.4% Clan Denny cask#6642
From a hogshead, this one should really have a wood impact, considering it's age in wood. I haven't got much experience with either the bottler or the distillery, having had only one or two bottlings from Clan Denny ahead of this one. And one from Garnheath, which I think also were from C.D. and 45 years of age. Another one that's light in color. smells citrussy, lemons and grape fruit, interesting, but also very light when considering time in cask and that its bottled at cask strength. Some minty and peppery notes as well, again it seems much younger than its actual age. The taste is light and intensely herbal, lots of greens, again some lemon and mint, basil and chives, again a small disappointment, but a step or two up from the Invergordon, a bit fuller in flavor.
At this age, well I guess it could've gone several more years one oak: 5.5
North British 45yo 1963-2008 50.7% Signatory Vintage
The matriarch of the bunch, the old grand-dad, 45 years old, I do not often come across whiskies at this age, and I usually don't even remotely consider buying them because of the ridiculous expense. But thankfully there are cheaper alternatives, like blends or grains, which usually comes much fairer priced. This one is much darker than the prior two, orange hue. Much more powerful on the nose, radishes, phenols, dried sage, dried basils, sort of a sherried take on a very herbal whisky. But then I have to say, if this is the case, after so long time, the spirit stands up well to the sherry influence. Some rum as well. The taste is sweet and burnt, phenolic, sugar candy, more like port than sherry, plums and vanilla fudge. Water is needed. Now it gets some more vanilla and bitterness.
It has more edge to it, but it struggles with some off-notes: 5
Greenore 10yo 2000-2011 52.9% OB for Belgium cask#87
Irish single grain, I've had one before, but this is my first one at cask strength. Pale color, probably from bourbon casks. This most definitively bourbon matured, huge vanilla, cream and lemon on the nose, a sweet treat, but it's so intense it makes up for the lack of so-called complexity. The taste is just what the nose promised, intense lemon, vanilla, vanilla curd, full fat cream and some raisins. Little to no aftertaste. Well done job cask(s)!
Fantastic in all its simplicity: 7
Cameronbridge 30yo Adelphi 1979-2009 56.6% Adelphi
I had a 30yo Cameronbridge from Adelphi a couple of years back, it was superb, I think I rated it a 9.5'er. This one is sort of light, color of very light rosé wine, I remember the 9.5 one to be way darker, but I could be wrong. It smells peppery, soft fruits, tannins, honey, melted butter and sugar, I love it so far. The taste is... oh, now it's all coming back to me, honey, leather, cough syrup, light phenols, sherry, drying (in a very good way), licorice, red paprika, coffee, cream (bailey's), sun-dried tomatoes, cinnamon, wow!!! I don't think I can describe this one much more without becoming pretentiously positive.
Fantastic, but not the same, served more chilled this time, still: 9.5
Carsebridge 26yo 1979-2005 60.3% Duncan Taylor cask#32903
First one popping the 60% limit, I know I'm a bit of a criminal drinking alcoholic beverage at this strength in the country of which I'm residing. It's a strange law as I think there are so many whiskies +60% that's absolutely amazing. But I don't think it's the malt drinkers they're after. Anyway, if opportunity shows, please do try an older sherried 60+% single malt, as I have never been disappointed by such, and I've tried a few. many older whiskies that falls in %abv. into the 40's loses a lit of it's punch(if u know what I mean), but at high proof, the spirit handles the wood impact in glorious manner. Enough now, let's taste. light golden color, smells much more spirity than the Cameronbridge, burnt sugar, some vanilla, and red plums, prunes, sweet rounded fruitiness. Tight stuff, if you know what I mean... Smells dry. The taste is very burnt and dry, yet with a sort of prunes and juniper berries mixed taste, dark fruits. I'll add some water though maybe not needed in this one. With water it becomes lighter, and pretty boring, leather and mashed potatoes, avocado, fat.
It's good enough undiluted, don't add water: 6.5
Next tasting: Bowmore Distillery
onsdag 9. november 2011
5 recent Glendronachs from sherry casks
I have to admit this, sampling 3cl bottles, which I am today is not the same as 5cl by far. At least not for me.. 3cl is only one mouthful, yes, one should sip the whisky in moderation, but when drinking whisky, sometimes I feel the need for a bigger gulp to really enjoy it. As whisky flavor evolves when given time and air in a glass, 3cl is a little too little, when divided into four or five small sips. But then again, if a whisky is good, it's good, and that's what I'm about to find out here. I haven't tried too many sherried expressions of Glendronach so this will give me a great chance to do so. Last session with Glendronach just a short while back was very enjoyable.
Glendronach 20yo 1990-2011 50.1% OB cask#1032 Sherry Puncheon
If I'm not mistaken, a puncheons are about the biggest casks on the market, which usually means it is going to need more time to mature the whisky. Maybe this gives the same oak influence as 10 years in a bourbon hogshead? This cask alone has produced no less than 728 btls. Smells phenolic and dry sherry, cinnamon and cloves. Some raw shallots as well, sweet onion? Given time it develops into a more honeyed and matured style, much sweeter, like a rich perfume and fresh oil-based paint. The taste is huge, lots of sweetness, cardamum, cinnamon, honey at first before it all get shortly worn down by bitter phenolic notes and a spirity zing. One that needs water. With added water it bursts open and there's mint, paint again, leather, chevre and green olives. Dry and a wee bitter, but all in all a good whisky, I can't decide wether I liked it best bare or diluted.
Good stuff, but won't stand out as much more: 6
Glendronach 19yo 1991-2011 50.4% OB cask#3181 Sherry Puncheon
Another puncheon, maybe this time the sherry influence will not be so dominating, and some of the brilliant flavors I found in my last Glendronach-tasting will shine through in this one as well. This one seems even a bit darker than the last one. Needs more time to open up. Once that's done it becomes clear to me that this is not phenolic, it's not sweet, it's not even remotely sherried, it smells more like a middle dry red wine. Zinfandel? I don't complain as I love a good zinfandel based red wine. Sort of the Ruel Fox of red wines, always doing a good job, but sometimes proves a bit too short (read light-weight), unfortunately. The taste is Much thicker than the #1032, layers and layers of butter, honey, wax, licorice, soy beans, brie curd and black peppers. The aftertaste is more on the bitter and burning side, but a leap up from the #1032. No water in this one.
Thicker and fuller Glendronach: 6.5
Glendronach 21yo 1989-2011 54.1% OB cask#2917 Sherry Puncheon
By the way, all the whiskies up until now in this tasting have come from a PX sherry puncheon, the next two will be from Oloroso butts. This one is much lighter in color than the other two. Smells of turnips, licorice, mint, vanilla, leather, eraser and mashed juniper. A bit different than what I'd expected based on the previous two. The taste is thick and full, honey and cinnamon, the dessert whisky of the bunch. It lacks the phenolic and somewhat peppery aftertaste of the previous two, but that doesn't bother me. There is also sun-dried tomatoes, smoked & salted mutton leg(Norwegian christmas delicacy). Rustic, big, intense taste of layers upon layers of sweet and salty flavors.
Maybe the ultimate christmas whisky: 10
Glendronach 19yo 1992-2011 59.2% OB cask#161 Sherry Butt
Now this should bring something else to the table. What I have always admired with these Oloroso butts is that they seem to keep the %abv at very high level. Some even seem to exceed the alcohol volume after a while. I remember having a 35yo at 65% back in the days, don't remember, but I think it was an Inchgower, and I remember it was excellent. I know, many people are very interested in cask numbers, single casks, cask types, age and such, I do to a certain extent, but try not too. Cause when all is said and done, it comes down to this: Was it a good whisky? Nothing more, nothing less. This is the darkest of the bunch so far what color is concerned. Dark brownish stuff. It smells phenolic at first, not much more, I'll let it rest awhile. Now it becomes even more phenolic, completely overshadows anything else that might be there, I suspect this one might need water but I'm gonna try without first. The taste is a bit peppery and minty, but becomes phenolic and drying very soon. With water added. It's still phenolic, bitter, spirity and over-oaky.
This must be the biggest disappointment I've had so far from Glendronach: 2
Glendronach 17yo 1994-2001 60.1% OB cask#97 Sherry Butt
Another one from Oloroso sherry butt, I thought oloroso was more of a sweet dessert sherry, but if that is true, my last whisky couldn't be fetching much from the cask, or the cask wasn't fetching much from the sherry, who knows. But the color was much darker than this one anyway. It smells sharper, more spirity, grainier, almost as if it'd come from a second or third refill cask. That settles quickly and it gets sweeter, lighter, banana, malt syrup and ginger. Very sweet and light. This reminds me of the HP12 back in the days when the sherry content were higher. The taste is sweet dry and burnt, like burnt sugar and rucola. Needs water. With water it gets blander, nothing much going on here. sweet, dry and burnt, but less off-notes than the #161. I can't have much more of this, it's so weak despite 60+%abv.
Another version that failed miserable as to what I expected/hoped for: 2.5
Next tasting: Grain Distilleries
Glendronach 20yo 1990-2011 50.1% OB cask#1032 Sherry Puncheon
If I'm not mistaken, a puncheons are about the biggest casks on the market, which usually means it is going to need more time to mature the whisky. Maybe this gives the same oak influence as 10 years in a bourbon hogshead? This cask alone has produced no less than 728 btls. Smells phenolic and dry sherry, cinnamon and cloves. Some raw shallots as well, sweet onion? Given time it develops into a more honeyed and matured style, much sweeter, like a rich perfume and fresh oil-based paint. The taste is huge, lots of sweetness, cardamum, cinnamon, honey at first before it all get shortly worn down by bitter phenolic notes and a spirity zing. One that needs water. With added water it bursts open and there's mint, paint again, leather, chevre and green olives. Dry and a wee bitter, but all in all a good whisky, I can't decide wether I liked it best bare or diluted.
Good stuff, but won't stand out as much more: 6
Glendronach 19yo 1991-2011 50.4% OB cask#3181 Sherry Puncheon
Another puncheon, maybe this time the sherry influence will not be so dominating, and some of the brilliant flavors I found in my last Glendronach-tasting will shine through in this one as well. This one seems even a bit darker than the last one. Needs more time to open up. Once that's done it becomes clear to me that this is not phenolic, it's not sweet, it's not even remotely sherried, it smells more like a middle dry red wine. Zinfandel? I don't complain as I love a good zinfandel based red wine. Sort of the Ruel Fox of red wines, always doing a good job, but sometimes proves a bit too short (read light-weight), unfortunately. The taste is Much thicker than the #1032, layers and layers of butter, honey, wax, licorice, soy beans, brie curd and black peppers. The aftertaste is more on the bitter and burning side, but a leap up from the #1032. No water in this one.
Thicker and fuller Glendronach: 6.5
Glendronach 21yo 1989-2011 54.1% OB cask#2917 Sherry Puncheon
By the way, all the whiskies up until now in this tasting have come from a PX sherry puncheon, the next two will be from Oloroso butts. This one is much lighter in color than the other two. Smells of turnips, licorice, mint, vanilla, leather, eraser and mashed juniper. A bit different than what I'd expected based on the previous two. The taste is thick and full, honey and cinnamon, the dessert whisky of the bunch. It lacks the phenolic and somewhat peppery aftertaste of the previous two, but that doesn't bother me. There is also sun-dried tomatoes, smoked & salted mutton leg(Norwegian christmas delicacy). Rustic, big, intense taste of layers upon layers of sweet and salty flavors.
Maybe the ultimate christmas whisky: 10
Glendronach 19yo 1992-2011 59.2% OB cask#161 Sherry Butt
Now this should bring something else to the table. What I have always admired with these Oloroso butts is that they seem to keep the %abv at very high level. Some even seem to exceed the alcohol volume after a while. I remember having a 35yo at 65% back in the days, don't remember, but I think it was an Inchgower, and I remember it was excellent. I know, many people are very interested in cask numbers, single casks, cask types, age and such, I do to a certain extent, but try not too. Cause when all is said and done, it comes down to this: Was it a good whisky? Nothing more, nothing less. This is the darkest of the bunch so far what color is concerned. Dark brownish stuff. It smells phenolic at first, not much more, I'll let it rest awhile. Now it becomes even more phenolic, completely overshadows anything else that might be there, I suspect this one might need water but I'm gonna try without first. The taste is a bit peppery and minty, but becomes phenolic and drying very soon. With water added. It's still phenolic, bitter, spirity and over-oaky.
This must be the biggest disappointment I've had so far from Glendronach: 2
Glendronach 17yo 1994-2001 60.1% OB cask#97 Sherry Butt
Another one from Oloroso sherry butt, I thought oloroso was more of a sweet dessert sherry, but if that is true, my last whisky couldn't be fetching much from the cask, or the cask wasn't fetching much from the sherry, who knows. But the color was much darker than this one anyway. It smells sharper, more spirity, grainier, almost as if it'd come from a second or third refill cask. That settles quickly and it gets sweeter, lighter, banana, malt syrup and ginger. Very sweet and light. This reminds me of the HP12 back in the days when the sherry content were higher. The taste is sweet dry and burnt, like burnt sugar and rucola. Needs water. With water it gets blander, nothing much going on here. sweet, dry and burnt, but less off-notes than the #161. I can't have much more of this, it's so weak despite 60+%abv.
Another version that failed miserable as to what I expected/hoped for: 2.5
Next tasting: Grain Distilleries
lørdag 5. november 2011
3 Dufftowns
Some distilleries that are open is very hard to get hold of other than distillery botllings of, Strathmill, Cardhu, Deanston for instance. Dufftown is also one of these whiskies I think, having only tasted about three versions of it since the start of my blogging in april 2008. This gonna be fun, one of those tasting where I have absolutely no idea what to expect.
Dufftown 20yo 50% Old Malt Cask Douglas Laing
This is one of the darkest whiskies I've tried, red wine color, barely transparent. One of thos old fantastic OMC sherry casks? Smells sweet, honey, raisins, cinnamon, cumin, more honey and caramel toffee, a bit buttery. Amazing! The taste is bitter and resinous, after that lovely nose this is somewhat a letdown. I think it needs some water as it seems somewhat restrained. With added water it gets a bit more synthetic, not much better, but most of the rather awful bitterness (cotton and phenols) disappears. The aftertaste on the other hand is a grace such as the nose, light and peppery, red paprika, honey and lightly phenolic.
A bit off tracks, yet fun to try, one I'd rather nose than taste: 6.5
Dufftown 27yo 1982-2010 53.6% Bladnoch Distillery Forum
This one is way paler in color, I find it's getting further and further between the extreme sherry-bombs nowadays. But when trying fairly new ground(to me), I think it's nice to see it in different colors(literally). Smells bitter perfume, mint candy and bitter herbs. Very bitter, is this the awful flavor that the sherry cask to a certain extent managed to hide in the OMC bottling? When the nose here is the disappointment, the palate is on the other hand very good. Much vanilla, cream, mint, flour sugar, maple syrup and chestnuts. The finish is rather short and peppery, and leaves a little to be desired, although it doesn't ruin it for the exciting palate in any way.
Sweet stuff, matured well with its youth still intact: 6.5
Dufftown 13yo 59.4% James MacArthur's
I see some people often starting with tasting the youngest whisky of the session and saving the oldest, and probably more sought after whiskies till the end, like a grand finale. Not always a good idea, as the young ones often have a higher %abv, at least it's often the case with young cask strengths. And peatiness mellows over time in a cask if you're having an Islay tasting or such alike. I have the 13yo as the last whisky as it's about 6% higher in alcohol volume, so the taste is likely to be stronger. The color on this one is almost like water, one of the lightest colored whiskies I've tried. I wonder what happened if they watered it down, it'd look like Vodka? It smells heavy and spirity. Bitter stuff, this bitterness has followed me through this entire tasting, whatever I have to say about this whisky, in holds a certain standard throughout. It's a bitter whisky. The taste is so dry, it's like licking, and even chewing dry wood, combined with spirity notes. This one needs water. Diluted it becomes even more aggressive, burning my tongue, spirity as hell. This is a kick to any palate, seems so raw it could've been new-make.
Raw and immature. My guess is it's a bad cask: 2.5
Next tasting: Glendronach Distillery
Dufftown 20yo 50% Old Malt Cask Douglas Laing
This is one of the darkest whiskies I've tried, red wine color, barely transparent. One of thos old fantastic OMC sherry casks? Smells sweet, honey, raisins, cinnamon, cumin, more honey and caramel toffee, a bit buttery. Amazing! The taste is bitter and resinous, after that lovely nose this is somewhat a letdown. I think it needs some water as it seems somewhat restrained. With added water it gets a bit more synthetic, not much better, but most of the rather awful bitterness (cotton and phenols) disappears. The aftertaste on the other hand is a grace such as the nose, light and peppery, red paprika, honey and lightly phenolic.
A bit off tracks, yet fun to try, one I'd rather nose than taste: 6.5
Dufftown 27yo 1982-2010 53.6% Bladnoch Distillery Forum
This one is way paler in color, I find it's getting further and further between the extreme sherry-bombs nowadays. But when trying fairly new ground(to me), I think it's nice to see it in different colors(literally). Smells bitter perfume, mint candy and bitter herbs. Very bitter, is this the awful flavor that the sherry cask to a certain extent managed to hide in the OMC bottling? When the nose here is the disappointment, the palate is on the other hand very good. Much vanilla, cream, mint, flour sugar, maple syrup and chestnuts. The finish is rather short and peppery, and leaves a little to be desired, although it doesn't ruin it for the exciting palate in any way.
Sweet stuff, matured well with its youth still intact: 6.5
Dufftown 13yo 59.4% James MacArthur's
I see some people often starting with tasting the youngest whisky of the session and saving the oldest, and probably more sought after whiskies till the end, like a grand finale. Not always a good idea, as the young ones often have a higher %abv, at least it's often the case with young cask strengths. And peatiness mellows over time in a cask if you're having an Islay tasting or such alike. I have the 13yo as the last whisky as it's about 6% higher in alcohol volume, so the taste is likely to be stronger. The color on this one is almost like water, one of the lightest colored whiskies I've tried. I wonder what happened if they watered it down, it'd look like Vodka? It smells heavy and spirity. Bitter stuff, this bitterness has followed me through this entire tasting, whatever I have to say about this whisky, in holds a certain standard throughout. It's a bitter whisky. The taste is so dry, it's like licking, and even chewing dry wood, combined with spirity notes. This one needs water. Diluted it becomes even more aggressive, burning my tongue, spirity as hell. This is a kick to any palate, seems so raw it could've been new-make.
Raw and immature. My guess is it's a bad cask: 2.5
Next tasting: Glendronach Distillery
torsdag 3. november 2011
6 Caol Ilas
It's been awhile since I had a real peat-session, time to try some Caol Ila. 4 cask stregts, one un-peated, 3 OB's and 3 IB's. A well mixed bunch. I've been looking forward to this one. I must mention I had a wee drop of Ileach yesterday (rumours has it it's a Caol Ila), and I was pleasantly surprised.
Caol Ila 12yo 1998-2010 57.6% OB Unpeated
An unpeated version from first fill bourbon casks. Vanilla and banana? Fruit gums? What could be hidden behind this unusual Islay Expression? Smells sweet all on sweet licorice, vanilla and dark chocolate. I'd call it light even though the spirit does have a big say when smelling this one. The taste is heavy and peppery, lots of black pepper, oregano and vanilla, a bit dry too. Again, the spirit speaks up, and it calls for water. It becomes sweeter, thicker, marzipan, vanilla, lemon, more coastal now, salty, a wee hint of peat, could it come from the water? I do like this expression a lot, maybe even better than the 12yo standard CS, who knows, I guess I'll find out in a whisky or two.
Rich Caol Ila, it doesn't need peat with all these other things going on: 8
Caol Ila 18yo 43% OB
Why do you taste a whisky of only 43% right after a CS you might ask? I have no good answer other than that I think peat have a more lasting and overpowering impact on my palate than alcohol. If anyone knows any different, I'd like to hear, cause I think this is one of the things that's not discussed too often. Anyway, here's the 18yo. golden color, smells withdrawn in comparison with the unpeated one? The spirityness did some talking on the nose there. I can detect some wheat, salt and hay, not very exciting, and to me it seems even less peaty than the unpeated so far. The taste is light and peaty, now the peat does create some fuzz in this one, peppery, peaty, salty, herbal notes, sea salt, dried fish, fish stock, this one is good, yet a bit boring after the enormous unpeated one.
18 years, I wish they'd bottled it earlier to be honest: 3
Caol Ila 26yo 50% Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask
A miniature, I don't often see Caol Ila's at this age, I'm not that rich...hahaha! But if it has developed the same way as the 18yo OB, I'm better off without them anyway. Let's not prejudge this one, for all I know it could be amazing. Ooops, I just came to realize, I've had this one before, but I can't remember my score, so why not try it again. Golden color, same as the 18yo, I hope the similarities end here. Smells massively peaty, buttery, gasoline, burnt matches, grass, black pepper and nylon. The taste is peppery and peaty, not far from the 18yo, just a little less off-notes. Maybe it needs some water. I'll give it another try bare first, after 10 more minutes, enough air now? It gets just a bit sweeter and more bitter, red onions and green unripe olives. Let's try adding water. Now it becomes lighter, but still a bit one-dimensional, and it's even thinner in taste (if u know what I mean). I'm a bit disappointed, I was hoping this one would stir up this session after the rather weak 18yo, but it shows to be like just another run of the mill light and sweet Islayer.
It surely hasn't reaped much from the cask for 26 years: 4
Caol Ila CS NAS 59.3% OB
This one should be a cracker, more peat and higher proof than the unpeated one, but again, could this be another one that is too thin in flavor and overpeated on the nose? I hope not. Pale white wine color, lightest one up until now. I'd like to compare this one to the 12yo Unpeated, as the strength aren't that much apart and they're both pretty young. It smells peaty, ashy, smoky, salted fish, dry hay, worchestershire sauce, gorgonzola picante, leather moccasins, paint. This is much more intereseting than the prior ones, but I can't compare it with the 12yo unpeated so far as they're both excellent in each of their own way. The taste is extremely peaty, ad peppery, alongside some herbs, agriculture, grassiness, leather, kindergarden erasers, it's extremely interesting, and the huge peatiness reminds me somewhat of a young Laphroaig, not perfect, by far, but this crazy unbridled style makes it too exciting to say no to.
A really wild one, first so far in this tasting: 8.5
Caol Ila 13yo 1978-1992 63.7% Gordon & Macphail Cask cask# 5347-5315 & 11553-11564
A vast array of casks have gotten into this cask strength bottling from G&M. I remember having liked most of them so far, I even threw an 8 to the youngster from Tamnavulin. I hope that the good people at Gordon & Macphail bottles only the best casks in this series, if not, we are missing out on a lot of good whisky. golden orange color, smells... well.. the peat takes all control here, peat and caramel, sweet peat? I have to taste this stuff before it becomes too excessive. The taste is so dry, so extremely dry, and peaty, the peat is kicking my tooth in, crazy stuff, but if you are a hardcore peat fan, I guess this is a close you get to God. This doesn't mean I hate it, it's rather the opposite, I love a good challenge. But that said, this one needs water, if not my palate's gonna be dried out for the evening. With a small dash of water, the dryness disappears and left is peaty licorice, sweet honey, coriander and sun-dried tomatoes. I have no idea haw they managed this cask series, but it shows that single casks can be overrated, because blending different casks while not diluting can be just as good.
Cask strength, I mean really strong: 9
Caol Ila 13yo 1980-1983 65.5% Gordon & Macphail Cask cask# 10521-10524
Second from the G&M Cask series, bottled at a crazy strength, I hope it'll be as good as the last one. Lighter color, golden without the orange hue. I have to say this although it's not tasting related, I WISH they'd start bottling the CS-series at Gordon & Macphail again. It smells too spirity, as I'm a bit afraid to taste this one. Given enough time it smells burnt, sodium, phenolic, it does need water, but I'll try without first. It's spirity beyond anything else, it needs water. After adding water, it turns into this peppery psychedelic fusion of cooked carrots, fennel and ashtray smoke. This one lacks the sweet sun-burned tomatoes thatt the 1978 had, it just aren't as deep... weird word... It just doesn't cover as much as the other one what taste is concerned.
Extreme, but not as fun as I'd thought: 4.5
Next tasting: Dufftown Distillery
Caol Ila 12yo 1998-2010 57.6% OB Unpeated
An unpeated version from first fill bourbon casks. Vanilla and banana? Fruit gums? What could be hidden behind this unusual Islay Expression? Smells sweet all on sweet licorice, vanilla and dark chocolate. I'd call it light even though the spirit does have a big say when smelling this one. The taste is heavy and peppery, lots of black pepper, oregano and vanilla, a bit dry too. Again, the spirit speaks up, and it calls for water. It becomes sweeter, thicker, marzipan, vanilla, lemon, more coastal now, salty, a wee hint of peat, could it come from the water? I do like this expression a lot, maybe even better than the 12yo standard CS, who knows, I guess I'll find out in a whisky or two.
Rich Caol Ila, it doesn't need peat with all these other things going on: 8
Caol Ila 18yo 43% OB
Why do you taste a whisky of only 43% right after a CS you might ask? I have no good answer other than that I think peat have a more lasting and overpowering impact on my palate than alcohol. If anyone knows any different, I'd like to hear, cause I think this is one of the things that's not discussed too often. Anyway, here's the 18yo. golden color, smells withdrawn in comparison with the unpeated one? The spirityness did some talking on the nose there. I can detect some wheat, salt and hay, not very exciting, and to me it seems even less peaty than the unpeated so far. The taste is light and peaty, now the peat does create some fuzz in this one, peppery, peaty, salty, herbal notes, sea salt, dried fish, fish stock, this one is good, yet a bit boring after the enormous unpeated one.
18 years, I wish they'd bottled it earlier to be honest: 3
Caol Ila 26yo 50% Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask
A miniature, I don't often see Caol Ila's at this age, I'm not that rich...hahaha! But if it has developed the same way as the 18yo OB, I'm better off without them anyway. Let's not prejudge this one, for all I know it could be amazing. Ooops, I just came to realize, I've had this one before, but I can't remember my score, so why not try it again. Golden color, same as the 18yo, I hope the similarities end here. Smells massively peaty, buttery, gasoline, burnt matches, grass, black pepper and nylon. The taste is peppery and peaty, not far from the 18yo, just a little less off-notes. Maybe it needs some water. I'll give it another try bare first, after 10 more minutes, enough air now? It gets just a bit sweeter and more bitter, red onions and green unripe olives. Let's try adding water. Now it becomes lighter, but still a bit one-dimensional, and it's even thinner in taste (if u know what I mean). I'm a bit disappointed, I was hoping this one would stir up this session after the rather weak 18yo, but it shows to be like just another run of the mill light and sweet Islayer.
It surely hasn't reaped much from the cask for 26 years: 4
Caol Ila CS NAS 59.3% OB
This one should be a cracker, more peat and higher proof than the unpeated one, but again, could this be another one that is too thin in flavor and overpeated on the nose? I hope not. Pale white wine color, lightest one up until now. I'd like to compare this one to the 12yo Unpeated, as the strength aren't that much apart and they're both pretty young. It smells peaty, ashy, smoky, salted fish, dry hay, worchestershire sauce, gorgonzola picante, leather moccasins, paint. This is much more intereseting than the prior ones, but I can't compare it with the 12yo unpeated so far as they're both excellent in each of their own way. The taste is extremely peaty, ad peppery, alongside some herbs, agriculture, grassiness, leather, kindergarden erasers, it's extremely interesting, and the huge peatiness reminds me somewhat of a young Laphroaig, not perfect, by far, but this crazy unbridled style makes it too exciting to say no to.
A really wild one, first so far in this tasting: 8.5
Caol Ila 13yo 1978-1992 63.7% Gordon & Macphail Cask cask# 5347-5315 & 11553-11564
A vast array of casks have gotten into this cask strength bottling from G&M. I remember having liked most of them so far, I even threw an 8 to the youngster from Tamnavulin. I hope that the good people at Gordon & Macphail bottles only the best casks in this series, if not, we are missing out on a lot of good whisky. golden orange color, smells... well.. the peat takes all control here, peat and caramel, sweet peat? I have to taste this stuff before it becomes too excessive. The taste is so dry, so extremely dry, and peaty, the peat is kicking my tooth in, crazy stuff, but if you are a hardcore peat fan, I guess this is a close you get to God. This doesn't mean I hate it, it's rather the opposite, I love a good challenge. But that said, this one needs water, if not my palate's gonna be dried out for the evening. With a small dash of water, the dryness disappears and left is peaty licorice, sweet honey, coriander and sun-dried tomatoes. I have no idea haw they managed this cask series, but it shows that single casks can be overrated, because blending different casks while not diluting can be just as good.
Cask strength, I mean really strong: 9
Caol Ila 13yo 1980-1983 65.5% Gordon & Macphail Cask cask# 10521-10524
Second from the G&M Cask series, bottled at a crazy strength, I hope it'll be as good as the last one. Lighter color, golden without the orange hue. I have to say this although it's not tasting related, I WISH they'd start bottling the CS-series at Gordon & Macphail again. It smells too spirity, as I'm a bit afraid to taste this one. Given enough time it smells burnt, sodium, phenolic, it does need water, but I'll try without first. It's spirity beyond anything else, it needs water. After adding water, it turns into this peppery psychedelic fusion of cooked carrots, fennel and ashtray smoke. This one lacks the sweet sun-burned tomatoes thatt the 1978 had, it just aren't as deep... weird word... It just doesn't cover as much as the other one what taste is concerned.
Extreme, but not as fun as I'd thought: 4.5
Next tasting: Dufftown Distillery
Three ups and three downs since I started drinking whisky
The whisky industry sure has changed a lot the last two decades, at least since it's boom in the early to mid 2000's. Here's what I think are the positive and the negative changes within the industry...
Postitives :-)
- There are plenty more bottlings to choose from, many distilleries are showing off a bigger variety of different aged expressions, often at cask strength, as well as single casks. More Independent bottlers are hitting the market with new bottlings as well.
- Higher %abv. 46% seems to be the new 40%, very well, and the aforementioned cask strength bottlings, as well as no coloring and no chill-filtration. All good.
- Online availability, more and more online shops selling whisky, and shipping to most of the world are out there. This makes for a bigger market and easier ways to broaden your horizon when it comes to distilleries or expressions that's maybe not available in your country. Like for me for instance, in Norway there's no Fettercairn. :(
Negatives :-(
- Sherry Finishings. Maybe I'm a bit judgmental as I know there are good finishings out there, but 3-6 months of finishing in a sherry cask doesn't give the same effect as 12 years in one. Fortunately there are distilleries like Aberlour with their A'bunadh that produces quality fully sherry matured whisky.
- Money matters. Far too much whisky is overpriced on today's market, and it doesn't seem to stop. Is single malt on the way to becoming something pretentious, style over substance, for the upper class stuff? I think it to a certain degree already is.
- Tasting notes on labels, the absolute low-down from the industry, what I am concerned. Weird since I write them myself. But I think that drinking whisky is perhaps one of the most individual experiences, as nothing is wrong or right. And being a completely independent blogger I have no trouble admitting that none of my tasting notes should be read as something more than reflections on my personal experience when tasting that whisky. On the other hand, I feel that a note on a whisky label is dubious at least, as they for once, is written to glorify that whisky, and it shows the drinker what to look for, and therefor I think customers might become biased within both expectance and experience. Please let people experience whisky themselves and taste what it does taste to them instead of being given expectations of what to find.
Postitives :-)
- There are plenty more bottlings to choose from, many distilleries are showing off a bigger variety of different aged expressions, often at cask strength, as well as single casks. More Independent bottlers are hitting the market with new bottlings as well.
- Higher %abv. 46% seems to be the new 40%, very well, and the aforementioned cask strength bottlings, as well as no coloring and no chill-filtration. All good.
- Online availability, more and more online shops selling whisky, and shipping to most of the world are out there. This makes for a bigger market and easier ways to broaden your horizon when it comes to distilleries or expressions that's maybe not available in your country. Like for me for instance, in Norway there's no Fettercairn. :(
Negatives :-(
- Sherry Finishings. Maybe I'm a bit judgmental as I know there are good finishings out there, but 3-6 months of finishing in a sherry cask doesn't give the same effect as 12 years in one. Fortunately there are distilleries like Aberlour with their A'bunadh that produces quality fully sherry matured whisky.
- Money matters. Far too much whisky is overpriced on today's market, and it doesn't seem to stop. Is single malt on the way to becoming something pretentious, style over substance, for the upper class stuff? I think it to a certain degree already is.
- Tasting notes on labels, the absolute low-down from the industry, what I am concerned. Weird since I write them myself. But I think that drinking whisky is perhaps one of the most individual experiences, as nothing is wrong or right. And being a completely independent blogger I have no trouble admitting that none of my tasting notes should be read as something more than reflections on my personal experience when tasting that whisky. On the other hand, I feel that a note on a whisky label is dubious at least, as they for once, is written to glorify that whisky, and it shows the drinker what to look for, and therefor I think customers might become biased within both expectance and experience. Please let people experience whisky themselves and taste what it does taste to them instead of being given expectations of what to find.
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