Another small detour from the Classic malts, just to recharge my palate for what's to come in the next two sessions, I'll be doing a small double take on both Inchgower and Aultmore Distillery. Two that I do not taste often enough.
Inchgower 15yo 1993-2008 43% Gordon & Macphail Connoisseurs Choice
I'm not quite sure what to expect here, but I hope it will not just be another weak and grassy everyday dram. The color is white wine. It smells wheat flour, hay, dry cider, apple vinegar. Unusual enough to keep me interested so far, but it's no giant in any way. The taste is sweet, light, marzipan, fizzy candy, sparkling apple lemonade, sweet licorice, pistachio, peanut butter, dried thyme. The aftertaste is long light and sour, lemon, ginger and lime, before it ends on a minty note.
Seems G&M still bottles good stuff, even in the CC-series: 6.5
Inchgower 13yo 43% Master of Malt
I do not know more than the age and %abv about this one, not often found when it comes to IB bottlings. The color is a wee bit darker than the CC. It smells dusty, chalk dust, old clothes, black marker, gasoline, very withdrawn, perhaps it needs some water to open up, but lets try it bare at first. The taste is light, creamy, vanilla, ginger, dried thyme again, grassy, sweet, fresh. The aftertaste is peppery and oily. Water does not improve this one, it just makes it very weak.
Another one that is very light, but still complex: 6
Aultmore 14yo 1995-2009 43% Gordon & Macphail Connoisseurs Choice
Light as white wine. It smells rich, coffee beans, melted dark chocolate, some salty notes, that's about it. I must say I have always considered Aultmore a whisky that could be keeping a couple secrets about what it could show off at its best. Perhaps I've just not come around to finding the one bottling that will open the door to fully appreciating this whisky yet. The taste is a bit burnt, licoric sweetness, worchestershire sauce, cardamum, canola oil, black peppers, a weird mix on the palate.
It's a good whisky, but from a bit of a passive cask I think: 5
Aultmore 9yo 60.2% Cadenhead's
Another Ib that only states the age and %abv, no vintage, no cask profile or number, or month of distillation. I do not mind, less to write for informational purposes only. These young 60?% ones should never be underestimated, I've had some of my best experiences ever with a 6/7yo(can't remember exact age) Fettercairn at 62.3%abv.) Who'd thought, and up to this day it remains one of my two fav Fettercairns. The color is bright golden. It smells peppery and spirity, not much else. The taste is at first all on leather, clay, heather, cigars, rhubarb, brussel sprouts, tannins, tonic water, extremely rich and powerful. Seems much older due to all the great rustic nuances. I do not believe this needs any water, and me adding it anyway, for research purposes only, just proved me right.
This is a vibrant & powerful dram, very well chosen by Cadenhead's: 7.5
Next tasting: #6 Classic Malts
onsdag 30. mai 2012
tirsdag 29. mai 2012
4 Underachievers
Some distilleries does not get as much recognition as they deserve, in my opinion, at least not for their single malts. Having reached a good number of drams from most of the distilleries in Scotland, I've decided to pick a few of those that has surprised me in very positive ways, and give a small idea of what you might expect from each of those.
Glencadam Distillery - Big, warming, malty, rich, honeyed, a great allrounder that never seems to disappoint me.
Cameronbridge Distillery - Serve chilled, rustic, drying, seems to pair excellent with sherry influence. Top class grain.
Ardmore Distillery - The best non-island peaty whisky by far, smoky and fresh, the Talisker of the Highlands?
Dailuaine Distillery - Spicy, thick, rich, sumptuous, at CS its more often than not a winner in my book.
Glencadam Distillery - Big, warming, malty, rich, honeyed, a great allrounder that never seems to disappoint me.
Cameronbridge Distillery - Serve chilled, rustic, drying, seems to pair excellent with sherry influence. Top class grain.
Ardmore Distillery - The best non-island peaty whisky by far, smoky and fresh, the Talisker of the Highlands?
Dailuaine Distillery - Spicy, thick, rich, sumptuous, at CS its more often than not a winner in my book.
mandag 28. mai 2012
#5 Classic Malts: Glengoyne Distillery
It's perhaps not fair calling Glengoyne a classic malt as its just of back of recent two decades that it's gained wider popularity in malt circuits. Most likely due to the take-over by Ian MacLeod in 2003, making way for a lot of single sherry casks being bottled and establishing Glengoyne as a malt whisky that, if charged in the right casks, can reach extremely good quality. The 17yo OB has also gotten a good reception for a very long time, consistency as they say. Remember, though the array of whiskies shows great diversity in this tasting, there are only three bottlers on show.
Glengoyne 37yo 1972-2010 46.3% Malts of Scotland cask#4807
One of only two whiskies in this tasting coming from a bourbon cask, or bourbon barrel in this case. I thought after the nice Macallan tasting last time when the sherried whiskies dominated with high scores, lets do another tasting of some sherried ones. But as said, this is not sherried, and it is also the oldest one in the tasting. It has a nice golden color. Smells oaky, more oaky than anything else. Water please! It tastes, without water added, oaky, nutty, almonds, pine nuts, salty, kind of closed. With water added and some heavy breathing of 30 minutes it turns more bitter, salty biscuits, raw onions, hay, dried sausages. A rather fine dram if you like a modest country-style whisky. I cannot see the whisky ever being a great spirit, or this cask ever enhancing it to that, but fun to see what happens when this mix is left to rest for no less than 37 years. A bit chewy and malty on the finish.
No ace, neither spirit or cask I guess: 6
Glengoyne 11yo 1998-2010 54.8% Malts of Scotland cask#1131
From a sherry hogshead, I've had some young Glengoynes from small sherry casks before, and the quality tends to vary quite a bit in my opinion. The color is dark port/sherry. It smells phenolic, gasoline, cigar smoke, barbecue sauce. The taste is drying, sweet, amontillado sherry, blackcurrant lemonade, licorice. With water it gets more earthy, with some licorice and unripe dark berries.
More punchy when diluted, but a much finer malt when neat: 6
Glengoyne 11yo 1998-2010 55.2% Malts of Scotland cask#1132
A sister cask, as they call it. Also a sherry cask, and both distilled and bottled at same day. But the alcohol content varies slightly, which of course is due to small differenses in the casks, or if they've been matured at different degrees celsius, the last I see unlikely in this case. Will I be able to tell these two apart? The color is the same. It smells less phenolic, warm jam, roast beef, dark chocolate, not as expressive as the #1131, but more aromatic perhaps, if one can say so. The taste is sweet, all on amontillado sherry, dark grape juice, plums, honey, malt syrup, a bit too sweet for my palate initially, but lets try adding some water. Now it turns sweeter, more on red berries, and cardamum in the aftertaste. I have to say that these two #1131 and #1132 are very much different. Which is a good thing, as I think if Laphroaig or Glen Garioch or any other more distinctive spirit were put in these casks, the finishing results would be much closer. Then again, a spirit that let's the cask talk or a cask that lets the spirit talk? I think there is no real answer to that question.
A notch better than the #1131: 7
Glengoyne 11yo 1997-2008 55.4% OB for Whisky Society Skåne cask#2693
One from spanish oak, which usually means sherry. Bottled in Skåne, Sweden, I have never quite understood the dialect, maybe this will help. I have only tried one very good peaty Bunnahabhain, especially selected for Denmark before, lets hope the swedes are just as lucky/good when choosing a cask. The color is dark brown. Must be from a sherry cask, oloroso or amontillado I presume. A Hoggie as well. Will it be like the #1131&1132? Smells cherry wine, goat cheese, a bit spirity, some gin and bitters, licorice again, dark chocolate, prunes, figs, molasses, gets on really well with me after some breathing, say 5-8 minutes. The taste is thick, sweet and syrupy. Cream sherry, even Bailey's, toffee and honey liqueur. This is about as sweet as it gets. Mind me, I do like some sweet whiskies occasionally, but this one is just a bit over the top. Added water makes it even sweeter, apart the nice peppery/butter aftertaste it would just be a sweet mess when diluted.
Too sweet for me, but some people would disagree: 5
Glengoyne 12yo 1996-2009 57.8% OB Scottish Merchants Choice cask#3447
fourth sherry hogshead in a row, I'm starting to get a bit tired of this game, but one more can't hurt? A wee bit lighter in clor this one. More in the amber/orange light. And quite a jump in strength. Smells rich and spirity, nail polish remover, white spirit, polyester, burnt rubber, smoked salmon, pickled herring, pickled cucumber, nice one indeed, not much highland charisma, but still. The taste is sweet, honey liqueur, peppery, dried onions and green peppers, yellow paprika and burnt toast, gingerbread. Cinnamon, wheat buns, very sweet and very good. Not as extreme as the other sherried ones, just a bit lighter and it probably lets the spirit do a bit more of the talking.
A whisky that will fit any palate, yet a bit sweet as well: 7
Glengoyne 12yo 1995-2007 58.2% OB cask#195
From a bourbon cask, or an American oak butt as they sometimes disguises it nowadays. I hope for a very good ending to this session which has seemed to have a little trouble getting out if its gates. A bit darker than the 37yo, what???, must have something to do with the level of direct fire. It smells all on black peppers, tomato soup, salt water, iodine, oregano, lots of oregano actually. The taste is peppery, honey, vanilla, wash foam, brown sugar, very peppery, time to add some water. With additional water it turns very hazy and tastes more like tonic water. Extremely bitter now. To expand on my #4807 conclusion, this perhaps isn't even a good spirit, it just needs 37 years to be tempered down.
Indecent cask selection (imho): 2
Glengoyne 9yo 2001-2010 60.2% C&S Dram Collection cask#386
This time not from a sherry hogshead, but from a sherry butt, and much lighter indeed, amber light orange this time, I would say. Certainly the youngest of the bunch. It smells spirity, cinnamon, apple juice, ginger, cooked cauliflower, damp, lime rind, gingerbread, vanilla, bitters, herbs, not much like a sherry oak thus far. The taste is thick and sweet, all on coconut juice and chili. Amazing strength and sweetness, which is probably due to its high alcohol %abv. Oh yes, and there's some pears and apples involved here, but thats just on the backdrop. All in all it is a far too spirity whisky to enjoy thus far, maybe some water will help. With water it turns much sweeter, some floral notes, vanilla. A genuinely un-sherried sherried whisky, probably bottled before its time.
Young & spirity, one that could've been someone: 3.5
Next tasting: #6 Classic Malts
Glengoyne 37yo 1972-2010 46.3% Malts of Scotland cask#4807
One of only two whiskies in this tasting coming from a bourbon cask, or bourbon barrel in this case. I thought after the nice Macallan tasting last time when the sherried whiskies dominated with high scores, lets do another tasting of some sherried ones. But as said, this is not sherried, and it is also the oldest one in the tasting. It has a nice golden color. Smells oaky, more oaky than anything else. Water please! It tastes, without water added, oaky, nutty, almonds, pine nuts, salty, kind of closed. With water added and some heavy breathing of 30 minutes it turns more bitter, salty biscuits, raw onions, hay, dried sausages. A rather fine dram if you like a modest country-style whisky. I cannot see the whisky ever being a great spirit, or this cask ever enhancing it to that, but fun to see what happens when this mix is left to rest for no less than 37 years. A bit chewy and malty on the finish.
No ace, neither spirit or cask I guess: 6
Glengoyne 11yo 1998-2010 54.8% Malts of Scotland cask#1131
From a sherry hogshead, I've had some young Glengoynes from small sherry casks before, and the quality tends to vary quite a bit in my opinion. The color is dark port/sherry. It smells phenolic, gasoline, cigar smoke, barbecue sauce. The taste is drying, sweet, amontillado sherry, blackcurrant lemonade, licorice. With water it gets more earthy, with some licorice and unripe dark berries.
More punchy when diluted, but a much finer malt when neat: 6
Glengoyne 11yo 1998-2010 55.2% Malts of Scotland cask#1132
A sister cask, as they call it. Also a sherry cask, and both distilled and bottled at same day. But the alcohol content varies slightly, which of course is due to small differenses in the casks, or if they've been matured at different degrees celsius, the last I see unlikely in this case. Will I be able to tell these two apart? The color is the same. It smells less phenolic, warm jam, roast beef, dark chocolate, not as expressive as the #1131, but more aromatic perhaps, if one can say so. The taste is sweet, all on amontillado sherry, dark grape juice, plums, honey, malt syrup, a bit too sweet for my palate initially, but lets try adding some water. Now it turns sweeter, more on red berries, and cardamum in the aftertaste. I have to say that these two #1131 and #1132 are very much different. Which is a good thing, as I think if Laphroaig or Glen Garioch or any other more distinctive spirit were put in these casks, the finishing results would be much closer. Then again, a spirit that let's the cask talk or a cask that lets the spirit talk? I think there is no real answer to that question.
A notch better than the #1131: 7
Glengoyne 11yo 1997-2008 55.4% OB for Whisky Society Skåne cask#2693
One from spanish oak, which usually means sherry. Bottled in Skåne, Sweden, I have never quite understood the dialect, maybe this will help. I have only tried one very good peaty Bunnahabhain, especially selected for Denmark before, lets hope the swedes are just as lucky/good when choosing a cask. The color is dark brown. Must be from a sherry cask, oloroso or amontillado I presume. A Hoggie as well. Will it be like the #1131&1132? Smells cherry wine, goat cheese, a bit spirity, some gin and bitters, licorice again, dark chocolate, prunes, figs, molasses, gets on really well with me after some breathing, say 5-8 minutes. The taste is thick, sweet and syrupy. Cream sherry, even Bailey's, toffee and honey liqueur. This is about as sweet as it gets. Mind me, I do like some sweet whiskies occasionally, but this one is just a bit over the top. Added water makes it even sweeter, apart the nice peppery/butter aftertaste it would just be a sweet mess when diluted.
Too sweet for me, but some people would disagree: 5
Glengoyne 12yo 1996-2009 57.8% OB Scottish Merchants Choice cask#3447
fourth sherry hogshead in a row, I'm starting to get a bit tired of this game, but one more can't hurt? A wee bit lighter in clor this one. More in the amber/orange light. And quite a jump in strength. Smells rich and spirity, nail polish remover, white spirit, polyester, burnt rubber, smoked salmon, pickled herring, pickled cucumber, nice one indeed, not much highland charisma, but still. The taste is sweet, honey liqueur, peppery, dried onions and green peppers, yellow paprika and burnt toast, gingerbread. Cinnamon, wheat buns, very sweet and very good. Not as extreme as the other sherried ones, just a bit lighter and it probably lets the spirit do a bit more of the talking.
A whisky that will fit any palate, yet a bit sweet as well: 7
Glengoyne 12yo 1995-2007 58.2% OB cask#195
From a bourbon cask, or an American oak butt as they sometimes disguises it nowadays. I hope for a very good ending to this session which has seemed to have a little trouble getting out if its gates. A bit darker than the 37yo, what???, must have something to do with the level of direct fire. It smells all on black peppers, tomato soup, salt water, iodine, oregano, lots of oregano actually. The taste is peppery, honey, vanilla, wash foam, brown sugar, very peppery, time to add some water. With additional water it turns very hazy and tastes more like tonic water. Extremely bitter now. To expand on my #4807 conclusion, this perhaps isn't even a good spirit, it just needs 37 years to be tempered down.
Indecent cask selection (imho): 2
Glengoyne 9yo 2001-2010 60.2% C&S Dram Collection cask#386
This time not from a sherry hogshead, but from a sherry butt, and much lighter indeed, amber light orange this time, I would say. Certainly the youngest of the bunch. It smells spirity, cinnamon, apple juice, ginger, cooked cauliflower, damp, lime rind, gingerbread, vanilla, bitters, herbs, not much like a sherry oak thus far. The taste is thick and sweet, all on coconut juice and chili. Amazing strength and sweetness, which is probably due to its high alcohol %abv. Oh yes, and there's some pears and apples involved here, but thats just on the backdrop. All in all it is a far too spirity whisky to enjoy thus far, maybe some water will help. With water it turns much sweeter, some floral notes, vanilla. A genuinely un-sherried sherried whisky, probably bottled before its time.
Young & spirity, one that could've been someone: 3.5
Next tasting: #6 Classic Malts
fredag 25. mai 2012
#4 Classic Malts: Macallan Distillery
Macallan has for long been considered a classic because of their old sherried bottlings, at prices one could buy a small house for. While I know many people are living it up with a 70-something Macallan or two these days, but personally, I'd rather buy a house or a car. So there are no extreme oldies in this session, but rather some young IB's and very recent young OB's. I think maybe their glamorous image is fading a bit with the "Fine Oak"-bottlings, but I do admit however that the 12yo sherried one was a superb whisky to a nice price quality considered. I hope this distillery will get up on its high horse again as soon as they find a decent and more affordable replacement for sherry casks. With a production of 6million liters annually they are still one of the biggest malt whisky producers out there..
Macallan 12yo 45.6% Gran Reserva
I think the Gran Reserva was a 2000's version of sherried whisky, all aged exclusively in spanish sherry casks. The color is dark brown. It smells rich, syrupy, oak, honey, licorice, extremely rich. The taste is citrussy, lemon, bitter, tannins, needs some water. Wit a couple teaspoons of water added it turns more fruity, apple pie, peppery, tannic again.
Very tannic, very much like drying red wine: 4.5
Macallan 13yo 1990-2003 46% Murray McDavid cask#11967
Orang/amber hue, once again from a sherry cask. MM does a good job selecting casks, but sometimes I feel that their finishing strategies, so to speak, sometimes gives very strange results. This one has not been finished in any weird red wine cask. It smells burnt, honeyed, honey/bitterschnaps mixture. bitter white wine, burnt rubber, silver polish, soap. The taste is burnt and peppery with some cinnamon, pleasant peppery, rustic, slate dust.
Old style, but not old macallan style: 4.5
Macallan 12yo 1990-2003 46% Hart Brothers
Another one from a sherry cask, and the same vintage and strength as the MM, third score draw in a row then? Or has Hart brothers chosen a superior or inferior cask? The color is again amber/orange. It smells hairspray, honey, camphor, nougat, old attic, grandmas clothing, really rustic. The taste is burnt and peppery, bitter, oath meal, mouthwash, grainy. Needs some water to lift it up I think. With water it turns even more peppery and spirity. Imagine if this one was peated at a level of, say 40ppm as well. It'd be a killer.
The rather harsh peppery and spirity notes steals the show: 2.5
Macallan 18yo 46% Cadenhead's
A slimmer miniature bottle, for the americn market, which means 80 proof. Many of these old Cadenhead's have surprised me, and I wonder how they'd be received if bottled at cask strength today. There is no statement of this being from a sherry cask, but being bottled some decades back, one could surely assume so. Grey-ish yellow color, sort of lifeless. It smells spirity, apple spirit, coleslaw, esters, sour, ginger. This is very good. The taste is light and spirity, almost minty, some passion fruit and hints of melon and kiwi. I have a hard time understanding how these fruity and fresh notes could come from a sherry cask, but of course, I don't mind them. A bit drying on green grape notes in the finish.
Drying and fruity, one might wish it was a CS: 5.5
Macallan 13yo 1997-2010 52.3% OB Easter Elchies Casl Selection cask#432
From a sherry butt, I hope this one will remind me a bit more of those old sherried OB versions than the ones I've had so far has. The color is again very dark on this OB. Is it so that they do color adjustment on the OB's or are they just selling refills to IB's? Off course, it could be neither. It smells extremely thick and sulphury, in A'bunadh, drying olroso-country this one. Cinnamon and burnt wood as well. The taste is thick, almonds, sulphur, licorice, needs some water to open up, although I must add, for a sherry-freak this is probably right up the alley of what's considered "very good" sherried whisky. With adrop of added water it turns dryer, more peppery, bitter, kind of reminding me a little of the one from Hart Brothers.
I guess they didn't release this having dilution in mind: 5.5
Macallan 13yo 1995-2008 52.8% OB Easter Elchies cask#4016
Another one from the Easter Elchies series. Same age, but from a sherry hogshead instead of butt, which means there should be even more herried notes in this one, if the belief of smaller cask maturing faster should stick to its guns. Another one that has gotten a very dark color, this being very close to red wine actually. It smells thick, dark chocolate, cinnamon sticks, honey, creamy, malt syrup, extremely thick and heavy, but still very sweet, raisins, prunes, WOWWW! The taste is rich and sulphury, honey sweetness, radishes, drying, carrot juice, beets.
Very good, one for the hardcore oloroso fans, and me indeed: 7.5
Macallan 20yo 53.2% Cadenhead's
With a 90's-early 2000's label, but still describing the distillery as Macallan-Glenlivet. A bit late to earn in on the very late success of Glenlivet Distillery? Actually I imagine that the time of bottling this one, Macallan may already have surpassed Glenlivet as Single Malts gem. The color is dark golden brown. I do not doubt this being from a sherry cask, not at all. It smells rich, creamy, cinnamon, sulphury, red wine, raspberries, cherries, grapefruit, radishes, paprika, fantastic so far. The taste is very burnt and peppery, some leeks and rhubarb, drying. A very good whisky, but this very drying whisky calls for some water. With a small drop or two added it turns sweeter, more beeds, red paprika, ginger honey and mustard. All in all an adventure of whisky, though not without the bumps you might find along the road, that could speak up loudly in any session.
This is sherried whisky as it should be: 8
Macallan 12yo 59.6% Easter Elchies cask#9455/9195/4693/4696
I do hope that it comes to show, vatted casks being just as solid as single casks when bottled at CS, as the G&M Cask-series has shown me many times so far. At least this is a strength that I'm comfortable with. I have to say although being very sherried, in an oloroso-way, the OB's in this session has struggled a bit, expect the #4016 of course. The color on this one is borderline coffee. It smells extreme, sherried, roasted nuts, honey, tooth-paste, fresh herbs, polyester, onions, minty, licorice, coffee, rubber, a long way to go still, but it does contain a lot of characters that would make it a perfect 20-something talker around the table 8 years down the road. The taste is thick, syrupy, caramel, dark chocoloate, honey. Once again, if you're an extreme sherry freak this should be no problem, but if you want a whisky that could go around the room, please choose something else.
Sherrying whiskies just might be the answer, buy more sherries!: 8
Macallan 12yo 45.6% Gran Reserva
I think the Gran Reserva was a 2000's version of sherried whisky, all aged exclusively in spanish sherry casks. The color is dark brown. It smells rich, syrupy, oak, honey, licorice, extremely rich. The taste is citrussy, lemon, bitter, tannins, needs some water. Wit a couple teaspoons of water added it turns more fruity, apple pie, peppery, tannic again.
Very tannic, very much like drying red wine: 4.5
Macallan 13yo 1990-2003 46% Murray McDavid cask#11967
Orang/amber hue, once again from a sherry cask. MM does a good job selecting casks, but sometimes I feel that their finishing strategies, so to speak, sometimes gives very strange results. This one has not been finished in any weird red wine cask. It smells burnt, honeyed, honey/bitterschnaps mixture. bitter white wine, burnt rubber, silver polish, soap. The taste is burnt and peppery with some cinnamon, pleasant peppery, rustic, slate dust.
Old style, but not old macallan style: 4.5
Macallan 12yo 1990-2003 46% Hart Brothers
Another one from a sherry cask, and the same vintage and strength as the MM, third score draw in a row then? Or has Hart brothers chosen a superior or inferior cask? The color is again amber/orange. It smells hairspray, honey, camphor, nougat, old attic, grandmas clothing, really rustic. The taste is burnt and peppery, bitter, oath meal, mouthwash, grainy. Needs some water to lift it up I think. With water it turns even more peppery and spirity. Imagine if this one was peated at a level of, say 40ppm as well. It'd be a killer.
The rather harsh peppery and spirity notes steals the show: 2.5
Macallan 18yo 46% Cadenhead's
A slimmer miniature bottle, for the americn market, which means 80 proof. Many of these old Cadenhead's have surprised me, and I wonder how they'd be received if bottled at cask strength today. There is no statement of this being from a sherry cask, but being bottled some decades back, one could surely assume so. Grey-ish yellow color, sort of lifeless. It smells spirity, apple spirit, coleslaw, esters, sour, ginger. This is very good. The taste is light and spirity, almost minty, some passion fruit and hints of melon and kiwi. I have a hard time understanding how these fruity and fresh notes could come from a sherry cask, but of course, I don't mind them. A bit drying on green grape notes in the finish.
Drying and fruity, one might wish it was a CS: 5.5
Macallan 13yo 1997-2010 52.3% OB Easter Elchies Casl Selection cask#432
From a sherry butt, I hope this one will remind me a bit more of those old sherried OB versions than the ones I've had so far has. The color is again very dark on this OB. Is it so that they do color adjustment on the OB's or are they just selling refills to IB's? Off course, it could be neither. It smells extremely thick and sulphury, in A'bunadh, drying olroso-country this one. Cinnamon and burnt wood as well. The taste is thick, almonds, sulphur, licorice, needs some water to open up, although I must add, for a sherry-freak this is probably right up the alley of what's considered "very good" sherried whisky. With adrop of added water it turns dryer, more peppery, bitter, kind of reminding me a little of the one from Hart Brothers.
I guess they didn't release this having dilution in mind: 5.5
Macallan 13yo 1995-2008 52.8% OB Easter Elchies cask#4016
Another one from the Easter Elchies series. Same age, but from a sherry hogshead instead of butt, which means there should be even more herried notes in this one, if the belief of smaller cask maturing faster should stick to its guns. Another one that has gotten a very dark color, this being very close to red wine actually. It smells thick, dark chocolate, cinnamon sticks, honey, creamy, malt syrup, extremely thick and heavy, but still very sweet, raisins, prunes, WOWWW! The taste is rich and sulphury, honey sweetness, radishes, drying, carrot juice, beets.
Very good, one for the hardcore oloroso fans, and me indeed: 7.5
Macallan 20yo 53.2% Cadenhead's
With a 90's-early 2000's label, but still describing the distillery as Macallan-Glenlivet. A bit late to earn in on the very late success of Glenlivet Distillery? Actually I imagine that the time of bottling this one, Macallan may already have surpassed Glenlivet as Single Malts gem. The color is dark golden brown. I do not doubt this being from a sherry cask, not at all. It smells rich, creamy, cinnamon, sulphury, red wine, raspberries, cherries, grapefruit, radishes, paprika, fantastic so far. The taste is very burnt and peppery, some leeks and rhubarb, drying. A very good whisky, but this very drying whisky calls for some water. With a small drop or two added it turns sweeter, more beeds, red paprika, ginger honey and mustard. All in all an adventure of whisky, though not without the bumps you might find along the road, that could speak up loudly in any session.
This is sherried whisky as it should be: 8
Macallan 12yo 59.6% Easter Elchies cask#9455/9195/4693/4696
I do hope that it comes to show, vatted casks being just as solid as single casks when bottled at CS, as the G&M Cask-series has shown me many times so far. At least this is a strength that I'm comfortable with. I have to say although being very sherried, in an oloroso-way, the OB's in this session has struggled a bit, expect the #4016 of course. The color on this one is borderline coffee. It smells extreme, sherried, roasted nuts, honey, tooth-paste, fresh herbs, polyester, onions, minty, licorice, coffee, rubber, a long way to go still, but it does contain a lot of characters that would make it a perfect 20-something talker around the table 8 years down the road. The taste is thick, syrupy, caramel, dark chocoloate, honey. Once again, if you're an extreme sherry freak this should be no problem, but if you want a whisky that could go around the room, please choose something else.
Sherrying whiskies just might be the answer, buy more sherries!: 8
tirsdag 22. mai 2012
A small break from the Classic Malts
Why these unnecessary breaks from the older glories, and with these rather modest/cheap sessions? Supermarket Auchentoshans and now a wild spread of whiskies I suspect absolutely nothing from? The reason is simple. First of all, if only tasting whiskies that I expect/hope to taste great, there will be some that reaches up there, and the rest of the whisky from that distillery will only be compared to that one. But if I like now, in amongst some Glen Grants and Springbanks and such, drink a Canadian Club, or even a Famous Grouse, and say:
- Wow, this 1987 Famous Grouse really reminds me of that 38yo one from Glen Grant!!!
Wouldn't that be something. Right, so I guess if I were to find a cheap 1987 Famous Grouse at an auction, I'd know I just had to grab it.But most of all it just makes for some interesting variations for my palate.
Canadian Club 12yo 80Proof bottled 1973, square bottle
So, what was this canadian blend like back in 1973, of course I should have gotten a cheap contemporary Canadian Club just for comparison purposes. I do however like Canadian Club quite a bit. Bright orange hue, lots of E's surely. It smells nuts, oak, rotting bananas, barley(?!?), musty. I hate to say it, but I'm finding this very "cheap-suggesting" old style a bit charming. The taste is sweet and peppery, nothing to get excited about really. I must say that I like the 2000+ versions of Canadian Club better than this. It lacks both flavor and finish.
It smells okay, the rest lacks a certain profile: 3.5
Knappogue Castle 1995 40% Bushmills Distillery (online resources say)
Some Irish whisky for a change, not many of the I've tried, but the 1950-something 48yo from Daly's Tullamore was the absolute best whisky I've tried from outside of Scotland, and a contender for the title of "best whisky ever" in my book. Enough about that, lets try to see what Bushmills has to offer (and yes, I do know that its actually a part of the UK, not Ireland). Light white wine color. It smells rich and honeyed, banana and vanilla as well, obviously from some good bourbon cask(s). Toffee and orange marmalade as well. The taste is mild and floral, some grassy notes and pollen. This is way too bland for me, needs some higher alcohol strength to even be recogniceable as a whisky for me. This could be some vodka for all that I knew.
Bland and blander so far in this session: 3
The Famous Grouse 1987 40% Vintage Malt Whisky (Glenturret?)
I cannot say I'm sure this is a Glenturret as there's no statement of it being a "single malt". But if it is a so called blended malt, as its called nowadays, I surely think there is some Glenturret involved. Why buy lots of expensive single malt for vatting purposes when you produce your own single malt in you backyard. Or in you own home as it would be for Famous Grouse. Anyway a very interesting version. Golden hue. It smells rich, plums, tonic water, burnt butter, creme brulee, some bitter sherry notes here. The taste is quite thick and creamy, but still a lightweighter. a nice and nutty flavor. Very pleasant, and just a bit more complex than the CC and KC.
Sweet, creamy and nutty is what I get from this one: 4.5
Glengyle/kilkerran 46% OB Work in Progress
A new Cambeltown Distillery, which is owned by Springbank if my information is correct. The color is as one would expect, very light. It smells bitter and raw, this one is still a bit unfinished it seems, but very oaky for such a young whisky. The taste is burnt and bitter. I have no high expectations for the future of Glengyle Distillery based on this, but I hope I'm wrong.
This is not good, not good, but I hope it can improve: 2
Bruichladdich 50% OB X4 Newmake
I'm actually doing two new-makes today, one by a big distillery, certainly able to produce whisky that will sail the world. And another one from a distillery that has produced about 5 casks of whisky, or somewhere thereabout, altogether. This is interesting as I feel that Bruichladdich is looking towards a very bright future, when production of Octomore reaches full potential, and the new Port Charlotte Distillery is able to work in full production, there will be a great hype following. And remember, its getting a couple years now since they re-opened, so therefore we'll be able to expect the fruits of their labour very soon. I did try the Glenglassaugh Newmake at 50%, and it was not my cup of tea, perhaps this can do a bit better? It smells rich and malty, very good actually although a bit spirity. Some beetroots and raw onions follows. The taste is spirity and malty, not a friend of mine. But I can surely see why this could make magic in any cask.There are no off-notes, its just very pure and clean spirity new-make. An onliner you may all well know once said that "the nose of the new-make foresees the palate years ahead." I hope he's right.
Interesting, but not really enjoyable yet: 3
Loch Ewe 2011 50.6% OB
So, this Distillery stands in the backyard of a hotel. It's a small distilling machinery with nothing more to it. How will it compare to that of the distillery producing 1.5 million liters a year of new-make to become Bruichladdich 12, 15, 18 and such in years to come. It smells sweet, light, heathery, almonds, floral, some parsley, musty, freshly baked bread, wood oven, a very good new-make. Lighter, yet more powerful. It kind of reminds me of some young Fettercairns. The taste is grainy, burnt, oaky, marzipan, nut mixtures, clay, peppery. Do I like it? Oh yes, very well indeed. Would I ever travel to Drumchork Hotel in Aultbea to get a bottle of this? No chance in hell...
For a new-make, splendid, but please buy more casks: 4
Next tasting: #4 Classic Malts
- Wow, this 1987 Famous Grouse really reminds me of that 38yo one from Glen Grant!!!
Wouldn't that be something. Right, so I guess if I were to find a cheap 1987 Famous Grouse at an auction, I'd know I just had to grab it.But most of all it just makes for some interesting variations for my palate.
Canadian Club 12yo 80Proof bottled 1973, square bottle
So, what was this canadian blend like back in 1973, of course I should have gotten a cheap contemporary Canadian Club just for comparison purposes. I do however like Canadian Club quite a bit. Bright orange hue, lots of E's surely. It smells nuts, oak, rotting bananas, barley(?!?), musty. I hate to say it, but I'm finding this very "cheap-suggesting" old style a bit charming. The taste is sweet and peppery, nothing to get excited about really. I must say that I like the 2000+ versions of Canadian Club better than this. It lacks both flavor and finish.
It smells okay, the rest lacks a certain profile: 3.5
Knappogue Castle 1995 40% Bushmills Distillery (online resources say)
Some Irish whisky for a change, not many of the I've tried, but the 1950-something 48yo from Daly's Tullamore was the absolute best whisky I've tried from outside of Scotland, and a contender for the title of "best whisky ever" in my book. Enough about that, lets try to see what Bushmills has to offer (and yes, I do know that its actually a part of the UK, not Ireland). Light white wine color. It smells rich and honeyed, banana and vanilla as well, obviously from some good bourbon cask(s). Toffee and orange marmalade as well. The taste is mild and floral, some grassy notes and pollen. This is way too bland for me, needs some higher alcohol strength to even be recogniceable as a whisky for me. This could be some vodka for all that I knew.
Bland and blander so far in this session: 3
The Famous Grouse 1987 40% Vintage Malt Whisky (Glenturret?)
I cannot say I'm sure this is a Glenturret as there's no statement of it being a "single malt". But if it is a so called blended malt, as its called nowadays, I surely think there is some Glenturret involved. Why buy lots of expensive single malt for vatting purposes when you produce your own single malt in you backyard. Or in you own home as it would be for Famous Grouse. Anyway a very interesting version. Golden hue. It smells rich, plums, tonic water, burnt butter, creme brulee, some bitter sherry notes here. The taste is quite thick and creamy, but still a lightweighter. a nice and nutty flavor. Very pleasant, and just a bit more complex than the CC and KC.
Sweet, creamy and nutty is what I get from this one: 4.5
Glengyle/kilkerran 46% OB Work in Progress
A new Cambeltown Distillery, which is owned by Springbank if my information is correct. The color is as one would expect, very light. It smells bitter and raw, this one is still a bit unfinished it seems, but very oaky for such a young whisky. The taste is burnt and bitter. I have no high expectations for the future of Glengyle Distillery based on this, but I hope I'm wrong.
This is not good, not good, but I hope it can improve: 2
Bruichladdich 50% OB X4 Newmake
I'm actually doing two new-makes today, one by a big distillery, certainly able to produce whisky that will sail the world. And another one from a distillery that has produced about 5 casks of whisky, or somewhere thereabout, altogether. This is interesting as I feel that Bruichladdich is looking towards a very bright future, when production of Octomore reaches full potential, and the new Port Charlotte Distillery is able to work in full production, there will be a great hype following. And remember, its getting a couple years now since they re-opened, so therefore we'll be able to expect the fruits of their labour very soon. I did try the Glenglassaugh Newmake at 50%, and it was not my cup of tea, perhaps this can do a bit better? It smells rich and malty, very good actually although a bit spirity. Some beetroots and raw onions follows. The taste is spirity and malty, not a friend of mine. But I can surely see why this could make magic in any cask.There are no off-notes, its just very pure and clean spirity new-make. An onliner you may all well know once said that "the nose of the new-make foresees the palate years ahead." I hope he's right.
Interesting, but not really enjoyable yet: 3
Loch Ewe 2011 50.6% OB
So, this Distillery stands in the backyard of a hotel. It's a small distilling machinery with nothing more to it. How will it compare to that of the distillery producing 1.5 million liters a year of new-make to become Bruichladdich 12, 15, 18 and such in years to come. It smells sweet, light, heathery, almonds, floral, some parsley, musty, freshly baked bread, wood oven, a very good new-make. Lighter, yet more powerful. It kind of reminds me of some young Fettercairns. The taste is grainy, burnt, oaky, marzipan, nut mixtures, clay, peppery. Do I like it? Oh yes, very well indeed. Would I ever travel to Drumchork Hotel in Aultbea to get a bottle of this? No chance in hell...
For a new-make, splendid, but please buy more casks: 4
Next tasting: #4 Classic Malts
mandag 21. mai 2012
#3 Classic Malts: Glen Grant Distillery
Glen Grant is a rather big distillery with a capacity of 5.9 million liters annually. It is one of the best selling single malts out there, some surely based on that its a very cheap single malt. Now bottled at the age of 10yo, we've also seen it at 5yo, 8yo, 12yo and 15yo. Why is it a classic malt? Well, its the one thats always been around, but never until very recently gotten quite some reputation due to many older Glen Grants by different IB's. So to try some older youngsters and some newer oldies will give me an idea of why its one of the worlds best-selling single malts.
Glen Grant 10yo 40% OB
Issued by Gordon & Macphail. Probably an early 90's bottling. The color is light brown. It smells very fresh, mountain air, minty, some sherried notes, licorice, vanilla, heather, mild and gentle. The taste is extremely light, some hints of wood, malt and sweet pastry. No finish to be detected. Gone in the flashes of flashes.
A light and drinkable malt: 6
Glen Grant 38yo 1972-2011 48.2% Malts of Scotland cask#8235
This one is from a sherry hogshead, and at this age I think its well within the group of IB bottlings that has contributed to new-found interest for this distillery. The color is just the same as the 10yo. It smells oaky and sherried, sulphury. Needs time to open up. After a while it turns more bitter, even more sulphury, PVC, rubbery, seems it has gotten most of the worst that a sherry cask can add. The taste is sweet, light, oaky, sulphury, creamy, cinnamon, honey, strawberries, opens up beautifully. But this is very light whisky, maybe the lightest I've come across so far at CS. It needs some water perhaps? Water makes it a bit sour, lemon and white wine.
A nice and gentle malt, could've taken 10 more years in oak: 6
Glen Grant 27yo 50% OB
Dark brown whisky, some heavily sherried oloroso notes in this one? It smells minty and honeyed, red wine, tannic, drying (on the nose?). The taste is rich, sweet, sulphury, malty, sweet wine, rice wine, red berries. It shows once again to be very light. The finish is short and malty.
The interesting red wine notions makes it climb a half: 6.5
Glen Grant 21yo 1974-1995 54.9% Cadenhead's
For those of you that follow my site on a regular basis, surely know how much I appreciate Cadnehead's. But even though I usually find their bottlings to be very good, sometimes I come across total failures in my opinion. There are almost none MOTR whiskies from this IB. The color is dark golden. It smells very oaky and spirity. Not a good one thus far. The taste is very drying, some burnt notes, red paprika, caramel, cream crackers, peppery, bitter. The finish is long-lasting and has some minty and drying notes, grape soda.
Powerful whisky, for a Glen Grant, but there are some off-notes: 6
Glen Grant 8yo 57% OB
One from the early 90's. Young and strong, the way I usually like them, but this whisky seems so light, so I wonder what the higher prrof and younger age can do. light yellow color. No E's in this one it seems. It smells spirity, vodka, very easy on the nose. Grassy and fresh. The taste is bourbon, vanilla, thick and creamy, yeasty, very rich, malty, oak notes. I know it doesn't sound like its got it all, but its way better than the rest in this session.
At this strength, Glen Grants can really deliver the goods: 7.5
#4 Classic Malts
Glen Grant 10yo 40% OB
Issued by Gordon & Macphail. Probably an early 90's bottling. The color is light brown. It smells very fresh, mountain air, minty, some sherried notes, licorice, vanilla, heather, mild and gentle. The taste is extremely light, some hints of wood, malt and sweet pastry. No finish to be detected. Gone in the flashes of flashes.
A light and drinkable malt: 6
Glen Grant 38yo 1972-2011 48.2% Malts of Scotland cask#8235
This one is from a sherry hogshead, and at this age I think its well within the group of IB bottlings that has contributed to new-found interest for this distillery. The color is just the same as the 10yo. It smells oaky and sherried, sulphury. Needs time to open up. After a while it turns more bitter, even more sulphury, PVC, rubbery, seems it has gotten most of the worst that a sherry cask can add. The taste is sweet, light, oaky, sulphury, creamy, cinnamon, honey, strawberries, opens up beautifully. But this is very light whisky, maybe the lightest I've come across so far at CS. It needs some water perhaps? Water makes it a bit sour, lemon and white wine.
A nice and gentle malt, could've taken 10 more years in oak: 6
Glen Grant 27yo 50% OB
Dark brown whisky, some heavily sherried oloroso notes in this one? It smells minty and honeyed, red wine, tannic, drying (on the nose?). The taste is rich, sweet, sulphury, malty, sweet wine, rice wine, red berries. It shows once again to be very light. The finish is short and malty.
The interesting red wine notions makes it climb a half: 6.5
Glen Grant 21yo 1974-1995 54.9% Cadenhead's
For those of you that follow my site on a regular basis, surely know how much I appreciate Cadnehead's. But even though I usually find their bottlings to be very good, sometimes I come across total failures in my opinion. There are almost none MOTR whiskies from this IB. The color is dark golden. It smells very oaky and spirity. Not a good one thus far. The taste is very drying, some burnt notes, red paprika, caramel, cream crackers, peppery, bitter. The finish is long-lasting and has some minty and drying notes, grape soda.
Powerful whisky, for a Glen Grant, but there are some off-notes: 6
Glen Grant 8yo 57% OB
One from the early 90's. Young and strong, the way I usually like them, but this whisky seems so light, so I wonder what the higher prrof and younger age can do. light yellow color. No E's in this one it seems. It smells spirity, vodka, very easy on the nose. Grassy and fresh. The taste is bourbon, vanilla, thick and creamy, yeasty, very rich, malty, oak notes. I know it doesn't sound like its got it all, but its way better than the rest in this session.
At this strength, Glen Grants can really deliver the goods: 7.5
#4 Classic Malts
lørdag 19. mai 2012
#2 Classic Malts: Springbank Distillery
Springbank is a distillery which has gotten a lot of recognition the last couple of decades, primarily due to very good older bottlings, but also because of their old style production and it is the closest to a family-owned Distillery in Scotland today, apart from Glenfarclas of course. Opened in 1828, as the 14th campbeltown distillery, it is now the only one left of them. But only 4 years later, in 1832 Glen Scotia Distillery was established, and very recent the Glengyle Distillery also saw the light of day. But by these three Springbank is by far the most renowned of them, even one of the most renowned distilleries in all of Scotland, even though its producing only 750.000 litres a year. On a personal note, I am maybe not as big a fan of this Distillery as everyone else is, but then again, I have mostly tried newer bottlings, so today I'll do a more thorough tasting.
Springbank NAS 46% OB CV 1997
This one has a white top and old style cream label, it was bottled in 1997, the year the distillery started producing this NAS whisky called CV. It becomes hazy once it hits the glass. Golden color. Smells rich and peppery, leather, bonfire, hay, smoky, I do like it! The taste is sweet, nutty, rich, honeyed, some floral notes, a real treat! Caramel, dark chocolate, cod liver, cinnamon buns, iodine, smoke again. This extreme sweetness could very well overpower the rest of this whisky, but the smoky, iodine peaty stuff in the end makes it a great whisky on all levels. And balances it out perfectly.
Extremely good whisky, and affordable, a dream come through: 8.5
Springbank 15yo 46% OB
I do not know when this bottle was issued, but its certainly as old a vintage as the CV, and has a similar old style label. Some evaporation, I hope won't take the edge off. Also very pale color, not like the darker more recent 15yo's. The color is light orange, just a bit darker than the CV. It smells peppery and more spirity than the CV. peaty as well, perhaps some ginger and root beer. The taste is sweet and peppery, some burnt sugar, ripe plums, opens up more and more and is starting getting interesting. Some spices, cress and chervil follows on the rather short finish.
The palate was superb, the rest a small disappointment: 6.5
Springbank 17yo 46% Cadenhead's
I only have a miniature of this sone, one of them slimmer miniatures from Cadenhead's that was used for a short while back in the 80's. I think there is 4 instead of 5cl in these miniatures, and the measuring points on my whiskyglass confirms my suspicion. The color on this one is like white wine. It smells sweet, vanilla, bananas, peppery, creamy, ginger, lilac. Very sweet and light, Hard to recognize any peaty notes in this one. The taste is thick and sweet, loads and loads of banana and vanilla, and sort of a creamy texture, this is a sweet dessert on its own, after a good meal. And you don't become too full. Once again I'm very impressed by this old Springbank style, but this one, unfortunately, lacks the peaty edge to get some balance, and it all becomes just a bit too sweet.
Sweet: 6.5
Springbank 26yo 1969-1995 51.7% Signatory Vintage btl.242/1250
There is no cask reference number on this bottle, but it's stated on the label that it comes from "sherry cask". Light brown/orange hue. It smells cinnamon, coastal breeze, floral, juniper berries jam, fried bacon, thyme, rosemary, cress, herbal. The taste is big on grapefruit, oranges, ginger, oloroso sherry, almonds, orange marmalade, plums, dark grapes, this could very well be one of my best ever Springbanks! The aftertaste is long, peppery, honey, just keeps on going between strong peppery and sweet'n'honeyed. Additional water just makes it sweet like a caramel bar.
I can now understand what the fuzz was all about: 9.5
Springbank 12yo 54.6% OB 2010
A very recent 12yo, time to taste it against some older versions, though not by age of maturation necessarily. Remember the winner thus far being a NAS-version. Deep golden color. It smells rich and creamy, some porridge and rubber. Very simple compared to the other ones so far. The taste is thick, almost like white grape juice, dry white wine, schweppes lemon, honey, nectarine. A very simple and sweet whisky, but then agin, one that will never disappoint I think. Reminds me a bit of the Cadenhead's but it lacks that extreme notion of bourbon influence. I have seen other distilleries doing young standards at CS, Highland Park and Glenmorangie amongst others.
A very potent 12yo: 7
Springbank 19yo 1991-2011 56.1% Murray McDavid
From a refill sherry butt, I remember a Lochside I had a while back, from MM and from a refill sherry butt, and it was a very good one indeed. I have always had mixed feelings about ths IB, as there is hard to tell a bottling apart from another, some are watered down from several casks at young strength, and some are 40+ years old, CS and from a single cask, and one cannot tell them apart without looking closely and knowing what to look for. But they do know how to choose a good cask! Very light colored, similar to the Cadenhead's. It smells spirity, lemons, cauliflower, lemon again and ginger. The taste is very bitter and sour, lemon notes, a long-lasting bitterness on the finish ends this rather boring whisky.
The big down so far in this tasting: 3
Springbank 12yo 59.8% James MacArthur's cask#226
Probabaly a late 80's or early 90's bottling, which makes it a special one indeed. And at this strength it should be a cracker. Anyway, its hard not to compare it to the 2010 OB, could this one make it to 8+, or even above? This one ha a dark brown color, most probably from a sherry cask. It smells rich, sulphury, cinnamon, rubber, extremely sherried, fresh cider, almost reminds me of some of the heavies Aberlous A'bunadhs. The taste is so thick and sherried that it'll ever get. rich honey, rich cinnamon, sulphur, almond cake, dark grapes, oloroso sherry(!!!), custard, oranges. The finish is of pepper, sherry and tomatoes, and just keeps going on forever.
I knew I'd find gold in one of the classic whiskies: 10
Springbank 8yo 1984-1994 61.1% Cadenhead's
A young one from Cadenhead's, not often they do that, but other IB's such as Signatory and James Macarthur's have made it work. Often even better than many of the old, stale and oaky ones that are being thrown onto the market by IB's these days. By no means, many of them are excellent, but not all of them, although the prices they charge might suggest so. Golden orange color. It smells... wow, totally different, soapy, bitter, bitter herbs, agricultures, I cannot understand how this one could ever be even considered a SC CS IB. The taste is sweet, dried fruits, rich, dark chocolate, bubble gum, olives, synthetic fruit gums, a small disappointment on the finish, and a big disappointment on the nosing, but once again the palate saves Springbank.
For an 8yo, excellent, and it is a good whisky without a doubt: 6.5
Next tasting: #3 Classic Malts
Springbank NAS 46% OB CV 1997
This one has a white top and old style cream label, it was bottled in 1997, the year the distillery started producing this NAS whisky called CV. It becomes hazy once it hits the glass. Golden color. Smells rich and peppery, leather, bonfire, hay, smoky, I do like it! The taste is sweet, nutty, rich, honeyed, some floral notes, a real treat! Caramel, dark chocolate, cod liver, cinnamon buns, iodine, smoke again. This extreme sweetness could very well overpower the rest of this whisky, but the smoky, iodine peaty stuff in the end makes it a great whisky on all levels. And balances it out perfectly.
Extremely good whisky, and affordable, a dream come through: 8.5
Springbank 15yo 46% OB
I do not know when this bottle was issued, but its certainly as old a vintage as the CV, and has a similar old style label. Some evaporation, I hope won't take the edge off. Also very pale color, not like the darker more recent 15yo's. The color is light orange, just a bit darker than the CV. It smells peppery and more spirity than the CV. peaty as well, perhaps some ginger and root beer. The taste is sweet and peppery, some burnt sugar, ripe plums, opens up more and more and is starting getting interesting. Some spices, cress and chervil follows on the rather short finish.
The palate was superb, the rest a small disappointment: 6.5
Springbank 17yo 46% Cadenhead's
I only have a miniature of this sone, one of them slimmer miniatures from Cadenhead's that was used for a short while back in the 80's. I think there is 4 instead of 5cl in these miniatures, and the measuring points on my whiskyglass confirms my suspicion. The color on this one is like white wine. It smells sweet, vanilla, bananas, peppery, creamy, ginger, lilac. Very sweet and light, Hard to recognize any peaty notes in this one. The taste is thick and sweet, loads and loads of banana and vanilla, and sort of a creamy texture, this is a sweet dessert on its own, after a good meal. And you don't become too full. Once again I'm very impressed by this old Springbank style, but this one, unfortunately, lacks the peaty edge to get some balance, and it all becomes just a bit too sweet.
Sweet: 6.5
Springbank 26yo 1969-1995 51.7% Signatory Vintage btl.242/1250
There is no cask reference number on this bottle, but it's stated on the label that it comes from "sherry cask". Light brown/orange hue. It smells cinnamon, coastal breeze, floral, juniper berries jam, fried bacon, thyme, rosemary, cress, herbal. The taste is big on grapefruit, oranges, ginger, oloroso sherry, almonds, orange marmalade, plums, dark grapes, this could very well be one of my best ever Springbanks! The aftertaste is long, peppery, honey, just keeps on going between strong peppery and sweet'n'honeyed. Additional water just makes it sweet like a caramel bar.
I can now understand what the fuzz was all about: 9.5
Springbank 12yo 54.6% OB 2010
A very recent 12yo, time to taste it against some older versions, though not by age of maturation necessarily. Remember the winner thus far being a NAS-version. Deep golden color. It smells rich and creamy, some porridge and rubber. Very simple compared to the other ones so far. The taste is thick, almost like white grape juice, dry white wine, schweppes lemon, honey, nectarine. A very simple and sweet whisky, but then agin, one that will never disappoint I think. Reminds me a bit of the Cadenhead's but it lacks that extreme notion of bourbon influence. I have seen other distilleries doing young standards at CS, Highland Park and Glenmorangie amongst others.
A very potent 12yo: 7
Springbank 19yo 1991-2011 56.1% Murray McDavid
From a refill sherry butt, I remember a Lochside I had a while back, from MM and from a refill sherry butt, and it was a very good one indeed. I have always had mixed feelings about ths IB, as there is hard to tell a bottling apart from another, some are watered down from several casks at young strength, and some are 40+ years old, CS and from a single cask, and one cannot tell them apart without looking closely and knowing what to look for. But they do know how to choose a good cask! Very light colored, similar to the Cadenhead's. It smells spirity, lemons, cauliflower, lemon again and ginger. The taste is very bitter and sour, lemon notes, a long-lasting bitterness on the finish ends this rather boring whisky.
The big down so far in this tasting: 3
Springbank 12yo 59.8% James MacArthur's cask#226
Probabaly a late 80's or early 90's bottling, which makes it a special one indeed. And at this strength it should be a cracker. Anyway, its hard not to compare it to the 2010 OB, could this one make it to 8+, or even above? This one ha a dark brown color, most probably from a sherry cask. It smells rich, sulphury, cinnamon, rubber, extremely sherried, fresh cider, almost reminds me of some of the heavies Aberlous A'bunadhs. The taste is so thick and sherried that it'll ever get. rich honey, rich cinnamon, sulphur, almond cake, dark grapes, oloroso sherry(!!!), custard, oranges. The finish is of pepper, sherry and tomatoes, and just keeps going on forever.
I knew I'd find gold in one of the classic whiskies: 10
Springbank 8yo 1984-1994 61.1% Cadenhead's
A young one from Cadenhead's, not often they do that, but other IB's such as Signatory and James Macarthur's have made it work. Often even better than many of the old, stale and oaky ones that are being thrown onto the market by IB's these days. By no means, many of them are excellent, but not all of them, although the prices they charge might suggest so. Golden orange color. It smells... wow, totally different, soapy, bitter, bitter herbs, agricultures, I cannot understand how this one could ever be even considered a SC CS IB. The taste is sweet, dried fruits, rich, dark chocolate, bubble gum, olives, synthetic fruit gums, a small disappointment on the finish, and a big disappointment on the nosing, but once again the palate saves Springbank.
For an 8yo, excellent, and it is a good whisky without a doubt: 6.5
Next tasting: #3 Classic Malts
fredag 18. mai 2012
A small distraction, some Aberfeldy & Auchentoshan notes before doing next classic...
I have had a hard time figuring out where all my Aberfeldies and Auchentoshan's went, since there were three of each on my expectations list, and none in my cabinet. But then I found some handwritten notes when vacating in my cottage last week, so why not just get them out on the web as well. Only god knows why I started with Aberfeldy before Auchentoshan.
Aberfeldy 12yo 40% OB
One with a drawing of a squirrel on the label. I think this is one of a kind. Smells light orange color, adjusted by E's for sure. It smells peppery and spirity, oaky, grainy, even yeasty. The taste is sweet and fresh, vanilla and apple juice at first, before it turns spirity and oaky.
Had a small glimmer of glory on the palate, then it just died: 3
Aberfeldy 20yo 1990-2010 43% Gordon & Macphail Connoisseurs Choice
An older version, hopefully not over-oaked as the 12yo was very oaky. The color is light golden. It smells oaky and spirity, about the same as the 12yo, just a bit more fresh. The taste is sweet, again vanilla, nothing more really before it again turns spirity and oaky.
The tiniest hint of freshness makes this climb half a point more: 3.5
Aberfeldy 13yo 43% Master of Malt cask#7789
Will this be another one of those watered down, young single cask bottlings that could only be good if there was interest in worsening a reputation? I hope not. The color is white wine. It smells wheat, sweet, freshly baked buns, kind of like the smell I often find in confectionaries. Also some light grassy notes. The taste is rich and sweet, toffee, red paprika, bitter herbs, canned mushrooms, odd whisky.
Not a thrill, but its unusual character makes it more interesting: 4
McClellands NAS 40% Lowland
This one is said to be an Auchentoshan, please correct me if I'm wrong. The color is golden. It smells fresh, heather, hay, dried fish, pickles, a bit sour. The taste is sweet, honey, pear, kiwi, grapes, lots of sweet fruits. Little or no finish. Just by the taste alone I can hardly see this one coming from any other distillery than Auchentoshan.
Lighter than light, but enjoyable, typical triple distilled whisky: 5
Auchentoshan 15yo 1981-1996 43% Signatory Vintage cask#1145 btl.330/1950
The color is white wine, very light. It smells heather, grassy, floral, very light. I think this one really smells like some cheap women perfume. It's hard to recognize this whisky as a single malt scotch whisky, perhaps a blend could match this profile, or even an irish whisky, but this is way too light to get me interested, so far. The taste is nutty, mild, some floral notes again, and dandelion leaves. If you had a rabbit growing up, I'm sure you tried one yourself at some point). Also boiled broccoli and pecans. The aftertaste is short and peppery.
A pleasant surprise from SV once again, older SV's can be great: 6.5
Auchentoshan 12yo 1999-2011 57.9% Malts of Scotland
From a sherry Hogshead, and at this strength it should make for an interesting variety to those low strength versions I've had up until now. The color is dark copper. Seems to have gotten a lot of color in just 12 years. It smells fruity, plums and black pepper. A nice combo. Dark berries as well as more plums evolves after a while. The taste is sweet, ripe dark berries, dark chocolate, bitter greens, sweet at first, then very bitter. I think it needs some water. With added water it turns sweeter, cinnamon and lime rind appears, even oranges and dry red wine. Tartaric, that's the name.
A good example of Auchentoshan, shows huge potential: 6.5
Next tasting: #2 Classic Malts
Aberfeldy 12yo 40% OB
One with a drawing of a squirrel on the label. I think this is one of a kind. Smells light orange color, adjusted by E's for sure. It smells peppery and spirity, oaky, grainy, even yeasty. The taste is sweet and fresh, vanilla and apple juice at first, before it turns spirity and oaky.
Had a small glimmer of glory on the palate, then it just died: 3
Aberfeldy 20yo 1990-2010 43% Gordon & Macphail Connoisseurs Choice
An older version, hopefully not over-oaked as the 12yo was very oaky. The color is light golden. It smells oaky and spirity, about the same as the 12yo, just a bit more fresh. The taste is sweet, again vanilla, nothing more really before it again turns spirity and oaky.
The tiniest hint of freshness makes this climb half a point more: 3.5
Aberfeldy 13yo 43% Master of Malt cask#7789
Will this be another one of those watered down, young single cask bottlings that could only be good if there was interest in worsening a reputation? I hope not. The color is white wine. It smells wheat, sweet, freshly baked buns, kind of like the smell I often find in confectionaries. Also some light grassy notes. The taste is rich and sweet, toffee, red paprika, bitter herbs, canned mushrooms, odd whisky.
Not a thrill, but its unusual character makes it more interesting: 4
McClellands NAS 40% Lowland
This one is said to be an Auchentoshan, please correct me if I'm wrong. The color is golden. It smells fresh, heather, hay, dried fish, pickles, a bit sour. The taste is sweet, honey, pear, kiwi, grapes, lots of sweet fruits. Little or no finish. Just by the taste alone I can hardly see this one coming from any other distillery than Auchentoshan.
Lighter than light, but enjoyable, typical triple distilled whisky: 5
Auchentoshan 15yo 1981-1996 43% Signatory Vintage cask#1145 btl.330/1950
The color is white wine, very light. It smells heather, grassy, floral, very light. I think this one really smells like some cheap women perfume. It's hard to recognize this whisky as a single malt scotch whisky, perhaps a blend could match this profile, or even an irish whisky, but this is way too light to get me interested, so far. The taste is nutty, mild, some floral notes again, and dandelion leaves. If you had a rabbit growing up, I'm sure you tried one yourself at some point). Also boiled broccoli and pecans. The aftertaste is short and peppery.
A pleasant surprise from SV once again, older SV's can be great: 6.5
Auchentoshan 12yo 1999-2011 57.9% Malts of Scotland
From a sherry Hogshead, and at this strength it should make for an interesting variety to those low strength versions I've had up until now. The color is dark copper. Seems to have gotten a lot of color in just 12 years. It smells fruity, plums and black pepper. A nice combo. Dark berries as well as more plums evolves after a while. The taste is sweet, ripe dark berries, dark chocolate, bitter greens, sweet at first, then very bitter. I think it needs some water. With added water it turns sweeter, cinnamon and lime rind appears, even oranges and dry red wine. Tartaric, that's the name.
A good example of Auchentoshan, shows huge potential: 6.5
Next tasting: #2 Classic Malts
torsdag 17. mai 2012
#1 Classic Malts: Tomatin Distillery
Tomatin is a highlander that has gotten som good reputation based on some older IB bottlings, but the usually very light OB's has never gotten much recognition, at least not that I've heard. So, being established in the late years of 1800's and not a very loud distillery, it has shown the way for others by being the first distillery ever to use Lauter mash tun. I must say that even though formerly being a producer of impressive 12m litres of new-make a year and now producing 5m annually, it still is a big distillery, and I'm wondering why I still haven't come around to try more than a couple bottlings yet. Time to discover!
Tomatin 15yo 1970-1985 40% Connoisseurs Choice Gordon & Macphail
Golden copper hue. It smells bitter, burnt wood, very oaky. The taste is light, soapy, some green notes, tea and green leaves. This is blend territory, light, easy, not very pleasant, not foul, just boring and tame.
Many older CC-bottlings holds a high standard, this does not: 3.5
Tomatin 15yo 43% OB
Pale white wine color. I remember the 12yo from bygone days were an interesting whisky with quite some fruity and peppery character. Let's see what 3 more years adds? Smells very herbal, grassy, coriander, rosemary, dill, green olives, gravel, earthy, damp, a nice and modest malt so far. The taste is herbal, grassy, light, some vegetable stock maybe. It is very boring all in all, and has a long way to become a worthy representative for this distillery.
Perhaps upping to 46%abv will help?: 3
Tomatin 18yo 46% OB
This one has a nice golden hue, and a slightly higher strength than the 15yo. It smells honey and heather, cinnamon, orange juice, marzipan, spice cake, custard. The taste is light once again, light and peppery, some hay, malt, cream crackers, once again way too light to impress me. But I wish to say that even though being on very undemanding, there is little or no flaws, so, if matured in a good cask and bottled at cask strength, there's no doubt for me that Tomatin has the ability to produce a fantastic whisky.
A bit more spicy than the 15yo, but still kinda dead: 3.5
Tomatin 40yo 1967-2007 44.3% Duncan Taylor
This should really be something else, perhaps one of those bottlings that has helped Tomatin gaining a fairly good reputation the last years. Nice orange hue. It smells rich, all on oranges, olive oil and leather. The taste is bittersweet, minty, ammonia (not that I have ever tasted it), some sweet grassy notes, hay and rhubarb leaves. I know quite a few that would nip this at the pace of an ant suckling milk from a cow, nodding in a weird manner while shaking their eyebrows and saying "this is a fine drink". While phrasing that I have let enough time go for this one to have a chance at a great comeback. Airing often makes wonders. Now it is sweeter, more rounded, some burnt and peppery notes on the finish, not that big difference except the sweet marzipan on the attack.
It is a good whisky, though very light, at least for 40 years in oak: 4.5
Tomatin 14yo 1997-2011 50% OB for Premium Spirits Belgium cask#2549
The youngest one so far, and the strongest one, I hope that 50%abv will make for a more pungent spirit, or at least some more concentrated flavors. This is from a refill sherry hogshead, which really doesn't tell us much, but I hope it hasn't been refilled to many times before the Tomatin hit this cask. Golden color. It smells soapy, dusty, yeasty, sweet, kiwi, rubber, leather, oak. A good alternative to the OB's so far. The taste is soapy again, minty, cinnamon, cauliflower, earthy, once again I get this sense of damp from a boiler. All in all a whisky that doesn't deliver much more than what a regular blend might would.
If you only smell your whisky, this is not a bad alternative: 3.5
Tomatin 14yo 1976-1990 55% Signatory Vintage cask#19479,19480,19481 bottle.175/600
Another one at 14yo, but from a whole different era, and a mix of different casks. I often find that people prefer single casks, but on the other hand, one cask sometimes needs another cask to bring out its best potential, and vice versa, and the result might just be even better than any of them alone. I know that the G&M Cask-series provides a number of bottlings from a mix of casks, and none of them has seized to amaze me yet. The color is apple juice, which means darker than white wine, but no golden nuances. It smells oaky, spirity and peppery, no favorite so far. The taste is initially all on raspberries and dried sage, like chewing dried herbs, very rich and bitter. Concentrated raspberries, oregano, very drying. It leaves a very long lasting finish of dried herbs and orange peel. It's a style from an older era where they took some more chances when casks were bottled, and many would probably say this was a mistake, but I beg the differ, this is for sure a style of whisky that you won't find produced today, and if you get the chance, try it.
Makes me think of Aintree, Liverpool: 7
Next tasting: #2 Classic Malts
Tomatin 15yo 1970-1985 40% Connoisseurs Choice Gordon & Macphail
Golden copper hue. It smells bitter, burnt wood, very oaky. The taste is light, soapy, some green notes, tea and green leaves. This is blend territory, light, easy, not very pleasant, not foul, just boring and tame.
Many older CC-bottlings holds a high standard, this does not: 3.5
Tomatin 15yo 43% OB
Pale white wine color. I remember the 12yo from bygone days were an interesting whisky with quite some fruity and peppery character. Let's see what 3 more years adds? Smells very herbal, grassy, coriander, rosemary, dill, green olives, gravel, earthy, damp, a nice and modest malt so far. The taste is herbal, grassy, light, some vegetable stock maybe. It is very boring all in all, and has a long way to become a worthy representative for this distillery.
Perhaps upping to 46%abv will help?: 3
Tomatin 18yo 46% OB
This one has a nice golden hue, and a slightly higher strength than the 15yo. It smells honey and heather, cinnamon, orange juice, marzipan, spice cake, custard. The taste is light once again, light and peppery, some hay, malt, cream crackers, once again way too light to impress me. But I wish to say that even though being on very undemanding, there is little or no flaws, so, if matured in a good cask and bottled at cask strength, there's no doubt for me that Tomatin has the ability to produce a fantastic whisky.
A bit more spicy than the 15yo, but still kinda dead: 3.5
Tomatin 40yo 1967-2007 44.3% Duncan Taylor
This should really be something else, perhaps one of those bottlings that has helped Tomatin gaining a fairly good reputation the last years. Nice orange hue. It smells rich, all on oranges, olive oil and leather. The taste is bittersweet, minty, ammonia (not that I have ever tasted it), some sweet grassy notes, hay and rhubarb leaves. I know quite a few that would nip this at the pace of an ant suckling milk from a cow, nodding in a weird manner while shaking their eyebrows and saying "this is a fine drink". While phrasing that I have let enough time go for this one to have a chance at a great comeback. Airing often makes wonders. Now it is sweeter, more rounded, some burnt and peppery notes on the finish, not that big difference except the sweet marzipan on the attack.
It is a good whisky, though very light, at least for 40 years in oak: 4.5
Tomatin 14yo 1997-2011 50% OB for Premium Spirits Belgium cask#2549
The youngest one so far, and the strongest one, I hope that 50%abv will make for a more pungent spirit, or at least some more concentrated flavors. This is from a refill sherry hogshead, which really doesn't tell us much, but I hope it hasn't been refilled to many times before the Tomatin hit this cask. Golden color. It smells soapy, dusty, yeasty, sweet, kiwi, rubber, leather, oak. A good alternative to the OB's so far. The taste is soapy again, minty, cinnamon, cauliflower, earthy, once again I get this sense of damp from a boiler. All in all a whisky that doesn't deliver much more than what a regular blend might would.
If you only smell your whisky, this is not a bad alternative: 3.5
Tomatin 14yo 1976-1990 55% Signatory Vintage cask#19479,19480,19481 bottle.175/600
Another one at 14yo, but from a whole different era, and a mix of different casks. I often find that people prefer single casks, but on the other hand, one cask sometimes needs another cask to bring out its best potential, and vice versa, and the result might just be even better than any of them alone. I know that the G&M Cask-series provides a number of bottlings from a mix of casks, and none of them has seized to amaze me yet. The color is apple juice, which means darker than white wine, but no golden nuances. It smells oaky, spirity and peppery, no favorite so far. The taste is initially all on raspberries and dried sage, like chewing dried herbs, very rich and bitter. Concentrated raspberries, oregano, very drying. It leaves a very long lasting finish of dried herbs and orange peel. It's a style from an older era where they took some more chances when casks were bottled, and many would probably say this was a mistake, but I beg the differ, this is for sure a style of whisky that you won't find produced today, and if you get the chance, try it.
Makes me think of Aintree, Liverpool: 7
Next tasting: #2 Classic Malts
mandag 14. mai 2012
Tasting 4 Old Pulteneys
I was actually going to have an OB Single Cask in this session, and make it an OB only vertical, but that SC-bottling had such high strength that I think it would hard to compare to the other low strength ones in this session, so instead I've pulled in a 45%abv G&M Single Cask, just to level the playing field a bit. Anyway, Old Pulteney is a whisky that I think has great potential, quality spirit, but very little of is bottled as single, at least up until very recently that was. Now it seems to come a whole bunch of single cask bottlings, older standards and such to the shelves. I wonder what happen if some of these other distilleries with a unfulfilled potential when it comes to single malts, were to follow Old Pulteneys way. Maybe we'd see a real renaissance at distilleries such as Inchgower, Dailuaine, Ardmore, Glencadam and surely some more.
Old Pulteney 12yo 1998-2010 45% Gordon & Macphail cask#1050
Pale golden color, and bottled at an unusual strength for G&M. The nose is briny and salty, sea salt, lemon, grassy, very clean and fresh with a coastal character. Whisky without peat, but still it has so much coastal character that it brings my mind to Islay. The taste is coastal and sweet, seaweed, smoked haddock, vanilla, creamy, peppery, once again very clean. A fine young whisky. The finish is salty and briny, much like the nosing promised.
A fine whisky, just what I'd expect from a low-strength 12yo: 4.5
Old Pulteney 17yo 46% OB 2010
I remember the 21yo from 2010 got a lot of attention being called out as the world's best whisky in Jim Murray's Whisky Bible last year. I have not tried that one yet, but it's not long until. The color is white wine, smells very light. Some peppery notes, fino sherry, herbal, grassy, lacks the coastal character that i found in the G&M. The taste is sweet on toffee and almonds, some ginger and lemon, honey, tart crust, biscuity and nutty. Still not much coastal aroma to be found in this one. But it is however, a very pleasant malt. Pleasant stuff, but far from challenging, reminds me a bit of some light speysiders, say young Glen Grants or even Linkwood. The finish is short and light, fresh mint and fat cream.
For a 17yo I expected more oak influence or a louder spirit, its just a bit tame: 4
Old Pulteney 30yo 40.5% OB 2011
One of the more recent older OB's. Color of pale white wine, the lightest so far in this tasting, must be from some old bourbon casks I think, or there may have been some older dead wood which provided little color, that has been upped to a bit over 40%abv by adding some older high strengths to the mix. But it's just wild speculations of course. It smells light and creamy, some barley, rice wine, red onions, palm sugar, balsamic vinegar, again very light and far from coastal, as I'd expect from this distillery. That does however not characterize it as being neither good or bad, just not like I would expect it to be. The taste is soft, elderflowers, potato starch, slow one, needs some water maybe. With additional water it turns sweeter, marshmallows, flour sugar, malted barley and soft pepper.
A very light whisky that I think needs higher strength to surpass mediocracy: 4.5
Old Pulteney 21yo 46% 2011
So this is the whisky which former Millwall player turned "whisky-god" Jim Murray has titled the world's best whisky in his whisky bible of 2011. Finally its time for me to try it. This is the darkest one so far in this session, full golden hue. It smells sweet, caramel, oregano, basil, coriander, herbs de provence, dark chocolate, fried chicken skin, nuts, almonds, olive oil, it has a lot more strings to play on, to use a vague description, than the former three in this session. The taste is rich, creamy and spicy, honey, heather, ashy, drying, salty, again these very vague notions of dried herbs comes forth, this time in the finish. Unfortunately I cannot say that I agree with Jim Murray, far from it, but of the standard Old Pulteneys that I've tried so far, it is most certainly the best one.
I think that some sherried whisky in the mix has elevated this to a 6+whisky: 6.5
Next tasting: Tomatin Distillery
Old Pulteney 12yo 1998-2010 45% Gordon & Macphail cask#1050
Pale golden color, and bottled at an unusual strength for G&M. The nose is briny and salty, sea salt, lemon, grassy, very clean and fresh with a coastal character. Whisky without peat, but still it has so much coastal character that it brings my mind to Islay. The taste is coastal and sweet, seaweed, smoked haddock, vanilla, creamy, peppery, once again very clean. A fine young whisky. The finish is salty and briny, much like the nosing promised.
A fine whisky, just what I'd expect from a low-strength 12yo: 4.5
Old Pulteney 17yo 46% OB 2010
I remember the 21yo from 2010 got a lot of attention being called out as the world's best whisky in Jim Murray's Whisky Bible last year. I have not tried that one yet, but it's not long until. The color is white wine, smells very light. Some peppery notes, fino sherry, herbal, grassy, lacks the coastal character that i found in the G&M. The taste is sweet on toffee and almonds, some ginger and lemon, honey, tart crust, biscuity and nutty. Still not much coastal aroma to be found in this one. But it is however, a very pleasant malt. Pleasant stuff, but far from challenging, reminds me a bit of some light speysiders, say young Glen Grants or even Linkwood. The finish is short and light, fresh mint and fat cream.
For a 17yo I expected more oak influence or a louder spirit, its just a bit tame: 4
Old Pulteney 30yo 40.5% OB 2011
One of the more recent older OB's. Color of pale white wine, the lightest so far in this tasting, must be from some old bourbon casks I think, or there may have been some older dead wood which provided little color, that has been upped to a bit over 40%abv by adding some older high strengths to the mix. But it's just wild speculations of course. It smells light and creamy, some barley, rice wine, red onions, palm sugar, balsamic vinegar, again very light and far from coastal, as I'd expect from this distillery. That does however not characterize it as being neither good or bad, just not like I would expect it to be. The taste is soft, elderflowers, potato starch, slow one, needs some water maybe. With additional water it turns sweeter, marshmallows, flour sugar, malted barley and soft pepper.
A very light whisky that I think needs higher strength to surpass mediocracy: 4.5
Old Pulteney 21yo 46% 2011
So this is the whisky which former Millwall player turned "whisky-god" Jim Murray has titled the world's best whisky in his whisky bible of 2011. Finally its time for me to try it. This is the darkest one so far in this session, full golden hue. It smells sweet, caramel, oregano, basil, coriander, herbs de provence, dark chocolate, fried chicken skin, nuts, almonds, olive oil, it has a lot more strings to play on, to use a vague description, than the former three in this session. The taste is rich, creamy and spicy, honey, heather, ashy, drying, salty, again these very vague notions of dried herbs comes forth, this time in the finish. Unfortunately I cannot say that I agree with Jim Murray, far from it, but of the standard Old Pulteneys that I've tried so far, it is most certainly the best one.
I think that some sherried whisky in the mix has elevated this to a 6+whisky: 6.5
Next tasting: Tomatin Distillery
søndag 13. mai 2012
Tasting 3 Glenallachies
I have tried too little Glenallachies so far, and I hope these three ones, though surely very far from the whisky the distillery is bottling today (do they produce any standard bottlings at all??) Time to explore!
Glenallachie 40yo 1971-2011 47.7% Creative Whisky Company cask#739
Brown & grey-ish color, concentrated tea is what comes to mind, I have seen this color in whisky from fino casks earlier. It smells very bitter, paint thinner, grassy, orange seeds, sauna steam, dusty, gravel dust. Remember this one was distilled just 4 years after the distillery opened. It tastes burnt, a lot of phenol and huge oakiness, needs water I think. And yes, of course it needs a lot of breathing. After a while it still opens up on some tobacco and ginger, much better, but I still thinks it needs a small drop of water to really blossom. With about a teaspoon of water it turns lighter and more perfumy, I do not recommend adding water unless you want a more subtle and easily drinkable malt. Its a good one, but all the extremes have gone. Nutty, ginger, lime, tonic water and rubber.
One could rave about its "complexity" I guess: 5
Glenallachie 38yo 1973-2011 50.4% The Whisky Agency
From an ex-bourbon cask, bright golden, very light for a 38yo. Smells very grassy, floral, butter, thyme, ginger, green pesto, cedar wood. The taste is sweet, syrupy, oily, honey, nectarine, vanilla, minty, a lot of nice characters, and if this was a young, say 12yo bourbon-matured speysider, I'd say it's a very good example of a light and perfumy Speysider. But at 38yo there should be so much more going on in this dram.
A small disappointment: 4.5
Glenallachie 16yo 1995-2011 53% Malts of Scotland cask#1257
A more recent distillation, and there was a 16yo from the distillery distilled in 1989. The color is white wine, from a bourbon hogshead. It smells banana, vanilla, black peppers, apricot jam, ginger, extremely bitter bittersweet. The taste is sweet, heavy vanilla and banana, but the aftertaste is gone within a second, a light and sweet whisky, surely a nice drink, but very boring.
Light and sweet stuff: 4
Next tasting: Old Pulteney Distillery
Glenallachie 40yo 1971-2011 47.7% Creative Whisky Company cask#739
Brown & grey-ish color, concentrated tea is what comes to mind, I have seen this color in whisky from fino casks earlier. It smells very bitter, paint thinner, grassy, orange seeds, sauna steam, dusty, gravel dust. Remember this one was distilled just 4 years after the distillery opened. It tastes burnt, a lot of phenol and huge oakiness, needs water I think. And yes, of course it needs a lot of breathing. After a while it still opens up on some tobacco and ginger, much better, but I still thinks it needs a small drop of water to really blossom. With about a teaspoon of water it turns lighter and more perfumy, I do not recommend adding water unless you want a more subtle and easily drinkable malt. Its a good one, but all the extremes have gone. Nutty, ginger, lime, tonic water and rubber.
One could rave about its "complexity" I guess: 5
Glenallachie 38yo 1973-2011 50.4% The Whisky Agency
From an ex-bourbon cask, bright golden, very light for a 38yo. Smells very grassy, floral, butter, thyme, ginger, green pesto, cedar wood. The taste is sweet, syrupy, oily, honey, nectarine, vanilla, minty, a lot of nice characters, and if this was a young, say 12yo bourbon-matured speysider, I'd say it's a very good example of a light and perfumy Speysider. But at 38yo there should be so much more going on in this dram.
A small disappointment: 4.5
Glenallachie 16yo 1995-2011 53% Malts of Scotland cask#1257
A more recent distillation, and there was a 16yo from the distillery distilled in 1989. The color is white wine, from a bourbon hogshead. It smells banana, vanilla, black peppers, apricot jam, ginger, extremely bitter bittersweet. The taste is sweet, heavy vanilla and banana, but the aftertaste is gone within a second, a light and sweet whisky, surely a nice drink, but very boring.
Light and sweet stuff: 4
Next tasting: Old Pulteney Distillery
lørdag 12. mai 2012
Tasting Scapa Distillery
I have been looking forward to this tasting for a while, as I thought both the standard 14yo and the bit more recent 16yo was good, but it seemed to lack just a bit of edge, if you know what I mean? Nice and gentle they were, and made it hard for me to discover something that would fit to describe a distillery character, so perhaps this can help me. As you can spot there are 4 older G&M bottlings in this session, the three old flat ones being all bottled at a nice high strength of 57%abv. Of course the Kirkwall whisky is from another Orkney distillery so that one will have to wait for another tasting.
Scapa NAS 1979 40% Gordon & Macphail
This one has the color of E's, golden all the way. It smells orange peel and spirity notes, a young spirit for sure. Some coastal notes, hints of peat smoke, briny, actually a very nice one, once it has been allowed to breath enough. The taste is very zesty, orange, melons, grape fruit, kiwi, green grapes, sweet, none of the spiritiness that I feared from the nosing. Some leather and tobacco as well. The finish is once agin on citric fruits. Most of all, this is a fresh and fruity coastal whisky, that I think could be a perfect starter to any seafood spread.
Great stuff, and not that expensive, if you wanna try a good Scapa: 6.5
Scapa 24yo 1965-1990 50.1% Cadenhead's
I think that such old vintages of Scapa are extremely hard to find, and maybe far from as glamorous as older Macallans or Springbanks or whatever, it surely makes for an interesting whisky, for comparisons sake, to new styles from Scapa. I already found the 1979 better than the most recent standard OB's. I'd lie if I said I wasn't thrilled abour this one, but I will still try to stay objective. The oldest both in vintage and age from this distillery that I've had so far... enough about that! The color has a nice orange hue and is full of sediments, cask sediments I suppose. I have also found that in a couple other older bottlings from Cadenhead's, both 70cl and miniatures. Perhaps they did the Raw Cask before Blackadder then? It smells light and spirity at first, needs some time to open up. It's hard to say if it's a mix of peat, coastal character, salt and spiritiness, or just the last three of them. Could it be that Scapa is (or was) a naturally smoky single malt? Extremely meaty and coastal after a while, roast and salt. Old Taliskers and some Ardbegs are the few I've found this profile in from before. Kind of reminds me of the Ardbeg Uigeadail. The taste is much simpler, some peppery notes, a bit of honey, green paprika, mashed potatoes, peat (now I'm sure), cloves, onions, raspberries, again immensely fruity. Oh yes, and cigars. A bit like the end of the cigar, prickling on the tongue.
No absolute winner, but unique for a Scapa I think, a discovery malt: 8
Scapa 8yo 57% Gordon & Macphail (Black/White Label, golden cap)
Why all these miniatures? Well, a good question indeed... The reason is that there are so many whiskies from so many distilleries out there that if I were to buy all the whiskies I've tried in full 70cl bottles I'd probably be a very poor man with a liver failure. Enough about that, let's try these miniatures. Bronze color. It smells rich and sherried, sun-dried tomatoes, berry fruits, leather, malt syrup, honey corn, smoke, sherry, dark chocolate, how good is this? I just hope it delivers on the palate as well. The taste is rich and creamy, all on smooth oloroso sherry, butter, red paprika, salt, cinnamon, apple vinegar, camphor, cloves, juniper berries, absolutely one of the nicest drams I ever had thus far. Why did G&M stop bottling these 57% and turn to Cask Strengths? Oh, I surely can name a couple of good reasons, but some of these older 57%'s are amazing.
A great whisky that lacks a good reputation that would make it unaffordable (relief): 9
Scapa 8yo 57% Gordon & Macphail (U.S. version, red cap)
One that has the cap sealed with wax, very clever, I think many more should do that, makes the whisky stay alive for much longer. The color of this one is the same golden notes that I found in the G&M '79. It smells spirity, sweet, sweet tea, peppery, more bourbon notes, some withdrawn vanilla and hints of licorice. burnt rubbe, spearmint, tarry, peaty, after a while it develops into a more rustic coastal profile. sea breeze, salt, smoked salmon, dried fish, a beauty. The taste is peppery, smoky, lime rind, vanilla and cream liqueur. The finish on the other end leaves a bit to be desired, some hints of cheap gin and parsley (I do not like parsley). But all in all it is a nice dram that perhaps is more for the ones that like the extremes of Laphroaig than the Glenfarclas Family Cask sippers.
Great bourbon-matured whisky at first, but ending on a bitter note: 6.5
Scapa 8yo 57% Gordon & Macphail (Ship Label)
I must say, so far this tasting has been nothing but spectacular, and G&M has really done their work in selecting some great casks. Of course, so has Cadenhead's, but now its time for the last bottle in this positive session from a not that recognized distillery. Old Scapa's anyone? Me me me me me me!!! From now on that is. I did not know much about this whisky before this tasting as I find the more recent bottlings tend to have a less coastal profile, and are vatted out of proportions. I know there are always a couple bad casks that needs to be "vatted up" within each distillery, but I am one of those that would easily pay 10 quid or more extra to receive something like that taste similar to something close to the best ones in this session, instead of the 14yo and the 16yo standard OB's. So why not create a differ between the vattings that are of great quality and those that are lesser quality, and sell those at lesser quality for a very cheap price. A bit like Ardbeg has done with their Uigeadails and Corryvreckans which holds the best stock as opposed to the 10yo which is getting a worse reputation by the year amongst malt-snobs but is still sold in extreme numbers as the average whisky drinker is still very much price-oriented. Anyway, lets taste the whisky then. Same bronze color as one the black/white label). Smells rich and thick, extreme sherry, cinnamon, oil, dark chocolate, honey, waxy, herbal, some thyme, mint, barbecue smoke, cigars, mustard, extremely good. The taste is thick and sweet, but mostly herbal and phenolic. Extremely herbal, like eating a handful of dried herbs-aix-provence (or whatever) straight from the bag. Concentrated on herbs and dryness(phenols). I hope some water will help. With water added it turns more bitter, some rubbery notes and biscuity flavors, butter comes to mind.
The let-down in this session so far, and it still keeps a respectable score: 4.5
Next tasting: Mortlach Distillery
fredag 11. mai 2012
A new series of "themed" sessions
I have the last 6 months or so had 2 series of themed sessions on this site, one was a streak of peaty whiskies from mostly Island/Islay distilleries, and one where I was trying to pin down some characteristics of otherwise generally little known or less popular malt whiskies called off-the-beaten-path sessions where whisky from distilleries such as Aultmore Distillery, Glentauchers Distillery, Strathmill Distillery and Teaninich Distillery were closer examined. Some I enjoyed and some not so much. However, why not go in the opposite direction this time and try some classic whiskies from old distilleries which have been established as favorites of whisky drinkers for many years. Glenlivet, Glenfarclas, Macallan and such to name a few. But first I will have a go at Scapa Distillery and maybe one or two more, and lets hope for a summer with a modest heat, as it makes tasting whisky much more fun, in my opinion.
torsdag 10. mai 2012
Tasting 4 Royal Lochnagars
Royal Lochnagars are about as rare as can get if you look apart the standard 12yo and an extremely overpriced Manager's Dram (or something like that). I have managed to gather 4 bottlings to see what this distillery has to offer.
Royal Lochnagar 14yo 1969-1983 40% G&M CC
A very old bottling, bottled 15 years prior to the distillation of the youngest spirit in this tasting. Should be interesting. Dark bronze color, makes me think if some young oloroso sherried whiskies. It smells rich, honeyed, rubber (not bad one), sulphur, matches, gun powder, fresh, thyme and mint leaves. Incredible rich for such a low strength young whisky. The taste is rich, all on sherry notes, sulphury again, honey, cinnamon, ginger, almonds, lime rind, dark grape juice, extremely good. I think, if this one was tasted blind, people would start to ramble about older Glenfarclas or even Macallans. I am so happy I got to try this as I can't believe there are many left of them.
Shows that old CC-bottlings can be fantastic, and I paid 1 quid for a miniature of this one: 9
Royal Lochnagar 13yo 1998-2001 43% Jean Boyer
This one is also from a sherry cask, stated on the label. I have not tried many whiskies from this series from Jean Boyer called "Best Casks of Scotland". If it really is the best casks of scotland I'd think, looking at the period of maturation, it should taste about the same as the CC. Light golden hue, smells sweet and honeyed, a bit spirity, some ginger, some raw onions. The taste is very sweet, bubble gum, rich cream, toffee, sugary, plums, extremely concentrated sweetness, I hope some water will help it open up. When a small drop of water is added it turns even sweeter, this is almost like some sweet 30%-something fruity liqueur. I'm not too disappointed, but it leaves a more complex spirit to be desired.
I like this in some aspects, but I believe it'd be a thunderbolt at CS: 4.5
Balmoral 15yo 46% Royal Lochnagar for Balmoral Estates
I believe this one was bottled somewhere in the late 90's, due to the sort of tacky use of Times New Roman on the low part of the label. The color is dark orange. It smells very rich, honeyed again, cigars, apple nectarine, appletini, much more powerful than the Jean Boyer version. Dry cider comes to mind. The taste is rich and peppery, tangerines, apples, concentrated apple juice, and I believe it needs some water. With water on board it becomes sweet and fresh, more on apple vinegar and even more peppery. The fresh sour-ness that gives me a hint of melon juice and thyme makes for a much more interesting spirit. One to be had with some water added.
I think Blamoral Estates have invested in some good whisky to represent them here: 5.5
Royal Lochnagar 23yo 1973-1997 59.7% OB Rare Malts
So, an OB is really and IB by Diageo, a bit like the Edradour Casks bottled by Signatory Vintage. Actually the first ever CS Royal Lochnagar I've ever tried. Golden color. It smells sweet and honeyed, this honeyed sweetness seems to be a common nominator for all these Royal Lochnagars. This is extremely strong, I can tell already, but for tasting purposes I'll try it bare first. The taste is sweet and strong, all on apple cider before turning spirity. I believe it needs some water to open up. When about a teaspoon is added it becomes much softer, some onions and beef broth. A meatiness that I have found in some Ardbeg Uigeadails, but it lacks both the peat and the sherried notes to make it a success in my book. Very tame now, and in retrospect, I probably should never have watered it down anyway.
If you compare this to the ´69 CC it doesn't stand a chance, then compare the prices: 4
Next tasting: Scapa Distillery
Royal Lochnagar 14yo 1969-1983 40% G&M CC
A very old bottling, bottled 15 years prior to the distillation of the youngest spirit in this tasting. Should be interesting. Dark bronze color, makes me think if some young oloroso sherried whiskies. It smells rich, honeyed, rubber (not bad one), sulphur, matches, gun powder, fresh, thyme and mint leaves. Incredible rich for such a low strength young whisky. The taste is rich, all on sherry notes, sulphury again, honey, cinnamon, ginger, almonds, lime rind, dark grape juice, extremely good. I think, if this one was tasted blind, people would start to ramble about older Glenfarclas or even Macallans. I am so happy I got to try this as I can't believe there are many left of them.
Shows that old CC-bottlings can be fantastic, and I paid 1 quid for a miniature of this one: 9
Royal Lochnagar 13yo 1998-2001 43% Jean Boyer
This one is also from a sherry cask, stated on the label. I have not tried many whiskies from this series from Jean Boyer called "Best Casks of Scotland". If it really is the best casks of scotland I'd think, looking at the period of maturation, it should taste about the same as the CC. Light golden hue, smells sweet and honeyed, a bit spirity, some ginger, some raw onions. The taste is very sweet, bubble gum, rich cream, toffee, sugary, plums, extremely concentrated sweetness, I hope some water will help it open up. When a small drop of water is added it turns even sweeter, this is almost like some sweet 30%-something fruity liqueur. I'm not too disappointed, but it leaves a more complex spirit to be desired.
I like this in some aspects, but I believe it'd be a thunderbolt at CS: 4.5
Balmoral 15yo 46% Royal Lochnagar for Balmoral Estates
I believe this one was bottled somewhere in the late 90's, due to the sort of tacky use of Times New Roman on the low part of the label. The color is dark orange. It smells very rich, honeyed again, cigars, apple nectarine, appletini, much more powerful than the Jean Boyer version. Dry cider comes to mind. The taste is rich and peppery, tangerines, apples, concentrated apple juice, and I believe it needs some water. With water on board it becomes sweet and fresh, more on apple vinegar and even more peppery. The fresh sour-ness that gives me a hint of melon juice and thyme makes for a much more interesting spirit. One to be had with some water added.
I think Blamoral Estates have invested in some good whisky to represent them here: 5.5
Royal Lochnagar 23yo 1973-1997 59.7% OB Rare Malts
So, an OB is really and IB by Diageo, a bit like the Edradour Casks bottled by Signatory Vintage. Actually the first ever CS Royal Lochnagar I've ever tried. Golden color. It smells sweet and honeyed, this honeyed sweetness seems to be a common nominator for all these Royal Lochnagars. This is extremely strong, I can tell already, but for tasting purposes I'll try it bare first. The taste is sweet and strong, all on apple cider before turning spirity. I believe it needs some water to open up. When about a teaspoon is added it becomes much softer, some onions and beef broth. A meatiness that I have found in some Ardbeg Uigeadails, but it lacks both the peat and the sherried notes to make it a success in my book. Very tame now, and in retrospect, I probably should never have watered it down anyway.
If you compare this to the ´69 CC it doesn't stand a chance, then compare the prices: 4
Next tasting: Scapa Distillery
tirsdag 8. mai 2012
Tasting 4 Cragganmores
For no particular reason, I decided to do some Cragganmores tonight, I have just had a craving for some feisty speysiders/highlanders lately, like Glendronach, Glen Garioch, Oban, Clynelish and such. I think Cragganmore is also one of these distilleries that often is more complex and rich than what you'd perhaps expect from some of their neighboring distilleries. But let's not waste any more time...
Cragganmore 17yo 1976-1993 40% Connoisseurs Choice Gordon & Macphail
There were, to put it kindly, much whisky of much varied quality in the CC-series, and I think there still is even thought the have stopped using chill-filtration and added coloring (or is it just the coloring of the whisky which has ended?). At least I think skipping one or both of thees (CF&C) will make for a very small difference in the finished product, at least for whiskies that are already diluted to 46%abv. or below. And there are many earlier bottlings in this series which was excellent despite being both colored, chill-filtered and diluted down to 40%abv altogether. This one has a nice orange hue. It smells sweet, oranges, spirity, orange zest, lots of oranges, perhaps some grassy notes as well, a very light one. The taste is bitter ale, strong, cheddar, peppery, again oranges, orange zest and tangerines. Grape fruit. The finish is short and on hay and detergent.
Fruity at first before ending very soapy. Beyond that, bland!: 3
Cragganmore 13yo 1984-1997 40% OB Distillers Edition
I have never been a big fan of these DE bottlings, it seems to me they don't finish the whisky in different wine casks to enhance it, but to create an affordable(production-wise) alternative to an otherwise very good Whisky. The biggest problem being that it often, a.k.a. most of the time, shows to be inferior to the standard OB's. I do not know how long the DE's have been around, but this one I know is from the first year of DE-production at Cragganmore Distillery. Since that they upped the abv and has kept delivering the DE-version up until today, something must've gone right to keep the continue. Maybe I can find the answer in this one? The color is dark orange. It smells big and fruity, stearic, soapy, red wine-ish, tawny port, needs some time to open up. The taste is thick, tawny port again, prunes, orange zest, oaky, rubber. This one could've been very good if bottled at higher strength, now it just comes off as weak and oak-driven.
Give it more time in wine casks and bottle at CS, then we'll have a winner: 4
Cragganmore 19yo 1991-2010 53.8% Bladnoch Distillery Forum cask#1176
I think the Bladnoch Distillery Forum is ceasing to exist as no new casks has been released from them since the new owners took over. But I could be wrong, lets hope so. This one has a more neutral straw color. It smells rich and spicy, honeyed, cumin, chili, coriander, dried onions. More peppery after a whisle with some gruyere cheese and smoked ham. The taste is extremely peppery and drying, some water must be added. Now it gets more interesting. Big oaky notes as well as lakrisal. Vegetable oil. Very oaky and bitter, one I will always have problems with. The nose was very pleasant, but my hopes was shot to pieces as soon as the palate said oak... I'm sure many will like this way more than I did.
But as said, this is a website based on subjective whisky experiences: 3
Cragganmore 12yo 1999-2011 55.1% Malts of Scotland cask#110012
From a bourbon hogshead, I guess this might be resembling what they put into port casks for an extra period of maturation. Remember, water is added later on in the process. But then of course, it could be that this particular hogshead is of superior quality. I often enjoy the MOS-bottlings, but it seems to me that their best whisky is often extremely old or very young, such as some very old Strathislaes or Bunnahabhins, or some very young Laphroaigs or Port Charlottes. I have no idea why there seems to be so little bravery (yes, lame adjective, but I used it!) between 13-29yo's, but I think it has something to do with the market. (Why ever sell a good cask at 29yo ?!?!?) (Why ever spare a perfect 8yo for years to come, when never knowing when quality will deteriorate?) Money talks, it always has and always will. Enough about that. The color on this one is sharp orange, even when not being colored or rested in some fancy wine cask, so it seems true what Ralfy once said, "color tells you nothing". It smells spicy, floral, burning, egg yolk, burnt caramel, intense coffee, dark chocolate, a rough cragganmore it seems, pleasant indeed. The taste is thick with phenols and spices, pencil shavings, parmegiano reggiano, old genever, bitter, dark berries. Extremely strong, and I guess, so far, another very good one below 13yo. But I need to try it with a small drop of water as I think this rough style might not be everyones cup of tea. With a couple drops of water it turns mineral, salty, creamy, peanut butter, ginger, genever again, very rich and complex for its young age. If this cask was to ever be finished and bottled as a DE, I think the world would be missing out on a great whisky.
There is surely something more to Cragganmore than what the OB's tells us: 7.5
Next tasting: Royal Lochnagar Distillery
Cragganmore 17yo 1976-1993 40% Connoisseurs Choice Gordon & Macphail
There were, to put it kindly, much whisky of much varied quality in the CC-series, and I think there still is even thought the have stopped using chill-filtration and added coloring (or is it just the coloring of the whisky which has ended?). At least I think skipping one or both of thees (CF&C) will make for a very small difference in the finished product, at least for whiskies that are already diluted to 46%abv. or below. And there are many earlier bottlings in this series which was excellent despite being both colored, chill-filtered and diluted down to 40%abv altogether. This one has a nice orange hue. It smells sweet, oranges, spirity, orange zest, lots of oranges, perhaps some grassy notes as well, a very light one. The taste is bitter ale, strong, cheddar, peppery, again oranges, orange zest and tangerines. Grape fruit. The finish is short and on hay and detergent.
Fruity at first before ending very soapy. Beyond that, bland!: 3
Cragganmore 13yo 1984-1997 40% OB Distillers Edition
I have never been a big fan of these DE bottlings, it seems to me they don't finish the whisky in different wine casks to enhance it, but to create an affordable(production-wise) alternative to an otherwise very good Whisky. The biggest problem being that it often, a.k.a. most of the time, shows to be inferior to the standard OB's. I do not know how long the DE's have been around, but this one I know is from the first year of DE-production at Cragganmore Distillery. Since that they upped the abv and has kept delivering the DE-version up until today, something must've gone right to keep the continue. Maybe I can find the answer in this one? The color is dark orange. It smells big and fruity, stearic, soapy, red wine-ish, tawny port, needs some time to open up. The taste is thick, tawny port again, prunes, orange zest, oaky, rubber. This one could've been very good if bottled at higher strength, now it just comes off as weak and oak-driven.
Give it more time in wine casks and bottle at CS, then we'll have a winner: 4
Cragganmore 19yo 1991-2010 53.8% Bladnoch Distillery Forum cask#1176
I think the Bladnoch Distillery Forum is ceasing to exist as no new casks has been released from them since the new owners took over. But I could be wrong, lets hope so. This one has a more neutral straw color. It smells rich and spicy, honeyed, cumin, chili, coriander, dried onions. More peppery after a whisle with some gruyere cheese and smoked ham. The taste is extremely peppery and drying, some water must be added. Now it gets more interesting. Big oaky notes as well as lakrisal. Vegetable oil. Very oaky and bitter, one I will always have problems with. The nose was very pleasant, but my hopes was shot to pieces as soon as the palate said oak... I'm sure many will like this way more than I did.
But as said, this is a website based on subjective whisky experiences: 3
Cragganmore 12yo 1999-2011 55.1% Malts of Scotland cask#110012
From a bourbon hogshead, I guess this might be resembling what they put into port casks for an extra period of maturation. Remember, water is added later on in the process. But then of course, it could be that this particular hogshead is of superior quality. I often enjoy the MOS-bottlings, but it seems to me that their best whisky is often extremely old or very young, such as some very old Strathislaes or Bunnahabhins, or some very young Laphroaigs or Port Charlottes. I have no idea why there seems to be so little bravery (yes, lame adjective, but I used it!) between 13-29yo's, but I think it has something to do with the market. (Why ever sell a good cask at 29yo ?!?!?) (Why ever spare a perfect 8yo for years to come, when never knowing when quality will deteriorate?) Money talks, it always has and always will. Enough about that. The color on this one is sharp orange, even when not being colored or rested in some fancy wine cask, so it seems true what Ralfy once said, "color tells you nothing". It smells spicy, floral, burning, egg yolk, burnt caramel, intense coffee, dark chocolate, a rough cragganmore it seems, pleasant indeed. The taste is thick with phenols and spices, pencil shavings, parmegiano reggiano, old genever, bitter, dark berries. Extremely strong, and I guess, so far, another very good one below 13yo. But I need to try it with a small drop of water as I think this rough style might not be everyones cup of tea. With a couple drops of water it turns mineral, salty, creamy, peanut butter, ginger, genever again, very rich and complex for its young age. If this cask was to ever be finished and bottled as a DE, I think the world would be missing out on a great whisky.
There is surely something more to Cragganmore than what the OB's tells us: 7.5
Next tasting: Royal Lochnagar Distillery
søndag 6. mai 2012
H2H tasting of 2 Cardhus, 2 Knockandos and 2 Knockdhus
I have left out the Mannochmore tastings I was to have in this session, as I think they represent both older and more attractive whiskies than the standards that will be dominating this session. Anyway, a session with bottlings from distilleries that I rarely come across, and winners are few and far between, so I'm hoping to be pleasantly surprised by some of these.
Cardhu 12yo 40% OB White Label 90's bottling
With a picture of a pedestrian similar to the one on the Johnnie Walker Label on the top of the stopper. The color is lightly golden. It smells light and perfumy, some hints of old brandy and unripe apples. Light and fruity. The taste is burnt, rubbery, alcohol stings, pistachio nuts, raspberry sherbet, dusty, drying, very pleasant. I think it could make good use of a bit of water, but not much, With water it becomes lighter, more rubbery and even more perfumy. I have to say when adding water it leaves that old and pleasant style, and puts itself right into that young over-diluted style which I was afraid of.
When undiluted it's a light old styled whisky that I think many would find pleasing: 6
Cardhu 12yo 40% OB mid 00's bottling
A more recent version, with that ruby-red color on the label. Darker golden hue on this one, perhaps added some more E's or there could be some older or perhaps sherried stocks in the mix? It smells very light and perfumy, nothing to get excited about so far. The taste is even lighter and easier than the nose expected, maybe some licorice and oaky notes. Wheat and lavender. The finish is short and oaky, some grassy notes as well.
These two Cardhus has been pleasant even though a bit tame: 4.5
Knockando 12yo 1973-1985 43% OB Justerini & Brooks
The Knockando is still an important factor in the Justerini & Brooks blends even though its now owned by Diageo. Unfortunately not a distillery that they are putting a lot of effort into, but they do very well in france. It is also a very close neighbor to the Cardhu distillery which I tried very recently (about 30 minutes ago).This is a very old OB. I think Knockando is one of the few, or perhaps the only one, that has taken the time and effort to make board corks for miniature bottlings. The color of this is golden brown. It smells peppery, moss, greens, herbs, a very raw style. The taste is burnt, chilies, spices, coriander, rhubarb, smoked sausages, green beans. Very well made old style whisky.
Very good, but it would benefit enormously from higher strength: 6
Knockando 12yo 1990-2002 43% OB Justerini & Brooks
A much more recent vintage. I hope it will prove that newer versions must not depend on bottle maturation for decades before reaching a good standard. The color is similar to that of the 1973. It smells sour and bitter, lemon juice, orange cores, green leaves, spirity. The taste is sweet, cinnamon, oak, honeycorn, honey, vanilla, more in bourbon territory this one, not that it's by any means a bad thing in this case. The palate alone makes this quite an interesting whisky. One that I'd love to serve in a blind tasting and see what reactions it'd make. Surely 9/10 would never even think of Knockando.
Rich and honeyed: 6.5
Knockdhu 12yo 43% OB
Moving from Speyside to Highland then, not that its a big move, or a move at all really. This whisky is nowadays known as An Cnoc. So I guess these whiskies was bottled pre 1993. The color is light golden. It smells light and fresh, like some young Ben Nevis'es, fresh, minty, grassy, oaky, paint. The taste is sweet, burnt caramel, milk chocolate, dried fruits, banana chips, Jerusalem artichoke, earthy, a very modest malt, if one can say so, working class malt?
Rustic stuff: 4
Knockdhu 18yo 1978-1996 58.8% Adelphi cask#1888
The only one from an independent bottler in this tasting, also the only one from a single cask and the only one bottled at cask strength. I hope this will elevate this tasting to a 7+event. The taste is golden brown. It smells spirity and foamy, perfumy, sweet, sherry, burnt rubber, rosé wine. The taste is thick, malt syrup, rich, barbecue sauce, sweet chili sauce, honey, very intense. This is surely a distillery that should bottle some of their casks as SC, but I think they might be lost in the owners idea of adding to blend production and making easy profits, not any problem, but I'd hope they'd assess making some money on their good single malt whisky as well.
Thick and juicy, a rich and fruity whisky for lazy afternoons: 7
Next tasting: Cragganmore Distillery
Cardhu 12yo 40% OB White Label 90's bottling
With a picture of a pedestrian similar to the one on the Johnnie Walker Label on the top of the stopper. The color is lightly golden. It smells light and perfumy, some hints of old brandy and unripe apples. Light and fruity. The taste is burnt, rubbery, alcohol stings, pistachio nuts, raspberry sherbet, dusty, drying, very pleasant. I think it could make good use of a bit of water, but not much, With water it becomes lighter, more rubbery and even more perfumy. I have to say when adding water it leaves that old and pleasant style, and puts itself right into that young over-diluted style which I was afraid of.
When undiluted it's a light old styled whisky that I think many would find pleasing: 6
Cardhu 12yo 40% OB mid 00's bottling
A more recent version, with that ruby-red color on the label. Darker golden hue on this one, perhaps added some more E's or there could be some older or perhaps sherried stocks in the mix? It smells very light and perfumy, nothing to get excited about so far. The taste is even lighter and easier than the nose expected, maybe some licorice and oaky notes. Wheat and lavender. The finish is short and oaky, some grassy notes as well.
These two Cardhus has been pleasant even though a bit tame: 4.5
Knockando 12yo 1973-1985 43% OB Justerini & Brooks
The Knockando is still an important factor in the Justerini & Brooks blends even though its now owned by Diageo. Unfortunately not a distillery that they are putting a lot of effort into, but they do very well in france. It is also a very close neighbor to the Cardhu distillery which I tried very recently (about 30 minutes ago).This is a very old OB. I think Knockando is one of the few, or perhaps the only one, that has taken the time and effort to make board corks for miniature bottlings. The color of this is golden brown. It smells peppery, moss, greens, herbs, a very raw style. The taste is burnt, chilies, spices, coriander, rhubarb, smoked sausages, green beans. Very well made old style whisky.
Very good, but it would benefit enormously from higher strength: 6
Knockando 12yo 1990-2002 43% OB Justerini & Brooks
A much more recent vintage. I hope it will prove that newer versions must not depend on bottle maturation for decades before reaching a good standard. The color is similar to that of the 1973. It smells sour and bitter, lemon juice, orange cores, green leaves, spirity. The taste is sweet, cinnamon, oak, honeycorn, honey, vanilla, more in bourbon territory this one, not that it's by any means a bad thing in this case. The palate alone makes this quite an interesting whisky. One that I'd love to serve in a blind tasting and see what reactions it'd make. Surely 9/10 would never even think of Knockando.
Rich and honeyed: 6.5
Knockdhu 12yo 43% OB
Moving from Speyside to Highland then, not that its a big move, or a move at all really. This whisky is nowadays known as An Cnoc. So I guess these whiskies was bottled pre 1993. The color is light golden. It smells light and fresh, like some young Ben Nevis'es, fresh, minty, grassy, oaky, paint. The taste is sweet, burnt caramel, milk chocolate, dried fruits, banana chips, Jerusalem artichoke, earthy, a very modest malt, if one can say so, working class malt?
Rustic stuff: 4
Knockdhu 18yo 1978-1996 58.8% Adelphi cask#1888
The only one from an independent bottler in this tasting, also the only one from a single cask and the only one bottled at cask strength. I hope this will elevate this tasting to a 7+event. The taste is golden brown. It smells spirity and foamy, perfumy, sweet, sherry, burnt rubber, rosé wine. The taste is thick, malt syrup, rich, barbecue sauce, sweet chili sauce, honey, very intense. This is surely a distillery that should bottle some of their casks as SC, but I think they might be lost in the owners idea of adding to blend production and making easy profits, not any problem, but I'd hope they'd assess making some money on their good single malt whisky as well.
Thick and juicy, a rich and fruity whisky for lazy afternoons: 7
Next tasting: Cragganmore Distillery
lørdag 5. mai 2012
4 Auchroisks at low strength
Auchroisk is a rather young distillery established as recently as 1974. I'll try OB versions from 1975 and 1976 in this session alongside two more recent ones. Because of problems with the pronounciation the whisky from Auchroisk Distillery was earlier named "The Singleton". Today The Singleton is used for Glendullan and Dufftown and a couple more, distilleries that Diageo is perhaps not the most proud of presenting single malt bottlings of.
The Singleton of Auchroisk NAS 1975 40% OB
Distilled just one year after the opening of the distillery. The back label states that the whiskies in the mix here has all been mellowing in spanish sherry casks. The color is light brown. It smells spirity, sweet spirity cinnamon and grenadine. The taste is sweet, cinnamon, leather, dark grapes, rum, heather, honey, kiwi, licorice. Very nice old style whisky. I recognize that the casks are doing most of the talking here, but that's not a problem as long as the casks are good. I'd like to try a young cask strength bourbon-matured Auchroisk.
Smooth and light sherried whisky: 5
The Singleton of Auchroisk NAS 1976 43% OB
They found 40%abv. too low after the first OB bottling, and that shows a craving for quality products from the distilleries side. This one claims to come all from spanish sherry wood as well, but the color is a bit lighter, more of an orange hue. It smells peppery and nutty, marzipan and rum. I do like this rum-like sweetness I find in these Auchroisk's. Perhaps its a result of the short period of fermentation they do in the production at Auchroisk. The taste is heather, rum, cinnamon, raisins, honey, light and sweet. Once again I like this whisky very much, but it lacks an edge to really impress me.
3%abv. more makes for a whisky with a bit more stamina: 5.5
The Singleton of Auchroisk NAS 1981 43% OB
Same color as the 1976, also matured in spanish sherry casks. It smells strong, more honey and black pepper here, along with some herbal notes. Grassy, much less sherry notes as far as I can recognize. The taste is burnt caramel, peppery, almonds, more oaky notes and some very light heathery notes. Whipped cream and marzipan is also in the mix. Once again I find a light and sweet whisky that has little or no flaws but just lacks the character to reach a higher score.
A desert malt, one to sprinkle on top of your ice cream: 5
Auchroisk 12yo 1993-2005 43% Connoisseurs Choice Gordon & Macphail
This should be a bit different. A miniature woth a small mention on the label statinge "These whiskies are known as the Premier Cru of single malt scotsh..." continuing with some tasting notes. I do not know why G&M would use some fancy french wine-slang on their very modest CC-series. And I like the phrase "These whiskies..." I do not think there is another IB-series which varies as much in quality as the CC-series. Anyway, lets try it then. The color is of light wine. It smells sweet, vanilla, banana cream liqueur, bailey's, camphor, a totally different profile this time, and surely from a bourbon cask. The taste is sweet, light, oaky, vanilla, gin, not much whisky in this whisky (?...). It reminds me a bit of some older standard Fettercairns 10yo. Very light, malty, nutty and fresh. I have no problem with this because it is flawless, but it just needs to be spiced up a bit to draw some attention I think. Cask strength would've done the trick perhaps?
It's not Premier Cru, but its surely a good dram: 5
Next tasting: 2xKnockdhu, 2xKnockando, 2xMannochmore & 2xCardhu Distillery
The Singleton of Auchroisk NAS 1975 40% OB
Distilled just one year after the opening of the distillery. The back label states that the whiskies in the mix here has all been mellowing in spanish sherry casks. The color is light brown. It smells spirity, sweet spirity cinnamon and grenadine. The taste is sweet, cinnamon, leather, dark grapes, rum, heather, honey, kiwi, licorice. Very nice old style whisky. I recognize that the casks are doing most of the talking here, but that's not a problem as long as the casks are good. I'd like to try a young cask strength bourbon-matured Auchroisk.
Smooth and light sherried whisky: 5
The Singleton of Auchroisk NAS 1976 43% OB
They found 40%abv. too low after the first OB bottling, and that shows a craving for quality products from the distilleries side. This one claims to come all from spanish sherry wood as well, but the color is a bit lighter, more of an orange hue. It smells peppery and nutty, marzipan and rum. I do like this rum-like sweetness I find in these Auchroisk's. Perhaps its a result of the short period of fermentation they do in the production at Auchroisk. The taste is heather, rum, cinnamon, raisins, honey, light and sweet. Once again I like this whisky very much, but it lacks an edge to really impress me.
3%abv. more makes for a whisky with a bit more stamina: 5.5
The Singleton of Auchroisk NAS 1981 43% OB
Same color as the 1976, also matured in spanish sherry casks. It smells strong, more honey and black pepper here, along with some herbal notes. Grassy, much less sherry notes as far as I can recognize. The taste is burnt caramel, peppery, almonds, more oaky notes and some very light heathery notes. Whipped cream and marzipan is also in the mix. Once again I find a light and sweet whisky that has little or no flaws but just lacks the character to reach a higher score.
A desert malt, one to sprinkle on top of your ice cream: 5
Auchroisk 12yo 1993-2005 43% Connoisseurs Choice Gordon & Macphail
This should be a bit different. A miniature woth a small mention on the label statinge "These whiskies are known as the Premier Cru of single malt scotsh..." continuing with some tasting notes. I do not know why G&M would use some fancy french wine-slang on their very modest CC-series. And I like the phrase "These whiskies..." I do not think there is another IB-series which varies as much in quality as the CC-series. Anyway, lets try it then. The color is of light wine. It smells sweet, vanilla, banana cream liqueur, bailey's, camphor, a totally different profile this time, and surely from a bourbon cask. The taste is sweet, light, oaky, vanilla, gin, not much whisky in this whisky (?...). It reminds me a bit of some older standard Fettercairns 10yo. Very light, malty, nutty and fresh. I have no problem with this because it is flawless, but it just needs to be spiced up a bit to draw some attention I think. Cask strength would've done the trick perhaps?
It's not Premier Cru, but its surely a good dram: 5
Next tasting: 2xKnockdhu, 2xKnockando, 2xMannochmore & 2xCardhu Distillery
fredag 4. mai 2012
Recommending one ale (What?!?!!!)
At a beer event on a local pub a few weeks back I tried a few beers, but one stood out more so than any other. If you want a nice beer that's creamy thick, matured in great casks and bottled at a perfect strength. It might come a bit pricy, but I think its absolutely worth it. If you ever get a chance please try this one:
Fuller's Vintage Ale 2010 8.5% Griffin Brewery
(and of course, all bottles are individually numbered)
Fuller's Vintage Ale 2010 8.5% Griffin Brewery
(and of course, all bottles are individually numbered)
torsdag 3. mai 2012
Tasting 4 Glenrothes
I remember my last Glenrothes session, 3 cask strengths all in the late teens and worthy around 8 points. This session has some more diverse bottlings, but I still have high hopes. G&M, Murray McDavid, Hart Brothers and Scott's Selection makes for an interesting line-up, and quite unpredictable as well. I have at some points found all of these bottlers varying from utter great cask selections to bottling sub par whiskies. Lets hope I'm in for a treat.
Glenrothes 17yo 1978-1995 40% G&M Centenary Reserve
There has been some great bottling in this centenary Reserve series, especially some older sherried ones. Golden hue. It smells rich and spicy, sweet dried chili, barbecue sauce, dried red paprika, sun-dried tomatoes, white wine vinegar, roasted apples and squash. The taste is very sweet, marshmallows, pickles, orange marmalade. Very sweet with some lightly bitter notes that reminds me a bit of red dessert sauce, summer berries and dry white wine. A good one for sure, but the finish is rather short and weak. Very short, gone in the flashes of flashes. Perhaps some water will open it up a bit. Water makes for some heather and wheaty notes. The red fruits and spiciness disappears. A nice spirit, perfect example to show what difference just a small drop of water do to a whisky.
A nice one, but it'd be so much better if undiluted I think: 6
Glenrothes 11yo 1998-2009 46% Murray McDavid
The most recent bottling in this session. I think that Glenrothes is a whisky that we'll be seeing less and less from, when it comes to IB bottlings in the future, as they are releasing quite a number of good single cask bottlings on their own nowadays. It smells very rich and spicy, sulphury, honeyed, cinnamon, tarragon, smoked sausage, dried sweet chili, chorizo, chicken broth. The taste is burnt, burnt toast, roasted almonds, garlic bread, gasoline fume, a bit extreme. The aftertaste is peppery. Once again I think a bit of water will, well, if not help, at least make for a small change of character. With some water added it turns more perfumy and bitter. I'm not as excited about this as I was with the centenary reserve. A shame since this is the most recent version.
Rough stuff, one to cherish in small amounts at a time: 4.5
Glenrothes 10yo 1992-2003 46% Hart Brothers
A fairly recent bottling. I have not tried many bottlings from Hart Brothers, but I remember one Tamdhu at 33yo which was excellent. But the age difference makes little room for fair comparison to this one. The color is white wine. It smells light and peppery. It both smell and tastes of vanilla cream and black pepper. Clean, light and enjoyable. All in all this is a whisky that one can enjoy without putting on the critic glasses. Go on enjoy, its a guilty pleasure as one might find it undeniably weird that such a light little unsherried and unpeated youngster can make for so much enjoyment. Pure, clean and good fun. This is creamy, lots of vanilla cream and. Very nice.
A combination of mellow malted barley and bourbon cask(s): 6.5
Glen Rothes 26yo 1974-2000 50.5% Scott's Selection
The oldest both in vintage and maturation age in this ession. And the only one bottled at cask strength. Should be interesting. The color is golden. It smells rich, honey and cigars, toffee and liquid caramel. A sweet treat. Also some spiciness, sweet chili, leather, malt syrup and dark berries. These notes of sweet blueberries and blackberries are amazing. The taste is sweet, black berries, cinnamon, marshmallows, flour sugar, honey, spicy, sweet chili, red wine vinegar, raisins, wine gum. The aftertaste is peppery, horseradish and red onions. A whisky that despite being very complex lets the spirit stand out much more than the wood influence.
And by the way, I think Glenrothes should always be bottled at cask strength: 8
Next tasting: Glenallachie Distillery
Glenrothes 17yo 1978-1995 40% G&M Centenary Reserve
There has been some great bottling in this centenary Reserve series, especially some older sherried ones. Golden hue. It smells rich and spicy, sweet dried chili, barbecue sauce, dried red paprika, sun-dried tomatoes, white wine vinegar, roasted apples and squash. The taste is very sweet, marshmallows, pickles, orange marmalade. Very sweet with some lightly bitter notes that reminds me a bit of red dessert sauce, summer berries and dry white wine. A good one for sure, but the finish is rather short and weak. Very short, gone in the flashes of flashes. Perhaps some water will open it up a bit. Water makes for some heather and wheaty notes. The red fruits and spiciness disappears. A nice spirit, perfect example to show what difference just a small drop of water do to a whisky.
A nice one, but it'd be so much better if undiluted I think: 6
Glenrothes 11yo 1998-2009 46% Murray McDavid
The most recent bottling in this session. I think that Glenrothes is a whisky that we'll be seeing less and less from, when it comes to IB bottlings in the future, as they are releasing quite a number of good single cask bottlings on their own nowadays. It smells very rich and spicy, sulphury, honeyed, cinnamon, tarragon, smoked sausage, dried sweet chili, chorizo, chicken broth. The taste is burnt, burnt toast, roasted almonds, garlic bread, gasoline fume, a bit extreme. The aftertaste is peppery. Once again I think a bit of water will, well, if not help, at least make for a small change of character. With some water added it turns more perfumy and bitter. I'm not as excited about this as I was with the centenary reserve. A shame since this is the most recent version.
Rough stuff, one to cherish in small amounts at a time: 4.5
Glenrothes 10yo 1992-2003 46% Hart Brothers
A fairly recent bottling. I have not tried many bottlings from Hart Brothers, but I remember one Tamdhu at 33yo which was excellent. But the age difference makes little room for fair comparison to this one. The color is white wine. It smells light and peppery. It both smell and tastes of vanilla cream and black pepper. Clean, light and enjoyable. All in all this is a whisky that one can enjoy without putting on the critic glasses. Go on enjoy, its a guilty pleasure as one might find it undeniably weird that such a light little unsherried and unpeated youngster can make for so much enjoyment. Pure, clean and good fun. This is creamy, lots of vanilla cream and. Very nice.
A combination of mellow malted barley and bourbon cask(s): 6.5
Glen Rothes 26yo 1974-2000 50.5% Scott's Selection
The oldest both in vintage and maturation age in this ession. And the only one bottled at cask strength. Should be interesting. The color is golden. It smells rich, honey and cigars, toffee and liquid caramel. A sweet treat. Also some spiciness, sweet chili, leather, malt syrup and dark berries. These notes of sweet blueberries and blackberries are amazing. The taste is sweet, black berries, cinnamon, marshmallows, flour sugar, honey, spicy, sweet chili, red wine vinegar, raisins, wine gum. The aftertaste is peppery, horseradish and red onions. A whisky that despite being very complex lets the spirit stand out much more than the wood influence.
And by the way, I think Glenrothes should always be bottled at cask strength: 8
Next tasting: Glenallachie Distillery
tirsdag 1. mai 2012
Mixed Session: Some Highlanders & Some Speysiders
Reading my list of whiskies I'm now done with, must not be read as a critic of those distilleries and their produce, why I will be concentrating on a smaller number of distilleries going forth from here, is a decided based on many factors. There are some whiskies that I have tried just a lot of, and I think its not worth the effort to chase more of. Some of the whiskies in this session there is some whiskies that I probably won't try again for a while, unless something really strikes me as interesting. As said, there will not be any young Dufftown or Isle of Jura verticals again anytime soon, but if a bottling of one of those really makes me curious, for sure, I will have a go at it. So, perhaps more quality instead of quantity will be tasted from some distilleries in the following months. 6 different whiskies of unforeseen caliber today then.
Edit: And by the way, my last session was my sestercentennial post on this page, and even though only celebrated with a small Loch Lomond vertical, to me it was a small milestone.
Glen Moray 13yo 1980-1993 43% Master of Malt cask#80,81 btl.62/240
Glen Moray matures almost (or) all of their produce in white wine casks. I do not know enough about this, or if this practice is still going on, but it sure makes for an interesting alternative to sherry and port if proven successful. The color is light, white wine. It smells spirity, oaky, dry white wine, citrus, lemon rind, lemon juice, green apples. Kind of fresh and fruity, a summers malt? The taste is bitter and citrussy, all on dry white wine again, I wouldn't go as far saying it resembles a fino sherry, but there's some very nice citrussy and earthy notes. The finish is unexpectedly short after such a characteristic palate, and leaves a little to be desired. Some nice citrus and salty notes, Like a tequila shot, except the tequila. Hmm... I do like it, but I can sure see why it's never made for a popular-by-demand whisky.
Assertive young whisky, but lacks some on the finish: 6
Edradour 12yo 1997-2010 43% Signatory Vintage cask#462
One from a sherry butt, I think S/V has many of them lying around, but it doesn't say anything about it being fresh or ex-. Orange pulp color. It smells of sherry and herbs, that's a new one for me. Seems the whisky also gets a word in. Edradour Distillery usually produces one of the lighter spirits. Give it some time and the sherry takes full control here. Lemongrass and thyme, some grenadine and sunflowers. Floral and herbal. Yet there is some sweetness from the sherry which I could easily mistake for some sweet berry syrup. The taste is light, floral hints of coconut and light peppers. Oak, some leather and grease. It's a bit of a dirty whisky, which in many aspects could've been taken for an older whisky, not necessarily better. I wish this one was bottled at CS, I think it might be a surprise winner in my book.
A dirty and bewildered whisky, doesn't seem to fit being bottled so young and weak: 4.5
Craigellachie 17yo 1991-2008 43% Gordon & Macphail Connoisseurs Choice
Another one of those more recent bottlings from the CC-series of G&M. They had a short spell at 43%abv before deciding to jump all the way up to 46%abv strength. I don't know if it has made any significent quality in the whiskies bottled in this series. Seems to me it still is a sub-par series bottling much stuff that otherwise could go to blends or such. But, some older bottlings, and a couple new ones has distracted me from completely giving up on this series, and by the way, it is usually much more affordable than other IB series. I guess you usually get what you give in the whisky world as well. White wine color. It smells oaky, lilac paint, spirity, heather, sand, salty notes, beer batter, dried onions, old steam house, well, it actually is a good one so far. The taste is all on apple juice and vodka. Something for the "a bit too" young ones? Now, this is a first for me, just to prove my sincerity. I have now mixed 3/5 apple juice and 2/5 vodka, and it is pretty much the same apart the horrible spirity vodka notes. The finish is all onions and greens. Grassy! I think, excepts some poor Littlemills, this is as grassy as you get it. Remember the scents when emptying the lawnmower as a child, this is what I think it'd taste like. Some peppery notes as well, but most of all its weeds and grassy notes.
The nose was great, the rest was a bit thin, so to speak: 4
Oban 15yo 1993-2008 43% OB Distillers Edition 157.FT
So, I really like the 14yo OB, and this one finished one year in montillado casks should make for a pleasing alternative as there aren't many Obans around. I think I've had one from Cadenhead's which was great, but nowadays it seems the distilleries, or their owners, are much more restricted when releasing their whisky to IB's. It smells oaky and smoky, not peaty, just smoky. Don't know the difference? Have this one beside a young CS Laphroaig and smell them both without tasting. Great stuff, fresh on the nose, a bit burnt, honey, coffee, bell peppers, corn flakes, licorice, plum wine. The taste is a bit boring, it lacks the rawness and optimism (excuse my language) that I find in the 14yo. This is a tamed whisky.
If you have the choice, try the 14yo standard OB before this one, it is worlds apart: 2.5
Glen Ord 12yo 1999-2011 54.4% Malts of Scotland cask#110013
I've had a very good experience with Glen Ord back in the days as the 12yo miniatuer I bought in Rose, London back in 2006 was one of my first ever knowledges of single malt whisky. Since then its been mostly misses. Perhaps this can restore my faith in this otherwise neutral distillery (not that it's produce is neutral, by far). The color is light brown/orange. It smells much bigger than the prior ones in this tasting, is it only due to the alcohol content being bigger? dried meat and blood oranges is my first hint. Meaty and citrussy. The taste is zesty, something metallic, old carpets, cinnamon, hash browns, rubber, glue, limes, cucumbers. One might say this not malty enough, but I think its great.
Very good whisky, one to get more familiar with, given the opportunity: 5.5
Glen Elgin 13yo 59.5% Cadenhead's
A very interesting whisky. Glen Elgin has always been one of my favorite whiskies thus far. But it is a lot of work to find them amongst all other IB favorites (read:Linkwood). I personally think Cadenhead's is one of the most overlooked IB's with James MacArthur's and Scott's Selection. I hope this one will be an inspiration helping that matter, not that I think the people in the industry are at all interested in my opinion though. But expressing it will never be a waste of time. The color is about as pale as it gets. White wine. It smells a bit burnt and spirity, hard to understand, but it really smells like acid and paint thinner. The taste is peppery and burnt. I'm thinking of some burnt raisins and old wood. This is an old style malt for sure.
How long to keep hope?: 7
Next tasting: Glenrothes Distillery
Edit: And by the way, my last session was my sestercentennial post on this page, and even though only celebrated with a small Loch Lomond vertical, to me it was a small milestone.
Glen Moray 13yo 1980-1993 43% Master of Malt cask#80,81 btl.62/240
Glen Moray matures almost (or) all of their produce in white wine casks. I do not know enough about this, or if this practice is still going on, but it sure makes for an interesting alternative to sherry and port if proven successful. The color is light, white wine. It smells spirity, oaky, dry white wine, citrus, lemon rind, lemon juice, green apples. Kind of fresh and fruity, a summers malt? The taste is bitter and citrussy, all on dry white wine again, I wouldn't go as far saying it resembles a fino sherry, but there's some very nice citrussy and earthy notes. The finish is unexpectedly short after such a characteristic palate, and leaves a little to be desired. Some nice citrus and salty notes, Like a tequila shot, except the tequila. Hmm... I do like it, but I can sure see why it's never made for a popular-by-demand whisky.
Assertive young whisky, but lacks some on the finish: 6
Edradour 12yo 1997-2010 43% Signatory Vintage cask#462
One from a sherry butt, I think S/V has many of them lying around, but it doesn't say anything about it being fresh or ex-. Orange pulp color. It smells of sherry and herbs, that's a new one for me. Seems the whisky also gets a word in. Edradour Distillery usually produces one of the lighter spirits. Give it some time and the sherry takes full control here. Lemongrass and thyme, some grenadine and sunflowers. Floral and herbal. Yet there is some sweetness from the sherry which I could easily mistake for some sweet berry syrup. The taste is light, floral hints of coconut and light peppers. Oak, some leather and grease. It's a bit of a dirty whisky, which in many aspects could've been taken for an older whisky, not necessarily better. I wish this one was bottled at CS, I think it might be a surprise winner in my book.
A dirty and bewildered whisky, doesn't seem to fit being bottled so young and weak: 4.5
Craigellachie 17yo 1991-2008 43% Gordon & Macphail Connoisseurs Choice
Another one of those more recent bottlings from the CC-series of G&M. They had a short spell at 43%abv before deciding to jump all the way up to 46%abv strength. I don't know if it has made any significent quality in the whiskies bottled in this series. Seems to me it still is a sub-par series bottling much stuff that otherwise could go to blends or such. But, some older bottlings, and a couple new ones has distracted me from completely giving up on this series, and by the way, it is usually much more affordable than other IB series. I guess you usually get what you give in the whisky world as well. White wine color. It smells oaky, lilac paint, spirity, heather, sand, salty notes, beer batter, dried onions, old steam house, well, it actually is a good one so far. The taste is all on apple juice and vodka. Something for the "a bit too" young ones? Now, this is a first for me, just to prove my sincerity. I have now mixed 3/5 apple juice and 2/5 vodka, and it is pretty much the same apart the horrible spirity vodka notes. The finish is all onions and greens. Grassy! I think, excepts some poor Littlemills, this is as grassy as you get it. Remember the scents when emptying the lawnmower as a child, this is what I think it'd taste like. Some peppery notes as well, but most of all its weeds and grassy notes.
The nose was great, the rest was a bit thin, so to speak: 4
Oban 15yo 1993-2008 43% OB Distillers Edition 157.FT
So, I really like the 14yo OB, and this one finished one year in montillado casks should make for a pleasing alternative as there aren't many Obans around. I think I've had one from Cadenhead's which was great, but nowadays it seems the distilleries, or their owners, are much more restricted when releasing their whisky to IB's. It smells oaky and smoky, not peaty, just smoky. Don't know the difference? Have this one beside a young CS Laphroaig and smell them both without tasting. Great stuff, fresh on the nose, a bit burnt, honey, coffee, bell peppers, corn flakes, licorice, plum wine. The taste is a bit boring, it lacks the rawness and optimism (excuse my language) that I find in the 14yo. This is a tamed whisky.
If you have the choice, try the 14yo standard OB before this one, it is worlds apart: 2.5
Glen Ord 12yo 1999-2011 54.4% Malts of Scotland cask#110013
I've had a very good experience with Glen Ord back in the days as the 12yo miniatuer I bought in Rose, London back in 2006 was one of my first ever knowledges of single malt whisky. Since then its been mostly misses. Perhaps this can restore my faith in this otherwise neutral distillery (not that it's produce is neutral, by far). The color is light brown/orange. It smells much bigger than the prior ones in this tasting, is it only due to the alcohol content being bigger? dried meat and blood oranges is my first hint. Meaty and citrussy. The taste is zesty, something metallic, old carpets, cinnamon, hash browns, rubber, glue, limes, cucumbers. One might say this not malty enough, but I think its great.
Very good whisky, one to get more familiar with, given the opportunity: 5.5
Glen Elgin 13yo 59.5% Cadenhead's
A very interesting whisky. Glen Elgin has always been one of my favorite whiskies thus far. But it is a lot of work to find them amongst all other IB favorites (read:Linkwood). I personally think Cadenhead's is one of the most overlooked IB's with James MacArthur's and Scott's Selection. I hope this one will be an inspiration helping that matter, not that I think the people in the industry are at all interested in my opinion though. But expressing it will never be a waste of time. The color is about as pale as it gets. White wine. It smells a bit burnt and spirity, hard to understand, but it really smells like acid and paint thinner. The taste is peppery and burnt. I'm thinking of some burnt raisins and old wood. This is an old style malt for sure.
How long to keep hope?: 7
Next tasting: Glenrothes Distillery
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