Old Hobart NAS 60% Tasmania Distillery

This is a "Pure Single Malt Australian Whisky", which was bottled at cask strength. No age, but it could very well be an older one, remember, plastic bottles like this was more likely in the 80's/90's. It's Actually my second ever Australian malt. Some evaporation. The color is white wine. It smells kinda raw and spirity, grassy, tangerine, burnt rubber, lighter fluid, I can't smell this no more, sincerely, I've fueled my car with gasoline that smelled more appetizing than this. The taste is extremely sweet, burnt sugar upon burnt sugar, and a finish of sugar and glue that way overstays its welcome. Let's add a drop of water to see if there's any salvation to be found here. Now it turns even sweeter, and spirity as it gets

Yeah, yeah, yeah, gotta crawl before you can walk and all that, but its horrible whisky: 1



Next tasting: A sherry-matured german single malt...

Bourbon again...

Bulleit Frontier Whiskey NAS 45% Bulleit Distilling Co.

A bourbon that's yet to make a name for itself here in Norway. It consists of corn, malted barley and rye. It should be made from an old recipe. Well, so they say, don't they. The color is orange brown. It smells coffee, syrup, wort, caramel, young cognac, mango chutney, vinegar, jalapenos. The taste is peppery, cardboard, mineral, tannic, dry, pretty poor in my opinion, but then again, I'm pretty much a stranger to bourbon. The finish is sticky sweet, caramel pudding and burnt sugar.

Time to renew their recipe?: 2



Knob Creek 9yo 50% Small Batch Knob Creek Distillery

This does at least look the part. I don't know wether smaller batches are generally better in flavor than bigger batches, or its just a selling point due to its hints at bigger exclusivity. The color is light copper. It smells very oaky, cedar wood, apple peel, pineapple juice, apple cider, calvados, young champagne. The taste is sweet, caramel, brown sugar, rice starch, dark chocolate, vanilla, caramel. This one is much more to my liking. The finish is peppery, fish sauce, dark roast coffee, a nice edge to this otherwise very sweet bourbon.

For late afternoons, with some shortbread and a cup of tea: 6.5



Next tasting: Going down under

Bourbon time! Jim Beam & Wild Turkey

Jim Beam NAS 43% Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Its stated on the left side of the label that this whiskey is 4 years old, which is half the age of the Wild Turkey. An export bottle for Germany. Maybe I'm a bit of a romantic, but I think the squared bottles are much cooler when it comes to bourbon than scotch. The color is brown amber, probably adjusted. It smells grainy, spirity, charcoal, soot, burnt wood, burnt sugar, rye grain, oatmeal. It seems a bit rough and unfinished at this point. The taste is acidic, earthy, vinegary, grassy, plain spirit, starch. Raw and heavy on a lot of flavors, that when they do work on a tasting profile, seems somewhat better measured, or balanced if you like. The finish is on sawdust and alcohol, thankfully rather short.

I'm far from being a Jim Beam fan, and this doesn't bring me any closer: 2


Wild Turkey 8yo 50.5% Kentucky Straight Bourbon

This was distilled at the Austin Nichols Distillery.. Did I get that right? Distillery and Distilling Company is the same..? Bourbon whisky is not my strong point, I'll easily admit that. The color is just the same as the Jim Beam. It smells heather, oatmeal, mashed grain, baby food, porridge, yeast, peppery, hints of some sweet tart, cranberries, raisins, kirsch. The taste is hazelnuts, almonds, dry licorice, honey, wax, vanilla, dark chocolate, heather, a rich and very welcome surprise. I could easily enjoy this one any day of the week. The finish is honey, cinnamon and charcoal.

The nose was a bit off, the rest was great: 7



Next tasting: Even more American whiskey

Pommerscher Greif NAS 43% OB/IB? Germany

"Single Malt & Grain"?!? That seems a bit over the top. If its is a single malt mixed with grain thay could just call it a blend. Or if both the malt and grain are "singles" from the same distillery, Mönchguter Hofbrennerei, then I guess its a single blend. "Distilling since 2007". A young whisky I presume, but at least its unchill-filtered, ahem, "unfiltered" it says. Matured in both bourbon and sherry casks. The color is golden, no shine. It smells sweet, vanilla, custard cream, wheat, floured sugar, marshmallows, more candy than whisky it seems. The taste is light, marshmallows, vanilla, butterscotch, cinnamon, meringue, custard, sweet malty notes, cereal, syrup. Utter blend style! The finish is sweet on sweet on sweet. Oh yes, this is batch#2 and it was bottled in 2012, 5 years old then. I bet this would climb higher on my rating if it was at a higher strength.

Serve chilled on a hot summers day: 5



Next tasting: Whiskey from the US of A

Jameson NAS 40% OB

The only need a Jameson fulfills in this household, is the whisky part of an irish coffee. But then one day, as this plastic container caught my eye, I thought of the Statesman blend a couple months back. It took me by surprise as a drinkable and not off-putting cheap blend. So why not try a bigger brand of mass-produced, watered-down blend (Do they call it blended in Ireland?). Jameson it is! The color is golden. It smells grainy, spirity, light perfume, burnt toast, not much more.. The taste is nutty, sugar, palm sugar, oak, vanilla. No finish. I was wondering why some of my irish coffee had little or no whisky flavor. I imagine even a strong tea could overpower the taste of this whisky.

Light, gentle, I'm amazed this holds even 40%abv.: 4



Next tasting: Germany

short session including Islay peat, Island peat, Ireland peat, Highland peat and a dark horse...

Tasting a series of some peated whiskies from different regions, and a small surprise in the mix, from a distillery which I haven't tried an a good while... Remember, initial score only, based on just the tiniest sip and no water added.


1. Benriach 12yo 2009 46% OB Heredotus Fumosis

Did they run out of gaelic names? This is a peated Benriach finished in a PX sherry hogshead. The color is golden. It smells peat, dry, slightly Ben Nevis, rhubarb, turmeric, phenols, leather, tobacco, a rather polished peat monster. The taste is malty, sweet, malt syrup, ginger, honey, white peppercorns, wasabi, root vegetables, boiled cabbage. The finish is peaty, phenolic, tannins, rather unpleasant.

Initial score: 3


2. Glen Peat Class 18yo 50% Malts of Scotland Batch#2

Since there are no "Glen-distilleries" on Islay, or any other Island, I guess this should be a peated Highlander or Speysider? Maybe its not even a single malt? I have little info on this one. The color is auburn. It smells sweet, waxy, heather, floral, cinnamon, vanilla, custard, mustard, a whole other story. The taste is peppery, marzipan, vanilla, black pepper, waxy, salty, some Clynelish here? Once again, it could just as well be an Islay malt with this kind of profile. The finish is lemon, sour, drying, some peat and dry licorice as well.

Initial score: 4.5


3. Arran 6yo 2005-2011 55% OB for the Nectar Belgium

A young peated Arran from a Bourbon cask. I don't know wether this was bottled at CS or not. The color is golden. It smells vanilla, caramel, syrup, butter, very sweet and less peaty than what I expected. Reminds me a bit of the 1997 Fettercairn from cask#2320. After some breathing, there's a small punch of peat on the nose. The taste is all on gingerbread, peat, ashes, tobacco, malt syrup, camphor, cinnamon, caramelized bananas, brown sugar. The finish is bitter, ginger, grassy, herbal notes.

Initial score: 4.5


4. Connemara NAS 2010 58.2% OB Turf Moor

An Irish peated whisky, not much of that around, but its coming along. The color is white wine. I wouldn't be surprised if this is another 5-7yo. It smells peaty, wool, ashes, struck matches, burnt cedar wood, sweet white wine, sauternes, bananas. The taste is burnt oak, raw, spirity, peppery, a mixture of peat and little influenced spirit. Reminds me of a peated newmake from Bladnoch which I had a couple of years back. The finish is grainy and austere.

Initial score: 3.5


5. Mannochmore 15yo 1984-1999 60.7% MacKillop's Choice cask#3696

Long time, no Mannochmore. Time to change that. The color is dark amber. It smells chili oil, burning, roasted cumin, tarragon, dry sherry, amoroso sherry notes, coal. The taste is honey, apple cider, cinnamon, prunes, sweet vinegar, cranberry juice. The finish is peppery, vinegar, soy sauce.

Initial score: 7.5


6. House Malt 9yo 2003-2012 43% Wilson & Morgan Born on Islay cask#12592,12593,12594,12595,2596,12597

Another one from an undisclosed distillery, could very well be a Bunnahabhain, with no peat at all. Quite some casks in the mix. But please remember, single casks aren't necessarily better than a mix of different casks. The color is dark amber. It smells leather, vanilla, butterscotch, dark chocolate, perfumy, satin, rich and clean. The taste is on licorice, rubber and bath salts, light and clean, nothing advanced here. The finish is light and easy.

Initial score: 3.5


7. Kilchoman 3yo 2011 50% OB Inaugural 100% Islay

Since Kilchoman is a farm distillery and have their own malting floor, I wonder when they'll release a 100% Kilchoman bottling. The color here is white wine. It smells peaty, flinty, pear cider, coastal, sea salt, brine, stilton, much more Islay indeed! The taste is vanilla, maritime peat, salt water and clay, wheat biscuits, Islay gin (you know the distillery). The finish is peppery, coastal, smoke, ashes, seal salt, cod liver, rubber boots, tarry.

Initial score: 7


8. Kildalton Cross NAS 53.2% Malts of Scotland Images of Islay

I'm utmost positivt this is a whisky from Ardbeg Distillery. It's been a while since I last had an Ardbeg. The color is white wine. It smells heavy peat, ashes, leather, chalk, used spunge, coal, really peaty, reminds me of older batches of the TEN. The taste is coal, ashes, peppery, sea salt, cedar wood, struck matches. The finish is on ashes, vanilla, honey drops and black pepper. I so hope for more IB Ardbegs in years to come.

Initial score: 7.5


9. Bowmore 10yo 55.1% OB Tempest batch#4

Fourth batch of this series of 1st fill bourbon matured Bowmores. I remember batch#1 very well, one of the better I had from this distillery. The color is golden. It smells peppery, chili, buttery, peat, stamp glue, sulphur, ashes, cooked bananas, hairspray, caramel. The taste is burnt, peppery, rubber, ashes, coal, licorice, juniper berries, burnt. This seems a bit younger than what I remember from previous batches. The finish is peaty, ashes, drying, pretty humble for an Islay whisky.

Initial score: 6



Next tasting: One Irish whiskey before taking on some other countries...

Ardbeg 10yo 46% OB L07

L07 means this comes from a batch of Ardbeg bottled in 2007. Which again means the youngest whisky in this mix would be distilled in 1997. But remember, since there's no vintage, there could very well be older whisky than 10yo mixed in here. The color is white wine. I've heard that the 10yo have become a bit more pungent in the last years. This one smells tarry, coastal, salty. smoked haddock, earthy, clay, less peaty than how I remember it. The taste is tarry, oil, salty, peat, waxy, coastal, gasoline, earthy, smoked cinnamon, envelope glue, vinegary chowder, it's still not as feisty as I remember it, salty licorice on the finish. I rarely add water to "pre-diluted" young whiskies with this level of peat, but perhaps it could help this one open up a bit, showing more of its origin that is. With water, now it shows more peat, tar and peppery notes on the palate, just a notch I might add, and that is about it.

I've earlier given Ardbeg TEN an healthy 8, but this one is just not up there: 6



Next tasting: Big mix of peated whiskies

Knockdhu 10yo 1998-2008 46% The Warehouse Collection

Whiskies from Knockdhu Distillery are usually bottled under the name "an Cnoc". This one comes from a single bourbon hogshead. The color is white wine. It smells rich, spicy, butter, vanilla, honey glazed almonds, pistachio, caramel, peanut butter, syrupy, rubber, rich and sweet with a hint of tart, a sure winner in my book. The taste is butter, garlic, vanilla, heather, asparagus, tonic water, grapefruit, bittersweet, green bell peppers. This is a refreshingly simple whisky without being too spirity or oak-driven. The distillate and cask plays well together. The finish is licorice, peppery, malty, not far from the an Cnoc 12yo imho.

I was a bit worried with a diluted 10yo from an IB, now I have no worries: 6.5



Next tasting: Ardbeg Distillery