Clynelish 11yo 1982-1993 66.7% Cadenhead's
A clynelish at this %abv, will the peat be overpowered by the high strength? This was distilled in the mid eighties when the future for scottish distilleries didn't look so bright. Anyway, Rocketfuel, here we go.. The colour is light, the smell burns the nostrils, extreme in every way, the peat is evident but the alcohol does the most of the talking. Some restrained mint and vanilla as well. Kind of exciting. The taste is sweet, peppery and lots of vanilla, custard, rhubarb, strawberries, red onions, dry, lots of spices, garlic, herbal butter and dried meat. There's a lot going on here, but its all very good and reconciled as the high strength just improves all the good flavors.
Perfect, nothing more, nothing less, my third one so far I think: 10
Clynelish 12yo 40% OB Gordon & Macphail 70's
about half the age up from the previous three, Clynelish is one that I know is talked much abot when it comes to older whiskies from the 80's and back, but not as much what recent versions is concerned. I have yet to fall for this whisky as much as many others. Can this old&young version convince me? Smells peaty and fresh, certainly a highland style that can be found in Balblair and Ben Nevis amongst others. Fresh mountain air, creme brulé, and dark roasted peppers. The taste is sweet, peppery, peaty, fresh, mountain air, wild berries, green bananas and indian spices i.e. garam masala.
Quite amazing: 8
Clynelish 14yo 46% OB
I've sure waited a long time before trying this one. I have recently tried other nice expressions of this malt, hopefully the 14yo will show to be all its cracked up to. It smells peppery, waxy, dusty, really old style and friendly malt. The taste is again extremely peppery, peaty, the extreme peatiness I find in some of the Islays, for instance Laphroaig and Lagavulin. It works to a certain extent but it lacks the saltiness to stand out alongside the peat.
Maybe my expectations were too high here: 4.5
Clynelish 10yo 43% OB Hedges & Butler
I don't know this IB or where it comes from, and the bottle is made of plastic, I've only tried one plastic bottled whisky before and that was a Tomintoul OB. Golden colour, smells of restrained peat and fresh highland notes, a double-sided whisky? The taste is light and creamy, excessive highland style with a finish of nice oaky peat. This is a perfect light starter whisky with enough peat to make it stand apart from other highland malts. Better than many of the Broras and older Clynlishes I've tried.
Light, fat, creamy, peaty, all in perfect order: 7.5
Clynelish 13yo 1995-2008 58.2% Signatory Vintage
A young CS from this peated highlander, Smells lovely, mountain air, sea breeze, the best of two worlds, amazingly fresh and clean. The taste is waxy and sour, red grapes. It needs some water as the taste is very intense, but if you like lots of wax upon some sour and bitter grapes, take it neat. The taste is is much stronger when water's added. Much better bare, water makes it spirity and nothing else happens, reminds me now of some Littlemills.
Good alone, rubbish with water: 4.5
Clynelish 15yo 1992-2007 43% OB DE
Distillers edition finished in Oloroso sherry cask from Clynelish. Smells round, floral, light, burnt pork fat, oily meat stock, a strange smell. The taste is waxy, peppery, woody, not as sophisticated as the 14yo unfortunately. This could benefit from a higher strength as it is kind of bland. The aftertaste is short and burnt, I'm afraid I'm still no fan of these Distillery Edition double maturations.
Nice and gentle Clynelish: 5.5
Clynelish 10yo 1992-2002 59.8% James MacArthur Cask Strength
This one is immensely strong, and needs to be diluted, it smells of chlorine and antibacterial liquid. It's a very pale malt, at the paler end of the white wine scale. No doubt this is bourbon-matured. Very soft an mellow at first, white bread, cereals and some vanilla. The aftertaste is a powerful punch of pepper and salty bisquits. A bit too macho for me, but anyhow, not bad at all.
Just a simple whisky: 4
Clynelish 15yo 1980-1995 43% Signatory Vintage
Warm and zesty odor, a combination of honey, mustard and barbeque on this Brora-successor. It has an evident sting of alcohol, but aside from that it is unfortunately very moderate. There are something peppery going on, needs some water, reminds me of some of the young Bowmores.
Pretty robust, but not much more: 2
onsdag 4. mai 2011
tirsdag 3. mai 2011
8 Tamdhu's tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Tamdhu 30yo 1963-1993 48.2% Cadenhead's
A strange looking old Tamdhu, kind of hazy, could oxidation inside a bottle lead to this? If so the cork have not been as tight as it should. It smells off, raw alcohol, bourbon notes, just lacking the vanilla and black peppery notes. I expected a bit more this far. The taste is peppery and sweet, fernet-like just without the horrible toothpaste flavor. A bitter, herbal 30yo.
If its Tamdhu I never know what to expect: 3.5
Tamdhu 8yo 40% The Macphail's Collection, Gordon & Macphail
Tamdhu usually is a brilliant whisky when older and often sherry-matured. I've rarely tried it this young. I don't know what separates The Macphail's Collection from the usual CC collection from G&M, it's shortly described on the G&M site as "...single malt whiskies from five key malt whisky regions, Island, Highlands, Campbeltown, Speyside and Islay". It smells sour, flinty, like sour sauce or barbeque. This one smells very light and has absolutely no punch. Some banana flavour, slightly sweet aftertaste.
Tamdhu 8yo 40% OB Gordon & Macphail 70's
Tamdhu's out of business, but for how long? Hopefully they'll start producing in a couple years, or maybe they'll resurrect into a glorious renaissance in a decade or so with lots of old stock to put in the Vattings. This one has no scent at all, there's absolutely nothing there, maybe some cinnamon tea or grassy stuff, but very hard to detect. Given some time more of a cinnamon and sulfur. The taste is peppery, chili, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, pesto, green paprika, flavors of the mediterranean?
Old sherry style: 6.5
Tamdhu 10yo 40% OB
One slightly peated Speyside malt, this one heirs from probably the 80's or early 90's. I'm sniffing cinnamon, syrup, hickory barbeque sauce and fried olive oil. The taste is peppery and smoked, salty bisquits, camphor drops and rustic ham. I do not recommend adding water to this one, as it only sets back the already swell flavours. The aftertaste is kind of flowery, like eating palm seeds.
A nice malt, but doesn't excel medium+ unfortunately: 5.5
Tamdhu NAS 40% OB
This one is made of "water from our own spring, our own malted barley and a full barrowload of peat". To my knowledge the ppm in Tamdhu is approximately 5, so I'm not sure how many barrowloads of peat it takes to make other peated malts. Anyway, the odor is actually pretty smokey, dominated by peat then I guess. The taste is semi-peaty, austere, fresh sea air, corn and dark chocolate. This is quite a surprise as the aftertaste just keeps getting sweeter and stronger with some flinty notes.
A nice malt, too bad Tamdhu is currently out of business: 5.5
Tamdhu 34yo 1969-2004 40% Duncan Taylor
An oldie from Tamdhu, which I seem to enjoy around the golden age, for whiskies. It's quite pale despite it's age, probably bourbon matured. It's very sweet and has some weird taste of vanilla extract and lime zest. I'll add some water. With water it gets a bit more kind, something like estere and cinnamon buns. All in all a malt that talks two ways, but it's hard to dislike either of them. The aftertaste makes it all worthwile, it's long and strong with soothing eucaluptys.
Good one: 6.5
Tamdhu 33yo 1969-2003 40.5% Hart Brothers
This is cask strength only at 40.5%, bottling time then! Doesn't really smell too much of anything, a bit blue cheeze, say roquefort and red onions. Very pleasant taste, much milder than younger Tamdhus, it has matured beautifully I think. Very succulent, syrup, pears, oil, cinnamon and peaches.
A perfect dessert after a better meal: 8.5
Tamdu 16yo 1990-2006 46% Milroy's of Soho
Strong alcoholic thing from Milroy's. Taste phenolic, mixed with some honey and oak. The taste is pretty dry actually, like a strong white wine, very anonymous, alcohol and wholegrain bread?
Disastrous: 2
A strange looking old Tamdhu, kind of hazy, could oxidation inside a bottle lead to this? If so the cork have not been as tight as it should. It smells off, raw alcohol, bourbon notes, just lacking the vanilla and black peppery notes. I expected a bit more this far. The taste is peppery and sweet, fernet-like just without the horrible toothpaste flavor. A bitter, herbal 30yo.
If its Tamdhu I never know what to expect: 3.5
Tamdhu 8yo 40% The Macphail's Collection, Gordon & Macphail
Tamdhu usually is a brilliant whisky when older and often sherry-matured. I've rarely tried it this young. I don't know what separates The Macphail's Collection from the usual CC collection from G&M, it's shortly described on the G&M site as "...single malt whiskies from five key malt whisky regions, Island, Highlands, Campbeltown, Speyside and Islay". It smells sour, flinty, like sour sauce or barbeque. This one smells very light and has absolutely no punch. Some banana flavour, slightly sweet aftertaste.
Tamdhu 8yo 40% OB Gordon & Macphail 70's
Tamdhu's out of business, but for how long? Hopefully they'll start producing in a couple years, or maybe they'll resurrect into a glorious renaissance in a decade or so with lots of old stock to put in the Vattings. This one has no scent at all, there's absolutely nothing there, maybe some cinnamon tea or grassy stuff, but very hard to detect. Given some time more of a cinnamon and sulfur. The taste is peppery, chili, sun dried tomatoes, garlic, pesto, green paprika, flavors of the mediterranean?
Old sherry style: 6.5
Tamdhu 10yo 40% OB
One slightly peated Speyside malt, this one heirs from probably the 80's or early 90's. I'm sniffing cinnamon, syrup, hickory barbeque sauce and fried olive oil. The taste is peppery and smoked, salty bisquits, camphor drops and rustic ham. I do not recommend adding water to this one, as it only sets back the already swell flavours. The aftertaste is kind of flowery, like eating palm seeds.
A nice malt, but doesn't excel medium+ unfortunately: 5.5
Tamdhu NAS 40% OB
This one is made of "water from our own spring, our own malted barley and a full barrowload of peat". To my knowledge the ppm in Tamdhu is approximately 5, so I'm not sure how many barrowloads of peat it takes to make other peated malts. Anyway, the odor is actually pretty smokey, dominated by peat then I guess. The taste is semi-peaty, austere, fresh sea air, corn and dark chocolate. This is quite a surprise as the aftertaste just keeps getting sweeter and stronger with some flinty notes.
A nice malt, too bad Tamdhu is currently out of business: 5.5
Tamdhu 34yo 1969-2004 40% Duncan Taylor
An oldie from Tamdhu, which I seem to enjoy around the golden age, for whiskies. It's quite pale despite it's age, probably bourbon matured. It's very sweet and has some weird taste of vanilla extract and lime zest. I'll add some water. With water it gets a bit more kind, something like estere and cinnamon buns. All in all a malt that talks two ways, but it's hard to dislike either of them. The aftertaste makes it all worthwile, it's long and strong with soothing eucaluptys.
Good one: 6.5
Tamdhu 33yo 1969-2003 40.5% Hart Brothers
This is cask strength only at 40.5%, bottling time then! Doesn't really smell too much of anything, a bit blue cheeze, say roquefort and red onions. Very pleasant taste, much milder than younger Tamdhus, it has matured beautifully I think. Very succulent, syrup, pears, oil, cinnamon and peaches.
A perfect dessert after a better meal: 8.5
Tamdu 16yo 1990-2006 46% Milroy's of Soho
Strong alcoholic thing from Milroy's. Taste phenolic, mixed with some honey and oak. The taste is pretty dry actually, like a strong white wine, very anonymous, alcohol and wholegrain bread?
Disastrous: 2
15 Blends tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Loch Katrine 12yo 40% Adelphi
I believe Adelphi is also known as Loch Katrine, so I assume its one of their blends? White wine/apple cider color, smells light and perfumy, hints of pistachio cream, eggnog and burnt almonds. The tastee is sweet, initially there's pears, marzipan and beer wort. Then it turns bitter and grainy, acidic. Floral, vegetal aftertaste, sunflower stem. At some occasions I do try a blend or two just to remind myself why I prefer single malts, but this one's got a spike of its own, not your traditional bland blend.
Interesting profile, a raw blend: 4
Poit Dhubh 21yo 43% Blend
An Islay Blend, usually those contains a lot of Bunnahabhain, and not too much of premium peated Islay malt. Perhaps this one is different, I've heard good stuff about it. It states that it is unchill-filtered which is a good thing as I guess many blends aren't. It has a deep red color so it might be colored anyway. Smells lightly peated with some hints of cream sherry, sweet without too much substance. The taste is spirity, peaty with some peppery notes, too bland to catch my interest and it tastes much younger than 21yo. Drying peaty whisky.
I'm still not convinced by these Islay-blends: 4
Dew of Ben Nevis 21yo 43% Blend
This one from Ben Nevis, so I guess it will have much of the Ben Nevis fresh highland style, or will I be surprised? Smells kind of perfumy, orange zest and burnt meat, lots of oak influence. Seems to be much more influenced by grain whisky than the Whyte and MacKay 21yo. The taste is fresh and sweet, definitely influenced by Ben Nevis, red apples and hone melon. Not that interesting initially but it is saved by the minty fresh finish, mountain air.
Fine whisky, probably a blend-lovers delight: 6
Whyte & MacKay 21yo 43% Blend
Another one hopefully nosed to perfection by Richard Patterson. I advice the ones reading this blog to check out his current 40years 40whiskies countdown at whyteandmackay.co.uk . Other than that, this is the first of three 21yo blends I'll be doing today. This one is from a flat plastic bottle, a bit darker than the NAS-version. Smells dry, phenolic, some sherry notes here as well as salty licorice and blueberries. Lovely! The taste is very phenolic and dry, with lots of chili and some extremely bitter lemon in the middle.
A fantastic blend, more punch than most single malts I've tried: 8.5
Whyte & MacKay NAS 43% Special Selected Blend
I am a fan of Richard Patterson's frantic eccentric behavior and his verbally rapid whisky presentations. knowing he's the master blender at Whyte and MacKay and also a lover of Fettercairn Single malt, it's about time to try his blend. This is a miniature purchased in Andorra at the rare volume of 5.5cl. Smells big and malty, fruity, honey, a sweet, thick and round malt. The taste is sweet, a bit spirity,sort of acidic fruitiness, the ones found in red soft candy. It is a nice malt, but just not enough, a bit too sweet and light to take serious.
A good starter whisky: 4
Isle of Skye 18yo 43% Ian Macleod Private Stock btl.#45
Perhaps, and most likely if there's some 18+ Talisker in this one, the star of todays show. I know Talisker is the only distillery on Isle of Skye, so hopefully they've put in a generous amount of it. And 18yo isn't your everyday blended age for sure. Dark golden honey color, smells instantly coastal, definately some Talisker here, along with peppery notes and some restrained cinnamon and apple. The taste is slow, in loss of a better word, beautiful honey, restrained peat and coastal notes that comes forth as the finish progresses. It's slightly dry, with the peppery notes dominating just a bit too much on the palate.
A characterful blend that can stand up to many single malts: 6
Big Peat NAS 46% Douglas Laing Blended
So far it's been a disimal tasting, perhaps this peated blend can give me a highlight. This one consists of many malts from the Islay distilleries, amongst them Lagavulin and Caol Ila if I remember correctly. I've also read that it consists of some Port Ellen, crazy innit? But with all the different Port Ellens from Douglas Laing I'm sure they have some spare. A pale blend, smells of peat and liquorice. The taste is sweeter than expected, vanilla and banana notes initially before finishing on a high note with some beautiful coastal peatiness, without any real competition the best whisky tried today.
One of the best modern blends in my book: 6.5
Black Bottle 10yo 40% Gordon Graham's Islay Blend
This is the, by many, good reputed 10yo Black Bottle, consisting of single malt whisky from all well established distilleries on Islay. I recently tried the newer version in a green glass bottle without age statement and was hardly impressed. Smells very coastal, lots of seaweed. I believe this is the most seaweedy malt I've ever tried as there's not as much peat interfering as in malts like Laphroaig and Lagavulin. The taste is nicely peppered along with some austere notes and seaweed, just a little salt. The aftertaste is also pretty austere, but all in all it's a good Islay whisky.
Much better than its successor: 6
Black Bottle NAS 40% Blend New Style
A blend of whiskies from most of the islay distilleries, I've been kinda looking forward to trying this. This is much paler than the Macphail's, probably natural colour. I believe Bunnahabhain is the main single malt in this mixture. Smells really good, reminds me of the unpeated version of Caol Ila. Herbal, coastal and salty. The taste is peppery and bland, not much peat or coastal notes. It's lacking typical Islay characters. It's an uneventful experience unfortunately, as the nose was very good. It'll take a while 'till I do a blend vertical again.
Boring blended whisky: 3
Macphail's 10yo 40% Pure Malt Islay
This Pure Islay Malt could be a blend as pure is not an indicator of single. Dark bronze colour on this one, probably due to big amount of E150. Smells dry, earthy and a bit soapy. The taste is peppery, a bit phenolic and very bitter. The peatiness in this one is somewhat absent, it needs a bit of water du to all the bitter notes.
All in all a tired whisky: 1.5
Chivas Regal 12yo 40% Blend
I got a miniature of this formerly glorious blend aa a birthday present, so why not try it now? Usually I don't write notes for whiskies like this, Famous Grouse, J&B, Dimple's and so on, just for the reason I never buy or receive any... Smells pretty good, woody, cedar oak, gouda cheese, nutty, custard. The taste is pretty grim, young grain, burnt wood and rubber. Now to say I expected much would be an understatement as I'm no huge fan of standard blends, but this one climbs a bit cause of the nice odors.
Starts good, then dies quickly: 3
Grant's Ale Cask Reserve Blended
Let's start off with a blended miniature that's been reciding for a while in my liquor cabinet. I've never tried whisky from an ale cask, will the usually so mild ale-flavour make any recognizeable impact on whisky? The nose is light, actually not far from the smell I find in unfiltered wheat beer. The taste is very bland, typical cheap blend. There's nothing that really assembles ale in this, more like just a young and little developed blend.
I guess the ale cask works best carrying ale: 4
Pig's nose & Sheep Dip
At an whisky event today I got to try these two blended and vatted whiskies, The Pig 5yo and the sheep a vatting of 16 different malts.
Pig: Sweet and grainy, very smooth and lighta bit floral with some cinnamon notes. No finish. A simple beginnerswhisky. I could down easily in one quaff without bragging: 5
Sheep: Very anonymous odors, malt, starch, wheat, anis, boring. Not as sophisticated as any single malt I've tried. Not as easily approachable as the Pig either: 4
Royal Club NAS 1967 43% Kingsburn Old Blend
I'm doing a new vertical of some alternative whiskies, and for me that is blends, grains, unknown distilleries, japanese and so on. This one is a very old but also perhaps very young whisky, depending whether you're a believer in the effects of bottle maturation or not. Smells very light, wheat, like a chamber of salty meat, kind of reminds me of the 21yo Chivas Regal just without the sweetness. The taste is slightly peppery, other than that pretty weak. No aftertaste other than some sweet lime stuff.
Another reminder of why I'm primarily into single malts: 3
Gaylord 3yo 40% Blended
I'm still having a slight cold, so I'll try once again to cure myself by whisky. Since it makes my nose and mouth somewhat immune, I'm gonna have a blended! With the fine name of Gaylord, this is a scotch blended. It has some cottonlike material inside the cap(?). The nose is very nice, young, fruity, green grapes and herbs. But the taste is really funky, strikes me as a mix of grain and Islay. It's very smoky, with a sweet marshmallow finish. This is a blended from the 80's or older, maybe the taste have developed in the bottle, who knows, but special it is.
One of the better blends, and a very nice surprise: 5
I believe Adelphi is also known as Loch Katrine, so I assume its one of their blends? White wine/apple cider color, smells light and perfumy, hints of pistachio cream, eggnog and burnt almonds. The tastee is sweet, initially there's pears, marzipan and beer wort. Then it turns bitter and grainy, acidic. Floral, vegetal aftertaste, sunflower stem. At some occasions I do try a blend or two just to remind myself why I prefer single malts, but this one's got a spike of its own, not your traditional bland blend.
Interesting profile, a raw blend: 4
Poit Dhubh 21yo 43% Blend
An Islay Blend, usually those contains a lot of Bunnahabhain, and not too much of premium peated Islay malt. Perhaps this one is different, I've heard good stuff about it. It states that it is unchill-filtered which is a good thing as I guess many blends aren't. It has a deep red color so it might be colored anyway. Smells lightly peated with some hints of cream sherry, sweet without too much substance. The taste is spirity, peaty with some peppery notes, too bland to catch my interest and it tastes much younger than 21yo. Drying peaty whisky.
I'm still not convinced by these Islay-blends: 4
Dew of Ben Nevis 21yo 43% Blend
This one from Ben Nevis, so I guess it will have much of the Ben Nevis fresh highland style, or will I be surprised? Smells kind of perfumy, orange zest and burnt meat, lots of oak influence. Seems to be much more influenced by grain whisky than the Whyte and MacKay 21yo. The taste is fresh and sweet, definitely influenced by Ben Nevis, red apples and hone melon. Not that interesting initially but it is saved by the minty fresh finish, mountain air.
Fine whisky, probably a blend-lovers delight: 6
Whyte & MacKay 21yo 43% Blend
Another one hopefully nosed to perfection by Richard Patterson. I advice the ones reading this blog to check out his current 40years 40whiskies countdown at whyteandmackay.co.uk . Other than that, this is the first of three 21yo blends I'll be doing today. This one is from a flat plastic bottle, a bit darker than the NAS-version. Smells dry, phenolic, some sherry notes here as well as salty licorice and blueberries. Lovely! The taste is very phenolic and dry, with lots of chili and some extremely bitter lemon in the middle.
A fantastic blend, more punch than most single malts I've tried: 8.5
Whyte & MacKay NAS 43% Special Selected Blend
I am a fan of Richard Patterson's frantic eccentric behavior and his verbally rapid whisky presentations. knowing he's the master blender at Whyte and MacKay and also a lover of Fettercairn Single malt, it's about time to try his blend. This is a miniature purchased in Andorra at the rare volume of 5.5cl. Smells big and malty, fruity, honey, a sweet, thick and round malt. The taste is sweet, a bit spirity,sort of acidic fruitiness, the ones found in red soft candy. It is a nice malt, but just not enough, a bit too sweet and light to take serious.
A good starter whisky: 4
Isle of Skye 18yo 43% Ian Macleod Private Stock btl.#45
Perhaps, and most likely if there's some 18+ Talisker in this one, the star of todays show. I know Talisker is the only distillery on Isle of Skye, so hopefully they've put in a generous amount of it. And 18yo isn't your everyday blended age for sure. Dark golden honey color, smells instantly coastal, definately some Talisker here, along with peppery notes and some restrained cinnamon and apple. The taste is slow, in loss of a better word, beautiful honey, restrained peat and coastal notes that comes forth as the finish progresses. It's slightly dry, with the peppery notes dominating just a bit too much on the palate.
A characterful blend that can stand up to many single malts: 6
Big Peat NAS 46% Douglas Laing Blended
So far it's been a disimal tasting, perhaps this peated blend can give me a highlight. This one consists of many malts from the Islay distilleries, amongst them Lagavulin and Caol Ila if I remember correctly. I've also read that it consists of some Port Ellen, crazy innit? But with all the different Port Ellens from Douglas Laing I'm sure they have some spare. A pale blend, smells of peat and liquorice. The taste is sweeter than expected, vanilla and banana notes initially before finishing on a high note with some beautiful coastal peatiness, without any real competition the best whisky tried today.
One of the best modern blends in my book: 6.5
Black Bottle 10yo 40% Gordon Graham's Islay Blend
This is the, by many, good reputed 10yo Black Bottle, consisting of single malt whisky from all well established distilleries on Islay. I recently tried the newer version in a green glass bottle without age statement and was hardly impressed. Smells very coastal, lots of seaweed. I believe this is the most seaweedy malt I've ever tried as there's not as much peat interfering as in malts like Laphroaig and Lagavulin. The taste is nicely peppered along with some austere notes and seaweed, just a little salt. The aftertaste is also pretty austere, but all in all it's a good Islay whisky.
Much better than its successor: 6
Black Bottle NAS 40% Blend New Style
A blend of whiskies from most of the islay distilleries, I've been kinda looking forward to trying this. This is much paler than the Macphail's, probably natural colour. I believe Bunnahabhain is the main single malt in this mixture. Smells really good, reminds me of the unpeated version of Caol Ila. Herbal, coastal and salty. The taste is peppery and bland, not much peat or coastal notes. It's lacking typical Islay characters. It's an uneventful experience unfortunately, as the nose was very good. It'll take a while 'till I do a blend vertical again.
Boring blended whisky: 3
Macphail's 10yo 40% Pure Malt Islay
This Pure Islay Malt could be a blend as pure is not an indicator of single. Dark bronze colour on this one, probably due to big amount of E150. Smells dry, earthy and a bit soapy. The taste is peppery, a bit phenolic and very bitter. The peatiness in this one is somewhat absent, it needs a bit of water du to all the bitter notes.
All in all a tired whisky: 1.5
Chivas Regal 12yo 40% Blend
I got a miniature of this formerly glorious blend aa a birthday present, so why not try it now? Usually I don't write notes for whiskies like this, Famous Grouse, J&B, Dimple's and so on, just for the reason I never buy or receive any... Smells pretty good, woody, cedar oak, gouda cheese, nutty, custard. The taste is pretty grim, young grain, burnt wood and rubber. Now to say I expected much would be an understatement as I'm no huge fan of standard blends, but this one climbs a bit cause of the nice odors.
Starts good, then dies quickly: 3
Grant's Ale Cask Reserve Blended
Let's start off with a blended miniature that's been reciding for a while in my liquor cabinet. I've never tried whisky from an ale cask, will the usually so mild ale-flavour make any recognizeable impact on whisky? The nose is light, actually not far from the smell I find in unfiltered wheat beer. The taste is very bland, typical cheap blend. There's nothing that really assembles ale in this, more like just a young and little developed blend.
I guess the ale cask works best carrying ale: 4
Pig's nose & Sheep Dip
At an whisky event today I got to try these two blended and vatted whiskies, The Pig 5yo and the sheep a vatting of 16 different malts.
Pig: Sweet and grainy, very smooth and lighta bit floral with some cinnamon notes. No finish. A simple beginnerswhisky. I could down easily in one quaff without bragging: 5
Sheep: Very anonymous odors, malt, starch, wheat, anis, boring. Not as sophisticated as any single malt I've tried. Not as easily approachable as the Pig either: 4
Royal Club NAS 1967 43% Kingsburn Old Blend
I'm doing a new vertical of some alternative whiskies, and for me that is blends, grains, unknown distilleries, japanese and so on. This one is a very old but also perhaps very young whisky, depending whether you're a believer in the effects of bottle maturation or not. Smells very light, wheat, like a chamber of salty meat, kind of reminds me of the 21yo Chivas Regal just without the sweetness. The taste is slightly peppery, other than that pretty weak. No aftertaste other than some sweet lime stuff.
Another reminder of why I'm primarily into single malts: 3
Gaylord 3yo 40% Blended
I'm still having a slight cold, so I'll try once again to cure myself by whisky. Since it makes my nose and mouth somewhat immune, I'm gonna have a blended! With the fine name of Gaylord, this is a scotch blended. It has some cottonlike material inside the cap(?). The nose is very nice, young, fruity, green grapes and herbs. But the taste is really funky, strikes me as a mix of grain and Islay. It's very smoky, with a sweet marshmallow finish. This is a blended from the 80's or older, maybe the taste have developed in the bottle, who knows, but special it is.
One of the better blends, and a very nice surprise: 5
mandag 2. mai 2011
8 Scapa tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Scapa 8yo 40% OB Gordon & Macphail 70's
Scapa's rarely a favorite amongst IB's but I have had some pleasant experiences with both the 14yo and 16yo OB even if they never seem the biggest fin in the pond. I always thought there were 5cl in these little buggers, no wonder they were squeezed off the market. This one smells herbal and coastal, lots of dried herbs and sea salt along with some notes of mustard and oak influence. The taste is peppery, honey, rustic, marshmallows, winegum skittles and old dry tobacco. When the sweet sensation is over it turns peppery with some hints of leather, onion and cream on the finish.
More punch and power than the whisky produced by Scapa today: 6
Scapa 14yo 40% OB
Scapa has two OB's aged 14 and 16yo, and they're very similar tastewise as they don't difference them by adding peat or using particular casks or whatever. Smells sweet, light, a perfect standard malt, no flaws here. The 16yo had the smallest hint of sherry, and reminded me of the older versions o Highland Park 12yo. This one reminds me more of the recent. The taste is light and easy with some honey notes and a little coastal hints of salt and peat. Not a very exciting malt, one that you can drink on the rocks, with ice cream or however you like.
Easy, light and pleasant: 6
Scapa 16yo 40% OB
Scapa Ob's not been widely available on the international market for too many years, but G&M have been bottling some and I remember them as a bit bland. Smells spicy, oily, like glue, plastic and a bit rubbery. At this age it requires a lot of time, but give it about half an hour and it turns sweeter, lighter, more creamy on the nose. The taste is sweet, cereal, nuts, just plain good. Nothing wrong here, a delightful easy-going dram. It will suit everyone from beginner to experienced malt whisky drinker, but nevertheless it won't challenge many palates.
A perfect starters dram: 7.5
Scapa 10yo 1989-2000 43% Signatory Vintage cask#1903 btl.297/2450
Scapa is a very good malt, but one of them a bit too tame to be matured in bourbon only, as is the same with Glengoyne for instance. Anyway, that's a personal opinion, now let's see about this one. Smells vanilla, liquorice and spirity. The taste is very sweet, light, marshmallows and liquorice. It's enjoyable, and if you're a bourbon fanatic I guess you will love this. But for me, it's just a small drinkable parentheses in my book of malts.
Boring standard malt: 4
Scapa 9yo 1989-1998 43% Signatory Vintage cask#1893 btl.1488/2450
A bourbon-matured youngster. Scapa is a distillery which malt I rarely drink. Let's see. Smells a lot like vanilla, actually only vanilla and some liquorice. The taste is fresh and peppery at first, then turns spirity, grainy, like bad vodka. If I had this blind I'd never thought it was a whisky. The aftertaste has some vanilla notes, but that's about it, and it lasts for just some seconds. Give it water and it becomes just a bit more vanilla and approachable.
Not a good bottling, not at all: 2
Scapa 12yo 40% OB
The old version of the standard OB, it's now bottled at 14 years old I've heard. Never tried this Orkney malt, which I guess is easily overshadowed by the great Highland Park from same Island. It has a nice golden colour, a peppery and quite salty odor, very nice indeed. The taste is strong, almost fizzy, coffee, butter, mashed onion puree, very light-hearted and easily drinkable. The aftertaste is peppery with some much overripe oranges.
Not for the everyday whisky lover, but for some, surely a treasure: 5
Scapa NAS 1991-? 50% Just Miniatures
One bottled for Just Miniatures, which I guess is a club for miniature enthusiasts and collectors? Very very pale, can be young, but I doubt it, I'd say it's bourbon-matured without colouring. Very very strong odors, black pepper, lemon and herbs. The taste is at first amazingly sweet, much vanilla, seems to have come from an amazing bourboncask. Afterwards there's pepper, liquorice, cuban cigars, green tea and roquefort bacterials. No water in this one.
A very nice and special one: 7
Scapa NAS 1983-? 40% OB
After sticking to mostly highland/speyside malts lately I guess it's time to try something a bit more coastal. Scapa, one of the two Orkney malts, an older OB bottling, maybe a classic? Smells round, oaky, nutty, sharp blueberries. The taste is sort of one-dimensional, oaky and peppery, but turns a bit salty when given some time. It gets a bit spirity and a bit acidic? Not my favourite expression, but easily approachable tastewise.
A light Orkney malt: 4
Scapa's rarely a favorite amongst IB's but I have had some pleasant experiences with both the 14yo and 16yo OB even if they never seem the biggest fin in the pond. I always thought there were 5cl in these little buggers, no wonder they were squeezed off the market. This one smells herbal and coastal, lots of dried herbs and sea salt along with some notes of mustard and oak influence. The taste is peppery, honey, rustic, marshmallows, winegum skittles and old dry tobacco. When the sweet sensation is over it turns peppery with some hints of leather, onion and cream on the finish.
More punch and power than the whisky produced by Scapa today: 6
Scapa 14yo 40% OB
Scapa has two OB's aged 14 and 16yo, and they're very similar tastewise as they don't difference them by adding peat or using particular casks or whatever. Smells sweet, light, a perfect standard malt, no flaws here. The 16yo had the smallest hint of sherry, and reminded me of the older versions o Highland Park 12yo. This one reminds me more of the recent. The taste is light and easy with some honey notes and a little coastal hints of salt and peat. Not a very exciting malt, one that you can drink on the rocks, with ice cream or however you like.
Easy, light and pleasant: 6
Scapa 16yo 40% OB
Scapa Ob's not been widely available on the international market for too many years, but G&M have been bottling some and I remember them as a bit bland. Smells spicy, oily, like glue, plastic and a bit rubbery. At this age it requires a lot of time, but give it about half an hour and it turns sweeter, lighter, more creamy on the nose. The taste is sweet, cereal, nuts, just plain good. Nothing wrong here, a delightful easy-going dram. It will suit everyone from beginner to experienced malt whisky drinker, but nevertheless it won't challenge many palates.
A perfect starters dram: 7.5
Scapa 10yo 1989-2000 43% Signatory Vintage cask#1903 btl.297/2450
Scapa is a very good malt, but one of them a bit too tame to be matured in bourbon only, as is the same with Glengoyne for instance. Anyway, that's a personal opinion, now let's see about this one. Smells vanilla, liquorice and spirity. The taste is very sweet, light, marshmallows and liquorice. It's enjoyable, and if you're a bourbon fanatic I guess you will love this. But for me, it's just a small drinkable parentheses in my book of malts.
Boring standard malt: 4
Scapa 9yo 1989-1998 43% Signatory Vintage cask#1893 btl.1488/2450
A bourbon-matured youngster. Scapa is a distillery which malt I rarely drink. Let's see. Smells a lot like vanilla, actually only vanilla and some liquorice. The taste is fresh and peppery at first, then turns spirity, grainy, like bad vodka. If I had this blind I'd never thought it was a whisky. The aftertaste has some vanilla notes, but that's about it, and it lasts for just some seconds. Give it water and it becomes just a bit more vanilla and approachable.
Not a good bottling, not at all: 2
Scapa 12yo 40% OB
The old version of the standard OB, it's now bottled at 14 years old I've heard. Never tried this Orkney malt, which I guess is easily overshadowed by the great Highland Park from same Island. It has a nice golden colour, a peppery and quite salty odor, very nice indeed. The taste is strong, almost fizzy, coffee, butter, mashed onion puree, very light-hearted and easily drinkable. The aftertaste is peppery with some much overripe oranges.
Not for the everyday whisky lover, but for some, surely a treasure: 5
Scapa NAS 1991-? 50% Just Miniatures
One bottled for Just Miniatures, which I guess is a club for miniature enthusiasts and collectors? Very very pale, can be young, but I doubt it, I'd say it's bourbon-matured without colouring. Very very strong odors, black pepper, lemon and herbs. The taste is at first amazingly sweet, much vanilla, seems to have come from an amazing bourboncask. Afterwards there's pepper, liquorice, cuban cigars, green tea and roquefort bacterials. No water in this one.
A very nice and special one: 7
Scapa NAS 1983-? 40% OB
After sticking to mostly highland/speyside malts lately I guess it's time to try something a bit more coastal. Scapa, one of the two Orkney malts, an older OB bottling, maybe a classic? Smells round, oaky, nutty, sharp blueberries. The taste is sort of one-dimensional, oaky and peppery, but turns a bit salty when given some time. It gets a bit spirity and a bit acidic? Not my favourite expression, but easily approachable tastewise.
A light Orkney malt: 4
8 Strathislas tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Strathisla 8yo 40% OB Gordon & Macphail 70's
You all remember the flat square miniature bottles from the 70's by G&M? I have a couple of them from some distilleries I haven't tried in a while so why not make this a vertical? Strathisla is the main malt in Chivas Regal I believe, not my favorite by far but let's not judge. Pale Color, smells strong, mint leaves and honey with burnt polyester, the one from burning bras at women's liberation parties. The taste is fresh, lip balm, cactus, lime, mint and floral notes. Old style malt, a sort of dirty unrecognizable malt.
Distinctive, in an acquired way, not for everyone: 5
Strathisla 49yo 1960-2010 53.2% Gordon and Macphail for The Whisky Fair
Now, let's try this oldie from Strathisla, G&M seems to be hitting the market with quite some extraordinary vintages from this distillery nowadays. Needs some time to breath this one. The nose is really oaky and peppery, minty, amazingly fresh for such an old malt. The taste is really extreme, old hickory, roasted beef, dried sage, honey, mustard and ginger. A very sweet attack at first before settling with a long peppery aftertaste that just goes on and on. Water? Not necessary, but if you like a bit rounder flavours do add.
Amazing whisky, something of a bygone era I guess: 9
Strathisla 20yo 1948&1961-1981 40% Charles & Diana Wedding Commemoration Malt G&M
G&M are nowadays displaying a wide range of older Strathisla bottlings. Anyway, I'm going to attend my first ever wedding this weekend, so appropriately I will enjoy some wedding malts before I go. This one smells sweet, rustic, it's a bit darker than the Glen Grant and is even more fruity on the nose, grapefruit, melon, honey, fish eggs and apples. The taste is very rustic, a bit meaty, kind of reminds me of some Tamdhu's I've tried.
All in all an improvement from the Glen Grant of same series: 6
Strathisla 8yo 57% Gordon & Macphail for Pinerolo
Why not end the evening with a bourbon-matured 100 proof youngster. Strathisla is a whisky that for me jumps the whole scale and I never know what I'm gonna get. This one smells of alcohol and vanilla. The taste is filled with vanilla, while the alcohol seems to play a smaller part. It has a fantastic gentleness about it, I just love the tender vanilla and the semi-peppery aftertaste. Another one to enjoy with a cigar. I do not recommend water in this one neither because it's so fine.
A sweet & light whisky, an everyday malt with lots of charisma: 8
Strathisla NAS 1980-? 40% OB
Today I'll try 4 different 40% standard OB's without age statement. This one has a very bland odor, small hints of hay, typical smell of barn on a summersday and perhaps some grilled seafood. The taste is of pine, ink, strong glue and bitterness. With a small addition of water it doesn't improve much on palate. The aftertaste is what saves this malt from the bottom as it gives a longlasting and very fresh, minty finish. I do use a couple minutes between each sip on this one, not because of the semi-foul flavours, but to get as much from the aftertaste as possible.
Finishing on a high note: 4.5
Strathisla 42yo 1967-2009 44.5% The Whisky Agency x/120 btls
This Strathisla smells very strong, I'm not sure what cask it's matured in. There are strong odors of lemon, honey and wax, nice but very concentrated. The taste is extremely strong, some vanilla notes that totally disappear behind the woody flavours. Let's add our friend water to this one. With water and additional minutes it gets some initial flavours of apple cider, and ends on a very strong and bitter note.
Very uninteresting, and undemanding for the taster: 3.5
Strathisla 12yo 43% OB
Strathisla is becoming harder to find nowadays, which have led to many old bottlings going for insane prices online. This is the old standard OB with a photo from 1786 of the distillery on the label. It's a very perfumy malt, alcohol, ink, leather and bitterschnaps on the nose. The taste is very fresh, herbs, mountain air, plum juice and white chocolate. The aftertaste is of thyme and chives.
A nice and subtle malt: 5
Strathisla 12yo 1989-2001 43% Signatory Vintage
I get immediately some pungent, strong and good scents from this Strathisla. It reminds me in a way of sherry, but it isn't. Some bitter apples in the taste, not bad at all, a few drops of water reveals some round, earthy tones.
A good Highlander: 6.5
You all remember the flat square miniature bottles from the 70's by G&M? I have a couple of them from some distilleries I haven't tried in a while so why not make this a vertical? Strathisla is the main malt in Chivas Regal I believe, not my favorite by far but let's not judge. Pale Color, smells strong, mint leaves and honey with burnt polyester, the one from burning bras at women's liberation parties. The taste is fresh, lip balm, cactus, lime, mint and floral notes. Old style malt, a sort of dirty unrecognizable malt.
Distinctive, in an acquired way, not for everyone: 5
Strathisla 49yo 1960-2010 53.2% Gordon and Macphail for The Whisky Fair
Now, let's try this oldie from Strathisla, G&M seems to be hitting the market with quite some extraordinary vintages from this distillery nowadays. Needs some time to breath this one. The nose is really oaky and peppery, minty, amazingly fresh for such an old malt. The taste is really extreme, old hickory, roasted beef, dried sage, honey, mustard and ginger. A very sweet attack at first before settling with a long peppery aftertaste that just goes on and on. Water? Not necessary, but if you like a bit rounder flavours do add.
Amazing whisky, something of a bygone era I guess: 9
Strathisla 20yo 1948&1961-1981 40% Charles & Diana Wedding Commemoration Malt G&M
G&M are nowadays displaying a wide range of older Strathisla bottlings. Anyway, I'm going to attend my first ever wedding this weekend, so appropriately I will enjoy some wedding malts before I go. This one smells sweet, rustic, it's a bit darker than the Glen Grant and is even more fruity on the nose, grapefruit, melon, honey, fish eggs and apples. The taste is very rustic, a bit meaty, kind of reminds me of some Tamdhu's I've tried.
All in all an improvement from the Glen Grant of same series: 6
Strathisla 8yo 57% Gordon & Macphail for Pinerolo
Why not end the evening with a bourbon-matured 100 proof youngster. Strathisla is a whisky that for me jumps the whole scale and I never know what I'm gonna get. This one smells of alcohol and vanilla. The taste is filled with vanilla, while the alcohol seems to play a smaller part. It has a fantastic gentleness about it, I just love the tender vanilla and the semi-peppery aftertaste. Another one to enjoy with a cigar. I do not recommend water in this one neither because it's so fine.
A sweet & light whisky, an everyday malt with lots of charisma: 8
Strathisla NAS 1980-? 40% OB
Today I'll try 4 different 40% standard OB's without age statement. This one has a very bland odor, small hints of hay, typical smell of barn on a summersday and perhaps some grilled seafood. The taste is of pine, ink, strong glue and bitterness. With a small addition of water it doesn't improve much on palate. The aftertaste is what saves this malt from the bottom as it gives a longlasting and very fresh, minty finish. I do use a couple minutes between each sip on this one, not because of the semi-foul flavours, but to get as much from the aftertaste as possible.
Finishing on a high note: 4.5
Strathisla 42yo 1967-2009 44.5% The Whisky Agency x/120 btls
This Strathisla smells very strong, I'm not sure what cask it's matured in. There are strong odors of lemon, honey and wax, nice but very concentrated. The taste is extremely strong, some vanilla notes that totally disappear behind the woody flavours. Let's add our friend water to this one. With water and additional minutes it gets some initial flavours of apple cider, and ends on a very strong and bitter note.
Very uninteresting, and undemanding for the taster: 3.5
Strathisla 12yo 43% OB
Strathisla is becoming harder to find nowadays, which have led to many old bottlings going for insane prices online. This is the old standard OB with a photo from 1786 of the distillery on the label. It's a very perfumy malt, alcohol, ink, leather and bitterschnaps on the nose. The taste is very fresh, herbs, mountain air, plum juice and white chocolate. The aftertaste is of thyme and chives.
A nice and subtle malt: 5
Strathisla 12yo 1989-2001 43% Signatory Vintage
I get immediately some pungent, strong and good scents from this Strathisla. It reminds me in a way of sherry, but it isn't. Some bitter apples in the taste, not bad at all, a few drops of water reveals some round, earthy tones.
A good Highlander: 6.5
torsdag 28. april 2011
10 Glen Elgins tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Glen Elgin 19yo 1991-2010 57.5% MacKillop's Choice cask#4065 btl.113
Glen Elgin is also one that I have a hard time placing under a category, but what I know is a fact is that they often have some amazing sherried malts. Smells very strong, phenolic, chlorine, rubber, a powerbomb, I can with certainty predict its gonna need some water. The taste is Way peppery yet also full of grassiness, herbs, coleslaw and blackberries. Doesn't need water when I think about it, but I'll try anyway. Please do not add water as it then turns into a peppery spearmint malt without any punch.
A whisky that delivers on the palate but lacks on the finish: 7
Glen Elgin 19yo 1971-1990 50.4% Cadenhead's
I often fin the green dumpy miniatures from Cadenhead's to be overlooked in comparison to miniatures from such as Signatory, Old Malt Cask and Malts of Scotland, although often superior what quality is concerned in my opinion. Smells well rounded, withdrawn sweet spirit, calvados? Not a malt that talks. The taste is peppery and minty, a strange mix of mint leaves and white pepper. With water it gets more rustic, sour, aspic, wet lambswool, kind of entertaining as its far from the taste usually found in a speysider.
Turns out quite exciting in the end: 6.5
Glen Elgin 25yo 1984-2010 42.3% Bladnoch Forum cask#2850 btl.88/211
I have not tried any bottling from the Bladnoch Forum yet, at least that I can remember. I have a feeling that Glen Elgin is a distillery making whisky often of superb quality, but is rarely recognized as much as it deserves. Anyway, lets try this and see.. A pale whisky from a hogshead, smells very fresh and light, cream cheese, wet grass, spring morning air. The palate reveals some grassy notes, summer flowers, its just a bit too light and playful to take seriously. A perfect summers dram, I could have this one with shrimps, fish soup or any other light summer dish.
A light summer dram: 5
Glen Elgin NAS 43% OB White Horse dist. for Japan
I don't know if this is the usual 12yo only with age statement written in japanese letters? Or it's some special bottling for foreign markets? Anyway, only one way to try an find out. Smells fruity, creamy, hints of sweet fruits and bitterness, a pleasant contradiction. The taste is far more complex than the Scapa. At first it's light, melon, raisins and coconut milk, really tropical, then it turns peppery, really an explosion to say the least. The aftertaste is long and keeps going with notes of chilli, blue cheese and onion.
A nice variation, very straightforward: 5
Glen Elgin 20yo 1976-1996 46.3% The Whisky Connoisseur btl.x/70
An edition of only 70 bottles, I'm surprised any of them have survived the last 13 years then. Probably a collectable item..muhahaha... I drink the whisky, I don't collect it! On the other hand, if it weren't for the collectors I guess much older whisky available at auctions today perhaps would be long gone. The taste is vanilla, beautiful vanilla notes all the way. The taste is vanilla, lemon, peppery, gingerbread, beer stew(irish?) and something minty at the finish. It's an honest whisky from a bourbon-cask that's blended beautifully with the mellow distillery charistica of Glen Elgin.
Second winner from Glen Elgin in two days, I'm impressed: 8
Glen Elgin 14yo 46% Cadenhead's
A very dark sherried Glen Elgin, probably from the 80's or so, smells sweet, lovely fragrances, sweet onions, paprika, plums, grapes, mild. Beautiful olorose taste, dry, kind of dusty, sweet, phenolic, bitter. It strikes me as abnormally dry for a whisky watered down to 46% prior to bottling. Lets add some water. Water really brings out the potential here, lot's of flowery notes, herbal, still sweet, caramel, not as fruity but still a smashing dessert malt.
Glen Elgin at its best: 9
Glen Elgin 37yo 1968-2005 46% Connoisseurs Choice Gordon & Macphail
You hardly come across old Glen Elgins at affordable prices anymore, unless your making it big financially. This one is much darker than the other sherried malts of tonight. Smells characteristicly of sherry, fino? Spiced, pretty light, dry, then dryer and dryer. The finish just keeps on with dry.
A dry whisky: 5.5
Glen Elgin 21yo 1973-1994 50.3% Signatory Vintage btl.183/600 btl. 6100 CS
A cask strengt Glen Elgin is one to try, ususally. The nose is a powerful experience, very excotic, rum, coca cola, sweet onion, honey, pickles, garlic and leather. It tastes dry and much older than 21yo, actually it's a bit too dry for my taste. I'll give it some water, then it makes a fantastic malt, sweet, again honeyed, a little dryness and some grilled onions. Not the finest malt, but if you wanna test your palate, it's an obvious choice.
An intriguing dram: 6
Glen Elgin 22yo 1971-1993 50.1% Cadenhead's
A good old cask strength from Cadenheads, preferable to the 46%'s almost any day. Inviting fragrances, very aromatic, like the distillery bottlings, just less salty. On the palate it's very sweet and mellow, honey and fruit gum. It finishes quite passive with some pencil eraser and wet woolen sweater. Doesn't sound too good, but it works and lifts my overall impression.
Damn, I forgot to add water: 5.5
Glen Elgin 12yo 43% OB
A strong, powerful and enticing speyside malt, unfortunately not as easy to get a hold of as many others. Much pepper and seaweed, short but strong aftertaste. Could have been mistaken for an Islay.
A tasty and zesty malt: 8
Glen Elgin 25yo 1984-2010 43.8% The Nectar...
Just above 43% on a cask strength under 30yo tells the story of a less than tight cask. That doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing. It has a very pungent and strong nose, beef tartar, garlic, herbs and green olives. The taste is very salty and dry, green peas, lemon skin and smoked haddock. With addition of some water it becomes a bit more sweet, like gorgonzola cheese and parma ham. This one tells many stories, and I like the diversity it offers.
A fine Glen Elgin, I wish I could try it bottled earlier: 6.5
Glen Elgin is also one that I have a hard time placing under a category, but what I know is a fact is that they often have some amazing sherried malts. Smells very strong, phenolic, chlorine, rubber, a powerbomb, I can with certainty predict its gonna need some water. The taste is Way peppery yet also full of grassiness, herbs, coleslaw and blackberries. Doesn't need water when I think about it, but I'll try anyway. Please do not add water as it then turns into a peppery spearmint malt without any punch.
A whisky that delivers on the palate but lacks on the finish: 7
Glen Elgin 19yo 1971-1990 50.4% Cadenhead's
I often fin the green dumpy miniatures from Cadenhead's to be overlooked in comparison to miniatures from such as Signatory, Old Malt Cask and Malts of Scotland, although often superior what quality is concerned in my opinion. Smells well rounded, withdrawn sweet spirit, calvados? Not a malt that talks. The taste is peppery and minty, a strange mix of mint leaves and white pepper. With water it gets more rustic, sour, aspic, wet lambswool, kind of entertaining as its far from the taste usually found in a speysider.
Turns out quite exciting in the end: 6.5
Glen Elgin 25yo 1984-2010 42.3% Bladnoch Forum cask#2850 btl.88/211
I have not tried any bottling from the Bladnoch Forum yet, at least that I can remember. I have a feeling that Glen Elgin is a distillery making whisky often of superb quality, but is rarely recognized as much as it deserves. Anyway, lets try this and see.. A pale whisky from a hogshead, smells very fresh and light, cream cheese, wet grass, spring morning air. The palate reveals some grassy notes, summer flowers, its just a bit too light and playful to take seriously. A perfect summers dram, I could have this one with shrimps, fish soup or any other light summer dish.
A light summer dram: 5
Glen Elgin NAS 43% OB White Horse dist. for Japan
I don't know if this is the usual 12yo only with age statement written in japanese letters? Or it's some special bottling for foreign markets? Anyway, only one way to try an find out. Smells fruity, creamy, hints of sweet fruits and bitterness, a pleasant contradiction. The taste is far more complex than the Scapa. At first it's light, melon, raisins and coconut milk, really tropical, then it turns peppery, really an explosion to say the least. The aftertaste is long and keeps going with notes of chilli, blue cheese and onion.
A nice variation, very straightforward: 5
Glen Elgin 20yo 1976-1996 46.3% The Whisky Connoisseur btl.x/70
An edition of only 70 bottles, I'm surprised any of them have survived the last 13 years then. Probably a collectable item..muhahaha... I drink the whisky, I don't collect it! On the other hand, if it weren't for the collectors I guess much older whisky available at auctions today perhaps would be long gone. The taste is vanilla, beautiful vanilla notes all the way. The taste is vanilla, lemon, peppery, gingerbread, beer stew(irish?) and something minty at the finish. It's an honest whisky from a bourbon-cask that's blended beautifully with the mellow distillery charistica of Glen Elgin.
Second winner from Glen Elgin in two days, I'm impressed: 8
Glen Elgin 14yo 46% Cadenhead's
A very dark sherried Glen Elgin, probably from the 80's or so, smells sweet, lovely fragrances, sweet onions, paprika, plums, grapes, mild. Beautiful olorose taste, dry, kind of dusty, sweet, phenolic, bitter. It strikes me as abnormally dry for a whisky watered down to 46% prior to bottling. Lets add some water. Water really brings out the potential here, lot's of flowery notes, herbal, still sweet, caramel, not as fruity but still a smashing dessert malt.
Glen Elgin at its best: 9
Glen Elgin 37yo 1968-2005 46% Connoisseurs Choice Gordon & Macphail
You hardly come across old Glen Elgins at affordable prices anymore, unless your making it big financially. This one is much darker than the other sherried malts of tonight. Smells characteristicly of sherry, fino? Spiced, pretty light, dry, then dryer and dryer. The finish just keeps on with dry.
A dry whisky: 5.5
Glen Elgin 21yo 1973-1994 50.3% Signatory Vintage btl.183/600 btl. 6100 CS
A cask strengt Glen Elgin is one to try, ususally. The nose is a powerful experience, very excotic, rum, coca cola, sweet onion, honey, pickles, garlic and leather. It tastes dry and much older than 21yo, actually it's a bit too dry for my taste. I'll give it some water, then it makes a fantastic malt, sweet, again honeyed, a little dryness and some grilled onions. Not the finest malt, but if you wanna test your palate, it's an obvious choice.
An intriguing dram: 6
Glen Elgin 22yo 1971-1993 50.1% Cadenhead's
A good old cask strength from Cadenheads, preferable to the 46%'s almost any day. Inviting fragrances, very aromatic, like the distillery bottlings, just less salty. On the palate it's very sweet and mellow, honey and fruit gum. It finishes quite passive with some pencil eraser and wet woolen sweater. Doesn't sound too good, but it works and lifts my overall impression.
Damn, I forgot to add water: 5.5
Glen Elgin 12yo 43% OB
A strong, powerful and enticing speyside malt, unfortunately not as easy to get a hold of as many others. Much pepper and seaweed, short but strong aftertaste. Could have been mistaken for an Islay.
A tasty and zesty malt: 8
Glen Elgin 25yo 1984-2010 43.8% The Nectar...
Just above 43% on a cask strength under 30yo tells the story of a less than tight cask. That doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing. It has a very pungent and strong nose, beef tartar, garlic, herbs and green olives. The taste is very salty and dry, green peas, lemon skin and smoked haddock. With addition of some water it becomes a bit more sweet, like gorgonzola cheese and parma ham. This one tells many stories, and I like the diversity it offers.
A fine Glen Elgin, I wish I could try it bottled earlier: 6.5
19 Glenlivets tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Glenlivet 33yo 1977-2010 50% Old Malt Cask cask#6537
Another Glenlivet, which to me exemplifies the perfect middle of the road whisky, but at this age can be superb. Old Malt Cask is fully spoken of already, needless to say, I have sometimes wondered when bottling whiskies at this age that probably have already dropped till 50-55%abv. before bottling, why not just leave it at cask strength? Smells wood and haystack, burning polyester and old used coffee filters. The taste strong, peppery with strong floral notes, lavender, lamp oil, rubber, garlic and toasted mushrooms. A strange mix, not to my distaste but really weird.
Glenlivet on a tyre?: 5
Glenlivet 26yo 46% Cadenhead's
A sherry matured Glenlivet, I don't believe they use casks like this anymore. Bourbon and French oak seems to be the path they're now following. Dark red color, beautiful, smells heavy oloroso. Sulphury, resinous, prunes, tannins, brown sugar, dry. The taste is not as sweet as anticipated, lots of oak influence, waxy, dry, oat meal, peppery, needs some water I think. Now it gets sweeter, with notes of herbs and weeds. Haystack and gunpowder in the garden? Not bad, just a very unsweet dark red oloroso matured whisky.
A rough and tough Glenlivet, better than current versions: 6.5
Glenlivet/Banffshire 16yo 56% R&J Brownlie
Another Glenlivet, now an older one at cask strength, although not too happy with the 16yo CS Nadurra I have much belief in this one. Extremely sweet on the nose, syrup, burnt sugar, figs, raisins, lots of good stuff, maybe just a little too much? The taste is much the same as the nose, and its hard to detect the high prof other than a slight dryness in the aftertaste. I have to say its hard to find anything wrong here obviously, and its as sweet as can be for a malt, even more so than many of the Glengoynes & Glenmorangies and so ons I've tried. Almost like a spirit proof moscatel. For all you peat-heads and fino-freaks, beware!
For a sweet-tooth like me: 7.5
Glenlivet NAS 43% OB for Baretto Import Milano
One flat bottle, perhaps a decade or two old? Glenlivet is to me the ultimate middle-of-the-road malt, maybe this will be different? Smells lots of vanilla and honey, raspberries, milky way filling, old style Glenlivet. The taste is more peppery, again some sweet vanilla notes, wax, oily, mustard and cream cheese. To be honest its just another clean, safe, good Glenlivet that won't raise any eyebrows.
Well composed: 5.5
Glenlivet 13yo 1996-2009 50% Old Malt Cask Douglas Laing
I´m doing two traditionally very popular, partly due to good commercial marketing I guess, malts today. This one from a sherry cask, hopefully this wood will bring back some good memories of Glenlivet, as I was pretty disappointed with the Nadurra last time. Smells surypy, heavy sweetness, along with some mint and coriander. A well leveled malt. Develops beautifully with time, becomes even rounder and mellows down a bit. The taste shows some milk chocolate, herbs, spices, sour notes of grapefruit and a slight bitterness. Some rubber on the finish puts me off a bit unfortunately. Other than that this was a pleasant surprise.
A perfectly balanced Glenlivet: 7
Glenlivet 16yo 1993-2009 54.2% OB Nadurra batch#161109
I tried the mass produced 48% Nadurra a while ago and was far from impressed, I believe it was the worst Glenlivet I've tried so far. Smells spirity, like some finer Vodkas, but far from what we usually find in whiskyland. The taste is dry and peppery, with small hints of soap and marcipan. With water it gets even more dry. It's better than the standard version, but the spirit is sort of out of shape.
An uninspiring malt: 3.5
Glenlivet 21yo 1973-1994 56% Signatory Vintage cask#3946 btl.530/860
An old sherried Glenlivet, deep dark amber colour, distilled in the days when the future of scotch whisky looked oh so much brighter than it was to become 10 years later. At this time I believe Glenlivet were the most sought after whisky in all of scotland. It smells fantastic, honey notes, sweets, oloroso, floral, raisins, delicious. The taste is slightly dry, chilli, thick, greasy, salty, not your typical sherry-maturation, but lots of phenols. I could've had this with a danish pastry and it'd be perfect. Anyway, it needs water. With water it opens up, gets even more phenolic, but also minty and earthy.
Old-fashioned sherry, I guess: 6.5
Glenlivet 8yo 40% Gordon and Macphail for George & J.G.Smiths
Recently I've tried mostly malts from distilleries easily available, so today I'll have two dinosaurs, but first this Glenlivet from the 80's. Actually there's a small piece of thread inside the bottle(?). It smells of poor spirit, some fino sherry, old newspapers and dust. The taste is the same but with a stronger fino impression. I'll dilute it down to about 20%abv. Suddenly it's like an underberg schnapps with liquorice. I bet some would like this but it doesn't taste much like single malt whisky.
And the thread certainly isn't a cask sediment: 2.5
Glenlivet 15yo 1977-1992 59.5% Cask Gordon & Macphail cask#11302-11303
A close to 60% cask strength from the very gentle Glenlivet should be a killer, but Glenlivet has shown to handle high strengths many a time before. The nose is dry, sherry, grape skin and lemon seeds. A very dark malt. The sweetness here is just too strong, sweet sherry, sugar, plums and white wine vinegar. With water it becomes a bit richer, but very two-dimensional, lots of sweetness at first, then very peppery in the aftertaste. It can take a lot of water.
Sorry, but the cask infuence is to heavy for this malt: 4.5
Glenlivet 11yo 43% OB for the Milano Whisky Festival btl. 491/500
One of only 500 bottles, I've never attended the Milano Whisky Festival, but I've heard good stuff about it. This one is a very pale glenlivet with some soft odors of vanilla and seaweed(?). Bourbon-matured I presume. The taste is very anonymous, even more so than the Glengoyne, perhaps some brown sugar and liquorice fudge. The aftertaste is just as anonymous. Another one to start off with, you have this on top of ice cream, only danger that it's gonna be overpowered by the ice cream flavour...
Too mild to score more, but it isn't bad though: 4.5
Glenlivet 15yo 40% G&M for George & J.G.Smiths
I have got no knowledge of how old this bottle might be, neither have I any clue about who George & J.G.Smiths are. It smells very light, some red apples, a bit fruity but very futile. Oh, the taste is horrendous, dry, papery, boring, bland and dusty. Like the air inside the vacuum cleaner. This I believe must be the worst Glenlivet I've had of today. With some water it gets worse, together with the bland style ther's also some alcoholic notes present now. Hopefully I'll never experience this again.
Like potato starch with Vodka: 1
Glenlivet 21yo 43% OB The Archive
For the last week I've been celebrating easter in france, cote d' azur, so no holiday without malt as far as I'm concerned. Although I'm a big fan of Glenlivet I've never bothered with this "archive" version until now as I always found it well overpriced. It has a very intense caramel nose, toffee-pudding, and some honey as well. The sweetness continous on the palate, but gets a bit interrupted by some strong mustard notes. It strikes me as a bit dry. Adding a bit of water compliments and some sweet woody notes and a peppery aftertaste emerges.
A decent malt, but pricewise there are better options out there: 7
Glenlivet 36yo 1972-2008 44.9% Alambic Classique cask 810251 96btls.
Finally I'll have a 36yo Glenlivet. This one is matured for 35years+ in a fino sherry cask, and then 10 months in a jamaican rum cask. It has some nice dry sherry odors, can't find much of the jamaican rum cask though. This is a pretty perfect dram, no flaws, sweet at first, then peppery and at last a semi dry sherry finish. That said, there's something just not right here, it states cask strength but the taste is much more like heavily diluted to me. For a fine sherry fan this should be just perfect as the aftertaste has some strong chili. For me it's just a bit too perfect, a bit boring maybe.
A nice malt that doesn't require much: 7
Glenlivet 17yo 1972-1990 55.7% Cadenhead's Cask Strength
This one has spent 18 years in the bottle, so I'll guess this gives me a chance to see if I can join mr. Valentin on his looks on bottle maturation. An amazing nose, smells of dark chocolate, armagnac, smoked salmon and freshly ripped thyme. This one is quite exceptional with three layers of different taste. At first very sweet, then very dry, and at last a pepper and hickory smoke ending. No water here, thanks. If I didn't know better I'd guess this was peated. One of the many wonderful expressions of Glenlivet.
Truly exceptional, I need to get my hands on a 70cl of this: 9
Glenlivet 15yo 43% OB French Oak Reserve
I don't know what's the difference between french oak and european oak, maybe I can find out now. A golden colour on this one. Beautiful, sweet and summery nose, takes me back to the riviera, no doubt. The taste is just a tad too watery, I wish they wouldn't dillute is as much. No wait a minute, it doesn't really taste of anything, but with water it becomes a bit like the 12yo, only less sweet.
French oak: 4
Glenlivet 16yo 48% OB Nadurra
A bourbon matured and unchill-filtered Glenlivet. Smells of seaweed, old fish, rotten squid and gelatin. The taste is sweet, pretty peppery, calm and kinda straight-forward. With some water it becomes somewhat dry, toasty, burnt bread, less enjoyable than my first impression. I'd take the standard OB over this any day.
I expected much more from this one: 3.5
Glenlivet 18yo 43% OB
Tried a bit under the influence, but I still managed to pick up some hints of vanilla on the nose, creamy caramell and vanilla milkshake (the homemade version). Fruity with some hints of freshly baked gingerbread and coconuts. On the palate it starts with some sweet and sour notes, bubble gum, boilt artichokes and an elegant finish with ripe dark berries and pepper.
Strange, with glimmers of excellence: 6
Glenlivet 12yo 43% OB
A 70s bottling this one. Very fragrant, mild, typical Glenlivet. Smells nicely of sugar, fine wheat flour, like a bakery. The taste is also very mild and nice, sweet, bakery. The finish brings it up a notch with some strong pepper that unfortunately too often is abscent in the newer bottlings.
Not too exciting: 4.5
Glenlivet 34yo 1968-2003 50.6% Hart Brothers
Lovely nice odor on this old malt, like a summer wind, at night, when out on the lake in an open boat. Or when you're getting home off the airport after a month in Beijing. I'm giving this some time, about 15 minutes due to it's age. I must say I was disappointed as on 50+% I'd expect something a little extra. I had too really use my sences to the fullest to get something on this, I do taste some dried pepper, coal, tame. It's somehow saved by a sweet finish with some pistachio, which is reinforced with a couple drops of water.
It's just to simple and plane: 5
Another Glenlivet, which to me exemplifies the perfect middle of the road whisky, but at this age can be superb. Old Malt Cask is fully spoken of already, needless to say, I have sometimes wondered when bottling whiskies at this age that probably have already dropped till 50-55%abv. before bottling, why not just leave it at cask strength? Smells wood and haystack, burning polyester and old used coffee filters. The taste strong, peppery with strong floral notes, lavender, lamp oil, rubber, garlic and toasted mushrooms. A strange mix, not to my distaste but really weird.
Glenlivet on a tyre?: 5
Glenlivet 26yo 46% Cadenhead's
A sherry matured Glenlivet, I don't believe they use casks like this anymore. Bourbon and French oak seems to be the path they're now following. Dark red color, beautiful, smells heavy oloroso. Sulphury, resinous, prunes, tannins, brown sugar, dry. The taste is not as sweet as anticipated, lots of oak influence, waxy, dry, oat meal, peppery, needs some water I think. Now it gets sweeter, with notes of herbs and weeds. Haystack and gunpowder in the garden? Not bad, just a very unsweet dark red oloroso matured whisky.
A rough and tough Glenlivet, better than current versions: 6.5
Glenlivet/Banffshire 16yo 56% R&J Brownlie
Another Glenlivet, now an older one at cask strength, although not too happy with the 16yo CS Nadurra I have much belief in this one. Extremely sweet on the nose, syrup, burnt sugar, figs, raisins, lots of good stuff, maybe just a little too much? The taste is much the same as the nose, and its hard to detect the high prof other than a slight dryness in the aftertaste. I have to say its hard to find anything wrong here obviously, and its as sweet as can be for a malt, even more so than many of the Glengoynes & Glenmorangies and so ons I've tried. Almost like a spirit proof moscatel. For all you peat-heads and fino-freaks, beware!
For a sweet-tooth like me: 7.5
Glenlivet NAS 43% OB for Baretto Import Milano
One flat bottle, perhaps a decade or two old? Glenlivet is to me the ultimate middle-of-the-road malt, maybe this will be different? Smells lots of vanilla and honey, raspberries, milky way filling, old style Glenlivet. The taste is more peppery, again some sweet vanilla notes, wax, oily, mustard and cream cheese. To be honest its just another clean, safe, good Glenlivet that won't raise any eyebrows.
Well composed: 5.5
Glenlivet 13yo 1996-2009 50% Old Malt Cask Douglas Laing
I´m doing two traditionally very popular, partly due to good commercial marketing I guess, malts today. This one from a sherry cask, hopefully this wood will bring back some good memories of Glenlivet, as I was pretty disappointed with the Nadurra last time. Smells surypy, heavy sweetness, along with some mint and coriander. A well leveled malt. Develops beautifully with time, becomes even rounder and mellows down a bit. The taste shows some milk chocolate, herbs, spices, sour notes of grapefruit and a slight bitterness. Some rubber on the finish puts me off a bit unfortunately. Other than that this was a pleasant surprise.
A perfectly balanced Glenlivet: 7
Glenlivet 16yo 1993-2009 54.2% OB Nadurra batch#161109
I tried the mass produced 48% Nadurra a while ago and was far from impressed, I believe it was the worst Glenlivet I've tried so far. Smells spirity, like some finer Vodkas, but far from what we usually find in whiskyland. The taste is dry and peppery, with small hints of soap and marcipan. With water it gets even more dry. It's better than the standard version, but the spirit is sort of out of shape.
An uninspiring malt: 3.5
Glenlivet 21yo 1973-1994 56% Signatory Vintage cask#3946 btl.530/860
An old sherried Glenlivet, deep dark amber colour, distilled in the days when the future of scotch whisky looked oh so much brighter than it was to become 10 years later. At this time I believe Glenlivet were the most sought after whisky in all of scotland. It smells fantastic, honey notes, sweets, oloroso, floral, raisins, delicious. The taste is slightly dry, chilli, thick, greasy, salty, not your typical sherry-maturation, but lots of phenols. I could've had this with a danish pastry and it'd be perfect. Anyway, it needs water. With water it opens up, gets even more phenolic, but also minty and earthy.
Old-fashioned sherry, I guess: 6.5
Glenlivet 8yo 40% Gordon and Macphail for George & J.G.Smiths
Recently I've tried mostly malts from distilleries easily available, so today I'll have two dinosaurs, but first this Glenlivet from the 80's. Actually there's a small piece of thread inside the bottle(?). It smells of poor spirit, some fino sherry, old newspapers and dust. The taste is the same but with a stronger fino impression. I'll dilute it down to about 20%abv. Suddenly it's like an underberg schnapps with liquorice. I bet some would like this but it doesn't taste much like single malt whisky.
And the thread certainly isn't a cask sediment: 2.5
Glenlivet 15yo 1977-1992 59.5% Cask Gordon & Macphail cask#11302-11303
A close to 60% cask strength from the very gentle Glenlivet should be a killer, but Glenlivet has shown to handle high strengths many a time before. The nose is dry, sherry, grape skin and lemon seeds. A very dark malt. The sweetness here is just too strong, sweet sherry, sugar, plums and white wine vinegar. With water it becomes a bit richer, but very two-dimensional, lots of sweetness at first, then very peppery in the aftertaste. It can take a lot of water.
Sorry, but the cask infuence is to heavy for this malt: 4.5
Glenlivet 11yo 43% OB for the Milano Whisky Festival btl. 491/500
One of only 500 bottles, I've never attended the Milano Whisky Festival, but I've heard good stuff about it. This one is a very pale glenlivet with some soft odors of vanilla and seaweed(?). Bourbon-matured I presume. The taste is very anonymous, even more so than the Glengoyne, perhaps some brown sugar and liquorice fudge. The aftertaste is just as anonymous. Another one to start off with, you have this on top of ice cream, only danger that it's gonna be overpowered by the ice cream flavour...
Too mild to score more, but it isn't bad though: 4.5
Glenlivet 15yo 40% G&M for George & J.G.Smiths
I have got no knowledge of how old this bottle might be, neither have I any clue about who George & J.G.Smiths are. It smells very light, some red apples, a bit fruity but very futile. Oh, the taste is horrendous, dry, papery, boring, bland and dusty. Like the air inside the vacuum cleaner. This I believe must be the worst Glenlivet I've had of today. With some water it gets worse, together with the bland style ther's also some alcoholic notes present now. Hopefully I'll never experience this again.
Like potato starch with Vodka: 1
Glenlivet 21yo 43% OB The Archive
For the last week I've been celebrating easter in france, cote d' azur, so no holiday without malt as far as I'm concerned. Although I'm a big fan of Glenlivet I've never bothered with this "archive" version until now as I always found it well overpriced. It has a very intense caramel nose, toffee-pudding, and some honey as well. The sweetness continous on the palate, but gets a bit interrupted by some strong mustard notes. It strikes me as a bit dry. Adding a bit of water compliments and some sweet woody notes and a peppery aftertaste emerges.
A decent malt, but pricewise there are better options out there: 7
Glenlivet 36yo 1972-2008 44.9% Alambic Classique cask 810251 96btls.
Finally I'll have a 36yo Glenlivet. This one is matured for 35years+ in a fino sherry cask, and then 10 months in a jamaican rum cask. It has some nice dry sherry odors, can't find much of the jamaican rum cask though. This is a pretty perfect dram, no flaws, sweet at first, then peppery and at last a semi dry sherry finish. That said, there's something just not right here, it states cask strength but the taste is much more like heavily diluted to me. For a fine sherry fan this should be just perfect as the aftertaste has some strong chili. For me it's just a bit too perfect, a bit boring maybe.
A nice malt that doesn't require much: 7
Glenlivet 17yo 1972-1990 55.7% Cadenhead's Cask Strength
This one has spent 18 years in the bottle, so I'll guess this gives me a chance to see if I can join mr. Valentin on his looks on bottle maturation. An amazing nose, smells of dark chocolate, armagnac, smoked salmon and freshly ripped thyme. This one is quite exceptional with three layers of different taste. At first very sweet, then very dry, and at last a pepper and hickory smoke ending. No water here, thanks. If I didn't know better I'd guess this was peated. One of the many wonderful expressions of Glenlivet.
Truly exceptional, I need to get my hands on a 70cl of this: 9
Glenlivet 15yo 43% OB French Oak Reserve
I don't know what's the difference between french oak and european oak, maybe I can find out now. A golden colour on this one. Beautiful, sweet and summery nose, takes me back to the riviera, no doubt. The taste is just a tad too watery, I wish they wouldn't dillute is as much. No wait a minute, it doesn't really taste of anything, but with water it becomes a bit like the 12yo, only less sweet.
French oak: 4
Glenlivet 16yo 48% OB Nadurra
A bourbon matured and unchill-filtered Glenlivet. Smells of seaweed, old fish, rotten squid and gelatin. The taste is sweet, pretty peppery, calm and kinda straight-forward. With some water it becomes somewhat dry, toasty, burnt bread, less enjoyable than my first impression. I'd take the standard OB over this any day.
I expected much more from this one: 3.5
Glenlivet 18yo 43% OB
Tried a bit under the influence, but I still managed to pick up some hints of vanilla on the nose, creamy caramell and vanilla milkshake (the homemade version). Fruity with some hints of freshly baked gingerbread and coconuts. On the palate it starts with some sweet and sour notes, bubble gum, boilt artichokes and an elegant finish with ripe dark berries and pepper.
Strange, with glimmers of excellence: 6
Glenlivet 12yo 43% OB
A 70s bottling this one. Very fragrant, mild, typical Glenlivet. Smells nicely of sugar, fine wheat flour, like a bakery. The taste is also very mild and nice, sweet, bakery. The finish brings it up a notch with some strong pepper that unfortunately too often is abscent in the newer bottlings.
Not too exciting: 4.5
Glenlivet 34yo 1968-2003 50.6% Hart Brothers
Lovely nice odor on this old malt, like a summer wind, at night, when out on the lake in an open boat. Or when you're getting home off the airport after a month in Beijing. I'm giving this some time, about 15 minutes due to it's age. I must say I was disappointed as on 50+% I'd expect something a little extra. I had too really use my sences to the fullest to get something on this, I do taste some dried pepper, coal, tame. It's somehow saved by a sweet finish with some pistachio, which is reinforced with a couple drops of water.
It's just to simple and plane: 5
onsdag 27. april 2011
17 Glengoynes tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Glengoyne 12yo 1998-2010 52.9% Malts of Scotland Clubs cask#1135
Only 96 bottles released of this sherried Glegoyne. Sherry and Glengoyne is a combination that's more than often used when it comes to single casks, I don't believe I've ever tried a Glengoyne solely matured in a bourbon cask. The colour is dark red/brown. Heavy sherry on the nose, cinnamon, burnt matches, extremely much so, sulphury and burnt, I can already predict this one will require some water. The taste is first full of dark berries, like some sort of blueberry liqueur, nice, but then it turns extremely dry and the dry and almost harsh sherry elements comes forth. With water. Now Water enhances the sweet berry flavours, and the dry, flinty, burnt matches aren't as prominent.
Classic sherry style: 6
Glengoyne 11yo 1994-2006 61% OB rum finish cask#90937 270btls.
Another pale golden coloured SC Glengoyne, now rum finished version, so it can't really be a single cask then? A really good flavoursome honeyed Glengoyne. The taste is very concentrated, probably due to the high %abv. But then again, bourbon matured at this(assumption on this one), has always been better received on my part than most sherried ones at same strength. This is just amazing, seems that the rum carries so much good honeyed, caramel, and marzipan flavours both on nose and palate that it doesn't need any water. It's just a fantastic malt whisky. I traded just a sample of this one from a fellow malt magician, and now I will try and scramble some money together and get a whole bottle on my own.
Marvellous whisky: 9
Glengoyne 11yo 1997-2008 56.5% OB for The Oslo Whisky Festival cask#2725 339btls.
One bottled for what I believe is the biggest and perhaps only(?) Norwegian whisky festival. A version much lighter in colour than the previous ones, from a bourbon cask? Traditional Oak? Fino sherry? This one smells spirity and bitter, how can this be? The taste is sweet, floral, peppery a bit waxy, traditional beautiful Glengoyne. The aftertaste is peppery and has a sweet ginger flavour, best of the bunch so far.
Classic Glengoyne, shows what the recent fuzz is all about: 7.5
Glengoyne 16yo 1993-2010 53.9% Jekyll's cask#899 226btls.
Another dark sherried Glengoyne, seems to bet the pattern when tasting SC vintages from this distillery. This one is really phenolic and burnt, like when you're grilling pork fat for way too long on way too high temperature, not my kind of Glengoyne so far. The taste is extremely dry, and semi-nutty, sort of a light-weighter with a much bigger nose than palate. The aftertaste is nicely bisquity with some almond notes. A nice whisky but for the price there's better alternatives out there. The problem for me with these heavily sherried Glengoyne's is that its such a light spirit there's no distillery character left.
Like a high %abv. Oloroso sherry: 5
Glengoyne 19yo 1985-2004 52.6% OB Summer cask#608 x/606btls.
An oldie Glengoyne, but much of them around as I believe it's not until recently the distillery been bottling much SC's. This one is not surprisingly a dark sherried one, will it be one of those dry ones? Smells sweet, caramel, honey, sugar melted in butter, a real sweet treat. The taste is phenolid, dry, dark grapes, woody, I'll add some water. Now it becomes a bit more bland, something in the lines of Bunnahabhain Darach Ur, I had high hopes for this one, but it fails to deliver.
A boring sherry bomb: 4.5
Glengoyne 14yo 1994-2008 50% OB Manzanilla Finish
In 1994 some single cask Glengoynes were produced to be bottled as single casks after being finished in special casks(!). As we know that would not be a single cask by todays standards, but the rum cask finish bottled in 2006 were allowed to carry that statement, 2 years on it was no longer bottled with this statement. Manzanilla is a sherry version a bit less sweet than the traditional Oloroso. Smells full, acidic, oily, peppery, lots of nice scents. The taste is clean, fruity and bitter, like some grapefruit and lime, green bananas and stearic, an interesting twist of the usually sweet and light Glengoyne.
An unusual version I don't believe will be reproduced: 4
Glengoyne 9yo 2001-2010 45% Exclusive Range cask#387 x/397btls.
Today, since it's probably my last real post before christmas I'm gonna treat myself to something special, a vertical of 6 different Glengoynes. This is all on sherry, nice sweet oloroso with camphor and small hints of phenol. The taste is rubbery and phenolic, not a very pleasant expression as I feel it really could've benefited from more time in the cask. A whisky like this needs some punch or dryness, like the Aberlour A'bunadh usually posseses. With water it becomes just more rubbery.
An example of a sherry cask gone wrong: 3
Glengoyne 12yo 1997-2009 57.2% Malts of Scotland cask#582
A sherried Glengoyne, seems to be a lot of them around these days, with all the choices, finishes, single casks and whatnot. Smells sweet and a bit dry, Oloroso? Raisins and rum. The taste is enormously sweet, peppermint and christmas candy, spearmint and marchipan, ends with strong notes of chili and honeycorn. A fantastic expression.
This is a light, smooth, sweet malt that finishes on a strong note: 8
Glengoyne 16yo 48% OB Shiraz
Another finished malt, this time a Glengoyne finished in a red wine cask that's been carrying wine made from the Shiraz grape. Smells light, typical Glengoyne, not very interesting, some malty notes. The taste is zesty, lime-ish, cinnamon, and very salty, like some sherried islayers from the good old days. A very nice surprise.The taste is sweet red wine, lots of cask influence, some dry notes, black pepper, dark chocolate and some herbal notes in the aftertaste, a very herbal aftertaste actually.
I think this a good alternative to sherry maturation for Glengoyne: 7.5
Glengoyne 11yo 1998-2009 54.5% Malts of Scotland cask#1130 btl.1/192
I do find many Glengoyne with cask strength to be very attractive. This smells sweet, oloroso, sulphur, cinnamon, banana and creamy mustard. The taste is very dry and phenolic, chilli, papery, woody and burnt. It needs some water. With some water it becomes much sweeter and the oloroso really starts showing. A bit spirity, burnt and lots of cinnamon, floral notes and honey. The aftertaste is long, honeyed and slightly minty.
An easy but very good sherried Glengoyne: 7.5
Glengoyne NAS 40% OB Burnfoot
One who should be similar to the whisky produced at Glengoyne back in the good old days when the distillery was named Burnfoot. It does taste different than the modern, light Glengoyne. It's much more like a blend than a single malt, straight forward and peppery with some bitterness as well. No aftertaste in this one. Now the young standard OB's from Glengoyne aren't amongst my favourites, and neither will this one be.
Another old school malt: 3
Glengoyne 18yo 1989-2007 55.1% OB Robbie's Choice cask#328 btl188/277
A Glengoyne ruby Port finish and some other cask strengths, tried on tuesday's whisky event. I find this one to be right between oloroso sherry and fino sherry in style. Dry and sweet. Nose is all on Port, I've never come across such a prot-influenced malt before. The taste is a bit dry, slightly bitter, it's sweet at first, makes me think of tawny. The aftertaste is dry, minty and medium long. I do enjoy it but I've had better, I dislike the sort of clinging sweetness that sticks for a long time.
I hope to try others from the choice-series: 6.5
Glengoyne 21yo 43% OB
There are far between the really good standard distillery bottlings from Glengoyne, in my opinion. The nose is very woody, lacquer and some nice earthy notes. It comes from very fresh cask I guess, much vanilla, bourbony, some mint and sweet peas. No dryness or overly dominating characters here. The finish is woody, nutty and minty, a very pleasant surprise. But at this age and price, I guess I could've asked for a bit more. A nice and simple starter-dram.
Flawless, but so are many cheap 12-year olds also: 5.5
Glengoyne 12yo 57.2% OB
A pretty young cask strength from Glengoyne. Let's have an odorsampling... It has a marvellous sweet smell of caramels and marshmallow dust. The palate is hot and sweet, not like the Wodka shot, and has a longlasting and burning sensation in the finish and aftertaste. I'd say it's a bit like the Bowmore Tempest, just without the peat. Lovely peppery flavours and a fat texture. I seem to really enjoy these young CS Glengoynes.
A lovely firm and bold malt: 9
Glengoyne 10yo 40% OB
I haven't had too many good standard OB's from Glengoyne, but a young CS once made me aware of it's potential. This one has a nice and subtle sweet malty odor. The taste seems very restrained, strong with some woody cheap hints of eau de cologne. With some water it becomes a bit more drinkable, but there's a sort of sour apple aftertaste that stays in my mouth for quite some time. Yes, with water it becomes nice and fresh, but it's far from exciting in any way. I'll rate this one above the 17yo.
A fresh summerdram, but do add water: 4.5
Glengoyne 8yo 2001-2009 59.3% SMWS "A Strawberry Ballerina"
I haven't quite been able to enjoy Glengoyne so far, let's see if a young cask strength with the bombastic name "A Strawberry Ballerina" can change my mind. Goodness me, it's actually pink, let's pour. Oh yes! It has the colour of a pink marker. A very strong nose, chilli, barbeque sauce and cigar smoke. The taste is very complex, reminds me of some older Glenlivets, warm, fruity, red grapes, melons, orange peel and nuts. The aftertaste consists of mint, red/white lollipops and cream.
An untraditional but still fantastic Glengoyne: 7.5
Glengoyne 17yo 43% OB
Nice colour, golden brown, inviting. Good smoky odor, elegant spiciness, some cinnamon, some prunes, sugar glaze and a nice honeyed attack right at first mouthful. Then very strong, tickling on the tip of my tongue, and a very alcoholic taste prevents my tastebuds from getting much more out of this one. Water is not an option here, at least not for me. A malt that talks the talk on nosing, but barely limps along when it comes to tasting.
Younger? Older? What can they do to improve?: 2
Glengoyne 8yo 43% OB 100th anniversary of Langs association with Glengoyne btl.12299/36000
Not the most limited edition of Glengoyne with 36000 bottles released. Other than bottled for the asian market and being two years younger than the 10yo I can't immediately see how it stands apart from other OB's. Maybe the taste will show me. Smells light, easy, woody, tea, much rounder and more flavorsome than the 10yo. The taste is classical Glengoyne, light, sweet, grassy, oaky borderline bland with some tannins on the finish.
A nice enough whisky, just a bit grainy: 4
Only 96 bottles released of this sherried Glegoyne. Sherry and Glengoyne is a combination that's more than often used when it comes to single casks, I don't believe I've ever tried a Glengoyne solely matured in a bourbon cask. The colour is dark red/brown. Heavy sherry on the nose, cinnamon, burnt matches, extremely much so, sulphury and burnt, I can already predict this one will require some water. The taste is first full of dark berries, like some sort of blueberry liqueur, nice, but then it turns extremely dry and the dry and almost harsh sherry elements comes forth. With water. Now Water enhances the sweet berry flavours, and the dry, flinty, burnt matches aren't as prominent.
Classic sherry style: 6
Glengoyne 11yo 1994-2006 61% OB rum finish cask#90937 270btls.
Another pale golden coloured SC Glengoyne, now rum finished version, so it can't really be a single cask then? A really good flavoursome honeyed Glengoyne. The taste is very concentrated, probably due to the high %abv. But then again, bourbon matured at this(assumption on this one), has always been better received on my part than most sherried ones at same strength. This is just amazing, seems that the rum carries so much good honeyed, caramel, and marzipan flavours both on nose and palate that it doesn't need any water. It's just a fantastic malt whisky. I traded just a sample of this one from a fellow malt magician, and now I will try and scramble some money together and get a whole bottle on my own.
Marvellous whisky: 9
Glengoyne 11yo 1997-2008 56.5% OB for The Oslo Whisky Festival cask#2725 339btls.
One bottled for what I believe is the biggest and perhaps only(?) Norwegian whisky festival. A version much lighter in colour than the previous ones, from a bourbon cask? Traditional Oak? Fino sherry? This one smells spirity and bitter, how can this be? The taste is sweet, floral, peppery a bit waxy, traditional beautiful Glengoyne. The aftertaste is peppery and has a sweet ginger flavour, best of the bunch so far.
Classic Glengoyne, shows what the recent fuzz is all about: 7.5
Glengoyne 16yo 1993-2010 53.9% Jekyll's cask#899 226btls.
Another dark sherried Glengoyne, seems to bet the pattern when tasting SC vintages from this distillery. This one is really phenolic and burnt, like when you're grilling pork fat for way too long on way too high temperature, not my kind of Glengoyne so far. The taste is extremely dry, and semi-nutty, sort of a light-weighter with a much bigger nose than palate. The aftertaste is nicely bisquity with some almond notes. A nice whisky but for the price there's better alternatives out there. The problem for me with these heavily sherried Glengoyne's is that its such a light spirit there's no distillery character left.
Like a high %abv. Oloroso sherry: 5
Glengoyne 19yo 1985-2004 52.6% OB Summer cask#608 x/606btls.
An oldie Glengoyne, but much of them around as I believe it's not until recently the distillery been bottling much SC's. This one is not surprisingly a dark sherried one, will it be one of those dry ones? Smells sweet, caramel, honey, sugar melted in butter, a real sweet treat. The taste is phenolid, dry, dark grapes, woody, I'll add some water. Now it becomes a bit more bland, something in the lines of Bunnahabhain Darach Ur, I had high hopes for this one, but it fails to deliver.
A boring sherry bomb: 4.5
Glengoyne 14yo 1994-2008 50% OB Manzanilla Finish
In 1994 some single cask Glengoynes were produced to be bottled as single casks after being finished in special casks(!). As we know that would not be a single cask by todays standards, but the rum cask finish bottled in 2006 were allowed to carry that statement, 2 years on it was no longer bottled with this statement. Manzanilla is a sherry version a bit less sweet than the traditional Oloroso. Smells full, acidic, oily, peppery, lots of nice scents. The taste is clean, fruity and bitter, like some grapefruit and lime, green bananas and stearic, an interesting twist of the usually sweet and light Glengoyne.
An unusual version I don't believe will be reproduced: 4
Glengoyne 9yo 2001-2010 45% Exclusive Range cask#387 x/397btls.
Today, since it's probably my last real post before christmas I'm gonna treat myself to something special, a vertical of 6 different Glengoynes. This is all on sherry, nice sweet oloroso with camphor and small hints of phenol. The taste is rubbery and phenolic, not a very pleasant expression as I feel it really could've benefited from more time in the cask. A whisky like this needs some punch or dryness, like the Aberlour A'bunadh usually posseses. With water it becomes just more rubbery.
An example of a sherry cask gone wrong: 3
Glengoyne 12yo 1997-2009 57.2% Malts of Scotland cask#582
A sherried Glengoyne, seems to be a lot of them around these days, with all the choices, finishes, single casks and whatnot. Smells sweet and a bit dry, Oloroso? Raisins and rum. The taste is enormously sweet, peppermint and christmas candy, spearmint and marchipan, ends with strong notes of chili and honeycorn. A fantastic expression.
This is a light, smooth, sweet malt that finishes on a strong note: 8
Glengoyne 16yo 48% OB Shiraz
Another finished malt, this time a Glengoyne finished in a red wine cask that's been carrying wine made from the Shiraz grape. Smells light, typical Glengoyne, not very interesting, some malty notes. The taste is zesty, lime-ish, cinnamon, and very salty, like some sherried islayers from the good old days. A very nice surprise.The taste is sweet red wine, lots of cask influence, some dry notes, black pepper, dark chocolate and some herbal notes in the aftertaste, a very herbal aftertaste actually.
I think this a good alternative to sherry maturation for Glengoyne: 7.5
Glengoyne 11yo 1998-2009 54.5% Malts of Scotland cask#1130 btl.1/192
I do find many Glengoyne with cask strength to be very attractive. This smells sweet, oloroso, sulphur, cinnamon, banana and creamy mustard. The taste is very dry and phenolic, chilli, papery, woody and burnt. It needs some water. With some water it becomes much sweeter and the oloroso really starts showing. A bit spirity, burnt and lots of cinnamon, floral notes and honey. The aftertaste is long, honeyed and slightly minty.
An easy but very good sherried Glengoyne: 7.5
Glengoyne NAS 40% OB Burnfoot
One who should be similar to the whisky produced at Glengoyne back in the good old days when the distillery was named Burnfoot. It does taste different than the modern, light Glengoyne. It's much more like a blend than a single malt, straight forward and peppery with some bitterness as well. No aftertaste in this one. Now the young standard OB's from Glengoyne aren't amongst my favourites, and neither will this one be.
Another old school malt: 3
Glengoyne 18yo 1989-2007 55.1% OB Robbie's Choice cask#328 btl188/277
A Glengoyne ruby Port finish and some other cask strengths, tried on tuesday's whisky event. I find this one to be right between oloroso sherry and fino sherry in style. Dry and sweet. Nose is all on Port, I've never come across such a prot-influenced malt before. The taste is a bit dry, slightly bitter, it's sweet at first, makes me think of tawny. The aftertaste is dry, minty and medium long. I do enjoy it but I've had better, I dislike the sort of clinging sweetness that sticks for a long time.
I hope to try others from the choice-series: 6.5
Glengoyne 21yo 43% OB
There are far between the really good standard distillery bottlings from Glengoyne, in my opinion. The nose is very woody, lacquer and some nice earthy notes. It comes from very fresh cask I guess, much vanilla, bourbony, some mint and sweet peas. No dryness or overly dominating characters here. The finish is woody, nutty and minty, a very pleasant surprise. But at this age and price, I guess I could've asked for a bit more. A nice and simple starter-dram.
Flawless, but so are many cheap 12-year olds also: 5.5
Glengoyne 12yo 57.2% OB
A pretty young cask strength from Glengoyne. Let's have an odorsampling... It has a marvellous sweet smell of caramels and marshmallow dust. The palate is hot and sweet, not like the Wodka shot, and has a longlasting and burning sensation in the finish and aftertaste. I'd say it's a bit like the Bowmore Tempest, just without the peat. Lovely peppery flavours and a fat texture. I seem to really enjoy these young CS Glengoynes.
A lovely firm and bold malt: 9
Glengoyne 10yo 40% OB
I haven't had too many good standard OB's from Glengoyne, but a young CS once made me aware of it's potential. This one has a nice and subtle sweet malty odor. The taste seems very restrained, strong with some woody cheap hints of eau de cologne. With some water it becomes a bit more drinkable, but there's a sort of sour apple aftertaste that stays in my mouth for quite some time. Yes, with water it becomes nice and fresh, but it's far from exciting in any way. I'll rate this one above the 17yo.
A fresh summerdram, but do add water: 4.5
Glengoyne 8yo 2001-2009 59.3% SMWS "A Strawberry Ballerina"
I haven't quite been able to enjoy Glengoyne so far, let's see if a young cask strength with the bombastic name "A Strawberry Ballerina" can change my mind. Goodness me, it's actually pink, let's pour. Oh yes! It has the colour of a pink marker. A very strong nose, chilli, barbeque sauce and cigar smoke. The taste is very complex, reminds me of some older Glenlivets, warm, fruity, red grapes, melons, orange peel and nuts. The aftertaste consists of mint, red/white lollipops and cream.
An untraditional but still fantastic Glengoyne: 7.5
Glengoyne 17yo 43% OB
Nice colour, golden brown, inviting. Good smoky odor, elegant spiciness, some cinnamon, some prunes, sugar glaze and a nice honeyed attack right at first mouthful. Then very strong, tickling on the tip of my tongue, and a very alcoholic taste prevents my tastebuds from getting much more out of this one. Water is not an option here, at least not for me. A malt that talks the talk on nosing, but barely limps along when it comes to tasting.
Younger? Older? What can they do to improve?: 2
Glengoyne 8yo 43% OB 100th anniversary of Langs association with Glengoyne btl.12299/36000
Not the most limited edition of Glengoyne with 36000 bottles released. Other than bottled for the asian market and being two years younger than the 10yo I can't immediately see how it stands apart from other OB's. Maybe the taste will show me. Smells light, easy, woody, tea, much rounder and more flavorsome than the 10yo. The taste is classical Glengoyne, light, sweet, grassy, oaky borderline bland with some tannins on the finish.
A nice enough whisky, just a bit grainy: 4
7 Japanese Whiskies tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Kauizawa 36yo 1972-2008 65% OB cask#7290 Sherry Butt
I needed two titralac prior to this one just to cope with the high strength due to some light heartburn earlier on the day. 65% after 36 years, I remember I had another one at this strength at about the same age, a dark sherried Inchgower that were utterly amazing. I think some sherry casks has this influence. Lets see with this one, which is much paler, golden tan. Smells extreme, not as much sweetness, more sort of an oaky old spirit, like som of the A'bunadhs that's not caught enough sherry impact. This one reminds me sort of the puncheon, like there's some peaty and sweet notes. A bit cardboard, dark syrup and this strange sour cream cheese sensation in the finish.
Again, not as much flavor as I'd expect but what's there is very good: 7.5
Karuizawa Noh 14yo 1995-2009 59.4% OB for Jekyll's cask#5039
Second expression I've tried that's been imported by Jekyll's, last one was a Glengoyne I liked a lot, that was a dark one as well. I guess they like their malts sherried at Jekyll's. Smells of roasted fruit, plums, honey and sweet licorice, my favorite profile so far what nosing is concerned. All in a pleasant modesty, no spirity notes despite the quite massive 59.4%abv. The taste is sweet and bitter, not bad at all but the wood is kind of killing the other flavors. it's almost like licking dry wood. Again I believe water can help it reach its potential. Water helps a bit and some sweet notes of raspberry jam and sweet potato mash comes to the surface.
A fine sherry monster: 7
Yamazaki NAS 48% OB Puncheon
At 48%abv. I think this one might make more of an impression on my tastebuds, I usually thought that puncheons used to carry sherry, but this one is as bland as any other youngster from Islay, maybe it just had very short time in the cask? It smells strong, earthy, dry wheat, yeast, not as pleasant as the last one but definately talks a bit more around the table. Lets call it. Now the taste iss immensely sweet with lots of ripe dark fruits and berries. Also very dry and concentrated, but most of all sensationally sweet, let's try with some water. Now it gets more rounded, and quite peppery on the finish.
I liked this one a lot, elements of the Highlands: 7
Hakushu 10yo 40.5% OB
I'm doing a vertical of different japanese whiskies today, will I finally discover the magic of Japanese whisky? This one is a very light and available malt that I guess would fit as start when it comes to Japan. White wine color, smells sweet and malty, rice wine and fructose syrup. The taste shows to be a bit dry, acidic sweetness, orange peel, lots of citric zest and linseeds(!). Crazy stuff, I must admit it has a lot of smooth things going on but it just doesn't have the punch and richness often found in scotch.
A bizarrely light malt: 4
Karuizawa 26yo 1981-2007 58.1% OB cask#103
A red, slightly pink japanese whisky this one, from what I've heard it's a peaty japanese, who knew? Well, for what I know I might be the least updated whiskyblogger around when it comes to japanese single malts. So take this for what it is. Smells more spirity than peaty, with some aniseed. The taste is a thrill, really enticing, chilli, peat, marcipan, cloves, oak, spices, herbal, here's a little bit of everything. Water doesn't make much difference, but here that's a good thing. This has changed some of my thoughts when it comes to whisky from japan.
A flavourful and powerful whisky: 8
Yoichi 10yo 45% OB Nikka Distillery
Some japanese whisky then, which seems to have impressed lots of people. Last time I tried one from the land of the rising sun, I believe it was a Suntory. I was far from impressed then, perhaps this will make a difference in my opinion. This one is extremely minty, like the smell from your mouth when chewing a whole pack of spearmint gum. The taste is very clean, the palate strikes me as a bit bland, with small hints of roasted nuts and chocolate. The aftertaste is the highlight for me in this Samurai. Very long and peppery, infused with a longlasting herbal exit.
Maybe I will try some more Japanese malts in the near future: 7
Suntory 12yo 40% OB
Okay, today I'll be having some japanese, some irish and some scotch grain, this ought to be an interesting session. Actually this is my first japanese malt whisky ever. Smells nutty, marcipan, grassy, sort of plain. The taste itself is far from what I'd expect, sour apples, very phenolic, weird alcohol flavours, ink? I'll just add water to this one right away. Alright, now less alcohol, but no other development. If this is a representative for the Japanese malt style I have no idea what the fuzz is all about. Hopefully I'll get a chance to try some other Japanese in the near future that can convince me otherwise.
Spirity stuff: 2.5
I needed two titralac prior to this one just to cope with the high strength due to some light heartburn earlier on the day. 65% after 36 years, I remember I had another one at this strength at about the same age, a dark sherried Inchgower that were utterly amazing. I think some sherry casks has this influence. Lets see with this one, which is much paler, golden tan. Smells extreme, not as much sweetness, more sort of an oaky old spirit, like som of the A'bunadhs that's not caught enough sherry impact. This one reminds me sort of the puncheon, like there's some peaty and sweet notes. A bit cardboard, dark syrup and this strange sour cream cheese sensation in the finish.
Again, not as much flavor as I'd expect but what's there is very good: 7.5
Karuizawa Noh 14yo 1995-2009 59.4% OB for Jekyll's cask#5039
Second expression I've tried that's been imported by Jekyll's, last one was a Glengoyne I liked a lot, that was a dark one as well. I guess they like their malts sherried at Jekyll's. Smells of roasted fruit, plums, honey and sweet licorice, my favorite profile so far what nosing is concerned. All in a pleasant modesty, no spirity notes despite the quite massive 59.4%abv. The taste is sweet and bitter, not bad at all but the wood is kind of killing the other flavors. it's almost like licking dry wood. Again I believe water can help it reach its potential. Water helps a bit and some sweet notes of raspberry jam and sweet potato mash comes to the surface.
A fine sherry monster: 7
Yamazaki NAS 48% OB Puncheon
At 48%abv. I think this one might make more of an impression on my tastebuds, I usually thought that puncheons used to carry sherry, but this one is as bland as any other youngster from Islay, maybe it just had very short time in the cask? It smells strong, earthy, dry wheat, yeast, not as pleasant as the last one but definately talks a bit more around the table. Lets call it. Now the taste iss immensely sweet with lots of ripe dark fruits and berries. Also very dry and concentrated, but most of all sensationally sweet, let's try with some water. Now it gets more rounded, and quite peppery on the finish.
I liked this one a lot, elements of the Highlands: 7
Hakushu 10yo 40.5% OB
I'm doing a vertical of different japanese whiskies today, will I finally discover the magic of Japanese whisky? This one is a very light and available malt that I guess would fit as start when it comes to Japan. White wine color, smells sweet and malty, rice wine and fructose syrup. The taste shows to be a bit dry, acidic sweetness, orange peel, lots of citric zest and linseeds(!). Crazy stuff, I must admit it has a lot of smooth things going on but it just doesn't have the punch and richness often found in scotch.
A bizarrely light malt: 4
Karuizawa 26yo 1981-2007 58.1% OB cask#103
A red, slightly pink japanese whisky this one, from what I've heard it's a peaty japanese, who knew? Well, for what I know I might be the least updated whiskyblogger around when it comes to japanese single malts. So take this for what it is. Smells more spirity than peaty, with some aniseed. The taste is a thrill, really enticing, chilli, peat, marcipan, cloves, oak, spices, herbal, here's a little bit of everything. Water doesn't make much difference, but here that's a good thing. This has changed some of my thoughts when it comes to whisky from japan.
A flavourful and powerful whisky: 8
Yoichi 10yo 45% OB Nikka Distillery
Some japanese whisky then, which seems to have impressed lots of people. Last time I tried one from the land of the rising sun, I believe it was a Suntory. I was far from impressed then, perhaps this will make a difference in my opinion. This one is extremely minty, like the smell from your mouth when chewing a whole pack of spearmint gum. The taste is very clean, the palate strikes me as a bit bland, with small hints of roasted nuts and chocolate. The aftertaste is the highlight for me in this Samurai. Very long and peppery, infused with a longlasting herbal exit.
Maybe I will try some more Japanese malts in the near future: 7
Suntory 12yo 40% OB
Okay, today I'll be having some japanese, some irish and some scotch grain, this ought to be an interesting session. Actually this is my first japanese malt whisky ever. Smells nutty, marcipan, grassy, sort of plain. The taste itself is far from what I'd expect, sour apples, very phenolic, weird alcohol flavours, ink? I'll just add water to this one right away. Alright, now less alcohol, but no other development. If this is a representative for the Japanese malt style I have no idea what the fuzz is all about. Hopefully I'll get a chance to try some other Japanese in the near future that can convince me otherwise.
Spirity stuff: 2.5
mandag 18. april 2011
6 Caperdonichs tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Caperdonich 37yo 1972-2009 46.8% Duncan Taylor Octave
Caperdonich is one that I believe will soon show almost impossible to get a hold of as I don't think there are many independent bottlers sitting on a lot of recent stock. This one at 37yo is surely one not to miss as it's still obtainable. It needs time, I'll tell you that much. Een after 15 minutes it doesn't smell much, small hints of caviar and dried onion. The taste shows lots of oily notes, floral hints and some pickled chives. After 37 years I'd expect much more, but that being said it's a gentle old giant that might come forward if offered some water. Water does the trick and it results in taste of roasted nuts and more floral notes. Am I satisfied? No!! Is it drinkable? Yes!!!
At a younger age I think this one had some more punch and fared a bit better: 5
Caperdonich 12yo 1997-2009 46% Provenance Douglas Laing
Caperdonich is, I guess as well as Glen keith, Braes of Glenlivet, Tamnavulin and Imperial, a distillery we all hope will get back on its feet again soon. This one smells huge, loads and loads of spirity bourbon notes, not too pleasant I'm afraid. The vanilla is hard to detect. The flavour got charistica of paint thinner, grass, well expired orange juice, burnt hair and apple core. Truth to be told this is one of the worst malts I've had in a long time, and waters doesn't improve it at all. Rather just give me some vodka.
Taste like cheap spirit: 1.5
Caperdonich 25yo 1980-2005 46% Connoisseurs Choice Gordon & Macphail
More from yesterdays G&M session of rarities, Caperdonich isn't demolished and could be producing one again in the future, but I don't think it will happen for quite some time. Smells of sweet mints, chlorine, pepper, caramell, red wine and egg cream. The taste is burnt almonds and some woody notes. Sherry hogshead. A short and anonymous finish.
A lightweighter in every sense: 3
Caperdonich 10yo 1998-2008 47.2% Alambic Classique 1/60 btls.
A single cask bottling from Caperonich, could this be a cask strength as well? In that case I wonder what kind of cask they've used. It has a very smoky, dry and cigarish nose. The taste is soft, white pepper and ammonium. Water! With a small sip I expected a change, but nothing at all, same boring semi-peppery taste with some strange finish. More water! Okay, still a bit peppery, which is good, and the weird and unpleasant aftertaste is gone. I hope I'll get my hands on some other Caperdonichs cause I've heard great stuff about it, really!
I'm far from impressed, but it's drinkable with lots of water: 3
Caperdonich 36yo 1968-2004 40% CC G&M
A very dark whisky, sherry? Let's have a taste, oh yes, definately sherry, lot's of cask influence. Could remind me of a sherry-matured Ardbeg, uigeadail? Unfortunately there's too much sulfur, combined with some oily notes and burnt sugar. I recommend a good dash of water. It has an odd minty aftertaste.
Will destroy any pokerface: 5 (with water)
Caperdonich 16yo 1972-1988 40% cask#7130-7132 btl.118/1200
A sherry matured old bottling from S/V. It's actually further between the 40% malts nowadays than before. This, I feel, is a result of CS bottlings and 46% standards are becoming much more in demand. Maybe will old 40% malts be in huge demand in a couple years? This smells very old styled, sweet and dry sherry, phenolic, raisins, honey, dark chocolate and so on. The taste is honey, smooth, herbs, cinnamon and even more honey. The aftertaste is long and drying.
A conservative sherried malt: 7
Caperdonich is one that I believe will soon show almost impossible to get a hold of as I don't think there are many independent bottlers sitting on a lot of recent stock. This one at 37yo is surely one not to miss as it's still obtainable. It needs time, I'll tell you that much. Een after 15 minutes it doesn't smell much, small hints of caviar and dried onion. The taste shows lots of oily notes, floral hints and some pickled chives. After 37 years I'd expect much more, but that being said it's a gentle old giant that might come forward if offered some water. Water does the trick and it results in taste of roasted nuts and more floral notes. Am I satisfied? No!! Is it drinkable? Yes!!!
At a younger age I think this one had some more punch and fared a bit better: 5
Caperdonich 12yo 1997-2009 46% Provenance Douglas Laing
Caperdonich is, I guess as well as Glen keith, Braes of Glenlivet, Tamnavulin and Imperial, a distillery we all hope will get back on its feet again soon. This one smells huge, loads and loads of spirity bourbon notes, not too pleasant I'm afraid. The vanilla is hard to detect. The flavour got charistica of paint thinner, grass, well expired orange juice, burnt hair and apple core. Truth to be told this is one of the worst malts I've had in a long time, and waters doesn't improve it at all. Rather just give me some vodka.
Taste like cheap spirit: 1.5
Caperdonich 25yo 1980-2005 46% Connoisseurs Choice Gordon & Macphail
More from yesterdays G&M session of rarities, Caperdonich isn't demolished and could be producing one again in the future, but I don't think it will happen for quite some time. Smells of sweet mints, chlorine, pepper, caramell, red wine and egg cream. The taste is burnt almonds and some woody notes. Sherry hogshead. A short and anonymous finish.
A lightweighter in every sense: 3
Caperdonich 10yo 1998-2008 47.2% Alambic Classique 1/60 btls.
A single cask bottling from Caperonich, could this be a cask strength as well? In that case I wonder what kind of cask they've used. It has a very smoky, dry and cigarish nose. The taste is soft, white pepper and ammonium. Water! With a small sip I expected a change, but nothing at all, same boring semi-peppery taste with some strange finish. More water! Okay, still a bit peppery, which is good, and the weird and unpleasant aftertaste is gone. I hope I'll get my hands on some other Caperdonichs cause I've heard great stuff about it, really!
I'm far from impressed, but it's drinkable with lots of water: 3
Caperdonich 36yo 1968-2004 40% CC G&M
A very dark whisky, sherry? Let's have a taste, oh yes, definately sherry, lot's of cask influence. Could remind me of a sherry-matured Ardbeg, uigeadail? Unfortunately there's too much sulfur, combined with some oily notes and burnt sugar. I recommend a good dash of water. It has an odd minty aftertaste.
Will destroy any pokerface: 5 (with water)
Caperdonich 16yo 1972-1988 40% cask#7130-7132 btl.118/1200
A sherry matured old bottling from S/V. It's actually further between the 40% malts nowadays than before. This, I feel, is a result of CS bottlings and 46% standards are becoming much more in demand. Maybe will old 40% malts be in huge demand in a couple years? This smells very old styled, sweet and dry sherry, phenolic, raisins, honey, dark chocolate and so on. The taste is honey, smooth, herbs, cinnamon and even more honey. The aftertaste is long and drying.
A conservative sherried malt: 7
6 Tomintouls tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Tomintoul 14yo 46% OB
The gentle dram as they call their whisky, I know that many a distillery have claimed such, Tamnavulin and Glengoyne amongst others. Maybe its a response to the fuzz that peated malts have created the last years. The light alternative. Color of white wine, smells grassy, bitter oranges, walnuts and hay. The taste is gentle and grassy, lots of greens, agriculture, wheat grains and earthy. Just like a perfect grain spirit. Unfortunately it doesn't portray itself older than 10yo at most.
A gentle dram, no question about that: 4
Tomintoul 10yo 46% The Whisky Castle
Tomintoul's launched a pretty nice range of OB's a while back. 33yo and 27yo were among those. This bottling is from the 80's or 90's anyway, it was another time back then at Tomintoul. Smells of heather, caramel and onions. The taste is weird to say the least, blueberry soda, clay and desinfect balm (as I imagine it'd taste like). With water it gets even more spirity, but also some floral and spicy notes appears. I'd say this is far from the malt distilled at Tomintoul today, but the Whisky Castle serie isn't bottled anymore, so if you get your hands on some, well, its a rarity!
Old Spice?: 4.5
Tomintoul 16yo 40% OB
Actually I was going to party day, but it was cancelled, so why not rather take a stroll down the Standard OB Lane? Tomintoul is another distillery that has made a gimmic out of being a gentle malt "of unique quality...invitingly smooth and mellow..." and all that jazz. Like Tamnavulin, Glengoyne and so on. The smell on this one is very light, a bit oaky and some fresh summerfruits, oranges, kiwi and such. The taste is very anonymous, some paper, a bit burnt rubber and some off-notes that's hard to describe. A bit mint in the aftertaste saves it from a bottom score.
A big yawn for me: 2
Old Ballantruan NAS 50% OB Tomintoul Dist.
Another funky peated speyside malt, this time from the Tomintoul distillery. At a nice 50% abv. Very much same nose as the Benromach, only a bit more restrained smoke and less lemon. The taste is much sweeter and a bit more punchy. I like the pepper sensation and the aftertaste is long and sweet, with some flowery notes. This one reminds me of some young CS Glenfarclas' actually, I wonder why...
Best of tonight: 7
Tomintoul 12yo 43% OB
My first ever single malt contained in a small plastic bottle, could this give any change in flavour as opposed to the traditional glass? The top almost evaporates when twisted, so i guess it's an old bottle. Decent golden colour, but a horrible semi-smoky and sort of burnt rubber flavour. With some water it doesn't improve much, the smell is horrible and so is the taste. There's no point finding scents here, but there's clearly some grainy and peppery sort of earthy unwashed salad taste.
Scotch and water, hold the scotch: 1.5
Tomintoul 27yo 40% OB
27 years is a strange age for a standard OB, but Tomintoul isn't you're typical distillery, I think. It's golden-brown coloured. The taste is very sweet, bisbuits, cookies, vanilla, rum, marzipan and rubber. First taste is also sweet, apple pie, fruity sorbet and flower sugar. The aftertaste is short and peppery. This is not a bad malt, but after 27 years, I'd expect more.
A pleasant but uninteresting drink: 5
The gentle dram as they call their whisky, I know that many a distillery have claimed such, Tamnavulin and Glengoyne amongst others. Maybe its a response to the fuzz that peated malts have created the last years. The light alternative. Color of white wine, smells grassy, bitter oranges, walnuts and hay. The taste is gentle and grassy, lots of greens, agriculture, wheat grains and earthy. Just like a perfect grain spirit. Unfortunately it doesn't portray itself older than 10yo at most.
A gentle dram, no question about that: 4
Tomintoul 10yo 46% The Whisky Castle
Tomintoul's launched a pretty nice range of OB's a while back. 33yo and 27yo were among those. This bottling is from the 80's or 90's anyway, it was another time back then at Tomintoul. Smells of heather, caramel and onions. The taste is weird to say the least, blueberry soda, clay and desinfect balm (as I imagine it'd taste like). With water it gets even more spirity, but also some floral and spicy notes appears. I'd say this is far from the malt distilled at Tomintoul today, but the Whisky Castle serie isn't bottled anymore, so if you get your hands on some, well, its a rarity!
Old Spice?: 4.5
Tomintoul 16yo 40% OB
Actually I was going to party day, but it was cancelled, so why not rather take a stroll down the Standard OB Lane? Tomintoul is another distillery that has made a gimmic out of being a gentle malt "of unique quality...invitingly smooth and mellow..." and all that jazz. Like Tamnavulin, Glengoyne and so on. The smell on this one is very light, a bit oaky and some fresh summerfruits, oranges, kiwi and such. The taste is very anonymous, some paper, a bit burnt rubber and some off-notes that's hard to describe. A bit mint in the aftertaste saves it from a bottom score.
A big yawn for me: 2
Old Ballantruan NAS 50% OB Tomintoul Dist.
Another funky peated speyside malt, this time from the Tomintoul distillery. At a nice 50% abv. Very much same nose as the Benromach, only a bit more restrained smoke and less lemon. The taste is much sweeter and a bit more punchy. I like the pepper sensation and the aftertaste is long and sweet, with some flowery notes. This one reminds me of some young CS Glenfarclas' actually, I wonder why...
Best of tonight: 7
Tomintoul 12yo 43% OB
My first ever single malt contained in a small plastic bottle, could this give any change in flavour as opposed to the traditional glass? The top almost evaporates when twisted, so i guess it's an old bottle. Decent golden colour, but a horrible semi-smoky and sort of burnt rubber flavour. With some water it doesn't improve much, the smell is horrible and so is the taste. There's no point finding scents here, but there's clearly some grainy and peppery sort of earthy unwashed salad taste.
Scotch and water, hold the scotch: 1.5
Tomintoul 27yo 40% OB
27 years is a strange age for a standard OB, but Tomintoul isn't you're typical distillery, I think. It's golden-brown coloured. The taste is very sweet, bisbuits, cookies, vanilla, rum, marzipan and rubber. First taste is also sweet, apple pie, fruity sorbet and flower sugar. The aftertaste is short and peppery. This is not a bad malt, but after 27 years, I'd expect more.
A pleasant but uninteresting drink: 5
fredag 15. april 2011
6 Glen Keiths tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Glenisla/Glen Keith 28yo 1977-2005 48.6% Signatory Vintage
Going from my own experimental stuff to this one, lightly peated and produced at Glen Keith Distillery. Golden color, smells extreme, peaty as hell, what kind of monster is this? Waxy, almost a bit tainted, oily, paint thinner. This is abnormal for such an old whisky, it's almost new-make-ish, what'd happen if they let this one sit for a decade or two more? The taste is citric and intense, lots going on, like lime flavoured Tavener's drops. The green ones from the fruity jar. There's also wax again, hints of sweet peat, like a lighter and less coastal version of Laphroaigs. This is really hard to describe as I have to forget both distillery and age, but if it were, let's say a young Laphroaig or Ardbeg, it'd be prime examples. So if I'm not mistaken, this might be the best Glen Keith I've tried so far.
Try this beside a regular Glen Keith, and be amazed: 6.5
Glen Keith 13yo 1995-2008 43% Chieftain's cask#44146/48/50 1572btls.
Glen keith is a mothballed distillery, I don't know if it ever function again as it seems like its hardly missed amongst the single malt connoisseurs. This smells malty, round, not too interesting. The taste is really nice, vanilla, honey, malty, very light. It's an easy appetizer malt, one to have before a good meal. The aftertaste is quite short, just a slight peppery taste. I wish they didn't dilute this as much.
Fine Glen Keith: 6
Glen Keith 20yo 1990-2010 52.1% Malts of Scotland cask#13678
Time to try one from the temporarily(?) silent distillery Glen Keith, hasn't gotten much of the attention many of the other mothballed distilleries have. I haven't been too impressed by it, but maybe this CS will surprise me. Such old casks of CS from renowned IB's are usually very good. Smells spirity, very sweet with lots of vanilla flavours. It's an extremely dry and spirity malt, needs definately water, this one smells a lot higher in %abv. than 52%. With water it gets firmer, easier, even more vanilla, a straight-forward bourbon-matured malt, and in that category it could make a name for itself, but at this age I expected a bit more.
Fresh, vanilla, but add water: 6
Glen Keith 33yo 1971-2005 50.8% Duncan Taylor
A dark sherried malt from the distillery of Glen Keith, which I'm yet to taste a really good whisky from. It has a heavy but nice sweet roasted smell, a bit like tawny port. The first taste is very sherried, not dry, but kind of bitter. A small splash of water gives it just a little less bitterness, but unfortunately it doesn't enhance any other flavours. The aftertaste is short, some pepper and unripe apples.
Not a disappointing whisky, but at this price?: 4.5
Glen Keith 12yo 1993-2005 46% Connoisseurs Choice Gordon & Macphail
Well, I know it's ridicolous to try a CC-bottling of a speyside malt after the cask strength peat explosion 10 minutes ago, but I have another sample, so here it goes. The nose is mild, but opens up on some thyme and chamomile if given some time. The taste is very spirity, not nice at all, like chewing weeds (the horticultural ones). With water it doesn't really get any better. This will be my first slaughter on the 46% CC's.
Hope I get my hands on other Glen Keiths to erase this one from my memory: 1.5
Glenkeith 1983 10yo 43% OB
Glenkeith was a small scale distillery, now closed. Very fresh fragrances, hints of peppermint and green tea. Soft tasting, some sweet liquorice, quite herbal actually as there's a hint of bitter schnaps, woody aftertaste.
Comfortable, but too light: 5.5
Going from my own experimental stuff to this one, lightly peated and produced at Glen Keith Distillery. Golden color, smells extreme, peaty as hell, what kind of monster is this? Waxy, almost a bit tainted, oily, paint thinner. This is abnormal for such an old whisky, it's almost new-make-ish, what'd happen if they let this one sit for a decade or two more? The taste is citric and intense, lots going on, like lime flavoured Tavener's drops. The green ones from the fruity jar. There's also wax again, hints of sweet peat, like a lighter and less coastal version of Laphroaigs. This is really hard to describe as I have to forget both distillery and age, but if it were, let's say a young Laphroaig or Ardbeg, it'd be prime examples. So if I'm not mistaken, this might be the best Glen Keith I've tried so far.
Try this beside a regular Glen Keith, and be amazed: 6.5
Glen Keith 13yo 1995-2008 43% Chieftain's cask#44146/48/50 1572btls.
Glen keith is a mothballed distillery, I don't know if it ever function again as it seems like its hardly missed amongst the single malt connoisseurs. This smells malty, round, not too interesting. The taste is really nice, vanilla, honey, malty, very light. It's an easy appetizer malt, one to have before a good meal. The aftertaste is quite short, just a slight peppery taste. I wish they didn't dilute this as much.
Fine Glen Keith: 6
Glen Keith 20yo 1990-2010 52.1% Malts of Scotland cask#13678
Time to try one from the temporarily(?) silent distillery Glen Keith, hasn't gotten much of the attention many of the other mothballed distilleries have. I haven't been too impressed by it, but maybe this CS will surprise me. Such old casks of CS from renowned IB's are usually very good. Smells spirity, very sweet with lots of vanilla flavours. It's an extremely dry and spirity malt, needs definately water, this one smells a lot higher in %abv. than 52%. With water it gets firmer, easier, even more vanilla, a straight-forward bourbon-matured malt, and in that category it could make a name for itself, but at this age I expected a bit more.
Fresh, vanilla, but add water: 6
Glen Keith 33yo 1971-2005 50.8% Duncan Taylor
A dark sherried malt from the distillery of Glen Keith, which I'm yet to taste a really good whisky from. It has a heavy but nice sweet roasted smell, a bit like tawny port. The first taste is very sherried, not dry, but kind of bitter. A small splash of water gives it just a little less bitterness, but unfortunately it doesn't enhance any other flavours. The aftertaste is short, some pepper and unripe apples.
Not a disappointing whisky, but at this price?: 4.5
Glen Keith 12yo 1993-2005 46% Connoisseurs Choice Gordon & Macphail
Well, I know it's ridicolous to try a CC-bottling of a speyside malt after the cask strength peat explosion 10 minutes ago, but I have another sample, so here it goes. The nose is mild, but opens up on some thyme and chamomile if given some time. The taste is very spirity, not nice at all, like chewing weeds (the horticultural ones). With water it doesn't really get any better. This will be my first slaughter on the 46% CC's.
Hope I get my hands on other Glen Keiths to erase this one from my memory: 1.5
Glenkeith 1983 10yo 43% OB
Glenkeith was a small scale distillery, now closed. Very fresh fragrances, hints of peppermint and green tea. Soft tasting, some sweet liquorice, quite herbal actually as there's a hint of bitter schnaps, woody aftertaste.
Comfortable, but too light: 5.5
8 Macallans tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Macallan 15yo 1992-2007 46% Murray McDavid
A refill sherry-matured Macallan from Murray McDavid, just because I'm worth it(du-du-du). Macallan is a distillery that I feel is hyped, but for all the right reasons. Pretty consistent quality, no extravaganza use of NAS-versions with gaelic names, committees or superlatives like "exclusives", "specially selected", "limited" or so on. A simple vintage is often enough. Smells of leather, sherry, fruity, orange zest, prunes, Bols egg liqueur, madeira and dried sage. The taste is classic sherried Macallan, prunes, peppery, dry herbs, cuban cigars, wort, a bit oily and some fantastic malty notes. I had this the other day alongside the Elegancia and it knocked its socks off.
My favorite Macallan so far: 8
Macallan 15yo 43% OB Tripple Distilled
Back from an amazing weekend in Aberdeen, and of course there were some whiskies tried. This was the first one, and I remember I tried it at the Blackfriars Pub near the east end in Union Street. It's one of these results of less available and more expensive sherry casks taking its toll on the Macallan distillery. The whisky is pale and smells absolutely nothing, exceptionally light. The taste is ever so clean, the light spiritness is just slightly disrupted by some notes of sour apples, dough and old dry crisp pastry. The aftertaste is at first raw and spirity, then turns to something of baby vomit.
What will happen when the older Sherry casks are all gone?: 2.5
Macallan 21yo 1988-2009 53.9% Signatory Vintage
A bourbon-matured Macallan, seems that's the way most Macallan bottlings are going these days, as the stocks of sherry-casks are higher in demand and much more expensive than before. But let's not be judgemental, this isn't an OB and it's distilled when bourbon-matured Macallans were far from the norm. Smells of honey and lavender, very gentle and subtile, some of the best fragrances in a long time. The taste is acidic, sweet, juicy, mangos, pears, nectarine, lots of fruity flavours. i know I have been quite harsh with the bourbon-matured whiskies from Signatory, but this one is amazing. One to save for christmas eve, or even new years.
My belief in macallan is restored: 8
Macallan 20yo 1988-2008 55.4% OB Bottled for David Tomlinson
I am very certain that this is a fake bottling. The bottle isn't similar to the bottles usually used by the distillery, there are no signs of this coming from the distillery, other than a poor white label, which states dates, caks# and that it bottled for David Tomlinson, written in times new roman and some crazy font. It smells spirity, maybe the abv is correct? It does taste awful, to me it's plastic, much younger than 20yo and of course, the aftertaste is like potato starch.
Must be a fake, if someone know otherwise, please write me!: 1
Macallan 11yo 50% Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask
On the label it says, pretty tacky, "Rather Sweet". Not necessary on a bourbonmatured young Macallan. Let's see, oh yes, it does smell awfully sweet. But not boring fortunately. There's some banana skin, pears, grapes and watermelon at first taste, I'd say it's rather fruity. With water the taste is also sweet, caramelized carrots, spring onion, vanilla, cranberries and plums. The aftertaste is short and peppery. A sorry ending for an otherwise very exciting malt.
Very well at first, but that's about it: 5
Macallan 7yo 40% OB Giovinetti & Figli
A rather rare bottling of Macallan, at a rare bottling age as well, or, nowadays with this crazy market anything above 3yo is considered a good bottling age, hence there's a funky gaelic name to put on it. The nose is very round and smooth, like the old sherried 12yo. God it's sweet, almost to sweet and delicate, sughar and chili, with a long aftertaste of tickling pepper. At this age, it shows why the older Macallans goes for ridicolous amounts of money at auctions around.
Nice Macallan, but it's just a tad to sweet for me: 6
MacAllan 10yo 40% OB
The OB's of Macallan is ususally very sherry-influenced, not necessarily a bad thing, although in my book there aren't much differentiations between from one to another. It has a very sweet, sulphury smell, sherry? Very dark, lots of caramel, sugar candy, and iced tea with peach flavour. This is a real confectionary malt for the ones with a sweet tooth. I'll guess it's popular among the older generation.
Bridgeclubmalt: 7
The Macallan 12yo 43% OB
Has a fresh smell of oak and mint, lots of other more subtle notes which unfortunately disappears behind the strong oak. Lots of cask influence. It's a whisky for trained palates, exciting if you can define all the different flavours. Sherry wood?
Almost like licking the cask: 5.5
A refill sherry-matured Macallan from Murray McDavid, just because I'm worth it(du-du-du). Macallan is a distillery that I feel is hyped, but for all the right reasons. Pretty consistent quality, no extravaganza use of NAS-versions with gaelic names, committees or superlatives like "exclusives", "specially selected", "limited" or so on. A simple vintage is often enough. Smells of leather, sherry, fruity, orange zest, prunes, Bols egg liqueur, madeira and dried sage. The taste is classic sherried Macallan, prunes, peppery, dry herbs, cuban cigars, wort, a bit oily and some fantastic malty notes. I had this the other day alongside the Elegancia and it knocked its socks off.
My favorite Macallan so far: 8
Macallan 15yo 43% OB Tripple Distilled
Back from an amazing weekend in Aberdeen, and of course there were some whiskies tried. This was the first one, and I remember I tried it at the Blackfriars Pub near the east end in Union Street. It's one of these results of less available and more expensive sherry casks taking its toll on the Macallan distillery. The whisky is pale and smells absolutely nothing, exceptionally light. The taste is ever so clean, the light spiritness is just slightly disrupted by some notes of sour apples, dough and old dry crisp pastry. The aftertaste is at first raw and spirity, then turns to something of baby vomit.
What will happen when the older Sherry casks are all gone?: 2.5
Macallan 21yo 1988-2009 53.9% Signatory Vintage
A bourbon-matured Macallan, seems that's the way most Macallan bottlings are going these days, as the stocks of sherry-casks are higher in demand and much more expensive than before. But let's not be judgemental, this isn't an OB and it's distilled when bourbon-matured Macallans were far from the norm. Smells of honey and lavender, very gentle and subtile, some of the best fragrances in a long time. The taste is acidic, sweet, juicy, mangos, pears, nectarine, lots of fruity flavours. i know I have been quite harsh with the bourbon-matured whiskies from Signatory, but this one is amazing. One to save for christmas eve, or even new years.
My belief in macallan is restored: 8
Macallan 20yo 1988-2008 55.4% OB Bottled for David Tomlinson
I am very certain that this is a fake bottling. The bottle isn't similar to the bottles usually used by the distillery, there are no signs of this coming from the distillery, other than a poor white label, which states dates, caks# and that it bottled for David Tomlinson, written in times new roman and some crazy font. It smells spirity, maybe the abv is correct? It does taste awful, to me it's plastic, much younger than 20yo and of course, the aftertaste is like potato starch.
Must be a fake, if someone know otherwise, please write me!: 1
Macallan 11yo 50% Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask
On the label it says, pretty tacky, "Rather Sweet". Not necessary on a bourbonmatured young Macallan. Let's see, oh yes, it does smell awfully sweet. But not boring fortunately. There's some banana skin, pears, grapes and watermelon at first taste, I'd say it's rather fruity. With water the taste is also sweet, caramelized carrots, spring onion, vanilla, cranberries and plums. The aftertaste is short and peppery. A sorry ending for an otherwise very exciting malt.
Very well at first, but that's about it: 5
Macallan 7yo 40% OB Giovinetti & Figli
A rather rare bottling of Macallan, at a rare bottling age as well, or, nowadays with this crazy market anything above 3yo is considered a good bottling age, hence there's a funky gaelic name to put on it. The nose is very round and smooth, like the old sherried 12yo. God it's sweet, almost to sweet and delicate, sughar and chili, with a long aftertaste of tickling pepper. At this age, it shows why the older Macallans goes for ridicolous amounts of money at auctions around.
Nice Macallan, but it's just a tad to sweet for me: 6
MacAllan 10yo 40% OB
The OB's of Macallan is ususally very sherry-influenced, not necessarily a bad thing, although in my book there aren't much differentiations between from one to another. It has a very sweet, sulphury smell, sherry? Very dark, lots of caramel, sugar candy, and iced tea with peach flavour. This is a real confectionary malt for the ones with a sweet tooth. I'll guess it's popular among the older generation.
Bridgeclubmalt: 7
The Macallan 12yo 43% OB
Has a fresh smell of oak and mint, lots of other more subtle notes which unfortunately disappears behind the strong oak. Lots of cask influence. It's a whisky for trained palates, exciting if you can define all the different flavours. Sherry wood?
Almost like licking the cask: 5.5
torsdag 14. april 2011
my own little project...
Yesteryear I bought a small cask from Whyte and MacKay, burnt it till it was black, filled it with cream sherry from jerez and let it mellow for 2 months, and here's the result of whisky after only 2.5 months in cask. (I made a vatting of whiskies that had the colour of pale white wine before casking)... Can't wait to try!
onsdag 13. april 2011
5 Dailuaines tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Dailuaine 26yo 1983-2010 53.1% Bladnoch Forum cask#4316
From a refill sherry cask, I've heard much good stuff about the bottlings from Bladnoch Forum, This on shows smell of onions, stale meat, leather and household soap. The taste is extremely dry and very concentrated on leather, sulphur, white pepper, grain, dijon mustard and sun dried tomatoes. Although all good, it's just too dry for me to take neat, I'll add some water. Now it's less dry, but all the good flavours have turned into a hot mix of herbs and chili, really burns the back of my throat.
One to have alongside a bottle of cream, hot stuff: 4
Dailuaine 14yo 59.8% SMWS cask#41.34
Bottled as part of an art project with 26 cask strength scotch single malts and 26 different special labels designed by 26 different artists. Smells strong, spirity, peppery, highland style like clynelish. The taste is waxy, salty, bittersweet like grapefruit and chocolate ice cram. With water this waxiness and hints of dark chocolate becomes stronger. A really nice speysider with big balls. I believe Dailuaine is a malt that's far too rarely bottled as a single.
Nice old style whisky: 8
Dailuaine 12yo 62.4% James MacArthur's cask#6911
J.M. is bottling a lot of single casks without vintage at the usual standard industry bottling age of 12. I wonder what the idea is, as most IB's usually makes a point of stating that what they offer is unique compared to OB's. Floral, vanilla and banana odors. The taste is full of vanilla, but not much more, very strong, needs water. I'll add a good sip. Some of the vanilla notes backs down when water's added, but it gets an enormous peppery flavour. Some hardcore CS-fans will love this, for me, my uvula is now bruised and battered.
Vanilla, pepper, alcohol: 4
Dailuaine 23yo 46% Cadenhead's
Old Dailuaine can be amazing, hopefully this will be. This is a sweet bourbon-matured malt, some vanilla, but most of all it reminds me of moscatel wine. It tastes of honey, vanilla and has a burning and long aftertaste. The aftertaste needed some spice, if not this one would also become a characterless malt. If I should decribe this I'd say it is sort of a wine whisky. reminds me most of all of sweet dry wine.
A nice but also pretty uneventful malt: 3.5
Dailuaine 14yo 1971-1985 40% CC G&M
This Dailuaine is somewhat sweet and spicy at the same time, a kick in the nostrils, not like much else chill-filtered I've come across. But then it changes when it reaches my tastebuds, there's champagne drinks, green chillis, peppermint and sharp blackcurrant candy. The aftertaste is a mixture of cocoa and apricots, not bad.
Childrens booze with a twist: 7.5
From a refill sherry cask, I've heard much good stuff about the bottlings from Bladnoch Forum, This on shows smell of onions, stale meat, leather and household soap. The taste is extremely dry and very concentrated on leather, sulphur, white pepper, grain, dijon mustard and sun dried tomatoes. Although all good, it's just too dry for me to take neat, I'll add some water. Now it's less dry, but all the good flavours have turned into a hot mix of herbs and chili, really burns the back of my throat.
One to have alongside a bottle of cream, hot stuff: 4
Dailuaine 14yo 59.8% SMWS cask#41.34
Bottled as part of an art project with 26 cask strength scotch single malts and 26 different special labels designed by 26 different artists. Smells strong, spirity, peppery, highland style like clynelish. The taste is waxy, salty, bittersweet like grapefruit and chocolate ice cram. With water this waxiness and hints of dark chocolate becomes stronger. A really nice speysider with big balls. I believe Dailuaine is a malt that's far too rarely bottled as a single.
Nice old style whisky: 8
Dailuaine 12yo 62.4% James MacArthur's cask#6911
J.M. is bottling a lot of single casks without vintage at the usual standard industry bottling age of 12. I wonder what the idea is, as most IB's usually makes a point of stating that what they offer is unique compared to OB's. Floral, vanilla and banana odors. The taste is full of vanilla, but not much more, very strong, needs water. I'll add a good sip. Some of the vanilla notes backs down when water's added, but it gets an enormous peppery flavour. Some hardcore CS-fans will love this, for me, my uvula is now bruised and battered.
Vanilla, pepper, alcohol: 4
Dailuaine 23yo 46% Cadenhead's
Old Dailuaine can be amazing, hopefully this will be. This is a sweet bourbon-matured malt, some vanilla, but most of all it reminds me of moscatel wine. It tastes of honey, vanilla and has a burning and long aftertaste. The aftertaste needed some spice, if not this one would also become a characterless malt. If I should decribe this I'd say it is sort of a wine whisky. reminds me most of all of sweet dry wine.
A nice but also pretty uneventful malt: 3.5
Dailuaine 14yo 1971-1985 40% CC G&M
This Dailuaine is somewhat sweet and spicy at the same time, a kick in the nostrils, not like much else chill-filtered I've come across. But then it changes when it reaches my tastebuds, there's champagne drinks, green chillis, peppermint and sharp blackcurrant candy. The aftertaste is a mixture of cocoa and apricots, not bad.
Childrens booze with a twist: 7.5
onsdag 6. april 2011
4 Dalmores tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Dalmore NAS 40% OB Cigar Malt
I don't know what should make this "cigar malt" stand apart other than that it should be a perfect addition to a cigar. Like a good um then? The colour as dark orange, nice! Smells sweet, honeyed, cane sugar, very delicate, a bit floral too, butter and mint leaves. The taste reveals sweet and sour notes, mustard, strong spiciness, which is brought down in intensity by water. Guilty as charged I didn't enjoy this alongside a cuban, and I do believe this would've been better then.
Musty and thick Dalmore: 4.5
Dalmore 12yo 1996-2009 43% Dun Bheagan cask#92031/92034 st. Etienne rum finish
A st. Etienne rum finished Dalmore, yellow green-ish colour, I'll admit I've never felt too sure when it comes too sweet spirit finishings like Rum, Cognac or Calvados, maybe this will be different? Smells fat and sweet, sugary, bailey's, very creamy. The taste is creamy but not sweet, old milk? Not unpleasant but just lacks any pronounced flavours. I'll add water. Now there's some green sweet flavours, and minty stuff, like the aftertaste of Fernet Branca. Not bad, just very unusual for a malt whisky.
Minty and herbal: 4.5
Dalmore 18yo 1990-2008 60.1% Signatory Vintage
Dalmore is a malt that I've longed to try at cask strength. Hopefully it will be as good as some of the OB's I've tried. This one is bourbon-matured. It smells of onions, cheddar and oat meal. I do believe there's some single malts that just doesn't fit the bourbon maturation character, Glen Elgin, Glencadam and Dalmore etc. Maybe the taste will change my mind. The taste is dry vanilla, dry peppers, and even more dryness. A real hardcore whisky, I'll add water. Much better with water, still a bit dry, but it doesn't overpower the vanilla.
Saved by water: 5
Dalmore 12yo 40% OB Black Isle
I don't know what makes this version stand apart from the regular 12yo OB. Pretty feisty and oaky odor on this version. Something a bit burnt, coal? It tastes pretty strong, cinnamon, rum, sugar, spirity and something maritime. Could this be sherry matured? The aftertaste is peppery and quite short.
Saved by the palate: 6.5
The Dalmore 12yo 40% OB
The balance between taste and smokiness could strike me as a bit like Highland Parks. Very gentle, easily drinkable, smooth, but when it comes to the overall aroma, it fails to deliver same standards unfortunately. peppermint, coughsyrup and somewhat flowery.
Anonymous elegance: 6.5
I don't know what should make this "cigar malt" stand apart other than that it should be a perfect addition to a cigar. Like a good um then? The colour as dark orange, nice! Smells sweet, honeyed, cane sugar, very delicate, a bit floral too, butter and mint leaves. The taste reveals sweet and sour notes, mustard, strong spiciness, which is brought down in intensity by water. Guilty as charged I didn't enjoy this alongside a cuban, and I do believe this would've been better then.
Musty and thick Dalmore: 4.5
Dalmore 12yo 1996-2009 43% Dun Bheagan cask#92031/92034 st. Etienne rum finish
A st. Etienne rum finished Dalmore, yellow green-ish colour, I'll admit I've never felt too sure when it comes too sweet spirit finishings like Rum, Cognac or Calvados, maybe this will be different? Smells fat and sweet, sugary, bailey's, very creamy. The taste is creamy but not sweet, old milk? Not unpleasant but just lacks any pronounced flavours. I'll add water. Now there's some green sweet flavours, and minty stuff, like the aftertaste of Fernet Branca. Not bad, just very unusual for a malt whisky.
Minty and herbal: 4.5
Dalmore 18yo 1990-2008 60.1% Signatory Vintage
Dalmore is a malt that I've longed to try at cask strength. Hopefully it will be as good as some of the OB's I've tried. This one is bourbon-matured. It smells of onions, cheddar and oat meal. I do believe there's some single malts that just doesn't fit the bourbon maturation character, Glen Elgin, Glencadam and Dalmore etc. Maybe the taste will change my mind. The taste is dry vanilla, dry peppers, and even more dryness. A real hardcore whisky, I'll add water. Much better with water, still a bit dry, but it doesn't overpower the vanilla.
Saved by water: 5
Dalmore 12yo 40% OB Black Isle
I don't know what makes this version stand apart from the regular 12yo OB. Pretty feisty and oaky odor on this version. Something a bit burnt, coal? It tastes pretty strong, cinnamon, rum, sugar, spirity and something maritime. Could this be sherry matured? The aftertaste is peppery and quite short.
Saved by the palate: 6.5
The Dalmore 12yo 40% OB
The balance between taste and smokiness could strike me as a bit like Highland Parks. Very gentle, easily drinkable, smooth, but when it comes to the overall aroma, it fails to deliver same standards unfortunately. peppermint, coughsyrup and somewhat flowery.
Anonymous elegance: 6.5
5 Auchroisk tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Auchroisk 12yo 1978-1990 59.3% Cadenhead's
There are many treasures to be found amongst these old black labeled Cadenhead's drom the 70's and 80's. Auchroisk is not one I've tried many times, sort of a blank sheet to taste, sort of liberating to try one without any biased notions. Smells extremely strong, wool, ashes, smoke, lemon meringue and syrup braised pork. It needs some time to open up, but its well worth it. The taste is dry and phenolic, needs water, seems to be some sort of old dry sherry matured whisky. With water it becomes strangely rubbery, rotten cappuccino, really vile stuff. This one I definately could do without, another on that is all on the nose tonight.
A foul spirit: 2
Auchroisk 13yo 43% Chieftain's Choice
One of these un-chillfiltered IB malts, but nowadays aren't that the norm, I believe even Gordon & Macphail's quit chill-filtration on their CC-series. The IB's are such a herd of sheeps. This one has a nice and gentle floral honey odor. The taste is a bit sherried, dry, hard yellow cheeze i.e. Gruyere, peppery, dry liquorice and red peppers. The aftertaste is of roasted nuts and dark chocolate. Water gives it a lift and it gets a bit minty, if you like that, but I actually prefer it non-diluted.
Without water it's a perfect malt to enjoy with a cigar: 7
Auchroisk 29yo 1979-2008 57.3% Signatory Vintage
Auchroisk then, a malt of which I have tried far too few to make up my mind if it's a whisky to look for or to avoid. This surely isn't a regular Auchroisk, but perhaps it'll give me an idea of what it's usually like. honey nose, caramell, toffee and cream. A very sweet start. The taste is also very sweet and dry, some sort of sherry maturation I guess? Sweet fino (if there's such a thing)? The aftertaste is really bitter, small green sour apples, cedarwood, more sour apples and lemon peel. Water? yes please!! No, I'm sorry, it's still too bitter for my taste, but perhaps some fino lovers out there will cherish this.
Too much cask influence: 4
Singleton of Auchroisk 10yo Single Malt
It's called Singleton because of the weird pronounciation of Auchroisk, strange!!! This is a sherried malt with something extra, strong sherryscents and a a fantastic taste of sherry, blackberry, liquorice, chocolate and toffee.
Strong, pleasant and advanced: 7.5
Auchroisk 34yo 1975-2009 41.3% Daily Dram "Auk's Choir" btl.1/97
The malt that used to be called Singleton, personally I think Auchroisk is a much better name for a scotch. Independent bottlings of this is rare to be found, so I've been looking forward to this one. It has a nice banana scent with some hints of lime, a very fruity malt? Yes, it's a nice, clean and fruity whisky, pears, bananas, melons, kiwi, sweet berries and vegetable stock. Although all of these flavours mix very well together it's a bit on the bland side. No aftertaste which I can find, and more or less no real sign of it's age.
A fruity thing: 5.5
There are many treasures to be found amongst these old black labeled Cadenhead's drom the 70's and 80's. Auchroisk is not one I've tried many times, sort of a blank sheet to taste, sort of liberating to try one without any biased notions. Smells extremely strong, wool, ashes, smoke, lemon meringue and syrup braised pork. It needs some time to open up, but its well worth it. The taste is dry and phenolic, needs water, seems to be some sort of old dry sherry matured whisky. With water it becomes strangely rubbery, rotten cappuccino, really vile stuff. This one I definately could do without, another on that is all on the nose tonight.
A foul spirit: 2
Auchroisk 13yo 43% Chieftain's Choice
One of these un-chillfiltered IB malts, but nowadays aren't that the norm, I believe even Gordon & Macphail's quit chill-filtration on their CC-series. The IB's are such a herd of sheeps. This one has a nice and gentle floral honey odor. The taste is a bit sherried, dry, hard yellow cheeze i.e. Gruyere, peppery, dry liquorice and red peppers. The aftertaste is of roasted nuts and dark chocolate. Water gives it a lift and it gets a bit minty, if you like that, but I actually prefer it non-diluted.
Without water it's a perfect malt to enjoy with a cigar: 7
Auchroisk 29yo 1979-2008 57.3% Signatory Vintage
Auchroisk then, a malt of which I have tried far too few to make up my mind if it's a whisky to look for or to avoid. This surely isn't a regular Auchroisk, but perhaps it'll give me an idea of what it's usually like. honey nose, caramell, toffee and cream. A very sweet start. The taste is also very sweet and dry, some sort of sherry maturation I guess? Sweet fino (if there's such a thing)? The aftertaste is really bitter, small green sour apples, cedarwood, more sour apples and lemon peel. Water? yes please!! No, I'm sorry, it's still too bitter for my taste, but perhaps some fino lovers out there will cherish this.
Too much cask influence: 4
Singleton of Auchroisk 10yo Single Malt
It's called Singleton because of the weird pronounciation of Auchroisk, strange!!! This is a sherried malt with something extra, strong sherryscents and a a fantastic taste of sherry, blackberry, liquorice, chocolate and toffee.
Strong, pleasant and advanced: 7.5
Auchroisk 34yo 1975-2009 41.3% Daily Dram "Auk's Choir" btl.1/97
The malt that used to be called Singleton, personally I think Auchroisk is a much better name for a scotch. Independent bottlings of this is rare to be found, so I've been looking forward to this one. It has a nice banana scent with some hints of lime, a very fruity malt? Yes, it's a nice, clean and fruity whisky, pears, bananas, melons, kiwi, sweet berries and vegetable stock. Although all of these flavours mix very well together it's a bit on the bland side. No aftertaste which I can find, and more or less no real sign of it's age.
A fruity thing: 5.5
7 Glenturrets tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Glenturret NAS 1972-? 40% OB
Back in the days the home of the grouse made some vintage malts, I haven't come to try any until now. Hopefully it'll be a bit more substantial in creating a distillery taste character for me as I've found the OB's of today to be lacking what you'd call... character. Light, honey colour, nice smell of unripe apples, sour, yet very fruity/sweet with hints of dextrose and cider. The taste is short, all in all pretty bland, watery with some greens. Quite a turnoff, gets spirity with something bitter, acrylic stuff.
Started promising, but turned out to be another insipid Glenturret: 2
Glenturret 8yo 40% OB
Glenturret's had a hard time getting recognition in my book, perhaps a youngster will provide a bit more vigorousness for this malt. All this young 40%abv malt brings me back to my first days when CS amongst OB's were a pretty farfetched idea. This smells light, soft linens, honey, tea. The taste is pretty rustic, dried paprika and sweet and sour sauce(not in a bad way). The aftertaste is long and peppery, actually small hints of fino sherry. This is a positive Glenturret in many ways.
Light but kind of sophisticated: 5
Glenturret 13yo 1979-1993 43% The Castle Collection cask#1051
The Castle Collection is just a rarity amongst all other bigger IB companys, but I like the diversity and everyone should be given a chance. The glenturret is also rarely bottled independantly. It has an extremely fresh smell, mountain air, wet grass, mint leaves and so on. The taste confirms my suspicions of bourbon-maturation. Some vanilla, black pepper and herbs. Other than that it's a very slow experience, it's like there's small hints of flavours all the way but they never really show. And in the end it all fades out in a anonymous and short finish.
I'm yet to be amazed by the Grouse-malt: 3.5
Glenturret 10yo 40% OB
I've had some Glenturrets of the new 12-15-18 range, but I'm yet to be really impressed. This one is possibly from a decade or two back. Some peppery notes on the nose, not too much to get excited about, some hay and burnt wood. The taste is a bit intriguing, some green tea, herbs, black pepper, cuban cigar, lacquer and sulfur. The aftertaste is rather long, going on with some pepper and green bananas. I find this to be a far better malt than some of the newer expressions, but once again, it's just a bit to standard to climb the upper part of my chart.
Good and honest malt: 6
Glenturret 18yo 40% OB
Oldest of the Turrets, smells of applepie, pretty sweet and fruity, so as the taste. No hints of alcohol at all, Pretty descreet taste, some withdrawn sweetness. The finish brings it somewhat to life after the uninspiring start. Pretty spicy, sweet red peppers and cauliflower. Beautiful finish.
I would love to see some experimental finishes on this one: 6.5
Glenturret 15yo 40% OB
Apart from being somewhat overshadowed by the famous-grouse blend, which is produced at the distillery, and most Glenturret is provided for, I think there are enough malt punters out there to make a serious effort on the market. This one smells instinctively of sulphur and acid, it needs water, and it also has a strange taste of menthol with a phenolic sweetness in the aftertaste. If I didn't now better I would think it was a very unlucky combination of oloroso and bourbon casks.
A funky experience: 3
Glenturret 12yo 40% OB
Glenturret is more famous for it's big contribution to the Famous Grouse blend than the Glenturret malt. Smells pleasantly of hickory and caramellised almonds. Starts off with some intens vanilla flavour, good development on the palate, ends quite strong with hints of rosé pepper.
It's a shame that it mostly goes to blending: 6.5
Back in the days the home of the grouse made some vintage malts, I haven't come to try any until now. Hopefully it'll be a bit more substantial in creating a distillery taste character for me as I've found the OB's of today to be lacking what you'd call... character. Light, honey colour, nice smell of unripe apples, sour, yet very fruity/sweet with hints of dextrose and cider. The taste is short, all in all pretty bland, watery with some greens. Quite a turnoff, gets spirity with something bitter, acrylic stuff.
Started promising, but turned out to be another insipid Glenturret: 2
Glenturret 8yo 40% OB
Glenturret's had a hard time getting recognition in my book, perhaps a youngster will provide a bit more vigorousness for this malt. All this young 40%abv malt brings me back to my first days when CS amongst OB's were a pretty farfetched idea. This smells light, soft linens, honey, tea. The taste is pretty rustic, dried paprika and sweet and sour sauce(not in a bad way). The aftertaste is long and peppery, actually small hints of fino sherry. This is a positive Glenturret in many ways.
Light but kind of sophisticated: 5
Glenturret 13yo 1979-1993 43% The Castle Collection cask#1051
The Castle Collection is just a rarity amongst all other bigger IB companys, but I like the diversity and everyone should be given a chance. The glenturret is also rarely bottled independantly. It has an extremely fresh smell, mountain air, wet grass, mint leaves and so on. The taste confirms my suspicions of bourbon-maturation. Some vanilla, black pepper and herbs. Other than that it's a very slow experience, it's like there's small hints of flavours all the way but they never really show. And in the end it all fades out in a anonymous and short finish.
I'm yet to be amazed by the Grouse-malt: 3.5
Glenturret 10yo 40% OB
I've had some Glenturrets of the new 12-15-18 range, but I'm yet to be really impressed. This one is possibly from a decade or two back. Some peppery notes on the nose, not too much to get excited about, some hay and burnt wood. The taste is a bit intriguing, some green tea, herbs, black pepper, cuban cigar, lacquer and sulfur. The aftertaste is rather long, going on with some pepper and green bananas. I find this to be a far better malt than some of the newer expressions, but once again, it's just a bit to standard to climb the upper part of my chart.
Good and honest malt: 6
Glenturret 18yo 40% OB
Oldest of the Turrets, smells of applepie, pretty sweet and fruity, so as the taste. No hints of alcohol at all, Pretty descreet taste, some withdrawn sweetness. The finish brings it somewhat to life after the uninspiring start. Pretty spicy, sweet red peppers and cauliflower. Beautiful finish.
I would love to see some experimental finishes on this one: 6.5
Glenturret 15yo 40% OB
Apart from being somewhat overshadowed by the famous-grouse blend, which is produced at the distillery, and most Glenturret is provided for, I think there are enough malt punters out there to make a serious effort on the market. This one smells instinctively of sulphur and acid, it needs water, and it also has a strange taste of menthol with a phenolic sweetness in the aftertaste. If I didn't now better I would think it was a very unlucky combination of oloroso and bourbon casks.
A funky experience: 3
Glenturret 12yo 40% OB
Glenturret is more famous for it's big contribution to the Famous Grouse blend than the Glenturret malt. Smells pleasantly of hickory and caramellised almonds. Starts off with some intens vanilla flavour, good development on the palate, ends quite strong with hints of rosé pepper.
It's a shame that it mostly goes to blending: 6.5
fredag 1. april 2011
9 Aberlours tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Aberlour A'bunadh NAS 60.5% OB #31
I have treasured some of the older batches of the a'bunadh. Let's see what the third most recent has to offer. Smells spirity and sweet, all on oloroso with hints of some floral and port wine notes, a bit dry. The taste is sulphury and dry more than anything else, I'd love to say this is another amazing bottling from this series, but unfortunately it doesn't cover the fact that it is probably bottled a bit too young, and the spirit isn't potent enough to carry such strength. A sulphur-bomb.
Pour at start of session, enjoy as last drink, needs time: 4
Aberlour A'bunadh NAS 59.9% OB batch#19
I've been a fan of this series for quite a while as I find that Aberlour distillery have proved that they can put a lot of effort and creating many batches of a cask strength series while still producing very good aged whiskies like the 18yo and the pretty new 16yo. I believe this could be an indicator that not so much of older stock goes into the whisky as at some other distilleries like Ardbeg among others. Not as dark as the recent batches, the nose is all very powerful, some burnt notes, phenolic, lots of alcohol, needs water. Water brings some dry spiced notes and dry blue cheese.
A surprisingly bland A'bunadh: 5
Aberlour NAS 60.4% OB A'bunadh batch#25
I believe Aberlour now reached batch#33 in this much demanded series. The ones discussing batches and so on seems to often stand apart when it comes which batch are the best. I guess the proof is in the taste for each individual. The smell is all on rubber notes. The taste dry, peppery, more bitter than usually an Oloroso finished speysider would be, tannins, lots of tannins, needs some water. Wate does good here, it gets a nice taste of stearic, prunes, oily, olives, toast, phenol and coffee. Water takes this one from mediocre to marvellous.
A winner when diluted: 7.5
Aberlour NAS 59.9% OB A'bunadh batch#29
I've also got batch#30 and 31 of the A'bunadh, but I've still not been able to try any A'bunadh so far. This one I traded from a fellow whisky connoisseur a bit further north-west in Norway. I believe that all A'bunadhs comes from fresh oloroso sherry casks. A very dark whisky, smells lovely, very sweet, a dessert malt? I can see this poured onto vanilla ice cream. The taste is phenolic and burnt, cinnamon, herbs and dark chocolate roams around in the background. This high %abv with decent dryness makes me think it needs a wee drop of water. Water creates a rounder flavour, but the initial sweetness never shows.
A gentle Aberlour expression, very nice: 7.5
Aberlour 14yo 1996-2010 63.2% OB cask#2871
A sample I've purchased online, supposedly handfilled at the distillery from a bourbon cask. Anyway, a bourbon-matured 60+%abv Aberlour isn't your everyday dram. The nose is spirity, but with lots of vanilla, very much, but a bit restrained sweetness. The taste is concentrated vanilla, blackberries and very minty. Good, but at this strength it needs a small drop of water. Now diluted, it's still very thick and sweet. Bananas and vanilla, banana split? The aftertaste is long and sweet, still some vanilla going on and some fruity notes. Milkshake and fruit gum?
Dessert malt: 7
Aberlour 19yo 1970-1990 46% Signatory Vintage cask#236-239 btl.504/2400
My oldest Aberlour so far, I guess it will be interesting to see how their malt were 40 years back. The nose is round, stiff, sort of waxy and a bit sour. The taste is far more peppery than the younger versions. I do enjoy this a lot. It's sort of a fresh summers whisky. With just a drop of water even more sour notes appears, unripe pears, lime peel and green grapes. Yes, I can point my finger at many things in this whisky. But there's no need as all it's little weird parts works perfectly together. The aftertaste is a bit drying, Martini?
Serve this a bit chilled and it's just perfect in the sun: 6.5
Aberlour 9yo 40% OB
An old 70's bottling, but for me personally, the older bottlings from Aberlour often outshines the newer versions. This one is sweet, sherry, a bit dry, concentrated flavours, and very firm despite a round and delicate nose. It's playful, soft, nectarine, choriander, thyme and roasted bananas. A wonderful old Aberlour, which tastes a lot older than it's 9 years.
Fantastic: 8.5
Aberlour 18yo 1990-2008 52.7% LMDW Belgique
A very light coloured malt, it's the first time I try an Aberlour without any maturation in sherry casks. It has a strong vanilla smell, bourbon matured. The taste is extremely concentrated on strong pepper and ammonia. Some time and water lifts the overall impression just the tiniest bit and some mint and vanilla appears on the finish. Other than that I must say it is not too much to brag about.
A really ill Aberlour: 2
Aberlour 12yo 40% OB
12 years with a finish in sherry casks have developed into a very fine 12-year old. Small hint of eucalyptus on the nose, together with brown sugar, sulphur and massive dark chocolate. Nice flavour, red apples, port wine and caramel. Like a brandy, but what brandy wouldn't it beat?
The sherry compliments perfectly: 8
I have treasured some of the older batches of the a'bunadh. Let's see what the third most recent has to offer. Smells spirity and sweet, all on oloroso with hints of some floral and port wine notes, a bit dry. The taste is sulphury and dry more than anything else, I'd love to say this is another amazing bottling from this series, but unfortunately it doesn't cover the fact that it is probably bottled a bit too young, and the spirit isn't potent enough to carry such strength. A sulphur-bomb.
Pour at start of session, enjoy as last drink, needs time: 4
Aberlour A'bunadh NAS 59.9% OB batch#19
I've been a fan of this series for quite a while as I find that Aberlour distillery have proved that they can put a lot of effort and creating many batches of a cask strength series while still producing very good aged whiskies like the 18yo and the pretty new 16yo. I believe this could be an indicator that not so much of older stock goes into the whisky as at some other distilleries like Ardbeg among others. Not as dark as the recent batches, the nose is all very powerful, some burnt notes, phenolic, lots of alcohol, needs water. Water brings some dry spiced notes and dry blue cheese.
A surprisingly bland A'bunadh: 5
Aberlour NAS 60.4% OB A'bunadh batch#25
I believe Aberlour now reached batch#33 in this much demanded series. The ones discussing batches and so on seems to often stand apart when it comes which batch are the best. I guess the proof is in the taste for each individual. The smell is all on rubber notes. The taste dry, peppery, more bitter than usually an Oloroso finished speysider would be, tannins, lots of tannins, needs some water. Wate does good here, it gets a nice taste of stearic, prunes, oily, olives, toast, phenol and coffee. Water takes this one from mediocre to marvellous.
A winner when diluted: 7.5
Aberlour NAS 59.9% OB A'bunadh batch#29
I've also got batch#30 and 31 of the A'bunadh, but I've still not been able to try any A'bunadh so far. This one I traded from a fellow whisky connoisseur a bit further north-west in Norway. I believe that all A'bunadhs comes from fresh oloroso sherry casks. A very dark whisky, smells lovely, very sweet, a dessert malt? I can see this poured onto vanilla ice cream. The taste is phenolic and burnt, cinnamon, herbs and dark chocolate roams around in the background. This high %abv with decent dryness makes me think it needs a wee drop of water. Water creates a rounder flavour, but the initial sweetness never shows.
A gentle Aberlour expression, very nice: 7.5
Aberlour 14yo 1996-2010 63.2% OB cask#2871
A sample I've purchased online, supposedly handfilled at the distillery from a bourbon cask. Anyway, a bourbon-matured 60+%abv Aberlour isn't your everyday dram. The nose is spirity, but with lots of vanilla, very much, but a bit restrained sweetness. The taste is concentrated vanilla, blackberries and very minty. Good, but at this strength it needs a small drop of water. Now diluted, it's still very thick and sweet. Bananas and vanilla, banana split? The aftertaste is long and sweet, still some vanilla going on and some fruity notes. Milkshake and fruit gum?
Dessert malt: 7
Aberlour 19yo 1970-1990 46% Signatory Vintage cask#236-239 btl.504/2400
My oldest Aberlour so far, I guess it will be interesting to see how their malt were 40 years back. The nose is round, stiff, sort of waxy and a bit sour. The taste is far more peppery than the younger versions. I do enjoy this a lot. It's sort of a fresh summers whisky. With just a drop of water even more sour notes appears, unripe pears, lime peel and green grapes. Yes, I can point my finger at many things in this whisky. But there's no need as all it's little weird parts works perfectly together. The aftertaste is a bit drying, Martini?
Serve this a bit chilled and it's just perfect in the sun: 6.5
Aberlour 9yo 40% OB
An old 70's bottling, but for me personally, the older bottlings from Aberlour often outshines the newer versions. This one is sweet, sherry, a bit dry, concentrated flavours, and very firm despite a round and delicate nose. It's playful, soft, nectarine, choriander, thyme and roasted bananas. A wonderful old Aberlour, which tastes a lot older than it's 9 years.
Fantastic: 8.5
Aberlour 18yo 1990-2008 52.7% LMDW Belgique
A very light coloured malt, it's the first time I try an Aberlour without any maturation in sherry casks. It has a strong vanilla smell, bourbon matured. The taste is extremely concentrated on strong pepper and ammonia. Some time and water lifts the overall impression just the tiniest bit and some mint and vanilla appears on the finish. Other than that I must say it is not too much to brag about.
A really ill Aberlour: 2
Aberlour 12yo 40% OB
12 years with a finish in sherry casks have developed into a very fine 12-year old. Small hint of eucalyptus on the nose, together with brown sugar, sulphur and massive dark chocolate. Nice flavour, red apples, port wine and caramel. Like a brandy, but what brandy wouldn't it beat?
The sherry compliments perfectly: 8
6 Glen Scotias tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Glen Scotia 12yo 55.8% James MacArthur's
A miniature that I've already tried another one of a while back, so no notes this time. I do not remember how I rated it, so this time I'm just going to give a score and then see how consistent my rating system and grade evaluation works for me.
: 7.5
Glen Scotia 18yo 1992-2010 53.3% Malts of Scotland cask#429
The far less talked about of the two Campbeltown malts, of course apart from the new Glengyle distillery. This one is sherry-matured and bottled at cask strength. This has the odor of amoroso sherry, dried grapes, some floral notes, guacamole, onions, phenol and acrylic. The taste is extremely strong, eucalyptys, grassy, feinty, burnt wood, lemon peel and rosemary. But it's extremely dry so it needs some water. Now it gets some bitterness and a long aftertaste of herbs and black peppers. I'm not the biggest fan of these bitter'n'dry sherries, but this one really pulls it off.
An interesting Glen Scotia: 6
Glen Scotia 12yo 55.8% James MacArthur's CS
The usually so sweet and friendly Glen Scotia at cask strength, it's hard not to condemn before I've even tried it, but let's go. The nosing is actually quite amazing, strong, bold, oaky, choriander, turnips, phenol, anis, thyme and salt water. At first the taste is very sour, like outdated stilton, pretty exciting actually. Let's try with some water. It gets sweeter, and it's got an unripe grape taste which actually makes me want more.
Pretty good actually: 7
Glen Scotia 8yo 40% OB
Mild and good, seems to be a repeating pattern when it comes to this Campbeltown malt. A nice flavour, with some easy alcohol influence. Very strong at first for a 40% only, but that just lasts for a second or two. Hard to recognize any real flavours, I'll give it some time. About 15 minutes later I'm able to pick up some sweetness, but that's about it.
Perhaps I'm too kind: 4
Glen Scotia 12yo 40% OB
Glen Scotia's been exposed to much criticism due to it's lightness, and lack of real character. I don't know if I'm agreeing with this though. It smells really soft, grilled corn, and with lots of butter, It does taste light as well, cinnamon buns, toast and roasted almonds. The finish is lacking any flavour at all.
An easy malt for many occasions: 6
Glen Scotia 5yo 40% OB
This weird whisky from Campbeltown, I honestly feel, is almost not worth mentioning at all. Tastes like water with chlorine, the ones you accidently swallow in public baths. Some sweetness there is at first but afterwards it's pure torture. The aftertaste is alcoholic.
Very young and underdeveloped: 1.5
A miniature that I've already tried another one of a while back, so no notes this time. I do not remember how I rated it, so this time I'm just going to give a score and then see how consistent my rating system and grade evaluation works for me.
: 7.5
Glen Scotia 18yo 1992-2010 53.3% Malts of Scotland cask#429
The far less talked about of the two Campbeltown malts, of course apart from the new Glengyle distillery. This one is sherry-matured and bottled at cask strength. This has the odor of amoroso sherry, dried grapes, some floral notes, guacamole, onions, phenol and acrylic. The taste is extremely strong, eucalyptys, grassy, feinty, burnt wood, lemon peel and rosemary. But it's extremely dry so it needs some water. Now it gets some bitterness and a long aftertaste of herbs and black peppers. I'm not the biggest fan of these bitter'n'dry sherries, but this one really pulls it off.
An interesting Glen Scotia: 6
Glen Scotia 12yo 55.8% James MacArthur's CS
The usually so sweet and friendly Glen Scotia at cask strength, it's hard not to condemn before I've even tried it, but let's go. The nosing is actually quite amazing, strong, bold, oaky, choriander, turnips, phenol, anis, thyme and salt water. At first the taste is very sour, like outdated stilton, pretty exciting actually. Let's try with some water. It gets sweeter, and it's got an unripe grape taste which actually makes me want more.
Pretty good actually: 7
Glen Scotia 8yo 40% OB
Mild and good, seems to be a repeating pattern when it comes to this Campbeltown malt. A nice flavour, with some easy alcohol influence. Very strong at first for a 40% only, but that just lasts for a second or two. Hard to recognize any real flavours, I'll give it some time. About 15 minutes later I'm able to pick up some sweetness, but that's about it.
Perhaps I'm too kind: 4
Glen Scotia 12yo 40% OB
Glen Scotia's been exposed to much criticism due to it's lightness, and lack of real character. I don't know if I'm agreeing with this though. It smells really soft, grilled corn, and with lots of butter, It does taste light as well, cinnamon buns, toast and roasted almonds. The finish is lacking any flavour at all.
An easy malt for many occasions: 6
Glen Scotia 5yo 40% OB
This weird whisky from Campbeltown, I honestly feel, is almost not worth mentioning at all. Tastes like water with chlorine, the ones you accidently swallow in public baths. Some sweetness there is at first but afterwards it's pure torture. The aftertaste is alcoholic.
Very young and underdeveloped: 1.5
2 Strathmills tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Strathmill 16yo 1993-2009 50% Old Malt Cask Douglas Laing *Advance Sample cask#5200
A pale Strathmill from a refill hogshead, one of these distilleries that's even harder to find than many of the closed ones. It smells sort of spirity and vulgar, stripclub vodka? The taste is better, kind of burnt, bitter, matches, slightly sulphury, fino refill? Actually not bad at all, I do prefer this strange weird sweet burnt flavor to many ultradry versions of fino casks. The aftertaste is peppery and bitter sour, like lime and chili. Another good whisky from a whisky I didn't expect too much from.
If you get a chance to try a single cask Strathmill, make sure you do: 6.5
Strathmill 10yo 43% Signatory Scottish Wildlife
This is actually my first time ever trying a strathmill, this one is from the scottish wildlife series, an alternative to the flora and fauna by diageo? It has a squirrel on the label. On the nose I'm getting wheat, pine, clover, ashes and gingerbread, very nice. The taste is sweet, honey, gingerbread, oak, cinnamon and spice tart. The aftertaste is a killer, lots of pepper and smoke, not advanced in any way but very charming.
A good old-style malt for any occasion: 6.5
A pale Strathmill from a refill hogshead, one of these distilleries that's even harder to find than many of the closed ones. It smells sort of spirity and vulgar, stripclub vodka? The taste is better, kind of burnt, bitter, matches, slightly sulphury, fino refill? Actually not bad at all, I do prefer this strange weird sweet burnt flavor to many ultradry versions of fino casks. The aftertaste is peppery and bitter sour, like lime and chili. Another good whisky from a whisky I didn't expect too much from.
If you get a chance to try a single cask Strathmill, make sure you do: 6.5
Strathmill 10yo 43% Signatory Scottish Wildlife
This is actually my first time ever trying a strathmill, this one is from the scottish wildlife series, an alternative to the flora and fauna by diageo? It has a squirrel on the label. On the nose I'm getting wheat, pine, clover, ashes and gingerbread, very nice. The taste is sweet, honey, gingerbread, oak, cinnamon and spice tart. The aftertaste is a killer, lots of pepper and smoke, not advanced in any way but very charming.
A good old-style malt for any occasion: 6.5
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