The Snow Grouse NAS 40% Blended Grain
The first Famous Grouse with no Glenturret in the mix? So this is a regular blend just without any malt share, cheap produce then. Could it be good like older versions of the hedonism, or just like any other young cheap blend? The label says this is a smooth chill filtered whisky (a trade-mark owned by the grouse gang as there's a "TM" stated above the phrase???). Anyone care to explain me the difference between smooth and regular chill-filtration, and if this is a trademark? Smells light, bitter, kräuter-likör, vodka, burnt potato mash. The taste is light and minty, not bad, but this lightness that I found in the Good Knight the other day is here as well. If I tasted this one blind I'd be certain it was some sort of bitter herbal liquor, Gammel Dansk?
Weakish and undemanding grains, not my kind of whisky: 3
Greenore 15yo 43% OB
Irish grain whisky, usually I'd be skeptical, but the 8yo Greenore showed to be a pleasant surprise last time I tasted it, this one could very well be the same? Smells spicier, spicy tomato sauce, red wine vinegar, sweet and acidic. The taste is peppery, a bit like the 14yo Oban, light pepperiness and fresh highland-style. It's old style whisky, not many modern scotch whiskies has this style. perfect balance between oak, pepperiness and malt.
Much like some young Highland whiskies bottled in the 70's: 7
Glen Grain Class 10yo 2000-2010 50% Malts of Scotland
Another Blended Grain if I'm not mistaken, at considerably higher strength than the last two. By the way, this is batch#1, maybe I can try predict if there's going to be a second batch or not? The smell is minty, again this light style, like it's some kind of herbal after-meal schnapps. I wonder what sort of grain they have used producing these cheap blended grains. Or maybe what distilleries the input comes from. The taste is bittersweet and peppery, like dry gin mixed with hot n sweet candy spirit. With water. No good with water, dry and bitter.
It's not the worst I've tried, but it has no whisky characteristics: 3.5
North British 17yo 1991-2008 53.9% Signatory Vintage
A cask strength from Signatory, am I in for a surprise? I have no expectations of what to come from different grain distilleries as I'm not familiar i the territory of grain whisky. Except from a 28yo Cameronbridge that was utterly amazing I haven't tried any cask strength grains so this is almost a new thing for me. Let's see.. It smells sort of withdrawn, some hints of peppery notes and austere along some seaweed and salty dried fish. Intriguing, if not very complex. The taste is salty and dry with a mix of Lowland and Islay character. this dry fish, fried shrimp character mixes with some floral peppery notes. Much to my liking. The finish is long and dry, not that grand.
The finish was disappointing but other than that this works for me: 6
Cambus 18yo 1991-2009 55.4% Signatory Vintage
Another grain distillery that I'm up until now unfamiliar with. This one is lighter than the North British, the nose tells me of sifted wheat flour and rubber bands. The taste is better, sweet and peppery with some nice and clean licorice flavor. Sweet and dry on the finish, burnt matches and pharmacy smell, I think this might be one of the rawest 18yo's I've ever had, especially what possible cask influence is concerned. I have big problems seeing why this one should be added to the SV cask strength collection before the fantastic Fettercairn. My opinion at least.
an immature 18yo: 3
To say the least, this was an experience that will be repeated because now I'm even more confused about what to expect when tasting grain whisky. One thing that maybe stood out, but mostly in the Blended grains with low proof, were these light and minty flavors. I must have another grain tasting in not so long to discover more. As earlier mentioned in this post, I've had great grain whiskies before.
onsdag 29. juni 2011
mandag 27. juni 2011
Making my own Whisky in 1-2-3 :)
I'm old enough to remember when there were just a couple of IB's around, mostly G&M, Signatory and Cadenhead's. Nowadays it seems there's hundreds of IB's trying to make you purchase their expressions. And I'm all for it as I think that there are huge differences in styles, choice of casks and desired bottling ages when it comes to the different IB's. But sometimes when tasting some IB's I think to myself: "Why wouldn't they just give this one a year or two more.. oh it would be so much better..." Of course that's my personal opinion and surely not always right, but it has brought me to this. A DIY of whisky. I have not a spirit still at home, but when it comes to maturation I have now bought myself some new-make, wooden casks and sweet wine to help myself try make my own IB whisky and bottle it at the exact moment of which I find it to hold the best standard it can get. Maybe it'll all go pear-shaped after a while, but at least I may get a glimpse of what sort of challenges and difficulties the IB employees faces. This is what I have and how far I've come in the process.
First of all, purchase a good cask or two, make sure they doesn't leak or have other defuncts. Make sure that you have enough spirit to fill the casks as evaporation happens easier the more oxygen is in the casks while maturing.
Get hold of some wine that you, or in this case I, find enjoyable, but also has some stamina what flavor is concerned. A light & fruity wine needs more time to make impact on the oak than a strong and drier one. I decided to go for a sherry wine similar like the one you see on the left, and a cherry dessert wine which I've unfortunately have no bottle left of. I have instead placed a meatpackers wine on the right side of the photo, a wine that I feel could be useful in a pre whisky cask. I have left the sherry wine in for 3 months and now there's Glenglassaugh spirit inside of it, I will try some of it when the spirit has reach about a year in cask. The other one is still keeping sherry and I will leave it for at least a year or two before filling it with newmake.
Get hold of some new-make to put in the barrels. I have decided on filling one with high strength undiluted peated new-make from Bladnoch, and putting it in the barrel that previously have contained sweet cherry wine, as I think port wine, cherry wine and other sweet wines combines better with peat than sherry does. The other barrel now holding sweet Luiz Paes Cream Sherry will be filled with Glenglassaugh newmake, also known as the spirit that dare not speak its name.
First of all, purchase a good cask or two, make sure they doesn't leak or have other defuncts. Make sure that you have enough spirit to fill the casks as evaporation happens easier the more oxygen is in the casks while maturing.
Get hold of some wine that you, or in this case I, find enjoyable, but also has some stamina what flavor is concerned. A light & fruity wine needs more time to make impact on the oak than a strong and drier one. I decided to go for a sherry wine similar like the one you see on the left, and a cherry dessert wine which I've unfortunately have no bottle left of. I have instead placed a meatpackers wine on the right side of the photo, a wine that I feel could be useful in a pre whisky cask. I have left the sherry wine in for 3 months and now there's Glenglassaugh spirit inside of it, I will try some of it when the spirit has reach about a year in cask. The other one is still keeping sherry and I will leave it for at least a year or two before filling it with newmake.
Get hold of some new-make to put in the barrels. I have decided on filling one with high strength undiluted peated new-make from Bladnoch, and putting it in the barrel that previously have contained sweet cherry wine, as I think port wine, cherry wine and other sweet wines combines better with peat than sherry does. The other barrel now holding sweet Luiz Paes Cream Sherry will be filled with Glenglassaugh newmake, also known as the spirit that dare not speak its name.
lørdag 25. juni 2011
Small changes...
As the ones of you that are still following this blog must have noticed, its new current address is www.maltdiary.com. Another thing that's changed is there will no longer be a post for each whisky as I'm trying to put my whiskies into different batches so that the ones that fit into same subdivision, that being distillery, geography, cask types or so on, will be tasted head to head. This will not be repetitive for each tasting, as I sometimes do like tasting the difference of a Glengoyne and an Ardbeg head to head. But again I have felt lately that with some of the tastings I have had some trouble finding what I call the distillery character. Possibly so because I haven't tasted that many standard OB's recently and I have few in my expectations. That meaning that referencing to the distillery character is somewhat more difficult. By putting together whiskies from same distillery I will hopefully recapture some of my old impressions of what to expect from the distillery, regional location and so on.
torsdag 23. juni 2011
Whisky from outside of europe #1
Crown Royal NAS 40% Canadian Blended
One from Ontario, I had to try another Canadian whisky after the Long Wood disaster at the start of this session. This one at least got the look with its fancy decanter and italian import sticker on the top. This one has more punch on the nose, like a finer blend, say the Chivas Regal, it got something going on, there's onions, peppers, and spirity notes. The taste is light, but more pleasant than the Long Wood, some delightful cheese character, cream cheese and vanilla, ending on a peppery and a bit smoky note.
Two up from the Long Wood: 4
Johnny Drum 15yo 50.5% OB Kentucky Straight Bourbon
An american brand I haven't seen around much. At a strength suggesting it could be bottled at cask strength. I haven't tried enough bourbons to have any meanings of it, but I guess they've maybe got a fairly bad reputation due to the likes of Jim Beam and Jack Daniel's? At least those didn't blink on my top of the list radar. Rosé wine color, and what a nose, malt syrup, honey, buttered corn, crispy caramel, forgive me America! But what about the taste? Ground peppers, warm sun-dried tomatoes, cheap cigarillos, far from the wonderful nose. Needs water. Usually I say I dilute the whisky, but now I'd rather say I reduced it, it needed plenty water. The taste doesn't get much better, still there's this aftertaste that you get from cheap cigarillos that can sit through the entire evening.
For nosing purposes only: 3.5
Three Ships 10yo 43% OB South Africa
On this I have no clue what to expect, South Africa?? I know they make some good wine, so good casks should easily be within reach. But producing whisky in that hot climate, and god knows what quality the water holds? I can't see much peat or other natural stuff flavoring the water in in the rivers leading into Johannesburg and other cities? Maybe I'm wrong? Now this is interesting, it smells sort of Highland style, peppery, fresh cut grass, a bit smoky, but most of all extremely fresh, kind of like a young Ben Nevis. The taste is very well indeed, peppery notes, lots of licorice, floral, pine, and delicious mushrooms, in cream sauce...mmm...
A whisky with twists and turns, a wild ride: 6
Good Knight 42.8% Indian Grain Spirit Whisky
Some Grain Spirit Whisky from a funky-looking 90ml. decanter, made by the Hindustan Distilleries. I have already had a train wreck of an Indian "whisky" with the Sikkim Gold single molasses whisky, so I'm kinda down on the expectations here. But "Grain Spirit" must mean its at least whisky at some point in the making, but when it has no age statement, it could be new-make with caramel? On the other hand, they say whisky matures faster in India where the climate is hotter. Anyway, let's try it. Smells very minty, almost all on mint drops, nothing that shows any sort of whisky-style yet. The taste is sweet and again minty, like something at about 15% for kids in their late teens to mix with coca cola. One of the most dubious whiskies I've tried so far, hard to judge as it isn't bad in any way, just very light in style and not whisky-like in any way.
I'll be gentle with this one: 3
Nikka Taketsuru 17yo 43%
Sometimes I think I might be the only whiskylover left on the planet not to hail the Japanese single malts as the new "it" when it comes to finer whisky. On the other hand I haven't tried that many yet, so maybe this can shed some light for me on the not so recent buzz. Definetively got much more going on the nose than the Long Wood, camphor, vanilla, honey, spicy, mustard and perfumy. The taste is at first silky smooth with some indian ground spices, hot, but yet light, hard to describe any better than light chili and turmeric. Then it turns spicier with some added black pepper, peat and oaky aftertaste. Addition of water gives it a milder yet more bitter flavour, like chewing acrylic clothing.
Initially presentable, but didn't handle water well: 3.5
Long Wood 8yo 40% Canadian Blend
I'm going for a international journey today, as I have felt a bit of contrast lacking in the last scottish malt sessions. Maybe this will surprise me, or just reconfirm my belief in Scottish single malt whisky? From before I have tried some Japanese that satisfied me somewhat, and a couple Irish ones with the 8yo Greenore being the definite cream of the crop. What I do know is that this tim it's gonna be something else. Starting off with some "Finest pure handselected" Canadian whisky. Sounds like something from Scotland at least. Smells fusel, oily, young grain whisky. The taste is way over the line when it comes to sweetness, a bit floral and mostly supersweet. It says on the back it's been adjusted with caramel, and I could guess its not only the color thats been adjusted. The taste is caramel, onions and bitter spirit.
I hope there are better Canadians out there: 2
One from Ontario, I had to try another Canadian whisky after the Long Wood disaster at the start of this session. This one at least got the look with its fancy decanter and italian import sticker on the top. This one has more punch on the nose, like a finer blend, say the Chivas Regal, it got something going on, there's onions, peppers, and spirity notes. The taste is light, but more pleasant than the Long Wood, some delightful cheese character, cream cheese and vanilla, ending on a peppery and a bit smoky note.
Two up from the Long Wood: 4
Johnny Drum 15yo 50.5% OB Kentucky Straight Bourbon
An american brand I haven't seen around much. At a strength suggesting it could be bottled at cask strength. I haven't tried enough bourbons to have any meanings of it, but I guess they've maybe got a fairly bad reputation due to the likes of Jim Beam and Jack Daniel's? At least those didn't blink on my top of the list radar. Rosé wine color, and what a nose, malt syrup, honey, buttered corn, crispy caramel, forgive me America! But what about the taste? Ground peppers, warm sun-dried tomatoes, cheap cigarillos, far from the wonderful nose. Needs water. Usually I say I dilute the whisky, but now I'd rather say I reduced it, it needed plenty water. The taste doesn't get much better, still there's this aftertaste that you get from cheap cigarillos that can sit through the entire evening.
For nosing purposes only: 3.5
Three Ships 10yo 43% OB South Africa
On this I have no clue what to expect, South Africa?? I know they make some good wine, so good casks should easily be within reach. But producing whisky in that hot climate, and god knows what quality the water holds? I can't see much peat or other natural stuff flavoring the water in in the rivers leading into Johannesburg and other cities? Maybe I'm wrong? Now this is interesting, it smells sort of Highland style, peppery, fresh cut grass, a bit smoky, but most of all extremely fresh, kind of like a young Ben Nevis. The taste is very well indeed, peppery notes, lots of licorice, floral, pine, and delicious mushrooms, in cream sauce...mmm...
A whisky with twists and turns, a wild ride: 6
Good Knight 42.8% Indian Grain Spirit Whisky
Some Grain Spirit Whisky from a funky-looking 90ml. decanter, made by the Hindustan Distilleries. I have already had a train wreck of an Indian "whisky" with the Sikkim Gold single molasses whisky, so I'm kinda down on the expectations here. But "Grain Spirit" must mean its at least whisky at some point in the making, but when it has no age statement, it could be new-make with caramel? On the other hand, they say whisky matures faster in India where the climate is hotter. Anyway, let's try it. Smells very minty, almost all on mint drops, nothing that shows any sort of whisky-style yet. The taste is sweet and again minty, like something at about 15% for kids in their late teens to mix with coca cola. One of the most dubious whiskies I've tried so far, hard to judge as it isn't bad in any way, just very light in style and not whisky-like in any way.
I'll be gentle with this one: 3
Nikka Taketsuru 17yo 43%
Sometimes I think I might be the only whiskylover left on the planet not to hail the Japanese single malts as the new "it" when it comes to finer whisky. On the other hand I haven't tried that many yet, so maybe this can shed some light for me on the not so recent buzz. Definetively got much more going on the nose than the Long Wood, camphor, vanilla, honey, spicy, mustard and perfumy. The taste is at first silky smooth with some indian ground spices, hot, but yet light, hard to describe any better than light chili and turmeric. Then it turns spicier with some added black pepper, peat and oaky aftertaste. Addition of water gives it a milder yet more bitter flavour, like chewing acrylic clothing.
Initially presentable, but didn't handle water well: 3.5
Long Wood 8yo 40% Canadian Blend
I'm going for a international journey today, as I have felt a bit of contrast lacking in the last scottish malt sessions. Maybe this will surprise me, or just reconfirm my belief in Scottish single malt whisky? From before I have tried some Japanese that satisfied me somewhat, and a couple Irish ones with the 8yo Greenore being the definite cream of the crop. What I do know is that this tim it's gonna be something else. Starting off with some "Finest pure handselected" Canadian whisky. Sounds like something from Scotland at least. Smells fusel, oily, young grain whisky. The taste is way over the line when it comes to sweetness, a bit floral and mostly supersweet. It says on the back it's been adjusted with caramel, and I could guess its not only the color thats been adjusted. The taste is caramel, onions and bitter spirit.
I hope there are better Canadians out there: 2
onsdag 22. juni 2011
6 Single Malts with alternative names
Port Askaig 30yo 45.8%
Same strength as a Talisker but I think this is a Caol Ila, and at 30yo, one of the oldest I've tried so far. It's a bit strange how Caol Ila always seems to be the middle of the road Islay malt, never very good and never bad, just always perfectly drinkable. Is this because they have a very steady produce, or is it that they are very good at choosing similar casks? I guess I'll never know, but this one might shaw me a different side to their produce. Smells floral, peaty and peppery, with burnt butter and mashed horseradish. The taste is peaty and floral along with some peppermint and green straws.
Not any better than the regular OB stuff: 6
Talimburg 20yo 1986-2006 43.8% Artist Edition
One bottled for/by(?) the Limburg whisky festival, and by the name it's not hard to guess which distillery this one comes from. Sad to say, this is my only IB Talisker as they normally keep the casks to themselves, but again, that's maybe why their range keeps such good standard. Limited to 240 bottles. Pale white wine color. The taste is sweet and full of vanilla, marshmallows and peat. It's perfectly good, light, crisp, fresh, but it lacks some of the complexity found in the 18yo, due to there's no sherry in the mix here, I presume. It reminds me somewhat of the 1997 Fettercairn cask# 2032, at 62.3%. Except the peat, but the high spirit gives some of the same impression. The lightest Talisker for me so far.
Perfect light summers dram: 8
Probably Speyside's Finest 41yo 1967-2009 50% Old Malt Cask Douglas Ling cask#5159
This one could also very well be a Glenfarclas, I'm looking forward to this one, Douglas Laing must have some tight casks as they keep 50+% abv after over 40 years. Could it be they've been diluted with water as well? Not much then, I hope. Much lighter color than the Ballindaloch, peach tea. The taste is fruity and peppery, zesty, unripe oranges, and lime, some peat as well. Some earthy noes and old haystack. Not a style I usually see affiliating with such old Glenfarclases, maybe its a refill cask?
More whisky, less sherry, better than the Ballindaloch: 6.5
Ballindalloch 40yo 1965-2005 50% Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask cask#2097
This one could very well be a Glenfarclas as they're usually reluctant to let IB's put their name on labels. And affordable(!) sherried whiskies this old, well, we've seen them come from Glebfarclas more often than other distilleries. Dark color, smells malt syrup, honey lozenges, green tea, dark roasted coffee beans, peppery notes. The taste is all on malty vinegar and white wine reduced meat stock, dried ginger and garlic. With water it becomes sweeter, more sherry, dry sherry, junipers, cranberry juice, the sherry completely overpowers the whisky in this case.
For sherry-lovers only: 5.5
Glen Appin 20yo 43% Highland Single Malt Ets. Henri Mugnier
I have tried finding what distillery this might come from, but there seems to be little information online. But "highland" limits the number of possibilities a bit, at least if mr. Mugnier considers Speyside a region of its own. A dark colour, could very well be some sherry casks in the mix. Smells sweet oloroso, sweet peach limonade, small hints of rubber alongside some oaky herbal butter. Enticing. The taste is more on the bitter side, again herbal and lemongrass, mint. With water it develops a more soft side, reminds me of the Bowmore enigma, there's some peat in the mix, it's not bad at all, but too bitter on the palate and finish for my taste.
My guess would be its a Dalmore, but I'm far from sure: 4
Highland 8yo 57.8% Ian Macleod As We Get It
A young highlander from unknown distillery, last time I tried an "As We Get It", I believe it was a Balvenie, and it was close to rubbish, hopefully this one will be better. Smells spirity, oaky, malty, I will add water to this right away, The taste is sort of zesty, lemon, chili, nuts, but lots of alcohol, needs a touch of water. With water it gets a bit like rotten fruits, a bit sweet and sour, but with a long aftertaste of fruits gone bad. Brown apples and weed.
A malt misfit: 1.5
Same strength as a Talisker but I think this is a Caol Ila, and at 30yo, one of the oldest I've tried so far. It's a bit strange how Caol Ila always seems to be the middle of the road Islay malt, never very good and never bad, just always perfectly drinkable. Is this because they have a very steady produce, or is it that they are very good at choosing similar casks? I guess I'll never know, but this one might shaw me a different side to their produce. Smells floral, peaty and peppery, with burnt butter and mashed horseradish. The taste is peaty and floral along with some peppermint and green straws.
Not any better than the regular OB stuff: 6
Talimburg 20yo 1986-2006 43.8% Artist Edition
One bottled for/by(?) the Limburg whisky festival, and by the name it's not hard to guess which distillery this one comes from. Sad to say, this is my only IB Talisker as they normally keep the casks to themselves, but again, that's maybe why their range keeps such good standard. Limited to 240 bottles. Pale white wine color. The taste is sweet and full of vanilla, marshmallows and peat. It's perfectly good, light, crisp, fresh, but it lacks some of the complexity found in the 18yo, due to there's no sherry in the mix here, I presume. It reminds me somewhat of the 1997 Fettercairn cask# 2032, at 62.3%. Except the peat, but the high spirit gives some of the same impression. The lightest Talisker for me so far.
Perfect light summers dram: 8
Probably Speyside's Finest 41yo 1967-2009 50% Old Malt Cask Douglas Ling cask#5159
This one could also very well be a Glenfarclas, I'm looking forward to this one, Douglas Laing must have some tight casks as they keep 50+% abv after over 40 years. Could it be they've been diluted with water as well? Not much then, I hope. Much lighter color than the Ballindaloch, peach tea. The taste is fruity and peppery, zesty, unripe oranges, and lime, some peat as well. Some earthy noes and old haystack. Not a style I usually see affiliating with such old Glenfarclases, maybe its a refill cask?
More whisky, less sherry, better than the Ballindaloch: 6.5
Ballindalloch 40yo 1965-2005 50% Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask cask#2097
This one could very well be a Glenfarclas as they're usually reluctant to let IB's put their name on labels. And affordable(!) sherried whiskies this old, well, we've seen them come from Glebfarclas more often than other distilleries. Dark color, smells malt syrup, honey lozenges, green tea, dark roasted coffee beans, peppery notes. The taste is all on malty vinegar and white wine reduced meat stock, dried ginger and garlic. With water it becomes sweeter, more sherry, dry sherry, junipers, cranberry juice, the sherry completely overpowers the whisky in this case.
For sherry-lovers only: 5.5
Glen Appin 20yo 43% Highland Single Malt Ets. Henri Mugnier
I have tried finding what distillery this might come from, but there seems to be little information online. But "highland" limits the number of possibilities a bit, at least if mr. Mugnier considers Speyside a region of its own. A dark colour, could very well be some sherry casks in the mix. Smells sweet oloroso, sweet peach limonade, small hints of rubber alongside some oaky herbal butter. Enticing. The taste is more on the bitter side, again herbal and lemongrass, mint. With water it develops a more soft side, reminds me of the Bowmore enigma, there's some peat in the mix, it's not bad at all, but too bitter on the palate and finish for my taste.
My guess would be its a Dalmore, but I'm far from sure: 4
Highland 8yo 57.8% Ian Macleod As We Get It
A young highlander from unknown distillery, last time I tried an "As We Get It", I believe it was a Balvenie, and it was close to rubbish, hopefully this one will be better. Smells spirity, oaky, malty, I will add water to this right away, The taste is sort of zesty, lemon, chili, nuts, but lots of alcohol, needs a touch of water. With water it gets a bit like rotten fruits, a bit sweet and sour, but with a long aftertaste of fruits gone bad. Brown apples and weed.
A malt misfit: 1.5
søndag 12. juni 2011
Two 1975 Fettercairns
Fettercairn 34yo 1975-2009 58.04% Scotch Single Malt Circle cask#2313
An almost imbarrassingly precise abv% statement on this one, but one the other hand, it would be fun to have an application that could measure abv such as low as 0.04%abv.Just because I do believe that the abv might vary more between batches than many in business would admit. Say a robert mondavi wine (not to throw anyone under the bus). Making a woodbridge, sampling it, and at 13.18%abv it'sperfect, but the importer calls for 13%, what to do? I don't say this is ever the case, and for wine-makers,not that important. But for us into whisky, maybe letting loose on some ground principles could enhance the quality of the final produce? Who knows? As mr. T would say, enough jibba-jabba..
This one from a fresh bourbon cask, smooth, I do have another bottle from 1997 from cask#2320, so I guess from differantiation in distillation years of the spirit the #2320 mightnot be a fresh cask, or it has spent some time before being bottled, or my last suggestion, since the 1997 is a fantastic whisky, it might not make that big a differ? Slightly darker color than the TWA, smells lighter, grassier, more spirity, somewhat closed, needs time to open up. Much more raw than the TWA no matter how I put it. The taste does have even more of the pisang flavour, extremely dry and bitter, a small disappointment so far, needs water. With water it gets massively citric, grilled peppers with chilli gouda, a bit sweet and sour but mostly spicy. The aftertaste is long and bitter, a disappointment.
Started off with a blast, then died slowly: 6.5
Fettercairn 34yo 1975-2009 57% The Whisky Agency, Fossile Series
Some special samples to celebrate the finishing of my Bachelor degree in Film study. I know there were a release of multiple 1975 Fettercairns around 2009, and being the slow trigger that I am, I missed out on those bottlings. Fortunately the sampling distributors at www.whiskysamples.eu were kind enough to release part of a couple bottles of these as 3cl. I know there were another 1975 from the TWA as well, another one to chase down for me.
The smell has some sort of rum-like vanilla, with much oak and some honey nectar. Needs a bit of time, but its an incredibly fine malt, still magic at its best. It develops even more honey with some time in the glass, but lets taste it. Imust add that it has a golden honey color and comes from a bourbon cask. The taste is really powerful, peppery, much more oakiness than anticipated, oak all the way, maybe I should have started with a lighter whisky to warm up? As wellasoak it has some rustic notes, very drying, like raw pisang. I'll give it some water. Nowit gets more rustic, sour, sour chilli paste, but still extremely big in terms of flavour, I have to say I'm quite amazed by the complexity in this malt, and that the aftertaste is much longer than in whiskies like the Supernova or the octomore which usually claim such. Nevertheless, wether it suits the picture of a traditional Fettercairn or not, it's one of the most complex malts I've ever tried. It begs meto ask the question: In which year did they start running water outside the still at Fettercairn? A historic dram?
Fettercairn in a new light, there aren't many like this out there: 8
An almost imbarrassingly precise abv% statement on this one, but one the other hand, it would be fun to have an application that could measure abv such as low as 0.04%abv.Just because I do believe that the abv might vary more between batches than many in business would admit. Say a robert mondavi wine (not to throw anyone under the bus). Making a woodbridge, sampling it, and at 13.18%abv it'sperfect, but the importer calls for 13%, what to do? I don't say this is ever the case, and for wine-makers,not that important. But for us into whisky, maybe letting loose on some ground principles could enhance the quality of the final produce? Who knows? As mr. T would say, enough jibba-jabba..
This one from a fresh bourbon cask, smooth, I do have another bottle from 1997 from cask#2320, so I guess from differantiation in distillation years of the spirit the #2320 mightnot be a fresh cask, or it has spent some time before being bottled, or my last suggestion, since the 1997 is a fantastic whisky, it might not make that big a differ? Slightly darker color than the TWA, smells lighter, grassier, more spirity, somewhat closed, needs time to open up. Much more raw than the TWA no matter how I put it. The taste does have even more of the pisang flavour, extremely dry and bitter, a small disappointment so far, needs water. With water it gets massively citric, grilled peppers with chilli gouda, a bit sweet and sour but mostly spicy. The aftertaste is long and bitter, a disappointment.
Started off with a blast, then died slowly: 6.5
Fettercairn 34yo 1975-2009 57% The Whisky Agency, Fossile Series
Some special samples to celebrate the finishing of my Bachelor degree in Film study. I know there were a release of multiple 1975 Fettercairns around 2009, and being the slow trigger that I am, I missed out on those bottlings. Fortunately the sampling distributors at www.whiskysamples.eu were kind enough to release part of a couple bottles of these as 3cl. I know there were another 1975 from the TWA as well, another one to chase down for me.
The smell has some sort of rum-like vanilla, with much oak and some honey nectar. Needs a bit of time, but its an incredibly fine malt, still magic at its best. It develops even more honey with some time in the glass, but lets taste it. Imust add that it has a golden honey color and comes from a bourbon cask. The taste is really powerful, peppery, much more oakiness than anticipated, oak all the way, maybe I should have started with a lighter whisky to warm up? As wellasoak it has some rustic notes, very drying, like raw pisang. I'll give it some water. Nowit gets more rustic, sour, sour chilli paste, but still extremely big in terms of flavour, I have to say I'm quite amazed by the complexity in this malt, and that the aftertaste is much longer than in whiskies like the Supernova or the octomore which usually claim such. Nevertheless, wether it suits the picture of a traditional Fettercairn or not, it's one of the most complex malts I've ever tried. It begs meto ask the question: In which year did they start running water outside the still at Fettercairn? A historic dram?
Fettercairn in a new light, there aren't many like this out there: 8
fredag 10. juni 2011
3 Single Cask Glengoyne's
Glengoyne 16yo 1990-2006 56.6% OB cask#936
I feel there's a chance I've come across a bit harsh on Glengoyne in this vertical, but unfortunately it doesn't stop yet. What I just noticed is that there's some tasting notes on the label, another thing that have come in the last few years, and I don't mind some information as to what expect on the label, like information about the cask, or age, or "the gentle dram" as the say in Tamnavulin if I'm not mistaken. But on this one they're long and far too specific, so the descriptions might color the experience and not let the drinker himself have the opportunity to explore the whisky all on his own. On the 21yo it says "Nose:Sherry, brown sugar, toffee..." It's like if someone tells you, "hey, this whisky really tastes like banana", well of course you're gonna be on the lookout for banana and maybe oversee other stuff. Even interpret flavors that you'd usually recognize as strawberry or caramel, now as banana. That's maybe the reason that I do not read the legend as well as some others that I know. Again, I'm off tracks, back to the whisky!
Dark golden color, smells light, not as complex as the other two I've tried in this verical, really light, mineral salt and some malty notes. The taste is again very salty, brine, with a strong influence from the high abv. This one definitively need some water. Water brings out som bitter hers, mustard and honey notes, much sweetness on the finish, fruit sugar, molasses, wood nectar. Not the best of the bunch, but this one got more character and.. what do you call it.. drive than the other two.
The saltiness in this one almost reminds me of some Islay malts: 6.5
Glengoyne 21yo 1986-2008 52.2% OB cask#1391
Another single cask from Glengoyne, another sherry butt, but not nearly as dark as the Ewan's Choice, but a slightly higher abv. Bronze color, smells light, fresh, peppery, butt with a round and gentle touch, like being in a tea shop, a mix of mild spices but with some acidity and peppery notes as ground factors. This one needs a lot of time as well to develop, lots of raw greens coming through herbs and spices, cinnamon, coriander leaves, tea again, floral, pretty characteristic for a Glengoyne. The taste is peppery and sherried, again oloroso, sweet, slightly bitter, more sulphury. A small drop of water makes it very clean, with some straight sherry influence, but there's no Glengoyne characteristic in this one, not that its an easy one to find.
If tasted blind I'd surely known it what as sherry-matured, but what distillery? Could be anyones guess. This is one of the single cask expressions I feel could very well be thrown in a standard mix
Good, but not more than what you'd expect from a good 12yo: 6
Glengoyne 19yo 1986-2005 15.5% OB Ewan's Choice cask#441
I'm not sure what happens with me and Glengoyne, as I have never fancied it as more than a cask dependent spirit, needless to say, the 10yo and 17yo standards doesn't get high ratings in my book. Nevertheless I always seem to have some single casks of it in stock, which I believe could very well be due to availability and fair pricing. But to every lit street there's a dark alley, and I think that selling as much single casks as they do, they're sooner or later bound to start lacking what I'd like to call OLD supreme casks. Distilleries like Longmorn and Glenfarclas with their highly rated and usually extremely good older single casks, often with a discreet sale to IB's or annual releases, say the Family Casks, will always have much old stock to keep it going without downing the quality. Compare the prices of 30yo Glenfarclas to other distilleries 30yo's and you'll see what I mean. Another reason to be careful with over-releasing old stock in single casks is that there's less produce to put in the standard OB batches, say the aforementioned 10yo and 17yo, or even 21yo. The bright side of this gimmick for me (and you) is that exclusivity is expensive, and with much single caks out there they might not be as sought after by millionaire collectors and so on, so the prices be more right for the middle-of-the-road income consumer. Enough of that, let's try this one...
Really dark sherry, brown hazelnutty color, smells very light and fresh, some vanilla, much of what I sometimes get from some chilled amontillados. Really a beauty. The taste is all on supersweet oloroso, not that I mind, when drinking a dark sherried whisky, nothing is worse than if it's being overly bitter and resinous. It does need some time to develop into a more complex dram, given time it turns into some sort of salty butterscotch style, almost as mixing milk chocolate and meat stock cubes. Fantastic style, it's not one to rush but keep in mouth for at least 4-5 seconds to let it uncover more and more of the aroma. As I feel with bourbon-matured whiskies, and mostly all peated ones is the the initial taste of vanilla often disappears within a blink of an eye once in my mouth, and if peaty, the finish is pretty much just smoky and peaty. Here on the other hand, it just goes on and on and on, and never seem to end.
Amazing sherry expression: 8.5
I feel there's a chance I've come across a bit harsh on Glengoyne in this vertical, but unfortunately it doesn't stop yet. What I just noticed is that there's some tasting notes on the label, another thing that have come in the last few years, and I don't mind some information as to what expect on the label, like information about the cask, or age, or "the gentle dram" as the say in Tamnavulin if I'm not mistaken. But on this one they're long and far too specific, so the descriptions might color the experience and not let the drinker himself have the opportunity to explore the whisky all on his own. On the 21yo it says "Nose:Sherry, brown sugar, toffee..." It's like if someone tells you, "hey, this whisky really tastes like banana", well of course you're gonna be on the lookout for banana and maybe oversee other stuff. Even interpret flavors that you'd usually recognize as strawberry or caramel, now as banana. That's maybe the reason that I do not read the legend as well as some others that I know. Again, I'm off tracks, back to the whisky!
Dark golden color, smells light, not as complex as the other two I've tried in this verical, really light, mineral salt and some malty notes. The taste is again very salty, brine, with a strong influence from the high abv. This one definitively need some water. Water brings out som bitter hers, mustard and honey notes, much sweetness on the finish, fruit sugar, molasses, wood nectar. Not the best of the bunch, but this one got more character and.. what do you call it.. drive than the other two.
The saltiness in this one almost reminds me of some Islay malts: 6.5
Glengoyne 21yo 1986-2008 52.2% OB cask#1391
Another single cask from Glengoyne, another sherry butt, but not nearly as dark as the Ewan's Choice, but a slightly higher abv. Bronze color, smells light, fresh, peppery, butt with a round and gentle touch, like being in a tea shop, a mix of mild spices but with some acidity and peppery notes as ground factors. This one needs a lot of time as well to develop, lots of raw greens coming through herbs and spices, cinnamon, coriander leaves, tea again, floral, pretty characteristic for a Glengoyne. The taste is peppery and sherried, again oloroso, sweet, slightly bitter, more sulphury. A small drop of water makes it very clean, with some straight sherry influence, but there's no Glengoyne characteristic in this one, not that its an easy one to find.
If tasted blind I'd surely known it what as sherry-matured, but what distillery? Could be anyones guess. This is one of the single cask expressions I feel could very well be thrown in a standard mix
Good, but not more than what you'd expect from a good 12yo: 6
Glengoyne 19yo 1986-2005 15.5% OB Ewan's Choice cask#441
I'm not sure what happens with me and Glengoyne, as I have never fancied it as more than a cask dependent spirit, needless to say, the 10yo and 17yo standards doesn't get high ratings in my book. Nevertheless I always seem to have some single casks of it in stock, which I believe could very well be due to availability and fair pricing. But to every lit street there's a dark alley, and I think that selling as much single casks as they do, they're sooner or later bound to start lacking what I'd like to call OLD supreme casks. Distilleries like Longmorn and Glenfarclas with their highly rated and usually extremely good older single casks, often with a discreet sale to IB's or annual releases, say the Family Casks, will always have much old stock to keep it going without downing the quality. Compare the prices of 30yo Glenfarclas to other distilleries 30yo's and you'll see what I mean. Another reason to be careful with over-releasing old stock in single casks is that there's less produce to put in the standard OB batches, say the aforementioned 10yo and 17yo, or even 21yo. The bright side of this gimmick for me (and you) is that exclusivity is expensive, and with much single caks out there they might not be as sought after by millionaire collectors and so on, so the prices be more right for the middle-of-the-road income consumer. Enough of that, let's try this one...
Really dark sherry, brown hazelnutty color, smells very light and fresh, some vanilla, much of what I sometimes get from some chilled amontillados. Really a beauty. The taste is all on supersweet oloroso, not that I mind, when drinking a dark sherried whisky, nothing is worse than if it's being overly bitter and resinous. It does need some time to develop into a more complex dram, given time it turns into some sort of salty butterscotch style, almost as mixing milk chocolate and meat stock cubes. Fantastic style, it's not one to rush but keep in mouth for at least 4-5 seconds to let it uncover more and more of the aroma. As I feel with bourbon-matured whiskies, and mostly all peated ones is the the initial taste of vanilla often disappears within a blink of an eye once in my mouth, and if peaty, the finish is pretty much just smoky and peaty. Here on the other hand, it just goes on and on and on, and never seem to end.
Amazing sherry expression: 8.5
søndag 29. mai 2011
4 Aberfeldy tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Aberfeldy 27yo 1983-2010 49.9% The Whisky Agency
I can't remember ever trying a cask strength bottling from Aberfeldy, it's rarely bottled in such way, and I think their two only OB's is the 12yo and a 21yo. Golden color, Smells sherried, thcik, sulphury, concentrated sweet fruity, juicy sherry. The taste is sweet and peppery, caramelized onions, herbs, dark grapes, light pepperiness that can be found in the standard 12yo as well. Actually from a bourbon hogshead, who'd thought,
Fun but undemanding: 6
Aberfeldy 15yo 43% Scottish Wildlife SV
Aberfeldy is one that I rarely come across, but when I've done they've usually been very well worth the effort. Smells strong, ink, gasoline, hay, barnyard, green tea, not bad just with a bit more balls than others I guess. The taste has first something mild and sweet going on, bananas and soft apple cider, surpassed by a short moment of flavourful silence. I've never tried anything like this, first sweet and fruity, then totally blank with no flavour at all, like a halftime break and then it finishes of with a long peppery aftertaste.
A funky whisky, but by all means tasty: 5
Kenmore/Aberfeldy? 16yo 57.9% The Whisky Connoisseur
After the very flavoursome and rich Tomatin I wonder what the much paler Kenmore, supposedly an Aberfeldy, has got to offer. It smells grassy, hay, dried herbs and just a bit smoke, but there's nothing much going on here really. The taste shows that it's bourbon-matured, vanilla, ashes, dryness, corn flakes and blueberries. I believe it needs some water if you don't really like a whisky that resembles gin very well. With some water it gets more bland, and makes me think of some less than good young 12yo's, especially the Glenallachie from the 80's comes to mind. This is not the Aberfeldy I know, and usually enjoy a lot.
Don't dilute: 5
Aberfeldy 14yo 1978-1993 43% Signatory Vintage
Pale straw, white wineish colour on this one. Very sharp fragrance, paint thinner, lots of alcohol. The taste sends the nose impressions packing, and there's aromas of cream caramel, vanillasauce, whipped eggs with sugar and dry liquorice in the aftertaste. A very interesting whisky.
A golden bottling from Signatory: 9
I can't remember ever trying a cask strength bottling from Aberfeldy, it's rarely bottled in such way, and I think their two only OB's is the 12yo and a 21yo. Golden color, Smells sherried, thcik, sulphury, concentrated sweet fruity, juicy sherry. The taste is sweet and peppery, caramelized onions, herbs, dark grapes, light pepperiness that can be found in the standard 12yo as well. Actually from a bourbon hogshead, who'd thought,
Fun but undemanding: 6
Aberfeldy 15yo 43% Scottish Wildlife SV
Aberfeldy is one that I rarely come across, but when I've done they've usually been very well worth the effort. Smells strong, ink, gasoline, hay, barnyard, green tea, not bad just with a bit more balls than others I guess. The taste has first something mild and sweet going on, bananas and soft apple cider, surpassed by a short moment of flavourful silence. I've never tried anything like this, first sweet and fruity, then totally blank with no flavour at all, like a halftime break and then it finishes of with a long peppery aftertaste.
A funky whisky, but by all means tasty: 5
Kenmore/Aberfeldy? 16yo 57.9% The Whisky Connoisseur
After the very flavoursome and rich Tomatin I wonder what the much paler Kenmore, supposedly an Aberfeldy, has got to offer. It smells grassy, hay, dried herbs and just a bit smoke, but there's nothing much going on here really. The taste shows that it's bourbon-matured, vanilla, ashes, dryness, corn flakes and blueberries. I believe it needs some water if you don't really like a whisky that resembles gin very well. With some water it gets more bland, and makes me think of some less than good young 12yo's, especially the Glenallachie from the 80's comes to mind. This is not the Aberfeldy I know, and usually enjoy a lot.
Don't dilute: 5
Aberfeldy 14yo 1978-1993 43% Signatory Vintage
Pale straw, white wineish colour on this one. Very sharp fragrance, paint thinner, lots of alcohol. The taste sends the nose impressions packing, and there's aromas of cream caramel, vanillasauce, whipped eggs with sugar and dry liquorice in the aftertaste. A very interesting whisky.
A golden bottling from Signatory: 9
lørdag 28. mai 2011
8 Glen Mhors tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Glen Mhor 27yo 1982-2009 55% Signatory Vintage
Glen Mhor is one that I believe G&M sits on most old stock of, but it can be a superb malt. Smells light, sweet, ginger bread, sweet red peppers, malty, creamy, coconut, wood. The taste is peppery with some sweet red wine notes, carrot stew, minced garlic and different fruity and nutty hints. This is one I could play with all evening as it just keeps on showing new sides of itself. Unfortunately it doesn't take water well.
Good stuff: 6.5
Glen Mhor 15yo 1978-1993 62.2% Gordon and Macphail cask#2263,2264,2266,2268
A Glen Mhor at this strength is something hard to find these days, I've only tasted Glen Mhor's diluted down to about 40%abv. I hope this will show what Glen Mhor was really all about. Golden colour, bourbon casks or just plain european oak? It has the most amazing smell of roasted spare ribs, barbecue, freshly washed linens, dried hay, leather, dom perignon, custard sauce and egg-nog. The taste is peppery with sea salt and garlic, onions, mustard, sort of french-kitchen inspired. The aftertaste is peppery and sandy, sort of summers whisky, on the beach, perfect with sea food.
Seems when it comes to G&M, there's still old gold to be found: 8.5
Glen Mhor 28yo 1976-2004 51.9% Rare Malts
Glen Mhor isn't recognized post mortem the way other distilleries such as Lochside, Glenugie or st. Magdalene, I believe that could be much due to Gordon and Macphail's been sitting on almost all the left stock. One thing's for sure, it can be fantastic! This one is pale, smells of vanilla , lots of heavy sweetness, molasses, banana and apricot marmalade. The taste is sweet and extremely zesty, lots of citrus fruits. Lemons and old gin? Not much like a single malt, but an exciting dram anyway.
Citrussy fresh whisky with a alcohol sting: 6.5
Glen Mhor 27yo 1982-2009 59% Signatory Vintage
Glen Mhor is also a whisky that is no longer made, but not nearly as hyped as the Brora. The nose is spirity and grassy, old barnyard style. It's very sweet, vanilla, Bourbon-matured, coca cola, and grassy with a fat texture. It has a rich delicate vanilla flavour that goes on for quite some time. The finish is spectacular, sawdust, lots of dried spices and herbs, green tea and loads and loads of chili.
Glen Mhor, to me a dearly departed: 7
Glen Mhor 14yo 1978-1993 43% Signatory Vintage cask#4041-4041 btl.867/2400
To find a Glen Mhor at such a young age today is rather a rarity. I'd like to point that it's also a rarity to find it at such a delicate abv, with usually all of the closed distilleries now bottled at cask strength. This one needs some time to develop. Not much flavours, some seaweed maybe, cooked salty water. The taste is minty with a sting of alcohol, the aftertaste is even more minty. This is another bland whisky that lacks lots of character, perhaps best served at cask strength?
An unmemorable experience: 5
Glen Mhor 15yo 1979-1994 66.7% Cask Gordon & Macphail cask#2377-2378
The Glen Mhor Distillery, once seen as merely a mediocre speyside-distillery is now reaching sky high prices around on auctions and so on. This is a trad oak matured whisky at a crazy 66.7%abv despite being 15yo. I've never been a fan of the new industrial regulations of about 63.5%abv. in new make spirit. This has a very fresh scent, but one can't see apart the extreme alcohol. The taste is fantastic, even undilluted at 66.7%abv. it's sweet, caramel, chocolate and marzipan. It's like a fine dessert. The aftertaste is bittersweet, tonic water, brown sugar and much more. I recommend this to anyone who like a strong whisky with rich flavours without having to dillute. Have this with a cigar. Enjoy!
A fantastic whisky, at a perfect strength, 63.5% my @$$: 9
Glen Mhor 15yo 40% Gordon & Macphail
A bottling outside the classic series from Gordon & Macphail. This long closed distillery is here offered with a very dark colour and a beautiful oaky scent, a bit like the christmas tree right after it gets housewarm. It's sweet, much vanilla, bourbon, fruity, banana essence and a finish which is bold and dry, but without any smokiness.
A very solid malt: 7
Glen Mhor 8yo 40% Gordon & McPhail
This one has a mild scent of apple liqueur and roses, quite promising actually. But these nuances disappears tastewise, and I'm left with not much more than hints of some confectioner colouring. Glen Mhor is rarely mentioned and much of the reason must be the lack of flavours.
Exciting smell, catastrophical taste: 3
Glen Mhor is one that I believe G&M sits on most old stock of, but it can be a superb malt. Smells light, sweet, ginger bread, sweet red peppers, malty, creamy, coconut, wood. The taste is peppery with some sweet red wine notes, carrot stew, minced garlic and different fruity and nutty hints. This is one I could play with all evening as it just keeps on showing new sides of itself. Unfortunately it doesn't take water well.
Good stuff: 6.5
Glen Mhor 15yo 1978-1993 62.2% Gordon and Macphail cask#2263,2264,2266,2268
A Glen Mhor at this strength is something hard to find these days, I've only tasted Glen Mhor's diluted down to about 40%abv. I hope this will show what Glen Mhor was really all about. Golden colour, bourbon casks or just plain european oak? It has the most amazing smell of roasted spare ribs, barbecue, freshly washed linens, dried hay, leather, dom perignon, custard sauce and egg-nog. The taste is peppery with sea salt and garlic, onions, mustard, sort of french-kitchen inspired. The aftertaste is peppery and sandy, sort of summers whisky, on the beach, perfect with sea food.
Seems when it comes to G&M, there's still old gold to be found: 8.5
Glen Mhor 28yo 1976-2004 51.9% Rare Malts
Glen Mhor isn't recognized post mortem the way other distilleries such as Lochside, Glenugie or st. Magdalene, I believe that could be much due to Gordon and Macphail's been sitting on almost all the left stock. One thing's for sure, it can be fantastic! This one is pale, smells of vanilla , lots of heavy sweetness, molasses, banana and apricot marmalade. The taste is sweet and extremely zesty, lots of citrus fruits. Lemons and old gin? Not much like a single malt, but an exciting dram anyway.
Citrussy fresh whisky with a alcohol sting: 6.5
Glen Mhor 27yo 1982-2009 59% Signatory Vintage
Glen Mhor is also a whisky that is no longer made, but not nearly as hyped as the Brora. The nose is spirity and grassy, old barnyard style. It's very sweet, vanilla, Bourbon-matured, coca cola, and grassy with a fat texture. It has a rich delicate vanilla flavour that goes on for quite some time. The finish is spectacular, sawdust, lots of dried spices and herbs, green tea and loads and loads of chili.
Glen Mhor, to me a dearly departed: 7
Glen Mhor 14yo 1978-1993 43% Signatory Vintage cask#4041-4041 btl.867/2400
To find a Glen Mhor at such a young age today is rather a rarity. I'd like to point that it's also a rarity to find it at such a delicate abv, with usually all of the closed distilleries now bottled at cask strength. This one needs some time to develop. Not much flavours, some seaweed maybe, cooked salty water. The taste is minty with a sting of alcohol, the aftertaste is even more minty. This is another bland whisky that lacks lots of character, perhaps best served at cask strength?
An unmemorable experience: 5
Glen Mhor 15yo 1979-1994 66.7% Cask Gordon & Macphail cask#2377-2378
The Glen Mhor Distillery, once seen as merely a mediocre speyside-distillery is now reaching sky high prices around on auctions and so on. This is a trad oak matured whisky at a crazy 66.7%abv despite being 15yo. I've never been a fan of the new industrial regulations of about 63.5%abv. in new make spirit. This has a very fresh scent, but one can't see apart the extreme alcohol. The taste is fantastic, even undilluted at 66.7%abv. it's sweet, caramel, chocolate and marzipan. It's like a fine dessert. The aftertaste is bittersweet, tonic water, brown sugar and much more. I recommend this to anyone who like a strong whisky with rich flavours without having to dillute. Have this with a cigar. Enjoy!
A fantastic whisky, at a perfect strength, 63.5% my @$$: 9
Glen Mhor 15yo 40% Gordon & Macphail
A bottling outside the classic series from Gordon & Macphail. This long closed distillery is here offered with a very dark colour and a beautiful oaky scent, a bit like the christmas tree right after it gets housewarm. It's sweet, much vanilla, bourbon, fruity, banana essence and a finish which is bold and dry, but without any smokiness.
A very solid malt: 7
Glen Mhor 8yo 40% Gordon & McPhail
This one has a mild scent of apple liqueur and roses, quite promising actually. But these nuances disappears tastewise, and I'm left with not much more than hints of some confectioner colouring. Glen Mhor is rarely mentioned and much of the reason must be the lack of flavours.
Exciting smell, catastrophical taste: 3
4 Glencadams tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Glencadam 10yo 46% OB
The un-chillfiltered and no color added standard version of Glencadam. I have grown fond of many older bottlings of Glencadam, and I believe I've given 10 to a 36yo from Malts of Scotland. Younger versions is to me a blank sheet. White wine color, the odors are light and fresh with lots of lemon zest, some sweetness as well, lemon juice popstickles. The taste is even more lemon and some notes of tomato soup. Seems plenty more matured than many other young OB's, could it be due to the un-chillfiltration? Overall it is a zesty lemon-like maltwith some round peppery notes in the finish.
Well done Glencadam: 7
Glencadam 33yo 1973-2006 46% Berry Bros & Rudd cask#706
Glencadam is one of the malts that I find little talked about, but just everyone knows it. I know they've been modest on the market when it comes to OB single malt bottlings. Light bronze colour, restrained, slightly phenolic nose, citrus fruits, orange marmelade and barbeque smoke. Needs about 10 minutes to open up. The taste The taste has lots of restrained dark fruits, lots of berries and dry almost perfect licorice notes, mouthwatering. Adding a bit of water, I don't recommend it as it gets more phenolic and sweeter, but if you like a sweet Glenlivet french oak-ish malt water is the answer in this one.
A complex whisky without getting excessive in any way: 8
Glencadam 36yo 1974-2010 48.9% Malts of Scotland cask#3214
Glencadam is a rare treat to me, and I often find them very enjoyable. This one is no less than 36 years old and sherry-matured, not your everyday malt to say the least then. This one needs a lot of time to open up. It smells very phenolic, ashy, powerful and thick. The taste is absolutely fantastic, sweet sherry notes, irish coffee, malty, red berries, strong toffee, hints of ginger, a bit salt and a beautifully balanced finish on plums and caramelized pudding. A perfect dram, and the aftertaste is fresh, minty, a bit herbal and just so good that it accomodates the already perfect palate superbly. I find it hard to describe further without getting overly lavish about it.
I didn't expect it to be a Glencadam, but it's the perfect malt: 10!
Glencadam 15yo 40% OB
Glencadam is back after a small non-operative period. This is from the old days and smells marvellous. Cane sugar, christmas bakery, burnt hay, and some plastic notes, which actually is not to it's disadvantage here. Sweet, semi-fruity tasting, a bit spirity, some pepper. Water gets rid of both the fruitiness and spirity taste, all in all not much left then. But some potential here though.
Hard to put a finger on, but I think this one is a victim of one or more bad casks: 5
The un-chillfiltered and no color added standard version of Glencadam. I have grown fond of many older bottlings of Glencadam, and I believe I've given 10 to a 36yo from Malts of Scotland. Younger versions is to me a blank sheet. White wine color, the odors are light and fresh with lots of lemon zest, some sweetness as well, lemon juice popstickles. The taste is even more lemon and some notes of tomato soup. Seems plenty more matured than many other young OB's, could it be due to the un-chillfiltration? Overall it is a zesty lemon-like maltwith some round peppery notes in the finish.
Well done Glencadam: 7
Glencadam 33yo 1973-2006 46% Berry Bros & Rudd cask#706
Glencadam is one of the malts that I find little talked about, but just everyone knows it. I know they've been modest on the market when it comes to OB single malt bottlings. Light bronze colour, restrained, slightly phenolic nose, citrus fruits, orange marmelade and barbeque smoke. Needs about 10 minutes to open up. The taste The taste has lots of restrained dark fruits, lots of berries and dry almost perfect licorice notes, mouthwatering. Adding a bit of water, I don't recommend it as it gets more phenolic and sweeter, but if you like a sweet Glenlivet french oak-ish malt water is the answer in this one.
A complex whisky without getting excessive in any way: 8
Glencadam 36yo 1974-2010 48.9% Malts of Scotland cask#3214
Glencadam is a rare treat to me, and I often find them very enjoyable. This one is no less than 36 years old and sherry-matured, not your everyday malt to say the least then. This one needs a lot of time to open up. It smells very phenolic, ashy, powerful and thick. The taste is absolutely fantastic, sweet sherry notes, irish coffee, malty, red berries, strong toffee, hints of ginger, a bit salt and a beautifully balanced finish on plums and caramelized pudding. A perfect dram, and the aftertaste is fresh, minty, a bit herbal and just so good that it accomodates the already perfect palate superbly. I find it hard to describe further without getting overly lavish about it.
I didn't expect it to be a Glencadam, but it's the perfect malt: 10!
Glencadam 15yo 40% OB
Glencadam is back after a small non-operative period. This is from the old days and smells marvellous. Cane sugar, christmas bakery, burnt hay, and some plastic notes, which actually is not to it's disadvantage here. Sweet, semi-fruity tasting, a bit spirity, some pepper. Water gets rid of both the fruitiness and spirity taste, all in all not much left then. But some potential here though.
Hard to put a finger on, but I think this one is a victim of one or more bad casks: 5
6 Glendullans tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Glendullan 28yo 1981-2009 49.6% The Whisky Agency
Glendullan along with Glenlossie are two Speyside distilleries that I'm set to try more of, so why not start with this one. Smells honey and vanilla, very light, with some small hints of gin and tonic. Some Lime zest as well. The taste is very sweet, peppery, again I get this strange gingery vibe, spicy sweetness, lightly bitter lime zest and some sour mango and dark grape on the finish. A very well made whisky that I find easily preferable over many of the more commercialized speysiders from such as Glenfiddich, Glenlivet and Macallan.
A speyside treasure: 7.5
Glendullan 12yo 47% OB 80's
Glendullan was one of the first distilleries to launch their 12yo OB with over 46%, as we now can witness on new bottlings from both Deanston and Bunnahabhain distillery. This one was bottled in the 80's so it has a small evaporation, but not much. Much rounder and bigger on the nose than the last two. Honey, syrup, coleslaw, lemon, dried onions, paprika, grilled shrimps, soy sauce, mustard, very much on the nose. The taste is slightly dry, sherried? Sweet, honey, phenolic, red peppers, honey, a very smooth sherry flavour without becoming too sweet. Could this be extra matured in the bottle, well that's a debate I don't wanna put my pen into.
I didn't expect the sherry, a nice surprice: 7
Glendullan 11yo 1984-1995 43% James MacArthur's
Glendullan is another malt that I'm having a little trouble getting my head around. I don't feel they fit into a certain profile or taste category. Perhaps this one will help me. It smells really spirity, bourbon, sugar. The taste is extremely peppery, spirity, grainy and bitter. It needs water that's for sure, but I do like to point out that it's only a 43%abv. Water doesn't improve much, and if I remember correctly I believe the best Glendullans I've tried has been closer to or cask strengths, so perhaps that's the way to go for this distillery.
Worst I've tried in a long time: 1
Glendullan 15yo 1993-2008 43% CC G&M
3% less dilution on the alcohol level, compared to the old CC-bottlings. Not as much colouring either as this is very pale. Weak on odor, typically for Glendullan, a very fine whisky. Here it's all in the flavours, and it's really fruity. I'm getting apricots, blueberry and guinness foam. The finish brings a bitterness which makes sure it doesn't become to sweet.
I'm starting to agree with the connoisseur's choice: 8
Glendullan 17yo 65.3% 1978-1995 Cadenhead's
65.3%, The phenol overpowers just about everything else on the nose, and on the palate as well, needs water, no doubt. Glendullan is a very soft and gentle malt with shy fragrances and flavours. I can't really see why the people at Cadenhead's are bottling it with this level of alcohol. Some water can help it to some liquorice flavour, but there's nothing else to it.
A grand failure: 1
Glendullan 15yo 1993-2008 46% Murray McDavid
Murray McDavid have been doing some weird cask experimentations over the years. This Glendullan has been matured in Danish(!) winecasks. Smells strong, perfumy, intensely sweet. So is the taste, extremely sweet at first, almost like succade. The finish is much kinder, but perhaps a bit boring.
Nice malt, but the cask doesn't add much I think: 6
Glendullan along with Glenlossie are two Speyside distilleries that I'm set to try more of, so why not start with this one. Smells honey and vanilla, very light, with some small hints of gin and tonic. Some Lime zest as well. The taste is very sweet, peppery, again I get this strange gingery vibe, spicy sweetness, lightly bitter lime zest and some sour mango and dark grape on the finish. A very well made whisky that I find easily preferable over many of the more commercialized speysiders from such as Glenfiddich, Glenlivet and Macallan.
A speyside treasure: 7.5
Glendullan 12yo 47% OB 80's
Glendullan was one of the first distilleries to launch their 12yo OB with over 46%, as we now can witness on new bottlings from both Deanston and Bunnahabhain distillery. This one was bottled in the 80's so it has a small evaporation, but not much. Much rounder and bigger on the nose than the last two. Honey, syrup, coleslaw, lemon, dried onions, paprika, grilled shrimps, soy sauce, mustard, very much on the nose. The taste is slightly dry, sherried? Sweet, honey, phenolic, red peppers, honey, a very smooth sherry flavour without becoming too sweet. Could this be extra matured in the bottle, well that's a debate I don't wanna put my pen into.
I didn't expect the sherry, a nice surprice: 7
Glendullan 11yo 1984-1995 43% James MacArthur's
Glendullan is another malt that I'm having a little trouble getting my head around. I don't feel they fit into a certain profile or taste category. Perhaps this one will help me. It smells really spirity, bourbon, sugar. The taste is extremely peppery, spirity, grainy and bitter. It needs water that's for sure, but I do like to point out that it's only a 43%abv. Water doesn't improve much, and if I remember correctly I believe the best Glendullans I've tried has been closer to or cask strengths, so perhaps that's the way to go for this distillery.
Worst I've tried in a long time: 1
Glendullan 15yo 1993-2008 43% CC G&M
3% less dilution on the alcohol level, compared to the old CC-bottlings. Not as much colouring either as this is very pale. Weak on odor, typically for Glendullan, a very fine whisky. Here it's all in the flavours, and it's really fruity. I'm getting apricots, blueberry and guinness foam. The finish brings a bitterness which makes sure it doesn't become to sweet.
I'm starting to agree with the connoisseur's choice: 8
Glendullan 17yo 65.3% 1978-1995 Cadenhead's
65.3%, The phenol overpowers just about everything else on the nose, and on the palate as well, needs water, no doubt. Glendullan is a very soft and gentle malt with shy fragrances and flavours. I can't really see why the people at Cadenhead's are bottling it with this level of alcohol. Some water can help it to some liquorice flavour, but there's nothing else to it.
A grand failure: 1
Glendullan 15yo 1993-2008 46% Murray McDavid
Murray McDavid have been doing some weird cask experimentations over the years. This Glendullan has been matured in Danish(!) winecasks. Smells strong, perfumy, intensely sweet. So is the taste, extremely sweet at first, almost like succade. The finish is much kinder, but perhaps a bit boring.
Nice malt, but the cask doesn't add much I think: 6
onsdag 25. mai 2011
8 Glen Gariochs tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Glen Garioch 18yo 1990-2008 54.5% Aceo for NMWL cask#2695
Once I visited the Glen Garioch Distillery in Oldmeldrum, and I remember since we were only two on the tour we got to taste a two 19 year old cask strengths that were absolutely amazing, needless to say I invested in a bottle of one of them. Will this one year younger be of same character? Smells fresh and oaky, along with some peppery slightly peaty notes. I know Glen Garioch used to peat their malt a while back, could this be one of those? The taste is sweet and peaty, rice vinegar, honey, custard, vanilla, peppery, orio biscuits. A dirty whisky!
Not my favourite expression by Glen Garioch, but it got something to it: 5.5
Glen Garioch 8yo 43% OB
An older OB I think, or is it the 10yo that's been discontinued? I believe it was the 10yo, so this one should be readily available for you all. Glen Garioch is one that I have a hard time defining as having a certain style, I find it often a "middle of the road/in between"-whisky. Light golden colour, smells light, wheat, light oakiness, silky smooth. The taste is fresh, light, honey, linseeds, polystyrene and potato starch. A fine malt that talks even though it's at times a bit quiet.
Light, pleasant malt: 6.5
Glen Garioch NAS 40% OB
The round green miniature with Glen Garioch which rooms 5.6cl. I know that older vintages of Glen Garioch usually are excellent, but the young ones, NAS, 8, 10 and so on often just barely tickles my palate. Smells malt and light, nuts and crackers, bisquity. The taste is burnt, herbal, oregano, light at first. Then turns a bit drying, floral, sweet, a bit minty, very expressive for a NAS 40% Highlander. Water makes it rounder and lighter, but still very tasty. A nice surprise.
A light and fresh old style malt: 6.5
Glen Garioch 19yo 1989-2008 54.8% Alambic Classique 60btl.
Another very pale whisky, with only 60 bottles outcome it could come from a quarter cask since it's a single cask. Glen Garioch is as well as Auchentoshan a malt that I'm yet to find out where stands. Smells nutty and woody, a bit spirity and burnt. Needs some time to open up. The taste is very sweet, some acidic sweetness, lime and grapefruit with minty sweetness, a fresh but very unusual mixture of flavours. With water. It becomes very sweet and burnt, I'm starting to wonder if this comes from some sort of dried sherry cask, or bitter white? Some strange apple-notes in the finish, burnt garbage, what a weird finish!
I'm still not sure what category to put Glen Garioch in: 4.5
Glen Garioch 10yo 43% OB (Export for France)
This one is 3% higher abv than the normal 10yo, at least than the last 10yo OB I've tried. It has a quite extreme amount of cask sediment, shake the bottle and it's snowing inside... It has a very strong od powerful smell, like strong ale, brandy or port wine. The first taste is quite dry, and very oaky, maybe it's because of all the cask sediments? This needs water straight away. the water softens a bit and it becomes nice and sweet, a bit like caramelized rum, buttercream, sends my thoughts to bakery delights. The aftertaste is dry and grassy.
A fine young malt, with water that is: 5
Glen Garioch 21yo 43% OB
The last in todays race of the 20 somethings. This one has a nice red rosè-like colour, and smells of phenols, smoke and cough-medicin. It does taste like it's mainly sherry-matured. It brings a lot of burnt rubber on the palate, and is quite a disappointment. The aftertaste is burnt, not good at all. I must say I expected far more from this whisky, or at least some complexity in terms of flavours.
It's pretty ruined, unfortunately: 3
Glen Garioch 16yo 1988-2005 54.6% Duncan Taylor
Duncan Taylor doesn't usually bottle at this early(!) age, let's see.. Exciting odors, reminds me of radish and hints of onions. The taste is very complex, lot's of burnt rubber, juniper on a fire, a strong and dominant taste of dark chocolate and toffifee. It's pretty bold, but a nice and smooth finish with throat pastilles and astute.
If you like it simple, don't go down this road: 6.5
Glen Garioch 10yo 40% OB
Glen Garioch is one that I'm not too familiar with. Odor of leather, chalkdust, dried herbs and nylon. The taste is fresh and sour, sugarfree lemondrops, parsley and cotton. Very enticing both in the smell and flavour. But unfortunately the finish is missing, and water doesn't help but only ruins the initial flavours.
A good book that misses it's final chapter: 6
Once I visited the Glen Garioch Distillery in Oldmeldrum, and I remember since we were only two on the tour we got to taste a two 19 year old cask strengths that were absolutely amazing, needless to say I invested in a bottle of one of them. Will this one year younger be of same character? Smells fresh and oaky, along with some peppery slightly peaty notes. I know Glen Garioch used to peat their malt a while back, could this be one of those? The taste is sweet and peaty, rice vinegar, honey, custard, vanilla, peppery, orio biscuits. A dirty whisky!
Not my favourite expression by Glen Garioch, but it got something to it: 5.5
Glen Garioch 8yo 43% OB
An older OB I think, or is it the 10yo that's been discontinued? I believe it was the 10yo, so this one should be readily available for you all. Glen Garioch is one that I have a hard time defining as having a certain style, I find it often a "middle of the road/in between"-whisky. Light golden colour, smells light, wheat, light oakiness, silky smooth. The taste is fresh, light, honey, linseeds, polystyrene and potato starch. A fine malt that talks even though it's at times a bit quiet.
Light, pleasant malt: 6.5
Glen Garioch NAS 40% OB
The round green miniature with Glen Garioch which rooms 5.6cl. I know that older vintages of Glen Garioch usually are excellent, but the young ones, NAS, 8, 10 and so on often just barely tickles my palate. Smells malt and light, nuts and crackers, bisquity. The taste is burnt, herbal, oregano, light at first. Then turns a bit drying, floral, sweet, a bit minty, very expressive for a NAS 40% Highlander. Water makes it rounder and lighter, but still very tasty. A nice surprise.
A light and fresh old style malt: 6.5
Glen Garioch 19yo 1989-2008 54.8% Alambic Classique 60btl.
Another very pale whisky, with only 60 bottles outcome it could come from a quarter cask since it's a single cask. Glen Garioch is as well as Auchentoshan a malt that I'm yet to find out where stands. Smells nutty and woody, a bit spirity and burnt. Needs some time to open up. The taste is very sweet, some acidic sweetness, lime and grapefruit with minty sweetness, a fresh but very unusual mixture of flavours. With water. It becomes very sweet and burnt, I'm starting to wonder if this comes from some sort of dried sherry cask, or bitter white? Some strange apple-notes in the finish, burnt garbage, what a weird finish!
I'm still not sure what category to put Glen Garioch in: 4.5
Glen Garioch 10yo 43% OB (Export for France)
This one is 3% higher abv than the normal 10yo, at least than the last 10yo OB I've tried. It has a quite extreme amount of cask sediment, shake the bottle and it's snowing inside... It has a very strong od powerful smell, like strong ale, brandy or port wine. The first taste is quite dry, and very oaky, maybe it's because of all the cask sediments? This needs water straight away. the water softens a bit and it becomes nice and sweet, a bit like caramelized rum, buttercream, sends my thoughts to bakery delights. The aftertaste is dry and grassy.
A fine young malt, with water that is: 5
Glen Garioch 21yo 43% OB
The last in todays race of the 20 somethings. This one has a nice red rosè-like colour, and smells of phenols, smoke and cough-medicin. It does taste like it's mainly sherry-matured. It brings a lot of burnt rubber on the palate, and is quite a disappointment. The aftertaste is burnt, not good at all. I must say I expected far more from this whisky, or at least some complexity in terms of flavours.
It's pretty ruined, unfortunately: 3
Glen Garioch 16yo 1988-2005 54.6% Duncan Taylor
Duncan Taylor doesn't usually bottle at this early(!) age, let's see.. Exciting odors, reminds me of radish and hints of onions. The taste is very complex, lot's of burnt rubber, juniper on a fire, a strong and dominant taste of dark chocolate and toffifee. It's pretty bold, but a nice and smooth finish with throat pastilles and astute.
If you like it simple, don't go down this road: 6.5
Glen Garioch 10yo 40% OB
Glen Garioch is one that I'm not too familiar with. Odor of leather, chalkdust, dried herbs and nylon. The taste is fresh and sour, sugarfree lemondrops, parsley and cotton. Very enticing both in the smell and flavour. But unfortunately the finish is missing, and water doesn't help but only ruins the initial flavours.
A good book that misses it's final chapter: 6
5 Auchentoshans tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Auchentoshan 12yo 1998-2010 54.6% OB
A fino sherry matured cask strength tripple distilled lowlander, one of those I have no reference to make up any expectations about. Smells very sweet for a fino, like some sweet cheese, red leicester, jalapeno, very expressive, but softens far too quickly. After just a minute or two in the glass its more of a buttery, waxy, peppery and slightly floral style. The taste has some exotic sweet fruitiness at first, mango, melon, different bounty fruits, before it turns bitter, peppery and sour, kind of leech leaves or bitter dry white wine.
Fino freaks will enjoy this one a lot, unfortunately I'm not one of them: 4
Auchentoshan 16yo 46% Cadenhead's Duthies
Now I'm back after some days with the flu, so now let's celebrate this with a couple hopefully good drams. Most Cadenhead's I've tried is from the old CS or dumpy series. Duthies is the new style. It's a very pale whisky, smells typical Auchentoshan, mild, gentle, cotton sheets and wheat. the taste is sweet, liquorice, caramell, juniper trees and some watery notes of way to dilluted soft drinks. Extremely undemanding, like some very light irish whiskies, say Jameson. I could drink this like water, and I guess that makes it a dangerous malts, beware of drunken escapades if you have a whole bottle.
Tripple-distillation seems to have killed this one: 3
Auchentoshan 18yo 43% OB
The 18yo tripple distilled Auchentoshan, a lowlander that I often find to be on the milder side of light, but this one perhaps can benefit from the extra years of maturation. A somewhat fresh nose, green tea, olives, something mediterranian? The taste speaks of tripple destillation, a bit and some weak hints of butter and herbs. Something a bit nervous, lets add a tad water. With water it gets a bit milder, not that that's needed, and once again I find the Auchentoshan to be just a bit too kind to fetch my interest.
A kind malt, one for the beginners: 5
Auchentoshan 12yo 43% OB
Good drink for a Lowland Connoisseur, black pepper, herbs and heather honey, a mild classic without much oak or smoke, but still a bit extra something. Beautiful aftertaste and scent of freshly made bakery. Triple distilled, but with many flavours intact.
Sofisticated: 7.5
Auchentoshan 10yo 43% OB
A tripple distillation, as most Lowland distilleries performs, this one. It sends me immediately towards cinnamon buns and bubble gum, light and sweet. But despite this, it's a bit more robust than the 12yo version. Sour grass leaves, and apple core is my strongest notions on this one. Water gives it some roundness.
A bitter start on the summer night: 3
A fino sherry matured cask strength tripple distilled lowlander, one of those I have no reference to make up any expectations about. Smells very sweet for a fino, like some sweet cheese, red leicester, jalapeno, very expressive, but softens far too quickly. After just a minute or two in the glass its more of a buttery, waxy, peppery and slightly floral style. The taste has some exotic sweet fruitiness at first, mango, melon, different bounty fruits, before it turns bitter, peppery and sour, kind of leech leaves or bitter dry white wine.
Fino freaks will enjoy this one a lot, unfortunately I'm not one of them: 4
Auchentoshan 16yo 46% Cadenhead's Duthies
Now I'm back after some days with the flu, so now let's celebrate this with a couple hopefully good drams. Most Cadenhead's I've tried is from the old CS or dumpy series. Duthies is the new style. It's a very pale whisky, smells typical Auchentoshan, mild, gentle, cotton sheets and wheat. the taste is sweet, liquorice, caramell, juniper trees and some watery notes of way to dilluted soft drinks. Extremely undemanding, like some very light irish whiskies, say Jameson. I could drink this like water, and I guess that makes it a dangerous malts, beware of drunken escapades if you have a whole bottle.
Tripple-distillation seems to have killed this one: 3
Auchentoshan 18yo 43% OB
The 18yo tripple distilled Auchentoshan, a lowlander that I often find to be on the milder side of light, but this one perhaps can benefit from the extra years of maturation. A somewhat fresh nose, green tea, olives, something mediterranian? The taste speaks of tripple destillation, a bit and some weak hints of butter and herbs. Something a bit nervous, lets add a tad water. With water it gets a bit milder, not that that's needed, and once again I find the Auchentoshan to be just a bit too kind to fetch my interest.
A kind malt, one for the beginners: 5
Auchentoshan 12yo 43% OB
Good drink for a Lowland Connoisseur, black pepper, herbs and heather honey, a mild classic without much oak or smoke, but still a bit extra something. Beautiful aftertaste and scent of freshly made bakery. Triple distilled, but with many flavours intact.
Sofisticated: 7.5
Auchentoshan 10yo 43% OB
A tripple distillation, as most Lowland distilleries performs, this one. It sends me immediately towards cinnamon buns and bubble gum, light and sweet. But despite this, it's a bit more robust than the 12yo version. Sour grass leaves, and apple core is my strongest notions on this one. Water gives it some roundness.
A bitter start on the summer night: 3
9 Linkwoods tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Linkwood 25yo 1983-2008 50% Old Malt Cask Douglas Laing cask#4715
Linkwood is a distillery that rarely sticks out in any way, never bad, never really good, so far at least that is. I know they were mothballed for a while not so long ago, but I don't think they would ever claim the status of a lost gem if closed for good. This one has pale hay color, The nose is light and floral with some light fresh mountain air and freshly baked wholegrain bread. The taste is as bland as it gets, paper, linens, cumin and alcohol-free beer. Water is definitively needed in this one as it brings out some peppery and spirity notes, that even if it doesn't sound too grand lifts this one just above what I call blend-territory.
Light and unfortunately bland: 3
Linkwood 26yo 1960-1986 40% G&M Commemoration Wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson
One of these Royal Wedding commemoration malts, distilled in 1959 and 1960. I cannot recall ever tasting such an old Linkwood before. This one is definitely sherried, phenolic, dry, cinnamon, extremely dry and phenolic for 40%abv, but that doesn't bother me, I like a malt with a bit of a wild side. The taste is peppery, citric, acidic, phenolic, ginger, wasabi, melon, blueberries and port wine.
Perfect sherry influence at low strength: 8
Linkwood 15yo 1990-2006 49.1% C&S Dram Collection cask#10044 btl.69/120
Linkwood, this is sort of a whisky in the middle, not spectacular, never on the top of any lists, but then again, a bad word has never been said about it, at least that I can recall. The one thing I can say about this even before trying it is that it has evaporated a quite substantial amount of alcohol in (just) 15 years, so it may be a poor cask? Hogshead evaporates perhaps more? It smells of tea and burn citrus fruits, like flamed oranges and rubber. The taste is citric and acidic, stays on the tongue for quite a while. The aftertaste is strangely cognac-like, a complex malt at this age with pronounced citric flavors and a finish of sweet grape spirit.
A nice surprise: 7
Linkwood 21yo 1989-2010 53.5% Malts of Scotland cask#1826
A linkwood from a bourbon hogshead, very pale for its age, white wine. Smells sweet, vanilla all the way, definately drawn much flavour from the cask. Give it time and there's even more vanilla appearing on the nose. The taste is very concentrated, vanilla, white pepper, jalapenos. Adding some water. Water gives way to some intense liquorice and mint, with a vanilla and bourbony aftertaste. A good linkwood although a bit rough for its age.
Good stuff: 6
Linkwood 17yo 1992-2009 48% Régis www.whiskymad.co.uk cask#13348
Régis is from what I know a guy doing a whisky-tasting business, talking about the whisky industry and so on, like a malt tutor. Let's see how his cask-choosing skills are. This one is from a sherry cask. it smells sulfur, burnt sugar, dried sage, raisins and apricots. The taste is really strange, some sort of minty sherry, herbal, minty, sweet, kerrygould dubliner cheese, cinnamon and egg yolks. With a small addition of water, it gets amazingly smooth, not very complicated or interesting, but a swell and really drinkable oloroso-matured whisky.
Cheers Régis: 7
Linkwood 15yo 57% Gordon & Macphail
This one is from the 80's, no doubt, I do enjoy The sherried whiskies by Gordon & Macphail from the 80's, to bad they're just getting harder and harder to come by. This one is dry and phenolic as hell, it does taste just as it smells, incredibly strong. I do recommend this to everyone even though I can't describe it more nicely than that it is an absolute sherry monster with a lot of sweetness on the finish.
If you want to experience sherry influence at its strongest: 6.5
Linkwood 25yo 40% Gordon & Macphail
Independent bottlings at 25yo rarely come chillfiltered at 40%, except from Gordon & Macphail. This is pretty dark, sherry or E150? The nose is very concentrated around oakiness, burnt wood and some nice rum-like toffee-notes. This one needs some minutes to open up. The taste is dry, phenol, sugar and a bit flinty. I'll add some water. Much the same with water, a bit reduced on the phenol. But the aftertaste reeks of bad old spirit, the kind you can get from really poor bitters. Once again, I'm having a bit trouble to see what's going on with these 80's G&M-bottlings.
Linkwood's no favourite of mine, but try an OB prior to buying this: 2
Linkwood NAS 40% Gordon & Macphail
Some silt in this G&M bottling, but I don't think G&M did non-chill filtering when this was made, I guess somewhere around 70s-80s. Cask leftovers? Very dark, I'm getting dry sherry notes on the nose, but a very soft nose it is. Some burnt rubber, radish, onions, cherries and sweets. It's almost too light to take seriously. I'll add some water just for the fun of it, maybe it can elicit some aftertaste. It really doesn't.
It's drinkable but that's about it: 4
Linkwood 15yo 43% Gordon & MacPhail's
This bottling of this Speyside classic has a strong and conservative smell, malt and alcohol. It strikes me as a bit bland and boring to be honest. The taste is very rich and meaty, concentrated mango, and smoked salmon. Lot's of good flavours combined in a small glass. It reminds me in a way of some of the Islay malts I've tasted.
A speysider that stands apart, in a good way: 7
Linkwood is a distillery that rarely sticks out in any way, never bad, never really good, so far at least that is. I know they were mothballed for a while not so long ago, but I don't think they would ever claim the status of a lost gem if closed for good. This one has pale hay color, The nose is light and floral with some light fresh mountain air and freshly baked wholegrain bread. The taste is as bland as it gets, paper, linens, cumin and alcohol-free beer. Water is definitively needed in this one as it brings out some peppery and spirity notes, that even if it doesn't sound too grand lifts this one just above what I call blend-territory.
Light and unfortunately bland: 3
Linkwood 26yo 1960-1986 40% G&M Commemoration Wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson
One of these Royal Wedding commemoration malts, distilled in 1959 and 1960. I cannot recall ever tasting such an old Linkwood before. This one is definitely sherried, phenolic, dry, cinnamon, extremely dry and phenolic for 40%abv, but that doesn't bother me, I like a malt with a bit of a wild side. The taste is peppery, citric, acidic, phenolic, ginger, wasabi, melon, blueberries and port wine.
Perfect sherry influence at low strength: 8
Linkwood 15yo 1990-2006 49.1% C&S Dram Collection cask#10044 btl.69/120
Linkwood, this is sort of a whisky in the middle, not spectacular, never on the top of any lists, but then again, a bad word has never been said about it, at least that I can recall. The one thing I can say about this even before trying it is that it has evaporated a quite substantial amount of alcohol in (just) 15 years, so it may be a poor cask? Hogshead evaporates perhaps more? It smells of tea and burn citrus fruits, like flamed oranges and rubber. The taste is citric and acidic, stays on the tongue for quite a while. The aftertaste is strangely cognac-like, a complex malt at this age with pronounced citric flavors and a finish of sweet grape spirit.
A nice surprise: 7
Linkwood 21yo 1989-2010 53.5% Malts of Scotland cask#1826
A linkwood from a bourbon hogshead, very pale for its age, white wine. Smells sweet, vanilla all the way, definately drawn much flavour from the cask. Give it time and there's even more vanilla appearing on the nose. The taste is very concentrated, vanilla, white pepper, jalapenos. Adding some water. Water gives way to some intense liquorice and mint, with a vanilla and bourbony aftertaste. A good linkwood although a bit rough for its age.
Good stuff: 6
Linkwood 17yo 1992-2009 48% Régis www.whiskymad.co.uk cask#13348
Régis is from what I know a guy doing a whisky-tasting business, talking about the whisky industry and so on, like a malt tutor. Let's see how his cask-choosing skills are. This one is from a sherry cask. it smells sulfur, burnt sugar, dried sage, raisins and apricots. The taste is really strange, some sort of minty sherry, herbal, minty, sweet, kerrygould dubliner cheese, cinnamon and egg yolks. With a small addition of water, it gets amazingly smooth, not very complicated or interesting, but a swell and really drinkable oloroso-matured whisky.
Cheers Régis: 7
Linkwood 15yo 57% Gordon & Macphail
This one is from the 80's, no doubt, I do enjoy The sherried whiskies by Gordon & Macphail from the 80's, to bad they're just getting harder and harder to come by. This one is dry and phenolic as hell, it does taste just as it smells, incredibly strong. I do recommend this to everyone even though I can't describe it more nicely than that it is an absolute sherry monster with a lot of sweetness on the finish.
If you want to experience sherry influence at its strongest: 6.5
Linkwood 25yo 40% Gordon & Macphail
Independent bottlings at 25yo rarely come chillfiltered at 40%, except from Gordon & Macphail. This is pretty dark, sherry or E150? The nose is very concentrated around oakiness, burnt wood and some nice rum-like toffee-notes. This one needs some minutes to open up. The taste is dry, phenol, sugar and a bit flinty. I'll add some water. Much the same with water, a bit reduced on the phenol. But the aftertaste reeks of bad old spirit, the kind you can get from really poor bitters. Once again, I'm having a bit trouble to see what's going on with these 80's G&M-bottlings.
Linkwood's no favourite of mine, but try an OB prior to buying this: 2
Linkwood NAS 40% Gordon & Macphail
Some silt in this G&M bottling, but I don't think G&M did non-chill filtering when this was made, I guess somewhere around 70s-80s. Cask leftovers? Very dark, I'm getting dry sherry notes on the nose, but a very soft nose it is. Some burnt rubber, radish, onions, cherries and sweets. It's almost too light to take seriously. I'll add some water just for the fun of it, maybe it can elicit some aftertaste. It really doesn't.
It's drinkable but that's about it: 4
Linkwood 15yo 43% Gordon & MacPhail's
This bottling of this Speyside classic has a strong and conservative smell, malt and alcohol. It strikes me as a bit bland and boring to be honest. The taste is very rich and meaty, concentrated mango, and smoked salmon. Lot's of good flavours combined in a small glass. It reminds me in a way of some of the Islay malts I've tasted.
A speysider that stands apart, in a good way: 7
torsdag 19. mai 2011
24 Bowmores tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Bowmore 20yo 1989-2010 51% Whisky Fair Limburg
I must admit I've never been to Limburg, but I think I'll take the trip in not too long, I just have to visit Fettercairn Distillery first. This one comes from a bourbon hogshead, Smells vanilla, peppery, pistachio, red onions. The taste is sweet, vanilla again and soft notes of iron, with lots of peat. Lacking the usual coastal character that's evident in most recent bottlings besides the enigma. Chorizo with green peppercorn and burnt grease.
A good peaty Islay malt, but not much more than that: 6
Bowmore 30yo 43% OB Seadragon
Bowmore from the good old days, I believe this one was distilled prior to the slippery slope the distillery went into in the 80's. I've heard much about black and white Bowmore's but never tried, and considering the prices of today this might be the closest I'll ever get. Very closed, needs some time to open up. Thyme and licorice is the initial scents, a dried tomatoes and herbs. No sign of peat yet. The taste is minty and herbal, no peat evident as I can tell, I'd never guess this was an Islay malt, reminds me somewhat of the Glenfarclas 21yo.
A bland 30yo, would definitively gain from a higher %abv.: 5.5
Bowmore 10yo 43% OB
Bowmore 10yo is actually from what I experience one of hardest OB Bowmore's to come across, at least that's massively produced. I wonder why..? Pretty dark compared to the Ledaig, the 12yo Caol Ila and 10yo Ardbeg. Coloured, some older content or including some sherry-matured Bowmore? Smells very tame, not much going on here, some restrained peat and some burnt matches. The taste is a strange combination of bitter, grassy peatiness and sweet toffee. A drying finish. Although it's not as peat as I'd imagine at this age it's definitely something else.
A bizarre Bowmore in a good way: 6
Bowmore 27yo 1982-2009 50.6% Duncan Taylor The Octave
A single octave bottling I presume. This is the oldest Bowmore I've come across, partly due to the fact that I cannot afford old ones like the White and Black ones and so on and partly that Bowmore is one of the whiskies I've tried most of as well as one of the whiskies least likely to impress me to a point above 7.5 points. Maybe this will? Smells coastal, sea salt, ocean winds when on deck, fishnets left to dry, after a while appears some smoke too. The taste peppery with notes of restrained peat and some rope(?). This was a bitter disppointment on the palate. The aftertaste is short and the peat is barely recognizable.
Starting promising but turns out dull: 3.5
Bowmore 26yo 53.4% Master of Malt
I don't remember ever trying such an old Bowmore, so this could be interesting. The standard Bowmore nose that gives some peat but not much else. But the taste is something different, meaty, roasted, sweet, dark grapes, grapefruit. The aftertaste is straight and peppery, but not too much, a real leap up from where other bourbon-matured Bowmores has taken me.
Bowmore shows a new side of itself: 7.5
Bowmore 7yo 2002-2009 46% Murray McDavid
Last time I tried a Bowmore under 10yo I believe it was a 3yo privately bottled at a wine shop in Hamburg, or it was the, said to be 5yo, Legend, far from my favourites. This one comes from the range of Murray McDavid of which I've tried many a good Bourbon casked malt before. This one anyway is pretty dark so I guess it could be sherry-matured? Smells very good, robust, huge, sweet, smells much older than its age. Actually chosen by my GF. The taste has got all the wonderful sweet aromas of the Enigma, but it's much more sophisticated, the peat just skimms the milk if I can say so, and the peppery, salty coastal character is right there with it. Green tea, herbal, seaweed, oily, lemony, minty, there's a little bit of everything in this little monster. If it weren't an IB I'd guess there would be some really old vintages mixed in this one as well. The aftertaste got hints of chili, sage and thyme.
A young dram that shows Bowmore's recent progress: 8
Bowmore 21yo 43% OB
The oldest widely available standard Bowmore. Bowmore is one of the distilleries where I don't care much for the standards but very often enjoy alternative OB's like the Tempest, Enigma and so on. Especially the 12yo can be horrible, but let's not be too judgemental. It smells peaty, smoky, salty, dry rock, cigar smoke. The taste is really sweet and peppery, like ginger bread. Wonderful flavours of sour leaves, estragon and moscatel wine. I would never expect a Bowmore to be like this, but I'm not complaining, not at all. The aftertaste isn't peaty at all, actually there's a big lack of peat, but there's so much else going on that I don't mind at all.
A different Bowmore: 8
Bowmore 14yo 1995-2009 56.7% Malts of Scotland cask#113 btl.1/192
Now a cask strength from Malts of Scotland, Bowmore is probably my most reviewed malt, but some I could really do without. I hope this is one of the better. It smells sweet, honey, barbeque sauce and strong smokiness. The taste is sweet, sherried, smoky, oloroso and peaty dryness. This one does much better without water. The aftertaste is long and drying, it puts me a but off as it overpowers both the peat and the nice sweet sherried initial taste.
A fine version of Bowmore, slightly ruined by the finish: 7
Bowmore 10yo 2000-2010 58.7% Malts of Scotland cask:800266 btl.x/219
I love the Bowmmore 10yo Tempest, maybe this is another coastal one, similar to other CS from the whore of Islay. The taste is amazing, vanilla, spicy, peppery, fruity, it's got it all so far. The taste is extremely salty. Very coastal, like some of the older bourbon-matured Bowmores, and once again, Tempest. With water it gets more spirity, I do like the alternative finishes better, like the Darkest for instance. But I really think it's similar to the "Vaults"-version. Not my first choice by any means.
Not my favourite by far, but it's a bit exciting: 4.5
Bowmore 12yo 40% OB Enigma
Well, after a kind of dissimal Glen Ord, I'm gonna try a 40%abv Bowmore before continuing the CS trip. The nose is full of sherry, sweet oloroso sherry, sun dried tomatoes and black olives. A bit salty, like the mariner? The taste is what I expected, a peaty, smoky, peppery sherry malt. Does the flavours combine well? No, unfortunately, although it's good, I think it would be better without the peat. Maybe I'm a bit incompiten of this one as it's tried right after a CS malt. But anyway, it's not bad in any sense.
A somewhat missmatch: 5.5
Bowmore NAS 56% OB Vaults
A cask strength Bowmore, I suspect bottled at about 10 years of age as the abv is almost equal to the one of the excellent 10yo "Tempest". Huge flavours on the nose, much bigger than the Tempest, massive smoke, stearic, burnt wood. The taste gives me pepper, smoke, pepper, smoke, sugar, pepper and then some smoke. It lacks much of the finesse that I found in the Tempest, it makes somewhat up for it with the powerful smokiness. I'm not a peathead myself, but I guess many of the Islay-lovers out there wouls appreciate this.
Lacks complexity, but has a nice peatiness: 6
Bowmore 7yo 2002-2009 46% Berry Bros cask# 20139/20140
A young Berry Bros at 46% and only 7yo means it's pretty well dilluted. I don't know what the peat level is but it's at least 18ppm and approximately 35ppm. That said, peat shows more in the younger the whiskies, but this one is very smooth. The taste is creamy, vanilla, honey and a bit floral. The aftertaste is peppery, flinty and peaty. This is an easy Bowmore, with some mineral notes and a very pleasant and undemanding easy sweetness. Clear bourbon influence but not overwhelming.
A great young Bowmore: 6.5
Largiemeanoch 17yo 51.9% Arthur J. Bell
This one is a Bowmore actually, but I don't know why it's called largiemeanoch. It's probably an old bottling from the 70s or 80s. It could be a cask strength, I'm not sure, let's taste. A perfect nose, honey, cream, freshly roasted nuts, and some wonderful peaty notes. The taste is quite peppery, but not in a bad way, black pepper and clear coastal notes of squid. Unfortunately the taste doesn't follow up the nose, but it's still a very good malt. The aftertaste is peaty, grassy, ginger and very concentrated.
A nice old Bowmore: 6.5
Bowmore 10yo 1999-2009 56.3% OB Tempest "Batch 1"
Some distilleries are now putting batch numbers on their bottles, why? I have no idea, other that one can perhaps distinguish some differences between batches. But them differences could come from the casks as well I guess. Anyway, here's the notes. It's the firmest smell from Bowmore yet, and there's been some firm ones. And the peat really works miracles in this one. It burns throughout the entire evening, and with some added maritime notes of salt, fish eggs and oysters, it's an instant classic, and one to end a perfect night with.
For me, the best Bowmore yet: 9
Bowmore 17yo 43% OB
I don't know any distillery that have so many different aged OB's as Bowmore, or maybe HP has... This one smells strong and peppery, very in sync with the flavours that the distillery is known for. The taste is salty, rustic, very nice, the peppery taste is tamed well and all the good maritime characters of Bowmore is revealed. The aftertaste is of sushi, dried cod and shrimp eggs. Try this!!!
I love it, by far my favourite Bowmore: 8
Bowmore 16yo 1972-1998 43% The Prestonfield
Sherrymatured Bowmore often becomes a struggle between two tastes for me, the sherry and the peaty. This smells very much of peat, pepper and sherry, but for a change it is actually very balanced. The peat is short at first, then the sherry takes over, no interfering with each other. On the palate it is unfortunately a bit dry, strong notes of sherry and some pepper, second to none smoke. With an aftertaste of baking soda.
A well incorporated cask, not much else: 5.5
Bowmore 15yo 43% OB Darkest
This one is not as dark as one may suggest from the name. It's matured in sherry casks, with a sweet smell of anis, syrup and butterscotch. A very oily and fat malt. It has a smoother taste than most Bowmores I've tried, but on the finish it gives me the o'so familiar notions of bitterness and burnt rubber. Not my malt of choice, but I guess The fine employees at Bowmore recognizes if there's a market.
If we take the coastal character from Bowmore, what's left?: 3
Bowmore NAS 40% OB Legend
En Bowmore diluted down to a 40%? Hard to guess what could be the idea behind this. Smells like a Bowmore, stearic, salt, smoke and burnt rubber. Very easy on the palate, maybe due to it's young age, kind of sweet at first, then it becomes salty, cured sheep meat that's been lying around to long and gone dry. Very long.
The finish saves it: 5.5
Bowmore 12yo 1992-2004 43% Signatory Vintage
A totally blank whisky, no colour at all on this one. Looks like a newmake. Smells and tastes strong and powerful, dried fish and strong mints, a bit coastal. It's unusually fragrant for a bowmore, sweet lavendel, sugar, cashewnuts and eggcream. The finish is very harsh and it's hard to locate the peat among all the bad alcoholic flavours.
A blend of the best and worst of Bowmore: 6
Bowmore 13yo 46% Cadenhead's
One of the Dumpy's from Cadenhead's, this is said by many to be a very runderrated serie. Strong smell, almost hard to process. The taste on the other hand is pretty calm for an Islay malt, camphor candy, strong tea, dried coriander, with a strong aftertaste which pretty much consists of horeseradish notes. A nice and recognizeable Bowmore.
Tender Islaymalt: 5
Bowmore 18yo 43% OB
Smoky, as usual from Bowmore, cigarish. Easier on the tastebuds than most of the young editions, but still with the taste of black pepper very present. It can take a drop of water or two, develops a taste that reminds me of dark rumfilled chocolate, pretty phenolic. Very dry finish.
Seems to have reached it's peak a while back: 3
Bowmore 15yo 43% OB Mariner
This one is called Mariner, so I guess it's a dram with coastal influences. Anyway, it smells of sushi, smoked salmon and salt, very maritime indeed. Wonderful taste of seasalt as well as some beetroot, turnips, salty skin after a dip in the sea, mild smoky tones. This is actually much less smoky than most Bowmores I've come across, but with even more aromas. In my opinion definately a style they should do more of.
Some ocean and then some more: 7
Bowmore 3yo 43% OB
Another one that's bought in a cask-sized bottle, and rebottled in smaller portions in a store, again is the nose a bit underdeveloped, and reminds me of antibacterial handwash. The taste is surprisingly sweet, with pepper and ammonia in the finish. The peat seems to not meet it's potential at such a young age, and it comes of a bit bland.
Perhaps a 6-year old would have done the trick: 4
Bowmore 12yo 40% OB
As most Islay whiskies Bowmore comes with a smoky peated flavour, almost like gasoline, very spirity. The taste is first of all sweet, candylike from start, but only for a magic moment, before the peat and smoke overwhelmes me once again. Leaves me with a smoked and oaky finish.
Smoke, smoke and even more smoke: 2
I must admit I've never been to Limburg, but I think I'll take the trip in not too long, I just have to visit Fettercairn Distillery first. This one comes from a bourbon hogshead, Smells vanilla, peppery, pistachio, red onions. The taste is sweet, vanilla again and soft notes of iron, with lots of peat. Lacking the usual coastal character that's evident in most recent bottlings besides the enigma. Chorizo with green peppercorn and burnt grease.
A good peaty Islay malt, but not much more than that: 6
Bowmore 30yo 43% OB Seadragon
Bowmore from the good old days, I believe this one was distilled prior to the slippery slope the distillery went into in the 80's. I've heard much about black and white Bowmore's but never tried, and considering the prices of today this might be the closest I'll ever get. Very closed, needs some time to open up. Thyme and licorice is the initial scents, a dried tomatoes and herbs. No sign of peat yet. The taste is minty and herbal, no peat evident as I can tell, I'd never guess this was an Islay malt, reminds me somewhat of the Glenfarclas 21yo.
A bland 30yo, would definitively gain from a higher %abv.: 5.5
Bowmore 10yo 43% OB
Bowmore 10yo is actually from what I experience one of hardest OB Bowmore's to come across, at least that's massively produced. I wonder why..? Pretty dark compared to the Ledaig, the 12yo Caol Ila and 10yo Ardbeg. Coloured, some older content or including some sherry-matured Bowmore? Smells very tame, not much going on here, some restrained peat and some burnt matches. The taste is a strange combination of bitter, grassy peatiness and sweet toffee. A drying finish. Although it's not as peat as I'd imagine at this age it's definitely something else.
A bizarre Bowmore in a good way: 6
Bowmore 27yo 1982-2009 50.6% Duncan Taylor The Octave
A single octave bottling I presume. This is the oldest Bowmore I've come across, partly due to the fact that I cannot afford old ones like the White and Black ones and so on and partly that Bowmore is one of the whiskies I've tried most of as well as one of the whiskies least likely to impress me to a point above 7.5 points. Maybe this will? Smells coastal, sea salt, ocean winds when on deck, fishnets left to dry, after a while appears some smoke too. The taste peppery with notes of restrained peat and some rope(?). This was a bitter disppointment on the palate. The aftertaste is short and the peat is barely recognizable.
Starting promising but turns out dull: 3.5
Bowmore 26yo 53.4% Master of Malt
I don't remember ever trying such an old Bowmore, so this could be interesting. The standard Bowmore nose that gives some peat but not much else. But the taste is something different, meaty, roasted, sweet, dark grapes, grapefruit. The aftertaste is straight and peppery, but not too much, a real leap up from where other bourbon-matured Bowmores has taken me.
Bowmore shows a new side of itself: 7.5
Bowmore 7yo 2002-2009 46% Murray McDavid
Last time I tried a Bowmore under 10yo I believe it was a 3yo privately bottled at a wine shop in Hamburg, or it was the, said to be 5yo, Legend, far from my favourites. This one comes from the range of Murray McDavid of which I've tried many a good Bourbon casked malt before. This one anyway is pretty dark so I guess it could be sherry-matured? Smells very good, robust, huge, sweet, smells much older than its age. Actually chosen by my GF. The taste has got all the wonderful sweet aromas of the Enigma, but it's much more sophisticated, the peat just skimms the milk if I can say so, and the peppery, salty coastal character is right there with it. Green tea, herbal, seaweed, oily, lemony, minty, there's a little bit of everything in this little monster. If it weren't an IB I'd guess there would be some really old vintages mixed in this one as well. The aftertaste got hints of chili, sage and thyme.
A young dram that shows Bowmore's recent progress: 8
Bowmore 21yo 43% OB
The oldest widely available standard Bowmore. Bowmore is one of the distilleries where I don't care much for the standards but very often enjoy alternative OB's like the Tempest, Enigma and so on. Especially the 12yo can be horrible, but let's not be too judgemental. It smells peaty, smoky, salty, dry rock, cigar smoke. The taste is really sweet and peppery, like ginger bread. Wonderful flavours of sour leaves, estragon and moscatel wine. I would never expect a Bowmore to be like this, but I'm not complaining, not at all. The aftertaste isn't peaty at all, actually there's a big lack of peat, but there's so much else going on that I don't mind at all.
A different Bowmore: 8
Bowmore 14yo 1995-2009 56.7% Malts of Scotland cask#113 btl.1/192
Now a cask strength from Malts of Scotland, Bowmore is probably my most reviewed malt, but some I could really do without. I hope this is one of the better. It smells sweet, honey, barbeque sauce and strong smokiness. The taste is sweet, sherried, smoky, oloroso and peaty dryness. This one does much better without water. The aftertaste is long and drying, it puts me a but off as it overpowers both the peat and the nice sweet sherried initial taste.
A fine version of Bowmore, slightly ruined by the finish: 7
Bowmore 10yo 2000-2010 58.7% Malts of Scotland cask:800266 btl.x/219
I love the Bowmmore 10yo Tempest, maybe this is another coastal one, similar to other CS from the whore of Islay. The taste is amazing, vanilla, spicy, peppery, fruity, it's got it all so far. The taste is extremely salty. Very coastal, like some of the older bourbon-matured Bowmores, and once again, Tempest. With water it gets more spirity, I do like the alternative finishes better, like the Darkest for instance. But I really think it's similar to the "Vaults"-version. Not my first choice by any means.
Not my favourite by far, but it's a bit exciting: 4.5
Bowmore 12yo 40% OB Enigma
Well, after a kind of dissimal Glen Ord, I'm gonna try a 40%abv Bowmore before continuing the CS trip. The nose is full of sherry, sweet oloroso sherry, sun dried tomatoes and black olives. A bit salty, like the mariner? The taste is what I expected, a peaty, smoky, peppery sherry malt. Does the flavours combine well? No, unfortunately, although it's good, I think it would be better without the peat. Maybe I'm a bit incompiten of this one as it's tried right after a CS malt. But anyway, it's not bad in any sense.
A somewhat missmatch: 5.5
Bowmore NAS 56% OB Vaults
A cask strength Bowmore, I suspect bottled at about 10 years of age as the abv is almost equal to the one of the excellent 10yo "Tempest". Huge flavours on the nose, much bigger than the Tempest, massive smoke, stearic, burnt wood. The taste gives me pepper, smoke, pepper, smoke, sugar, pepper and then some smoke. It lacks much of the finesse that I found in the Tempest, it makes somewhat up for it with the powerful smokiness. I'm not a peathead myself, but I guess many of the Islay-lovers out there wouls appreciate this.
Lacks complexity, but has a nice peatiness: 6
Bowmore 7yo 2002-2009 46% Berry Bros cask# 20139/20140
A young Berry Bros at 46% and only 7yo means it's pretty well dilluted. I don't know what the peat level is but it's at least 18ppm and approximately 35ppm. That said, peat shows more in the younger the whiskies, but this one is very smooth. The taste is creamy, vanilla, honey and a bit floral. The aftertaste is peppery, flinty and peaty. This is an easy Bowmore, with some mineral notes and a very pleasant and undemanding easy sweetness. Clear bourbon influence but not overwhelming.
A great young Bowmore: 6.5
Largiemeanoch 17yo 51.9% Arthur J. Bell
This one is a Bowmore actually, but I don't know why it's called largiemeanoch. It's probably an old bottling from the 70s or 80s. It could be a cask strength, I'm not sure, let's taste. A perfect nose, honey, cream, freshly roasted nuts, and some wonderful peaty notes. The taste is quite peppery, but not in a bad way, black pepper and clear coastal notes of squid. Unfortunately the taste doesn't follow up the nose, but it's still a very good malt. The aftertaste is peaty, grassy, ginger and very concentrated.
A nice old Bowmore: 6.5
Bowmore 10yo 1999-2009 56.3% OB Tempest "Batch 1"
Some distilleries are now putting batch numbers on their bottles, why? I have no idea, other that one can perhaps distinguish some differences between batches. But them differences could come from the casks as well I guess. Anyway, here's the notes. It's the firmest smell from Bowmore yet, and there's been some firm ones. And the peat really works miracles in this one. It burns throughout the entire evening, and with some added maritime notes of salt, fish eggs and oysters, it's an instant classic, and one to end a perfect night with.
For me, the best Bowmore yet: 9
Bowmore 17yo 43% OB
I don't know any distillery that have so many different aged OB's as Bowmore, or maybe HP has... This one smells strong and peppery, very in sync with the flavours that the distillery is known for. The taste is salty, rustic, very nice, the peppery taste is tamed well and all the good maritime characters of Bowmore is revealed. The aftertaste is of sushi, dried cod and shrimp eggs. Try this!!!
I love it, by far my favourite Bowmore: 8
Bowmore 16yo 1972-1998 43% The Prestonfield
Sherrymatured Bowmore often becomes a struggle between two tastes for me, the sherry and the peaty. This smells very much of peat, pepper and sherry, but for a change it is actually very balanced. The peat is short at first, then the sherry takes over, no interfering with each other. On the palate it is unfortunately a bit dry, strong notes of sherry and some pepper, second to none smoke. With an aftertaste of baking soda.
A well incorporated cask, not much else: 5.5
Bowmore 15yo 43% OB Darkest
This one is not as dark as one may suggest from the name. It's matured in sherry casks, with a sweet smell of anis, syrup and butterscotch. A very oily and fat malt. It has a smoother taste than most Bowmores I've tried, but on the finish it gives me the o'so familiar notions of bitterness and burnt rubber. Not my malt of choice, but I guess The fine employees at Bowmore recognizes if there's a market.
If we take the coastal character from Bowmore, what's left?: 3
Bowmore NAS 40% OB Legend
En Bowmore diluted down to a 40%? Hard to guess what could be the idea behind this. Smells like a Bowmore, stearic, salt, smoke and burnt rubber. Very easy on the palate, maybe due to it's young age, kind of sweet at first, then it becomes salty, cured sheep meat that's been lying around to long and gone dry. Very long.
The finish saves it: 5.5
Bowmore 12yo 1992-2004 43% Signatory Vintage
A totally blank whisky, no colour at all on this one. Looks like a newmake. Smells and tastes strong and powerful, dried fish and strong mints, a bit coastal. It's unusually fragrant for a bowmore, sweet lavendel, sugar, cashewnuts and eggcream. The finish is very harsh and it's hard to locate the peat among all the bad alcoholic flavours.
A blend of the best and worst of Bowmore: 6
Bowmore 13yo 46% Cadenhead's
One of the Dumpy's from Cadenhead's, this is said by many to be a very runderrated serie. Strong smell, almost hard to process. The taste on the other hand is pretty calm for an Islay malt, camphor candy, strong tea, dried coriander, with a strong aftertaste which pretty much consists of horeseradish notes. A nice and recognizeable Bowmore.
Tender Islaymalt: 5
Bowmore 18yo 43% OB
Smoky, as usual from Bowmore, cigarish. Easier on the tastebuds than most of the young editions, but still with the taste of black pepper very present. It can take a drop of water or two, develops a taste that reminds me of dark rumfilled chocolate, pretty phenolic. Very dry finish.
Seems to have reached it's peak a while back: 3
Bowmore 15yo 43% OB Mariner
This one is called Mariner, so I guess it's a dram with coastal influences. Anyway, it smells of sushi, smoked salmon and salt, very maritime indeed. Wonderful taste of seasalt as well as some beetroot, turnips, salty skin after a dip in the sea, mild smoky tones. This is actually much less smoky than most Bowmores I've come across, but with even more aromas. In my opinion definately a style they should do more of.
Some ocean and then some more: 7
Bowmore 3yo 43% OB
Another one that's bought in a cask-sized bottle, and rebottled in smaller portions in a store, again is the nose a bit underdeveloped, and reminds me of antibacterial handwash. The taste is surprisingly sweet, with pepper and ammonia in the finish. The peat seems to not meet it's potential at such a young age, and it comes of a bit bland.
Perhaps a 6-year old would have done the trick: 4
Bowmore 12yo 40% OB
As most Islay whiskies Bowmore comes with a smoky peated flavour, almost like gasoline, very spirity. The taste is first of all sweet, candylike from start, but only for a magic moment, before the peat and smoke overwhelmes me once again. Leaves me with a smoked and oaky finish.
Smoke, smoke and even more smoke: 2
18 Highland Parks tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Highland Park 26yo 1983-2009 50% Old Malt Cask Douglas Laing cask#5596
Upping the ante to a Highland Park, a whisky distillery that I feel never really disappoints, but does lack some in comparison to former years, particularly the young ones. This one comes from a sherry hogshead, a dark malt. Smells fantastic, amazing sherry notes, lots of rustic sweet oloroso, apricot jam and dry elderflowers, old woman's furniture, the ones you remember from Granny's attic. The taste is intensely sweet and peppery, honey mustard and strawberries, reminds me of some of the older bottlings of the 12yo.
Old sherry style magic: 8.5
Highland Park 12yo 1998-2010 40% OB for travel retail
I remember the 1994 version of this, a darker whisky, could that have more sherried produce in the mix? This one is golden pale, smells malty, peppery, spirity, fresh linen clothing, and barbecue smoke. Kind of plain and boring so far, doesn't have that characteristic HP honey that we've become so accustomed to. But that is a profile that in my opinion seems to be lacking more and more in recent HP bottlings. The taste has some heather and honey, briny, coastal, some saltiness, but it is all so modest that at even this %abv its soon overpowered by spirity notes. The aftertaste is peppery and somewhat sweet, caramel syrup infused with artificial flavorings.
A perfectly easy-going Highland Park, maybe it needs to be upped to 46%?: 5.5
Highland Park 19yo 1988-2007 46% Cadenhead's 555btls.
A deep red coloured sherry cask matured Highland Park. Smells sulphury, dry, very concentrated. Some honey sweetness saves it odor-wise. The flavor is really nice, some bitter and herbal notes, orange skin, sweet almond-nutty aromas. I'll add some water as it seems a bit restrained. With water the bitter notes develops into more bitterness and some sweet complexity, like red grapes with seeds, first sweet, light and thick, then it suddenly turns very bitter as if chewing the grape seeds. A fairly complex malt at just 46%.
Again a Highland Park I'd like to try at cask strength: 5
Highland 22yo 1987-2009 43% Signatory Vintage
Wow, this is such a sweet Highland Park, seems completely free of any sherry, woody, spirity or peaty notes. Just that sweet vanilla sensation you get from a good bourbon cask and the mild unpeated malty notes that I often find in Highland Parks distilled pre 1995 or so. The taste is of light peat, heather, honey, vanilla, oaky. The malty notes have disappeared and now there's just a bit too much going on here unfortunately. To carry so many aromas I think it needs a higher alcohol proof. In contradiction to prior statement I'll add some water. Now it's easier, sweeter, like some funky flavored bubble gum, you know, the synthetic looking kind.
One to enjoy after a good meal, almost like an aqua vitae, light!: 3.5
Highland Park 11yo 1988-1999 46% Murray McDavid cask#1298
From a fresh sherry cask, I don't know whether that's a cask rejuvenated for some months with new sherry after prior use, or if it comes straight from the winery? Orange hue, smells light, waxy, rubbery, and a bit of stiff old shampoo. The taste is peppery, sweet, chilli, clean, garlic, sweet-potatoes and choriander. This is a beautiful but unusual Highland Park. Water makes it sweeter and a bit less punchy.
Not your usual HP, but a good dram for sure: 7
Highland Park 16yo 46% Alchemist
This one was finished in an ex-calvados cask, or apple spirit if you like. Too be honest I've never been too impressed by this french alternative to Brandy, maybe it will surprise me! The smell is much rounder and gentler than the Mission, apples, honey, syrup, mellow fruits, a nice an gentle malt. The taste is at first sweet, but not much more, kind of like a calvados, not bad but rather boring. When the finish starts it really takes off with some minty notes, minty and peppery, not what I'd expected but very lively.
An untraditional, fuzzy Highland Park: 5.5
Highland Park 14yo 1995-2009 46% Murray McDavid Mission
I'm hoping to keep up the good scores from last Edradour Vertical with some othe usually light and gentle whiskies. This one is from a refill sherry cask. Smells of dry sherry, spirity, sulphury, not very pleasant so far. The taste is extremely sulphury, just too much, I don't recognise any honey or floral notes at all here, there's just no Highland Park left. Needs water. With water it gets even worse, peppery, spirity, spirity, bitter green leaves, agricultural ones. Horrible!
Worst Highland Park I've ever tried: 1
Highland Park 8yo 57% OB 80's
I'm doing two of these miniatured flat bottled 100 proof OB's from the 80's today. I'm glad that fashion never really was transferred to bigger bottles. This is an old style highland park bursting with floral and honey notes on the nose. It's perfect, like some old 12yos I've been fortunate enough to try. But 57% is a bit much tastewise, small drop of water, now it's perfect, just a bit dry, honeyed, floral, some herbs and a beautiful caramel aftertaste. I'd just love to have a big bottle of these old Highland Parks, whisch unfortunately are just getting harder and harder to come by.
They don't make 'em like this any more: 8.5
Highland Park 20yo 1978-1998 46% Murray McDavid
From a refilled sherry cask. I usually love Highland Park, only with a few exceptions, and they're often among the ones that comes from bourbon barrels only. This one has a rich, toffee scent, kind of reminds me of earlier versions of the 12yo. The taste is dry, phenolic, sulfur and with a long bitterness as a finish. I'm surprised the cask had such a huge influence on this one, as it's only a refill. When that is said, the sherry notes overpowers everything else tastewise, and the fine layers of honey, amongst other tastes very often found in Highland Park, is miles away.
Nice sherry, but there's very little HP in the end result: 5
Highand Park 21yo 47.5% OB
This is the former standard 21yo as I believe the recent version has been watered all the way down to 40%abv prior to bottling. The nose is sweet and sherried, reminds me of some of the 12yo from back in the 90's. And the taste follows up with marvellous complexity of maple syrup, honey, cinnamon, sour dough, camphor, toffee and cream. It's a perfect dessert in a small glass and I do believe everyone will find something to enjoy in this one. Well, enough with the advertisement, the aftertaste is a bit burnt and slightly bitter unfortunately and ruins some of the experience. This is one that I cherish for a long time on the palate, but doesn't necessarily have to swallow.
Like a good movie that ends horrible: 7
Highland Park 10yo 1998-2009 46% Daily Dram
A very strong nose on this HP, Usually the distillery bottlings has some nice and sweet odors. Maybe it's because this one is lacking sherry notes. The taste is very sour, hot and sour, chilli, ginger and lemon. This is a totally new expression to me, and I guess a must-try for every HP-patriot. The aftertaste is very peppery, not unlike some of the recent Islays I've tried. It's very easy, and could easily bore a connoisseur if it weren't for the special and very original palate.
It's totally different from any other HPs I've ever tried: 6.5
Highland Park 15yo 40% OB
I'm excited to try this one, as the 16yo failed to please my palate. This one is one year younger and not nearly as dark in colour. The nose is very phenolic, some lavender and cooked cauliflower. The taste is like salty liquorice with dried herbs. With an aftertaste of batteri acid and rusty nails. It seems to me that there might have been bottled whisky from some bad casks on Orkney lately. This whisky is pretentiously weak.
Understandably a rarity on the international market: 2.5
Highland Park 12yo 58.1% OB "Hjärta"
Cask strength this one? A limited special edition from Highland Park. I haven't tried any young CS from this distillery. Maybe it's the independent trend making it's mark with bottle numbers, and whatnot. It's sweet, sulphur, sherry-like nose, must be much sherry matured content. At first it's extraordinarily intense, lots of sherry and some bourbon? A strange mix as I find Vanilla as well as chili and salt. It's just a bit too much on the aftertaste I'm afraid, and it ruins some of the good flavours.
Unfortunately it's lacking some of the ususal HP smoothness: 6
Highland Park 25yo 50.7% OB
The older Highland Parks are bottled at a nice abv these days. I'm not sure if it's cask strength. Immensely sweet smell, red colour, reminds me more of the 12 year old than any of the older ones, but it shows that it holds more alcohol. It's definately sherry matured, dry, flowery, dark chocolate, sweets and cough drops. It's a splendid malt, but don't add water as it ruins some of the richness.
One to take neat: 7
Highland Park 16yo 40% OB
Highland Park has time and time again shown to be one of my favourite malts. This one is bottled for the duty free market at airports, ships, etc. It smells alright, sweet, nutty, typical Highland Park, just a little less firm. As of for my tastebuds, it's just a big yawn, mild, spirity and watery. Pretty loose, in lack of a better word.
By far my biggest Highland Park disappointment till this day: 2.5
Highland Park 8yo 40% Gordon & Macphail Macphails Collection
Youngest tasting of this Islander so far for me. It does have some of the 12-year old's odors, in addition to some sweet liquorice. The taste makes me think of Cuba, a Cigar, some rum and carribean fruits. There's many things said about Highland Park, but in my book it's almost always a winner.
Orkneys symphony: 7.5
Highland Park 22yo 46% Cadenhead's
Highland Park is well recognizeable on this independent bottling. Sends whiffs of freshly toasted waffles, gingerbread and cinnamon, a christmas malt? The taste is lumber and smooth, lavender, dark syrup and toffeecaramel. Highland Park shows an extraordinary developing potential in this one.
A classic in new disguise: 7
Highland Park 18yo 43% OB
The usually so wonderful Highland Park as 18 year old is very different from it's 6 years young sibling. Because of it's initial soft spirit, the mild flavour can easily get overrun by the wood. The taste combines massive caramel, dark chocolate, oak and soft smoke.
A refined veteran : 7
Highland Park 12yo 40% OB
Cinnamon, honey, caramel, toffee, chocolate, newly made waffles and cuban cigars, perhaps one of the worlds most delicate whiskies, I believe it will be almost impossible to dislike this one. Fits perfect as a starter on an evening of good whisky.
Harmony on a bottle: 8.5
Upping the ante to a Highland Park, a whisky distillery that I feel never really disappoints, but does lack some in comparison to former years, particularly the young ones. This one comes from a sherry hogshead, a dark malt. Smells fantastic, amazing sherry notes, lots of rustic sweet oloroso, apricot jam and dry elderflowers, old woman's furniture, the ones you remember from Granny's attic. The taste is intensely sweet and peppery, honey mustard and strawberries, reminds me of some of the older bottlings of the 12yo.
Old sherry style magic: 8.5
Highland Park 12yo 1998-2010 40% OB for travel retail
I remember the 1994 version of this, a darker whisky, could that have more sherried produce in the mix? This one is golden pale, smells malty, peppery, spirity, fresh linen clothing, and barbecue smoke. Kind of plain and boring so far, doesn't have that characteristic HP honey that we've become so accustomed to. But that is a profile that in my opinion seems to be lacking more and more in recent HP bottlings. The taste has some heather and honey, briny, coastal, some saltiness, but it is all so modest that at even this %abv its soon overpowered by spirity notes. The aftertaste is peppery and somewhat sweet, caramel syrup infused with artificial flavorings.
A perfectly easy-going Highland Park, maybe it needs to be upped to 46%?: 5.5
Highland Park 19yo 1988-2007 46% Cadenhead's 555btls.
A deep red coloured sherry cask matured Highland Park. Smells sulphury, dry, very concentrated. Some honey sweetness saves it odor-wise. The flavor is really nice, some bitter and herbal notes, orange skin, sweet almond-nutty aromas. I'll add some water as it seems a bit restrained. With water the bitter notes develops into more bitterness and some sweet complexity, like red grapes with seeds, first sweet, light and thick, then it suddenly turns very bitter as if chewing the grape seeds. A fairly complex malt at just 46%.
Again a Highland Park I'd like to try at cask strength: 5
Highland 22yo 1987-2009 43% Signatory Vintage
Wow, this is such a sweet Highland Park, seems completely free of any sherry, woody, spirity or peaty notes. Just that sweet vanilla sensation you get from a good bourbon cask and the mild unpeated malty notes that I often find in Highland Parks distilled pre 1995 or so. The taste is of light peat, heather, honey, vanilla, oaky. The malty notes have disappeared and now there's just a bit too much going on here unfortunately. To carry so many aromas I think it needs a higher alcohol proof. In contradiction to prior statement I'll add some water. Now it's easier, sweeter, like some funky flavored bubble gum, you know, the synthetic looking kind.
One to enjoy after a good meal, almost like an aqua vitae, light!: 3.5
Highland Park 11yo 1988-1999 46% Murray McDavid cask#1298
From a fresh sherry cask, I don't know whether that's a cask rejuvenated for some months with new sherry after prior use, or if it comes straight from the winery? Orange hue, smells light, waxy, rubbery, and a bit of stiff old shampoo. The taste is peppery, sweet, chilli, clean, garlic, sweet-potatoes and choriander. This is a beautiful but unusual Highland Park. Water makes it sweeter and a bit less punchy.
Not your usual HP, but a good dram for sure: 7
Highland Park 16yo 46% Alchemist
This one was finished in an ex-calvados cask, or apple spirit if you like. Too be honest I've never been too impressed by this french alternative to Brandy, maybe it will surprise me! The smell is much rounder and gentler than the Mission, apples, honey, syrup, mellow fruits, a nice an gentle malt. The taste is at first sweet, but not much more, kind of like a calvados, not bad but rather boring. When the finish starts it really takes off with some minty notes, minty and peppery, not what I'd expected but very lively.
An untraditional, fuzzy Highland Park: 5.5
Highland Park 14yo 1995-2009 46% Murray McDavid Mission
I'm hoping to keep up the good scores from last Edradour Vertical with some othe usually light and gentle whiskies. This one is from a refill sherry cask. Smells of dry sherry, spirity, sulphury, not very pleasant so far. The taste is extremely sulphury, just too much, I don't recognise any honey or floral notes at all here, there's just no Highland Park left. Needs water. With water it gets even worse, peppery, spirity, spirity, bitter green leaves, agricultural ones. Horrible!
Worst Highland Park I've ever tried: 1
Highland Park 8yo 57% OB 80's
I'm doing two of these miniatured flat bottled 100 proof OB's from the 80's today. I'm glad that fashion never really was transferred to bigger bottles. This is an old style highland park bursting with floral and honey notes on the nose. It's perfect, like some old 12yos I've been fortunate enough to try. But 57% is a bit much tastewise, small drop of water, now it's perfect, just a bit dry, honeyed, floral, some herbs and a beautiful caramel aftertaste. I'd just love to have a big bottle of these old Highland Parks, whisch unfortunately are just getting harder and harder to come by.
They don't make 'em like this any more: 8.5
Highland Park 20yo 1978-1998 46% Murray McDavid
From a refilled sherry cask. I usually love Highland Park, only with a few exceptions, and they're often among the ones that comes from bourbon barrels only. This one has a rich, toffee scent, kind of reminds me of earlier versions of the 12yo. The taste is dry, phenolic, sulfur and with a long bitterness as a finish. I'm surprised the cask had such a huge influence on this one, as it's only a refill. When that is said, the sherry notes overpowers everything else tastewise, and the fine layers of honey, amongst other tastes very often found in Highland Park, is miles away.
Nice sherry, but there's very little HP in the end result: 5
Highand Park 21yo 47.5% OB
This is the former standard 21yo as I believe the recent version has been watered all the way down to 40%abv prior to bottling. The nose is sweet and sherried, reminds me of some of the 12yo from back in the 90's. And the taste follows up with marvellous complexity of maple syrup, honey, cinnamon, sour dough, camphor, toffee and cream. It's a perfect dessert in a small glass and I do believe everyone will find something to enjoy in this one. Well, enough with the advertisement, the aftertaste is a bit burnt and slightly bitter unfortunately and ruins some of the experience. This is one that I cherish for a long time on the palate, but doesn't necessarily have to swallow.
Like a good movie that ends horrible: 7
Highland Park 10yo 1998-2009 46% Daily Dram
A very strong nose on this HP, Usually the distillery bottlings has some nice and sweet odors. Maybe it's because this one is lacking sherry notes. The taste is very sour, hot and sour, chilli, ginger and lemon. This is a totally new expression to me, and I guess a must-try for every HP-patriot. The aftertaste is very peppery, not unlike some of the recent Islays I've tried. It's very easy, and could easily bore a connoisseur if it weren't for the special and very original palate.
It's totally different from any other HPs I've ever tried: 6.5
Highland Park 15yo 40% OB
I'm excited to try this one, as the 16yo failed to please my palate. This one is one year younger and not nearly as dark in colour. The nose is very phenolic, some lavender and cooked cauliflower. The taste is like salty liquorice with dried herbs. With an aftertaste of batteri acid and rusty nails. It seems to me that there might have been bottled whisky from some bad casks on Orkney lately. This whisky is pretentiously weak.
Understandably a rarity on the international market: 2.5
Highland Park 12yo 58.1% OB "Hjärta"
Cask strength this one? A limited special edition from Highland Park. I haven't tried any young CS from this distillery. Maybe it's the independent trend making it's mark with bottle numbers, and whatnot. It's sweet, sulphur, sherry-like nose, must be much sherry matured content. At first it's extraordinarily intense, lots of sherry and some bourbon? A strange mix as I find Vanilla as well as chili and salt. It's just a bit too much on the aftertaste I'm afraid, and it ruins some of the good flavours.
Unfortunately it's lacking some of the ususal HP smoothness: 6
Highland Park 25yo 50.7% OB
The older Highland Parks are bottled at a nice abv these days. I'm not sure if it's cask strength. Immensely sweet smell, red colour, reminds me more of the 12 year old than any of the older ones, but it shows that it holds more alcohol. It's definately sherry matured, dry, flowery, dark chocolate, sweets and cough drops. It's a splendid malt, but don't add water as it ruins some of the richness.
One to take neat: 7
Highland Park 16yo 40% OB
Highland Park has time and time again shown to be one of my favourite malts. This one is bottled for the duty free market at airports, ships, etc. It smells alright, sweet, nutty, typical Highland Park, just a little less firm. As of for my tastebuds, it's just a big yawn, mild, spirity and watery. Pretty loose, in lack of a better word.
By far my biggest Highland Park disappointment till this day: 2.5
Highland Park 8yo 40% Gordon & Macphail Macphails Collection
Youngest tasting of this Islander so far for me. It does have some of the 12-year old's odors, in addition to some sweet liquorice. The taste makes me think of Cuba, a Cigar, some rum and carribean fruits. There's many things said about Highland Park, but in my book it's almost always a winner.
Orkneys symphony: 7.5
Highland Park 22yo 46% Cadenhead's
Highland Park is well recognizeable on this independent bottling. Sends whiffs of freshly toasted waffles, gingerbread and cinnamon, a christmas malt? The taste is lumber and smooth, lavender, dark syrup and toffeecaramel. Highland Park shows an extraordinary developing potential in this one.
A classic in new disguise: 7
Highland Park 18yo 43% OB
The usually so wonderful Highland Park as 18 year old is very different from it's 6 years young sibling. Because of it's initial soft spirit, the mild flavour can easily get overrun by the wood. The taste combines massive caramel, dark chocolate, oak and soft smoke.
A refined veteran : 7
Highland Park 12yo 40% OB
Cinnamon, honey, caramel, toffee, chocolate, newly made waffles and cuban cigars, perhaps one of the worlds most delicate whiskies, I believe it will be almost impossible to dislike this one. Fits perfect as a starter on an evening of good whisky.
Harmony on a bottle: 8.5
7 Tomatins tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Tomatin 10yo 43% OB
I don't think they produce this 10yo Tomatin any more, I believe 12, 15 and 18yo are the new range of standard OB's. Smells light, a bit peppery and papery, a bit like some young blends, Johnnie Walker Red. The taste is sweet, like mock vanillin and peppery notes, not much more in this. A light and easy whisky with a peppery finish. Not foul in any way, just extremely unilateral.
Light stuff, enjoyable: 5
Tomatin 11yo 1994-2006 56.6% Exclusive Malts cask#8356
298 bottles produced, somewhat special as it is quite dark, something that could mean it comes from a wine cask or sherry. But then it is finished in an american oak cask, not what I usually associate with cask finishes. So, a possible sherry cask finished in a bourbon cask? I thought I'd seen it all.. Smells sweet, honeyed, mustard, sulphur, and custard. The taste is slightly sherried and dry but soon turns sweeter with lots of vanilla, honey and strawberries. Ends all on nice fruits, plums, peaches, watermelon and pears. This is absolutely amazing!
at 30 euros, what a scoop!!: 8.5
Tomatin 12yo 40% OB
Time to do some young standard OB's, starting with this one form Tomatin, which used to be widely available about 5 years ago, now I think Tomatin follows the trend of releasing a new, wider range of OB's. This smells sweet, perfumy, floral, intense, hard to describe. The taste is very floral, clean, marcipan, sweet, vanilla and yes, it needs water. With water it becomes less sweet, with funky plastic flavours, like licking a plastic bag, not pleasant at all, now I wish I didn't add water. The aftertaste is slow and boring, something a bit floral and grassy.
A starter, soft malt whisky: 4.5
Tomatin 13yo 1976-1990 60.5% Cadenhead's
The third Cadenhead's in a row today, the prior two being of very varying standards, so let's see what the usually so fruity Tomatin has to offer at a whopping 60.5% It smells fruity, apples, lemons, grass, mushrooms and boiled artichokes, a weird mix. The taste is really fresh, oranges, ripe apples, red berries, lots of different fruits, but the aftertaste on the other hand is just a bit too ruined by the high alcohol level. Water could make a difference, but will it ruin the beautiful fruity flavours? When a little more time given it turn more sour, water works well, same flavours but a bit less alcohol brutality.
Lovely tomatin: 8.5
The Twa Brigas/Tomatin? 16yo 57.9% The Whisky Connoisseur
I'm doing two twin malts, both 16yo and both 57.9%abv from The Whisky Connoisseur today. From what I can find online this one comes from Tomatin Distillery while the other one should be an Aberfeldy. The label states no distillery so maybe it's just the same whisky, let's try and find out. Sure it's not the same, the colours are very different so let's put that idea in the bin. The tomatin smells of burnt pine wood, cigars and leather. The taste is dry and sweet, honey, peppery, paper, hermetic capers and grass. The aftertaste is long with a bit of rubber and tomato if that makes any sense.
A very good Tomatin: 7
Tomatin 3yo 43% OB
Bought and bottled in st. Georg Weinkauf in Hamburg. This 3-year old is not as bad as one might think, but very anonymous. Smells slightly of liquorice, not strong but almost like some liquorice cough tablets. Drinkable, but hardly enjoyable.
not matured long enough: 4
Tomatin 5yo 43% OB for Bocchino & C
The last and the youngest of todays toddlers. It's also made for the italian market, just like the Macallan. Maybe they like young whiskies, just like young women, eh berlu? This one is almost blank, natural colour, One of those young and spirity ones. which makes it hard to recognize to many odors, some cardboard. Very very boring, not much going on here tastewise. With water it gets less spirity, some liquorice, but nothing to get excited about.
I really see no reason for this to be bottled at this age: 1.5
I don't think they produce this 10yo Tomatin any more, I believe 12, 15 and 18yo are the new range of standard OB's. Smells light, a bit peppery and papery, a bit like some young blends, Johnnie Walker Red. The taste is sweet, like mock vanillin and peppery notes, not much more in this. A light and easy whisky with a peppery finish. Not foul in any way, just extremely unilateral.
Light stuff, enjoyable: 5
Tomatin 11yo 1994-2006 56.6% Exclusive Malts cask#8356
298 bottles produced, somewhat special as it is quite dark, something that could mean it comes from a wine cask or sherry. But then it is finished in an american oak cask, not what I usually associate with cask finishes. So, a possible sherry cask finished in a bourbon cask? I thought I'd seen it all.. Smells sweet, honeyed, mustard, sulphur, and custard. The taste is slightly sherried and dry but soon turns sweeter with lots of vanilla, honey and strawberries. Ends all on nice fruits, plums, peaches, watermelon and pears. This is absolutely amazing!
at 30 euros, what a scoop!!: 8.5
Tomatin 12yo 40% OB
Time to do some young standard OB's, starting with this one form Tomatin, which used to be widely available about 5 years ago, now I think Tomatin follows the trend of releasing a new, wider range of OB's. This smells sweet, perfumy, floral, intense, hard to describe. The taste is very floral, clean, marcipan, sweet, vanilla and yes, it needs water. With water it becomes less sweet, with funky plastic flavours, like licking a plastic bag, not pleasant at all, now I wish I didn't add water. The aftertaste is slow and boring, something a bit floral and grassy.
A starter, soft malt whisky: 4.5
Tomatin 13yo 1976-1990 60.5% Cadenhead's
The third Cadenhead's in a row today, the prior two being of very varying standards, so let's see what the usually so fruity Tomatin has to offer at a whopping 60.5% It smells fruity, apples, lemons, grass, mushrooms and boiled artichokes, a weird mix. The taste is really fresh, oranges, ripe apples, red berries, lots of different fruits, but the aftertaste on the other hand is just a bit too ruined by the high alcohol level. Water could make a difference, but will it ruin the beautiful fruity flavours? When a little more time given it turn more sour, water works well, same flavours but a bit less alcohol brutality.
Lovely tomatin: 8.5
The Twa Brigas/Tomatin? 16yo 57.9% The Whisky Connoisseur
I'm doing two twin malts, both 16yo and both 57.9%abv from The Whisky Connoisseur today. From what I can find online this one comes from Tomatin Distillery while the other one should be an Aberfeldy. The label states no distillery so maybe it's just the same whisky, let's try and find out. Sure it's not the same, the colours are very different so let's put that idea in the bin. The tomatin smells of burnt pine wood, cigars and leather. The taste is dry and sweet, honey, peppery, paper, hermetic capers and grass. The aftertaste is long with a bit of rubber and tomato if that makes any sense.
A very good Tomatin: 7
Tomatin 3yo 43% OB
Bought and bottled in st. Georg Weinkauf in Hamburg. This 3-year old is not as bad as one might think, but very anonymous. Smells slightly of liquorice, not strong but almost like some liquorice cough tablets. Drinkable, but hardly enjoyable.
not matured long enough: 4
Tomatin 5yo 43% OB for Bocchino & C
The last and the youngest of todays toddlers. It's also made for the italian market, just like the Macallan. Maybe they like young whiskies, just like young women, eh berlu? This one is almost blank, natural colour, One of those young and spirity ones. which makes it hard to recognize to many odors, some cardboard. Very very boring, not much going on here tastewise. With water it gets less spirity, some liquorice, but nothing to get excited about.
I really see no reason for this to be bottled at this age: 1.5
mandag 16. mai 2011
11 Arrans tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Arran 11yo 1999-2010 56% OB cask#108 btl.204/218 ABC
One of the many bourbon single casks bottled at Lochranza, I have to say that this is a series of bottlings yet to really impress me. Smells peppery and peaty, not unlike some young Caol Ila. An archetypal peated malt. The taste is light, sweet, anis, pleasant notes of crisp vanilla and light peat notes. This light sweetness could easily be run over by a stronger peat influence, but here it works perfectly.
A harmonic malt: 6.5
Arran 14yo 46% OB
Arran then, the young single cask whisky producer, now with a comprehensive array of finishes on show as well. The peat is evident at first sniff, as it comes off a bit as a non-coastal peated malt. Old Ballantruan, anyone? The taste is fat, vanilla, quail eggs, roasted beans, honey liqueur, burnt clay and apple core. I've heard many put down the 14yo in comparison to the 12yo Arran. I do recognize that it lacks some of the coastal character, but on the other hand, that's all in the taste of the beholder. I do find them both attractive on different levels, this one on a summers evening while enjoying white grapes and shrimps on a jetty, whilst the twelve years old I'd have 6 hours later as freezing mosquito dinner while sitting by the bonfire.
A solid body, but lacks some uniqueness: 5.5
Arran NAS 43% OB
I tried an Arrab ABC yesterday at a whisky gathering in my home town, I wasn't too impressed so I'll give it another chance today with a more diluted version. Light straw colour, smells young, spirity, immature, this one can't be much older than 5 years, evolves towards some light citrus notes after a while. The taste is light, citric, malty, green apples, a smooth experience, much better than many of these "special cask" versions I've come across. That being said, it isn't particularly advanced. Reminds me somewhat of the old 10yo Fettercairn or even Hazelburn. But then again the light flavours makes the peat stand a bit more out in the aftertaste than in many other versions.
Light malt, fruity coastal style: 6
Arran 10yo 1998-2010 56.3% OB
Bourbon Cask, there's been made much fuzz of these ABC bottlings, I've only tried a few with varying impressions. This one smells of light vanilla and some woody notes, oaky feeling, not as sweet as other versions I've tried. The taste stings with bitter notes, spirity notes and most of all rubber notes, why rubber in a bourbon cask? Water! Sweeter but still bitter, not my favourite from this distillery.
A bad cask I presume: 2
Arran 11yo 57.8% OB cask#713 btl.24/214
My second try on this ABC(Arran Bourbon Cask)-series, I've always enjoyed my young CS bourbon-casked malts, but I actually often enjoy them even younger than this. The problem I find is that the sweet vanilla notes appears in the early years of maturation, but when not bottled early enough they tend to be overshadowed by oakiness. Unless peat steals the show that is. The smell is sweet, vanilla, heather, banana, raisins, mint leaves, eucalyptus, promising. The taste shows an unusually fat texture, unbelieveably concentrated flavours of mint, green bell peppers and chilli oil. Beautiful finishing notes of vanilla and mint with some peat in the background
It seems Arran's made some fine cask choices: 8
Arran 11yo 57.3% OB cask#660
A bourbon casked Arran at considerable strength which I traded from a malt compadre, time to see what this fairly new Lochranza distillery is made of. Lots of vanilla(only vanilla actually) on the nose, seems to be sort of an aperitif malt, very light. It tastes of some sweet fruity stuff, peach, plums, bananas, not the same strong vanilla flavours as on the initial aroma. I have to add that there's a dryness to this which probably comes from the high %abv. With some water mcuh of the dryness and sweetness disappears and it gets just bland, some vanilla and peppery notes. Definately try this without water.
Arran and ex-bourbon casks seems a good match: 6.5
Arran 12yo 54.7% Master of Malt
Last time I tried a Cask Strength Arran I believe I was in Denmark, it was a Blackadder Raw Cask, and it was nothing short of fabulous. Now let's try this one. I don't know if the Distillery bottles for Master of Malt or if they purchase their own casks. The smell is oak, cedarwood, very straight-forward. The taste is all on sweet liquorice, extremely one-dimensional. I'll add some water. Now it opens up, some fruity, waxy notes, banana split, bubble gum, cinnamon, olive oil, a subtle and pleasant flavour. The aftertaste is tarry and peaty.
A good Arran, but that's it: 5.5
Arran NAS 57% OB
I've found, since the beginning, Arran to be a sort of sweet, friendly malt, like the Highland Park for instance. Let's see if this 57% can change my mind. The smell is sweet, honeyed, creamy, blueberries and grilled pork fat. The taste is peaty, dry, dark grapes, herbs, smoked ham, coleslaw and boiled haggis. With a small sip of water it becomes dryer, sweeter and much dirtier. It is a malt for the perverted ones, good, and far from extreme.
A well structured Island malt: 6
Arran 8yo 55.2% Blackadder Raw Cask btl.35/350
To find this one as the only Scotch single malt on a location serving almost only cheap danish liquorice malt to drunken seafarers, I guess is a rare treat. Pale colour, fruity and coastal scents, i do enjoy it a lot. Lemon, green grapes and salt. The taste is salty and very coastal, I love it, who knew at this age the Arran could be so well developed without any crazy cask finish? Alright, it isn't a very advanced malt, but neither is man of the other good coastal malts, say Highland Park, Scapa or Old Pulteney, of course Talisker doesn't fall into that category.
In this one I can chew cask sediments, wonderful: 7.5
Arran NAS 40% OB Robert Burns
The Arran malt is very well received by some... This one gives a totally anonymous nosing. The first tasting is also extremely dull, soft, hard to recognize other than a well hidden taste of alcohol. It has a sweet vanilla flavour to it, and with water it just becomes more metallic.
A big yawn: 4
Arran NAS 46% OB
Arran is a new distillery that tries a bit too hard with numbers of bottles, batches, cask types, and everything else stated on labels. The Arran Malt, as this is called, is probably not older than 6yo. Immensely sweet is my first impression. Bizarre smell, very phenolic, small hint of apple core, and a rather nauseating and yeasty finish.
I'm second guessing the potentional development on this malt: 2.5
One of the many bourbon single casks bottled at Lochranza, I have to say that this is a series of bottlings yet to really impress me. Smells peppery and peaty, not unlike some young Caol Ila. An archetypal peated malt. The taste is light, sweet, anis, pleasant notes of crisp vanilla and light peat notes. This light sweetness could easily be run over by a stronger peat influence, but here it works perfectly.
A harmonic malt: 6.5
Arran 14yo 46% OB
Arran then, the young single cask whisky producer, now with a comprehensive array of finishes on show as well. The peat is evident at first sniff, as it comes off a bit as a non-coastal peated malt. Old Ballantruan, anyone? The taste is fat, vanilla, quail eggs, roasted beans, honey liqueur, burnt clay and apple core. I've heard many put down the 14yo in comparison to the 12yo Arran. I do recognize that it lacks some of the coastal character, but on the other hand, that's all in the taste of the beholder. I do find them both attractive on different levels, this one on a summers evening while enjoying white grapes and shrimps on a jetty, whilst the twelve years old I'd have 6 hours later as freezing mosquito dinner while sitting by the bonfire.
A solid body, but lacks some uniqueness: 5.5
Arran NAS 43% OB
I tried an Arrab ABC yesterday at a whisky gathering in my home town, I wasn't too impressed so I'll give it another chance today with a more diluted version. Light straw colour, smells young, spirity, immature, this one can't be much older than 5 years, evolves towards some light citrus notes after a while. The taste is light, citric, malty, green apples, a smooth experience, much better than many of these "special cask" versions I've come across. That being said, it isn't particularly advanced. Reminds me somewhat of the old 10yo Fettercairn or even Hazelburn. But then again the light flavours makes the peat stand a bit more out in the aftertaste than in many other versions.
Light malt, fruity coastal style: 6
Arran 10yo 1998-2010 56.3% OB
Bourbon Cask, there's been made much fuzz of these ABC bottlings, I've only tried a few with varying impressions. This one smells of light vanilla and some woody notes, oaky feeling, not as sweet as other versions I've tried. The taste stings with bitter notes, spirity notes and most of all rubber notes, why rubber in a bourbon cask? Water! Sweeter but still bitter, not my favourite from this distillery.
A bad cask I presume: 2
Arran 11yo 57.8% OB cask#713 btl.24/214
My second try on this ABC(Arran Bourbon Cask)-series, I've always enjoyed my young CS bourbon-casked malts, but I actually often enjoy them even younger than this. The problem I find is that the sweet vanilla notes appears in the early years of maturation, but when not bottled early enough they tend to be overshadowed by oakiness. Unless peat steals the show that is. The smell is sweet, vanilla, heather, banana, raisins, mint leaves, eucalyptus, promising. The taste shows an unusually fat texture, unbelieveably concentrated flavours of mint, green bell peppers and chilli oil. Beautiful finishing notes of vanilla and mint with some peat in the background
It seems Arran's made some fine cask choices: 8
Arran 11yo 57.3% OB cask#660
A bourbon casked Arran at considerable strength which I traded from a malt compadre, time to see what this fairly new Lochranza distillery is made of. Lots of vanilla(only vanilla actually) on the nose, seems to be sort of an aperitif malt, very light. It tastes of some sweet fruity stuff, peach, plums, bananas, not the same strong vanilla flavours as on the initial aroma. I have to add that there's a dryness to this which probably comes from the high %abv. With some water mcuh of the dryness and sweetness disappears and it gets just bland, some vanilla and peppery notes. Definately try this without water.
Arran and ex-bourbon casks seems a good match: 6.5
Arran 12yo 54.7% Master of Malt
Last time I tried a Cask Strength Arran I believe I was in Denmark, it was a Blackadder Raw Cask, and it was nothing short of fabulous. Now let's try this one. I don't know if the Distillery bottles for Master of Malt or if they purchase their own casks. The smell is oak, cedarwood, very straight-forward. The taste is all on sweet liquorice, extremely one-dimensional. I'll add some water. Now it opens up, some fruity, waxy notes, banana split, bubble gum, cinnamon, olive oil, a subtle and pleasant flavour. The aftertaste is tarry and peaty.
A good Arran, but that's it: 5.5
Arran NAS 57% OB
I've found, since the beginning, Arran to be a sort of sweet, friendly malt, like the Highland Park for instance. Let's see if this 57% can change my mind. The smell is sweet, honeyed, creamy, blueberries and grilled pork fat. The taste is peaty, dry, dark grapes, herbs, smoked ham, coleslaw and boiled haggis. With a small sip of water it becomes dryer, sweeter and much dirtier. It is a malt for the perverted ones, good, and far from extreme.
A well structured Island malt: 6
Arran 8yo 55.2% Blackadder Raw Cask btl.35/350
To find this one as the only Scotch single malt on a location serving almost only cheap danish liquorice malt to drunken seafarers, I guess is a rare treat. Pale colour, fruity and coastal scents, i do enjoy it a lot. Lemon, green grapes and salt. The taste is salty and very coastal, I love it, who knew at this age the Arran could be so well developed without any crazy cask finish? Alright, it isn't a very advanced malt, but neither is man of the other good coastal malts, say Highland Park, Scapa or Old Pulteney, of course Talisker doesn't fall into that category.
In this one I can chew cask sediments, wonderful: 7.5
Arran NAS 40% OB Robert Burns
The Arran malt is very well received by some... This one gives a totally anonymous nosing. The first tasting is also extremely dull, soft, hard to recognize other than a well hidden taste of alcohol. It has a sweet vanilla flavour to it, and with water it just becomes more metallic.
A big yawn: 4
Arran NAS 46% OB
Arran is a new distillery that tries a bit too hard with numbers of bottles, batches, cask types, and everything else stated on labels. The Arran Malt, as this is called, is probably not older than 6yo. Immensely sweet is my first impression. Bizarre smell, very phenolic, small hint of apple core, and a rather nauseating and yeasty finish.
I'm second guessing the potentional development on this malt: 2.5
24 Glenfarclas tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011
Glenfarclas NAS 1990 43% OB The Family Malt Collection
Not to be confused with the Family Cask. I believe this is 17 years old but I'm not sure so I'll go with a NAS what age is concerned. Very dark, probably sherried as most vintage Glenfarclas is. Smells phenolic, burnt, and a bit peaty, not unlike the Fettercairn Fior. The taste is sweet, burnt, round, prunes, leather, honey, iced-tea, peach, a very good malt. The finish shows even more peat, a really interesting version of Glenfarclas this one.
smooth, peaty and sherried: 7
Glenfarclas 6yo 40% OB The John Grant
A bottling from the 80's if I'm not mistaken, could be from even earlier days. Interesting anyway, the cap crumbled to pieces, cheap production? Smells slight, caramel, milky way, butter, herbs, whiskies under 10yo aren't as smooth nowadays. The taste is fruity, red apples, watermelon, grapefruit, peppery, has something quite similar to the old 12yo Highland Park, before they reduced the sherry share.
I think this one has kept developing in the bottle: 6
Glenfarclas 12yo 43% OB 750 Jahre Berlin
One done for Macware Ltd. in Berlin. Probabaly bottled to celebrate the town being 750 years old although I can't find any information stating a certain year of founding of the city. Probably a bottling from the 80's or 70's. Smells sweet cinnamon, coriander, tea, coffee beans, licorice, maltiness. The taste is sweet and burns a bit, sour leaves and onion, really sweet and calm at first with small hints of dark syrup and cinnamon. The finish shows to be spirity and more than anything else ruining what could've been a very good whisky.
A bitter disappointing finish: 4
Blairfindy/Glenfarclas 24yo 1980-2004 55.8% Blackadder Raw Cask cask#5984
A dark sherry matured Glenfarclas without the cask sediments usually found in bottles from this series. Smells sherried, dry sherry, phenolic, but that doesn't mind me at all. The taste is perfectly peppery, dry and phenolic with some sweet lemon aftertaste, bitter grapes, red wine, hints of olive oil and burnt meat. I've always had a special love for these Raw Cask bottlings although some spectators complains about the wood pieces sometimes found in bottom of the bottle. I say, along with a good cigar, grind the wood pieces between you teeth and just enjoy some good whisky-infused wood.
Sweet Oloroso with so much more: 9.5
Glenfarclas NAS 60% OB Heritage
Will this be like the NAS 105, I hope so because that is a fantastic whisky in my opinion. This has a really malty, full, sweet, toasted smell. The taste is burnt, like burnt toffee, burnt butter, burnt dark chocolate tart, not that that's a bad thing but here it just gets a bit over the top, so I'll add some water. Now things are happening, lots of layers of brick wall, autumn leaves, brown sugar and salty liquorice on the palate. The aftertaste on the other hand is just plain and simple, nothing going on unfortunately.
Lacks a finish, other than that splendid: 7
Glenfarclas 40yo 46% OB
Hmm.. Now time to try this baby, much darker than the 30yo, and 46%abv. This could be the one that I've been waiting for. A heavy bronze color, smells very phenolic, dried grass, heavy sherry notes, somewhere between dry fino and red moscatel. The smell develops just dryer and dryer with time. The taste is extremely bitter and dry, espresso coffee, lemon seeds, mustard, and just too dry to let any of the finish flavours come through, it needs water. The taste now becomes sweeter, plums, blueberry jam, malt syrup and dirt.
A weird Glenfarclas, gets better with water: 6
Glenfarclas 30yo 43% OB
My birthday was yesterday, so to celebrate my long lasting existence and endurance on this earth, I'll now enjoy two older Glenfarclas'. This one smells huge, lots of sherry-notes, syrup, honey, almost a bit too sweet for me(I never thought I'd say that about a scotch). The taste is creamy, leather, citrus, bitter, not nearly as sweet as the odors. Maybe it needs some time, and water? Once again, hmm.. definately needs water. Now it's more pepery, cardboardy, quite boring actually. This was a disappointment...
Old and tired Glenfarclas: 3.5
Glenfarclas 8yo 57% OB 80's
Another one of those 80's bottlings at 100 proof, I really never understood the idea why they didn't just do a regular cask strength, but I guess "100 proof" sounds pretty cool, or 105 proof as the contemporary NAS Glenfarclas. This smells rather soft when compared to the HP, some citrus notes, oranges and cream. The taste on the other hand is pretty much the same, only with a huge load of pepper, very strong flavours. I'll add water. This is actually very strong, more phenolic than any of the Glenfarclas OB's of today. I know there are some ppm of peat in Glenfarclas but this one could be mistaken for an Islay malt. But it's not a bad thing as it's pretty peppery too, and a sweet lingering vanilla aftertaste reminds me that we're still in speyside.
A truly wonderful and complex speyside malt: 8.5
Ballindalloch/Glenfarclas? 40yo 1965-2005 50% Old Malt Cask Douglas Laing
A fourty year old sherried Glenfarclas, must be a treat? Especialy since it's from the days back when Douglas Laing's Old Malt Cask range were all matured put in fantastic fresh sherry casks. It smells of oloroso, dark, raisins, honey, butter, cocoa and cinnamon. Also, it's the darkest malt I've ever seen, except from the tragic loch dhu of course. The taste is not as sweet as you'd expect, it's good, but the palate and nose doesn't play together at all. It's tea, oat meal, lemon, acidic notes.
A bittersweet sherried malt: 5
Glenfarclas 12yo 59% James Macarthur's
Young Glenfarclas'es at high strength can always be a treasure, Glenfarclas is maybe one of the few distilleries that I really do prefer at a younger age, when bottled at cask strength, except the 30+ something sherried ones, but they are far between. This one smells sharp, flinty, salty, oysters, almost like an unpeated Islay, say the Caol Ila version or Bunnahabhain 12. The taste is so drying It kind of puts me of, and there's also some flintiness and rustic flavours. Anyway, it needs water. This is really a thunderbolt, even when diluted it's flinty, ammonia, bitterness and roquefort bacterials.
One for the machosists, I enjoy it, 'till a certain point: 6.5
Glenfarclas/Ballindaloch 10yo 2000-2010 59.2% Malts of Scotland cask#5408 btl.x/622
A nice red sherry malt from Glenfarclas. I do tend to like some of the young high strength Glenfarclas'es, especially the 105 was a very nice surprise. Let's see if this one can compare. The smell is very floral, and stings a bit, a very phenolic malt? The taste is at first kind of sweet and tender, milk and honey, then turns extremely drying. Needs a bit of water even if it does show some grace. With water. Now the nose gets more sherried and much sweeter, quite good. The aftertaste is peppery and drying, extremely drying even when watered down.
A dry sherried malt, a bit too dry if that's possible: 6
Glenfarclas 15yo 46% OB
The 15yo Glenfarclas is back after Glenfarclas stopped bottling at this age for a while, at least that's what I've been told. This Ex-Oloroso smells very sweet, I'm getting cinnamon and ginger schnaps. It's sweet, peppery, strong taste of red onions choriander. The aftertaste is minty and fresh and sticks around for quite some time. It's just a bit too clean for me, I'd like this to have some more edge, like the 105 or maybe the twentyone year old. I think it falls a bit between two chairs.
A standard Glenfarclas, nothing more, nothing less: 6
Glenfarclas 42yo 1967-2009 49.8% Scotch Single Malt Circle
To celebrate myself turning 300 whisky notes as of published yesterday, I'll have this oldie Glenfarclas. I will also try to take a small break from the noting industry for approximately 2 months, but I guess we'll see about that. This one is matured in an ex-bourbon cask. With a pale colour and very anonymous odors, maybe some honey, it's obviously off to a slow start. It's very sweet on the palate, honey, vanilla and black pepper. It has a nice tangy and fresh aftertaste, coastal sea air? I recommend a small amount of water as it gets a bit more laidback, and some of the intense sweetness turns into a slightly sour white wine-ish expression.
Not as good as some of the old sherry-expressions, but fun to try: 6
Glenfarclas 39yo 1970-2009 54.4% The Perfect Dram
A very dark oloroso sherry matured Glenfarclas at a nice age. In fear of this being an ultra-dry sherry concentrated malt I'll give it a good 15 minutes to let in some air. This is extremely dark, like coca-cola. The nose is very phenolic, dry, reminds me of smoked salmon and sweet chili sauce. The taste is magnificent, brown sugar, sherry, a bit dry, red unripe grapes, sour apples and a nice aftertaste of rosé pepper and pepperoni. I will not add water to this, it's just too good without.
Best sherried Glenfarclas I've tried so far: 9
Glenfarclas 12yo 1995-2007 51% SLC "Beinn A Cheo" btl.287
A young sherry matured Glenfarclas, at a good strength, could this be a bit like the very good 105? A sweet sherry nose, and some good malty notes as well. It shows off at first with some heavy sherry flavours, but there's hardly any distillery character to be found. Burnt cake and dark toffee is dominating the flavours. With water it gets sort of weak, and a bit more sweet.
A pretty forgettable experience: 4
Glenfarclas 40yo 1965-2005 48.5% Scott's Selection CS
I've always liked the name of these IB's. Scott has a nice ring to it as it's also present in Scotland. Perhaps it's a half-lame gimmick? Anyway, with bottles this age and origin you gotta take em seriously, eh? The nose is very perfumy, waxy and lemony. the taste is very dry and peppery, probably bourbon-matured, needs some water. With water there's some sweet liquorice, anis balsamico, oak and salt. The aftertaste is very bitter.
It's just too dry and salty, makes me very thirsty, for water: 4.5
Glenfarclas-Glenlivet 13yo 1980-1993 59.1% Cadenhead's Authentic Collection
A young bourbonmatured cask strength Glenfarclas. Very strong nose, loads and loads of vanilla on the first taste. Much spiciness although very elegant, doesn't need to add water as the fierce flavours of chilli, vanilla, sour leaves, dark grapes and fried onions completely dominates the taste. The aftertaste is long and warming, a real winter's delight.
Nice and warm whisky: 6
Blairfindy 35yo 1969-2004 53.7% Blackadder
This is an IB of Glenfarclas'. It's sherry matured I would guess by the nosing. Phenolic, acidic, sweet, warm and syrupy. I've found many good older Glenfarclas'es, but I don't know if I'm always as pleased with the sherry matured ones. It's definately sherry matured, sulfur, extremely dry, chalkdust and fish sauce on the palate.
Not my favourite expression, by far: 3
Glenfarclas 12yo 43% OB
Flat bottle, one from the good old days for sure. The 60's maybe. Dark, smells strongly of alcohol, and sticks around for some time. It does taste very old-fashioned, malty, strong, a bit woody, some alcohol and a bit sulphur. From the times when special casks were affordable for standard OBs, sherry for sure. It has a warming finish with chilli and dried tomatoes.
Old school malt: 6
Glenfarclas 25yo 43% OB
Glenfarclas' 25 year old is one that I've obsessively been trying to get a taste of, since I liked the 21yo so much. It's very dark, spicy, sulphur, with an alluring scent, mouthwatering. The taste is very sweet compared to the 21yo, and a bit dry, definately influenced by sherry maturation. Some of the nice oaky and salty flavours are missing. In the end it comes of as a sherry bomb.
Sherry-lovers enjoy: 6.5
Glenfarclas 10yo 60% OB 105
A young glenfarclas somewhere around cask strength seems like an interesting concept. Dark colour, mild smell with hints of oak and cocoa, a flavoursome young whisky, no doubt. As it's second to none dilluted, a little water from myself might do the trick. And yes, a wonderful taste of honey and coriander derives. This is distillery art!
Not far from the best vintages: 7
Glenfarclas 8yo 40% OB
Two young Glenfarclases head-to-head today. This one seems milder, with a sweeter and more flowery scent. But when tasting, it's strong, alcohol and sugar combined. It does definately need some water. But it doesn't help much except making it a bit milder. It also creates a small hint of coughdrops, which does no good unfortunately, and in the overall performance it just can't be saved.
A huge disappointment: 1.5
Glenfarclas 10yo 40% OB
A young version from this distillery, it's hard to expect what's coming. Does smell pretty firm, strong with some succade and melon. Has a far too big influence of alcohol tastewise, doesn't hide it at all and lacks debth. But it does have some of the citrussy flavours found in older versions of this malt. Water brings out a tiny taste of salt and some turmeric.
An alright whisky, just a bit premature: 5
Glenfarclas 21yo 43% OB
Glenfarclas says to be one of just a few family owned distilleries left. But really doesn't need that on the bottle to blow me away. This is a good, quality malt whisky without too much pompous nonsense. A straightforward odor of honey and incense, flavours that's present also on the palate. In addition comes some citrus and apple vinegar along, just in perfect amounts.
Classic: 8
Not to be confused with the Family Cask. I believe this is 17 years old but I'm not sure so I'll go with a NAS what age is concerned. Very dark, probably sherried as most vintage Glenfarclas is. Smells phenolic, burnt, and a bit peaty, not unlike the Fettercairn Fior. The taste is sweet, burnt, round, prunes, leather, honey, iced-tea, peach, a very good malt. The finish shows even more peat, a really interesting version of Glenfarclas this one.
smooth, peaty and sherried: 7
Glenfarclas 6yo 40% OB The John Grant
A bottling from the 80's if I'm not mistaken, could be from even earlier days. Interesting anyway, the cap crumbled to pieces, cheap production? Smells slight, caramel, milky way, butter, herbs, whiskies under 10yo aren't as smooth nowadays. The taste is fruity, red apples, watermelon, grapefruit, peppery, has something quite similar to the old 12yo Highland Park, before they reduced the sherry share.
I think this one has kept developing in the bottle: 6
Glenfarclas 12yo 43% OB 750 Jahre Berlin
One done for Macware Ltd. in Berlin. Probabaly bottled to celebrate the town being 750 years old although I can't find any information stating a certain year of founding of the city. Probably a bottling from the 80's or 70's. Smells sweet cinnamon, coriander, tea, coffee beans, licorice, maltiness. The taste is sweet and burns a bit, sour leaves and onion, really sweet and calm at first with small hints of dark syrup and cinnamon. The finish shows to be spirity and more than anything else ruining what could've been a very good whisky.
A bitter disappointing finish: 4
Blairfindy/Glenfarclas 24yo 1980-2004 55.8% Blackadder Raw Cask cask#5984
A dark sherry matured Glenfarclas without the cask sediments usually found in bottles from this series. Smells sherried, dry sherry, phenolic, but that doesn't mind me at all. The taste is perfectly peppery, dry and phenolic with some sweet lemon aftertaste, bitter grapes, red wine, hints of olive oil and burnt meat. I've always had a special love for these Raw Cask bottlings although some spectators complains about the wood pieces sometimes found in bottom of the bottle. I say, along with a good cigar, grind the wood pieces between you teeth and just enjoy some good whisky-infused wood.
Sweet Oloroso with so much more: 9.5
Glenfarclas NAS 60% OB Heritage
Will this be like the NAS 105, I hope so because that is a fantastic whisky in my opinion. This has a really malty, full, sweet, toasted smell. The taste is burnt, like burnt toffee, burnt butter, burnt dark chocolate tart, not that that's a bad thing but here it just gets a bit over the top, so I'll add some water. Now things are happening, lots of layers of brick wall, autumn leaves, brown sugar and salty liquorice on the palate. The aftertaste on the other hand is just plain and simple, nothing going on unfortunately.
Lacks a finish, other than that splendid: 7
Glenfarclas 40yo 46% OB
Hmm.. Now time to try this baby, much darker than the 30yo, and 46%abv. This could be the one that I've been waiting for. A heavy bronze color, smells very phenolic, dried grass, heavy sherry notes, somewhere between dry fino and red moscatel. The smell develops just dryer and dryer with time. The taste is extremely bitter and dry, espresso coffee, lemon seeds, mustard, and just too dry to let any of the finish flavours come through, it needs water. The taste now becomes sweeter, plums, blueberry jam, malt syrup and dirt.
A weird Glenfarclas, gets better with water: 6
Glenfarclas 30yo 43% OB
My birthday was yesterday, so to celebrate my long lasting existence and endurance on this earth, I'll now enjoy two older Glenfarclas'. This one smells huge, lots of sherry-notes, syrup, honey, almost a bit too sweet for me(I never thought I'd say that about a scotch). The taste is creamy, leather, citrus, bitter, not nearly as sweet as the odors. Maybe it needs some time, and water? Once again, hmm.. definately needs water. Now it's more pepery, cardboardy, quite boring actually. This was a disappointment...
Old and tired Glenfarclas: 3.5
Glenfarclas 8yo 57% OB 80's
Another one of those 80's bottlings at 100 proof, I really never understood the idea why they didn't just do a regular cask strength, but I guess "100 proof" sounds pretty cool, or 105 proof as the contemporary NAS Glenfarclas. This smells rather soft when compared to the HP, some citrus notes, oranges and cream. The taste on the other hand is pretty much the same, only with a huge load of pepper, very strong flavours. I'll add water. This is actually very strong, more phenolic than any of the Glenfarclas OB's of today. I know there are some ppm of peat in Glenfarclas but this one could be mistaken for an Islay malt. But it's not a bad thing as it's pretty peppery too, and a sweet lingering vanilla aftertaste reminds me that we're still in speyside.
A truly wonderful and complex speyside malt: 8.5
Ballindalloch/Glenfarclas? 40yo 1965-2005 50% Old Malt Cask Douglas Laing
A fourty year old sherried Glenfarclas, must be a treat? Especialy since it's from the days back when Douglas Laing's Old Malt Cask range were all matured put in fantastic fresh sherry casks. It smells of oloroso, dark, raisins, honey, butter, cocoa and cinnamon. Also, it's the darkest malt I've ever seen, except from the tragic loch dhu of course. The taste is not as sweet as you'd expect, it's good, but the palate and nose doesn't play together at all. It's tea, oat meal, lemon, acidic notes.
A bittersweet sherried malt: 5
Glenfarclas 12yo 59% James Macarthur's
Young Glenfarclas'es at high strength can always be a treasure, Glenfarclas is maybe one of the few distilleries that I really do prefer at a younger age, when bottled at cask strength, except the 30+ something sherried ones, but they are far between. This one smells sharp, flinty, salty, oysters, almost like an unpeated Islay, say the Caol Ila version or Bunnahabhain 12. The taste is so drying It kind of puts me of, and there's also some flintiness and rustic flavours. Anyway, it needs water. This is really a thunderbolt, even when diluted it's flinty, ammonia, bitterness and roquefort bacterials.
One for the machosists, I enjoy it, 'till a certain point: 6.5
Glenfarclas/Ballindaloch 10yo 2000-2010 59.2% Malts of Scotland cask#5408 btl.x/622
A nice red sherry malt from Glenfarclas. I do tend to like some of the young high strength Glenfarclas'es, especially the 105 was a very nice surprise. Let's see if this one can compare. The smell is very floral, and stings a bit, a very phenolic malt? The taste is at first kind of sweet and tender, milk and honey, then turns extremely drying. Needs a bit of water even if it does show some grace. With water. Now the nose gets more sherried and much sweeter, quite good. The aftertaste is peppery and drying, extremely drying even when watered down.
A dry sherried malt, a bit too dry if that's possible: 6
Glenfarclas 15yo 46% OB
The 15yo Glenfarclas is back after Glenfarclas stopped bottling at this age for a while, at least that's what I've been told. This Ex-Oloroso smells very sweet, I'm getting cinnamon and ginger schnaps. It's sweet, peppery, strong taste of red onions choriander. The aftertaste is minty and fresh and sticks around for quite some time. It's just a bit too clean for me, I'd like this to have some more edge, like the 105 or maybe the twentyone year old. I think it falls a bit between two chairs.
A standard Glenfarclas, nothing more, nothing less: 6
Glenfarclas 42yo 1967-2009 49.8% Scotch Single Malt Circle
To celebrate myself turning 300 whisky notes as of published yesterday, I'll have this oldie Glenfarclas. I will also try to take a small break from the noting industry for approximately 2 months, but I guess we'll see about that. This one is matured in an ex-bourbon cask. With a pale colour and very anonymous odors, maybe some honey, it's obviously off to a slow start. It's very sweet on the palate, honey, vanilla and black pepper. It has a nice tangy and fresh aftertaste, coastal sea air? I recommend a small amount of water as it gets a bit more laidback, and some of the intense sweetness turns into a slightly sour white wine-ish expression.
Not as good as some of the old sherry-expressions, but fun to try: 6
Glenfarclas 39yo 1970-2009 54.4% The Perfect Dram
A very dark oloroso sherry matured Glenfarclas at a nice age. In fear of this being an ultra-dry sherry concentrated malt I'll give it a good 15 minutes to let in some air. This is extremely dark, like coca-cola. The nose is very phenolic, dry, reminds me of smoked salmon and sweet chili sauce. The taste is magnificent, brown sugar, sherry, a bit dry, red unripe grapes, sour apples and a nice aftertaste of rosé pepper and pepperoni. I will not add water to this, it's just too good without.
Best sherried Glenfarclas I've tried so far: 9
Glenfarclas 12yo 1995-2007 51% SLC "Beinn A Cheo" btl.287
A young sherry matured Glenfarclas, at a good strength, could this be a bit like the very good 105? A sweet sherry nose, and some good malty notes as well. It shows off at first with some heavy sherry flavours, but there's hardly any distillery character to be found. Burnt cake and dark toffee is dominating the flavours. With water it gets sort of weak, and a bit more sweet.
A pretty forgettable experience: 4
Glenfarclas 40yo 1965-2005 48.5% Scott's Selection CS
I've always liked the name of these IB's. Scott has a nice ring to it as it's also present in Scotland. Perhaps it's a half-lame gimmick? Anyway, with bottles this age and origin you gotta take em seriously, eh? The nose is very perfumy, waxy and lemony. the taste is very dry and peppery, probably bourbon-matured, needs some water. With water there's some sweet liquorice, anis balsamico, oak and salt. The aftertaste is very bitter.
It's just too dry and salty, makes me very thirsty, for water: 4.5
Glenfarclas-Glenlivet 13yo 1980-1993 59.1% Cadenhead's Authentic Collection
A young bourbonmatured cask strength Glenfarclas. Very strong nose, loads and loads of vanilla on the first taste. Much spiciness although very elegant, doesn't need to add water as the fierce flavours of chilli, vanilla, sour leaves, dark grapes and fried onions completely dominates the taste. The aftertaste is long and warming, a real winter's delight.
Nice and warm whisky: 6
Blairfindy 35yo 1969-2004 53.7% Blackadder
This is an IB of Glenfarclas'. It's sherry matured I would guess by the nosing. Phenolic, acidic, sweet, warm and syrupy. I've found many good older Glenfarclas'es, but I don't know if I'm always as pleased with the sherry matured ones. It's definately sherry matured, sulfur, extremely dry, chalkdust and fish sauce on the palate.
Not my favourite expression, by far: 3
Glenfarclas 12yo 43% OB
Flat bottle, one from the good old days for sure. The 60's maybe. Dark, smells strongly of alcohol, and sticks around for some time. It does taste very old-fashioned, malty, strong, a bit woody, some alcohol and a bit sulphur. From the times when special casks were affordable for standard OBs, sherry for sure. It has a warming finish with chilli and dried tomatoes.
Old school malt: 6
Glenfarclas 25yo 43% OB
Glenfarclas' 25 year old is one that I've obsessively been trying to get a taste of, since I liked the 21yo so much. It's very dark, spicy, sulphur, with an alluring scent, mouthwatering. The taste is very sweet compared to the 21yo, and a bit dry, definately influenced by sherry maturation. Some of the nice oaky and salty flavours are missing. In the end it comes of as a sherry bomb.
Sherry-lovers enjoy: 6.5
Glenfarclas 10yo 60% OB 105
A young glenfarclas somewhere around cask strength seems like an interesting concept. Dark colour, mild smell with hints of oak and cocoa, a flavoursome young whisky, no doubt. As it's second to none dilluted, a little water from myself might do the trick. And yes, a wonderful taste of honey and coriander derives. This is distillery art!
Not far from the best vintages: 7
Glenfarclas 8yo 40% OB
Two young Glenfarclases head-to-head today. This one seems milder, with a sweeter and more flowery scent. But when tasting, it's strong, alcohol and sugar combined. It does definately need some water. But it doesn't help much except making it a bit milder. It also creates a small hint of coughdrops, which does no good unfortunately, and in the overall performance it just can't be saved.
A huge disappointment: 1.5
Glenfarclas 10yo 40% OB
A young version from this distillery, it's hard to expect what's coming. Does smell pretty firm, strong with some succade and melon. Has a far too big influence of alcohol tastewise, doesn't hide it at all and lacks debth. But it does have some of the citrussy flavours found in older versions of this malt. Water brings out a tiny taste of salt and some turmeric.
An alright whisky, just a bit premature: 5
Glenfarclas 21yo 43% OB
Glenfarclas says to be one of just a few family owned distilleries left. But really doesn't need that on the bottle to blow me away. This is a good, quality malt whisky without too much pompous nonsense. A straightforward odor of honey and incense, flavours that's present also on the palate. In addition comes some citrus and apple vinegar along, just in perfect amounts.
Classic: 8
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