November 2014 - Whisky a Day

Whisky #298 – Bruichladdich Octomore Edition 5.1 Cask Strength Single Malt

November 30, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Bruichladdich Octomore Edition 5.1 Cask Strength Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 59.50%. Tasted at Òran Mór (Glasgow), £15.20.

Colour: Deliciously golden.

Nose: Lots of peat (obviously), medicinal, quite meaty too. Also reminds me of the smell of freshly sawn camphor that my dad used to cut up for wood turning.

Palate: Peat smoke, lots of it. Fresh onion too.

Finish: Drying peat & smoke flavours naturally. Also some subtle raspberry flavours in the fade, like you’ve just eaten some Allen’s red frogs.

Comments: Not as meaty on the palate as I was hoping for, given the teasing of the nose. Overall? It’s very good, but not spectacular. Maybe I’m being a bit harsh, but it’s probably because I had such high expectations of the Octomore 5.1 given other outstanding reviews and friends who have tried it.

Whisky #297 – Glendronach Cask Strength (Batch 2) Single Malt

November 27, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Glendronach Cask Strength (Batch 2) Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 55.2%. Tasted at Òran Mór (Glasgow), £4.65.

Colour: Shiny copper.

Nose: There’s a bit of an alcohol feint that shoots up your nostrils. Burnt orange peel and sherry notes.

Palate: Cool entry, but the heat gently builds. Chewy sherry flavours, you can definitely taste the similarities to the other Glendronach expressions. The very subtlest hint of smoke or charcoal.

Finish: Long…lots of warmth as the whisky wraps itself around your throat and makes its way down your chest all the way down to your belly. That’s starting to sound like a Mills & Boon novel…

Comments: Not quite as smooth or refined as its Glendronach stablemates Revival, Allardice or Parliament, but as a cask strength release it’s great to experience whisky from one of my favourite distilleries in one of its purest forms.

Whisky #296 – McKinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt – “Shackleton’s Whisky”

November 19, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

McKinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt – “Shackleton’s Whisky”. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 47.3%. Tasted at Òran Mór (Glasgow), £20.20.

Colour: Yellow snow. Watch out where the huskies go, and do not eat the yellow snow…

Nose: Citrus and sweet oak.

Palate: Lemon sherbet. Quite dry. Not the winter warmer type of whisky I thought might be appropriate for an Antarctic expedition.

Finish: Somewhat salty, and a little dry. Medium length.

Comments: Great story behind this one. Originally shipped to Antarctica in 1907 by Ernest Shackleton to fortify his British Antarctic expedition aboard the “Nimrod” (originally supposed to be aboard the ship “Endurance”, as shown in the photo below). Three cases of McKinlay’s were discovered buried in the ice under the floorboards of Shackleton’s hut in 2007 when restoration work was being undertaken. Long story short, some of this very old whisky was sent back to Scotland for analysis so it could be recreated, resulting in this McKinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt – “Shackleton’s Whisky”.

Whisky #295 – Glen Scotia 10 Year Old Single Malt

November 15, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Glen Scotia 10 Year Old Single Malt. Campbeltown, Scotland. ABV: 46%. Tasted at the Wee Pub at the Ubiquitous Chip (Glasgow), £3.75.

Colour: Very pale straw.

Nose: Toasted cereal notes.

Palate: Quite light. Dry mouthfeel; flavours of citrus & biscuits.

Finish: Medium length, creamy biscuits with a hint of pepper and a touch of honey.

Comments: My first dram in Scotland. It’s a good whisky to start the night and start the trip – quite light, a great way to ease into a decent session.

Whiskies #288-294 – Scotch Malt Whisky Society Spring Tasting Extravaganza

November 11, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Scotch Malt Whisky Society Spring Tasting Extravaganza. Parmelia Hilton, $80.

Another SMWS tasting extravaganza, another chance to try some amazing and very unique cask strength whiskies.

54.30 – Jingling Jalapeños! 11 year old bottling from Aberlour distillery. ABV: 61.2%.

Colour: 1970s lampshade yellow
Nose: Packs a punch. Quite brisk, floral & pine timber aromas.
Palate: Rose petals and Turkish delight.
Finish: Woody warmth, lots of it.
Comments: Sherried but not overly sweet or syrupy.

50.58 – A Seesaw of Spring Cleaning and Scones! 24 year old bottling from Bladnoch distillery. ABV: 55.0%.
Colour: Pale gold.
Nose: Straw, sweet sawdust.
Palate: Like a lemon fruit tingle. Honeycomb. Much more layered & complex than I was expecting from a 24 year old Lowlands malt.
Finish: Loiters on the tongue for quite a while. Big warmth and tingle.

G10.6 – The Spice Temple. 25 year old bottling from Strathclyde distillery. ABV: 56.0%.
Colour: Watery gold.
Nose: Almost smells like a good rum – very fruity, sweet.
Palate: Tastes like a rum too! Rich, sweet, a tropical fruit medley of flavours.
Finish: Dries and warms, both build.
Comments: Standout of the night because it is so different as well as being a grain whisky and not a single malt.

121.68 – Harvesting Fruit on an Indian Summer Day. 14 year old bottling from Isle of Arran distillery. ABV: 55.0%.
Colour: Clear apple juice.
Nose: Sweet straw. Not unlike other Arrans.
Palate: Lemon cheesecake, sherbet.
Finish: Long but gentle longer. Residual sweetness.
Comments: A lovely play between the sweetness and tartness on the palate, great balance.

76.112 – Spiced Champurrado. 27 year old bottling from Mortlach distillery. ABV: 58.2%.
Colour: Lustrous pale yellow.
Nose: Very smooth, honied cereal notes.
Palate: Honey, shortbread biscuits, a bit chocolatey too.
Finish: Spice, lots of it. Tingle on the tip of your tongue. Long warmth.

17.38 – Strong, Sweet and Salty. 13 year old bottling from Scapa distillery. ABV: 56.4%.
Colour: Pale gold.
Nose: Light, sweet, sea air standing at the beach.
Palate: Juicy Fruit chewing gum – nice mix of spice and sweetness.
Finish: Medium length, another whisky with a great balance of saltiness & sweetness.
Comments: Eminently quaffable. Your go-to after work work unwinding kind of whisky. Saltier than the Glenmorangie Nectar D’Or, but not too dissimilar a whisky.

53.207 – Cod Wrapped in Parma Ham. 20 year old bottling from Caol Ila distillery. ABV: 58.8%.
Colour: Very light pale.
Nose: An old timber boat that’s been tied up by the pier for too long.
Palate: Reminds me a little of Ardbeg. Full and smokey, but meatier.
Finish: Loooooong, salty, smokey.
Comments: I was enjoying this one so much I didn’t even write many notes, I just wanted to savour it, then before I knew it…all gone.

Whisky #287 – Dewar’s 12 Year Old Double Aged Blended Scotch Whisky

November 9, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Dewar’s 12 Year Old Double Aged Blended Scotch Whisky. Scotland.
ABV: 40.00%.

Comments: Very rich honey. Or the colour of a middle-aged strawberry blonde Scotsman drinking whisky.

Nose: Earthy straw-like notes. My good mate Donald (aforementioned middle-aged strawberry blonde Scot) detected some toffee.

Palate: Buttery yet quite thin. A bit floral.

Finish: Quite dry, short to medium length. Almost a faint sweet tobacco aftertaste.

Comments: Meh, nothing special. Special though to share it with such a great mate that I don’t get to see nearly as much as I would like. Donald – absolute legend, a shame I don’t get to spend more time in Melbourne to share a few more drams with you mate.

Donny doing what he does best.

Whisky #286 – SMWS 123.8 In the Spanish Mountains

November 8, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

SMWS 123.8 In the Spanish Mountains. 12 year old single cask from Glengoyne distillery, Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 59.3%. Tasted at Whisky & Alement (Melbourne).

Colour: Lotus twilight.

Nose: Lemon cheesecake and spearmint. AB got hints of Listerine mouthwash.

Palate: Organ-hugging, creamy – “I can’t believe it’s not butter”. Multi-dimensional.

Finish: Powerful, long.

Comments: We came up with another observation that it was “James Bondable”. No idea what we were getting at here…we’d had a few tastings by this stage. Overall though I enjoyed it, keen to have another crack at it through to see if it really is James Bondable.

Whisky #285 – Duthies Tobermory 17 Year Old Single Malt

November 8, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Duthies Tobermory 17 Year Old Single Malt. Isle of Mull, Scotland. ABV: 46%. Tasted at Whisky & Alement (Melbourne).

Colour: Dark amber.

Nose: Muscatels, dark chocolate.

Palate: A dry toffee, xmas pudding. Almost a bit dusty.

Finish: Subtle pepper, drying sweetness, medium length.

Comments: A great drop, much more layered than the only other Duthie’s release I’d tried previously, the Duthie’s Glen Scotia 17.

Whisky #284: Berrys’ 1997 Arran 16 Year Old Single Malt (Cask Ref. 2)

November 7, 2014 by Whisky a Day 1 Comment

Berrys’ 1997 Arran 16 Year Old Single Malt (Cask Ref. 2). Isle of Arran, Scotland. ABV: 46.0%. Tasted at Whisky and Alement (Melbourne).

Colour: Cloudy apple. Lacking viscosity according to my good mate AB who is ably assisting tonight’s tastin

Nose: Honied straw, a touch of lemon rind.

Palate: Honey, sweet lemongrass. “A little passive aggressive” from AB.

Finish: Medium length, dryish.

Comments: A good starting whisky, a palate cleanser before getting into the serious business of…um, drinking more whisky.

Whisky #283 – Bulleit 10 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey

November 7, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Bulleit 10 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey. Kentucky, United States. ABV: 45.60%. Tasted at The Flour Factory.

Colour: Light toffee.

Nose: Lots of rye, hessian and really dry hay. Basically the smell of the back of a Holden ute after a B&S ball (minus the empty rum cans).

Palate: Peppery, hay-like, dry. Almost as dry as my drinking companion Frank the Flourbag, resident boozehound at the Flour Factory. You’ll find him always sat in a corner, propping himself up and sneering out of the side of his sack as he enviously looks at the Hoff strutting around the bar holding court.

Finish: Very dry, medium length, medium heat on the front of the tongue in particular.

Comments: Not a massive bourbon fan (there are notable exceptions, like the Hudson Baby Bourbon), and this one again is ok but a little one dimensional for me.

Whisky #282 – Michel Couvreur Blossoming Auld Sherried Single Malt

November 7, 2014 by Whisky a Day 1 Comment

Michel Couvreur Blossoming Auld Sherried Single Malt. Burgundy, France. Tasted at Lafayette. $35

Colour: Burnished copper.

Nose: Buttery toffee, raisins, very soft oak. Fantastic nose.

Palate: Creamy, rich flavours, lots of candied dried fruits but not overly sweet. Creme brûlée. Not a heap of warmth, but just enough.

Finish: Port flavours, cocoa, slight tobacco notes in the fade.

Comments: Reminds me a little of the Limeburners Barrel M93 that I tried (and loved) recently. This is the fourth Michel Couvreur expression I’ve tasted so far, I can safely say that apart from the Cleararch anomaly the others are the real deal. Another whisky with whom I could quite happily settle in and have a lengthy conversation.

Whisky #281 – The Macallan 12 Year Old Sherry Oak Cask Single Malt

November 7, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

The Macallan 12 Year Old Sherry Oak Cask Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 40.0%. Tasted at home, $30 (350mL bottle).

Colour: Deep mahogany.

Nose: Sultanas, vanilla and golden syrup.

Palate: Rich velvety dried fruits. Super smooth. Buttery sweetness.

Finish: Builds, with gentle warmth.

Comments: A fantastic whisky, 100% matured in ex sherry casks. A shame I could only get my hands on a small bottle.

Whisky #280: The McGibbon’s Provenance – Macallan 1997 Autumn Distillation 15 Year Old Single Malt

November 6, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

The McGibbon’s Provenance: Macallan 1997 Autumn Distillation 15 Year Old Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 46%. Tasted at home, $70 (bottle).

Colour: Pale straw.

Nose: Alcohol feints, yet smooth. Hay-like, honey and lemon notes.

Palate: Straw on the mid-palate. Smooth, sweet somewhat citrusy flavours.

Finish: Medium length yet somewhat soft; quite dry.

Comments: Not as intense as I was expecting, yet eminently drinkable.

Whiskies #278 & 279: Jim McEwan Masterclass at The Oxford Hotel

November 5, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Jim McEwan Masterclass at The Oxford Hotel, Leederville, $50.

What a privilege to have one of the doyens of whisky touring Australia to impart his wisdom, wit and charm as he led us on a journey through Bruichladdich and the history of Islay. On top of that, Jim raised over $11,000 for the Red Cross through donations received at his engaging masterclasses. An amazing night – bagpipes, laughter, touching stories, dancing on tables, a history lesson and we got to try some outstanding whisky too. As it’s getting to the pointy end of Whisky a Day, I had previously tasted four of the Bruichladdichs on offer here so I won’t cover those again, so I’ll focus on the Islay Barley and the Black Art.

Whisky #278: 2006 Bruichladdich Islay Barley 5 Year Old Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 50.00%.

Colour: Very pale straw.

Nose: Camphor, soft oak & straw notes.

Palate: Malty, not peaty at all.

Finish: Long; lingering warmth and tingle.

Comments: This expression is produced with 100% Islay grown barley. Even the name of the farm is on the tin – nice touch. According to Jim the last time 100% Islay barley used was 1914. Overall it’s pretty decent, but not my pick of the night.

Jim holding court and leading the room in a boisterous version of the Scottish national anthem

Whisky #279: Bruichladdich 23 Year Old 1990 Black Art 04.1. ABV: 49.2%.

Colour: Dark luscious toffee.

Nose: Muscatelles, lightly charred oak, dried fruits. Smells amazing.

Palate: Salted toffee, charcoal flavours. Meaty without being peaty.

Finish: Medium to long, quite a soft finish – not as intense as the Islay Barley.

Comments: No one knows the recipe or what casks are used except Jim – so it’s only appropriate that it bears the moniker “black art”. Really liked this one! Sensational, the clear standout of the night’s tastings for me.

This is apparently the traditional way the Scots say slàinte!

Whisky #277 – Edradour Straight From the Cask 11 Year Old Burgundy Cask Finish Single Malt

November 5, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Edradour Straight From the Cask 11 Year Old Burgundy Cask Finish Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 58.8%. Tasted at home, $70 (500mL bottle).

Colour: Bright orange.

Nose: Dry, soft oak; almost a bit powdery in a way.

Palate: Not as smooth, sweet as the Edradour Caledonia; dry and oaky. Like licking a paddle pop stick.

Finish: Straw-like flavours, medium length; leaves a tingle at the front of tongue.

Comments: I definitely had high expectations given how much I enjoyed the only other Edradour I’ve tasted before, the Edradour 12 Year Old Caledonia Selection. However this one, while still a solid dram, failed to live up those lofty expectations. It didn’t have anywhere near the same level or complexity, sweetness or depth of flavour in my opinion. I’m keen though to drop by the Edradour distillery in Pitlochry to see what other drams they have on offer!

Whisky #276: Suntory Hibiki 21 Year Old Blended Japanese Whisky

November 4, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Suntory Hibiki 21 Year Old Blended Japanese Whisky. Osaka, Japan. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at home, $120 (375mL bottle).

Colour: Rich, dark amber.

Nose: Very soft straw, caramel and toffee notes.

Palate: Very delicate; buttery toffee, vanilla, a hint of cane – super smooth.

Finish: Such a gentle fade, like a piece of silk lightly touching your skin.

Comments: Outstanding. A huge step up from both the Hibiki 12 and the Hibiki 17. I’m quite confident that I can name this as the best blend I’ve had so far this year, a shame it’s only a half-size bottle!

Whisky a Day

365 drams in 365 days...

Month: November 2014