Month: February 2014

Whisky #37: Ardbeg 10 Year Old Single Malt…through the medium of interpretive dance

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Ardbeg 10 Year Old Single Malt…through the medium of interpretive dance. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 46.00%

Tasted at Alan Anderson : “Whisky For Dafties” @ Perth Fringe Festival. Cost: $20.

For the final round of audience participation, Whisky a Day and some other bloke were selected to come up on stage, provided with a dram of the Ardbeg 10 year old and asked to describe the taste…through the medium of interpretive dance.

It started off as ‘smokey’, then I have no idea what I was trying to describe later in the performance. Surely had nothing to do with the amount of whisky consumed…

Brilliant show Alan, very original, haven’t laughed this hard for ages! He’s a top bloke too…highly recommend you check his show out!

Whisky #36: The Singleton of Glen Ord 12 Year Old Single Malt

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IMG_2599The Singleton of Glen Ord 12 Year Old Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at Halcyon, $13.

Colour: Orangey gold.

Nose: Quite strong alcohol fumes that overpower other scents.

Palate: Smoothish entry gives way to a bit of heat, maybe a hint of cloves. Gets sweeter the longer you leave it – much like leaving an angry Scottish girl with a full bottle of booze.

Finish: Flavours dissipate quite quickly, but a longish drying sensation hangs around the mouth for quite a while. Slightly briny aftertaste.

Comments: Hmmm, not much to write home about here. It’s ok, but I’m not a huge fan.Singleton of Glen Ord

Whisky #35: Aberlour A’bunadh Single Malt, Batch #45

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IMG_2598Aberlour A’bunadh Single Malt, Batch #45. Speyside, Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 60.20%. Tasted at Helvetica, $19.

Colour: Dark toffee.

Nose: Caramel fudge & fruit cake.

Palate: Chocolatey brown sugar notes.

Finish: Salted caramel with a bit of heat that has “longitudinal qualities”, according to my good whisky tasting mate Giles. As a dutiful government advisor, Giles reports that longitudinal qualities is “Yes Minister” language for “it has length”.

Comments: Somewhat unsurprisingly (perhaps to all except the man himself), Giles’ wife has never described him as having “longitudinal qualities”.

Whisky #34: Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky

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IMG_2597Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky. Sendai, Japan. Tasted at Helvetica, $19.

Colour: Bright caramel.

Nose: Toffee sweet medicinal notes.

Palate: Soft soft smooooth. Hints of creaming soda, buttery creamy goodness.

Finish: I don’t want it to finish. But it is smooth, oily & mouth coating; has a very gentle warmth.

Comments: I’m a foodie, but corn is one of only four foods that I don’t like. Finally something made from corn that I like. I could gnaw at this Nikka Coffey corn cob all day!!

Whisky #33: Balvenie 12 Year Old Doublewood Single Malt

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IMG_2594Balvenie 12 Year Old Doublewood Single Malt. Speyside, Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at Bar Lafayette, $14.

Colour: Deep orangey amber.

Nose: Woody notes. Like a sawmill, smells a bit like someone has taken a circular saw through on of the bourbon or sherry casks it was aged in.

Palate: Clean entry, quite a bit of heat that kicks in quickly.

Finish: Quite a dry spicy finish. Slightly bitter aftertaste.

Comments: Not a whole heap of flavour. Jim Murray reckons he’s kissed & canoodled this one, but there is no spark or romance whatsoever. Have to agree with him on this one!

Whisky #32 – Redbreast 12 Year Old Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

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IMG_2593Redbreast 12 Year Old Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey. Dublin, Ireland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at The Royal, $0 – shouted by my cousin Marcus’ colleague Phil.

Colour: Gold brassy appearance.

Nose: Golden syrup sweetness, feint hint of peat perhaps?

Palate: Quite a smooth & subtle entry. Unlike most Irishmen when they enter a room. Soft sweet slightly creamy notes.

Finish: Quite short, like a leprechaun. Hints of oak linger.

Comments: A bit more character than I was expecting from an Irish dram.

Whisky #31: Longrow Red Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 11 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt

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FacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailFacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailby featherIMG_2586Longrow Red Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 11 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt. Campbeltown, Scotland. ABV: 52.10%. Tasted at Bar Lafayette, $20.

Colour: What’s the colour of a 2 cent piece?

Nose: Peaty, smells a bit like a sherry matured dram.

Palate: Peat repeat. Spice & tobacco.

Finish: Boom, mouth coating with peat, spice & heat that hangs around.

Comments: I would’ve picked this more for a sherry dram. Tasty drop, but the peat overpowers some of the subtle flavours (which are hard to describe over the tobacco flavours). With the cab sav barrel maturation I was expecting something different & unusual from this one, but it didn’t deliver on that front. Still a decent drop though, was just expecting (or hoping) for a more unique experience.

Whiskies #27-30: All American “State of the Union” Tasting

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FacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailFacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailby featherRighto listen up y’all…thought I’d do something a little different to mix it up a bit.  As today President Obama was giving his ‘State of the Union’ address, I thought that was the perfect segue into an all American ‘State of the Union’ whiskey tasting.  All were tasted in one evening at Varnish on King, Perth’s very own American whiskey bar.

IMG_2583Whisky #27: High West Double Rye Whiskey. Park City, Utah, United States. ABV: 46.00%. Tasted at Varnish on King, $14.50.

Colour: Deep caramel

Nose: Vanilla & soft aniseed.

Palate: Liquorice & soft spice.

Finish: Soft mellow warmth.

Comments: My first American whiskEy for the project.

Varnish’s “Rye Not” flight – $20.  Only small (~20mL) serves in this flight, so a little difficult to get a full appreciation of each drop.  Only made a few observations for each.

IMG_2585Whisky #28: Bulleit Bourbon Whiskey. Kentucky, United States. ABV: 40.00%.

Nose: Very light, cereal scents. 

Finish: Has quite a fiery finish, not a very refined drop.

Comments: Not a huge fan, but it’s ok.

IMG_2584Whiskey #29: Wild Turkey 81 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon. Kentucky, United States. ABV: 40.5%.

Colour: 50 shades of amber. Or as we’re tasting American whiskey, should that be 50 states of amber?

Nose: Smells like a musty pool hall.

Finish: Short and thin finish.

IMG_2582Whiskey #30: Rittenhouse 100 Proof Straight Rye Whiskey.  Kentucky, United States. ABV: 50.00%.

Colour: Deep browny bronze colour.

Palate: Aniseedy or absinthe flavours, coupled with sweet spice.

Comments: Definitely my favourite of the four American whiskies this evening.  

Overall comments: I’ve never really been into American whiskey very much.  Maybe as a result of having one too many largish nights on Jack Daniels in my younger days.  The Bulleit was just too harsh to drink straight, not that enjoyable at all.  The Turkey was a bit better, but still lacked a bit of depth and complexity for my liking.  The Rittenhouse however was great, I’d definitely like to try it again (larger serving next time!) to explore it in a bit more detail.  Could it be that it’s the most whisky-like whiskEy?  Overall though, they all displayed aniseed or absinthe-like flavours to a varying extents, which is certainly a little different to anything I’ve had so far.

Whisky #26: Springbank 10 Year Old Single Malt

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FacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailFacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailby featherIMG_2581Springbank 10 Year Old Single Malt. Campbeltown, Scotland. ABV: 46.00%. Tasted at Whisky a Day HQ, $73.60.

Colour: Gold, like a flat glass of lager

Nose: Hard to pick this nose…(upon posting this one I’ve just realised that I’ve made the same very lame nose joke.  Two days in a row.  Note to self: get some new material).

Palate: Woody, slightly vinegary tastes. Fair bit of spice

Finish: Long warmth lingers around your mouth, makes your lips & tip of your tongue tingle.

Comments: I’m a couple of days behind schedule, need to get back on track.  This is my first tasting this year of a whisky from Campbeltown. Thankfully we’re talking Scotland and not Western Sydney. Reminds me of an old joke…what do Campbelltown girls use for protection? A bus shelter. Not sure quite what this has to do with the Springbank, but hey.

Overall it’s only ok, the Springbank 10 is not the smoothest Springbank I’ve had, which was a Hazelburn Sauternes cask finished malt – which in turn wasn’t as smooth or tasty as other Sauternes finished whiskies (e.g. Glelmorangie Nectar D’Or or Longmorn 16).

Whisky #25: Bruichladdich The Laddie Ten Unpeated 10 Year Old Single Malt

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FacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailFacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailby featherIMG_2570Bruichladdich The Laddie Ten Unpeated 10 Year Old Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 46.00%.  Tasted at Whisky a Day HQ, $67.85.

Colour: Deep goldy amber.

Nose: Struggled to pick this one. At this time of night I’d struggle to even pick a dirty nose!

Palate: Briney, hints of peat even though it’s ‘unpeated’. Could even be described as a bit vinegary, but not in a bad way. More like a caramelised balsamic vinegar, with a balance of saltiness and subtle sweetness.

Finish: Has a bit of heat & intensity, medium length.

Comments: As my good mate Kiwi remarked, it was smoother than my entrance to the dance floor last night. To be fair, almost any whisky, moonshine or paint stripper would still have been smoother than my dance moves. Nevertheless, a great drop and one I look forward to having again very soon.

Whisky #24: Glen Moray 12 Year Old Single Malt

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IMG_2569Glen Moray 12 Year Old Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at mate Gordy’s place, $0 – generously shared by the big man.

Colour: Happy Straya Day! Canary yellow?? That’s Australian Gold my friend and don’t you fuckin’ forget it! Ah, the sounds of summer – we need another Twelfth Man album!

Nose: Hints of vanilla & Aeroguard. Maybe the Aussie Day mosquitoes have tried to thwart my nose.

Palate: Smooth entry, crisp creamy nutty flavours.

Finish: A slow warmer, fills the mouth. Short finish for flavour, but warmth lingers longer.

Comments: Not as full flavoured as I personally like. Reminds me a little of when you were a kid and you were over at a mate’s place and their mum served you a watered down cordial or juice. It tastes ok, but you can’t help thinking “just give it to me full strength you cheapskate”.

Whisky #23: Glenlivet 15 Year Old French Oak Reserve Single Malt

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FacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailFacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailby featherIMG_2542Glenlivet 15 Year Old French Oak Reserve Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%.

Colour: Light reddish gold. Like an ageing ginga. Perception of this may have been slightly influenced by the backdrop.

Nose: Hint of sweetness & a bit of hay, maybe also dried apricots? My good mate Kiwi described it as a “fancy man’s Jim Beam”. Not sure I agree.

Palate: Soft, underwhelming entry. Kind of like a Citroen attacking a tight corner, too much body roll and you don’t feel confident how you’ll come out the other side.

Glenlivet 15 yr French oak reserve…like an ageing ginga

Glenlivet 15 yr French oak reserve…like an ageing ginga

Finish: Quite short, oily. Given it’s been in French Oak, it’s unsurprising that the flavours surrender so early.

Comments: Not that inspiring. Can’t agree with other reviews, a little disappointing. It’s not unpleasant, just a little too smooth & characterless for my liking.

Whisky #22: Nikka Yoichi 15 Year Old Single Malt Japanese Whisky

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FacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailFacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailby featherIMG_2552Nikka Yoichi 15 Year Old Single Malt Japanese Whisky. Hokkaido, Japan. ABV: 45.00%. Tasted at The Royal, $18.

Colour: Amy says it’s like liquid toffee colour, like a rusty trombone. Hard to disagree, although I don’t know why she would be playing a rusty trombone.

Nose: Slight hints of vanilla.

Palate: Seems to be…(and then I lost concentration and made no further notes.  Either it was such an amazing drop that I lost the ability to write as I was totally consumed in the whisky, or I had consumed an amazing amount and lost the ability to write).

Finish: Gets peatier the longer it lingers.

Comments: A very decent whisky, though if you’re looking at buying a bottle it’s close to $200 a pop.  Not sure it’s worth that, but a very nice drop nevertheless.  Definitely keen to head back and try it again.

Whisky #21: Caol Ila Distillers Edition Single Malt

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FacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailFacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailby featherIMG_2539Caol Ila Distillers Edition Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at Sentinel Bar, $22.

Colour: More of a yellow gold colour, deeper than the Caol Ila 12 yr. Much like apple juice.

Nose: Fruity, but not too sweet. Feint hints of peat, surprisingly not too much.

Palate: A soft crisp entry, then the peat flavours come through quite strongly. Has tastes of dried fruit. Thankfully does not taste like apple juice.

Finish: Again a long finish like the Caol Ila 12 year old, but more toward the tip of the tongue. Slight sweetness when you lick your lips after a sip. Tobacco aftertastes, dry finish.

Comments: Overall, not a noticeable step up in class from the Caol Ila 12 year old, they’re just different. Not sure it’s worth the extra investment. It’s good, but seems to lose a little of it’s distinctive Islayness (or should that be Islacity?). The Caol Ila Distillers Edition has been matured in ex Moscatel barrels for additional 6 months, which has softened it a tad too much in my opinion.

I didn’t actually realise until researching while drinking this dram that a distiller’s edition isn’t necessarily the creme de la creme of a distillery, but is actually the distiller choosing some select barrels and extra maturing their drop in these barrels.

I’ve just realised I’ve done a particularly serious tasting. After a long day at the office, my creativity and somewhat debatable wittiness is decidedly lacking this evening!

Whisky #20: Caol Ila 12 Year Old Single Malt

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FacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailFacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailby featherIMG_2538Caol Ila 12 Year Old Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at Sentinel Bar, $18.

Colour: Pale straw / gold.

Nose: Oh yes, definitely an Islay. Strong peat, maybe a hint of medicinal scents when you really get your nose in the glass.

Palate: Smooth entry followed by smokey, peaty flavours that seem to hit the roof of your mouth and then gives the impression of wafting back like smoke trying to escape a room.

Finish: Long finish, front third of the tongue mainly which contrasts with the warming tingling sensation on the roof of the mouth & even lips. Salty, earthy flavours linger.

Comments: A solid example of an Islay, very drinkable. Not overpowering, quite smooth compared to say an Ardbeg or Lagavulin, yet still quite strong distinctive flavours & scents. Keen to try the Caol Ila Distiller’s Edition next!

Whisky #19: Highland Park 12 Year Old Single Malt

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FacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailFacebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailby featherIMG_2534Highland Park 12 Year Old Single Malt. Orkney Islands, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at Bobeche, $15.

Colour: Bright, golden syrup-like colour

Nose: Oaky, malty notes.

Palate: Very soft & smooth, minimal alcohol heat. Subtle sweetness.

Finish: Dry, slightly peaty & smoky finish. Doesn’t linger long.

Comments: Disappointed again in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible description of this one, no tasting notes – he just talks about it being one of his all time favourites, one of his “desert island whiskies”.

It’s ok in my opinion, I’ve heard a lot about Highland Park but was left feeling a little flat. Kind of like going on a date with a really hot girl you’ve been interested in for a while, only to discover when you talk to her that that she’s actually quite dull. You’d probably go back again if there weren’t too many other options but you’d prefer to try something else. Maybe her older sister, Highland Park 25 perhaps?