Month: March 2014

Whisky #65: The Glenlivet 12 Year Old Single Malt

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IMG_2717The Glenlivet 12 Year Old Single Malt. Speyside, Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Courtesy of my mate Gordy – $0, tasted at Whisky a Day HQ.

Colour: A real pale yellowy gold. I know gold is yellow, but this was particularly yellowish. And pale. C’mon it’s been a long week, I just want to unwind with a dram, not have to justify my lacklustre description of the whisky’s lustre.

Nose: A little fruity. Not sweet fruit, more like a dried apple.

Palate: Smooth entry, oily mouthfeel, no alcohol burn. Sort of a grassy kind of taste, sweet black pepper tastes.

Finish: Quite a thin finish, faint pepper aftertaste too.

Comments: A great everyday drinking drop; a staple, one of the big names. If you were looking for an easy drinking single malt to introduce to a friend who isn’t a huge whisky fan, or maybe someone who is under the misapprehension that all whiskies are extremely peaty or smoky, then The Glenlivet 12 is a great drop to start on. For those who are into whisky a little more, you can find more depth and complex flavours elsewhere. But then, you probably already knew that didn’t you?

Whisky #64: Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky

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IMG_2669Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky. Canada. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at Botanica Bar, $12.

Colour: Light bronze.

Nose: Pine cones; honey scents. Although being Canadian maybe I should be saying maple syrup.

Palate: Smooth entry, sweet creamy vanilla flavours.

Finish: Medium length, sweet aftertaste, no real heat or spice. Smooth.

Comments: Maybe tastes a little like maple syrup and melted ice cream on hot pancakes. Is that description a little more Canadian for your liking??

Whisky #63: Longmorn 16 Year Old Single Malt

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Longmorn 16Longmorn 16 Year Old Single Malt. Speyside, Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 48.00%. Tasted at my mate Joel’s place, $125 (bottle).

Colour: Pale gold.

Nose: A bit oaky, hints of different spices.

Palate: Toasted malty flavours. Plenty of spice, quite a bit of warmth.

Finish: Medium length finish with lingering spice.

Comments: Not as smooth as I remember, thought it might have had a slightly sweeter aftertaste. Nevertheless quite an enjoyable dram, plenty of complexity & flavours to discover.

Whisky #62: Penderyn Peated Single Malt Welsh Whisky

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IMG_2663Penderyn Peated Single Malt Welsh Whisky. Penderyn, Wales. ABV: 46.00%. Tasted at my mate Joel’s place, $79.35 (bottle).

Colour: Very pale straw. One of the palest drams I’ve had.

Nose: Grassy notes, medicinal scents, a hint of smoke.

Palate: Clean entry, soft peat kicks in & builds a moment after you take a sip.

Finish: Quite short, not a heavy smokey aftertaste. Slight sweet taste when you lick your lips afterwards.

Comments: I have to disagree with another Welsh export, Tom Jones – it IS a little unusual. Particularly the nose. Quite pleasant though, not sure that I’d race out to buy another bottle again, but would be happy to have another dram or two.

Whisky #61: Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch No.4 Cask Strength Single Malt

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IMG_2660Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch No.4 Cask Strength Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 50.4%. $0 – courtesy of my mate Brett.

Colour: Deep amber.

Nose: Sweet, a bit oaky. Vanilla notes.

Palate: A very smooth entry, lots of flavour. As my trusted whisky tasting mate Brett remarked, “a fine drop that has given us renewed vigour!”. Tastes a little like the Hazelburn Sauternes Cask single malt.

Finish: Sweet aftertaste.

Comments: Quite a hurried tasting as we were running late for dinner with friends, certainly not time to taste it properly and do this dram justice. I’ve left Brett a bottle of whisky at his place so I have an excuse to come back and have another tasting of the Balvenie Tun 1401. As one of our friends commented at dinner, “A bottle a day? That’s not a blog, that’s a problem!”…I politely pointed out that it’s called Whisky a Day, not Bottle a Day.

Whisky #60: Elements of Islay Pe5 Cask Strength Single Malt

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IMG_2659Elements of Islay Pe5 Cask Strength Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 57.90%. Tasted at Bad Apples, $47.

Colour: Nright gold.

Nose: Served in a miniature Glencairn glass, which is the first one I’ve drank out of so far.  The smaller size allows you to really get your nose in close to the whisky. A complex nose on this one, hard to dissect. And frankly, with such a rare whisky I’m not so sure I want to pull it to pieces, I just want to enjoy it.

Palate: Smooth entry, quickly warms & fills the mouth. Quite creamy. Much more subtle than other Islays I’ve tried.

Finish: I didn’t want it to finish!

Comments:  To be honest, I didn’t focus on making too many notes with this tasting – I just wanted to enjoy it. Port Ellen is a defunct distillery, so the rarity of the whisky is the reason for the high price.  I’m not sure it’s worth $47 a nip based on flavour alone. The Pe5 is the fifth “Elements of Islay” release of Port Ellen whisky, this one is from a single sherry cask.  I’d like to try it again though but next time without putting pressure on myself to try and analyse it and do it justice – I’d just want to relax a little more and really enjoy it.

Whisky #59: Eagle Rare Single Barrel 10 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey

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IMG_2649Eagle Rare Single Barrel 10 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey. Frankfort, Kentucky, USA. ABV: 45.00%. Tasted at Bobeche, $13.

Colour: Lustrous copper.

Nose: Grassy.

Palate: Sweet burnt orange, like when you squirt the oil from the orange peel into your Cosmopolitan and ignite it on the way through. Also a bit nutty (much like most girls I know who drink Cosmopolitans).

Finish: Again quite long, sweet…almost chewy. Makes you want to lick your lips to decipher the other flavours kicking about.

Comments: Definitely not as smooth as the Willett I just tasted, but still very tasty and complex; definitely a lot more bourbon-like.

Whisky #58: Willett Pot Still Reserve Bourbon Whiskey

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IMG_2647Willett Pot Still Reserve Bourbon Whiskey. Bardstown, Kentucky, USA. ABV: 47.00%. Tasted at Bobeche, $0 – courtesy of Joe the manager.

Colour: Burnt gold, like a creme brûlée.

Nose: A bit of oak, bit of sweetness (no doubt from the creme brûlée). Can smell a touch of coconut, not sure if that was because I was primed to look for it based on Joe’s comment about the nose.

Palate: A beautiful warm sweetness and spice. Not overly bourbon-like, very soft & smooth.

Finish: Quite a long finish, seems to gradually dissipate first from the back of the palate towards the front of the tongue. Fades to some soft liquorice flavours.

Comments: Definitely not your typical bourbon. If I’d been blindfolded and not told it was a bourbon, I probably would’ve picked it as a scotch whisky of some description (but with quite an unusual finish). Maybe says more about my unsophisticated palate than the whiskey. Fortunately my grammar is a little more sophisticated in being able to correctly use both “whisky” and “whiskey” in the same paragraph.

Hopefully my palate develops throughout the year so I can describe more than just the appropriate spelling of whisky/whiskey depending on which country it’s from.  I can’t imagine grammatical pontification is going to make for a very entertaining whisky (or should that be whiskey?) blog…

Whisky #57: Michel Couvreur Overaged Single Malt Whisky

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IMG_2642Michel Couvreur Overaged Single Malt Whisky. Burgundy, France. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at Bar Lafayette, $20.

Colour: Deep coppery sherry colour.

Nose: Sweet fruit chutney initially, maybe a hint of currants.

Palate: A smooth, almost cool sensation when you first sip it. Tastes like a candied raisin. I haven’t ever tasted a candied raisin, but it’s the best way to could describe it. Kind of like those dried fruit & nut bars bound together with sugary caramel, but without the nuts.

Finish: Very smooth, creamy; not much heat, a gentle fade of the flavours.

Comments: Distilled in one country, matured in another…the bastard child of Scotland & France. Smooth entry, smooth finish. Only after reading this did I realise how inappropriate those two sentences are together. Lots of flavour, much more complex and (frankly) tasty than the Benromach I tasted just prior to this.

Very interesting, I hadn’t ever come across a French whisky before, although the Scots can certainly lay claim to having a hand in it too. Keen to try the other Michel Couvreur expressions they have behind the bar at Lafayette.

Whisky #56: Benromach Sassicaia Wood Finish Single Malt

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IMG_2641Benromach Sassicaia Wood Finish Single Malt. Speyside, Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 45.00%. Tasted at Bar Lafayette, $17.

Colour: Golden caramel.

Nose: Quite light, a bit oaky, maybe some plums? Hard to tell.

Palate: Hints of cinnamon, bit of spice. Not a lot of depth though.

Finish: Quite short, front of the tongue.

Comments: Mellows the more you leave it. Maybe could have done with some more time in the barrel to develop some more flavours, only 7 years in total, the last 29 months of that in ex-Sassicaia wine casks.

Whisky #55: Kilchoman Single Bourbon Cask 5 Year Old

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IMG_2638Kilchoman Single Bourbon Cask 5 Year Old. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 61.00%. Tasted at Canton Lounge, $20.

Colour: Quite a pale straw, perhaps unsurprising given it only spent 5 years in an ex bourbon barrel. 

Nose: Strong alcohol vapours, although they soften with a bit of time in the glass. Peat dominates but some floral scents come through.

Palate: Rich warm flavours, but the peat just keeps coming. Salty.

Finish: Long and smokey, it’s like a warm peaty vapour cloud expanding in your mouth.

Comments: A single cask bottling, only ~260 bottles released. Not sure they should have tapped the barrel after only 5 years, it could have done with some more time to soften up a bit. Maybe they’ve released it early so they’ve got a different offering in the Kilchoman range. Though most likely it’s been released to generate some cashflow seeing as Kilchoman is such a young distillery that’s only been in operation a few years. Can’t say I’ve ever tasted such a young whisky before.

Whisky #54: The Arran Cask Finishes Amarone Cask Finish Single Malt

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IMG_2636The Arran Cask Finishes Amarone Cask Finish Single Malt. Isle of Arran, Scotland. ABV: 50.00%. Tasted at Helvetica, $23.

Colour: A deep sherry-like colour.

Nose: Chocolatey scents. Also smells like a bunch of dried muscatelles.

Palate: Much more complex than the Sullivan’s Cove Double Wood. Bit more heat and plenty of spice; juicy.

Finish: Long tingle at the front of the tongue, warmth through the back.

Comments: I would like more time to chew on this one some more.  Definitely the kind of whisky that takes more than one dram to fully appreciate.  Will be back for more in the not too distant future!

Whisky #53: Sullivans Cove Double Cask Single Malt

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IMG_2635Sullivans Cove Double Cask Single Malt. Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at Helvetica, $16.

Colour: Quite light, hard to tell in the dim light of a bar. Kind if like talking to a cougar at a dimly lit bar – you’re not sure if she’s got blonde or grey hair.

Nose: Smells like whisky. Sweet scents, scents of faint vanilla & cloves.

Palate: Strong sweet flavours without the alcohol heat or spice. Corn chip like aftertaste. Can’t bring myself to describe it as a corn-like flavour as I don’t actually like corn (one of only four foods I dislike). Quite a simple easy to drink dram, cooked mash kind of flavours. Sweet aftertaste.

Finish: Quite dry, shortish-medium finish at the front third of the tongue. Doesn’t coat or warm the whole mouth, not a criticism mind you.

Comments: My mate Charles who is tasting this one with me reckons it’s a real whisky for the afternoon. We all need more afternoon beverages. Reminds me a little of the Glenmorangie Nectar D’Or or Longmorn 16.

Whisky #52: Writers Tears Pot Still Irish Whiskey

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photo 2Writers Tears Pot Still Irish Whiskey. Ireland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at Bobeche, $13.

Colour: Bright gold.

Nose: Really soft honey scents, maybe a touch of hay

Palate: Fuller flavour, hints of sweetness with some malty spice. Hard to describe some of the other more subtle flavours.

Finish: Business up front with a medium finish at the front of the mouth; party out back with warmth & flavour hanging around.

Comments: Much more full flavoured than other Irish malts I’ve had, more like a highland malt. Apparently it was called “Writers Tears” because it was traditionally consumed by Irish writers suffering from writer’s block. After drinking so much of it, some reportedly cried tears of whiskey when inspiration finally hit. Maybe I should drink another one in the hope that I will tearfully come up with something a little more witty to say! Anyway, it’s a vatting of pure pot still and single malt whiskies.  Quite enjoyable.

Whisky #51: Fireball Cinnamon Whisky Liqueur

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photo 1Fireball Cinnamon Whisky Liqueur. Canada. ABV: 33.00%. $55 (bottle), tasted at my friends Tim & Claire’s place.

Appearance: Bright golden colour, syrupy – sticks to the side of the glass.

Nose: Like sticking your nose into a bunch of cinnamon sticks. Or maybe crushing them up and snorting one up your nose.

Palate: Sweet & overwhelming cinnamon & clove flavours explode in your mouth.

Finish: Oily hot spice at the tip of the tongue. Kind of a similar sensation to eating some chilli chocolate (not saying the flavours are chocolatey, just the sweetness followed by the heat after sensation).

Comments: My first Canadian of the year, also the first whisky liqueur, though at 33% ABV it’s more akin to a traditional whisky. Cinnamon aromas are too strong to really enjoy it.

Whisky #50: Dalmore 15 Year Old Single Malt

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IMG_2631Dalmore 15 Year Old Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. The Terrace, $15.

Colour: Deep coppery colour.

Nose: Having been to the races today with a bunch of friends, as I attempt to dutifully undertake today’s whisky tasting there are jokes flying around asking me if this wins the best whisky contest “by a nose”. Not sure I agree.

Palate: Very light, gentle spice. Not as flavoursome as other sherry matured drams.

Finish: Smooth, reasonably short.

Comments: Towards the end of a relatively robust day’s imbibing, my creative writing skills have dried up.  It’s the writer’s block equivalent of whisky dick.  Certainly not helped by my friends trying to distract me in my whisky pursuit and attacking me with a couple of hobby horses which have been our faithful companions through the day.  These fine steeds even wanted to get in on some of the Dalmore 15.  You can lead a horse to whisky…

After these nags (the horses, not my friends) had French martinis at The Terrace, danced to Daryl Braithwaite then finished off with some fireball whisky…they can go out to pasture until next race day! Giddy up!

Our whisky tasting steeds

Our whisky tasting steeds