Month: September 2014

Whisky #238 – Connemara Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey

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IMG_3733Connemara Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey. County Louth, Ireland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at Bar de Halcyon, $11.

Colour: Straw yellow.

Nose: Leafy hay-like scents, a bit of sweetness too.

Palate: Earthy and peaty, without being as smokey as say some of your Islay peated whiskies. Oily mouthfeel, some soft honey flavours too.

Finish: Slightly sweet fade out, but it’s the peat that sits on the tongue for ages.

Comments: Apparently Ireland’s only peated malt, though I stand to be corrected on that point. Definitely a different beast to the Islay peat monsters, though there’s nothing here that really grabs me about the Connemara to make me want to have another.

Whisky #237 – Chivas Regal 12 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky

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IMG_3732Chivas Regal 12 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at my mate Ryan’s place, $0 (courtesy of the poker fund).

Colour: Pale gold, like the $50 notes I’m about to throw away in poker tonight.

Nose: Very soft aromas. Toasted cereal & oak feints.

Palate: Cigar box, straw, dried pineapple, sweet oak.

Finish: A gentle flavour fade, medium length. Much longer than I expect to last in this poker game.

Comments: Pleased to say my low expectations were exceeded with the Chivas 12. It surprisingly had more going on than I’d previously given it credit for, I expected it to be more one dimensional. Solid but certainly not spectacular, good value though. Personally if was to recommend a good value blend I’d prefer the Monkey Shoulder Batch 27 Blended Malt Scotch Whisky.

Whisky #236 – Bulleit 95 Straight Rye Whiskey

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IMG_3716Bulleit 95 Straight Rye Whiskey. Lawrenceburg, Indiana, United States. ABV: 45.00%. Tasted at Bobeche, $14.

Colour: Burnt caramel.

Nose: Honey and pine needles. And popcorn.

Palate: A smooth entry initially, then massive rye flavours. Mixed spice, a slight prickle on the palate.

Finish: A dry finish, medium length.

Comments: It’s decent, but it’s not the standout that I had read in some reviews. I guess it’s good value but it doesn’t set my world on fire.

Whisky #235 – Kilchoman Winter Release 2010 Single Malt

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IMG_3714Kilchoman Winter Release 2010 Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 46%. Tasted at Canton Lounge, $16.

Colour: Pale straw.

Nose: Gentle smokey notes, like smelling a small grass fire from a distance.

Palate: Thin entry, toasted peat flavours abound.

Finish: Quite dry; briny smokey flavours in the fade. Medium to long finish.

Comments: Much lighter than your average Islay, it certainly tastes quite young. Not surprising given Kilchoman are still an emerging distillery and this was one of their earlier releases.

Whisky #234 – Adelphi Tobermory 18 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt

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IMG_3713Adelphi Tobermory 18 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt. Isle of Mull, Scotland. ABV: 58.80%. Tasted at The Laneway Lounge, $32.

Colour: Deep burnt toffee.

Nose: Wow, rich sherry notes. Dried muscatelles, candied fruits. I could sniff this all day. Very smooth, not even a hint of alcohol fumes to suggest it could be something up around 58% ABV.

Palate: An explosion of flavour; creamy sherry notes dominate. Definitely mouth warming.

Finish: Long and strong. Quite dry, the heat tingles all around the palate; even the roof of my mouth went a bit tingly and numb. A salty, almost slightly bitter sensation in the fade.

Comments: I have no doubt that this would benefit from a drop or two of water to soften it and open up some flavours, however in the name of Whisky a Day’s rigorous research methodology I must refrain from water, ice or anything else so I can judge each whisky on its merits. It’s a fantastic drop, though for me the nose is certainly the standout – deliciously complex.

Whisky #233 – The Arran Moscatel De Setubal Wine Cask Single Malt

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IMG_3712The Arran Moscatel De Setubal Wine Cask Single Malt. Isle of Arran, Scotland. ABV: 55%. Tasted at home, $80 (bottle).

Colour: Deep, deep copper.

Nose: Intense. Oak, orange peel, butter and molasses.

Palate: Again some very complex and intense flavours. Absolutely delicious – rich fruit, primarily plums. Syrupy sweetness at the front of the palate, yet quickly outmanoeuvred by some intense spice and heat.

Finish: Very long; flavours and warmth keep building before eventually dropping away.

Comments: Wow. Cask strength, eight years in oak then 10 months extra maturation in barrels that had previously held Moscatel de Setubal Portugese dessert wine. Love it – another deliciously complex malt from Arran, the kind of whisky where you keep uncovering more layers with each sip.

Whisky #232 – Jack Daniels Gentleman Jack Tennessee Whiskey

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IMG_3710Jack Daniels Gentleman Jack Tennessee Whiskey. Tennessee, United States. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at my mate Ryan’s place – $0 (courtesy of the poker fund).

Colour: Browny amber.

Nose: Corn dominates, little else to note.

Palate: Not too smooth. A little peppery, aniseed and corn flavours too.

Finish: Short to medium length, much smoother to finish than when it first hit the palate.

Comments: It actually got better with some time in the glass, but overall it was quite average. Not horrible, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

Whisky #231: Hellyers Road Distillery Original Pinot Noir Finish Single Malt

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IMG_3704Hellyers Road Distillery Original Pinot Noir Finish Single Malt. Tasmania, Australia. ABV: 46.20%. Tasted at Luxe Bar, $15.

Colour: Nightclub-influenced amber.

Nose: Quite light, some hay-like notes.

Palate: Grassy lemon sherbet.

Finish: Tobacco and straw notes, medium length, quite a dry mouthfeel.

Comments: I’d rate this one a little better than their other expressions I tasted in a Hellyers Road Tasting Flight recently. Though in my humble opinion, I have to say Hellyers Road is not quite in the same league when compared to the other Tasmanian distilleries like Lark and The Nant. Not bad though.

Whisky #230 – The Arran Malt Sleeping Warrior Single Malt

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IMG_3698The Arran Malt Sleeping Warrior Single Malt. Isle of Arran, Scotland. ABV: 54.9%. Tasted at home, $80 (bottle).

Colour: Deep copper.

Nose: Plenty of oak and some dry sherry notes.

Palate: Sherry abounds, but it’s not an overly sweet syrupy sherry taste. Oily warming mouthfeel, very rich intense flavours. Salted caramel and spice.

Finish: Dries quite quickly at the front of the palate, but the back of the palate there’s still some rich sherry flavours hanging out, just doing their thing. Long finish, gradual fade.

Comments: Collectively, the malts from Arran really have been one of the finds of the year for me. The Sleeping Warrior was vatted from a combination of whisky matured in ex sherry, bourbon and red wine casks. It’s probably not my favourite Arran I’ve had thus far, but geez it’s a top drop.

Whisky #229 – Gordon & Macphail’s Connoiseurs Choice Dailuaine 1995 Single Malt

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IMG_3697Gordon & Macphail’s Connoiseurs Choice Dailuaine 1995 Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 43.0%. Tasted at home, $50 (bottle).

Colour: Dark gold. But then holding the glass another way it’s more of a pale gold. Interesting.

Nose: Vanilla mainly, followed by oak. A hint of toffee.

Palate: Thin mouthfeel, but still packs a punch – plenty of rich, spicy flavours and alcohol heat. Oak, a touch of buttery toffee and dried fruit flavours too.

Finish: Medium to long finish, peppery notes dominate as the flavours fade.

Comments: Dailuaine Distillery is relatively unknown for most single malt drinkers (myself included prior to buying this bottle), with the vast majority of it’s production going into blends such as Johnnie Walker (cringe!). I’m happy to report this is a very decent whisky, though not perhaps as enjoyable as the other Gordon & Macphail’s Connoisseur Choice I recently tried, the Arran 1999.

Whisky #228 – Old Pulteney Noss Head Lighthouse Highland Single Malt

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IMG_3696Old Pulteney Noss Head Lighthouse Highland Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 46.0%. Tasted at Helvetica.

Colour: Very clear pale straw.

Nose: Beeswax, straw and some lemon. Which sounds interesting, but it’s really not that great.

Palate: Floral hay-like flavours, quite bright. Gentle alcohol warmth.

Finish: Oily mouthfeel, subtle sweetness. Warmth builds, but flavours subside quickly.

Comments: according to my friend Marc it’s more like a “Todd Carney Sauternes, exited as a yeast infection.” Not going to be a crowd pleaser. For me I’d rate it a little higher than Marc’s assessment but it’s only average, I wouldn’t go seeking it out. As a duty free only whisky I’m sure it won’t be hard to steer clear.

Whisky #227 – Talisker Port Ruighe (Port Finished) Single Malt

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IMG_3691Talisker Port Ruighe (Port Finished) Single Malt. Isle of Skye, Scotland. ABV: 45.80%. Tasted at Helvetica.

Colour: Copper amber.

Nose: My mate Marc picked up notes of a smokey damp pine forest. I got some sweeter toffee notes after a bit of time in the glass.

Palate: Much softer than the Talisker 10. Softer spice, still some smoke but not the fire.

Finish: Medium length, flavour fades from the front of the palate.

Comments: Toy palate, the port finish softens it a little compared to other Talisker offerings. Not all that inspiring however, though it’s certainly not a bad whisky, just middle of the road.

Whisky #226 – Glenfarclas 12 Year Old Single Malt

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IMG_3690Glenfarclas 12 Year Old Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at Sushia, $17.

Colour: Bronze.

Nose: Slightly nutty with a hint of sweetness. Much like my Scottish friend Shelly!

Palate: Salted caramel, much more salt than sweetness though. Plenty of oak.

Finish: Spice and cocoa; warm mouthfeel that builds slightly as the flavours fade.

Comments: Not as smooth as the Glenfarclas 15 nor does it have quite the depth of flavour, as you would expect. Not bad, but if this was a horse race and you had to back one, I’d be looking to its stablemate.

Whisky #225 – Royal Lochnagar Distillers Edition Double Matured Single Malt

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IMG_3689Royal Lochnagar Distillers Edition Double Matured Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at Lafayette, $20.

Colour: Amber, leathery brown.

Nose: A very soft perfume, a hint of sherry.

Palate: Toasted malt and sherry notes. Reminds me a little of the Auchentoshan Triple Wood, though it has been a while since I’ve tasted that so I hope my recollection is on the mark.

Finish: Dry; lots of oak. Some dried fruit notes hang around to remind you of it’s heritage.

Comments: Extra matured in old muscat barrels, after having spent its early years maturing in a combination of American oak & ex sherry barrels. I was a little surprised when I had a sip – it shares qualities more associated with sherry matured drams. I love muscat, so the influence from the muscat barrels is not as pronounced as I had hoped. Still a decent drop though.

Whisky #224 – Edradour 12 Year Old Caledonia Selection

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photoEdradour 12 Year Old Caledonia Selection. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 46.0%. Tasted at home, $55 (bottle).

Colour: Luscious deep copper. It’s a beautiful thing.

Nose: Sweet sherry goodness awaits. Mixed dried fruit aromas too.

Palate: Intense sherry and caramel flavours; a perfect balance of sweetness, spices and heat. Oily, syrupy mouthfeel. Amazing.

Finish: Long flavour fade, medium length for the heat. Soft pepper and toffee flavours.

Comments: This expression was apparently created when Edradour asked Scottish singer Dougie Maclean to select a single Oloroso cask and they named it after his most famous song, “Caledonia”. What a load of marketing hogwash.

All that bullshit aside, this is a stunning whisky – it makes me want to drink it all day. For many days on end. It has huge depth of flavour yet with that residual sweetness that makes you want to lick the inside of the glass to make sure you’ve gotten every last little drop. All of this from Scotland’s tiniest distillery, reportedly run by just three guys. Amazing stuff fellas.

Whisky #223 – Drambuie 15 Year Old Speyside Malt Whisky Liqueur

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IMG_3683Drambuie 15 Year Old Speyside Malt Whisky Liqueur. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at my mate Joel’s place (to wrap up the whisky tasting afternoon).

Colour: Amber gold.

Nose: Some subtle herbaceous notes.

Palate: Sweet honey; syrupy clove flavours.

Finish: Very smooth; some cinnamon notes to finish.

Comments: It’s certainly not as sweet as I had expected. At 43% I guess that shouldn’t surprise, but having only had liqueurs at typically around 20% I guess it’s quite a different beast. Much more towards the whisky end of a theoretical whisky-to-liqueur spectrum. I haven’t had the standard Drambuie liqueur to compare it with, but all in all a fine way to finish up the afternoon’s whisky tasting. The sweetness of the Drambuie 15 is definitely a welcome palate cleanser after all the peat we finished on with the Laphroig PX Cask, Bruichladdich Octomore and Blackadder Smoking Islay Raw Cask (Sherry Cask).