Month: September 2014

Whisky #222 – Bruichladdich Octomore Edition 6.1 Cask Strength Single Malt

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IMG_3681Bruichladdich Octomore Edition 6.1 Cask Strength Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 57.00%. Tasted at my mate Joel’s place, $0 (courtesy of my trusted whisky tasting lieutenant).

Colour: Pale gold.

Nose: Meaty peat aromas, almost a bit musty.

Palate: Lots of peat & smoke; not as complex as I was hoping. Still a fantastic taste though!

Finish: Campfire smoke, hint of mint maybe? Looooong finish.

Comments: Despite its reputation as the peatiest whisky in the world, it didn’t taste as big and peaty as I had expected. I enjoyed the nose quite a lot, in fact I’m really starting to appreciate the peaty whiskies that also have a charcoal meaty kind of aromas and flavours. The Octomore is an interesting beast, one that I want to explore in more detail. Might have to organise another whisky tasting…around at Joel’s place again of course so I can have some more!

Whisky #221 – Laphroig PX Cask Single Malt

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IMG_3680Laphroig PX Cask Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 48.0%. Tasted at my mate Joel’s place, $0. (No, this wasn’t just me rocking around to Joel’s place and getting stuck into his whisky, I brought a couple of bottles of my own too!).

Colour: A striking, dark gold.

Nose: Much softer than other Laphroigs; there is a touch of sherry.

Palate: Ah there’s the peat. The sherry notes are lost, but it seems to have softened compared to your average Laphroaig.

Finish: Oaky peat notes. Medium to long finish. Maybe a slight hint of sweetness in the fade, but it’s very subtle.

Comments: The Laphroig PX has undergone triple maturation – firstly in ex-bourbon barrels, then American oak quarter casks, then finally in ex Pedro Ximenez casks. I’m not convinced it adds a lot flavour-wise, but the time in PX casks maybe softens the whisky a little. The PX is generally only available in duty free stores, and while it’s a good whisky I’m not about to book an overseas trip just to pick up a bottle.

Whisky #220 – Great Southern Distillery – Limeburners Barrel M37 Single Malt

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IMG_3677Great Southern Distillery – Limeburners Barrel M37 Single Malt. Albany, Western Australia, Australia. ABV: 61%. Tasted at my mate Joel’s place, $0 (Joel’s shout – well it was part of a whisky tasting swap).

Colour: Deep copper.

Nose: Bit of an alcohol prickle, suggests quite a hit to come. Sultana aromas too.

Palate: Candied dried fruit, overshadowed by the big alcohol heat.

Finish: Again the heat dominates, slowly filling your chest as it makes its way down. Long finish, a few meaty flavours in the fade.

Comments: A whisky to put hairs on your chest, bottled at a barrel strength of 61%. Not as refined as the other Limeburners I’ve tried so far (see the M104, M100, M67, M174).

Whisky #219 – Laphroaig Cairdeas Cask Strength Single Malt

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IMG_3644Laphroaig Cairdeas Cask Strength Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 51.20%.

Colour: Candlelit amber.

Nose: Strong smokey aromas, smoked meaty flavours.

Palate: Short oily smooth entry with hints of sultanas, very quickly fades to some smokey meat & peat flavours.

Finish: Smokey flavours at the front half of the palate, not as powerful as I was expecting – a good thing mind you, smoother. Quite a mouth-warming sensation in the fade.

Comments: Bam – peat bomb. It has more depth of character than other Laphroig’s I’ve had before. I like it.

Whisky #218 – Glenfiddich 12 Year Old Single Malt

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IMG_3641Glenfiddich 12 Year Old Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at Marquay restaurant, $12.

Colour: Dark gold. Not a bright spark.

Nose: Sweet honey, lemony scents.

Palate: More intense on the palate than I was expecting. Cinnamon, some subtle vanilla, but not a heap of sweetness.

Finish: Warm honey, sweet oak notes. Like many other mainstream single malts, I’ve resisted tasting whiskies like the Glenfiddich 12 as my strategy has been to try and choose some of the more unusual whiskies on offer at each bar and leave the more commonly available ones like the Glenfiddich 12 up my sleeve until the back end of the year when it may start to become challenging to find whiskies I’ve not tried yet. Having not tasted the Glenfiddich 12 for a long time, I was pleasantly surprised that it was as complex as it is – I guess I’d pigeon-holed it as being a common single malt so it must be quite simple. It’s a great malt; it’s certainly not got the depth or complexity of some whiskies I’ve tried this year, but it’s a great value, dependable and available almost everywhere.

Whisky #217 – Penderyn Madeira 41 Single Malt Welsh Whisky

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IMG_3633Penderyn Madeira 41 Single Malt Welsh Whisky. Penderyn, Wales, United Kingdom. ABV: 41.00%. Tasted at Helvetica, $19.

Colour: Ambery gold.

Nose: Earthy, hay-like; nose drying.

Palate: A bit grassy on the tongue too. Crisp entry, it’s direct – none of this slowly enveloping the palate with syrupy sweetness kind of caper.

Finish: Quite short and thin, somewhat sweet lemon notes to fade.

Comments: My second Penderyn of the year. The first wasn’t overly memorable, this one fares a little better but still I’m not about to go and pick up a bottle of it next time I’m at the bottlo. Why why why Delilah? Because it’s a little disappointing to be honest.

Whisky #216 – Balvenie Port Wood Finish 21 Year Old Single Malt

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IMG_3632Balvenie Port Wood Finish 21 Year Old Single Malt. Speyside, Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at Helvetica, $37.

Colour: Deep burnished gold.

Nose: Gorgeous nose. Sticky syrupy toffee with a hint of oak. The softest touch of smoke.

Palate: So smooth on the palate; sweet dried sultanas or muscatelles. A bit buttery but then some nutty tones too.

Finish: Oily mouthfeel, warmth delicately builds, sweet woody & tobacco notes emerge in the fade. I haven’t ever gnawed on a cigar box but imagine this to be like the delicious aftertaste.

Comments: It’s difficult to come up with any smartarse comments when you’re tasting a whisky that you find amazing. Simply a fantastic drop.

Whisky #215 – Tuthilltown Spirits Hudson Manhattan Rye

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IMG_3629Tuthilltown Spirits Hudson Manhattan Rye. Gardiner, New York State, United States. ABV: 46.00%. Tasted at home, $86 (bottle).

Colour: Deep coppery amber.

Nose: Lots of rye (unsurprisingly). Freshly hewn sawdust. Not a whole heap of other scents that I can detect.

Palate: Smooth and sweet entry, quite an oily mouthfeel. Vanilla aniseed flavours.

Finish: More aniseed and honey, medium length.

Comments: I previously tried the Hudson Baby Bourbon a little while ago and really enjoyed it, so I was keen to try the Hudson Manhattan Rye. I realise they are quite different beasts, but have to admit I much prefer the Baby Bourbon.