Month: September 2016

Whisky #433: Port Ellen 30 Year Old 1982 Single Malt – Old and Rare Platinum (Douglas Laing)

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img_7993.jpgPort Ellen 30 Year Old 1982 Single Malt – Old and Rare Platinum (Douglas Laing). ABV: 53.1%. Tasted at home, $145 (100mL bottle split).

We have come to the end of Peat Week here at Whisky a Day, so it’s only fitting we pull out the big guns. A 30 year old Port Ellen single malt should do the trick!

Colour: Rich gold.

Nose: A satisfying nose prickle; rich honey and smoke, quite earthy…think dusty bookshelves.

Palate: Smokey, yet a juicy fruitiness. Blueberries and prosciutto – salty meaty notes with a hint of sweetness.

Finish: Finish goes on for days…smokey, salty, tangy citrus, plenty of heat, and some spicy tomato soup flavours in the fade.

Comments: Some readers may be unfamiliar with Port Ellen, that’s likely to be due to the fact it is a defunct distillery from Islay which was shut down in 1983. They still do malting on site to supply other Islay distilleries, however the stills have long since ceased production. This Douglas Laing bottling of Port Ellen was from an outturn of only 139 bottles and was distilled in 1982 (only a year before the distillery was shut down).

With the existing Port Ellen stocks owned by Diageo, there are very limited releases, making Port Ellen both highly sought after and also pricey. This was a $1000 bottle of booze, so with some of my fellow whisky nutters from Dram Full Perth, we decided to splurge and grab a bottle of this and split it 7 ways. I’ve held on to this one for quite a while but decided to crack it open tonight.  A fitting climax to Peat Week, and a highly enjoyable dram.

And yes, I drank it all in one sitting…

Whisky #431: Talisker Storm Single Malt

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img_7978.jpgTalisker Storm Single Malt. Isle of Skye, Scotland. ABV: 45.8%. Tasted at home, $85.

Day 5 of Peat Week at Whisky a Day sees us return to more familiar climes, this time docking our tastebuds on the shores of the Isle of Skye on the Scottish west coast to check out the Talisker Storm.

Colour: Luscious Amber.

Nose: Sea salt and hessian sacks. Some soft woody notes and a touch of caramel fudge.

Palate: Butterscotch and smokey creaminess in flavour, but it’s not a creamy or oily mouthfeel. It’s a smooth entry, but quite thin on the palate.

Finish: Quite a drying finish, some lovely creamed honey flavours and a soft smokey fade.

Comments: A No Age Statement (NAS) release, this is really quite enjoyable. At 45.8% ABV it’s nicely balanced, the flavour intensity is there and yet it’s quite easy to drink. Not my favourite Talisker expression, but eminently drinkable and a great stepping stone into more heavily peated whiskies – be that in the one sitting, or if you’re just starting to explore the peated genre.

Talisker distillery on the stunning Isle of Skye. Very fortunate to have visited there on such an amazing day.

Whisky #430: The Glenrothes Peated Cask Reserve Single Malt

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img_7974.jpgThe Glenrothes Peated Cask Reserve Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 40%. Tasted at home, $130 (bottle).

Continuing the theme of peated whisky, for Day 4 of Peat Week I’ve again chosen a slightly different style of peated whisky…a Speyside peated expression from Glenrothes. It’s not actually peated spirit, but rather the whisky was finished by maturing for a short time in ex Islay casks. 

Colour: Dull gold, unpolished.

Nose: A very light nose; oaky lemon notes, but it’s extremely subtle. Also quite fresh – a bit like when you tear off some fresh leaves from a plant.

Palate: Juicy mouthfeel with a biscuity sweetness. Like taking a bite of an Arnott’s Nice biscuit, the ones with the sugar on top. Some citrus flavours too, like a ripe juicy mandarine.

Finish: Some gentle smoke finally appears, but again it’s very light. A drying, woody finish.

Comments: It’s quite lightly peated, in fact I found myself almost searching for some peat at times just because I know it’s a peated whisky. If you’re looking for a big, peaty, smokey whisky – these are not the drams you’re looking for. But as a slightly different twist on your typical Speyside style, it fits the bill. I’m not convinced that at $130 it presents great value, but it is certainly a very easy drinking whisky. Though I’d be much more inclined to grab a bottle of Monkey Shoulder at $55 a bottle for a somewhat similar flavour profile (but without the peat). It’s ok, but unfortunately doesn’t reach any great heights.

Whisky #429: Johnnie Walker Double Black Blended Scotch Whisky

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img_7968.jpgJohnnie Walker Double Black Blended Scotch Whisky. Edinburgh, Scotland. ABV: 40%. Tasted at home, $55 (bottle).

Peat Week, Day 3. Why should the single malts get all the peat? The Johnnie Walker Double Black is a blend with plenty of peat.

Colour: Light copper.

Nose: A little uninspiring; it’s a very light nose.  A hint of smoke and some sweet oaky notes, but you’ve really got to work hard to get many aromas.

Palate: Exceedingly smooth entry, an oily mouthfeel yet quite thin on the palate. Soft smoke and creamy woody notes – a bit like sucking on a ice cream stick after you’ve finished the ice cream.

Finish: Butter menthols and a gentle smokey fade, medium length.

Comments: Contrary to popular misconception, the Double Black is not merely the next step up in class from the Black Label in the Johnnie Walker range. While it is built upon a similar base to the Johnnie Walker Black Label, the Double Black adds peated Scottish west coast and island whiskies, some aged in casks that were deeply charred.

I found it to be a very lightly peated and somewhat lightly flavoured dram, yet very easy to drink. The kind of whisky you could drink and enjoy on auto-pilot when you get home from work. Perhaps not unsurprising for a blended whisky at 40% ABV and priced so keenly at $55 /bottle.

But in that respect it does have a place in your whisky collection. If you’re on a tight budget or are taking your first few tentative steps in exploring peated whisky, this is a good way to dip your toe in the water. Ditto if you want a cheap quaffing whisky for midweek drams, or for those friends who come around and you don’t want to pour a dram of your $300/bottle Bruichladdich Octomore Edition 6.3 Cask Strength Single Malt. Overall, a respectable whisky to have on hand, but certainly not one to race out and have at all costs.

Whisky #428: Lagavulin 200th Anniversary Limited Edition 8 Year Old Single Malt

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img_7955.jpgLagavulin 200th Anniversary Limited Edition 8 Year Old Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 48%. Tasted at home, $100 (bottle).

Colour: A very pale straw.

Nose: Sweet lemon sherbet, some faint floral notes – think rose petals. A few subtle bread and biscuit aromas…like opening a packet of buttery shortbread.

Palate: Such a smooth, oily mouthfeel as you take the first sip. The warmth and flavours quickly quickly build – a smokey, savoury, food-like saltiness. It reminds me of a crispy skin smoked salmon fillet; sea salt flakes sprinkled atop and the crispy caramelisation of the skin giving a few sweeter notes. Some bok choy with hoisin sauce on the side to provide that rich salty tang.

Finish: A few aniseed notes in the fade, black jelly beans or those Allen’s black cat lollies. A long drying finish, plenty of .

Comments: Light on for peatiness in the nose, but it saves its punch for the palate and the long, glorious finish. For me, it’s not an overly smokey whisky – but it packs loads of punch in terms of peaty, organic notes.

I actually found this one a bit challenging to review – it took a few drams to really unpick all the layers. Looking back on my tasting notes, maybe I was just over-analysing it…this is a reasonably simple whisky with some great flavours vying for your attention. It’s not as smooth or as smokey as the Lagavulin 16, nor as flavoursome as the Lagavulin 12 Year Old Cask Strength, but it definitely complements the lineup and doesn’t tread on the toes of its elder siblings. The Lagavulin 12 Year Old Cask Strength is still by far my favourite expression though.

Whiskies #425-427: Limeburners Peated Whisky Showcase

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img_7949.jpgIt’s Peat Week here at Whisky a Day!

Never one to conform to expectations, for round one I thought I’d mix things up a bit and kick off with some peated whisky that is NOT from Islay. So we’re heading to Western Australia, all the way down the bottom left hand corner of Australia to the town of Albany where the wonderful Limeburners Whisky is made. Long time readers will know that for a while now I’ve been a big fan of Limeburners, however it’s only been relatively recently that they’ve started releasing a few peated expressions.

Made using a locally sourced peat from Western Australia’s Great Southern region, near the ‘Valley of the Giants’ forest, this is a unique peat source that is not being used to make whisky anywhere else in the world. Tonight, we’re going to dive in to explore three peated Limeburners expressions:

  • Peated Single Malt M215
  • Heavy Peat Barrel Strength M227
  • Darkest Winter M348

img_7946.jpgLimeburners Peated Single Malt M215 (bottle 142 / 267). Great Southern Distilling Company. Albany, Western Australia, Australia. ABV: 48%. Tasted at home, $250 (bottle).

Colour: Golden wheat.

Nose: Very light, not very peaty at all. Like walking past a kitchen where you’ve just cooked your toast for breakfast.

Palate: Such a smooth entry, this isn’t like a typical peaty Islay malt from Scotland. Light and bready, like some fresh bread dipped in olive oil.

Finish: A juicy, tangy finish. Tart raspberries and char grilled steak. A gentle fade, with a hint of cool smoke.

img_7947.jpgLimeburners Heavy Peat Barrel Strength Single Malt M227 (bottle 179.1 / 216). Great Southern Distilling Company. Albany, Western Australia, Australia. ABV: 61%.

Colour: A slightly darker shade of gold.

Nose: A more intense nose than the Peated M215. Mossy, almost floral notes. Freshly lacquered timber.

Palate: Rich fresh fruit flavours – think strawberries, lemon zest and mandarine peel. Some beef jerky flavours too – lots of salty meaty goodness. Quite a smooth mouthfeel despite the 61% ABV.

Finish: A long and earthy finish; somewhat tangy and salty.

img_7948.jpgLimeburners Darkest Winter Single Malt M348 (bottle 185 / 212). Great Southern Distilling Company. Albany, Western Australia, Australia. ABV: 65.1%. Tasted at home, $250 (bottle).

Colour: Full gold – they’re all very similar hues, but of the three drams the Darkest Winter is the, um, darkest…

Nose: Rich toffee, sticky salted caramel cooking on the stovetop. Some soft smoke like a distant bushfire. With some time in the glass the smoke intensifies a little, with more of a salty sea spray aroma.

Palate: Now we get some rich, peaty notes. Not overly smokey, but more floral, organic notes; like biting into a juicy slice of cucumber. A rich oily mouthfeel.

Finish: Again a tangy, meaty fade. Much like the flavour sensation after eating a rich, salty piece of prosciutto.

 

Overall comments: These Limeburners are a very different beast to your stereotypical peated whiskies. The peat influence is more botanical than medicinal; less smoke but plenty of poke. The Heavily Peated was the winner of Australia’s Champion Whisky Trophy at the 2015 Australian Distilled Spirits Awards, yet I think it is definitely outshone by the Darkest Winter which was released in 2016. Outstanding stuff.

Maybe it’s just me, but in life I like to surprise people and take the road less travelled, to always have something up my sleeve that causes people to raise an eyebrow and open their eyes to something different. That’s what excites me about the Darkest Winter – it’s peat, but not as you know it. I’m glad I tasted it side by side with the Peated M215 and the award-winning Heavy Peat M227 – I think the Darkest Winter leaves the others out in the cold. Recommended.

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Peat Week! 7 Days of Peated Whisky

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img_7936.jpgIt’s Peat Week here at Whisky a Day! 7 days of peated whisky.

It’s been a rainy Sunday here in Sydney, one of those long lazy afternoons that you just don’t want to finish. Not because it’s been a particularly spectacular day, but mainly because it’s been a relaxing day that is soon to be cut short by the notion of heading back to work again tomorrow morning!

So with the last vestiges of cool weather lingering, I thought it the perfect excuse to have a peated dram. Which led me to think – bugger it, why not have a whole week of peated whisky? Exploring a few different styles of peated whisky?

To a lot of people, peated whisky equates to whisky from the island of Islay in Scotland. While there are many fine examples of peated whisky from Islay, I thought it would be interesting to also explore a few peated whiskies produced in other regions around Scotland as well as a little further afield.

So here’s this week’s lineup…

Some Australian whisky to start as we explore the peated range from Limeburners. Closely followed by the recently released (and much anticipated) Lagavulin 8 Year Old to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Lagavulin distillery. The Johnnie Walker Double Black then gets a call-up, highlighting that it’s not just single malts that get all the peat. Moving across to Speyside where we’ll dabble in some Glenrothes, followed by zipping back west to the Isle of Skye to sample the Talisker Storm. Then it’s back to the home of peaty whisky – Islay – for the Bowmore 18 Year Old, before finishing off the week in style with a very rare Port Ellen 30 Year Old bottled by Douglas Laing.

So strap in your tastebuds, slip into those comfy slippers and turn off the fire alarms…it could get a little smokey in here this week.

Whisky #424: Mortlach Special Strength Single Malt

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img_7913.jpgMortlach Special Strength Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 49%. Tasted at home, $120 (500mL bottle).

Colour: Light caramel.

Nose: Some sweet malty notes, a touch of lemon. But a little underwhelming to be honest.

Palate: Like how I imagine I approach the dance floor, it’s a smooth and cool entry. Others no doubt will have a different view! There’s a rich spiciness; toffee and pepper notes dance on the tongue. Muscatels and caramel fudge.

Finish: Quite a long warm tingle on the front of the palate with a long, drying mouthfeel to finish.

Comments: The nose didn’t suggest too much, but the palate is where this whisky is at. Quite pleasant, though as a travel retail exclusive (i.e. only available from duty free stores) I wouldn’t suggest planning an overseas trip for the sole purpose of grabbing a bottle.

Overall, it’s quite an easy drinking whisky with some nice flavours, the kind of dram you can pour and enjoy without thinking too deeply about it. And sometimes that’s just the kind of whisky you feel like, one that doesn’t require your full attention.

Whisky #423: Kininvie 17 Year Old Single Malt (Batch 001)

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img_7905.jpgKininvie 17 Year Old Single Malt (Batch 001). Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 46.2%. Tasted at home, $155 (375mL bottle).

No comments about the size of the dram compared to the size of the bottle (in my defence it’s only a 375mL bottle!)…it’s just been one of those weeks. Dave Brubeck Quartet and Sonny Rollins are the soundtrack this Thursday evening, it’s time to unwind.

Colour: Solid gold.

Nose: Honey and floral notes. Sweet and rich.

Palate: Subtle sweetness, malty biscuits with a hint of lemon sherbet.

Finish: A drying, tangy sensation on the front of the palate. Medium length.

Comments: Phenomenonally easy to drink. So much so that I got distracted from doing this review and emptied my glass without realising. Better pour another bucketo of whisky…

Perfectly balanced in terms of ABV and flavour, this is a whisky that will appeal to a broad spectrum of whisky drinkers. Distilled in 1996, then matured for 17 years in a combination 80% American Oak, 20% Sherry Cask. The Kininvie 17 is a travel retail exclusive…and good enough to start planning my next overseas trip so I can pick up another bottle. Recommended.

Whisky #422: Mackmyra Iskristall Swedish Single Malt

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img_7890.jpgMackmyra Iskristall Swedish Single Malt. Valbo, Sweden. ABV: 46.1%. Tasted at Norsk Dor, $24.

Today’s whisky sees me exploring a Swedish dram for the very first time. It’s only fitting seeing as I’m dining at Norsk Dor also for the first time, a Scandinavian restaurant set in a basement below Pitt St in downtown Sydney. It’s a restaurant that prides itself on setting a daily menu based on the best produce they can find on the day, much like the ethos of Whisky a Day when it comes to sourcing new and exciting drams. So after a fantastic set menu (the Wagyu bone marrow on rye was a standout), a cocktail and a couple of wines, it’s time to explore some Swedish whisky…there are about five Mackmyras behind the bar, but tonight the choice is the Mackmyra Iskristall.

Colour: Golden orange.

Nose: Buttery shortbread biscuits; it reminds you of Christmas.

Palate: Smooth entry, malty and slightly salty citrus with a nice sweet balance. Light mouthfeel, some creamed honey flavours in there too.

Finish: Quite a dry, oaky finish. Medium length, but a gentle sweet lemony tingle on the gums. Particularly noticeable on the upper gums in front of my teeth for some reason.

Comments: A very approachable whisky. It’s not overly complex, but to draw an analogy to white wine it drinks quite light, fresh and crisp. Much like some of the flavours on the menu at Norsk Dor really. Mycket trevligt!