Month: December 2017

Whisky #515: Compass Box Oak Cross Blended Malt

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Compass Box Oak Cross Blended Malt. Scotland. ABV: 43%. Tasted at Whisky a Day HQ, $71 (bottle).

When the day is hotter than a shearer’s armpit, most sensible people reach for an ice cold beer. Or water. Or a cold shower.

But here at Whisky a Day HQ we like to push the boundaries a bit…what kind of whisky is best for when it’s so hot you feel like you’re about to melt into the lounge?

Personally, it’s not a rich warming whisky; definitely nothing peaty or smokey either. The antithesis to a ‘winter warmer’…something light on the palate and easy to drink.  Yet with enough flavour to keep the tastebuds interested as every other part of your body sure as hell isn’t interested in doing more than the bare minimum in this heat! The Compass Box Oak Cross Blended Malt seemed to tick most of those boxes…

Colour: Bright sunlight.

Nose: It may be hot but thankfully this is a more pleasant aroma than the aforementioned shearer’s armpit.

Palate: Like a whisky spritz – it’s light, zesty and a bit of a sing on the tip of your tongue. Sweet lemon sherbet and lemon tart; honey and black pepper too.

Finish: A fizzy, salty-sweet lemon and peppery tang. Medium length.

Comments: It’s a blended malt, comprising malt whisky sourced from Clynelish (60%), Dailuaine (20%) and Teaninich (20%) distilleries. All were originally matured in first-fill American oak barrels, then blended and filled into a combination of French and American oak for further maturation. A light and summery dram, it’s a whisky that you can pleasantly sip in hot weather and would go great with a few ice cubes to further take the edge off (and temperature down).

Whisky and Seafood – Whisky #513 & Whisky #514…Glenfarclas, Arran, King Crab and Lobster

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Whisky and Seafood – Whisky #513 & Whisky #514…Glenfarclas, Arran, King Crab and Lobster.

Whisky and seafood, two of my great passions. I’ve enjoyed many whiskies, but I’ve not enjoyed reviewing too many more than today’s lineup.

Today’s seafood – fresh WA Rock Lobster and king crab legs from the Sydney Fish Market. The king crab legs are so tender, juicy and salty; while the rock lobster is firmer with very creamy flesh but a more subtle shellfish flavour.

Full-flavoured seafood deserves full-flavoured whisky. So let’s dive in to a couple of contrasting drams…a sherry influenced Glenfarclas and a creamy, tropical fruit malt from Arran.

Whisky #513: Glenfarclas 10 Year Old Single Malt Bottled at 50% Exclusively for The Whisky Club. ABV: 50.0%. $130 (bottle).

Colour: Deep caramel.

Nose: An initial nose prickle when you first pour it in the glass. After it settles there’s dried raisins and strawberry marshmallows.

Palate: Almost a bit tannic, like some red wine finished whiskies. Golden syrup and burnt butter with caramel.

Finish: Dry, spicy and a slightly briny aftertaste.

Seafood combination: The Glenfarclas is better with the king crab, which softens the tannins and accentuates the sweetness of the whisky. Brings out some fresh raspberry notes too.

Whisky #514: Arran The Bothy Quarter Cask Single Malt (Batch 2). Isle of Arran, Scotland. ABV: 55.2%. $135 (bottle).

Colour: Bright orange gold.

Nose: Like sticking a pine needle up your nose – it’s fresh and green, tickles a little and makes you pull away initially before heading back for more. Fresh lemon, kafir lime leaves, BBQ’d pineapple slices, and top-notch vanilla ice cream. None of that generic reduced fat, bleached white bulshit you buy from a cheap supermarket – this is the full cream, full-flavoured stuff where you can see the real vanilla beans swirled through the real deal cream coloured frosty goodness.

Palate: Loads of caramelised pineapple, honey, vanilla, and soft fresh oak.

Finish: Creamy, oh so creamy. Zesty lemon sherbet. Fresh prawns on freshly baked white bread you’ve picked up from the bakery that morning. Lemon cheesecake with a crumbled ginger nut cookie pastry. Sweet ginger spiciness.

Seafood combination: With the lobster, the lemon sherbet and fresh oak shine through. The king crab brings brown sugar, buttery croissants and juicy pineapple to the fore.

Overall comments: As a whisky, the Arran The Bothy Quarter Cask leaves the Glenfarclas in the shade. Combined with seafood though and they both allow some flavours to be accentuated and others to emerge. But overall, the Arran The Bothy Quarter Cask is an amazing dram that marries stunningly with fresh seafood like king crab or lobster. Outstanding stuff.

Whisky #512: Twenty Third Street Distillery Hybrid Whisk(e)y

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Twenty Third Street Distillery Hybrid Whisk(e)y. Renmark, South Australia. ABV: 42.3%. $80 (bottle).

An unique proposition…one to scare off the purists? It’s a blend of imported Scotch whisky and American Bourbon that was then finished in some bourbon casks. Will it be a Frankenmonster or a bit of a surprise packet? Let’s find out…

Colour: Rich gold.

Nose: Grassy; freshly snapped lantana and pine needles. Quite fresh.

Palate: Quite light and sweet; delicate on the front of the palate. Honey and spice, with some black jelly beans on the tip of your tongue.

Finish: Short and sweet. Slightly overcooked Anzac biscuits and blueberry coulis.

Comments: A hybrid that wasn’t actually distilled at Twenty Third Street Distillery, but rather blended by the head distiller to create his perfect flavour profile. The distillery in its present incarnation was only founded in 2016, so at this stage they’re producing gin, vodka, brandy and this blended whisk(e)y using barrels of sourced elsewhere.

I came into this with intrigue (read: a healthy dose of scepticism), but was pleasantly surprised. Great value for money too. Light, bright and sweet, it’s the kind of whisky you’d pour to introduce a friend who has never tried whisky before. If Twenty Third Street Distillery can produce their own whisky in years to come with this flavour profile, I think they might do quite nicely.