Whisky tastings

Whisky #400: The Big Black Cock Single Barrel Single Malt Whiskey

March 5, 2016 by Whisky a Day 2 Comments

The Big Black Cock Single Barrel Single Malt Whiskey. ABV: 43%. Atherton Tablelands, Queensland, Australia. Tasted at The Wild Rover, $15.50.

Happy Mardi Gras weekend everyone! In keeping with the theme, please strap yourself on, I mean in – strap yourself IN – for a pun-tastic review of the Big Black Cock…

Colour: Spray tan orange. The eyes widen, it certainly looks like a mouthful.

Nose: It’s light; an almost bourboni-ish sweetness. Honey and butter on toasted white bread.

Palate: Contrary to conventional wisdom, it’s quite short on the palate. Malty sweetness, some cereal notes, a touch of hay. Somewhat surprisingly, it’s not a very big mouthfeel. Goes down easily though.

Finish: Short. Not something I thought I’d be saying about a big black cock.

Comments: You think it’d be bigger, maybe hurt a little as it slides down your throat. But it’s surprisingly easy to take.

Made in Far North Queensland in the Atherton Tablelands, from Queensland sourced malted barley and aged for 5 years. It’s a daring choice of name for a whisky, perhaps not one you’d tell your mum about. But you’d certainly brag to your friends about that one time you tasted it…

Whisky #399: The Balvenie Single Barrel First Fill 12 Year Old Single Malt

March 3, 2016 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

The Balvenie Single Barrel First Fill 12 Year Old Single Malt (2015 bottling). Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 47.8%. Tasted at home, $130 (bottle).

Colour: Crisp apple juice.

Nose: Reminds me of lemon frosted cake icing; sweet and creamy with a citrus tang.

Palate: Fruit juice concentrate – lots of sweetness but intense citrus (mainly orange and lemon) and tangy passionfruit. Medium bodied in flavour, lush creamy mouthfeel.

Finish: The warmth slowly builds, but doesn’t completely take over. Plenty of oak and honied pepper notes in the fade. Medium length.

Comments: It’s the kind of whisky you can pour when you’ve had a hectic day/week/month and you just want to relax. It’s strong enough that it packs some punch and demands your attention, yet the flavours are deliriously tasty that you can slide back into a comfy lounge, put on your relaxation music of choice and let the day’s worries slip away.

Whisky #398: The Arran Malt Lochranza Reserve Single Malt

February 25, 2016 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

The Arran Malt Lochranza Reserve Single Malt. Isle of Arran, Scotland. ABV: 43%. Tasted at home, $100 (bottle).

Colour: Pale brilliant gold.

Nose: Extremely light, to the point where a good swirl of the glass was required to really excite some of the aromas. Some more time in the glass revealed citrus, pine needles and freshly sawn timber notes. It’s all very fresh.

Palate: White peppery spice, vanilla and lemon cheesecake. Quite a dry mouthfeel.

Finish: A salty, drying finish of medium length – though the warmth and tingle around the front and mid palate outlasts the flavours.

Comments: Whilst as a typical Arran it is quite light and a little fruity (citrus driven rather than juicy stone fruits), it’s not as sweet or flavoursome as other malts I’ve enjoyed from them. I’ve got a soft spot for Arran as it’s a newish distillery (relatively speaking, established in 1995) and it was the first distillery in Scotland that I made a beeline for when I visited a while back. They produce some amazing whiskies for such a young distillery, but for me the Lochranza Reserve is ok but far from their best representation of the distillery’s style.

Whisky #397: SMWS 39.108 Baked Alaska

February 22, 2016 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

SMWS 39.108 Baked Alaska. 10 year old single cask from Linkwood Distillery. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 61.7%. Tasted at The Clock Hotel’s Whisky Room, $0 – a welcome dram to celebrate Dram Full Sydney’s 2nd birthday.

Colour: Pale golden straw.

Nose: An amorphous nose, it seems to change in waves with different flavours each taking turns at coming to the fore. Light and fruity on the nose, yet quite sweet. Chunks of dried pineapple. My Dram Full compatriot Garry described it as like orange brûlée. On top of the fruity notes, other aromas include ginger nut biscuits and caramelised condensed milk.

Palate: Sharp thin grassy notes on the front of the palate, as the waves of sweetness break like a bow wave around the outside of the mouth, leaving a syrupy coating. Creamy sweet mouthfeel.

Finish: Medium length yet a warming mouthfeel. Tingles on the front gums as the flavours linger on the mid palate.

Comments: The nose really reminded me of a Glenmorangie Nectar D’Or, yet more intense and focused. A Nectar reduction perhaps? This Linkwood certainly didn’t drink like a whisky at around 61% ABV, it was much smoother yet packed a big punch in terms of flavour, aroma and length. Which is what you want from a whisky.

A gathering of whisky fiends from Dram Full Sydney to celebrate Dram Full’s 2nd birthday. We are very fortunate in Sydney to have Andrew Derbridge, Cellarmaster & Director of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society in Australia (not to mention author of a fantastic whisky blog Whisky & Wisdom), as one of the main driving forces behind Dram Full in Sydney. Andrew very generously brought along this SMWS bottling for us Drammies to have a welcome drink before we got stuck into the Clock Hotel’s extensive range of whiskies. A cracking night was had, fantastic to catch up for an informal drink and meet other whisky fiends and talk bullshit about all things whisky.

Whisky #396: Glenlivet 1955 George & J.G. Smith’s Gordon & MacPhail 50 Year Old Single Malt

February 13, 2016 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Glenlivet 1955 George & J.G. Smith’s Gordon & MacPhail 50 Year Old Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 40%. Tasted at home, $225 (100mL bottle split). No, that wasn’t a typo…$225.

Colour: Golden syrup.

Nose: In a word, astonishing. It’s so delicate; like gently brushing your nose with a feather. Rose water, raspberry marshmallows, orange chocolate, warm caramel and a hint of cigar box. I’ve been just enjoying this nose for about five minutes now, words are failing me, it’s taken me away. I’d better take a sip!

Palate: Dry mouthfeel, with dusted cocoa and some soft oak. You can taste the influence from the sherry cask but it’s not a rich full frontal sherry bomb, nor is it overly creamy. Front and mid palate get all the fun.

Finish: Fades quickly to start, then the flavours linger ever so softly on the front and mid palate for quite a long time. Some slightly tart dried tropical fruit flavours emerge right at the end, mainly dried pineapple. Quite a soft finish overall.

Comments: Absurdly priced, but then again this is a 50 year old whisky (distilled in 1955, bottled in 2005). Along 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. Which is more financially responsible than dropping $1575 on a whole bottle and keeping it all to yourself. Yes, I’m trying to justify this purchase as being financially responsible…

The nose was stunning, right up there with some of the best I’ve had. I felt the palate and finish though left a little to be desired. They weren’t poor by any stretch, I think they were simply overshadowed by an exceptional nose. It’s not every day you get to drink a 50 year old whisky, so overall this was a special experience.

Whisky #395: Cadenhead Small Batch Speyside-Glenlivet 18 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt

February 11, 2016 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Cadenhead Small Batch Speyside-Glenlivet 18 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 62.80%. Tasted at my mate Joel’s place, $0 (ah it’s great to have good mates with nice whisky!).

Colour: Bright toffee.

Nose: Like a not-so-gentle tug on your nostril hairs, this one wants to rip out all unnecessary olfactory distractions and dominate your attention. Freshly cooked toffee, caramelised balsamic, creamed cheese and a hint of straw. It’s a big nose.

Palate: A satisfying tingle as the whisky dances around your mouth. Joel got toffee and peanut brittle, while I detected some tart raspberries. There’s almost a dusty sweetness; think salted caramel macaroons.

Finish: It’s a drying finish, slowly fading from the centre of your palate to the extremities. Very long, which is unsurprising given the high ABV.

Comments: It’s interesting – Joel thought the nose sweeter than the palate, I also got loads of sweetness and also some straw notes. Yet looking back on what we got on the palate there’s a fair bit of sugar too. In hindsight it’s a rich sweetness, definitely not saccharine. It’s rich and full bodied, lots of complex flavours without any of them dominating. One of those whiskies to enjoy sitting back and appreciating as it offers something different, especially as an independent bottling it’s quite different to your typical company-released Glenlivet.

Whisky #394: Heartwood Convict Resurrection 14 Year Old Cask Strength Tasmanian Single Malt

February 2, 2016 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Heartwood Convict Resurrection 14 Year Old Cask Strength Tasmanian Single Malt. Tasmania, Australia. ABV: 72%. Tasted at home, $230 (bottle).

A deeply contemplative dram…

Colour: Luscious, syrupy maple.

Nose: Like a chord hammered out on a Hammond organ, minor fifths and sevenths going everywhere. There’s a cacophony of notes that seep into your consciousness at different times as the aromas float into your head. A certain tension, but they are deliciously balanced and bring a smile to your face. Caramelised pineapple cooked on a BBQ, freshly baked carrot cake or even a hint of honey cake. Freshly hewn sawdust, musty bookshelves and lemon sherbet.

Palate: Rich, full and a mouth-tingling warmth. This is big. Sticky date pudding balanced out by a sharp heat and spiciness; like a lamb korma that bites initially, then the sweetness and spices take turns at dancing on your tongue. Mid and front palate get all the fun. A hint of tart raspberries.

Finish: Sweet and very long, as you might expect from a whisky at 72% ABV. Rich, intense sweet notes, like some treacle on warm damper with melted butter.

Comment: Distilled in March 2000, decanted December 2014, gracing an ex American oak port cask with its presence in the interim.

This is a whisky of contrasts. The kind of dram that you pour when you get home after a manic day at work. The kind of day when you just want to give a two-fingered salute to the world, drift away and switch off while listening to some jazz, with the 72% ABV and comforting flavours enveloping you and bringing you into its embrace. Miles Davis “Kind of Blue” is my choice of accompaniment tonight; a timeless classic and one of my favourites.

It’s also the kind of whisky that you pour if you want something complex and layered to analyse and enjoy. The sheer delight you get when a whisky makes you go back and pour another couple of drams just so you can keep enjoying it and getting to know it at a deeper level.

Yet it’s also one of those whiskies you pour when you feel like being a bit contemplative. The kind when you’re feeling a bit down, when you’re reminiscing. The whisky when you’re thinking about where you want to head in life; a whisky when you’re thinking about the long lost love who lives on the other side of the country and you wonder every day what might have been had circumstances been different and whether you’ll ever see her in the future.

For me tonight, it’s been all of those things.

Whisky #393: William McHenry & Sons Three Capes 10 Year Old Single Malt

January 29, 2016 by Whisky a Day 2 Comments

William McHenry & Sons Three Capes 10 Year Old Single Malt. Tasmania, Australia. ABV: 43.5%. Tasted at The Wild Rover, $17.

Colour: Light copper.

Nose: Quite a light nose; leather and toasted mash aromas.

Palate: Slightly sharp and a little tart. Much like one of my exes. Quite a thin mouthfeel.

Finish: A front and mid palate tingle lingers slightly longer than the flavours; straw and malty tones predominantly.

Comment: Distilled and aged at Tasmania Distillery (home of Sullivans Cove) on behalf of William McHenry & Sons. It’s an easy drinking, inoffensive whisky but doesn’t challenge your tastebuds. It’s the whisky equivalent of of a crisp, clear and very light lager. Not a bad way to start the evening, but you’re probably not going to stick with it all night for the rich flavours.

A shout out to the guys at The Wild Rover (especially for the judicious placement of the menu in the pic above!). A great whisky list and great chatting to you!

Whisky #392: New World Projects Double Cask Release #1 Single Malt

January 27, 2016 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

New World Projects Double Cask Release #1 Single Malt. New World Whisky Distillery, Essendon, Victoria, Australia. ABV: 48.6%. Tasted at home, $140 (bottle).

Yesterday was Australia Day and we took a look at a lesser known Australian whisky, Dobson’s Belle Epoque Cask Strength Single Malt. I thought bugger it, let’s make this Australia week. All Aussie whiskies, all week. Let’s head south to Melbourne and check out one from New World Whisky Distillery. Enjoy!

Colour: Luminescent amber. Keeping with the Aussie theme, to paraphrase (and with apologies to) The 12th Man…”Luminescent amber?! That’s Australian gold my friend and don’t you f*ckin’ forget it!”

Nose: Vanilla sponge cake; some zesty yet sweet citrus notes too; slight nose prickle.

Palate: A cool and light mouthfeel on entry, the flavours seem to concentrate down the middle of your tongue closely followed by some building heat. Cigar box, spice and summery fruit salad flavours…like you’ve just smoked a cigar on a hot summer’s afternoon after having a mojito. Ah, take me back to Cuba and sunset cigars and mojitos at the Hotel Nationale in Havana…

Finish: A drying finish, quite long on the mid palate with some dried fruits (think sultanas or raisins). An interesting balance, a touch of sweetness and peppery notes to conclude.

Comments: Another fine project whisky from New World Whisky Distillery, the Australian whisky producers more widely known for Starward whisky. It is a marriage of whisky matured in two Australian Tawny Port casks, one first fill and the other second fill. This was one of the whiskies I selected as part of my “Rebuilding a Whisky Collection – The $1000 Challenge“, have to say I’m quite pleased with this one. It’s not going to be a whisky that you’ll take one sip and it will change your life, but I have a sneaky feeling that the more drams I have the more fond of it I will become.

Whisky #391: Dobson’s Belle Epoque Cask Strength Single Malt

January 26, 2016 by Whisky a Day 1 Comment

Dobson’s Belle Epoque Cask Strength Single Malt. New England Highlands, New South Wales, Australia. ABV: 60.0%. Tasted at Saint John Craft Beer Bar (Launceston, Australia), $15.

Happy ‘Straya Day! Being our national day and celebration of all things Australian, it’s only appropriate that we take a look at an Aussie whisky. I came across this bottle of Dobson’s Belle Epoque at a craft beer bar in Launceston, Tasmania.

Colour: Burnt copper.

Nose: Lightly peated with a slight nose prickle. Almost some meaty peat aromas; like sticking your nose over a pot of fresh bolognese sauce cooking on the stovetop, but with a hint of sweetness as you pull your nose away.

Palate: Opens up on the mid & back palate then the heat slides down as your swallow. My mate Joel gets some burnt toffee notes; I get a spicy, peppery sweetness with some campfire smoke.

Finish: An extremely dry finish. Warmth tingles on the front of the tongue and the roof of your mouth.

Comments: I hadn’t previously heard of Dobson’s, which is understandable as it is a tiny operation located in the village of Kentucky NSW, about 5.5 hours drive north of Sydney and situated at Eastview Estate where they also have a winery, brewery, restaurant and speakeasy bar. And a spectacularly irreverant back story on their website (check it out here at http://www.eastviewestate.com/whiskey.html).

For such a small operation, this is a cracking whisky. Complex, with great depth of different flavours and mouthfeel, overall it’s great drinking. I’d be keen to track down some more of this one.

Handmade in “absurdly small quantities”

Whisky #390: Amrut Peated Indian Single Malt

January 1, 2016 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Amrut Peated Indian Single Malt. Bangalore, India. ABV: 46.00%. Tasted at home, $120 (bottle).

Colour: Liquid fire.

Nose: A slight prickle as some ginger biscuit and sweet peat aromas announce themselves. The peat is a lot more subtle on the nose than say your typical Islay peated malts.

Palate: Bam – like a kick to the mouth, it’s a full frontal assault on your laughing gear. Intense toasted cereal, honeycomb and peat flavours are all vying for the attention of your tastebuds.

Finish: A long warm fade, the peatiness and warmth very gradually dissipates. Soft and sweet woody notes too. Chocolate and honeycomb flavours right at the death, like you’ve just finished devouring a Crunchie bar.

Comments: It’s a creeper, almost an ambush. The nose entices you with its alluring subtleties, then you walk around the corner and you get punched in the mouth. As you wipe away a bit of claret from the corner of your mouth you can almost taste the metallic spiciness and warmth filling your mouth. Different to your typical Scottish peated malt, and that’s not a bad thing.

Whisky #389: Tyrconnell Madeira Cask 10 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey

December 30, 2015 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Tyrconnell Madeira Cask 10 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey. Riverstown, Dundalk, Ireland. ABV: 46.0%. Tasted at The Wild Rover, $20.

Colour: Caramelised popcorn.

Nose: Exceedingly smooth, light and fruity. Strawberries and cream, rosewater, and soft candied oranges. Some very subtle aromas here, it’s not a powerful punch at all.

Palate: Very subtle dried fruits on the mid palate that quickly fade. Tangy raspberry hints dance on the taste buds. Sweet woody notes, with a great balance between saltiness and sweetness.

Finish: Quite drying and woody. Very smooth as it glides down.

Comments: My colleagues Candice and Johad a taste, both are non-whisky drinkers who found it surprisingly easy enough to drink neat. For me there’s plenty of interesting flavours and aromas to keep me interested too, so it seems to have struck a good balance of pleasing a variety of palates.

It reminds me more like a red wine finished whisky such as some of the Longrow wine cask finished malts, the Longrow Burgundy Wood or Longrow Red Cabernet Sauvignon (but without the peatiness). Which is a little unusual as they’re Scottish malts, but hey I’m not geographically snobbish when it comes to whisk(e)y…I’ll drink it from anywhere!

Whisky #388: Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition Irish Whiskey

December 26, 2015 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition Irish Whiskey. Dublin, Ireland. ABV: 40.0%. Tasted at Bobèche (Perth), $11.

Colour: Rich burnished copper.

Nose: Surprisingly light. Aromas tease like a Bounty chocolate bar that’s just been bitten into – plenty of coconut and chocolate.

Palate: Grassy honey notes on the mid palate.

Finish: Quite short and thin. Sweet cream cheese and honey notes. Savoury yet sweet; but not too sweet. A slight woody after-taste.

Comments: A very interesting prospect, the Jamesons Caskmates Stout Edition has been finished in stout-seasoned casks. It’s not as intensely flavoured as I might have expected. Very smooth and light, not the stoutish nutty chocolate or coffee hints that I anticipated might have come through.

I recently returned to Perth for a short visit to catch up with friends and it was awesome to drop into one of my favourite old haunts Bobèche and catch up with James behind the bar for a dram. Thanks to Joe, James and all the Bobèche crew for the Christmas card…the less said about those Christmas sweaters the better!

A special shout out to all Whisky a Day readers, I hope you’re all enjoying a special whisky a day over the festive season and relaxing with close family and friends.

Slàinte,

Todd aka Whisky a Day

Joe and the team from Bobèche in some ridiculously awesome and cringe-worthy Christmas sweaters

Whiskies #382-387: Scotch Malt Whisky Society Winter Tasting

August 13, 2015 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Whiskies #382-387: Scotch Malt Whisky Society Winter Tasting. Royal Automobile Club, Sydney. $85.

Since Whisky a Day only recently located from Perth to Sydney a month ago, the first SMWS tasting event was locked into the calendar. Excellently hosted by the SMWS Australian Cellar Master Andrew Derbidge, last night’s tasting was an overview of six of the Society’s latest releases.

Whisky #382: 64.54 Sweet and Tart, Subtle and Delicate. 10 year old bottling from Mannochmore Distillery. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 56.3%.

Colour: Pale straw.
Nose: Pine needles, wood chips, and sherbet.
Palate: Tangy lemon, peppery spice, with some cheesecake flavours to round off.
Finish: White pepper with a long, salty tingle and generous warmth around the mouth. Like the sensation of sucking the lemon after you’ve just downed a shot of good tequila. The oily warmth lingers longer than the flavours, but in a comforting way.

Whisky #383: 35.133 Mediterranean Maharaja goes Americana. 20 year old bottling from Glen Moray Distillery. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 55.8%.

Colour: Rich honey.
Nose: It’s a very bourbon-ish nose which hits you immediately. Fennel and spiced mead; sweet oaky notes with some time in the glass.
Palate: Spiced honey, cocoa, sultanas and spiced fruit toast.
Finish: Quite a short, drying finish with some savoury biscuit notes.

Whisky #384: 46.25 Soft, Elegant and Intensely Creamy. 21 year old bottling from Glenlossie Distillery. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 46.4%.

Colour: Pale apple juice.
Nose: Fresh apples in a wet hessian sack. Ok, so I got fresh apples and I separately got some wet hessian notes, but seeing as the tasting was being conducted in the Royal Automobile Club where anoraks abound, I thought I’d better combine the two descriptors and really turn the wankiness up to 11. My eminent whisky tasting neighbour Dave picked up notes like walking past a makeup counter through a department store.
Palate: Baked pears, some sweet caramelised flavours too. A cool, creamy mouthfeel; reminds me of fruit salad atop a freshly baked pavlova.
Finish: Passionfruit syrup and vanilla ice-cream. Very light and delicate.
Comments: This was my favourite whisky if the night. Quite a low ABV for a cask strength bottling, but it’s just so easy to drink and keeps begging you back for more. So much so that I ordered a bottle so I could do precisely that.

Whisky #385: 119.14 Raspberry Imperial Stout. 11 year old bottling from Yamazaki Distillery. Japan. ABV: 53.9%.

Colour: Wow. Deep rich toffee. I started enjoying this one long before I picked up the glass.
Nose: It’s a huge sherry bomb, simply divine. It reminds me a lot of the nose you get from some Glendronach malts, particularly the Glendronach Allardice 18 year old and Glendronach 21 year old. Though it’s more intense and syrupy than you’ll find say on the Glendronach 15 year old.
Palate: Syrupy Christmas cake spice, oily mouthfeel. Yes that sounds quite stereotypical for a malt matured in ex sherry casks, but boy is this a fine example of the style. An amazing drop. Some dark chocolate and cherry notes come through too.
Finish: Paradoxically for a syrupy whisky, the finish is quite drying. Huge legs on the glass.
Comments: In a blind tasting, I would have picked this to be a Speyside malt as it is a fine example of the sherried malts so often produced from that region. Yamazaki have done brilliant work with this one.

Whisky #386: 66.66 Ginger Makes Fred Smile. 10 year old bottling from Ardmore Distillery. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 61.9%.

Colour: Pale translucent copper; almost a rosey tinge.
Nose: Flame grilled steak, salted caramel and smoked salmon.
Palate: Smoked ham hock and beef jerky. It’s smokey with a hint of fruity sweetness; reminds me of a slice of juicy pineapple on the BBQ.
Finish: Super long and sumptuous.
Comments: Matured in a first fill white wine hogshead, which is both quite unusual but also an amazing choice for this malt. I enjoyed it so much I ordered a bottle on the spot.

Whisky #387: 3.234 Scallops Cooked on a Puffer Shovel. 16 year old bottling from Bowmore Distillery. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 57.5%.

Colour: Pure gold.
Nose: Caramel popcorn is the first thing that hits. Orange chocolate and soft straw notes too – like a handful of straw thrown on a campfire.
Palate: Salty blackcurrant pastilles and caramelised bacon. Hmmm, bacon… *drool*.
Finish: A building meaty saltiness with a very long, mouthwatering finish.
Comments: An Islay malt from Bowmore that has been perfectly matched to a refill sherry butt to produce those delicious caramelised meaty flavours. Though I think the nose is the winner here, simply divine. Some would say that there’s lots of smoke here both on the nose and on the palate, and they’d be 100% right…for me the smoke is there in droves, but it somehow takes a back seat to the amazing array of other flavours and aromas that are layered here.

Whisky #381 – 2014 Lagavulin 12 Year Old Limited Edition Cask Strength Single Malt

August 10, 2015 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

2014 Lagavulin 12 Year Old Limited Edition Cask Strength Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 54.40%. Tasted at my good mate Kiwi’s place, $130 (bottle).

Colour: Crisp, crystal clear gold.

Nose: Sweet meaty notes, like bacon and maple syrup. Light sweet smoke, camphor, buttery prickly ash.

Palate: Sea salt with a buttery lemon tang. Caramelised shellfish, like the flavours you get when you’ve grilled lobster tail or fresh bugs on the BBQ. Full flavoured without being overpowering.

Finish: Quite a long, salty and drying finish; some mocha notes too. With time in the glass the finish also seems to deliver some more smoke & flavours more akin to the Lagavulin 16 year old, yet in a more delicate way. Some residual warmth; powdery cocoa & oaky vanilla notes in the slow, gentle fade.

Comments: A much more crisp and nuanced dram than the Lagavulin 16; a lot less smoke but there is still the expected element of Islay peat that you would hope from a Lagavulin. It’s been matured in American oak rather than ex Sherry casks like its 16 year old stablemate, and bottled at a natural cask strength of 54.4%.

I have to admit I took a while to taste this one, which involved topping up the glass a number of times. In part because it’s quite a smooth yet multi-layered dram that seems to reveal just a little more with each sniff or sip, but also partly because I was enjoying it so much and it’s so easy drinking that I simply got blissfully distracted from the task at hand.

Whisky #380 – Bruichladdich Octomore Edition 6.3 Cask Strength Single Malt

August 3, 2015 by Whisky a Day 1 Comment

Bruichladdich Octomore Edition 6.3 Cask Strength Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 64.00%. Tasted at my good friend Kiwi’s place, $298 (bottle).

Colour: Brilliant deep golden.

Nose: Sweet, cool smoke. Vanilla sponge cake, raspberry & dark chocolate. Like the faint whiff of a fireplace burning in a distant cabin on a crisp winter evening in the mountains.

Palate: Intense yet crisp; salty and smokey. Salted caramel and smoked cod. Lemon sorbet notes too; tangy yet a hint of sweetness.

Finish: Long and full. A zesty and salty tang, gently tingling the front of the palate while the flavours linger all around the mouth.

Comments: Octomore 6.3 was a much anticipated expression from Bruichladdich, representing their first release utilising barley grown on the island of Islay. Due to Islay’s harsh climate, the yield from this crop was quite low, so I don’t see this being a movement that Bruichladdich will make for all of their production, but will likely continue for special expressions like the Octomore 6.3. And geez, this is a pretty special dram.

This barley was peated to 258ppm, which is ridiculously high. To put this in perspective, the Octomore 6.1 (which previously held the mantle of the world’s peatiest malt) contains 167 phenol parts per million, whereas a run of the mill Ardbeg 10 year old contains around 55ppm.

Right after tasting the Octomore 6.3 I re-tasted the Octomore 6.1, which is a whisky I came to appreciate more and more over the past 12 months (read: 3 bottles worth). Looking back now, my initial tasting notes from last September don’t do the Octomore 6.1 justice (perhaps because I’d also tried another half dozen whiskies that day). I love the 6.1’s smooth, chocolatey and smokey notes that build, with some delicious caramelised char-grilled meaty flavours. It’s a slightly smoother drop than the 6.3, which is a little more upfront. That said, both Octomores are very much slapping you in the face and bursting with flavour.

Overall, I think I prefer the 6.1 as it’s a little more balanced, but the 6.3 is a brilliant expression with a slightly fuller flavour. Which is a little like comparing two top end Ferraris and saying that one has slightly more horsepower than the other, when in reality you just want to enjoy two magnificent creations of impeccable pedigree.