Whisky tastings

Whisky #379 – Glenglassaugh Evolution Single Malt

July 27, 2015 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Glenglassaugh Evolution Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 57.2%. Tasted at my good friend Kiwi’s place, $27 (100mL bottle split).

Colour: Extremely pale straw.

Nose: Grassy notes with a citrus prickle.

Palate: Lemon sherbet zings on the front of the palate. White pepper and oak notes too.

Finish: Warmth tingles on the front of the palate and all around the mouth. It’s quite a long and dry finish with some salty lemon notes.

Comments: Making use of first fill ex-bourbon casks (from George Dickel I believe), there’s definitely an abundance of fresh oak and peppery notes but not much evidence of the typical honeyed vanilla flavours you might expect. There’s a freshness about it and some nice flavours going on, but it’s not a mouthfeel that I really warm to – it just comes across as a little too young and brash. It represents one of the NAS releases since Glenglassaugh was brought back to life, the distillery having been mothballed from 1986 until it was refurbished and recommenced production under new ownership in 2008.

Having moved from Perth across to Sydney for work, I couldn’t bring my entire whisky collection…some of that was bequeathed to a few of my good mates before I departed. However I did pick up a handful of 100mL bottle splits before I left as they were much more easily transportable and also provide the opportunity to try a broader range of whiskies without lashing out on a full bottle. Stay tuned for a few more shortly, there’s a couple of interesting ones coming up!

Whisky #378 – Great Southern Distillery – Limeburners Port Cask Barrel M175 Single Malt

July 21, 2015 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Great Southern Distillery – Limeburners Port Cask Barrel M175 Single Malt (bottle 300.2 of 344). Albany, Western Australia, Australia. ABV: 43%. Tasted at my good mate Kiwi’s place.

Colour: Pinky orange Turkish delight.

Nose: Cinnamon, honey and rose petals.

Palate: Vanilla spice; hot buttered fruit toast with a smattering of raspberry jam.

Finish: Quite a drying finish; spiced fruits with a warming fruit tingle at the front of the palate. Actually, kind of like letting a pink Fruit Tingle sweet sit on the tip of your tingle and slowly dissolve.

Comments: The port flavours came through more in the finish, but definitely not in an overly syrupy, sweet kind of way. It’s a whisky of contrasts – on the one hand it’s very easy to drink, not brash or in your face. Yet it has this subtle complexity that you could sit there and really analyse the multitude of layers if you so choose.

I chose to have this Limeburners as my first whisky in Sydney since moving back here from Perth last week. I thought it fitting that I should bring a little piece of Western Australia over with me and introduce Limeburners to some of my Sydney friends. Sitting here at my mate Kiwi’s place overlooking the Harbour Bridge, it’s really the perfect drop to contemplate how things have changed, but also reflect on how good it is to be back in Sydney too. I look forward to sharing some more Limeburners malts with my Sydney friends soon, they really are producing some cracking whisky over there in the wild west.

Whisky #377 – Bell’s Finest Old Blended Scotch Whisky

July 10, 2015 by Whisky a Day 1 Comment

Bell’s Finest Old Blended Scotch Whisky. Scotland. ABV: 43%. Tasted at the City Park Motel & Apartments, Wagga Wagga (the town so good they had to name it twice). $0 – courtesy of my able road trip buddy Pete.

Colour: Dehydrated truckie’s piss. Bear with me, continuing the road trip theme…

Nose: Floral notes, a touch of fresh strawberry then a funny prickle in your nose as you pull away from the glass. Pete got a hint of oak & sultanas with an antiseptic kick at the end.

Palate: Like licking a dried ice cream stick. Mixed spices with a very faint hint of vanilla. The mouthfeel is as dry as some 3 day old roadkill across the Nullarbor Plain.

Finish: Medium length, quite a drying finish with a dried oaky fade. Slightly bitter aftertaste for Pete. Bit of an alcohol burn as it passes down into your belly. The aftertaste is actually mildly pleasant, mixed spices.

Comments: I tried this one with Pete as we neared the end of a 12 day, 5500km road trip across Australia from Perth to Sydney. I’m really looking forward to starting a new job in Sydney next week, but I’m also looking forward to explore the Sydney whisky scene.

After such long days on the road, it’s been good to unwind with a dram, but unfortunately isolated roadhouses in the middle of Australia don’t have the best whisky selection. Luckily I brought a dozen of my favourite bottles with me for the ride!

Pete helpfully threw in this little bottle of Bell’s for a bit of a laugh to give us something interesting to taste & for me to review. It’s not a particularly complex whisky, but to be fair it’s probably not aiming to be a world beater. It’s surprisingly better than I had anticipated. Like a roadhouse motel in the middle of Australia, you’re thankful for the comfort it provides but you don’t have high expectations. Perfectly quaffable, but I’m not about to rush out and buy a bottle.

Whisky #376 – SMWS 123.9 The Big Fat Tipsy Wedding

July 3, 2015 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

SMWS 123.9 The Big Fat Tipsy Wedding. 16 year old single cask from Glengoyne distillery, Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 56.6%. Tasted at home, $258 (bottle).

Colour: Rich caramel.

Nose: Golden syrup, honeycomb, dusty bookshelves. My mate Pete had a nose and got blackcurrants, sultanas and muscat.

Palate: Tangy, spicy, orange syrup flavours – think Duck a l’Orange, but with an Asian twist – star anise, cinnamon and cloves. It actually reminds me of Kylie Kwong’s crispy skin duck from her Sydney restaurant Billy Kwong. Fantastic stuff.

Finish: Drying tobacco notes, like the aftertaste of a good cigar.

Comments: Like attending any wedding, your mind drifts to loves you’ve had and lost, those you’ve missed because of unfortunate timing, or those in the wedding party that you wouldn’t mind, ahem, getting to know a little better. Drinking this dram caused my mind to wander, contemplating not just these aforementioned things but also musing at the amazing complexity of this whisky. I also wonder what whisky I will serve at my own wedding some day…surely a top shelf cask strength one at the wedding party’s table, as I’m sure I’ll only marry a woman who is a massive whisky fan!

Whisky #375 – New World Projects Ginger Beer Cask Finished Starward Single Malt

June 30, 2015 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

New World Projects Ginger Beer Cask Finished Starward Single Malt (Cask #2). Essendon, Victoria, Australia. ABV: 47.70%. Tasted at home, $120 (bottle).

Colour: Luminescent amber.

Nose: Candied ginger, it really hits you straight away. Fresh pineapple and citrus notes, mainly limes.

Palate: Prickles on the front half of the palate. Lots of ginger (obviously), but also an intense combination of mixed spices, mainly cloves and cinnamon.

Finish: Sharp and tangy finish, a little sweet too. Reminds me of being a kid and you’ve just had too big a spoonful of lemon sherbet Wizz Fizz. Delightful.

Comments: This is a very unique proposition, unlike any other whisky I’ve tried before. It’s essentially a standard Starward Single Malt that has been extra matured for 3 months in a cask that contained barrel fermented alcoholic ginger beer…which the guys from New World Whisky Distillery using their trademark malted barley, fresh ginger and a blend of aromatics. It’s so complex and interesting that you almost could be forgiven thinking it wasn’t a single malt. I like it, but it’s not the kind of whisky that you would have more than a dram or two in a sitting. In any case, its supply is very limited so I want to stretch this bottle out as long as I can. A surprisingly different dram that’s for sure.

Whisky #374 – 2000 Smiths Angaston 14 Year Old Single Malt

June 28, 2015 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

2000 Smiths Angaston 14 Year Old Single Malt. Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia. ABV: 43.5%. Tasted at home, $120 (bottle).

Colour: Bright sticky toffee.

Nose: Outstanding – some sweet dried fruits, rich oak and hessian. Like a Columbian playboy I could snort this all day.

Palate: Salted caramel, rich fruits; chewy, oily mouthfeel. Like biting into a moist Christmas cake.

Finish: Spicy vanilla flavours with a long fade and a slightly drying finish. A warm tingle as the alcohol subsides.

Comments: Franklin barley from Tasmania, malted at Coopers Brewery in Adelaide, then distilled at Angaston in the Barossa Valley.

Whisky #373 – Starward Single Malt Wine Cask Edition I

June 27, 2015 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Starward Single Malt Wine Cask Edition I, New World Whisky Distillery. Essendon, Victoria, Australia. ABV: 41%. Tasted at home, $80 (bottle).

Colour: Lustrous deep copper. Wow.

Nose: Turkish delight, smooth oak. It really does remind you of when you’re on a winery tour and you sneak off at the back and stick your nose into a wine barrel just to see what it smells like.

Palate: Quite light and smooth, the flavour sits on the mid palate. Creamy and fruity, like grabbing a handful of Allen’s strawberries and cream lollies.

Finish: Medium length, some salted toffee notes in the fade.

Comments: Fantastic to see the guys from New World Whisky Distillery releasing some new expressions to compliment their core Starward Single Malt, which itself is a top quality whisky and cracking value for money. I was fortunate to pick up this bottle from their cellar door in Essendon Fields in Melbourne, if you get a chance I’d recommend heading out there as they often have some interesting limited release project whiskies available to sample. Some innovative and high quality stuff happening with these boys, I look forward to future releases if this Starward Single Malt Wine Cask Edition I expression is anything to go by.

Cellar door tasting at New World Whisky Distillery

A few of the very interesting project whiskies available to taste at the cellar door

Whisky #372 – Cadenhead Creations 20 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky

June 26, 2015 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Cadenhead Creations 20 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky. Scotland. ABV: 46%. Tasted at The Salopian Inn (McLaren Vale, South Australia), $18.

Colour: Burnt caramel.

Nose: Creamy toffee, with a very faint alcohol tickle of the nostrils.

Palate: Strawberries and cream, but not too sweet. Berry compote and honey on pancakes.

Finish: Medium length, mid palate finish.

Comments: Surprisingly not like your traditional sherry bomb, though it’s interesting in that it’s not too common to find a blended whisky that’s been aged in sherry casks. It’s a blend of grain whisky from Cameronbridge and Invergordon, and malts from Bruichladdich and Mortlach. Quite a unique drop, particularly being a 20 year old. Recommended.

Whisky #371 – White Oak Distillery Tokinoka Blended Whisky

June 25, 2015 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

White Oak Distillery Tokinoka Blended Whisky. Akashi, Japan. ABV: 40%. Tasted at Must Wine Bar.

Colour: Light yellowy amber.

Nose: Slight prickle; straw & faint toffee notes.

Palate: A very cool entry. Toasted malty flavours.

Finish: Dry, grassy, some bamboo shoot afternotes. Quite short.

Comments: Not all that inspiring. Apparently Tokinoka means “fragrance of time” in Japanese – unfortunately for me I’d rather spend my time nosing something with a bit more body and character.

Whisky #370 – Gordon & MacPhail Speymalt From Macallan Distillery Single Malt

June 23, 2015 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Gordon & MacPhail Speymalt From Macallan Distillery Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 43%. Tasted at home, $80 (bottle).

Colour: Sparkling brass.

Nose: Creamy caramel fudge, a hint of almonds too. Delicious.

Palate:Biscuits, lemon cheesecake. Quite a dry mouthfeel, not very sweet which surprises given the nose.

Finish: Shorter than I was expecting, only medium length and quite a drying finish. Some white pepper notes in the fade.

Comments: Very decent, especially the nose. Though not quite as fruity or full bodied on the palate as I had hoped it might be after it flirted with my nostrils, you saucy thing you.

Whisky #369 – The McGibbon’s Provenance Highland Park 1998 Summer Distillation 14 Year Old Single Malt

June 11, 2015 by Whisky a Day 2 Comments

The McGibbon’s Provenance Highland Park 1998 Summer Distillation 14 Year Old Single Malt. Orkney Islands, Scotland. ABV: 46%. Tasted at home, $115 (bottle).

Colour: Tired autumn leaves.

Nose: Fragrant and fruity, like a freshly cut rockmelon. Some toasty, honied notes too.

Palate: Buttery shortbread, with some spicy (almost peppery) vanilla notes. Oily mouthfeel. A hint of heat from the alcohol.

Finish: Initially a little short, but then there’s some flavours that hang about and them seem to intensify slightly in the mid palate.

Comments: Quite a decent little drop. It’s not a world beater, but it’s certainly a very good drop. Good enough that I can’t think of any smart arse remarks to make about it!

Whisky #368 – Great Southern Distillery – Limeburners Barrel M140 Single Malt

May 22, 2015 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Great Southern Distillery – Limeburners Barrel M140 Single Malt. Albany, Western Australia, Australia. ABV: 43%. Tasted at Helvetica, $18.

Colour: Light lustrous amber.

Nose: Hokey pokey ice-cream; rich and syrupy, yet somewhat creamy.

Palate: A little bit of let down compared to the nose and the finish, not as intense a flavour punch as I was hoping. Smooth sweet and dry balance, lovely dusty port flavours.

Finish: Port, sultanas and a slight dry oaky finish.

Comments: Great flavour profile, but ultimately it’s not quite as strong as I would like. For this expression, think I’d prefer it bottled at a higher ABV to really enjoy the richness of what are some amazing flavours going on here. Still a great drop though, would be a great introductory malt for those whose palates are not accustomed to high ABVs but who want to discover Limeburners and see what all the fuss is about.

Whisky #367 – Wemyss Peat Chimney 12 Year Old Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

May 22, 2015 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Wemyss Peat Chimney 12 Year Old Blended Malt Scotch Whisky. Edinburgh, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at Helvetica.

Colour: Bright gold.

Nose: Orange peel, bush honey and a faint hint of smoke.

Palate: Light, cool entry. Front palate cops the flavour.

Finish: Smooth, subtle peaty fade.

Comments: Wemyss are noted for blending together malt whiskies, with this release being a vatting of 16 different whiskies. The peatiness in this blend comes from a 12 year old Islay malt. I was impressed at the smoothness of this one, particularly the cool smokiness – very easy drinking.

Whisky #366 – Cyrus Noble Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey

May 2, 2015 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Cyrus Noble Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey. San Francisco, United States. ABV: 45%. Tasted at Varnish on King.

Well, after a brief sabbatical it’s time to get things back on track. Fear not, there have been many whiskies consumed but after a well-deserved break it’s time to get back to it!

Colour: Twerking copper.

Nose: Toffee and rye. Holding off tasting it as the as the “un-prickly” nose (according to my good mate Damo) is pretty fucking amazing.

Palate: Smooth soft entry, somewhat fruity – some tart pineapple flavours balances out with some peppery liquorice flavours.

Finish: Medium length, mid-palate finish.

Comments: The nose was definitely the standout here. It’s good to get back into posting, some exciting things coming up this year!

Whisky #365 – Glenmorangie Nectar D’or 12 Year Old Single Malt

December 31, 2014 by Whisky a Day 1 Comment

Glenmorangie Nectar D’or 12 Year Old Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 46.00%. Tasted at home, $85 (bottle).

Hello old friend…

I did it! So we have arrived at Whisky #365 on the 365th day of the year! As I noted at the start of the year in my “What is Whisky a Day” article, I started the project on January 1st with Whisky #1 – the Glenmorangie Nectar D’Or – as it had been my favourite go-to whisky for quite some time.

I had earmarked it to be my Whisky #365 on December 31st to see a) if it’s still my favourite, and b) how my appreciation and tasting of whisky might have changed through the course of the year. This will be the only whisky I have officially tasted twice over the course of 2014. There may have been a few I unofficially sampled on multiple occasions…just to be sure I got my tasting notes correct, all in the name of scientific research!

Below I have recorded my notes from this tasting of the Glenmorangie Nectar D’Or on December 31st, 2014, but also listed in italics below my observations from my tasting of it as Whisky #1 back on January 1st, 2014. Ok, here goes!

Colour: Rich caramel.

Whisky #1 notes: Caramel. Damn – am I going to be able to come up with 364 other ways to describe the various golden shades of whisky?!

Nose: Burnt caramel, slightly nutty. Sweet vanilla and soft oak notes. A slight nose prickle.

Whisky #1 notes: Fragrant and slightly sweet. Makes you want to dive in and just taste it rather than sniff it all day.

Palate: Smooth entry, rich oily mouthfeel. Butter, honey and vanilla with a soft hint of black pepper.

Whisky #1 notes: Smooth when it first hits the tongue, slowly warming as it fills the mouth. Sweet flavours with some spices, hard to pinpoint exactly what they are. Tastes bloody good though.

Finish: Medium length, sweet honey and spice.

Whisky #1 notes: Lingering sweetness and a warm tingle at the front of the tongue. Leaves a distinct desire to have some more!

Comments: So is it still my favourite? Have my tastes changed? It’s a cracking whisky, I love it. My mate Brett – whom avid readers will know has been one of my trusted whisky tasting lieutenants throughout the year – simply commented that “it never fails, it’s the go-to whisky”. Hard to disagree with you there mate, the Nectar D’Or really is a top drop and amazing value too. After drinking 363 other whiskies this year, I can confidently say that the Glenmorangie Nectar D’Or will forever remain a staple in my whisky collection at home.

It’s hard to say that another whisky is my new favourite, as it’s difficult for a new whisky to take that mantle if I’ve only tried it once through the year. However, I am very pleased that I’m still enjoying the Nectar D’Or so much after having had so many other amazing drams throughout the year – I was a little worried I may have fallen out of love with it.

You’ll have to stay tuned for my wrap-up article early in January collating all the highlights of the Whisky a Day journey to see my ratings of best blend, best value dram, most surprising whisky…and many more. Happy new year to you all, many thanks for your support following Whisky a Day in 2014, it’s been a blast. I will be continuing in 2015 with more whisky tastings and also starting to explore whisky and food pairing, whisky in cooking and other exciting adventures. In the meantime, grab yourself a great dram and have a happy new year!

Slainte,

Todd (aka Whisky a Day)

Whisky #364 – 1940 Gordon & MacPhail Generations Glenlivet 70 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt

December 31, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

1940 Gordon & MacPhail Generations Glenlivet 70 Year Old (Release 2) Cask Strength Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 45.90%.

I really am indebted to a very kind friend of mine who generously gave me this small sample bottle as it would be a fitting end to the Whisky a Day year. Wow – I cannot believe I am tasting a 70 year old whisky.

Colour: Deep amber.

Nose: Sweet sticky BBQ rib smokiness; musty bookshelves, a hint of leather. It’s like opening an old camphor wood chest. Tart raspberries or cherries. Such a complex, layered nose.

Palate: So smooth – words seem inadequate. Velvety, a touch of sherried sweetness yet the tart salty flavours and subtle smokiness are the dominant ones.

Finish: A long, gentle embrace of warmth as the flavours gradually tease and then fade off the front half of the palate. Soft smoke, demerara sugar – slightly less sweet than brown sugar.

Comments: The cask was laid down on February 3, 1940. That’s just after the start of the Second World War. Fuck me, that puts things into perspective. Finally bottled in 2010 by Gordon & MacPhail at its cask strength of 45.9%, it was matured in a first fill sherry butt.

I really, really enjoyed it, but it’s not the best whisky I’ve had this year. An outstanding dram, though I’ve been left speechless mainly because of its age and rarity. A shame it was only a small sample as its incredibly nose and palate really deserve a much longer period of inspection to get to know this dram. Simply sublime…