Whisky a Day

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.

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 & Chocolate Truffles

July 2, 2015 by Whisky a Day 1 Comment

Whisky and chocolate…it’s been a partnership I’ve wanted to explore for a while, so when I heard of a fantastic chocolatier in Perth named Sue Lewis (http://suelewischocolate.com) who makes whisky truffles, I just had to try them. Sue mentioned that when she makes the ganache for her truffles, she only adds the whisky towards the end so that the flavours of the whisky are preserved and unaffected by other flavours and the heat required to make the ganache.

On this occasion, Sue had some milk chocolate truffles made with The Glenlivet 12 Year Old Single Malt as well as some Knob Creek Small Batch Bourbon Dark Chocolate Truffles. I also have a weakness for salted caramel, so I grabbed some of her salted caramel dark chocolate truffles as I figured they might go nicely with a smokey or spicy malt.

Glenlivet Milk Chocolate Truffles with The Glenlivet 12 Year Old Single Malt: Milk chocolate truffles with a chocolate ganache with The Glenlivet 12 Year Old. A very faint hint of whisky, but it’s very subtle. Chocolatey almost rum ball kind of flavours to the ganache. Smooth, creamy milk chocolate, the ganache almost has some hazelnut flavours to it. I think the truffles are amazing, though perhaps The Glenlivet 12 is too subtle a whisky to let its characteristics shine though over the rich creamy chocolate flavours. I think the whisky compliments the chocolates very nicely, but truffles are definitely the star in this pairing.

Knob Creek Small Batch Bourbon Dark Chocolate Truffles: Dairy free dark chocolate with Knob Creek 9 Year Old Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon. These were sweeter than the Glenlivet truffles, presumably that’s the bourbon’s sweeter characteristics shining through. Rich, brown sugar & cream notes, dry cocoa too. As a whisky truffle I think this combination allows the bourbon flavours to come through more compared to the Glenlivet truffles, though purely on flavour I’d go for the Glenlivet truffles (even if the whisky influence is extremely subtle).

Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Truffles with Talisker 57° North Single Malt: These truffles did not contain any whisky, but I figured a salted caramel truffle would be a good match for the salty, rich and subtle honeycomb flavours of the Talisker.

There was a satisfying crack as we snapped through the exterior of the salted caramel truffle. The Talisker was smokey on the nose, but had some intense saltiness on the palate…which complimented the salty sweetness of the salted caramel truffle brilliantly. Stunning. Individually they are both great, but together they are amazing. Wow, what a combination. I think the dark chocolate worked particularly well with the salted caramel and whisky combo.

Overall, the Glenlivet truffles were fantastic on their own and would appeal to everyone, whether a whisky fan or not. I’d like to try some truffles containing whisky with a bit more body and character, maybe some rich sherry flavours from say an Aberlour. But the winner was definitely the salted caramel dark chocolate truffles – you don’t have to have whisky in the chocolate to enjoy whisky with chocolate. These flavours were amazing with the Talisker 57° North, though I’d like to explore some more dark chocolate, salted caramel flavours with some other smokey and spicy malts, particularly from Islay.

If you’re in Perth I’d suggest you pick up some dark chocolate salted caramel truffles, grab a few Islay or other Island malts and settle in for a night of gastronomic experimentation, you won’t be disappointed.

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.

Three Whiskies with Sirloin & Smoked Cheddar Sauce

June 13, 2015 by Whisky a Day 2 Comments

Three whiskies with sirloin and a smoked cheddar sauce…it’s a mouthwatering way to spend a quiet night in. Long time readers will know that I love my whisky (obviously) but also fine food and cooking, so the step from tasting a Whisky a Day to exploring whisky & food pairings is a logical one.

For this exercise, seeing as I’m a novice at pairing whisky with food I decided to cook one meal and try it with three contrasting styles of whisky to begin exploring what flavours might work together. I’ve got a fantastic cut of sirloin, then I made the sauce using a smoked cheddar from the Margaret River Dairy Company along with some cream and a few other goodies. These are all whiskies I’ve tasted before, which was a deliberate choice as I’m already familiar with each dram and know what to expect, plus I figured to taste a whisky for the first time and consider the food combination as well might be overcomplicating things a little. So without further ado, let’s get tasting!

Gordon & MacPhail Reserve Highland Park 15 Year Old Single Malt – Exclusively Bottled for Dram Full (Cask No. 4255): The fruity vanilla notes get a bit drowned out by the rich smokiness of the cheddar and salty char-grilled goodness of the steak. But surprisingly, they then come through like a wave. Even when taking a sip of whisky while still having some steak and sauce in my mouth to let the flavours really get to know one another, it’s not a comfortable union. It’s almost like the cheese and whisky are playing tug of war for the attention of my tastebuds. When the cheddar cuts through you get more alcohol notes without the whisky flavour. I love this whisky on its own, but it doesn’t really work with the food here.

Edradour 12 Year Old Caledonia Selection: A much better match – the rich sherry and caramel notes of the whisky balance out the sharpness of the cheddar beautifully. It doesn’t have the alcohol heat come through like the Highland Park. The sweetness complements the charring on the steak brilliantly as well. The Caledonia was the only whisky that I had to go back to get a refill…which should indicate how much I enjoyed this combo!

Kilchoman Machir Bay Single Malt: I have to admit I wasn’t quite sure how this combination would go – a char-grilled steak; a sharp aged cheddar sauce; and then the smokiness of an Islay malt. Does it work? Absolutely!! I think that perhaps because the Machir Bay has some slightly sweeter notes compared to other Islay malts, it definitely works with the steak and smokey cheddar combination. I noted in my original review last year that it didn’t have the peatiness or the meatiness of the really great Islay malts, but for this particular setting with some other dominant flavours it actually compliments the steak and sauce beautifully.

Overall comments: I love my steak, usually accompanied by a big ballsy red wine with lots of flavour and rich fruitiness. We’re lucky here in Australia to have some absolute ball-tearers when it comes to red wine, so the notion of having a whisky with a big juicy steak was a step into the unknown. I think the Edradour Caledonia was definitely the pick of the combinations, though the Kilchoman Machir Bay was a close second. Maybe the sweetness and rich, caramelised fruitiness of the Caledonia was akin to some of the bold, fruity red wines I’d usually go for? To test this theory, as always I might just have to continue the research…

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.