Whisky a Day

Whisky #550: Acorn’s Macduff 15 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt

March 24, 2019 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Whisky #550: Acorn’s Macduff 15 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 53.9%. Tasted at Whisky a Day HQ, $179 (bottle).

Colour: Golden filament.

Nose: A lemony prickle at the front of the nostril…geez that sounds wanky, but it’s actually what it was like!

Palate: Breadcrumbs, buttery biscuits and lemon. But then also fresh herby and zesty…fresh gremolata?

Finish: Oily mouthfeel; burnt butter and creamed honey with a long salty fade.

Comments: A Scottish single malt from Japanese independent bottler Acorn’s…absolutely moreish. The savoury, herbaceous and sweet flavours combine and make you want to rip in have some more. This is some fantastic juice and I’m sure another bottle will be ordered after the inevitable demise of this one in the very near future!

Whisky #549: Edradour Ballechin Double Malt

February 17, 2019 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Edradour Ballechin Double Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 46%. Tasted at Whisky a Day HQ, $19 (50mL sample bottle from Casa de Vinos).

Colour: Bright toffee.

Nose: Rich timber and varnish notes, like walking into a woodwork shop. Smokey notes like you’ve pressed the timber a bit too hard against the planer or circular saw and it’s started to smoulder a little.

Palate: Cool smoke, blueberries, dark chocolate and cocoa.

Finish: Charcoal notes in the finish, becoming drier. Like the slightly burnt sausages left over at a BBQ, you just keep going back for one more bite.

Comments: Created as a vatting of one cask of Edradour sherry cask matured whisky, along with three casks of Edradour’s Ballechin peated whisky matured in ex Bourbon casks. For me, it’s a little too heavy on the peated notes, which dominate the sherry and juicy dried fruit notes that Edradour is known for.

Whisky #548: The Arran Malt Small Batch 2008 Arran Moscatel Cask

February 14, 2019 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by The Arran Malt Small Batch 2008 Arran Moscatel Cask. Isle of Arran, Scotland. ABV: 50%. Tasted at Whisky a Day HQ, $125 (bottle).

Colour: Dull gold.

Nose: A bowl of fruit salad; green grass and fresh green leaves crushed between your fingers.

Palate: Sweet juicy lemon and pineapple lollies with sweet cream or meringue. Like you’ve grabbed a couple of handful of sweets from the lolly jar and you’ve thrown a few milk bottles and a pineapple jelly baby in your mouth at the same time.

Finish: Caramelised pineapple and warmth lingers on the tip of the tongue, medium-long finish.

Comments: Happy to be caught with my hand in this lolly jar. The 50% ABV gives it a nice punch and length. Delicious juice.

Whisky #547: That Boutique-y Whisky Company Aultmore 20 Year Old Single Malt

January 20, 2019 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by That Boutique-y Whisky Company Aultmore 20 Year Old Single Malt (Batch II). Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 52.1%. Tasted at Whisky a Day HQ, $189 (500mL bottle).

There’s nothing like kicking back with a great whisky after a particularly hectic day. Though it’s not often your day is as hectic as a velociraptor attacking a shark from a container ship whilst an oil rig burns in the background…welcome to the crazy world of That Boutique-y Whisky Company!

Colour: Rich gold.

Nose: Creamed honey & lemon cheesecake.

Palate: Soft and creamy mouthfeel; lemon sherbet dusted across the top of a slice of lemon cheesecake. Not that I’ve ever tasted such a creation, but this is how I imagine it tasting. A lemon zing, along with a smooth creamy cheesecake with a buttery biscuit note underneath. Divine.

Finish: It’s like you’ve just downed the last bite of creme brûlée and you’re still enjoying the creamy caramelised goodness as it slowly slips away. Medium length finish.

Comments: A cask strength, single cask release that yielded only 215 bottles. One of the best whiskies I’ve tried in some time. I am definitely trying to get my hands on another bottle of this one, an amazing drop.

Whisky #546: Glenfarclas Whisky & Wisdom Edition 2

January 12, 2019 by Whisky a Day 2 Comments

Glenfarclas Whisky & Wisdom Edition 2 (2008 Single Cask 10 Year Old). Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 59.8%. Tasted at Whisky a Day HQ (sample courtesy of Whisky & Wisdom).

Following on from Whisky & Wisdom’s first foray into bespoke bottling of a Glenfarclas in 2016, comes this second edition. Fellow Sydney-sider, self-described whisky tragic and the man behind one of my favourite whisky blogs (Whisky & Wisdom), Andrew Derbidge has hand selected this 10 year old single cask at the Glenfarclas distillery which yielded just 319 bottles at its natural cask strength of 59.8%. What a terrible way to spend an afternoon…sampling cask after cask of delicious whisky!

At the time, I rated the Glenfarclas Whisky & Wisdom 9 Year Old Single Cask as one of my top 10 whiskies I’ve ever had, hands down. Nothing has changed that opinion, it was a mesmerising whisky. Can the Glenfarclas Whisky & Wisdom Edition 2 live up to its elder sibling’s lofty standards? Let’s find out.

Colour: Deep honeycomb.

Nose: Juicy raisins, golden syrup, melting butter, and fresh leather. More time in the glass yields earthy almost musty notes with the rich undercurrent of dried sultanas.

Palate: A rich oily mouthfeel to start, with flavours and sensations like biting into orange and cherry chocolate liqueurs. Later sips seem to be like your tongue has wandered into a spice market – there’s a barrage of rich flavours competing for your attention. Orange toffee crisps, dried cranberries, cinnamon and dry cocoa powder.

Finish: Treacle, white pepper, cinnamon, cloves and a slightly prickly spice. A long gentle warmth with a drying mouthfeel and surprising slightly salty tang to finish.

Comments: It takes you on a journey this one, it simply demands your attention. It’s not your typical sherry bomb, there’s a lot more complexity and spice.

So how does it stack up to the first edition of Glenfarclas Whisky & Wisdom? They’re both quite different beasts, as you might expect for single cask whiskies despite sharing much of the same Glenfarclas DNA. Edition 1 was more akin to your typical Glenfarclas sherry bomb, whereas Edition 2 has an air of mystery and has a multi-layered personality. There’s just so many things to explore here – light and dark, sweetness and spice…your tastebuds are racing to keep up with the barrage of flavours popping around your mouth, as your mind gallops to keep up.

It’s not in my top 10 whiskies of all time like Edition 1, but geez it’s a tasty bit of juice and a very interesting expression of Glenfarclas. I’d be very interested to compare both editions of the Glenfarclas Whisky & Wisdom side by side (perhaps Andrew should organise a tasting!) but in the meantime I’ll be grabbing a couple of bottles of this before they are gone forever.

Whisky #545: Ardmore 2008 Signatory Vintage 8 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt

January 5, 2019 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Whisky #545: Ardmore 2008 Signatory Vintage 8 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt (Celebrating 60th Anniversary of La Maison du Whisky). Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 62.2%. Tasted at Whisky a Day HQ, $18 (30mL sample from Casa de Vinos).

Colour: Golden honey.

Nose: It smacks you in the nose initially with a hit of smoke and hessian sacks. But with time in the glass it softens and the smoke lifts, leaving some cocoa and cherry notes.

Palate: Going back for the charred sausages at the end of the BBQ, you’ve already had your fill but you want another bite. A black pepper zing on the tongue, along with golden syrup and intense salted caramel.

Finish: Salty and smokey, almost cool smoke on the tongue. Like ripping into a stick of biltong that leaves a long salty tang on the front and mid palate.

Comments: An independent bottling of Ardmore by Signatory Vintage to celebrate the 60th anniversary of La Maison du Whisky, a renowned French whisky importer and distributor. That’s more confusing than a polygamist’s family tree, but no matter…it is delicious juice, regardless of its lineage. Single cask, cask strength Ardmore is a fantastically powerful and unique Highlands whisky…love it!

Whiskies #541-544: The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Festive STEPS Whisky Party

November 30, 2018 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by Whiskies #541-544: The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Festive STEPS Whisky Party.

It was always going to be a tough ask: 7 single cask, cask strength whiskies from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) in the space of one glorious evening at the Royal Automobile Club in Sydney. The whisky equivalent of a rain-affected T20 cricket match where you’re suddenly chasing 273 runs in just 13 overs…

Time to strap on the pads, head to the nets and face a bit of chin music to prepare for the cask strength onslaught that awaits. A cheeky Starward Old Fashioned cocktail upon arrival to get the eye in and then it’s time to adjust the box, head out to the middle and start swinging (read: swigging) for the boundary rope!

Whisky #541: SMWS 6.27 Sucking on a Cough Sweet. 10 year old Scotch Malt Whisky Society bottling from Glen Deveron (Macduff distillery). Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 59.0%.

Colour: Pale straw like a third morning Test pitch.

Nose: Sweat-stained leather, freshly snapped twigs off a small tree.

Palate: Tangy orange peel and white pepper

Finish: Salty and dry; some lemon hard-boiled lollies.

Comments: A good opener to see the shine off the new ball, but not too many juicy deliveries.

Whisky #542: SMWS 2.109 Let the Good Times Roll. 11 year old Scotch Malt Whisky Society bottling from Glenlivet distillery. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 62.4%.

Colour: Like looking into a glass of Riesling. If you’re not a Riesling drinker…yes I am aware of the irony of describing one unfamiliar drink with another. Sorry about that.

Nose: A handful of sawdust rubbed into the popping crease at the drinks break. Freshly cut grass, rising humidity as the dew evaporates off the outfield in the morning sun.

Palate: Toasted oak, preserved lemon and freshly toasted white bread smothered in butter. Creamed that one for six – nailed the tasting note with my last sip!

Finish: A lovely long zesty tingle on the from my palate.

Comments: Raise the bat and acknowledge the applause, a fine partnership from Glenlivet and the SMWS.

Whisky #543: SMWS 9.148 Mustard, Custard and Musk. 21 year old Scotch Malt Whisky Society bottling from Glen Grant distillery. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 60.4%.

Colour: Rose gold.

Nose: Floral perfume and an old cigar box. Clarinet reeds…yes I used to play the clarinet in my younger days…

Palate: Like chewing into a salty wagyu sirloin steak with plenty of jus. The warmth gently builds like the midday sun building the heat rising off the pitch.

Finish: Tangy, with black pepper. Dry woody notes to finish, like a paddlepop stick on your tongue. Open up and say ahhhh…

Whisky #544: SMWS 73.104 Happy Hobnobbing Moments. 16 year old Scotch Malt Whisky Society bottling from Aultmore distillery. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 55.6%.

Colour: Unpolished brass.

Nose: An old leather belt; ripping open a packet of juicy sultanas. Fruitcake baking in an oven. Butter caramel notes.

Palate: …it was at this point that the required run rate started getting steep and I decided to declare this innings of cricket analogies over. Time to simply enjoy the remaining whiskies of the night without putting pressure on myself to deconstruct every joyous drop.

Comments: Trying to analyse every whisky at an event where you’re meant to be simply relaxing and enjoying some new whiskies isn’t all that festive or sociable! There were some amazing SMWS drams on offer and it was time to chill out and share a yarn with some familiar faces. Another cracking SMWS event as always, many thanks to Suzy, Matt and all the other SMWS ambassadors for putting together a great night!

Whisky #540: The Arran 18 Year Old Single Malt

October 26, 2018 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by The Arran 18 Year Old Single Malt. Isle of Arran, Scotland. ABV: 46%. Tasted on glorious Sydney Harbour, $199 (bottle).

Colour: Brassy gold.

Nose: It’s very light. Lemon tarts with freshly baked short crust pastry; pine needles and a faint whiff of hessian sacks. Swirling the glass agitates some of those typical Arran tropical fruit salad notes.

Palate: It’s like the flavours have wrapped a warm blanket around your tongue and are comforting you after another punishing week at the office. There’s a hint of cooked pineapple but then tobacco leaves and woody flavours come through.

Finish: A slightly salty, spicy and woody finish with a touch of black peppercorns.

Comments: What a finish to the week. A healthy dram of Arran, one of my favourite distilleries.

Given that Arran as a distillery was only founded in 1995, the Arran 18 Year Old Single Malt represents the oldest release in their core range. Personally, it’s not my favourite Arran or one that I feel particularly showcases their house style. The wood influence seems to overshadow the more delicate fresh tropical fruit notes evident in some of their other releases.

But it’s eminently drinkable and I’d gladly buy another bottle – I kinda like that it’s got a different personality and shows another side to one of my favourite producers.

Whisky #539: SMWS 4.244 Welcoming an Old Sea Dog

October 3, 2018 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by SMWS 4.244 Welcoming an Old Sea Dog. 13 year old single cask, cask strength SMWS bottling from Highland Park Distillery. Orkney Islands, Scotland. ABV: 57.6%. Tasted at Whisky a Day HQ, $185 (bottle).

When you’ve been on a fitness retreat for two weeks and you’re thirstier than a pirate at an open bar, you’d better make your first whisky an absolute banger. A cask strength, single cask Highland Park offering from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) ought to do it!

Colour: Lustrous pale gold.

Nose: Like tearing open a tin of smoked mussels. Hessian sacks soaked in seawater and left out on the jetty in the rain.

Palate: Salty edamame beans, citrus salty crystals. I’m not even sure that’s a thing, but it’s the best way to describe it. The whisky just crackles and pops in your mouth with a salty lemon tang.

Finish: A long salty woody tang. Like sucking for just a second too long on some wooden chopsticks after you’ve had a takeaway Chinese meal with just a little too much MSG. You just can’t help but want to come back and enjoy every last ounce of that rich salty zest.

Comments: I’ve enjoyed this one so much I had to refill the glass three times to complete the tasting. Enough said. Another cracking dram from the SMWS!

Whisky #538: Johnnie Walker XR 21 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky

September 15, 2018 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by Johnnie Walker XR 21 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky. Scotland. ABV: 40%.

Colour: Dark honey…or ranga royalty?

Nose: Burnt butter, toffee. With more time in the glass, blackcurrant Soothers throat lozenges, liquorice and soft old oaky casks. My whisky tasting lieutenants Dan and Kiwi (aka ranga royalty) picked up some berries and creme brûlée.

Palate: A cool, thin mouthfeel; salted caramel and buttery fresh pastry flavours. Our good mate Benooch (while not a whisky man, but normally inhales absolutely anything alcoholic) described it as like an alcohol wipe over the tongue, but after a few more sips and time in the glass found it softened on his palate with each sip.

Finish: Quite a short finish. Buttery burnt orange with a brown sugar finish.

Comments: The nose is the star here, a real chameleon. Thin on the palate, but surprisingly exceeded my expectations. Much more flavour intensity than I’d expected. There’s a bit of something for all palates in this one – it’s the type of whisky you can have in a group of friends who are all at different stages of their whisky journeys. A great all-rounder.

Kiwi (aka ranga royalty) assessing the colour of the Johnnie Walker XR 21 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky.

Whisky #537: The English Whisky Company Single Malt Small Batch Release for The Whisky Club

September 2, 2018 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

The English Whisky Company Single Malt Small Batch Release for The Whisky Club. Norfolk, England. ABV: 46%. Tasted at Whisky a Day HQ, $115 (bottle).

Colour: Bright gold.

Nose: Floral perfume, like walking past a middle aged librarian. It briefly catches your attention but it’s not overly alluring.

Palate: Soft; very gentle and almost feels like they’ve watered it down a bit too much. Creamed honey, soft oak and juicy rockmelon.

Finish: The sweetness subsides to an oaky, slightly salty tang.

Comments: Like the English Test side’s middle order batting under the hot Australian sun, it’s little too insipid for me. It has moments where it promises much but ultimately falls a little short.

Whisky #536: Ben Nevis 1998 Three Rivers 18 Year Old by The Whisky Agency

August 19, 2018 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by Ben Nevis 1998 Three Rivers 18 Year Old by The Whisky Agency. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 50.9%. Tasted at Whisky a Day HQ, $12 (30mL sample from Casa de Vinos).

An independent bottling of Ben Nevis by The Whisky Agency and Three Rivers Tokyo.

Colour: Pale lemon.

Nose: Cane-like notes hit the snout immediately, reminiscent of many Japanese whiskies. Perhaps that’s what attracted the Three Rivers Tokyo folks to select this particular cask? Some freshly peeled mandarine skins too.

Palate: Sharp and salty; tangy lemon and citrus. Grapefruit that has been baked under a grill with some brown sugar on top. The cask strength ABV is noticeable but not too imposing.

Finish: A dry, salty and woody finish with a long fade.

Comments: Aged for 18 years in a single hogshead cask and bottled at its cask strength of 50.9%. It has enough to keep you interested for a glass or two, but not enough for me to race out and track down where to purchase a full bottle.

Whisky #535: SMWS 63.44 Deep Soul Medicine

August 14, 2018 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by SMWS 63.44 Deep Soul Medicine. 11 year old single cask, cask strength SMWS bottling from Glentauchers Distillery. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 60.7%. Tasted at Whisky a Day HQ, $170 (bottle)

Colour: Sparkling copper.

Nose: Earthy. Think hessian sacks and oak barrels as you walk through a warehouse at a winery.

Palate: An intense flash of juicy flavour, like biting into a couple of Starburst jellies with the liquid centres. Maybe a raspberry and orange together, it’s hard to tell. After the intensity subsides some mango chutney and freshly baked fruit cake. My trusted whisky tasting lieutenant Kiwi got some berries and dried fruits.

Finish: Spicy, slightly salty and an oaky red wine tannin finish. Blueberries and burnt biscuits in the fade.

Comments: Like copping an unexpected slap to the face, it brings a rush of blood to your lips and wakes up the taste buds with a jolt. An intense mix of fiery flavours all jostling for attention, before sorting themselves out and letting each other have their turn in the spotlight.

Whisky #534: Aberlour 18 Year Old Single Malt

July 10, 2018 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by Aberlour 18 Year Old Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 43%. Tasted while out sailing on Sydney Harbour, $19 (50mL bottle split from Casa de Vinos).

After a hard-fought final race of the CYCA Winter Series, it was time for a well-deserved whisky to warm up on a chilly Sydney afternoon.

Colour: Dark honey caramel.

Nose: Fresh and fragrant; freshly snapped lantana. Like walking into a timber workshop. Lemon, honey and orange sherbet.

Palate: Quite thin texture in the mouth. Front palate gets all the joy, there’s no real mid-palate. It’s a light touch, almost a bit of a letdown after the strength and variety of the aromas. My sommelier mate Campbell picked up some floral honeysuckle.

Finish: Light red wine tannins, some very light oak. Some toffee sweetness balanced by salt spray on the lips and rim of the glass as we sail back across Sydney Harbour.

Comments: Quite pleasant to drink, but the nose has more appeal. Makes you wonder what might have been if they’d bottled the Aberlour 18 at a slightly higher ABV to intensify the flavours a little.

A celebratory dram after the race

Whisky #533: Mars Maltage Cosmo Blended Malt Japanese Whisky

June 15, 2018 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by Mars Maltage Cosmo Blended Malt Japanese Whisky. Kuyshu Island, Japan. Tasted at Chin Chin (Melbourne), $26.

Colour: Red neon glow.

Nose: Burnt caramel, floral, melting butter & honey. My trusty whisky tasting sidekick AB also got some butterscotch, albeit not as sweet.

Palate: Zesty lemon, black pepper, caramel, woody ice-cream sticks.

Finish: A drying, sharp finish at the front of the palate. Spicy pepper and oak notes in the fade.

Comments: A bit of a split personality this one; the nose is all sweet and buttery, but then the palate and finish are quite sharp and citrusy. A pleasant drop to get the palate warmed up for the long night ahead!

Whisky #532: Nikka Date Blended Japanese Whisky

June 14, 2018 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by Nikka Date Blended Japanese Whisky. Sendai, Japan. ABV: 43%. Tasted at Tokyo Bird, $24.

Colour: Bright golden toffee.

Nose: Like ripping open a fresh pack of teriyaki beef jerky…though maybe that’s also because I’m sat in a fantastic izakaya bar here in Sydney (Tokyo Bird) with plenty of tasty morsels being grilled in the kitchen. A bit of time in the glass gives off some tropical fruit and lemon marshmallows.

Palate: Fresh oak forward. Lightly toasted bread with a hint of honey. Pepper and cloves later.

Finish: Cane, sugar cane, charcoal, charred meat. A salty, woody tang to finish.

Comments: The Nikka Date (pronounced “dah-teh”) is a blend of malt and grain whiskies distilled through the Coffey stills at Nikka’s Miyagikyo distillery. It’s got much more character than most blends, a bit of punch that belies it’s lowish 43% ABV.

It has got layers upon layers, and in that respect it’s quite similar in character to the Nikka Coffey Malt that I reviewed quite early on in the Whisky a Day journey back at Whisky #245. It’s not seamless and tends to jump around with the flavours a little, but with time in the glass it’s like the whisky decides that it’s time to peel back another of the seven veils to reveal something new.