Campbeltown Archives - Whisky a Day

Whisky #556: SMWS 93.92 Fruit Pie in a Cleaning Cupboard

August 7, 2019 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

SMWS 93.92 Fruit Pie in a Cleaning Cupboard. 12 year old single cask, cask strength SMWS bottling from Glen Scotia Distillery. Campbeltown, Scotland. ABV: 57.7%. Tasted at Whisky a Day HQ, $195 (bottle).

Colour: Polished gold.

Nose: Hessian sacks, sea salt and that smell of snapping half dead twigs from a tree.

Palate: Salty flavours front the band here, ably supported by backup singers creme brûlée, overcooked toast, dark chocolate and espresso crema.

Finish: Like a salted Werther’s Original caramel candy. I don’t even think Werther’s make a salted caramel candy, but if they did this would be what it tasted like as the last piece melts on your tongue.

Comments: I’ve never tasted a fruit pie in a cleaning cupboard, but if I had I would have expected something sweeter on the palate along with a more pungent ammonia-like hit on the nose. This dram has neither of those things, which is absolutely fine with me.

Whisky #498: Kilkerran 12 Year Old Single Malt

September 24, 2017 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by Kilkerran 12 Year Old Single Malt. Campbeltown, Scotland. ABV: 46%. Tasted at home, $99 (bottle).

Colour: A golden glow.

Nose: Like sticking your nose into a glass of creaming soda, some bubbles tickle your nostrils as you inhale some creamy, sweet aromas. A few soft, faint smokey notes too.

Palate: Sucking on a hard, buttery toffee. Freshly baked biscuits, the kind that are all buttery, still warm, soft and chewy as you take a bite, yet with the odd biscuit that has a touch of smokiness where the edge has been slightly overcooked. Ridiculously easy to sip.

Finish: The toffee cracks – creme brûlée, salted caramel, and an oaky smokiness on the tongue as the flavours slip away.

Comments: I’ve always said that it’s hard to be cheeky smart arse about a whisky you’re really enjoying. My somewhat serious tasting notes tell a story then.

When I first tried this Kilkerran 12, I wasn’t overly sold on it – there had been a lot of hype and expectation surrounding its release and I just couldn’t quite see what all the fuss was about. Fast forward a few months, and I’d almost finished the bottle – so I’d better review the damn thing! The surprising thing was how it really approaches you rather than the other way around – you’re reaching for a top-up because, a) with each sip you’re effortlessly sliding back like you’re reclining into a hammock, and b) it’s really damn tasty. Sweet, buttery and flavoursome, it really is almost food-like. Lots to enjoy here.

Whisky #295 – Glen Scotia 10 Year Old Single Malt

November 15, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by Glen Scotia 10 Year Old Single Malt. Campbeltown, Scotland. ABV: 46%. Tasted at the Wee Pub at the Ubiquitous Chip (Glasgow), £3.75.

Colour: Very pale straw.

Nose: Toasted cereal notes.

Palate: Quite light. Dry mouthfeel; flavours of citrus & biscuits.

Finish: Medium length, creamy biscuits with a hint of pepper and a touch of honey.

Comments: My first dram in Scotland. It’s a good whisky to start the night and start the trip – quite light, a great way to ease into a decent session.

Whisky #259-261: Frank McHardy Masterclass at Whipper Snapper Distillery

October 11, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by Frank McHardy Masterclass at Whipper Snapper Distillery, $90.

The master distiller from Springbank, Frank McHardy, has been enlisted by our amazing local Whipper Snapper Distillery to act as their Chief Whiskey Advisor. Given Frank’s 50-odd years of experience at Springbank, it’s fair to say the Whipper Snapper boys could hardly have chosen a finer mentor. So it was a great privilege to be able to attend an intimate masterclass where Frank led us through a tasting of Springbank, Hazelburn and Kilkerran malts, along with some behind the scenes insights into whisky production at Springbank.

Whisky #259: Kilkerran Work in Progress 7 Year Old Single Malt. Campbeltown, Scotland. ABV: 46.0%.

Colour: Pale gold

Nose: Very faint hint of peat, subtle sweetness too.

Palate: A very clean, crisp flavour profile. Oily mouthfeel. Floral sweetness.

Finish: Gentle heat front half of palate that builds slightly, medium length. Salty vs sweet flavours battle it out, great balance.

Whisky #260: Hazelburn Rundlets & Kilderkins 10 Year Old Single Malt. Campbeltown, Scotland. ABV: 50.1%.

Colour: Pale gold again.

Nose: Floral, vanilla notes. With time in the glass it really starts to develop some rich woody notes.

Palate: Rich, deep buttery raspberry flavours.

Finish: Softer finish than the Kilkerran. Dried fruit flavours linger long on the palate, as does the warmth again on the front half of the tongue.

Whisky #261: Springbank 15 Year Old Single Malt. Campbeltown, Scotland. ABV: 46.0%.

Colour: Deep rich gold.

Nose: Honey on hot buttered toast. Quite mild, not too intense.

Palate: Thicker syrupy mouthfeel compared to the Springbank 10. Not super sweet mind you, some subtle honey flavours along with some rich dried fruit flavours.

Finish: Buttery dried fruits, long tingle & flavour fade.

Overall comments: All three have spent some time maturing ex sherry casks, although I wouldn’t have picked it initially. No huge sherry bombs, the Springbank 15 in particular is quite subtle. The Hazelburn Rundlets & Kilderkins was the pick for me.

A fascinating afternoon listening to Frank talk about the history of Springbank and his own career. The guided tour of Whipper Snapper by chief distiller Jimmy McKeown was also fantastic, plus that gorgeous copper still of theirs (see below), wow. Hats off to the Whipper Snapper boys, these guys are really going places.

Whipper Snapper’s stunning still.

Whisky #252 – Hazelburn 12 Year Old Single Malt

September 28, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by Hazelburn 12 Year Old Single Malt. Campbeltown, Scotland. ABV: 46.00%. Tasted at Lafayette, $20.

Colour: Tired gold. The type of gold that’s a little worn out by being so lustrous so it’s now a little dulled.

Nose: Gentle wood and honey notes. Also some subtle savoury aromas too; a little like when you peel the outer layers off eschallots before slicing them up.

Palate: Fairly one dimensional, just lots of oak.

Finish: Very long, mainly woody notes. Like going to the doctor and they place timber stick on your tongue and make you go “argh”. Slightly sour sensation on the tongue as it fades.

Comments: One of the very few triple distilled whiskies from Scotland. A solid, yet not spectacular whisky.

Whisky #246 – Longrow Peated Campbeltown Single Malt

September 22, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by Longrow Peated Campbeltown Single Malt. Campbeltown, Scotland. ABV: 46.0%. Tasted at Helvetica, $19.

Colour: If there’s one thing I won’t miss about this Whisky a Day project, it’s having to come up with different ways to describe the colour of each dram. Particularly as colour bears little to no significance as to the whisky’s quality. Apart from notable exceptions such as the Kavalan Solist ex Sherry Cask which has a very unique colour, it’s very hard to come up with different ways to describe subtle variation in shades of gold/amber/straw. This one is a pale gold.

Nose: Peaty, but not as intense or smokey as your Islay peated whiskies, it’s got more suble medicinal qualities.

Palate: A smooth, cool entry. Dry woody notes, a little nutty too.

Finish: The peat certainly lingers but doesn’t envelop your mouth like bigger peated whiskies. Medium length, only light to medium heat.

Comments: If you find the heavily peated Islay malts a bit overpowering, this peated Longrow could be a good way to dip your toe in the water and explore some peat without the intensity.

Whisky #197 – Duthies Glen Scotia 17 Year Old Single Malt

August 5, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by Duthies Glen Scotia 17 Year Old Single Malt. Campbeltown, Scotland. ABV: 46.00%. Tasted at Aria restaurant (Sydney), $18.

Colour: Light bright yellow gold. Snide remarks from some of my dinner companions about it looking like “urine after you’ve had a lot of apple juice”. Surely the 6 course degustation with matched wines we’ve just enjoyed couldn’t have anything to do with them being so free to offer such smart-arse remarks…

Nose: Light, almost floral sweet honey notes.

Palate: Sweet pepper flavours. Light heat.

Finish: Bit of peat, but not much smoke. Medium length.

Comments: I was a little disappointed in this one to be honest. I’ve been really getting into a lot of whisky released by independent bottlers recently, but this one didn’t really do it for me. It’s not a bad whisky, it’s just not as special as I was hoping it might be.

Whisky #149 – Longrow Burgundy Wood 14 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt

July 11, 2014 by Whisky a Day 1 Comment

by Longrow Burgundy Wood 14 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt. Campbeltown, Scotland. ABV: 56.10%. Tasted at Helvetica, $27.

Colour: Rich Amber. It’s been a good night on the stripper’s pole for the old girl.

Nose: Oak is the first thing that hits you, followed by some sweet smokey bacon notes.

Palate: Smoother than I was expecting for one so strong. Tastes more like a sherry matured dram.

Finish: Sweet sherry flavours.

Comments: My mate Charles the Frenchman can’t find any burgundy in it. Sacré bleu!

Whiskies #106-115: Scotch Malt Whisky Society Autumn Tasting Extravaganza

June 23, 2014 by Whisky a Day 2 Comments

by Scotch Malt Whisky Society Autumn Tasting Extravaganza. Parmelia Hilton, $70.

I joined the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) at the start of the year for a few main reasons. Firstly, as another way to expand my whisky horizons and give me exposure to a range of unusual whiskies that I hadn’t heard much about (much less seen available to buy anywhere). A good way to really start to rack up the number of different malts that I knew I’d need to successfully complete the Whisky a Day challenge.

Secondly, I was intrigued by this mysterious “society” – would they have a secret handshake? Would it be a stuffy old man’s club where everyone stands around twirling their moustache and wearing a tweed jacket? As it turns out, no – they’re just a bunch of friendly folks who are really into their whisky. A huge range of ages and mix of guys and girls, everyone is really down to earth and passionate about tasting and talking about whisky.

Anyway, a crash course in the SMWS. They do their own bottlings, whereby they go to a distillery and choose a single cask from which they produce a limited run (e.g. ~200 bottles) of a unique malt. The whisky is given a numerical code, denoting the distillery and the individual cask. For example, whisky “96.7” below identifies it as being from distillery number 96, and it is the 7th single cask bottling the SMWS has released from this distillery. They’ve also got some quirky tasting notes on the label to describe the flavours and aromas that the SMWS tasting panel has come up with.

So onto the tastings. The standout favourite of the day for me was “121.65 – A Well-Oiled Baseball Glove”. As with my experience at Whisky Live 2014, I didn’t want to spend the whole evening furiously making tasting notes. Tasting 10 whiskies in all, I kept the notes to a minimum and simply enjoyed the experience. If you are intrigued and want to know more about a particular whisky you’ll just have to join the SMWS and try it for yourself!

96.7 – For a Sweet Tooth. 7 year old SMWS bottling from Glendronach Distillery. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 59.3%.

Very pale colour. Chewy toffee on the nose. Not as sweet as I was expecting given the description on the label. Warmth builds & slowly fills the mouth.

3.218 – Opening the Bonnet of a Classic Car. 13 year old SMWS bottling from Bowmore Distillery. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 55.8%.

Apple juice in colour. The nose is smokey, but subtler than other Islays. Palate is meaty with hint of sweetness, like a seared steak.

131.2 – Magic Carpet in a Sweetie Shop.

13 year old SMWS bottling from Hanyu Distillery. Chichibu, Japan. ABV: 55.1%.

Looks more like a port, beautiful colour. Initial scents reminded me of firecrackers, turns out it has a few hints of an Islay dram. Lots of spice, hint of smoke, quite full bodied, sweet notes abound. Medium length.

73.62 – Magical, Mellifluous Marvelosity.

24 year old SMWS bottling from Aultmore Distillery. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 57.8%.

Looks like a botrytis semillon in colour, the legs on the glass also give away the relatively high ABV. Heat & peat on the palate, warmth lingers.

28.24 – Curiouser and Curiouser.

23 year old SMWS bottling from Tullibardine Distillery. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 52.2%.

Pale gold. Musty. Like an old book. Bourbon like flavours, gentle. Smooth. Medium finish.

93.58 – A Manly Adventure.

14 year old SMWS bottling from Glen Scotia Distillery. Campbeltown, Scotland. ABV: 60.4%.

Crisp clear straw colour. The nose gives pork spit roast on an open fire. Band aids. Meaty, very chewy. Kind of whisky to put hairs on your chest. Smoke builds, lips tingle long after.

37.55 – Surprising Smoky and Savoury.

12 year old SMWS bottling from Cragganmore Distillery. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 56.6%.

Really pale straw. Surprisingly smokey for a Speyside – only then did I realise the SMWS name was “surprisingly smokey”.

121.65 – A Well-Oiled Baseball Glove.

14 year old SMWS bottling from Isle of Arran Distillery. Isle of Arran, Scotland. ABV: 58.3%.

Deep copper. Wow – like it. Muscat notes, it is leathery – the title of this one really is on the money. Like a salted caramel dessert – salty but a sweet aftertaste. Delicious – definitely my favourite dram of the day.

53.198 – Wasabi on a California Roll.

18 year old SMWS bottling from Caol Ila Distillery. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 59.1%.

Like opening a tin of smoked mussels or anchovies. Nice. Smokey, but almost a bit of a metallic aftertaste.

29.145 – Innocent Embrace of Sweetness and Smoke.

22 year old SMWS bottling from Laphroaig Distillery. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 45.3%.

Straw colour. One of the lightest Islays I’ve nosed in terms of smoke. Sweet almost cool smokey sensation on the tongue. Quite unusual, but nice.

Whisky #101 – Longrow 7 Year Old Gaja Barolo Wood Single Malt

June 21, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Longrow 7 Year Old Gaja Barolo Wood Single Malt. Campbeltown, Scotland. ABV: 55.80%. Tasted at Helvetica, $0 – birthday beverage courtesy of my mate Brett.

Colour: Like a varnished timber floorboard.

Nose: Creamy peat. Like the smell of a campfire the morning after as you stick your head out of the tent with a whisky hangover.

Palate & finish: Obviously I was enjoying the birthday festivities, as my notes here were as empty as the whisky glass which seemed to have developed a leak somewhere…

Comments: I didn’t know that Barolo was a variety of Italian red wine. Would not have picked this for having spent time in ex-wine barrels (it had 1.5 years, after having spent 5.5 years in refilled bourbon barrels). The peat is quite strong & dominates any flavours that may have been imparted by the Barolo casks.

Overall, quite a neat dram but not a standout – there are better examples from Longrow in my opinion (e.g. Longrow Red Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 11 Year Old).

Whisky #100 – Longrow CV Single Malt Scotch Whisky

June 21, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Longrow CV Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Campbeltown, Scotland. 46.0%. Tasted at Helvetica, $0 – birthday beverage courtesy of my mate Giles.

Colour: Orangey gold.

Nose: Lots of peat, expecting a big mouthful of smoke.

Palate: Definitely smokey & peaty, bit softer than the nose suggests. Not too salty.

Finish: Almost a bit of a minty aftertaste, but still plenty of smoke. Like you’ve just smoked a cigar at the end of the night then brushed your teeth before heading to bed. Minty, but you can still taste the smoke.

Comment: I’m not sure why they’ve called it CV, maybe because it’s a selection (a veritable resumé if you will) of Longrow whiskies? They’ve combined some 6, 10 and 14 year old Longrows in here, matured in a variety of barrel sizes.

Whisky #38: Springbank Kilkerran, “New make” D/1494 sample

March 1, 2014 by Whisky a Day 2 Comments

Springbank Kilkerran, “New make” D/1494 sample. Unknown ABV. Campbeltown, Scotland. $0, free sample from Alan Anderson after his “Whisky for Dafties” show at the Perth Fringe.

Colour: Totally clear like water.

Nose: Not very nice, like sweaty socks. Strong alcohol fumes.

Palate: Spice, smoke and peat. Overpowering.

Finish: Plenty of heat that sticks around like a nasty Estonian vodka.

Comments: Unrefined, brutal. Not pleasant to drink I’m afraid. It was even less pleasant last night when after brushing my teeth & climbing into bed, I grabbed a water bottle and took a drink, only to realise that the bottle contained my Kilkerran sample given to me on Friday night by Alan Anderson after his comedy show. Toothpaste and whisky do NOT mix. I can only hope that being in a soft plastic water bottle for 48 hours may have somehow affected the whisky. Should have tried it on Friday straight after the show, though to be fair I had possibly already had more than enough that night. I don’t even remember getting home!

Overall, this is the first entry into the “Truly Awful” whisky category of the project so far. Sorry Alan, but thanks all the same for your generous gesture. All the best for the rest of your tour!

Whisky #26: Springbank 10 Year Old Single Malt

February 24, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by Springbank 10 Year Old Single Malt. Campbeltown, Scotland. ABV: 46.00%. Tasted at Whisky a Day HQ, $73.60.

Colour: Gold, like a flat glass of lager

Nose: Hard to pick this nose…(upon posting this one I’ve just realised that I’ve made the same very lame nose joke. Two days in a row. Note to self: get some new material).

Palate: Woody, slightly vinegary tastes. Fair bit of spice

Finish: Long warmth lingers around your mouth, makes your lips & tip of your tongue tingle.

Comments: I’m a couple of days behind schedule, need to get back on track. This is my first tasting this year of a whisky from Campbeltown. Thankfully we’re talking Scotland and not Western Sydney. Reminds me of an old joke…what do Campbelltown girls use for protection? A bus shelter. Not sure quite what this has to do with the Springbank, but hey.

Overall it’s only ok, the Springbank 10 is not the smoothest Springbank I’ve had, which was a Hazelburn Sauternes cask finished malt – which in turn wasn’t as smooth or tasty as other Sauternes finished whiskies (e.g. Glelmorangie Nectar D’Or or Longmorn 16).