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.
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…
Finish: A tingling linger of warmth, a long gentle fade of dried fruits. Quite a drying finish.
Comments: Cracking value. Sitting in the Baxter Inn how could I possibly pass up one of their own bottlings. Full flavoured, rich and fruity, a top drop.
Glenfiddich Distillery Exclusive 1995 19 Year Old Cask Strength Sherry Cask Matured Single Malt (Cask No. 30318). Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 60.03%.
Colour: Deep, dark copper with a few flecks of charcoal sediment from the inside of the cask I drew the bottle from.
Nose: Much like its Balvenie stablemate, it has soft oak and some sweet, rich dried fruits.
Palate: Wow, the intense flavour and warmth hit your palate then decide to have a party all around your mouth. Salted caramel and rich syrupy sherry notes.
Finish: A salty tingle on the tip of the tongue, foowed by a long fade with some residual sweetness.
Comments: It’s like eating a salted caramel macaron. Soft, chewy, creamy – the flavours just keep coming. A sublime malt.
Balvenie 13 Year Old Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Malt (Cask No. 11270). Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 59.6%. Tasted at home, £25 (200mL bottle, which I filled straight from the cask on the Balvenie distillery tour).
Colour: Stunning, almost a crimson-copper shade.
Nose: The alcohol feints rush to jump up your nose, before a more measured sniff reveals intense fruity aromas, sweet toffee and dusty oak.
Palate: Rich and chewy. Intense toffee and somewhat tart berry flavours, think cranberries and raspberries. A fantastic balance of sweetness and tartness.
Finish: Quite long, almost a bit salty right at the end after the flavours begin to fade. An electrifying tingle on the tip of the tongue as the sherry flavours subside.
Comments: An amazingly complex drop, lots of contrasting layers right the way through.
Edradour Natural Cask Strength Bourbon Cask. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 57.4%. Tasted at my friend Nathan’s place, courtesy of the whisky fiend himself.
Colour: Pale golden apple juice.
Nose: Nose prickle; lemon sherbet.
Palate: Salty popcorn, some creamy light fruit flavours too. Oily mouthfeel.
Finish: Long tingle all around the front of the tongue and mouth.
Comments: Edradour has been one of the finds of the year for me, I hadn’t come across it before but I’ve been loving exploring their range of malts. I didn’t enjoy this one quite as much as the other Edradour Natural Cask Strength that I tasted in Glasgow recently, but this one is still quite enjoyable.
Tour of Finch Whisky Distillery. Nellingen, Germany.
Whisky a Day interviews the winner of Germany’s Best Whisky 2014 for Stuttgart’s Die Neue 107.7 radio station? How the hell did this come about??!
After leaving the shores of Scotland behind a few days prior, I thought I would have a chance for my liver to dry out as I visited my very good friends Steve and Julia who live in Germany. I thought that surely there won’t be much whisky in Germany, and given I tasted so many drams in Scotland and got a little ahead of schedule I’ll be able to take my foot off the gas a little bit. Steve however had other plans…
Steve is one of my closest mates, we met when we were both university exchange students in Sweden back in our early 20s. Originally hailing from England, he now lives in Germany with his lovely wife Julia who is German. Surprisingly, he has picked up German so well that he now hosts his own radio show on one of Stuttgart’s biggest radio stations, Die Neue 107.7.
In the week leading up to my visit, Steve asked his listeners to suggest where he could take his Australian friend who is a “whisky expert” (his words, not mine) to try some German whisky. Firstly, I’m no expert – I just happen to consume a lot of whisky! And secondly, I had almost zero knowledge of the German whisky scene, so it was a surprise to me when he’d organised for us to visit Finch Whisky Distillery.
But this wasn’t just an ordinary tour – Whisky a Day would be coming to interview Hans-Gerhard Fink, head distiller and owner of Finch Whiskies, to record a segment for Steve’s radio show. Not just any distillery, but winner of Germany’s Best Whisky 2014 at the Whisky Guide Deutchland Whisky Award the previous weekend.
Whisky a Day interviewing head distiller Herr Fink for Stuttgart’s Die Neue 107.7 radio station.
Audio below: Whisky a Day and Stuttgart’s DIE NEUE 107.7 radio station visit Finch Whisky Distillery in Nellingen, winners of 2014 Best German Whisky.
Whisky #332: Finch Schwäbischer Highland Whisky Distiller’s Edition 7 Year Old. Nellingen, Germany. ABV: 42%. Tasted at Finch Whisky Distillery.
Single grain whisky, aged in white wine barriques and ex bourbon casks. Has some creamy, citrusy aromas – a bit of lemon. On the palate there’s honey flavours, a little biscuity with a touch of passionfruit. Very nice – a great opening whisky.
Audio below: Whisky a Day tasting Finch Whisky.
Whisky #333: Finch Schwäbischer Highland Whisky Single Malt. Nellingen, Germany. ABV: 42%. Tasted at Finch Whisky Distillery.
This is the one that took out the award for Germany’s Best Whisky 2014 at the Whisky Guide Deutchland Whisky Awards. Extra matured in an ex sherry cask, giving it a brassy gold colour. It’s delicious, really full-flavoured and rich; the fruity sherry influence shines through and lingers for a long time on the palate. I like this one a lot better than the Distiller’s Edition I tried to begin, it’s a real step up.
Herr Fink proudly showing off his title for Germany’s Best Whisky 2014.
Whisky #334: Finch Schwäbischer Highland Whisky Barrel Proof Single Malt. Nellingen, Germany. ABV: 54%. Tasted at Finch Whisky Distillery.
I actually think that this Barrel Proof expression is the pick of the bunch – in my opinion it surpasses the Black Label Single Malt that was awarded Germany’s Best Whisky. Rich and chewy, it’s absolute magic, wow! There’s some Christmas pudding flavours, lots of mixed spice. As a barrel proof release, there is a bit of heat initially when you first taste it, but that slowly fades…it’s then a long gentle fade that makes you warm inside. It reminds me quite a lot of Limeburners whisky from Western Australia, there are similarities to some of their cask strength whiskies that have been aged in ex Australian fortified casks. Quite similar flavours to the Limeburners M138 or Limeburners M90. Golden syrup on hot buttered toast, with a long, luscious finish – absolutely magic.
Overall comments: It shouldn’t really surprise that the Germans make good whisky, afterall they make some of the world’s best beer and the initial stages of producing both beverages share similarities. I was impressed by the quality of the Barrel Proof malt in particular. On the basis of this visit, I will have to seek out some more German whisky to try. Congratulations to Herr Fink and the guys at Finch Whisky, many thanks for showing me around your impressive little distillery.
Tour of The Balvenie Distillery. Speyside, Scotland. £35.
After an enthralling morning touring Glenfiddich Distillery, it was time to duck right next door to their sister distillery Balvenie. Little did I know that I was about to taste one of the standout whiskies of the year for Whisky a Day.
Whisky #319: Balvenie Single Barrel First Fill 12 Year Old Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 47.80%.
Colour: Dull peachy gold.
Nose: Bit of an alcohol kick initially that quickly fades. Malty sweetness and cereal notes come through.
Palate: Oily mouthfeel, butterscotch flavours.
Finish: Spices and warmth, syrupy honey flavours in the fade.
Balvenie’s stills and spirit safe.
Whisky #320: Balvenie Doublewood 17 Year Old Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 43.00%.
Colour: Brassy copper colour.
Nose: Soft peat hits you immediately – even at only 3ppm. Very soft burnt toffee notes too. Almost a bit earthy too.
Palate: Dry, golden syrup notes, very faint straw notes. Delicious!
Finish: Sweet syrup and very soft smoke in the fade.
Balvenie are one of the few distilleries to still malt some (though not all) of their own barley
40 year old Balvenie hand-poured straight from the cask in Warehouse 24.
Whisky #321: Balvenie Bourbon Refill Barrel 40 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt (Barrel 17703). Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 53.7%.
Now this was the special one…
Colour: Deep, honied gold with particles of charcoal from the barrel.
Nose: Honeycomb, dusty bookshelves.
Palate: Stunning. Mouth coating, syrupy, rich vanilla. Velvety, creamy; like honey and butter on hot toast.
Finish: Intense, golden syrup and earthy notes – words fail me, I’m drifting away…
Comments: Now this was the special one. As a member of Balvenie’s Warehouse 24 club, on the tour I was granted a special surprise. Along with my new tour friends from the Boat City Whisky Club in Poland, we were given a “dog”, a small empty bottle, and tasked with locating barrel number 17703 upstairs in Warehouse 24. Once we located it, we could then use the dog to fill up the bottle with this precious liquid gold. Of course, there is absolutely NO truth to the rumour that the dog was then refilled and passed around when our tour guide wasn’t looking so we could sample some more of Barrel 17703’s contents straight from the cask…
Only when we got back to the tasting room did we learn that it was a 40 year old whisky that we had been tasting sraight from the cask in the warehouse where it has been maturing for the past four decades. It was simply divine, one of the stand-out whiskies of the year for me.
Edradour Natural Cask Strength Single Malt. Distilled 2000, bottled 2014 (cask #2008). Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 57.1%. Tasted at The Pot Still (Glasgow), £6.85.
Palate: Immediate tingle on the lips as the flavours begin to dance around your mouth. Oily mouthfeel, rich full sherry flavours – rich sultanas, saltiness too.
Finish: Nutty sweet sherry notes hang around for ages. The front half of the palate and your lips seem to tingle for an eternity; what a buzz.
Comments: Wow, what a dram. Love it. Rich, fruity and spicy – it’s hard to write a tongue-in-cheek review of a whisky this good. Highly recommended.
Glendronach Cask Strength (Batch 2) Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 55.2%. Tasted at Òran Mór (Glasgow), £4.65.
Colour: Shiny copper.
Nose: There’s a bit of an alcohol feint that shoots up your nostrils. Burnt orange peel and sherry notes.
Palate: Cool entry, but the heat gently builds. Chewy sherry flavours, you can definitely taste the similarities to the other Glendronach expressions. The very subtlest hint of smoke or charcoal.
Finish: Long…lots of warmth as the whisky wraps itself around your throat and makes its way down your chest all the way down to your belly. That’s starting to sound like a Mills & Boon novel…
Comments: Not quite as smooth or refined as its Glendronach stablemates Revival, Allardice or Parliament, but as a cask strength release it’s great to experience whisky from one of my favourite distilleries in one of its purest forms.
Blackadder Smoking Islay Raw Cask (Sherry Cask) Cask Strength Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 60.50%. Tasted at home, $180 (bottle).
Colour: Pale gold.
Nose: Meat and molasses cooking on a campfire. A hint of cocoa.
Palate: Jammy flame-grilled meat flavours, plenty of peat and smoke.
Finish: Lots of residual warmth, long finish.
Comments: A cask strength release from a single sherry cask, this is simply stunning. The best Islay whisky I’ve tried so far this year. Words failed me a little when making my tasting notes, mainly because I was enjoying it so much and didn’t want to over-analyse it. Yes at 60.5% it’s a monster, but it doesn’t need to be diluted in my opinion. As the name suggests, it is raw but the influence form the sherry cask means that it’s got some residual sweetness too. Absolutely superb.
Booker’s Bourbon Whiskey (Batch C04-J-19). Kentucky, United States. ABV: 64.60%.
Colour: Deep varnished timber.
Nose: Burnt orange, toffee and vanilla. Not the big alcohol kick up the nostrils I was expecting for a drop at 64.6%.
Palate: Creamy, buttery; rich fruity flavours with lots of mixed spices and pepper. Velvety smooth, yet a little sour (in a good way).
Finish: Chewy, quite long, very subtle aniseed in the fade.
Comments: Probably the smoothest bourbon whiskey I’ve had this year. Really enjoyed this one, I’d be keen to try more cask strength bourbons if this one is anything to go by.
Palate: Very silky and smooth on the palate. Soft woody notes.
Finish: Straw aftertaste. Quite dry, medium length.
Comments: Softer than I thought it would be, not because of the age statement but due to the ABV. I certainly had expectations it would have a lot more depth of flavour being a cask strength release. Quite nice, but probably not worth the price. Overall, it’s not as interesting or tasty as other releases from independent bottlers I’ve tried recently.
Benromach Cask Strength Single Malt, Distilled 2002. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 60.3%. The Royal, $16.
Colour: Like a glass of pale, watered down apple juice.
Nose: Hint of peat, bit of smoke.
Palate: Salty; heat quickly fills the mouth. Complex flavours, but a bit too much heat to really enjoy them.
Finish: Heat overpowers the flavours that try to linger. Like wearing some nice aftershave to a date and the bloke at the table next to yours has bad BO, totally overwhelming your efforts.
Comments: Surprising to find so much complexity in a whisky that is so clear. Further evidence that you shouldn’t solely judge a whisky by its colour.
1999 Isle of Jura Boutique Barrels XU Bourbon Cask Strength Single Malt. Isle of Jura, Scotland. ABV: 55.00%. Tasted at Whisky Live 2014.
Sampled: Isle of Jura 10 year old (ABV: 40.0%); 1995 Isle of Jura Boutique Barrels JO Bourbon Cask Strength (ABV: 56.5%); Isle of Jura Superstition (43.0%); Isle of Jura Prophecy (ABV: 46.0%); Isle of Jura 1999 Boutique Barrels XU Bourbon Cask (ABV: 55.0%).
Well the pick was certainly the smokey, meaty BBQ smell and flavour of the 1999 Isle of Jura Boutique Barrels XU Bourbon Cask at the end of the table (far right of picture). The 1995 vintage was ok, obviously the further up the line we worked the peatier they got.
But really, the last two (right of picture) were the only ones that I was really interested in. The Jura Prophecy was starting to get a bit more character, probably due to the fact it was finished in some oloroso sherry casks. There was a noticeable step up in peat too.
But the 1999 Boutique Barrels XU Bourbon Cask was definitely the pick of the Juras on offer here.
Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch No.4 Cask Strength Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 50.4%. $0 – courtesy of my mate Brett.
Colour: Deep amber.
Nose: Sweet, a bit oaky. Vanilla notes.
Palate: A very smooth entry, lots of flavour. As my trusted whisky tasting mate Brett remarked, “a fine drop that has given us renewed vigour!”. Tastes a little like the Hazelburn Sauternes Cask single malt.
Finish: Sweet aftertaste.
Comments: Quite a hurried tasting as we were running late for dinner with friends, certainly not time to taste it properly and do this dram justice. I’ve left Brett a bottle of whisky at his place so I have an excuse to come back and have another tasting of the Balvenie Tun 1401. As one of our friends commented at dinner, “A bottle a day? That’s not a blog, that’s a problem!”…I politely pointed out that it’s called Whisky a Day, not Bottle a Day.
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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).
1940 Gordon & MacPhail Generations Glenlivet 70 Year Old (Release 2) Cask Strength Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 45.90%.
Whisky #333: Finch Schwäbischer Highland Whisky Single Malt. Nellingen, Germany. ABV: 42%. Tasted at Finch Whisky Distillery.
