Highlands Archives - Page 5 of 7

Whisky #248 – Chivas Regal Extra

September 24, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Chivas Regal Extra. Speyside, Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 40%. Tasted at Lafayette.

Colour: Dark varnished timber.

Nose: A bit of oak, a bit of sherry. That’s about as complex as it gets.

Palate: surprisingly thin on the palate. Soft enough, but not much depth. It’s got some sherry flavours but they’re sadly quite watered down.

Finish: Reasonably short finish, quite dry.

Comments: The “Extra” is a blend with a higher proportion from ex sherry casks than other Chivas offerings, so I was intrigued to see if it had that typical sherry richness and fruity sweetness. To be honest I found the flavours to be ok, but I cannot help but think it would’ve been interesting to try before they’d diluted it down to 40%. My good friend Giles is quite underwhelmed – “all I can taste is marketing”. Hard to disagree with that assessment old boy.

Whisky #237 – Chivas Regal 12 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky

September 17, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Chivas Regal 12 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at my mate Ryan’s place, $0 (courtesy of the poker fund).

Colour: Pale gold, like the $50 notes I’m about to throw away in poker tonight.

Nose: Very soft aromas. Toasted cereal & oak feints.

Palate: Cigar box, straw, dried pineapple, sweet oak.

Finish: A gentle flavour fade, medium length. Much longer than I expect to last in this poker game.

Comments: Pleased to say my low expectations were exceeded with the Chivas 12. It surprisingly had more going on than I’d previously given it credit for, I expected it to be more one dimensional. Solid but certainly not spectacular, good value though. Personally if was to recommend a good value blend I’d prefer the Monkey Shoulder Batch 27 Blended Malt Scotch Whisky.

Whisky #228 – Old Pulteney Noss Head Lighthouse Highland Single Malt

September 11, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Old Pulteney Noss Head Lighthouse Highland Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 46.0%. Tasted at Helvetica.

Colour: Very clear pale straw.

Nose: Beeswax, straw and some lemon. Which sounds interesting, but it’s really not that great.

Palate: Floral hay-like flavours, quite bright. Gentle alcohol warmth.

Finish: Oily mouthfeel, subtle sweetness. Warmth builds, but flavours subside quickly.

Comments: according to my friend Marc it’s more like a “Todd Carney Sauternes, exited as a yeast infection.” Not going to be a crowd pleaser. For me I’d rate it a little higher than Marc’s assessment but it’s only average, I wouldn’t go seeking it out. As a duty free only whisky I’m sure it won’t be hard to steer clear.

Whisky #225 – Royal Lochnagar Distillers Edition Double Matured Single Malt

September 10, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Royal Lochnagar Distillers Edition Double Matured Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at Lafayette, $20.

Colour: Amber, leathery brown.

Nose: A very soft perfume, a hint of sherry.

Palate: Toasted malt and sherry notes. Reminds me a little of the Auchentoshan Triple Wood, though it has been a while since I’ve tasted that so I hope my recollection is on the mark.

Finish: Dry; lots of oak. Some dried fruit notes hang around to remind you of it’s heritage.

Comments: Extra matured in old muscat barrels, after having spent its early years maturing in a combination of American oak & ex sherry barrels. I was a little surprised when I had a sip – it shares qualities more associated with sherry matured drams. I love muscat, so the influence from the muscat barrels is not as pronounced as I had hoped. Still a decent drop though.

Whisky #224 – Edradour 12 Year Old Caledonia Selection

September 10, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Edradour 12 Year Old Caledonia Selection. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 46.0%. Tasted at home, $55 (bottle).

Colour: Luscious deep copper. It’s a beautiful thing.

Nose: Sweet sherry goodness awaits. Mixed dried fruit aromas too.

Palate: Intense sherry and caramel flavours; a perfect balance of sweetness, spices and heat. Oily, syrupy mouthfeel. Amazing.

Finish: Long flavour fade, medium length for the heat. Soft pepper and toffee flavours.

Comments: This expression was apparently created when Edradour asked Scottish singer Dougie Maclean to select a single Oloroso cask and they named it after his most famous song, “Caledonia”. What a load of marketing hogwash.

All that bullshit aside, this is a stunning whisky – it makes me want to drink it all day. For many days on end. It has huge depth of flavour yet with that residual sweetness that makes you want to lick the inside of the glass to make sure you’ve gotten every last little drop. All of this from Scotland’s tiniest distillery, reportedly run by just three guys. Amazing stuff fellas.

Whisky #214 – Glencadam 14 Year Old Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish

August 30, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Glencadam 14 Year Old Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 46.0%. Tasted at home, $117 (bottle).

Colour: Pale amber. Surprisingly pale for a whisky that’s spent time maturing in ex sherry casks.

Nose: Sweet sawdust, lemon & vanilla.

Palate: Vanilla, syrupy treacle, with a little bit of pepper

Finish: Oily mouthfeel, sweet fruits, oaky vanilla goodness. Medium length.

Comments: The first dram I tried of this I enjoyed, however I didn’t think it was anything too out of the ordinary. After a second glass however I’m starting to really enjoy this one, it certainly grows on you.

Whisky #198 – Oban 14 Year Old Single Malt

August 15, 2014 by Whisky a Day 2 Comments

Oban 14 Year Old Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at The Tilbury Hotel, Woolloomooloo. $0, courtesy of my friend Shelly.

Apologies for being off air for a few days, but I’ve been busy drinking whisky! A few days to catch up on, let’s get into it with the Oban 14 year old…

Colour: Bright caramel.

Nose: Dried fruits, mainly sultanas and apricots. Slightly floral.

Palate: Cool oily mouthfeel to start, then a gentle heat builds. Toasted oak flavours, buttery.

Finish: Soft peppery tingle on the front of the tongue. Medium length.

Comments: Have you ever had elocution lessons from a slightly tipsy Scottish lass? Hilarious. My dear friend Shelly bought me an Oban when I was back visiting Sydney, and then proceded to correct my apparent mispronunciation of Oban after we’d had a couple of drinks.

Whisky a Day: Hey Shell, is this an Oban?

Shelly: It’s not O-bahn, it’s Oh-bin!

Whisky a Day: Oban?

Shelly: No no nooooo…that’s not right, it’s Oo-bun!

Whisky a Day: So how would you pronounce it, Oooooo-bun, Oh-bin, Oh-bahn? Or simply “gargle-gargle-swallow”?

Shelly: Oban!

Whisky a Day: Surely you can’t be serious?

Shelly: I am serious, and stop calling me Shelly!

I look forward to many more elocution lessons next time I’m back in Sydney Shelly! Though I think I’ll leave the final word to legendary Scottish actor Brian Cox…

Whisky #191 – Glenmorangie The Original 10 Year Old Single Malt

August 1, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Glenmorangie The Original 10 Year Old Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at the Brass Monkey Hotel, $0 (courtesy of my mate Brett).

Colour: Light gold. Paler than I remember.

Nose: Subtle; sweet and woody.

Palate: Gentle spice, vanilla, sweet oaky flavours.

Finish: Hay-like sweet notes in the fade. A touch of liquorice. Not much heat at all.

Comments: Glenmorangie is probably my favourite distillery, and while I don’t usually drink their Original 10 year old (my go-to whisky is the Glenmorangie Nectar D’Or, which will bookend this whole Whisky a Day project), it actually holds a pretty special place in my heart. You see it was when I first tasted the Glenmorangie Original at a university scotch and cigar night that my interest in whisky was piqued (check out the story here). So I guess you could say the Original is a great introduction to the world of whisky for those who haven’t tried much before!

Whisky #190 – The Macallan Amber Single Malt

August 1, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

The Macallan Amber Single Malt. Speyside / Highlands (there is some conjecture on this one), Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at The Royal, $12.

Colour: It certainly is amber. No escaping that. But a slightly lighter shade than amber amber.

Nose: Reminds me of the smell of a dish I once had, warm Greek cheese with hot honey drizzled on top and sprinkled with fennel pollen. I know this sounds incredibly specific, but when I sniffed the Macallan Amber it immediately triggered my memory of that dish. Weird, but good.

Palate: Hot buttered toast with honey. Looks like this review is going to be food based! Quite fruity, a bit syrupy.

Finish: Sweet buttery notes, oily mouthfeel. Medium length, slight heat lingering at the fade.

Comments: Macallan have gone for a No Age Statement (NAS) with their “1824” range of whiskies (1824 was the year Macallan Distillery was founded), differentiating them by colour: Amber, Gold, Sienna and Ruby. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with this one, having not really enjoyed the Macallan Ruby too much when I tasted it recently. Pleasantly surprised though; it’s no world-beater, but if you’re looking for an easy drinking malt with some decent flavour complexity, residual sweetness, not much heat and all at a reasonable price, the Macallan Amber is worth a shot. Steer clear of the Ruby though.

Whisky #189 – Adelphi Clynelish 1997 15 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt

July 30, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Adelphi Clynelish 1997 15 Year Old Cask Strength Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 53.20%. Tasted at Laneway Lounge.

Colour: Like a glowing incandescent light globe filament.

Nose: Band aids, soft hay-like scents. Quite a light nose.

Palate: Much more of a kick than suggested by the nose. Nothing too special about this one though for me.

Finish: Quite dry, salty with a gentle smokey aftertaste. Medium-long finish.

Comments: Joel enjoyed it more after adding a single cube of ice, softens it out nicely. Overall it just didn’t really do it for me, hence the someone sparse tasting notes – I was just left a little underwhelmed by this one.

Whisky #188 – Clynelish 14 Year Old Single Malt

July 30, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Clynelish 14 Year Old Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 46.00%. Tasted at home, $75.

Colour: Gold. Plain gold. Move along folks, no other creative adjectives to be seen here.

Nose: Cereal notes, a little like a bowl of Sultana Bran.

Palate: Salty straw flavours, a bit meaty too. Very gentle smoke, not a really peaty smoke though.

Finish: Sweet almost minty flavours, long finish. An even longer gentle warmth.

Comments: Quite a different coastal peaty whisky. If you like Islay malts but don’t like the intense smoke – or if the salty, briny, peaty whiskies are a little intense for you – the Clynelish 14 could be a good gentle bridge from other whiskies to this style.

Whisky #187 – Aberlour 10 Year Old Single Malt

July 30, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Aberlour 10 Year Old Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at home, $50 (bottle).

Colour: Deep orange.

Nose: Caramel and mixed spice.

Palate: Sherry flavours coming through now; sweet toffee flavours balanced with some tart orange peel.

Finish: Gentle pepper and tobacco flavours; the slightest hint of sweet smoke. Medium length.

Comments: Great value for money (although I did manage to grab it on special with 20% off). Even at full price ($62) it’s a cracking drop.

Whisky #184 – Glenmorangie The Quinta Ruban 12 Year Old Single Malt

July 27, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Glenmorangie The Quinta Ruban 12 Year Old Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 46.00%. Tasted at Helvetica, $16.

Colour: Deep copper.

Nose: Hay; some toasted notes too.

Palate: Soft, cool entry. Not the big hit of sweetness I was expecting from a whisky that has spent it’s final couple of years extra maturing in ex-port barrels. Salty with a hint of sweetness. Not a huge vanilla hit but it’s there, along with some other mixed spices, mainly cinnamon.

Finish: Quite a dry finish, but medium-long. Oaky, somewhat sweet tobacco flavours linger, my whole mouth has a slight tingle but it’s definitely not a burner.

Comments: Of the three of Glenmorangie’s extra matured range, the Nectar D’Or has long been my favourite, so I hadn’t given the Quinta Ruban (or the Lasanta) much of a go. After the standard Glenmorangie 10 years maturing in ex bourbon barrels, the Quinta Ruban has then spent its extra maturation time (circa 2 years)in ex port barrels from Portugal. I’ve always enjoyed a good fortified (muscat is my favourite), but I’ve never been massively into port-finished whiskies. Though on the back of this tasting, I think I might have to have a few more Quinta Rubans!

Whisky #171 – Mackillop’s Choice 1986 Dalmore Cask Strength Single Malt

July 22, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Mackillop’s Choice 1986 Dalmore Cask Strength Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 55.9%. Tasted at Malt Supper Club, $38.

Colour: A nightclub-infused pale gold.

Nose: Subtle orange citrusy aromas. Quite subtle though.

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.

Whisky #164 – Glendronach Allardice 18 Year Old 100% Sherry Matured Single Malt

July 20, 2014 by Whisky a Day 2 Comments

Glendronach Allardice 18 Year Old 100% Sherry Matured Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 46.00%. Tasted at home, $125 (bottle).

Colour: Deep almost purplish copper.

Nose: Dark fruity sweetness, caramel aromas too.

Palate: Toffee, vanilla, sweet woody flavours.

Finish: The chewy sweet caramel flavours gradually fade to a reasonably dry finish with a gentle tingle on the front of the tongue.

Comments: Glendronach are one of the few distilleries to have their single malts 100% matured in ex Sherry casks, with many sherry drams from other distilleries using ex bourbon barrels for the majority of the maturation before spending some time ‘finishing’ in Sherry barrels.

The Allardice is quite a bit woodier than I recall the Glendronach Revival 15 year old was, but they’re both great whiskies. Do I like it? Absolutely, it’s fantastic. Would I rate it above the Revival 15 year old? I don’t think so. The Revival really is superb, and while the Allardice is a great whisky, I’m not sure that the extra 3 years maturation has made it a step-change improvement that warrants the extra $25/bottle investment compared to the Revival.

Whisky #158 – Oban Distiller’s Edition Single Malt

July 18, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Oban Distiller’s Edition Single Malt (distilled 1998, bottled 2013). Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at home, $120.

Colour: Burnt amber. Much like its Diageo Distiller’s Edition stablemates, this Oban has spent time extra maturing in some addition casks, in this case it’s Montilla Fino casks which have imparted the darker colour.

Nose: Oaky, briny.

Palate: Salty notes dominate. Quite woody, some dry vanilla too.

Finish: Sweet subtle smoke, quite dry.

Comments: I had never even heard of Montilla Fino before, apparently it’s a sweet fortified wine similar to sherry produced in the southern part of Córdoba in Spain. It’s a little drier than I’d prefer, not a bad offering but not a whisky I would spend all night drinking.

I was hoping the Distiller’s Edition whiskies might be something quite special, as if the master distillers had selected a few special barrels and produced a nice limited edition whisky. And while they’ve been quite ok, they’ve certainly fallen a little short of expectations.