Scotland Archives - Page 13 of 22

Whisky #280: The McGibbon’s Provenance – Macallan 1997 Autumn Distillation 15 Year Old Single Malt

November 6, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

The McGibbon’s Provenance: Macallan 1997 Autumn Distillation 15 Year Old Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 46%. Tasted at home, $70 (bottle).

Colour: Pale straw.

Nose: Alcohol feints, yet smooth. Hay-like, honey and lemon notes.

Palate: Straw on the mid-palate. Smooth, sweet somewhat citrusy flavours.

Finish: Medium length yet somewhat soft; quite dry.

Comments: Not as intense as I was expecting, yet eminently drinkable.

Whiskies #278 & 279: Jim McEwan Masterclass at The Oxford Hotel

November 5, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Jim McEwan Masterclass at The Oxford Hotel, Leederville, $50.

What a privilege to have one of the doyens of whisky touring Australia to impart his wisdom, wit and charm as he led us on a journey through Bruichladdich and the history of Islay. On top of that, Jim raised over $11,000 for the Red Cross through donations received at his engaging masterclasses. An amazing night – bagpipes, laughter, touching stories, dancing on tables, a history lesson and we got to try some outstanding whisky too. As it’s getting to the pointy end of Whisky a Day, I had previously tasted four of the Bruichladdichs on offer here so I won’t cover those again, so I’ll focus on the Islay Barley and the Black Art.

Whisky #278: 2006 Bruichladdich Islay Barley 5 Year Old Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 50.00%.

Colour: Very pale straw.

Nose: Camphor, soft oak & straw notes.

Palate: Malty, not peaty at all.

Finish: Long; lingering warmth and tingle.

Comments: This expression is produced with 100% Islay grown barley. Even the name of the farm is on the tin – nice touch. According to Jim the last time 100% Islay barley used was 1914. Overall it’s pretty decent, but not my pick of the night.

Jim holding court and leading the room in a boisterous version of the Scottish national anthem

Whisky #279: Bruichladdich 23 Year Old 1990 Black Art 04.1. ABV: 49.2%.

Colour: Dark luscious toffee.

Nose: Muscatelles, lightly charred oak, dried fruits. Smells amazing.

Palate: Salted toffee, charcoal flavours. Meaty without being peaty.

Finish: Medium to long, quite a soft finish – not as intense as the Islay Barley.

Comments: No one knows the recipe or what casks are used except Jim – so it’s only appropriate that it bears the moniker “black art”. Really liked this one! Sensational, the clear standout of the night’s tastings for me.

This is apparently the traditional way the Scots say slàinte!

Whisky #277 – Edradour Straight From the Cask 11 Year Old Burgundy Cask Finish Single Malt

November 5, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Edradour Straight From the Cask 11 Year Old Burgundy Cask Finish Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 58.8%. Tasted at home, $70 (500mL bottle).

Colour: Bright orange.

Nose: Dry, soft oak; almost a bit powdery in a way.

Palate: Not as smooth, sweet as the Edradour Caledonia; dry and oaky. Like licking a paddle pop stick.

Finish: Straw-like flavours, medium length; leaves a tingle at the front of tongue.

Comments: I definitely had high expectations given how much I enjoyed the only other Edradour I’ve tasted before, the Edradour 12 Year Old Caledonia Selection. However this one, while still a solid dram, failed to live up those lofty expectations. It didn’t have anywhere near the same level or complexity, sweetness or depth of flavour in my opinion. I’m keen though to drop by the Edradour distillery in Pitlochry to see what other drams they have on offer!

Whisky #272 – The Macallan 12 Year Old Gran Reserva Single Malt

November 2, 2014 by Whisky a Day 1 Comment

The Macallan 12 Year Old Gran Reserva Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 45.6%. Tasted at home, $0 – Dram Full sample.

Colour: Deep burnt toffee.

Nose: Sticky syrupy sherry. Lots of it. Soft varnish notes too.

Palate: Luscious intense spice and dried fruits, not overly sweet though – which is a good thing.

Finish: Buttery oak and caramel, lots of spice. Medium to long finish.

Comments: Perfectly balanced; sweetness and spice, rich full flavours. Absolutely fantastic.

Whisky #270 – BenRiach 15 Year Old Madeira Single Malt

October 30, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

BenRiach 15 Year Old Madeira Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 46.00%. Tasted at The Laneway Lounge, $18.

Colour: Hungover stale beer colour.

Nose: Straw, yet some some rich vanilla and sherry notes.

Palate: Creamy smooth berry flavours.

Finish: Velvety sherbet finish. Tingly smooth – the finish tastes a little like Allen’s strawberries and cream lollies.

Comments: Matured in American oak casks initially, then finished in Madeira barrels. There are a few interesting yet contrasting things going on with this one, but it’s a bit too much of a medley of flavours and aromas to make it a really good whisky.

Whisky #269 – Glendronach 21 Year Old Parliament Single Malt

October 28, 2014 by Whisky a Day 4 Comments

Glendronach 21 Year Old Parliament Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 48.00%. Tasted at home, $120 (bottle).

Colour: As Ron Burgundy might say, it’s the colour of rich mahogany.

Nose: 60% of the time it works every time…damn this is a fine whisky. A stunning nose; dried muscatels, molasses, dusty bookshelves.

Palate: Luscious syrupy mouthfeel. Dry sultanas, cocoa, rich sherry flavours; deliciously sweet and chewy without being overly saccharine.

Finish: Caramel flavours dominate; medium length.

Comments: An amazing whisky, beautifully balanced. I could drink this every day as my Whisky a Day challenge for 2015. I’m keen to sit down one night and try a vertical tasting of the Glendronach Revival 15 Year Old and the Glendronach Allardice 18 Year Old, two of my favourite whiskies this year…purely for research purposes of course.

Whisky #263 – Glenfarclas 1980 Family Casks Single Malt

October 15, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Glenfarclas 1980 Family Casks Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 50.1%. Tasted at Must Winebar, $37.

Colour: Light amber. Not nearly as dark as I thought it might be given it has spent 27 years in an ex sherry barrel.

Nose: A very, very subtle toasted oak. Surprisingly soft given the ABV.

Palate: Quite dry, yet warming. Delicious caramel and hay-like woody notes.

Finish: Intense warming in a good way – like putting your hands close to an open fire. Putting your mouth towards an open fire??? That doesn’t really make much sense, maybe sans the singed eyebrows. You get my drift.

Comments: A single cask release, it’s one of only 681 bottles from a refill sherry butt. Distilled in 1980, bottled in 2007. Yes it’s old and yes it’s quite uncommon, but I’m not convinced it’s worth $37 a nip. A great drop however.

Whisky #262 – Chivas Regal 18 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky

October 14, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Chivas Regal 18 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky. Speyside, Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at home, $9 (50mL sample bottle).

Colour: Light caramel.

Nose: Citrus, straw and faint honey notes.

Palate: Smooth yet more flavour depth than I was expecting from a blend. A little like sweet biscuits – think of buttery Nice biscuits, the ones with sugar sprinkled on top.

Finish: Medium length, minimal heat. Quite dry. You can taste the Nice biscuits gradually fading as the grains of sugar dissolve in your mouth.

Comments: Again much like the Chivas 12 year old, I was pleasantly surprised by this one. It’s no world-beater and is a little too mild and unassuming for my tastes, but it’s certainly easy drinking.

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

October 11, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

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.

Whiskies #256 & 257: Chivas Brothers Tasting with Laura Hay

October 5, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Chivas Brothers Tasting with Laura Hay. Helvetica, $50.

I was fortunate to attend another tasting event hosted by Chivas Brothers ambassador Laura Hay. We had five whiskies to taste, however I’ve already covered three of them so far this year – The Glenlivet 18, Longmorn 16 and Aberlour A’bunadh. I suspect as the year draws to a close there will be a few more times like this where I’ve sampled some of them already.

Whisky #256, Scapa 16 Year Old Single Malt. Orkney Islands, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%.

Colour: Pale toffee.

Nose: Very soft. Orange peel, vanilla, straw. Reminds me of walking into a room with freshly varnished timber floorboards.

Palate: Soft oak, some hay-like flavours.

Finish: Short to medium length, a little briny but not like other island malts, it’s very light and subtle.

Comments: Fresh and light. Quite pleasant, but it’s not the kind of whisky that’s going to really wow you. A great whisky to kick off the evening’s whisky tasting though.

Whisky #257, Aberlour 12 Year Old Double Cask Matured Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 43.00%.

Colour: Light amber.

Nose: Earthy, but quite light. Musty bookshelves. Pistachio shells.

Palate: Stoney is how I’d describe it. Much more subtle sherry notes than the Aberlour 10 year old.

Finish: Medium length, not much heat.

Comments: I actually didn’t enjoy this one as the Aberlour 10 Year Old Single Malt, which apparently is being phased out of the Aberlour lineup in favour of the 12 year old. Not as sweet and sherry-like as I was expecting. My good mate Tim remarks that it’s his ideal whisky when you’re having a shit day, it’s the one you turn to when you get home and pour yourself a dram. It’s smooth yet uncomplicated; you can drink it with the assurance that everything is going to be alright. Couldn’t have said it better myself Timbo!

Whisky #253 – Berry’s Bladnoch 19 Year Old 1992 Single Malt

September 29, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Berry’s Bladnoch 19 Year Old 1992 Single Malt. Lowlands, Scotland. 46%. Tasted at Lafayette, $22.

Colour: Very pale lemon.

Nose: Floral, quite delicate. Citrus notes too – not like the outside of an orange peel, but more like the smell after you’ve peeled an orange or mandarin and you’re just left with the white pith.

Palate: Quite a soft entry, but then quickly builds with a bit of heat and pepper.

Finish: Long finish. Gradually dries and contorts itself on the palate as it fades, revealing lemon and pepper.

Comments: Bottled in 2011, having been aged for 19 years. Surprisingly complex for a Lowlands whisky. It’s very light yet complex, some great stuff going on here.

Whisky #252 – Hazelburn 12 Year Old Single Malt

September 28, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

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 #251: Balvenie 15 Year Old Single Barrel Single Malt

September 28, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Balvenie 15 Year Old Single Barrel Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 47.80%. Tasted at Whisky a Day HQ, $115 (bottle).

Colour: Brilliant translucent yellow.

Nose: Vanilla and bush honey.

Palate: Sweet biscuity notes. Creamy and buttery. Oily mouthfeel.

Finish: Medium length, lots of sweet oak and vanilla flavours. Almost a bit jammy.

Comments: A very smooth dram, the fact that half the bottle has mysteriously disappeared over a few days would suggest that it’s dangerously drinkable!

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 #246 – Longrow Peated Campbeltown Single Malt

September 22, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

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.

Whiskies #243-244: The Glenrothes 1995 & 1998 Single Malts

September 21, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

1995 The Glenrothes Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 43.00%.

Colour: Like varnished pine timber floorboards.

Nose: Straw and malt notes, nothing too spectacular here though.

Palate: Soft nondescript entry. Very soft honey notes. Like most Scots, a little nutty.

Finish: Gentle tingle builds on the lips, but quickly fades. Honied cereal notes in the fade. Quite short in length.

1998 The Glenrothes Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 43.00%.

Colour: Orange gold.

Nose: Oak and vanilla.

Palate: Fuller flavour than the 1995, much richer. Oak, syrupy dried fruit, oily mouthfeel.

Finish: Medium length, some sweet buttery toffee notes linger.

Overall comments: For me the 1998 was much better than the 1995, which for some may be a little surprising given the 1998 is three years younger (both were bottled in 2012). It just goes to show that older doesn’t necessarily equal better, even from the same distillery! The 1998 has a lot more depth of character; the 1995 is just a bit too insipid and characterless for my liking.