Scotland

Whisky #218 – Glenfiddich 12 Year Old Single Malt

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IMG_3641Glenfiddich 12 Year Old Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at Marquay restaurant, $12.

Colour: Dark gold. Not a bright spark.

Nose: Sweet honey, lemony scents.

Palate: More intense on the palate than I was expecting. Cinnamon, some subtle vanilla, but not a heap of sweetness.

Finish: Warm honey, sweet oak notes. Like many other mainstream single malts, I’ve resisted tasting whiskies like the Glenfiddich 12 as my strategy has been to try and choose some of the more unusual whiskies on offer at each bar and leave the more commonly available ones like the Glenfiddich 12 up my sleeve until the back end of the year when it may start to become challenging to find whiskies I’ve not tried yet. Having not tasted the Glenfiddich 12 for a long time, I was pleasantly surprised that it was as complex as it is – I guess I’d pigeon-holed it as being a common single malt so it must be quite simple. It’s a great malt; it’s certainly not got the depth or complexity of some whiskies I’ve tried this year, but it’s a great value, dependable and available almost everywhere.

Whisky #216 – Balvenie Port Wood Finish 21 Year Old Single Malt

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IMG_3632Balvenie Port Wood Finish 21 Year Old Single Malt. Speyside, Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at Helvetica, $37.

Colour: Deep burnished gold.

Nose: Gorgeous nose. Sticky syrupy toffee with a hint of oak. The softest touch of smoke.

Palate: So smooth on the palate; sweet dried sultanas or muscatelles. A bit buttery but then some nutty tones too.

Finish: Oily mouthfeel, warmth delicately builds, sweet woody & tobacco notes emerge in the fade. I haven’t ever gnawed on a cigar box but imagine this to be like the delicious aftertaste.

Comments: It’s difficult to come up with any smartarse comments when you’re tasting a whisky that you find amazing. Simply a fantastic drop.

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

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IMG_3620Glencadam 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 #212 – Bunnahabhain 25 Year Old Single Malt

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IMG_3603Bunnahabhain 25 Year Old Single Malt (Old Bottling). Islay, Scotland. ABV: 43%. Tasted at The Angel’s Cut, $40.

Colour: Rich wood varnish.

Nose: Soft toffee notes.

Palate: Possibly the most subtle peaty flavours I’ve had in a while. Sweet orange peel flavours too.

Finish: Sweet earthy notes to finish, a very gentle fade. Dry mouthfeel, medium length.

Comments: Definitely one of the more unusual Islays I’ve tried. It really is a great drop, though I’m not sure it’s really worth $40 a nip for the pure drinking pleasure alone; you’re also paying for the relative rarity of the whisky.

Whisky #211 – GlenParker Speyside Single Malt

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GlenParker Speyside Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 40.0%. Tasted at my mate Gordy’s place, $0 (courtesy of Gordy).

Colour: Dark gold.

Nose: Very soft, light oak. Not too much going here though.

Palate: A little medicinal, a little fruity. Quite a thin mouthfeel.

Finish: Some alcohol heat; given this is the most noteworthy comment about the finish that should give you an impression of the somewhat uninspiring flavours.

Comments: Hmmm, not too much to report on this one. I’m not really a fan as you might have guessed. Pass.

Whisky #206 – Blackadder Smoking Islay Raw Cask (Sherry Cask) Cask Strength Single Malt

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IMG_3569Blackadder 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.

Whisky #205 – Arran Millennium Casks Limited Edition Cask Strength Single Malt

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IMG_3567Arran Millennium Casks Limited Edition Cask Strength Single Malt. Isle of Arran, Scotland. ABV: 53.50%. Tasted at home, $199 (bottle).

Colour: Golden apple juice colour.

Nose: A bit of a prickle, some buttery toffee and citrus notes. Actually it’s a little reminiscent of when you open up a packet of Butter Menthols.

Palate: Very rich. Tart raspberries, quite meaty too – not overly smokey, but has some beautiful flavours like a big juicy barbecued steak. Amazing stuff.

Finish: Very long; lots of warmth that fills the front half of the mouth in particular.

Comments: I’m loving the Arran whiskies I’ve tried so far this year, it really is a distillery that is fast becoming one of my favourites. I hadn’t tried any Arrans prior to starting Whisky a Day, but now I’m actively seeking them out as they are so rich, flavoursome and damn sexy. Wow.

Whisky #204 – The Glenrothes Select Reserve Single Malt

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IMG_3709The Glenrothes Select Reserve Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at home, $0 – won as a prize at the Dram Full Perth whisky treasure hunt.

Colour: Bright gold.

Nose: Hot buttered toast with cinnamon.

Palate: Honey, vanilla, mixed spice. Lots of oak.

Finish: Plenty of warmth, it really fills your mouth. Sweet vanilla notes in the fade.

Comments: Tasted this one after having some Chewy Mooey beef jerky – seriously amazing jerky, from a small up-and-coming local Perth company too. The chilli and saltiness from the jerky was perfectly counterbalanced by the whisky; both are full flavoured and full of spice, but the sweetness and oaky vanilla from the Glenrothes Select Reserve just goes really well. Good drop, great jerky too!

Whisky #203 – Monkey Shoulder Batch 27 Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

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IMG_3699Monkey Shoulder Batch 27 Blended Malt Scotch Whisky. Dufftown, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at home, $43 (bottle).

Colour: Brilliant bronze.

Nose: Honey and straw; quite light.

Palate: Sweet; a touch of liquorice, plenty of oak and a bit of vanilla.

Finish: Flavours have a very long and gentle fade out. There’s not a lot of heat, which allows you to really savour the rich sweet flavours.

Comments: The name Monkey Shoulder comes from the condition that was common amongst many distillery workers back in the day before machinery was used, whereby they experienced shoulder strain injuries from manually turning the malting barley on the floor of the malting room with a ‘shiel’, which is kind of like a big wooden spade.

This is a cracking blend, so much depth of character, plus it’s great value. It would appeal if you’re mainly into blends but are curious about transitioning into single malts; likewise if you’re strictly into single malts and usually steer clear of blends, this could be a great bridge to the world of blends. Recommended.

Whisky #201: Talisker 18 Year Old Single Malt

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IMG_3553Talisker 18 Year Old Single Malt. Isle of Skye, Scotland. ABV: 45.80%. Tasted at The Royal Hotel, $15.

Colour: Lustrous orangey gold.

Nose: Smooth smoke (in that it doesn’t burn your nostrils), but still quite intense aromas. A touch of cayenne pepper.

Palate: Smooth entry, peppery toffee flavours.

Finish: Soft smokey almost sherry hints. Medium heat, lingers for a while.

Comments: A little too fiery for what I was expecting. Still smoother than the Talisker 10, but I guess I was hoping it to be much smoother. It’s a good drop with that typical Talisker spice, but I guess it goes to show you shouldn’t go into a tasting with too many preconceptions about what it’s going to be like – you should just try to enjoy it and judge it on its merits after you’ve finished.

Whisky #200 – Glen Grant Five Decades Single Malt

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IMG_3548Glen Grant Five Decades Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 46.00%. Tasted at Canton Lounge.

Colour: Pale gold.

Nose: Orange peel, sweet though.

Palate: Oaky; warmth gently envelopes whole mouth.

Finish: Drying; flavours linger on the front half of the palate.

Comments: I was curious to try this one, I’d heard about it but didn’t know the story. Some quick research revealed the Five Decades was a special release to celebrate the 50th year master distiller Dennis Malcolm had served at Glen Grant. Apparently old Dennis selected some of his favourite Glen Grant casks from across these five decades (1960s to 2000s) and created this malt. Given it’s a No Age Statement whisky, it wouldn’t surprise that it contains some quite young whisky from the latter part of the 2000 decade.

Overall, it does taste quite young and I guess there would be only small percentage of the old stuff in here – not much point throwing too much 40 or 50 year old whisky in with some super young stuff. It kind of misses the mark in my opinion, it’s nothing “special” really to taste.  It seems to be an excuse thought up by the marketing department to create a special release. If a master distiller really wanted to create a special release of some of his favourite barrels from the past 50 years I’m not sure how much of the very young stuff they’d choose, much less blend with some special (and undoubtedly quite rare) old ones.

Whisky #198 – Oban 14 Year Old Single Malt

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IMG_3610Oban 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 #197 – Duthies Glen Scotia 17 Year Old Single Malt

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IMG_3531Duthies 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 #196 – Bowmore 12 Year Old Single Malt

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IMG_3522Bowmore 12 Year Old Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at home, $70 (bottle).

Colour: Amber; a touch darker than the Bowmore Legend.

Nose: There’s a fair bit of smoke here as you would expect, but it’s not quite as raw or intense as the Legend.

Palate: It tastes a little like dusty bookshelves smell, if that makes sense. I haven’t personally tried to eat a dusty bookshelf, but the taste here is reminiscent of that smell. Earthy yet with plenty of soft smokey peat.

Finish: Smoother than the Legend and the finish seems a fraction shorter too. It’s still quite a long fade, especially the gentle heat.

Comments: The Bowmore 12 and Bowmore Legend are quite similar, but the 12 year old is a bit softer and well rounded; the Legend a little less refined.

Whisky #195 – Strathisla 12 Year Old Single Malt

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IMG_3520Strathisla 12 Year Old Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at Laneway Lounge, $12.

Colour: From above it looks like a light gold as you’re sipping it, but through the side of the glass it appears more of an orange gold.

Nose: Reminded me a little of The Glenlivet 12 year old.

Palate: Plenty of pepper, not much sweetness. The pepper really dominates. Toasted malty flavours, overall a bit briny.

Finish: A very dry mouthfeel, short flavour length, but a long gradual fade with the warmth. Maybe a hint of fennel in the fade.

Comments: I wouldn’t race back to have another, I tried it as part of my rigorous training regime for the Australian Malt Whisky Tasting Championship.  Overall I’d prefer a Glenlivet 12.

Whisky #194 – Ardbeg Galileo 1999 Single Malt

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IMG_3518Ardbeg Galileo 1999 Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 49.00%. Tasted at The George, $17.

Colour: Orange gold. Much darker than most Ardbeg expressions.

Nose: Soft smoke, honey.

Palate: Honeycomb, dark chocolate, smokey peat but not as intense as I expected.

Finish: Softer, slightly sweeter peat taste which builds. Flavours linger on the tongue.

Comments: Much softer than other Ardbegs. I really enjoyed this one, although as a special release it’s a little harder to get your hands on than your average Ardbeg. My trusty whisky imbibing lieutenant Joel also quite enjoyed it – he found it peaty but not too over the top. Good to see some subtle variation from Ardbeg with this one, as often their releases can be a little too similar for me – cracking whiskies, but just a little similar. The Galileo certainly is one of their better ones that I’ve tried.