Scotland Archives - Page 16 of 22

Whisky #193 – Grants Family Reserve Blended Scotch Whisky

August 2, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Grants Family Reserve Blended Scotch Whisky. Banffshire, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at my mate Ryan’s place, $0. Well given it was included as part of a poker night and I lost $200, it could be argued it cost me $200. Bugger.

Colour: Orangey gold.

Nose: A very mild, inoffensive nose. Smells faintly a little like fresh bread.

Palate: Less inspiring than being dealt an off-suit 2 and 6 when you’ve got so few chips you have to go all-in just to make the big blind.

Finish: A little bit oaky in the fade.

Comments: Meh. The less said about this one the better. It’s not awful, but there’s nothing really to write home about this one. Pass.

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 #183 – Lagavulin 16 Year Old Single Malt

July 26, 2014 by Whisky a Day 2 Comments

Lagavulin 16 Year Old Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at The Royal, $15.

Colour: Deep coppery amber.

Nose: The scent is instantly recognisable, unmistakably Lagavulin. I can smell it from a metre away. Big peat, lots of smoke. Another sniff reveals some medicinal scents.

Palate: Quite an oily mouthfeel, you really feel the smoke rolling in and enveloping your whole palate. Big flavours, salty smoke dominates.

Finish: Short on heat, very long on flavour and smoke. A touch of residual sweetness too which I don’t recall from the last time I tasted a dram of it (admitted quite a while ago). Probably one of the longest finishes you can get. Still loads of peat.

Comments: About time I tackled some of the more readily available whiskies…my strategy so far this year has been to generally select some of the more unusual whiskies available at each bar, keeping the more common ones up my sleeve. This approach has held me in good stead as I’ve not yet walked into a bar where I’ve had all of their whiskies. I’m glad that I’ve finally gotten around to tasting the Lagavulin 16, it’s always been an old favourite and it didn’t disappoint here upon re-tasting it for the first time in a while.

Whisky #176 – Gordon & Macphail Connoisseurs Choice Arran 1999 Single Malt

July 24, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Gordon & Macphail Connoisseurs Choice Arran 1999 Single Malt. Isle of Arran, Scotland. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at home.

Colour: Very light straw.

Nose: Quite light; some gentle oak and toffee.

Palate: Absolutely delicious. Soft toasted woody notes, with just the right balance of sweetness.

Finish: Warmth gradually builds around the mouth, while the final sensation is your lips tingling. Toasted toffee flavours have medium length, while the warmth is much longer.

Comments: Wow. I’m really enjoying some of the Arran malts this year. It’s a distillery I had never tried before the Whisky a Day caper led me to give it a go. I purchased this bottle online having never tried it before – my theory was that I’ve really enjoyed all the Arran malts I’ve had so far, why not try an Arran released by an independent bottler? I can safely say this Gordon & Macphail release is amazing, I will definitely be buying another bottle of it when this one is done!

Whisky #174 – Gordon & Macphail Connoisseurs Choice Tormore 1996 Single Malt

July 23, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Gordon & Macphail Connoisseurs Choice Tormore 1996 Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at home.

Colour: Pale gold.

Nose: Like sticking your nose into a tub of fresh honey.

Palate: Sweet fruity flavours, a touch of pineapple. A bit like a spoonful of fruit salad.

Finish: Grassy flavours, quite sweet.

Comments: A surprisingly light and fresh whisky. Not a thin mouthfeel though, quite full. Not your typical Speyside malt I would suggest, so if you’re looking for something a little different give it a go. That’s the great thing about whisky from independent bottlers, you’ll always discover something a little different that will surprise (and often surpass) your expectations. I’m not sure that I’ll buy another bottle of this one as I don’t think it’s too remarkable, but I will replace it with another independent bottling of some description.

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 #170 – Kilchoman 100% Islay 2nd Edition Single Malt

July 22, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Kilchoman 100% Islay 2nd Edition Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 50.00%. Tasted at Canton Lounge, $16.

Colour: Through the red lantern tinted glass, it’s pale gold. I think.

Nose: Much sweeter than I was expecting from an Islay, but also some smokey peat coming through. It’s a big nose, but not big as in the typical Islay smoky ash scents. Some subtle medicinal feints as well.

Palate: Big robust peatiness, charred woody flavours too. Quite meaty too.

Finish: A dry finish; long on the flavour, more of a typical Islay smokey finish.

Comments: At only 3 years old, this is a very young whisky. In fact, it’s the minimum length of maturation time before you can legally call it “whisky” in Britain. Despite this, it has an amazing depth of flavour, surprisingly complex.

Interestingly, the barley for this dram is both grown and malted by the distillery (which isn’t all that common), hence the tag “100% Islay”.

Whisky #168 – The Macallan Fine Oak 12 Year Old Single Malt

July 22, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

The Macallan Fine Oak 12 Year Old Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at My Place Bar, $15.

Colour: Bright yellow gold.

Nose: It’s not a strong nose, a little hard to discern the qualities. Minimal alcohol feints. The nose reminded me a little of a decent white tequila, but then again maybe the My Place glassie just needs a bit more attention to detail when cleaning the glassware.

Palate: Quite thin on the palate, oily mouthfeel. Almonds, slight bitterness.

Finish: Some really delicate oak flavours develop in the fade. Short-medium length, mild warmth.

Comments: I definitely wouldn’t agree that this whisky’s “quality has hit the stratosphere” as Jim Murray describes it in his 2014 Whisky Bible, especially as it’s such a marked change since he last tasted it “earlier in the year” apparently. Hmmm, either this Macallan is inconsistently produced or old Jim has had a very dramatic change of heart…interesting.

Overall…meh. I’ve had blends with much more character and depth. It’s not a bad whisky, it’s just that for me there’s not terribly much to write home about here.

Whisky #167 – Laphroaig 10 Year Old Single Malt

July 21, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Laphroaig 10 Year Old Single Malt. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at The Royal, $12.50.

Colour: Translucent yellow. Sounds a bit boring, but it’s not really gold, pale straw or any other shimmering hue – it’s just a yellowish colour.

Nose: Bam, lots of peat. Bit of camphor too, maybe some popcorn too. But not as strong with the alcohol feints as I remember from when I last tried it a year or so ago.

Palate: The peat obviously dominates, but it’s still a smooth smoky entry. Some charred meaty flavours, like a flame cooked steak.

Finish: Incredibly long smokey finish. Some dry vanilla & cocoa flavours in the fade.

Comments: Being almost half way through the year, I thought it would be appropriate to start choosing some of the malts more commonly available at your average bar. Up until now my strategy has been to select the more unusual whiskies at each bar, as it will be difficult to find more uncommon whiskies as the year progresses. I’ve also got the Australian Whisky Tasting Championship coming up in Sydney next month so I need to get some tasting practice done on the more common single malts!

Regardless of its availability, the Laphroaig 10 is a great drop, a fantastic example of the Islay style and a stock entry-level Islay single malt that wouldn’t look out of place of any whisky collection. If you’re looking to build a collection I wouldn’t say get this AND the Ardbeg 10 as they share similarities, but both are cracking value; very drinkable and both great examples of the Islay style.

Whisky #166 – 1993 Gordon & Macphail Scapa Single Malt

July 21, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

1993 Gordon & Macphail Scapa Single Malt. Orkney Islands, Scotland. ABV: 40.00%. Tasted at home, $75 (350mL bottle).

Colour: Very pale straw.

Nose: Slight medicinal scents, hay-like aromas too.

Palate: Salty, earthy straw flavours. Quite a thin flavour profile, not a lot of depth. Flavours remind me a little of drinking a Ballantines and soda water.

Finish: Shortish finish, not much heat. It doesn’t fill the mouth with flavour or warmth, it’s quite fleeting.

Comments: Despite it being quite easy to drink, I was a little disappointed in this one to be honest. I’ve been enjoying some of the whiskies produced by independent bottlers, and I was particularly looking forward to trying something by Gordon & Macphail given their reputation. Overall, this one was a little uninspiring – apart from the straw scents and flavours, there wasn’t too much else to take out of this one. It didn’t have the peat or intense saltiness from other Scottish island whiskies, nor did it have much complexity.

Whisky #165 – SMWS 121.56 Mint Julep at the Races

July 21, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

SMWS 121.56 Mint Julep at the Races. ABV: 58.5%. SMWS bottling from the Isle of Arran distillery. Isle of Arran, Scotland. Tasted at home, 100mL tasting bottle as part of SMWS new members’ welcome pack.

Colour: And they’re off in the big one! Pale straw colours are quick out of the gate…

Nose: Some sweet woody notes moving up through the pack now…

Palate: Rich full flavours making a strong charge as they head down the back straight. I can taste some creamy honeycomb maybe some dried apple. Buttery honey flavours as they round the final bend for the home stretch…

Finish: Warmth tingles on the front half of the tongue, strong finish with the flavours and tingle taking longer to finish than the nag I backed in last weekend in race 8 at Morphetville (otherwise known as the “Get Out of Jail Stakes”).

Comments: Apart from the honeycomb, I’m not getting much of the other stuff from the SMWS description on the label. I’ve not had a mint julep at the races, I’m usually knocking back a dozen beers trying to wash out the nasty taste of doing my dough backing another donkey who is still running around the track two days after the race has finished.

All in all, I really liked this one. Rich, creamy, full flavoured and a hint of sweetness – this is fast shaping up to be some of my favourite qualities in a whisky. At the recent SMWS tasting, one of my favourites was SMWS 121.65 A Well-Oiled Baseball Glove, which is actually from the same distillery as this dram – the SMWS distillery code “121” is for the Isle of Arran distillery. Based on this, I will definitely be looking out for more SMWS releases “121.xx”, I’m also keen to try some more Arran malts released directly by the distillery or by some independent bottlers. Highly recommended.