The Whisky Club Archives

Whisky #590: Lark Head Distiller’s Release

January 6, 2022 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Lark Head Distiller’s Release (created exclusively for The Whisky Club). Tasmania, Australia. ABV: 45.6%. Tasted at Whisky a Day HQ, $135 (bottle).

Colour: Slightly dulled copper pipe.

Nose: Blackcurrant Soother’s, treacle and hessian sacks.

Palate: Raisins, worn leather, toasted oak, ginger.

Finish: Moderately oily mouthfeel, short-to-medium length. Melted butter and juicy blueberries. Soft tannins and damp woody notes in the fade.

Comments: The Lark Head Distiller’s Release comprises of whisky matured in 100L ex port and ex Sherry casks, then married together. A very tasty whisky with lots going on, but it’s almost a bit too much happening…like your taste buds have spun the flavour wheel of fortune a little too hard.

Whisky #561: 2009 Inchmurrin Manzanilla Finish Single Cask Single Malt

January 21, 2020 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

2009 Inchmurrin Manzanilla Finish Single Cask Single Malt. ABV: 46%. Highlands, Scotland. Tasted at Whisky a Day HQ, $110 (bottle).

Bottle kill week continues here at Whisky a Day, all bottles must go!

Colour: Dull brass.

Nose: Worn leather. Creme brûlée and freshly baked muffins that are just slightly overcooked and are a few too many shades of brown, but you rip off that warm muffin top and…clearly I’m hungry and have a sudden hankering for muffins!

Palate: Blackcurrant Soothers lollies initially, but minus the menthol. Then the dominant flavours come forward: brown sugar, salted caramel and dried muscatels.

Finish: Slightly sour initially then it gives way to a salty sweetness.

Comments: A real “food” whisky, in that it evokes lots of food flavour memories. A cracking dram, shame it’s all finished now!

Whisky #537: The English Whisky Company Single Malt Small Batch Release for The Whisky Club

September 2, 2018 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

The English Whisky Company Single Malt Small Batch Release for The Whisky Club. Norfolk, England. ABV: 46%. Tasted at Whisky a Day HQ, $115 (bottle).

Colour: Bright gold.

Nose: Floral perfume, like walking past a middle aged librarian. It briefly catches your attention but it’s not overly alluring.

Palate: Soft; very gentle and almost feels like they’ve watered it down a bit too much. Creamed honey, soft oak and juicy rockmelon.

Finish: The sweetness subsides to an oaky, slightly salty tang.

Comments: Like the English Test side’s middle order batting under the hot Australian sun, it’s little too insipid for me. It has moments where it promises much but ultimately falls a little short.

Whisky #530: Shelter Point Single Malt

May 26, 2018 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by Shelter Point Single Malt. Vancouver Island, Canada. ABV: 46%. Tasted while out sailing on Sydney Harbour, $140 (bottle).

Colour: Golden, but not as deep as this amazing sunset.

Nose: Grassy hay-like notes, unbaked dough, and freshly sawn timber.

Palate: Thin mouthfeel. Sweet on the tip of the tongue but a fuller, more savoury sensation at the back of the palate.

Finish: Toasted woody notes, malt and caramelised onion jam to give a sweet finish.

Comments: While the majority of Canadian whiskies are primarily rye or other grains, the guys at Shelter Point decided to buck the trend a little and make a single malt in the Scottish style from malted barley. Using barley grown on their own farm on Vancouver Island then distilled in traditional copper pot stills on the same site, it really is a paddock-to-bottle kind of single malt.

This is the type of whisky that grows on you. When I first cracked the bottle open I was a bit ambivalent, but each time I’ve gone back for another dram it’s definitely grown on me.

Whisky #510: Berry Bros. & Rudd 8 Year Old Ardmore 2008 Single Malt Small Batch for The Whisky Club

November 17, 2017 by Whisky a Day 2 Comments

by Berry Bros. & Rudd 8 Year Old Ardmore 2008 Single Malt Small Batch for The Whisky Club. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 46.0%. Tasted at home, $135 (bottle).

Colour: Pale sandstone.

Nose: Blueberry tarts, fresh cream and sweet juicy lemon jellies. A soft, cool smoke hints at what’s to come.

Palate: Orange marmalade on hot buttered toast. Some creme brûlée that’s had a bit too long under the blow torch – it’s sweet and creamy, but there’s also some burnt sugar and smoke coming through too. It’s a light touch on the palate.

Finish: It’s like roasted marshmallows on a camp fire – smokey, creamy and a warm fuzzy feeling to finish. Medium length.

Comments: A small batch release comprising just 7 barrels, this 8 Year Old Ardmore 2008 was bottled for The Whisky Club in Australia. It has a smokey rather than botanical peat influence, one that starts soft and gradually builds as you make your way through each sip.

I reckon it’s the perfect Friday night whisky – the kind when you’re exhausted after a week at work, you’ve come home and put on some music before you crash on the couch with that first whisky in your hand.

A lighter style of whisky to start the night, but with enough variety of flavours to steer you in a number of directions for your next dram – do you want to go down the path of a Speyside fruit-driven whisky next? Or maybe the peat has tickled you in funny places and an Islay whisky with more oomph is what’s up next?

Either way, it’s a great appetiser for a quiet night of whisky to help you unwind from the working week.

Whisky #499: Tullibardine The Murray 2004 Cask Strength Single Malt

October 4, 2017 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by Tullibardine The Murray 2004 Cask Strength Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 56.1%. Tasted at home, $130 (bottle).

Colour: A dull yellow gold.

Nose: Fresh hay, malty cereal notes and lemon zest.

Palate: The flavours envelope your palate, they consume your thoughts for a moment as the whisky drowns out the empty space in your mouth. Toasted malt, honey and woody notes (like when the doctor puts the wooden stick on your tongue and asks you to say “ahhhh”).

Finish: Fresh oak, washed rind cheese, wafer biscuits and raw honey…the kind that still has lumps of honeycomb. Quite dry, medium length.

Comments: A dram of reflection; at times direct and quite simple, yet it has this come hither aspect to it. Like flames of a fire licking warmth towards you, drawing you closer.

Whisky #498: Kilkerran 12 Year Old Single Malt

September 24, 2017 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by Kilkerran 12 Year Old Single Malt. Campbeltown, Scotland. ABV: 46%. Tasted at home, $99 (bottle).

Colour: A golden glow.

Nose: Like sticking your nose into a glass of creaming soda, some bubbles tickle your nostrils as you inhale some creamy, sweet aromas. A few soft, faint smokey notes too.

Palate: Sucking on a hard, buttery toffee. Freshly baked biscuits, the kind that are all buttery, still warm, soft and chewy as you take a bite, yet with the odd biscuit that has a touch of smokiness where the edge has been slightly overcooked. Ridiculously easy to sip.

Finish: The toffee cracks – creme brûlée, salted caramel, and an oaky smokiness on the tongue as the flavours slip away.

Comments: I’ve always said that it’s hard to be cheeky smart arse about a whisky you’re really enjoying. My somewhat serious tasting notes tell a story then.

When I first tried this Kilkerran 12, I wasn’t overly sold on it – there had been a lot of hype and expectation surrounding its release and I just couldn’t quite see what all the fuss was about. Fast forward a few months, and I’d almost finished the bottle – so I’d better review the damn thing! The surprising thing was how it really approaches you rather than the other way around – you’re reaching for a top-up because, a) with each sip you’re effortlessly sliding back like you’re reclining into a hammock, and b) it’s really damn tasty. Sweet, buttery and flavoursome, it really is almost food-like. Lots to enjoy here.

Whisky #490: Loch Lomond 12 Year Old Single Malt

August 20, 2017 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by Loch Lomond 12 Year Old Single Malt. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 46%. Tasted on a glorious winter’s afternoon on Sydney Harbour, $115 (bottle).

Colour: Glistening gold.

Nose: Dried pineapple chunks; a spoonful of honey stirred into some English Breakfast tea.

Palate: Honeycomb and creamy caramel oakiness – like sucking on the stick from a caramel Paddle Pop ice cream.

Finish: Short to medium length, but don’t let that put you off – there’s plenty to enjoy here. Soft oak, a hint of sweet gentle smoke and some buttery ginger nut biscuit flavours in the fade.

Comments: This Loch Lomond 12 Year Old was matured in three types of American oak casks – bourbon casks, refill casks and recharred casks. It’s fantastically subtle yet has boatloads of flavour too…it really is a whisky you can drink all afternoon in the sunshine.

Whisky #456: Armorik Double Maturation Breton Single Malt

February 7, 2017 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by Armorik Double Maturation Breton Single Malt. Lannion, Brittany, France. ABV: 46%. Tasted at home, $135 (bottle).

Colour: Brassy gold.

Nose: Faint candied oranges.

Palate: Creamy burnt butter and herbal notes, salty floral tones too (which sounds like a contradiction, but its the best way to describe it). Smooth entry, medium bodied, dry mouthfeel.

Finish: Freshly squeezed orange juice, a salty tang and some new oak, with the woody tones the last to fade. Medium length.

Comments: This was my first Armorik, so I’m unfamiliar with the course style. This was a NAS release, matured in locally sourced virgin Breton oak casks for three to four years, before spending a second three to four year maturation term in Oloroso sherry casks. I like the fact that some of the casks are sourced with oak from the same region (Brittany) as where the whisky is produced, there can’t be many distilleries that can boast that kind of terroir.

Overall, it’s quite pleasant but it doesn’t really push any boundaries. It’s dry (presumably from the initial maturation in virgin Breton oak casks), so don’t expect rich fruit cake flavours typical of other whiskies matured or finished in ex sherry casks. An interesting drop to have in the collection if you like having a range of unusual whiskies to share with friends who come to visit.

Whisky #445: Hyde No.1 President’s Cask 10 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey

December 18, 2016 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by Hyde No.1 President’s Cask 10 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey. County Cork, Ireland. ABV: 46%. Tasted at home, $140 (bottle).

Colour: Shiny amber.

Nose: Quite a light nose. Dried figs, a bit floral.

Palate: Bam – the flavours intensify and hit you all at once. Salty creme brûlée. Dried pear. Toasted malt. Fresh oak. A bit of a surprise after the soft nose lulled you into a false sense of security.

Finish: Dried apricots, caramelised figs, burnt toffee. Medium length, dryish mouthfeel as the flavours fade away.

Comments: An outstanding drop, so easy to drink but still with bucketloads of flavour. Hyde are another relatively new kid on the block in terms of Irish whiskey (think Glenglassaugh, Teeling). This first release has an initial 10 years’ maturation in charred first-fill bourbon barrels, followed by a 10 month finishing period in first-fill Oloroso Sherry casks.

“A 100% Irish whiskey from one single distillery” according to their website (http://hydewhiskey.ie/our-whiskey/), but word on the street is that the whisky was sourced from Cooley Distillery…an entirely legitimate way of a young distillery still establishing themselves to have a marketable product whilst the spirit distilled in their own new facility is busy maturing. Hyde expect to release their own whiskey in about 5 years, and if this release is an insight to the flavour profile that they’re aiming for, I can’t wait to try some of their first releases in a few years’ time.

Whiskies #416 & #417: Glendalough 7 Year Old & 13 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskies

July 30, 2016 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by A taste-off between two single malts from Irish new kid on the block, Glendalough. Founded in 2011 by a group of mates, this craft distillery has been able to release a 7 year old and 13 year old courtesy of private label whiskey produced by Cooley Distillery for independent bottlers. A fantastic way to get a unique product to market whilst producing and maturing their own craft whisky (amongst other spirits). Both were aged in first fill ex-bourbon casks, I thought it would be interesting to do a side by side comparison.

Whisky #416: Glendalough 7 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey. Ireland. ABV: 46.00%. Tasted at home, $110 (bottle).

Colour: Pale gold.

Nose: Light and citrusy, fresh baked biscuits and a hint of dusty leather. Sounds like a weird combo, but it works.

Palate: Rich honey and a hint of pepper. Intense fruit driven sweet flavours, like sucking on a boiled lolly – think lemon, raspberry and lime.

Finish: A punchy oak and sweet finish, driving straight down the mid palate. Cigar notes in the fade. Medium length for the flavours, but a very subtle warmth lingers longer.

Whisky #417: Glendalough 13 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey. Ireland. ABV: 46.00%. Tasted at home, $135 (bottle).

Colour: Slightly darker gold than the 7 year old. Not as big a difference as I was expecting given it has spent almost twice as long in casks.

Nose: A more fragrant, floral nose than the 7. It’s now more syrupy; with toffee and golden syrup notes.

Palate: Toffee and intense fruit syrup – think raspberry coulis and passionfruit syrup, laced with hints of oak and warm vanilla spice. Richer and creamier and than the 7.

Finish: Some soft but tangy raspberry and citrus notes. The oak is much softer than the 7 year old, allowing other flavours come to the fore.

Overall comments: The 13 year old Glendalough was another one of the whiskies I selected as part of my “Rebuilding a Whisky Collection – The $1000 Challenge” a little while back. I selected it as my Irish malt for the collection and had heard great reviews. Having had both bottles on my shelf for some time, I found myself naturally gravitating to the 7 year old more often than the 13. I find the 7 year old a supremely easy whisky to drink; it’s smooth, bags of flavour and is certainly not one dimensional. However, the 13 year old expression is richer and more refined, bold yet elegant. I’d recommend both, though I’m keen to try some of Glendalough’s own distilled single malt when it eventually gets released. It will be interesting to see how similar their single malt is compared to these that they’ve matured but acquired from another distillery.

Whisky #413: Glenfiddich Distillery Edition 15 Year Old Single Malt

June 24, 2016 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by Glenfiddich Distillery Edition 15 Year Old Single Malt. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 51%. Tasted at home, $135 (bottle).

Colour: Dirty gold.

Nose: Fresh strawberries, sherbet coated soft serve ice-cream cones, soft vanilla and sweet oak.

Palate: Cool entry, closely followed by a warmth that fills the mouth. Oily mouthfeel. Creamy with a hint of sweet lemon tanginess. Full flavoured – think golden syrup rather than honey; lots of vanilla too.

Finish: A long gentle tingle all around the palate, roof of the mouth as the whisky gently finds its way to warm the chest. This is a winter warmer without being too intense. Honey on hot buttered toast flavours in the fade.

Comments: It’s a bloody cold night here in Sydney, so a whisky with more oomph was required. This one definitely ticks the boxes – bucketloads of flavour, a full mouthfeel and a satisfying warmth that convinces you that you’ve made the right choice to stay inside. Recommended for those without log fireplaces to curl up beside. Actually, recommended for those that do as well – this is good stuff! Keep drinking to ensure you remain warm at all times.

Whisky #398: The Arran Malt Lochranza Reserve Single Malt

February 25, 2016 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

by The Arran Malt Lochranza Reserve Single Malt. Isle of Arran, Scotland. ABV: 43%. Tasted at home, $100 (bottle).

Colour: Pale brilliant gold.

Nose: Extremely light, to the point where a good swirl of the glass was required to really excite some of the aromas. Some more time in the glass revealed citrus, pine needles and freshly sawn timber notes. It’s all very fresh.

Palate: White peppery spice, vanilla and lemon cheesecake. Quite a dry mouthfeel.

Finish: A salty, drying finish of medium length – though the warmth and tingle around the front and mid palate outlasts the flavours.

Comments: Whilst as a typical Arran it is quite light and a little fruity (citrus driven rather than juicy stone fruits), it’s not as sweet or flavoursome as other malts I’ve enjoyed from them. I’ve got a soft spot for Arran as it’s a newish distillery (relatively speaking, established in 1995) and it was the first distillery in Scotland that I made a beeline for when I visited a while back. They produce some amazing whiskies for such a young distillery, but for me the Lochranza Reserve is ok but far from their best representation of the distillery’s style.

Whisky #390: Amrut Peated Indian Single Malt

January 1, 2016 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Amrut Peated Indian Single Malt. Bangalore, India. ABV: 46.00%. Tasted at home, $120 (bottle).

Colour: Liquid fire.

Nose: A slight prickle as some ginger biscuit and sweet peat aromas announce themselves. The peat is a lot more subtle on the nose than say your typical Islay peated malts.

Palate: Bam – like a kick to the mouth, it’s a full frontal assault on your laughing gear. Intense toasted cereal, honeycomb and peat flavours are all vying for the attention of your tastebuds.

Finish: A long warm fade, the peatiness and warmth very gradually dissipates. Soft and sweet woody notes too. Chocolate and honeycomb flavours right at the death, like you’ve just finished devouring a Crunchie bar.

Comments: It’s a creeper, almost an ambush. The nose entices you with its alluring subtleties, then you walk around the corner and you get punched in the mouth. As you wipe away a bit of claret from the corner of your mouth you can almost taste the metallic spiciness and warmth filling your mouth. Different to your typical Scottish peated malt, and that’s not a bad thing.