Thursday, May 31, 2007

Malt Mission 2007 #94

Dewar's 18yo Founders Reserve
Blended Scotch Whisky

43%
£54

In 2006, Bacardi, owners of Dewar's, launched an advertising campaign using "Dewarisms", because, after all,
"If you don't advertise, you fossilize". These were lines uttered from the mouth of the irrepressible Tommy Dewar (1864-1930) and the aim was to reverse the stagnation of sales of Dewar's in the US (the blends' biggest market).

"It's a wicked world-- that's why nobody wants to leave it"

"Life is full of trials, with an occasional conviction"

"Don't question your wife's judgment. Look who she married."

See the "Dewarisms" link above for more visual examples.

Other Dewar's HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Succulent grain hook with very sweet malt below and a layer of thin smoke between. The malt is a bit shy, but eventually comes to the front offering some trail mix and more peaty smoke. Seeds(caraway, sunflower, flax) and margarine also appear. Rich and enriching.

Big in the mouth and so soft upon swallowing. Beautifully integrated flavours of citrus and chocolate-coated oaty biscuits, a touch of pepper. A real package that is best enjoyed in full-on swills. Again, mighty in the mouth physically and flavour-wise, but goes down like skin on skin. Waves of toffeed smoke waft up and the finish is refreshing with plenty of oak and a twinge of kiwi or green grapes.

SUMMARY:

Time in the glass really changes this one, a decanting whisky? Not a practice I regularly endorse with whiskies, but could be beneficial in this case. Either way, a very satisfying dram with an array of flavours that blow on your neck rather than stab you in the back.

Malt Mission #91
Malt Mission #92
Malt Mission #93
Malt Mission #95

Malt Mission HOME

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Malt Mission 2007 #93

Dewar's 12 yo Special Reserve
Blended Scotch Whisky

43% abv
£24
$40.45(CAD)
$30(USD)

If James Buchanan was a marketing gentleman back in the 19th century, Tommy Dewar was a marketing maverick.
He innovated the style of using romantic Scottish images of tartans and bagpipes in the marketing of their blends. Dewar's was the first whisky to be advertised by an electric sign, a giant kilted Scotsman raising a dram positioned at the south side of the Thames at Waterloo bridge. It was the largest of its day. Like Buchanan, he also took to thoroughbred breeding and horse racing and became one of the first people to own a motorcar. Additionally, he created one of the first ever commercials, a cinema advertisement, 'moving pictures' that had a Scotsman doing a jig with the words, "Dewar's--Its Scotch". More on advertisting tomorrow.

In 1915 John Dewar and James Buchanan became partners and it made perfect sense: Tommy Dewar and Jimmy Buchanan had been working in parallel for so many years, with such great energy, to promote not only their brands, but to build the social acceptability of Scotch whisky and blends in particular.

More on Dewars at the Whisky Pages. And
other Dewar's tasted in the mission, HERE.

This is a blend I have been lucky enough to try once or twice because at UK duty free stores they sell two 1L bottles for £30.

TASTING NOTES:

Fruity and vibrant with grainy sweetness, wheatabix, sugary breakfast cereal, apples and pears, some kind of cleaning agent or varnish. A little smoke comes out with time as well as some citrus.

A chocolate and coffee start that opens up to firm, oaky grain in balance against toasty(smoky?) malt and sherry. The finish is glassy, a little salty, and not well bound, if you know what I mean; flavours are distinct and separate, esp some of the flatter grains.

SUMMARY:

Overall, a completely pleasant blend, and 2 x 1L bottles for £30 at UK Duty Free is worth every penny. One ice cube or something just might help by silencing the some of the more dull grains and allow the hearty cereal notes and cask toastiness to rise above.

Malt Mission #91
Malt Mission #92
Malt Mission #94
Malt Mission #95

Malt Mission HOME

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Malt Mission 2007 #92

Dewar's White Label
Blended Scotch Whisky
40% abv

£13.50

$23.15(CAD)
$20(USD)


The first in a string of Dewar's blends we are going to have this week (
other Dewar's HERE).

John Dewar established his wine and spirit business in 1846 and by the 60’s
began selling his own blended whiskies in branded bottles rather than jars or small casks. The salesman skills of his son, Tommy, led Dewar’s White Label to huge success in London and the international market by the 1890s. In 1892, he began a two year world tour in which he would enlist 32 agents in 26 countries. More on this tomorrow.

Check out THIS video about the Dewars Wall Ads in NYC.

Dewar's is #5 in the world in terms of sales, #1 in the US, and more of an oddity in the UK, moving around 4 million cases per year worldwide.

Malts included at one time or another: Aberfledy, Aultmore, Benrinnes, Craigallachie, Glen Ord, and Royal Brackla

TASTING NOTES:


Bright with youth. Pepper, gravy, chilli powder, taco spice. Green chillies. But that's the good news. After this comes an organic acid smell, a touch of vinegar. Some fresh cookies or sponge cake saves the day late in the game.

Nice plum pudding start that turns into bar floor after a busy Saturday night: boozy and barfy. Some toffee emerges creating a bittersweet balance. Surprisingly long finish.

SUMMARY:

Pow. Not subtle, but good, distinct separation of malt and grain, toasty toffee and vanilla. Real spirit caramel presence, E150. Not awful.

Malt Mission #91
Malt Mission #93
Malt Mission #94
Malt Mission #95

Malt Mission HOME

Monday, May 28, 2007

Malt Mission 2007 #91

Aberfeldy 12 yo
Single Malt Whisky

40% abv

£26

$40(USD)


It seems we are gonna make it to 100 in this Malt Mission. Still blows my mind. And even though it is a Bank holiday Monday here (long weekend), there ain't no rest for the mission.

This week we'll be drinking our way through the Dewar's range of blends and start with the heart of the range, Aberfeldy (Other Dewar's HERE). In 1896, the Dewar family decided to build Aberfeldy to guarantee a supply of a good blending malt whisky to be used in Dewar's White Label.

Distillation began in 1898 (a tough time for the whisky industry), but apart from short closures during wartime, Aberfeldy has been in continuous production ever since. In 1998, Dewar's and Aberfeldy became a part of the Bacardi company
in what was one of the most expensive purchases in whisky history. It included Bombay Sapphire and 4 other malt distilleries. In 2000, they built the Dewar's World of Whisky "exhibition and interactive centre" at the distillery near Perth, Scotland. It receives 40,000 visitors a year.

Tasted with Colin Harvey at The Whisky Exchange at Vinopolis. His notes appear in quotes.

TASTING NOTES:

Perfumy aromas, fragrant with apple skins and fudge. Freshly baked goods in a flat full of flowers. Bourbony creamininess, toffee. "Green wood. Bracken, stubble burning. Butterscotch."

Instantly sweet, fudge and oak again. Sappy or waxy. There is a mint gum element, cinnamon. "Green-ness, not quite sappy, but succulent."

SUMMARY:

Completely pleasant nose, spicy, creamy and inviting. But on the palate, it all sort of falls flat, like cold tea. Michael Jackson has called this malt 'lively', but we found nothing of the sort. That being said, we found nothing unpleasant about the stuff. Colin summarised with "not doing much for me."

Malt Mission #90
Malt Mission #92
Malt Mission #93
Malt Mission #94
Malt Mission #95

Malt Mission HOME

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Malt Mission 2007 #89

Isle of Jura Superstition
Single Malt Whisky
45% abv
£27
$45(USD)

It is hard to keep your eyes off Jura's paps... the mountains so named because of their resemblance to a pair of breasts. And if it weren't for these two beauties, the climate on Jura would perhaps not be so unique. Inspired by the tall peaks, Jura's 17-foot tall stills produce a spirit as pure as the water that runs down the sides of each of these shapely paps.

Closed from 1908 unil 1963, Isle of Jura distillery produces a spirit that is not necessarily what one would expect from an Island malt. The island is covered with peat bogs, but since re-opening in 1963, the make produced here has been largely unpeated. In recent years this has changed, in part to supply some smoke to the Whyte & Mackay blended whiskies. Some of this peated Jura has found its way into independent releases. More has been used to make up a small component of this vatted expression: young peated Jura(30%) and older unpeated sherried Jura (70%).

The distillery has always taken great effort to exist, and its perseverance is part luck and part practicality. At one time all the barley had to be lugged from the pier to the distillery and today all incoming materials, outgoing waste and finished products need to travel by sea twice. It is thus remarkable that such a place has a distillery as we know the board room can be an unfair place to distilleries who don't make much sense on paper. Once employing a quarter of the male work force of Jura, advances in technology have assisted the financial viability of the distillery. But still, it could be argued that Isle of Jura distillery only exists to this day (post-1993) because it manages to meet the malt-style requirements of Whyte & Mackay's Master Blender, Richard Paterson. More info back at
Malt Mission #39.

Hate the deer hunting 'game' on the website.

TASTING NOTES:

Brown sauce with gammon and chips, followed by sweet sherry. Some hot empty-oven aroma, peaches and nuts. Tropical fruit drink and smoke.

Incredibly soft, very reminiscent of the Whyte & Mackay 12 Premium Reserve (Malt Mission #58) impact. Sherry and smoke. Brioche. Some of that Jura pine and honey. Finish gets surprisingly astringent in the cheeks with flavours of hot chocolate, smoke and a touch of salt.

SUMMARY:

Many people I have known or worked with cringe when you say the name Jura, while others sing its praises. Ignoring the geographical and economic constraints the distillery faces and yet still perserveres(let's hope this doesnt change under Vijay Mallya and UB), for me, Superstition fulfills the classic equation of Character + Drinkability + good value = Nice one. Also feels good to support the economics of a whole Island with every purchase. Be a hero. Buy a Jura.

Malt Mission #86
Malt Mission #87
Malt Mission #88
Malt Mission #90

Malt Mission HOME

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Malt Mission 2007 #88

Jon, Mark and Robbo's
The Smoky, Peaty One
Vatted Malt Whisky
40% abv
£17.50
$29(USD)

A good malt to follow yesterday's Peat Monster post.

The last of the Easy Drinking Whisky Co. releases that I have not yet had in this Malt Mission, this breakfast malt blog, what a friend yesterday called 'Dr. Whisky's Casebook'. And now that Jon, Mark and Robbo are officially done in all markets save the US (as I reported in Malt Mission 76 and on The Scotch Blog), I can say with some certainty that it will be the last JMR product to appear in these pages.

Boo hoo indeed. And I mean it. I was defending their stuff over a dram of Rich Spicy at the Rake in Borough Market just two nights ago in front of three lovely but opinionated whisky industry folks.

For other JMR info, please see past posts...(HERE)

To achieve the smoky peaty effect, this bottling includes Islay malts Caol Ila, Bunnahabhain and Laphroaig, Ledaig(leh-chek) from Mull, and Highland Park from Orkney.

TASTING NOTES:

Some maple, sour milk, raisin bran, bag of mixed nuts and dried fruits. Lots of rich maltiness with some peat, but not very smoky.

Soft, with some sherry toastiness, late development of a tiny touch of smoke and more peat, but extremely well integrated; really more like the background music to the rich malt and Spanish oak. Again peat taste, but not very much smoke.

SUMMARY:

Good Gord that is drinkable stuff. So gentle while holding a lot of rich characteristics. Nothing out of place, except prehaps for a bit of 'fun'. Safe, satisfying whisky at a great price. Too bad finding it is only going to get more and more difficult...

Malt Mission #86
Malt Mission #87

Malt Mission #89
Malt Mission #90

Malt Mission HOME

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Malt Mission 2007 #87

Compass Box Peat Monster
Malt Scotch Whisky

46% abv

£30

$69.95(CAD)
$50(USD)

Essentially equal parts Caol Ila and peated Ardmore, The Peat Monster is one of Compass Box's most widely available and best selling expressions.

Except for Asyla, it is the last one of their standard releases that I have not yet tried in this malt mission (others HERE). I got a chance to try it at a tasting event last night with John Glaser and Gregg Glass at the Whisky Exchange in Vinopolis.

TASTING NOTES:

Cigarette smoking through a meal of scrambled eggs, scallops, and strawberry cheescake. Pears, a bag of marijuana, cinnamon.
Sea salt, kelp, lemon cheesecake, a cloud of peat, peaches or nectarines, firesmoke.

SUMMARY:


Amazing balance from start to finish. Peat and iodine to fruit baskets then burning leaves or wood outdoors. Distinct compartments of flavour that harmonise masterfully, if all a bit too consonant, major thirds and fifths. Monstrous? Cookie monster, maybe.


Malt Mission HOME

Monday, May 21, 2007

Malt Mission 2007 #86

J & B Rare
Blended Scotch Whisky
40% abv
£14
$23.65(CAD)

With visiting mates Jed and Beth back off home to Canada, this morning calls for a J&B in their honour. What a way to start week whatever in this malt mission. And I am off to work in 15 mins. Will edit later...

In 1831 Albert Brooks bought Giacomo Justerini’s(est. 1749) London wineshop and renamed it Justerini & Brooks. Their ‘club’ blend was successful locally, but after created J&B with the American market in mind, their international success began. Immediately after prohibition in the U.S.A., J&B was introduced and pushed in New York and by the 1960s had become the leading brand of scotch whisky in the US. They built Auchroisk distillery in 1960s. The company was convinced that the lighter style whiskies with little or no Islay influence appealed widely, and with annual sales of 6 million cases annually, today it is the second biggest seller in the world of whisky. They emphasize the “party” attitude in their marketing and ad campaigns choosing to target the party culture over the connoisseur culture. Their new “-6” was a mystery to me and I wonder how it sells, to whom, etc. (NB. it has been discontinued)
In Spain you can get a 15yo J & B and it is really great.

This is the bottle of booze Kurt Russell's character, McReady, carries around in John Carpenter's The Thing.

Does or has included single malts Auchroisk, Benrinnes, Glen Spey, Knockando, Strathmill, and Tamdhu.

TASTING NOTES:

The crumble top of an apple crumble, brown sugar, oats. Granola bars. Light fruitiness. Peach.

Very soft flavours in the mouth with a firm grain crispiness. The flavours are quite silent until after swallowing when some oak and spice emerge against the vanilla grains.

SUMMARY:

Soft and crisp, balaced sweet and dry oak, nothing too intrusive (or memorable). This is blended whisky designed perfectly for throwing on your optic and pumping til it's dry. Not that I would ever think of doing that...

Malt Mission #85
Malt Mission #87

Malt Mission #88
Malt Mission #89
Malt Mission #90

Malt Mission HOME

Friday, May 18, 2007

Malt Mission 2007 #85

Ballechin Burgundy Matured (Edradour)
Highland Single Malt Whisky

46% abv

£57

This is real farm whisky. Young spirit, barley fired with local peat, aged in whatever cask someone could get their hands on, at Edradour, a small southern highland farm distillery.

The name is taken from another Perhshire farm distillery that closed back in 1927. Ballechin is an experimental malt made from heavily peated Edradour. This particular batch has been matured in ex-Burgundy casks and is part of a release of just 6000 bottles. There will be 'progress report' releases as the peated spirit ages in the various different casks Andrew Symington decided to use.

More on Ballechin HERE and more on Edradour at Malt Mission #43

TASTING NOTES:

Smoked gouda, chicory, rotting grapes, some sweet and sour malt. "Smells good" -Jed

Vegetable sweetness initially, with an emerging wave of smoke and wine characteristics. Swallows sweet and with rich dates and prune tastes. Drying oak, soup broth, campfire smoke on an autumn wool sweater/jumper. Long, lingering combo of flavours.

SUMMARY:

I am not really a peat or smoke guy, but I actually really dig this whisky. Lots of rich wine sweetness beneath a fiery smoke that floats and flavours the meats and cheeses in the malt. Bloody expensive, though.

Malt Mission #81
Malt Mission #82
Malt Mission #83
Malt Mission #84

Malt Mission HOME

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Malt Mission 2007 #84

Linie Aquavit
Løiten Brænderis Destillation
41.5% abv
429.90 Kr
£35


Gratulerer med dagen! Today is Norweigian Constitution Day, a big deal in this family, a HUGE thing with Norwegians around the world, and a great party for those of us lucky enough to take part. To commemorate, we will taste aquavit today.

Distilled with potato or grains, Aquavit is a Scandanavian spirit often infused with herbs and seeds, and is available in many different forms that vary in flavour and colour, depending on time spent in oak casks.

This is the biggest brand of Aquavit in Norway and is matured in sherry casks as it travels by sea over the equator twice, hence the name Linie, or 'line', Aquavit. Between 1919 and 1926 it was unavailable to buy, and could only be obtained through prescription from your doctor.

The gaelic root of the term 'whisky' is uisge beatha, which means the same thing as eau de vie and aquavit, the water of life. Let's drink this water and hope for happy lives.

Happy Norway Day!!!

TASTING NOTES:

Salt, caraway seeds, cheddar cheese, young spirit and some mint.

Soft with vanilla off the top and some sherry oak character, slightly medicinal, toothpasty, and very warming with spice and baked potatoes.

SUMMARY:

Off-putting at first for some, but really quite appetising. Would certainly match well with certain festive foods. The taste was quite gentle and rich and wholly palatable. Despite the bad reputation this stuff tends to have, I have had some whiskies in this malt mission that were worse. And over an evening (or day) the stuff gets better and better.

Malt Mission #81
Malt Mission #82
Malt Mission #83

Malt Mission #85


Malt Mission HOME

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Malt Mission 2007 #83

Benromach Sassicaia Wood Finish
Single Malt Scotch Whisky
45% abv
£28

Benromach distillery was built in 1898 in Forres, near the mouth of the river Findhorn. Very difficult to find as a single until Gordon & Macphail bought the distillery in 1993. It is only since 2004 that the current owners have been releasing official bottlings and they have been anything but disappointing.

Things of note about this, the smallest working Speyside distillery:
-Malt is peated to 12ppm
-fermentation is unusually long (115 hours)
-stills are heated by steam plates
-spirit receivers are made of wood

The core range includes Benromach Traditional, 18 yo old, 21 year old, 25 year old, cask strength 1980, vintages 1968 and 69, Port Wood finish, Tokaji finish, and the first fully certified organic single malt, Benromach Organic. The later bottling has been so popular that keeping up with demand has been a real challenge.

This malt is just 5 years old and finished for an additional 27 months in casks that previously held Sassicaia wine. Sassicaia is a super-Tuscan wine, which, in my non-wine educated mind, means it is fancy. It is apparently quite expensive and sourcing the cask could not have been an easy task. More here on Sassicaia.


TASTING NOTES:

Jammy vanilla french toast. Berries and malt, oats. Lively with youthful vitality. Distinct smoky waves over the fruitiness.

Peppery and fruity, marmalade, cooked fennel, sweet and satisfying in the mouth. Moves from deep, very ALIVE flavours, to a slightly drying finish decorated with wood smoke.

SUMMARY:

This whisky taught visiting friend Beth the distinction between 'smoky' and 'peaty'. A finish that is interesting and unique without ever silencing the presence of the malt whisky, just accenting it. Clever use of young spirit and posh wine casks = good value.

Malt Mission #81

Malt Mission #82
Malt Mission #84
Malt Mission #85


Malt Mission HOME

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Malt Mission 2007 #82

Bushmills Malt 10yo
Single Malt Irish Whisky

40% abv

£24
40.85(CAD)

$35(USD)

The first Irish I have had in this Malt Mission.

Like Scottish distilleries Auchentoshan and Hazelburn, Bushmills in Ireland is made from two different kinds of malts, one unpeated and one slightly peated, and is triple distilled in the traditional Irish way. Only 16 miles west of Islay, Bushmills insists it is the oldest distillery in the world. True? Not true? Don't really care right now.

It is the largest distillery in Ireland and, in addition to this 10 year old, produces a 16 year old Triple Wood and a 21 year old, as well as blends Black Bush, 1608, and Original.

This dram is raised to commemorate the anniversary of the passing of an inviting, inspiring, and impossibly hilarious Ed Musial.

TASTING NOTES:

Corn syrup, Sprite or 7-Up, wine spritzer. Sour apples, goat's cheese, some spice. Not overly inviting.

Hot on the tongue. Raw corn, burnt toffee, old moldy/mouldy wood. Bran. Green apples, brown sugar and oak.

SUMMARY:

None of us really understand... why? Could be our mood. But Jed still managed to down three drams while Beth and I sat reluctantly drinking our first. Either way, God bless you, Ed. Cheers, Slainthe, and know you are loved.

Malt Mission #81
Malt Mission #83
Malt Mission #84
Malt Mission #85


Malt Mission HOME

Monday, May 14, 2007

Malt Mission 2007 #81

OddBins Wine Fair
Business Design Centre, Islington

May 12-13, 2007

£20

Welcome to week 17, and what a week it was! Last week I broke the story of the (unfortunate) discontinuing of Jon, Mark and Robbo in most markets on the Scotch Blog, and just in time, too; official word emerged from the company only a few days later. Additionally, Dr. Whisky made the news in Episode 91 of Mark Gillespie's amazing Whisky Cast. Thanks again to Kevin and Mark, and if you don't read and listen to them yet, you really ought to.

Have mates in town and spent the day with them yesterday at the OddBins Wine and Spirits Fair. I attended this fair twice when I lived in Edinburgh and have always loved this event. For my money and time, it beats most of the other specialty wine and spirits shows for a few key reasons: Fewer pompous whisky or wine know-it-alls, even though there are many knowledgeable people, they just don't have the attitude. There is great variety on offer to taste from Armagnac to Zinfandel. In terms of whisky, at this event the independents get their due chance to make an impact on those new to whisky (Bruichladdich, Benromach, Compass Box). And finally, as any fair (WhiskyLive) is a marketing write-off for the exhibitors involved and thus shouldn't be used as a cash cow, the super value £20 tickets to the OddBins Wine&Spirits Fair all goes to charity. Terrific.

We attended a Bruichladdich Masterclass with Donald MacLellan and 'special guest' Gregg Glass(Compass Box). Given the throrough workout our palates received throughout the day, these notes are NOT intended to be final or even (necessarily) accurate. But we did learn a few interesting things about the distillery and about casks:

Bruichladich was bought for £6,500,000, 6million of which was just for the matured/maturing stock.
Casks aren't made to yield flavour, or rather, are not specifically designed with that in mind, rather, they are made to be sealed and hold their contents.
Additionally, today, around 95% of new fillings are going into bourbon casks, and the % of sherry casks is diminishing annually. Both of these facts demand discussion, but perhaps that is for another post.

Bruichladdich 12yo, Second Edition
Bright, light flavours. White wine, gorse, hops, honey. Bourbon-y
Peppery effect in the mouth, vanilla, roobios tea, red plums

Bruichladdich 13yo, Reciato Cask
Cherries, red grapes, oats, cocoa and peanuts.
Hard character, with an organic souring note off the top. Unripened fruit, bitter. Stereotype whisky to the uninitiated. Not for whisky newbies.

Bruichladdich 15yo, Second Edition (1st tasted in Malt Mission #29)
Peaches, prunes, sweet potato, red peppers. Hot in the nose, significant prickle.
Rich in the mouth, chewy, mustard seeds, chewing tobacco, peach pie. Again, pretty hot.

We also tried we samples of all(?) the different makes Bruichladdich produces. It was fascinating and, surprisingly, many were VERY drinkable and flavourful. PX4 had tons of flavour and could be consumed comfortably in tiny sucking sprays, if you know what I mean; like drinking hot tea.

More from (earlier in) the fair tomorrow.

Malt Mission #80
Malt Mission #82

Malt Mission #83
Malt Mission #84
Malt Mission #85


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Friday, May 11, 2007

Malt Mission 2007 #80

Rare Ayrshire Girvan LadyburnRare Ayrshire 1975, 31yo
Signatory Vintage
Single Malt Scotch Whisky

47.7% abv

£132.95


Well, I thought I was going to end this week with a Balvenie, an appropriate finish to this William Grant & Sons themed week. But yesterday evening I had the pleasure of sticking my nose into a few glasses with Michael Hopert, manager at Royal Mile Whiskies here in London, and had to share notes on this rare gem.

East Ayrshire was not a distillery, it is just a designation often given to the (limited) releases from this unique and now dismantled distillery. Ladyburn Distillery was a malt distillery experiment of sorts within the Girvan grain distillery.

Girvan was built in 1963 to provide grain whisky for Grant's increasingly popular blends. In 1966, the malt distillery Ladyburn was built on the same site, again, mainly to go into Grant's blends.
The distillery was very compact and could be operated by one employee. The site was chosen for these distilleries because of a good water source, good transport via rail and sea(only a mile from the coast), and proximity to the bonding and blending halls of southern Scotland.

Only nine years later, Ladyburn was closed, making it the shortest-lived of the "malt-within-a-grain" distilleries. Ben Wyvis in Invergordon survived just slightly longer, 1965-1977,
while Inverleven (1938-1991) and Lomond (1956-1985) malts were produced within Dumbarton grain distillery, Kinclaith (1957-1976) at Strathclyde; Glen Flagler and Killyloch (1965-1985) were distilled within Moffat Distillery. Due to the rarity of these malts, not necessarily their outstanding quality, some of these bottlings had been known to fetch a pretty penny. In this regard, I find this expression from Signatory to be quite reasonable.

TASTING NOTES:

I unsually don't mention colour or viscosity, but because I was tasting this blind, I noted the v e r y SLOW legs in an attempt to guess the age (for the record, I guessed 30, but I was told the abv% and that helped, too)

Bubblegum sweetness, synthetic fruits, watermelon Hubba Bubba. Bourbon cask characteristics, creaminess, cool whip, tropical; lime, strawberries, molasses based Trinidad rum.

Bright, honey and bread, bannock. Pine, spruce, hemlock, a coniferous forest floor. Really develops its flavours as they linger in the tingly finish.

SUMMARY:

No water needed to reduce the abv%, but it did bring out even sweeter, fruitier essences in the nose. For me, it was really enjoyable whisky, fresh, fruity, and well matured.

Malt Mission #76
Malt Mission #77
Malt Mission #78

Malt Mission #79

Malt Mission HOME

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Malt Mission 2007 #79

Glenfiddich review whisky tasting notesGlenfiddich Special Reserve 12yo
Single Malt Scotch Whisky

40% abv

£24
$44.95(CAD)
$36(USD)


This distillery can safely be called a POWER brand. Glenfiddich has the largest distillery capacity in the world of malt whisky and its whiskies account for 20% of all malt whisky sales. That is fricking nuts.

In regular release, their line includes a no age statement malt, a 12 year old, a 12 year old Caoran Reserve, a 15 year old, an 18 year old, a 21 year old, a 30 year old, and a 40 year old.

For more Glenfiddich distillery information, please see past Malt Missions where a few of the above malts were tasted.


TASTING NOTES:

Melon rind, legumes, raw peanuts in their shells. Body lotion or face cream, unscented.

Sweet while in the mouth, vanilla, half&half cream, but turns malty and even peppery upon swallowing. Still nutty, but slightly more roasted. The finish is quite drying, slightly oaky, and grassy.

SUMMARY:

The ubiquitous bottle of whisky in 180 countries around the world, it doesn't need to stand out. Totally pleasant whisky with a long finish. Clean. Tidy. And yes, boring.

Malt Mission #76
Malt Mission #77
Malt Mission #78

Malt Mission #80

Malt Mission HOME

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Malt Mission 2007 #78

Grant'sGrant's Ale Cask Reserve
Blended Scotch Whisky
40% abv
£14
$25.15(CAD)
$20(USD)

One of the last remaining, self-sufficient, family-owned distilling/blending companies in the world of Scottish whisky, William Grant & Sons owns the Dufftown based Glenfiddich, Balvenie and Kininvie, as well as the grain distillery, Girvan, in the town of the same name.

David Stewart, the master blender of the whole William Grant & Sons range, is responsible for malts and blends that make up 10.5% of the market share and has been at it for over 40 years. The nose knows. Not afraid of getting on the the e-thing, the label's brand ambassadors, Ian Millar and Ludo Ducrocq, have been keeping a blog of their own.

In the 1890s, William Grant introduced his family's blend, Grant's Standfast, which today is known as Grant's Family Reserve. It is currently among the top 5 biggest selling blends in the world.

The blend has a clear Speyside theme, Balvenie and Kininvie take the leads and Glenfiddich finds its way in there, too. But that is only 40% of the malt content. The rest comes from all over the whisky map, including a few squirts of Laphroaig and Bowmore. It is thought that they also use different grain distilleries (than their own, Girvan) to make up the grain component.

With this special Ale Cask Reserve, the blend is put into casks that held beer (see yesterday's post) for a further, albeit short, maturation. The result has been critically acclaimed and award winning. Let's taste it.

TASTING NOTES:

Huge mix of aromas. Dried fruits, tropical fruits, preserved fruits. Honey, ginger, toffee, ice cream truck butterscotch. Some soy and oyster sauces, too.

Creamy in the mouth. Bittersweet, rich maltiness, some smoke. Quick finish not unlike the beer yesterday, malty and creamy and then whoosh... gone.

SUMMARY:

Unusual nose, unique mouthfeel, but that is where the excitement ends. Weighty, physically, but sort of too well integrated? No off-notes, nothing to really complain about, it's just a bit... ______. And the nose really pointed to more action on the palate. The short and pretty uneventful finish makes a case for a good quaffing whisky, though.

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Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Malt Mission 2007 #77

Innis & Gunn beerInnis & Gunn
Oak Aged Beer
6.6% abv
£1.50
$3.25(CAD)

Yeah, I know: Why beer? Well, this week we are doing things a bit differently, but it will all make sense soon enough...

If you are reading this then you are probably aware that essentially, whisky is distilled beer. In most cases, it is a beer you wouldn't really want to drink. And while there are several examples of whisky-tinged beer (Nussdorfer Old Whisky Bier, Tullibardine/Bridge of Allan's 1488 Whisky Ale, to name just two), beer-tinged whisky is a new phenomenon. But I am getting ahead of myself. Let's start with Innis & Gunn, Supreme Champion at the 2004 International Beer Competition.

In 2001, William Grant and Sons (Glenfiddich, Balvenie, etc.) were experimenting with ale-cask finished whisky with the help of Russell, and his son Dougal Sharp at Caledonian Brewery in Edinburgh, Scotland. The task was to create a malty beer that would 'season' the ex-bourbon barrels for whisky 'finishing'. This unique, malty beer was to be filled into the casks where it would rest for 30 days, imparting flavours to the wood, then dumped and replaced by whisky.

Within a year, Grant's Ale Cask Reserve (we'll taste it tomorrow) was a great success, but the real surprise was yet to come. Workers at the filling plant had apparently been tasting the beer before dumping it and finding it to be absolutely delicious. Proud of their little secret and unable to watch another drop of this blessed nectar go to waste, they confessed tasting the beer and made the higher-ups aware that this beer had taken on amazing characteristics from the casks and should be enjoyed in its own right.

In 2002, the beer was named Innis and Gunn after the middle names of Dougal and his brother, Neil. The beer is slowly fermented, put into cask for 30 days, then vatted together with the beer from other casks in a marrying tun for up to 77 days. Today, after years of growing success, increased production, and special vintage releases (2004, 2005, 2006), Innis & Gunn is still making drinkers happy across the world. Except for when the LCBO sells out and my uncle gets sad. Very, very sad.

TASTING NOTES:

Creamy nose, malt and hot fudge. Biscuity, lemony, Hob Nobs.

Full and soft, faint hops, butter, sugar and milk flavour. Pancakes.

SUMMARY:

Obviously, I am not really a beer taster. I probably ignored important things like head or carbonation, but I am Dr. Whisky, not Professor Beer. Very tasty stuff and GREAT with roast foods, like turkey or chicken. In my experience, this beer performs quite differently at different temperatures. The bottle reads 'serve chilled', but I would lean more towards 'cool' than 'cold'.

Malt Mission #76
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Monday, May 07, 2007

Malt Mission 2007 #76

Dr. Whisky Now Taking New Patients at The Scotch Blog

The mission today takes the form of a guest posting at The Scotch Blog, tasting Jon, Mark, and Robbo's Fresh, Fruity One and being the first (I think?) to announce the end of The Easy Drinking Whisky Company (everywhere but in USA). Sure, it is hard to be surprised when we saw it was de-listed at LCBO months ago, discontinued at OddBins here in UK, and that David 'Robbo' Robertson was leaving for Whyte & Mackay; all signs pointed towards FIN.

Kevin Erskine of The Scotch Blog, arguably the whisky blog of all whisky blogs, recently asked me to make a few contributions and this will hopefully be the first of, well, some...

It is a bank holiday Monday/long weekend here in Britain. The Malt Mission will continue as normal tomorrow.

Malt Mission #75
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Friday, May 04, 2007

Malt Mission 2007 #75

Compass Box Spice Tree
Vatted Malt Scotch Whisky
46% abv

£28*


Happy 75th! Will we make it to 100 in this Malt Mission? Can't stop now...

Released in a limited run of 4150 bottles back in 2005, Compass Box's Spice Tree was welcomed with some due praise and a flurry of controversy.

The whisky is/was made up of 4 malt whiskies aged at least 10 years in first-fill bourbon or rejuvenated/recharred casks: Clynelish, Dailuaine, Glen Elgin and Teaninich. A portion of this whisky was put through a secondary maturation, and here is where the Scotch Whisky Association starts to get in a huff.

John Glaser was researching fancy oak from a particular cooperage in Vosges, France. He found a mill that makes oak for cooperage from slow-growth, 195 year-old French Sessile Oak trees, air dried outdoors for two years, for wine producers.

The secondary maturation take space in a cask with specially inserted and specifically toasted staves of this Sessile oak. A second release in April 2006 used several different toast levels on the Sessile oak, but either way, the SWA demanded Compass Box cease producing this product immediately.

The issue is in the way the SWA interprets the law regarding traditional practice in the production of spirits in European Union countries. The SWA does not like Compass Box's technique of using barrel inserts (made of the highest quality cooperage oak you can buy) in the casks they use for secondary maturation. While John and Compass Box disagree with their interpretation, they decided the legal fight wasn't worth the time or money. They are, after all, small guys in the industry (even though they are doing HUGE things).

In John's words, "I tried to explain to them that we had studied the law and believed that what we were doing was well within it, not to mention a positive quality step forward for the industry. 'Quality,' I was told by the SWA, 'is completely irrelevant.'"


With quality being irrelevant (!?), all of the first run (4150 bottles) of the Spice Tree sold out in months, and the second (smaller) batch was all pre-sold for export before it was even bottled. Compass Box has ceased production of this whisky using the inner stave technique but has created the Oak Cross since, and continues to negotiate with the SWA in the hopes of not only bringing back the Spice Tree, but opening up a new avenue for Scotch whisky maturation.


TASTING NOTES:

Tight package. Closed nose and quite tough to unpack. Nutmeg, tea leaves, cloves, dates, oats. Lots of woodiness. Vanilla and caramel.

Spicy and lively. Ginger. Dives deep to a series of great burnt sugar flavours.
Boozy brioche. Creme brullée. Rich and spicy. Chewy. Long, oak dominant finish.

SUMMARY:


Certainly seems to accomplish what John set out to do; it showcases an oak new to Scotch Whisky maturation and yields new, spicy flavours.

Could be worrying for some readers to learn that 200 year old trees are being slain for whisky maturation and, as much as someone may be supporting Compass Box's ingenuity, make it difficult to hope that the whisky industry at large adopts such techniques.

For me, while the malt does stand up to the powerful oakiness, the finish is a touch too tannic. That being said, it is well suited to accompany food... or a pint. It came, it saw, let it go. John Glaser and Compass Box have many other brilliant ideas up their sleeves. Show us the magic...


* - price listed is likely no longer applicable. As this product is no longer in production, the few thousand bottles that are out there will likely be sold for more than this number.

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Thursday, May 03, 2007

Malt Mission 2007 #74

Compass Box Hedonism
Vatted Grain Scotch Whisky
43% abv
£44

This is the first release Compass Box unleashed on the world back in 2000. In his experience at Johnnie Walker, John Glaser learned that grain whiskies had an unfair stigma about them and he was determined to remedy that unfair situation.

John believes that grain whiskies (matured in the right casks) are some of the most delicious whiskies in world. To prove his point to two doubters, John gave me and Kristin a 25yo Carsebridge, and zowie! Touchée!

What he created was completely original, unlike anything else on the market, a vatted whisky made up entirely of whiskies from grain distilleries(ie. Vatted Grain), and Compass Box has not yet ceased to be utterly innovative. The distilleries used for Hedonism include Cambus, closed since 1990, and Cameronbridge.

This is no longer an easy-to-find bottling. The current release, and all future releases, of Hedonism will be smaller, limited edition runs because, naturally, sourcing the style or quality of whisky John needs is not always easy nor guaranteed. The first of these can be seen at Malt Mission #96

Other Compass Box whiskies tried in this Malt Mission HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Warming grain whisky characteristics; vanilla, cream, rum and raisin. Bubblegum. Glossy paper. Meringue. Envelope seals. Some fruits, kiwi, lemon or etrog. Firm in delivery and sweetens beautifully with time in the glass. Mouthwatering, in the right mood.

Sexy, chewy and lively with flavours on the sweeter side of life. Light, even minty, calm then calamitous, then freshness followed by echoes of quality vanilla ice cream... Brown sugar and butter, coffee, carob, corn on the cob, Skor/Daim bars. Rum balls. What a ride, but certainly not for everyone. I know many people pursue salt, ash, sulphur, and peat in every dram. Well, brother, you're looking in the wrong place.

SUMMARY:

Beautifully constructed whisky, you can actually feel and taste the different ages at work with each sip. Hedonistic indeed. John Stuart Mill would be delighted at this simple pleasure.


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Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Malt Mission 2007 #73

Compass Box Oak Cross
(Vatted) Malt Scotch Whisky
43% abv
£24

Tried 3 Compass Box products in succession back in January, and might just do the same to round off this week.

The Oak Cross was born out of the flames (literally?)
of The Spice Tree. The Spice Tree was a whisky created by John Glaser that became quite controversial because of his 'inner stave' method (more on this when I taste Spice Tree in the next few days. If you just must know more, read this for info or this for juice)

The Oak Cross casks are made with American white oak bodies and Sessile French oak heads. The idea is that Sessile oak yields specific flavours John wants in his whiskies, but also, it gives him the ability to toast the wood to a variant level and, as it wont be bent into a cask shape like the rest of the oak in the cask, he can char/toast the crap out of the stuff(if desired).
The whiskies used are Clynelish, Teaninich, and Dailuaine. The result is brilliant and, once again, John shows us all how he is taking the art of blending to a new level. For the 3rd time, John was voted Innovator of the Year by Whisky Magazine, and we all wait for what he has in store for us next...

TASTING NOTES:

Light but bold, confident aromas; clay, flowers, some spice, and suntan lotion, jojoba or coconut. Peanut oil and oak.

Luscious mouth feel, geitost, heather honey sweetness that turns to spicy excitement. Oaky finish, butter and toast, with a tingling, pins and needles effect.

SUMMARY:

Makes me think of musicians, Damien Rice, Mark Shwaber, Leslie Feist... Confident and accessible while being charming, innovative, and interesting. Great value for the craftsmanship and complexity. Could easily enjoy this all night. The world waits for these guys to screw up... Not bloody likely.



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Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Malt Mission 2007 #72

SmokeheadSmokehead
Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

43% abv
£20

Welcome to May. I started this malt mission in January. That is messed up.

When Ian Macleod Distillers introduced this in 2005, the packaging immediately set it apart form the pack. Aimed at the 25yo male smoky-whisky-drinking demographic, the packaging won the 2007 Design of the Year at the Wine and Spirit Desi
gn Awards. Smokehead is described as "A Whisky for Today" by its makers.

So, as an Islay Single Malt, everyone wants to know just WHAT single malt was used. The bottle offers no clues and no one at Ian Macleod will say a thing. Online forums (EUWOLS) are full of debates about what malt is used. At whisky fairs and events, there are always folks with great confidence saying what distillery is in Smokehead. Retailers all have their own opinions and can be very convincing. There is even a blog on the Smokehead site that cleverly propagates the myth and mystery of the source whisky in Smokehead.

Here is what I have heard:

- NOT Bowmore
- Young Bowmore
- NOT Ardbeg
- 7yo Ardbeg
- NOT Lagavulin
- Young Lagavulin
- Caol Ila
- Heavily peated Bruichladdich, Octomore, 3D, etc.
- Peated Bunnahabhain


So who the hell does that leave out?!? Maybe it's a Port Ellen for 20 quid. Or a Kilchoman... from the future...

Perhaps the mystery is the greatest insurance ever. It works to promote the product with gossip and the like, but most importantly, it offers a form of security for the makers. Who could guarantee in 2005 that Smokehead would survive the year, two years, 10 years? As it is very difficult to secure stocks without knowing the success of a new product and thus how much you will be needing, keeping the contents a secret means that, if necessary, they can use a different source for the next batch (Some suspect they have done this already). Or, if the distillery decides they don't like companies with the name Ian in them, then Smokehead can source from somewhere else with similar style (ie. move from the fortunate supply of 7yo Lagavulin to Caol Ila) without much of the 25yo male smoky-whisky-drinking demographic having a clue.

TASTING NOTES:

Unrestrained attack, honeyed peat smoke, dirty rubbery smoke, slight bleachiness, salty.
Cigarette smokers fingers. Artificial lemon scent. With time, cut carrots or potatoes, and more of a chemical impression, antiseptic, janitor's closet. But still an arseload of peat.

Milky textured mouthfeel. Again, no restraint in flavour attack; BAM with peat and some sort of herb. Hearty. Green peppers, salt on cucumbers, cheap Advent calendar chocolate. Black pepper. Long finish of granny smith apples, licking copper, ashtrays and cleaning agents. A closed pub being cleaned at 4am.

SUMMARY:

Smoky. Heady. Brash and rugged. Bold like the font on the packaging. The end. A great victory for Ian Macleod Distillers to secure listing in UK Sainbury's stores, exactly where an affordable, does-what-it-says-on-the-label whisky, will fly off shelves. But is this in North America yet? Cheap and to the point is what we do best!!!

Malt Mission #71

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