Malt Mission 2011 #397

Balvenie 8yo
Pure Malt Whisky (Single Malt Whisky)
70 Proof
26 2/3 Fl.oz
£255

From today's perspective, with over 500(!) new single malt expressions launched in 2010 alone, it seems so strange to think that in the whisky boom period of the 1960s only a fraction of 1% was bottled as a single (read Dr. Whisky's blended whisky history). The likes of Macallan and Glenmorangie, leaders in the single malt category today, did not widely release their makes as single malts until 1980 and it took decades of Glen Grant (Italy), Glenlivet (Pullman railway in America) and Glenfiddich (exported as a single from 1963) to set the idea of single malts in the consciousness of the drinking public.

As far as I know, this was the first incarnation of The Balvenie released in small volumes as a single malt. For more distillery info and to see all Balvenies had on the mission, delve into the whisky blog past.

TASTING NOTES:

Fresh and light with a hint of depth and age. Perhaps some liquid older than 8? Chamomile, watered-down honey, hippie teas, damp wood or cardboard in there as well. Sweet white wine. Water releases a sweaty element along with coconut and hazelnut.

Moves from soft and sweet to hard and mineral, but all very weakly. Old bubble gum, baseball card cardboardy taste, coffee cake and walnuts. Ends burnt and toasty.

SUMMARY:

An interesting drop mainly for archival reasons. Although it appears that some bottle "maturation" has effected my sample, I imagine in the 1970s all the best Balvenie was ending up in Grants 12, Best Procurable, Grant's Royal, etc. In short, not something I would open to show "how much better whisky was in the old days." I'll stick with my Balvenie Signature, thank you very much.

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Malt Mission 2010 #387

Glen Grant 10yo

Speyside Single Malt Whisky

40% abv

£23

While most of what flows off the stills at Glen Grant ends up around 5 years old and mixed with Coke in southern Europe, there is always a great indie bottling of rich, old Glen Grant to be enjoyed somewhere in the wide world of whisky. It is true that Spain, France and Italy make Glen Grant a top 5 whisky by volume globally, but it is the ability of this fine spirit to meld well with sherry and take great age in stride that afford it an enviable reputation among connoisseurs and collectors.

For more distillery info or to see all Glen Grant had on the Malt Mission, click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Seductive and sweet, berries, apricots, and riesling

Soft, at first, with lime peels and a hard spirity core that will excite some and repel others.

SUMMARY:

Just as summer slowly reveals inch after gorgeous inch of skin on far-too-young to be oogled ladies, this whisky arouses the senses guilt-ridden sniff after guilt-ridden sniff. But acting on your desires in such cases is always risky and in this case sipping the stuff belies the appeal of its nose, especially at strength. Water, bringing it down to 35% or so, helps the new make bite but neutralizes any character or complexity.

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Malt Mission 2010 #385

Glenfiddich 1955
Private Vintage
Cask, 4221 Bottle 168
Aug 16 2006
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
52.6 % abv
£5000

Water. I wrote a bit about it on my last post, and will do so again today. Or, will at least make a few citations organised in a pretty haphazard way.

Whatever the effect of water on whisky, it is fair to say that the single most important fact in choosing the location of distillery is the availability of a good clean water source as water is used in nearly every stage of the whisky-making process. Out of necessity, crofter distilling took root along the arteries of the land, "lands of hills and valleys, of lochs and mountain streams, of much poor land but of very good water," (R.J.S. McDowall, The Whiskies of Scotland, 1967). Today, most distilleries use surface water, "collected from a loch or resevoir above the site, and usually it is soft water. Much of this water is coloured brown by peat. Often different sources are used for the production and colling processes. This is very important condition to build the distillery near a good source of water supply. The quality of the water is the keystone of making good whisky." (Misako Udo, The Scottish Whisky Distilleries, 2006).

Understood, but "quality" of the water? What the hell does that mean? No poisons, fertilizers, etc., okay. But beyond that? "The water source, whether it is alkaline or acid, hard or soft, plays an important part in the taste and smell of the final single malt." (Helen Arthur, Whisky: The Water of Life=Uisge Beatha, 2000)

The mineral content affects the taste and smell?
"Production water used in the production of wort makes a major contribution to the quality of the spirit that is produced." (Timothy C.S. Dolan, Whisky Technology, Production & Marketing, 2003).

Quality of the spirit? What does that mean? What is water's effect on the character of the spirit?
"Douglas Murray of Diageo [...] sums up the general industry view. 'On a scale of one to one hundred, I would rate it at between one and two." (Andrew Jefford, Peat Smoke and Spirit, 2004)
Taken with a grain of salt, certainly, but is there any truth to it?

A representative from the Scotch Whisky Research Institute (SWRI) told me that while it was important to have untainted water at all stages of the production process, "with mashing there is the additional possibility that the composition of the water used can have an impact on the progress of fermentation. Research carried out at SWRI by one of our PhD students showed that using mashing waters from different sources, with different compositions, can influence flavour." So this answers my main question, "Can water used in production effect the flavour of whisky?" But, as the representative from Diageo queried above, how much of an effect does it have? "Obviously the use of tainted water can potentially have a huge negative impact of the flavour, depending on the degree and nature of the taint. The influence of different mashing waters on flavour is detectable, but it is important to be aware that these differences are subtle. However, many other factors in whisky production, when looked at in isolation, only have a subtle effect. It is often the accumulation of a large number of subtle difference that give the overall larger differences in final flavour."

It would seem, in spite of my intial doubt, that water does play an important part. Yes, it is only one variable of many (and a small one at that) that affect the nature of a given whisky, but its importance is accounted for by science. But it's not as if we needed that, is it? We already know it is accounted for in our romantic imaginations, reinforced by the whisky maker's themselves (Ardbeg named Uigeadail, it's cask strength no-age statement 2003 release, after the loch that supplies its water; Dalmore's precious 62yo sold at McTear's in 2002 was christened "Kildermorie" after the distillery water source, William Grant & Sons had a blend called Robbie Dhu, etc., etc...)

"Water, taken in moderation, cannot hurt anybody." - Mark Twain. Well, Benjamin Rush had other ideas, as exhibited on his Scale of Temperance. Rush's moral thermometer (1828) varied slightly, but in every incarnation, spring water was the drink of the highest order leading to health, wealth, serenity of mind, long life, etc.

Water, that mix of hydrogen and oxygen, is vital for all life, for all living spirits, and vital for making whisky. "Personally, however, I prefer [...] the enduring mystique - whisky-making as something akin to alchemy." - Gavin D. Smith

TASTING NOTES:

Fresh and fruity with peaches and pears, but weighted by cream, oak, and evident time.

A savoury, appetizing, tapas-like array of flavours: parsley, brie, pastry, sage, lamb, stewed apples, all drying into a finish of yellow plums, hard peaches, and carpentry.

SUMMARY:

Wholly unique. Unusual, rich, and deeply interesting, a dram to cotemplate and revisit. An expensive luxury, no doubt, but nonetheless, too bad it is all gone.

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Malt Mission 2010 #384

Glenfiddich 1958 Private Vintage
Cask 8642, bottle 135, bottled 5th July 2006
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
46.3% abv
£3300

I have been reading a lot about water lately, in particular (obviously), how it relates to the making of Scotch whisky. The importance on a very practical level is clear: distillery founders in days gone by needed a good, clean source that was steady and inexhaustible, or at least seemingly so. Water is key to the whole whisky making process (malting, mashing, ferementing, heating, cooling, etc) and without it we'd have little more than a pretty yeasty breakfast cereal and some superior race would have found a way to serve us porterhouse style. Good thing we scared them off by such a glorious display of intelligence as usquebaugh.

In the 70s, and still in some promo materials today, distilleries really made a big marketing stink about their water sources. It made sense as single malts were just emerging in global markets and the consumer needed simple, memorable, and romatntic points of difference to know, say, Glenlivet from Glenfiddich. Add to this the business reality of consolidation that was running rampant at the time and larger companies were centralizing their bottling plants and using treated water to bring their malts and blends down to desired strength. Obviously, a major point of difference at that time would have been adding unique value to unique NATURAL water sources.

Glenfiddich is the only Scotch Single Malt Whisky to use a single spring source in all processes from mashing to bottling, and most folks who have a bottle or tube at home can read about the Robbie Dhu spring, a spring so important to the family that William Grant himself bought the surrounding hills to protect it. Romantic? Check. A great show of integrity? Certainly. But does it actually effect the TASTE of the whisky? Science says "meh."

The Scotch Whisky Research Institute is an amazing scientific body that is funded by whisky makers large and small to perform research of value to distillers, the wider industry, the environment, trade organizations (the SWA, for example), and the government. Today, the SWRI is involved in a wide variety of research projects, but most of the research into raw materials, a category under which water would no doubt be included, looks primarily at barley and other cereals, yeast, wood, and starch/gumlike polymers contained in cereals. So, does that mean the water verdict is already in? Does the water used in production of scotch whisky have any effect on the final flavour of a given whisky?

Big thanks to Ian Millar to bringing this treat to an event I attended in Miami. And extra thanks for letting me take this old dame back to my room...

For more Glenfiddich distillery info or to see all Glenfiddich had on the mission, click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

A warm, rounded nose of soft spice notes, caramel, green grapes, fudge, and walnuts. Beautifully rich and elegant.

Surprisingly bright, sweet sherry notes that dry into raisins and figs, eventually sandalwood, licorice root, freshly ground coffee and dark chocolate. Long oak driven finish with sweet/bitter balance of coffee/cocoa bean and winey flavours.

SUMMARY:

Stellar sherried oldie. Perfectly sippable at strength with bright, bold flavours that walk rather than run, whisper rather than scream. A gentle giant of which I wish I could have had more than a thimble-full.

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Malt Mission 2010 #383

The Macallan 18yo scotch whisky
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
43% abv
£72
$150 (USD)
$289.95 (CAD)

The Macallan is one of the most well-recognised malts in the world, and as such, often attracts a good deal of attention, both positive and negative.

The recent, and gradual, release/implementation of The Macallan Ice Ball Serve has been embraced by bars and accounts that can accommodate the item, envied in the pages of lifestyle magazines, websites, and blogs, and bitched about by almost everyone with a Glencairn glass, a MaltAdvocate and/or WhiskyMagazine subscription, and a QWERTY.

Just last week, on the back of a UK press release about "an innovative serving method expressly for those who like their whisky with ice," John Hansell threw the concept into the ring for the Malt Advocan'ts to have their way with. And they weren't gentle. 78 comments later, ranging from the pseudo-scientific, to the super silly, we are left with a bitter taste in our mouths. And it has nothing to do with the 100% sherry cask maturation.

There are really too many comments that demand address to cite here... I love that selling whisky is what the folks who sell whisky do best. Selling whisky is what got us to where we are today, with folks from Norway to Nagasaki to Newfoundland enjoying seemingly infinite amounts of fine single malts and being able to share their opinions about them online and at whisky fests and the like. The ideas presented to the contrary go beyond average connoisseur cyicism about marketing, beyond "back in my day..." nostalgia... Cowdery nailed it: check your hubris!

What, you've started a fricking Facebook page now? Hey, grab a dram and let's put whisky where your mouth is.

If you are enjoying a lovely single cask Mortlach, or a Clynelish, or a Brora, or any number of the 90+ single malts that most folks who want their Macallan served on a gorgeous sphere of ice have never heard of, please remember that if Johnnie Walker had not "conned consumers" with the seemingly corrupt aim of "selling more whisky", you would be drinking one of only 4 remaining distilleries in Scotland (and for good measure they'd be called The Smooth Sweeter One, The Rich Spicy One, The...)

I have no point that I am overly committed to here other than the general desire to urge connoisseurship to take a breath, top up their dram, and join me at camera 2.

Calm the fuck down.

For more Macallan distillery info, or to see all Macallans had on the Malt Mission, click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Rich, assertive sherry impressions, layered with malty fudge notes, dates, raisins, and apple butter.

Apples, dry sherry, calvados, evolving into rich, toasty oak full of char, caramel, raisins, and candy floss. Nice bitter/dry/sweet balance through the finish.

SUMMARY:

Rich enough to make you feel the same. A very chewy and engaging classic malt. Full flavours that make big impressions with no apparent attempts at subtlety. (And holy shit, did you see the LCBO price for this?!!? Totalitario.)

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Malt Mission 2010 #382

Glenfiddich 102
Distillery Edition 15 Year Old
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
51% abv
£38
$59.99 (USD)

Naturally, the world's favourite single malt isn't used to playing second fiddle. But in the USA, the world's #1 Single Malt Scotch Whisky lives in it's very own Scottish, family-owned, triangular-shaped shadow of the Pernod Ricard-owned Glenlivet.

"Yeah, I've tried all the Glens," says the junior trader in a blue suit, breaking eye contact for just a moment to lock his gaze on the cleavage of the bartender as she reaches deep into the beer fridge. "I'm a Mac 18 man, man." And this trifecta of whisky excellence will likely remain the podium players til all the seas gang dry, but Glenfiddich is making a long overdue step in the direction of the 20th century, if not the 21st.

While Glenlivet was maintaining the interest of both the masses and that of whisky geekdom with their beautifully vanilla-ed, American oak soaked 16yo cask strength release, The Glenlivet Nadurra, and Macallan worked towards doubling their sales with the introduction of the Fine Oak range, Glenfiddich kept their direct-fired stills set on traditional age variants, with the appropriated Solera vat technique of the awesome 15yo, and a few local market treats like the Caoran Reserve, and the striking, if Irn Bru-esque Toasted Oak.

And now they are (re?) introducing is the Distillery Edition, a whisky some of you may remember from the 1990s that was also 15 years old and also bottled at 51% abv. Even as little as 15 years ago, Glenfiddich was exercising the pioneering spirit it has been known for by releasing a high strength spirit to a global market that, it appeared, was not yet ready for it. This time the market is thirsty for something non-chillfiltered and high strength from the worlds most awarded single malt distillery.

I have said it before but I must say it again: it is no secret that I work for William Grant & Sons, makers of Glenfiddich, and although I trust myself to be honest in my whisky evaluations, in the interest of guaranteeing that honesty as much as possible, I tasted 6 different whiskies, in fact ALL of this "week's" whiskies, blind (Malt Mission #381-385), took down notes and overall impressions for each, before my "assistant" revealed which was which. These notes are printed with no editing.

TASTING NOTES:

Sherry, candied almonds, beer nuts, and hazelnuts jump out of the glass. Sour crabapples against immensely sweet raisin notes. Cranberry, pear, and M&Ms.

Rich, sweet, and powerful. Almonds, licorice, green apples and immense and lasting oak. Lengthy finish of wood-driven flavours accented by fresh apple, chocolate, and vanilla.

SUMMARY:

Surprisingly, the nose gives little hint as to the abv of this sweetie and the palate explodes in rich fresh fruit and european oak ex-sherry characteristics.

Being a huge fan of the 15yo Solera I have to admit I was nervous about this new expression, but MAN does it hit the target with power, confidence, quintessential Speyside flavours, and a rich lasting finish. And it is killer on the rocks.

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Malt Mission 2010 #381

Glen Moray 12yo
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
40% abv
£22
$34.99 (USD)

Built in 1897 out of the old West Brewery, Glen Moray has been a 4 still workhorse for blended whiskies for decades. Macdonald and Muir, later to become Glenmorangie plc (1996), purchased Glen Moray in 1920 and launched it as a single malt in the 1960s. In 1999, the owners, no-doubt under the guidance of Dr. Bill Lumsden, began using wine casks to 'finish' the whiskies.

When I lived in Scotland, Glen Moray was often the whisky one would find in Scotmid, Sainsbury or Tesco on offer for something silly like £13. Never disappointed, I confess to encouraging the supermarket slashing for which the Glenmorangie company (then owners of Glen Moray) was widely criticised.

After Glenmorangie's decision to stop business in the blended scotch market and focus on Ardbeg and Glenmornagie, Glen Moray's future was unknown. Sold in Spetember 2008 to French company La Martiniquaise, many hope that Glen Moray can get the exposure, and credit, it has long been due. To my mind, there are several whiskies on the market that sell for twice as much money that are half as good. To date, arguably the closest Glen Moray came to respect in the eyes of whisky snobs was as the "oops!" ingredient in Serendipity. Let's hope the new owners can show the world what Glen Moray is more than a £13 sale item.

TASTING NOTES:

Jammy, fruity, and sweet. Malty notes ,fudge, and honey. Starchy potato aromas and a mild perfume of vanilla and cloves, as well.

Malty and fruity notes gently present themselves through an over all sweet, oaky flavour. Parsley, toffee and some floral notes emerge with a licorice and wood finish.

SUMMARY:

Nothing earth shattering here, but an easy, balanced, classic Speyside-style whisky that is thoroughly enjoyable and remarkably under-appreciated. Find some? Buy some. Guilt-free dramming that pleases both the palate and the wallet.

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Malt Mission 2010 #374

The Balvenie 17yo Madeira Cask
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
43% abv
£67
$130 (USD)

Dr. Whisky's most recent post attracted a good share of attention. This attention took various forms and lead to variable responses from varied corners of this world wide wondernet. I won't be linking them or summarizing them from here, but thank you, go f yourself, and everything in between.

Not one to shy away from controversy, I thought I would come right back at it with a post featuring a whisky from the distillery I represent as an ambassador here in the USA. Bam! Yes, I have said it before, and I will say it again, I currently work for William Grant and Sons. No secrets. This Scottish, independent, family-owned whisky company (not many can say that!) allows this little blog to continue and have NEVER asked that I say anything about other brands or our own that would be contrary to my right, true, and honest opinion... Yet. God bless 'em.

So if you are new to Dr. Whisky (or think he is a douchebag sellout) please feel free to gloss over this post. You are entitled to "reserve the right to dismiss the opinions of anyone on the payroll of a distiller as being potentially swayed by the facts of their employ"- JC Skinner. Potentially. You might as well add editors and some journalists and authors as well then, Skinner, as paid advertisements, receiving free samples and gifts, being invited to plush dinners and incentive trips could equally lead to swayed opinions... in the spineless.

If you have been around since this whisky blog began, through Dr. Whisky working for others (retailers, indie bottlers, and whisky companies) and noted that he remains as objective and transparent as one can be all things considered, then read on. If you smell BS please call me out on it. I beg you. And I thank you.

Other opinions on The Balvenie 17yo Madeira Cask HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and elswhere, no doubt.
This is the latest in the 17yo series that began back in 2001 with David Stewart's creation of The Balvenie 17yo Islay Cask... a name that incidentally would be illegal today under SWA regulations. Like calling this release "Island Cask" (yup, Madeira is an island). The whole range is now relatively collectible, especially now that David Stewart has gone into semi-retirement, no one knows for how long this series will continue. We've seen the Islay Cask, New Wood, New Oak, Sherry Oak, Rum Cask, and now Madeira Cask, a 17yo Balvenie that has matured in refill American oak casks before being transferred to casks that used to hold Madeira for an additional +/- 4 months*.

Madeira wine is essentially a fortified wine, like port, but from the island of Madeira. For Madeira wine, they actually heat up the wine to replicate the exposure to heat on sea travel that would have traditionally occurred. This exposes the wine to some oxidation and adds nutty, raisiny, and sweet butterscotch-like flavours to the wine.

For all Balvenies had on the malt mission or for more distillery info, click HERE.
TASTING NOTES:

Smells distinctly oaky. Sweet. Touch of nail polish, barley sweetness, and then a recipe for arrowroot cookies: vanilla, flour, honey, butter, and a touch of coconut.

Fruity and sweet on the palate with a strong oakiness. Explodes upon swallowing with dried fruits, toasty notes like aged tobacco or beer nuts, butterscotch, and toffee. Long carmelized finish.

SUMMARY:

When I first tasted this in the summer of 2009, I was initially struck by a youthful, new make-y element on the nose. Those impressions remain. This drop is deceptively fresh and youthful for a 17 year old with barley sugar sweetness and pear drop/estery notes. But on the palate is where this whisky truly delivers. Plums, raisins, tobacco, and all sorts of varieties of burnt sugar and butter (toffee, butterscotch, prailine...) swell in the mouth long after swallowing. The overall impression is of a whisky that is light, but full flavoured, and destined to be an after-dinner treat or a cigar lover's new best friend. One of the best in the 17yo series.

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Malt Mission 2009 #373

Benromach 10yo
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
43% abv
£29
$50

When I was in Scotland in July I was in touch with Ian Chapman at Benromach and after a short volley of emails he very kindly invited me to see their distillery. Upon arrival, I was greeted by Ian, David Urquhart and distillery manager Keith Cruickshank.

It is a very unassuming place, and my hosts suited it perfectly. With just two distillers and only 200,000 litres produced per year, Benromach is the smallest Speyside distillery. After a walk around the distillery and warehouses at a relaxed-pace the lads sat me down for a dram, a coffee, and to willingly subject themselves to my interrogations.

They then presented me with the TOP SECRET box that a few whisky writers and bloggers have mentioned and explained elsewhere online. They were launching their first Benromach 10 year old, that is, the first ten year old whisky made entirely of whisky produced under their ownership and were investing in marketing the spirit in a clever and fun way. The whisky was matured for 9 years in a mixture of ex-bourbon (80%) and ex-sherry (20%) and then spent an additional year in sherry butts.

Gordon & Macphail (the Urquhart family) bought Benromach in 1998, a distillery that had been mothballed in 1993. It was reported recently that G&M's profits were halved last year over the previous. Nonethless, the company has increased investment at Benromach and now it is our responisbility to go out and support them. So do it.

To find out which bottle you want to go buy, see all past Benromach posts HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Rich, weighty, and warming with peat. Wet, water-logged soil sweetened with toffee, vanilla, and honey.

Luscious body, wood, malt, grapes, tobacco, apricots, dried apples, smoke, butterscotch... A mouthful of flavours. Stewed carrots, oatmeal, figs, a tannic grip, pine, carob, asparagus... a very complex array of flavours beautifully balanced.

SUMMARY:

A complex mixture of the whisky flavour wheel: sweet, earthy ,oily, woody, with the estery notes you'd expect from Speyside and the phenolic ones you might not. The Urquharts will proudly remind you that you can find nothing like the Benromach distillery in Speyside and, if true, this dram provides the most appropriate representation of that fact. A truly peerless dram.

I have to say that as a 10 year old Speysider, I don't think this has any parallels and would destroy its category at international spirits awards events (if the judges can fight the urge to continually define Speysiders as sweet, light, and floral whiskies). They can be so much more, they have been so much more, and they ARE so much more.

One of the best new releases, hell, one of the best whiskies, I have had the pleasure of drinking this year. Other opinions HERE and HERE.

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Malt Mission 2009 #358

Balvenie 17yo Islay Cask
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
43% abv
$£ varies

Okay, not technically an Islay whisky, but as a part of an Islay-themed week here on the Malt Mission I thought I had better get some notes for this drop out there while I can as I am fortunate enough to have a near empty bottle sitting in my living room.

Originally released in 2001, The Balvenie 17yo Islay Cask was the first of a string of 17 year old experiments from Balvenie Malt Master, David Stewart. It would be 4 years before the next in the series was released, just enough time for this drop to generate a sort of cult following and for all available bottles to be snapped up. It wasn't until the 2007 release of The Balvenie 17yo Sherry Cask that interest in the 17yo series from Balvenie really began to simmer again. The polarized responses to 2008's 17yo Rum Cask only continued this interest and with this year's 17yo Madiera Cask (available in September) already receiving whisky-nerd online buzz, I know I better stock our stalls at whisky fairs with a few extra bottles.

This seems a good time to remind folks that I do work for William Grant & Sons, family distillers and owners of The Balvenie. To some readers I am perhaps no longer 'independent,' John Glaser gave me a big drunk hug when I took this position 15 months ago and said "sellout" in my ear, but I have done everything possible (and been allowed by my employer to do everything possible) to keep Dr. Whisky independent and free to express honest opinions of our own and competitors' whiskies. And I feel that I do. But I leave that verdict to you, I just thought it fair to remind you that I work for this whisky company.

That being said, as a whisky lover I have collected all of the Balvenie 17yo variants (before and after I began work with WGS) and have always respected the distillery as one of Speyside's, indeed, Scotland's best. This Islay Cask that Michael Jackson called "a picnic on the cliffs... reminiscent of the days Speysiders were peatier," won me over back in 2004 and is similar in concept to another whisky from William Grant & Sons tasted back at Malt Mission #177.

For more distillery info and to see all Balvenies had on the mission, click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Sweet, vegetal, oaky, and intriguing. Yellow plums, fresh corn, soy beans, salted butter, and cigarette filters.

Palate hints more at this drop's heritage with depth of age, creamy oak and luscious honey. Jammy and buttery before bursting with a puff of smoke and confusing the heck out of you. Endless finish of fresh fruits, cooked parsnip sweetness, and chimney smoke all in elegant harmony.

SUMMARY:

Not immensely complex, but a true drinking delight. An experiment that went right, as far as I am concerned. Beautiful whisky whose origin would puzzle even the most experienced malthead as s/he happily drinks the stuff. Yet more evidence of what an intergral part the casks (and their previous occupants) play in the final character of a given whisky. I have had similar Balvenies in the Single Barrel 15yo line that must have been filled into ex-Islay casks. Too bad it is nearly impossible to find this bottling anymore. Casks like this (ex-Islay) are in the system everywhere tho and I look forward to Balvenie, or any other typically unpeated-style distillery, releasing more of these onto the world.

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Malt Mission 2009 #347

Glenavon
Special Liqueur Whisky
40% abv
₤14,850
$25,000

Sold at auction in November of 2006 and subject to much scientific and historical scrutiny to test its authenticity, this is believed to be the oldest bottle of scotch whisky in the world.

I was fortunate enough to sit down with the anonymous buyer who won this at Bonham's for ₤14850/$25,000 USD and after a passionate discussion about the cultural history of the New York rat she insisted that "we do a shot of some scotch." I thought, as long as it's not Aldunie, I am in!

She poured this amber nectar from a nasty old bottle that smelled like the yellowed pages of a first edition of Charles Darwin's Origins of the Species (1859) found in the bottom of a shoe and I asked her, "How old is this? Where is it from?" Her answer was as seductive as it was simple, "who gives a shit?" she said.

So I called Charlie Maclean [+44 (0) 773 808 8008], the worlds #1 authority whisky historian and bassist in Motorhead (1979-83). So Chuck, from what distillery does this drop come? He answered, "It has been suggested that Glenavon and Denalbo were one and it the same. What is certain is that the Smiths closed Denalbo in 1858 and in the following year they consolidated all their distilleries - including Denalbo/Glenavon - at Minmore, the site of the present Glenlivet distillery." You lost me, mate.

For all 150 year old whiskies had on the mission, click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Opens with a burst of bad breath, ash, and porno music. Hints of slaveholders' guilt emerge with time and there are whiffs of abolitionism, even allusions to Uncle Tom's Cabin with deep nosings. With water, the whisky begins to smell like post-asparagus urine and the labs of Benjiman "Silly" Silliman.

Explodes on the palate like blood from the fields of Bleeding Kansas, with gentle nuances of paint, paint thinner, and College Pro Painters. Notes of Bessemer processed steel and Newman's Own Three Cheese Balsamic Vinaigrette are unleashed with a touch of water while the finish brings us opium, a touch of Huckleberry Finn's father's racist pride and a lingering note of Tom Sawyer's pathetic pussy-footed admiration of his mate, Huck.

SUMMARY:

Old, smelly, and lacking enough literary references to really be called "whisky" at all. The liqueur in the name of this drop is its only redeeming feature as I would much rather lick 'er than drink 'er.

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Malt Mission 2009 #340

Longmorn 40yo (1968)
SMWS 7.48
"Cold nights and warm fires"
Single Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky
53.6% abv
£180

Oh, Scotch Whisky, how I love thee...

Had a great night last weekend when I was back in NYC sitting (well, standing) with friends in our apartment and enjoying dozens of different bottles of scotch whisky, single malts, and blends. It really is a spirit that is conducive to group enjoyment and discussion and could warm the coldest winter night or icy heart.

I was very lucky to live in Scotland when I was 26-30 years old and have the opportunity to dive into the history and diversity of this spirit by meeting industry legends and whisky scholars as well as spending days reading and nights responsibly dramming (shhh... it was responsible). I have heard many friends and colleagues say with regret, "I didn't get into Scotch until I was 30" on more than one occasion. One of the hardships of falling in love with single malts in your 30s is coming to terms with the reality the opportunities to try whiskies older than you are few and far between and decrease at an alarming rate. But, of course, older does not mean better.

So love each glass and let each sip impress upon you the weight of years so we cherish those digits on the labels of bottles not as mere numbers but as millions of silent seconds of patient maturation that can sometimes make up for our own rushes to grow up, get married, rush to work, get promoted, and apparently race to the grave. Good whisky waits years to come to us because it can, and does, slow down time for reflection of our years and appreciation of these precious seconds.

Now let's taste a 40yo single malt whisky.

For more distillery info and to see all Longmorns had on the mission, click HERE. For all whiskies from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society had on the mission, click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Molasses and cloves, sherry and mulled wine. Full-on sherry maturation with tons of chocoaltey goodness (esp with a touch of water). A gentle rubbery note lingers in the background with fully ripe brown bananas, rum balls, and Irn Bru.

Chocolate covered raisins, almonds, and coffee beans. Dates, dark chocolate, and vanilla with a touch of soy sauce. Madiera-soaked apples, and a long finish of sherried oak... as expected, I suppose.

SUMMARY:

Put the kids to bed, light the fire, put the dog on your lap, and sip slowly.
OR
Finish dinner, go out on the fire escape, immerse yourself in the hum of the city, and sip slowly.


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Malt Mission 2009 #339

Glen Grant 1973 34yo
The Single Malts of Scotland
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
54.7% abv
£95

No, not THIS Glen Grant, the one that is in Rothes, across from Caperdonich distillery, or what used to be known as Glen Grant no.2 (1898-1965).

Glen Grant is a top selling single malt worldwide and an absolute behemoth pumping out nearly 6million litres per year and now, with 8 new stills being installed by 2010 production volumes could double. Yowza. Currently owned by Camapari, Glen Grant is a #5 single malt brand worldwide although we tend not to hear about it as much as some other top 10 malts.

For more distillery info and to see other Glen Grant's had on the Malt Mission, click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Sweet, spicy and nutty, with dried apricots, dates, and raisins. Apples and ginger, Dairy Milk, and a touch of damp cleaning rag.

Rich and weighty with even more nuttiness, gingery spice, and cakey maltiness. Oak and spice bound by a creamy mouthfeel with scrumptious sherried elements in abundance without ever dominating the spirit itself.

SUMMARY:

Tasty, rich, decadent stuff that to my perceptions really impressed on the palate as once I found the bungy element on the nose, it was hard to shake. So i sipped. And I liked.


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Malt Mission 2009 #338

"Barbeque Sauce" 1990
Wemyss Vintage Malts
Single Cask Speyside Single Malt Whisky
58% abv

Pronounced "weems", Wemyss Vintage Malts is William Wemyss whisky blending company based in Fife, Scotland. Wemyss' ties to the whisky industry go back to the 1800s when the famed Haig distilling family built their first distillery on family land (source).

The company's aims ring familiar in the Scotch Whisky world: "By using the aromas and tastes of the individual whiskies to uniquely identify each bottling, the consumer is able to easily understand what style of whisky is being purchased." Previous attempts (Jon, Mark and Robbo?) to sell whiskies based on flavour profiles have not been long-term successes, but the idea has never been criticised as much as the execution. Perhaps Wemyss can work out the bugs and we'll all be drinking "Apples and Pears", "Smoked Sausages", and "The Almond Tree" before long.

After making lasting impressions on whisky lovers across the world with Douglas Laing and Dewar Rattray, Susan Colville (the artist formerly known as Susan Webster) has brought her knowledge and experience in the area independent scotch whisky bottlers to Wemyss. I thank her for sending over the drops and look forward to seeing her at WhiskyLIVE NYC.

TASTING NOTES:

Sour berries and sweet chocolate sauce over pistachio ice cream. Floral, grassy notes take you on a walk through meadows and a meaty sherried note with a vinegar-like tang brings you into a Spanish kitchen.

The taste is initially all apples and cinnamon but things evolve into sourdough, fresh mozzarella, and red wine. Indeed, the Spanish kitchen has turned Italian. Caramel and marmalade linger in balance and the finish eventually brings toffee and a touch of coffee.

SUMMARY:

An enjoyable Speyside dram that mixes elements of the great outdoors with the dark corners of culinary creation.

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Malt Mission 2009 #334

The Balvenie Rose 16yo
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
53.4% abv
£100

I will follow on the Valentine's theme with a back-to-back post (a year after our friends at Whisky Grotto) partly to make up for the lack of activity on Dr. Whisky as of late, partly cuz the romantic back story suits the theme of the day, but also to get through the backlog of tasting notes I have from treats I have tasted.

The Balvenie Castle sits on a hill above the two distilleries William Grant built in the 19th century, Glenfiddich and The Balvenie. The Balvenie Rose takes its name from a 15th century story that surrounds one of the castle's most storied inhabitants, the Fair Maid of Galloway, Margaret Douglas.

Famously beautiful, Margaret married the Eighth Earl of Douglas, a man eventually thrown out a window to his death. She later wed his brother, the last of the Black Douglas line, who continued his family's rebellion against King James II and eventually found himself defeated, his title, estate, and hot wife taken from him. Margaret had no problem finding someone else to love her in the First Earl of Atholl (John Stewart). And so taken with her beauty was the King that he reinstated her in Balvenie Castle for the annual rent of one red rose.

The Balvenie Rose is much coveted by whisky lovers and was only available at the distillery in very limited amounts: it was selected from four casks from 1991 and finished in port pipes, giving it a rosey pink hue. The whisky has not been coloured, chill-filtered, and was released at cask strength.

For all Balvenie had on the mission, click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Strong and sweet, a touch of earth and a busy array of fruits and flowers. A touch of water complicates matters by adding sour notes, fruits like plums and cranberries, and unleashing a spice of caraway seeds and a dairy element like milk.

Berries and bubblegum, spice and oak, hot and excited at bottle strength. Water unravels the tight array of spice revealing grassy elements, corn syrup and winey oak. Patience (and water) allow this puppy to show what it's made of.

SUMMARY:

An unusual Balvenie that surprises most with whom I have shared it. But what it lacks in the characteristic Balvenie-honeyed flavours it makes up for with suprises of fruit and smoke and a kick-ass abv%. Beautiful packaging, in my mind, and a real treat for the scotch hunter, malt advocate, malt maniac, or for those of us on continuing malt missions. Another modest marvel from the modest marvel of the industry himself, The Balvenie Malt Master David Stewart.

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Malt Mission 2009 #332

Glenfiddich 40yo

Speyside Single Malt Whisky
45.4% abv
£1000

Yes, I have had three 40yo whiskies in a row on the Malt Mission, what of it? It's a hard life. The decadent dramming has been to celebrate our wedding this coming weekend. I welcome challengers for the best wedding whisky bar cuz I think we've nailed it. Naturally. Heheh...

Released about 9 months ago, this is the 5th edition of this ultra-premium release from family distillers, William Grant and Sons, and it is a commemorates the life and work of Michael Jackson who passed away back at Malt Mission #150. David Stewart selected 5 casks over 40 years old to vat with the remnants of past vattings of the 40yo creating a whisky that is incredibly deep and rich, but most importantly carries a consistency from year to year, batch to batch. Ludo from Glenfiddich explains HERE.

For more distillery info or to see all Glenfiddich posts on the Malt Mission, click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Sweet and rich with fistfuls of flavour punching out of the glass. Fudge, cinnamon and brown sugar with baked apples or pears, weighty sherried notes with oak and clotted cream. Brightness of lemon zest, sweet, layered honey and pastry (baklava?), and the slightest nose of leather, the only significant hint of the substantial age.

Caramel, rye, cranberry sweet/sourness, waffle cones and oak all lay their impressions upon my mouth simultaneously. Chocolate covered raisins and toffee. Increasingly toasty, even burnt, towards a woody and fruity finish. Dangerously drinkable with such well-rounded flavours.

SUMMARY:

Incredible, but I think we already knew that after all the awards this release has won. Jackson himself called Glenfiddich at mature ages "a raisiny, chocolatey after dinner malt" and this one fits his description perfectly. Elegant and world class. Not cheap, but casks of this quality (only 600 bottles, after all) are worth every penny.

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Malt Mission 2009 #330

Tomatin 1967 40yo
Speyside Single Malt Whisky

42.9% abv

£430
$1000(USD)

In 1974, Tomatin was the largest single malt distillery in Scotland with 23 stills, but Tomatin sold off many of its stills and in the past 4 years it has gone from number 2 (after Glenfiddich) to number 12 in distillery capacity.

Oh yes, the times they are a-changing in the whisky world, but change is nothing new to this industry. Phylloxera vastetrix, prohibition, war (see this)... When this whisky was made 40 years ago all cask management, stock ledgers, and blending sheets were handwritten, single malts weren't really available outside of Scotland, and distilleries were producing all of their required malted barley on site. Some of these things seem impossible from today's persepctive, and in many cases they are simply because the scale has increased by leaps and bounds.

So raise a glass with me to get through this Wednesday in January and toast positive change in whisky, in government, and in our pockets.

Only 1,614 bottles of this stuff, created from 7 hogsheads of mature spirit at Tomatin. For more distillery info and to see all Tomatin had on the mission, click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Bittersweet with spicy oak. Caraway seeds and marzipan liqourice, freshly churned butter. Port wine. A handful of raisins and almonds.

Honey coated coconut. And chocolate. Lacy with surface impressions containing glimpses of what lies behind. Woven flavours are neither balanced nor conflicting. Exciting flavour ride. Late spice, again with the caraway seeds, juniper, and bitter chocolate.

SUMMARY:

Complex, and although not at all balanced, this is 100% positive. Caraway and marzipan make a Scandanavian Christmas whisky. Constantly redefines itself to the drinker, weaving new sides and new flavours never letting go of the former with the one that follows. Nose has elements of aquavit while the palate has elements of Macallan. Vibrant, exciting, if slightly hot; 40 years maturation and wise vatting creates a whisky as dynamic as 40 years of life should be. Alive, and life-affirming.

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Malt Mission 2009 #329

Tomatin 30yo 1976
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
49.3% abv
£167

There were many beautiful things made in 1976. Beautiful, handsome, smart, charming... and modest things. And while there is only one of me, there are 1500 bottles of this recent release from Tomatin.

Probably safe to say Tomatin is not the most beautiful distillery in Scotland, but inside its industrial complex over 30,000 visitors tread each year.

Most of Tomatin's production goes into blends, many in the far east leaving only about 2% for single malt releases. But the range has expanded since the 12yo was launched in 2004 with a 18 and 25yo, and now a 30yo and 40yo join the growing single malt line.

TASTING NOTES:

Vegetal with notes of juniper, cabbage, and cooked carrots start us off. A sherry-influenced sweetness follows with beer nuts, cashews, and fruit preserves. Pops and squeaks of lime, chocolate wafers, and nutmeg. Big oak, too, adding a solid spine to it all.

Immeasurable honey, toffee, and a sturdy green stalk bitterness that holds it together. Sweet buttered corn. Autumnal with leaves and oak. Ginger and lime. Exciting.

SUMMARY:

Alive and well after 30 years (like some of our best friends), this dram speaks volumes and has something new to show on each sip. Vivid. Engaging. Powerful. And the sherry finish does nothing to mute the notable distillery character. A brave success.

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Malt Mission 2008 #318

Macallan 15yo
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
43% abv
£40
$124.95 (CAD)
$78(USD)

This is from the Fine Oak range of Macallans that are matured in refill, ex-bourbon, and some ex-sherry casks. Is that enough to justify the utterly obscene price at the LCBO (see above)? Wow. For a standard bottling? Seems nuts, but I guess those crazy Canucks buy it. I can think of a few other drops I might prefer for 125 bucks.

Reminds me of something I saw in an email from my friend Doug Stone at FORSCOTCHLOVERS.COM. He has partnered with Carol Iselin and Dave Sugar, the creative minds behind Inner Light Crystal Studios in New York, to create only 21 hand-carved bottles of Macallan Fine Oak 21yo. Now there is something that might be worth the spend. Take a look HERE.

Macallan, one of Speyside's most legendary distilleries is undergoing a bit of renovation. I was able to visit the Macallan distillery in August and see some of the construction they were doing to increase production, storage, and tour-ability of the site. A whole new process house is being created and, I imagine, will be the showroom of production so the tours needed walk so far into the plant (or so near the steel washbacks).

For more distillery info and to see all Macallans had on the Malt Mission, click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Oaky and spicy, waxy and woody. A carpentry shop with hard honeydew, white rind of watermelon, cinnamon, and quite lush with vanilla.

Buttered white toast, nutty oiliness, with toffee and bitter chocolate. Oak throughout, even a bit cardboardy. Great movement in the finish where the vanilla-ed oak blossoms and lingers for some time.

SUMMARY:

The nose is pleasant, oaky, and sweet but the alcohol is quite aggressive causing strong prickles with even shallow nosings. Square on the palate with distinct regions of flavour that give an overall rounded impression. But again, the alcohol tingles and this will be a challenging feature for many. Certainly improves with time in the glass and a few drops of water.

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