Master of Malt, April Fools, Buckfisn't & Macallain't

 

Tonic Wine Cask Finish

10yo Single Malt Whisky

Master of Malt/Bourbon & Booze Project

46% abv

£45

It's been too long. Dinosaur alert, this whole Blogger tool has changed and, to be honest, I'm lost. Maybe I'll fuck up the layout. Maybe this won't even post. I should just Clubhouse.

But no. 

It's been too long. Deal with it. I have. 

Or if I haven't, we should probably visit a whisky we cannot name from a country we cannot name that spent time in a cask that held 5 cases of a tonic wine that we cannot name.

So let's

TASTING NOTES:

Florida beaches, suntan lotion, moisturiser, and the cheapest Terri's chocolate orange ripoff, like plastic, American chocolate.Sheila's perfume and tree bark remind you one sniff is often enough.

Luscious spirit, meaty, turning confectionery but maintaining savoury pangs. What the hell is th... oh right. Right. Daring to venture in again is rewarded swiftly with overripe apples, banana bread, and herbaceous notes of toni... oh right. Right. 

SUMMARY:

It's just a drink, isn't it? And as a drink, it's pretty yummy, but it can be grippy. Water helps dilute the "additive" allowing it to flatter the fat, juicy spirit underneath with pine, peony, and wild strawberry. Really fucking tasty. Let's never do it again though, ok? ... or, what? .... we put 21yo Nobermory and Ben Nevisn't in one, too, didn't we? Sigh. 

April fools

Or April's fool?

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Malt Mission 2010 #386

Glen Garioch Founders Reserve
Highland Single Malt Whisky
48% abv
£29
$45 (USD)

One of the last operating distilleries from the 18th century (and the first time featured on the Malt Mission), Glen Garioch (pronounced "Glen Geery") underwent a much needed repack and as cynical as the whisky intelligentsia can be about s-s-scrary m-m-marketing, I think the verdict was unanimous: gorgeous work. But it is not just the look of the pack that changed, the liquid moved in the direction of nurturing anorak appeal:

a) the alcohol by volume was upped to 48% because
b) the liquid is not chill-filtered.

And the geeks rejoiced.

TASTING NOTES:

Buttery pie crust, sourdough, Granny Smith apples, vanilla and pine.

Savoury and bright sweetness of shortbread, lemon, and white grapes. Apricots and macadamie nut oiliness. Late spicy woodiness, pine again, freshly cut saplings.

SUMMARY:

Light, fresh and appetizing with a good balance of bitter and sweet, wood influence and youthful spirit character. There are many examples of how delicious Glen Garioch can be at great ages, it is nice to have a proprietary bottling that shows its youthful charm as well, even if said charms won't woo everyone.

Malt Mission #385
Malt Mission #387
Malt Mission #388
Malt Mission # 389
Malt Mission #390

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Malt Mission 2007 #163

Isle of Arran
Cream Sherry Cask finish(Gonzalez byass)
Island Single Malt Whisky
57.5% abv
£39.99
$78(USD)

Another one of Arran's gazillion finishes... and, to be fair, many of them have turned out pretty darn well.

We've had Arran on the mission before, but it is always a treat. And we are always ready to try more as the results from this new distillery have been very promising since opening in 1995. Arran was the first distillery on the island bearing the same name since Lagg distillery closed in 1836. The stills are similar to those at Glengyle(Campbeltown) and their washbacks AREN'T oregon pine but larch and Norwegian spruce. Whistle melody here... "she once had me," etc.

Short on time so short on words. Let's get down to business...

TASTING NOTES:

Big toffeed sweetness, sherry, candy apples. "Coffee Crisp"(a very Canadian tasting note brought to you by JM) Chocolate milk. Cereal, and a slight vegetal element. Glue. Quite gentle on the nose for the abv%.

Slightly punchy, but some really wimpy punches. Sugar in tea, balsa wood, freshly baked cookies, apple cider, flower gardens. A caramelised element as well. Turns toasty as burnt sherry flavours resonate through the finish.

SUMMARY:

Sweet, but remarkably pleasant. Autumnal whisky, whisky for when its not quite warm enough for a shorts or young bourbon-cask Speysiders, but not quite cold enough for woolly jumpers or heavily sherried peat monsters. October, trick-or-treat whisky.

Malt Mission #161
Malt Mission #162
Malt Mission #164
Malt Mission #165

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Malt Mission 2007 #162

Ledaig Island
Island Single Malt Whisky
42% abv
£15
$40(CAD)
$32(USD)

Pronounced 'led-chig', this is the peated expression of whisky from Tobermory distillery on the isle of Mull. In fact, it was the original name of the distillery when it was built in 1798 and has produced two different whiskies since its early days. This is the more heavily peated expression. The last whisky from this distillery to be had on the Malt Mission can be found HERE.

Tobermory comes from 'Tobar Moire', meaning "Mary's well". Ledaig means "safe haven".

The limited supplies of Ledaig from the 70s that have been bottled have really impressed amateur and professional whisky critics across the globe. This good reputation is being cashed in on (?) with reasonably new proprietary bottlings of unaged Ledaig, from sherry and bourbon casks. This expression is from bourbon and is shockingly cheap. In a blind tasting we held years ago in Edinburgh where the objective was to find the expensive bottle among the cheap ones, this whisky was thought by most to be the pricey one.

TASTING NOTES:

Not what I would call an appetizing nose, but pretty busy. Herring, brine, bad morning breath. Orange pekoe tea. Strawberry jam. Toast and butter. Fresh raw shellfish and Dark chocolate. Verging on butryic.

Buttery and sweet, green grapes, stamp glue. Soy and fish sauce and smoke, but mainly sweeter, saltier characteristics. Light but full of character. Thin finish of campino.

SUMMARY:

Light but flavourful. Quaffable and not overly offensive, in spite of some of my chosen adjectives, with maritime characters coming out the wazoo. Very impactful for such a young, cheap whisky, just not an impact that would be welcomed by all. If you like you whisky fishy, smoky and salty, this is for you. In a character to price ratio, this scores very highly.

Malt Mission #161
Malt Mission #163
Malt Mission #164
Malt Mission #165

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Malt Mission 2007 #161

The Six Isles
Vatted/Blended Malt
43% abv
£19

This is an unchillfiltered vatting of whiskies from the 6 isles of whisky production, Arran, Mull, Islay, Skye, Jura, and Orkney. We used it as a warm-up dram at a tasting we held for 30 friends when we were in Toronto two weeks ago and it went down a treat. Folks really liked it. This week we will be re-living that tasting one day/dram at a time.

Discontinued at the LCBO, and only $35.35(CAD) right now if you can find a bottle near you, Jim Murray has praised this stuff calling it, "island whisky to the max!" (2003) and, "The best standard, non-deluxe blend I have found in my lifetime."(2004) Like I said, it went down well with friends on a cool, late-summer, Toronto night.

All Ian Macleod products can be viewed HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Laid back, peaty and earthy, with a layer of salty nuts and smoke. Chlorine. Sooty. Apricots. Custard. Cocoa dustings. All freshened with a citrus zing.

Spring. Cut grass. Lemon curd. Metallic smoke takes over and a minty, or Listerine effect lingers in the medium long, but pleasantly thin, finish.

SUMMARY:

Tobermory/Ledaig and Islay malts(Bowmore?) dominate this whisky, and blind, one might think it's a peated Speysider. Yeah, that is due to the smoke mixed with the janitor's closet smells, but also the weighty sweetness on the nose, the floral element on the palate, and the sheer drinkability. For peat freaks and the new drinkers they insist "have gotta try this..."

Malt Mission #160
Malt Mission #162
Malt Mission #163
Malt Mission #164
Malt Mission #165

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Malt Mission 2007 #160

Lochside 1964, 42yo
Blended Scotch Whisky
47.7% abv
£69

Still creeping toward that MM200. It'll happen... I think I can, I think I can, I think I can... Thanks for reading.

Highly unusual and incredibly affordable for the age, this 42 year old whisky is what might be called a single blend as it is a mix of grain and malt whiskies from just one distillery. Single cask, no less. And it is a closed distillery(1992). A true rarity.

The Lochside distillery began producing whisky in 1957 but the site had been the James Deuchars and Sons brewery in Montrose, in the east of Scotland. Until the 1970s, Lochside distillery was producing both single malt and grain whisky on site, like Ben Nevis and Loch Lomond. It was bought by Spanish interests in 1973 and mothballed in 1992. Allied Domecq acquired the distillery in 1994 and in 1997 all the equipment and maturing whisky was removed(or sold).

The warehouses have been destroyed, and from what I can gather, all remaining distillery buildings will see a similar fate as developers have acquired permission to build 37 flats on the premises. The landmark 'distillery tower' seen at the northern entrance into Montrose (see pic) has been demolished (2005). This lost distillery is, for now, somewhat of a hidden gem, with several expressions finding their way into well-received independent releases (Clan Denny, Cadenheads, Douglas Laing, Gordon & Macphail, etc.)

This unsual bottle was blended at birth, spending all of its 42 years maturing as a blend in a single cask. Unusual indeed, but a format founder Joseph W. Hobbs was quite fond of. Let's see if he was onto something...

TASTING NOTES:

Confidently announces its presence with a multidimensional impact: oak, spices, sweetness. A light and elegant bourbony vanilla sweetness with orange peels, cloves, nutmeg, and cheap vanilla ice cream (the kind whose first ingredient is guar gum and/or modified milk ingredients). Some grass or other vegetal aromas, hand creams, hazelnut puree, brio/chinotto.

Sweet/bitter balance, with age becoming VERY apparent. Rum-like tropical flavours that hint at bike tires, with chilli, green peppers, more orange rind or marmalade with bundles of oaky sweetness. Friendly finish where malt and chewable vitamin C tablets linger among a supple oakiness.

SUMMARY:

Impressive and tasty from beginning to end, and extremely unusual. Time in the glass really lets things become creamy both in texture and flavour. 42 yo for £70!? Buy one, buy one now! Don't tell too many friends about this gem. There isn't enough to go 'round, and besides, they probably don't deserve it, anyways.

Malt Mission #156
Malt Mission #157
Malt Mission #158
Malt Mission #159

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Malt Mission 2007 #159

Cutty Sark 18 yo
Blended Scotch Whisky
43%abv
£43

The old motto went, "Remove the cork and get the message." Cutty Sark is named after the famous clipper... which was named after the witch in Burns' poem "Tam O'Shanter"... who is named after the Scots expression for a short-cut shirt. Cutty Sark made a name for itself by finding routes into America during prohibition via Canada and the Caribbean.

This is part of the extended range of aged expressions from Cutty Sark. It is joined by the 12, the 15 (which i noticed in abundance at the LCBO when I was home last week), the 25, and the standard unaged blend. the 18yo is sometimes referred to as 'Discovery'.

London is still recovering from a fire that destroyed much of the clipper in Greenwich. News HERE.

More info on Cutty Sark and all expressions tasted on the mission can be found HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Initially extremely light and friendly, but by no means simple, with a buttery creaminess, nectarines, sherry undertones, and a gentle olive-oil-type of spiciness. Meaty.

Very nutty, spicy, and quite refreshing, actually. Stone fruits, cream, and a faint appearance of peat. Raw red meat, lamb? The organic flavours give way to more processed ones: freshly developed photos. Cardboard. Brown paper towels in public washrooms. Long nutty finish.

SUMMARY:

Another blend where the grains take a back seat and let the malts do all the driving. Easy drinking but with character. A little something for the adventurous in the meaty, oily flavours while retaining mass appeal.

Malt Mission #156
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Malt Mission 2007 #158

Whyte & Mackay 13yo
Blended Scotch Whisky
40% abv
£16.50

Vijay Mallya and his United Breweries Group recently bought Whyte & Mackay for £600million as growing affluence in India made whisky sales grow 26% over the past year, a trend that didn't come out of nowhere and one that smart-tycoon-y member-of-parliament-entrepreneurs like Mallya wouldn't dare miss. Unfortunately, W&M saw a £2.2million loss in the 12-month period before the takeover. Can King Madras turn everything he touches to gold?

W&M has a pretty good stable of malts and blends and may have performed poorly last year due to the relaunch of the Whyte and Mackay blends (with a fancy new Charles Rennie Mackintosh look) that never really had a chance to take off or get marketed properly. (Are they even available anywhere?) Jura, Dalmore, Fettercairn, Glayva and Whyte and Mackay are now set to invade India now that Mallya used his political pull to change the iNsAnE foreign spirits tariff in India, a change that was certainly unpopular among other domestic spirits producers.

Anyways, I won't talk too much about that. Truth is I don't have enough time to get my facts straight so f-it. If you want more info and opinion on the story, read THIS(BBC), THIS(Malt Maniacs), or THIS(Scotch Blog).

Let's drink Whyte and Mackay's The Thirteen. (All Whyte&Mackay tasted on the mission can be read HERE)

TASTING NOTES:

Soft and rich, pecans, butter tarts, vanilla candles, waffle cones, an ice cream parlour. Sherry influence is present but the tasty Invergordon (and other?) grains lead the sweeter, vanilla-ed appeal to 'drink me'.

Bigger body than the nose suggests, that dissipates quickly. Strange. Now you see it, now you don't. Rich sherry and nuts, Dairy Milk, and a touch of salt then Caramilk and honey, ginger, and a light finish of sherry, fresh figs, and older grain whisky.

SUMMARY:

An odd experience, and I know I have complained about this stuff before, but I quite enjoyed it today. The vanishing effect (in terms of mouth presence) on the palate was strange, but the lingering flavours made up for it. A late metallic flavour hurt my overall impression but affordability and drinkability combine to make this a worthwhile purchase to decide for yourself.

Malt Mission #156
Malt Mission #157
Malt Mission #159
Malt Mission #160

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Malt Mission 2007 #157

Famous Grouse Gold Reserve 12 yo
Blended Scotch Whisky
40% abv
£22
$25(USD)

Perth was a nexus of blending houses in the 19th century. If you wanted, you could wander about town tasting the wares of John Dewar, Arthur Bell, and Matthew Gloag. Since 1820, Gloag ran a grocery in town and by 1860, his son started blending whiskies. By the end of the century was selling the Grouse Brand. It became well known among locals earning it the addition of 'famous' to its name.

The Famous Grouse is owned by The Edrington Group (Macallan, Highland Park, and others) and has been the #1 whisky in Scotland for many years. They have extended their range over the past decade, most recently with the launch of The Black Grouse, a peaty, Islay-themed blend specifically targeting the nordic and Scandanavian markets.

All Famous Grouse we've had on the mission can be read HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Weighty nose of rich, honeyed malt, sherry sweetness, and a touch of sulphur. Sesame seeds, oats, and pie crust. Well integrated smoke like exhaust as the impressions drive away.

Puff of gentle smoke then warm and toasty with sherry, dairy, and Honeycomb cereal. Filter coffee. Long finish of brown sugar and oatmeal.

SUMMARY:

Nothing too complex, but the weight of the sherry and heavy malty tones are very satisfying. The smoke that appears on the nose leads on the palate but gives way to the rich vanilla maltiness and sherry like a gentleman holding the door for young lady. Grain definitely takes a back seat in this number. Bunnahabhain and Highland Park are quite noticable so fans of either distillery could really dig this blend. For the price and flavour profile, it could be a good replacement for Jon, Mark and Robbo's Rich, Spicy One for those of you in markets that have lost that affordable line.

Malt Mission #156
Malt Mission #158
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Malt Mission 2007 #156

King's Legend
Blended Scotch Whisky
40% abv
£20(? not available in UK)

Welcome back to the mission. We had a nice time with friends, family, and food in Toronto and now we are back with the focused goal of tasting our way to Malt Mission 200... and a few other minor goals along the way (submitting this damned dissertation, training for a new job, learning to make pancakes as nice as the ones Morwenna made for us on Sunday, etc.)

We will have a blends week here on the mission. I have a keen interest in blends, partly because of my fascination with their variety and abundance, with most local markets having their own brands unavailable anywhere else in the world, partly because of the fact that blends are what keep distilleries open and made whisky a worldwide phenomenon (see my Bullocks to Blends series or go buy a book), but also because the craft of blending is a fascinating art and the challenges blenders face in making a consistent product out of often variable tools is nothing short of astounding.

Blended whiskies are a combination of different single malts (whiskies made in pot stills out of a single grain, barley, and at a single distillery) and different grain whiskies (whiskies made in column or Coffey stills out of various different grains, maize, wheat, barley, rye). Contrary to snobborific popular belief, Blended whiskies are NOT by default better or worse than single malts. They are made with quite different intentions than single malts, and often quite different aims than eachother (a wintery blend, a summer blend, a peaty blend, a blend for ice, a blend for cooking, a blend to accompany all night conversations... etc.). Where single malt whiskies are made to be individual, powerful, engaging, and sometimes challenging, blended scotch is generally designed to appeal to a wider customer base, being well-balanced and smooth and suited to more people's palates. While these whiskies can be sensual, wonderfully constructed, rich whiskies with great subtle complexities, more often than not they are made out of barely legal whiskies (3-4 years old) from tired casks (maturation vessels which have been used too many times to yield much flavour). But it is also for this reason that the art of blending is so respected; in combining various casks that would simply not be good enough for release as a single malt, blended whiskies become more than the sum of their parts. They account for 90-95% of all Scottish whisky sales worldwide and the best of them win as many awards and accolades as single malts in blind tastings.

Kings Legend is an odd blend owned by Diageo but only available in a few markets (if they have this where you live, email me. I would love to know). I got it in Norway a few months ago. You may remember it from the Royal Norwegian Cocktail Competition. I cannot find any good information about the blend's history or contents in any of my books. Sorry. If you have any info, I would love to receive it. I have had it a few times since buying it over ice and it has been quite pleasant. Now lets subject it to a sensory interrogation.

TASTING NOTES:

White toast with butter, pumpkin pie and spice, vanilla ice cream. Light and thin, slightly petrolic, with toffeed sweetness and cooked pasta. Some smoke, too. Appetising and cakey.

Thin mouthfeel, soft then hot, integrated flavours of maple, saunas, envelope glue, and banana. Faint sherry and smoke through the finish that sits in the middle of the tongue.

SUMMARY:

A bit hot to the tongue, but perfectly pleasant blended whisky. Drinking this stuff over ice eliminates the tongue heat and really lets the smoke and vanilla-balance shine. No doubt a high grain content (80%?), but the vanilla and waffle-type tastes from the grains are really luscious. The sherry and peat from the malts are present and notable, but it is the creamy, vanilla-ed bourbon cask Speysiders in here that really make this the drinkable and affordable blend that it is. Enjoy it, Scandinavia!

Malt Mission #155
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Malt Mission 2007 #145

Glenfarclas 30yo
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
43% abv
£105
$399(CAD)

This beauty has been around for a while and remains the oldest standard bottling in the Glenfarclas range. It was the overall trophy winner at the 1996 International Spirits Challenge, won Gold in 2005, and is one of the most respected distilleries in Scotland.

In 1912, a rival distiller is said to have written the Grants, "Of all the whiskies, malt is king, and of all the kings, Glenfarclas reigns supreme." Michael Jackson has called the distillery "top flight among Speysiders" and writes, "Experienced tasters usually place them in the top three [...] from this most distinguished district [...] They are excellent company at any time, and especially after dinner." In 2006, Whisky Magazine awarded Glenfarclas "Distiller of the Year".

One of the great assets Glenfarclas has is the fact that it remains family owned and run. "Being private doesn't affect the way we make whisky, but it does affect the way we run the business. We're not at the beck and call of money people in London, which means we can work and plan 24 years ahead, not 24 hours," says John Grant. Their endurance through 150 years of ups and downs is a testament to their ingenuity and long-term vision.

R.J.S. McDowall wrote in 1967, "The whisky is a fine full-flavoured malt, so popular with blenders, indeed, that most of it is sold before it is made." Things are certainly different today as Glenfarclas are VERY careful of where their casks end up and as far as I know, Glenfarclas can only be found in Glen Dowan and Isle of Skye blended whiskies.

It has been a great ride tasting my way through a part of the Glenfarclas range this week. Still haven't had the 21 (probably my favorite in the core range) for the mission but it was a tasty week nonetheless. All Glenfarclas tasted so far can be found HERE. Got a huge litre of the Glenfarclas 105 on my shelf (VERY well priced at duty free in Norway) that will keep me quite happy now that these drops are all gone. Big thanks to George Grant and Robert Ransom for being so friendly and sending me info, emails, and nectar.

TASTING NOTES:

Butterscotch, cherries, rum and raisin. A whisky you can smell from a metre away. Big and dense but completely welcoming. Toasty and slightly smoky with some concentrated orange syrup, too.

Big, wet kiss of sherry, spicy oak and spoonfuls of melted chocolate. It has been called 'christmas cake in a glass' but I hate christmas cake, so I would instead suggest brandy and/or cognac, molasses, chocolate brownies, almond extract, and a whole load of sumptuous oak. After such a big, bold flavour, the finish seems short, but at a piano volume chocolate, red grapes, and oak can be heard singing for minutes.

SUMMARY:

Extremely sexy, indulgent, and well balanced. The sherry is huge, but does not dominate or kill the malt. The sherry is perhaps the key of the piece, but the melody is surely played by other instruments. And for the price (not including that in Totalitario)!? Find me another 30yo proprietary bottling from a prestigious distillery for around £100! Amazing.

It is crazy to think of thanking your Grandfather for a whisky, but in this case, the Grant's have to appreciate the work of their fathers and fathers' fathers. Kind of makes me feel that people shouldn't be allowed to drink whisky older than themselves because they simply won't have the perspective to appreciate it. Does a 21 year old really understand what 30 years feels like? I do still find it such a romantic feature of scotch malt whisky that it can condense time in a glass, bringing decades, and in the Grants' case, generations of family together. Gotta respect that.

Malt Mission #141
Malt Mission #142
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Malt Mission 2007 #135

Bunnahabhain 33 yo, 1971
cask #6248, 204 bottles
Islay Single Malt Whisky
46% abv
£80*

Please insert Duracell, Viagra, and Bruce Willis-as-an-action-hero comparisons here. Yes, I'm still going. Thanks for reading. We've got a bunch of tasty drops in the pipeline. If there is ever anything you think I should try/you want me to try, get in touch. The doctor is always in.

This marks the end of two Islay weeks here on the mission. Sure, it wasn't always a delight to down peated whisky in the AM, but it was certainly memorable. If you need more Islay in your life, go shopping (see links to the left) or read:
- Andrew Jefford's excellent "Peat Smoke and Spirit"
- Islay(and Jura)'s community newspaper The Ileach
- And be sure to check out Armin's informative and fun Islay Blog.

Just to clarify the pronunciation notes I gave for "Bunnahabhain" a few days ago, listen to this.
(Lamb)BHUNA(Yee)HAW(ha)VIN(me some fun tonight).

Although affectionately called 'Bunny' by many, we all know no one would appreciate such a nickname. Even with the best intentions, it would come off sounding a bit condescending, no? Like calling your buddy Constantine 'Tiny', Anthony 'Ant', or Kincaid 'AIDS'. All Bunnahabhains tasted as a part of the Malt Mission can be found HERE.

This is an independent bottling from Royal Mile Whiskies. Thanks for the taster, guys. AND DON'T MISS their amazing WHISKY FRINGE 2007 next weekend (Aug18-19). It is an absolutely incredible event: all the great independent exhibitors and the big boys too, great masterclasses, no patronising drink limits, gorgeous historic Edinburgh venue, fewer know-it-all whisky nerds than WhiskyLIVE, and a great ticket price that includes a discount on Royal Mile Whisky goods. I think there are still some tickets for Sunday(when the stands open all their fancy old stuff).

* - I think this was the price. Doesn't really matter; it was a brilliant price and they're all gone now anyways, so who cares?

TASTING NOTES:

Baked goods, apple pie, incredible oaky vanilla, butter tarts, honey, and a tingly ocean presence of salt and sand. Very appetising, mellow, malty, and seductively sweet.

Great impact, very Bunnahabhain. Ocean wave delivers honey and vanilla, oak and malt, then the wave breaks with salt, thyme, some saffron, and chicken broth. Wide spectrum of rolling flavours, if you know what I mean, and I am convinced I am getting earth, peat, but not smoke, in the finish with a mouthwatering oakiness that stimulates all corners of my mouth.

SUMMARY:

Love it. Great bourbon cask characteristics shine through the Bunnahabhain salty tang and honeyed malt, never losing its distillery character despite 33 years in oak. Could drink this all day, I mean, night (TGIF)
A most charming thirty-something... know anyone who fits that description?

Malt Mission #131
Malt Mission #132
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Malt Mission #134

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Malt Mission 2007 #134

Bunnahabhain 25 yo
Islay Single Malt Whisky
43% abv
£155
$275(USD)

Charmless prisoner of war camp or delightfully derelict distillery? Some people love the look of Bunnahabhain while others hate it. I personally love the isloation of these grey pebble-dashed buildings on the "north pole" of Islay with their fantastic views across the sound to Jura and the apocalyptic silence that befalls them on a Sunday.

Owned by Burn Stewart Distillers since 2003, Bunnahabhain joins Tobermory and Deanston in CL World Brands' portfolio. Okay, nothing to get all dreamy about, but amazing to learn that Bunnahabhain fetched more than Bruichladdich or Ardbeg when each were purchased in 2000 and 1997 respectively. The company owns the brilliant Black Bottle (Malt Mission #2 and winner of best budget blend in the first 100 posts), as well as Hine Cognac, Belvedere Vodka, and Angostura Bitters.

Since the 1960s, Bunnahabhain has been (with a few experimental exceptions under Edrington in 1991 and 1997, one called Moine released at Feis Isle 2004) been producing unpeated malt whisky. Supply shortages from a decade of neglect meant that the 12yo actually contained older whiskies and, if true, this will likely remain the case for about 7 more years... by my math anyways. This 25 year old bottling, Bunnahabhain XXV, came into the world in 2005 in a limited release of 400 bottles.

All Bunnahabhain tasted in the Malt Mission can be found HERE.

"And it's goodbye to care..."

TASTING NOTES:

Sweet corn, and full of sea characteristics with sumptuous malty honey notes beneath. Cornbread, horse feed, Rolos, Raisin Bran.

Slightly oily impact really fills the mouth, succession of flavours from toffee, chamomile, sherry, and general spice to chocolate-y oak, parsley and mint.

SUMMARY:

Very good, reasonably rare, and quite pricey. Not a very different impact that the 18yo in Malt Mission 132, honey, sherry, and a gripping astringency that tickles the palate. The common criticism has been that this malt is a bit flat. While this might be true for many drinkers, I find the excitement just happens earlier than with most malts and I find this characteristic in all Bunnahabhains; could be the casks, could be the water source, could be the onion shaped stills... The point is all the action is up front in a nearly undissectable nucleus of flavours that erupts on impact, easily overlooked, easily missed for those of us in the habit of waiting to see what happens. This whisky gives an early explosion of flavour that the soft "flat" oakiness of the finish can not possibly compete with. As a result, this stuff has you reaching for more with anticipation. Or trepidation as you watch your bank balance disappear in £155 increments...

Malt Mission #131
Malt Mission #132
Malt Mission #133
Malt Mission #135

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Malt Mission 2007 #133

Bowmore 25yo
Islay Single Malt Whisky
43% abv
£170
$199(CAD)
$200(USD)*

Replacing the old 25yo in 2003, this Bowmore 25 year old has charmed the pants off critics the world over, including the ever-quotable F. Paul Pacult. Bowmore always manages to get a buzz going.

Their heat-exchange system mentioned in Malt Mission 131 was awarded the Green Apple Award for its environmental commitment in 2004. In 1993 the legendary Black Bowmore (1964) was launched. This is an extremely rare expression that originally went for £100 and now fetches up to £500 per dram at posh hotel bars. The 2nd and 3rd editions followed in 1994 and 1995 and today, when found, go for well over £2000. Bowmore always seems to fare quite well at the World Spirits Competition in San Francisco where the new 18yo (tasted Monday) won Best in Show 2007, the same accolade that this 25yo won back in 2004. This year it won double gold in its category.

Bowmore created a series of videos for their website and for the YouTube (etc.) world that can be viewed HERE. Not all that boring either.

* - I have seen this listed for as high as $300(USD). Ah, freedom. Folks in Ontario (with cash to spare), note the great price at the LCBO. The packaging has officially been changed, so get this while you can... if you can... pretty box and all.

All Bowmores tasted on the mission can be read HERE

TASTING NOTES:

Very concentrated package. Generally sweet with sherry and tropical fruits. Shellfish. Rancio (in all senses of the word; mature, oxidized and almost rancid). Caribbean stew. Peat? None that I can detect.

Simultaneously (dry) sherry sweet and mango-skin bitter. Lavender. Some smoke appears now, along with some tobacco and spice. Wild mushrooms. Satisfying wave of flavours that tapers quite quickly into a oak dryness with gently lingering impressions of sea air, sherry and ink.

SUMMARY:

This is all cask and oxidation. Sweet creamy peated malt is lost and is much needed to balance the flavours. A very Bowmore nose, but at this age really walks a fine line between pleasant and nauseating. Time in oak has reduced some of the aromas to butyric smells. And while the taste is pleasant and complex, catching a whiff as you bring the glass near you face does not encourage another sip... at least not for me. Serge Valentin seemed to like it. As have others (Michael Jackson, P. Paul Pacult, friends).

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Malt Mission 2007 #132

Bunnahabhain 18 yo
Islay Single Malt Whisky
43%
£50
$95(USD)

Bunnahabhain (boo-na-havin') means 'mouth of the river' and has been dubbed "the gentle taste of Islay" due to the comparative 'lightness' among Islay malts. The river is its water source, River Margadale, that runs with hard, slightly peaty water. And the gentle taste does not mean Bunnahabhain lacks character or complexity.

Like many Scottish malt distilleries, Bunnahabhain has had a patchy production history. The distillery was founded in 1881 (same year as fellow Islay malt, Bruichladdich) and began production in 1883. The distillery operated for just two years between 1930 and 1947, only to close again in 1982. Production began again in 1984 and in 1999 Edrington became Bunnahabain's new owner and celebrated by mothballing the distillery, allowing a few weeks of production per year. In 2003 Bunnahabhain was sold (along with Black Bottle) to Burn Stewart Distillers for no small fee.

2005 saw the expansion of the range, albeit a limited one (1500 bottles) when the standard 12 year old was joined by an 18 year old and 25 year old. We'll be introduced to both of those this week. Thanks to The Whisky Exchange for the samples.

Last Bunnahabhain I had as a part of the mission was back at Malt Mission #17

TASTING NOTES:

Honey, toasty malt at the heart of this. Salty and oily. Aloe. Sour apples and a slight chemical smell. I have heard it described as spray paint and would go along with that.

Nice sherry impact with honey malt throughout. Not soft or gentle, but rugged like the road between the distillery and the ferry at Port Askaig (which actually isnt that rugged, so maybe a bad comparison...) But a slightly astringent, aggressive impact. Suprising at this strength, but so be it. Yields a lot of rich flavours (honey, sherry, oak, baked apples, fresh bread, toasted pine nuts) but it all vanishes quickly in a hot dry puff of sherry and raw pork.

SUMMARY:

Bunnahabhain is a drinking whisky. When I lived in Scotland the 12yo was found on optic in many pubs and I assure you no one was nosing it when they ordered a dram. This whisky is big and rich, a touch feisty, without hanging around too long, encouraging another sip, and subsequently another serving. Fine. But bloody expensive.

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Malt Mission 2007 #131

Bowmore 18yo
Islay Single Malt Whisky
43% abv
£50
$85(USD)

Another week of Islay malts on the Malt Mission. Every whisky we'll be having will be old enough to vote in most countries and old enough to drink (itself) in others. And they'll all start with the letter 'B'.

Bowmore is the most visited distillery on Islay and has just relaunched(January 2007) their core range with minimal fanfare but much critical acclaim. The new 18yo won Double Gold and Best In Show at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2007. The new packaging is carefully designed to make the name "BOWMORE" more visible on shop or bar shelves and uses a colour scheme to identify each whisky: Legend(Grey), 12(Black), 15/Darkest(Maroon), 18(purple), and the sleek-looking 25yo (double black).

Former distillery engineer Harry Cockburn put in place a groundbreaking and often-copied heat exchange system in 1982 that provides hot air for part of the malting, heating the mashing water, the wash and the low wines, the reception area, and, famously, the Bowmore swimming pool next door.

All Bowmores tasted on the mission can be read HERE

TASTING NOTES:

Faint woodsmoke weaving through tropical fruit sweetness, nutty oiliness, and some earthy, decomposing aromas. Compost compote. Damp and October/November-ish.

Big, horizontally expansive in the mouth with dry sherry and oak with some very sweet wine-type flavours, scenting cleaning agents, peat and pastries. Balanced finish, but of an odd combination of flavours: A funky peat, Harrod's perfume rooms, charity shop/second hand bookstores, stinky feet and bitter tea.

SUMMARY:

Odd, but intriguing. While this isn't exactly my thing, I know other folks who would just love it. Stands as a unique expression among the range, and reminds me somewhat of the profile of the old 15 year old.

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Malt Mission 2007 #130

Lagavulin 12 yo Cask Strength
Islay Single Malt Whisky
58.2% abv (4th release)
£51.89
$105 (CAD)
$120(USD)

While Lagavulin does not foster the same cult following as its neighbour Ardbeg, it is still a legend among whisky drinkers new and old. I have met countless folks who came to the world of whisky through a glass of Lagavulin and others who claim they will drink nothing else. So with the help of Andrew Jefford's absolutely brilliant book Peat Smoke and Spirit, we can suck the mythical romance out of a few aspects of the distillery.

I have written about the difficulties some distilleries face in the legal and responsible disposal of waste before in the case of Isle of Jura distillery. For Lagavulin "the pot ale, spent lees and washing waters at Lagavulin have to be taken over to Caol Ila by road. They were formerly piped into the bay and had been for over a century, but because the bay is [...] naturally protected and sheltered, these arrangements could not meet current legislation for dispersal rates. This means three tankers per day have to travel the 70km round trip carrying 21,000 litres each: a heavy cost for the company and environmental cost to the island's roads and those who live alongside them. From Caol Ila, the waste goes into the briskly tidal Sound of Islay."(Jefford, 284) Wasteful, maybe. But don't forget the whisky industry is founded on an ideal of recycling (grist for cattle feed, second hand casks, etc.)

So now a mythbusting reality about maturation. Most of Lagavulin's new make spirit goes into third-fill American ex-bourbon hogsheads. These are ex-bourbon cask that are broken down and rebuilt to hold 250 litres, get used for one fill of grain whisky, then a fill of malt whisky before being filled with Lagavulin. So where does the sherry influence everyone notes come from in Lagavulin? Donald Renwick says "We do fill the odd sherry cask, but the wood is exhausted. And we do it less and less nowadays. So far as I'm concerned, there's more or less no sherry anymore in Lagavulin."

We must remember that Diageo owns Islay distilleries Lagavulin, Port Ellen(closed) and Caol Ila and very little Caol Ila is matured on Islay, most of it is carted off to the mainland to mature. 7000 casks of Lagavulin mature at their 3 warehouses, 7000 down at the dunnage warehouses at Port Ellen, 2000 at Caol Ila(more that Caol Ila itself), but the vast majority of Lagavulin casks have not been aged on Islay. Find this provocative and troubling? Read Jeffords' book for more.

This does not mean Lagavulin isn't delicious, it is! It just throws the ideas of regional style or terroir out the window and makes us question the techniques of wood management and marketing. Lagavulin is in high demand worldwide, is no longer part of White Horse (Malt Mission 16), and is about to start my Friday with a bang. Have a good weekend.

All Lagavulin posts HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Major vanilla ice cream sweetness off the top surrounded by petrol, pungent smoked fish and/or cheese, mascarpone and amaretto. Roadside construction and plain bubblegum.

Pow. Very big peat impact, earthy with old car smells (flavours?), but all kept in a dirty/sweet balance via pumpkin pie and whipped cream type flavours. But peat is what passes the time. Finish is still peaty. And still peaty. And...

SUMMARY:

Certainly not for everyone. I don't find this as complex as folks I have met or have read do, but it is a quality expression. Not super sexy or subtle, but certain; you know what you are in for when you pour yourself a drop. Missing the sensuality of the 16 (which has been diminishing in recent years, it must be said) and the breadth of the Distillers Edition, but completely distinct in the standard range. But don't take my word for it, go do some whisky 'research' of your own!

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Malt Mission 2007 #129

Lagavulin Distiller's Edition (1989)
Islay Single Malt Whisky
43% abv
£49.50*
$104.90(CAD)

Lagavulin ('hollow where the mill is') is situated in a craggy bay on the south shore of Islay that housed Dunyvaig castle (13th century) and the Macdonald's power-base as Lords of the Isles. It makes sense that there were allegedly over 10 illicit stills operating in this area over 50years before a legal distillery was built buy John Johnston in 1816. Archibald Campbell built Kildalton distillery right next to Lagavulin in the same year and it became a part of Lagavulin in 1837.The whole area, including Laphroaig and Ardbeg distilleries are sometimes referred to as "the Kildalton distilleries" after the celtic cross that stands nearby and Ardbeg released a very limited and much coveted bottling of lightly peated Ardbeg called 'Kildalton 1980'.

The 16yo we all see as the standard bottling of Lagavulin was launched in 1989 as a part of the Classic Malts range. It is still a major crowd pleaser with a worldwide following whose demand unfortunately outstrips its supply.

The last Lagavulin I had (before 9am) was back at Malt Mission #19. Tasted with MH and the notes in quotes below are from his whisky-covered lips.

* This is the current price of this vintage because the Distillers Edition line of Lagavulin has been discontinued on these shores(UK), or if I am mistaken has at least vanished into near nothingness... Canada seems to still carry the stuff, how about in the U.S? Europe? Scandanavia? Asia? Anyone?

TASTING NOTES:

Chewing on chocolate covered almonds. Winey and fruity. Hickory sticks. Olives and sea salt. Smoke beautifully integrated in the warmth of all the other characteristics. "Honestly? Cadbury fruit and nut."(There was a chocolate egg stuffed with fruits and nuts on the table, so such an admission was potentially victim to the power of suggestion)

"Creamy and oily, a bit sweet... oh... that's... oh, lots of stuff happening after you swallow. Then spice."
Cream taste but thin texture, long slow wave of flavour from sweetness and shiraz spice to dry dustiness of nuts and ending in sheesha-type smoke; sweet and dense with peat but not heavily smoky.
"Earthiness, vegetables."

SUMMARY:

Totally satisfying, rich and peaty and flavourful. A great variant of the Lagavulin 16yo style, and it's currently the only one. The earthy, salty, peaty Lagavulin wrestles with intensely sweet Pedro Ximenez creating "The Best Islay(Peated) Whisky" in the World Whisky Awards 2007. People will always disagree which entry-level Lagavulin expression is beest but in most blind tastings you will find the Distillers Edition comes out on top.

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Malt Mission 2007 #128

Laphroaig Quarter Cask
Islay Single Malt Whisky
48% abv
£28
$59.15 (CAD)
$55 (USD)

Welcome to August.

127 Malt Missions before I had a Laphroaig(!) in this jaundiced journey. Crazy. It is a vast whisky world. Such diversity! When someone says "I don't like whisky", it is like saying that they don't like water. Fine, so they don't like water at the gym, or at Shary & Dug's flat, or Dasani, or at the cottage. But that cannot possibly mean they don't like water. There are just too many variants. Laphroaig is unique, challenging water.

Laphroaig ("La-Froyg") has a very high percentage of its output allocated for use as a single malt(45%), much more than the average Scottish whisky distllery so you can understand why they may be reluctant to screw with what works. No, they haven't become known for stunning innovations, clever marketing moves or a cool logo. Laphroaig has repulsed people for generations, and this is not necessarily a bad thing; it has made their spirit unforgettable the world over. The foul stench was enough for customs agents in the U.S. to waive cases through as 'medicine' during Prohibition. This was WAY before single malts were the norm. This was the heyday of blended whiskies (Dewar's, Cutty Sark, especially in America) and this unforgettable Islay single malt accompanied the best music and the lousiest poetry from Augusta, Maine to Aurora, Illinois to Alachula, Florida in the 1920s and early 1930s.

When first encountered, Laphroaig can disrupt one's life for hours, if not days. While for a few it is a revelation, for most it is a fair whisky warning: "if you think it's shitty, then you aren't ready." I've heard it (somewhat vulgarly) compared to Schoenberg and/or sexual acts illegal in some U.S. states and many countries (at one time or another). The point is you gotta ease into it, to learn to love it. Have I mentioned my appreciation for the Glenfiddich adverts?

One of the first nights I lived in Edinburgh I was sitting in what I would learn was an awful bar, stupidly drinking imported shit beer, and Steve McLean bought me a whisky. He told me it was a Laphroaig. All I knew was it tasted like cancer and reminded me of being at the hospital when I was 6 getting my broken leg casted. Nothing positive.
Thank you Laphroaig, you helped launch this pot still passion.

I have rambled on too long here so I will share more history of the distillery in a future Laphroaig post. Currently owned by Jim Beam Global and managed by the Islay-born John Campbell (only 35 years old!), Laphroaig distillery has, in a way, gone back in time with the release of the Quarter Cask. After 5ish years of maturation, they transfer ex-bourbon maturing whiskies into smaller quarter size casks (105 litres), the sort that apparently used to be used for shipping whisky by horse in the 19th century, for about 7 months. This allows 30% more wood contact and all the good stuff that comes with it. Unlike other standard Laphroaig bottlings, they haven't chill-filtered the Quarter Cask and have bottled it at 48% abv.

Officially the only entry-level release from Laphroaig in Ontario once the discontinued (at LCBO) 10yo sells out, Laphroaig is "powerful and for strong men" (R.J.S. McDowall, The Whiskies of Scotland, 1967). Someone from Beam Global, owners of Laphroaig, tells me "The global inventory of that expression is very limited and since there has been such a great response to the Quarter Cask we've simply balanced out the volume with more Quarter Cask. The Quarter Cask will be the only expression that LCBO carries." So get ready to fork out an additional 8 bucks for your Laphroaig fix. But you can rest assured that with your mega dollar you can almost buy TWO for that price at duty free stateside ($68.80 CAD... today).

Bring it, Laphroaig. I'm not scared of you.

TASTING NOTES:

Seductive smells. Ripe, new-make barley sweetness. A barbecue. A flower. A sooty chimney. A horse. A can of condensed milk. A slice of apple and a piece of Gouda. An amazingly tactile nose, if that makes sense; the aromas seem to make physical contact, they touch me.

Oak. Fruit. Grandparents' musty apartments. Soft impact that is very sensual and easy at the higher-than-normal abv%. Toffee and stubbed cigarettes. Nutty cheesiness. Slow arrival of a huge peaty impact and a cloud of smoke. Smoky finish with biscuity chewiness hanging around.

SUMMARY:

An absolute treat to drink. Full-on and not for every mood, but hearty as a good stew. A sweeter, softer, friendlier Laphroaig that still manages to fill every corner of the house of your senses with the medicinal peatiness in ways that only Laphroaig can. And should. And does.

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Malt Mission 2007 #127

Ardbeg Almost There
Islay Single Malt Whisky
54.1% abv
£30

Had the Still Young yesterday, and we are getting a year older today with Arbeg Almost There. This bottling is from all ex-bourbon casks, all 9 years old. After dubbing the first two releases of this series "Very Silly" and "Still Silly", even the ever-opinionated Richard Joynson of Loch Fyne Whiskies found something nice to say. "Ardbeg Almost There is not at all silly or even deserving of our proposed moniker of Almost Sensible, this is Perfect Ardbeg." And he is not alone. This stuff has been critically acclaimed across the board and the whisky world is pretty excited about the eventual release of the post-Allied, Glenmorangie plc produced 10 year old.

All Ardbeg Malt Mission posts can be found HERE

TASTING NOTES:

Black licorice, pine, fireplace, burnt beard/hair. Satsumas or mandarin squash/concentrate. Dirty Ardbeg bottom with some chemical odours of shampoo, tar, and tires. Has a winter-air effect, cold steel.

Big movement from sweets to salts with matzos in between. Syrupy, lemon Monin. Almost a smoky oil layer in the mouth too, smoked cod liver oil. Orange peels keep things bright while Play-doh and clay keep things earthy. Ardbeg coffee and chocolate are present along with more dirty Ardbeg characteristics in the form of compost or bad, bad breath.

SUMMARY:

Quite complex stuff that could be mulled over for hours. I am not ashamed to say that this is not really my bag, but I don't need to sell you on this. As I've said before, Ardbeg aficionados abound. This stuff will sell even if one whisky blogger says it tastes like compost or bad breath. I look forward to the new 10yo, but imagine I will remain a Uigeadail drinker when it's an Ardbeg evening.

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