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Penderyn Aur Cymru
Madeira Finish
Single Malt Welsh Whisky
46% abv
£35
$70 USD
Writing very quickly as I am off to New Orleans in an hour. Congratulations, Saints!
This bit of Welsh gold was first released in 2004 and comes from Wales' only single malt distillery. Founded in 1998, Penderyn began distilling in 2000 and was recently visited by our friends at Whisky for Everyone. Follow that link for some great distillery facts and insight that will not be repeated here.
Instead, let's quickly look at the packaging. Somewhere between a bottle of Glenrothes and a bottle of Drakkar Noir, Penderyn comes in unique and striking package with gold lettering against a black backdrop with a window display that, through a clear glass bottle, proudly reveals the natural colour of the spirit. On the side of my bottle is a stamp that reads "released Mar 09", a useful piece of info, I think.
I think it is worth mentioning that the box emphasizes its country of origin, has plenty of Welsh language on it, and on the bottle itself reads, "this malt whisky is rare and precious, handcrafted and Madeira finished," bringing to the fore how little of this stuff exists, how it was made, in what barrels matured, rather than lofty tasting notes or lofty terms like authentic, traditional, or age-old.
Enough. Thanks to Luke for the sample and thanks to Karen and Mark at Whisky For Everyone for lifting the burden of explaining the unique distillation process at Penderyn. Again visit their post for more info. Now, let's drink.
TASTING NOTES:
Dried apricots, pears, malt extract, vanilla, and toffee. A sweet, light, and appetising nose.
New-make barley sweetness, raisins, butterscotch, and a woody finish.
SUMMARY:
Bright, light, refreshing spirit with pleasant youthful elements that drive the flavours, rather than oak extractive flavours like most whiskies the world over. Shows great potential as a bar whisky that could be consumed in volume... not that I condone that, but if you're the type of person to order a round of Jamesons, you might as well make 'em Penderyns.
Malt Mission #376
Malt Mission #377Malt Mission #378Malt Mission #379
Malt Mission HOME
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.
Malt Mission #371
Malt Mission #372Malt Mission #373
Malt Mission #375
Malt Mission HOME
Glenmorangie Sonnalta
Highland Single Malt Whisky
46% abv
£50
$70 (USD)
You know when you come home and feel like enjoying a whisky but can't find one on your shelf that you fancy? Well this can happen no matter how vast your selection is and it is a phenomenon that blows my little whisky-soaked mind but completely puzzles friends and family. 4, 10, 40, 400 bottles and not a drop to drink. When you get this feeling, I officially welcome you to geek country.
At the beginning of 2009, Glenmorangie announced a new line of "private expressions" to be released. Glenmorangie Sonnalta (meaning "generous") is the first of the series and is only available at selected Duty Free.
For more distillery info and to see all Glenmorangies had on the mission, click HERE.
TASTING NOTES:
Fruity and light in spite of the often weighty influence of Pedro Ximenez casks. Beachy, with the aromas of suntan lotion (coconut, jojoba) and sea air. Chocolate covered raisins, banana chips, apple cider and dessert wine are also wound up with the beautiful Glenmorangie vanilla notes.
Big and initially oily on the palate with cinnamon, pears and apples, with hints of mint and salt as well. Dries out and gets your mouth ready for another sip through a finish of flan and oak. Very appetizing and very quaffable.
SUMMARY:
Light but rich, full but restrained, spicy but wonderfully sweet. An aperitif style sherried malt if ever there was one, but equally well-suited for enjoying al fresco with dessert. How seasonally appropriate...
Malt Mission #346
Malt Mission #347
Malt Mission #348
Malt Mission #350
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.
Malt Mission #331
Malt Mission #332
Malt Mission #333
Malt Mission #335
Malt Mission HOME
Grant's 18yo
Blended Scotch Whisky
40% abv
£ $ ? can't find a price
The last in a series of blended whiskies I have been running on Dr. Whisky and I have been reassured that blends do not deserve the bad reputation they currently have. Folks who know Dr. Whisky know that he loves blends, their flavour, diversity, and history. Sure, the hundreds of 3 year old no age statement blends branded as Clan ____ and Glen _____ and Royal _____ have tarnished this reputation, but I hope the past few posts have redeemed the category for readers. A blend is often bad, but that is not the nature of the beast. It cannot be said that blends are worse than single malts. As I have said before, the best whiskies I have tried have probably been single malts, but the WORST whiskies I have tried had definitely been single malts. This Grant's Rare Old 18yo is finished in port casks, sort of a marrying period for the blend.
When Pattison's blending house went bankrupt in 1898 it brought down many distilleries and distilling companies with it. The "Pattison Crash" as it came to be known (see THIS for all Dr. Whisky posts that mention this monumental moment in whisky history) left many expecting the end of the whisky industry. William Grant saw an opportunity. He had built to distilleries at that point, Glenfiddich ain 1887 and Balvenie in 1892, and by the end of the century has had started his own blending house and grew into exporting with the help of his son and son-in-law, John and Charles. Charles, famously determined, made his first sale after 181 calls; his second after his 503rd. Meanwhile, John began exporting to The Hudson Bay Company of Canada. Today, Grant's blended whisky is sold in over 180 countries but this particular marque is really hard to find. Unfortunately.
For more info on William Grant and Sons and their whiskies enjoyed thus far on the mission, click HERE.
Thanks to the WG&S folks for getting this for me and to JB for travelling to the US with it.
TASTING NOTES:
Grain whisky leads with a sweet breadiness, vanilla wafers, and a deep and provocative oakiness. The malt whiskies are heavy, oily, salty, very Highland in style (Scapa, Dalmore, Clynelish, even Cragganmore from Speyside) and some papaya or tropical fruitiness that lifts the malt density. Meringue, bubblegum, suntan lotion, damp cutting boards, metal like guitar strings, toffee, lime... the aroma is among the most complex I have encountered.
Whoa, different direction. Malt leads with more of an Islay oiliness now, smoke and tar, prunes, woody and aged. Chewy and full, like decadent chocolate brownies, slightly savage and satisfying like grabbing the ass of someone you love and have longed for. Incredibly long oaky finish with heavy grain notes like rye bread, tobacco smoke, and the freshness of cedar. Flavours linger. And linger.
SUMMARY:
Years ago, Dave Broom wrote the following words about this dram, "So thick and honeyed you could paint it on your lover's body." Brilliant note, and not wholly inaccurate. This is a delicious drop rich with complexity and, as DB implies, sensually smooth.
Avoid ice. I feel the need to say this as the few countries lucky enough to have this bottling in their markets probably drink all Scotch on the rocks or in mizuwari. AVOID ICE. This is blending that should be celebrated and appreciated as a constant reminder that this incredible art, this incalculable skill, is what initially brought the world of whisky to a world of whisky drinkers. We are still here, if you'll have us... we bow in your presence.
Malt Mission #321
Malt Mission #322Malt Mission #323
Malt Mission #324
Malt Mission HOME
Balvenie Port Wood 21yo
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
40%
£69
$130 (USD)
I have featured this drop on Dr. Whisky way back in March 2007 (here) but not as part of the malt mission proper so here it is, immediately following its younger brother (see Malt Mission #298).
This time I also tasted it under much more controlled conditions in the Robbie Dhu centre at the Glenfiddich Distillery with Balvenie Global Brand Ambassador David Mair, a true Dufftown boy with an honest and unpolluted passion for The Balvenie. We did a lot of "work" that afternoon and I will share more notes from that research session over the next few posts, if possible.
This expression was initially launched in 1999 as part of the standard range and has been critically acclaimed ever since winning accolades from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition to the Spirit of Speyside Festival. In fact, Balvenie made history when in 2006 it won Gold Medals for it's entire core range of whiskies (save the Single Barrel 15yo) at the International Spirits Challenge, the biggest single distillery award haul in the competition's history.
For all Balvenies had on the mission, click HERE.
TASTING NOTES:
Fruity and creamy, like orange creamsicles. Raisin sweetness and brazil nut dryness. A distinct mustiness in the background verifies the age.
Honeyed and creamy with a big, rich flavour impact; but somehow gentle, like a pillowfight or Jello wrestling. Spicy, too, pepper and a bit of chinese 5-spice or something. Deep and complex. Long creamy finish with nutty oakiness and, i dunno... hard to explain; not a flavour but a feeling...very exciting, like gently touching the inside lip of someone you love (or lust) with your tongue. Warming and sensual. Each sip an experience that is happily repeated.
SUMMARY:
A Balvenie that is totally worth taking the plunge for the price jump, especially when you look around the whisky world and see other speyside distillers (Macallan?!?) charging almost double for their 21yo. Totally dig this sip after sensual sip. Ideal for after dinner-date dramming or even alone in the wee hours as a masterbatory malt. Could be my mood and present circumstances. Yours, Randy.
Malt Mission #296
Malt Mission #297
Malt Mission #298
Malt Mission #300
Malt Mission HOME
Balvenie Port Wood 1993
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
40% abv
£29
This is part of a popular series of whiskies with 1989 and 1991 vintages preceding this release, each one finished in port pipes after 14 years of initial maturation.
Many folks agree that each expression has been different and whether or not that was the intention of its creators, the very fact of that variation is one of the great excitements of enjoying malt whisky. Sure, sometimes it is a risk from the perspective of both the consumer and producer, but it is a risk we all take in the hope of discovering some new and more delicious flavour complex. Speaking of which, I had some chicken wings at beerbistro in Toronto and was absolutely bowled over by the intense but balanced flavours. Heavenly stuff. I haven't been able to shut up about them and now here I am typing about them. Thank goodness chickens can't fly, those wings just wouldn't taste the same.
There are apparently no more vintages of this line planned for the future. For all Balvenies had on the mission, click HERE.
TASTING NOTES:
Shy at first, museli, oak, the white bottoms of green/spring onions and then more fruit: raspberries, blackberries, and a slightly sour malty note with pepper and shiraz-like wine notes emerging.
Honey and bittersweet fruits. Very drying ¾ of the way through, finishing with impressions of oak, egg noodles and newspaper.
SUMMARY:
A unique profile among the Balvenie family of malts (Founder’s Reserve, DoubleWood, 15yo, 21yo Port Wood) that once again brings to our attention the seemingly infinite diversity of scotch whisky, not just from region to region or distillery to distillery, but often between two bottlings from the same distillery. Subdued and oaky, this dram will lack excitement for many, but it is a well-constructed and unique Balvenie whose charms lie beyond superficial initial examinations.
Malt Mission #296
Malt Mission #297
Malt Mission #299
Malt Mission #300
Malt Mission HOME
The Dalmore 40 yo
Highland Single Malt Whisky
45% abv
£1350
Malt Mission #290, wow.
I look back through this blog and I have to admit, I am pretty proud of myself. That's a lot of focused controlled consumption! Then I look at Kevin's Scotch Blog, Johannes et al's Malt Madness or Serge's Whiskyfun and all is put into perspective. But, to be fair, with that perspective comes the realisations that pride isn't enough to sustain something like this because, a) I don't have the apparent cash flow that Serge has and b) that my passion (but mostly time) is diminishing, much like Kevin's in recent months. It has to be said that one solution to these problems might be to accept advertising on Dr. Whisky. I am not going to lie to you, I have resisted for some time now and turned down two offers I simply could not morally justify in the sacrifice of my credibility and integrity. But as my beloved K consoled me the other night, "we can't afford credibility right now." Valid point. The dilemma continues.
That is the ugly 'real-life' crap that is really none of your business. What IS your business is that in the run-up to Malt Mission 300 I hope to pull out all the £1350 drams that I can (I think this is the only one). But there will be some sweet drams before the closing of THIRD century of Malt Missions. After that I might have ads for porn all over Dr. Whisky and start Dr. Whiskey reviewing bourbons and such. Anyways, to this 40 year old Dalmore...
On the 13th February 1965 this whisky ran from Dalmore's oddly designed copper stills and was filled to American white oak barrels. Kind of mind blowing to think about how long a single whisky maker has been monitoring a few barrels. Four decades! That alone has to be worth something. The final result has been transfered from American white oak ex-bourbon barrels to Europen oak ex-Matusalem sherry casks and finally to casks that used to hold Amoroso sherry. Crafty.
This is one of only 1000 bottles. Thanks to David Robertson, Richard Paterson and Margaret Nicol for sending along the drops and supporting information for this and all drams this week. For all Dalmores had on the mission click HERE.
TASTING NOTES:
Age immediately apparent with lush oak the keynote. Surprisingly malty after so many years of cask influence on a barley spirit. Orange juice or Sunny D, tobacco and ash, black tea, some petrol, banana and maple syrup.
Luscious fruits initially, banana, apples, raisins, blueberries and vanilla, then honeyed tones explode into a toasty oaky bearhug that is in turns drying and mouthwatering. Great flavour ride and a slow drinker.
SUMMARY:
High and low tones of citrus, blueberry jam and oak; great harmony in a fruity, musty and surprisingly malty old beauty.
Malt Mission #286
Malt Mission #287
Malt Mission #288
Malt Mission #289
Malt Mission HOME
The Dalmore 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon Finish
Highland Single Malt Whisky
45% abv
£400
Dalmore has a good reputation for maturing well and some of the distillery's recent releases might prove that (see the 40yo on Friday!). This one expression spent over 30 years of its life in American oak barrels and was then transfered to barrels that once held "the king of grapes", Cabernet Sauvignon from Chateau Haut-Marbuzet from the St. Estephe appellation in France.
This wine-maker has a reputation for producing intensely fruity and spicy wines that are rich and decadent, exactly what The Dalmore is going for with their new "Rare & Prestigious" range, of which this is a part... in case the fancy box and price didn't make that apparent.
For more distillery info or to see all Dalmores had on the mission click HERE.
TASTING NOTES:
Strange nose, its as if the aromas work differently than normal, or something. It's strange. Sweet and sour like tart berries, some fresh paint, candle wax, with a root beer sweetness. Very confectionery, like grape powdery candies, or even children's Tylenol. Sourness appears again and is wholly pleasant, salt water, or like sea air with some drying kelp or sitting on a fishing boat. Soft red plums, some kind of fruit syrup, and some spice like mint and/or sandalwood.
Flavours all up front in attack then jump to the back becoming burnt and barky. Thick and undeniably oily, like old Dalmore's often are. Comes in with more Dalmore characteristics of tobacco and chocolate, or drier, cocoa. Cirtus, berry fruits and brown sugar. Long spicy finish with definite wine flavours, liquorice, and an array of berries.
SUMMARY:
This dram had some crazy movement, is complex, quite rare and/or unusual, and not incredibly whisky-y. Had a salty sour boisenberry thing in the nose and a cognac fruitiness in the mouth. Upon swallowing the malt character and cask influences worked together to announce "yes, I am a whisky". I loved it, but it won't be for everyone. In fact, I have had it before and not been so keen. Moody. The way the doctor likes it.
Malt Mission #286
Malt Mission #287
Malt Mission #288
Malt Mission #290
Malt Mission HOME
Glenmorangie Nectar d'Or
Highland Single Malt Whisky
46% abv
£39
$77 (USD)
Feels good to have another week done on the mission. It has been a crazy string of weeks since leaving our homes and jobs in London. Staying sane and staying optimistic. Life is great and we have little to complain about. Just watched the news to confirm this: life could be worse.
Can't wait to get to Malt Mission #300. It will happen.
And I learned a lot during this Glenmorangie week. Most of all that Anabel Meikle (Glenmorangie's Sensory Whisky Creator) writes the most psychedelic whisky notes going. They always put you in a place, surround you with stimulae, and make you feel. And, say what you want, but does whisky do any less?
The only expression among the new 'extra-matured' range to come in at a price LOWER than its predecessor, the 15yo Sauternes wood finish, alors, c'est le nectar d'or. Sure, this is a few years younger, but who's counting?
It has been pretty popular (friends in retail have told me) and critically acclaimed since its launch in September 2007. Again, I think the packaging is pretty sleek. Kinda girlie, but whatever.
For more distillery info and to see all Glenmorangies had on the mission click HERE. Tasted with IM and MW.
TASTING NOTES:
Morwenna immediately thought it smelled like honey. Creamy, dairy, strawberries and peach. Farmy, like hay and grass. Fruitbasket, with the wicker. Baked goods, it just keeps going, all sweets all the time. Really lovely.
Candied lemons and croissants. Lime cheesecake. Creamy and very easy to swallow. Wow, now nutty and toasty with persistent sweetness of custard, maple and vanilla.
SUMMARY:
My initial reaction? Oh god, that’s good. My final conclusion? Go with your gut feeling. Might be a bit sweet for some or for some moods, but this is excellent stuff with few comparisons in the wide world of whisky.
Malt Mission #281
Malt Mission #282
Malt Mission #283
Malt Mission #284
Malt Mission HOME
Glenmorangie Lasanta
Highland Single Malt Whisky
46% abv
£32
$77.30 (CAD)
$70 (USD)
I am not scared to say that Glenmorangie is one of my favourite distilleries. It always tastes great, has friendly and clever folks working in its creation, and is a gorgeous distillery to visit (unless you are old school enough to believe that all distilleries MUST have wooden washbacks to be quality). Additionally, and I have said this before, it is from the area of Scotland north of Inverness between that city and John O' Groats, the region from which I think the greatest whiskies come. It is also relatively unique in using hard water, the mineral rich Tarlogie springs in the production of its spirit (most distilleries use soft water).
This expression replaces the old Sherry Wood Finish (Malt Mission #167) with a name of conspicuous origin that the bottle literature claims is gaelic for "passion and warmth". So, no; not La Santa Sede... although perhaps if Glenmorangie turns from #1 in Scotland it will be the house whisky at the Vatican? And who drinks more, Tam O'Shanter or the Vicar of Christ?
For more distillery info and to see all Glenmorangies had on the mission click HERE.
TASTING NOTES:
Warming and toasty, roasted nuts and toffee. Chocolate, raisins, almonds, and great, rich sweetness.
Sweet, rich and chewy. Cocoa and orange rinds, more raisins and chocolate, with impressions of health food breakfast cereals. Nutty and long finish.
SUMMARY:
Gorgeous Glenmorangie without being drowned by the sherry. Excellent whisky making.
Malt Mission #281
Malt Mission #282
Malt Mission #283
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Malt Mission HOME
Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban
Highland Single Malt Whisky
46% abv
£33
$79.25 (CAD)
$62 (USD)
This is one of the three new Glenmorangies that replaced the old WOOD FINISH range (see them and other Glenmorangies had on the mission HERE). The new line is called EXTRA-MATURED. I have heard folks complain about their new prices, but I simply don't find such whining justifiable. Whisky deserves a premium price, especially premium whisky. Their names and new packaging have also been the victim of much criticism, and on these points, the critics might have a point. Or points. Or whatever.
I like the new bottles. I like the new packaging. Do I like the new liquids? We'll find out over the next few days. Thanks to Annabel et al for sending them along.
TASTING NOTES:
Oranges, apricot, sweet summery fruit, very lively. Perfumy, too, like sandalwood and fruity shampoo.
Hard and a little bit citrus-y, verging on acidic, but there is a fluffy element like marshmallows or meringue that balance those impressions. So hard but velvety. Strange. Waxy with a bit of white pepper with candied orange. Long fresh finish, peppery or minty.
SUMMARY:
Not one to nose too deeply, this one prickles according to my friends IM and MW with whom I tasted this whisky. I liked the higher abv (the old expressions were 43% and chill-filtered). Very pleasant, complex, challenging, but I have had this in different situations and liked it much more than I did at this particular tasting. Still a cool box, I think, whatever my mood.
Malt Mission #281
Malt Mission #282
Malt Mission #284
Malt Mission #285
Malt Mission HOME
Glenmorangie Golden Rum Cask
Highland Single Malt Whisky
40%
£30
In an airport and am sad to report that I just ate a McD's Angus burger... and am (rightfully?) suffering for my indulgence.
This Glenmorangie Golden Rum Cask 12yo is a not-often-seen bottle that is also bottled at an unusual age for Glenmorangie. I got it at a shelf-clearing sale at Sainsbury's, a British supermarket chain for which Jamie Oliver urges us to "try something new". Again, if that new thing is going to be the Angus burger, AVOID!
Thanks to Serge at WhiskyFun for the image. For more distillery info and to see all Glenmorangie's had on the mission (and more to come this week), click HERE.
TASTING NOTES:
Reserved and gently oaky. Apples, chocolate covered raisins, sweet and woody with vanilla and some earty notes, tree bark.
Thin texture with flavours of hazelnuts, toasted almonds, very light coffee impressions with the freshness of orange peels. Oaky finish with a marmalade zestiness.
SUMMARY:
Oak influence rules here muffling the bitterness that could be louder. As much as I like whisky, and as much as I like tea, this is the plainest of teas. Likeable, standard. And where is the rum? In fact, where is the Glenmorangie?
Malt Mission #281
Malt Mission #283
Malt Mission #284
Malt Mission #285
Malt Mission HOME
Glenmorangie Burgundy Wood Finish
Highland Single Malt Whisky
43% abv
£27
Part of the line of wood finishes from Glenmorangie that was discontinued in 2007 and replaced with newly packaged line of finishes with fancy names (Nectar d'or, Lasanta, Quinta Ruban, to be tasted later on the mission), this whisky matured in American oak casks for 10 years and then received second maturation in French oak barriques that held Cote d'or Burgundy.
TASTING NOTES:
Soft with cedar and enormous fruit. Full fruit basket, hold the bananas. Grapefruits, oranges, plums, red apples. Warm buttered crumpets, toasty.
Harmonious, major chords, sweet fruit, dry oak, faint vanilla, juicy maltiness. Rich and very drinkable
SUMMARY:
Quite delicious with an excellent nose. Easy drinking and satisfying density. Not overly complex but full, rounded, and well constructed.
Malt Mission #276
Malt Mission #278
Malt Mission #279
Malt Mission #280
Malt Mission HOME
Auchentoshan 17yo
Lowland Single Malt Whisky
51% abv
£60
$125(USD)
Friday. Ah. Not that it really means anything necessarily lets up...
In Aberdeen now, then Edinburgh for some time and do not expect to be doing much on the Dr. Whisky front. Just a warning, but hope I can surprise myself. And you.
Although it is still typically understood that lowland distilleries triple distill their whiskies, Auchentoshan (awe-kin-taw-shin) is currently the only distillery to do so, apart for Springbank (Campbeltown) in their making of Hazelburn(see Malt Mission #266). In 1941 the distillery was severely damaged in a German bomb raid and is today part of the Morrison Bowmore(Suntory) company.
This whisky spent 8 years in bourbon casks and 9 in casks that held claret from the St. Julien region of Bordeaux. Ah-oui oui. Gouter le nectar. Pardon. Sorry. Shut up.
Tasted in the morning with Ran and Matt. We were hungry as hell.
TASTING NOTES:
Musty, damp towl, and sherried fruitiness. Gets grapey with white and black pepper, a little musk, and vine leaves. Organic sweetness with some spice.
"Port, tawny port"-RM
Quite eruptive , ginger, spicy, wet moss, grass. Late flavours are butterscotch, treacle, toasted almonds, some coconut oil and marzipan.
"the sweetness creeps up."-MH
"Rouses your appetite. Sort of scrubs away other flavours and gets me ready to eat"-RM
SUMMARY:
Unusual nose but strangely appealing. Initial palate is quite hard but the flavours in the mouth that persist are pleasant. With more than half of it's maturing life spent in a bordeaux cask it's hardly a 'finish', but it is unique and that alone could persuade you to try it.
"Drying on the finish"-MH
"Harsh foretatse that then settles down with the drying end note."-RM
Both guys like the addition of water.
I enjoyed the rustic nature of it, it had a mustiness suited for stone caverns.
"A medeival dram."-MH
Malt Mission #266
Malt Mission #267
Malt Mission #268
Malt Mission #269
Malt Mission HOME
Auchroisk 12yo Port Wood Finish
Murray McDavid
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
46% abv
£26.50
The polls of the Drammies 2008 are closed but Kevin Erskine has posted the picks of yours truly at The Scotch Blog in the run-up to the official announcement of the winners next week. Hope you all voted and many many thanks if you happened to vote for Dr. Whisky as best new product(non-whisky... though I am certainly full of the stuff).
Here is another whisky that my friend Tommi brought over for Dr. Whisky in little sample bottles from his collection at home in Finland (had another yesterday). Thanks, buddy.
Murray McDavid is an independent bottling company that is now tied to Bruichladdich distillery on Islay. For over a hundred years independent bottlers were the only people bottling whisky from single distilleries as most distillers output went nearly exculsively to blends. It seems hard to believe today but proprietary releases of 'single malt whisky' is actually a pretty recent 'invention', popularised by Glenfiddich who marketed their single malt in1963. By no means was this a new concept, but it had never been done on a large scale. Glenfiddich now outsells its nearest competitor by double. By double? That sentence sounds wrong. Whatever. You can edit it in your mind. I have to get to work.
Quick few points about Auchroisk (pronounced "awe-thrusk"):
-young distillery built in 1974 to contribute to J&B blended whisky
-the site was chosen because of the water source "Dorie's Well"
-they store well over 250,000 casks on site and the stills pump out 3million litres per year... and you probably still have never heard of it
-the first official bottling was in 1986 as a part of the Singleton of ______(distillery name here) range, a series that has been reintroduced in recent years.
-Auchroisk has been a part of the Flora & Fauna range since 2001.
-I am going now.
TASTING NOTES:
Roboust nose of clotted cream and raspberry jam, milk chocolate. Rice vinegar. Some spice like pine, fennel, or the white bulbs of green/spring onions.
Chinese hot and sour soup. Butterscotch with ginger and hot peppers. Brioche and a thin layer of marmite. White pepper. Creme brullée. A very winey finish with some vegetal notes as well.
SUMMARY:
A rich nose that has few comparisons at this price point. While many criticise finishing, this extra time in port pipes has added a wonderful depth of flavour that adds incredible value to this drop. Nice work.
Malt Mission #246
Malt Mission #247
Malt Mission #248
Malt Mission #250
Malt Mission HOME
Grant's Sherry Cask
Blended Scotch Whisky
40% abv
£14
$25.15(CAD)
$18(USD)
I figure that over the coming cRaZy pre-Christmas and New Year weeks I will get through at least 5 Malt Mission posts. They will be irregular, but will be representative of my juletide travels to see friends and family. And January 1 will be the first anniversary of this Malt Mission! Wild. This drop was shared with MC in Toronto.
This is one of Grant's Cask Reserves (we had the Ale cask back at Malt Mission #78). These are variations on the standard Grant's blended whisky that undergo a second maturation or 'finish' in ex-sherry or ex-ale casks. This expression was put in first-fill ex-Oloroso sherry barrels in order to add sweet, warming, sherried and fruity impressions. Let's taste it.
For all William Grant and Sons products had on the mission click HERE.
TASTING NOTES:
Thin, not in a bad way; tight and compact. Coconut, licorice, and sweet sherry.
Toasty oakiness, toffee, coffee, cinnamon and biscotti. Even an impression of smoke in the finish.
SUMMARY:
Great blend with good depth of character with enough of interest for frequent sipping. Affordable, in fact great value considering the cost of sherry butts these days. Wholly pleasant stuff. I am still tasting its toasty charms minutes later. I imagine this didn't spend too long in the Oloroso cask as it only has accents of sherry and is not dominated by characteristics that might be expected. This is a good thing.
Malt Mission #215
Malt Mission #217
Malt Mission #218
Malt Mission #219
Malt Mission #220
Malt Mission HOME
Glenlivet XXV (25yo)
Single Malt Scotch Whisky
43% abv
£200
The new jewel in the Glenlivet range, this 25 year old was introduced over this past year with the determined aim to help push Glenlivet into the #1 spot in the world of premium Scotch whiskies... and to blow drinkers' socks off, flavour-wise. This will become a permanent fixture in the Glenlivet range.
Some have complained about the packaging: folks (especially retailers) have taken issue the weight of the box and others have asked whether or not is is really necessary to use stone and wood to transport malt whisky, but the accompanying booklet is informative, intimate, and generally interesting. Is it what's inside that counts... ?
This is a bottling of whiskies filled to cask in 1980 that spent the last 2 years of their lives maturing in ex-Oloroso sherry casks. Neil Macdonald, told me, "I was originally inspired by a Berry Bros 1975 bottling of The Glenlivet which was a real sherried dream and it was clear that this style could work well with the Glenlivet." Without a doubt, 25 full years of Oloroso maturation would have killed the signature nutty, floral and honeyed notes of The Glenlivet. The secondary maturation adds (strong) overtones without sacrificing or harming the core malt. I will taste it today for the mission, but it must be said that I have dipped into this a few times already... and loved every second of if. Delicious. I have shared milliliters with other whisky lovers and everyone has been left singing its praises, if not speechless.
All Glenlivets had on the mission can be found HERE. This whisky was tasted with visiting whisky-loving Finnish friend TS. His notes appear in quotes.
TASTING NOTES:
Sweet and jammy with lots of depth. Very oak influenced. Chocolate covered nuts and raisins with incredible indications of age in the background. "You can smell that it's old. It's so big." Damp, mysterious basement that a child is both afraid of and determined to explore.
First dry, grippy and oaky then opens up to apples, cinnamon, vanilla and toffee. "Not too big in the mouth but a lots of flavour, Glenlivet style. Very smooth." Toffee, mint, orange marmalade, jam. Absolutely sumptuous and smooth. Long, gentle, silky finish with lingering fudge, sweet tobacco, and oak.
SUMMARY:
Not a morning malt. This beauty is for evening comforts. Tommi even thought it would be nice in the afternoon because it is so easy and pleasant. The tea-leaf element would make me agree with him. It is even energetic, not at all tired by 25 years in oak. But this is a slow conversation whisky... best suited for conversations of silence. "This is one of those whiskies where the taste of alchohol is in the background and all the other flavours are laid on top. It just continues and continues." The 43% abv is a good choice, the impact is so large that it really doesn't need a higher abv%. And while it takes water well, it certainly doesn't need it. Wonderful craftsmanship for the new pinnacle of the Glenlivet range.
Malt Mission #196
Malt Mission #197
Malt Mission #198
Malt Mission #200
Malt Mission HOME
Glenfiddich 12yo, Caoran Reserve
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
40% abv
£28
I have been reading Robin Laing's new book The Whisky River and although I am not finished, I recommend it highly. Like Andrew Jefford's excellent "Peat Smoke and Spirit" (which I have quoted and praised before) that tells the stories of Islay whisky heritage as the author takes us on a journey around the island, "The Whisky River" tells of author, musician, and whisky-lover Robin Laing's adventures in Speyside, Scotland's undisputed heart of malt whisky production. Robin's journey through the distilleries (and more) that decorate the Bens and Glens of the Scottish highlands around the river Spey is told with such care for language and subject that reading it's inspired pages can be, well, inspiring. Interspersed with poetry and song, the book is the work of a man who can accurately and affectionately be called The Whisky Bard. I think there is as much to enjoy about it for the whisky nerd as the whisky newbie. Put this on your Christmas whisky (related) wish-list.
So we are starting two islay-themed weeks with two islay-themed whiskies yesterday and today. This stuff is from Glenfiddich in Dufftown, the 'capital' of Speyside, but finished in casks that once held Islay whiskies. Robin writes that this expression brings "a peatiness that might once have been more evident in the character of Glenfiddich [...] in the days when peat was the fuel throughout Speyside, or during the Second World War when coal was difficult to get."
Welcoming over 80,000 visitors per year, Glenfiddich was the first distillery to open a visitor centre and one of the last to still offer a standard tour free of charge. All Glenfiddichs had on the mission can be read HERE.
Tasted over breakfast with JM and his mother, Michelle.
TASTING NOTES:
Tree fruits, vanilla, oak and malt. Very Glenfiddich at the heart... but around the edges bung cloth, damp towels or wine cellars can be detected. There are hints at more as it is initially quite closed and pretty challenging. Water brings out new aromas of sweet smoke and rounds out the initial vanilla and pear smells.
Starts quite sweet in the mouth, dates and oats. There are also waves of musty smoke that intermingle with almonds and compost. Strange that is it simultaneously juicy and dry. Earthy finish that is just long enough to let you digest the experience and short enough to get you reaching for another sip.
SUMMARY:
Very enjoyable flavour ride. Although there is nothing wrong with the standard 12yo, it is safe to say that it is just simple, good, clean Speyside whisky. This stuff goes one step beyond adding a dimension that turns an any-time-of-day dram into evening romantic. Nice stuff.
Malt Mission #176
Malt Mission #178
Malt Mission #179
Malt Mission #180
Malt Mission HOME
Glenmorangie Margaux Cask Finish, 1987
Highland Single Malt Whisky
46% abv
£190
$550(USD)
Only 3,551 to 3,588 (conflicting info) of these babies were released around this time last year. Distillate from 1987 was filled into ex-bourbon casks and in 2004 the whisky was transfered into 10 ex-Margaux wine casks for two additional years of maturation / finishing / wood management / ACE-ing... whatever.
Everyone seems to have their own term for this process. Why? I imagine it is partly a well-intentioned attempt to clarify just what the process is, but this has not been the effect, I can assure you. I also imagine this is because distillers recognise that a certain stigma had built around the term 'finish' and wanted to reclaim the process in their own terms. What has happened is a further confusion of consumers. The most common question I receive when running whisky tastings, working in whisky shops, or answering emails of friends and readers is, "What is this finish business all about?" Everyone's natural instinct is suspicion. Our natural aversion to feeling like we are being taken advantage of or that we are being subjected to a marketing 'trick' has turned many people away from whiskies that have been finished, undergone secondary maturation, been ACE-ed, etc. I have tried on several occasions on this blog, as well as at tastings and on the floor in various retail capacities, to dispel this myth as much as is realistic and/or honest.
At Bruichladdich, they call the process ACE-ing, "additional cask enhancement". At some other distilleries they simply call it secondary maturation. Glenmorangie and others have called it 'wood finishing.' I received an email from Billy Walker, a 30-year veteran in the whisky industry, former MD of Burn Stewart Distillers, and current Master Blender and MD of BenRiach Distillery Co. Ltd. He had a few things to add about his company's wood management (I tried three of their tasty new finishes HERE). He writes,
"As always, it was interesting to read your take on 'finishes': at BenRiach our preference is to call this 'wood management'.
'Finishes' will fulfill the Distiller's objective only if the malt whisky which is chosen is of the highest quality. At BenRiach we have used a number of different cask styles to determine how The BenRiach interacts with various cask styles and during the process we have audited the progress of these casks on a monthly basis. This has given us a comprehensive insight into the 'wood management' of these various styles of oak cask.
Our objective at BenRiach is to take top quality whisky (12 - 15 years)and craft bespoke expressions with an extended flavour profile landscape: our motivation is driven solely by the pursuit of excellence: and 'unlocking the secrets' to our growing fan base."
This sentiment is not uncommon. So please don't be afraid of finishes. Most distillers who have pursued the technique of finishing do so to explore the flavour possibilities in pursuit of better and better single malt whiskies.
So that is enough from me this week about "finishing", the term I will use for this process from now on for the benefit of clarity. If folks in the industry want to confuse consumers, that is their business. In my little corner of the whisky web, I hope to clarify things for consumers. The wide world of whisky can be intimidating enough without constant semantic disagreement and debate (vatted, blended, pure; ACE, wood management, secondary maturation, wood finishing, etc.)
I was lucky enough to attend the launch of this product in the UK, Spetember 20, 2006. The original retail price for the 800 allocated bottles for the UK was £220, but this has obviously been lowered by whisky retailers as it was quickly realised that although rare, 18 years old, and of relation to a posh wine, the price tag was scaring off too many potential customers. Chateau Margaux is one of the most famous and highly regarded of all Bordeaux chateaux. Each bottle is presented in a "comtemporary display case, seated on a black plinth, hand numbered and signed by Dr Bill Lumsden." The folks at Royal Mile Whiskies, in all their wit, have written on their website, "the packaging will appeal to diamond thieves."
For more distillery info and other Glenmorangies had on the mission, click HERE.
TASTING NOTES:
Big snowballs of flavour, but it slowly melts into its component parts. Fruits, both real and candied, tangerines, peaches, lemons and pineapple juice. Baked goods, both from the oven and from backstage at a Rolling Stones concert, coffee cake, butter tarts, quality tobacco and damp marijuana. Lots of childhood homemade ice cream sundae supplies: hot fudge, marshmallow spread, chocolate and nuts. Wonderfully appetising.
Big impact of succulent wine notes, tobacco again, raisins and pepper. Crazy and unusual mouthfeel, effervescent, stimulating, very enjoyable. Spice and rye bread, berries and cream. Water helps unlock this beauty's secrets. Herbal-homeopathic-remedies, citrus, and dry oak through the finish. Long lingering oak.
SUMMARY:
Big (again), inspiring dram; I couldn't write fast enough. Big flavours, great depth and supple mouthfeel. Fruit, vanilla and pepper mark the Glenmorangie style and the wine, sweets, and toasty sherry-style notes from the Margaux are an outstanding accompaniment. Evidence that Margaux and light, elegant whiskies go well (Isle of Arran have since released a Margaux finish). Deep wallet? Buy one before they are gone. You can drink the bottle and put your favourite teddy bear in the container. The rest of us look forward to being invited over for a dram.
Malt Mission #166
Malt Mission #167
Malt Mission #168
Malt Mission #170
Malt Mission HOME
