Thursday, January 31, 2008
Malt Mission 2008 #239
Mackmyra Preludium 05
Svensk Whisky
48.4% abv
£40
Launched at Royal Mile Whiskies' excellent Whisky Fringe 2007 and sold out in just two days at Systembolaget in Sweden, this Mackmyra Preludium series has many whisky nerds rubbing their hands in anticipation of what's next from the young Mackmyra distillery. See Johan's first hand report of trying to get a bottle in Sweden at WhiskyGrotto HERE.
Each release in the series has a style theme. This one is "flavoursome small casks" meaning the spirit has been matured in specially made smaller volume oak barrels increasing wood contact.
The 06 was launched in Sweden in December and will be released in the UK in February. Dr. Whisky will get to taste it tomorrow. It will be the final entry in the Preludium series and after experiencing what the distillers have called a "foretaste" of the different styles of spirit produced at Mackmyra, we will soon see a mature, standard bottling. When? I have no idea.
For more info and all Mackmyra had on the mission click HERE.
TASTING NOTES:
Outdoorsy, like a forest. Pinecones. Prickly, sappy. Sweetened with cookie dough and humid like musty towels. Slight sour notes too, like pickles.
Clean and oaky sweet, but only initially. Explodes with alcohol with youth apparent. Spicy with some vanilla, but very immature-tasting. Spirit impressions stick around.
SUMMARY:
Cannot be judged quickly. Changes immensely both with time in the glass and with water. Fiery, yes, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Water, however, does not help much as the core spirit remains youthful. This is best at full strength. I really enjoyed the nose, unique and interesting in its combinations of aromas. And they changed and developed as the whisky sat in the glass becoming more creamy, like skin lotion not dairy, cheap waxy chocolate, and more organic smells of green peas, celeriac, and oak. Look forward to the 06 tomorrow.
Malt Mission #236
Malt Mission #237
Malt Mission #238
Malt Mission #240
Malt Mission HOME
Labels:
Mackmyra,
malt mission,
Preludium,
Sweden,
tasting notes,
whisky tasting2
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Malt Mission 2008 #238
Woodford Reserve (batch 79)
Small Batch Straight Kentucky Bourbon
45.2% abv
£24
$45.60 (CAD)
$28 (USD)
Two hundred and thirty eight (238!) Malt Missions and FINALLY, Dr. Whisky is having a bourbon. I am sure I will expand in this area if I ever live in the US. It is a vast whisky/whiskey world out there, and I intend to continue to tackle it one dram at a time...
It is said that the key to bourbon maturation is the Kentucky climate: the cold winters and the hot summers. Maturing casks of whiskey expand and contract with these temperature changes forcing the spirit to suck up the flavours in the new charred oak barrels. Having lived in Scotland I feel comfortable in saying the climate is much less extreme. I have called it perpetual spring/autumn and it is really not that far from the truth. That being said, the weather is the most unpredictable thing one can encounter in Scotland. Where Kentucky has 4 distinct seasons over the span of a year, Scotland can have four over the span of a day. This is just one reason why bourbon and Scotch single malt whisky can taste so very different from one another.
By law, bourbon must be made in the USA, must be matured in NEW charred oak barrels, must be made from at least 51% corn, must be natural (ie. no added anything, save water), and must be distilled to no more than 80% abv. All of these factors create a spirit that is darker in colour than typical Scotch whisky and that carries more of a toffeed, caramel sweetness from the new oak than Scotch. Most bourbons reach maturity after 4 years in oak (and can be called "straight bourbon" after just two). Scotch whisky can mature from 3 to 63 years, but bourbon can become over-oaked at a much younger age. That being said, there are a some excellent 6-20 year old bourbons on the market today, but 20+ really is ancient for bourbon.
Woodford Reserve represents not only the renaissance of one old-time Kentucky distillery but of the renaissance that ALL bourbon has experienced over the past decade. In 1994, Brown-Forman (owners of Jack Daniels) bought the derelict Labrot & Graham distillery. This was the location of Old Oscar Pepper distillery and was where Scotsman James Crow effectively created the sourmash process in the production of what we know as bourbon.* Woodford is made using pot stills (unusual in bourbon-production) and they even triple distill it (even more unusual). Further, the mashbill (recipe of grains) includes wheat, rye, barley, and corn (most bourbons use only three). By law, the staves of the new oak barrels are charred, but Woodford uses charred cask heads as well. To further enhance aging, Woodford Reserve is matured in a heated, stone-walled warehouse (a tradition in Bourbon that has precedent as early as 1892). With this much care for production, a whole generation of drinkers were fostered to appreciate bourbon as they would a single malt, not just a spirit to enhance Coca Cola.(i think he's talking to yoooo)
This small-batch bourbon has developed a loyal following, is one of the fastest growing spirits in the world, and has received critical praise winning Gold medals at the 2001 and 2003 IWSC and Double Golds at the World Spirits competition. I think it is a well-suited drop to be the first bourbon on the mission.
Tasted with KK, her notes appear in quotes.
* - Dave Broom, Handbook of Whisky, (Octopus Publishing Group: London) 2000, p. 128
TASTING NOTES:
Sweet, and spicy with grain. Floral. Complex but soft. Red BigFoot gummies, "yeah, candy, like Sours." Sour coated wine gums.
Sweet and sour. Jelly beans. White grapes. Lemony. Orange peels, or sweeter; clementines. Upon swallowing it all changes. Rich and full with an explosion of alcohol, dark chocolate, faint mosquito repellent. "Very drying, like dry wine." Finish gets sweet and perfumy after time, more like the initial palate, with marzipan and strawberry shortcake. Lovely perfumed flavours linger.
SUMMARY:
I am the first to admit that Scottish whisky is my area of whisk(e)y "expertise". That is this doctor's specialty. I have 5 solid years of real tasting experience. With bourbon I have next to none, so I do not pretend (like so many bloggers and forum lurchers out there) to be evaluating something which I am only beginning to understand. These are not whisky reviews. In fact, even after years of experience and self-training (with guidance from Charlie Maclean, Robin Laing, RHicks, RP, DR ...), Dr. Whisky doesn't really evaluate, he just tries to describe.
I learned a great deal about bourbon while drinking this whiskey and I felt I finally understood how it was functioning flavour-wise by the time my glass was empty. I will do more reading and "research" away from the Malt Mission and come back with more bourbon in the future.
Kristin thinks this would benefit from soda. If you don't know her, before you say anything or dismiss her comment, remember she is the Ardbeg freak in this family and her favourite region is 'cask strength'. "Yeah, cuz whisky [Scottish single malt] I would have on its own, its bigger somehow. This would need something to, to sprite it up." I suggest Sprite. "Yeah, or just soda. It feels like its lacking something, could use something else, which I think it would benefit from. But this wouldn't carry smoke and peat. (Scotch) Whisky doesn't need anything. I like (Scotch) whisky cuz it is fuller."
(pause)
"But hey, I finished it, so I must like it." She did. And quickly.
I like how prominent the grains are in the nose and the big oaky toastiness with all the sweet citrus, caramel and vanilla tones. In the mouth the flavour intensity increases becoming very oaky and bitter like chocolate-covered coffee beans or candied orange peels. For me, the highlight is the finish and beyond. I really liked it about 30 seconds after swallowing, when just the flavours (no tannins, no alcohol) lingered in my mouth, which they did for about 3 additional minutes. I do like a Manhattan and the spiciness and orange peel zest here would suit such a drink very well.
Malt Mission #236
Malt Mission #237
Malt Mission #239
Malt Mission #240
Malt Mission HOME
Small Batch Straight Kentucky Bourbon
45.2% abv
£24
$45.60 (CAD)
$28 (USD)
Two hundred and thirty eight (238!) Malt Missions and FINALLY, Dr. Whisky is having a bourbon. I am sure I will expand in this area if I ever live in the US. It is a vast whisky/whiskey world out there, and I intend to continue to tackle it one dram at a time...
It is said that the key to bourbon maturation is the Kentucky climate: the cold winters and the hot summers. Maturing casks of whiskey expand and contract with these temperature changes forcing the spirit to suck up the flavours in the new charred oak barrels. Having lived in Scotland I feel comfortable in saying the climate is much less extreme. I have called it perpetual spring/autumn and it is really not that far from the truth. That being said, the weather is the most unpredictable thing one can encounter in Scotland. Where Kentucky has 4 distinct seasons over the span of a year, Scotland can have four over the span of a day. This is just one reason why bourbon and Scotch single malt whisky can taste so very different from one another.
By law, bourbon must be made in the USA, must be matured in NEW charred oak barrels, must be made from at least 51% corn, must be natural (ie. no added anything, save water), and must be distilled to no more than 80% abv. All of these factors create a spirit that is darker in colour than typical Scotch whisky and that carries more of a toffeed, caramel sweetness from the new oak than Scotch. Most bourbons reach maturity after 4 years in oak (and can be called "straight bourbon" after just two). Scotch whisky can mature from 3 to 63 years, but bourbon can become over-oaked at a much younger age. That being said, there are a some excellent 6-20 year old bourbons on the market today, but 20+ really is ancient for bourbon.
Woodford Reserve represents not only the renaissance of one old-time Kentucky distillery but of the renaissance that ALL bourbon has experienced over the past decade. In 1994, Brown-Forman (owners of Jack Daniels) bought the derelict Labrot & Graham distillery. This was the location of Old Oscar Pepper distillery and was where Scotsman James Crow effectively created the sourmash process in the production of what we know as bourbon.* Woodford is made using pot stills (unusual in bourbon-production) and they even triple distill it (even more unusual). Further, the mashbill (recipe of grains) includes wheat, rye, barley, and corn (most bourbons use only three). By law, the staves of the new oak barrels are charred, but Woodford uses charred cask heads as well. To further enhance aging, Woodford Reserve is matured in a heated, stone-walled warehouse (a tradition in Bourbon that has precedent as early as 1892). With this much care for production, a whole generation of drinkers were fostered to appreciate bourbon as they would a single malt, not just a spirit to enhance Coca Cola.(i think he's talking to yoooo)
This small-batch bourbon has developed a loyal following, is one of the fastest growing spirits in the world, and has received critical praise winning Gold medals at the 2001 and 2003 IWSC and Double Golds at the World Spirits competition. I think it is a well-suited drop to be the first bourbon on the mission.
Tasted with KK, her notes appear in quotes.
* - Dave Broom, Handbook of Whisky, (Octopus Publishing Group: London) 2000, p. 128
TASTING NOTES:
Sweet, and spicy with grain. Floral. Complex but soft. Red BigFoot gummies, "yeah, candy, like Sours." Sour coated wine gums.
Sweet and sour. Jelly beans. White grapes. Lemony. Orange peels, or sweeter; clementines. Upon swallowing it all changes. Rich and full with an explosion of alcohol, dark chocolate, faint mosquito repellent. "Very drying, like dry wine." Finish gets sweet and perfumy after time, more like the initial palate, with marzipan and strawberry shortcake. Lovely perfumed flavours linger.
SUMMARY:
I am the first to admit that Scottish whisky is my area of whisk(e)y "expertise". That is this doctor's specialty. I have 5 solid years of real tasting experience. With bourbon I have next to none, so I do not pretend (like so many bloggers and forum lurchers out there) to be evaluating something which I am only beginning to understand. These are not whisky reviews. In fact, even after years of experience and self-training (with guidance from Charlie Maclean, Robin Laing, RHicks, RP, DR ...), Dr. Whisky doesn't really evaluate, he just tries to describe.
I learned a great deal about bourbon while drinking this whiskey and I felt I finally understood how it was functioning flavour-wise by the time my glass was empty. I will do more reading and "research" away from the Malt Mission and come back with more bourbon in the future.
Kristin thinks this would benefit from soda. If you don't know her, before you say anything or dismiss her comment, remember she is the Ardbeg freak in this family and her favourite region is 'cask strength'. "Yeah, cuz whisky [Scottish single malt] I would have on its own, its bigger somehow. This would need something to, to sprite it up." I suggest Sprite. "Yeah, or just soda. It feels like its lacking something, could use something else, which I think it would benefit from. But this wouldn't carry smoke and peat. (Scotch) Whisky doesn't need anything. I like (Scotch) whisky cuz it is fuller."
(pause)
"But hey, I finished it, so I must like it." She did. And quickly.
I like how prominent the grains are in the nose and the big oaky toastiness with all the sweet citrus, caramel and vanilla tones. In the mouth the flavour intensity increases becoming very oaky and bitter like chocolate-covered coffee beans or candied orange peels. For me, the highlight is the finish and beyond. I really liked it about 30 seconds after swallowing, when just the flavours (no tannins, no alcohol) lingered in my mouth, which they did for about 3 additional minutes. I do like a Manhattan and the spiciness and orange peel zest here would suit such a drink very well.
Malt Mission #236
Malt Mission #237
Malt Mission #239
Malt Mission #240
Malt Mission HOME
Labels:
American,
bourbon,
malt mission,
tasting notes,
whisky tasting2,
woodford reserve
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Malt Mission 2008 #237
Greenore 8yo
Single Grain Irish Whiskey
40% abv
£25
Distilled at Cooley, Ireland's only independently Irish-owned distillery, Greenore is a grain whiskey of the highest quality. Over a decade after his academic studies into the decline of Irish whiskey, ambitious Irish entrepreneur John Teeling (and other investors) bought and converted a site on the east coast of Ireland into two of the most critically acclaimed Irish distilleries operating today. Other treats from Cooley that we've enjoyed thus far on the mission can be seen HERE. See their site for more.
Irish whiskey has a reputation for being lighter and "smoother" than Scottish whisky. This is partly because of the method of distillation that typically sees the Irish distill their spirits thrice while the Scots (with a few exceptions) distill only twice. It also is because Irish whiskey does not use peat to the same degree that Scotch whisky producers do. Cooley tosses out both of these Irish "laws" using peat (Connemara) and not (always) triple distilling.
Greenore 8 year old is matured in 100% first fill ex-bourbon casks. The best casks of maturing grains are selected to become constituents in the Greenore. The rest is destined for blended whisky. This results in a limited batch of 5000 bottles with a 15 and 18yo expected over the next few years. This limited expression 8yo has already sold out in most places. Jack Teeling informs me that the 15yo will be launched in April 2008.
Greenore 8yo won gold medal at the 2004 International Wine and Spirits Competition and has been enjoyed by yours truly on a sunny Sunday afternoon or two.
TASTING NOTES:
Sweet, appetising and organic nose. Sweet with vanilla, dried banana chips, and coconut oil. Bourbon-y sweetness that gets the mouth wet in anticipation. Organic like fresh corn, green tomatoes, chlorophyll.
Mmm, buttery and fruity. Toasty. Caramel. Almonds with a twist of watery lemonade. Honeyed finish with a tinge of those organic notes found on the nose.
SUMMARY:
Superficial stuff first, I like the bottle design (like the Arran Anniversary shape) and the cork is fat and tight giving a nice loud sssquuueeepft when you open it. This is a light, fresh, and invigorating whisky that is perfect for a summer day. Very bourbon-y without any of the harder tannins but might be a bit sweet and cloying for some people or even for some moods. Could do well in a cocktail in place of bourbon, or even rum. Yet more evidence that great things can come from the world of grain whisk(e)y.
Malt Mission #236
Malt Mission #238
Malt Mission #239
Malt Mission #240
Malt Mission HOME
Labels:
cooley,
grain whisky,
greenore,
irish,
malt mission,
tasting notes,
whisky tasting2
Monday, January 28, 2008
Malt Mission 2008 #236
Forty Creek Barrel Select
Canadian Whisky
40% abv
$23.95(CAD)
$20(USD)
It's Monday and we're going to have a week of international/non-Scottish whiskies here on the Malt Mission. We'll start with a drop that is up for a Bang-for-Buck award in the 2007 Drammies. These are the final few days to vote, so get busy! And don't forget to vote in all categories or your vote may not be counted.
By law, Canadian whisky must be made in Canada, matured in oak casks for at least three years, and be bottled at AT LEAST 40% abv. Typical, but not mandatory, ingredients are rye, corn and barley, and even though the whisky is usually not >50% rye, Canadian whisky is often widely referred to as "rye". There is also an old law that stipulates distillers may add 9.09% "flavouring ingredients" to their final product. Kind of hard to respect a product that allows such "additives", although in most cases it probably is improved by these flavourings. Sorry, but after 5 years of serious 'study' of whisky, I am pretty comfortable to admit that Canadian whisky is little more than a popular mixer for ginger ale around the world. In recent years Canadian Club and Crown Royal have released small batch, extra-aged and special releases, but with 60+ years of standardisation and lack of innovation (since the boom period of bootlegging during prohibition era America) there is still a lot to be done.
For over 30 years, John Hall has been making wine at Kittling Ridge Winery in Grimsby, Ontario. For 15 of those years he has been distilling various spirits using a copper pot still. His innovation and experimentation is to be commended. His whiskies have recently won accolades from critics who know their grain-based, oak matured spirits. Why? Let's taste.
Reviewed by the folks at Whisky Magazine twice over the past few years with slightly different reactions, HERE (editor's choice) and HERE. Listen to John Hall on Whisky Cast Episode 118 HERE.
TASTING NOTES:
Sumptuous and sweet with a spicy rye core. Nutmeg, melted vanilla ice cream, egg nog, buttered corn.
Texture is thin and silky in the mouth, spicy with a lot of toasted oak character. Corn syrup, toffee, vanilla extract, cinnamon and cloves, crepes, grilled cheese on white bread, stewed stone fruits (apricots, plums) and a touch of pepper.
SUMMARY:
Very pleasant drinking whisky, pleasantly sweet with good complexity if not much flavour development. Very well-priced. Innovative, resourceful, and proudly Canadian, John Hall's whisky may single-handedly save the tarnished name of Canadian whisky.
Malt Mission #235
Malt Mission #237
Malt Mission #238
Malt Mission #239
Malt Mission #240
Malt Mission HOME
Friday, January 25, 2008
Malt Mission 2008 #235
Glen Grant 1972 35yo
Single Malts of Scotland
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
54.9% abv
£89.50
Glen Grant was founded by brothers John and James Grant (in 1840), who had learned the ropes of distilling at Aberlour where they worked for 8 years. They became local legends for their social, environmental and political involvement, throwing grand parties, bringing the railway to Rothes and creating and maintaining a gorgeous botanic garden which is very worth a visit even if you don't intend to step inside the still rooms.
Italy is the number one market for Glen Grant, especially YOUNG (5 yo) Glen Grant, and this has been the case since owner/manager began dealings with whisky pilgrim Armondo Giovinetti in the 1960s. Today Glen Grant is a top five whisky in terms of both sales and by-volume production, as well as continuing to be huge across the boot of Europe.
Many would agree that although the Italians may love their Glen Grant young, it is a spirit that is at its best when it is of some age. Check out Serge Valentin's journey through the flavours of Glen Grant HERE.
For all Single Malts of Scotland bottlings had on the mission click HERE.
Tasted with RM who is in town visiting us.
TASTING NOTES:
Very rich and elegant without any of the negative, overly-sherried effects. Fresh sweet fruit, some zest like hops, honeyed and sweet. Very mellow.
Sherry and oak in a honeyed glaze," hay, dried herbs and vanilla stick things". Fresh fruit on the nose has turned dried, prunes, raisins, and a pleasantly bitter edge with tobacco and coffee. Sherried finish with a citrus peel tinge.
SUMMARY:
A very gulpable sherried beast, not one for slow sipping by the fire, more for after dinner decadent, indulgent quaffing. Ran thought it was stronger than I did so to each their own. Amazing price for the age, sherry, and strength. One expects nothing less from Single Malts of Scotland. Malt Maniacs awarded this bottle with a Gold Medal in their 2007 awards and one can understand why.
Malt Mission #231
Malt Mission #232
Malt Mission #233
Malt Mission #234
Malt Mission HOME
Labels:
glen grant,
malt mission,
sms,
speyside,
tasting notes,
whisky tasting2
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Malt Mission 2008 #234
Longmorn 15 yo
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
45%
£33
$53.65(CAD)
$55(USD)
It has been a while since I had a Longmorn. The last one tasted on the Malt Mission was the 16yo bottling (that is replacing this 15yo expression) back at Malt Mission #69.
John Duff, ambitious distiller and founder of Glenlossie, Longmorn and BenRiach (in that order), was bankrupted (1909) in the wake of the Pattison crash(1898). In 1919, Longmorn permitted the young Japanese chemist Masataka Taketsuru to serve an apprenticeship at the distillery. He went back to Japan and founded Nikka distilling company.
In 1978, Seagram's (who owned Chivas, a blend to which Longmorn is a major contributor) took over the distillery and increased production by adding more stills but stopped the floor maltings on site, choosing instead to use the malting facilities at neigbouring BenRiach. Today, most of the 3.5 million litres of output is used for blending where it is widely regarded as a 'top-dressing'. It is also a darling distillery of the independent bottlers from Adelphi to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society.
This Longmorn 15 is well-priced in Ontario and is currently (January) on offer at the excellent Royal Mile Whiskies. It also won 'Most under-rated whisky' at the 2006 Drammies, the excellent People's Choice whisky awards created by the inspiration to dozens of whisky-blogger imitators, Kevin Erskine (The Scotch Blog). Don't forget to vote in this year's awards! Voting ends at the end of January with winners announced soon afterwards.
TASTING NOTES:
Nice handfull-scoops of aromas. Cherries, Christmas cake, almond/marzipan. Crisp, which is a ridiculous descriptor, but it IS. Crisp, fresh, like mint or leaf stems. But moist, like dew on a nastersium. More fresh fruit with the cherry now; apricot, banana, citrus. Complex but balanced.
Slightly salty initially, cooked vegetable, then sweetens to gummy bears and clover honey. Some spice with ginger, cinnamon and pear, bay leaf. Drops of sandalwood and a slight metallic tinge. Ends with sweetness again, the ripest of fruits in your basket, tea made by a well-intentioned friend who thinks one sugar means one tablespoon of sugar. Sweetness restrained by oaky, oily notes.
SUMMARY:
Balanced, complex, and a joy to drink. I remember there was as short time when I lived in Edinburgh that RMW was selling this for £20.99. How lucky we were. No big brand name, no complicated packaging, but this Longmorn doesn't need any of those things to be enjoyed by whisky drinkers everywhere and loved by this one this morning.
Malt Mission #231
Malt Mission #232
Malt Mission #233
Malt Mission #235
Malt Mission HOME
Labels:
longmorn,
malt mission,
speyside,
tasting notes,
whisky tasting2
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Malt Mission 2008 #233
Macallan Fine Oak 10yo
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
£24
$59.45(CAD)
$40(USD)
Sorry for late post. Was in New York... for a night. Yes. Crazy, but whatever. It was fun. And necessary.
Naturally, I spent some of my free daytime hours cruising into a few liquor and book stores to see what they carried, prices, etc. In a book store there were several signed first editions of Kurt Vonnegut and Phillip Roth short stories as well as a first edition of MJ's Companion. Fascinating how THIN it was... how the whisky world has changed in less than 20 years! The liquor stores were a treat, too. I was totally blown away by how much the price could vary from one place to the next and by just how cheap some bottles were. It was amazing to see such large selections of quality bourbons and a great spread of incredible malts from the dirt cheap to the filthy expensive. I was then kicked firmly in the nuts when, having decided to hold off on any purchases until duty free, I saw the paltry display at DFA. I was shocked and amazed at how shit the selection was and how extortionate some of the pricing! A bottle of bourbon that I had seen earlier in the day for $24 was $38 at duty free!!! Litre or not, that is booooolsheeeeet. When street prices beat duty free prices you know you are in a wonderful country. America, putting the 'free' in 'freedom' and the 'doodie' in 'Duty Free'.
Today's whisky is from a line of Macallans that are not exclusively matured in ex-sherry casks like the 'standard' line. Launched in 2004, the Fine Oak range from Macallan is already #11 in top-selling single malts worldwide and has helped push Macallan into 6th position overall. Ken Grier at the Edrington Group says, "This has been the most successful new single malt launch from a major brand, ever." With 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 18, 21, 25 and 30 year old expressions, the happy customers are spoiled for choice. Proof that when the restaurant is a success, it sometimes pays off to extend the menu.
For all Macallans had on the mission and more distillery information click HERE.
TASTING NOTES:
Cake mix, vanilla, wheat-y, flour-y, gristy. Apricots, jam, butter and crumpets. Boller. Although I am hungry and craving some of the aromas I am picking up, I am convinced these tasty treats are not just imagined. Thus, my next descriptor is "appetizing." Burnt sugar, hazelnut, permanent marker.
Sweet but waxy, like kissing a woman (man?) wearing lipstick. Sweet bread, challah, brioche, rhubarb yogurt. Getting drier and more bitter, like sucking a wooden spoon. Waxiness remains.
SUMMARY:
I suppose unlike more sherried Macallans, this expression cannot hit the youth of the spirit. The gristy, almost yeasty impression indicated that on the nose and the type of sweet/bitter mixture in the mouth showed that a few more years would add unity and complexity to a pleasantly sweet, fruity, malty spirit. Good and clean whisky though with a nice youthful fruitiness. Reminds me a bit of An Cnoc, which I have not officially tasted for Dr. Whisky but has passed my lips on more than one occasion. This is a positive comparision for both whiskies, I think.
Malt Mission #231
Malt Mission #232
Malt Mission #234
Malt Mission #235
Malt Mission HOME
Labels:
macallan,
malt mission,
speyside,
tasting notes,
whisky tasting2
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Malt Mission 2008 #232
Ben Bracken 12 yo
Highland Speyside Single Malt Whisky
40% abv
£15
Available at LIDL here in the UK and probably easily found in budget supermakets in mainland Europe, Ben Bracken does not take its name from the distillery at which the spirit was produced nor a Ben (beinn, common Gaelic word for 'moutain') near its production site (cuz such a Ben does not exist), but rather they take it from THIS guy. Just kidding. I think it is just a Scottish-sounding name that was not copyrighted and that marketing folks thought would work in German value superstore Lidl. In Scotland, most hills, munros and bens are adorned with ferns, heather or bracken, so the name isn't totally out of left field.
"Ben Bracken is a distinctive single malt from the Highland sub-region of Speyside, the very heartland of scotch whisky in the north-east of Scotland. Distilled in copper pot stills in the traditional, centuries-old manner, it is laid down in oak casks, and matured undisturbed form twelve long years." One of the best bottle blurbs I have seen... which isn't saying much. It could have been worse.
I have read that this mystery Speyside malt is produced by Clydesdale Scotch Whisky Co., a part of the Whyte & Mackay group, and as W&M's only speyside distillery is Tamnavulin, that must be what is inside the bottle. I have also read that it is aged stock that Whyte and Mackay sold when they put Tamnavulin distillery to sleep in 1995. The stills were fired up once again after United Spirits bought Whyte and Mackay in 2007.
If you don't like my little exposé on Ben Bracken, go check THIS out (after a few German lessons).
TASTING NOTES:
Flat, but floral and fragrant; at its best it has a very Glenmorangie style. Sweet vanillas, some yeasty maltiness and a touch of spice.
Peaches and sweet breadiness followed by a surge of salt, a bit of raw smoked bacon, and then nutmeg and butter. Finish is drying on poppyseeds and a clean bitterness. Medium long.
SUMMARY:
Simple, but totally pleasant, drinkable whisky. In the mouth it quite coating and pleasant but the aftertaste does it no favours as the drying affect gets almost chemical, like regurgitating paracetemol or tylenol. A pretty tolerable budget drop, but for a few extra quid I would probably shop elsewhere... after getting my oven lasagne, german wieners, and cheap malted loaf at Lidl.
Malt Mission #231
Malt Mission #233
Malt Mission #234
Malt Mission #235
Malt Mission HOME
Labels:
ben bracken,
malt mission,
speyside,
tasting notes,
whisky tasting2
Monday, January 21, 2008
Malt Mission 2008 #231
Grant's Family Reserve
Finest Blended Scotch Whisky
40% abv
£12.50
$23.45(CAD)
$15(USD)
It's Burns week... but that doesn't change much round here.
The weather is very un-wintery here as of late so we will have a week of Speyside whiskies to celebrate our first springtime-blossom-sighting 2008 (happens early over here). We will start a speyside-themed week here on the Malt Mission with a blend from the 'capital' of Speyside, Dufftown.
With a reasonably high malt content (35%) coming from Balvenie, Glenfiddich, and Kininvie (and allegedly around 25 others), Grant's Family Reserve is the 5th biggest selling Scottish blended whisky worldwide. Introduced in 1898, the whisky has gone by the name "Stand Fast" and "Best Procurable" but is now known as Family Reserve. It is an award-winning blended whisky from the family-owned distillers William Grant and Sons who own Balvenie, Glenfiddich, and Kininvie single malt distilleries and Girvan grain distillery (built in 1963).
The famous triangular bottle was designed by Hans Schleger, introduced for Grant's in 1957, was altered slightly and applied to the Glenfiddich bottle in 1964. Grant's experimented with 'wood finishing' with Grant's Ale Cask and Grant's Sherry Cask (Malt Mission #78 and Malt Mission #216) and has 12, 15 and 18-year old expressions that are available in the far east, Russia, and South America. I know many whisky lovers in Europe and North America who would LOVE to get their hands on these award-winning aged blended whiskies. I promise to share, if and when, if you do.
The Budget Hedonist had THIS to say about Grant's Family Reserve.
TASTING NOTES:
Floral, some baby powder, creamed corn. Pepper, nailpolish, green bananas and apple turnovers.
Excellent initial impact, banana and vanilla sweetness with a malty bite that is rounded with dust and smoke. Gets complex, thickens out after swallowing, which is unusual. Long earthy finish with a persistent but gentle sweetness.
SUMMARY:
The nose put me off a touch initially because there was such variety, but upon drinking the stuff the complexity of the nose was much more appreciated. VERY drinkable. Family. Indie. Scottish. All good.
Malt Mission #230
Malt Mission #232
Malt Mission #233
Malt Mission #234
Malt Mission #235
Malt Mission HOME
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Get involved in the Drammies... again!
Circle your answers, tick the boxes, make your selections now...
Time is running out to get your votes into the only reader-selected whisky awards out there (I think?).
Kevin Erskine's (The Scotch Blog) The Drammies made news this week HERE, HERE, and in the Guardian (Wed, Jan 16).
We can be certain that Kevin is keeping a watchful eye on any ballot box loading, proving that it is not who votes that counts, but who counts the votes! He isn't accepting single votes (ie. emails that vote for only one category) and he is noting addresses and even servers to prevent Kenyan election tactics. We wish him luck in this unenviable task to keep democracy safe for whisky nerds in every any province, state, or country.
With these things in mind, I nonetheless say, "go vote for Forty Creek, Sheep Dip, Compass Box Cantos...
... and Dr. Whisky."
VOTE NOW at www.thedrammies.com
voting closes Jan 31, 2008
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Friday, January 18, 2008
Malt Mission 2008 #230
Glenury Royal 1970 36yo
Highland Single Malt Whisky
57.9% abv
£495
Last night I hosted a tasting where the guests we lucky enough to try whiskies from four closed distilleries including Rosebank, Glenlochy, Dallas Dhu, and Glenugie. This interest in trying and buying rare whiskies has been made apparent in the last decade and has been nurtured by companies like Diageo with their Rare Malts series (1995-2005) and their Old and Rare annual Special Releases, which began in 2001. To prove the growing interest in these types of whiskies it is worth noting that a Talisker 28yo from this first edition of Special Releases was recently sold at auction for £1400 (original price was £500) and their have been 59 of these rare releases to date, many of them selling out very quickly (Lagavulin 21, anybody?)
Glenury Royal, a distillery born in 1825, silenced in 1983, and closed in 1985, appeared as a part of these Special Releases in 2003 with a Glenury Royal 50 year old expression, the oldest whisky in that year's releases and a bottling impossible to repeat. The 2007 Special Release Portfolio also included a Glenury Royal as the oldest whisky in the annual range, and this is it.
Glenurie, as it was known, had a false start in 1825 when it was opened as a fire destroyed parts of the malting and grain storing facilities only weeks later. Captain Robert Barclay Allardyce, the founder of the distillery, was a legendary man with a reputation of eccentricity. He was the Laird of Ury, a local MP, had walked from London to Birmingham in two days in 1799, and was the first man to walk 1000 miles in 1000 hours in 1809. He managed to secure permission to use the highly presitigious 'Royal' suffix by King William IV and Glenury became one of only three distilleries to have that honour. Can you name the other two?*
Tasting notes by TF today. Thanks, mate. I will try to decipher some of his usual Briticisms for the sake of international understanding. And humour.
TASTING NOTES:
Perfumed and floral (roses), hint of Chinese balloons (haven't a clue- ed.) initially. Then pear esters, fresh ginger and a hint of clove. Freshly bitten red apple, then baked apple and a hint of overcooked pie crust (getting a bit Jilly Goolden here, for which apologies). Some nice sweet notes. Very promising.
Carries on the good work of the nose. Medium-to-full weight, plenty of ripe fruit notes, pressed flowers, honey and cake spices, lovely oily mouth-coating texture. Great weight and balance - the oak is a positive presence, but not an intrusive one. This balance allows all the nuances of flavour an equal opportunity to come forward. Somehow the alcohol is not over-powering tasted neat. Long finish that drifts away very slowly with a lovely dance of spices and polished wood.
SUMMARY:
Basically this is a great malt whisky. Pricey, yes: but, given the rarity of releases from this distillery, the quality of the malt and the prevailing collector's enthusiasm for the brand (I don't like that word, but we all have to live with 'em), you'd have to say fair enough.
* Royal Lochnagar and Royal Brackla.
Malt Mission #226
Malt Mission #227
Malt Mission #228
Malt Mission #229
Malt Mission HOME
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Malt Mission 2008 #229
Old Pulteney 17 yo
Highland Single Malt Whisky
46% abv
£45
$90(USD)
Sorry about the late post. When you see my tasting notes below you will understand why.
In December, Inver House Distillers, owners of "the genuine maritime malt", launched a new website for Old Pulteney and it looks good, has some classy clips, and is easy to navigate. Inver House was awarded Scottish Distiller of the Year in Whisky Magazine's ICONS OF WHISKY 2008. This prize was awarded mainly because of Inver House's relaunching of Balblair as vintages in new packaging, but they have also done a lot for Pulteney.
Canadian company Hiram Walker and Sons, owners of Pulteney from 1955-1961 gave the distillery a makeover in the late 1950s when, in the words of Gavin D. Smith, "many distillers seem to have suffered from an aesthetics bypass." Since acquiring the distillery from Allied in 1995, Inver House has relaunched the brand with new packaging and contents. we have seen Old Pulteney leave the lonely dusty corners of specialty shops and show up on supermarket shelves with increasing sales by huge percentages year upon year. In this household, when the Old Pulteney 12yo is emptied (too often, perhaps) it is always replaced immediately. Delicious, widely available, and priced right. Let's try the 17 year old.
For more distillery information see all Pulteney posts on the mission by clicking HERE.
Last Spring I was invited along to a product launch in NYC for Old Pulteney (17 and 21) in the USA. I could not attend so my friend JW attended in my stead. Some of his notes appear in quotes below.
TASTING NOTES:
Big nose with overall sweetness dominated by fruit... but also kind of fleshy, even sweaty. Tropical with coconut shells and mango and there is an oakiness that is almost dusty, like a carpentry workshop. Some putty, like finger paints and a candied sweetness with creamy, bourbon cask-influenced elegance.
Salt tang begins the flavours in the mouth, then that sweatiness noticed in the nose, becoming fruity and sweet like baked apples and pastry, ending with a honeyed glaze. Kind of charred into the baking tray. The late finish(is there such a thing?) remains fruity and sweet but becomes more and more fleshy, like a sunbather sweating out his/her scented sun cream.
SUMMARY:
It must be said that this dram demanded two tastings as I have had it before and felt quite differently than I did this morning. In the past, when I have had this in the evening I found a slightly sour, rotting aroma and an aggressive, discordant bite in the mouth. Further, the finish had soil, preserved veg/gherkins, and a metallic tinge. So, we have a fruity, honeyed malt with a salt and perfume tang on one hand AND a rotten, bitter tahini and oak fest on the other. BAH! I am torn. Help me, Jason.
Jason said, compared to the 12yo "the 17yo turned things up a bit. Richer, about 10% from sherry casks. I felt it was much like the 12yo but just more intense. There are more complexities I can't really recall now, but definitely a well constructed whisky."
Thank you. But I am not convinced. Third opinion... NURSE!
Had to do a revisit at night, which I haven't done for some time, and Kristin joined me.
We decided "it's alright but its for a very specific evening... that might not happen very often. Very grassy, very earthy. Over-ripe. The 12 is 'wwoooo'. Easy. Pleasant. 17, mmmnnh. Eah. THIS is out there. And out there might be good some nights."
Whoa, dude. I swear she doesn't always talk like that. Shes been on the Pulteney.
Yet more justification for why evaluating and grading is pants. Even with over ten years (between us) of whisky tasting, PLEASE don't take anything we say as BIBLE. It is just FUN. Mere over-educated observations from a small corner of the globe. Goodnight.
Malt Mission #226
Malt Mission #227
Malt Mission #228
Malt Mission #230
Malt Mission HOME
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Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Malt Mission 2008 #228
Clynelish 15yo
McGibbons Provenance
Summer 1989-2005
Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
46% abv
£38
Douglas Laing's McGibbons Provenance range is divided into the four seasons, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. (Incidentally, you can experience all four in a single day in Scotland, so dress appropriately!) Apparently the 'McGibbons' name comes from Ileachs (folks from Islay) on the Laings mother's side of the family.
As any reader of Dr. Whisky knows, Clynelish is a sweetheart of mine and is really coming into its own as a brand. Diageo released a Distillers Edition of the malt and has already released a second edition. Independently bottled single casks of the stuff abound and they are always tasty (SMWS, Single Malts of Scotland, Douglas Laing, Cadenheads, etc.)
Similar to Malt Mission #65, this particular expression was selected by the members of the Edinburgh University Water of Life Society and Darren Leitch of The Whisky Shop May 19, 2005, back when I was poet laureate for the club, which basically meant that when the crowd of 50 students was well warmed up I would spit some rhymes at them about the water of life.
TASTING NOTES:
Oh yeah, this is right up my alley. Great spread of aromas from rich honey and malted barley to buttermilk pancakes to cans of peaches (with an emphasis on the can) to almonds and figs to salted cod musty oak to single cream and cheesecake. Complex and challenging without ever losing its whisky character. Clynelish, I think I love you, but I want to know for sure...
Taste explodes with intense honey(a benchmark Clynelish characteristic), strawberry Nutri-Grain bars and/or cheesecake, some seaweed drying on the shore, and coca cola gummies. The oaky resin, chinese-style pork, and a faint industrial smokiness adds a counter balance to this immense rich sweetness. The flavours disappear slowly leaving buttery toast and musty oak.
SUMMARY:
Wild thing, you make my heart sing. Another stellar whisky that emphasises the point that 'smooth' is not (necessarily) a desirable feature. Fuck that. This has bite, and teeth, and nails. Yeah. This has everything that I want in whisky, a complex nose, rich malty sweetness with fudge and honey, sherry and oak accents, and a short enough finish that makes me keep the glass within arms reach at all times. This is a dram that makes me say things like "Northen Highlands produce the greatest whiskies," or "Clynelish is my favourite distillery". What do you say?
Malt Mission #226
Malt Mission #227
Malt Mission #229
Malt Mission #230
Malt Mission HOME
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Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Malt Mission 2008 #227
Dalmore 12yo 'Black Pearl'
Malmsey Madeira Finish
Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
40% abv
£30*
Unrelated to this drop, but BBC Scotland will be airing a documentary on Bruichladdich tonight, January 15, 2007, 10pm. Info shared by the Man in the Grotto.
This expression is not a part of "The New Beginning" revamped line from the Dalmore (12yo tasted yesterday, the rest soon), but was released back in 2005 as a special cask finish for duty free outlets. For all Dalmores had on the Malt Mission and more Dalmore distillery info, click HERE.
This whisky gets a long (two and a half years) finish or secondary maturation in ex-Madeira casks. Madeira is often referred to as "the pearl of the atlantic," but the Romans referred to it as "the purple islands" so perhaps the name Purple Pearl would have been better... and if not better, at least alliterative. Dalmore distillery overlooks the black isle so perhaps that is the source of half of this release's name. Whatever. Let's drink...
* - This is a Duty Free price as this is a duty-free exclusive. If you happen to find it at other retail outlets (and if you search, you might) it will tend to be about £6 more expensive.
TASTING NOTES:
Warm wood, like sanded oak or steamy cedar in a sauna. Pineapple cake, orange syrup or liqueur, zesty and fresh on top, bike tires in the middle, and oaky at the core.
Balanced and well rounded with polished oak and tobacco. Some fibrous fish food as well. Becomes fleshy, slight organic bitterness balanced by brown sugar and mandarins.
SUMMARY:
A deep dram that is better enjoyed in big hedonistic mouthfulls than in short scientific evaluative sips. Overall it is a chewy but zesty, rich and balanced dram, but when you start to pick it apart it begins to look a bit 'off' on paper. Deep, delicious, and to be gulped after a meal.
Malt Mission #226
Malt Mission #228
Malt Mission #229
Malt Mission #230
Malt Mission HOME
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Monday, January 14, 2008
Malt Mission 2008 #226
Dalmore 12yo
Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
40% abv
£35
Going to have a highland themed week here on the mission starting with a few of my favourite distilleries: Pulteney, Clynelish, and Dalmore.
Hard to believe that after a year of Malt Missions I have had only one Dalmore (Malt Mission #24)! Since then, Dalmore has redesigned their packaging and are in the process of redesigning their website, HERE. The new look maintains their unique bottle design and with a minimalist label and the Mackenzie clan's stag head on clear glass, the liquid inside the bottle has taken centre stage.
Master blender at Dalmore Richard Paterson has re-worked the recipe for this 'new' Dalmore using 50% ex-bourbon American oak casks and 50% ex-sherry spanish oak casks. The new boxes are pretty cool, too.
Back in 1967, R.J.S. McDowall called Dalmore "a man's whisky." We can laugh at the old fashioned language, but still in the 21st century Whyte & Mackay (owners of The Dalmore) use adjectives like "masculine" to describe their products in promotional literature and on bottles. Probably not the best way to tap half of the worlds potential market.
TASTING NOTES:
Sweet and spicy, toasty with honey and marmalade. Fresh orange, chocolate millk, tea. Lots of oak with vanilla and a malty sweetness.
Gentle but with great, mouth-filling depth. Turning dark and roasted, chocolate. Long oaky and mocha-ed finish.
SUMMARY:
Soft and mouth filling without being overpowering or too weighty, this is an extremely tasty drop. BUT the question is whether or not the new recipe justifies the £10 price jump on the old 12yo. Whatever the verdict, this is a wonderful highland whisky above or below the £30 mark... although I wish it was below.
Malt Mission #225
Malt Mission #227
Malt Mission #228
Malt Mission #229
Malt Mission #230
Malt Mission HOME
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Friday, January 11, 2008
Malt Mission 2008 #225
Ballantines 21 yo
Blended Scotch Whisky
43% abv
£80
$168.55(CAD)*
$110(USD)**
Happy Friday.
For background info on Ballantine's blending family and history, see my post for Ballantines Finest (Malt Mission #66). Today, having this classic premium blend makes me want to type about a few other things that might be of interest to some of you: the premiumisation trend and the sad loss of Dumbarton grain distillery(traditionally the grain heart of Ballantines)
The BRIC nations(Brazil, Russia, India and China) are at the core of a new economic optimism in the whisky world, the kind of which has not been seen for decades. The increasing affluence of these populations have created an emerging middle class that wants "the best, and are prepared to pay for it," to quote Ian Buxton in Whisky Magazine (Issue 67, p17). Luxury is the key of the day for those fortunate enough to not only have clean water to drink, but to have clean water to put into their £1000 drams. This small percentage of the market is putting an increased demand on the maturing whisky supplies of Scottish distillers and creating new frontiers for the brand wars.
For some time now Johnnie Walker Blue has been the symbol of whisky luxury, THE premium brand whisky, and in recent years EVERYONE has come out with new premium product to compete: Cutty Sark 25, Dewar's Signature, Chivas Royal Salute and the new 25yo, etc. One reads of Johnnie Walker King George V and 1905 blends. Crown Royal XO and No. 16. Whyte & Mackay 40yo. Royal Salute 38 and Coronation Cask (50yo). Crystal decanters, swords, necklaces and silver cups accompany many of these ultra-premium expressions.
Ballantines seems to have avoided this ornament and cash cropping. Their premium blends (which have been around for decades) have always come in simplest of packages, winning awards and loyal long-term drinkers. No oak boxes or accompanying gauntlets, the 30yo was even sealed with a screwcap the last (and only) time I had it.
Put as many velvet bags and mahogany boxes around my bottle of whisky as you like, it makes it no less a trophy for the rich. Whisky is to be consumed, not hunted, shot, and hung on the wall. And for the industry to be nurturing this gluttonous malt-hunting is greedy and, some would say, short-sighted. It seems certain that it will come back to bite them in their arses later if not sooner. With every boom in the history of the industry there has been a subsequent bust. Now, with millions of pounds being dumped (prematurely?) into silly new user-unfriendly websites, new bottling plants, and new distilleries, the increasingly worrying question to those of us who care about the long-term sustainability of Scotland's national drink is not "WILL there be a bust?", the question is "WHEN?"
Forget Dumbarton today. I will type about that lost distillery some other time.
* - discontinued at LCBO
** - or more. or less (Freedom)
TASTING NOTES:
Artificial grape, grape gum or something, or medicinal grape! like chewable Tylenol for kids? Soft, toffeed and round. Strawberry yoghurt, vanilla with a backbone of oak, and some smoke. Fennel, citrus vitamin C tablets.
Big and deep, cigar smoke, dust, and a rich, pleasant bitterness. Long woody finish with tobacco, kiwi fruit, and citrus. Leather and oak in the finish.
SUMMARY:
Powerful with great depth. A full circle of flavour without being robust. The citrus tang is kept in check with fruit, malt and vanilla, with a pleasant oaky bitterness to add balance. A whisky that sensually weaves flavours through your gums and around your tongue. Classy blending.
Malt Mission #221
Malt Mission #222
Malt Mission #223
Malt Mission #224
Malt Mission HOME
Labels:
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Thursday, January 10, 2008
Malt Mission 2008 #224
Chivas Regal 21 yo Royal Salute
Blended Scotch Whisky
40% abv
£85
$168.75(CAD)
$160 (USD)*
Dubbed by the marketing brains "the ultimate gift to powerful people", Chivas' Royal Salute was (apparently) originally blended from personally selected whiskies by Sam Bronfman (Seagrams, who took over Chivas in 1949). This whisky was first created to honour Queen Elizabeth II on her Corontation in 1953. The expression comes in three differently coloured Wade flagons chosen to represent the colours of the Coronation crown: sapphire, ruby, and emerald. It also comes complete with a velvety bag thing with a fancy rope enclosure ready to be used to hold your Scrabble pieces.
This whisky was awarded "Best Blended Scotch Whisky 2003" and received a gold medal at the 2005 and 2006 International Wine and Spirits Competition. This whisky also won "Best of the Best" Scottish Blended Whisky 2005 by Whisky Magazine. Royal Salute has other expressions as well as the 21yo: 100 Cask Selecion and 38yo 'Stone of Destiny'.
Many folks, professional and amateur critics, have said that this whisky goes well with a fine cigar. Could just be the stale, decades-old association of old, premium whiskies matching with tobacco, but it might be worth heading over to Cigar Jack's Cigar Blog to see what stogie would be well-suited to accompany this dram.
In his write up of Seagrams and Chivas in The Whiskies of Scotland, Dr. R.J.S. McDowall quotes a Scottish Divine, writing, "Whisky is one of the best of God's creatures. It is only the abuse of it by man which is evil." At this price it would be hard to abuse, but I think the point is a good one.
* - please remember that in America the prices can vary incredibly. I think they call that FREEDOM.
TASTING NOTES:
Wonderfully complex flavour arrays working on different levels, but soft, fruity, dense, and utterly approachable. Berries, apricots, dried apples, and the sweetness of grains. Barley and rye. Perfumy, grassy. Some mulled wine spice, brazil nuts, almonds and vanilla.
Bright and peppery to start, turning toasty, creamy, and even smoky. Fresh ginger, parsley sprigs, then maple, cinnamon, cloves, apricots again, toasty oakiness, sherry, and gentle breaths of smoke. Long finish that feels weighty, heavy with nut oil and cream, but lifted by the fresh grassiness, fruit, and fragrant smoke.
SUMMARY:
There is a real "old-school scotch" flavour about this, and it is not just the velvet bag and ceramic flagon. I don't use the term 'scotch' very often because to me, 'scotch' is the Chivas or Ballantine's you steal from dad's/uncle's/grandpa's/neighour's booze shelf when you are young and drink it cuz it is strong and makes you feel different, without any regard for the subtle flavour complexities. Silly bag, bottle and all. But this stuff is a delight; soft, complex, incredibly well-integrated flavours, classy and classic. Wintery, fireside ready, and diverse enough to speak to you in any mood. Luxurious. Dense. Wonderful.
Malt Mission #221
Malt Mission #222
Malt Mission #223
Malt Mission #225
Malt Mission HOME
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Malt Mission 2008 #223
Pig's Nose 5 yo
Blended Scotch Whisky
40% abv
£18
$30(USD)
Blended for the contemporary drinker by Richard Paterson of Whyte & Mackay, Pig's Nose was originally created in 1977 as a companion spirit to Sheep Dip (which you can vote for in the 2007 Drammies!!!)
Taking its name from the expression "soft as a pig's nose" (the bottle reads "'Tis said that our scotch is as soft and as smooth as a pig's nose"), this blend is designed to be smooth but full of character with a 40% malt content... which is quite high for a blended whisky, not that malt content is a guarantee of quality ("Blending is not all about malt content, it's about balancing the malts you've got"- David Stewart, Wm Grant&Co)
So, smooth but full of character; character, indeed. After all, a pig's nose spends most of its days nosing around in shit, mud, and feed. I bet on some days you could also say that describes the job of a blender, searching for the diamonds among the manure, but it is also how Alex and Jane at The Spencerfield Spirit Co. spend many of their days knee deep in the good stuff tending to their horses on their livery farm in the Kingdom of Fife. Alex Nicol (formerly of Scottish & Newcastle, Glenmorangie, Whyte & Mackay, Laphroaig, and others) and partner in crime Jane Eastwood took these two brands (Sheep Dip and Pig's Nose) from Whyte & Mackay when Nicol left the company a few years ago. If it makes you feel good to support the little guys, these are folks well worthy. Jane and Alex keep a blog of their advetures HERE.
For more on Spencerfield Whisky Co., read Gavin D. Smith's Whisky Pages HERE or visit their website above.
TASTING NOTES:
Soft but rich, lots of cereal notes: oats, rye, malted barley, and a touch of peat (or is it just soil?). Sweet and alluring.
Nice rounded flavour in the mouth, if that makes any sense. Banana bread, shiraz, and a drying sherry element. Spicy, as well, with a smoky element... like the faint whiff of smoke on pub couches weeks after the smoking ban kicked in.
SUMMARY:
Easy-going and satisfying. Very well-integrated flavours without any hard edges. That being said, it is a whisky for whisky drinkers, ie. it is engaging and 40% alcohol by volume so "smooth" it ain't. Tasty it is. Great that in this age of premiumisation there remain some affordable whiskies that don't taste like a pig's arse (which can be quite tasty with some mustard).
Malt Mission #221
Malt Mission #222
Malt Mission #224
Malt Mission #225
Malt Mission HOME
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Malt Mission 2008 #222
Compass Box Canto Cask 6
Blended/Vatted Malt Scotch Whisky
53.1% abv
£50
As this is effectively the first week in the second year (!) of Malt Missions, I think we will commemorate with an interest of mine: we will celebrate the craft of the whisky blender. This will be a week of blended whiskies (and blended malt whiskies), the whiskies that get such a bad rap from "discerning amateurs" and are rarely given the credit they are due. Never forget that if it were not for the popularity of blends worldwide we would have lost many more Rosebanks, Broras, Port Ellens, Glenglassaughs, Lochsides, Carsebridges, etc., over the years. Bullocks to Blends?
This is the UK release (exclusive to Britain) from the Canto Cask series of whiskies from Compass Box, a series that has been nominated for one of Kevin Erskine's (The Scotch Blog) 2007 Drammies. Go vote for John... and if you feel like it, support Dr. Whisky in the Best New Product (non-whisky) category as well!
We tasted Canto Cask 46 (for the US market) back at Malt Mission #207 where you can find more info about the idea and composition behind the range. This canto is from French oak to a level-7 toast. With the 46, I made comparisons between John Glaser's Cantos and those of Ezra Pound. Without spending too much time, let's see if we can find any resonance between the three Canto 6s in Dante's Divine Comedy and Compass Box's Canto 6.
Critics have attributed Dante's appreciation of symmetry to the thematic alignment of Canto 6 in Inferno, Puragtrio, and Paradiso. They can all be read as political commentaries touching on Roman and regional Italian (1300s) political situations, addressing characters who are just among those who are corrupt, and calling for justice and civic renewal. Okay, it works in a poem, but can whisky EVER be political? Is whisky ALWAYS political? Some would say the the suppression of the production of this spirit, an economic and ecological way to use up excess or inedible grains, in Scotland and America over the past centuries makes it a powerful symbol of freedom in modern times. Some would say, "bullshit! Tear that stillhouse down!"
In Inferno, we have a very Scottish scene: gluttons lying in mud under cold rain and hail. That pretty much summarizes my years in Edinburgh... or at least most of the late Friday nights. Anyways, enough. I am having fun but it must be a bore to read. Moving on, then...
All proceeds from the sale of this whisky are being donated to Cancer Research UK. Please see Compass Box for more whisky stuff. Please see the excellent DanteWorlds(really amazing resource) at The University of Texas for more poetry stuff.
TASTING NOTES:
Immediately varnished, slightly medicinal and pharmaceutical, "and deeper plagues their deadly stores disclose"(C.6, Inferno). Sweet, with some Egg Nog and spice, but "foul steams arise and fill the troubled sphere,"(C.6, Inferno) with loads of a processed earthiness: cardboard, coal, and mosquito repellant. Needless to say the higher abv% initially speaks with the loudest voice, but with time, that alcoholic impression gives way to a sumptous balance of creamy sweetness (peach Campinos) and oaky dryness.
Soft, then hot and sweet, like teething a freshly charred marshmallow off a stick at a campfire. Carmelised shallots, crisy bits of steak fat. Sweet and meaty. Toasty and kind of sherried. Organic black licorice. Very drying with impressions of a wet wood kitchen cutting board. Long and oaky.
SUMMARY:
Another oddity from Compass Box that is challenging, complex, extremely tasty, and remarkably unique. The drying finish weighs a bit too much on the oak for my tastes but this is a whisky that would appeal to those who like dry sherry-type of impressions in their malts. Would be excellent in a (posh) winter-themed cocktail. Totally drinkable straight and at strength, though, just give it a chance for the alcohol to flash-off (ie. let it sit in a glass for a bit).
Malt Mission #221
Malt Mission #223
Malt Mission #224
Malt Mission #225
Malt Mission HOME
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Monday, January 07, 2008
Malt Mission 2008 #221
The Gordon Highlanders
Blended Scotch Whisky
40%
£16
$28.15 (CAD)
Glad to be back in London to my own bed, my own kitchen, and back to my morning routine. My body has greatly missed my morning malt and the habit was hard to kick... I was even caught sticking my nose into coffee and orange juice at breakfasts. A great time was had and I hope you had a brilliant Christmas period as well.
And Happy New Year!
Yes, it was a year ago that this Malt Mission began, when I was challenged to taste my way through my shelf for the entertainment of a few whisky liking/loving friends, a much needed impetus on a whisky blog that was pretty pathetic up to that point. As far as I am concerned, THAT was the real birth of Dr. Whisky. And now, here we are 250 whisky blog posts, 220 Malt Missions, and a few small miracles later. Yes, I remain somewhat shocked that this is still going strong with ever-increasing numbers of readers and a queue of whiskies to taste over the coming weeks. Some mornings I really do shake my head. Thanks to those who have shared drops over the year and those who regularly visit to see what whisky the doctor is medicating himself with each day. Here's to another year!!!
Launched in 1994, when the British regiment of the same name was amalgamated with another (more history HERE), The Gordon Highlander is a blended whisky from William Grant and Sons and is yet another bottle discontinued at the LCBO, not that I imagine it was a huge seller. And not that sales seem to have any bearing on which whiskies the LCBO chooses to discontinue.
Enough typing for today. Let's taste.
TASTING NOTES:
Floral and fruity with a malty core. Apples and honey, sweet oak and almonds. Some black tea and a touch of sherried spice.
Good density, but very easy drinking. Malt, shortbread, stewed apples, and a pleasant bitter grip of oakiness in the finish with a lingering whiff of roadworks/tar.
SUMMARY:
Nothing earth-shattering, but affordable, good, clean, easy-drinking blended whisky with a nice speyside-y character. Went down well in a rock n' roll basement in Toronto with folks playing terrible cover tunes... and cover tunes terribly.
Malt Mission #220
Malt Mission #222
Malt Mission #223
Malt Mission #224
Malt Mission #225
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