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Aberlour 12yo, Double Cask Matured
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
40% abv
£33.99
$54 (CAD)
$50 (USD)
Easily one of the best value Speyside malts around, Aberlour is an under-celebrated whisky. As the malt that brought a French company (the first) into the world of Scotch whisky (in 1975), Aberlour has a strong foothold in France but remains an undiscovered drop to many.
Founded in 1879, Aberlour was a replacement of sorts for a distillery that was housed just up the river Lour, a tributary of the Spey. Walkers famous shortbread was and is made in the nearby town of the same name. Pretty cute place, too.
The core range has a focus on the sherried side of things with several special local expressions, bottlings available only in certain markets. This adds to its esoteric status, but word of mouth (and a conscious effort by parent company Pernod Ricard) could bring Aberlour into the realm of the household malt whisky names.
This double-matured version is made in a very similar fashion to that of The Balvenie Doublewood: 10+ years in "traditional oak", barrels that held something else once upon a time (ie. 2nd or 3rd fill) and then 'finished' in sherry butts. A winning recipe, to be fair.
For all Aberlours had on the mission, click HERE.
TASTING NOTES:
Big sherry notes immediately noticeable. Dry sherry, very sweet wine, Manischewitz. Caramel, cardboard, almonds, crabapples, ladyfingers, a some boozy freshness like the smell of Mojito or an open bottle of certain perfumes.
Shimmering with sherry, bright. Lots of raisins, ripe nectarines, and maybe some smoke? Candied finish with an oakiness that dries quickly.
SUMMARY:
I needed to let this mellow a bit in the glass before drinking it. It was VERY punchy with dry sherry. After some time the raisiny sweetness had mellowed and merged with the oakiness to make it more approachable. Friends enjoyed this drop much more than I did and that is what makes this wide world of whisky so exciting. It is a sharp whisky, which isn't necessarily a bad thing; even the producers use the adjective to describe this malt on their website.Malt Mission #301
Malt Mission #302
Malt Mission #304
Malt Mission #305
Malt Mission HOME
Aberlour 10 yo
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
40% abv
£24
$42.80 (CAD)
$35 (USD)
Ridiculous that after more that 300 malt missions I have never featured Aberlour. Once again a reminder of just how vast the world of whisky is and why it can be so intimidating to new comers. I hope this whisky blog helps make it all a little more digestible.
Sure, I featured Aberlour Abunadh way back in North American Adventure #5, but this is the first Aberlour to be a part of the Malt Mission proper. As a result, I will have the 12yo next.
Aberlour is a lovely distillery which boasts one of the best tours in the industry. Sure the buildings are cute and the histories interesting, but the full-flight tasting at the end of the tour in a reception area in one of the warehouses is the real appeal. New make spirit and the full range of standard Aberlour bottlings are on show and few folks leave without whisky breath... and whisky legs. More distillery info when I taste the 12yo.
TASTING NOTES:
Young but toasty with nuts, raisins and hay. Malt, sherried tones, and kiwis.
Dry sherry, edgy oak and almonds.
SUMMARY:
Simply put, this didn't jive with my memory of this drop; I remember really liking it in my early days of malt exploration. Perhaps it has changed over the years? Perhaps my mouth has. Today I found it disharmonious, immature, and bland. Easy to drink and gets you where you want to go, though.
Malt Mission #301
Malt Mission #303
Malt Mission #304
Malt Mission #305
Malt Mission HOME
Alberta Premium 25 yo
Canadian Rye Whisky
40% abv
$30 (CAD)
In the first week (which now means 5 whiskies, not necessarily 7 days) back on the mission since the Malt Mission #300 landmark I want to have whiskies that start with the letter "A". Why?
1) because I have them
2) because I held a tasting for friends in Toronto recently with "The Letter A" as its theme (the Letter B will be next)
3) because the beginning of the alphabet can symbolise the beginning of our new lives in NYC and the new shape(s) this blog will take over the next little while.
No, I don't know where we're going with this, but it'll be fun so long as I can make it so. When that stops, well, then this stops.
I also hope to really dive in to the world of bourbons within the next 100 Malt Missions, but first I have to plow through my remaining Scotch whiskies. Maybe even explore the world of Tequila! Oh, Freedomland...what can't you offer me?
Some of you might also be wondering why I didn't do a big "thank you" post and "top picks" post, etc. this time (new additions would probably have been Greenore and Benromach Organic). Well, what is the point in celebrating anymore? The first 100, 200; okay. 300? Nah. Maybe 500 will get a retrospective. I mean, shit, Serge over on Whiskyfun hit 3000 (!!!) tasting notes in August 2007. Who the hell am I? (who the hell is he!?!!)
Usually the terms "Canadian Whisky" and "rye" are synonymous but this is not necessarily an accurate partnership; in fact, Alberta Premium is one of the last whiskies in Canada to be produced using 100% rye and is made by Alberta Distillers in Calgary, Alberta.
TASTING NOTES:
Rye, clearly. Caramel and generally sweet, corn syrup. Burnt and sweet, butterscotch flavouring like from an ice cream truck.
Easy. Corn sweetness. Doesn't bite, but is certainly boozy. Sweet and a little bit laundry-like. Corny, again.
SUMMARY:
Really, very much what you would expect and most reactions around the room proved this. Like nail biting or teeth grinding this spirit annoyed at least half of the room. My own mouth would have trouble drinking this neat for more than one dram. Did you notice the startling price of 30 bucks? Its fricking 25 years old, man!!! Good value? Maybe. Ginger ale? Yes please.
Malt Mission #300
Malt Mission #302
Malt Mission #303
Malt Mission #304
Malt Mission #305
Malt Mission HOME
The internet is a crazy place; wonderful, but crazy.
This whisky blog started as a daily post of tasting notes for the benefit of friends who couldn't come over to our flat in London to drink from our 30 or so bottles. It should have lasted only as many days and been read by those few people. But the world wide wondernet brought me 10 times more liquid and a thousand times more readers. Thanks to all that brought Dr. Whisky into your homes and to all who brought your spirit into my belly. Cheers!
You may have noticed the irregularity of Dr. Whisky over the past month and I want to assure you that it was not due to waning interest in drinking whisky and sharing distillery info and tasting impressions. It was more due to a state of homelessness since April 1 2008, when K and I left our jobs and flat in London to, we thought, move to New York. A long and unexpected waiting period followed while we waited for my visa to be properly submitted and processed. During this time we stayed busy but also maxed out on favours from friends and family. THANK YOU and SORRY.
I fear the irregularity of Dr. Whisky's posts will continue for some time so in addition to the links I urge you to visit on the left (GET INFORMED BY OTHERS), there are a few recent discoveries and long time faves that I must share with you.
Caskstrength
The first is a new blog started by a guy with whom I crossed paths on a few occasions on our mutual journeys of malt discovery in London. Very nerdy and often funny, it is worth a read.
For Scotch Lovers.com
is a whisky community thing that was started recently in America and it seems to be working better than Buxton's Whisky Channel, especially if the goal is to create a community rather than a platform for the constant reiteration one man's views. It is called For Scotch Lovers and was started by two scotch lovers, and, while it is still in its infancy, I can see it being a great place for info, commentary, shopping, and whisky nerd fora. As with anything like this, its the people that can make it succeed or fail so hopefully people continue to get involved.
The next two are food blogs.
Sku's Recent Eats
The first is a regular read for me and although it more often than not leaves me with major food envy, it is a great read and an invaluable source when hunting for cheap eats in L.A. Sku also does something called Whisky Wednesdays which is always well researched, informative and often funny.
My Life in Food
The second is a straighforward and charming food blog a friend of mine recently started in order to, well, show off her new iPhone? My Life in Food is fun, straightforward, short-winded, and also manages to present the city of Toronto in all its multiculinarism. Or whatever. I am sure everyone has a friend doing this kind of thing, but this is MY friend, and it is uniquely HER kind of thing.
More whisky soon, I swear. And I imagine I will start sharing some of my bar and restaurant experiences in NYC pretty soon, too.
Hello perspiration.
If I sweat too much, will I die?
Where does this liquid come from?
How does sweat work, and is it weird that my sweat tastes malty?
Am I distilling myself?
It is hot (we hit 100F/37C) today.
Whisky weather?
No such thing.
Whisky ALWAYS goes down right.
You just got to play with ways to serve it. Any ideas?
Seriously though, rehydrate.
Balvenie Classic
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
43% abv
***price unknown***
Flew the amazing Porter airlines from Toronto Island to Newark, had a brilliant lunch with Charlie Maclean, and lugged my bags up 5 flights in an old walk-up in Hell's Kitchen: I have finally arrived in NYC, baby! And just in time for Malt Mission #300. Thank you so much for reading and supporting Dr. Whisky over these centuries of dramming. I raise a glass to you all. Cheers!
Discontinued in 1993, this old cognac-style (E&J?) bottle Balvenie is often referred to as "the tennis racket". It is a predecessor to the current Doublewood 12yo having been matured for many years in traditional casks (casks used too many times to be reasonably called ex-anything) and then finished in sherry butts. It also had an 18yo version that was more common and not finished in sherry casks.
I tasted this beauty with Sukhinder Singh and a room of whisky lovers and whisky makers that he had invited back to his batcave of whisky on the WhiskyLIVE London weekend after we had sat on a judging panel at the World Whisky Awards. Was a crazy day/night. As a result, my notes might not be 100% "scientific"... or accurate. It must also be admitted that many of SS's bottles have been open since the 1980s (exaggeration? maybe) so they may no longer be fair representations of their original selves. Nonetheless...
TASTING NOTES:
Buttery soft, warming nose with doughnuts, dried fruits and a meatiness of flesh, salt, and pepper, blood like a freshly seasoned raw steak. Garden weeds and a bit of smoke, too.
Oaky impact that blows flavours like warm air. Apricots, plums (sour?) rice pudding, but it is not sweet in the sugary sense, has a sherried sweetness and an oaky core. More meatiness like bacon and heavy sherried tones through the LONG jammy and fruity finish.
SUMMARY:
Confident and meaningful. Forward, fabulous, and doesn't faff about. Like a meaningful kiss from a long time lover or a hug from a much-missed friend. “It’s fucking good,” said John Glaser after a long sip directly from the bottle. Told you it was a great night.
Malt Mission #296
Malt Mission #297
Malt Mission #298
Malt Mission #299
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
