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Compass Box Morpheus
(Vatted) Malt Scotch Whisky46% abv
£40
Computer software, fictional captain of the Nebuchadnezzar in "The Matrix", and now a limited release from Compass Box, the Greek god of dreams continues to be an inspiration to creative minds around the world. Morphine also finds its roots in the Greek god, and perhaps this whisky will have dream-inducing power...
John Glaser has created Morpheus as a limited release for Jeroboams Group/Milroy's of Soho. Like Flaming Heart (had yesterday and back at Malt Mission #12), and most of the Compass Box range for that matter, the combination of flavours could only have existed in the dreams of whisky drinkers until realised by the Compass Box crew. There are only 900 bottles in this release and Morpheus is very likely a one-off. Perhaps Phobetor and Phantasos will follow?
Whiskies in this creation include the usual suspects for Compass Box: Ardmore(peated style), Clynelish, Teaninich, and Dalhuaine.
TASTING NOTES:
Dynamic nose, cinematic. You can (safely, ie. no nose prickle) zoom in, smelling deeper and closer and will find new flavours at each level. Fruity, brown sugar, pie crust. Flan. Some smoke, smoke cheese, too. Earth and peat at the deepest level. Quite complex.
Salty, caramel, black licorice. Oats. Cinnamon and honey. Carrot muffins with orange zest. Finish combines Jelly Babies and mango juice with a final note of peat smoke.
SUMMARY:
Elegant and with great development of flavours, Compass Box has done it again. Slightly unusual in the CB range in that this malt has a very lengthy finish; most of their whiskies are big and short, encouraging another sip and earning the "easy drinking" description. This is a nightcap malt that speaks slowly, softly, and rocks you to sleep.
Malt Mission #191
Malt Mission #192
Malt Mission #194
Malt Mission #195
Malt Mission HOME
Compass Box Flaming Heart(Vatted) Malt Scotch Whisky
Limited Release #FH16 MMVII
48.9% abv
£40
$80(USD)
Fireworks galore last night. In fact it has been going on for a month. Yesterday was Guy Fawkes Night and hopefully now the nightly display is over. The pop and fizzes bring to mind cracking knuckles and reminds me of an email I received from a man who wanted to know what whisky I would recommend for his arthritis-suffering sister. Before you panic, it was her doctor who endorsed the treatment, not me. I just offered recommendations of rich sipping whiskies. I then got to poking around and was amazed to find how alcohol seems to have the privilege of being the cure AND cause of almost every disease, ailment and sickness!
"Ah, beer. The cause and solution to all of life's problems."- Homer Simpson
The good news is that the current consensus seems to be that moderate intake of alcohol can both prevent against arthritis and slow the effect of rheumatoid arthritis. So enjoy every drop of the Water of Life, Adrienne, the prescription is a winner.
Right, to the whisky of the day, the daily dram, the morning malt...
This is the second release of Flaming Heart (we had the first back at Malt Mission #12) and the good news is that this time it will be available beyond Europe. Like the first release, this is made up of malt whiskies (Clynelish, Linkwood, Caol Ila) that have matured in first fill ex-bourbon casks and then undergone a secondary maturation in new toasted French oak casks. The result of peated and non-peated whisky, some of the best blended ingredients in the industry, combined with skill and exposed to new oak has created a unique array of flavours unlike anything else out there. Doesn't mean it will be to everyone's liking, but those who like it like it a lot and the whole process is yet more evidence that John Glaser is a leading innovator in the world of whisky.
TASTING NOTES:
Lots of vanilla, cloves, freshly baked goods. Finger paints, peat, and putty. Balloons. Some boiled pork, too.
White grapes, cinnamon, pepper, and peat smoke. Yoghurt and toasty woodiness, too. Long but gentle finish of wood, tobacco and a whiff of peat.
SUMMARY:
Quite a different mouthfeel to the first edition, so far as my memory is accurate. Great, assertive flavours excited by the abv% and amplified by the oak and careful combination of the some of the best malt whiskies in Scotland. Perhaps a bit punchy to the new whisky drinker, but wonderfully easy drinking with a drop of water and enough complexity to stimulate debate among connoisseurs.
Malt Mission #191
Malt Mission #193
Malt Mission #194
Malt Mission #195
Malt Mission HOME
Highland Harvest
Organic Blended Scotch Whisky
40% abv
£15
Here we are 45 weeks later and this Malt Mission is still going. In fact, I have no indication that it will dry up any time soon. Still blows my mind actually. Ten drams from the landmark #200 and I am still unsure what exactly will be on the menu, but I am sure it will all be fun and tasty. Thanks for joining me on the ride!
Although it can be generally said that whisky production in Scotland has always been a tradition of ecological efficiency (often dictated by economic efficiency), the process is not 'organic' by our modern classifications of the term. The process is wholly natural and chemical-free, the problem is with the raw materials. This whisky is distilled with barley certified organic by the Soil Association and was the first organic Scotch whisky on the market.
Launched in 2005, this whisky is the product of Chris Parker and the Organic Spirits Company from what I can gather, has been blended by Richard Paterson. I have also been told that it very likely contains Isle of Jura, Dalmore, and Benromach. Can anyone verify or add more info?
Like with organic coffee or organic tobacco, we should not be lead to believe that organic whisky will somehow remedy the negative effects of alcohol (or caffeine or nicotine), but rather, by buying a product that uses fugicide and pesticide-free barley we are protecting soil, water, and local ecosystems. And apparently there is less methanol in this whisky than in most others. Not the greatest selling point, but that is just one of the techniques Parker used in trying to get folks to try the stuff. So let's have some.
TASTING NOTES:
Hardware store, rope, wood. Root beer. Minty and fresh. Corn and carrot muffins.
Vanilla and cloves, brown sugar, and then the flavours change direction: dry, smoky, stewed carrot sweetness. Burnt toast, corn on a barbecue.
SUMMARY:
Much more interesting than I would have guessed or than I had been led to believe by others. Goes to show we shouldn't take anyone's opinion as gospel (even when compose their own bible and style their hair like a Galilean in the time of you-know-who). This whisky is well worth trying, and would probably be brilliant for use in cocktails and mixed drinks.
Malt Mission #190
Malt Mission #192
Malt Mission #193
Malt Mission #194
Malt Mission #195
Malt Mission HOME
Glenfarclas The Family Casks 1958
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
51.6% abv
£665
$1,995(CAD)
Well, I must say it has been an unusual week of dramming. Yes, it has been a privilege to be able to taste my way through 5 decades of Glenfarclas, but, man, has it been different than I expected.
I am a big fan of the core range of bottlings: the 105 is among the best bang-for-buck drops out there, I always recommend the 21yo to folks looking to buy a bottle for their dad/mom/friend/husband/wife who likes whisky(although we have not yet had it on the mission), and the 25yo was one of the best 3 whiskies I had in the first 100 Malt Missions. It seems to me, based on the 5 drops I have had this week, that The Family Cask series is a collection of unique, and sometimes odd, expressions from a consistently excellent distillery. After all, that is the fun in single cask expressions; finding interesting and unusual expressions of whiskies you thought you knew inside and out (I had two cRaZy Bowmores from the SMWS last night, for example). That is what drives malt maniacs to continue exploring the thousands of flavour possibilities available with Scotch whisky.
And they don't come cheap. Only the serious collector, lucky gift recipient, or wealthy whisky lover will be able to participate in the enjoyment of this range. Unfortunatley folks, that seems to be the way things are moving in the whisky world. Look around. There are fewer and fewer good drops between £15-25 and almost every new release that we have seen over the past year comes in at £30+. Don't lose hope. This increasing focus on luxury, this premiumisation of the whole sector cannot last forever(which will dry up first, though? Supply or demand?). For now, stock up on the drops you would most miss if a) they left your market, or b) they left your price bracket. And pray that some friend of yours with money to burn thinks that buying you the Glenfarclas Family Cask 1976(or whatever) would be a brilliant birthday present.
This vintage is one of 455 bottles from a sherry butt. For all Glenfarclas had on the mission click HERE and for other vintages from the Glenfarclas Family Casks click HERE.
TASTING NOTES:
I have not mentioned appearance of colour yet this week (and Glenfarclas never adds colour) but I will today: this one is like treacle, molasses dark. And the legs are unusual, they go in all angles, looking more like scars (Freddy Krueger's face) than 'church windows.' Smells of sherry and oak, but believe it or not the aromas go beyond that after nearly 50 years in a cask. I get shellfish, coffee, mint, candied anise, and cinnamon. Smells like a forest, earth, tree bark, mushrooms, decomposition, and fresh herbal/floral breezes. There is some meatiness in there too; raw beef like a butcher's. Water lets out toasty aromas (smoke?) and more caramel or toffee sweetness.Apples, sherry, toffee and some salt. Even some fresh impressions of flowers and honey. Then comes the dark side: burning wood, varnish, dark chocolate, blood, metal, tobacco, ginger, dark roast coffee, and Guiness. With water these two distinct sides of this whisky's personality bind together in an other-worldly complexity. Pointless to write down desciptors, it is SO active. Coffee or Guiness bitterness lingers through the oaky finish with the faint sweetness of chocolate chip cookies.
SUMMARY:
An old sherry monster, this is a whisky to measure time with. Every nose, every sip, every second spent with this whisky seems to slow down the rotations of the earth. Yes, it is oaky, but by no means has this whisky grown tired in the cask, it is full of flavours (aromas and tastes) and would be ideal during that alone time after the family leaves at Christmas.
Malt Mission #186
Malt Mission #187
Malt Mission #188
Malt Mission #189
Malt Mission HOME
Glenfarclas Family Casks 1965
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
60% abv
£325
$925(CAD)
Available in Canada through John Hanna & Son and unavailable in the US due to the regulation that bottle sizes must be 750ml (these are 700ml), many of these vintages are selling out as we speak. Several bars have even purchased the whole range. Amazing. Glenfarclas has always been whisky favoured by collectors and the spirit has been praised by many as the best Speyside has to offer.
Glenfarclas is a very conservative distillery. I was going to say 'traditional', but that might be unfair to other 'traditional' but progressive distilleries. At Glenfarclas everything is on a larger scale than normal: their capacity is twice that of Cragganmore or Danwhinnie, they have a mash tun that is 10m in diameter, and they have as many as 13 folks working at the distillery. This last relates to their 'conservatism' as all movement of casks is done manually on rails without the aid of lifts or robots from the future. And there is more: they have a firm policy that says "no" to wood finishes, they limit sales to independent brokers and highly discourage bottling of their whisky by ANY independent bottlers, and they stick to their technique of using sherry butts for the maturation of their whisky despite the fact that this practice can cost up to 10 times as much as using ex-bourbon barrels.
This vintage is one of 417 bottles from a first-fill sherry butt. For all Glenfarclas had on the mission click HERE and for other vintages from the Family Casks click HERE.
TASTING NOTES:
A dry but appetising nose with apples, toffee, black pepper, broccoli, and soy sauce. Time in the glass releases more outdoorsy notes along with cinnamon and a touch of sulphur. Water unleashes a faint whiff of smoke alongside stone fruits, carob, and more rubbery notes.
Big and spicy with cloves, raisins, toffee and licorice. Drying and increasingly leathery and woody. Water adds a creaminess to the mouthfeel and allows this stuff to scream OAK, with musty, library/old book flavours as well. The finish is gingery with faint smokiness, walnut and oak flavours that linger for minutes.
SUMMARY:
I think this is as close to smoking (pipe? fresh rolling tobacco?) as I have come with a whisky; all the flavours are there and if you breathe deep enough, you can even get a good cough from it, too. Although I know nothing about cigars, I imagine this malt is well suited to accompany one. Amazingly high abv% for such an old whisky. The result is a concentrated spirit that welcomes both time in the glass and a few drops of water. Quite a good price for such an old proprietary single cask whisky, esp from a distillery who has officially never allowed anyone to bottle their whiskies. Can still taste nuts and oak. Maybe an idea (albeit, an expensive one) for a marinade?
Malt Mission #186
Malt Mission #187
Malt Mission #188
Malt Mission #190
Malt Mission HOME
Glenfarclas Family Casks 1977
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
59% abv
£210
$565(CAD)
Ah, 1977. The Clash released their debut album, Star Wars opened in cinemas, Jimmy Carter became 39th President of the United States, the Toronto Blue Jays played their first-ever baseball game, and I had my first birthday.
Glenfarclas distillery has been in the hands of a single family for six generations. You will see their pics to the right over the next few days travelling back in time along with our drams. It effectively went John, George, George, George, John(above right), and George(below right) since June 8, 1865.
One of 582 bottles from a refill sherry butt. For all Glenfarclas had on the mission click HERE and for other vintages from the Family Casks click HERE.
TASTING NOTES:Soft, buttery nose. Very appetising. Muscat. Honey, bananas, golden raisins with a creamy vanilla-oaky depth.
Gentle entry that perks up (with the help of the abv%) with grape skins and fresh tobacco. Malty, with edam cheese, chocolate covered raisins, and an oaky finish that is not drying but actually quite juicy.
SUMMARY:
The nose is a delight, not overly complex, takes its time to show its inner secrets, showing good age with some scrumptious characteristics. Great range from low to high flavours, if that makes any sense... it is full in the nose. Great depth in the mouth, too, with well-bound flavours and all the charms of age without any interference from overpowering sherry (or bourbon). Another odd expression of Glenfarclas, but I suppose that is the fun of single casks.
Malt Mission #186
Malt Mission #187
Malt Mission #189
Malt Mission #190
Malt Mission HOME
Glenfarclas Family Casks 1983
Speside Single Malt Whisky
56% abv
£199
$499(CAD)
The Family Cask range from Glenfarclas is wholly unique and there is no other known collection of old and rare whiskies that covers 43 consecutive years from a single distillery. The series surpasses Macallan's Fine and Rare collection which has more and older(1926) bottlings and 25 consecutive vintages, as well as Gordon & Macphail's Glen Grant Vintages (1948-1968).
All of The Family Casks from Glenfarclas have been bottled at cask strength, a practice that most connoisseurs appreciate and one that Glenfarclas helped pioneer in the marketplace when they were the first distilling company to introduce a cask strength whisky to their core range back in 1968 with Glenfarclas 105 (tasted way back at Malt Mission #46).
This vintage is one of just 302 bottles from a refill hogshead. For all Glenfarclas had on the mission click HERE and for other vintages from the Family Casks click HERE.
TASTING NOTES:
Bittersweet from the start, with a fairly strong alcohol presence, too. Warming, with buttery and oaky aromas. Some baked goods and small bitter berries. Almonds, hot chocolate powder, and bread. Water really sweetens things up offering more exotic fruit, cocoa, and a slight meatiness.
Mouth-filling vanilla initially, then lemon cake, decimated coconut. Very nutty. Water reduces the explosive impact which could be a positive or a negative, depending on your mood. It becomes creamier, more spread-able, and the flavours appear to be more bound together. Long lingering flavours of oak, tea biscuits, with shorter impressions of pasta and crepes, and even sweeter baked goods with water.
SUMMARY:
Tasty, distinctive, and unusual. More complexity and flavour development than the initial nosing might suggest. Stands up to a lot of water. An odd member of the Glenfarclas family, not a George or a John... maybe a Simon? Overall, an odd Glenfarclas, and one for the curious-minded.
Malt Mission #186
Malt Mission #188
Malt Mission #189
Malt Mission #190
Malt Mission HOME
Glenfarclas Family Casks 1992
Speyside Single Malt Whisky
55.5% abv
£125
$275(CAD)
Totally missed Alcohol Awareness Week (Scotland) last week, October 21-27. The Scotch Whisky Association, Diageo, and many major liquor companies took part while Dr. Whisky remained oblivious. So today my prescription is "be a responsible drinker"; know what health experts think about your drinking habits and please don't drink to get happy. Drink for the social or hedonistic reasons, drink for the flavour experience(s), drink for cultural or religious practice. Drink in moderation. And drink water.
While there can be no doubt that alcohol causes harm in this country, not all liquor sectors can be punished equally at budget time. It cannot be ignored that in 2007 it has been 10 years without a tax hike on spirits in the UK. Scottish whisky has seen a boom in recent years and is showing healthy growth. Naturally, this growth has been largely due to a degree of stagnation in taxation and rather than firing people and closing distilleries, companies are actually hiring more people and building new sites.
We are nervous that if we can't all work to curb binge drinking and promote responsible relationships with alcohol that the tax and duty on spirits, and whisky in particular, will rise and could lead to economic hardships in certain areas of Scotland where the whisky industry plays a very large part in the health of local economies. Taxation is not the only, nor the most efficient, tool for reducing excessive consumption. I believe education can help cure a lot of these problems, and 24h drinking certainly doesn't help send either the right message or cause the right effect. More controls should be put in place in the clubs and bars of the UK. You cannot convince me that a couple of mates tasting the new Glengoyne Burnfoot at their flat in Dundee is more harmful to society than "drink all 8 shots and get a t-shirt" type offers or "2-4-1 alcopops or ciders." Respect your drink and your drink will respect you.
Right, onto our Malt Mission. The threads of many-a-whisky-forum have been buzzing with news and views surrounding the release of Glenfarclas' Family Casks (See THIS, THIS, or THIS). Glenfarclas has released a series of 43 vintages from 1952 to 1994 that they are calling Family Casks and the bottles can be bought individually or as a set. It seems they will be available in Ontario through John Hanna and Sons and in some other select markets around the world where importers have the determination to get some.
Glenfarclas has been distilled on the Recherlich Farm in Ballindalloch by six generations of the Grant family. For more distillery information and to see all Glenfarclas had on the mission click HERE. This particular vintage is from a sherry butt and is one of 669 bottles.
I was honoured to have been invited to the launch of these beauties in September and gutted that I could not attend as I was going to be out of the country. But I was delighted to receive samples from a few casks from Robert Ransom and I express my thanks for both the initial invite and the subsequent drops by post. We will be traveling back in time with Glenfarclas this whole week.
Tasted with MH (who started high school in 1992). His notes appear in quotes.
TASTING NOTES:
Bran flakes, "definitely breakfast cereal, but more like LIDL malt cruchies, to me." Some table polish, orange scented, "the stuff Grandma uses around the house". Perfumy, Flowers by Kenzo. Water brings the chemical polish out even more.
Sweet and dry, honey, a touch of salt, and mealy apples. Green veg, celery. Toasty sherry finish. "A bit nutty at the end, too." Water should be used very carefully, if at all. It brings out a slight marzipan flavour. "For me, the water hurt the nose but I like the taste better now." Honey, slice of orange, and plastic.
SUMMARY:
Matt wasn't sure if tasting first thing in the morning was the best way to evaluate cuz his morning mouth seemed to defend against the abv. In any event, we found this pretty simple and straightforward, and Matt felt the polish aromas really interfered with his experience. This expression has the perfumy elements of Glenfarclas, the polished wood tables, etc., but the standard 15yo has a fuller, rounder flavour to offer.
Malt Mission #185
Malt Mission #187
Malt Mission #188
Malt Mission #189
Malt Mission #190
Malt Mission HOME
Bunnahabhain 1979 27yo
The Single Malts of Scotland
Islay Single Malt Whisky
46% abv
£55
Fifteen drams to the landmark Malt Mission #200. I still laugh when I look at older posts and remember how excited I was when I thought we would see Malt Mission #30. Thanks for helping me keep this going. And thanks for reading.
It's Friday. As of late last night I have three sets of mates in town. I have written about Bunnahabhain before and have nothing new to say today... well, there's always something. I am not sure if I have said this before but Bunnahabhain (the name of the town that sprung up around the distillery) means 'mouth of the river' but the distillery sources its (hard) water from Margadale spring.
For past posts and more info on Bunnahabhain see THIS. Other bottlings from The Single Malts of Scotland can be seen HERE.
TASTING NOTES:
Woody, oaky, even cedary. Oily undertones. Halloween candies, the caramel ones, perfect for late October. Fruit flavoured bubblegums. Quite restrained and not overly expressive. When I add water the aromas become more metholic with more synthetic sweetness.
Yummy mix of sweet and savoury erupts with energy, and is quite sexy overall. Fruit cup and Yorkshire pudding. Pepper, mint, and even wisps of peat. Lingering flavours of oatmeal raisin cookies, butter, and coal.
SUMMARY:
An oddball, but deliciously drinkable. And what a price for the age! But I do wish it would DO more. It seems to strike a few tasty notes and resonate, but without much flavour movement. Always fun to dig out some peatiness in a Bunnahabhain, too.
Malt Mission #181
Malt Mission #182
Malt Mission #183
Malt Mission #184
Malt Mission HOME
Bowmore 1985 21yo
The Single Malts of Scotland
Islay Single Malt Whisky
59% abv
£60
We have had a few drops from The Single Malts of Scotland on the mission (others can be seen here) and I am always interested to see what other treasures (or turds) Sukhinder and the team at Speciality Drinks/The Whisky Exchange have gotten their hands on. The Single Malts of Scotland range is seemingly ever expanding and the good news is I have a few more of their products lined up in the run-up to Malt Mission #200 and beyond. Good news for me, I suppose.
Bowmore is one of those distilleries that I have heard equal amounts of people commend and condemn. This sort of polarity of opinion is something I absolutely love about Scotch whisky. Sure, it's not for everyone, but also every one is not for everyone. What an incredibly diverse spirit.
After tasting two offerings from Bruichladdich this week, here is a distillery that actually condensed their standard line of releases. After a thorough review of their products and how they are sold, Bowmore redesigned their packaging in 2007 and actually reduced the number or expressions in their range. One thing their research showed them was that although Bowmore did brilliantly at Duty Free, they were suffering on bar shelves. The redesign of their packaging attempted to remedy this by eliminating the loops and swirls on the label and making the text for 'BOWMORE' clearer and more pronounced.
For more distillery info, or to see other Bowmores had on the mission, click HERE. Tasted with MC visiting from Canada. His impressions appear in quotes.
TASTING NOTES:
First nosing actually gets my tummy grumbling. Honey and butter on toast. Estery (crabapples and hard pears) and phenolic(sea salt, bacon, and smoke), with Bowmore smells of cleaning agents, this time countertop sprays. Chips n' vinegar, lime. Some smells of the forest, trees, oak, pine. "Mmm... I like nose."
Energetic and quite smoky. Again with the cleaning agents and medicinal notes so common to Bowmore. Peat and barley drive the flavours with some sweet honey and vanilla notes interwoven with other sweets, licorice, toffee, etc. "I want to say chicken, but it doesn't actually taste like chicken." You mean the salt and pepper, KFC type flavour, or... "No, it is more the way it FEELS. You know how chicken is flavourful but not heavy? Doesn't really make any sense. Don't write any of this. Stop typing!" Long perfumy finish with some sweetness, peat, ash, and medicinal creams. "Not a strong aftertaste but it's persistent, it really lingers."
SUMMARY:
"I like this whisky, there is a brief moment where it is bitter, not unpleasant, but, I dunno. I still like it."
21 years and 59% abv? Amazing to have remained so high AND to still be so pleasant on the nose and palate considering the high abv. Unique and unusual but has matured well and flavours all compliment eachother in a pretty pleasant balance. Price-wise, this beats the (old) propietary 21yo by about £100. Great whisky for turning-back-the-clock season.
Malt Mission #181
Malt Mission #182
Malt Mission #183
Malt Mission #185
Malt Mission HOME
