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“Because you can't buy happiness... but you can buy whisky and that's pretty much the same thing”

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Tasting Hennessy Fine De Cognac

By Miguel in Tasting , Hennessy

“Lots of sugar inside this one, but it works well on the beverage”

86
Hennessy Fine de Cognac
A VSOP style blend of around sixty eaux-de-vie aged between four and ten years, this is a stylish cognac equally at home in a quality cocktail or as a digestif. Excellent value for money.

This dram has a cooper-like color.

Nose (87): average. sweet, lemon zest, citrus, spices, ginger. Very interesting

Palate (86): powerful. lemon zest, caramel, spices, floral, grapes, pepper. Tastes very much like a rum.

Finish (86): longer than average. honey, burnt sugar, lemon zest.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Hennessy Fine de Cognac with 86 points over 100.

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Hakushu 12 years old: Suntory peated Single Malt Whisky

By Miguel in Tasting , Hakushu

“Nice but a hell more subtle than Yamazaki. Although Hakushu single malt is supposed to be peated I get no peat on this one”

89
Hakushu 12 year
A perennial favourite and a must-try for anyone interested in discovering Japanese whisky. Hakushu is owned by Suntory, founders of the first Japanese distillery, Yamazaki. The original Hakushu distillery was built in 1973, with another distillery building called Hakushu Higashi (west) added in 1981.

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (89): more than average. honey, floral, citrus, peat, wax. Interesting but more subtle than Yamazaki.

Palate (89): powerful, oily. honey, floral, wood, spices, pepper, vanilla, smoke, citrus. Nice. Really complex taste.

Finish (89): longer than average. honey, citrus.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Hakushu 12 year with 89 points over 100.

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Chivas Regal 25 years old: simply fantastic

By Miguel in Tasting , Chivas

“Maybe the best Chivas whisky I have ever had! No, I am serious... this stuff is really awesome”

91
Chivas Regal 25 year
The exclusive new Chivas Regal 25 pays homage to the first ever Chivas Regal blend.

This first Chivas whisky was also a 25 Year Old whisky, which was shipped from Aberdeen, Scotland to New York in 1909 to satisfy the sophisticated palate of American high society. It quickly became the most talked about tipple of distinguished Americans and developed into a global icon.

You are paying a hell more than the whisky is worth just to the beautiful bottle and the awesome box but who can say no to this?!

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (91): more than average. honey, citrus, floral, smoke, vanilla.

Palate (92): powerful, oily. honey, oranges, citrus, floral, vanilla, smoke, pepper.

Finish (90): longer than average. honey, peat, vanilla.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Chivas Regal 25 year with 91 points over 100.

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Bunnahabhain 25 years old: Tasting perfection

By Miguel in Tasting , Bunnahabhain

I tasted this Single Malt whisky from Bunnahabhain The Whisky Show 2012 in London just after tasting a nice 18 years old sherry monster and close before tasting the amazing new Bunnahabhain 40 years old.

“Marvelous! One of the best Bunnahabhain single malts I have had”

92
Bunnahabhain 25 Year Old
Bunnahabhain 25 year old is delivered in the smoked oak glass bottle but its labelling is on aged parchment and it finds its bed in an Alder wooden box lined with Hessian and closed with solid brass fittings.

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (92): more than average. honey, smoke, citrus, floral, spices, vanilla.

Palate (92): powerful, oily. honey, peat, fruity, citrus, salt, wood, cinnamon.

Finish (92): longer than average. honey, salt, citrus.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Bunnahabhain 25 Year Old with 92 points over 100.

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Teerenpeli 8 years old: Promising whisky from frozen North

By Miguel in Tasting , Teerenpeli

“Interesting and promising single malt from Finland. It tastes a bit young but it is already a good whisky.”

86
Teerenpeli
Teerenpeli distillery was founded in 2002 at the brewery of the same name in Lahti, Finland, and the name means 'flirtation' or 'dalliance'. We tried this 8yo at Whisky Live and were knocked out at how balanced and tasty it was - this is a very well-made whisky and is destined to be a huge hit.

This dram has a fino-like color.

Nose (86): more than average. honey, herbs, pepper, citrus. Slightly newmake but still nice.

Palate (87): powerful. honey, pepper, ripe fruits, floral, mineral.

Finish (85): average. honey, mineral, floral.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Teerenpeli with 86 points over 100.

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Ballantine 30 years old: Subtle maturity

By Miguel in Tasting , Ballantine's

“Some persons would say this whisky is subtle... I say unimpressive. If I spend £180 in a whisky I expect much more”

89
Ballantines 30 Year Old
75cl / 43% - This is the oldest in the Ballantine's range of quality aged Scotch Whiskies and is available only in very limited quantities.

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (88): more than average. honey, vanilla, citrus, pepper. This Ballantine's doesn't smell like 30 years old

Palate (89): smooth. honey, pepper, citrus, vanilla, liquorice, wood.

Finish (89): average. honey, pepper, floral.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Ballantines 30 Year Old with 89 points over 100.

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Caperdonich 17 years old The Rare Cask Series

By Miguel in Tasting , Caperdonich

A few weeks ago Abbey Whisky, a family run business founded in 2008 specialises in exclusive, rare and old whiskies, sent me a sample of Caperdonich 17 years old of their Rare Casks series.

This Caperdonich was distilled in 1995, just a few years was mothballed in 2002 by Pernod Ricard close after being sold by Seagram to them one year before. Will we see once again Caperdonich distilling whisky? Johannes from Malt Madness explain why it isn’t likely to happen:

“Pernod Ricard closed the distillery one year later in 2002, together with three of its sister distilleries; Alt A’ Bhainne, Braeval (Braes of Glenlivet) and Benriach. At the end of the decennium Caperdonich was the only distillery from this group that hadn’t been reopened yet. The longer a whisky distillery remains inactive, the higher the costs of making it operational again. This sad fact makes it
ever more unlikely that the Caperdonich distillery will ever be reopened again.

Another reason that the resurrection of Caperdonich is unlikely, is the reputation of the whisky that is distilled there. Like the original name ‘Glen Grant Number Two’ and the famous ‘whisky pipe’ that ran between Capedonich and Glen Grant suggest, Caperdonich was intended more like a production expansion for Glen Grant, and not so much as a brand new malt whisky distillery.”

Anyway, while there are stills, there is hope! Enough history for today, let’s taste this whisky.

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Tasting Karuizawa Spirit of Asama

By Miguel in Tasting , Karuizawa

This one is another crack that I tasted in my last visit to London and it was also my first Karuizawa. Keep in mind that there is three different bottles of this one around: an Asama 46%, Asama 48% and an Asama 55%. I tasted the 48% abv bottling.

So the whisky. This one is a vatting of several Karuizawa casks distilled between 1999 and 2000, so 12 years old Karuizawa for £60… it could be worse.

“Impressive sherried Japanese legend. The cask strength version must be scary!”

89
Karuizawa Spirit of Asama / 48% Japanese Single Malt Whisky
A TWE exclusive release of Karuizawa, a vatting of about 70 casks bottled at 48% to produce a well rounded and affordable example of the distillery's character.

This dram has a cooper-like color.

Nose (89): more than average. honey, nuts, citrus.

Palate (89): powerful, oily. honey, nuts, cocoa, raisins, chocolate, leather. Massive sherried whisky

Finish (90): longer than average. nuts, citrus.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Karuizawa Spirit of Asama / 48% Japanese Single Malt Whisky with 89 points over 100.

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Carsebridge 45 years old Clan Denny: Bottled Scotland's history

By Miguel in Tasting , Carsebridge

I tasted this single grain whisky with Fred Laing at The Whisky Show 2012 in London and so transcendental the experience was that I had to buy a bottle for myself.

If you have never tasted any Clan Denny Single grain you really should. It is still fairly priced and shows awesome complexity of very old whisky.

“Mindblowing! Best whisky so far that I have tasted at TWE Whisky Show. Just ordered one”

93
Carsebridge 1965 / 45 Year Old / Clan Denny Single Grain Scotch Whisky
70cl / 44.7% / Clan Denny - A 1965 vintage grain whisky bottled by the grain lovers at Clan Denny. This matured for 45 years and lasted longer than the Carsebridge distillery, which was one of the many distilleries mothballed in 1983 and was dismantled in the early 1990s.

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (92): strong. honey, corn, vanilla, wood, flowers, parma violets.

Palate (93): dry, powerful. honey, flowers, candies, vanilla, wood.

Finish (93): longer than average. honey, corn, flowers.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Carsebridge 1965 / 45 Year Old / Clan Denny Single Grain Scotch Whisky with 93 points over 100.

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Big Peat Christmas Edition 2012: Ardbeg, Port Ellen, Caol Ila and Bowmore inside

By Miguel in Tasting , Douglas Laing

“Oh my! Oh my! This is true! This is Big Peat! I love it! Just ordered one. Winter is coming!”

91
Big Peat Blended Malt / Christmas Edition 2012 Blended Whisky
A special Christmas edition of Big Peat Islay blended malt whisky. Big Peat is made by vatting whisky from only Islay distilleries: Ardbeg, Bowmore and Port Ellen inside this one.

This special edition has been bottled at Cask Strength and has had its label and presentation tube festively redesigned.

This dram has a white wine-like color.

Nose (91): strong. peat, honey, citrus, vanilla, earth, coffee.

Palate (91): powerful, oily. peat, honey, citrus, earth, coffee.

Finish (91): longer than average. peat, pepper, honey.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Big Peat Blended Malt / Christmas Edition 2012 Blended Whisky with 91 points over 100.

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