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“First Abhainn Dearg single malt. Promising whisky in a few years but right now is very immature ”
78
A little piece of whisky history here - the first legal single malt whisky made at the Abhainn Dearg (Red River) distillery in Uig on the Outer Hebridean Isle of Lewis.
Established in 2008, Abhainn Dearg is the most westerly distillery in Scotland.
And they have just released their single malt at a incredible retail price of £150. Looks like they are targeting their single malt to collectors instead of drinkers.
It isn't a bad whisky but it has still a long way to mature in the cask until it is a good one.
This dram has a white wine-like color.
Nose (75): more than average.
floral, fruits.
Very newmake even after 3 years.
Palate (79): dry, powerful.
many floral, honey, spices, pepper.
Slightly sharp. Maybe a few years more on the cask?
Finish (79): longer than average.
floral, licorice, spices.
So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Abhainn Dearg 2008 / First Bottling Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky with 78 points over 100.
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“Not bad at all for a Chivas whisky. I hope they didn't f*** it on the new version they released a few years ago”
87
The premium whisky from Chivas Regal Bros, this 18 years old blended scotch whisky has an important part of Laphroaig in the mix.
Premium aged mix of some of Scotland's finest whiskies with an above-average proportion of malt and an extended ageing period producing a truly fine blend.
There is a supermarket brand in Spain that is breaking the market by selling quality products at almost half the price of their competition: Mercadona.
Their technique consists on stocking only one store brand and just another brand at best for most products they have on the store so they have from bread, yogurts, ham, beer and of course scotch at prices that make other supermarkets looks like Harrods!
Well, to the point, they sold a brand of “scotch” whisky called John Cor, yep, the name of the monk who is know for the first written record of distillation of aqua vitae. The bottle of this whisky doesn’t say scotch at all now that I am reading at home and in fact it isn’t a scotch one as it is bottled at Spain… is it Scotch? Is is spanish? Fifty fifty. It is misleading at least because if it is spanish whisky all the label is written in english that not many people is able to understand here in Spain beyond the usual english words as “Sol”, “Paella” and “Playa”
Probably the malt whisky inside this come from Scotland and the rest of the grain whisky is from Jerez which has a strong tradition of distilling alcohol for brandies.
Well, what all the buzz is about? Well, Mercadona sells the 70cl bottle of this John Cor whisky for 4.85€, that are about £3.90. Yep! That’s less than four pounds for a full bottle of blended whisky.
You should know the fact that Spanish Taxes on alcohol are 2.7€ on a full bottle so the price of the whisky and the glass bottle is 2€ in fact. Can you get anything cheaper?
I have been told lots of time that it was a good whisky, that it was awesome for the price and all that bullshit. So I thought about tasting it, anyway I pay up to £30 for a 3cl sample… I can afford 4€ for a full bottle…
So here is the tasting note. Zero expectations before tasting it.
“Not that I was expecting a lot from this John Cor, but I expected a bit more. It is great for cleaning glass by the way”
78
Scotch blended whisky bottled in Spain.
John Cor is the name of the friar who recorded the first known written reference to a batch of Scotch Whisky on June 1, 1494.
“To Friar John Cor, by order of the King, to make aqua vitae VIII bolls of malt.” — Exchequer Rolls 1494–95, Vol x, p. 487.
This dram has a fino-like color.
Nose (79): average.
toffee, vanilla, floral, alcohol.
Lots of toffee and not much more here. Smells almost like caramel vodka.
So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this John Cor with 78 points over 100.
Maybe with ice and cola it is awesome, but doing it in the same way I do with the rest of whiskies John Cor is a mediocre blended whisky at best… unless you are really budget-constrained you should be drinking something better… afford yourself a luxury whisky such as DYC instead and do a favor to your liver.
Don’t worry for the rest of the bottle! It works great for cleaning glasses.
“The Highlands peat monster. Enormous Brora whisky!”
91
The latest Brora 30 years old is a very welcome return to form. Big and brooding, with a firm peppery, tweedy character and hints of coffee and dark chocolate.
Brora distillery is now closed and these are part of the last remaining stocks that Diageo releases yearly. Brora sunset began with the building of Clynelish just in front of them.
This scotch whisky has been bottled at cask strength.
This dram has a gold-like color.
Nose (91): more than average.
peat, wood, fruits, apricot, vanilla, floral.
“First class Glen Grant! Invest in yourself with this whisky.”
91
A very well-aged Glen Grant single malt whisky.
This was aged for 34 years in a refill hogshead before bottling in November of 2009 by Douglas Laing. A release of 278 bottles, distilled in April 1975.
A great example of what the Speyside style can achieve when aged in a traditional cask.
This dram has a amber-like color.
Nose (92): more than average.
honey, candies, floral, vanilla, spices, cinnamon.
Lovely! This is what you can expect from such old whisky.
“Interesting peated whisky from Compass Box. A bit over-spicy but nice.”
86
A miniature of the departed Eleuthera vatted malt from Compass Box.
This blended malt whisky is the father of Compass Box Peat Monster, a blend of Highland and Islay Single Malt Scotch whiskies that create this interesting dram.
This dram has a white wine-like color.
Nose (82): average.
a little peat, honey, spices, citrus, floral, wood.
“Quite an experience. Not sure what kind of sherry had the cask before because it was left just the slightlest aromas of nuts and powder. Boom Glen Grant!”
90
A beautifully dark whisky from Glen Grant bottled by Signatory.
This scotch whisky was distilled on the 17th March 1969 and matured for 40 years in a single cask, a fresh Oloroso sherry hogshead number 2016.
This single malt whisky was bottled at cask strength on the 14th September 2009. There are just 188 bottles of this!
A nice example of nice sulphured whisky. Excellent Glen Grant.
This dram has a old oak-like color.
Nose (89): average.
candies, spices, nuts, pepper, citrus, floral.
“Woody and like dust at first but then turns into a marvelous candies and flowers. Highly recommended. ”
90
A very limited release edition Auchentoshan 1975.
This has been aged for thirty-five years in bourbon casks before bottling. Just 500 bottles of this have been released, and the whisky is described as having a butterscotch and rum& raisin toffee character.
Marvelous candies and floral aromas in this Lowlands single malt whisky.
This dram has a amber-like color.
Nose (91): average.
candies, floral, vanilla, citrus, cinnamon, wood.
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