A Wardrobe of Whisky

Glenlivet #Alpha Tweet Tasting

Miguel — Fri, 17 May 2013 08:49:16 +0000

Hello there,
Yesterday, we had another great tweet tasting with The Glenlivet and Steve from The Whisky Wire. To be honest I were not going to apply to this tasting because I had already tasted the Glenlivet 12, 15 and 18 ( oops, looks like I didn’t taste it ) and although Alpha was somewhat appealing I though I was just a marketing move.

But I was offered a seat and who of you would reject free whisky, and what the hell, I really want to revisit the Glenlivet range. After touching the miniature of Alpha I started to get excited about the idea of such a mysterious whisky label and I have ordered one full-bottle for myself ( The Whisky Exchange is still stocking Alpha. One per client. )

So there I was with great whisky people and @The_Glenlivet to taste four Glenlivet whiskies: 12, 15, 18 years old and their latest addition Alpha.
There were so many people on the tweet tasting that it was really hard to drink, write and keep updated on the tasting.

It was a fantastic chance to revisit the good old Glenlivet 12 years old. I remember tasting it a few years ago and I wasn’t very impressed with it but on the other hand the 15 years old was much better ( different others say ).

So, the whiskies…

The Glenlivet 12 years old

Ok, first dram of the night. The entry level bottling of Glenlivet, this 12 years old malt could pass as a very good blended whisky. I really love the way it smells, of vanilla and fruits: like ripe pears, although everyone else says it smells of apples
Also it has a lovely touch of sherry on the palate, not much, just the tinyest hint of it.

“Light vanilla and toffee draqm with the tinyest aroma of sherry on the palate. Not bad at all, I like it”

One of the most famous malts in the world. A soft smooth balance of sweet summer fruits and the floral notes of spring flowers.

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (88): more than average. honey, vanilla, citrus, spices, ripe pears.

Palate (86): light, smooth. honey, malt, vanilla, spices, candies, tobacco, wood.

Finish (87): longer than average. honey, wood, vanilla.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Glenlivet 12 year with 87 points over 100.

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The Glenlivet 15 years old

This second dram is a different beast, a better nose, more complex with lots of fruits and spices. If the palate would have been a bit more complex,…

“A nice step over the basic 12 years old Glenlivet and a great nose but the palate is a bit flat, maybe it it were more complex...”

A cut above the standard-issue 12yo, Glenlivet 15yo is finished, as the name suggests, in Limousin French Oak (the same kind that is used for many cognacs).

This dram has a amber-like color.

Nose (90): average. honey, vanilla, malt, peaches, apples, toffeem spices.

Palate (88): powerful, oily. honey, spices, wood, cinnamon, floral, citrus.

Finish (87): longer than average. honey, citrus, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Glenlivet 15 Year Old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisk with 88 points over 100.

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The Glenlivet 18 years old

Woo! Things are getting serious. I though I have tasted this 18 years old before but looks like it is my first time…, so familiar anyway. All the three drams so far has Glenlivet footprint on them.

“Serious stuff! Grade A whisky. Lovely nutty character with a sweet oak scense. A classic”

70cl / 43% / Distillery Bottling - A malt whisky of unmistakable honey-rich maturity and depth. Glenlivet 18yo is the winner of 2 gold medals in the International Wine and Spirit Competition (I.W.S.C.) and remains one of the best-value expressions of sherried Speyside.

This dram has a amber-like color.

Nose (90): more than average. honey, candies, vanilla, spices, cinnamon, toffee.

Palate (90): powerful, oily. honey, wood, citrus, vanilla, spices, nuts.

Finish (90): longer than average. honey, nuts, wood.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this The Glenlivet 18 Year Old with 90 points over 100.

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Without being something awesome this 18 years old is pretty impressive with a great nose for a 18 years old whisky with lots of spices and toffee.

The Glenlivet Alpha

And finally, after so much expectation here it is Alpha. The premise with Alpha is that Glenlivet launched a single malt whisky bottled at 50% ABV and without any more information: nor color, nor tasting notes, nothing.

This whisky has done a lot of buzz around the blogsphere because people found it too polemical. Selling a whisky, and for a good big bill, without explaining anything at all. I have to say that the £100 pricetag is quite step, but anyway I bought one. My view on this is that Glenlivet must have bottled something fantastic here to dare selling it with no information because if in the end the whisky isn’t so good all the PR Campaign will backfire on them…still £100….

Also I realized that in fact most of the whiskies that I bought have been done in much the pretty same way: blind. No color, no tasting notes. Just age was there to give a little clue. Anyway, the whisky…

“Yep! I knew it! I got a good whisky! Does it worth £100? Not sure, but it is a great Glenlivet”

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (91): more than average. honey, citrus, orange, fruits, mango, vanilla, spices, cinnamon, smoke.

Palate (91): powerful, oily. honey, spices, cinnamon, wood, liquorice, citrus, nuts.

Finish (91): longer than average. honey, spices, cinnamon, wood.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this The Glenlivet Alpha with 91 points over 100.

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Miguel says…

It has been a great tasting. I have to say that I really haven’t enjoyed the three first Glenlivet as I should just because my mind was on the Alpha stuff. Anyway, it has been a real pleasure to retaste 12 years old and discover the magnifique Glenlivet 18 years old, a good old whisky with still a decent price.

So what I think of Alpha? Well, I bought a bottle much as a bet that they have bottled something awesome here and I think they have really done it… still £100 for a 15-17 years old ( my guess! ) whisky bottled at 50% ABV is a big step but if it works for Highland Park, Macallan or Bruichladdich why not for the Glenlivet.

What do you think of all this premiumnisation of whisky and their limited releases? Have you bought any of late?

Ardbog: Tasting the newest Ardbeg Whisky

Miguel — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:55:20 +0000

I am a huge fan of Ardbeg since the moment I tasted for first time their 10 years old whisky. I love so much the peat, the honey and the motor aromas that I always have two bottles of Ardbeg around: one of 10 years old and one of Uigeidail when I need a bit more of peat-power.

So there I was at home when the whisky fairy knocked on my door and let a big envelop from Glenmorangie. Umm, could it be… Woof! Woof!

Right! This is Ardbog! The latest whisky from my beloved Ardbeg to celebrate with all their fans worldwide the Ardbog Day on June, 1st 2013. With the whisky comes also a coin that features ~~Jackie~~Shortie on one side and a boat with many rowers on the other side. A delightful allegory of the hordes of fans that will travel to Islay to enjoy Feis Ile festival.

So, the whisky.

This Ardbog is a single malt whisky bottled at cask strength ( right? ) at 52.1% ABV and it is a blend of 10 years old Manzanilla cask aged Ardbeg with a 10 years old ex-bourbon cask Ardbeg whisky.
Manzanilla is a kind of sherry wine created exclusively at Sanlucar de Barrameda, Cadiz and it is very similar to Fino ( like Tio Pepe ). The main difference is that Manzanilla is slightly lighter and more salty than Fino sherries.

It is a slightly different concept to Ardbeg Galileo that was finished in marsala wine casks while Ardbog is completely aged in the sherry cask.

“Fantastic! Can I say that this Ardbeg is even better than Galileo? This have all the delicious aroma of Ardbeg at cask strength with a wonderful touch of sweet almonds”

Launched to celebrate Ardbeg Day on June, 1st 2013.

It is a cask strength Ardbeg aged in Manzanilla Sherry Cask for ten years and blended with 10 years old Ardbeg aged in Bourbon casks. The result is a wonderful dram that will delight Ardbeg fans worldwide.

This dram has a cooper-like color.

Nose (92): more than average. peat, honey, citrus, wood, almonds, cinnamon, vanilla, coffee. Quite fantastic Ardbeg. Lovely nose.

Palate (93): powerful, oily. peat, honey, earth, citrus, spices, wood, almonds.

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

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Ardbeg Ardbog with 92 points over 100.

Miguel says…

First of all a big Woof! Woof!, I mean Thank you, to Ardbeg Distillery for this sample, and second a bigger even Woof! to them for creating a fantastic whisky.

To be clear and sincere, I were going to buy it no matter how good it was but now that I know how fantastic it is I just can’t wait for June, 1st.

Viva Mexico! My first Tequila roundup

Miguel — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:03:59 +0000

Hello Amigos!,

Barely a month ago I drank an ice-cold Tequila Sunrise after lunch, and so impressed I was that I decided I had to learn more about Tequila. So here it is this huge ( and I mean HUGE! ) article about Tequila, Mezcal and Mexico. I have tasted twenty tequilas for the occasion and to my surprise ( and your perhaps ) I have tasted one better than many Scotch whiskies I have tried in the last three years.

So, click play on the video to get the spirit into you and keep reading with me.

So, what the hell is Tequila? Point one, forget any stuff that you have previously drank and made you unconscious.

Tequila is a spirit distilled from particular type of cactus called agave ( in fact it is distilled from a single agave type called Blue Agave Tequilana ) and much like brandy two different styles of tequilas depending on their origin:

Tequila that is the beverage that contains at least 51% of agave juice and the rest are other sugars ( from other grains like corn or malt )
100% Tequila that is composed completely of agave juice.

Each of these two types can be found on the next classification:

Blanco, unaged, plata, White are tequilas that haven’t touch any barrel, straight from the still.
Joven, Oro, Gold are tequilas with a part of añejo or reposado tequilas and blended with tequila blanco.
Reposado are tequilas aged from 2 months up to 1 year in oak casks.
Añejo are tequilas aged from 1 year up to 3 years in oak casks
Extra Añejo or Ultra aged are tequilas aged for more than three years ( and here is where the fantastic stuff is )

The younger the product the more “raw” and “newmake-like” it is. So if you happen not to enjoy new make or moonshine as I do, get a Tequila Añejo or older. Anyway, I have to say that I have enjoyed some of the Blanco Tequilas but most of them are too raw for me.

How Tequila is made

So where tequila comes from? Tequila is a distilled beverage made from the fermeted juice, ~~also known as pulque~~, of the Blue Agave, mainly around the city of Tequila in Jalisco, Mexico.
Pulque is made using a different variety of Agave but never using blue agave.

Tequila is made in a quite different way of whisky. There are several step in the process

Planting and harvesting Agave

The Blue Agave has to be planted around twelve years before the harvest so it has time to grow. When the agave is ready, a jimador will cut the plant and remove all but the core that weight around 80-90 kg. That is what will be used for tequila and it is called piña, spanish word for pineapple.

Cooking the piña

Then the piña is cut in halves and cooked in huge ovens so the starches turns into sugar that will be later fermented into alcohol.

Mezcal is done much like Tequila but using different kind of agave and as the result of the different way of extracting sugars from the piña, it is a smoky spirit, think of it as an Islay Tequila , and it is because the agave is cooked in a huge pit like a barbecue.

The resulting product is milled and mixed with hot water.

This step is much like the process than happens on the washback of scotch whisky.

Fermentation

The agave juice is the either send to the fermentation tanks or mixed with other sugars and send to the fermentation tanks. 100% Agave Tequila contains only juices from Agave piñas.

Then the yeast works on the liquid and a slightly alcoholic “beer” appears. Sounds familiar?

Distillation

Not much is talked about the still but for what I have seen several producers uses column stills to get the tequila and it is distilled always at least two times with some craftwers going to three or four distillations. The photo above features a double distillation pot stills system, much like scotch.

Aging

Tequila is aged in oak casks, most of them coming from the huge bourbon industry of the United. So white oak is the most common type of casks. Usually tequila is sold unaged or aged for up to a year. Lately it has entered into the premiumisation of the product and it is aged for more than three years and the result are drams that can rival with best scotch whiskies ( to my amazement! ).

The Whiskies, erm, I mean, the Tequilas

Enough chit-chat, lets taste the product. I have tasted all of them straight, with no water added and in the same glasses that I enjoy whisky.

By the way, as usual, I have tasted the following tequila without knowing the name or the brand or the alcohol abv.

Sauza Tres Generaciones Silver Tequila

“Very newmake like ( what the hell was I expecting!? ) with a nice liquorice notes.”

70cl / 38% - A triple distilled premium tequila from the folks at Sauza, named for the three generations of their family who have been crafting their tequila since 1873.

This dram has a white-like color.

Nose (69): average. floral, citrus, potatoes, spicy, pepper. It feels very newmake like.

Palate (70): powerful, oily. floral, spicy, liquorice, citrus, pepper.

Finish (70): average. citrus, liquorice, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Sauza Tres Generaciones Plata (Silver) Tequila with 70 points over 100.

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Mano Negra Espadin

“More spicy and with a more cactus-aromas than Tequila. I like this style of Mezcal”

This dram has a white-like color.

Nose (70): more than average. floral, spices, cinnamon, citrus, alcohol.

Palate (73): powerful, oily. honey, citrus, spices, floral, cinnamon, cactus.

Finish (74): longer than average. honey, spices, floral.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Mano Negra Espadin with 72 points over 100.

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Don Julio Blanco Tequila

“Good tequila with a good amount of agave aromas as well as candies”

70cl / 38%

This dram has a white-like color.

Nose (71): more than average. floral, citrus, spices, candies, potatoes.

Palate (72): smooth, oily. citrus, floral, potatoes, spices, candies, liquorice.

Finish (73): longer than average. honey, citrus, agave.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Don Julio Blanco Tequila with 72 points over 100.

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Tequila Chamucos Blanco

“Great tequila. Lots of floral and agave aromas on this one”

70cl / 40% - Chamucos, which means devil or demon in Mexico, is made from 100% Weber Blue Agave under the watchful eye of master distiller Wilfirdo Ortega Casas. A number of techniques are applied to bring the best out of these Agave plants including"playing Classical music during distillation".

This dram has a white-like color.

Nose (70): more than average. citrus, floral, potatoes, honey, rosemary.

Palate (76): powerful, oily. honey, spicy, citrus, liquorice, pepper, agave.

Finish (73): longer than average. honey, agave, liquorice.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Tequila Chamucos Blanco with 73 points over 100.

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Clase Azul Plata

“Something quite special. A sweet white tequila... I like it”

Tequila Clase Azul Plata contains organic agaves that have matured for at least nine years, slow cooking of the agave hearts in traditional ovens, fermentation using the company's secret combination of yeasts, careful distillation to ensure the highest quality possible, water refined in a five steps process and triple tequila filtration to ensure superior quality.

Clase Azul is bottled in unique decanters that are hand-made in local communities.

This dram has a white-like color.

Nose (70): average. citrus, floral, spices, toffee.

Palate (73): smooth, oily. honey, floral, agave, spices, wood. Sweet! This id First sweet tequila that I have tasted.

Finish (73): average. honey, agave, floral.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Clase Azul Plata with 72 points over 100.

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Sombra

“Quite strange stuff! If Balcones Brimstone ever reincarnate into Tequila it would be like Sombra”

This dram has a white-like color.

Nose (68): average. floral, smoke, citrus, leather, plastic. It smells like an smoke cheap plastic leather-imitation shoes.

Palate (71): powerful, oily. citrus, smoke, floral, spices, agave.

Finish (70): average. smoke, citrus.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Sombra with 70 points over 100.

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Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia Tequila

“Good tequila with a fruity and toffee touch. Interesting I say”

70cl / 40%

This dram has a -like color.

Nose (71): more than average. citrus, floral, agave, pineapple, toffee.

Palate (72): powerful, oily. floral, citrus, spices, pepper, agave.

Finish (71): average. honey, citrus, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia Platino Tequila with 71 points over 100.

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Siete Leguas Tequila Añejo

“Not very different from unaged tequila... slightly more sweet and with a more bold agave aroma character. Not bad”

70cl / 38% - A truly excellent 100% agave anejo aged for 18 months. Full-bodied, dense and complex with really authentic spicy agave character and persistent sweet oak notes. Pretty glorious stuff.

This dram has a white wine-like color.

Nose (73): average. citrus, agave, spices, floral, vanilla.

Palate (74): light, smooth. honey, citrus, agave, floral, wood, spices, pepper.

Finish (73): average. honey, citrus, agave.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Siete Leguas Anejo Tequila with 73 points over 100.

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Two Fingers Gold Tequila

“No! I will have to use two fingers to remove this beverage from my body”

This dram has a white wine-like color.

Nose (73): average. citrus, spices, agave, floral, spices.

Palate (68): powerful, oily. agave, citrus, spices, pepper, floral, wet.

Finish (68): longer than average. agave, citrus.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Two Fingers Gold Tequila with 70 points over 100.

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Herradura Tequila Añejo

“That's good stuff hermano! Like proper Mexican Scotch! Thumbs up!”

70cl / 40% - Highly-regarded by aficionados worldwide, this wonderful anejo has a beautiful pale gold colour, and a deliciously smooth, sophisticated palate.

This dram has a fino-like color.

Nose (83): more than average. honey, agave, vanilla, floral, candies. That's something completely different to the rest of Tequilas I have tasted so far.

Palate (83): powerful. honey, floral, citrus, agave, vanilla, spices.

Finish (84): average. honey, vanilla, agave.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Herradura Anejo Tequila with 83 points over 100.

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Corralejo Tequila Reposado

“Not bad but it really doesn't depart in a significative way of the unaged tequilas”

This dram has a white wine-like color.

Nose (76): more than average. agave, spices, citrus, floral.

Palate (76): light, smooth. honey, agave, citrus, floral, spices, vanilla.

Finish (73): short. honey, citrus, agave.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Corralejo Reposado Tequila with 75 points over 100.

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Sauza Tres Generaciones Tequila Añejo

“Simply great! A delightful sipping Tequila. I love how it smells...”

70cl / 38% - Sauza's flagship brand, commemorating three generations of family control since the foundation of the company in 1873 and representing the pinnacle of the distiller's achievement.

This dram has a fino-like color.

Nose (80): more than average. Floral, candies, soap, agave, vanilla, honey, wood. Something quite special. Really. Some would say this is FWP Soap, but I love it.

Palate (90): powerful, oily. honey, candies, spices, agave, vanilla, pepper, wood.

Finish (88): longer than average. honey, agave, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Sauza Tres Generaciones Añejo Tequila with 86 points over 100.

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Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia Tequila

“Oh my! Oh my! This is the most mindblowing Tequila I have ever tasted. I, Must, Buy, it!”

70cl / 38% - A really sumptuous anejo taken, as the name suggests, from the private stocks of the Cuervo family. This tequila has been aged five years for exceptional smoothness.

This dram has a cooper-like color.

Nose (92): more than average. honey, wood, floral, citrus, vanilla, agave. I swear this tequila smells like a very old grain whisky

Palate (91): dry, powerful, oily. honey, agave, wood, vanilla, spices, cinnamon, citrus.

Finish (91): longer than average. honey, agave, citrus, wood.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia Tequila with 91 points over 100.

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Patron Tequila Añejo

“SLightly light for an Añejo tequila but still interesting. It reminds me of a floral light blended whisky”

70cl / 40% - A quality tequila from the well-known Patron brand, this super-premium anejo has made a big hit in top-end bars across the UK. Long-time fans of this tequila should check out Siete Leguas.

This dram has a fino-like color.

Nose (82): more than average. honey, agave, citrus, spices.

Palate (81): powerful, oily. honey, candies, agave, spices, citrus, liquorice.

Finish (80): no finish. honey, citrus, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Patron Anejo Tequila with 81 points over 100.

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Hacienda de Chihuahua Sotol Reposado

“It is a hell more herbal and floral than tequila with almost no aromas of agave. Not my kind of dram”

It is blanco that has been kept (or rested) in white oak casks or vats called "pipones" for more than two months and up to one year. The oak barrels give reposado a mellowed taste, pleasing bouquet, and its pale colour.

Reposado keeps the blue agave taste and is gentler to the palate.

This dram has a white wine-like color.

Nose (72): more than average. citrus, floral, herbal, honey.

Palate (73): powerful, oily. herbal, citrus, agave, spices, pepper.

Finish (70): average. herbal, citrus.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Hacienda de Chihuahua Sotol Reposado with 72 points over 100.

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Jose Cuervo Especial Gold Tequila

“Not bad at all. Good agave aromas with lots of wood and spices for such young spirit”

Jose Cuervo Especial gets its distinctive golden colour and smooth mellow taste from resting in oak casks. Drink neat, on the rocks or as a base for a superior Margarita.

This dram has a fino-like color.

Nose (79): more than average. agave, honey, spices, citrus, wood.

Palate (80): smooth, oily. honey, agave, wood, citrus, spices.

Finish (78): average. honey, wood, agave.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Jose Cuervo Especial Gold Tequila with 79 points over 100.

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La Penca Mezcal

What the fuck! I have just realized that I tasted a tequila with worms inside. That’s definitively a point down for blind tastings… I will keep this in mind for future bizarre stuff tastings.

“Quite interesting. Herbal, with notes of agave and smoke”

This dram has a white wine-like color.

Nose (79): more than average. honey, agave, citrus.

Palate (78): powerful, oily. honey, agave, smoke, citrus, wood.

Finish (78): average. honey, smoke, herbs.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this La Penca Mezcal (with worm!) with 78 points over 100.

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Clase Azul Tequila Reposado

“Wonderful tequila! A great dram with lots of delicious aromas of candies and agave. Must have”

An ultra premium Tequila from the Jesus Maria region of Jalisco, Clase Azul is a 100% agave Tequila aged for a minimum of 8 months before bottling in a hand painted Talavera carafe.

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (78): more than average. agave, wood, citrus, floral, spices.

Palate (88): powerful, oily. honey, agave, candies, vanilla, wood, spices, cinnamon.

Finish (85): longer than average. candies, agave, wood.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Clase Azul Reposado with 84 points over 100.

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Ocho Tequila Curado

“Quite powerful flavour on this dram. A good sensible option for aged tequilas”

It is rare in this industry that a totally new concept is launched, and the legendary Tomas Estes has done just that with an infusion of 100% agave Ocho Blanco tequila with pure cooked agave fibres.

This dram has a fino-like color.

Nose (79): average. agave, citrus, honey, spices.

Palate (82): powerful, oily. agave, spices, honey, wood, citrus, herbal.

Finish (80): longer than average. agave, honey, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Ocho Curado Tequila with 80 points over 100.

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Herradura Tequila Reposado

“The Herradura Añejo is so much better... this one is lighter and the agave profile isn't as bold as other Reposado tequilas I have had”

70cl / 40% - Aged for 11 months (just one month short of being classed as an anejo), Herradura claim to be the first company to age their tequilas in wood, making this the first ever reposado. Superbly integrated flavours.

This dram has a fino-like color.

Nose (75): average. .

Palate (78): powerful, oily. honey, floral, agave, liquorice, spices.

Finish (77): longer than average. agave, floral, honey.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Herradura Reposado Tequila with 77 points over 100.

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Miguel says…

A real surprise! I had in my mind tequila as an inferior beverage that gave you headaches but I have discovered a wonderful spirit, even in the unaged variants ( of which I am no fan ). I wanted to buy a Tequila for my Margaritas and my Tequila Sunrise so I finally opted for Herradura Reposado ( although I have to say that I though I was buying the Añejo bottle ) because a full bottle was in offer for £15.

Another huge surprise has been the Mezcal stuff, I didn’t even know what it was. If an Islay whisky ever has sex with a Tequila, it would be Mezcal the result. Smoky drams with lots of barbecue notes. Quite surprising and interesting, unfortunately if you think whisky prices are nut just wait to see how much you will have to pay for mezcal.

This month I have really run out of whisky ( or other alcohol money ) with my acquisition of Glenlivet Alpha and my new hobby, LEGO, but next month I plan to buy a bottle of Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia, a real cracker!.

That’s all by now folks.

PS: A huge thanks to Rubén Ubric of Casa Tequilera Azteca for the corrections on the process of making Tequila and its differences with Mezcal

WTF 004: The Older, the Better, right?

Miguel — Thu, 09 May 2013 06:52:05 +0000

Hello friends,

Welcome to another blind tasting session with lots of interesting surprises. Three really old whiskies followed by two new whiskies introduced recently. This is exactly the other way round I like to do tastings but surprisingly I was shockingly impressed with the little ones

So, in case you missed it, WFT Tasting sessions ( like this and this one ) is just a way to force myself into tasting stuff that I wouldn’t otherwise… I love young peated whiskies, mid age sherried monsters and those lovely very old bourbon cask matured whiskies. So I tend to taste more of this stuff and less of other proposal that are quite interesting but go under my radar.

Soooo, worry no more. I just introduced my hand blindly on the samples’ box and grabbed four or five random, and I mean random!, samples of whisky, bourbon, rum, vodka… Life is like a chocolate box, you never know what you are gonna get.

So, the whiskies…

The Glenrothes 25 years old

Definitively this one is an Speysider, lots of oranges, maybe Dalmore, maybe Macallan? But no, it was a Glenrothes. I am not particularly fond of this distillery, no idea why, but their whiskies doesn’t hit me usually. This one is on the other hand a quite interesting one, maybe the best I have tasted from Glenrothes.

“Quite nice! It is a light sherried whisky with notes of tobacco and vanilla. Quintessential Speyside if you ask me”

Previously a travel retail exclusive, Glenrothes 25 is a well aged example of the distillery's style - rich and fruity.

This dram has a cooper-like color.

Nose (90): more than average. honey, malt, citrus, vanilla, fruits, cinnamon, tobacco. Mid-age whisky, very powerful, fruity and lots of spices.

Palate (91): powerful, oily. honey, citrus, wood, cinnamon, vanilla, apples, tobacco.

Finish (90): longer than average. honey, tobacco, citrus.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Glenrothes 25 Year Old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky with 90 points over 100.

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North British 33 years old 1978 Rare Ault by Duncan Taylor

Umm, taste is a bit like bourbon? Maybe an old bourbon? I have to say that I didn’t see this one coming. It is quite interesting because it is fruity and old. Strange combination.

“North British isn't one of my favorites grain whiskies but this one is something quite different. Very fruity and interesting dram”

This dram has a white wine-like color.

Nose (86): average. honey, citrus, vanilla, floral, pepper, peaches. Quite fruity character.

Palate (88): powerful, oily. honey, wood, spices, corn, vanilla, pepper. Maybe is it a bourbon?

Finish (87): average. honey, fruits, melon, wood.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this North British 33 Year Old 1978 - Rare Auld (Duncan Taylor) with 87 points over 100.

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Glenglassaugh 1984 25 years old Sherry Butt #5362 Old Malt Cask

Lovely sherry character on this one. Like a watered down Aberlour A’bunadh but with lots of vanilla and spices notes. Haha! Not in a million years I would have said this was a Glenglassaugh. I have tasted a few whiskies from both periods ( before mothballing and after ) and all of them where quite floral with a very characteristic aroma. This dram don’t have it.

“It feels like a lighter Abunadh whisky...It isn't as overly floral as other Glenglassaugh whiskies I have had before. Quite a surprise. Impressive”

70cl / 50% / Douglas Laing - A sumptuous sherry cask from Glenglassaugh, distilled in 1984 and bottled by Douglas Laing for the Old Malt Cask series. Classic chocolate and golden syrup sherry style.

This dram has a mahogany-like color.

Nose (91): more than average. honey, nuts, tobacco, raisins, vanilla, spices, citrus. Great one!

Palate (90): smooth, powerful, oily. honey, nuts, vanilla, citrus, tobacco, wood, leather.

Finish (89): longer than average. honey, wood, leather.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Glenglassaugh 1984 / 25 Years Old / Sherry Butt #5362 Speyside Whisky with 90 points over 100.

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Glengoyne Cask Strength Batch 1

And then magic happens! I have just tasted a 25 years old great sherried whisky and this one smells too of sherry. But more subtle, but more delicate, more vanilla, more honey… oh my! This dram reminds me of Macallan so much… I really love it ( already added to the basket for next order ) but no, it is a Glengoyne Cask Strength. Love surprises!

“A first class sherried whisky. This Glengoyne is simply spectacular”

The first edition of Cask Strength Glengloyne after their 2012 rebranding, labelled with a Batch 1.

This dram has a amber-like color.

Nose (88): more than average. honey, citrus, malt, vanilla, spices, wood, apples.

Palate (90): powerful, oily. honey, nuts, leather, citrus, tobacco, vanilla. Macallan, is that you?

Finish (91): longer than average. honey, nuts, vanilla.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Glengoyne Cask Strength / Batch 1 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky with 90 points over 100.

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Kilchoman 2006 Vintage

And so, the last dram… umm, so light color… ummm, could it be… could it be! WTF! Bingo! Peated dram! There is no better way of ending this tasting that with this fantastic nose! Oh my! Welcome to Peat-radise!

“Lovely nose! So raw and delicate at the same time. I am quite a big fan of Kilchoman whiskies and this one doesn't disappoint at all”

A 2006 vintage Kilchoman bottled by the distillery. A special bottling this, as it's the first official release of five year old whisky, a significant landmark in their development as a young distillery.

This dram has a white wine-like color.

Nose (92): more than average. peat, honey, citrus, earth, vanilla. Lovely! Raw! Young! Delicate! Madness? So Ardbeg like...

Palate (89): smooth, oily. peat, honey, wood, earth, pepper, citrus.

Finish (89): longer than average. peat, wood, citrus.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Kilchoman 2006 Vintage with 90 points over 100.

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Miguel says…

Fantastic tasting!

It is like ending it with an awesome spectacle of fireworks! I love Kilchoman so much… and I have been wanting to taste the Glengoyne Cask Strength since I bought it. I really loved their old 10 years old ( or was 12 years old? ) Cask Strength whisky.

Small oak cask for whisky maturation: Second attempt

Miguel — Mon, 06 May 2013 08:04:43 +0000

The story of four litres of whisky, one American oak cask and a free morning.

If you read my previous post about this cask you know how it ended. If you don’t, I will try to be brief about it, I ~~fucked~~ spoiled two awesome Laphroaig 10 years old Cask Strength by ageing it a bit more of what it was needed.

So, now that you know where we came from, keep reading about what I did.

The cask, full of wine. Moscatel and Oloroso.
Everything perfect. Well, no. The wine tastes a lot of wood and Laphroaig, but it has imparted the wood the desired profile.

I forget about it for almost two years ( hehe! like those stunning press releases about old precious forgotten whiskies but this time for real) because I was so sad after the result that I couldn’t stand any longer the sight of the cask. A few weeks ago I just checked the cask and it was filled to about the half, so I topped it with more Fino sherry wine and decided to forget about it again…

But then I recalled how good was the Laphroaig after just two weeks and some chit chat that I have had with some whisky zealots and decided that this cask needed a refill and a second chance, well, not everyone deserves a second chance, just look at Jim Murray… he would keep naming Whisky of the Year to something that isn’t a whisky

I went and bought three bottles of the cheapest ~~vilest~~ whisky was able to get. For the information, I got two bottles of DYC, one bottle of John Cor and I topped it with Bell’s 8 years old and half a litre of raisins infused Grants whisky.

So first step was to empty the cask full of wine.

Glup!

Almost done!

And now Daddy’s secret recipe!

I will keep posting tasting notes as I mature the stuff, perhaps until it spoils again because too much wood influence.

And this was six months ago, so now I have on my desktop around twelve samples of the different stages of the whisky maturation. So, keep your eyes peeled about an upcoming article with the tasting notes.

Review of the new Big Peat Private Bottling

Miguel — Thu, 02 May 2013 09:37:14 +0000

Hello Peat fans!,

Douglas Laing was kind to send me a sample ( a very cool pen that my kids love ) of their newest Big Peat whisky, a Private Bottling limited to just 250 bottles.

If you recall, Big Peat is a vatted whisky made using Ardbeg, Bowmore, Caol Ila and Port Ellen single malt whiskies. They have an standard everyday bottle at 46% ABV and Douglas Laing releases yearly editions around Christmas bottled at cask strength.

This Private Bottling edition is bottled at 50% ABV which is a very interesting move over the crappy 40% ABV the industry usually works with. They have also made an stunning and quite different whisky bottle with this one, no more ruined corks

So, the whisky…

Big Peat Limited Edition Private Bottling

“This a mindblowing creation! Raw peat power along delicious notes of a well aged whisky. Must have!”

Bottled at 50% and with no chill-filtration, the result is an amplified phenolic and maritime quality on the nose, palate and finish. One sip of this special Small Batch edition transports the drinker to its magical home of Islay.

This dram has a white wine-like color.

Nose (92): more than average. peat, cereal, earth, honey, citrus, coffee. There is a good amoung of Ardbeg here and it is slightly older than other Big Peat whiskies I have tasted.

Palate (92): powerful, oily. peat, citrus, pepper, honey, spices, vanilla, coffee, chocolate.

Finish (92): longer than average. peat, earth, chocolate.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Big Peat Private Bottling with 92 points over 100.

Miguel says…

If you are anytime needed of delicious awesome peat, not just peat, just launch the Peat-signal and wait for Big Peat to rescue you. Amazing whisky and for just £29.95 a bottle.
You can only buy it by ordering online at Big Peat

Ardbeg Ardbog

Miguel — Wed, 01 May 2013 14:25:51 +0000

UPDATE: Read here Ardbog review

The Limited Edition Ardbog will be launched at Ardbeg Day (June 1^st). It is bottled at 52.1% ABV.

Dr Bill Lumsden, Director of Distillation and Whisky Creation at Ardbeg, explains:

“The overall combination of effects in Ardbog truly conjures up the impression of ancient, primeval, salty peat bogs, but reassuringly this is combined with some classic, intense Ardbeg notes of leather, toffee and smoke.

“As with all Ardbeg it is about getting the balance of many flavours right so others such as mocha coffee, cloves and even anchovies play their part!”

Ardbog is matured for ten years in traditional American oak ex-bourbon barrels and rare ex-Spanish Manzanilla sherry butts. This gives Ardbog a distinctively salty texture accentuating the salty, briny flavours already prevalent in the whisky.

“At its heart our hallmark smoky yet fruity and floral spirit has been matured in Spanish ex-Manzanilla sherry casks for ten years, which has then been wrapped with traditional Ardbeg of the same age that is matured in American ex-bourbon oak casks. The Manzanilla maturation weaves salty flavours through the whisky which is then balanced with the maple syrup creaminess of the first-fill ex-bourbon casks.”

I just hope it is not awfully expensive.

Older news about Ardbog

The rumours are true – the next limited edition launch from Ardbeg will be called Ardbog, to honour the peat bogs of our beloved Islay!
It’ll be launched on 1st June 2013, Ardbeg Day 2013, forthwith known as Ardbog Day.

Stay tuned for more info as it is released.

The Balkan Tiger and the Ardbeg's whispers

Miguel — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 06:11:02 +0000

Welcome to a new session of my random blind tastings! This one is WTF Tasting 003.

If you recall previous sessions, one of my biggest “problems” with whisky tasting was to make my mind to choose a set of drams to taste. I love peated whiskies and mid age sherried drams but once you start tasting one after the other it becomes a bit plain ( with great surprises from time to time )… so why not just add some spices into the mix?

WTF Whisky Tastings is just a new fun way of lowering my samples’ box level with a flight of four and five random drams taking blindly from the box.

So here are this week flight…

Balkan 176 Vodka

What the fuck! Bottled at 88% ABV this vodka is the most medicinal dram I have had. Do you want to supercharge your bloody mary? Use this!.

“This could save your life one day. There is no better disinfectant out there”

70cl / 88% - Balkan is the strongest vodka on the UK market at a whopping 88% ABV. As such it should never be drunk neat, but makes a great'super-charger' for vodka cocktails.

This dram has a white-like color.

Nose (50): weak. alcohol.

Palate (55): powerful, oily. alcohol, cream, citrus.

Finish (40): no finish. alcohol.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Balkan 176 Vodka with 48 points over 100.

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Compass Box Double Single 10^th anniversary

Compass Box whiskies are always delicious and this proposal is a Double Single, a blend of a single malt whisky and a single grain whisky.

“Tasty Compass Box whisky with a soft sherry character. A bit light nose but perfectly blended”

Blended Scotch Whisky Bottled by: Compass Box 70cl /53.3% Double Single 10th anniversary a unique blended whisky, constructed of one single malt and one single grain whisky, 76% Glen Elgin 18yo, with the remainder being 21 year old Port Dundas. with a yield of only 876 bottles.

This dram has a fino-like color.

Nose (86): average. honey, citrus, vanilla, spices, wood, plums.

Palate (89): powerful, oily. honey, citrus, spices, vanilla, wood, tobacco.

Finish (90): average. honey, tobacco, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Compass Box Double Single 10th Anniversary with 88 points over 100.

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Bunnahabhain 18 years old

I tasted this one at The Whisky Exchange Whisky Show and well, it is those kind of sherried drams that you don’t know what to make about. It is not bad at all, it is not awesome… just a decent sherried whisky that you won’t link to Islay at all.

“Nice sherry character on this Bunnahabhain. I tasted it at The Whisky Exchange Show and I really wanted to revisit it. Still same opinion”

A smooth, slightly sherried dram with all the understated elegance one would expect from the gentlest malt on Islay. The epitome of Bunnahabhain's soft Islay style.

This dram has a cooper-like color.

Nose (87): more than average. honey, nuts, citrus, wood, spices, fruits, melon. Maybe a Port cask here?

Palate (90): powerful, oily. honey, nuts, citrus, wood, cocoa, sherry, leather.

Finish (89): longer than average. leather, honey, wood.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Bunnahabhain 18 year with 89 points over 100.

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If your budget allows it, get a bottle of Bunnahabhain 25 years old, a completely different whisky and delicious if you ask me.

Ardbeg Blasda

That’s the reason I love this kind of tastings! Delightful peated whisky with a light taste and finish… it could be better. But the fun thing is that this whisky is the very low peated ( for Ardbeg ) proposal of this mythical Islay distillery.

“A great nose on this Ardbeg but palate and finish are so light... a real pity. It is less earthy that the 10 years old and less exciting”

We all know Ardbeg packs a peaty punch, but if you remove some of that peat, can Ardbeg still retain its perfect balance?

The mind bog-gling answer is "yes"! By taming our usual mighty peating levels we have created Blasda, peated to an average of just 8 parts per million phenol (8ppm) compared to the more usual 24ppm. Blasda is still perfectly balanced, but light, sweet and delicious.

But in my opinion, a departure from the great style of Ardbeg 10 years old. I didn't like it.

This dram has a white wine-like color.

Nose (90): more than average. peat, honey, citrus, earth, vanilla. Caol Ila? Ardbeg?

Palate (87): light, smooth. peat, citrus, honey, vanilla, earth, sea.

Finish (88): average. peat, citrus, honey.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Ardbeg Blasda with 88 points over 100.

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Wemyss Winter Spice 1982 from Teaninich

“Quite impressive Teaninich single malt... but I would call it Spring Blossom instead of Winter Spice”

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (86): more than average. honey, citrus, floral, fresh. Quite floral and fresh, like a green flowers field in Spring.

Palate (89): powerful, oily. honey, citrus, vanilla, floral, fruits, pears, grapes, wood.

Finish (89): longer than average. honey, wood, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Wemyss Winter Spice 1982 (Teaninich) with 88 points over 100.

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Miguel says…

Another great taste with lots of fun and bizarreness on it.

Slainte!

Glory of the Grain Tweet Tasting #GrainWhiskyTT

Miguel — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 08:19:01 +0000

Yesterday we make some noise at Twitter. Steve Rush of The Whisky Wire invited me and around 20 more whisky lovers to a great blind tasting proposal: Glory of the Grain Tweet Tasting.

Have you tried Grain Whisky? No? Oh, so don’t read the article. Pesky beverage, don’t even pay attention to it. It doesn’t worth your time…

If you have tasted them I can no longer conceal the secret so anyway, let me show you what we tasted blindly. It was quite fun and surprising because all but one of the samples were guessed by someone. My nose isn’t so skilled on grain whisky. Pity!.

1^st Sample: Cameron Brig Single Grain Whisky

This first sample has an amazing nose but the palate slips into the cheap side of life.

“A great nose but a very mean palate. Maybe it is a young grain whisky and looks like bottle at around 40%. No idea what it can be”

70cl / 40% - A single grain whisky from Scotland's largest distillery, Cameronbridge. Grain whisky is unpeated and lighter in style, allowing the oaky flavours acquired during maturation to come through.

This dram has a amber-like color.

Nose (87): more than average. honey, vanilla, cinnamon, floral, wood, citrus, spices.

Palate (84): light, smooth. honey, citrus, wood, spices, cereals.

Finish (85): average. honey, citrus, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Cameron Brig Single Grain Whisky with 85 points over 100.

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Well, you can’t ask much more for that price. It is better that most blended stuff out there and for around the same price.

2^nd Sample: Greenore 8 year

This one is slightly better but still persists a mean whisky profile. No clue what it can be, so much tropical fruits on this one…

“Tropical fruits infused bourbon with a citrosy touch. Looks like ten years old bottled at around 45%. Interesting whisky”

Greenore Single Grain is a truly unique whiskey as it is the only expression of Irish Single Grain whiskey in the world.

Single Grain whiskeys are very rare as most grain whiskey is normally mixed with Malt whiskeys to make Blended whiskey. Grain whiskey is made from maize/corn and provides a lot of the smoothness people associate with Irish whiskey.

Think of this whiskey as the nose of a bourbon and the taste of irish whiskey. Right! Just delicious.

This dram has a fino-like color.

Nose (86): more than average. citrus, honey, pepper, floral, fruity, papaya.

Palate (87): light, smooth. honey, citrus, wood, pepper, spices, mango, papaya, vanilla, corn.

Finish (85): longer than average. honey, wood, spices, corn.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Greenore 8 year with 86 points over 100.

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Hell! Someone guessed it. I didn’t remember Greenore with so much tropical fruits but who knows…

3^rd Sample: Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky Japanese Grain Whisky

Now we are talking! This is grade A stuff!.

“Incredible stuff! Smells old and bottled at a generous strength. Simply awesome... but no clue about what I am tasting, maybe Clan Denny dram?”

A release of grain whisky from Japan's Nikka, produced mainly from corn using one of their continuous Coffey stills. Rather than the rare and limited releases they have done before, this is a larger release to further show off this key component in the Nikka family of whiskies.

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (89): more than average. honey, spices, vanilla, citrus, candies, disolvent, corn.

Palate (90): powerful, oily. honey, corn, spices, wood, vanilla, cinnamon, peaches.

Finish (90): longer than average. honey, wood, candies, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky Japanese Grain Whisky with 90 points over 100.

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Oh my! This is simply fantastic! I have a bottle of this one but never opened it. Had I known it was so good I would have done before. This Nikka Grain Whisky is awesome and now I can see why Taketsuru whiskies are so good!

4^th Sample: Invergordon 1966 / 45 Year Old / Bourbon Cask HH7254 Single Whisky

Respect! This dram exudes age, solera, class… and what the fuck! peat! Peat! PEAT! This grain whisky has a nice touch of peat on it taste! Glorious crazyness!

“Impressive whisky! First grain whisky with a touch of peat that I taste. It feels like something quite unique... and old”

A long aged grain whisky from Invergordon, distilled in England's last great year at the World Cup and bottled in 2011 by Clan Denny.

This dram has a amber-like color.

Nose (90): more than average. honey, spices, wood, a little rosemary, cinnamon, sulphur.

Palate (92): powerful, oily. honey, peat, corn, wood, spices, citrus, pepper.

Finish (90): longer than average. honey, wood, spices, citrus.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Invergordon 1966 / 45 Year Old / Bourbon Cask HH7254 Single Whisky with 91 points over 100.

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Muahahaha! Awesome! Not the best Clan Denny I have had but still so spectacular… and peated! I can’t believe I am tasting a slightly peated grain whisky. Cool!

Miguel says…

A great event, as usual. I have to say that I quite enjoy Steve’s Tweet Tastings and the fact that this was blind made it even more fun. Really it takes totally the stress out of rating whiskies…

My night favorites are the Invergordon and the Nikka. And definitively I will go and buy another Nikka Coffey just to show friends how good a grain whisky can be.

Rum Tasting Session: Argh! Avast Ye!

Miguel — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 08:53:13 +0000

Oh man! I hate my work.

I was there working on the webpage and tasting some delicious whiskies when I got an email from Jean-Marie asking me if I want to join them in tasting blindly some rums. Oh my God, such a problem! Who would want to taste such pesky liquor distilled for pirates to support their pesky living conditions.

Of course I couldn’t but to accept such a wonderful invitation! And so here I am with six samples of rum. I just hope they are not cheap mainstream blended rums. Ummm! The delights of blind tastings!

The smell of the drams is simply outstanding and delicious. Definitively I am going to enjoy this…

The Rums

RTS 2013-01 1: Ron Millonario 15 years old

“Fantastic rum! Pusser's? Zacapa? No idea but familiar and really good rum”

70cl / 40% - A traditional woven-cover bottle for Peru's Millonario Reserva rum, from their No.15 solera system.

This dram has a treacle-like color.

Nose (87): more than average. burnt sugar, spices, vanilla. Quite nice rum.

Palate (88): powerful, oily. burnt sugar, citrus, vanilla, toffee. This rum is bottled at a high strength... umm... it is familiar...

Finish (87): average. vanilla, burnt sugar.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Ron Millonario Sistema Solera 15 Reserva Rum with 87 points over 100.

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RTS 2013-01 2: Don Jose 12 years old Cask Strength

“Maybe it is because of the strength, but the nose is quite closed and short but the rest is a delicious rum. Maybe from Bahama?”

This dram has a amber-like color.

Nose (80): average. sugar, floral, spices. Light, uncomplicated

Palate (85): powerful, oily. burnt sugar, wood, pepper, spices, floral.

Finish (84): average. spices, burnt sugar.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Don Jose 12 years old Cask Strength with 83 points over 100.

RTS 2013-01 3: Rum Agricole Hors d’âge

“This rums has a very promising nose but the result is a bit spoiled: overwatered”

This dram has a cooper-like color.

Nose (86): more than average. floral, spices, sugar cane, cinnamon, bubblegum. Much like an old grain whisky...

Palate (83): light, smooth. sugar, spices, wood, citrus, liquorice, almonds.

Finish (82): average. almonds, sugar.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Rum Agricole Hors d'âge with 84 points over 100.

RTS 2013-01 4: Believue 12 years old

“Strange one! Definitively I don't like this stuff whatever fascinating nose it may have”

This dram has a -like color.

Nose (84): more than average. burnt sugar, floral, soap. Strangely fascinating

Palate (77): light, smooth. spices, menthol, floral, disinfectant.

Finish (77): average. eucalyptus, floral, burnt sugar.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Believue 12 years old with 79 points over 100.

RTS 2013-01 5: Isla del Ron 1988

“So woody... this rum must be really old. Too woody for my taste anyway”

This dram has a old oak-like color.

Nose (83): more than average. wood, nuts, floral, burnt sugar, spices. Like if it has been sherried aged, Massive amount of wood.

Palate (83): powerful, oily. wood, floral, citrus, spices, sweet, nuts, green almonds.

Finish (82): average. wood, burnt sugar, floral.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Isla del Ron 1988 with 83 points over 100.

RTS 2013-01 6: Jamaica 1988

“Delicious nose with so many tropical fruits. An interesting rum”

This dram has a mahogany-like color.

Nose (87): more than average. burnt sugar, spices, vanilla, papaya, mango.

Palate (85): powerful, oily. burnt sugar, vanilla, spices, wood.

Finish (85): longer than average. burnt sugar, fruits, vanilla.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Jamaica 1988 with 86 points over 100.

Miguel says…

Lovely rums. I have been specially surprised by Ron Millonario 15 years old and Jamaica 1988 but all of them has been a quite interesting experience. Looking forward for the next one.

The Mermaid, the Witch and the Beauty: WTF Tasting 002

Miguel — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 06:38:13 +0000

Ouch! After a fantastic beginning with the WTF Tasting, I am back with a second WTF blind tasting.

Again, just in case you are new to this, my new way of tasting, I introduce my hand in the samples box and grab four or five samples of whatever it is inside: single malts, blended, rums, gins, vodka, whatever means whatever!.

What in my opinion makes this kind of tasting so awesome is the surprise factor. You have absolutely no idea of what you are tasting so only color and the beverage itself can make you rate it, no prices, no fancy bottles, no stunning statements, no marketing, just pure whisky passion. [NOTE to self: Buy opaque tasting glasses]

Well, let’s see what the f*** I tasted…

So as I got four samples of whisky and poured the first one. Blindly. Well, no, in fact I poured it with open eyes but with the label looking away from me. You get the idea, don’t you?

1^st sample:anCnoc Peter Arkle 2^nd edition

“A fantastic second release after a great first batch of anCnoc Peter Arkle. Lots of fruits and a delicious touch of sherry on this dram”

A limited edition bottling from anCnoc, produced in collaboration with Scottish artist and designer Peter Arkle. This second edition has been matured in a combination of American and European oak casks, as selected by distillery manager Gordon Bruce.

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (90): more than average. honey, fruits, ripe pears, banana, mango, vanilla, citrus, wood.

Palate (90): powerful, oily. honey, spices, wood, citrus, tobacco, cocoa. Speyside? Maybe at 50% abv?

Finish (90): longer than average. honey, tobacco, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this An Cnoc Peter Arkle / 2nd Edition Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky with 90 points over 100.

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Superb whisky! I really love anCnoc whiskies. They are great drams with an incredible price quality. This Peter Arkle is a bit less sherried than the 1^st batch of anCnoc Peter Arkle, that was sold exclusively on Royal Mile, but still as fantastic.

2^nd sample: Old Pulteney Isabella Fortuna WK499

Umm, a light coloured one, I hope it is peated.

“I love their 12 years old and I felt in love with the fantastic Old Pulteney 30 years old, but this one is a bit light and citrusy for my taste. No”

This dram has a white wine-like color.

Nose (86): average. honey, vanilla, floral, spices, citrus.

Palate (86): powerful, oily. honey, citrus, spices, pepper, wood.

Finish (87): longer than average. honey, citrus, wood.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Old Pulteney Isabella Fortuna WK499 1l with 86 points over 100.

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This Pulteney is a bit dissapointing. A bit light, a bit mean. Save your money and get the 12 years old instead that it is fantastic stuff.

3^rd sample: The Glenrothes 41 years old 1969 Peerless Duncan Taylor

“An impressive old Glenrothes with the Speyside fingerprint in it: lots of oranges and flowers, but I would expect something more from a range named Peerless”

This dram has a amber-like color.

Nose (90): more than average. honey, oranges, floral, spices, flowers. Looks like an Speysider

Palate (87): powerful, oily. honey, oranges, wood, spices, citrus.

Finish (87): longer than average. honey, oranges, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Glenrothes 41 Year Old 1969 - Peerless (Duncan Taylor) with 88 points over 100.

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Here you have it! If I read the label and see it is a forty one years old Glenrothes it would have been rated in a quite more kindly one… It looks like an aged Speysider but I wouldn’t say it was so old. Anyway, it is a quite interesting experience of oranges and wood.

4^th sample: Glenury Royal 1970 36 years old

One risk of blind random tasting sessions is that perhaps there is nothing stunning and special, so maybe this is one of that kind of sessions. Last sample doesn’t look bad at all…

“Fantastic! What a whisky! This is my first Glenury and I now know I need more of it. You can't imagine how good it was”

70cl / 57.9% / Distillery Bottling - One of only a handful of long-aged distillery-bottled releases of Glenury Royal. This 1970 vintage is very special whisky from a tragically lost distillery. Impeccable cask selection has led to perhaps the best of Diageo's recent releases from Glenury.

This dram has a amber-like color.

Nose (92): more than average. honey, spices, wood, citrus, candies. Old stuff indeed! Wood! Spices! Really impressed.

Palate (93): powerful, oily. candies, spices, wood, citrus, flowers. This dram exudes age and power. Delicious.

Finish (92): longer than average. candies, spices, wood.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Glenury Royal 1970 / 36 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky with 92 points over 100.

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Mother of God! Oh my! This stuff is awesome! Incredibly delicious! Definitively it deserves a bit more, maybe 93 o even 94. It is a pity the price is so high because the whisky itself if gorgeous. Do whatever you can to taste it at least!

Miguel says…

What can I say?! I have had the chance of discovering a Glenury Royal and tasting it without knowing I was tasting such an special whisky. It is such a great whisky that now, after a few weeks since I tasted, I still think of how good it was.

It really shine over the rest, and it would be a pity I don’t mention the anCnoc Peter Arkle because it is a ver solid dram, a bit of bourbon, a bit of sherry, plenty of bottled delight.

Enjoy and see you in WTF! Session 003.

Why I hate Johnnie Walker

Miguel — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:01:40 +0000

Well, hate is a too strong word, so maybe dislike may be better. Umm!… no, hate is fine, pure distilled clear hate. But anyway, let me explain it to you…

As you know I am from Spain, a country that in less than forty years moved from very poor to reasonably rich ( and it looks like back at fullspeed to poor again ) place. So, as in most in-development countries we had an special interest in those kind of luxury products that come from abroad, for example, Rolex watches, Mercedes Benz cars and Scotch whisky.

So imagine, a country where monthly income moved from £150 to £1500 in less than twenty years… so we were a nice market niche for Scotch Whisky industry, despite the fact that Spanish biggest selling whisky is DYC. So we were invaded with hordes of best whiskies Scotland could produce; Johnnie Walker Red Label, Ballantines, J&B, Cutty Sark, Dewars White Label,… you get an idea of the situation, don’t you?

But between us, Spaniards, there were people getting richer and richer, people that in a few months or years turned quite wealthy due to our great ( and never crashing! ) real state bubble. And you know, rich people usually do quite stupid things, one of them is that it is not enough to be rich, you need to look like as if you were even richer. And here comes the devil… someone on the Marketing department decided to position Johnnie Walker Black Label on the luxury category, and bingo! it worked. It worked so well that Black label is synonymous of unparalleled quality in Spain and none has dared yet to defy them…

So just imagine the situation, wherever you go you have two options: drink a whisky which means DYC or drink a good whisky which means Johnnie Walker Black or Chivas 12 years old. “Oh! But Spaniards love refreshing drinks like Whisky and Cola” you will listen to people, “It is due to the weather, they prefer lighter drinks” others say.

Nuts!
I feel the true reason is that none has introduced us to single malts and how to properly enjoy them… yes, yes, you can enjoy your whisky as you prefer, but I find quite often that drinking it neat on a good glass like glencairn, copita or small tulip is how many connoisseurs enjoy their single malts.

I remember when seven years ago, I decided to get a good whisky for me and went to the shop and I bought a bottle of Chivas 12 years old. To be fair, I had lots of doubts between getting Chivas 12 years old or Cardhu 12 years old. Chivas box was more shinny so I got it. So disgusting it was that I haven’t even finished it.

If it wasn’t for pure luck I wouldn’t be here writing this, but fortunately, one day, when having a boring conversation with a friend’s friend I was overhearing a conversation between the bartender and a man with an excess of two whisky shots.
They were talking something about a ma-ca-lan or something like that. Having been my conversation more interesting I would have missed it

Now, just forget about trying to buy Macallan ( but you can right here, right now! ) in Spain six years ago, it was DYC, Ballantines, Johnnie Walker and with luck ( or lack of it in fact ) Chivas Regal…

So on one of my visits to Gibraltar I spotted several bottles of Macallan, two of them were in my price range, Macallan 12 years old and Macallan Elegancia. After asking the vendor about them, he explained me that Elegancia tasted less like whisky… so given I didn’t enjoy Chivas at all I decided to give it a try. I didn’t have any special glasses, so I just take a thumbler and something inside me was shouting that it was a real pity to add Cola or ice to that whisky and in the very moment that my nose approached the glass and my lips touched the liquid the spell was broken!

I was a free man, liberated of the tyranny of bad whisky and worse marketing. Guuau! It was so great, so nice! I didn’t know whisky could be so good. So excited I was that I started wondering if this was in fact the Best whisky in the World or if there were other whiskies as good. So a few months later I got a copy of Michael Jackson’s Malt Whisky Companion and read in on a row, devouring the pages literally. Then I decided to re-read it and buy anything above 85 points that was on my budget range ( less than 50€ by the way ). Oh, the good old time… I really miss Michael Jackson. I would have love to read what he would have think of these silly times we live in the whisky world…

Well, if you today buy Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible and buy anything above 85 points you would have bought enough booze to send a man to the moon and back, with all the lights of the rocket working during the whole voyage. But on Michael Jackson’s scoring only a few drams were worth of 85 or above. So my list was an small one with ten to fifteen whiskies. I have lost the little paper but definitively they were the first things on my collection: Ardbeg 10, Caol Ila 12 years old, Bowmore 12 years old, Macallan 18 years old, Balvenie 12 years old Doublewood, Laphroaig 10 year old, Lagavulin 16 years old, Glenfiddich 18 years old, Aberlour 10 years old…
Soon my bottle of Chivas Regal was on a corner of the small cabinet surrounded and surrounded by a good amount of delicious single malts.

I had a small website to handle my collection because when you have more than three hundred bottles you start making stupid decisions like buying the same bottle twice or not buying one bottle that was a good opportunity…

A few years later, the little webpage turned into this little blog and well… now you know why I do hate Johnnie Walker!

So what do I want? Ten million dollars in small notes, a helicopter and diplomatic passport. Oh, what were we talking about? Oops, yes, sorry. I want to enlighten people everywhere, and specially on my own country, about the possibilities of whisky beyond drowning it with ice and cola. Meanwhile I share with you my voyage into the fascinating world of whisky.

“There is no bad whiskey. There are only some whiskeys that aren’t as good as others.” – Raymond Chandler (American writer, 1888-1959)

Slainte!

WTF Tasting 001: I Like

Miguel — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:17:43 +0000

Hello!

Welcome to this new serie of tastings that I starting right here and right now. What the f*** is WTF Tastings is listen to you asking? Let me explain…

In these three years I have tasted almost 1,000 whiskies and I have realized that although I do my best for not to score whiskies because of its name, its bottle or its price I end up doing it. But don’t despair! I have decided to use a new method to grab samples and taste it. I call it WTF!.

As you recall, I have several big boxes full of small whisky samples that I use to taste the latest and most interesting stuff ( and lots of boring one ). Right now I grab four or five samples that I am interested in and do the tasting. It isn’t a bad way, I have enjoyed lots of tasting this way, but a problem I find is that the uninteresting stuff gets older and older in the box.

Other problem is that I start tasting stuff, for example sherry cask whiskies and usually I try to keep the tasting inside that kind of stuff, which unfortunatelly after a few drams doesn’t excite you so much.

So I have decided to use an innocent hand. I, without looking, take five or six samples from the box, that it is completely unsorted and put them with the labels looking away from me. I start from left to right, open one sample, taste it, score it and then I turn the small bottle to see what I have just tasted. You can’t imagine how much I have enjoyed this way. It is so impressive to taste a Canadian Club and next to it a 40 years old Glenury Royal. Also I see that scores are now dropping below the 90′s mark which it is also a great thing.

Well, here are the whiskies of this first round.

1^st sample: Glencadam 32 years old 1977

First sample, it has a dark color… It looks promising and so I should buy glasses for blind tastings.

“Perfect sherry whisky! Quite powerful and very well aged, this Glencadam is truly a Old and Rare dram”

A sumptuous ( and natural ) colour on this Glencadam 1977, bottled from a single sherry cask by Douglas Laing for their rarely-less-than-pretty-amazing Platinum Selection.

This dram has a tawny-like color.

Nose (91): more than average. honey, wood, fruits, apples, citrus, spices, dates.

Palate (92): powerful, oily. honey, wood, nuts, citrus, spices, cinnamon.

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

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Glencadam 32 Year Old 1977 - Old and Rare Platinum (Douglas Laing) with 92 points over 100.

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Hurray! There is no better way of starting a new blind tasting that with such fantastic whisky. Now it can only get worse… or no.

2^nd sample: Canadian Club

“A bit on the cheap side of whisky. Anyway, it is more sweet than most Scotchs and with a interesting bit of cinnamon aromas”

A giant of Canadian whiskey, created in 1858 and spending six long years in oak before bottling for the smoothest possible flavour.

This dram has a cooper-like color.

Nose (83): more than average. honey, citrus, spices, flowers, lavender.

Palate (82): light, smooth. honey, citrus, spices, cinnamon. So light...

Finish (80): short. citrus, honey.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Canadian Club with 82 points over 100.

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And well, this is definitively one of the greatness of this kind of blind tastings, after an impressive Glencadam I have tasted this poor whisky. The diference is even greater because of the previous dram, ouch, so good.

3^rd sample: World Whisky Day Blend

“Nose is quite right with a great mix of sherry, vanilla and a bit of peat... a bit less light palate and this would have been truly fantastic. A good dram nonetheless”

This dram has a amber-like color.

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

Palate (87): powerful, oily. honey, citrus, spices, smoke, wood, cereals, oat cakes.

Finish (87): average. honey, citrus, peat.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this World Whisky Day Blend with 88 points over 100.

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Umm, this is serious stuff. A bit light but the nose is quite promising. Oh, I didn’t think it was a blended whisky. Most Master of Malt Blends are fantastic stuff but a bit light on palate… maybe older grain maybe more abv…

4^th sample: Caperdonich 38 years old 1972 Rarest of the Rare Duncan Taylor

“Fantastic! Nose is fresh and fruity but at the same time reverbs with oldness and palate is an incredible river of spices and candies. Gorgeous whisky”

This dram has a amber-like color.

Nose (91): more than average. honey, pears, mango, vanilla, spices, wood. Wonderful! Old! Fruity! Amazing.

Palate (93): powerful, oily. honey, citrus, wood, varnish, spices, candies, vanilla.

Finish (92): longer than average. honey, candies, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Caperdonich 38 Year Old 1972 - Rarest of the Rare (Duncan Taylor) with 92 points over 100.

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Holy shit! Oh my! After the first sample I didn’t think I would find something better but here it is Rarest of the Rare, a fantastic Caperdonich of almost 40 years old. Oh man! I really love this stuff. Glencadam, Canadian Club and Caperdonich! Like a rollercoaster.

5^th sample: Glenburgie 26 years old 1985 Auld Duncan Taylor

“A delightful torrent of spices on a great and very well aged Glenburgie”

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (89): more than average. honey, citrus, floral, vanilla, green apples.

Palate (91): powerful, oily. honey, candies, floral, citrus, wood, spices.

Finish (92): longer than average. candies, floral, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Glenburgie 26 Year Old 1985 - Rare Auld (Duncan Taylor) with 91 points over 100.

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Miguel says…

What the f***! It is the most fantastic and exciting tasting I have done since the great Berry Bros Twitter Tasting. Definitively you will read more of this tastings in the future. I plan to start reducing my samples box at a good rate.

Whisky Tasting Session 2013-02

Miguel — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 09:51:27 +0000

Oh my! Time goes so fast. We are already in April! So here are the results for this second session of Whisky Distilleries Tasting.

As usual Jean-Marie Putz of Whisky-distilleries.info proposed six unnamed samples on a stunning box like previous tastings.

As I explained a blind tasting is a quite interesting experience because tasting whiskies in this way you really pay more attention to the whisky and less to the bottle. I am enjoying so much this kind of tastings that I am starting doing myself them with my samples, keeps your eyes peeled for more info about this soon.

But anyway, here are the whiskies…

Sample 1: Littlemill Malts of Scotland 1988

“Very nice whisky. Sherried but floral ( maybe from the Highlands? ) and bottled at high strength. Maybe 10 to 15 years. I would pay no more than 80€ for it”

This dram has a tawny-like color.

Nose (88): more than average. honey, nuts, citrus, floral, spices, pine wood. Nice sherried nose on a floral theme

Palate (90): powerful, oily. honey, nuts, citrus, resin, spices, wood, leather, cocoa.

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

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this WTS 2013-02 1 with 89 points over 100.

Sample 2: Bunnahabhain 23 years old Master of Malt

“Is that a whiff of peat? Seems like a young bourbon cask at high strength. Maybe 10 years old? I would pay around 60€ for it”

This dram has a white wine-like color.

Nose (89): more than average. honey, peat, toffee, citrus, vanilla.

Palate (88): powerful, oily. honey, citrus, spices, vanilla, pepper.

Finish (88): average. honey, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Bunnahabhain 23 Year Old - Single Cask (Master of Malt) with 88 points over 100.

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Sample 3: Wilson & Morgan House Malt 21 years old

“Remind me a lot of Macallan 10 years old Sherry Oak. Not bad, not bad at all. I would say 40€”

This dram has a cooper-like color.

Nose (90): more than average. honey, nuts, tropical, fruits, citrus, wood, spices. Very nice nose.

Palate (90): smooth, oily. honey, nuts, wood, tobacco, vanilla, floral. Looks like 40%. Maybe a Dalmore? A Macallan?

Finish (89): longer than average. nuts, leather, tobacco.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this WTS 2013-02 3 with 90 points over 100.

Sample 4: Benrinnes 1998 Bottled in 2012

“Toffee on the nose and a slighty sulphury palate. Glenmorangie? Maybe 10 to 12 years old. I would say 50€ but it really doesn't worth them”

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (89): more than average. toffee, citrus, vanilla, floral.

Palate (86): smooth, powerful. honey, sulphur, wood, nuts, spices.

Finish (87): average. nuts, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this WTS 2013-02 4 with 87 points over 100.

Sample 5: Auchentoshan 27 years old Master of Malt

“Between 15 and 20 years, above 55% and maybe bourbon cask. I would pay for this one no more than 100€”

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (87): average. honey, alcohol, citrus, spices, vanilla, floral.

Palate (89): powerful, oily. honey, liquorice, citrus, spices, floral. Bottled at high strength.

Finish (88): longer than average. floral, liquorice.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Auchentoshan 27 Year Old - Single Cask (Master Of Malt) with 88 points over 100.

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Sample 6: Glenlivet 1975 Thirty Six Wilson & Morgan

“Refill cask? Maybe between 25 to 30 years old? Really interesting dram.”

This dram has a tawny-like color.

Nose (91): more than average. honey, wood, spices, corn, dust, spices, cinnamon.

Palate (89): powerful, oily. honey, citrus, wood, spices, apples, pepper.

Finish (88): longer than average. spices, honey, citrus.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this WTS 2013-02 6 with 89 points over 100.

Miguel says…

Quite interesting whiskies, my favorite has been the Malt house of Wilson & Morgan.

I have been quite surprise about the Auchentoshan because I have tasted it recently and I enjoyed it a lot and this time although good I haven’t been so impressed…

How to make whisky matured cheese

Miguel — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 07:00:43 +0000

I am not sure if you have tasted this Islay Whisky matured cheese.

It is a mature cheddar cheese with a delicious taste of whisky. It is expensive but it really worths the money. So far so happy.
The problem arised when my supermarket decided they were not going to stock it anymore (Why?! You have sold it out! Go buy more!). So after a few weeks of investigation and trials and error I got the correct way of doing it myself at home.

So keep reading with me for this unfathomable resource of pleasure.

Step 1

First of all, get the best cheese money can buy. This piece of mature cheddar for €2.50 will do the work. *grin*. The better the cheese the better the result. Don’t be cheap.
Then grab a fork, a recipient to place the cheese later and, of course, whisky.
Use the whisky you prefer, I love the peated and smoky flavors of Ardbeg but feel free to try it with anything else ( just don’t use Johnnie Walker! We want to add good flavors to the cheese! ).

Step 2

Grab the fork and pinch the whole cheese with it so that it is covered with small holes. Try not to break the cheese. Like this.

Step 3

Turn the cheese upside down and repeat the process. When you are done you should have something like this.

Step 4

Now place the cheese on a recipient and pour a bit of whisky. Depending on the size you will need more or less. I poured around 4cl. You need to cover the bottom of the recipiend to at least a quarter of the cheese is under whisky. Like this.

Tip: Place the cheese inside a plastic bag and pour 1.5cl and you are done!.

Step 5

Congratulations! You are done! Now place the closed recipient in the fridge for a few days and turn it upside down from time to time, each day for example. In four days your cheese is ready. Take it out! Dry it a bit with a clean towel and voilà! There you have a whisky matured cheese.

Or, on the other hand, you could try the expensive way…

Highland Park Loki 15 years old Valhalla Collection

Miguel — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 10:00:15 +0000

Well, after reading Serge tasting note about Highland Park Loki, I have decided to eat my own words and buy a bottle of it. I usually have enjoyed the drams that Serge has scored over 90 and although I still think Loki is extremely overpriced, maybe £60 would have been a good price, I know that after Serge scoring it will be sold out in a matter of days…

Highland Park Loki / 15 Year Old / Valhalla Collection Island Whisky

Let’s wait for it and see if I have done a good buying decision.
You can read the Press Release note after the break.

UPDATE: [2013/03/12]

Highland Park Loki Press Release Note

Highland Park Loki has been aged in traditional Spanish sherry casks as well as heavily peated casks and bottled at 48.7%, giving the whisky a sweet, spicy and smoky flavour. Highland Park intended the release to mirror the characteristics of the shapeshifting Norse god himself, describing the whisky as “chameleon-like” and “enigmatic”.

Its release follows that of Thor in 2012, and is presented in the same Viking-inspired wooden frame.

The second release in The Valhalla Collection, a set of four unique whiskies, which take inspiration from the legendary Nordic gods of old, Loki continues the ground-breaking achievement that Thor began; a malt designed around the personality traits of an individual. The Orkney whisky maker has now created a unique flavor profile for Thor’s follow up – Loki, a 15 Years Old Single Malt. While unquestionably Highland Park in style, the whisky mirrors the unpredictable, shape-shifting Loki character and as with the trickster god of fire himself, all is not as it seems.

There are classic traces of sweetness and spice, being matured in both traditional Spanish sherry casks as well as heavily peated casks, giving it a smoky punch, while retaining a light color. The finish is intriguing and complex. A chameleon-like whisky, constantly changing from appearance to finish, the expert palates who have savored Loki describe it as, “enigmatic” and “truly another whisky of the gods.”

Gerry Tosh, Global Marketing Manager says, “Thor was the first of its kind, a true quality malt built around an individual’s personality. This proved massively successful and it sold out globally. Loki will continue to take Highland Park and The Valhalla Collection into new territory.

While everyone will recognize the definite ‘Highland Park-ness’ of this 15 Years Old Single Malt, it will be the unexpected and surprisingly smoky dynamics that will really get palates excited and mouths talking. This is unlike any expression that has come before and will beguile and fascinate with its complexity and trickery. Remember, all is not as it seems.”

Highland Park Loki, a limited edition Single Malt bottled at 48.7% ABV, comes housed in the same unique and award-winning wooden frame as Thor, echoing the fearsome contours of a traditional Viking long ship.

UPDATE: [2013/02/26]
It looks like it will be 15 years old whisky bottled at 48.7%. The price range for this bottled of Highland Park Loki will be between £130 and £160. There are some rumors saying that it will be a smaller batch than Thor…

Bad news for whisky drinkers.

Is this the new entry into the Valhalla Collection by Highland Park. Will Highland Park Loki be as expensive as the old one? Eviler?

I enjoyed Highland Park Thor but I still think that its price was a hell above the real value of the whisky….

Barely a month until we know…

Balcones The Single Malt with an American character

Miguel — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 09:28:56 +0000

A few months ago I saw a release of four new American whiskeys from Balcones Distillery and although interesting they were a bit expensive, over £60, so I decide to skip and buy samples instead ( first mistake! ).

Balcones is the first legally ( hello moonshiners! ) established Texas distillery with just barely five years old. The whole distillery and the distiller’s equipment was built by them, nail by nail as they say, and has that lovely amateur-ish look of things done with great care and passion.

So, the whiskies…

Balcones Baby Blue Corn Whiskey

“Quite interesting. It has a very cereal nose with a taste that reminds me of a sweet rye whisky. As I said, quite interesting whiskey”

75cl / 46% - A very interesting whiskey, the first to be legally distilled in Texas, made from blue corn (not sure what that is, but it sounds impressive) and, remarkably, being the recipient of a Double Gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Definitely one to watch.

This dram has a amber-like color.

Nose (87): average. sweet, biscuit, wood, vanilla, spices, citrus. I don't do this frequently but it smells of fresh baked scones with a orange marmalade.

Palate (87): powerful, oily. sweet, wood, citrus, spcies, dust, flowers, pepper.

Finish (85): average. honey, citrus, cinnamon.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Balcones Baby Blue Corn Whisky Corn Whiskey with 86 points over 100.

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Balcones Texas Single Malt Whiskey at 52.9%

“Incredible! Tastes like bourbon and trust me that George T Stagg doesn't have anything this whiskey has not. Respect!”

This dram has a tawny-like color.

Nose (90): more than average. honey, wood, spices, dust, dried flowers.

Palate (90): powerful, oily. honey, spices, citrus, bubblegum, wood.

Finish (90): longer than average. honey, cinnamon, spices, citrus.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Balcones Texas Single Malt 52.9% with 90 points over 100.

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How can such a young whiskey be so mature? Well, it looks like they are using small cask ( quarter cask maybe? )to mature the whiskey. As they are located in Texas it is very prone that they are aging the spirit in virgin oak casks so it could explain the intensity of flavours and colors. Whatever it is, great work!.

Balcones Texas Single Malt Whiskey at 53%

This one is a different batch of the their Single Malt.

“More fruity than the Balcones at 52.9% and even better if you ask me. This is single malt with american character”

This dram has a tawny-like color.

Nose (90): more than average. sweet, citrus, tropical fruits, spices, cinnamon, vanilla.

Palate (91): powerful, oily. honey, citrus, spices, fruits, wood, vanilla, cinnamon.

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

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Balcones Texas Single Malt 53% with 90 points over 100.

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Balcones Brimstone

Now that I think about it, it completly makes sense… this Brimstone tastes of Fritos.

In my mind, Texas sounds of Rodeos and smells of Fritos. So from that point of view Balcones nailed it… but on the other hand drinking Fritos wasn’t what you were expecting of a whiskey…

“I love peated drams. I have had tears of joy drinking Octomore. Brimstone is different, it is smoked not peated. So vile and foul that I couldn't but to buy a bottle”

American craft distiller Balcones created this smoky corn whisky, fittingly named the Brimstone, by smoking the whisky itself rather than the grain as it is done in Scotland.

The result is a whisky with an intense smoke "aroma" nothing to do with anything you have tasted before...

This dram has a mahogany-like color.

Nose (84): more than average. beacon, smoke, burnt wood, citrus. Smells like a fresh open bag of Fritos

Palate (83): powerful, oily. honey, citrus, burnt wood, smoke, popcorn, ashes.

Finish (82): long. burnt wood, honey, ashes.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Balcones Brimstone with 83 points over 100.

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Miguel says…

Woo! I wasn’t ready for so much contrast. The Single Malts are awesome both of them and from what I have read they are at most 4-5 years old. Lots of taste on them.
Brimstone was strange and bizarre. Remind me of Master of Malt Besmoked Vodka. So strange that I have bought a bottle (second mistake?) although I really prefer an Islay whisky if I am in need of peat and smoke…

Johnnie Walker Red Label named Best Whisky in the World

Miguel — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 07:54:54 +0000

Oh my God! What a great night we had! After tasting four thousand single malt whiskies in a row and not being able to choose a clear winner someone appeared between the panelist of this prestigious whisky award with a bottle of Johnnie Walker Red Label and said: “Thou guys hafe to tafte thif one…iz zoo awezome!” and you know, being late, the preasure to choose a winner before we skip the deadline for a third time…

Anyway, despite we weren’t on the best condition after several not-too-bad 40 years old single cask whiskies, we agree to taste this pinnacle of blenders’ artwork.

We took the first sip, someone at the other corner of the table collapsed but I am not sure if it has something to do with this delicious ambrosia, and then the rest of us that were able to stand up agreed that this was the very best whisky Scotland has ever produced.

Soo, here it is! Congratulations to Johnnie Walker for this very-well deserved award!.

I usually provide links to shops so you can buy the drink I am talking about but our panelist told us that the bottle was so rare and exclusive it wasn’t available on whisky shops. I am sorry.

Three new That Boutique-y Whiskies; Arran, Tobermory and Tormore

Miguel — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 07:56:22 +0000

Three new very welcome additions to Master of Malt That Boutique-y whiskies. After reviewing these and these, I review today these new whiskies; Tormore, Tobermory and Arran.

Dunno if it is me or what but this three new whiskies are excellent I didn’t have such a great feeling after tasting the previous bottles of That Boutique-y Whisky Company. Well, the whiskies…

Arran

The first dram I am going to taste is this Arran bottled at almost 50%.

“Delicious nose and has quite a nice touch of sherry. I usually like Arran whiskies but this one is gorgeous crafted. I love it”

This dram has a fino-like color.

Nose (92): more than average. honey, vanilla, citrus, mango, banana. Haha! What an awesome nose! Love it!

Palate (91): powerful, oily. honey, nuts, vanilla, wood, citrus, spices, cinnamon.

Finish (90): longer than average. honey, citrus, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Arran - Batch 1 (That Boutique-y Whisky Company) with 91 points over 100.

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Tobermory

Now a Tobermory with a label very inspired in the BBC children’s blockbuster: Balamory, that to my astonishment has been recorded at Tobermory.

“Big part of PX aged whisky inside? I am not a fan of PX (or similar) matured whiskies but I have to agree that whatever it is on this Tobermory works quite well”

This dram has a fino-like color.

Nose (91): more than average. honey, toffee, citrus, fruits, nuts, leather, vanilla.

Palate (90): powerful, oily. toffee, citrus, nuts, wood, cocoa, vanilla .

Finish (91): longer than average. honey, cocoa, citrus.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Tobermory - Batch 1 (That Boutique-y Whisky Company) with 91 points over 100.

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Tormore

As Tormore is used on Long John blend and Long John is a famouse fiction pirate… well… I now see the connection…

“Delightful nose with a touch of gunpowder! Boom! Your own baked apples' munition. Grade A”

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (92): more than average. honey, floral, spices, pepper, a littlegunpowder.

Palate (90): powerful, oily. honey, citrus, apples, spices, cinnamon, wood, vanilla.

Finish (90): longer than average. honey, citrus, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Tormore - Batch 1 (That Boutique-y Whisky Company) with 91 points over 100.

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Miguel says…

Three fantastic drams! Arran whisky is really excellent. I found the Tormore Single Cask a bit strange but this one is quite well crafted. Definitively love them.

Happier than a pig in a mud pool! Thanks for the samples chaps!

Burns Malts by The Whisky Barrel, it feels like robbing them

Miguel — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 10:55:52 +0000

What an incredible way of starting my holidays. I was at home sorting and cleaning stuff when the DHL guy appeared with a box bigger than usual for a sample. My Wife looked me suspiciously and I had to swear that this time it was true; I haven’t ordered anything.

[Note to self: it worked! Next time try with full size bottles]

I checked the parcel and it has a reference; BMALTS. Ummm…

I was getting excited because I had read a week before a nice press release about the six new whiskies bottled by The Whisky Barrel for their Burns Malt range and I was really wondering how good they were.

I tasted before a previous release of Littlemill and Bunnahabhain and I really enjoyed them.

So I usually place samples I get on a box and taste them as I please but this time I just did a from parcel to table session.

The six new whiskies belong to a range of single malts bottled by The Whisky Barrel to commemorate Robert Burns, Scotland’s favorite son and poet.

Oh, I can’t wait! Let’s taste the whiskies.

Springbank 14 years old Burns Malt

First dram of the night is this 14 years old Campbeltown whisky. It is a curious situation but it is the youngest whisky and it is the most expensive one.

“Quite powerful and nice Springbank that it is more on the spicy side of the life.”

Springbank 14 Year Old Campbeltown single malt Scotch whiskey. TheWhiskyBarrel.com Exclusive Burns Malt™ single first fill bourbon barrel #448 bottling of the Campbeltown Scotch distillery. Distilled November 1998 bottled February 2013.

This dram has a fino-like color.

Nose (89): more than average. honey, citrus, wood, spices, cinnamon, smoke.

Palate (89): powerful, oily. honey, citrus, spices, vanilla, pepper, liquorice.

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

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Springbank 14 Year Old Burns Malt with 89 points over 100.

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Caperdonich 17 years old Burns Malt

Next dram is a Caperdonich 17 years old from this now lost Speyside distillery.

“Very tasty Caperdonich with a nice profile of vanilla and toffee”

Caperdonich 17 Year Old Speyside single malt Scotch whiskey. TheWhiskyBarrel.com Exclusive Burns Malt™ single hogshead cask #95068 bottling of the lost Scotch distillery. Distilled June 1995 bottled February 2013.

This dram has a fino-like color.

Nose (89): more than average. toffee, citrus, vanilla, wood. Very well rounded whisky.

Palate (89): powerful, oily. honey, citrus, floral, spices, vanilla, pepper, salt.

Finish (89): longer than average. honey, spices, vanilla.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Caperdonich 17 Year Old Burns Malt with 89 points over 100.

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Dailuaine 20 years old Burns Malt

Another Speysider, this third dram is a Dailuaine.

“Like being in the middle of a marvelous fruits and spices market. A real bang for the buck treasure”

Dailuaine 20 Year Old Speyside single malt Scotch whiskey. TheWhiskyBarrel.com Exclusive Burns Malt™ single cask #3127 ex-bourbon barrel bottling of the Speyside Scotch distillery. Distilled March 1992 bottled February 2013.

This dram has a fino-like color.

Nose (90): more than average. candies, floral, spices, berries, cinnamon, wood. Smells old and venerable.

Palate (89): dry, powerful, oily. honey, floral, citrus, spices, wood, tropical, fruits. A bit dry but fantastically aged, I can't believe it is just 20 years old.

Finish (90): longer than average. citrus, spices, tropical fruits.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Dailuaine 20 Year Old Burns Malt with 90 points over 100.

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Longmorn 20 years old Burns Malt

“Very Scotch! The nose is really awesome and the palate plays with spices, wood and smoke. Thumbs up!”

Longmorn 20 Year Old Speyside single malt Scotch whiskey. TheWhiskyBarrel.com Exclusive Burns Malt™ single hogshead cask #71773 bottling of the Speyside Scotch distillery. Distilled May 1992 bottled February 2013

This dram has a amber-like color.

Nose (91): more than average. honey, fruits, spices, oranges, cinnamon, wood.

Palate (90): powerful, oily. honey, citrus, wood, spices, pepper, toasted wood, smoke.

Finish (88): longer than average. honey, citrus, smoke, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Longmorn 20 Year Old Burns Malt with 90 points over 100.

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Braeval Braes of Glenlivet 23 years old Burns Malt

When they decided to use just one name I will be able to have it indexed correctly, but I keep getting both Braeval and Braes of Glenlivet from time to time.

“I really love the way this Braeval whisky smells. Lots of white flowers on this dram”

Braes of Glenlivet 23 Year Old Speyside single malt Scotch whiskey. TheWhiskyBarrel.com Exclusive Burns Malt™ single hogshead cask #1074 bottling of the Speyside Scotch distillery now know as Braeval distillery. Distilled June 1989 bottled January 2013.

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (92): more than average. honey, floral, lavender, jasmine, citrus. Like a Spring garden ( or like FWP depends who you ask ).

Palate (90): powerful, oily. honey, citrus, vanilla, spices, pears.

Finish (90): longer than average. honey, wood, citrus.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Braeval (Braes of Glenlivet) 23 Year Old Burns Malt with 91 points over 100.

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Bunnahabhain 23 years old Burns Malt

“Bottled awesomeness. Definitively I am going to get one of this for myself. Yummy!”

Bunnahabhain 23 Year Old Islay single malt Scotch whiskey. TheWhiskyBarrel.com Exclusive Burns Malt™ single hogshead cask #5739 bottling of the Islay Scotch distillery. Distilled June 1989 bottled March 2013.

This dram has a white wine-like color.

Nose (92): more than average. honey, vanilla, smoke, spices, barley. Fantastic Bunnahabhain nose... much like the one of their epic 25 years old whisky.

Palate (92): powerful, oily. honey, peat, vanilla, citrus, spices, smoke. A-we-so-me!

Finish (92): longer than average. peat, honey, wood.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Bunnahabhain 23 Year Old Burns Malt with 92 points over 100.

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Miguel says…

Horay! Really these single malts from The Whisky Barrel don’t disappoint. All of them are excellent but for me both Bunnahabhain and Braeval stands over the rest. What!!! I have just seen the price! Barely £50 for a 23 years old Bunnahabhain…

Sorry! I am in a hurry have to go!

-Yep, two of each please. My address is…

Why you won't become rich by investing in Whisky

Miguel — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 08:26:53 +0000

After my article about why I think it is a bad idea to invest in whisky and after reading an excellent piece of Oliver from Dramming about the same subject, I come back again with a graph about money and time…

All the bubbles are denied, so “trust” me, there is no such thing as a whisky bubble, emergent economies will take the drop in sales of countries under recession right now and later a herd of unicorns will appear and mature to perfection any booze the industry can produce at ten gazillion litres per seconds… finally only old Captain McCallister will be able to drink the stuff…

In which point do you think we are right now? Here are my two cents…

The fun years

I think that definitively beyond Stealth and Awareness phases. Whisky has media attention, not because Bowmore sold a bottle of 50 years old for £100,000 to an anonymous client or because Macallan did something strange with some sherry casks at two hundred gazillions dollars per bottle… no, media is aware of whisky because of its inherent quality.

Enthusiasm

There is lots of enthusiasm about whisky, even more about single malt whiskies, so much that Octomore 10 years old was sold out in less time that it took me realizing that paying £150 for a 10 years whisky was shitty nonsense…

Greed

Greed? Wasn’t that a sin? There is no greed on the whisky world. None buys that extra limited release ( mother of God! 3500 bottles is not a limited release!) Port Ellen just to place it for sale for twice its price on Ebay… No, that definitively isn’t happening here.

Delusion

Delusion? Oh my! No way! There is no such thing! We are dropping age statement just in the best interest of our beloved drinkers buyers so they can get only the very best whisky with have in our artisan warehouses… Yep, I do believe you, really… (ejem)(ejem)(ejem)

New paradigm

New paradigm, ok, I think we are entering this right now. With all the new stuff being done in the whisky world! They are investigating! They are creating new ways! Just have a look at the stupid Dalmore Consternation Collection and you can get an idea of where we are going… or the new to-be-release soon Highland Park Loki; £135 for a 15 years old whisky…

The future and my point

I will write about the rest of stages with a glass of Lagavulin at my hand and a smile in my face saying “I told you!”

My whole point with this all is… don’t fuck the whisky too! I won’t stand my live working till death and drinking cheap Johnnie Walker…

Please! Dear investors, please!

Three new Bruichladdich releases: Laddie 22, Cuvee 640 and 398

Miguel — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 07:35:44 +0000

Lots of Bruichladdich on my sample box so I have decided to start tasting from the most interesting ones: Two of the new Cuvee whiskies and the new Bruichladdich 22 years old.

These three whiskies keeps loyal to the style of whisky that Jim McEwan set on the whole range of Bruichladdich malts: citrusy, sweet, unpeated. I love his work on Bruichladdich 10 years old Laddie whisky and I was really looking forward to tasting these malts.

I have sorted them by age with the Cuvvee Eroica y Berenice being 21 years old. So the whiskies

The whiskies

Bruichladdich Cuvee 640 Eroica

“Interesting Laddie with notes of ripe fruits and spices. It really miss something to be really great whisky but I dunno what it is”

This dram has a amber-like color.

Nose (88): more than average. honey, spices, peaches, toffee, vanilla, peat. Mature fruits and spices.

Palate (89): powerful, oily. honey, toffee, spices, wood, chocolate, vanilla, citrus.

Finish (88): average. spices, toffee, wood.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Bruichladdich Cuvee 640– Eroica with 88 points over 100.

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Bruichladdich Cuvee 382 La Berenice

“This Laddie has notes of tropical fruits on the nose and a taste that remind me of those sherry-finished Bruichladdich whiskies, just with a bit more of sweet spices character”

This dram has a cooper-like color.

Nose (90): average. honey, citrus, vanilla, fruits, apples, mango. Lots of sweet tropical fruits on this Laddie.

Palate (88): smooth, powerful. honey, wood, cocoa, cinnamon, vanilla, pepper.

Finish (89): longer than average. wood, cocoa, citrus.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Bruichladdich Cuvee 382– La Berenice with 89 points over 100.

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Bruichladdich 22 years old The Laddie

“Nice nose on this Laddie with notes of red fruits and more than a hint of peat on the palate. I like it but it isn't a huge step over younger bottles of Bruichladdich”

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (91): more than average. honey, citrus, spices, vanilla, pepper, lavender, cherries. Quite nice with notes of spices and red fruits.

Palate (91): powerful, oily. honey, peat, wood, spices, vanilla, pepper, fruits.

Finish (89): longer than average. citrus, wood, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Bruichladdich Laddie 22 Year Old with 90 points over 100.

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Miguel says

I find the Cuvee whiskies slightly overpriced ( what the fuck! Everyone got mad?! ) but the 22 years old Laddie is quite a gentle delicious dram. I will not buy it thought, I think I can get better stuff with £80…

Best 3 reasons for not investing in whisky

Miguel — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 10:16:36 +0000

In the last five years I have seen a constant increase in whisky prices I am interested in. I remember when a interesting new Ardbeg was only £60 or when a 25 years old Ardbeg Lord of Isles was so expensive at £150…

Many persons are now joining the wagon of whisky investment just for the future ( or immediate sometimes ) reward. So read why I think that this is quite a bad idea if you don’t know what you are doing.

I am a whisky collector, I collect whisky, really. Many friends have told me as an insult that I don’t open bottles. And yes, I don’t usually open them. I collect because I love the way the bottles look and love to see them one after the other, to put my hands on them. There is so little moments better than opening a box full of whisky… well, maybe having a dram of them may be better

An open bottle of whisky last several years on my cabinet, so I have an extra problem keeping open bottles at hand.

But I don’t buy whisky as an investment. I haven’t sold a single bottle of my collection nor I will (by now, until my country’s economy finally collapse I am forced to beg on a street corner). The whisky collection profit is an interior growth in knowledge and pleasure.

So, why do I think it is a bad idea to invest in whisky?

First reason, Price

Ten years ago or even something as close as five years ago whisky prices were a hell more reasonable. I remembering not buying Ardbeg Lord of Isles for £199 because it was too expensive.

Actually, any pesky unlimited limited release goes easily above £100 for whiskies that are barely 10 years old.

If you read people saying how much they won selling such bottle or such other bottle, just keep in mind their original buying price perhaps was very low compared to today’s standards.

Second reason, Profit margins

Although you may got a bottle for a nice price and sell afterwards for a good sum you. You still need to find a buyer for it. So you usually have three different choices:

a) Auction houses. When you sell a bottle in an auction you usually have to pay the auctioneer a percent of the bottle final price and a price for each item you want to place in the auction. Commissions can range up to 10% of the final price of the bottle.
If you are not near the auction’s house, you may need to send the bottle by mail which takes another bite on this profit margin.

b) Direct sale. You can avoid all the hassle and commissions and sell yourself the bottle directly. Maximum profit but there are many dangers here… first, you may not know the person buying you the bottle at all, the bottle may get broken, lost or undelivered.
If I would have good a penny each time someone has written me for buying something of my collection ( that it is not for sale I just state it again! ) I would be rich by now.

c) Shops. Some retailers ( most of them nowadays ) are buying old whisky bottles and collections. Problem here is that shops are in selling whisky for profit and profit can only be achieved by buying at a low price and selling the same stuff at a high price. That’s bad for you and good for the shop.

Thrid reason, Risks

I won’t be a true spaniard if I don’t talk about risks. Whisky investment is a risky one, not just because you may end losing money but because you may end losing whisky. If you are putting your future wealth on a fragile glass bottle full of distilled cereals you are a bit mad.

Bottles get broken every day. Shattered. Whisky evaporates slowly but constantly from the bottle even when closed. You have to store them in a perfectly controled enviroment to avoid changes of temperatures or high temperatures at all.

So if you spend £500 in that unique-special bottle of Macallan that will be worth ten times more in five years based on previous prices increases just take these thee free tips:
1) Don’t tell your wife about it. Serious!
2) Store it in a cool place, away from direct sunlight.
3) Never ever take it out of where it is stored to show off a familiar.

If despite all the above you still wants to invest in whisky, be welcome to A Wardrobe of Whisky. If you are going to buy whisky, at least buy good one ( check recommended and Best of the Best ) because you may end on the future drinking your investment.

If even after reading my kind words for you, you still want to invest in whisky, just go ahead and buy Macallan

What do you think? Have you invested in whisky?

Don’t miss the second part of this article!

Bunnahabhain 23 years old The Rare Casks

Miguel — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 07:36:09 +0000

After a first fantastic release of their Rare Casks series, Abbey Whiskies asked on their blog about which one should be their next whisky on the range. There were two options: Bruichladdich or a peated Bunnahabhain. Apart of a few laddie fans the consensus was clear for a peated Bunna.

And so they bottled it. A 23 years old cask strength Bunnahabhain at a whopping 44% ABV. Just a few years shorts of not being legally whisky anymore

Bunnahabhain whiskies are somewhat of a hidden jewel to discover between the peat giants of Islay, but once you get a dram of their delicious 25 years old, you fall in true love for ever.

So the tasting…

Bunnahabhain 23 years old The Rare Casks

“Awesome nose! Really, one of the best Bunnahabhain noses that I remember. The whisky itselft is quite good just a bit of dryness towards the end of the palate. Quite interesting dram nonetheless”

The 2nd release in ‘The Rare Casks’ series by Abbey Whisky has arrived and it’s only right that we follow up the success of the 1st release with something exceptional and equally special.

Casks from Islay have been like gold dust of late but we’ve managed to get our hands on a lovely smooth, peated Bunnahabhain from the magical Isle.

Distilled in 1989, this special malt was aged in a refill bourbon barrel for 23 years before being bottled at natural cask strength of 44% vol. As with the 1st release only 96 bottles have been filled and made available for this limited edition release.

This dram has a white wine-like color.

Nose (91): more than average. honey, fruits, fresh apples, vanilla, citrus, smoke. More fruity and fresh than the 25 years old distillery bottling. Still as delicious!

Palate (89): powerful, oily. honey, citrus, floral, peat, vanilla, wood, cinnamon.

Finish (89): longer than average. honey, wood, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Bunnahabhain 23 years old The Rare Casks with 90 points over 100.

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A huge thanks to Abbey Whisky for this official sample.

Ireland whiskies, celebrating St. Patrick's day

Miguel — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 06:03:45 +0000

Happy St. Patrick day!

What? Not today? Damn! Hell, anyway… like if we need an excuse to have a good whiskey!.
You know St. Patrick, the holy patron of Ireland, the one that drove the snakes out of the island, the one that brought Christianity on Ireland and …

Enough writing. Let’s drink. As an old Irish saying says, “God invented whiskey so the Irish wouldn’t rule the world!”

As my contribution to the Irish whiskey let’s do a whiskey walk around Ireland. And as Sjoerd has told me several times I better state it right here and now: I love Single Pot Still Irish whiskey ( I just can’t stand their cheap blends ).

The Whiskeys

In no particular order…

Well, no, really I tasted it from what I though it was lighter to stronger.

Old Bushmills Distillery

Heavily renewed after Diageo take-over in 2005, Bushmills tries to chanllenge the global leading position of Jameson in the sales list of Irish whiskey. They use unpeated malt for their whiskies and triple distillation. I love their 16 years old whiskey.

Bushmills Black Bush

“Very Irish with some notes of cocoa but nothing close to a sherried scotch... Time for a A'bunadh!”

Black Bush Special Irish Whiskey is a rich, dark, 80-proof blend from the world's oldest licensed distillery, "Old Bushmills" distillery in County Antrim, Ireland.
It is comprised almost entirely of single malt whiskey, making it a choice selection of deluxe whiskey aficionados.

Malt whiskey that becomes Black Bush is aged up to eleven years in selection sherry-seasoned oak casks before being blended with a small portion of a special single grain whiskey to enhance the independant, non-conformist character of the malt. The malt used in the mash derives its clean taste from the deliberate absence of peat used in the malted barley drying process.

All of the Irish whiskey distilleries kiln-dry their malt in a heat-fired, not peat-fired, oven. This drying process lets the clean, clear taste of the malt and barley shine through. The combination is then returned to the cask for "marrying." As the whiskeys mellow together, the uniquely rounded bouquet, rich amber hue and distinctive taste of Black Bush is born.

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (83): average. honey, citrus, floral, cocoa, malt.

Palate (84): light, smooth. honey, citrus, wood, cocoa, floral, vanilla.

Finish (82): average. honey, vanilla, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Bushmills Black Bush with 83 points over 100.

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Bushmills 10 years old Single Malt

“The nose is a bit light on a whisky that is called Black but the rest makes a really nice whisky. You could find me drinking this stuff”

A product of the world's oldest licensed distillery. Bushmills single malt Irish Whiskey is the original single malt whiskey from Ireland. With an intriguing aroma and well-balanced flavour, Bushmills Malt is a delightfully delicate malt and uncomplicated whiskey crafted from 100% malted barley. Its style is mellow and light, and a time tested drying process assures that the taste of the malt shines through.

All the malt used in the mash is dried in closed kilns devoid of peat, preventing it from absorbing the fire's smokiness while retaining the malt's distinctive, authentic character and exceptionally clean taste. Bushmills Malt has a sweet spicy aroma with overtones of Oloroso sherry, vanilla and honey.

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (81): more than average. honey, citrus, floral, meat, pepper.

Palate (86): powerful. honey, citrus, floral, vanilla, pears, nuts.

Finish (85): average. honey, citrus, vanilla.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Bushmills Malt 10 year with 84 points over 100.

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Bushmills 16 years old

“Superb Irish whiskey! Deliciously floral”

Matured in three different types of cask, each of which contributes extra nuances to what is destined to become a classic Irish malt. Perfect as an after-dinner dram.

This dram has a cooper-like color.

Nose (89): more than average. honey, some floral, citrus, vanilla, custard. Powerfully Irish!

Palate (90): powerful, oily. floral, honey, vanilla, citrus, liquorice, anise, plums. Deliciously floral whisky.

Finish (90): longer than average. floral, citrus, anise, vanilla.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Bushmills 16 Year Old / 3 Wood Irish Single Malt Whiskey with 90 points over 100.

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Cooley Distillery

The last of the truly independent Irish distilleries. It fall on the hands of Beam Global barely a year ago. I discovered that Irish can also do great whiskeys after tasting stuff from Cooley. I am particularly fond of Connemara.

Connemara Single Peated Malt Whiskey

“Very nice irish whiskey, soft fruity peat at its highest splendor”

Connemara produce a peated Irish single malt, named for the area in Ireland.

Distilled at Cooley distillery in Cork, Ireland. The last of the independent irish distilleries before it was bought by Beam Global.

Connemara is a peated whisky, not in the style of Islay peat monsters but more like the Japanese Hakushu. Smoky and slightly peated with an awesome amount of fruits. It won't disappoint you.

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (86): more than average. peat, fruits, floral, citrus, bananas. Peated but overall this irish whiskey smells very fruity.

Palate (87): powerful. peat, spices, coffee, fruity, banana. Lightly spiced peat.

Finish (87): longer than average. peat, honey, wood .

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Connemara with 87 points over 100.

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Kilbeggan

“Nice light irish whiskey with lots of floral notes.”

Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey first appeared as a John Locke's brand over 100 years ago and was sold successfully until Locke's distillery ceased production in the 1950's.

Locke's distillery is the oldest continuously licensed whiskey distillery in the world dating back to 1757.

This whiskey is now distilled by Cooley who recently released a version of this whiskey distilled at the Kilbeggan distillery.

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (79): average. honey, vanilla, floral, mint, toffee.

Palate (85): light, smooth. honey, malt, wood, pears, spices, floral.

Finish (83): average. peat, floral, honey, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Kilbeggan with 82 points over 100.

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Tyrconnell

“The nose is very promising, but taste is quite dry and herbal. Nice, but not my kind of whiskey.”

The Tyrconnell Single Malt Irish whiskey is characterised by its elegant and balanced taste profile.

It retains the smooth, sweet taste normally associated with Irish whiskey but with its own distinctive character. The result is Tyrconnell's beautiful fresh, malty, fruity bouquet, smooth sweet taste and delicate dry finish.

One of the most celebrated Irish whiskeys ever produced winning a gold medal at the Great Taste Awards in 2009 , gold medal & best in class at the IWSC 2009.

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (84): more than average. honey, vanilla, fruits, raisins, biscuits, cinnamon.

Palate (85): light, smooth. honey, floral, herbal, green pears, spices.

Finish (83): longer than average. floral, wood, honey.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Tyrconnell Irish Whiskey with 84 points over 100.

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Greenore 8 years old

“What smells like bourbon and tastes like irish whiskey? Right! Greenore and I love it.”

This dram has a fino-like color.

Nose (86): more than average. corn, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, banana, wood. Nice grain whiskey. It is very bourbon-like.

Palate (87): light, smooth. honey, corn, vanilla, wood, floral, cinnamon, apples. Now the bourbon character dilutes into a nice Irish whiskey.

Finish (86): longer than average. honey, vanilla, corn, floral, banana.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Greenore 8 year with 86 points over 100.

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Midleton Distillery

The giant of Irish whiskey and producer of either mean booze or truly expensive whiskeys… until they relaunched their Single Pot Still Whiskeys last year. Their renewed line of whiskies are wisely priced ( read it as it isn’t as mad priced as many Scotch releases nowadays ) and has a great quality.

Jameson

“Quite light whiskey, and it is a pity because the palate is, although light, quite interesting”

Jameson is carefully distilled 3 times from the finest barley and crystal clear water and matured for long years in oak casks to produce an exceptionally smooth whiskey.

This dram has a fino-like color.

Nose (79): average. honey, vanilla, citrus, cocoa. Quite light

Palate (82): smooth, powerful. honey, sherry, corn, vanilla, spices, pepper.

Finish (80): short. honey, vanilla.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Jameson with 80 points over 100.

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Powers Gold Label

“Not as bad as I remembered... but heck! Where is the nose of this whiskey?”

The best-selling whiskey in the Republic of Ireland, Power's has a spicy potstill character and is aged between 5 and 6 years in Bourbon casks.

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (72): average. alcohol, honey, citrus, vanilla.

Palate (80): light, smooth. honey, floral, citrus, mango, wood, toffee.

Finish (78): average. honey, floral, wood.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Powers Gold Label Irish Whiskey Blended Irish Whiskey with 77 points over 100.

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Paddy

“Maybe my sample is spoiled maybe it is as mean as it appears. Quite light with lots of alcohol... much like flavoured vodka”

Paddy Old Irish Whiskey has been produced since 1779 by the Cork Distillers Company, Paddy owes its name to a well known company salesman, Paddy Flaherty, who spread the reputation of this remarkable whiskey well beyond the coasts of Ireland. The triple distillation process of this particularly smooth whiskey uses only the finest barley and the purest water from Ireland's lush countryside. Long years spent maturing in Oak Casks gives Paddy its final incomparable flavour. Enjoy it straight, on the rocks or with a mixer.

This dram has a fino-like color.

Nose (74): average. alcohol, floral, citrus, honey, pinneapples. Maybe spoiled miniature?

Palate (76): light, smooth. honey, floral, sherry, citrus, wood.

Finish (75): short. honey, floral.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Paddy with 75 points over 100.

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Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy

“Great whiskey! Althought it is a NAS ( non age statement) instead of a 20 years old whisky like the old Midleton this Irish beauty exudes character and age on the glass”

70cl / 46% - A new release by Irish Distillers as part of the relaunched range of pot still whiskies. The Barry Crockett Legacy is named for the Midleton master distiller and combines bourbon cask matured whisky with some from a new american oak barrel. A great new entry into the Midleton line-up which has been showered with awards since it first appeared on the horizon.

This dram has a amber-like color.

Nose (90): more than average. vanilla, corn, citrus, floral, spices, cinnamon, wood.

Palate (91): powerful, oily. corn, vanilla, citrus, floral, spices, pepper, cinnamon, fruits.

Finish (91): longer than average. corn, oranges, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy with 91 points over 100.

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Powers 12 years old Johns Lane release

“Greatly and possitively surprised. After tasting the original Powers Blended whiskey, this one is such a step forward that I wouldn't ever link both bottles to the same source. Amazing value whiskey”

70cl / 46% / Distillery Bottling - A single pot still incarnation of Powers whisky, named for the distillery where it used to be made, now sadly closed. This is a big whisky made using a combination of bourbon and oloroso sherry cask matured spirit and a great new entry into the Irish Distillers range.

This dram has a cooper-like color.

Nose (91): more than average. honey, nuts, oloroso, leather, citrus, floral, vanilla, banana.

Palate (91): powerful, oily. honey, corn, spices, nuts, leather, wood, vanilla. Really impressive whiskey.

Finish (89): average. wood, honey, citrus.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Powers John's Lane 12 Year Old / Single Pot Still with 90 points over 100.

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Redbreast 12 years old

“Although we have been told this whiskey has been aged in Oloroso casks, Redbreast has a bourbon-ish character with notes of nuttiness and white chocolate. Quite quite interesting”

Redbreast is a beautifully balanced pure pot still Irish Whiskey, with a warm, generous texture, rich, sweet flavours and a spicy kick. In the view of many connoisseurs, the finest Irish whiskey available.

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (89): more than average. corn, vanilla, citrus, pears, nuts.

Palate (90): smooth, powerful. honey, corn, vanilla, spices, custard, nuts, white chocolate.

Finish (89): longer than average. honey, vanilla, white chocolate.

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

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Green Spot

“Delicious! Lots of toffee on this not-so-green Spot. I remember this one as a perfect example of Irish whiskey but now that I am tasting again it is completely different”

An impressive revamp in the packaging for historic single pot still Irish whiskey Green Spot, which is no longer only available in Dublin grocer Mitchell's and will surely benefit from the increased marketing muscle lavished on it by owners Irish distillers.

A cult whiskey.

This dram has a amber-like color.

Nose (90): more than average. toffee, vanilla, citrus, spices, floral.

Palate (90): light, powerful. toffee, corn, vanilla, spices, fudge, citrus, floral.

Finish (88): average. toffee, citrus, corn.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Green Spot Single Pot Still with 89 points over 100.

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Yellow Spot

“Very nice Irish whiskey. Extremely sweet with all the lovely character Irish pot still whiskey has”

This Pure Pot Still Whiskey is the second entry into the 'Spot' range, aged for 12 years and made up in part from spirit matured in Malaga casks for a more sweet dram.

This dram has a amber-like color.

Nose (89): more than average. honey, floral, sweet frutis, raisins.

Palate (90): powerful, oily. honey, grass, sweet, raisins, cocoa, citrus.

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

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Yellow Spot with 90 points over 100.

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The independent

They buy whiskey from Midleton and blend and bottle themselves.

Knappogue Castle 1994

“Nose is delightful and promising but the short finish really spoils what could be a great dram. Good whiskey nonetheless”

There’s a new Knappogue Castle Irish Whiskey hitting the shelves. This one is a 1994 vintage and it’s limited to 1,000 individually numbered, hand-signed bottles.

This dram has a white wine-like color.

Nose (89): more than average. honey, floral, fruits, pears, pinneapples, spices. Quite nice nose. Light but delicious.

Palate (87): light, smooth. honey, citrus, floral, toffee, vanilla, spices.

Finish (86): average. citrus, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Knappogue Castle 1994 with 87 points over 100.

Tullamore Dew

“Not bad but a bit on the cheap side of the life... Do yourself a favor and get something that tastes less of alcohol”

Tullamore Dew is the original blend known the world over for its smooth and gentle flavour. This mild blended whiskey has spicy, lemony and malty notes with charred wood undertones giving a soft, buttery, rounded flavour that lingers in the mouth.

Tullamore Dew is also widely acclaimed by whiskey connoisseurs; in 2005, it won a much-prized trophy at the International Spirits Challenge, the highest accolade in the drinks industry. The trophy was one of only four awarded to over 700 drinks products entered by companies all over the world.

This dram has a gold-like color.

Nose (78): average. honey, floral, citrus, alcohol, vanilla.

Palate (82): light, smooth. honey, citrus, sherry, pears, cinnamon.

Finish (81): average. citrus, honey, vanilla.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this Tullamore Dew Blend with 80 points over 100.

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The Irishman

“Last time I tasted this whiskey I was quite impressed... now I just content to it”

A great Single Malt Whiskey, matured over a decade a personally selected by Bernard Walsh. Each batch is limited in availability to 100 cases. Distilled from the finest Malt Barley and blessed by the Waters of 'St Columb's Rill'. The Irishman Single Malt is matured in Bourbon and Sherry Casks, Bourbon to mellow the whiskey and Sherry to add a hint of sweetness.

This dram has a amber-like color.

Nose (83): average. honey, wood, citrus.

Palate (86): light, smooth. honey, citrus, floral, spices, vanilla, cream.

Finish (85): average. honey, citrus, vanilla.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this The Irishman Single Malt with 85 points over 100.

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The Wild Geese

“A nice blended whiskey with a very interesting touch of toffee and sherry. Quite enjoyable”

This dram has a white wine-like color.

Nose (86): average. honey, citrus, toffee, floral, vanilla.

Palate (88): light, smooth. honey, wood, fruits, citrus, sherry, spices, cinnamon. Not bad, not bad at all

Finish (87): longer than average. citrus, spices.

So based on other whiskies I have already tasted I rate this The Wild Geese Classic with 87 points over 100.

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To know more

If you are interested in knowing more about Irish whiskey you can have a look to this brief ebook about Irish whiskey, either in Amazon. ( To celebrate St. Patrick day it is free from March, 12^th to March, 17sup>th).

Miguel says…

If you are a casual drinker of Jameson or Powers, just take a minute, save a few bucks and spend them on a serious whiskey like Jameson 12 years old ( or 18 if you have the money!) or the Powers 12 years old. You will toast from that day as Irish do:

Health and a long life to you.
Land without rent to you.
A child every year to you.
And if you can’t go to heaven,
May you at least die in Ireland

I can’t quit writing without sharing this amazing photo of Chicago. That’s the proper way!

And this one of St. Patrick driving the snakes out of Ireland

Yep! I do love this stuff. I am back now to celebrations!
Slainté!