The Glenmorangie Nectar d'Or is often rated as the best of the three NAS cask-finished whiskies produced by Glenmorangie - Quinta Ruban, Nectar d'Or, and Lasanta. The Lasanta was finished in sherry casks, Quinta Ruban in port, and Nectar d'Or in Sauternes casks. I've had the Quinta and liked it, and this is the first time I've tried the Nectar. Time to see if it's that great...
Nose - raisins from sultanas - you know, the green/yellow type of grapes. Reminds me of the sultana raisins that come in white boxes. Can't remember the brand now. The wine influence in this is in a rather different direction from the effect of port on the Quinta, if I remember correctly. This one smells sweeter. Quite a bit of vanilla in this one. With water: fruitier. More grapes though. Doesn't seem like there's much variety of fruit.
Palate - Light, like white wine, with the complementary light tannin. Vanilla and honey come back. This is sweet and light. With water: some spices, like nutmeg and cloves. Reminded EP of carrot cake (the ang moh dessert type, rather than chye tau kway)
Finish - spiced wine. Cinnamon this time. Somewhat different spice profile than the palate. Odd. Not unpleasant though. With water: a bit of oak floats up, but the flavours remain unchanged.
Overall - pretty pleasant. I can see why some rate this highly, though I think i prefer the sweeter, but spicier and heavier Quinta Ruban. To each his own, I guess. This one is good, but I think it's not something to specifically hunt down (it does seem like it's becoming harder to find in shops).
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Sunday, March 27, 2016
International Whisky Day Post
27 March is International Whisky Day, in honour of Michael Jackson, one of the greatest whisky writers. He's passed on already, after a long fight with Parkinson's Disease. Check out this website (http://www.internationalwhiskyday.org/), raise a glass to the man, and donate some money to the cause!
A couple of drinks to post here today...
Springbank 15 - I'm trying to get into Springbank, with its hipster credentials and stuff. They do the whole whisky making process on site, from malting to bottling. Once in a while, Springbank produces "Local Barley" whiskies too. These ones use barley that have been grown locally. Can't get more hipster than that, especially in the multi-national production processes whiskies go through nowadays. Partially influenced by http://www.benswhisky.co.uk/, whose writer had this magnificent Springbank phase. Think he's drank every Springbank available on the market over a couple of years. Here's my take on the Springbank 15.
Nose - sherried upfront, then turns to the smells that we've come to expect from Springbank. Some antiseptic, some machine oil. A bit of peat, and some of the oak comes through. Fairly spirit driven, though it seems like the wood had more say in this than in the 10 year old.
Palate - Initial entry is a bit sour, like wine. Then it becomes slightly savoury, meaty even. Peat and smoke rise up next, which then turns to grass. Something that reminds me of truffle, but not as pungent and overpowering. There's some oak, which takes the edge of Springbank's spirit-driven character. The slightly salty, slightly metallic taste seems like a Springbank signature. Gotta try the 18 next time...
Finish - Smoke, and a bit more meat. A touch of sourness lingers on the back of the throat. Not unpleasant, but feels more wine than sherried whisky. It's a bit bitter too, and not in a pleasant, dark chocolate way. Hmm. Like...I'm not sure what's this bitterness. Thankfully, it's not prominent.
Overall - pretty good, but I think I preferred the 10. More straightforward, less cask influence, and perhaps a purer Springbank experience. I've still not opened my 12 year Cask Strength. Soon, soon...
A couple of drinks to post here today...
Springbank 15 - I'm trying to get into Springbank, with its hipster credentials and stuff. They do the whole whisky making process on site, from malting to bottling. Once in a while, Springbank produces "Local Barley" whiskies too. These ones use barley that have been grown locally. Can't get more hipster than that, especially in the multi-national production processes whiskies go through nowadays. Partially influenced by http://www.benswhisky.co.uk/, whose writer had this magnificent Springbank phase. Think he's drank every Springbank available on the market over a couple of years. Here's my take on the Springbank 15.
Nose - sherried upfront, then turns to the smells that we've come to expect from Springbank. Some antiseptic, some machine oil. A bit of peat, and some of the oak comes through. Fairly spirit driven, though it seems like the wood had more say in this than in the 10 year old.
Palate - Initial entry is a bit sour, like wine. Then it becomes slightly savoury, meaty even. Peat and smoke rise up next, which then turns to grass. Something that reminds me of truffle, but not as pungent and overpowering. There's some oak, which takes the edge of Springbank's spirit-driven character. The slightly salty, slightly metallic taste seems like a Springbank signature. Gotta try the 18 next time...
Finish - Smoke, and a bit more meat. A touch of sourness lingers on the back of the throat. Not unpleasant, but feels more wine than sherried whisky. It's a bit bitter too, and not in a pleasant, dark chocolate way. Hmm. Like...I'm not sure what's this bitterness. Thankfully, it's not prominent.
Overall - pretty good, but I think I preferred the 10. More straightforward, less cask influence, and perhaps a purer Springbank experience. I've still not opened my 12 year Cask Strength. Soon, soon...
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Rare and Rarer - Two Japanese whiskies
From the same session at the Auld Alliance, but these two are Japanese whiskies of the rare variety.
Hibiki 21 (43% abv) - this one now costs over $1000 a bottle, and the limited edition bottling with Mount Fuji on the bottle costs significantly higher. I rather enjoyed the 17 years expression. Let's see if the 21 is even better.
Nose - Ripe Chinese pears. Sweet and fragrant, but still considered a light nose. Vanilla and slightly floral, compared to the 17, which was more floral, I feel. The grain whisky influence seems less pronounced in this. A bit of oak, and some caramelized sugar.
Palate - a bit of grass and pine, then the pears we found on the nose return. Some vanilla, and this one is surprisingly drying. It sucked the moisture out of the sides of my mouth. Not unpleasant, but not what I expected. And not something I will say that I found enjoyable. Thankfully, the dryness gives way to some bourbon-like honey sweetness.
Finish - the vanilla lingers for quite a while. There's a light bit of oak, and a refreshing grassy feel.
Overall - Good Japanese blend, though I thought it would pack more. It seems that the 17 was a bit better. This one is mellower and more austere. And the palate is surprisingly dry. Good, but I think it falls just short of greatness.
Ichiro's Malt, Chichibu, for the Tokyo International Bar Show (62.3% abv, 299 bottles) - Rarer, but surprisingly cheaper than the Hibiki 21 per glass.
Nose - Very young (6 years, bottled in 2015), very high strength. The French oak cask has done a thorough job on this whisky. Behind the sweet and fragrant oak lies some vanilla, grass, and light peat. With water: A touch of savouriness appears, and the oak gets even more fragrant.
Palate - alcohol burn. Young whiskies and high strength tend to do that. Silly me. After the whisky sits for a while, there's some light peat, grass and light pepper. I noted the high strength and alcohol burn twice when I was tasting this. Behind the alcohol lies a cartload of nuts. Almonds and roasted peanuts, if I had to be more precise. With water: The nuts get toned down, and the French oak becomes more fragrant and dominant.
Finish - light peat and nutty. There's some spice, like cinnamon. This finish feels rather spirit driven. The oak has done its job, but it feels like the malt in the spirit finally has its say right at the end. With water: A bit of vanilla comes out on the finish.
Overall - This is very good. Very young, very high strength. This means that the wood hasn't had as much time helping the alcohol to blend well into the rest of the liquid and help it settle down. But, nevertheless, this is actually pretty complex. I suspect with more time and different amounts of water, one will get more stuff out of this. The French oak used in the cask is also of top quality. I usually can't stand whiskies that have too much of an oak influence, but this one is good. The wood is fragrant, rather than cloying or overly assertive. A good base spirit matured in a very good cask. I like this, and may consider trying more Chichibus in the near future.
Hibiki 21 (43% abv) - this one now costs over $1000 a bottle, and the limited edition bottling with Mount Fuji on the bottle costs significantly higher. I rather enjoyed the 17 years expression. Let's see if the 21 is even better.
Nose - Ripe Chinese pears. Sweet and fragrant, but still considered a light nose. Vanilla and slightly floral, compared to the 17, which was more floral, I feel. The grain whisky influence seems less pronounced in this. A bit of oak, and some caramelized sugar.
Palate - a bit of grass and pine, then the pears we found on the nose return. Some vanilla, and this one is surprisingly drying. It sucked the moisture out of the sides of my mouth. Not unpleasant, but not what I expected. And not something I will say that I found enjoyable. Thankfully, the dryness gives way to some bourbon-like honey sweetness.
Finish - the vanilla lingers for quite a while. There's a light bit of oak, and a refreshing grassy feel.
Overall - Good Japanese blend, though I thought it would pack more. It seems that the 17 was a bit better. This one is mellower and more austere. And the palate is surprisingly dry. Good, but I think it falls just short of greatness.
Ichiro's Malt, Chichibu, for the Tokyo International Bar Show (62.3% abv, 299 bottles) - Rarer, but surprisingly cheaper than the Hibiki 21 per glass.
Palate - alcohol burn. Young whiskies and high strength tend to do that. Silly me. After the whisky sits for a while, there's some light peat, grass and light pepper. I noted the high strength and alcohol burn twice when I was tasting this. Behind the alcohol lies a cartload of nuts. Almonds and roasted peanuts, if I had to be more precise. With water: The nuts get toned down, and the French oak becomes more fragrant and dominant.
Finish - light peat and nutty. There's some spice, like cinnamon. This finish feels rather spirit driven. The oak has done its job, but it feels like the malt in the spirit finally has its say right at the end. With water: A bit of vanilla comes out on the finish.
Overall - This is very good. Very young, very high strength. This means that the wood hasn't had as much time helping the alcohol to blend well into the rest of the liquid and help it settle down. But, nevertheless, this is actually pretty complex. I suspect with more time and different amounts of water, one will get more stuff out of this. The French oak used in the cask is also of top quality. I usually can't stand whiskies that have too much of an oak influence, but this one is good. The wood is fragrant, rather than cloying or overly assertive. A good base spirit matured in a very good cask. I like this, and may consider trying more Chichibus in the near future.
Friday, March 18, 2016
One session, Two Parts (Redbreast 12, Glenmorangie Quarter Century, Lagavulin Distiller's Edition)
The Auld Alliance is turning into a hang-out of choice whenever DW, XW, EP and I meet. Tasty gatherings, these tasting gatherings. We had 5 glasses between the 4 of us, and everyone got to try a bit of everything. I'll first pen down my notes for these first three. Two Scotches, and one Irish (St. Patrick's Day??). Two Japanese ones to follow later over the weekend.
The crowd at the Auld Alliance is pretty young, mostly Asian, and most seem to know what they are ordering. Well, most. There was once JP and I were there, and some of our friends from one of the larger countries in the world did not really know what sort of place they have just stepped into. But any way. I guess the crowd at the Auld Alliance is a fair indicator of the clientele of whisky drinkers in Singapore. Not sure how many of these regular drinkers are also collectors, but most seem to have a sense of what they are looking for. Which is good for the industry. The absence of the older folks can probably be explained by the fact that the older folks usually can afford to buy their own bottles, and already have their own preferred bottlings and stuff. Whisky is becoming more popular among the younger crowd here in Singapore, for sure, though many are in thrall to Japanese whiskies and some of the bigger brands, like The Macallan.
So, the three for today...
Redbreast 12 (40% abv) - The first Irish whisky I've every had, I think. Remembered it being really smooth.
Nose - Some suggestions of nuts, a bit of grass, then a lot of vanilla, honey and caramel. A suggestion of wood. Very pleasant. Creamy, almost.
Palate - Yes, this is what I'll describe as creamy. No hint of alcohol. Very slight salt playing on the tongue. Otherwise, honey, vanilla, a bit of grass. Very ripe fruits here. A touch of spice. Just a light touch.
Finish - Very short finish. A reminder of some wood, a touch of spice, a bit more of the honey, then it goes down like cream. Irish cream made using Redbreast 12 would be a dream.
Overall - Very pleasant. Some criticize the Redbreast 12 for being too smooth, and having no structure to its taste. I like how everything in it blends together. It's a combination of flavours that fit together well, and which have sufficient similarities for the various flavours to slide around. Pretty good daily dram in my books. Better than the Redbreast 15, in my opinion. The 15 stung more, and loses some of the creaminess for more fruit. Maybe the 21 would be amazing. Something to try next time.
Glenmorangie Quarter Century (43% abv) - I'm a regular reader of whiskyfun.com and the good website gives this one a high score of 90, even naming it as the best Glenmorangie tasted. DW was looking for something that's similar in style to the Balvenie 30, which is big on honey and fruits. Off the top of my head, I thought that this might be a good comparison - similar, but somewhat different, being Highland and all that. We'll see how this goes.
Nose - Vanilla and oak. Seems like a mix of bourbon and sherry casks, but it feels like the bourbon is more dominant. Some suggestions of coconut, which, to me, seems like a sure sign that bourbon casks were involved in the process. Ripe red fruits, like ripe grapes and strawberries, and a lot of honey. However, the bourbon-like vanilla feel seems to mask everything else.
Palate - A smooth customer. Honey and vanilla are the main notes on the palate. A bit of oak underlying all that. It's not very rich, nor very distinct. Some sherry richness, but its fairly withdrawn. Master of Malt described this as creamy, but I think it's hardly anywhere as creamy as the Redbreast.
Finish - Some fruit lingers, but not distinct enough to tell what fruit it is. The sweetness of the fruit seems close to honey. A bit of oak. Fairly short finish.
Overall - Well. I wouldn't give this a 90. Smooth, pleasant, but seems a bit lacking in character for a 25 year old. Could it be due to the light distillate that Glenmorangie produces? Some have argued that the light distillate produced in Glenmorangie's tall stills makes the whisky a good canvas for cask manipulation, as can be seen from the proliferation of new fancypackaging whiskies. The Quinta Ruban, Nectar d'Or and Lasanta were perhaps one of the first few, but they've been followed by an army of new NAS Glenmorangies. Some of those cask experiments work; I quite liked the Quinta Ruban, but maybe not enough to finish a whole litre of it (thanks PY for splitting the bottle!). This Quarter Century, I feel, suffers from being too light. The cask has certainly done its job, but perhaps the distillate was just too light, and the cask too gentlemanly. Decent, but perhaps too old and expensive for it to be just decent. I would probably score this at...80? 82? Same as the Redbreast 12, in any case.
Lagavulin Distiller's Edition (43% abv) - something that I've been wanting to try ever since I got into my head that I want a smoky sherry bomb/sherried peat monster. This one has drawn great reviews every year. Lagavulin is, according to some reviewers, the one distillery that no one has a bad word to say about. The 16 was great, in my opinion. The balance of smoke, peat and fruit was impeccable. What would a finishing in PX cask do to this great balance? Which way will it tip?
Nose - Mmmmmm. Lagavulin through and through. A meaty, savoury smoke and peat. A hint of leather in the background, and a sweet citrus fruit, like ripe cranberries/blueberries. Did that come from the Pedro Ximenez? Smells delicious.
Palate - Even though EP doesn't like peat, she found this very good. Which is testimony to how good Lagavulin is in general, and this Distiller's Edition in particular. A hint of wine on entry, then peat takes over for a bit. A touch rubber and leather, then some nuts. The meaty, savouriness makes a return, but it's balanced out by some vanilla. This is really, really good. Instead of throwing things off-balance, the PX cask has added a new dimension to the Lagavulin 16.
Finish - A bit of smoke, charred meat, and some pepper. There's a bit of eucalyptus and mint at the back of the throat, and it ends with a bit of dryness, like tea.
Overall - Excellent. I'm considering getting a bottle for myself, maybe when I finish the Oban 14 (which I still have about slightly over half a bottle left). This one is really good. Lagavulin will be a definite stopover if I ever go to Islay. This one is worth a 90 points in my book, though the Laphroaig 32 is probably, as things currently stand, a 95 and above kind of whisky.
DW said that he can imagine me becoming a full time whisky sipper after retiring, going round the globe visiting distilleries and trying all sorts of whiskies. Sounds like a good idea, but it seems a bit churlish to plan for retirement when I've not even gotten through my trainee phase. Whatever the future holds, this night at the Auld Alliance was fun, though the Glenmorangie was a bit of a small disappointment.
Hibiki 21 and an Ichiro's Malt in a couple of days' time! Goodnight!
The crowd at the Auld Alliance is pretty young, mostly Asian, and most seem to know what they are ordering. Well, most. There was once JP and I were there, and some of our friends from one of the larger countries in the world did not really know what sort of place they have just stepped into. But any way. I guess the crowd at the Auld Alliance is a fair indicator of the clientele of whisky drinkers in Singapore. Not sure how many of these regular drinkers are also collectors, but most seem to have a sense of what they are looking for. Which is good for the industry. The absence of the older folks can probably be explained by the fact that the older folks usually can afford to buy their own bottles, and already have their own preferred bottlings and stuff. Whisky is becoming more popular among the younger crowd here in Singapore, for sure, though many are in thrall to Japanese whiskies and some of the bigger brands, like The Macallan.
So, the three for today...
Redbreast 12 (40% abv) - The first Irish whisky I've every had, I think. Remembered it being really smooth.
Nose - Some suggestions of nuts, a bit of grass, then a lot of vanilla, honey and caramel. A suggestion of wood. Very pleasant. Creamy, almost.
Palate - Yes, this is what I'll describe as creamy. No hint of alcohol. Very slight salt playing on the tongue. Otherwise, honey, vanilla, a bit of grass. Very ripe fruits here. A touch of spice. Just a light touch.
Finish - Very short finish. A reminder of some wood, a touch of spice, a bit more of the honey, then it goes down like cream. Irish cream made using Redbreast 12 would be a dream.
Overall - Very pleasant. Some criticize the Redbreast 12 for being too smooth, and having no structure to its taste. I like how everything in it blends together. It's a combination of flavours that fit together well, and which have sufficient similarities for the various flavours to slide around. Pretty good daily dram in my books. Better than the Redbreast 15, in my opinion. The 15 stung more, and loses some of the creaminess for more fruit. Maybe the 21 would be amazing. Something to try next time.
Glenmorangie Quarter Century (43% abv) - I'm a regular reader of whiskyfun.com and the good website gives this one a high score of 90, even naming it as the best Glenmorangie tasted. DW was looking for something that's similar in style to the Balvenie 30, which is big on honey and fruits. Off the top of my head, I thought that this might be a good comparison - similar, but somewhat different, being Highland and all that. We'll see how this goes.
Nose - Vanilla and oak. Seems like a mix of bourbon and sherry casks, but it feels like the bourbon is more dominant. Some suggestions of coconut, which, to me, seems like a sure sign that bourbon casks were involved in the process. Ripe red fruits, like ripe grapes and strawberries, and a lot of honey. However, the bourbon-like vanilla feel seems to mask everything else.
Palate - A smooth customer. Honey and vanilla are the main notes on the palate. A bit of oak underlying all that. It's not very rich, nor very distinct. Some sherry richness, but its fairly withdrawn. Master of Malt described this as creamy, but I think it's hardly anywhere as creamy as the Redbreast.
Finish - Some fruit lingers, but not distinct enough to tell what fruit it is. The sweetness of the fruit seems close to honey. A bit of oak. Fairly short finish.
Overall - Well. I wouldn't give this a 90. Smooth, pleasant, but seems a bit lacking in character for a 25 year old. Could it be due to the light distillate that Glenmorangie produces? Some have argued that the light distillate produced in Glenmorangie's tall stills makes the whisky a good canvas for cask manipulation, as can be seen from the proliferation of new fancy
Lagavulin Distiller's Edition (43% abv) - something that I've been wanting to try ever since I got into my head that I want a smoky sherry bomb/sherried peat monster. This one has drawn great reviews every year. Lagavulin is, according to some reviewers, the one distillery that no one has a bad word to say about. The 16 was great, in my opinion. The balance of smoke, peat and fruit was impeccable. What would a finishing in PX cask do to this great balance? Which way will it tip?
Nose - Mmmmmm. Lagavulin through and through. A meaty, savoury smoke and peat. A hint of leather in the background, and a sweet citrus fruit, like ripe cranberries/blueberries. Did that come from the Pedro Ximenez? Smells delicious.
Palate - Even though EP doesn't like peat, she found this very good. Which is testimony to how good Lagavulin is in general, and this Distiller's Edition in particular. A hint of wine on entry, then peat takes over for a bit. A touch rubber and leather, then some nuts. The meaty, savouriness makes a return, but it's balanced out by some vanilla. This is really, really good. Instead of throwing things off-balance, the PX cask has added a new dimension to the Lagavulin 16.
Finish - A bit of smoke, charred meat, and some pepper. There's a bit of eucalyptus and mint at the back of the throat, and it ends with a bit of dryness, like tea.
Overall - Excellent. I'm considering getting a bottle for myself, maybe when I finish the Oban 14 (which I still have about slightly over half a bottle left). This one is really good. Lagavulin will be a definite stopover if I ever go to Islay. This one is worth a 90 points in my book, though the Laphroaig 32 is probably, as things currently stand, a 95 and above kind of whisky.
DW said that he can imagine me becoming a full time whisky sipper after retiring, going round the globe visiting distilleries and trying all sorts of whiskies. Sounds like a good idea, but it seems a bit churlish to plan for retirement when I've not even gotten through my trainee phase. Whatever the future holds, this night at the Auld Alliance was fun, though the Glenmorangie was a bit of a small disappointment.
Hibiki 21 and an Ichiro's Malt in a couple of days' time! Goodnight!
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Bowmore Gold Reef
Black Rock, Gold Reef, White Sands - the three maritime and colour-themed whiskies released by Bowmore for Travel Retail. The prices are pretty affordable, should you be flying. But are the whiskies good? There is very little consensus online regarding travel retail exclusives, though there are some whiskies that did well enough in Travel Retail to make it out of the airport and onto the shelves. Is this one of those whiskies that are good enough? Or will it remain a novelty?
Bowmore Gold Reef (43% abv) - this one is matured in ex-bourbon casks.
Nose - An initial burst of white, milk chocolate, though that disappears quickly, never to be found again. After that, vanilla comes to the fore, with some hints of coconut. That's the bourbon cask at work, I guess. Some pineapples, or a sharp, citrus fruit. I think this has been found in several newer Bowmores. A little salt.
Palate - Soft peat, a little salty, and more vanilla and pineapples. Smooth on the palate. The peat turns a little ashy, but that's fine. Well within limits, unlike the Ardbegs, which push those boundaries quite aggressively.
Finish - Ashes and honey. Pretty short. Right at the end...is that a touch of...chemical caramel colouring?
Overall - Fairly straightforward and pleasant, nothing offensive, but unfortunately, nothing very memorable either. I've only had 2 Bowmores thus far; this one, and the Bowmore 12. I've not tasted anything in either of these that's made me impressed with the distillery. It may be one of the more historic distilleries on Islay's, but the ones I've had have been fairly tame. Is there any Bowmore I should try that is a better showcase of what the distillery has to offer? Or is this it?
Bowmore Gold Reef (43% abv) - this one is matured in ex-bourbon casks.
Nose - An initial burst of white, milk chocolate, though that disappears quickly, never to be found again. After that, vanilla comes to the fore, with some hints of coconut. That's the bourbon cask at work, I guess. Some pineapples, or a sharp, citrus fruit. I think this has been found in several newer Bowmores. A little salt.
Palate - Soft peat, a little salty, and more vanilla and pineapples. Smooth on the palate. The peat turns a little ashy, but that's fine. Well within limits, unlike the Ardbegs, which push those boundaries quite aggressively.
Finish - Ashes and honey. Pretty short. Right at the end...is that a touch of...chemical caramel colouring?
Overall - Fairly straightforward and pleasant, nothing offensive, but unfortunately, nothing very memorable either. I've only had 2 Bowmores thus far; this one, and the Bowmore 12. I've not tasted anything in either of these that's made me impressed with the distillery. It may be one of the more historic distilleries on Islay's, but the ones I've had have been fairly tame. Is there any Bowmore I should try that is a better showcase of what the distillery has to offer? Or is this it?
Monday, March 14, 2016
Ardbeg Uigeadail
Ardbeg Uigeadail (54.2% abv) - fairly affordable if you buy this Duty Free. Otherwise, it's slightly under $200 SGD at some places. And slightly over at others...
Nose - Initially burst of sherry's wine/raisin sweetness. Then the Ardbeg peat and smoke takes over. A hint of vanilla comes through to balance against the peat. The peat on the nose isn't ashy, but is more grassy. Nice touch.
Palate - A touch of sherry sweetness, then grassy. The peat takes over from there, with a bit of alcoholic burn, probably from the high strength. Ashy. This changes to smoke, and then rubber and tanned leather. Vanilla peeks through a bit. A little bitter too. Oak. This is a rather complex taste, for something that has no age statement. Some have complained that the quality of the sherry cask has gone down through the years, but this is still pretty excellent.
Finish - A little minty. Lots of tea. English Breakfast? Drying, with strong wood accompaniment. A bit bitter at the end too. The minty feel lasts quite a while. As does the drying tea tannin.
This one is courtesy of XT, who did a little swap with me. Gave him my leftover Talisker 18, and got a glass of this in return. Pretty good trade. Much as I like the Talisker 18, I think the Uigeadail is actually more complex in the flavours on offer. I think I like Ardbeg's peat more than Laphroaig's. Ardbeg is going to be one of our stops if we ever go on a distillery-hopping tour in Scotland. Together with Lagavulin and Bunnahabhain on Islay, Highland Park from the highlands, Balvenie from Speyside, Springbank in Campbeltown, and maybe Talisker on Skye. Pretty exciting. Gotta start saving.
Nose - Initially burst of sherry's wine/raisin sweetness. Then the Ardbeg peat and smoke takes over. A hint of vanilla comes through to balance against the peat. The peat on the nose isn't ashy, but is more grassy. Nice touch.
Palate - A touch of sherry sweetness, then grassy. The peat takes over from there, with a bit of alcoholic burn, probably from the high strength. Ashy. This changes to smoke, and then rubber and tanned leather. Vanilla peeks through a bit. A little bitter too. Oak. This is a rather complex taste, for something that has no age statement. Some have complained that the quality of the sherry cask has gone down through the years, but this is still pretty excellent.
Finish - A little minty. Lots of tea. English Breakfast? Drying, with strong wood accompaniment. A bit bitter at the end too. The minty feel lasts quite a while. As does the drying tea tannin.
This one is courtesy of XT, who did a little swap with me. Gave him my leftover Talisker 18, and got a glass of this in return. Pretty good trade. Much as I like the Talisker 18, I think the Uigeadail is actually more complex in the flavours on offer. I think I like Ardbeg's peat more than Laphroaig's. Ardbeg is going to be one of our stops if we ever go on a distillery-hopping tour in Scotland. Together with Lagavulin and Bunnahabhain on Islay, Highland Park from the highlands, Balvenie from Speyside, Springbank in Campbeltown, and maybe Talisker on Skye. Pretty exciting. Gotta start saving.
Monday, March 7, 2016
Birthday Drinks (Part 2) - Glendronach 21, Glenfarclas 40 Family Cask for Silver Seal, Highland Park 18
Three whiskies tasted at the Auld Alliance. Seriously, go check out their whisky selection. It's crazy the amount of stuff they have in there. Some really interesting independent bottlings and limited edition ones as well. This session was a couple of days ago. Let's hope my notes are sufficient to jog my memory.
The three new ones are the Highland Park 18, Glendronach 21, and the Glenfarclas Family Cask, which was about 40 years old, but I'm not sure which vintage it came from. Too excited about the drink to check the years. But it might have been the 1971/2011 vintage, bottled for The Whisky Shop Dufftown, since I remember the abv of the one we had that night to be about 51%. (Edit: It's the Family Cask for Silver Seal Glenfarclas 40 1971, bottled at 52% abv)
Note that I don't mention the colour for many of my posts. This is because, often, I drink my whiskies in places where lighting isn't the best. Since I'm not going to be able to even see the colour accurately, much less describe it, I usually skip it altogether.
Highland Park 18 - (43% abv)
Nose - Fresh ad grassy. A lot of oranges in this one. This is the first Highland Park I've ever tasted, but the big oranges seems to be in agreement with a few other whisky blogs out there. There's a hint of smoke in this one, and some rubber and tar.
Palate - Oranges, definitely. A bit of raisins and rubber. Does Highland Park use sherry casks? There's a touch of peat. The grass from the nose returns. The middle of the palate is drying on tea tannins. There's strong suggestions of honey too. On the whole, it's a little prickly, but fairly smooth.
Finish - A little bitter. Feels like burnt sugar and tea rolled into one. A bit of caramel, it seems. The finish is generally short, but the tannins last.
Overall, pretty good! Won't be the last Highland Park I try.
Glendronach 21 Parliament (48% abv)
Nose - Rich raisins, like the 18. Prunes. Seems like a more mature, riper version of the 18. Some fresh cut grass, which came as a pleasant surprise. Oak, and light vanilla.
Palate - Rather oily texture, and a bit of alcohol sting, but that goes away quickly. Raisins and grape seed tannins. Or maybe that's grape skin. Oak, vanilla. A touch of something darker, like chocolate, but not quite. Honey too. A sweet whisky, this one.
Finish - Lingering grape tannins, like that you find in a good wine. A touch of spice, and some vanilla. Not so long, lest it becomes cloying.
Not very expensive, considering its age. I saw a bottle at Auld Alliance for just over $200.
Glenfarclas Family Cask
Nose - Sherry. Grass. Vanilla that borders on icing sugar. Held together in a fine balance by a rich oak of the highest quality. The oak adds character and balance without dominating the nose. Very nicely done. A sherried whisky of the top quality, from the nose alone.
Palate - Amazing. Gives the Balvenie 30 a run for its money (and probably winning the race too, in my opinion). Light peat and grass o entry. The sherry then shows its power, building in rich sherry flavours. Just before it becomes sweet, the whisky turns to a slightly bitter touch. Feels like the dried orange peel that my mum used to tell me was a healthy snack. Vanilla too. A very rich and well-layered sherried whisky. Much deeper in complexity when compared to the Glendronach 21. The extra years weren't wasted. Must have been an amazing cask to give so much flavour.
Finish - Light spice, vanilla. Light peat. And then a small burst of eucalyptus and menthol at the back of the throat. Delightful.
At $100 a glass, this one is worth a try on a special occasion.
The three new ones are the Highland Park 18, Glendronach 21, and the Glenfarclas Family Cask, which was about 40 years old, but I'm not sure which vintage it came from. Too excited about the drink to check the years. But it might have been the 1971/2011 vintage, bottled for The Whisky Shop Dufftown, since I remember the abv of the one we had that night to be about 51%. (Edit: It's the Family Cask for Silver Seal Glenfarclas 40 1971, bottled at 52% abv)
Note that I don't mention the colour for many of my posts. This is because, often, I drink my whiskies in places where lighting isn't the best. Since I'm not going to be able to even see the colour accurately, much less describe it, I usually skip it altogether.
Highland Park 18 - (43% abv)
Nose - Fresh ad grassy. A lot of oranges in this one. This is the first Highland Park I've ever tasted, but the big oranges seems to be in agreement with a few other whisky blogs out there. There's a hint of smoke in this one, and some rubber and tar.
Palate - Oranges, definitely. A bit of raisins and rubber. Does Highland Park use sherry casks? There's a touch of peat. The grass from the nose returns. The middle of the palate is drying on tea tannins. There's strong suggestions of honey too. On the whole, it's a little prickly, but fairly smooth.
Finish - A little bitter. Feels like burnt sugar and tea rolled into one. A bit of caramel, it seems. The finish is generally short, but the tannins last.
Overall, pretty good! Won't be the last Highland Park I try.
Glendronach 21 Parliament (48% abv)
Nose - Rich raisins, like the 18. Prunes. Seems like a more mature, riper version of the 18. Some fresh cut grass, which came as a pleasant surprise. Oak, and light vanilla.
Palate - Rather oily texture, and a bit of alcohol sting, but that goes away quickly. Raisins and grape seed tannins. Or maybe that's grape skin. Oak, vanilla. A touch of something darker, like chocolate, but not quite. Honey too. A sweet whisky, this one.
Finish - Lingering grape tannins, like that you find in a good wine. A touch of spice, and some vanilla. Not so long, lest it becomes cloying.
Not very expensive, considering its age. I saw a bottle at Auld Alliance for just over $200.
Glenfarclas Family Cask
Nose - Sherry. Grass. Vanilla that borders on icing sugar. Held together in a fine balance by a rich oak of the highest quality. The oak adds character and balance without dominating the nose. Very nicely done. A sherried whisky of the top quality, from the nose alone.
Palate - Amazing. Gives the Balvenie 30 a run for its money (and probably winning the race too, in my opinion). Light peat and grass o entry. The sherry then shows its power, building in rich sherry flavours. Just before it becomes sweet, the whisky turns to a slightly bitter touch. Feels like the dried orange peel that my mum used to tell me was a healthy snack. Vanilla too. A very rich and well-layered sherried whisky. Much deeper in complexity when compared to the Glendronach 21. The extra years weren't wasted. Must have been an amazing cask to give so much flavour.
Finish - Light spice, vanilla. Light peat. And then a small burst of eucalyptus and menthol at the back of the throat. Delightful.
At $100 a glass, this one is worth a try on a special occasion.
Saturday, March 5, 2016
Birthday drinks (Part 1) - Shinshu Mars Twin Alps
It's been rather busy since I started work. Thus, the search for new whiskies has slowed down. But a birthday is always a good excuse to find new stuff. Had four new ones over two days, so I'll start with the least impressive today; the notes for the other three will come over the rest of the week...
Shinshu Mars Twin Alps (40% abv) - This one is a blend whisky, and I think it's the entry level blend for Shinshu Mars. Not quite in the same league as the Mars Maltage "Cosmo", which is a blended malt. We should be expecting some grains in this. I asked the waiting staff if I should be having this one neat, or in a highball. She thought for a while, and said that if I want a highball, I should get the Kakubin. The Twin Alps should be ok straight or on rocks. I had it straight.
Nose - Soft vanilla, a touch of cinnamon (thanks to EP for identifying the spice! It was really rather faint). The wood on the nose is firm and very present. In fact, I'll say that the oak is the main driver of the nose.
Palate - Feels grainy, like fine sand. That's an odd texture. Pretty smooth. Some vanilla, some cinnamon spice. A lot of wood. Grassy too. Gentle on the alcohol. A little sweet, and maybe a hint of coconut.
Finish - Short. Nothing that stands out. Fairly standard for an entry level blend - some vanilla, and a lot of wood.
This one was drank at Ji Biru, a Japanese bar at Somerset 313. The whisky selection is tiny; Kakubin, Twin Alps, Hibiki 12, Taketsuru 17. That's about it, I think. Or maybe there's one more I forgot...But the selection of Japanese beers is pretty good! Pity there's only outdoor sitting, so that can get a little stuffy in Singapore's climate. Ji Biru simply means "Ground Beer", maybe because the bar is located at the ground level? Anyhows, the whisky selection here is puny, but the beers look promising. Maybe next time!
Shinshu Mars Twin Alps (40% abv) - This one is a blend whisky, and I think it's the entry level blend for Shinshu Mars. Not quite in the same league as the Mars Maltage "Cosmo", which is a blended malt. We should be expecting some grains in this. I asked the waiting staff if I should be having this one neat, or in a highball. She thought for a while, and said that if I want a highball, I should get the Kakubin. The Twin Alps should be ok straight or on rocks. I had it straight.
Nose - Soft vanilla, a touch of cinnamon (thanks to EP for identifying the spice! It was really rather faint). The wood on the nose is firm and very present. In fact, I'll say that the oak is the main driver of the nose.
Palate - Feels grainy, like fine sand. That's an odd texture. Pretty smooth. Some vanilla, some cinnamon spice. A lot of wood. Grassy too. Gentle on the alcohol. A little sweet, and maybe a hint of coconut.
Finish - Short. Nothing that stands out. Fairly standard for an entry level blend - some vanilla, and a lot of wood.
This one was drank at Ji Biru, a Japanese bar at Somerset 313. The whisky selection is tiny; Kakubin, Twin Alps, Hibiki 12, Taketsuru 17. That's about it, I think. Or maybe there's one more I forgot...But the selection of Japanese beers is pretty good! Pity there's only outdoor sitting, so that can get a little stuffy in Singapore's climate. Ji Biru simply means "Ground Beer", maybe because the bar is located at the ground level? Anyhows, the whisky selection here is puny, but the beers look promising. Maybe next time!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)