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!
Saturday, March 5, 2016
Friday, February 26, 2016
Laphroaig's Birthright
Fire Emblem is one of my all-time favourite games, whatever the platform. Last week, Fire Emblem: Fates came out on the 3DS. This comes 4 years after the previous installment, Fire Emblem: Awakening. Thus far, Fire Emblem: Fates has been amazing, and I'm only about 2/3 through with Birthright. Conquest is up next, then Revelations.
4 years was a pretty long wait for a game franchise, but the game play, complex story line, deeper characterization, and a much more balanced fighting mechanic makes it worth the wait.
Tonight, accompanying DW, me and our fight to save the earth is a whisky that has been many years in the making: the Laphroaig 32.
This Laphroaig was specially released to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the distillery, supposedly the most richly flavoured Scotch whisky, if you buy the marketing. I was skeptical about this claim when tasting the standard offerings from Laphroaig, but this particular bottling seems to live up to its lofty claim. Alas, good things are hard to come by, and there were a limited number of bottles of this 32 year old drink worldwide.
The scarcity of this whisky is largely due to it being cask strength. That's right, a 32 year old, cask strength whisky. Amazing. The alcohol level has dropped to 46.6% after the angels had their share over more than 3 decades, and what is left is the very best that Laphroaig has to offer. A worthy whisky to celebrate 200 years.
Laphroaig 32 (46.6% abv, cask strength, matured in an Oloroso hogshead)
Colour - Similar to the Balvenie 30, if not slightly lighter. That's surprising, because the Laphroaig spent its time in an Oloroso cask, which, from my experience, tends to give a deeper shade.
Nose - sherry, peat. Dark chocolate, and a little medicinal. A little salty, and the savouriness builds with time. After a while, it smells like a roasted meat, like the charred bits of a nice, roasted charsiew. A bit of ash. DW says that this smells like a rich cigar. Neither of us smoke. You are free to doubt our credibility. Some spices, and the bottle's tasting notes says nutmeg. Some vanilla lingers on the glass after the whisky is finished. Maybe it needed more time to come out against the other big-hitting flavours.
Palate - a little sour on entry, like wine. Peat is obviously there, but very restrained. Nuts, and lots of dark chocolate. It's amazing that the dark chocolate manages to stand out against Laphroaig's strong peat. It's a little leathery as well, which transits nicely between the dark chocolate and the ashy peat/smoke. Holding it on the tongue, I found a trace of the sweetness of Oloroso. Very smooth. This one is sweet, smoke, sherry, chocolate, peat, and a bit of pepper and other spices rolled into one. Delectably balanced.
Finish - Leaves behind a little bitterness, like dark chocolate. A little peppery on the insides of the mouth. I thought I caught a bit of lemon grass. Rich oak and wood spice, which balances out the bitter dark chocolate finish.
Overall - this was amazing. Thanks DW!
If I had tasted this last week, it would have been a worthy contender for the best whisky I had over CNY. As it turns out, DW and I had a comparison of the Balvenie 30 and the Laphroaig 32. They displayed such differing characteristics, and the comparison of the two is a great (and very very pricey) way to show the differences between the distilleries. If I had tasted this last week, the CNY whisky challenge would have ended with a great bang. Ah well. Better late than never!
Hands-down the best I've ever tasted, but the age, price and limited edition release means that this one is competing in a totally different category of drinks from the other whiskies that I've reviewed thus far. Stuff like this doesn't even get entered in competitions; it's far too good and precious.
4 years was a pretty long wait for a game franchise, but the game play, complex story line, deeper characterization, and a much more balanced fighting mechanic makes it worth the wait.
This Laphroaig was specially released to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the distillery, supposedly the most richly flavoured Scotch whisky, if you buy the marketing. I was skeptical about this claim when tasting the standard offerings from Laphroaig, but this particular bottling seems to live up to its lofty claim. Alas, good things are hard to come by, and there were a limited number of bottles of this 32 year old drink worldwide.
The scarcity of this whisky is largely due to it being cask strength. That's right, a 32 year old, cask strength whisky. Amazing. The alcohol level has dropped to 46.6% after the angels had their share over more than 3 decades, and what is left is the very best that Laphroaig has to offer. A worthy whisky to celebrate 200 years.
Laphroaig 32 (46.6% abv, cask strength, matured in an Oloroso hogshead)
Colour - Similar to the Balvenie 30, if not slightly lighter. That's surprising, because the Laphroaig spent its time in an Oloroso cask, which, from my experience, tends to give a deeper shade.
Nose - sherry, peat. Dark chocolate, and a little medicinal. A little salty, and the savouriness builds with time. After a while, it smells like a roasted meat, like the charred bits of a nice, roasted charsiew. A bit of ash. DW says that this smells like a rich cigar. Neither of us smoke. You are free to doubt our credibility. Some spices, and the bottle's tasting notes says nutmeg. Some vanilla lingers on the glass after the whisky is finished. Maybe it needed more time to come out against the other big-hitting flavours.
Palate - a little sour on entry, like wine. Peat is obviously there, but very restrained. Nuts, and lots of dark chocolate. It's amazing that the dark chocolate manages to stand out against Laphroaig's strong peat. It's a little leathery as well, which transits nicely between the dark chocolate and the ashy peat/smoke. Holding it on the tongue, I found a trace of the sweetness of Oloroso. Very smooth. This one is sweet, smoke, sherry, chocolate, peat, and a bit of pepper and other spices rolled into one. Delectably balanced.
Finish - Leaves behind a little bitterness, like dark chocolate. A little peppery on the insides of the mouth. I thought I caught a bit of lemon grass. Rich oak and wood spice, which balances out the bitter dark chocolate finish.
Overall - this was amazing. Thanks DW!
If I had tasted this last week, it would have been a worthy contender for the best whisky I had over CNY. As it turns out, DW and I had a comparison of the Balvenie 30 and the Laphroaig 32. They displayed such differing characteristics, and the comparison of the two is a great (and very very pricey) way to show the differences between the distilleries. If I had tasted this last week, the CNY whisky challenge would have ended with a great bang. Ah well. Better late than never!
Hands-down the best I've ever tasted, but the age, price and limited edition release means that this one is competing in a totally different category of drinks from the other whiskies that I've reviewed thus far. Stuff like this doesn't even get entered in competitions; it's far too good and precious.
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Does this count? CNY challenge update and final evaluation
In the end, there was insufficient time and energy to find that one last whisky to bring the CNY 15 day - 15 new whiskies challenge to a successful end. We are stuck on 14, without a final, proper tasting note to round it off. Pity. Would have been perfect to end off the challenge on the 15th day of the Lunar New Year, which also happens to be my birthday, according to the Lunar calendar.
But perhaps there is a mystery whisky to the rescue...
At WT's home last Thursday, there was a flask of mystery whisky. Something that WT's father had put into a stainless steel flask more than a decade ago. No one remembers what it is anymore...Dare I hazard a guess??
Colour - Light gold.
Nose - When the flask was first opened, there was a burst of something that smelt like sherry. That's 10 years of alcohol fumes bursting out at one go. Intense. Subsequently, the whisky could not be smelt anymore. After pouring it out, it surprised me. No sherry at all! Instead, honey and vanilla. This must be a blend, right?
Palate - Honey, vanilla. Not much wood, and just a little bit of alcohol. Fairly smooth, but taste-wise, a little flat and unexciting. Pleasant, for sure. Unfortunately, the number of years spent in the flask has imparted the whisky with a bit of a metallic edge.
Finish - Nothing much. A tiny bit of spice, a bit of vanilla, and it disappears.
My guess is that this is a Chivas. Perhaps a Chivas 12 from more than a decade ago. No one remembers, and we'll probably never find out...But the most important question is, does this count? Have we finished the CNY 15 days - 15 new whiskies challenge?!?
****************************************************************
Just to recap, the 14 (+1) that we've tasted this CNY are:
Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye (Not so good)
Johnnie Walker Blue King George V (Nice but not worth the price)
Taketsuru 21 years (Great, if obtainable at a reasonable price)
Auchentoshan Three Wood (Pretty decent and interesting!)
Balvenie 30 years (Wonderful)
Glenfiddich 18 (Smooth, but a little plain)
Hibiki 17 (Great, though prices are shooting up)
Macallan 18 (Good sherried whisky)
Macallan Estate Reserve (Good, but feels like the wood is a bit out of balance)
Santis Edition Santis (Good, easy drinking, but not easily available)
Ardbeg 10 (Good entry level Ardbeg)
Hibiki 12 (Smooth and nice. Prices are increasing too)
Penderyn Aur Cymru Madeira (Mm. Have lots of water at hand)
Yamazaki 12 (Good! But hard to find at a good price)
+
(Mystery Whisky)
***************************************************************
Best whisky: Balvenie 30
No surprises here, as the oldest, most expensive one also happens to be the best one. The Taketsuru 21 is a close second, at less than half the price.
Best value-for-money: Santis Malt, Edition Santis
Good, pleasant drink at an affordable price (if you can find it)
And that's a wrap! Many thanks to the friends who shared their whiskies, and contributing to this little tasting challenge! A pity that we couldn't do the last one properly. Ah well. There's always next year!
But perhaps there is a mystery whisky to the rescue...
At WT's home last Thursday, there was a flask of mystery whisky. Something that WT's father had put into a stainless steel flask more than a decade ago. No one remembers what it is anymore...Dare I hazard a guess??
Colour - Light gold.
Nose - When the flask was first opened, there was a burst of something that smelt like sherry. That's 10 years of alcohol fumes bursting out at one go. Intense. Subsequently, the whisky could not be smelt anymore. After pouring it out, it surprised me. No sherry at all! Instead, honey and vanilla. This must be a blend, right?
Palate - Honey, vanilla. Not much wood, and just a little bit of alcohol. Fairly smooth, but taste-wise, a little flat and unexciting. Pleasant, for sure. Unfortunately, the number of years spent in the flask has imparted the whisky with a bit of a metallic edge.
Finish - Nothing much. A tiny bit of spice, a bit of vanilla, and it disappears.
My guess is that this is a Chivas. Perhaps a Chivas 12 from more than a decade ago. No one remembers, and we'll probably never find out...But the most important question is, does this count? Have we finished the CNY 15 days - 15 new whiskies challenge?!?
****************************************************************
Just to recap, the 14 (+1) that we've tasted this CNY are:
Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye (Not so good)
Johnnie Walker Blue King George V (Nice but not worth the price)
Taketsuru 21 years (Great, if obtainable at a reasonable price)
Auchentoshan Three Wood (Pretty decent and interesting!)
Balvenie 30 years (Wonderful)
Glenfiddich 18 (Smooth, but a little plain)
Hibiki 17 (Great, though prices are shooting up)
Macallan 18 (Good sherried whisky)
Macallan Estate Reserve (Good, but feels like the wood is a bit out of balance)
Santis Edition Santis (Good, easy drinking, but not easily available)
Ardbeg 10 (Good entry level Ardbeg)
Hibiki 12 (Smooth and nice. Prices are increasing too)
Penderyn Aur Cymru Madeira (Mm. Have lots of water at hand)
Yamazaki 12 (Good! But hard to find at a good price)
+
(Mystery Whisky)
***************************************************************
Best whisky: Balvenie 30
No surprises here, as the oldest, most expensive one also happens to be the best one. The Taketsuru 21 is a close second, at less than half the price.
Best value-for-money: Santis Malt, Edition Santis
Good, pleasant drink at an affordable price (if you can find it)
And that's a wrap! Many thanks to the friends who shared their whiskies, and contributing to this little tasting challenge! A pity that we couldn't do the last one properly. Ah well. There's always next year!
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