Category Archives: Whisky Reviews & Tasting Notes

Kavalan Solist Fino Review

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Kavalan Solist Fino

Cask #S060814012

57.9% abv

Score:  82/100

 

This is almost heartbreaking.  Kinda like a red wine stain on an expensive carpet, this is a case of so much beauty marred by a flaw that can’t be scrubbed out.  I keep peeking around corners here, trying to find an angle from which I can appreciate this one more than I do, but sipped in a line-up of five other malts from the Far East this one simply fell flat.

Under the microscope here is a Kavalan Solist release, this time from a Fino sherry cask.  Fino brings a unique influence to the maturing/finishing of malt whisky, being the driest of sherries.  I’m thinking it’s probably the primary contributor to that nutty/caramel-heavy front note here.  This particular expression is one that shows some incredible nuance and quality in terms of the pure spirit itself, but a nasty sulphuric note (again almost certainly leeched from the sherry cask) brings this one down from the stratosphere to barely clearing the treetops. 

King Car’s Kavalan distillery is Taiwan’s contribution to the whisky world.  The distillery, one I hold in fairly high regard, has been in operation for only a handful of years now, but, much like Kilchoman, 2005’s other distillery success story, is already hitting homeruns.  A semi-tropical climate, key to a naturally accelerated maturation, is a prime contributor to the distillery’s success rate, as is a rather pliable and exotic spirit profile. 

Back to the glass at hand though… while I really love some of the individual flavours and aromas herein (especially the tobacco and dark rye bread scents I’m getting), I’m struggling against the off note.  I can’t go so far as to say the whisky is spoiled, but it’s simply not working for me.  If you can get your head around sulphur (and many can), it’s all yours.

Nose:  Heavy caramel.  Almost equally heavy on a sulphur note, throwing this one right out of kilter.  Still some highs, but they have a huge uphill battle after that brimstone low.  Nougat (and here is where the fruity notes are buried).  Rye bread, nuts and pepper.  Oily leather and seasoned tobacco pouch.  After some time in the glass it does get a bit creamier and the sulphur fades off a bit.

Palate:  Struck match.  Caramel.  Some vanilla, and full circle to those tobacco notes.  A little bit of pear.  Unique flavour spectrum and not quite what I would expect from Asian malt meeting sherry. 

After half an hour or so – when the majority of the sulphuric influence has dissipated – this would score extra points, but I won’t go there.  I shouldn’t have to wait that long to make the drink more palatable.  All told though…still a quaffable dram, and likely a very winning malt for those of the populace who find themselves immune to the influence of sulphur.

 

– Reviewed by:  Curt

– Photo:  Curt

Pocket Shot Whiskey Review

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156Pocket Shot Whiskey

40% abv

Score:  74/100

 

Kentucky Straight Bourbon in a bag.  Mmmmm.  Sounds apealing, right? 

A friend of mine picked this up for me several weeks back and I’m finally getting around to writing it up.  Her actual handover of this little plastic pouch was contingent upon my giving it a fair shake for review.  Alright.  So be it.  At the risk of asking a question I don’t really want the answer to…how bad can it be, right?

Let’s find out.

First though…a little back story:  The Pocket Shots concept was developed by a gent named Jarrold Bachmann in San Jose, California in 2000.  Apparently, according to the PS website, the idea came to him after seeing the workers at his farm in South Africa buying some sort of crudely packaged 25 ml packets of liquor to celebrate payday.  Hmmm…maybe a wage hike is in order so they can buy a proper bottle, huh?

Anyway…this four year old whiskey is not produced in California, nor is it made in South Africa for that matter.  The appellation of ‘Kentucky Straight Bourbon’ can only be levied if the product is produced and aged for a minimum of two years in…shock!…Kentucky.  For all my digging I was unable to find out just which distillery is providing the juice that Mr. Bachmann et al are packing up with the Pocket Shot label.  I s’pose it doesn’t really matter though, so long as the end result is tasty.

So, let’s step back a minute; suspend our snobbery, as it were.  When you can get your head around the fact that you’re essentially dumping a little plastic pouch ‘mini’ into a glass (or right down the throat maybe?)…there’s no two ways about it…the whiskey is actually not bad at all.  While a little too restrained and mellow (read: weak and watery) on the palate, the nose is actually good.  Consider this only my personal bias though, as I know much of the general populace who are none too particular about their bourbons will actually relish the ease of drinkability here.

One final weigh-in before I get to tasting notes:

How ’bout an extra point for a product that surprises with it’s unexpected quality, but two points off for debasing the institution of whisky being a classy spirit.  To be totally honest…I can’t get behind a product that seems geared to hiding in pockets on the way to the bar/club/concert/whatever.  The whole concept reeks of getting sneakily drunk on the cheap.   

Nose:  Rather pleasant spice profile.  Nippy bit oepper.  Cherry and almond.  Mint or eucalyptus.  Clean vanilla.  Cinnamon.  Hint of dill.  Very fresh.  Very nice oak notes.  Syrup and sweet corn.

Palate:  Mint with cinnamon and synthetic cherry notes.  A slight plastic-ness.  Some corn and oak.  Sweet and mild.  Too mild.  Needs an extra 5% abv or so.  Tannic and almost immediately drying.  Fades into red apple skins.  Better nose than palate, as mentioned above.

Fun ont to write up.  Thanks, Meg.  Yer a sweetheart.

 

– Reviewed by:  Curt

– Photo:  Curt

Kavalan Solist Bourbon Review

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Kavalan Solist Bourbon

Cask #B070604058

58.2% abv

Score:  86.5/100

 

No hiding anything here.  Just a nice clean straight forward whisky at a decent state of maturity, and served up at a belting cask strength.  Sounds just about right, no?

Here we have another of the Solist releases by Kavalan, served up this time from an ex-bourbon barrel.  This series has served up some very distinct and vibrant malts and this particular expression is simply a variation on a theme.  While more often than not I tend to gravitate towards the more robust notes found in some of the others in the range, I still find this cleaner and lighter approach refreshing from time to time.   

I concede a certain preconconception has wedged itself in the corner of my mind that the Kavalan profile is more closely associated with boldly flying the flag of deep tangy sherries and a rainbow of interesting spices.  That’s based solely on my own mental blocks however and in no way reflective of any distillery limitations.  The only problem is…that’s where the distillery truly excels.  Stripped down to this more bare-bones presentation the whisky is slightly tame, if still of high quality.

Anyway…here we have a whisky that certainly carries a spicy zing, but being bourbon cask-matured, lacks the deep redolent jammy fruits we find in some of the other Kavalans.  Instead we get a lovely toastiness here and a vanilla-led charge.  Very typical of bourbon maturation of course.

While by no means the quintessential expression from this Taiwanese rising star, this is definitely a dram worth some contemplation.  For those so inclined…expect to pay for the privilege.  The prices are a little…errr…’elevated’ in my estimation.  Such is, though.  There’s a price to be paid to drink well.

Nose:  Clean and floral.  Vanilla and oak are driving here.  Orange and cream…vanilla and cream…banana and cream.  Toasted marshmallow.  Some polish and sunlit meadow.  Maybe even a touch of apple and cinnamon.  Ribbon candy.  I keep coming back to orange creamsicle.

Palate:  Oak, apple and vanilla.  Orange.  Thick and oily.  Citrus pith (sour and drying).  Bitter dark chocolate (surprisingly).  Quite a long finish for something so ‘straight edge’.  Clean and pure, but…boring.

Add a point for purity and such a clean, crisp spirit…deduct a point for a rather milktoast performance from a distillery that can, and should, absolutely sparkle.  Comes out even.

 

– Reviewed by:  Curt

– Photo:  Curt

Kavalan Solist Sherry Review

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Kavalan Solist Sherry20121102_193444

Cask #S060710026

59.4% abv

Score:  92.5/100

 

Well, well…what have we here?  Yet another stunning bit of whisky magic from the far east.  Japan, India and Taiwan are putting on a hell of a show on the global stage of late.  These malts are getting more and more interesting (and more and more expensive).

First things first…I’m a little bit in love with Asian whiskies at the moment.  Need to share that bias right up front.  However, much like anything else, there are most definitely good and bad examples out there.  In recent days I have tasted some Kavalans that knocked my socks off (along with some Nikkas, Karuizawas and Amruts), but I’ve also sipped a couple that were either quite sharp or way, way, waaaaaaaay over-cooked.  All I’m saying is…you’re gonna see a high mark here, but it is based on a damn good dram, not simply skewed to my palate bias. 

If I understand correctly, Kavalan was begun almost as a vanity project.  This new kid on the block was founded in 2005, releasing their first whisky three years later, in 2008.  Now, in contrast to the machinations of Scottish distillers and the like, who release these young whiskies (under 10 years, I’d say) simply to generate early revenue (often irrespective of drinkability), the subtropical climes of some of these Asian distilleries allows for an incredibly accellerated maturation.  To put it simply…three years in these conditions is probably equivalent to four or five times that length of maturation in the more…errr…temperamental Scottish regions.  At these relatively ‘toddler-esque’ ages some of these whiskies are already immaculate.

There are, of course, many factors that contribute to the end product we consume, and I won’t pretend to know enough about this Taiwanese distillery’s water source, wood policy, maltings or what-have-you to allow me to speak with any real assurance, but I can say that whatever they’re doing at Kavalan is most definitely embraced with open arms here.

This particular Solist bottling is a singular dram.  A heavily sherried and flavour-bursting fireworks show.  I’ve tasted nothing like this one elsewhere.  Complex, deep, swirling and mysterious.  Love it.

Nose:  Heavy, heavy monolithic sherry.  Black cherry and raspberry jam.  Orange and some salty playdough notes.  Very syrupy smelling.  Raw tobacco with a hefty dose of spice.  Some tropical fruits here.  Caramelized ham skin.  Rum-soaked fruit cake.  Fresh eucalyptus and salt licorice.  Wow…is this ever a deep and swirling vortex.  An absolutely brilliant nose.

Palate:  Thick and syrupy.  Sweet and deep.  Very unique.  Raspberry jam in front, but some tropical in behind.  All sorts of magnified and amplified sherry flavors.  Slightly medicinal in some ways.  Kinda like an Aberlour a’bunadh meets an exotic and mysterious spice profile meets cough syrup.  I’ll be fucked, but it works.

 

– Reviewed by:  Curt

– Photo:  Curt

SMWS 50.43 “Tart And Tasty” Review

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SMWS 50.43 “Tart And Tasty”005

57.8% abv

Score:  91.5/100

 

Another l’il ‘distiller-that-could’ story for ya.  Bladnoch was at one time a Diageo holding.  In 1993, during the same downturn that saw the loss of Rosebank, Balmenach and Pittyvaich, the distillery was boarded up and had a handful of mothballs rolled into the stillroom.  Most equipment was peeled out and for all intents and purposes this seemed the end of the line.

Surprisingly, about a year later the distillery was snatched from the hands of oblivion by an Irish gent named Raymond Armstrong.  The arrangement between Diageo to Armstrong was a conditional one however.  The terms included the proviso that the distillery was no longer to be used for the production of whisky.  Fast forward a few years and much local petitioning to 2000, when the spirit began to flow at Bladnoch once more.  Three years (and a day) later, Armstrong was able to claim an end to the gestation period and release his first whisky composed of entirely post-distillery-reopening-stock.

The market currently sees a mix (albeit sparse)of young ‘Armstrong Bladnoch’ and older ‘Diageo Bladnoch’.  The interesting thing is that, unlike in most distillery handovers, the Bladnoch transition included no stores of slumbering barrels, effectively leaving the team with a blank slate and no old stocks to support revenue generation.  What this means is that new and young Bladnoch releases are courtesy of Armstrong, anything beyond those years (13 and older, I’d say), was produced under a different lord and outside the influence of the current management.

As hinted at above, this is just a wee operation.  Capacity of about a quarter million litres, and to be honest with you…I don’t even believe they are flowing that.  (Please correct me if I am wrong, as I know there are a couple of Bladnoch fans who visit here).

Anyway…we’re rooting for Bladnoch and hoping to see a bit more hit the shops ’round these parts, as we scarce find bottles on Canadian shores.

Hopefully this changes soon.

In the meantime…a lovely independent offering from the SMWS here to discuss.  A neat older one (aged 20 years) from the days before Raymond took over…

Nose:  Paint.  A healthy ghost of pipe tobacco and smokiness.  Herbal and grassy.  Peach, orange and lemon pith.  Pie crust.  Soft white fruits.  Cream Of Wheat porridge with sugar.  Sugar cookie dough…or maybe shortbread cookie dough.

Palate:  Pie…not sure what kind, but sorta tart and fruity.  Spice.  Syrupy with some apple.  Just a smidgeon of orange ju-jube.  Oak and grass as it narrows and fades.  Gorgeous palate, even better than the nose.

 

– Reviewed by:  Curt

– Photo:  Curt

The Ultimate Ardbeg Experience – Double Barrel

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Ardbeg Double Barrel

The sky has been bruised and tortured for days now.  The clouds are still leaking and the wind is tussling with pretty much everything it can catch…and winning.  This deluge has been on and off for days now, but it seems the fiercest of it all may now be in the rear view mirror.  We in Calgary hope so anyway.   

I started putting this piece together over a week ago, but the floods and other concerns have, quite rightly, taken precedence.  While I, and most of the local people I know and love, are safe and didn’t suffer much in the way of loss, I do know others who did.  I, and all associated with ATW, wish you well and offer any help that can be provided.  You know where to find us.

Let me share a few words now about a rather spectacular event that took place not long before the floods swept through.  I’m simply going to pick up where I left off…

I’m sitting at a computer with the lower half of my body damp and, in all likelihood, dripping on the carpet under my desk.  Hey…there’s only so much an upside-down inside-out umbrella can do to keep your head dry, let alone your lower regions.  It’s very early.  And dark.

In short…a near spot-on model of Scottish weather.  What better ambiance to share a few words on an event that went down only days ago, also on a rather bleak and rainswept eve?  Though I’d initially hoped to get this written in the day or two immediately following, life got in the way, as it often does.  Either way…step in and dry off.  Let’s have a dram of Ardbeg and chat.

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While I may have missed this year’s June 1st Ardbeg Day festivities (again…life), there’s simply no way they could have come close to measuring up to what has been dubbed ‘The Ultimate Ardbeg Experience’.  On June 14th, at the Southern Alberta Pioneer’s Building, Calgary’s Kensington Wine Market put on a once in a lifetime tasting.  For the legions of local acolytes, and several from afar, this was an evening not to be missed.

The line-up was centered around opening the legendary Ardbeg Double; An over-the-top ornately extravagant guncase housing two different bottles of vintage 1974 Ardbeg.  And, of course, a few extras we’ll get to in a bit.

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As each of the attendees arrived, we were pulled aside for a quick photo op with Kensington Wine Market‘s Andrew Ferguson and Ardbeg Brand Ambassador, Ruaraidh MacIntyre.  Preserving this one for the ages, I suppose.  And perhaps rightfully so.  I know of no other tasting in the world that has popped the top on the Double Barrel.

The room was laid out beautifully.  Ardbeg goodies everywhere against the rustic backdrop of a sort of ‘hunting lodge’-esque hall.  Very suited to the occasion, and when one considers the ambience of the darkened skies and onset of the rain, the overall experience was sublime.  A few of us hung topside for a while snapping pictures of the room and the bottles themselves before joining the rest of the guests who had made their way to the lower hall for a bit of an informal pre-event cocktail hour.

There were tangy Ardbeg Ten caesars and drams of Galileo on offer for those who wanted a bit of a warm up, and of course we all did.  For those gasping at the idea of burying their beloved Ardbeg in Clamato juice and spices, rest assured that this really does work.  I’m a purist with whisky, if ever there was one, and still I’ll happily sip on one of these salty, smoky cocktails when offered.  One was enough though, before the Galileo seemed a better fit for the evening.

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Downstairs, in the less kitschy lower hall, the party was in full swing.  Familiar faces all around and a lot of reunions of sorts.  Nice to see so many good people gathered and sharing a laugh.  Some of the usual suspects I hadn’t seen in months, or longer, and these sorts of events make me wonder why we wait for formality before gathering.

Aside from a quick pass by the serving station, I didn’t get too close to the food.  It looked great…it smelled great…but I can’t attest any further, unfortunately.  This eve was all about the drink, so it was a conscious effort at palate preservation.

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Social hour is always great, but it’s also a bit of a waiting game.  The flight upstairs was a stunning one and anticipation high, so when the call came we made our way back upstairs to claim a seat with no second reminder needed.

The evening started off with Scott Westgard from Charton Hobbs providing a brief introduction and thank you to all for coming out.  He then took a moment to speak of Andrew’s accomplishments on behalf of Ardbeg (and more) and to present him with a plaque commemorating the one year anniversary of the Calgary Ardbeg Embassy, something that is quite a point of pride for both Andrew and KWM, I believe, and rightly so.

Andrew took a few moments to share a few words on the generosity of both Kensington and Charton Hobbs in helping to subsidize this event before gracefully ducking the spotlight and handing over the reins to the evening’s host extraordinaire, Ruaraidh MacIntyre.

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I’m not sure Ardbeg (or LVMH, perhaps I should say) could have a better ambassador than Ruaraidh.  He’s mere months removed from Scotland; grew up on Islay; and has generations of familial ties to the Ardbeg distillery.  On top of these blood qualifications, Ruaraidh is passionate about both the island and the whisky.  His humour and comfortable delivery are the perfect medium for bringing to life what Islay is really all about.  Ruaraidh entertained with touching anecdotes, hilarious tales and heartfelt pride.  Great speaker with great subject matter.  For an audience…it doesn’t get better.

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I mentioned earlier that the line-up for this tasting was tip-top.  That may have been understating matters.  The flight was seven malts deep, from peat monsters to delicate old stunners.  How best to structure a flight like this is something I deal with frequently between personal tastings and Dram Initiative events.  You always want to save the best and most aged gems as the closing treat, but when it comes to peat…the younger ones that come before can easily beat the hell out your senses before getting to the true showcase.  Tough call.

Anyway…here’s how it all went down…

Uigeadail – Starting with a beefcake such as the Uigeadail before moving into the subtleties inherent in older whiskies was a bit of a concern for me, but it all worked out.  I was initially afraid of blowing out the tastebuds before the big show so I only took wee sips from this and the following dram.

Corryvreckan – Again…another big boy.  Small sips.  Came back to this one at the end of the night.  Had to save the receptors for what was to follow.

17 – Having just killed off my own 17, it was a treat to revisit, and wow, was this a stunner.  Big batch variance from the 17 I had just finished.  This one was rich in sweet subtle tropicals and incredible depths of complexity.  Some malts in here much older than 17, I think, and if I had to venture a guess I’d say this was one of the earlier 17s released.  Spectacular, and one that created quite a buzz this night.

1977 – An all-time favorite of mine, and one I couldn’t see being dethroned as the best of the Ardbeg releases.  Until tonight, that is.  This 1977 was brought along from Victoria by Lawrence Graham.  You’d likely know Lawrence as the gent behind The Victoria Whisky Festival and Whisky Intelligence, among many other whisky endeavours.  Thanks, Lawrence.  This really was a treat.

Ardbog – This was the evening’s closer, and followed on the heels of the Double Barrel bottles.  Unfortunately, the glasses for this dram were slightly compromised, and by the time we came round to this one, the whisky had fallen apart and was a murky mess with a funky flavor.  Perhaps a little soap residue or something.  Oh well.

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Conversation at the tables was fun and relaxed, with everyone happy to share in the making of memories and spend a little time getting to know their neighbour.  Guests had come from afar for what was truly a world-class event.  Andrew managed to pull in folks from Montreal, San Francisco, Victoria and more.

Anyway…I think we’ve laid enough of the bedrock.  Let’s talk about the reason we were all here.  Ardbeg Double Barrel.

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The Double Barrel is sort of an iconic thing of lore in the Ardbeg spheres.  For those that may have visited the distillery, this would be the elaborately packaged ‘gun case’ you would have seen locked away with the diver’s helmet behind the glass enclosure.  The case features two different bottles of vintage 1974 Ardbeg, eight engraved silver cups, an oak pen, and a couple of leather-stitched books.  All presented in the aforementioned hand-crafted leather gun case.

The sticker you’d have seen in the shop at Ardbeg…£10,000.  For anyone who may have nabbed one of the four that made its way to Canada…just over $15,000.

So…with no further ado, I’m going to share my tasting notes here, but no scores.  An event like this is not the environment to properly assess a whisky.  Even tasting notes should probably be taken with a grain of salt, but here goes…

 

Ardbeg Double Barrel Cask #1745151

49% abv

Nose:  Tropical-like fruit notes, with vibrant peach and tangerine at the forefront.  Jelly candy…somewhat like a red cherry ju-jube.  Creamy milk chocolate.  Licorice.  Touch of iodine.  The smoke is only an afterthought here.  Crisp cookie notes.  Creamy caramel and smooth subtle vanilla.  Smooth and complex spice profile.

Palate:  Smoke and peat are a little more pronounced now.  Finally.  Some salt licorice.  Slightly fishy note.  Salty dough.  Smoke and licorice grow, then ebb into echoes of fried tropical fruits and very pleasant vanilla oak.

Thoughts:  This one followed on the heels of several good drams, including a great bottling of the 17 and directly after my favorite Ardbeg, the 1977.  I hate to admit it, but that ’77 has now been dethroned as my favorite Ardbeg to date.  This cask is stunning.  An absolute diamond.

 

…and now…the second bottle…

 

Ardbeg Double Barrel Cask #3151157

47.7% abv

Nose:  More chocolate here than on #1745.  Still tropical, but slightly less…technicolor, if you will.  This is made up for by a darker, more mysterious air to this one.  Dark European bread dough.  Smoked oyster and maybe a little smoked fish as well.  Doughy and carrying some beautifully balanced spices.  Butter tarts, Andrew mentioned, and was dead-on accurate.  Slightly more pokey and peppery.

Palate:  A little more peat here than on the previous cask.  Smoke and dark chocolate.  Some coffee notes (strong…espresso-like) and high content dark chocolate.  Licorice.  Salty and briny.  Much more in the style of contemporary Ardbeg.

Thoughts:  Deeper and darker than cask #1745, but not necessarily better for it.  Very complimentary though.

 

Overall…

Definitely a slight preference for the first of the two, cask #1745.

Though I can’t share scores here, these are both certainly in the 93-95ish range (give or take).  Especially the former.  What I wouldn’t give to sit down again with these two and do a proper session.

Whisky is meant to be shared among friends.  It’s meant to make memories with.    This night 30 or 40 friends got together over a dram (or maybe it was eight) and made a helluva pile of memories.

An extra special thanks to Andrew and Kensington Wine Market.  Andrew has wanted to turn this into a reality for the better part of four years now, and I truly don’t believe anyone but he could have actually followed through and made this happen.

Also, to Moet Hennessy and Charton Hobbs…a bow.  Merci.

 

– Words & Tasting Notes:  Curt

– Photos:  Curt

Ardbeg Ardbog Review

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Ardbeg Ardbog027

52.1% abv

Score:  89/100

 

That very same uncontainable impatience and excitement we all had as children in the lead-up to Christmas is the very same bit of childish glee I experience as we approach the release day of each new Ardbeg expression.  And much like Christmas, while some are better than others, these Ardbeg releases never seem to disappoint.  Just think back to some of the past few years’ releases:  Airigh Nam Beist, Supernova, Rollercoaster, Alligator, Corryvreckan and so on.  And while I do know a few detractors who were less than over-the-moon about Blasda or Galileo, I dare ya…try those malts blindly and tell me they still don’t stand head and shoulders above 80-90% of what’s currently on the market in this age/price range.

No two ways about it.  Ardbeg is a finely oiled machine.  Kinda like the Beatles in their heyday, pumping out hit after hit.  Soak it up while you can, folks, is all I caution.  They say all good things must come to an end, and so I play the ant, not the grasshopper, squirreling away my stores while the sun shines, for I fear that bleak and dreary winter.  Hopefully our current state of fortune never dries up on us, but I will continue to plan (read: hoard) accordingly.

I’ll use my soapbox here to speak frankly:  Ardbeg has done a bloody masterful job to date in assuaging any concerns over quality slippage or supply falling short.  I don’t want to push my luck but let’s cross our fingers for twofold reasons.  One…that our cupboards ever overflow with the green and black; and two…that the distillery is holding back some maturing stock.  Who wouldn’t love to see a new Ardbeg 17 hit the market?  Or maybe even an Ardbeg 18?  Lest I get too caught up here in dream and fancy, let’s get back on topic.

Last year’s Ardbeg Day release, brilliantly and insightfully titled ‘Ardbeg Day’ (hint o’ sarcasm), was quite a stunner.  I loved that dram.  Heavy on the phenolic and ashy side while still bearing a sweetness and balance that only this distillery seems to consistently hit across all of their expressions.  So…how then do you follow up a release that won accolades and adoration across the whisky sippin’ world?  Why, you release another wee snarling beastie of a dram that roars in at cask strength and shows a bit of innovation to boot.  Ardbog is a vatting of 10 year old Ardbegs matured in bourbon casks and Manzanilla casks.  A first for the distillery.  While not as radical as the afore-mentioned Galileo, this is still Ardbeg having a bit of fun and exercising their muscle.

All that remains then to is to ask if it works.  And the answer is ‘yes’.  While still not on par with last year’s Ardbeg Day, this is definitely another special release from Islay’s undisputed champ.

Limited run (though how limited, I can’t seem to find answers for).  Stock up now or forever hold your peace.

Nose:  Smoke and hot rubber.  Something akin to bicycle tire.  Some neat fruits.  Is there such thing as Ardbeg jam?  Iodine (almost like farmyard urine).  A small dab of ultra dark chocolate.  A few drops of espresso.  Black Wine Gums.  Heavy salt.  Seems almost like the Alligator, but further finished (though not necessarily better for it, to be honest).  Some very tongue-curling deep red/purple jammy fruit notes…not far off from fruit leather.

Palate:  Here’s the smoking rubber again up front.  Then into a vaguely raspberry note.  Then into that Ardbeg familiarity:  vanilla, citrus, licorice and big smoke.  Shaved ginger.  Granny Smith apple flavors add a drying tartness to the back end.  A neat balancing act between smoky, salty, licorice notes on one side and sweeter sherry-influenced fruit on the other.

 

– Reviewed by:  Curt

– Photo:  Curt

Nikka Yoichi 1991 Single Cask Review

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Nikka Yoichi 1991 Single Cask

Cask # 129651

63% abv

Score:  91/100

 

Neat things from the Land Of The Rising Sun.  Really neat.

This single cask bottling is a 20 y.o. 1991 vintage from Nikka’s Yoichi distillery.  Yoichi is situated on Hokkaido, Japan’s second largest and northernmost of the four principal islands.

A little about the island of Hokkaido itself before we get on to the malt in the bottle.  Hokkaido is as near as you’ll come to a Japanese sister island to Scotland.  It’s size is comparable, population in the same ballpark and climate…well…not too far off apparently.  The Yoichi distillery, being relatively coastal, benefits from a similar influence as the more seaward facing Scottish distilleries.  If you’re a believer in terroir and ambient influence, a mere sip of this malt should likely speak volumes in backing your argument.  Further, the land provides a peat-like substrate which is used in kilning the barley in order to imbibe that smoky profile we all know and love.

The Nikka website refers to the malt produced at Yoichi as ‘rich, peaty and masculine’.  Hmm…interesting.  In this day and age of broadstroke appeal and equality erasing all boundaries, somewhat of an odd marketing angle to embrace.  I’ll say no more on that subject, but I will go on record and say that I’ve now tried a couple of different whiskies from this distillery, both single malt and blends, and the results rolling off their stills are top notch.  Apparently Yoichi bottlings have also hammered some Scottish malts in blind tastings and won several world awards.  Whisky is a world stage, friends, and personally I love all of the options now available at our globetrotting palates and noses.

Yoichi 1991:

Nose:  Surprisingly smoky.  A slight ashy-ness meets peat and dark damp soil.  Kinda Laphroaig-ish actually.  Some orange and lemon with vanilla.  Tire rubber.  Pastry dough.  Syrupy.  Lovely lose.  I could happily get lost in the eddies here for quite some time.

Palate:  Huge arrival (but at 63% what else would we expect?)!  Hot and spicy.  Not quite as nice on the tastebuds as it is on the nose, but still quite sublime.  Chocolate.  Peaty and earthy.  Pears in syrup.  Very viscous (a quality I adore!).  Licorice at the back end.  Long finish, and all positive.

 

– Reviewed by:  Curt

– Photo:  Curt

Karuizawa Noh Whisky Multi-Vintages #1 Review

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Karuizawa Noh Whisky Multi-Vintages #1068

59.1% abv

Score:  91.5/100

 

Snugged in the shadowy climes of Mount Asama, Japan’s most active volcano, sits the Karuizawa distillery, just a stone’s throw west of the town of…yep…Karuizawa.  Sadly, since the year 2000, the distillery has lain dormant, yet the occasional releases still finding their way to the marketplace, often leads to speculation that it’s tiny little operation could one day start up again.  Indeed, in the years following the 2000 mothballing there were moves that indicated this very well could be the case, but alas…never to full fruition.  Now…with only a couple hundred remaining casks…it would seem the legacy of Karuizawa has finally come to a close.

The distillery was founded in 1955, with new make spirit first flowing the following year.  For 45 years this little distillery-that-could pumped out its own unique malt whisky.  It should be noted though, in consideration of those who may not fully comprehend the rationale behind the rather exorbitant prices  Karuizawa commands, that the distillery’s peak capacity was a mere 150,000 litres per annum.  As you can imagine, low output + closed distillery = scarcity and demand.  C’est la vie, so long as the distillate supports the hype.  In the case of Karuizawa…it does.

This multi-vintage release is composed of four different casks (both bourbon and sherry butts) distilled between 1981 and 1984.  For the whisky nerds among you (and yes…I count myself one) those cask numbers are as follows:  #6405, #4973, #8184, #6437.  Bottling in 2011 suggests this whisky is at minimum 27 years old with a couple older vintages added for some deeper dimension.  Neato.

Time’s a’tickin’, so let’s get diggin’ in…

Nose:  Wow…is this strong!  Somewhat smoky and briny.  Chocolate.  Orange and cherry.  Iodine.  Sticky toffee pudding.  Spicy and hot.  Leather.  Much, much dark overripe fruit.  Slightly jammy.  Borders on notes of tropical fruits.

Palate:  Thick and chewy.  Smoky and sweet.  Jam-like again with some licorice and cinnamon-spiced dough.  Some very interesting fruit notes are a highlight.  Hits some salty and farmy bits along the way.  Again…almost tropical.  Palate actually outshines the nose here, which is a bit of a rare treat.

This is case in point as to why the collectors go apeshit for this distillery.  Great stuff.

 

– Reviewed by:  Curt

– Photo:  Curt

Compass Box Great King Street Artist’s Blend Review

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Compass Box Great King Street Artist’s Blendbanner-artistsblend

43% abv

Score:  89/100

 

Here I go backpedaling again.  Hate to admit it, but it does happen from time to time.

I remember being slightly underwhelmed with this one on my first go at it.  Not sure why.  Must have been an off day or something.  To be honest with you, at the time I was somewhat confused as to why this was getting all of the accolades it was.  Perhaps I should have had a little more faith in what Mr. John Glaser does in his Compass Box kingdom.  And that…this first impression judgmentalism…is why we try to have multiple runs at a dram before forming an opinion or stating one for the record.  Finally…these many days later…I’ll go on record and say this is a really fine whisky.  Well put together.  Tasty as hell.

Now…quality of the drink itself aside, let me tell you why I love this whisky:

Compass Box has positioned itself as THE artisan blender.  The company’s alchemy borders on legend already, and no matter the medium – blended malt, blended grain, blended whisky – we’ve seen top notch whiskies reach first the shelves and then our glasses.  This artisanal approach has changed the face of the market to a fair degree, and while these whiskies have been released at rather affordable price points, it is here with the GKS, that Glaser is bringing his show to the great masses of the unwashed.  This is now the most affordable of the entire Compass Box range, but there is no dip in quality.  That, my friends, is not only quite incredible, but extremely admirable.

There are a lot of reasons why this whisky works as well as it does: higher malt content, older grain components, good wood policy, higher abv, no chill-filtration, no added colors, and on & on.  Attention to detail is everything, and as you can see, we’ve just ticked a lot of boxes that speak volumes about Glaser’s bent for quality and high standards.  I haven’t adored all of the CB releases (but most), but I can’t conceive of what it would take to make me swear off allegiance to this company.

Many thanks to Compass Box for upholding the standards that many of us hold dear.

Nose:  Light and fresh.  Very atypical of the homogeneity I normally associate with most younger blends.  This is lovely.  Floral and oaky notes.  Closer to a Lowland malt than blended whisky.  Some pepper and cucumber.  Vanilla and mildly fruity scented candle.  Dust…or maybe dirt floor.  A harmony of notes that remind of strolling through large vegetable gardens.  Great balance and composition.

Palate:  Again…not blend typical.  Dark vanilla notes into clean toothpick.  Gala apple flesh (sans the tang of apple skin).  Digestive cookies.  Touch of florals.  Easy drinker to be sure.

 

– Reviewed by:  Curt

– Photo:  Compass Box