Category Archives: Whisky Reviews & Tasting Notes

Bruichladdich Redder Still Review

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Bruichladdich Redder Still

50.4% abv

Score:  90.5/100

 

Bruichladdich will forever live in infamy for their bold experimentation with different cask maturation, transfers and finishes.  The use of wine casks, in particular has become somewhat of a hallmark for this downhome Islay distillery.  Much of this can be laid at the feet of master distiller, Jim McEwan, I imagine.  But I can’t help but think that the primary catalyst must be Mark Reynier, the man directly responsible for Bruichladdich’s phoenix act.  Reynier’s background before tackling the ‘Laddie ressurection was in wine.

Some of these innovations have bordered on genius.  Others are more akin to novelty (in the eyes of this humble taster, anyway).  Still others are more like Frankenstein’s monster; the pieces simply don’t fit right.

In the case of Redder Still, fortunately, we have the first.  This is cask play that has resulted in a bloody good dram.

The nose…

Grapes and perfume.  Orange zest.  Creamy swiss chocolate.  There is a beautiful melange of mild baking spices, and possibly the faintest hint of cherry in shortbread.

The palate is as sweet as you’d expect.  Not only sweet, but wine-rich and slightly tannic.  The wood is still singing, but meets some bolder flavors in marzipan and MacIntosh apple.  The finish?  What do you expect?  Imagine ten minutes after a glass of sweet wine.  That and a mouthful of apple.  Lovely and long.

This is wine maturation done right.  Far and away the best of the ‘Still’ series.

…and, man…what a hue on this one!

 

– Reviewed by:  Curt

– Photo:  Curt

Caol Ila vs. The Collective – A True David and Goliath Tale*

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(*In honour of Maltmonster and his ongoing crusade against the Empire.)

Caol Ila

Everyone wants to knock down the big guy.

With this mentality, and armed with metaphorical slingshot and an overly curious palate, the B-Team (part of the Collective) drew together in an attempt to bring down the mighty Goliath (Diageo).  This was not because we necessarily believed we could do it (let’s face it…Caol Ila is a damn fine drink, and we were tackling a damn fine lineup of OBs*), but we had to take a shot at laying out the big beast with a few well chosen words of disparagement if we could.

At this point I’ll take creative license and once more borrow a turn of phrase from revolutionary extraordinaire, Commandante Guevara:  “Little Davids strike hard and deep”.  On this night we were little Davids.  We went toe-to-toe with Goliath.  We held strong under the enormous might of the malt.  And fell.

The best laid plans of mice and men and all that though.

I take small comfort in knowing that:

a) As far as Goliaths go, there are none bigger than Diageo.

b) I already knew and loved Caol Ila.  (This was like getting beaten by your hero.  No real shame.)

…and…

c) We had a bloody great night of mates and drinks.

Sadly though, for those keeping score…

Goliath one…little Davids…zip.

 

One final sad bit of irony (kind of like an exoneration after the execution):  To ice this evening’s delicious little peat cake, we finished with a dram of Port Ellen 6th Release.  Yep…the distillery that DCL (Diageo) closed in order to keep Caol Ila flowing for use in blending purposes.  Hands down the winner of the night.  Sigh.  RIP Port Ellen.  RIP.

 

*(Original Bottlings)

 

 

Caol Ila Unpeated 10 y.o.

65.8% abv

Nose:  Completely unlike a single malt.  All thought this could have been a grain whisky.  Heavy rye notes.  Creamy.  Coconut and chocolate.  Slightly floral.  Hint of eucalyptus.

Palate:  Hot and biting (what did you expect at nearly 66%?).  Shimmering grains and a little fruit to tease.  Oaky.  Surprisingly rich and pleasant.

Finish:  Long and blazing.  Grapey.

Thoughts:  Decent balance.  Seems older than its years.

 

Caol Ila 12 y.o.

43% abv

Nose:  Wow.  What the hell?!  I love this dram, but holy feints, Batman!  Malty and iodine heavy.  Band-aids.  Peat and wet smoke.  Citrus.  Rubbery.  Smoked oysters.

Palate:  Subdued.  Peaty and sweet.  Smoked wood chips.

Finish:  Billows of smoke and young peat.  Tingly green apple skin and anise.  Looooooooooooong.

Thoughts:  In ordinary circumstances an exceptional malt for daily doses of smoke and peat, but in this line-up…left in the dust.  (But don’t worry, baby…I still love you!)

 

Caol Ila 18 y.o.

43% abv

Nose:  Some pleasant ‘green’ notes (not sure…just clean and pleasant).  Honeydew melon.  Mild citrus.  Aloe.  Fruity.  Salty.  The smoke has faded immensely by this age and the feintiness of the 12 y.o. is gone.

Palate:  Green fruit delivery.  Hint of smoke that was not prevalent on the nose.

Finish:  Light, fresh…and sadly…fleeting.  Not a long one, but dynamic and sweet.

Thoughts:  Absolutely the most pleasant surprise of the night.  Great dram.  If I was told it was 25 years old, I’d believe it.

 

 

Caol Ila 1996 Distiller’s Edition

43% abv

Nose:  BBQ sauce!  Chocolate and dark roast coffee bean.  Lemon and toasted woods.  Sweet and kinda winey.

Palate:  Smoke and iodine. Char.  Wine notes at first, but soon obliterated by smoke and tar.

Finish:  Tangy and lively.  Smoke…apple skins…sweetness.

Thoughts:  Tasty….closer to recent Ardbegs than Caol Ilas (Think Alligator).  Seems a wee bit bigger than 43% too.

 

Caol Ila 25 y.o.

58.4% abv

Nose:  Smooth chocolate and vanilla.  Melon and cherry.  Mature oak.  Mild pepper.  Distant smoke.

Palate:  Tart and almost hoppy.  Smoky and weedy.  Strong dark chocolate in the background.  And the arrival…absolutely teeth-smashing!

Finish:  Heat and sharpness all the way through, and even at the back end, despite its 25 runs through the seasons.  A long, long eve with this one.

Thoughts:  Huge disconnect between nose and palate.  Makes for a ruddy unbalanced go.  Still a great drink however.  The nose though…wow.

 

 

Caol Ila Natural Cask Strength

61.6% abv

Nose:  Smooooooooooth.  Buttery.  Smoky as the fires of hell.  Farmy and iodone heavy.  Citric.  Chocolate.  Cola with lime.  Wet leaves.

Palate:  Cocoa.  Mesquite.

Finish:  From here to eternity.  Peat and smoke this massive don’t vacate the premises until the morning after.  Thankfully.

Thoughts:  F*cking brilliant, and exactly as young peat should be dished up:  strong and bold.  Not unlike a natural Octomore (though slightly less muscle-y).

 

Caol Ila (A.D. Rattray) 22 y.o.

Willow Park Exclusive

57.7% abv

Nose:  Oh, yes!  Wow what a nose.  Eucalyptus and fruit.  Smoky and chocolate-rich.  Some nice baking spices too.  Somehow still mellow and showing very restrained peat.

Palate:  Smooth.  Waxy.  Choco and fruity.  Oak at just the right age.  Delicious and spectacular.  The perfect linger.  A date that stays through all the good bits but doesn’t overstay the welcome.

Finish:  All good.  Drying.  Typical Islay green apple ebb on this one.

Thoughts:  Best nose of the night.  Islay with age is nearing heaven.

 

So….weighing in:  A tie between 22 and 18.  25 just behind.  An honourable mention to the 10 y.o. Unpeated.

 

 

Thanks to all for your contributions, be they malts, pics, laughs or insight.  This is why we do this.  One of the most enjoyable (and surprising) tastings I can remember.  Cheers to ya!

 

– ATW

(Tasting Notes:  Curt…with a line or two from The Collective)

(Photos:  Pat at http://www.standstillphotography.ca/)

Kilchoman – A Chance Encounter With Winter In Canada

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KILCHOMAN ———– A CHANCE ENCOUNTER WITH WINTER IN CANADA

 

The Calgary winter has been pushing hard since early November 2011, so on February 8, 2012 we, a motley collection of seven like-minded whisky drudges, took off our snow shoes and mad trapper hats and sat down together to push back. Clint, Curt, Jay R, Jay W, Maltmonster, Pat and Calgary’s Napoleon, a self-acclaimed whisky expert, turned our interest and thirst toward eight different bottlings of Kilchoman. In doing so managed to ignore winter (at least until the next morning). With the help of the collective, Curt and I decided to post our tasting notes together in a joint effort and Pat did the honors of the photos.

For the benefit of the great unwashed, the Kilchoman Rockside Farm distillery was born in 2005 on the rocky, peaty Island of Islay and is the first new distillery built on Islay in 124 years. Kilchoman currently malts about 30% of their own barley which is grown on their own farm. The total yearly production is around 100,000 liters of the good stuff. The main source of Bourbon barrels is from Buffalo Trace Distillery, Kentucky and Oloroso Sherry butts from Miguel Martin of Jerez, Spain. “Kil” in Gaelic means church and Kil-choman takes its name from a small Kil-t wearing settlement less than a kil-ometre away.

In an age where bigger is supposed to better (Roseisle) and contracting out specialized tasks like malting, cooperage, bottling and farming seems to make better business sense, it’s nice to see distilleries like Kilchoman with a real desire to reverse this trend and take on a grass roots approach to full control whisky making.

We couldn’t help to think with all the governmental red tape, the huge financial burden, the startup headaches and the never ending learning curve why then would any sane person want to build a whisky distillery from the ground up? Not that we don’t love you for it. Well whilst we were drinking and enjoying our whisky we came up with a list with 16 possible reasons:

 

1) A David and Goliath Condition – The desire to bring the corporate giant, Diageo, to its knees.

2) Final item on the fanatical Scotch hobbyist list:  own a distillery.

3) Suffer from Jim Murray Syndrome – The need to receive praise from somebody you don’t respect (similar to Stockholm syndrome).

4) The voices compelled me…but we’re fine now.

5) Communication problem – Not fully understanding what your wife is saying.  “I don’t care, you can do whatever the f#@k you want” really wasn’t permission to start a new distillery.

6) Malt-O-Maniac – Overcome with irresistible need to work with barley.

7) Malt-O-Freak – Obsessed with stopping barley from germinating.

8) Some extra strand in the English DNA that reads “Must rule over something Scottish”.

9) If God is watching us, the least we can do is be entertaining.

10) An ideal founded after a night of heavy scotch drinking and bragging to friends “If I owned a distillery I would do it sooooo much better”.

11) Nesting instinct – Just wanting to secure a large supply of whisky at a reasonable price for you and your unreasonable friends.

12) Trying to get over your Coulrophobia – By surrounding yourself with government clowns.

13) A long family business history with the need to be first, best or really, really different.

14) Tired of Listening to Andrew Symington of Edradour claims of being the only neat little distillery in Scotchland.

15) Failed badly with the vows of Chastity, Obedience and Silence …which only left Poverty.

16) Woke up in a field on the Rockside Farm the morning after a night of heavy drinking at the Islay Festival with a sheep in one arm and real bad case of Whisnesia (only remembering you really liked whisky & sheep but couldn’t remember where home was).

 

KILCHOMAN RANGE TASTING AND A BATTLE OF THE CASKS

 

#1 Inaugural 2005 – 2009 1st Release 46 % ABV 3 years 1st fill bourbon and finished 5 months in oloroso butts

#2 Autumn 2009 2nd Release 46 % ABV 3 years 1st fill bourbon and one cask of 3 years refill bourbon finished 3 months in oloroso butts

#3 Spring 2010 3rd Release 46 % ABV 3 years 1st fill bourbon and finished 3.5 months in oloroso butts

#4 100 % Islay 2011 Inaugural Limited Release 50 % ABV1st fill bourbon and refill bourbon with 100% Islay barley

#5 Kensington Wine Market – Calgary , Alberta Single Cask 1st fill Bourbon # 119 May 30 , 2007 – July 21 , 2010 61.9 % ABV

#6 Binny’s Beverage Depot – Chicago, Illinois Single Cask 1st fill Bourbon # 182 July 4, 2007 – August 26, 2010 61.1 % ABV

#7 The Whisky Shop – San Francisco, California Single Cask 1st fill Bourbon # 204 July 18, 2007 – August 26, 2010 60.9 % ABV

#8 Kensington Wine Market – Calgary, Alberta Single Cask 1st fill Sherry # 322 November 15, 2006 – September 13, 2011 60.0 % ABV

 

 

#1 Inaugural 2005 – 2009 1st Release

46 % ABV 3 years 1st fill bourbon and finished 5 months in oloroso butts

 

CURT

Nose: Licorice. Iodine. Citrus zest. Salt. Raw smoke and earthy peat. Capers. Bonfire and maple bacon.

Palate: Smoky and salty. Sharp and young, but balanced with some sweetness. Cracked pepper.

Finish: Granny Smith apple. Warm and long lasting.

Thoughts: Enjoyable as hell. Better than almost all of the young whiskies (under 5 y.o., that is) I’ve tried.

 

MALTMONSTER

NOSE: Smoky medicinal hit. Lemons & pears. Clamato juice and gin botanicals.

TASTE: Earthy.  Liquid smoky.  Licorice, tart lemon and green apples.

FINISH: Medium to long.

ASSESSMENT: What a fantastic whisky to start with. Really has me in awe of just how good a three year old whisky can be.

 

 

#2 Autumn 2009 2nd Release

46 % ABV 3 years 1st fill bourbon and one cask of 3 years refill bourbon finished 3 months in oloroso butts

 

CURT

Nose: Creme caramel. Soft pear. Vanilla. Smoke. Spearmint.

Palate: Smoke and mature beyond its years. Soft white fruit. Woody and fishy.

Finish: Firey, but somewhat short-lived, like a fireworks explosion.

Thoughts: Slightly softer and more rounded corners (creamier) than the Inaugural.

 

MALTMONSTER

NOSE: Little more depth and softer smoke than the Inaugural. Vanilla and oranges. Aged cheddar cheese.

TASTE: Whip cream.  Mild smoke.  Sweet & sour candy lemon drops.

FINISH: Medium to long.  Little bitter and warm.

ASSESSMENT: You would think this would be very similar to the Inaugural given the age, but yet they are very different. Maybe the stock varies because of the learning curve in starting up a distillery?

 

 

#3 Spring 2010 3rd Release

46 % ABV 3 years 1st fill bourbon and finished 3.5 months in oloroso butts

 

CURT

Nose: Smoked salmon. Lemon juice. Herbal and grassy. Mussels in white wine. Kerosene.

Palate: Fishy. Hoisin. Syrupy pear. Hot.

Finish: Still quite fishy and feisty. Wriggling on the hook.

Thoughts: Good drink and quirky as hell. Just different enough to be charming.

 

MALTMONSTER

NOSE: Low tide (yes I used to live on the coast) and things that come with that.  Winey.  Lemons.

TASTE: Smoked Salmon.  Sweet peat.  Pears and toffee.

FINISH: Medium to long.  Warm and slightly oily.

ASSESSMENT: This is almost between the Inaugural and the Autumn 2009 release.  This is my 2nd favorite of the first three releases and Inaugural is my favorite of the three.

 

 

#4 100 % Islay 2011 Inaugural Limited Release

50 % ABV 1st fill bourbon and refill bourbon with 100% Islay barley

 

CURT

Nose: Spirity and grainy. Seems VERY young. Oaky. Notes of new make. Waxy and somewhat plastic. Smoky, but not overpoweringly so.

Palate: Hot and virgin (and not in the good way). NOT sweet. Over-salted. Peat is aggressive.

Finish: Yep.

Thoughts: The least enjoyable Kilchoman I’ve experienced to date. Though I like the others, this…I wouldn’t buy.

 

MALTMONSTER

NOSE: Iodine and malty. New make feinty. Green apples and floral.

TASTE: New make.  Vanilla.  Lightly peated.  Jammy.

FINISH: Medium.  Briny and very hot.

ASSESSMENT: Had huge expectations for this, really enjoyed the first three malts but this was a bit of a letdown. It either needs some sherry finishing or a little more time in the cask.

 

 

#5 Kensington Wine Market – Calgary, Alberta Single Cask 1st fill Bourbon #119

May 30 , 2007 – July 21 , 2010 61.9 % ABV

 

CURT

Nose: Creamy and rich. Spicy. Herbal. Sultana. Eucalyptus (some suggested Vicks Vapo-rub?). Bubble-gummy.

Palate: Firey and smoke-heavy. Anise. Zest and brine.

Finish: Pleasant slow fade. Hefty smoke left behind with fruit skin tartness.

Thoughts: Good cask selection. One of the faves of the eve.

 

MALTMONSTER

NOSE: Lemons and ripe cherries. Mild to strong peat smoke. Eucalyptus. West coast oysters.

TASTE: Mild peat smoke.  Vanilla and red apples. Pepper.

FINISH: Medium to long. Like the smooth fading finish.

ASSESSMENT: Battle of the Bourbon 2005 3 year old single casks starts here and me likes!

 

 

#6 Binny’s Beverage Depot – Chicago, Illinois Single Cask 1st fill Bourbon #182

July 4, 2007 – August 26, 2010 61.1 % ABV

 

CURT

Nose: Dill. Mellower than the KWM cask and in contrast seems almost flat. Hints of grainy new-make. Smoke and youthful peat nip.

Palate: Wax and cherry. Underdeveloped. Old chocolate. Meaty and malty.

Finish: Nothing to dislike, but nothing to mourn when it fades either.

Thoughts: Would probably be a LOT better with another half dozen years in wood, but I question the cask here. Seems kinda dud-ish.

 

MALTMONSTER

NOSE: Assertive smoke.  Aged cheese.  Apples and pears.

TASTE: Mint and lemons. Little pepper and licorice.

FINISH: Medium to long with a sharp tang to it.

ASSESSMENT: Poor showing to the KWM single cask.

 

 

#7 The Whisky Shop – San Francisco, California Single Cask 1st fill Bourbon #204

July 18, 2007 – August 26, 2010 60.9 % ABV

 

CURT

Nose: Dusty. Wood shavings. Rich wet smoke. Fishy. Vanilla. Lemon.

Palate: Hot and spicy Asian sauce of some sort.

Finish: A hickory like smoke and apple. Long and warming.

Thoughts: Really liked this one. Certainly one of the best of the night.

 

MALTMONSTER

NOSE: Charcoal and fire starter. Major citrus and bubble gum.

TASTE: Mild peat smoke.  Honey.  Cheddar cheese. Tobacco.

FINISH: Medium to long.  Earthy dry finish.

ASSESSMENT: My 2nd favorite single cask and very close to the KWM for number one. It’s amazing to me that all three of these single casks could be so different.

 

 

#8 Kensington Wine Market – Calgary, Alberta Single Cask 1st fill Sherry #322

November 15, 2006 – September 13, 2011 60.0 % ABV

 

CURT

Nose: Dry fruit. Burnt caramel. BBQ sauce. New carpet. Barley still cuts with its youth. Butter tarts.

Palate: Buttery and sweet, but smoky as hell.

Finish: Lovely. Sweet and smoky toasted oak.

Thoughts: Another young gem. Calgary’s KWM had two of the better Kilchomans on offer this eve.

 

MALTMONSTER

NOSE: Mellow briny smoke. Cherries and oranges. Leather and earthy.

TASTE: Creamy chewy jam. Black licorice and raisins.

FINISH: Long and gets warmer at the end.

ASSESSMENT: The only ‘all sherry’ cask we had in the lineup, and it is brilliant.  My second overall favorite of the night next to the Inaugural 2005, release which was #1 pick as overall favorite of the night .

 

 

I remember being part of the B-team to help chose this cask for KWM back on August 16, 2011. We were given only two 2006 Sherry samples to chose from cask #322 & cask #323. Sample #322 was stunning and sample #323 was very less than stunning (varnish) and ended up at being bottled for Whisky Live Paris and receiving a rating of 78 from Serge on Whisky Fun. Again it’s odd that two young casks could be so different.

 

Much thanks to Anthony Wills for coming to Calgary in October 2011 and leading us in a wonderful tasting including the new 5 year old first fill bourbon, which was fantastic. Sorry we didn’t get to talk much in Victoria but look forward to seeing you here again next year .

 

– Maltmonster

– Photos:  Pat

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

 

“Maltmonster, I’m sorry for showing up late as a result of locking my keys in the vehicle at the Olympic Park Shell gas station. Life is tough; It’s even tougher if you’re stupid.

As I was late I didn’t get a chance to rate & taste all the whiskies and as I trust your opinion more than my own, please rate these whiskies for me.

Out of anybody in the whisky industry, I hold the you in the highest esteem. Maltmonster, you are a true guiding light, a credit to the noble Irish and without question have the best taste in whisky in the world.

 

Calgary’s Napoleon

Self-acclaimed whisky expert, Quaker, sheep shagger, whisky monger, whisky writer and proud bearer of the MHLV yellow tie”

Ardbeg – One Wicked Lineup

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An Evening With The Collective Running Through A Vertical Of Ardbeg

 

It’s a rare thing that I am at a loss for words. In fact, I’m sure a few people who know me would like it to be a slightly more frequent occurrence. Like most passionate (Insane? Obsessive?) souls I have very strong opinions. I find that the more passionate the individual, the more they think people should listen to them. Having said that…I searched hard to find something to say about this tasting that I thought anyone would care to listen to.

This gathering happened months back, and I have been sitting on these tasting notes ever since. I simply could not come up with an angle for this one. There was the inevitable ‘attack the prophet’ (he who writes the bible) spin…the ‘fellate all things in the green bottle’ tack (can’t hide bias here…I love Ardbeg)…the ‘bog beast’ approach…etc etc.

In the end though, I concede and have settled for…

A few of us got together to taste some Ardbeg. We came…we drank…we were conquered. It was simply bigger than all of our might combined.

The notes below are, as usual when we do these group tastings, cobbled together from the collective wisdom of the crew. Some poetic. Some insightful. Some just crude and crass. This refers to both the gang gathered and the jottings below.

With no further ado…Ardbeg.

 

 

Ardbeg Blasda

40% abv

Nose: Big lemon and lime. Anise. Salty and mildly peppery. Slightly spirity (new-make-ish). Pepper skins. Stewing tomatoes and malt. Distant campfire. Vanilla.

Palate: Thin and fairly weak…for an Ardbeg anyway. Black licorice. Zero finish. Decent mid-note.

Thoughts & Comments: Light and refreshing. By no means a bad whisky, it was the least favorite of the night. Watered down for an Ardbeg.  Truly the lightweight from this distillery full of heavyweights.

Ranking: 9th

 

Ardbeg 17

40% abv

Nose: Herbal. Light vanilla. Red rock candy (strawberry? Cherry?). Aged wood shavings. Strawberry marshmallow. Mild smoke. Grassy. Cream soda. Bread. Amaretto. Grenadine/maraschino.

Palate: Char. Tangy. Fairly light with a short finish.

Thoughts & Comments: Delicate, sweet and mature. Muted phenols.  Again…atypical of Ardbeg’s usual bombast, but still  lovely.

Ranking: 5th

 

Ardbeg Airigh Nam Beist

46% abv

Nose: Vanilla ice cream. Toasted marshmallow. Salt and iodine. Licorice. Beachside campfire. Mild caramel. Citrus and tar. Lemon sweets. Sherry tannins.

Palate: Sweet and creamy. Peat and brine.

Thoughts & Comments: Needs a little time to properly open. “Great punctuation.”  Sadly missed.  If you come across this one gathering dust in some shop somewhere…snap it up.

Ranking: 4th

 

Ardbeg Ten

46% abv

Nose: Big deep smoke. Creosote. Citrus and brine. Seaweed. Capers. Vanilla. Tar. Anise. Wet bandaid.

Palate: Bit of a bite. Smoke, ash and licorice on delivery. Peat. Long, strong finish. Prosciutto (?)

Thoughts & Comments: For such a great dram…a fairly weak showing in a lineup this strong. Aggressive. “Rubber hits the road”. “Lots of kissing, but no closure”.

Ranking: 8th

 

 

Ardbeg 1977

46% abv

Nose: Fruit with cream. Bordering on tropical. Melon…maybe peach. Chocolate. Vanilla. Distant echoes of peat. Grains are noticeable. Slight paint or rubber latex note. Cadbury’s chocolate oranges. Butterscotch. Aged and balanced smoke. Sherry oranges.

Palate: Bright. Great mouthfeel. Fruit and mild peat. Lingering and ‘yummy’.

Thoughts & Comments: …Oh man, the fruits. Bloody spectacular. Far and away the favorite of all. ABV does it justice. “Not of this earth.”  “No words are good enough.”

Ranking: 1st

 

Ardbeg Corryvreckan

57.1% abv

Nose: Grainy. Smoke and sea brine. Peat. Zest. Smoked fish. Cookfire. BBQ sauce. Anise. Approachable.

Palate: Big arrival. Peppery.

Thoughts & Comments: Good bourbon/sherry balance. Needs some sushi on the side. “Taste is better than the nose.” (but of course the nose is to die for too).  “Like mating with a wrestler…Chyna perhaps.”

Ranking: 2nd

 

Ardbeg Uigeadail

54.2% abv

Nose: Leather and smoke. Chocolate. Smoked meat in BBQ sauce. Figgy. Orange and cherry. Sweet creamy caramel. Salt and iodine. Tea. Pungent and a little medicinal…yet creamy. Whisper of sherry.

Palate: Hint of black cherry on delivery. Salty and sweet.

Thoughts & Comments: Good food whisky.

Ranking: 6th

 

Ardbeg Alligator

52.1% abv

Nose: Soot and ash. Chilis. Very salty. Vinegary BBQ sauce. Vanilla bean. Pepper (refined…Talisker-ish). Licorice. Orange and cherry. Spearmint.

Palate: Orange. Chocolate. Salty. Peaty finish. Campfire. Long and chewy.

Thoughts & Comments: Assertive, but yielding. Lots of depth and volume. Cold weather dram. Another that would be well-paired with food.

Ranking: 3rd

 

Ardbeg Supernova SN2010

60.1% abv

Nose: Chocolate, Sharp and citric. Smoky and peaty. Young and biting. BBQ. Iodine. Hockey card bubblegum. Fresh and minty. Lemongrass. Ash and coal tar.

Palate: Liquid smoke. Numbing. Chunky and intense.

Thoughts & Comments: Taste is the dividing line (nose belies the strength here). “Like licking a homeless guy.” “My teeth are melting”.

Ranking: 7th

 

 

Apologies to those of The Collective who so generously gave their time for this on, only to have me dally on getting the piece posted.

 

– ATW

GlenDronach 1995 (PX Sherry Puncheon) KWM Exclusive Review

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GlenDronach 1995 (PX Sherry Puncheon) KWM Exclusive

52.2% abv

Score:  88/100

 

Sexy…very sexy.

The ‘KWM’ in the title refers to the Kensington Wine Market, a local specialist retailer here in Calgary with a fine boutique selection of malts which often fall outside the mainstream.  For obvious reasons, we like this.  For those ATW readers and adherents outside of my locale (and there are starting to be quite a few.  Cheers!) you may have a little more difficulty procuring a bottle of this, but do make the effort.  I don’t imagine you’ll be disappointed.

This particular ’95 GlenDronach cask (682 bottles) was recently purchased and bottled exclusively by KWM.  Years spent in ex-Pedro Ximenez wood have imparted such strength of character that it is easy to see why the team at KWM opted for this cask.  Dark and rich, enchanting and enticing.  The enormity of 52.2% abv is the perfect vehicle to carry the intensity of these bold flavors.  I’ll concede I am a sucker for a rich sweet cask strength sherry…especially when it has a few years behind it.  Even moreso as the temperatures drop in the cold winter months.  Having said all of that, this one still kinda knocked my socks off.  In an odd sort of paradox this whisky is old beyond its years, but still young and spirited.

GlenDronach (anything beyond the 12 year mark) is starting to be one of my favorite sherried malts.  The revamped lineup more than holds its own against its contemporaries, and to be completely honest…its only real competition from the sherried Speys is Glenfarclas, in my opinion.

So what have we here?

Nose:  gorgeous cask influence (sherry and fresh oak); zesty fruit and pinches of spice; a mild maltiness and slightly meaty character; eclair and a touch of charred wood smoke.  Stunning nose.

Palate:  chocolate and sherry arrive holding hands; waves of spices and bitter apricot; oak and malt; explosive delivery and a wicked fade that reverberates in waves.

I can’t even imagine how phenomenal this would have been at 17 or 18, but even at 15…right up there.

A note of kudos to any involved in cask selection…well done.

Right now I only have the sample.  I WILL be buying this.

 

– Reviewed by:  Curt

– Photo:  Curt

GlenDronach 15 y.o. Revival Review

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GlenDronach 15 y.o. Revival

46% abv

Score:  92/100

After having recently had my socks knocked off by a couple of exclusive bottlings of GlenDronach I decided to revisit the core range. Glad for it too. “Revival”, GlenDronach’s new 15 year expression, is exactly what I’ve been looking for. A mid-price sherried malt that sparkles without the benefit of excessive aging (and the price that comes with it) or cask strength might (contrary to popular belief, I don’t always want that massive delivery).

To its credit this malt is still bottled at a respectable 46% abv. As I’ve been attempting to drill this home for some time now, I’d like to clarify a little here. Higher bottling strength (alcohol by volume, or ‘abv’) equals a deeper intensity of flavor. We’re not out to get soused here, folks…we’re looking for the proper form of delivery for so romantic a drink. Why dilute the magic?

At 15 years the malty cereal notes so prevalent in the 12 year old expression have all but disappeared.  Instead we’re left with sweet Oloroso sherry and chewy toffee.  Rich and creamy melted chocolate, lightly spiced orange, and fine threads of vanilla and oak are rounded out by a touch of dried cherry and tart plum. Delightful.

Though wickedly tasty in its own right, the nose is so much bigger than what you get on the tongue. How could it not be? By no means is this a disappointment…simply an observation.

It all ends on a high note, as the finish is unique and defining.  The mildly peppered blackberry notes that linger are something that will keep me coming back to this one time and again.  Doubtless, the best expression in the current range.

Shimmeringly beautiful. This one had me at ‘hello’.

– Reviewed by:  Curt

– Photo:  Curt

Laphroaig 10 y.o. Cask Strength (Batch 001) Review

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Laphroaig 10 y.o. Cask Strength (Batch 001)

57.8% abv

Score:  90/100

 

Peatheads, rejoice!  Another young cask strengther to sink your fangs into.  The peat, smoke and briny medicinal characteristics that so define the Islay whiskies tend to severely polarize drinkers.  Mostly the noobs, I believe.  An acquired taste?  Perhaps.  Regardless, these scents and flavors are massive and unmistakable.  For the uninitiated palate this can be quite a challenge.  For those of us who like a little smoke and fire in our glass…this one’s for you.

Laphroaig’s flagship expression is their 10 year old.  Though unquestionably great as bottled, the 10 year is somewhat neutered by being bottled at 40%.  This beefier version of the 10 year throws ocean winds and sea spray all over your campfire as expected, but also offers a diverse palate of notes to provide a spectrum of nuances.

First of all, make no mistake…this is Laphroaig.  Burning stacks of peat, smoke, and citrus sit up front.  This prickles at both the tongue and nostril with sharp peppery notes and anise.  Some mild, but pleasant, cacao…a hint of pickle (?!)…some dust and spice.  I find it has a sort of cured meat quality as well.

This whisky is enormous.  It lingers in a way only Laphroaig can and leaves a hazy veil of peat reek over everything in the room.  Mouthcoating…sharp…and with a delicious burn on the tongue.  I would suggest it be tried neat before adding any water.  You simply don’t mess with a dram like this.

One final note…even though this is bottled at a respectable 57.8% abv, I find it has a subtlety that eclipses the Laphroaig Quarter Cask.  Where the QC is raw and jagged, this is a little more polished.  Personally I prefer the QC.

         

– Reviewed by:  Curt

– Photo:  Curt

Lagavulin 16 y.o. Review

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Lagavulin 16 y.o.

43% abv

Score:  92/100

 

Lagavulin 16 year old is one of Islay’s greatest gifts to the rest of the world.

What an elegant, austere and classy looking bottle.    What a beautiful rich orange amber liquid.  What a gorgeous smoky rapture.  And also…

…what a wet band-aid slap in the face of a bottle.  Yep…you read that right.  Hang tight…we’re coming back to this.

One of the big three from Islay, and named as one of the Classic Malts, Lagavulin enjoys a fairly stellar reputation.  Deservedly, I’d say.  What a monster.  Absolutely typical of an Islay bruiser, this is a peat and smoke bomb.  The nose is huge.  Lush with earth, fire, salt and iodine.  Smoke blankets it all nicely, and peat shines through everywhere.  Aside from all of these base components of Islay, you’ll also find a bit of orange, spice and oak.

When adding water I would suggest mere drops.  A shame this whisky is bottled at only 43%.  As such, too much water will surely drown this.  (I am itching to get my hands on the 12 year old cask strength, to see what this is like without the additional 4 years of mellowing, and at proper strength.  When I do, rest assured notes will follow).

On the palate this is mellow and smooth.  A bit of sherry on top of everything mentioned earlier.  It is quite oily and mouth-coating.  A little bit sweet…a little bit bitter…without being bittersweet.  (???)

Now…what was that about wet band-aids?  These whiskies tend to have what many refer to as a medicinal smell.  Lagavulin has this in spades of course, but it is more defined.  It truly is a band-aid-like scent.  Odd, but tangible.

The finish is beautiful and long.  So long, in fact, that I went to bed after a couple of drams last weekend, and woke up still tasting smoke.

A friend of mine, David, offers the sagely advice that one should drink for the season.  If this is your philosophical approach to whisky, then you’ll be certain to think of this as a winter dram (or maybe a damp, windy, late fall evening dram).  Though I follow this logic for the most part, I just want to add…follow your taste buds and cravings.  I’ve sipped the peat monsters on late summer night outdoors and enjoyed them immensely.

Whisky should be personal.

One last thing…you must read this beautiful little review for a more…esoteric approach to this wonderful whisky:

http://www.connosr.com/reviews/lagavulin/lagavulin-16-year-old/bliss/

         

– Reviewed by:  Curt

– Photo:  Curt

Laphroaig 10 y.o. Review

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Laphroaig 10 y.o.

40% abv

Score:  88/100

 

Sadly, Laphroaig 10 has all but disappeared from the local markets (ahem…Canada).  The reason for this would seemingly be the launch of the Quarter Cask expression.  So…while the 10 year old is undoubtedly a fine dram…the trade off is ultimately worthwhile.  Because we’re all friends here, come on…let’s face it…The QC is bloody brilliant.

So why would a distillery of Laphroaig’s repute not have both expressions side by side on the shelf?  Well…simple age reasons really.  The 10 year old and QC both share the same price point, but the QC matures in (about) half the time.  I’m sure you can figure it out from there.

For us peatheads, this bodes poorly though.  Our selection of Islay gold is somewhat limited as it stands, and that extra Laphroaig option would be warmly welcomed back, I figure.  Alas…we make do.

So for those who have only tried the Quarter Cask, interested in how they stack up?

Well…put simply…you’ve got the winner with the QC.  That extra 8% abv and youthful peat nip in the QC are also buffeted by much bigger smoke winds.  The 10 year old, though quite exceptional in its own right, just doesn’t have the sheer monstrosity that the Quarter Cask does.

Laphroaig 10 is nifty though.  All that you’d expect of an Islay whisky is front and center.  Peat…smoke…iodine and tar…and big briny seaside tartness.  As counter-intuitive as this may sound, it is sharper but mellower than the QC.  The sharpness comes from a citric tang, while the mellow side is simply from not hefting that extra alcohol and raw earthiness.

Don’t be fooled, peat lovers.  This is still enormous.  Mouth-coatingly oily and dense, it is chock full of smoke and seaside depth.  Close your eyes.  It’s hard not be instantly transported to dark and stormy Islay shores, where the ocean heaves massive waves against warehouses of casks, and rain falls diagonally through the night.

Breathe deep…let your lids droop…sink deep into that chair.  This is indeed weighty stuff.

– Reviewed by:  Curt

– Photo:  Curt

Kilchoman Spring 2010 Review

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Kilchoman Spring 2010

46% abv

Score:  85/100

 

Here’s a quirky l’il Kilchoman, and utterly winning in its unique profile.  Having recently wended my way through a very encompassing range of expressions from this young Islay distillery, this was one of the ones that really stood out.  Yes, the quality of spirit is inherent, but so is the wood policy.  If memory serves (and as I get older, it often doesn’t) Kilchoman was using ex-Buffalo Trace bourbon casks for maturation of their firey young spirit.  The sweetness of Buffalo Trace working wonders to knock some of the barbs from the heavily-peated Islay malt.

The most interesting thing about this expression is that, for a farm distillery a few miles inland, the spirit somehow exudes a bold and undeniable oily smoked salmon nose.  Oceanic notes are nothing new to Islay malts, but this decidedly fishy nose is new to me.  Having said that…it works.  I can’t help but wonder what exactly is contributing that profile to the whisky though.

The nose is, as mentioned, heavy in salmon-esque effluence.  Peat and smoke are omnipresent, of course, and  rounded out with lemon juice, kerosene, mussels in white wine and a grassy/herbal note.

The palate, both on arrival and playing out through the finish, also carries that fishiness.  Notes of hoisin sauce and syrupy pear still manage to be heard amid the hot cacophony of peat noise.

Good drink.  Don’t be fooled by thinking this young distillery is a one-trick pony.  Their expressions, while young, are already varied and carry unique fingerprints.

 

– Reviewed by:  Curt

– Photo:  Curt