Whisky Intelligence has reproduced (with permission) The Gauntleys Whisky Newsletter for November 2011, the author, Chris Goodrum, has some excellent insights of whisky, which makes for excellent reading on a Sunday.  However W.I. has carefully excised any mention of r*m, c*gn*c, sh*rry or V*dk*.  The full newsletter can be viewed on the Gauntleys website.

WHISKY NEWSLETTER No 50 – November 2011

Dear Whisky Customers

Well it’s arrived! The 50th newsletter! Just like the newsletter has developed from somewhat humble beginnings I would like to think that I have developed as taster over that time as well. In fact I was think about tasting notes the other day, as opposed to writing them!

It would seem to me that whisky reviewers tend to fall into two broad categories when writing tasting notes. You have those that I would call ‘emotional’ tasters, whose notes include such phrases as ‘damp forest floors under a moonlit sky in august’ or ‘reminiscent of my grannies wardrobe’. Then you have what I would refer to as ‘analytical’ tasters. Personally I feel that I would fall into that second category. When I taste a spirit I try and break it down and try to get across in my notes the sensation of how it smells and how it flows in the mouth. Hopefully I’ll take readers on a journey and describe how the spirit evolves and flows, or doesn’t as the case may be!

But either way one hopes that you find my notes entertaining as well as enlightening. Whilst we are on the subject of tasting I really try hard to put aside ones preconceptions when I approach a whisky. I try to forget that Fettercairn is redolent of burning car tyres that Dufftown is undeniably industrial, that Cragganmore is dull and a bit bland and that Tobermory / Ledaig is downright awful. So in saying that I had one of those ‘oh my god, really’ moments when the list of what I had tasted for the Independent Bottlers Challenge came back.

Imagine my surprise to find that I had tasted a bottling of Dufftown and failed to use the words, industrial, nasty, etc at all! In fact I used the term ‘Quite elegant’!!! Good grief I, what is the world coming to! I definitely had to sit down there! Ok the palate was a touch on the confected/ watery side and my conclusion was that it was ‘Pleasant if a bit unremarkable’ but I had given it a score of 7.9 out of 10, which for a Dufftown is remarkably good. Oh and if you really want to try it yourselves it’s a Gordon & MacPhails Dufftown 1998 (13 year old) 43% bottled in 2011.

As I was saying earlier, the remit of the newsletter has broadened over the years, so this newsletter is one that will be heavily edited by Whisky Intelligence, because unlike the last one it will unfortunately or fortunately it contains references to r*m, c*gn*c, and v*dk* in this months newsletter! Also shock, horror I’ve even had a tasting of that notorious ab***the stuff. (Yes, we’re true to form! -WI)

Also in the edition is the usual new releases from Douglas Laing and Dewar Rattray. I’ve also been tasting the newly arrived Mezan Rum range as well as the rather fancily packaged Crystal Skull Vodka, a gin from Clapham, a few Cognac’s, the afore mentioned Jade Liqueurs range of absinthe, oh and I found time to squeeze in some whisky!!!!

But lets begin with the Bottlers Challenge………………

INDEPENDENT BOTTLERS CHALLENGE 2011 (SPEYSIDE)

The last time I judged the Speyside category for the Challenge was back in 2007, and although the number of samples I had to taste has diminished the overall quality of those bottlings being entered has definitely risen. Back in 2007 the average score for the 12 years old and under category was 6.97. This year it had risen to 7.13.

This trend was repeated in the 13 to 18 year old category where the average score had risen from 6.88 to 7.56, but the biggest jump was reserved for the 19 year old + category, which saw the average score rise from 7.63 to 8.53. That’s not to say that there wasn’t the odd duff bottling, but overall I was a lot more impressed than depressed!

12 Years Old & Under

My co-judge in the category this year was Joel Harrison of caskstrength.net and looking at his tasting notes he is definitely a fully paid up member of the ‘emotional tasters’ club. We were in complete agreement with regards to the medals in the 12 years old and under category, with the exception that I had a tie for the Bronze medal, but after that we diverged somewhat.

Official Results My Results
GOLD
Berry Bros Miltonduff 1998 (12 year old) 57% Berry Bros Miltonduff 1998 (12 year old) 57%
My Score: 7.9
SILVER
Scotch Malt Whisky Society 1.158 ‘A Cricketer’s Dream’ (Glenfarclas) 1999 (11 year old) 61.8
Scotch Malt Whisky Society 1.158 ‘A Cricketer’s Dream’ (Glenfarclas) 1999 (11 year old) 61.8
My Score: 7.7
BRONZE
Duncan Taylor Octave Craigellachie 1999 (11 year) 54.8%
Duncan Taylor Octave Craigellachie 1999 (11 year) 54.8%
My Score: 7.1
Ian MacLeod Dun Bheagan Strathisla 1998 (12 year old) ‘Petrus Gaia wine finish’ 43%
My Score: 7.1

Tasting Notes:-

Berry Bros Miltonduff 1998 (12 year old) 57%
Bourbon
Dist: 1998 Btl: 2010
Tasted: July 2011
A very intense and alcoholic nose with some leafiness, manure, heather and a touch of malt. A drop of water really releases the aromas – Beautiful and grassy now with hints of white liquorice and gentle citrus fruit. (3.8)

Palate: Quite sweet, yet balanced by the piquant alcohol. Slightly leafy with some malt and a hint of manure. Water doesn’t do much for the sweetness and brings out a touch of burnt caramel. Quite soft now but less expressive. (2.7)

Finish: A good length with some buttery oak and a lovely aftertaste, redolent of wood spices and liquorice. With water the caramel is a tad intrusive.

Conclusion: if it wasn’t for the burnt caramel this would have scored a couple of points more! (1.4)

Scotch Malt Whisky Society 1.158 ‘A Cricketer’s Dream’ (Glenfarclas) 1999 (11 year old) 61.8
First Fill Bourbon
Dist: Apr 1999 Btl: 2011
Tasted: July 2011
Nose: A very oily and manuery nose. Serious globs of farmyards and peat along with some sweet fruit lurking beneath. With time some vanilla oak puts in an appearance. With water some lovely perfumed orange notes appear but the natural oils dampen it a tad. (3.1)

Palate: Quite sweet, opening with the vanilla oak. The alcohol is quite piquant and is followed by some citrus and manure. Water makes it a touch simpler. (3.0)

Finish: A mouth-watering, peppery and alcoholic finish. (1.6)

Conclusion: The nose is far more expressive than the palate and it certainly requires a drop of water.

Duncan Taylor Octave Craigellachie 1999 (11 year) 54.8%
Bourbon
Dist: 1999 Btl: 2010(?)
Tasted: July 2011
Nose: Very alcoholic without water but there is some reasonably mature honey along with hints of manure and peppery tequila-esque notes. Water emphasises the manure notes along with some earthy peat. (2.8)

Palate: Straightforward with peppery tequila notes and some old wood. Water makes it rather soft and innocuous, bringing out some burnt caramel and citrus. (2.5)

Finish: Short and slightly sweet with lingering pepper, water lengthens a bit. (1.8)

Conclusion: its ok, an average youngish Spey

Ian MacLeod Dun Bheagan Strathisla 1998 (12 year old) ‘Petrus Gaia wine finish’ 43%
Sherry(?)/ Petrus Gaia
Cask: 90292 + 93
Dist: Oct 1998 Btl: 2011
Tasted: July 2011
Nose: A slightly leafy (re-fill sherry?) and seriously malty nose with hints of some lovely syrup coated orange fruit. Quite complex with hints of charred wood and liquorice. (3.3)

Palate: Soft, showing a fair degree of youthful cereal. Quite full with an invasive burnt caramel note. (2.5)

Finish: A good length, but again marred by the burnt caramel. The after taste is also somewhat sugary and slightly winey. (1.3)

Conclusion: An expressive and complex nose which is let down by an over carameled palate

13 to 20 Years Old

Well now we started to diverge in our opinions, although we both agreed on who should take the Gold medal, which was a superb dram and deserving of a 9.0. I’m surprised that the Angus Dundee Imperial didn’t take a medal, but Imperial seems to be a malt that divides opinion, yes, it can be a bit simple and quite a few find it bland but I have always had a soft spot for it. I think it never disappoints and with age can show a lovely degree of mature honey (see https://gauntleys.wordpress.com/category/scotch-whisky-h-z/imperial/) especially the Duncan Taylor bottlings.

Surprise number two was that I rated a Wemyss bottling! Overall I found their bottlings to be somewhat poor, but as they say every dog has to have its day! As for the SMWS Longmorn I can only conclude that Joel Harrison must like a bit of watery confectionery with his whisky.

Official Results My Results
GOLD
Gordon & MacPhails Linkwood 15 year old 43%
Gordon & MacPhails Linkwood 15 year old 43%
My Score: 9.0
SILVER
Wemyss Malt Whisky ‘Ginger Compote’ (Benrinnes) 1996 (15 year old)
Angus Dundee Distillers Imperial 19 year old 43%
My Score: 8.4
BRONZE
Scotch Malt Whisky Society 7.66 ‘Harmonious Existence of Flavour’ (Longmorn) 1992 (18 year old 49.4%
My Score: 7.3 Wemyss Malt Whisky ‘Ginger Compote’ (Benrinnes) 1996 (15 year old)
My Score: 8.3

Tasting Notes:-

Gordon & MacPhails Linkwood 15 year old 43%
Sherry
Tasted: July 2011
A stunning nose of soft re-fill sherry along with a touch of natural lemonade. There is some lovely maturity apparent especially in the honey department, which is shot through with some gentle spices and citrus. (3.9)

Palate: Wonderfully soft and broad, opening with some light coffee. Very liquor like and maybe a touch simpler than the nose but with time the gorgeously mature honey begins to shine. Great depth, enhanced with a liberal sprinkling of duty spices. (3.4)

Finish: A lovely, long, violety tinged finish. (1.7)

Conclusion: A superb nose with a level of maturity well beyond its years. Lovely complexity and an excellent balance between wood and spirit.

Angus Dundee Distillers Imperial 19 year old 43%
Bourbon
Tasted: July 2011
Nose: Intense aromas of old straw and maturing honey. Lovely depth with hints of orange fruit and manure. (3.5)

Palate: Soft and malty with a liberal sprinkling of brown sugar. Softly fruity with hints of straw. Good intensity. Quite robust and full. (3.3)

Finish: Good length with a soupcon of spice in the finish. (1.6)

Conclusion: Dense and chewy, a lovely full bodied Spey.

Wemyss Malt Whisky ‘Ginger Compote’ (Benrinnes) 1996 (15 year old)
Bourbon
Dist: 1996 Btl: 2011
Tasted: July 2011
Nose: A lovely nose of crisp citrus. A classic Spey with some beautiful light honey and barley. Very concentrated and deep. (3.8)

Palate: Soft and a touch fuller with more oak character, but the citrus notes just about balance it out. Still quite deep and concentrated although a smidge less complex than the nose would suggest. (3.0)

Finish: A good length with a citrus thread running through the oak until the end. Good grassy after taste. (1.5)

Conclusion: A very pleasant dram, but the oak vanillins do mute the palate a bit, but aside from that very enjoyable

Scotch Malt Whisky Society 7.66 ‘Harmonious Existence of Flavour’ (Longmorn) 1992 (18 year old 49.4%
Refill Bourbon
Dist: Apr 1992 Btl: 2011
Tasted: July 2011
Nose: A deep and intensely fruity nose with plenty of crisp citrus and granity notes. There is a beguiling maturity to the honey and the subservient oak adds a buttery twist. With time a slightly floral note emerges. However with water it becomes a lot oilier and a lot less interesting. (3.0)

Palate: Quite soft and linear with hints of barley and coffee. Dilution just makes it rather watery. (2.9)

Finish: Quite long with some herbal flourishes but water makes it confected. (1.4)

Conclusion: Water strips what little complexity it had to begin with!

21 Year and Over

Ok. I slipped up here! The funny thing is that when I first tasted the OMC Glenallachie it blew we away (https://gauntleys.wordpress.com/2011/08/26/douglas-laing-glenallachie-tasting-notes/) this time my notes were not quite as effusive, although I still rated it very highly. I think that when you are in judging mode one tends to be more critical. It’s a case of not necessarily picking faults but asking oneself the question as why one malt deserves to be scored higher than another. Either way, once gain both Joel and I were pretty close in our judgements.

Official Results My Results
GOLD
Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Glenallachie 1972 (38 year old) 50%
My Score: 9.0 Scotch Malt Whisky Association ‘An Angel Fallen to Earth’ (Glencraig) 1974 (36 year old) 50.6%
My Score: 9.4
SILVER
Duncan Taylor Rare Auld Glen Grant 1974 (36 year old) 52.4%
Duncan Taylor Rare Auld Glen Grant 1974 (36 year old) 52.4%
My Score: 9.3
BRONZE
Scotch Malt Whisky Association ‘An Angel Fallen to Earth’ (Glencraig) 1974 (36 year old) 50.6%
Berry Bros Glenlossie 1975 (35 year old) 49.7%
My Score: 9.0
Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Glenallachie 1972 (38 year old) 50%
My Score: 9.0

Tasting Notes:-

Scotch Malt Whisky Association ‘An Angel Fallen to Earth’ (Glencraig) 1974 (36 year old) 50.6%
Refill Bourbon
Dist: June 1974 Btl: 2010
Tasted: July 2011
Nose: Crisp and quite alcoholic to start with. It has a distinctly rum like rancio with dried, nutty fruit along with a touch of old treacle/ molasses and shot through with a vein of lively citrus. Wonderfully deep and evolving. A drop of water ramps up the lusciousness and emphasises the orange fruit. (4.0)

Palate: Soft, gentle and mouth-filling. The citrus and alcohol give it a wonderful vibrancy and edginess although the tannins do dry the palate somewhat. Dilution however lets the sublime depth of juice fruit shine. (3.6)

Finish Mouth-watering and long, again water makes it exceedingly juicy and brings out a spicy flourish at the end (1.8)

Duncan Taylor Rare Auld Glen Grant 1974 (36 year old) 52.4%
Sherry Cask 16569
Dist: Nov 1974 Btl: May 2011
Tasted: July 2011
Nose: Pungent, leafy and herbal to begin with followed by pure manure aromas! With time some dried grape and orange rind appears along with some spicy dark chocolate (in fact it reminds me of Green & Blacks Maya Gold!) Simply stunning, luscious and aromatic. Water makes the nose slightly more perfumed. (3.9)

Palate: Soft, luscious and mature. A lovely complex mouthful of spicy dark chocolate and honey. Excellent intensity. A drop of water adds a dusting of brown sugar and tempers the alcohol. (3.7)

Finish: Mouth-watering finish with the dark chocolate notes lingering. Water brings out a slight herbal note. (1.7)

Conclusion: A beautiful, mature re-fill sherry(?) malt.

Berry Bros Glenlossie 1975 (35 year old) 49.7%
Bourbon Cask 5951
Dist: 1975 Btl: 2010
Tasted: July 2011
Nose: A stunningly mature nose, full of earth, dunnage floors and old wood overlaying some delightfully luscious, sweet orange fruit. With time the orange notes become more dominant and some late mature honey joins in. (3.9)

Palate: Soft and lightly honeyed. Less complex than the nose but lovely nevertheless. Good depth. (3.4)

Finish: Very long with hints of lilly and elderflower. Quite sugary now but the alcohol balances. (1.7)

Conclusion: A superb nose. The palate possibly doesn’t quite reach the hights, but it’s still exceptionally good and the finish lasts for ages!

Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Glenallachie 1972 (38 year old) 50%
Sherry Cask DL6880
Dist: Sept 1972 Btl: Jan 2011
Tasted: July 2011
Nose: A big, first fill sherry nose. Quite mentholated with plenty of juicy orange and hints of earth/ dunnage floors. Very clean with developing wood spice and liquorice nuances. (3.6)

Palate: Soft and juicy. There is a lovely depth and concentration of mature sherried fruit, spice, old polished wood along with hints of liquorice and treacle (3.5)

Finish: Quite an oily and smoky finish with hints of coal dust and light tar. (1.9)

Conclusion: A lovely nose and palate, not much in the way of distillery character but some complexity from the aged sherry and a surprising (in a good way!) finish, there was no indication of smokiness on the palate.

OCTOBER OLD MALT CASK BOTTLINGS

Right, whilst we’re on the subject of OMC bottlings the latest box of miniatures duly arrived on my desk and I told myself that I really, really wasn’t going to buy anything this month, and I was sorley tempted by the Port Ellen, but by god it was expensive, (£206.16 retail per bottle) and I’m not sure if I can justify the expense of buying a full case, but if they were to split a case………….. hmm, and if anyone was interested in a bottle then I’ll have to have a chat with Hugh!

I was hoping that the Rosebank would be as good as some that I have tasted in the past (https://gauntleys.wordpress.com/category/scotch-whisky-h-z/rosebank/) but sadly that wasn’t the case. I’m sure some on-line retailers will stock it but hand on heart it really isn’t worth the almost £110 price tag. I couldn’t resist the Coal Ila though! But I could resist the Bladnoch!!

Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Royal Lochnagar 1997 (14 year old) 50%
Bourbon
Code: OMC2081
Dist: Apr 1997 Btl: Oct 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
The nose is a touch high toned, but there is some pleasant crisp citrus fruit, but the overall sensation is one of neutral spirit (which is par for the course with a lot of Lochnagar bottlings). With time hints of malt biscuit and herbal notes emerge.

Soft and slightly oily on the palate. Again the overriding sensation is of neutral spirit with a dollop of caramel/ toffee. Quite weighty towards the middle with a touch of honey and spicy tinned fruit. Reasonable length with a slightly mentholated, herbal finish.

Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Rosebank 1990 (21 year old) 50%
Bourbon
Code: OMC2086
Dist: Feb 1990 Btl: Oct 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
A clean, citrus nose. However it is pretty high toned and gin like with a serious degree of botanicals. Yes, there is some late creamy oak and a slight floral note, and maybe a soupcon of honey, but it seems disjointed and it has definitely lost its fruit, leaving just the botanical spirit character.

Quite dry on the palate opening with plenty of sweet barley, along with minerals and herbal notes. Again there is a distinct lack of fruit and thus it’s pretty much neutral-ish spirit all the way. Short and tartly citrus with a prominent degree of alcohol, and not much in the way of wood character apart from some bitter liquorice like notes at the death. In conclusion it’s gone over the hill to be honest and should have been bottled some time ago. In saying that I get the impression that this wasn’t an exceptional cask to start of with.

Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Mortlach 1996 (15 year old) 50%
Bourbon
Code: OMC2087
Dist Aug 1996 Btl: Oct 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
An earthy nose with plenty of dried spice, root ginger, mature honey and botanical spirit notes. This must be the oddest Mortlach I’ve ever come across. It’s slightly peated and really peppery and although the honey does it’s best to mask the creaking spirit there is the faintest hint of old cardboard.

The palate is definitely cardboardy, and has overdosed on burnt caramel. Industrial and somewhat spirity. One dimensional, lacking any real fruit, it’s unfortunately in its death throws to be honest. Shame as the nose was quite interesting.

Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Allt-A-Bhannie 1993 (18 year old) 50%
Bourbon
Code: OMC2084
Dist Feb 1993 Btl: Oct 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
A quite attractive nose of crisp citrus, barley, earth, white liquorice along with a touch of creamy/ toffee’d orange fruit. Light and relatively floral with time.

The palate is soft and reasonably full and very citrusy. The gentle spices build amidst the toffee. Good length and still very citrusy throughout. Lovely zesty, spicy finish. To be honest I pondered this quite long and hard, and I concluded that if this retailed at say just under 50 quid then I’d go for it but I don’t believe its complex enough to warrant a £63.95 price tag.

Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Glenlivet 1992 (19 year old) 50% (website price £68.95)
Bourbon
Code: OMC2083
Dist Apr 1992 Btl: Oct 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
A gorgeously mature Speyside nose. Loaded with oodles of honey, spice and orange fruit. Yes there is a touch of botanical spirit but that’s kept under control by the honey and the beautiful, sawdusty oak. Seriously honeyed and wonderfully balanced.

The palate is full and honeyed. Rich and dense – a real mouthful of honest-to-goodness gently spiced honey, castor sugar coated barley and oak. Piquantly alcoholic on the middle which leads into a mouth-watering finish….. But….. those gorgeous orange honey and spice notes resolutely cling to the mouth before a touch of bitter oak appears but is almost immediately swamped by that lovely mature honey. Superbly balanced and very drinkable.

Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Bladnoch 1992 (18 year old) 50%
Sherry Finished
Code: OMC2042
Dist Nov 1992 Btl: Oct 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
The Brownie of Bladnoch returns! (https://gauntleys.wordpress.com/2011/08/17/bladnoch-tasting-notes/) Slightly earthy with hints of damp cardboard and a distinct murky character. Some late butter and sherry spice notes appear but it’s rough, spirity and distinctly unclean.

The palate is pleasantly spicy but it’s so murky and industrial with burnt caramel and a touch of cardboard. Invasively alcoholic and lacking in finesse and length, well no that’s not quite true it does have a finish of sorts and that was fizzy. Shall we say it’s not the greatest cask of Bladnoch I’ve ever tasted.

Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Caol Ila 1996 (14 year old) 50% (website price £60.95)
Bourbon
Code: OMC1989
Dist Sept 1996 Btl: Oct 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
An old skool, Coal Ila nose – fresh and iodiney. Moderately peated and very briny with hints of wet tar, creosote and burnt embers all wrapped up in a lovely, sweet, mature, fruity coastalness.

The palate is quite sweet and oilier than the nose suggests. Those rampaging oils do take away some of the freshness, but give the palate density and lubricate the mouth. Very tarry on the middle with a lovely degree of dusty/ sooty peat along with a touch of fresh, green apple. Superb length with a smoked kipper, burnt wood/ ashy finish.

Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Highland Park 1996 (14 year old) 50%
Sherry
Code: OMC2053
Dist: Sept 1996 Btl: Oct 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
Gently sherried and quite nutty on the nose with hints of ozone and brine. Quite full and fruity with hints of tropical melon/ guava. Lovely complexity and balance for a sherried HP with a late heathery note and a soupcon of peat.

Quite sweet to begin with – sugar coated barley and light, bananary tropical fruit. The sherry adds a delicate nutty note to the proceedings and a touch of lightly medicinal peat, coffee and spice appears. Good length with a bracing finish.

Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Port Ellen 1983 (28 year old) 50%
Bourbon
Code: OMC2056
Dist: Feb 1983 Btl: Oct 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
The heavy fish oils mute the nose, thus it takes awhile to get into its stride. Subtle, yet building aromas of mature honey, oak are accented by a gentle coastalness and flecked with medicinal peat. Gentle and mature with some late buttery oak and just a sprinkling of sea salt.

The palate is also a tad reticent. First impressions are that it’s a tad watery but after rolling it around the mouth it gently unwinds with oak, mature honey and fishy notes. Gently sooty/ ashy middle with hints of medicinal bog myrtle. After all these years it still retains a fresh, coastal edge. Very long with a touch of sweet parma violets and lingering soft peat.

OCTOBER PROVENANCE BOTTLINGS

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Glen Ord 2004 (7 year old) 46%
Bourbon
Code: PRV0747
Dist Sept 2004 Btl: Oct 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
The nose is quite Alsace-eque and full with soft, white pear and peach balanced by a very fresh citrus note. Quite gristy with a late spice note.

The palate is quite sweet and gristy, again with plenty of citrus and pepper notes. Lovely intensity of slightly perfumed white fruit with a hint of vanilla oak. Good length with a refreshing finish. Surprisingly good for such a young malt.

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Royal Lochnagar 2001 (10 year old) 46%
Bourbon
Code: PRV0737
Dist Jan 2001 Btl: Oct 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
The nose is relatively fresh although the rampant oils have subdued the nose somewhat. Slightly gristy with no shortage of vanilla and a touch of youthful cereal.

The palate opens with some gentle fruit coated in light syrup along with a touch of white liquorice. A pleasant aperitif malt with a reasonable length and a spicy, slightly bitter finish.

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Glenburgie 1999 (11 year old) 46%
Bourbon
Code: PRV0735
Dist Nov 1999 Btl: Oct 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
A dense, oily and creamy nose with a hint of barley and more than a hint of burnt caramel! A fresh citrus and grassy note tries to emerge from the oak morass, but ultimately fails to do so.

The palate is a tad nondescript, quite sweet and bitter; maybe a touch fleshy but the alcohol and burnt caramel really hammers the palate. Short with a citrus, granity, bitter finish.

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Strathisla 1999 (12 year old) 46%
Bourbon
Code: PRV0740
Dist Aug 1999 Btl: Oct 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
Quite big and malty on the nose with a touch of peat. Actually there is more than a touch of peat along with hints of coffee and unfortunately burnt caramel.

The palate is relatively sweet-ish and malty with a good depth of macerated dark fruits, liquorice, earth, a touch of peat and some drying tannins, Unfortunately for me that burnt caramel note is too invasive and spoils what could have been an interesting bottling. Good length with a distinct molasses-like character and a slightly spicy finish.

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Allt-A-Bhannie 2000 (11 year old) 46%
Sherry
Code: PRV0734
Dist Jan 2000 Btl: Oct 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
A lightly spiced, herbal and grassy nose with some crisp fruit, honey and exceedingly subtle sherry notes. The palate is a bit on the sweet and toffee’d side but there is enough grassy, citrus fruit to offset. Slightly winey with some nutty sherry notes on the middle and a long, warming finish with hints of moist fruit cake. All in all a very pleasant Spey with a good integration of spirit and cask.

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Craigellachie 1999 (12 year old) 46%
Sherry
Code: PRV0728
Dist Jun 1999 Btl: Oct 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
An odd nose to say the least. It reminds me of a liqueur made from marc! Faintly earthy/ musty macerated cherries in alcohol, which becomes rather stinky and manuery over time. There is a rawness to the spirit which verges on the industrial along with a sort of sherberty sweet sherry note. Like I said distinctly odd!

I’m afraid the palate is a lot less interesting. It’s quite sweet and industrial with too much burnt caramel and a touch of cardboard. Again the spirit seems very raw and it’s decidedly hard going.

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Inchgower 1999 (12 year old) 46%
Sherry
Code: PRV0736
Dist Apr 1999 Btl: Oct 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
Good grief! The nose reeks of Bovril! Seriously malty and spicy with hints of amontillado sherry cask. I have to say that the spirit doesn’t feel quite integrated with the cask and has a noticeable botanical youthfulness to it.

Quite dry, leading off with the Bovril-esque character. Again quite malty (obviously!) with plenty of spices and sweetly toffee’d-sherried dried fruit on the middle. Better integration on the palate and a good length with a pure spice flecked muscovado sugar finish.

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Dalmore 2001 (10 year old) 46%
Bourbon
Code: PRV0724
Dist May 2001 Btl: Oct 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
A soft, slightly earthy nose with a hint of berry fruits in syrup, crisp barley and a touch of honey. Quite pleasant for a Bourbon casked Dalmore.

The palate opens with some lovely spicy honey followed by the intense alcohol. When that clears it leaves a fudgy/ toffee’d oak character. A bit on the short side but pleasant nevertheless.

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Tamdhu 1998 (12 year old) 46%
Bourbon
Code: PRV0739
Dist Dev 1998 Btl: Oct 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
A polite nose of brittle honey with some cherry fruit and a touch of perfumed white flowers. The oak adds some caramel to round it off.

The palate is soft, full and rounded. Quite honeyed with barley, spice, soft fruit, a touch of smoke and light coffee. Good length with a slightly grassy finish. All very pleasant and unpretentious.

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Ben Nevis 1998 (12 year old) 46%
Bourbon
Code: PRV0715
Dist: Nov 1998 Btl: Oct 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
The nose is rather industrial for Ben Nevis with hints of burnt caramel, boiled sweets and high toned sweet marc and botanicals. Rather lacking its usual malty/ breadiness.

The palate is young and a bit simple with hints of grass and chardonnay-esque buttery fruit. Short and alcoholic. Pleasant but not exactly the best bottling of Ben Nevis I’ve ever tasted.

OCTOBER PREMIER BARREL BOTTLINGS

Douglas Laing Premier Barrel Mortlach 1997 (14 year old) 46%
Bourbon
Code: PBR0103
Dist: Apr 1997 Btl: Oct 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
The nose is a touch muted by the oils and thus it’s rather unyielding in the aroma department. However there is a hint of earth, peat and coffee.

The palate is pleasantly honeyed and full with some oily caramel, crisp barley and grass. Simple and quaffable, good length with a toffee’d, slightly peppery finish.

Douglas Laing Premier Barrel Laphroaig 2000 (11 year old) 46%
Bourbon
Code: PBR0106
Dist: Jun 2000 Btl: Oct 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
A relatively uncomplicated nose. A sort of ‘phroaig by numbers – oily seaweed, fish and herbal peat.

The palate opens with a pleasant sweetness with a touch of caramel and some gentle oils. A rather coastal, herbaly peated middle with a touch of soot. A pleasant length with a touch of medicinal bog myrtle on the finish.

I thought I can see why they have bottled this under the Premier Barrel label because the quality isn’t high enough to be a Provenance bottling, so I imagined that this would retail somewhere in the £40 bracket, because that would be a fair price for it. Imagine my surprise when I looked at the cost and worked out a price- £63.95!!?!!? What!!!? I think it goes to show how over priced some distilleries malt actually is.

YET ANOTHER DISAPOINTING OVER PRICED YANK?

This is the third American micro-distillery bottling that I have tasted (https://gauntleys.wordpress.com/2011/08/17/american-whiskey-tasting-notes/) and each one in my opinion has been a distinct let down. In most cases the spirit is way too young and has been rushed out onto the market presumably due to pressure from the accountants and investors than the spirit being at its apogee. Ok, it’s interesting to taste a spirit in its infancy and chart its progress over the years but I’m sorry but I’m not going to shell out 60 to 80 odd quid just to taste an experiment. It would have been better to take a leaf out of the Glenglassaugh book and release it in 20cl bottles.

Balcones Distillery, Texas Baby Blue Corn 46%
Tasted: Oct 2011
A touch spirity and oily on the nose, with what only can be described as a semblance of fat corn aromas. Why didn’t they just leave this in the cask to develop a bit of oak integration and character as at this stage in its evolution there is not much happening here!

The palate is exactly the same as the nose. Interesting maybe, but underdeveloped and the only thing the oak brings to the palate is a touch of burnt caramel. How it managed to get two gold medals at the San Francisco World Spirit competition is beyond me. Oh hang on it’s an American whisky in an American competition!

OCTOBER DEWAR RATTRAY

As you will have read earlier, Dewar Rattray has bottled yet another sensation cask of Rum, and as you will see from my tasting notes, some rather good whisky as well. Pick of the bunch, as much for price as well as quality must be the 19 year old Balblair, which tio be fair is an absolute steal. The26 year old Glen Elgin was rather good as well, and just to show that occasionally peat and sherry work together, the 12 year old Bowmore certainly hits the spot, unfortunately the other bottlings don’t quite reach those dizzying heights.

Dewar Rattray Balblair 1991 (19 year old) 46% (website price £38.27)
Sample at 61.1%
Bourbon Cask 3294
Dist: 1991 Btl: 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
A beautiful, mature nose. Slightly gristy with plenty of brusque citrus fruit along with hints of earth and lightly coffee’d spices. Superb depth with a slight perfumed top note.

Intense and juicy on the palate. Quite earthy and alcoholic but there is a lovely dollop of mature honey and toasted coffee beans on the middle. The combination of alcohol and bitter oak masks the finish.

With water (an approximation of what it will be like at 46%). Oooh that’s a stunning nose! Dipping in all manner of luscious honey aromas. A delightful tangerine/ orange note has now appeared along with hints of clove and cinnamon. The brusque citrus and granity notes balance wonderfully. The palate is luscious and super smooth now. With the alcohol now in check it allows the sumptuous orange fruit and spices to shine and the palate to fill out. That gentle mature honey now coats the mouth and offsets the bitter oak on the finish.

Dewar Rattray Clynelish 1995 (15 year old) 55.3%
Sherry Cask 8657
Dist: 1995 Btl: 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
A deep, earthy and coffee’d sherry nose with unfortunately a hint of struck match heads. Actually there is more than just a hint! The spirit also feels a tad disconnected, spirity and vodka-like although there is some honey, butter and cream notes, but unfortunately this will have to go down as another disappointing Clynelish.

With water the sulphur note is diminished slightly and some gentle orange fruit aromas have appeared, but the palate has become all watery and vague.

Dewar Rattray Craigellachie 1991 (20 year old) 59.5%
Bourbon Cask 6921
Dist: 1991 Btl: 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
A rather hard, earthy and grainy nose. In fact tasted blind you would be forgiven for thinking that it was a grain whisky. There are some notes of brittle honey and toasted barley and with time the honey does become quite floral and the spirit notes become rather botanical in character.

The palate is very earthy with hints of mature honey along with a touch of coffee. The combination of alcohol and the graininess of the spirit make the middle quite mouth-watering. The light coffee/ hickory note is ever present and the finish is relatively oily, but the alcohol really needs taming.

With water the oak comes flooding in on the nose adding caramel, linseed oil and a touch of unsweetened marshmallow. Quite juicy now but too oak dominated. The palate is now softer but simpler and like the nose the oak holds sway but in doing so brings a lot of bitterness with it and I’m afraid there is not enough sweetness to balance that. The finish is now quite short and botanical.

Dewar Rattray Bowmore 1998 (12 year old) 62.8% (website price £49.53)
Sherry Cask 800167
Dist: 1998 Btl: 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
An intensely phenolic nose with hints of nutty sherry. Extremely rubbery and manurey with plenty of astringent peat. You just have to love all that stinkiness! With time hints of fisherman’s friends appear.

The palate is oily and gently sherried (of the nutty persuasion). Earthy and violety on the middle, but there is not as much peat and alcohol as you would have expected. The soot and the oils build wonderfully and with the sweetness of the malt offsetting the peaty intensity a touch (that’s not a criticism by the way). Lovely length with hints of fisherman’s friends and a slight coastal intimation.

With water the nose doesn’t change very much, maybe a hint of lemon appears. The palate has become a lot sweeter and slightly less intense with a gentle level of peat, which allows some honey and lemon to come through. Slightly less coastal character too, so personally I would opt to drink this neat.

Dewar Rattray Caol Ila 1993 (18 year old) 56.7%
Sherry Cask 11145
Dist: 1993 Btl: 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
A heavy, but clean nose of leafy sherry, dark coffee/ toffee/ chocolate and liquorice completely masking the slightly floral and coastal spirit. Only a touch of peat is discernable. A bit too heavy on the sherry for my liking.

The palate is very dry, slightly bitter and quite woody. The flavours mirror the nose – all being cask derived. Some coastal and peat notes try to emerge but they are submerged in the sherry. Quite a fresh finish – mainly down to the abv with a herbal/ mentholated finish.

With water there is a touch of struck match/ gun powder on the nose and it’s gone a bit flat to be honest. I’m struggling to pick out any particular characteristics now. The palate is very much the same. Flat and overall rather disappointing.

Dewar Rattray Macduff 1990 (21 year old) 59.4%
Bourbon Cask 1424
Dist: 1990 Btl: 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
Burnt caramel overdose on the nose! Quite industrial (as expected) with some murky wood notes. I’m afraid to say rather textbook Macduff to be honest. Yes there is some mature honey aromas but they are well hidden.

The palate is oily, industrial and redolent of burnt caramel. Hard as nails with an alcoholic, murky wood dominated middle. Actually it has a good length and a pleasant peppery finish, but you have to suffer the rest of it to get to that point. It’s a bit like self flagellation I suppose!!

With water there is a slight intimation of floral white fruit but that unpleasant burnt caramel note is omnipresent. The palate has become a bit vague and watery, with, yes; you’ve guessed it – burnt caramel! Pretty charmless stuff with an almost mouldy note in the aftertaste. Once again my palate has been Macduffed up!

Dewar Rattray Glen Elgin 1984 (26 year old) 48.7% (website price £65.89)
Bourbon Cask 2861
Dist: 1984 Btl: 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
A beautiful, gentle and subtly honeyed nose with hints of dried grass, black pepper and manure. Oooh the honey is veritably dripping in lusciousness now! Monumentally deep with a backdrop of some lovely sawdusty oak. With time hints of white peach, liquorice root and butter-cream emerge and a slight botanical note from the spirit is balanced by the honey/ creaminess.

Soft and gentle on the palate. Again subtly honeyed which builds rather pleasantly. Flecks of soft spice and wood tannins show on the middle and there is just enough alcohol to offset the now rampaging honey. My ones palate is salivating! Lovely depth and a great length with an ever so slightly bittering out at the death, but overall the balance is superb.

Dewar Rattray Tullibardine 1990 (21 year old) 46%
Sample at 58.6%
Bourbon Cask 6100
Dist: 1990 Btl: 2011
Tasted: Oct 2011
A classic, hard as nails Tulli! It’s an odd nose with hints of brine, animals, pepper, wool fat soap and mildly perfumed candle wax! – See what I mean. Yes it’s a Tulli and you either love it or hate it!

The palate is oily, very bitter and at cask strength the alcohol is very intrusive. It opens with old coffee, burnt toffee and marc-like notes. The middle is very peppery with very pure decaying rose petal notes. Very hot, but I find myself actually liking it. Well I did after my tongue stopped burning!!!

With water (an approximation of what it will be like at 46%). The nose has become a touch more floral perhaps with some hints of liquorice and more pepper. The palate on the other hand is still relatively oily but has become a whole lot less fun, if that is the right word! It’s reminiscent of old marc and personally I wish it had been bottled at cask strength.

GENERAL ROUND UP

Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon 45%
Tasted: Mar 2011
A light-ish, polished and elegant nose. It seems like the crisp rye grains have been swaddled in the soft corn aromas. The oak kick in relatively quickly to become the dominant factor, however some floral/ violety notes try to emerge from amidst the sweet vanillins.

The plate opens with a floral note, quickly followed by some hard and brittle rye. The oak is very dominant (as the nose suggests) and possibly over grippy, which doesn’t let the complexity of the nose show. Yes it does have some lovely sweet vanilla moments but the oak really bitters out the finish.

Lagavulin 12 year old 56.5%
Btl: 2010
Tasted: Sept 2011
A crisp and phenolic nose with plenty of mentholated, briny peat. It displays a lovely depth with some beautifully sweet barley balancing the stringent peat reek. Quite oily and dense with hints of soft yellow fruits and banana.

The palate is full and intense. The peat builds pleasantly to a sooty, coal dusty middle. The extremely piquant alcohol kicks in on the middle! Add to that the rampant coastal character and you have a seriously mouth-puckering finish. It’s a complete contrast to the last bottle of cask strength 12 year old I tasted, that bottling was really subtle, especially compared to this one, which is what I love about small batch cask strength bottling, you just never know exactly what you are going to get. Anyway this wild ride draws to a close with hints of menthol, iodine, cocoa and a sliver of sweet barley lighting up the finish. Stunning stuff!

With water the nose has become a tad muted as the natural oils are released. The peat has taken on a more manuery character, but some sweet orange notes have now emerged. Obviously it is a touch softer on the palate with more tarry wood notes prevalent. The peat has become lazy and sooty and meanders across the tongue beautifully. Still mouth tingly fresh and briny with hints of shellfish and a sweet parma violet note in the finish.

Talisker 10 year old 45.8%
Re-Tasted: Sept 2011
A soft and briny nose with some dense, slightly confected sherry notes, orange peel and black pepper. It does become rather sweet, verging on being overly sweet but a touch of peat and smoke tries to emerge and balance the sugaryness. I don’t remember it being quite this sweet though.

Like the nose the palate is soft and sweet, quite rich with caramel laced sherried fruit. The middle is pleasantly piquant with plenty of pepper along with hints of camphor and menthol. Good length with some lovely sweet barley, gentle peat and brine in the finish. For me the palate has a better balance than the nose.

Kilkerran 7 year old ‘Work In Progress 3’ 46%
Tasted: Sept 2011
A soft and citrusy nose – pure lemon rind notes, followed by brittle honey and a salty twang. This is really maturing well and shows a lovely depth with just a touch of youthful cereal and background oak. With time the cereal note becomes pleasantly sweet.

The palate opens with the soft, yet lithe barley and a touch of toffee. Filling out rather well now with apricot, citrus and brittle honey. There is a lovely salt encrusted lemon intensity on the middle and a long, oily finish, with only just a touch of youthful cereal now and no shortage of pure sea salt.

Another year and it is really developing complexity and character!

Berry Bros Laphroaig 1998 (12 year old) 58.9%
Bourbon
Dist: 1998 Btl: 2010
Tasted: Oct 2011
A very phenolic nose. Briny and fishy with some seriously nose prickling alcohol. Pretty intense stuff with the classic rubber and manure-peat notes showing.

The palate is quite oily, youthful and cerealy. To be honest it’s a bit one dimensional, yes there is the expected dusty and sooty peat, but I think this has been bottles a tad too soon as it tastes a lot younger than you would have expected. Medium length with a fairly oily finish.

With water the nose becomes quite grassy and now some fishy, white fruit has emerged. On the palate it’s rather homogenous and quite sugary. In fact it does become a tad too sweet. Its ok, but I’ve tasted a lot more interesting bottlings of ‘phroaig than this one.

Chivas Regal 18 year old 40%
Tasted: Oct 2011
The sales blurb goes something like this “Premium aged mix of some of Scotland’s finest whiskies with an above-average proportion of malt and an extended ageing period producing a truly fine blend.” – Well I’m afraid that I’m going to have to disagree with that!

The nose opens with some slightly muted sherry. Quite oily with a sub-industrial-dufftown character (could that be some rough old Tormore and Glenallachie?). Ok there is some sweetness and a slight floral note which tries to off set that character but it’s really hard going.

The palate is mellow and straightforward. Again it’s quite hard and industrial, slightly sweet, slightly sherried, and pretty innocuous with not much discernable character, well apart from that dufftown-esque disposition. The grain is well hidden and gives a pleasant bite to the finish. Personally I would stick with the Ballantines 17 year old!

Glen Garioch 12 year old 48%
Btl: 2010
Tasted: Oct 2011
A rich, densely sherried nose with hints of heather, clove and barley along with peppery boiled sweet/ marc-like notes and with time hints of aromatic peat and earth.

The palate is rich and fruity, quite heavy on the sherry with some peppery, malty notes coming through along with some sweet, heathery barley. Good length with the oak bittering out the finish. I have to say that it’s a pleasant sherried dram but it’s nowhere near as interesting or as balanced as the old 15 year old. Like Bunnahabhain they have appeared to have increased the use of sherry casks to the detriment of the distillery character.

Lagavulin 1994 (16 year old) Distillers Edition 43% (website price £65.81)
Pedro Ximenez Finish – LGV.4/498
Dist: 1994 Btl: 2010
Tasted: Oct 2011
A big, sweet, dried grape and toffee’d molasses nose. The cask definitely holds back the ‘Vulin character but some stinky, manurey peat begins to emerge as does some coastal notes but the PX cask has it clamped in a vice-like grip.

The palate is to me not as sweet as I remember it, but that was 3 years ago. There is a profusion of dried grape, raisinated fruit along with chocolate and coffee. Like the nose the distillery character has been seriously blunted although it kind of creeps out on the finish with a touch of sooty peat. Not exactly my favourite expression, but there is no denying the quality of both cask and spirit.

Although this is currently showing as out of stock on the website I should have some more in soon.

Ben Nevis 10 year old 46% (website price £33.47)
Re-Tasted: Oct 2011
A pleasant leafy sherried nose with a balancing edgy, granity note and sweet barley. Quite full with the characteristic doughy/ maltiness coming through along with a hint of violets. Pleasant and unpretentious.

The palate is soft and full, opening with some fleshy fruit and barley. Gently sherried and malty on the middle with a balancing granity note. Good honeyed length with a soft spiced finish.

Glen Scotia 12 year old 40%
Re-Tasted: Oct 2011
A solid, rich, gently phenolic nose that has been flattened by caramel. There is some woody orange, honey and malt but it never really raises to the occasion, although a costal note tries it’s hardest to enliven.

The caramel is very noticeable on the palate, yes it is quite full and there are hints of honey and fisherman’s friends but it fades rather quickly to a slightly watery and woody finish. I’m afraid that this has gone down hill since I last tasted it.

Well that’s about if for this newsletter. I had hoped to include the new bottlings from Bruichladdich but unfortunately those samples haven’t arrived as yet, well the DNA 1985 did and I can say that it is stunningly good. Hopefully the others will have arrived in time for the next newsletter. And finally a quick note to say that two new bottlings of Springbank will be arriving shortly – the Longrow Burgundy Wood Expression 56.1%, priced at £60.04 and the return of the legendary Springbank 21, with a legendary price tag of £177.75.

Lastly as this will probably be the last newsletter of the year, I’d like to wish you a pleasant Christmas and that if you do pop into the shop over the festive period say hi.

All the best

Chris Goodrum

Visit Gauntleys of Nottingham at www.gauntleys.com 

TEACHER’S INTRODUCES GIFT CARTON FOR CHRISTMAS

Teacher’s blended Scotch whisky, distributed by Maxxium UK, is launching a special gift carton into the retail sector, a first for the brand since 1988, in the lead up to Christmas.

The Teacher’s 70cl gift carton will be available over the festive period and the move highlights Maxxium’s investment into the brand, which is one of the UK’s top five premium blended whiskies.

This distinctive brand, established in 1830, has one of the highest malt contents of any blend, ensuring a rich and complex flavour of true quality. The ‘fingerprint’ malt in Teacher’s is Highland single malt Ardmore, which imparts a smoky richness. Teacher’s has a long history of quality and innovation and in 1913 was the first drinks brand to introduce the ‘self opening bottle’, known today as the screw cap.

Peter Sandstrom, Marketing Director, Maxxium UK commented: “Teacher’s is one of the only blends to be in a gift carton this Christmas, which will provide an enhanced on shelf presence, and appeal to consumers looking for a premium and authentic blend this festive season. It is well known for having an exceptionally high malt proportion, guaranteed to be at least 45%, which really delivers a unique and balanced blended whisky with tastes of full rich malts and maturity.”

Teacher’s 70cl will also be available in the cash and carry sector as a £12.49 priced marked pack during the Christmas sales season.

Notes:
*Source: Nielsen data June – Aug 2011
• William Teacher first began selling blended Scotch whisky in 1830. To ensure authenticity of his whisky he sold it through his infamous Glasgow dram shops. Throughout the decades, Teacher’s has continued to be a popular brand around the world.
• Teacher’s is a blend of over 35 single malts blended with grain whiskies and has one of the highest malt contents of any blend ensuring a unique, rich and complex flavour of true quality.
• The brand implements traditional distillation and maturation methods in large and small oak casks, creating a more authentic blend.
• The ‘fingerprint’ malt in Teacher’s is Ardmore, a lightly peated Highland malt whisky, which imparts a smoky richness to the blend.
• Teacher’s has a history of consistent quality and innovation. It is a distinctive brand with true heritage.

Tasting Notes:
Appearance: Rich amber with yellowish highlights
Nose: Deep and robust maltiness with hints of pear and sherry maturity
Palate: Challenging, exciting, round and warming with a silky texture. Tastes of full rich malts and maturity
Finish: Balanced and creamy

DISPUTE BETWEEN KDA AND SAZERAC COMPANY SETTLED

Frankfort, KY (November 17, 2011) – The Kentucky Distillers’ Association and Sazerac Company, Inc., today announced that the groups have reached a settlement over disputed trademark issues.

The announcement brings an end to litigation filed in U.S. District Court in May 2010 by the KDA against Sazerac, a Louisiana-based company that owns the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, the Barton 1792 Distillery in Bardstown and Glenmore Distillery in Owensboro. In response to KDA’s lawsuit, Sazerac countersued the KDA. The counterclaims against KDA have also been resolved as a result of today’s settlement.

Sazerac Company resigned from the KDA, a non-profit trade association based in Frankfort, in December 2009. Members of the KDA include Beam Global Spirits & Wine (Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark), Brown-Forman, Diageo North America, Four Roses, Heaven Hill and Wild Turkey.

“We’re pleased that an amicable resolution has been reached in this important matter,” said KDA President Eric Gregory. “The KDA and its members look forward to continue building the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® experience and promoting our signature industry’s rich history to visitors from around the world.”

“Sazerac’s three Kentucky distilleries, Buffalo Trace Distillery, Barton 1792 Distillery and The Glenmore Distillery look forward to continue developing their distillery tours along the bourbon trail,” said Marketing Service Director, Meredith Moody.

Terms of the settlement are confidential and will not be released to the public, the parties agreed.

For more information about the KDA please visit www.kybourbon.com  or www.kybourbontrail.com .

For more information about the Buffalo Trace Distillery, please visit www.buffalotrace.com .

For more information about the Barton 1792 Distillery, please visit www.1792bourbon.com .

Hello all you Collectors, interesting news at Whisky Review #233 – Benromach Charity Bottle 2011 @ www.scotchwhiskyauctions.com …. and you wont know what it is till you go-see !

The latest auction at www.scotchwhiskyauctions.com is well under way….with 312 items available for your bidding pleasure…

Fellow whisky enthusiasts,

Two months have passed already since Maltstock. So only ten months to go until Maltstock 2012 🙂 Dates for next year are 7-9 September. And tickets are already available in our web shop. Last year Maltstock was sold out and we already sold quite a number of tickets for next year. So make sue you get your tickets on time.

Photo competition
We were hoping to announce the winner of the Maltstock photo competition this weekend. But unfortunately the PC with all the results broke down. We hope to have it fixed soon though so we can finally announce the winner.

Maltstock 2011 reviews
Perhaps you’ve already noticed them, but some excellent blogs and reviews have been posted. Links can be found at the Maltstock website (click here). You can find links to a lot of pictures there as well. And of course there are also a lot of pictures on our Facebook page.

Maltstock banner
We now have the Maltstock 2012 banner available. If you would like to support Maltstock by having the banner on your website please send us an e-mail and will send you the banner. All support is much appreciated.

Free dram
So what about that free dram? Well, Maltstock will have a small stand at the International Whisky Festival in The Hague this weekend. If you show up at our stand wearing Maltstock clothing, we will give you a free dram. Anything you like from our table. Your choice. Hope to see lot’s of you in your Maltstock polo, T-shirt, Hoodie, underwear… If you are coming to The Hague, but you don’t have any Maltstock clothing, no problem! We have all kinds of clothing for sale during the weekend 🙂

Best whisky festival in the world?
What do you think is the best whisky festival in the world? Apparently some people think it could be Maltstock. We obviously believe that is an excellent choice. But there are some many great festivals in the world. And we do like them all! Anyway, you can vote here.

Hope to see you this weekend or at one of the other festivals!

Arthur, Bob, Eline, Rogier & Teun
www.maltstock.com

Kilchoman 2006 Vintage Release

First 5 Year Old

Kilchoman, Islay’s Farm Distillery, is delighted to announce the release of its 2006 vintage; the first 5 year old from the first distillery to be built on Islay for over 120 years.

Matured from 80% first fill and 20% refill bourbon barrels and reduced to 46%abv; the 2006 vintage is a limited release and available in mature malt markets around the world.

Tasting Note:

Colour: Light beech, darkening with age

Nose: Peaty aroma, soft cooked fruits, Christmas cake

Palate: Cloves, butterscotch, soft citrus, mouth filling with a lasting sweetness

Finish: A classic Islay Malt, now showing the benefit of ageing. Peaty fresh and clean finish

£44.99 inc VAT – £37.49 exc VAT

CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW

An Evening with Eades at the Silver Thatch Inn

Charlottesville’s beautiful Silver Thatch Inn and the Virginia Distillery Company invite you to join us Thursday, December 8 from 6-8pm for an evening spent sampling the finest Single and Double Malt whiskies one can find.

As we guide you through a tasting of five whiskies– our three Eades Double Malts and two single malts– enjoy hors d’oeuvres created by the Inn’s innovative kitchen, carefully selected to provide a thought-provoking, entertaining tasting experience. We’ll also discuss the history and science behind single malt whisky, as well as the bright future of distilling here in Virginia.

Please make your reservation soon, as space for this tasting is limited.

An Evening with Eades at the Silver Thatch Inn
December 8, 2011, 6-8pm
$46.50 per person (Including tax and gratuity)
Call 434-978-4686 or email info@silverthatch.com for reservations.
www.silverthatch.com

———
“Once known as Hollymead Farm, Silver Thatch Inn is an historic Colonial farmhouse dating back to 1780, with ‘modern’ additions in 1812, 1937, and 1984, when it became Silver Thatch Inn. Since purchasing the Inn in 1998, Jim and Terri Petrovits have created one of the most well-stocked small pubs in Albemarle County, offering 19 single malt Scotches,13 single barrel and small batch bourbons. Remarkable cuisine, incredible wines and spirits, and well appointed guest accommodations make Silver Thatch Inn one of the most popular venues in central Virginia for guests from all over the world.”

Passport Scotch Flying High with 1 Million Case Sales

Born in the 1960s, the ever-innovative Passport Scotch has broken new ground with the announcement today of one million nine litre case sales (MAT)* globally. This latest milestone positions the brand among the top 20 Scotch whiskies in the world.

The continued double-digit growth of Passport Scotch is primarily driven by its strong performance in Brazil, the brand’s largest market, and Mexico, where it is experiencing increasing popularity. A strong performance in other key markets including Africa, Portugal and Poland, has also contributed to the brand’s success.

Geoff Parmiter, Brand Director of Standard Brands at Chivas Brothers, comments: “We are delighted to announce this latest triumph. Passport Scotch has a strong and vibrant identity that has always been characterised by its distinctive rectangular green bottle, which has become a unique symbol in the world of Scotch whisky. As a result, it continues to attract young adults, for whom individuality is essential, around the world. By continually engaging with this audience through groundbreaking marketing activity, we are confident that Passport Scotch will continue to enjoy success in the foreseeable future.”

The brand has been built on a communication platform based on the theme ‘Estilo Propio’, which translates as ‘a style of its own’. Growth in leading market Brazil has been fuelled by Green Project, a digital initiative that has strengthened the brand’s association with urban culture, electronic music and technology. Meanwhile the launch of the Passport Scotch ‘Night Bottle’, designed by renowned graphic designer Flavio Samelo, reinforced the association through increased brand visibility in key on-premise outlets.

* Month ending 30 Sept 2011

About Chivas Brothers
Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard – the world’s co-leader in wine and spirits. Chivas Brothers is the global leader in luxury Scotch whisky and premium gin. Its portfolio includes Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, Beefeater Gin, The Glenlivet, Royal Salute, Aberlour, Plymouth Gin, Longmorn, Scapa, 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport Scotch

www.chivasbrothers.com

Unique and collectable whisky to go under the hammer

A unique and collectable bottle of signed whisky from Speyside’s smallest distillery will go under the hammer this week in an online auction with proceeds going to a local rescue charity.

Distillery manager, Keith Cruickshank, and infamous whisky blogger, Ralf Mitchell, commonly known as Ralfy, have signed the bottle of Benromach single cask for a charitable auction being hosted by Scotch Whisky Auctions, who have kindly agreed to waive their auction fees.

The money raised from the sale will go to Findhorn based Moray Inshore Rescue Organisation (M.I.R.O) who are an independent rescue service manned entirely by volunteers.

Keith Cruikshank said he expected the online auction, which starts today (17 November 2011) and runs until the 27th of November, to generate global interest.

He said: “This is a very unique bottle of Benromach Single malt whisky hand bottled by Ralfy at our distillery. It is the only bottle to be bottled at this time so we hope it will be a hit with collectors and whisky enthusiasts across the globe. The proceeds of the auction, made possible by Scotch Whisky Auctions, will go towards making a splash in Moray Inshore Rescue Organisation’s funds, which are based only a few miles away from our distillery.”

The winner will also get an exclusive selection of Benromach merchandise including a sample bottle of whisky, two blender glasses, key ring, polo shirt, wallet, stow bag, calendar and a newsletter signed by David and Michael Urquhart.

Ralfy will also donate a memory stick containing all the v-logs created for the auction, including a personalised v-log to the winner and signed tasting notes.

Simon Paterson from the Moray Inshore Rescue Organisation said: “We are very grateful to Benromach for donating a bottle of their finest whisky to be auctioned online.”

Previous charitable auctions of similar products have seen funds of around £400 raised. Anyone interested in bidding for this unique bottle of whisky can make a bid by visiting www.scotchwhiskyauctions.com.

If you want to find out more information about Benromach and sample the unique taste of their rare whiskies visit the Glasgow Whisky Festival at The Arches on Argyll Street on November 19 2011 or visit www.benromach.com .

Notes:

About Benromach

Established in 1898, Benromach distillery changed hands many times and was virtually derelict when bought by Gordon &MacPhail in 1993. Drawing on generations of whisky expertise, the company carried out a painstaking refurbishment, and the distillery was officially re-opened by Prince Charles in 1998.

Just two men hand-craft Benromach using the finest Scottish barely and the purest spring water from the nearby Romach Hills. They fill new spirit into the highest quality casks before being left to mature at the distillery for many years. The Benromach portfolio includes the award winning Benromach 10 Years Old and the first fully certified organic single malt – Benromach Organic.

Please visit www.benromach.com  for details.

About Ralfy

Ralfy is an independent video based commentator who combines entertaining whisky reviews with eccentricity for independent Scotch Whisky Producers.

Ralfy is also a member of the Malt Maniacs.

Please visit www.ralfy.com for details.

About Scotch Whisky Auctions

Scotch Whisky Auctions is an innovative and imaginative whisky auction website offering old whisky, rare whisky and vintage whisky for auction.

Please visit www.scotchwhiskyauctions.com  for details.

About M.I.R.O

MIRO is one of around 50 independent rescue services that operate around the UK. It is manned entirely by volunteers and funded by the generosity of the general public and local business. Every penny raised by MIRO goes directly into the charities funds with nothing deducted for third parties or administration.

Please visit www.morayinshorerescue.org for details.