Cadenhead’s London “Classic age single malts” – Scotch Whisky News
A quick update on the shop before we get into the newsletter in full.
The shop is like many; closed at the moment, however we are still running our business online. We had planned a look back season before any new releases in April, so this is our planned update, but things have changed obviously around the world.
We aim to keep the Scotch flag flying (and other spirits), so we can keep our shop going into its 25th anniversary intact. We can only do this with our amazing customers who have supported our small family business so much over the last 25 years!
We would also like to thank all the frontline workers in these times of crisis, your valuable work saves lives every day and we think it would be appropriate to raise our glasses (at home) to these brave people.
Keep in touch via
Email whisky@whiskytastingroom.com
A little change to our web shop shipping costs with a few reductions during the next few weeks
Please take a look at our current shipping costs
1-2 Bottles (£5.59), 3-4 Bottles (£7.50), 5-6 Bottles (£9.50)
Please be aware that we cannot guarantee next day delivery at this time
SCOTCH
Does Scotch have a heart you might wonder? If anything, for many of us, whisky has a special place in our heart, just like it has a particular place in Scotland’s geography. Majority of whisky in Scotland can be found in the Highlands, in fact, in the region called Speyside. This is the place of fruity and creamy exquisite malt whiskies, the home of many big shots and smaller distilleries worshipped by many dedicated connoisseurs.
Speyside, the mighty name that decorates many bottles of Scotch, derives its name from the River Spey (Uisge Spè). This stream of life goes across the region and has offered the foundation for many Whisky distilleries and their malty lore. Speyside in general is known for its smooth and fruity flavours, which often surprise its first-time drinkers. “What? I thought all whisky was peaty” Is often heard from the mouths of the beginners who have probably been offered a smoky dram in the early hours of the morning. Then again, for the experienced whisky drinkers and collectors, the flavours of the Highlands and Speyside might generate a notable load of nostalgia. Maybe these flavours were exactly what ignited the spark of their whisky passion in the first place.
But how about the picturesque and almost mythological lands of the Highlands? Sometimes they find themselves in the middle of the eternal squabble between people who debate whether best the whiskies are soft and sweet or smoky and salty. Many of these distilleries in between produce one of the finest and most complex whiskies in the world, with their oily, nutty toffee taste. If you forgot to get that desert in the restaurant, the Highlands will fix your desire of a malty pudding in your own table or as a great gift for a dear person.
These feelings of joy and maybe a bit of nostalgia are exactly what we want to offer for you today. It’s time to jump on that boat and sail down immense hillsides of the Highlands all the way to the River Spey in a quest to feel the taste of the past, the present and the coming days!
Lets first have a distillery profile or two
Teaninich was founded in 1817 by Hugo Monro on the estate that the distillery is named after.
The distillery does look a little modern the distillery is in a rural location with hills in the background and lots of green open space.
The distillate from Teaninich is usually higher than most, the malted barley is ground down to a fine flour with the use of a Hammer Mill, Several types of Barley can be used allowing a greater spirit yield.
This is a distillery with a greater quality malt that delivers time after time.
Ord Distillery Established 1838 by Thomas Mackenzie in Ross-shire as Glen Oran Distillery, the name Glen Ord was later given to the distillery in 1923 One of the most productive distilleries in Scotland making a consistent great single malt that has a huge following world wide, known as Singleton of Ord in some regions of the world.
The current distillery has grown from just 2 stills in 1966 to 6 with a capacity of around 11.000.000 litres by 2018/19
This distillery had a visitor centre as far back as 1988 some distilleries only started to add such tourist centres fairly recently.
The distillery is just north of Inverness with one of the best microclimates that allows the sweet waters of the highlands to marry perfectly with a slight maritime hint in some single cask releases we have in our current collection, the main feature of the liquid is smooth fruity and superbly rich.
Dailuaine Established 1852 Carron Banffshire
This distillery was the first to have the now iconic symbol of Scottish distilling the pagoda roof, in 1891 the company Dailuaine-Glenlivet distillery Ltd is founded, by 1898 the distillery merges with Talisker, Imperial & a Grain distillery in Aberdeen (we now see the seeds to something much bigger to come)
Whiskies like Dailuaine are amazing to bring together any quality blend, the reason some blends are still very much to the fore today is because they can reach a balance or consensus if you like on the palate.
As a single malt this shines as a stand out whisky no matter what the age, We have had several 10 – 14 year olds based on taste and quality alone
Benrinnes Established 1826
A quick history opens in 1826 – Flood destroys the distillery in 1829 – New distillery Lyne of Ruthie is built a few kilometres away – 1896 Fire destroys the distillery, its then rebuilt until 1955 / 1956 when a total rebuild takes place. Yes we have featured this distillery before for good reason, its a great tasting profile of course, but it was also one of those distilleries that had a unique distilling process, in the case of Benrinnes it was between 1974 and late 2007 they would do a form of triple distillation.
Glenburgie Established in 1810 as Kilnflat distillery until 1870 when it closed then reopens some 8 years later 1878 as Glenburgie-Glenlivet
The first official distillate is recored in 1829 at the original distillery, that’s a long gap between establishment and operations but this distillery is like so many unique in many ways including in 2003 the demolition and rebuilding of a new efficient distillery in operation in 2004.
Its a new distillery in many ways but makes a single malt with its history and quality shining through first and foremost.
THE RANGE
Teaninich 2008 10 Years Old – 57.2% VOL – 70CL – Highlands Single Cask
NOSE: Banana leaves, whole mangoes, brandy butter and faint figs.
TASTE: Thick, lychee, icing sugar, spearmint and fennel. Hints of calvados and dark chocolate.
FINISH: Refreshing with popping candy, watermelon and peaches in syrup
Teaninich 2009 10 Years Old 55.1% Vol – 70CL – Highlands
NOSE: Walnuts, green apples, freshly cut wood.
PALATE: Nuttiness continues with caramelised banana and pinecones.
FINISH: Brown sugar, cinnamon and a slight lemon zest.
Ord 11 YEARS OLD 56.4% – 70CL – Small batch
NOSE: Mint, white chocolate, soft flint notes, whole lemons, cappuccino froth and gooseberries.
PALATE: Lemon infused olive oil, apricots, strawberry yoghurt with a trace of white pepper.
FINISH: Melted milk chocolate, dried orange peel, crystallised ginger and lemon sorbet.
Ord 11 years old – 56.2% – 70cl – Highland single cask whisky
NOSE: Faint hint of Mezcal, gooseberries and key lime pie.
PALATE: Orange bitters, clotted cream with some peaches. Coriander and white chocolate.
FINISH: Growing creaminess with pine needles, icing sugar and almonds
Ord 14 years old – 54.8% – 70CL – Highland single cask whisky
NOSE: Salmon pate and cream cheese. Lemon bonbons and toasted almonds.
PALATE: Shortbread, dried cranberries, honeycomb and melted white chocolate.
FINISH: Soft earth notes hide behind a big dollop of clotted cream and then some red berries.
London Tasting Panel (LTP) Nose: coastal with lots of creamy honey and citrus like notes. Very fresh and alluring. Plate to Finish: Lots rich creamy notes across the whole palate with berries and a cream filled fruit bun! As this grows on the palate it takes us to a warehouse full of sweet maturing whisky, fresh dried tobbacco leaves and rich vanilla, the palate and finish are finished with some frothy coffee and whipped cream.
Still a nice hint of the coast as we can find in some whiskies from the north east, but never over the top more like summer on the beach
Dailuaine-Glenlivet 2004 14 years old – 46% – 70CL – Speyside small batch
NOSE: Pineapple, gooseberries and quite floral. Orange blossom water and freshly baked scones.
PALATE: Soft butterscotch, lemon and lime along with butter icing and toasted almonds. Hints of cracked black pepper, strawberries and clotted cream.
FINISH: Bigger than expected, with beeswax, spearmint and green tea.
Dailuaine-Glenlivet 2008 10 years old – 60.6% – 70CL – Speyside single cask
NOSE: Hard toffee sweets, rye bread with soft paprika and fresh cut grass.
PALATE: Stem ginger, caramel, vanilla custard and sauvignon blanc.
FINISH: Light and spicy with white pepper, lemon and tarragon.
Dailuaine-Glenlivet 2008 10 Years Old 59.9% – 70CL 3 x HHDs
NOSE: Syrupy fruit salad, cereal notes, butter popcorn.
PALATE: Buttered toast, Mocha and vanilla pods.
FINISH: Cocoa powder, maple syrup the soft wood spice.
Benrinnes 12 Years Old – 57.2% – VOL 70CL – Speyside Region
Nose: Lots of syrupy fruits, spearmint, banana bread and almonds.
Palate: Kiwis, whipped cream, nutmeg, pine needles and lychee.
Finish: Cardamom, brown sugar, juicy fruits, mango, kiwi and cashew nuts.
Benrinnes 2004 14 years old – 55.4% – 70CL – Speyside small batch whisky
NOSE: Buttered raisin toast, barley water, watermelon.
PALATE: Green apples, cucumber water, rhubarb.
FINISH: Dried herbs, tinned pineapple, honey and lemon.
London Tasting Panel (LTP): Very drinkable rich fruity classic Speyside whisky one that should suit most palates for those who want a simply good honest smooth dram. Soft vanilla and lemon with tropical fruits nice long smooth finish
Glenburgie-Glenlivet 15 years old – 54.0% – 70CL – Speyside small batch whisky
NOSE: Malt loaf, hints of molasses and icing sugar. oily and grassy. Custard creams.
PALATE: Lemon peel, gingerbread, golden syrup and a little aniseed.
FINISH: Soft raisin notes along with ore gingerbread and vanilla ice-cream
GLENROTHES -GLENLIVET 1996 22 YEARS OLD 49.7% VOL SPEYSIDE SMALL BATCH
NOSE: Toffee, hot cross buns and cassia bark. slightly herbal with hints of linseed oil.
PALATE: White chocolate covered raisins, black cherries and golden syrup along with barbecue sauce and pineapple.
FINISH: Soft warming spice along with chocolate, caramel, figs and toffee apples.
Royal Brackla 12 YEARS OLD 57.7% – 70cl – Small batch
NOSE: Vanilla pods, whole pineapples, caramel with hints lime and paprika.
PALATE: Thick chewy mouthfeel with lemon peel, honey, almonds and gooseberries.
FINISH: Hint of spice, heavy cream with lemon, white chocolate and soft orange notes.
Glenrothes-Glenlivet 18 YEARS OLD 51.1% – 70cl – Small batch
NOSE: Honey, lime zest, coconut, cream sponge cake, dill and hints of fennel.
PALATE: Creamy and thick, tangerines, pears in syrup, toffee sauce and condensed milk with fresh rhubarb and pine-nuts.
FINISH: Soft creamy and orangey notes with growing blueberries, pomegranate and traditional lemonade.
