Day 8 of the Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 3rd Edition Day 8 Blog #141 – Malt Whisky Company Glenrothes 8 Year Old 

G’day Sherry Cask lovers…. Today is for you. The peat geeks get their hit every week so shouldn’t you have a turn on a regular basis?

In the bustling (I use that term lightly as Scotland is generally anything but) region of Speyside where most of the Scottish distilleries exist there is one that keeps making appearances in our calendars. Glenrothes seen by many as a fairly innocuous house style has really shined for us with these single cask independently bottled expressions.

The Malt Whisky owned by Scottish legend extraordinaire Stuart Nickerson was one of the big hits in the 2nd edition showcasing especially how amazing younger Single Malt can be

Glenrothes was built in 1878 and started producing the year after. The distillery is owned by the Edrington Group who used the bulk of it’s production for brands like Cutty Sark and Famous Grouse however in a twist that only Scotland can manage the Single Malt brand is owned by Berry Bros. & Rudd. Glenrothes has survived 4 major fires over the course of its life and as such is probably the hardiest distillery in Scotland. In cat lives does that mean it has 5 left?

Malt Whisky Company Glenrothes 8 Year Old – Bottled at the cask strength of 64.2%, no chill filtration or caramel of course. Cask number 37602 a refill Oloroso Hogshead.

Color:   A lovely reddish glow winking at the sherry influence and pretty decent for only 8 years and refill. Every cask is unique and this is a great example of that.

Nose:   Bovril (thick salty meat extract) and dark chocolate, burnt caramel mixed with a bag of asian spices, turmeric, paprika, cardamon and red chili flakes. This nose is immense and broods quietly like a trap door spider waiting patiently for a passing cricket.

Palate: Freaking delicious and initially no where near the 64.2% on the tongue that I was expecting. Going down however all the way from the back of the throat right past the core to that warm center of my being it leaves a lasting trail. Juicy and coating with an oily parafin feel that keeps pumping flavor into every taste bud. Sweet vermouth and bitters, spices continuing from the nose into rich sherried notes.

Finish:   This whisky will love you for a very long time……. a very long time. The sherry really makes itself felt on the finish finally climbing over those spicy notes and leaving a lasting rich sweetness.

Water:   Just had to try a little splash of water in this beast. Second only to the huge A.D. Rattray Glen Moray of the second edition which was 64.8% this is an anomaly to say the least and especially for a Glenrothes. More of that caramel note and sweetness rises above the meaty spice. More sherry influence here and creamy cocoa with the water taming it a great deal. I think that the raw unbridled power of this whisky at 64.2% is just amazing and today that is how my palate is screaming at me to drink it.

Wow Stuart what an amazing cask of Glenrothes. I never thought I would have something from this distillery that would be so huge. I love my job.

Well sherry faithful did that tide you over for a bit? If you like this whisky lucky for you there are a few and only a few bottles coming to Canada. Please email me at jonathan@secretspirits.com if you want to find out where you can get it.

Whiskylassie is delving deep into this one and has posted her thoughts here.

In the second edition we had on day 8 the Wemyss Malts Dark Treacle Fondant Craigellachie and you can revisit it here.

Tomorrow after we all recover our sense of taste we will be heading back to the Highlands and the first offering from an independent bottler that made their lone debut in the 2nd edition. Single Cask Nation bring something unique and intriguing to the table.

See you then

Slainte!

Jonathan – Taster of Secrets

 CHRISTMAS PARCELS: RICH TREASURE CHEST

WOW!  Our wonderfully sensual Christmas Parcels Outturn has arrived with an explosion of full-bodied goodness.  This rich collection boasts some of our most interesting and exclusive single casks of the year.  Our treasure chest of Panel-picked presents with 4 festive parcels and 5 sensational single casks – including the return of a peaty favourite, not to mention our beloved bourbon, a special occasion Old & dignified malt plus two new distilleries (cognac and rye whiskey).

Shop the new Outturn online now >

Discover more about C3.1 and read new reviews on our blog > 

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Now then, Jack Daniels. A Brand known around the world for their unique style of American Whisky, Tennessee Whisky. A style that only themselves and George Dickel create through the use of charcoal mellowing in large vats. Now, this whisky is simply the standard No.7 Black Label that we all know rather well, but it has been bottled at 43% ABV compared to the usual 40%. As a direct result it will allow a few more esters and interesting flavour points battle through to the drinker. 

The Master Distillers range has been put in place to showcase that only seven men have taken the helm of JD and these bottle, with their simple presentation and nostalgic flavour help to cement the fact that we owe a lot to JD as whisky fans. Enjoy! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zTYdnfT3kQ

Day 7 of the Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 3rd Edition Day 7 Blog #140 – Samaroli Allt a Bhainne 2008

Welcome back to the end of the first full week of whisky tasting through the 3rd edition. What a fun ride so far with some new players in the mix and a lot of different drams and wee bottles that have hit the recycling bin.

Today as promised we are getting our geek on with one of my favorite Independent Bottlers, Samaroli. Founded in 1968 by Silvano Samaroli they were at the time the only independent bottler outside of the UK buying up a bunch of casks and also laying down casks of their own. Bottling from a uniquely Italian perspective, Samaroli always look for the delicate complexity that is a feature of some of the best Scotches in the world. Just to make it 100% clear Samaroli source and bottle all their Scotch whisky in Scotland it just so happens that they get samples sent to Rome where Cindy and I get to travel to pick their whiskies every year (how did we make this up).

Allt a Bhainne (pronounced Olta-VAYne) is now owned by Pernod Ricard after being purchased from the closing Canadian Seagrams Group in 2000. Built in 1975 the bulk of its production goes into the Chivas Regal blends. Difficult to find as a Single Malt, even the odd independent bottling seems to be few and far between. The distillery started in 2010 to produce 50% of it’s output as a lightly peated whisky as Chivas needed some additional weight for some of its blends but does not own a distillery on Islay. The peated version of Allt a Bhainne is about 10ppm on the phenolic scale so still fairly light as far as peat goes.

Today’s whisky comes before that change and so should be peat free (sorry for the peat heads, you just had a dram a few days ago so chill already).

Samaroli Allt a Bhainne Single Malt 2008 – 8 Year Old aged in a lightly toasted new American Oak Hogshead and bottled at the Samaroli chosen percent of 43% without any color or chill filtration. Cask number 900853. Speyside.

Color:   Light as you would expect from Samaroli. Heck even the 30 year old Linkwood from the 2nd edition was incredibly light in color after 30 years. This one is no exception to that rule with only the tiniest touch of golden hue making it look like a lightly aged Sauv Blanc.

Nose:   Honeysuckle and tee tree bark. Alpine meadow complete with a fresh mountain stream.

Palate: OK seriously Italian dudes, wow. From the nose I was not expecting the explosion of taste on the palate. Sweet loving flavors of epic proportions. Intense floral notes of rose petals and violets underpinned with a cache of rich vanilla infused potpourri.

Finish: Fresh white chewy Nougat with almonds, rosemary and a hint of spearmint.

This is by far the very best Allt a Bhainne I have ever had (only had half a dozen or so) and only 8 years old. Got to love the Samaroli new oak aging. I wish more Scottish distilleries and independent bottlers would play with new oak and different toasting/charring levels. These are ingredients in whisky making that are largely ignored mostly due to tradition more than anything else.

50ml is not enough of this whisky and I am happy to let you know that there will be some full bottles available. Please email me at jonathan@secretspirits.com and I can tell you where to get it.

Whiskylassie has been having a blast and I am keen to see her tasting note on this beaut of a Samaroli here.

In the 2nd edition on this day we had the gorgeous Samaroli 18 year old Strathisla and you can read all about it here. Another coincidence like this and you are going to think I actually planned it all bwahahahaha.

Tomorrow we are staying in Speyside again but with an offering from the Malt Whisky Company aged in an Oloroso Sherry Cask. Until then dream about delicious drams and happy days.

Slainte

Jonathan – taster of Secrets

http://www.singlemalting.com/

Loch Fyne Liqueurs

Sweets for your sweet!

For those with a bit of a sweet tooth, Hamish has just the thing!

The Loch Fyne Liqueur, with it’s delicious notes of chocolate orange and tangerine, has been a firm favourite of our customers for many years now. This year we have added a brand new expression to our range with The Loch Fyne Honey & Ginger Liqueur which takes two classic flavours and combines them with a healthy dose of our famous Loch Fyne Blend.

Whichever one you choose, our liqueurs are guaranteed to delight that special someone in your life.

Next day delivery available on UK orders We ship worldwide

Day 6 of the Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 3rd Edition Day 6 Blog #139 – Ainneamh Highland 18 Year Old

Ainneamh (pronounced any-oov) means a rare thing in Gaelic and is an apt name for the independent bottling company owned by Brian Woods and Scott Watson. Releasing only a small number of bottling’s each year means that this whisky geek pair seek out only the most delicious drams. Today we visit the Highlands of Scotland and taste an undisclosed 18 Year Old Single Malt aged in a refill American Oak Hogshead.

I’ve been sworn to secrecy on the distillery but can give you a bit of a clue. It’s a difficult name to pronounce and so the house style of their Single Malt was called something completely unrelated to the name of the distillery.

I am a big fan of what most people think of as the “Highland” style of Single Malt. There is of course a lot of blurring of the lines these days but Honey and Heather have been two hallmarks of quintessential Highland Malt.

Ainneamh Highland 18 Year Old Single Malt – Aged in a refill American Hogshead barrel bottled at a natural cask strength of 57%

 Color:   Another light in color whisky after 18 years in a refill barrel.

Nose:   Lemon drop candies and ripe pear halves. A hint of salty sea air adds a layer to the otherwise fresh and crips nose.

Palate:   A teaspoon of malt powder stirred with some creamed honey. Oak influence is nicely subtle on this allowing even more fruit like ripe honeydew and Starfruit to appear.

Finish:   Long and zesty at 57% and the melon just keeps on coming. Like the ubiquitous side of honeydew and cantaloupe with your Eggs Benedict.

Lovely breakfast dram if ever there was one. I think I might have to put that to the test sometime soon.

Ainneamh does bottle whiskies with declared distilleries as well as undisclosed. Unfortunately this delicious dram was all snapped up to fill the calendar bottles and a few 700ml’s that were sold locally in Scotland. If you are looking for more of this then grabbing another 3rd edition will be your only chance.

Let’s check out what Whiskylassie has to say about today’s dram here.

In the 2nd edition on this day we visited the excellent Highland Distillery, Tullibardine (another coincidence that we had Highland today) from the eyes of The Malt Whisky Company. You can read or re-read it here.

It’s been really fun to be able to bring you some new small independent bottlers to add to the mix and offer up even more variety as we work to keep the 25 new whiskies in each edition interesting and unique.

Tomorrow we head back to Speyside for the first Samaroli in the 3rd edition. Any of you that have read some of my blogs know that I love the Samaroli style of bottling whisky so I can’t wait.

See you tomorrow

Slainte

Jonathan – Taster of Secrets

http://www.singlemalting.com/

Ralfy shares his seasonal bargain hunt with Whisky Review 610 – whisky bargains and stuff!

Day 5 of the Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 3rd Edition Day 5 Blog #138 – A.D. Rattray Ledaig 9 Year Old

Welcome back a little fire breathing today as we finally give those that love a little smoke in their whisky their due. Sourced from the Tobermory distillery on the Isle of Mull today’s dram is labelled Ledaig by A.D. Rattray in deference to the brand used for their peated Single Malt.

We always try to have at least one or two island distilleries represented throughout the 25 days of dramming and it is fantastic to finally have a heavily peated Island expression in front of us.

Tobermory is the only distillery on the isle of Mull and was founded in 1798. One of the oldest commercial distilleries in Scotland, Tobermory has a rich history. It was closed for 41 years from the mid 30’s till the 1970’s and then still struggled with uncertain markets and difficult economic times and in the 1980’s some of the distillery warehousing was converted into flats (townhouses) and it looked like another closure was inevitable. Burns Stewart purchased it in 1993 and breathed a new lease of life into the distillery. With a unique spirits that captures the spirit of the Scottish Isles Tobermory is amongst only a few distilleries that boast two unique house styles.

Today we get to try Ledaig (pronounced Le chig) as seen from the eyes of the excellent team at A.D. Rattray. Ledaig Single Malt 9 Year Old aged in a refill Bourbon cask and bottled at the cask strength of 57.9%.

Colour:   Light as you would expect from only 9 years in a refill cask boasting a lovely polished Pinot Gris effect.

Nose:       Buttered Popcorn on the cusp of being over popped. Topped with bacon bits and sea salt.

Palate:     Lamp oil and colored pencil shavings, smoked cod and smoldering latex not necessarily in that order 🙂

Finish:     Long salty, earthy, rubbery and all with a backbone of a smoky sweetness.

This is a delicious Ledaig and I love the contrast here from what Islay brings to the table in terms of peated whisky. This is every bit as large and consuming but definitely has a much different feel. Younger peated whisky is something I find myself reaching for when I want some big smoke and peat flavors that are underpinned by youthful fruit. This Island variant fits the bill perfectly and absolutely warms all the way down. Even now I can still feel it’s magic all over my tongue and throat. Certainly the cask strength here just absolutely gives it wings.

Water:   Just a couple of drops here adds even more sweetness and just takes that living large edge away. Some marzipan kicks in at the death stealing the limelight. I think for most occassions I would go big or go home on this one personally but I did really like the slightly softer and sweeter version that mutated with a little water.

Tomorrow we head to the Highlands to welcome a brand new independent bottler to the calendar.

On this day in the 2nd edition we had the delicious A.D. Rattray Caol Ila I didn’t actually mean for this to be so spot on with the order from the 2nd edition but I do know that keeping the peat lovers away from their favorite flavors for too long is a dangerous thing so there will always be something to sooth the aching need at least once a week.

For those looking for this delicious Ledaig alas there was none to be had after we took our stash for the 3rd edition. Whatever you have in your glass or still in your bottle is all there is.

Johanne has her take on this A.D. Rattray Ledaig here.

Until tomorrow have a fabulous night

Slainte

Jonathan – taster of secrets

http://www.singlemalting.com/

Blog Post for McLean Scotland

“What is your favourite whisky?” is a question I am asked all the time. It is an interesting question but it is also a silly question to ask anyone who loves whisky (and I really love whisky). It is like asking me which is my favourite child, and I have three wonderful kids.

There is such a wide variation in styles and flavours of Scotch whisky that I think it is impossible to have a favourite, and if I did it would be changing all the time. There are styles that I prefer, but not to the extent that I would say I do not like the other styles. For example I am a ‘bourbon head’ rather than a ‘sherry head’, preferring whisky that has been matured in an ex-bourbon cask over an ex-sherry cask, however only last night I thoroughly enjoyed a Talisker Distillers Edition (finished off in an Amoroso sherry cask). I also prefer peated whisky from Talisker and Islay rather than other regions, but this does not put me off enjoying a Benromach 10 year old now and again. If it were winter and cold outside my favourite would be a big and bold Lagavulin or Caol Ila, if it is summer and warm I would rather have a gentle yet complex Glenmorangie Original.

When my son is home or we have something to celebrate my Talisker 25 year old becomes my favourite, but if it is just a wee dram before bed I could just about anything. Different seasons, different times, different company all alter my favourite whisky. For a long time my I would have answered the original question as, “Caol Ila 18 year old”. This is a wonderful whisky, with the added benefit that I got it cheap as a Diageo employee. At that time I also really stuck with Diageo products, being a loyal employee wanting to see the share price continually rise.

Since leaving Diageo and starting my own business I have had the joy of nosing and tasting numerous other Scotch whiskies, increasing the range of flavours and aromas perceived and thus increasing my enjoyment. I first experienced the delights of whisky from a virgin American oak cask when tasting the Glenrothes Alba. It was unlike anything I had ever tasted before and became in instant ‘favourite’. Then along came the Glen Moray Chardonnay 10 year old, also unlike anything I had ever tasted, also becoming an instant ‘favourite’. Oh, and how about Glenfiddich 14 year old Rich Oak, finished in both new American and Spanish oak cask, also an instant and now my current ‘favourite’.

I was once asked if Japanese whisky was as good as Scotch whisky, I said no. I was then asked if I had tried Japanese whisky, again my answer was no. There is too much Scotch out there to be bothering with anything else I told the reporter. This is not actually true as I am starting to discover the delights of some Japanese expressions and some bourbons, but Scotch is still my first love and the product I will keep returning to again and again.

I intend to find lots more ‘favourites’ as I carry on in this journey of exploration, do you have any suggestions for me?

Vic Cameron

Discerning of Spirits 

Note; Vic is a great pal of ours and has taken many special tastings for us and whisky schools, he will continue to do so.

“What is my favourite whisky?  The one you are about to buy me!”   Paul McLean

www.mcleanscotland.com/   http://www.whiskytours.scot/

Day 4 of the Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 3rd Edition Day 4 Blog #137 – Lost Distillery Company Jericho

It’s a perfect Sunday afternoon here in Calgary to take some time out for today’s dram. I must add a big welcome to The Lost Distillery company on their debut with their take on Jericho. A unique and enthralling story unravels as we delve into the ghostly past of a long dead distillery.

Jericho began production as a distillery in 1822 and was renamed Benachie in 1884. Unfortunately even with a certain degree of success the distillery was closed in 1913. Brian Woods and Scott Watson founded The Lost Distillery company as a means to turn their passion for the history of closed distilleries into a rebirth of forgotten drams.

To quote Scott Watson, co-founder of Crucial Drinks and The Lost Distillery Company “We’re obsessive about craft and uncompromising when it comes to whisky quality. Each resurrected brand is the subject of an in-depth research project to establish the original character of the long lost distilleries”.

They have an absolutely amazing in depth history of the distillery that you can read here.

As a secret bonus that we did not include on the label today’s dram is actually the Christmas Pudding edition of Jericho that was a limited release in 2015. Thanks guys for allowing us to take the last of it.

Lost Distilleries Company Jericho Christmas Pudding Blended Malt – Sherry Finish 46% ABV no chill filtration and natural color.

Color:   Not overly dark for a sherry finished whisky but certainly some tinges of red among the amber hues.

Nose: Does certainly take me in a Christmas direction with cinnamon and rich glazed sultanas and orange peel.

Palate: Much richer on the palate than the nose implies with a lovely Christmas Cake (the dark fruit laden kind) edge including the ever present marzipan icing. Rolls into some dark blackberry notes like an accompanying berry coulis. Softly sweet throughout over a base of heavier almost savory notes that only come through in sporadic bursts.

Finish: Mouth watering with some drying citrus that immediately asks for more. I could happily drink this pre or post Christmas dinner or anytime for that matter.

The wonderful world of whisky is so much fun and to delve so deeply into the past and recreate as closely as possible the style of long departed distilleries is awesome. Thanks for all your attention to detail guys The Lost Distillery Company is a really cool edition to our Scotch Whisky Calendar landscape.

For those of you looking for your own bottle of Jericho please email me at jonathan@secretspirits.com and I’ll point you in the right direction.

Please head on over to Whisky Lassie for her take on today’s dram here.

Blended malts as anyone that has read my past blogs knows are the decidedly delicious and mostly ignored category of Scotch that offers up so much for more often much less than you would pay for an equivalent Single Malt. Remember that Blended malts are made up of a combination of Single Malts the very same ingredient that is seen as the pinnacle of Scotch Whisky.

Tomorrow we head to the Highlands for an a-typical Highland dram that will make a lot of you very happy.

Slainte

Jonathan – Taster of Secrets

http://www.singlemalting.com/