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 

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…

New Arrivals At

The Park Avenue Liquor Shop.
Just In Time For the Holidays.

“That time of year.”

Get used to the above phrase as you are undoubtedly going to hear hit a lot in the coming weeks. Translation – the Holidays are coming. Luckily, we are here to help you get prepared with great gift ideas for loved ones or even for yourself. We’ve selected some unique new spirits that you’ll need to act fast on due to limited allocation. Keep checking our website as we are getting in new items almost daily.

After all, it’s “that time of year”.

Cheers!
Jonathan & Eric
Park Avenue Liquor Shop
292 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10017
212-685-2442
info@parkaveliquor.com
www.parkaveliquor.com

Longrow 18 Year Old
Let’s start with a true rarity. The return of a Campbeltown classic: it’s the Longrow 18! A legend that has totally sold out in previous editions, it’s back again but we don’t know for how long. (really)

Official Tasting Notes:
Nose: This whisky has an incredibly sweet nose with some savory notes peeking through. Marshmallows in abundance – the vanilla variety, with icing sugar and foam bananas adding to the sweetness. Upon further nosing the fruit makes an appearance, brambles, mandarines and over ripe damson fruits. Some savory notes pushing through such as linseed oil.

Palate: This dram coats your palate in a waxy fashion with its continuing sweet flavours as described on the nose. But there is also the familiar, well balanced trace of smoke which makes this a brilliantly complex wee dram that will make you feel right at home no matter where you are.

Finish: The creaminess of this whisky means it doesnʼt go away – you feel the warmth of this Longrow all the way down to your boots, creamy, sweet with a gentle smoke finish.

We only have a few left!

Our Price: $250/btl

Rosebank 21 Year Old
Rosebank 21 year old is a rare triple-distilled single malt Scotch whisky from the famous and long closed (‘silent’) Lowland distillery. This is a limited edition, non-chill filtered bottling at natural cask-strength, drawn from some of the few casks that remain.

Light bodied, this pale gold 21 year old comes from a last golden age at the distillery. Soft, fruity aromas on the nose give way to a delicate, almost rose-scented character.The palate is tongue tingling, clean and fresh, becoming silky smooth with a little water. It then develops a soft, floral sweetness with lemony acidity that leads to a round, drying finish. Only 5886 produced!

Our Price: $275/btl

Knockando 25 Year Old
The first Knockando in Diageo’s special releases line-up and a bit of a swerve from normal. Firstly, there’s no vintage on the bottle, unlike their other expressions, and secondly it’s matured solely in first fill sherry casks, for a heavily rich flavour.

This Knockando 25 year old is a feast for the senses. Magnificent ex-sherry cask aromas and flavors make this an opulent malt. It’s the color of mahogany, has an intriguing nose that yields and variety of fruits as well as Christmas cake, toffee, and raisins. The palate is very well balanced and starts sweet with grape-esque notes. it then dries and with some subtle smoke, ending in a long finish that’s warm with coffee and dark chocolate.

Only 4758 produced!

Our Price: $225/btl

Octomore 3.1: By Bruichladdich
The fourth release in the Octomore series is the most heavily peated in the series. Freshness and heather are still present, with more of a trace of bitter chocolate in this one, which just sits behind and plays in and out of that awesome peat smokiness. As Jim says, “like getting hit by a 20ft wave that has crashed over the peat bogs of Islay!”

– Jim McEwan Head Distiller

Distillery Tasting Notes

Nose: The senses are totally ambushed in a vortex of peat smoke and fire. Iodine, wet seaweed, and soaking sailcloth also make their presence felt. More subtle notes of hawthorn and heather, mint, pine resin and mountain thyme emerge slowly bringing a coolness to the palate.

Palate: A stunning combination of aromatics and flavors. The senses pick up the mellow oak from the sweet bourbon casks coming through like chicory and bitter chocolate which brings balance and subtle smoothness. Also, deep down the Bruichladdich DNA of soft green fruits.

Finish: The palate and olfactory system have been completely seduced, having survived the war of the elements, and the flavors remain long after the storm has passed.

Our Price: $173/btl

Parker’s Heritage Cognac Barrel Finished

The fifth annual edition of Parker’s Heritage is the result of a collaboration between two industry legends – Parker Beam and sixth generation Cognac Master Blender, Alain Royer. Select barrels of ten year old premium bourbon were transferred into 2 – 3 year old imported Limousin oak casks, which previously contained aging Grand Champagne cognac. After nearly six months of aging, the bourbon had been greatly influenced by the cognac barrels – both the nose and palate offer delicate fruit and floral notes, while still retaining the bold character of a premium bourbon. Parker’s Heritage Collection Barrel Finished Bourbon is bottled at a robust 100 proof and not chill-filtered prior to bottling in order to preserve the original texture and flavor

Our Price: $90/btl

Due to ever-changing inventory we cannot guarantee bottle availability. If we cannot fill your order you will be contacted. Please contact us with any shipping questions. We are not responsible if any typographical errors.

SOCIETY NEWSLETTER

Greetings to all Society Members from a grey and damp Campbeltown. It looks as if we are rapidy heading for winter and will soon all be suffering from SAD. I sincerely hope some of you out there are faring better than we are weather wise!!

It has been a very busy ‘summer’ for us and even now some days are extremely busy – just when we think things are slowing down for the off season we have sixty people over the course of the day for tours, tastings, lunch. It’s what makes coming to work so interesting – you can never tell what’s going to happen by the time you go home.

The new shop has been very busy and I have now settled into my new office which used to be the whisky shop so I am near at hand if any of the Society Members visit the shop, it makes it very easy for me to pop in and have a chat with them. There have been quite a few members in the town this year and they have all been very impressed with the shop and the “warehouse” between the shop and the Tasting Room. We have a “cage” in the warehouse with cask samples which are selling very well – our customers take quite a while to browse to try and find something a bit different to take away with them.

We have also started to put our Tasting Room to use a couple of evenings a week for cocktail evenings. We serve cocktails from china teapots in china cups and saucers and also serve sandwiches and cakes to accompany them. It has been very popular since it started in August and is hosted by Donald who also works in the Whisky Shop. His cocktails are all made using our Classic Gin, Rum and Whisky range and at the present time he is working on new cocktails for Christmas with a distinct leaning towards spices – I can hardly wait!

Earlier this year HMS Campbeltown was decommissioned which was very sad for the town. The ship would call here from time to time and the crew were always keen to take part in any activities which were organised during their stay. They asked for a single cask to be bottled to mark the occasion, with a special label, which we duly did, using a Springbank 10 year old which had been matured in port casks and bottled at 50.5% vol. In the end they did not require the entire cask and they have given us permission to sell the remainder of the bottles.

We have a few cases to sell, as have our shops in Edinburgh and London, with a price of £50 per bottle. I will also be putting it on the website.

*

At the present time we are not sending any whisky to other countries in the EU as we have been advised there is an issue with VAT as well as Excise Duty. It just gets more and more complicated. Our importers of course are not affected, it is really just the online and telephone sales – the “distance selling” as they like to call it.

So, if you live in the EU, outwith the UK then I cannot send you any whisky, we can of course send to an address in the UK for you or keep it on the reserve shelf as long as it is paid for, if you are planning a wee trip to the UK,

We don’t have a way round this as yet, but hopefully someone will find a solution sometime soon.

Longrow Burgundy Wood

This has just been received in the shop, so is now available, however, I have not put it on the website as yet, thought I would include it in the newsletter before it ‘goes public’. The price is £59 per bottle, but society members will receive their 10% discount.

Here’s the tasting note for the Burgundy and a wee photograph.

Colour: Blooming heather

Nose: Incredibly rich with wonderful aromas streaming out of the glass. American club soda, creamy chocolate eclairs, butter toffee popcorn, chocolate orange and cloves mix nicely with the dry smoke that is Longrow.

Palate: Like a comfortable feather duvet, this whisky wraps itself around your palate enriching it with flavours of sweet treacle, creamy caramel sauce and highland toffee. It is incredibly oily yet spicy, similar to freshly ground mixed peppercorns, the smoke subtly evident throughout.

Finish: Like a cloud of sweet smoke, lingering for a long while.

Age: 14 Years Old

Casks: 11 Years Refill Bourbon, 3 Years Fresh Burgundy Hogsheads

ABV: 56.1%

Availability: Limited to 7800 bottles

Society Bottle

The next Society Bottle has been chosen, labels done and is now on the bottling programme so should be ready to go from 21st November. It is a Longrow 10 year old fresh sherry and will be bottled at 53.9%, we should get about 610 bottles from the cask. I have a wee sample of it sitting in my office and it smells lush!!!!! The price is £45.00 per bottle plus postage and packing.

Colour: Gold with a copper tinge
Nose: Lush! Rich, dark berries mingle with a touch of liquorice. A drop of water brings out some creamy, sugary old-fashioned Scottish tablet.
Palate: More sweetness with a dry edge. Rich fruits – stewed pears and blackcurrants. With water, gentle nutmeg and cinnamon add a very pleasant spicy element to the dram.
Finish: Creamy, oily and a subtle hint of a smokey warmth.

Hazelburn 12 year old

This year’s release is now available from the shop – this is now going to be part of the standard Hazelburn range.

Springbank 21 year old

I don’t have a release date as yet for the 21 year old but it will be before Christmas and as soon as I have a date and a price I will let you know if you can pre order. It is going to be a limited edition, so I will have to check the allocation for our shop.

Campbeltown Loch 15 year old

Grant has just told me that he has come accross 40 bottles of Campbeltown Loch 15 year old, they are in Leatherette presentation boxes and cost £29.50 per bottle, but you would get 10% discount, so £26.50 to Society Members plus p&p. If you would like one of these please let me know.

Whisky School

The whisky school is running for 10 terms next year, with the first term starting on 16th April and the last week starting on 18th June. It has already started to fill up with quite a few weeks being fully booked already, so if you are interested please get in touch and I’ll send some information and a registration form.

Open Day

Next year’s open day will be on Thursday 24th May with the Golf Competition on Friday 25th May. There will of course be distillery tours and a warehouse tasting, and Masterclasses but perhaps we will do them a little differently next year, we have our thinking caps on. The Tasting Room will of course also host a Cadenhead Tasting but I think next year we will really have to restrict numbers or Grant will stop speaking to me!!! This year’s Cadenhead Tasting was extremely busy and Grant didn’t recover for days after it. (I’m frightened to mention Open Day to him too soon)

We are also planning to have food, of course, and some extra local craft people, music (goes without saying) CASKS!!! the main event. Again we will have a BBQ in the evening if we can keep Donald calm enough to cook – maybe next year he won’t shout at me so much.

A spooks tour is also in the plans AND it’s to be bigger and better and scarier than this year.

So, we will be working on getting things rolling for next year’s open day and we will try to be organised, but not Tooooooo organised or that will spoil the buzz we get on the day.

That’s about all the news for now, I will send out a quick notification when the release date and price for the Springbank 21 year old is known, and of course when I have a date for the Society Bottle release.

Until then I hope you are all well and look forward to hearing from you.

Slainte
Janet
For the Springbank Society

Contact Janet via society@springbankwhisky.com  for details on how to join the Springbank Society

J & A Mitchell and Co Ltd, The Tasting Room, 9 Bolgam Street, Campbeltown, Argyll, PA28 6HZ
Tel : + 44(0) 1586 552009 Fax : + 44(0) 1586 553232

Visit Springbank Distillery at http://www.springbankwhisky.com

NEW PRODUCTS

BIG PEAT CASK STRENGTH CHRISTMAS MALT WHISKY

One of our favourite Islay characters has become even more muscular for the Festive season and has also donned his Santa hat (well, until the Islay ‘breeze’ blew it off…).

Joking apart, this fabuous blended malt whisky from Douglas Laing contains whisky from Ardbeg, Caol Ila, Bowmore and Port Ellen and can now be tried in all its full unfettered cask stength glory. Any peat head would be delighted to find this one in their Christmas stocking.

£ 43.00

MIDLETON BARRY CROCKETT LEGACY

One of the most exciting new whiskies we’ve had in is this Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy. Only available in very limited quantities in England we were lucky enough to try this at our recent Midleton whiskey tastings (thanks go to Ed McAvoy for that), and can really recommend it.

Midleton are starting to expand their single pot still range and this special edition was named after Midleton’s Master Distiller. A complex, fresh and fruity whiskey – a great dram that is receiving many accolades.

£149.99

BENRIACH 1995 16 YEAR OLD PX FINISH SINGLE MALT

BenRiach do a fabulous job with their various finishes and the Pedro Ximenez ones are always popular with our customers. This particular bottling was initially matured in American bourbon before being finished in a single PX Sherry Puncheon.

A beautiful presentation and the fruity, oaky, cinnamony flavours in this make it a very seasonal dram that few could resist. Ideal if you don’t know the tastes of the person yo’re present buying for (or to keep for yourself!)

£58.00

GLENDRONACH 21 YEAR OLD ‘PARLIAMENT’

This new release from GlenDronach is going to be part of their core range going forward and is named after the ‘parliament’ of rooks that have been nesting in the trees overlooking the distillery for over 200 years.

Another single malt whisky that is easy to love, this was matured in both Oloroso and PX casks and what could be more appropriate at this time of the year than flavours of fine Oloroso sherry and bitter chocolate sauce, which has been spread liberally over homemade plum pudding – all infused with fabulous spicy notes of cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Luscious…

£67.99

CAOL ILA 12 YEAR OLD 2011 RELEASE SINGLE MALT

This is one of this year’s Special Releases from Diageo and, like last year’s, this is an unpeated Caol Ila. A what?? I hear you say. But wait, this is an absolute delight. Here are Ken’s tasting notes:

‘The nose gives delightful hints of honey and vanilla whereas the palate is fuller than expected, fruity, apples with a hint of malt and a vein of salt, it has a velvety mouthfeel! A touch of water brings out more apples, cream and a hint of honey’.

Give it a try and see just why Diageo included it in their Special Releases.

£70.00

GLENGLASSAUGH 1976 35 YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT – ‘THE CHOSEN FEW’

This lovely old Glenglassaugh was matured in an Oloroso sherry butt and has been bottled at cask strength. It is No 1 in a series of single cask releases from the distillery, each one of which will be chosen by a different member of the distillery team.

The honour of starting the ball rolling has gone to the lovely Ronnie Routledge and, in his own words, is an ‘exceptionally good expression of Glenglassaugh’. There are only around 100 bottles of this available in the UK.

£299.99

Arkwrights Whisky & Wines. Phone No. 01793 765071 Fax No. 01793 764860  The Dormers, Highworth, Wiltshire, SN6 7PE

Scotland – Single Malt Scotch

Caol Ila 20 Year Old Hart Brothers Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 6 available ($149.99)

Glenrothes 12 Year Old Hart Brothers Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 6 available ($69.99)

Isle Of Skye 12 year old Matured Scotch Whisky 750ml ($36.99)

2000 Talisker Distiller’s Edition Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($79.99)

K&L Wine Merchants
http://www.klwines.com
Phone: 877-KLWines (toll free 877-559-4637)
Email: wine@klwines.com
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

Whisky Review 232 – Movember (Prostate Cancer Check for men)

… go on boys, ralfy recommends you have a check for any \’nasties\’ that could ruin your life. Then reward yourself with a whisky.

 

Kilchoman 2006 5yo 46%abv  2006 Vintage Release

“This is the first 5 year old release from Kilchoman and has been aged in a combination of fresh and refill bourbon barrels.”

Loch Fyne Whiskies Stocks ‘Kilchoman 2006 Vintage Release 5yo’

Price excluding VAT: £40.75
£48.90 Including VAT at 20%

Loch Fyne Whiskies
david@lfw.co.uk

JIM MURRAY’S WHISKY BIBLE 2011

95.5 POINTS
Benromach 30 year old in Jim Murray’s 2011 Whisky Bible judged the best single malt whisky in the 28-34 year old (multiple casks) category.
SOLD OUT IN 2011!!!

Benromach Whisky’s Currently Available in Alberta

Benromach 10 year old – 87.5 Points CSPC# 737873
Benromach Peat Smoke – 90.5 Points CSPC# 727524
Benromach Traditional – 86 Points CSPC# 714036
Benromach Organic – 85.5 Points CSPC# 737876

Arriving in 2012

Benromach 30 yr old – 95.5 Points CSPC # 746694
Benromach 25 yr old – 92 Points CSPC # 746236