Whisky Intelligence has reproduced (with permission) The Gauntleys Whisky Newsletter for February 2007; a look back in time. The author, Chris Goodrum, has some excellent insights into the whiskies being commented on which makes for excellent reading on a Sunday. Enjoy!
Dear Whisky Customers
Well that’s Christmas done for another year, and like last year judging by the amount of whisky that we have sold a great many of you will have had some cracking drams over the festive period. I’d like to start by saying a big thank you for all your support in the previous year and a thanks to those of you who popped into the shop and said hello.
So what’s up in this newsletter. Well first up the usual bit of fun which is the Gauntleys top 20 whiskies of 2006. It has been enlarged from last years 15 due to the sheer volume that we sold during the year, and I think that you find some surprise goings on. The beginning of the year tends to be a bit of a quiet time on the new releases front but I have been tasting a few new things (see the section later) and now is the time to restock your cupboard after the annual Christmas booze fest!
GAUNTLEY?S TOP 20 WHISKIES OF 2006
(Last years position in brackets)
(1) Penderyn Welsh Whisky
(-) Bruichladdich Port Charlotte PC5
(-) Bruichladdich 15 year old 2nd Edition
(-) Bruichladdich 7 year old Waves
(-) Benromach Organic
(8) Laphroaig Quarter Cask
(-) Ardbeg Still Young
(-) Hazelburn 8 year old 2nd Edition
(-) Nikka Pure Malt Red
(-) Knappopgue Castel 1994
(-) Benriach 10 year old Curiositas
(-) Murray McDavid Glendronach 1990
(-) Raymond Armstrong?s Craggenmore 12 year old 40%
(-) Ardbeg Aigedail
(14) Edradour 10 year old
(-) Oban 14 year old
(-)Caol Ila 12 year old
(-) Magilligans 1991 Sherry cask
(2) Springbank 10 year old
(-)Raymond Armstrong?s Caol Ila 15 year old
Well there is no surprise at the top. For the third year in a row the mighty Welsh whisky again is our top seller, and by quiet a margin. The biggest surprise is the fall from grace of the Springbank 10 year old. Now earlier in the year I heard rumblings that things were not quiet what they were with this once majestic malt, as you know a brand new bottling of it was released this year and there were rumours that it wasn’t quiet up to the mark. It wasn’t until late November when I actually tasted the new bottling. I was in a pub with a whisky novice and decided to introduce them to one of my favourite distilleries. Now we didn’t have proper tasting glasses, just pub tumblers but even so the aromas were thin, oily and somewhat youthful. Once I had tasted it my suspicions were confirmed that it was certainly way short of the mark. While I sat there somewhat disappointed it appeared to me that firstly the quality was sort of still there it just was far too young. Now I know that Springbank only really starts to come into its own when it is into its teens, thus the older bottling of ’10 year old’ must have had a fair degree of older spirits in the blend. Also there was considerably less sherry cask influence on the new bottling as well. So I think that is the reason for its fall from grace. It’s not bad, just no longer great.
I don’t think there any surprise that the Port Charlotte was second as everybody and their mother was waiting for it, although I think the guys at Bruichladdie will be chuffed at the on going success of the second edition 15 year old and the positive impact of the 7 year old waves, which is absolutely superb value for money. I wondered if the quarter cask would continue its strong sales even after its price rise, but that hasn’t appeared to have dampened sales. It’s also nice to see a couple of Raymond’s bottlings in the top 20 as they are truly superb and tended to fly off the shelves when we got some stock in. (See the round up for details of his latest one!).
A GENERAL ROUND UP OF NEW STUFF
DEWAR RATTRAY
My good friends at Dewar Rattray have send me down some of their new bottlings for evaluation and all I can say is that they are going from strength to strength and have found some cracking young malts. For those of you who read the whisky magazine you will have seen some very positive reviews of their bottlings in Issue No 60. So when they really hit the big time remember that you read it first here!
I don’t think I need to remind you of my, how shall I say it? disappointment with regard to bottlings of Clynelish. For some reason I have a soft spot for this distillery but most bottlings have a tendency to leave me cold, at best they can be described as ‘blending fodder’ and at worst down right awful?. But (cue fanfair!) I have found a good one. On sticking my nose into the glass the first two words on the tasting sheet were Yum, Yum! It is a very good sherry cask, luxurious and full of lovely natural honey. Now somebody tell me why the distillery bottled 14 year old can’t be this good.
Another distillery I have a problem with is Royal Lochnagar, as you know it isn’t a bad whisky it is just?.. well?.. dull!…..But (cue another fanfair!)? Look an interesting bottling. I think this must be mine or probably your lucky day. It’s almost water white in colour which suggested a very re-fill bourbon cask and lo and behold the citrus splendour of the malt shines through with just the barest vanilla influence. The other two samples were a Glen Grant and a Glenturret, which are both excellent examples of those distilleries.
Royal Lochnagar 1996 (10 year old) 59.6% £44.95
Re-Fill Bourbon
A lovely, clean and crisp nose of citrus fruit and a faint touch of coal smoke. Quiet estery without water a vague note of tropical bananas. On the palate it again displays the crispness evident on the nose with lovely, delicate, very pure citrus fruit. Easy going with a very long length displaying the tropical banana notes in the finish. A drop of water brings out a grassy, garden fruits note on the nose and on the palate really gives it a lovely, creamy texture, emphasising the white floral notes and botanical notes on the finish It has a lovely delicacy and would be ideal for those of you who love good Irish whiskey.
Glen Grant 1995 (11 year old) 59.9% £45.95
Bourbon
Another superb nose. Deep and silky with spicy orange fruit, dripping in oodles of natural honey and beeswax along with an earthy/ dunnage floors note. On the palate it is soft and honied as the nose suggests with earthy, spicy orange fruit. Not the most complex of malts (given its age) but the depth is exceptionally good, the orange fruit flavour last for ages and finishes with an estery, very spicy finish. A drop of water softens and melds it into a harmonious mouth full bringing out a light vanilla note
Glenturret 1993 (13 year old) 56.4% £46.95
Bourbon
Deep, rich aromas of apricot and tangerine fruit rise from the glass. This is lovely, bursting with fruit, with hints of earth and powdered spice. In the mouth it is soft and extremely fruity with apricot, sweet toffee, raisins and a late powdered spice note. Yum, it has a glorious mouth feel all cinnamon coated honey malt and the spices are well just ever where! A drop of water mellow and brings it all together nicely bringing out a touch of vanilla oak and not dulling the spiciness. Personally I would drink it neat in order to experience the full force of its personality.
Clynelish 1996 (10 year old) 59.7% £45.95
Sherry
Yum, yum! (look I told you!). This is scrumptious, laden with coffee coated luxurious orange fruits and lazy spices, more coffee with a touch of mocha and earth. Very, very pure and clean with touches of natural honey and lanolin. On the palate the senses are assaulted by the weight of coffee-malt and rich sherry spices. Very mouth filling with a tangy/ spicy/ silky finish. The natural, pure honey coats the mouth and there is some noticeable wood tannins and peppery spices and a slight botanical note. Finishes with the return of the coffee flavours. A touch of water emphasises the toffee, coffee and clean sherry fruits (if that’s possible) and brings it all together. This is a real malt extravaganza, big, rich and super smooth and with flavours that last for ages. All I can say is go on treat yourself!
RAYMOND ARMSTRONG
When Sue at Bladnoch said that Raymond was in the process of bottling an old Port Ellen and would I like a sample, well what do you think I said! Now Port Ellen is one of those malts that really trades on its name and rarity, and to be honest sometimes I wonder if they are really worth the large amount of money that they retail for. I mean I have tasted a few private bottlings and they have been ok, but when you think about shelling out three figures I think hmmm. So knowing Raymonds incredible nose, well not personally, I pretty much new that this was going to be something exceptional and I wasn?t wrong. And as it retails for less than a hundred quid, it seems like an absolute bargain. Now I think I am right in saying that this cask only produced about 156 bottles, so if you want one, and believe me you do, then let me know asap.
Port Ellen 24 year old 60.4% £80.95
Is this really 24? I swear it is only a teenager! There are oodles of bog myrtle-peat, quiet Laphroaig-esque in fact with iodine and medicinal notes and a great depth of coastal orange fruit. This is extremely good, wild, windswept and vegetal with a decent level of peat ? Love it! (how heavily peated was this at birth?). Mature wood notes add complexity. It is quiet oily and fruity on the palate with iodine, salt, peat, bog myrtle and loads of smoke which wafts in on the middle and fades gracefully to leave the medicinal Laphroaig-esque peat backed up by some great oak and mature wood notes. A drop of water emphasises the vegetal fruit aromas, making it deliciously soft, succulent and fruity. On the palate it is much the same bringing out it’s oiliness and emphasising the coastal smoke and melt in the mouth fruitiness.
JAMES MacARTHUR
I was pleased to see that sales of their whiskies went well over the Christmas period, as I had only just introduced them. Me personally I’m currently enjoying a bottle of their Glen Garioch which is absolutely stunning. So if you were one of the lucky ones to get this or their Longmorn in their stocking on Christmas morning then I’m sure that you will agree with me. Anyway I was a bottle short in my latest order and Arthur said to me ?do you fancy a bottle of Girvan?? and as I had just sold the last of the Blackadder Girvan I said why not. And boy was I in for a surprise!
Girvan 16 year old Cask Strength £38.95
Oh my, this isn’t whisky it’s gin!!!!! And very good gin at that. Quiet estery on the nose with garden flowers, juniper and botanicals, yet lurking underneath is a crisp grain note. The palate is just like the nose suggests, light, very gin like, whistle stop clean, with a touch of natural sweetness and oodles of juniper. A drop of water brings out its complexity, a citrus lemon note and a slight banana and apricot note. On the palate it softens, again emphasising the citrus lemon and oh so sweet and juicy apricot fruit, with the perfumed botanicals returning on the finish. So if you are a gin lover, give this one a try ? it’s certainly unique!
JOHN McDOUGALL
This isn’t exactly a brand spanking new bottling, it’s just that I don’t think I?ve reviewed it before. I could be wrong and some one might tell me, but never mind!
Tamdhu 1994 (11 year old) 60% £35.95
Scintillating aromas of rich orange fruit and sticky toffee. Big, complex, full and luscious with a touch of smoke and apricot fruit. Smooth and sliky on the palate with sticky toffee, apple, orange fruit and quiet a smoky middle. This is a big fruity monster, immensely so with loads of intense spices along with a touch of earth and garden flowers. A drop of water mellows the monster, yet doesn’t detract from its complexity.
AND FINALLY SPRINGBANK
A few years ago you might remember than the distillery released a stunning Rum Cask finished expression which was so good that it is currently being offered at around three times its original retail price. I should have put my bottle in the pension fund, but unfortunately it got drunk and enjoyed! So why am I wittering on about this? Well in September they will be releasing a 16 year old version, and although I haven?t had the opportunity to taste it, I?m sure that it is going to be very impressive. It will retail for £54.95. So if you would like to reserve a bottle please let me know as soon as possible as I have a small but perfectly formed allocation.
Ok, that’s about it for now. I have attached a current copy of the whisky list as we are in the process of having a new web site designed and the current one on the web site is a bit out of date. If you have any comments or suggestions, you can find me at the usual place. Until next time.
Sincerely
Chris Goodrum
http://www.gauntley-wine.co.uk/
