Curries and whiskies to enjoy for Diwali, the Festival of Light

Despite the post last week there’s a lot of people out there still thinking that whisky has to be enjoyed in solitude and while I have no qualms about how people enjoy their whisky (mostly) – as long as they are enjoying whisky – but it seems a shame that so many discount it with food – or as part of food.

To that end, it was delight to catch up again with my friends down at the Cinnamon Club last week and talk about what curry dishes went with Whyte and Mackay whiskies. Along with Vivek Singh, the Executive Chef, we looked at the best combinations of whisky and curry dishes for the festival of Diwali.

And we came up with a selection that, even if you aren’t celebrating Diwali, will give you some ideas for a curry and whisky tasting night.

The night also gave me the chance to meet up with a couple of bloggers – Joel from caskstrength.net and Matt from Whisky for Everyone and the lads were asked for their thoughts on curry and whisky too.

All in all it was a great night for curry, whisky and talking about Diwali and you’ll be able to see part of it soon as it’ll be online, part of our podcasts and also part of a 20-minute special on B4U, which I believe is available to Sky viewers in the UK.

Now you’re probably saying ‘that’s all and fascinating Richard, but what about the bloody whiskies and the curries?’ and I hear you. But so you don’t think I’m being biased, here’s what Whisky for Everyone had to say about them in their Scotch whisky and Indian food blog post:

Chicken tikka and Whyte & Mackay 22 years old and the smoky, charred flavours that the chicken had picked up from the tandoor oven were complimented well by the sweet and spicy palate of the whisky.

Then beetroot mini fritters and an onion salad were paired with the younger Whyte & Mackay 13 years old. The spicier nature of the two dishes were noted by Richard as being balanced by the delicate softness and sweetness present in the whisky.

The sweet dishes – ladoo (a sweet chickpea ball) and kulfi (a frozen reduced buffalo milk dessert covered in crushed pistachio nuts) – were combined with the Whyte & Mackay 30 years old blended whisky. This is the whisky that this week has won the Best Blended Whisky section at the prestigious International Spirits Challenge. The whisky has rich caramel, dried fruit (think of raisins and candied peel especially) and woody spice aromas that carry through on to the palate and combine with toffee and further spice (almost like cloves, but couldn’t quite place it). The combination, especially with the delicious kulfi was great with the characteristics from the whisky bringing out the subtle grassy notes in the dessert.

But what other curry dishes are out there that go well with whiskies? You’ll remember that in a previous post when talking about curries and whisky I mentioned:

Cured organic salmon with orange and mint salad, Bombay spiced vegetables with cumin pao was served with the Whyte & Mackay Special Blend whisky.

Pan seared breast of chicken with smoked buffalo cheese and korma sauce.Stir fry of paneer with baby corn and Kadhai spice with Jura Superstition.

Spiced mango brulee to accompany the rare Jura 1974.

Dalmore 40 years old and coffee with handmade bitter chocolate brought this memorable dinner to a classic conclusion.

But what else works together?

Let me know…

Share and Enjoy

(Richard Paterson)

Whisky Bible Award and my latest Travelogue Entry
October 11th, 2009 
Jim Murray’s latest edition of his Whisky Bible came out this week and once again we did well with our 40 year old winning the award for the Best 35 – 40 year old single malt scotch (multiple cask). I am not sure about the multiple cask as it is a single cask bottling but I am very pleased with the accolade and in particular with Jim’s statement “it is as if this malt has gone through a 40 year marrying process: the interlinking of flavours and styles is truly beyond belief. One of the great world whiskies for 2010”

While not winning an overall award, Jim was very complimentary about the 21 year old listing it in his Liquid Gold Winners and also setting us a challenge “a malt which simply sings on the palate and a fabulous benchmark for the new owners to try and achieve in 2030!”

Last weekend was Pot Still Festival in Amersfoort, the Netherlands. We had sent across our new stand which was in use for the first time. Unfortunately the empty octave cask which we had also sent didn’t arrive in time (UK Royal Mail let us down) so I couldn’t show visitors exactly what these casks are like. I am hoping though that we manage to get it to Wild Whisky Weekend in Denmark for next Saturday. Our supply of “Blush” was also a bit tight as Van Wees had been selling it well and had only a small amount left for sampling.

The event is much smaller than Whisky Live Paris and those attending, in general, had not heard of Glenglassaugh. Once again though everyone was keen to hear about us, interested in what we had achieved and very surprised by the excellent quality of the new make spirits and extremely complimentary about the aged whiskies. This is another whisky event that I look forward to attending next year and renewing newly-made friendships.

This week has been a very busy week for us with orders despatched to 3 new destinations for us, Alberta in Canada, Denmark and Norway and our second order to Lithuania.

This week I am travelling to Lithuania where one of the Scaent Group’s company’s is launching the magazine “Intelligent Life” and is pouring our Spirit Drink products at the launch. I will be helping at the launch and hopefully this will be the start of building a good business into Eastern Europe. Being a country that I have never visited I am really looking forward to the trip.

News of this visit and next weekends trip to Denmark will be the topic of a future blog.

Slange

Stuart Nickerson

http://www.glenglassaugh.com/

Dear Friends,

Unfortunately I have to tell you that a part of my collection has been stolen. 183 bottles from my box in the storage house were I stored most off the total collection were gone when I visited this place last weekend.

I spent a lot of time at the police office to report everything last Sunday and had some serious discussions with my insurence compagny this week.

 Emotional I went through a mental rollar coaster for a few days, but am fine again at the moment. Because there are no signs of violence visable towards the box a rent, the insurance compagny for the moment refused to cover the financial damage.

There are some extreme rare bottles gone that will be very hard to find ever again, and of course some bottles that are easy to replace (when I want to, which I very much doubt at the moment).

Underneath the most valuable or rare bottle that are gone. The most painfull (emotionally) for me is the lost of the 4 local barley bottles as I was under the impression that I had the complete collection. Two of them (cask 509 and 496) were only released in Taiwan. It took quite some years to find them.

Please be so kind to inform me when you see one of the bottles somewere. Besides I would be very greatfull if you would be able to help me to replace the local barley bottles.

Hope my next mail will have a more positive message again.

Kind regards,

Michiel Wigman

Hazelburn 7 2001 d.2001 b.11-08 316 bottles 49,4 0,7 Cad
Hazelburn 8 1998 cask 7038 butt d.5-98 b.2-07 46 700 kings
Hazelburn 8 2000 d. 2000 b. 2009 366 bottles for belgium 49,1 70 DIST
Longrow CV bottled 2008 46 0,7 DIST
Longrow 1987 bottled 2007 cask 116 the last bottling 298 45 0,7 samaroli
Longrow 7 2000 wood expressions 5,5 y ref bourbon 1.5 y gaja 55,5 DIST
Longrow 16 1974 46 0,375 DIST
Longrow 17 1990 SMWS 114.6 d. 3-90 b.8-07 “a dragons Dram” 56,1 0,7 SMWS
Longrow 18 1990 cask 178 d.3-90 b.5-08 for magnus fagerstrom 54,1 DIST
Longrow 18 bottled 2008 46 0,7 DIST
Longrow 19 one from 218 46 0,7 DIST
Longrow 21 1974 cask 1549 350 bottles 46 0,7 DIST
Springbank triple S direct from the still (green label) 60 0,375 DIST
Springbank 12 mitchell’s blend 43 0,7 DIST
Springbank blend edinburgh festival 2008 2008 bottles 40 DIST
Springbank 21 campbeltown loch blend 40 0 DIST
Springbank 25 campbeltown loch blend 40 0,7 DIST
Springbank/Burnside 15 1979 bottled at springbank 46 0,7 DIST
Springbank/Macleod 15 deluxe malt produced for John Macleod of Macleod chief of clan Macleod 46 0,75 DIST
Springbank/european summit 15 special bottles for the european summit in 1992 46 0,7 DIST
Springbank founders reserve red label bottled for Japan 46 rochdale & co
Springbank founders reserve blue label bottled for Japan46 rochdale & co
Springbank christmas 2007 staff bot claret wood 70 bottles 46 0,7 DIST
Springbank 1997 stills of Scotland bott for maison du Whisky 45 0,7 SIG
Springbank 1997 batch 1 bottled 2007 55,2 0,7 DIST
Springbank 1997 cask 789 b.1997 for oddbins 475 bottles 59,4 0,7 DIST
Springbank 1997 batch 2 bottled may 2008 54,9 0,7 DIST
Springbank 1996 cask 256 d. 1996 for hanseatisch b.2008 634 bott 56 DIST
Springbank 1990 bottle 151 from 271 for japan (bottled 2003) 50,6 0,7 kingsburry
Springbank 1991 bottled 2004 John Mcdougull bottled for Japan 59,7 0,7 kingsburry
Springbank 1991 bottle 12 from 287 for japan (bottled 2003) 57,1 0,7 kingsburry
Springbank 1991 mcintyre’s 60,35 0,7 SIG
Springbank 1989 cask 423 scoma bottling 46 0,7 scoma
Springbank 1975 celtic cross for the japanese market bottled by Sc indep. Dist. 46 0,7 Sc ind. Dist
Springbank 1975 black label mentioning 1975 1985 brown bottle 46 DIST
Springbank 1975 the merchant’s collection light 43 0,7 Zola
Springbank 1975 the merchant’s collection darker 43 0,7 Zola
Springbank 1972 tesco supermarket 46 tesco
Springbank 1968 cask 489 d.30-3-1968 b.2004 274 bottles bottled for forrester japan 49,2 0,7 pacific caled.
Springbank 1967 cask 1935 bottled 2000 238 bottles 46 0,7 DUN
Springbank 1965 cask 1277-1280 dumpy golf 46 0,7 LOM
Springbank 1965 cask 367 bottled 1987 504 bottles bottle 490 the birds 46 0,75 Moon
Springbank 1965 cask 363 bottled 1987 504 bottles bottle 494 the birds 46 0,75 Moon
Springbank 7 1999 Mike Ralston d.24-9-99 b. 25-4-07 54 liters of new make spirit first fill sherry 51,7 0,7 DIST
Springbank 8 pear shaped bottle black orange neck label 43 0,75 DIST
Springbank 8 1980 20th anniversary samaroli sherry of 540 50 0,75 Samar
Springbank 8 old ceramic book VOL I brown 43 0,75 DIST
Springbank 8 1987 ageing monography b.3-89 50 0,75 Samaroli
Springbank 8 the uncollectable collection bottled mrt 08 50,5 0,5 hertwi
Springbank 10 older ceramic book VOL I black 43 0,75 DIST
Springbank 10 100 proof release 2007 black red label 57 0,7 DIST
Springbank 10 pear shaped 10 white red white label 43 0,75 DIST
Springbank 10 cask 578 bottled nov 2006 freitagstreff mainz mombach 57,2 0,7 DIST
Springbank 10 60th anniversary of speyside cooperage (b.2008) cask 814 359 bottles 46 0,7 DIST
Springbank 10 60th anniversary of speyside cooperage (b.2008) cask 815 371 bottles 46 0,7 DIST
Springbank 10 release 2008 black label 46 0,7 DIST
Springbank 11 1996 smws 27.66 d.5-96 b. 8-07 57,9 0,7 SMWS
Springbank 11 1996 b.9-07 cream sherry butt 640 bottles 56,3 0,7 cad
Springbank 11 1997 d.jun-97 b. sep-08 refill sherry 550 bottles “1828-2008” society bottling 45,7 0,7 DIST
Springbank 11 smws 27.70 bottled 2008 237 bottles 59 0,7 SMWS
Springbank 11 1997 wood expressions d. 1-1997 b. 1-2009 madeira 9090 bottles 55,1 0,7 DIST
Springbank 12 pear shaped bottle black and silver orange neck 43 750DIST
Springbank 12 1987 ageing monography 50 0,75 Samaroli
Springbank 12 jaeger 46 0,75 jaeger
Springbank 12 bond reserve (bottled late 2003) 51,6 0,7 CAD
Springbank 12 1991 d.1991 b. 10-04 234 bottles 56,6 0,7 CAD
Springbank 12 1995 smws 27.67 d.12-95 b.1-08 54,2 0,7 DIST
Springbank 13 1993 nc2 range 1993 2006 46 0,7 duncan taylor
Springbank 14 1979 cask 473 240 bottles b.93 46 0,7 Samaroli
Springbank 14 1991 cask 312 273 bottles bottled for japan 59,5 0,7 kings
Springbank 15 release 2007 green label 46 0,7 DIST
Springbank 15 release 2008 black/green label 46 0,7 DIST
Springbank 15 1987 ageing monography b.3-89 50 0,75 Samaroli
Springbank 15 1993cask 195 d.93 b. 2009 46 0,7 berry broth
Springbank 16 1992 cask 71 d.92 b.2009 peat smoke 46 0,7 berry broth
Springbank 17 1989 d.12-89 b.10-07 for whiskyshop 272 bottl 50,1 70 D.L.
Springbank 17 1989 cask 145 d. 17-3-89 b.11-06 50,1 70 ACEO
Springbank 18 1989 smws nr 27.69 d.12-89 b.jun-08 52,8 0,7 SMWS
Springbank 18 bottled 2009 46 0,7 DIST
Springbank 20 1987 ageing monography b.3-89 50 0,75 Samaroli
Springbank 20 1967 casks 3131-3136 d.31-10-67 b.10-89 46 0,75 DUN
Springbank 20 barrel selection bottled by cadenhead 46 0,7 wilson morgan
Springbank 21 pear shaped bottle black silver silver neck 46 0,75 DIST
Springbank 21 1966 b. 1987 bottle 45 from 408 46 0,75 Samaroli
Springbank 21 1967 cask 3140 d.1-11-67 b.10-89 600 bottles 46 0,75 SIG
Springbank 23 1965 ageing monography b.3-89 50 0,75 Samaroli
Springbank 23 1970 cask 1765 west highland malt d.6-70 b.7-93 323 bottles 46 0,7 DIST
Springbank 25 pear shaped bottle black and white 43 0,75 DIST
Springbank 26 1969 cask 1641 d. 16-7-69 bottle 93 46 0,7 direct wine
Springbank 28 1969 d.1969 b. 1997 bottle 100 of 590 51,6 0,7 DUN
Springbank 30 1972 cask 410 d.11-72 b.11-02 576 bottles 57,8 0,7 Chiefta
Springbank 30 1972 cask 789 d.11-72 b.3-03 252 bottles 46 0,7 Chiefta
Springbank 33 1970 cask 2965 d.12-70 b.1-04 hogshead 192 b 50,2 0,7 Chie
Springbank 34 1969 cask 50 d.1-69 b.11-03 300 b rum barrel 43,2 0,7 Chie
Springbank 35 1967 cask 1943 d.5-67 b.11-2002 of 218 40,5 0,7 Peerless
Springbank 35 1968 cask 1413 d.10-68 b.11-03 sherry 498 bottles 54,2 0,7 Chieftains
Springbank 37 1968 cask 1541 d.10-68 b. 2006 84 b sherry 56,5 7 dun bhea
Springbank 39 1968 cask 617 d. 4-68 b.11-07 47,6 700 acorn’s
Springbank 40 1968 rogha for japan 45,5 0,7 scots malt sales
Springbank 32 1966 barley malt cask 493 56,8 0,7 DIST
Springbank 32 1966 barley malt cask 496 55,1 750 DIST
Springbank 33 1966 barley malt cask 503 57,2 0,7 DIST
Springbank 34 1966 barley malt cask 509 54,4 750 DIST
( 6-packs)
Ardbeg 1990 airigh nam beist bottled 2006 46 0,7 DIST
balvenie10 older armagnac bottle 43 0,75 dist
Highland park 23 1985 d.1985 b.7-08 271 bottles 50,1 0,7 cad
longrow 7 2000 w expression gaja barolo d.10-2000 b.1-08 55,5 0,7 DIST
longrow 10 1995 w expressions tokaij wood 8 y refill 2 y tokaij 7440 bottles 55,6 0,7 dist
octomore 5 2002 d.16-10-02 b. 4-08 PPM 80.5 46 0,7 DIST
springbank 30 campbeltown loch bottled 2008 46 0,7 DIST
springbank 9 1996 w exp marsala wood 10-96 8-06 7740 bott 58 0,7 DIST
springbank 11 1997w exp madeira wood d. 6-97 b. 1-09 9090 bottl 55,1 DIS
springbank 14 1989 w expr 12 year sherry 2 year port 7200 bot 52,8 dist
springbank 12 older label 90ties 3 different labels 46 0,7 dist
springbank 12 1991 w expr bourbon wood 5986 bottles 55,5 0,7 dist
springbank 15 1987 46 0,7 dist
springbank CV 46 0,7 dist

You may contact Michael via his friend Hans Offringa at +31 641 257456 if you have any information on this theft.

Jim Murray’s 2010 Whisky Bible is out, and let the second-guessing begin. Jim’s annual guide to the world’s whiskies generates controversy every year, and he’ll answer his critics and discuss his choices for the year’s best new whiskies in this episode. In the news, new releases from The Dalmore, Glengoyne and The Glenrothes…Buffalo Trace releases more experimental bourbons, results of the International Wine & Spirits Competitions whisky awards, and Charles Maclean becomes a Master of the Quaich.

The week’s Park Avenue special is a store-exclusive Springbank 10 distillery bottling from a re-charred sherry cask and bottled at cask strength. Usually $95..$80 this week when you mention WhiskyCast.

WhiskyCast is starting an e-newsletter for monthly updates on upcoming episodes etcetera; the sign-up is available at the WhiskyCast web site.

Listen to episode #221 at http://www.whiskycast.com/ and visit Park Avenue Liquor at http://www.parkaveliquor.com/

Ralfy at Work

Visit Ralfy at http://www.ralfy.com/ Click on “Whiskyreviews”

Whisky Intelligence has reproduced (with permission) The Gauntleys Whisky Newsletter for February 2008. 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

I hope you all had a good Christmas and new years eve celebrations, and once again by the amount of spirits that we shifted this year I would imagine that quiet a few of you had some rather good drams to toast the new year in with. Even thought it is only February, the season of celebration seems like it was such a long time ago!

As is the custom I will start with the list of the top 20 best selling whiskies of the year:

GAUNTLEYS TOP 20 BEST SELLING WHISKIES OF 2007
(Last years position in brackets)

1. (1) Penderyn Welsh Whisky
2. (-) James MacArthur Glenrothes 17 year old 54.1%
3. (-) Bruichladdich 12 year old ‘Second Edition’
4. (4) Bruichladdich 7 year old ‘Waves’
5. (-) Bruichladdich Port Charlotte PC6
6. (-) Benromach Traditonal
7. (-) Compass Box Asyla
8. (-) Isle of Jura Superstition
9. (-) Bunnahabhain 12 year old
10. (-) Cooley Greenore 8 year old Grain
11. (-) Springbank 1997 (10 year old) Batch 1
12. (3) Bruichladdich 15 year old ‘Second Edition’
13. (-) Nikka Pure Malt Black
14. (-) Dewar Rattray Stronachie 12 year old
15. (-) Lagavulin 16 year old
16. (17) Caol Ila 12 year old
17. (-) Talisker 10 year old
18. (11) Benriach Curiositas 10 year old
19. (5) Benromach Organic
20. (-) Cooley Clontaff Black Label Grain

So for the fourth year in a row the mighty welsh whisky once again tops the charts, although its margin of victory was smaller than last year, so could 2008 see a change at the top? Will it be knocked of its perch by Bruichladdich? The 7 year old has continued to sell well to hold onto its place and the rise in sales of the 12 year old isn’t a surprise as sales of it were strong in 2006 but as it replaced the old 10 year old that year it failed to get into the top 20. No surprise to see the PC6 in the top half of the charts, although the demand for it wasn’t as high as the inaugural PC5, it still sold well.

I guess the list is always going to be a bit skewed and reflect my championing of oddities and unusual bottlings, so I guess it is nice to see two grain whiskies make an appearance. The Greenore is a fantastic whiskey and its sales were probably helped by its new funky shaped bottle, and the Clontaff Black, which is excellent value for money at £18.95.

Whilst on the subject of value for money, I’m not surprised to see the Benromach Tradition and the Stronachie in the top 20 as they are great whiskies for under 20 quid, and the list is rounded off by the usual favourites.

JIM MURRAY’S WHISKY OF THE YEAR 2007

It is always interesting to see which whisky has been awarded this accolade. The choice of this years winner is in my opinion a bit contentious. Why you ask? Well he has chosen the Ardbeg 10 year old. Now I know that Jim is a bit of a peat freak and has a definite fondness for Ardbeg, but the 10 year old!!!?

The classic 10 year old has always left me a bit cold, I personally thought it was frankly quiet young and dull as ditch water and so I was some what surprised by the praise heaped upon it, even knowing Jim’s bias I could think of many better bottlings. According to him the quality had increased because the average age of the spirit was more like 17 years old, so I had to find out if this current bottling was such a massive improvement.

Well first off it seemed more lively and complex on the nose, opening with a gentle medicinal pure peat, smoke, coffee, hickory and a charred wood note. It now seems to have a greater degree of elegance as opposed to vague-ness! There is a lovely sweetness of delicate orange fruit, menthol, bog myrtle, dunnage floors and coastal notes. In the mouth it is amazingly fruity, no longer dull and flat but bursting with apricot and soft yellow fruits and coastal notes. Then comes some fern, pine, gentle medicinal peat, bonfires and charcoal. It is mouth filling with a lovely sweetness to the barley along with hints of spice and pepper, finishing with a gloriously sooty peat smoke finale.

It’s definitely won my award for most improved malt. Why is it so much better? It can’t just be down to the age of the spirit because I was never much a fan of the old bottling of 17 year old. Maybe I was unlucky and got a bottle from a dodgy batch. Maybe they are managing their stocks better now and have managed to off load all the dodgy casks now that there has been an influx of cash. I mean that has not been unheard of has it now!

Whatever the reason it is pretty damn good. Whether it is world whisky of the year is open to debate, but all I can say is that I’ll drink to it!

NEW BOTTLINGS FROM THE ALCHEMIST

I was talking to Gordon on the phone the other day, and I asked him what was new. “Not a lot” was his reply (the two bottlings reviewed here were actually released just prior to Christmas last year). The reason for this is that distilleries are just not selling; its part of the ongoing boom in whisky sales, led by the Far East. Coupled to the fact that there is the most sustained period of distillery building going on in Scotland at the moment, with Diageo and Duncan Taylor to name two companies that are ploughing ahead with multi-million pound constructions, all should be rosy in the garden. But…..

In reality what does this mean for consumers? Well higher prices for one thing, and a lot less choice, especially from the smaller independent bottlers. Also not wishing to be a doom-monger, but all it takes is a little financial wobble, like the Asian financial crisis of 1997, and the boom suddenly turns to bust. This leaves producers sitting on gallons of stock that nobody wants to buy, mainly because all the independents have gone out of business, and like most financial crisis that happen abroad, they have a knock-on effect here. The current sub-prime fiasco in the USA is a prime (excuse the pun!) example. Consumers feel the squeeze on their finances and what happen, well spending on luxury goods gets sacrificed, and what is whisky if not a luxury product?

Anyway, doom and gloom aside, from a personal perspective, whisky sales appear to be still buoyant, and the traditional post Christmas lull, seems like a distant memory, so time to kick off my recommendations for you hard earned pennies.

Alchemist Macallan 16 year old ‘Apple Mac’ 46% £49.95
Bourbon/ Calvados
Crisp, clean and very coastal. I wouldn’t be surprised if this had been matured at a certain distillery on Islay! There is a nice depth and sweetness with some vanilla oak, toffee, citrus, apple and earth notes. Very complex on the palate, rich and luscious, a veritable strudel of crisp apples, oily/ salty tangy fruit, earth and wonderfully soft spices. Lovely purity. Develops a stewed apple note on the finish. A distinctly different Macallan!

Alchemist Caol Ila 10 year old 46% £34.95
Quiet rounded and rich. Nicely fruity with orange, apricot and lots of rubber! A touch of smoke, menthol, bog myrtle, clove, ginger and coastal notes rounds the nose off nicely. The palate opens with a wave of coal smoke and gentle peat followed by mouth filling, rich fruit. The peat really builds fading into a sooty mouthful. Maybe not as complex as the nose suggests but very nice nevertheless. Quiet an oily finish that leaves a definite coating and finishes with late coastal fruit and vegetation notes.

SPEYSIDE DISTILLERY TASTING

A bit of a mixed bag these samples, especially after the justifiably scooped the ‘Independent Bottler of the Year’ award for the mainland category in the last whisky magazine challenge.

Speyside Distillery Private Cellar Glen Grant 1977 (30yr old) 43% £NOT STOCKING
A mature nose. Very light with vanilla, earth, marzipan and some orange fruit. It’s a bit old, spirty and innocuous. The palate is pretty much like the nose, with no real depth of flavour. Frankly it was left in the cask way too long .

Speyside Distillery Scott’s Selection Jura 1989 (17yr old) 56.3% £NOT STOCKING
A clean, deep, gently coastal nose, there is a suggestion of lightly peated Coal Ila to the aromas with some dunnage warehouse/ earth notes and a touch of creamy vanilla oak in the background and only a suggestion of fruit. The palate is clean and gristy with immediate malt and barley notes followed by delicate smoke and some salinity on the finish. Alcohol dominates the proceedings, yet the aftertaste is quiet plesant with juicy fruit and heather. So why am I not stocking it? Well it’s all a bit ho-hum! There just not enough complexity and depth for a malt that will retail in the £40-50 bracket.

Speyside Distillery Scott’s Selection Caol Ila 1984 (23 year old) 54.1% £80.95
An intense medicinal, iodine and creosote-laden nose. Superb complexity of pungent peat, firewood, bracken and coastal notes. The sherry is surprisingly well integrated, buried beneath the distillery character (as it should be!). It’s juicy, dense and phenolic with a very pure peatiness (fern/bracken and organic matter). On the palate the sherry cask is more noticeable but not intrusive. Like the nose it’s intense and deep with coastal fruit, medicinal peat and loads of alcohol. Wow! There’s a full on coal scuttle mid palate which takes your breath away as creosote and smoky peat coats the tongue, along with late coffee/chicory and leafy notes. Damn that’s intense! A drop of water brings out a chocolate/ cocoa note on the nose, whilst on the palate it rounds it out and emphasises its leafy character, but in no way suppresses its glorious peatiness, although it does release quiet a noticeable amount of wood tannins. This is ‘old skool’ sherried Caol Ila of the highest standard!

NEW BOTTLINGS FROM DUNCAN TAYLOR

Where do they keep finding these excellent casks? There stock holding must be pretty awesome, they certainly don’t seem to be suffering from a shortage of stock, but most of their new releases have some serious age, so one wonders if they are managing to get hold of new fillings to replace these wonderful old casks?

Duncan Taylor Strathisla 1967 (40 year old) 46.4% £124.95
Cask 1886
Initially a big hit of vanilla. A real marzipan overload. A clean, lean Kentucky orientated aroma! Damn it’s big and saturated. Once it settles down some perfumed orange fruit becomes apparent along with a slight menthol, spice and earthy note. The palate pretty much mirrors the nose. Oak, oak and more oak, but wonderfully clean oak that is! Definitely one for the Bourbon lovers!

Duncan Taylor Dallas Dhu 1981 (26 year old) 55.8% £75.95
Cask 42
A little bit spirity and grassy to begin with. This dram needs a bit of patience because it takes awhile to open up. Eventually it beguiles with a lovely depth of creamy vanilla infused orange and tangerine fruits, followed by the building oak notes of crème caramel and burnt toffee. The palate initially is a bit oak dominated, but it is wonderfully soft and full of crème caramel, again a bit of patience is rewarded with oodles of spicy orange fruit, a slight floral note and a crisp granity finish.

A drop of water emphasises the granity notes on the nose, teasing out a lime not and subduing the oak. On the palate it is stunning, mouthfilling and mellow, with an absolutely devine mouth feel. Ok so it’s not the most complex of Dallas Dhu’s but it is a wonderful mature dram.

Duncan Taylor Mosstowie 1975 (32 year old) 48.5% £98.95
Cask 5811
Amazingly rich and aromatic. Absolutley oodles of earthy, liquid orange and toffee, vanilla oak, and soft, sweet spices. There’s a lovely hard barley note in the background which stops it being to fluffy (technical term there!) with hints of liquid honey and ginger. The palate is wonderfully soft and inviting, with ginger spices, vanilla, mature apricot, banana, white fleshy fruit, a touch of raisins and finishing with a cinnamon flourish. Its sounds amazingly complex, and the nose is but the palate is a bit linear, maybe I’m being a bit picky and the alcohol is more intrusive than one would expect.

Water mutes the nose a bit, making it a bit oilier, and on the palate homogenises it, emphasising the spiciness and definitely lengthening, leaving behind a fleshy, white fruit after taste. Although I’ve not tasted many Mosstowies in my time, the ones I have tried have tended to be all mature dried fruit, but one thing I can say about this one is that it is definitely not showing its age!

Duncan Taylor Brora 1981 (26 year old) 54.5% £104.95
Cask 1424
Brora was closed for good in May 1983, so there can’t be that much of it still left around, so one always jumps at the chance to taste one! The nose is very intense, crisp and clean with a delicate peaty aroma along with manure, a slight iodine, tar and rubber nuance. However there is the Clynelish character of rich fruit lurking somewhere in the background. It kind of reminds me of old bourbon casked Lagavulin. The palate is very obviously mature, light and delicate, with quiet a lot of wood tannins to begin with. Then in drifts the soot, coal dust and peat. The alcohol sort of masks the mid palate a bit, yet it is quiet fruity.  It’s also very oily, and it definitely leaves a coating. It sort of hangs around rather than finishes – No it lurks! If it had gone to uni it would have got a first class degree in lurking!

A drop of water brings out a lovely liquid orange note on the nose, subdues the peat to an almost imperceptible level and emphasises the vanilla oak. On the palate it becomes a veritable sooty mouthful, leaving a smoky/ oily/ mature residue. Ok, so it’s not the most amazing bottling of Brora I’ve ever tasted, but like the Mosstowie it is a lovely mature dram and you are experiencing liquid history, never to be repeated again. So if I was going to be picky I would have like to have seen this bottles around 6 years earlier.

Duncan Taylor Caperdonich 1968 (39 year old) 56.0% £94.95
Cask 2608
My, this is a truly amazing sherry cask! Intense and earthy aromas of glorious fruit, chocolate, mature honey, a touch of spice, floor polish, vanilla and a slight floral note. Just the nose is worth the entry fee! The aromas envelop the senses. Truly amazingly mature. The palate is pure liquid honey heaven! Along with chocolate, a touch of wood tannins, sherry spice and the most amazingly mature fruit. The mid palate is stunning and has this rum like dried spiced fruit thing going on. Intense, rich, fruity and exceedingly long. Finishes with menthol and reedy grass notes.

A drop of water makes no changes to the nose, but on the palate it makes it much more floral with a violety note. It really emphasises the natural oils. It removes a bit of the intensity but the spices just dance on the tongue. This is just too damn good! Take it neat or with water, either way it is one hell of a dram!

Duncan Taylor Glen Grant 1970 (37 year old) 44.0% £88.95
Cask 3496
A clean, lean, fighting machine! A veritable coffee overload, along with wood, dried mature orange fruit, old floor polish, beeswax, musty-ish dried spice, waxed, worn leather armchairs, old libraries! This is an amazing nose to fall into and just wallow in! I love it! The palte is mellow, deliociously oily with coffee, dried fruit, old wooden spice boxes, wood tannins, ceder, a touch of violets, old cigar smoke and dusty leather. I need to get the smoking jacket and an extremely large Cuban to accompany this magnificent old dram and sit in an old library next to a roaring fire – I think you kind of get the picture. In all this maturity it still has a balancing lively edge to it, it ain’t dead yet! A great mix of good spirit and wood. Absolutely no need for any water!

Duncan Taylor Port Dundas Grain 1973 (34 year old) 54.5% £78.95
Sherry Cask 128321
Yes, it’s a sherry monster! Intense, leafy and very slightly vegetal (although that can be forgiven!) It’s earthy and honied with pure cocoa bean notes. There’s the crisp grain intensity lurking beneath all the buckets of mature honey, along with a touch of dried fruit and a slight floral note. The palate is no surprise quiet leafy and ever so slightly vegetal (again forgiven!) Wow, it’s 70% pure dark chocolate all the way, oily and intense with the grainy fruit coming through on the middle. It gently meanders into dried Guyana rum-like fruit, cane sugar, figs, raisins and hints of linseed oil. Finishing with a pure cocoa intensity. It doesn’t take to water particularly well, take my word for it, so if you are choco-holic then take it neat!

NEW BOTTLINGS FROM BLADNOCH/ RAYMOND ARMSTRONG

The two forum bottlings have been available since before Christmas, so if you haven’t had the opportunity to try one then they are definitely recommended. In fact I have not tasted a poor bottling from Raymond. The 15 year old Sherry matured Bladnoch is brand spanking new!

Raymond Armstrong’s Craggenmore 14 year old 60.6% £46.95
An amazing almost Lowland-esque nose. Very grassy and crisp with hints of earth, rich honey, mint, citrus fruit and a slight vanilla note. Effervescent and delightful. Rich and fruity on the palate with again the citrus, mint, grass flavours reminding me of a Lowland. The alcohol somewhat dominates as does the dry tannin notes. Once a drop of water is added it really opens it up. Emphasising the vanilla oak on the nose and really bringing the palate to life, enhancing it’s natural sweetness, highlighting the mouth filling barley, cereal, spices and a wonderful bitter dark chocolate finale, just like pure, unrefined cocoa beans. It’s truly amazing!

Raymond Armstrong’s Caol Ila 16 year old 59% £46.95
It is the pure ‘essence of Caol Ila’ upon the nose, fresh and coastal with bog myrtle, medicinal peat, iodine, salt, rubber, an amazing fresh herbaceous quality which really envelops the senses followed seamless peat smoke, citrus orange and apricot fruit. The word ‘pure’ just keeps springing to mind. The palate opens up with that leafy/ herbaceous note and lots of earthy-peat. This is very intense and raw, coupled with the alcohol it almost takes your head off! The finish is amazingly long and complex with bog myrtle, herby-peat, iodine, rubber, coal smoke, soot, tar ash and costal nuances. A drop of water releases intense aromas of fisherman’s sowesters and latex – a fetishist’s delight! On the palate it is still raw and unfettered, it’s brilliant! You know when you’ve been Islay’d!

Bladnoch 15 year old Sherry Cask 55% £45.95
Cask 2617
A very intense nose of pure, earthy, sherry cask and spices. Not an off note in sight. It has a lovely sweetness with notes of toffee, and a developing floral note. Over time there is a suggestion of grass as the distillery character fights its way through. Strangely enough the distillery character is more discernable in a Glen Cairn glass. The palate follows the same pattern as the nose, opening with an intensity of sherry cask, drying tannins and alcohol. Yet there is a wonderful, silky60% chocolate ganache smoothness to this malt. Later the grassy notes appear, just like the nose.

A drop of water subdues the rampant sherry, bringing out a delightful orange and citrus note. The palate really now displays the wow factor! Creamy, ultra smooth and awesomely chocolatey. It’s actually quiet sweet for a Bladnoch, yet it finishes quiet dry. Now I’m not the worlds biggest fan of sherry casked whiskies, as you all know, and this bottling definitely edges towards the cask side. However……………. This is a marvellous sherry cask

NEW BOTTLINGS FROM JAMES McARTHUR

Like Raymonds, these were tasted before Christmas.

James McArthur Glenturret 14 year old 56.9% £44.95
A lovely crisp hard barley opening followed by beautifully honied malt along with a touch of earth and a smidge of peat. Displays a wonderful depth of ‘classic’ Highland granity-ness and a slight floral top note. Extremely fruity on the palate, a veritable fruit bowl of citrus fruits – orange, apricot, peach. Glorious spices kick in on the middle along with granity hard barley and a long malty, slightly floral finish. A drop of water emphasises the vanilla oak and dries out the finish a little. All round a lovely expression with a good balance and integration.

James McArthur Caol Ila 25 year old 55.5% £92.95
Deep aromas of seaweed, menthol, eucalyptus, bog myrtle and peat. Superb depth of saline infiltrated fruit and honey. Rounded and fruity with fisherman’s sowesters and all things Islay! Lovely and mellow but there is still a fresh edge. Oily on the palate, a magical mixture of coal dust, wood tannins, violets, saline, iodine, pure Caol Ila peat which dries out the palate leaving it coated in rubber, coal dust, peat and more peat for good measure! Quiet alcoholic and peaty for its age. A drop of water brings the aromas together adding a kippery, cold liver oil note, whilst on the palate you now experience the classic garden fruits. The peat has now softened and combines with the coastal citrus fruit wonderfully. Very long with a coal scuttle liking finish. Just ignore the faint plastic note!

SOMETHING SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT

Yes, that’s correct, French Whisky! Situated in Montagne de Reims, the Guillon distillery was founded by Thierry Guillon in 1997. Their UK agents approached me just before Christmas asking if I was interested, and after tasting some samples, the answer was a definite Qui! The Penderyn need very little introduction and it is nice to see a general release of it’s peated malt.

Guillon Louvois ‘Le Single Malt’ 46% £29.95
Bourbon/ Maury
Crisp and fresh, fern like aromas. It’s edgy and oily with hard barley, tobacco and earth. It has a foxy, sort of Baco 22a (the weird and wonderful hybrid grape of Armagnac) quality. There is some malt and a slightly floral winey orange top note. On the palate it is oily and foxy, resembling the characteristics of a good quality marc. A lovely purity with a bitter chocolate and slightly winey middle. The finish is pure unsugared custard with that ferny/ tobacco/ foxiness returning on the finish. The spirit is around 5 years and although not perfect I think it shows a great deal of promise. Fancy something different? Oui Monsieur!!!

Guillon Louvois ‘Le Single Malt’ 43% £NOT STOCKING
Bourbon/ Meursault
After the 46% bottling this is a big disappointment and seems to be a bit un-integrated. The nose is winey and marc like with rose petals, and a very unpleasant whiff of vinyl/ rubber/ plastic, which is off putting to say the least! The palate is not much better. Initially it is quiet sweet and winey, with the marc like rose petal noticeable along with spice and a very fleeting peat note. It is definitely lacking in balance, it is cloyingly sweet like sugar candy dissolved in rose water and Turkish delight!

Penderyn Peated 46% £35.95
Clean, crisp and cerealy. It has a nice sweetness with vanilla, garden fruit and botanicals. Gentle peat drifts in and reminds me of Ledaig. Lovely subtle sweetness with apple and citrus notes. Initially quiet vanillery on the palate with delicate peat, cereal, botanicals and garden fruits. Intense and phenolic with earthy Longrow-esque peat. Good length with juicy mouth watering apple and plenty of coal smoke on the finish. – Anthracite perhaps boyo!

A GENERAL ROUND UP OF TASTINGS

Gordon & MacPhail Aberfeldy Distilled 1989 43% £30.95
Wow! Loads of delicate clean sherry fruit, candied orange, herbs, spice and pepper. Very, very creamy and malty. Incredibly fruity with a touch of tropical – banana, nectarine, tangerine all sprinkled with delightfully soft demarara sugar. Superb! A lovely clean, vivid, cream soda entry on the palate, followed by delicate sherried, juicy fruit, sweet orange and nectarine. It has a wonderful purity with loads of mouth watering barley sugar. Lovely length with a sweet spice flourish.

The Arran Malt 10 year old 46%  £33.95
An intense and very clean nose. Opens with lashings of crisp barley, a refreshing breezy coastal note and distant smoke. Great depth and complexity the aromas continue to exude! Apricot, orange, tropical fruit, quince, lime – the list goes on. Superbly clean with a hint of vanilla oak, malt and dunnage floors. Again the palate is extremely clean and fruity. Like the nose it starts with the wonderfully crisp barley followed by apricot and fleshy tropical fruit. It goes on! – next up creamy vanilla, spices, delicate smoke  and coastal notes. Lovely long coastal saturated after taste. What a character!

Lagavulin 12 year old 56.4% (2007 Release) £51.95
Actually quiet a delicate nose. Almost shy! Once it opens up there is a myriad of aromas – slightly medicinal peat, pure tobacco leaf, ferns/ bracken and a very distinct note of pine needles. The graceful smoke wafts in with the coastal nuances. Nowhere near as powerfully peaty as the 16 year old. Oily and nicely fruity on the palate. Lovely purity of subtle orange, elusive peat, fern/ bracken and pine needles. Late peat smoke lazily drifts in. Very, very long with oodles of coastal character and although the peat is delicate and far from booming it slowly fills the mouth! A drop of water emphasises the salinity whilst on the palate it emphasises the oils, the fruit and the wood tannins. The refined Islay!

Glenfiddich 21 year old Gran Reserva 40% £65.95
Quiet a sweet nose, slightly floral with marzipan, rum soaked almonds, banana, toffee, pure vanilla pod, cinnamon and the crisp ‘fiddich fruit underpinning. Creamy on the palate with the oak leading the way followed by the rum finish and the crisp ‘fiddich fruit. Like the nose it is quiet sweet with sultanas, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and a touch of smoke. The criusp barley bites through the sweetness and it finishes quiet dry with a late spice note. Very complex!

Knob Creek 9 year old Bourbon 50.0% £NOT STOCKING
A very pure vanilla nose with marzipan, burnt butter, a touch of medicinal peat and herby notes. A complex and evolving nose. On the palate it is clean, with a pure vanilla pod entry. Creamy yet dry with violet notes. The alcohol dominates but there is a leafy/ herbal note. Water brings out the violet (almost parma) aromas and flavours along with a nuttiness on the palate too. However it is still very dry and woody and to me somewhat disappointing after having such a lovely nose. I have tasted better Bourbons!

AND FINALLY AN AMUSING LITTLE STORY FOR YOU

As reported by the Channel 4 programme ‘Dispatches’. Ken Livingston has had to admit that he drinks whisky at 10 o’clock in the morning while answering questions in public. Scientific analysis allegedly showed it was 47 per cent alcohol, but failed to say which scotch it was. Mr Livingstone was forced to admit he was indeed drinking alcohol in the film. But he insisted he used it “as an anesthetic” in winter months to help his chest problems.

Speaking at a press conference, the mayor compared his drinking to the Parliamentary tradition of the chancellor of the exchequer sipping a whisky as he delivers his annual Budget. “I tend to suffer from mild bronchitis through much of the winter,” he said. “If I have to talk for two and a half hours and through the mind numbing tedium of questioning my members of the assembly you will hear my voice start to go.  “At that point I will pick up that tumbler of whisky and I have a sip. It then stops. The only way I can get through talking for two and a half hours with a severe cough or bronchitis is to use alcohol as an anesthetic.”

So your congestion charge goes to fund the mayors drinking habits!

Well that’s it for now. Comments and questions, etc to the usual address.

Sincerely

Chris Goodrum

Dear Friends of Robbie’s Drams
 
Please find attached link with all our latest New Arrivals.
http://www.robbiesdrams.com/products.asp?id=25
 
Which includes:
 
Ardbeg Corryvreckan– New cask strength release from Ardbeg Distillery

Big Peat– a wonderful new Vatted Malt which includes Ardbeg, Bowmore, Caol Ila and Port Ellen!!

Classic Malts Managers Choice bottlings– LIMITED STOCKS LEFT

Robbie’s Drams 11y/o Highland Park in Ceramic Bottle– Limited Edition of 180 bottles.

Glengoyne 40y/o– the oldest ever bottling of Glengoyne, which is a Limited Edition of 250 bottles

Springbank 40y/o– Chieftain’s Choice 1968 Bottling- Limited Edition of 398 bottles.

You will recieve a free 2010 Limited Edition Robert Burn’s Diary worth £6.99 with any order placed from our New Arrivals section.

 
Whisky An’ A’ That VII

We can confirm the date for next years Whisky An’ A’ That VII Festival as Saturday 29th May 2010.
 
Tickets for this event will go on sale shortly, but if you want to reserve your tickets in advance, then please contact 01292 284279.
 
More details on next years festival will be available soon.
 
Regards
Robin Russell
Robbie’s Drams
 
www.robbiesdrams.co.uk

http://www.robbiesdrams.com/

Johnnie Walker sells more Scotch whisky than anyone in the world, and Diageo is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its Johnnie Walker Black Label in 2009. Andrew Ford is a member of the team of master blenders that watches over the Johnnie Walker blends, and he’ll tell us about the art of blending in this episode. He’ll also answer questions submitted by listeners like you through Facebook and Twitter! In the news, Glengoyne adds a new expression, and we’ll hear from Michael Urquhart of Gordon & MacPhail, John Glaser of Compass Box, and Ethan Kelley of the Brandy Library.

This week’s Park Avenue Liquor Shop incredibly special deal for WhiskyCast listeners!

18YO Oban Limited Edition

WhiskyCast listeners will recieve a 33% discount on 18YO Oban Limited Edition distillery bottling from the original $150 price to $100.

Contact Park Avenue Liquor Shop at 292 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10017  Ph: 212.685.2442  Fax: 212.689.6247 or via their website at http://www.parkaveliquor.com/

They will ship both nationally & internationally subject to local regulations.

Please mention that you heard about the Whisky Cast special on www.whiskyintelligence.com

http://www.whiskycast.com/

Ralfy is hard at work, this week he has published three reviews;

#80a – Bladnoch walk-through (part 1), 

80b Bladnoch walk-through (part 2)

& 80c Bladnoch 8yo (October 3rd 2009)

Ralfy at Work

… and what a good crak we had at Bladnoch ! Great Distillery now.

Visit Ralfy at http://www.ralfy.com/ Click on “Whiskyreviews”

Whisky Intelligence has reproduced (with permission) The Gauntleys Whisky Newsletter for May 2008. 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 after a brief hiatus the newsletter returns. And a jam packed one it is as well. There are new releases from Dewar Rattray, and the long awaited first bottling of Raymond Armstrong’s own Bladnoch along with the usual round up of things that I’ve tasted. And don’t forget to check out the new release from the Celtic Spirit Company – It’s an education that bit!

But first, as always a comment!

A COMMENT ON THE LAST NEWSLETTER

Ok, so last time I had a good natured dig at the illustrious Jim Murray (Hi Jim!) and he in turn sent me a nice email in defence so to speak. So as promised this is it in its unadulterated form!

Hi Chris,

Fascinating read!

Great to see Cooley’s stunning grain getting the recognition it deserves. And that the love of Welsh whisky is not just a flash in the Penderyn…

Just a slight correction: Ardbeg 10 is my World Whisky of the Year 2008, not 2007. And my holding a peaty bias? Interesting that it is the first time a peaty whisky has won the title in the history of the Bible. I simply try to call it as I see it. Four years ago, bourbon. Three years ago, bourbon. Two years ago, bourbon. Last year a Scottish blend. This year a peated malt. I also have to say that I did my best not to give it the title. I took into account my three-decade love for Ardbeg and did all I could to shoot it down in flames. I couldn’t. Sometimes genius will out.

However, exactly this time last week I was giving a tasting in Gent, Belgium. The Ardbeg 10 we had in front of us, I pointed out, would not have won the Award. It appeared to be from an older bottling and did not have that extra depth you and I both spotted. Excellent whisky which brought the house down. But the best in the world? Not that bottling. As I say, Chris, I simply call it as I see it…

Finally, as for being a bit of peat freak. Not really. Just check out the Bible’s latest scores for Bowmore and Caol Ila. And Talisker. Adore great peaty whisky. Frustrated by peaty whisky not quite up to the mark and will say so. I could say the same about mouth-watering Speysiders, or Irish, or rye, or Canadian or any other whisky type. Last whisky drank at home while relaxing? Grant’s standard blend, two nights ago. And before that? Goldlys Belgium. Hardly the diet of a peat freak….!!

Oh, and finally, finally. The Ardbeg 17 v the Award-winning Ardbeg 10. Simpy don’t compare. The original Ardbeg 17 was a marriage of entirely unpeated 17-y-o malts from Ardbeg and much older but massively peated casks that had taken on far too much oak ever to be bottled as a vintage or a single cask. The Ardbeg 10 that blew me away was from 100% peated casks and with a gentler layering of years to ensure a stunning bounce and complexity on the palate. As whiskies, from the same distillery but in style not even close.

Keep up the great work and look forward to invading your shop one day.

Kind regards,
Jim Murray

It makes one feel quiet humble to know that the newsletter is enjoyed by one of the greats of the whisky industry!

NEW RELEASES FROM DEWAR RATTAY

As per usual a bit of a mixed bag, from the sublime to the ridicules!  Highlights for me were the Laphroaig, it’s so unusual to see private bottlings from this distillery and I have to ask the question – does this distillery do no wrong? I don’t think I have ever tasted a bad bottling, whether distillery or independent, and this one is no exception. Yes, it’s pricy, but damn it’s worth every penny. I dare say Jim would love it! There were a couple of exceptionally good sherry monsters. As you will all be aware by now, not my favourite style of whisky, but credit where credit is due, and obviously I recognise that there are many customers that do love this style. Big disappointment once again was the Highland Park. How many times must I be frustrated by poor quality private bottling of this great distillery (with the exception of the Murray McDavid bottling reviewed in the round up!). To put it bluntly do they only sell the rubbish to the private bottlers, and if that is their game, then why do the independents play along. I mean every distillery bottling I have tasted has been excellent. The 12 year old is a often go-to for customers wanting something around the £30 mark, so why would anyone pay around £50 for this dreadfully sub-standard bottling – Not me for one!

So in no particular order, the tasting!

Glenglassaugh 1973 (34year old) 52.0% £91.95
A lovely earthy nose, reeking of maturity and the most gorgeous perfumed orange fruit, vanilla and a sprinkling of wood spice. Mellow and beguiling with a touch of re-fill sherry sweetness. The palate is soft and seductively smooth, maybe a touch floral on entry, followed by lovely mature orange and oodles of wood spice. Really good length and depth. A drop of water makes the nose extremely floral, with notes of violet and hyacinth; there’s still the earthiness and a touch of Hessian sack. On the palate it become maybe a tad watery, loosing some of its intensity and brings out a late botanical note. All in all not a bad malt. Amazingly fruity for it’s age, and best drunk neat. At present I’m not stocking this one because I still have a couple of bottles of their previous bottling, so if you can’t wait until they have sold and really want a bottle of this then please let me know.

Highland Park 1992 (16 year old) 52.5% – Not Stocking
A very fatty and oily nose. There’s quiet a bit of peat smoke, but it all lanolin, wool fat and a bit of oily vanilla. Somewhere I can detect a bit of coastal, heather and scrub, but it’s all a bit muted. The palate is flat, again quiet a bit oily. I suspect that some faints probably got into this cask. There is only a slight impression of fruit and quiet a bit of peat smoke and Talisker-esque pepper on the middle, but I’m afraid that it doesn’t redeem it!

Balblair 1990 (17 year old) 62.4% £44.95
A fresh and slightly leafy nose. Moist and delicate with sherry coated soft yellow fruits and spice notes. It has quiet a perfumed top note along with a touch of earthiness. Very mellow and rather beguiling. The palate is soft and juicy opening with cinnamon and sherry spices. Wonderfully fruity with a nice integration of the sherry. Lovely intense, malty mid palate. The alcohol masks the finish a bit and there is quiet a bit of wood tannins too! A drop of water emphasises the leafy, camphor and menthol on the nose and soften the palate in order to reveal the array of peppery spices, which really evolve! It lengthens but the tannins are still noticeable. All in all a lovely mellow sherry monster(ish) cask!

Laphroaig 1990 (18 year old) 56.6% £63.95
Oh yeah, a classic nose, it pretty much couldn’t be from anywhere else! I could wax lyrical about this nose all day, safe to say it has all those classic coastal, briny, peaty, kippery, rubbery coastal fruit aromas in fsherman’s bucket loads along with a slight orange/ tangerine note. I love this stuff! The palate is quiet drying, almost shy I would say but like the nose it’s all there along with a dollop of dry spice. Tasted nest the alcohol dominates, but wow! A drop of water has absolutely no bearing on the intensity, this is fabulous stuff and do I detect a touch of melon? On the palate with the alcohol and raging peat calmed a bit it allows the peppery, rubbery coastal notes to shine. The finish is immense, it just goes on and on and on and…..

Linkwood 1989 (18 year old) 58.7% £57.95
Ah yes, definitely without a shadow of a doubt a fresh Sherry butt! (The colour kind of gives that away). This is a real monster, but immaculately clean with not an off note in sight. As expected there’s a huge dollop of sherry fruit and spice along with notes of violets and chocolate followed by a touch of malty/ grassiness, flax(?), pear(?), liquid honey, raisins and dried fruit. Very complex! The palate is pure Oloroso, quiet leafy and tannic with flavours mirroring the nose along with a hint of coffee (Colombian?) and beeswax. Water brings out that afore mentioned coffee note on the nose along with honied orange fruit and again that leafiness on both nose and palate. This is a very good sherry cask, probably not one for the summer, but if you like it like this, then you’ll love it any time of the year!

Longmorn 1992 (15 year old) 56.8% £44.95
This is a nice Longmorn, probably not as intense as the James McArthur 14 year old, but it’s still very nice. It’s rich and fruity on the nose, packed with apricot, orange and tangerine flavours abetted by a touch of vanilla, developing spice and dunnage warehouse floors. The palate is quiet oily and again jam packed with an array of soft peach, apricot, orange and tangerine. It’s a veritable fruit salad that fills the mouth nicely. Lovely intensity with a touch of salt and spice to give it complexity. Good, long oily length. A drop of water softens and brings out crisp barley and an apple blossom note on the nose along with light coffee. On the palate, if anything it makes it a tad sweeter, brining out oodles of candied fruit and crisp barley. It’s velvety soft, like angels dancing on the tongue! Lovely!

Glencadam 1990 (17 year old) 59.1% – Not stocking
It seems to initially have quiet a dense nose with perfumed, mature orange, barley and malt notes along with a touch of spice. However it’s really shy and the aromas take a lot of swirling and coaxing out. The palate is quiet soft and slightly oily, showing earthy orange fruit, citrus and a touch of straw/ grass. The intensity builds nicely through out finishing with a lovely sherberty sweet/ spicy finish. A drop of water subdues an already shy nose and brings out a waxy, lanolin note. On the palate it emphasises the sherberty character as well as the grass/ straw note. It’s pleasant, certainly not bad, with good fruit, but at the end of the day it’s a touch evanescent.

Port Ellen 1982 (25 year old) 60.4% £85.95
First off, where on earth was this cask stored and what abv did it come off the still at? I mean after 25 years you would expect it to be in the mid 50’s at best! Now if I remember my basics of warehouse maturation (and I’m sure somebody will correct me if I’m wrong!). In a warm environment you tend to loose more liquid to the angels, but the liquid that remains tends to keep its alcohol level fairly high. So you would expect there to be only a handful of bottles from this cask (less than 100 I’d say), and you’d be wrong, there is 199. To me this is what makes whisky so fascinating!

So is it any good I hear you ask. Too right it is! It’s a dead ringer for Laphroaig! It’s intense and coastally with a medicinal/ bog myrtle peatiness and all those wonderful rubbery, kippery, fishermans sowesters aromas assailing the senses! It seems remarkably youthful, If I didn’t actually know the age then I would have guessed at somewhere in the mid teens. However the palate does show its age, it’s a bit shy and slightly oily, with all the aromas present and correct on the palate. Obviously its high level of alcohol dominates the proceedings but it leaves an oily/ peaty tongue coating at the death. A drop of water brings out a Caol Ila like garden fruit note, peas and apricot and relegates the rubbery, medicinal peatiness to a supporting role. On the palate it has become a bit sweeter, now showing a touch of barley and malt and fading into a briny/ leafy/ bog myrtle finish. A truly fascinating dram, enjoyable either neat or diluted!

Stonachie 1976 (31 year old) 52.6% £81.95
A lovely very sweet nose of chocolate and coffee. There is a grainy Bourbon like note which reminds me of old Invergordon along with a hint of violet. This is a really complex nose, very big with loads of vanilla and a touch of sherry. Quiet earthy and fruity with dusty/ smoky spices, mature liquid honey and a perfumed top not. Amazing I could sit an sniff this all night! The palate is mature and dusty with liquid honey and toffee. Quiet a bit of wood tannins but they mellow into cinnamon and sherry spices. The palate is a bit brash and maybe a touch less complex than the nose would suggest but it is resplendent of the most gorgeous honeyed orange fruit. A drop of water mellow the nose and it shows its age and the mature honey now dominates the proceedings. On the palate it gives it more focus and purity and the tannins are now less prevalent and only really come through on the finish. All in all a delightful mature dram. Definitely one to contemplate.

THE EXCITING NEW RELEASES FROM BLADNOCH

What an amazing, interesting tasting. Raymond has released three expressions. A Bourbon matured, a Sherry matured and a lightly peated version. As you will see from my notes below the bourbon aged bottling has practically no wood influence, so it displays the distillery character to the full and very surprising it is too. It is very heavy on the congeners, and has a distinctive marc-like character of old rose petals and is very different from any other bottle of Bladnoch I have ever tasted. Tasting them with a very good friend who is quiet knowledgeable about the distillery we wondered if this congener heavy style was down to the little known fact that the distillery has technically no spirit still. In actual fact both the stills in use currently at the distillery are wash stills, which can be determined by the fact that they both have sight glasses on the necks.

Often, but not always a spirit still will be smaller than the wash still and designed to finish the spirit off (for want of a term) and may often look distinctly different to the wash still. A longer neck, bigger condenser, different angle to the lyne arm, etc. For example a still with a short neck or a lyne arm that slopes downward will allow stronger flavours from the oils in the malt to pass into the distillate, whereas a still with a taller neck or an upward sloping lyne arm will only allow the lightest oils to pass into the distillate and return the heavier oils to the still thus producing a lighter, more elegant spirit.

So in summation, the final spirit will often have less heavy congeners and I believe it is the reason that older bottling of Bladnoch exhibits the classic Lowland citrus/ grassy character. Now I know this is a big generalisation, because every distillery has quirks and different styles of still. However another factor, especially in Lowland whiskies is the fact that in the past may were triple distilled, which will give an even lighter, less congener heavy style. As attested to by Auchtentoshan. Many would argue that it has no real style at all, which is why the distillery uses a lot of sherry casks, and having tasted a few Bourbon casked versions I have a tendency to go along with that theory, but I digress!

I think Jim McEwan sums up the purpose of the second distillation “The second distillation will really separate the good from the not so good.   The foreshots are heavy in oil, the nose is that of rubber tyres, fish oils and slightly sulphury.  The texture is like mutton fat – not very pleasant on the palate or the nose.  Then as if by magic, the spirit clears and the heart is found.  Now we are in olfactory paradise.  Finding the flavours in the middle cut is like watching rainbows.  One minute it’s there the next it’s gone and like the rainbow with its seven colours, there are seven fruit flavours.  The fruity esters of pear, apple, banana, peach, apricot, melon and tangerine fill the senses.  Sometimes there is more pear than tangerine – again each Distillery has its own preferred style and if the malt is peated, the aromas are a fantastic mix.  It’s like sweet and sour.  Add a sprinkle of nutty flavour which will also have come from the fermentation process and you are in heaven.    Also in the new spirit the sweetness is like a good old-fashioned toddy, not and sugary, sweet with a real fresh cereal flavour on the finish.”

After I had written the above piece I asked Raymond if he wouldn’t mind sending me a sample of new make spirit, which he did, and I would like to say a big thank you to him for that. So by tasting this sample it would either prove or disprove my theory, and as you can see from my tasting note below it does indeed prove my theory. It is interesting to note that the marc-like character only really started to become more noticeable after adding a drop of water, which I would guess (very roughly) would have brought the abv down to around 60% ish. Another interesting note is that it was nowhere near as greasy as the 6 year old Bourbon Matured, which probably has more to do with where the still man took the cut, and that is a discussion best left to another day if I want to finish this newsletter!

The lightly peated is rather good and reminds me quiet a bit of the Pendryn. It is interesting to note that the sample of it at 5 years old displays a lot less of the marc-like aromas and has a more obvious grassy note on the nose, however the 6 year old has a greater depth of sweetness, barley and malt, and certainly seems more evolved, even after just an extra year.    But my favourite of the three was the sherry matured! I bet that surprised you!

To sum up I think this is obviously a work in progress. I think the Bourbon matured needs more time and more wood integration, the peated likewise needs more time. The sherry although the best of the three needs time also, but it is good to see that the spirit can hold its own against the dominating wood. Raymond has obviously taken exceptional care in his sourcing of sherry butts as it is impeccably clean and has a very good balance even at this tender age.

All I can say is that tasting these has been a fascinating experience, and the quality definitely bodes well for the future.

Bladnoch New Make 71.4%
Slightly oily on the nose with that obvious new make cereal character. It’s incredibly clean with a slight discernable fruitiness and only a touch of the marc-like rose petal notes that I was looking for. Given some time a touch of perfume and an earthy note becomes apparent. Initially it is quiet sweet, again with the cereal/ biscuity flavours evident. Like the nose it is exceptionally clean and there is a touch of rose petals, and obviously a lot of alcohol. A drop of water now makes the marc-like rose petals a lot more noticeable. It also emphasises its sweetness and perfumed note. On the palate it makes it a touch more citrus in character with some coffee and yet again more of the marc=like character. Actually it is very drinkable, rounded and with a lovely sweetness. Very long with cereal and straw after taste.

Bladnoch 6 year old Bourbon Matured 57.3% – Not Stocking
This is extremely pale in colour. It must have been matured in a well used Bourbon cask as there is pretty much no wood influence whatsoever hence the nose opens with a lot of acetone and high notes. There is some grass and citrus but it is very young and spirity and consequently the marc-like rose petal character swamps any discernable lowland character. The palate is pretty much like the nose raw, alcoholic and marc-like with a bit of sweetness coming through on the finish. A drop of water makes the nose very greasy – wool fat and lanolin, extremely heavy on the congeners. On the palate it is much the same with a dunnagey, slightly botanical note on the finish.

Bladnoch 6 year old Lightly Peated 58.5% 70cl £38.95     20cl £13.95
This is darker in colour than the Bourbon matured, which would indicate that there is more wood influence here. It seems richer but still has some of that marc-like rose petal aromas amongst the light earthy-peat and smoke. Obviously the greater wood influence makes it appear more together, as there definitely a more noticeable vanilla character. It also seems a bit more oiler/ fatter. The palate is quiet oily and fat and very intense and dominated by its alcohol. The light peat and smoke are all present but the palate is a lot more evolved than the nose would suggest and there is definitely less of the marc-like notes. In fact there’s a lovely buttery/ vanillery note. I definitely think it benefits from a drop of water, which brings out the sweetness, vanilla and gristy barley character, lengthening and leaving a lovely coal dust finish.

Bladnoch 6 year old Sherry Matured 56.9% 70cl £38.95     20cl £13.95
Very much darker and I would imagine that this was matured in a first fill butt. It’s rich and crisp on the nose, exceptionally clean and creamy with sherry and coffee aromas. The marc-like rose petal notes stand up well to the cask and it has a lovely fresh, edgy feel to it along with a touch of menthol. The palate is superb, full of moist, rich fruit cake flavours, chocolate and raisins. The marc-like notes develop on the middle along with a straw and dunnage note also, The sherry returns with a chocolate drop vengeance adding roasted coffee bean notes and a slight violet note in the finish. A drop of water makes the nose a lot creamier the coffee and chocolate drops are set against a fabulous citrus background. It also brings out an orange blossom note as well. On the palate it pushes the sherry influence to the background allowing the marc-like rose petal notes to show fully. There are also some lovely dry, earthy, organic spices to compliment the wood tannins. It’ll be intriguing to see how these casks evolve over time.

ARRAN TASTING

A little while ago the rep for the Arran distillery paid me a visit, armed with samples and this was the result.

Lochranza Blend 40% – Not Stocking
Faint whiff of plastic dissipates quickly followed by straightforward aromas of yellow fruits, apples and crisp grain and a touch of coastalness. The palate is initially about the crisp grain, followed by the soft malty fruit. It has a nice spicy middle and is quiet intense and tangy. Nice length.

Robert Burns Blend 40% – Not Stocking
A bit of a reticent nose. It has a greater depth of malty fruit than the Lochranza and is balanced by the grainy edge. Soft, clean and fruity. One would guess that there is a higher malt content, but it’s a bit dull. The crisp grain briefly livens the mid palate. It lacks complexity and the intensity of the Lochranza.

Robert Burns Malt 40% – Not Stocking
Rich and fruity on the nose. Definite Arran signature here, fleshy yellow fruits, apple and coastal notes. Clean, fruity and pleasant on the palate. It has an almost sauvignon blanc character. Lacks the intensity and maturity of the 10 year old, but it is pleasantly drinkable.

The Arran Malt 10 year old 46% £33.95
An intense and very clean nose. Opens with lashings of crisp barley, a refreshing breezy coastal note and distant smoke. Great depth and complexity the aromas continue to exude! Apricot, orange, tropical fruit, quince, lime – the list goes on. Superbly clean with a hint of vanilla oak, malt and dunnage floors. Again the palate is extremely clean and fruity. Like the nose it starts with the wonderfully crisp barley followed by apricot and fleshy tropical fruit. It goes on! – next up creamy vanilla, spices, delicate smoke  and coastal notes. Lovely long coastal saturated after taste. What a character!

Arran 100 Proof 57% £36.95
Very reminiscent of Bruichladdich on the nose. Loads of crisp apples, apricot and yellow fleshy fruits, followed by crisp barley, orange, lemon and lime. Delicately coastal which develops a touch of coffee over time. Lovely intensity on the palate, rich and fruity with apricot, apple, pure honey and heather,. Good complexity and a nice balance with the crisp barley, wood notes and ginger coming in on the middle. Very long finish, finally showing its island/ coastal character. Definitely a summery dram.

Arran Gold Cream Liqueur 17% – Not Stocking
Cream aromas of toffee and coffee. The palate is pleasantly creamy, with a nice freshness. Full of toffee/ coffee flavours and a touch of dark chocolate. The coastal notes come through on the finish.

A GENERAL ROUND UP OF TASTINGS

Wemyss Vintage Malts – 1972 Admiral of the Sea 46% – Not Stocking
Apparently this is a single cask from Campbeltown. Well you certainly wouldn’t have guessed it! For a start it is a weird murky/ tawny greenish colour and probably the best thing you can say about the nose is that is frisky for it’s age! Aroma wise it’s all over the place, some earthiness here, manure there, a bit of orange and sweet citrus somewhere over there! The palate is truly awful! And there are not many whiskies I have tasted that I can say that about. Initially its quiet sweet and sherberty, but then it descended into a murky, muddy sludge with marc-like decaying rose petals, tannins and musty old shoe leather. It was balanced, if that is the correct term by a wincing sharpness and a peppery finish. To me it seems like it was a vatting but if it was a single cask then where on earth did they dredge it up from? Campbeltown Loch perhaps? According to their web site they have an expert nosing panel to select their casks – Well they definitely had an off day when they selected this!

Murray McDavid – Macallan 16 year old 46% £TBC
Bourbon/ Madeira
A big, rich and fruity nose of apricot, peach and nectarines. The Madeira presence gives it a shortbread biscuit and a raisiny note. It is nicely complimented by a touch of coastal, demarara sugar and a slightly floral top note. Dry, soft and polished on the palate. The Madeira influence is obvious from the start – shortbread biscuit and a raisiny dried fruit and demarara sugar followed by coastal notes and loads of developing spice. Full flavoured, robust with a good length and a toasted coconut after taste. An interesting twist on an old favourite.

Murray McDavid – Highland Park 16 year old 46% £TBC
Sherry/ Port
As always I approach red wine finished malts with a bit of trepidation, and as it was Highland Park it made it double the trepidation! However the guys have produced a superb bottling. It has a deep, dense nose of rich red berry and cherry fruit followed by smoke, a touch of rubber and coastal notes. The finish is very nicely integrated and the overall impression of complexity is abetted with a smidge of peat. Soft and subtly smoky on the palate. Waves of sweet red foresty fruit hit the palate followed by the classic Highland Park smoky/ heathery character, and it doesn’t stop there! Following that there is crisp barley and honey notes. It’s obviously pretty heavy on the finishing cask but the spirit really stands up to it and is not entirely swamped. Amazingly good after taste – coffee/ mature wine soaked Hessian cloth!

Old Pulteney 12 year old 40% £24.95
A pleasant, clean, honeyed, malty nose. Quiet rounded, full and fruity with fleshy apricot, mango, tropical fruits, vanilla oak, spice and maritime notes. Again clean and fruity on the palate, nice and soft with plenty of apricot and creamy, sweet oak. It opens into a lovely coastal middle – all tangy and windswept! Good length with a malty/ salty finish. Excellent value for money I’d say!

Nikka Yoichi 15 year old 45% £69.95
A lovely mature nose of rich honey, beeswax, delicate peat and mature sherry. Wow this is amazingly complex, the aromas continue with malt, dried raisins/ sultanas, lashings of gingery spice and liquid orange fruit. The Palate opens with malty, mature honey, then comes the wood spice, barley and a slight winey note. This is truly amazing; the flavours merge and develop on the tongue, now there’s dried Armagnac-esque dried fruits, a waft of gentle peat, barley, vanilla and spice. Succulent and complex with quiet a salty flourish in the finish. This is amazing – I’m almost lost for words!
Ok, that’s it for now. Hope you enjoyed the read.
Regards

Chris Goodrum

http://www.gauntley-wine.co.uk/