Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 451: Westward Belgian Ardennes Trappist Ale vs The Belgium Edition 2021

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, puts two US single malts head-to-head. From the first time Mark tasted a Westward bottling, he was a fan. When they then release a club bottling called Belgian Ardennes Trappist Ale – after the Ardennes  farmhouse yeast used by Culmination Brewing from Portland – he couldn’t help but beg Cinoco, the Belgian importer, to bring it to Belgium. And so it happened. At the same time as the Belgian Trappist Ale edition, a veritable Belgium Edition was also released, so Mark most certainly could not allow this to pass him by either. It is a single barrel that was cut to 50%. The barrel – barrel #780 – was specially selected by Stephan De Bolle and his Cinoco team.

https://youtu.be/EPsWzrON09A

https://youtu.be/X_Muom77vB0

Matured for nearly a quarter of a century in ex-bourbon, then transferred into indulgent sauternes wine casks, Fettercairn’s light and mailable spirit has been growing on my radar since their first warehouse release.

Bottled as part of the Loch Fyne Fynest Series, these new, chunky single barrel bottles have already had some wonderful releases including Bunnahabhain, Glengoyne and now Fettercairn!

Cask strength, natural colour, non-chill filtered and showcasing a whisky that is growing in appreciation, this bottle has really struck me in ways that I didn’t think it would. Sauternes is a cask type that I’ve never loved, always found it a little flat and just generally sweet. This, however, is just a wealth of chocolate, roasted coffee and big tropical fruits (classic Fettercairn).

I’ve got this bottle open in The Whisky Shop Manchester, so if you want to try something different and fancy branching out, then why not try this?

 Welcome to this week’s episode of the show in which I’ll be reviewing a selection of bottlings from the popular Glengyle distillery, including a blast from the past!

https://youtu.be/IEaSc3fagms

ralfy review 934 – Timerous Beastie 13yo @ 50

Welcome to this weeks episode of the show in which I’ll be taking a look at a selection of whiskies from Australia, Germany and Sweden.

https://youtu.be/UcQuKMF1yr8

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 450: Kentucky Owl Confiscated in 1916

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, tries a bourbon. A few weeks ago Mark had his friends John and Mary-Angela from the States over for a visit. Not only had John brought the Oban 18 Year Old – a US exclusive – and the Lagavulin Offerman Edition 2 on Guinness casks – also only available in the US – he brought Mark a third bottle: this Kentucky Owl. “A little something only, but I felt you should taste it,” he added. With pleasure, Mark replied.  After all, it’s not called “The Wise Man’s Bourbon” for nothing, right?

https://youtu.be/L6pxp-kfFwc

ralfy review 933 Extras – Information on quality of casks (Part 2/3)

ralfy review 934 Extras – Information on quality of casks (Part3/3)

https://youtu.be/Gdd6c5qMaLU

Where to begin…

I knew I would open this on a big occasion, and it hasn’t disappointed on any level whatsoever.

I had the joy of trying this a few years ago and, even at that time, I said to myself – ‘I’m buying this and opening it when I turn 30.’ I like being a man of my word and I stuck to it.

Wading through emails making sure it was the right bottle code and batch, and now it’s in the glass and smelling like every wonderful, exotic fruit imaginable with lashings of creme caramel, vanilla custard, malty biscuits and clensing note of menthol and blackberry.

This is a very special whisky to me and I hope that you all have a product like this, something that just makes you remember how incredible some whiskies just are. How they seem to change in aroma and flavour, minute by minute.

Whisky is a hot topic and there’s so much to choose form, but when it comes to bottles like this. Save them for those big days, because if you already know how good they are, it makes the situation even better than you could imagine.

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 449: Cley Secret Islay

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, tries a Dutch malt. Paul and Maria from the Rotterdam Cley distillery have a special place in Mark’s heart. They make really nice whisky and they are also super sympathetic people. That’s always good for a nice story. And they are getting more and more acclaim – rightly so! – because after the special festival bottling for the whisky festival in Eindhoven – selected by The Barrel Baron – this time they bottled a very special malt for the Whisky Festival in Delft in May 2022. A Secret Islay! And triple distilled! After 4 years on a classic bourbon cask, this Dutch malt got an 18-month finish on a cask on which an Islay whisky previously matured.

https://youtu.be/iRuIYE5_UIY

This weeks episode of the Good Dram Show https://youtu.be/OTEi0yHFxxQ features the Rebels ‘Guerilla Casks’ releases from @bravenewspirits