Secret Speyside 31 Year Old 1989 Asta Morris

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, tries a secret Speyside malt distilled in 1989. Asta Morris has finally released a new whisky, the first in 2021. It’s a belter! No less than 31 years of age and in new livery to boot. This Heritage is a Speyside malt from an undisclosed distillery. It can be found somewhat halfway between the Mackessack Park and the Rothes Golf Club. You do the math.

https://youtu.be/_3iZWh7pCZA

https://youtu.be/E3u4SU8nVzU

Longrow.

Not more needs to be said, does it?

With as little as 100 casks a year being filled, peated for 48 hours at a rate of 50/55PPM, it is a whisky in the mold of coastal classics…but does its own, very unique thing. What that thing is, well, I doubt we’ll ever really find out.

NAS whiskies, in all honesty, they’ve never bothered me. The fact they bother so many is quite baffling. If it’s quality liquid then why does it matter? Ardbeg Uigeadail or most of their range, any Jameson’s product, Johnnie Walker Blue Label, most bourbon products, and of course, this bottle of Longrow. Nobody seems to bat an eyelid about NAS when it’s on a brand that is universally loved…the fickle side of whisky.

Anyway. Longrow Gold. It’s brilliant. Enjoy

ralfy review 876 Extras – GlenDronach P.R. have been in touch !

Whisky Ramblings 386: Chaos Batch #1 North Star Spirits

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, experiences Chaos… Name-wise this is very apt considering what North Star Spirits already bottled with Spica, Vega and Sirius. All of them are references to the galaxy. Chaos was, after all, what came after the Big Bang. In this case it’s a whisky composed with three casks of Caol Ila. Two PX hogsheads that were put to sleep in 2010 and a refill hogshead that was filled in 2009. After vatting they yielded no less than 1.200 bottles of single malt at 50%.

https://youtu.be/jukiu_4yr5I

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 385: Caol Ila 9 Year Old 2010 WhiskySponge

We know WhiskySponge mostly from the wonderfully satrical blog in which he truly mocks everyone in the world of whisky. It comes as no surprise that the inimitable strong man behind the blog – Angus McRaild – finally brings whisky to the market himself. And the labels are fantastic: each and every one a hilarious cartoon. In the case of this young Caol Ila we see the Jedi Lord Sponge attacking an X-Wing piloted by an individual named Dave Bowman. If you have no idea what this is all about, nae worries. If you do  then you might, like Mark – certainly after reading the tasting notes on the back label – wet yourself a little bit with laughter. But for now, let’s focus on the contents of the bottle: a 9 years old Caol Ila.

https://youtu.be/kE0g8pYSohg

ralfy review 876 – Glengoyne 12yo @ 43%vol: (2021)

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 384: Coal Ila 6 Year Old 2013 Charred Wine Hogshead

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, goes for an independent Caol Ila. The Nectar, Belgian importer, selected this so-called Charred Wine Hogshead from the stables of Signatory, near Pitlochry. It was filled in June 2013 with spirit from Mark’s favorite Islay distillery and bottled in September 2019. This young, powerful Coal Ila is hence only 6 years old. The ABV makes you wonder if you should have some water handy.

https://youtu.be/3isXu4XlWrs

Arran has grown into a mighty force. It’s a whisky that has kept to the same ethos, but changed it’s material look, happy to report, it has worked wonders!

This, a 9yo, cask strength, all sherry single malt is a beautiful example of the fun that is coming out of this little island on the west coast of Scotland. Add them to your list of ‘must try’ and do it now!

https://youtu.be/K2oPMxBPxok

The Good Dram Show – Episode 412 ‘American Whiskey’

Welcome to this weeks episode of the show. This week I fancied doing an American whiskey episode, so I went digging in my box of samples and pulled these ones out.

https://youtu.be/g7SMIXEHJY4

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 383: Lindores 1494 Inaugural Release

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, is one of the members of the 1494 club at Lindores and the first bottle has just arrived. Obviously the Lindores Abbey Distillery enjoys the reputation of the historically important location, the abbey which is considered by many to be the spiritual home of whisky, where Friar John Cor was ordered by King James IV to produce ‘aqua vitae from eight bols malt’. In 2013 a distillery was built on site and in 2017 the first distillated tricked from the stills. In the third week of April 2021 a friendly courier delivered Mark’s package with the long awaited Inaugural Release. He is member 0701, chosen because it’s his birthday.

https://youtu.be/9Ie5US-u3pM