Adelphi’s 18yo Liddesdale Islay (46%, Batch release No.1, 2962 Bts., +/-2012)

Bottled from 5 refill European oak ex-sherry butts, the Liddesdale is the third whisky in Adelphi’s limited edition single malt range. A bottling from Adelphi the independent bottler without disclosing the distillery although there is a clue; ISLAY. On the nose…well quite frankly it’s a lot like Springbank and to be precise it‘s a lot like Hazelburn with some good oak spice, wet cotton and a distinct lack of peat smoke; there is also some very nice dried fruits however the similarity to Hazelburn is quite striking. None the less the aromas are very good. The taste is quite gentle but again shows no peat however the fruit (and now some good malt) along with some chocolate all combine to make for an excellent taste; this is really very good. And sherry but subtle. The finish is very long and active with a good tussle between malt and the fruit with a little of the cocoa mixed in for good measure.

Not very complicated but very good none the less. If forced to guess one would have to say Bunnahabhain but it’s just a guess and it could be a Bruichladdich too….either way or which ever way it’s very drinkable.

$86

Score 88

Isle of Arran 2000/2011 The Sleeping Warrior (54.9%, OB, 6000 Bts.)

A limited edition bottling and a portion of the sales went to support the National Trust for Scotlandto help maintain the foot paths on Goatfell, Arran’s highest peak. The profile of the summits and ridges on the northern end of the isle is referred to as the sleeping warrior due to its resemblance to a resting human figure. Now you know. On the nose there is marmalade, apricot and lemon zest along with tinned fruit salad. There are also significant but not over whelming influences from the cask in the form of some good oak spice but the aforementioned fruits are the real stars of the show. All very rich, concentrated and creamy. The taste is more of the dried fruits but with some good backing from the cask(s) and a welcome arrival is the Arran malt which after a moment or two becomes very chewy. A little water smoothes things out and is a helping hand since without it it’s very strong. The water doesn’t dull the flavour for a moment; it’s all there, bold as brass. The finish is long, spicy and full of the malt and the dried fruits.

  A multi faceted dram with loads of dried fruit and spice. Find one if you can.

$98

88 points

Part 4 of 4 featuring Isle of Arran Whiskies

Isle of Arran 12yo Cask Strength (54.1%, OB, 12,000 Bts., Number 1, 2011)

Batch #1 of the new 12 year cask strength edition bottled at 54.1% without colouring or chill filtration. On the nose there are traces of the cask heritage; a good dollop of ex- American bourbon notes, the welcome characteristic Isle of Arran malt and then some lovely honey sweetness (dare it be called ‘Manuka’? – earthy, oily, herbaceous and florid, rich and complex so say Wikipedia).  A heady combination. The taste strong with rich earthy notes and also some good red cedar and oak spice; very vibrant, raisins, dark dried fruits and even a hint of fruit cake. Coffee grounds, honey, again. Very nice. The finish is slightly herbaceous with good chewy malt and then the dry notes resembling cured (unlit) tobacco take over towards the end but then a bit of the malt makes and appearance.

Water soothes the effect and the resulting creaminess/syrupy taste is still very goo and it can handle a significant amount of water while holding together. Very, very nice…

$95

 85 Points

Part 3 of 4 featuring Isle of Arran Whiskies

Isle of Arran 9yo (61.3%, SMWS, 121.51, 642 Bts., Sherry, Refill Butt, 2002/2011

Rich dark fruits on the undiluted nose followed by some very good sweetness (warm syrup or warmed brown sugar in the pan just before the butter goes in. A little bit of sweet n’ sour going on. Tobacco finished marmalade (OK, OK, that was made up but very evocative, no?) and some slight moments of malt in the back ground. A little espresso for good measure and fruit cake. All very rich and redolent. The taste is warming, very big and not so much the fruit and sweetness as green malt, rich, rich grains, a good dose of tobacco (unlit but cured), some really good dark chocolate and some good Arran characteristic malt. A little bit of the sourness but more of the richness. Delicious and mouth smacking. The finish brings out more richness and some malt but still it’s very big and very long. More of the mouth smacking but this time all down to the malt. Long, active and good.
Only 642 bottles? What a pity. Quite excellent without water; with water it calms down and becomes quite syrupy and sweeter. Really quite jolly jolly.Actually very similar to the Sleeping Warrior…

$109

Score 89 points

Part 2 of 4 featuring Isle of Arran Whiskies

Isle of Arran NAS The Devil’s Punch Bowl (52.3%, OB, Sherry & Bourbon, 6660 Bts., 2012)

A multi vintage Isle of Arran making using of ex- sherry (butts & hogshead) and ex-bourbon (barrels) oak while making use of unpeated and peated whisky. The cask make up consists of 24 casks dating back to 1996 although the peated casks all date from 2006. On the nose there is dry cocoa powder with a very good creaminess with some good peat smoke (not too over whelming; just right) and some nice Arran malt. There is also some fruit (dried tree fruits) lurking behind the peat smoke and cocoa and when all taken together it’s very, very good. With a little water things hold together very well with a little honey showing. The undiluted taste is just like the nose but with a little grapefruit (at first) which gives it another dimension. The flavour grows very quickly and there are also some chilies and then the dry cocoa and peat some which is a welcome compliment to the roster while not being a bully boy. With water things settle down some what and the bourbon side of the house takes center stage. The finish is significant malt (very chewy),  the cocoa and gentle, gentle peat smoke. After some time some dry smoked malt appears and it’s a welcome end to a really fine dram. The finish is very long…

The young peated whisky brings some welcome vibrancy to the mix and livens up the older whiskies (we can say that about Isle of Arran now!). Water changes it some what but either way, with or without, it’s very good.

£66

Score 88 points

Part 1 of 4 featuring Isle of Arran Whiskies

Tomatin 12yo (43%, OB, +/-2011) 

The recently redesigned and revamped line has brought this distillery a lot of attention. This official bottling has been finished in Spanish Sherry Casks and the label states ‘matured for over 12 years’. On the nose there are some green barley notes as well as some hints of roses ad heather. There is also some nice oak spice as well as a welcome sherry sweetness and some really good malt moments. The taste is gentle at first (sweet) and then a big rise in the oak spice, (some cocoa too) and then the malt arrive and everything works very well together. Malt, Sherry, Richness, Oak spice, Repeat. The finish is big, active, malty and sweet and then big, malty and sweet. A tiny, tiny, tiny hint of bitterness at the tail end of the finish detracts but this could simply be down to the reviewer. After a number of minutes the bitterness is banished by some sensational malt. 

This is really quite good and a welcome surprise. 

$25 at Foodland Super Market in Lahaina,Mauiand reduced to $14.99 with presentation of complimentary Maika’i card on check out! 

Score 86 points 

We conclud with part three of the ‘Z’ of the whisky alphabet as we take a look as whiskies that begin with “T”

Tamdhu 10yo (40%, OB, +/-2011) 

In some markets Tamdhu is sold as a No Age Statement (NAS) single malt so it is a bit of a novelty (for some) to try Tamdhu with an age statement such as the 10yo. This sample came from the USA. Enough waffle. On the nose it’s light with some barley notes, hints of pizza dough along with light heather and then some nice fruit in the form of apples and pears. These notes are followed by some oak spice and some small amounts of cocoa powder. The taste is quite frankly very nice with the malt, the fruit and the oak spice taking center stage. There’s also some honey and rich toffee as well as some moments of citrus followed by the cocoa powder. The finish is a good reflection of the nose and the taste and is quite chewy and enjoyable. Some really good malt and some dryness from the cask and the finish is quite long and ends a ways down the road with a little green malt as a final send off (but even that hangs around for a good while). 

A good solid dram. 

+/-$40 

Score 84 points 

Part two of the ‘Z’ of the whisky alphabet as we take a look as whiskies that begin with “T”

Tomatin 10yo ‘Single Malt Collection’ (40%, Trader Joe’s, +/-2010)

Exclusively bottled for Trader Joe’s, ‘rare aged scotch whisky’ and ‘matured in oak casks’. On the nose there are hints of marzipan; ‘green’ notes (think green peas and uncooked raw grains) and some warm sugar or caramel. After some time in the glass things begin to change and it becomes much more solid and a little fragrance inter mingled with some good oak notes (leather and dry unlit tobacco). It’s rather quit nice. After about 15 minutes in the glass some very enjoyable malt comes to the fore. The taste is a little more towards the leather and tobacco and very ‘solid’ with some good heavy notes and lots of active flavours. Only a little of the fragrance now shows which is a nice backing to the heavier notes (think Oxo or beef tea). Again quite nice and a pleasant surprise. The finish is active and quite long with the heavier notes and the Ox0 working well together to produce a very good finish. After a minute or two there’s some very good malt which is a really good way to end.

Quite drinkable however there’s a slight suspicion that somebody has been playing with spirit caramel….

+/-$40

Score 82 points

Part one of the ‘Z’ of the whisky alphabet as we take a look as whiskies that begin with “T”

Kilchoman NAS Single Sherry Cask Release KWM (60%, OB, C#322, D’ 15/11/2006 B’13/09/2011)

A single cask bottled for Kensington Wine Mart in Calgary Alberta from Islay’s newest distillery. And bottled at a prodigious 60% ABV; on the nose there is a very good richness but also a very big presence of peat smoke and some nice influence from the cask (chocolate and mocha) as well as some slight green or vegetal notes. The sherry influence shows as rich maple syrup which is a welcome addition to the mix. The undiluted taste is very strong with an aggressive peat some attack as well as an assault by the high alcohol but it’s manageable but just. Some good fruit. With water it’s significantly richer and rounder and oily and chewy and all very good. It handles water very well which improves the taste significantly and quite shockingly brings out even more of the very rich peat smoke and chocolate. These two momentarily obliterate the sherry but really, who cares? The finish is strong and very malty chewy with more peat smoke in the back ground and then more of the grain, like chewing on peated malt straight from the kiln.

Amazingly good. Amazingly big and a stunner.

$115 exclusively to Kensington Calgary

Score 88 points

Glencadam 14yo (46%, OB, Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish, 2012)

A new offering from Glencadam and bottled without added colour or chill filtration and happily we’re seeing more and more expressions from this distillery of late. On the nose there is good malt and rich fruits (raisins, plums and berries) with more of the malt (dry and dusty) to round out the aromas. Very good so far….the taste is quite malty and once more the rich dried fruits make their presence known along with some good creaminess and a little leather and tobacco. The creaminess is intriguing and adds another welcome layer of flavour. The finish is a little malty and then leather and tobacco followed by the creaminess and then the dried fruits but it’s leans a little towards the leather and tobacco.

Very good and drinkable…seek it out.

$90 or £47 at Single Malts Direct

Score 87 points