Lochside 44yo 1967/2011 (41.5%, Coopers Choice, Butt, C#807, 354 Bts.,)

Lochside is suddenly the new must have single malt (along with Caperdonich) and long closed which only adds to the attraction. A must on any enthusiasts malt mileage. On the nose there is some really very lovely fruity vanilla quickly followed by some dusty malt and light clove (think way back to a dentist’s office but without all the wretched needles and drills; just the distinctive aromas). After some time in the glass some very good sherry notes emerge followed by tinned fruit. The fruit emerges in quite an assertive manner if you have time to wait. The taste is not massive at first but then the flavour (which is delightful) starts to grow and some excellent malt arrives along with a little, little dark unsweetened chocolate as well as the slight dark chocolate bitterness. The tinned fruit also is also present and the hints of clove (and without all the other baggage). Again all very good and very more –ish. The finish shows some black pepper and sweet malt (maybe some sweet green snap peas) and some really, really good malt. Hints of the chocolate and a little oakey dryness but nothing over whelming.

Don’t rush it, give it some time in the glass, its well worth it.

$236 in some markets.

Score 91 points

Nikka Tsuru 17yo (43%, OB, 2012) 

It’s always nice to see a new offering from NIKKA and this one has a decanter bottle with a ‘swan’ indent in the middle so it’s easy to pour, which is important. There’s plenty of information on the back label however unsurprisingly it’s in Japanese. The nose is rich and welcoming with hints of oak spice and some gentle fruit. Nutmeg and the aromas collectively are not aggressive but proper and presenting just enough to deliver the message. The taste is malty and solid with some really good cocoa (unsweetened) and some very close to Springbank moments or perhaps Hazelburn since there is no peat smoke evident. Some good sweetness arrives in due course followed by some more of the malt. The finish shows the malt, the cocoa and then some more sweetness however it’s not over whelming and is in balance with the nose and the taste. 

All in all an excellent whisky, blended or not. 

$148 

Score 89 points.

Elijah Craig 18yo Single Barrel (45%, OB, C#3961, +/-2010)

The nose is delicate fruit and spice, vey vibrant with an explosion of dusty grains. The aromas present as quite dry but very active and seductive with hints of black pepper, chilies and some nice sweetness. An astonishingly good set of aromas that work very well together. The taste is quite gentle at first presenting the dry dusting grains and then the flavour simply grows and grows revealing the black pepper and chilies as well as some dusty cocoa powder and lashing of really good oak spice. Sensational! The finish is much as before and everything holds together very well with a little fruit coming to the fore (perhaps some fruit leather). The finish is quite long but not dramatic but in keeping with the nose and taste.

A significant steal at $50…

Score 91 points

Day FIVE of American Whiskey Week.

1792 Ridgemont Reserve Barrel Select (46.85%, OB, “DSP-KY-12+/-2011)

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky…on the nose is a quick blast of sweet floral notes which quickly settles down to present some solid and very good bourbon notes. Leather and tobacco with dusty grains followed by banana (hints there of) and then back to the light vibrant floral notes. Behind the floral notes are some heavy aromas that add to the heady mix; both the floral and the heavy notes compliment each her very well. The taste is of the leather and tobacco and the light floral notes, very well intermingled; a little of the banana is present and a slight dark chocolate like bitterness along with some spiciness that also adds to the whole mix. The finish is very, very dry and spicy and quite long, the floral makes a late appearance along with the dark chocolate notes.

Another cracker at $75

Score 88 points

Day FOUR of American Whiskey Week.

Booker’s 7yo Small Batch (63.7%, OB, Batch#C03-1-16, +/-2011)

Black pepper on the nose and then some good fruit and sweetness, beef stock and a very evident presence of alcohol (!) along with some gentle cask notes that are very nice. The taste is vibrant and very dry with lashing of flavour and loads of cold dark unsweetened black tea. This is begging for a little water…so with water things are much more manageable and all the afore mentioned notes are present but simply not as aggressive…still very excellent. The finish is much as the nose and the taste and is extremely long and active. Hints of liquorice and sweetness. The finish with water improves also and the pepper etcetera is still very much in play and adds to the end game significantly. After some time the pepper turns to lemon pepper….

Benefits from some water; the addition of which makes it into an absolutely stellar whisky.

Another steal for $56

Score 89 points

Day THREE of American Whiskey Week.

Knob Creek 9yo ‘Small batch” (50%, OB, +/-2011)

Scented leather (if such a thing exists but other wise you’ll have to use your imagination), coffee grounds and a glorious richness are all found in abundance on the nose. Clean and fragrant with some bees wax and hints of strawberries (really!). Excellent to say the least. The taste is big and vibrant with some dryness at first and then the curtain pulls back to reveal some sensational sweetness before the curtain is closed and the dryness morphs into grain notes, hints of clove, cinnamon and nutmeg. Quite sensational. The finish is much as the nose and the taste but leans towards dry notes as it slowly diminishes. A late arrival of black pepper.

A staple at Jim Murray tastings and with good reason…

$49

Score 89 points.

Day TWO of American Whiskey Week.

Knob Creek 9yo “Single Barrel” (60%, OB, +/- 2011)

A very big aggressive nose with dusty grains, loads of vibrancy, hints of pot-pourri, cocoa powder and crushed pecans. There is also some dryness coming from the wood influence. The taste is gentle at first and then the power comes crashing in the picture like an out of control enraged bull that brings water to the eyes. Speaking of water some is called for; a good splash of water brings things into focus and it holds together very well with lots of good wood notes, some black pepper, citrus and grains. Even some chilies lurking in there some where with the floral tastes. The finish is a mirror image of the aromas and the taste and continues to be very, very good for some while. A hint of bitterness does appear towards the end (some time later) along with some distinct and pleasant floral notes.

Very big and very excellent.

$59

Score 88 points

Day ONE of American Whiskey Week.

The Balvenie 17yo Peated Cask (43%, OB, 2011)

Aged Balvenie – introduced to heavily peated casks for a final period of maturation- and then married with The Balvenie finished in new American Oak.

On the nose there some vegetal notes, truly a little bit of peat smoke, green peas, some good sweetness and malty/oak spice notes. After some time in the glass the peat smoke becomes significantly more evident as does the sweetness and it is very pleasant. Think Benromach 10yo. The taste is peated at first however some good dryness comes into play and then the sweetness promised on the nose arrives on the scene to bring everything together very well. The taste is ‘bigger’ than the aromas/nose (which presented as slightly ‘gentle’ and while the taste is not overly aggressive is certainly is more active and ‘bigger’. And quite good. The finish is once again some dry oak spice notes, a little of the peat smoke and then more of the dry oak spice notes. Happily it does not fall apart in later moments and holds together well. After 10 minutes peat and malt appear, suddenly!

A different Balvenie for sure but very good none the less.

+/-$130

Score 88 points

Old Pulteney 21yo (46%, OB, -/-2011)

The new bottling of Old Pulteney that fled from store shelves late last year on the news that Jim Murray had picked this as his whisky of the year…on the nose there is some good sweetness and mild malt, all very pleasant so far but a little closed. Some hand warming is in order and brings out some fruit leather which is all very lovely. The taste is warming, big, slightly maritime (salty) and some very, very good subtle malt and the fruit leather again and indeed this is very nice and borders on excellent. There’s some comprehension of what appealed to JM so strongly. The finish is good and is a good shadow of the nose and the taste so it has very good balance and then after a moment or two there s a glorious wave of malt, fruit leather and the maritime followed by some sweet wine notes. And then just for fun some really, really good malt. It’s very long and very good.

$113 if you can find it.

Score 89 points

Bruichladdich Sherry Classic (46%, OB, 2010)

When war with France brought an end to the supply of wine casks for whisky maturation, Jerez became the favoured source. Sherry cask maturation has long been a favourite with the whisky connoisseur, and this dram is classic Bruichladdich, with extra maturation in casks from legendary Jerez producer Fernando de Castilla – a marriage made in heaven! Fino, Palo Cortado and Manzanilla casks co-exist beautifully with the vanilla sweetness of Bourbon barrels. (Brucihladdich.com)

The nose is light at first and then some middle weight sherry aromas come forth, not heavily rich like Oloroso or Pedro Ximenez but lighter with citrus, cherries, brown sugar and hints of brine. Deep in the glass the brown sugar is much more evident and the aromas are quite nice indeed. Time is the glass allows for the rich sweetness to push aside the citrus notes and some really good buttery notes appear. On to the taste which is once again filled with sherried goodness along with a hefty dose of leather and black pepper with a late arrival of some malt. The combination of the sherry, the leather and the black pepper work well together. The finish is much like the nose and taste; nothing untoward pops up; the sherry, leather and black pepper are also in evidence along with a late return of the citrus notes and tad a! A little malt just to round thing up quite nicely.

Some times ‘extra maturation works and some times it does not. This time it worked. Huzzah!

£37

Score 86 points