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Glenlivet 16yo Nadurra (57.6%, OB, Batch# 0808F, +/-2008)

Glenlivet has listened to its customers and brought out a non-chillfiltered batch series ‘restricted release’ 16 year old Glenlivet that ‘faithfully captures the Original distillery character’. Some lessons learned from the runaway success of the Aberlour a’bunadh batch series? Good for them. The nose is at first fragrant and mildly perfumed with roses, heather, mild juniper and pineapple (think fresh warm pineapple and not the sickly sweet stuff from a tin). The stronger aromas are of sweet vanilla, banana bread, oak, alcohol and malt. After a few minutes the aromas open up to reveal Demerara sugar and vanilla. With water the alcohol diminishes and is much more reminiscent of the Glenlivet 12yo along with some rich fruit, cold tea, oak and rich malt. The taste neat is quite strong and of fruit and mild tobacco at first but then quite sweet. Also malt, vanilla and something that resembles gentle smoke. Perhaps a mirage? Excellent. With water it’s much sweeter with a good mixture of the malt and the fruit with back from the mild leather/tobacco duo. The finish is sweet malt with a hint of aspartame and gentle oak, the fruit and oak are the dominant flavours. Very well balanced. Some later delivery of cocoa and coffee which is brilliant. Mildly dry and spicy.

What a great dram, well done!

C$88

Score 87 and well deserved. 

Glenlivet 12yo (40%, OB, +/- 2008) George & J. G. Smith Ltd.

Glenlivet; what can you say about it but it’s everywhere and thus suffers from its own success somewhat; malt enthusiasts frequently look for something new. A mistake because the standard 12 year old is a cracker and great value for the money (and would be even better at 43%…). 

The nose is delicate, much more subtle as one would expect from an Speyside single malt, with fruit (think banana, apricots, fruitcake and cherries) along with some really fragrant oak spiciness, cedar and gentle pine resin. The aromas are not dominated by the wood but beautifully compliment the fruit. Hidden way back in the recesses of the aromas is the ever so slight hint of smoke and after a few minutes in the glass the malt jumps to the fore. A very enjoyable collection of aromas. The taste is a mirror image of the nose; fruit, spicy oak, mild smoke and malt, all very well intermingled. The fruity sweetness is complimented by some toffee and honey, the malt is excellent. The finish is at first hints of leather and pine followed by the fruit, bitter cocoa and malt. It is quite long and the malt, the fruit and the spicy oak all jostle for position. The oak and the malt succeed in the end and after a few minutes the malt is triumphant…..not a dram to ignore.

C$65

Score 85 Points

Isle of Arran 11yo 1999/2010 (54.6%, OB, 15th Anniversary, Amontillado, 5,640 Bts.)

“This Limited Edition of 5,640 Bottles Marks The 15th Anniversary of The Isle of Arran Distillery” Distilled in 1999 and bottled 2010 and finished in Amontillado Casks.

The nose undiluted is sherried and malty along with some honey. It grows with time in the glass to reveal more of the afore mentioned characteristics and now some really pleasant oak spice. The malt and the honey work really well together (like a good Athol Brose made with cream and Drambuie) now perhaps a little clove in the back ground? It’s very rich and quite excellent. With water there is a significant increase in the malty biscuity characteristics. The taste undiluted is strong, fizzy malt and the sherry (quite different to Oloroso), still very flavourful but rich in a slightly more musty fashion (this is not a bad thing) and then a really big malt and cocoa delivery. Oh, this is very nice. With water (just a good sized dollop) it is much the same as before except with the addition of some tobacco notes. The finish is honeyed malt, more of the sherry and then some quite dry sherry/honey notes. It’s long and good with the malt and sherry working really well together but in the end the dry oak spice/cocoa takes over and waves goodbye as it disappears over the horizon.

Excellent! And proof positive that finishing can indeed work.

$C90

Score 88 points

Left-Sauternes Center-Amarone Right -Port

These next three bottlings are part of the newly liveried Cask Finish Series released in the later part of 2010 with colourful tubes in place of the black boxes with the open ‘faces’ but still the same whisky one is forced to conclude. None are chill filtered or have added colouring.

Isle of Arran NAS (50%, OB, Sauternes, “Cask Finish”, +/-2010)

The undiluted nose is characteristically malty along with some wood spice, citrus and then the richness of warm plump raisins, over ripe fruit (not rotting but like a pear that has been on the counter a day or two past its prime) and then in the back ground a slight hint of sour cherries and some grapefruit. Once again time in the glass improves the collection of aromas and they start working together, a little more harmony. The grapefruit is significant after a while and somewhat suppresses the biscuity malt notes. Water releases some extra sweetness and some Olive oil aromas. The undiluted taste is surprisingly gentle at first with the grapefruit in the fore and then it becomes exceptionally dry at a pace that is surprising and distracting. There’s a slight bitterness present also (like the ‘nut’ inside a plum stone) but finally the Arran malt makes an appearance but the Sauternes has squashed the malt some what. The taste improves significantly with water, a better balance between the malt and the Sauternes effect. The finish is bitter at first (raw almonds?) and then thankfully the malt arrives but never quite wins over the bitterness (at first) but then struggles back. A bit of confusion here. The finish is quite long and still grapefruit bitter (not like the bitter in coca at all). A bit of a surprise with this since other Sauternes have worked quite well. With water some coca (and malt) magically makes an appearance and saves the finish.

Needs water. Needs water. Needs water.

$77

Score 79 points

Isle of Arran NAS (50%, OB, Port, “Cask Finish”, +/-2010)

The undiluted nose is fruity and rich backed by hints of bacon (!) and then some really good malt along with some slightly green herbaceous notes. A little hand warming merely makes the aromas bigger (and warmer) but not too much else emerges but it is quite nice none the less. Perhaps a little one dimensional?  With water the Arran malt pops out but the fruits never stray very far. The taste without water is very sweet and fruity, QUITE excellent! Cocoa, malt, hints of fruit cake, raisins, and strawberries. Oh, very nice and then quite dry, some of the malt pushes through after a short while. Hints of coconut and orange but they are late to the party but welcome none the less. With water it’s much smoother and quite nice, a good mix of the fruit and the malt. The finish is once again sweet and then malty while being quite big. It’s very warming and very long. The port really adds some welcome fruit to the finish; the malt is masked or muted. The finish is exceptionally long and after a number of minutes it’s still there working away. Quite Arran malty towards the end along with some lingering tobacco. A good 10 minutes later and the finish is still lingering…the malt has finally won.

Some water is welcome and the fruit aspect is very nice. Well done.

$77

Score 83 points

Isle of Arran NAS (50%, OB, Amarone, “Cask Finish”, +/-2010)

Shockingly pink, looks a lot like Bruichladdich Black Arts. Curious. The undiluted nose is of tinned fruit cocktail along with some hidden sour cherries and some honeyed malt. A little restrained perhaps. With some water it’s a bit mellower with some slight industrial notes. The undiluted taste is actually quite gentle for 50% and is quite dry. Hints of heather, lovage and pizza dough (just a hint) and some good malt. With some water things begin to look up considerably and all start puling together, this is really nice but the addition of some water is the key. The finish brings out some really good Fry’s unsweetened cocoa and some spicy wood notes, once again it’s very long and vibrant with the flavours all jostling for position. After a minute or two the Arran malt arrives and the finis ends on a high note. Some good chocolate too.

A it of a struggle here and there, all good notes but perhaps a little struggle to integrate them?

$77

Score 80 points

Isle of Arran 14yo (46%, OB, 2010)

The oldest officially released bottle of Arran to date and a mere step away from a 15yo…

The nose is very nice with some syrup from tinned peaches, some slight hints of leather or tobacco and some lovely malt but this is a much sweeter Isle of Arran on the nose. There is also some heather, fresh hay and then some nice oak spice.  The taste is …. Oh my, it’s very good. There are some very good sherry characteristics which are working very well with the malt. This is lovely whisky. A little bit of green pepper notes lurking in there too, this adds another dimension to the whole package. It is all very well integrated. The sherry has helped and has not dominated the whisky, enhanced to be precise (not to be confused with finishing). The finish is vibrant, peppery and malt along with some really very nice oak spice notes and then a  really quick moment of bitter cocoa and then pow! some sweet malt. A little lime chili in there also?

$76

Score 85 points

The horror! No Photo Available!!

Isle of Arran 10yo 1998/2009 (55.8%, for Victoria Single Malt Club, Sherry, C#374, 321 Bts.) 88 Points

A single cask bottling for a club! How exciting! The nose is at first blush sherried and malty however it must be a refill cask since the colour is indicative of this. There are also some herbaceous and malt dust notes which is very pleasant, quite a sensational nose. Oh well done clever people! With water a little coconut but it all holds together rather well. The taste is peppery, quite sweet, sherried and then a blast of dryness with a tinge of cocoa. It is really rather excellent. With water the pepper takes a back seat to sherry which opens up very nicely and it’s still quite dry but still very good. Lots of fruit, hints of leather and tobacco along with oak spice. The finish is cocoa, malt, pepper and hints of freshly cut hay, a little citrus and it’s very long and vibrant. About mid finish some really good malt shows up. It’s very chewy and quite excellent (apologies for the repetitive use of ‘excellent’).

A wonder dram from Isle of Arran distillery. Vibrant, complex, loads of flavour and…excellent. Malt and sherry, a match made in heaven. (Jim Murray scored this bottling 94 points and awarded it a Liquid Gold Award).

$100 +/-

Score 90 points

It looks like one of these...

Isle of Arran 11yo 1995/2007 (50%, Douglas Laing OMC, Sherry HHD, C#3931, 355 Bts.)

Another single cask Arran and also a sherried refill hogshead with more colour. The nose has more fruit and less malt however the malt is there lurking in the back ground but slightly closed. A little hand warming brings out even more of the rich fruit along with an ever so slight hint of roses and heather. Extremely pleasant. The taste is rich and warming, some really good sherry and then some hints of malt but this is some what muted when compared to other Arran. The sherry really takes over and it works quite well, hints of vanilla and white pepper along with some oak spice and chili? The finish is sweet and then suddenly quite dry and spicy for a while and then the sweet comes back. The finish is very long with some creaminess in the later stages and suddenly the characteristic Arran biscuity malt arrives…

$85

Score 88 points

Laphroaig 25yo (40%, OB, +/-2008)

“Farven Justeret Med Karamel” Oh, c’mon! Really?? It’s not necessary. “the most richly flavoured of all scotch whiskies. Part matured in the finest Oloroso sherry casks’ Oh really, then why the need for the KARAMEL?

 In any case the nose is gently peated with hints of tinned fruit in syrup and loads of unsweetened cocoa. The peat smoke is restrained and very good, it’s very seductive, a really good combination of cocoa and peat smoke. The taste is gentle at first and slightly dry but the flavour rises after a moment or two and then plateaus and becomes almost fizzy like. It’s very gentle, the 40% has really not helped but it’s still a very tasty whisky. The best moment is right after the first swallow which leads to another. There are even hints of some maritime and the hospital gauze so loved by many in other Laphroaig.  The finish is quite dry followed by the peat smoke but once again it is very gentle but still good but not brilliant. After a minute or so there is some good malt intermingled with the peat smoke which is gamely hanging on. After a few moments all that remains are peat and malt and some good dryness.

A restrained Laphroaig but still very, very good, not sure where the Oloroso got to however. Some what a kissing cousin of the Laphroaig 15yo in the box (not the tube) from many years ago. Both are some what restrained but still Laphroaig and still good.

C$700 in one Canadian market or £299 at the Whisky Exchange

Score 88 points

(Many thanks to Al & Maggie for this sample)

Dalwhinnie 18yo 1991/2008 (43%, OB, ‘Distillers Edition’, D. SP. 312)

A ‘double matured’ Dalwhinnie from the Classic Malts range. It’s always nice to see another Dalwhinnie…

The nose is slightly herbaceous at first followed by some green malt that struggles to emerge from beneath a blanket of sherry from the extra maturation in Oloroso casks. After some time in the glass the sherry takes over however the green malt is still lurking in the back ground along with the herbs and some vaguely rose water aromas. It’s pleasant. The taste is sherried (once again) along with some oak spice notes (cold unsweetened tea, old furniture cabinets – slightly dusty) but the extra maturation in the sherry casks has really worked a treat. The finish is much the same as previously described but now there is some sensational strawberry jam quickly followed by dry sherry and the rich cake along with some really good malt at the very end.

A bottling for those that really like sherry and some excellent casks were used to add another dimension to this excellent malt.

C$103

Score 88 points

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Glen Scotia 17yo (57.5%, SMWS, 93.36, Refill Butt, 329 Bts.)

A single cask bottling from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society without the addition of colouring or chill-filtration, the back label states “not for swigging, glugging or knocking back!” The front label also states “Refill butt – ex sherry” and some of you observant readers will know that butts are larger than 329 bottles and if you anxious about this please contact the Society for an explanation.

The nose is strong with rich fruitiness (dried raisins, dried cherries) along with some fruit cake with hints of Bovril, there’s a definite meatiness to the nose just behind the sherry. After a few minutes in the glass the meatiness dissipates to be replaced by black pepper and malt (which is a bit of a surprise) along with some muted oak spice. Time in the glass most definitely helps and after a few minutes it’s really starting to be very good. The taste is very vibrant and sherried along with the oak spice and hints of the malt along with more of the Christmas cake but then some dryness takes over. There are also some good coffee notes but these are very subtle. Perhaps a little waxiness in there also? Yes, a little. The finish is malty and dry at first and then the sherry muscles everything else aside. After a few moments there is a reversal of fortune and the malt comes tumbling back. The finish is very long and good.

It’s always nice to try another Glen Scotia and this is no exception.

US$125 (+/-)

Score 87

Kilchoman NAS (61.9%, OB for Kensington Calgary, Bourbon, C#119/07, 264 Bts., D’30/5/07, B’ 21/7/10)

A single cask bottling for Kensington Wine Mart Calgary and bottled at a slightly shocking 61.9% but without chill filtration or the addition of color.

The nose (undiluted) has some shades of the newest Ardbeg (Renaissance) and is quite strong along with some fragrance in the form of heather and grapefruit rind. It’s extraordinary aggressive on the nose. Things change significantly with the addition of water; deep, deep coal smoke and something burnt to a crisp lurking in the back ground. The taste undiluted is an open blast furnace of peat smoke and the fragrant notes with the malt in the back ground. After a moment or two the coal smoke takes over. A sample for peat heads for sure. With water the sweetness is a welcome embrace after being beat about the taste buds by the freaking undiluted temp tom macou of Islay. Ah, some REALLY good honeyed notes and really good chocolate malt and peat smoke. Perfection in the glass and hints of oiliness. Earthy. Like damp dunnage floors. Freshly cracked black pepper. The finish is strong, very vibrant, clean and head filling. The grapefruit rinds and malt are all tumbled together. It’s a really big finish and very, very long. It’ll be time for bed before this is over. Thank God for the addition of water other wise the peat would have sucked every ounce of moisture from the poor examiners fragile earthly vessel.

Big. Aggressive. Angry. Very Good.

$115

Score 87 points

The bottle looks much like this one....the box too.

Wemyss 5yo ‘Peat Chimney’ (40%, OB)

A young bottling from the independent bottler Wemyss Malts (pronounced weems). A blended malt (more than one distillery but only employing single malts in the mix) without chill filtration.

The nose is sweet (honeyed) at first with some green notes quickly followed by some gentle peat and hints of the ocean. The peat smoke is quite gentle but it is present and it is nice. There is also some hints of Weetabix and the green notes. The taste is good, warming, some peat smoke, fruit and hints of raisins followed by a good dollop of malt. There are also some good dry oak spice notes and a little bitter green something but this does not detract. The malt charges back after a few moments. The finish is slightly bitter, with peat smoke and some malt. The bitterness may be a bit much for some people however it quickly changes to a dryness. After a few minutes (perhaps 10) there is a really big blast of peated malt. Where did that come from??

Very old and very young at the same time, some what pulling in two directions at once, an interesting dram and a good one to share with friends (who know nothing of whisky and won’t be biased).

£23

Score 80

Visit Wemyss at www.w-v-m.com

Part VI of “No Age Statement Week”

Glenmorangie NAS Sonnalta (46%, OB, PX Sherry, +/-2009)

A Glenmorangie that has generated quite some excitement since it’s launch in 2009 with a primary maturation in ex-bourbon casks and then an extra maturation in ex-Pedro Ximenez casks.

The nose is lusciously sherried with the obligatory rich fruit cake, raisins along with a hint of clove and  dusted malt. It’s quite good and the richness of the PX works very well with the malt, there are even hints of the bourbon but they are merely hints, the PX is boss here. The taste is hints of tobacco/leather quickly followed by some really good rich dark sun dried fruits. This is excellent whisky and it is very well integrated. The sherry is really sensational, if there was some peat smoke in here…stop that! It’s sensational without peat smoke! The finish is malty (dusty), sherried and then some very dry notes, oak spice and then the fruit comes back. The finish is quite long and warming, the 46% really works. The interplay between the fruity notes from the PX and the Glenmorangie malt really is apparent in the finish.

What an enjoyable dram.

C$90

Score 87 points

Part V of “No Age Statement Week”

Kilchoman NAS 39.5 Months (46%, OB, ‘Spring Release 2010’)

Yet another No Age Statement (NAS) bottling from Kilchoman Distillery, come on chaps, it’s time you started with age statements…

The nose starts wafting out of the glass and is detectable from 12 inches away, coffee grounds and cold toast. Up close and personal there is peat smoke, hints of juniper, a little fragrant gin and then the peat smoke again. A little gentler on the nose than previous bottlings perhaps? Still very good none the less.  The taste is chocolate peated malt, burnt twigs and some more of the juniper (at first) but then it starts to grow and the peat smoke turns a little to reveal a peanut butter like characteristic along with some good malt. It tastes very good and after a moment or two the chocolate malt and peat are the dominant characteristics. The finish is chewy along with malt and the ever present peat smoke (with hints of the jumpier) and a sensational moment of dark chocolate bitterness. AND Liquorice.

Despite the lack of an age statement (you can’t hide forever chaps) it’s another cracker of a bottlings from Kilchoman Distillery.

C$80

Score 86 points

Visit Kilchoman Distillery at www.kilchomandistillery.com

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