Part IV of “No Age Statement  Week”

Mackmyra NAS Special ’03 (48.2%, OB, ‘Winter 09/10)

Small casks, big flavour it proclaims on the box of Svensk Single Malt Whisky using small 30 litre casks from three types of wood ex-sherry, ex-bourbon and new Swedish oak. From their two recipes proclaims the box.

The nose is strong and slightly perfumed followed by some dry…something…wood notes, oak spice, saw dust? Unsure however it is pleasant and not off putting and certainly different. Also roses and a hint of pot-pourri or herbs? A little hand warming intensifies the aromas and brings forth more wood notes. The small casks seem to have contributed  a significant amount. A single moment of raspberry jam. The taste is leathered and backed by tobacco along with pepper and then some malt sweetness and coal smoke. It’s good but perhaps the small casks have contributed a touch to much to the spirit? The finish is warming, long and quite fragrant. A touch of the pot-pourri and some juniper to go along with the pepper and finally some good malt. However after 5 minutes the finish turns a little unpleasant and is slighly dirty and bitter.

Either mildly confused or simply a new style. The addition of water does not change anything.

C$92

Score 78 points

Part III of “No Age Statement  Week”

Sullivans Cove NAS ‘Double Cask’ (40%, OB, Bourbon & Port Oak, +/- 2009)

A distillery that is on the southern edge of the world in Tasmania, Australia and made from Tasmanian barley and not coloured or chill filtered. A promising start.

The nose is clean and honeyed, the first impression is positive and pleasing and the honeyed characteristic grows and grows. It’s not overly aggressive however it is good. After a few minutes in the glass the honey changes to brown sugar (Demerara) with hints of malt. The taste is not overly honeyed at first, a little and then some malt which is quickly followed by some tobacco and leather, some hints of port wine and some barley plus chocolate. Simply lovely stuff. A tiny hints of heather wafts around in the back ground. The finish is leathered lychee (if such a thing existed) and then a big malt delivery. The finish is quite long and very good. A little pepper and a tiny bit of fizziness. After a few minutes the malt is really evident.

A very nice dram, well done.

C$75

Score 83 points

Visit Sullivans Cove at www.sullivanscovewhisky.com

Part II of “No Age Statement Week”

Kavalan NAS Solist ex-Sherry (58.5%,OB, C#So60703013, 592 Bts., B’ 15/0/2009)

From the newest distillery on Taiwan The King Car I-Lan Distillery (The King Car Food Industrial Company Ltd). A single cask bottling. Taiwan has a very high average temperature so the maturation and evaporation rates are similar to what Amrut experiences.

The color is very dark with red highlights. The nose is mildly sour and very rich, sour plums and a hint of NutraSweet (artificial sweetener, aspartame) and the obligatory Christmas cake however this is some what muted behind the other two descriptors. With the addition of a little water it drops off the edge of a cliff leaving behind the NutraSweet. The taste on the undiluted sample is quite gentle for 58.5% but it does grow, the Christmas cake is still very present along with some slight hints of marmite. Definitely more one dimensional when compared to the ex-bourbon cask which is significantly more complex. The diluted sample is creamy and very, very sherried and hold together very, very and is really very good. The finish is VERY long, very dry with loads of oak spice, some malt, fruit, Christmas cake but quite dry. Later moments of diesel. Excellent!

Nose this sample neat and drink with a few drops of water (but not too much) and it you love sherried whiskies this is for you. Very much like Aberlour a’bunadh in some regards.

C$125

Score 88 points

Many thanks to Thomas C for arranging for this sample. Visit Kavalan Distillery at www.kavalanwhisky.com

Part I of “No Age Statement Week”

Kavalan NAS Solist ex-Bourbon (58.8%, OB, C#B070611009, 196 Bts., B’ 19/08/2009)

From the newest distillery on Taiwan The King Car I-Lan Distillery (The King Car Food Industrial Company Ltd). A single cask bottling. Taiwan has a very high average temperature so the maturation and evaporation rates are similar to what Amrut experiences.

The nose (undiluted) is of barley sugar, pears, tinned fruit cocktail and some dusty malt. A very good collection of aromas and yes, it does smell of whisky and very much in the Scottish style. With water it opens up to reveal more of the dusty malt and is very reminiscent of an Cnoc or BenRiach from ex-bourbon casks. The after a moment or two barley sugar emerges. The diluted taste is an immediate departure from Scotland but is still very good, after a moment it returns to form with some tobacco and the malt. The barley sugar is muted. The undiluted taste is strong with loads of black pepper and ginger and the fruit cocktail form the aroma. The finish is mouth smacking good with the malt and fruit tumbling over each other; it’s very long and at the tail end a little chocolate emerges but it’s quite slight. The malt emerges after some time and some what later  very dry notes emerge.

What a great dram, aggressive and vibrant with loads of flavour. Better with a few drops of water; it opens up.

C$125

Score 85 points

Many thanks to Thomas C for arranging for this sample. Visit Kavalan Distillery at www.kavalanwhisky.com

Bowmore 12yo (40%, OB, +/-2009)

On the nose there are initial moments of greenness and hints of immaturity; green malt, split peas, palm olive sap and pine resin.  After a few minutes in the glass this changes to a sweeter sample along with malt and now finally some hints of peat smoke (& hints of charred damp firewood). A bit of a wobbly start. The taste is significantly better than the nose and is quite delicious. Good thing defeat was not recognised on the nose or the taste would have been missed. The peat smoke is now nicely intertwined with some dry cocoa, malt and wood spice. There is also some malt and hints of herbs. Nice. Actually very good. This is not a huge Islay but an Islay none the less. Sometimes a more gentle whisky is called for; no need to be beat about the head with the proverbial peat bog all the time. The finish is easy going like the nose and the taste but now the peat is backed by some grapefruit (a bit of bitter and sweet citrus). The peat is starting to rise and is becoming much more dominant. It is long and very good. A late arrival of some black pepper and then a huge dollop of malt.

A great dram to share with a friend.

C$48

Score 86

Bowmore 15yo Darkest (43%, OB, New presentation, +/-2009)

To be sure a splendid ‘darkest’ colour and the back label “Bowmore Sherry Cask Finished” however there is no mention of non chill filtered or the addition of spirit caramel so one is forced to arrive at the inevitable conclusion of chill filtration and the addition of colour. The nose is Islay; peat smoke and combined very nicely with sweet sherry notes. When sherry and peat combine it can be sublime. There are also hints of heather and coffee in the back ground; quite light. There is also a combination of malt and fruit cake which contribute to the rich heady aromas. The taste is of peat smoke, sherry and malt. It is clean and vibrant and very good. The peat smoke and the sherry are the big contributors here and the malt is the out of town cousin in for the weekend. All work very well together; there are also tinges of the heather and maybe some gentle rose water. All in all very good. The finish is malty and of peat smoke that quickly becomes quite dry. It is reasonably long and then becomes dry and peaty. Nice.

This is nice, a good dram from Bowmore.

C$83

Score 85

Bowmore 18yo (43%, OB, New presentation, +/-2009)

No mention of ‘no chill filtration or added color’ so one is forced to assume the worst. None the less on the nose there is gentle peat smoke and some slight hints that are vegetal but this quickly dissipates to give way to more of the peat smoke which is some spices like clove and nutmeg. These last two are gentle and not over powering. There is also some citrus in the form of oranges and some hints of the ocean plus some black liquorice. So far so good. The taste is very good, cocoa, peat smoke, the citrus and then some spice from the oak. Ah well, this is really nice whisky. There is also some wafts of heather and juniper intermingled with the peat smoke. A moment of freshly cut melon and the gentle peat smoke. The finish is vibrant, fruity and the ever present peat smoke is very much in evidence. The finish is warming, consistent and long; peat smoke and now some cocoa. A very nice finish.

Bingo! This is awesome stuff. Well done Bowmore.

C$105

Score 89 points

Bowmore 16yo 1992/2008 (53.5%, OB, ‘Limousin Bordeaux Wine Cask Matured’)

The first maturation was in ex-American bourbon barrels and there remained for 6 years for the final 10 years in Limousin Bordeaux Wine Casks. The color is a rich reddish shade. The nose is of peat and brine accompanied with brown Demerara sugar and loads of fruit (a mixture of berries and tree fruit – warmed apples). The peat takes on a sweet characteristic after a while in the glass with hints of vanilla. The aroma is very rich and very pleasing. The taste is much as the nose; loads of peat smoke and fruit backed by the fruit, vanilla and vanilla. After a moment or two there is the appearance of some dryness and cocoa along with some creamy Red River cereal. That was unexpected but it adds to the over all flavour. The finish is peaty and then malty which becomes very dry very quickly. The finish is long and rich with the malt and the dryness working well together. After 10 minutes some Fry’s cocoa appears.

A departure from the norm for Bowmore however this is not a quick ‘finish’ and the 10 years in the Limousin oak has added depth and character.

C$99

Score 87

Bowmore NAS Companions of the Quaich Canada 2000-2010 (54.6%, OB ‘Craftsman Collection’, 3,000 Bts.)

A special bottling to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the founding of the Companions of the Quaich www.thequaich.com . Normally this bottling “Maltmen’s Selection” is exclusive to the distillery however they made an exception for the Companions and bottled 300 bottles with a commemorative back label which were quickly picked up by the members. As an aside the box is really nice and lined with a velvet like material with a snug lid; quite suitable for burying small house hold pets should the need arise.

The color is quite dark with some nice ruby highlights however the nose is big and assertive and very Bowmore at first. While it still remains very Bowmore-ish (which is good) there is also peat and some lemon along with some more peat (just a turn above gentle and some what below aggressive but there is a duality to the peat level; sometimes it’s gentle and some times it’s not.) and then toffee mixed with heather. Finally there is some Christmas cake and clove. My goodness, quite a complex sample! The Christmas cake has an almost over sweetness verging on cloying (however this isn’t a complaint). The taste is warming, peated and very dry, very active and a slight fizziness along with a cream soda like taste and, oddly, grapefruit. There are also hints of malt and herbs. It’s a big whisky and very good, what a grand selection. Ah, a moment of brine in amongst the other descriptors. Black Java pepper. The finish is creamy, peated and warming, there are also hints of Oxo cubes and then the dryness after a while. After a few minutes some vague hospital almond bitterness pops up (if this makes any sense).

Very complex and loads of nice peat smoke intermingled in with everything else.

C$120

Score 87 Points

Visit Bowmore Distillery at www.bowmore.com

Aberlour 10yo (43%, OB, +/-2008)

Please note that in higher tax markets such as the UK and some parts of Europe that the 10yo standard bottling is normally available at 40% ABV while the North American bottling is available at 43% ABV, a difference of +/-7%.

The nose is clean with fruit, vanilla, caramel and a significant amount of oak notes in the form of alcohol infused cold tea and apricot. A little hand warming brings out more of the same however intensified with the addition of a little citrus and malt. After some time in the glass it opens up to reveal some increased sweetness. The taste is malty backed by bourbon notes, some sherry sweetness along with some raw tobacco and leather. Despite the 43% it is not an aggressive mouth feel and the spicy wood notes grow in complexity. It’s very tasty whisky! The finish is long with bitter dark chocolate, the oak spiciness and is quite dry and is, like the taste, quite complex. After a number of minutes there is still some chewy malt present…

A cracker of a malt with lots going on and a good value as well.

$49

Score 86 Points

Aberlour 10yo (43%, OB, ‘Sherry Cask Finish’, +/-2008)

An unusual departure for the Aberlour distillery in that their 10yo has been finished in a sherry cask(s) for an undisclosed period of time. And a bit of a secret itself since it’s only available in France, the Whisky Exchange in London and rumored to also be available at the distillery. The core range for Aberlour features the 10yo, 10yo Sherry Cask Finish, the 12yo Double Cask Matured, the 16yo Double Cask Matured and the 18yo.

The nose is rich and creamy along with some good fruit in the form of light Christmas cake, warm banana (hints of), pear and then hints of heather. There is some added complexity over the standard 10yo (which is hardly a shock, finishing is done for extra complexity). The taste is richer in the mouth and smoother than the standard 10yo and the turbo fruit boost from the sherry casks is a nice addition. The pears really jump out and the raw tobacco and leather are muted below the sherry. There is also some really good malt lurking in there. Nice. The finish is much like the standard 10yo and is quite dry however this does not last very long as the fruit takes over and offers a calming influence. The finish is quite long and fragrant but the malt has been slightly muted as compared to the standard 10yo, more fruit however.

Another excellent single malt from Aberlour; perhaps we’ll this version more widely available. But for pities sake keep the 43%!

£49

Score 88 points

It's the two bottles on the LEFT! <---- <-----

No! It's the TWO on the left!!!

Balblair NAS 1989 (43%, OB, +/-2010) 

The 2nd edition 1989 batch made up of 37 casks of 2nd fill ex-bourbon.

The nose is of tinned fruit cocktail & hints of vanilla, syrup,  and pears. Once again an extremely pleasing collection of aromas that work well together. After some time in the glass a little tobacco comes through (cured but not lit). The taste delicious! Oak notes and sweetness all backed by a little tobacco & a hint of citrus hovering in the back ground. The 2nd sip confirms the 1st & still very good the extra oompf from the wood notes adds another dimension. Dusty malt and tobacco backed by some fruit (pineapple or grapefruit). The finish the wood notes 1st, then the sweet fruit in syrup and then malt & the tobacco notes delicious! The finish is quite long & very good, very complex, active certainly NOT a boring dram, exceptional.

Another cracker from Balblair.

£44

Score 89

Visit Balblair Distillery at www.balblair.com

Glen Elgin 25yo 1984/2010 (46.5%, Dewar Rattray for Co-op Calgary, Hogshead, C#2858, 243 bts., D’01/11/81 B’ 07/06/2010)

Another single cask offering from A. Dewar Rattray, the independent bottlers and this time another bottling for the Co-op Wines & Spirits in Calgary, Alberta. Remember the excellent 42yo Tamdhu bottled for them? No? Check out http://tinyurl.com/Co-op-Tamdhu42yo

The nose (undiluted) is initially a little closed but what does emerge is some fine malt and very light sweetness with hints of clotted cream and tablet. With more time in the glass it opens to reveal more of the malt (dusty now, like sticking your head into a malting floor after it’s just been swept up). There is also some faint pleasant aromas of heather and leather. The nose diluted falls way a little so don’t add any water, it’s just a smidge over 46% in any case. The taste is extremely nice, beautiful intermingling of the sweetness from the tablet, some vibrancy and the heather all backed by the cocoa  wood notes. Gentle, pleasing and warming. With water there is much more honey, some Honey dew melon and some of the heather. Don’t add too much.  The finish is malty, pear, apple and then after a short while some really good cocoa dryness takes over and then fades away. It’s quite long but not overly assertive or aggressive; just right.

What a great dram! Well done, another great selection.

$ un determined at this point (many thanks to Jonathan Bray of Purple Valley Imports for the sample).

Score 88 points

Visit A. Dewar Rattray at www.dewarrattray.com

Glendronach 15yo (52.2%, OB for Kensington Calgary, PX, C#1410, 682 Bts., D 10/03/’95 B 08/2010)

Another exclusive single cask bottling for Kensington Wine Mart in Calgary, Canada under the expert guidance of Andrew Ferguson ‘the scotch guy’ and this time a Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon. Non chill filtered and bottled at natural colour.

The color is very dark with rich red highlights, the nose is very rich with a fragrant back ground, rich fruit cake, dark rum soaked plump raisins, over ripe apples and strawberry jam. The fragrance arrives in the form of heather and pink grapefruit. Extremely pleasant and luxurious. The wood notes arrive after a few minutes in the glass in the form of oak spice and some red cedar. The taste is sherried (whoo hoo!) and then lots of very oak spice notes and a very, very rich creaminess which after a few moments turns to a dried tobacco like richness that is quite rare in single malts, very much the oak influence here and quite sensational. Also some clove, resin, linseed and…. Ooof, it’s very nice. The finish is warming, long and fragrant once again. The wood notes are once again very prevalent and it’s quite dry however this is good. There is also some later moments of honey (but not domestic honey) but wild honey.

Yet another cracker from Kensington Wine Mart.

$115

Score 89 points

SAMPLE IMAGE

Balblair NAS 2000 (43%, OB, 2010)

A brand new bottling due to be released into the UK market (Please see the press release above for full details). Quite pale in colour however the nose is quite the opposite with some vibrant and slightly aggressive malt backed by citrus and green apples followed by different malt style which is quite sweet and honeyed. Also some cut grass and black pepper. After some time in the glass it starts to open up and the sweetness changes to brown sugar but still the fruit is present along with some hints of leather. Sour cherries tussle with the malt. What an excellent collection of aromas, they work very well together. The taste is quite different from the nose (at first) but still strong with lots more emphasis on the malt and the oak/wood spice notes; the leather (and now tobacco) is more evident and the fruit has taken a back seat. It’s delicious. Perhaps now some toasted malt and crusty bread. After a short while some of the fruit (sour cherries & green apples) peak back from behind the curtain. The finish is malty leather and slight tobacco followed by more malt and it’s very nice, VERY long, slightly warming and then all of a sudden the fruit returns. After a few minutes the malt is the dominant characteristic and it’s still very good. Quite sensational actually.

What a grand dram, well done!

£32

88 points