Bunnahabhain 12yo (46.3%, OB, 2010)

The new presentation for the Islay distillery and wisely now bottled at 46.3% and “un-chillfiltered” and with the ‘natural colour (no spirit caramel added). The higher bottling strength and the lack of chill filtration are significant move in the right direction and demonstrated that they have been listening to their customers. This is worth saying 3 times…

The nose is honeyed with rich warmed apricots, fruit cake and some Oxo cubes in the back ground. There are some good wood spice in the form of a little hessian and cinnamon, it’s quite fragrant. The heaviness of the Oxo cubes and the warmed fruit are a little more assertive and with time the Oxo cubes win. It’s a significantly richer aroma and some what not very typical of Islay whiskies (no peat). The taste is warming, rich and assertive with lots of wood notes in the form of bees wax, bitter cold tea, the hessian and cinnamon. There is also some fragrant heather and chocolate notes. Significantly there is a lack of peat (which does not detract) and the honey notes on the nose are over taken by the wood notes. It’s very nice and quite dry. The finish is long warming and quite dry with all the afore mentioned notes present but the wood notes are quite evident and once again it all works; it’s a great finish.

A change from previous bottlings, the lack of chill filtration, higher bottling strength of 46.3% plus the lack of caramel to dull the taste has produced a very vibrant example.

£27

Score 87 points

Visit Bunnahabhain Distillery at www.bunnahabhain.com

Ledaig 10yo (46.3%, OB, 2010)

The new presentation for the Isle of Mull distillery Tobermory; Ledaig is their peated single malt is called now bottled at 46.3% and “un-chillfiltered”. The higher bottling strength and the lack of chill filtration are significant move in the right direction and demonstrated that they have been listening to their customers.

The nose is indeed ‘wonderfully peated’ as the label states; coal smoke, distant creosote train ties and ocean washed beaches (not low tide) along with some really good spice in the back ground. Very nice and a little different from Islay peat smoke, a little more akin to some of the better peated whiskies from Speyside. A late arrival of a little citrus adds to the whole collection of aromas and nicely ties them together. The taste is strong, warming and very peated; very different from Islay peat, it is consistent in this regard. There is also some malt (heavily toasted), lots of dark chocolate and lemon citrus (think of lemon zest). The malt grows in stature and the whole package is very good. The finish is of toast, malt and then the peat smoke with the lemon taking a back seat to the other characteristics. It is a long finish and it is good; some late surfacing of the malt in lock step with the peat smoke.

It’s really good. A small amount of shock at the dramatic change from previous bottlings of Ledaig. No complaints and lots to be happy about. Well done!

£29

Score 84 points

Visit Tobermory Distillery at http://www.tobermorymalt.com/

Tobermory 10yo (46.3%, OB, 2010)

The new presentation for the Isle of Mull distillery and wisely now bottled at 46.3% and “un-chillfiltered”. The higher bottling strength and the lack of chill filtration are significant move in the right direction and demonstrated that they have been listening to their customers.

The nose has a depth and heaviness to it right away with some richness and sweetness working well together. There is also lime, vanilla, wood spice, fruit cake (not Christmas cake), warm bananas with buttered brown Demerara sugar. This is very nice so far and still has other oak notes and some cold unsweetened black tea. The taste is lemony (like the icing on a lemon cake) along with some sherbet fizziness along with the oak spice and the heaviness (think of brandy and coal) and in the back ground some smoke is just identifiable which gives added depth to the whole taste. The finish is malty (finally!) and then the lemon zestiness along with some bitter dark chocolate and it’s very long, the malt struggles back from behind the lemon and bitter dark chocolate but never actually dominates.

This is a dramatic improvement over the previous Tobermory 10yo (in the dumpy green bottle with the name stenciled on with white paint). However the lemon zestiness might be too much for some people but others will love it. A great summer time dram and appreciated here.

£27

Score 81 points

Visit Tobermory Distillery at http://www.tobermorymalt.com/

Laphroaig 25yo 1984/2009 (51%, OB, Oloroso & American Oak Casks)

A gentle nose filled with peat smoke and iodine, the ocean and some simply beautiful wood spice all back with brandy, coal smoke (not too much), cocoa and toffee. The higher alcohol is simply not evident; it is all a grand collection of aromas. Time in the glass allows the cocoa and the peat smoke to evolve together working well with the toffee/honey sweetness (but not overly sweet).  Simply sensational. With a small splash of water the nose opens up and becomes a little more accessible with a little coal smoke. The taste is warming, vibrant with some really excellent peat smoke and Fry’s cocoa along with some oak spice (a tinge of red cedar too?). Wonderful. Concentration has been lost…another sip is needed… The taste with water (just a touch) is much as before however the smokey characteristics and a little lemon are a little more pronounced. The finish is a mix of sweet and sour quickly followed by the peat smoke and cocoa which both head towards the horizon like trains tracks. After a few minutes some really good malt slowly emerges. The finish carries on forever. At the final stages some chocolate is detected.

Simply outstanding. A commonality with the whole line from the Quarter cask to the 18yo is quite evident. Shockingly good. It’s no wonder is Laphroaig one of the great distilleries…and deservedly so.

$550 and worth every penny.

Score 93 points

www.laphroaig.com

Laphroaig 25 Year Old

Highland Park 15yo 1994/2009 (52.6%, OB, Earl Magnus, 5,976 Bts.)

The nose undiluted is citrusy backed by some solid toffee and right in the back some smoke. After a few minutes in the glass some heather and lighter notes make an appearance however with more time in the glass the smoke begins to build (not the way an Islay whisky present smoke; this is significantly subtler). Deep in the glass there are some sherry wine characters however this soon changes to reveal oak notes (leather and tobacco). The sample is continually changing in the glass. It’s very nice and very multifaceted. A splash of water brings out more of the citrus (think of lemon pound cake with the white icing) and a little mor of the leather. The taste undiluted is of smoke and leather and oak and pepper, syrupy in the mouth and very delicious. After a few moments black unsweetened tea notes emerge along with hints of the heather and some thing herbaceous. With water it is considerably tamed but still very nice and more like the other bottles in the Highland park line up (12-18yo). The finish is strong, warming citrusy and everything wafts through your senses; after a few minutes some malt emerges, it’s a very pleasant finish. The finish also alters with water and a waft more of the smoke comes out along with some lemon scented malt.

Don’t rush it, there is an extraordinary amount going on in the glass.

C$225

Score 88 points

Dalmore Mackenzie 1992/2009 (46%, OB, 3,000 Bts.)

Matured in American white oak for 11 years and the transferred to port pipes from Oporto for a further 6 years. The nose very rich with fruit cake, warm marmalade, raisins and cherries (just off the tree, deep red and very sweet).  There are also hints of marzipan, bees wax, crushed pecan shells and clove and nutmeg. Additionally there are traces of fragrant heather and grapefruit rind oil. A lot is going on in the glass! It’s extremely nice to nose. The taste is initially sweet followed by some green notes (cereals, barley, and malt dust etcetera), the port and then a big burst of coffee, cocoa and the crushed walnut shells. This is good whisky. The interplay between the green notes, the coffee cocoa and the port maturation is quite striking but they work well together. The finish is big filled with lots of unsweetened cocoa and the malty notes. It is unwavering and very long. Lots to chew on and dwell about.

Some what unusual however very good.

$225

Score 85 points

For complete information on the Dalmore Mackenzie please visit:
https://www.whiskyintelligence.com/2010/03/introducing-the-dalmore-mackenzie-scotch-whisky-news/

Death of the Stag

Port Ellen 24yo 1979/2003 (57.3%, OB, ‘Annual Release, 9,000 Bts.)

The 3rd annual release by the owners and long since snapped up by collectors and the from a closed distillery. The nose has hints of peat smoke and juniper, heather, honey and cocoa (however not a tremendous amount, simply a waft or two). The peat smoke is not assertive and dominant but well integrated with the various aromas and the combination of the team work makes for a terrific whisky experience. A little hand warming merely intensifies the afore mentioned descriptors. The taste is strong and peated however it is also very honeyed with a good backing from the juniper along with some black pepper and chilies. It’s sensational and port Ellen at its best. If they knew what the distillery was capable of would they have closed it? The finish is gently peated with the juniper and the honey; this is proving to be a bit of a broken record but it all points to a very well balanced whisky. The peat smoke and the honey are present for quite a while and at the latter stages some really good malt and cocoa put in an appearance. Further down the road some coal smoke arrives mixed with malt; like scooping a handful of malted peated barley right from the kiln.

There didn’t seem to be any point to adding water…it’s ill disciplined but enough is as good as a feast as they say..sensational whisky.

$325

or £250.00 at the Whisky Exchange http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-4261.aspx

Score 93 points

The fifth and last in series of Scotch whisky reviews this week that feature samples from 24 years of age to 41 years of age.

Sample Bottle

 

 

Tomatin 30yo (43%, Classic Cask, +/- 2005)

A single cask bottling for “The Classic Cask” and imported into the USA by Spirit Imports which are the same nice people who operate the Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America. The nose is spirity at first but this quickly evolves a very nicely fragrant collection of aromas; heather, roses and some light pine. Then there is a good back ground of resin, coffee grounds (cold & not espresso but American standard or institutional grind), there’s also some good oak spice and vanilla. After 30 years the oak has not dominated the aroma. The taste is vibrant, spicy and solid with some good wood notes from the oak contributing very well to the taste. There is also some tinned tree fruit and toffee but the later is merely an accompaniment rather than dominant. The spice is really very nice and there is something akin to mildly smoked ham or even smoke honey. In any case it helps out nicely. The finish is spicy, fruity and long and after a short while some really excellent cocoa and malt comes crashing to the fore.

What an excellent dram! The down side of single cask bottlings; there’s only a finite quantity available.

$225

89 points.

The fourth in series of Scotch whisky reviews this week that feature samples from 24 years of age to 41 years of age.

Glenfarclas 41yo 1966/2008 (48.1%, SMWS, 1.141, 157 Bts.)

Another excellent opportunity to sample a bottling from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society and an elder Glenfarclas too. Once again a Society bottle indicates ‘Cask- Refill Hogshead – ex Bourbon’ so if you have any questions about this combination of casks, address them to the Society.  The undiluted nose is sensational. One is tempted to go no further and nose this for a period however discipline must be maintained. There is both fruit and dusty malt intermingled with ‘old’; wooden musical instruments, hints of clove and quite a bit of vibrancy. Rich cake laced with lots and lots of booze. There are also some hints of cocoa with hints of red chilies (spicy).  With water it holds together nicely however it is better at cask strength. The taste is citrusy with sweetness, the afore mentioned booze soaked cake, some hints of leather and cedar, a little bees wax and a syrupy mouth feel after a moment of two. The taste continues to evolve and it’s very rich and very good. Late arrival of orange and tinned fruit.  Sensational. With water it sweetens considerably and while still very good it is not the vibrant dram as when sampled without water. However it’s still very good. The finish is slightly muted at first but them the cocoa, chilies and orange comes racing back followed by some dryness (but not too much). Again the finish is pleasing, not overly bitter or overly sweet but just right. Some later arrival of oak notes. The finish is very long and after some time there are hints of malt and more of the oak notes.

Sincere thanks to Jane and Tony for this excellent example of Glenfarclas. What a treat.

$ unknown

Score 90 points

New Bottle Style

The third in series of Scotch whisky reviews this week that feature samples from 24 years of age to 41 years of age.

Dallas Dhu 26yo 1979/2006 (58.2%, MMcD Mission Gold, Bourbon / Marsanne, Guigal St. Joseph Blanc Casks, 240 Bts.)

Another single malt from a closed distillery (intact and a whisky making museum but not producing) with an extraordinary provenance; distilled in Speyside, matured at an undisclosed location, matured in ex American bourbon casks, enhanced in Guigal St. Joseph Blanc Casks and finally bottled at Bruichladdich in 2006. However the provenance is not complete; “Not coloured, Not Chill Filtered, Casks Selected by Jim McEwan and cask Strength’. Well. The color is deep red but with a slight pinkish hue, almost a ruby red. The nose is strong with cold unsweetened black tea, lashings of brown Demerara sugar and Christmas cake. This is doing an excellent impersonation of a whisky matured in a really good sherry cask. Extraordinary. Are Bourbon/Marsanne, Guigal St. Joseph Blanc Casks the alternative expensive sulphur tainted sherry butts? Not likely, but it does give pause as it was so unexpected. (Just source some good sherry butts). After some time in the glass some fragrant notes emerge, juniper and heather. The taste is strong and then very dry, however some sweetness emerges along with some Amontillado sherry notes (the creaminess that comes from this type of sherry) along with some depth in the form walnut shells, linseed oil and clove. This is quite complex with layers of flavour. One is forced to conclude that the ‘distillery character’ has been obliterated but it’ a fine dram if you can move past that point. The finish is more of the Amontillado sherry notes and then a blast of oak spice and black pepper before leveling off to sweetness and some more dryness. The finish is long and good. A late arrival of the cold unsweetened black tea and finally, finally some really good black liquorice.

Well worth the experience. A special thanks to Dr. Jane Cameron for this generous gift.

$unknown

Score 89

Sample Image

 The second in series of Scotch whisky reviews this week that feature samples from 24 years of age to 41 years of age.