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.

Caol Ila 25yo 1979/2005 (58.4%, OB) Bottle #4332

A limited edition bottled 5 years ago at cask strength (but no hint of the total number of bottles) and not to be confused with the current Caol Ila 25yo which is bottled at 43%. The undiluted nose is varnish and peat smoke, smoked banana, sour cherries, orange honey and hints of cinnamon. It’s very rich. With water it immediately becomes sweeter; toffeed and mildly over ripe fruit. It’s significantly more vibrant without water. The undiluted taste is good, sublime, peat smoke, sweetness (toffee) and then for good measure some more of the same. Exceptional taste undiluted but strong, be prepared! There are hints of malt and something vaguely maritime. Caol smoke and light tar. Very nice. The undiluted taste is not the same whisky at all however it is still enjoyable. Mellower and gentler. Sweeter but no off notes pop up. Ground black pepper. The finish is long, very strong, head filling, lashing of cocoa laced peat smoke, lime and then coal smoke drenched malt. Warming and extremely enjoyable.

An excellent Caol Ila and a bonus at cask strength.

£150.00  at the Whisky Exchange http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-1627.aspx

Score 87 points

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

Glen Garioch 12yo (48%, OB, +/-2009)

The new Glen Garioch sporting a new bottle, a new label, a newly formulated whisky (sherry & bourbon), a higher ABV and a distinct lack of a stag on the label, just a spring of barley; what a bloody shame! In any case as consolation to the traditionalists there’s some tartan on the box and on an up note it’s not chill filtered.

The nose is distinctly loamy at first however this starts to dissipate soon to be over taken by green hay, barley dust and then some aromas from the solvent & floral (Fragrant) section of the flavour wheel in the form of alfalfa, coconut and then mildly damp card board. There’s a real tug of war between the solvent/floral and the malty characteristics. Enough! On to the taste which is VERY nice and more solid Highland in style however there are some green notes lurking in the back ground. Not a hint of smoke (nor was this expected) however the gentle floral and the malt work very well together to…oh wait! Some citrus in the form of oranges and then some brown sugar. Despite the weight in some areas there are really good and surprising moments of lightness. It’s good. The finish is big, mouth filling and the higher alcohol is still evident as are the afore described flavours along with some nice dry oak notes. It’s very, very long and quite nice. After 10 minutes there’s a great malt moment out of the blue.

With water it is flattened out, don’t add any water, just suck it up at the higher strength buttercup, you can do it. Certainly a much more assertive dram than the wonderful prior bottlings but bring the stag back on the label you Muppets!  

C$65

Score 86 points

Visit Glen Garioch at www.glengarioch.com

History, heritage and location

The story of BenRiach – ‘the Hill of the Red Deer’, is typical of the great Speyside distilleries. Built in 1898, the distillery is sited amongst the rolling barley fields that rise to the foothills of the Grampian mountains. The barley used in crafting the whisky was grown around the distillery and the water was, and still is, drawn through the rock that lies deep below the distillery.The barley harvested from the fields surrounding the distillery would be spread across the floors of the malting loft to germinate. Peat, cut from the hills, fired the kiln and produced the heat required to control the germination process, and the distinctive peat scented smoke would be seen curling upwards from the malting chimneys throughout the year.

The distillery manager would oversee the slow and deliberate crafting process of BenRiach whisky – managing the transformation from malted barley to wash, to distilled spirit and into high quality oak casks, in which the whisky would then mature. This was the beginning of the BenRiach story.

From www.benriachdistillery.co.uk

BenRiach 23yo 1986/09 (56.1%, OB, Binny’s/PLOWED, Peated/Pedro Ximinez Finish, 314 Bts., C#3182)

A single cask bottled for Binny’s Chicago and selected by the PLOWED Society from a peated hogs head and finished in Pedro Ximinez casks. The nose is of peat smoke and a myriad of deep rich dark fruit and Christmas cake along with some hints of diesel and coal smoke. All in all a very good combination. Also sherry, hints of nutmeg and raisins. The taste is peated, woody (& hints of char) and once again the fruit is much in evidence however there is some dryness and this over takes the other characteristics some what but this does not detract. This is very good. The finish is warming, syrupy and dark raisiny sweet along with some super dry oaky moments with a back ground of white chocolate. It is quite long and consistent.

Very well balanced and a good combination of peat smoke and the Pedro Ximinez sherry and great depth.  The BenRiach character has vanished however but no matter as this is very nice.

US$170 at www.binnys.com

Score 85 points

Amrut NAS ‘Double Cask’ (46%, OB, C# 2874 & 2273, 306 Bts.,2010)

Two casks of Amrut single malt married together; the oldest whiskies ever bottled by Amrut and in the process of maturation they lost a staggering 60% to the angels. Lucky there was anything to bottle. The Ex-Bourbon casks were filled on 27-02-2003 (Cask Number 2874) and 25-07-2002 (Cask Number 2273) and finally bottled 27-02-2010 which resulted in just 306 bottles at 46%.

The nose is heavy and rich; loam, earthy, forest floor with big sweetness, tinned fruit cocktails or tinned pears in syrup. There is also a tussle between some grapefruit notes and lychee. Most definitely a duality defined by the floral and the honey aspect of the flavour wheel. It has characteristics that are reminiscent of age; there is some good depth here. There’s also the Amrut character, happy to see that the time in the cask(s) has not obliterated it. With more time in the glass the sample comes together. The taste is spicy and has loads of wood notes but is extremely vibrant; it has definitely NOT been dulled by the Bangalore heat. After a moment or two the tinned fruits come smashing through the oak spice and the sample reveals its sweeter side. Good interplay between the two. Hints of Juniper add some dimension. The finish is a blast of the oak and then sour cherries and dark chocolate laced with red chili flakes. After a moment or two some sweet dessert wine notes make an appearance. The finish is long and vibrant. Not a dull dram indeed.

She wears her age with grace.

$125

Score 86 Points

Visit Amrut Distillery at www.amrutdistilleries.com

And for more information on Amrut Double Cask visit: https://www.whiskyintelligence.com/2010/02/amrut-single-malt-whisky-%e2%80%98double-cask%e2%80%99-bottling-indian-whisky-news/

Isle of Arran NAS (57%, OB, “100 Proof”, +/- 2009)

From the back label “Due to non-chill filtration, this whisky may turn cloudy when exposed to low temperatures. This is perfectly normal. The absence of chill filtration in this product does result in a more full – bodied and flavoursome single malt.”

The nose is strong with hints of fragrant heather and roses (also slight hints of Balsamic vinegar) followed by some good malt and barley dust, fruit and chocolate (white). Tinges of citrus and some back ground sweetness. With time in the glass it opens to reveal more of the malty back bone. With water there is a natural gravitation to an increase in sweetness and more the of the characteristic Arran biscuity malt. It also went slight cloudy (which is perfectly natural). Very pleasant. The undiluted taste is strong but good; there’s some aggressive moments here but quite the ride. After a short while the fruit and malt come to the fore and are very good. This is excellent! There is also something to smoke. Which is curious. The diluted taste is much more gentle and sweeter; honey and malt but still lots of evidence of the crispness and it doesn’t fall apart. It is still very nice. The finish is malty with some white wine like notes along with the white chocolate, some black pepper and some really nice oak spice. The finish is long and unwavering and once again does not fall apart. An excellent finish.

Quite the dram, very enjoyable. Water offers another equally enjoyable aspect to this whisky. Perhaps due to the NAS there is some vibrancy of a youthful whisky?

C$85

Score 88 Points

Macallan 18yo (43%, OB, -/-2009)

“Exclusively Matured In Selected Sherry Oak Casks From Jerez, Spain” On the nose there is Christmas cake, toffee, plump brandy soaked raisins and fruit cake. There are also loads of sherry and hints of cinnamon, heather and clove with oak notes in the back ground. A very nice collection of aromas that work well together. The taste is strong at first with sherry and cocoa along with the wood notes and the Christmas cake. Spicy. Loads of sherry, this is a big sherries dram and quite so. The finish is once again of sherry and the oak, it’s long and sweet at first but the finish soon changes to dryness and some hints of malt pop up. A really nice finish to be sure.

A big sherried whisky to be sure with good depth.

C$250

Score 87 points

Isle of Arran 11yo 1998/2009 (55.6%, SMWS, refill butt/ex bourbon, 598 Bts., 121.30)

A single cask bottling from the Society, happily bottled at cask strength, without chill filtration or the addition of the hated caramel. The nose has hints of Balsamic vinegar, liquorice and is very closed beyond this, water is needed.  Now there is malt, wood notes. The undiluted taste is strong, like brandy along with cherries and malt. The taste diluted is good; sherry notes, fruit, sweetness, apricots, green tea, fragrant notes and malt. The finish is malty, vaguely perfumed and then some solid tobacco notes and all in all it’s a very good finish. Its mouth filling, the tobacco appears again along with a dryness and oak spice. A vibrant finish that is long and good. No unhappy notes.

Tasted blind one would be hard pressed to identify this as an Arran. The right amount of water makes all the difference.

US$105

Score 83 points

Sample SMWS Bottle Image

Isle of Arran 13yo 1996/2010 (57.7%, OB, Sherry, C#536, 325 Bts.)

Sample Sherry Single Cask Bottle

From the back label “Every year our Distillery Manager inspects all of the casks maturing in our Warehouses on Arran. Using his many years of experience and skill he is searching for casks which have matured exceptionally well over the years. When he has determined which casks have developed the most individual and interesting character, these are prepared as a Single Cask bottling. This high quality limited edition product is then made available for sale with each bottle individually numbered as proof of authenticity.” 

The nose right off is very good and typical Isle of Arran quality; sherry notes (dark fruits, jam, cherries, raisins, dried and concentrated) along with the  now familiar  biscuity malt that Arran is so we known for. What a sublime mixture.   59.9% demands the application of a little water. Much as previously described but now with the addition of a little cocoa and hints of the cask. The sherry and malt are the  fore ground characteristics. The undiluted taste is strong, vaguely vegetal at first and then the sherry comes crashing in; sweetness and then some slight hints of clove and tobacco followed by the malt which is more subdued at this point. With water the sample is gentler and sweeter but not overly so and despite this being a sherry cask it deals with the addition of water very well. It’s still vibrant and does not collapse. Excellent with some water. The finish is malty, vibrant and long. After the malt and sherry roil around together the oak notes make a later appearance. The sherry is not done and comes back to remain in place for the remainder of the finish. The finish is actually very long and the addition of water only increases it.

Excellent and not a dram to rush.

C$68

Score 90 points

Isle of Arran 10yo 1999/2010 (57.1%, OB, Bourbon, Loch Fyne Whiskies, C#41, 219 Bts.)

The very first single cask bottled exclusively for Loch Fyne Whiskies and bottled a mere 13 days prior to its 11th birthday. The label states “One of the Best” Loch Fyne Whiskies. High praise indeed.

The nose is of tobacco and fruit, toffee (not too much), fragrance, grapefruit rind and barley dust. Vanilla and hints of varnish and tinges of cedar. There is a lot going on in the glass and it’s good. 57.1% Bourbon begs for water. A little hand warming brings forth more wood spice notes and bourbon notes plus some increased toffee and honey. The taste undiluted is simply delicious. Some malt and fruit and the dryness along with some of the cedar and cocoa bitterness with is all simply wonderful. This is brilliant. A late rise of more tobacco but it’s not bitter, much more on the sweeter side. With water the taming is complete however the character of the whisky is still complete, there is still loads of vibrancy and flavour. It has not been sweetened down beyond recognition. Hints of mushy warm fruit, crème brulèe and heather. The finish is almost creamy but still very active and looong, some bourbon and malt and cocoa all very well intermingled. Oh yes, very long and sensational.

Cracker. Two bottles each. Pfft…hardly likely to share this.

£49

Score 90 points

http://www.arranwhisky.com/