Port Ellen 26yo 1982/2009 (56.1%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, 43.15) – Scotch Whisky Tasting Note

Many years ago the Scotch Malt Whisky Society informed their members of the fact that the Society would no longer bottle any more casks of the famed Port Ellen. In the interim every independent bottler from Gordon & MacPhail through Douglas Laing and a myriad of others (including Diageo) have bottled dozens and dozens and dozens of various casks of Port Ellen. As Sir Sean Connery said in the silver screen; “Never Say Never” and low and behold the Society is once again bottling Port Ellen. It’s about time for pities sake…..

The nose is buttered with lashings of peat reek, some mild juniper and is not hrash but nicely smooth and phenolic followed by BBQ (the official SMWS tasting notes mention roast leg of pork with sage). The nose is very pleasant and the combinaion of the creamy buttery notes and the phenols make for a very endearing combination some what in the style of Caol Ila. The taste is very good, the peat and the juniper are very well integrated and neither are oer powering, there is also some hints of unbuttered pop corn, spie and some dark chocolate. What a delicious dram! The finish is warming and exceedingly long with loads of peat, malt and some really good dark chocolate all very well integrated.

A sensational Port Ellen!

US$250

Score 90 Points

Imperial 14yo 1994/2008 (46%, Duncan Taylor, Whisky Galore, Madeira)

An independent bottling of Imperial Distillery (currently moth balled and up for sale) finished in a Madeira cask for an unspecified amount of time and ‘no chill filtering or colourings’.

The nose is very pleasant with dusty dry malt (think of a malt mill room or even a malt store) backed by a strong layer of sweetness along with some banana,  cocoa and the very slightest hint of a vague perfume (roses, heather or juniper) however this does not detract. The taste is simply delicious and far out ranks the nose; it is very sweet and malty along with the cocoa and also dark chocolate, cold unsweetened tea and some more fruit. There are also slight, very slight hints of tobacco and leather that simply improves the taste and gives it a muscular edge. Simply delicious. The finish is mild, is very long and is a mirror image of the taste and leaves one hungrily eyeing the glass for another taste.

This sample has been pushed to the back of all the bottles waiting to be tasted and scored, for some unknown reason but now it has a chance to shine; it is very good.

C$100

Score 87

Visit Duncan Taylor at http://www.duncantaylor.com/

Mortlach 18yo 1990/2009 (46%, Coopers Choice, Sherry, C#4421, 726 Bts.)

An independent single cask bottling of the cult favourite Mortlach Distillery, from a sherry cask and bottled un-chillfiltered and natural colour while being reduced to 46%. While the dates of distillation may offer the suggestion of a greater age one should accept that the label has been verified; if the months of distillation and bottling were known, well then things would be known for sure. None the less; the nose is assertive and fruity (think oranges and tinned fruit cocktail), also some Marmite mixed in for good measure and there is also a cream soda fizziness hovering in the back ground. There is also some malt and perhaps the slightest hint of peat smoke? The taste is at first rich and fruity and then dries out some what to reveal some wood spice and some more of the sweet fruit. There is also some sherry and a distinct lack of the Marmite but the mild peat smoke is in evidence however it is very subtle. The taste is very pleasant. The finish is malty and fruity (as described above) with a return of the cream soda but not fizzy but now creamy and the finish is quite long and pleasant. There is also some dry wood spice and more fruit after a few minutes; it’s a big picture finish. After a number of minutes there is the slightest hint of the Marmite.

A meaty Mortlach from a sherry cask.

C$150

Score 74 points

Visit The Coopers Choice at http://www.vintagemaltwhisky.com/product-cooperchoice.html

Benromach 10yo (43%, OB, 2009)

Benromach 10 Years Old is hand-crafted at Speyside’s smallest working distillery using the finest Scottish malted barley and the purest spring water from the nearby Romach Hills. Matured in the finest, hand selected Sherry & Bourbon casks, Benromach 10 Years Old is returned to sweet Oloroso sherry casks for a final marrying period. Cask: Matured in the finest, hand selected Sherry & Bourbon casks, before being returned to sweet Oloroso sherry casks for a final marrying period.

The first 10 year old single malt from the distillery since the purchase & refurbishment by Gordon & MacPhail years ago (purchased in 1993 and production recommenced in 1998). The nose  is at first fruity and smokey, this is a surprise from a Speyside distillery however it is VERY nice! As the sample spends more and more time in the glass it opens up and reveals a more vibrant nose; fruit, peat reek, spice from the oak, caramel and dark bitter chocolate. The taste is warming, sweet and mildly fragrant at first followed but the peat reek and the dark bitter chocolate, all of which are sensational. Everything is well balanced and very enjoyable. The finish is malty at first (think biscuits) followed by the peat reek and finishing with the fruit and dark bitter chocolate. The finish is quite long and is very pleasant; after a few minutes you are left with some really sensational biscuity & fruity malt.

What a great dram, Benromach have hit all the right notes with this one, well done! A bit of an unusual Speysider with the gentle peat smoke; it’s really very enjoyable.

C$70

Score 87 Points

Visit Benromach Distillery at http://www.benromach.com/

Glen Grant 31yo 1976/2008 (58.6%, Douglas Laing Platinum Selection, Sherry, 196 Bts.12/’76 B02/’08)

A single cask bottling, limited to an out turn of 196 bottles, from Douglas Laing & Co with a very deep Mahogany color, matured in sherry casks at cask strength and without the additional of caramel. The nose is of rich sherry, dried fruit, raisins, oranges, black cherries and then some really good dry wood notes but not over whelming, in good balance. For butt heads, this is a dram you will cherish, the sherry is very good. With time in the glass the aromas roil out of the glass and a little hand warming only increases the experience. The taste is surprisingly gentle at first and then becomes quite strong with a blast of red cedar and then afore mentioned fruit along with tobacco and leather and dramatic dry wood notes; the mouth is sucked dry it seems by the oak influence; like a really old antique cup board or even an entire antique shop. An odd set of descriptors but in the mouth it works. There is also some unsweetened black tea and more of the antique shop. The finish is quite dry and austere along with the sherry and the oak notes, all very well intermingled. It would seem that the ‘distillery character’ is missing in action but no matter this is really good. After a few minutes the dryness melds into some extreme sweetness.

Very enjoyable but a little one dimensional; if you like this style of whisky then this one is for you. The nose is definitely the best part however the taste and finish are not far behind.

C$510

Score 89 points

Visit Douglas Laing at http://www.douglaslaing.com/

SAMPLE IMAGE - ACTUAL BOTTLE NOT AS SHOWN!

Tullibardine 16yo 1993/2009 (54.5%, OB, for Kensington, Pedro Ximenez Sherry, C#15081, 332 Bts)

Matured 14 years in American oak and finished for 2 years in Pedro Ximenez sherry cask. On the nose there is some strong alcohol at first followed by some green malt and cereals which in many ways is very typical of Tullibardine. Behind this there is some very good sherry, mild clove, warm caramel, Christmas cake and then wood notes (think spice and cedar). After a few minutes the sherry moves to the front as the sample warms in the glass and the green malt, cereals and spice take a back seat. What a lovely nose that will be appreciated by Tullibardine devotees. The taste is strong and a good follow through from the nose with many of the same characteristics along with a hint of lovage and maybe some Hessian, the intermingling of the PX sherry and the malty notes are very good. There are also some later notes of leather and cured tobacco that give the palate a slightly firm characteristic. The mouth feel is very creamy despite the high alcohol. The finish is at first malty quickly followed by the sherry,  then the leather and tobacco all of which quickly mellows into a very decent finish that is quite dry towards the very end. The finish is quite long and lingers away softly with nary and off note.

$110 at http://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/ and Tullibardine Distillery at http://www.tullibardine.com/

Score 88 Points

Hazelburn 12yo (46%, OB,, 12,000 Bts., 2009)

From the Springbank website; ‘The newest addition to the range of whiskies produced at Springbank, Hazelburn gains it’s light, delicate character through being distilled three times in the distillery’s old copper stills.  Hazelburn is made with unpeated barley, making the spirit light, fruity and very, very subtle.  1997 saw the first distillation of Hazelburn and the first release of the whisky as an eight year old in 2005 was so successful that all 6,000 bottles sold out within a matter of weeks.  Like Longrow, Hazelburn is named after one of the old Campbeltown distilleries. Most of the distillery buildings are still standing, though the distillery is long defunct. Hazelburn is available as an 8 year old, with a 12 year old due to be released in 2009’.

It’s occurred; the 12yo is now roaming the planet, without caramel and without chill filtration. The nose is very Springbank but without the gentle smoke along with some really good fruit (warm lychee right off the tree, fruit cake, plump raisins and dried tree fruit) and an enjoyable malt delivery. There is also some slight brine, brown sugar and wood spice. What a sensational nose (think of Barbara Streisand; but not for too long). The taste is of vanilla, light damp cotton, malt, the rich dried fruit, the Christmas cake, the brine, very slight hints of tobacco and leather that increases with every passing moment (you should have stopped thinking of Barbara Streisand by now). Hold this sensational whisky in your mouth for a minute or two; it’s simply very, very good. Oh my….what a huge mouth feel for a triple distilled malt. The finish is malty, wet cotton, sweet and then dry oak notes intermingle with the very slight tobacco and leather. There is also a wonderful moment of bitter chocolate which quickly converts to a creamy smoothness that goes on for a long period.

What a sensational dram.

C$100 and worth every penny

Score 89 points

Visit Springbank Distillery at http://www.springbankwhisky.com/

Tamnavulin 12yo 1994/2007 (46%, DL Provenance, HHD Ref# 3362 & 3363)

The nose is malty and grassy at the same time and the latter is what many describe as “green”. There is also some solvent, tree sap and heather along with some sweetness in the back ground; there is also half cooked porridge along with some black pepper. Happily the sweetness does make an effort however it’s a bit of a struggle for it, the poor thing. There’s also something quite ‘dirty’ about the nose lurking behind the fruit and malt. The taste is at first unlike the nose and but then it all becomes apparent however the taste is quite good after a minute or two and is certainly more malt and fruit than the green notes. There is also some very slight evidence of smoke peat smoke? It may simply be the imagination it’s so slight. There is also some leather and cured tobacco intermingled with the sweet notes. There is also a bit of the solvent. The finish is at first smoked malt, black pepper and some light fruity sweetness and lemon zest followed by the ‘green’ notes and then the very light peat reek; perhaps not the imagination after all. After a few minutes the finish is mildly off putting…..and things do not improve with time. In fact it just gets worse and worse.

A curiosity to say the least; the ‘green’ notes and the finish throw the malt under the bus somewhat but there are moments of happiness. However the old taste buds are now out of commission for the afternoon…..

C$68

Score 68 points.

Grant’s No Age Statement ‘The Family Reserve’ (40%, OB, +/-2009)

The nose reveals black pepper, fruit, cereal and the vaguest hint of smoke (real or imagined) along with some really good grain whisky and honey, some hints of dark chocolate. The taste is a really good mix of grain, malt, the fruit, chocolate and very light raw tobacco giving it a strong back bone; the taste is really, really good. Oh, the marvelous sweetness and grain all intermingled together, this is sensational. The finish is warming, full of grain and malt, tobacco, black pepper and is long and sweet. After a number of minutes the finish still crashes on and on….

It’s simply very good and well worth the money. Well done Grant’s.

C$25

Score 87 Points

At Whisky Intelligence we do not drag out the garlic juice, 1,000,000 candle power arc lights and wooden stakes at the first sign of a blended whisky and generally celebrate them while recognizing the economics of the situation that without blended whiskies there wouldn’t be any single malts. During this week we’ve examinrd a few blended whiskies but next week it’ll be back to the malts!

Bell’s No Age Statement ‘Original’ (40%, OB, +/-2009)

The nose is sweet and distinctly of grain whisky, it’s not overly complicated but pleasant without any off notes. Also some brown sugar, light citrus, pear and well, whisky. There are no aromas one would associate with age but there is a distinct lack of harshness one would usually associate with youth. The taste is much like the nose, sweet, pleasant and not overly complicated but starts to broaden after a short while and the grain is quite evident. Once again there are no off notes and it’s not overly complicated but it’s surprisingly good and it’s quite evident why many, many people enjoy it. The finish is not overly long and once again it’s not complicated with the grain sweetness being in full effect. After a few minutes the grain expands to reveal some raw tobacco and some leather but these last two descriptors are very light.

Actually a very well balanced dram with lots of flavour and sweetness and whisky, not the most complicated blended Scotch whisky on the market but certainly worth the money; this is going to be sprung on friends, blind. It does the job, a bit of a surprise here, has the recipe been tinkered with? It’s certainly not the same whisky for years ago or perhaps it’s merely a change in palate.

C$25

Score 80 Points

Some quick searching on google revealed that this new no age statement bottling of Bell’s was introduced in 2008 replacing the Bell’s 8yo to much disappointment and angst of loyal Bell’s drinkers who declared the new whisky to be ‘harsh’. It seems they’ve been heard becasue this bottling is not harsh. – WI

At Whisky Intelligence we do not drag out the garlic juice, 1,000,000 candle power arc lights and wooden stakes at the first sign of a blended whisky and generally celebrate them while recognizing the economics of the situation that without blended whiskies there wouldn’t be any single malts. During the next few days we’ll be examining a few blended whiskies but next week it’ll be back to the malts!