The Good Dram Show – Episode 570 ‘Brave New Spirits ‘Whisky Heroes (Batch 2)’

Welcome to this weeks episode of the show in which I’ll be taking a look at a selection of releases in batch 2 of the Brave New Spirits Whisky Heroes Series. The Good Dram Show with Chris Goodrum Episode 570 – Agent Ivy Takes On The Blazing Mutant..!

Filmed in The Revamped Study Nottingham

Featuring

Brave New Spirits ‘Whisky Heroes (Batch 2) – Agent Ivy In Cadiz’ Blair Athol 2011 (13 year old) 55.9%
Brave New Spirits ‘Whisky Heroes (Batch 2) – Gathering on the Seven Hills’ Glendullan 2009 (15 year old) 55.1%
Brave New Spirits ‘Whisky Heroes (Batch 2) – The Relic Of The Shore’ Inchgower 2012 (12 year old) 51.2%
Brave New Spirits ‘Whisky Heroes (Batch 2) –Peatfire Paladin’ Caol Ila 2012 (12 year old) 53.6%
Brave New Spirits ‘Whisky Heroes (Batch 2) – Blazing Mystery’ North British 2011 (13 year old) 58.6%
Brave New Spirits ‘Whisky Heroes (Batch 2) – Rise of the Ardphroaig Mutant’ Ardmore 2013 (10 year old) 55.9%

BRAVE NEW SPIRITS

ralfy review 1050 – Caol Ila 8yo @57.1%vol: (Wilson&Morgan)

Bruichladdich Octomore 15.3

https://youtu.be/whWVVW3uPeY

The final Octomore in our October series! The 15.3 is a bottle in the classic build of this legendary series of single malts.

Matured in first fill ex-bourbon casks, before being finished in first fill ex-oloroso barrels, this is exactly what I wanted from an Octomore. Peated to a level of 307.2ppm, with a strength of 61.3% ABV – this is the second heaviliest peated Octomore for public releasw. The lead and build up is sweet and smoky, but the depth of flavour with coffee, chocolate, brioche, salt, coastal smoke, rich sherry, and a finish that just goes on and on.

Price wise, yes, you’re paying nearly £200 a bottle for this stuff, so it should be the best of the bunch. Even if I think the pricing is on the outrageous side, Bruichladdich have put together what I would call the best Octomore I’ve had to this point. The .1 release is as fun without the level if depth this has, but if you want what I would call an ‘ultimate Octomore experience’ – this is certainly one to get hold of.

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 545: Trip to Speyside 2024 – part 3 of 4

In September 2024, Mark organized a trip to Speyside for 13 like-minded whisky aficionados. In a short 4-part series of Ramblings, you can find out where they went and what they experienced. In this third part, you’ll find them visiting or stopping by Aberlour, Dailuaine, Ballindalloch, GlenAllachie, Glenfarclas, Glenfiddich, Convalmore, Balvenie, Parkmore, Glendullan, Mortlach, Dufftown and Pittyvaich.

https://youtu.be/Cbbuz5ImHDY

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 544: Trip to Speyside 2024 – part 2 of 4

In September 2024, Mark organized a trip to Speyside for 13 like-minded whisky aficionados. In a short 4-part series of Ramblings, you can find out where they went and what they experienced. In this second part, you’ll find them visiting or stopping by Glen Spey, Glenrothes, Glen Grant, Caperdonich, Auchroisk, Glentauchers, Strathisla, Glen Keith, Strathmill, Aultmore, Inchgower and Glenglassaugh.

https://youtu.be/Ut_WXNiGFbs

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 543: Trip to Speyside 2024 – part 1 of 4

In September 2024, Mark organized a trip to Speyside for 13 like-minded whisky aficionados. In a short 4-part series of Ramblings, you can find out where they went and what they experienced. In this first part, you’ll find them visiting or stopping by Tomatin, The Cairn, Balmenach, Tormore, Cardhu, Tamdhu, Knockando and Craigellachie.

https://youtu.be/YwRsbTMotHc

ralfy review 1049 Extras – So, what happened at distilleries in the old days ?

The Good Dram Show – Episode 569 ‘Samples for the next Gauntleys Bottling’

Welcome to this week’s episode of the show in which I’ll be taking a look at the samples that I received for consideration to be the next Gauntleys of Nottingham bottling.

The Good Dram Show with Chris Goodrum Episode 569 – The 1880 Collection No4: The Contestants..!

Filmed in The Revamped Study Nottingham

 Featuring

Glen Elgin 2013 (currently 11 years old) 63.5%

Glen Elgin 2011 (currently 13 years old) 57.4%

Linkwood 2012 (currently 12 year old) 58.3%

Ardmore 2016 (currently 7 years old) 61.5% 

https://youtu.be/187T8bf_sbU

Welcome to Octomore October!

We’re back in week two with Bruichladdich Octomore 15.2. Also peated to a level of 108.2 ppm and then bottled at 57.9% ABV. The 15.2 release is quite unusual for many reasons. Typically, this bottle range was only available through Travel Retail, so this is more of a first experience with one of the .2 releases. Another thing is the cask maturation on this liquid. We have primary ageing in second fill wine and bourbon casks, that alone would be very interesting. Then, we have a finishing process in first fill Cognac barrels.

Personally, I was quite disappointed by this release. I’m a fan of spirit driven whiskies, especially when they’re young and peated. But this does come across as a little acrid, almost vinegary, and just missing some building block from the start.

It’s a fun bottle of booze, but for the money you’d be better off buying the .1 release, or a few different bottles of heavily peated whisky from across Scotland.

ralfy review 1049 – A Historical Whisky Story.