Whisky Ramblings 479: Two Islay from the Magnificent Five

Mark Dermul, Belgian whiskyblogger, tries two very different Islay. Two years ago, Magnificent Five – a West Flemish whisky society – already bottled an Islay Blended Malt of 8 years old. It was sherry hogshead #LAP29, which suggested (rightly) that it was a teaspooned Laphroaig. And now look… they could lay their hands on sister cask #LAP30 which had been sleeping for 11 years. Mark puts it head-to-head with another of their new releases: a sherry matured Bunnahabhain. After 13 years on a sherry hogshead, that yielded 178 bottles at 55%. Mark used to find the combo sherry and peat very difficult. But practice makes perfect. Nowadays he even finds sherry and peat something to look forward to or even actively look for.

https://youtu.be/eKmf4lf9K88

ralfy review 959 Extras – Tasting a batch variation.

ralfy review 959 – Port Charlotte 10yo @ 50%vol

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 478: Caol Ila 9 Year Old 2013 Smoking Buffalo

Mark Dermul, Belgian whiskyblogger, tries a very special Caol Ila. We had to wait a long time for it (honestly, Mark thought that the series was coming to an end with number 10, bottled in 2018), but here it is: the Smoking Buffalo 11, in honor of the 2022 Cup Final of KAA Gent, his local football club. It is once again a Caol Ila, this time distilled in 2013 and bottled at cask strength. He hurried to order it, not only to keep his Smoking Buffalo collection complete, but especially because he is very fond of this malt. In Mark’s opinion, you can never taste enough Caol Ila!

https://youtu.be/OHaUm8iLR0s

https://youtu.be/bQ_ZssXMKlc

The Macallan Intense Arabica is a journey of joint efforts to make Macallan and coffee unite in the ultimate flavour profile… but it didn’t really hit it for me.

I’m not a coffee expert in any way, but the smell of this Macallan is all forest fruits and classic chocolate orange notes from Macallan of old. The finish, albeit very long, isn’t something I’m a fan of. It reminds me a lot of Macallan Edition No.5 – the finish of it anyway. It had this very bitter and dark intensity to it, which doesn’t seem very complimentary to the smell or initial taste profile.

At £140 per bottle, this isn’t going to blow your mind, I would class it as a rather sub-par offering from the famous distillery. But naturally, that’s just my opinion, I’ve heard rave reviews about this from other people. So what’s your view?

Welcome to this week’s episode of the show, in which I’ll be taking a close look at the style of spirit produced at Glenfarclas with the aid of a sample of their new make.

https://youtu.be/t_qsvZ2HdPQ

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 477: Auchentoshan 24 Year Old 1998 Asta Morris

Mark Dermul, Belgian whiskyblogger, is pretty happy with his new Auchentoshan. Asta Morris has just launched a new whisky in the Heritage reeks, the one with the blue labels, specially reserved for beautiful single casks at a certain age. And this time it’s a 24-year-old Auchentoshan. You understand Mark’s joy. He was of course very quick to order and even popped it open the same day, that’s how enthusiastic he was.  If Crazy Bert chooses a Toshan, then Mark knows it’s going to be good. This is not his first rodeo. In 2016 he also bottled an Auchentoshan. Then it was a sherry hogshead. This time it is a former bourbon cask. Let’s taste!

https://youtu.be/Yt9T2NeX8is

The Good Dram Show – Episode 492 ‘Lagg Distillery’

Welcome to the first episode of the new year and it’s only fitting to take a look at a brand new distillery, that being Lagg on Arran. The Good Dram Show with Chris Goodrum Episode 492 – A New Year & A New Distillery…! Filmed in The Study Nottingham

Tasting Notes 

Featuring Lagg Distillery Peated Spirit Drink 63.5%, Lagg Distillery Inaugural Release Batch 1 50%, Lagg Distillery Inaugural Release Batch 2 50%, and Lagg Inaugural Release Batch 3 50%

https://www.laggwhisky.com/

https://youtu.be/Gn3B6FNjqYE

You wanna talk about transparency in whisky, well folks, let’s talk about Torabhaig.

Becoming a full production facility as of January 2017 (Happy birthday, Torabhaig) – they are giving us everything a peated whisky drinker could desire:

– Incredible nose on this Allt Gleann release.

– Pre-distilled PPM level.

– Residual PPM level.

– Cask types.

– Cask vintages.

– Natural colour.

– Non-chill filtered.

– Approachable pricing.

– Skye with a difference.

So, with all of this, why are we not talking about this distillery more? Why are we focusing on the brands that are already owned by relatively well known to massively dominant forces in the whisky industry? Are you looking for something new? Look no further. Cheers.

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Happy New Year 2023