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Hi, you're in the Archives, January 2006 - Part 2 |
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Mouth:
sweet and full-bodied attack, very
youngish this time. Something acrid,
alas. Some smoke again but not too
much, the whole developing on lemon
seeds, concentrated lemon juice, with
something Sugarish in the background.
Not too ‘Macallanish’,
whatever that means nowadays. Gets
also bitterer with time. Finish: long,
on spirit and lemon zests. In short,
it’s rather sharp but not exactly
unbalanced, and the nose was quite
interesting. 80 points.
Macallan
1974/2001 (50.5%, Scott's Selection)
Colour: pale amber. Nose: we have
an indie Macallan that’s quite
close to the ‘good old’
official sherried ones, for once.
It starts on some superb notes of
espresso and praline together with
a great, elegant sherry – not
of the hyper-vinous kind at all. Rather
smoky again, almost peaty, developing
on hot chocolate cake, hot caramel,
high-end rum… Hints of balsamic
vinegar, plum jam, getting then very
nutty (roasted peanuts, pecan pie…)
Extremely elegant, a very classy Macallan,
not far from the best old 18 yo ’s.
Mouth: creamy but not too much, nervous
but not too much, with lots of dried
fruits that assault your palate. Superb!
Candied tangerines, dried bananas,
orange marmalade… Something
very smoky again (smoked tea). Wow,
it’s almost exemplary. Lots
of praline, notes of Alexander cocktail,
maybe a little rubber – just
a little. Lots of body, for sure…
Goes on with strawberry pie, mocha,
fruitcake… Maybe it gets then
slightly too spirity and sort of rough
(to water down or not to water down?)
but otherwise it’s perfect.
And the finish is long, like if it
was a mixture of Contreau with smoked
almonds and peanuts. An excellent
surprise – well, maybe not a
surprise. 91 points.
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| CRAZY
WHISKY ADS - IT'S ABOUT COLOURS |
 |
| Left,
Johnnie Walker Black Label
1973 - Right, The Macallan
2003. Lots of progress within 30 years,
don't you think? |
| |
| MUSIC
– Highly recommended
listening - The Destroyers,
aka Vancouver’s Dan Bejar, doing
European
Oils.mp3. This guy seems to know
his early Bowie, Ayers and Dylan by
heart, plus he's got his very own,
'precious' musical world, so I can't
see why he wouldn't pull huge success
- if he doesn't already - including
in Europe ;-). Please buy his music
(his CD 'Bitter Honey' will be out
on February 21st)! (via Merge
Records). |
 |
Mouth:
quite some body in spite of the low
alcohol! Starts quite sweet, fruity
and gingery. Nice notes of wax, cardboard,
orange juice and caramel crème.
Not exactly nervous but still very
enjoyable. Goes on with some notes
of tangerines (as expected), oriental
pastries, orange cake and marmalade…
The finish is rather long –
again, longer than expected, getting
a little spicy. A classical old Bowmore,
maybe a tad simple but not tired at
all. 89 points.
Bowmore
37 yo 1968/2005 (42.8%, Duncan Taylor,
cask #1429)
Colour: straw - white wine. Nose:
we have more or less the same aromas
here, but in different proportions:
it’s less fruity and more milky,
with something very feinty in the
background (very little hints of baby
vomit, which is not obligatorily troublesome!)
Some notes of spent lees as well.
The usual pink grapefruit grows bigger
with time, as well as some notes of
hot metal (still). Not the cleanest
old Bowmore but it’s still most
enjoyable on the nose. Mouth: nicer
now, more Bowmore-ish, starting on
lots of fruits (citrus, orange peel)
and going on with quite some rosehip
tea and a little nutmeg. It grows
then bolder, a little peppery and
gets almost biting. Not a toothless
old Bowmore at all! Nice notes of
very ripe oranges and a little clove.
The finish is long again, spicy, on
clove and still orange peel. A very
nice old beastly Bowmore! 88
points. |
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| PETE
McPEAT AND JACK WASHBACK |
|
MUSIC
– BLUES -
Strongly recommended listening:
Russia's excellent Arsen
Shomakhov (aka Arsenic
Blues) does Elmore James' The
sky is crying.mp3 beautifully.
Please go and see him and/or buy
his music (isn't he the Poppa Chubby
from the East?) |
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Aultmore
15 yo 1989/2005 (46%, Whisky Galore)
Colour: white wine. Nose: clean, pure,
very ‘natural’, starting
very grainy and mashy. Bold notes
of buttered mashed potatoes, muesli
and porridge, fresh sorrel. Most enjoyable
I must say, nothing but the naked
truth. Gets nicely grassy, a little
flowery (wild flowers), with notes
of sweet cider and whiffs of lemongrass,
and then fudge and praline. Mouth:
very ‘natural’ again,
malty but not fruity. Cereals, cake,
pastries, herbal tea, getting vegetal,
with also quite some liquorice but
the ‘neutrality’ gets
a little boring now. Just a little.
Rather long, grainy finish, with a
little spearmint and violet sweets.
A flawless nose but a palate that’s
a little MOTR. 80 points. |
| Aultmore
11 yo 1989 (55.3%, Blackadder, cask
#3059)
Colour: white wine. Nose: a very similar
profile but everything is low-key
here. Grainy and mashy, slightly feinty,
with notes of vodka, raw all-fruit
spirit, Alka-Seltzer… Also a
little buttery, greengage, immature
plums… Not too enjoyable, I’d
say. Mouth: nicer than expected, starting
very minty, on quite some aniseed
as well, lavender sweets, getting
sort of bitter and slightly soapy.
It gets then a little chocolaty and
almondy (orgeat), with quite some
liquorice stick and a little marzipan.
Quite some body! The finish is rather
long, herbal, a little minty again
and with a pinch of salt. Probably
not a winner but certainly a ‘nice’
one – on the palate, at least.
81 points. |
|
MUSIC
– It's Sunday,
we go classical with the great,
great Rosa
Ponselle singing Tosti's
Ideale.mp3
(probably 1930's - excellent 78rpm
to digital conversion). La Callas
once said: "I think we all
know that Ponselle was simply the
greatest singer of us all."
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Linkwood
10 yo 1984/1995 (59.7%, Signatory,
butt #4085)
Colour: gold. Nose: powerful, slightly
zesty, spirity, getting very orangey
and nutty. Quite some sherry, with
lots of kirsch, fruit spirit, white
port… Gets quite rubbery as
well, a little sourish, rather gingery.
Hints of vinegar… Not exactly
dirty but maybe slightly unbalanced
and rough. Mouth: punchy, creamy,
a little sugarish, with notes of cooked
fruits again, a bit of icing sugar,
crystallised lemon zest. Gets a little
rubbery again but the middle is a
little weak despite the high strength,
almost watery. Strange… It ‘restarts’
on a little pepper, clove, burnt caramel,
but the finish isn’t too long
and a little too rubbery. We’ve
had many better Linkwoods, including
by Signatory. 78 points. |
Linkwood
12 yo 1993/2005 (59.1%, Single Malts
of Scotland, sherry butt #2317)
Colour: gold. Nose: this one is cleaner,
even if less expressive at first nosing.
Develops on fresh almonds, marzipan,
and switches then to fruits cooked
in wine (poached pears, peaches).
Gets very winey as well (like rosé
wine from Anjou). Lots of caramel
as well… This nose is undoubtedly
nicer. Mouth: bolder, creamier, nuttier…
It’s very coherent with the
nose, with these nice almondy notes,
wine-marinated citrus fruits, vanilla-flavoured
sugar… Quite some rubber as
well but the whole is much more balanced,
although it’s not a winning
Linkwood again. Maybe a little too
simple… The finish is medium
long, caramelly and rather salty.
A good Linkwood but nothing too special,
I think. 82 points. |
| MUSIC
– Recommended
listening - Does making just remixes
and mash-ups mean being a musician?
Hum, not sure (not at all in fact)
but when MC
Handy sort of 'does'
Sonnet
No. 3 (Like A Duck).mp3, well,
it's 'sort of' fun! Please buy his...
err, sort of works. |
 |
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Royal
Lochnagar 12 yo 1992/2005 (43%, Best
Casks of Scotland, Jean Boyer, sherry)
Colour: deep gold. Nose: rather fragrant,
starting on some very bold winey notes
and lots of milk chocolate and rubber.
Goes on with quite some rubber (rubber
band) and cooked fruits, overripe
oranges, strawberries cooked with
wine, notes of caramel. Something
sweet and sour in the background (cooked
yoghurt like in Greek cooking). A
nice one, definitely, that makes me
think of the old Macallan 12 yo but
with more playfulness. |
Mouth:
the attack is rather creamy and vinous
again but it gets quite drying very
soon. That dryness then vanishes and
the malt gets very caramelly, with
lots of caramel crème, praline
crème, roasted hazelnuts, with
something smoky and a little pinch
of salt. Very classical, not exactly
extravagant but rather flawless, with
a medium long finish, lacking perhaps
just a little oomph. A good example
of a 85 points malt
in my book.
Lochnagar
35 yo 1970/2005 (46.2%, Jack Wieber's
Old Train Line, 167 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: wow, it’s
extremely fresh and fantastically
fruity right at first nosing, like
when you smell a basket of tropical
fruits (oranges, mangos, passion fruits,
pineapples, guavas…) Quite some
kiwi as well, banana liqueur, coconut
milk… It’s almost like
a perfect blend of old Bowmore, Clynelish
and Lochside – if you see what
I mean. How fragrant! And then we
have quite some spices that give it
a perfect structure (a little clove,
white pepper, quite some nutmeg, a
little crystallised ginger). Whiffs
of smoke, notes of old sweet white
wine, mullein flowers syrup, nougat…
Very perfect and no sign of tiredness
whatsoever. Wow! Mouth: lots of fruitiness
as expected but quite some tannins
and ‘bitter’ spices this
time. Woody, peppery, getting rather
drying but it’s still acceptable.
Cocoa (Van Houten)… Alas, it
gets then a little too bitter, with
quite some red pepper. ‘Pencil
sharpener juice’. Well…
The finish is long but drying and
bitter again, leaving a somewhat unpleasant
aftertaste. Too bad, the nose was
absolutely stunning! More a beautiful
perfume than a whisky, I’d say…
84 points.
And also: Lochnagar
14 yo 1990/2004 (50%, Douglas Laing
OMC, sherry, 472 bottles)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: grainy and
malty, with quite some caramel and
vanilla. Whiffs of wet stone but not
much else, I’m afraid. Mouth:
rather similar, getting a little smoky.
Quite some burnt notes, burnt caramel…
A long but sourish finish… Well…
77 points. |
|
MUSIC
– Recommended
listening - Finger-picking guitar
can do no harm, when enjoyed from
time to time... So, have a try at
Hank
Dogs doing Whole
way.mp3. No bad at all, don't
you think? Please buy their music... |
 |
| TESTING
A NEW FEATURE - I've
added a free java news feeds service
about whisky (by The Scotsman) at
the right of this page, there.
Not sure it's very useful, not to
mention complete - and probably not
exactly fun, so it's just a test.
Tell me what you think here
if you like, thanks! I hope they don't
just deliver boring industry stuff,
advertising in disguise or PR releases
(verbatim of course), and that it
won't slow down even more (yes, I
know) the whole page. And while I'm
at it, don't worry, you'll never,
ever see any ads on these humble pages,
except for friendly whisky events
or for a few just causes! Thanks -
back to whisky and music now... -
Serge. |
| |
| TASTING
- TWO 'OLD SPEYSIDE' FINISHED ARDBEGS |
| ZDFbeg
1998/2005 (55.5%, Whisky Kanzler,
Glenfarclas finish, 50cl)
From a very good ex-oloroso cask that
had contained Glenfarclas. Note that
ZDF is the second German TV channel,
the first one being ARD (clever!)
Colour: dark straw. Nose: very Ardbeg-ish
as expected. Very bold peat smoke,
garden bonfire, camphor and cooked
apples. |
 |
Little
oloroso influence – that I can
smell, in any case. Gets vegetal,
on smoked tea (Lapsang Souchong) and
sort of animal as well (civet, hare
belly). Notes of milk chocolate and
praline, mastic, bandages… A
very, very nice young Ardbeg, for
sure. Oh, and also some superb notes
of crushed mint leaves. Mouth: punchy,
almost invading, probably more ‘mature’
than expected, thanks to the sherry
cask (I said probably ;-)). Very compact,
very waxy, peaty of course, with a
most enjoyable blend of camphor, mint
and eucalyptus. Gets also very resinous,
with some walnut skin, ‘genuine’
marzipan (not overly sugared) and
finally quite some bell pepper. The
finish is long, bold but compact,
very smoky… In short, I don’t
know what the Glenfarclas cask really
did to this young Ardbeg but it’s
very good indeed. 88 points.
Ardbeg
1991/2005 (57.1%, The Cross Hill,
Jack Wieber, 6 months Strathisla finish,
270 bottles)
From another excellent old ex-Strathisla
cask bottled by Jack Wieber. Colour:
white wine. Nose: very, very different
this time. Much less smoky, starting
on some heavy notes of olive oil (ultra-heavy
olive oil!), getting then very mineral
(flint), developing on ashes, burnt
wood, grass… Then we do have
the typical peat smoke, but it’s
less demonstrative, let’s say
like some Bowmores. Did the Speysider
tone down the peat? Anyway, the good
news is that the end result is very
nicely balanced and rather elegant,
with an unexpected ‘austerity’.
No sign of ‘roundness’
whatsoever. Mouth: we’re in
the same territories as with the ‘ZDF’
now, the whisky being very similar.
Maybe a little grassier, punchier,
sharper and spicier (and less resinous)
but otherwise we have almost the same
malt here. Very, very good! Again,
I couldn’t get what the ex-cask’s
influence was, it was probably ‘there’,
but it’s another 88
points malt in my book. |
| PETE
McPEAT AND JACK WASHBACK |
| TASTING
- THREE RECENT HIGHLAND PARKS |
 |
Highland
Park 13 yo 1992/2005 (50%, James MacArthur
for The Way of Spirits)
Colour: white wine. Nose: very spirity
and grainy (it really smells like
a grain barn), very yeasty as well.
Notes of Indian yoghurt drink (lassi),
bold muesli, porridge… Really
sweet and sour, in an enjoyable way.
Also notes of apple juice, cooked
apricots and quite some wood (freshly
sawn oak). Hints of fresh strawberries
and pears. Very ‘natural’!
Mouth: very sweet and fruity with
lots pepper and tannins. Kind of a
bitterness, it’s like a mixture
of chlorophyll with fruit sweets and
bubblegum with a little paraffin and
propolis. Doubtlessly interesting,
even if very quite close to raw malt.
The finish is medium long, a little
fruity and quite peppery again. 80
points. |
| Highland
Park 21 yo 1984/2005 (54.1%, Glenkeir
Treasures, Douglas Laing for The Whisky
Shop, 450 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: this one
is very different although the background
is more or less the same. Quite some
vanilla, caramel and praline, nougat,
ground coffee… And then it gets
much fruitier, almost perfumy and
rather hot and spirity after a moment.
We have then the same ‘mashy’
notes as in the James MacArthur, with
also quite some spices (cloves, hints
of cardamom) and whiffs of mint. Very
‘natural’ again. |
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|
Mouth: oh, now it’s much more
interesting. Quite some punch and
a bold, sweet and spicy attack.
Imagine a blend of caramel and honey
with tons of various spices, curry,
ginger, cardamom again, pepper…
And then we have a fruity cavalry
with lots of quince and quite some
apple jelly, greengage and a beautiful,
long finish on bergamot sweets and
spearmint. Wow, too bad the nose
was a tad simple, otherwise it would
have earned more than 88
points. |
 |
Highland
Park 19 yo 1986/2005 (55.3%, OB for
Maxxium Holland, cask #2793, 1120
halves)
Colour: amber. Nose: powerful but
not overpowering at all, starting
on sherry as expected, together with
the usual official Highland Park’s
complexity. Something faintly acidic
(kiwis), metallic (silverware) and
distinctively heathery that makes
me think of the greatest old bottlings
(with the black round labels). Lots
of mocha, with also something smoky
(wood smoke), tary, nicely rubbery,
with dried oranges, flowers from the
fields, notes of old roses…
Just superb! |
| Mouth:
oh yes, it’s a perfect Highland
Park, maybe just a tad too rubbery
now. Creamy, bold and ‘wide’,
with loads of candy sugar, orange
tree honey, these metallic tastes
again (nothing unpleasant, quite on
the contrary) and some smoky, tary
notes as well. Notes of violet sweets,
lavender sweets, fruitcake, caramelized
cashews (I think it’s a Chinese
‘desert’, it’s excellent)
and old sweet wine – the sherry,
not a dull, sweetishly sweet one at
all. And it keeps developing, mostly
on crystallized sweets (and candied
angelica). The finish is long, bold,
almost ‘thick’ and very
satisfying. Almost perfect, but why
only for (our friends) the Dutchmen?
;-) Anyway, 91 points
for this one. Once again with Highland
Park, the OB wins, head and shoulders
(and thanks, Michel). |
 |
MUSIC
– Recommended
listening - Just a very good little
band, but a very good little band
indeed: it's Fojimoto
playing Virginia.mp3.
Please buy their music if you like
it. |
| TASTING
- TWO RECENT
BUNNAHABHAINS |
Bunnahabhain
18 yo ‘XVIII’ (43%, OB,
2005, 1500 bottles)
Colour: full gold. Nose: it doesn’t
start too vigorously but most elegantly,
somehow in the 12 yo ’s way
but this one is much more aromatic,
with quite some caramel and honey,
pollen (all-flowers) and whiffs of
smoke. We have heavy notes of baklavas
after a few minutes and it gets even
smokier (which is quite unusual) –
hookah? We have then certain freshness
and notes of flowers that make it
resemble a (very good) Highland Park.
And we have lots of dried fruits,
at that, like figs, bananas, dates,
honey and hazelnut cake. Again an
excellent surprise, as far as I’m
concerned. Mouth: oh, a beautiful
attack (although it might have been
even more full bodied with 2 or 3
more ‘percents’). Creamy,
both fruity and malty, with a rather
nice bitterness that keeps the whole
together and prevents it from getting
too weak. Lots of tea, honey again
(oriental pastries – right,
it’s an obsession), crystallized
quince, dried figs again. Something
grainy (batter for pancakes), malty,
tea-ish… |
 |
| Granted,
the palate is not as explosive as
the nose (closer to the 12 yo in fact)
but it’s still very enjoyable,
despite the fact that it’s getting
a little too weak now (not exactly
watery but…). The finish is
medium-long, on cake and with something
slightly metallic… It’s
really too bad, this one would have
made it to 90 points, had the palate
been a little more ‘lively’.
88 points. |
 |
Bunnahabhain
26 yo 1978/2005 (54.6%, Signatory,
sherry butt #2539)
Colour: full gold. Nose: this one
is probably simpler but it’s
also more powerful, thanks to the
much higher ABV. The sherry is well
here but it’s rather discreet,
while the malt develops mostly on
cake, toasted bread and bold notes
of roasting coffee beans. There’s
something sweet and sour then (apple
compote?) and quite some chocolate
as well, together with whiffs of wood
smoke. Much more ‘male’
than usual, whatever that means. Not
a Bunny in lace but I still like it!
Mouth: a very nice attack, sweet,
creamy and powerful, much similar
to the XVIII but with the missing
power this time – although it’s
maybe a little simpler. Lots of honey
again, dried fruits, sherry (a nice
‘little rubberiness’)
burnt cake… Maybe it’s
simple but it’s so nicely compact,
full-bodied and satisfying! The finish
is rather long, at that, on dried
fruits and honey – and with
a coffeeish tinge that I like. In
short, a rather uncomplicated, but
very good one. 88 points
(tie again). |
| MUSIC
– Recommended
listening: a very, very simple drumming,
some even simpler guitars... The result
could have been plain catastrophic,
yet the Casual
Dots managed to craft
a nice and funny little song called
Clock
- mp3 that's quite enjoyable,
thanks to Christina Billotte and Kathi
Wilcox's voices. Please buy their
music if you like it. |
|
 |
Colour:
straw. Nose: a little discreet at
first nosing, with just a little lemon
juice and oysters but it’s soon
to take off, getting peaty and smoky,
with the usual notes of new tyre,
tar and coal fire but all that isn’t
explosive – which may be good
news. Develops on notes of caramel
and old books, getting then cleanly
farmy (clean cow – err…)
and grassy. An elegant Port Ellen.
Mouth: holy cow, now it’s really
beautiful. Creamier than usual, on
bold liquorice, gentian roots, celeriac…
Maybe a little sweeter than expected
but really beautiful. The smokiness
is perfect, neither ‘too much’,
nor ‘too less’. It goes
on with quite some quince, bitter
oranges, mastic sweets… More
and more body, and the finish is long,
on pure, ‘crystalline’
liquorice. In short, a rounded and
sweet Port Ellen with a peat that’s
still full of life. Excellent: 92
points.
Port
Ellen 12 yo 1981/1993 (64.5%, Cadenhead)
A much younger, high strength Port
Ellen from a mini now. I must confess
I’m a bit scared… Colour:
white wine. Nose: quite closed for
a start, with just notes of coffee
and paper. The very high alcohol masks
everything for a rather long time
before it gets a little mineral, with
some diesel oil, but it’s really
overpowering. Quick, some water! Now
it gets fresher, vegetal, but it lost
its peat, most strangely. Some nice
lemon juice, yet, Schweppes, but it
stays discreet. Hints of gentian roots…
It whispers more than it talks. Mouth
(neat): sure it’s little burning
but it’s curiously drinkable
at first sip, with lots of peat this
time, smoke, wax and quince jelly,
but then it starts to anaesthetize
your mouth. Water needed indeed! Right,
now it really tastes like a gentian
spirit, getting herbal, tea-ish, with
notes of acidic fruits (tangerine,
citron) and quite some pepper, but
too bad it stops developing and stays
rather simple. The finish is long,
rather smoky, with some cooked apples
but that’s all. A nice profile,
finally quite austere but really lacking
complexity. 83 points.
Port
Ellen 14 yo 1974/1988 (65.5%, Sestante,
green glass, cork stopper)
I’m even more scared…
Colour: straw. Nose: very similar
at the start, with just some added
notes of roasted peanuts, camphor
and a few farmy notes but again the
alcohol overwhelms the whole, yet
it’s more expressive than the
Cadenhead. It does need water but
one feels it’s classier stuff.
With water: not much difference at
the start but it gets then much nicer,
in the mineral (very flinty) and ‘grapefruity’
genre, developing on some beautiful
farmy notes. No tyre-rubbery-tary
notes this time but it’s still
much more expressive than the Cadenhead.
Mouth (neat): oh, now it’s really
superb, even at full strength. Beautiful
balance between peat and fruits, and
one can guess it’s complex whisky,
let’s see what happens with
water… Ah yes, it gets complex
indeed, with lots of wax, cake, white
pepper… Something Laphroaigishly
grainy. The peat is quite elegant,
and it gets quite medicinal (cough
syrup) towards the long finish, with
also the usual gentian and smoked
tea. A punchy but complex young Port
Ellen! 90 points.
|
| PETE
McPEAT AND JACK WASHBACK |
| MUSIC
– Recommended
listening - Brooklyn's Miguel
Mendez' ode to life,
Drinking
beers.mp3. A nice little tune
without importance, and that's probably
what makes it so enjoyable... (besides
the 'funny' harmonies). Please buy
Miguel Mendez' music! |
 |
 |
TASTING
- TWO OLD GLENLIVETS
Glenlivet
50 yo (40%, G&M for La Maison
du Whisky 50th anniversary, 50 bottles,
bottled 2005)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: this one
starts very classically, on dried
flowers, light caramel, light honey
and apricot and mirabelle pies.
Rather aromatic, very elegant, with
also quite some white chocolate
(which isn’t chocolate, say
the purists). Whiffs of smoke and
cake, hot croissant, strawberry
and melon jams… Hints of cinnamon.
Very refined, exactly what we’d
expect from such an old glory. |
No
sign of tiredness but perhaps a certain
lack of oomph and certainly an oakiness
that’s behind all that but that
never takes control. A beautiful nose,
I must say, that almost smells like
some excellent old sweet wines (Rivesaltes?
Monbazillac?) Mouth: ah, yes, now
it’s getting woodier. Not exactly
tired or even tannic but there’s
this dryness that – maybe –
prevents the sweetness and fruitiness
to develop to their maximum. Quite
some vanilla, slightly burnt cake,
toffee… Lots of over-infused
tea (OK, tannins), a little mastic,
liquorice root, chlorophyll chewing
gum… And the finish isn’t
too long but drying, although not
catastrophically so. Good, the nose
was absolutely beautiful but the wood
took control of the palate, I’m
afraid, so it’s going to be
85 points (but the
nose is worth more than 90, no doubt).
The
Glenlivet NAS (43%, OB, 'Export',
‘unblended all malts’,
Baretto Milano, late 1960’s
- early 1970’s)
This one is was probably distilled
around the same years as the 50 yo
, but bottled much earlier…
Colour: pale gold. Nose: grainier,
mashier, and much smokier: there’s
quite some peat in there, it appears!
Burnt matchsticks, old coal stove...
It gets very mineral, with quite some
flint, limestone… And gets then
quite waxy a la old Clynelish, with
notes of fresh walnut skin, mastic
and a bit of aniseed. Ah, and also
some lily of the valley and light
camphor notes. What an excellent surprise!
Mouth: well, it’s not that stunning
anymore, with quite an old bottle
effect (something drying, metallic
and tea-ish) and a bitterness that
makes it a little hard to enjoy. Burnt
French beans? But otherwise one can
feel that was classy stuff a while
ago, with quite some camphor and smoke
in the background. Too bad but we
can’t blame this oldie, can
we? Anyway, 85 points
again (and again for the fantastic
nose – are old Glenlivets only
for ‘nosers’? ;-) |
|
MUSIC
-
It's Sunday, we go classical - did
it occur to you that this is another
Mozart
year? Yes, again! So let's listen
to a rather speedy, rock and roll
version of the 40th
Symphony 4th mvt.mp3 (allegro
assai, composed 1788) by a very
good Korean orchestra - sorry, I
couldn't get the name. |
 |
| TASTING
- TWO ITALIAN
GLENLOSSIES |
 |
Glenlossie
1977/2003 (45%, Samaroli 35th Anniversary,
cask #633, 360 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: extremely
fresh at first nosing, nicely spirity
and grainy, buttery… Getting
very fruity (freshly cut apples and
pineapples) then very herbal and aromatic
(sage, bay leaf). Develops on spices
from the wood (white pepper, a little
nutmeg). Astonishingly fresh and natural
at that age… Also some nice
notes of roses. |
Mouth:
very nicely balanced, starting on
grains again, getting then quite hot.
Very sweet but not extremely complex,
slightly disappointing. Gets grainier
and grainier, with hints of cider
and green pepper. The finish is very
long, rather waxy, and very grainy,
with notes of cooked apples again.
Well, the nose was nice but the mouth
lacked a little more development to
make it above 85, so it’s going
to be 84 points.
Glenlossie
14 yo 1974/1988 (58.5%, Intertrade,
sherry cask, 297 b.)
Colour: Cognac with salmony hues.
Nose: starts on lots of caramel and
rum and tons of chocolate and Nescafé.
Almost thick. Lots of sherry, obviously,
a little ‘matt’. Goes
on with lots of dried and crystallised
oranges, some very nice mineral notes
and hints of smoked meat (Islay beaf?)
Keeps developing on soy sauce and
dark pipe tobacco (Balkan). Very classical,
rather complex for a sherry monster.
Mouth: powerful, creamy, very rubbery
(noble rubber if that exists). It
gets quite ‘monstrous’,
with loads of grilled herbs (oregano,
thyme), bitter chocolate, bitter almonds,
fresh peppercorn. Not much sweetness
here! Also some notes of bitter oranges,
cardboard… It gets a little
‘difficult’, probably
a little too tannic. Let’s try
it with a few drops of water (…
while the nose gets more orangey…):
right, there are less tannins now,
it’s sweeter, even rubberier
(but it’s enjoyable rubber),
with quite some mint and eucalyptus
coming through and also some balsamic
vinegar. Very concentrated! The finish
is long but maybe slightly too bitter.
In short, this one is a genuine sherry
monster and sherry freaks should love
it, but I’ll give it some conservatory
87 points. |
 |
|
MUSIC
– JAZZ - Recommended
listening, in the fine tradition of
the Brazilian masters like Egberto
Gismonti or Hermeto Pascoal, the Grupo
Bonsai plays Baião
Maluco - mp3. Crazy and very entertaining,
I like these short pieces a lot. Please
buy their music if you like it! And
no, that's not avant-garde ;-). |
| TASTING
- TWO GLENUGIES
Glenugie
25 yo 1980/2005 (47%, Scotch Malt
Whisky Society 99.10, 263 bottles)
Colour: straw. Nose: rather vibrant
and fragrant at first nosing, starting
very grainy (grain barn) and sort
of feinty. The aromas are quite
numerous but rather unusual –
hard to put names on them. Ah, yes,
very buttered mashed potatoes, ginger
ale… Then caramel crème,
old sweet wine, gingerbread, beer…
And then we have some pastries,
cake, toffee… |
 |
Lots
happening here but it’s perhaps
lacks definition. Goes back to hot
milk and porridge before it gets frankly
vegetal (fern, hay) and slightly sourish
and dusty. Very interesting but not
directly enjoyable, I’d say.
Mouth: ah, now it’s much cleaner,
more ‘defined’. Bold notes
of roasted nuts and flower jellies,
fruit jam, Turkish delights and Japanese
grilled tea. Rice cake, burnt cake
and bread, pear eau-de-vie…
Still a ‘different’ profile.
Some waxy notes, propolis, dried herbs
(lots of thyme!) Gets very nutty (hazelnut
liqueur), maybe a tad smoky…
The finish is medium long, on dried
fruits (dates)… An excellent
palate after a nose that’s a
bit ‘strange’: 87
points.
Glenugie
27 yo 1977/2005 (46.7%, Signatory,
cask #5506, 220 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: this one
is probably simpler but much more
‘precise’, starting sort
of Lowlandish (grains and citrus fruits)
but getting very nicely fruity and
a tad resinous at the same time. Orange
juice, rose jelly, Turkish delights,
grapefruit juice… Hints of ginger
ale again, pineapple sweets, sweet
cider. Faint whiffs of white pepper…
Much simpler indeed but certainly
more directly enjoyable. Mouth: very,
very coherent. Starts on grains, lemon,
citrons, then something slightly ‘twisted’
(very ripe kiwis or pineapples, pipe
juice (argh!), liquorice sweets…)
A very interesting sweet and acidic
feeling. Goes on with various herbal
teas and gets then quite peppery and
tannic (in a nice way). The malt gets
‘broader’, with more body
and creaminess, developing on lemon
pie topped with caramel, crème
brûlée, candy sugar,
all sorts of fruit liqueurs…
It gets excellent, and the finish
is spicy, longer than the SMWS’,
creamier and more satisfying. Very
good! 89 points
(and thanks Luc) |
 |
MUSIC
– Jazz - Highly
recommended listening: Serge Adam’s
excellent combo Quoi
de neuf docteur (what’s
new, doctor?) plays a powerful, speedy
and innovative Jungle
hurricane.mp3. Wowie, sure they
have the sound! That’s jazz
for people who don’t like jazz,
and of course for jazz lovers as well.
Please buy Serge Adam’s music. |
| |
| PETE
McPEAT AND JACK WASHBACK |
 |
Caol
Ila 24 yo (50%, Douglas Laing OMC,
circa 2004)
From a mini, not sure this one has
been bottled as a ‘big bottle
version’. Colour: pale gold.
Nose: ah, this is a ‘low-peat’
Caol Ila, it appears… Rather
discreet, clean, pure, not’
old’ at all, a little fruity,
with quite some herbal tea. Whiffs
of menthol, paraffin, getting then
rather medicinal (eucalyptus, menthol,
cough syrup…) and finally smoky
(white wood smoke). Bold pear juice
after fifteen minutes. |
All
that is elegant and classy yet uncomplicated,
kind of ‘sober’, with
a superb dryness. Mouth: sweet, fruity
and liquoricy attack, with the peat
taking off slowly but regularly as
often. It’s not a bold peat,
that is. It gets then very waxy, with
some mastic, herbs (thyme, bay leaf
and rosemary), notes of lemon marmalade…
Very clean again, quite some body,
maybe notes of walnut skin…
The finish is long, smoky, herbal
and peppery… A very good old
Caol Ila that tastes rather younger
than 24 yo and that’s rather
austere, in a very nice way.
89 points.
Caol
Ila 26 yo 1979/2005 (57.2%, The Whisky
Fair, bourbon hogshead, Cask #1356,
212 bottles)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: this one
is much more expressive, almost extravagant
with its notes of gewürztraminer,
old roses and orange fizz (vitamins
tablets). Unusual and very special,
with a very clean peat blazing in
the background. It gets then very
cleanly farmy, on hay, grain barn,
dried flowers… Notes of ginger
ale and apple pie. Certainly more
oomph but again lots of elegance.
Mouth: ah, now it really ‘overtakes’
its younger brother. Extremely strong
notes of camphor and wax (I think
I never had such strong ‘camphor
and wax’). with an incredibly
bold mouth feel, very oily, developing
on argan oil, walnuts, mustard seeds,
maybe even horseradish, tea, clove…
But what a beautiful Caol Ila! A little
salt, liquorice, gentian eau-de-vie,
toffee… In two words: stun-ning.
And the finish is long, extremely
coherent, coating, with a superb ‘peat’.
I loved this one, an even subtler
nose would have propelled it up to
95, but it’s going to be 93
points. A fab surprise, Oops,
I even forgot to add some water (and
thanks, Carsten). |
 |
MUSIC
– Recommended
listening - Another very, very silly
tune that's very, very enjoyable (am
I turning mad?), it's The
Happy Bullets doing The
Vice and Virtue Ministry.mp3.
No, no, I should not like that at
all, I know! But please buy their
music... |
| CONCERT
REVIEW by Nick Morgan |
| JOHN
OTWAY AND THE BIG BAND, Half
Moon, Putney, London, January 14th
2006
It’s
winter quiet in January London at
the moment. Curtains are drawn early
in the afternoon, electric light-bulbs
shimmer, families huddle round glowing
radiators snacking on Christmas
surely-past-their-use-by-date leftovers,
and entertainment seems largely
to be provided by North London’s
European football team and Celebrity
Big Brother. |
 |
| In
case you don’t know Serge, that’s
a TV programme (remember – the
box in the corner?) where run of the
mill celebrities like superannuated
rock stars, end of the pier comedians,
forgotten actors and the odd Member
of Parliament sit around in a house
making fools of themselves for the
sake of a nation’s entertainment
(perhaps Gordon Brown will make us
all watch it as part of the new British
Day celebrations). Personally I don’t
get it, but I’m told it’s
a fine way of passing the time if
you’ve no money, and no where
to go. And gigs are certainly thin
on the ground at the moment. But by
way of avoiding the telly, or worse,
we wandered south of the river on
Saturday to Putney to see Whiskyfun’s
old chum, and Rock and Roll’s
self declared ‘Greatest Failure’
John
Otway and his Big Band
(all five of them). |
 |
| Not
that I thought I would have much to
say about this highly entertaining
and amiable eccentric (with an appearance
that gets more like the late Michael
Hordern playing a demented public-school
chemistry teacher every time I see
him) that I didn’t say when
I reviewed him back in 2004. To be
sure the set was almost identical,
although we did get a couple of additional
numbers from his 2005 album Ot-air,
including ‘Rumplestiltskin’
and ‘International dateline’.
|
 |
The
band (Richard Holgarth, lead guitar;
Murray Torkilsden, rhythm guitar;
Seymour, bass guitar; and Adam Batterbee
on drums) was as tightly inept as
Otway deserved, with Richard Holgarth
( a sometime Hot Rod with Eddie) in
outstanding form with his School of
Rock Gibson SG. It also featured Otway
collaborator, writer and producer
Barry Upton, on keyboards and guitars,
whose perma suntan is no doubt more
the result of his work with Cheeky
Girls and million sellers Steps than
with Otway. |
| So
I stood there enjoying my beer and
Otway’s infectious buffoonery
whilst the Photographer played with
the new Whiskyfun camera. And a thought
came into my mind, which was that
quite possibly there was more depth,
and more danger, to Mr Otway than
might at first meet the eye. Think
of it this way – we’re
told that it’s the youth who
challenge the status quo in the music
business, and I guess the latest example
would be the Arctic Monkeys. But in
fact for all the fuss and nonsense
about ‘democratisation’
of the music industry through the
influence of websites such as myspace,
the band are being so hyped by ‘the
business’ that it’s hard
to tell them apart from anyone else
(think of that famous moment in the
final paragraph of Animal Farm), and
like all the other brave new things
before them they seem to be careering
happily into the open arms of the
music establishment. But not Otway.
He subverts the very concept of fame.
He subverts the conventional business
constructs that support the music
industry (don’t believe me?
Then have a look at his planned World
Tour). And he even subverts the structure
of the song (‘House of the rising
sun’). Most of all he subverts
the notion, commonly held amongst
young folk, that 54 year olds should
know better. |
| So
what better way to start a musical
year than with a performer who turns
the musical world (and it should be
said, himself) upside down? A musical
year, I observe, that promises a mixture
of something old, something new, something
borrowed, and quite possibly something
blue – and all of that before
the end of April. And if it delivers
only half the entertainment that Mr
Otway produces, then I can tell you
now that we’re all in for some
good whiskymusicfun. Oh yes, and if
you do only one thing this year, then
please go and see Otway. You won’t
regret it. - Nick Morgan
(concert photos by Kate). |
 |
| Thank
you Nick! Yes we have kind of a 'Big
Brother' TV show in France as well,
although I never watch it - nobody
will ever confess watching this kind
of show, despite the fact that they
gather 10 or 15 million viewers every
day. It's called 'La Ferme des Célébrités'
(celebrity farm) and it's totally
stupid, I've been told (coz, again,
I never watch it, honest). Now, if
I had to choose somebody for my own
'Performer You Would Most Like Your
Daughter to Bring Home Award'
I'd probably choose Otway rather than
Iggy, he seems to be an excellent
entertainer (as these
audio files should testify) and
I always liked beautiful losers -
which Iggy isn't. And Eddie
and the Hot Rods! They were quite
big in France in the mid-seventies,
juts like Dr Feelgood, and they are
still around, it seems. Btw, to our
distinguished readers, Nick's excellent
2004 John Otway review is here.
S. |
| |
Mouth:
starts a little rough and quite powerful
but it’s not overpowering. Quite
some tannins and vanilla, making it
a little bourbon-like. Roasted nuts,
a little liquorice… Really oaky
but it’s easily bearable. The
liquorice gets bolder, with also some
salty notes… Let’s see
what happens with a little water:
(… while the nose gets a little
herbal…) it gets nicely vegetal
and sweeter at the same time, and
the liquorice grows even stronger!
The finish is long, rather smooth
and oaky, with always lots of liquorice.
In short, an enjoyable Aberlour, very
different from the OB’s we know.
85 points.
Aberlour
1990/2002 (59.9%, Blackadder Raw Cask,
cask #3318)
Colour: white wine. Nose: extremely
woody, with lots of varnish, glue,
paint thinner… Ouch! Notes of
melted butter, sour cream… And
now some bold, invading acetone. It
gets hard to enjoy, even if there
are some nice sourish notes (rennet
apples). Whiffs of ‘pencil sharpener
juice’. Well… Mouth: very
powerful, with again these ‘chemical’
notes (mostly varnish) and truckloads
of oak, hyper-infused tea. Quick,
water needed! Right, while the nose
doesn’t change much, the palate
does improve, gets smoother and much
more caramelly and buttery, but the
tannins get even stronger. The finish
itself is quite long but with nothing
particular. In short, a rather rough
Aberlour – for cooking? 76
points |
 |
CRAZY
WHISKY NEWS - Yesterday,
the excellent whisky website Lindores.be
announced that the SWA just came up
with new pictograms to be added to
the labels, when appropriate. Alas,
Lindores only had a dummy - we're
proud to publish both definitive versions
('no wine cask finishing'
and 'no new oak finishing'). |
| |
|
| TASTING
- TWO GLENDULLANS |
 |
Glendullan
1981/2000 (55.5%, Scott’s Selection)
Colour: straw. Nose: rather hot, spirity,
with strong feinty smells at first
nosing. Bold notes of mashed potatoes,
muesli, teapot… Develops on
over-ripe oranges, Schweppes, cooked
fruits… Sort of rough but interesting
if not directly enjoyable. Notes of
hot ham, Indian yoghurt sauce, wet
hay, with also something lemony and
vegetal (guacamole?) It gets quite
cleaner with time, very citrusy and
sort of mineral (wet limestone, wet
clay). More complex than expected,
in any case. |
Mouth:
sweet, very punchy, with some nice
oaky tones and lots of various white
fruits (cooked pears and apples, gooseberries)
and quite some fresh mint. It gets
then a little drying, sort of ‘sticky’,
with lots of liquorice and something
mineral and smoky. It is enjoyable,
very natural and probably not very
special but rather flawless, with
a medium long, sweet and grainy finish,
with also a little pepper. A good
Glendullan. 85 points.
Glendullan
26 yo 1978/2005 (56.6%, Rare Malts)
From the final batch of the Rare Malts
series. Colour: straw. Nose: as hot
but grainier and maybe simpler at
first nosing… But it’s
soon to adopt more or less the same
profile. Mashed potatoes and porridge,
boiled cereals, fresh butter, fresh
herbs (chive, watercress). It gets
then fruitier than the Scott, on peaches…
Some rather bold notes of mint tea,
verbena, a little bergamot…
Certainly cleaner, although there
are some meaty notes as well. Mouth:
it’s very different this time,
much more explosive, with a ‘punchy’
mix of liquorice and fruits (ripe
apricots and melons). Hot caramel,
grains, maybe a little lavender crème
and something pleasantly prickly (icing
sugar, pear drops). Let’s add
a little water now (… while
the nose gets a little farmier as
usual, but also mintier)… Yes,
it gets more drinkable, more playful
(lots of acidic fruits like lemons,
fresh pineapples, apricots, kiwis)
and sweeter and more rounded, as expected
(light caramel and honey). It’s
good and the finish is rather long,
sweet and bitter in a nice way, with
something waxy in the background.
Probably not a total winner but certainly
one of the very best Glendullans I
ever had. Not ‘dull’ at
all! 88 points. |
| TASTING
- TWO STUNNING
1966 LOCHSIDES |
 |
Lochside
38 yo 1966/2005 (45.8%, Murray McDavid
Celtic Heartlands, 152 bottles)
Colour: amber. Nose: incredibly liquoricy
and minty at first nosing (certainly
from the wood) but it then settles
down, developing on buttered caramel,
hot beeswax and raspberry dunce. |
It gets then sweet like and old Sauternes,
with also lots of walnut skin (like
in a fino). Keeps going on ‘cold’
beeswax, paraffin, chestnut flour,
fresh grains and notes of empty wine
barrel. And it’s not over, now
we have the expected tropical fruits
(pineapples and grapefruits), marzipan…
Very complex, concentrated and sort
of unusual for an old Lochside (it’s
less fruity). Wait, no, it gets much
fruitier after 15 minutes, very ‘Lochside’
now. Some beautiful notes of mango
and fresh mint leaves salad. Superb,
with a very long development. Mouth:
creamy, nervous, superbly minty again.
Cough sweets, olive oil, very ‘Lochside’
right from the start this time. Pink
grapefruit, Turkish delights, melon,
banana flambéed… A slight
bitterness from the wood but it’s
easily bearable. Develops more and
more on grapefruit with honey. Extremely
good, really. Hints of almond milk,
orgeat… The finish is rather
long, nicely peppery, with hints of
coriander. Excellent – and a
nice pencil box as always. 93
points (and thanks Hubert).
Lochside
32 yo 1966/1998 (62.3%, Scotch Malt
Whisky Society 92.6)
Colour: mahogany. Nose: stunningly
nutty, with some bold notes of roasted
peanuts, hot praline, and a beautiful,
highly concentrated but not ‘sluggish’
sherry. Great notes of old books,
candles, old Bourgogne wine, old rancio…
Getting then minty as well, with quite
some camphor and eucalyptus and lots
of balsamic vinegar. Some beautiful
maritime notes (raw clams, scallops)
and finally the most cherished notes
of old Italian ham (Parma). Beautiful!
Mouth: lots of body, lots of oomph,
lots of sherry, lots of mint again.
Very citrusy and waxy, with again
these notes of grapefruit, pineapples,
melon and bananas. Lochside is well
here, despite the heavy sherry! Gets
more and more meaty again (smoked
ham), with also quite some clove.
Let’s try it with water (…
while the nose gets smokier…):
it got creamier, even more balanced,
with lots of coffee caramel, Werther’s
Originals… It works! The finish
is as long as expected, mostly on
orange marmalade. A sherried beauty,
the distillery really having its say
here. 93 points (tie!)
(and thanks Olivier). |
| MUSIC
– Recommended
listening - Don't we like a silly
little rock and roll tune from time
to time, like Detroit's Electric
Six doing Gay
bar.mp3? Please buy these guys'
music! |
 |
| |
| PETE
McPEAT AND JACK WASHBACK |
Mouth:
malty and grainy, with, maybe, a little
lack of body but it’s good whisky.
Soft spices, violet sweets, chestnut
honey, pastries… The balance
is almost perfect, in fact, even if
we’d sometimes like more oomph.
A little restrained and too ‘peaceful’
but other than that it’s flawless
and highly drinkable. Probably not
a malt for hardcore whisky fans but
I always sort of liked Bunnahabhain
12 and I still do. 82 points.
Bunnahabhain
12 yo (43%, OB, 75cl, mid/end 1970’s)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: not too different
at first nosing, but getting then
much maltier, chocolaty and caramelly.
Something waxy and resinous developing
after a few minutes, as well as hot
metal (yes, copper), and then some
much bolder maritime notes, such as
seaweed, iodine… A little camphor
as well, and finally whiffs of sherry,
cooked strawberries… Hold on,
it really takes off after a good fifteen
minutes, getting much fruitier and
more complex, with some tropical fruits,
mastic, coconut milk, pineapple…
Not too demonstrative, still, but
extremely enjoyable. Much less MOTR
than the current version, that’s
for sure. Mouth: oh yes, now we’re
on a different planet. Lots of body
(and probably a very positive old
bottle effect here), a superb waxiness
and bunches of fruits: very ripe apples,
dried figs, oranges, guavas, ripe
bananas… Some peat in the background
(or is it my imagination?), smoked
tea, candied chestnuts, fresh walnuts,
a little rancio (love that)…
And it keeps developing on rosewater,
oriental pastries, grilled argan oil
(rare but stunning – try that
if you can put your hands on some),
nougat, marzipan, frangipane…
Notes of very old Cognac. Excellent,
even if it’s slightly weak towards
the finish (maybe there isn’t
enough alcohol), otherwise it would
have fetched even more than 90
points. And I will spare
you a rant on ‘the old days’.
That was not the point. |
 |
MUSIC
– It's
Sunday, we go classical with the
stunning mezzo-soprano Anna
Caterina Antonacci
singing Paisello's Nina's
aria.mp3 (Nina, o sia la pazza
per amore). Yes, stunning! Please
buy her records or go to her concerts! |
Check
the index of all entries:
Whisky
Music
Nick's Concert
Reviews |
|
|
|
|
| |
Best
malts I had these weeks - 90+
points only - alphabetical:
Bunnahabhain
12 yo (43%,
OB, 75cl, mid/end 1970’s)
Caol
Ila 26 yo 1979/2005 (57.2%, The Whisky
Fair, bourbon hogshead, Cask #1356, 212 bottles)
Highland
Park 19 yo 1986/2005 (55.3%, OB for
Maxxium Holland, cask #2793, 1120 halves)
Lochside
32 yo 1966/1998 (62.3%, Scotch Malt
Whisky Society 92.6)
Lochside
38 yo 1966/2005 (45.8%, Murray McDavid
Celtic Heartlands, 152 bottles)
Macallan
1974/2001 (50.5%, Scott's Selection)
Port
Ellen 14 yo 1974/1988 (65.5%,
Sestante, green glass, cork stopper)
Port
Ellen 1982/2005 (55.7%, M&H Cask
Selection, bourbon, 240 bottles)
|
| |
|
|
