Some blends


June 14, 2023

Some blends

We try to do this at least a few times a year, even if more and more single malts that are 'blends' on paper are also creeping out, which makes it difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff (have to find a better expression). We make every effort to tell them apart, but it is not always easy and sometimes it is even impossible, as some high-end proper blends do actually shelter minuscule quantities of grain whisky.

Johnnie Walker 'Bourbon & Rye Finish' (40%, OB, Blenders' Batch No.2, +/-2021)

They say there's more than 200 different whiskies inside, and that the end result was finished for 6 months in rye whisky. What they wouldn't tell is whether it was pure rye, or if it was what they call 'a rye' in America. Colour: gold. Nose: it is clearly 'American' – and it is nice. Typical barrel spices, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, plus the expected vanillaness, peanut butter, fudge, sawdust… Mouth: really sweet, kind of grain-forward, as if the barrels had added even more grain that there already was in the blend. Popcorn, fruit candies, light nougat, sweet maize, a little tangerine liqueur, a little sweet varnish of some sorts… But it is extremely light, if not weak, and that's the low A.B.V., which doesn't do it justice and would, in the end, hint at Haig Club. Finish: short, but with pleasant notes of pineapple. Comments: frustrating because of the strength. Did those distinguished blenders decide on the bottling strength themselves? Because the heart is very right.
SGP:730 - 77 points.

White Heather 21 yo (48%, OB, blended Scotch, +/-2022)

They say two things on the label, first that it is made with 'an exceptional degree of craft and care', which I'm ready to believe after its excellent little brother the 15 that we tried a few months ago, and second, that is it 'as rare as white heather'. Well, it may be rare in Scotland, but next time they're in France, we'll show them a lot of that 'Erica heather'. Which, by the way, lets the bees make one of the best honeys, in my opinion. Anyway… Colour: full gold. Nose: a little burnt wood and cake at first, then old rancio and garden peat, pipe tobacco, camphor with clove syrup, oloroso, old walnuts, orange bitters, furniture polish… It's the 'darker', old-school style, as we sometimes say. The opposite of the Johnnie Walker. Mouth: there must be some old casks in there, I'm finding a lot of 'old' chocolate, mentholy woods, indeed old oloroso, bitter resins, black tobacco (Gauloise)… They really managed to make us feel some oldness, but it never feels tired. Berries-and-chocolate bars then. Finish: long and fruitier. Chocolate filled with fruit liqueurs, Jaffa cakes in the aftertaste. Comments: is there even any grain whisky in there? Or perhaps some 30-40yo Invergordon ex-sherry? One of the best blends around these days, in my opinion.
SGP:562 - 88 points.

Delos (49%, Compass Box, blended Scotch, 5,520 bottles, 2023)

I am not sure I'm getting it. I've seen a price of 340€ for this NAS and a wonderful story about 'extinct blends', so I immediately thought about Coleburn, Glenlochy (some Glenlochy soon on WF!), Lochside, Glenesk, Garnheath… Right, not obligatorily about Brora or Port Ellen! But no, apparently, it's Glen Elgin, Miltonduff, Imperial (granted, Imperial is down) and Cameronbridge – the largest grain distillery… So there must be another secret… Colour: straw. Nose: really nice, malty, bready, with apples and pears, acacia blossom, honeysuckle… Plus cassis buds and berries. A little fresh wood too, it may have been rejuvenated. Mouth: absolutely, it's very nice, full of orchard fruits, apples, peaches, apricots, plus once again some fresh oak spices, nutmeg perhaps… It does feel like a middle-aged Glen Elgin indeed, we know those are good. Plums. Finish: medium, a tad more on sweet bananas, banana cream… That's fresh oak. Good sweet citrus in the aftertaste. Comments: I'm really slow, I still don't quite get it (I mean, given the price). And I'm surprised they have added neither Clynelish, nor Laphroaig, so no actual top-dresser. But yeah, it's very good and very natural.
SGP:641 - 85 points.

Ultramarine (51%, Compass Box, blended Scotch, 5,530 bottles, 2022

Ultramarine (51%, Compass Box, blended Scotch, 5,530 bottles, 2022)

Caol Ila, Glendullan, Ord, Miltonduff, Speyburn and two grains, plus a label by Salvador Dali (more or less). Even more pricey but lovely. After all, we don't taste price tags. Colour: light gold. Nose: Caol Ila and the rest. Cough medicine, sea spray, oysters, ashes, cider apples, menthol, fruit peel (which is very Glendullan in my book), seaweed… With water: dried flowers, patchouli, bidis… Om?… … Mouth (neat): indeed, Caol Ila and the rest, but I like this combo. Mint-forward, plus eucalyptus, otherwise limoncello (here we go again) and the usual oysters. With water: more citrus, liqueurs, a little peppermint… Finish: medium, fresh, extremely well balanced, with a saltier aftertaste. Comments: lovely. It reminds me of the good old times of home blending, when we were sharing recipes. Like 50% Macallan 10, 30% HP 12, 10% Lagavulin 16 and 5% Ardbeg 10 plus 5% water to bind it all together. Stir, don't shake, and voilà. But that practice went out of fashion…
SGP:553 - 87 points.

Turntable 'Track #1' (46%, OB, blended Scotch, 2023)

Also named Joy. Discovery. Invention. (a song by Biffy Clyro, a band I ddin't know of, probably a matter of generation). And a new company, hurray! And more smart moves around blends, in true Compass Box fashion (you don't need to distil to make whisky), with quite a bit of fun. And music. Remember we started this lousy 'blog' with whisky and music… Well, the original idea was whisky, music and motorbikes. That was way before some suckers invented SEO. Colour: light gold. Nose: fine, malty, fruity, with some good 'regular' malt whiskies, apples, pears, plums, brioche and all that. Not quite LedZep or Miles, rather, say Sir Paul. Mouth: some knack, with good creaminess (new oak?) and this mango/lemon/beeswax combo, leading to vanilla and liquorice allsorts. Just impeccable and modern. Finish: rather long, sweet, with liqueurs and fruit jelly. Comments: just smart and very good, and the price is good here. I'm reminded of Jon, Mark & Robbo's venture, but they've been much too early.
SGP:641 - 85 points.

Turntable 'Track #2' (46%, OB, blended Scotch, 2023)

A.k.a. Firestarter (The Prodigy). Caol Ila at the helm this time again, apparently. Colour: light gold. Nose: you do feel some 'wood works' this time again, as well as indeed, some coastal/smoky CaolIlaness. Now the fresh wood/branches remain a little bit in the way. Spearmint, ashes, old chimney, bark… What you really don't feel is the grain part. Mouth: thick, creamy, certainly excellent but this is something else, a next step, forged by wood treatments. Strictly nothing against that, as long as they don't use heat and high-pressurising, but yeah, this is the next era. Finish: long, very creamy, on vanilla and bananas. Comments: reminiscent of the great works by James Eadie, Fable Whisky, Bimber, M&H, Kavalan and several other new makers who've embraced modern wood technology with talent. Dr Jim Swan's heirs.
SGP:654 - 85 points.

Turntable 'Track #3' (46%, OB, blended Scotch, 2023)

This one's called 'Purple Haze', let's just hope it won't lead us straight to manic depression, as I just told a good friend while we were chatting about purple asparagus vs. white ones. Indeed, no sense at all. Colour: deep gold. Nose: easily my favourite, and not just because of Jimi Hendrix. Metal polish, old engine oil, game (old grouse – nothing personal), walnut wine, bay leaves, cigarettes, compost, old pinot noir… Mouth: bingo. Cassis, raspberries, more pinot noir, touch of liquorice, cherry liqueur, garnacha/grenache… In theory, this should never work. In realty, it's… well, rocking. Some leafy wood in the background, which is normal. Finish: long. More cherries, etc. The expected peppers in the aftertaste. Comments: I haven't checked the distilleries they've been using, but I doubt that's very important. I should hate this. Hope no zin has been used, and no Bourgogne casks harmed (I mean, STRised).
SGP:661 - 87 points.

Check the index of all blends we've tasted so far