Strange mixtures and funny blended malts of high quality


January 31, 2024

Strange mixtures and funny blended malts of high quality

So, malt that's been mixed, for the better or the worse. Let's hope we shan't come across any 'Hawaiian pizza'. Well, I'm sure we will… That being said, one should never underestimate the work of blenders, who are often more akin to Rothkos than Pollocks, so to speak. Well, one would hope so...

Dalaruan (43%, The Lost Distillery Company, blended malt, +/-2023)

This series, which stirred quite a controversy upon its release due to the use of names from old distilleries, eventually led people to realise two things. Firstly, that nobody really remembered Auchtermuchty Distillery (just an example) and, secondly, that the new whiskies created in tribute to these forgotten distilleries were actually quite good. Of course, we can't verify if the one we have in our glass truly resembles Dalaruan, but we'll see if it's good, despite its two obvious shortcomings: firstly, the fact that it's NAS (No Age Statement), and secondly, its low bottling strength. Colour: dark gold. Nose: there's definitely a greasy, mineral aspect, reminiscent of motor oil and vegetable soup, all things that seem quite ancient. Coal smoke, turnip, tar, seaweed... Yes, one could well imagine that the Campbeltowner Dalaruan might have been somewhat like this, why not. Could there be some... Ben Nevis in it? Mouth: well, it's very good, there's a real antique side to it, with peat, salt, soups and broths, old fruit liqueurs, perhaps sherry, a certain minerality... Finish: and dry fruits. Comments: at the risk of making a few friends scream, you have them taste this, then you tell them it's Macallan 1947, and no one will call you out on it. But no, no, don't do that! However, I find this humble little blend very impressive. Unless they've snuck some Macallan 1947 into my sample without me realising it.
SGP:462 - 88 points.

In the same vein...

Coleburn 20 yo 2002/2023 'Deluxe Blend' (42.7%, Murray McDavid, Mission Gold, blended malt, oloroso sherry cask, 537 bottles)

Okay, I know what you're thinking, but first, Murray McDavid/Aceo indeed are allowed to use the Coleburn brand, and they do occupy the premises/warehouses. Then, the label clearly states that it's a blend of Speyside and Highland from a total of eight distilleries. But yes, it's a strange bottle, I agree. Let's see if the wonderful fruitiness of the original Coleburn is found in it, remembering that Coleburn was sort of the sister distillery to Clynelish before the Second World War. But it's not certain that Aceo's goal is to replicate Coleburn… Colour: golden. Nose: more like wet chalk and a bit of porridge with pieces of fresh fruit, then Haribo sweets of all kinds, some foam too, a bit of vanilla, really juicy sultanas, a few toasts and brownies... It really screams 'blended malt' but it's nice, with those hints of menthol liquorice that come through next, along with a bit of rum and raisin cream. Mouth: quite firm, with more of a dry sherry character, the usual walnut cake, orange marmalade, a little hint of mustard, then some slightly burnt almonds, coffee and chocolate. A mix a bit in the style of Glenrothes. Finish: quite long, with burnt caramel, coffee again and a few notes of brown tobacco and toasted malt. Comments: the nose is fresher than the palate, which is a bit more astringent. Overall, I think it's a very nice 'blend', quite classic, that likes to take its time.
SGP:451 - 85 points.

In the same spirit...

Crimson Godzilla 18 yo (46%, Ian Macleod, Taiwan, blended malt, 999 bottles, 2022)

They have made various Godzillas at Ian Macleod. I'm afraid I know next to mothing about Godzilla, except that it's huge and that it reminds me of a few politicians. Not too sure about what's inside this blended malt (not too sure about what's inside politicians either). Colour: amber. Nose: milk chocolate is absolutely everywhere at first, it's like visiting a Lindt factory. Then comes an avalanche of fresh fruit and fruit preserves, especially plums, then apricots and some peaches. It's quite dense and rather charming, more in the style of Snow White than Godzilla for now. No complaints at all. Mouth: one might almost wonder if there's quite a bit of Tamdhu in this blend. Malt, stout, roasted nuts, tobacco, espresso, a drop of Maggi, black pepper, black nougat... For me, it's more Black Godzilla, which is positive of course. Finish: the same. Green walnuts in the aftertaste. Comments: I forgot to mention a Christmas cake; it's just that it's not really the season anymore. Excellent blended malt.
SGP:461 - 88 points.

St Bridget's Kirk 'Solera Batch #1' (48.8%, Hannah Whisky Merchants, 186 bottles, 2023)

A three-cask solera, one ex-fino and two ex-oloroso. Not sure when they change these casks because I suppose they need to (while solera casks in Jerez are virtually inert), or if they do that gradually, when they become more inert indeed, but I think it's good that they would use ex-sherry wood and not anything else. I would suppose the last oloroso cask could be called 'the finishing vessel'. Oh and it's fab that they wouldn't use solera numbers, such as, you know, a large '23'. Colour: amber. Nose: I almost thought I was assessing the kind Crimson Godzilla again, by mistake, the styles being so close. Lots of sherry, walnuts, coffee, dark chocolate, tobacco, damp earth, with a bit of leather (horse saddle) and a medicinal and slightly smoky touch. A very nice nose, certainly. Mouth: more peat, plenty of candied lemon, a bit of brine, very dry raisins, candied orange peels... All this works very well together. Finish: quite long, balanced, it's a bit like peated whisky truffles, I actually helped a high-end chocolatier in the neighborhood prepare some a few months ago. We had done that with some funny bottle of Ardbeg NAS 'that would not go down the normal way' (excellent in chocolate, less so in your glass). Comments: I had tried a very fruity St Bridget's Kirk 8 yo (WF 85) while Angus recently tried a 20 yo (WF 88), but none were ex-soleras. Solera or not, this peaty one is rather splendid too.
SGP:5645 - 87 points.

The Gauldrons 'Campbeltown Blended Malt' (50%, Douglas Laing, sherry finish, batch #002, 5,580 bottles, 2023)

This Campbeltowner is part of Douglas Laing's 'Remarkable Regional Malts'. The first batch, at 46.2%, might have been a little difficult, IMHO (as we used to say). Colour: gold. Nose: there's a good amount of spent matches and gunpowder initially, followed by plenty of ground coffee and cake burnt in the oven, with the corresponding carbon smoke. Quite a bit of soot. With water: it becomes friendlier, more lemony, also more maritime, while the gunpowder has almost vanished. Mouth (neat): tinned fruits, leather, and dead leaves, followed by soot, a bit of salt and lemon zest. It's harsh and somewhat austere, but it fits Campbeltown (in a downpour). With water: the same phenomenon as on the nose, it becomes more 'congenial', almost more civilised, but also brinier. Lemon candies and budget tequila with its worm inside (which isn't a worm, but let's move on). Finish: of medium length, with an even more pronounced margarita aspect. A bit of mint and aniseed follow. Comments: I think I enjoy it much more than the first batch of The Gauldron.
SGP:462 - 84 points.

Campbeltown 6 yo 2017/2023 (58.6%, Watt Whisky, blended malt, barrel, 252 bottles)

Angus has already tasted this baby and liked it a lot. It's another one of those blended Campbeltowners where half the planet insists it's pure Glen Scotia, while the other half is certain there are a few drops of Springbank or Glengyle in it. Colour: white wine. Nose: the fact is, there's paraffin, linseed oil, soot, lime and hints of new plastic. Not to forget chalk and wet sand. With water: that brand new sweater, porridge and bread dough straight from the baker's kneading trough. Mouth (neat): I won't throw stones at anyone who tells me there's a fair bit of Springbank in this maritime, oily, and chalky composition. The lemon is splendid. With water: excellent, with the arrival of grapefruit, not very ripe mangoes, and more chalk. Finish: quite long, very balanced, coastal and especially, very, very 'Campbeltown'. We're not talking about the Glen Scotia of twenty years ago or more, are we? But things have changed. Lemon candy touches at the very end, not very 'Springbank'. Comments: it is said that Springbank doesn't give away any casks to blenders, but there's still a lot to be found with independents, they must come from somewhere. Well, in theory, there shouldn't be any Springbank. Let's move on to something else...
SGP:552 - 88 points.

Big Peat 'Bordeaux Edition' (48%, Douglas Laing, LMDW, blended malt, 600 bottles, 2023)

Good one, this one is 'Predominantly finished in French red wine casks'. Since we know the theoretical composition of these Big Peats (Ardbeg, Bowmore, Caol Ila, and Port Ellen), it would also be nice to know that of the Bordeaux châteaux that have been used. Or maybe not. Colour: Provence rosé. Please pass the olives. Nose: the less red wine you can smell in whisky, the better the whisky. To be honest, the rosé wine colour was quite alarming, but the whisky seems to have held its own, with pink grapefruit (there you have it) and cranberries in addition to the usual peat. In the end, it's wet earth, crushed slate and peat that come out on top. It's a fun nose that feels a bit like a premix, but if an Instagram mixologist served it to you more like a cocktail in a fancy Paris bar, it would probably work. With Italian sausage chips, for example. Or indeed olives. Mouth: yes, it's good. Green pepper and pink pepper, cherries and nutmeg on top of the usual super-blend of these Big Peaters. Finish: fairly long, on red fruits, pepper and peat. Comments: sooner or later, there are going to be some eccentric mixologists offering homemade 'winskies'. A Brorus, for example, that's Brora with five drops of Pétrus. What, you say that's already being done?
SGP:656 - 83 points.

Tomorrow we'll try to taste some blended Scotch instead…