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| Hi, you're in the Archives, August 2024 - Part 2 |
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August 31, 2024 |
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Angus's Corner
From our correspondent and
skilled taster Angus MacRaild in Scotland
Stoking the Whiskyfun Caol Ila pages!
Serge said on Whiskyfun just this past week that he is arranging and funding a special trip to Islay where we’ll formally taste Whiskyfun’s 1000th Caol Ila. Now, I may be paraphrasing slightly, but let’s see if we can’t nudge that process along slightly. As good an excuse as any to tackle the Caol Ila stash, which has grown arms and legs once again. Having said that, I’m pretty sure Serge has written notes for most of these already, so this is really just my two cents… |
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Caol Ila 11 yo 2012/2023 (48%, Elixir Distillers ‘The Single Malts of Scotland Reserve Casks’, four refill butts) 
Colour: pale gold. Nose: petrol, mineral salts and a rather salty, green and grassy quality that does suggest some sherry casks deep in the mix. Pure peat, mercurochrome and seawater. Pretty exemplary! Mouth: lemons and limes and peat ashes galore! Also cornichons in brine, capers and other pickling juice vibes. There’s still a very nicely salty, chiselled and slightly earthy sherry ‘feeling’ about it, but it still shows abundant distillate DNA front and centre. Finish: medium, back on salted almonds, wood ashes, kelp and tarry smoke. Comments: I’d simply add that it’s a rather fat and punchy wee Caol Ila, despite the rather clever reduced strength.
SGP: 467 - 87 points. |
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Caol Ila 9 yo 2013 (57.2%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society 53.457 ‘Coal shards on clotted cream’, Oloroso sherry finish)
457 casks of Caol Ila by the SMWS alone! At this rate they will get to 1000 before Whiskyfun! Colour: grubby gold. Nose: a richer and more gingery sherry influence in this one. Rather a lot of spicy, dark grained breads, smoked German dark beers, salted liquorice, camphor and anchovy paste. Big, thick, chunky whisky! With water: camphor, tar liqueur, pine needles and cough syrup - it works well! Mouth: very punchy arrival! Malt vinegar, charred wood, iodine and tarry rope. Also some black peppercorns and feelings of roof pitch and kerosine. The relative activeness of the oak is evident but it feels reasonably well in check by this pretty monstrously peaty distillate. With water: very nicely salty, earthy and with a restrained gamey note too now. Also tons of seawater, cayenne pepper, aniseed and horseradish. A total beast that would headbutt any Octomore under the table! Finish: long, very tarry, petrolic, peaty and medicinal, also extremely salty and drying now too. Comments: an uncomplicated, no holds barred Caol Ila that is really quite extreme in places. It feels like the sherry casks was pretty active but that it simply got relentlessly beaten down by this massive Caol Ila distillate. Seems like they upped the peat level a bit in these vintages?
SGP: 468 - 85 points. |
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Caol Ila 9 yo 2013/2022 (57.3%, The Whisky Exchange for The Whisky Show, cask #316159, refill hogshead)
I’m laughably late with this, not that we aim to always try bottlings at the point of release mind you. Colour: gold. Nose: rounder, oilier with a more complex interplay of peat and medicinal aspects, a richer smokiness and subtler notes of sandalwood, gorse and beach pebbles. So different from the SMWS. With water: a tad simpler now, with pure seawater, green olive and wood ashes. Mouth: creamy and mouth-filling arrival, lots of pine wood, camphor, pure peat smoke, black olives in brine, BBQ-charred shellfish and various umami, salty and briny impressions. Nicely tight and cohesive Caol Ila. With water: again this feeling of roundness and cohesiveness, creamy texture, with pure peat smoke, dry phenolics, tar and lots of vigorous salty notes. Finish: quite long, very coastal and powerfully salty, dry smoke, anchovy paste and antiseptic. Comments: I think I preferred this one neat, but overall another very good one with a nicely direct and singular profile.
SGP: 366 - 86 points. |
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Caol Ila 9 yo 2013/2023 (59.6%, Watt Whisky, hogshead, 306 bottles) 
Let’s see what the Watts have been up to… Colour: pale white wine. Nose: very close to the raw distillate now, really on petrol, puffer smoke, seawater, freshly kilned malt and wet linens. In time a building medicinal profile full of iodine and TCP. With water: a slightly broader smokiness which adds some complexity, more feelings of pure kiln air, umami seasonings and beach sand. Mouth: very pure, sharp, chiselled and centred around seawater, pickling brine, lemon juice and wood ashes. Lots of beach stuff too, such as crushed seashells, rock pool vibes and wet seaweed. With water: cider apple, more briny things, still hugely salty, some traces of fennel seed and smoked olive oil. Superb! Finish: long, sharp, full of mineral salts, lemon juice, olive brine and a tar-flecked smokiness. Comments: It’s raw and even a tad brutal in places, but this feels like this sort of rather clever bottle that will become really brilliant if left to sit in a dark cupboard for a few decades. Extremely classy Caol Ila.
SGP: 467 - 88 points. |
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Ok, let’s jump up in age… |
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Caol Ila 35 yo 1984/2020 (47.5%, The Golden Cask, #CM260, bourbon barrel, 204 bottles) 
Colour: pale gold. Nose: one of those totally gorgeous and really idiosyncratic old Caol Ilas that reek of gently smoked green teas, honey, eucalyptus oils, tiger balm and tar liqueurs. Indestructible whisky! Develops even more intricately along these lines of honey and subtle medicinal balms and herbs, also a very tiny farmyard aspect emerges with time. Bergamot, wormwood and woodruff! Mouth: peated honey if such a thing existed. Great arrival, very tarry, peppery and surprisingly still very peaty with good power and attack. Also preserved lemons, lapsing souchong tea, more eucalyptus and tea tree oil vibes and more matcha and even wee tropical elements. Finish: long, beautifully elegant peat smoke notes, bound up with crystallised, dried out old honeys, pressed flowers and more smoked herbs and teas. Comments: quite amazing freshness, brightness and power, while also very evidently being an older whisky in the very best sense. Caol Ila from these vintages seems to have some kind of immutable stamina.
SGP: 566 - 91 points. |
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Caol Ila 36 yo 1984/2020 (53.1%, Kingsbury's for Auld Alliance and Club Qing, sherry butt, cask #2752)
Colour: deep tawny amber. Nose: raisins, tar liqueur, dark honeys, plum sauce, very weighted with camphor and salted treacle. A real sense of texture, like nosing molasses with many additional and complex impressions of salted liquorice, aniseed liqueur, walnut wine and smoked artichokes. Heavy but also a little playful at the same time, which makes it very entertaining. With water: full of bitter herbs and old school medicinal qualities, strong herbal teas, cloves, cheng pi orange peels and pure tar extract. Mouth: very tarry, phenolic and drying, with an amazingly salty and umami savoury side. Also a lot of very beefy and gamey sherry qualities. Old leather, camphor, fir wood resins, beeswax, celery salty, cocktail bitters and artichoke liqueur. An old spirit that also converges with old rum in some ways as well, with these almost funky qualities. With water: get simpler now, really into herbal bitters, salt-baked vegetables, medicinal roots and tinctures and a very peppery, drying herbal peat. Finish: long, herbal bitters again, more artichoke, tar and herbal liqueurs and about a litre of Maggi! Comments: -
SGP: 376 - 89 points. |
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Caol Ila 40 yo 1982/2022 (49.5%, The Whisky Exchange ‘The Decades’, two hogsheads, 286 bottles)
Colour: gold. Nose: similar ballpark to the Golden Cask, but more accented by sandalwood, olive oils, boot polish and cedar wood. It’s also showing this superb combination of waxes, citrus and honey that you find in Clynelish of similar pedigree. Also still some wonderful coastal freshness in the form of crushed seashells, beach pebbles and impressions of white coastal flowers. Undimmed and irrefutable! Mouth: superb arrival, medicines galore, along with aged mead, citrus liqueurs, lanolin, grassy olive oil, pine wood resins and more of these assertive and wonderful notes of matcha and green tea with lemon. It’s also got this stunning and wonderfully tense interplay between coastal notes that go towards umami and savoury with these salty qualities, think Maggi, soy sauce and nori. But also a fruitiness that veers between green and yellow and exotic variously. One of those very old peated malts that makes you really think almost philosophically about peat as an ingredient. Finish: wonderfully long, salty, honeyed, waxy and full of peat phenolics, old medical tinctures, crystallised citrus rinds and dried herbs. Comments: a whisky that is simultaneously humbling, complex, fresh and vital, old and decadent and outrageously quaffable. Many boxes ticked here!
SGP: 665 - 92 points. |
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This is a tricky session, which will involve a couple of ‘re-sets’. Starting with this one, where we’ll go back to young and high octane, but an earlier vintage… |
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Caol Ila 13 yo 1977/1990 (63.8%, Gordon & MacPhail for Turatello, Italy)
An old rarity from the warehouses of G&M for those ahead of the curve Italians… Colour: deep gold. Nose: very petrolic and ‘greasy’ in the best of senses. It has some of these terrific briny and seawater qualities that the more recent vintages possess, only there’s this added feeling of fatness here. Sheep wool oils, tarry rope, gherkins, anchovy paste, tiny hints of salted honey and TCP! With water: deeply into anchovy, sardines in smoked olive oil, capers mashed into a salsa verde with malt vinegar and pure seawater and lemon juice. Mouth: probably some sherry influence at play as there’s this stunning salted almond and smoked kipper combination, along with an earthiness and a rather rich peppery streak as well. More of these wonderful vegetable stock, Maggi and smoked artichoke vibes that we often find in these older Caol Ilas. Lashings of tar, medical embrocations and old herbal ointments. With water: terrifically rounded, whole and singular now! Fat, thick peat smoke, tar, black pepper, salted liquorice and big, hearty, briny notes. Finish: very long, with germoline, which feels like very textbook Caol Ila. Also loads more controlled and pin-sharp coastal freshness, salinity and then kippers and smoked olive oil in the aftertaste. Comments: a fascinating glimpse into those later 1970s vintages. Huge whisky, but showing great fatness, control and even a level of ease and drinkability that you don’t always find with peated, high ABV malts.
SGP: 477 - 91 points. |
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Caol Ila 25 yo 1976/2001 (59.9%, Signatory Vintage for LMDW, Straight From The Cask, hogshead, cask #8087, 423 bottles)
There are some stunning casks by Signatory from 1974 and some excellent ones from 1975 but I’m not too sure about 1976, let’s see… Colour: pale gold. Nose: beautiful, bone-dry peat smoke and coastal freshness, very focussed on sea air, beach pebbles, sand, ink, rock pools etc. Also some green olives, dried seaweed, nori and very umami things like Maggi, squid ink and anchovy paste. With water: pristinely salty, briny, drying, coastal, superbly fresh and chiselled. On pink sea salt, crushed aspirin, seawater and olive tapenades. Mouth: excellent arrival, recalls some of the great 1974s with this very oily and petrolic peat profile, while also looking ahead to the 1979s with hints of green tea with lemon, pure matcha and bone-dry smokiness. Probably a style that would inspire Serge to begin mentioning many expensive dry white wines… with water: gains some breadth of peat flavour, becoming a little thicker and deeper with black pepper, smoked olive oil, peppered and smoked mackerels, sardines in oil, pure tar and mercurochrome. Whoever said Caol Ila was a ‘medium’ peated Islay? Finish: wonderfully long, with a brittle, crystalline peat smoke, also more tar, wood ashes, TCP, smoked beers and many more softer coastal impressions that retain freshness. Comments: watch these ‘in between’ vintages, they can be pretty stunning, as is the case here. A different whisky from the 1972, but no less impactful, and almost as brilliant in my wee book. I love the way it simultaneously looks forwards and backwards in terms of distillery character.
SGP: 466 - 91 points. |
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Another short interlude I think… |
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Caol Ila 24 yo 1974/1998 (46%, Wilson & Morgan)
Colour: pale straw. Nose: pure, coastal and highly mineral. Wonderfully on crushed seashells, white flowers, chalk, sheep wool and seawater with hints of grapefruit and cider apple. Also some familiar notes of smoked and herbal teas. Charming, fresh and beautifully detailed. Mouth: excellent arrival, on petrol, seawater, green fruits and herbal teas with lemon. Recalls some younger 1979s in some ways. Continues with more grapefruit, lime, smoked cereals and a rather ‘woolly’ smokiness. Gentler than quite a few other 1974s I’ve tasted, but no less charming, perhaps a more sophisticated profile. Finish: long, getting a little heavier and fatter now, some fermentary notes, more cider apple and tarry vibes. Comments: humble, subtle but uber classy and highly pleasurable Caol Ila. 1974 seems to be an almost bullet proof vintage for Caol Ila.
SGP: 565 - 90 points. |
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Caol Ila 21 yo 1974/1995 (58.2%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection, 75cl)
Colour: bright straw. Nose: yes! This is emblematic of what comes to mind when I think of Caol Ila 1974. Pure, fatty, petrolic power! A big, textural impression of raw, almost grubby peat smoke, oily sheep wool, creosoted fence posts, green peppercorns in brine, wet plaster and beach bonfire ashes. With water: very sharp, chiselled saltiness, pure lemon juice, seawater, gherkins and crushed sardines. Mouth: fantastic, immensely peppery, peaty and tarry arrival that recalls Ardbeg of similar pedigree. Also squid ink, seawater, a waxy quality and lots of smoked olive oil, fresh oysters, tar and iodine. Becoming ashier, drier, brinier and with some big ‘salt and vinegar on chips’ vibes. With water: magnificent oiliness and fatness, terrific and assertive peat flavour, with big flavours of kelp, soy sauce, dried seaweed, iodine and many things such as capers, more gherkins and green olives in brine. Finish: very long, pristinely salty, drying, tarry and with a pure, brilliant, blade-like smokiness. Comments: it’s tempting to draw comparisons with other Islay makes of the era, but these 1974s really do carve their own path. Yet another jewel in the Islay crown from this production era.
SGP: 366 - 92 points. |
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We’ll have another short break before finishing with some examples that all hail from the old Caol Ila distillery. Always worth remembering, Caol Ila was closed in 1972, renovated and modernised quite extensively and re-opened in 1974. The original distillery was properly old school, with floor maltings, directly coal fired stills and worm tubs. So, arguably the one that started production in 1974 was almost an entirely new distillery. |
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Caol Ila 12 yo (43%, OB, Zenith import, early 1980s)
Colour: white wine. Nose: superbly fresh and medicinal, all on bandages, wet rocks, oysters and citrus juices, matched by green olives and sharper notes of gooseberry and sour Gueuze beers. I also find a lovely heathery smokiness and more medicinal embrocations and sea air. Pristine and beautiful old school Caol Ila. Mouth: amazing richness of peat smoke flavour, really like they’ve captured this ‘head in a kiln’ vibe in distillate form. Superbly silky in texture, wonderfully crisp coastal freshness and then many thicker medicinal things like mercurochrome and TCP. Those green and sharper citrus fruit notes still remain in the background. Finish: good length, back on medicinal notes, coal smoke, a nicely tarry quality and more things like black pepper, iodine and smoked olive oil. Comments: impossible to argue with this, a beautiful and rather less ‘technological’ expression of Caol Ila that displays a deeper and more captivating peat profile than contemporary Caol Ila often does with its rather more ashy and brutalist character. Also, love the tension between medicines and seashore.
SGP: 456 - 91 points. |
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Caol Ila 1972/1987 (40%, JAS Gordon & Co, Auxil import)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: such a different profile of peat than would come later in 1974, this is just much fatter, dirtier, oilier and far more organic with thick notes of dried herbs, hessian cloth, petrol and resinous fir wood. One of those aromas that really implies an impression of texture and breadth in the distillate. There’s also many marine influences with suggestions of coastal air, creel nets, tarred rope and black olives in brine. Wonderful, very old style and very particularly ‘old Caol Ila’ aroma. Mouth: as so often with these batches, even at 40% and over three decades in glass, this remains huge whisky. Extremely tarry and oily, with a peat profile that manages to be both drying and extremely gelatinous at the same time. Old herbal cough medicines and liqueurs alongside salted liquorice and pure tar extract. I also find some dried exotic fruits and soy sauce. A rather majestic fusion of umami, smoky, medicinal and fruity. Finish: long, deep and drying peat smoke, with more dried fruits, salt cured fish, tar, black olive and old herbal medicines. Comments: simple in some ways with the sheer directness of its character, but complex in others in the wonderful way these peat and coastal influences entangle and manifest. A style that no longer exists on Islay, or anywhere for that matter.
SGP: 555 - 92 points. |
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Caol Ila 15 yo (65.3%, Sestante, 1980s)
As is well known, this juice would have been distilled in the ‘old’ Caol Ila distillery and sourced from Gordon & MacPhail. Colour: straw. Nose: really blurring the boundaries between petrol and whisky. It’s obviously a fat and intensely powerful distillate, yet it also manages to be an absolute blade of razor-sharp precision. The alcohol doesn’t really even register, rather it just takes a bit of breathing time and then a slow avalanche of coastal elements, shellfish vibes and citrus fruits begin to come through. With water: broadens out incredibly, a deep, rustic and muscular smokiness emerges. Also some green herbs, more seawater, but it rather defies description, it’s just an incredibly direct, pure and dominating profile that you can only follow along and gawp at. Mouth: I can’t help but think of some very excellent and probably expensive Montrachet upon first sipping. It has that extremely classy ‘white wine’ vibe in terms of precision, purity and class. Ashes, wood smoke, seawater, citrus acids, mineral salts, more petrolic qualities - rather mesmerising and totally dominating whisky. With water: citrus rinds galore, waxes, pink sea salt, the very best preserved lemons, pure tar extracts, smoked cooking oils, camphor and huge medicinal embrocations. Hard to say more, except maybe call that anti-maltoporn brigade, for all the use they ever are. Finish: extremely long, peat flavour with the texture of treacle while also retaining a brilliant and utterly pin sharp salinity. Comments: one of those whiskies that is really more a physical experience than a drink. An immense and totally dominating spirit.
SGP: 467 - 94 points. |
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Big, giant, sweaty Scottish hugs to KC, Enrico and the team at the Golden Promise bar! |
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August 30, 2024 |
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Just a few more New Cats
Some, like Ardnamurchan or Daftmill, will increasingly be the focus of specific sessions on WF, which is entirely normal. Others still produce relatively few different expressions, so we'll keep them in this slightly odd category of 'New Cats', if you're in agreement. |
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Isle of Harris 'The Hearach' (46%, OB, batch 15, 2024) 
The Hearach has turned quite a few heads at the Edinburgh Whisky Fringe. Can you believe it, we're already on batch #15! You might argue these could be rather small batches, but in any case, we absolutely adored the first one (WF 86). Colour: white wine. Nose: I absolutely love this smoky aroma entwined with mashed turnips, slag, ashes, apple juice, fresh concrete, barley, rye beer, and aubergine… There’s certainly a lot going on in this glass. Mouth: lively, taut, with a hint of Ben N. paraffin, followed by lemon, chalk, green apple, salty smoke (if that’s even a thing), yeast, and mustard… Truly a malt with a style all its own. Finish: rather long and complex, with that faint touch of cologne and polish you sometimes find in Ben N. and Spring B. Comments: goodness, it seems Batch 16 is already out! We’ll never keep up, but it’s singular, and it’s delightful
SGP:462 - 87 points. |
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Kingsbarns ‘Coaltown’ (46%, OB, 2024) 
An in-cask blend of Kingsbarn and a touch of peater from said cask. I’m not opposed to this sort of thing as long as they’re upfront about it, as they are here. It’s a different story when it’s done without so much as a mention, trying to pass off a distillery’s malt as peated when it isn’t—less ideal, if you ask me. Sadly, there are plenty of examples around us. Colour: white wine. Nose: it’s rather nice, fresh, and cheerful, with pear, apple, nail varnish, and cigarette smoke. You could even throw in some whelks if you like. Mouth: yes, it’s good, nothing to complain about. I even think it could be a great substitute for gin in certain cocktails, though I’m no cocktail expert. Finish: long, with lemon, apple, and ash. Comments: one can’t help but wonder if there aren’t some barrel brokers or overzealous coopers who ‘season’ casks specifically for this kind of flavouring, using very young peated whiskies, much like the bodegas do with sherry in Jerez, for example. That said, it’s really quite good—though I’ll stick with my Kingsbarns ‘Bell Rock Cask Strength’ (WF 86), thank you.
SGP:454 - 80 points. |
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Lochlea ‘Sowing Edition Third Crop’ (46%, OB, 1st fill bourbon, 2024) 
A proper estate whisky, using its own crop and thankfully no strange casks that have been too heavily ‘borrowed’—that’s a relief. Our favourite Lochlea so far has been the impeccable 5 yo from 2018 (WF 85). Colour: white wine. Nose: pure chalk, mud, slate, and green apple, with tiny touches of pineapple and mango. Not what you’d typically expect from a first fill bourbon, but I think that’s a positive here. A lovely, fresh, and lively nose. Mouth: much more influence from the fresh oak, but still very much in fruity territory, especially with exotic fruits like papaya. There’s a fair bit of honey and liqueur as well, alongside that ever-present wet chalky note. Finish: fairly long, almost sweet, with hints of pear liqueur. Comments: the texture is quite oily, and the fruits really come forward on the palate, giving it a slight Irish character. I really do like this one. The first fill’s impact was much more pronounced on the palate than on the nose.
SGP:641 - 84 points. |
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Holyrood ‘New Make Japanese Sake Yeast’ (60%, OB, spirit drink, World Whisky Day 2022)
We’d previously enjoyed other new makes from Holyrood, including the ‘Bub’, and perhaps had set our expectations a bit too high for their ‘Arrival’. Patience will be required, but in the meantime, let’s enjoy this new make for… World Whisky Day? What’s that about? Colour: white. Nose: very much a new make, but the fruits are delicate, with notes of sorb, jujube, and wild strawberries (peat?). A few touches of apricot liqueur. With water: I’d swear there’s a sake-like note here. Some pears as well. Mouth (neat): a fruity, smoky, fermentative, and liqueur-like punch, with wild strawberries making a reappearance. With water: even better, moving more towards candied citrus, and there’s also a touch of Comté or summer Gruyère, very fruity. Finish: lovely, long, smoky, and citrusy. Comments: the great thing about new make is that you can add plenty of water without the risk of bringing out the wood and its tannins. I promise. It’s an absolute treat and very, very good.
SGP:632 - 86 points. |
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Glasgow 1770 6 yo ‘Tokaji Cask Finish Batch 02’ (54.8%, OB, 2024) 
Ah, Tokaji… we approach it with the same caution as the bubonic plague. Not in our wine glasses, of course, but in our whisky. That said, this is an unpeated version, so it should clash much less, unlike those Laphroaigs finished in Tokaji 20 years ago that sent you straight to the emergency room with little hope of return. Colour: gold. Nose: it’s still not easy, with notes of earth and mould mixed with gunpowder, buttercream, vanillin, and roasted pineapple. With water: like a box of spent matches. Mouth (neat): ultra-sweet, ultra-liqueur-like. Tangerinecello, Williams pear liqueur, and sugar cane syrup. And pepper, too. With water: it gets a bit better. The more water you add, the more it becomes tolerable. Finish: long, very sweet. Comments: this isn’t the whisky’s fault at all; it’s the Tokaji casks. They should never, ever leave Hungary. Love other expressions of Glasgow Distillery.
SGP:743 - 59 points. |
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Glasgow 1770 2018/2024 (62%, OB, Kirsch Import, virgin oak + oloroso, cask #18/1192, 318 bottles)
Colour: red amber. Nose: campfire smoke, V8 exhaust fumes, charcoal smoke, bitter chocolate, cigar boxes, coffee, and concrete. We’re ready for this. With water: lovely leather (what we used to call Russian leather) and horse saddle. Mouth (neat): monstrous, and we love it. Candied ginger, burnt fir wood, eucalyptus, ashes, candied lemon, and liquorice wood. Jägermeister is child’s play in comparison. With water: ah, here comes the oloroso, bringing marmalade and megatons of candied fruits of all sorts. Almost on the edge of moscatel, or at least, ‘cream’. Finish: very long, tauter, with more focus on candied citrus, and that bitter chocolate always lingering in the background. The peat seals the deal. Comments: I’m really fond of this big beast that buries the ‘Tokaji’ once and for all. Phew.
SGP:654 - 86 points. |
Well, we said we'd do 'pure Ardnamurchan' sessions from now on, but we didn’t make any promises, and in this case of self-assessment by Adelphi/Ardnamurchan, we don’t want to wait too long. |
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Ardnamurchan 10 yo 2014/2024 (56.8%, OB, 1st fill bourbon barrel, for Whisky Fringe 2024, cask #10, 252 bottles) 
It’s good that Whiskyfun Inc. just invested in a 32-inch computer screen, purely to read Adelphi’s labels. Anyway, I reckon the folks at Adelphi didn’t have much trouble getting hold of a good cask from Ardnamurchan (that was a bit weak, S.). Colour: straw. Nose: you know what else we love about Ardnamurchan? It’s that Japanese touch. If you’d said Chichibu or Shizuoka ex-bourbon, I’d have nodded and said ‘absolutely’. White beer, chalk, wort, kerosene, mashed potatoes (50% potatoes, 50% butter, 50% olive oil). I know. With water: it’s all about that mash now, and what a lovely mash it is! Mouth (neat): it’s so good (sing it in French, c’est si bon). Porridge, licking stones, gravel, green apples, white beer, tiny apples and plums… With water: a fruity, yeasty affair, with peach compote, mixed prunes, fine beers, and especially those marvellous yeasts, cakes, and breads… Finish: the same but drier, more vegetal. Yet still fermentary. Comments: nothing to add.
SGP:462 - 90 points. |
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August 29, 2024 |
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Five Deanston on WF, or OB vs. IB
We still love Deanston just as much, even though they now tend to ‘enhance’ everything using casks that are either very distinct in their newness or influenced by the various liquids, whether spirits or wines, that they previously contained, even if only for a short period. Perhaps we should now turn to independent bottlers to taste a Deanston closer to the distillate, as has become the case with many distilleries nowadays. I also propose the creation of a new association, the SWA2 (or Scotch Winesky Association). |
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Deanston ‘Heritage Sherry Cask Finish’ (40%, OB, 2018) 
A slightly older release, one we've not encountered before. It’s NAS and 40%, so let’s get on with it. Colour: full gold. Nose: quite pleasant, fruity and malty, with a slight IPA-like note, some praline, treacle toffee, and slightly bruised apples. Yes, bruised apples, again. Pleasant enough, nothing flawed, and not too much on the pear or overly youthful with kirsch notes. Mouth: this is where things take a bit of a turn, with a certain bitterness from the wood, cherry stalk tea, some bitter walnuts, and those rather rustic apples. The structure is on the lighter side. Finish: rather short, still a touch bitter, herbal, and not the easiest. Walnut skin. Comments: it's decent enough, with a nose that was enjoyable, but the palate proved somewhat challenging for me. Perhaps better suited in a cocktail, like a Deanston Minimus?
SGP:361 - 75 points. |
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Deanston ‘Pioneer #1’ (46.3%, OB, Transformation Series, sherry and first-fill bourbon, +/-2024)
I believe this one's for Taiwan. Not entirely sure what's so ‘pioneering’ about it, but you know, names are essential, especially when you're dealing with NAS. Colour: gold. Nose: much fresher and, shall we say, more vibrant than the modest ‘Heritage’, with grapefruit and citron, lemongrass, some little Italian lemon biscuits (can’t quite remember the name), then Golden Delicious apples and fresh barley. Not very complex, but it’s honest and straightforward, which is always appreciated. Mouth: really taut, with citrus fruits and their peels, green walnut, herbal notes, then some wheat beer, tisanes, and green pepper. You can sense the fresh oak, but it stays well within the limits. Finish: fairly long, more herbal, with a distinctly Italian bitterness (amaro, bitters). Comments: the profile is actually quite similar to the ‘Heritage’, but the dials have been turned up a notch, and that seems to have worked.
SGP:361 - 81 points. |
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Deanston 12 yo 2010/2023 (48.4%, Douglas Laing, Old Particular, refill hogshead, cask #DL17759, 313 bottles)
We’re rather fond of Douglas Laing bottlings because, like here, the years are always ‘glorious’ (as in ‘12 glorious years’). Just like it is at WF Towers, did you know? Colour: white wine. Nose: it kicks off a bit like the Pioneer, with lovely lemon, but then it swiftly expands with more apples, flowers, and herbs, especially wormwood and woodruff. We absolutely adore this. There are even some hints of wild garlic and definitely a touch of beeswax. The much lighter impact of the cask lets the delightful distillate sing, much to our pleasure. Mouth: you get that slight waxy, oily, and sooty note that even somewhat evokes a certain famous distillery in Campbeltown, then there’s a massive and unexpected (and spectacular) arrival of cocoa powder and Ovaltine. The citrus and green apples provide the backbone, and it all works very well. Finish: fairly long, fresh, with citrus, a touch of green pepper, and turmeric. Very good. Comments: and apparently, the barley was even organic.
SGP:551 - 87 points. |
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Deanston 14 yo 2008/2023 (55.8%, Simply Good Whisky, Kirsch Import, refill bourbon barrel, cask #KI-0011) 
Simply Good Whisky with a simply clean label, so let’s have a go at crafting a simply honest tasting note. Colour: straw. Nose: a touch greasier and seemingly fuller, with more jams, marmalades, and a hint of wax. In short, there's a definite Clynelish character here, and one simply cannot complain about that. With water: it's magic! Deanston through and through! Mouth (neat): frankly, it’s very much in the vein of Clynelish, only slightly 'dirtier' and with a bit of that Campbeltown vibe, like the previous one. Charcoal, slag, and so on. Very pretty citrus notes, led by pink grapefruit and a dash of Szechuan pepper. With water: i suspect a mistake with the stencil—or perhaps the barcode. Citrus, beeswax, pollen, tangerines, olive oil… Finish: same. Perfect peppery aftertaste. Comments: tsk-tsk, they've made a mistake here; this isn’t ‘Simply Good Whisky’, it’s ‘Simply Fabulous Whisky’.
SGP: 562 - 89 points. |
The world of Scotch whisky really needs the independents, it's just obvious. Veritas in Acetabulo Whiski est. I swear to you, that's classical Latin. Go on, one more... |
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Deanston 12 yo 2012/2024 (56.9%, Whisky Sponge, Decadent Drinks, Web exclusive, 1st fill bourbon barrel, 101 bottles)
Ha-ha, seems WF is 'Web exclusive' too these days, though we did toy with the idea of going print about twenty years back. Colour: straw. Nose: well, more of the same, though there's a touch more Manzanilla or vin jaune about it. With water: softer now, with vanilla, barley, and a hint of polish... Mouth (neat): painfully excellent. Citrusy tension, wax, fino (indeed, I did notice it was ex-bourbon). With water: we shan't even mention it. Oranges, wax, sesame oil, walnut wine, a touch of curry and mustard... essentially, Château-Chalon in a glass. Finish: much the same. Comments: I’m aware it might seem like I’m biased whenever I taste one of Angus’s whiskies. Perhaps it’s not even worth swearing to you that this doesn’t affect my judgment (and yet it probably does, but maybe in the opposite direction). So, I hereby officially suggest that Decadent Drinks release a (very) small batch of very bad whisky, and then you'll see what happens here on WF. Should be doable, no?
SGP:562 - 90 points. |
By the way, we’ve just received a press release from a major distillery in the Highlands (not Deanston!), which we won’t name. They were loudly proclaiming the release of three new expressions as part of their supposed 'innovations': an Amarone Wine Cask Finish, a Madeira Cask Finish, and a Tempranillo Wine Cask Finish. And this happens almost every day at Château WF. |
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August 28, 2024 |
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Three Glenfarclas,
one OB, one secret, one IB |
Glenfarclas whiskies have never struck us as particularly summery, but still, it's hard to go several months without tasting them. For years now, they've provided us with plenty of laughs thanks to the ‘secret’ releases from independent bottlers, often sprinkled with more or less hidden clues about their origin. |
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Of course, these days, as so many other distilleries have also adopted this miserable and, to my mind, rather demeaning practice of prohibiting the display of the origin, ‘The Best Malt There Is in Speyside’ no longer means anything. It’s a bit of a shame, because these days, across Scotland, we find ‘secret’ expressions that are sometimes far superior in quality (though not in price) to those proudly bearing the distillery's name. It’s quite ironic, really. Come on, let’s have, say, three little GFs... |
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Glenfarclas 2013/2023 (59.8%, OB for The Taste of Whisky 10th Anniversary, 1st fill sherry hogshead, cask #768, 290 bottles)
Some whisky for lovely Poland, what could go wrong? Colour: pale amber. Nose: one of those youthful sherry casks that come with touches of young bourbon, surrounded by varnish and fresh vanilla, which then evolves into walnut wine, toffee, metal polish, sour cherries, potpourri, hawthorn, and Aperol. With water: chocolate, pipe tobacco, and new leather. Mouth (neat): it's powerful, bringing back that rather peppery and caramelised style reminiscent of certain vintages when they reached this age, the 1989s, the 1990s... And, while we're at it, let's mention three big boxes of Mon Chéri chocolates. With water: an unexpected saline touch joins the cracked pepper and chilli chocolate. That, my friends, is excellent. Finish: the sour cherries make a grand return, lingering for quite a while. Add three more boxes of Mon Chéri and a dash of black pepper in the aftertaste. There's also marmalade, which balances the whole affair. Comments: a rather lovely little beast, quite fascinating, and it reveals itself to be more complex than it first appears.
SGP:462 - 87 points. |
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Censored Speyside Distillery 16 yo ‘Adventures in the Meadow’ (54.7%, Brave New Spirits, The WhiskyHeroes, bourbon hogshead, 308 bottles, 2024)
Right. Colour: white wine. Nose: it's rather immaculate. White tea box, peanut oil, hay, vanilla, mandarins, blood oranges. With water: not many changes, though you do get a few fresh mint leaves and a touch of lemon balm mingling with fresh barley. I find it very elegant. Mouth (neat): all sorts of citrus liqueurs and sweets, and above all, a heap of raw carrots. I do love carrots. Just a hint of celery stalk as well. With water: the rooty side comes out more, with ginseng, radish, carrot, even beetroot. Perhaps the finest vegetable soup of the moment, ha. Finish: lemon returns to add a bit of zing, particularly towards the end. Comments: incredibly different from the ‘sherry’ and yet of the same very high quality. Both are very interesting malts.
SGP:661 - 87 points. |
Perhaps an old glory as #3… |
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Glenfarclas 24 yo 1969/1993 (58.2%, Signatory Vintage, sherry, cask #67, 350 bottles)
I have tried several 1968s but only one 1969 within the official family jewels, perhaps a tad disappointing given the pedigree (WF 87), but that was in 2007, as it was just coming out. Signatory’s 1969 #52-54 was excellent but not utterly stellar either in my book (WF 88). Colour: deep gold. Nose: we’re never extremely far from a little gunpowder with these, but on the other hand, these white truffles and the kilotons of precious raisins and hectolitres of high-end sweet wines are just magical. No worries, I won’t list them, but shall add some dark honeys for good measure. With water: moderate meatiness, a touch of mouldiness, and just an old Sauternes from a great vintage, 1967, 1988… Mouth (neat): it’s like a very old sweet Madeira now, a Bual like the one we tasted the other day in Scotland. The usual walnuts are there, but also honey-soy glazed pecans. An absolute killer – I mean those honey-soy pecans. This GF isn’t bad either. With water: a very slight soapy/gin note once water is added. I think water is unnecessary. It also becomes much drier, a tad too bitter and woody. Finish: rather long with plenty of chocolate-covered raisins. Comments: you must always add your water drop by drop with these old whiskies, so you don’t break them. It’s a double-edged sword, and when in doubt, abstain, if I may say so.
SGP:661 - 89 points. |
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August 27, 2024 |
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A buncha
Caol Ila
Well, yes, we're trying to do the American thing now that Miss Knowles has her own US whisky brand, backed by LVMH, Dr Bill, and, uh, some PX, and whose bottle looks like some kind of White Horse or Logan special duty-free decanter, circa 1970. Although its name, SirDavis, sounds more like '1980'. In any case, we’re quietly heading towards our 900th Caol Ila. We’ll try to enjoy the 1000th one on-site, on Islay.
(Advert 1970) |
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Caol Ila 25 yo (43%, OB, +/-2024)
It's been quite a while since we've properly tasted this expression, though Angus has sampled several 'vintages' over the years. These 43% ABV whiskies might seem a tad old-fashioned nowadays, but isn't there a certain charm in that? If my grandmother, born in 1901, were still with us, this would be the whisky she'd pick, solely because of the gentler strength. Perhaps there's still a market for that, after all. Colour: gold. Nose: they say Caol Ila never ages, and even the oldest ones stay fresh and vibrant, which is certainly the case here. There's rapeseed oil, almonds, marzipan, and then shellfish like clams and mussels, with a faint hint of engine oil. The peat is outrageously elegant, with a whiff of mentholated Kool cigarette smoke. Mouth: almost like a smoked wine, reminiscent of Manzanilla sherry. It's not much stronger, either—a grand wine at 15% ABV could have more body than a whisky at 43%. But it's undeniably delicious and very ‘Manzanilla’. I might need to start sending invoices to the Consejo Regulador. Finish: not eternal but pure, saline, and smoky. Sardines, langoustines, and… Manzanilla. Comments: the epitome of Islay elegance, better than a Peaky Blinders cap made of Harris Tweed.
SGP:355 - 89 points. |
By the way, future whisky enthusiasts, in twenty years, will have no trouble dating these bottles, since every year now, or nearly every year, the makers have to add new nonsense legal mentions on the back labels. |
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Caol Ila 8 yo 2015/2023 (40%, Signatory Vintage, Very Cloudy, The Un-chillfiltered Collection, LMDW, hogshead)
As it hasn’t been chill-filtered and was bottled at 40%, it may turn slightly cloudy if exposed to the cold, hence the name. Clever, isn’t it? Rest assured, we didn’t stick it in the fridge to test that out. Colour: straw. Nose: the word that immediately springs to mind is ‘purity’. Lemon, candle smoke, sea water, a light vinegary touch, an oyster, and a dash of Sauvignon Blanc—there you have it. Mouth: more fruit-forward (pineapple, pear, lemon) but still wonderfully maritime, with oysters and cockles aplenty. The proverbial ashes follow. No complaints. Finish: curiously long, peaty, taut, and somehow reassuring (what?). Comments: does the job rather splendidly. I reckon this would sit well on the table with fish, seafood, and… caviar.
SGP:556 - 85 points. |
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Caol Ila 12 yo ‘The Haunting Songs’ (51.6%, Brave New Spirits, The Whisky Heroes, 1st fill Oloroso sherry hogshead finish, cask #2310708 + 2310707, 694 bottles)
The label cheekily sings ‘I will peat you away’, and one can only hope we’re not in for another round of Beyoncé. There’s a fair bit of fun and a clear sense of second-degree humour in the presentation. It seems that most Scottish indies have chosen this kind of approach in recent years, and it’s rather enjoyable. Colour: gold. Nose: oh yes, used fondue oil, graphite, walnuts, thyme, tar, ashes, and a hint of seashells. The sherry, although 1st fill, has remained in check for now. With water: almond milk and just a touch of malted barley. Mouth (neat): very good, rich, with notes of rosemary, limoncello, caramel, walnut liqueur, olive brine, and a hint of St Germain. And it’s all in sync. With water: the herbal notes challenge the mix a bit (thyme, pine needles) but it still works. In any case, Caol Ila is like an old diesel Mercedes; it just keeps going. Finish: long, a bit thick, salty, and with caramel. A touch of honey follows, and a whisper of sea water. Comments: a lovely beast, slightly oily and muscular. The opposite of the SigV in this regard.
SGP:666 - 86 points. |
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Caol Ila 13 yo 2009+2010/2024 (53%, Decadent Drinks, Islay Sponge, refill and 1st fill sherry hogsheads, 273 bottles)
The former Sponge, now an entire Land, enjoys blending vintages and cask types. As always with Caol Ila, the question isn’t “is it good?” but rather “how good is it?” Colour: gold. Nose: we’re back to pickles, olives, capers, then salted liquorice and seaweed. The smoke is rather light, which is surprising given my usual impression that CI has ramped up the ppms in recent years. With water: old clothes in a wardrobe (but no mothballs), wool, a touch of mud, yeast, seashells, and oil paint. Mouth (neat): powerful and almost sweet, it’s nearly a ‘Caol Ila liqueur’ akin to a Chartreuse elixir. Massive! Smoke, herbs, cactus, cloves, caraway, and the like. With water: we remain in a universe akin to Brave New Spirits’, quite muscular and rich, but lime comes in to balance things in the background. Finish: long, with cedarwood and that slightly oily, somewhat thick character. A hint of smoked pepper in the aftertaste. Comments: very good, though not exactly a ‘dandy’ Caol Ila, if you catch my drift.
SGP:666 - 86 points. |
We had agreed on just 5 CI today, hadn’t we. |
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Caol Ila 12 yo 2008/2021 (57.8%, Whiskyjace & Flickenschild, Art Edition No. 3, refill hogshead and sherry octave cask finish, 107 bottles)
The nearly Murnau-like label is absolutely sublime. Moreover, when it comes to octaves, they're much more agreeable when they're refill casks—new ones can be a bit tricky, although all our friends seem to be taming these unruly little beasts better and better. Colour: white wine. That's promising news. Nose: forget about the octave (so to speak), this Caol Ila is as fresh as a daisy, almost nervy, with seawater, fresh seaweed, lemon, oysters, and all sorts of ashes (mostly peat). With water: Caol Ila precision. Magnificent chalk. Mouth (neat): superb, lemony, fresh, with a magnificent smokiness. And oysters, of course. Splendid. With water: perfect. Bitter almonds, lemon, Muscadet, oysters, 'zero' dosage champagne, ashes... Finish: similar, perhaps a touch oilier. Notes of apple and lemon liqueur, then some freshly ground pepper and a fairly massive smokiness. Comments: at this rate, they might as well toss in Brora 1972 into octaves. A magnificent young Caol Ila.
SGP:567 - 88 points. |
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August 26, 2024 |
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Strathmill too is back on WF |
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Part of an old advertisement for Gilbey's Strathmill that is often reproduced
in posters and the like. We're not sure if it's genuinely authentic,
but we find it pretty amusing. |
And we have a really old one, which we'll start with since its alcohol content is relatively low. |
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Strathmill 1988/2023 (43.2%, Malts of Scotland, Rare Casks, bourbon hogshead, cask #MoS 23024, 162 bottles)
That’s more or less 35 years if my calculations are correct. These old Strathmills are indeed a rare find. Colour: straw. Nose: a beautifully aged cask that has held up wonderfully, with ripe banana, vanilla cake, light honey, pollen, a hint of chamomile tea, and a touch of papaya. There’s not a hint of harshness, just pure elegance. After a few moments, a note of pink grapefruit emerges. Mouth: the same delicate profile, with banana, honey, ripe apples, fresh grapes, syrupy peaches, and a touch of woodruff syrup and mullein. Finish: medium length, but sweet and delightfully fruity, with muesli, a bit of nougat, and fresh pineapple. Comments: a lot of sweetness but no weakness in this lovely old Strathmill, which at times can evoke an old cognac.
SGP:541 - 89 points. |
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Strathmill 12 yo 2011/2024 (51%, Asta Morris, bourbon, cask #AM159)
I’ve heard that the addition of frogs on the labels by our Belgian friends is a sort of hidden tribute to the French football team, though I haven’t the faintest proof. Colour: white wine. Nose: deeply rooted in barley, barley sugar, and brown sugar, with overripe apples, shortbread, and those irresistible, butter-laden Breton biscuits that you simply can’t put down. Pack opened; pack emptied. Rather like this delightful young Strathmill—bottle opened; bottle emptied. With water: even more of those biscuits, oatcakes, and madeleines… Mouth (neat): a touch rustic this time, with green wood, leafy notes, green tea, and Breton cider apples, there. Water should soften it. With water: indeed, baked apples, oranges, Earl Grey, and vanilla cake all come together to mellow it out. Finish: of medium length, with tea and liquorice wood. Comments: very pleasant, very natural, purely focused on barley and malt.
SGP: 551 - 86 points. |
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Strathmill 12 yo 2011/2024 (58.38%, James Eadie, first fill European oak oloroso butt finish, cask #367496, 725 bottles)
A 23-month finish in oloroso casks here. 725 bottles, cask strength from a single butt—that’s rather impressive! It’s over 500 litres, more or less the full capacity of a butt, so I imagine the angels were a bit lazy and didn’t really take their share over those 23 months. Colour: full gold. Nose: lots of shoe polish, chocolate, and ground coffee remnants, followed by juniper, orange marmalade, black tea, and just the tiniest hint of soy sauce. I’m looking for flaws (as one does), but I can’t find any. I adore the polish notes. With water: no significant changes, though a much-anticipated walnut cake emerges. Mouth (neat): excellent. Black pepper, chocolate, coffee liqueur, cloves, and a few prunes. With water: more dried fruits—figs, dates, raisins, and a touch of coriander seed. Finish: long, very clean, with a streamlined sherry profile. Comments: very good, the perfect companion to the AM.
SGP:561 - 86 points. |
It would be rather nice to have these three Strathmills in your bar, to demonstrate to your guests the precise effects of both sherry and extended ageing on a very classic malt distillate with no particularly sharp edges – or asperities. |
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August 25, 2024 |
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The Armagnacs
are back on WF
For this first post-Olympics and heatwave brandy session, we'll allow ourselves to taste around ten Armagnacs. And we'll approach it somewhat at random... Or perhaps vertically, depending on what we come across...
In 1310, Maître Vital Dufour, prior of Eauze (Gers, France), wrote his 'Very Useful Book for Maintaining Health and Staying in Good Shape' that listed forty benefits of Aygue Ardente, which later took the name of the land where it was produced: Armagnac (Picture 1531 edition, Gutenberg, Mainz, kept in the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana; Rome. Via BNIA).
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Château de Laubade 21 yo (45.3%, OB, Bas Armagnac, 1,812 bottles, 2023)
A rather curious Armagnac, presented somewhat like a malt whisky, sans vintage but with an age statement, which is rather unusual, and bottled at a precise ABV ‘with decimal’. It even nabbed a top medal in San Francisco, much like all the Scots (I’m barely exaggerating). Colour: full gold. Nose: the only problem is that it’s simply stunning, brimming with peach, honeysuckle, and liquorice, with tiny touches of star anise and a hint of icy mint, plus a wisp of fireplace smoke. It’s utterly unassailable, as we say. Mouth: oh, but this is marvellous! Soft curry fudge with saffron—is that even a thing? Plus, nougat, sultanas, roasted figs, apricot, and a dash of elderflower liqueur… Finish: medium in length but still wonderfully sweet, with a touch more honey now. Comments: be warned, this goes down far too easily, you might not even notice. And the price is very much ‘new 2024’.
SGP:641 - 89 points. |
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Château Lassalle Baqué 1995/2023 (48.9%, OB, Ténarèze, cask #4)
100% ugni blanc and straight from Montréal. Montréal-du-Gers, that is. Colour: full gold. Nose: a tad more rustic, but this is a Ténarèze. Touches of varnish and plasticine to start, then a superb combination of oranges, pears, and peaches, both dialled up to eleven. It all blends perfectly with the varnish, with a remarkable firmness. There’s even a bit of fresh paint and equally fresh putty. Mouth: the same rustic feeling, with a touch of Calvados at first, always that varnish note, then peach and apple skins, plums, hay, liquorice wood, herbal teas, greengages, and mirabelles… Finish: rather long, perhaps a bit fruitier, but the aftertaste is quite herbaceous. Comments: a Ténarèze from the fields after a Bas Armagnac from the towns, how amusing. We love them both.
SGP:551 - 88 points. |
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Garreau 29 yo 1994/2023 (50.6%, Liquid Treasures, 15th Anniversary, cask #31)
Gascon oak cask. Château Garreau should be a Bas Armagnac. Colour: deep gold. Nose: varnish notes and even a hint of wood glue, then a slight acetic touch, with a bit of coconut, coffee, apple compote, and notes of… pousse-rapière. Are you familiar with pousse-rapière? With water: rather woody. Hay, tea, cocoa powder, and dark tobacco. Gauloises, like what the rooster on the label seems to be smoking. Mouth (neat): totally a rustic Armagnac. Dark chocolate, rocket, cedar wood, with cherries and prunes in the background. A sweet touch on top. With water: truly a village Armagnac, if you catch my drift. Very authentic, not modern in the slightest. Finish: rather long, still with a slight syrupy note, then prunes and apricot jam. Comments: I fear the previous two might have put a lot of pressure on this lovely baby.
SGP:461 - 85 points. |
Whoops, we skipped a 1996... |
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Domaine de Charron 1996/2024 (48.3%, Swell de Spirits, Flashback #8, Bas Armagnac, 200 bottles)
Made from 100% Baco. Rather interestingly, this Armagnac was rested for 6 months in a demijohn before being bottled, much like we do with our own 'family' eaux-de-vie (though we let ours sit for several years). One can't help but wonder if the Scots might eventually adopt this method to further justify their lofty prices. I must add that the last time we tasted the excellent Domaine de Charron, it was still somewhat less intense than the Godzilla-like label here would suggest. Ha. Colour: deep gold. Nose: yes, quite American in style, we’d say—polished wood and natural vanilla, then melons, peaches, apricots, and liquorice. Nothing sticks out; it’s perfect, precise, seductive, yet authentic (don’t overdo it, S.). With water: more herbs, leaves, fruit peelings, green peaches, and even a curious note of fennel. Mouth (neat): excellent, unmistakably Armagnac now. Wild apples (or russets), sorb, a touch of varnish again, even a drop of acetone, a bit of cider, and perhaps a small glass of Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh. With water: the same profile, little change. Finish: rather long, but careful not to add too much water. Liquorice again. Comments: the best of both worlds, city and country. Super good, though the finish made me knock off a point or two, but as you’ll tell me, the Gascons finish their Armagnacs long before the finale (nice oxymoron, S.).
SGP:551 - 88 points. |
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Armagnac Secret! 'Lot 16 The Bourbony' (55%, Authentic Spirits, Bas Armagnac, 2024)
At €50 for 50cl, it’s probably not from 1916, though Armagnac still remains scandalously under-priced overall. Colour: deep gold. Nose: I can see why they named it 'The Bourbony'—it's packed with honey, maple syrup, pineapple liqueur, coconut milk, vanilla, and once again, there’s that hint of varnish. They might as well have called it 'The Pina Colada', ha. With water: not much change, just a touch of green apple. Mouth (neat): yes, bourbon. Are we sure this isn’t George Dickel? Can we check the papers? Coconut, vanilla, amaretti, macarons, a hint of lavender... With water: even with water, it's still bourbon, with added notes of candied ginger. Quite the mystery. Finish: fairly long, and similar, though I even find some rye notes beyond the maple syrup. Comments: the worst part is, it’s a very good bourbon. Ah, the power of the mind!
SGP:551 - 85 points. |
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St Martin 1992/2024 (54.7%, Le Passeur, Bas Armagnac, cask #90)
A baco from Réans nestled in the fauve sands part of the Gers. We've previously encountered some stellar Armagnacs from Le Passeur, and we're quite taken by this notion of a 'passeur,' so much more admirable than the 'profiteer' one sometimes sees in the spirits world. I was informed that this little number needed some breathing time, so we'll let it air out while we enjoy the complete Brandenburg Concertos under Harnoncourt. Colour: deep gold. Nose: amusingly, it opens with a touch of meat reduction and charcoal, quite reminiscent of a barbecue. Then come notes of matches, cigarettes, Spanish cured ham, mastic, and even a hint of miso. We are far, far from the typical honey and peach duo, that's for sure. With water: a sharp U-turn, here comes heather honey and cane sugar syrup, with the water nearly obliterating everything else. How amusing. Mouth (neat): is this truly the same spirit? It's taut, full of citrus, lemon, white pepper, sloe berries, cherry, and then some marmalade... Astonishing. With water: am I dreaming? The meaty extracts return, along with the ham, pepper, and miso... Yet everything is balanced to perfection by the heather and apricot jams. Finish: long, with notes of small raisins and other dried fruits. Goji. Comments: it’s like watching a film. Alain Delon would have adored this multifaceted and slightly – and wonderfully - offbeat Armagnac. At least, I suppose.
SGP:561 - 90 points. |
How about we get ourselves a young, strong one? |
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Castarède 8 yo 2006 ‘Folle Blanche Brut de Fût’ (52%, OB, +/-2023)
An ancestral house from the Gers, bottling its lots by tirages I believe, which means you never really know when your bottles were filled, nor if they’re identical to the others. At any rate, we’ve tasted previous batches of this 8-year-old. More traditional than this, you’d be hard-pressed to find. Of course, it’s possibly not really 8 years old, rather older, but we’re not going to reprint the labels, are we? That costs a pretty penny. Colour: light amber (the previous batch I tried was deep gold). Nose: just obvious, with honey, mango, apples, peaches, nougat, maple syrup, demerara sugar, and more honey still. With water: fresh herbs, dew, sweet mint, gentian... Pure bliss. Mouth (neat): oh, perfect. Peaches and apples, peppery and honeyed, with a subtle herbal tension that keeps it fresh. A touch of cumin. With water: ripe plums arrive, with forest notes, mosses, mushrooms… Finish: earthy touches. Comments: this would be magical with ceps-and-garlic. Just saying.
SGP:661 - 87 points. |
Let's get back to our vintages… |
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Aurian 1979/2022 (41.7%, OB for Whiskyjace, Armagnac, 130 bottles)
A charming vintage, born in the era of Debbie Harry, Television, and Talking Heads—what could possibly go wrong? Colour: amber. Nose: a splendid convergence of fine spirits, primarily armagnac, bourbon, and calvados. This symphony presents itself with varnish, fresh cider, prunes, and a heap of slightly overripe apples. And it works marvellously, offering a nose that’s both soft and complex—one might even call it ‘fusion’. Mouth: initially mirrors the nose, but soon the armagnac takes the lead, as it rightly should. It's like a walk through a Gers forest, with pine needles, ferns, those iconic mushrooms (ceps and caesar's mushrooms!), and a bounty of little plums, some from wild trees. Finish: the calvados makes a comeback, with apples, old farmhouse cider, pepper, green plums, and a hint of mint in the aftertaste. Comments: quite extraordinary that the wood has maintained such elegance and restraint after about 43 years. In any case, this is an Armagnac that would greatly please the old folks of Gers, perhaps enjoyed on a bistro terrace in Condom.
SGP:461 - 90 points. |
The next one will be interesting, as it could highlight the value of independent bottlers. For instance, a few years ago, Château Garreau released a whole series of vintage bottles at 40%, some good but not all great. That was until some smart independent bottlers began to take an interest in them... Here's another example: |
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Garreau 50 years old 1974/2024 (51.2%, C. Dully Selection, Bas Armagnac, cask #7499, 144 bottles)
A blend of Baco and Ugni Blanc. Fifty years old and 260 Swiss francs—enough to shame countless whisky brands that can’t boast a tenth of the prestige of these old Armagnacs, and who, by the way, are increasingly starting to feel it. But let’s move on... Colour: dark amber. Nose: just extraordinary. Coffee, cigars, peonies, Corinthian raisins, fig liqueur, old Meursault, blackberry jam, Ethiopian coffee. With water: beeswax, milk chocolate, wild strawberry jam. Mouth (neat): magical. Honestly, who could bring themselves to reduce/ruin a spirit like this to 40% ABV? Chocolate, ganache, prunes, old red wine (Pomerol, naturally), and chestnut honey. With water: the return of raisins, salinity, liquorice, and very old sweet wines… Finish: not that long, but this unexpected salinity works brilliantly. A touch of onion soup (yes, really). Comments: in reality, there are plenty of tiny flaws in these old Armagnacs, but that’s undeniably part of their charm. Who would still want a fifteen-year-old Speysider ‘Triple Cask’ sold at an even higher price than this 50-year-old Armagnac? Daylight robbery, and we all know it.
SGP: 651 - 90 points. |
Since we must conclude... |
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Domaine de Gaube 1929 (45%, Francis Darroze, Bas Armagnac, +/-1980)
We’re in Le Frèche in the Landes, which could be considered the Kildalton shore of Armagnac. There’s a prominent ‘D’ on the label, which in France implies it should have been bottled in or before 1982. But curiously, this is a 70cl bottle, not the usual 75cl, which adds a layer of intrigue since the shift from 75cl to 70cl didn’t occur until around 1992, if I’m not mistaken. They’ve been practising ‘tirages’, so you encounter various bottling dates from the same cask/batch. Colour: amber. Nose: it’s akin to an old amontillado, truly. Melted butter, toffee, walnut liqueur, mushrooms, caraway, a hint of vin jaune, mustard, very aromatic hay, fudge… This one goes beyond mere organoleptic analysis, venturing into poetic philosophy. Mouth: good Lord! Raisins, saffron, Cuban tobacco, black nougat, morels, and yes, let’s go for it, lobster bisque. Don’t worry, I won’t mention Seinfeld’s Soup Nazi again. Finish: long, incredible, more akin to old wines than to spirits. It reminds one of an aged Château-Châlon, for instance. We might even go further, to a Vigne-aux-Dames from Marius Perron. OK, now I’ve lost everyone. Comments: a spirit in the universe of wine, or perhaps the other way around. And remember to factor in the years, we’re far from any vulgar contemporary aromatisation. You see what I mean.
SGP: 562 - 92 points. |
Monday update! Actually, in France, French spirits like Armagnacs or Cognacs have always been bottled in 70cl bottles, whereas imported spirits, like whiskies, were in 75cl bottles—hence my grave mistake. Perhaps this 5cl difference also partly explains the immense success of Scotch in France, ha. To make things even more complicated, Cognacs, for example, could be exported in 75cl bottles or other sizes, like 72 or 73cl. Everything is always very straightforward in France. Moreover, as was the case with various tax strips in Italy, for example, labels featuring a large ‘D’ were allowed to be used by small producers for several years after their official discontinuation (with our heartfelt thanks to Emile) |
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August 24, 2024 |
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Alcohol Consumption: Our Favourite Old Chestnut on Facebook again (!) |
In France, the official recommendations regarding alcohol consumption are: 'no more than ten standard drinks per week; no more than two drinks per day; alcohol-free days each week.' That said, the WHO has warned about the risks even of 'minimal' or 'moderate' alcohol consumption (less than 1.5 litres of wine or less than 3.5 litres of beer or less than 450 ml of spirits per week). Which also suggests that 450 ml of whisky per week, which amounts to 3 bottles per month, is considered 'minimal' or ‘moderate’ consumption. |
| In any case, once again, there are articles citing a study suggesting that any alcohol consumption, even very minimal, is dangerous for health and would shorten our life expectancy. By simple deduction, this would make all winemakers, brewers, or distillers murderers, and us zealous bloggers mere accomplices. In some countries, this would likely earn us the death penalty or a life sentence, while in others, we would be left in peace simply because we collectively contribute a substantial amount of tax revenue. |
| That said, some of the same movements that push the ‘zero alcohol’ line seem to advocate for global degrowth, including a reduction in the world population, and urgently so. In this case, a mere decline in birth rates would not suffice; we would also need to shorten the life expectancy that continues to rise for both women and men, including healthy life expectancy. In France, 11% of babies born in the year 2000 will live to be centenarians. |
| In short, if we want to reduce the consumption of resources on an already depleted planet, we’re going to need a great deal of alcohol to once again and drastically cut down a life expectancy that has become collectively unsustainable. Moreover, when reading the rants of the anti-alcohol crusaders, one wonders if we even want these selfish killjoys to live longer, continuing to pollute us with their presence and imposing themselves on our societies and resources. |
| That said, we do not deny the dangers of alcohol, and we bear in mind the chilling Tuareg proverb, “The eye never sees what blinds it.” |
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August 23, 2024 |
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The return of three Speyburn on little Whiskyfun
Yes, it's an event, almost on par with the possible return of Stromness or Malt Mill. I'm hardly exaggerating. We'll start with a rum finish, though we can no longer escape these little no-age-statement premixes anyway, I mean globally. Don't worry, we'll get through it quickly, like ripping off a plaster... |
Speyburn Distillery (Speyburn Distillery) |
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Speyburn ‘Rum Cask Finish’ (40%, OB, +/-2024)
Colour: gold. Nose: ginger, speculoos, caramel, and a hint of masala. It edges closer to a small American rye than a traditional Scottish malt, which makes it all the more intriguing. The palate, as always, will be the decider. Mouth: it's well-crafted, to be fair, just a touch weak due to the low ABV. Lovely honeyed notes, with cane syrup, maple syrup, triple sec, nutmeg, and sweet paprika all making an appearance. Finish: much the same, pleasantly fruity with oranges and soft spices, though it does lack a bit of punch. Comments: to be honest, this is far from the worst rum finish we’ve ever had to discreetly discard. Quite the contrary, the technique seems rather spot-on. I must say, the honeyed aspect is excellent.
SGP:641 - 85 points. |
Will this return of Speyburn be sensational? |
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Speyburn 16 yo (43%, OB, travel exclusive, bourbon barrel, +/- 2022)
The term ‘travel exclusive’ or ‘travel retail’ has somewhat become a red flag in recent years across the spirits industry (30% more in price instead of 30% less), but on the other hand, this version of Speyburn is a full maturation in bourbon barrels. You can't have it all, can you? Colour: light gold. Nose: lovely malt, charming wax, delightful paraffin, pretty vanilla, ripe bananas, and slightly bruised apples... All of this is complemented by subtle touches of mustard and watercress, adding some aromatic depth. So, all is well at this stage. Mouth: the watercress is back—we’re big fans of watercress—and there's a generally elegant form of austere bitterness that blends nicely with lemon zest and a hint of gentle horseradish. We’re far from a fruity and flattering bourbon barrel here, but it’s classy. Finish: long, bitter, even acidic, with grape seeds and apple peel. The mustard and pepper come back to tickle you at the very end, with even a hint of ashes. Comments: a surprising style to say the least, the exact opposite of the very seductive ‘Rum Cask’. It takes all sorts to make a world, even at Speyburn.
SGP:462 - 85 points. |
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Speyburn 2004/2024 ‘Spirit of Speyside Exclusive’ (58.6%, OB, cask #215, 546 bottles)
Could we please stop with the gold and silver labels? They no longer work at all online, not even on those very ‘low-tech-low-graphics’ sites like WF. Colour: dark amber. Nose: a distinctly chocolaty and slightly soapy character, heavily marked by paraffin and, let’s be honest, a touch of shampoo. It’s a hit or miss, as they say; water will be the ultimate judge. With water: the shampoo fades away (as expected), but the chocolate becomes even more pronounced. We’re practically inside a chocolate shop now. Mouth (neat): pretty woody, with strong notes of resin, fir bud syrup, walnut husk, bitter oranges, and menthol… Water is definitely needed here. With water: softer, of course, but still quite marked by bitterness, amaro, cinchona, and all that. I like those things rather a lot, but I’m not sure I need a 20-year-old Scotch malt to appreciate these flavours. Finish: long. Wood, resins, chocolate, bitters, and green walnuts. Comments: spectacular in terms of style, but I’m much more a fan of the ‘Rum’ and the ‘16’. Maybe a tad over-oloroso-ed.
SGP:371 - 80 points. |
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August 22, 2024 |
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Just a small batch of new Ardbeg |
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Imagine that we took this photo of Ardbeg's backyard
during Feis Ile. Busy-busy, was it not. (WF Archive, 2005) |
Some official ones and some independent ones. Are you familiar with Ardbeg? |
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Ardbeg 14 yo ‘Anthology The Unicorn’s Tale’ (46%, OB, refill bourbon and Madeira, 2024)
No, no, no, enough of these far-fetched tales! And why is everyone so enamoured with ex-Madeira casks these days? Colour: straw. Nose: rather fresh and quite simple, with lovely notes of smoked almonds, followed by putty and tar. It appears that the Madeira has mellowed this Ardbeg into something rather gentle and polite. A few hints of new rubber boots as well. Mouth: fairly light, with a touch of sweetness (white clover) and a bit of tar liqueur. A slight medicinal edge, then tinned peaches and almond milk. Finish: of medium length, soft, gentle, and saline. Some periwinkles and white wine. Touches of mercurochrome and ashes in the background. Comments: the softer side of Ardbeg peat. An easy, agreeable Ardbeg, perfect for sharing with guests who aren't whisky geeks. Perhaps they will become so after this? I did slightly prefer the 13 yo Harpy’s Tale, though. Yet more Tales.
SGP:556 - 86 points. |
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Ardbeg 19 yo 2005/2024 'Traigh Bhan Batch 6' (46.2%, OB, American oak & oloroso, batch #TB/06-04.04.2005/24.GM)
The new batch. I was quite taken with last year’s (WF 89). Colour: white wine. Nose: pure, crystalline Ardbeg peat, with sauvignon blanc, seawater, green apples and limes, rubber, almonds, pistachios, ashes, and a touch of light tar. Mouth: sweeter and gentler, yet again. There’s a sensation of smoked apples, a hint of oysters, marzipan, and more ashes. Finish: medium length, a bit fruity, fairly easy-going. Lemons, ashes, and smoked almonds linger in the aftertaste. Comments: nothing much to add; it's very much in line with the 2023 batch, though it feels slightly softer, perhaps. No need to pen a novel each time, I like it a lot, there.
SGP:556 - 89 points. |
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Ardbeg 2011/2024 (58.2%, OB, for Sweden, 1st fill manzanilla, cask #2464, 624 bottles)
Ardbeg and Manzanilla, it’s like Jagger and Richards for me, though a bit rarer. Just a reminder, Manzanilla is a fino sherry aged in Sanlúcar, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the grapes come from that part of the ‘sherry triangle’. Generally, Manzanilla is a bit lighter but slightly saltier (just a touch). Colour: dark gold. Nose: grand elegance. Green walnuts, seawater, seaweed, fresh tar, cement, and lemon peel oil. The combination seems perfect. With water: a touch of Savoyard fondue and fresh hay bale, which is rather amusing. Mouth (neat): yes, perfect, powerful, uncomplicated, with bitter orange, seawater, and salted liquorice. Then a bit of mint and those famous green walnuts. Millimetric, as they say in... Sweden. With water: that Sauvignon Blanc note previously mentioned. A lovely Pouilly-Fumé and green pepper. Finish: long, with the same notes of green pepper, walnuts, mustard, seawater, and tar... A strong charcoal note in the aftertaste. Comments: I find this young Ardbeg rather exceptional, though it is slightly aggressive. The Swedes are lucky; they’ve got a top pole vaulter and now they’ve got this Ardbeg too. A shame for dear Mackmyra, though; that’s rather sad.
SGP:567 - 90 points. |
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Secret Islay 13 yo 2009/2023 (58.7%, Archives, for China, ‘Birds from the Orient’, refill hogshead, cask #200000125, 300 bottles)
Colour: straw. Nose: utterly Ardbeggian, with rubber boots at least size EU43 (if you will) and plenty of tar, followed by camphor, bandages, and used engine oil, then loads of green olives, which we absolutely adore. With water: that old tweed jacket battered by salty maritime winds. You get the idea... Mouth (neat): our friends in China have excellent taste. Superb notes of lime juice, then candy sugar, smoked fish, olive oil again, and a touch of ink… Wow. With water: it’s almost like being transported back to the 1970s. Superb oily and maritime lemon. Finish: long, precise, assertive (why not?) and full of olives. Comments: it’s a shame that this magnificent whisky doesn’t boldly carry the Distillery’s name; it could have done wonders for the brand. We’ll be talking about this one in a few years, I’m sure of it. I love it as much as the aforementioned Swede.
SGP:567 - 90 points. |
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Kildalton 15 yo 2008/2023 (61.5%, The Whisky Jury for Lucky Choice, China, refill butt, cask #5080, 132 bottles)
Calling an Islay single malt ‘Kildalton’ that isn’t from Ardbeg would surely be an act of ultimate perversion, utterly condemned by all moral standards, wouldn’t you agree? Colour: golden. Nose: rather softer, but loaded with salted liquorice and seaweed, iodine tincture, paint and varnish, cider apples, and putty. Magnificently soft and complex on the nose, with a few pink olives and a hint of fresh fibreglass. With water: there was also a slight hint of cologne, which has now disappeared. Raw wool, rainwater, lanolin. Ardbeg. Mouth (neat): more massive on the palate, more robust, almost brutal, but that’s what one seeks from this side of the island. Then it becomes increasingly saline, taut, sharp, lemony, very fresh, chiselled, with bitter almonds, even very bitter almonds. Very lovely. With water: even saltier. Olive brine, rollmops, stalks and leaves, lapsang souchong, and a sensation of engine grease (though we’ve never tasted that, of course). Finish: long, oily, putty, paint, olives, plasticine… Comments: these spirits don’t yet have the complexity of age, but heading towards twenty years, I’m absolutely certain they’ll gain a point or two.
SGP:467 - 90 points. |
Lucky Sweden, lucky China. |
(Thank you mucho, Boris and Gene) |
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August 21, 2024 |
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A little barrow of five Springbank |
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Casks of all sizes and origins waiting to be refilled in the distillery's courtyard
(WF Archive, 2005) |
It’s been a few months since we’ve officially enjoyed any Springbank, which is, we all agree, an absolute scandal. It was high time we rectified this terrible situation. |
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Springbank 18 yo ‘2024 Edition’ (46%, OB, bourbon)
A freshly bottled edition, August 2024. A sign of the times, you’ll currently find Springbank 18 priced anywhere between €350 and €750 from online retailers, or from €250 on eBay. Of course, this doesn’t change the quality of the liquid one bit. The last one we tasted was the 2020 edition, very good (WF 86) but a far cry from our favourite, the 10-year-old (WF 91 last time) or the younger Local Barleys (also 91). And it's far superior to the ‘Red’, about which we’ll remain silent. Colour: straw. Nose: surprising, heading in the direction of the 10-year-old, with plenty of wet chalk, raw wool, sourdough, aspirin tablets, even bandages, followed by lemon zest, paraffin, a hint of seawater, and traces of tar. This is riiiight up my alley. Mouth: oilier and saltier on the palate, with peat, ashes, a touch of green apple liqueur, and that persistent wet chalk that’s a bit reminiscent of ‘natural’ champagnes. A lovely green pepper then appears, accompanied by small bits of candied lemon, which I find particularly ‘Springbank’. Finish: long, saline, peppery, with fine bitterness and ash, and then paraffined lemon in the aftertaste. Comments: well, either Springbank 18 is evolving, or it’s me. Or, well, perhaps both.
SGP:562 – 90 points. |
We're already too high, but the heart remains valiant (nonsense, S.) |
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The Springbank 'Cuvée' 1965 & 1993/2004 (46%, Murray McDavid, sherry and bourbon, MM 0406, 1224 bottles)
We first sampled this intriguing expression two decades ago, albeit from a different bottle, and, well, any excuse is a good excuse when it comes to whisky. In any case, what we have here is a ten-year-old, for which a cask of 1965 was sacrificed—likely one that had dipped below the fateful 40% ABV mark. A different time, indeed... Colour: pale gold. Nose: I had thought that the additional time in the bottle might have further harmonised the two vintages, but that doesn’t seem to be the case here. It’s rather disjointed, with that medicinal and metallic edge typical of those early 1993 vintages when they were young, alongside a subtle older Springbank showing hints of coconut and chamomile. Not exactly a Springbank one would 'nose' with enthusiasm. Mouth: a bit closer to the 18-year-old but still retaining that slightly sulphurous and overly waxy character (yes, it’s possible) of the young distillate. Plenty of lemon juice and even a touch of Sprite (apologies). Of course, it’s a very good whisky, but it’s kept a slightly off-kilter, metallic quality. Finish: much the same. Comments: slightly disappointed. I had expected it to improve over twenty years, but quite the opposite seems to have happened. In any case, it’s all rather anecdotal.
SGP: 363 - 81 points. |
And 1993, 20 years later... |
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Springbank 30 yo 1993/2023 (52.2%, Royal Mile Whiskies, cask #159, 178 bottles)
Colour: full gold. Nose: a tale of a chrysalis blossoming into a butterfly, thanks to the grace of a very fine cask. There’s still that powdered sulphur (not burnt), chalk, even a bit of lime, paraffin, but also citrus fruits and their peels, with a touch of beeswax mixed with propolis, much like one finds in a beehive. Rather adore it, I must say. With water: wax paper, a hint of lapsang souchong—not too much—and a stack of old magazines stored in an ancient cellar. Rather like the wedding of Charles and Lady Di, or that scuffle between the Stranglers and the Clash. Mouth (neat): superb, very compact and coherent, with smoked lemons and minty seaweed, plus some wax and that’s all. But that’s already quite a lot. With water: everything falls into place perfectly, one of the most idiosyncratic malt whiskies in the world, showing a particularly emblematic version of this distillate’s style, which isn’t always the case. Wax, carbon, lemon zest, roots, petrol. Finish: long but gentler, a bit buttery, with peanut butter, peat smoke, and... a tiny sardine. The lemons hold their ground in the aftertaste. Comments: these 1993s clearly needed some time to come into their own. Brilliant drop.
SGP:562 - 93 points. |
Wait, shouldn't we also set aside a 1965 to be thorough? |
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Springbank 1965/2004 (46%, Lombard, Jewels of Scotland, USA release, 75cl)
‘Aged in oakwood casks’, as the label proudly proclaims. Quite refreshing to see a time before we started to be endlessly bombarded with improbable stories about casks and wine, wouldn’t you say? But imagine, this baby is nearly 40 years old. Lombard had several different Springbank 1965s, but we’d never had the pleasure of trying this one... Colour: bright gold. Nose: a perfect lineage, more evident in casks that aren’t too active like this one, even though the Distillery filled plenty of active sherry casks in those vintages. Here we find seawater, putty, old paint pots, ashes, wax, chalk, citrus peels, paraffin, old papers, and even sardines and anchovies... Mouth: it’s crazy, you’d swear it was a 1993, I assure you. Has anything ever changed at Springbank? Paint, tar, paraffin, metallic touches (copper), lemon, petrol, seawater, shellfish (our friends, the whelks) ... Then the expected citrus and just plain apples. Plain but very good apples. Finish: of medium length but very consistent, with tar and hints of brine. The putty lingers even into the aftertaste. Comments: I do think 30 years is better, all the same. I also believe that’s what we already noticed when tasting the famous ‘Millennium’ series, albeit informally.
SGP:552 - 90 points. |
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Springbank 26 yo 1998/2024 (56.8%, Decadent Drinks, WhiskyLand, Chapter One, first fill sherry butt, 550 bottles)
It’s a bit awkward, I already know it’s good since I had a taste at the official launch of WhiskyLand (and the funeral of WhiskySponge) in Glasgow earlier this month. But never mind, we’ll taste this baby again anyway... Colour: amber. Nose: at first, there are those little resinous touches, pine bud liqueur, burnt firwood, and so forth, then a sudden burst of mango accompanied by a few raisins, a pinch of pipe tobacco, followed by a cigar box and a splendid tar laced with liquorice. I could mention some rancio, but I fear that could be the influence of the Cognac-style bottle. With water: those usual touches of natural rubber, artichoke liqueur, tar, Lapsang Souchong... The water seems to add a smoky edge. Tarmac. Mouth (neat): oily texture. Beware, it’s more potent than it seems. A peppery side, leather, amontillado, cigar, another touch of salt, salted butter caramel, and let’s say it straight away, a bit of that Samaroli character, claro que si (but that’s Spanish, S.!). With water: splendid orange liqueurs, caramel, milk chocolate, a hint of coriander adding freshness, Dutch salted liquorice (for instance) ... It’s another dimension, tauter. Finish: very long, saltier. Salted caramel, tobacco, a touch of leather, and blood orange. Frankly smoky aftertaste, almost astringent. Magnificently astringent. Comments: seriously, I even considered going up to 94, then I re-tasted the Westie Sponge Ed3 and found them on par, although they’re very different. If half-points were a thing—God forbid—I’d give it 93.5. Sublime bottle. Oh, and to hell with it, it’s a perfect marriage between a stubborn distillate and an equally stubborn cask…
SGP:563 - 94 points. |
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August 20, 2024 |
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A Small Bag of Recent Scottish Blends |
There are some blends around us that aren't really blends, but rather single malts sold as blends to prevent the use of distillery names. It seems, however, that some of these bottles, often quite remarkable, have brought renewed attention to this category, which has long been overlooked by whisky enthusiasts. I hope I'm making sense. |
Claudio Bernasconi (Waldhaus). We are enjoying today
a Royal Salute created for his 70th anniversary (Bar News) |
In any case, today we'll be tasting 'true' blends that are blends by design, not by circumstance. Just two or three will do, starting with this so-called aperitif... |
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Loch Ryan (40%, Inver House, France, blended Scotch, +/-2010)
I acquired this rather modest bottle back in the days when I was fond of conducting ‘el cheapos’ sessions, primarily to demonstrate that we are genuinely making use of the full 100-point scale, not just its upper reaches. And so, this ‘supermarket’ bottle ended up languishing at the back of a shelf, unopened... Nowadays, Inver House Distillers belongs to ThaiBev and operates some truly charming distilleries (Pulteney, Balblair, Speyburn…). Colour: pale gold. Nose: in the style of J&B, light, with a few hints of pear eau-de-vie, a touch of medicinal alcohol, a bit of vanilla, some biscuits, and a note of English tea… All this is fairly inoffensive and, as such, not unpleasant. But let’s be clear, this is neither Balblair nor Pulteney. Mouth: slightly sweet, gently malty, with small notes of banana, followed by vanilla, scones, and tea. I nearly forgot the drops of pear liqueur and a slightly burning alcohol in the background. Finish: short but civilised, lightly malty again. Comments: not horrible and even fairly balanced, but very light. I reckon if you pour this over some large ice cubes, you’ve got yourself a highball without even needing to add water. All in all, it’s a respectable Scotch.
SGP:441 - 70 points. |
Let’s move straight to the other side of the category if you don’t mind… |
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Royal Salute 25 yo (51.8%, OB, Chivas Brothers, blended Scotch, for Claudio’s 70th Anniversary, 2024)
A rare private bottling crafted to celebrate the 70th birthday of Waldhaus' and World of Whisky's clan chief, Claudio Bernasconi, this year. An extraordinary place with wonderful people; do make a brief detour on your way to your next business rendezvous in Davos. Colour: amber with hints of walnut. Nose: indeed, a profusion of walnut wine, prunes, toffee, butterscotch, with a dash of mint sauce, Cuban cigars, a touch of compost, dried beef (Grisons meat, ha!), and a drop of soy sauce. We’re in the realm of an old malt matured in genuine sherry (solera butt), and I’d wager there’s not much grain whisky in here. Sublime nose. Mouth: it’s gentler on the palate, with dried figs and marzipan-stuffed dates, followed by our perennial chestnut honey and a whisper of very old Jerez brandy. Clearly an old-school style, somewhat reminiscent of the days when malts and brandies were neck and neck. Light touches of glutamate and Maggi, splendid. Finish: remarkably long for 40%, now more chocolatey, with some coffee lingering in the aftertaste. Comments: there’s a sense that Chivas has packed a fair amount of very old Glenlivet and Longmorn into this ‘small’ blend, the kind that holds the minimum proof perfectly. Gorgeous sherry and absolutely no ‘grainy sensation’; had you told me this was a 1950s Glenlivet, I’d have said, ‘of course’.
SGP:561 - 92 points. |
Back to more modern stuff… |
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The Antiquary 15 yo (40%, OB, Blended Scotch, claret casks finish, 2024)
The Antiquary brand, which is Tomatin's blend, has been revived this year. I do somewhat regret the heavy-handed use of red wine here. I would have preferred to try the 21-year-old, but that one is now finished in tawny port casks, so red for red, Bordeaux it is. There's no escaping it now, in malt whisky, in vino veritas. Colour: gold. Not rosé. Nose: there's a slight old barrel note, along with bell pepper and blackcurrant buds, then blood oranges. It's actually quite pleasant, despite that premixed feel that makes us long for... a good old Tomatin ex-refill or bourbon. Mouth: the wine influence is very evident. A hint of rubber, then leaves and buds, raspberries, apples, oranges. Finish: medium length, with the weakness of the 40% ABV showing a bit. Comments: not bad, but do we really need all this wine? I used to really like the old natural The Antiquary blends (WF 87 for the 21 yo in 2014).
SGP:451 - 74 points. |
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Spirit, fortified or table wine casks |
| I would like to emphasise that there is a major difference between casks used for cognac, rum, sherry, Madeira, etc., and those used for ‘table wine’, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Barolo, Shiraz, etc. In the former case, the previous liquids have matured in the casks (except in the case of simple seasoning), and the aromas are therefore ‘muted’ and ‘matured’ to varying degrees. In contrast, casks used for table wine have only held young wines, which do not mature—at least not fully—in the casks, far from it. The aromas are therefore inevitably more vegetal, rustic, and ‘unfinished’. For instance, a very good Bordeaux wine may have spent 2 years in cask and then 15 years in the bottle to reach maturity, depending on the vintages. If you use an ex-Bordeaux cask, you’re therefore flavouring your whisky with an immature wine, hence the strong notes of pepper, just as an example. Does what I’m saying make sense to you? |
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Nectarosity (46%, Compass Box, blended scotch, 2024)
Funny name, much better than morosity, don’t you think? It seems to be all about patisserie, and quite rightly so. Inside, you’ll find Linkwood, Clynelish, Balmenach, and more or less one-third grain (Cameronbridge and Girvan), so it's a rather ‘good’ blend. I recall that in the olden days, a blend boasting 50% malt was already considered quite top shelf. Colour: lemon gold (and why not indeed?). Nose: very fresh, very much on freshly baked croissants and beeswax, with yellow peaches and ripe apples. Plus, an entire bag of mirabelles. Mouth: very good, the concept works well, and it’s not just a one-malt-show from Clynelish (not that we would’ve complained, of course), but you can definitely sense it, alongside some citrus and fresher orchard fruits. Finish: a touch of green wood and a very slight bitterness, which adds dimension. Medium length, very pleasant, with a peach skin aftertaste. Comments: this reminds me of an old personal recipe I once kind of came up with kind of with CB just for fun: 10% Laphroaig, 30% Clynelish, and for the remaining 60%, just whatever came to hand – that didn’t really matter. But different times, different manners, and nothing to do with this little Nectarosity, of course.
SGP: 551 – 85 points. |
Last one, please an older one again… |
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St. Bridget’s Kirk 35 yo 1988/2024 (43.9%, Hannah Whisky Merchants, blended scotch, refill butt, 450 bottles)
This is a blend put together long ago, when the whiskies were young, and then aged in this refill butt for decades. It feels very Edrington, but please, don’t quote me on that. The price is quite typo-ish (€125-140). What could possibly go wrong? Colour: pure gold. Nose: the first word that comes to mind is ‘elegance’, the second is ‘yellow peaches’, and the third is ‘patisseries and herbal teas’. It’s not the heavily honeyed profile you might find elsewhere, more like shortbread, oatcakes, and macarons, with just a hint of coconut milk, likely from the grains. Mouth: it’s the oranges, cinnamon, and café latte leading the dance here. There’s a slightly improbable side to it, as if this composition wasn’t entirely intentional, but that only adds to the charm, along with… a touch of old Cuban rum from the same era. Vanilla and latte. Finish: not very long, but increasingly focused on that famous old Cuban rum. Coffee with milk, coconut, vanilla, orange liqueur… Comments: this old blend has really aged gracefully with lots of charm, nicely converging with time.
SGP: 541 – 87 points. |
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August 19, 2024 |
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