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| Hi, you're in the Archives, January 2023 - Part 1 |
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December 14, 2022 |
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The Durian Effect
Morning. I've got quite a few messages about whiskeys that I've tried yesterday and that some friends just loved, while I did rather not. That's often the case with some (not all, far from that) finishings. In truth I'm always very happy when friends enjoy some spirits while I don't, as I'm certainly not 'right' and you're not 'wrong'. It's only a matter of individual taste, what's more some spirits can be very polarising, not unlike, say durian ;-). Some even say that the way we perceive some flavours and aromas have roots in some genetic traits that some people have while others don't. Scary, isn't it? Anyway, who needs tepid consensus… Some brands have even made that their motto, think Laphroaig and their 'Love It Or Hate It' baseline. I would add what a very well-known independent bottler and now distiller once told me: 'Serge, keep saying it when you don't like a whisky, or no one will believe you anymore when you say you do'. Peace and salut! And now, let's try more Irish… - Serge. |
Revisiting Ireland, last part of the trip
A set of four new young multi-grain Irish by Blackwater Distillery, then two fruit bombs from Cooley's and Bushmills'.
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Blackwater 'Dirtgrain Mash Bill #08' (45.3%, OB, Ireland, bourbon cask, 1000 bottles, 2022) 
It's an interesting concept, Blackwater Distillery have decided to revive old Irish recipes that would have blended various grains, both malted and unmalted. As they've started distilling in 2018, I would suppose this is a three or four years old. Mash Bill #08, inspired by a mash bill from 1908, gathers 50% Gangway + Laureate malt (barley), 35% Laureate barley, and 15% Husky oat. I appreciate that they have not used any wine casks. Colour: pale white wine. Nose: close to earth, close to grains, chalk, breadcrumbs, small apples, melon skin, plus gooseberries and white currants. Some acidity, which I find pleasant. Mouth: it is not a fat spirit, it would start citrusy and on green apples, then rather move towards liquorice wood, zests and fennel. The body would rather gain texture after the arrival, which is a little unusual. Finish: medium, rather grassier but with some barley syrup and sweeter apples in the aftertaste. Golden delicious. Comments: it's an easy whiskey that they've kept all natural.
SGP:441 - 82 points. |
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Blackwater 'Dirtgrain Mash Bill #15' (44.2%, OB, Ireland, rye cask, 1000 bottles, 2022) 
A blend of 40% Laureate barley, 30% Gangway + Laureate malt, 15% Husky oat, 12% Costello wheat and 3% Performer Rye, inspired by a mash bill from 1915 this time. Didn't know Elvis Costello was into cereal (S., please!) Colour: white wine. Nose: this one's a little fatter, a tad more buttery, also with more mineral notes, even a touch of engine oil, then oat cakes and unleavened bread. A little dill too, orange skin… Now the cask was not of the same kind, so I'm not sure comparisons are sound. Mouth: it is rather punchy, with poppy seeds and caraway bread, some small oranges, a small glass of elderberry eau-de-vie or liqueur, very vivid here, flour, tapioca, orange cordial… Quite some action in this one. Not sure I'm finding a lot of rye, perhaps… Finish: longer, bready, a tad drying (tea tannins, oak). Comments: more rustic and raw, while I like rusticity.
SGP:441 - 84 points. |
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Blackwater 'Dirtgrain Mash Bill #38' (47.1%, OB, Ireland, apple brandy cask, 1000 bottles, 2022)
Made from 40% Laureate barley, 40% Costello wheat and 20% Gangway + Laureate malted barley, inspired by a mash bill from 1838, and aged in apple brandy. I'm not sure it was the most logical way to use wildly different woods as we're not exactly comparing different mash bills, but there, not my business. Colour: white wine. Nose: the fact is, this is lovely, with a much bigger presence, many apples and pears, lime, more elderberries, a little sour wine (muscadet)… Mouth: I'd say the brandy feels, and that this one's much spicier than the others, with some ginger, turmeric, indeed apple peel, then earth and, once again, some elderberry syrup. Great in champagne. Finish: pretty long. It's hard to get that apple brandy out of your head once you know it's been in use. Ginger ale in the aftertaste. Comments: good.
SGP:451 - 83 points. |
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Blackwater 'Dirtgrain Mash Bill #93' (43.1%, OB, Ireland, sherry cask, 1000 bottles, 2022)
This time it was 46% Laureate barley, 35% Gangway + Laureate malt, 15% Husky oat, 4% peated Laureate malt. I'd bet the peat will feel. Colour: gold. Nose: indeed, distant tyres at first, even fumes, then new electronics, some menthol, fruit bread, branches, pears… Mouth: you would almost say very young Ardmore, with touches of coal and rubber. Lemon, apples, mint, liquorice, eucalyptus. It is incredible that it would be this peaty, unless this sherry cask had previously sheltered Ardbeg or compadres. Finish: rather long, with smoky lemons and some tar. Comments: these Dirtgrains are sold as sets of four different 200ml bottles and do come with an interesting book (a kind of log book) by owner/distiller Peter Mulryan. There's even the score for the famous song, The Parting Glass. Isn't it Scottish?
SGP:453 - 84 points. |
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Cooley 20 yo 2001/2022 (54%, Whisky AGE for Whisky Picnic Bar, Get Lost in The Whisky and The Whisky Blues, bourbon barrel, cask #3067, 199 bottles) 
Colour: white wine. Nose: bags of wine gums and marshmallows, plus some kind of smart healthy juice, perhaps 1/3 mango, 1/3 orange and 1/3 carrot. I'll need to try that. Also a little vanilla, light honey, and fresh mint. We tend to call these 'immaculate'. With water: pure sauvignon blanc, probably one of the best Sancerre, or Chavignol. Mouth (neat): typical so-called fruit-bomb, with massive, really massive notes of mangos, bananas, papayas… This is very spectacular, one of these Cooleys that can be confused with (some) Bushmills malts. The trick of the 'Secret Irish', you know. With water: very extreme fruitiness, almost a little 'too much', if that's possible. Finish: medium, ueber-fruity. We've kept wondering if Haribo weren't secretely owning shares of Cooley (through some tax haven). Comments: fruit bomb alert. Wonderful Cooley.
SGP:740 - 89 points. |
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An Irish Distillery 30 yo 1990/2020 (53.1%, Archives, for Taiwan, rum barrel, cask #589, 148 bottles) 
In theory, this is Bushmills. If I remember well, Diageo had sold many casks before selling the Distillery to Jose Cuervo in 2014, after having bought it from Pernod in 2005 (and failed to buy Jose Cuervo themselves in 2013). Colour: gold. Nose: sure the rum feels and would impart a feeling of meta-blend to this baby. But granted, that's a lovely meta-blend, driven by bananas and some patchouli, plus butter pears and the expected ripe mangos and passion fruits. A little chlorophyl. With water: a few pencil shavings coming out. Mouth (neat): great rumskey. Some camphor and putty coating tropical fruit pastes and a little Japanese bean paste (anko). Papayas and oranges running the show. With water: mangos, blood oranges and passion fruits are fighting back. Some greenness, rucola perhaps? Finish: long, tart, almost acerbic. Rosehip tea. A lot of lime, while the aftertaste is a little rounder again. Comments: unusual and very good. Naturally, retroactively, I would have dumped some Bushmills-to-become-30 into rum wood, but luckily, it all ended very well, even if I like the pure ones better.
SGP:641 - 87 points. |
Good, I believe that's enough Irish for this year. |
 Check the index of all Irish we've tasted so far
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December 13, 2022 |
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Revisiting Ireland, second part of the trip
There will be some fabulous fruit bombs, but also quite a few 'Hawaiian Pizzas', a.k.a. Doritos Whiskies in WF vocabulary. First an apéritif…
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Midleton 'Very Rare Release 2000' (40%, OB, Ireland) 
Signed by Barry Crockett, as it should be. I believe no one, or at least no one I've ever met in this life, ever understood why they have decided to bottle these 'jewels of the crown' at 40% vol. I've always felt the message was contradictory; however, some 'vintages' have been rather brilliant. Remember this is a blend. Colour: straw. Nose: really light and shy, whispering, but with good oils (sunflower), flowers (elder, honeysuckle, acacia) and vanilla plus ripe apples. Meadow honey, madeleines… Mouth: I believe they've improved the Very Rare big time, the 2022 being perfect, even at 40% vol. This 2000 is a weaker offering though, a little frustrating, with way too much coconut for me and a diaphanous body. Finish: short, all on grated coconut. The mangos in the aftertaste are arriving too late. Comments: I think we can spare this one, given the prices some retailers are asking for it. Try to catch the 2022! (WF 91).
SGP:630 - 79 points. |
Please some knack, some oomph, some zing… |
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Teeling 15 yo 2006/2022 (57.8%, The Duchess, amburana cask, cask #6210, 216 bottles) 
This is Cooley, all right, but what is amburana? I've seen that name on cachaças, as it is some South-American wood, the trees being able to reach heights of over 35 metres. I hope no one's cutting those just to make lousy whisky barrels! Amburana would be streng forbidden in Scotchland, but remember this is Ireland. Colour: light gold. Nose: more than just some LOL-whisky, with a lot of putty and fresh rubber, most probably from that wood. Otherwise some pear and apple pie, quince tatin, and really a lot of almondy notes, macaroons, marzipan, Mozart kugeln (insert the kleine Nachtmusik here)... With water: washing liquid, Schweppes Lemon, more putty and paint… Mouth (neat): that famous fruit salad these Teelings are famous for, with some sauna oils and bits of rubber thrown in. A little bizarre… With water: pineapples and grapefruits at times, rubber and linseed oil at other times, alternatively and for a long time. They would never merge. Finish: long, still bizarre. Something reminiscent of burnt tyres in the aftertaste. Comments: some very unusual Irish cachaça. The only bottling by the lovely Duchess I don't like a lot, and I think we've tried a good two dozen of them.
SGP:562 - 75 points. |
While we're trying odd ones… |
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Irish Diamonds 20 yo 2002/2022 (60.9%, Alambic Classique, French Syrah Red Wine, Cask #22062, 199 bottles)
More Teeling from Cooley, and another whacky cask type that may lead to HPE (remember, Hawaiian Pizza Effect). But indeed you never know, Alambic Classique's bottlings being usually rather superlative. I think we're ready, let us proceed… Colour: apricot. Nose: tomato leaves, cherry stem tea, geranium, turnips, grapefruit zests, thyme tea, pine needles… It is clearly winey, but there is hope… With water: indeed, this works better, we're rather on damson tarte, or Zwetschgentorte. Rather enjoy that, with a lot of cinnamon powder. Mouth (neat): holy featherless crow named Suzy! It's pure cherry jam, spread with turmeric and cracked pepper. Stuffy stuff, as they say in rock and roll. With water: it's too bizarre for us, too leafy and leathery, even if there are lovely notes of lotus and jasmine tea. Aren't we too old-skool? Finish: long, okayish, less dissonant than expected, but the aftertaste remains leathery. Comments: yeah, syrah/shiraz and whisky, that's a crazy story. Remember the stupid and distasteful official Ardbeg 'Cote Rotie' a few weeks ago? By the way, we love syrah at château Whiskyfun.
SGP:361 - 76 points. |
We need instant recovery… |
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Knappogue Castle 1997/2022 (54.4%, LMDW, Ex-Libris, 'Wind of Spices', sherry cask, cask #84601, 516 bottles) 
Last year's Knappogues Ex-Libris almost killed a thousand French whisky enthusiasts so much they were great, as everyone has been fighting for them. It was also about Oscar Wilde, this year it is about James Joyce. Colour: amber. Nose: back to reason, normality, and splendour indeed. Would you say you could make some kind of tarte tatin using mangos? Enough said, this is one of the most flabbergasting noses I've come across in 2022. Exceptional honeyness. With water: a walk in an orchard, early in the morning. Mirabelles and quinces in majesty, plus these metallic touches that are very typical (copper), a little shoe polish, fresh oil paint, parsley and coriander… Well this is simply wow wow wow (diving to yet new lows, S.) Mouth (neat): perhaps a tad hot. Ish. There. With water: extraordinary, the complexity is astounding. Say many herbal teas and many small fruits and berries. Careful, only one thing, it's not the best swimmer ever, so please only add one drop of H2O or you could flatten it (believe me, I just did it). Finish: medium, complex, tropical, with a few gamey raisins. That sauce they sometimes add to grouse… Cranberry? Comments: I was about to go even higher but my difficulties with water have somewhat tempered my enthusiasm. Just a wee bit.
SGP:651 - 91 points. |
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Knappogue Castle 2000/2022 (56.8%, LMDW, Ex-Libris, 'Wind of May', ruby Port cask, cask #45429, 630 bottles)
Alert, alert, red ruby Port in approach… Colour: red amber. Nose: we're okay, there are raspberries and peonies, wild strawberry jam, gingerbread, cherry jam and liqueur, old boy's jam, fig jam… we're okay, we're okay… With water: musty old barrels and more cherry jam, we're okay, we're okay… Mouth (neat): too much for me. Too many red fruits, berries, sweetness, syrups, liqueurs… Oh and ruby Port. With water: we're okay. Finish: medium, sour/sweet. Pickled cherries and various leaves. Comments: I admit that I do not hang on so much here. But that 1997, my God!
SGP:661 - 78 points. |
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Irish Single Malt Whisky 29 yo 1989/2019/2022 (50.1%, C. Dully Selection, rum cask and demijohn)
Much interestingly, this baby aus der Schweiz was first matured in bourbon for 28 years, then in rum for 1 year, then in glass for 3 more years, 'French style' (their own words, the actual French style being rather 'let's quaff it all a.s.a.p.' in my err, rather French experience). Seriously, that would be the cognac way, letting the spirits marry and settle down before bottling etc. Colour: gold. Nose: Bushmills style. There is a little 'funk' (for lack of a better term), possibly from the rum, the rest being a bed of roses, literally. Wonderful mangos and apricot, mint leaves, chartreuse, peaches… With (only a drop of) water: may I ask who's added shochu and sake? Mouth (neat): it's got a feeling of super-blend, or of seasoning, as there are flavours that do not quite belong here (smoky olives and petrol? Come on) but that works beautifully, as if the Gods of Spirits had given a hand. So, smoked mangos, salted peaches, plums in olive brine and tarry papayas… You'd almost believe the 'French trick' just worked. I'm sure it did, actually. With water: end of the story, marriage complete and flavours mingled together. Finish: some winey touches coming out, which is a little incomprehensible. Where do those come from? But no worries, it remains lovely, with slightly spoked peaches in the aftertaste. Comments: what have we just tried, exactly? What's sure is that we rather appreciated it. Bigly.
SGP:652 - 90 points. |
Many funny Irish on the tasting desk today. Let's try to get back to normality… |
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Bushmills 30 yo 1991/2022 (50.5%, OB, LMDW, Causeway Collection, second fill Madeira cask, 580 bottles)
I'm not sure Madeira is normal, but I remember that the Irish have always used a higher proportion of Madeira than the Scots, unless that's a false impression. I've seen many ex-Madeira casks in Irish warehouses… But it seems that this is simply a finishing. Colour: rich gold. Nose: smoke? Cigarettes? Thuja and balsam? Botrytis? Old cognac for sure, rancio, mead and pollen, pack of Camels (they'll catch us one day), juicy peaches and mangos… It's a little slow for starters, but when it takes off, it takes off. With water: walnuts! You cannot beat walnuts in my book. Mouth (neat): malmsey/Malvasia? It's really sweet, rich, syrupy, liqueury, the good news being that the fruits are fresh and even a little acidic, tangerine-style. But other than that, it's syrup. With water: it would remain rather syrupy. Raisins and nutmeg, gingerbread liqueur (some Alsatians are crazy enough to make that for tourists), leaves, tobacco… Finish: long and much grassier, dry, leathery… Mustard sauce in the aftertaste. Comments: this one too I just loved, it's just that the composition is not one of my favourites. Psst, the Madeira cask was a little bugger, in my opinion.
SGP:571 - 86 points. |
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Bushmills 31 yo 1989/2021 'The Willow Tree' (51.4%, The Whisky Cask Company, Demerara Rum barrel, 122 bottles)
Phew, we've seen it all today, syrah, madeira, demerara, amburana, ruby Port, Coca-Cola (spot the odd one out)… Does that mean that Irish whiskey can't stand on its own legs? Or is that just because I for one have selected only crazy finishings? Just guess (wink wink)… Colour: gold. Nose: here we go again, putty, fresh paint, salty spinach, rubber, pine resin, hand cream, amburana (LOL), pistachios, tequila… With water: glues and Ikea's crazy meatballs, Soylent Green style. Mouth (neat): much, much, much better than on the nose. Between us, the nose was a wreck, while this, at least, has limes and olives… Well the rum's still doing all the talking, but it was a nice rum, which has simply taken over. Adios, old Bushmills. With water: rum and raisins. Finish: long, grassy and dry. Totally un-Bushmills, if you ask me. Salty and raisiny aftertaste, which sound strange too, I agree. Comments: willow tree branches are said to be very good for our health. I'm not sure that's the case with this whacky Bushmills by an otherwise extraordinarily good Swiss whisky bottler.
SGP:453 - 77 points. |
New WF rule (#45,763): old Bushmills al natural = great; old Bushmills finished in whichever unlikely wood = run off as fast as you can. Anyway, next time we'll have the new Blackwaters, should be interesting… |
Check the index of all Irish we've tasted so far |
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December 12, 2022 |
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Revisiting Ireland, first part
Gone are the times of one large company owning the whole category. Isn't it budding just everywhere? Let's try a new bag of Irish whiskies, randomly this time (because building verticales when ages and/or vintages are missing is really difficult to do!)…
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Writers' Tears 'Single Pot Still' (46%, Walsh Whisky, Ireland, 2021, 5800 bottles)
We'd love to try this little NAS al natural but it's been dumped into Marsala and PX for finishing. Why not, after all and you're right, what hasn't these days… This was triple distilled while they have used 50% malted barley and 50% unmalted barley. What's more, I remember I've liked earlier versions at 40% rather a lot. Colour: light gold. Nose: we've almost got a bunch of muscat grapes in front of us at first, then pears are chiming in, together with cassata and panettone al limone, a little sourdough bread, there's a hoppiness as well (Citra) … Like this fresh nose. Mouth: rather powerful, a little more oak-froward than I remembered from those earlier expressions, but the rest is very pleasantly bready and fruity. Apricot bread, plus ripe peaches and a few small tangerines. Some white pepper and a feeling of flour in the background, that's probably the oak. Finish: medium, really drier, towards raw polenta and ground coffee. Comments: would love to try this without the Marsala wood.
SGP:651 - 84 points. |
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The Irishman 'Founder's Reserve' (40%, Walsh Whisky, Ireland, +/-2021)
Indeed, this one is stemming from the same source. It is single malt and single pot still blended and matured in bourbon. We'll say it again, founders are the most generous persons in the world, according to the vast amounts of own reserves they tend to accept to part with, usually for cheap. Colour: light gold. Nose: light, on ripe apples and barley syrup, with hints of light acacia honey and crushed bananas. Which is all very Irish… Also jelly babies. Mouth: pleasant arrival on more jelly babies and beans, with some apple juice, then black tea making it rather tannic. Finish: short, while the fruitiness is almost gone. More tea. Comments: fresh and fruity nose, nice arrival, but this Irish blend would then tend to lose some steam. Maybe the 40% vol.
SGP:441 - 78 points. |
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Bushmills 'Black Bush - Caviste Edition' (43%, OB, Ireland, +/-2022)
Black Bush at a higher strength, only for wine and spirit shops, so cavistes, although they would have it at Cdiscount too, which is the French dramazon. I believe there's also more oloroso in there, and a proportion of 80% malt whiskey. Colour: light gold. Nose: more Juicy Fruit, wine gums, peach syrup, raspberry liqueur (a few drops) and sultanas than I remembered. Mouth: very fruity, more citrusy than expected (blood oranges), then rather on grape juice, musto, Turkish delights and citron liqueur. As often with 'entry-level' whiskies, the oak is not perfectly integrated, but at least it does not really get in the way. Finish: a little short, fruity, with purple jams and Jell-O. So blueberry, cassis, blackberry… Comments: I like this much better than the last Black Bush I've tried formally – but that was in 2010. Warning, I'll knock out anybody adding 'how time flies!' with a magnum of Loch Dhu.
SGP:631 - 79 points. |
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Dingle 'Blue Label' (46.3%, OB, Ireland, single malt, 50,000 bottles, 2022)
Dingle's first own distillate, triple distilled and matured in bourbon and PX. Between us, at the rate we are going, I am not sure the south of Spain will manage to produce enough PX to cater to the needs of the Scottish and Irish distillers in the coming years. Colour: straw. Nose: curry and ginger cookies from the woods, plus mango jam and ripe bananas, which is all extremely modern. Add some blueberry tarte, which I love but which will paint your teeth blue, which this whiskey won't do, which is a plus. All right. Mouth: good modern whisky, with some excellent citrus (blood oranges) and raisin rolls, probably from the PX. Pastries, also kriek beer. Finish: medium, honeyed, spicy and fruity, young and modern. Very faint mustiness in the aftertaste. Comments: very positive, rather loved the blood oranges. Also happy for the bodegas in Montilla-Moriles! BTW, try their dry PX too (seco).
SGP:651 - 82 points. |
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Waterford 'Heritage Hunter' (50%, OB, Ireland, 2022)
I must have downed one full bottle of this little Heritage Hunter already, time to write a tasting note (S., you lazy 'blogger'…). Please note that this has nothing to do with someone hunting down heritage (although…), Hunter being the name of some ancient barley created in 1959 and abandoned twenty years later, sacrificed on the altar of yield. I find it superb that they would revive those old strains, as they also do at Holyrood, for example. Colour: straw. Nose: immediate impact, there aren't many whiskies that would be this close to the raw materials. Exceptional breadiness, chalk, Meursault, overripe pears, homemade limoncello and citron liqueur, some savoury, almost slightly funky touches (miso, high-ester rum), a handful of dried kelp, garden earth, a touch of wormwood… No actual changes with water. Mouth: a fat, sweet spiciness with bags of Zante currants, never vulgar, some rich stolle, orange cake and marmalade, gingerbread, French toast, and indeed a growing breadiness, around fruit breads. I mean, farmhouse bread with bits of fruit. It never begs for water, but this is our duty… With water: add citron liqueur with a little turmeric. Finish: long, with a few more Zante currents. Aftertaste a little drying (tea, oak, four). Comments: I think there was some VDN inside, may we also try one of these, fully ex-refill? Anyway, I believe we'll crack another bottle open before Christmas…
SGP:552 - 90 points. |
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Redbreast 21 yo 2000/2022 (58.7%, OB, Ireland, LMDW Antipodes, first fill oloroso sherry butt, cask #21285)
Colour: reddish amber. Nose: perhaps a tad hot, but you already get a splendid, tobacco-y sherry, with dried oranges and clove plus juicy ripe apricots and nectarines in the back. Yet I feel water is mandatory. With water: roasted pecans, walnuts and sesame; that's game, set and match. Mouth (neat): I'm not sure it would be very smart to mention old-style Macallan. Oops, too late. Pleasantly a little 'over the top', with very rich prunes in armagnac, pipe tobacco, cherry jam (you may check Itxassou in French Basque country), black raisins, ganaches, the obligatory old walnuts… Isn't this actually an old Ténarèze? Do Pernod-Ricard own some armagnac house(s)? With water: civilisation, at last. Seriously, this would gather many jams and pastries, let's mention only one, perhaps Arctic rolls? Or raspberry muffins? Marzipan-filled dates? Fig jam? Finish: long. This time again, I'm reminded of that cherry-flavoured pipe tobacco that we used to smoke… what, forty years ago. But what was the name again… but of course, Borkum Riff (thanks Google). Comments: Redbreast is always grand, even when heavily sherried.
SGP:661 - 90 points. |
Perhaps a last Irish, another 2000, but we may have more in the very near future… |
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Fercullen 21 yo 2000/2022 (53.7%, Powerscourt, Navigate World Whisky, Ireland, straight bourbon, cask # 204194, 234 bottles)
This is Cooley. Powerscourt only started distilling in 2018, they're using the brand name 'Fercullen' for their older, sourced whiskeys. Colour: white wine. Nose: this totally immaculate and fresh 'western' fruitiness, with a nose ridden with green plums, gooseberries and rhubarb and shock-full of just riesling. Austrian riesling this time, Pichler und so weiter. Sehr schoen. With water: the barley blowing its own trumpet now. Mouth (neat): a bag of wine gums, some custard, and more Austrian riesling. Indeed, it's that simple (and yet fantastic). With water: of Knappogue Castle quality, undoubtedly. We'll soon try some Knappogue Castle. Finish: not that long but perfect, a tad sweeter this time, thanks to some good active oak. In short, some sweeter Austrian riesling, with peaches inside (so to speak). Comments: Irish whiskey full of Austrian riesling, bottled for some well-reputed South-African company, love the concept. It just went a tiny tad sweet in the end.
SGP:751 - 88 points. |
Another Fercullen for South-Africa while we're at it… |
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Fercullen 20 yo 2001/2022 (53.7%, Powerscourt, Navigate World Whisky, Ireland, oloroso finish, cask #201198, 276 bottles)
It's to be known that Powerscourt's Master Distiller, Noel Sweeney, has been behind Cooley Distillery for many years. Colour: rich gold. Nose: the sherry did seemingly offset the joyful green fruitiness, replacing it with richer, I was about to write fatter, notes of pastries, dried fruits, Xmas cake and fudges. No complaints to file, we worship and revere panettone while this is some kind of liquid panettone. With water: walnuts and venison, onion soup, that rich pipe tobacco… Mouth (neat): we're really not far from the Redbreast, as far as styles are concerned, this has just a little more oak and oak spices. Cherry stems and leaves, perhaps a bit of leather, walnuts… With water: some chocolate, black tea, green walnuts, and always a leathery leafiness in the distance. Finish: Comments: it's been a little tough after the extremely joyful and bright 2001. My fault. Lovely drop, nonetheless.
SGP:561 - 86 points. |
Check the index of all Irish we've tasted so far |
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December 11, 2022 |
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A word of caution
Let me please remind you that my humble assessments of any spirits are done from the point of view of a malt whisky enthusiast who, what's more, is aboslutely not an expert in rum, brandy, tequila, vodka, gin or any other spirits. Thank you – and peace! |
Just a few more rums on this cold Sunday, wishing for springtime already
As it said.
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Chairman's Reserve 'Legacy' (43%, OB, St. Lucia, +/-2021)
We've already had some excellent single casks while the regular NAS has been a little more pedestrian in my book, back in 2016 (WF 79). Time to have this other fair-price NAS from St. Lucia Distillers… Colour: rich gold. Nose: it is one of those single blends (molasses, ex-pot and column) that do showcase some agricole traits, in this very case cane juice, liquorice, overripe bananas and benzine plus engine oil in dribs and drabs. The liquorice would tend to take over, together with a little bit of rubber smoke. Mouth: perhaps not as full as we were expecting after the lovely nose, the arrival being pretty nice (more liquorice, fruits, spices) but the middle a little too dry and even flattish, before it would then really take off, with really a lot of salted liquorice and even some black olives. Finish: rather long, always on salted liquorice. A little toffee too. Overripe tropical fruits in the aftertaste. Comments: a lively, pretty complex, relatively estery and smoky Chairman's Reserve.
SGP:452 - 84 points. |
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Turquoise Bay 'Amber Rum' (40%, OB, Mauritius, +/-2022)
The packaging might be a little too 'nice', many new-built brands of rum are being packaged like this these days… You're right, whiskies too. Colour: gold. Nose: very light, with a little aniseed, cardamom and triple-sec, also rose petals and patchouli. Little whiffs of wood alcohol as well as some liquid caramel and vanillin. Very harmless, it seems… Mouth: some sugar, orange liqueur, a touch of caraway, peach syrup, pineapple syrup. Very light and pretty sweet, but at least they have not really over-sweetened it. Finish: short and easy. The aftertaste is a little too sugary for me. Comments: not exactly a sipper, but this one feels 'honest' – while calling for a few ice cubes.
SGP:730 - 70 points. |
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Chamarel 2012/2022 (55.6%, Navigate World Whisky, Highveld Aging Series, Mauritius, sauternes cask, cask #SAU29, 294 bottles)
Single estate rum from the south-west of Mauritius. Many rums are advertised as 'single-estate' but that often means 'single -distillery', as in 'single malt', whereas Chamarel do grow their own sugarcanes. Them too blend ex-column and ex-pot still rums, this one being pure cane juice, matured in Sauternes wood. Colour: red amber. Nose: wee touch of rubber and struck matches at first, then an avalanche of jams and jellies, especially peach and mirabelle. Add quince and apricot, as well as some strong honey, heather-style. With water: gets a little gentler, but it's also having more prunes, pipe tobacco and stout. You're right, not exactly gentler… Mouth (neat): thick, coating, very unusual, full of propolis, resins, menthol, eucalyptus, then those jams, then caraway and clove. Big time! With water: the nicest part. Wonderful fruity spiciness, stolle, fruitcake, speculoos, ginger and clove, cracked pepper… Finish: very long, this time with a mentholy freshness over a feeling of old armagnac, with these spicy prunes in the aftertaste. Comments: one of my favourite Mauritians this far. Love the heaviness, absolutely not a flaw under these kinds of circumstances.
SGP:651 - 87 points. |
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Clarendon 2013/2022 (67.3%, L'Esprit, Jamaica, cask #BB 434512, 254 bottles)
Let's get prepared… Colour: gold. Nose: huge varnish, ammonia, acetone, glue, capers and olives, plus toasted bread. And 67%+. With water: more fruits, less acetone, and quite a lot of gingerbread and Läckerli. A drop of absinth, or perhaps simply pastis (aniseed, liquorice). Mouth (neat): it is kind of approachable, with five litres of banana liqueur blended with a good litre of varnish, all that in one little tulip glass. With water: you could believe it's Hmpdn. Some thick spicy apricot liqueur of some sort and some lime juice to keep it refreshing. Lovely fresh spiciness, green pepper, parsley, celery… The celery really lifts it up. Finish: back to heavier matters, that is to say tar, basically. And oak spices, cinnamon clove… Comments: not as tough as other Clarendons or Monymusks, despite the high strength and the very spicy aftertaste.
SGP:463 - 87 points. |
Oh well, since we've mentioned Hmpdn… |
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Hampden 23 yo 1998/2022 'HD' (58.7%, Wealth Solutions, The Colours of Rum, Jamaica, 247 bottles)
The marque here was 'HLCF', that's 500-700 gr esters per HLPA. Medium at Hampden, huge almost anywhere else! Colour: white wine. Nose: I'm not sure you can beat these olives, chalk, samphires, model glue and overripe bananas. With water: new bicycle inner tube, retsina, perhaps fennel seeds, capers. Mouth (neat): perhaps a notch sweeter than others, perhaps a tad heavier on tar and salty chutneys as well, it's even a tad shochu-y, in a way, it should go well with fatty meats and some cheeses, such as our beloved comté. Or with Moroccan garlic and pil-pil prawns (aren't we hungry now?) With water: this one will definitely work wonders with spicy food. Finish: very long, sublimely liquoricy and salty. Logically, there's a lot of salty liquorice in the aftertaste. Comments: there are many tinier flavours and aromas that we haven't even mentioned. Desert island dram, as they say on the continent.
SGP:563 - 91 points. |
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Chalong Bay 'Lunar Series' (62.1% OB, Thailand, Antipodes, 2022)
Distilled in Thailand and aged in France for 20 months. We had tried the first Chalong Bays when they were only allowed to bottle at 40% vol. (upon some Thai law, as far as I can remember) and have always been thinking that the potential was huge. Glad to be able to try one at a much higher strength (to say the least). Colour: pale white wine. Nose: so funny! Pure vesou, cane juice, leaven, pancake dough, rotting pineapples and bananas, fresh yuzu and lime… Love this fermentary and yet fresh and fruity combination. With water: whoops, some acetone waking up, some bananas flambéed too. Mouth (neat): very heavy lime, some saltiness, plus some agave syrup and just blanche d'Armagnac. No, really. With water: funny indeed, with some sweet lime liqueur, elderberry liqueur, also some pear eau-de-vie and sweet vanilla. That 'sweet' vanilla is maybe not the nicest part here, it's almost as if the oak had cancelled a part of the lovely character. Only a small part… Finish: long, sweet. Toffee apple and pears plus custard. Comments: very good, but not that easy to follow. I'm not 100% sure the spirit and the wood were really getting along. But yeah, very good, nonetheless.
SGP:552 - 83 points. |
Check the index of all rums we've tasted so far |
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December 10, 2022 |
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Angus's Corner
From our correspondent and
skilled taster Angus MacRaild in Scotland |
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| Triple Talisker |
| I'm always happy to revisit Talisker, it remains comfortably in my top five distilleries. Although how much that is assisted by my descendants hailing from Skye is hard to say, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't factor emotionally in the mix somewhere. |
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The market seems a little more muddled with unlikely non-aged versions with names and stories these days, but the distillate itself remains pretty impeccable as far as I can tell. One of the few Diageo makes that manages to be both technically excellent and also still possessing a soul - if I may be so bold. |
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Talisker 10 yo (45.8%, OB, 2022) 
In fact, I have the bottle here, so for your information the L code is… L2312CM01200008850. Handy how they just roll off the tongue. Colour: deep gold - darker than I recall. Nose: I still find it impressively full of coastal 'stuff' with the power to bring to mind things like old rope, rocks and pebbles, wet sand, beach wood, rock pools and this soft Talisker pepperiness. You could also add a few medicinal tinctures and a little oily sheep wool. Mouth: the ABV always helps with Talisker, nicely warming, oily, some peppery peaty warmth and this feeling of seawater and olive oil. Gets saltier and fresher with some time, a few dried herbs such as thyme and rosemary, salted liquorice and hessian. Talisker remains a big personality I'd say. Finish: good length, a little more peaty and tarry now, along with some smoked sea salt and smoked olive oil. A wee hint of pickling brine and aniseed too. Comments: it remains one of my favourite bang for your buck and 'go to when in pub' bottlings. I think it isn't as luminous as some older batches due to a slightly lack of fruitiness, but it's still a very serious, superbly salty and very excellent drop in my book. Hard to do better than this for £31, which is what I paid for this bottle. Now, Dear Diageo, to echo what Serge also said recently on these very pages with regards Talisker 10, please can we have a version at 100 proof? Seriously!
SPG: 466 - 88 points. |
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Talisker 12 yo 2009/2022 (48.4%, Douglas Laing 'Old Particular', refill hogshead, 355 bottles) 
Two questions spring to mind with regards these DL Talisker bottlings. Firstly, how to Douglas Laing have named Talisker? And, secondly and most importantly, from a very personal perspective, what sort of sordid, despicable, unspeakably depraved things do I need to do in order to get a cask or three for my own use? Colour: pale straw. Nose: a rather more brittle, pure and mineral style of Talisker. More citric, at times slightly lactic and showing things such as smoked cereals, very soft wisps of peat smoke, hessian and clay. There's a shared saltiness and coastal vibe with the OB 10yo, but this goes further into almost Manzanilla territory with this bone-dry salinity. Mouth: pin-sharp, seawater, lemon juice, smoked sea salt, crushed seashells, ink and almost this feeling of clean acidity and mineral salts. Love the purity and coastal precision of it, although you could argue it is perhaps a little mono-dimensional in that sense. Finish: quite long, with sooty notes, wood ashes, clay, beach pebbles and dried seaweed. More salty things and seawater vibes. Comments: extremely salty and almost rather ideological Talisker that is cosplaying as some hyper crisp Manzanilla. You could have a chilled glass of this with some top class Iberico and be very, very happy! I think I prefer the slightly rounder 10yo, but only by a tiny notch.
SGP: 355 - 87 points. |
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Talisker 1996/2008 'Distiller's Edition' (45.8%, OB, Amoroso finish, 1 litre)
I have relatively little experience with the DE versions of Talisker I have to confess… Colour: amber. Nose: nicely sweet and raisiny sherry that works with the peppery Talisker warmth behind it. Slightly leafy bonfire smoke, dark chocolate with sea salt and wee notes of tar extracts, cough syrup and smoky teas. I feel rather pleasantly surprised. Mouth: the sweetness of this type of sherry is very clear here, to the point I actually find it a little sticky and cloying, but these feelings of natural tar and nicely herbal cough syrup bring it back from the brink. It also helps to give a nicely syrupy sense of mouthfeel. Add to that a few subtle notes of iodine and camphor and everything is looking pretty tidy. Finish: medium and back on tarry, camphory and with some notes of pickling juices, black pepper and liquorice. Comments: what we really have here I think, is a very good sherry and peat profile dram. I think the Talisker DNA is slightly hidden at times, but globally speaking you can see how such a litre bottling would be pretty deadly tumbler juice on the right evening.
SGP: 655 - 87 points. |
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December 9, 2022 |
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Little Duos, Aberfeldy amend
We've had some pretty difficult official Aberfeldies the other day, but both had been heavily finished in red wine, so it's been two clear cases of HPE (Hawaiian Pizza Effect) while we all know that Aberfeldy is better than that. So let's have two other young ones, I was about to add some 'normal' young ones. |
Raisin rolls (cookomix.com) |
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Aberfeldy 12 yo (40%, OB, +/-2022)
I believe this one's perfectly normal indeed, without any unnecessary make-up. Currently 35€ in France at dramazon, where they tell us that it 'contains sulphites' (right) and that it's 'grown in the shade' (I kid you not). Colour: light gold. Nose: it's hard to imagine some malt whisky that would be even more on barley, cereals, Fruit Loops, apple cake, kougelhopf, custard, raisin rolls, gingerbread, malt… It's hard to fathom why anyone would decide to disfigure this classic profile using sill red wine casks. Mouth: rather simpler on the palate, but once again, it's some classic malty whisky, with cakes aplenty and a very pleasant honeyness. The low ABV does it no good, but I'm not finding it particularly weak. Finish: rather medium, cakey, with some brown beer, more gingerbread, and with tiny touches of aniseed in the aftertaste, which I'm finding most pleasant. A little cardboard too, which a notch less pleasant. Comments: after many years, the relatively humble 12 from Perthshire is leaving the 70-80 zone in my book, at last. You may pour 1 teaspoon into your pumpkin soup, that would work perfectly. Love that.
SGP:441 - 81 points. |
And now, please a very young Aberfeldy, we already had a lovely 7 last month… |
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Aberfeldy 6 yo 2013/2020 (46%, Van Wees, The Ultimate, hogshead, cask #304375, 395 bottles)
This one should be totally au naturel. Colour: light white wine. Nose: pure barleyness. Whiffs of gueuze, pear cake, plums (greengages), apple juice… Not a lot to add, I would say, it's very nice elementary malt whisky, in the best sense of the word elementary. The pears do give the young age away. There's also a slight Glenmo-y side to this youngster. Mouth: rawer, but that's to be expected from a 6 years old. A little more lemony too, with more green apples as well, a grassiness playing with your gums, that famous limoncello that we keep mentioning every other day, a little rhubarb wine… Finish: medium, fruity and malty. Comments: another one that's not earthshattering (how could it be) but that's perfectly all right. Young malt whisky as nature intended, safe from any red wines based on Merlot, Cabernet-Sauvignon or Syrah (to mention but a few).
SGP:541 - 80 points. |
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December 8, 2022 |
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Three Tormore
31 32 33
La Maison kindly remind us that Tormore was the first new Scottish Distillery to be built in the 20th century, in 1958! Which means that no new Distillery's been built over Hadrian's wall between 1900 and 1958. Is that even possible, whilst they keep building literally dozens of them these days. |
Sernik (larecettepolonaise.fr) |
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Tormore 31 yo 1990/2021 (48.4%, Loza Dzentelmenow, Rambler, refill bourbon, 64 bottles)
A wee bottling for Poland, found at Whisky Live Warsaw. We've already had a sip, and I say no more… yet. Colour: straw. Nose: simply a large, Ozzy-Osbourne-size pack of wine gums, with just all flavours, from cassis to raspberry, through oranges and lemons. You could also believe you're nosing some champagne rosé from a good house, while other flavours are chiming in, especially banana, before more pastry-like aromas would appear. Perhaps serniks and paczkis? Mouth: starts with some slightly sour, lemony wood, which is very pleasant as it would remind us of champagne again, then displays more wine gums and grittier fruits such as some plums, small vicar's apples (or cider apples), green bananas… Finish: same, between those grittier, grassier fruits and those easy wine gums. And champagne, naturally. Comments: it is rather dual, and of course very good. We already tried an excellent blended malt by Loza Dzentelmenow, their Angel's Whisky (WF 86), we also remember a superb official Glenmorangie single cask done for them (WF 90).
SGP:551 - 88 points. |
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Tormore 32 yo 1988/2021 (44.1%, Whisky-Fässle, hogshead)
The ducks are back on Whiskyfun. Colour: white wine. Nose: a very different kind of Tormore, not so much on fruits, rather on marzipan, bits of rubber, then indeed on lemons, also putty and almond paste, barley wine, apples, a little sesame oil… It is very intriguing, I'm very curious about the palate now… Oh and litres of apple juice (that vicar's)… Mouth: certainly a rawer Tormore, all on apple peel, young calvados and young marc de Bourgogne, zests, white pepper, grass, some raw cinnamon from the hogshead (I suppose), a drop of Cynar and one of Fernet… Finish: rather long but grassier yet, getting a tad tannic, but with some good mead in the aftertaste, as well as some very honeyed old beers. Some trappiste, I would say. Comments: excellent, naturally, but I'm starting to wonder if these series of Tormores take old age super-well.
SGP:461 - 86 points. |
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Tormore 33 yo 1988/2022 (51.3%, Signatory Vintage, LMDW Antipodes, second fill sherry butt finish, cask #2, 449 bottles)
Whether doing a finishing using a second fill casks still is a finishing remains to be seen, unless the previous content was a peater, for example, a trick that's certainly not unseen these days. Probably not here, having said that... Colour: light gold. Nose: in wine territories, between pinot gris Auslese (right, Grauburgunder) and a good chardonnay from around Beaune. Add mirabelles, quinces, butter pears, and perhaps one or two raisins, plus one or two fresh mint leaves, rubbed between your fingers. Or there, tarte tatin made with quinces instead of apples. With water: brioche dough and a little honey, plus more of that tarte tatin made with quinces instead of apples. Mouth (neat): closer to the Fässle, so grassier, tighter, more on peel, resin and leaves, while the fruits got greener. Now the texture is a little oilier. The resin is intriguing. With water: some smokiness coming out! Some rubber, some tar, in tiny quantities… Finish: medium, good, a wee tad rubbery indeed. Comments: I'm not sure I should have added any water. Another very good one, but we'd love to know a little more about the butt's previous content.
SGP:562 - 86 points. |
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December 7, 2022 |
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Little Duos, today Macallan again
Well, one of them will be one of those secret Speysiders that 'could' be Macallan, but a tiny bird told me that in this very case, there's very little doubt.
(Picture, Bocuse's Soupe VGE, Académie du Goût)
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Macallan 2003/2022 'Speymalt' (57.3%, Gordon & MacPhail, LMDW Antipodes)
La Maison are having two different Speymalts at Cask Strength this year, a superb 2001 that we've already tried a few days ago (WF 89) and this even newer 2003. To think that any 2003s, which was just last year wasn't it, are about to become twenty years old… Colour: brown amber. Nose: I'll get killed one day but I think this is more Macallan than Macallan. I mean 'traditional' Macallan, starting with a little gunpowder and struck matches, moving towards truffle soup and dark toffee, going on towards chestnut honey and chocolate, then hectolitres of old oloroso, bags of walnuts, clove, liquorice, sludge, tar, flints, something basaltic… We're back in the years way before 2003. With water: truffle soup! There's one thing that's almost like this, it is Bocuse's 'Soupe VGE'. Some soup harbouring truffles, foie gras and Noilly, what could go wrong? Mouth (neat): pure flinty oloroso, extremely rich, thick, bordering heaviness but some lemon is saving it all. This is extremely spectacular, you do almost have the feeling that someone's added lemon juice to lift this cask to new heights. Fantastic. With water: this is a time machine. Salty toffee, more truffle, very old oloroso, and always this lemon juice that's adding just the right amount of freshness. These little notes of chervil are helping too. Finish: very long and superbly meaty. This is the kind of whisky they should have at *** restaurants, instead of the usual 'supermarket' bottles. Some saltiness in the aftertaste. Comments: I believe Silvano Samaroli as well would have selected this cask, it is very 'Silvano'. R.I.P. Silvano.
SGP:662 - 91 points. |
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Secret Speyside 30 yo 1992/2022 (49.2%, Fadandel.dk, 1st fill sherry quarter cask, cask #1408831, 28 bottles)
A tiny, yet very extravagant release, finished for three years in a wee PX quarter cask. They called it 'Uisge Beatha Rolls Royce', so indeed, it shouldn't be Allt-A-Bhainne, let's see… (hey, nothing against Allt-A-Bhainne, which is a very fine drop, just not a Rolls Royce of Uisge Beatha). Colour: amber. Nose: I had feared this would have been too tough after the G&M, but while indeed it is softer and rounder, these sweet notes of millionaire shortbread, pancakes with maple syrup, manuka honey, banana cake, geranium and wisteria, butterscotch and then just raisins are pretty splendid. The floral side is absolutely lovable. Mouth: the finishing was smartly done, you do not really feel it, while the little cask too behaved. In short, no lousy coconut, rather some precious jams and Christmas spices. For example, marmalade and clove, mulled white wine with star anise, some mango chutney, blackberry jelly with a little caraway, and indeed raisins, especially sultanas. Finish: long, with a little orange juice that keeps lifting it. Isn't it funny that both Macallans were pretty citrusy today? More oak spices in the aftertaste, but we do remain in safe territory. Comments: this was a death seat after the Speymalt, but it pulled through with glory and honour.
SGP:651 - 90 points. |
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December 6, 2022 |
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Little Duos, today two young Glen Spey
Glen Spey is one of those 'little' names that we love to try every once in a while. In fact, we try as many as we can and if good people don't care too much about these shier players, well, they should. |
Rosehip tea (vaya.in) |
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Glen Spey 11 yo 2010/2022 (Signatory Vintage, Un-chillfiltered Collection, 1st use hogshead, cask # #804789+804790)
I would suppose 1st use means 1st fill, unless there would be a story about re-coopering or similar matters here. Or a new hogshead made from fresh barrels? Colour: white wine. Nose: I think we're getting that '1st use', which would translate into more vanilla and coconut than usual. We're almost nosing a fresh opened pack of coconut balls and macaroons, then rather muesli with bits of apples. Quite curiously, this is all balanced and fresh, while in my book, coconut is never a good sign (wine or spirit too fresh). After a good fifteen minutes, you'd almost believe you're nosing some Irish pure pot still. Mouth: same feeling, word for word. Is this Redbreast undercover? Sweet and sour apples, clover honey, coconut and papayas, that combo rings a bell indeed… Finish: medium, on the same flavours plus a little white pepper and cinnamon. Some rosehip tea too and perhaps a little sawdust in the aftertaste. Comments: another one to pour blind to your friends.
SGP:641 - 85 points. |
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Glen Spey 10 yo (46%, James Eadie, Small Batch, recharred hogshead, casks #801625+801626, 753 bottles, 2022)
Probably not a dissimilar setup here… Colour: pale white wine. Nose: we're very close, which was to be expected, this one being just a little rounder, less 'acidic' as far as the fruitiness goes, less 'Irish', yet more honeyed… Some fresh pastries, angelica, perhaps parsnips (as they're all the rage these days). Mouth: closer yet. Lovely tartness, a lot of complexity to be found if you give it a little time, including something coastal, around anchovies, and even some kind of sweet risotto. Say risotto with orange juice and bits of white asparagus, how does that sound? Finish: medium, honeyed, very close to the Signatory. Peppery aftertaste (black pepper plus Szechuan). Comments: it's always great to try whiskies that are this similar, that pushes your limits and lets the tiniest nuances come out, but scores cannot be different.
SGP:651 - 85 points. |
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December 5, 2022 |
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A
quintet
of
Laga
vulin
Not much to add about Lagavulin today. One of the star Distilleries, as everyone knows. Let's try a few…
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Lagavulin 8 yo (48%, OB, +/-2022)
The first new 8, which they did to celebrate the Distillery's two hundred years back in 2016, had been excellent in my opinion (WF 90) but I haven't tried any subsequent releases, while quite some friends have been fearing this 8 was actually a sneaky little move to replace the popular 16 with a whisky half the age and at roughly the same price. I for one wouldn't care too much, both drops being equally excellent; what's more the 8 comes with some precious extra-5% vol. Colour: pale white wine. Nose: 'putting your head into a long-abandoned coal stove', or something like that. Then diving into the Irish sea, smelling oysters, nosing lemon juice, muscadet, beach sand, newly washed pull-over, old newspapers, plus the obligatory olive brine. There's a lot of purity and cleanliness, you could almost think 'Scottish mezcal'. Mouth: perfect, straight to the point, bold and tart, with this funny fat minerality that's very Lagavulin in my book, quite some saltiness, lemon, roots, earths, clam casserole, olives, tar and just smoked fish. Kippers. Finish: long, pretty peppery, maybe a little savoury now (miso), with olives and lemon twists. Mr Bond would approve, I suppose. Kippers and anchovies in the aftertaste, plus loads of smoke. Comments: a little uncomplicated but I would say that's an asset in this context where precision is the key. I can't see why we wouldn't keep those…
SGP:368 - 90 points. |
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Lagavulin 'Distillers Edition 2022' (43%, OB)
Double matured in PX seasoned casks and now coming without any age or vintage statements, while last year's still had one, 2006. Gulp! At least it lasted from the glorious vintage 1979 to vintage 2006. Colour: golden apricot. Nose: nice, fresh, not quite PX-y, rather on lapsang souchong and pu-her, old hunting jacket, Barbour grease, lanolin, with a little game, Maggi, lovage, soy sauce… Some camphor and cough syrup too. Sadly I haven't got any older vintages at hand, but I have the impression that this is fresher and less on coffee and chocolate than its ancestors. Mouth: the sherry feels a little more on the palate but it's still a refreshing and lively Lagavulin, pretty smoky, with a growing toffeeness and a little pipe tobacco. Would tend to get then heavier and a little leathery, but with good marmalade and jams (plums). Finish: medium, a little medicinal, with a feeling of sweet cough syrup. No meatiness that I can detect on the palate. The aftertaste is a notch too jammy and sweet for me, this sweetness being new. Comments: nutshell, they cancelled the vintage and age statements and seemingly raised the price to +/-125€, while bottling a fairly better and possibly younger juice. Loved the lovage in it. Crikey, I just don't know whether we should start to complain or not.
SGP:656 - 86 points. |
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Lagavulin 12 yo 'The Flames of The Phoenix' (57.3%, OB, Special Releases 2022, Elusive Expressions, 2022)
From refill American and virgin oak casks. They love their legends, last year it was a lion on fire, this time it is a phoenix. I just adored last's years 12 yo SR (WF 92). Colour: white wine. Nose: goodness gracious, this is a blend of seawater, sorb and holly eaux-de-vie, gentian and chlorine (pool water). Some white asparagus too, shoe polish, sauna oils, new rubber bands and tyres, kerosene… And perhaps a little more fatness than in earlier releases. With water: some fresh paint this time, and even more new tyres and inner tubes, leatherette, benzine, kerosene (airport runway after a busy day) ... Mouth (neat): two-stroke Lagavulin, with citrus liqueurs and with straight peat smoke. Some kind of smoky limoncello, perhaps a little binary, but water should help. With water: this is funny, we've found the 8 in this 12, now that water's been added, but the 8 was a tad more in high-res, so to speak. Finish: long, with a little fatness from the woods (I suppose) and even something very marginally syrupy. Classic aftertaste, on iodine, tar, lemon and pure peat. Comments: some extra-sweetness in this variant. Awesome, as always, but the 8 has been a little nasty. Bugger!
SGP:557 - 89 points. |
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Lagavulin 30 yo 1991/2022 (44.3%, OB, Cask of Distinction, for Hong Kong Whisky Fellows, House Welley Whisky Bar, Christoph Kirsch, Sebastian Jaeger and Boris Borissov, 1st Fill PX/Oloroso seasoned European oak butt, cask #5403, 318 bottles)
In a way, you could argue that this is another kind of 'world whisky'. Colour: mahogany. Nose: it's funny how our minds work, I'm reminded of another Lagavulin that I last tried in 2007 (!), a fairly musty yet very impressive NAS spring cap rotation 1958. Chinese mushrooms, old kettle, old coins, metal polish, old toolbox, old stove, various bouillons, soups and broths, cigars and coffees, mead, suet, marrow, a little paraffin, pu-her again, mint sauce, even lamb, raw chocolate, dried kelp on a beach at low tide… And so on! Long story short, the impression that this is a pretty old bottle. Mouth: takes a few seconds to find some kind of equilibrium on your palate, then unloads loads of secondary and tertiary flavours, including the expected walnut wine from the sherries. Mushrooms, precious black teas, tobaccos, dried meats, embrocations, old balms, polishes, spices (subtle turmeric and caraway), clams and affiliated shellfish, old waxes, old bottles of triple-sec and various herbal cordials… And old sherry, both dry ones and sweet ones. Perhaps some old cream, dulce, V.O.R.S…. Finish: medium to long, this time a little more on citrus and chocolate. Umami sauce, honey meat glazing, chocolate and yuzu, there. Comments: those were only the highlights of what I could find, could be that there's virtually every aromas and flavours in this Lagavulin, which, by the way, also reminded me a bit of Laphroaig 1974 for France.
SGP: - 93 points. |
Let's celebrate with a super-young indie and then call this a proper Lagavulin session. Cheers. |
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Dubthach 6 yo (56.5%, La Table de Urs Hauri Selection, bourbon, 180 bottles, 2021)
A bottle for Switzerland by The Stillman. La Table de Urs Hauri is a restaurant with an excellent reputation in the Swiss capital, Bern. They're making little secret about what's inside this little bottle… Colour: gold. Nose: starts with giving you a slap on the cheeks, gets then gentler, yet very smoky and much earthier than all officials. Humus, fresh compost, cigars, a little leather, a little camphor… I can't wait to add a little water. With water: we unleashed passion fruits, bananas and tangerines, sauna oils and once again a little fresh rubber (hevea). Bicycle inner tubes, raw wool, paint... Mouth (neat): we're not too far from some earlier versions of the 12 SR, with some rather massive tropical fruits (mangos this time), beyond the equally massive coastal, salty smoke. But once again, water is needed… With water: excellent, modern, young of course but already easily drinkable, as long as you add a few drops of water. More smoked tropical fruits. Finish: medium, on similar flavours, with more oak spices but everything remains under control. Szechuan pepper and cinnamon in the aftertaste. Comments: very excellent young Lagavulin, with good balance between the wood and the spirit. Note to self, go to Urs Hauri's as soon as we're in Switzerland again…
SGP:646 - 88 points. |
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December 4, 2022 |
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A bag of seven rums
Rum remains a very fascinating and diverse category, with countless styles and origins, from old-style pure rums combining two main characteristics (cane juice or molasses, pot still or column) to new brands born just yesterday that would tend to blend faux Victorian designs and revolutionary names with more or less doctored industrial juices. Or rums from the distilleries vs. rums from the labs… As usual, too pretty designs tend to be no good signs, but there are many exceptions… Let's see if we ever come across some of these… |
Mayan dog with wheels, found in Cihuatàn (National Museum of Anthropology San Salvador, fundar.org) |
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Cihuatàn 12 yo 'Cinabrio' (40%, OB, El Salvador, +/-2022)
We've tried one Cihuatàn 'Xaman XO' earlier this year, which we found pretty good if a little sweetish (WF 80). This Cinabrio seems to be paying tribute to some Mayan sun god, whilst Cihuatàn is the name of the largest Mayan site in El Salvador. What's more, cinabrio is cinnabar, so mercury sulphide (or some Estée Lauder perfume). Colour: light gold. Nose: very unusual at first, with rather a lot of anise and fennel seeds, surely some lime zests, then a metallic side (old tin box) and a curious herbal combination, with some angelica, Szechuan pepper, and just more star anise. Very intriguing – if this wasn't doctored in the lab. The palate should tell… Mouth: starts a little sugary, gets then drier, always very herbal, with more anise than on the nose, plus some coconut (from the wood or from the lab) and a little vanilla. The low strength feels, it is a little flabby. Finish: shortish, but with nicer notes of oranges and cinnamon liqueur. The aftertaste is rather peppery. Espelette pimento pepper, yes that exists. Comments: no cinnabar and that's probably better, I've seen it's toxic. A feeling of pepper and cinnamon liqueur overall, Egoïste de Chanel...
SGP:750 - 78 points. |
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Trinidad Distillers 8 yo 'Single Estate' (43%, Cane Island, Trinidad, +/-2022)
So Angostura, so molasses in column… Since I'm not familiar with the house Cane Island, I don't know whether they doctor their rums or not, let's see… Colour: deep gold. Nose: hey, nice! Some heavy fuel and some rotting bananas, not an unseen combination. Then liquorice, muscovado, some kind of tarry fudge and, perhaps, some sugar syrup, which is a little more frightening, but this nose is very pleasant altogether. Mouth: a little sweetness indeed, as if someone had added some banana and pineapple liqueur. Once again this is not unpleasant, but while other flavours would fade away, the sugariness remains on your tongue for a long time, which I do not like too much. The core is pretty lovely, too bad it's sweet. Finish: medium, with more cinnamon, and always rather a lot of cane syrup. Peppery aftertaste, once more. Comments: same ballpark.
SGP:751 - 78 points. |
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Millonario '10 Anniversario Reserva' (40%, OB, Peru, +/-2022) 
Many websites or retailers are advertising this one as a tenner, but nowhere does it say that the number '10' is related to this baby's age. It's even funny to read stuff such as '2/3 of this 10 years old consist in rums aged for 6 years in ex-Heaven Hill barrels. Love them still. We had tried the 15 back in 2010 and, as it seems, thought it was shockingly sweet (WF 60/65). Colour: gold. Nose: burnt tyres, tar liqueur, bananas flambéed, old copper, shoe polish, then prickly pear syrup and once again, this feeling of sugar load that you would get right on, and in the nose. Mouth: starts okay, on pepper, tar and oils, but the sugar gets massive and frankly cloying. More Cointreau than in Cointreau. I'm not sure anyone could actually quaff this without two tons of ice, or at least one litre of fresh cool water. Finish: long, much too sugary. Coffee liqueur and triple-sec. Comments: no, three tons of ice. Even Coca-Cola is not this sweet. Next Millonario, perhaps around 2035. Actually, I am joking, we've got more Millonario on the desk. Next time, okay?
SGP:920 - 45 points. |
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Renegade 'Etudes Dunfermline' (55%, OB, Grenada, 1,200 bottles, 2022)
Ex pot still and eighteen months of ageing. Colour: straw. Nose: Laphroaig. Not saying that because this baby would share some traits with the famous Islayer, rather because you immediately get this feeling of 'love it or hate it'. In this case the fresh fermented cane juice is just all over the place and would come with a blend of roasted sesame oil, olive oil, lanoline (there, Laphroaig), diesel oil and some very fruity compost. As well as, in the background, some kind of camphor and menthol-based balm. With water: no changes, same rum, unless, wait, would this be anchovies?... Mouth (neat): what tinned sardines? What anchovies? What aspirin tablet? What pomegranate and pink grapefruit juice? This should go well with some Portuguese dishes (anchovy and garlic paste or something). And Puttanesca, naturally. Seriously, I'm a fan of high-character spirits, and this is one of them. Finish: long, salty, on benzine and anchovies. Overripe bananas and.. gentian (!) in the aftertaste. Comments: a lot of fun in this one. High presence and a style of its own, a tiny wee tad reminiscent of grogue and/or clairin here and there. I'm too close to Renegade to feel allowed to come up with an 'official' (well…) score, but let's say we're well in the high eighties already.
SGP:463. |
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Karukera 4 yo (54.3%, OB for LMDW, Antipodes, Guadeloupe, cask #576, 2022)
Karukera is the old Indian name of the island of La Guadeloupe. This is pure cane juice, while 'Karukera' is an offshoot of Longueteau, with their own methods of aging etc. We've already tried some excellent Karukeras. Colour: light gold. Nose: some presence, but this is much gentler and softer than the Renegade, perhaps also subtler. Fresh cane juice, broken branches, sunflower oil, notes of preserved peaches and mirabelles, a little crème brulée… It really is a very gentle and elegant agricole so far. With water: remains a little restrained, hard to pin down, with rather many small aromas but perhaps no real guideline. That or I'm very tired. Mouth (neat): oh this is a cognac finish, capeesh. The oak's a tad heavy too, maybe… Cloves, peaches, kumquats, Timut pepper… With water: some kind of citrusy oak, with some olive oil, pumpkin seeds, lemon oil, eucalyptus wood… This baby really needs your attention if you'd like to get a good grasp of it. Not an easy one. Finish: medium, with things from the cognac (praline and raisins)… It's really hard to handle. Peppery olive oil and lemon essence in the aftertaste. Comments: rather soft and subtle, and yet tough and rough (ooh!) This one really requests all of your attention.
SGP:451 - 84 points. |
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Long Pond Cambridge 12 yo 2010/2022 'STCE' (57%, National Rums of Jamaica, LMDW, 5,153 bottles)
A vatting of fifteen (15) bourbon barrels. That's almost as many as in a batch of Johnnie Walker Blue, no? Now, as for this little rum and as I understand it, the name Cambridge refers to an old distillery whose make they're replicating at Long Pond, the marque STCE meaning 'Simon Thomsom Cambridge Estate'. Good, and the name 'continental flavoured' refers to one of the four styles they're making altogether, namely a rather high-ester one (500 to 700 gr/hlpa). Good, hope I've got everything more or less right, let us proceed… Colour: full gold. Nose: varnishes, acetone, polishes and carbon dust (a Porsche after the Nürburgring, as they say). Gosh they'll cancel us too one day. Then the expected rotting (well, rotten) bananas, artichokes, black olives, and Scotch tape. With water: more of all that, with perhaps a different balance. More Scotch tape. Mouth (neat): massive loads of rotting tropical fruits, with a feeling of ammonia, and certainly more varnish, plus coal tar and just diesel oil (right, a feeling of diesel oil, or rather something reminiscent of diesel oil). With water: sorrel juice (yep) and guava juice taking over. Very unusual – well I'm not familiar with these makes anyway. Acidic and rather sour. Finish: long, with more tart fruits of all kinds. Sour, gherkiny aftertaste. More liquorice in the aftertaste. Comments: extreme. Quaffing dressers often comes with a challenge, this is an excellent (and actually excellent) example.
SGP:463 - 88 points. |
We need a 90+ to call this a rum session. Sure bet… |
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Uitvlugt 30 yo 1991 (56%, Jack Tar, Dream Catcher, Illusion Series, Guyana, cask #3)
Aged in Europe. This from the Port Mourant double wooden still when it was still at Uitvlugt. In a kind of way, all these +/-30 yo Uitvlugts remind me of all these +/-30 yo Lap… I mean Secret Islays that are all so good these days. Colour: straw. Nose: it's got this coastal purity, these old forgotten fruit liqueurs and pastes, this amazing mentholy earthiness, lip balm, these touches of camphor and these traces of olives filled with anchovy paste. I know we keep mentioning these… With water: yeah, old magazines, ink, stale rainwater, new tarmac, Barbour grease and olives… There's even a little butterscotch. Mouth (neat): I won't say there aren't any similarities with the Cambridge, especially on the diesel oil side. Stunning briney unfolding here but then again, this came expected. Olives, rotting fruits, carbon, varnish… With a relative softness. Cough syrup. With water: glorious. A few pencil shavings, some molassy Demerara sugar (how come) and a little tobacco. Finish: long, fantastic, salty. Very funny notes of butterscotch and toffee in the aftertaste, now THAT came unexpected. Comments: some butterscotch in an old Port-Mourant-at-Uitvlugt, by gum, I think we've seen it all now.
SGP:563 - 91 points. |
Check the index of all rums we've tasted so far |
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December 3, 2022 |
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Angus's Corner
From our correspondent and
skilled taster Angus MacRaild in Scotland |
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Glenmorangie
& Westport |
| Glenmorangie would, I suspect, struggle to sell every cask at the price they seem to think bottles of their official single casks should command. Perhaps that goes some way to explaining why there's a few of these Westport batches about the indy bottler market these days. It also perhaps explains why they are called 'Westport' and not 'Glenmorangie'. I remain fond of Glenmorangie as a whisky generally speaking, although I've always felt that it should perhaps be a slightly 'bigger' personality than it is, given its coastal and Highland location. |
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Glenmorangie 10 yo 1982/1992 (58.8%, OB, cask #5341)
I have to admit a soft spot for these totally gorgeous old Glenmorangie single cask labels. And, as I recall, the whiskies weren't too shabby either, but it's been a long time since I tasted this one… Colour: straw. Nose: you just cannot imagine Glenmorangie issuing such a cask officially these days. This is extremely pure and honest whisky that, with its abundant green and orchard fruits, light waxes and easy cereal tones, cleaves wonderfully close to the raw distillate character. Also some white stone fruits coming now, wee chalky and wool touches, white flowers. Humble and subtly beautiful. With water: gets more citrusy with orange and lemon vitamin tablets, boiled lime sweets, then more hints of soft leather, mineral oils and a touch of hessian. Feels like it needs quite a bit of water and time. Mouth: rather raw and sharp at first, spiritous but very clean with trebly white stone fruits, citrus rinds and tiny flinty mineral qualities. Struck stones, chalk dusters, chamois leather. Again you just think of purity and raw ingredients and honesty. With water: rounder, more on grassy olive oil, eucalyptus, tarragon and tiny medical notes of lanolin and Elastoplast. Still terrifically pure, direct and chiselled. A sort of brittle and sharp profile that really makes you think of some top notch dry Chablis. Finish: medium, back on raw ingredients, freshly milled grist, malt syrup, old shilling ales and dried flowers. Comments: really in that 'barley eau de vie' territory with all this crisp, chiselled purity. I would take this over pretty much any of the highly oak-infused Glenmorangie single casks. Although, I would say it needs water to fully shine. I find it pretty sad that the distillery would just never in year of Sundays release this sort of single cask bottling anymore, probably because - like every other big whisky company these days - they're very keen to maintain the impression that their OB single casks are worth more than gold, despite the fact they pump out gazillions of litres of the stuff each year! This one is entirely about humility and charm.
SGP: 451 - 88 points. |
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Westport 17 yo 2005/2022 (57.1%, Watt Whisky, 198 bottles)
Colour: pale amber. Nose: a very nicely sticky and jammy sherry profile which also feels rather light on its toes with roasted nuts, sultanas, hot chocolate and a few blackcurrant wines gums in the mix. Juicy and easy, which is always good news. With water: juicy fruits, jelly beans and also wee hints of liquorice and aniseed, also a few bready and beery touches. Mouth: still on this very jammy profile, but there's earthier notes and some tobaccos in the mix now too. I find leaf mulch, black coffee and some more bitter chocolate notes too. Balances robustness with more playful red and dark fruit notes. With water: goes towards fruit loaf and boozy Christmas cake, more tobacco leaf, sultana and marzipan. Finish: medium, and back on those nice easy jammy vibes, milk chocolate and treacle. Comments: excellent, I like it just as much as the old 10yo, even though they are wildly different beasts.
SGP: 651 - 88 points. |
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December 2, 2022 |
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A case of Glenburgie
Part Two
Because we were having more…
(Picture, Loretta Lynn - Decca Records)
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Glenburgie 21 yo 1998/2020 (56.7%, Elixir Distillers, The Whisky Trail, hogshead, cask #751398)
This one came with a very funny label, paying tribute to Loretta Lyne (arm). Sad news since this one was released, Lorretta Lynn passed away just a few weeks ago. To Loretta Lynn! According to the high scores fetched by its sister bottlings, everything should be fine… Colour: white wine. Nose: a grassier one this time, in other words there's no mango extravaganza, rather green gooseberries, apples and rhubarb playing around, followed by vanilla and a little sorb eau-de-vie. With water: funny whiffs of aniseed and mint. Artisanal Scottish pastis – quite. Mouth (neat): tight, citric, with a bag of lemon drops, the obligatory limoncello, and then passion fruits, plus indeed rhubarb wine. Rhubarb wine, when well made, could really fool wine freaks and make them believe it's some kind of riesling or grüner. Good fun guaranteed when tasing blind. With water: wonderful citrus and maracuja. Finish: long, fresh, zesty, even refreshing. Comments: excellent. Thinking of Loretta Lynn…
SGP:651 - 88 points. |
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Glenburgie 20 yo 1998/2020 (55.3%, Gordon & MacPhail, Connoisseurs Choice, refill American hogshead, cask #4036, 245 bottles)
Colour: straw. Nose: a little more oak, which would translate into a little more banana, vanilla, and some syrup (barley syrup). The rest is as fruity, rounder, more on ice cream and liqueurs. Orchard fruits, something very faintly officinal if not medicinal, touches of earth and grist, a little silage perhaps… All that before some louder lemons would make a comeback, not mention that Italian lemon liqueur that we keep mentioning. With water: damp fabric, old jacket, wool, grist and husk… Mouth (neat): a tad more rustic than the TSMOSs, leafier, and certainly much grassier. Apple peel. With water: gets gentler, softer, meaning that tangerines and oranges would come to replace all this grass and all these lemons. Finish: medium, fruity, with more pepper and just cinnamon. Chalkier aftertaste. Comments: excellent, it's just that the TSOS were bombs.
SGP:561 - 86 points. |
Let's change vintage (barely) and cask… |
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Glenburgie 21 yo 1997/2018 (51.5%, Douglas Laing, Old Particular, sherry butt, cask #DL12572, 607 bottles)
So sherry, but we might not be as 'heavy' as the ones we started this two-part session with. Colour: gold. Nose: cakes and oils, Ovaltine, Nut***a, butterscotch, shortbread… No actual raisins though. Wasn't it a refill butt? With water: rather a little rubber coming out, could be that water was not mandatory here. Mouth (neat): walnuts and hazelnuts in all there guises, roasted, baked in or on cakes, as liqueurs, as spreads, in pralines, in nougats… With water: chocolate chiming in, cranberries perhaps, also that little rubber, leaves, leather… But all that remains gentle. Finish: medium, grittier, but walnuts are back in the aftertaste. In all their guises. Comments: very fine, it's just a little tough to have these after 'the fruit bombs'. My bad.
SGP:452 - 84 points. |
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Glenburgie 24 yo 1995/2020 (56.7%, Gordon & MacPhail, Connoisseurs Choice, first fill sherry puncheon, cask #6347, 543 bottles)
Well, some previous ones had some Nut***a flavours, while this one looks like Nut***a. A darker Nutella, you could almost pour it into a beer glass, they'll think it's Guinness. Or Mackeson Stout. Right, I'm exaggerating again, but you get the picture… Colour: bronze-ish amber. Nose: someone's mixed chocolate liqueur, coffee liqueur, triple-sec, black tea, walnut wine, hay, pipe tobacco, then thrown cloves into that, well, that brew. A few old copper coins too. With water: earth, undergrowth, humus, mushrooms… And a lot of chocolate. Mouth (neat): creamy mouth feel, while this time, we're more on oranges, hay indeed, fudge and toffee, raisins and PX… We're clearly more in the style of those old Glenburgies that had been bottled for Italy by.. Gordon & MacPhail. Gordon & MacPhail have NOT broken their moulds, so to speak. With water: marmalade and honey at the helm. Gets easier. Finish: long, very honeyed this time. Raisins, old rancio, and some molasses in the aftertaste. Comments: a classic, richer one that will remind some of us of the good old days. You'd almost believe this cask was used in a solera.
SGP:651 - 88 points. |
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Glenburgie 23 yo 1995/2019 (57.5%, Signatory Vintage for The Whisky Exchange, bourbon hogshead, cask #6585, 272 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: back to TWE/Elixir's favourite style, with a very clean nose, full of orchard fruits and small seeds and nuts. Perhaps pumpkin, perhaps sesame, perhaps pine nuts? Otherwise greengages and apples. With water: more greengages, a little earth, more apples and cider, some chalk… I wouldn't say there's a lot happening at this point, not an usual selection by the TWE gang. Mouth (neat): there, buckets of citrus and tart tropical fruits! Where have they been? Passion fruits, oranges, papayas, lemons… With water: and voilà, mangos and touches of tar and mint. Phew! Finish: medium, with some marzipan and putty, but the tropical fruits are back in the aftertaste. Comments: very funny two-step Glenburgie. Very funny and very good, as expected.
SGP:551 - 87 points. |
Further down the vintages… |
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Glenburgie-Glenlivet 26 yo 1992/2018 (50.2%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection, hogshead, 216 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: more fun, this time with some tomato sauce, even Bolognese sauce, before some secondary fruits would kick in, vine peaches perhaps, fruit wine, bits of mangos, acacia honey, beeswax, ripe damsons, gorse… You would almost believe we're in Northern Ireland. With just a little water: tiny whiffs of peppermint. Mouth (neat): fruit bomb alert! Blood oranges, mangos, heather honey, mirabelles, quinces, pinot gris… I'm sorry, but wasn't it rather 'Glenbushmills' on the stencil? With water: could have been Littlemill from the same vintage just as well. Finish: medium, very fruity, also floral, also herbal. White chocolate and just a little coconut in the aftertaste. Comments: nah, no water was needed. But why haven't I tried this one when it came out? The good news is that we have another one…
SGP:751 - 90 points. |
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Glenburgie-Glenlivet 27 yo 1992 (48.9%, Cadenhead, Single Cask, bourbon hogshead, 222 bottles)
As the other guy said, with this charming way of adding 'Glenlivet' to many a Speyside name (except to 'Glenlivet', naturally), WM Cadenhead are offering you two whiskies for the price of one! Colour: white wine. Nose: very similar, almost identical. This one's just a tad chalkier and with a little more custard. Perhaps a notch less extravagant hitherto, less 'Irish'. Mouth: it's rather firmer this time, before it would become more honeyed, with a little mead as well, and even a salty touch. Finish: medium, with hints of sweet wine and even a little cognac in the aftertaste. Comments: this one too is rather sublime, but in the end of the day, my preference goes to the Authentic Collection, by a whisker.
SGP:651 - 89 points. |
I believe it is time to put an end to the Glenburgian madness, let's find a really old one… |
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Glenburgie 44 yo 1975/2019 (41.8%, Hunter Laing, Old & Rare, Platinum Selection, 159 bottles)
The Platinum Selection used to gather the first really expensive independent malt whiskies. Mind you, they were sometimes selling for north of £100! But if I remember well, the price for an Ardbeg and that of a Glendullan were the same. As they still should be, only its age should make the price of a whisky, no? As for this 1975 vintage, remember they were having two Lomond stills until 1981. The output has always been treated separately, under the name Glencraig, but you never know (S. please, no conspiracy theories on WF!) Colour: gold. Nose: and voilà, anything from a beehive, as some other malts from that period could showcase ('donich, 'livet, 'grant…) Nectar, honey, beeswax, propolis, pollen and old pine wood, in that order. Plus a little fresh putty, marzipan, ripe apples, Turkish delights, camphor… It is a sumptuous nose, and of course, an ode to age. Mouth: two steps, first dried coconut, wine gums and honey, then many more oak spices but it'll always stay below the limits. In short, no proper tannicity will ever show up, which is rather incredible. We find many different old wines, especially sweet ones that got drier over the years, then cinnamon rolls and earl grey. Plus myriads of smaller flavours which will remain between me and this old glory. Finish: medium, perhaps a tad tea-ish and tannic here and there, but once again it behaves. Awesome honey and bitterer resins (black propolis) in the aftertaste. Bees are so important. Comments: it is admirable that no one ever thought that this marvellous old malt should be housed in a Crystal decanter and released with an asking price of £9,999.
SGP:561 - 91 points. |
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December 1, 2022 |
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A case of Glenburgie
I've just checked when I last did a Glenburgie session. Shock, horror, damnation, putrefaction and pestilence, that was three or almost four years ago, in January 2019. So we'll do this one by way of an apology, and take them as they come out of the box… (or not, we'll see…) |
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Glenburgie 8 yo 2012/2021 (54.5%, Cooper's Choice, marsala cask finish, cask #128, 312 bottles)
Colour: pale white wine. Nose: I would suppose it was some dry white marsala. We're rather on young smells here, porridge, a little mustard Madeira-style, bitter almonds, a little leather, morello cherries, then we find light fruitier smells, perhaps dragon fruit? The wine would tend to become more obvious, but always gentle. With water: wool, earth, baker's yeast, bloom… Mouth (neat): full young malt, on green apples, pears and grapefruits. It's almost as if wine and whisky are almost 100% overlapping. With water: a little sweet and fruity beer. Perhaps Belgian Kriek? Finish: medium, with those cherries that we already found on the nose. Drops of Heering or guignolet. Leafier aftertaste. Comments: very good, but I believe 8 remains very young. 8 isn't the new 12, it's not even the new 10. But yeah, this one's very good, with nice cherries.
SGP:551 - 83 points. |
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Glenburgie 10 yo 2008/2019 (52%, Asta Morris, Caroni finish, cask #AM106, 259 bottles)
More proof that our economy is becoming more and more circular. Colour: pale white wine. Nose: the high-petrol, quasi-smoky side of some Caronis would indeed impart some smoky notes, or rather tarry ones to a gentler Speysider, as is the case here. Tarmac, new rubber, then plain grass and grape pip oil. Not an easy Glenburgie, but water may help. With water: porridge and grapefruit pips, soot, touches of fennel seeds and caraway. That's a funny touch. Mouth (neat): the whisky's having the upper hand this time, but it remains very grassy, tarry, and even a tad metallic. The rubber is back too. Some friendlier notes of bananas flambéed arising. With water: chalk and diesel oil, over grass, bananas and grapefruits. Finish: long, greener and always tarry. Comments: rather feels assembled, but I find it good.
SGP:552 - 83 points. |
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Glenburgie 13 yo 2008/2021 (52%, Asta Morris, sherry, cask #AM096, 676 bottles)
I remember G&M have had some wonderful sherried Glenburgies in a rather distant past. Colour: full gold. Nose: a little gunpowder and varnish, as often in such young sherried malts, but that goes away quickly, leaving room for some chocolaty liquorice of some sort, pistachio crème, pipe tobacco, and buckets of roasted nuts of all kinds. Walnut tarte and honey-roasted pecan nuts (which is a sin, padre), also cereals; cornflakes... With water: lovely! Miso soup and old red Bourgogne, civet, Marmite, American smoked barbecue sauce… Mouth (neat): very 'high game' at first, switching to chocolate, millionaire shortbread, brownies, more roasted pecans… With water: funny that some varnish would come out once you've added water. Thyme tea too, white vermouth, chicken bouillon, dried meat… The sourness here is awesome. Finish: very long, very dry, much on pipe tobacco. Old walnuts in the aftertaste. Comments: as powerful as the 'Caroni', and more coherent in my book.
SGP:362 - 86 points. |
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Glenburgie 11 yo 2008/2019 (57.5%, Hart Bros., for Switzerland, selected by Gianni MIgliore, first fill sherry butt, 312 bottles)
Colour: apricot. Nose: a much gentler and softer sherry, on raisins, cakes, roasted peanuts, coffee, and chocolate. There isn't much to say, except that it's rather awesome this far. With water: a pack of Mars bars, with some sate sauce (peanuts) and the moistest Cavendish. That's pipe tobacco. Mouth (neat): indeed a sweet, very raisiny sherry, as if they had used cream sherry. Lovely orange liqueur in the background, as well as fir honey (honeydew). With water: we almost recreated… cream sherry. Touches of strawberry liqueur and mushrooms behind that. Finish: rather long, a tad more on leather and tobacco, which is normal. Some pepper and a little mustard. Comments: the easier side of ex-sherry, eve, if it is a little PX-y. Only good things to say.
SGP:651 - 86 points. |
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Glenburgie 14 yo 2007/2021 (62.5%, La Maison du Whisky, Plume, Conquête, sherry)
Colour: amber gold. Nose: this one's more on walnut cake and nougat at first, while it would then become a little Martiniquan (rhum agricole). Then chocolate and peonies. But we won't ush our luck, did you see the ABV? With water: catches up with the Hart Bros., becoming very chocolaty. Hoisin and pipe tobacco in the background. Mouth (neat): terrifyingly thick, huge, brutal, earthy and a little acetic (balsamico). But not a belter without water, as they say… With water: you'll need to add a lot of water and shall then find prunes, armagnac, chestnut honey and black nougat. Finish: very long, with a curious sweet earthiness, more prunes, a few pencil shavings, the blackest dried dates, then some heavy; chocolaty stout in the aftertaste. Comments: it's not that this style cannot be a little tiring at times, but this bottling too was perfectly executed.
SGP:561 - 86 points. |
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Glenburgie 14 yo 2007/2021 (62.2%, Signatory Vintage for Kirsch Import, 1st fill sherry butt, cask #900079, 543 bottles)
In theory, we should be close. There was a feather on the LMDW, well there are two on this one. Are they trying to suggest these are light whiskies? That's almost misleading advertising! Colour: darkish amber. Nose: chocolate, beef soup, Maggi, pine needles, walnut stain, porcinis. I would suppose water is needed here too… With water: some walnut wine and cake, a good glass of amontillado, some beef jerky, and some pumpernickel. Where have you put the butter? Mouth (neat): it is almost peaty! Very tarry for sure… Someone's forgotten the old kettle full of lapsang souchong on the stove. Other than that… 62.2%. With water: whoops, not too sure, water brought out pine resin and some very bitter, earthy black chocolate. Perhaps is it all a little excessive? Finish: very long, rather smoky this time again, salty, with some of the amontilladoest amontillado, salty and peppery. Once again, pencil shavings and tar in the aftertaste. Comments: ups and downs and twists and turns, but in the end, and since we remember a few ultra-sherried Glenburgies for Italy that were not that different, it is still a remarkable whisky. If a brutish lout at times.
SGP:463 – 86 points. |
Mind you, we haven't even made it into the 1990s… But as regard to the wood, let's make an about-turn… |
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Glenburgie-Glenlivet 14 yo 2004/2018 (53.6%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection, bourbon hogshead, 294 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: some simple, crystalline, softly fruity malt, with vine peaches and mirabelles, some hoppy beer, apples, cantaloupes… and light vanilla. Typical and typically nice. With water: soft doughs, croissant, brioche, cheesecake… Mouth (neat): cakes, touches of grapefruit and pineapple, lemongrass, green tea, just grass… With water: some apple liqueur and limoncello coming out, plus some tropical fruit cocktail. Say mango, guava and papaya, with a dollop of very soft honey (no, I didn't say 'and 10cl of Neisson white'). Finish: medium, this time with a little leafy green oak, beyond all the fruit peelings, banana skins etc. Comments: classic ex-BB HHD quasi-youngster, no quibbles whatsoever.
SGP:651 - 85 points. |
Last one from the current millennium… |
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Glenburgie-Glenlivet 15 yo 2004/2019 (54%, Cadenhead, Small Batch, two bourbon hogsheads, 570 bottles)
Colour: pale white wine. Nose: elderberries! This one's more naked than its single-cask counterpart, there's mainly stewed rhubarb, ripe gooseberries, maple syrup, a little icing sugar, fresh sourdough bread, touches of fresh mint… With water: whoops, it kind of snap shuts. Well, no, you just have to wait, but I find no new aromas. Mouth (neat): grassy and zesty, in the style of some older vintages of Bladnoch. Shall we mention limoncello again? Green apple liqueur? Tonic water? Schweppes? With water: same as the single cask once water's been added. Finish: same. Comments: careful with your pipette, Yvette.
SGP:651 - 84 points. |
Let's add one from the 1990s and then call this a session. We have many, many more, including very old ones, we'll see what we can do… |
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Glenburgie 20 yo 1998/2019 (51.1%, Elixir Distillers, The Single Malts of Scotland, bourbon hogshead, cask #900899, 248 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: clearly different, more 'tropical', with more bananas and bamboo shoots, clementines, maracuja and a few earthy vegetables and roots (gentian), which is very welcome as some full, dead-on tropicalness can get too heady, quickly. With water: splendid. You would almost believe this is petit manseng; wine freaks, think Jurançon or Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh (the latter being scandalously unknown). Mouth (neat): mango, passion fruit and blood orange juices, this is almost all-vitamin fruit juice. Sits between old Bushmills and Bowmore, and I am not joking. With water: superb. Finish: medium, stupendously fruity. Juicy Fruit. Comments: I will pray to St. Magdalene that Elixir keep issuing such wonderful, err, wonders.
SGP:741 - 90 points. |
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Glenburgie 21 yo 1998/2019 (59.4%, Elixir Distillers, The Single Malts of Scotland, hogshead, cask #900887, 298 bottles)
Colour: white wine. Nose: no. I mean yes, but it is not one of those stupendous fruit bombs this time, as this sister cask seems to be much chalkier, earthier, possibly more common… With water: we're getting there, but its rather all about bananas this time. No Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh, I'm afraid. Mouth (neat): too powerful for me, almost acidic when neat. Watch it, it could detach your tongue from your palate if you're not careful. With water: casks are as unpredictable as people, aren't they. This time we're nearing the younger sister, but without that wowowow effect from the mangos. Now, I've just seen on Wikipedia that there were 55 (fifty-five) types of mangos. Finish: medium, very fruity, just less immaculately precise than the 20 yo. Comments: and so we'll have many more Glenburgies very soon…
SGP:641 - 87 points. |
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November 2022 |
Serge's favourite recent bottling this month:
Caol Ila 32 yo 1990/2022 (51.5%, OB, Casks of Distinction, Wu Dram Clan, Pierrick Guillaume and The WhiskyNerds, refill American oak hogshead, cask #6223, 181 bottles) - WF92
Serge's favourite older bottling this month:
Speyburn-Glenlivet 15 yo 1975/1991 (63.1%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection) - WF92
Serge's favourite bang for your buck this month:
None
Serge's favourite malternative this month:
Le Notoire (44.8%, Fanny Fougerat, très vieux fins bois, hors-série, 680 bottles, 2022) - WF91
Serge's Lemon Prize this month:
Aberfeldy 18 yo 'Tuscan Red Wine' (43%, OB, batch #2922/A, +/-2022) - WF72 |
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Best spirits Serge tried those weeks, 90+ points only
Glenburgie 44 yo 1975/2019 (41.8%, Hunter Laing, Old & Rare, Platinum Selection, 159 bottles)
Glenburgie-Glenlivet 26 yo 1992/2018 (50.2%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection, hogshead, 216 bottles)
Glenburgie 20 yo 1998/2019 (51.1%, Elixir Distillers, The Single Malts of Scotland, bourbon hogshead, cask #900899, 248 bottles)
Lagavulin 8 yo (48%, OB, +/-2022)
Lagavulin 30 yo 1991/2022 (44.3%, OB, Cask of Distinction, for Hong Kong Whisky Fellows, House Welley Whisky Bar, Christoph Kirsch, Sebastian Jaeger and Boris Borissov, 1st Fill PX/Oloroso seasoned European oak butt, cask #5403, 318 bottles)
Macallan 2003/2022 'Speymalt' (57.3%, Gordon & MacPhail, LMDW Antipodes)
Secret Speyside 30 yo 1992/2022 (49.2%, Fadandel.dk, 1st fill sherry quarter cask, cask #1408831, 28 bottles)
Redbreast 21 yo 2000/2022 (58.7%, OB, Ireland, LMDW Antipodes, first fill oloroso sherry butt, cask #21285)
Irish Single Malt Whisky 29 yo 1989/2019/2022 (50.1%, C. Dully Selection, rum cask and demijohn)
Knappogue Castle 1997/2022 (54.4%, LMDW, Ex-Libris, 'Wind of Spices', sherry cask, cask #84601, 516 bottles)
Waterford 'Heritage Hunter' (50%, OB, Ireland, 2022)
Hampden 23 yo 1998/2022 'HD' (58.7%, Wealth Solutions, The Colours of Rum, Jamaica, 247 bottles)
Uitvlugt 30 yo 1991 (56%, Jack Tar, Dream Catcher, Illusion Series, Guyana, cask #3)
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