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Hi, you're in the Archives, July 2008 - Part 1 |
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July
4, 2008 |
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| Let's
post a big, fat entry today because
after that, we'll be... |
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...
ON VACATION!
As a consequence of the very hot days
we’re having over here in Alsace,
of a heavy cold that we caught in
Holland a few days ago and of exhausting
workloads that don’t seem to
come to an end, the management of
Whiskyfun have decided to cut back
the production of whisky tasting notes
until all that settles, especially
the cold.
The opportunity will be taken to go
on vacation somewhere down south until
July 14, which may well be the Frenchiest
way of dealing with these kinds of
issues. We’re happy to announce
that there will be no staff redundancies,
and that we might well be able to
post a few entries in the meantime,
should the wonders of mobile technologies
permit. If that’s not possible,
see you around July 14! |
A
NEW RUBRIC ON WHISKYFUN!
“Traditionalist,
conservative, reactionary, grumpy,
stubborn and resisting innovation!”
Yup, that’s how some see us
– as far as whisky’s
concerned. Indeed, it’s true
that we don’t see just any
innovation as something worthy (remember
the helicopter-bicycle?), and that
we prefer our whisky ‘natural’
and ‘authentic’, rather
than premixed with wine, for instance.
Don’t get us wrong, we’re
not against the concept in itself,
it’s just that we usually
don’t like the end result,
except when the new mix has been
given enough time to nicely mingle
in the cask. Like, two years or
more… It’s not a matter
of politics, it’s not a matter
of traditionalism, it’s just
a matter of taste, punto basta.
|
Authentic label, circa 1920-1930? |
Do you usually like wine finishings?
That’s absolutely great! Perfect!
Fine! Well done! Finished whiskies
are no underwhiskies, they are just
different whiskies, that usually happen
not to match our tastes but again,
it’s only our individual tastes
and certainly not the tiniest gospel.
Okay, I think we made our point, but
to give you further proof of the fact
that we’re absolutely not against
innovation as such, we just decided
to create a brand new rubric on Whiskyfun
and invited our friend Stéphane
to these modest pages. Stéphane
is an excellent mixologist and used
to have his own successful website
about cocktails a few years ago. He
dropped it when he got deep into Single
Malts (a shame, if you ask me) but
never quite dropped the practice,
and that’s why we thought he
would be the ideal person to whom
we should propose to handle this brand
new rubric about Single Malt Cocktails.
That’s right, cocktails made
with Single Malt Whisky. See, we’re
not against transgression either-
and after all, the first Scot we ever
met in real life, back in 1978, used
to drown Glenfiddich 8yo into ginger
tonic. Also, please note that we couldn’t
have handled this new rubric ourselves,
as the only Single Malt Cocktail we
know is the Tomato Lagavulin (drop
a tiny tomato into a glass of Lagavulin,
drink immediately, when the tomato
comes don’t chew it but spit
it out right away and then down the
rest of the Lagavulin – easy!)
Anyway, Stéphane, whom we boldly
nicknamed “The Mad Malt Mixologist”,
will now start to grant Whiskyfun’s
distinguished readers with his great
recipes from time to time, far, very
far beyond the usual Whisky Sours
or Manhattans. And why not start right
today? So, drum roll…. Here
we go! |
 |
STEPHANE
THE MAD MALT MIXOLOGIST
proposes
a new Summer malt cocktail
Cocktail
#1:
"Serge's
Special Whisky Fun!"
(what a weird name, Stéphane!
– S.) |
Pour
into a shaker:
- 6 cl Clynelish 14 yo OB 46%
- 1 cl white crème de menthe
(Get 31)
- 3 cl pineapple and guava juice
- 3 cl limejuice
- 1 half-slice tomato
- 1 pickle and 1 little onion
- 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
Shake (very hard!) for 20 seconds,
strain into a cocktail glass decorated
with one pickle, one half slice tomato
and one lemon slice.
Add a pinch of fresh chives, a pinch
of powdered ginger or white pepper
and a few drops of Angostura bitter.
|
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Comments: For those
who do not fear trying different tastes!
Once the "very special first
taste" has passed, it is a very
appetizing thing which has a huge
potential of variants!
You may substitute the 14 yo Clynelish
OB with another Clynelish, try also
Brora. Vary the fruit juices. And
why wouldn't you try your favourite
raw vegetables?... carrot, cucumber,
pepperoni, Tabasco, Worcestershire
sauce, celery salt, paprika,... You
may also turn it into a "Bloody
Serge Special" adding a splash
of tomato juice. |
Serge's
comments: Gosh! I'll try this asap
but as Richard Paterson would say,
"If you do this to Brora, I'll
kill you!" ;-))
Stéphane will propose us
several other crazy Summer cocktails
after July 14 so stay tuned (and stunned,
I suppose.) |
MUSIC
After his excellent review of
a CD by Dream Theater, our young friend
and malt maniac Luca Chichizola grants
us with another review of a band/CD
we knew strictly nothing about before,
maybe simply because we’re too
old - or maybe because we aren't into,
err, 'Goth' music too much. Great!
(so to speak…) - S. |
CD
REVIEW by Luca
OPETH – WATERSHED
Roadrunner Records |
| One
of the most puzzling and disconcerting
bands in the rock/metal scene is certainly
Opeth:
it’s hard for me to think of
someone else who manages to be just
as brilliant by being at the same
time eerily menacing and gentle, outlandishly
brutal and delicate, spooky and tender,
melancholy and aggressive, adrenalinic
and relaxing, headbanging and “prog”.
This Swedish band is getting more
and more recognition with each passing
album, and deservedly so: in fifteen
years of career they have made nine
studio records, always pushing their
boundaries, deconstructing their sound
and taking unexpected twists. |
 |
| How
else than “surprising”
would you define a band that started
in the early ‘90s with bleak
and ferocious death metal, full of
heavy riffs and a spine chilling growl
singing style from leader Mikael Åkerfeldt…
and then gradually started including
in their songs jazzy and progressive
moments, delicate and extremely sparse
acoustic interludes (up to the point
of releasing an exquisite album, Damnation,
consisting entirely
of soft and lunar classical guitar-driven
tracks, sung with incredible finesse
and melancholy by the same Åkerfeldt
with a beautifully clean voice and
no growling at all)?. Opeth’s
style of today has not neglected the
savage death metal origins, but simply
has included in the cauldron every
sort of evolutions and experimentations.
The result is that all their releases
of the last decade jump with dazzling
fluidity from buzzing distorted guitars
and apocalyptic screams that seem
to come out of a black mass (although
Opeth, while certainly dark in their
themes, are NOT Satan worshippers
contrarily to some other infamous
Scandinavian death metal bands), to
moments of atmosphere, introspection
and finesse which wouldn’t be
out of place in a Radiohead or Pink
Floyd album. Probably if I had to
describe Opeth with just a sentence,
the most fitting one would be: “A
dark and menacing death metal band
with a strong influence of Radiohead,
Porcupine Tree and just a sprinkle
of early Smashing Pumpkins”,
although this description would completely
miss to convey their originality and
unique approach. It’s truly
a band that deserves to be discovered
and experienced with calm and repeated
listenings, not exactly your average
radio-friendly rock band. |
| In
spite of the recent lineup change
(a new guitar player and a new drummer),
Opeth’s latest album, Watershed,
repeats the same successful formula
of the spectacularly brutal and spectral
Ghost Reveries (a peak of
their career, together with the earlier
Blackwater Park and Still Life, the
extremely hard sounding Deliverance
and the delicate and introspective
little gem Damnation), but at the
same times takes a further step forward.
While probably not as immediate and
captivatingly chilly as Ghost Reveries,
this new album is even more experimental
and creative… jumping even more
frequently from beautifully atmospheric
sonic landscapes to unexpected sudden
bursts of fury, from jazzy moments
to heavy riffing, captivating the
listener both with its sheer ear shattering
energy and its infinite layers of
sophistication. One can clearly feel
that with each album Opeth is reworking
the genre from the inside, adding
references and nods (this time also
daring to sound a bit like Led Zeppelin
at times!) without ever sounding even
just a bit derivative. |
 |
Opeth
|
| The
opening track, “Coil”,
is certainly a bit of a shock. Not
only it is laid back and melodic (almost
a potential hit single… if Opeth
were a band that cared for these things),
but it features a female backing voice,
too: a definite first for the Swedish
band! But metal fans should not worry,
as the loud grinding guitars come
at full blast with the second track
(which is as dark as the darkest songs
they have released so far), and also
with “The lotus eater”.
Once again anyway the listener is
in for some wild surprises, as this
song seamlessly switches from the
growling voice and the distorted riffs,
to lively, progressive and extrovert
sections. The spectacular second half
of the song almost drifts towards
pure jazz! Again on softer territory
with “Burden”: very soulful,
melodic hard rock, sung with a great
clean voice, and once more a jazzy
acoustic ending (but with the guitar
getting slowly detuned…). |
| From
midway on, the album continues on
a similar mood, jumping from very
raw and aggressive blasts, to bleak,
dark but acoustic landscapes. The
usual Opeth formula, very eerie and
effective. One more track which deserves
to be mentioned is “Hessian
peel”, which clocks at over
11 minutes and after a bluesy intro
shows quite a few nods to Pink Floyd
or early ‘70s Genesis, with
beautiful and atmospheric flute and
strings arrangements... before the
song takes another screeching U-turn
and all hell breaks loose, with the
usual devastating sonic fury we all
love Åkerfeldt for. The show
is not over, of course, because after
the storm the mood becomes again progressive,
jazzy and laid back… The complexity
and richness of this track is the
final confirmation (if it was ever
needed) that Opeth are not simply
a metal band: they never have been,
and now they are even less than before. |
| The
album closes on the only weakish track:
a quiet, eerie and atmospheric affair
that would easily fit into Radiohead’s
repertoire, but lacks some bite. |
| Overall,
a heartily recommended album: not
for all tastes, that’s obvious,
but another solid and inspired work
by this great Swedish band. |
|
(The Special Edition includes
a fine extra track and two interesting
covers, one of them sung in Swedish
- a language which I never thought
could be so melodic and musical!)
Listen: Opeth's
MySpace page. |
| PETE
McPEAT AND JACK WASHBACK |
TASTING
- 23 JAPANESE WHISKIES
All
these notes have already been published
last year on Chris' wonderful blog
Nonjatta. |
 |
A
SHORT KARUIZAWA VERTICALE
Nonjatta tells us that Karuizawa
started distilling in 1953 and is
owned by Mercian. They started to
bottle single malt only in 1987.
It seems that Mercian was just merged
(taken over?) with drinks giant
Kirin and that no more Vintage versions
would be issued, although there’s
quite some stock left – and
a series bottled in 2007 does exist.
The Vintage series is issued in
both 70cl and 25cl ‘sample’
bottles, all the versions we’ll
try come from the small ones. Thank
you Bert V. for having provided
us with these. |
Karuizawa
31 yo Vintage 1974 (65.7%, OB, cask
#4578, 25cl) 
Amazing strength at 31yo, let’s
have a lot of water on the table (on
the side for now but...) Colour: deep
amber with brownish hues. Nose: a
sherried version, obviously. Rather
rough, smoky, toasted, with whiffs
of walnut stain, plum sauce and strawberry
jam, but this one will destroy your
nostrils as surely as night follows
day if you don’t take immediate
measures: add water. Ho-ho, but it
got quite superb in the process! Very
leafy and leathery, with a lot of
Havana tobacco (new box of Partagas
– whatever – that you
just opened). Goes on with a little
shoe polish, very old sweet wine (Banyuls),
whiffs of camphor and incense... And
a lot of plum jam and plum sauce (like
the one they serve with Peking duck.
I like this a lot. Mouth (neat): err,
this is very rough. Very kirschy,
spirity and very hot... With water:
oh yes it’s superb whisky! It’s
amazing how water worked here (another
Ian Thorpe – sorry, I don’t
know Japanese swimmers). Beautiful
oak, beautiful walnuts, beautiful
sherry, beautiful plum sauce and excellent
dryness. Finish: long, maybe a tad
tannic and drying now but still beautifully
sherried, with hints of mint in the
background and kind of a pleasant
savageness in a certain way. 91
points. |
Karuizawa
29 yo Vintage 1976 (63.8%, OB, cask
#6719, 25cl) 
Colour: deep amber with brownish hues.
Nose: much more discreet but the sherry’s
well here. Water should wake it up.
With water: again, that worked quite
beautifully, even if we get more woody
and resinous notes here, and less
sherry. Quite some coal smoke, tobacco
again, roasted almonds, incense again,
ginger... And old walnuts. Rather
clean. I like this one as well. Mouth
(neat): more ‘acceptable’
when neat but still very kirschy.
Water needed again: my goodness, this
is excellent again, even if a tad
more spirity and rough than the 1974.
More fruits and a little more rubber.
Fruit eau-de-vie, walnut liqueur and
prunes. Great smokiness and quite
some toasted bread. Maybe the fruitiness
is a bit excessive here actually.
Finish: long, with unexpected notes
of humus. Kind of a pleasant mouldiness.
Very very good in any case. 89
points. |
| Karuizawa
26 yo Vintage 1979 (59.5%, OB, cask
#7752, 25cl)
Colour: deep amber. Nose: more expressive
than the 1976 but the sherry still
is less dominant than in the 1974
at first nosing, sort of cleaner,
the whole being maltier and nuttier.
But quick, water... Yes! Kind of a
blend of the 1974 and 1976. Maybe
subtler, less wham-bam. Antique shop,
roasted nuts and various herbal teas.
And grilled tea (Ho-chicha, Japanese
indeed). Less jammy than the 1974
and less gingery than the 1976. More
straightforward I’d say, but
just as totally enjoyable. Mouth (neat):
we’re approaching drinkability
at 59%. Lots of fruit jams but also
a huge vinosity and quite some rubber.
But water is needed again: it’s
funny, this time it got much mintier
and more camphory. We have also argan
oil, tea, bergamot, kumquats... Again,
it’s more straightforward and
less marked by the sherry than its
elder bros. Finish: maybe a little
shorter than the other ones’
but slightly cleaner again, on smoked
almonds and oak. Good dryness. No
reasons to rate this one lower than
90 points. |
| Karuizawa
25 yo Vintage 1980 (58.1%, OB, cask
#8185, 25cl)
Colour: full amber. Nose: very, very
clean, superbly malty, nutty and slightly
smoky. Less sherry influence. Superb
notes of chamomile tea and camphor
and very faint rubber. Marzipan. Will
water work as beautifully as with
the older ones? Oh yes, it got even
more superb, very pure, very clean,
very compact. All on both old and
fresh walnuts, vin jaune (or amontillado),
‘smoked marzipan’ (should
that exist), walnut stain, thyme,
fir honey... Quite fantastic. Mouth
(neat): sweet, oaky, more drying than
the older ones and more directly fruity
(plums, apples). And very hot... With
water: truly fantastic again, albeit
not the most complex of them all.
Greengage jam, resin sweets, cough
syrup, mint drops, soft curry... Finish:
long and perfectly spicy, with a lot
of oak but a great one. This one really
tastes ‘Japanese’ and
it’s absolutely adorable I think.
91 points. |
Karuizawa
21 yo Vintage 1984 (59.8%, OB, cask
#7980, 25cl) 
Colour: full amber. Nose: simpler,
narrower and smokier now. A more direct
oakiness and whiffs of old roses and
pot pourri. With water: yes, simpler
this time, but still very nice, with
quite some smoked tea, walnuts and
coffee-flavoured toffee. The most
coffeeish so far. Mouth (neat): all
on fruit spirit this time, slightly
youngish, raw and spirity. With water:
not very far from the 1980 but still
rawer and simpler. All on fruits and
oak. Finish: long but slightly middle-of-the-road.
Much less maturity. Very good, flawless
whisky but not particularly interesting
I’d say. 80 points
(for being flawless). |
Karuizawa
13 yo Vintage 1992 (59.5%, OB, cask
#3432, 25cl) 
Colour: full amber. Nose: oh, this
is very exuberant again, with the
same kinds of notes that we found
in the 1974. Excellent coal smoke,
plum sauce, walnut stain, strawberry
jam... Something milky in the background,
though. The pros would say it’s
a bit butyric. Quite some rubber as
well, but we’ve learned that
Karuizawa needs water anyway, so with
water: definitely younger in style,
fruitier, with less ‘secondary’
aromas. The wood is also less integrated,
with more ginger, cloves, pepper and
something slightly varnishy. Slightly
butyric again but the whole is still
enjoyable. Mouth (neat): very dense,
uberfruity and jammy, hot, almost
brutal. With water: all on candy sugar
and fruit jam but there’s also
a better spiciness than in the 1984.
A more active cask it seems. Interesting
notes of Japanese green tea, but that
may well be my mind playing tricks
to me. Finish: long, more liquoricy
and candied now, very compact, with
quite some kumquat. Just a tad drying
at the aftertaste. 85 points.
|
Karuizawa
1994/2006 (61%, Full Proof Europe,
cask #2221, ex-Glenlivet sherry butt,
204 bottles) 
Colour: white wine. Nose: much rawer,
milky and mashy, leafy, with notes
of tobacco ashes... But we know Karuizawa
needs water, don’t we? With
water: it got very farmy, herbal,
leathery. Hints of ‘clean’
baby vomit (which is not bad, mind
you), rotting apples... Definitely
wild. Mouth (neat): very punchy, with
good oakiness and spiciness. Definitely
resinous and spicy but let’s
bring it down to our favourite tasting
strength, 45% (all pros will tell
you it’s much too high –
okkkkaaaaaay). Well, that didn’t
work as beautifully as with the officials
but that’s probably because
of the much lower cask influence here.
Still a bit raw and hot, spirity,
grainy... Finish: long, fruity and
mashy, with a little pepper and paprika.
A little youngish but it’s good
distillation, no doubt. Let’s
just say this one is less outta this
world than the older OB’s, which
makes perfect sense I guess (despite
– or is it because of? –
the ex-Glenlivet butt). 83
points. |
 |
| A
SHORT HAKUSHU VERTICALE |
 |
| Our
friends at Nonjatta tells us that
the old Hakushu distillery was built
in 1973, the second one (West Hakushu)
in 1981. Both have then been integrated. |
| Vintage
Hakushu 1993/2005 (56%, OB, white
oak, Yatsugatake cellar)
Colour: straw. Nose: rather punchy
and somewhat spirity, with quite some
oak albeit not a dominant one. Quite
some vanilla, hints of crushed pine
needles, getting then very grassy
and leafy (newly cut grass, green
tea). Gets much more lemony after
that (lemonade, 7-Up) but the oak
is still there. Quite nice but lacks
dimension and complexity a bit. Mouth:
punchy, with a rather thick mouth
feel, starting extremely sweet (pear
sweets, apple compote with a lot of
sugar) and oaky (typical spiciness).
And a lot of vanilla. Simple but good
result, reminding me of Glenmorangie’s
experiments with various new oaks.
Finish: rather long but with no further
development. Fruits and oak, oak and
fruits. 80 points. |
Vintage
Hakushu 1988/2005 (56%, OB, white
oak, distillery cellar) 
Colour: dark straw. Nose: very similar
to the 1993 but grows more complex
and more elegant, with a refined oakiness,
hints of sunflower oil, ginger, new
oak, cereals... Also something resinous,
putty, cough syrup, marzipan, peat...
Definitely peatier than the 1993,
for sure. Mouth: a very heavy oakiness
again (and what a thick mouth feel!)
but the spirit itself has a better
backbone that counterbalances the
wood. Mostly peat that is (even if
less than on the nose). Now, the wood
is very heavy, very, very heavy...
to the point where it gets bitterish.
Notes of horseradish, heavy ginger,
cinchona, very strong herbal tea...
Gets a little hard I’m afraid.
Finish: long but extremely oaky, with
tannic tides. Not a wood decoction
but... It even kills your palate,
a lot of water needed after that.
75 points. |
| Vintage
Hakushu 1987/2005 (56%, OB, sherry,
Spanish oak, Omi cellar)
Colour: amber / mahogany. Nose: maybe
not exactly in the same league as
the Yamazaki 1984 that won the Malt
Maniacs Awards 2006 but the dryness
is perfect here. Loads of chocolate,
coffee, prunes... A lot of rubber
as well (not sulphury at all, rather
like bicycle inner tubes). Liqueur-filled
chocolate, blackberry jam, liquorice.
Not peat that I can smell (but the
sherry is ‘loud’ so...)
Anyway, vthis one is very clean and
perfectly balanced sherried malt,
no monster in any way. Now we know
where all the great sherry casks have
gone ;-). Mouth: ultra-bold, ultra-fruity
and ultra-winey. As thick as if they
had re-cooked sherry several times.
Really like if there was at least
1/3 sherry in it. What’s interesting
is that the result isn’t cloying
in any way despite the relative clumsiness.
Nice notes of orange liqueur as well,
very bold. ‘Spoonable’.
Finish: long, thick, heavy, sweet
but not sluttish. Kind of austere
in it’s full sherryness. Extreme,
in any case. Do I like it? Well, I’d
say it is very remarkable. Is there
any peat? How would I know? 82
points. |
| Vintage
Hakushu 1985/2005 (56%, OB, white
oak, Yatsugatake cellar)
Colour: gold. Nose: this one starts
extremely oily again (motor oil, even
cod oil), in the same style as the
1988, just a tad more polished. Also
bold notes of orange squash and tinned
pineapple, much fruitier than its
younger unsherried siblings. Lemon
peels. Little peat this time. Gets
a little ‘chemical’ after
a while (aspirin, plastic bag). A
bit bizarre... Mouth: very fruity,
sweet, even sugary, with all of the
oak’s spices but no over-woodiness
this time. Vanilla pods, soft curry,
hints of aniseed, carrot cake, rocket
salad (enjoyable bitterness), artichokes.
Lavender sweets and liquorice. Good
profile, he oak seemingly calming
down at twenty years of age (not that
it may not gain steam again after
thirty). Finish: fruity and spicy,
with just hints of peat. Still quite
wildly oaky in fact but better balanced
altogether. 81 points. |
| Hakushu
‘The Owner’s Cask’
1984/2005 (58%, OB, cask #WJ41700)
Colour: gold. Nose: closer to the
1988 this time, with more peat. More
grass, more leaves, more of everything.
Also quite almondy. Whiffs of beer
(hops), wet hay, moss and fern...
And always these notes of motor oil.
Quite some oak again but it’s
better integrated than in most other
unsherried ones. Nice wood and cola
smoke too. I like this one. Faint
hints of fish, kippers, sardines...
Mouth: very good attack, with more
complexity now. The spiciness got
‘wider’ (ginger –
lots -, white pepper, aniseed, cloves,
curcuma, green curry) and so did the
grassiness (our beloved fresh walnuts,
herbal teas, green tea...) Notes of
rocket salad just like in the 1985.
At the fruity department you’ll
find tangerines, lemons (lots), citrons...
Quite some olive oil as well. This
one is very good. Finish: long, still
quite compact but with an integrated
oakiness, getting just a tad drying
at the very end (after a good thirty
caudalies). 87 points. |
| Hakushu
‘Pure Malt Whisky’ (43%,
OB, special limited edition, green
bottle)
Distilled in direct-fired stills and
matured in sherry cask. Colour: full
gold. Nose: starts very toasted, oily
(lamp oil, motor oil), quite spirity
I must say. Whiffs of wet cardboard,
orange soda, ginger tonic... Also
toasted bread and caramel. Something
pleasantly mineral and ashy as well
but not the nicest Japanese malt ever,
I’d say, even if some aspects
remind me of the old Clynelish 12yo
(the minerality). The orangey notes
are a little too much I think. Mouth:
better! Creamy, oily mouth feel, and
these mineral and somewhat smoky notes
are here right at the attack. Also
notes of thyme, orange marmalade with
cloves, bitter caramel, candy sugar,
malt, hints of Guinness... Quite caramelised
indeed. Finish: long, coating, candied
and jammier, with quite some milk
chocolate. Mars? Good whisky, even
if these caramelly notes get a bit
tiring I think. 80 points. |
| FIVE
YOICHIS |
|
| Nikka
Hokkaido 12 yo (86proof, OB, 1980’s)
Hokkaido is/was the same distillery
as Yoichi, which is located on the
Island of Hokkaido, precisely. Colour:
full gold. Nose: very Scottish at
first nosing, whatever that means,
sort of reminding me of older Glen
Gariochs. Quite some peat, kumquats,
earl grey tea (bergamots), growing
smokier with time (wood and peat smoke,
hot toasts). It’s also slightly
ashy and waxy at the same time. Perfectly
balanced I must say, very appealing.
Hints of raw incense (like the sticks
they make in Tibet). Kind of ‘old
Highlands’ style, I like it
very much. Mouth: less Scottish I’d
say. The smokiness is more subdued
and we have more fruits (overripe
apples) and more liquorice. A little
maltier as well. Notes of yoghurt
sauce. Gets spicier with time (ginger
and cloves). Finish: rather long,
a tad bitterish now, peppery, liquoricy,
resinous... But the whole is truly
excellent whisky. 87 points. |
Nikka
Yoichi Vintage 20 yo 1986/2006 (55%,
OB) 
This one is a blend of two types of
malts, one lightly peated, the other
one heavily peated. Colour: full gold.
Nose: rather similar in style I must
say, except for more oak and vanilla
plus a bigger waxiness. Other than
that it’s all on wood smoke,
ashes, fresh putty, quite some varnish
(new oak or first fill in the vatting
it seems). More ‘modern’,
oakier than the old 12yo and probably
a little less complex. Mouth: modern
style indeed, with the wood to the
front. Vanilla, ginger, strong tea,
liquorice sticks... Rather huge bitterness
(very strong green tea). The oak almost
masks the peat on the palate. Slightly
sourish fruitiness in the background,
a tad offbeat (kirsch). Finish: very
long but still very ‘new-oaky’,
with this varnishy aftertaste. It’s
not that it’s bad at all but
I’m too much into such heavy
wood treatments I must say. Water
works quite well that is, revealing
the peat a little further but the
heavy oak is still there. 78
points. |
| Nikka
Yoichi 1987/2004 (53.5%, OB, for France,
Warehouse #15, cask #254830)
Colour: gold. Nose:
granted, there’s quite some
oak in this one as well but the wood/peat
balance is much, much better. All
on coal smoke, peat smoke, cold fireplace,
apple peelings, fresh walnuts and
almonds, candle wax, smoked tea, newly
cut grass... Well, I’m sure
you get the picture. Rather perfect.
Mouth: oh yes this is perfect. A ‘good’
peat and pepper blast right at the
attack, followed by quite some fir
honeydew, ginger and cloves again,
notes of soft curry, paprika... And
apple skins and fresh walnuts, notes
of candy sugar, speculoos... It’s
also a bit hot I must say, even if
the ABV isn’t that high. Let’s
try it with a little water (while
the nose got grassier, beautifully
so): we get more or less the same
flavours, it just got smoother and
more drinkable. Very, very well made.
Finish: long, balanced (peat, spices
and candy sugar). Extremely compact
and very satisfying. 90 points. Somewhat
in the style of the excellent Nikka
1985 'Yoichi' (58%, OB, Warehouse
#15, cask #250241) we had at the MM
Awards last year and which I rated
91 points. |
| Nikka
Yoichi 1989/2005 ‘New Cask’
(62%, OB, for France, Warehouse #15,
cask #127 032)
Colour: deep gold / pale amber. Nose:
coffee, rosewood and caramelised peanuts
– lots – plus pepper,
ginger and cloves but the high alcohol
is quite striking. Let’s not
take chances. With water: well, this
one isn’t exactly pencil shavings
juice but the oak is still quite dominant,
even if it lets a rather vegetal peat
go through as well as notes of smoked
tea, wet wool, wet hay, apple peelings,
farmyard... Great profile but it’s
like if it was all about wood support.
Too bad, we know Yoichi’s spirit
is great. Mouth (neat): we can feel
this is nice but the alcohol is high,
so again, let’s not take chances.
With water: yes, the story’s
all about wood, spices, ginger, pepper,
paprika. Yet it’s not tannic
whisky at all, which is quite an achievement
her I think. Finish: long, a little
fruitier (orange marmalade) but still
all on oak. Definitely ‘modern’.
Brilliantly crafted for sure and totally
flawless, just too oaky for me. But
I couldn’t give it less than
85 points. |
| Nikka
Yoichi 1991/2006 (63%, OB for The
Whiskyfair & Bar Cask Tokyo, cask
#129445, 75cl)
Colour: deep gold / pale amber. Nose:
same as the 1989, with maybe a little
more mint and eucalyptus and less
pepper. With water: it got more different
from the 1989 now, with more peat,
more pepper... And more ‘bestiality’.
Very unusual whiffs of civet cat,
rabbit cage, well-hung game, old Burgundy
wine that came a bit off the road...
Things are getting cleaner after a
moment though, the whole getting more
on ‘classic’ liquorice,
ginger, cloves and a little wasabi
(obviously – okay, make that
mustard). Mouth (neat): it seems that
there’s quite some sherry in
this one. We’re really on ‘spiced
apricot pie’ here, but it’s...
cough... hot... cough! With water:
now it’s a little less peaty
than the 1989 as well as more candied,
gingery (speculoos again)... Notes
of Turkish delights. The oak is well
here but it’s less dominant.
Very entertaining whisky. Finish:
long, a little wild again, peppery,
peaty, candied, pleasantly acrid at
the aftertaste – and very liquoricy.
Again, very entertaining. 88
points. |
| VARIOUS
JAPANESE WHISKIES |
 |
|
Hibiki 30 yo (43%, OB, Suntory, Blend,
circa 2000)
This one has already been coined ‘the
best blend in the world’ by
some Maniacs so we’re very curious
now. Colour: dark gold. Nose: absolutely
stunning indeed, very complex right
at first nosing, starting on a very
wide array of various aromas such
as marzipan, orange marmalade, nutmeg
(a lot, really), apricot jam, quinces
(lots), chamomile and many others...
The oakiness is just perfect. Gets
then quite spicier, with still a lot
of nutmeg but also ginger, juniper
berries, saffron... Also old Sauterne
of the highest grade, vanilla crème,
bergamot... Exceptional, certainly
the most beautiful blend I ever nosed
indeed, but I must confess I didn’t
try many. Mouth: a little less classic
and surprisingly sweetish for a short
while (marshmallows and bubblegum)
but it’s soon to get back on
the tracks, with an excellent oak
upfront and a spicy cortege progressively
joining in (quite some nutmeg albeit
les than on the nose, white pepper,
very sweet curry, something like satay...)
Also quite some spearmint. Gets maybe
just a tad drying at the ‘end
of the middle’. Finish: long,
certainly oaky but nicely so, still
spicy, even a little mustardy. Well,
must me wasabi instead, of course.
Anyway, certainly a blend that will
keep most single malts at bay, Scotch
included. 91 points
(and thanks, Ho-cheng). |
| Suntory
1991 ‘Furudaru Shiage’
(43%, OB, circa 2005)
Chris at Nonjatta
tells us that a part of what’s
on the label means ‘Suntory
Pure Malt Whisky - Furudaru Shiage
- Old barrel finish - Filtered through
bamboo charcoal - Mild flavoured Malt
100 per cent’. No mention of
this being single malt but it could
be. Colour: full gold. Nose: starts
very caramelly and malty, with something
toasted but no smoke. Goes on with
quite some overripe apples and a faint
soapiness, a little cardboard... Also
quite flowery (buttercups) and marginally
fruity (apricots). Quite nice but
nothing really special so far, not
sure that bamboo filtering added anything
unusual to this one. Not sure I would
notice it anyway... Mouth: a rather
punchy attack, all on caramel, honey
and roasted nuts, with a rather huge
maltiness and hints of cinnamon plus
quite some ginger. Loads of candy
sugar as well. Again, not bad at all
but not too special either I’d
say. Something reminding me of Chivas
12. Finish: quite long but very caramelly,
cereally and candied, like many blends
indeed I think. Average stuff in my
opinion and average rating: 75
points. |
| Suntory
1981 ‘ Kioke Shiomi’ (43%,
OB, circa 2005)
From Nonjatta’s Chris, the label
states that this is ‘Suntory
Pure Malt Whisky - Kioke Shikomi -
matured in a Wooden tub (meaning barrel?
This is usually associated with sake
making and the word is not the standard
barrel word, although it is something
like it) - Direct fire distilling
- Fermented within the wooden tub,
distilled under direct heat - Power
flavour malt 100 per cent. Unique
flavour authentically heavy taste.’
Authentically heavy, good one! Colour:
pale gold. Nose: much more happening
in this one. Starts like a mix of
nutmeg just like in the Hibiki 30yo,
butter, hay and mashed potatoes, getting
then sort of smoky and oaky and finally
rather grassy. Not particularly heavy
I’d say. Mouth: again, much
more happening in this one than in
the 1991. Heavier indeed, pleasantly
rough, malty, quite candied again
but also rather smoky, liquoricy,
almost kind of peaty – or is
it peat indeed? Gets slightly cardboardy
after that but it’s fine whisky
no doubt. I’d say ‘northern
Highlands style’, and direct
firing may well have brought that
extra-punch and body to it. Finish:
longer than the 1991’s for sure,
still very powerful but probably grainier
and more honeyed now. Good and very
‘Scottish’ if I may say
so. 81 points. |
 |
Nikka
12 yo 'Miyagikyo' (45%, OB, circa
2006)
Both ‘Miyagikyo’ and ‘Miyagikyou’
were used but the definitive spelling
is without the u, we’ve been
told by a friendly Suntory exec. Colour:
gold. Nose: rather light, flowery,
honeyed and slightly smoky, reminding
me a bit of a young Highland Park.
Develops on even more honey (heather
indeed) and a slight mashiness. Well,
this one isn’t complex at all
but it’s nicely balanced and
smooth. Inoffensive. Mouth: same.
Honey and vanilla flavoured toffee,
with a little ginger and again a little
nutmeg from the wood. Also faintly
resinous. Perfectly quaffable. Finish:
medium long, on the same flavours.
Excellent malt to pour your neighbours
if you see what I mean (‘what,
you say the Japanese make whiskey?
And not bad at that!’) 80
points. |
| Satsuma
20 yo 1984/2004 ‘triple cask’
(55%, OB, casks #1683-1684-1691, 1,752
bottles) From
Kagoshima Distillery, where the last
malt was distilled in 1984 indeed
(tells us our friend at Nonjatta).
Will that be enough to make this one
an historical bottling? Colour: gold.
Nose: rather discreet attack on the
nose, with a little colza oil, turpentine
and whiffs of marzipan plus hints
of peat and wood smoke. It gets then
seriously grassy (newly cut grass,
apple peelings,) and almondy, with
just a little pepper in the background.
Faint whiffs of camphor. Let’s
see what happens with water (reduced
to roughly 45% as usual): it got much
ashier but the grassiness is still
bold. Hints of ‘true’
porridge. Mouth (neat): a punchy,
rawish, fruity and peppery attack
but a much weaker middle, which is
very strange. Only the pepper and
quite a grassiness do remain on your
palate. |
 |
| Sometimes
a whisky takes off again at the finish
but it’s not the case here,
as there’s only bitterness left.
Maybe water will help: well, not really,
it’s still very short –
even shorter than a Britney Spears
marriage – but the finish is
better, with a little salt, lemon
and tequila. Not too bad but certainly
not first choice if you want to delve
into Japanese whisky I think. Japan’s
Ladyburn? 73 points. |
| |
July
3, 2008 |
|
|
| DISTILLERS
AND BOTTLERS: FREE WINE CASK FOR YOU! |
Our friends at famous Domaine Zind-Humbrecht,
Turckheim, Alsace, just decided to
give this wonderful oak cask for free
to any Scottish distiller who’d
be willing to arrange dismounting
and shipping themselves. It is a wonderful
and authentic Rhine-style tun built
around 1920/1930 that has always contained
only top-class white wines (most Rieslings)
and that’s been maintained with
great care.
A few minor issues,
though: the total capacity is 13,800
litres, which may not comply with
the Scotch Whisky Association’s
rules related to maturing or finishing
Scotch whisky. What’s more,
the cask is now in need of refurbishment
(expected costs, roughly €12,000).
Now, there’s a small door at
the bottom of the front head, which
leads us to think that the cask would
make for a wonderful and very cosy
Distillery Manager's house. What am
I saying? A mansion!
Interested? Please advise Whiskyfun
(first come, first serve).
PS: the cask comes empty. |
The 13,800 litres cask. Check
the size of regular barrels on the
left. |
 |
TASTING
– FIVE YOUNG LAGAVULINS |
| Lagavulin
1988/1998 (50%, Moon Import, Horae
Solaris, 1300 bottles)
Will this one be as fantastic as the
more recent 1988 by Hart Bros? Colour:
white wine. Nose: ah, Lagavulin! This
version is so pure that it really
displays the distillery’s differences
with its neighbours. Much less medicinal
and rather less ‘smoky/oily’
(sorry, couldn’t find better)
but more elegant, more, say ‘mineral/fruity’
in a certain way. Gooseberries, apples
and cherries mixed with peat smoke,
almond milk, wet earth and just touches
of turpentine. Also our beloved wet
dogs (did I already tell you how sorry
I was, dogs?) Maybe more a whippet
than an Alsatian shepherd, that is
;-). Peated elegance. |
| Mouth:
fantastic attack, uber-sharp and uber-clean.
Simplicity really is an asset here,
the whisky going straight to the point:
pure peat, green apples and grapefruits.
Finish: more of the same. Comments:
the word ‘zing’ was invented
to describe this one, it deserves
its reputation. Superb. SGP:448
– 92 points (and
thanks, Pierre and Olivier T.). |
| Lagavulin
12 yo Special Release (57.8%, OB,
2002)
This was the second release. Colour:
straw. Nose: starts on striking coffee
notes (even coffee liqueur) that slowly
transform into ‘mineral and
fruity’ peat. Wet chalk, wet
hay, garden bonfire, mint and apple
peelings (loads). With water: a tad
more on ‘smoky porridge’.
Mouth (neat): punchy but less sharp
than the Moon, certainly sweeter but
not less peaty. Heavy peat mixed with
fruit drops and faint hints of bubblegum.
Very good but I always liked the regular
16yo a little better – it’s
sort of more aristocratic and more
complex. With water: fully balanced
now. A lot of peat and more spices
(pepper) and much less fruity/bubblegummy
notes. Did they came solely from the
alcohol? Finish: long, peaty, peppery
and almondy. Comments: quite a peat
monster in fact. Not very complex
but very pleasantly punchy, amazing
how water killed the (slightly excessive)
sweetness. SGP:537 –
86 points. |
| Lagavulin
12 yo Special Release (58.2%, OB,
2004)
Fourth release. Colour: white wine.
Nose: this one starts more on almonds
than on coffee but gets then closer
to the earlier batch. A tad less on
wet hay, a little more on apple peelings
and fresh walnuts. With water: frankly
different now. More herbal notes (parsley,
lovage). Mouth (neat): more or less
the same as the ‘2002’
at this point. Rather huge sweetness
but always a big peatiness. Fructose.
With water: once again, water sort
of kills the fruitiness but the end
result is still a little more ‘balanced’
than in the 2nd release. Finish: long,
curiously a little more ‘Ardbeg’
at this point. Comments: I think this
one was a little better than previous
batches. A little more complex, but
big peat rules. Peat freaks must love
this. SGP:438 – 87 points. |
| Lagavulin
12 yo Special Release (57.7%, OB,
2005)
Colour: white wine. Nose: the shift
continues, for we have even more fresh
almonds and marzipan here, the whole
being probably a little ‘cleaner’,
less wild. More ‘sweet and rounded’
peat. Other than that we’re
obviously in the same family. With
water: calmer now. More almonds, old
books, resins and oils. As if the
average age was a little older than
its siblings’. Mouth (neat):
rather less fruity than the earlier
batches and a tad drier. Much more
pepper as well, and a slightly rawer
peat. With water: hmm, this is strange.
Much saltier but also a tad dustier
than earlier batches. Lagavulin is
a little less recognisable, I’d
say. Faint ‘Fanta-ish’
notes. Finish: long again. More lemon
(and readymade lemon juice.) Comments:
a strange one. Sometimes it’s
super-great (like on the nose, with
water) and sometimes it’s a
bit ‘rickety’. But good
whisky anyway. SGP:367 –
84 points. |
| Lagavulin
12 yo Special Release (56.4%, OB,
2007)
Colour: white wine. Nose: it is the
same whisky as the ‘2005’,
more or less. Any differences may
come from my imagination only, of
which any descriptions we’d
better avoid if you please. All right,
say, a little mustard. With water:
even more austere – even if
it’s not an austere whisky.
More mineral – which I like.
Mouth (neat): it seems that we’re
back to a bigger fruitiness but it’s
more grapefruit drops than ‘general’
fruit drops here. In that sense it’s
closer to the Moon (yeah). Quite some
almondy notes as well. With water:
yes. Superb balance between something
unusually medicinal (cough medicine),
raw peat, candied lemons and soft
spices. And a taste of oysters. Finish:
long again, getting saltier and more
maritime. Comments: I think it’s
a clear improvement over all earlier
batches, even if I know that the 2006
was already greater. Funny how similar
these batches are when undiluted,
whilst being quite different when
watered down. SGP:458 –
90 points. We’ll try
quite a few ‘undisclosed’
- or supposed-to-be – Lagavulins
in the coming weeks. |
|
MUSIC
– Recommended
listening: excellent French jazz
vocalist André
Minvielle
does
a very swingin' Canto
Conte.mp3 (from the CD ¡
Canto !) Minvielle performed a lot
with Bernard Lubat and Bernard Lubat
is great, so... Please buy all these
magicians' music.
|
 |
| |
July
2, 2008 |
|
|
CONCERT
REVIEW
by
Nick Morgan
BUDDY GUY
Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London,
June 24th 2008 |
 |
| There’s
a lot of excitement in the environs
of Shepherd’s Bush tonight.
The Thai restaurant is full of over-weight
ageing rockers exchanging Buddy
Guy stories, yarning
over plates of Pad Thai about gigs
long since attended. I could have
joined in – I saw Guy about
15 years ago just after he had released
Damn Right I’ve Got the Blues
– but didn’t feel quite
that old. Outside the theatre, the
same huge queue and it’s only
7.15. And the queue tells its own
story of passing years: like the artist,
now a sprightly 73-year-old and once
famous for his permed hair, almost
everyone is folically challenged.
|
| Guy’s
in the UK for five very busy nights,
including the Jazz Stage at the Glastonbury
Festival, after which he’s heading
to the Continent, and then back home
to the USA. A hectic schedule for
the last surviving master of the Chicago
blues – there’s barely
a blues body he didn’t play
with during his career as a session
man with Chess Records. Once unleashed
as a solo performer, he became, along
with Albert King, one of the seminal
influences in terms of style and technique
on a generation of musicians who would
redefine the face of blues and rock,
from Stevie Ray Vaughan to Jeff Beck,
Eric Clapton to Jimi Hendrix. |
| I
remember feeling slightly dissatisfied
when I first saw him that he seemed
to prefer showboating to full-on playing,
spending much of the night mimicking
his great forbears, and some of his
disciples. Well, that’s the
Buddy Guy show, and I swear, apart
from a different band and a few new
songs, it hasn’t changed much
in well over a decade. Okay, Mr Guy
needs a few more breaks during which
in step his accomplished band: Ric
‘Jaz Guitar’ Hall on guitar;
Orlando Wright on electric bass; Tim
Austin on drums and, on electric keyboards,
Marty Sammon, with whom he exchanges
some very nice licks. I should add
that he is dressed in the height of
fashion with carefully-chosen odd
shoes. Guy’s guitar style, like
the man himself, is flamboyant and
sometimes hysterical. Lightning fast
riffs leading into long-held single
notes with incredible sustain, piercing
volume followed by hushed whispering
breaks of immense subtlety. And what
made it different in the sixties was
that it was played without the restraint
that you can sometimes hear on, for
example, Muddy Waters’ recordings.
He’s got all the stuff for sure,
even though he struggles a little
with his wild falsetto singing (he’s
sipping some sort of throat concoction
all night). |
| But
it feels as though it’s being
thrown away as he rambles through
songs, ‘Feels like rain’,
‘Damn right’, ‘Mojo
hand’, Hoochie Coochie man’,
none ever quite finished to anyone’s
satisfaction. |
|
Buddy
Guy (L) with Ric 'Jazz Guitar' Hall
(R) |
 |
And
then there’s the real showboating:
playing his guitar with only his left
hand on the fret board; strumming
with a drum stick; strumming with
his shirt; playing the guitar behind
his head. In fact, a lot of that old-time
stuff that the earliest blues players
used to have to do to earn a living
at a Saturday night plantation dance.
And of course, he not plays not only
to the audience, but in the audience,
leaving the stage to emerge in the
middle of the mosh, where he spent
almost ten minutes shooting off riffs
before (and this was a first) appearing
in the balcony and playing for us
there. Oh, the joys of cordless guitars!
He also does his impersonations: John
Lee Hooker; Eric Clapton and, inevitably,
Hendrix. |
|
It’s a good show and the audience
are in raptures, but a shame that
the formulaic structure prevents us
from hearing the best of Mr Guy’s
considerable and apparently undiminished
talents. Certainly good enough to
move me to go out and buy a few of
his albums, and I understand there’s
a new one, Skin Deep, on the way.
So go out and buy some too –
and if you hurry you can also catch
Mr Guy’s Glastonbury performance
on the wonderful BBC
iPlayer - if your lucky enough
to live in the UK. - Nick Morgan
(photographs by Kate) |
| BLITZ
TASTING - FIVE ALSATIAN MALTS |
 |
| Elsass
Whisky Single Malt (40%, OB, Lehmann,
Obernai)
A newcomer. Colour: pale straw. Nose:
very fresh and very fruity, with very
clean aromas. Starts on fresh apples
(granny Smith) and strawberries and
develops on melon and apricot, with
hints of kiwi. Never aggressive, very
soft on the nose. An excellent surprise,
even if it’s also slightly lactic.
Touches of vanilla. Mouth: the attack
is similar, fruity, soft and smooth.
Fresh strawberries and even touches
of Williams pears. Malt. Very clean
flavours. Finish: still very fresh
and very soft. Comments: again, an
excellent surprise – all things
considered. And even if it doesn’t
taste like Scotch at all. SGP:441
– 77 points. |
| Meyer’s
Pure Malt (40%, OB, Distillerie Meyer)
It’s a single malt. Colour:
straw. Nose: starts spirity, then
gentian and lavender. Fresh and aromatic,
not too powerful but just like the
‘Elsass’, very clean.
Mouth: round and soft. Sugar syrup,
strawberry liqueur, pineapple liqueur.
Slight bitterness. Finish: : medium
long, smooth, clean and fruity. Comments:
a profile that’s close to the
Elsass’s, even fruitier actually.
SGP:530 – 76 points. |
Uberach
Single Malt (42.2%, OB, Bertrand,
Uberach) 
1/3 new barrels and 2/3 Banyuls barrels.
Colour: gold. Nose: hotter than the
previous ones, very aromatic and curiously
smoky. Burnt tyres, kirsch, plum spirit,
hot brake pads... Some character.
Mouth: starts quite bitter. Ginger,
ginger tonic and rubber. Lacks body.Finish:
rather long but bitter like raw stone
fruit spirit. Comments: rather drinkable
but the general profile is maybe not
for Scotch lovers. The wood is a little
weird. SGP:362 – 60
points. |
| Uberach
Single Malt (43.8%, OB, Bertrand,
Uberach, 2006)
100% Banyuls barrels. Colour: apricot
(eh?) Nose: very close to the version
at 42.2% but a little cleaner and
less rubbery. Added notes of orange
juice. Also fresher. Mouth: closer
to what we know as ‘whisky’,
softer. Sloe gin, toasted wood, juniper
spirit... Gets a bit bitter. Finish:
medium long, a little bitter but rather
clean. Comments: way better than the
’42.2%’. SGP:351
– 70 points (but we
had it at 75 on another occasion). |
| Elsass
Whisky Single Malt (50%, OB, Lehmann,
Obernai)
This one bottled at a higher strength
– is this a 100proof for the
US of A? Joking. Colour: straw. Nose:
this one is quite funny on the nose.
White chocolate and marshmallows,
then fern and humus, fresh herbs...
Really interesting, too bad there’s
a slight soapiness. Mouth: punchy
and soft at the same time. Gin, pear
spirit, gentian liqueur (Suze). Balanced,
with also a little pepper. Finish:
shortish this time, on quetsche (that
dark-red plum). Comments: very entertaining,
this one. Kind of an experiment? SGP:530
– 74 points. |
| Conclusion:
all rather good stuff, congrats to
my compatriots. Now, distilling some
kind of beer in stills that are meant
for distilling fruits (and not proper
pot stills) produces a very, err,
fruity spirit and I doubt it’s
a good idea to put the newmake into
casks that impart very strong oaky
and/or winey flavours. Works best
when preserving purity and ‘cleanliness’
in my humble opinion. By the way,
thank you Paul A. for the samples
(Paul is the guy who’s spitting
fire on the left column of WF’s
homepage – but that was Old
Potrero!) |
| |
July
1, 2008 |
|
|
 |
TASTING
FOUR
OLD CAPERDONICHS |
| Caperdonich
34 yo 1968/2003 (41.8%, Duncan Taylor,
cask #3568, 198 bottles)
Duncan Taylor issue
a lot of Caperdonichs and many are
very good. Colour: pale gold. Nose:
starts all on porridge and muesli,
with obvious notes of green apples
and lime mixed with lamb’s wool
(brand new pullover). Unusual notes
of oysters and kelp and then tapioca
and aniseeds. Very, very fresh. Mouth:
rather dry and quite oaky at very
first sips but then we have excellent
notes of bananas and guavas as well
as a little vanilla. Maybe not very
complex but hugely enjoyable. Finish:
medium long, with good balance between
the fruits and the oak. Comments:
simply very good old stuff. SGP:551
– 86 points. |
| Caperdonich
38 yo 1968/2006 (42%, Duncan Taylor,
Private Bottling, 134 bottles)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: this one
is much more expressive, with a profile
that’s somewhat similar to cask
#3568 but with more oak, more ginger
and more vanilla as well as more resinous
notes. In short, bigger. Mouth: bigger
again but also drier and oakier. Spices,
vanilla, bananas and orange marmalade.
Finish: in the keeping with the palate.
Comments: simply very good again.
SGP:451 – 86 points. |
| Caperdonich
37 yo 1970/2008 (43.3%, Duncan Taylor,
Lonach)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: more classic.
Oak, vanilla, then strawberries and
peanut butter. All that isn’t
too expressive but the general feeling
is pleasant. Good balance. Mouth:
ho-ho, this one displays more power
and a bigger exuberance on the palate.
Loads of various honeys and dried
fruits, then gooseberries and apple
compote. Very good I must say. Finish:
long, with added minty and liquoricy
notes. Comments: excellent old (but
not old-tasting) sipping whisky! SGP:452
– 88 points. |
| Caperdonich
38 yo 1969/2008 (44.7%, Duncan Taylor,
Lonach)
Colour: pale gold. Nose: we’re
closer to the 1968’s again obviously),
with also whiffs of peat and green
tea. Vanilla, mint, apple peeling
and camomile tea. Certainly less expressive
than the 1970. Mouth: a bit closer
to the 1970 now, let’s say right
between the 1968’s and the 1970.
Honey and tangerines with a little
oak and white pepper. Gentian spirit.
Finish: long but a tad drying and
oaky – below the limits, that
is. Comments: the bigger oakiness
makes it less easily drinkable than
the 1970; we prefer the latter, despite
the lovely, earthy notes of gentian
roots or spirit in the 1969, which
is still a lovely dram. SGP:462
– 87 points. |
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NEW
BOOKS,
NEW
WONDERS
After
Marcel van Gils and Hans Offringa’s
wonderful and very ‘peaty’
book ‘The Legend of Laphroaig’
(get it if you didn’t already!),
let’s swing to the other edge
of the flavours scale with another
brand new book, this time about
Bushmills, written by Peter Mulryan
and titled ‘Bushmills,
400 years in the making’.
We could flip through it and quite
remarkably, it’s pretty much
of the same very high quality and
includes brilliant pictures, interesting
historical anecdotes and bottles
plus dozens of witty old ads (remember
Bushmills’ recipe for the
best Irish whiskey? Just forget
about coffee!) A truly wonderful,
err, coffee table book, in which
a lot of money, time and research
has been invested it seems. Highly
recommended, even if the bottle
on the right isn’t in the
book. (this amazing fake was found
in a Beijing supermarket, can you
spot it?) |
 |
| There’s
been other books about ‘single’
distilleries recently but we feel
they don’t quite match both
the ‘Laph’ and the ‘Bush’
so let’s not comment on them
if you please. Now, we know that there
will also be a book about Jazz
and Whisky coming out around
September, written by Hans Offringa,
and that the spirit of the greatly
missed Michael Jackson should probably
fly over all pages (the great man
was a true jazz connoisseur). Most
certainly a must, so in the meantime,
please save a few buckquideuros… |
|
MUSIC
– Recommended
listening: it probably doesn't get
any better in female jazz singing
today than Abbey
Lincoln (okay, okay,
Patricia Barber...) and as Hank
Jones is one of the
most elegant pianists,
no wonder their version of The
Jitterbug Waltz.mp3 was so good!
(from the CD When There Is Love.)
Please buy!
|
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Check
the index of all entries:
Whisky
Music
Nick's Concert
Reviews
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Best
malts I had these weeks - 90+
points only - alphabetical:
Hibiki
30 yo (43%, OB, Suntory,
Blend, circa 2000)
Karuizawa
31 yo Vintage 1974 (65.7%, OB, cask #4578, 25cl)
Karuizawa
26 yo Vintage 1979 (59.5%, OB, cask
#7752, 25cl)
Karuizawa
25 yo Vintage 1980 (58.1%, OB, cask
#8185, 25cl)
Lagavulin
1988/1998 (50%,
Moon Import, Horae Solaris, 1300 bottles)
Lagavulin
12 yo Special Release (56.4%, OB, 2007)
Nikka
Yoichi 1987/2004 (53.5%, OB, for France,
Warehouse #15, cask #254830)
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