Kategoriarkiv: Scotland

Speyburn, Speyside

Speyburn 10 YO (Travel Exclusive Version)

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 46 %
Origin: Speyside
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is malty and fruity. This is apples and pears with a base of maltiness and a thin note of honey. It’s quite perfumey and fresh. There’s a thin layer of vanilla sitting on top of the fruits. After a while the sherry notes start to appear. The apples and pears gets accompanied by fresh raspberries and ripe plums. A thin note of cardboard comes through in the back.

Mouth: It starts out very mild and sweet. Honey and vanilla is dominating and the maltiness is still working as a base. A pepper spicyness builds up over time. A bitterness creates an outside layer and it’s connected to a slightly dusty oakiness. It’s not as fruity as on the nose and it’s leaning more towards ripe fruits.

Finish: The peppery spicyness flare up and then quickly subsides. The fruitiness returns as apples and pears once again, together with vanilla and a hint of fudge. Then it quickly turns to a bitter oakiness. When it arrives it takes over completely and the late finish is nothing but the oakiness. It’s dry grey oak planks with notes of coffee and walnuts. This is a nice solid experience with the extra ABV helping it along the way.

Additional information
This version of the Speyburn 10 YO was released in 2018 as a travel retail exclusive. It’s stated that it’s a limited edition. The maturation is done in both american ex-bourbon barrels and ex-sherry casks. It’s unchillfiltered.

AnCnoc, Highlands, Knockdhu

AnCnoc Peatheart

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 46 %
Origin: Highlands
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and peaty. Thick honey and savory peat are both very pronounced from the start. There is also a hay note coming from within the peatiness. In the background there are green fruits and yellow pears with some dust on top. After a few seconds vanilla and mint start to appear. The fruitiness keeps on moving forward until the whole thing almost becomes a peated dessert. This is a very pleasant nose.

Mouth: It starts out quite spicy and it takes a second or two for the main flavours to push through. There’s a savory peatiness and dry soil and they both help create an outer layer. On the inside there are yellow juicy pears and lemons. The desserty notes are still there and the vanilla is now joined by butterscotch and a hint of the oakiness. It’s not as sweet as on the nose.

Finish: The spicy mouthfeel doesn’t carry over to the finish. It starts out quite dusty with dry soil and the savory peat as main flavours. The fruitiness is almost completely gone. After a few seconds a very clean and fresh oak note appears and basically takes over everything except a thin peaty layer on the outside. It’s a freshly cut oak with hints of hazelnuts. It’s still very juicy and there’s no astringency. This is a solid peaty whisky with a fruity heart, but it feels a bit undecided on what it’s supposed to be.

Additional information
This is made by the Knockdhu distillery and it’s part of the AnCnoc core range. The barley used has 40 ppm. It’s aged for more than 10 years in american ex-bourbon oak barrels.

If you like my reviews and wish to offer a small donation, please click the ”donate” button below!

Small Donate Button

Highlands, Royal Lochnagar

Royal Lochnagar 12 YO

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 40 %
Origin: Highlands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is fresh and fruity. Apples and pears sit together with red berries on top of butterscotch and vanilla. As time passes in the glass the vanilla moves to the sides and the fruitiness stays in the center. There’s a pine note coming through the fruitiness and a honey sweetness adding to the vanilla. This is very mild on the nose and there’s no complexity. It’s very straight forward.

Mouth: It starts out quite spicy with a thin taste of cardboard and it takes a while before other flavours start to come through. It’s a touch bitter and not as fruity as on the nose. Butterscotch and a small dark fruitiness with raisins and prunes is in there as well as vanilla and honey, but all those flavours are quite muted. The oak is also present and it’s a bitter oak with notes of coffee. It feels a bit medicinal and sharp and it doesn’t mirror the nose very well.

Finish: The spicyness stands alone once again and there’s almost no flavours coming through before the oakiness takes over. It’s a slightly dry, quite tasty oakiness with coffee and walnuts. In the tail end the dark fruitiness and butterscotch slowly return. This is not bad but it lacks some balance. The nose is by far the best thing about it.

Additional information
Made at the smallest of Diageo’s distillery this 12 YO is the only single malt in its core range. It’s aged in a mix of american ex-bourbon barrels and ex-sherry casks.

Bruichladdich, Islay, Port Charlotte

Port Charlotte MC:01 2009

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 56.3 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is peaty, fruity and quite complex. At first there’s a savory peatiness and a very dark fruitiness. Raisins and black liquorice sit together with a nice funky note and an almond nuttiness in the middle. There’s vanilla, coffee beans and way in the back there’s a thin note of green apples. There’s also an overlay of coastal notes with a sense of a seashore. This is an extremely beautiful nose.

Mouth: There’s an immediate savory peatiness creating an outer layer with vanilla, a honey sweetness and a black pepper spicyness just within its boundaries, which leave the middle open for the dark and funky fruit notes. It comes through as very nutty with almonds and now also with hazelnuts which contribute to a dry mouthfeel. The peatiness adds a rubbery, oily note after a few seconds. The fruitiness comes through as raisins and ripe black grapes.

Finish: Black pepper and raisins are the first thing to come through before the savory peatiness swoops in and takes over. It turns quite medicinal for a while, with iodine and salt, before it moves over to the oakiness. The oak brings a big bag of nuts with hazelnuts, almonds and walnuts. The rubbery note is still in there and it creates complexity together with the red wine notes. This is a very tasty whisky and it really rewards those who explore.

Additional information
The MC:01 2009 is a travel retail exclusive release from Bruichladdich. It’s aged in american whiskey casks and french oak casks for 6 years and then combined and finished for 2 years in sicilian ex-wine casks. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

Johnny Walker, Unspecified

Johnny Walker Red Label

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 40 %
Origin: Scotland unspecified
Type: Blended
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 2/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and metallic. The first thing to come through is a grain sweetness and a hint of peat. Behind that is a rather unpleasant metallic note. There’s a butterscotch layer, but it’s much more toned down campared to other cheap blends. A hint of red apples and some honey can be found in the back. It’s not offensive on the nose, but it does tell the tale of a cheap whisky.

Mouth: The metallic youthness and the grain sweetness are first to arrive. They are accompanied with a spicy note. Soon after butterscotch comes through. The peat is building up and creats an outside layer giving it a nice frame. This is a rollercoaster ride between good and bad. The fruitiness is completely gone and there is a struggle between the grain and the malt for attention.

Finish: The spicyness mellows out and becomes a menthol note. Then it once again turns to grain sweetness and butterscotch. The oakiness arrives after a few seconds and it’s a fresh, slightly dry oak. It’s not unpleasant, but doesn’t produce any complexity. This is actually a bit better than its reputation, but it’s by no means a very good tasting whisky.

Additional information
The Red Label is the best selling scotch in the world. The content isn’t disclosed but it’s said to contain 35 different kind of whiskies. It was created in 1906 as the ”Special Old Highland Whisky”.

Islay, Laphroaig

Laphroaig Port Wood

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 48 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and ashy. A cold, put out, ashy campfire is first to arrive together with a funky sweet red berry note. It’s medicinal and iodine and brine are sitting in the middle of it all. After a few seconds dark fruits come through mixed with a quite pronounced vanilla note. Liqueur-soaked cherries and sweet liquorice are also found which make it a bit rounder. This is very approachable.

Mouth: It starts out very sweet and ashy. It’s slightly spicy with a black pepper touch to it. It still produces plenty of dark fruit notes and a nice vanilla layer surrounding everything. It’s not as medicinal and salty as on the nose and there’s a tiny hint of toffee coming through together with the liqueur-soaked cherries and the vanilla. It’s a touch dry, but there’s no astringency.

Finish: A big ashy peat punch is followed by a very sweet note of the same sweet, ripe, darker fruits together with vanilla and now also with honey. The ashy note steps to the side, but still holds its ground. A tropical fruit note appears together with a nice oaky finish. The funky sweet notes with red berries return in the late finish and lingers in the background while the oakiness slowly subsides. This is a great, approachable version of Laphroaig.

Additional information
Laphroaig Port Wood is the replacement for Brodir, and the content is said to be the same. It’s a travel retail exclusive matured in american ex-bourbon oak barrels and then finished in european ex-Ruby port oak casks. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour. It has about 45 ppm.

Highland Park, Islands

Highland Park Leif Eriksson Release – Limited Edition

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 40 %
Origin: Islands
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and fruity. At first there’s a thick layer of liqueur soaked cherries, raisins and ripe red apples. In the back there are notes of rye, vanilla and toasted almonds. After a few seconds a brighter layer of green fruits appear and sort of rests on top of the sweeter, darker base. There’s also milk chocolate present somewhere in the middle. It’s very mild and very approachable.

Mouth: It’s a very watery start and it takes a while before a gentle black pepper spicyness and some vanilla notes finally show up. It feels a bit underaged and it’s not as fruity and pleasant as on the nose. Gets a little dry when hints of the oak arrives together with and a tiny leather peatiness. There are small notes of green apples and pears and a small pinch of salt. It feels a bit muted overall.

Finish: The mild black pepper, which is quite nice, is dominating the first part of the finish. A small bitterness sits behind with some assorted fruits and a small hint of dry earthy peatiness. The whole thing moves quite quickly towards a bright, very welcoming oakiness. The toasted almonds return and some salted caramel suddenly show up in the late finish. It then ends with a dry, nutty finish. This really lacks some power, but it’s a very easy whisky to get aquainted with.

Additional information
The Leif Eriksson was released in 2011 as a travel retail exclusive. It’s aged in a combination of american ex-bourbon barrels and ex-sherry casks made from american oak.

Ardbeg, Islay

Ardbeg Drum

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 46 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and medicinal. At first approach it’s iodine and honey sweetness with a warm woodfire burning in the background. A peppermint note sits on top of everything and a cinnamon note resides in the far distance. When it settles in the glass it grows sweeter and vanilla starta to come through. It feels quite young and the rum cask finish is not very prominent, but it adds a roundness to the whole. A small thin layer of fruitiness can be found somewhere in the middle, but it needs some hunting to be found.

Mouth: At first it’s honey sweet and spicy with a touch of vanilla and caramel. It’s not as peaty as on the nose. Soon after, it turns around and becomes quite strict and medicinal. Iodine, bitterness, ashes, oakiness and seasalt create a high impact mix. It still feels very young and it’s very rowdy and it’s kind of diappointing compared to the nose.

Finish: The peppermint comes back for a quick visit. The sweetness is now nowhere to be found. It’s salty and medicinal. It’s very bitter and there’s espresso and hazelnuts found in the oakiness. A small touch of tropical fruits do come through after the initial impact, but they are easily missed. The peatiness turns towards the ashy notes in the late finish. The nose promises a lot more than the taste can deliver, but it most definitly makes an impact.

Additional information
This limited edition Ardbeg was released for Ardbeg Day, june 1st, 2019. It’s aged in american ex-bourbon casks and then finished in ex-rum casks. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

If you like my reviews and wish to offer a small donation, please click the ”donate” button below!

Small Donate Button

Campbeltown, Springbank

Longrow 18 YO (2019 Release)

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 46 %
Origin: Campbeltown
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is fruity and phenolic. At first there’s a big bucket of oranges and apricots coming through. The characteristic savory rubbery/oily Springbank note creates a backdrop as a slightly ashy, warm woodfire sits on the edges. It’s very mild and as time goes by the sherry casks start to appear with darker fruit notes and a deeper sweetness. Plums, black grapes and raisins all drizzled with honey. There’s black liquorice and vanilla coming through as well. It feels a bit younger than its age, but it’s a very complex and beautiful nose.

Mouth: Spicy and dusty at first. A coconut note passes by together with a medicinal phenolic note. It takes a while before it settles in the mouth, but when it does it reveals an array of citrus fruits. Oranges are still the main fruit, but clementines, grapefruits and apricots are in there as well. It’s got an oily texture and it’s very juicy. The savory rubbery note sits in the center and the other peat notes circle around the edges together with the darker notes from the sherry.

Finish: An medicinal Iodine note flare up, then the savory note returns together with the peatiness, which now has changed slightly towards tobacco. Once again the citrus fruits return. It’s now leaning towards grapefruits, with a bitterness intertwined with a fantastic oakiness that arrives after a few seconds. The coconut returns together with tropical fruits within the oakiness. There are also assorted nuts appearing down the line. This is an absolutely fantastic whisky.

Additional information
The 2019 release of Longrow 18 YO is a mix of 75 % ex-sherry casks and 25 % american ex-bourbon barrels. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

Famous Grouse, Unspecified

Famous Grouse

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 40 %
Origin: Scotland unspecified
Type: Blended
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 1/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is harsh and sweet. At first the grain distillate is dominating with some butterscotch and honey in the background. It’s very metallic and rather unpleasant on the nose. After a while a layer of vanilla comes forward and makes it a little bit better. A maltiness is noticable when digging deep.

Mouth: At first it’s watery, then an artificial sweetness takes over together with the honey and the butterscotch. There’s a lemon note in the back and a tiny spicyness on the tip of the toungue. A bitterness builds up and takes over. It’s not an especially nice bitterness though.

Finish: Spicy at first, then grainy and sweet. The butterscotch increases and takes a bigger role in the finish. The harsh grain spirit gives an unpleasant alcohol note which lingers when the bitterness returns with an oakiness. The finish is longer than expected, but that is not a good thing. This should be used as a mixer and not consumed beat.

Additional information
The Grouse Brand was released in 1896 and two years later the name was changed to The Famous Grouse because of its popularity. Edrington uses Glenturret malt, but also some Macallan and Highland Park in this blend.

Highland Park, Islands

Highland Park 18 YO

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 43 %
Origin: Islands
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is dark fruits and leather. Ripe plums, raisins and liquorice comes through as a thick layer sitting on top of notes of new leather and dry garden soil. The whole thing is salty and a savory note can be found in the middle of it all. A small veil of mentholated tobacco hovers like a cloud above everything else. After a while coffee and sweet oranges appear. This is quite complex and has great depth.

Mouth: It’s a mild and fresh lemon/orange based start. It’s salty, yet very fruity and much brighter than on the nose. Dried fruits such as a mix of raisins, coconut and pineapples are in there, but also darker fruit flavours such as ripe red apples and plums. It’s very juicy. A small hint of dust and a complex note coming from the long maturation creates a nice depth. Far away in the back there’s a maritime feel to it.

Finish: The leather and tobacco notes coming from the peat is first, then soil and a mix of fresh and darker fruits. A small bitterness comes through before the oakiness arrives. It comes with notes of coffee and walnuts. The sherry notes and the leather stick around and together with the oak they stay for a long very nice finish. After a few sips a tropical fruitiness starts to appear in the finish. The finish also has the aura of the long maturation. This is an excellent whisky.

Additional information
The Highland Park 18 YO was released in 1997. The ppm is 20 and it’s aged in both american and european Oloroso sherry seasoned oak casks. It has natural colour.

Chivas Regal, Unspecified

Chivas Regal 12 YO

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 40 %
Origin: Scotland unspecified
Type: Blended
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 2/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is mild and sweet. Butterscotch and sweet liquorice sit behind a very thin veil of harsh grain spirit. The oakiness is in the background together with some honey. A hint of green fruits peeks through every now and then. This is a bit uneventful and too friendly.

Mouth: It starts out extremely mild with butterscotch, honey and just a small glimmer of fresh fruits arriving all together. A touch of lemon sits in the back while a small spicyness builds up on the toungue, but it never really takes off. A bitter note and the oakiness come through after a few seconds. It is a bit dry, but it takes a few sips to really notice that.

Finish: Mild peppermint and butterscotch lead way to a small hint green apples. There are dry soil notes coming through in the background before it moves over to a very pronounced oakiness. It’s just a tad bitter and the oak feels like old grey wooden planks. The oakiness stays by itself for a pretty long finish. A small metallic note is left when the oak subsides.

Additional information
The content of this blend isn’t disclosed, but it’s revealed that it has a base in Speyside malts like Longmorn, Strathisla, Glenlivet and Aberlour. There are also whiskies from the Highlands and Islay in the blend.

Johnny Walker, Unspecified

Johnny Walker 10 YO Select Casks – Rye Cask Finish

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 46 %
Origin: Scotland unsp.
Type: Blended
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is candy cane and pine trees. The first impact is extremely sweet and the rye Cask finish is very noticable. The candy cane note consists of vanilla, peppermint, spices and honey. The grain distillate sits as a backdrop and gives it a thick layer of added sweetness. There are some Bassett’s allsorts somewhere in the back and a minty layer on top. It is actually kind of nice on the nose and the 10+ years have removed most of the harshness from the grain distillate.

Mouth: It’s very watery at first and then the rye spices and the pine notes take over. It’s not as sweet as on the nose which is a good thing, but there’s a thick vanilla layer sitting in the back. A slight bitterness builds up after a few seconds but it never turns over to become an oakiness. It feels quite light and lacks some depth. The rye spices really build up after a few sips.

Finish: A cloud of menthol fills the mouth and then disappears equally fast. The pine note becomes very pronounced and the candy cane now sits in the back. It stays this way a long time before a subtle oakiness finally arrives. It’s a touch dry and it never really takes front seat until everything else sort of allows it to. This is overall actually a quite enjoyable blend.

Additional information
This is the first release in Johnnie Walker’s Select Casks range. It’s made up by blending whiskies matured in first fill american oak casks for at least 10 years and then finished in american ex-rye casks.

AnCnoc, Highlands, Knockdhu

AnCnoc Cutter

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 46 %
Origin: Highlands
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is leather and fruits. There’s a quite hefty peatiness up front with green fruits in the background. There’s leather and a warm burning wood fire together with green apples and pears. It’s very bright and the oak is clearly detectable from the start. It’s a fresh oakiness. There’s a thin veil of vanilla appearing after some time in the glass.

Mouth: A peat cloud rolls by, then spicyness and yellow pears take over. The peat comes with notes of leather, grass and dry soil. There’s also a medicinal note. The vanilla is more pronounced now and tvhere’s a dustiness on top of everything. It’s well rounded and well balanced.

Finish: The peatiness moves forward once again and it’s got the same character throughout. The fruitiness is now a bit muted. It moves over to a dry, freshly cut oakiness. A touch of vanilla and a tiny note of honey comes through with the oak. There’s a very nice touch of a nutty bitterness. This is a well made whisky.

Additional information
This is made by the Knockdhu distillery and it’s a limited release. The barley used has 20.5 ppm. It’s aged in american ex-bourbon hogsheads. It’s unchillfiltered and it has natural colour.

If you like my reviews and wish to offer a small donation, please click the ”donate” button below!

Small Donate Button

Speyburn, Speyside

Speyburn Hopkins Reserve

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 46 %
Origin: Speyside
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is young and fruity. Ripe grapes and apples together with vanilla and honey create a quite thick layer. Behind that, it feels a bit shallow and a little cardboardy. It grows sweeter with time in the glass and the honey is dominating heavily. A hint of cinnamon comes through together with a miniscule hint of earthiness after it opens up in the glass.

Mouth: It’s quite spicy at first before the fruitiness kicks in. It’s very fruity with green apples and pears, much more so than on the nose. It’s dry and dusty and the oak comes through early. It’s a nice oakiness with some bitterness on the sides. It feels a lot more mature on the palate and there’s more depth. Butterscotch comes up after a while as a nice little twist for those who wait.

Finish: A small cloud of menthol pass by. It’s still very fruity now moving towards ripe pears. A very nice note of almonds appear before the oak takes over. The oakiness makes it a touch astringent and it comes through as newly cut wood with inlays of watermelon and hazelnuts. The honey sweetness returns together with a slight touch of butterscotch. There’s maybe a tiny veil of peat in the late finish otherwise the cask influence is not very prominent.

Additional information
The Hopkins Reserve is a travel retail exclusive release. It’s aged in american ex-bourbon barrels which previously also held peated scotch single malt. It’s unchillfiltered.

Islands, Talisker

Talisker Distiller’s Edition 2001/2012

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 45.8 %
Origin: Islands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is coastal and fruity. At first, the sherry notes come up with darker fruits and red berries. Behind there’s a layer of vanilla and honey with some salt and white sand mixed in. Even further back there are some brighter fruits like green apples. The feint peatiness is creating a thin veil of smoke from mentholated tobacco. A medicinal note comes through after some time in the glass.

Mouth: At first there’s a bitter note together with a touch of spices. After a second or two the peatiness starts to build up with a very medicinal aura. The tobacco is still present but it has strayed from the menthol. The sherry notes are somewhat held back and acts as fillers for the harsher flavours. There’s some vanilla coming through but the honey sweetness is now gone.

Finish: The menthol comes back and together with the medicinal notes the lead way back onto the beach. There’s a quite noticable saltiness and it’s still got an earthy, sandy feel to it. The sherry is still toned down and the fruitiness is much brighter than before. After some time the oak comes through. It’s a mild oakiness. There’s no astringency and it never sits alone. It’s accompanied by the medicinal notes all the way to the end. In the late finish the tobacco notes reappear. This is a dram with a nice fruity twist to an otherwise rowdy experience.

Additional information
This is basically the Talisker 10 YO finished for about a year in ex-Amaroso sherry casks. It has around 20 ppm. It’s aged for 10 years in reconstructed american ex-bourbon oak barrels before the finishing period.

If you like my reviews and wish to offer a small donation, please click the ”donate” button below!

Small Donate Button

Bowmore, Islay

Bowmore 10 YO – Inspired by the Devil’s Casks

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 46 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is dark fruits and new leather. The cask influence is extreme and seems to sit on top of everything else. There are raisins, figs, sweet liquorice, black grapes and a thick brown syryp and it almost feels like they are attacking the nose. Behind the dark fruity wall notes of new leather and smoke coming from a warm, burning campfire. It’s got a salty touch and a hint of lime is peeking through. There’s a cool mint piercing the thick sweetness.

Mouth: It starts out very thick and sweet. Almost immidiately a dusty oak note shows up together with leather. A black pepper spicyness arises slowly. There are dark notes of raisins, anise and liquorice within the dense sweetness. It’s slightly bitter and the mild leather and smoke note has taken a step back. The cask influence is still a bit too close for comfort. A bitter note and some salt is sitting around the edges. The brighter fruitiness normally found in Bowmores is nowhere to be found.

Finish: A big burst of red and dark fruits and some spicyness. The sherry notes are still very much the focal point and the same notes come marching through once again. The red wine with black grapes and a hint of blueberries are coming forward a bit more in the finish. It takes a long time for the oakiness to break through. It’s slightly astringent and very mild and never really steps up in front. A black liquorice note is left in the mouth long after everything else is gone. This is a very good whisky, but the previous cask content is a bit over the top.

Additional information
This is a limited release that was released in september 2016 as a travel retail exclusive. The main part of the maturation is done in first fill european ex-Oloroso sherry casks and then for a finishing period in ex-red wine barriques. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

Cardhu, Speyside

Cardhu Gold Reserve

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 40 %
Origin: Speyside
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 2/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and fruity. Honey, vanilla and toffee are sitting on top of some baked red apples. It’s very mild and nothing really pops from the glass. It’s dusty and there’s just a hint of oak in the back. The toffee note moves forward with time in the glass. It’s very rounded around the edges even if it has a youthness sitting in the back, which manifests as a thin metallic note.

Mouth: A very sweet start with honey and a lemon note quickly passing by. It stays very sweet for a long time with vanilla and toffee slowly moving forward. There’s a white pepper spicyness, but it never really amounts to anything. When it finally sets some of the sweetness aside it slowly reveals a slightly bitter oak, but it just stays in the back. It’s still extremely mild and round like a marble.

Finish: The finish is just a continuation of the sweet and mild parade. A few seconds of honey, vanilla and toffee goes by before it lands in a bland oakiness. It’s a little dusty, but otherwise laid back and it feels like it doesn’t want to be noticed. The toasted flavours do come through though, but they do not do much to create anything. This is too mild and too well rounded to be interesting. It’s definitely a good dram if someone needs an introduction into scotch.

Additional information
The Gold Reserve was first released in 2014. This is aged in toasted casks. The Cardhu distillate is primarily used in Johnny Walker blends. Cardhu is also very popular, as an example, it’s the best selling whisky in Spain.

Islay, Kilchoman

Kilchoman Sanaig

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 46 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is fresh and peaty with a youthness to it. The peat is a warm, burning woodfire and vanilla incense. It’s got a very sweet aura with honey and sherry notes, which are well hidden at first. They never take over but hints of blueberry juice and some plums are peeking through and somehow create a nice layer in the back. The peat delivers some ashy notes after some time in the glass.

Mouth: It starts out mild with a lemon note coming through before the sweetness takes over. It’s vanilla heavy with honey and burning wood accents. The texture is oily and there are savory notes deep within. A spicyness builds up over time but it never covers the other flavours. The sherry notes are still hiding behind the honey, making it hard to pinpoint. It’s very integrated into the honey and vanilla. Some raisins seem to come through after a few sips though. A cardboard note sits in the back of the palate and that brings it down a notch.

Finish: A peppery note comes through before it lands straight into the oak. The sweetness and the peat notes return and they are very consistant throughout. The raisins seem to refuse to come forward from behind the honey, but they do make their presence known. The finish also offer a quite noticable layer of lemon juice around the edges and that note survives when everything else dies down.

Additional information
The Sanaig is part of Kilchoman’s core range. It’s aged in European ex-Oloroso sherry casks and american ex-bourbon barrels separatly. They are vatted together with a higher proportion of sherry casks. The Peat level is 50 ppm. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.

Bowmore, Islay

Bowmore 18 YO – Deep & Complex

Lämna en kommentar

ABV: 43 %
Origin: Islay
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 5/5

Tasting notes
Nose: A very thick dark fruitiness with raisins, plums and ripe berries creates a thick layer covering everything on approach. Smoke coming from a warm burning campfire creates a nice setting together with a salty seashore note. A tropical fruitiness with pinapple and mangos sits in the middle with vanilla, lime and sweet black liquorice. The oak peeks through but it’s not pronounced. There’s a hint of menthol creating a freshness to the whole. It’s a pleasant nosing, but it feels like there’s a distance between the sherry overtone and the rest of the dram.

Mouth: It starts out very sweet and the vanilla steps forward at first. The texture is thick and oily and it shows its age with a hefty dustiness. There are both ripe and dried fruits together with fresh red berries and a lot of tropical fruitiness. It’s salty and somewhat astringent. The oak is old, grey and weathered. There’s almost no peat flavours, just a hint of leather in the background.

Finish: The finish starts out with a big bowl of tropical fruits and the campfire smoke finally returns. The oak is dusty and got some astringency to it. It’s still grey and weathered and there’s a hint of bitterness with walnuts within. The very long and pleasant finish carries all the fruity flavours all the way through. The menthol returns in the tail end and creates a veil over all the fruits and the oak.

Additional information
This expression was released in 2017 as a part of Bowmore’s travel retail range. It’s matured in a combination of ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry and ex-Oloroso sherry casks.