Etikettarkiv: Recension

Glenrothes, Speyside

GlenRothes Robur Reserve

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

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and fruity. At first there are a lot of vanilla, red berries and oranges. Just underneath lies a thin layer of darker ripe plums and raisins. There’s also a floral note somewhere in between. It’s got a light character with a minty note on top but there’s a slightly complex sulfur and malt note coming from the background which gives it a nice three-dimensional character, but it’s fighting against a younger distillate with some sharp egdes to it. This is a nice nose overall. It feels a bit rough around the edges though.

Mouth: It starts out with a mild vanilla and malt sweetness on top with dried fruits and a hint of sulfur in the back. The fresher fruits have taken a step back, but there is a hint of orange peel and lemon in the back. It’s very round, easy to approach and gives a nice setting for the sherry cask notes which at this point covers the slight harshness of the somewhat young distillate.

Finish: The initial impact is a bit too mild and weak. It takes a second before the malt and the vanilla starts to awaken and for the fruitiness to return. The fruitiness is now spreading out in the background with mainly an orange peel fruity bitter note. It co-exists with a nice nutty oakiness and a slightly savory note in the back. The oakiness slowly moves forwards and the late finish is very nice. This is a good whisky with a lot to offer despite the low ABV. It ought to be a good introduction to sherried whiskies.

Additional information
The Robur Reserve is a travel retail exclusive release. It’s been aged in first fill european ex-Oloroso sherry casks for an undisclosed amount of time.

Glen Garioch, Highlands

Glen Garioch 12 YO

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ABV: 48 %
Origin: Highlands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and fruity. Vanilla and honey creates a warm and comforting center. On the outside there’s a combination of black liquorice and anise root. Dark and dried fruit notes from the sherry, mainly raisins and ripe plums, sit all the way out on the edges. It’s quite dusty and the maltiness comes through as a bread note somewhere in the back. This is a quite complex and interesting nose.

Mouth: The first thing to come up is a bright fruitiness. Red berries and lemon are followed by a nice spicyness. It’s still quite dusty and the vanilla is still in there. The honey sweetness is reduced compared to the nose. It’a quite dense and malty. The raisins comes through after a while when the fruitiness becomes darker. A bitterness grows slowly on the edges and after a while it reveals the oakiness. The sherry notes move forward with time in the glass.

Finish: A layer of dust lies on top of the now clear dark sherry notes. It’s black grapes, ripe plums and raisins together with black liquorice. It’s still malty and dense and the bread note reappears. The oak arrives late, but when it does it comes with some great flavours such as walnuts and dark chocolate. There’s even a nice little touch of tropical fruits.

Additional information
This 12 YO was released as a core range whisky in 2010. It’s aged in a combination of american ex-bourbon oak barrels and ex-sherry casks. It’s unchillfilitered and has natural colour.

Ben Nevis, Highlands

Ben Nevis 10 YO

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ABV: 46 %
Origin: Highlands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and acidic. At first there’s a strong vinegar note with a honey and vanilla base close behind. There’s a floral quality to it, but it’s like a generic air freshener scent. There is a dirty rubbery peatiness covering the edges of the glass which gives it an interesting touch. There’s also an IPA note to be found as well as notes of lemon peel. This is kind of an odd nose. It’s not bad, but it’s kind of protruding and sharp. It does settle a bit with time in the glass.

Mouth: It starts out sweet and malty with bitter and sour notes coming through. In the middle sits a speck of dust, wet hay, honey and vanilla. On the edges there are lemon peel and in between the IPA maltiness and the dirty rubbery note reside. A touch of chilli spicyness builds up after a few seconds. The vinegar and the floral notes are not as pronounced as on the nose, but the floral notes do sit like a thin cloud over everything else.

Finish: Honey and dry soil are immidiately pushed forward and covers most of the other flavours for a couple of seconds. When they settle the rubbery note reveals itself together with lemon and a very nice oakiness. It’s grey and old sun-dried wood with a touch of hazelnuts. The finish is very long and when everything else settle there’s a realization that the floral notes are still creating a thin cloud above everything else. This is a great whisky with a so-and-so nose.

Additional information
The cask types used in this 10 YO from Ben Nevis aren’t disclosed and there’s not much information to be had regarding this whisky.

Glen Moray, Speyside

Glen Moray Elgin Classic – Peated Single Malt

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ABV: 40 %
Origin: Speyside
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 2/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is fresh fruits and peat. The first impact is a wet peatiness with notes of fresh grass and heather together with a red apple fruitiness. Behind the peat there’s a young and rather unpleasant spirit note with a cardboard feel to it. It brings notes of green apples, chalk and with time toffee builds up in the center as well as a honey sweetness. This is not a great nose. it’s young, spirit driven and a bit flat.

Mouth: At first there’s a generic butterscotch note coming through as well as a young, rather unpleasant distillate. After a short while the peatiness starts to take over the whole center of the palate. It’s a bit metallic and it’s got a mineral side to it. It’s also floral with heather as a main note. The honey sweetness and a tiny black pepper spicyness start to come through as well as sweet liquorice. There’s also a feint fresh fruitiness with apples and bitter lemon in the background.

Finish: There’s a small gap where most of the flavours dip, but when they return it’s with the minerals and a mild black pepper. After a short visit from the honey sweetness and the peat, the finish just about crashes and leaves a very fresh oak note. The peat and some liquorice return for a short background visit. It’s somewhat metallic throughout. This is a so and so budget whisky. It lacks complexity and refinement but it’s a decent quality for the money.

Additional information
This was released in 2015 and is a part of Glen Moray’s core range. It’s aged for about 7 years in american ex-bourbon barrels. The peat level is about 15-20 ppm.

Glenkinchie, Lowlands

Glenkinchie 12 YO

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ABV: 43 %
Origin: Lowlands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 2
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and fruity. At first there’s a big hit of apples and pears covered in honey. There’s also a floral side to it which sort of floats on top. Vanilla and a hint of oak are slowly emerging towards the edges of the glass. In the back there are both a sour lemon and a slightly bready note. There’s also a very mild menthol layer somewhere in between the floral and the fruity notes. This is a nice and straight forward nose without any complexity, but it doesn’t come through as boring.

Mouth: It starts out with a mix of sweet and sour. The sweetness moves forward and the sourness moves to the back which leaves room for a maltiness and some fruits in the middle. There are now grapes coming through which gives it a white wine aura. The fruitiness is somewhat subdued and the floral notes increase in intensity with time. There’s a sprinkle of dust as well as some earthy notes floating around inside. After a while the lemon note turns somewhat bitter, which actually works very well with the other flavours.

Finish: The menthol layer returns for a second or two but the rest of the flavours don’t really let it take over. It still produces the floral and fruity white wine notes, the bitter lemon and now there’s a toffee note peeking through in the middle as well. The oakiness makes a late entrance and it’s not the most interesting oak. It’s there but it lacks a bit of character. This is a very good whisky which produces some nice flavours. It’s quite mild which makes it a good choice for those who are new to whisky.

Additional information
This is one of the whiskies in the Diageo series ”The classic malts of Scotland”. It was released as the entry level of the core range in 2007. It’s aged in american ex-bourbon oak barrels.

Highlands, Tomatin

Tomatin 14 YO – Port Casks

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ABV: 46 %
Origin: Highlands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweetness and dark fruits. There are raisins and vanilla with a minty overlay. Behind that there are notes of honey and sweet liquorice which create a nice depth and richness. Black grapes show up after a while and they come through somewhere in the middle of the vanilla note. The liquorice is moving forward and becomes darker and more concentrated. There is a brighter fruitiness showing up in the back with a hint of green apples. This is nice and quite complex.

Mouth: It starts out very sweet and peppery. The fruitiness comes through, at first bright then moving towards the dark side. Ripe plums are now added to the raisins and black grapes. The sweetness is dark syryp. A savory and ”rubbery” note is sitting in the dead center of everything and it’s surrounded by vanilla and raisins. After a few seconds it turns a bit bitter when the dry oak comes through.

Finish: A minty breeze pass by before a thick sweetness with syryp and honey takes over. The fruitiness is consistant throughout with the same notes coming through. There’s still a savory note in the middle. The oak is dry and dusty with a chalky texture and taste. There’s a nice amount of bitterness and some hazelnuts. And as a surprise, a tobacco note is found at the very end.

Additional information
This was added to the core range in 2014 and is matured in american ex-bourbon oak barrels for 12-13 years and finished in first fill Tawny port pipes for up to 2 years.

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Knockando, Speyside

Knockando 15 YO – Vintage 1999

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ABV: 43 %
Origin: Speyside
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and fruity. At first there’s a mix of sweet liquorice, fruits and vanilla with a minty freshness on top. The fruitiness is a mix of green apples and ripe berries with an emphasis on the apples. There’s also a gentle oakiness which sits along the edges of the glass surrounding everything else. A hint of dusty old books can be found but it’s well hidden in the background. With time in the glass it becomes a bit sweeter and a honey note starts to emerge. This is a nice nose with plenty of things to discover.

Mouth: It starts out very mild, sweet and malty. After a few seconds a ripe fruitiness comes through as well as a mild black pepper. There’s a floral undertone and a vanilla and honey background. It’s got a nice texture to it and there’s a nice richness overall. The oakiness is present but it lets the other flavours shine. There’s also a pinch of salt somewhere in the middle. The fruitiness is very hard to pinpoint and it feels like a basket of assorted fresh fruits with some ripe berries on top.

Finish: The minty freshness return from the start of the finish as well as the malty and sweet core. The fruitiness is still a mixed bag of different varieties. The old books comes through as well as the oakiness and the vanilla. There’s also a feint marzipan sweetness within. In the late finish all the flavours slowly fade except for the oakiness which stays constant throughout. It a nice oakiness with a nutty character without being bitter or protruding. There’s also a savory note which lingers in the background. This is a very nice whisky which never gets boring.

Additional information
This expression is part of the Knockando core range and it’s aged in european ex-sherry casks and american refill ex-bourbon barrels.

Ballantine’s, Miltonduff, Speyside

Ballantine’s Miltonduff 15 YO

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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. At first there’s a sweet layer with honey, vanilla and black liquorice. Underneath a baked red apple and a maltiness gets mixed with yellow pears and a decent amount of oak. With time in the glass it just grows sweeter and it feels very dessert-like. It’s a nice enough, very straight forward nose without any shifts or surprises.

Mouth: It starts out with the maltiness up front with a sprinkle of black pepper on top. A somewhat unpleasant bitter oakiness spreads in the back. The fruitiness is subdued and doesn’t contribute much to the whole. There’s also an ethanol layer coming through which isn’t all that nice. It feels way younger than its age and it just doesn’t produce anything good at this point. After a few seconds a hint of vanilla and honey shows up but it’s too little too late.

Finish: A small increase in fruitiness, the same red apples and yellow pears, starts out the finish but it disappears as fast as it shows up. Afterwards the maltiness together with a thin honey and vanilla sweetness takes over. Everything except the oak disappears quite fast. The oakiness is still a bit bitter but not in an especially good way. In the late finish the oak actually becomes a bit nutty with a hazelnut quality to it which is nice. This is a so and so whisky which doesn’t live up to the age statement. The nose is simple but by far the best part of the experience.

Additional information
Miltonduff is one of the cornerstones of the Ballantine’s blends. This 15 YO was released in 2017 and is aged in american ex-bourbon barrels.

Islands, Jura

Jura 10 YO – Origin

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ABV: 40 %
Origin: Islands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is vanilla sweetness and ripe fruits. At first there’s a mix of ripe red apples and dark red berries with a honey and vanilla sweetness on top. There are floral notes floating around as well as a cinnamon note. The whole thing is very centered and it feels like there are flavours missing around the edges. The vanilla note moves forward with time and there’s a gritty complexity which kind of builds up in the background but never seems to spread out. This is a straight forward and pleasant nose, which really benefits from time in the glass.

Mouth: It starts out with a somewhat thick layer of honey. After a few seconds the fruitiness breaks through and it’s still ripe apples and berries. The vanilla is still in there and there’s a thin smoky note floating around as well. It feels a bit narrow and it still refuses to spread out over the palate. After a while the honey and vanilla becomes a toffee note. There’s a tiny hint of tropical fruits coming through from the back but it’s very subdued and miniscule.

Finish: A fresher tropical fruitiness pushes through in the start of the transition but it’s soon covered by the honey and vanilla sweetness. It takes a couple of seconds before the sweetness start to break down and for the tropical fruitiness return. It now sits together with a very nice and nutty oakiness. It’s mainly hazelnuts but there’s a mixed nuts quality to it. The late finish is by far the best part of the journey. This is a decent whisky which suffers from being to mild and quite narrow on the palate.

Additional information
This Jura 10 YO is matured in ex-bourbon american oak barrels for the entire aging period. It’s now discontinued.

Ballantine’s, Unspecified

Ballantine’s Finest – Hard Fired

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

Tasting notes
Nose: This is fruity and sharp. At first there’s a mix of red berries and green apples sitting on top of a very sharp and unpleasant distillate. Vanilla and butterscotch notes are sitting in the background. The heavily charred oak is coming through quite clear and the charcoal is very much a central part of the whole. With time in the glass the sharpness sudsides and it becomes mild and mellow. This is a decent nose for a cheap blend.

Mouth: It starts out with a big hit of butterscotch and vanilla with a lining of mixed fruits and charcoal. The sweetness is a bit unpleasant like aspartam and it’s mixed with a sweet liquorice note. There’s a nice mellow peppery note within and a not so nice bitterness. It’s sharp and metallic in the back and there’s a wet cardboard note as well. The charcoal slowly increases in intensity for those who are patient.

Finish: The transition is a bit flat and the vanilla, butterscotch and aspartam sweetness sort of just continue on. After a second or two there’s a brighter fruitiness arriving as top notes. The sharp ethanol layer is still making up most of the background together with a slightly bitter oakiness. The charcoal disappear fast as well as the fruitiness and it doesn’t take long for it to fall apart. All that’s left is a flat oakiness and some aspartam sweetness. This is not the best of whiskies but there are some decent casks involved and it lives up to its ”hard fired” claim.

Additional information
This blend was released in 2016. It’s aged in second fill american ex-bourbon barrels. The special thing about this is that the barrels are emptied, then ”hard fired” (recharred) and then the whisky is put back in the barrel for a finishing period. Also, it’s supposedly not the same blend as the original.

Singleton, Speyside

The Singleton of Dufftown Tailfire

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ABV: 40 %
Origin: Speyside
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is fruity and spicy. At first there’s a center note of red apples and raspberries. It’s surrounded by a cloud of kitchen spices and vanilla. The background is made up by a maltiness and a young spirity note. With time in the glass it becomes fruitier and leans more towards red berries. It feels a bit flat, but it’s a nice enough nose.

Mouth: It starts out with vanilla and honey and a not so pleasant note of underaged spirit. After a few seconds the fruitiness arrives and it’s now back to a mix of overripe red apples and berries. The oakiness is dry and brings the kitchen spices along. It becomes slightly bitter and the maltiness is in there.

Finish: A surge of the overripe apples and vanilla goes by quickly and the finish is all about the european oak casks. It’s a dry and spicy oakiness with a hint of hazelnuts. It stays for a long time and the bitter side of the oakiness stays for quite the time. The finish is the best part of this whisky. It’s a bit flat and young, but there are nice enough flavours within to make it a good experience.

Additional information
This expression was released in 2014 as a part of the core range. It’s aged in a combination of european ex-sherry casks and american ex-bourbon barrels.

Glenfarclas, Speyside

Glenfarclas 105

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ABV: 60 %
Origin: Speyside
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is dark and spicy. At first there’s a sweet layer of dried dark fruits and berries covered in dark syryp with anis and herbs coming through from behind. The ABV creates a cooling effect on top which gives it a nice contrast to the dark fruitiness. The oakiness can be detected within the sweet notes but it’s residing in the background. It doesn’t change much over time in the glass except for the arrival of vanilla after a few minutes. This is a very nice and powerful nose but it lacks some depth and development to be fantastic.

Mouth: It starts out with a dark fruity center with honey covered raisins and overripe plums and then it immidiately becomes slightly astringent. The high ABV deals quite the punch and it becomes very peppery after a second or two. The fruitiness is darker up front and fresher in the back with a hint of lemon. There’s a nice gritty and complex chaos going on in the background. It feels earthy and herbal with a hint of dry soil coming through when it settles. There’s also a black coffee bitterness which starts to build up after a few sips.

Finish: The transition is straight forward and there’s no big spike in any flavour or sensation. It sort of continues on its set path along the way. The flavours doesn’t change until the oak starts to take over. There’s a thin floral note floating around somewhere up top with a resemblance to violets. The oakiness is nice enough and does a competent job in keeping the finish going and becomes a bit nutty along the way. The slight astingency never increases which is a good thing. This is a great whisky and a nice powerful sherry bomb.

Additional information
Tracable back to 1968, this was the first cask strength whisky released. It’s aged for around 8-10 years, 70 % in european ex-Oloroso sherry casks and 30 % in american ex-bourbon barrels.

Speyside, Strathisla

Strathisla 12 YO

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ABV: 40 %
Origin: Speyside
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 2
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and fruity. Honey, red berries and ripe plums create a layer that sits on top of a very clean distillate. Sweet liquorice, vanilla and a hint of salted caramel comes through after some time in the glass. This is not complex and everything seems a bit muted and soft, which makes this very approachable.

Mouth: A very mild start with a thin line of bright fruits coming through. Butterscotch is dominating the whole thing together with vanilla, honey and a hint of darker fruits like ripe plums and black grapes. It’s got a quite thick texture and a nice touch of chili spicyness. Everything is still a bit muted though.

Finish: At first there’s nothing but the mild spicyness. When they finally return the flavours has become less sweet and fruity and more bitter. There are notes of pears and butterscotch in the back, but they are soon overrun by the oakiness. The oakiness follows the same low key profile as the rest of the flavours. This is extremely approachable and easy to drink, but that also means that it lacks complexity and power.

Additional information
Strathisla is one of the main components of the Chivas Regal blends. This 12 YO is matured in a combination of ex-sherry casks and ex-bourbon casks.

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Dalwhinnie, Highlands

Dalwhinnie 15 YO

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ABV: 43 %
Origin: Highlands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 2
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is very bright and fruity. It’s a big basket of green pears and apple juice. There’s a floral overlay and the honey note is subtle and feels like the natural sweetness of the fruits. It’s very mild on the nose and very approachable. There’s a hint of oakiness and a whiff of smoke but they are well hidden. Very pleasant. It gets more dense and sweeter with time in the glass.

Mouth: It starts out with a tiny bitter note before becoming dusty and sweeter. There are honey, vanilla and musty apple notes. A little spicy touch arrives after a second or two. The bitterness turns into the oak note, which gives away the age with a grey weathered feel to it. Just as on the nose, the sweetness increases with time in the glass.

Finish: At first it’s spicy and fruity but then turns musty and dusty. The oakiness comes through with a hefty bitterness like an espresso. The oak is still old and weathered. The fruitiness is still around, but it has turned into something more like red juicy apples. It tags along down the road. There’s no astringency and it’s a very easy and approachable experience.

Additional information
This whisky is a part of Diageo’s ”The classic malts of Scotland” series. It’s aged in american ex-bourbon oak barrels.

England, The English Whisky Co

The English Original

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ABV: 43 %
Origin: England
Type: Single malt
Bottles in collection: 1
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 2/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and fruity. At first there’s a soft layer of honey and vanilla sitting on top of a young and quite lively distillate. It’s perfumey with both floral and fruity notes. Green apples, lemon and just a touch of sour grapes comes through within the center and there’s a small toffee note as well. Time in the glass is of the essence and makes it less spirity and more approachable with a nice desserty feel to it. This is a good nose but it feels a bit young and sharp.

Mouth: It starts out with custard up front and a bitter note in the back. It takes a while before the other notes pushes through but when they do it becomes very sour in the back with a mild toffee note up front. The fruit notes are the same but with a higher emphasis on lemon and lemon zest. It’s still sharp and spirit driven and it lacks the desserty overall feel the nose promises.

Finish: It starts of with a modest vanilla and toffee note in one layer and lemon zest, green apples and oak in a layer underneath. It doesn’t take long before most of the flavours fall apart which leaves a nice oakiness behind. It’s a fresh woodshop oakiness which still manages to keep itself at a nice level so it never becomes protruding. There’s a slightly dry nuttiness within as well. The late finish reveals a metallic note in the back. This is a decent whisky and there are some glimpses of great flavour combinations. Too bad it feels a bit young and sharp.

Additional information
The English Original was released in 2016 as a core range whisky. It’s aged in american ex-bourbon barrels and it’s unchillfiltered.

Cragganmore, Speyside

Cragganmore 12 YO

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ABV: 40 %
Origin: Speyside
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 2
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and fruity. It’s a center of vanilla, honey and toffee with a surrounding disc of fresh green grapes, white wine and a hint of elderflower. There’s also a hint of menthol surrounding everything. This is a one-layer, all-in-one experience. There’s no twist and turns nor changes and the presentation is very tasty in its own right. This is a great comforting easy accessible nose.

Mouth: It starts out with a mix of honey, lemon and vanilla. A speck of dust is present and the white wine note is now creating an aura around everything else. There’s still a toffee note within. The fresh green grapes are gone and the floral note has slightly changed. After a few seconds there’s a increase in spicyness. At the same time the oakiness starts to shine through. It also becomes more floral with time.

Finish: At first there’s a small gap where the floral and fruity white wine flashes by before the honey and vanilla return. They quickly subside and the white wine and elderflower once again take over together with a very pleasant, nutty oakiness. It brings some hazelnuts, but without the bitter tang. In the late finish there’s a lemon note and the oak and the sour note stays for a long finish. This is mild, but it’s still a fantastic malt. This is an easy sipper with a lot to offer.

Additional information
This is one of Diageo’s six bottlings in their classic malts of Scotland series. The cask type isn’t stated anywhere, but it’s suggested on many sites that It’s aged in 2nd fill and/or refill ex-bourbon casks.

Kentucky, Woodford

Woodford Reserve Distiller`s Select

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ABV: 43.2 %
Origin: Kentucky, USA
Type: Straight Bourbon
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and fruity. Vanilla cream, green apples and honey sit on top of a sweet corn base. A hint of nail polish remover creates a thin outer layer. The core consists of a whiff of smoke and slightly nutty oak. After a few seconds in the glass it becomes a little bit dusty and marzipan starts to appear somewhere near the middle. This is quite pleasant on the nose.

Mouth: A mild butterscotch note develops and sits as a base as other flavours emerge. Apples and cherries and anise are the main flavours that come up. It’s quite dry and slightly astringent. The oakiness comes early and bring a bitter tang to an otherwise very sweet whole. The dust and corn notes are still in the mix. The vanilla is not as pronounced as on the nose and the honey sweetness has subsided and it’s now replaced by brown sugar. The thin layer of nail polish remover remains.

Finish: Peppermint and cherries swiftly pass by and get replaced by vanilla, honey and butterscotch. Anise and a thin note of lemon comes through before a dry toasted oak takes over. The fruitiness with green apples and cherries returns and sits on top of the oakiness all the way through the finish. The oakiness stays quite mellow and the whole thing feels very well balanced all the way through. This is a tasty, easy sipper.

Additional information
This bourbon is made in pot stills. It’s aged for about 6-7 years in barrels with level 4 charring. It has a mash bill that consists of 72 % corn, 18 % rye and 10 % barley. It was first released in 1996.

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Glenmorangie, Highlands

Glenmorangie Legends – The Tayne

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ABV: 43 %
Origin: Highlands
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and slightly fruity. At first there’s a vanilla and honey sweetness together with a hint of rye and liquorice. In the center a dark and syrypy fruitiness can be found but it’s somewhat muted from the start. The whole thing is a bit withdrawn and hard to get. There’s an oakiness floating around in the back as well as a hint of lemon. This is a nice enough nose but it’s not especially interesting.

Mouth: It starts out with a nutty oakiness surrounding a sweet center core. There’s a walnut bitterness in the back and up front there’s a mix of honey, dark fruits and coffee liqueuer. There’s a mild chili spicyness which creates a much needed impact on the palate. There’s no journey through it though, except for the mild spicyness everything is just sitting there, no surprises along the way.

Finish: The same goes for the start of the finish. It sort of just seemlessly tranisitons without anything flaring up or disappering. It’s still a nutty walnut oakiness in the back and a coffee liqueuer and dark fruitiness up front. The spicyness stays at a reasonable level throughout. With time the oakiness takes over and it becomes somewhat dry and slightly astingent. The oakiness is nutty and becomes quite tasty when it leaves most of the other flavours behind. This is a good whisky but it comes of as a bit one-dimensional and boring.

Additional information
The Tayne is a travel retail exclusive released in january 2016. It’s aged in american ex-bourbon barrels and then finished in european ex-Amontillado sherry casks.

Bulleit, Kentucky

Bulleit 95 Rye – Frontier Whiskey

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ABV: 45 %
Origin: Indiana, USA
Type: Rye
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 0
Impression: 3/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is black pepper and candy cane. There’s pine and a hint of basil. It’s herbal and grassy. There’s also a vanilla sweetness and a hint of oak peeking through. After opening up in the glass the whole thing turns to dill pickle juice.

Mouth: The pine and the dill pickle juice are dominant. There’s spicy flavours such as mustard and anis, and a fruitiness with some green grapes and apples. When the oak arrives it’s very dry and astringent. It’s still herbal and grassy and the vanilla is hanging on. A feint sour lemon note hides in the background and comes forward after a few sips.

Finish: The pine note is prominent with the green grapes and apples now accompanied by a honey sweetness. It’s still grassy and peppery, but soon a very heavy oak note takes over everything. It turns very astringent and now it tastes like dry soil and weathered oak. After a second or two the dill pickle juice returns and keeps the oak company all the way to the finish line. The mustard spicyness builds up in the end.

Additional information
This rye is aged for around 6 years. The mashbill contains 95 % rye and 5 % malted barley. It’s stated that it’s sourced whisky from MGP in Indiana.

Spirit of Hven Backafallsbyn

Spirit of Hven Backafallsbyn – Tycho’s Star

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ABV: 41.8 %
Origin: Sweden
Type: Single Malt
Bottles in collection: 0
Emptied bottles: 1
Impression: 4/5

Tasting notes
Nose: This is sweet and mildly peated. At first there’s a vanilla and honey sweetness up front and a mild leathery peat in the back. In between sits a layer of red fruits. There’s a nice strawberry jam note coming through in the center. With time in the glass a black liquorice note pops up connected to the sweet layer. There’s also a note best described as pencil shavings. This is a great nose with a unique character.

Mouth: It starts out sweet and fruity with the peat now much more pronounced than on the nose. It’s dry soil and leather. The pencil shavings note is still in there as well. The fruitiness is still red fruits but the strawberry jam is gone. There’s also a green apple sourness coming through. The vanilla and honey slowly returns with time as well as the liquorice. It’s somewhat astringent. With time there’s a toffee note forming in the center.

Finish: It starts out with a burst of the fruitiness with an increase of the sour apples in the background. The peatiness waits a few seconds before returning and brings the oakiness along on the sides and in the back. There’s a round toffee and vanilla center and when the initial sourness subsides it leaves room for the red fruits once again. In the late finish the peat and oak takes over. The oakiness feels fresh like newly planes oak, but it’s not attacking the palate. This is a great, well made whisky with a lot to explore.

Additional information
This single malt is made on a small island, on which the famous astronomer Tycho Brahe lived, hence the name. This is aged in 58,20% heavily charred Quercus Muehlenbergii from Missouri, 33,44% heavily charred Quercus Petraea from Allier och 8,36% medium roasted Quercus Robur from Bourgogne. The malt is a mix of Pale Ale, chocolate, and heavily peated malt. It’s unchillfiltered and has natural colour.