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Archive for 2011

Last minute whisky gift guide for 2011

Posted in Gift Guide, tagged on December 22, 2011| 14 Comments »

Introduction

This year, I’m going to do something different for my gift guide post. It’s too late to have anything shipped in time for Christmas, but there’s plenty of time to stop by your local liquor store. I’m going to take a stab at answering a question I often get by email, or from friends:

My spouse/friend/relative likes Scotch, and I want to buy them something nice for Christmas. I know they really like [“Whisky X”], what do you recommend?

Ok, I’m not an expert, but I’ve tried enough whisky expressions in the last 3+ years to have an opinion on this. I’ll focus on whiskies I think will be available in many big box and/or specialty retailers in the U.S.

A little something for Santa...

If their go-to whisky is…

Johnnie Walker Black, try:

  • Johnnie Walker Double Black ($40+): A new “limited” release that I’m curious about myself. It costs twice as much as standard Black Label, so they might hesitate to purchase it themselves. A great reason to gift it!
  • The Glenlivet 18 ($50-$70): If you can get it in this price range, like I can here in AZ, it’s a great bargain. This is the first single malt I tried after tasting and liking JW Black, and it hooked me, so I figured I should mention it here. The new packaging makes it an even better gift.
  • Talisker 10 ($50) or 18 ($80): One of the components of JW Black, Talisker is a fantastic single malt. If the peat smoke is what draws them to Black Label over other blends, this will take it to the next level for them. Pretty bold flavors, so a moderate risk, but potentially high reward!
  • Highland Park 18 ($90-$100): If this is the price-point you’re looking for, forget Johnnie Walker Gold. This is one of the best all around single malts out there.

Chivas Regal 12, try:

  • Aberlour 12 ($30-$40) or 16 ($45-$55): My personal favorite “entry level” single malt from the Speyside region. I use this to hook whisky newbies. 🙂
  • Chivas Regal 18 ($55+): Much more flavorful than the 12 year, but certainly not a departure from the profile. Comes in a nice box, too.
  • Scapa 16 ($60+): Also owned by Chivas Bros, this is pure buttery smooth elegance in a bottle. Some balk at the price since it’s not the boldest whisky in the world, but that’s just another reason to give it to them as a gift. No guilt.
  • Longmorn 16 ($70+): Longmorn is one of the components of Chivas Regal, bringing a sharp intensity that the blends shy away from.

Balvenie DoubleWood, try:

  • Yamazaki 12 ($45): Ok, it’s not “Scotch”, as it’s from Japan, but now that they’ve familiarized themselves with American and European oak with the DoubleWood, introduce them to Japanese Mizunara Oak. Great stuff!
  • Bunnahabhain 12 (the newer 46.3% version; $45): As long as we’re talking about introducing them to something new…they may have tried other whiskies from the island of Islay and gotten scared off of the region. Surprise them with this minimally-peated bouquet of warm apple cobbler, cinnamon and malt.
  • Any of the 17 Year Balvenie special releases ($110-$120): Taking what they love about the entry-level Balvenie to the next level. Very high quality.

Macallan 12 (not the Fine Oak line), try:

  • Aberlour a’bunadh [a-boon-ah] ($50+): One of my favorites. This is, as they say in whisky circles, a “sherry bomb”. Sounds scary, but that’s ok, as your Macallan-drinking friend is already a fan of sherry cask matured Scotch. This is a very high proof cask-strength whisky, but if it’s too much for them, it holds up great when adding water. If they smoke cigars, have them try one with this as well.
  • Any Glendronach (12 $50, 15 $70, 18 $100+): Glendronach is special because it’s one of the few remaining independent distilleries. Find a local specialty shop and grab one of these expressions as a special treat.

Laphroaig 10 Year, try:

  • Laphroaig Triple Wood ($55+): New to the U.S., there’s a good chance they haven’t  tried it yet. They might also be conflicted about buying this vs. one they KNOW they love, like the Laphroaig Quarter Cask. Save them the trouble of choosing and buy them a bottle.
  • Laphroaig 10 Cask Strength ($50+): They might have avoided this one because of the high proof, figuring it was just a stronger version of the standard 10 year, but it’s much more flavorful.
  • Lagavulin 16 ($65-$95): Mmm…Lagavulin. We already know they like peat, smoke and medicinal qualities in their whisky. If they don’t love this amazing Islay classic, they should. Maybe they just need to drink more of it, so get them a bottle.
  • Lagavulin 12 ($70-$150): As great as the 16 is, it’s readily available. The 12 year is amazing in a bigger, bolder way, and is a limited release. If you see it on the shelf, grab it! [Unless they’re charging $150 like BevMo in AZ]

Premium whiskies

Looking to spend $125 plus? Try one of these:

  • Macallan 18 Sherry Cask ($125 – $150): Considered overpriced by some, it’s still a great whisky. A nice gift because they can enjoy it without feeling the guilt of over paying. I’m due for a new bottle of this myself. Any volunteers?
  • Balvenie Port Wood 21 Year ($150-$170): The definition of “dangerously drinkable”?  Even fans of “big” whiskies should be able to appreciate this sweet, juicy malt. An “occasional” drinker might think it’s the best thing ever.
  • Mackinlay’s “Shackleton” Rare Old Highland Whisky ($150+): Ok, this is only available in limited markets, but if you see it, it’s an amazing gift…a taste of what whisky was like over 100 years ago.
  • Glenlivet 25 Year ($250-$300): Great whisky, great bottle presentation, great gift.
  • Highland Park or Talisker 30 Year Olds ($300-$400): For a true Scotch lover. In return, you’ll have good karma for life.
  • Johnny Walker Blue ($150-$225): Sure, why not? If they’re just a sometimes scotch drinker, they’ll love how smooth it is, and they probably associate this expression with high quality. A whisky aficionado might be less impressed with the liquid inside (at least when their whisky club friends are looking), but would still appreciate the thought and have fun sharing it with you.

Happy Holidays, Jeff

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Redbreast 12 at Cask Strength!

Posted in Redbreast, review on December 17, 2011| 5 Comments »

Introduction

I’m really lucky to have gotten a bottle of the new Redbreast 12 Cask Strength from Irish Distilers Limited a while back. Thanks, James! It should be coming to the U.S. in early 2012. Now that I’m over half way through the bottle, I should probably write up some notes. 🙂

This Redbreast is a “Pure Pot Still” Irish whiskey, matured in a combination of sherry and bourbon casks (probably more bourbon than sherry). Fortunately, rather than explain this term myself, I can just point you to the new post on The Whisky Exchange Blog that tells you all you ever wanted to know (and possibly more) about pure pot still whiskey: Midleton Distillery Trip: Single Pot Still Irish Whiskeys Pt.1. Enjoy!

Tasting Notes

Redbreast 12 Cask Strength; Batch B1/11; 57.7%

The “official” tasting notes for this whiskey talk of a fruit explosion on the nose, and I’ve read others describe it similarly. I must say, I have a different impression. To me, it’s more of a wood explosion. Yes, the nose offers up dried fruits, apple, and a hint of banana. However, to me at least, it’s wood-based scents that really hit you over the head. Cedar wood chips and heavy vanilla, primarily. The higher alcohol content seems to thrust the woody notes right down your nostrils. Add a little water and the vanilla turns more to butterscotch, reminding me of Ponderosa Pine sap.

The nose is very nice, but the palate is where Redbreast 12 CS really shines. It starts out sweet and juicy, then those wood spices hit, gripping your tongue, aided by a drying sensation. What an amazing feeling in the mouth! The 57.5% isn’t overwhelming, either. It’s strong, but it feels right. Even more amazing, you can water it down a little and the spice and tingling stay there, further enforcing that it’s not just the alcohol content doing all of the work.

The finish brings back some of the dried fruit, which is nice, while introducing a combination of malt and grain. The grain lingers on the tongue as an after-taste.

Conclusion

This is NOT just the standard Redbreast 12 year (which I often recommend to newbies as an “accessible” whisk(e)y”) cranked up to 11. At first, I was a little disappointed by the 12 CS, as I braced myself for the aforementioned fruit explosion. I tried it side-by-side with a number of Speyside whiskies, and the Redbreast paled by fruity comparison to all of them.

Once I got over that pre-set expectation, though, I came back again and again for the unique, gripping experience experience on the palate. Also, if you’re in the mood for vanilla and wood on the nose, few will top this one. A very good nose, GREAT palate, and good finish, the whole is well above average for me, and definitely worth a spot in the cupboard. B+ (88 Points).

Cheers, Jeff

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Whisky for Movember – A beauty from Glenfarclas and MoM

Posted in Glenfarclas on November 13, 2011| 2 Comments »

Introduction

MoM Movember Glenfarclas

We interupt this not so regularly scheduled blog to bring you an exciting breaking development in the whisky world. Well, it’s a breaking development for me, anyway. This weekend, I received a surprise sample in the mail from the folks at Master of Malt. It was the new Movember bottling – an expression produced by a partnership between Glenfarclas and Master of Malt. According to the literature I received, this is a vatting of two Oloroso sherry hogshead casks, matured for 9 years. 10 casks were picked out by George Grant, Sales Director at Glenfarclas, with the final two casks chosen by Master of Malt. It’s bottled at 53%.

For every Movember bottling sold at £39.95, £10.00 will be donated to Movember. Sounds great, but how is the whisky?

Tasting Notes

Glenfarclas – Movember 2011; 53%; £39.95

Nose: Super clean sherry in the form of ripe red fruits. Just amazingly juicy, with a little bit of cooking spice, a hint of oak, and no sign of sulfur. Wow!
Palate: Still juicy, and also fairly sweet, with a pretty big impact at first, but dropping off to more of a medium impact by mid-palate. The alcohol is well controlled, with no need to water it down.
Finish: The red fruits continue right on through to the end, lingering for a medium duration in the back of the nostrils. It’s sweet with a little oak spice on the tongue. However, the taste drops off fairly quickly, leaving just a hint of oak to go with the fruit in the nostrils.

Comments:

I could sit with a glass of this and take in the aromas all night long! Sure, the finish could be a little bigger, but that doesn’t spoil the overall experience. The amazingly clean, juicy nose reminds me of my favorite Aberlour a’bunadh batches (#23 and #26). It’s a little more fruity and a little less oaky than those two, and the finish is bigger on the Aberlours, but oh, that clean sherry nose! It’s a refreshing change from the heavier Macallan-like nose often found in big sherry whiskies. I’m very comfortable giving this a personal rating in the 88-89 range. A solid B+.

Conclusion

If you love a big sherry, fruity nose on your whisky, you should enjoy this young Glenfarclas. If strong impact from palate through finish is all that matters to you, it’s possible you’ll be left wanting for more. For me, a sherry nose this clean is hard enough to find that I want to grab onto a bottling like the Movember Glenfarclas when I get the chance. After prying my nose away from the glass, following my first taste of this sample, I jumped on my laptop and ordered two bottles. I’m putting my money (well, credit card and ensuing interest charges) where my mouth is on this one.

Cheers,
Jeff

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SMWSA Tasting and Dinner coming to Phoenix Nov. 8!

Posted in whisky events, tagged on November 3, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Got this info from The Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America. You do NOT have to be a member to sign up.

Wish I could go…

SMWSA Tasting Invite

Join us as we sample 5 rare and unique Society offerings as well as expressions from the Dalmore & Isle of Jura Distilleries.

Dinner will be served to complement your evening’s enjoyment.

Phoenix
DATE: Tuesday, November 8, 2011
TIME: 7:00pm – 9:00pm. Registration begins at 6:30pm.

The Arizona Biltmore
2400 East Missouri Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85016

TICKET PRICE: $95.00 per person
Business Casual. Jackets Preferred. No denim or athletic attire.

To purchase tickets call 800.990.1991

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Expedition Whisky on National Geographic tonight – The Shackleton story

Posted in whisky news, whisky research, whisky resources, tagged on November 3, 2011| 6 Comments »

Well, good timing with my previous post on the Mackinlay’s Shackleton whisky replica. It looks like the National Geographic Channel is airing a special on the Shackleton whisky discovery and replication process tonight. I’ll be watching..likely while enjoying a dram of The Dalmore. 🙂

[Edit: Oops! I accidentally posted this as a PBS special originally. It’s actually on the National Geographic channel.]

Here is the info from National Geographic:

Expedition Whisky
Premieres Thursday, November 3 at 8pm ET/PT
Battling subzero temperatures and using only rudimentary navigational tools, explorer Ernest Shackleton set the record for reaching the furthest south in 1908, just 97 miles from the South Pole.  The expedition was cut short by a lack of food, and Shackleton returned home to a hero’s welcome in England and was knighted by King Edward VII.  But apparently, Shackleton left behind a few “necessities” from his epic journey to the South Pole.  In 2006, Shackleton’s stash of Scotch was re-discovered beneath the hut he used as his base camp.  With rare archival material and the last remaining film footage of Shackleton and his crew, “Expedition Whisky” not only tells the amazing story of Shackleton’s most successful adventure and his secret stash of whisky, but also shows a world’s top taster on a mission to sniff out and remake the vintage.

Shackleton’s Whisky Recipe
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/national-geographic-channel/specials-1/expedition-week-1/ngc-shackletons-whiskey-recipe.html

Whisky Find of the Century
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/national-geographic-channel/specials-1/expedition-week-1/ngc-whiskey-find-of-the-century.html

Cheers,
Jeff

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At long last…Mackinlay’s Shackleton whisky replica

Posted in Dalmore, review, tagged on October 31, 2011| 11 Comments »

Introduction

Mackinlay's Shackleton replica bottle

Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky is a replica of the whisky found under Earnest Shackleton’s hut in Antarctica, from an expedition in 1907. After some of the original whisky was very carefully thawed out, Master Blender Richard Paterson had the opportunity to try it, after which he created this replica whisky expression. It’s a limited edition of 50,000 bottles, and comes in really cool packaging. Bottled at 47.3% ABV, with no coloring or chill-filtering, it is now available in the U.S. for a pretty steep suggested retail of $200. Shopper’s Vineyard has it for $145, though.

I’ve been dying to get my hands on some of this whisky, but was not having much luck. First, I got an email out of the blue in April from the PR department at Whyte & Mackay saying that a sample was on its way, followed by an “oops” email that they couldn’t ship to the United States. Then I came across an opportunity to split in on a bottle and get 50ml for about $20 (including shipping from Netherlands). Well, I paid the money, but never saw a sample. I guess somebody working for the postal system got thirsty.

The sample I’m reviewing here came from the baddish group, who I believe handles PR for Whyte & Mackay products here in the U.S. Thank you Laura and Patty!

Tasting Notes

This is a blended malt (single malts only…not a traditional “blend”), with no age statement, but is said to contain malts ranging from 8 years to 30 years. The 30 year portion likely comes from Glen Mhor, which was one of the backbone distilleries for Mackinlay’s back in the day, but was shut down in 1983.

Mackinlay’s Shackleton replica whisky; 2011; 47.3% ABV; $150 – $200

Nose: Creme brulee sweetness (vanilla, caramel, and caramelized sugar), light peat smoke (like Highland Park, not Islay), something grassy and a little “wild”, polished wood and dusty books, and little bit of Dalmore chocolate orange.
Palate: The sweetness carries through, both caramel and chocolate. There is some nuttiness, and a hint of peat. It has an interesting way of being both easy going and untamed at the same time. Not sure how to describe the untamed part, except that it reminds me of Springbank 10 year.
Finish: Sweetness on the tongue, with earthy peat followed by tea and tobacco leaves lingering in the back of the nostrils. A great combination, except it dies off pretty quickly, just leaving some caramel flavor on the tongue.

Comments: The Shackleton replica vatting tastes to me like a high quality blend, composed of Dalmore 12, Highland Park St. Magnus, and a little Springbank 10, all laid down on a bed of good column still grain whisky to smooth things out and make it easy to drink. The Dalmore traits especially stand out, from the manner in which the sweet profile presents itself to the library and tea leaf notes. The smoke and grass combination is where HP St. Magnus comes in. Enjoyable from start to [a little disappointingly short] finish, this ranks as a high B whisky in my personal scoring system. 87 points.

Conclusion

I’m really glad I got a chance to try Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt. It’s a special whisky, for sure. While I mentioned a number of familiar components, the way they’re combined results in a unique and enjoyable profile. I hope Whyte & Mackay ends up making a standard release Mackinlay vatting or blend with as much of this flavor profile as they can squeeze in. I won’t be paying $150 for a bottle of this limited release expression (it’s going on my Christmas wish list, though), but I strongly recommend seeking it out in some manner. Whether that be via full bottle purchase, or through a local whisky club or bottle share.

Cheers,
Jeff

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Master of Malt Blogger’s Blend. The I’s have it.

Posted in blends, tagged on October 20, 2011| 3 Comments »

Introduction

Ok, it’s been a LONG while since Master of Malt announced their Blogger’s Blend contest. But dammit, I bought the samples and took my notes, and wrote most of this article 2 months ago, so I’m going to do a blog post on it. 🙂

In short, the idea behind the Blogger’s Blend is to have 10 popular whisky bloggers concoct their own blend from a special blending kit provided by Master of Malt. MoM would then package up samples of all 10 blends and let the people decide which is the best value for the money. The winner would be bottled and released by MoM. Pretty cool! The sample set was priced at around $48, taking conversion rate into account. Add shipping and you’re in the $70 neighborhood. Pretty steep, and I almost didn’t do it, but I wanted to support my fellow bloggers.

I thought about posting my notes on all of the blends, but most people are never going to have access to them all, and besides, there are already good accounts of the whole set available. Check out Whisky Notes for one of the best round-ups. I’m going to provide notes for Blend “I”, which is the one I picked as my favorite. The samples came with an information sheet, which listed the amount that each blend would cost if it wins. The prices range from £36 to £68, with Blend I priced at £55.

Tasting Notes

Nose: A little bit of lemon and coal smoke combination like Caol Ila. A little bit of tar like Laphroaig. Very relaxed, though, tamed perhaps by the grain and other malts in the blend.
Palate: Peaty, a little sweet, but most notable for what’s not there…I just don’t taste anything that reminds me of cheap grain whisky at all in this one.
Finish: Longer than many of the other Blogger Blends, but medium in the grand scheme. Smoke in the back of the nostrils that once again reminds me of Caol Ila. It’s peaty, yet delicate at the same time.

Comments: I swore going into this that I wouldn’t get sucked in by my islay-leaning preferences, but dang it…I love this whisky! Of all of the malts and blends I’ve tried over the past 3+ years, this might be the one that I would most like to use as an introduction to Islay peat smoke for smoky whisky newbies. It reminds me of Johnnie Walker Blue with its ability to present smoke on the nose and in the finish, while also going down smoothly and not overwhelming at any stage in the drinking process. Well done! A solid B rating in my book.

Conclusion

Since trying the set of blends and voting for Blend I as my favorite, I’ve learned that “I” was indeed the first place vote getter, and apparently by a wide margin. Well, at least if I was duped by the prominent use of Islay whisky, I wasn’t the only one. I really do think this offers an experience similar to what you get from JW Blue (but with a narrower flavor profile). I don’t think the Blogger’s Blend is as complex as the $200 Blue Label, but for the area where the two intersect, I think “Blogger’s Blend I” accomplishes the same feat of making a smoky whisky easy and enjoyable to drink (though Blend I leans more towards an Islay smoky profile than JW Blue). It has an easy going finish that will leave the occasional whisky drinker marveling at how “smooth” it is.

Unfortunately, another way it’s similar to JW Blue is that, as a whisky enthusiast, I’m having a hard time justifying the purchase of a bottle relative to the many brilliant single malts available at the same or lower price point. Actually, if I lived in the UK and could avoid the shipping cost, I would probably buy a bottle.

So, why did I choose one of the most expensive whiskies as the “winner”, when we’re supposed to be taking value into account? My justification is that even the least expensive blend is expensive by blend pricing standards. For comparison, many people think Johnnie Walker Gold is a good value at $70 relative to some super expensive whiskies, even though it’s 3.5 times more expensive than JW Black. That’s where I’m at with these blends. Blend I is to JW Gold as several of the other blends are to JW Black. It’s just that they’re all more expensive than I would like.

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Where I buy whisk(e)y

Posted in whisky resources, tagged on July 24, 2011| 4 Comments »

Introduction

Sabbatical. That’s what I’ll call my scotch blog break over the past 7 weeks. I didn’t necessarily plan to take so much time off…a week of family vacation here, a business trip there, a couple of medical procedures that each prevented me from drinking anything for a week. When I did have a little free time, I was working on beefing up my JavaScript/CSS/HTML programming skills.

Now I’m back, and I have quite a few tasting notes to post. But first, a public answer to a question I get now and then via email…

Where do I buy my whisk(e)y?

I’ve blogged about far more whiskies than I have access to via local stores. I have people ask me where I find this stuff, especially the expressions that are only available overseas. I do have some links to online sites on my Whisky Resources page. However, let me discuss in a little more detail my purchasing approach.

Local Purchasing

For any more “common” expression, especially when it comes to bourbon, I will start out with my local stores. I also check in periodically with my local specialty liquor store for certain special releases, such as the Diageo releases in the Fall.

  • Total Wine & More: Here in AZ, this is the best priced big box store. They make their money on wine, offering up many scotch and bourbon expressions not much above their purchase price. I also like it that they have somebody like Greg Tuttle who is active on Twitter as @TotalWine, and has pushed for some in-store scotch tastings. They also have a deal going with Duncan Taylor’s Battlehill brand to offer up some unique one-off expressions, like the Caol Ila 25 year that my wife bought me for Christmas.
  • BevMo: I’ll periodically buy from here. There are a couple of expressions that are priced lower than Total Wine, but most are higher. I do have a membership and keep an eye out for coupons or special deals. Recently, they’ve also started offering some interesting looking A.D. Rattray bottlings…their equivalent to the Battlehill expressions at Total Wine.
  • Specialty Stores: I really like the idea of supporting smaller, local specialty shops. The best one that I’m aware of here in the Phoenix, AZ area is Sportsman’s Fine Wine and Spirits. I know there are some for whom this would be a really big deal relative to the big box stores, kind of like the anti-Walmart crowd. I do value being able to talk to somebody at the store who is enthusiastic about Scotch or bourbon. Hopefully, your local specialty store will also have tasting events, which are a great way to get familiar with new whiskies. Ultimately, though, I’ll only reach so far on price. If Lagavulin 16 is $70 at the big box and $105 at the specialty store, I’m going to go big box (or mail order) for that one. On the other hand, if the price difference is reasonably small, I’ll pay a bit more and purchase from the specialty store.
  • Hole in the wall stores: You know these stores…they’re often located on the “other side of the tracks”, and the sign out front simply says “Liquor.” When it comes to whisk(e)y, they probably sell far more small, flask-shaped bottles for under $10 than they sell Highland Park or Ardbeg. I’ve found some really interesting bottles at these stores, though…expressions that are no longer available at the more popular stores. I found a Dalmore 21, Glenmorangie 15, older dumpy bottles of HP 18, Aberlour a’bunadh Batch 15, and more. One store in particular had obviously purchased an initial stock of scotch around 2006/2007 and had never sold much of it. You can’t find this stuff at BevMo.

I’ve spent quite a bit of time visiting all of these stores, and I now have a pretty good idea in my head which expressions are available where, and who has the best price for a particular brand or even individual expression. Regardless of your stance on specialty vs big box, you should definitely spend some time at your local specialty store and get to know the people, their whiskies, and their pricing model. Sometimes they’ll have prices on certain expressions or brands that even the big box stores can’t touch. Plus, you’re more likely to get useful suggestions for new expressions to try.

If you get great service/advice at your local specialty store, please consider buying there, even if it’s a few dollars more than at BevMo or Total Wine. I mean, I get it if they’re charging 30-40% more and you decide to purchase elsewhere, but don’t run down the street to the big box to save $5 on a $75 bottle they just introduced you to.

U.S. mail order

I’ll go mail order for expressions I can’t find locally, or when the deal is just too good to pass up. Here are a few places I’ve ordered from with much success. If you can order several bottles at once, you really cut down on the shipping cost. However, I’ve tended to be a 1 or 2 bottle at a time buyer. There are deals to be had even with this purchasing approach.

  • Shopper’s Vineyard: Subscribe to their newsletter and follow them on Facebook or Twitter to keep tabs on their deals. Sometimes they even go so far as to offer near wholesale prices with free shipping!
  • Astor Wines: I purchased Lagavulin 16 from them for $50 plus shipping!
  • For Scotch Lovers: Join their newsletter and check out their Whisky Wednesday deals. They’re not all great, but there are some gems in there.

I also know people who have purchased from Beltramo’s, Hi Time Wine, and Binny’s very happily.

International mail order

There was a time a couple of years ago, when the exchange rate was lower, that it was a much easier decision to purchase from the UK. Now, you really have to look for the right deal, and purchase enough bottles to keep the shipping costs in check. Still, there are some expressions you just can’t get in the U.S., and it’s good to know there are trusted sources elsewhere.

  • The Whisky Exchange: This is where I started with overseas mail order. They have great people, a HUGE whisky fan/collector for an owner (well, he’s not a huge person, but he’s a significant collector and he knows his whisky), and fantastic service. Their shipping for a single bottle is on the expensive side, but order several and you’ll do fine. Their shipping service is top notch. You can track your shipment, and it’s FAST! Check out their own-bottled expressions under the Single Malts of Scotland or Port Askaig brand names. They have some real winners!
  • Loch Fyne Whiskies: Another super high quality store, located in Scotland. I order most of my special one-off editions from them, such as the HP Earl Magnus releases, and the early Kilchoman expressions. They’re very good to their customers. Get on a waiting list for a special release, and they’ll make sure you get it.
  • Master of Malt: Another great group of people…true whisky enthusiasts. I didn’t order from them for a long time, as they don’t subtract the UK VAT in the basket when you set up an order. However, I found out that you can just email them and ask for a refund on that portion of the purchase and they’ll credit you. Not ideal, but it worked, and I trust them. My favorite thing about MoM is their sample program…a great way to try before you buy, or try something that you can’t afford a whole bottle of. Also, like The Whisky Exchange, Master of Malt bottles some really exciting expressions of their own.

Trading

Once you’ve built up your whisky collection to more bottles than you can drink over several years (or for some, in your lifetime), a great way to keep trying new expressions is to get to know other enthusiasts and start trading. I’ve gotten to try some amazing expressions this way. You can also do things like split in on an order and divide bottles up between several people.

Conclusion

Well, there you go…my approach to buying and trading for new expressions on my whisk(e)y discovery journey. Yes, I’ve also gotten some free samples as a blogger, but I’ve purchased or traded for most of my collection. I know there are other great stores out there. If you have a favorite mail order source that I haven’t mentioned, I’d love to hear about it!

Cheers,
Jeff

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Birthday dram 2011: A 31 year Glenglassaugh bottled for TWE

Posted in Glenglassaugh, review, tagged , on June 1, 2011| 7 Comments »

Introduction

I’ve taken to using my Birthday as an excuse to purchase myself a very nice bottle of whisk(e)y, possibly at a cost in excess of what I really should be spending. I suppose ability to afford said whisky bottle should play into the equation, but such is the plight of a Stage 4-ish whisky fanatic. This year, I purchased my May birthday dram in December 2010…and waited. It’s a Glenglassaugh 31 Year, distilled in 1978 and bottled for The Whisky Exchange for their 10th Anniversary of doing online sales. It’s bottled at 44.6%, and carries an interesting old-style label.

Glenglassaugh 31 TWE 10th Anniversary

I had decided that I really wanted to try one of the special TWE Anniversary bottlings, but which one? There was a Linkwood that got 91 points on whiskyfun that looked really interesting. They also had an Amrut bottling, which was even priced well under $100. Then I read the whiskyfun review of this Glenglassaugh. Specifically, this quote caught my eye:

Nose: starts aromatic and generous, with big notes of ‘old style club Speysider’ if you see what I mean.

No, I don’t see what you mean! I’m a mere 3 years into my whisky discovery process, with no ‘old style club’ experience. That settled it…with my increasing interest in sherried whiskies, a 90 point rating from Serge, and a solid history of quality releases from The Whisky Exchange, this sounded like a great whisky AND an opportunity to get a feel for a ‘traditional’ single malt flavor.

Tasting Notes

Glenglassaugh 1978 / 31 Year / TWE 10th Anniversary (44.6%, £108.33 ex. VAT)

Nose: Definite sherry notes here, of the red fruits variety – mostly dried fruits, but some fresh red berries still poking through despite the age. This is combined with alcohol and wood influences that form what Tim F at The Whisky Exchange would call “old church pews” (OCP). It’s overall a great combination, but my feeling is that the OCP serves as a bit of a veil over the fruitiness. A few drops of water really opens it up.
Palate: Still fruity, but also quite spicy and oaky, like an old bourbon. The initial attack is pretty bold, seemingly bigger than expected based on the 44.6% ABV. Quite lively for its age. Starts drying the tongue immediately as it heads for the throat. With water, it’s fruitier and sweeter, reminding me of Dalmore 21 Year.
Finish: Oh, so very dry on the tongue. Fortunately, the dried fruit and berries linger in the back of the nostrils, providing something of a balancing act and distracting from what many might consider too much dryness. As a fan of old, woody bourbons, I’m not turned off by the feeling on the tongue.

Comments: Ok, that nose is really good. With literally a couple of drops of water (not too much, though), it’s great! I could sit with a dram of this and take it in for an entire evening. I’d put the nosing enjoyment level up close to my favorite Laphroaig 30…very special. The palate and finish suit me well, but it is a bit on the dry side. 92 points for the nose and 88 points in the mouth. So at the risk of looking like a Serge copycat, I’m going with 90 points overall on my personal scale. A- (90 Points).

Conclusion

So there we have it, a glimpse into the past at an “old style” Speysider. This certainly was a different Speyside experience than I’m used to. However, the individual components can be found in other modern whiskies. That “old church pew” on the nose reminds me of the “library with leather-bound books” flavor/scent that I’ve experienced with some Dalmores. Some of the sensations on the palate and finish can be found in 15-20+ year wheated bourbons. If this is really the kind of profile you used to find in younger Macallans “back in the day” then those really were the good old days of sherried whiskies.

Cheers,
Jeff

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Comparing two “affordable” old Caol Ilas

Posted in Caol Ila, review, tagged , , , on May 16, 2011| 2 Comments »

Introduction

In February, I had a couple of unexpected samples show up at my door. One was a Caol Ila 30 Year and the other a Highland Park 13 Year; both bottled by Master of Malt at cask strength. These unsolicited samples were not part of the samples program that I previously blogged about. A bunch of bloggers received these two samples out of the blue, and I’ve included links to the resulting reviews that I know about at the bottom of this post.

My favorite way to review samples is to be able to compare them to other expressions that I’m more familiar with. In this case, I happen to have gotten a Battlehill Caol Ila 25 year from my wife for Christmas. Battlehill is supposed to be the “entry level” line from Duncan Taylor, specializing in 6-10 year expressions. They seem to have branched out a bit, and this Caol Ila 25 year is a single cask release sold exclusively by Total Wine & More.

Two old Caol Ilas

Tasting Notes

Battlehill Caol Ila 25 Year (Bottled for Total Wine & More; 43%; $110)

Nose: A cleaner, sweeter version of Caol Ila 12, with citrus and subtle smoke. Lots of vanilla, some fresh oak, and Werther’s caramels. This is all very well balanced, with perhaps less wood than you would expect of a 25 year. I would have guessed that this was more in the 18-21 year range.
Palate: Medium to high viscosity, but also juicy and sweet on the tongue. There is some nice pepper, but not in the same league as a “Talisker kick.”
Finish: Classic Caol Ila finish with lemons and ashy coal smoke. Again, it’s cleaner than the 12 year, with none of the youthful peat that I sensed in that one. The smoke is more subtle than the 12 year, but still very much the focus here.

Comments: Overall, it’s excellent. Everything that first captured my interest in my Caol Ila, and more. It’s refined and very, very drinkable. I think 3-5% more ABV would have brought it into Ace territory, but that’s not the Battlehill style. Rating: B+ (89 Points)

Master of Malt Caol Ila 30 Year Single Cask (1980/2010; 57.4%; MoM Exclusive £99.95)

Master of Malt Caol Ila 30

Nose: Lifesaver butter rum candy and pineapple, then mango. Actually, more like a whole bouquet of soft fruits. Vanilla. Faint whiffs of smoke. Very rich and elegant. I could nose this for hours at a time…we’re talking some serious 30 year old magic here.
Mouth: Holds back at first and then the 57.4% ABV explodes on the late middle to back of the tongue. More woody than the nose indicated. Enjoyable, but a few drops of water provides a more consistent experience over the whole tongue, with more fruity flavors.
Finish: Finally, we get a more sooty smoke that reveals some distillery character rising up in the back of the nostrils. On the tongue, continued heat along with sweets and fruits. However, as the smoke and sweetness dies off, I’m left with a stale malt flavor that takes over and lingers. Hmm…not what I expected. It reminds me of the late finish on my 200ml bottle of Glenkinchie 12. Adding water to bring it down closer to 45-50% ABV seems to cut down on the stale malt component. I just discovered this at the end of my sample…wish I could try again to confirm.

Comments: I thought this whisky provided a world-class experience on the nose, along with moments of greatness on the tongue and into the early finish. However, I was a bit put off by what my olfactory senses perceived as some staleness at the end, especially at full strength. On the nose, this was an Ace. I wish I had a little larger sample to play some more with adding water. As it stands, the finish brings it down a little for me. I’d put it just below the 25 year overall. Rating: B+

Conclusion

Many thanks to my wonderful wife for buying me the Battlehill Caol Ila 25 year. What a great treat this has been. A big thanks to MoM as well, for the 30 year sample. How cool was it to be able to compare these two expressions?  [answer: very cool.] At just over $1oo for the 25 year, and $160-ish for the 30 year, I’d say both of them are a relative bargain, considering the distillery 25 year bottling costs $200.

I don’t know how many bottles of the Battlehill were made. According to to Greg Tuttle at Total Wine, these “bottled for Total Wine” Battlehill releases are all single-cask. At a 43% ABV dilution, we’re just talking a few hundred bottles. I can easily recommend purchasing one if you find it.

The Master of Malt bottling is a little less cut and dry. The price is certainly amazing for a 30 year (though our exchange rate kind of sucks right now). When I first took in the nose, I thought I was going to HAVE to get my hands on a bottle. The finish changed my mind, but adding water was looking promising as a potential panacea.  I recommend checking out the other opinions below. Nobody else seems to be complaining about any stale malt sensation. Maybe it’s just me. You can also get a sample from Master of Malt to see for yourself.

Other Opinions

The folks at Master of Malt were quite generous with these samples. Some of the fruits of their labor:

  • Whisky Israel – Gal really enjoyed it. 90/100 points.
  • Dramming.com – Not quite as much of a rave, noting some “interesting” herbal notes.
  • Jewish SMWS – I think it’s safe to say Josh is a fan.
  • A Wardrobe of Whisky – A whopping 93/100 points!
  • Edinburgh Whisky Blog – Tasting both the Caol Ila and HP sample in a fascinating location.
  • Whisky Boys – Another review of both the Caol Ila and HP, with three opinions in one review.
  • It’s Pub Night – A recommendation to add a wee drop of water, and probably not a bad idea.
  • Malt Fascination – Sjoerd gave the Caol Ila 30 pretty high praise. Notable since he doesn’t care for the distillery 25 year bottling.

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