tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post3637846992705285697..comments2024-02-28T07:23:12.706-04:00Comments on Jason's Scotch Whisky Reviews: Review: Auchentoshan Three Wood Single Malt Scotch WhiskyJason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-13071106754516904012018-08-16T21:08:58.478-03:002018-08-16T21:08:58.478-03:00It sits in the mid - $90's down here in Aus. H...It sits in the mid - $90's down here in Aus. Having tried the lovely Glenmorangie Nector & Q.R.... Gee even the Aussie Starward and Hellyers Rd whiskys (bloody nice) are heaps better value<br /><br />AL (from OZ) Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-14168591853120777342015-06-21T17:16:06.343-03:002015-06-21T17:16:06.343-03:00lovely wee dram !! i live in glasgow were its dist...lovely wee dram !! i live in glasgow were its distilled but have never tried it until today, beats glenfidich 12 and 15 years hands down , very smooth and pungent.neogeonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-23023052667471907362014-06-07T23:50:57.938-03:002014-06-07T23:50:57.938-03:00Just bought a bottle today, and I must say it has ...Just bought a bottle today, and I must say it has a wonderful nose and palate. The one thing that detracts, for me, is that the legs are so thin as to be next to non-existent.Ronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07047936237056326893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-61218629464572992422012-06-20T09:02:42.090-03:002012-06-20T09:02:42.090-03:00Hello Jason,
It will sound a little off-topic but...Hello Jason,<br /><br />It will sound a little off-topic but, reading about ABV differences of Old Pulteney described in the comments, came in mind a doubt I have a long time about Highland Park 12 ABV. The one sold in USA is 43%, in Europe is 40%. Is there a legal reason about that difference depending on the country?<br /><br />Because I have both bottles, and for me, the 43% has more flavours. And I have to always ask for the US version.<br /><br /><br />Best regards,<br /><br />Kdfukuyama.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-75813761403776768292012-06-08T10:20:12.946-03:002012-06-08T10:20:12.946-03:00Thanks for the expert knowledge on this issue.
I ...Thanks for the expert knowledge on this issue.<br /><br />I do agree with you that consumers are hesitant to return wine or spirits if it is flawed. I think most people do not like confrontation or being accused of scamming, but there should be no such accusations. Fact is that quality assurance is never 100% in any industry, and the alcoholic beverages business is no exception.Jason Deblyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-16834032082543315872012-06-08T02:08:12.545-03:002012-06-08T02:08:12.545-03:00From your description of the flavors of the "...From your description of the flavors of the "bad" bottle, it seems to me that the culprit was likely TCA, or tricholoroanisole, a compound generated by fungus that can infect cork wood. As a winemaker I can assure you that this is a problem we worry about constantly. TCA, aka cork taint, has a high affinity for alcohol, and a very low sensory threshold (as low as 2 parts per billion). With the higher alcohol of Scotch, not to mention the delicate aromas, it's a wonder we don't hear about this problem more often.<br /><br />In the US, returned cork-tainted wines would be accepted by any reputable retailer, who would know they could simply pass it back to their distributor (who would pass the cost on back to the winery, who may even ask the cork supplier for a refund), but far too many consumers aren't willing to make the return, alas.<br /><br />Also, at lower levels (or at higher levels for less sensitive noses), TCA simply deadens the aromas. Nothing smells bad, exactly, there's just not much to smell. So a wine, or a malt, might just taste simple and dumb, rather than bad, with the producer, rather than the closure, blamed. As a producer, this is the nightmare scenario! At least with full-blown TCA the consumer knows something is wrong!Wines for the Peoplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09095439358615901235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-83635929236818190782012-06-07T09:54:15.393-03:002012-06-07T09:54:15.393-03:00Oh I don't doubt it's coloured with carame...Oh I don't doubt it's coloured with caramel, because the label says so. The shop where I get my whiskies gets most of their stock through Germany and there they have to mention it on the label. The shocking thing is that the colour difference is at least two tones darker.<br />I just checked the Old Pulteney site and they still state 43%, but you can see on the bottle thats pictured that is says 40%, so I guess that proves there is a lot of mixing and changing going on. <br />I'm going to try to get hold of an older bottle and exchange it. It's hard to see why we should be paying the same amount for a lesser product...<br /><br />BorisAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-81688731902769428122012-06-07T09:18:30.294-03:002012-06-07T09:18:30.294-03:00Similar customer service principles exist at New B...Similar customer service principles exist at New Brunswick Liquor Corp. While I often complain about state owned liquor stores, in Canada, they do seem to handle defective products efficiently and fairly.Jason Deblyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-39808948459841399302012-06-07T09:12:04.929-03:002012-06-07T09:12:04.929-03:00I reviewed Old Pultney 12 a while ago and I found ...I reviewed Old Pultney 12 a while ago and I found it to be very unexceptional, disappointing and well, I didn't like it. Mind you, I reviewed the 40% abv bottling. Other people really rave about it. I could never understand. Sounds like variation from batch to batch may play a role.<br /><br />When a malt is much darker than the last bottle of it you bought, you gotta wonder if the distillery heaped a bunch of caramel colorant into it?<br /><br />As you probably know, single malts are more susceptible to variation between batches than blends.<br /><br />Any how, it is really impressive how Glenfiddich 12 and Glenlivet 12 has been so consistent in flavor profile over the years.Jason Deblyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-13205205613362721222012-06-07T07:17:30.709-03:002012-06-07T07:17:30.709-03:00Hi Jason,
I'm not that surprised to read abou...Hi Jason, <br />I'm not that surprised to read about the big diferrences between bottles. I have recently bought a second bottle of Isle of Jura 16 year old, as it was keenly priced and the new bottle is much darker in colour than the previous one (bought at the same shop, within three months).<br />More worryingly, I also just replaced an almost empty bottle of Old Pulteney 12y, and it has also been darkened in colour and reduced from 43 to 40% alcohol. I haven't compared them yet, but it's hard to imagine this being an improvement. <br /><br />Cheers, BorisAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-27352666381582876662012-06-06T15:20:16.064-03:002012-06-06T15:20:16.064-03:00Well, between this retraction(?) and Chip Dykstra&...Well, between this retraction(?) and Chip Dykstra's review over at The Rum Howler, I'm going to have to update my own entry again!<br /><br />Regardless, I admire your journalistic independence and integrity on this issue. While there is always subjectivity and differences between palates when it comes to whisky tasting, I'm glad you gave it another shot (pun intended).<br /><br />While some of the other comments have indicated surprised that the store took the open bottle back, it shouldn't be all that surprising. To quote the LCBO's policy on returns:<br /><br />"How do I return a defective product?<br />The LCBO Quality Assurance Department is committed to providing the highest quality beverage alcohol products available. All products listed must be laboratory tested prior to appearing on store shelves. And it doesn't stop there. Products are continually monitored by our lab even after they reach our stores. By bringing a problem to our attention, you are assisting the LCBO in maintaining these high standards. <br /><br />If you feel you have purchased a defective product from the LCBO, you may return the product to any LCBO store for a full refund. No receipt is necessary in this situation. When a defective product is returned, the pertinent information is forwarded to the LCBO’s Quality Assurance Department. If the problem is serious and widespread, the department may order a product withdrawal across the province. <br /><br />Return of a faulty product must indicate immediate discovery. Defective returns will not be accepted when the majority of product is absent from packaging."<br /><br />How are you to know if it is defective if it hasn't been opened and partially consumed?Danhttp://dan-the-tax-man.livejournal.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-89037669076329417732012-06-06T09:29:13.520-03:002012-06-06T09:29:13.520-03:00This world needs more humor and less negativity, a...This world needs more humor and less negativity, and if it can be achieved in a whisky tasting note, so much the better.<br /><br />thanks for commenting!Jason Deblyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-27281083219520585462012-06-05T22:59:11.206-03:002012-06-05T22:59:11.206-03:00Hello Jason !
First of all I like humor You put in...Hello Jason !<br />First of all I like humor You put in this story.<br />Your expedition to store, adventure with door and whole conversation, which was illustrated with 3 photos. Musician, porn actor and politician. What a trio ha ha ha <br />Very funny and clever.<br />Second - You have my respect, that You try to be fair and objective in Your opinions. After bad notes about above whiskey, You did not forget about it, but You try to stay positive,try to stay on bright side of shadow, try to find reason for bad testing, other then distillery.<br />I did not taste this whiskey, but I drunk Auch 12 and 18. Fortunately, it was in a bars and after that I am not interesting to try this one :)<br />Greetings......................MarekAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-50543564178047470002012-06-05T22:23:12.985-03:002012-06-05T22:23:12.985-03:00I have heard from many readers that it is not thei...I have heard from many readers that it is not their style either. It's a decent malt, but not great by any means.Jason Deblyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-86453539268758291252012-06-05T16:07:03.647-03:002012-06-05T16:07:03.647-03:00Jason, Last evening at our local pub (Brendan'...Jason, Last evening at our local pub (Brendan's, Camarillo). I bought a round for our whisky group as we watched the LA Kings skate. We weighed in on the Auchentoshan Three Wood: Nose - Taffy, caramel and dried fig, hints of coconut and cooked breakfast cereals. Palate - cocoa, coconut, almond, lemon, beets; fat and syrupy in texture. Finish - caramel, milk, very grain-heavy flavor, slightly bitter; not particularly long or satisfying. Luckily not flawed, but not my style. Cheers. JKJKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03355557111713061160noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-4892693830810153852012-06-03T06:38:53.903-03:002012-06-03T06:38:53.903-03:00I'm amazed this doesn't happy more often b...I'm amazed this doesn't happy more often but modern production techniques seem pretty reliable. The only incidence I've experienced was with a bottle of Talisker that was off the scale in peaty taste. Something had gone wrong being the standard bottle and having the opportunity to compare it against another bottle. Great, that the store swapped it. I guess they had plenty of bottles on the shelf after your last review!!Glen Mhor Whiskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18332265190121712442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-57439558552439684652012-06-02T15:28:34.282-03:002012-06-02T15:28:34.282-03:00Jason, You may have beaten the odds in two ways on...Jason, You may have beaten the odds in two ways on this second bottle. First, your liquor purveyor is someone one looking past just one sale, not always something one encounters. Second, you may have obtained a second bottle from the same "batch" or shipper's pallet from the supply chain but you got one NOT similarly infected with wood or cork taint. Cork infections seem to run in batches, as might those bottlings sourced from a barrel infection. I'm envious too; I've never tried to return a spirit before, though have done so with wine, several times. JKJKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03355557111713061160noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-36329259924054438342012-06-02T07:30:07.358-03:002012-06-02T07:30:07.358-03:00That's unfortunate.
The sales guy was also pe...That's unfortunate.<br /><br />The sales guy was also persuaded by the fact that the bottle was more than 3/4 full. It wasn't a case of me trying to get a new bottle with the one I was returning half gone.<br /><br />Other reputable retailers will do exchanges, as they should. The deal is you pay a lot of money for their product. If they sell a defective product, they should take it back and give you another one in order to uphold their end of the bargain/contract.<br /><br />Now, we should not return a bottle simply because we don't like the taste. It has to be flawed, and that is the rub. Sometimes it is hard to know when a bottle is flawed.Jason Deblyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-59597995943921755542012-06-02T02:35:32.395-03:002012-06-02T02:35:32.395-03:00So the store took back an opened bottle? That'...So the store took back an opened bottle? That's pretty cool of them. I'm sure if I walked into my local liquor store and asked for a different bottle because I said it was flawed, I'd be told they couldn't do an exchange.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com