tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81769406572899762652024-03-10T05:21:40.998-03:00Jason's Scotch Whisky ReviewsReviews of Scotch, bourbon, Canadian and Irish Whiskies!Jason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.comBlogger311125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-16805772729131281882022-09-16T16:14:00.015-03:002022-09-16T20:04:11.915-03:00Jay-Z's D'Ussé VSOP Cognac<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdh0dM-0dTtqjV540ur-EnEsT7N-vk9b0K5RfvsM9bwMT9rgEaGWwfVR6nNNDu2AIIL13Ox7CKrv6ei5u-ggFPBEPZ1ulRkEU4KsdAyNAJG-02i5ivCuKtzDNaUcwA8CZkFsyC9NiD8EAgtRkEuxD9-SZ6kBAGDwI1IYAfV1cvzcSaXx7VxZIWVs4G/s2048/Jay-Zs%20Cognac%20Dusse.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdh0dM-0dTtqjV540ur-EnEsT7N-vk9b0K5RfvsM9bwMT9rgEaGWwfVR6nNNDu2AIIL13Ox7CKrv6ei5u-ggFPBEPZ1ulRkEU4KsdAyNAJG-02i5ivCuKtzDNaUcwA8CZkFsyC9NiD8EAgtRkEuxD9-SZ6kBAGDwI1IYAfV1cvzcSaXx7VxZIWVs4G/w300-h400/Jay-Zs%20Cognac%20Dusse.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><b><i>Celebs Selling Snake Oil?</i></b> <div>I am always a wee-bit suspicious when a celebrity endorses a brand of drink. <div><br /></div><div>Why?</div><div><br /></div><div>I am wondering if it's all about the bags of money exchanged for their endorsement. So many celebs have lately hopped on a spirits money train. There's Sammy Hagar (tequila), George Clooney (more tequila!), David Beckham (whisky) and even Bob Dylan (more whisky!). So much for the hippie ethos of Blowin' in the Wind! Just send some bucks Bob's way and he will be comfortably tangled up in greenbacks.<p></p>So, as I stare at a bottle of D'Ussé VSOP Cognac, I tell myself, "I am going to suspend judgment," and at the same time try to forget the horror tasting I did of an artificially darkened spirit promoted by Drake that was called 'Virginia Black' that strongly tried to masquerade as being a cognac. It was a bizarre whisky science project in a bottle.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><b><i>Jay-Z</i></b><div>I don't know much about the guy other than: he grew up in the NYC projects, sold drugs on street corners, got into rap music, made his fortune in rap music, and then ventured into the business sphere where he has enjoyed considerable, well incredible success, given that he is now a billionaire. Unlike a lot of celebrities who fritter away their wealth, he has exercised impressive business acumen, with investments in a wide range of industries including spirits. He is a true rags to riches story that I never tire of.</div><div><br /></div><div>D'Ussé VSOP cognac was initially launched in 2012. Jay-Z was an early investor who became a part owner of the brand, and publicly endorsed it in advertising, as well as drinking some of it from his Grammy trophy at the time. The other owner is Bacardi. For Bacardi, it was their first foray into the cognac market.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfkm3uIF-BnyHo1ABe8AplezIwSjsi0-O3HdBvDfH7OLf9JTppwMayrFoAW_IUAO-AMRfYJq68Eup-kv4zkCFc3vJbZsGeLWwaL2Z64jEDdQv4snoGNzwaRyKq32SgzDdQwW6lbiuf8hYQWkF4cFfGBNgYoIh4G17AmjxfFuVYoKsrGvNWE58cpY1u/s2048/Jay-Z%20Cognac%20Dusse.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfkm3uIF-BnyHo1ABe8AplezIwSjsi0-O3HdBvDfH7OLf9JTppwMayrFoAW_IUAO-AMRfYJq68Eup-kv4zkCFc3vJbZsGeLWwaL2Z64jEDdQv4snoGNzwaRyKq32SgzDdQwW6lbiuf8hYQWkF4cFfGBNgYoIh4G17AmjxfFuVYoKsrGvNWE58cpY1u/w300-h400/Jay-Z%20Cognac%20Dusse.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div>While corporate ownership is relatively new, the actual producer of this cognac knows what they are doing. The spirit is made at the Château de Cognac (it's a 1,000 year old castle where cognac production dates back to 1820) and the idea for the cognac germinated in the mind of a well-regarded master distiller, Michel Casavecchia. He wanted a more up-to-date VSOP cognac that was more approachable, and that would also work in cocktails. He also developed an XO.</div><div><br /></div><div>After the release of D'Ussé VSOP, the reviews were pretty harsh. Critics online didn't like it at all. I must admit I read a few, and steeled myself for my tasting (hoping that at no point would my gag reflex be engaged).</div><br /><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>Country</i></b><br />France<br /><br /><b><i>Category</i></b><div>Cognac</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Grade</i></b></div><div>VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale) designates a blend in which the youngest brandy is aged for at least four years in a cask.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>ABV</i></b></div><div>40%</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Nose (undiluted)</i></b></div><div>Strawberry, sweet candied oak, leather, mint and inviting floral tendrils.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Palate (undiluted)</i></b></div><div>Rich, luscious red licorice, caramel, milk chocolate, while sweet initially, mid-palate it transitions to red wine (merlot) commences a march to a drier clime.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Finish (undiluted)</b></i></div><div>drying with a little heat, green apple, fresh mint leaves and toffee.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>General Impressions</i></b><br /> Damn the critics! This is good! All their reviews date from about ten years ago, at the time of the market launch, and maybe it wasn't as good then as it has become now? All I know, is that in 2022, it's balanced, interesting, approachable, and great for the cognac newbie wondering about where to start in this spirits category. Connoisseurs may find it a little light on the palate, but alas it is not a defect in my opinion. Not every cognac must be a chewy caramel, chocolate granola bar. </div><div><br /></div><div>Just my hunch that this cognac has been improved over time. Spirits brands do evolve sometimes where the owners start sourcing different ingredient parts. I have seen this in the whisky category a couple of times. Teacher's Highland Cream had a key sherry cask malt (GlenDronach), but the owners at one point substituted another sherried malt and it impacted the flavor profile. Same thing happened with the blended Scotch, Black Bottle. Used to be very peated and Islay in style, but a few years ago they abandoned that style and opted for a more sherried style and the change in flavor was like 180 degrees, and not for the better. Maybe that happened here with D'Ussé? Can't say for sure, but might be the case, except the changes were an improvement, maybe even, a dramatic improvement. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, in light of the above, I guess I will be the lone critic that likes D'Ussé. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm gonna cue up <i>Money Ain't A Thang</i>. Jay-Z got it going on with that track and this cognac!</div><div><br /></div><div>Cheers,</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Jason Debly</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XGiNlGzKdp0" width="320" youtube-src-id="XGiNlGzKdp0"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div></div>Jason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.com0Fredericton, NB, Canada45.9635895 -66.643115117.653355663821152 -101.7993651 74.27382333617885 -31.486865100000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-4280856453616314572022-08-15T16:14:00.004-03:002022-08-16T10:35:20.478-03:00J&B Scotch Cocktail Recipe for Heatwaves!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYUuw4ohFsT-ePilKgxP3AlY9QpdnBDrPLKk6Mqly70_dqqmX93vwiAtDxb-QyyDLB7aqhbr68zyiceCg5OkTnKE4Eu91Z5F118vyLQXOBQto9bDiWtoaADTJ33dJpaJZnKWdLfYqWKpT_8KDPerkMqILBrYUU4nFizsjGOV4EQD0rmnjWsu7nJe8/s4032/Fever-Tree%20Ginger%20Beer%20and%20J&B%20Scotch.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYUuw4ohFsT-ePilKgxP3AlY9QpdnBDrPLKk6Mqly70_dqqmX93vwiAtDxb-QyyDLB7aqhbr68zyiceCg5OkTnKE4Eu91Z5F118vyLQXOBQto9bDiWtoaADTJ33dJpaJZnKWdLfYqWKpT_8KDPerkMqILBrYUU4nFizsjGOV4EQD0rmnjWsu7nJe8/w300-h400/Fever-Tree%20Ginger%20Beer%20and%20J&B%20Scotch.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Today is a heatwave. The air shimmers above the highway pavement, dogs with their tongues hanging, and not a cotton swab in the grampy's baby blue, Crown Victoria sky.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Walk outside and it's like walking into a gym sauna. You know, furnace like air temperature. Maybe this weather foreshadows what I can expect in the afterlife. Oh well, I banish that thought as I enter the heavenly chill of my local air-conditioned liquor store.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I am on a mission to find a tonic to provide comfort from the fiery sun ablaze above. My studies in alchemy tell me that Scotch and rum on their own will not work. Beer is for young people. I have a beer and my stomach goes condo with space for rent. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">On one aisle I see J&B Rare. Nothing 'rare' about this bottom shelf blended Scotch whisky. It's everywhere and usually always on sale. By itself, on a day like this, it's torture, but I get inspired. I know that this is not a blend worth drinking neat. A lot of blends are designed as the alcoholic anchor of a mixed drink and J&B is a shining example. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I hop on the J&B website which is a lot more modern and hip than the antiquated bottle label. The site has mixed drink suggestions, and what I like is that they are simple concoctions. No 'mixologists' here! Don't need obscure ingredients or shavings of this and a touch of that. I looked at all the recipes and settled on "J&B and Ginger ale" except I decided to substitute ginger ale for ginger beer. There is a difference my friend. So, I grabbed a bottle and then headed to Costco to get some good quality Fever-Tree ginger beer (no alcohol). </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I am not paid anything by whoever makes Fever-Tree ginger beer, but would gladly take their money because their product is fantastic! Real ginger used, carbonated water and sugar. That's pretty much it. What I like about Fever-Tree is that it doesn't taste super sweet like typical soda. Maybe that is because it is made in England and exported to mugs like me in North America. This ginger beer has a real nice spicy/tart bite to it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3eD2LIvnDlsB76LibgqhoatFUy5RxF8YlxJrUIRU0R7z6Tge4qYlo6XDj9JPwQVBaiJtbNE_mPQbOI9rVpCSY7XPqEDMPE0uDZEbwNWYxvWNzygmU5VTVZd3xlepknlBupJNjsWsURJiS98BAsW8bv3y1GifcWNZgNsSRivqZYZaDRlKJJa9YG13/s4032/J&B%20Summertime%20Scotch%20Cocktail%20recipe.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3eD2LIvnDlsB76LibgqhoatFUy5RxF8YlxJrUIRU0R7z6Tge4qYlo6XDj9JPwQVBaiJtbNE_mPQbOI9rVpCSY7XPqEDMPE0uDZEbwNWYxvWNzygmU5VTVZd3xlepknlBupJNjsWsURJiS98BAsW8bv3y1GifcWNZgNsSRivqZYZaDRlKJJa9YG13/w300-h400/J&B%20Summertime%20Scotch%20Cocktail%20recipe.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><b><i>J&B Rare with Ginger Beer Recipe</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Twist off the cap of your J&B bottle. You're gonna use that cheap metal cap to measure out two capfuls of J&B Scotch into a tall glass (preferably Irish Galway crystal - everything tastes better in crystal doncha know).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />2. One lemon or lime. Slice it into wedges. One of those wedges is going into you tall glass.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">3. Lots of ice, I mean three or four cubes.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">4. Fever-Tree or other similar high quality ginger beer. But, friend, make sure its at room temperature. We don't want it refrigerator cold. Chillin' is the job of the ice. So, pour that ginger beer into your glass.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">5. Wait exactly one minute to let the ice chill your ginger beer and J&B.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">6. Now have a taste!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Cheers!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Jason Debly</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibH96ykeTdA024Bqpfwz4ff604ulcl9sM2mymnz6aB45Ees_HKUikf06XHxKWqeYTk48nM-5IZGXzHLmpdqk_YdpAac0GJ3NbkfI3eJGeXs5N8NW1jsCvSm9As44TLLUoJJff31qhZ0Je1tKrZ5y7zHtaYUbLMdgGbYpKi17JiYD1dEjKqUpWYYivC/s4032/J&B%20Scotch%20cocktail%20suggestion.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibH96ykeTdA024Bqpfwz4ff604ulcl9sM2mymnz6aB45Ees_HKUikf06XHxKWqeYTk48nM-5IZGXzHLmpdqk_YdpAac0GJ3NbkfI3eJGeXs5N8NW1jsCvSm9As44TLLUoJJff31qhZ0Je1tKrZ5y7zHtaYUbLMdgGbYpKi17JiYD1dEjKqUpWYYivC/w300-h400/J&B%20Scotch%20cocktail%20suggestion.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p>Jason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.com0Fredericton, NB, Canada45.9635895 -66.643115117.653355663821152 -101.7993651 74.27382333617885 -31.486865100000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-7897147841449809782022-07-20T16:28:00.012-03:002022-08-16T14:49:20.054-03:00Glenfiddich 15 year old Solera Single Malt Scotch Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGgIGIEmLR74EMBwitXnwEG4-RbeaUaPYzYfk2h735QDE3ZwseoaWqM-PwwNuIt9PCuwerL5r0LJQPOrqlaTElgI1QTLL3yyPClj2ZEH0zC1k9g10aGMK1AJ6ygMXvTVOW6WhZhWNlS0jXWQaNJbYVOAlvtDCGn5x-p2GN6ZGW6mI4zEMiNHXfjVfg/s4032/Glenfiddich%2015%20year%20old%20Single%20Malt%20Scotch%20Whisky%20Review.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGgIGIEmLR74EMBwitXnwEG4-RbeaUaPYzYfk2h735QDE3ZwseoaWqM-PwwNuIt9PCuwerL5r0LJQPOrqlaTElgI1QTLL3yyPClj2ZEH0zC1k9g10aGMK1AJ6ygMXvTVOW6WhZhWNlS0jXWQaNJbYVOAlvtDCGn5x-p2GN6ZGW6mI4zEMiNHXfjVfg/w400-h300/Glenfiddich%2015%20year%20old%20Single%20Malt%20Scotch%20Whisky%20Review.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I saw this on the shelf, at my local liquor store, and thought it was time to revisit it. Fifteen years ago, I was a big fan of this single malt. It was a nuanced honey, barley, golden cereal type of flavor profile that exhibited impressive complexity. It was totally in my wheelhouse: a classic Speysider on the lighter honey based flavor map. Back then, Glenfiddich 15 Solera had a place on my shelf alongside other malts with similar flavor profiles like Cragganmore 12 and Glenmorangie 12 Nectar d'Or.</p><p>So, while the security cameras watched my every move in the liquor store, as I hefted the bottle in its tube, I decided to pull the trigger, and approached the cashier. $99! Times have changed. Used to be much cheaper. But, I thought this is a fifteen year old single malt and given that age statement, $99 in Canada is fair. My friends south of the Canadian border are probably getting it for $70 or so. Still fair I think at first glance.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqg2ZXaSHxJraAIHZTYKLLyFo5SRT_Ie_bFsgOCoNoq-Pfn0XyHrlzWY9nuS1SYgCblFbG6467EOVWX3ts07JdIfSoKNACZr6sRyfbhXQNKkjk_M143FCQX4AkZtwP3DKHQbJ3VowYELrrFkjCCyLlgDSZfmiplviR_fvjZm2QTwHaRaISnV1Vm9aK/s4032/Glenfiddich%2015%20year%20Solera%20Single%20Malt%20Scotch%20Whisky%20Review.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqg2ZXaSHxJraAIHZTYKLLyFo5SRT_Ie_bFsgOCoNoq-Pfn0XyHrlzWY9nuS1SYgCblFbG6467EOVWX3ts07JdIfSoKNACZr6sRyfbhXQNKkjk_M143FCQX4AkZtwP3DKHQbJ3VowYELrrFkjCCyLlgDSZfmiplviR_fvjZm2QTwHaRaISnV1Vm9aK/w400-h300/Glenfiddich%2015%20year%20Solera%20Single%20Malt%20Scotch%20Whisky%20Review.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>So, I get this bottle home, sit out on the back deck, pull the cork, pour a dram and just let it sit for about 10 minutes or so. Let it breathe. I do this because sometimes the first dram poured too soon tastes a little tight or hot with some single malts. Highland Park 18 comes to mind. Best to open the bottle, have a dram after twenty minutes, and it will taste even more mellow a week from then because of oxidation. </p><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Solera?</i></b> </div><div style="text-align: left;">While my dram breathes, I think about 'solera' on the label, and what it really means. 'Solera' is a method of aging port and sherry that originated in Portugal and Spain. </div><p>Imagine rows of barrels or casks, stacked five or so levels high, all connected by pipes, and sherry drained from the ground level casks is the oldest, and the empty space in the cask is replaced with sherry from the cask of the row above. Meanwhile, as the oldest sherry is bottled by draining the floor level barrels, more young sherry, is poured into top row barrels. This is the purported Solera system, but from what I have read, the term is used very loosely meaning the actual aging and blending of spirit may not be adhering to Spanish tradition outlined above. </p><div style="text-align: left;">The solera technique also is purportedly used by some rum producers. However, I read one rum expert write he had never seen a Solera system employed at any distillery as described above. So, who knows what the truth is? Anyhow, you and I now have some understanding of what Glenfiddich wants you to believe. I suspect the use of the Solera term is more marketing than fact.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Category</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Single Malt</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Region</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Speyside</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Age Statement</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">15 years</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>ABV </i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">40%</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>Artificial Color</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Yes.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Chill Filtration</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Yes.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Availability</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Widely distributed.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Price?</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">For a 15 year old single malt, the price was reasonable. Most single malts of this age statement are priced 40% or so higher.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Wood Management</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Ex-sherry casks, European oak, New American Oak.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Nose (undiluted)</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Honey, dandelions. Pleasant. Speaks of quality. Light aromas.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Palate (undiluted)</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Apple juice, honey, apricots, white grapes, a hint of raspberry.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Finish (undiluted)</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Short. Tastes young on the finish of flabby white grapes. Hint of bitterness. Is that ginger? For a 15 year old single malt there should be some length of flavors. Faint, stale note of New York City, yellow taxi cab, cigarette smoke hanging in the backseat.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>General Impressions</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">This may say a 15 year old single malt, but the ingredient whiskies are tasting much younger. Notes of pearl onions . . . ahh not in a good way. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Really disappointing. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">15 years ago or so, I really liked this malt, but not now. Somehow, it tastes young. Maybe the ingredient whiskies are much closer to 15 years age statement and years ago it was composed of more older whiskies closer to 18 years? Can't say for sure, but does taste that way.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In a peer review, this used to be on par with Cragganmore 12, but not anymore as Cragganmore continues to outshine this malt. As for Glenmorangie Nectar d'Or, the age statement has been sadly dropped and it too is now a disappointment.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Not recommended!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Best,</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Jason Debly</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">PS. Here's my YouTube review: </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lRTYuLWu150" width="320" youtube-src-id="lRTYuLWu150"></iframe></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Jason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.com3Fredericton, NB, Canada45.9635895 -66.64311513.2833694101274631 -136.9556151 88.643809589872532 3.6693848999999972tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-57988597908152995252021-03-16T14:19:00.000-03:002021-03-16T14:19:20.584-03:00How to Drink Scotch Whisky!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="247" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Wx9OfVDQzgU" width="320" youtube-src-id="Wx9OfVDQzgU"></iframe></div><p></p>Part 2:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/otqGD672jr0" width="320" youtube-src-id="otqGD672jr0"></iframe></div><br /><p>Cheers!</p><p><br /></p><p>Jason Debly</p>Jason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-50824967526800234922020-09-21T14:05:00.023-03:002020-09-24T15:59:00.135-03:00Scotch Review: 'Blue Hanger' 11th Limited Release by Berry Bros. & Rudd<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivadZZn0fTmnquBcZkvtf0bhpdVlVmbIfRIYCGPzUFwYhQ4hOwaS3a1SIaWDgDVH_hi8NGLr8xA8B6aktY97NaSmUwJjzH69XhnMZ-J2TLCYJX7ilzy4pZqHXVBNnPXIzx1tYfJD3gdig/s2048/Blue+Hanger+11th+Release+2014+Review.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivadZZn0fTmnquBcZkvtf0bhpdVlVmbIfRIYCGPzUFwYhQ4hOwaS3a1SIaWDgDVH_hi8NGLr8xA8B6aktY97NaSmUwJjzH69XhnMZ-J2TLCYJX7ilzy4pZqHXVBNnPXIzx1tYfJD3gdig/w400-h300/Blue+Hanger+11th+Release+2014+Review.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b><i>Blue Hanger</i> 11th Release (Berry Bros. & Rudd)</b><p></p><p><i>Berry Bros. & Rudd </i>are the oldest wine and spirits merchant in the United Kingdom. Established in 1698, initially selling coffee, the firm gradually expanded into and wine and spirits. It's the latter that draws our attention. </p><p>This independent bottler can be visited today at their retail shop at 63 Pall Mall, which they moved into in 2017. The previous retail premises, located at 3 St. James', that has been occupied by the firm dating back to 1698, now serves as their corporate offices in London.</p><p>This independent bottler puts out some interesting single malt and blended malt releases. They have enormous stocks of single malts acquired from largely uncommon distilleries over the years, and after some expert cask aging, malt selection and blending, you get to try whiskies that are interesting, often obscure and of high quality. One such series, <i>Blue Hanger </i>(launched in 2014), is a blend of single malts. Blended malt production involves a vatting process (re-casking into a single container) that hopefully allows the flavors of the individual malts to compliment each other when married by the master blender. </p><p>In the past, some releases had astounding age statements like the 2nd Limited Release of <i>Blue Hanger</i> that was made up of <i>Glen Grant</i> and <i>Glenlivet</i>. It had an age statement of 25 years. Meanwhile, the 3rd Limited Release was a <i>Glenlivet</i>, <i>Glen Elgin</i> and <i>Mortlach </i>concoction that carried a 30 year age statement. Needless to say, these were amazing releases. However, <i>Berry Bros</i> stopped releasing age statement bottlings of <i>Blue Hanger</i> a few years ago. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXXQHgDumT5pl4PQzCOA7meOfpcSnfp53X76wiRmSuz2sTSDoube1UEkBfioRL2FfPUwkC-TzBNxUf2CCzER7XwlmmJRV2YCfqBZ9byiI6EfQhfdseumivt1gAsMK8y6CxGlACjiOJ29I/s2048/Berry+Bros+%2526+Bros+Blue+Hanger+Review+11.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXXQHgDumT5pl4PQzCOA7meOfpcSnfp53X76wiRmSuz2sTSDoube1UEkBfioRL2FfPUwkC-TzBNxUf2CCzER7XwlmmJRV2YCfqBZ9byiI6EfQhfdseumivt1gAsMK8y6CxGlACjiOJ29I/w480-h640/Berry+Bros+%2526+Bros+Blue+Hanger+Review+11.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>While this 11th Limited Release doesn't have an age statement, it does have some other impressive qualities.<div><br /></div><div><b><i>Bottled</i></b></div><div>2014</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>ABV</i></b></div><div>45.6%</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Natural Colour?</i></b></div><div>Yes.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Chill-filtration?</i></b></div><div>No.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Category</i></b></div><div>Blended Malt.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Format</i></b></div><div>700ml.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Nose (undiluted)</i></b></div><div>White Bordeaux, gentle peated tendrils of aroma drift upwards, oranges and other citrus scents.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Palate (undiluted)</i></b></div><div>Spiced oak and malt, lemon drop sweetness, wild honey, dried orange peels, tart crab apples, golden barley, creamy Swiss chocolate.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Finish (undiluted)</i></b></div><div>Medium length of feather light licorice, peat, flint, grapefruit and lemon zest. There is also a graphite, mineral, lead note with smoke that remains.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>General Impressions</i></b></div><div>While there is no age statement, I am unconcerned in the sense that I am not tasting any youthful whiskies that bite or kick jarringly upon the palate. This whisky is balanced, pleasing, good, but not great. Why? It lacks some complexity. Consumed neat at 45.6% ABV is a bit too much for me. So, I add water which improves this blended malt, but still given the price I paid (not cheap!), it should have some pizzazz. With just a couple drops of water it improves. Becomes creamier and draws out a custard note. The finish becomes more lemony like a lemon meringue pie.</div><div><br /></div><div>The ingredient malts are purportedly peated and unpeated <i>Bunnahabhain</i>, <i>Aultmore </i>and I taste some <i>Teaninich</i>. The combination of these malts from a vatting of 8 casks (4 hogsheads, 3 sherry butts and 1 puncheons) somehow fails to live up to the promise and reputation of <i>Blue Hanger</i>. This release was named after a loyal customer, William Hanger, the 3rd Lord Coleraine, a dandy who dressed always in blue. I wonder if he might find this blended malt a bit too foppish even for him, and his midnight blue velvet frock coat.</div><div><br /></div><div>Best,</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Jason Debly</div><div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GyOQUtR20vY" width="320" youtube-src-id="GyOQUtR20vY"></iframe></div><p></p></div>Jason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-75436308635645974652020-09-17T15:24:00.008-03:002020-09-22T14:22:12.074-03:00Scotch Review: Royal Brackla<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_Es78TnZdgHJibLLX3CfnLc_5zfmvNvFsrNiNKKyG2WkCdtZJ14v4idDb3m2Q8cuY4G2n5PtxdmZ8bjGqwDG3VFgawODrVj6OUdM3yMTPyZSricMHKIOU04nWutV_qDYCMAxQNK6gvs/s2048/Royal+Brackla+Single+Malt+Scotch+Whisky+Review.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_Es78TnZdgHJibLLX3CfnLc_5zfmvNvFsrNiNKKyG2WkCdtZJ14v4idDb3m2Q8cuY4G2n5PtxdmZ8bjGqwDG3VFgawODrVj6OUdM3yMTPyZSricMHKIOU04nWutV_qDYCMAxQNK6gvs/w400-h300/Royal+Brackla+Single+Malt+Scotch+Whisky+Review.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div>In the Scottish village of Cawdor you will find the Royal Brackla distillery that was established in 1812.</div><div><br /></div>Royal Brackla is an obscure distillery that has generally made rare and largely unnoticed appearances in releases by independent bottlers. In 2015, the distillery started to release its single malt. While you are probably not familiar with this distillery, you have tasted it a bit if you ever tried any Dewar's whiskies, as it is an ingredient malt in their blended Scotch releases.<div><br /></div><div><b><i>Category</i></b></div><div>Single malt Scotch whisky.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Region</i></b></div><div>Speyside.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Closure</i></b></div><div>Cork stopper.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Age Statement</b></i></div><div>12 years.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>ABV</i></b></div><div>40%</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Chill-filtration?</i></b></div><div>Yes, I think so.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Artificial Colour?</i></b></div><div>Unknown. I think in 2020 they announced to have natural colour but no such declaration on the bottle.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Wood Management</i></b></div><div>I visited the website and it states that the 12 year old is <i>finished </i>in oloroso sherry casks. So, that means it was not aged for a full twelve years in those casks. Finishing is much shorter period of time. Maybe six months to two years. This impacts flavor and potential for complexity.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Nose (undiluted)</i></b></div><div>Piercing, concentrated citrus notes. Sea air.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Palate (undiluted)</i></b></div><div>Oranges, vanilla, and then old English cheddar. White pepper and charred oak.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Finish (undiluted)</i></b></div><div>Medium length. Tangerines, some milk chocolate, lemon and ginger root and then the cayenne pepper turns bitter.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>General Impressions</i></b></div><div>A straight forward sherry cask dominated single malt. Adding water only made it bitter. This single malt is a bland presentation of sherry cask influenced malt whisky. There was no complexity of flavor exhibited by the spirit. A very mediocre sherried malt that is understandably used for blending of Dewar's, which happens to be a very mediocre blended Scotch brand.</div><div><br /></div><div>Not recommended, unless you picked it up really cheap.</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Zur8rq53itg" width="320" youtube-src-id="Zur8rq53itg"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Best,</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Jason Debly</div>Jason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-54725409033138664632020-06-11T00:13:00.001-03:002020-06-15T09:40:54.857-03:00Scotch Review: Cragganmore Distiller's Edition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvXABXgCAwZhxTIizvx6WVBAVqjO0Qkuk4hIcebll5y35HVsbMTccexJpC_RxskS5r6vvr2bahL_Nfb4kp-TqeM9eYmphyphenhyphenB7B7BtiivwBRg2j7Ln0D0p88_R1cbUvkgVXhRTKnxuefCw/s1600/Cragganmore+Distillers+Edition+Single+Malt+Scotch+Whisky+Review.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvXABXgCAwZhxTIizvx6WVBAVqjO0Qkuk4hIcebll5y35HVsbMTccexJpC_RxskS5r6vvr2bahL_Nfb4kp-TqeM9eYmphyphenhyphenB7B7BtiivwBRg2j7Ln0D0p88_R1cbUvkgVXhRTKnxuefCw/s400/Cragganmore+Distillers+Edition+Single+Malt+Scotch+Whisky+Review.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Most people know I am an eccentric with a wide variety of eclectic interests and fixations, none of which are lucrative. Life coaches say: make millions following your passion in life! If I did that I would have a closet full of Saville Row bespoke clothes, every New Yorker magazine cover framed, all coffee table books devoted to Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater, and a bank account far in the red. <br />
<br />
Like the eyes of a cat fixed upon a bird chirping in a tree, my focus is often upon the weighty matter of good whisky. And so, at whisky festivals, line-ups at the bank, grocery stores, and anywhere else I happen to be, the most common question I get is: <br />
<br />
<i>What scotch do you recommend?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Without knowing anything about the person, other than the fact that they have no inkling of what they like, I respond authoritatively with the zeal of a megawatt smiling YouTube life coach:<br />
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<i>Cragganmore 12 year old. Try it. If you don't like it, I will buy the bottle from you.</i><br />
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Money back guarantee always seals the deal! And you know what? I have never had to buy a bottle yet. You see, Cragganmore 12 is what I regard as the <i>gateway drug</i> of the single malt world. This Speyside malt with loads of honey, caramel, marzipan, the incredible lightness of clouds with a touch of smoke and a wee pinch of peat delivers satisfaction and that Day Tripper hook, that reels you back for one more sip. Works every time! So, when I spied the Cragganmore Distiller's Edition on the shelf at the store of my local purveyor of incredible lightness of being, I had to have it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgptQI4SFX0_e3M95FHgRnf7z2z5y0JZ30p3iKU60agqK13S24UXFIboAqKHSHSpGEECi1_P7tFW1Q5vETJcB1MxaR1KEXbJfpxcQzm40RRqtIa710KOzguCXjVtzD2Cepj0p5DxvC89Ao/s1600/Cragganmore+Distillers+Edition+Single+Malt+Speyside+Scotch+whisky+review.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="1001" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgptQI4SFX0_e3M95FHgRnf7z2z5y0JZ30p3iKU60agqK13S24UXFIboAqKHSHSpGEECi1_P7tFW1Q5vETJcB1MxaR1KEXbJfpxcQzm40RRqtIa710KOzguCXjVtzD2Cepj0p5DxvC89Ao/s400/Cragganmore+Distillers+Edition+Single+Malt+Speyside+Scotch+whisky+review.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Now, I need to have a word with you about distiller's editions. When these are released it is usually a new twist upon the standard malt offering of the distillery. Often I have thought some distiller's editions are <i>distiller's disappointment</i>. The higher priced DE fails to impress and often just falls flat. The ABV is not even higher and chill filtration is still going on. So, what am I paying extra for? A different label and slightly different casks used?<br />
<br />
So, I also had some trepidation when I purchased the Cragganmore Distiller's Edition (distilled in 2007 and bottled in 2019).<br />
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<b><i>Cragganmore 'The Distiller's Edition'</i></b><br />
<br />
Distilled in 2007.<br />
<br />
Bottled in 2019.<br />
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<b><i>Closure</i></b><br />
Cork Stopper.<br />
<br />
<b><i>ABV</i></b><br />
40%<br />
<br />
<b><i>Chill Filtration?</i></b><br />
Yes.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Artificial Color?</b></i><br />
Yes.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Wood Management</b></i><br />
Here is the twist, what you are paying for: aging in port casks for an unknown period of time. I like port finishes, so here's hopin'.<br />
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<b><i>Price</i></b><br />
About 25% higher than the standard 12 year old release.<br />
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<i><b>Nose (undiluted)</b></i><br />
Fruit forward, raspberries, strawberries, very floral too, roses?<br />
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<i><b>Palate (undiluted)</b></i><br />
Spicy, rich red liquorice, velvety texture, full mouth feel, big body, weighty, black grapes, orange peel and a complex tapestry of caramel and maple sugar.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Finish (undiluted)</i></b><br />
Medium length balsamic vinegar, pears, port wine, and a dusting of smoked almonds.<br />
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<b><i>General Impressions</i></b><br />
Wow! In spite of an ABV of 40%, this tastes heavier and more complex. Complexity abounds in the warm almond/cashew and maple sugar profile with a little smoke. Not too sweet. Such balance. I am really impressed. So impressed, I bought a second bottle.<br />
<br />
I always seem to gravitate to whiskies with a port finish and this whisky is no exception. It is less heavy on the port notes than say Glenmorangie's Quinta Ruban, and instead offers a delicate/more complex port finish.<br />
<br />
This bottle is a testament to how chill filtration and the use of distiller's caramel do not diminish the magic in a bottle.<br />
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Highly recommended!<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BYq1pYl6uSA" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Cheers!<br />
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Jason DeblyJason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.com5Fredericton, New Brunswick Canada46.305673184339113 -66.02299123553352432.542278184339111 -97.663616235533524 60.069068184339116 -34.382366235533524tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-62828414526516205052020-05-12T14:38:00.002-03:002020-05-14T08:53:33.814-03:00Rum Review: Goslings Family Reserve Old Rum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRDarfEeTFNkRbLkPDiusEzghA7dpNFqkp1uno0UOLElCiLqX9SVBElh15TLfqlgsB8pibKhM6ms2iMVd-itmkRNIQwIDe9TAivpQ7oKoySw6MYv7_TXchIC8IwzDpGfhvC400BCoFbiM/s1600/Rum+Review+Goslings+Family+Reserve+Old+Rum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="740" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRDarfEeTFNkRbLkPDiusEzghA7dpNFqkp1uno0UOLElCiLqX9SVBElh15TLfqlgsB8pibKhM6ms2iMVd-itmkRNIQwIDe9TAivpQ7oKoySw6MYv7_TXchIC8IwzDpGfhvC400BCoFbiM/s400/Rum+Review+Goslings+Family+Reserve+Old+Rum.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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On the inside cover of the packaging, the pictured above tale is told of how a young man, son of a wine and spirits merchant, ended up in Bermuda, instead of America. Mr. Gosling explored the island, and finding no one selling wine and spirits, decided to set up shop. He astutely recognized that sailors do like a drink now and then. His descendants expanded into rum, which is now the principal offering of the company bearing his surname.<br />
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A word should be said about the <i>Goslings </i>rum of Bermuda. It is not actually distilled on the island. This company imports rums from Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad. The imported rum is aged in ex-bourbon casks (and possibly other types of wood casks), and then blended according to recipe. So, think of <i>Goslings</i>' enterprise as one of aging and blending rum for sale, as opposed to being a distiller. Nothing wrong with that. <i>Goslings </i>are to rum what independent bottlers like Hart Brothers are to Scotch whisky. Just thought you should know. A lot of incorrect claims on the internet state <i>Goslings </i>distill rum on Bermuda. Not true.<br />
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About six years ago, I encountered this rum and really enjoyed it. It came in a wooden box with straw. I was a little skeptical of the quality of the rum given the extravagant packaging, but it proved to be an excellent sipping rum. The packaging has changed. In 2018, they switched to a box with a cover that flips open to reveal the story and the bottle. I want to know if the rum has changed a little also from the last time I had it.<br />
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<b><i>Catergory</i></b><br />
Premium Rum.<br />
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<b><i>Closure</i></b><br />
Silicone/plastic cork.<br />
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<b><i>ABV</i></b><br />
40%<br />
<br />
<b><i>Age Statement</i></b><br />
None. I have not been able to locate any reliable source as to the approximate age of rums, but I would say based on my taste test that there are some older rums in the blend that I would guess in the 8-10 year vicinity.<br />
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<b><i>Price</i></b><br />
Expensive (e.g. $75)<br />
<br />
<b><i>Wood Management</i></b><br />
Again, not a lot of verifiable information on what types of casks used in the aging of the rum. But, charred ex-bourbon casks is one for sure.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO9V5JlAuL-1kmcWEiW1Zw2XgI9VvrzVIQEo4k-AZuWYz8VLOqrHyAPNSA2GXM8FbAciFeryujl0jT8QrmFdC1myv25ifsNI8EBWeJx2lwzovv_2skOCK7okFYmocViP34eRar_-ndyVE/s1600/Rum+Reviews+Gosling+Family+Reserve+Old+Rum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="362" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO9V5JlAuL-1kmcWEiW1Zw2XgI9VvrzVIQEo4k-AZuWYz8VLOqrHyAPNSA2GXM8FbAciFeryujl0jT8QrmFdC1myv25ifsNI8EBWeJx2lwzovv_2skOCK7okFYmocViP34eRar_-ndyVE/s320/Rum+Reviews+Gosling+Family+Reserve+Old+Rum.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<b><i>Artificial Color?</i></b><br />
German law requires the disclosure of the use of artificial color (E150a) in spirits. So, I visited the <a href="https://shop.frankfurt-airport.com/en/goslings-family-reserve-old-rum-40-0-7l.html" target="_blank">Frankfurt Duty Free Shopping website</a> and it states E150a is present for color consistency.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><i>Nose (undiluted)</i></b><br />
Brown sugar!! Sweet cherries, melted caramel, chocolate, vanilla and oak.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Palate (undiluted)</i></b><br />
Sweet and spicy nip of brown sugar, caramel, aged molasses, specialty root beer, black cherries, cream, Ethiopian coffee, syrupy and cognac like.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Finish (undiluted)</i></b><br />
Long but still sweet, milk chocolate, fudge and treacle abound.<br />
<br />
<b><i>General Impressions</i></b><br />
<i>Goslings Family Reserve Old Rum</i> is definitely an aged rum. Lots of older rums in the blend dominate more youthful ones, which contributes to a rich, smooth and luxuriant experience. So, no bite, no nastiness whatsoever. Definitely an easy sipper. Principal flavors are brown sugar, caramel, some spices and with a little drying note of cranberry on the finish. In two words, this rum is: brown sugar.<br />
<br />
Criticisms? Very few, but for me, I find this rum a little too sweet. However, one should bear in mind that I am a whisky fan and not an expert by any means in rums, but this rum is on the sweeter side, such that two drams would be enough before I would have to move on to something else. Rum, like Cognac, will be sweeter than say Scotch in general, but even among rums that are sweet, this one pushes that envelope a bit in my opinion.<br />
<br />
When I had a bottle about 6 years ago, I recall the <i>Old Rum</i> being much drier and complex. It is slightly sweeter now and smoother, two features that detract from complexity. Presently, Goslings Family Reserve Old Rum is not what I would describe as exhibiting much complexity. That said, this is a fine rum and if you have a sweet tooth, do consider this the next time you visit your spirits merchant and seek something other than Scotch.<br />
<br />
Best,<br />
<br />
<br />
Jason Debly<br />
<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E48DiVyUh38" width="560"></iframe>Jason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-39480867226654780162020-04-17T17:55:00.000-03:002020-04-23T23:35:07.619-03:00Rum Review: Ron Zacapa 23 Solera Gran Reserva<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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COVID-19 has forced so many of us into a sequestered existence. For me, it's a challenge because I'm like a dog: I run in packs. Usually a couple mutts come over on Friday nights, and we have a few laughs watching bad hair minstrels like <i>Mötley Crüe</i>, <i>Dio</i> and <i>Ratt</i> on YouTube, accompanied by old college era hounds: <i>Teacher's </i>and <i>Chivas</i>. As the bottle levels recede, tiffs and even arguments erupt over who is the better axeman: Eddie Van Halen or Randy Rhoads? That's Friday night. <br />
<br />
Saturday night, I and my Significant Other might entertain her friends. I do my best to make a witty observation regarding the latest Trump inspired cover art of the <i>New Yorker</i>, and on cue, lament the passing of Maria Callas in a hushed voice, quivering with sadness, over some Russian River Valley chardonnay. "Damn that Onassis! If only he had married her and not Jackie," my guest opines as she reaches for another Carr's cracker adorned with a dash of cream cheese, smoked salmon and a caper, while her billowing tiger-print blouse sleeve stealthily avoids grazing the adjacent hummus bowl.<br />
<br />
Well, COVID-19 has dispersed my various dog packs, and now I am alone with my thoughts, fears, introspection and bouts of melancholia, as I watch <i>Whitesnake's</i> David Coverdale wail in my basement, and simultaneously even miss those Saturday night cultural jousts with my neighbourhood Bengal tiger.<br />
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This semi-monastic lifestyle of mine has caused me to search my soul for meaning. And after much thought, I have concluded I am intolerant and somewhat bigoted in my views on whisky. Deep down, I am just convinced that Scotland produces the finest. If we leave the whisky category entirely and venture into say rum, well, I am really challenged in my views. So, in an effort to be more inclusive and tolerant, I am going to expand my pack by doing a number of rum reviews.<br />
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<b><i>Ron Zacapa Centenario Sistema 23 Solera Gran Reserva</i></b><br />
I have readers on here and viewers on my YouTube channel that occasionally suggest I review Ron Zacapa rums. In particular, this 'Sistema 23 Solera Gran Reserva.' I don't know much about rum other than those made from sugar cane tend to be a helluva lot better than their counterparts whose origins are molasses. This particular Ron Zacapa rum has some promise before I open the bottle because it starts as a first pressing of sugar cane from southern Guatemala. This sugar cane juice is then fermented using a proprietary strain of pineapple yeast, and distilled in copper-lined column stills. After distillation, the rum is aged using a 'Solera' process. Here is where my confusion begins.<br />
<br />
Guatemala was a Spanish colony at one time and though it is now independent, the motherland left its imprint in the culture and life of the country that continues to this day. This Ron Zacapa was launched in 1976 and by the 1990's the label started to use the word 'Solera' on it. This term refers to a process of aging and blending rum. Originally, it was a process used by Spaniards with respect to aging and blending of sherry. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkAHCcRA60ekQUa_SrwarNe-T3D94GVaE5fO1fhtoYNfyeHu2H-pQSltRRqGohm6S8BS9PdqRwhKDoNa81Mv3CAaYH3G-ZT0Njo-DMI56rE5J3XKN2I59ucO9O7TIuQFAzLcwE0i0iduc/s1600/RON+ZACAPA+SISTEMA+23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="620" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkAHCcRA60ekQUa_SrwarNe-T3D94GVaE5fO1fhtoYNfyeHu2H-pQSltRRqGohm6S8BS9PdqRwhKDoNa81Mv3CAaYH3G-ZT0Njo-DMI56rE5J3XKN2I59ucO9O7TIuQFAzLcwE0i0iduc/s400/RON+ZACAPA+SISTEMA+23.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<i><b>Solera System Explained</b></i><br />
Imagine rows of barrels or casks, stacked five or so levels high, and rum drained from the ground level casks is the oldest, and the empty space in the cask is replaced with rum from the cask of the row above. Meanwhile, as the oldest rums are bottled by draining the floor level barrels, more young rum, fresh out of the still is poured into top row barrels. This is the purported Solera system, but from what I have read, the term is used very loosely meaning the actual aging and blending of rum may not be adhering to Spanish tradition. I read one rum expert said he had never seen a Solera system employed at any distillery as described above. So, who knows what the truth is. Anyhow, you and I now have some understanding of what Ron Zacapa wants you to believe. I suspect the use of the Solera term is more marketing than fact.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Wood Management</i></b><br />
Ex-bourbon, ex-sherry and ex- Pedro Ximenez casks to varying degrees are used.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Age Statement</i></b><br />
None. But, a visit to the website and a careful read of the label indicates that the rums making up this product range in age from 6-23 years. A casual consumer might think this is a 23 year old rum. That would be a mistake. The use of the number 23 is a little deceptive I think (I am sure this statement will continue to prevent me from ever getting a brand ambassador job!).<br />
<br />
<b><i>Closure</i></b><br />
Cork. <br />
<br />
<b><i>ABV</i></b><br />
40%<br />
<br />
<b><i>Price</i></b><br />
Not bad. More expensive than standard rums for sure, but not outrageous.<br />
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<b><i>Nose (undiluted)</i></b><br />
Vanilla, cocoa, dark wood, varnish, dried orange peel.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Palate (undiluted)</i></b><br />
Rounded, sweet entry of cocoa, old burnished wood, butterscotch, melted caramel, bruised tangerines, and Christmas cake.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Finish (undiluted)</i></b><br />
Slight zing of brown sugar, warm sugared California raisins, deep white oak and cinnamon lingers.<br />
<br />
<b><i>General Impressions</i></b><br />
This rum has complexity. A lot of flavours are competing for dominance, ranging from vanilla, cocoa to some French roast black coffee. It's a good rum for sure and I think, in general, people will like it. For example, I am thinking newbies to sipping rum. Why? Because its sweet. Sweetness is present all the way through the drinking experience with little variation. While the sweetness is what will make this rum very popular with undoubtedly the younger drinker, I do think this attribute does detract also from another wise fine rum. <br />
<br />
I would like this rum to have been a bit dryer. Dry and spicy it is not. It is sweet, rounded with notes of caramel, molasses and fruit cake. A well made rum for sure, but not one that I could have more than two drams at a sitting as its a bit too sweet for me. I am sure my wife's friends would enjoy this as a nice, fireside digestif following dinner to accompany and enhance discussion of that scoundrel, alpha dog, Aristotle Onassis.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZKbiOkw8kHOFQT3x1ru5tWl2_XrCC_Ge8jOO8mlUUp2UDgjebVvJNzozUiWLB1N0R0ubcT9L6P-xNFeUWzUiQ2mFbwLVr4fdhg2zWzFSzEEblzvk2oztIWHe_6oi6JJQnN2kzjTdazSA/s1600/untitledjjk.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="690" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZKbiOkw8kHOFQT3x1ru5tWl2_XrCC_Ge8jOO8mlUUp2UDgjebVvJNzozUiWLB1N0R0ubcT9L6P-xNFeUWzUiQ2mFbwLVr4fdhg2zWzFSzEEblzvk2oztIWHe_6oi6JJQnN2kzjTdazSA/s320/untitledjjk.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
Ruff! Ruff!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Jason Debly<br />
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P.S. Now that you suffered through that long review, here is the snappy 8 minute video review. Just doing my part to encourage literacy in a world with the attention span of a bumble bee: <iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T60aIdUwy6o" width="560"></iframe>Jason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-49539276188905826372020-04-05T21:57:00.000-03:002020-04-05T22:19:01.439-03:00Rum Review: Mount Gay XO Reserve Cask Rum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Generally, I am not a huge rum drinker because I find it a little too sweet for my liking. Nevertheless, as you know, there are always exceptions to every rule. Mount Gay XO is such an exception.<br />
<br />
This rum is drier than most. The master blender and his team have really produced a rum here that is different. So, with that being said, let's delve into the basic stats of this spirit and then check it out in the glass.<br />
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<b><i>Region</i></b><br />
Barbados<br />
<br />
<b><i>Age Statement</i></b><br />
None. The website tells us Mount Gay XO is a blend of aged rums ranging from 8 to 15 years. The 'XO' means 'extra old.'<br />
<br />
<b><i>ABV</i></b><br />
43%<br />
<br />
<b><i>Closure</i></b><br />
Cork stopper.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Distillery</i></b><br />
Mount Gay Distillery is the oldest official rum distillery in the world, established in 1703.<br />
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<b><i>Nose (undiluted)</i></b><br />
Bananas, old leather jacket, stewed prunes, English cream, spiced oak, hints of sherry-like notes.<br />
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<b><i>Palate (undiluted)</i></b><br />
Warm, out of the oven, creme brûlée; melted caramel, cocoa, even some Nestle Quick powder and light banana. Molasses on pancakes, a sprinkling of cinnamon.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Finish (undiluted)</i></b><br />
The sugar cane sweetness of the mid-palate transitions by the time of the finish. Once gone from the palate, you are left with sustained, dusty notes of baker's chocolate, with a sprinkling of sage, rosemary and thyme.<br />
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<b><i>General Impressions</i></b><br />
This rum is impressive. The price point is affordable. You could spend a lot more for purported 'premium' rums and end up with a lot less. This is a very dry rum that delivers a lot of complexity by the time you reach the finish. Well balanced, never hot or offensive, it's a real delight.<br />
<br />
Give it a whirl my friend. It will deliver!<br />
<br />
Best,<br />
<br />
<br />
Jason Debly<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Creme brûlée's photo credit: Craig Lee for the New York Times. Use of photo here is purely for illustrative/educational purposes only in accordance with the 'fair use' principle of copyright law.</span>Jason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-17623923453915789932020-03-22T21:10:00.000-03:002020-03-25T00:22:53.200-03:00Whisky Thoughts in Coronavirus Times<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown Fredericton, New Brunswick</td></tr>
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Empty are the elm tree lined streets of Fredericton where the only sound is the wind, at times, shrill like a wartime London air raid siren. Unlit storefronts, empty mud parking lots, deserted Victorian houses converted into government offices, and a silent Saturday morning market is all that remains of this once bustling college town.<br />
<br />
These March gusts portended an enemy invasion of my hometown: COVID-19. This infectious interloper arrived one, otherwise, ordinary day. Even here in this tiny township, the coronavirus has breached our defences and attacked two people on the university campus, where red brick Georgian architecture took hold and never let go.<br />
<br />
I still have a job, still get paid, but I know so many people around me who have no money coming in because their job is gone, as one business after another is shut down by the insidious onslaught of this horribly virulent intruder. Everyone needs a job and has financial obligations to meet. I really feel for the unemployed, and if this goes on too long, I may be joining their ranks. These are times of fear and economic devastation not seen since the Great Depression. I now understand my great uncle Arthur's distrust of banks, his avoidance of debt of any kind and paying for everything in cash. The Great Depression scarred him forever.<br />
<br />
We all know the real threat of COVID-19 is more than just economic, it threatens our lives. It's all to easy to slide into a state of fear and paranoia that brings out the worst in all of us like hoarding and snitching on neighbours. We may lose our jobs, money and endure calamitous financial hardships, but more important is our health and protecting the lives of loved ones, yours and mine. We must be vigilant in maintaining social isolation from others, washing our hands and all the health recommendations from our government's public health branch.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, May 13th, 1940.</td><td class="tr-caption"></td><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span></td><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span></td><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span></td><td class="tr-caption"></td></tr>
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<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
But, most of all, we must remember that we will get through this. There will be better days ahead. In this time, I often think about Winston Churchill during WWII and his absolute refusal to surrender to his own fears, but insisted that the heinous pestilence Hitler represented would be defeated. In WWII there were no winners in terms of human suffering. All civilian populations of Europe suffered horribly, whether they be German, French, British or whoever. London was bombed with terrible consequences, but so too were the Germans (e.g. Dresden '45), the Japanese (e.g. Hiroshima & Nagasaki, 1945), and everyone else held in the cruel grip of war. But, all those nations rebuilt and while many died, many survived and lived to see another day.<br />
<br />
On May 13th, 1940, Winston Churchill addressed the wartime House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom:<br />
<br />
"<i>We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask, what is our policy? I will say: It is to wage war, by sea, land, and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
You and I also have to wage war against COVID-19 by sea, land and air. Do your best and remember Churchill persevered because he would never surrender. You and I must do the same!<br />
<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z_JVaLyfy3M" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
Take care,<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
JasonJason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-88944120489531533272019-12-25T14:27:00.000-04:002020-03-22T21:42:32.510-03:00Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQibB8u1QbbTHwoF10aTkc2KpP9bfg2a2mJqLO4q0psCJIHjVeMdpDXqA8ByA4XfxG7zk-A3xTs8DE4T-WBy4HguwL-PgeuBtQmjK7EAK4GtyQOEsIAnnU7rM_GBPtWstmNlt5dV4XrQ/s1600/IMG_2537.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQibB8u1QbbTHwoF10aTkc2KpP9bfg2a2mJqLO4q0psCJIHjVeMdpDXqA8ByA4XfxG7zk-A3xTs8DE4T-WBy4HguwL-PgeuBtQmjK7EAK4GtyQOEsIAnnU7rM_GBPtWstmNlt5dV4XrQ/s640/IMG_2537.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div>
Hi all!<br />
<br />
Wishing you the best holiday season yet! <br />
<br />
Having a little champagne followed by Glenmorangie 18 years!<br />
<br />
Look forward to 2020!<br />
<br />
Cheers,<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Jason<br />
<br />Jason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-25119763087771591542019-11-01T15:29:00.001-03:002019-11-24T21:30:15.496-04:00Miltonduff 10 year old (Gordon & MacPhail) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgC-0sChXIN3kGwE2RhO-D0FBxBxRIDaHzXapbJzAwSzqf0w9LlomnhnpMJDo08SJZ_l-fE_ojEpNvst4babuqmY4nGKXsLS1I890X_1sl6ODuMCWAdarlk4lPzE7SdDu0gDBy_J2LUNk/s1600/Miltonduff+10+year+old+Gordon+and+MacPhail+Single+Malt+Scotch+Whisky+review.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgC-0sChXIN3kGwE2RhO-D0FBxBxRIDaHzXapbJzAwSzqf0w9LlomnhnpMJDo08SJZ_l-fE_ojEpNvst4babuqmY4nGKXsLS1I890X_1sl6ODuMCWAdarlk4lPzE7SdDu0gDBy_J2LUNk/s400/Miltonduff+10+year+old+Gordon+and+MacPhail+Single+Malt+Scotch+Whisky+review.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Lately, I have been sampling quite a few single malts from independent bottlers. Why? The answer is simple. They offer an opportunity to try single malts from obscure distilleries that often end up in famous blended Scotch whiskies. The range of flavour profiles is astounding and the chances of discovering a diamond in the rough for a fraction of the price of a similar quality malt released by the big multinational drinks companies is pretty good too!<br />
<br />
Independent bottlers just seem to be hitting it out of the ballpark for me as of late. Because they typically do not own a distillery, they buy the new make spirit that is excess or unwanted by distilleries. Sometimes these spirits have a flaw or are a bit <i>off</i> in terms of the house style of a distillery and so they find a home with the independent bottler. These bottlers are generally old firms that have a huge inventory of casks in all shapes and sizes, and experienced staff who sample the spirit regularly till its deemed ready to bottle. Expert wood management coupled with the right amount of aging and good judgment can transform an otherwise mediocre spirit into a thing of beauty.<br />
<br />
What I have before me is a bottle from the independent bottler <i>Gordon & MacPhail</i>. While they do own a distillery (<i>Benromach</i>), the bottle before me is not from there. They have purchased some spirit from a little known distillery, <i>Miltonduff</i>.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Miltonduff </i>is a Speyside distillery that has been in operation since the early 19th century. Today, it produces about 4 million litres a year and most of the production is destined for eventual inclusion as the malt whisky component of the well-known, blended Scotch, <i>Ballantine's Finest</i>, which by the way, I absolutely despise. <i>Ballantine's </i>flavor profile can be summarized as <i>Alpenweiss </i>box wine, <i>Fresca </i>and black pepper, suitable as windshield washer fluid only. If I had known this tidbit of how Miltonduff is used, I probably would not have picked up this G&M release. But, such is fate. Sometimes we make decisions (career, marriage, purchase a <i>Mercedes</i>, etc.) without being fully informed.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbenleXvgtoFpOLfocufl705Vhu4JJufSJRp0lnJktUPn_Hg_q55ZFgYOoBulc_HESWMOtebdJCwOIw7KLPjcWHzUB8wvCRKJ4fhB1o7-RRKlSAevI6qJ-nfy7Nea4Wnk8GJiU1La6-c/s1600/Miltonduff+10+year+old+Gordon+and+MacPhail+Single+Malt+Scotch+Whisky+review+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbenleXvgtoFpOLfocufl705Vhu4JJufSJRp0lnJktUPn_Hg_q55ZFgYOoBulc_HESWMOtebdJCwOIw7KLPjcWHzUB8wvCRKJ4fhB1o7-RRKlSAevI6qJ-nfy7Nea4Wnk8GJiU1La6-c/s400/Miltonduff+10+year+old+Gordon+and+MacPhail+Single+Malt+Scotch+Whisky+review+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<i>Gordon & MacPhail </i>have several different 'ranges' of releases. Some expensive and rare and others not. I opt for the latter. The <i>Miltonduff 10 year old</i> is from the <i>Discovery</i> range. The aim of this range is to serve as an introduction to the portfolio of classic Scotch flavor profiles: 'sherry', 'smoky' and 'bourbon.' Our little ol' bottle of <i>Miltonduff</i> is the 'sherry' representative. I am surprised as <i>Ballantine's Finest</i> is not a sherried dram. But, then I remember in such a blend <i>Miltonduff</i> is one of a great many single malts, and who knows the proportion of malt. <i>Miltonduff</i> might be only added in relatively small amounts to the blend in comparison with other single malts.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Age Statement</i></b><br />
10 years.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Price (in Canada)</i></b><br />
$110 (so, not exactly cheap)<br />
<br />
<b><i>Format</i></b><br />
700ml.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Closure</b></i><br />
Cork stopper.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Color?</i></b><br />
Natural! No E150a.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Chill-filtration?</b></i><br />
Yes. I confirmed this with Mr. Bill Somerville, Brand Ambassador for Gordon & MacPhail in Canada.<br />
<br />
<b><i>ABV</i></b><br />
43%<br />
<br />
<b><i>Nose (undiluted)</i></b><br />
Distinct sherry, cracked leather, vanilla, summer flowers of roses and peonies.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Palate (undiluted)</i></b><br />
A dry, rich, sherry bomb, exotic milk chocolate, hint of mint and spices, fruitcake, rum cake, raisins and toffee. <br />
<br />
<b><i>Finish (undiluted)</i></b><br />
Medium length of chocolate, waxen raspberry, melted caramel, dry oak, black grapes.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAkw8_cQxuJAFjjJQvspYPa0T9yvj_NQJX_wA2gY7K6eZvEar1gTdvoSr9FtztKgR2K_XqRShN0McuzoMklDRZgwtwRQUDi_qDdUJybUw4Hgb_WhIAj_1k_mJXwkqq_lgFsWAFbmE9wvg/s1600/Miltonduff+10+year+old+Gordon+and+MacPhail+Single+Malt+Scotch+Whisky+review+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAkw8_cQxuJAFjjJQvspYPa0T9yvj_NQJX_wA2gY7K6eZvEar1gTdvoSr9FtztKgR2K_XqRShN0McuzoMklDRZgwtwRQUDi_qDdUJybUw4Hgb_WhIAj_1k_mJXwkqq_lgFsWAFbmE9wvg/s400/Miltonduff+10+year+old+Gordon+and+MacPhail+Single+Malt+Scotch+Whisky+review+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<b><i>General Impressions</i></b><br />
This is good! The price is not cheap, but I have absolutely no buyer's remorse.<br />
<br />
This bottle exhibits impressive complexity when you first open the bottle. However, once the bottle has been open a while, the oxidation makes it more sherried and less complex. Still a good dram for sure, just not as complex.<br />
<br />
While the youngest whisky in the bottle is a mere ten years, it certainly seems to have others that are far older. Gordon & MacPhail have accomplished what they set out to do, namely present a classic sherried Speysider. Frankly, I prefer this release to its peers: <i>Glenfarclas 12 </i>and <i>GlenDronach</i>. It might be a little less refined than say Macallan 12, but I really need to do a side-by-side to decide. If you like sherry bombs with interesting nuances, you will love <i>Miltonduff 10 years</i>. Highly recommended!<br />
<br />
Cheers,<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Jason DeblyJason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.com2Fredericton, NB, Canada45.9635895 -66.64311509999998945.786931499999994 -66.965838599999984 46.1402475 -66.3203916tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-17452860073777166412019-10-28T23:13:00.001-03:002019-10-30T09:36:04.040-03:00Scotch Review: 9 year old Teaninich "Hepburn's Choice" (Hunter Laing)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1fFjaB7KoCPV8VLH5-FvmF2ORN8fa0CEskxSSv5rTgYB3TU0lLThgE-43Im_5X08y-TmL1p7BL1u86x1WhLJxuO10oWvUeVexli_VQpMTkLaNONbzG3LwQhbN4bkLK40JCskVGi2cPgY/s1600/Teaninich+9+years+Single+Malt+Hepburns+Choice+Hunter+Laing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1fFjaB7KoCPV8VLH5-FvmF2ORN8fa0CEskxSSv5rTgYB3TU0lLThgE-43Im_5X08y-TmL1p7BL1u86x1WhLJxuO10oWvUeVexli_VQpMTkLaNONbzG3LwQhbN4bkLK40JCskVGi2cPgY/s400/Teaninich+9+years+Single+Malt+Hepburns+Choice+Hunter+Laing.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<i>Hepburn's Choice</i> is a line of single malt releases put out by the independent Scotch whisky bottler <i>Hunter Laing</i>. This product line always features 46% ABV, non-chill filtered, and natural color. Even more interesting is that the bottles are poured from a single cask. The bottle I have is one of 420 poured from a single cask. And the best tidbit, I save for last: the price is not bad. Quite reasonable actually for a single malt with the aforementioned attributes.<br />
<br />
Earlier this year, I picked up another in this series, namely a 10 year old Linkwood, which was truly amazing. I went back to the liquor store and bought up the remaining four bottles. I reviewed it on <a href="https://youtu.be/85L6m_Jp_kw" target="_blank"><i>YouTube</i></a>, but never got around to posting it on here. That was a spellbinding, quintessential Speysider. Well worth seeking out, if you can find it.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Distillery</i></b><br />
The Teaninich Distillery was established in 1817. Currently owned by Diageo and the massive quantity of malt produced (10 million litres annually) is mostly used as an ingredient of Johnnie Walker Red Label. <br />
<br />
<b><i>Region</i></b><br />
The distillery is located in the Highland region of Scotland.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Category</i></b><br />
Single Malt.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Independent Bottler</i></b><br />
<i>Hunter Laing</i> have bought up some of the new make spirit of the Teaninich distillery and supplied the casks the spirit is aged in. <br />
<br />
<b><i>Age Statement </i></b><br />
9 years (distilled in 2008 - bottled in 2017).<br />
<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YUPVzyaeH4k" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
<b><i>Nose (undiluted)</i></b><br />
Hay, citrus, slight peat (low phenolic level), sweet dandelion.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Palate (undiluted)</b></i><br />
Citrus, lime note, lemon pith, grapefruit chunks. Delicate.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Finish (undiluted)</i></b><br />
Sour white grape/wine gums. Lemon meringue pie, limes and a grapefruit pith bitterness.<br />
<br />
<b><i>General Impressions</i></b><br />
This is a light whisky that showcases bitter and sweet white wines/grapefruit pith. It's a different type of malt. The grapefruit pith bitter notes mostly on the finish may put some people off, but I kinda like it. When I first opened the bottle, I was not impressed with that bitter finish, but the oxidation that transpired over a couple of weeks took that bitterness down sufficiently such that you can really enjoy it.<br />
<br />
While it is 46% ABV, I wouldn't add water. Works nicely neat. The lack of chill filtration and artificial color contributes to the complexity of this malt.<br />
<br />
Again, the price point is really reasonable for this malt and this factor makes it worth trying. If you are looking for something different and wondering what some of the ingredient malts of Johnnie Walker Red taste like, try Hepburn's Choice 'Teaninich 9 years.<br />
<br />
Best,<br />
<br />
<br />
Jason DeblyJason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-56928855656510993362019-10-11T19:23:00.001-03:002019-10-12T01:39:29.905-03:00Review: Martell Blue Swift<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1SThfx2-5PHsqD078fwHj-_HppAvEuygLdahCnTMaUeOS3uOAK96B4t1UG_Sr605iKucej9NB04T_EZHqr3MJnPoCEfBKthdMGVABlYLtgi5gJRPLbyxaQZh7aR9sRCIMDbTwCwl_LfA/s1600/Martell+Blue+Swift+Cognac.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1SThfx2-5PHsqD078fwHj-_HppAvEuygLdahCnTMaUeOS3uOAK96B4t1UG_Sr605iKucej9NB04T_EZHqr3MJnPoCEfBKthdMGVABlYLtgi5gJRPLbyxaQZh7aR9sRCIMDbTwCwl_LfA/s400/Martell+Blue+Swift+Cognac.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Martell is a very old and well established Cognac producer, dating back to 1715. This producer is famous for a number of offerings. I am a fan of their Cordon Bleu. Nice stuff.<br />
<br />
In April 2018, Martell 'Blue Swift' was launched. It's a bit of a departure from what this cognac house has produced in the past because the 'Blue Swift' is not technically a cognac. While the spirit is made up exclusively of VSOP cognacs, they are aged further, or what we call 'finished' for a couple of months in ex-bourbon casks from Kentucky. We don't know the distillery that the sourced casks are from either.<br />
<br />
French law governing cognac requires that the spirit be aged exclusively in French oak, and because Blue Swift has additional aging in ex-bourbon casks, Martell cannot market it as cognac. Accordingly, on the label, the words 'Spirit Drink' appear. <br />
<br />
Ok, enough said. Let's move on to the review.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Martell 'Blue Swift</i></b>'<br />
<br />
<i><b>Category</b></i><br />
Spirits<br />
<br />
<b><i>Age Statement</i></b><br />
None, but as it is made up of exclusively VSOP cognacs, we can say that there is no spirit less than 4 years of age. May not sound like much in the whisky world, but in the realm of cognac, 4yrs denotes quality.<br />
<br />
<b><i>ABV</i></b><br />
40%<br />
<br />
<b><i>Artificial Color?</i></b><br />
Yes.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Closure</i></b><br />
Cork stopper.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Format</i></b><br />
750ml<br />
<br />
<b><i>Launch Date</i></b><br />
April 2018.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Nose</i></b><br />
Candied, warm apple crumble, melted toffee, distinctly sweet.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Palate</i></b><br />
Sweet arrival of apple cider, creme brûlée's, oak, ginger and a lot of vanilla. Too much!<br />
<br />
<b><i>Finish</i></b><br />
Warm caramel, tingling baking spices, oak again, very heavy oak and then vanilla.<br />
<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VwP_J_gsSeM" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
<b><i>General Impressions</i></b><br />
When I first opened this bottle, the Blue Swift tasted pretty awful. The caramel flavour tasted artificial and burnt. Just dreadful. But, two weeks or so later, having gotten some oxidation going on as the bottle was now opened, it improved in taste. The improvement was to something that is tolerable, but that over-the-top vanilla and oak was still there while the artificial caramel notes had settled down. I am still not a fan, and would not recommend this spirit drink.<br />
<br />
When I consider the price point of $100 in Canada and $60 in the US, I don't think it delivers value for money. It probably works as a base of a cocktail, but again its expensive mix. This spirit is not well suited to sip on its own.<br />
<br />
Not recommended.<br />
<br />
Cheers!<br />
<br />
<br />
Jason DeblyJason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-46086318075658673632019-10-01T16:46:00.001-03:002019-10-03T13:40:42.284-03:00Scotch Review: Bowmore 18 years Single Malt Scotch Whisky<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sam lived across the street in a Dijon mustard yellow stucco, three-storey walk-up, whose horseshoe arched windows were trimmed in provencal blue paint. He was about to turn in for the night when he happened to gaze through his bedroom dormer and see a dim light on in <i>Rick’s Café Américain</i>. He had seen the bar keep, Sacha, snap the lights off when they closed earlier. With a big sigh, Sam thought a moment, and rather than retire for the evening, headed back downstairs and across the street to the <i>Café</i>.<br />
<br />
“Boss, what’s wrong?”<br />
<br />
Rick, seated at a table next to the piano, grunted something unintelligible, and stabbed a finger at the iPad that lit up at his touch. “Why me? Sam? Why?,” Rick asked.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGM1J3L-JtR5OAlubnPV1O1zZ5ortS1MjyjCs8UzyUfxW0iwolyhmKsWTcWhTyOk7Jf-xYOZS-U0_X821poYP2bOn5UrkT8yz_pahpCQfxXRWKF_CTh7PWPOIrB6tzdawQvssrqkYsqho/s1600/Bowmore+18+Scotch+Review+Islay+Malt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGM1J3L-JtR5OAlubnPV1O1zZ5ortS1MjyjCs8UzyUfxW0iwolyhmKsWTcWhTyOk7Jf-xYOZS-U0_X821poYP2bOn5UrkT8yz_pahpCQfxXRWKF_CTh7PWPOIrB6tzdawQvssrqkYsqho/s400/Bowmore+18+Scotch+Review+Islay+Malt.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Sam glanced at the iPad. It displayed an email, but before he could read it, Rick continued. “I got my <i>Heritage Tree DNA</i> results back and their not good . . . I’m a match with Ilsa.”<br />
<br />
“A match?” Sam left school at 16 and played piano full time on a riverboat. Being a geneticist was not a possibility on the bayou, but Sam had a good idea what Rick was hinting at.<br />
<br />
“Yeah, we’re related.”<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPv32oVWPG7TDlWGoGHv8dqjcyQ2dG6u6KzKGHFbDu2Z58jBsb0Yjz9gqLN_zhTZEFk34bnfp2ADuUh9qDtXPnFnVfku0BML_C8IhJ-IdWfnscWwabtUNTlEzPVHL1yCkOz4UZGL8L58/s1600/Bowmore+18+review+Scotch+Whisky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1136" data-original-width="1600" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPv32oVWPG7TDlWGoGHv8dqjcyQ2dG6u6KzKGHFbDu2Z58jBsb0Yjz9gqLN_zhTZEFk34bnfp2ADuUh9qDtXPnFnVfku0BML_C8IhJ-IdWfnscWwabtUNTlEzPVHL1yCkOz4UZGL8L58/s400/Bowmore+18+review+Scotch+Whisky.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Sam read the email that contained the DNA test results. “But, Boss it says you and her shared a common ancestor ten generations ago on your father’s side.”<br />
<br />
“We are related. That’s the end of it. I been really bad. C’mon Sam, you know . . . that’s sick. But, I’ll show them sons a bitches!” Rick pointed at the bottles lining the back of the mirrored bar. “Gimme that one!” Realizing he was bellowing at Sam, he lowered his voice, and whispered “that one.”<br />
<br />
Sam had no clue what bottle Rick wanted, but made a random grab anyway, and set a bottle of <i>Bowmore</i> 18 years old single malt down on the table. Rick was busy tearing open a new DNA test kit, in the semi-darkness of the bar, all the while muttering “I’ll show 'em, I’ll show 'em,” as bubble wrap fell all around him. He poured the <i>Bowmore</i> into his tumbler, with a Q-tip, he swabbed the inside of the glass, and then dropped it into the specimen container. Sam sent it out by courier the next day because he feared the use of the local courier service would soon be banned. This is not outside the realm of possibility thought Sam, given the fact that a Nazi Major Strasser had arrived in town to investigate the recent murder of two German couriers and the disappearance of their precious cargo: <i>Letters of Transit</i>. But, that's a story for another day.<br />
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A month or so later, Rick got a new Y-DNA 37 test result back that said:<br />
<br />
Rick Blaine Y-DNA Test (AKA: <b><i>Bowmore 18yrs Single Malt Scotch Whisky</i></b>)<br />
<br />
<b><i>Price</i></b><br />
Reasonable considering it is an 18 year old single malt Scotch.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<b><i>ABV</i></b></div>
<div>
43%</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<b><i>Artificial Color?</i></b></div>
<div>
Yes.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<b><i>Chill Filtration?</i></b><br />
Yes.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<b><i>Wood Management</i></b></div>
<div>
A combination of ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<b><i>Closure</i></b></div>
<div>
Cork stopper.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<b><i>Distribution</i></b></div>
<div>
Widely available.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<i><b>Region of Scotland</b></i></div>
<div>
Islay.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<b><i>Nose (undiluted)</i></b></div>
<div>
Fragrant, sherry, light smoke, slight peat, seaweed. Orange peel, orange chocolate. Solid oak and malt notes.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<b><i>Palate (undiluted)</i></b></div>
<div>
Fruit forward, like a Napa Valley Cabernet, delivering cherries, black grapes, toffee, salted caramel, brown sugar, molasses, which is accented by a light treatment of peat and smoke.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<b><i>Finish (undiluted)</i></b></div>
<div>
Good length. Red wine Bordeaux, bacon, vanilla, raisins, cigar smoke.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<b><i>General Impressions</i></b></div>
<div>
The stereotypical Islay single malt Scotch is a peat and smoke blast, and then, well more peat and more smoke with maybe some black pepper for good measure. Bowmore 18’s DNA contributes to a departure from the aforementioned stereotype. This Islay malt is sweet, soft, the peat and smoke is delicate, restrained and even muted by the aging in Oloroso sherry casks. With a rather modest phenolic level of 35 ppm, it’s the sherry notes that dominate the peat and smoke of Islay. Not the other way around, as one would normally expect of an Islay malt.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Bowmore 12 and 18 are very different malts for this reason. The 12 is peated, briny and of the sea, so to speak. There can be no doubt of it’s regional origin, Islay. But, if someone told me in a blind tasting to guess the ancestry of Bowmore 18 I would have thought the Highlands.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Criticisms? Bowmore 18 takes no chances. It’s a gentle malt, balanced to the point of being a bit boring/flat if you are into powerhouses with higher ABV’s or seeking complexity. I really think had this whisky been non-chill filtered and no artificial color, we would be tasting more complexity. Most 18 year old single malts will wow you in taste and complexity. Bowmore 18 does not. Nevertheless, very drinkable and my bottle disappeared quickly as I sampled and pondered it’s lack of nuance. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So, if you are relatively new to whisky and want to try an inviting, balanced, easygoing single malt with an 18 years age statement, Bowmore 18 fits the bill. If you consider yourself a serious connoisseur of malts where emphasis is placed upon complexity, power and the glory of single malt, well, you be best to pass on this. And now, back to the story . . . </div>
<div>
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<div>
Sam looked over the new DNA test results and said, “Mr. Richard, I don’t see Isla’s name here. You’re good. Just some distant relatives Ardbeg, Lagavulin and Port Ellen, whoever she is.”<br />
<br />
Rick nodded and said, “I’ll drink to that!”</div>
Jason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-82194163129642540722019-09-08T00:10:00.000-03:002019-09-16T14:09:01.898-03:00Whisky Review: Canadian Club aged 20 years<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkbmRcqVu3XgQGxQPDEYHLBg_x1hn8nVnAthzCwNwSVV6OZMgZiBnZdu5e2t5FAKfbpTlybzQLTRT_jheK3MfVDj4Xnn_QTQwjYowZogKKYuZk08e0W0nXyFBtkAVWs_aPBsUpiGloPc/s1600/Bitches+Brew+Miles+Davis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnkbmRcqVu3XgQGxQPDEYHLBg_x1hn8nVnAthzCwNwSVV6OZMgZiBnZdu5e2t5FAKfbpTlybzQLTRT_jheK3MfVDj4Xnn_QTQwjYowZogKKYuZk08e0W0nXyFBtkAVWs_aPBsUpiGloPc/s400/Bitches+Brew+Miles+Davis.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
In my college days, I was into the music of Miles Davis. Albums of his like <i>'Round About Midnight</i>, <i>Kind of Blue</i> and an obscure soundtrack he recorded for a Louis Malle film, <i>Ascenseur pour l'échafaud </i>served as a soundtrack to my leafy campus life.<br />
<i><br /></i>
It was my habit then and today to go real deep into hobbies and interests, which meant I sought out all of Miles' albums. One of them I read a lot about was <i>Bitches Brew</i>. A friend lent me the record (I didn't like CDs then, a purist addicted to the deep timbre of vinyl). I put it on and sat in my dorm room with a French roast coffee (but no black turtleneck and beret) in front of my four foot high or so Yamaha speakers and prepared to be wowed.<br />
<br />
I was . . . not. The music sounded like a cacophony of unskilled players all playing out of key to very different melodies and rhythms only known to them. To my ears, the discordant sounds caused me to turn it off within minutes. I couldn't handle. It was auditory chaos. I was more bitter about this listening experience than my coffee.<br />
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Fast forward 30 years and I am driving to work and decide to give da <i>Bitches </i>another go. I had basically memorized everything else Davis had done in what I called the classic age, and was frankly a bit bored. So, my ears sip on the <i>Brew </i>once more with no expectations. What the hell? As I get older, I like stuff that pushes the boundaries more and more. I mean now I 'get' Andy Kaufman . . . I think.<br />
<br />
Anyhow, the record spins again, only now as an iTunes selection off my iPhone in my car via Bluetooth. I listen. The music starts quiet and builds into a crescendo of electric piano, electric guitar, basses (two different players), drums, trumpet and sax. There is a musical motif here, a theme over there, but each musician approaches these soundscapes in his own, unique way. I am listening and liking the shocking liberties these guys are taking with the conventions of classic jazz I had inhaled since college. And, then it dawned on me, now I GET IT! I understand what Davis was doing on <i>BB</i>. He's bored with the jazz of the past and now throws in discordant sounds hinting at rock and funk music. There are complex layers of melodies and rhythms that fade in and out, some making a singular appearance while others recur. The music sounds random, but it's not. It creates an unnerving atmosphere at certain points, but then becomes soothing at others, kinda like life. <br />
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I reviewed Canadian Club 20 years old many years ago . I wasn't kind. I said some incredibly stupid things like Canadian Club 20 years disappoints. Just as I did not understand <i>Bitches Brew</i> 30 years ago, so too I didn't understand Canadian Club 20 years old whisky.<br />
<br />
In my old review, I had made the rookie mistake of equating the Canadian whisky category with the single malt Scotch category. <br />
<br />
Malted barley exhibited the flavour profile that I seemed to like best. Something magical about malted barley, when combined with great casks, water and of course age. Such a combination delivers amazing golden cereal and honeyed toast notes, sprinkled with berries and plum due to sherry and port casks, and depending on the region, other flavors could emerge like the brine of the sea and the smoke of a bonfire. Great single malts seem to soar to heights of flavour or can at the same time be subtle like the patter of warm summer rain. Expecting these attributes and conventions of spirit, if you will, in Canadian and other whiskies of the world, will only lead to disappointment if Scotch is to be the benchmark of flavor attributes.<br />
<br />
Canadian whisky is different. It offers a more narrow palate featuring rye, corn, wheat and big oak at times. This not necessarily a flaw, but a fundamental difference when contrasted with Scotch whisky. <br />
<br />
Canadian whisky can be light, yet elegant and complex. The complexity is delivered typically via a backbone of rye, sometimes spicy. Oakiness is not a flaw in Canadian whisky, whereas in the case of Scotch, too much oak is not as pleasant an experience. Lots of oak, so long as not becoming bitter, is an acceptable flavor motif of Canadian whisky, as is the spiced rye notes. In a nutshell, the flavor conventions of Scotch should not be applied to Canadian whisky nor vice versa. Recognize the 'conventions' of each spirit category and appreciate them within that category.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Canadian Club 20 years old</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>Mashbill</i></b><br />
Rye, corn, malted barley.<br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>ABV</i></b><br />
40%<br />
<br />
<i><b>Chill Filtration?</b></i><br />
Yes.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Artificial Color?</i></b><br />
Yes.<br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>Nose (undiluted)</i></b><br />
Soft notes of sweet hay, rye, copper pennies, and oak.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Palate (undiluted)</b></i><br />
Golden wheat, rye and cinnamon unite in a wonderful way. They are joined by toffee and caramel in a spicy, warm embrace.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Finish (undiluted)</b></i><br />
Sweetness is gone with a move to dry toast, creme brulee, sawdust and more rye. Some black pepper too.<br />
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<b><i>General Impressions</i></b><br />
Canadian Club 20 years old is an excellent Canadian whisky. It delights in notes of maple sugar, oak and of course Canadian rye for spice and backbone.<br />
<br />
Comparing Canadian Club 20 years to Scotch whisky and then proceeding to criticize it for lacking the flavor attributes of Scotch would be a mistake.<br />
<br />
Have a sip of Canadian Club 20 years, and maybe you will GET IT! like how I GOT IT! listening to <i>Bitches Brew</i>.<br />
<br />
Best,<br />
<br />
<br />
Jason DeblyJason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-16980984768889073022019-08-24T23:07:00.003-03:002019-09-16T16:22:01.891-03:00Scotch Review: Grant's "Sherry Cask Finish"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Me</b>: <i>I'm stalking a wall of economy blended Scotch whiskies, and trying to decide which one to abduct and hustle to checkout.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Customer</b>: <i>A soccer mom in an expensive red and yellow Manchester United jersey approaches with two boys in tow. I am guessing 8 and 12. I think my friend Keith has the same <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_KochiKame_characters" target="_blank">Kankichi Ryotsu</a> shirt as one of the boys.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
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<i><br /></i>
<br />
"Can you tell me what aisle the Grand Cru Saint-Emilion is in?"<br />
<br />
<b>Me</b>: "Sorry, I don't work here."<br />
<br />
<b>Customer</b>: <i>She stares clinically into my eyes like she might catch a glimpse of the depths of my soul. Then, her nose flares, as if she has found my soul located on a tropical island littered with bikinis, white sand, waves and Johnnie Walker Black on ice that never melts in spite of the heat of the nearby hibachi and the endless summer afternoon.</i><br />
<br />
"I have seen you here before. I am sure of it."<br />
<br />
<b>Me</b>: "I have been here before because I am a regular, but I don't work here," I somewhat sputter.<br />
<br />
<b>Customer</b>: "You are wearing black pants and a red golf shirt like the rest of them."<br />
<br />
<b>Me</b>: <i>So, does Tiger Woods on the Sunday afternoons. </i><br />
<br />
<b>Customer</b>: "This is unbelievably bad customer service!"<br />
<br />
<b>Me</b>: <i>Before I can say anything, she storms off with her offspring, much to my bewilderment. I turn back to my wall of shame, and try to choose a blend that is cheap.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Customer</b>: <i>She points at me, followed by an employee, presumably the 'supervisor' who is also wearing a red polo shirt and black chinos.</i><br />
<br />
"That's him," she hisses.<br />
<br />
<b>Supervisor</b>: <i>He looks me up and down and maybe also sees my soul's quest for rest at a Caribbean island beach under a palm tree that would be fitting for an Axe deodorant commercial.</i><br />
<br />
"Ma'am, he doesn't work here."<br />
<br />
<b>Customer</b>: "Are you sure?"<br />
<br />
<b>Me</b>: <i>I don't even wait for the supervisor to respond. I randomly grab a bottle and hightail it to checkout, where I pay the ransom.</i><br />
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<b><i>Grant's Cask Editions "Sherry Cask Finish"</i></b><br />
I can't make this up. I get out of the liquor store and am headed to my Ford with all the urgency of Steve McQueen in <i>Bullitt</i>, only my all wheel drive Escape doesn't squeal in spite of me tramping the pedal, as I exit the liquor store parking lot. I knew I should have bought that Mustang in the showroom.<br />
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Once home, I look at my Friday night purchase with little enthusiasm. Been drinking a lot of <i>Teacher's Highland Cream</i> lately and was thinking I need some variety, but the choices are pretty slim in the economy blended Scotch category. A lot of blends are designed for mixing and I don't want a cocktail. I want a cheap, but pleasant sipper that I can enjoy neat. <br />
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So, I grabbed the <i>Grant's</i>, off the shelf (bottom shelf that is), figuring it's been about six years since my last <a href="https://jason-scotchreviews.blogspot.com/2013/05/review-grants-cask-editions-sherry-cask.html" target="_blank">review</a>. Maybe it has changed a bit in flavour. You'd be surprised how many blended Scotches can change for a number of reasons ranging from new corporate ownership (e.g. Teacher's) or new staff (e.g. master blenders). Sometimes there is substitution of old faithful malts with new ones because head office bean counters (e.g. pinstripes at <i>Black Bottle</i>) decide to use other distilleries in their portfolio to contribute to the blend rather than others who are not owned by them. That's what happened to <i>Teacher's Highland Cream</i>. <i>GlenDronach</i> was a key malt for decades but a change in ownership triggered the decision to drop <i>GlenDronach</i> from the blend and use another sherried malt from a distillery already owned by the company. The change was not good for <i>Teacher's</i>. Fortunately, since then they have improved the quality of sherried malt in the blend once more.<br />
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<b><i>Nose (undiluted)</i></b><br />
Sweetness of vanilla, bread, dandelion and sliced oranges.<br />
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<b><i>Palate (undiluted)</i></b><br />
Apples, honey, fruit cocktail, orange rind, cheerios cereal, white cake bread, pleasant oak.<br />
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<b><i>Finish (undiluted)</i></b><br />
More orange rind, citrus, a wee peat, a puff of decent smoke, and then it's gone in a flash. The finish is short, but hey this is a cheap blend.<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JyRCnyOLkdQ" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<b><i>General Impressions</i></b><br />
This has improved since my last review. The improvement is in the finish. Six years ago, I sampled two bottles and the finish is where the wheels came off the wagon. It would be bitter on the finish. Not so now. You are left with a simple but pleasing sherry note that manifests itself as Florda oranges and rind. All pleasant. <br />
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The nose was good on this blend, and the palate was not offensive in the least. With no change in corporate ownership at Grant's, I would attribute this improvement to the blending team's attention to detail. Well done!<br />
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I am not a huge fan of the <i>Grant's Family Reserve</i>, but this <i>Sherry Cask Finish</i> is much better.<br />
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Worth a try, especially if you need a cheap daily sipper!<br />
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Cheers!<br />
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<br />
Jason Debly<br />
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<i>P.S. I am back from a bit of an entrepreneurial sabbatical and ready to post much more regular, so get ready for lots of my nonsense!</i>Jason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-5760701126964862552019-03-29T00:03:00.000-03:002019-03-29T00:03:11.511-03:00Scotch Review: Benromach 'Triple Distilled' Scotch Whisky<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjsVpRF6zOXmz4jymWU8XZjYK6h96IIvSP3e7zr5n_5qoYNZkD46ENyl8RvdjbBJW83nuenqWxXJwS5MYCFOa7jVcwqtZmeYJ5N52UlzgOBPj3EDKv5SlBNTjO5L0wSIyW4h5lrqGhDm8/s1600/Benromach+Triple+Distilled+Single+Malt+Scotch+Whisky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjsVpRF6zOXmz4jymWU8XZjYK6h96IIvSP3e7zr5n_5qoYNZkD46ENyl8RvdjbBJW83nuenqWxXJwS5MYCFOa7jVcwqtZmeYJ5N52UlzgOBPj3EDKv5SlBNTjO5L0wSIyW4h5lrqGhDm8/s400/Benromach+Triple+Distilled+Single+Malt+Scotch+Whisky.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<b><i>Benromach 'Triple Distilled'</i></b><br /><br /><b><i>Distillery</i></b><br />Benromach.<br /><br /><i><b>Region</b></i><br />Speyside<br /><br /><i><b>Category</b></i><br />Single Malt Scotch<br /><br /><b><i>Distribution</i></b><br />15,600 bottles <br /><br /><i><b>Price</b></i> <br />Under $100<br /><br /><b><i>Distillation Date</i></b><div>
2009<br /><br /><b><i>Bottled</i></b> <br />2017<br /><br /><b><i>ABV</i></b><br />50%<br /><br /><b><i>Chill Filtration?</i></b><br />No<br /><br /><b><i>Artificial Color?</i></b><br />No<br /><br /><b><i>Wood Management</i></b><br />Aged in first fill ex-bourbon casks<br /><br /><b><i>Note on Distillation</i></b><br />The spirit was distilled three times. Once run though the wash still and twice through the spirit still. Usually triple distillation will produce a lighter and smoother whisky. Not here. This whisky is powerful and interesting but never smooth which is fine with me.<br /><br /><b><i>Nose (undiluted)</i></b><br />Buttercups, floral, vanilla, fruity. (Well balanced nose. Nothing offensive here.)<br /><br /><b><i>Palate (undiluted)</i></b><br />Ripe tangerines, ginger, apricot jam, pears, pear juice, lemons and peppery.<br /><br /><b><i>Finish (undiluted)</i></b><br />Soft caramel, creamy, salt and deep oak and malt. A long finish.<br /><br /><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CUMct18eDBE" width="560"></iframe></div>
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<br /><b><i>General Impressions</i></b><br />Excellent! Complexity abounds as the flavours of apricot and pear marry with salt and pepper.<br /><br />Highly recommended!<br /><br />Cheers!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Jason Debly</div>
Jason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-62655068171404745122019-03-25T23:30:00.000-03:002019-03-25T23:30:54.513-03:00Scotch Review: Benromach 15 years Single Malt Scotch <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5SNw8CTXzoc_OCxZZpg4JqOBNQ0w94TE50J2iAacbsF2qfNrsseb1xg_KeUjlhyphenhyphenZLj2onYaquI18ZVOCyviO8peIKi_DIbWV_Kcjhhf4TxfLQtbiZqEmQTRg6M233OYAb2O9a4Ib3iUA/s1600/Benromach+15+years+single+malt+scotch+whisky+review.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5SNw8CTXzoc_OCxZZpg4JqOBNQ0w94TE50J2iAacbsF2qfNrsseb1xg_KeUjlhyphenhyphenZLj2onYaquI18ZVOCyviO8peIKi_DIbWV_Kcjhhf4TxfLQtbiZqEmQTRg6M233OYAb2O9a4Ib3iUA/s400/Benromach+15+years+single+malt+scotch+whisky+review.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /><br /><b>Benromach 15 Years Single Malt Scotch Review</b><br /><b><i>Region</i></b> <br />Speyside, Scotland<br /><br /><b><i>Category</i></b><br />Single Malt<br /><br /><i><b>Age Statement</b></i><br /><div>
15 years<br /><br /><i><b>ABV</b></i><br />43%<br /><br /><b><i>Format</i></b><br />700ml<br /><br /><i><b>Closure</b></i><br />Cork stopper.<br /><br /><b><i>Wood Management</i></b><br />70% Bourbon Casks (First Fill)<br />30% Sherry Casks (First Fill)<br /><i><b><br /></b></i><div>
<span style="font-style: italic;"><b>Nose</b></span><br />Strong pickled beets, ginger, chilli peppers, oak, vanilla<br /><br /><b><i>Palate</i></b><br />Herbaceous, pine cones, ginger, ginger root, strong pungent raw honey, celery stalk.<br /><br /><b><i>Finish</i></b><br />Sour dough, pickled turnip, ginger root again, faint root beer, just too much ginger again.<br /><br /><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/boLFtb24kxE" width="560"></iframe></div>
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<br /><b><i>Conclusion</i></b><br />Not impressed. Spearmint gum fans would like this. A little stale smoke, but just nothing great here. Adding a few drops of water did not help. Nominal peat and smoke and very very little sherry. The bourbon casks dominate with ginger notes. Just not liking this.<br /><br /><i><b>Not recommended.</b></i><br />People who like Glenkinchie 12 might like this, but I am not a fan of that malt either.<br /><br />Best,<br /><br /><br /><br />Jason Debly</div>
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Jason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-72499617488078340782019-03-25T00:08:00.000-03:002019-03-25T20:36:59.291-03:00Whisky Review: Lot no. 40 Rye Whisky<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OGUpzo6ofys" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<b><i>Lot no. 40 Rye Whisky</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Category</i></b> </div>
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Canadian Whisky </div>
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<b><i>ABV</i></b> </div>
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43% </div>
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<b><i>Format</i></b> </div>
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750 ml<br />
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<i><b>Closure</b></i><br />
Cork stopper</div>
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<b><i>Mashbill</i></b> </div>
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100% unmalted rye </div>
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<b><i>Wood Management </i></b></div>
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Virgin Oak, heavy char </div>
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<b><i>Distillery</i></b> </div>
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Hiram Walker Distillery </div>
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<b><i>Distributor</i></b> </div>
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Corby Spirit and Wine Ltd. </div>
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<b><i>Age Statement</i></b> </div>
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None. </div>
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<b><i>Nose</i></b> </div>
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Copper pennies, rye bread, a little floral. </div>
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<b><i>Palate</i></b> </div>
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Dry, dusty rye bread, cinnamon, bruised oranges. </div>
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<b><i>Finish</i></b> </div>
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Long with plenty of guess what? Rye! Organic, dark German sour bread comes to mind. A little minty with green bitter lemongrass. </div>
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<b><i>Conclusion</i></b> </div>
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If you like a bold rye whisky then do try this. The price is reasonable and it delivers a lot of strong rye notes. For the price, you get good value for money. If you like gentle American ryes with a bit of corn in the mash bill to soften and sweeten things, then you may not like this whisky. </div>
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Cheers! </div>
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Jason Debly</div>
Jason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-34431697672502176882019-02-10T21:59:00.000-04:002019-02-15T09:25:44.115-04:00Scotch Review: 'Hedonism' by Compass Box Company<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-gBsw87rb0aWD-rC4WDT8Xz-FgwWWjcj0rLvIa1NpQ4T6cROoO88n-fIIdH37JGwpa-aWp7pfVR8tSYLCE35wBrBxOIM9PUDr8Jo34Hz0xa_CCRkn2hSfDuhPR4TG-neBvAWhf_WvmRA/s1600/Hedonism+Compass+Box+Company+Blended+Grain+Whisky+Review.heif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-gBsw87rb0aWD-rC4WDT8Xz-FgwWWjcj0rLvIa1NpQ4T6cROoO88n-fIIdH37JGwpa-aWp7pfVR8tSYLCE35wBrBxOIM9PUDr8Jo34Hz0xa_CCRkn2hSfDuhPR4TG-neBvAWhf_WvmRA/s400/Hedonism+Compass+Box+Company+Blended+Grain+Whisky+Review.heif" width="400" /></a></div>
I like the Compass Box Company. They put out some really interesting releases. So, when a reader suggested I continue to explore the product line of this innovative independent bottler, the question was 'where to next?' My reader suggested 'Hedonism.'<br />
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'Hedonism' is different from nearly all other offerings of Compass Box or frankly most other Scotch brands period. How is it different? Simple. It's not a single malt, blended malt or blended Scotch whisky. Hedonism is a 'blended grain whisky.' <br />
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A blended grain whisky from Scotland will have a little bit of malted barley but is principally a mash bill of other grains like wheat, corn, oats, etc. The various grains are cheaper to acquire than barley. The lower cost grains and the whisky they produce is the chief reason they are used to bulk up blended Scotches. <br />
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Additionally, grain whiskies don't enjoy the best reputation because they tend to be young and often aged in inferior casks. So the taste aint the greatest leading to a less than stellar reputation. Think of say Ballantine's Finest, a dreadful blend in my opinion. It is made up of a lot of young grain whiskies that I think were aged in lower quality casks (e.g. not 1st fill or even 2nd fill). <br />
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Grain whisky can be good whisky. It can be a delight, but the whiskies need age, careful blending, and good wood management. What would happen if you had an attentive master blender, using aged grain whiskies that matured in first and second fill casks? Would it be good? This is what Hedonism by Compass Box attempts to do.<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jZzx4Y9mAwg" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<b><i>Region </i></b><br />
Scotland<br />
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<b><i>Category</i></b><br />
Blended Grain Whisky<br />
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43%<br />
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700ml<br />
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<b><i>Age Statement</i></b><br />
None<br />
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<b><i>Artificial Color</i></b><br />
No<br />
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<b><i>Chill Filtration?</i></b><br />
No<br />
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Aged in 100% first fill American oak or rejuvenated American oak hogsheads.<br />
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<b><i>Nose (undiluted)</i></b><br />
Sweet breads, orange blossoms, honey and buttercups.<br />
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<b><i>Palate (undiluted)</i></b><br />
Sweetness but not cloyingly so. Creamy, vanilla, sponge cake, white cake bread, Dutch butter cookies. Oven warm dinner rolls.<br />
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<b><i>Finish (undiluted)</i></b><br />
Transition from sweet to dry with kitchen spices of kosher salt, tarragon and oregano. Nice structure of wheat and cereals, and lemon pith too, but just faintly.<br />
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<b><i>General Impressions</i></b><br />
I really like this and demonstrates that you do not have to have a single malt in order to enjoy a quality Scotch whisky.<br />
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Not sherried and very little if any peat. When this dram passes your lips you are left with a nice lingering spiciness.<br />
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I think this would be very well liked by the novice Scotch fan. A newbie would like this. Old whisky dogs might be taught a new trick with this one too.<br />
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If you like Glenmorangie 12 Nectar DO'r or Glenfiddich 15 Solera, then you will like this.<br />
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This tastes like pineapple, honey, malty with some lemon juice in the background. If I had a slight criticism, it would be that it is quite sweet. However, I don't mind it. For this reason, I really think the Scotch newbie would enjoy this dram.<br />
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A glass of sunshine waiting for you!<br />
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Highly recommended!<br />
<br />
Best,<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Jason DeblyJason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-52654943164637330252019-01-24T00:35:00.002-04:002019-02-10T21:11:16.925-04:00Review: The Macallan 12 years Double Cask<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"So, get this," Roger peers closer at the two day old <i>New York Times</i>, as he is too vain to get glasses, and continues. "The Clemson Tigers won the national college football championship right?"<br />
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"Yup," I say only wishing I could have watched some of it, but family and work life is very busy at this point for me or should I say unbalanced. I envision a retirement where Saturdays are devoted to college football and Sundays to NFL. Haven't broached that retirement vision with my Significant Other though. Gotta have dreams, aim high they say.<br />
<br />
"Trump fetes the team at the White House. This is what he says: 'We ordered American fast food, paid for by me. Lots of hamburgers, lots of pizza.' He bought Wendys, Burger King and McDonalds! I mean for chrissakes. It's the White House."<br />
<br />
"They are college students. He's giving them what they want. When I was 21, a burger was the centre piece of my diet." No doubt, Roger would be thinking foie gras on a baguette with white pepper should be served to a winning football team, but this just reinforces for me that Roger and his democrats are out of touch with Main Street. If Obama served burgers and fries the <i>Times</i> and the <i>New Yorker</i> on his rustic coffee table would have headlines celebrating such a move as in touch with college and ordinary people. Trump does it and liberal heads explode.<br />
<br />
"What's gonna happen after the Super Bowl? Have <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hooters" target="_blank"><i>Hooters</i></a> or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_Peaks_(restaurant_chain)" target="_blank"><i>Twin Peaks</i></a> cater the White House reception for the winning team?"<br />
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'Limousine liberal' Roger and I didn't see eye to eye on politics, but I didn't help bridge the gulf with my view that Trump is really an acolyte of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Kaufman" target="_blank">Andy Kaufman</a>, performing the greatest performance art act of all time. Fortunately, sitting between us on his chic farmhouse coffee table that Saturday afternoon were two bottles of Macallan 12 Double Cask capable of mediating our political differences.<br />
<br />
So, here's the deal. In the last couple of years, I have not been a fan of The Macallan distillery because for a time they had stopped distributing in Canada age statement whiskies and had moved to a color scheme of younger, inferior but still high priced malts. Think the NAS '1824 Series' with the Gold, Amber, Ruby and Sienna releases. Gold was terrible and Sienna was the only impressive one of the lot, but super expensive. Macallan also put out a 10 year old Fine Oak that was horrid and well borderline rancid. <br />
<br />
The Macallan is owned by the Edrington Group who I think have really been suffering from a case of identity crisis. Can't really commit fully to age statement whiskies and so release some no age statement stuff but still hold on to the old 12 year sherry wood and some age statement Fine Oak stuff.<br />
<br />
So, I found myself at Spec's, a huge liquor retailer in Houston, in early December. I was there for an NFL game at the generous invitation of my cousin and her husband, Greg. Sitting on a shelf amongst all the brands preening for my attention was The Macallan 12 year old Sherry Wood. I bought it, got it back to my cousin's house, pulled the cork poolside and had a sip. It was boring. A balanced, pleasant but oh so boring. No zing, no panache, nuthin'. Americans love Macallan. I mean really love it. Huge sales in the USA.<br />
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Christmas arrives in Canada and Greg, up here for a visit, gifts me a bottle of The Macallan Double Cask 12 years from Texas. I smile, accept graciously thinking 'ahh shit this will be another super boring malt.'<br />
<br />
But, it's not. This Double Cask is the Clemson Tigers of the 12 year old malts.<br />
<br />
Edrington takes new American oak and sends it to Spain. There they build the casks. Obviously, the newly made casks have not held bourbon. Instead, the virgin American oak is filled with sherry for a while. Not sure how long the sherry is in the barrel because of highly guarded proprietary secrets of Edrington, plus we are not exactly chummy, me a lowly conservative blogger and them a high minded multinational. <br />
<br />
In any case, the sherry is eventually emptied out and the casks are shipped to Speyside. At the distillery, in goes Macallan spirit. Thereafter, These seasoned sherry casks now holding Macallan spirit are blended with other Macallan spirit that aged in their traditional European oak. What you end up with then is a malt aged partly in American oak and then European. Hence, double cask. Let's have a taste friend:<br />
<br />
<i><b>The Macallan 12 years 'Double Cask'</b></i><br />
<br />
<b><i>ABV</i></b><br />
43%<br />
<br />
<i><b>Age Statement</b></i><br />
12 years<br />
<br />
<b><i>Category</i></b><br />
Single Malt<br />
<br />
<i><b>Region</b></i><br />
Speyside<br />
<br />
<b><i>Nose (undiluted)</i></b><br />
Sherry for sure, but its rich, high quality, red fruit, and then the oak and vanilla.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Palate (undiluted)</i></b><br />
Nice balance between sherry and oak; the oak is unique and complex. Spices of thyme and tarragon come to mind. High quality oak for sure. Creamy notes too. English cream follows the sherried entry onto the palate. Not as sherried as the sherry oak 12 years.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Finish (undiluted)</b></i><br />
More cream, wood char, limestone oddly enough but totally in a good way, spring water, red apple and some nutmeg.<br />
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<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>General Impressions</i></b><br />
This is really good! It has restored my faith in the brand. So excited was I upon discovering this fine malt, I went to my local liquor emporium in Canada and bought two more bottles. One night I open one of those and have a dram and to my dismay it is toned down, flatter, thinner, and much less complex. What has happened? I am baffled. Looking at the bottle bought in Canada I see it is bottled at 40% whereas the American release is at 43% and that in my opinion makes a big difference. Look closely at my photo above of the two bottles and notice the differing ABVs. Why the discrepancy? An industry insider says bottling ABV levels are according to regional tastes. Another insider says its all about taxes. Some regions tax higher ABVs higher. So, those high tax regions sometimes get lower ABV malts to keep the price a little less.<br />
<br />
Damn!<br />
<br />
I hold the American bottle up to Roger as proof Trump may indeed be making America great again!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Jason DeblyJason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-17071887897659675772018-11-14T11:17:00.002-04:002018-11-14T21:21:20.351-04:00Whisky Review: The Spice Tree by Compass Box Co.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After many years of going to the gym, lifting weights, treadmill and even a few aerobics classes, I have burnt out. I can't do the gym anymore to the point where I would pull into the parking lot with a feeling of dread and say 'screw it', and head back home.<br />
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Maybe it's age too. I am not as energetic as I once was nor as ambitious about my health, career or anything for that matter. But, I do know I have to keep doing something or all my ailments (diabetes, etc) will go into overdrive. So, I have taken up walking mostly in parks and around my neighborhood. Sometimes, I can cajole Roger or Keith to do an hour long walk, but other times I am on my own.<br />
<br />
During today's walk I was pondering what nip of whisky would be fitting for combating the chilly weather following my leafy jaunt. Couldn't be peaty. I just was not in the mood for a lot of peat and smoke. Sherry? Port? For sure! A heavy mouthfeel, velvety, yeah. My mind sifted through possibilities like Macallan 12, Glendronach, Balvenie, and then I thought those are expensive (well not Glendronach but the others are) and so I came upon another contender that excited me: The Spice Tree. <br />
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While it is not a single malt, it can hold its own against these more expensive age statement single malts. The Spice Tree is a blended malt, a combination of Clynelish (60%), Teaninich (20%) and Dailuaine (20%) malts that make for a brilliant Scotch whisky. Also an affordable spirit too! I am worrying about my pocketbook, in addition to my health, as I get older too. I am not yet watching Coronation Street, but who knows what my interests will be as a senior.<br />
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The other added bonus with The Spice Tree is that, unlike Balvenie, Macallan and others, here we have a non-chill filtered and no artificial color spirit, which I really think it contributes great complexity of flavour. While it does not have an age statement, this whisky delivers a solid flavour with texture that tells me the master blender made sure to have just enough older malts in the mix. This is no simple dram. The other reason for the complexity is the ABV at 46%!<br />
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<i><b>Category</b></i><br />
Blended malt.<br />
<i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b>Price</b></i><br />
Very reasonable.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Age Statement</i></b><br />
None.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Closure</b></i><br />
Cork stopper.<br />
<br />
<b><i>ABV</i></b><br />
46%<br />
<br />
<b><i>Nose (diluted)</i></b><br />
Earthy, sherry oak, Bordeaux wine, roses.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Palate (diluted)</b></i><br />
Creamy, heavy English cream laden with red berries and spicy currants, warm cinnamon rolls, rich and velvety, vanilla, claret, truffles, a very dry Bordeaux.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Finish (diluted)</i></b><br />
Drying cranberries, tangy, some wild honey mixing with the Bordeaux.<br />
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<b><i>General Impressions</i></b><br />
As you have probably figured out, this is really good whisky. Good price, good ABV level, good everything! Clynelish is the core malt here and you really taste it. The sherry and the casks it came from is done to perfection here.<br />
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A word about water. You will note that my tasting note is based on diluting the spirit with some water. I really think to a double pour you need about a teaspoon of water. This whisky improves with water and neat is not optimal. <br />
<br />
My hour long walk is over and now I can enjoy this dram having finished this post. <br />
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Have a great day!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Jason DeblyJason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8176940657289976265.post-13633922094039571702018-10-27T14:48:00.000-03:002018-10-27T15:05:50.522-03:00Whisky Review: Johnnie Walker Blenders' Batch 'Wine Cask Blend'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In my last post, I reviewed the 'Red Rye Finish' from the Blenders' Batch series, an experimental brand extension of Johnnie Walker. As you know, I was quite impressed with the Red Rye Finish in spite of it being a no-age-statement, blended Scotch. It was enjoyable neat. Always nice to stumble on a blend that is affordable and enjoyable on its own.<br />
<br />
So, with that in mind, I picked up a bottle of another in the Blenders' Batch line-up: "Wine Cask Blend"<br />
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The concept behind this bottling is to age some spirit in wine casks, in addition to the traditional ex-bourbon and sherry casks. We do not know what wine casks were selected though. Diageo is tight-lipped on that point which is unfortunate because depending on the wine, there can be some very distinctive flavour profiles. For example, on the one hand there is Glenmorangie 12 years Nectar D'Or that has its spirit finished in ex-Sauternes casks (a sweet white wine) and on the other, I can recall a bottle of Bruichladdich whose spirit was matured in ex-Barolo (a powerhouse Italian red). In both cases, the results were spectacular.<br />
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So, not knowing what wine casks were employed in the maturation of this blended Scotch, what do I know? The malt whiskies in this blend come from Clynelish and Roseilses (opened in 2010 - and is the largest distillery ever built). <br />
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<b><i>Age Statement</i></b><br />
None.<br />
<br />
<b><i>ABV</i></b><br />
40%<br />
<br />
<b><i>Artificial Color?</i></b><br />
Yes.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Chill Filtration?</i></b><br />
Yes.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Closure</i></b><br />
Twist-off metal cap.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Price</i></b><br />
Reasonable.<br />
<br />
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<b><i>Nose (undiluted)</i></b><br />
Oak, apples, a little pine needles and cone, buttery, buttercups and a faint sherry note.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Palate (undiluted)</i></b><br />
Apples, a lot of grapefruit, a little caramel sweetness turning slightly bitter by the finish. Dry wood notes and I note bourbon cask notes like melon, lemons.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Finish (undiluted)</i></b><br />
Short finish, the flavours evaporate as quickly as a politician's promises following election night. The grain whiskies contribute to a grainy, tingling sensation that is slightly astringent. This is all chased by lemon pith/grapefruit and alcohol bitterness. <br />
<br />
<b><i>General Impressions</i></b><br />
While I do not know from any press release or info on the Johnnie Walker website what kind of wine casks were employed in the wood management, my guess would be that the casks previously held white wines of some kind. In addition, I think ex-bourbon casks also play a big role in this blend.<br />
<br />
In terms of malt and grain whisky ratio, I am tasting a lot of young grain whiskies that are not helping matters. Not enough Clynelish here!<br />
<br />
If you visit the Johnnie Walker website that features this blend, they suggest using it as mix and I think that is the correct suggestion. This is not very enjoyable neat or with the addition of a few drops of water. This goes best in a tall glass of ice and ginger-ale. <br />
<br />
This blend tries to taste like Glenmorangie 10yrs, 12 yrs Nectar D'Or, Glenfiddich 15 Solera, but only ends up tasting like a blended Scotch homage to Alpenweiss or Black Tower.<br />
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In conclusion, I recommend buying this as an effective mix. I did try it with ginger-ale, an iceberg of ice and slice of lime and it worked very well.<br />
<br />
Best,<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Jason DeblyJason Deblyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13305087714773608306noreply@blogger.com7