Review: The Balvenie Doublewood 12 year old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Where we made the fire,
In the summer time,
Of branch and briar
On the hill to the sea
I slowly climb
Through winter mire,
And scan and trace
The forsaken place
Quite readily.

Now a cold wind blows,
And the grass is gray,
But the spot still shows
As a burnt circle--aye,
And stick-ends, charred,
Still strew the sward
Whereon I stand,
Last relic of the band
Who came that day!

Yes, I am here
Just as last year,
And the sea breathes brine
From its strange straight line
Up hither, the same
As when we four came.
- But two have wandered far
From this grassy rise
Into urban roar
Where no picnics are,
And one--has shut her eyes
For evermore.

The above is a poem, entitled Where The Picnic Was,  by an English poet, Thomas Hardy.  I sometimes think of it at this time of year.  Trees turning yellow, red and even purple.  Lawns strewn with dry leaves, time passing by, winter approaching, kinda like my life moving along.

I stare out at my backyard, pictured above, and sip The Balvenie Doublewood, a 12 year old single malt.  I am ambivalent about the Fall season.  Can't say I look forward to this time of year.  I am also ambivalent about Balvenie Doublewood.

The Balvenie is not terrible by any means.  It's an average to above average 12 year old single malt scotch.  Sometimes I drink it and think it has some complexity of flavor that is on the cusp of greatness.  If only it just had a little more.  Other times, it tastes simple, flat, one-dimensional.  Many people love it and I have had a couple of readers email me for my review and gently chiding me for not posting one sooner.  So, here goes . . .

Nose (undiluted)
Roses, sherry and vanilla pleasantly drifts up from the glass.

Palate (undiluted)
Playful call and response between sherry and oranges.  Nice raisin, orange chocolate.  Some flavor complexity, but not a lot.

Finish (undiluted)
What you are left with is the lingering taste of malted barley and lightly salted, dark, orange chocolate. There is a red winey (probably not a real word, but you know what I mean: wine like) character that works well. 

Add Water?
No improvement with adding water.  Not recommended.

Price Point
Reasonable.  You are getting good value for your dollar.  Competitors include GlenDronach "Original" 12 years which is usually priced lower.  Which is better?  Hard to say.  My gut reaction is to reach for the GlenDronach 12, given the lower price and comfort food level the flavor profile delivers.

Another competitor that comes to mind is the Spice Tree by the Compass Box Whisky Company.  It is a sherried blend of single malts with no age statements that is slightly cheaper in price, and frankly outshines the Balvenie in my opinion.  Not by a lot, but a little nonetheless.

General Impressions
This is a subtle whisky.  The flavorful nuances can get lost in a noisy bar.  You have to pay attention to this dram to pick up all of the aforementioned flavors.  If caught in conversation, at the ballpark, football stadium (go Patriots!) or nipping while golfing (not recommended if trying to improve one’s handicap), then it is quite easy to regard it as rather simple:  sherried dram with some oranges and chocolate. 

Balvenie Doublewood seesaws between interesting complexity to appearing somewhat one dimensional.  This is not the fault of the whisky, but rather you or I and our choice of meal.  I am convinced that if I have spicy nachos, Thai food or hell, a bag of barbecue chips and a Budweiser, my tongue will be so desensitized, that a somewhat complex dram like this will taste simple.  That is my fault, not the whisky’s.  Some whiskies shine through no matter what poor culinary choices you make.  Not so with Balvenie Doublewood.  It is moody, ambiguous, kinda like the Fall season with its moments of sunshine and warmth of the sun only to be obscured by clouds moving in and threatening an overcast sky.

Cheers!

Jason Debly

Copyright © Jason Debly, 2009-2013. All rights reserved.

Review: Clynelish 14 years & Famous Grouse 18 years

I like Friday afternoons.  The work week is nearly over and sometimes I can sneak over to the local pub for a quick nip before heading home.  I did just that today.  I called George, a friend, you will recall from past posts, who seems to always be available for a dram.  A friend in need is a friend indeed. 


Lunar Rogue Pub, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
We landed at the Lunar Rogue Pub and reached for the whisky menu.  Frank, the owner, is a scotch nut, and has about 250 whiskies on hand in the bar.  He sat down with us and we stared at the menu.  Decisions.  I suggested Famous Grouse 18 years, a vatted malt (blend of single malts only).  No objection from George.

Famous Grouse 18 years Blended Malt

I have been staring at this bottle for a while in the liquor store, but unable to pull the trigger and buy it because of the price.  In the back of my mind, I am wondering, is it worth it.  It is at a price point where I can buy a few 12 to 15 year old single malts that I know to be great.  So naturally, when the Lunar Rogue afforded me the opportunity to sample for about $7 a dram, I was sold.

As I mentioned above, the Famous Grouse 18 years is a blend of single malts.  No grain whisky here, and it shows.  A lovely blend of Macallan and Highland Park single malt whiskies.  The flavor is dark red fruits, excellent sherry of the Macallan and some spice and heather contributed by Highland Park.  A fine whisky.  There is some complexity of flavors and the sherry flavors are intense, but not over the top.  I recommend this one.  If you can get it on sale, it is definitely a bargain.  It outshines pretty much all 12 year old single malts I know.

Clynelish 14 years Single Malt Scotch

From the first sniff of the glass, we knew this was something special.  A nose of honey and melted caramel with citrus elements.  A tiny sip was entry to a sweet, aromatic, honey & a finely sherried, tropical fruit infused, delicate, heathered whisky.  It is spiced brown sugar and has a white cake bread element to it that is immensely pleasing.  Medium body that has a long, drying finish leaves the drinker satisfied with a whiff of smoke that tingles the nose and sherry lingering on the palate.  There is a waxiness to the mouthfeel of this single malt that is a rarity today.

George and I were really impressed with the Clynelish.  It outshined the Famous Grouse, and the Grouse was a good dram.  The price point for Clynelish 14 is reasonable.

The conversation quickly turned to how can we buy a bottle or two of the Clynelish, as it is not sold where we live.

Frank reminded us that a Distiller's Edition of the Clynelish will be sold at an upcoming whisky festival in our town (Fredericton, New Brunswick).  It will be a definite buy for all of us!

Cheers!



Jason Debly

Copyright © Jason Debly, 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Review: The Spice Tree Malt Scotch Whisky by Compass Box

Age Statements, much ado about nothing!
The average whisky consumer probably assumes that age statements (ie. 10yrs, 12yrs, 18yrs, etc.) on the labels of whisky bottles are indicative of quality.  Older the whisky, the better the taste, so goes the notion.  Not necessarily so.  While Glenlivet 18yrs is superior to the 12 years, there are also a number of younger siblings that outshine their older brothers and sisters.  For me, just one example would be Cragganmore 12 years which beats many 15 and 18 year old single malts.  Another example is Laphroaig Quarter Cask.  It has no age statement.  In a head to head tasting with the Laphroaig 10 year old Cask Strength, the QuarterCask comes out on top.

These observations were triggered by my reading the latest edition of Whisky Magazine (Issue 89 - October 2010) in which the editor, Rob Allanson, makes this point.  For him, he prefers the 15 year old bottling of Glenfiddich over the 18yrs, 21yrs and so on.

To hammer this point home, there are blended malts (blends containing a variety of single malts, but no grain whiskies) that have no age statement, but are superior to many single malts and blends that do.  "Name them Debly!  I want names damn it, you think to yourself."  Ok, consider:  Spice Tree.

Spice Tree is a blended malt made by the Compass Box Whisky Company.  The ingredient single malts making up this blend are all from the Highland region.  They acknowledge Clynelish distillery as one of the sources of the Highland malt in it.  I taste Oban (a great West Highland malt), but this is pure speculation on my part. 

Nose (undiluted)
Malty, sea air, harness leather, dulse, against a rich hot chocolate background.

Palate (undiluted)
Round and sweet flavors of almonds, vanilla, After Eight mint chocolate and poppy seeds which intensify by mid-palate.  Mid-palate the sweetness transitions to drying oak.

Finish (undiluted)
Rich, subdued oak and vanilla transitions into ginger, lime, lemon grass and spices (nutmeg).  Final tastes echoing on the palate are of toned down pepper steak spices and cigar.

Add Water
A little water is also very nice in this dram.  A teaspoon to 3/4 oz (2cl) brings out creamy oak notes.  Makes the whole taste more decadent.  You gotta try it with water and then decide.  As an acquaintance of mine remarked that Spice Tree "is a cracker!"

General Impressions
Impressive!  Reminds me a lot of Oban 14 years, a great highland malt.  Although it is high in alcohol strength (46% volume), it is never offensive.  A smooth, highly quaffable whisky!  A balance is struck between oak, vanilla and rich fruit.  Really drinkable and beats the hell out of some single malts.  I visited the website of Compass Box Whisky and they advise that all the ingredient malts are between 10 and 12 years.  I have no doubt.

Very little peat is present in the flavor profile.  Not a problem, just an observation.  There is smoke, but very restrained.  Sherry flavors are present, but do not dominate.  For someone looking for a step up from blended scotch whisky, without breaking the bank, this is an obvious choice.  It will definitely become a regular fixture in my liquor cabinet, so long as this blender can maintain the consistency of flavors presented in this current bottling.

Very Reasonable Price
This whisky is priced fairly and is even what I consider to be a bit of a bargain.  For example, Oban 14 years is priced nearly twice as much and I can't say it is twice as good.  I acquired Spice Tree for a little more than the price point of Glenfiddich 12 yrs and Glenlivet 12 yrs.  While they are considerably different flavor profiles, Spice Tree is superior.

I liked it so much, I bought two more bottles. 

So, while there is no age statement, don't let that deter you from buying it.

Until next time . . .

Cheers!


Jason Debly
Copyright © Jason Debly, 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Review: Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength / Batch 001 / Bot. 2009

Guest reviewer Ripley is back!  His latest peaty review is Laphroaig 10 Year Old Cask Strength / Batch 001 / Bot. February 2009.   I hope you enjoy his contribution to this blog as much as I have!  Please read on:














Right on the top of the bottle, in large font, is "Batch 001" on one line, and "Bottled Feb .09" just below. The first thing I want to say is that this kind of labeling on the bottle is super smart. For one thing, my 47 year old eyes can clearly see it! The other thing is you can compare the bottle in your hands with someone else's review. How often have you found the exact bottling of what you read a review about? It may be my 47 year old eyes, but I can't seem to find any indication on most bottles about dates - so how do you know if you are sipping a 2009 or 2010 bottling, or a 2009 or 2010 release, etc? Of course blog reviews are much more up-to-date than books, which is why I read Jason's blog regularly.

Well anyway, in the case of what is currently available for the Laphroaig Cask Strength, this is it, at 57.8% APV. Batch 002 has not been released yet. The reason they started numbering batches is because in the past, when they had multiple bottlings per year, the Distillery found it difficult to match % APV. This way they don't have to try and match alcohol level of the last bottling, and it is easier all around.

This whisky is not processed, just "barrier-filtered". From their website:

"We mature Laphroaig in seasoned oak barrels, charred before filling to impart a slight sweet vanilla nuttiness. Original Cask Strength Laphroaig is barrier-filtered only just, to remove the small char particles present. This means you will enjoy Laphroaig exactly as we made it."

When I first sampled a dram from my 1st bottle, I went into a hallucinogenic fugue...this whisky just blew me away. Next day, when I sampled another dram, I thought "what was I thinking...". I took a whisky vacation for a week and on my third sample I was seriously in love with this Laphroaig Cask Strength. This only goes to show (for me at least) that you need to spend some time with a whisky to get to know it, and that your taste buds will fluctuate from day to day, week to week, etc.... I think we develop tastes over time, so staying with one bottle for a while, without mixing it up with another, makes sense.

I remember reading an article many years ago. It said that children (and adults) need to taste something at least 7 times before they develop a taste for it or can honestly say they don't like it. I find that quite true in my life.

Water?
OK - this is an Islay, one of the core whisky makers from that wonderful island in Scotland. This is also some seriously powerful whisky - 57.8%! The bottle says to mix it with water in a 2 to 1 ratio, on the website it says "Adding a little water releases a rich aroma of peat smoke with some sweetness and strong hints of the sea.". I find that more than 1/3 water is too much. I haven't tried it with ice, but I will try that next time and add a comment on it. I like starting with 1/3 water and then working backwards to no water, to give you a nice spread on what this whisky is all about and not blow the taste buds on the first few sips. In some ways this is similar to the Quarter Cask, but not as richly sweet, it has more a whiff of elegant sweetness with definitely more peat and spiciness.

Color
A thick, dark golden.

Nose
Swirl and sniff, swirl and sniff, swirl and ...wait a minute here...where's my big wallop of peat? I get hints of rich sweet cake with a distant slight whiff of smoke but I'm expecting CASK STRENGTH PEAT here... Oh, but add a little water, swirl, let it sit for a few minutes and voila: The sweet cake comes closer and the peat smoke starts drifting past your face. Still a little sweet, but not too rich.

Palate
Take a little sip and oh my, there is it, what Laphroaig is all about: Big peat smoke with beautiful Cuban coffee burnt banana sweetness while sitting on a beach chair near the ocean - can the balance get any better - I don't know, but I am in love. And oh this is chewy and grand, and then it knocks you out with spicy pepper.

Finish
There is the recent finish and then the finish finish - for which this whisky has none - it stays with forever...This has got to have the most staying and longest finish of any yet I have tried - big finish with nice after-effects. The peat is the longest sustainer, in fact you feel in in your pores and when you breathe, you taste the peat in your breath. It lingers with you like you are inhaling a distant campfire.

Overall
As I mentioned in a blog response to Jason, "There is something VERY special about this one. I can't nail it on the head but it it is big, beautiful, and complex". There is no other whisky that I thought was worth more money then I paid. I got this one on sale for $50 and then paid $52 for a second bottle. It's about $60 US where I live, and that is definitely OK. I'm on my 2nd bottle, and I still agree with myself!

Ripley

Review: Talisker 10 years old Single Malt Scotch

Ripley, a regular reader, has accepted my invitation to submit some of his own scotch whisky reviews.  I like his insights and more importantly, he is a peat head.  I mean a fan of the big, peaty and smoke infused malts of Islay, and in the case of tonight's post, the Isle of Skye.  Me, I am more of a mainland (Speyside, Highland, etc.) rube.  I think it is important to have divergent opinions on scotch, some from the Speyside perspective and some from the Islay/Isle of Skye.  Ripley will advise on appreciating the latter.  So, here is Ripley's review:


Talisker 10
Do you remember learning how to ride a bike? I mean the actual moment you went from "trying" to actually doing it without thinking? At that moment, did you finally understand how to ride the bike - did you finally get all the instructions? I'm betting the answer to the last question is no - you didn't finally know something you didn't before, your body just did it without you thinking about it.

For me, learning how to drink whisky has been a lot like learning how to ride a bike some forty years ago. I tried lots of different suggestions, read all I could and tried to relate it to what I was tasting, and occasionally rode a few feet without falling. But one day it just all clicked together (I rode a few blocks without falling) and it was "ah ha" this is what whisky is all about! Like you develop balance on a bike, you develop an ability to smell and taste sometimes very subtle, sometimes very different, components within the malt. At least for me, I have never had drink nor food that has as much complexity and requires so much of my senses to fully comprehend and appreciate.

Unfortunately, I first tried Talisker 10 when I still had my 'training wheels' on. With my newbie senses, I could only taste big smoke which overwhelmed my ability to detect all the other components of this malt. I wasn't even able to detect the subtlety within the smoke (like the obvious sweetness). It wasn't until months later, when I had much stronger smoky/peaty malts (Islay), that I had my significant ah ha moment. What has become abundantly clear to me is that time is required for appreciating whisky. Time between sips, time for each dram to breathe, time for water to mix, time between each trial, time to learn etc, etc, etc...

Personally, my "drams" are only about 1/2 to 3/4 oz (about 1/3 to 1/2 a normal dram). As Jason has suggested many times, I drink plenty of water between sips - this has got to be the #1 best tip of any I've read/heard. I'll wait 1/2 hour or more to go back for another "dram". Before my tasting, and sometimes during, I cleanse my palate with a little sour dough bread (Jason likes French bread). Each time I go back, especially the longer I've waited, the more I smell and taste. In fact, for me, the Islays and other "peaty" malts, get sweeter at each tasting. The point is, read other's opinions and just experiment and try different things - you'll discover what works best for you!

On to the Talisker 10. But one last thing! Unlike Jason, I am definitely a peat-head, as soon as I hit the Islay islands (so to speak), I knew I found my home. With that one caveat behind us, I think you may find this review interesting. With that said, give each malt it's own few nights or space of time with yourself. If you break it up with a powerful one like a peat monster, you won't likely be able to appreciate any subtlety on its own.

Talisker is the only distillery on the Isle of Skye, Scotland. In many ways, Talisker is a closer cousin to the other Island whiskys (Islay, Orkney), than to it's mainland brethren. But despite these similarities, it is quite unique from them as well.

Color
The color is an area I haven't paid much attention to before, but it's a nice golden-brown hue in the tumbler. If it was in a burgundy or wine glass, I may be able to tell you about its legs...but it's not.

Nose
The first nose is pure smoke and a light peat medicine (clean band-aidish) scent. Second and subsequent nosing's are increasingly richly sweet like a sweet almond biscuit with a little sea-salt banana around the edges. The peaty scent starts fading in the background as the sweetness increases.

Palate
Crispy caramel banana sweetness in front with a big kick of pepper dryness in the middle then a peaty top note. This one you can roll around and around your mouth for a long time picking out the different levels. The texture is right in the middle between light and thick, perfect for rolling.

Finish
This has a short to middling length finish. You get a light smoke and crispy burnt-sugar aftertaste. It's very pleasant but not long-lasting, which is perfectly acceptable since this isn't a peat-monster.

Overall
As I have learned, the complexity of the whisky grows as your experience with it, and it is definitely not tangible with just the first dram. This is a very nice whisky, much more complex than when I first tried it. The depth is both subtle and obvious - very interesting for a growing relationship. This is actually surprisingly malty-sweet, with a kick of pepper peat. This particular characteristic (hidden and growing sweetness) is quite common with peaty malts (at least for me), but is something I only recently learned and experienced. I love this particular element about them and about the Talisker 10 in particular.

Ripley



Copyright © Jason Debly, 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Review: Finlaggan Old Reserve Single Malt Scotch Whisky

I carry on quite a few email exchanges with people around the world.  Some people email me with questions like what would I recommend as a gift for someone.  I also get into conversations just about scotch and other whiskies in general.

Yochanan (his real name is Jon) is a regular contributor to comments on my reviews and so one day I thought, Jon if you write up a tasting note, I'll post it on this blog.  He agreed and so here we are.

Jon is a big fan of this independent bottler's offering.  It is a very affordable single malt scotch.  There is no age statement, but people in the industry tell me that it is probably a six year old Lagavulin.  Others say it is a six year old Laphroaig or Caol Ila.  As an independent bottler, the owner's of the Finlaggan Old Reserve brand, are not the owner's of a distillery, but rather simply buy the single malt of one and bottle and label it themselves.  So, one year it could be Lagavulin, while another year it may be Laphroaig.  Nevertheless, the bottom line is that if you like Islay scotch, that is to say, if you enjoy peat, you will enjoy this little gem.  Please read on:

Finlaggan (Old Reserve)- Single Malt Islay Scotch Whisky

by Jon S.

Notes about the bottle: This whisky has won “gold” in the International Wine and Spirit Competition, according to the bottle. Additionally, there is quote containing praise from none other than Jim Murray, as
taken from his “whisky bible.” It goes on, “BRILLIANT,…this is simply awesome. If you don’t get a bottle of this, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life!”

Now, onto the dirty deed.

Nose (neat)
Fairly big, semi-sweet peat, some smoke, a little petrol, and seaweed.  Lacks the medicinal “edge“ one might find in the peatiest of the Islays. I also detect pears and anise, I believe, faintly behind all the peat. Nice nose. Strikes me as being relatively subdued whilst maintaining a stern, and probably quite young, classic Islay character.

Anyone who has experienced a particularly peaty Islay knows the kind of atmosphere a dram can create in a room. The peat-fires lit at the whiskeys development are seemingly rekindled, and the room can become a
tiny little peat bog. This is pleasing to the Islay enthusiast, as well as an annoyance to the non-fan who must also be in the room. The strength of the bon-fire nose on the Islay at hand in this review is little different, albeit a tad less strong than the likes of the three “peat monsters” (is it?) that our host Jason has detailed: Laphraoig, Ardbeg, and Lagavulin. I consider the Finlaggan something borderline to this.

Palate (neat)
The palate flows through in a nearly perfectly parallel fashion from the nose. Right away: Big peat attack, with a large, spicy puff of cigar smoke following the tail-end of the increasingly sweet peat. I actually had a Romeo Y Julieta Habana Reserve (cigar) after my first night’s tasting of this scotch, and judging from the not-so-extreme complexity of the OR, makes it an ideal cigar-scotch, or scotch to sip with a cigar. The pears from the nose return mid-palate. I also even pick up a teensy bit of honey and sherry! This is nice, even if it is far from the most complex or sophisticated malt one could have: The flavors are mostly straight-forward off of the nose, and the more subtle flavors are nearly drowned out from the robust ones. Not a real flaw, though. This is, however, a no-age stated entry Finlaggan. I would be interested in trying out the cask strength of this whisky as well.

Finish (neat)
Lingering, persistent smoke, oak, and a little hot pepper. The finish is long.

Palate (diluted)
If one wants to experiment, feel free, but diluting any bit seem to only mute the more subtle notes and tame the peat a tad. This scotch is to be had neat, and only neat.

I have heard a very prevalent theory that this “mysterious” scotch is actually a young Lagavulin, and I suppose I can see this. Regardless, this is young scotch, perhaps between 6-8 years. While it tastes young,
it is actually relatively gentle (by Islay definition), a kind of interesting juxtaposition.

So, is there value for money here, Jon!?
You betcha. Once again, this isn’t the most complex scotch, but it is still thought-provoking to an extent and very enjoyable. In one regard, this whisky is robust. In another, it’s considerably gentler than a lot of other Islays. That, coupled with it’s smoothness, sweetness, and lack of medicinal character make this perhaps an ideal entry to Islay single malt scotch, and a little more appealing to newbies than, say, an Ardbeg 10 yr. Around my neck of the woods, a bottle runs around $30.  In less tax-hiked areas in the U.S, I have also heard of it running as low as $17. Very economical, and clearly a steal. I highly recommend the Finlaggan Old Reserve! Cheers!

Glenkinchie Distiller's Edition - Single Malt Scotch Review

I have had this bottle of Glenkinchie Distiller's Edition (distilled in 1992 and bottled in 2007) for quite a while.  I had been kinda procrastinating the task of reviewing this single malt scotch.  Why?  Just read my review of it's younger sibling, the 12 year old and you will know why.  Not top shelf stuff by any means.  About as pleasant to drink as a trip to the dentist.

So, with great trepidation I opened the box packaging, uncorked the bottle and poured a dram. 

Nose (undiluted)
Sherry and strawberries.  Maybe dark chocolate lurking behind a doorway?

Body
Medium bodied.

Palate (undiluted)
Initially sweet, high quality sherry that gracefully moves to velvety Marashino cherry. The initial sweetness gives way to dry, spicy cinammon sticks.  Nice complexity.

Finish (undiluted)
Cigar & esspresso coffee.  This finish is puckering dry.  The crushed velvet texture of this scotch is memorable.

Add Water?
Yeah, you could amigo.  But why?  A teaspoon to 1 & 1/2 ounces makes it more winey, port like and sweet.  For my palate, I prefer this single malt neat.  The water also takes away complexity of the flavors.  Don't do it!  Just say 'no' to water.

Distiller's Notes
On the back of the packaging is the following marketing blurb:

"A special Limited Edition from hand-selected casks, double matured in elegant Amontadillo cask-wood chosen to compliment the whisky's sophisiticated balance between sweet and dry, this Distiller's Edition reveals a fascinating, complex and malty depth in Glenkinchie's lowalnd character."

Surprisingly, I find myself agreeing with the above passage.  It is certainly sophisticated and there is great balance or what I would call great transition from sweet to dry.  What makes me chuckle when I read the above noted packaging note is the reference to Amontadillo.  I remember studying in high school The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allen Poe.  Amontadillo and Amontillado are the same words for the same fine Spanish sherry that appeared in the aforementioned short story.  In the story, the main character invites a fellow Italian nobleman to his wine cellar, located in catacombs, to taste some fine Amontadillo.  Well, that's just a pretext to exact some disturbing revenge.  I won't ruin the story.  Read it here.

Edgar Allen Poe was a rascal who knew good sherry.  The same good sherry that imparts great flavors in this Glenkinchie Distiller's Edition.

Price Point
Expensive.  No doubt about it.  It tests the limit of value for money, but in the end,  the value is there.  The high price is a testament to how good this single malt is.

Conclusion
What you will not taste in this malt is very much peat.  So, if you are a peat freak, look elsewhere.

This Distiller's Edition is a huge step up from the standard 12 year old bottling.  The two are very different.  The 12 year old is bitter and sour while this Distiller's Edition is refined, beautiful use of sherry flavors and great complexity of cinammon and some chocolate too.

This is so good, I am going to buy another bottle.  Great scotch for special occasions.  Skip the 12 year old and buy this.  Very good, high quality single malt scotch.

Cheers!


Jason Debly

Copyright © Jason Debly, 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Review: Highland Park 15 year old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Lately, I have been encountering a number of disappointing blended and single malt scotches.  The suspects:  Glenkinchie 12, Auchentoshan 12, Dewar's 12 and Whyte & Mackay.  In addition to being disappointing, they were a waste of money.  I gave away most of the bottles to friends who aren't that picky about what they drink.  I guess that's one of the hazards of operating a whisky blog.  You can waste good money on poor whisky or scotch.  With this review, I needed a scotch that would remind me of the romance between drinker and scotch that can take place when great spirits are involved.  So, I picked up a bottle of Highland Park 15 years.  I am familiar with Highland Park 12 and 18 years and was confident that the 15 would be a delight also.  I had tried it at a scotch tasting that featured a range of Highland Park bottlings.

Nose (undiluted)
Vanilla, rich peat, slight heather, sherry, lawn grass clippings, damp leaves. The aromas convey a clear message: A rich, luxuriant treat awaits!

Palate (undiluted)
Starts sweet. I can taste the sherry flavors imparted as a result of the time this spirit spent in sherry casks. It must have been good sherry in those casks because I do not taste the spoiled sherry flavors that I encounter in cheap blends like Whyte & Mackay or Dewar’s 12 years. This is choice/top shelf single malt scotch.

Besides the sherry, I am detecting spiced honey that would make Winnie the Pooh swoon with delight. Velvety smooth, yet with texture and an aromatic flavor profile that goes on and on and on like the Energizer Bunny. There is also a citrus component to the flavor profile that appears on the finish. Mid-palate is very aromatic.

Finish (undiluted)
Some fresh navel oranges and smoked salmon dry on the palate. Ohh! This is good! These smokey flavors last a long time, like an echo at the Grand Canyon.

Add Water?
Yes, please do!  A teaspoon to 1 and a half ounces will cause the scotch to become more sweet, marzipan and baklava like in terms of flavor.  I prefer this single malt with a little water.  Tasted neat there is a little hint of alcohol that disappears with water.

General Impressions

I asked Gerry Tosh of Highland Park Distillery for basic information on the 15.  Here is the email exchange:

From: Jason Debly
Email: jasondebly@gmail.com
Country: Canada (Eastern)
Comment: I operate a scotch whisky review blog
(http://jason-scotchreviews.blogspot.com/) and I intend to conduct a review of Highland Park 15 year old. Accordingly, I am seeking any information with respect to aging, distillation details and images concerning this bottling. Please note, I am not seeking a sample, as I conduct an independent review of various whiskies that I profile. If you have any information that you could provide, I may use some of it in my review. Certainly, if this is not a request that you wish to entertain, please disregard this email and do not trouble yourself to respond.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.


Sincerely,




Jason Debly

. . .

Here’s the response I received from Highland Park:

Always happy to help a whisky lover.
All you need to know is this.
Youngest whisky is 15 years old
30% of the casks used are first fill sherry cask
70% of the casks used are refill sherry casks
The big flavour difference is that we are using predominantly using
American oak sherry casks in the 15 where the 12,18 we are mainly using
Spanish oak.

Hope this helps.


G


Gerry Tosh
Head of Brand Education
Highland Park single malt scotch whisky
West Kinfauns Perth Scotland PH2 7XZ
Tel: +44 (0)1738 493611
Fax: +44 (0)1738 493838
Email: gtosh@edrington.co.uk
<>
Web: www.highlandpark.co.uk
. . .

So, first fill sherry casks obviously impart a stronger taste of sherry on the spirit in the casks than say a refill cask. Mr. Tosh also attributes the difference in taste from the 12 and 18 yrs bottlings to the different wood used. American oak!  Here's a link to his video tasting of the 15.

On the web, I have read that the Highland Park 12 and 18 yrs are aged in 90% ex-sherry casks and the remaining 10% in ex-bourbon casks. The Highland Park 15yrs is supposedly aged 50/50 in ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks.  Judging from Mr. Tosh's email the use of ex-bourbon casks would be inaccurate.  So, in order to clarify this point I posed that question to Mr. Tosh.  Here is his prompt reply:

No worries about the extra question.

Highland park use NO bourbon barrels at all, we only use sherry casks.
We use American oak sherry casks to give it the citrus flavour we are looking for.


Regards


Gerry

Well, just goes to show that you cannot believe everything you read on the web!

In any event, the bottom line is that the 15 year old is less sherried than the 12 and 18 year old editions of this great distillery. And guess what? I like it! For my taste preference, I find the 12 and 18 a little more sherried than I would like. The 15 is more balanced and the vanilla flavor is a delight. It should be noted that most critics would disagree with my opinion. In fact, I think most scotch drinkers prefer the 12 and 18 to the 15.

Value for Money?
I think so. Some may disagree. This is by no means cheap in terms of price. For me, I have no problem paying a steep price if I am getting good quality. I believe that the price is commensurate with the high quality single malt scotch whisky I will taste.

One Problem

I have encountered one ‘problem’ with this single malt scotch. It is incredibly drinkable, so easy to sip that the bottle is disappearing too fast! We all have our crosses to bear, and so I will just steel myself in regards to overcoming this seemingly insurmountable problem!

Bottom Line
Highland Park 15 years is a high quality single malt.  The price is high but reasonable in light of the quality.  This scotch would make an excellent gift for the serious scotch fan.
Cheers!


Jason Debly

Photo credits:  Close up of Highland Park Label by Let Ideas Compete;
Photo of Highland Park Distillery entrance by J_
Copyright © Jason Debly, 2009-2012. All rights reserved.

Glenkinchie 12 years old Single Malt Whisky Review

Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
You are no doubt familiar with the words Speyside, Islay and Highlands, which of course refer to famous regions of Scotland that are home to many great distilleries.  But, Lowlands?  Maybe you have not heard of it and this is understandable.  The Lowlands is that region that generally borders on England. 

Anyway, enough of the boring little geography lesson.  What we are concerned with is whether or not such a region is home to a good distillery or two?  Well, actually it is home to three functioning distilleries:  Glenkinchie (near Edinburgh); Auchentoshan (near Clydeband) and Bladnoch (near Galloway).  We know from my previous review of Auchentoshan 12 year-old-single-malt that I am not a fan of that distillery.  The question for today is whether or not Glenkinchie is any good?  Well, students of scotch whisky, let's investigate!

Glenkinchie
I am not going to tell you how many hundreds of years ago this distillery was founded or the name of the brothers or family that started it all.  Why?  Because it seems that every scotch distillery has the same quaint, fairy tale, and I just refuse to parrot the stock marketing material embossed on the bottle labels and packaging.  I mean surely there was a greedy Scottish family out there, a couple hundred years ago, who were essentially bootleggers and tax dodgers, who made fine hootch and did it, not for the love of the spirit, but for the love of money!  Imagine that, a Scot who loved money?  What's wrong with that storyline?  I am waiting for that tale to be inscribed in fine poetry on the back of a scotch bottle.  I probably will have to wait a while for that one.

Before moving on to my tasting note, what I will tell you about Glenkinchie is an interesting observation made by the late, great scotch whisky chronicler, Michael Jackson, in his book Whiskey - The Definitive World Guide (DK Publishing Inc., 2005, NY).  At page 100, Mr. Jackson wrote that the greatest Lowland distillery was Rosebank.  It is owned by Diageo, a multinational drinks company, but closed in 1993.  How come? 

In order to answer the above question, a brief explanation of the Classic Malts Selection is necessary.  In 1988, a drinks company going by the name of United Distillers and Vintners (who subsequently were bought out by Diageo) started marketing six single malt whiskies by region:

Dalwhinnie 15 years:  Highland

Talisker 10 years:  Isle of Skye

Cragganmore 12 years:  Speyside

Oban 14 years:  West Highland

Lagavulin 16 years:  Islay

Glenkinchie 12 years:  Lowland

The problem with the "regions" of Scotland identified and marketed by United Distillers and Vintners and subsequently Diageo is that they are in some cases invented purely for the purposes of marketing.  No one else speaks of "West Highland" as a distinct scotch whisky region.  Moreover, such is the case for "Isle of Skye."  Why is this the case?  Simple.  Diageo wanted to showcase Oban and Dalwhinnie, referring to one as from Highland and the other from West Highland.  Isle of Skye is not normally regarded as a distinct scotch producing region.  It is merely home to one distillery, Talisker, which happens to be owned by Diageo.  All marketing.  The traditional regions of Scotland are: Highland, Lowland, Speyside, Campbeltown and Islay.  It is interesting to note that Campbeltown has a long history of being a scotch producing region, but is not represented in the Classic Malts line-up.  Could it be due to the fact that Diageo does not own any Campbeltown distilleries?  Me thinks so.

So, what does the above discussion have to do with Rosebank?  Back to Michael Jackson at page 100:

"When Diageo put together its six-strong Classic Malts range, it had to choose between Glenkinchie and Rosebank for the Lowland representative.  Most people in the firm would have chosen Rosebank, but in marketing, image is all; Rosebank sat next to a dissused canal and bridged a busy main road, while Glenkinchie lay in pretty farmland, with more tourist appeal.

Why, though, close Rosebank down?  Even if it was insufficiently pretty to be a frontline distillery, the quality of its spirit was such that it deserved to be in the portfolio.  Today the canal is open and industrial heritage is celebrated, Rosebank remains closed."

So, there you have it.  Glenkinchie was not generally regarded as producing the finest single malt whisky in the Lowlands.  That prize went to Rosebank, but it got shut down in favor of Glenkinchie because the latter had a prettier location, which lended it to the aims of marketing.

Well, enough introductory remarks, let's see what Glenkinchie tastes like.

Glenkinchie 12 years

Nose
Fresh, lemony and citrus.  Very restrained.  Pleasant, but-not-over the top incredible.

Palate (undiluted)
Light bodied and ever so slightly peated.  Begins sweet and rounded with green apple.  A little creamy.  Flavors transition to lemony/lime cereal.  Maybe even lemon meringue pie.

Finish (undiluted)
The lemon meringue quickly disappears and what remains in the mouth is raw onion and faint wasabi (ugh!). The onion and wasabi foreshadow raw alcohol/ginger root that dries across the palate.  Not good.

General Impressions
This single malt starts out ok on the palate, but takes a horrible turn (think Jan & Dean's Dead Man's Curve) for the worse on the finish when the onion and wasabi appears before melding into plain old alcohol.  This is totally unacceptable at the high price point charged for this single malt scotch.  I am very disappointed. 

This single malt scotch was not cheap.  For the price, I expected a lot more.  I have no problem with it being light bodied.  What I have a problem with is that alcohol finish.  I mean rubbing alcohol.  Really makes it taste cheap on the finish.  No value for money here.  This is a single malt that confirms my opinion that blended scotch whisky can in some cases be better than single malts. 

I am unsure as to whether or not the addition of water improves this single malt.

Bottom line:  Not recommended.  Very expensive for what you get.  A simple unfolding of flavors.  Where is the complexity?  For a high priced single malt scotch, there is not the level of complexity of flavors that should be there.

If I was a Roman Empreror and this malt was a gladiator staring up at me from the bowels of the Colosseum, awaiting word of his fate, he would be getting a big thumbs down from me.


Jason Debly

P.S.  Is Glenkinchie Distiller's Edition any better?  Check out my review here.

Copyright © Jason Debly, 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

Review: Bowmore Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 10 & 12 years

Novice scotch fans
What do they like? I should know because I used to be one. Usually, someone unfamiliar with scotch whisky or only having a casual acquaintance with it will gravitate toward the sweet, honey and cinnamon malts of the Speyside region. Easy drinking, smooth, kind of like a liquid candy bar. Hence, the popularity of blends like J&B, Bells, Ballantines and others.  Generally, the novice does not like peaty scotch and the peatiest come from Islay.

Islay

Islay (pronounced ‘eye-lah’) is an island located off the southern Scottish coast. A land with virtually no trees and plenty of peat. Peat, you will remember, is layers upon layers of decaying plants (grass, underbrush, bushes, etc.) in waterlogged areas like bogs and moors. How peat becomes an integral flavor component of single malt scotch is due to an early step in the distillation process.

After the barley is gathered and submerged in local water for a couple of days (in order to cause germination), it will be spread on the floor of a ‘kiln.’  A fire is started underneath the floor and the fuel for the fire is peat. The smoke travels up through the ventilated floor and adheres to the barley imparting the smoky, tar, medicinal and sea weed flavors we associate principally with Islay and the word ‘peat.’

As soon as you pour an Islay malt the smoke, tar and peat aromas escape the glass and in many cases can fill a room. This is a good thing if you like scotch. Not so great if you do not, which was the case a couple of weeks ago when I visited my friend, George, at his office on a late Friday afternoon. We were having a dram of Bowmore around 4:30pm (I would never leave work!) when the office manager passed in the hallway remarking that she could smell the whisky from outside the boardroom. She was not impressed and promptly left. Her loss . . .

A Stash of Scotch
George is a lawyer (don't hold that against him) and every once in awhile a client is happy with what he has done, and so a gift in the form of a bottle would appear at reception. Over the years, quite a few bottles have accumulated at his office. Strange thing is that he has never gotten around to taking them home or having a drink at the end of a long day. Anytime there was a drink it would be in a bar.

Well, that all changed this winter when I dropped by the office unannounced and discovered how charitable his clients had been. There were bottles in the bookcase, a couple in the kitchen sitting in the cupboards and a few in his desk. They were all covered in dust and unopened! Royal Salute, Glenlivet 12 yrs, Highland Park 12, Glenlivet 18, Johnnie Walker Blue and others. They were obviously old because in many cases the labels were clearly from the 1980’s. George was the only scotch drinker in the office. The other two employees were ladies who had no interest. When I would show up we typically headed to a local bar or pub. Well, a couple of weeks ago that all changed when I suggested we open some of these antique bottles (not really antique but certainly not new). He agreed. The one we tried was a Bowmore 10 year old (700ml) that had been a special bottling for the Opimian Society. By the way, the Opimian Society is a cooperative that buys wine for its members. George was a member at one time. So was I until kids came and I found the wine collecting/drinking habit too expensive.

Anyway, George took a photo of the bottle but has been remiss in emailing it to me so I do not have it in this posting. Will have to badger him on that little task. In any event, the label reads: “Private Selection The Opimian Society Bowmore 10 yrs old 1990 distillation.” (Since the original posting, he has provided the pic.  It's below.)  If it was distilled in 1990 and has an age of 10yrs, then it was bottled in 2000. This corresponds with George’s weak memory. I was quite interested to taste a bottle that sat on a bookcase for ten odd years.  Here’s the tasting note:

Private Selection The Opimian Society Bowmore 10 yrs old 1990 distillation

Nose
Peaty.  Charcoal.  Oak.

Palate
Peat. Ash. Tar. Restrained for an Islay single malt.

Finish
Salt, brine, dries on palate as a plume of pipe smoke takes over.

General Impressions
I was impressed. I am not a huge Islay scotch fan but do enjoy this one. George was not so impressed. He described it as the diet cola of Islay scotch or something to that affect.  He said he could not understand how a peaty scotch could be so light bodied.

Also present for the tasting was Mike, he turned up that Friday afternoon in the course of various building maintenance duties. I hollered down the hall for him to join us and he did. Mike was not a fan. He did not like it at all. But, it should be noted that he is not a novice scotch fan, but rather a scotch virgin and needs to suckle at the breast of blended Speyside scotch whisky before venturing into Islay territory. Mike did have some Highland Park 12 year old on another Friday after work and he was very impressed. We will have to mentor Mike to see the fine attributes of Islay scotch. As for George, a veteran of many empty scotch bottles, well I guess there is no explaining bad taste . . .

. . .

Having tried an old bottling of Bowmore, it made me want to explore Bowmore some more. My friend James had mentioned that he had tried the 12 year old bottling and enjoyed it, and so I decided to try it as a comparison.

Bowmore Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 12 years

Nose (undiluted)
Delicate smoke, sulphur, and medium peat. This single malt scotch has probably the gentlest of Islay malt aromas. The scent of sulphur is a little off-putting, but don’t worry, it never rears its head in the palate.

Palate (undiluted)
Sweet, 300 thread-count, pillow soft, peat. Lakeside bonfire smoke of fallen tree branches that had been gathered on a windswept, overcast October afternoon.

Finish (undiluted)
Quite long. Drying sea salt, black tea and a little mint, all in a cloud of mild Canadian cigarette smoke. The final taste is ashes. The tail end of a big cigar.

General Impressions
A nice change from Lagavulin 16 years. Sometimes I am not in the mood for Lagavulin 16 years. As great a single malt as it is, it is rather ‘over the top’ and so, does not lend itself to being casually enjoyed while say chatting with friends or watching The Masters. Lagavulin 16yrs commands or rather demands your attention. Naturally, it is not suitable for every occasion.

When you want to just unwind with friends and make small talk, watch the game or just unwind in front of the TV, Bowmore 12 years fits the bill to a “T.”

Ardbeg 10 years Comparison
Ardbeg 10 years is a competitor to Bowmore 12 years. The Ardbeg is coarser. The peat, salt and smoke flavors are more robust and lacking the sophistication of the Bowmore. Certainly, Ardbeg 10 years has its fans, who probably number more than the Bowmore, but I cannot be counted among them. I definitely prefer the Bowmore for its’ restraint. Finally, Ardbeg 10 is more expensive by a considerable margin, which again makes Bowmore 12 more attractive from an economic point of view.

Price Point
In terms of price point, it’s very reasonable. Actually, it is one of the lowest priced 12 year old single malts. By factoring in the price and considering the flavor profile, you soon realize there is value for money here.

Is this for you?
Probably. It’s fairly difficult not to like this single malt. Even if you are a novice scotch fan lacking a deep affection for Islay malts with their classic peat and smoke flavors, this malt probably will reel you in. The main reason for it’s appeal is that none of the Islay flavors are too robust. Everything is gentle, balanced and therefore not likely to offend. Accordingly, it is a great ‘starter’ Islay single malt for those who are unfamiliar with Islay or in the past had decided it was not for them. If you have held such thoughts, Bowmore 12 years may change your mind.

One caveat though.  This is a type of scotch that I cannot sit down several nights in a row and drink.  It's just a bit much in the peat/smoke department.  So, I am happy to have it in the cabinet as a nice change but it is not a regular 'go-to' scotch or whisky like Johnnie Walker Black, Highland Park 12, Jim Beam Black and a few others that I simply never seem to tire of.  An exception to my comment would be if you are a peat and smoke fan of Islay single malts.  I am, at heart, a hardcore Speyside/Highland nut.  Maybe an Islay fan would insist that this could be a daily drinker.  Just not for this guy.

Cheers!

Jason Debly

Copyright © Jason Debly, 2009-2012. All rights reserved.

Photo Credits:  Islay photograph taken by Chris Bazley-Rose
First Bowmore 12 photograph is available as a download at the Bowmore website (http://www.bowmore.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=Images)
Second Bowmore 12 years photograph appearing in garden taken by Jason Debly.
Bowmore 10 yrs Opimian edition - photography by Jason Debly

Review: Lagavulin 16 yr Old - The Best Islay Single Malt!

Islay whisky is made only on the island of Islay, Scotland. It is characterized by a strong or dominant peat flavor profile. Lagavulin, Ardbeg and Laphroaig are the three most famous single malts distilleries from this Island. There are a few others, but in any event, I am of the opinion that Lagavulin is the finest of them all. When I first started drinking scotch I did not like anything peaty. I prefered sugary sweet or honeyed scotches like Famous Grouse. However, over time my tastes have matured and now I have grown to appreciate the peat component of scotch whisky to the point that I actually am a fan of an Islay single malt scotch, namely Lagavulin.

This love affair with Lagavulin started this evening. While I had started to enjoy more peat flavors in my blended scotch, I had not found a single malt that I could say I enjoyed. Well, all that changed this evening. I am currently in Prince Edward Island for some meetings. So, I drove four hours, had a little dinner and went to a very lame social mixer. Left that promptly with a couple of friends in tow and headed to the club house bar (the resort has three golf courses!). So, we are sitting at the bar and I am surveying the collection of liquor bottles in pyramid formation against a mirrored wall, and not seeing much in the way of scotch except for three bottles, Glenfiddich 12 year old, a bottle of Cragganmore and Lagavulin. Well, I had the Glenfiddich a million times in the past, and as for the Cragganmore, I was seriously considering it when I started thinking about the Lagavulin.

Lagavulin is one of those single malt scotches that I read about on whisky blogs that scotch aficionados go on about. Basically people who know their scotch, really praise this one. So, having that brain wave wash over my strong body, but weak in spirit, I pointed to the Lagavulin and told the bartender to pour me a double. (A single is simply not enough needed in order to formulate a tasting note, which by the way, I feverishly scratched out between snorts of this heavenly stuff).

Nose
I nosed it at first and was surprised at how sophisticated and refined the smoke, peat and spice (I'm thinking nutmeg). Nosing this, I knew immediately that I was in for a treat. Nothing on the nose threw off a scent of cheap alcohol. Lots of smoke even while I sat. If you walked into the room, you would be searching for the roaring fire of tree branches and peat ("an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter" - according to Wikipedia) producing billowing smoke. Well, there is no fire, just my glass, so why don't you sit down at the bar next to me and my friends and let us go on a wonderful journey.

Palate
With some trepidation I take a sip, expecting to be disappointed, as I have been with another famous Islay scotch, Laphroaig. However, there is no disappointment. I take my sip, hold it, rolling it around, the bartender stares at me pensively (probably wondering how much i will tip him) and contemplate a most wondrous scotch tasting experience. On the palate, a silken liquid of considerable viscosity bathes my palate in a gently sweet wood smoke, moving to mint, peppermint and cool menthol. The liquid is warming. There is no heat, burn or roughness of any kind. Have no fear, you can drink this "neat" (no water or ice need apply to this job!). I also detect some green olive with the red pimento in the centre coming through. Oh, this is glorious stuff. The stuff that dreams are made of. I ask the bartender, tarbender for a napkin and a pen. I have to capture this moment without delay. My friends shake their head. The bartender looks on fearing maybe I am writing a note of complaint to his manager, but oh no, I am writing this very tasting note, documenting what I am picking up on the nose, the palate and of course, the finish!

Finish
More smoke baby! This palate of mine is smoking like a Motley Crue stage or Studio 59 at midnight with all the dry ice. Yeah, I am tasting wood smoke, peat, like a nice menthol cigarette, and that sweetness like that first kiss! oh yeah! Follow that with brine and sea salt and I know I have just downed the best damn scotch I have had in a very long time. It lingers too. The finish lingers for quite a while after I down it. This is no cheap two buck chuck finish.

General Impressions
I did not like peated scotch very much prior to tasting this. I associated Islay with heavy peat married with rubbing alcohol. I now stand corrected. Islay scotch can be very enjoyable. I am shocked and in a state of wonderment as to how good this scotch is.

There are so many web reviews of this scotch and I do not think any are negative. So much praise comes for good reason. It is expensive but an incredible treat well worth it. My double Lagavulin cost me $17! Well, ahh that was the first one. . . As for the tip, the barman was relieved when he found out I was writing notes for this review on the napkin he supplied.

Cheers!


Jason Debly

© Jason Debly, 2009 - 2011. All rights reserved.