A meditation on the Port Charlotte Cluster and other things

(Port Charlotte cluster homepage)

If you think this series has gone on for an eternity, I can relate. But time plus booze equals......a quicker march towards the infinite? I don't know, what was my point? Ah yes, these clusters disabuse me of all my previously held opinions, notions and theories about the distillery or brand of focus. Knowledge over romanticism. Three reviews, or even six reviews, just won't do.

Each cluster starts with excitement, like a new love, then it drifts towards fascination before slumping to boredom, then arising to objective distance, and finally curling up in exhaustion.

Twenty-four reviews later, I no longer see Port Charlotte as a "brutalist malt," "strange, jagged and stark, conjuring images of concrete and steel." When young it's a savory, salty, coastal thing, but to find that core, one has to dive beneath the heat of its often outrageous bottling strengths. As it ages, it releases its grip on those characteristics, sometimes gradually, sometimes abruptly, depending on the maturation vessels. I'm sure this is the case with all whiskies, but I see Port Charlotte's development more clearly now.

By the time it reaches its mid-teens, Port Charlotte takes its spot among the great malts of Southern Islay. It trades most of its youthful eccentricity for balance and stability, resulting in a more familiar single malt.

But what is better? The excitement or the reliability? That is the crux of the biscuit, my friends. It depends on your preferences, as well as the moment. Is it mid-January in the Midwest, or late summer in Southern California? Are you watching the rain in Port Ellen, or wiping the sweat from your lower eyelids at a Ginza cafe in June?

For me, Port Charlotte (and Laphroaig and Lagavulin and Ledaig and Ballechin and Ardbeg and Kilchoman and Hampden and Worthy Park) can be a rough drink in the summer. My palate has no disputes for the other three-quarters of the year, though.

Were price no barrier, I'd continue to explore bourbon-cask and sherry-cask Port Charlotte as it gets older, to see if it trends towards any other familiar single malt styles. For now, I'm perfectly happy to enjoy the official 10-year-old and Islay Barley editions. And I'm even happier that I still enjoy Port Charlotte at the end of this cluster.

Now on to the next one...

Port Charlotte 16 year old 2001 Archives, cask 278 (my bottle)

(Port Charlotte cluster homepage)

For the 24th and final Port Charlotte cluster review, I opened up one of my bottles. I'm pretty sure it was the oldest existing Port Charlotte for all of about 30 minutes, so I got those Big Whisky Eyes, and suddenly I was nearly breaching my spending limit, for a 16 year old whisky mind you. My logic was: Port Charlotte (Good) + Archives (Good) = Doubleplusgood. And shut up and take my money.

At the time, I'd never tried a Port Charlotte that was 10 years old, let alone 16! Thanks to this cluster, my experience has changed. In fact, I tried this 16 alongside the other two 16s from this review series. And now it receives its own post.

NOTES

Diluted to 46%abv (going backwards this time)

At first it's an outdoor fish market (in the morning) and salty/savory smoke in the nose. Baked peaches and apricots fill in the midground, with hints of anise and sourdough in the background. An intense ocean water note takes over at the 30 minute mark.

The palate is loaded with the big PC peat, as well as lots of salt and wasabi. There's no vanilla, and very little sweetness. With time in the glass, it develops a mix of charcoal smoke and lime juice.

It finishes salty and tingly, and holds onto that charcoal smoke + lime combo.

Full strength - 59.7%abv

Horse stables and peaches on the nose. Seaweed and kiln. Lemon, honey and a hint of guava juice too. Yes.

The palate is fierce AF. No subtlety, just ALL CAPS. Herbal bitterness and salt wrapped in black smoke. A wallop of Hampden-style funk. Baskets of limes and oranges.

The citrus goes tart in the finish, keeping up with all the heavy smoke, salt and funk.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Thank goodness this is good. I've had a number of decent-enough bottles recently, and I'm getting tired of trading my money for "decent-enough."

One great aspect of this Port Charlotte is that it's two different whiskies at 46%abv and 59.7%abv, and both versions are throughly enjoyable. This also hints at the possibility of more variation at other dilution levels. Quality + flexibility! While the nose is grand at both levels, I prefer the crazy violence at full power. This may be another whisky that will drink even better when the heat index is below 100ºF, so I'm going to keep the bottle sealed up for a few months before returning to it.

Well, that's nearly a wrap, folks. I will pull together my thoughts from this 2.5 month quest and post something like a conclusion this weekend.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - €170 when it was released; a lot more €€€ on the current secondary market

Rating - 90

anCnoc 24 year old

Knockdhu distillery (home of anCnoc single malt) restarted production in 1989, after a six year closure. Like Arran and their 25yo, Knockdhu rightly stashed away some of those early casks for a future well-aged release. Those casks resulted in the early batches of this 24 year old whisky.

I try to check in on anCnoc single malt every couple of years. The 18yo and Cutter are very good, and the 12yo (43%abv edition) is pretty solid. Their marketing budget seems to be on the lean side and bottle flippers tend to stay away.

With a little bit of research, one can find the 24 year old selling for only 30% more than the 18 year old (in Europe), a price point that harkens back to cheaper days of yore. I had been considering blind-buying the whisky just when Dr. Springbank brought me a sample from his bottle.

Distillery: Knockdhu
Owner: Inver House Distillers (via Thai Beverages plc via International Beverage Holdings Ltd.)
Region: border of Speyside and Western Highlands

Age: minimum 24 years
Maturation: sherry casks and bourbon casks
Alcohol by Volume: 46%

Chill-filtration? No
Caramel colored? No
(Thank you to Dr. Springbank for the sample!)

NOTES

The nose is heavy on the sherry casks, and I do mean HEAVY. There's some lumber in there with the prunes, dried cherries, chocolate and anise. It develops smaller notes of carob bark, walnuts and pecans with time, gradually getting rootier and earthier. It shifts styles once reduced to 40%abv turning into nuts, toffee and baking spices. That's it, but it's spot on.

The palate has plenty of sherry cask influence, but there's less outright oak than on the nose. More oak spice than pulp. Honey, lime, minerals and a slight pepperiness make up the rest. It gets slightly nuttier and floral at 40%abv.

The finish feels limited to heat, roots and dried berries. Once diluted to 40%abv, it matches the 40%abv palate.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

In the Taste Off between the anCnoc 24 and Arran 25, the Arran showed better balance and finish, though the anCnoc may have taken dilution better. I'm on the fence about the anCnoc's palate. Part of me enjoyed its restraint, while another part of me wanted something more from it, like more fruit or nuts or earth. Perhaps oxidation would bring something else out. Though it seems like I'm giving it a slagging, the 24yo is a good whisky and fairly priced. It just doesn't rise to must-have levels for me.

Availability - Available at many whisky specialists across Europe, and a few in the US
Pricing - €120-€170 in Europe, $220-$260 in the US

Rating - 84 (when diluted)

Arran 25 year old, 2020 release

OMG, there's an Arran 25 year old! Etc., etc., etc. Apparently I have turned into that person already. I frequently get the sort of "Wow, he's graduating high school? I remember his bris," thoughts all the time. Or maybe I remember brit milahs really well. I mean I've only been to four, so maybe I'm remembering snippings I didn't even attend. And why are you insisting that I talk about circumcised penises?

For those of us who haven't been paying attention, Isle of Arran Distillery was renamed Lochranza Distillery right around the time the owners opened a second Arran Distillery, Lagg, in 2019. To mark the new distillery's arrival and older distillery's name change, the Arran Single Malt range received a reboot. All new packaging (that still says Arran Arran Arran Arran Arran) appeared, the 14yo (my favorite official bottling) was dismissed, and a whole bunch of new NAS releases (what is this, 2015?) materialized.

Lochranza (neé Arran) began distillation in August 1995, and to my geeky pleasure the producers saved some of those early casks for today's 25 year old, which was released in October 2020 with the classic Arran presentation of 46%/NC/NCF. This almost makes up for my gripes above.

Distillery: Lochranza (the distillery formerly known as Arran)

Ownership: Isle of Arran Distillers

Age: 25 years (1995-2020)

Maturation: 65% bourbon casks / 35% sherry casks

Outturn: 3,000 bottles

Alcohol by Volume: 46%

Chillfiltered? No

Caramel Colorant? No

(from a bottle split)

NOTES

The nose begins with a mix of almonds, walnuts, honey, clay and plums, in that order. With time, it gains hints of barley(!) and guava. It has the musty heft of something even older about it, though that's statistically impossible for this distillery. Reduced to 40%abv, it keeps that same combo of almonds, walnuts, honey, clay and plums, while adding in some golden raisins.

The palate has a dry, nutty sherry style. No prunes or black raisins. Almonds, walnuts and Brazil nuts take the lead, with smaller notes of honey, oranges and salt in the background. It picks up a good fresh blueberry note with time, and keeps an oily mouthfeel throughout. Once diluted to 40%abv, it keeps a similar style, though it gets toastier. Toasty nuts, toasty oak spices and toasty barley. A few fresh cherries and dried apricots show up in the background. It's neither sweet nor bitter.

It finishes with almonds, walnuts and blueberries, with a little bit of tartness around the edges. At 40%abv, the finish matches the palate's toastiness.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

The retired 14yo was my favorite Arran expression because it balanced the oak and spirit characteristics nearly perfectly. The official 16, 17, and 18, as well the 20+ year old single casks all read too oaky for my palate. What surprised me about the 25 year old is that, though it feels like a long-aged whisky, the oak never overwhelms the recipe, as if these casks had a gentler spot in the Arran warehouse. Perhaps the bourbon casks were refills or hoggies, and/or the sherry casks had a subtler toast to them. As a result, it succeeds where the others could not. I don't know if it overtakes the 14, but I'd be happy to call this my favorite fancy Arran.

Availability - Still available at a few dozen European retailers
Pricing - €300-€500 (quite a range there)

Rating - 88

Port Charlotte 16 year old 2003 for Feis Ile 2020

(Port Charlotte cluster homepage)

Islay's Feis Ile went virtual last year, but the festival's limited edition bottlings were just as prevalent in the primary and secondary markets as ever. For the drinky fest, Bruichladdich offered up 3000 bottles of a Port Charlotte constructed from three so-called "parcels":

First parcel: refill hogsheads recasked into 1st-fill bourbon barrels in 2012

Second parcel: 1st-fill bourbon barrels recasked into former Sauternes casks in 2013

Third parcel: a mix of sherry, bourbon and virgin oak casks (no further specifics)

This sounds like a post-Thanksgiving garbage plate, but the old Longrow CV demonstrated that a mishmash could actually taste good. So, what the hell, how about another 16 year old Port Charlotte?

Distillery: Bruichladdich
Brand: Port Charlotte
Ownership: Rémy Cointreau
Age: 16 years (2003 - 2020)
Maturation: see notes above
Outturn: 3,000 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 55.8%
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

Bright notes fill the nose, but they're not fruity or herbal or anything spirity, but they're bright woody notes, like coconut cream and ginger. There are some new tires in the background, with mint and mossy peat (peaty moss) in the middle. Lots of white chocolate. After 20 minutes, the nose develops notes of menthol and white peaches. Once the whisky is reduced to 46%abv, it reads much closer to a southern Islay style of heavy peat smoke, but with vanilla, white chocolate and coconut cream intruding from every direction.

The palate is sweet and peppery, with a big dose of woody bitterness. Lots of oak spice as well. The smoke quickly turns bitter, overwhelming smaller notes of umami, lemons and dessert wine. The bitter smoke remains after the whisky is diluted to 46%abv. The lemons, now joined by limes, grow tarter and louder. Gradually some sweeter oranges appear.

The finish is full of vanilla pudding and bitter smoke. There's a touch of dessert wine again, but it's more of a late harvest sauvignon than a Sauternes. I hate myself. At 46%abv, the whisky finishes with bitter smoke, green bell peppers and balsamic vinegar.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

This the oakiest Port Charlotte I've ever had. The casks are so loud that this comes across more like one of Ardbeg's harebrained limited editions than an actual Port Charlotte. I'm baffled by the whiskybase scores because the whisky's zany nose is the only thing keeping my score from heading to offending levels. Perhaps I didn't "get" this whisky, but I'm glad I didn't get this whisky.

Availability - Secondary market
Pricing - I dare not quote the secondary price because it could double by next year at this rate

Rating - 83

Old Overholt 114 Proof Rye vs. Old Overholt 11 year old Rye

Beam Suntory executed a dramatic reboot of the Old Overholt brand last year. Before that maneuver, a 40%abv bottling marked the entirety of the Old Overholt universe. The ubiquitous bottle was both the least offensive and least memorable cheap American rye whiskey on the market. Then in 2020, three new Overholts appeared: a Bottled-In-Bond, a 4 year old 114 Proof edition, and an 11 year old. Even the 40%abv was elevated to 43%. Though most companies have been using rebranding as a vehicle for price inflation, Beam elected to keep this brand's prices relatively low.

Normally I prefer ryes over bourbons, but my palate prefers Beam's bourbons over their ryes. That didn't stop me from buying the 114 Proof last year for about $30. Though readers/viewers had recommended the 11 year old, that one sold out quickly here in Ohio. To my delight, my friend Secret Agent Man provided me with a sample.

Continuing with the two-post theme of The Olds, here are my notes on the ryes:

Old Overholt 4 year old Straight Rye Whiskey, 114 Proof (57%abv), 2020 OH Release

OO's undisclosed rye mashbill reads very low-rye in this whiskey's nose. There are cherry lollipops, citrus blossoms, red Twizzlers, Cointreau and a hint of crushed fennel seeds. It picks up a subtle band-aid note when reduced to 46%abv. It keeps the flower blossoms, while adding some pollen. Lots of vanilla and caramel as well.

As expected, there's plenty of burn in the palate. Raw almonds, cherry lollies and halvah dwell beneath the heat. It gets sweeter with time, though the mouthfeel is always a bit thin. Once diluted to 46%abv, it gets even sweeter, while taking on woody bitterness and tangy citrus, becoming more and more tannic with time.

It finishes with cherry lollies, black pepper, salt and heat. At 46%abv, the tannins take over, leaving the sugar and pepper in the background.

Most of my rye gets consumed in cocktails, with Manhattans leading that parade. This rye results in a satisfactory nutty Manhattan, which may actually require more bitters and/or Carpano Antica than my usual recipe.

Originally there was no intention to dilute the 114 proof during the tasting, but curiosity got the better of me. I regretted that decision as the stuff in my glass turned right into oak juice. When neat, this rye is certainly better than the defunct 40%abv version, which was sort of a 70-point benchmark for my palate. I was surprised by how pretty and polite the nose was. And, aside from the oak and the heat, it was an easy whiskey overall. On the other hand, I opened my bottle eight months ago, and it's still half full. It really cannot compete with Old Forester Rye, which is also 36% cheaper than Old Overholt 114 Proof here in this state.

RATING - 78 (neat only)

---

Old Overholt 11 year old 2009 Straight Rye Whiskey, 46.3%abv

The nose begins with a mix of orange peel and new carpet. Then strawberry popsicles, cinnamon and mint candy. MGP-style pickles and barrel char. Its floral (and alcohol) notes are subtler than the 114's

The palate offers oranges in various forms: Cara Caras, clementines and Pixy Stix. Quieter notes of tobacco, cracked pepper and flower petals merge well with the oranges, keeping the sweetness from going overboard.

The palate's cracked pepper note moves towards chile oil in the finish. The orange notes focus on those Pixy Stix, while subtler notes of rye bread crust, salt and fennel seed make it more interesting.

No, I did not put this in a Manhattan, nor did I dilute it. It's a good sipper at full strength, more of a drinker than a thinker. Though I certainly wish there was more depth, the orange notes were a lot of fun. I appreciate the Beam folks not watering the 11yo down to 40% or 43% because it wears its poison well without burning the drinker's face. And because the market is the market, $75 is probably about as low of a price as one can find for a rye of this age. If one can find it.

RATING - 85

Revisiting Old Taylor bourbon: three 1980s bottlings

That's kind of the big question, isn't it?

Greetings my fellow olds! And a hello to all the papas (fathers and taters) out there who may or may not have had a drink on Father's Day!

As I type, it is that very day when our children celebrate our dumb asses for about a half an hour, maybe. When you read this, that day will have passed, and we are back on whatever terms we are normally on with our families. May those terms be peaceful.

In honor of Father's Day, I sat down in a restaurant for the first time in about 16 months, and scarfed down a bowl of tonkotsu ramen. Once my body (probably) processed all that pork belly and sodium, I prepped this here tasting of National Distillers-distilled Old Taylor bourbons of the past.

These are the final bits of bottles I'd opened in 2014 and 2015. I previously reviewed the 1985 and 1987, but not the 1989 for some reason. They're all 6 year olds, but the '85 and '87 were bottled at 43%abv, while the '89 was 40%abv. The '85 and '87 were gorgeous. I was less thrilled by a '91 bottling that was, like today's '89, bottled at 40%. I'd like to know what my palate thinks of this stuff now, six or seven years after opening the bottles, with the awareness that some of these may have oxidized a bit in that time.

---

Old Taylor 6 year old bourbon, 43%abv, bottled in 1985

The nose begins with an aromatic mix of rye seeds, fennel seeds and orange peel. Lemon candy, molasses, hay and cream soda follow next. There's also a note, right in the middle, that's like a rum cake made with Worthy Park.

Oh dear. The palate is viscous and very fruity. Think cherries, plums and peaches in a crazy pie. Yes, the famous National Distillers butterscotch note shows up on time. After 30+ minutes, smaller notes of citrus, fresh ginger and pepper appear.

The finish is just sweet enough without going overboard. Ginger, plums and tart cherries find balance with a slight rye bite.

As lovely as I'd remembered, though with different notes than my review from seven years ago. Drinking this, I had the same reaction that I do with dusty single malt scotch; this is a very different fluid than what is put in bottles today. Different textures and characteristics result in a very different (and better, IMHO) experience.

RATING - 90

---

Old Taylor 6 year old bourbon, 43%abv, bottled in 1987

Though the nose has a hint of dusty mustiness, it's mostly a riot of desserts. Pound cake, vanilla ice cream, old cognac, almond extract, fruity cinnamon, milk chocolate and white peaches. Very American and French.

The palate reads heavier than the 1985 bottling. More butterscotch, oak spice and caramel sauce. It develops a bold tart lemon note with time, as well as some smaller notes of flowers and stone fruit skins. Like the '85 bottling, it has a thick mouthfeel.

It finishes with oak spice, cassis, lemons and a hint of butterscotch.

Again, this is truly from another era. More of a dessert pour (probably outrageous with ice cream) than the '85 bottling, this '87 bottling shows its depth more on the nose than the palate. It's no longer a 93-point whiskey, but that may be due to all the years in the sample bottle.

RATING - 89

---

Old Taylor 6 year old bourbon, 40%abv, bottled in 1989

The nose begins with cherry candy and sweat, then it expands after 20 minutes of air. What first appears as a pear/guava cocktail drifts towards a pear tart. A hint of butterscotch here, a whiff of cinnamon custard there. Maybe some flowers in between.

The palate holds all sorts of cherry notes: fresh dark cherries, cherry candy, cherry Sudafed. Lots of caramel. LOTS of butter. Small notes of char and clementines beneath.

It finishes with tart cherries, a gentle woodiness and sakura-flavored tea.

This one is the closest to contemporary bourbon as the oaky seams begin to show. Normally I'm not a fan of buttery notes, but this one has enough fruit to balance it out. It was likely a very good bourbon, but today's competition was unfair. I seemed to have no problem with polishing off the bottle's other 23 fluid ounces, six years ago.

RATING - 83

---

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Tastings like these used to ruin me for contemporary bourbon for months, but since dusty bourbon prices are out of my range, I'll just have to appreciate what I have. I encourage you to do as well. And if there is something you've hidden away, something remarkable, what are you waiting for?