Killing Whisky History, Episode 40: Johnnie Walker Red Label, bottled 1968-1976

It's time to bring Diageo Month to a close by opening up a dusty Johnnie Walker Red Label. There's even a sparring partner from the 1980s! *SPOILER ALERT* They don't taste like the current version of Johnnie Red.

Three different batches of Lagavulin 16 year old

As much as major producers, like The Edrington Group, Pernod Ricard and Diageo, strive to keep batch variation to a minimum for their most popular whiskies, fluctuation is inevitable. Casks and demands vary, resulting in changes, sometimes subtle, occasionally sizable. Springbank prizes these shifts, Macallan probably doesn't.

Lagavulin 16 year old's production process has remained reliable through the years, but it too varies. And I'm not just talking about the White Horse Distillers era compared to 21st century bottlings. Differences can be spotted from batch to batch across the past decade.

Though my original intent was to compare a 1991 batch with a 2021 batch, owners of the earlier bottles have become unwilling to part with their whisky for anything less than a mint, so this tasting became more micro.

I will be comparing samples from a 2014 750mL bottling (my bottle), 2017 750mL bottling (sourced sample), and a 200mL bottling from 2018 that I just opened.

Lagavulins Sixteen:

L4219CM000 bottled 2014 - 43%abv	L7060OM000 bottled 2017 - 43%abv	L8213IU002 bottled 2018 - 43%abv
The nose starts off mossy, metallic and tangy with touches of balsamic vinegar and molasses in the background. With time, it picks up notes of cannabis ash, honey and mango.	It noses of peated dark chocolate, mud, rotting fish, iron and burnt newspaper. The whisky gains more classic smoky notes with time without losing its Croftengea-esque style.	Toasty peat, lemons, oats and molasses make up most of the nose. Ocean and seaweed arrive next, with a subtle manure note appearing at the 60-minute mark.
A good mix of sweet, salt and kiln in the early palate. Some tart oranges and limes in the background. Later sips gain herbal bitterness, menthol and ginger beer. The kiln note never subsides.	Almonds, good bitterness and heavy smoke start off the palate, followed by fig, cannabis and extra tart grapefruit. Slightly tarry in the background.	The sweetest of the three, and the least smoky. The palate has the herbal bitterness, some lemons, and a hint of cannabis. The peat reads like cold kiln.
The citrus strengthens in the finish, meeting well with sturdy leafy smoke, and hints of charred beef in the far back.	It finishes sweeter than the palate, while keeping the big dark smoke. Tiny bits of bitter citrus peel linger in the background.	It finishes leafy and tangy, with a mix of secondary lime, moss and dried sage notes.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

These were three different whiskies. The 2014 had the most complex nose and finish, as well as the most balanced palate, proving to be the most (positively) stereotypical Lagavulin 16. I would not have guessed the 2017 was Lagavulin had I tried it blindly. Its quirky nose could startle some Lagavulin purists, though the palate falls more in line. The finish was shorter than the 2014's and quite sugary. Gripes about the 2018 are probably minor, it's the simplest of the trio but right on-target throughout.

The 2014 possesses more heft and charm than than the other two. Some weird casks slipped into the 2017, which could have made it the best of the three at a higher ABV. Meanwhile, a narrowness has crept into the 2018 preventing it from truly soaring. It's a lighter whisky than the other two, almost like a 40%abv bottling.

Despite these differences, not one of these three Lagavulins was bad. Each was a coastal heavily peated malt, each would warm a winter belly well. But they're not the same, nor similar, really. Their few common notes could be found in other heavily peated malts. It's just something to keep in mind. But I do hope the 2018's limitations aren't the start of a trend. I'll keep a sample so I can compare it with a later bottling some years down the line.

RATINGS:

L4219CM000, bottled 2014 -- 89

L7060OM000, bottled 2017 -- 85

L8213IU002, bottled 2018 -- 87

Cragganmore 27 year old 1989 Archives, cask 1465

Monday's Cragganmore was not good. Wednesday's Cragganmore was a drinker. How will today's Cragganmore fare? It's from the 1989 vintage just like Wednesday's official bottling, though this one is older and from a sherry hogshead. Its hue is very dark, so one can anticipate the whisky will taste different than this week's other two Craggs.

Distillery: Cragganmore

Owner: Diageo

Region: Speyside (Moray)
Bottler: Archives
Age: 27 years (May 1989 - November 2016)
Maturation: sherry hogshead
Outturn: 70 bottles (a split cask?)
Alcohol by Volume: 48.7%
Chillfiltered? No
e150a? No

(from a bottle split)

NOTES

The layered nose shows toffee chips, baked apple and marzipan on top of soil and stones. Smaller notes of mango and golden raisins settle in the background. Diluting it to 43%abv cranks up the sherry cask. Cherry syrup, golden raisins and beef up front, with stones and toffee in the middle. Baked apple and florals in the back.

This one has more of an industrial note than the other Craggs' palates, though it also offers Manuka honey, guava and a little bit of orange. But with time it turns into sugary oak reduction, much like an old bourbon. The tannins remain at 43%abv, but the sweetness gets gentler, lychee and grapefruit show up, as does a spicy zing. So the palate does the reverse of the nose.

It finishes like a 15+ year old bourbon. Mouth drying, lots of old wood. Some ash and a hint of orange. Once the whisky is reduced to 43%abv, the finish nearly matches the palate, with a little more fruit.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

It's a bourbon drinker's scotch. That's what my brain kept saying as I sipped this neatly. As with the official '89, dilution mellows the palate's oak and adds fruit, both plusses in my book. In fact, there's a 6 to 8 point swing once water is added because I really couldn't get into its Orphan-Barrel-meets-pseudo-Stagg style. Like long-aged bourbons, this Cragganmore's nose was very nice at all strengths but, again, whisk(e)y is for drinking.

Availability - Long gone
Pricing - around €200 five years ago
Rating - 85 (with water only, high 70s when neat)

Cragganmore 21 year old 1989, Special Release 2010

Wow, Cragganmore 12 was disappointing. I hope I can reuse the bottle or something. Anyhoo, this blog needs more reviews of older Cragganmore, so I will be reviewing one 1989 today, and another 1989 on Friday. Today's '89 was from Diageo's 2010 Special Releases, a set that included my favorite Glen Spey and a very good Auchroisk. I hope the Cragg's quality can match theirs!

Distillery: Cragganmore

Region: Speyside (Moray)

Owner: Diageo
Range: Special Releases
Age: 21 years (1989-2010)
Maturation: Refill American Oak!!!
Outturn: 5856 bottles (identical to that of the Auchroisk)
Alcohol by Volume: 56.0%
Chillfiltered? No
e150a? Possibly not

(from a bottle split)

NOTES

The nose offers a mix of spirit and cask. Hay, ocean water and old bowling shoes. Vanilla pods, caramel chews and toasted coconut-coated marshmallows. It shifts significantly once the whisky gets reduced to 43%abv, turning into lemon bars (but with yuzu), pound cake, blueberry jam and a subtle grassiness.

The palate leads with tart oranges, coal smoke, malt and a hint of soil. It takes on more tannins with time. The oak hushes up once the whisky is dropped to 43%abv. It's super tart, lots of limes, lemons and blackberries, with hints of florals and bitterness in the background.

The citrus turns sweeter in the finish, with bits of earth and tannin throughout. At 43%abv, the citrus becomes more complex, balancing sweet, tart and bitter.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Hear ye, hear ye, I like this better with water! It's a bit woody when neat, reading more like first-fill than refill casks. The nose transforms at 43%abv, and the palate's citrus improves. It ain't dreamy, mostly a casual drinker, yet such an improvement over the standard 12 year old. A standard 18yo or 21yo Cragganmore at 43%/46% would be very interesting were it offered at the right price. 

Availability - May still be available after all this time
Pricing - anywhere from $200 to $350
Rating - 86 (hydrate it!)

Cragganmore 12 year old (bottled 2018)

Part of the original crop of United Distillers' Classic Malts back in 1988, Cragganmore 12 year old has always been bottled at 40%abv, filtered and dyed. Around 15 years ago, I enjoyed Cragganmore 12yo, but it's been more than a decade since I've sipped it. So I bought a wee bottle of to find out how the whisky tastes all these years later.

Distillery: Cragganmore

Region: Speyside (Moray)

Owner: Diageo

Range: Classic Malts

Age: at least 12 years old

Maturation: ???

Alcohol by Volume: 40%

Chillfiltered: Yup
e150a: Indeed

(from my 200ml bottle)

NOTES

I find a mix of gummy bears, barley and cardamom in the nose's foreground. Coal dust in the middle. Green apples and watermelon candy in the background.

The palate begins with moderate sweetness, barley, vanilla and a peppery heat. It takes on a considerable buttery note with time. The texture is watery throughout.

It finishes with barley, tannins and hint of sweet citrus, picking up butter and caramel with time.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

"Not a step up from Diageo's middle shelf blends," reads my handwritten notes. Really. One is better off choosing Johnnie Black, Old Parr 12, or Buchanan's Deluxe than this single malt. It's even possible that the Glendullan Singleton can compete. Cragg 12 is thin and forgettable. There's nothing unique to its palate. Though the barley notes have potential, generic oak clambers roughshod on top. It has taken too much energy to consume 1/3 of this wee bottle. What a bummer. Looks like this is another one going the way of highballs.

Availability - Many specialty retailers around the globe
Pricing - $55 to $85 (WHAT?)
Rating - 73

Things I Really Drink: Compass Box Orchard House blended malt

Time for the monthly TIRD! The first two TIRDs were of the blended whisky sort, while this one is a blended malt produced by a brand I used to hold in high regard.

If you ever get a chance to meet or watch John Glaser you'll immediately notice the man's patrician style. At first his elegance shone through in his brand's crisp, clean graphic design, and high quality whiskies in the $40-$60 range. But, Compass Box was never going to stop there. Familiarity was a starting point. Luxury malt was the destination.

This sort of observation has been aired previously by Bozzy and Whisky Monster, so I'm not breaking any new ground here. 2017's Three Year Old Deluxe and This is Not a Luxury Whisky names were a good chuckle, but their price tags were much higher than previous limited editions, and they began to make Glaser's quarrel with the SWA start to feel like a marketing scheme. Then, around 2019-2020, CB's limited releases came flying out at an almost monthly rate, which finally caused the bespoke hand-carved Compass Box sign to fall off its gently rusted hook inside my whisky brain. Did you follow that metaphor? I didn't.

It took last year's arrival of Orchard House, the standard range's newest member, for my interest to reawaken. Orchard House's marketing materials describe it as a "Fruit-Forward & Spirit-Driven" whisky. Its ingredients are approximately:

39% ~8 year old Linkwood from first-fill bourbon barrels
29% ~8 year old Clynelish from first-fill bourbon barrels
20% ~8 year old Benrinnes from first-fill bourbon barrels
8% ~6 year old Aberlour from "Revatted Oloroso Sherry-Seasoned Butt"
2% ~8 year old Caol Ila from first-fill bourbon barrels
2% ~10 year old blend of Glen Moray, Balmenach and Tomatin aged in heavily charred French Oak

I like Fruit-Forward & Spirit-Driven whiskies, and this mix sounded nice, so I split a bottle of Orchard House with my buddy, Dr. Springbank.

Brand: Compass Box

Type: Blended Malt

Age: see above

Maturation: see above

Alcohol by Volume: 46%
Chill-filtered? No

Added colorant? No
(from a 50/50 bottle split)

NOTES

The nose begins with unripened stone fruits, saline, cardamom and vanilla. Barley and candle wax fill the middle. Hints of band-aids, pickle brine and circus peanut candy keep the background lively.

A surprising raw heat roars loudest in the early palate. Once that peels away, the whisky turns floral and sweet. Some malt and tart limes appear occasionally. A woody bitterness appears later, alongside brown butter and salt.

It finishes very tangy and floral, with hints of cayenne pepper and salt around the edges.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

This is the first time I've been disappointed by a Compass Box blended malt. Yes, it was at times spirit-driven, but those first-fill casks still appear in awkward places. Unlike Spice Tree and Peat Monster, Orchard House doesn't feel like a complete piece. Even the company's blended whiskies, which fall far short of their malt cousins, arrive as a single unit on the palate. Thus, for the senses, Orchard House doesn't fit the Compass Box house style.

It's also not that fruity. Though I do list limes in the palate notes, I frequently find lime notes in young malts. What it's missing is the orchard. Where are the apples, pears, or ripe stone fruits?

I ended up drinking most of my half bottle on the rocks, which I've never done with a Compass Box blended malt. Not only will I not purchase a full bottle, I'm concerned about the current quality of the rest of their standard range.

Availability - Europe and the US
Pricing - $50-$60
Rating - 78

Dufftown 9 year old 1999 Gordon & MacPhail, cask 8787 for Binny's

Dufftown Distillery keeps growing and was, for at least a decade, one of Diageo's two most productive malt facilities (the other being Caol Ila). As its floor maltings were retired in 1968, its still count increased from two to four. 1974 brought its fifth and sixth stills, while the seventh and eighth were added in 1979. Today it runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Apparently people are still drinking Bell's.

I'm not sure if I've ever tried a Dufftown single cask before, so I am grateful that My Annoying Opinions sent me a good-sized pour from his bottle of this old Binny's exclusive. Like Mr. Opinions, I miss the days when access to the Illinois retailer's stock was easier. Sadly I only learned about their bounty a couple of years before their shipping gates closed. No matter how this whisky turns out, I applaud the Binny's crew for selecting a Dufftown when better beloved distilleries' single casks were more available back in 2009.

Distillery: Dufftown

Region: Speyside (Moray)

Owner: Diageo

Independent Bottler: Gordon & MacPhail

Range: Reserve

Age: approx. 9 years (1999-2009)

Maturation: bourbon cask?

Cask #: 8787

Outturn: 217 bottles
Exclusive to: Binny's
Alcohol by Volume: 56.4%

(Thank you, Mr. Opinions)

NEAT

Lots of barley and limes in this nose, with ocean air and tapioca pudding around the edges. Hints of guava and anise appear after some time. There's also something funky going on here, almost manure (a term also used by readers to describe my speculative screenwriting).

The palate starts with limes and barley, and a bit of tannins. It has just a hint of the nose's almost-peated note, which gradually fades as the citrus blooms. It's nice and crisp, I just wish it could shake that oak.

The gently sweet finish holds limes and flowers, with hints of salt and metal. 

DILUTED TO 46%abv

The nose feels more pulled together. Limes and lemons meet fresh herbs. The barley has receded, meeting some vanilla pudding in the middle.

The palate has become leaner and creamier. A curious bitterness works pretty well with the fruit, which tilts more towards mango than limes. Hints of grasses and grains in the background.

It finishes with a menthol glow, some mild bitterness, vanilla and a pinch of barley grist.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

This young, lively Dufftown exceeded my expectations. Even though the whisky is all of nine years old, it was bottled at the right time. That oak was ready to jump in and wreck the fun. Mr. Opinions was an even bigger fan of this cask than I, though we agree that dilution lifts up the whisky. Seeing another baby Dufftown exclusive cask arrive in The States would be almost delightful. Would people buy it? Does any "limited" release whisk(e)y not sell out now? Dufftown could put FOMO to the test.

Availability - All gone
Pricing - $50 in 2009
Rating - 84 (diluted)