With the recent ban on high-alcohol shipments to North America from the United Kingdom via non-freight airplanes, American whisky buyers have been left with a bit of a quandary. Or a challenge.
We have many great Scotch whiskies here in The States, though the great majority of them are official bottlings. The wider, varied, more colorful whisky world lay beyond, in the multitude of independent releases, most of which await our dollars in Europe. But even their variety of official bottlings seem to be two- or threefold that of the selection here. On top of all that, their pricing on many whiskies can be much better even when taking into account the price of shipping from the UK to the US.
That very shipping is now gone. When it does come back, those freight prices will not be amusing. But for now, it's quiet, aside from The Whisky Exchange. Their US shipping rates, never the lowest to begin with, have gone up nearly 50%. Why the Civil Aviation Authority thinks a few bottles of Ardmore is a safety risk, while their planes carry thousands of gallons of jet fuel every day, is a curiosity. And how almost every UK online shop was caught without shipping options mystifies me.
But why doesn't concern me much right now. The issue is present and we should think about it while it is.
Because, as Jean Renoir once said, everyone has his reasons, I will dispense with the "we" and talk about the "I".
Frankly, I'm uncomfortable with the state of the whisky market. And I've been making many of my purchases based on that unease.
I've witnessed prices launch like a slew of bottle rockets. Highland Park 18 was $80 in late 2011, then $100 in early 2012. Yamazaki 18 went from $90 to $100 to $130. Laphroaig 10 went from $33 to $40 at Trader Joe's in less than a year. Glenfiddich 15 has done the same over the same period of time. The Willett ryes went from $35 to $40 (a 14% jump, four times inflation, without anyone blinking) last year; I thought it was due to the ages going from 5 to 6 years, but now even the 4 year is at the higher price.
When I see one of my favorite malts holding its price for a long period of time, I start to anticipate that the price is going to go up 20-30% at any moment. So I buy a bottle. I see a sale that brings an overpriced bottle almost back to its previous year's price. I buy a bottle. I find the one liquor store that hasn't raised the price on a prized whisky. I buy a bottle.
Then there are the whiskies that are disappearing. Johnnie Walker Green and Gold Labels. The Macallan Fine Oaks. Longrow CV. Talisker 18 (it's dead to me). The old-style Glen Gariochs. Wild Turkey Rye 101. Bowmore Tempest. I want to catch a bottle before it's gone.
And like the pricing issue, it has caused me to purchase out of fear.
Since I started my job four months ago, I have bought a lot of booze. I love my whisky stash, probably a bit too much. There are a lot more bottles than there used to be. Sometimes, when I have the rare moment of clarity, I ask myself, "Am I anticipating the end of the world? Because seriously, at maybe five drams a week, how long will it take me to drink this?"
It isn't just fear that drives me. It's desire. There are old whiskies, new whiskies, odd whiskies, rare whiskies, popular whiskies, famous whiskies, infamous whiskies, unknown whiskies, Irish whiskies, Japanese whiskies, Dutch whiskies, Indian whiskies, Welch whiskies, Oregonian whiskies, fancy finished whiskies, third refill whiskies, organic whiskies, cask strength whiskies, blended malt whiskies, East Highland whiskies, unchillfiltered whiskies, brash whiskies, soft whiskies, autumn whiskies, winter whiskies, spring whiskies, summer whiskies, experimental whiskies, and there are your whiskies that I can't have.
It's gorgeous and terrifying like any drug lust. There really is no end, only mortality and credit card limits spell the boundaries.
Last year at this time, I posted this bit on my personal history of collection habits. The paragraph near the end, on whiskies, is of particular interest as I look back.
Simply, I love collecting and I LOVE finding a bargain. And I love whisky. So I consume. Not drinking so much, but absorbing massive amounts of information then purchasing and purchasing and purchasing. If my life was full of spiritual joy, would I still be doing this? Probably not. In that pretend life, I would probably zero in on a whisky that pleased me unconditionally and keep that bottle on hand until it ran out. That's what I used to do. But not anymore. In fact, I'm having an awfully difficult time stopping.
One of my most intense habits is scouring the many European stores, assembling the dream shopping cart gradually over a number of months, then pulling the trigger.
But now I can't. So this is a good time for me to halt and gauge my next step. I really love whisky, every part of it. But perhaps the value of those 750mL bottles has gotten out of control.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Single Malt Report: Talisker 18 year old
If you're a whisky fan and haven't discovered The Davids yet, I urge you to check out their Spirits Journal blog as well as the shop(s), K&L Wines, for which they purchase spirits. David Driscoll tends to have the more...say...vocal online presence issuing bold, educational, entertaining, and involving posts about the state of the spirits industry. Whether or not one agrees with him, his writings are always engaging must-reads. David Othenin-Girard ("The DOG" for the sake of a terrible metaphor in the next paragraph) is brilliant yet much more reserved when he writes. There's a composed wisdom to each piece he submits.
Well, someone just cut The DOG's chain. That someone is Diageo. I encourage you to pause your reading of Diving for Pearls and read the missive missile he launched on Wednesday. His post's title is not hyperbole.
Just come on back when you're done reading it. 'Kay?
...
...
...
Ready?
Now, after reading David's post I originally wrote this very piece on Thursday morning in full frustration mode, but decided to hold off posting it. I had hoped that there was some pricing misunderstanding or maybe some bad information communicated to the K&L guys. I even went to the Hollywood store to say hi to David, thank him for the rockin' post, and confirm the news. Well, now I can post this.
The Talisker 18yr is one of my top Ten all-time favorite single malts and ironically I had its report scheduled for this week. I bought my bottle from the UK after my birthday in August 2011 for about $90. Just as it arrived, I saw that K&L was selling the same bottle (actually 50mL bigger) for $80. "Crap," I said. I do love hunting down a bargain and here I was buying my bottle for $10 more.
Well, now its price has almost DOUBLED in two years.
Just for a moment, let's take a look at other 18 year old singles that sell for $150+ and do a quick comparison.
Macallan 18 year -- As David mentioned, like Johnnie Walker Blue Label the Mac 18 has become an iconic luxury status symbol. It's the $150-200 malt to be seen with. It isn't necessarily better than its younger siblings, but that purple box is familiar, expensive, and widely available. Talisker 18 does not carry that luxury status, nor is it familiar outside of whisky geek circles.
Dalmore 18 year -- Seriously, any company that uses Dalmore's pricing structure as a model is delusional.
Springbank 18 year -- Springbank's production is conducted entirely by hand (via hiring local folks) in a distillery with 1/4th the output of Diageo's Isle of Skye computer-run Talisker. When you drink Springbank 18 you are drinking a much more expensively produced dram than any other of its age. And scarcity? Springbank has a very limited malt run; reported shortages of Talisker 18 are either due to mismanagement, a sudden unknown Talisker 18 purchase boom, or a marketing ploy.
As of this moment, those are the only 18 year olds at the $150+ range. Well, now apparently we can add Talisker 18 to it.
Diageo is making my upcoming boycott easier and easier. They've dumped vats of industrial colorant into Oban 14, they've priced their special releases into one-percenter territory, and they're killing both JW Green and Gold Labels. And I'm not even getting into Kilmarnock, the rigging of a beer competition, the insulting PR (I thought you weren't in the business of selling single malts), and the dead distilleries.
I've detailed this rant numerous times, so I won't repeat it. Ultimately, my money will not support a company that has such open distain for its customers and products.
The saddest part to me, is that Talisker 18 year old is a lovely whisky and I won't be able to afford it anymore. But there's a little left in the bottle, so let's talk about it.
Distillery: Talisker
Well, someone just cut The DOG's chain. That someone is Diageo. I encourage you to pause your reading of Diving for Pearls and read the missive missile he launched on Wednesday. His post's title is not hyperbole.
Just come on back when you're done reading it. 'Kay?
...
...
...
Ready?
Now, after reading David's post I originally wrote this very piece on Thursday morning in full frustration mode, but decided to hold off posting it. I had hoped that there was some pricing misunderstanding or maybe some bad information communicated to the K&L guys. I even went to the Hollywood store to say hi to David, thank him for the rockin' post, and confirm the news. Well, now I can post this.
The Talisker 18yr is one of my top Ten all-time favorite single malts and ironically I had its report scheduled for this week. I bought my bottle from the UK after my birthday in August 2011 for about $90. Just as it arrived, I saw that K&L was selling the same bottle (actually 50mL bigger) for $80. "Crap," I said. I do love hunting down a bargain and here I was buying my bottle for $10 more.
Well, now its price has almost DOUBLED in two years.
Just for a moment, let's take a look at other 18 year old singles that sell for $150+ and do a quick comparison.
Macallan 18 year -- As David mentioned, like Johnnie Walker Blue Label the Mac 18 has become an iconic luxury status symbol. It's the $150-200 malt to be seen with. It isn't necessarily better than its younger siblings, but that purple box is familiar, expensive, and widely available. Talisker 18 does not carry that luxury status, nor is it familiar outside of whisky geek circles.
Dalmore 18 year -- Seriously, any company that uses Dalmore's pricing structure as a model is delusional.
Springbank 18 year -- Springbank's production is conducted entirely by hand (via hiring local folks) in a distillery with 1/4th the output of Diageo's Isle of Skye computer-run Talisker. When you drink Springbank 18 you are drinking a much more expensively produced dram than any other of its age. And scarcity? Springbank has a very limited malt run; reported shortages of Talisker 18 are either due to mismanagement, a sudden unknown Talisker 18 purchase boom, or a marketing ploy.
As of this moment, those are the only 18 year olds at the $150+ range. Well, now apparently we can add Talisker 18 to it.
Diageo is making my upcoming boycott easier and easier. They've dumped vats of industrial colorant into Oban 14, they've priced their special releases into one-percenter territory, and they're killing both JW Green and Gold Labels. And I'm not even getting into Kilmarnock, the rigging of a beer competition, the insulting PR (I thought you weren't in the business of selling single malts), and the dead distilleries.
I've detailed this rant numerous times, so I won't repeat it. Ultimately, my money will not support a company that has such open distain for its customers and products.
The saddest part to me, is that Talisker 18 year old is a lovely whisky and I won't be able to afford it anymore. But there's a little left in the bottle, so let's talk about it.
Distillery: Talisker
Ownership: Diageo
Region: Isle of Skye
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Maturation: Primarily refill ex-bourbon casks with a tiny bit of European oak ex-sherry casks mixed in
Age: minimum 18 years
Bottled: August 2010
Bottled: August 2010
Alcohol by Volume: 45.8%
Talisker Distillery was founded in 1830 by the MacAskill family. After it came under bank control, the distillery ownership changed hands a number of times. One of the owners, John Anderson went to jail in 1879 for selling product that didn't actually exist. Another owner, Roderick Kemp sold his shares in order to buy Macallan in 1892. In 1916, Talisker was taken over by a consortium which included amongst its members: Johnnie Walker, John Dewar, and DLC (proto-Diageo). The distillery is now entirely owned by, yes, Diageo.
A few interesting factoids courtesy of the Malt Whisky Yearbook:
-- Talisker practiced triple distillation until 1928.
-- They used their own maltings until 1972.
-- This 18yr was first released in 2004.
Talisker's malt is known for its bracing peppery kick as well as a generous suggestion of peat. It's also almost impossible to find an independent bottling of it since Diageo rarely sells the malt to anyone other than the Isle of Skye blends. Indie companies have bottled casks of Talisker using subtle names like Tactical, Tallstill, and Talimburg.
I'm planning on posting a couple more Talisker reports this year. This is great malt and I'd love to try it in all its many glories!
But first, my bottle of Talisker 18. It sat patiently in my possession for 15 months, then I happily shared its opening with good friends.
NOTES:
NEAT --
The color is a rosy gold. It's not just e150a, rather they snuck some sherry casks into this. American oak leads the nose, but is far from alone. Orange peel is encircled by mild vanilla, milk chocolate, and cherry lollipops. A floral note is followed by mango and a slight peaty band-aid note. And...sherry. Definitely sherry. The palate though very quaffable, roars with white and cayenne pepper. A little salt, some vanilla, burnt wood, and unsweetened cocoa follows. A bit of peat and a savory note arises after some time in the glass. It's all hot peppery malt in the finish. There's also some of those great orange and mango notes from the nose. It's lightly sweet and salted but mostly delicious pepper.
WITH WATER --
The nose changes gears here. There's still some orange peel, but there's also fruit punch, peat ashes, pencil shavings, leather, dates, and vanilla simple syrup. Now the palate gets more of a cracked black pepper note. It's followed by vanilla bean, granulated sugar, tapioca, butterscotch, and bitter citrus. The finish is now full of peated vanilla ice cream, molasses, butterscotch, and late harvest sauvignon blanc.
*Sigh*
No, this is not happening. Diageo couldn't possibly screw up their pricing like this.
DIAGEO IS WHY WE CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS!
Well, maybe, maybe, I can sell my blood platelets for $150 so I can buy a bottle of Talisker 18!
*Sob* This whisky is so f***ing good.
Actually, you know what? I scored a great deal on Talisker 18 back in 2011 and enjoyed the whisky while I had it. The whisky world is wide and there are so many gorgeous malts, created by non-Diageo distilleries and bottled by dozens of unique companies whose success depends on releasing excellent products at accessible prices. There will be new loves.
Sorry, I just had to go through my five stages of grief. I may seek out another bottle if I can find it at $90 somewhere or I may not. It is what it is: A tremendous whisky.
Availability - It's around. Good luck.
Pricing - at $80-$90 there aren't many better whiskies in this price range nor age class; at $150, you should just buy 3 bottles of the 10 year instead
Rating - 95
Talisker Distillery was founded in 1830 by the MacAskill family. After it came under bank control, the distillery ownership changed hands a number of times. One of the owners, John Anderson went to jail in 1879 for selling product that didn't actually exist. Another owner, Roderick Kemp sold his shares in order to buy Macallan in 1892. In 1916, Talisker was taken over by a consortium which included amongst its members: Johnnie Walker, John Dewar, and DLC (proto-Diageo). The distillery is now entirely owned by, yes, Diageo.
A few interesting factoids courtesy of the Malt Whisky Yearbook:
-- Talisker practiced triple distillation until 1928.
-- They used their own maltings until 1972.
-- This 18yr was first released in 2004.
Talisker's malt is known for its bracing peppery kick as well as a generous suggestion of peat. It's also almost impossible to find an independent bottling of it since Diageo rarely sells the malt to anyone other than the Isle of Skye blends. Indie companies have bottled casks of Talisker using subtle names like Tactical, Tallstill, and Talimburg.
I'm planning on posting a couple more Talisker reports this year. This is great malt and I'd love to try it in all its many glories!
But first, my bottle of Talisker 18. It sat patiently in my possession for 15 months, then I happily shared its opening with good friends.
NEAT --
The color is a rosy gold. It's not just e150a, rather they snuck some sherry casks into this. American oak leads the nose, but is far from alone. Orange peel is encircled by mild vanilla, milk chocolate, and cherry lollipops. A floral note is followed by mango and a slight peaty band-aid note. And...sherry. Definitely sherry. The palate though very quaffable, roars with white and cayenne pepper. A little salt, some vanilla, burnt wood, and unsweetened cocoa follows. A bit of peat and a savory note arises after some time in the glass. It's all hot peppery malt in the finish. There's also some of those great orange and mango notes from the nose. It's lightly sweet and salted but mostly delicious pepper.
WITH WATER --
The nose changes gears here. There's still some orange peel, but there's also fruit punch, peat ashes, pencil shavings, leather, dates, and vanilla simple syrup. Now the palate gets more of a cracked black pepper note. It's followed by vanilla bean, granulated sugar, tapioca, butterscotch, and bitter citrus. The finish is now full of peated vanilla ice cream, molasses, butterscotch, and late harvest sauvignon blanc.
*Sigh*
No, this is not happening. Diageo couldn't possibly screw up their pricing like this.
DIAGEO IS WHY WE CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS!
Well, maybe, maybe, I can sell my blood platelets for $150 so I can buy a bottle of Talisker 18!
*Sob* This whisky is so f***ing good.
Actually, you know what? I scored a great deal on Talisker 18 back in 2011 and enjoyed the whisky while I had it. The whisky world is wide and there are so many gorgeous malts, created by non-Diageo distilleries and bottled by dozens of unique companies whose success depends on releasing excellent products at accessible prices. There will be new loves.
Sorry, I just had to go through my five stages of grief. I may seek out another bottle if I can find it at $90 somewhere or I may not. It is what it is: A tremendous whisky.
Availability - It's around. Good luck.
Pricing - at $80-$90 there aren't many better whiskies in this price range nor age class; at $150, you should just buy 3 bottles of the 10 year instead
Rating - 95
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Single Malt Report: Old Pulteney 17 year old
Oh, how I missed you all. The work day is unkind, to put it mildly. To further my New Year's intent to explore the good stuff, today's post is about some good stuff.
I love Old Pulteney 17yr. But you know what I love more than the Old Pulteney 17yr?
This:
Because if you don't I will. I will buy all every last twin pack and my wife will be sad.
Seriously, if you find it at $40, you must consider the screaming deal at hand.
This OP twin killing is how I had the opportunity try both of these malts. The OP12 is a great step up from 'Fiddich and 'Livet. It has some curious sour and briny notes that I really enjoy. The 17 year is an entirely different creature.
Distillery: Pulteney
NEAT --
The color is a bright light gold. The welcoming nose flexes both the malt and oak. Mostly American white oak, but also a tiny bit of the ex-sherry oak. The fruits are more fresh than dried. There's a lot of honey butter and coconut cream. A little seaside too, along with some orange and lemon zests. The palate moves from milk chocolate to dark chocolate. Lemon, flower blossoms, caramel sauce, and confectioner's sugar. It's creamy with a brief peppery zing. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention a lively bold sour citrus note too. It finishes with toffee and sugar first. Then a little salt sneaks in along with a mossy moment. As it gradually fades away, a trail of mint remains.
W/WATER --
The nose gets younger and spirity. Lots of vanilla and malt. Apples. A little citrus, strawberries, and bubblegum. Caramel sauce leads in the palate, then some cereal grains and sweet fruit juice. Both grassy and floral. A pleasant sourness remains. A little sherry in the finish. Some milk chocolate and toffee too. Salts & sweets & sours.
It took a while for the hydrated version to grow on me, but (as usual) I prefer this one neat.
My notes say, "What if there was a Glenfiddich 105?" Maybe the OP17 inspired that thought. I really don't know what I was referring to, but I thought I'd just share that.
Back to the OP17. As Jordan from Chemistry of the Cocktail noted, this one's pretty light for a 46% ABV. According to Serge's reviews this whisky keeps changing character over the years. He may be onto something, as everyone who's reviewed it online seems to find his or her own unique notes within the glass. Perhaps this is due to different proportions of the sherried-vs-American oak; a little more PX one year, more bourbon in another. There wasn't a lot of sherry oak in this batch, unless it was from 2nd or 3rd fill casks. Also, according to Dominic Roskrow's 1001 Whiskies, while Old Pulteney 12 year's American oak casks are first-refill, the 17 year's are 2nd refill.
I do enjoy the whiskys that test the permutations of blending American and European oak matured malt. Big ups/props/credit to the distilleries that bottle their whisky (especially those on the pricier end of the range) at 46%, too.
I cannot guarantee that you'll like OP17 as much as I. So rather than shelling out $80+ for a bottle, you may want to keep an eye out for that Twin Pack. If I haven't scooped them all up first...
Availability - Many liquor specialists
Pricing - for the 750mL bottle - at $70 :) , but at $100 :(
Rating - 90
I love Old Pulteney 17yr. But you know what I love more than the Old Pulteney 17yr?
This:
PEOPLE! Buy this.
Seriously, if you find it at $40, you must consider the screaming deal at hand.
This OP twin killing is how I had the opportunity try both of these malts. The OP12 is a great step up from 'Fiddich and 'Livet. It has some curious sour and briny notes that I really enjoy. The 17 year is an entirely different creature.
Ownership: Inver House
Region: Northern Highlands (Wick)
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Maturation: Primarily 2nd-fill ex-bourbon American oak casks, along with former Pedro Ximenez and oloroso sherry Spanish oak casks
Age: minimum 17 years
Alcohol by Volume: 46%
NEAT --
The color is a bright light gold. The welcoming nose flexes both the malt and oak. Mostly American white oak, but also a tiny bit of the ex-sherry oak. The fruits are more fresh than dried. There's a lot of honey butter and coconut cream. A little seaside too, along with some orange and lemon zests. The palate moves from milk chocolate to dark chocolate. Lemon, flower blossoms, caramel sauce, and confectioner's sugar. It's creamy with a brief peppery zing. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention a lively bold sour citrus note too. It finishes with toffee and sugar first. Then a little salt sneaks in along with a mossy moment. As it gradually fades away, a trail of mint remains.
W/WATER --
The nose gets younger and spirity. Lots of vanilla and malt. Apples. A little citrus, strawberries, and bubblegum. Caramel sauce leads in the palate, then some cereal grains and sweet fruit juice. Both grassy and floral. A pleasant sourness remains. A little sherry in the finish. Some milk chocolate and toffee too. Salts & sweets & sours.
It took a while for the hydrated version to grow on me, but (as usual) I prefer this one neat.
My notes say, "What if there was a Glenfiddich 105?" Maybe the OP17 inspired that thought. I really don't know what I was referring to, but I thought I'd just share that.
Back to the OP17. As Jordan from Chemistry of the Cocktail noted, this one's pretty light for a 46% ABV. According to Serge's reviews this whisky keeps changing character over the years. He may be onto something, as everyone who's reviewed it online seems to find his or her own unique notes within the glass. Perhaps this is due to different proportions of the sherried-vs-American oak; a little more PX one year, more bourbon in another. There wasn't a lot of sherry oak in this batch, unless it was from 2nd or 3rd fill casks. Also, according to Dominic Roskrow's 1001 Whiskies, while Old Pulteney 12 year's American oak casks are first-refill, the 17 year's are 2nd refill.
I do enjoy the whiskys that test the permutations of blending American and European oak matured malt. Big ups/props/credit to the distilleries that bottle their whisky (especially those on the pricier end of the range) at 46%, too.
I cannot guarantee that you'll like OP17 as much as I. So rather than shelling out $80+ for a bottle, you may want to keep an eye out for that Twin Pack. If I haven't scooped them all up first...
Availability - Many liquor specialists
Pricing - for the 750mL bottle - at $70 :) , but at $100 :(
Rating - 90
Sunday, January 6, 2013
2012 and 2013, My whisky year that was and is
2012 was a damned good year in whisky exploration. Though as the year wore on, I became busier and busier. Drinking less and less. As a result of decreased consumption, my sample (and bottle) collection grew. Woo hoo!
Life doesn't change abruptly when the calendar year increases. The seeds of one's joys and troubles in one year were planted earlier. 2012 is 2013 and 2013 is 2012. Some things I hope will continue. Some things I hope will end.
The Splendid
I attended some tremendous, expansive tastings last year. From the educational whisk(e)y voyage at the Freakin' Frog in February, to Peatin' Meetin' in July, to the Laphroaig Vertical in December, to around a dozen official or unofficial group tastings, my whisky horizons have expanded exponentially.
Plus I've had a chance to talk to some of you all. Before this year, much of my whisky education happened alone. That was fun, but it cannot compare to how important and lovely it has been to share and discuss with other whisky nuts. It feels like a little community and we've been doing great work expanding the social whisky universe. Thank you all!
There have been a number of whiskies I've tried but haven't reviewed, largely because I was just enjoying the stuff and not analyzing it further. Some examples:
Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 6 -- This one left me speechless twice. All I kept doing was mumbling to strangers, "The nose on this. The nose on this." Yeah. The nose on this. A lot of folks in the know have been saying Batch 3 is the best. But as Batch 6 has fewer sherry casks and more bourbon casks, I would be happy to go with a bottle of this first. The nose on this.
Laphroaig 21yr Cask Strength -- From that grandiose Laphroaig vertical, this limited edition official casker from Laphroaig was by leaps and bounds better than most already-great Laphroaigs. It was somehow both silky and powerful. I kept thinking "peated-cognac" but, again, I get silly when enthralled.
Abraham Bowman Pioneer Spirit Virginia Rye -- Big, bold, and beautiful, this is likely the best American whiskey I've yet tried. I believe (and someone please correct me if I'm wrong) this is a 10 year old triple-distilled rye made from the Thomas H. Handy recipe/mash. Sour Mash and SKU have reviewed it. I look forward to the next batch!
Ardmore 19yr 1992 (Whisky Doris) -- A surprising favorite from the Peatin' Meetin'. And it wasn't just me. Two bottles were on hand at the start; they were empty long before the Meetin' was over. I may or may not have had something to do with that. This was a whisky that left me with such a vivid sense memory that it haunted me as I desperately tried to track down a bottle of my own...
There will be an official review of some of these this year. :-)
Then there were my favorite new discoveries that were reported:
The Ardbegs Uigeadail and Corryvreckan - I've already spoken volumes about these shadowy siblings, these marvels of modern whisky creation. So, I'll keep this short. These are awesome. I've tried a couple Octomores and Port Charlottes; I've tried the Supernova; I've had a couple cask strength Lagavulins. They may all pack massive cask strength peat punches, but none of them have the complexity (oh that word) or provide such a joyous drinking experience as Oog and Corry.
The Willet Ryes -- My first barrel-strength rye and still my favorite by some distance. Having now tried the three, four, five, and six year olds (yeah, I'm kinda sold on it), I'm trying to sort through which I like best. Part of me likes the three year best since the spirit is enormous. The oak is great but beginning to get a bit large on the six year. Perhaps the four and five are the best of both worlds? Further research is currently being conducted.
Yamazaki 18yr -- Remarkably gorgeous whisky #1. Silky, rich, luxurious. One of the few whiskys I'd be happy to pay $100+ for. Though it's been absent from the major LA stores since August, I heard fourth-hand that it may make a return in a couple months. I sincerely hope that's true.
Glen Spey 21yr 1989 -- Remarkably gorgeous whisky #2. I was/am quite in love with this one. All sorts of lovely fruit, rye, custard and cake batter, and floral notes. It ain't cheap, but there are one or two good deals to be found on the webs.
And then the old favorite, Macallan 17yr Fine Oak. Likely soon to vanish once Macallan brings their NAS bottlings to The States, this is one reliable whisky that I treasure. I will buy one more bottle before it's gone.
Then there's...
The Not-So-Splendid
I drank some sh***y whisky this year too. I had hoped that I could find some surprising delicious bargains. Though I tried and tried and tried, it was mostly not to be. In fact there were a number of crummy drams that I couldn't even review.
This came to a head during last month's JW Red Label / Dewars White Label tasting. Something was left scarred after the experience. I have since found a number of cheapie whisky minis that I would have previously scooped up and reviewed. But instead, now, each time I see a 99 cent plastic mini of whisk(e)y, I feel an awful weight pulling down inside of me, physically turning me away, reminding me to seek out good whisky or drink nothing at all. So in 2013, there will be fewer reviews of the swampy dregs sitting within plastic bottles.
The two worst whiskies I'd reported on in 2012 actually come in glass bottles:
Cutty Sark blended whisky -- That was terrible. By the time I was done, I felt bad for the brand, wondering what had happened that would have forced them to bottle this liquid. The good news is that Cutty has gotten a new Master Blender, Kirsteen Campbell. I wish her all the best and look forward to a revival of a classic.
Dewar's White Label blended whisky -- For many years the DWL and I have not gotten along. My mind and liver equates it with Popov Vodka, on many levels. I sort of regret making the attempt to taste it in a controlled setting and dissecting its palate. I only learned what I already knew, to stay away from this stuff.
A final thought on Connoisseurship
Recently, I've been meditating a bit on what it means to be a connoisseur.
It's one thing to be able to identify and savor the beauty of the pinnacle examples of a craft or art form. But, perhaps, it's even more profound to be able to enjoy the failures as well. Finding the magic within a mess and being able to embrace it, un-ironically, is something worth aspiring to.
I'm nowhere near that point. I thought I was, but I'm still a beginner. There's a long journey ahead of me. There are so many beautiful drams to be spoken of this year. So for now, for 2013, perhaps I'll stay away from Duggan's Dew.
Best wishes to you all. May you be blessed with happy surprises on every journey.
Life doesn't change abruptly when the calendar year increases. The seeds of one's joys and troubles in one year were planted earlier. 2012 is 2013 and 2013 is 2012. Some things I hope will continue. Some things I hope will end.
The Splendid
I attended some tremendous, expansive tastings last year. From the educational whisk(e)y voyage at the Freakin' Frog in February, to Peatin' Meetin' in July, to the Laphroaig Vertical in December, to around a dozen official or unofficial group tastings, my whisky horizons have expanded exponentially.
Plus I've had a chance to talk to some of you all. Before this year, much of my whisky education happened alone. That was fun, but it cannot compare to how important and lovely it has been to share and discuss with other whisky nuts. It feels like a little community and we've been doing great work expanding the social whisky universe. Thank you all!
There have been a number of whiskies I've tried but haven't reviewed, largely because I was just enjoying the stuff and not analyzing it further. Some examples:
Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 6 -- This one left me speechless twice. All I kept doing was mumbling to strangers, "The nose on this. The nose on this." Yeah. The nose on this. A lot of folks in the know have been saying Batch 3 is the best. But as Batch 6 has fewer sherry casks and more bourbon casks, I would be happy to go with a bottle of this first. The nose on this.
Laphroaig 21yr Cask Strength -- From that grandiose Laphroaig vertical, this limited edition official casker from Laphroaig was by leaps and bounds better than most already-great Laphroaigs. It was somehow both silky and powerful. I kept thinking "peated-cognac" but, again, I get silly when enthralled.
Abraham Bowman Pioneer Spirit Virginia Rye -- Big, bold, and beautiful, this is likely the best American whiskey I've yet tried. I believe (and someone please correct me if I'm wrong) this is a 10 year old triple-distilled rye made from the Thomas H. Handy recipe/mash. Sour Mash and SKU have reviewed it. I look forward to the next batch!
Ardmore 19yr 1992 (Whisky Doris) -- A surprising favorite from the Peatin' Meetin'. And it wasn't just me. Two bottles were on hand at the start; they were empty long before the Meetin' was over. I may or may not have had something to do with that. This was a whisky that left me with such a vivid sense memory that it haunted me as I desperately tried to track down a bottle of my own...
There will be an official review of some of these this year. :-)
Then there were my favorite new discoveries that were reported:
The Ardbegs Uigeadail and Corryvreckan - I've already spoken volumes about these shadowy siblings, these marvels of modern whisky creation. So, I'll keep this short. These are awesome. I've tried a couple Octomores and Port Charlottes; I've tried the Supernova; I've had a couple cask strength Lagavulins. They may all pack massive cask strength peat punches, but none of them have the complexity (oh that word) or provide such a joyous drinking experience as Oog and Corry.The Willet Ryes -- My first barrel-strength rye and still my favorite by some distance. Having now tried the three, four, five, and six year olds (yeah, I'm kinda sold on it), I'm trying to sort through which I like best. Part of me likes the three year best since the spirit is enormous. The oak is great but beginning to get a bit large on the six year. Perhaps the four and five are the best of both worlds? Further research is currently being conducted.
Yamazaki 18yr -- Remarkably gorgeous whisky #1. Silky, rich, luxurious. One of the few whiskys I'd be happy to pay $100+ for. Though it's been absent from the major LA stores since August, I heard fourth-hand that it may make a return in a couple months. I sincerely hope that's true.
Glen Spey 21yr 1989 -- Remarkably gorgeous whisky #2. I was/am quite in love with this one. All sorts of lovely fruit, rye, custard and cake batter, and floral notes. It ain't cheap, but there are one or two good deals to be found on the webs.
And then the old favorite, Macallan 17yr Fine Oak. Likely soon to vanish once Macallan brings their NAS bottlings to The States, this is one reliable whisky that I treasure. I will buy one more bottle before it's gone.
Then there's...
The Not-So-Splendid
I drank some sh***y whisky this year too. I had hoped that I could find some surprising delicious bargains. Though I tried and tried and tried, it was mostly not to be. In fact there were a number of crummy drams that I couldn't even review.
This came to a head during last month's JW Red Label / Dewars White Label tasting. Something was left scarred after the experience. I have since found a number of cheapie whisky minis that I would have previously scooped up and reviewed. But instead, now, each time I see a 99 cent plastic mini of whisk(e)y, I feel an awful weight pulling down inside of me, physically turning me away, reminding me to seek out good whisky or drink nothing at all. So in 2013, there will be fewer reviews of the swampy dregs sitting within plastic bottles.
The two worst whiskies I'd reported on in 2012 actually come in glass bottles:
Cutty Sark blended whisky -- That was terrible. By the time I was done, I felt bad for the brand, wondering what had happened that would have forced them to bottle this liquid. The good news is that Cutty has gotten a new Master Blender, Kirsteen Campbell. I wish her all the best and look forward to a revival of a classic.
Dewar's White Label blended whisky -- For many years the DWL and I have not gotten along. My mind and liver equates it with Popov Vodka, on many levels. I sort of regret making the attempt to taste it in a controlled setting and dissecting its palate. I only learned what I already knew, to stay away from this stuff.
A final thought on Connoisseurship
Recently, I've been meditating a bit on what it means to be a connoisseur.
It's one thing to be able to identify and savor the beauty of the pinnacle examples of a craft or art form. But, perhaps, it's even more profound to be able to enjoy the failures as well. Finding the magic within a mess and being able to embrace it, un-ironically, is something worth aspiring to.
I'm nowhere near that point. I thought I was, but I'm still a beginner. There's a long journey ahead of me. There are so many beautiful drams to be spoken of this year. So for now, for 2013, perhaps I'll stay away from Duggan's Dew.
Best wishes to you all. May you be blessed with happy surprises on every journey.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Single Malt Revision: Eating crow and drinking The Hakushu 12 year old
Happy 2013 to all! I hope everyone had a pleasant extended well-earned break from the normal work week. I am starting this year with a complete recant of a report from last year.
Last April, I panned The Hakushu 12 year old. The whisky I'd sampled was shockingly ugly, full of notes of cheesy-beefy-flatulence and a kitchen gas leak. I say "shockingly" because The Hakushu 12 had received raves from a number of folks I respect. In fact the word on the whisky street was so positive that I going to buy a whole bottle of it blindly; I even price-shopped it for two months. But the Master of Malt sample of Hakushu that I tried convinced me of the opposite, the whisky was disappointing.
But, as I ended my report, I wrote: "I wouldn't mind giving it another spin someday......just in case."
In the late fall, I tried it again at a OC Scotch Club event. And it was......really good. This round of whisky came not from a sample bottle but directly from a newly opened 750mL. President Bob of the OC Scotch Club awesomely allowed me to steal away with a 1 ounce sample of my own.
On New Year's Eve, the sampled was consumed.
Distillery: Hakushu
Producer: Suntory Whisky
Age: 12 years
Maturation: mainly Bourbon Hogsheads
Country: Japan
Alcohol by Volume: 43%
NEAT --
The color is a bright light gold. The nose leads with doused kindling, soil, dried apricots, and light sweet wine. There's a cleaning solvent note in there, but in a good way! After a few minutes, a subtle green leafy note arises, possibly spinach. The palate is a peated confection: vanillins, brown sugar, and sweet cherries. It's very creamy, vanilla ice creamy in fact. There are some ashes and a touch of salt. It finishes first sweet, then peat. Peat ashes again. Sugared fruit, a little salt. It's extensive and warm considering its low-ish ABV.
WITH WATER --
The nose loses its prettiness, gaining weight and malt spirit. Some cocoa, tree bark, and vegetal peat too. Some of the infamous gassy edge starts to peek through. The palate becomes simpler. Vanilla, malt, mild peat, notebook paper, and fruit cocktail juice. It finishes briefly, with that fruit cocktail juice character, a little peat and vanilla following.
I recommend this neat. Period. Keep the water out, please.
This is the quality I had hoped for, originally. The odd sample probably kept me from buying a bottle. The Hakushu has gotten much more difficult to find since then. My scathing review likely resulted in a worldwide recall by Suntory. ;-)
Anyway, Hakushu, my apologies. I was led astray. Thou art good.
May this new year bring many more happy discoveries, especially in places we'd never expect to find them.
Last April, I panned The Hakushu 12 year old. The whisky I'd sampled was shockingly ugly, full of notes of cheesy-beefy-flatulence and a kitchen gas leak. I say "shockingly" because The Hakushu 12 had received raves from a number of folks I respect. In fact the word on the whisky street was so positive that I going to buy a whole bottle of it blindly; I even price-shopped it for two months. But the Master of Malt sample of Hakushu that I tried convinced me of the opposite, the whisky was disappointing.
But, as I ended my report, I wrote: "I wouldn't mind giving it another spin someday......just in case."
In the late fall, I tried it again at a OC Scotch Club event. And it was......really good. This round of whisky came not from a sample bottle but directly from a newly opened 750mL. President Bob of the OC Scotch Club awesomely allowed me to steal away with a 1 ounce sample of my own.
On New Year's Eve, the sampled was consumed.
Distillery: Hakushu
Producer: Suntory Whisky
Age: 12 years
Maturation: mainly Bourbon Hogsheads
Country: Japan
Alcohol by Volume: 43%
NEAT --
The color is a bright light gold. The nose leads with doused kindling, soil, dried apricots, and light sweet wine. There's a cleaning solvent note in there, but in a good way! After a few minutes, a subtle green leafy note arises, possibly spinach. The palate is a peated confection: vanillins, brown sugar, and sweet cherries. It's very creamy, vanilla ice creamy in fact. There are some ashes and a touch of salt. It finishes first sweet, then peat. Peat ashes again. Sugared fruit, a little salt. It's extensive and warm considering its low-ish ABV.
WITH WATER --
The nose loses its prettiness, gaining weight and malt spirit. Some cocoa, tree bark, and vegetal peat too. Some of the infamous gassy edge starts to peek through. The palate becomes simpler. Vanilla, malt, mild peat, notebook paper, and fruit cocktail juice. It finishes briefly, with that fruit cocktail juice character, a little peat and vanilla following.
I recommend this neat. Period. Keep the water out, please.
This is the quality I had hoped for, originally. The odd sample probably kept me from buying a bottle. The Hakushu has gotten much more difficult to find since then. My scathing review likely resulted in a worldwide recall by Suntory. ;-)
Anyway, Hakushu, my apologies. I was led astray. Thou art good.
May this new year bring many more happy discoveries, especially in places we'd never expect to find them.
Availability - Some liquor specialists
Pricing - $50-$60
Rating - 86
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Dusty Whisky Report: Windsor Canadian Whisky, bottled in...
Producer: Fortune Brands, with Beam Inc.
Brand: Windsor Canadian
Region: Alberta, Canada
Age: minimum 3 years
Blend: corn, barley, and grain whiskies
Alcohol by Volume: 40%
 |
| Don't tell, show, bro. |
You can find Windsor down towards the bottom shelf in most liquor stores' Canadian selections, in black plastic bottles (whether 750ml or 1.75L). As I highlighted in an earlier Canadian Club post, whisky doesn't hold up so well in plastic bottles. And as Jordan (of Chemistry of the Cocktail) commented: "Alcohol should leech plastic much faster than water, being a comparatively non-polar solvent." Yum.
Happily the handle of Windsor found in the Perry's liquor cabinet was made of the classic dark thick brown glass. Had the whisky sat in plastic over these ages, I would not have risked a sip. As I did with the previous two dusty discoveries, I attempted to get a bottling date on this thing.
This broken pink tax stamp affixed to the top of the bottle had the notations "TAX PAID" and "DISTILLED SPIRITS", so it was pre-'82.
I like these dark bottles since they allow for the best bottle pics. Here, we can see the "79" on the bottom. I don't know if the "55" means the 55th day of the year, but I'm relatively comfortable in saying that this Windsor was bottled in 1979......and has likely been open ever since.
(The sources of my dating info are here, here, and here. If anyone has any corrections to my assumptions/conclusions, please let me know!)
The Notes:
The color is the classic Canadian blend shade of amber-tinted urine. The nose leads with vanilla and molasses. Then there's something vegetal going on, along with a dose of balsamic vinegar. A big charge of grain spirit trails along at the end. Then it gets a little farty (or pharty, per my notes) after a while. Nillas(!) are big on the palate, along with some brown sugar. Otherwise it's pretty rough, with some coarse ethyl and a light bitterness. The finish is spirity too and drying. But there's a vanilla note that lasts for a long time.
When comparing to my notes on the contemporary Windsor, this oldie has a softer nose but a tougher mouth, while holding fast to the Nilla note. I was already getting a bit queasy from the Mr. Boston piddle sampled earlier, so I don't think that the resulting stomach troubles were related to the Windsor. On the other hand, just to be safe, the sink should drink the rest of this bottle.
To conclude:
J.T.S. Brown Bourbon (bottled in 1969) = Yummy!
Mr. Boston's American Whiskey (bottled in 1980) = Vile
Windsor Canadian Whisky (bottled in 1979) = Similar to current version, but getting strong on ethyl
The JTS Brown Bourbon (and also not getting poisoned) made it all worthwhile. Who knows what treasures hide in old liquor closets everywhere??????
To conclude:
J.T.S. Brown Bourbon (bottled in 1969) = Yummy!
Mr. Boston's American Whiskey (bottled in 1980) = Vile
Windsor Canadian Whisky (bottled in 1979) = Similar to current version, but getting strong on ethyl
The JTS Brown Bourbon (and also not getting poisoned) made it all worthwhile. Who knows what treasures hide in old liquor closets everywhere??????
Friday, December 28, 2012
Dusty Whiskey Report: Mr. Boston's Blended American Whiskey, bottled in...
Brand: Mr. Boston's
Current Owner: Sazerac Company (via Barton Brands via Mr. Boston's)
Type: Blended American Whiskey
Distillery: Old Mister Boston Distillery (amongst others)
Location: Boston, MA; Owensboro, KY; Albany, GA
Age: Zygotic
ABV: 40% ABV
There's Mr. Boston, looking every bit like a young Mr. Potter from It's a Wonderful Life. If you've seen the movie, you know I'm not complimenting the man.
But who was Mr. Boston? Per Modern Drunkard Magazine:
The Old Mr. Boston distillery sprang to life in 1933, founded by Boston natives Irwin Benjamin and Hyman C. Berkowitz. There was no real Mr. Boston, the icon is merely an artist’s conception of what a genteel 19th century Bostonian who liked a bit of liquor might look like. He was formally introduced to the drinking community in the inaugural 1935 edition of the Old Mr. Boston Deluxe Official Bartender’s Guide...I really encourage you to read the whole MDM article on Alcohol Icons. Hell, I really encourage you to read Modern Drunkard Magazine. Bless their soggy hearts, livers, and minds.
The Mr. Boston company released very cheap flavored gins, brandies, and schnappses over 50 years or so. At first the man was Old Mr. Boston, but then in the 1970s they dropped the "Old" (as if respect was what they sought with their Pineapple Gin). In 1995, fake Mr. Boston and his regrettably real liquors were purchased by Barton Brands, who were in turn bought by Sazerac.
Yes, the company that releases George T. Stagg, also owns the rights to make this:
But they don't make it anymore. THANK YE GODS.
Let's get to this bottle in particular. Like I did with the scrumptious JTS Brown, yesterday, I did some snooping around to get a date for the bottle.
This broken pink tax stamp affixed to the top of the bottle meant it was from 1985 or earlier. It was pre-1982 due to the strip having the notations "TAX PAID" and "DISTILLED SPIRITS". And then there was the "80" on the bottom of the bottle.
My guess is that it was bottled in 1980.
(The sources of my dating info are here, here, and here. If anyone has any corrections to my assumptions/conclusions, please let me know!)
I also noticed that Mr. Boston was determined to tell his buyers how grand his products are:
Let's go back to that last picture and zoom in a bit, shall we?
I admire the honesty. I wish contemporary blenders were forced to show how much grain spirit fills out their blends. Yet, I think there was considerably more than 70% grain neutral spirit remaining in this particular dusty bottle bottle of American Whiskey.
And when I say "Grain Neutral Spirit", I want you to think: "Cheap Vodka". And when I say "Cheap Vodka", I want you to think watered-down ethanol.
No quotation marks on that last word.
The Notes:
The color is copper, with considerable floating debris. The nose holds a little milk chocolate, a hint of sugar cookies, lots of imitation vanilla extract. But mostly cheap vodka. Vaguely nauseating. The palate is ethanol heavy. Maybe some corn syrup, light vanilla, sweat cream. Starts sweet then ends (not vaguely) nauseatingly. The actual finish is all ethanol/grain spirits/cheap vodka/whatever. Perhaps the ghost of sweet cream and vanilla.
I couldn't finish 0.5oz of it, though I valiantly tried and nearly became ill. The wallop of grain spirit was anything but neutral after a while. The whiskey part was probably once made from corn and malted barley, barely.
Was this any better in the '80s? Because, Jesus.
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