...where distraction is the main attraction.

Friday, June 30, 2017

Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: Elijah Craig 18 year old 1991, barrel 3416

As recently as Feburary 2015, the average US retail price for Elijah Craig 18yo was listed as $58 on Winesearcher. As of June 2017, the average price is now $303. The 21yo sits at $463, and the 23yo is $507. It's fair to say that most bourbon fans will never get a chance to try any of these long-matured Elijah Craigs. One can blame the producers for raising the suggested retail price. One can blame retailers for marking up the bottles well above the SRP. One can in turn blame the secondary market for pushing the prices so high that producers and retailers are motivated to do their own price gouging in order to not miss out on revenue. Or one can be totally fascinated by the people who are quick to spend $300-$500 on these whiskies, and why they value them so highly.

I'm a big fan of the (formerly) 12 year old Small Batch from Elijah Craig, and their (formerly?) 12 year old Barrel Proof series might be my favorite bourbon on the market. But keep in mind, my palate may be different from yours. I usually find bourbons in the double-digit age range to be much too oaky, but the 12yo ECs were the most consistent exception. In any case, this palate preference is bound to save me some money.

I was lucky to have purchased this sample of the 18 year old before prices went bonkers.


Distiller: Heaven Hill
Brand: Elijah Craig
Region: Bardstown, Kentucky
Type: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Distilled: March 28, 1991 at Old Bernheim Distillery
Age: minimum 18 years
Mashbill: 86% Corn, 6% Rye, 8% Malted Barley (maybe?)
Alcohol by Volume: 45%

NEAT
The nose is divine. Toffee pudding, almond extract and molasses. Vanilla bean, mint leaves and whipped cream. There's also a darker edge to it, consisting of saline, wood ash and a medicinal note. At first the palate is pretty forward. Vanilla, salt, furniture polish and strong peppery wood spices. With time, it becomes massively bitter. There's plenty of heat to it throughout, and there is a mild sweetness underneath keeping the whole thing from being ruined by the bitterness. Its finish is tannic as hell. There's also wood smoke, tart lemon candy and a woody bitterness that is slightly milder than the palate's.

WITH WATER (~41-42%abv)
The nose becomes milder. Caramel, vanilla bean, wood char and Rolos candies. Less bitterness on the palate, and still mildly sweet. Tart citrus, corn meal, a hint of salty seaweed and plenty of tannins. The finish is a little sweeter, less bitter. Still mouth-drying. Salty, with some barrel char. Plenty of length.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
If one doesn't add water, one can sniff this bourbon all night long. Just gorgeous stuff. That is one of the benefits of long maturation in a rich barrel. But on the other hand, unless you like oaky oak oakness, the palate is difficult. While it's less dreadful than the Orphan Barrels and 23yo Pappies, it's still a fight to dig through the bitterness and tannins. Adding a little bit of water helps correct this issue, slightly, but also mutes the nose's thrills.

While there's nothing I can say to keep people from spending $300+ on something like this, I will say that if whiskey was only for smelling then this bourbon would be a real treat. But whisky is for drinking. If you have no problem with drinking liquid oak, then you'll have no problem with EC18. If, like me, that is not your preference, then perhaps you'll want to skip it, unless you can find it for less than $100 (ha!). Still, if price wasn't an issue, I'd take it over the Orphan Barrels any day.

Availability - this particular barrel is probably sold out, other EC18s are available at a few dozen retailers around the world
Pricing - for EC18s in general: $300 average in US, $230 (ex-VAT) average in Europe
Rating - 83

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Springbank and Kilkerran Distillery Visitors' 2016 Bottlings

My mind is still whirling after my two weeks in Japan, so it may be days, weeks, months or years before I post about that travel. But to keep with the tourist theme, I have unearthed the two distillery-only minis I picked up at the end of my previous international trip. One is a Springbank, the other a Kilkerran. There are no ages, no ABVs nor bottling codes on either. Due to their "Single Malt Scotch Whisky" labelling, all one can assume is they're each at least 3 years old and at least 40%abv. I'll be trying them side-by-side.

And that's all the deep thoughts my brain will allow right now. It's saying, Campbeltown drink now.




"Kilkerran Distillery Visitors 2016"

NEAT
Its color is clear, or at least 90% clear. The nose starts off with whole wheat bread and lots of salty butter. Fried coating, veggie peat, hot asphalt and a small note of pineapple. It picks up some more white fruit notes with time. The palate is loaded with chili oil, bitter and acidic notes. Some tapioca pudding, lots of barley, maybe some salted peanuts. Not very sweet. The finish has some moderate smoke, pepper and ethanol. A little more sweet and acidic, and some of the nose's butter notes.

WITH WATER
The nose has dried apricot, lime, butter and mossy peat. Somehow, there's more heat in the palate now. Still has the chili oil note. It's a little bitter with hints of flowers and toffee. But also burnt cardboard. It finishes bitter, mossy, and peppery. Metallic, like blood. Pencil lead and burnt cardboard.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
This is the first Kilkerran that elicited an "uch" from me. It's very young, reading even rawer than the first Work In Progress. The nose isn't bad, but the palate is DOA. Water brings out some genuinely crap notes in the finish. It's very clear why they did not release whatever this is to the wider public. On the other hand, maybe they should have blended it into a wider release 5+ years from now?



"Springbank Distillery Visitors 2016"

NEAT
It has an amber color. The nose has peach yogurt and more pineapple than the Kilkerran. A curious lack of peat. Hints of yeast and brown sugar. Metallic, like pennies. A solid lemongrass note throughout. The palate has mossy peat, marzipan and a hint of sweetness. Some ethyl. Salt and menthol. Prunes and roasted barley. The finish is a little medicinal. Plenty of dried fruits with prunes lingering the longest.

WITH WATER
The nose has peaches and limes, and suddenly a farmy note. Grapefruit. Roasted barley. The palate gets dirtier, peatier, saltier and bitterer. Some hard toffee, limes and prunes. The finish has a good bitter glow, wood smoke, salt and a hint of sweetness.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
In a different league than the Kilkerran, this Springbank seems to be from a refill sherry cask and is older than the legal minimum. It drinks well, has a reliable finish and probably weighs in at 46%abv or higher. I actually recommend drinking this one rather than leaving it on the shelf or whatever you wanna do with the Kilkerran. It's not super, but it's a nice whisky for essentially £0.



Kilkerran Distillery Visitors 2016
Availability - Only at the distillery
Pricing - came with a distillery tour in 2016
Rating - 71 (the nose is the only thing keeping it out of the 60s)

Springbank Distillery Visitors 2016
Availability - Only at the distillery
Pricing - came with a distillery tour in 2016
Rating - 83

Monday, June 26, 2017

Sayoonara, Japan. Papa's Going Home.


Please enjoy the requisite selfie-in-a-bathroom today. Posts will resume on Wednesday(?). L'chaim, as the Shingon monks often say.

Friday, June 23, 2017

Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: Charbay Amador Hop Flavored Whiskey

I 💚 Charbay. Their infamous "Whiskey Release" series is, like, intergalactic, man. Their distillers, Marko and Miles, are madmen, so I'm happy to try anything they design. Unfortunately the whiskey world discovered that those Releases are superlative, so I can't afford any of them. But recently Karakasevics did some batches of cheaper whiskey experiments. There's Whiskey S, a distillation of Bear Republic Big Bear Stout. There's Whiskey R5, a distillation of Racer 5 IPA. Then there's today's piece of craziness.

Amador Hop Flavored Whiskey is, as per the official site:
A blend of 60% straight malt whiskey and 40% hop-flavored whiskey distilled from a craft IPA beer, the components were aged separately for over 2 years in French oak wine barrels and then “married” in our family Chardonnay barrels for another 2 years before being bottled.
So, no, this is neither bourbon nor rye. But it's American, so there.


Companies: Charbay and Amador Whiskey Co.
Distillery: Charbay
Location: St. Helena, California
What the hell is this made out of? See description above
Age: at least 4 years old
Batch: 1
Barrel: 2
ABV: 48% ABV
(Thank you to Sku for this sample!)

The nose has an intensely fruity side: lemonade, mango and grapefruit. It also has a rich sugary side: vanilla fudge, circus peanuts and a hint of maple syrup. Lots of hops that haven't gone Full Weed yet. The palate is wonderfully, violently tart. More lemon than lemon. Pine sap and grapefruit. Roasted grains, lots of hops. A bit of a sweaty, musty note. Its loooooooong finish is full of hops, pine, grapefruit and lime juice. A little bit of sweetness reins the tartness in.

Odd but joyous. There's no other way I can find to describe it. The IPA element is unmistakable and has run right over the malt. Everything is big and crazy and it's probably a good idea the thing wasn't bottled at full strength because it may have caused a tear in the space-time continuum. As intense as it is, I can see it as being a great spring or summer sipper because of its IPAness (don't say that word out loud). Great work, Miles and Marko!

Availability - At a few dozen American whiskey specialists
Pricing - anywhere between $75-$115
Rating - 87

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Speyburn Arranta Casks, bottled 2015

On Monday I reviewed Speyburn 10 year old, complementing its uncompromising low-oak grungy style. Today, I'm reviewing an NAS big-oak Speyburn called "Arranta Casks". Arranta is "inspired by the Gaelic word meaning 'intrepid and daring'". The whisky is also entirely composed of first-fill bourbon casks and exclusively targets the American market. Kinda seems like it was designed to (try to) capture bourbon fans. In order to get a better perspective of the liquid, I tried this whisky along with the Speyburn 10.


Distillery: Speyburn
Ownership: Inver House (via Thai Beverages plc via International Beverage Holdings Ltd.)
Region: Speyside (Rothes)
Age: at least 3 years old
Maturation: first-fill bourbon casks
Bottling year: 2015
Alcohol by Volume: 46%
Chillfiltered? probably not
Colored? possibly
[DISCLOSURE: Today's bottle was sent to me by Amy from Ten27 Communications, a PR firm for InterBev, AnCnoc's parent company. Thank you, Amy.]

Its color is slightly darker than the 10's yellow gold. The nose starts out with lots of oatmeal. Then there's metal, butterscotch, polyester shirt and brown rice. With time it develops notes of cinnamon sugar, nutmeg, florals and hand soap. The palate is sweet and creamy, full of vanilla pudding and caramel. Hints of flowers, heat and soap. There's an undefined bitterness to it. But there are also some raspberry and apricot notes. LOTS of tannins in the very sweet finish. That sweetness steamrolls most other notes, though there are some vanilla and milky things going on.

This was better than I'd expected, but still falls short of the 10. The quirky spirit and rich oak make for an awkward partnership. The vanilla and wood spices are present, but either override the Speyburn part or exist separately. Still, it's far from boring and not as much of a mess as Diageo's current woody NAS insults. It's worth a try at a bar, if you can find one that stocks Arranta.

Availability - USA only
Pricing - $30-$40
Rating - 78

Monday, June 19, 2017

Speyburn 10 year old, bottled 2014

Florin (a prince) tricked me into learning the ways of Speyburn 10yo a number of years ago. Back then the whisky came in a bottle with an exquisitely unattractive green label, and it could still be found for $15. They've since updated its look with another unsexy label and a bottle with a slightly different shape. In some parts of California it can still be found for about $20, but around the rest of the country it's priced at $25-$35. I've been wondering if the whisky itself has changed. My previous bottle of the 10 was filled in 2011, this sample from Florin was from a 2014 bottle.

It's actually the 10yo. There is no official
12yo at this moment in time.

Distillery: 
Speyburn
Ownership: Inver House (via Thai Beverages plc via International Beverage Holdings Ltd.)
Region: Speyside (Rothes)
Age: minimum 10 years
Maturation: "a combination of American Oak ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks"
Bottling year: 2014
Alcohol by Volume: 43%
Chillfiltered? Yes
Colored? Yes

The nose begins with grapefruit, malt and butter. There are also notes of barley wash and metal. There's a almost-phenolic grungy note that sits somewhere between Loch Lomond-style and Glen Scotia-style. It's simple but quite striking. The barley shows up in the palate as well. There are dried herbs (oregano/savoury), pipe tobacco, tart berries and a hint of milk chocolate. With time in the glass, it develops an earthy note, as well as some good bitterness. The finish has a wallop of tart fruits and Campari bitterness. It also has a little bit of toffee and confectioner's sugar to give it some depth.

This might be even better than before. Its style has gotten dirtier—especially in the nose—while it seems as if the rest of the industry's official bottlings are attempting to get oakier or cleaner. This uncompromising approach is admirable in this marketplace. While Glenfiddich 12 and Tomatin 12 are friendlier, easier drinkers, Speyburn 10 will deliver some fight and fun, at a similar price. Whether this whisky is for you depends on what you want from your beverage.

Availability - Worldwide
Pricing - $25-$35
Rating - 84

Friday, June 16, 2017

Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: Old Grand-Dad 114 (bottled 2008?)

Never particularly fond of the lower proof Old Grand Dads, I don't mind the 114 proof version as it usually delivers a lot of punch at its good price. I reviewed the then current version in 2014. While doing some dusty hunting in a neighboring state, I found a bottle with a L8 code alongside a bunch with L14 codes. So I think it's from 2008. It lists its code twice, adjacently:


This review comes from the second half of the bottle. The first half was often unpleasant, and made for the ugliest Manhattans on record.

Owner: Beam Suntory
Brand: Old Grand-Dad
Distillery: Booker Noe Plant
Location: Boston, Kentucky
Mash Bill: Beam's high-rye
Age: ???
ABV: 57% ABV

NEAT
The nose leads with cut lumber, followed by cherry candy, brine and loads of raw rye spirit. A bit of hazelnut liqueur in there too. The bold palate has more of a rye kick than most 51%-rye rye whiskies. There's also tart citrus, wood spice and something salty & meaty. Plenty of heat and sweet. It finishes sticky sweet. Definitely cherry lollipops. Tannic, hot and peppery.

WITH WATER (~50%abv)
The nose has burnt peanuts, lead and brine. Cardboard and corn syrup. No more rye. The palate has less heat, but is sweeter. Peanuts and cherry candy. The finish is similar to the palate, but is face-makingly cloying.

WITH WATER (~40%abv)
Burnt toast, mint leaves, creamed corn and cherry candy on the nose. The palate is mild, bitter, sweet and nutty. Its finish fades quickly. Sweet, tannic and a little bitter.

MANHATTAN w/ bourbon at full strength
Terrible. Bitter, tart and lead laden. Maybe a hint of cherries.

MANHATTAN w/ bourbon reduced to 40%abv
Much better. More citrus and baking spices. Actually feels more bourbony.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
TL;DR - DO NOT add water if you're sipping it. DO add water if you're making a Manhattan with it.

What a strange experience this bottle has been. Its palate is always better than its nose, which I can't say I've found too often. The rye edge is much appreciated, and its much missed once the whiskey is diluted. All of this is the exact opposite of my encounter with the 2014 bottling, which had little rye and took water well.

Perhaps I'm experiencing bourbon exhaustion. Bourbon has been my only go-to for casual sipping for the past several weeks, and I think I gotta take a break from it. I'll review something a little different next Friday.

Availability - Not as wide as it used to be, not carried in all states
Pricing - $25-$35
Rating - 79

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Kornog T'aourac Trived peated French malt

And by "French" I mean Bretagne. And by "Kornog" I mean peated Glann Ar Mor. And by "T'aourac Trived", I have no idea.

Let me clarify further. Kornog is the peated single malt produced at Glann Ar Mor distillery in Brittany, a corner of France with considerable Celtic history. Glann Ar Mor approached its production from an old school angle, with direct-fired alembic stills and bottling right on site. Kornog's malt was peated up to 35ppm, and though this specific bottling was matured in bourbon barrels there are some releases that spent time in oloroso or PX casks.

You may notice the past tense verbs in the previous sentence. Apparently the distillery closed in 2015 due to Protected Geographical Indications (PGI) instituted by France. I don't 100% understand the reasoning behind this, so if anyone cares to weigh in on this please do so in the comment section below. In any case, it's a shame, because this is good whisky.


Distillery: Glann Ar Mor
Brand: Kornog
Region: Brittany, France
Age: ???
Maturation: ex-bourbon barrels
Peat level: 35ppm
Bottling year: probably 2010 (BC 2010 batch)
Alcohol by Volume: 46%
Chill-filtration? No
Caramel colored? No
(sample purchased from The Whisky Exchange)

Its color is white burgundy (that description is there to piss off the French). The nose is lovely. Peated peaches and melons. Subtle medicinal and almond extract notes. Simple syrup. Floral peat. Bright and candied. The palate is full of stone fruits + honey + sweet peat. Fried plantains. Grapefruit. A Campari bitterness. A light refreshing peated whisky? It finishes with more honey and mellow peat. Pear nectar and fried plantains. A little bit of coffee. Lots of Campari. Very aromatic.

What a sweet gentle surprise. I didn't add water because it was so cuddly right at 46%. Yes, a cuddly 35ppm peated whisky. The combination of fruit, florals and honey is unlike any Scotch single malts I've had, peated or unpeated. From what I've gathered, this stuff is pretty young too, which makes it even more impressive. If the distillery really has closed permanently, it's a real loss for the whisky community, and France.

Availability - Happy hunting
Pricing - ???
Rating - 88

Monday, June 12, 2017

anCnoc Cutter 20.5ppm peated single malt

Inspired by last week's curious-but-good peated Caperdonich, I've decided to roll out a pair of peaty non-Islay malts for this week.

Today, it's anCnoc Cutter, a peaty whisky from Knockdhu distillery in Speyside. Like the anCnoc 12 and 18 year olds, this sample comes from (*DISCLOSURE*) a bottle sent to me from Amy of Ten27 Communications. Thank you, Amy.

Cutter is one of the nine NAS peated whiskies anCnoc released in 2014. Yes, nine. Though they lack age statements, eight of the nine whiskies were bottled at 46%abv and listed the peating level on the labels. Peatlands was 9ppm, Rascan 11.1ppm, Rutter 11.5ppm, Barrow 12.5ppm, Flaughter 14.8ppm, Tushkar 15ppm, Stack 20ppm and Cutter 20.5ppm. (I do believe these phenolic measurements are from pre-distillation rather than post.) Barrow was exclusive to the travel retail market, Tuskar was for Sweden, Peatlands and Stack were for continental Europe. The ninth peaty release, Rúdhan didn't have a ppm listing and was also just for travel retail. A few of these, including Rutter, Flaughter and Cutter, are/were available in The States.

Sorry, no bottle pic. The bottle was emptied quickly
at my last event.

Distillery:
 Knockdhu
Owner: Inver House Distillers (via Thai Beverages plc via International Beverage Holdings Ltd.)
Type: Single Malt
Region: border of Speyside and Western Highlands
Age: minimum 3 years
Maturation: probably refill American oak casks
Peat level: 20.5ppm
Alcohol by Volume: 46%
Chill-filtration? No
Caramel colored? No

NEAT
The color is very light, possibly sub-pinot grigio amber. A good sign. The nose is very medicinal upon impact. There are also racquetballs, burnt plastic and a hint of tar. Some earthy molasses and lemon and lime zest. Really gives the feeling of decomposing veg. The warm palate has a lightly bitter and roasted side to it that reads like black coffee. A mild saltiness and sweetness softens it up. A Thai chile and black peppercorn strike hits late. With its chili pepper sting, tartness and salt, the finish is all hot sauce.

WITH WATER (~40%abv)
The nose gets a little quirky. Butter and hard cheese meets farmy peat. Lemons and a hint of florals. A little bit of vanilla-ish candy. The palate keeps its roasted note, though the whole thing is calmer. There's mild salty peat and salted Irish cream butter. Hints of bitterness and whole wheat bread in the finish, though salty peat leads the way.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
One can see why anCnoc stopped at 20.5ppm for their peaty releases because Cutter feels twice as phenolic. It's a nearly nude peated whisky that doesn't feel too spirity or hot. Nor does it smell like mezcal as many other baby peated whiskies do. I like it quite a bit. This bottle also made its way to two whisky events where it was easily emptied by impressed drinkers. I got all of four pours from my (free) bottle and enjoyed them all.

I don't recommend adding water to it because dilution seems to throw it out of whack. So, again, this whisky is only suggested for peatheads, specifically peatheads looking for an Islay alternative. It would be interesting to try some of the 9-to-11ppm anCnocs to find out how they measure up to peated Highlanders like Ardmore and Benromach. Hopefully I can source a few!

Availability - Europe, United States and Japan
Pricing - $55-$80 worldwide
Rating - 86

Friday, June 9, 2017

Bourbon and Rye Day Friday: Old Charter 8 year old

When I picked up a 200mL bottle of the discontinued Old Charter 8 year old bourbon while on my drive across the country last summer, I was excited about what I thought was a high-quality sorta-dusty bourbon.

My guess as to it being from the 1990s was quashed quickly once I realized the label stated the whiskey was distilled in "Frankfort, KY". Actual dusty Old Charters list Louisville instead. Louisville was the location of the old Bernheim distillery. Frankfort is the location of the Buffalo Trace distillery. BT's owner, Sazerac, bought Old Charter in 1999 so, if I understand math correctly, the earliest my bottle would have been filled was 2007. Taking a look at this bottling code, I wonder if it was bottled in 2012 instead. Wiser bourbon people, please chime in if you think it's from a different date.


My "high-quality" expectation was even more roughly rebuffed. The bourbon was sour, bitterly oaked and formless in its 40%abv. In fact, I dumped almost half the bottle down the sink. Two ounces were stashed away for this review though. Let's see if I like it more now than I did a year ago...


Distillery: Buffalo Trace
Ownership: The Sazerac Company
Brand: Eagle Rare
Region: Frankfort, Kentucky
Type: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Age: minimum 8 years
Mashbill: Buffalo Trace low-rye
Alcohol by Volume: 40%

NEAT
The nose starts off with paint fumes, banana candy, generic barrel char and turpentine. After 20 minutes in the glass, it starts releasing friendlier fumes: lavender, sage, dried berries and orange oil. The palate begins all bitter oak. Then some vanilla and sugar. Generic barrel char, dried cherries and something metallic (lead?). Like the nose, it gets more approachable with time. The finish has some length to it, though it's mostly lead/metal, oaky bitterness and generic barrel char. A little bit of sweetness in there. Vanilla and overripe bananas.

MANHATTAN
Light and inoffensive. The bourbon adds nothing to it,

WORDS WORDS WORDS
This reads as bottom shelf stuff when it first hits the glass, but give it some time and it's better than terrible. Almost satisfactory. Sorry, I'm running out of positive things to say about it, other than I'm glad I paid all of $5.99 for the 200mL bottle. While it'll do in case of an emergency or to apply to a quick cocktail, I have little doubt that earlier iterations were better than this bottling of the old 8yo.

Availability - Can still be found here and there
Pricing - I paid $5.99 for my 200mL
Rating - 73 (but it needs air; scores ten points lower before aired out)

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Caperdonich 12 year old 1998 Heavily Peated, Single Malts of Scotland

On Monday I reviewed an ethyly (not a thing), bland Caperdonich. I tried that Cap right before today's Cap. The decision was made to forgo a side-by-side Taste Off after taking a whiff of this indeed heavily peated Caperdonich.

There was a fun discussion over at My Annoying Opinions about whether Caperdonich utilized peat to dry their malted barley. (I'm shocked to discover that conversation happened only 3.5 years ago. Feels more like 35 years.) Charlie MacLean's Whiskypedia book mentions that the distillery "once made" a peaty variety.

This Caperdonich is not an instance of an unpeated whisky maturing in a former Islay cask. Its big-assed peating is right in the spirit. Did they do some experimental batches that day in 1998? Or were they producing some peated malt for blenders? Those questions are half rhetorical and half not.


Distillery: Caperdonich
Bottler: Specialty Drinks Ltd
Series: Single Malts of Scotland
Region: Speyside (Rothes)
Age: 12 years (May 4, 1998 to May 27, 2010)
Maturation: bourbon barrel
Cask: 8712
Bottles: 242
Alcohol by Volume: 57%
Chillfiltered? No
Caramel Colorant? No
(Sample obtained via sample swap with MAO. Thanks, MAO!)

NEAT
It's another amber colored Caperdonich. Wooo, lots of horse stall on the nose, as in horses and hay. There's also plenty of seaweed and dried apricots. Vanilla cookies and rock candy. The peppery sweet palate is more straightforward with some fruity cinnamon, soil, peat and weed. A good bitterness rumbles up in the finish. Heath bar, jalapeño oil and farmy peat.

WITH WATER (~46%abv)
A graceful note of snuffed candles leads the nose. Then anise, molasses chews, rotting fruit, charred bee and an herbal and seaweed Islay-like peat. Earthy grungy peat dominates the palate. Some anise and tart citrus. Maybe a hint of sulphur. The finish is bitter, earthy and herbal, with a hint of lime.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
The peat on this thing is massive and filthy. ¡Me gusta! I hope there are more casks of this experimental(?) Caperdonich out there somewhere.  If it were still available, I'd recommend this whisky far ahead of Monday's Cap. Though this is younger than the 20yo and has a higher ABV, it's less hot, more drinkable and a little more complex. It will definitely appeal to fans of Islay's three Kildalton distilleries. But if you don't like peat, stay far away.

To conclude, I still don't know where I stand on Caperdonich. In my experience, its success rate remains 50%.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - ???
Rating - 87

Monday, June 5, 2017

Caperdonich 20 year old 1992 First Editions

Don't base your entire opinion of a distillery from a single whisky. A person has to try a number of single malts from a distillery before declaring privately or publicly his or her opinion about that distillery. One shitty malt or a single dynamite whisky tells no broader story than that of the one whisky itself. I'm telling you this, because I made this mistake.

Four years ago, I bought my first Caperdonich and it was awesome. So I decided that Caperdonich was awesome. Then I heard tales from more experienced drinkers that 1970s Caperdonich was even dreamier. So I started window shopping every Caperdonich on the planet. Since then I've tried five more Caperdonichs, bringing my grand total to six. 3 were good or better, 3 were either bland or so-so. That's not a terrible ratio, but I'm much less motivated to buy a Caperdonich blindly.

It's time to try my seventh (today) and eighth (on Wednesday) from the distillery once known as Glen Grant 2. And we'll see what happens to that ratio.

Today's pour was from an 2015 OC Scotch Club event I'd led. It's a single cask by First Editions, a Scottish indie bottler who entered the US market a couple years ago.


Distillery: Caperdonich
Bottler: Edition Spirits
Series: First Editions
Region: Speyside (Rothes)
Age: 20 years (1992-2013)
Maturation: bourbon cask
Alcohol by Volume: 55.8%
Chillfiltered? No
Caramel Colorant? No

NEAT
Its amber color is nice and light considering the age. The nose begins with salty beach and overripe or bruised stone fruits. It's quite hot, though. I'm getting a little bit of barley and red Pixy Stix note. With time it develops a bit note of blooming roses. The palate is very very hot, feeling more like 65.8%abv (or 75.8%abv) than 55.8%abv. There's acidic citrus and plenty of malt. Strawberry bubblegum, cinnamon sticks and a moderate earthy note. That's it. It finishes tangy and hot, with a mild strawberry bubblegum note.

Maybe some dilution will help?

WITH WATER (~46%abv)
The nose is still beachy and has picked up the bubblegum thing. And there's an odd combination of gummi bears and fennel seed. The palate still has a sizable alcohol burn. There's a little bit of peach, malt and black peppercorns. Nothing else. The finish is hot, bitter and rooty.

Maybe some more dilution will help?

WITH WATER (~40%abv)
The nose has gotten more candied. Orange Pixy Stix and salted caramels. There's a little more character to the palate. More peach, maybe some lemons, a little bit of malt. But it also gets very mouth-drying. Its finish is malty and bitter. Again, very drying, like some sort of weird tannins have slipped in.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
In theory, some of this whisky's characteristics should have appealed to me. It has an earthy rooty side. It's low on oak, when neat. A little bit of fruit shows up here and there. Yet, I never once enjoyed the palate or finish. The violence of the heat is strange, as is the tannic crash when the whisky is diluted. Underneath that aggression, there's nearly nothing to speak of. The nose isn't bad, but its satisfactory qualities draw attention to the vacant palate. I'm glad I didn't commit to a whole bottle for myself.

Availability - USA only, but might be sold out
Pricing - $130?
Rating - 76

Friday, June 2, 2017

Killing Whisky History: Ep. 1 - White Horse (bottled 1963-1970)


Welcome to the very first episode of Killing Whisky History!

It's divided into three parts: 1. History of the brand; 2. Explanation of bottle date; 3. Drink (with brief notes tasting)!

I look forward to releasing a new episode on the first Friday of every month...