Dispatch from Paris

Because I’m tapping this out on my iPhone, today’s post will be in bullet form. We Americans prefer to write in bullets anyway.

— PARIS BE VAPIN’! You cannot stop Paris from vapin’. Though once a day I still see at least one pair of ladies balancing cigarettes as elegantly as Bette Davis and Kate Hepburn.

Stairs de Triomphe

— I wasn’t going to buy any whisky but……you know where this is going……then I visited all three LMDWs.

— I did not pack appropriately for this trip. The forecast showed low-60s to low-70s several days before I left. Instead, temperatures haven’t gotten out the low-50s and every morning is in the 30s when I start my adventures. So yeah, did you know that one can buy clothes in Paris?

That guy

— What an alcohol culture! There are four places inside the Eiffel Tower to get wine.

— Speaking of Tour Eiffel here are my notes:

1. If you have any health concerns, don’t be a hero, don’t walk up the first two levels. Take the elevator.

2. If you choose to take the stairs, don’t smoke beforehand nor eat before the climb.

3. They should offer hot brandy toddies at the top, not champagne. The ground temperature was 50 degrees, but at the top I was met by sheets of sleet.

4 The tower was much more impressive than I’d expected. Its sturdy industrial style looks almost steampunk to modern eyes.

— Where do Parisians pee? No it’s not a riddle. Or maybe it is. The Paris tourism website brags about 400 public toilets. I have visited 16 so far, all of them broken. Yours truly has now publicly whizzed in the bushes in three European countries.

— My, the girls here are purdy.

— Guidebooks say it would take days to get through The Louvre. I knocked it out in four hours, and I never hurried. Having been to Versailles a couple days earlier, I’d had my fill of the Louiez’ decor and extravagance, so I skipped that section. More importantly, I’d already seen enough depictions of milky-white Jeezus to last me several lifetimes, so I skimmed those hallways. If you have not had your fill of said paintings, be prepared to add 2+ hours to your visit. Even more importantly, here is the Tushie de Milo.

I hope this has been informative. Perhaps another dispatch will find its way here before the trip is over.

The Irishman 17 year old single malt, single sherry butt

On Wednesday I mentioned the rough road Walsh Whiskey has travelled in less than a decade. The Walsh family continue to manage the brand and (maybe?) select casks, but Amber Beverage Group, the Latvian owners, hold the purse strings. Somehow the Walshes wound up sourcing a bunch of 17 year old single casks, several of which took the form of sherry butts. I'm not certain which of those Oloroso casks I'm trying today but I think it's the one in the picture.

pic source

Distillery: ???

Brand: The Irishman

Owner: Amber Beverage Group

Country: Ireland (with Latvian owners)
Style: Single Malt

Distillations: ?
Age: 17 years (2005? - 2022?)

Maturation: first-fill European oak Oloroso Butt

Alcohol by Volume: 56%

(thank you Doctors Springbank!)

NEAT

Nose - A lot of cask here. Vanilla extract, toasted coconut, and hint of fresh cut lumber. Brown sugar, cinnamon, and a whiff of lychee.

Palate - Fresh peaches, dried apricots, and grapefruit juice. Shortbread and a little bit of toffee. Not too sweet. Good tartness.

Finish - Dried apricots, tart limes, and some peppery tannins around the edges.

DILUTED to ~46%abv, or 1¼ tsp of water per 30mL whiskey

Nose - Fruity and farmy, with a leathery moment.

Palate - Not much different than the neat palate, maybe sweeter?

Finish - Sweet and floral, very pleasant.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

I tried all four of this week's Irish whiskies side-by-side and this one easily won out. Though the nose carries plenty of butt, the palate is much more balanced and moreish. If not for the possibility of considerable cask variation, I dare say I'd consider buying a bottle of an Irishman 17yo sherry cask if/when cash is flush. The nice fruity touches whisper, "Bushmills", but with a palate like this I'm not that concerned about the distiller really. Had the nose matched the palate, this would've been a big winner.

Availability - ???
Pricing - $150-$200
Rating - 85

Writers' Tears Limited Edition, Japanese Cask Finish

Yes, another NAS Irish whiskey with a secondary maturation. But at least this finish is......whiskey adjacent.

A bit of drama has set in during the young life of Walsh Whiskey, the producers of the Writers' Tears and The Irishman brands. The Irish company partnered with Italian drinks producer Illva Saronno to build Royal Oak Distillery in 2016. Three years later, Saronno took full ownership over the distillery after a dispute. Walsh Whiskey continued to own the two whiskey brands until it was purchased by the Latvian Amber Beverage Group.

I still don't know from where Writers' Tears is sourced. Bushmills? If you know, please drop a hint in the comments below.

pilfered pic

Distillery: ???

Brand: Writers' Tears

Owner: Amber Beverage Group

Country: Ireland (with Latvian owners)
Style: Single Malt + Single Pot Still

Distillations: Three
Age: NAS

Maturation: American oak first, Mizunara oak second

Alcohol by Volume: 55%

(thank you Doctors Springbank!)

NEAT

Nose - Mint leaf, orange candy, and bubblegum, with some florals and veg in the background.

Palate - Pencil shavings, Play-Doh, and umeboshi. Cherries, sugar, and a hint of grapefruit.

Finish - Pear syrup, bitter grapefruit, and a little bit of anise.

DILUTED to ~46%abv, or 1¼ tsp of water per 30mL whiskey

Nose - Oranges, pears, ginger, and banana pudding.

Palate - Mild. Pears, peach candy, and cherries.

Finish - Circus peanuts.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

This was two steps above Monday's Dingles. It's neither dreamy nor complex, but its very drinkable, even at full strength. And the fruitiness has me thinking this was at least partially fashioned from Bushmills's stock. The mizunara is very subtle. It's also an expensive oak, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was third-fill, which is a good thing. I'd like to try this one again sometime.

Availability - ???
Pricing - €80-€120 maybe?
Rating - 82

A pair of Dingles (as in, Irish Single Malts)

Four weeks have passed since St. Patrick's Day which means it's time for me to review some Irish whiskies! This time it'll be a quartet of single malts from brands that have rarely appeared on this site.

I have an emotional connection to the distillery that produced the first two whiskies. Thirteen years ago, I stayed in Dingle to attend one of the greatest weddings of all time. During the wedding someone told me that ground was being broken for a new Irish distillery, right there in Dingle. Somehow through the flood of Redbreast and Guinness I remembered that. That very distillery fired up its stills in late 2012, and it's company has already released a 10 year old, though most of their offerings have no age statement. Meanwhile, I've never tried any of their stuff. So here's a pair!

---

Dingle Lá 'le Bríde

pic lifted from
whiskybase

Distillery: The Dingle Whiskey Distillery

Owner: Porterhouse Group
Location: Dingle, County Kerry, Ireland
Type: Single Malt
Distillations: Three
Age: NAS

Maturation: bourbon casks, then rye cask finish
Outturn: 10000 bottles

Release date: 2023
Alcohol by Volume: 50.5%
(thank you Doctors Springbank!)

NEAT

Nose - Uh oh, I think they used Koval casks because I can smell that ultra-grainy half-baked unbalanced Craft rye through everything else. There's also some cardamom, notebook paper, mint extract, ethyl, and a hint of manure.

Palate - Better! Ginger, vanilla, lime, cinnamon, and that farmy note.

Finish - Lime pith, cinnamon, and lots of sugar.

DILUTED to ~46%abv, or >½ tsp of water per 30mL whiskey

Nose - Cow shit floating in immature rye. White vinegar and anise.

Palate - A rye+sambuca cocktail with plenty of simple syrup.

Finish - Matches the nose, but with a slight milkiness.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Oh dear. The (Koval?) rye casks mistreated this Irish whiskey. Firstly, the less I say about the diluted version, the better. Secondly, it doesn't taste half bad, but I'm not sure how much of the single malt remains. Thirdly, I don't know, this bummed me out. The American Craft whiskey scourge came to Ireland, corrupting what could have been a good malt. 

Availability - Still available in Europe
Pricing - €80-€90
Rating - 74 (do not dilute!)

---

Dingle Samhain

pic lifted from
whiskybase

Distillery: The Dingle Whiskey Distillery

Owner: Porterhouse Group
Location: Dingle, County Kerry, Ireland
Type: Single Malt
Distillations: Three
Age: NAS

Maturation: five years first-fill bourbon casks, then two years in first-fill Muscatel casks (rumored)

Outturn: 10000 bottles

Release date: 2022
Alcohol by Volume: 50.5%
(thank you Doctors Springbank!)

NEAT

Nose - Complete separation between barley grist and Oloroso-style (rather than classic Muscatel) fortified wine, with cinnamon and spoiled milk in the background.

Palate - Again, better here. Same ginger and vanilla combo, but with walnuts and raw almonds in the mix.

Finish - Lots of ginger and lime pith, with a lingering bitter bite.

DILUTED to ~46%abv, or >½ tsp of water per 30mL whiskey

Nose - Again, curiously Oloroso-esque and a good dose of walnuts. Cleaner, but I'm not sure where the whiskey is.

Palate - Strangely sour and bitter.

Finish - Same as on the palate.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Similar feelings here. The whiskey does NOT swim, the finish overwhelms, and where's my Dingle? This one's palate works better than the Bríde's, but the neat nose had me worried that this was going to be an all out fail. These two weren't good introductions to Dingle because American rye (especially the craft stuff) and Muscatel are not subtle partners for any triple-distilled whisk(e)y. I'll try the Dingle single malt again someday, maybe even on site! But not another finished product.

Availability - Still available in Europe
Pricing - €80-€90
Rating - 74 (do not dilute!)

A quick personal update, April 2024

You may or may not have noticed that the timing of my weekly posts has become more uneven than usual. Blame it on a house. Because I bought one! And going through it all on my own has been more difficult than I had anticipated.

From an emotional distance, it's a wonderful house. The basement is huge, my daughters will have one half and I'll have the other. There's a backyard, soon to be populated by a grill and firepit. A big open living space that can easily fit a TV room and an office. My girls will finally each have their own room. And I'll have two bars.

But the place is slowly becoming a money pit because the previous owners treated their property like a toilet. And that's not entirely an exaggeration. Unfucking their horrors has absorbed the majority of my non-work life, except.....I'm also on day 10 out of 17 consecutive days with my daughters, alone. We all still love each other very much, but not one of us are mellow humans at this point in our lives.

Also I do work, which pays for all the above, kinda.

The key to managing the stress is dialing down the alcohol and dialing UP THE CAFFEINE. When I do drink whisky, I pair a glass of something tasty with whatever psychotronic-giallo-oddball film (100 minutes or less) that I can find on my streaming channels. Sitting down to take official tasting notes usually leads to looking at my schedule and email to see what I've forgotten to do today, checking the news (briefly, because fuck), and zoning out. Last night, I poured a 1975 Bushmills, which of course smelled fruitylicious but had oxidized into soap on the palate. So I dumped it out and went straight to a highball.

I hope you have enjoyed this extensive excuse. The reviews will continue but won't always post on the same days during the week. So it goes. Someday my life will get back into a rhythm. Oh, I forgot to mention I booked a springtime trip to Paris before I'd even considered buying a house. And the flight to CDG isn't too far away...

Kilkerran 15 year old 2004 Bourbon Wood single cask, UK Exclusive

I've tried two of Kilkerran's 15yo 2004 single casks before. Both were good, but mostly sherry sherry sherry sherry. Today's 15yo 2004 spent its entire life in a refill bourbon hogshead, thank The Maker! I'm a bit excited about this one, so I'm ending the intro here.

Distillery: Glengyle

Owner: Mitchell's Glengyle Limited

Brand: Kilkerran

Region: Campbeltown

Age: 15 years (May 2004 - October 2019)

Maturation: refill bourbon hogshead

Outturn: 324 bottles

Bottled for: United Kingdom

Alcohol by Volume: 53.1%

(from a bottle split)

NEAT

Three very nice strata form the nose. Level 1: Medicinal peat + yeast. Level 2: Guava + Grapefruit. Level 3: Honey, cinnamon, and vanilla bean. After 20 minutes, it gains hints of farm and light blue Mr. Sketch markers. That forest-y Kilkerran peat leads the palate, and is met by tart limes, canned peaches, and a bit of umami, with moments of soot and cinnamon in the background. Savory smoke, tart oranges, and antiseptic finish things off.

DILUTED to ~46%abv, or >1 tsp of water per 30mL whisky

The nose gets lighter and prettier, with white peaches, honey, and cinnamon to counter the farmy peat. The palate becomes simpler and sweeter. Apricots and lemons. Wood smoke and pink peppercorns. It finishes with lemony smoke and honey.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

This is the best Kilkerran I've had in nearly four years, and certainly one of their top all-bourbon-cask releases that's sat in my glass. It has the great fruits, a slight youthful fight, and different phenolic angles, while also taking dilution very well. If you doubt me, please see Sir Opinions's review here. We are correct.

Availability - Maybe on the secondary market
Pricing - I cannot look
Rating - 89

Kilkerran Heavily Peated, batch 7

Though I am a Kilkerran enthusiast, I've avoided the brand's Heavily Peated range. Part of Kilkerran single malt's thrill is how well (sometimes perfectly) its low-to-moderate peat level merges with every other aspect of the spirit. Very, very few heavily-peated whiskies achieve any level of balance; the pleasure (for some folks) is the scope of the phenolic assault. Monolithic whiskies no longer appeal to my palate, so when Kilkerran upped its ppm levels from 10 to 84 for this series, I shrugged and ignored every batch's release, especially after my disappointment with their standard Cask Strength releases.

But I'm still a curious man, and these Heavy creatures have received positive reviews, so......here it is, Heavily Peated, batch 7.

Distillery: Glengyle

Owner: Mitchell's Glengyle Limited

Region: Campbeltown

Brand: Kilkerran

Range: Heavily Peated

Age: NAS

Maturation: 90% bourbon casks / 10% sherry casks

Bottled: 12 Sept 2022

Alcohol by Volume: 59.1%

(from a bottle split)

NEAT

Direct prosciutto hit to the nose! Plenty of seaweed, coal, and charred green bell peppers then follow. Giving it some time, I find mint leaf and tangerine juice peeking out of the background. The palate is, erm, peated. Burnt veg, burnt bacon, burnt beef, burnt taste buds. Once my face heals up, molasses, salt, rock candy, and lemons push forward. The prosciutto returns in the finish, followed by dark smoke and bitter herbs.

DILUTED to 46%abv, or 1¾ tsp of water per 30mL whisky

The PEAT becomes very ocean-y in the nose, just as a fresh apricot note suddenly appears. The palate reads sweeter and less burnt, with mint and moss in the background. It finishes with moss, sugar, and ash.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Though this feels like 3-4 year old whisky, it is a decent 3-4 year old whisky. The spirit has scared (or scarred) the oak away, which I don't mind, and it's not as much of a palate wrecker as I'd anticipated. But it's still a brute. Some time and water may be required to find this batch's best form, especially near the 46%abv mark. Though I'm not motivated to purchase a bottle, I won't ignore these releases going forward. At least Glengyle is playing with peat rather than tiny casks and wine blends.

Availability - These batches sell out with surprising speed
Pricing - $80+ in Europe, $100+ in the US
Rating - 83

Fail...er...Adventures in Blending: Improving Kilkerran Cask Strength, AGAIN

I love love love Kilkerran's Work In Progress (WIP) single malts, all of them. They're brilliant and possibly the best whisky being produced in Campbeltown at the time. The first batch of Kilkerran 12yo was also a more-than-worthy mate to Springbank 10yo. I'd grab another bottle if I could find one.

So I was very excited to hear that Glengyle distillery was going to release a series of age-stated cask strength Kilkerran batches. I bought a bottle of Batch 1, all ex-bourbon casks, as soon as it materialized. And it took me nearly five years to finish it. It just did not work. Despite being older than half of the WIPs, it read more immature than all of them, very hot and incomplete. I tried to spruce it up with some magical old Famous Grouse 18yo Malt, with mixed results.

In 2020 I tried Batch 4, which was all recharred sherry casks......and I wasn't wild about that one either, as its oak and sherry elements were completely out of balance with the spirit. Then, in 2023, I split a bottle of Batch 7, port casks, and that one went the wrong direction, full-tilt.

Thus I've lost interest in the cask strength batches, especially if Glengyle won't release batches with a mix of sherry and bourbon casks. They blended casks in the first four WIPs (younger whisky may I add) and knocked it out of the park each time.

But what if I did a little blending myself? Well, I did in 2022. And then completely forgot about it. So my two little ~35mL creations sat for 21 months, marrying or merging or cuddling. And now it's time to find out what resulted.

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Vatting #1

1 part Kilkerran Work In Progress, Sixth Edition, sherry wood, ~10 years old, 46%abv

+

2 parts Kilkerran Cask Strength, Batch 1, bourbon casks, 8 years old, 56.2%abv

Full strength, 52.8%abv

Nose: Walnuts, honey, and oranges. Antiseptic, sandalwood, chocolate, and mild peat smoke.

Palate: Slight sooty with a bit of heat. Sweet oranges and Luxardo cherries.

Finish: Soot, oranges, hint of toffee.

Comments: NAILED IT. Oh wow, this keeps many of the best parts from WIP6, ditching the weakest elements of CS1.

Diluted to 46%abv

Nose: Toffee, almond butter, and date rolls. Peat smoke starts out quiet, then expands with time.

Palate: Weirdly bitter, with almonds and black pepper in the background.

Finish: Sweeter and less bitter than the palate.

Comments: The nose works. The palate does not. I'm surprised by how much it changed.

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Vatting #2

10mL Kilkerran Cask Strength, Batch 4, re-charred sherry casks, 8 years old, 57.1%abv

+

25mL Kilkerran Cask Strength, Batch 1, bourbon casks, 8 years old, 56.2%abv

Full strength, 56.45%abv

Nose: Brine, barley(!), and almond extract, with hints of blossoms and industrial smoke stack.

Palate: Very floral and hot. Heavy peat. Tart lemons and a hint of soap in the background.

Finish: Floral, salty, sweet, and very peppery.

Comments: Very good nose, but everything else is out of whack.

Diluted to 46%abv

Nose: Brine, black currant jam, and piney peat.

Palate: Orange marmalade. Plenty sweet with gentler oak and peat.

Finish: Oranges, wood smoke, and a touch of bitterness.

Comments: Much better this way. I wish I had another ounce or two to ponder.

---

#1 at full strength is the obvious winner, though I'd be happy with a bottle of #2 at 46%abv. Both are complete whiskies, fashioned with dumb luck. I guarantee you that J&A Mitchell & Company's blenders have the stock and skillset to run circles around me, so why don't they give it a try? There's room to grow with this CS series, and I do not mean tequila casks. Kilkerran can still offer coffee-dark sherried or straw-light bourbon cask batches, while also dropping a masterful mix into the series once in a while. No finishes, just vattings. I know I'd buy it.

Secret Speyside 31 year old 1989 Asta Morris, cask AM153

Sometimes unnamed "Speysides" are not Glenfarclases. I think this one is Glenrothes, as per Mark Dermul. He was fond of the whisky, as was Ruben and Serge. It looks like this cask's content (40.8%abv) was months away from becoming Spirit Drink, but I trust Asta Morris, a bottler who is batting 1.000 in my scorebook. I've been looking for some excuse to try this pick of theirs, and here's the excuse: It's the weekend!

Distillery: Glenrothes?

Region: Speyside (Rothes!)

Independent Bottler: Asta Morris
Series: Heritage

Age: 31 years old (1989 - 2021)

Maturation: former bourbon vessel

Cask #: AM153

Alcohol by Volume: 40.8%
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

Oooh, a fun nose! A layer of fruits and flowers (peaches, citrons, kiwis, lemon blossoms, and jasmine blossoms) rests atop crème brûlée, nougat, toasted oak, and black walnuts. Later on, orange & white gummy worms join in.

The palate has more fight than one expects from 40.8%abv. Manuka honey, mangoes, limes, guava, and sea salt fill the fore- and midground, with hints of tartness and bitterness moderating the sweetness in the background.

A dessert-like combo of vanilla, orange, and toasted almonds fills the finish until a bit of bitter oak sneaks in.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

The nose is WOW, the palate is great, and the finish is......good, an almost inevitable scenario with many older low ABV casks, as the oak's personality tilts from ally to aggressor. That being said, this is a groovy whisky I'd be happy to possess, and certainly the best Glenrothes I've ever had. And the price wasn't too bad when the bottle was available.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - €230, imagine that price on a 31yo today!

Rating - 88

Speyside's Finest 32 year old 1989 Old Malt Cask, cask HL18977

No qualifier on this one. This is Speyside's Finest, as per Hunter Laing. So the whisky should knock me on my ass, or my face, or my assface. This particular Glenfarclas Finest spent 32 years in a refill hoggie, so it has my attention. Time provided it with an excellent drinking strength, so I shall now wet my whistle.

Distillery: Glenfarclas
Region: Speyside (Central)

Independent Bottler: Hunter Laing
Series: Old Malt Cask

Age: 32 years old (Dec 1989 - Jan 2022)

Maturation: refill hogshead

Cask #: HL18977

Exclusive to: The US of A

Alcohol by Volume: 45.8%
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

Fruit juices lead the way in the nose, with apple, kiwi, and white peach right up front. New notes arrive slowly. A dusting of vanilla powder. Twizzlers. Newspaper print. Musty oak. Vanilla frosting starts taking over 45 minutes in, with the fresh fruit retreating but not vanishing.

The palate arrives quietly. Soft florals, tangy citrus, a slight creaminess, and a whiff of old oak. It opens up after 30 minutes as key lime pie and Thai chiles appear. With more time in the glass, the whisky gets tarter and sweeter.

Key lime pie and agave nectar stick the longest in the sweet finish, with hints of wood smoke and bitterness far behind.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Far from actually being Speyside's Finest, this whisky is a pleasant, easy drinker. Unlike many older whiskies, it's best consumed early. Don't let it sit in the glass too long, or else the oak will take over, especially in the nose. Like Tuesday's "Probably", this bottle's price was very reasonable considering the whisky's age, but as far as quality goes, it registers as more of a "session" whisky than Nikka's NAS attempt.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - it was less than $200, two years ago
Rating - 85

Probably Speyside's Finest 28 year old 1992 Old & Rare for K&L

Sometimes the Laings are confident in their secret Speyside distillery's single casks, naming them Speyside's Finest, but sometimes they're less sure, offering qualifiers such as "Probably", "Possibly", "Plausibly", and "Perhaps", as with today's whisky, named Probably Speyside's Finest. Is there a code here or are all of these whiskies of the 'Farclas sort? I really don't know, and I'm not the biggest fan of distilleries who forbid the usage of their names on their own malts bottled by independents.

Hunter Laing bottled this refill barrel for their Old & Rare series, slinging it exclusively through California's K&L Wine Merchants during the peak Covid months. It still sold through as its price was very reasonable for a 28yo.

Distillery: Glenfarclas
Region: Speyside (Central)

Independent Bottler: Hunter Laing
Series: Old & Rare

Age: 28 years old (1992 - 2020)

Maturation: refill bourbon barrel

Exclusive to: K&L Wine Merchants

Alcohol by Volume: 47.4%
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

Orange blossoms and orange oil lead the nose, followed by a little bit of wood smoke and caramel sauce. The smoke shifts towards an earthiness, the oranges to yellow peaches, and the orange blossoms to roses.

Lychees and limes mix with smoke chiles on the palate. Mangoes meet subtle tannin. After 45-ish minutes more toasted oak spices and a hint of savoriness appear.

Truffle salt and black pepper make up much of the finish, with quieter notes of mango and smoke linger behind.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Because I normally find bourbon cask unnamed-Glenfarclases to be underwhelming, this cask was a nice surprise. I'm not sure where the smoke comes from, but it plays well with the fruit and oak. Tannins never take over, nor does the sweetness. It's a good, balanced Speyside single malt with some oomph. If you're searching for a sherried Glenfarclas, look elsewhere.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - it was $179.99
Rating - 87

Miyagikyo Grande, Japanese single malt

Sorry, I can't help but pronounce "Grande" like Nachos BellGrande. Was this Nikka's intent? Most of the whisky world (and internet) would see "grande" and assume this single malt comes in a Balthazar. But then they'd be deeply disappointed about the comparatively wee 700mL bottle. So, um, Earth to Nikka, estarás decepcionado.

So what is this grand(?) Miyagikyo? Compared to the standard NAS release, Grande has more sherry casks in the mix and 3 more points of ABV. And it is/was only available via Travel Retail stores. It's still not as dark as Wednesday's Suntory Chita disappointment, so the e150a level is likely minimal.

Despite the above snark, I am curious to find out if this is indeed grand or grande.

Distillery: Miyagikyo

Ownership: Nikka

Type: Single malt

Region: Japan

Age: ???

Maturation: a mix of sherry and bourbon casks with an emphasis on the former

Alcohol by Volume: 48%

Chillfitered? No

e150? Not much if any

(thanks again, Doctors Springbank!)

NOTES

The nose pleasantly mixes almond extract, toffee, toasted pecans, and orange peels. Hints of flowers and peaches brighten the background, and there are no generic raisin/prune notes. The palate comes in malty, salty, and sweet, with more almond than vanilla action. A bit of Meyer lemon zips through the middle, and a light woodiness stays in the background. Its short finish offers tarter citrus, more vanilla, and louder oak spice.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Though neither grand nor grande this Nikka malt, like yesterday's Session, would be a good everyday pour, if you in fact enjoy everyday pours and don't have the widespread Whisky Attention Deficit Disorder. Compared to Session, Miyagikyo Grande is fuller, rounder, and bolder, which is likely due to the higher ABV and single distillery focus. Grande's finish proves to be its weak point with its brevity and louder oak.

I don't have the standard Miyagikyo NAS in front of me, so I cannot state with certainty if Grande is better, but the quality is pretty similar. So if you're in Japan, and are looking at the standard release (¥4500) and Grande (¥10000), you may not get much more for the latter's premium.

Availability - Japan, mostly Travel Retail
Pricing - it was ¥10000 not too long ago
Rating - 83

Nikka Session, a world blended malt

Nikka's blends and vattings have held more than just Japanese ingredients for a long time, at least since their parent company, Asahi, purchased the Ben Nevis distillery in 1989. It wasn't until 2020 that they finally outed one of their creations as "world" whisky, just like their main competitor, Suntory, did the previous year.

Nikka Session mixes Yoichi, Miyagikyo, and Ben Nevis malts, and three fine malts those are. The label has a bit of a Vegas gentleman's club feel to it, which is......a thing. The whisky has been chillfiltered and reduced to 43%abv. It's probably been colored too but much less so than yesterday's grain. Was Nikka trying to create a "session" whisky like a session beer, something that can be casually consumed in quantity over an evening (or morning)? And isn't that what most major blends aim to do? Or maybe it's referring to a music session, or a therapy session. Or all of the above?

Sláinte + Kanpai = Sláin-pai

Ownership: Nikka

Type: Blended malt

Regions: Japan and Scotland

Distilleries: Miyagikyo, Yoichi, and Ben Nevis

Age: ???

Maturation: ???

Alcohol by Volume: 43%

(thank you, Doctors Springbank!)

NOTES

Lemon blossoms, fennel seeds, and ginger snap cookies lead the nose, followed by bread and kiwi juice. Its vanilla note grows with time. The palate starts off light and floral, with a pretty note of passionfruit candy. Mild bitter, sea salt, and chile oil notes help mellow the sweetness for a while, but can't keep the sugar down forever, especially once the toasted oak spices arrive. It concludes with white peaches, brown sugar, and a slight sourness.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Indeed, Nikka Session is an easy drinker. One could overpour this onto a big ice cube and drink it mindlessly. So the whisky probably achieved its purpose; as in, it could get someone terrifyingly drunk via fewer calories than session beers. I don't think I could have picked out the Yoichi or Ben Nevis, rather it seems like a young, diluted, slightly oaky Miyagikyo. Not bad, not great, and if it's still going for its SRP in Japan then the price is right.

Availability - Mostly Japan, and a few dozen retailers in Europe and USA
Pricing - it was in the $30s in Japan, but now $100-$200 in The West
Rating - 80

Chita Japanese Grain Whisky, Aichi Edition

You may think I ended my last grain whisky review saying that I'd never review grain whisky again, but the fine print in the penultimate review specified single grain scotch whisky. So what do I have here? A single grain Japanese whisky. Without an age statement.

Yep.

Internet whisperers say this whisky is in fact 12 years old and aged in red wine casks, but if Suntory doesn't put it on the label I'm going to ignore the rumors unless my palate tells me to do otherwise. Keep in mind, this is NOT the standard NAS "The Chita" that entered the market in 2016, instead this version was bottled in 2014 specifically for the Aichi Prefecture, where Chita (the city and distillery) is located.

Distillery: Chita

Ownership: Beam Suntory

Type: Single grain whisky

Country: Japan

Age: ???

Maturation: ???

Bottled: 2014

Exclusive to: Aichi Prefecture

Alcohol by Volume: 43%

(from a bottle split)

NOTES

As I'd feared, the nose is mostly Malibu Coconut Rum and imitation vanilla extract. The rubber bands, burnt wheat, and veg note in the midground doesn't save it. It kinda rolls over into a cream soda character after 30 minutes.

The palate is oddly hot, but not-so-oddly packed with sugar and vanilla. Peppercorn-coated cardboard moves between the mid- and background across each sip.

It finishes with cream soda and cardboard.

Things worsen once the grain is poured over a big ice cube. Picture: vanilla frosting smeared unevenly over a cardboard box.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

I'm aware that my take on Nikka Coffey Grain ("one step away from being a total embarrassment" and would lose to Evan Williams Black Label in a blind taste test) is unpopular, but this limited edition Chita is worse than Nikka's grain. You know it's a sad pour when you're hoping the artificial vanilla note will return. And I don't really mind the cream soda aspect, in fact that might be its best part. But LOL the wine cask rumor. LOL my cat harrrfing up a hairball right now. LOL grain whisky.

Availability - Sold out, mercifully
Pricing - ???
Rating - 64

Glengoyne 14 year old 1999 Malts of Scotland, cask MoS 13044

Malts of Scotland had a significant presence in the indie bottling world 10 years ago, but I no longer see their single casks at European online retailers. Whiskybase shows MoS released 41 whiskies in 2023, so maybe their bottles don't leave Germany anymore. They've bottled some very good stuff and tend to have some bold sherry casks. Meanwhile, Glengoyne's spirit takes well to sherry casks...

Sadly I don't have any samples of the dreamy Glengoyne '72s, rather just a modest 1999 sherried hoggie that produced some dark stuff after only 14 years.

Distillery: Glengoyne

Distilled by: The Edrington Group
Current Owner: Ian MacLeod Distillers

Region: Highlands, but almost Lowlands!
Independent bottler: Malts of Scotland

Age: 14 years (July 1999 - October 2013)

Maturation: sherry hogshead
Cask number: MoS 13044
Outturn: 247 bottles

Alcohol by Volume: 54.3%
(from a bottle split)

NEAT

Not just a generic sherry beast! Ocean water, raw walnuts, and citronella are the first nose notes to show. Then there's molasses and dunnage, orange oil and black plums. The moderately sweet palate delivers a mix of grape jam, orange marmalade, and cinnamon Red Hots. Hints of iron and musty old wood drift through the background. It concludes with sweet citrus, dates, and a whiff of iron.

DILUTED to ~46%abv, or 1 tsp of water per 30mL whisky

Its nose holds on the walnuts and orange oil, while picking up creme de cassis. But it also gets meatier and finds a Hampden-esque funky note. The palate gets sweeter and oakier. Honey and marmalade up front, peppery mint leaf in the back. The finish nearly matches the palate, adding in ground white pepper.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

My read on a whisky's color does not work well with the current market. Dark whiskies that spent less than two decades in oak turn me off, because I see nothing in them but extraction. So this single cask's color didn't inspire me. But I should not have judged a whisky by its color, and I'm happy to say that this Glengoyne is neither oak juice nor a generic sherried thing. It has an excellent nose and a very good palate that wobbles a bit when diluted. So keep it neat!

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - less than €80 ten years ago
Rating - 86 (neat)

Glengoyne 2008 sibling casks DL13643 and DL13468

It feels like only yesterday when I thought, "Wow, I'm not comfortable with all these baby whiskies distilled in the 2000s". Actually, that probably was yesterday. Today, most of the affordable single malts are from the 2010s, which makes me feel both mortal and not the intended scotch demographic. I don't mean the target demo is immortal, but clearly FOMO is.

And though Glengoyne's 25 year old official sherried beasts fuel FOMO plenty, independently bottled young single casks of the Dumgoyne distillery's spirit rarely sell out quickly. (How about that for a smooth segue!?) Because I enjoy the almost-Lowlander's whisky, I've been tempted aplenty to purchase a bottle, but have not yet gone for it.

Luckily, my whisky buddy, T.D., sent me samples of a pair of 'Goyne sibling casks both distilled in 2008 and released under Douglas Laing's Old Particular label. Both started life in refill bourbon hogsheads, then had separate final acts. Cask DL13643 was kept in that hoggie until it was diluted to 48.4%abv and bottled. Cask DL13468 was transferred to a refill Pedro Ximenez hogshead until it was bottled at full strength for K&L Wines.

I am now going to try them, side-by-side. Thank you, T.D., for this opportunity!

Glengoyne 11 year old 2008 Old Particular, cask DL13643 48.4%abv	Glengoyne 11 year old 2008 Old Particular, cask DL13468 56.3%abv	Glengoyne 11 year old 2008 Old Particular, cask DL13468  DILUTED to 46%abv
Nose: Apple eau de vie with a bit of yeast. Lemon oil mixed with brown sugar. Orange candy appears after 30 minutes.	Nose: That orange candy note leads raw nuts, black raisins, and currants. Flowers and maple stay in the background.	Nose: Very pretty. Flowers, honey, dried apricot, and vanilla.
Palate: Starts with a mix of blossoms, fresh ginger, clementines, and a hint of almond extract. It gains more barley and an eau de vie edge with time. Very very sweet.	Palate: The PX cask makes its intentions known here, bringing in almonds, fudge, and a dash of salt. But it can't smother the sweet citrus note. Drinks like a much lower ABV.	Palate: Dilution slightly tames the sweetness, yet turns up the intensity of the flavor, where golden raisins, salt, and cayenne pepper reign.
Finish: Sugary mix of barley and lemon.	Finish: Sweet and tangy with orange candy and fudge.	Finish: Sweet and bitter with a dose of vanilla.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Cask DL13643 is oh-so-close to new make, which is great! One could use it as the control element in a bigger Glengoyne taste off. Were this barley eau de vie not so tooth-rottingly sweet, I'd push it higher up the B-grade scale.

As expected, cask DL13468 offers a different adventure, but it holds onto the spirit's citrus note as it tries to fight free from the PX. It becomes a different creature once diluted, shedding most of the sherry influence and much of the sweetness, which are wins in my book. Whether neat or diluted DL13468 does read more mature than DL13643, offering a slightly more complex experience.

Ratings:

Glengoyne 11 year old 2008 Old Particular, cask DL13643 - 83

Glengoyne 11 year old 2008 Old Particular, cask DL13468 - 84

Glenburgie 24 year old 1993 Cadenhead, refill Claret cask

Yep, you read that correctly, a Claret cask. A Claret hogshead, in fact. This Glenburgie spent its first 15 years in an ex-bourbon hoggie, but then a nine-year second maturation in the wine cask. Because the Claret vessel was a refill, and because the whisky isn't pink, I decided to give it a try. Who knows what fruits lie within...

Distillery: Glenburgie
Region: Speyside (Moray)
Owners: Pernod Ricard
Independent Bottler: Cadenhead
Range: Authentic Collection
Age: 24 years (Sept 1993 - Autumn 2017)
Maturation: in a bourbon hogshead until 2008, then a refill Claret hogshead until 2017
Outturn: 216 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 53.0%
(from a bottle split)

NEAT

Indeed, the fruits thrive in this nose. Guavas, limes, Rainier cherries, and kiwis, with a hint of sawdust mixed in. There's a whiff of chalky Chablis somewhere in there as well. Mmmmmmango, honey, and guavas arrive first in the palate. It gets tarter and more acidic with time, taking on limes and grapefruits. The finish follows a similar path, but happily holds onto the sweet mango.

DILUTED to ~46%abv, or ~1 tsp of water per 30mL whisky

The nose shifts to floral honey, limoncello, and white chocolate up front; malt and brine in the back. The palate remains ultra tart, while gaining sea salt and flowers. Oranges join the limes. It finishes with oranges, limes, and salt.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Of course, the Claret cask offers the most straightforward Glenburgie this week. It was a true refill, and probably a wise move by Cadenhead's cask management. The result reminds me of a super-citric Littlemill. Though it's not the deepest of single malts, this Glenburgie would be a bright, crisp, springtime pour for those of you bottle owners who drink your whiskies seasonally like I do.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - I think it was a mere €125 back in 2017
Rating - 87 (neat)

Glenburgie 26 year old 1995 Gordon & MacPhail, cask 6349

Whether or not yesterday's whisky was a Glenburgie, I can tell you that today's is. Glenburgie, yes. Bourbon cask, no. I've never had a sherry puncheon from this distillery before, but as this series' single casks have been very reliable, I'm optimistic about the whisky.

Distillery: Glenburgie
Region: Speyside (Moray)
Owners: Pernod Ricard
Independent Bottler: Gordon & MacPhail
Range: Connoisseurs Choice
Age: 26 years (1995 - 27 April 2022)
Maturation: 1st fill sherry puncheon
Cask #: 6349
Bottles: 564
Alcohol by Volume: 56.8%
(from a bottle split)

NEAT

The nose delivers the sharp scent of actual Oloroso, which has become rather novel in sherry casks of late. Beyond that there's some raspberry jam, toasted almonds, toffee, and cherry gelatin. It picks up floral and saline notes after 30 minutes. The palate is slightly sweeter than Oloroso, with notes of blackberry and boysenberry jams up front, and salt + pepper + lime in the back. It finishes with the salt and pepper, while also adding notes of umeboshi and dark chocolate.

DILUTED to ~46%abv, or < 1½ tsp of water per 30mL whisky

Things get more candied, but also earthier on the nose. The palate leans woodier, bitterer. Though some silky raspberry jam-filled dark chocolate waits behind. Its finish matches the palate.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Yesterday's whisky did not have Glenburgie's name, but it certainly smelled and tasted of that distillery. Today's whisky carried the Glenburgie's name, but I would never have guessed 'Burgie if blindfolded. This because the brown liquor was all cask, which is something that frustrates me three-quarters of the time. But I liked this one. Diluting it takes it too far over the edge, so I preferred it at full strength. This is a whisky for sherry drinkers, a tiny subset of boozers. If you are among that ilk, enjoy!

Availability - Still available in the EU, mostly Germany
Pricing - $250-$300
Rating - 87 (neat)

Black Friday 22 year old The Whisky Exchange, 2021 Edition

Glenburgie in its pre-2004 + bourbon cask form can be one of the prettiest, fruitiest single malts. In 2004-2005, Allied Lyons leveled and rebuilt the distillery in a larger form, and then expanded it further the next year to support the Ballantine's blends' needs. I'm not shading the new era's distillate because enough time hasn't yet passed to see how it'll turn out.

This week presents a trio of 1990s Glenburgie spirit, though I can't guarantee that any of these were bourbon-cask-only productions. Today's 'Burgie, The Whisky Exchange's Black Friday 2021 single malt, is probably falls in that catgeory, but Billy Abbott and crew were very hush-hush about the ingredients, even leaving the distillery's name off the label. In fact, I'm not 100% certain this is actually Glenburgie, but a pair of little birdies told me it was. Should I listen to the birds, those tricksy spies?

Distillery: Glenburgie?
Region: Speyside (Moray)
Owners: Pernod Ricard
Independent Bottler: Elixir Distillers
Range: Black Friday
Age: 22 years (???? - October 2021)
Maturation: ???
Outturn: 1800 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 49.2%
(from a bottle split)

NEAT

Plenty of happy youth left in this 22yo's nose. Apricots and limes join up with hazelnuts, rye seeds, and touch of malt. Notes of cardamom and baked peaches arrive after about 30 minutes. Similar apricot-lime-malt start to the palate, then turns towards kiwi candy, peach schnapps, and a dash of salt. It finishes with a mix of stone fruit liqueurs, yet never gets too sweet, perhaps because there's a nice salty foundation beneath.

DILUTED to ~46%abv, or <½ tsp of water per 30mL whisky

Orange blossoms and cream puffs take over the nose now, with mellower notes of rye seeds and pine in the background. The palate gets extra fruity, with peaches, tangerines, and a mango moment or two. A slightly bitter bite gives it an extra angle. The finish matches the palate.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

It's probably Glenburgie, or at least one of its fruity Speyside cousins. Though the whisky is more complex when neat, I prefer how the diluted palate focuses directly on the fruit essences while easing up on the sweetness. As often happens, the small batch approach brings consistency and moderation to the whisky. So complexity isn't its strong suit, instead it's a comfy drinker without too much oak. There are evenings when such an elixir becomes necessary.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - ???
Rating - 85

Benriach 10 year old 2010 SMWS 12.49

Yes, Benriach week concludes with a young 60%abv whisky with a brief second maturation. It also isn't particularly lauded by the Whiskybase crowd. But today is Friday, so I shall embrace questionable choices. Meanwhile, the whisky's finish was in an IPA cask, which can work...

Distillery: Benriach
Current Ownership: Brown-Forman

Owner at time of distillation: Seagram Distillers
Region: Speyside (Lossie)

Bottler: Scotch Malt Whisky Society
Age: 10 years (18 March 2010 - 2021?)
Maturation: refill hogshead for nine years, then one year in a 2nd fill Tempest Old Fashioned IPA barrel
Cask#: 12.49, "Is this the way to Amarillo?"
Outturn: 235 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 60%
(from a bottle split)

NEAT

Vanilla and caramel form the top layer of the nose, with mint and eucalyptus in the middle, and weedy hops in the distance. The palate reads like cask strength Canadian Club, mostly ethyl and vanilla. Hints of ginger, lemon, and bitterness decorate the edges. It finishes hot and very sweet, with lots of caramel.

DILUTED to ~50%abv, or 1¼ tsp of water per 30mL whisky

Not much change in the nose, just a little more ginger, confectioner's sugar, and caramel. The palate is sweet and very woody, with tannins coating and drying the tongue. It finishes like a caramel-flavored whisky, with the occasional whiff of mint and tannin in the background.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

As referenced above, the whisky is like a high-strength Canadian blend aged in an aggressive first-fill barrel. It's missing the fun oddities of IPAs, instead its just gooey sweet. It's better when neat because it sort of works as a dessert pour, but it's pretty bad once diluted. I guess something had to balance out all those recent 90-point malts.

Availability - Sold out, my condolences
Pricing - $100ish?
Rating - 73 (neat only, low 60s once diluted)

Benriach 32 year old 1987 Gordon & MacPhail, cask 19/005

What is going on here? Three 90-point whiskies in a row?! That's just weird, and totally irresponsible of me. Let's see if I can find the repressed curmudgeon in me.

Distilled during Benriach's Seagram era, today's whisky spent some or all of its 32 years in a refill sherry hoggie before it was conveyed into 213 of G&M's fancier thicker Connoisseurs Choice bottles, each secured within its own wooden casket. I don't have much more to add, and most of this information can be found below. Time to drink.

Distillery: Benriach
Current Ownership: Brown-Forman

Owner at time of distillation: Seagram Distillers
Region: Speyside (Lossie)

Bottler: Gordon & MacPhail

Range: Connoisseurs Choice Cask Strength

Age: 32 years (15 June 1987 - 26 July 2020)

Cask #: 19/005
Maturation: refill sherry hogshead
Outturn: 213 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 51.1%
(from a bottle split)

NEAT

In the nose, notes of orange oil, eucalyptus, and marzipan are framed by musty old oak and newspapers. The palate is neither too tannic nor bitter. Instead, sweet oranges and white cherries lead the way, followed by hints of walnuts, ginger powder, and vanilla. It finishes with tart plums, walnuts, nutmeg, caramel sauce, and slightly more obvious oak.

DILUTED to ~46%abv, or ¾ tsp of water per 30mL whisky

More caramel and marzipan appear in the nose, it also becomes more floral, while taking on hints of lychee, and limes. The palate is mostly toasty oak spices, with sweet citrus and honey in the background. The finish mostly mirrors the palate, but picks up a touch of woody bitterness.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

This is a very good whisky, a bit adventurous on the nose, but a model mellow modern Speyside in the palate, something to drink casually. Now, if that's what you want in a $600 whisky, then have at it. Perhaps if it wasn't paired with Monday's '71 Benriach, then this '87 may have shown brighter. But I can only write what I experienced in the tasting, and that is a Benriach Anytimer with a problematic QPR. The curmudgeon returns!

Availability - Still available in Europe more than 3 years later
Pricing - $575 to $625
Rating - 85

Benriach 42 year old 1971 Whiskybroker

Whiskybroker.co.uk has a throwback vibe (I think I know what those words mean). Their prices are fair, their packaging is minimal, and their labels rarely have more than three colors. Owner Martin Armstrong — yes of those Armstrongs — stays very transparent about his struggles and successes via that Bookface website, which allows many a whisky nerd to fantasize about what it'd be like to run their own indie scheme.

It's because of Whiskybroker's restrained pricing that I was able to participate in a bottle split of a FORTY TWO year old Benriach single cask. The spirit produced by this distillery during the Glenlivet Distillers years (1965-1978) has quite the fruity reputation. This is my sixth (probably last) opportunity to try Benriach from this era, so I'm looking forward to this!

Distillery: Benriach
Current Ownership: Brown-Forman

Owner at time of distillation: Glenlivet Distilleries
Region: Speyside (Lossie)

Bottler: Whiskybroker
Age: 42 years (1 September 1971 - 29 November 2013)
Maturation: ???
Outturn: 189 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 40.8% (close call!)
(from a bottle split)

NOTES

The nose delights with apricot preserves, mango juice, orange peel, and fig jam. Some dunnage here, something brothy there, and a pumpernickel note in the background.

The palate's apricot preserve note is remarkable. This is whisky, right? Bits of mango and lime float underneath; a hint of lychee, too. It gets tarter with time, also picking up some bitter citrus. Ah, and the mango expands too.

It finishes with a cocktail of mango, blood orange, cherry juice, and mint leaf.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Oh my. Yummy. The only thing preventing this whisky from being an all-timer is the ABV, which results in a conspicuous fragility and brief finish; though those factors only further contribute to my desire for seconds, thirds, and fourths on the whisky. Had the angels not picked away at this cask like vultures, I'm not sure how high this Benriach's ceiling would be. Maybe 1960s Longmorn? But I shall not ponder what could have been. This excellent pour results in the 3rd 90-pointer in a row, which I'm pretty sure has never happened here before.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - ???
Rating - 90