Single Malt Report: A flock of Indies (Part 3) courtesy of OC Scotch Club

This is the third of three posts covering the whiskys I tried on July 12th with the OC Scotch Club.

You can find Part 1 here.
You can find Part 2 here.

PART 3:

Whisky #3 - Bowmore 11yr 1999 (Murray McDavid)

Distillery: Bowmore
Ownership: Suntory (via Morrison Bowmore)
Bottler: Murray McDavid
Age: minimum 11 years
Maturation: Bourbon and Sauternes casks
Finished: Chateau d'Yquem casks
Region: Islay
Chillfiltered? Nope
Alcohol by Volume: 46%
Limited bottling: 2300

With this one, I had my doubts.  My previous run-in with a Murray McDavid bottled Bowmore "ACE'd" in a sweet French wine cask introduced me to one of the most feculant f**ked-up fluids I've ever had the regrettable opportunity to taste.

I figure if you have to hit the whisky with TWO different sweet wine oaks, then the original distillate must have been pretty sad.  But I'll only live once, so what the hell.  I tried 0.5 ounces if it neat in a Glencairn glass...

The color is a deep dark gold, likely from the one of the wine casks.  The nose is full of brown sugar, maple syrup, malt, and apples.  The brown sugary note continues into the palate, then gets a little salty. Stone fruits and flowers follow.  The wine influence is surprisingly held in check.  The medium-length finish is sweet and very floral.

My reaction was, "Huh."  It was quaffable.  Either the wine casks were refills OR that cask strength Auchentoshan stripped the tastebuds out of my face.  In any case, what the wine(s) brought to the whisky was sweetness and flowers and that's about it.  Thankfully.  I could even imagine trying this again in the future.  Score one for MMcD.

Availability - Some liquor specialists, though you'll need to do some snooping
Pricing - $60-$70
Rating - 82

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Whisky #4 - Bunnahabhain Cruach-Mhona

Distillery: Bunnahabhain
Ownership: Burn Stewart Distillers
Age: young stuff (likely under 8 years) and old stuff (20-21 years)
Maturation: young stuff in ex-bourbon, old stuff in ex-sherry
Region: Islay
Chillfiltered? No
Colored? No
Alcohol by Volume: 50%


President Bob of the OCSC snuck this one out for the surprise finish.  It's not an independent bottling, BUT it's only for sale (in one liter bottles) via some Duty Free shops.

In 2008, Bunnahabhain released the Toiteach, a moderately-peated 10-year.  I think that one finally reached US shores this year.  Cruach-Mhona (pronounced Cru-ach Vhona and translating roughly to "peat stack"), or BCM, is a peatier, un-colored, unfiltered version of the Toitech with a mix of very young whiskys from bourbon casks and much older whiskys from sherry casks.  Hmm, I can think of another Islay distillery who does something much similar...

The BCM's color is a medium gold.  The nose is of a candied-oaky Ardbeg 10, followed by peat cinders smoldering in butter.   That Ardbeg & oak character continues into the palate, followed by a sprinkle of brown sugar.  Then there's a vegetal note along with what might be sherry.  It finishes all peat and sweet.

I actually had an opportunity to add water. Interestingly, that made the peat more aggressive on the nose, while the palate grew sweeter.

So, yes, Ardbeg is the other Islay distillery who has made some dynamic crafty mixes of their old and new whiskies from different sorts of barrels.  But this one isn't like The Corryvreckan or Uigeadail.  It's like a friendlier version of an Ardbeg Ten, even though that one is all ex-bourbon matured.  The BCM might have a little less complexity, but also may be easier on some constitutions.  It was a pleasant discovery.  And I still haven't found a Bunnahabhain that I don't like.

Availability - Duty free and The Whisky Exchange, only
Pricing - $95 without shipping
Rating - 83

Single Malt Report: A flock of Indies (Part 2) courtesy of OC Scotch Club

This is the second of three posts covering the whiskys I tried on July 12th with the OC Scotch Club.

You can find Part 1 here.

PART 2:

Whisky #3 - Aberfeldy 13yr 1998 (Chieftain's)

Sorry, no decent bottle pics.
Had to nab this label from whiskyintelligence.com

Distillery: Aberfeldy
Ownership: Bacardi (via John Dewar and Sons)
Bottler: Chieftain's
Age: minimum 13 years
Maturation: refill American Oak
Region: Eastern Highlands
Chillfiltered? Nope
Alcohol by Volume: 46%

Ah, my first Aberfeldy and my first Chieftain's.

That Aberfeldy is called the home of Dewar's isn't just due to its use in their blends.  The Dewar family actually built the distillery in 1896.  After a two-year closure, the distillery was purchased by DCL (proto-Diageo) in 1925.  In a rare move by Diageo, the giant sold the distillery to Bacardi in 1998.  Unsurprisingly, Diageo had made little effort to promote the Aberfeldy single malt.  Since the acquisition, Barcardi/Dewar's immediately began promoting and bottling the malt.  It's still mostly used for the Dewar's blends, but a several percent of the output makes it into the bottle without any grain whisky additions.

Meanwhile, Chieftain's is an independent label owned by Ian MacLeod Distillers (who, just to confuse you further, owns their distilleries: Glengoyne and Tamdhu).  I've noticed that their pricing tends to be higher than parallel official bottlings, though sometimes they have moderate prices on their cask strength releases.

At the event, I sampled 0.5 ounces of Aberfeldy neatly in a Glencairn glass.

The color is strikingly similar to a Sauvignon Blanc.  The nose though, is NOT like a Sauvignon Blanc.  It's quite salty (if one can smell salty), cheesy, and nutty.  There's some caramel sauce in there too.  It's a little oaky but not as much as the first two whiskys I'd tried.  The palate packs some generous heat, more oomph.  Brown sugar, black pepper, and sugar cookies lead the way.  Its finish has a medium length and buzzes with freshly ground black pepper.

Because I've never warmed up to any of the blends in the Dewar's range (for instance, this one), I'd set my expectations low low low for the Aberfeldy.  I won't say that this was a great single malt, but it was better than the first two whiskys of the night.  It's not that demanding and shouldn't offend any drinkers.    Its palate is its strength.  My biggest issue with it is the price, which is almost TWICE the standard 12 year bottling.

Availability - Some liquor specialists
Pricing - around $75
Rating - 76

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Whisky #4 - Auchentoshan 20yr 1991 (A.D. Rattray)

Distillery: Auchentoshan
Ownership: Suntory (via Morrison Bowmore)
Bottler: AD Rattray
Age: 20 years (1991-2011)
Maturation: refill ex-sherry
Region: Lowlands
Chillfiltered? Nope
Alcohol by Volume: 57.5%

Now we're talking.  This was an individual cask bottling, burning at full strength, from an indie bottler I like and a distillery I would like to like.

I'll get right down to it.  This one is a weirdo.  And I'm weirdo.  We're made for each other.  Out of the 20+ people at the whisky tasting, only two of us liked this whisky.  Most people REALLY didn't like it, which I can totally understand.  I could imagine someone tasting this and thinking, "This is totally wrong."

Well, if it's wrong, I do not want to be right.

(Like the others, I sampled 0.5 ounces neatly in a Glencairn glass.)

The color is a simple pinot grigio.  So this must have been a 12th-refill sherry cask.  The nose begins with roses, then goes to white pepper.  Slowly it gets sort of oaky, then very green vegetal.  Then there's the palate.  Sandy, chalky, clay, tree roots, and wet cigarettes.  It's almost smoky, but perhaps it's hot cracked white pepper meets a high ABV%.  It delivers a singular sizzle.  The finish is huge, full of that peppery thing and bunch of dark green vegetables.

My last note reads, "Me gusta!"

But you can see why this would get promptly spit/spilled out.  It's so strange.  Kind of haunting actually.  I need some closure.  I need a whole bottle of this stuff to sort things out.

Availability - Some liquor specialists
Pricing - SUPER at $70-$80 (almost the same price as the 13yr lower ABV Aberfeldy!)
Rating - 87 OKAY I'M WRONG, I BOUGHT A BOTTLE AND THE WHISKY IS DISGUSTING. *sob* I'M SORRY FOR THIS POSITIVE REVIEW. Please see this more accurate post. Cheers.

Part Three to follow soon...

Single Malt Report: A flock of Indies (Part 1) courtesy of OC Scotch Club

Back on July 12th, the OC Scotch Club convened at Stubrick's Steakhouse in Fullerton to sample a half dozen whiskys.  The tasting was mostly centered around single malt releases by independent bottlers.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I tend not to take extensive notes nor do reports on whiskies tried at public events.  Doing notes in these settings gets to be a bit socially awkward, plus it's not a quiet slow-whisky setup.  But I gave it try anyway, typing away madly, yet as inconspicuously as possible, on my phone.

I'm going to split this up into a three-part series, two whiskys a piece.

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PART 1:

Whisky #1 - Glen Grant 15yr (G&M)

Distillery: Glen Grant
Ownership: Campari
Bottler: Gordon & MacPhail (G&M)
Age: minimum 15 years
Maturation: refill American Oak
Region: Speyside
Alcohol by Volume: 43% (has also been released at 40% and 46% ABV)

We started with my very first Glen Grant.  The indie bottler Gordon & MacPhail owns a ton of Glen Grant casks, some of which have been turned into bottlings over 50 years old.  They almost regularly release a 10yr, 15yr, 21yr, and 25yr Glen Grant just on their own.

I've personally never been bowled over by a G&M release, but that's never stopped me from searching them out and rooting for the company.  G&M's whiskys for 50+ distilleries are usually very well priced.

In this case I tried this Glen Grant 15yr in a 0.5oz neat pour in a Glencairn glass.

The color is a very light amber (note the picture above).  This light shade may lead the drinker to think the whisky has been sitting in 4th-refill casks, thus he or she will expect the oak will be shy.  But instead, the wood is louder than the malt on the nose.  It's buttery oak full of vanilla, coconut, and corn chips.  The malt is much louder on the palate, all cereals and white fruits.  The malt lives on, alone, in the relatively short finish.

It's not a grandiose whisky.  After the big nose, the rest of the whisky is very quiet.  Not much else to say about this one.  It was kind of a *shrug*, especially for a 15-year-old Speyside.

Availability - Some liquor specialists, though you'll need to do some hunting
Pricing - $65-$75
Rating - 74

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Whisky #2 - Tamdhu 8yr (MacPhail's Collection)

Distillery: Tamdhu
Ownership: Ian MacLeod Distillers (previously owned by Edrington Group)
Bottler: Gordon & MacPhail (G&M)
Age: minimum 8 years
Maturation: refill American Oak
Region: Speyside
Alcohol by Volume: 43% (US release, the UK release is 40%)

Another release from G&M, this one from their "MacPhail's Collection" range.  This range also includes 8 year olds from Glenrothes and Highland Park (both from The Edrington Group).  The prices on these tend to be in the lower-risk range, as young lower-ABV whiskys should be.

The Edrington Group closed Tamdhu back in November 2009, but Ian MacLeod Distillers (owners of Glengoyne, blenders of Isle of Skye) bought the distillery two years later.  They're intending to get it up and running again this year.

I sampled 0.5 ounces of this whisky neatly in a Glencairn glass.

The color is light gold.  The nose has some big oak elements similar to the Glen Grant.  It's buttery and vanilla-y, but also grassy and a bit gassy.  (Note: Among the other tasters, I was alone on that gassy note.  Maybe it was me and not the whisky.)  The palate was very light, easy drinking.  More of the grassy notes with a lot of soft vanilla.  The mild finish carried notes of hay and citrus rind.

If I had to pick between these two, I'd actually go with this young Tamdhu (rhyme not intended).  Neither are great, but the Tamdhu is considerably cheaper and had a more significant palate and finish.

Availability - Some liquor specialists
Pricing - $35-$40
Rating - 75

Tomorrow, two more indie releases in Part 2......

Thirteen Hour Thursday ends and I think about whisky

Thirteen Hour Thursday has come to a close and I doubt it will be the last.  I just hope a Fourteen Hour Friday doesn''t follow.

I've just opened my 375mL bottle of Old Pulteney 12yr, tossed together a quick dinner and am settling in to catch up on blog reading before I go to bed and start the cycle all over again.

Last Sunday, I bought my first 750mL bottle of bourbon.  Buffalo Trace is its name.  It's open and it's tasty.  It's actually a single cask bottling (at 45%ABV), with the barrel chosen by the good folks at Hi Time.  It's similar to the usual Buffalo Trace, but I'm finding more spices and a little less vanilla.  It's an absolute miracle at $19.99.  Sorry, Scotch, you cannot compete at that price.

The birthday whisky buying is happening slowly and studiously.  I just placed a samples order via Master of Malt that will be sure to brighten up a long workday upon its arrival.

I've successfully kept to my $50-and-under-per-bottle rule all year, but I wonder if I should loosen that belt now that I'm employed.  Of course, I need to see a couple paychecks before any drastic purchases are made.

Here's one blog post I do want to share: How Age Statements Are Dividing The Whisky Industry by Oliver over at Dramming.com.  It's a brief but smart take on Macallan's 1824 Series and their company's attempt to equal quality with color(!) rather than age.

Macallan's Brand Ambassador says, "An age statement doesn’t give you any clues as to quality" and "Age statements have made us very lazy and one-dimensional".  While there may be some truth in the first statement, I don't think anyone really believes Macallan's song and dance.

Though many of us have critiqued Macallan's new branding decision, Oliver shines best with this brilliantly condensed knockout blow in his conclusion:

Macallan only replaces their 10 to 17 year old expressions with NAS bottlings. Why not the famous 18 and 25 year olds? If age did not matter at all, they could have got rid of those as well.

Using their products to debunk their branding pitch.  Love it!

Anyway, let's get through the rest of this week, okay?

As seen at the Long Beach Flea Market.  I present this without comment.

Single Malt Report: Taste Off, Part 2. The Glenlivet 18 year old

Surprise!  Whisky #2 was Glenlivet 18!

Okay, maybe not that big of a surprise.

Last week I matched up their 12 year olds, this week I tried their 18 year olds side by side.

I allowed Glenlivet a bit of a handicap.  Being that I've historically preferred Glenfiddich's spirit, I gave Glenlivet the second spot in the Taste Off, thus giving it more time to develop in the glass.

Now, unlike the GF 18, the GL 18 weighs in at 43% ABV, in both the UK and the US.  And if you squint, you can see that my GL sample was at 43%.  Otherwise, like the 'Fiddich, it's also colored and filtered.  And, like with the 'Fiddich, my expectations were thusly set a little low.

And it surpassed them.

SECOND WHISKY ON THE BILL

Brand: The Glenlivet

Ownership: Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard)

Region: Speyside (Livet)
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Maturation: 85% American (ex-bourbon) oak casks, 15% Spanish (ex-oloroso) oak casks

Age: minimum 18 years

Alcohol by Volume: 43%

TASTIN'

Round 1 - neat, in a covered glass for 35-40 minutes before sampling

The color is dark gold with ruby highlights.  The nose starts with sweet sherry and molasses.  Has some notes that are reminiscent of the 15yr (cocoa and pencil shavings) even though that bottling spent time in Limousin Oak.  Buttery American oak notes develop over time.  Then there's some nice creamy milk chocolate and toffee.  The palate proves to be quite different.  Very fruity in fact: mango, green grapes, and peaches.  There's some caramel sauce, and maybe a touch of berries.  It gets sweeter the longer it's in the glass.  It's still sweet through the finish, with that hint of berries, more peaches, and pencils.

Round 2 - with water (down to 35.8% ABV)

There's that musty cocoa-pencil note from the 15yr in the nose again.  Some subtle white fruit.  And something lovely, perhaps cognac-ish.  The palate leads with peach and citrus juice.  Some hints of sherry.  Quite sweet, almost like wheat whiskey.  And...well...Moss Man action figure.  Yep.  Moss Man's still there in the finish, though quietly.  The sherry, peach, and sugars are much louder.

The verdict?

My favorite Glenlivet yet.

Though I enjoyed the Glenfiddich 18's berry notes more than I can defend, the Glenlivet 18 was more complex.  It's curious stuff.  I wouldn't mind a second round of it to dig further.

A great price on this one.  Like the GF 18, it's not a powerhouse; it's anything but burly.  Quite polite.  More suitable for these damn hot summer days and nights than a meaty sherry bomb or a peat wallop.  If you like the GL 12, then I wouldn't doubt you'd like its older sister.  And she's legal.

Availability - Most liquor specialists
Pricing - $65-$75, great price for its age
Rating - 87

Single Malt Report: Taste Off, Part 1, Glenfiddich 18 year old

While conducting this Taste Off on Saturday night, two happy surprises unfolded:

1. The UCLA Bruins upset #16 Nebraska at home!  WOOHOO!  Go Bruins.  I almost knocked over my whisky after the 4th quarter interception.
2. I really enjoyed both of the Taste Off whiskies.  I had hoped that they'd be decent.  They were better than decent.

Unlike last week's Taste Off, I'm going to split this one up into a couple of posts.  Makes for easier reading (and writing?).  And I'm going to keep secret the second whisky until Part 2...

FIRST WHISKY ON THE BILL

Brand: Glenfiddich

Ownership: William Grant & Sons

Region: Speyside (Dufftown)
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Maturation: American (ex-bourbon) and Spanish (ex-oloroso sherry) oak casks
Marriage(!): At least three months before bottling

Age: minimum 18 years

Alcohol by Volume: 40%

Let's start with the negatives.  Glenfiddich 18-year is chillfiltered, artificially colored, and watered down to 40% ABV.  For many anoraks, that's three strikes.  It's out.  Personally, I don't go that far, but it did considerably lower my expectations.

The low ABV mystifies me the most.  Really, they're releasing an 18-year-old whisky watered down to the minimum allowable %?  They do the same for their 21 year too!  Would it really hurt William Grant & Sons to raise the ABV up to 43%?  With a 7.5% rise in alcohol content, they could boost the price at least 10% and the complaints would be minimal since it would still be one of the cheapest 18s around.

[UPDATE: This gets interesting. Thanks to the comment string, I've discovered that most (or all?) of the US bottlings are now 43%, while the UK releases are still 40%. Online shops and reviewers list a mix of those %s. So, I'm thinking that this may be a new change for US releases. If anyone knows the full story about when this change took place, please let us know!]

ANYWAY, my history with Glenfiddich is mostly positive.  I like their regular 12yr & 15yr bottlings and I do adore their pricing.  Plus I like that the Grants still own the company after so many years.  Though a small business they are not, they are pipsqueaks next to The Diageo Machine.

I figured that the 18yr would be similar to the 12 and 15.  Figured it would be reasonably mellow and malty, okay enough to recommend it for the good price.  But my figures were short.  I liked this whisky quite a bit.

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TASTIN'

Round 1 - neat, in the covered glass for 20-25 minutes before commencement

The color is gold with sienna highlights.  The nose, mmmm.  Raspberry sauce meets American Oak.  Plum wine, Dreyer's Wild Berry Fruit Bars (popsicles), and pipe tobacco.  I nosed the hell out of this.  Happily, the palate paralleled the nose: A lovely start of sherry and berries mixed with vanilla. A fresh berry tart. Cream soda and cherry-flavored candy.  The berry notes continue into the finish.  Strawberry and raspberry yogurts with black cherry soda and oranges.

Round 2 - with water (down to 35.3% ABV)

More oak sneaks into the nose, along with a little silly putty.  But it's still strong on the berries.  Raspberry jam.  Sherry.  Pipe tobacco.  Actually, it's raspberry shisha.  The palate starts with berries in cream.  Then sweet sherry, lilac, and lemon zest.  Sweeter now, very desserty.  The raspberries are still in the finish, along with the lilac and lemon zest.

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A note about "fruitiness" in tasting notes:

Many whisky reviewers, including most of the best, often use the term "fruity" when describing some whiskys' noses and palates.  I know that "Fruity" takes up a good slice of the flavor wheel.  I know that it references the estery compounds in the spirit.

But when whisky writers use that term, I know what they mean, but I don't know what they mean.  Know what I mean?

I do my damnedest not to use the term "fruity" in my notes because I will wrestle (for waaaaaay too long) with my senses until I can determine what fruit I'm smelling or tasting.  Limes taste different than cherries, which taste different than apples, which taste different than mangoes, which taste different than bananas, which taste different than grapefruits, which taste different than limes.

What I'm saying is, I try very hard to be specific.  If I just can't figure out what that fruit is, then I'll say "fruity".  Sometimes I'll say, "sweet but not sugary" instead of "fruity", because...well...the whisky is sweet but not sugary.

Ultimately it's down to personal preference, so I don't begrudge anyone who uses "fruity" to describe their booze (especially since many of the best spirits writers use the term), but I'm obsessed with specifics so my preference is to grind down further.

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Okay, back to Glenfiddich 18.  Searching other reviews......I'm apparently the only one getting hit in the face with berries.  BUT, most reviewers note the whisky's fruitiness (see above).  So we're sensing something in the same category.

I really enjoyed the raspberry shisha element in the nose.  One would almost expect this to be a pink whisky finished in some fruity wine cask.  Ultimately, it's a dessert trifle (the UK definition).  The low ABV keeps the pleasant experience brief.

And the low ABV seems to make the best parts of the whisky fizzle into nothingness after more than an hour.  Upon returning to the whisky later in the night, it had transformed into a mild sleepy boring malt.  I still wonder how much better this would be at 43%.  I'm not asking for 46% or 48%.  Just a couple more degrees of oomph.

[UPDATE: As per the update above, there appears to have been a recent change in the US release to 43%, though online the listings are mixed between the two ABVs. The UK bottling remains at 40%. The sample I purchased from Master of Malt was at 40%.]

I do not recommend this whisky to you Octomore-loving peatheads, unless perhaps you don't mind a Speyside softie once in a while.  But if you like quieter, mellower whisky then perhaps this wouldn't be bad for or with dessert.

As always, please try before you buy (even though the price is super).  Glenfiddich apparently makes the 18yr in "small batches" so the experience may differ from batch to batch.

Availability - Most liquor specialists
Pricing - $65-$75, great price for its age
Rating - 86

So what on earth could I have possibly tried alongside the Glenfiddich.......?

A Big Transition

Because.

On Tuesday morning, I was an unemployed writer just trying my best to not let the days slip away.  I kept making sure I was doing some writing, going to the gym, searching for paid work, fighting a malaise that had been growing larger every day over a full year.

On Wednesday morning, I was a production accountant for a blossoming company, waking up at 5:30am, navigating a 12-hour work day, getting home to eat only two hours before I had to go back to sleep.

No longer could I cook dinner.  I had to wake up even earlier to water the plants.  I had to rearrange my workout schedule.  And, OOPS!, what about the blog???

The shift in energy has been very jarring.  During the week I missed my MacBook Pro, my writing desk, my Taste Offs, and my wife (not necessarily in that order).  I didn't miss all of the political 'news' and sports 'news'.  I didn't miss our crazy old neighbor who shouts at the top of her lungs when she talks, with her door open, her television roaring at full volume, all day.

I knew the work environment was going to be challenging, but I underestimated the degree.  I'd spent most of the past year by myself.  Now I'm surrounded by dozens of people non-stop.  And some of those people, apparently, have no interest in treating me like a human being.  Welcome back to The Industry!

I am uncomfortable with a lot of this.  But I am aware that most of my gripes are due to this abrupt lifestyle change.  Am I a little over my head in the job?  Yes, but I can do the work and I can do it well with a minimum of external obstruction.  Am I excited about the largest paycheck I've ever gotten?  Yes, but I know what I'm selling of myself is very valuable.  Could things have continued the way they were?  No.

For financial and emotional reasons, there needed to be a change.  Honestly, it's important for me to know my services are needed by employers.  And I have gotten what I'd asked for:  A very needy job.  Now it's time to provide.

How does the change effect this blog?  Well, in theory, I'll feel less guilty about buying whisky.  :D  I'm working out a blogging schedule for myself so that I can post with frequency and consistency.  Diving for Pearls gives me joy.  Meeting people through this site continues to be wonderful!  Many thanks to everyone who stops by to read some of my musings.  They are continuing.

I did promise a whisky report this weekend.  Well......I did a Taste Off last night that turned out to be a pleasant surprise.  I'm spending some time today writing it up.  You'll see more about it soon...