Mathilda Malt Report: Glenfarclas 34 year old 1968 Old Stock Reserve

Now that these reports have moved from Islay (Ardbeg and Port Ellen) to Speyside (Benriach), let's stay there in Single Malt Central for the last two reviews.  With the previous three whiskies seeming to be from primarily ex-bourbon American oak casks, I'm going with a whisky from a pair of ex-sherry European oak casks.

Between 2000 and 2003, Glenfarclas had a series they named "Old Stock Reserve".  And it was indeed old stock that they bottled for that label, ranging from 1967 to 1970 distillate.  Some were in squat dumpies, while others were in classic tall bottles.  They all had the nice simple labels seen below:

Though Glenfarclas continued to bottle old vintages, they ended the Old Stock Reserve series name pretty quickly, replacing it with a number of different names until settling upon the current super expensive "Family Casks".  Many thank yous go out (again) to Cobo who sent me a sample of the 1968 OSR from his own bottle.

Distillery: Glenfarclas
Ownership: J. & G. Grant
Region: Speyside (Central)
Age: at least 34 years (February 7, 1968 - January 8, 2003)
Maturation: two ex-sherry casks
Cask #: 686 & 687
Bottle count: 341
Alcohol by Volume: 54.1%

Tasted alongside yesterday's 35 year old Benriach.

Its color is a very dark crimson brown.  The nose is enormous.  Damp attic, oloroso, hot fudge, blackberry syrup, and old cognac.  Then cloves, clementines, leather, and carob.  After 30 minutes, it picks up more old wood character.  After 45 minutes, the fruit comes in; think mango and apples in honey.  A fresh cilantro note lingers in the midground.  Lots of baking spices in the palate.  Cloves, nutmeg, black peppercorns, chili oil.  Then baking chocolate, cherry juice, and a sandalwood note reminiscent of mizunara casks.  Plenty of tannins and salt with a mild woody bitterness that actually works for me.  A hint of fired caps and apples.  The actual sherry wallop hits later on, after 30+ minutes of air, and then carries through to the lengthy finish.  Prunes and pipe tobacco.  Macintosh apples and a hint of fresh peach.  Toffee and clover honey.  A sharp tart bite meets an increasingly sweet dessert wine.

To say this is oak-heavy would be an understatement.  Normally that doesn't work for me, but that's usually with American oak.  Here (with what I believe is European oak) one can actually feel the time in the cask, the toasted staves gradually giving into the spirit, the hardy stuff left behind after decades of evaporation.  It's not punishing like the 1970 single cask bottled for K&L a few years back.  It won't pucker your cheeks and dry out your tongue.  Instead it's the aromatic spices and tobacco and chocolate which stand up front, slowly mixing with the spirit's and wine's fruits.  Yes, it is oak dominant, probably to the point where it may be slightly out of balance towards the tannins.  But it provides a more dynamic experience than the cleaner 35yo Benriach.

Availability - Auctions?
Pricing - $??? - $????
Rating - 90

Mathilda Malt Report: BenRiach 35 year old

As you may have heard, Billy Walker (a scientician) just made an absolute fortune by selling the Benriach Distillery Company to Brown Forman.  Some of us had a studied thoughtful response to the news.

Oh gross. https://t.co/q3ak7NM8Rf

— Michael Kravitz (@kravitz_hubris) April 27, 2016

While you may feel differently, I find all of Brown Forman's American whiskies to be especially foul.  All of them.  Okay, some of the Old Forester Birthday Bourbons and the occasional JD Single Barrels are drinkable, but those are the only exceptions.  Their brands' regular ranges are bad enough to make me nauseous while typing this.  Meanwhile, I really like Benriach and Glendronach.  So, my hope is that Brown Forman leaves a good thing alone.  Then there's my unsupported conspiracy theory that Walker pulled a Bruichladdich and got out when aged supply started running low.  In any case, Brown Forman finally got back into the Scotch game just when whisky needed more corporate futzing.

One little treat Billy Walker & Company did make before departing was the 35 year old BenRiach.  OC Scotch Club bought a bottle for our April event.  I was unable to attend the shindig, but the man of the hour, Andy, saved me a sample.

Distillery: BenRiach
Ownership at time of distillation: Glenlivet Distillers Ltd / Seagrams Distillers
Region: Speyside (Lossie)
Age: at least 35 years
Maturation: ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks
Alcohol by Volume: 42.5%

Its color is dark gold.  There are rich bourbon notes in the nose, as in actual bourbon, like Elijah Craig and Blanton's.  Then cream puffs and vanilla pudding.  Lime juice, fresh cherries, and candy canes.  Honeydew and watermelon rind.  With time it focuses on the melon notes, with hints of flower blossoms and green tea.  There's also something slightly earthy/smoky in the far background.  Baskets of fresh peaches in the palate, along with watermelon rind and tangy limes.  Butterscotch, salted caramel, and vanilla beans.  With 40+ minutes in the glass, it develops a fizzy ginger beer note, as well as agave nectar and a hint of hay.  More peaches in the finish. Peach nectar, peach candy, summer peaches.  Then vanilla bean, agave nectar, black pepper, and a bit of tannin.

Yum.  Without a single rough or troubling note, this whisky is a glass full of hugs.  Supposedly there are sherry casks in the mix, but I'm mostly getting good American oak and well-matured spirit.  The fruits and flowers and desserts notes are what I imagine folks would call "Classic Speyside".  Andy and I both thought this was going to be momentous, judging by the Malt Maniacs' reviews.  It turned out to be very good, just not momentous.  Andy gave it a B+ and I'm having a hard time putting it in A- territory.  The finish is on the shorter side and the palate loses steam once the peaches fade out.  Or maybe I'm just naughty and expect more than hugs in return for a A- grade.

Availability - European specialty retailers
Pricing - $500-$650
Rating - 89

Mathilda Malt Report: Port Ellen 25 year old 1982 Old Malt Cask

Port Ellen.  It's expensive.  It's also frequently excellent.  I've never had a Port Ellen that wasn't great.  Okay, I've had all of five PEs but anyway.  This is the last Port Ellen sample in my stash and very likely the last review of the dead Islay distillery here on this blog.  I certainly can't afford a bottle and I don't think anyone is actually opening his or her Port Ellens anymore.  Anyhoo, this (paid for) sample is from the LASC Dead Distilleries event in 2014.  I worked the door and took my pour home with me.

The undertaker is sorry for your loss.

Distillery: Port Ellen
Ownership: Heartless Bastards
Region: Islay
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Age: 25 years (November 1982 - January 2008)
Maturation: refill ex-bourbon barrel
Cask #: I have no idea, two other folks have reviewed this cask but neither listed a cask number, also Whiskybase has no listing for it
Limited Release: 300 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 50%

I tasted this alongside yesterday's Ardbeg 30 year old...

Its color is five beer piss.  Yay!  The nose is very spirity.  Burnt barbecue sauce on the grill, arugula, mint leaves, celery, and Spanish smoked paprika.  Some cashew butter, cassia cinnamon, veggie peat.  Was this from a 15th-fill barrel.  This is like young Talisker and Caol Ila.  After 30 minutes, a little bit of brighter fruit sneaks in.  Then yeast and parsley.  Kristen said it smelled like sewage.  The palate is aggressive and herbal.  Think weed and hot basil.  Quite sweet and grassy, then rock candy and brown sugar syrup, making it feel slightly rummy.  More smoke than moss in the finish.  Black pepper, brown sugar, and paprika.  Simple but full.

Had I not been present when the bottle was opened, I'd never believe this was a 25 year old anything, let alone a Port Ellen.  It reads like an Islay, but an uncut 5-8 year old Islay through and through.  So it's not bad, but it shows nearly no signs of actual maturation.  I would think one would want something more out of a $1000 whisky, unless you're, you know, "investing" or something.  Money aside, this is still a solid B grade whisky that would appeal to us fans of zany young peaters.  Just don't go in expecting A grade stuff like I just did.

Availability - Auctions and black market
Pricing - $1000ish
Rating - 85

Mathilda Malt Report: Ardbeg 30 year old Very Old (bottled 1997)

Though she's been two years old at heart for at least seven months, my little girl had her second birthday yesterday.  And that means......it's Old Whisky Week on Diving for Pearls!

(pic source)

Eighteen months ago, whisky enthusiast Cobo emailed me to see if I'd be interested in splitting a bottle of long defunct Ardbeg 30yo with his whisky club.  I said yes.  Cool story, bro.

My only previous experience with old pre-GlenMo Ardbeg was via older bottles of Ardbeg Ten.  But this whisky is not 10 years old.  In fact, it sat in an unopened bottle for almost two decades.  The distillate used was from 1967 or earlier, and was the product of the distillery's own malting floor.  So, it's actually pre-Allied and pre-Hiram Walker.

Thus I begin the Mathilda Malt Reports...

Thank you, Cobo, for this opportunity!
Also, that's supposeed to be cumin on the right.

Distillery: Ardbeg
Ownership: Ardbeg Distillery Ltd.
Region: Islay
Age: at least 30 years
Bottling year: 1997
Maturation: maybe refill ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks???
Alcohol by Volume: 40%

Its color is dark gold.  The nose begins with a very clean defined medicinal note.  Then there's mesquite and a Peruvian spice rub.  Loads of cumin.  Its subtle peat reads similar to Kilkerran's, sort of twiggy and leafy.  A soft note of peach skin underneath.  After 30+ minutes in the glass, the whisky picks up small notes of old furniture and menthol, as well as (more prominently) glazed donuts, a peach tart, honey, and pineapple.  The palate begins very salty with a gradually building pepper and herbal bitter element.  That's well balanced by notes of pears and white grapes with whipped cream and Kit Kat bars.  Again, it's much subtler than today's Ardbeg, though there's a bite to it that builds with time.  30+ minutes later there's smoked shortbread, pie crust, and (not frosted) shredded wheat.  A little bit of refill sherry cask action shows up in the finish, with hints of dried stone fruits (apricots and cherries) and Oloroso.  Maybe a little of that pie crust.  There's a wee puff of smoke and soft aromatic peat, but that stays in the background while salt, pepper, and horseradish lead the way.

With its peat dialed back, this Ardbeg is so much more focused and graceful than anything distilled by the current ownership.  Yes, that is partially due to its advanced age and partially from (what I'm assuming are) refill casks.  But, take away the cask tinkering and the massive peating, then let the stuff sit for a generation and then maybe Bill Lumsden could get to this sort of whisky.  Though that doesn't seem to be of interest over there.

But my complaints about the current production are irrelevant to the quality of this 'Very Old' 30 year old.  It feels heavier than 40%abv and really does well with lots of air.  The nose, with its spices and fruit, is the star and its finish is even better than the palate.  With the fruit, salt, and mellow peating it feels more Highland and (other) Island than what we're currently experiencing from southern Islay.  I don't know if anyone is drinking this stuff anymore, but if you're reading this post and you have tried this whisky, please share your whisky thoughts in the comments below.

Availability - Auctions and black market
Pricing - $1300 to $2100
Rating - 91

The Grand Epic Tasting of Calabasas

I've never led a private tasting like this before and probably will never have the whisky opportunity to do it again.  It was a dreamy Thursday night.

The bottles

The placemat

The host then brought out his 20yo AD Rattray Bowmore because what we really needed was a baker's dozen.  I got home at 2am, then "slept" for four hours, woke up, and started prepping for another event (bachelor party!).  I'm just coming to grips with how incredible this experience was.

Single Malt Report: Laphroaig 17 year old 1997 Signatory for Binny's (cask 3354)

On Monday I reviewed a 15 year old Signatory Laphroaig.  On Wednesday, it was a 16 year old Signatory Laphroaig.  Today, it's......a 17 year old Signatory Laphroaig.  This one is being sold exclusively through Binny's.  Yes, I'm reviewing a whisky that is actually still being sold!  We can all thank MAO for this review, as he cut me in on his bottle split.  He reviewed it in March.  Here goes my take...

Distillery: Laphroaig
Ownership: Beam Suntory
Independent Bottler: Signatory
Age: 17 years
Maturation: Hogshead
Cask: 3354
Alcohol by Volume: 54.7%
Chillfiltered? No
Caramel Colorant? No

NEAT
The peat in the nose reads reasonably large, mostly as ash and elephant stall.  Large notes of menthol and grapefruit. Moderate notes of cotton candy, mothballs, and cheap plastic toys.  After a while in the glass the peat gets a little greener, mossier, and organic.

Rich sweet peat in the palate.  Mint, salt, and an herbal bitterness.  It gets sweeter with time, but doesn't go too far in that direction.  Lemon and lime candy.  A brief spicy zip.  A dessert Laphroaig.

Lemons, salt, and black pepper in the finish.  Peat candy and simple syrup.

WITH WATER (~46%abv)
Greener peat in the nose.  Orange peels, cocoa powder, apple juice, and a hint of manure.

The palate becomes more complex.  A bigger better bitterness.  Mustard, chili oil, some tart citrus, a little bit of sugar, and more smoke than moss.

That good herbal bitterness carries through into the finish.  There's still some smoke and sugar, along with the tart and tangy citrus.

COMMENTS:
While the whisky works either way, I think I like it better with water.  The nose comes into focus and the palate improves, pushing back much of the sweetness to reveal more depth.  Overall this one falls between this week's two previous Laphroaig reviews.  There's some quality dirty peat from the 15yo and the sweets from the 16yo.

Though MAO liked this one more or less as much as I did, we found different things going on.  He caught less peat on the nose, and the mothballs appeared once he added water.  He found that the palate got sweeter with water, while I saw it going the opposite direction.  But we both found plenty of citrus notes and, ultimately, plenty of Laphroaig peat.

Availability - Exclusively through Binny's
Pricing - originally $170, occasionally on sale for $130
Rating - 86

Single Malt Report: Laphroaig 16 year old 1997 Signatory for K&L Wine Merchants (cask 3365)

Three years ago, I was mulling around a secret LA-area whisky treasure trove when I noticed a 1998 Laphroaig from Signatory's Unchillfiltered Collection.  It was a from a sherry butt and was priced $10 more than the '96 Laphroaig from the same range ($79.99 versus $69.99).  The shop's whisky buyer had pointed me to many gems in the past, so I asked him why the younger whisky was more expensive than the older one.  He said that was due to it being the new release and he recommended I buy it immediately.  I didn't.  When I returned two months later, that same '98 was $119.99.  The indie Laphroaig price explosion had begun.

(On a related note, during that same visit, the gentleman pointed out a 20+ year old bourbon distilled at Stitzel-Weller and bottled by Willett.  It was $199.99.  He recommended I buy that immediately.  I didn't.  That same bottle now sells for over $1000 on the secondary market.  Clearly he knew something I didn't.)

pic from the K&L site
because I can't find my
danged sample photo

Presently, indie bottlers believe Laphroaig (especially those from the mid to late '90s) commands steep prices.  The quality is usually high and the demand is great, especially as the official bottlings have drifted towards NAS and/or wood wonkery.  The single cask I'm reviewing today was sold exclusively through K&L Wine Merchants, right on the edge of the indie Laphroaig price hike.  K&L's pre-sold it for $99.99.  The following year K&L had another single cask of Laphroaig from Signatory.  That one was 15 years old and sold for $170.  What a difference a year makes.

Though I never got around to buying this whisky my buddy, Tetris, did and he supplied me with a generous sample (Thanks!) to review.

Distillery: Laphroaig
Ownership: Beam Suntory
Independent Bottler: Signatory
Age: 16 years (April 28, 1997 - July 9, 2013)
Maturation: Hogshead
Cask: 3365
Alcohol by Volume: 55.2%
Chillfiltered? No
Caramel Colorant? No

NEAT
The nose is more floral, mintier, and vanilla-woodier than Monday's 15yo.  Definitely some tree sap.  More of a normal clean cut un-Laphroaig peat going on here.  A citronella candle.  A hint of exotic/tropical fruits.  New cheap sneakers.  After 15 minutes, there are new notes of roasted cashews, grilled pineapple, and dish soap.

The palate is both dingier and sweeter than the nose.  Very sugary.  Peat candy.  Lemon and orange hard candies.  Tart limes.  Gradually the peat gets a little more organic, but then there's also a bit of green wood bitterness.

Mild peat residue in the finish.  Citrus and sugar.  Tart, bitter, and ocean salty.

WITH WATER (~46%abv)
The nose is a little more Laphroaigy.  It's got some toasty peat, ocean air, and seaweed.  Less fruity, more focused on the phenolics.  Some chocolate maltiness underneath.

The bitterness improves in the palate.  Less sweets, more herbal.  A little bit of pepper heat.  Perkier peat.  Burnt/char notes and menthol.

Extinguished cigarettes, eucalyptus, and sugar cookies in the finish.

COMMENTS:
When neat, this is a safe Laphroaig for people who are not fans of Laphroaig.  The peat notes seem like they could be from any distillery and the palate is plenty sweet.  I think it improves measurably when water is added, with the sweetness getting brought under control and the burlier distillery character peeking out.  If you're still holding onto this one and haven't opened it yet, I recommend adding water if it disappoints when neat.  You'll find more of what you came for as the ABV drops.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - pre-sold for $99.99, then went for $115.99
Rating - 83 (3-5 points lower when neat)