The Rémy Cointreau / Bruichladdich acquisition agreement is now official.
Mark Reynier, the financial saviour of Bruichladdich in 2000, and now the man who has taken the most abuse (by the always patient online vox populi) for being a sellout during the Rémy Cointreau negotiations has posted his explanation of the goings-on of his company's financial history. It was up on the Bruichladdich site, then pulled "for clarifications". It's an objective but bittersweet post.
The sale for 58M GBP is significantly more than most online guesses had been. At $90,000,000, it's the highest amount ever paid for a Scotch whisky distillery. Rémy says they won't cut any jobs. In fact they're hoping to double production, thus creating local jobs. Per Mr. Reynier's post: "As with other Rémy businesses, Bruichladdich will continue to be a stand-alone company, operated from Islay, with Islay maturation and Islay bottling."
Additionally, per the most recent Whiskycast, the distillery employees had been receiving company stock as part of their compensation; many stand to make six figures when the sale is complete.
Finally, Mr. Reynier, who has taken the brunt of the online "sellout" complaints, was the only board member to vote against the sale.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Single Malt Report Standings as of July 21, 2012
Let's check in on the standing after two weeks...
(My methodology uses pageview counts from three different sources in an attempt to suss out which posts are spammer heavy and which ones are getting the real clicky traffic. Then I apply a very (not) sophisticated algorithm. And from that I get a Top Ten.)
SINGLE MALT REPORT STANDINGS AS OF 7/7/2012 (out of 86 posts / 95 whiskies):
#10 Lauder's Blended Scotch Whisky NC
#9 Millstone 8-year-old French Oak, Dutch Single Malt -1
Lauder's and Millstone are almost tied now. Macallan 12 has put some ground between itself and them. So 10th place is essentially a battle between a post visited for its pictures of windmills and, um, Lauder's.
#8 The Macallan 12-year-old Single Malt +1
I finally got a prediction right. As news about the future of the Macallan range spreads, so do the Macallan post views. Mac 12 is now solidly in eighth.
#7 Powers Gold Label (Blended Irish Whiskey) NC
Again, Powers Gold keeps getting bushels of clicks. That's okay with me.
#6 The Macallan 18-year-old Single Malt NC
This has gotten interesting. Mac 18 is now almost tied with Chivas. I thought Chivas would have taken the #4 spot by now, but it's likely to be kicked down to 6th by Mac 18 this week.
#5 Chivas Regal 12-year-old Blended Scotch Whisky NC
The Chivas excitement has been curbed. After madly streaking like Frank the Tank, its views have mellowed out. Its daily view average has dropped 65% in the past month.
#4 J&B Rare Blended Scotch Whisky NC
J&B's spot is secure, though it's entirely possible that Mac 18 will challenge it in August.
#3 The Glenlivet 15-year-old French Oak Reserve Single Malt NC
'Livet 15 is actually pulling better daily numbers than Famous Grouse but is so far behind that it'll be stuck here for a looooong time.
#2 The Famous Grouse Blended Scotch Whisky NC
Views continue to slow but the Grouse's spot is secure.
#1 Glenfiddich 12-year-old Single Malt NC
Number one. Carve it in stone.
BIG MOVERS
(note: adjustments have been made to the Ardbeg Taste Off views since I discovered that three posts have been getting lots of spambot views)
UP
Springbank Spring Break, Part 2 jumps up 9 spots to #39
Jameson Blended Irish Whiskey continues to climb, moving up another 7 to 31st place
Dewar's 12-year-old Special Reserve hops seven spots to #29. Really, people?
Bulleit Rye Whiskey keeps movin' on up, this week it's 7 spots to 26th place. That's a 25 ranking climb in four weeks.
DOWN
No big drops this time.
Springbank Spring Break, Part 1 went the opposite direction of Part 2, dropping 5 places to #27
Bunnahabhain 12-year-old plops down 4 spaces to 24th
Macallan Cask Strength moves down 4 spots to #33
Blanton's Single Barrel Bourbon drops 4 to #35
Michael Collins Irish Blended Whiskey drops 4 places to 45th
NOTES FOR THIS WEEK, BAD PREDICTIONS FOR NEXT WEEK
As mentioned in the Movers note, there was a weird glut of hits on the three Ardbeg Taste Off posts that didn't show up on the more legitimate metrics measurements. So I've handicapped their counts and will keep an eye on them.
There are two legitimate challengers to the Top Ten now. I'm rooting for either of them to supplant Lauder's. But I doubt that sort of change will occur before the next set of standings.
I'm predicting some moving and shaking amongst the Top Ten over the next two weeks. There's been a lot of movement in the Top Twenty and I expect that to continue. Yes, the blends are moving in, but there are some surprise single malts holding ground.
The Glen Garioch 12-year-old was the only rookie to debut in the Top Fifty. My next few reports are quite the mixed bag, so I have no idea how they'll fare, view-wise.
This two-week pause worked pretty well again, so I intend to list the next round of standings on the weekend of the 4th.
Thanks again!
(My methodology uses pageview counts from three different sources in an attempt to suss out which posts are spammer heavy and which ones are getting the real clicky traffic. Then I apply a very (not) sophisticated algorithm. And from that I get a Top Ten.)
SINGLE MALT REPORT STANDINGS AS OF 7/7/2012 (out of 86 posts / 95 whiskies):
#10 Lauder's Blended Scotch Whisky NC
#9 Millstone 8-year-old French Oak, Dutch Single Malt -1
Lauder's and Millstone are almost tied now. Macallan 12 has put some ground between itself and them. So 10th place is essentially a battle between a post visited for its pictures of windmills and, um, Lauder's.
#8 The Macallan 12-year-old Single Malt +1
I finally got a prediction right. As news about the future of the Macallan range spreads, so do the Macallan post views. Mac 12 is now solidly in eighth.
#7 Powers Gold Label (Blended Irish Whiskey) NC
Again, Powers Gold keeps getting bushels of clicks. That's okay with me.
#6 The Macallan 18-year-old Single Malt NC
This has gotten interesting. Mac 18 is now almost tied with Chivas. I thought Chivas would have taken the #4 spot by now, but it's likely to be kicked down to 6th by Mac 18 this week.
#5 Chivas Regal 12-year-old Blended Scotch Whisky NC
The Chivas excitement has been curbed. After madly streaking like Frank the Tank, its views have mellowed out. Its daily view average has dropped 65% in the past month.
#4 J&B Rare Blended Scotch Whisky NC
J&B's spot is secure, though it's entirely possible that Mac 18 will challenge it in August.
#3 The Glenlivet 15-year-old French Oak Reserve Single Malt NC
'Livet 15 is actually pulling better daily numbers than Famous Grouse but is so far behind that it'll be stuck here for a looooong time.
#2 The Famous Grouse Blended Scotch Whisky NC
Views continue to slow but the Grouse's spot is secure.
#1 Glenfiddich 12-year-old Single Malt NC
Number one. Carve it in stone.
BIG MOVERS
(note: adjustments have been made to the Ardbeg Taste Off views since I discovered that three posts have been getting lots of spambot views)
UP
Springbank Spring Break, Part 2 jumps up 9 spots to #39
Jameson Blended Irish Whiskey continues to climb, moving up another 7 to 31st place
Dewar's 12-year-old Special Reserve hops seven spots to #29. Really, people?
Bulleit Rye Whiskey keeps movin' on up, this week it's 7 spots to 26th place. That's a 25 ranking climb in four weeks.
DOWN
No big drops this time.
Springbank Spring Break, Part 1 went the opposite direction of Part 2, dropping 5 places to #27
Bunnahabhain 12-year-old plops down 4 spaces to 24th
Macallan Cask Strength moves down 4 spots to #33
Blanton's Single Barrel Bourbon drops 4 to #35
Michael Collins Irish Blended Whiskey drops 4 places to 45th
NOTES FOR THIS WEEK, BAD PREDICTIONS FOR NEXT WEEK
As mentioned in the Movers note, there was a weird glut of hits on the three Ardbeg Taste Off posts that didn't show up on the more legitimate metrics measurements. So I've handicapped their counts and will keep an eye on them.
There are two legitimate challengers to the Top Ten now. I'm rooting for either of them to supplant Lauder's. But I doubt that sort of change will occur before the next set of standings.
I'm predicting some moving and shaking amongst the Top Ten over the next two weeks. There's been a lot of movement in the Top Twenty and I expect that to continue. Yes, the blends are moving in, but there are some surprise single malts holding ground.
The Glen Garioch 12-year-old was the only rookie to debut in the Top Fifty. My next few reports are quite the mixed bag, so I have no idea how they'll fare, view-wise.
This two-week pause worked pretty well again, so I intend to list the next round of standings on the weekend of the 4th.
Thanks again!
Friday, July 20, 2012
The Flailing Writer Goes Gardening, Part IV
It's been seven weeks since my last confession gardening post. I'm not sure if the joys have balanced out the heartbreak on my balcony, but it's one of the more meaningful experiences I have each day.
The parsley, died.
The first cilantro, died.
The zucchini, died.
The second cilantro plant, barely living.
A blight has taken out almost half of the cherry tomato plant. The heirloom tomato plant won't live much past the summer.
With the same powdery fungusy blight covering the new squash plant's leaves, I'm spending some time tending to all of the blights with an "organic" copper spray.
Sorry, no pics of the bad news. And no pics of the second round of fertilizer tea from a couple weeks back. That was hella feculent.
How about some good news?
The heirloom tomato plant has produced five ripe fruits, the first of which we'll try tonight.
The cherry tomato plant has squeezed out twenty ripe ones so far, and may have about that much remaining on the vine! As the temperature gets hotter, the fruits have taken on a very pleasant sweetness.
We have the aforementioned new squash plant. I put it in a wider pot than the ex-zucchini had to see if that helps root-wise. She's blossoming already.
We also have a new mint plant (for beverages, Mediterranean dishes, and general sniffing) that has taken well to its spot in the sun. The chives have rebounded after the bugs were killed off. The basil has remained perky all month. Fern the First and Fern the Second have been moved to a shadier cooler spot and are now building up new fernish undergrowth.
I still love this and I'm still learning. I'm already making mental plans for next year: having three cherry tomato plants and perhaps some sort of planter contraption that'll allow enough root space for two healthy zucchini plants.
For those of you with gardens, whether in the ground or eighty feet in the air, I send my best wishes for your crops!
The parsley, died.
The first cilantro, died.
The zucchini, died.
The second cilantro plant, barely living.
A blight has taken out almost half of the cherry tomato plant. The heirloom tomato plant won't live much past the summer.
With the same powdery fungusy blight covering the new squash plant's leaves, I'm spending some time tending to all of the blights with an "organic" copper spray.
Sorry, no pics of the bad news. And no pics of the second round of fertilizer tea from a couple weeks back. That was hella feculent.
How about some good news?
The heirloom tomato plant has produced five ripe fruits, the first of which we'll try tonight.
The cherry tomato plant has squeezed out twenty ripe ones so far, and may have about that much remaining on the vine! As the temperature gets hotter, the fruits have taken on a very pleasant sweetness.
We have the aforementioned new squash plant. I put it in a wider pot than the ex-zucchini had to see if that helps root-wise. She's blossoming already.
I think this is the first girl blossom.
Ruby here, was nearly dead three months ago, now she's blooming like crazy!
We also have a new mint plant (for beverages, Mediterranean dishes, and general sniffing) that has taken well to its spot in the sun. The chives have rebounded after the bugs were killed off. The basil has remained perky all month. Fern the First and Fern the Second have been moved to a shadier cooler spot and are now building up new fernish undergrowth.
Finally, Pepper has been fully resurrected, producing seven beautiful chili peppers.
I still love this and I'm still learning. I'm already making mental plans for next year: having three cherry tomato plants and perhaps some sort of planter contraption that'll allow enough root space for two healthy zucchini plants.
For those of you with gardens, whether in the ground or eighty feet in the air, I send my best wishes for your crops!
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Quick Booze Nooze, courtesy of Remy Cointreau
Remy Cointreau just announced some massive gains in their fiscal first quarter. Could this have something to do with the sudden big offer to Bruichladdich? Coincidences aren't often allowed in high finance.
Single Malt Report: The Yamazaki 18 year old
Let's cut to the chase. This is delicious whisky. It was this whisky that made me postpone this week's two planned reports until a future time, so that I could post my Rosewood Tavern experience promptly. (Thanks to Johnnie Mundell for recommending the Rosewood!)
I was looking to celebrate getting my first job interview in nine years and this was the beverage of choice:
I've covered Suntory products in two previous posts. While I highly recommended the Yamazaki 12, I basically had a whisky fail with the Hakushu 12. Either I received a warped sample or my senses missed the grand notes others had found (of course, that post has had seven times the views of the Yamazaki 12 post).
I figured the Yamazaki 18 would be out of reach, due to pricing and the news of its impending U.S. scarcity (now confirmed by two major LA spirits buyers). Thus I put it on my Dram Quest list; and, yes, I am now able to cross that one off.
Let's take a look at what makes this whisky so splendid. I say, it's the big wood. Usually I blather on about distillate-this and distillate-that, but this time I cannot not talk about oak.
First there are the sherry butts which tend to be at least twice the size of bourbon barrels. There's less spirit contact with the wood which may slow maturation down a little, but it imparts chocolatey and dried fruity characteristics.
Then there are the toasted American oak puncheons which are also much bigger than the usual bourbon barrel, so maturation slows here too. By toasting rather than charring the oak, there are often fewer vanilla characteristics and more citrus notes.
Finally there are the very rare Mizunara (Japanese oak) puncheon-sized casks. As per master distiller Mike Miyamoto (in 1001 Whiskies), Yamazaki "can only make 200 Japanese oak casks per year because of the scarcity of the timber". Thus the amount of mizunara-aged whisky in the final bottling is relatively low. But it's very rich, imparting unique spice notes that we (read: I) might automatically think of as specifically Asian -- a little sensory shorthand as we (again: I) struggle to label the experience.
So how about the final product?
NOTES:
The color really is almost as dark as the picture above; a reddish maple syrup.
The nose begins with a big sherry and bright sugary wood effect. Then a creamy dessert wine. Glue fumes, but in a good way (don't pretend you don't know what I mean, huffers). Then there's something like a sweet Mirin wine or a sweet soy sauce, followed by a little leather, and a rich amaretto.
Then there's the palate. At first, it's a mouthful of caramel sauce. Then cherries, caramelized sugars, and a touch of barbecue sauce. Then fresh sticky toffee and stone fruits. It is BIG and desserty. It sent me into a sense memory of standing in a cake bakery when I was child. Did it really happen? I don't know, but it was intense.
The great unusual (mizunara?) sweet oak goes on forever in the finish. I could still smell it in my head hours and hours later. The juicy stone fruits (think ripe plums and nectarines) floated in the finish as well.
Yeah, it's good.
In fact, it's luxurious. Other than, perhaps, the Bowmore 25yr, I've never had a whisky that felt luxurious. I've sampled older, more expensive, "luxury" whiskies but nothing quite like this.
In the coming weeks and months (and years?), I will sound off on the terrible pricing in the single malt market. But this here, The Yamazaki 18, is on another planet. And, despite its scarcity, it's still cheaper than The Macallan 18!
Availability - Disappearing
Pricing - Due to scarcity $120-$140, but there may be two LA stores selling it for $100 [Ed. note: as of 1/1/14 its average price is $186]
Rating - 92 (but it gets a markup on the followup review)
I was looking to celebrate getting my first job interview in nine years and this was the beverage of choice:
Distillery: Yamazaki
Ownership: Suntory Whisky
Age: minimum 18 years
Maturation: Toasted American oak puncheons, European oak sherry butts, Mizunara puncheons
Country: Japan
Alcohol by Volume: 43%
I've covered Suntory products in two previous posts. While I highly recommended the Yamazaki 12, I basically had a whisky fail with the Hakushu 12. Either I received a warped sample or my senses missed the grand notes others had found (of course, that post has had seven times the views of the Yamazaki 12 post).
I figured the Yamazaki 18 would be out of reach, due to pricing and the news of its impending U.S. scarcity (now confirmed by two major LA spirits buyers). Thus I put it on my Dram Quest list; and, yes, I am now able to cross that one off.
Let's take a look at what makes this whisky so splendid. I say, it's the big wood. Usually I blather on about distillate-this and distillate-that, but this time I cannot not talk about oak.
First there are the sherry butts which tend to be at least twice the size of bourbon barrels. There's less spirit contact with the wood which may slow maturation down a little, but it imparts chocolatey and dried fruity characteristics.
Then there are the toasted American oak puncheons which are also much bigger than the usual bourbon barrel, so maturation slows here too. By toasting rather than charring the oak, there are often fewer vanilla characteristics and more citrus notes.
Finally there are the very rare Mizunara (Japanese oak) puncheon-sized casks. As per master distiller Mike Miyamoto (in 1001 Whiskies), Yamazaki "can only make 200 Japanese oak casks per year because of the scarcity of the timber". Thus the amount of mizunara-aged whisky in the final bottling is relatively low. But it's very rich, imparting unique spice notes that we (read: I) might automatically think of as specifically Asian -- a little sensory shorthand as we (again: I) struggle to label the experience.
So how about the final product?
NOTES:
The color really is almost as dark as the picture above; a reddish maple syrup.
The nose begins with a big sherry and bright sugary wood effect. Then a creamy dessert wine. Glue fumes, but in a good way (don't pretend you don't know what I mean, huffers). Then there's something like a sweet Mirin wine or a sweet soy sauce, followed by a little leather, and a rich amaretto.
Then there's the palate. At first, it's a mouthful of caramel sauce. Then cherries, caramelized sugars, and a touch of barbecue sauce. Then fresh sticky toffee and stone fruits. It is BIG and desserty. It sent me into a sense memory of standing in a cake bakery when I was child. Did it really happen? I don't know, but it was intense.
The great unusual (mizunara?) sweet oak goes on forever in the finish. I could still smell it in my head hours and hours later. The juicy stone fruits (think ripe plums and nectarines) floated in the finish as well.
Yeah, it's good.
In fact, it's luxurious. Other than, perhaps, the Bowmore 25yr, I've never had a whisky that felt luxurious. I've sampled older, more expensive, "luxury" whiskies but nothing quite like this.
In the coming weeks and months (and years?), I will sound off on the terrible pricing in the single malt market. But this here, The Yamazaki 18, is on another planet. And, despite its scarcity, it's still cheaper than The Macallan 18!
Availability - Disappearing
Pricing - Due to scarcity $120-$140, but there may be two LA stores selling it for $100 [Ed. note: as of 1/1/14 its average price is $186]
Rating - 92 (but it gets a markup on the followup review)
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Single Malt Report: Glen Garioch 12 year old
My wife is sitting next to me playing a video of two HOT women working out on the beach. So I'm a little distracted. But...
Here's an actual single malt (remember those?) report.
Distillery: Glen Garioch
Ownership: Morrison Bowmore (Suntory)
Age: minimum 12 years
Maturation: Bourbon casks and Spanish Sherry casks
Region: East Highlands
Alcohol by Volume: 48%
RECENT WHISKY HISTORY:
Scotland's easternmost distillery, Glen Garioch (pronounced Glen Gee-ree) has undergone a number of changes over the last two decades.
In 1994, Suntory took over the ownership of the distillery via its purchase of Morrison Bowmore Distillers Ltd. In 1995, the distillery was mothballed. Up to that point, they had their own malting floors onsite and dried the barley via peat smoke. So up until this closure, the whisky was lightly peated (8-10ppm). Upon reopening in August 1997, the distillery outsourced its maltings and the spirit was unpeated going forward.
Thus, old stuff : peated; new stuff : unpeated.
In 2009, Glen Garioch did a complete overhaul of their range. Gone were the 8, 15, and 21 year bottlings at 43%, replaced by the NAS Founders Reserve, 12yr, and a number of small batch vintage casks. The first two are bottled at a hefty 48% and are unchillfiltered. Brilliant!
In 2011, the awesome Rachel Barrie left Glenmorangie Plc (where she helped create the Corrvreckan for Ardbeg!) to become Morrison Bowmore's (and thus Glen Garioch's) Master Blender.
CONTEXT:
My Scottish buddy James introduced me to the old Glen Garioch 15 and I enjoyed it from the first sip. I was sad to see it disappear from the shelves (though it can be found with some proper research), but I was curious to see what replaced it.
Two years later (last week), I took a little road trip to Rosewood Tavern on Fairfax in Hollywood. First off: Rosewood Tavern, recommended. GREAT selection of all sorts of whiskies, a few of 'em priced very well. I felt like a kid (on a budget) in a candy shop. I picked this Glen Garioch 12 on a whim and received a very generous pour. Thanks to Miss Swiss!
(Side note: Like most bars they don't have whisky glassware, so I recommend going for a wine glass, champagne glass, or a snifter if they have one. Just not a flat tumbler!)
THE WHISKY:
NEAT - The color is dark gold, more apple juice than maple syrup. The nose is very malty. It gets fruitier (think white fruits), but not sweet, with time. Some bourbon oak effect, but not too heavy. The sherry is very subtle, almost invisible. The palate is malty and salty, lightly fruity with a little toffee. One doesn't feel the big alcohol %. It finishes at a decent length, fresh and fruity with a touch of salt.
WITH WATER - A great nose, like a caramel tart. The oak on the nose and palate takes a backseat to more vegetal notes. The texture gets much creamier. The finish actually gains strength......mysterious!
It's not a sweetie, it's not a peatie, so I suppose it's a maltie? It's actually quite similar to Oban, so perhaps this is the Highland character I often read about. It has this sturdy burly element that drew me to single malts in the first place, many years back.
Now, if Oban was cranked up to 46% (not even 48%) and not filtered, my goodness what would that be like? How about it Diageo?
Sorry, couldn't resist a little comedy.
At least I think the new Glen Garioch spirit gives us a hint of Highland greatness at a price that passes for reasonable in 2012.
Availability - Most liquor specialists
Pricing - Considering the big ABV and no chill-filtration, the price is relatively reasonable at $50-$60
Rating - 88
Here's an actual single malt (remember those?) report.
Ownership: Morrison Bowmore (Suntory)
Age: minimum 12 years
Maturation: Bourbon casks and Spanish Sherry casks
Region: East Highlands
Alcohol by Volume: 48%
RECENT WHISKY HISTORY:
Scotland's easternmost distillery, Glen Garioch (pronounced Glen Gee-ree) has undergone a number of changes over the last two decades.
In 1994, Suntory took over the ownership of the distillery via its purchase of Morrison Bowmore Distillers Ltd. In 1995, the distillery was mothballed. Up to that point, they had their own malting floors onsite and dried the barley via peat smoke. So up until this closure, the whisky was lightly peated (8-10ppm). Upon reopening in August 1997, the distillery outsourced its maltings and the spirit was unpeated going forward.
Thus, old stuff : peated; new stuff : unpeated.
In 2009, Glen Garioch did a complete overhaul of their range. Gone were the 8, 15, and 21 year bottlings at 43%, replaced by the NAS Founders Reserve, 12yr, and a number of small batch vintage casks. The first two are bottled at a hefty 48% and are unchillfiltered. Brilliant!
In 2011, the awesome Rachel Barrie left Glenmorangie Plc (where she helped create the Corrvreckan for Ardbeg!) to become Morrison Bowmore's (and thus Glen Garioch's) Master Blender.
CONTEXT:
My Scottish buddy James introduced me to the old Glen Garioch 15 and I enjoyed it from the first sip. I was sad to see it disappear from the shelves (though it can be found with some proper research), but I was curious to see what replaced it.
Two years later (last week), I took a little road trip to Rosewood Tavern on Fairfax in Hollywood. First off: Rosewood Tavern, recommended. GREAT selection of all sorts of whiskies, a few of 'em priced very well. I felt like a kid (on a budget) in a candy shop. I picked this Glen Garioch 12 on a whim and received a very generous pour. Thanks to Miss Swiss!
(Side note: Like most bars they don't have whisky glassware, so I recommend going for a wine glass, champagne glass, or a snifter if they have one. Just not a flat tumbler!)
THE WHISKY:
NEAT - The color is dark gold, more apple juice than maple syrup. The nose is very malty. It gets fruitier (think white fruits), but not sweet, with time. Some bourbon oak effect, but not too heavy. The sherry is very subtle, almost invisible. The palate is malty and salty, lightly fruity with a little toffee. One doesn't feel the big alcohol %. It finishes at a decent length, fresh and fruity with a touch of salt.
WITH WATER - A great nose, like a caramel tart. The oak on the nose and palate takes a backseat to more vegetal notes. The texture gets much creamier. The finish actually gains strength......mysterious!
It's not a sweetie, it's not a peatie, so I suppose it's a maltie? It's actually quite similar to Oban, so perhaps this is the Highland character I often read about. It has this sturdy burly element that drew me to single malts in the first place, many years back.
Now, if Oban was cranked up to 46% (not even 48%) and not filtered, my goodness what would that be like? How about it Diageo?
Sorry, couldn't resist a little comedy.
At least I think the new Glen Garioch spirit gives us a hint of Highland greatness at a price that passes for reasonable in 2012.
Availability - Most liquor specialists
Pricing - Considering the big ABV and no chill-filtration, the price is relatively reasonable at $50-$60
Rating - 88
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Whole Lotta 'Laddies
Last week was a tremendous whisky week. Four different days/nights of brand new single malts. It'll take five or six posts to get through all of that good stuff.
And, man oh man, was I feeling it on Monday morning. So this will be a dry week as I let the body repair. Get some good cardio in, hydrate appropriately. I never got outrightly bombed, as I had to drive home after each event, but I'm old. Plus I like to remember the things that give me joy.
I had the opportunity to try NINE different Bruichladdich malts, just in time for all of the financial excitement they're experiencing. Since most of the samples were wee wee wee small, I was unable to form full notes, reports, ratings, witticisms, etc. Hopefully in the future there will be full reports about a couple of these, but I'll do a brief rundown right here.
Bruichladdich First Growth Cuvée E: Sauternes (Chateau D'Yquem) 16 Year Old
46% ABV - $100 to $120
This winesky, made of the old Bruichladdich juice, spent most of its life in bourbon casks before Jim McEwan aced (read: finished) it in first growth Chateau D'Yquem Sauternes french oak barriques for about three years. My palate doesn't groove with Sauternes finishes, but I can definitely understand their appeal. Though I have to say, out of the five Sauternes finished whiskys I've tried, this is probably the best. The two oaks, the bourbon, the wine, and the spirit come together as a whole much better (in my opinion) than the Glenmorangie Nectar D'Or and the BenRiach 16ry Sauternes. Mostly I favored this one because I could still taste the spirit. There was still whisky in the whisky!
(many many thanks to James)
Bruichladdich Rocks
46% ABV - $40 to $50
An un-peated no-age-statement (NAS) youngin, finished in "French wine casks". Very oaky, I don't remember much else. Its cousin "Waves" (I think that's what James and I had several months ago), a pink whisky, with its ripples of raspberries and blackberries is much better.
Bruichladdich Laddie Classic I
46% ABV - $60ish
New juice plus old juice. Five years through twenty years, all in Bourbon Oak. Seemed decent, reliable. Thought I tasted some sherry oak in there, but it must have been something left over in the glass from my previous sip. There's a touch of peat in it which was nice because it provided an additional dimension.
The Laddie Ten
46% ABV - $50 to $60
I didn't want to like this one. It's been getting raves by the boatload, and I wanted to be the punk who hated it. But I liked it. Nice brown sugary and fruity sweetness with a whisper of peat. This may wind up in the Whisky Cabinet some day.
Bruichladdich Organic Multi Vintage
46% ABV - $60ish
My favorite. REALLY didn't expect that. It was much different than all the others. Very light color, think pinot grigio with some amber. Lovely bready, grainy, cereal-y, grassy flavor with a floral note behind it. And almost no oak effect. All of the barley comes from three farms in Inverness. All certified organic, no pesticides. It's multi-vintaged but mostly seven years old. I'm a fan.
Bruichladdich 16 year old Bourbon Cask
46% ABV - $90 to $110
The first fourteen years in Jim Beam casks, the last two years in first fill Buffalo Trace barrels. Very smooth, easy drinkin'. Takes all the best parts of the bourbon and leaves the oak behind. It's not crazy or splendiferous, but it's good. I just wouldn't pay its $100 price tag.
Bruichladdich Black Art 2
49.7% ABV - $170 to $200
This was the reverse of the Organic. I expected to swoon over this one, and it wound up being my least favorite. It's a 21 year old mystery whisky. Apparently only Jim McEwan knows how many different wine casks are employed in its design. But there's A LOT of wine it, too much for me. There's some Madeira berry stuff going on as well as considerable tartness, dried fruits, and tannins from dry sherry and some dry French red. It's $200 dollars. Think of all the good young whiskys you could buy instead.
Bruichladdich Port Charlotte 7 (PC7)
61% ABV - anywhere between $90 and $140, if you can find it
My runner up! A great peat level for this seven-year-old, about 40ppm (near Lagavulin range). It's like a peat brick floating in honey and molasses. Muscular but not overpowering. I heard so much good stuff about this one and it delivered.
Bruichladdich Octomore 4.2 Comus
61% ABV - $190 to $220
Ah, the supposed beast. The highest peat levels in the whisky world: 167ppm. I thought it would knock the rest of my hair out, but it didn't. They finish this five-year-old in Sauternes and I think that sweet wine keeps the peat punch at bay. Which sort of made it less interesting. That or my peat tolerance is through the warehouse roof. Either way, let the lab experiment loose! And I wonder, why so much $$$ for this? C'mon peatheads, you know how much great stuff you could get for $200+? How about two bottles of PC7?
So, within a minimum of analysis, my top three would be:
Organic Multi Vintage
Port Charlotte 7
The Laddie Ten
Sadly the PC7 costs almost as much as the Organic and Ten combined, but that's due the cask strength (61% ABV), the market's demand, and the scarcity.
I think the Bruichladdich (peated and unpeated) spirit is pretty solid on its own -- as these top three demonstrate -- so while I can understand the continuing exploration into "Ace-ing", someone else can pay for that. I'll pay for the naked whisky, thanks.
And, man oh man, was I feeling it on Monday morning. So this will be a dry week as I let the body repair. Get some good cardio in, hydrate appropriately. I never got outrightly bombed, as I had to drive home after each event, but I'm old. Plus I like to remember the things that give me joy.
I had the opportunity to try NINE different Bruichladdich malts, just in time for all of the financial excitement they're experiencing. Since most of the samples were wee wee wee small, I was unable to form full notes, reports, ratings, witticisms, etc. Hopefully in the future there will be full reports about a couple of these, but I'll do a brief rundown right here.
Bruichladdich First Growth Cuvée E: Sauternes (Chateau D'Yquem) 16 Year Old
46% ABV - $100 to $120
This winesky, made of the old Bruichladdich juice, spent most of its life in bourbon casks before Jim McEwan aced (read: finished) it in first growth Chateau D'Yquem Sauternes french oak barriques for about three years. My palate doesn't groove with Sauternes finishes, but I can definitely understand their appeal. Though I have to say, out of the five Sauternes finished whiskys I've tried, this is probably the best. The two oaks, the bourbon, the wine, and the spirit come together as a whole much better (in my opinion) than the Glenmorangie Nectar D'Or and the BenRiach 16ry Sauternes. Mostly I favored this one because I could still taste the spirit. There was still whisky in the whisky!
(many many thanks to James)
Bruichladdich Rocks
46% ABV - $40 to $50
An un-peated no-age-statement (NAS) youngin, finished in "French wine casks". Very oaky, I don't remember much else. Its cousin "Waves" (I think that's what James and I had several months ago), a pink whisky, with its ripples of raspberries and blackberries is much better.
Bruichladdich Laddie Classic I
46% ABV - $60ish
New juice plus old juice. Five years through twenty years, all in Bourbon Oak. Seemed decent, reliable. Thought I tasted some sherry oak in there, but it must have been something left over in the glass from my previous sip. There's a touch of peat in it which was nice because it provided an additional dimension.
46% ABV - $50 to $60
I didn't want to like this one. It's been getting raves by the boatload, and I wanted to be the punk who hated it. But I liked it. Nice brown sugary and fruity sweetness with a whisper of peat. This may wind up in the Whisky Cabinet some day.
46% ABV - $60ish
My favorite. REALLY didn't expect that. It was much different than all the others. Very light color, think pinot grigio with some amber. Lovely bready, grainy, cereal-y, grassy flavor with a floral note behind it. And almost no oak effect. All of the barley comes from three farms in Inverness. All certified organic, no pesticides. It's multi-vintaged but mostly seven years old. I'm a fan.
Bruichladdich 16 year old Bourbon Cask
46% ABV - $90 to $110
The first fourteen years in Jim Beam casks, the last two years in first fill Buffalo Trace barrels. Very smooth, easy drinkin'. Takes all the best parts of the bourbon and leaves the oak behind. It's not crazy or splendiferous, but it's good. I just wouldn't pay its $100 price tag.
Bruichladdich Black Art 2
49.7% ABV - $170 to $200
This was the reverse of the Organic. I expected to swoon over this one, and it wound up being my least favorite. It's a 21 year old mystery whisky. Apparently only Jim McEwan knows how many different wine casks are employed in its design. But there's A LOT of wine it, too much for me. There's some Madeira berry stuff going on as well as considerable tartness, dried fruits, and tannins from dry sherry and some dry French red. It's $200 dollars. Think of all the good young whiskys you could buy instead.
61% ABV - anywhere between $90 and $140, if you can find it
My runner up! A great peat level for this seven-year-old, about 40ppm (near Lagavulin range). It's like a peat brick floating in honey and molasses. Muscular but not overpowering. I heard so much good stuff about this one and it delivered.
Bruichladdich Octomore 4.2 Comus
61% ABV - $190 to $220
Ah, the supposed beast. The highest peat levels in the whisky world: 167ppm. I thought it would knock the rest of my hair out, but it didn't. They finish this five-year-old in Sauternes and I think that sweet wine keeps the peat punch at bay. Which sort of made it less interesting. That or my peat tolerance is through the warehouse roof. Either way, let the lab experiment loose! And I wonder, why so much $$$ for this? C'mon peatheads, you know how much great stuff you could get for $200+? How about two bottles of PC7?
So, within a minimum of analysis, my top three would be:
Organic Multi Vintage
Port Charlotte 7
The Laddie Ten
Sadly the PC7 costs almost as much as the Organic and Ten combined, but that's due the cask strength (61% ABV), the market's demand, and the scarcity.
I think the Bruichladdich (peated and unpeated) spirit is pretty solid on its own -- as these top three demonstrate -- so while I can understand the continuing exploration into "Ace-ing", someone else can pay for that. I'll pay for the naked whisky, thanks.
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