Ancient Age 6 year old, bottled in 1967 or 1968
VERSUS
Stop following politics. Watch me drink instead.
Friday, October 5, 2018
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish blended whisky
I'm in the mood to empty out my world whisky samples this month. So the only bourbon or scotch posts will be within the next several days. After that it's all India, Spain, Sweden (not Mackmyra!), and American malt. But I'mma start out with South Africa.
Kristen's previous job as [REDACTED] used to require international travel, which of course required me to request that she visit Duty Free shops. But by 2014, there wasn't much of interest being sold via Travel Retail. This resulted in easier, cheaper requests. In December of 2014 it was simple: something from Three Ships and Glenfiddich 15yo Distillery Edition. And because she tolerates this shit, she is awesome.
I'd tried Three Ships 10 year old single malt in 2013, and had enjoyed it. By 2014 it had sold out. So the Three Ships options were very limited that year. There was a 5 year old blend and a Bourbon Cask Finish blend. I went with the latter, probably because it was cheaper. I opened the bottle promptly, then kept it at my in-laws' home, where I enjoyed it slowly over 3 years. Today's sample was taken from the bottom third of the bottle.
Though the distillery has mixed scotch whisky into its products, this is the "first 100% South African whisky" according to the official website.
Distillery: James Sedgwick Distillery
Brand: Three Ships
Ownership: Distell Group Limited
Though the distillery has mixed scotch whisky into its products, this is the "first 100% South African whisky" according to the official website.
Brand: Three Ships
Ownership: Distell Group Limited
Region: Wellington, South Africa
Age: 3.5 years
Maturation: 3 years in (probably refill) American oak casks, then six months in first-fill ex-bourbon casks from Louisville, KY
Bottling date: 2014
Maturation: 3 years in (probably refill) American oak casks, then six months in first-fill ex-bourbon casks from Louisville, KY
Bottling date: 2014
Alcohol by Volume: 43%
I'm out of bubbly water, so in lieu of a highball I'm drinking the whisky neat in a tumbler. There's less heat and a lower turpentine quotient than Dewar's White, JW Red or Cutty. Plenty of grain whisky bumping around in the glass, but it's all softened by those bourbon casks. Lots of vanilla and sugar.
As expected, the whisky gains structure once in a glencairn. The nose has butterscotch, Nilla wafers and almond extract. Smaller notes of lime juice, flowers and salty broth float about. It's the crossroads between blended scotch and blended Canadian whisky. Lots of vanilla in the palate, as well as peach candy and Milk Duds, but it's not too sweet. It has actual mouthfeel, and an alcohol bite throughout. The lightly candied finish shows more caramel than vanilla. But it also has a sour/bitter blendy note that doesn't mix well with the heat.
Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish (3SBCF, because I'm lazy) is a simple thing. It has more heft than a Canadian blend, while fully flexing that BCF. The nose is the highlight. The palate is fine, probably comparable to Chivas 12, but the finish is where it starts to unravel.
It's doubtful that 3SBCF was designed for the glencairn experience, but it does fare decently in a tumbler and/or on the rocks which is important for its product type. James Sedgwick Distillery can design a $20 blend as well as the scotch behemoths. That may sound like faint praise, but consider the size of the $20 blend marketplace, and know this is no small accomplishment.
Availability - South Africa and the Pacific (maybe?)
Pricing - ~20USD
Rating - 75
I'm out of bubbly water, so in lieu of a highball I'm drinking the whisky neat in a tumbler. There's less heat and a lower turpentine quotient than Dewar's White, JW Red or Cutty. Plenty of grain whisky bumping around in the glass, but it's all softened by those bourbon casks. Lots of vanilla and sugar.
As expected, the whisky gains structure once in a glencairn. The nose has butterscotch, Nilla wafers and almond extract. Smaller notes of lime juice, flowers and salty broth float about. It's the crossroads between blended scotch and blended Canadian whisky. Lots of vanilla in the palate, as well as peach candy and Milk Duds, but it's not too sweet. It has actual mouthfeel, and an alcohol bite throughout. The lightly candied finish shows more caramel than vanilla. But it also has a sour/bitter blendy note that doesn't mix well with the heat.
Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish (3SBCF, because I'm lazy) is a simple thing. It has more heft than a Canadian blend, while fully flexing that BCF. The nose is the highlight. The palate is fine, probably comparable to Chivas 12, but the finish is where it starts to unravel.
It's doubtful that 3SBCF was designed for the glencairn experience, but it does fare decently in a tumbler and/or on the rocks which is important for its product type. James Sedgwick Distillery can design a $20 blend as well as the scotch behemoths. That may sound like faint praise, but consider the size of the $20 blend marketplace, and know this is no small accomplishment.
Availability - South Africa and the Pacific (maybe?)
Pricing - ~20USD
Rating - 75
Monday, October 1, 2018
Randy Brandy drinks Eight Brandies. Thank you, Florin?
Krav has made some terrible decisions in his life, as any of his loved ones will attest to, but this, THIS, is his greatest idea, ever. I, one Randy Brandy, am going to drink eight brandy samples — right now — that were sent to Diving for Perks by some person named "Florin" who must pity Krav because he keeps sending him stuff.
I am so inspired that I will write too many words, in the spirit of this very blog. And I will take the pictures myself.
I will march these brandies in sets of two, like the animals on Noah's ark. Yes, that is a biblical reference. Going to church on Sundays is like brushing my teeth: automatic.
Germain-Robin XO and St. George Distillery Reserve, two apple brandies from the Socialist State of Northern California. So, they're half American, if I'm being generous.
Germain-Robin XO Apple Brandy, 40.2%abv
Nose - Bourbon. Vanilla and anise, some apple, clean laundry, a faint waft of eau-de-vie. But mostly bourbon.
Palate - Thin, but pleasant. Barrel char and McDonald's apple pie. Caramel, pepper, mint. Gets more bitter with time. Know anyone like that?
Finish - Caramel chews, barrel char, candy canes and bourbon. Bitter, tart and sweet.
St. George Distillery Reserve Apple Brandy, 43%abv
Nose - There's some vanilla and tree sap, but there's also lots of classic Calvados. Caramel apples and baked apples. It's grassy and cheesy and yeasty, so there's some fun in there.
Palate - Eau-de-vie right in the face. Think kirsch and sliv. Hints of malt, smoke and mint. Tingly, but never too sweet.
Finish - Tart apples, eau-de-vie. A little bit of pepper and smoke.
THE APPLE BRANDIES:
The Germain-Robin is apple brandy for bourbon drinkers. Do bourbon drinkers even come to this site? Well, if you do, and spending $70 is nothing for you, then you'll like this more than I like this. The St. George is more my style. It has some Weird in the nose and plenty of big eau in the palate.
RATINGS:
Germain-Robin XO - C+
St. George Reserve - B/B+
Burgas 63 Special Selection Bulgarian Rakia and Etter Zuger Swiss Kirsch are some actual European brandies. Kirsch is made from Kirsch fruit (or "cherries" to the freaks), while rakia is made from whatever is lying around in Eastern Europe, like apricots or communists.
Burgas 63 Rakia, 40%abv
Nose - Clean as a whistle. Flowers, yeast, citrons and limes.
Palate - Just like the nose, but with more flowers. Then quinine and lemon zest.
Finish - Tart and floral. Refreshing. I could drink a bottle.
Etter Zuger Kirsch, 40%abv
Nose - Earth, clay, cinnamon and nutmeg. Yeast, lemons and very tart cherries. A little bit of moonshine.
Palate - Mint and cinnamon. Juicy Fruit gum. Oilier and heavier than Clear Creek's kirsch.
Finish - More floral than the palate. Warm and spicy.
THE RAKIA AND KIRSCH:
You'll have to pardon my short notes on the rakia, but KRAV DRANK THE FIRST OUNCE before handing it over in a tiny bottle. Then he tells me to lighten up on the Jewish jokes. C'mon, you take my brandy and then you take my bread and butter?
Both of these brandies are good. But I'm going to buy four cases of the rakia and then bathe in it. It's like someone distilled Spring.
RATINGS:
Burgas 63 Rakia - B+
Etter Zuger Kirsch - B-
Distilleria Nannoni Grappa di Brunello Bianca and Marolo Grappa di Brunello di Montalcino are two grappas made from the brunello grape as you can clearly read from their names. I could tell you that Brunello is Sangiovese, but then some Tuscan would yell at me.
Distilleria Nannoni Grappa di Brunello, 40%abv
Nose - Crisp, simple grappa. No paint thinner, but maybe some glue fumes. Yeast, grass, balloon rubber, prunes, stems and seeds (of grapes, you damned hippies).
Palate - Prunes, grapefruit, grass, ocean water and that glue note.
Finish - More or less the same as the palate, but tangier and grassier. Long length.
Marolo Grappa di Brunello, 42%abv
Nose - Green apples, serrano peppers, horseradish, metal, arugula. This smells like good trouble.
Palate - Delicious poison. Unripe pears and apples with dried cilantro. Rhubarb, pine, smoke and a creamy sweetness.
Finish - Pine, rhubarb, dried herbs and a great sweetness. Long and mouth-filling. Who snickered?
THE GRAPPA DI BRUNELLO:
Due bestie belle. That's Italiano. Neither of these grappas is for the coy. The Nannoni will fight you a bit, and win with its finishing strike. The Marolo is the busiest grappa I've had. I am fond of it.
RATINGS:
Nannoni Grappa di Brunello - B-
Marolo Grappa di Brunello - B+
Back to America, sort of (again), with the Osocalis Distillery in near Santa Cruz, CA. Florin sent Osocalis Rare Alembic Brandy and batch 2 of Osocalis XO Alembic Brandy. Their Charentais still really is from France, and the grapes are from California. Birds of a feather, etc.
Osocalis Rare, 40%abv
Nose - Apples, cloves, caramel and orange peel. Something like dessert wine, sometimes.
Palate - Comfortable. Lightly sweet. Tangy apples and limes. Some peppery youth still at large.
Finish - Fruity, peppery, never too sweet, never too taxing.
Osocalis XO, bottling #2, 40%abv
Nose - Old Speyside malt with baked apples. Toffee, plums, lemons and a hint of leather.
Palate - Take the nose, then add pumpkin pie spice, tart fruit and good heat.
Finish - A combination of baking spice and mulling spice, which are probably the same thing sold to us twice. Apples, mint, long.
OSOCALIS BRANDIES:
While the Rare is fine, the XO is Fine. A brandy for single malt drinkers. A brandy for brandy drinkers. The fruit spice combination, which is just waking up in the Rare, strides through the XO and leaves you smelling like a rich drunk.
RATINGS:
Osocalis Rare - B-
Osocalis XO, bottling #2 - B+
THE WINNER:
Me. As always.
I am so inspired that I will write too many words, in the spirit of this very blog. And I will take the pictures myself.
I will march these brandies in sets of two, like the animals on Noah's ark. Yes, that is a biblical reference. Going to church on Sundays is like brushing my teeth: automatic.
Germain-Robin XO Apple Brandy, 40.2%abv
Nose - Bourbon. Vanilla and anise, some apple, clean laundry, a faint waft of eau-de-vie. But mostly bourbon.
Palate - Thin, but pleasant. Barrel char and McDonald's apple pie. Caramel, pepper, mint. Gets more bitter with time. Know anyone like that?
Finish - Caramel chews, barrel char, candy canes and bourbon. Bitter, tart and sweet.
St. George Distillery Reserve Apple Brandy, 43%abv
Nose - There's some vanilla and tree sap, but there's also lots of classic Calvados. Caramel apples and baked apples. It's grassy and cheesy and yeasty, so there's some fun in there.
Palate - Eau-de-vie right in the face. Think kirsch and sliv. Hints of malt, smoke and mint. Tingly, but never too sweet.
Finish - Tart apples, eau-de-vie. A little bit of pepper and smoke.
THE APPLE BRANDIES:
The Germain-Robin is apple brandy for bourbon drinkers. Do bourbon drinkers even come to this site? Well, if you do, and spending $70 is nothing for you, then you'll like this more than I like this. The St. George is more my style. It has some Weird in the nose and plenty of big eau in the palate.
RATINGS:
Germain-Robin XO - C+
St. George Reserve - B/B+
Burgas 63 Rakia, 40%abv
Nose - Clean as a whistle. Flowers, yeast, citrons and limes.
Palate - Just like the nose, but with more flowers. Then quinine and lemon zest.
Finish - Tart and floral. Refreshing. I could drink a bottle.
Etter Zuger Kirsch, 40%abv
Nose - Earth, clay, cinnamon and nutmeg. Yeast, lemons and very tart cherries. A little bit of moonshine.
Palate - Mint and cinnamon. Juicy Fruit gum. Oilier and heavier than Clear Creek's kirsch.
Finish - More floral than the palate. Warm and spicy.
THE RAKIA AND KIRSCH:
You'll have to pardon my short notes on the rakia, but KRAV DRANK THE FIRST OUNCE before handing it over in a tiny bottle. Then he tells me to lighten up on the Jewish jokes. C'mon, you take my brandy and then you take my bread and butter?
Both of these brandies are good. But I'm going to buy four cases of the rakia and then bathe in it. It's like someone distilled Spring.
RATINGS:
Burgas 63 Rakia - B+
Etter Zuger Kirsch - B-
Distilleria Nannoni Grappa di Brunello, 40%abv
Nose - Crisp, simple grappa. No paint thinner, but maybe some glue fumes. Yeast, grass, balloon rubber, prunes, stems and seeds (of grapes, you damned hippies).
Palate - Prunes, grapefruit, grass, ocean water and that glue note.
Finish - More or less the same as the palate, but tangier and grassier. Long length.
Marolo Grappa di Brunello, 42%abv
Nose - Green apples, serrano peppers, horseradish, metal, arugula. This smells like good trouble.
Palate - Delicious poison. Unripe pears and apples with dried cilantro. Rhubarb, pine, smoke and a creamy sweetness.
Finish - Pine, rhubarb, dried herbs and a great sweetness. Long and mouth-filling. Who snickered?
THE GRAPPA DI BRUNELLO:
Due bestie belle. That's Italiano. Neither of these grappas is for the coy. The Nannoni will fight you a bit, and win with its finishing strike. The Marolo is the busiest grappa I've had. I am fond of it.
RATINGS:
Nannoni Grappa di Brunello - B-
Marolo Grappa di Brunello - B+
Osocalis Rare, 40%abv
Nose - Apples, cloves, caramel and orange peel. Something like dessert wine, sometimes.
Palate - Comfortable. Lightly sweet. Tangy apples and limes. Some peppery youth still at large.
Finish - Fruity, peppery, never too sweet, never too taxing.
Osocalis XO, bottling #2, 40%abv
Nose - Old Speyside malt with baked apples. Toffee, plums, lemons and a hint of leather.
Palate - Take the nose, then add pumpkin pie spice, tart fruit and good heat.
Finish - A combination of baking spice and mulling spice, which are probably the same thing sold to us twice. Apples, mint, long.
OSOCALIS BRANDIES:
While the Rare is fine, the XO is Fine. A brandy for single malt drinkers. A brandy for brandy drinkers. The fruit spice combination, which is just waking up in the Rare, strides through the XO and leaves you smelling like a rich drunk.
RATINGS:
Osocalis Rare - B-
Osocalis XO, bottling #2 - B+
THE WINNER:
Me. As always.
Friday, September 28, 2018
Birthday Bottles and an Ardmore Autumn
Exclusivity doesn't draw me in like it used to. I can't hear SMWS's siren call. When I heard the tale that Springbank Society just had 3000 requests — thrice the outturn — for their annual release, I felt less FOMA than I'd expected. Seeing that I was removed from a barrel-share group not only didn't bother me, instead it lent a bit of freedom. The current crop of single casks aren't calling out to me either, and really what's more exclusive than a single cask?
I bring this up now because this is the time of the year when the whisky birthday present (or two) I've purchased for myself arrives in a delightful brown rectangular parcel. Considering the "Sold Out" or "Secondary market" notation on nearly everything I review, it's silly for me to critique the exclusivity of single cask purchases. But not one single cask looked appealing this summer. Looking at each sharp photo of a current single cask release, I felt emptiness. And not in a clean Śūnyatā sense. Nor was I imagining the glory of a completed bottle. It was just a feeling of, "why?"
There's a lot going on behind that feeling. Part of it is linked to the tailing off of my whisky purchases, as I detailed last month. Part of it comes from a palate that's getting less excited about high ABVs. Part of it is general dread. And part of it has to do with my desire for casual drinking, which I also referenced in August's birthday post.
Committing to how I want to experience whisky, thus aiming for sub-$70 drinkers, I bought three ten year old single malts that still dazzle my inner curmudgeon at the very thought. Avert your eyes, people, here's the whisky dick pic:
Yes, 3 x 10 = 30. No, I did not turn 30 this year. But I don't/can't drink in large quantities, as tempting as it may be throughout fatherhood. Three bottles were more than enough. I have a soft spot in my heart for those three brands, probably literally. While I wish 10 year old single malt still sold for $30-$40, I am willing to pony up for this quality.
Speaking of brands I adore. Ardmore!
I've been threatening to finally break into my Ardmore stash for years. Beatrice's 1st birthday will be the perfect excuse to do so. The 1991 rum cask from Malts of Scotland is for the event. The current(!) 12 year old Portwood will be my casual drinker for autumn. Opening two Ardmores means I won't have to open another for twenty years. That's how it works, right?
Thanks for tuning in for this latest edition of First World Drama. The reviews return on Monday.
I bring this up now because this is the time of the year when the whisky birthday present (or two) I've purchased for myself arrives in a delightful brown rectangular parcel. Considering the "Sold Out" or "Secondary market" notation on nearly everything I review, it's silly for me to critique the exclusivity of single cask purchases. But not one single cask looked appealing this summer. Looking at each sharp photo of a current single cask release, I felt emptiness. And not in a clean Śūnyatā sense. Nor was I imagining the glory of a completed bottle. It was just a feeling of, "why?"
There's a lot going on behind that feeling. Part of it is linked to the tailing off of my whisky purchases, as I detailed last month. Part of it comes from a palate that's getting less excited about high ABVs. Part of it is general dread. And part of it has to do with my desire for casual drinking, which I also referenced in August's birthday post.
Committing to how I want to experience whisky, thus aiming for sub-$70 drinkers, I bought three ten year old single malts that still dazzle my inner curmudgeon at the very thought. Avert your eyes, people, here's the whisky dick pic:
Yes, 3 x 10 = 30. No, I did not turn 30 this year. But I don't/can't drink in large quantities, as tempting as it may be throughout fatherhood. Three bottles were more than enough. I have a soft spot in my heart for those three brands, probably literally. While I wish 10 year old single malt still sold for $30-$40, I am willing to pony up for this quality.
Speaking of brands I adore. Ardmore!
I've been threatening to finally break into my Ardmore stash for years. Beatrice's 1st birthday will be the perfect excuse to do so. The 1991 rum cask from Malts of Scotland is for the event. The current(!) 12 year old Portwood will be my casual drinker for autumn. Opening two Ardmores means I won't have to open another for twenty years. That's how it works, right?
Thanks for tuning in for this latest edition of First World Drama. The reviews return on Monday.
Thursday, September 27, 2018
Croftengea 10 year old 2006 Exclusive Malts, cask 485
Yesterday it was Loch Lomond Cleans Up. Today it is Loch Lomond Gets Dirty. But I'm not talking about garbage-smelling rot. I'm talking about The Place With The Funny Stills taking on Islay headfirst. Croftengea is the distillery's heavily peated malt. I'm going to guess it's in the 50ppm range, because this stuff is intense. But it's not a mess, and it thumped my expectations.
Distillery: Loch Lomond
Brand: Croftengea
Owner: Loch Lomond Distillery Company
Region: Highlands (Western)
Independent bottler: Creative Whisky Company
Range: Exclusive Malts
NEAT
The nose has the weird delights of good Fettercairn and the never-beloved-by-experts-but-totally-beloved-by-me late '80s & early '90s Ledaig, except bigger. Old greasy machines and engines. Bowling shoes in a moldy basement. A slab of plasticky peat. Also some flowers and pineapple, just because. Marshmallows in the palate, then sweet peat and moderate heat. Nothing horrifying; in fact it is very drinkable. Moss and tangy fruits. A hint of bitter greens. It finishes sweet and smoky with white fruits and cinnamon. Loooooong.
DILUTED TO ~46%abv, or 1⅓tsp water per 30mL whisky
Having shed some of the fun fug, the nose edges into Ardbeg and Kilchoman territory. Moss, soot and burnt hay lead the way, with tiny bit of white fruit underneath. Cocoa and cinnamon in the palate, along with plumes of smoke. Also lemons and arugula. It finishes with smoke, sugar and lemons. Peated limoncello?
WORDS WORDS WORDS
Is this a perfect whisky? Nope. It is it awesome? Yep. Great pick, Mr. Stirk. This might be the most entertaining whisky I've had all year. It's zanier than anything coming from Islay while still delivering Capital P Peat.
Unlike certain distillers who age batches of kerosene and napalm in burnt grape juice barrels for a couple years and crown themselves mad scientists, Loch Lomond hasn't made something big and strange and ugly just for the sake of doing so. There's a way into this whisky. Reach out and you'll find tiny familiar handles to grab onto just before the ride starts. You'll make it through without getting hurt, I promise. Plus there is actual complexity in the thing and about as much mouthfeel as the distillery can muster. Is it going to knock Lagavulin 12yo Cask Strength off my shelf? Probably not. But I'd like to see what else Loch Lomond can do with this style.
Availability - Some European retailers
Pricing - €60-€70
Rating - 88
Distillery: Loch Lomond
Brand: Croftengea
Owner: Loch Lomond Distillery Company
Region: Highlands (Western)
Independent bottler: Creative Whisky Company
Range: Exclusive Malts
Age: 10 years (22 March 2006 to April 2016)
Maturation: Hogshead?
Cask number: 485
Outturn: 302
Cask number: 485
Outturn: 302
Alcohol by Volume: 56.7%
(from a purchased sample)
(from a purchased sample)
NEAT
The nose has the weird delights of good Fettercairn and the never-beloved-by-experts-but-totally-beloved-by-me late '80s & early '90s Ledaig, except bigger. Old greasy machines and engines. Bowling shoes in a moldy basement. A slab of plasticky peat. Also some flowers and pineapple, just because. Marshmallows in the palate, then sweet peat and moderate heat. Nothing horrifying; in fact it is very drinkable. Moss and tangy fruits. A hint of bitter greens. It finishes sweet and smoky with white fruits and cinnamon. Loooooong.
DILUTED TO ~46%abv, or 1⅓tsp water per 30mL whisky
Having shed some of the fun fug, the nose edges into Ardbeg and Kilchoman territory. Moss, soot and burnt hay lead the way, with tiny bit of white fruit underneath. Cocoa and cinnamon in the palate, along with plumes of smoke. Also lemons and arugula. It finishes with smoke, sugar and lemons. Peated limoncello?
WORDS WORDS WORDS
Is this a perfect whisky? Nope. It is it awesome? Yep. Great pick, Mr. Stirk. This might be the most entertaining whisky I've had all year. It's zanier than anything coming from Islay while still delivering Capital P Peat.
Unlike certain distillers who age batches of kerosene and napalm in burnt grape juice barrels for a couple years and crown themselves mad scientists, Loch Lomond hasn't made something big and strange and ugly just for the sake of doing so. There's a way into this whisky. Reach out and you'll find tiny familiar handles to grab onto just before the ride starts. You'll make it through without getting hurt, I promise. Plus there is actual complexity in the thing and about as much mouthfeel as the distillery can muster. Is it going to knock Lagavulin 12yo Cask Strength off my shelf? Probably not. But I'd like to see what else Loch Lomond can do with this style.
Availability - Some European retailers
Pricing - €60-€70
Rating - 88
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
Inchmurrin 22 year old 1993 Signatory, cask 2846
The second pair of Loch Lomond malts I tried this week were such diametric opposites that I was (and am) left astounded by the range of possibilities that can come from one distillery. Even better, both whiskies were good.
Today, I'm reviewing (yes) another Inchmurrin, but one quite unlike the two that preceded it this week. Don't worry, tomorrow's whisky will NOT be Inchmurrin.
As per the online Whiskypedia, Inchmurrin is supposed to be the light and fruity member of the Loch Lomond range. I guess that's a matter of perspective. Compared to most of the distillery's other malts, anything is light and fruity.
Distillery: Loch Lomond
Brand: Inchmurrin
Owner: Loch Lomond Distillery Company
Region: Highlands (Western)
Independent bottler: Signatory
NEAT
A pretty nose! Peaches, melon and roses up front. Earth and cocoa powder in back. A delicate salty peating with gentle white oak notes. Apple cider and sugary barley. A less delicate, but still graceful palate. Pears, flowers, salt and pepper. Tart limes and brown sugar. Tiny bits of vanilla and horseradish. It's plenty warm, but not as hot as 59%abv can be. It finishes warm, sweet and floral with a hint of milk chocolate. Moderate length.
DILUTED TO ~46%abv, or 1¾tsp per 30mL whisky
Pears, peaches, barley, salt and roses in the noses. The palate is warm, tingly, simple, sweet and barley forward. Lightly bitter with a hint of peat. Barley, sugar, salt and pepper in the finish.
WORDS WORDS WORDS
This is almost cognac. Yes, there's barley and a whiff of peat going on, but if you can imagine a moderately aged (in US oak) cognac at nearly 60%abv, that wouldn't be too far from this Inchmurrin. The one thing that keeps this whisky from soaring is the thinness of the palate's texture, an issue I always find with this distillery's products. But the nose was so good that went I online to price check this thing after the first sniff. I can't remember the last time I did that. Had the palate met the expectations the nose set then this might have been a 90-point Loch Lomond.
Availability - Some European retailers
Pricing - €110-€130
Rating - 86 (that nose, though)
Today, I'm reviewing (yes) another Inchmurrin, but one quite unlike the two that preceded it this week. Don't worry, tomorrow's whisky will NOT be Inchmurrin.
As per the online Whiskypedia, Inchmurrin is supposed to be the light and fruity member of the Loch Lomond range. I guess that's a matter of perspective. Compared to most of the distillery's other malts, anything is light and fruity.
Distillery: Loch Lomond
Brand: Inchmurrin
Owner: Loch Lomond Distillery Company
Region: Highlands (Western)
Independent bottler: Signatory
Age: 22 years (24 May 1993 to 7 Oct 2015)
NEAT
A pretty nose! Peaches, melon and roses up front. Earth and cocoa powder in back. A delicate salty peating with gentle white oak notes. Apple cider and sugary barley. A less delicate, but still graceful palate. Pears, flowers, salt and pepper. Tart limes and brown sugar. Tiny bits of vanilla and horseradish. It's plenty warm, but not as hot as 59%abv can be. It finishes warm, sweet and floral with a hint of milk chocolate. Moderate length.
DILUTED TO ~46%abv, or 1¾tsp per 30mL whisky
Pears, peaches, barley, salt and roses in the noses. The palate is warm, tingly, simple, sweet and barley forward. Lightly bitter with a hint of peat. Barley, sugar, salt and pepper in the finish.
WORDS WORDS WORDS
This is almost cognac. Yes, there's barley and a whiff of peat going on, but if you can imagine a moderately aged (in US oak) cognac at nearly 60%abv, that wouldn't be too far from this Inchmurrin. The one thing that keeps this whisky from soaring is the thinness of the palate's texture, an issue I always find with this distillery's products. But the nose was so good that went I online to price check this thing after the first sniff. I can't remember the last time I did that. Had the palate met the expectations the nose set then this might have been a 90-point Loch Lomond.
Availability - Some European retailers
Pricing - €110-€130
Rating - 86 (that nose, though)
Tuesday, September 25, 2018
Loch Lomond Weak? Inchmurrin 13 year old 2000 SMWS 112.7
After yesterday's mostly successful whisky, perhaps I should stop poking fun at Loch Lomond. SMWS on the other hand...
Eh, I'll give them a pass if this whisky works. They give this whisky one of their soberer names: "Youthful vigour in a barrel prison". Should that vigour give one a moment's pause knowing the distillery, or should one go back and read the first sentence of this post?
Okay, I'll be honest. I already did this tasting, lining this 13yo up with yesterday's 14yo. They are indeed different whiskies.
Distillery: Loch Lomond
Brand: Inchmurrin
Owner: Loch Lomond Distillery Company
Region: Highlands (Western)
Independent bottler: Scotch Malt Whisky Society
NEAT
The nose is all vanilla, oak spice and cardboard at first. With some airing out, notes of fresh cherries, apples, black licorice and bubblegum come out. Then it all vanishes after 20 minutes, leaving behind nothing but heat. The palate is sweet, tart, slightly bitter and very new make-y. Cinnamon sticks and burning face. Its sourness starts small, then gradually takes over everything. So much heat in the finish. Very tart raw spirit. A tiny bit of vanilla, sugar and bitterness.
A bucket of water, please.
DILUTED TO ~46%abv, or 1⅔tsp of water to 30mL whisky
Nosehair singeing heat. Vanilla simple syrup. Wood smoke. Cardboard. Stop. The palate is hotter, rawer, pepperier, saltier, sweeter, cardboardier. The finish is very hot and very sweet.
Swim, ye evil spirit!
DILUTED TO ~40%abv, or about 1tbsp of water to 30mL whisky
Hmm, not bad. The nose shows barley, anise and mint leaves. The palate is much more pleasant. It's minty and spicy, with plenty of fresh ginger. Less sweet, less heat. It finishes with mint and ginger, and a mild sweetness.
WORDS WORDS WORDS
The problem wasn't the incarceration. It's the prison itself. More time in this jail would not have helped. The prisoner probably would have burned the place down, anyway.
The official tasting notes for this thing are Ridic (as the kids say). The international whisky world is full of palate wreckers with actual positive qualities at full strength. So there's nothing to recommend when this whisky is neat. But! At 40%abv it starts to hit its stride. I suppose a masochist could spend some time chopping this whisky's ABV down further and further to find its money spot. Anyway, Loch Lomond is not at fault here.
Availability - Secondary market, I guess
Pricing - ???
Rating - 71 (with lots of water only; at least 10 points lower when neat)
Eh, I'll give them a pass if this whisky works. They give this whisky one of their soberer names: "Youthful vigour in a barrel prison". Should that vigour give one a moment's pause knowing the distillery, or should one go back and read the first sentence of this post?
Okay, I'll be honest. I already did this tasting, lining this 13yo up with yesterday's 14yo. They are indeed different whiskies.
Distillery: Loch Lomond
Brand: Inchmurrin
Owner: Loch Lomond Distillery Company
Region: Highlands (Western)
Independent bottler: Scotch Malt Whisky Society
Age: 13 years (27 Sept 2000 to 2014)
Maturation: Jail?
Cask number: 112.7
Outturn: 209
Cask number: 112.7
Outturn: 209
Alcohol by Volume: 58.5%
(thanks to Brett P for the sample!)
(thanks to Brett P for the sample!)
NEAT
The nose is all vanilla, oak spice and cardboard at first. With some airing out, notes of fresh cherries, apples, black licorice and bubblegum come out. Then it all vanishes after 20 minutes, leaving behind nothing but heat. The palate is sweet, tart, slightly bitter and very new make-y. Cinnamon sticks and burning face. Its sourness starts small, then gradually takes over everything. So much heat in the finish. Very tart raw spirit. A tiny bit of vanilla, sugar and bitterness.
A bucket of water, please.
DILUTED TO ~46%abv, or 1⅔tsp of water to 30mL whisky
Nosehair singeing heat. Vanilla simple syrup. Wood smoke. Cardboard. Stop. The palate is hotter, rawer, pepperier, saltier, sweeter, cardboardier. The finish is very hot and very sweet.
Swim, ye evil spirit!
DILUTED TO ~40%abv, or about 1tbsp of water to 30mL whisky
Hmm, not bad. The nose shows barley, anise and mint leaves. The palate is much more pleasant. It's minty and spicy, with plenty of fresh ginger. Less sweet, less heat. It finishes with mint and ginger, and a mild sweetness.
WORDS WORDS WORDS
The problem wasn't the incarceration. It's the prison itself. More time in this jail would not have helped. The prisoner probably would have burned the place down, anyway.
The official tasting notes for this thing are Ridic (as the kids say). The international whisky world is full of palate wreckers with actual positive qualities at full strength. So there's nothing to recommend when this whisky is neat. But! At 40%abv it starts to hit its stride. I suppose a masochist could spend some time chopping this whisky's ABV down further and further to find its money spot. Anyway, Loch Lomond is not at fault here.
Availability - Secondary market, I guess
Pricing - ???
Rating - 71 (with lots of water only; at least 10 points lower when neat)
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