Bowmore 10 year old 2003 Whisky-Fässle

I used up all my rant juice in the previous post, so there shouldn't be even the thinnest of curmudgeon crust on this post.

But there are plenty of short paragraphs left over.

Whisky-Fässle (umlaut!) is another one of those fun independent bottlers that Continental Europe seems loaded with. I'm jealous of you people! W-F opened for business in Germany in 2006. I don't have any bottles of their stuff, but a certain Balcones Brimstone Blogger does, and he sent me a sample of this Bowmore. Its ABV is on the low side for its age, which is curious, but also a good thing because whiskies in the 46-52%abv range are currently hitting my palate just right. Also there's a duck on the label.

Distillery: Bowmore

Independent Bottler: Whisky-Fässle
Series: Ducks? Ducks.

Age: 10 years old (2003-2013)

Maturation: bourbon hogshead

Alcohol by Volume: 50.2%
Chillfiltered? No
Colored? No

(thanks, MAO!)

NEAT
It's a bit of a comfy softy on the nose. Mint, cinnamon, cardamom, pears and peat. After 20+ minutes in the glass, the whisky gains some peach and rose notes. Some simple cuddly peat in the palate. A little bit of pepper and sugar. No oak. Like the nose, it picks up steam with time, gaining citrus zest and zippy fresh ginger. The warm, long finish holds tart citrus and apples with hints of cayenne pepper and peat.

DILUTED TO ~43%abv, or 1 tsp of water per 30mL whisky
Peach candy, lemon juice, roses and confectioner's sugar on the nose. The sweet and mild palate goes easy on the pepper and peat. Some flower blossoms, citrus and ginger linger about. The finish is sweet and peppery with a dose of tangy citrus.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
Many indie Bowmores read MUCH peatier than their officially bottled cousins, but this week's two Bowmores go easy on the phenolics. This one in particular is on the simple side (MAO did mention this bottle had lost some oomph), but it's dangerously drinkable. A solid autumn malt. The W-F whisky ducks are now two for two.

Availability - Sold out

Pricing - €80-€90
Rating - 85

Bowmore 13 year old 2002 Signatory UCF (casks 2166 + 2170)

I give thanks for independently bottled Bowmore, but apparently not as many thanks as other people are. During a recent European auction some 15 year old indie bourbon cask Bowmores closed at over $200.

Indie Bowmores are very good. I've bought a few. I've reviewed nearly 30 different casks. Of all distilleries, Bowmore demonstrates the largest difference in quality between its independently and officially bottled products.

But who the hell is paying $200-$250 for a 15 year old Bowmore? And why? Is this the free market in action? Or are there several dozen individuals goosing the whole thing? And why would anyone  bother opening up a bottle of whisky at this point?

Though my reaction, once again, illustrates how far removed I am from the modern whisky consumer, this Bowmore situation is a new strange strain of bananas.

How about an indie Bowmore?

Distillery: Bowmore

Independent Bottler: Signatory

Age: 13 years (2 Oct 2002 - 14 Jan 2016)

Maturation: refill sherry hogsheads
Cask numbers: 2166 + 2170

Alcohol by Volume: 46%
Chillfiltered? No
Colored? No
(from a purchased sample)

NEAT
Stone fruits and cocoa start off the nose, followed by salt water and a mild minty smoke. There's also guava, lime and a hint of the farm. The palate is bolder. It's salty and fruity (especially lemons and limes) with a good bit of peat. The cask only shows up with a toasted oak note. The whisky gets sweeter and farmier with time. It has a solid long finish with coal smoke, salt, pepper and citrus. It grows sweeter here, too.

DILUTED TO ~40%abv, or < 1tsp of water per 30mL whisky
Mild peat, flower blossoms, peaches and a whiff of diesel in the nose. The palate feels bigger than 40%abv. Tingly citrus and ginger powder. Toasted oak spice, salt, quiet peat and a little bit of sweetness. The finish still has a good length to it. It's sweet, tingly, floral and peppery.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
The refill casks here were gentle, but not dead, imparting soft spice notes but no fortified wine, letting Bowmore be Bowmore. A good thing. The peat, fruit, flowers, salt and sugar never jump out of line. It's equally good diluted or neat. While it spins no epics, its grammar is flawless. So you should probably drink your bottle. Maybe?

Availability - Sold out?

Pricing - around €80 at some point
Rating - 87

Lagavulin 12 year old Cask Strength (2018 release)

It's time for some actual Islay whisky royalty: the Lagavulin 12 year old CS. As I mentioned when I reviewed the 2017 release, less than four months ago, this the only member of the annual Diageo Press Release in Whisky Form (also known as The Special Releases) that I look forward to. It's also the only whisky from that group that doesn't change. It's always the same age and same cask type. The ABV moves within a 4 point range, but other than that there's little technical difference. What's even more important is that the quality remains high, year after year. Time to see (taste) if that continues in this year's edition.

Distillery: Lagavulin

Owner: Diageo
Region: Islay
Maturation: refill American oak casks

Age: minimum 12 years
Release date: 2017
Outturn: ??,???
Alcohol by Volume: 57.8%

Chill-filtration? Probably not
Caramel coloring? Probably not
(from a purchased sample)

NEAT
The nose:

• Part 1: Lemons, tar, ocean and sugar peat.
• Part 2: Toffee chips, floral white peaches and green veg notes.
• Part 3: Organic, earthy peat.

Underneath swirls of dark smoke drift bright tart lemons on the palate. Salt, dried thyme, mint leaf and cocoa sit in the midground. It's massively mineral. Everything is in balance in the long finish: dense smoke, mint leaf, limes and mild sweetness.

DILUTED TO ~48%abv, or 1¼ tsp of water per 30mL whisky

In the nose, earthy peat and dried herbs are on top, while grapefruit, guava and limes lie beneath. Sometimes the palate feels even heavier, peatier, more herbal than the neat version. There's also a rich fruity sweetness and tart citrus. It finishes with smoke residue, citrus, salty and savoury notes.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
"Those fuckers."

That's what I say every time I try another batch of Lagavulin 12yo CS. This is the best, most consistent cask strength whisky Diageo has. It's irritatingly remarkable.

This release feels a little younger than usual when neat, but dilution solves any (minor) issue. Excellent stuff. Again. May they never change whatever it is they're doing, and also not raise the price any further.

Availability - Most specialty spirits retailers worldwide

Pricing - $110-$160 (US) 
Rating - 90

Octomore Edition 09.1

ALL HAIL LORD OCTOMORE!

Burp.

King Kong ain't got nothin' on me ... Right? 

--Lord Octomore

Editions 07.1 and 08.1 smelled great, but trended towards mono-dimensional violence in the palate. This was a surprise because I've enjoyed previous editions, and a disappointment because I've been considering treating myself to a bottle. I say this partially because 03.1, 05.1 and the first 10yo were very very good, and partially because Lord Octomore is looking over my shoulder... I am now being told that I will buy a bottle no matter what... Okay that's very reasonable, considering how cheap this is for 5 year old whisky. No, Your Eight-Flippered Glory, that was not sarcasm.

I should start the review now.

Distillery: Bruichladdich
Brand: Octomore

Ownership: Remy Cointreau

Region: Peatsburg

Maturation: American oak casks

Age: minimum 5 years (bottled 2018)

Alcohol by Volume: 59.1%
PPM: 156

NEAT

Forest fire 😪, peanuts, soil and chalk dust in the nose. Lots of ethyl. Mint and cocoa in the middle of a peat bog. The palate is *whew* big and hawt. Very green. Dried grasses, tomatillo sauce. Er, peat. Bitter chocolate and burnt things. Heat and smoke in the finish. A little bit earthy and sweet.

DILUTED TO ~50%abv, or >1tsp of water per 30mL whisky

Not much going on in the nose. Peat, cinnamon, mint and horseradish. In the palate, there's a pinch of sugar and a bag of peppercorns. Dried herbs and dirt. Some tar, lots of tang. Smoke, earth and bitterness in the finish.

WORDS WOR.....

ALAS! Lord Octomore has been sacked, deposed, (allegedly) haggissed by those nice people who wave from their steering wheels when you cross paths on A846. Peatsburg is Islay again.

It's a good thing too, since 09.1 was not great.

Edition 09.1 has completed the descent in quality of each of these Octomores this week, and leads me to think the whole wine cask thing they're doing with other batches is a good idea. This edition has dropped below even *gasp!* Supernova levels. It's just hot, smoky and kinda limp. The nose is bereft of layers and fruit. The palate can't push beyond heat and peat. It has cured me of any interest in trying future editions.

Availability - Europe and USA
Pricing - Europe: $110-$160 (ex-VAT), USA $170-$180
Rating - 78

Octomore Edition 08.1

ALL HAIL LORD OCTOMORE! Again. This sentence is required by law.

Look upon me and you will see greatness. And also virility. Don't forget to write the virility part. --Lord Octomore

Edition 07.1 fell short of His Mercifulness's grandiloquent standards, though my saying so has likely put me at risk for a Royal Ass Whupping. All of the Octomore 08 editions were part of His Highnessness's Masterclass in mastery. 08.1 has an 8 year old age statement rather than the usual 5. Lord Octomore is generous.
Distillery: Bruichladdich
Brand: Octomore

Ownership: Remy Cointreau

Region: Peatsburg

Maturation: First fill American oak casks

Age: minimum 8 years (2008-2017)
Outturn: 42,000 bottles

Alcohol by Volume: 59.3%
PPM: 167

NEAT
The nose is more aggressive than 07.1's even though this whisky is older and has a lower peat level. Once the heat subsides there's some good stuff underneath. Smoked almonds, hot asphalt, corn syrup, caramel sauce and molasses. After a while, notes of lime, vanilla and ocean appear. Hmm, the palate is gentler than 07.1's. There's some sweetness and tart citrus. Consistent, persistent wood smoke. It's salty, savory and nutty. Red Hots candies. The salt and smoke get heavier with time. It finishes salty and savory as well. Moderate smoke and pepper levels. A little bit of brown sugar.

DILUTED TO ~50%abv, or >1tsp of water per 30mL whisky
The burn lifts out of the nose, revealing smoked fish, dried oregano, lemon and hay. There are also some distant notes of plums and guava. The palate has mild brown sugar sweetness and an aggressive chili oil burst. Underneath that are oranges, cinnamon and tame peat smoke. The finish, curiously longer than when neat, is all smoke, pepper, sugar and cinnamon.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
I tried 07.1 and 08.1 side by side, resulting in more of a beating than a peating. My tastebuds were scorched until the next morning.

08.1 has the same issue as 07.1, the nose provides a full, detailed experience. The palate doesn't. With water, the nose gets even better. The palate doesn't. The palate doesn't do anything most other young peated Islay malts don't also do. And the finish, though lengthy, is a half step above bland.

The gap between the nose and palate is problematic and I'm hoping Lord Octomore will let me try one more edition this week. Though will that get me in even deeper trouble with His Many Limbed Graciousness?

Availability - Europe and USA
Pricing - Europe: $100-$160 (ex-VAT), USA $160-$200
Rating - 83

Octomore Edition 07.1

ALL HAIL LORD OCTOMORE!

Though his competitors were more popular and successful, Dennis Octomore seized power through brute force, then dissolved all local governments and burned down the courts, naming himself Lord Octomore, el jefe de Peatsburg. He then had his competitors murdered, so now he is the most popular and successful and handsome in all the land.

Everyone who is not me is just terrible.

--Lord Octomore 

Thanks to the kindness of Lord Octomore, I am allowed to review Octomore 7.1. Peated at the ungodly brilliant measurement of 208 phenolic parts per million, it has the usual 5 year old Octomore age statement.

Distillery: Bruichladdich
Brand: Octomore

Ownership: Remy Cointreau

Region: Peatsburg

Maturation: American oak casks

Age: minimum 5 years (bottled 2015)

Alcohol by Volume: 59.5%
PPM: 208

NEAT
It has a well-layered nose. On one level there are dried grasses, leaves and roots. Then there's sugar, cinnamon and apples. Then there's cured meat and a hint of horse manure. It's also tangy (if one can smell "tangy") like fermented veg. The palate comes in hotter and plainer than the nose. Dried leaves and hay. Loads of peppercorns. Salt, peat smoke and hints of lemon and anise. It finishes earthy and grassy, with plenty of smoke and pepper.

DILUTED TO ~50%abv, or >1tsp of water per 30mL whisky
The nose is full of sugar and limes, as well as eucalyptus and mint extract. There are also notes of jalapeño oil and burlap. The palate is all char, ash, burnt things. It's tangier and sweeter than when neat. Also some Tabasco sauce and smoked meat. The finish is hotter, somehow. Mint and char and Tabasco.

WORDS WORDS WORDS
The combination of high ABV and stunt-level peating in a barely legal whisky is something I'd usually stay away from, but Octomore has always worked for me. Except...

Lord O is going to have my neck for this but the palate on 7.1 is both monolithic and moderate, if that makes any sense. It's huge but very simple. It's "Whew!" but "Okay". On the other hand, the nose is great, complex and pleasurable. Young but not raw. It also sets one up for a tremendous experience that the palate doesn't deliver. Yet I'm probably going to give this too high a rating because of the grand sniffer.

If His Lordship allows, another Octomore review will arrive on Wednesday.

Availability - Europe and USA
Pricing - Europe: $100-$150 (ex-VAT), USA $150-$200
Rating - 85

Glen Garioch 15 year old The Renaissance versus Glen Garioch 15 old label

This wasn't intended to be a Taste Off. I was going to taste the official 12yo and the 15yo Renaissance in the same sitting, which I did, but then I added the old 15 as an aperitif.

When single malt insanity began in my home (and worldwide), eleven years ago, the olde Glen Garioch 15 was one of my preferred drinks. It then disappeared within a couple of years as the brand was reworked. When I picked up a sample of the whisky four years ago, I was looking forward to reviewing the once reliable whisky, but then The Whisky Jug reviewed a sample from the same bottle and gave it a 57.

That gave me pause.

Years of pause.

When I added it to this weekend's tasting, it was as a lark. I wanted to rid myself of the sample. But the whisky wasn't terrible. So...

Glen Garioch 15 old label versus Glen Garioch 15 year old The Renaissance

Distillery: Glen Garioch
Ownership: Beam Suntory
Region: Eastern Highlands
Age: minimum 15 years old
Maturation: probably just bourbon casks
Alcohol by Volume: 43%
Bottled: 2007 or earlier
(from a purchased sample)

VERSUS

Distillery: Glen Garioch
Ownership: Beam Suntory
Region: Eastern Highlands
Age: minimum 15 years old
Maturation: bourbon and sherry casks
Alcohol by Volume: 51.9%
Bottled: 2014
Outturn: 12,000 bottles
(from a purchased sample)

Glen Garioch 15 old label (neat only)
Nose -  Apples, dark chocolate and burnt barley start matters off. Then there be lemons, grass, cucumber skins and fresh shredded red cabbage.
Palate - Warm and sweet. Vanilla, barley and confectioner's sugar. Hints of herbal bitterness. Little smoke, if any. It does pick up some sourness and cardboard with time. A brief whiff of perfume.
Finish - Mostly sweet and tart citrus. It gets sourer here as well, but not off-putting.

Glen Garioch 15 year old The Renaissance (neat)
Nose - Flowers, orange marmalade and pineapple. Peach macarons? Hints of butter and lawn.
Palate - It has two gears! First gear: Warm, not hot. Lots of toasted oak spice. Fresh stone fruits, as opposed to the dried ones. Second gear: Tart limes, ginger candy and a little bit of salt.
Finish - Slightly more toasted oak and tannins here, then tart fruit and chocolate malt.

Glen Garioch 15 year old The Renaissance (diluted to 48%abv)
Nose - The same pretty flowers and fruit, but at a lower pitch. Chocolate, dried oregano and barley.
Palate - Bitter chocolate with a dash of cayenne. Salt water and bigger tannins. Somehow younger, hotter and more aggressive.
Finish - Warm, but simple and tannic. A sprinkle of confectioner's sugar.

CONCLUSIONS

The old Glen Garioch 15yo is neither gross nor the solid reliable thing I used to enjoy. BUT. And there's always a but. I have no idea when this thing was bottled. AND. I have my own full bottle waiting in the cabinet, so I will return to this whisky. In the meantime, this bottling certainly showed signs of being a sturdy middle-of-the-road malt. Plenty of barley, low oak levels, some fruits. The key is to drink it within 15 minutes because the metaphorical roof starts to metaphorically slouch at that point.

The first chapter of modern Glen Garioch's The Renaissance shows well when neat. Good nose, good palate. Much brighter than the old 15. It also has significantly more cask influence than the current 12 year old. In fact, the staves come out swinging once water is added to the broth. (The hell is that sentence?) It's not winey, nor bourbony, mind you. It's just that the drinker feels the weight of the tannins pushing in. So keep it neat.

Still, I know which one I like best:

see that one's review here

Glen Garioch 15 old label
Rating - 79 (but don't tarry!)

Glen Garioch 15 year old The Renaissance
Rating - 85 (keep it neat)