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Issue 213 Highland Park "Magnus"

I now look at the Highland Park “Magnus,” a No Age Statement

(NAS) whisky.  Named for Highland Park Distillery’s founder,

Magnus Eunson.  It has been matured in first fill and refill

American oak sherry casks.

This is an amazing whisky for the price, I was expecting

something that was a little immature, but no, it ticks all the boxes

if you are a Highland Park fan.  Well done to all concerned in

making this one.

I have to confess to being a little upset when they took away the

15-year-old, and was wary of them bringing out NAS whiskies,

but they have done a nice job with them.  My fears were

groundless.

Would I buy it, yes I would, in fact, it’s on my bar right now, I

went to look at my bar yet again for inspiration for this

newsletter and here we are.

 

You can buy Highland Park “Magnus” for around $35.00 a bottle. 

 

Tasting Notes

 

Nose  - Smoke & vanilla

 

Palate  - Smoky baked apple pie, with sultans

 

Finish  - Good finish with fruit and spices

 

 

 

Issue 212 - Glenfiddich "Fire & Cane"

I have now written about a whisky from every distillery in Scotland, so it’s time to get back to some of the bigger releases that slipped by while I was doing so.
I now look at the Glenfiddich “Fire and Cane,” the first word that comes to mind is “SURPRISE” or possibly “WOW.”
“SURPRISE,” because you wouldn’t normally expect something smoky from Glenfiddich, and “WOW, because it packs a nice smoke fruity punch to the taste-buds. If I had been blindfolded and handed this whisky, I would not have guessed at Glenfiddich when I tasted it, although the “Baked apples” note is very reminiscent of the Glenfiddich 18-year-old. With the Rum Finish on this whisky not as influential as on the Glenfiddich 21-year-old, and the smoke, is totally unexpected, but a very welcoming addition to the fruit.
Would I buy it, yes I would, in fact, it’s on my bar right now, I went to look at my bar for inspiration for this newsletter and here we are.

 

You can buy Glenfiddich “Fire and Cane” for around $45.00 a bottle.

 

Tasting Notes

 

Nose - Smoke, toffee & fruit

Palate - Smoky baked apples

Finish - Sweet smoky goodness

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Issue 211 - Glenlossie 17-year-old

I now look at the Glenlossie 17-year-old, Speyside single malt Whisky.
This particular whisky was independently bottled by “That Boutique-y Whisky Company,” yes, you read that name correctly.
Bottled at 48.4% ABV.
Glenlossie is a complex of 2 distilleries. Glenlossie and also the
Mannochmore distillery (recently reviewed in Issue 206). Neither distillery is prolific in producing single malts, with the production of Both, going (Mainly) into blended whiskies. They have two still houses and are used one after another, with both distilleries sharing the same warehouse.
Would I buy it, yes I would, not only is this a good deal for a 17-year-old Whisky, but it’s also a good one with flavors reminiscent of a Victoria sponge cake, sweet jammy, creamy goodness. You should factor in, that they only bottled 206 bottles. So yes, it’s rare and it can be found online.

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You can buy Glenlossie 17-year-old for around $72.00 a bottle.

 

Tasting Notes

Nose - Cream, jam & Lemon

Palate - Chocolate, coconut, malt with a hint of spice

Finish - Gingerbread with a hint of licorice

 

 

Issue 210 - Miltonduff 10-year-old

I now look at the Miltonduff 10-year-old, Speyside single malt
Whisky. A nice light-bodied whisky that is a mainstay in the
Ballantine's blend whisky, which is probably why most people
have not come across it. As that’s where the majority of the
distilleries production goes.
This particular whisky was independently bottled by
A.D. Rattray, and matured for 10 years in American Bourbon
barrels, being bottled as a cask strength whisky at 60.9% ABV.
Would I buy it, yes I would, although I wouldn’t shout from the
rooftops about how wonderful a whisky it is, it’s a good whisky,
not a great one.
And quite expensive for a 10-year-old, but only 218 of these
were bottled, making it a rare acquisition, and yes, you can
still get it, look online.

You can buy Miltonduff 10-year-old for around $55.00 a bottle.

 

Tasting Notes

Nose - Butter, citrus & shortbread

Palate - Honey, marmalade & toffee

Finish - Sweet lemon

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Issue 209 Linkwood 15-year-old

I now look at the "Linkwood" 15-year-old, single Malt whisky, which I tried at the Gleneagles hotel in Scotland.
Again this is a distillery (Speyside) that may not be known to most
people as they rarely release single malts, but thanks to some
independent bottling companies such as this Gordon & McPhail, you can get your hands on some of their whiskies.
I think my choice of whisky to drink was inspired! I was at one of the world’s great hotel’s and this whisky was an elegant accompaniment to the wonderful lunch we had.
Would I buy it, yes I would, it has some slightly unusual flavors going on, but it is a fine and complex whisky none-the-less. Your best bet to buy a bottle would probably be online, unless you are going to Scotland and you plan on visiting the Gordon & McPhail shop in Elgin, which I did last year, and I highly recommend you do.

You can buy Gordon & McPhail "Linkwood" for around $74.00 a bottle.

Tasting Notes

Nose - Port, oak & smoked meat?

Palate - Compote, licorice & toffee

Finish - Oak & spice
 

 

 

Issue 208 Glentauchers 2004

I now look at the Glentauchers 2004, single malt whisky, this is another Speyside whisky that many people will not have heard of. The distillery is located in Speyside near the town of Keith, on the road to Craigellachie.
Where do I find these whiskies? I researched all the distilleries in
Scotland currently producing whisky and made it my mission to taste a whisky from every one of them, well I succeeded and I now feel I have to let you know about all of them. I am almost finished, only a few more to go, having said that, there are currently 38 more new distilleries that are either open and producing whisky, but not yet bottling or are in the process of being built, so I expect to keep busy tasting and writing.
This whisky is independently bottled by Gordon & MacPhail, and was matured in refill American hogsheads for 14 years, and was bottled at 43% ABV.
Would I buy it, yes I would, it’s a good price for a 14-year-old and more importantly, it’s a nice drop of whisky.

You can buy Glentauchers 2004 for around $57.00 a bottle.
 

Tasting Notes

Nose - Chocolate & peach

Palate - Chocolate, citrus, peach & strawberry

Finish - Millionaires shortbread

 

 

Issue 207 Glen Spey 12-year-old

I now look at the Glen Spey 12-year-old, single malt whisky, another rare release from a distillery most people have never heard of.
During its history, the distillery has released only a handful of official bottlings. The distillery's product is currently primarily used for Justerini and Brooks (J&B) products.
I know this may come across as De-Javu after my last whisky
Newsletter, but the light color and the light delicate flavors would make me think if I was doing a blind tasting of this whisky, that it was from a lowland distillery, but it is, in fact, a Speyside whisky (see what I mean).
So, would I buy the Glen Spey 12-year-old?
I don’t think so, the price is a little high for the quality of taste that
you get, it’s not bad, just nothing to write home about.
If you do want one, your best bet would be to look online and get one there. Better by far to do what I do, make a list before you go to Scotland of whiskies you want to try, there are so many good bars there that you will probably find what you are looking for.
 

You can buy Mannochmore 12-year-old for around $55.00 a bottle.
 

Tasting Notes

Nose - Grass, vanilla, and violets

Palate - Butter, honey & oak

Finish - Fruit and pralines

 

 

Issue 206 Mannochmore 12-year-old

I now look at the Mannochmore 12-year-old, single malt whisky, a fairly rare release from a distillery most people have never heard of, due to most of the distillery’s production going into blends such as Haig and Johnny Walker.
The light color and the light delicate flavors would make me think, if I was doing a blind tasting of this whisky, that it was from the lowlands, but it is, in fact, a Speyside whisky.
So, would I buy the Mannochmore 12-year-old? Probably not, it’s a nice enough whisky and I’m tempted to have a bottle on the bar because of how few bottles the distillery releases, but ultimately it’s damn expensive for a 12-year-old scotch. If you are inclined to buy a bottle of Mannochmore, there are a few options available to you through independent bottling houses. Such as Douglas Laing with a 13-year-old and a 14-year-old, Gordon & MacPhail have released a Connoisseur’s Choice bottling, Cadenhead and Signatory also have bottlings out there.
 

You can buy Mannochmore 12-year-old for around $65.00 a bottle.
 

Tasting Notes

Nose - Grass, toffee, and violets

Palate - Spicy sweet buttercream

Finish - Sweet and buttery with a little heat

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Issue 205 Dailuaine 16-year-old

I now look at the Dailuaine 16-year-old, single malt whisky, which I tasted at the Ardshiel Hotel in Campbeltown, Scotland, when I spent a week there doing the Springbank distillery “whisky school.”

Both the distillery and the Ardshiel hotel are well worth a visit.

This whisky is matured in sherry casks and you know it!  When you bring it up to your nose, you get those sherried cooked fruit notes, think Christmas cake.

If you want a reference whisky, possibly an Aberlour or a Balvenie, but slightly lighter in flavor than the Balvenie.

The Dailuaine distillery is located in the Speyside region, near to

Benrinnes and Glenfarclas.  You can visit the Dailuaine distillery, but you should probably call in advance to set-up a tour. 

So, would I buy the Dailuaine  16-year-old?   Yes, I would.  Not as readily available as many scotch whiskies, but it is available, keep your eyes open and you may just find one.

 

You can buy Dailuaine 16-year-old for around $65.00 a bottle. 

 

Tasting Notes

 

Nose  - Fruitcake (Stewed fruit & nuts)

 

Palate  - Dates, sultanas & almonds

 

Finish  - Almonds & fruit

 

 

Issue 204 Benrinnes 15-year-old

I now look at Benrinnes 15-year-old, which unusually for a Speysider has been triple distilled. At this point, you are probably thinking it will be a light flavored whisky like Auchentoshan from the lowlands or possibly like an Irish whiskey, but no, this one delivers on flavor, that extra distillation hasn’t made for a lightly flavored whisky.
That’s not a put down on Auchentoshan, or Irish whiskies, I like both, but the extra distillation will normally take away about 24/25% of the whiskies flavor.
This whisky is matured mainly in European oak and bottled at 43% which is about standard for the American market and it does have added coloring (which does not harm the flavor).
This whisky is not readily found in the American market, but if you do find it, I would recommend you buy it.
So, would I buy the Benrinnes 15-year-old? Yes, it’s worth a shot!
 

You can buy Benrinnes 15-year-old for around $70.00 a bottle.
 

Tasting Notes
 

Nose - Cereal, floral & toffee
 

Palate - Cereal, sweet malt & a hint of peat
 

Finish - Long & dry with a hint of citrus

 

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Issue 203 Auchroisk 10-year-old

I now look at Auchroisk (OH-thrusk) 10-year-old, from the distillery of the same name, built-in 1974 by Justerini & Brooks (J&B) to provide whisky for their J&B blend and currently owned by Diagio.
Matured in Bourbon casks and finished in sherry casks, up to 2001 it was sold under the Singleton of Auchroisk name, as the company deemed the name Auchroisk (I don’t see how adding ‘Singleton of’ to the name helps?) to difficult to read and pronounce. So, this Speyside whisky is not easy to read or pronounce and also not that easy to find, unless you look
for it under an independent bottler label, such as Douglas Laing, James Eadie, or Kingsbury, etc. Did I like it, yes it’s a pleasant, lightly flavored whisky, not overly complex at this age, I would be interested to taste some of their older whiskies as they release them.
So, would I buy the Auchroisk 10-year-old? Probably not, I find it to be a bit expensive for a 10-year-old, hell you can get a Glenfiddich 12, for Around $30.00 and it has more complexity and depth of flavor.

You can buy Auchroisk 10-year-old for around $50.00 a bottle.
 

Tasting Notes

Nose - Floral, grassy & vanilla
 

Palate - Cereal & sweet malt
 

Finish - Malt & vanilla

 

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Issue 202 - Jameson "Black Barrel"

s this will be my St. Patrick’s day whiskey review, I have chosen Jameson “Black Barrel” Irish Whiskey to review.  I first tasted this last year in Reno, Nevada when I was presenting whiskies at the Grand Sierra Resort.

In my opinion, this is the best Jameson yet (or at least that I have so far tasted).  I like this one a lot.

The whiskey is aged in double charred first-fill bourbon casks, and this is where the name “black barrel” comes from. 

This is a No Age Statement (NAS) whiskey, but unlike many NAS whiskies, it does not come across as young, the creamy/oily texture feeling in your mouth hints at an older whiskey.

Jameson has done a nice job with this whiskey, and I believe that like me, many of you will find space on your bar for this one, and not just for St. Patrick’s Day.

So, would I buy Jameson “Black Barrel?”?  Absolutely, I just did.

 

You can buy Jameson “Black Barrel” for around $45.00 a bottle. 

 

Tasting Notes

 

Nose  - Coconut & tropical fruits

 

Palate  - Coconut, cinnamon, dates & peach

 

Finish  - Long finish with cinnamon & fruit

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Issue 201 - Longmorn 16-year-old

I now a look at the Longmorn 16-year-old which I tasted at the bar, on a Virgin Atlantic upper-class flight from London to San

Francisco. Unusually on a flight, when I asked if they had any

single malt?  I wasn’t given a miniature bottle, the barman put a

glass (a real glass) in front of me and picked up a bottle of the

Longmorn 16-year-old and poured a good measure for me, so I had a few more (it was a long flight).  That way I could be sure to assess what I really thought of it.

On first smell, I thought it came across as a lowland whisky, with light almost green fresh citrus and herbs, but on tasting it, yes, I still got the herbs and citrus but it had more fruit than I would have expected from most lowland whiskies, definitely a Speyside whisky.

Longmorn distillery was founded in 1893, in Longmorn, Moray.

So, would I buy this Speysider?  Absolutely!

 

You can buy Longmorn 16-year-old for around $85.00 a bottle. 

 

Tasting Notes

 

Nose  - Apple, citrus & fresh herbs

 

Palate  - Apple, Christmas cake fruits & a hint of spice

 

Finish  - Long with delicate fruits

 

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Issue 200 - GlenDronach 26-year-old

I now look at the GlenDronach 26-year-old which I tasted in the bar, at the McLeod Lodge north of Aberdeen, Scotland.
This one may be hard to come by, as it is a release of only 584 bottles.
This whisky has been matured for 26 years in a single Pedro Ximénez Sherry cask. Then distilled in 1990 and bottled 26 years later in 2016 as part of their single cask bottlings series, being very well accepted by those that can afford it and by people like me, fortunate enough to get a glass of it.
Think older Macallan, Balvenie, Glenfarclas whiskies sending your
taste-buds into overload with a lot of fruit, this really is a superb whisky!
If you ever get the chance to taste it, I highly recommend that you splurge and at the very least buy a dram, you won’t regret it.
Where might you get a taste? Try “Delmonico’s” in the Venetian or the “Whisky Attic,” both in Las Vegas.
So, would I buy it? If I could ever afford it, that would have to be a definite yes!

You can buy Glendronach 26-year-old for around $290.00 a bottle.
 

Tasting Notes
Nose - Christmas fruitcake

Palate - Sherried dates, raisins, sultanas & a hint of citrus

Finish - Lots of fruit & a hint of chocolate

 

 

 

Issue 199 - Scapa "Skiren"

I now look at the Scapa “Skiren,” which I tasted at the bar, in the Ardshiel Hotel in Campbeltown on the Kintyre peninsula, Scotland.
The name “Skiren” comes from the Old Norse word for "glittering
bright skies." The Scapa Skiren is aged in new oak barrels and is a No Age Statement (NAS) whisky, bottled at 40%.
The Scapa distillery is generally overlooked because half a mile away is the Highland Park distillery, that and the fact that it was effectively mothballed from 1994 to 2004 when the distillery was refurbished and started to produce whisky again. There were small distillations between 2004 and 2007, more to keep the equipment in good order than to produce a lot of whisky.
If you can’t find a distillery bottle, then have a look for an independent bottling by either Douglas Laing or Gordon & MacPhail.
So, would I buy it?  At this price, yes I would.

You can buy Scapa “Skiren” for around $45.00 a bottle.
 

Tasting Notes
Nose - Apple, honey & licorice

Palate - Honey, lemon & pear

Finish - Oaky sweetness

 

 

 

Issue 198 - Abhainn Dearg, single malt

I now a look at the Abhainn Dearg single malt (Aveen Jarræk,
Red River in English) 10-year-old Single Malt which I tasted in
Scotland a couple of months ago.
This one is a little unusual in a number of ways, not least the
hint of mint, which I have only ever tasted in one other Whisky,
a very rare Glenfiddich, and to my surprise, no peat or smoke.
The distillery started in the 1850s and only ran for two years,
then was restarted in 2008. The distillery is also the most
remote Scottish distillery, on the isle of Lewis (see map page
two). So, would I buy it? Yes, I would, but at the moment you
can only get it in the UK, which includes the internet, they will
only mail it to UK addresses. The distillery is small with a
small output, hopefully, that will change as they become better
known.

You can buy Abhainn Dearg Single Malt for around $65.00 a
bottle.

Tasting Notes
Nose - Mint, vanilla & citrus

Palate - Mint, ginger & oak

Finish - Mint, herbal & oak

 

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Issue 197 - Top 10 of 2018

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To see the full top 10, click the title above.

 

(2)  Lagavulin 16-year-old

 

From the Island of Islay (Isla) off the west coast of Scotland.  Another

constant on my bar and a favorite of many decades, if you like smoky whisky it doesn’t get any better than this.

 

Featured in issue 3, December 2010.

 

Approximate Cost per bottle  - $80.00

 

Tasting Notes; 

Nose - Smoke, chocolate

 

Palate - Sweet, smoky & peaty

 

Finish - Long, elegant peat-filled finish with a hint of brine

 

 

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(1)  Glenfiddich 26-year-old "Excellence"

 

If I had to try and compare the flavor to another whisky that you may

have tried, I would say that it has some similarities to the Highland Park “Ice” edition, which was also stellar.  In fact, it was my number one on last year’s list.

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So, would I buy it?  That would have to be a definite yes!

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Featured in issue 196, December 2018.

 

Approximate Cost per bottle  - $450.00

 

Tasting Notes 

Nose  - Floral & fruity

 

Palate  - Pineapple, toffee & Vanilla

 

Finish  - Pineapple crumble

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