Planet-Whisky.com

Tocasaid: Dùn Eideann recognising it's Gaelic past and present

noreply@blogger.com (An Donas) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:09:00 +0000

This week saw Edinburgh's much maligned cooncil publish it's Gaelic Language Plan. This has been a rude awakening to those in Dùn Eideann who claim that the city has absolutely no Gaelic history or present. These people include perennial bigots like the Tory Hibee and all round jakie John Gibson who has been peddling his drivel in the much declining local Evening News for longer than i can remember. Add to this Michael Blackley's biased piece of 'news' on this issue and city Tory fuehrer Iain Whyte (note the Gaelic name) who claims that Gaelic is as foreign as French or German!

I wonder if Iain Shyte could point to many French/German placenames in Edinburgh? Or detail French/German church services going back centuries? Or famous poets of these tongues buried here? Of local school kids or rock bands using these languages? No, of course he can't and that's why Iain Whyte is just another ignoramus and bigot.

Perhaps he should read his own council's Language Plan which states:

Many place names derive from Gaelic, such as Balerno (Baile Àirneach, sloe settlement), Craigentinny (Creag an t-Sionnaich, fox rock), and Dalry (Dail Fhraoich, heather slope). Edinburgh, through much of its history the nation’s capital and leading centre of commerce, learning and the arts, has continually drawn people of all languages and cultures, including Scotland’s Gaels. Among the best known of those who spent significant parts of their lives in the capital over the centuries are poets, writers and musicians: from Donnchadh Bàn Mac-an-t-Saoir (Duncan Ban Macintyre, 1724-1812), who lived and wrote here in the later 18th century and whose grave lies in Greyfriar’s churchyard; Niall MacLeòid (Neil MacLeod, 1843-1924), perhaps the most popular Gaelic poet of the 19th century, Alasdair MacIlleMhìcheil (Alexander Carmichael, 1832-1912), editor of the folklore collection Carmina Gadelica, the 20th century poets Somhairle MacGill-Eain (Sorley MacLean, 1911-96) and Deòrsa mac Iain Deòrsa (George Campbell Hay, 1915-84), to Donnie Munro of Runrig.

The full plan is available to read by clicking here.

The plan could be stronger - for example, there is no stand alone Gaelic primary school yet in the pipeline. Glasgow is already looking to open its 2nd such school and Inverness is now planning to extend it's own bunsgoil due to demand. However, it will be a pleasure to see 'Fàilte do Dhùn Eideann' signs on our city boundaries and local signs in Tollcross.

Gaelic of course plays a major part in Edinburgh's history - we can see this in the local placenames left by past Gaelic-speaking communities as well as in the stories of past kings such as Malcolm Canmore. However, Gaelic is still a living part of Edinburgh. It may be a small part but do we really want to go down the road of denying 'minorities' rights and services?

One example of this is the forthcoming Roc na Gàidhlig 2009 which will showcase some contemporary Gaelic music and culture and not just auld folk songs. Funnily enough it features two Edinburgh bands who sing in Gaelic. Maybe the likes of John Gibson, Iain White (or Johann Blanc to give him his preferred Franco-Germanic moniker) and Michael Blackely could make it along, if not to throw horns at the Gaelic thrash of Atomgevitter, then to engage in some robust discussion with young Gaels. See you at the Forest folks.

whiskynotes.be: BenRiach 1977 (Virgin Oak cask 3978)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:00:31 +0000

Virgin Oak or New Oak is not a common choice for Scotch whisky and certainly not for a full maturation of 31 years! Could this BenRiach 1977 / 2009 Virgin American Oak be the oldest whisky that has been fully matured in a new cask?

Quercus Alba (American white oak) is normally used for maturing bourbon. It’s close-grained timber, very resistent to leakage or evaporation and low in tannins. There is a general agreement that new oak rarely produces whisky of an acceptable quality, but recently there has been quite a lot of wood research and results are getting very interesting.

BenRiach 31 yo 1977 (43,2%, OB 2009, Virgin oak cask #3798, 292 btl.)

Nose: lots of orange peel and fresh orange juice. Whiffs of green banana and vanilla. Also a little nutmeg and freshly sawn wood. After a while there are a few notes of pineapple. Orange infused tea and a little moist cardboard. Not very complex but very drinkable. I was afraid it would be too oaky but it isn’t. Mouth: rich and contemporary I would say. Starting sweet with the oranges that go on and on. Hints of sweet almonds. Growing bigger with some garden herbs and more nutmeg. Spicy vanilla cream. Finish: even more spicy now, with plain oak coming through. Nice development. Chewed pencils in the aftertaste.

If you don’t mind obvious oak in your whisky and you like the recent Glenmorangie oak experiments (Artisan / Astar / Signet), then this should get your attention. Very good although I expected a bit more complexity after so many years of ageing. Around € 165.

Score: 87/100

This concludes my review of this year’s BenRiach single casks. Overall very high quality with a couple of truly exceptional releases.

Edinburgh whisky blog: Whisky Picnic Rocks!

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:49:54 +0000

Expect a write-up very soon. For now a couple of teaser photos and a link to more on our Flickr stream.

The Scotch Blog: Brandy Library Special Whisky Tasting

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:40:40 +0000

Ethan Kelley from the Brandy Library let me know about a special event coming up next Wednesday November 18th. I thought you should know about this little event we have brewing out here, it might be of interest to you. As you know, the practice of pairing whiskies and food keeps gaining speed. With that in [...]

Nonjatta: The unbearable lightness of being a whisky highball

noreply@blogger.com (buyo) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:32:06 +0000

Highball billboards in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

There is a really good article in Metropolis Magazine by Nicholas Coldicott telling the story of "how Japan's least fashionable drink came back from the grave": the whisky highball.

As Nicholas says, the highball was extremely popular during the golden age of whisky drinking in Japan, between the 1960s and 80s. I've quoted this before but Eiji Eigawa at the Jūsō Torys Bar described the salaryman's drinking culture of that period: "The boss used come in and order a highball. Then, everybody with him would order a highball, right down to the newest guy in the office. It's not like that now. The youngest guy will order a single malt".

One of the reasons why whisky sales have being falling for the last decade is possibly because a highball (and the similar mizuwari, see below) does not have anything like the same function as a single malt. It is a clumsy way to put it but what I mean by "function" is the role a drink has in an evening: whether it is a easy starter drink, a post prandial sip, a chaser etc..

A highball is probably best compared to a Japanese lager: it is a light, refreshing drink that clears the mouth. In Japan, whole groups of drinkers will often order a "toriaezu beer" when they enter a bar. This loosely translates as an "in the mean time beer". Basically, it is an easy, refreshing, and inoffensive drink that can be ordered quickly on first arrival at a bar before everyone takes a look at the menu. Everybody toasts with the "toriaezu beer" and then orders their own stuff (which, of course, will often continue along the light pilsener line). What has happened over the last decade or so is that whisky's slice of the "toriaezu" market has shrunk drastically, displaced by lagers and very cheap "happoshu" quasi-lagers and it has retreated into a role as a late night sip, to be mulled over and appreciated. That is great for whisky aficionados, because the whisky has to be superb quality, but it is not so good for the whisky makers' profits.

Well, Suntory, Japan's biggest whisky firm, have been banging away for more than a year now with a major advertising campaign aimed at winding back the years:

The actress is Koyuki and is very well known in Japan.

An interesting sidenote on the Suntory campaign: one of the reasons they decided to go for the highball for their nostalgia blast, rather than that other great staple of golden age Japanese whisky, the mizuwari, was because they felt they could control the quality of the water that went into the highball. Hiroyoshi Miyamoto, general manager of Suntory's Yamazaki distillery, told me: "Water is getting worse over the years in Japan. We always try to educate people to use mineral water but if you are diluting with bad tasting water it is spoiling the flavours regardless of how good the whisky is." The highball campaign, on the other hand, comes with soda water produced by Suntory itself. The campaign is having some success. Sales of Kakubin, the classic whisky featured in the campaign, jumped 13 per cent last year compared to 2007.

Of course, Suntory does not have a monopoly on the highball.　The famous "Samboa" family of bars in Kansai has made a speciality of them. Tatsumi Nakagawa, at the Gion Samboa in Kyoto, makes two types: one with ice similar to Koyuki's recipe in the ad above and a classic recipe without ice. The whisky is refrigerated (this may have been the inspiration for the cold whisky in the ad) to remove the need for ice and therefore the certainty of dilution as the drink warms. Wilkinson Tansan (1,2), a brand set up by the Briton J. Clifford-Wilkinson in 1889 and now owned by Suntory's competitor Asahi, is the preferred soda.

The classic recipe:

Cold glass. First, a double whisky, then the Wilkinson's tansan, then a twist of lemon. It is as simple as that. You can get highballs in the Samboa tradition at Rockfish in Tokyo (see the Metropolis article for details) and in any of the 11 Samboa bars in Kansai (no central website but Gion Samboa is at 570 Gion-Minamigawa, Yuraku-cho, Higashiyama-Ku, Kyoto; 075-541-7509.)

Tatsumi Nakagawa at Gion Samboa

Or you could just save all the fuss and buy the Suntory Kaku-Highball ready made!!??

He liked it and thinks it is going to stomp all over the beer market!! Hmmm.

caskstrength: The Show MUST Go On!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (aandarse) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:38:27 +0000

Sometimes ideas are probably best left on paper. The Millenium Dome is arguably now one of London's most successful music venues, but of course, was a huge white elephant in its former life. Same goes for the Band Aid 20 (despite its obvious charity appeal) and when I heard that there was to be another whisky event in London, I had a few doubts.

A tiny thought crossed my mind earlier this year in that is there really a sustainable audience for 2 (including Whisky Live) major whisky events - especially in the run up to Christmas, when we're already being battered by constant tabloid negativity that the recession is still climbing up our trouser legs.

Well balls to the negativity and balls to the continued ill-feeling that consumes Londoner's on a daily basis. This might sound a little rose tinted, but here at Caskstrength, we're highly positive chaps. Day one of The Whisky Show, showed just what happens when a group of like-minded folks come together to sample probably the best whisky of their lives.

I arrived at 12pm, not fully realising the extent of what we were about to taste in such glorious Olde London surroundings. Any misgivings about numbers were quickly eclipsed and a solid and buzzing turnout ensued for the afternoon session. First port of call was to the irrepressible and exceptionally well tailored Marcin Miller from the No. One Drinks Company (sir, an inspiration to us all!!) to sample some of his finest new Japanese releases- and wowzers... what a way to christen a fresh palate!
3 huge sherried beasts from the Karuizawa distillery, including a superb 1985, a 1976 (bottled under the Noh Theatre label (seek this out and thou shalt not be disappointed) and the Shogun himself... a phenomenal 1967 bottling:

Karuizawa 1967 - Cask 6426 - 58.4 %

Nose: Wow, big waft of fresh strawberries, straw, then clouds of vanilla pipe tobacco, followed by a huge hit of that classic Karuizawa dry sherry and the fresh mossy forest floor, that we've come to expect from old casks from this distillery.

Palate: An immediate sweetness, into a rich meaty and peppery gravy-like flavour, with a little dryness when the sherry returns. It still manages a few palate-tingling twists and turns after all this time in the cask, as some lemon sherbet is unleashed and a real fizziness cleans up the mouth. Sensational and hugely surprising.

Finish: As you'd expect from an elderly gent like this, the finish is very long, leading to woody notes but nothing out of the ordinary, it just has bags of flavour and subtle oak undertones.

Overall: We loved the Karuizawa 1971 like a son when we first sampled it- this goes another few yards in the excellence stakes. Grab while you still can, as judging by the stampede for its younger brother, it won't hang around for long.

Next up some very special Highland Park's:

The Orcadian vintages have been on our hit list for a little while, but we never thought there would be a chance to try 2 of the oldest in one sitting!!! Sadly, the memory stick I was given didn't seem to work so there are no images at present, but the bottles are superb looking, black glass, with an embossed silver Highland Park emblem.

Gerry Tosh gave us an excellent guide into the casks used in these vintage bottlings and more specifically, the TYPE of peat which Orkney has become famous for. I had no idea that over the 1000's of years it takes to create peat, that there have been virtually no trees on Orkney, due to the high winds and salty blasts across the barren landscape. This means that there is predominantly decaying heather in the peat used to dry Highland Park barley, leading to that sweet, floral smokiness, rather than the highly woody type which characterises Islay malts. Top fact and thanks Gerry!!

The whiskies were then unveiled - 1968 and 1964 vintages, both hugely different in their levels of peating as the tasting notes reveal:

Highland Park -Orcadian Vintage - 1968 45.6%

Nose: Strawberry notes (what is it about strawberries today!!) with a lovely floral sweetness, leading into chamois leather, wax and some classic heather notes. Over time the citrus notes come through with lemon zest and a hint of coconut thrown in for good measure.

Palate: Milky coffee, light sweet cereal, some dried orange notes, followed by a sharper citrus note of lemon zest. Over time in the glass, a spiciness develops and a creamy chocolate note also emerges, giving this a hugely well balanced palate for a very old whisky. Wonderful stuff.

Finish: Lighter than expected, but waves of sweetness eclipse and oaky dryness you may have expected.

Overall: What a way to start the tasting- another soon to be classic highland park bottling.

Next up - the older and slightly more peated 1964 vintage:

Highland Park - Orcadian Vintage - 1964 - 42.2%

Nose: Ok. Stop for a second, I know we can get carried away sometimes in our notes and praise for a worthy dram, but this is SENSATIONAL- even on the first nosing!! A slightly heavier peat to the 1968, almost like the classic early 1970's Ardbeg's and contrary to what I mentioned about classic HP peat. Couple that with some sweet red apples, mint, a hint of Playdoh, and a little aromatic Licorice and you're into 7th Heaven here. A little more time (and believe me it is well worth the wait) reveals some lint bandages, and a slightly more sooty note, but the balance is just perfect.

Palate: The perfection carries on into the first sip: A wonderful mix of that sweet peat, coffee, Rosehip jelly and vanilla. The vanilla develops even further into a slight sponge cake note, but by now, we're too far gone under its spell. Just brilliant.

Finish: Some warming fruitiness comes through, along with the light, sweet peat.

Overall: These drams are the stuff dreams are made of. They creep up on you and their timing is just perfect. What Highland park have done here is nothing short of extraordinary and the 1964 vintage is clearly a contender for Whisky Of The Year, without a shadow of a doubt.

I had to have a little lie down after this tasting, just to get my bearings again!!

Stay tuned for the next post and part 2 of the Whisky Show, where some seriously old Glenlivet's are given a thorough going over as well as some members of the Glenfarclas Family casks....

One thing for sure, is that The Whisky Show promised some of the best whisky on the planet and it delivered on this promise. Full marks guys and we'll see you next year, same time, same place hopefully.

What Does John Know?: WhiskyFest New York tonight

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:40:00 +0000

Sorry for the lack of posting the past few days. I took a much needed pre-WhiskyFest mini-vacation. I’ll be tweeting as the night goes on for those of you following me on Twitter. And I’ll post up something here on the Fest here on WDJK in a day or two.

caskstrength: Slow Tasting - 4 Connoisseurs Choice

noreply@blogger.com (aandarse) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:23:30 +0000

Quick!We!Live!In!London!Where!Everything!Is!Done!Really!Fast!

"I'm!Late!For!Work!"

"The!Film!Is!About!To!Start!Get!Me!My!Popcorn!Faster!"

"If!This!Night!Bus!Doesn't!Get!A!Move!On!I'm!Going!To!Miss!Match!Of!The!Day!"

"Shit!The!Condom!Broke!"

It's time to slowwwwww.... dowwwwwwnn....

Here at Caskstrength.net we would never dream of a speed tasting. Not when it comes to whisky anyway!

Slow.

Down.

Savour and enjoy.

Be it Bells 8 Year Old or the Port Ellen Feis Ile Bottling, pouring that magical liquid in to your glass should afford you time to sit back and savour. That stuff has taken at least three years to even become whisky, so why not give it some of your time? (FYI- these were tasted in the following order: Rosebank, Aberfeldly, Ledaig, Caol Ila. But are listed here in alphabetical order):

Aberfeldly - 1989 / 2009 - Connoisseurs Choice - 43% - 70cl

Nose: Orange zest; wow! This is a fresh nose. Fantastic. It does have a hint of household cleaner about it, but it zings!

Palate: Orange cream chocolates (esp the ones from Quality Street), Fanta Orange (or Solo, of you live in Norway- Big up my fellow Norse massive!). A touch of toffee and bitter chocolate. This is how you do orange-flavoured whisky!

Finish: Long, esp at this ABV with the fizzy-sherbet nature taking the driving seat.

Overall: This is the first Aberfeldy we've posted and it's gooood! If you like fizzy orange, you'll like this!

Caol Ila - 1996 - Connoisseurs Choice - 43% - 70cl

Nose: Smoke (d'oh!), some blackcurrant (as there was in the Rosebank), black-jack penny sweets.

Palate: Initially a delicate hit, this is a lovely dram that sits comfortably on the tongue, bursting into life after a good swill about the palate; a hit of stewed fruits, blackcurrants and ribena

Finish: Long, with the blackcurrants and smoke taking the driving seat. Like warm ribena by the bonfire.

Overall: It's been a while since I've found myself in the familiar arms of a Caol Ila. Like a f*ck-buddy (for those of you that are single), Caol Ila represents a dependable "friend" whom one can visit in a time of need; an often awkward bedfellow but one whose characteristics you know inside out from the first time you meet and you know will satisfy every basic instinct you have. Not too complex, but different every time. I find Caol Ila a fun dram, less serious than the Kildalton distilleries but every bit as competitive on the peat front. Not the greatest Caol Ila in the world, but very drinkable.

Ledaig - 1990 / 2009 - Connoisseurs Choice - 43% - 70cl

Nose: I was expecting smoke, but no. Instead you get fresh winter veg (in the UK), so we're talking Parsnips, Cabbage and turnip. But with time in the glass (and it's time that makes whisky a drink, not a shot) it develops a sweetness like shortbread.

Palate: Initially it hits the palate very cold, with some of the nose carried over; a hint of winter veg soup, cheap vanilla ice cream and wet woolen blanket.

Finish: Long and spicy with a slight bitterness. The wet wool won't go away.

Overall: The overall sensation is that I want to go back to the Aberfeldly....

Rosebank - 1991 / 2009 - Connoisseurs Choice - 43% - 70cl

Nose: Vanilla Creme Brulee, Blackcurrant cough sweets, Rhubarb and Custard boiled sweets

Palate: The rhubarb comes through with a hint of liquorice and mint.

Finish: The liquorice really lasts coupled with hints of red chillie.

Overall: Less floral than other Rosebanks of this age; the nose is the stand out, let down slightly by the bitterness of the palate and the finish.

OVERALL: For me, the Aberfeldy was the pick of the drams here today. The orange zest, "fanta" notes that came through were just fantastic. But hey, that's my opinion. You might like the sound of the others. If so, take a chance. Sit back and enjoy them. Give them some time. After all, they've given you some of theirs.

whiskynotes.be: BenRiach 1970 (Pedro Ximenez cask 1035)

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:00:55 +0000

Another Pedro Ximenez finish, but unpeated this time. The BenRiach 1970 cask 1035 is over 38 years old and boasts a wonderful colour.

BenRiach 38 yo 1970 (49,1%, OB 2009, Pedro Ximenez finish, cask #1035, 250 btl.)

Nose: Dried fruits (raisins, dates) but lush fruits at the same time (blackcurrants, blueberries). It’s much fresher than you would expect. There are even the wonderful hints of exotic fruits (tangerines, pineapple) that you find in other 1970’s BenRiach and which makes this the perfect fruit basket. Some bourbon-like elements as well: pine resin with a hint of mint. Lovely wood polish. Cocoa and espresso in the background. Now this is what I call complexity! Mouth: roasted coffee beans and milk chocolate. Dried figs. Hints of tobacco. Rather smokey for an unpeated bottling. The sherry is not the usual nutty or syrupy type. It’s rather winey, like a Shiraz or some Tempranillo but it works very well. A little toffee. Hints of redcurrant marmalade in the aftertaste. Finish: dark chocolate with spices. Very long.

This is head-shaking stuff. It’s different from all other sherry bottlings and simply excellent. I would buy cases if not for the price: around € 280.

Score: 92/100

whiskynotes.be: BenRiach 1984 (PX sherry cask 1048)

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:00:41 +0000

As you may know, peat and sherry can be a wonderful combo. Personally I think this is even more so if it’s Pedro Ximenez sherry. This 24 years old BenRiach 1984 cask 1048 is a peated whisky with a PX sherry finish.

BenRiach 24 yo 1984 (49,2%, OB 2009, Pedro Ximenez finish, cask #1048, 279 btl.)

Nose: there’s indeed a good deal of peat. A dry, chalky kind of peat, not the “oceanic” Islay type. It’s nicely balanced with the sherry notes of chocolate and dry fruits. Some sweet liquorice. There’s also an earthy, vegetal odour to it that I associate with liquid brown soap (not sure if that’s known in other countries). Hemp maybe? A bit strange but not unpleasant. Mouth: very peaty and smokey. Again some fruity elements from the sherry, but I guess the balance is 65% peat, 35% sherry now. Hints of pine needles and moss. Hints of caramel, cocoa and even dark ale beer (a peated Chimay Blue?). Interesting but not easy to pin down. Finish: long, smokey and slightly tarry.

I can’t think of other PX sherry bottlings that have this style. Very different. I can’t say that I adore it, but it’s quite unique. A curiosum.
Around € 125.

Score: 85/100

WhiskyCast: WhiskyCast Episode 225: November 8, 2009

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 05:26:00 +0000

America is in the forefront of a global micro-distilling boom, with more than 200 licensed artisanal distilleries. 42 of them are producing whisky, and many have received guidance from Bill Owens of the American Distilling Institute. Bill shares some of the benefits and potential pitfalls of starting a distillery in this episode. In the news, new Scotch whisky regulations will take effect later this month, Diageo changes course in the Canadian market, Glen Grant prepares for a U.S. debut, and if you missed out on tickets for Malt Advocate's WhiskyFest New York, there's a preview of this week's Philadelphia Whiskey Festival.

Edinburgh whisky blog: Spot The Difference!

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:15:10 +0000

The official press release (not nearly as interesting as playing ’spot the difference’): Highland Park is launching the eagerly anticipated 1964 and 1968 expressions from the distillery’s new Orcadian Vintage Series in response to the growing international demand for high quality aged single malt whisky. The success of Highland Park’s recently released 40 year old, the 30 [...]

whiskynotes.be: BenRiach 1975 (Tawny port cask 4450)

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:00:39 +0000

This 33 years old BenRiach 1975 cask 4450 is a peated whisky finished in a Tawny Port pipe. This type of port wine is aged in wooden barrels and has a characteristic brown colour with nutty flavours. It’s more or less the amontillado version of port wine. Port pipes are huge and contain around 520 litres of spirit, hence the big outturn of this single cask bottling.

BenRiach 33 yo 1975 (52,2%, OB 2009, Tawny port finish, cask #4450, 648 btl.)

Nose: full of pink grapefruit. Some more exotic fruits as well, I would say mango and cherries. Raisins. Hardly any peat… A bit of flower potpourri as well (old roses seem to be a common thread in the wine finished single casks so far), maybe even some soapy hints but still very attractive. Mouth: sweet and fruity. Dried fruits as well as more fresh, citrusy notes. Grapefruit again. Some banana. Apples with cinnamon towards the finish. Quite some oak influence and winey notes. Finish: medium long, on berry fruits and grapefruit.

On the one hand this is clearly the same family as the famous 1976 BenRiachs, with notes of exotic fruits and grapefruit. On the other hand, there’s the added layer of port wine notes. I’m sure this will even appeal to people who normally don’t like wine finishes. Don’t expect heavy peat though. Available at around € 200.

Score: 89/100

What Does John Know?: Review: Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection “Twice Barreled”

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:57:16 +0000

Both of these whiskeys were re-barreled into new charred oak barrels. The difference is that one is just older than the other (11-plus years versus 16-plus years). Full details on each bottling are here. I love these experiments! They push the extremes, open our eyes, and create excitement.

Buffalo Trace Antique Collection “Double Barreled,” 1997 Vintage, 45%, $47

Nice effort overall. My gut feeling is that this whiskey might have been better a couple years ago, but I wouldn’t call the second barrel impact excessive. It’s rich and smooth, with sweeter notes of caramel, rich vanilla and subtle candied fruit, underpinned by firm spice (especially cinnamon) which kicks in on the finish. It comes across as very traditional bourbon with perhaps a little extra oak impact on the back end.

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 88

Buffalo Trace Antique Collection “Double Barreled,” 1993 Vintage, 45%, $47

A big bourbon in many respects, but this is one whiskey where I would have happily settled for a “Single Barreled.” To be honest, there are some good qualities to this whiskey. The nose is wonderful! (I tasted this whiskey straight from the barrel right before it was bottled and it was more aggressive. I think the lower strength and chill-filtering has helped to tame this beast.) Even the palate starts out fine, with chewy toffee, molasses, dark fruit, raisin and dates. But it is quickly consumed by intensely dry oak spice, gripping resin, and leather which clings to my tongue and won’t let go. In this instance, last impressions are lasting impressions.

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 71

What Does John Know?: Review: Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection “Seasoned Oak Finish”

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:58:16 +0000

Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection “Seasoned Oak Finish,” 50.2%, $90

The fourth in the series of limited-edition bottling, and one of the better ones. The impact on the whiskey by finishing it in barrels made with staves that have been seasoned 3-5 years really is evident here. There’s plenty of wood spice, and I think it goes well with the sweet pot still characteristics of the whiskey. On the nose, the flavors are nicely intertwined. But on the palate, the sweeter notes (caramel, nutty toffee, fig, ripe berries, black cherry) appear first, with the dry, spicy notes (cinnamon, clove, cocoa powder, vanilla, polished leather, maduro tobacco) building to a firmly dry finish. Perhaps the dryness on the finish overstays its welcome on the finish more than I would like. But still, this is a solid effort—and very distinctive!

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 88

What Does John Know?: Review: Wild Turkey “Tradition” 14 year old

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:08:41 +0000

I just reviewed four new bourbons over the past couple days. Here’s the first one.

Wild Turkey “Tradition”, 14 year old, 50.5%, $100
Richly textured—almost chewy—with toffee, molasses, nougat, date, candy corn, ripe clementine and raisin, peppered with dusty grain, cocoa powder, moss, Play-Doh, subtle mint and herbs. Not as crisp or clean on the palate as the Wild Turkey American Spirit 15 year old, released a couple years ago (which I rated a 94), but it is very good and (dare I say?) rather therapeutic in nature. It makes for a nice digestif. This is a different style of Wild Turkey. There’s a good deal of wood influence. I suspect that some will like this a lot, but others might not warm up to it as much. It took me a few encounters before I embraced it.

Advanced Malt Advocate Magazine Rating: 89

What Does John Know?: Two rare Highland Park whiskies headline a list of special whiskies at WhiskyFest New York

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:55:58 +0000

The new Highland Park 1964 vintage and 1968 vintage debuted last night at a special event in London, but they’re already on their way to New York to be featured at a sold-out WhiskyFest New York this coming Tuesday.

I first mentioned these two Highland Park whiskies here on WDJK a few months back. Only the 1968 vintage is being imported to the U.S. and it won’t begin showing up until the end of the year. But both whiskies will be poured at the WhiskyFest Charity Table, where, for a small donation, you will be able to taste a wee dram of either whisky.

A $20 donation to charity will buy attendees a half ounce pour of one of these special whiskies, and 100% of the proceeds will go to City-Meals-on-Wheels.

Here is the remainder of the special charity whiskies:

First, there are the six unique whiskies that were poured at WhiskyFest San Francisco. There are small amounts of each remaining, and they will be available at WhiskyFest New York while supplies last:

Isle of Jura – Willie Tait: “I put a hogs head of Jura down on the 23rd Nov 1989, on my daughter’s 13th birthday. This was my legacy for my children, as they have already taken all my money.”

Bruichladdich – Jim McEwan: “The title of my whisky will be “Working on a Dream” it will be a vatting of 46 years of Bruichladdich as that is the time I have been in the business. A single malt made by humble men on the west coast of Islay whereby you can feel and taste their personality, honesty and passion in every sip you take.”

The Dalmore – Richard Paterson: As Neil Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface for the very first time at 02.56 GMT on 21st July 1969, the new spirit of Dalmore down on Earth on this very same day was being transported onto the circular surface of American White Oak to begin its epic journey too.

The Balvenie – David Stewart: David now has an intimate knowledge of where his personal favorites are within the Balvenie warehouses, many of which he has been carefully nurturing for several years. David’s unique bottling will be a single cask sampling drawn directly from one of this highly personal selections.

Glenfiddich – Brian Kinsman: Cask samples are retained long after the cask has been bottled and savored. They form a historical archive of Glenfiddich’s greatest and best. Brian will be selecting from these precious remnants to craft a unique and unrepeatable one-bottle “vatting” of Glenfiddich.

Buffalo Trace: Our charity Buffalo Trace bottle contains the very first sample ever drawn from our “Millennium Barrel.” This barrel was filled on December 31, 1999, that’s why we call it our “Millennium Barrel.” It was the very last barrel that we filled on the last day of the last century.

In addition to the bottles above, we have also received a number of rare and expensive bottles donated by many of our exhibitors. Here they are:

Donated by Moet USA:
Ardbeg Supernova
Glenmorangie Malaga Wood 30 year old
Glenmorangie Fino Sherry finish

Donated by Pernod-Ricard:
The Glenlivet 1969
Scapa 25 year old
Chivas Royal Salute 38 year old “Stone of Destiny”

Donated by Heaven Hill Distilleries
Rittenhouse 25 year old Small Batch rye (A vatting, not a single barrel. This is not being sold to the public.)

Donated by Gordon & MacPhail
Gordon & MacPhail Glen Grant 1965 (A cask not being sold to the public.)

Donated by Preiss Imports
BenRiach 1976 Port Pipe Cask #4469

Donated by Mackmyra Distillery
Mackmyra Special: 02 – The Anniversary Edition

Donated by Four Roses Distillery
Mariage 2009

Donated by SKYY Spirits
Wild Turkey Tradition
The Glenrothes 1975

Donated by Isle of Arran
Icons of Arran #1 The Peacock 1996 Vintage

Donated by Malt Advocate publisher John Hansell
The Macallan “Era” bottlings:
’20s
’30s
’40s
’50s
Glen Breton “Ice”
Scott’s Selection “North of Scotland” 1964 vintage
Arran “First” 1995 Distillation
Forty Creek John K. Hall Port Wood Reserve
Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection 17 year old Rum Marriage
Santa Theresa Bodega Privada (Barrel #5) Rum
Cadenhead’s 1964 Port Morant Pot Still Demerara Rum

Edinburgh whisky blog: Madness Reinspired

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:55:25 +0000

It’s the first week of November and, surprise-surprise, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society has a brand new outturn ready. And it’s the biggest one yet apparently. Out today. So it happens that they quite like us and we quite love them and on the back of these mutual feelings we sometimes get to taste stuff before [...]

whiskynotes.be: BenRiach 1978 (Gaja Barolo cask 4414)

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:00:10 +0000

Barolo wine finishes are not very common. Edradour, Bruichladdich and Longrow had some (with varying success), but interestingly enough, BenRiach released two Barolo casks at once this year. We’ve already had the BenRiach 1988 Gaja Barolo cask 4424 and now the 31 years old Benriach 1978 cask #4414.

BenRiach 31 yo 1978 (51,2%, OB 2009, Gaja Barolo finish, cask #4414, 245 btl.)

Nose: starts on bags of nutmeg. The red fruits (raspberry jam), the tangerines, the figs, the (dark) chocolate… from the 1988 Gaja Barolo are still here, but there’s more weight to it. Delicious fruit cake with cinnamon. Rose water. There’s also a distinct toasted aspect and a hint of fresh matchsticks which disappears after some airing. Very good. Mouth: full on. Grapes, all sorts of marmalades and a hint of smoke (tar even?). Very spicy, with pepper, ginger and nutmeg. Finish: long and coating. There’s an oaky dryness to it, but perfectly acceptable for its age.

Very good. Like a spicy sherry bottling, although the Barolo brings typical red fruits and floral elements as well. Available at around € 160.

Score: 87/100

What Does John Know?: Free “WhiskyNotes” Newsletter

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:51:38 +0000

Every other week, we email an electronic newsletter called WhiskyNotes to anyone who wants a copy.

Whiskynotes is something to tide you over between issues of Malt Advocate. It contains:

A summary of my most recent blog postings (with links) in case you haven’t visited WDJK lately.

A summary of the most recent national and international whisky news items, with links to the source.

My most recent whisky reviews and ratings.

Hot new whisky books and other whisky-related items in our Marketplace.

Whisky recipes.

A listing of upcoming whisky tastings and events.

And much more!

Best of all, it’s free! All you have to do is send an email to whiskynotes@maltadvocate.com and request to receive the complimentary subscription. And, of course, if you ever decide that you don’t want to receive it anymore, just send us an email and we’ll take you off the list.