Glenfiddich Project XX – Experimental Series 02, NAS, 47 % OK, so I have another experiment to present for you. A few days back I reviewed the first whisky in the new Experimental Series from Glenfiddich (see here). The Glenfiddich Project XX – Experimental Series 02 is the second release. For this release Brian Kinsman, the Malt Master (and […]...

Mackmyra Special 07 Framtidstro, 45,8 % I continue exploring older releases by Swedish distillery Mackmyra. Today I take a closer look at the Mackmyra Special 07 Framtidstro (Optimism). It was launched in the Summer of 2012. Here’s a short description from the distillery: “A blend of our recipes Smoke and Elegant has been matured in several different […]...

Black Mountain Whisky Sélection BM No 1, NAS, 42 % In the southwest of France there’s a small group of friends planning to start a distillery. They figured their region had to be on the whisky map as well. So, while they are working on having their own distillery up and running they are sourcing whisky […]...

Jim Murray knows how to surprise. Two years ago, he named  Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2013 as his World Whisky of the Year, while last year saw that honour go to Canada, with  Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye  taking the top gong. And now, the 2017 winner has just been announced. Jim Murray’s best whisky in the world is:  Booker’s Rye 13 Year Old . Jim described it as having a ‘brain-draining, mind-blowing’ nose with a finish of ‘amazing depth’, adding that it is a ‘staggering example of a magnificent rye showing exactly what genius in terms of whiskey actually means’, scoring...

Poor old Armagnac . It’s frequently in the shadows of its blingier cousin, Cognac , which outsells it by 15 bottles to one, even though Armagnac has a longer history. It’s a fabulous spirit, loaded with character, and deserves a little love. And with the weather turning colder, it’s the perfect time to try it.

What is Armagnac?

Armagnac is wine that has been distilled and then aged in oak barrels. It must be made in the Gascony region of south-west France and is generally the work of smaller, craft producers. There are no Armagnac makers anything like the size...

This is the top end of the Tullibardine range: Tullibardine 25 Years,  which was redesigned in 2013. It is matured in Oloroso Sherry casks.

Tullibardine 25 yo (43%, OB 2016)

Nose: a very smooth profile, with acacia honey, yellow plums and dried apricots, as well as soft spicy notes. A little vanilla. Scented candles. Fruit cake. Really elegant. Mouth: similar elegance, now more on oranges (both fresh juice and bitter marmalade) and apple peelings. Golden raisins. Then a slightly dry nuttiness, mellow spices and some toasted oak. Rather silky and thin, but that’s fine. Finish: long, half fruity, half spicy....

We’ve seen a lot of undisclosed Islay Malts lately. I know most of these have been Caol Ila or Lagavulin, but you never know, do you? This one was bottled in 2015 by Liquid Treasures .

Islay Malt 6 yo 2009 (52,7%, Liquid Treasures 2015, Port cask)

Nose: reminds me of a Lagavulin Distiller’s Edition. There’s deep smoke, a warm, mineral side but also red candy apples, raspberry jam and toffee sweetness. Coastal notes. I like this combination. Mouth: a tad sharper than I expected, with more in your face peat smoke. The red fruits are still there,...

This is the first bottling in a new Time series from The Whisky Exchange . It’s a Speyside single malt distilled at a family-owned distillery. When we read that, Glenfarclas springs to mind, but perhaps it’s one of these tea-spooned Balvenie expressions?

Family-owned Distillery 15 yo (51,3%, The Whisky Exchange ‘Time series’, 271 btl.)

Nose: a fairly light profile, but with a nice, juicy sherry influence. A lot of yellow fruits, apricot jam, plums, hints of gooseberries and redcurrants. Sweet oranges. Also golden raisins, light honey notes and some floral touches. Aromatic and elegant. Mouth: rich and rather...

Longmorn core range update

Longmorn presented its new core range, which now includes the Longmorn Distiller’s Choice (around € 65), a “reinterpreted” Longmorn 16 Year Old (€ 220) and a brand-new Longmorn 23 Year Old (€ 1350).

The new 16 Years is created with a higher proportion of first-fill American oak casks than before, besides sherry casks and refill casks. The new 23 Years is entirely matured in “traditional” (refill) casks.

The introduction of the Distiller’s Choice (then seen as a permanent replacement for the popular 16 Year Old) caused quite a stir. It’s nice to see the 16...

Murray McDavid Benchmark: Tobermory 20 year old 46%...

Wemyss Malt Briny Tangle 1990 (25 year old) 46%

Dist: 1990 Btl: 2015/ Tasted: Sept 2016

Nose: Very mature with hints of treacle, tar and Bowmore-esque parma violets [tasted blind]. A little balsamic coated oxidised fruit and silky malt notes. A gentle waft of cigar ash, wood spice and dry, earthy peat follows.

Palate: Beautifully mature, malty and dusty with treacle, tar, wood spice and a distant echo of peat. Superb salty intensity which builds to a fabulous coastal crescendo on the middle.

Finish: Very long and spicy with oxidised fruit, gentle bittering oak, wood smoke and sweet violet tinged...

Lady of the Glen Auchentoshan 1995 (20 year old) 54.3%

Refill Sherry Barrel 654/ Dist: Dec 1995 Btl: maj 2016/ Tasted: Sept 2016

Nose: Fragrant, summer barley with a touch of dried grass. It has a very noticeable alcohol prickle but the late arrival of white fruits, honey, dunnage and vanilla oak add balance. Water makes it feel older.

Palate: Soft and full with a lovely barley sheen and mouth-watering citrus notes. Hints of rose oil, herbs, vanilla and spice come through on the middle. Water emphasises the oils and brings out an unfortunate old cardboard note.

Finish: Neat it...

Lombard Single Malt Springbank 1965 (25 year old?) 46%

Tasted: Sept 2016

Nose: Mature, gritty sherrywood, moist, dried prune, raisin and malt with hints of fish oils, salt and a sliver of decadently creamy vanilla oak. Late notes of cedar, cigar smoke, coffee, tar and incense.

Palate: Full of robust, typical Campbeltown gritty Oloroso character. Prune, raisin, walnut, coffee with hints of peat, fish and violets. Stunningly deep and mature with hints of sweeter spice coated orange.

Finish: Utterly majestic with lingering Armagnac-esque dried fruit, violets and chocolaty tannins.

Conclusion: This can only come from one distillery in Scotland. Totally...

Ballaglass Blended Scotch Whisky 40%

Tasted: Sept 2016

Nose: Plenty of almost saline fresh grain with some sweet, dried fruit underpinning. A touch of estery apricot and banana follows along with sweet vanilla, toffee and herbal rye-like notes.

Palate: Opens with the lightly oiled but spicy grain with the malt coming through on the middle. Subtly oaked with hints of barley, but the grain is the dominating factor.

Finish: Long and grainy with a touch of coffee and sweet grain notes.

Conclusion: It feels like a grain heavy blend which has a lovely vibrancy and just enough malt character to...

Dalriada Blended Scotch 40%...

Carn Mor Celebration of the Cask Glen Moray 1992 (24 year old?) 49.8%

Bourbon Hogshead/ Dist: 1992 Btl: 2016/ Tasted: Sept 2016

Wonderfully dusty and mature aromas with thick acacia honey and hints of tangerine, melon, gooseberry, straw and gentle oak. Deep and generously endowed with late manuka honey and cigar leaf notes.

The palate is lighter with more refreshing citrus and minerals to the fore. The dusty, mature oak and barley follows on the middle along with a touch of honey and white chocolate. Stunning finish! Long and juicy with subtle vanilla, straw and a touch of bitter spice...