Monthly Archives: March 2016

Whisky ladies go sweetly smokey – Dalmore 15, Mackmyra Svensk Rök, Smokehead ‘Rock’

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Our whisky ladies are a diverse lot and each bring something a bit different to the equation. We are also quite international – most travel regularly and lived in different parts of the world than the land of their birth at some point in their lives.

What this means for us in whisky terms, there is a certain pride in discovering something interesting to share from diverse corners!

Hence the Sheringham William’s White double distilled grain whisky was introduced by a fellow Canadian. Or an offering chocolates designed for pairing with whiskies from a recent European jaunt.

We revel in such treats! March featured one specific whisky that would ordinarily be rather tricky to track down… instead came courtesy of a Christmas trip ‘home’ to Sweden.

March featured whiskies ranging from sherry sweet, to refreshing smoke to in your face peat! Here’s what we sampled:

Notes to follow in the next few days…

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Canadian stash – Glen Garioch 21 year 43%

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Not so long ago we sampled the Glen Garioch 1797 Founder’s Reserve, It was sufficiently interesting that when the Glen Garioch 21 year was on offer to join the “Canadian stash” from my aunt and uncle, I jumped at the chance!

Sample and photo courtesy of Whisky Lady's Aunt n Uncle

Sample and photo courtesy of Whisky Lady’s Aunt n Uncle

Here goes my sampling of the Glen Garrioch 21 year:

  • Colour – Dark straw
  • Nose – Lovely mint, faint sweet grass and hay, sweet vanilla, a bit floral
  • Taste – Gentle, flirty hint of peat, a light woodsy element, honey minty sweet with just enough spice
  • Finish – Easy, gentle, malty finish with just enough bitter at the end to remind you it was there
  • Water – Not a chance of adding! Already quite ‘thin’ so wouldn’t dare add a drop

This whisky goes down far too easily. Quite light at 43%, it is one of those dangerous drams that’s gone before you even realise it. I have to admit, I struggled to write notes as just enjoyed sipping! In all honesty, it isn’t terribly complex, think instead of a light summery romp! Eminently enjoyable and worth sampling if it comes your way.

For those not familiar with Glen Garioch, this highland distillery has Rachel Barrie as master distiller. She grew up near the distillery and you can read more about her introduction to the distillery here.

Here’s what others say:

This concludes my 9 bottle sampling from my fellow whisky aficionados aunt and uncle…. who just so happen to run a whisky tasting group in Fort Francis, Ontario, Canada. It was such a treat to enjoy these wee baby jars of whisky and try several drams I otherwise would have missed. So once again – my sincere thanks for the indulgence!!

Canadian stash

Canadian stash

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Canadian stash – Duthies Auchroisk 20 year 46%

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Ever have something you were rather curious to discover but then were massively disappointed?

Last year my aunt and uncle in Canada made an offer I couldn’t refuse. They are fellow whisky aficionados who run a whisky tasting group in Fort Francis, Ontario and gave me a chance to sample anything in their current whisky collection!

Duthies Auchroisk 20 year was part of the ‘list’ and intrigued me as:

  • Not yet had something from Duthies independent bottler – the sub-brand of Cadenhead
  • Also not had a sample from Auchroisk and 20 year seemed a rather good place to start!

The Auchroisk distillery opened in 1972 and produced its first whisky in 1978. Currently owned by Diageo, it is mostly used in J&B with its latest slogan of Scotch whisky “made for mixing.” Some may also have tried whisky from this distillery under the  “Singleton” brand.

Photo & sample courtesy Whisky Lady's Aunt & Uncle

Photo & sample courtesy Whisky Lady’s Aunt & Uncle

Excited, I cracked open the sample jar….

  • Colour – Light gold
  • Nose – Quite striking, barley, salty, brine, slightly rotten fruit, as it opened more a hint of sweet vanilla, slight dry sweet spices… mostly cloves, then something that is vaguely reminiscent of marshmallows that have gone slightly sour
  • Taste – Very dry, odd undertone of sweet resin, something a bit peculiar, rubber, soapy… the more I sipped the more ‘off’ it seemed
  • Finish – Warm, malt and – don’t laugh – manure

I began to speculate that something from the container tainted the whisky – possible as it was from last year and the rubber seal had become stuck on the glass. There is just something very strange about this whisky. Imagine dishwater soap meets dry wood.

Bottom line – it simply doesn’t work for me.

Here’s what others say:

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5 Best Japanese Whiskies…

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It is no secret I quite like Japanese whiskies. It equally is no secret I find the price-tags abhorrent and many are frustratingly difficult to find.

So when I was asked by the editor of Man’s World magazine to write about the ‘5 Best Japanese Whiskies’ for their 15th Anniversary edition, knew the biggest challenge for readers is that what is here today is gone tomorrow. He left it to me to choose and I opted to feature producers / distilleries with a mix of more readily available plus hidden gems. As we all need a gem or two!

Mans World, Oct 2015

Mans World, Oct 2015

So what whiskies were featured and why?

Naturally this article was prepared before I sampled the spectacular Karuizawa 39 year. And there is always more to discover!

Any favourite Japanese whiskies out there?

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The Speyside 12 years 40%

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Last up in our wander down memory lane was The Speyside 12 year… from… gee.. the Speyside region. Yeah… I know… original name, eh?

Photo: Master of Malt

Photo: Master of Malt

We sampled it blind and here’s what we found…

The Speyside 12 year 40%

  • Colour – A lovely warm burnished gold
  • Nose – Overripe bannannas, tulips, bitter chocolate
  • Taste – Smooth, round, easily rolling around on the tongue… bringing the feeling of a warm, lovely evening, curling up in a cosy romantic blanket in front of a crackling fire. Some debate on the hint of peat however overall quite mellow.
  • Finish – Lingered, mellowing further like a perfect gentleman
  • Add water – Was that a hint of lavender that emerged?
  • Overall – Very approachable

Our contributor confessed he’d had it in his cupboard for years but hadn’t been inspired to try – largely as the packaging isn’t exactly inviting.

We didn’t find the hazelnuts mentioned on the bottle but would agree with the vanilla and toffee in the finish.

2013-10-17-OakLeague

By the end of the evening we described our whiskies as follows:

  • Balvenie Triple Cask – The guy who tries to be 1st in class, lovely to meet, some possibilities but…
  • Wasmund’s – The bad boy you just wanna go a little wild with and can’t resist!
  • The Speyside – The guy you can count on, a companion. In short – the marrying type!

For me? My preference was the bad boy in the middle!

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Wasmund’s Single Malt 48%

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During our first encounter with Wasmund’s we decided it is “The bad boy you just wanna go a little wild with and can’t resist!”

Now that I have your attention, shall we delve further into what we found? We first sampled this whisky back in 2013 – completely blind so had no idea what we were in for! We then revisited it in January 2016.

Photo: Copper Fox

Photo: Copper Fox

Wasmund’s Single Malt 48%

  • Colour – A rich almost burgundy hue and we speculated sherry cask… but… ?
  • Nose – Paan! Burnt wood, tarka, bit of citrus, strong, bold with some peatiness, almost medicinal. Pine forest, burnt tires, sweet old wood, leather.
  • Palate – Has an ‘in your face’ strength, some resin, almost like over-cooked sweet n sour sauce – very full bodied. Spice, wood, smoke, chocolate and coffee.
  • Finish – Has some fire yet mellows into sweetness, like a melon, long tail, lasting smoke.
  • Water – Adding water opened it up, bringing out a fruity chewiness, some spice of chillies, cardamom and cloves. Yum!
  • Overall – We found it a complex whisky with attitude – perfect for winter nights in Delhi or on the ski slopes. Not one to be messed around with! In a verrrry good way.

All were surprised with the unveiling. What is most remarkable is that Wasmund’s is matured for only 12 months yet has such character – strong and interesting!

So… what’s this Wasmund’s all about?

Coming from Copper Fox distillers near the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, this whisky is pot-stilled in small batches, one barrel at a time 100% using hand malted, Virginia barley. It is proud to be “the only distillery in the world to use apple and cherrywood smoke to flavor the malted barley.”

Clearly we were off with the sherry cask… instead it is aged in ex bourbon barrels with apple and oak chips. Quite a unique result.

Here’s what the folks over at Copper Fox have to say:

“Rich amber copper color, intriguing aromas and flavors of suede, olive tapenade, honey, dried fruit chutney and clay with a silky, dry-yet-fruity, medium-full body, and long, spicy, orange marmalade on rye toast and root beer float-like finish. Distinctively flavorful and a great choice for artisan cocktails or sipping.”

Bottom line… were we impressed? Yes we were.

Other whiskies sampled with Wasmund’s included:

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Balvenie Triple Cask 12 years 40%

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From the whisky archives (Oct 2013) came an amusing evening which concluded the Balvenie Triple Cask was…

The guy who tries to be 1st in class, lovely to meet, some possibilities but…

So why did we think Balvenie Triple Cask was the smart kid in the class?

Read on…

Photo: The Whisky Exchange

Photo: The Whisky Exchange

Balvenie Triple Cask 12 year 40%

  • Colour – A rich golden hue, clearly not light straw but also not deep either
  • Nose – We found wiffs of currents, raisins, vanilla, orange, cinnamon even a bit of butterscotch. All pronounced to be very ‘christmasy’ in character and quite promising
  • Palate – Not as complex and nuanced as the notes would suggest. We found it lightly peated, with a peach sweetness.
  • Finish – Remained largely in the mouth, not complex, but still rather nice.

Most speculated it must be a younger speyside, around 40%, still a bit “green” yet didn’t detract from being quite a nice sipping whisky.

While most considered it too mild to add water, we gamely put in a few drops to see the results – only diluted the taste, shifting to a bit of harness yet still sweet. Our vote? Neat is best with this one!

2013-10-17-OakLeague

Back in 2013, it was a new offering for the duty-free market – boasting (as the name suggests) maturation in three different casks: first-fill bourbon, refill bourbon and sherry.

Here’s what the folks over at Balvenie have to say:

Elegantly sweet and spicy, with a mellow taste of dried fruits, vanilla and cinnamon

Also sampled the same evening:

  • Wasmund’s – The bad boy you just wanna go a little wild with and can’t resist!
  • The Speyside – The guy you can count on, a companion. In short – the marrying type!

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Three whiskies, three very different guys… Balvenie Triple Cask 12, Wasmund’s and The Speyside 12

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One of the all time most popular posts on my other blog, Everyday Asia, was a whisky tasting night from October 2013. I don’t quite know why it is the case but folks keep coming back to it over and over and over…

What did we sample?

We blind tasted three whiskies featuring Balvenie’s Triple Cask 12 year, Wasmund’s and The Speyside 12 year.

It may, in part, be due to how we described the whiskies at the end of the evening. With January providing an opportunity to revisit that ‘bad boy’ Wasmund’s, I revived our experience with a wee bit more about the whiskies we sampled:

  • Balvenie Triple Cask – The guy who tries to be 1st in class, lovely to meet, some possibilities but…
  • Wasmund’s – The bad boy you just wanna go a little wild with and can’t resist!
  • The Speyside – The guy you can count on, a companion. In short – the marrying type!

Curious what others have to say too!

2013-10-17-OakLeague

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Bring on the Bruichladdich Rocks!

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Bruichladdich just keeps experimenting and we delight in exploring their various offerings as and when we can catch hold!

More recently, I sampled:

However it was actually several years ago that our original tasting group first picked up a Bruichladdich. Before I was consistent in taking notes, we tried the Laddie 10 year and another at a session I missed. One session I did join from August 2013 featured the rather unique NAS express ‘Bruichladdich Rocks.’ As usual, we sampled blind then revealed the whisky.

Bruichladdich Rocks (www.bruichladdich.com)

Bruichladdich Rocks (www.bruichladdich.com)

Bruichladdich Rocks 46%

  • Colour – Burnished gold
  • Nose – Bold fresh nose with rubber and a hint of flowery sweetness
  • Taste – Not a hint of peat… just delightful rich winey fruity spicy chewy yumminess
  • Finish – Even better, the finish didn’t dash off instantly leaving instead a gentle warmth

We understand that the name comes from the ancient rocks through which the water apparently crashes. Some have also suggested the whisky is ‘designed’ to be sipped ‘on the rocks’.

Bruichladdich Rocks is a vatted malt, bringing together various vintages then finished for another nine months in a French Mourvèdre-Syrah  wine cask. Certainly worth sampling and nice to try this distillery’s less accessible offering.

It is definitely a whisky I wouldn’t mind revisiting properly rather than merely through notes from our tasting archives! Alas, like many Bruichladdich experiments – what is here today is gone tomorrow and the likelihood of catching this again is rather low.

Just to make you even more envious of the opportunity we had to sample ‘Rocks’, here is what the folks over at Bruichladdich have to say:

  • Character – Light, bright and full of joy! A fresh, vibrant spirit brimming with the unique flavours of the Hebrides.
  • Nose – An exhilarating fresh and vibrant bouquet, opening with soft red grapes, redcurrant jelly, pomegranate and red apple all encased in an envelope of syrup, sweet malted barley and brown sugar vanilla.
  • Palate – It jumps out of the glass anxious to please. The wine flavours wait patiently while the malt and oak display their charms. Then they emerge – red cherry, strawberry and spiciness. Really creamy yet retaining a coastal crispness.
  • Finish – A malt on a mission! Snappy and sweet, zipping along on the crest of a wave migrating from Islay to France but always returning to the homeland.
  • Mood – Gregarious. eager, enthusiastic, tireless. Designed as an aperitif malt, or as here on Islay, to be enjoyed instead of tea. Takes water well.

Here are what others have to say:

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Classic Bunnahabhain 18 year 46.3%

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I recently ‘treated’ a friend who is a huge Bunnahabhain fan to the spectacular 26 year Signatory’s cask strength single cask avatar.

Did he enjoy? Yes! But was it what he looks for in a Bunnahabhain? Not really. He prefers the nearly no peat Islay character of a typical Bunnahabhain.

So in his honour, I’ve brushed off from the archives tasting notes from a session originally held in August 2013.

Bunnahabhain 18 (TheWhiskyExchange.com)

Bunnahabhain 18 year (TheWhiskyExchange.com)

Bunnahabhain 18 year 46.3%

  • Colour – Gorgeous! A deep rich colour
  • Nose – Nuanced nose with hints of plum and honey. We were so engrossed in our conversation that we inadvertently gave the Bunnahabhain extra air to be delighted when this enabled it to open up even further to reveal apricot and an oaky woodiness without a whiff of peat.
  • Taste – Utterly smooth, creamy. We savoured its warm richness, appreciating its different layers of flavour and a hint of spice.
  • Finish – A lingering finish that brought back plum and rather happy smiles.

This un-chill filtered non-peated Islay offering was the evening favourite!

Here is what the folks over at Bunnahabhain have to say about this whisky:

A nose and a taste of this tells more than a book ever could. The beautiful golden spirit’s aroma releasing honeyed nuts and a slightly sea-induced salty tang. Rich toffee and leathery oak notes can be sensed upon further reading, while the palate tells of mellow sherried nuts and shavings of the finest natural oak wood. ts story ends very happily, with dry notes interspersed with mixed spices fading magnificently into a light salt and sherry finale.

Here’s what others have to say:

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