Monthly Archives: December 2024

Whisky Lady – October to December 2024

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Another year, another opportunity to reflect and revisit. This wee whisky blog has officially turned 10! Whilst some years are more active than others, explorations overall remain steady.

Many of my whisky posts this quarter captured different impressions and experiences from the 2024 London Whisky Show! 

Back in Canada, I spent a most enjoyable evening with friends where three of us explored a quartet from The Whisky Warehouse No 8:

This was followed by cracking open the 1st Shelter Point Club release:

The 2nd release arrived mere days after I flew back to Germany! It will just have to wait in Winnipeg til May/June 2025 to be opened!

I also went on a bit of a purchasing spree… including stockpiling some Gordon & Macphail independent bottlings. Included in the shipment was a wee bonus dram of Dingle Irish whisky.

With my job change in February 2024, my previous team kindly treated me to a gift voucher which I put to good use! They didn’t have the high-end bottles, so I shifted gears to pick an interesting mix of favorite independent bottlers, a couple entry-level “calibration” drams, and an experiment or two. Who knows how long til I have the right opportunity to open! I have too many open bottles in my whisky cabinet! This means I need to schedule a few more sociable evenings for these before opening something new!

I’m reminded of a member of our 1st Mumbai whisky-tasting club. He had a policy of only having three bottles open at any given time – the only exception being our tasting where he may open three new bottles whilst still having one or two already open. This meant guests would be given a choice – a limited choice. And whilst a less popular dram would remain longer, at some point, someone would gamely finish it up!

Curious to know more? Check out a few more summaries:

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Whisky Show 2024 – Wire Works

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After a day of mostly Scottish drams, we decided to shift gears to check out a new English entrant – Wire Works from Derbyshire. 

Wire Works Caduro 46.8% GBP 60

  • Nose – A bit harsh – young and brash with a hit of alcohol, then some rose petals, sweet
  • Palate – Some soft peat, slightly astringent, some spice and salt
  • Finish – A very salty finish, joined by sage too which was a bit curious

Not so sure we were off to a good start here… and admit we struggled to see this as “award winning.” The peat was a mild 20 PPM with the cask and STR ie shaved, toasted, and re-charred red wine barrique.

Wire Works Bourbon 53.4% GBP 65

  • Nose – We found melons, a hint of peat, more sweet than anything else. Think of a fruit dessert, some ginger, vanilla ice cream
  • Palate – Yum! This works! It is back to the basics with bourbon. Oily, nice texture, more of that ginger
  • Finish – Leave with a nice peppery spice

I noted that this one was a good way to judge the whisky character – no hiding beneath fancy finishes.

Wire Works Moscatel 3 years 53.6% Bottle 340 / 651 GBP 75

  • Nose – Quite fresh – lots of citrus
  • Palate – Sour initially, surprisingly creamy, a bit nutty, marzipan, dried mango powder, gooseberries
  • Finish – Curiously savoury

We were reminded of snacks that are “khatta meetha” a bit sweet and sour. There is a distinctive ‘aamchor’ mango powder in India which adds a nice tangy element to certain dishes. 

Wire Works Madeira Finish 53.6% Bottle 330 / 671 GBP 75

  • Nose – Fruity, sweeter than the Moscatel, more subtle too, with dark cherries
  • Palate – Personality came through – juicier, some spice
  • Finish – A dry finish

An interesting introduction. I’m not completely sold on all the expressions, however that’s often the case with younger distilleries experimenting with different elements til they hit their stride.

So far, our English whisky explorations have been limited to just three distilleries – with Cotswolds the one we’ve sampled the most!

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Whisky Show 2024 – Duncan Taylor

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Whilst Gordon & Macphail was conspicuously absent from the 2024 London Whisky Show, Duncan Taylor did a remarkable job of showing what a solid, experienced team can do! For those not familiar (is that even possible?), here is how they describe themselves:

Home to one of the world’s largest privately owned Scotch Whisky collections. For over 80 years, Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky has been crafting award-winning Scotch whiskies.

Our extremely positive experience was due to both the drams and the conversations with Andrew Sinat – who had recently joined as the UK Sales Manager. Over and over, I was reminded that for us – whisky is about the people, the stories, the insights, the experiences. Andrew took his time with us and made our journey through select Duncan Taylor bottles well worth the trip!

We began with an offering from their Octave collection – after standard cask maturation, the spirit is given a boost in smaller Octave casks – with the hypothesis that the greater liquid to wood contact accelerates and intensifies the flavours and aromas.

What did we try? Actually, we don’t know! As it was disclosed only as:

An Iconic Speyside 12 year (2011) Sherry Octave 87189 54.2% ~86 GBP

What did we think? We thought it was delightfully fruity on the nose – tangy and even a bit tart too! On the palate, it was balanced with a nice influence of the sherry, dark fruits, spice with a dryness too. In short – it had all the elements of a rather good Speyside.

Andrew shared that the Octave maturation was for only around 9 months, however clearly worked some magic!

Campbeltown Blend 10 year (March 2104 / April 2024) Cask 11991 53.9% Bottle 110 of 320 ~86 GBP

We moved on to a blend – likely of Glen Scotia and Springbank, however could be Glengyle / Kilkerran too. The nose was lemon custard – yum! The palate started spicey then gentled into soft fruits, smooth as silk! The finish was nice but didn’t stick around too long.

Black Bull Blend 30 year 50% ~250 GBP

Andrew then directed us to Black Bull – a blend that has austensibly been around since 1864. It was the kind of dram I love – a “happy whisky” – that greets you with joyful sweetness on the nose, rich sherry full of juicy fruits, fresh dates warmed from the sun, chikoo, treacle… lovely.

Glenrothes 43 year 42.6%

Oh my! Some Glenrothes can be almost a bit too powerful with their heavy sherry. This mature expression can best be described as “juicy”! The nose became fruitier and more inviting the longer it spent time in the glass – think beeswax and honey, loads of orchard fruits. The palate had spice, and whilst there was sherry – it was clean and nuanced, co-mingling with old wood. The finish was soft and subtle. Overall, the experience was quite lovely and elegant. A class act. And what a treat to try!

Caol Ila 14 Year (Oct 2009 / Apr 2024) Cask 40319017 54.1% Bottle 188 of 281

Almost like a reverse palate cleanser, in the midst of the sherry and venerable drams, we were directed to an Islay!? It was peat and sweet on the nose – with a hint of maritime not so often found in Caol Ila. The palate was a perfect balance of peat and sweet – reminding us why we have been rather partial to Caol Ila over the years. I’m glad we didn’t skip this one!

Whilst peaty territory seemed counterintuitive, in retrospect it was smart to shift from the surprisingly delicate Glenrothes 43-year-old to our next experience. We had no idea what was next on our tasting journey… merely instructed to cleanse our palates and then hand over our glass reserved for unpeated whiskies into which a new liquid was splashed.

Macallan 1991

Simply gorgeous! Now, we know that Macallan is sometimes overpriced and now also overrated. However, there are a few bottles out there like this one that remind you – behind the hype there is a mighty fine dram or two! This was an older style of Macallan – elegant and special. There was sweet cinnamon spice on the nose, and honey sweet on the palate with the sherry restrained and supporting rather than dominating the show. The longer it spent in the glass, the more it revealed – each element more beautiful than the last. What an incredible treat!

Brackla 12 year (Jun 20111 – Nov 2023) Cask 939001315 55.1% 

I totally admit that over the years, I’ve become rather partial to Brackla. It always delivers an apple orchard in the glass, and this was no exception! The difference is what kind of apple. Is it a tart crabapple or granny smith? Is it red or golden delicious? A crisp Macintosh? In this case, it leaned more tart or even slightly sour on the nose. Then shifted into a nice spice with fruit on the palate.

Glentauchers 15 year (2008 – 2023) Cask 8539953 54.2% (The Octave)

We circled back to The Octave expressions with a delightful Glentauchers which spent a mere 3 months in the smaller casks. On the nose, it was a fruit compote – bursting with different mixed fruits. On the palate, there was spice – a bit of a kick here! Once the spice settled down it was fun, fruity if a bit “avuncular” in its approach. 

I loved how we came full circle. We started with The Octave series and closed with it too. What a remarkable range and truly outstanding experience. Bravo Duncan Taylor!

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Whisky Show 2024 – Bowmore 1968 50th Anniversary 45.5%

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At the 2024 London Whisky Show, you never know what exceptional dram will make it’s way to a glass and one’s nose and lips.

There we were, engrossed in explorations at the Compass Box stand, when Sukindher Singh joined us. This was the 1st show post the sale of The Whisky Exchange and he was clearly relaxed, enjoying the shift from leading to experiencing.

Bowmore 32 year (1968) 50th Anniversary 45.5%

On the nose, it started surprisingly subtle – toast and a hint of jam. On the palate, it also was a curiosity. We considered it almost an “un-whisky like whisky”. It was nuanced, soft, fruity, and elegant with a hint of citrus. The finish slid into a lovely nutty quality.

What more do we know? Only that it was released to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the foundation of Stanley P Morrison (later to become Morrison Bowmore). And that, naturally, such a rare dram comes at a steep price tag – a “mere” GBP 7,000 or so!

The conversation turned to different experiences to “not miss”, days gone by, and our post-show plans. Armed with further recommendations – we carried on Day 1 of the 2024 London Whisky Show!!

As for other Bowmore experiences? We’ve had a few over the years – including at other shows like Whisky Live in Singapore and Paris!

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Whisky Show 2024 – Compass Box

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We are no strangers to Compass Box blends! So at the 2024 London Whisky Show, we were clear that we needed to make time to check out some of their latest expressions. We had no idea what kind of treat we were in for – thanks in large part to a most enjoyable exchange with Alex Driver – Whisky Educator for Compass Box.

Crimson Casks 46%

Wow! Spice and sherry! Think of a heavy rich Christmas pudding – chock full of soaked dried fruits and sweet spices. And on the palate? Full-bodied, plummy, yummy, spicy and fun. Closing with chocolate, toffee, and raisins with a hint of ginger. In short – it’s quite an addition to their range. It made me think of a cross between  Compaass Box’s Spice Tree and The Story of the Spaniard.

What more do we know? There is a lot of Glen Moray and a “distillery near the town of Aberlour” hint hint! AThis blend is part of the new core range – available for ~Eur 85.

  • 26.9% single malt from the distillery near the town of Aberlour aged in a first-fill oloroso sherry-seasoned butt (11-month finish).
  • 19.7% Glen Moray single malt aged in a first-fill oloroso sherry-seasoned butt (four-year finish).
  • 14.5% Benrinnes single malt aged in a first-fill bourbon barrel.
  • 11.3% Glen Moray single malt aged in a first-fill oloroso sherry-seasoned butt (four-year finish).
  • 8.4% single malt from the distillery near the town of Aberlour aged in a first-fill oloroso sherry-seasoned butt.
  • 7.3% Highland malt blend aged in a custom French oak barrel (heavy toast).
  • 6.1% Teaninich single malt aged in a first-fill sherry butt.
  • 5.8% Glen Moray single malt aged in a refill hogshead (Spanish red wine barrique).

Nectarosity 46%

After a celebration of sherry casks, we moved on to something a bit softer. From the initial whiff – I knew this was my kind of blend! Lovely! Soft toffee, creme brule, warm and inviting – like freshly baked goey pastries. On the palate, it led with sunny peaches, honey sweet, and fruity. It closed with butterscotch and a hint of nutty butter. Delicious! This was truly a dessert dram!

What more do we know? This is how Compass Box describes their process for Nectarosity:

Special American oak barrels are deployed twice. First to impart sweet spice to grain spirit, which finishes maturing in other casks. Once ‘prepared’, the barrels age malt whisky. We expertly blend these two characterful whiskies with selected others to dial up the fruit and toffee notes.

As we sniffed, swished, and sipped, Alex shared how the blend reflects key components like Clynelish, Linkwood, Cameronbridge, Girvan, and Balmenach. It is available for quite a reasonable Eur 65.

Celestial 56%

From accessible and enjoyable to exceptional and rare – we entered the hallowed territory of extinct whiskies – the fifth and last of the series. Inspired by Whitehorse from the 1960s, this was a singular experience.

We were anticipating a peaty powerhouse, knowing it drew heavily from Ardbeg and Caol Ila, however, it was initially a bit shy in the glass, needing a bit of time to warm up before rewarding with citrus and peat. On the palate, there were many layers – different styles of peat, one on top of the other and yet exceedingly well integrated with none being too much. From herbal peat to cinnamon sweet peat, briney coastal peat to toast and butter, bonfire to smoked meats, charred pineapple to leather, it simply worked! For all the variety, it was a subtle combination rather than a cacophony. Even the finish was a slow, long, lingering…

Compass Box describes it as having “[a] ghostly peat note, abundant cask sweetness verging on gingerbread and stem ginger in syrup, and a floral fruitiness.”

This expression is – for quite obvious reasons – a bit heavier on the pocketbook. Last seen for around Eur 365, it likely won’t be available for much longer.

We closed with an experiment – a blend of blends from a special collaboration between Woven and Compass Box. It even had an Indian connection with some Paul John! It was a teasing treat – enough to convince us that such a collaboration is worth further exploration!

Curious about other Compass Box experiences? There have been more than a few! Including a couple of evenings devoted just to Compass Box!

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Whisky Show 2024 – Arran

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At the 2024 London Whisky Show, we were looking for a wee palate cleanser between some remarkable Chichibu Japanese whiskies and our next stop – Compass Box. We strolled past the stand with Arran and simply had to pause!

For those new to Whisky Lady, over the years we’ve become rather partial to the unpeated drams from Lochranza Distillery from Isle of Arran. So much so that I’ve even managed to tour the entire island – all the way from Lochranza to Lagg distilleries.

Arran 13 year Small Batch Port Pipes 53.2%

To be honest, I think it was a bit forceful for us. In our quick sniff and swish, we encountered a nice lemon that shifted into a pine sol? On the palate, it was prickly, quite punchy but in a good way. The finish was solid and strong.

This expression is a UK exclusive and retails for around GBP 115.

If you are curious about our Arranexplorations? There have been many!!

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Whisky Show 2024 – Rediscovering Japanese Whiskies

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It has been years since I’ve spent time properly exploring Japanese Whiskies. And yet, once upon a time, the Hakushu 18 year was a “standard” in my whisky cabinet. More than a decade ago it was already out of my affordability category – now more in the price range of $1,000 a bottle – goodness! And whilst Suntory and Nikka may dominate, Ichiro’s is equally at the forefront. 

So when we bumped into a Sharing Angel at the London Whisky Show 2024 – who just so happens to be a MASSIVE Japanese whisky fan – we were in terrific company with her friend Umi to wander through Ichiro’s offerings!

Where did we begin?

Umi first invited us to explore the Chichibu’s 2024 London Edition 10 Cask 50.5% – the 7th in their series of special London releases using 10 casks which are a minimum of 10 years. Described as being mostly ex-bourbon barrels, there was also one red wine cask thrown into the mix. We sampled from bottle 1919 of 1920 – with this edition sold out. To give a feel for the price – past The Ten have ranged from GBP 500 – 1000.

For us, what always matters most is what’s in the glass! It greeted us with a subtle lemony aroma – sweet and slightly tart. On the palate, it began as a light, sprightly, and frankly just “yummy!” dram. There was a refined elegance, reminding one of a rare perfume. And yet, beneath the lemon meringue were darker fruits. The finish was a contrast – telling us that this dram is not a lightweight! Clear substance – almost a resinous quality – lingering and rewarding as it remained long and strong.

We found it a beautiful, well-crafted whisky in a traditional or classic style. We were quite pleased with our initial sampling and yet were ready to move on…

Umi then shared a very special bottle that wasn’t officially released! Chichibu 11 year 2011 Coedonado Cask # 3304 58.6%.  It was from Chichibu I (as there are now two Chichibu distilleries), matured in a 1st fill American Oak barrel that previously contained Coedonado beer. Yes that’s right – beer! The bottle we tried was from 15 Aug 2024. What did we think?

Oh my! If the earlier Chichibu had subtle lemon, this was a rich lemon custard tart with some cool lemon sorbet on the side. And the palate? Insanely beautiful. It was chock full of tropical fruits, laced with an elegant perfume. The finish just pulled it all together. Exceptional, and truly amazing. It was a delicious dessert in a glass! Umi described it as achieving their classic 70s style through the most surprising of casks.

I obviously could not find more details online about this particular expression. However, I did discover there was an adjacent release from Cask 3301 for The Whisky Exchange’s 20th anniversary which sold for GBP ~1,500.

We closed our Chichibu exploration with On The Way – which harkened back to their early days when 5 years was a milestone. This expression is known to be a multi-vintage vatting of Chichibu whisky distilled at various times since opening in 2008. 

I missed making tasting notes beyond “shows why Chichibu belongs in the list of top notch world distilleries.”

We were hooked! No question, we were back to being Japanese whisky fans! Now if only we could afford such indulgences!

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Canada’s Shelter Point Whisky Club Release #1 “Tequila” 6 year (2024) 63.2% 

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Earlier this year I decided after our last round of Shelter Point tastings to splurge on the $200 invest into joining the Shelter Point Whisky Club. Call it a burst of patriotism and nostalgia combined. I was also hoping somewhere in one of their expressions would be a dram that recaptures their earlier period where we discovered a style of “sunshine in a glass!”

Their 1st release was a bit of a surprise – Tequila?

First off, I have to admit I’m not a tequila person. Apart from an exceptional extra anejo that I snuck into a blind tasting, it isn’t something I would typically choose. However, the thirst for more diverse and unique whisky expressions means more than one distillery has opted to experiment with tequila finishes.

My first experience with a tequila finish was a peaty Kilchoman. In that case, the subtle agave influence was successful – a balance of sweet and salt, peat and sweet, spice and herb – all working together.

Would this be the case with Canada’s Shelter Point?

Shelter Point “Tequila” 6 year (2017 / Jun 2024) 63.2%

  • Nose – Very clear stamp of agave! Joined by hay, fruit, vanilla, granola bar, malty goodness
  • Palate – Hot – loads of character. Dry. Can really taste the agave, joined by a hot ginger counterpoint
  • Finish – Saline and sweet
  • Water – Mellows it out – with fruits joining the agave and ginger – particularly on the palate

It is distinctly different, and curious… I look forward to revisiting in a different context. I have a feeling it may grow on me, particularly with water, however the first experience was “on the fence”.

The bottle was neatly packed for the journey from Canada to Germany to be sampled again in some future tasting session.

And what do the folks at Shelter Point have to say?

This whisky is classic Shelter Point single malt. The mash is 100% BC malted barley and water from their aquifer. The frmentation is a long seven days, giving plenty of time for both a primary and secondary fermentation to allow the signature unique house flavours to develop. Distillation is done in the traditional fasion using wash and spirits stills supplied by Forsyths.

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, there is an immediate hit of that agave bringing back memories of the day the barrel arrived with us. What follows is a riot of soft fruits and berries underpinned by a soft creamy malt base note. The palate is full of graham cracker sweetness with notes of ginger and delicate hints of agave. The finish is long and rich with creme brulee and plenty of caramel.

What more do we know?

The cask spent its first six years in the coastal maturation warehouse. Then the liquid was transferred to the tequila casks mid-2023 and matured for a further year in the warmer distillery barrel display area.

I opened this bottle in Winnipeg in November 2024 and brought it to Nurnberg for further tastings in 2025.

Shelter Point Quintet sampled by the Nurnberg’s Whisky Explorers:

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Gordon + Macphail Stockpile

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Yet again, a favourite booth was notably absent at the 2024 London Whisky Show – Gordon & Macphail. Previously spending time with the folks from this venerable independent bottler was a festival highlight. 

With their 2023 announcement that they will cease filling new make spirit from other distilleries into their casks, the writing on the wall is clear. 

I know, I know, I know… they still have a decade or more of stock to slowly release, but I somehow found myself picking up a few bottles pro-actively…

It is already speculated that their entry-level whiskies will be the first to go. From their Discovery series, I acquired:

From the Distillery Labels range, I picked up another Glentauchers to join the Glenburgie purchased earlier:

  • Glentauchers 2008/2022 Distillery Labels 46% (Gordon & MacPhail) for Eur 64 + tax
  • Glenburgie 2004/2019 Distillery Labels 43% (Gordon & MacPhail)

And finally, the true treats (I hope!) are the Connoisseurs Choice duo:

  • Balmenach 2008/2024 15 year Single First Fill Sherry Hogshead No. 17603706 61.8% Connoisseurs Choice (Gordon & MacPhail) for Eur 134,99
  • Mannochmore 2006/2022 16 year bottled for whic.de Refill Sherry Hogshead No. 12932 56.6% Connoisseurs Choice (Gordon & MacPhail) for Eur 120 + tax

Knowing me, it could be either a few months or even a few years before these bottles will find the right place, time, and company to open! For now, they will sit patiently in Nurnberg…

And will think fondly on days gone by when exploring various Gordon & Macphail offerings was a Whisky Show favourite!

Remembering the good old days of Whisky Show experiences with Gordon & Macphail:

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