Category Archives: Beyond Scotland

Singapore “Speed Dating” Whisky…

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Singapore may be expensive as far as whisky purchasing is concerned, however it never fails to deliver a new discovery.

There are some terrific night spots to nip into for a whisky flight (or two) – The Auld Alliance, Flagship and Quaich.

There are always unique offerings at La Maison du Whisky.

Even Changi Airport is no slouch as a spot to sample something novel with its range of whiskies from everyday duty-free to airport exclusives to a special “I have way too much money” collection upstairs…

So what did my August 2016 Singapore trip have in store?

It began with a pilgrimage to La Maison du Whisky…

I stopped by early, well in advance of 6 PM ‘sampling’ time to pre-select options more or less under SG$200, less readily accessible elsewhere, not a repeat of any previous drams and could spark conversation from our fellow samplers back in Mumbai.

After a bit of careful thought, Priscilla sprung into action and began pulling out a few… checking some possibilities that I declined… to come up with a diverse shortlist. My sampling companion arrived and we began our final selection process by “speed dating” each whisky with quick short nips.

Puni Italian Trio

We began with a trio from Italy. Yes… Italy. We compared (right to left):

Puni Nova Bourbon Cask 43% 

  • Matured in American and European oak casks, initially seemed just grains, flowers, honey and vanilla… relatively standard on the palate.
  • In short, dismissed as not terribly interesting… but after the others, we found ourselves drawn back… then it really began to grow on us… for a young whisky, it has something quite enjoyable and attractive for a lighter dram.

Puni Alba Limited Edition 43%

  • Limited edition, uses barley, wheat and a locally grown rye matured from six months to three years in oak barrels that previously contained Sicilian marsala, Pinot Noir from South Tyrol and Zibibbo from Pantelleria.
  • And the result? Interesting, definitely interesting, but also oddly schizophrenic… simply didn’t seem to know what direction, here there or where?
  • Was it a light romp or storm the bastions? No balance between the sweet and spice elements like a cocktail with too many ingredients.

Puni Alba Marsala Islay 43%

  • Matured in Marsala and Islay casks, initially attracted attention – quite different with its pronounced cloves, range of fruits, peat, tobacco and nuts.
  • However like a one trick pony, we kept waiting for more… then reached back to the Puni Nova as the more drinkable dram!

Bruichladdich 1990 24 year

Next up was Bruichladdich 1990 24 year 56.5%

  • I was pre-disposed to fall in love… after all this was a special bottle for LMDW from a distillery that produces a rather interesting range of whiskies…
  • Eager anticipation, I took the first few whiffs…. and sip… And had the opposite reaction.
  • Harsh cloves cinnamon no softness… thin rather than layered and robust
  • Perhaps it needed time to air, a few drops of water or simply more consideration possible in a quick sample however didn’t pass the taste test… and in fairness, not all whiskies do… some simply require patience and attention not possible when “speed dating”

W+M Sherry + Sansibar Islay

We then moved on to two independents without the distillery disclosed:

Wilson & Morgan “Highland Heart” Sherry Cask Malt 2006 43%

  • As you would expect from a sherry, lots of delicious stewed fruits, a distinctly winey quality yet accompanying this was also a richer nutty dimension that brought you back for another nosing again and again
  • On the palate it was mellow, smooth and seemed to have many more layers than we could properly discern in a small taster… overall left you with the impression of an eminently drinkable dram

Sansibar Islay 8 year 52.5%

  • Sansibar are new independent bottlers from Germany and a first for me!
  • Unlike some who disclose minute detail about the cask, here the approach is different sharing only that it comes from a single cask, aged 8 years (2007-15) with 330 bottles…. and the rest? Up to you to guess!
  • We quickly pronounced it a fine specimen of an Islay malt
  • Compared it with the distillery official bottling – no doubt which WE preferred!

Wolfburn

Wolfburn 46% Batch #2

  • As a new re-entry, this distillery has been on my radar and considered in London with rather honest advice “It is still quite raw” enabling the Teerenpeli to win that round (I’m ever so grateful!)
  • From 7.03.2016, Distillery Manager Shane Fraser shares “On the nose you’ll find fruit and malty aromas, with a hint of peat. On the tongue, sweet and nutty flavours are present, which coat the palate and leave a very slight pleasant flavour of smoke. It is a joy to drink – I hope you enjoy every drop.”
  • This one was thrown in as a courtesy to let me try as a bottle was not available for purchase. Yes there is fruit, nuts, hint of peat, quite intense with lots of promise but not there yet – a bit ruff, gruff and certainly not balanced.
  • However… Let’s just say I’m looking forward to seeing what more comes… though can safely skip this one…

Taylor

We then shifted our attention to the Americas… In this case, to potentially obtain a 3rd American whiskey as counterpoint for two recent acquisitions direct to Mumbai from Denver, Colorado…

For this ‘brief’ we explored a duo from Colonel E. H. Taylor, part of the Buffalo Trace stable:

  • Small Batch 50% – What a change to shift gear to a rye! I’ll admit I’m neither a bourbon nor rye aficionado, however for this style, was a rather good example.
  • Barrel Proof 63.6% – Packs a serious wallop! As in galloping head on into all senses, firing all cylinders. Yowza!

Singapore Airport's Whisky Wall

Next up Changi Airport…  A few highlights / lowlights include:

  • Suntory has launched outside of Japan The Chita… Quite reasonably priced, alas it was not the exquisite Chita Single Grain 12 year I picked up in Tokyo years ago. Easy to pass…
  • However the Kavalan selection was tempting with a Sherry cask strength for less than SG$100. And a new Kavalan Peaty Cask – matured in a cask which previously held a peated whisky for SG$175.

What made the final cut for purchase?

You will just need to be patient til one or more whiskies sampled make it into a focused tasting session.

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Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon 46.5%

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We really thought our Kentucky Bourbon tasting experience was over… Then out popped a bourbon repeat from an earlier session – Blanton’s Single-Barrel Bourbon.

Bourbon there is a-plenty, however single barrel bourbon is apparently a relatively newer phenomenon… with Blanton’s claiming fame for popularizing it in the 1980s.

Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon takes its name from Colonel Albert Blanton, who was known to entertain friends by serving them bourbon from Warehouse H – especially in the middle sections known as the centre cut – which he believed aged bourbon better. Col. Blanton would pick an individual barrel he liked best and have it bottled – known as his special select single barrel bourbons.

His apprentice, Elmer T. Lee was inspired by this approach, hence used this concept when crafting the new Blanton’s brand… or so the story goes…

You can see here the whisky we enjoyed was indeed from Warehouse H, bottled at 93 proof on 6-2-14.

20141218-Blanton Label
Blanton is also know for its trademark set of eight stoppers – each in the series of  to see the race in action! Ours was at the starting point before the race takes off…20141218-Blanton

Now I have to be honest… we simply did not even think about tasting notes by that point in the evening. So you will simply have to suffice with what the Blanton’s folks have to say:

  • Nose: A spicy aroma of Dried Citrus and Orange Peels with a hint of Caramel and Vanilla
  • Palate: Full and soft, marked by a mix of Burnt Sugar, Caramel, Orange, and Cloves
  • Finish: Balanced with Vanilla, Honey, and Citrus
  • Best Served: Straight, on ice, or used in a premium cocktail

We then sat down to enjoy a North African themed meal – which paired rather well with the bourbons!

Our Kentucky bourbon night featured:

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Kentucky Bourbon – Following the buffalo trail…. with Buffalo Trace 40%

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Last in our Kentucky straight bourbon revisit is Sazerac‘s Buffalo Trace – the distillery‘s name sake whisky…

Buffalo Trace

As usual, we sampled blind then revealed the whiskey… Here is what we found:

Buffalo Trace

  • Colour – Dark reddish gold
  • Nose – Citrus honey flowery perhaps a little fruit
  • Palate – Spirity spice, chewy, a little harsh and dry
  • Finish – Stretched after taste, slightly bitter
  • Add water – Enhanced the sweet and spice

Debate: Some preferred the WL Weller, another thought the Buffalo Trace had more character…

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

Ancient buffalo carved paths through the wilderness that led American pioneers and explorers to new frontiers. One such trail led to the banks of the Kentucky River where Buffalo Trace Distillery has been making bourbon whiskey the same way for more than 200 years. In tribute to the mighty buffalo and the rugged, independent spirit of the pioneers who followed them, we created our signature Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

TASTING NOTES:

This deep amber whiskey has a complex aroma of vanilla, mint and molasses. Pleasantly sweet to the taste with notes of brown sugar and spice that give way to oak, toffee, dark fruit and anise. This whiskey finishes long and smooth with serious depth.

Here’s what others have to say about Buffalo Trace:

Other whiskies in our Kentucky bourbon evening included:

It was an interesting departure to take a little tipple trip to Kentucky.

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Kentucky Bourbon – 1792 Ridgemont Reserve 46.85%

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Next up in the Kentucky straight bourbon revisit is Sazerac Barton’s 1792 Ridgemont Reserve.

This bourbon is named after the year Kentucky became a state. Originally released as an 8 year, since 2013 the distillery removed the age statement. There was also a wee bit of a kerfuffle over using ‘Ridgemont Reserve’ which apparently people confused with ‘Woodford Reserve’ hence if you search for a bottle today, may only find it labelled as 1792!

1792 Ridgemount Reserve

As usual, we sampled it blind and here is what we found…

1792 Ridgemont Reserve

  • Colour – Dark reddish gold, perhaps a hint paler than the others sampled the same evening
  • Nose – Aged rancio, sweet overripe bananas, strong rye quality, after time became fruity floral with some pepper spice
  • Palate – Dry weak body, cinnamon, astringent on the tongue
  • Finish – Very dry finish

Speculation was likely a straight bourbon with rye – turns out we were right!

Unveiling: The distinct feature of this bourbon is that it is produced in small batches.

For my vote, this is an uncomplicated, affordable bourbon with a dash of rye that could rock as a base for cocktails or an easy option to have on hand for parties. However, given the difficulty obtaining ‘phoren’ (that’s foreign folks!) whiskies in India, this wouldn’t be a top priority bringing back after a trip abroad.

Here’s what others have to say about Barton’s 1792 Ridgemont Reserve:

Other whiskies in our Kentucky bourbon evening included:

You can also find Whisky Lady in India on:

Kentucky Bourbon – W L Weller Special Reserve 45%

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Next up in our Kentucky straight bourbon revisit is Buffalo Trace Distillery‘s W. L. Weller Special Reserve. As they put it “made in Kentucky, enjoyed worldwide.”

W L Weller Special Reserve

As usual, we sampled it blind and here is what we found…

W L Weller Special Reserve

  • Colour – Dark burnished copper
  • Nose – Banana toffee, sweet vanilla, caramel
  • Palate – Spicy honey sweetness, perhaps a pinch of nutmeg? (some disagreed)
  • Finish – Warm
  • Add water – Even spicier, then mellowed out

Comments:

  • “One track… one direction.”
  • “A lot more body than a regular Bourbon.”
  • “Has all the ‘ticks’ for bourbon…. though a bit predictable.”

Unveiling: Straight bourbon with wheat substituting for rye.

Like many other bourbons, what is eminently reasonable as a daily dram in the US is well neigh impossible to find and hardly affordable in India.

Part of the Sazerac stable, this is what the Buffalo Trace folks have to say about their bourbon:

The Original Wheated Bourbon Whiskey features an exceptionally smooth taste, substituting wheat for rye grain. Bottled at 90 proof, this bourbon stands out with its burnt orange color. Its softer flavor notes make this bourbon great for sipping or making cocktails.

TASTING NOTES:

A sweet nose with a presence of caramel. Tasting notes of honey, butterscotch, and a soft woodiness. It’s smooth, delicate and calm. Features a smooth finish with a sweet honeysuckle flair.

Here’s what others have to say about WL Weller:

Other whiskies in our Kentucky bourbon evening included:

You can also find Whisky Lady in India on:

Kentucky Bourbon – A jazzy night in Singapore with Elijah Craig

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After a rather brilliant evening in Singapore with jazz and Elijah Craig, I thought it time to pull up from the archives tasting notes from an evening focused on exploring Kentucky straight bourbon…

(Photo: Whisky Exchange)

(Photo: Whisky Exchange)

Taking our usual approach we tried ‘blind’ then unveiled!

Elijah Craig 12 year 47%

  • Nose – Corn, medicinal, banana, wet leather
  • Palate – Sweet spice
  • Finish – Says hello and then flits off
  • Add water – Spice!!!!

We sampled back in the day when this was still a 12 year bourbon. Now it has been replaced with a NAS version which they say contains whiskey between 8 to 12 years….

We found that it is just what we’ve come to expect from a bourbon! Nothing complicated or nuanced, just good old straight up Kentucky bourbon. And if you happen to be in the US, its cheap too!

Jim Murray has said:

“About as complete a bourbon aroma as you are likely to find…one of the most beautiful noses found anywhere in the world today. A bourbon to keep in the mouth forever.” 

Mike over at Whisky Lately has this to say about Elijah Craig:

Elijah Craig 12 is named after Bourbon folk hero Reverend Elijah Craig. The commercial legend is that Rev. Elijah Craig was the creator of Bourbon. An early Kentucky distiller, he founded his distillery around 1789, but the story goes he was first to give Bourbon its unique characteristics. Apparently some of his whiskey barrels became charred in a fire, which is a key process in the making of modern Bourbon. The accidental results were apparently favorable, and thus, Bourbon was born. That’s most likely not true, but every Bourbon needs a story and that’s a good one.

What others have to say about Elijah Craig:

Other whiskies sampled during our Kentucky straight bourbon evening included:

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Winnipeg Cabinet’s Paul John Peated experience

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Yes another Paul John post, however it is such a treat to be able to share this tropical delight from Goa, India in my country of birth – Canada!

We’ve enjoyed more than one Paul John‘s Select Cask Peated:

  • 1st bottle graced two tasting occasions – an evening with our original tasting group with partners and then revisited with a mad bunch of friends
  • 2nd bottle made its appearance with the Whisky Ladies Goan send-off in December 2015. It was completely memorable and created a fan following amongst the Whisky Ladies…. so much so that one of our intrepid lasses made the trek to the distillery doors to help source further bottles…
  • 3rd bottle wound its way from Goa to Mumbai to London to Toronto and finally Winnipeg for a special peaty evening with the lads from The Cabinet

Paul John Select Cask Peated

Here’s a few impressions from the Canadian evening with a bottle from the 2016 batch:

  • Nose – Fruit, flowers and tropics, raisins, some toffee coffee, then back to fruit… dark cherries, berries with curl of smoke
  • Palate – Rum… did we mention rum? Exceedingly smooth, smoky yet sweet
  • Finish – Smoke tar with a sweet chaser…

Now my companions must have wondered a bit as I kept (annoyingly) going on about “where’s the delicious bacon??” Between the 1st batch and this batch, the gorgeous yummy glazed ham, back-bacon drizzled in maple syrup was… well… notably absent. Don’t get me wrong, it is still a rather good dram but oh… that meaty peaty sweetness I was greedily looking forward to was simply… different.

I returned to India to confer with my fellow Whisky Ladies – sure enough they all had the same reaction. Still a mighty fine whisky, still very enjoyable however…. “where is the bacon???”

My friends at the Cabinet had no such pre-conceived notions. And it was therefore all the more enjoyable to experience afresh through their reactions what Paul John has to offer to the world of whisky!

Here’s what they had to say…

And finally the genesis of the peat theme this evening: Carissa had brought a bottle of Paul John peated single malt whisky from Goa, India. Yes, Goa. It’s hard to imagine a locale less associated with single malt in most people’s minds. Right up there with Fiji or Egypt. But indeed, since 2012 there has been a distillery in Goa and what a distillery.
PaulJohnPeatedTo those of you for whom Indian whisky means Amrut and for whom Amrut is a byword for crap, Paul John is a revelation. Not only is it not crap, but it is in fact very good. Not only is the quality a surprise, but the entire whisky is a surprise.
To begin with, although peated malt was apparently used, the peat character is completely submerged under an intense sweet dark fruit flavour overlay, like raisins, like molasses, like… rum. This whisky tastes like a lovely aged rum. Perhaps an 18 year old Flor de Cana.
And the colour. For a whisky whose oldest components cannot be more than four years it has the deep mahogany colour of a 21 year old sherry cask finish. Apparently the tropical heat greatly accelerates aspects of the aging process.
And then finally the alcohol. This is a 55.5% fire bomb, yet none of us added water. The rummy sweetness smooths it and softens it. 
Very interesting. Thank you Carissa! It’s really an “apples and oranges” scenario when it comes to comparisons with traditional scotch whiskies. In fact last night the Rosebank and Paul John beautifully illustrated opposite ends of a series of spectrums: old and new, light and dark, astringent and sweet, austere and complex. As the rhinos dwindle away other species begin to proliferate…

Thank you Cabinet gents for a most memorable evening in Winnipeg! And thank you once again Michael of Paul John for the bottle that made its way from my adopted home to the city of my birth.

Interested in what else we sampled? Read on…

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Kavalan Solist Bourbon Cask (2010) 58.6%

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Of all the whiskies we planned to sample, the one I was looking forward to the most was the Kavalan Solist.

Having recently tried the astounding intense burst of flavours of the cask strength Kavalan Solist Sherry Cask No S1001200358, the bar was set very high. Even recalibrating expectations for a bourbon rather than sherry cask, I was primed and ready for a treat!

Kavalan Solist Bourbon

Kavalan Solist Ex-Bourbon Cask No B101124001A (Bottle 102 of 230) 58.6%

  • Nose: Much brighter, almost floral with sweet honey, citrus fruits and a bit of banana thrown in for good measure… one could even suggest banana bread… as it continued to open up
  • Palate: For some it was a bit rougher than preferred for others quite smooth, largely on the sweeter side without spice or smoke, some slightly nutty elements
  • Finish: Slight spice and back to sweetness…

Now cask strength whiskies are not for everyone… however this Kavalan still clearly has the Taiwan climate advantage of more concentrated aromas and flavours in just a few years.

Just for those wanting to partially de-code Kavalan’s cask  no B101124001A

  • B = Ex-Bourbon cask
  • 10 = Put into a cask in 2010

Was it a stunner like its Sherry Cask cousin? Honestly no.

But what I must say is that by releasing so many single casks, Kavalan is really showing the world the range and variation found between casks.

Other Kavalan tasting experiences:

What else did we sample?

From time to time, you can also find other whisky related updates and activities on:

Yoichi Single Malt NAS 45% circa 2016

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Having quite enjoyed the Yoichi 10 year in an earlier sampling session, I will admit to being rather excited to explore more what this distillery has to offer!

I particularly recalled Dr Bill Lumsden (of Glenmorangie and Ardbeg fame) sharing that of all the Japanese whiskies, he found Yoichi the most interesting.

Yoichi NAS

Yoichi Single Malt NAS 45% (approx late 2015/2016)

  • Nose – A curl of peat, sweet citrus fruits, honey, toasty nuts, vanilla, hints of sweet herbs and whiff of salty sea spray
  • Palate – Bold yet still approachable, nice balance of sweet, spice and smoke… some leather, malty
  • Finish – First real ‘finish’ of the evening… however still relatively short with a nice puff of smoke closing with mint

Overall a good well balanced dram. Fruit, peat, spice, sweet and nice it hits many of the right notes.

However, can I admit to being a wee bit disappointed with the NAS expression? I was honestly hoping for more… It just didn’t seem to have those delicious autumn notes I associated with the earlier Yoichi whisky.

And this is all the more devastating when you realize that with Nikka’s 2015 announcement of a whisky “shake up,” the age statements from both Yoichi and Miyagikyo are no more… at least for the foreseeable future.

From once potentially being considered in 2007 as one of the “cheapest whisky” (how times have changed!) in Japan, the Yoichi NAS of today is a reflection that the single malt stock shortage at Nikka is indeed very real.

Here’s what the Nikka folks have to say about their whisky:

Yoichi single malt has pleasant peaty notes and smokiness originating from the traditional direct coal-fired distillation as well as a briny hint delivered by the sea breeze during the aging process.

Here’s what others have to say:

What else did we sample in our far east evening?

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The Nikka 12 year 43%

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Over the years I’ve had a few opportunities to sample Nikka blends – bringing together the yin yang quality of their single malts Yoichi and Miyagikyo.

Specifically the The Nikka 12 year marries three elements – malt whisky from Yoichi and Miyagikyo with grain whisky distilled in a Coffey still.

Amusingly, our ‘Far East’ sampling of The Nikka began with dispelling the misconception that ‘coffey’ has anything to do with ‘coffee!’ Funny how our brain works… trying to sniff out a whiff of your morning brew even when ‘coffey’ refers to the kind of still Aeneas Coffey patented which revolutionised liquor production in the mid-1800s.

We also shared how Miyagikyo distillery is known for its lighter, more delicate and nuanced ‘feminine’ whiskies. Whereas the Yoichi distillery has a reputation for more robust, often peatland more ‘masculine’ whiskies.

The Nikka 12 year

The Nikka 12 year 43%

While I didn’t take notes at the time, walked away with an impression of:

  • Nose – Fruity with pineapple, apples and pears, coconut, hint of peat, some vanilla sweetness
  • Palate – Barley with just a dash of sweet spices and toffee, and while very much in the sweeter side still had some substance
  • Finish – Light pepper, slightly woodsy

Overall a most enjoyable dram. Accessible, well-balanced and easy to just sip.

Pitched as a more affordable age statement, The Nikka 12 year has collected a number of awards to its credit and is currently easier to track down than many other Japanese whiskies.

The Nikka 12 year up close

Here’s what the folks over at Nikka have to say about their 12 year:

There is nothing more suitable than a blended whisky to represent Nikka’s way of whisky making.

The asymmetry design of the bottle is inspired by the neck of a “Kimono”, just as if the layers visualize all the passion and craftsmanship devoted in the history of Nikka. The honorable golden emblem engraved was designed by Masataka Taketsuru for his very first Nikka whisky bottle.

Malty, soft and well-balanced, this expression portrays our gratitude to the heritage and our will to advance our tradition.

We then continued our evening by selecting one element in The Nikka to explore further – Yoichi’s new NAS single malt expression.

If you are curious, here’s what others have to say about The Nikka 12 year:

And Whisky Lady notes to a few related whisky explorations…

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