Category Archives: Scotland

Kirsch Scotch Whisky Adventskalender 2022

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In the spring of 2023 I was preparing for a trip back to India. Part of my preparations was to pick up a set of whiskies for our Whisky Ladies – more specifically That Boutique-y Whisky Company: World Whisky Blend, Cotswolds, Macduff, English Whisky Co. We rather enjoyed that exploration!

Along with it I also picked up another tasting set – Roggen (aka Rye) Revolution with whiskies from Denmark: Stauning Rye & El Clásico, Finland: Kyrö Malt Rye & Wood Smoke Rye, Germany: Stork Club Straight Rye & Full Proof Rye

Yet the ultimate was a rather remarkable set of 24 miniatures from Kirsh. As I still have a few minis from my 2019 Drinks by the Drams – Single Cask Advent Calendar, it will likely be a long time before I get around to tackling this set – however it is there ready and waiting to be explored.

Kirsh Scotch Whisky Advent Kalendar 2022 

  1. Sherry Blended Malt 44.2% (Berry Bro’s)
  2. Black Bull Peated Edition 50% – Also received as a “bonus” dram
  3. Inchgower 13 years (18 Feb 2008/29 June 2021) Cask No S801500/S801502 46% (Signature)
  4. The Spaniard 43% (Compass Box) – Previously tasted in 2018
  5. Glasgow 1770 Peated 46%
  6. Glen Spey Dimensions 11 years 54.8% (Duncan Taylor)
  7. Edradour 10 year 40%
  8. Glencadam American Oak Reserve 40%
  9. Ballechin 15 year SBCS 59.4% (Germany exclusive)
  10. Nc’Nean Organic 46% – Tried with another mini set
  11. Unnamed Speyside 12 year (23 Feb 2009 / 29 Nov 2021) Cask DRU 17/A197 #6 46% (Signature)
  12. Raasay 46.4%
  13. Speyside Blended Malt 44.2% (Berry Bro’s & Rudd) – A teasing taste at London’s Whisky Show 2022
  14. Benrinnes 9 year (30 June 2021 / 4 June 2021) Refill Butt 307210, 46% (Signature)
  15. Caol Ila 10 year Reserve Cask Parcel No. 7 48% (Single Malts of Scotland) Angel’s share 13.3%, selected by Oliver Chilton
  16. Pulteney 12 year (27 May 2008 / 27 April 2021) Sherry Finish (33 months) Cask No 16, 56.6% (Signatory)
  17. Artist Blend 43% (Compass Box) – Curious it it’s more like the Glasgow or Great King Street or Experimental expressions?
  18. GlenAllachie 15 year 46% – Tasted as part of a special online tasting with Juliette 
  19. Askaig 8 year 45.8% – Let’s see how it compares with earlier expressions
  20. Glen Moray Small Batch 12 year (2021) 46% (Berry Bros & Rudd)
  21. Ben Nevis 7 year (17 Oct 2013 / 6 Aug 2021) Hogshead Cask No 420 + 425 46% (Signatory)
  22. Glencadam Reserva Adnalucia 46%
  23. Old Ballantruan Speyside Glenlivet ‘The Peated’ 50%
  24. GlenAllachie (2009) Cuvee Cask Finish 55.9%

Curious to know more? Me too! However, don’t be surprised if I take a year or more to crack open and share tasting notes.

PS – I purchased this for Eur 76.75 plus shipping.

PPS – Fast forward to 2026 – this set remains largely untouched, moving from Germany to India whilst its companion from 2023 continued on to Canada!

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A pair of single casks – Glen Spey and GlenAllachie

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A few years ago, I enthusiastically purchased a Whisky advent calendar – all single casks, each unique. This was my special “welcome to Germany” gift. Slowly but surely over the years, I’ve opened a couple more, typically a pair at a time.

After a bit of a break, it was high time to crack open a few more… this time a pair from Speyside…

Glen Spey 21 Year Old (Jan 1997/Nov 2018) cask 12952, 51.1% (Douglas Laing Xtra Old Particular), 256 bottles

  • Nose – Waxy, coconut oil, raw banana peels, barley mash, light spice… after some time, a hint of salty toffee
  • Palate – Started off with a real spicy chili kick, a bit sweet and sour
  • Finish – Bitter with the spice lingering, tapering into sweetness
  • Water – Brings out a spicy fruity mix – jackfruit

Not sure what I was expecting, however, the more I sipped, the more I enjoyed it.

Douglas Laing tasting notes:

The nose is sweet and lively with chocolate covered coconut, juicy barley and gentle spice. The palate reveals layer on layer of vanilla alongside creamy toffee and warm sponge cake, and the long finish has a mellow oak quality, with marshmallows and caramelised sugar.

Remarkably, Master of Malt still has it in stock – for a ‘mere’ Eur 220!

GlenAllachie 13 year (25 Oct 2005 / 13 Jun 2019), Cask 901062, 65.1% (Lady of the Glen) 368 bottles

  • Nose – Such a bouquet! Fruity, floral, then creamy, nutty, malty, yummy! Reminded me of juicy fruit gum! Then shifted into old over-ripe fruits, mascarpone
  • Palate – Resinous, herbal, then chocolaty, nutty, buttery, stewed fruits
  • Finish – Long, strong with a bit of nutty bitterness
  • Water – Definitely add! Brightens and lightens without losing the spike kick

What a character! There is something also a bit different about this one. I’m not sure if it was the Marsala finish or something else, but it’s tough to pin down… and that’s what makes it fun.

What more do we know? It was matured in a single bourbon hogshead and then finished in Marsala Wine Butt from Sicily.

The folks at Master of Malt had this to say:

  • Nose: Floral malt, vanilla biscuits, and milk chocolate Maltesars, with caramelized nuts.
  • Palate: Apricot jam on fresh toast with lots of melted butter, vanilla cream, and nougat.
  • Finish: Dried fruit, namely more apricot, with toasted walnut and vanilla pod.

Would I agree? Certainly!

Once upon a time, this whisky retailed for Eur 96, however suspect you won’t find it so easily now.

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Paris Whisky Live 2022 – Lagg Masterclass

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I’ve made no secret of my love affair with Arran whiskies – cemented by time spent on the Island visiting both the Lochranza and Lagg Distillery. So at Paris Whisky Live, I jumped on the opportunity to explore further…

Our guide was Mariella Romano, who joined the group in 2019, and the focus of the Masterclass was to introduce the new expressions from their Lowland Lagg Distillery.

So what did we try? A trio of 1st releases with:

  • Batch 1 – Lagg 3 year 1st Fill Bourbon Cask (Summer 2023) 50%
  • Batch 2 – Lagg 3 year (30 month ex-Bourbon, 6 months Olorosso) 2023 50%
  • Batch 3 – Lagg 3 year (30 month ex-Bourbon, 6 months Roja Red) 2023 50%

We began with the Lagg 3 year 1st Fill Bourbon Cask (Summer 2023) 50% 50 PPM

  • Nose – Herbal notes to start, young, fresh mash, clean and sweet with a grassy rather than medicinal peat, a hint of heather and puff of smoke
  • Palate – Very promising, creamy with a citrus zest
  • Finish – Nicely lingers, more so than I had expected from such a young dram

What we tried was literally bottled the week before! It then officially launched in France on Oct 1, 2022 (after Paris Whisky Live!) as an inaugural limited summer release. Mariella shared that they see their peat as more “Aberdeen west coast style”, gentler than the robust peat monsters some Islay distilleries produce.

She also shared how the idea for Lagg’s full focus on peat began with their experiemnt’s with their Lochranza distillery peat expressions – like Machrie Moor and their Cask Strength. Since deciding to set-up the Lagg distillery, they have stopped producing any new peat expressions at Lochranza.

Next up was the Lagg 3 year – 30 month ex-Bourbon, 6 month Olorosso finish (2023) 50% also 50 PPM.

  • Nose – Mmmmm a chocolaty sweet peat, richer than the 1st dram with loads of dark fruit sherry notes, raisins and sweet spices
  • Palate – Very smooth – the sherry finish works wonderfully with the peat
  • Finish – A lovely cinnamon finish

Delicious! In this case, it was initially matured in bourbon casks before being finished for an additional six months in 55 liter ex-Oloroso sherry casks for 6 months. Mariella also mentioned how they used Concerto barley and peat from the North East of Scotland.

She then shared a virtual tour of the new Lagg distiellery (after some small technical hiccups!). While many interesting stories were shared, one element was the contrast between the “mountain” pure water at Lochranza distillery and Lagg distillery’s use of a borehole with distinctly different taste. Another is how important it is to have the significantly expanded space for cask storage at the new facility.

Mariella also shared that while Lochranza (Arran) whiskies are sweet and easy drinking, the intent for Lagg is not just peat but also a deliberately ‘harsher’ quality.

And with that we moved on to the last whisky, closing with Lagg 3 year – 30 month ex-Bourbon, 6 months Rioja Red 2023 50%:

  • Nose – Dry nutty element, sweet cinnamon, a bit herbal
  • Palate – Curious character – some minerals? Also a bit fruity – mostly dark berries, some oak
  • Finish – Wine followed by a cinnamon finish like the Olorosso

The peat in this was quite subtle – and the ex-Rioja red wine Firkan was a bit curious – particularly on the palate. I wish I had tried this with a bit of water, as have a feeling this one needs to open up a bit to reveal its full character.

It was terrific to have a chance to explore these early Lagg expressions. I’m curious to see how they evolve in the coming years.

In the meantime, I remain a complete fan of Lagg’s big sister Lochranza:

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Gordon + MacPhail Discovery: Caol Ila 13 year 43% 

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Amongst the Islay distilleries, Caol Ila is generally known to be one of the lighter whiskies – both in terms of its peat and colour as they typically stick with ex-bourbon barrels for maturing. This leads to generally quite an approachable balanced peat dram. And for all those folks who love the light peat in Jonny Walker? Caol Ila is likely responsible!

All of this made it a perfect choice for our final whisky in our evening exploring different dimensions of single malts. I already sampled this particular Gordon & MacPhail Discovery series expression at Paris Whisky Live. It was just a teasing taste, yet enough to be confident in adding it as the “peat” element in our 1st Nurnberg International Whisky Tasting evening.

So what did we think?

Caol Ila 13 year 43% 

  • Colour – Old gold (0.6)
  • Nose – Initially greeted by wet wood and embers, then warmed into smoked pork belly, maple bacon, and cured sweetmeats. After some time, the fruit came more to the fore with glazed banana, roasted pineapple, sweet grass
  • Palate – Smoked meat, soft, gentle peat, fruity
  • Finish – Long sweet cinnamon and lightly smoky
  • Water – Personal choice – for some, this helps open up the whisky to enhance the fruitiness, for others, it was not needed at all!

We had a few peat skeptics in the room… many of whom were pleasantly surprised at the subtle sweet peat and balance of this whisky – cured meats glazed with fruit were much more approachable than some “in your face” bold peat “bonfire” and “iodine” whiskies!

For those of us familiar with the distillery – it is what we have come to expect – a balanced peat, the kind of dram that invites you to slow down, curl up into a comfy chair, put on some good music, and just relax, slowly sipping and savouring.

What do the good folks over at Gordon & Macphail have to say about this expression?

Sweet vanilla and dry cured meat aromas. Peat smoke umdertones are complemented by banana and apricot.

Ripe banana, kiwi and vibrant hints of fresh citrus, leading to a long, sweet and smoky finish.

With this peat expression, we closed our inaugural tasting session in which we explored the impact of cask (ex-bourbon and ex-sherry) and peat in the Gordon & Macphail Discovery series!

Our evening explored a quartet from Gordon & Macphail’s Discovery series.

Around the room, we had slightly different preferences – however if you pushed me to rank, I would probably put the Miltonduff 1st, followed by the Aultmore, then this Caol Ila, finishing with the Glenrothes.

What additional Caol Ila tastings over the years? There have been a few – mostly from independent bottlers:

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Gordon + MacPhail Discovery: Glenrothes 11 year 43% 

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In our exploration of Gordon & MacPhail’s Discovery range, we had not one but two Sherry expressions. The Miltonduff was a sheer delight – sherry with lovely balance. So what about this 2nd Sherry expression from the Speyside distillery Glenrothes?

Known to typically mature in sherry casks, slowing down is one of their mantras – aware that their spirit tends to need more time in the barrel and also needs time in the glass to open up. What this means is that even an 11-year-old can come across as “young”, a bit brash and spicy along with the rich sherry notes.

What did we think?

Glenrothes 11 year 43% 

  • Colour – Tawny (1.4)
  • Nose – Quite spirited taking some time to settle down. Green grapes then started to reveal more typical sherry elements of toffee, dried fruits, some mocha
  • Palate – A bit aggressive, the fruits and berries were there but also had a spice kick with pronounced wood qualities too
  • Finish – Spicy with some cinnamon chocolate
  • Water – It helped! Brought the sherry elements more to the front – stewed plums, sweet spices, and some herbs too. Also a nice tobacco on the nose and hazelnut on the palate.

We would 100% recommend trying water with this one – certainly gentled some of the more forceful elements. There was none of the balance we absolutely loved in the 1st two whiskies sampled – the Aultmore and Miltonduff – however for all the intense top notes, it wasn’t as rich as I had expected.

It might be one to try again… What do the good folks over at Gordon & Macphail have to say?

Rich toffee aromas mingle with stewed fruits, sherry influences mix with forest fruits, delicate cinnamon and chocolate.

Raspberry and blackberries complemented by cinnamon and charred oak, with a creamy milk chocolate and orange finish.

Nearly without fail, I find Gordon & Macphail’s tasting notes on point. In this case, I could understand where they were coming from, however, you can tell from our description we found a different character, even if some elements were in common.

Perhaps had we tried just the Glenrothes without the Miltonduff, we would have been perfectly satisfied. However side-by-side, the Glenrothes was simply outclassed by the gentler, more nuanced, and elegant Miltonduff for most of us – with one exception! This simply goes to prove – palate preferences are personal. What appeals to one may differ from others’ opinions. And that’s what makes tasting with others so much fun!

Our evening explored a quartet from Gordon & Macphail’s Discovery series.

And what about other experiences with Glenrothes? There have been more than a few!

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Gordon + MacPhail Discovery: Miltonduff 10 year 43% 

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After the delightful Aultmore10 year, we moved on to Miltonduff. A key element in Ballentine’s blend, increasingly, we see more and more Miltonduff standing on its own as a single malt. I’ve generally found my experience with Miltonduff positive – charming, elegant yet with enough substance to not be a total lightweight.

As for this ex-sherry expression? After twice sampling it at whisky shows (Singapore 2018, Paris 2022), I simply HAD to have a full bottle to experience at leisure!

So what did we think this summer in Nurnberg?

Miltonduff 10 year 43% 

  • Colour – Tawny (1.4)
  • Nose – Wow! Stewed fruits, dates, plums, Christmas pudding, sweet spices, rum raisins, over time a lovely marshmallow sweetness
  • Palate – What a delightful dry sherry! Some spice, dark fruits, creamy cocoa, a special cake, dry wood
  • Finish – Toffee, honey… over time shifting to a lovely honeyed citrus orange finish
  • Water – At 43% it may seem counter-intuitive to add, however, it really boosts the creamy caramel and treacle quality, amps up the sweet spices, goes from stewed fruits to juicy tropical fruits, dry to fresh wood

So wonderfully smooth, balanced with a truly lovely mouthfeel. Whilst a bit “dry” without water, a few drops of water transformed it.

For those newer to whisky tasting, the impact of just a little water was a revelation! How could just a few drops of water make such a difference? Yet it does!

Overall we were rather pleased with this one – most enjoyable! The more time in the glass, the more it delighted – a delicious dessert in a glass!

What do the good folks over at Gordon & Macphail have to say about this expression?

Dry sherry aromas mingle with stewed raisin and roasted hazelnut, complemented by fresh citrus edge.

Creamy milk chocolate and orange zest flavours lead to spiced stewed fruits.

The finish is fruity with lingering citrus.

All in all, a great start to an evening exploring Gordon and MacPhail’s Discovery range.

Our evening explored a quartet from Gordon & Macphail’s Discovery series.

And what about other explorations of Miltonduff? Here are some tastings:

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Gordon + MacPhail Discovery: Aultmore 10 year 43% 

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We began our “proper” tasting with a distillery known for its lighter style – Aultmore.  Part of the Bacardi family, it is known for a lighter, fruity nose and more substantial palate, this Speyside distillery has both official bottlings and can be found in select independent bottlings – like this one from Gordon & Macphail.

So… what did we discover?

Aultmore 10 year 43% 

  • Colour – Yellow gold (0.5)
  • Nose – A lovely fresh green apple, later joined by a pear too. As it opened further, revealed soft French vanilla and cereals, lightly floral – especially jasmin, gentle lemony cream
  • Palate – Delightful crisp pears, fresh wood, some spice – primarily cracked black pepper, more of that cereal (lightly toasted?), then pineapple and apricot, creamy mouthfeel, very smooth and balanced
  • Finish – Sweetwood, fresh herbs, and light spice with a faintly bitter close
  • Water – No inclination to add! It was perfect exactly as it is!

A perfect fresh spring-like dram – a lovely balance, nuanced and most enjoyable. Even going back, it stood the test – remaining a delightful, fragrant, easy-sipping dram with just enough “oomph!” and depth going on to make it interesting.

This was a clear “hit” of the evening – as evidenced by more of a ‘dent’ made into this bottle than the others! And as we are in the summer months, I wouldn’t be surprised if there are more occasions to dip into it again!

What do the good folks over at Gordon & Macphail have to say about this expression?

Green apple, vanilla custard, and hints of jasmine, smooth and creamy flavours of ripe peach and pineapple.

A hint of cracked black pepper is followed by a finish of underlying herbal notes and fresh citrus lemon.

All in all, a great start to an evening exploring Gordon and MacPhail’s Discovery range.

Our evening explored a quartet from Gordon & Macphail’s Discovery series.

And what about other experiences with Aultmore? Check out the following:

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Calibration Dram – Glen Grant “The Major’s Reserve” 40%

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During our inaugural Nurnberg Whisky tasting group evening, my co-conspirator in setting up the event brought along his “Calibration” whisky… It was an easy-drinking dram that he consistently starts with – a brilliant idea!

The beauty of this approach is to be able to discern immediately whether one is truly in the mood for a tasting. If something that normally is appealing and amiable doesn’t suit you – chances are it isn’t the whisky, it’s you! As let’s face it, every night is NOT whisky time! 🙂

By easing the palate into each tasting in a consistent way – with a straightforward accessible dram – he’s already tuned in to aromas. And with a low alcohol count (only 40%), one’s palate adjusts to spirits, ready to interpret flavours beyond the initial hit of alcohol. Genius.

So what did he bring?

Glen Grant “The Major’s Reserve” 40% 

  • Nose – Honey, fruit – mostly apples and pears – then also a nuttiness, shortbread, vanilla cream, hint of tobacco leaf, a lovely floral perfume
  • Palate – Gentle spice, creamy butterscotch, fruit, oak
  • Finish – Slightly bitter and astringent, tobacco and spice

Overall an affable, accessible, and exceedingly affordable dram. In Germany, you can find it for only Eur 18!

I was lucky to have just a few drops remaining in the bottle to linger over with most of my tasting notes from that later revisit.

My previous experience with Glen Grant has been at more sociable gatherings where no tasting notes were taken or venerable drams like a 60 year old or 64-year-old. It was quite interesting to glimpse a significantly younger avatar – perhaps as little as just three years!

After our palate calibration dram, we continued with a quartet from Gordon & Macphail’s Discovery series.

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Wilkommen to our Nurnberg International Whisky Tasting group!

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Wilkommen in unserem neuen Internationalen Nurnberg Whisky-Verkostungsclub!

Why “new”? Well, there exists already a well-established Whisky Club in Nurnberg. And the “international”? This is a clear reflection of our wee group – a mix of nationalities and international orientations – many of whom met via an International social “Meetup” group.

We kicked off our explorations together in July 2023 with a set I had been waiting to open for quite some time! Thinking initially to bring to India, it was a delight to open instead in Deutschland.

Before we began, one guy pulled out a nearly empty bottle of Glen Grant – with the brilliant idea to have a sip of a palate “calibration” dram! Something that he shared he does consistently before sitting down to a tasting – what a great alternative to spitting out the 1st sip!

We then got on with the “main course” with a quartet from Gordon & Macphail’s Discovery series.

Two I already had a fair idea of what to expect from a brief brush in Paris, two were new expressions from familiar distilleries. If you are curious to dive deeper, detailed tasting notes are available in the above links!

Our evening was a mix of experienced whisky explorers and those simply curious to learn more. I thought a couple of “reference points” could help make it easier to spark a creative conversation.

One was a colour chart from the Single Malt Amateur Club (SMAC) from Bangalore and Pune which provided a range of points for judging the whisky colour with a description. Why consider colour? In the case of all four whiskies, we understand they are without “added” colour, hence colour was a helpful way to illustrate the impact of an ex-Sherry cask vs ex-Bourbon cask on the whisky.

Another tool we used was a Tasting Wheel – courtesy of Whic.de (via SWRI). The reaction to some of the descriptions was amusing.

Do you really find “Speck, festiges Fleisch” (bacon, fatty meat) in whisky? How can that be a good thing???

As we wandered through our quartet, we did indeed find several standard whisky aromas and tastes…. including bacon in our peaty Caol Ila!!

We concluded it was a good start and can’t wait to see where we go next!

PS – If you are curious about my sampling of the Miltonduff and Caol Ila from Paris Whisky Live, check this out:

Paris Whisky Live – Gordon + Macphail Discovery Tomatin, Miltonduff, Caol Ila

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Time to explore a new Old Pulteney Pineau des Charentes 46%

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We all have our favorites – particular distilleries that we are simply partial to… I’ll fully admit that Old Pulteney falls into this category for me! So when a “new” expression was released, I thought, why not?

New to the Old Pulteney range, this limited expression kicks off Old Pulteney’s new Coastal Series with plans to release new expressions each year – beginning with a no-age-statement finished in ex Pineau des Charentes wine casks.

I had originally intended to bring it from Deutschland to India, however, after an interesting tasting of several minis one May evening in Nurnberg, decided it would be nice to try an Old Pulteney! Happy I did….

Old Pulteney Coastal Series – Pineau des Charentes 46%

  • Nose – Yellow fruits, grassy meadow, warm honey, peach, soapy candle wax, tinned pineapple, and a bit of white wine spritzer
  • Palate – Also quite fruity, but then had a nice butter almond nuttiness, smooth with a piquant spice at the end… as it rolled around the palate, was even a hint of tobacco leaf
  • Finish – Slightly bitter, reminded of an Earl Grey tea

Not an everyday dram, but interesting. After the 1st tasting, I revisited it again a few weeks later… it grows on you however I have to admit I prefer the “classic” – give me an Old Pulteney 12 year or 17 year any day!

What do the folks at Old Pulteney have to say?

Old Pulteney Pineau des Charentes is a limited edition expression that has been created by firstly maturing in hand-selected American oak casks, before being transferred into ex-Pineau des Charentes casks, which have been handcrafted by using French oak.

Old Pulteney Pineau des Charentes offers a lighter, sweeter taste layered on the classic Old Pulteney base. The result is a beautiful sweetness that perfectly complements Old Pulteney’s signature salty flavour, delivering a wonderful dram.

And their official tasting notes?

  • Colour – Bronz with a pink hue
  • Nose – Fragrant and rich with honey sweetness and vanilla at the base. Intense fruitiness starts jammy and stewed and develops into candied oranges and sticky balsamic raisins. Hints of toasted spices and power pepper complete this stunning profile.
  • Taste – A lingering finish showcases notes of caramelized hazelnuts and ground spices, broadening in sweetness, and then drying ever so slowly towards a savoury finale of coastal minerality.

I purchased this bottle in November 2022 from WhskyFass for EUR 95.

Curious about other brushes with Old Pulteney

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