Category Archives: Scotland

Sailing to the Isle of Mull – Tobermory 15 year 46.3%

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After an expedition with Shackleton, our blind tasting sailed off in a different direction…. This time to the Isle of Mull with Tobermory…. Here is what we found…

 

Tobermory 15 years 46.3%

  • Colour – Dark gold or copper
  • Nose – Copper, spice, sulfur, chawanprash, herbal spice, salty brine, peanuts, leather couch, round, polished yet piquant, seems like it may be thick and oily, almost like marmite… After sipping became quite honey sweet
  • Palate – Sweet, then spice like a brushfire, hard to pinpoint the cask influence – almost like muscatel, dry, a delicious honey sweet, velvety, silky toffee with a decent mouthfeel
  • Finish – Bit of spice, bitter end…
  • Water – Spices go way up, looses the mouthfeel, just don’t

Not complex, just sweet, no depth, a single track character however the more you sip, the more it grows on you. Truly – it was one where you found your hand unconsciously reaching back for more… We also struggled to assess the cask – it seems like it was bourbon with a sherry finish or something else.

And with the reveal?

Aha! From the Isle of Mull, Tobermory is a distillery we’ve inadequately explored and tended towards the peaty Ledaig variant. It seems it was matured in Gonzalez Byass Oloroso sherry casks, however wasn’t clear if this was for a finish alone or not.

Here is what they have to say:

  • Nose:  A lovely sherried nose with notes of figs, orange marmalade, hints of leather and a touch of smoke.
  • Palate:  Medium to full bodied.  Rich sherry fruit cake, milk chocolate, creamy toffee, light oak, a hint of white pepper creating a lovely spicy tang.
  • Finish:  Softly spicy, tingling with a nutty note, a hint of salt, lingering then gently fades.

After the exuberant packaging of the Shackleton, the photo and card with the Tobermory seemed tame. The wooden carrier, with a carving of the Isle of Mull was a nice touch.

What all did we try in our explorers evening?

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Going on an expedition! Shackleton’s Journey 47.3%

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The whiskies of yore are extremely rare, however whisky recreations (particularly when backed with a good story) are making a come-back!

Shackleton was inspired by 3 crates of Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt discovered in Antartica in 2007 from an 1907 expedition with Ernest Shackleton, brought to fortify his ‘Nimrod’ expedition. Richard Paterson, Master Blender of White & Mackay (owners of the Mackinlay brand), re-created this whisky based on analysis of the previous preserved bottles from the originals.

There are now three editions – ‘Discover’ and  ‘Journey’ both at 47.3% and a newer 40% version for mass market. The initial editions used Orkney peat in the malting, matured in American white oak sherry casks with a blend of malts from Glen Mhor and Dalmore distilleries with others from Speyside and beyond.

Our original group sampled the Journey version completely blind before the reveal.

Shackleton 47.3% – Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt, The Journey edition

  • Colour – A bright yellow gold straw
  • Nose – Fruity, organic, citrus, a sense that it might be a bit oily, banana, as the pronounced alcohol started to settle down revealed a more earthy side, dairy curds, dry hay, has quite a farm-like quality, a bit of khatta meetha (sour & sweet), tamarind, kept changing and evolving, shifted to cut grass, vegetal, copper, hint of smoke, autumn leaves, garden flowers, light spice, sesame oil, tropical fruits, light honey, even marmalade
  • Palate – Sweet yet with a bitter green element too – like meethi or cereal, a little spice and sweet, while came across as young it was without being harsh or raw, fresh tumeric, dry, even a bit of sulfur?
  • Finish – A long, bitter finish with more of that tumeric

This whisky had quite a volatile character. After the first sip, the nose was dramatically dampened down, the diversity gone, and the aromas and palate aligned. Some found it bitter quality pleasant, others a bit too much. While not complex on the palate… it began with character then became flat with the nose slipping into wet mud.

Then we added water... what a difference that made! The bitterness left, replaced by a much sweeter, balanced dram, a gentle smoke weaved its way around. Often water initially brings out spice – in this case not at all – instead it just brought all the elements together.

As our discussions continued, it aired further as we debated whether this was Scottish at all… could it be European? A blend? The aromas shifted to a medicine cabinet, iodine and adhesive bandaids chased by b-complex pills.

While we concluded it may not be a “repeat” drink, it certainly sparked a lot of conversation and was good way to start our evening.

With the reveal, we were distracted by all the paraphernalia that came with the whisky… The packaging was cleverly designed to bring history to the consumer of the reconstruction – a straw covered bottle, a slim envelop bursting with photographs, copies of old letters, a negative strip, map, booklet outlining the tale…

The Journey edition is described to be the “elegant and refined” avatar:

With the launch of the Shackleton Epic Expedition, and continued correspondence with Shackleton’s grand-daughter Alexandra and the Antarctic Heritage Trust, Richard Paterson was inspired to create a second edition of the Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt – The JOURNEY.

The Epic Expedition will attempt to replicate Shackleton’s “Double”: his journey from Elephant Island to South Georgia, a distance of 800 miles over sea and ice. This will be done with the same kinds of equipment used in the 1916 expedition, including the Alexandra Shackleton, a replica of the 23ft open lifeboat used on the original voyage.

The Journey Edition of Mackinlay’s takes the same base of single malts used to create the original Discovery Edition and, still inspired by the original recipe, builds on them to create a noticeably different dram – a more elegant and refined interpretation.

What all did we try in our explorer’s evening of “It’s all about the packaging”?

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Explorers – Shackleton, Tobermory, Highland Park Thor

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One of the reasons we love tasting blind is we can explore a whisky without being influenced by previous experience with the distillery or marketing paraphernalia. For our February 2018 session, this came in handy… as the theme of the evening ending up being the whisky packaging!

What all did we try?

Did I mention the marketing? Just wait to see the booklets, photos, special boxes and more!

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Bunnahabhain Ceòbanach 46.3%

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Bunnahabhain is known as the un-peated Islay dram… which makes their Ceòbanach a bit of a departure.

Knowing this limited edition expression was new to the market, one of our Whisky Ladies decided it was just the right twist to bring to our “Contributors Choice” evening.

Bunnahabhain Ceòbanach 46.3%

  • Nose – Perfumey peat, sweet, way more peat than had anticipated, creamy, slightly astringent until it settled down, almost salty
  • Palate – Bacon, bloody mary, spice kick, quite direct, black pepper, citrus and bitter yet smooth and almost oily
  • Finish – Long finish, not heavy, spicy and sweet with a dash of salt too

This was one of those drams that is hard to go back to anything else after such peat. It certainly wasn’t “clobber over the head” peat but it wasn’t a push-over either.

Here is what the folks at Bunnahabhain have to say:

Ceobanach [pronounced kyaw-bin-och] means ‘Smoky Mist’ and harks back to a simpler time; when island life depended on peat for warmth and trade, a time when smoke from the open fires mingled with the salty sea air, to create a ‘Smoky Mist’ you could almost taste.

Bunnahabhain Ceobanach has an unusually rich character; from the sweetness of the Bourbon casks, to the intense Islay malt peatiness, not to mention the characteristic sea air influence from more than 10 years maturing on the coast.

  • Colour – Lemon gold
  • Nose – Intensely pungent depths of sweet oak, seaweed, smoke and elegant light tar with mild antiseptic
  • Palate – Exceptionally balanced malt sweetness, then tangy yet mellow vanilla, white pepper, bitter orange and salt
  • Finish – Lingering oatcake saltiness and sweet peppered smoke

For the ladies in the mood for peat, this one hit its mark.

So what did we sample in our Whisky Ladies “Contributor’s Choice” evening?

Here are a few more Bunnahabhain’s sampled over the last couple of years…

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Glenmorangie 19 year 43%

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Duty free releases can sometimes surprise you… They can be terribly average, a marketing dumping ground to see what sticks. They can also be a rather fine example of the best a distillery has to offer… or an interesting experiment in a new direction.

For this age statement Glenmorangie, I have to admit I was expecting it to take a rather “classic” take on the Glenmorangie style, an evolution from The Original like the classy 18 year rather than shifting into heavy play of finishes like with Amontillado Sherry Casks with The Tayne.

When it showed up fresh from London to Mumbai at the hands of a welcome visiting Whisky Lady as her contribution to the evening, curiosity was indeed sparked!

Glenmorangie 19 year 43%

  • Nose – Surprising sea salt, perfume, restrained, nuanced, honey, with a hint of rancio, a bit musty, old cheese, damp after the rains, then keeps getting sweeter and fresher revealing a soft citrus
  • Palate – Very peppery at first, citrusy, intense and so unexpected after the aromas, oily, bittersweet
  • Finish – Sea salt, iodine, metallic
  • Water – A few drops really opens it up and brings out more of the typical Glenmorangie 10 floral honey aromas, the peppers on the palate into balance and rounds it out beautifully

Quite subtle with some lovely  notes… And a surprising saltiness for a Genmorangie.

How it blossomed with a bit of water surprised most of us who thought at 43% should be zero need to add. We had a debate on its impact on the finish – with some finding it made it even saltier and others thought sweetened it.

But the best way to have it? With sea salt dark chocolate caramel. Which we just happened to have from the US, courtesy our contributor who brought the Glenmorangie.

What do the folks at Glenmorangie have to say?

  • Aroma – This bright sparkling golden whisky is fresh and zesty on the nose with suggestions of mint and eucalyptus, intensifying into candy, peaches and vanilla. A drop of water releases floral notes and honey.
  • Taste – A complex and creamy balance of vanilla, tangy oranges, apricots, apples, butter candy and a hint of menthol.
  • Finish – In the aftertaste, there is a strong suggestion of mint toffee alongside oak tannin and Glenmorangie’s celebrated lingering, bittersweet citrus fruit.

So what else did we sample in our Whisky Ladies “Contributor’s Choice” evening?

Other Glenmorangie’s sampled over the years include:

And a few Glenmorangie evenings too:

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The Glenrothes Manse Reserve 43%

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The whisky that ruled our Whisky Ladies “Contributors Choice” evening was The Glenrothes … A speyside distillery known for its rich, complex vintages. For some of our whisky ladies this was an introduction, for others a welcome opportunity to revisit a favoured dram.

The Glenrothes Manse Reserve 43%

  • Nose – Caramel, toffee, vanilla, coffee, honey suckle, buttery, sticky bun, gingerbread
  • Palate – Treacle, oily, bread pudding with vanilla sauce, rum raisins with panache, pumpkin pie
  • Finish – Burnt candy orange, allspice

Soooo yummy! Grounded, complex and complete.

After such a super sweet nose, it was so welcome to have more depth on the palate. Like coming full cycle. Clear balance between maturing in ex-Bourbon and Sherry casks.

Their description of “Autumnal fruits, alluring spice” is spot on.

It was a clear favourite with the Whisky Ladies.

And what do the folks at The Glenrothes have to say? Read on…

  • Bouquet: Autumn orchard, custard cream biscuits, fleeting but recurrent floral notes.
  • Palete: Fresh, uplifting, bottled pears, soft alluring spices
  • Finish: Medium length. Refreshingly fruity with uplifting spices

So what did we sample in our Whisky Ladies “Contributor’s Choice” evening?

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Whisky Ladies Contributor’s Choice – Mars Iwai, Glenrothes, Glenmorangie, Bunnahabhain

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You would think having one Whisky Ladies session in January would be sufficient… and we certainly had a merry evening combined with the gents to explore Douglas Laing blends with a bonus!

However we decided to skip our February session in favour of a late January one to welcome back for an evening a member who now resides in the US.

We went completely random in whisky choices… only knowing who would be bringing a contribution… nothing else.

So what did we sample in our “Contributor’s Choice” evening?

Photo: Rashmi Dhawani

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Wolfburn’s Morven, Aurora and Original

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Whisky Live is a great opportunity to try whiskies you are curious about but wouldn’t necessarily buy…. a chance to ‘speed taste‘ with a simple sniff, swish and spit.

Wolfburn is a newer distillery, promising for its sweet minerally new make spirit. These were at best fleeting impressions as I stopped by the Wolfburn booth towards the end of my sampling explorations… at that stage where you have nearly had enough.

Wolfburn Northland 46% – ex-Bourbon

  • Nose – Quite oaky, raw cereal,
  • Palate – Young but… sweet, lightly floral, slightly nutty
  • Finish – Spice and is there just a bit of peat too?

Wolfburn Aurora 46% – ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry

  • Nose – Sweet yet restrained, pineapple or melon, yoghurt
  • Palate – Barely there… Sweet spice… a sense of being raw yet very sweet
  • Finish – Spice

Wolfburn Morven 46% – Peat

  • Nose – Young, organic, oaky
  • Palate – Light peat, an odd quality, some spice
  • Finish – Burn

To be honest, it didn’t work for me… however it was just a wee brush…

All said, it was good to zip through this trio… reinforces a preference to wait a few more years to see what Wolfburn does with a bit more time.

Other brushes with Wolfburn?

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Sansibar’s Glentauchers, Spicely Sweet + Smokey Peated

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At Whisky Live Singapore 2017, the Sansibar booth was manned by a local bartender who was so passionate about what the folks at Sansibar are doing, it was positively infectious.

Thanks to La Maison du Whisky, I’d already encountered the Islay Malt 8 year and brought it back for a special undisclosed distilleries evening.

Now, as it was at Whisky Live, it means my impressions were fleeting… however enough to cement an opinion that Sansibar is worth continuing to keep an eye on!

Glentauchers 8 year 48.2%

  • Nose – Soft, sweet, lightly elegant
  • Palate – Not just sweetness and light, a bit bitter, toffee, butterscotch raisin
  • Finish – Bitter nuts

Overall this is a light desert in a bottle.

Spicily Sweet 48% – Blended Small Batch, Batch #1 “Sunset”

  • Nose – Very fruity, aaaah… yum!
  • Palate – Smooth, sweet, soft fruits, light spice
  • Finish – Here is where the spice peeps out even more

My initial thought was this is a summer dram – sun soaked fruits – with a name that perfectly personifies its name “spicily sweet”! It was so enjoyable that I thought folks back in Mumbai might enjoy it too. And sure enough, “Sunset” closed an evening exploring independent blends…

Smokey Peated 48% – Blended Small Batch, Batch #1 “Signal Fire”

  • Nose – Bacon, wood fire, fruit behind the smoke like pineapple and other tropical fruits
  • Palate – Holy toledo peat! Turbo charged peat yet not in the least harsh, more fruits
  • Finish – Captive ash. No messing with it peat. Bit of a pepper chaser

I thought of the Sansibar Islay Malt 8 year cask strength which brought an elegance to peat. By contrast the “Signal Fire” was unabashed peat.

Quite interesting to try this trio and I planned to return to continue sampling… however all the other whiskies I had hoped to try were polished off. Clearly others found the offerings also appealing.

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Compass Box Enlightenment + Oak Cross

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Compass Box just does blends to a different standard. These are no run of the mill drams. Their quirky sometimes stunning packaging is as appealing as what is contained in the bottles too.

At Whisky Live in Singapore (November 2017), I skipped all the whiskies sampled not so long ago with the Whisky Ladies to instead focus on lightly sniff, swish and spit my way through two.

Enlightenment 46%

  • Nose – Fruity, malty, cereals, bit of pepper, crisp fruits, teasing vanilla
  • Palate – Sweet light spice that grows, bright, citrus
  • Finish – There… with more spice

Overall it is exceedingly nice and eminently drinkable.

And what do the folks over at Compass Box have to say?

Inspired by the writers, philosophers and scientists of the Age of Enlightenment, this blend of fruity fragrant Highland Single Malt Scotch Whiskies is bursting with aromas of fresh orchard fruit, vanilla, soft spice and pear.

Oak Cross 43%

  • Nose – Light oak, malty with a bit of fruit
  • Palate – So smooth with a woody spice, clove
  • Finish – More oomph than expected, warm and stays

In many ways Oak Cross is a great name for this whisky…. it has solid oak crossed with a nice spice. It absolutely works!

And the Compass Box folks insight?

We begin by sourcing whiskies from three single malt distilleries; one for its ethereal fruity character, one for its enchanting perfume and one that lends a complex and substantial structure to the blend.

All are aged in American oak casks before we place a portion into innovative hybrid casks featuring heavily toasted new French oak heads. These give the whisky an added richness and spice-like complexity. By carefully blending back the French oak-aged whisky with its American oak-aged forebear, we are able to create a refined, rich, but well-mannered malt whisky, with fruity aspects that will remind you of baked apple or pears, complemented by a rich, toasty oak character.

More Compass Box experiences:

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