Category Archives: Scotland

How not to sample a Macallan 15 year 43%…

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Next up from the Winnipeg stash is a mighty Macallan. Many a malt drinker once upon a time would swear by the quality of their Macallan. And yet, with our three whisky tasting groups in Mumbai, Macallan has yet to feature as a whisky in our tasting sessions.

Hence when I had an opportunity to snag a dram as part of the 2016 Winnipeg whisky sampling stash, simply could not resist!

Macallan 15

What did I find?

Macallan 15 year ‘Fine Oak’ 43%

  • Nose – Rose, candy floss, mint… and then erhm…
  • Palate – Raisins, citrus… and then umm….
  • Finish – Dry fruits and sweet spices… and then huh?

Alas, I waited too long to re-sample this beauty. The first time I took a sip shortly after bringing it from Canada, I simply enjoyed, narry a tasting note in sight! Yet remember it as being a mighty fine dram.

When sampled again today there was a bitter quality I don’t remember and some rather queer off notes. Hence stopped… as what I was experiencing was clearly not representative of the whisky.

So why post? To share a reminder that when taking wee samples, be quick about enjoying if not properly sealed – as was the case here. Sigh… A tragic waste of a fine whisky.

Fortunately, not all whiskies part of the 2016 Canadian stash were spoilt…

Curious about the 2015 Canadian sampling ‘score’? Read more here…

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Bowmore 12 year 40%

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When I spotted this bottle, I knew the Whisky Ladies were already gearing up for a special Bowmore session. So thought why not take a sample to compare…

However as the months went by, our Bowmore Travel Trilogy evening kept getting delayed. And there was no way I wanted this sample to suffer neglect!

Before I begin, part of the curiosity about having an evening dedicated to Bowmore distillery for our Whisky Ladies is that it just so happens to be lead by a woman master distiller – Rachel Bowie. With only a few notable women in the industry, it seemed only fitting that we focus our attention on at least one!

And now… what did I think of the classic 12 year?

Bowmore 12

Bowmore 12 year 40%

  • Nose – Sweet citrus with a hint of sweet leather with a curl of smoke.
  • Palate – A tingle of peat with a nice chewy quality, lots of oak and some sweet spices thrown in for good measure – particularly clove
  • Finish – More dry spices and a hint of bitter chocolate

Overall it was a treat to enjoy a solid Bowmore dram.

Other Bowmore’s sampled include:

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Royal Bruichladdich 15 year for Prince Charles + Lady Diana

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Every once and a while, one comes across a whisky that is a piece of history. Crafted to commemorate a special occasion.

Next up from the Collector’s Room at Whisky Live Singapore 2016 was one such whisky.

Bottled in a white ceramic decanter at cask strength, Bruichladdich 1965 was released in 1981 to celebrate the Royal Wedding of Prince Charles & Lady Di.

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Bruichladdich 15 year (1965/1981) 52%

Royal Wedding H.R.H. Prince Charles, Sherry cask, 900 bottles

  • Nose – Beautiful sherry, restrained, elegant, light perfume
  • Palate – Soft, elegant spice with light peat depths
  • Finish – An absolutely divine finish with a hint of anise

It reminded me of an operatic aria – with achingly beautiful high notes from the 1st soprano which were then joined by rich contralto harmonies and then tenor counter point.

This whisky last retailed for approximately $500… with a warning that it should be carefully weighed before purchasing as some decanters experienced severe evaporation over the years.

I will confess, I hadn’t originally planned to try this whisky. But was persuaded by the lass from La Maison du Whisky… and am so glad I was steered its way. This is one of those unique drams that is completely memorable – a complete original.

Following this stunning whisky, I was given a nip of the Bruichladdich 10 year Samaroli 58% from the 1970s. While not bad, it was somehow lacking ‘soul’.

Other whiskies sampled in the Collector’s Room included:

PS This whisky came compliments of my Whisky Live Singapore traveling companion – you know who you are and you know how much I appreciated experiencing these discoveries together!

Other Bruichladdich’s sampled over the years include:

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On a Linkwood roll…. Whisky Live’s Linkwood 25 year 40%

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Next up from the special Collector’s Room at Whisky Live Singapore 2016 was a whisky selected so that my sampling companion could try an older Linkwood from Gordon & MacPhail.

I was quite impressed with the Linkwood 25 year from Gordon & MacPhail and less so by a Linkwood 24 year from Signatory.

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Alas, the La Maison du Whisky ‘Rarities Tasting Book Edition 2016’ did not feature this Linkwood and my separate scribbles went missing with all my subsequent travels.

Given the black and white label and the strength of only 40%, my guess is this may be from the 1980s. However that is pure speculation on my part.

So rather than tasting notes, details on the rare whisky imbibed, this is merely a testament to my chronicling follies. All that remains is a photograph and fuzzy recollection that this Linkwood did not disappoint.

2016-11-12-collectors-quartetOther whiskies sampled in the Collector’s Room included:

PS This whisky came compliments of my Whisky Live Singapore traveling companion – you know who you are and you know how much I appreciated experiencing these discoveries together!

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Flashback to the 1970s… Tormore 10 year 43%

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A few exceptions to my Whisky Live Survival Guide approach to sniff, sip and spit was the whiskies in the Collector’s Room.

First up in our selected set was the Tormore 10 year.

This Speyside whisky was a distillery bottling from the mid 1970s… yup you read that correctly, nearly half a century years ago.

For a distillery that only opened in 1958, for a time there were relatively few bottlings to be found – official or otherwise.

However that has changed more recently with a new set of official 14 and 16 year bottlings and select releases of rare older ones like this one.

For example, this particular bottle would set you back a mere £250 – if you can find it.

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Tormore 10 year “Pure Highland Malt” 43%

  • Nose – Rich sherry rum raisins in a very classic style
  • Palate – Super smooth
  • Finish – Finally a proper finish!

It was an enjoyable start to our sampling of rare and exclusive drams.

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Other whiskies sampled in the Collector’s Room included:

PS This whisky came compliments of my Whisky Live Singapore traveling companion – you know who you are and you know how much I appreciated experiencing these discoveries together!

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Whisky Live Singapore – Collectors Room

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Whisky Live Singapore has a special ‘Collector’s Room’ where the unique, rare and exclusive whiskies reside.

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Which ones did we chose?

Then had a bonus Bruichladdich 10 year 58%.

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Whisky Archives – Auchentoshan, AnCnoc, Deanston, Tomatin

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Here’s another post from our archives, this time courtesy of another member from April 2012…

The evening was delightful with a very special malt selection comprising of Auchentoshan 12 year 40%, AnCnoc 40%, a not so common Deanston 46.3% and a Tomatin 21% received as a gift from the distiller.

Deanston sampling in KLWe liked the bitter chocolate in Deanston and the strong, spicy mint (like pudina chutney not altoids) in Tomatin (quite complex and a great Cigar paring we think).

One found the AnCnoc was almost like Compass Box’s Spice Tree with it’s spice burst. Another loves lowland whiskies so anything from there makes a good after dinner drink for him, whereas yet another chose the Tomatin as his repeat drink.

We also discovered the dramatic difference in the overall experience of tasting the same whisky in two different glasses – a regular tumbler styled glass and the recommended nosing glass by Glencairn.

Fast forward…

While I missed sampling with our merry group, I managed to taste them at a later point… most recently the Deanston in Kuala Lumpur.

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Whisky Live Singapore – Benromach Hermitage 45%

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The danger of Whisky Live Singapore is you tease yourself with tempting drams… yet to survive, you have to resist savouring each and every one…

My first swish past the Benromach booth on day 1 was past the prime sampling stage yet left a continued very positive impression and above all – a commitment to return to the delightful Benromach 15 year in another setting.

I returned on day 2 when one of Benromach’s wood finish series joined the mix, more specifically – the Benromach Hermitage (2005/2014) 45%.

It gave the impression of:2016-11-13-benromach-hermitage

  • Nose – Light, bright, fresh crisp fruits, basil
  • Palate – Spice, wood, soft fruits
  • Finish – Bitter, dry with lots of wine tannins

The Hermitage Wood Finish is matured in first fill bourbon casks and is finished for 31 months in casks from the Hermitage Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée, in the northern Rhône region of France.

Here’s what the Benromach folks have to say…

Without water:

  • Aroma – Swirl your dram around and enjoy those scents of summer… sweet summer fruits, refreshing red apples, and zesty lemon and lime. A touch of vanilla emerges and cinnamon notes develop, underlined by a touch of peat smoke and a peppermint edge.
  • Taste – Sweet and bursting with intense fruit… succulent dark cherry and orange, sharper kiwi and gooseberry… and these combine wonderfully with creamy milk chocolate and a gentle smoky edge.

With water:

  • Aroma – Nose your dram and you may detect lime and grapefruit at first, with hints of delicious toasted malt and sweet vanilla with eucalyptus notes in the background.
  • Taste – At first it’s gently spicy, quickly followed by sweet raspberry and tangerine flavours, and hints of almonds complementing the underlying peat smoke edge. The finish is gloriously long and fruity with a hint of smoke

It would be interesting to try all three wood finishes side by side – Hermitage, Château Cissac and Sassicaia. I’ve contemplated working towards curating a special ‘wood finishes’ tasting session which go beyond the standard oloroso & PX sherry and port finishes to explore other wines and spirits affect on whisky.

While just a teaser, Benromach Hermitage was a welcome first ‘research’ step…

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Whisky Live Singapore – Benromach

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During Whisky Live Singapore, you could frequently find me loitering around the Benromach and Gordon & MacPhail booth. There is a passion behind the pursuit for quality that is infectious and admirable.

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For a distillery whose whiskies I’ve enjoyed whenever an opportunity arises, I have had relatively few experiences conducive to preparing tasting notes. Whisky Live Singapore was no exception.

2016-11-12-benromach-15By the time I reached the Benromach booth on day 1, I was in sampling ‘over load’ and wasn’t about to waste good whisky on an unappreciative audience. When I did manage to take a break, return to sniff, swish and spit of their collection, my scribbles were lost somewhere along the way.

What I do recall though is that the Benromach 15 year 43% stood out as being exceedingly elegant, refined and beautifully well rounded. At the time, I remember swearing to myself that one day I would acquire a bottle to revisit it properly – just on its own – then share it with our Whisky Ladies in Mumbai.

On day 2, out came the Hermitage wood finish which did manage to make it into my new whisky note pad (post coming soon!).

Interestingly, I returned to Mumbai post Whisky Live to a session in which one of our Whisky Ladies chose Benromach 10 year 100° Proof 57% above all other options from her recent trip to Scotland.

Clearly I am not alone in appreciating what Benromach has to offer!

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Whisky Live Singapore – Bruichladdich Black Art 4.1

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One of the special treats from Whisky Live Singapore was an opportunity to sample whiskies I could otherwise never try.

One of the highlights was the Bruichladdich booth with many delights… the pinnacle of which was the mysterious marvel from Master Distiller Jim McEwan otherwise known as ‘Black Art’. The thinking behind this bewitching series is the alchemy of art and science, a secret recipe concocted by the master distiller, without divulging the magic behind the art.

Photo: Bruichladdich.com

Photo: Bruichladdich.com

Bruichladdich Black Art 4.1 23 year (1990) 49.2%

  • Nose – Honey sweet, warm sunshine citrus and much more…
  • Palate – Gorgeous, very well rounded, stunning, smooth as silk
  • Finish – Beautiful ripe fruit sherry finish

This was not a bold brash Bruichladdich but instead a something that contradictorily was both a soft, delicate delight, beyond beautiful while equally being rich, deep and sinfully smooth.

I must confess, my wee nip did not do it justice. This is not the whisky you want to ‘speed date‘. This is the kind of whisky you want to savour and enjoy, either solo or sharing with friends.

Here is what they say:

  • Nose – The aromas rise and mingle beautifully creating an olfactory symphony in your hand. Little notes of rich, plump, crystallised grapes flirt over heavier notes of honey. Go deeper and you will find the tang of lemon and lime – This is the DNA of our Bruichladdich spirit; the terroir of ancient peat lands and Islay’s exposed coastline, living, breathing proof that magic really does exist.
  • Palate – Without water the first thought that enters my head is wow! This is strong and my cheeks flush, my eyes water but my heart is in heaven. Its so, so mellow and mature and yes, you can find all of the aromatics on the taste buds and more!!! I get chocolate and coconut, tangerine and papaya and a wonderful infusion of barley sugar with a pinch of cinnamon and aniseed. Completely mesmerising.
  • Finish – Grilled peach and apricot sprinkled with demerera sugar, quite outstanding.
  • Mood – Drink whenever you wish, with whomever you wish. The last to leave will be the angels who danced with the devil and won.

PS I had a wee ‘sneak peak’ sip of the Black Arts 5.1 – What a stunner! Full of dry, fruit that became juicier the longer one sipped, a burst of rich fall colours and closed on a dry spice. For me, 4.1 was summer and 5.1 autumn. Both remarkable whiskies and a treat to taste – even if just a sweet nip!

A few other Bruichladdich whiskies sampled include:

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