Category Archives: Speyside

Friendly February Dram Exchange

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It was a surprisingly warm and sunny weekend for February. It was also a perfect opportunity for a few friends to get together and exchange a few drams. Some were already open. Others had been waiting for just this kind of evening.

We had 13 whiskies on offer and the hardest decision was where to start and where to stop? What did we have displayed to explore?

We chose to begin with the youngest and most recently opened distillery from the Hebridean Island distillery Raasay… Their aim is to produce a lightly peated whisky with rich flavourts. This was my first sample of the “real” Raasay as my earlier brush was a “pre” offering in their intended style “While we wait.”

We thought this would be a light dram to whet our appetite for more… what we discovered was a bit different!

Raasay Single Malt 46.4%

  • Nose – Fresh, young and vibrant, malty and maritime, slight smoke, more herbal than floral or fruity, after time a whiff of smoked meats
  • Palate – Surprisingly peaty – much more pronounced than anticipated, and yet not a “heavy” peat, the herbal quality follows through, with some bitter tannins, nuts, and quite autumnal
  • Finish – Cinnamon fading into a faintly bitter finish
  • Water – Initially didn’t think would be needed, but worth trying. For me, it became sweeter with a mineral or granite element
  • Revisit – Much later, I revisited the empty glass, the aromas were ashy, a bit like the remaining long-forgotten antique kitchen fireplace, from generations before

The thing about whiskies, slowing down to discern different aromas are the memories a smell triggers. For me, the hint of smoked meats took me back to Montreal. The palate overall was smooth and pleasant.

What more do we know? Their aim?

Our flagship Isle of Raasay Single Malt Whisky, 46.4% ABV, natural colour, non-chill filtered.

Lightly peated with rich dark fruit flavours.

We set out to emulate some older styles of Hebridean single malt whiskies, with subtle, fragrant smokiness balanced with dark fruit flavours.

It was matured in six different casks – this is what they have to say:

Two Isle of Raasay spirits – peated and unpeated – are matured separately in first fill Rye whiskey, fresh Chinkapin oak and first fill Bordeaux red wine casks. These six recipe casks marry together to create the perfect dram with real elegance, complexity and depth of character.

With this knowledge, we could see where the tannins came from, however elegant? Complex? And dark fruits? Not in what we found, however, it was an interesting start!

Next up? A revisit of a former friend – Aureum – which is unfortunately no more. What did we think?

Ziegler’s Aureum 7-year Single Malt (2008 – 2015) Chateau Lafite Rothschild 47%

  • Colour – Gold
  • Nose – Welcome! These are the kinds of aromas that explain why we were so captivated by Aureum. Sweet chestnuts, green and fresh, fruity… then deepens into chocolate, sweet vanilla custard then green apple, then a dessert feast of apple pie with vanilla ice cream!
  • Palate – First sip was a bit odd, then once calibrated to the unique style of Aureum with its use of chestnut wood, we found it to be smooth, sweet… getting sweeter with each sip!
  • Finish – Lingers with more sweet wood

Overall it was a clear reminder that this was once a distinctive distillery producing unique drams – aiming for craft and quality. I can only repeat that it is such a pity that Ziegler abandoned their decade-long foray into such single malts to go down the Freud route.

We then moved on to Ireland, to discover Ireland’s West Cork was nothing like the sociable dram we anticipated….

West Cork Calvados Cask Finish 43%

  • Colour – Light straw
  • Nose – No mistaking there is Calvados involved here! It reminded me of the kind of juice we used to make from our garden apples – pulp and seeds and all would go in. Then it shifted to something that could best be described as fresh-pressed coffee
  • Palate – We found it a bit “pushy” at first. Young, a bit brash, and curiously unfinished, dry and bitter with a hint of nuts of some kind
  • Finish – Limited, what there was we found bitter, like chewing an espresso bean
  • Water – We hoped it might bring out some other element – instead just kicked up the spice

Overall this didn’t attract new fans. Now I’ve had a few mighty fine whiskies with Calvados finish. Mackmyra Äppelblom 46.1% and Rampur’s Jugalbandi come to mind…  The folks over at West Cork don’t try to over-sell this as a complex dram, instead, point imbibers in the direction of cocktails – a ginger mule to be more precise.

I then steered us towards a pair of Chorlton‘s – a contrast and comparison of two Glentauchers. Both sherry casks, both lovely just in different ways – both deserving their own posts – just check out Glentauchers 8 year and Glentauchers 14 year! We then cracked open some exceptional chocolates – what a fabulous pairing!

That is where our journeys diverged. For me, I thought to continue the chocolate pairing and thought to revisit the Super Sonic Sherry Blend and the Amrut Port Pipe Peated. Whereas others explored the Amrut, Indri, Kamet, and Staoisha. Overall it was simply a lovely evening and a nice way to keep at bay the dull dreary February blues!

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Chorlton – Glentauchers 8 year 61.2%

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Double trouble or twice charmed? In the case of Chorlton‘s  La Nouvelle Vague April 2023 releases, spoiler alert! Both this Glentauchers 8 year and the Glentauchers 14 year were marvelous – in different ways.

Glentauchers 8 year (2023) 61.2% 291 Bottles

  • Nose – Oh yum! Sticky toffee pudding, jammy, a voluminous dessert, small tight berries packed with tart and sweet, joined by pineapple, then buttery chocolate eclairs, apple sauce with cinnamon
  • Palate – Very full and robust! Dark plum skins, so intoxicating and delicious, rich chocolate cream, then black forrest cake, then juicy ripe berries – especially the delightful red currents we get in Germany, incredibly satisfying… is that a wee bit of nut butter or hazelnut cream? Mixed in with loads of sweet spices
  • Finish – Long, strong, and rewarding… even a bit savoury rather then back to sweet towards the end
  • Water – If it is even possible, fruitier?1 Like a candy shop from red licorice to gumdrops to candied orange peel

Overall we found this lively and colourful… practically addictive in its exuberance. There is no subtle shyness here…. this 8 year is proud to flaunt its sherry influences! There is a quixotic charm, and though it is on the edge of being overwhelming, it is simply too good to resist.

I tasted it over two evenings – the first which was a friendly evening February – there was little doubt this was the “hit” of the evening. However the next time around, my companions preferred the gentler and more genteel qualities of the Glentauchers 14 year. Both are frankly fabulous – just in different ways.

From Chorlton, we have the following description and tasting notes:

Next up we have an 8-year-old Glentauchers matured in a first-fill sherry hogshead*. Another sherried Glentauchers, you say? Well, yes, as this one’s such a fun contrast.

The nose starts with chocolate cream, hazelnut nougat, butterscotch and overripe banana, then heads in a distinctly savoury direction with veg stock cubes, dried mushrooms, parsley stalks and OK Sauce. Little hints of old tool shed, liquorice, and coal tar. It’s big and boisterous, and very changeable as it breathes or when water is added (prunes, kejap manis and cocoa powder in that case, since you ask).

The palate has a thick texture, starting on chocolate cornflake cakes, fudge and café crème then developing on a mix of jammy red fruits (redcurrant jelly? cherry jam?) and umami-ness (walnuts, bouquet garnis, BBQ meat, sesame paste). With water it’s softer, with banana wine, Cadbury’s Mini Rolls, chocolate orange and ginger.

Where the 14yo is elegant and collected, the 8yo is lairy and talkative. You do still get that sense of fruity Glentauchers spirit at the heart though. This cask produced 291 bottles at 61.2% and they are available for £59.50 each.

* – just for full transparency: this cask sprung a leak and had to be housed for a short time before bottling in a refill hogshead.

I purchased this from WhiskyBase for a mark-up to open in Nurnberg one fine evening in February 2024.

Here are a few more from La Nouvelle Vague series:

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Chorlton – Glentauchers 14 year 61.6%

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Sometimes waiting isn’t easy. That was very much the case with this Glentauchers 14 year, which was bottled in April 2023 but waited patiently until February 2024 to be opened in Nurnberg together with its younger cousin – the Glentauchers 8 year.

Knowing from the official tasting notes that the younger would be more robust, we began with the older expression.

Glentauchers 14 year (2023) 61.6% 610 Bottles

  • Nose – Oh my! Creme brulee, creamy French vanilla ice cream, yellow plums, loads going on – from brandy to sticky toffee pudding to crunchy lemon drop candies, then a sweet bread like fresh piping hot brioche… whilst there were many different elements, all were restrained and elegant not forceful
  • Palate – A bit of spice to start (no surprise at 61.16%!), however, it quickly settled into a nuanced and surprisingly delicate palate, honey, smooth and immensely satisfying we found a “rum topf” dimension – a kind of rummy fruit compote to which seasonal  fruits and berries such as strawberries, Johanisbeer, red currents and more are added over the year to be then enjoyed after boiling down to create an intense flavourful, also a resinous quality
  • Finish – What a lovely long lingering finish… retaining the fruity dessert qualities
  • Water – Yes please! So many more lovely things come forward. Joining the fruit and berry compote is a delightful red licorice, kumquats, all drenched in delicious honey
  • Revisit – Much later in the evening we returned… It reminded me of angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream! The citrus twist was more pronounced. Others found ground nutmeg, ginger, and more sweet spices

Overall it was impossible not to be enchanted by this elegant and refined whisky. We simply fell in love with BOTH the Glentauchers 14 year or 8 year – tough to decide if one was preferred over the other – however with the first tasting fresh from the closed bottle, the “consumption vote” favoured the sherried younger dram. In a later evening, the 14 year was vastly preferred for its classic elegant styling. Just goes to show mood and company make a difference. All I know is that I’m happy a bit remains to be enjoyed another day!

What did David have to say? The following is an extract from his email…

Back to more familiar terrain! This is a 14-year-old Glentauchers matured in a refill sherry butt

I don’t generally experience synaesthesia, but those nose on this is very “yellow” – I get buttery brioche, good panettone (try the naturally-leavened one that Pollen do at Christmas if you ever get the chance), soft marzipan, peaches and yellow plums, banana yoghurt and honey. In the background is a little chalky earthiness and chocolate biscuit.

The palate is honeyed, with crème pât (I can’t get my mind out of the cake shop), stone fruits and lemon. The development is malty, with flapjacks, chocolate brownies, then sweet black tea and (very distinct) golden sultanas in the aftertaste. Adding water amps up the zestiness, with tangerine, yellow flowers, pear cake and lemon drops popping up.

Very elegant and cakey, this, with the refill sherry adding a gentle richness to the underlying fruity spirit. The butt produced 610 bottles at 61.1% and they are available for £79.50 each.

Part of Chorlton‘s  La Nouvelle Vague series from April 2023, I purchased this directly from Chorlton, which rested initially in London before I had a chance to bring it to Deutschland.

Here are a few more from La Nouvelle Vague series:

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A birthday quest – Blends, Edradour and GlenAllachie

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There we were on a quest to find an interesting whisky worthy of a birthday self-present. My tasting companion is in her early days of whisky discovery… enough to know peaty drams are out, prefers something smooth with a bit of complexity, veering more towards sherry casks or finishes than purely ex-bourbon matured.

Taking this as a place to begin, I opened up an advent calendar and sorted the 24 bottles into categories with a suggested shortlist. We then checked that the whisky to be sampled is still possible to purchase, then began our quest in earnest!

As our proposed next tasting group theme was “Not your ordinary blend“, I suggested we start with a pair of blends from Berry Bro’s & Rudd with their Blended Malt Scotch Whisky Speyside and Sherry cask.

Then to test the waters of something a bit outside the comfort zone, we had the Edradour 10 year – a core expression from this small traditional Highland distillery.

We closed with a pair of unpeated drams from GlenAllachie – specifically the standard 15-year expression then a special Cuvee Cask Finish from 2009.

What did we think?

Whilst we knew we would shift more into a sherry vein, it is always good to begin with a bit of palate calibration – in this case the affordable Blended Speyside – before venturing into the Blended Sherry.

Berry Bro’s & Rudd Speyside Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 44.2% (~Eur 36)

  • Nose – Initially quite fruity, then shifted into a distinctly metallic quality combined with fruits like tinned peaches. Vanilla bounced forward before fading away. As the whisky warmed in the glass, it shifted to apple cider, a touch of ginger, melons, and some light cereals drizzled with honey
  • Palate – Light spice, malty, the apple element carries through – like  apple sauce with sweet spices
  • Finish – Lightly bitter that sweetens into honey

Overall it was a satisfying way to begin our tasting. It would make a mighty fine calibration dram – an affordable, light Speyside dram without any major fuss.

Berry Bro’s & Rudd Sherry Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 44.2% (~Eur 36)

  • Nose – Shy at first, then reveals a lovely chocolate mocha, a touch of salted caramel, some marmalade
  • Palate – Much less shy than the nose! Some bold sherry influences, joined by burnt caramel, bitter orange
  • Finish – A touch spicy then runs off quickly

In this case, it was quite mild and nuanced on the nose, then more robust on the palate. In some ways, it reminded me of a young Glenrothes combined with other elements. Again, for a sherry introduction, not such a bad way to begin. However we both knew neither were going to be the ONE.

E

Edradour 10 year 40% (~Eur 46)

  • Nose – Curious. We were initially greeted by a distinctive medicinal aroma, like red plastic pills or a tincture, it then shifted into some cherry, dried fruits, walnuts that began as cracked straight from the shell, then shifted into roasted and candied walnuts
  • Palate – Interesting. There was some spice and oak from an ex-bourbon cask, there was also typical sherry elements too with sweet spices, orange and dried fruits, however it didn’t stand out
  • Finish – Just an extension of the palate – light sweet spices and oak

It took a bit of time for the medicinal quality to shift, but that made all the difference. For my tasting companion, this was a helpful opportunity to confirm this isn’t the direction she wants to explore further for her special birthday dram.

As context, I shared how most of the Edradour’s that I’ve enjoyed most have been limited expressions – such as their 15 year Fairy Flag. I also noted that they have a peated expression under the brand Ballechin – we had a sample included in the advent calendar which I had set aside. Somehow their standard expressions – this 10 year old and its 12 year old cousin – Caledonia – tend to be overlooked.

GlenAllachie 15 year 46% (~Eur 72)

  • Nose – Caramel, sweet spices, raisins and plums, chocolate milk
  • Palate – Full-bodied and fabulous! Tropical fruits, mocha, orange peel and butterscotch, hazelnuts, silky smooth
  • Finish – A lovely finish with vanilla oak and a touch of cinnamon
  • Water – Whilst not needed, if you are looking forward to a more approachable version, then definately add!

Now we are talking! Clearly leaning towards the Sherry side, this expression is the kind of dram you can just sit back, relax, and enjoy… It doesn’t need to be center stage, instead makes the perfect accompaniment to a friendly evening.

GlenAllachie (2009/2011) Olorosso, Chinquapin and Grattamacco Tuscan Red Cuvee Cask Finish 55.9% (~Eur 72 – 110, though apparently originally for Eur 60+)

  • Nose – It started with vanilla and marshmallows, then shifted to dark grape peels and red wine tannins, further joined by brazil nut and raisins, subtle and intriguing, it continued to evolve in the glass over time. There was a lovely perfume – a white flower that we struggled to pinpoint – perhaps clematis? Much later, there was fresh sawdust, buttered toast, then bourbon vanilla ice cream, perhaps even a whiff of sea breeze
  • Palate – A lot was going on! There was an effervescent quality – clearly active with a combination of caramel, wine tannins, red licorice, and nuts joined by chocolate
  • Finish – Shifted between lightly bitter to spice to honeyed sweetness
  • Water – A touch of water opens it up further in a rather nice way

No light-hearted easy-going dram here. This is one that both expects and deserves attention. Ex-Sherry Olorros casks are combined with whisky matured in Chinquapin Oak (Quercus Muehlenbergii) – whilst not specifically disclosed – one would presume virgin oak, before being finished in red wine. It makes for an interesting interplay between the different elements. Whilst I’m often a bit skeptical of red wine finishes, this one works as the wine finish was a subtle rather than dominant addition.

What more do we know? The reason it was featured in the 2022 Kirsch Advent calendar is that originally it was bottled specifically for Kirsh imports with 3,000 bottles.

What was the verdict? Track down the GlenAllachie 2009 if possible… and if not, my sense was that the GlenAllachie 15-year would make for a good backup.

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Sherry Battle! Aberlour 16 year + Arran Sherry

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The battle of the Sherries came about one relaxed evening in London. We were gearing up for the Whisky Show 2023, and my host pulled out two of his favourite drams. Both sherry, both quality and still available at a reasonably accessible price point. He wanted to see which reigned supreme. Spoiler alert – both for different reasons!

  • Arran Sherry 55.8%  – Sherry meets bannoffie pie! Drunken raisins, salted caramel… Smooth with dark fruits, and sweet spices… long strong finish
  • Aberlour 16 year 40% – You would think it would be gentle at a mere 40%, however, don’t let that fool you! Full of all the wonderful sherry influenced fruits, Christmasy spices then on the palate ginger and chocolate. Yum.

For those not familiar, Aberlour is known for its consistent use of ex-Olorosso sherry casks… until they recently launched their Alba line.

Whereas Arran, from Lochranza Distillery, regularly uses a range of casks – from Bourbon to Port, from Amarone to Sauternes, and of course Sherry!

As we sampled them side by side, we reflected on how each revels in the sherry cask, with the Aberlour a bit heavier despite it being 40% and the Arran more nuanced and lively, not surprising given its cask strength.

I missed making detailed notes however simply remembered how much we enjoy both whiskies. Each would go well in any whisky cabinet.

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Sharing is caring

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I truly believe sharing is caring – even more so in the world of whiskies – where a dram shared is a dram enjoyed. Alas, having whisky friends scattered around the world means we do not always have an opportunity to taste together. This is why sharing a mini or two is a way to share the journey, even if experienced independently.

A couple of years ago, I brought a wee pack of minis back from Europe to India to share with Whisky Flu. His wonderfully detailed and evocative tasting notes are such a treat – enabling me to experience the drams yet again through his nose and palate.

Knowing he was through the original set, I decided it was time for a wee booster shot of interesting drams, so packed up further whiskies from one of our favourite independent bottlers – Chorlton and Gordon & Macphail Discovery. Then in India, when cleaning and sorting through my whisky cabinet, added a trio from That Boutique-y Whisky Co to the mix and the latest Chorlton’s opened with the Bombay Malt & Cigar gents.

Completely unexpectedly, I received a “return gift” with an interesting assortment from his open bottles:

  • Blend #4 51% – Must find out more about this one!
  • Grace O’Malley Irish Whisky 40% – So far I’ve only had a whiff of this one, so looking forward to trying
  • Camikara 12 year Rum 50% – A new Indian cane juice rum, matured for 12 years in American oak casks. 
  • Timorous Beastie 18 year Blended Malt 46.8% – We last tried a no-age statement expression of this Highland Blend from Douglas Laing in 2016. It will be interesting to contrast that with this limited edition.
  • Rock Oyster 18 year Blended Malt 46.8% – For this Island expression, we last tried their cask-strength version in 2018. As a blend of Islay, Arran, Orkney, and Jura whiskies, I have a feeling I will enjoy the 18 year!
  • Indri 46% – I need to check if this is the standard Trini or something different!

For a variety of reasons, this trip to India left little scope for independent tasting. So I decided to keep these well stored for my upcoming trip in April or May 2024.

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Balvenie 19 year “A Revelation of Cask and Character” 47.5%

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Sometimes tracking down a dram is more of an adventure than the dram itself! In this case, rumors reached our London host of something “special” being released by Balvenie, Something memorable that sold out immediately. Where there is a will, there is always a way. And in this case, it came via a Hong Kong (or was it Singapore?) connection to a London store known to many but not yet experienced by myself.

We found ourselves interacting with a very knowledgeable salesperson, who converted a quick pick stop to merely pick up the coveted bottle to an animated discussion about various malts and then other spirits. Needless to say, we did not walk out with just one bottle.

What drew us there in the first place? The Balvenie 19-year “A Revelation of Cask and Character” was released in October 2023. It is the first of their new stories series, matured in sherry casks and created as a tribute to the coopers who work at the Speyside distillery’s on-site cooperage. It was also touted as the first whisky creation of their new malt master Kelsey McKechnie, with the formal passing of the whisky baton from David C. Stewart, who shifted from malt master to ambassador.

As I didn’t take tasting notes from our experience in London, I brought home a wee sample. Which then in turn made it from London to Nurnberg to Mumbai to Kalote, Maharashtra.  Opened at the end of 2023, with some desultory jazz in the background, our cats curled purring on my feet, our dogs outside exhausted after an hour of vigorous play chasing a frisbee, it seemed just the right moment to pour a glass, relax and experience.

The Balvenie 19 year “A Revelation of Cask and Character” 47.5% GBP 309

  • Colour – A deep amber, almost having a hint of ruby
  • Nose – Fruity and vanilla, stollen, dried fruits, orange rind, toasted scones with clotted cream, apple sauce, more of that vanilla
  • Palate – Starts a bit prickly, clear wood influence, cherry pits, cherry biscotti with roasted pistachios, light chili chocolate spice, nicely balanced
  • Finish – Slightly bitter – more almond than pistachio

The nose is most enjoyable, inviting, and sweet vanilla cream with pastries. Is it the most remarkable dram of the year? Not by a long shot. And in my humble opinion, it is rather overpriced. However in a supply and demand market, clearly this one managed to catch the fancy of many folks.

Yet for a chilled-out evening in the Maharashtran countryside, it perfectly fits the mood. And for that, I was quite grateful to have an opportunity to not only experience it once, but twice.

Here are the official tasting notes:

  • Nose: Intense ripe fruits and caramelised orange peel reveal beautifully toasted oak and milled barley
  • Taste: Bold and balanced, flavours of currants, cherries and raisins give way to chewy fig, rich cacao and a creamy nutty finish.
  • Finish: Long and lingering

Hype or not, it is an enjoyable dram, just a pity it is for such a steep price tag.

If you are curious about other Balvenie experiences, read on….

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One Fine London Evening over Balvenie, Braon Peat and Kavalan

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As 2023 drew to a close, I had some time off and made the most of it by catching up with tasting notes. In the case of this trio, they were opened one special evening in London. At the time, I didn’t take any notes, just enjoyed the experience. However, as our host knows me well, we packed up three minis for later perusal. Somehow I wasn’t inclined to revisit the samples in Germany, so brought them with me to India.

Here is the trio we decided to open the evening following The Whisky Show in London.

Sukhinder chided us for going only one day to The Whisky Show, so for 2024, we resolved to go for both days. And yes, we already bought our tickets – this time it is earlier in September so the 9-month countdown has begun!

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London Appetizer – Glenfarclas, Aerolite Lindsay, Smokehead High Voltage

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There is something comforting about the familiar. Like sprawling on a comfortable old sofa, curling up under a faded, soft blanket… so too with revisiting a familiar dram or two. Made even better by being with a favourite tasting companion, getting ourselves into the whisky mood before spending a full day at the 2023 Whisky Show in London. Call it the appetizer before the main course!

Up first was a carefully selected starter – a familiar family-owned friend – Glenfarclas. It had been a while since my tasting companion had sipped a Glenfarclas… happy to oblige!

Glenfarclas 15 year 46%

  • Nose – Fresh apples and pears, fall leaves, loads of sweet, digestive biscuits, pastry with vanilla cream, some salt
  • Palate – Fabulous and lip-smacking. Yes, lip-smacking. Light spice, restrained fruit, a bit minerally and dry, a nice contrast to the nose
  • Finish – Carries on with the theme, ending is slightly bitter.

We really enjoyed the nose – really quite outstanding. With a mighty fine palate. It was just perfect for our mood and moment.

Up next was a 10-year-old Islay – one that I had previously only had a whiff, rather than true sampling. What did we think?

Aerolite Lindsay 10 year 46%

  • Nose – Happy peat, a hint of maritime salt spray, tinned peaches, leafy, a bit of iodine, curiously even chaat masala – the kind with black salt that you sprinkle on fresh cut tropical fruit, then shifted back to a more classic styled peat
  • Palate – Cinnamon and peat, a touch of leather, balanced with a nice spice
  • Finish – Very sweet cinnamon

Not complex yet still left us satisfied. We speculated which Islay distillery, was slightly in favour of Caol Ila as it was more approachable peat.

You may ask… Why these two? The 1st was to get into the whisky groove. The 2nd to shift into peat. And then? They were the build-up to Smokehead… I was promised it wasn’t as bad as my first experience or even my second… I was promised something a bit better than palatable… something enjoyable. I was promised… but did it deliver?

Smokehead High Voltage 48%

  • Nose – Burnt embers and ash, hint of lemon and iodine, acetone, funky and sour, plastique, mold like a monsoon cupboard
  • Palate – Very sharp, big, and bold, some sweet with the peat, heavy fruits with some cinnamon peaking in
  • Finish – Sweet, tempered and long

Do yourself a favour. If you are tempted to try – DO NOT take a big swig. I sputtered, Yes sputtered. And made a face. Not a pleasant face. Well… it isn’t just an ashtray. However, it is still clearly designed to be a bit overwhelming. Like a frat house dare. “Booom! Gotcha!”

Sorry… three strikes and you are OUT! It simply is not my style of whisky. For those who want to clobber themselves with peat, knock yourself out. But me? Will simply pass.

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A Mix of Malts – Highland explorations

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During our Schottland Whisky Forum weekend getaway in October, everyone brought an interesting bottle. There was a remarkable mix of malts – particularly from the Highlands!

On the 1st day I spent most of my time exploring whiskies from the Single Malt Whisky Society (SMWS), an exceptional elegant Glen Grant 5-year-old from 1975, and a special release from Deanston.

On our 2nd day, I focused on a range of Highland distilleries before shifting to peaty whiskies.

  • Jura “Anam na-h Alba” 9 year (19 Oct 20009 – 08 Apr 2019) Bourbon Hogshead Cask No 700993 58.1% bottle 276 of 279
  • Glenmorangie Midwinter Night’s Dram 43%
  • Edradour 2007 18 year Cask Strength (Nov 2007 / Jan 2021) 59.2% 1,362 Bottles
  • Old Pulteney 14 year (27 May 2008 / 9 Jun 2022) Cask No 24 initial maturation Refill Botto Bourbon Hogshead, finish 24 months Fresh Sherry Butt 56.8% Bottle 404 of 663 

So.. let’s start with the Highland from the 1st day… the Deanston…

Deanston Chronicles Edition 1 46.3%

I had no idea what to expect with this one. It had been a while since I tried an “OB” (Original Bottle) Deanston – most have been from independent bottlers. So I was curious to try – especially as it was a special release. I later learned it was a mix of four casks from four decades -1977 Whisky Refill, 1994 ex-Madeira, 2004 ex-Amontillado, and 2011 ex-Bourbon – wow!  

  • Nose – Incredibly fruity, fresh orchard fruits, some apricots, baked red apples, toffee, some vanilla, sweet spices, a bit peppery
  • Palate – Is that red wine tannins? Red apple peels? Some Lebkuchen? Swirl it around and catch a variety of flavours… hmm mmm?

What a curious yet interesting malt! Absolutely marvelous on the nose, it was a bit odd on the palate. However many were quite taken with it. 

Sometimes we have certain prejudices – I will admit that Jura just hasn’t been my kind of distillery dram. This is exactly why I thought – time to test if THIS would be the expression that changes my mind! Spoiler alert – it wasn’t!

Jura “Anam na-h Alba” 9 year (19 Oct 20009 – 08 Apr 2019) Bourbon Hogshead Cask No 700993 58.1%

  • Nose – VERY maritime, lots of fresh sea spray, some waxy elements, forest
  • Palate – The prick of a cask strength, direct with no depth
  • Finish – Some spice and that’s it 

Overall it did not impress and reminded me why I’m not such a Jura fan. 

After our recent reminder that Glenmorangie IS much more my style, I was curious to try one of their NAS expressions.

Glenmorangie Midwinter Night’s Dram 43%

  • Nose – Exactly as expected – a lovely light sherry dram, some orange joined by plum cake, with some nutty notes too
  • Palate – Soft, sweet, and creamy milk chocolate
  • Finish – A light spice with some ginger

It wasn’t a “stand-out” dram, instead just a proper palate pleaser. A nice transition from the disappointing Jura to even more interesting drams to come.

What more do we know? It was 1st released as a Limited Edition in 2015 and again for Christmas 2017, using Bourbon and Oloroso casks, partially finished in PX Sherry casks. 

My tasting companions were raving about the Edradour – so I simply had to join their experience! Edradour is known as a small distillery, devoted to traditional methods and producing some mighty fine results with some firm fans out there. 

Edradour 2007 18 year Cask Strength (Nov 2007 / Jan 2021) 59.2% 1,362 Bottles

  • Nose – Light fruit, loads of ripe plums, blossoms, honey, vanilla, shortbread, lemon sponge cake, 
  • Palate – Starts with a nice spice, some fruits – even tropical like papaya, waxy, red currents, nuts, a truly lovely balance, smooth
  • Finish – Light cinnamon and ginger, very soft and comforting til the end

This is one beautiful whisky – restrained and elegant. Well worth trying – classic and quality hand-in-hand. My scribbles also described this as a “snuggly whisky” which cues up a comfort dram. Fabulous!

After such an enjoyable experience, it was a tough dram to follow. Being a bit of an Old Pulteney fan, my eye was drawn to this Signatory bottle…

Old Pulteney 14 year (27 May 2008 / 9 Jun 2022) Cask No 24 initial maturation Refill Bourbon Hogshead, finish 24 months Fresh Sherry Butt 56.8% Bottle 404 of 663 

  • Nose – Quite pronounced sherry! That 2 years in Sherry Butts really came through in the aromas! With Sherry influence came all the “usual suspects” – Christmas pudding, lots of prunes, sweet spices, and more
  • Palate – Heavy and rounded
  • Finish – Full and long, closing on ginger snaps!

What a marvelous and powerful dram. I have a funny feeling this one could do with a drop or two of water too! 

Lest you think I was being a complete lush – the drops you see in the photos were all that was consumed. Literally, a small splash in the glass to tease out some impressions. With some, I also lingered, taking my time – like the lovely Edradour! All in all, I’m very appreciative both of the opportunity to meet fellow whisky explorers and spend a weekend discovering a dram or two together.

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