Category Archives: Speyside

Paris Whisky Live 2022 – Valinch + Mallet

Posted on by
Reply

What fun! Another independent bottler! This time via friends from Italy – Davide Romano and Fabio Ermoli – who founded Valinch & Mallet in 2015. I was tipped off that these guys were a “must-visit” at Paris Whisky Live 2022‘s VIP section… and while I only sampled two whiskies would certainly take more time to explore more the next opportunity!

I asked Fabio for guidance – something classic and unpeated…. he immediately knew to direct my attention to the Linkwood and Knockdu / anCnoc. What did I find with a light sniff and swish?

Linkwood 11 year (2010/2022) Sherry Cask #134 53.4% (Valinch + Mallet) 550 Bottles

  • Colour – Glowing amber
  • Nose – Remarkably heavy nose, wood
  • Palate – Burst of flowers, then juicy fruits, heavy and spicy hot
  • Finish – Sweet and sustained

This was no light, sprightly stroll in the park, it was a full-flavoured fruity, floral frolic in a hot summer garden. Nothing shy or subdued, just sheer summery exuberance bursting from the glass.

Knockdhu 9 year (2012/2022) 52.6% Bourbon Hogshead Cask #71537 (Valinch + Mallet) 376 Bottles

  • Colour – Light gold
  • Nose – Very fruit-forward, light, honey sweet
  • Palate – Fruity and fab! Balanced
  • Finish – Lovely and lingering

While young, it was fruity and joyful, a great reminder of how much I have enjoyed anCnoc whiskies over the years.

I enjoyed my wee sample and think it is well worth keeping an eye on these folks!

If you don’t want to miss a post, why not follow Whisky Lady on:

LMdW Artist Series #12 – The glorious Glenrothes 25+ year

Posted on by
Reply

Glenrothes 25+ year (1995/2022) 1st Fill Sherry Cask No 6983 55.5% (LMdW Artist Collection #12) 448 Bottles. Eur 795

  • Nose – Delicious older fruits, rich dried figs – a clear full sherry, chased by chocolate and red currents
  • Palate – Heavy, mature, tobacco, slightly imbalanced
  • Finish – Resinous

This was a heavy, dark, rich dram… at approx 27 years, it packed a punch. With a simple sniff and swish, I wouldn’t even presume to have captured all the facets of this whisky so, instead, turn your attention to what the folks at LMdW have to say (courtesy of how Google translate)….

  • Nose : Rich, unctuous. With a pure classicism and radiant beauty, the initial nose reveals notes of dried fruit (date, fig), chocolate, black liquorice and camphor. Allowed to breathe, orange zest, heady flowers (lily, iris), caramel and sweet spices (cinnamon, ginger) form an olfactory sequence of great depth. As a highlight, red fruits (strawberry, raspberry) nuance the aromatic palette with their scarlet tones.
  • Appearance : Orange copper
  • Mouth : Rich, very balanced. Marked by a very nice apricot and roasted rancio (coffee), the attack in the mouth is very much like malted barley. Gourmet (porridge, coffee éclair), the mid-palate invites you to revel in juicy white peaches. The slightly rough skin of these peaches brings a lot of smoothness to the taste palette. Radiant and mature, on the chromatic level, the end of the mouth has taken on very beautiful brown hues (tobacco, carpet of dry leaves).
  • Overall : Long, finely tannic. At the start of the finish, flavors of currants go perfectly with malted barley grains. Juicy (squeezed orange) and at the same time caramelised, the aftertaste lingers on with notes of curry and grated ginger. Finely woody, the retro-nasal olfaction also reveals a subtle fruitiness (wild strawberry). The empty glass is empyreumatic (burning cigar), cocoa and floral (hyacinth, peony).

What an interesting experience however I had no idea this Glenrothes was retailing for Eur 800 – yikes!

If you don’t want to miss a post, why not follow Whisky Lady on:

LMdW Artist Series #12 – The intense Benrinnes 10+ year 58.1%

Posted on by
Reply

Benrinnes over 10 year (2011/2022) 1st Fill Sherry Cask No 307205 58.1% (LMdW Artist Collection #12) 660 Bottles EUR 198

  • Nose – Heavy dates, prunes, such a clear sherry influence!
  • Palate – Intense, almost too much – at least for so early in the day! Resinous, nutty, very active
  • Finish – Curious….

Overall this was a tough one for me… I’ve had mixed experiences with Benrinnes, however mostly very positive – such as the remarkably rustic 19 year, an earlier Artist Series 20 year with its rusty metallic and sweet character, and the less interesting 24 year.

I strongly suspect this is the kind of whisky you don’t want to have just a quick sniff and swish…  it was such a short brush I honestly didn’t discover even a fraction of what was described in the official tasting notes.

What more do the folks at LMdW have to say (courtesy google translate)?

  • Nose : rich, deep. Very complex, the initial nose reveals an endless amount of apricot rancio, notes of beeswax, linden honey, heady flowers (hyacinth, pansy), toffee, Turkish delight, chocolate milk, sweet spices (cumin, ginger), fresh coriander, candied orange, melon, camphor, verbena, toasted walnuts, carnation, malted barley grain…
  • Appearance : orange copper with mahogany reflections
  • Palate : ample, unctuous. With a very pleasant delicacy to the touch, the attack on the palate is apricot, chocolate, tertiary (mushrooms, mousse) and balsamic (cough candy, pine). Gourmet, the mid-palate oscillates between flavors of mocha, gingerbread, salted butter caramel and melon ice cream. Then, gradually, dried fruits (chestnuts, chestnuts, walnuts) rub shoulders with fermentation notes (grist) as well as exotic fruits (mango, banana, pineapple).
  • Overall : long, full of liveliness. At the start of the finish, the notes of cough candy and pine resin come back in force and bring a very pleasant freshness to the taste palette. Then, flavors of candied apricot, geranium flower and ginger bring both a lot of smoothness and dynamism to the aftertaste. On the retro-nasal olfaction, notes of still-warm brioche and Paris-Brest emphasize the delicious character of the finish. The empty glass is liquoricey, oily (sesame, sunflower) and cocoa.

If you don’t want to miss a post, why not follow Whisky Lady on:

Paris Whisky Live 2022 – VIP Gordon + Macphail’s Convalmore + Highland Park

Posted on by
Reply

Gordon & Macphail’s Private Collection features rare, old and even closed distilleries, a “must catch” at any whisky festival and a very good reason to go “VIP” for at least one day at Paris Whisky Live.

Featured in 2022 were a closed distillery – Convalmore – and a familiar friend with Highland Park. I had to start with the Convalmore which was approx 40 years patiently maturing in refill American hogshead.

This was my first experience with Convalmore – which was “Victorian” Speyside distillery that spent most of its life in blends. “Mothballed” in 1985, this particular vintage dram came from some of its final years of operations.

Convalmore (1982/2 Mar 2022) Refill American Hogshead #155 55.5% (Gordon & Macphail) 104 bottles

  • Colour – Amber
  • Nose – Delightfully fruity – pears, apples… dripping in sweet honey, shifting into vanilla cream – delicious
  • Palate – Lovely on the palate, soft… continued the fruity element, a bit waxy
  • Finish – Light spice, sweet with a buttery texture

Beautiful! This was so special. Fruity, waxy, subtle, nuanced and supremely sophisticated. Such a lovely whisky… and such a treat to have a chance to try something so rare and lovely from a closed distillery.

The official Gordon & Macphail tasting notes are remarkably similar to my scribbles from a sniff & swish at Paris Whisky Live:

  • Nose – Rich vanilla pod gives way to fresh green apple and orange zest. Honeysuckle notes develop with quince and toasted walnut.
  • Taste – Sweet and smooth exotic fruit flavours accompany poached pear and floral notes. White chocolate comes to the fore alongside baked apple
  • Finish – A medium-bodied finish with guava and sweet honey.

I couldn’t find this exact bottle for sale, however, a related one from 1982 was listed on WhiskyBase for GBP 1,500, which gives you a feel for just how pricey a sip of whisky history can be.

Next up was another vintage dram – also pushing the high side of 30s from Orkney Island with Highland Park. I must admit that this distillery was an early favourite – my ‘gateway” dram to single malts back in the 1990s – particularly the 18 years old. Since then, they have gone all over the place with different approaches, some very “Viking” branding… which made it all the more refreshing to slip back in time to the “original” spirit of their spirits…

Highland Park 37 year (1984 / 31 Dec 2021) Refill American Hogshead #1816 46.3% (Gordon & Macphail) Bottles 116

  • Colour – Gold
  • Nose – Fruitier than expected, sweet lemon/lime-like mosambi, honey sweet and light, with a dash of salted caramel
  • Palate – Incredibly silky smooth, gorgeous and well balanced, with a hint of citrus fruit coming from behind, light peat gives this a lovely dimension
  • Finish – Gentle and subtle

What fun! This was a lovely dram… In some ways reminded me a bit of the much younger Chorlton 15 year Orkney.

And what about the official Gordon & Maphail tasting notes as a reference? Yup! Would certainly agree…

  • Nose – Fragrant lemon aromas intertwine with honeydew melon and sweet Demerara sugar. Red apple notes develop accompanied by grapefruit zest and walnut.
  • Taste – Citrus fruit flavours give way to guava and subtle cured meats. Dried mango comes to the fore alongside toasted almonds and spicy pepper.
  • Finish – Soft smoke lingers on the finish with green apple, poached pear and spice.

I was curious to see what this experience would set you back… and found a bottle currently available through Whic.de for EUR 1,790.

What an interesting pair… and there we have it!

If you don’t want to miss a post, why not follow Whisky Lady on:

London Whisky Show – Berry Bros + Rudd’s Speyside

Posted on by
1

There were just too many options at the London Whisky Show! It is simply impossible to get to everything. Towards the end of the day, we passed by the Berry Bros & Rudd, and thought… let’s try just one!

By that point in our wanderings, I thought of trying something classic and uncomplicated. So decided to sample the Classic Speyside blend.

Berry Bros & Rudd Speyside Blended Malt 44.2% 

  • Nose – Honey, citrus, fresh fruits
  • Palate – Juicy fruits
  • Finish – Lightly sweet

Though I had only a light sniff, swish & spit, it left a nice impression – something easy and fruity. And there are times when that hits the spot.

What more do they have to say?

Many of Scotland’s most famous malts hail from Speyside, known for their approachable, fruity style and floral complexity. Our Classic Speyside Malt captures the very essence of the region, balancing subtle, honeyed fruit aromas with easy-going yet complex aromas.

  • Appearance: Golden Syrup
  • Bouquet: Honeyed fruit, citrus and soft wood
  • Palate: Creamy citrus, honey, rounded
  • Finish: Soft fruits, mid-long

I glanced at the Sherry however as everything was beginning to close up, decided to skip! However next festival should spend a bit of time with these folks.

For whatever reason, we haven’t tried many of their own whisky selections… just a few:

If you don’t want to miss a post, why not follow Whisky Lady on:

London Whisky Show – TBWC Part 3 with a Secret Speyside + Calvados!

Posted on by
2

That Boutique-y Whisky Co floored us with their range at the London Whisky Show. After quite the ‘continental tour’, we simply had to go back to merry old Scotland for a ‘proper’ dram! In this case, part of their “Secret Speyside” series (ahem Glenrothes!)

Speyside #3 (Glenrothes) 6 year (2022) Batch 2, 49.3% (TBWC)

  • Nose – Burst of fruits, vanilla, and strawberries with meringue and cream, beneath the sweet dessert was some wood
  • Palate – Such a classic quality, full, well-rounded, lovely balance
  • Finish – Rich honey

Though it was robust, it could still make a great ‘day dram’ too. The only problem was this clearly isn’t one to just sniff, swish and zip through!

However, one rises to the challenge of such a tasting bounty to keep to a path of light samples, sometimes even veery off the path of whiskies alone! This brings us to our next offering – cheekily crossing out the “whisky” from their That Boutique-y Whisky Company’s label, our attention was drawn to Christian Drouin’s Calvados.

Now… for those less familiar with Calvados, it is a brandy made in Normandy from apples or pears and Christian Drouin is a venerated name for its multi-generation commitment to quality. More recently they have branched out to cidar and gin (Le Gin – beautiful!), however, their core focus remains the family traditions with Calvados.

Christian Drouin Calvados 21 year (Dec 2020/2022) (TBWC)

  • Nose – What a delight! Over-ripe stewed apples, butterscotch toffee, dates, yum!
  • Palate – Pucker up! This is a serious Calvados – delicious! Think of fresh green young apples which then develop into a delightful apple crisp, sprinkled with roasted nuts and cinnamon on top

Such a treat to try something different like this! Would have loved to try on its own when it isn’t sandwiched between whiskies!

Here’s what the folks at TBWC have to say:

This is a particularly intriguing Calvados from Christian Drouin. The story for this one begins at the very end of the year 2000, when the spirit was distilled.

  • N: Rich, fruity and floral.  Delicate orchard blossom followed by stewed apples, caramelised poached pears. raisins and Medjool dates. A complex, and dvine nose
  • P: Complex and beautifully balanced.  Notes of cinnamon baked apples and a delicate wood spice. Waxy wood polish, roast nuts, and raisins. Drying, waxy  finish. Just beautiful!

So then… what next? Shsssssshhhhh…. Dave had a nip of something extra special in his hip flask!

If you don’t want to miss a post, why not follow Whisky Lady on:

London Whisky Show – Macallan

Posted on by
Reply

After some absolutely stellar drams sampled at the Gordon & Macphail area, my companion was keen to move on to Macallan at the London Whisky Show.

For all the talk of the mighty Macallan, I’ve had surprisingly few encounters… only three since starting to share tasting notes of which the most remarkable was a special 50th birthday gift!

Not all in the line-up were available for consumption and after already sniffing, swishing, and mostly spitting our way through 14 whiskies, we decided to only try three. So we put ourselves in the hands of the young lady at The Macallan area.

Macallan 15 year Double Cask 43% 

  • Nose – Sherry yet surprisingly ‘clean’
  • Palate – Soft, juicy, what you would expect
  • Finish – Very berry on the finish, dry

The young lady walking us through the whiskies, shared her rehearsed speech about sherry-seasoned casks and how the 15-year remains part of their core range.

Macallan Rare Cask (2022) 43% 

  • Nose – It had a tightly closed nose, then clear sherry aromas
  • Palate – Sherry however somehow didn’t quite work
  • Finish – OK

To be honest, this was a bit of a disappointment. There was only a hint of the rich smoothness Macallan is known for… At least for us, it was a bit muted.

Our guide shared the intention is to select and bring out each year a new ‘rare cask’.

Macallan Classic Cut (2022) 52.5% 

  • Nose – Shortcake, dessert, berries
  • Palate – Like a muted sherry, with an odd element we didn’t quite catch
  • Finish – Sharp

It had a promising nose and I was particularly interested in this expression which has less sherry and more ex-Bourbon casks than The Macallan typically uses.

However either we were simply not catching the true essence with our wee sniff, swish, and spit, or it wasn’t for us. However in fairness, the extremely rare and unique Imperial 42 year and lost Lowland Inverleven 25 year from Gordon & Macphail were a very tough act to follow!

So then… where did our whisky wanderings take us next?? To another favourite – That Boutique-y Whisky Company!

If you are curious about other Macallan‘s I’ve sampled, check out the following:

If you don’t want to miss a post, why not follow Whisky Lady on:

Unique glass of history – Imperial 1979 (Gordon + Macphail Private Collection)

Posted on by
Reply

These days, older whiskies tend to be an exceedingly expensive rarity. This particular whisky featured by Gordon & Macphail at the London Whisky Show was no exception. Retailing at a ‘mere’ GBP 3,000, there were only 61 bottles produced from the cask. Clearly one of those once in a lifetime-type experiences.

Imperial 42 year (1979/16 Dec 2021) Refill American Hogshead Cask 5619 49.2% (G&MP Private Collection)

  • Colour – Amber
  • Nose – Quite Agricole or vegetal and organic at first, then shifted into a tropical fruit basket, it became sweeter and sweeter as it opened… changing character into shortbread, a drizzle of honey
  • Palate – Initially a bit balanced, fruity but fun, hay then nutty, moving all over…
  • Finish – Very dry, peppery with something else

It is indeed incredibly unique – one does not get this kind of curious combination. It comes across as a bit… well… old… almost moldy at first, but then it kept evolving in the glass. Becoming more and more interesting. 

What do the folks at Gordon & MacPhail have to say? Their official tasting notes are:

  • Nose – Sweet honeycomb notes combine with vanilla custard and a subtle hint of beeswax polish. Cocoa powder develops alongside pecans and soft-baked apple.
  • Taste – Ripe red apples intertwine with clove-studded tangerine. Malted biscuit flavours come to the fore accompanied by chocolate-covered hazelnuts and faint Seville orange zest.
  • Finish – A full and long finish with black pepper and light herbal tones.

Whilst I had only a short sniff and swish, however, my scribbles and their notes seem to ‘jibe.’

What more do they have to say about the Imperial distillery?

Founded in 1897 by Thomas MacKenzie, the opening of the rather grandly named ‘Imperial’ distillery coincided with Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, no doubt an influencing factor in its naming! Sadly the distillery closed just one year after opening, with a 20 year gap in production.

It kicked back into life again in 1919… this time for only six years. Stop-start production happened throughout the 20th century until it was purchased in 1989 by Allied Distillers who reopened the distillery in 1991. It was mothballed again in 1998 and demolished in 2013.

On the site now sits the impressive, and brand-spanking new Dalmunach distillery, which was opened in 2015.

Now that is indeed a checkered piece of whisky history!

If you don’t want to miss a post, why not follow Whisky Lady on:

London Whisky Show – Gordon + Macphail Connoisseurs Choice

Posted on by
Reply

Next up in our Gordon & Macphail tastings at the London Whisky Show were offerings from their Connoisseurs Choice range…

We’ve enjoyed several very special whiskies from this range! Including those we tried in London Oct 2022…

Old Pulteney 23 year (2008/ 28 Apr 2022) Refill Bourbon Barrel Cask No. 17603801 56.6% (G&MP Connoisseurs Choice) Batch 22/101, 243 Bottles

  • Colour – Amber
  • Nose – Joy in a glass! Lovely citrus, honey then coconut, chocolate… shifting into apple sauce
  • Palate – Creamy, full, and luscious. Simply gorgeous
  • Finish – Heavy finish, sweet and lightly spicy
  • Water – Amps up the tropical elements like caramelized bananas

It was endlessly complex… absolutely fabulous! Let’s just say, it was everything I appreciate in Old Pulteney, even more exquisite. 

Our fabulous guide shared a refilled Hogshead, retailing for approx GBP 200. As for the official tasting notes? The label shares the following:

Grapefruit and lemon aromas give way to baked apples and freshly cut grass. Honey and banana flavours are balanced by cracked black pepper. A full finish with mixed nuts.

Would I agree? Absolutely!

Tormore 29 year (1993/ 30 May 2022) 1st fill Sherry Butt Cask 5053 54.5%(G&MP Connoisseurs Choice) Batch 22/109, 554 bottles

  • Colour – Rich dark burgundy
  • Nose – Oh wow! No question this Tormore was matured in an ex-sherry cask. Incredibly intense, rich marmalade, with a berry punch,
  • Palate – A proper, mature sherry, dark fruits, rich chocolate
  • Finish – Candied dried fruit, a dash of cinnamon, heavy, burnt molasses

This is the kind of dram that makes you want to slow down and savour… preferably while lounging on a comfy sofa, curled up with a cosy throw, a good book… and all the time in the world to simply enjoy.

Even after the glass was empty, it left such a beautiful aroma… it was a shame to have such a special whisky in the hustle and bustle of a whisky festival.

What about the official tasting notes? Here is what they have to say:

  • Nose – Stewed RED BERRIES complement VANILLA POD and subtle COCOA POWDER. MEDJOOL DATES give way to DARK TREACLE and notes of soft ANISEED.
  • Taste – BAKED APPLE intertwines with CINNAMON and GINGER SPICE. DARK CHOCOLATE leads to subtle CITRUS FRUIT and CHARRED OAK.
  • Finish – Full with lingering SUMMER BERRIES and soft HERBAL notes.

What did we try next? A pair from the rather remarkable and very rare Private Collection range!!

Curious about some earlier Connoisseurs Choice explorations? Here are a few favourites!

If you don’t want to miss a post, why not follow Whisky Lady on:

London Whisky Show – Gordon + Macphail Discovery

Posted on by
Reply

I’m an unabashed Gordon & Macphail fan, so quite early in our explorations at the London Whisky Show, I made a “beeline” to their area! To get the full experience, we started at the beginning…

For the uninitiated, the Discovery line was created for just that – a place to begin your discovery of whisky at a reasonable price point. They colour code their offerings to help guide the approach… On offer was:

  • Green for ex-bourbon casks – Glenallachie 14 year 43% (approx GBP 50)
  • Purple for ex-sherry casks – Bunnahabhain 11 year 43% (approx GBP 46)
  • Grey/off-white for smokey/peaty – Caol Ila 13 year 43%

My starting point was naturally the ex-bourbon expression.

GlenAllachie 14 year 43%

  • Nose – Yum! Initially a bright toffee, cream, and butterscotch… then it was joined by young orchard fruits – like a granny smith apple – some honey then again shifted to vanilla cream
  • Palate – Soft and creamy, like having a delicious cream puff that dissolves, some praline followed by more vanilla and a hint of malt and nuts join the desert approach
  • Finish – Buttery goodness, rewarding with more vanilla with fudge

Having recently had a few newer styled GlenAllachie which tend to have a heavy play with sherry, I could immediately tell this was more “classic” in style. Our tasting guide confirmed this was indeed their approach – hence only ex-bourbon.

For us, this was a delightful ‘day malt” and a lovely way to ease into further whisky explorations. it has a nice ‘clean’ approach and a lovely dram worth repeating in a different environment than sniff, swish, and spit!

What about the sherry expression?

Bunnahabhain 11 year 43%

  • Nose – No doubt there was a sherry stamp! Yet joining it was also vanilla, sweet caramel, and a hint of something like nutmeg, cloves, and a bit more saline or maritime
  • Palate – Quite dry, dark chocolate, cinnamon, dark fruits like figs or plums
  • Finish – Sweet spices, dry fruit

Quite a solid expression. Curious to know more? Check out what Gordon & Macphail have to say here.

I admit that I skipped the Caol Ila as didn’t want to shift into peat so early in the day.

So then… where did our whisky wanderings take us next?? To explore Gordon & Macphail’s Distillery Label series!

If you don’t want to miss a post, why not follow Whisky Lady on: