Category Archives: Whisky Type

Chorlton’s Tullibardine 29 year 47.5%

Posted on by
Reply

Last in our “Swansong” trio celebrating drams of days gone by was a Tullibardine from Chorlton‘s  La Nouvelle Vague series…And why would this whisky qualify for such inclusion? It was completely “mothballed” back in 1995 and wasn’t re-opened for production until 2003. And this particular expression came from 1993!

What did we think?

Tullibardine 29 year (1993) 47.5% 

  • Nose -Shy. waxy crayons, lots of sweetness, could immediately tell this was a well-aged whisky, light caramel, bananas, quite subtle, berries – especially strawberries with pepper, pink Amul strawberry ice cream, Maltese-chocolate creamy fruity filling
  • Palate – On the 1st sip, we found ice cream, some wood, simply delicious, by the 2nd sip we discovered some marvelous spunk and character chased by sweetness – when I later read David’s notes could completely understand where he found the gingerbread & rye… yet still with pastries
  • Finish – Balsa wood finish, dry

What a marvelous malt! There was a delightful combination of indulgent desserts with elements of much greater substance. A truly interesting dram – inviting, enjoyable, and unique. Fabulous.

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

A characterful but easy-drinking example of this distinctive Highland make. The nose has banana bread, caraway and rye, peanut brittle, honey, olive oil and apricot jam. The palate takes us to a bakery somewhere in central Europe with gingerbread, rye bread, baking spices and honeyed pastries, plus orange cream and sweet Frisian tea.

This hogshead produced 181 bottles at a cask strength of 47.5% and was released for £160 back in the summer of 2022. Thanks to Brexit, I couldn’t purchase it directly, so instead impatiently waited for it to make its way to Whisky.base, where I purchased it in November 2022 for EUR 200 + 18% tax + shipping.

We tried it together in early January 2023, in a Mumbai evening spent exploring “Swansong” drams:

As for other Chorlton bottles from La Nouvelle Vague series? I’ve had the pleasure of exploring a few expressions:

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

Wee indulgence – Glenburgie 21 year 43%

Posted on by
Reply

I’ve made no secret of my partiality to Glenburgie… I love the classic quality, the pears, yum! I also find Gordon & MacPhail simply incredibly reliable in their cask choice and maturing. However, my last Glenburgie was a bit of a disappointment – an 8 year Single Cask 46% (Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Hepburn’s Choice). At the time, I simply chalked it up to the choice of a single cask as another 8 year from That Boutique-y Whisky Co was lovely!

And that’s when I learned that back in 2000, Glenburgie production stopped with the distillery being completely rebuilt in 2003/2004. So the question is… even if one pursues a similar distillery profile and approach, surely changing the set-up must make a difference?

And that’s when I also realized, all of the expressions that made me so fond of Glenburgie and think of this dram as the “Downtown Abbey” of whiskies came from the period before production stopped. Knowing that I simply had to include this 21-year in our line-up of Swansong drams…

Glenburgie 21 year 43% (Gordon & MacPhail – Distillery Label)

  • Nose – Classic, damp, treacle, lots of honey, citrus, orange blossom honey, grainy honey too, marmalade, sunshine, warm biscuits slathered in vanilla cream
  • Palate – Delicious, soft well rounded coats your tongue, nice white pepper, honey
  • Finish – Lovely warmth

Pure delight! Thank goodness! It was exactly the joyful summery dram I wanted… The notes from our evening are limited as I simply lost myself in enjoying the whisky and not documenting every detail! As this bottle remains with me in Mumbai, I’ll no doubt revisit it again and again, perhaps adding further colour and nuance to my tasting notes.

I purchased it from an online distributor in Germany – Whic for quite a reasonable Eur 110 – considering the caliber and quality of the whisky!

What do the folks at Gordon & MacPhail have to say?

  • Cask Type Refill Sherry butts
  • Colour Dark Gold
  • Aroma Notes of brown sugar-covered stewed raisins mingle with hints of roasted hazelnuts. Delicate floral aromas are complemented by sweet vanilla and freshly cut dry hay.
  • Taste Full and fruity; stewed apple, cinnamon, and clove flavours come to the fore initially. Ripe summer berries emerge and combine with fresh mint highlights and refined toasted malt undertones.
  • Finish Long with lingering charred oak and a subtle herbal undertone.

We tried it together in early January 2023 in Mumbai in an evening exploring “Swansong” drams:

And if you are curious about other Glenburgie tasting experiences? Read on…

From before the distillery was shut and rebuilt:

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

Cambus 29 year 52% “The Whisky Trail Retro”

Posted on by
Reply

We kicked off our special “Swansong” evening celebrating whiskies that once were with a closed lowland grain distillery – Cambus. This particular cask was bottled by Elixir (aka Sukhinder Singh’s company) and was inspired by my recent experience at Paris Whisky Live with their Cambus 29 (part of Atom Brand’s Darkness range). It was a lovely nuanced fruity expression that drew one in… so I thought this might be a marvelous way to begin our journey. 

So what did we think? To start, there is the amusing “retro” label that harkens back to days gone by when Super Mario Brothers video arcade games were all the craze… a wee bit earlier than when this whisky was “born” aka 1990! This more playful approach to whisky labels was most famously done by That Boutique-y Whisky Company, but now can be found popping up in various forms all over.

However, what matters most is the liquid the bottle contains…

Cambus 29 year (1990 / 2020) ex Bourbon Cask No. 93596 52% 

  • Nose – Spirited at first, fluctuating between hay and grass, then lightly floral, an aromatic chemical, one found a bit of match-head sulfur, the sweetness of honeydew melon, then back to acetone
  • Palate – Sharp, sweet, resinous, dark shriveled Indian grape with seeds, bitter almond or hazelnut
  • Finish – For a grain, has quite a finish
  • Water – Brings out a nice nuttiness on the palate

We set it aside to sample the other two whiskies and on the return, found that the grain had softened, particularly on the palate. One even described it as having a bit of marmite added to the other elements!

What do the folks at Elixir have to say?

A 1990 Cambus single grain whisky from indie bottler Elixir Distillers, matured for 29 years in a single hogshead before being bottled in June 2020 as part of its Whisky Trail Video Games series. Aromas of fresh grass, buttery biscuits, lemon, white chocolate and oak spice fill the nose. The palate offers notes of candy apples, hazelnuts, crystalised pineapple, milk chocolate-covered honeycomb and fragrant chamomile tea.

Whilst we didn’t find all of the elements described, it was interesting… just not sure it was worth the Eur 140 price tag! (purchased this from WhiskyFass in November 2022).

We tried it together in early January 2023 in Mumbai in an evening exploring “Swansong” drams:

Curious about other tasting experiences with Cambus? Check out the following…

Don’t want to miss any posts? Why not follow Whisky Lady on:

Glenlivet Master Distiller’s Trio – Reserve, Solera Vatted, Small Batch

Posted on by
Reply

Back in March 2020, I had a lovely colleague staying with me in Nurnberg, waiting for flights to open up so she could go to Singapore for her new assignment. As she was moving, all her household belongings were shipped except for the booze…. and she just so happened to have a trio of Glenlivet minis that made their way into my whisky cabinet.

They sat neglected for a few years until one evening, as the snow fell outside, nearly three years later, it just seemed to be the right time to crack them open… So what did I think?

“Smooth & Complex” Glenlivet Master Distiller’s Reserve 40%

  • Nose – Light spice, coconut, hint of fruit
  • Palate – Soft, watery honey
  • Finish – Light, faintly bitter

I have to admit it’s been some time since I’ve had something quite so mass-produced. One could call it “delicate”, another description would be “insipid”… either way it was quite light, simple, and smooth however not in the least bit complex. Clearly, I wouldn’t fully agree with their ‘tag’ for this particular dram – Smooth? Sure. Complex? Nope.

What do the folks at Glenlivet say?

Maturation in the three different types of cask gives this expression its unique depth of flavour that includes creamy coconut, soft fudge, dried fruit and spicy richness.

Created for travel retail, it was launched with Alan Winchester, who has been Master Distiller at the distillery since 2009. He created this whisky with European oak butts and first-fill American barrels as well as refill hoggies.

“Intense & Velvety” – Glenlivet Master Distiller’s Reserve – Solera Vatted 40%

  • Nose – Toffee, malt, a bit of apple pie, a dash of spice, salty caramel
  • Palate – Light spice, orchard fruits, some fudge
  • Finish – Slightly bitter, some spice, chased by honey

Much more interesting! Though subtle, it grows on you – particularly the nose and finish. Whilst I wouldn’t call it “intense” (after all, I’m a cask strength kinda gal), it was quite velvety smooth.

What do the folks at Glenlivet say?

The finished single malt whiskies are brought together in our Solera Vat, which is never emptied, producing a whisky with intense layers, velvety character and a honeyed sweetness.

Another travel retail offering, released in the summer of 2015 and is no longer readily available, Once upon a time, it retailed for approx GBP 60.

“Delicately Spiced” – Glenlivet Master Distiller’s Reserve – Small Batch 40%, Batch No 9378/005 ex-Sherry in American oak

  • Nose – Malty, fruits, vanilla, a touch nutty
  • Palate – Much spicier – in a good way, some marmalade, raisins
  • Finish – Again a bit bitter, then shifts into fruits and nuts

Spicier than the other two, the oak influence is quite pronounced. One could also catch the clear sherry element too.

What do they say?

Released and bottled in small uniquely numbered batches, some of our finest and rarest whiskies come together to create a perfectly balanced malt with warm fruity flavours and hints of spiciness.

Another Travel Retail market release (approx GBP 80), the Master Distiller’s Reserve Small Batch is made with various casks – first-fill ex-Sherry, first-fill American oak casks, etc.

Obviously, the Distillers Reserve didn’t exactly “make the cut” for me… however, I enjoyed the Solera Vatted and Small Batch with the aromas of the Solera comforting whereas the palate of the Small Batch was more interesting. Whilst I won’t be running out to buy Glenlivet travel retail anytime soon, however it was a nice reminder of why these folks have such popularity.

As for other Glenlivet tastings? Check out:

If curious to get more such posts, why not follow Whisky Lady on:

Swansong – Cambus 29 year, Glenburgie 21 year, Tullabardine 29 year

Posted on by
Reply

Most would be familiar with the term “Swansong” which is the final performance of what was hopefully an illustrious career! This was the theme of a very special whisky-tasting evening early January 2023 in Mumbai – all liquid that marked the “end” of a distillery or that particular “avatar” of the distillery. To make it even more interesting, all were also from “indie” bottlers – from well-established, large-scale to newer, very small-scale.

What did I pick for this carefully curated evening?

Cambus 29 year (1990 / 2020) ex Bourbon Cask No. 93596 52% (Elixir, The Whisky Trail Retro) Lowland

The most obvious example is Cambus distillery. This grain distillery had a mixed history of highs and lows, closing in 1993 with the distillery completely demolished to eventually make way for Diageo’s cooperage.

From Elixir (aka Sukhinder Singh’s continued ventures), the bottle I picked is from their “Whisky Trail Retro” series with fun “Mario gameboy” style labels. Already sold out in the UK, I managed to snag this bottle in Europe for EUR 140 (+tax/shipping). Here I must admit that I was inspired by the remarkable Cambus 29 year tasted at Paris Whisky Live.

Glenburgie 21 year 43% (Gordon & Macphail Distillery Labels) Speyside

Glenburgie is still producing whisky, however, this particular bottle came from before production stopped in 2000, with the distillery being completely rebuilt in 2003/04. Making this spirit from a previous “avatar” of the distillery. My experience with Glenburgies from this period is very positive – summery drams with warm peaches, elegant and classy.

Here I selected a bottle from Gordon & Macphail who do more than “bottle”, they also have a hand in the casks used to mature the whisky. In this case, they also have the “right” to use the distillery label. I purchased this bottle in early 2021 for Eur 110 (+tax/shipping) and have been impatiently waiting for the right opportunity to open! 

Tullabardine 29 year 47.5% (Chorlton) Highland

Last, but certainly not least! I chose to close with a whisky from Tuillabardine distillery. Again you could argue “But hey, they are still producing whisky!” And you would be (partly) correct… however the distillery was completely “mothballed” back in 1995 and wasn’t re-opened for production until 2003. 

My choice for bottler was clear – the very creative Chorlton indie bottler with his eye-catching medieval labels and consistently quality drams. This bottle was acquired in Europe for EUR 200 (+tax/shipping), certainly steeper than my usual choice, but simply couldn’t resist!

Don’t want to miss any posts? Why not follow Whisky Lady on:

Paris Whisky Live 2022 – VIP Antipodes Caperdonich, Mortlach + Glenfarclas

Posted on by
Reply

Paris Whisky Live was chock full of a dizzying array of offerings – particularly in the VIP section. With such crowds too, it sometimes was a bit of a “get what you can, when you can!” type scenario.

With the Caperdonic & Mortlach, my scant tasting notes didn’t even capture which “Antipode” they were featured… just the photos let on that both were in the 20 year range…

Dubbed “Glen Grant 2”, Caperdonich was founded by J & J Grant around 18978 next to the main Glen Grant distillery. Shut only a few years later in 1902, it was primarily used to supply parts to its sibling across the road. That all changed in 1965 when it was rebuilt by Glenlivet, updating its name to Caperdonic, and resuming production. Changing hands a few times, it stopped production in 2002 and then was demolished just 10 years later.  You can read more here.

So what about this particular cask, bottled by Signatory for La Maison du Whisky?

Caperdonic 22 year (6 July 2000 / 5 Aug 2022) Hogshead Cask #29480 57.6%

  • Colour – Copper
  • Nose – Quite shy initially, then increasingly fruity
  • Palate – Interesting spice, a touch nutty
  • Finish – Gently faded away

A good example of the fruity, nutty character Caperdonich is known for… what a treat.

I then moved on to another exclusive La Maison du Whisky bottling – this time for their “Chapter VII” series…

Mortlach (2012/2022) 58.1%

  • Colour – Brilliant ruby
  • Nose – Sherry and ” boom!” intense and unmistakable sherry aromas
  • Palate – Again – dark rich and heavy sherry influences, veering into rum raisins
  • Finish – Continued in the same vein

What a sherry bomb! Heavy and showing every bit of its age – in a good way!

Like all experiences at a whisky festival, this was just a quick “sniff” and “swish” so please treat these tasting notes as superficial impressions! More of a starting point than a well-informed review.

Glenfarclas 10 year “Family Cask” (17 May 2012 / 20 May 2022) Sherry Hogshead #2504 60.9% (LMdW) 300 Bottles

I hope I can be forgiven for just a few scribbles for this next whisky – from the reliable Glenfarclas family stable – my notes literally state only:

Classic sherry nose, nice spicy sherry on the palate – lively and bursting with character.

Check out more interesting experiences from Whisky Live Paris here.

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

“Character of Islay” – Ardbeg, Octomore

Posted on by
Reply

You thought we were done with Atom Brands? No chance! I simply had to go back to explore their “Character of Islay” range! From their Stories of Wind & Wave series, there were two distinct offerings.

Alas like the others, at Whisky Live Paris it was a mere sniff and swish, so forgive the brief impressions… That’s the beauty and danger of festival offerings…

Ardbeg 15 year (2004) 54.9% Bottle 012

  • Nose – Robust character, proper peat with smoked meats, something herbal too
  • Palate – A delicious meaty treat, peppery
  • Finish – Long and strong

Can I just say – yum! This came at the close of my 1st day and was definitely the direction to wind up a fabulous day of tasting adventures. Particularly as it came after the Lagg masterclass where I was well primed for something peaty!

If you want this for yourself, may need to track it down at a fest as it seems to be sold out! However, it was once available for Approx GBP 315.

Octomore 9 year (2011) 50% Bottle 140

  • Nose – Fruit forward then heat, sea breeze, and vanilla cream
  • Palate – Burst of flavour – peat and then shifts quickly to fruity sweet, then more peat and sweet
  • Finish – Fab all the way through the finish

I wasn’t alone in becoming a fan of this dram. A well-known Parisian chocolatier pronounced this the specific whisky he wants to use for his next single malt singular chocolate. Oh la la!

What a wonderful opportunity to try this powerful yet eminently quaffable dram from Bruichladdich. It may be tricky to find, however, it once retailed for GBP 187.

What a fabulous way to wind up my exploration of Atom Brands:

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

Sweden’s Agitator Single Malt Rök 43%

Posted on by
Reply

We closed our exploration of three expressions from a new Swedish distillery – Agitator – with the “smoky” one, anticipating it would overwhelm the other expressions. Turns out this had a much more subtle approach. Matured in a combination of ex-Islay and Chestnut casks, this smoky Agitator expression is worth checking out!

Agitator Single Malt Rök 43%

  • Nose – Smoked apples by the seaside, shifts into milk chocolate malt balls, light leather, fresh sea breeze, some herbal or vegetal elements… one lady described it as red cabbage and also found some bacon too!
  • Palate – Burnt sea wood, seawater, damp embers, walnut, dark chocolate, smooth and balanced, some vanilla custard in there too, followed by salt-water taffy
  • Finish – Nice walnut bitter then cinnamon candy, a hint of ginger

Overall this was yummy! This had the character of a friendly sailor… More of a ‘late night’ whisky with some “pep”! The more we sipped, the more it grew on us.

Interesting! We increasingly see the use of ex-Islay casks to add a gentle peat element. Whilst I couldn’t tell from the distillery information if they also used some peated barley, based on the character would suspect some (just don’t quote me on it!). Bottom line, there was a gentle “hand” at play – making this a balanced lightly smoked dram instead of a bold peat monster!

Here is what the folks at Agitator have to say (with the help of google translate from Swedish!):

In the aroma, a flattering smoky tone appears, which is accompanied by light herbalism and straw, as well as balanced fat notes. The taste, just like the smell, has a very balanced smokiness that lingers for a long time without becoming dominant. There are also notes of the vegetable found in the fragrance and a clear note of dried apricot. The finish has a certain saltiness, which probably comes from the fact that we used casks that had previously stored whiskey from Islay.

Pairing suggestion: Flavorful cheeses like blue mold, dark chocolate, oysters or smoked fish, such as salmon.

What an interesting trio! Our introduction to Agitator also included:

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

Darkness Sherry – Mortlach, Blair Athol, Cambus

Posted on by
Reply

At Paris Whisky Live 2022, the VIP section had an area dedicated to Atom Brands – best known for That Boutique-y Whisky Company which was celebrating its 10th anniversary! However, they also featured their Darkness range of intensely sherried whiskies.

Is it OK if I confess to being a bit confused about their new “Darkness” range? After all, That Boutique-y already has their well-known Whiskies, Gin, and now also rum… so why not build a twist on this? Nope! True to form, they don’t do the predictable.. instead created a completely new brand for intensely sherry whiskies – both limited edition vintage and then another line which are matured for only 8 years.

As they explain, their approach for their Limited Editions is:

Finished in Octave Casks that may have held any type of sherry wine, our Head of Whisky explores specific finishes (Oloroso, Palo Cortado, Pedro Ximenez, Moscatel or Manzanilla) chosen for their ability to enhance individual distillery characteristics.

These are unrepeatable releases that have each undertaken Darkness’ signature liquid transformation in tiny octave sherry casks.

As always, what matters most is what is in the glass! On offer in Paris was:

  • Mortlach 20 year 49% (Darkness) EUR 171 for 500ml
  • Blair Athol 18 year 49.4% (Darkness) EUR 105 for 500ml
  • Cambus 29 year 45.7% (Darkness) EUR 145 for 500ml

As it was just a sniff and swish, please forgive the light impressions… however enough to hope there will be future opportunities to explore further!

So… where did I begin? With the Mortlach naturally!

Mortlach 20 year 49%

  • Nose – A burst of flavours! Loads of sweet dry fruits, chocolate
  • Palate – Amazingly rich. Gorgeous and delicious – nothing shy about this Mortlach!
  • Finish – Resinous and rewarding, mocha

If this Mortlach was any indication, calling this an “intense” range was spot on! Stunning and well worth exploring. A mighty and most enjoyable Mortlach malt.

I then moved on to the Blair Athol….

Blair Athol 18 year 49.4%

  • Nose – Oh my! Also quite the sherry bomb! Strong sherry elements – dark fruits, nutty
  • Palate – Yum! Superb. Figs and nuts, like an indulgent chocolate bar
  • Finish – Fruity, caramel

A clear stamp of Olorosso sherry! And frankly, simply delicious.

And last but certainly not least, an aged grain from the closed Cambus distillery.

Cambus 29 year 45.7%

  • Nose – Initially quite shy, then opened up to a lovely fruit basket
  • Palate – Complex, creamy, subtly sweet
  • Finish – Soft finish

After the incredibly robust Mortlach and Blair Athol, it was quite a shift to this Cambus. However, once my senses adjusted to something softer and gentler, could appreciate the lovely nuanced character.

What an interesting trio! Whilst I miss the fun That Boutique-y Whisky Company labels can appreciate the quality of the liquid in the Darkness bottles!

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

TBWC 10th Anniversary – A funky Ben Nevis 25 year

Posted on by
Reply

I have to admit, Ben Nevis isn’t typically my preferred style of whisky, however, there was no way I would pass up a recommendation from Dave Worthington! Or miss trying a 10th Anniversary dram from That Boutique-y Whisky Company after the absolutely stunning 45 year Grain blend or the delightful Clynelish.

Ben Nevis 25 year (2022) Batch #16 55.8% (TBWC 10th Anniversary) GBP 260 for 500ml

  • Nose – Mineraly, salted chocolate, then some fruity elements, then shifting to cheese with a dash of balsamic
  • Palate – Spicy and robust, meaty, more of that balsamic, a touch of tobacco
  • Finish – Nice peppery finish

Dave described this as a “dirty Ben Nevis – in a good way!” And I would have to agree. Well worth trying… very interesting.

What do the folks at That Boutique-y Whisky Co have to say?

One of the few remaining truly “old-style” producers in Scotland, Ben Nevis has arguably never been as fashionable as it is now, with certain vintages (including this 1996 example) earning devout cult followings.

And the official tasting notes? Entertaining and spot on!

  • Nose – Overripe oranges on the turn, waxy shoe polish, a little sour apple juice too. Hints of rancio, dried fruits, and balsamic. Funky!
  • Palate – Big, and meaty. Balsamic glaze, dried fruits, leather, tobacco, slightly earthy, waxy, and black pepper.  Ooh dirty!! Classic ’96 Ben Nevis!

About the label?

Our label artist Emily Chappell has taken cues from our long-standing Ben Nevis label that features a chap atop Ben Nevis (mountain), looking at Ben Nevis (distillery), drinking Ben Nevis (whisky) and holding Ben Nevis (bottle, featuring the scene again on its label). Here, it’s just the mountain itself in a glass, raised in (Ben’s?) hand for a 10th birthday “cheers”

Their brilliant cheeky “That Boutique-y Whisky Company” 10th Anniversary special drams were also joined by:

  • Clynelish 25 year (2022) Batch #11 47.1% (TBWC 10th Anniversary)
  • Blended Grain #1 45 year (2022) Batch #3 44.2% (TBWC 10th Anniversary)

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