Category Archives: Whisky Type

European Rye Revolution – Kyrö, Stauning, Stork

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The world of ryes has radically exploded in recent years. Far from the typical North American Rye, Europe has some serious contenders in this space. This makes perfect sense when you consider over 50% of the world’s rye comes from Europe – with Germany leading the way!

And whilst I’ve had a chance to try some interesting ryes lately at Whisky festivals, sitting down at home (or a friend’s home, in this case), for a proper tasting is always preferable to the quick sniff, swish & spit of a large Whisky fest!

What I love about this particular tasting set is how a “standard” expression was paired with a slightly different or limited edition expression from the same distillery. This way we could get a feel for the ‘house style’ along with variations on that theme.

So what did we explore?

“Roggen (aka Rye) Revolution” with 3 sets of pairs:

Whilst 6 different ryes may seem like a lot to go through at one “go”, when these are minis of only 30 ml each shared between three people, it’s a perfect teasing taste! And when the price is a mere Eur 20 – it’s also a great deal!

All of the distilleries, we’d had previous experiences, which you can read about here:

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Germany’s Elch Torfduett 50.6%

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One of the highlights at the 2022 Schwetzinger Whisky Festival was spending time with the folks from Elch Distillery. The setting was inviting, at the Schloss just outside of Heidelberg. I was captivated by Elch’s cheeky Moose mascot, its use of local elements, and its commitment to the spirit’s craft.

Along the way, sampling various whisky wares, I also developed a weakness for their absolutely fabulous range of liqueurs. Can I just say “Eier Elli” – BEST egg liqueur! They also make a mighty fine Gin – yum!

However, the focus is their whisky and experimentations with German peat. That summer, their peaty Torf vom Dorf was my “pick” of the festival!

As a proud Franconian distillery, not so far from Nuremberg, my friends and I had plans to make a weekend trip – check out the distillery, their gasthof, maybe even their nearby “glamping” set-up. We thought perhaps sometime in the summer 2023.

And then we heard the terrible news of their tragic fire in February – destroying the roof. A terrible setback and much effort lies ahead to rebuild. Naturally, our plans to make a summer jaunt were postponed.

Which was why it was so good to have a chance to check in with the fine folks at Elch at The Village 2023 whisky festival in Nurnberg. They shared their hopes to overcome the challenges and launched two new whiskies were featured:

  • Torfduett – a new entrant to their core range, matured in 90% ex-bourbon barrels and 10% acacia
  • “Neustart“ – a special “reboot” edition at a deliberately higher price to help raise funds to support the rebuild of their brewery and distillery.

My friends sampled several and I just had sniffs of their glasses as it was (alas!) a non-tasting day for me due to dental issues! However, the good folks at Elch took pity, and sent me away from their booth with a wee sample of Torfduett that I decided this fine summery day to crack open!

Elch Torfduett 50.6%

  • Nose – Fresh timber and tires, bay leaf, orchard fruits, sweet spices of clove and cinnamon bark, a hint of toffee, and a whiff of vanilla pod
  • Palate – The peat is more subtle than anticipated, like warm embers rather than a raging forest fire, yet still firmly there, chased by light-baked fruits – mostly pear with green apples too.
  • Finish – Lovely and lingering with a hint of chilies
  • Water – Yes, please! Brings out a delightful cinnamon spice and everything nice

There is something quite “fresh” and green about this one. And a nice new addition to their range – well done!

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TBWC Cotswolds 3 year 50.4% – Happiness in a glass!

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At the London Whisky Show, two things stood out – a most enjoyable start to our explorations at the Cotswolds booth and the fabulous 10th Anniversary celebrations with That Boutique-y Whisky Co.

So what better idea than to combine the two by acquiring That Boutique-y Whisky Co’s Cotswolds’ Batch 1 for our April evening for the Whisky Ladies of Mumbai.

What did we think?

Cotswolds 3 year Batch 1, 50.4% (TBWC, Home Nations Series) 1,785 bottles

  • Nose – Honey, floral, very soft and sweet, some ripe cantaloupe, then a little prickly herbal quality – like fresh mint, mid-summer, cucumber, apricot – pulpy and inviting, and was there the tiniest hint of peat or perhaps smoked almonds? Shifting back and forth between tropical then citrus fruits
  • Palate – Had a surprising spice burst of mixed peppercorns and red chilies to start, then mellowed into Big Red chewing gum with that cinnamon sweetness, and finally settled into a fruity compote with drizzled honey or caramel
  • Finish – With the 1st sip there was a quick burn, but once we calibrated to the cask strength – realized it had a lovely finish with some spice and vanilla bean
  • Water – We didn’t even try – this whisky was perfect exactly “as is”
We absolutely loved this whisky. At only 3 years it was a delight with a wonderful nose, rewarding palate, and satisfying finish. Perfect for mid-summer sipping… what a delicious dram!
We set it aside to try the other whiskies in our That Boutique-y WHisky Company evening, and returned to such a joyful, happy dram – simply fabulous!! And for many, this was the favourite of the evening!
So, what do the folks over at That Boutique-y Whisky Co have to say?

The distillery is the brainchild of Daniel Szor who acquired an estate with two stone buildings and proceeded to convert them into a distillery and visitor centre.

The distillery was set up with guidance from renowned industry legends Harry Cockburn, former Distillery Manager at Bowmore, and Dr Jim Swan, fondly known as ‘the Einstein of whisky’ for his formidable knowledge of the science of distillation and maturation.

The distillery is committed to using only local barley. All the barley will have been grown in the Cotswolds. The distillery uses Britain’s oldest working maltings at Warminster. 100% of the malt they use is traditionally floor-malted.

The malt is milled and mashed at the distillery, and two strains of dried yeast are used for fermentation. Long fermentation of just over 90 hours to allow fruity flavour compounds called esters to form. This was one of Dr Jim Swan’s masterstrokes. It gives the spirit a fantastic fruity complexity.

And here are their official tasting notes for this 1st batch:

  • Nose: Sweet and rich on the nose – there’s caramelized almonds, sweet pineapple and cherries with a hint of vanilla too.
  • Palate: The sweetness continues, but citrusy warmth interjects – there’s lemon, orange and grapefruit.

I purchased this bottle online in Germany from Whic.de for Eur 52 (on sale)  and opened it in Mumbai for a Whisky Ladies‘ session in April 2023 together with:

As for our other Cotswolds whisky-tasting experiences? Check these out:

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TBWC English Whisky 12 year 63.1% – A poetic nose with a dragon fire palate!

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Whilst Scotland is considered by many the true “home” of whisky, go a little south and you will find the English are also getting into the game! To celebrate this, That Boutique-y Whisky Co started a “Home Nations” series… My original aim was to get an English trio however despite some efforts, couldn’t track down in Germany the Adnans, Circumstance wheat spirit, Oxford grain, or White Peak Single Malt Spirit.

So instead, brought two fine English single malts to an April evening for the Whisky Ladies of Mumbai – this English 12 year and Cotswolds 3 year.

It was fitting to close our evening with the oldest new English distillery – named ‘St George’s’ but bottled under the label “The English Whisky Company” (perhaps so as not to be confused with their American St George cousin?). Regardless of the name, it was the 1st English distillery to produce whisky after 100 years, with its inaugural bottle released in 2009. Which I believe makes this 12 year the oldest English whisky available!

What did we think?

English Whisky Company 12 year Batch 3, 63.4% (TBWC Home Nations Series) Bottle 146 of 299

  • Colour – Burnished copper
  • Nose – Vanilla custard and biscuits, butterscotch, a hint of rum raisin, and hiding behind the dessert elements, a whiff of blossoms
  • Palate – Deceptively soft and fruity and sweet at first and then wildfire, settling down into a Canadian butter tart
  • Finish – Quite a bit of masala spice, gentling into marmalade with cloves
  • Water – A must!!! It absolutely transforms this whisky from something promising but a bit imbalanced into something stunning. The hints of rum raisin on the nose and palate blossom into a rich single rum, charred pineapple, simply delicious.
This whisky was described as being quite romantic and poetic on the nose, Then like dragon fire on the palate… or akin to the first time you smoke a cigar! Of all the three single malts we tasted that evening, this one is best with water. Beautiful!
And what do the folks over at That Boutique-y Whisky Co have to say? Let’s start with their amusing take on describing the distillery:
The English Whisky Company distill English single malt whisky at the aptly named St. George’s distillery with their own logo featuring St. George and the dragon he’s said to have so bravely vanquished. Well, we weren’t going to turn down the chance to have a scrap with a dragon on one of our labels were we? Our dragon, potentially a connoisseur, appears to have some gorgeous golden Boutique-y whisky amongst his hoard of treasure.

Then move on to their tasting notes for Batch 3:

  • Nose: Delightfully delicate, with butterscotch, light honey, floral – spring blossom, backed up with the oak spices,
  • Taste: Gently warming with creamy custard cream biscuits, spicy oak, vanilla essence, clove, and a long satisfying finish.

I purchased this bottle online in Germany from Whic.de for Eur 76 and opened it in Mumbai for a Whisky Ladies‘ session in April 2023 together with:

Curious about other English drams? Read on:

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TBWC Macduff 10 year 52%

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Now I will admit to having a mixed experience with Macduff Distillery. Whilst normally Bacardi uses Macduff in blends, you can also find Macduff under the label Glen Deveron or just The Deveron – named after the nearby Devon River. Specifically under the brand Glen Deveron, they are known to have more affordable age statements. However, every time someone says “Oh wow a 20-year-old whisky for only xyz?!” I remind them of the old adage – typically you get what you pay for!
That shared, I trust the folks at That Boutique-y Whisky Company, so when this bottle was on sale from Whic.de, thought why not try?? Especially as 50 cl bottles means you can bring 3-4 bottles into India instead of just 2!

Macduff 10 year Batch 10, 52% (TBWC – Single Malt Scotch Whisky) Bottle108 of 1024, 50ml

  • Colour – Bright golden straw
  • Nose – Initially quite sour, then reminded a bit of Grappa, quite vegetal, some agave or Mescale, capsicum… is that also a whiff of sulfur?? Yikes! That’s much more than a whiff. Egads.
  • Palate – Was that pudina (mint)? It coats the tongue with a texture a bit like ghee, was it like eating sourdough starter, barley, or something a bit bitter? Not very pleasant at all.
  • Finish – Licorice bark, a bit malty
  • Water – Reminded one lady of sniffing oregano oil
You can tell the nose was described as anything but a typical whisky. Remarks such as heartburn, acid reflux, etc were bantered about. The palate was also filled more with questions than answers…
Which is part of why we enjoy tasting together. It is such fun to experience the unexpected and have both very pleasant surprises along with a few duds. You can tell which category this one fell into!
There is also something to be said for the whisky-tasting order. I struggled a bit with this set as initially thought to begin with the Macduff before the Cotswold and English. However in the end decided to go with a simple age progression. Which didn’t do the Macduff any favours…
Let’s just say after the remarkably good Cotswolds, we were again reminded age does not necessarily make it better… In this case, a mere 3-year-old clearly outclassed a 10-year!

What more do the good folks at That Boutique-y Whisky Co have to say? A few words about the distillery but alas not this particular batch!

The Macduff distillery was founded in the 1960s and is kitted out with five stills, four of which have lyne arms that are rather oddly arranged, with one of the wash stills’ lyne arms being U-shaped too, just so they’ll all fit in the still room! They don’t release whisky themselves under their own name – they release it under the name The Deveron. This is why the name Macduff might be more familiar to you from Shakespeare’s play, ‘Macbeth’. We’ve even put one of the deleted scenes from the play on the label of our Macduff bottling. Press the stopper down to hear the director’s commentary from Shakespeare himself (probably a lie).

I picked up this bottle in Germany from Whic.de for Eur 51 during a whisky sale – yes these do exist! But back to my starting comments… sometimes a “deal” is a “deal” for a reason!

We tried it together in Mumbai with the Whisky Ladies in April 2023 together with more bottlings from That Boutique-y Whisky Co:

Curious about other Macduff whisky experiences? Read on:

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Germany’s Fading Hill Rye and Peat

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At The Village whisky festival in Nurnberg, there was a dizzying array of interesting offerings – with particular attention paid to Germany-based distilleries. For those not familiar, there is an incredibly robust range of whisky-producing distilleries now in Deutschland – many having shifted into Whisky only recently.

In the case of Birkenhof Brennerie, they just celebrated 175 years of making spirits with eight generations of a family-run business!  Based in the northern Rhineland-Palatinate, they’ve also reached a milestone of 20 years of making whisky under the brand “Fading Hill‘.

Whilst they had their own booth at the festival, these particular expressions – two of their core three – came from a special German Whisky club at a booth devoted to a range of member German distillers. As I couldn’t sample that day, I packed the duo up to journey with me to India to check out one fine sweltering evening in April!

Fading Hill Rye 6 Year (2015/ Feb 2022) Cask No 23 and 128, 45%

  • Nose – Yes, this is indeed rye, with generous chocolate
  • Palate – Spicy, some mixed tropical fruit, cream
  • Finish – More of that pepper chased by some fruits

There is nothing shy about this rye! It was like biting into a spicy raisin and dried fruit chocolate bar. Powerful full flavours, it was akin to a rye on sherry steroids. The more I sipped it, the more it grew on me. What fun to have a chance to explore this expression!

I set it aside to try its Peat sibling… returning to find the chocolate raisins even more pronounced if that is even possible! Including on the palate… yup! It was totally like having a spicy Cadbury Fruit & Nut bar!

Here’s what the folks at Birkenhof Brennerei have to say about their Rye expression?

The Classic Rye: matured in a single sherry cask. Our classic – a tribute to the first Fading Hill distilled in 2002. An intense single rye whisky, composed of a double-distilled rye mash that is fermented in a way that preserves the aroma. Matured for years in exceptional sherry casks.

My sample came complimentary however this whisky retails for a quite reasonable Eur €56.50.

Fading Hill Peated 4 years (2018 / March 2022) 4th Edition, Cask No 751, 752, 753 (PX Sherry, Bourbon, Islay Quarter Cask Finish) 46%

  • Nose – Yheasty, a bit of faint seaweed, cinnamon bark – a lovely salty sweetness, as it opened up, smelt like malty biscuits
  • Palate – Silky smooth with sour cherries and a peaty chaser
  • Finish – Herbal, like the after-taste of an intense flavour-packed herbal liqueur

Well… when I started my journey in Nurnberg, I had quite a generous sample… however by the time I unpacked in Mumbai, there were just a few wee drops remaining. So if my notes are minimal, trust you will understand!

And what about their Peated expression?

Handcrafted and extraordinary: matured in exquisite ex-bourbon casks. Distilled from a wort explicitly peated according to our specifications, our Peated Edition Single Malts have a distinctive character. Baroque and concise, with an extraordinary play of aromas.

Like its Rye expression, this was complimentary… however if you are curious, check it out for Eur €59.50 in Deutschland.

Both whiskies are bold and unmistakable. I’d be curious to also try their classic single malt expression – maybe at the next whisky festival, I will be able to explore properly on-site!

PS – Many thanks again to the good folks with the Schottlandforum!

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Chorlton’s Tullibardine 29 year 47.5%

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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:

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Wee indulgence – Glenburgie 21 year 43%

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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:

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Cambus 29 year 52% “The Whisky Trail Retro”

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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…

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

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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:

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