Ladies Choice – Paul John Single Cask #1844 60.5%

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Next up in our Ladies Choice evening was India’s Paul John Single Cask #1844, bottled at full cask strength of 60.5%.

Fellow Canadian Paula McGlynn returns as our guest whisky reviewer…

Guest Post by Paula McGlynn

Guest Post by Paula McGlynn

Based in Mumbai, Paula is an actress – including a Marathi film –  film-maker with her partner (Gulbadan Talkies), producer of the Bharatiya Digital Party‘s irreverent web series “Casting Couch” and script writer.

She’s the kind of lass that will track down a new whisky experiment  from Canada or the US, take an hour off from shooting in Goa to zip over to Paul John to collect a coveted bottle of Peated or pop into WhiskyLive when in South Africa… just because… whisky!

Here is what Paula has to say about the Paul John Single Cask #1844 60.1%…

The whisky ladies and I have come to associate Paul John whiskies with a distinct character, from the Peated Select Cask (my favourite), to the Bold and Edited expressions available in India. Paul John has quickly become a great staple whisky to keep stocked in the liquor cabinet if you want to impress your friends with high quality Indian whisky.

However, on the first try of Cask #1844 most of us were bowled over by the distinct caramel sweetness and had trouble finding complexity underneath. Partly because of the high alcohol level (60.5%), we all had a similar struggle finding new notes on the tongue. However, a generous helping of water helped bring out a few more notes.

  • Photo: Paula McGlynn

    Photo: Paula McGlynn

    Nose – Very sweet nose, vanilla, caramel, deep fried banana (a favourite element in Paul John whiskies for me)

  • Palate – Very dry, sweet, caramel
  • Finish – Smooth and then disappears, star anise
  • 5 drops of water – Added spice to the nose, rounder sweetness and a creamy feel added to palate
  • 10 drops of water – Added the slightest hint of coconut, some of us were getting some pear on the palate
  • Later – Star anise on the nose too

Overall: Nondescript sweetness, pleasing and non offensive if water is added to counteract the alcoholic dryness. However I personally found the 1st batch of the Select Peated to be my favourite PJ of all time, and wished #1844 could have lived up to my expectations.

I think this particular cask contained the pure sweetness that is a favourite component of Paul John malt blends. Although not very complex, the flavour notes presented are unique to the fruity Goan feel of Paul John whisky and it was interesting to have them in a cask strength dram.

This particular cask is available through a Danish distributor – Juul’s – who have this to say about the expression:

  • Color: Flower honey.
  • Aroma: Roasted oak, milk chocolate, pepper, apricot yogurt. The fragrance opens with the addition of a few drops of water, and is shades of orange peel, toasted muesli and peppermint.
  • Taste: At full cask strength, with an intense caramel taste explosion. The taste is drier than the aroma suggests with notes of burnt sugar, mint, malt and apricot.

What else did we sample in our “Ladies Choice” evening for the BMC gentlemen?

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Ladies Choice – Mackmyra Vinterdröm 46.1%

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Our Ladies Choice evening moved on to the cooler climes of Sweden with Mackmyra’s limited edition Vinterdröm – an experiment partnering with Plantation Rum for a Caribbean rum cask finish.

Susan Dias returns as our next Whisky Ladies of Mumbai guest whisky reviewer…

(Susan's LInkedIn profile)
(Susan’s LinkedIn profile)

What does a Chartered Accountant with a fierce pride in Indian traditions and keen interest in local spirits do? Naturally start a venture, Native Brews, with a dream of celebrating traditional artisanal Indian spirits in a contemporary context.  

After completing extensive exploration and research into remote corners of India, Susan has been working hard experimenting with the distillation of Mahua, a flowering tree found in central India.

More recently, her distillation adventures have lead to the creation of a unique set of Indian gins that should be available soon…

Susan consistently displays a keen nose and wry wit in her whisky tasting approach! 

mackmyra-vinterdrom

Here is what Susan has to say about the Mackmyra Vinterdröm 46.1%…

Tasting Notes:

  • Colour: Pale gold
  • Nose: Clean, spices – cinnamon and cloves, caramelised fruit, demerara sugar
  • Palate: Sharp hit of spices, salty caramel, fresh clean wood, toast
  • Finish: Long, lingering spices, bitter dry
  • Water: Water opens the spices on the nose and palate

Vinterdrom is Mackmyra Distillery’s newest offering in its limited edition ‘Seasons’ range. Each whisky in this range has received a different finish and for Vinterdrom, Mackmyra used oak casks which previously held rum from Bardabos and Jamaica.

The Caribbean influence is amply evident. The whisky is sweet and spicy and has a warmth that would make it ideal for a winter evening. Whisky purists might find it hard to shake off the ‘rum’ness of the liquid but given what Mackmyra set out to do, Vinterdrom is an interesting experiment of a seasoned whisky with a Caribbean twist.

This whisky would make for great company on a chilly evening paired with some dense chocolate dessert.

Here is what the folks from Mackmyra have to say:

Mackmyra Vinterdröm is a fruity and slightly spicy Swedish single malt whisky, made in limited edition. The whisky is a collaboration with rum producer Plantation Rum and has a finish from casks that previously stored Barbados and Jamaican Rum. The result is a soft oaky whisky with notes of orange, vanilla and demerara sugar – a Carribbean love affair.

  • Nose – Spicy and fruity, slightly oily with notes of anises, dried fruits and molasses and a soft light oakiness. Some spiciness and notes of tobacco leaves.
  • Taste – Fruity, spicy and oily. Well balanced with anise, tobacco leave, a saltiness and some raisins and vanilla.

What else did we sample in our “Ladies Choice” evening for the BMC gentlemen?

For more related updates and activities, check out:

Ladies Choice – Appetizer whisky aka Akashi Blended Whisky 40%

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First up in our “Ladies Choice” evening where the Whisky Ladies hosted the Bombay Malt & Cigar gentlemen, was a whisky we introduced as an ‘appetizer’ to the main meal… the Akashi from Japan.

Photo: Team Table

Photo: Team Table

And our 1st guest writer is a newer member of the Whisky Ladies of Mumbai, Nikoulina Berg.

Niko knows her stuff. Experienced in the F&B industry with a career that has spanned Germany, US, Spain, China, Singapore and now India, Niko has a certain flare for food and fine spirit and wines.

Currently based in Mumbai with The Table & Magazine Street Kitchen as Vice President Operations of Food Matters, she has a hand in crafting special evenings of food and fellowship.

She immediately fit into the Whisky Ladies – in her inaugural session she just so ‘happened to have’ a Bavarian whisky (Slyrs) to augment our European whisky evening. 

Here is what she has to say about the Akashi Blended Whisky 40% (also sometimes referred to as Akashi Red for the red stamp on its label).

  • Colour: Pale, Light gold
  • Aroma: Sweet, Cereals, Honey
  • Palate: Mellow and very light body – everything but harsh – sweet on the palate, smooth with a hint of caramel and hazelnut
  • Finish: Leaves you wanting more – more texture, more intensity – almost disappears instantly after a quick hit of spices
  • Water: After adding water it becomes almost sweeter than before and it has a surprisingly longer finish, with hints of marshmallows, pear and pineapple

Most of us have a favorite style of whisk(e)y and it is very easy to dismiss this one after a quick taste – not finding the ‘usual’ intense aromas and tastes with a more complex structure.

Take a second look or sip and it might not be so bad after all.

Turns out this Akashi is a great ‘aperitif’ – not too complicated or intense – it’s simplicity creates an appeal in itself, maybe best described as a ‘table’ whisky.

It pairs well with cheeses, charcuterie, antipasti because it does not overpower them but is rather complementing.

After our tasting with the cigars being lit, the Akashi pretty much turned into the favorite of the night with it’s easy-sipping qualities. Hence, it is not just a decent aperitif, but an evenly good ‘digestif’ or maybe just a very ‘sociable whisky’.

Table for One

Table for One

Here are the ‘official’ notes on Akashi:

Akashi whiskey subtly blends malt and oak. Compared to traditional whiskey, Akashi is easy to drink, with less peat and smoke flavors. The flavor is mild, soft, and retains a strong malt aroma, characteristic of Japanese whiskeys, which are approachable, smooth and soft. It is recommended to add ice and soda water for a more delicate and smooth taste.

• Nose: fresh orange peel, very light smoke, ginger, pepper, honey
• Palate: oily, pepper, sweet cake, citrus fruits, vanilla
• Finish: middle to long, light honey, sweet aftertaste

What else did we sample in our “Ladies Choice” evening for the BMC gentlemen?

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AD Laws Hordeum Straight Malt 42.5%

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Last in our “out of the ordinary” North American evening was the 2nd in a pair of AD Laws grain experiments.

After trying the AD Laws Triticum, we weren’t quite sure what to expect with Hordeum.

ad-laws

What did our ladies think?

AD Laws Hordeum Straight Malt Batch 1B, 2 years 42.5%

  • Nose – Still quite raw like the Triticum, yet sweeter, hints of flowers like rose or bluebells, more hay-like than uncooked porridge, woodsy with dry sawdust, a hint of varnish, liquorice and maple
  • Palate – Grain sweet, grassy, hay, corn syrup, becoming almost aggressively grainy
  • Finish – Grassy, grain
  • Water – Anti-climatic

Overall we found it “better but….” One joked that this whisky could be a muscly farm man on his tractor!

After trying Triticum on ice, I thought to see if the same trick worked with the Hordeum. What did I find? Quite sharp, brings out the spice and looses the maple sweet twist.

While this particular whisky may not be to my taste, I love that they are experimenting I also absolutely love their bottles! The 375 ml is just the right size as a decanter and no doubt will find future use.

ad-laws-hordeum

Here is what the folks over at AD Laws have to say about their Hordeum:

One of the world’s first cultivated grains, hordeum, or wild barley grass, grew from an agricultural staple to ultimately reach its pinnacle in whiskey making. Every bottle of A.D. Laws Hordeum Straight Barley Whiskey is a nod to this ancestral grain and its singularity. Our atypical on-grain, sour mash style, coupled with Colorado mountain barley, imparts a unique character to this whiskey. Locally roasted artisan malts lend a nutty flavor, while hints of stewed fruit complement its sweet malt backbone. This grain forward, single malt whiskey showcases the native terroir of Colorado.

  • 99% Colorado-grown malted barley with a splash of rye
  • Aged 3 years in full-sized 53 gallon new American white oak barrels
  • Classic open air, sour mash fermentation
  • Distilled twice through our Vendome 4-plate pot/column still
  • Bottled at 85 Proof

We sampled their recipe B and our bottle indicated it was aged for 2 not 3 years.

What all did we try in our “out of ordinary” evening?

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The trouble with tribbles – AD Laws Triticum Straight Wheat 50%

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Next up in our “out of the ordinary” North American evening was a return to AD Laws. A few months ago, we sampled their core AD Laws Four Grain Bourbon – enjoying its robust character.

So when an opportunity arose to try a pair of their grain experiments, thought why not?

When this bottle was pulled out and the type of wheat declared… speculation ran rife that triticum just might be the grain mentioned in Star Trek’s “Trouble with tribbles“… Turns out it was triticale – which is a hybrid of triticum wheat and secale rye. Bravo for our Star Trek trivia lady! And amusingly, the AD Laws folks also have a Secale Straight Rye too.

ad-laws

What did our ladies think?

AD Laws Triticum Straight Wheat Batch 1B, 2 years 50%

  • Nose – Initially sour curd, uncooked porridge, soaked wheat, dry powdery quality, mulch, fermaldahyde, wheat, wheat and more wheat, slightly sweet, husks, mould
  • Palate – Grain, sweet grains – like chewing on raw grains til it becomes ‘gum’
  • Finish – Grassy, grain
  • Water – Even more grassy if that is even possible!

Overall we found it exceedingly rustic. Like returning to farm life.

One lady reached for taco chips and found the salt mixed well with the grainy quality of the whisky.

Another joked that this is the kind of whisky that… if it was a blind date, at some point you politely excuse yourself to go to the washroom… and escape without returning!

One wondered… if tribbles had got into this triticum wheat, would they have so rapidly bred and multiplied?

Needless to say, while we admired the ingenuity and effort to craft something unique, we were underwhelmed by the result.

In their recommendations of how best to sample the Triticum, the bottle notes to have with a splash of water and cube ice. Wanting to give it another chance, I tried just this the next day at home.

What did I think? A significant improvement. Sunshine and honey sweetness with the overwhelming grainy quality subdued. Not such a bad recommendation.

triticum-on-ice

Here is what the folks over at AD Laws have to say about their Triticum:

A.D. Laws Straight Triticum (Trit-e-come) Whiskey is our homage to wheat, the “Grain of Civilization.” Skillfully mashed, fermented and distilled to accentuate the welcoming character of this high-mountain, Colorado-grown wheat, Triticum is exceptionally smooth and approachable with fruit, caramel and baking spice notes.

  • Classic open air, sour mash fermentation
  • Distilled twice through our Vendome 4-plate pot/column still
  • Aged no less than than 3 years in full-sized 53 gallon new American white oak barrels
  • Bottled at 100 proof

There are apparently two recipes:

  • Recipe A – 100% Colorado-grown wheat
  • Recipe B – 96% Colorado wheat, 4% Colorado barley

We sampled Recipe B and our bottle indicated it was aged for 2 not 3 years.

What all did we try in our “out of ordinary” evening?

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“Relax my love, just drink me now” Westland Single Malt 46%

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Next in our “out of the ordinary” North American evening was another offering from Westland.

Westland distillery is based in Seattle, Washington and I’ve tried their Hand Filled and more recently their Sherry Wood. In both cases, I was quite impressed with the quality and character.

So when our American “mule” asked what he could bring this time from the US – Westland was definitely on the list! He picked up their flagship ‘house style’ whisky made from five different barley malts (Washington Select Pale Malt, Munich Malt, Extra Special Malt, Pale Chocolate Malt, Brown Malt).

And what did we find?

westlandWestland Single Malt 46% 

  • Nose – Caramel, marmalade, banana, chocolate, praline
  • Palate – Subtle, very smooth, buttery, woody, orange peel, bursting with different elements – creamy, slightly salted, toasted wood chips, a little raw paper
  • Finish – Slightly spicy

For many ladies, they simply didn’t even try to describe what they found – too caught up in simply enjoying. Clearly a good sign!

And one who did?

“Relax my love, just drink me now.”

So while we were light on observations and comments, we were high on appreciation. In short it was a whisky that satisfied.

Here is what they have to say:

The initial nose provides lemon and orange custard backed by freshly produced waffle cone. Shortly after, a rich creaminess emerges with creme brûlée and chocolate custard while a hint of jasmine hides just beneath the surface. The first sip confirms the creamy and rich fruit custard notes of the nose, adding an element of rainier cherries. After five minutes, melting swiss chocolate is revealed with a hint of almond. Extended tastings brings out bananas and cream with Turkish coffee.

In keeping with new generation new thinking distilleries, the Westland team disclose full details on their approach – from yeast strain to fermentation time. You can find more details here.

What all did we try in our “out of ordinary” American evening?

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Whisky Ladies of Mumbai Welcome Canada’s Shelter Point Single Malt Whisky 46%

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First in our “out of the ordinary” North American evening was a whisky I’ve been impatiently waiting to try – Shelter Point‘s Single Malt.

Shelter Point is a new distillery based in Campbell, British Columbia, Canada. They consider themselves an artisan distillery with a local-first philosophy – growing and distilling their own barley on-site.

We sampled their inaugural batch of Single Malt, courtesy of Patrick Evans, founder of Shelter Point.

shelter-point

Shelter Point Single Malt 46% (2016 inaugural batch)

Here is what we found:

  • Nose – Honey maple, fresh hay, lots of cereals, subtle flowers, crisp green apple then shifted and became less sweet, dash more spice, slightly musty, grass morphing into malt, then chestnuts, flirting back to light florals
  • Palate – Light, cereals, heat at the back then so so soooo smooth, flirtatious spice, salty peanuts, hint of chocolate
  • Finish – Light spice, subtle bitterness

We loved how it started so fresh, bright, and sweet then became a bit spicy and nutty, shifting back and forth between lightness and substance.

Overall, it is most enjoyable. Exceedingly easy to drink. And quite impressive for a 1st foray into the world of single malt whisky.

There are too many new distilleries impatient to put out their single malts before they are ready. In this case, though young, it had none of the harsh, raw elements often found. Instead it had a subtle approach with enough interesting going on to keep us engaged. What a delightful dram to kick-off our evening!

One of whisky ladies shared her memories touring their distillery before this whisky was launched and sampling their many experiments. We both were quite pleased with the results and had a proud Canadian in India moment.

I only read the inaugural batch tasting notes after our sampling and would agree:

Experts tell us that the inaugural batch of Shelter Point Single Malt Whisky has a very nice spice with good barrel sweetness, fruit and floral notes and some chocolate on the nose. It’s nicely finessed with a good balance of complexity and delicateness. Translation? It goes down very, very smoothly.

PS Many thanks Patrick Evans, founder of Shelter Point, for sharing a bottle from your inaugural batch – it is a privelege to have it in Mumbai!

What else did we try in our “out of ordinary” American evening?

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Whisky Ladies Choice – Treating the BMC Gentlemen…

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Last year, the gentlemen from the Bombay Malt & Cigar club took it upon themselves to treat the Whisky Ladies of Mumbai to an evening of Irish whiskies and cigars.

This year, it was our turn to return the favour.

We debated a range of different approaches and finally decided on a theme of “Ladies Choice.” And what pray tell did that mean to us?

We wanted to share with the gentlemen some of the most memorable whiskies we sampled together as a tasting group. They may not be the world’s best whiskies but they would be our “Choice” – ones that stood out in some kind of way.

We went about it in a democratic manner and voted, tallied up the responses to create a “short-list”, then began the efforts to source these whiskies.

Our approach was a bit flexible, in some cases we knew it would be impossible to source the EXACT same whisky. What worked was finding something from the same distillery or similar category.

The whiskies were literally sourced from around the world involving travel, friends of friends and even last minute acquisitions…

What made it into our final “Ladies Choice” list?

Japan – Akashi Red Blended Whisky 40%

  • In truth we had several Japanese whiskies in mind however the Akashi was accessible and a refreshing departure from the expensive exclusive impossible to find Japanese single malts, so figured why not!
  • It also made for a perfect ‘appetizer’ whisky to get the evening going…

Sweden – Mackmyra Vinterdröm 46.1%

  • The most enjoyable peaty Mackmyra Svensk Rok 46.1% captured our attention with its clean, minimalist yet smoky qualities.
  • So when our Swedish whisky lady went on the hunt over Christmas for something distinctly different from the distillery, this limited edition “Caribbean love affair” avatar was her pick!

India – Paul John Single Cask #1844 60.5%

  • The Paul John Select Cask Peated Batch 1 “OMG bacon!” made many Whisky Ladies swoon for more during our Paul John evening… we definitely wanted to include a Goan single malt, preferably a Select Cask or Single Cask…
  • Thankfully Michael from Paul John distilleries was able to oblige our interest – literally hand delivering this single cask a mere two days before our evening!

France – Kornog Taouarc’h Pempved 14 BC 46%

  • Kornog’s whisky from Bretagne will forever be known in our group for the comment “How did you go from being a perfect gentlemen to getting my bra off like that?” (WL on Kornog Taourac’h Trived 10 BC 46%)
  • Alas the Trived 10 BC was no longer available so we took a gamble on the newer Pempved 14 BC…

Taiwan – Kavalan Solist Sherry Cask S090102020 57.1%

  • There was no doubt a Kavalan was going to make the cut…
  • By a very wide margin, the Solist Sherry Cask topped the charts with the most votes from all our Whisky Ladies tasting experiences. So… it simply HAD to be our ‘showstopper’ of the evening!

Somehow not one Scottish whisky made it into the list. Not a single one. It wasn’t deliberate. It was simply how the votes panned out.

But that says something about how the whisky world is going…

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Whisky Ladies “Not your ordinary North American” whiskey – Shelter Point, Westland + AD Laws

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Our Whisky Ladies of Mumbai are no strangers to North American whiskey… we’ve had other evenings checking out offerings from both Canada and the US.

What distinguished this evening is that we eschewed big brands to opt for newer  players…ad-laws

What did we try?

shelter-point

Other American themed evenings:

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Whisky Live Singapore – Port Askaig

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Our saunter through Whisky Live Singapore continues with Port Askaig.

Port Askaig is a project from Sukhinder Singh’s Specialty Drinks, owner of The Whisky Exchange with brands like Single Malts of Scotland and Elements of Islay.

2016-11-13-askaig-100

Port Askaig 100 Proof 57.1%

  • Nose clearly Islay, sweet soft aromas with peat, a bit of fruit and spice on the palate
  • Islay refill bourbon cask, aged for approx 7 years with 50,000 bottles
  • PS This whisky won Malt Maniacs 2016 “Thumbs Up Award“

2016-11-13-askaig-16

Port Askaig 16 year 45.5%

  • Initial impression is of stewed fruits, then soft peat, sweet coconut, overall sense is of approachability – and with a splash of water even more so
  • Brings together a marriage of 80% ex-bourbon and 20% Oloroso Sherry casks

2016-11-13-askaig-19

Port Askaig 19 year 50.4%

  • Lots going on with this whisky with peaty leather, sweet, smoky, yet some citrus too
  • I knew immediately this was one I wanted to more than just ‘speed date‘ – a quick impression was not sufficient to form a proper opinion
  • Which is why the Port Askaig came home to Mumbai with me to join a theme evening of ‘undisclosed distlleries‘

2016-11-13-port-askaig

PS Those in the know would know that most know Port Askaig is actually Caol Ila…

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