Berrys’ Islay Reserve 46%

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After experimenting with Berrys’ Speyside Reserve, we moved on to the Islay avatar.

berrys-islay

Here’s what our Bombay Malt & Cigar club found:

  • Nose: Peaty oily and quite earthy. Old leather. Buttery. Becoming quite sweet. Sunshine citrus yet restrained.
  • Palate: Smoke yet very smooth. Very sweet. Slight spice kick at the back of the throat. The peat while very much present is subtle and joined by slight cinnamon.
  • Finish: Soft spice that mellows out.

Here’s what the chaps over at Master of Malt have to say:

  • Nose: Coastal iodine notes, tarry rope, yuzu, wisps of peat smoke and starfruit.
  • Palate: As is often the case, it’s on the palate that the peat smoke some truly makes itself known, circling sweet golden barley, dried apricot and vanilla.
  • Finish: Lingering peat smoke and sea air.
  • Overall: Islay-ey.

For most, this was distinctly Islay in character and much more along the lines of what we’ve come to expect. And yet the Islay did not pair quite so well with our fancy expensive cigar… pity.

What else did we sample that evening?

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Berrys’ Speyside Reserve 46%

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A complete departure was exploring less expensive (yet still elusive and somewhat exclusive) blends and mystery malts… We kicked off our evening with a Speyside from Berrys’….

berrys-speyside-reserve

Here’s what our Bombay Malt & Cigar club found:

  • Nose: Sour cherries that then sweetened into maraschino cherries dipped in chocolate. A little sulfur, ash smoke. Also a bit sharp with a citrus tang of orange peel. One recalled orange ‘Acqua di Parma’. Then a mustiness joined the tart sweetness. Shifting back again to bitter chocolate.
  • Palate: 1st sip of our evening and came across as a bit harsh – almost as though cask strength? Quite sharp. Once past the initial punch, a sense of sherry popped out. Glengoyne was mentioned…
  • Finish: Bitter berries, quite dry, like amla (Indian gooseberries)
  • Water: Needs it! Helped reduce the harshness and brought it to a more accessible level

This was one whisky where it seemed impossible it was only 46%. There was a real kick, much like what one tends to find in higher alcohol strengths. There were several remarks like:

  • “OK! My mouth is totally disinfected now!”
  • “Well that cleared my palate and sinuses alright! Did it singe my nostril hairs too?”

Did we like it? Mixed response…

However as the evening progressed, we found it was more approachable after sampling other drams and went well with the cigar.

What was the trio sampled?

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Whisky Archives – Oban 14 year, Deanston 12 year, The Six Isles and Yellow Spot

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Another from the archives… from June 2013 and my 1st whisky post on EverydayAsia. Hope you enjoy!

Tasting Notes from 20 June 2013

Following our standard format, we blind tasted before revealing the whisky. This month featured: Oban 14 year, Deanston 12 year, The Six Isles and Yellow Spot.

“Oh us fortunate few! What an evening it was!”

Oban 14 year – Golden amber colour. A light fruity sweet nose. Unexpectedly oily, chewy body with a spicy bite yet smooth. Short finish. Felt familiar, nice yet not exceptional.

Oban 14 year (photo: Carissa Hickling)

Deanston 12 year – A little ‘extra’ brought out by our host for those who missed trying it in an earlier meeting. Nuanced nose with over ripe fruit, sweet and spicy on the palate, lovely finish with a hint of spice that slowly dissipated. Delightful!

Deanston (Photo: Carissa Hickling)

The Six Isles – A vatted malt with single malts from the Scottish Islands: Islay, Jura, Mull, Arran, Skye and Orkney, this one kept us guessing! Quite peaty on the nose with hints of spice and other elements. Burnt ash, rich, oily on the palate yet with only a drop or two of water transformed into an exquisite smooth sweet whisky that would even pair well with desert. A lovely mellow finish. What a wonderful surprise!

The Six Isles (Photo: Carissa Hickling)

Yellow Spot 12 year – From Ireland, a single pot still Irish whisky produced for Mitchell & Son of Dublin, matured in bourbon, sherry and Malaga casks. The nose was fresh and sweet with hints of a complexity to come. On the palate, initially a blend of sea salt and honey, it rounded out with chocolate to fruit, supported by a woody robustness. The finish was particularly superb! Complex, with a gorgeous flavour that lingered…

It has garnered some very well deserved praise from Jim Murray (and us)! An exceptional whisky that hit all our favourite counts for a wonderful malt.

Yellow Spot (Photo: Carissa Hickling)

Any different opinions? Any recommendations along the lines of Yellow Spot?

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Ardbeg Supernova 55% (2014)

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Ardbeg is known for an experiment or two. From sending whisky molecules into space to pushing the boundaries of peat in whisky, the folks over at Ardbeg are determined this distillery will not disappear anytime soon!

Their Supernova releases are intended to be the peatiest Ardbeg ever… Now with 5 editions, the 2014 avatar currently retails for over $400.

Thanks to the Winnipeg Cabinet lads, I not only enjoyed  a fabulous “peat” evening, I also walked out with a wee dram of this Ardbeg Supernova! (Pssst – you can read their review here which featured a new & old 10 year Ardbeg, Supernova & Amrut.)

Ardbeg Supernova

This puppy cranks the peat up from 55 ppm to 100 ppm, so without even opening or taking a whiff, I knew this was going to have serious peat.

Ardbeg Supernova 55%

  • Nose – As expected – powerful peat! Carbon. Yet also decidedly sweet, pine, minty herbal element, a whack of spice, zing of citrus, bit briney… yet never loosing that charred pettiness
  • Palate – Peat, char, burn, crazy bitter chocolate, dark cherry, you could chomp and chew on this one!
  • Finish – Long, bitter and dry ash…. those peaty fires kept smouldering
  • Water – Had to try… a bit more accessible yet still…

This is no shy retiring young miss. No siree! As promised, it is big, bold and full-on peat. While it is quite assertive, it isn’t harsh – a plus point.

However I found myself reaching out for a dry cracker and gave it some time.

More importantly, as a whisky, did it work?

Hmm… While interesting, the elements simply did not come together for me. Even with a few drops of water, there was something just a wee bit off-balance about this one.

It is a novelty item not an every day dram. While I’m glad I had a chance to try it (and not pay for it), I honestly would reach for other peaty drams before this one.

Here’s what the folks at Ardbeg have to say (from Whisky Exchange website):

  • Aroma: Intense zestiness of smoked lemons and pears, lemongrass and pine needles, embedded in a deep, resinuous, sticky waxy base.
  • Taste: Distinctively peppery, spicy and electric. Powerful peppermint, antiseptic lozenges and other familiar, medicinal tones. Dark, dark birch tar intermingles with spicy-sweet chilli flavoured chocolate, while the entire mouth and palate are coated in luscious linseed oil.
  • Finish: Rich flavours of tar, creosote, briar wood, spicy tobacco and liquorice root.

PS I recently pulled out the last few drops of the Ardbeg Supernova next to Bruichladdich’s Octomore with a peaty lady asking which she would like to help me polish off. Without hesitation she went straight to the Octomore – which has even higher peat levels than the Supernova yet better balance and somehow more accessible and hence also enjoyable.

Other Ardbeg‘s sampled include:

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Jamaican Pure Single Rum – Hampden 2010 HLCF 68.5%

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At the 2016 Whisky Live Singapore one of the most interesting Master Class was the “Velier Master Class: Pure Single…” with Luca Gargano and Dave Broom, putting pure single rum head-to-head with single malts.

After experiencing the Hampden 2010, I was dying to share the unique experience with our Whisky Ladies! Luca was kind enough to indulge my wish and this bottle came back to Bombay with his compliments.

We sampled it completely blind, with no hint of what it was, coming after our “contributors choice” evening with Old Pulteney 21 year, Benromach 100° Proof and Bowmore Black Rock.

hampden-2010-hlcf

Hampden 2010 HLCF 68.5%

  • Nose – Mustard, licorice, varnish, egg nog, butterscotch, sweet maple, fig, nutmeg, milk then cheese, berries shifting into ripe grapes, over-ripe apples just before turning rotten, the South African cream liquor Amarula, fruit & cream, nuts, shifting into ripe tropical fruits, sweet toffee banana, some cinnamon spice, pear drops, a bit of balsam wood sap
  • Palate – Very unexpected… a complete flavour explosion. Spicy, buttery, oily… lots of warm heat, toffee, lemon candy
  • Finish – Strong, heavy, more of the Amarula cream
  • Water – Smooths it out, all the wonderful flavours are still there but now more accessible and not so overpowering

The overall verdict was “Wow!” It was clear there was something distinctive, remarkable and very unique about what we were sipping.

One lady mentioned it was a bit like wasabi peas – the spice hits you and initially you may not entirely like it, but then you get past the ‘pain’ threshold and start to love it, unable to help yourself from eating more and more.

All shared they had never tasted anything quite like it.

I encouraged adding water – not a drop or two but instead a very generous pour of water. Much discussion ensued about its character. Some absolutely loved it, some found it extraordinary but peculiar.

The reveal was a complete surprise. Rum? Seriously rum?

2016-11-13-hampden

There are a few spirits made with such craft that they achieve the calibre of a good single malt. Without a doubt, the Hampden achieves this. Similarly, the Tapatio Excelencia Gran Reserva Extra Anejo Tequila goes well beyond the standard tequila and could appeal to some whisky aficionados.

PS I did also share it with the gentlemen after our evening with Ghosted Reserve 21 year, Berrys’ Speyside & Islay... let’s just say they couldn’t wrap their palates around it.

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Airport adventures with Àraid 21 year 43% for DFS SIN + HKG

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Typically when traveling, I can be found hiding out in a lounge tapping away on my laptop however this trip from Mumbai to Jakarta via Singapore had no lounge access. So after picking up the new Bruichladdich PC 2007 CC:01, discovering my onward flight was delayed, slipped upstairs to browse through the rarified whiskies.2016-12-04-rusty-nail

I found myself chatting with the fellow behind the Long Bar by Raffles. He spotted my Bruichladdich and we began to swap whisky tales (as one does in such situations!). He shared insights into the session Murray Campbell, Bruichladdich Brand Ambassador did for the DFS team while I shared chance conversations with Murray at Whisky Live Singapore.

With time to kill, I spotted a nice little table beside the bar and settled down to get some work done while waiting for my flight.

Completely absorbed with writing on my laptop, first an exceedingly refreshing and indulgent rusty nail found its way into my hand.

Followed by a small sample of… something…

  • Nose – Citrus pineapple, peaches, honey, cinnamon, lightly woodsy, vanilla, subtle light bright inviting nose
  • Palate – Spice with substance, a contrast to the sunshine nose there is enough swirling around on the palate to properly keep one company
  • Finish – The spice lingers and becomes slightly tart and bitter

Was it a single malt? A blend? The reveal…

Àraid 21 yea4 43% Batch 15/0508, Selected 19.04.2015, Bottle No 1,182/3, 400.

2016-12-04-araid-21-year

A DFS Group exclusive blend for Singapore Changi International Airport (SIN) and Hong Kong International Airport (HKG).

“Àraid” is Scots Gaelic for “unique” and the whisky is intended as “an idea which summons the spirit of the selection process in which we collaborated to arrive at this magnificent whiskey.”

Here is what they have to say about it:

“A deep and luxurious whisky replete with a fresh and fruity nose of delicate character, a rich and silky palate and a long-lasting oaky finish.

This exquisite spirit inherits its silky texture and floral delicacy from the splendid malts in the Grant family’s whisky ledgers which have given them life. Its long-lasting finish, with a sweet laziness, completes this blend’s unique perfection.”

It was like having a high end Monkey Shoulder, brighter, lighter and more complex. Apparently it has some KinInvie & Glenfiddich and…?

Regardless of contents, sipping it was a rather nice way to while away my time til my flight to Jakarta… A “sweet laziness” is actually a rather good way to describe how this whisky leaves you…

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Whisky Ladies with Bowmore Black Rock 40%

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The Whisky Ladies ‘contributors choice session‘ followed the GlenDronach with one of master blender Rachel Barrie‘s Bowmore travel trilogy.

This whisky was acquired some time ago by one of our whisky ladies who shared how much she enjoys Bowmore’s approach to bringing together peat and sherry sweet to create a consistent Islay treat.

Black Rock specifically is named for the Black Rock of Islay that can be seen from the Bowmore distillery rising out of Loch Indaal.

bowmore-black-rock

What did the ladies think?

  • Nose – Initially sour curd, warm and wintry, intense and then closed, light peat, the strong sour cherry, raisins spice toasted nuts
  • Palate – Well… clearly into 40% territory here… however once we got past the ‘watered down’ dimension enjoyed the smoky, cherry and other tight dried berries, sweet dry spices
  • Finish – Much fainter than expected – just a touch of sweetness, smoke and spice

In our glass comparison, the Norlan was able to pull out more from the Bowmore – giving it a richer, sweeter quality. Whereas the Glencairn exposed more of the ‘watered down’ 40% dimension.

And what do the folks over at Bowmore have to say?

  • Breathe In: smoke infused with raisins, pepper, warm cocoa beans and burnt orange
  • Sip: rich sherry and peat smoke followed by blackcurrant treacle toffee and cinnamon spice
  • Savour: beautifully balanced peat smoke and sea salt

Our Whisky Ladies experimental evening also featured:

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Whisky Ladies discover Benromach 100° Proof 57%

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Our Whisky Ladies ‘contributors choice‘ evening moved from the Old Pulteney 21 year to an offering from Benromach.

It was recently purchased by one of our Whisky Ladies during her trip to Scotland. She shared how many a dram was sampled before finally settling on this one as THE whisky she wanted to bring back from her trip for the Whisky Ladies in Mumbai.

benromach-10-year-100-proof

What did the Whisky Ladies find?

  • Nose – Sweetly smoky – we’ve found our happy place, clear sherry with hickory wood… like the embers of a campfire in the morning, then bananas, stewed fruits
  • Palate – Cherry liquor, the peat is back with spice, salty chocolate fudge, vanilla, liquorice, nicely complex with the different elements swirling about with one sip bringing out more of the creamy fudge and another the cherry berry quality then the next sip the sweet spices and another the peat – what a treat!
  • Finish – A drizzle of honey bacon with dry spices

What did the ladies think?

  • “Quite a coooool whisky”
  • “Something new in every sip!”
  • “The whisky you really want to spend an evening with…”

I had recently revisited several rather fine Benromach whiskies at Whisky Live in Singapore and initially was puzzled by all the peat thinking this was the classic 10 year. When discovered it was the 100° Proof, all became clear we were dealing with quite a different avatar!

Whisky ladies experimental evening also featured:

PS – For more details, check out an earlier encounter with this whisky last year … Benromach 100° Proof.

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Whisky Ladies enjoy Old Pulteney 21 year 46%

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This wasn’t my first rodeo with the Old Pulteney 21 year – I had the pleasure of sampling it at a master class with Stuart Harvey and then with Andy Hannah at Whisky Live Singapore.

old-pulteney-21-yr

However it was a 1st for the Whisky Ladies and a treat to share as the ‘kick off’ to our November session.

What did the ladies find?

  • Nose – Mmmm… apples, pears, light flirtatious flowers, honey, salted caramel, ginger snap spice
  • Palate – Salty sweet pepper, beautiful complex flavours, wonderfully syrupy, soft fruit, oily, thick on the tongue, nicely chewy, well balanced, slightly smokey quality
  • Finish – Delightful dry cinnamon spice, tinge of bitterness in a good way

Then commenced a healthy debate on differences between tasting in a Glencairn glass vs Norlan glass… Our standard is to sample using the Glencairn, however one whisky lady returned from Canada with an early Christmas gift of a pair of Norlan glasses.

For many the Glencairn glass brought out more pronounced aromas, brighter more intense whereas the Norlan softened, rounded and blended the elements. On the palate, most preferred the Norlan as it enabled the flavours to shine muting the ‘alcohol’… which happened to also make the Old Pulteney dangerously easy to drink.

One remarked that Glencairn brought out the academic elements where one could distinguish the apples from honey from spice whereas the Norlan brought everything together creating a more sociable, approachable and companionable whisky.

Bottom line, the whisky was a perfect start to our evening!

The Whisky ladies experimental evening followed with:

PS The Old Pulteney 21 year was compliments of InterBev.

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Whisky archives – Kavalan Concertmaster + Solist Sherry Cask, Ardbeg Galileo, Dutch All Rye

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I was clearing through some old drafts and happened to find one from an evening I hosted in February 2013 – a few months before I started chronicling our monthly tasting adventures on Everyday Asia.

It was from an email that contained no tasting notes, merely a thank you for the whiskies contributed and the two guests who joined our session.

The evening featured:

  • Nameless Indian single malt (later confirmed as McDowell’s Single Malt)
  • First encounter with Kavalan Concertmaster
  • Contrasted with Kavalan Solist Sherry Cask
  • Dipped into the latest (then!) Ardbeg release – the Galileo (1999/2012) 49%
  • Closed with the Dutch All Rye

Years later I couldn’t remember the Indian single malt we tried… just that it was neither Amrut nor Paul John. Surprisingly, I recently found a note that it was McDowell’s Single Malt?

Concertmaster (Whisky Lady)

However, I distinctly remember being soooooo excited to try the Kavalan Concertmaster – given my efforts to track it down during a trip to Taipei. And being equally disappointed til we contrasted it with the Kavalan Solist… an experiment that was repeated years later with the Whisky Ladies.

I also remember the story behind Ardbeg’s Galileo… a whisky released in ‘celebration’ of Ardbeg’s space experiment yet not actually containing a drop of galactic wandering whisky. Instead a mix matured in ex-Marsala wine and ex-Bourbon casks leaving a smoky sweet impression.

It was also one of our early encounters with European whiskies and one of our few samplings of a Rye whisky.

Our guests were two well-known figures in the Indian spirits industry who added more merriment to the mix… Overall leaving an impression of world whisky fellowship of great people and good drams!

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