Smokehead “The Rock Edition” – style over substance?

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We get it. Its a gimmick. But gimmicks do get attention.

Sure its brash, testosterone fuelled and meant to be fun. But is it any good?

Smokehead

Smokehead “The Rock Edition” NAS 44.2%

So what did the Whisky Ladies of Mumbai think?

  • Nose: Smoked bacon, beef jerky, gorging on Montreal smoked meat (think Schwartz Deli!), pastrami on rye, hickory, popped out back for a summer BBQ, if you dig deep a hint of honey sweetness, ashtray
  • Palate: Pungent, peaty “not as bad as it smells” 
  • Finish: I’m sorry… was there a finish? It was like all the punch just suddenly fizzled out. Nada.
  • Water: Some thought 6 drops ‘salvaged’ it… yes there was a debate on the exact number of drops required! Consensus was six drops smoothes out the dram without overly dampening the smokey spirit. As one put it, can now taste the whisky and “I no longer feel like I’ve just smoked a pack of cigarettes!”

This Smokehead certainly sparked a lot of commentary…

  • Whisky to get trashed to…
  • College guys, sitting around playing cards, smoking and getting drunk
  • All bravado and no brains

Let’s be very clear, a number of our whisky ladies have no patience for wimpy whiskies. Peat scores high on their preferred elements in a good dram. However this one was all over the top flash without the substance.

There were several comments along the lines of it being a brash guy coming on really strong but in reality a limp noodle. Ahem… You get the picture.

When compared with other openly peat pushing drams like Compass Box’s Peat Monster or Bruichladdich’s Octomore, regret to say this Smokehead is outclassed. Now… it could be the Rock Edition specifically as it is meant to be no frills, just straight-on rock thrills. A couple lasses had sampled a different Smokehead and recalled more character and less clobber over the head with an ashtray experience.

So what more do we know about Smokehead?

  • Do they disclose the Islay distillery? Nope! All we know is its part of Ian McLeod distillers….
  • Do they use colouring? Yup!
  • What else? Not a whole heck of a lot.

What did the Ian Weir, Marketing Director for McLeod have to say when launching this edition?

 “The new limited edition presentation not only celebrates Smokehead’s close affinity to rock music, but reaffirms the brand’s unique position within the Single Malt category. Smokehead is vigorous and unapologetic about its big and intense peaty flavours. Like rock and roll, people must accept it for what it is or not at all. The brand is an enthusiastic supporter of rock music and we have some exciting plans underway to take this even further in 2012.”

And their official tasting notes?

Nose: Heavy smoke and peat.   Amazing richness.   Lemon, fresh ginger, plum jam.   Salty and spicy.
Body: Like a cannonball – hits the palate at once with cocoa, peat and some honey sweetness then explodes with peppery spice and more earthy peat.   Spreads to all the areas of your mouth with more peat and light sweetness.
Finish: Even more peat, spice, mandarin – then dries up.   When you think it’s all over the peat comes back to hit you again.
Impression A rollercoaster of peat and spice with some delicate sweetness.

Well… did we accept it ‘as is’? Meh… Not gonna run out and buy another bottle. However for a sociable drinking evening, makes for a great conversation piece!

Other whiskies sampled before the Smokehead included:

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Embracing the Dalmore 15 year 40%

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What a terrific start to our March Whisky Ladies evening!

We dove straight into the Dalmore 15 year… with its robust sherry character and distinctive 12 pointed Royal Stag emblem.

Dalmore 15 year

  • Nose – Ooh sherry! Raisins, figs, plum cake, caramel, coconut, fruity like sweet oranges, burst of prunes… With those sweet spices of cinnamon… Did we say sherry? Please let’s say it yet again!
  • Taste – Very even, smooth and sweet, raisins, spicy coconut, a quality like Amarula, a bit syrupy, faintest puff of smoke
  • Finish – Nice linger, warm spice, all Christmasy nice!
  • With water? Please don’t. Not needed at all. But if you do, just a few drops brings out the oaky element quite strongly

Overall it was greeted with happy moans of pleasure and comments like :

  • “It is like nector!”
  • “I’ve found my ‘happy’ spot!”

In short, it was a perfect way to kick-off the evening. Hit all the ‘tick’ boxes for a warm, comfy, sherry dram… certainly going an several notches above merely being ‘pleasant’.

Such a whisky begs to be the start of a relaxed evening, curled up at home, nibbling on cheese and crackers while listening to good music, perhaps with friends or perhaps alone.

What do the distillery folks have to say about their whisky?

This delicate and approachable vintage is initially matured for 12 years in American white oak ex-bourbon casks. The character of The Dalmore 15 is achieved by then splitting the whisky equally between three different sherry woods; Amoroso, Apostoles and Matusalem oloroso for a further three years. The spirit is finally married together in an upstanding sherry butt, allowing the flavours to infuse.

  • Aroma: Orange marmalade, cinnamon and nutmeg.
  • Palate: Mandarin, vanilla, ginger.
  • Finish: Christmas spice and oak.

Do we agree? Yes

Next up:

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Straight from Sweden – Mackmyra Svensk Rök 46.1%

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I’ve been impatiently waiting to sample this beauty since December. I knew one of our Whisky Ladies made the trek back to Sweden with the intention of picking up something interesting. I also knew her personal preferences lean towards peat so was secretly hoping for this very bottle to make its way back to Mumbai.

I remember sampling the Mackmyra Brukwhisky at La Maison du Whisky – while I quite enjoyed its fresh youthful dance and loved what the folks at Mackmyra are doing, was looking for something with a bit more complexity and depth for an upcoming tasting session.

However I remained curious to try more and have avidly been reading Whisky Saga‘s adventures with Nordic whiskies – Sweden specifically.

To say I was delighted to sample their Swedish Smoke avatar is putting it rather mildly.

Mackmyra Svensk Rok

Mackmyra Svensk Rök 46.1%

  • Nose – Juniper, a perfumy smoke, light, honey, quite herbaceous, woodsy, sweet in a way that is almost florals but not quite, cut grass, coriander, a minty freshness that softens into vanilla
  • Palate – Smoke and spice and everything nice! Warm not sweet. A delightful ‘tingle’ that wakes you up.
  • Finish – Has an oaky smokey linger
  • Water – 2 drops rounds the smoke, 3 drops dampens to much! (Precise distinction!)

Talk turned to where this whisky would best be sampled? Consensus was after a vigorous ski, relaxing in a chalet where the whisky warms and perks up at the same time.

This is not an ‘easy’ whisky and is certainly distinctive. There is something quite appealing about how it has a clean ‘minimalist’ quality with no pretence.

Personally I also find a 50cl bottle just right. Enough to amply share in a tasting session with a dram left to enjoy at home later. If I could only find 4 such bottles on international trips, could bring in more variety within the 2 L import limit to India!

Here is what the Mackmyra folks have to say about their Svensk Rök:

In Sweden we have used juniper to season our food for generations. Now you can enjoy the timeless flavor in a golden form. The aroma is slightly smoky and spicy, with a much smokier flavor and peaty juniper notes. Together, the flavors unites in a quite unique Swedish flavor.

Swedish Smoke is the only smoky single malt whisky made on Swedish ingredients only.

  • Nose: The nose is slightly smoky and spicy with aromas of peat, juniper, vanilla, caramel, citrus, pears and raisins. Spicy oak notes such as toasted bread and anise.
  • Taste: Smokier than the nose with smoky, peaty, juniper notes. Dry, oaky aromas found with light tobacco leaves and herbs. A slight saltiness with minerals, anise and green fruits.

Mackmyra Svensk Rok Label

Other whiskies sampled that evening were:

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Whisky ladies go sweetly smokey – Dalmore 15, Mackmyra Svensk Rök, Smokehead ‘Rock’

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Our whisky ladies are a diverse lot and each bring something a bit different to the equation. We are also quite international – most travel regularly and lived in different parts of the world than the land of their birth at some point in their lives.

What this means for us in whisky terms, there is a certain pride in discovering something interesting to share from diverse corners!

Hence the Sheringham William’s White double distilled grain whisky was introduced by a fellow Canadian. Or an offering chocolates designed for pairing with whiskies from a recent European jaunt.

We revel in such treats! March featured one specific whisky that would ordinarily be rather tricky to track down… instead came courtesy of a Christmas trip ‘home’ to Sweden.

March featured whiskies ranging from sherry sweet, to refreshing smoke to in your face peat! Here’s what we sampled:

Notes to follow in the next few days…

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Canadian stash – Glen Garioch 21 year 43%

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Not so long ago we sampled the Glen Garioch 1797 Founder’s Reserve, It was sufficiently interesting that when the Glen Garioch 21 year was on offer to join the “Canadian stash” from my aunt and uncle, I jumped at the chance!

Sample and photo courtesy of Whisky Lady's Aunt n Uncle

Sample and photo courtesy of Whisky Lady’s Aunt n Uncle

Here goes my sampling of the Glen Garrioch 21 year:

  • Colour – Dark straw
  • Nose – Lovely mint, faint sweet grass and hay, sweet vanilla, a bit floral
  • Taste – Gentle, flirty hint of peat, a light woodsy element, honey minty sweet with just enough spice
  • Finish – Easy, gentle, malty finish with just enough bitter at the end to remind you it was there
  • Water – Not a chance of adding! Already quite ‘thin’ so wouldn’t dare add a drop

This whisky goes down far too easily. Quite light at 43%, it is one of those dangerous drams that’s gone before you even realise it. I have to admit, I struggled to write notes as just enjoyed sipping! In all honesty, it isn’t terribly complex, think instead of a light summery romp! Eminently enjoyable and worth sampling if it comes your way.

For those not familiar with Glen Garioch, this highland distillery has Rachel Barrie as master distiller. She grew up near the distillery and you can read more about her introduction to the distillery here.

Here’s what others say:

This concludes my 9 bottle sampling from my fellow whisky aficionados aunt and uncle…. who just so happen to run a whisky tasting group in Fort Francis, Ontario, Canada. It was such a treat to enjoy these wee baby jars of whisky and try several drams I otherwise would have missed. So once again – my sincere thanks for the indulgence!!

Canadian stash

Canadian stash

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Canadian stash – Duthies Auchroisk 20 year 46%

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Ever have something you were rather curious to discover but then were massively disappointed?

Last year my aunt and uncle in Canada made an offer I couldn’t refuse. They are fellow whisky aficionados who run a whisky tasting group in Fort Francis, Ontario and gave me a chance to sample anything in their current whisky collection!

Duthies Auchroisk 20 year was part of the ‘list’ and intrigued me as:

  • Not yet had something from Duthies independent bottler – the sub-brand of Cadenhead
  • Also not had a sample from Auchroisk and 20 year seemed a rather good place to start!

The Auchroisk distillery opened in 1972 and produced its first whisky in 1978. Currently owned by Diageo, it is mostly used in J&B with its latest slogan of Scotch whisky “made for mixing.” Some may also have tried whisky from this distillery under the  “Singleton” brand.

Photo & sample courtesy Whisky Lady's Aunt & Uncle

Photo & sample courtesy Whisky Lady’s Aunt & Uncle

Excited, I cracked open the sample jar….

  • Colour – Light gold
  • Nose – Quite striking, barley, salty, brine, slightly rotten fruit, as it opened more a hint of sweet vanilla, slight dry sweet spices… mostly cloves, then something that is vaguely reminiscent of marshmallows that have gone slightly sour
  • Taste – Very dry, odd undertone of sweet resin, something a bit peculiar, rubber, soapy… the more I sipped the more ‘off’ it seemed
  • Finish – Warm, malt and – don’t laugh – manure

I began to speculate that something from the container tainted the whisky – possible as it was from last year and the rubber seal had become stuck on the glass. There is just something very strange about this whisky. Imagine dishwater soap meets dry wood.

Bottom line – it simply doesn’t work for me.

Here’s what others say:

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5 Best Japanese Whiskies…

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It is no secret I quite like Japanese whiskies. It equally is no secret I find the price-tags abhorrent and many are frustratingly difficult to find.

So when I was asked by the editor of Man’s World magazine to write about the ‘5 Best Japanese Whiskies’ for their 15th Anniversary edition, knew the biggest challenge for readers is that what is here today is gone tomorrow. He left it to me to choose and I opted to feature producers / distilleries with a mix of more readily available plus hidden gems. As we all need a gem or two!

Mans World, Oct 2015

Mans World, Oct 2015

So what whiskies were featured and why?

Naturally this article was prepared before I sampled the spectacular Karuizawa 39 year. And there is always more to discover!

Any favourite Japanese whiskies out there?

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The Speyside 12 years 40%

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Last up in our wander down memory lane was The Speyside 12 year… from… gee.. the Speyside region. Yeah… I know… original name, eh?

Photo: Master of Malt

Photo: Master of Malt

We sampled it blind and here’s what we found…

The Speyside 12 year 40%

  • Colour – A lovely warm burnished gold
  • Nose – Overripe bannannas, tulips, bitter chocolate
  • Taste – Smooth, round, easily rolling around on the tongue… bringing the feeling of a warm, lovely evening, curling up in a cosy romantic blanket in front of a crackling fire. Some debate on the hint of peat however overall quite mellow.
  • Finish – Lingered, mellowing further like a perfect gentleman
  • Add water – Was that a hint of lavender that emerged?
  • Overall – Very approachable

Our contributor confessed he’d had it in his cupboard for years but hadn’t been inspired to try – largely as the packaging isn’t exactly inviting.

We didn’t find the hazelnuts mentioned on the bottle but would agree with the vanilla and toffee in the finish.

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By the end of the evening we described our whiskies as follows:

  • Balvenie Triple Cask – The guy who tries to be 1st in class, lovely to meet, some possibilities but…
  • Wasmund’s – The bad boy you just wanna go a little wild with and can’t resist!
  • The Speyside – The guy you can count on, a companion. In short – the marrying type!

For me? My preference was the bad boy in the middle!

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Wasmund’s Single Malt 48%

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During our first encounter with Wasmund’s we decided it is “The bad boy you just wanna go a little wild with and can’t resist!”

Now that I have your attention, shall we delve further into what we found? We first sampled this whisky back in 2013 – completely blind so had no idea what we were in for! We then revisited it in January 2016.

Photo: Copper Fox

Photo: Copper Fox

Wasmund’s Single Malt 48%

  • Colour – A rich almost burgundy hue and we speculated sherry cask… but… ?
  • Nose – Paan! Burnt wood, tarka, bit of citrus, strong, bold with some peatiness, almost medicinal. Pine forest, burnt tires, sweet old wood, leather.
  • Palate – Has an ‘in your face’ strength, some resin, almost like over-cooked sweet n sour sauce – very full bodied. Spice, wood, smoke, chocolate and coffee.
  • Finish – Has some fire yet mellows into sweetness, like a melon, long tail, lasting smoke.
  • Water – Adding water opened it up, bringing out a fruity chewiness, some spice of chillies, cardamom and cloves. Yum!
  • Overall – We found it a complex whisky with attitude – perfect for winter nights in Delhi or on the ski slopes. Not one to be messed around with! In a verrrry good way.

All were surprised with the unveiling. What is most remarkable is that Wasmund’s is matured for only 12 months yet has such character – strong and interesting!

So… what’s this Wasmund’s all about?

Coming from Copper Fox distillers near the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, this whisky is pot-stilled in small batches, one barrel at a time 100% using hand malted, Virginia barley. It is proud to be “the only distillery in the world to use apple and cherrywood smoke to flavor the malted barley.”

Clearly we were off with the sherry cask… instead it is aged in ex bourbon barrels with apple and oak chips. Quite a unique result.

Here’s what the folks over at Copper Fox have to say:

“Rich amber copper color, intriguing aromas and flavors of suede, olive tapenade, honey, dried fruit chutney and clay with a silky, dry-yet-fruity, medium-full body, and long, spicy, orange marmalade on rye toast and root beer float-like finish. Distinctively flavorful and a great choice for artisan cocktails or sipping.”

Bottom line… were we impressed? Yes we were.

Other whiskies sampled with Wasmund’s included:

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Balvenie Triple Cask 12 years 40%

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From the whisky archives (Oct 2013) came an amusing evening which concluded the Balvenie Triple Cask was…

The guy who tries to be 1st in class, lovely to meet, some possibilities but…

So why did we think Balvenie Triple Cask was the smart kid in the class?

Read on…

Photo: The Whisky Exchange

Photo: The Whisky Exchange

Balvenie Triple Cask 12 year 40%

  • Colour – A rich golden hue, clearly not light straw but also not deep either
  • Nose – We found wiffs of currents, raisins, vanilla, orange, cinnamon even a bit of butterscotch. All pronounced to be very ‘christmasy’ in character and quite promising
  • Palate – Not as complex and nuanced as the notes would suggest. We found it lightly peated, with a peach sweetness.
  • Finish – Remained largely in the mouth, not complex, but still rather nice.

Most speculated it must be a younger speyside, around 40%, still a bit “green” yet didn’t detract from being quite a nice sipping whisky.

While most considered it too mild to add water, we gamely put in a few drops to see the results – only diluted the taste, shifting to a bit of harness yet still sweet. Our vote? Neat is best with this one!

2013-10-17-OakLeague

Back in 2013, it was a new offering for the duty-free market – boasting (as the name suggests) maturation in three different casks: first-fill bourbon, refill bourbon and sherry.

Here’s what the folks over at Balvenie have to say:

Elegantly sweet and spicy, with a mellow taste of dried fruits, vanilla and cinnamon

Also sampled the same evening:

  • Wasmund’s – The bad boy you just wanna go a little wild with and can’t resist!
  • The Speyside – The guy you can count on, a companion. In short – the marrying type!

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