An evening with Sukhinder Singh – Part 2

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An evening with the co-founder of The Whisky Exchange – Sukhinder Singh – is truly memorable. And naturally, in additional to a fabulous meal, walking and talking with family and friends, the evening also included Whisky!

Our tasting took place at their warehouse, in an exceptional board room surrounded wall to wall with exceptional and unique whiskies. Sukhinder selected an array of different styles, vintages, cask types to explore a diverse array of interesting drams The Whisky Exchange is helping bring to our palates.

We were also introduced to a new tasting glass – 1920s professional whisky blenders – designed to concentrate aromas and flavours.

After starting with a Glen Elgin, Glenburgie and Undisclosed 45 year blend, we moved on to three quite contrasting whiskies. I will fully admit to taking scant notes, focused more on enjoying the experience! So please consider what follows more a ‘teaser’ than true tasting notes…

Ichiro’s Malt Chichibu On The Way (2019) Cask 2089 51.5% Bottle 8543 of 11000

We shifted gears completed and left behind Scotland to explore the far east.

I’ve had some interesting experiences with Chichibu – particularly a young French Oak  cask strength expression that I brought back from a trip to Tokyo many years ago.

This one did not disappoint – fruity on the nose – particularly banana, pineapple – it also had a pronounced coconut quality. And dare I say thyme? Or something with quite a honeyed herbal dimension. We also enjoyed the nice spice on the palate – still fruity with enough other things going on to make it interesting.

Interested in reading more? Check out the TWE blog.

Glentauchers 22 year (23 July 1997 / 29 Aug 2019) Bourbon Cask No 4163 46.6% (Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky / Signatory Vintage 20th Anniversary for The Whisky Exchange) 125 Bottles

Next up was a Glentauchers ex-bourbon cask. This one was quite herbaceous, malty, a bit hot, fall leaves…

Alas I could not find this exactly bottle however there is a Signatory of a similar vintage available for GBP 135.

Ben Nevis 23 year  (21 Oct 1996 / 1 Nov 2019) Sherry Butt Cask No 1479 52.7% (Highlands Single Malts of Scotland) 405 Bottles

I’ll admit, I’m not the biggest Ben Nevis fan, however I’m always game to explore!

This one was bursting with character on the nose and quite savoury, tangy with sweet oil on the palate. Certainly a dram of substance.

What do the folks over at TWE have to say?

A 1996 Ben Nevis single malt from indie bottler Elixir Distillers, matured in a single hogshead for more than two decades before being bottled in November 2019 as part of its Single Malts of Scotland series. Aromas of grapefruit, orange marmalade, caramel and beeswax fill the nose, with earthy, dusty undertones. The palate offers notes of fresh oak, eucalyptus, tangy citrus and tropical fruits.

What else did we try in our special evening with Sukhinder Singh? A whopping 10 whiskies! Check them out from the links below:

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An evening with Sukhinder Singh – Part 1

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It almost seems like a dream now… Some nine months ago I was in London and we were so fortunate to have an opportunity to enjoy an evening with Sukhinder Singh of The Whisky Exchange. Much like our last evening a few years ago on our way back from Canada, time spent with this guru of spirits is always a treat.

What did Sukhinder share that fine evening? An interesting assortment of The Whisky Exchange specials…

Glen Elgin 12 year (2007/2020) 4 casks 48% (Speyside Single Malt of Scotland – Reserve Cask Parcel No 3, Elixir Distillers), GPB 62

We started with what Sukhinder called a nice “session” dram… something to whet our appetites for coming goodies.

We found this Speyside fruity and floral on the nose, fresh, sweet… On the palate it was light, with cereals and hay… a simple, spring like easy drinking dram.

What a superb way to start!

What do they say?

A small-batch Glen Elgin single malt from indie bottler Elixir Distillers, distilled in 2007 and matured in four hogsheads for 12 years before being bottled as part of the third parcel of its Reserve Cask series. Aromas of apple cider, warm custard, figs, grapefruit, rosemary-seasoned sweet potatoes and maple-glazed pecans fill the nose. The palate offers notes of cardamom, clementine, vanilla cream, sticky toffee pudding and strawberry coulis that linger in the finish.

Glenburgie 21 year (8 Oct 1998/19 Dec 2019) Hogshead Cask No 90887, 59.4% (Speyside Single Malt of Scotland) 298 bottles

We then moved on to a bright Glenburgie. I will admit that I am quite a Glenburgie fan – I love its elegance, often finding summer peaches with joyful aromas and on the palate? Yum!

Back when Downton Abbey was airing and yes – I will admit to indulging in watching it like a guilty pleasure – I once quipped with the lads at The Whisky Exchange that Glenburgie is for me the “Downton Abbey” of whiskies.

Clearly I have esteemed company as Sukhinder shared how he finds it often under estimated.

Alas the exact cask we sample no longer is available, however I had my eye on this one for GPB 120… and then… oh yeah… Brexit made it impossible to send to Germany… sigh…

So I contented myself with acquiring a 21 year Gordon and MacPhail distillery label edition. After all, what’s a lass gonna do when having a hankering for a fine summery dram?

Speyside Blended 45 year (1973/2019) Sherry Cask 45.1% 549 Bottles, GBP 399

Next up was a wonder. A rare aged treat with a “mere” 45 years to its credit.

And the aromas and taste? Wow! Fruity, rich without being heavy, clear sherry stamp both in aroma and palate. Simply delicious!

What a beautiful autumnal dram, the kind of mature, classic, complex whisky you imagine slowly sipping and savouring while sitting in a leather armchair of an old family library, full of dusty books, a thick carpet, relaxing in warmth from the fireplace.

Shhhh….. we understand it is nearly completely Glenfarclas with a touch of another Speyside distillery to bottle undisclosed as a “blend”.

What do they say?

Released at Whisky Show 2019 as part of our Magic of the Cask series, this 1973 Speyside blended malt has been matured in a single sherry butt for 45 years, before being bottled in 2019. Aromas of brown sugar and fruitcake open on the nose, followed by brown bread with butter, maraschino cherries, raisins, cinnamon-baked apples, dried mango and rich, earthy aromas. The palate offers notes of toasted oak, baked apples, sultanas, bitter char, soft spice and light fruitcake.

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An evening with Sukhinder Singh – Part 3

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The last set we sampled with Sukhinder Singh were decidedly peaty from Highland to Islay and back to the Highlands.

It was a fitting close to an evening of remarkable drams – showcasing bottles having a special connection with the company started over 20 years ago by two brothers which lead to The Whisky Exchange and its many supporting and complementary brands and enterprises.

Loch Lomond Inchmurrin 9 year (June 2010 / July 2019) Single Cask 2493 55.3% (TWE) 1 of 121 Bottles

Loch Lomond’s Highland distillery plays around with different labels – from Croftnegea to Inchmoan to Inchmurrin. This particular bottle was bottled exclusively for The Whisky Exchange in 2019.

What did we think?

  • Nose – A distinctly autumnal dram, leafy supported by fruits
  • Palate – A curious mix of bitter and sweet, fruity too

What more do we know? Only the TWE tasting notes:

Soft aromas of ripe apricots, plum, quince and vanilla fill the nose. The palate offers notes of banana, mango, honey and peach cobbler that lingers in the finish.

You won’t find a full bottle of this so easily, however last check you could still get a sample for GBP 5.45.

Port Askaig 12 year (Spring 2020) 45.8% 

This wasn’t my first brush with Port Askaig – I first was introduced to an interesting trio at Whisky Live Singapore in 2017. I knew Port Askaig was a special ‘project’ of Sukhinder and his brother, creating a distinctive brand as a precursor for the ultimate dream of setting up a new distillery in Islay.

What about this particular edition? It greeted us with a lovely peaty aromas, cinamon toffee sweet on the palate. Quite enjoyable.

What do the folks at The Whisky Exchange have to say?

The 2020 Spring Edition of Port Askaig 12 Year Old has been made with 18 ex-bourbon hogsheads from both 2006 and 2007, creating a perfect balance between sweetness and smoke. The palate offers notes of lemon sherbet, peach, sooty smoke and toffee, with hints of barbecued lemons and fresh mint lingering in the finish.

When we sampled it, this whisky was available at The Whisky Exchange for GBP 65.95.

Between the Port Askaig and the last whisky, we snuck in a quick nip from Elements of Islay – a special series dedicated to exploring different distilleries from Islay. Launched in 2006, each distillery has a “code”, however beyond that, there is no indication of age or vintage to prevent any distraction from discovering the flavour. So you could be sipping a young five year old or a 30 year old.

Which one did we try? Peat & Sweet 55.2%… which we found it was distinctly “khatta meetha” (sour and sweet) with juicy berries and of course peat! And yet completely balanced in the different elements.

Ballechin Heavily Peated 15 year (1 April 2019 / 2 May 2003) Sherry Cask No 204, 55% TWE 20th Anniversary 482 Bottles

Ballechin is another name for Edradour in the Highlands – representing the “peaty” line. We  closed with a whisky that was clearly a “two for one” deal! It was an incredibly robust sherry on the aromas and full fledged peat on the palate – truly flavour packed and intense.

After sampling so many whiskies, I will admit to not jotting down any further tasting notes, however when I read what Billy Abbott shared, it “rang” true! Unfortunately if you are tempted to track it down, it is no longer available except on whisky auction sites!

What did the folks at TWE have to say?

Made in 2003 at Edradour distillery, this 15-year-old Ballechin single malt has been matured in a single refill sherry butt, before being bottled in April 2019 to celebrate The Whisky Exchange’s 20th Anniversary. A heavily-peated Highland whisky, it has rich aromas of dark chocolate, treacle, earthy peat smoke and roasted coffee beans. The palate offers notes of sugared almonds, cocoa, coffee, peat and soft fruits, before a lingering, smoky finish.

Billy Abbott, The Whisky Exchange

  • NOSE – Dried cherries, plump raisins and rich, leathery notes lead. Smokiness sits at the centre, a mixture of charred oak, coal and thick, savoury peat smoke, with a touch of singed roast beef. Fruit builds, with more cherries and raisins joined by mixed peel and wood-roasted apples. Bandage and sticking-plaster medicinal notes sneak out through the gaps in the dense aromas, with a touch of bittersweet, grown-up chocolate brownie to follow.

  • PALATE – Rich and thick, with chocolate sauce and cherry jam interleaved with layers of rich earth and leather. Burnt raisins sit at the core surrounded by tingling menthol and aniseed notes, all balanced by raisin jam and black liquorice sweetness.
  • FINISH – Tar and leather are joined by blackcurrant jam, dark mint-chocolate chips and cherry jam spread thickly on black bread.
  • COMMENT – A beast of a dram, with waves of sherry oak teeteringly balanced against Edradour’s intensely peated spirit.

So there you have it! Quite an exceptional array of whiskies – ranging in character from delicate and nuanced to robust and lively! Truly a special evening…

What else did we explore that night with Sukhinder Singh?

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The Whisky Warehouse No. 8 – Regions

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So how many Scottish regions are there? Six (Campbeltown, Highland, Island, Islay, Lowland, Speyside), five (dropping the unofficial Island) or in the case of The Whisky Warehouse No. 8 there are four regions represented in their tasting set:

I picked up two sets of the initial quartet in early February 2021 – one for me and one for my tasting companions in Paris. Our tasting session kept getting postponed and our London friend also wanted to join, so in October 2021 a third set was acquired with two substitutions: Miltonduff 14 instead of 11 year and Inchfad 14 year (02/2005 – 04/2019) 55.5% for the Braon Peat. It still took until February 2022 – yes one year later! – to finally sit down and taste together.

It was such a terrific experience that we enthusiastically ordered another set from Whisky Warehouse No. 8! So don’t be surprised if the list of tastings from this German independent bottler grows longer. In the meantime, here are a few more we’ve tasted so far….

We’ll openly admit we also really like the wooden box with its 2 cl bottles that can tightly seal and hence travel well. They have become my preferred way to carry samples across borders. Whilst a 3 cl bottle is preferable if sharing with another, for one person we truly find 2 cl more than enough to get a good feel for a whisky’s character.

With Whisky Festivals still curtailed or limited, being able to explore this way has been terrific fun – all thanks to an introduction at The Village whisky fest in Nurnberg back in 2020.

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PS – Photo reproduced from Whisky Warehouse No. 8 website

Gordon + MacPhail – Coming treats!

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It has been far too long since I enjoyed whiskies bottled by Gordon & MacPhail. So as I was doing a wee online whisky “window shopping”, I found myself giving into temptation…

What did I pick? One distillery label dram with Glenburgie… and two from their Discovery range. I’d first tried their “intro” range in Singapore at Whisky Live in 2018... including this Miltonduff – enough to know I wanted to try it again!

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Glenburgie is one of the distilleries that has granted Gordon & Macphail the right to use “Distillery Label” on their bottles. It is also a distillery that I generally find delightful with its lighter, elegant character… Hence why I bought two – approx 15 years and 21 year to join a 3rd 200 ml bottle picked up in Glasgow last year.

I may search for another Gordon & MacPhail Discovery dram to split into two sessions: Gordon & MacPhail Discovery and Glenburgie. Recommendations welcome!!

For now… these whiskies will patiently wait for the right opportunity and company.

All bottles were purchased from an online distributor in Germany – Whic – at full price. Which lead to a wee ‘bonus’ dram of Speyburn 10 year 40%.

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Additionally, there are the two ‘off-shoots’ with:

Whisky Lady – April 2021

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Being based in Europe means we have the luxury of both a relatively regular supply of Scottish whiskies – at least from pre-Brexit stock! Plus access to an interesting and growing array of European whiskies.

I like mixing things up with tastings – exploring with different people, gaining insights from the folks making the whiskies – along with having some “steady” tasting companions, so we go on a journey together able to contrast and compare previous whiskies to deepen insight of the dram in front of us at the time. Naturally, these days this is all virtual and as its not much fun being on camera with folks all trying something different, extra effort is needed to coordinate a common beverage to quaff.

With our Whisky Ladies European Chapter we have cracked this conundrum! We’ve relatively easily managed to share between France and Germany – enough to have a few sessions lined up in advance even!

For our Euro Ladies April session, we dove into some French Fancies exploring:

My April posts include our session from last month – held late March. That evening we closed our Diageo Flora & Fauna explorations with a second trio of:

What else? I’ll confess to ordering a few more Scottish whiskies – with a bit of a Gordon & MacPhail slant, added the Forbidden plus Smoke and Oak to my Shelter Point collection stored in Canada.

While those ones may need to wait a while, for more immediate consumption, I picked up a trio from Bellevoye to enjoy with my tasting companions in Paris in the coming months. These bottles join a quintet generously sent by the folks at The Belgian Owl and the Whisky Warehouse No 8 “Regions” boxed set I had purchased earlier. Clearly we are working hard to ensure we have something interesting to distract us each month!

All of this purchasing activity led to being sent a bonus “mini” of the Speyburn 10 year 40%. It was nice to enjoy a revisit of an old familiar after several years.

My month of malty musings closed with a traipse down memory lane with The Scotch Malt Whisky Society...

Curious to know more? Check out a few other ’round-up’ summaries:

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Additionally, there are the two ‘off-shoots’ with:

Scotch Malt Whisky Society – Malty Musings

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Once upon a time the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) were in India… briefly in 2013… However thanks to convoluted rules, it became impossible hence SMWS drams come only personal import.

For me, the SMWS took on a near ‘mythic’ quality. I would delight in their titles and the sometimes hilarious tasting notes.

Now that I am living in Europe, I no longer have such limitations of Indian customs… True there are different ones, particularly with Brexit first making a mess of smooth shipments from Scotland followed by a complete stop of direct imports from the UK, however, there remain all sorts of options.

Somehow, SMWS just hasn’t made its way so readily into the mix…

Today, I happened to be feeling a bit nostalgic so thought to share a summary of a few SMWS drams past… Curious if others have tried and had other opinions??

Cragganmore

Glenfarclas

Glenlossie

Glenrothes

Laphroaig

Mortlach

Strathclyde

What fun revisiting through tasting notes evenings enjoyed, exploring expressions from the creative folks behind the Scotch Malt Whisky Society!

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French Fancies – Rozelieures Tourbe 46%

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Living in Europe means we have great access to an incredible range of European whiskies. Our latest venture was to France – with a duo from a small farm distillery in Lorraine – G Rozelieures.

After their rather delightful Subtil, we were curious what their peated expression would bring. And were not disappointed…

Rozelieures Tourbe 46%

  • Colour – Still light, but deeper gold than Subtil
  • Nose – Mmmm pine, sweet grass, caramelized smoked ham, getting smokier as it opened up, herbal, even fruity with a dash of cinamon
  • Palate – Initially the peat was quite subtle, shifting into pine, some warming spices of cinnamon and star anise, elegant and sophisticated,
  • Finish – Just carries through

Overall it was well balanced, with a nice continuity between what we enjoyed in the aromas, also in the palate and finish.

Happiness! We definitely will need to explore more from this distillery.

What do the folks at Rozelieures have to say?

This exceptional peated whisky is powerful and has a balanced structure. The Bourbon casks along with the French new oak casks from Lorraine bring fresh and delicate vegetal notes: a delightful taste.

  • Nose : flowered malted, spicy
  • Mouth : fruity, spicy, peated
  • Finish : smoked, spicy, pear

What else did we try in our French focused evening?

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French Fancies – Rozelieures Subtil 40%

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Our first introduction to G.Rozelieures whiskies was a bit ‘disguised’ via the brilliant Maison Benjamin Kuentz (D’un) Verre printanier (2020) 46% and Fin de partie (2020) 46% – both of which we absolutely loved!

So we simply had to explore more! One of our lovely ladies took it upon herself to track down two to start – one without peat (Sbutil) and another with (Tourbe).

What do we know about these folks? It is family run, distilling for multi generations in the village Rozelieures in Lorraine, France. The barley is grown locally with whisky distilled on their farm. 

A quartet of minis made their way from Paris to Nurnberg and our Whisky Ladies Euro Chapter explored together one fine Friday evening. What did we try?

Rozelieures Subtil 40%

  • Colour – Light straw
  • Nose – Apple custard, sweet and slightly sour, some salty caramel, gooseberry, a bit tart, something we first described as ‘strong’ honeysuckle then settled on quince, cereals, vanilla… more and more a delightful pear came to the fore, some nutmeg, basil and mint, floral, fruity and increasingly sweet
  • Palate – A nice ‘easy drinker’ fruity – particularly quince… it also had a wine-like character
  • Finish – Apple sauce and light spice

Overall it was summary – fruity, a bit floral, some herbs and sweet cereals… delicious and dare I say refreshing on the palate? Yet it isn’t a push over, there is something quite compelling and interesting about this one – enough to bring you back again and again. 

Typically a whisky at 40% is a mass produced travel retail affair. Not this. It is boutique in the best sense – unique, intriguing and inviting. A perfect aperitif and well worth exploring.

So what do the folks at Rozelieures have to say?

This Whisky presents itself as the first unpeated single malt produced in Rozelieures. This vintage has been aged in old Bourbon, Cognac and new oak casks. This novelty keeps more than ever this fatty in the mouth, become characteristic feature of the farm-distillery. This Whisky is distinguished by its subtle and floral aromas.

What else did we try in our French focused evening?

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French Fancies – Glann Ar Mor 46%

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If you had told me in 2015 when I first discovered a dram from this Bretagne distillery at Singapore’s Auld Alliance during a special blind world whisky flight, that a few years later I would be living in Europe and tasting an unpeated Glenn Ar Mor expression virtually with friends in Paris, I would have thought your completely crazy!

I was firmly based in Asia, more likely to move from Mumbai to Singapore than Nurnberg! However that evening was clearly responsible for a growing curiosity and appetite for European whiskies – and more specifically those from France.

That cask strength Kornog was remarkable – and kicked off a hunt to track down more so that whisky explorers in India could also experience its distinctive character.

Were we successful in finding a Kornog bottle? Yes! An intrepid lady managed to wrangle via the UK a different expression – the Kornog Taourac’h Trived 10 BC 46% – which certainly captured our attention!

On a roll, we plotted to acquire another. Full of high expectations, we eagerly cracked open the Kornog Taouarc’h Pempved 14 BC (2014) 46% – and were desperately disappointed.

So we were a wee bit wary about this Glann Ar Mor unpeated expression…with expectations tempered by a less than stellar last brush however remaining curious and overall optimistic. What did we think?

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Glann Ar Mor 46%

  • Nose – To be honest, it started off a bit peculiar – greeting us with white asparagus, slightly musty with a curious elusive spice, quite vegetal we also found mushrooms and saline, some apple cider or overripe mangos. It started to shift, more caramel, some rhubarb, perhaps even some herbal hints.
  • Palate – Young, wine-like, effervescent… the mushrooms we caught in the aromas were also there in the taste. There was even a kind of stone or granite flavour. Yet just like the nose, as our palates adjusted, we began to enjoy it more, discovering a tasty toffee
  • Finish – More of the same qualities from the palate, slipping into pine

It started off… well… a bit strangely… However as it opened up in the glass, we warmed up to it more and more.

In short – it was distinctly different. There was no doubt this was far from Scotland, with a unique personality. And yet, if we had to make a comparison it would be to Talisker – something about the seaside quality was at least “kissing cousins” in character.

We nearly set it aside to move on to the next French whisky, but stopped for a moment to read the bottle notes. It recommended adding water… really? So we did…

The transformation started slowly… morphing more and more as the minutes ticked by:

  • Nose – Sweeter, friendlier, fruitier… with the aromas becoming increasingly fragrant with a light perfume, vanilla
  • Palate – Much smoother, infinitely more accessible, the fruitiness on the nose follows through on the palate, accompanied by a slightly salty element
  • Finish – A nice bitter sweet almond joined the flavours with a light spice

Our conclusion? Definitely different however absolutely worth adding water! It made a huge impact… even more pronounced when we returned to compare the glass without water and the glass with water. We couldn’t help but wonder… is this really the same whisky…?

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I believe we had their standard Glann Ar Mor expression, matured in ex-Bourbon barrels, with only limited additional information on the distillery website sharing:

New bottling of the unpeatted single malt from GLANN AR MOR DISTILLERY matured in Bourbon cask. Nose floral and malted. Mouth : fresh, fruity with vanilla, and maritime. Finish : greedy and sophisticated.

This bottle was purchased in Paris with a sample generously sent to me in Germany by my tasting companions.

What else did we try in our French focused evening?

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