Tag Archives: Gordon & MacPhail

Linkwood 24 year (1991/2015) 53.8%

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Our quest for great cask strength whiskies around 100 pounds began with a Linkwood…

Interestingly, our last session also featured a Linkwood – a rather delightful 25 year old from Gordon & Macphail. So hopes were high!

linkwood-24

Linkwood 24 year (16.061991/04.08.2015) 53.8%

Cask No 586497, 268 Bottles, Hogshead  (TWE The Single Malts of Scotland)

Here is what we found:

  • Nose – Quite summery, grass, vanilla, flowers, sweet, light, hay, light toast. As it opened further a little spice, honey, sweet tree sap. Post our initial sips, took on more wormwood, resin and the sweetness subsided
  • Palate – Great kick, a blaze of unexpected spice, big mouthful
  • Finish – An elongated burn
  • Water – With a few drops, spice and more burn… added more and started to open up

In short, this one needed water. A very generous dollop not a mere drop or two… bringing closer to 46% seemed a more balanced level.

I couldn’t help but wish we had the the Gordon & Macphail 25 year bottling to compare. At 43%, that Linkwood was truly superb. Fabulous value for a quite lovely whisky.

Whereas this one, at cask strength, had terrific promise on the nose but no follow through on the palate. It wasn’t that the whisky was ‘wrong’ it simply wasn’t really ‘right’ either.

We gave it even more time and returned after sampling the other whiskies… once again a lovely aroma yet just didn’t deliver on the taste. One even remarked this was a ‘heartburn’ whisky?!

Our quest was clearly off to a shaky start…

What else did we sample in our trio?

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Dailuaine (2002/2013) 46%

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Last in our experimental evening was another whisky you don’t often get to try as a single malt. If you are Johnnie Walker fan, you’ve had Dailuaine without even realizing it!

The folks over at Diageo describe Dailuaine as a “A complex whisky that can impress mightily.” Considered a Diageo ‘workhorses’, the distillery name is taken from the gaelic ‘dail uaine’ meaning green valley.

However you won’t often find this whisky outside of independent bottlers. Currently there is only the Dailuaine 16 year, part of the Flora and Fauna series, available as an official bottling.

dailuaine

Dailuaine 10 year (2002/2013) 46%

Distilled 30 May 2002, Bottled Aug 2013, Cask No 7068, Bottle No 382, Sherry Hogshead, Gordon & MacPhail Reserve, bottled for La Maison du Whisky

We sampled it blind… and what did we find?

  • Nose – Cherry, prunes, soaked rum, very dense, tight with concentrated aromas, wood, leather book, dry spice, apple, pungent, sweet
  • Palate – Very full, creamy, rounded…. pronounced “a proper whisky”, black chewy liquorice, oily fat and full, gorgeous Christmas spices, cupcakes, coffee, toffee, a hint of toasted nuts
  • Finish – Such a lovely finish, rich spice with more coffee, liquorice, cinnamon. One of those rare finishes that just keeps on keeping you company for a long time… where a little goes a long way
  • Water – Caution… don’t add too much. Just a drop brings out more toffee coffee chocolate. A few more and muddles the magic.

This one took time to fully open up and reveal all its secrets. A completely sinful desert so rich that just a small spoonful satisfies.

Comments included:

  • “Stop teasing and lift the veil pretty please?”
  • “One sip is nearly enough!”

As a Gordon & MacPhail bottling exclusive for La Maison du Whisky, you won’t find tasting notes online however the bottle noted:

  • Nose – Subtle sherry influences with stewed apple, cinnamon and a hint of eucalyptus
  • Palate – Mild spices with green apple, orange and grapefruit flavours, Becomes creamy with a liquorice edge
  • Finish – Medium in length with fruit elements

In describing drams from this distillery, Diageo shares:

This is not just an after dinner dram, it’s an after-dinner mood in a liquid. Thick, rich yet pleasantly, palate-cleansingly sweet. Try Dailuaine whisky with the cheese course, or just nose the cheese rind, fruit and citrus aromas hidden in its depths.

Would we agree? Yes. It was a wonderful close to our experimental evening that also featured:

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MacPhail’s Orkney 8 Year 43% (Highland Park)

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Next up in our miniatures tasting session was a Highland Park…

The MacPhail’s Collection is a small range of single malt whiskies bottled by Gordon & MacPhail.

The focus of this collection is the quest for younger, quality drams at affordable prices. You won’t find a rich mature complex aged marvel here, instead a younger, better than decent dram for a reasonable cost.

Macphail's Orkney 8 year

MacPhail’s Orkney 8 year 43% (Highland Park)

  • Nose – Banana, apricot, lemon zest, butter toast with sugar sprinkles, woodsy, vanilla, citrus soft, wet cloth with a bit of brine
  • Palate – Peat, malty cereal, a little pepper spice, smooth
  • Finish – Enjoyable finish, like a puff of smoke then dry, bitter ending sweet

Overall a drinkable dram… much more so than the Highland Park 1998. Light balance between sweet and smoke, coming together so smoothly.

Here are the official tasting notes:

  • Nose: Soft fruits – peaches/mangos, heather/earthy notes and a touch of saltiness.
    With Water: Fruity (green apples), subtle sherry influence and touch of floral.
  • Palate: Rich, mulled fruits with a touch of smokiness.
    With Water: Sherry wood with smoky notes (charred oak). A vanilla sweetness emerges
  • Finish: Long with a delicate sweetness.

Check out what other’s have to say too:

Other miniatures sampled recently include:

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Affordable Adults – Linkwood 25 year 43%

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Next in our ‘no brainers’ set of affordable adult whiskies was a Linkwood. I will admit I still regret passing up a Gordon + MacPhail Linkwood at Heathrow Airport last year, however admittedly it did NOT qualify as affordable at the time.

Linkwood is another Diageo distillery that is better known as an element in blends like Johnnie Walker and White Horse than as a single malt. However for some time it has found its way to whisky aficionados through independent bottlers, then Diageo’s Flora and Fauna series, followed by official bottlings in 2008.

What did we find with this particular 25 year old Linkwood?  After the rather disastrous introduction to the Benrinnes… anything would have an improvement! Thankfully this Linkwood was a beauty…

Linkwood 25 year

Linkwood 25 year 43% (G&MP)

Here is what we found:

  • Nose – Lovely stewed fruits, apple brandy like Calvados, figs, citrus, little nutmeg, hint of smoke with some toast and wood
  • Palate – Soooo silky smooth, beautiful with just a hint of peat to keep things interesting, more apples with a touch of light pepper, sweet, smokey yet light
  • Finish – Long and smooth
  • Water – None were tempted… it was perfect as is

Overall it was such a welcome change from the Benrinnes – light, bright with just the right touch of peat. While clearly sherry, this element was not overpowering, instead we found a subtle balance between the different elements – neither too much sherry, nor too much peat and so dangerously delicious and easy to drink!

As I babbled on about how Gordon & MacPhail (G&MP) has yet to let me down… I was teased for my ‘whisky crush’ on these independent bottlers.

Bottom line – I have yet to ‘meet’ a whisky from G&MP where I felt ‘cheated’ or ‘let down’ by the experience. Sure I don’t expect a $10,000 whisky for a $100 price, however their different ranges can meet most avid whisky fan’s requirements.

I’ve reached the stage where can blindly say when someone asks for a recommendation “Look for something bottled by Gordon & MacPhail… see if the style described fits what you like and just buy it!”

Case in point, this 25 year old stunner retails for only $110. That is exceedingly good value for quality in my books.

Here’s what the folks over at Gordon & MacPhail have to say:

Without water:

  • Aroma – Burst of freshness – hay like notes, with a defined hint of well Linkwood 25 year G+MPtoasted malt. Some candied fruits emerge and a subtle Sherry influence lingers. Herbal with a touch of Rosemary.
  • Taste – Mouth watering with a sweet and creamy edge. Some delicate hints of bonfire embers develop. Vanilla emerges and a hint of peppery warmth comes to the fore.

With water:

  • Aroma – Toasted malt, with a Sherried sweetness. Hints of citrus notes (lemon zest) linger and a defined vanilla edge becomes apparent.
  • Taste – Initially sweet and warming with hints of mixed spices and a defined dark chocolate nose. A subtle touch of peat smoke lingers in the background.
Thanks Duncan at The Whisky Exchange for the recommendation!
Others in our ‘Affordable Adults‘ evening included:

PS Our Whisky Ladies had an opportunity to sample this courtesy of our BMC contributor… their impression was largely consistent with the gents… described as romping through the meadows (on the nose), a bit sharp then earthy moss, charred wood (on the palate), a little spice and nutmeg in the finish. The overall impression? We liked!!

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Affordable Adults – Imperial, Benrinnes, Linkwood + Blair Athol

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I returned from a terrific trip to Singapore to enjoy an indulgent evening of whiskies acquired by a member of the Bombay Malt & Cigar club in London.

Some were “pre-selected” by another member and I during our June 2016 Covent Garden The Whisky Exchange stop… falling into the category of “no brainers” for being different, none official distillery bottlings and all at a relatively reachable price…. made more so thanks to the “Brexit Booze” discount with the pound falling.

Needless to say, exploring a more affordable avatar of “adult” whiskies was a much anticipated treat!

Imperial, Benrinnes, Linkwood, Blair Athol

Our ‘Affordable Adults’ evening included:

Unfortunately between the time of purchase and consumption (Aug 2016), only the Blair Athol is available at TWE however some remain obtainable through other sources for reasonable prices.

Good to know there exists quite decent older drams that won’t break your piggy bank completely!

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Unchartered Territory – Talisker 57′ North, Laphroaig PX, Inchgower 13 year

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As the mercury rises in Mumbai and we impatiently wait for monsoon to make its appearance, our merry malt gang made its way over to a members home for an evening of whisky sampling.

The ‘non-theme’ of the evening proved to be ‘Unchartered Territory’. Each of the whiskies our host had never sampled. He also tried a reverse approach of starting with the strongest in alcohol strength progressing to the least powerful. Furthermore everything we tried for dinner were all new experiments. As usual, all tastings were blind before the dramatic reveal!

May's trio - Talisker, Laphroaig, Inchgower

May’s trio – Talisker, Laphroaig, Inchgower

What whiskies did we sample?

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The ‘Downton Abbey’ of whiskies – Glenburgie 15 year 43% (Gordon + MacPhail)

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Glenburgie is another one of those Speyside distilleries that you’ve likely had before in a blend, just didn’t know it! Ever had Ballantine’s? If so, you’ve had plenty of Glenburgie whisky!
20151119_Glenburgie 15
As usual, we sampled blind then revealed the whisky.
Glenburgie 15 year 43% (Gordon & MacPhail)
  • Colour – Pale honey
  • Nose – Lots of honey, overripe fruit, dry
  • Palate – Very smooth, well-rounded, buttery, sweet spice… did we mention smooth??
  • Finish – Quite peculiar and tough to pin down initially, bitter dark chocolate, a bit like a dry chardonnay, dusky
  • Water – Um… I think we forgot to try….
  • Speculation – Sense of being a whisky that may typically be used in a blend
  • Comments – A perfect example of a whisky that is light yet complex, like the ‘Downton Abbey’ of whisky, there is a certain elegance and style

The hit of the evening? The Glenburgie though the Aultmore was also both interesting and enjoyable. Absolutely nothing wrong with the Hibiki however nothing exceptional either – just a rather pleasant dram.

However it once again reminded us – Yup – blindly just buy Gordon & MacPhail. Period. And just to re-inforce, our host pulled out the Mortlach 15 year to revisit.

Another member noted that the bottle indicates this Glenburgie was ’selected, produced & bottled’ by Gordon & MacPhail with the ‘produced’ element not standard statement in Gordon & MacPhail bottlings. Hmm…

Naturally, this prompted interest in comparing the Gordon & MacPhail Aultmore 14 year (2000) with the Aultmore 18 year we just sampled.
The other whiskies sampled in our November session included:

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Benromach 10 year 100° Proof 57%

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What do you get when an independent bottler buys their own distillery? Apparently something quite impressive…

Our October 2015 whisky tastings reminded us to go slow, meander through the offerings to let each slowly unfold… we began with the light Aultmore 2000 (bottled by Gordon & MacPhail) and closed our evening with a special 10 year from Gordon & MacPhail’s distillery Benromach.

Benromach 10 year
Benromach 10 year 57% (100° proof)
  • Colour – Deep rich amber
  • Nose – Bang!! Baaaaacon! Salty bacon, life buoy soap, then with just a little time, the intensity of the bacon reduces with a waft of fruit, then fresh cut leaves. Was like flipping a book with the nose shifting quickly through different elements. Over time, a hint of spice emerges then mellows back to barbecue bacon – sweet cured meat
  • Palate – Kashmiri spicy but smooth, not oily, truly amazing with lots of character, a low viscosity, chewy dates, ripe berries, a sense of richness or ‘fullness’, creamy, warms into smoky raisins yum!
  • Finish – Very long and enjoyable spice, some smoke and a little dry ash with bitter almond
  • Water – Yes please! A few drops opens it up. Comments like “Fabulous!” “Absolutely fantastic with water!” It became even more rounded and did not lose its character at all.  Just a couple drops prompted even more bacon to emerge.

Impressions – Clearly mature and complex! A whisky you want to pour and have a long affair with…. This is to end your day. What is most remarkable is how it just kept evolving… Easily a whisky that you could stretch over a long leisurely conversation with a fellow whisky appreciator, interspersing new observations about the whisky with other engaging topics.

Speculation – One member’s immediate reaction was “Islay!” with its peated robust character. Bantered around the possibility of it being 16 years? Reminiscent of a Glendronach 21 Parliament… Thought the alcohol content likely higher than the previous two (Aultmore 46% & Hellyers 46.2%).

Unlike most of our sessions, we held back the whisky reveals until after we tasted all three whiskies….

The reveal – Only a 10 year from a distillery that once upon a time had somewhat indifferent offerings.  Since the Gordon & MacPhail took over, with renewed attention and care, they are now releasing some remarkably good whiskies.
  • Quote – “I can’t believe this is only 10 years!”

If you read the Benromach story… you come to understand that their interpretation of a classic Speyside is the 1960s version when light peat was part of a Speyside’s character.

Here’s what the Benromach folks say about their 100′ proof 10 year:

  • 80% Bourbon barrels, 20% Sherry hogshead. Final year in first fill Oloroso casks

Without water

  • Nose – It has an intense Sherry nose with heaps  of stewed apple, pear and delightful vanilla pod aromas… delicious toasted malt aromas develop and complement an underlying menthol edge.
  • Taste – There’s cracked black pepper with juicy fresh strawberry and raspberry… hints of orange peel and milk chocolate combine with a delicate smoky edge.

With water

  • Nose – It’s fabulous, with initial hints of beeswax polish and peat smoke… followed by sweeter aromas developing with ripe banana and kiwi bound together by honey.
  • Taste – Roll it around your palate and enjoy the sweet and salty effect with ripe banana and blackcurrant flavours. Notice the emerging creamy milk chocolate edge with a long rich finish of lingering subtle smokiness and bonfire embers.

Here’s what others say:

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Aultmore 2000 46% (Gordon + MacPhail)

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Our October tasting session had a theme of ‘go slow’… let the whisky evolve… Each had its unique character and each needed proper time and focused attention to unravel its mysteries.

We also went back to our original ’spit the 1st sip’ approach – helping us better calibrate our palate to appreciate the three distinctly different whiskies.

Our first whisky of the evening was yet another treat from independent bottler Gordon & MacPhail – this time a delicate Speyside from Aultmore.

Altmore 2000

Aultmore 2000

Aultmore 2000 46% (Gordon & MacPhail’s Connoisseurs Choice), Bottled in 2014
  • Colour – Light straw
  • Nose – Floral fruity, ripe peach, sweet and very inviting, has a sense of being velvety smooth, exceedingly tempting, as it opens a bit of nougat
  • Palate – Initial ‘1st whisky’ hint of being bitter, then after our first swish & spit, the next sip revealed a delicious honey, mild spice. For once the palate is every bit as good as the nose promised, exceedingly well-balanced, delicate yet still manages to coat the palate from top to bottom, balanced and oh so smooth and creamy
  • Finish – Some debate as the initial impression was the finish was quite limited… yet still felt satisfying. As we ‘tuned’ ourselves to the nuanced character, began to appreciate that in fact it has a long subtle finish, really quite delicious!
  • Water – Don’t… Water does not enhance and makes it seem terribly young with a spicy kopra
  • Impressions – Like a delicate Japanese or Chinese paper cut, very well-rounded, very easy to drink…

Speculation… As we sample blind, we began to assess our thoughts about the whisky. It vaguely reminds of Glenmorangie in its light fruity floral sweet character yet different. Age was a bit difficult to gage – not very young but also not too old. Certainly not more than 16 years… Sense that the alcohol hovered around 43% given its light approachability.

The reveal… Our first as a tasting group from this distillery and yet another ‘hit’ from independent bottlers Gordon & MacPhail. It is getting to the stage where we can blindly grab anything from their Connoisseurs Choice line!

Our host shared that he briefly sampled it at a whisky event in Europe. While normally such light whiskies are not his personal preference – this one stood out as something compelling enough to explore further. We agreed!

Knowing it is a light whisky and would be the first of the evening, he chilled the whisky for 45 mins in the fridge before serving to help ensure the viscosity for our tasting.

Our conclusion was that this was the kind of whisky  you would just sip on your own while reading a good book, curled up with a cosy blanket on a cool evening. Something to slowly enjoy its subtle range of aromas and taste. It doesn’t need conversation. It doesn’t need company. It is for those times you simply want to relax in quiet comfort.

Here’s what the Gordon & MacPhail folks have to say about this Aultmore:

  • Matured in a refill American hogshead and refill sherry hogshead. Natural colour. Non chill filtered.

Without Water:

  • Nose – The whisky has herbal, dried apricot and raisin aromas with hints of charred oak.
  • Taste – Delicate fruitiness, with red apple and pear flavours. Festive spices and a touch of oiled wood linger.

With Water:

  • Nose – Toasted malt and sweet summer fruit aromas, blueberry and raspberry. A subtle cinnamon edge lingers.
  • Taste – Peppery and sweet with hints of green apple and plum. Becomes creamy with a smooth milk chocolate edge.

Previously Aultmore was rarely available as a single malt beyond independent bottlers, instead found as part of popular blends like Dewars.

Some may recall that I tried a couple Aultmores on my July London trip – both the 12 and 21 year – part of Bacardi’s “Last Great Malts of Scotland” range. I was surprised to find them so appealing – and recall being impressed that the promise of the nose followed through on the palate.

I, for one, look forward to both exploring more Aultmore and more from Gordon & MacPhail!

The other whiskies we sampled in October included:

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Mortlach 15 year 43% (Gordon + MacPhail)

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The downside of gallivanting off to Amsterdam last year was I missed one of our monthly tasting sessions. However as it featured whiskies from four different countries, I managed to finangle a special ‘make-up’ session.

What follows is a blend of notes from another club member and mine from the ‘extra’ evening. 

Mortlach 15 year

Mortlach 15 years 43%, Scotland, Bottled by Gordon & Macphail

  • Colour – Burnished gold
  • Nose – Oily, malty, orange, christmas cake, overripe banana
  • Palate – Dances on the tongue, dry yet somehow also with a heavy oily undertone, hint of sweetness, raisins, fruits, smoooooth
  • Finish – Finally a ‘real’ finish like it never wants to let you go! Spicy

For those not familiar with this Speyside distillery, Mortlach  is better known as an element in India’s favourite Johnnie Walker blends. Only recently (i.e. 2014) did it start to sell a range of single malts under the distillery brand with Georgie Bell aka Miss Mortlach leading the way as global brand ambassador.

The Mortlach Distillery (Mortlach.com)

The Mortlach Distillery (Mortlach.com)

By far the most interesting of the evening and a reminder to keep grabbing the Gordon & Macphail bottlings. A cross-sampling of their Mortlach and Ledaig led to speculation that while each is distinct, there is a stamp of ‘character’ that distinguishes their products. One of these days would be interesting to re-sample several Gordon & MacPhail bottles with their standard distiller editions.

The official tasting notes for this Mortlach 15 :

Without water:

  • Nose – Initially sweet, fresh and fragrant with a distinct malty nose. Citrus elements develop – fresh orange peel. Well rounded.
  • Taste – More subtle sweetness, hints of candied fruits. A rounded Sherry edge is evident and some raisin and sultana notes emerge.

With water:

  • Nose – Malty and fresh on the nose with a subtle sweetness present, defined Sherry influences and a hint of chocolate and orange linger in the background.
  • Taste – Light and very delicate with a subtle malty edge, with a rounded Sherry influence and a hint of vanilla also. Slightly mouth warming.

From so so (Glen Breton), curiosity piece but…. (Hammer Head), good (Nikka) to fab (Mortlach), I’m so glad I didn’t miss our little trip around the globe!!

Glen Breton, Hammer Head, Nikka from the barrel, Mortlach

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