Region: Campbeltown
ABV: 46%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No
Colour: Straw
Nose: Apple, cream corn, citrus, buttery peat, sweet oily malt, grass, green sapling.
Palate: Brine, honey, peat, grape, apple.
Finish: Long finish, brine, smoke.
Score: 80/100
Having tried the Longrow 10, this was quite disappointing, rather basic and simple, would vouch for the Bunnahabhain Ceobanach for the same price.
Region: Highland
ABV: 46%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No
Colour: Pale straw
Nose: Sweet corn, raisins, citrus, vanilla, sweet peat, rubber, vegetal.
Palate: Wood smoke, cream corn, butter, faint sherry, pepper.
Finish: Medium+ finish, butter, mild peat.
Score: 81/100
Interesting offering from Glendronach, I was told prior to 2002, all Glendronach were lightly peated due to their method of drying the barley.
Region: Speyside
ABV: 43%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No
Colour: Light Gold
Nose: Grape candy, apple, orange, grapefruit, honey, vanilla, milk chocolate.
Palate: Red apple skin, honey, tree sapling, malt, citrus.
Finish: Medium- finish, sweet malt, apple.
Score: 76/100
Quite decent entry level malt from BenRiach, very fruity, but rather simple. Great dram for summer time.
Region: Speyside
ABV: 60.9%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No
Colour: Old Gold
Nose: Vanilla, chocolate, perfume, dried fruits, cinnamon, Christmas cake, raisins, orange peel, nuts.
Palate: Malt, honey, chocolate powder, oak, orange peel, candied apple, cinnamon, ginger.
Finish: Long finish, oak, cinnamon, clove, salt, pepper.
Score: 88/100
Dropped by a point from last time I reviewed side by side with the batch 53, as my experience of whisky have gone up.
Region: Speyside
ABV: 60.7%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No
Colour: Old gold, but a shade lighter than 55.
Nose: Raisins, cinnamon, ginger, menthol, touch of mineral water, oily chocolate, orange zests, damp oak.
Palate: Clove, cinnamon, ginger, nuts, oak, damp tobacco, chocolate, orange peel.
Finish: Long finish, malt, oily oak, more baking spice.
Score: 86/100
The 55 and 57 are quite different, and 55 still remains my favourite in the 52-57 range. While the 55 and 57 are both very rounded, the 55 appears to have more sherry influence, and more of that dried fruit and chocolate character that I prefer, the 57 seems to be on the earthy, mineral side, while having a dialed down sherry bombness. Interestingly the 57 also a shade lighter than the 55, could this be a batch of younger malts?
Colour: Pale straw
Nose: Sour green apple, unripe peach, light yeast, floral, crushed stone.
Palate: Dry, medium-bodied, high acidity. Green apples, pineapple, mineral.
Finish: Medium finish, pineapple.
Score: 77+/100
Decent Pouilly-Fuisse, the nose shows a lot of sour fruits, and touch of yeasty/bready aroma. Mouthwatering acidity, showing true to the nose with green apples and pineapple note, touch of minerality as well. Should develop well with a few more years in the cellar.
Colour: Clear medium ruby core
Nose: Juicy plum, black raspberry, touch of barnyard and forest floor.
Palate: Dry, medium bodied, medium+ acidity, medium+ tannins. Plum, blackberry, strawberry, salt.
Finish: Long finish, savoury, and a touch of pepper.
Score: 79+/100
The 2013 vintage of Chateau du Tertre is still quite young, and the colour was surprisingly light. The nose and palate is rather simple, and the structure isn’t there to support it. Fruit dominate, doesn’t have the complexity of a good Margaux even at this age. Approachable now but hold till 2020, would expect a shorter drinking window.
Colour: Clear medium ruby core
Nose: Red cherry, light rubber band note, potpourri, dried apricot, orange peel, black tea.
Palate: Dry, medium+ bodied, medium+ acidity, medium+ tannins. Red cherry, salt, plum, pressed flower.
Finish: Medium+ finish, touch of mineral.
Score:84+/100
Well-made super Tuscan, very attractive nose of floral and dried fruit elements. Great structure and balance on the palate, the dark fruits and floral notes shows decent complexity. Could use a few more years for the notes to fully harmonize. Would hold till 2019-2020.
Colour: Clear dark purple core
Nose: Whiff of vanilla, strawberry gum, plum, touch of black currant leaf, pepper and touch of floral.
Palate: Dry, full-bodied, medium acidity, medium+ tannins. Mandarin orange peel, plum, raspberry, tree sapling, blackberry.
Finish: Medium+ finish, tree sapling, pepper.
Score:80+/100
Not my style of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, I prefer a less fruity, and more rustic style, preferably with smoky and meaty notes. But this does show decent depth and potential, above average complexity. On the fruity side. Approachable now or hold for 3-5 more years.
Colour: Pale Straw
Nose: Greeted immediately by notes of citrus, green apples, and a touch of peach skin.
Palate: Dry, medium-bodied, high acidity. The nose translate well onto the palate, fresh lemon, green apples, and peaches showing well.
Finish: Medium finish, mineral.
Score: 74/100
To me, this is a box standard Alsace Riesling, a great intro to the basic profile of dry Riesling. Showing a good amount of fruit on the nose and palate, balanced out by the acidity and mineral note.
Very pleasing and simple to drink, great with the usual pairing of seafood and chicken. Works perfectly well by itself as a wine you don’t have to think much about. This was a quick casual drink as you can tell I poured in my casual glassware.
This is widely available world-wide, and very consistent in quality. Would recommend those who wants to try out a dryer Riesling.
**Notes taken at about 12-14°C(~54-57°F) for better capture of aroma and flavour. Would recommend serving at 9-11°C(48-52°F).
Colour: Dark purple core, clear light red rim.
Nose: Still alive, leather, cigar box, blackberries, raspberries, musty oak.
Palate: Dry, medium+ acidity, medium tannins, blackberry, red raspberry, mineral.
Finish: Medium finish, plum.
Score: 70/100
Surprisingly still holding up, perhaps on its very last stage of life, past its prime. Got some fruit left, the tannins are well integrated, with some mineral notes to make it a touch more interesting. Still have two bottles, wonder how those developed. Drink up!
Colour: Clear medium ruby
Nose: Lower intensity nose, dates, ripe red cherry, touch of plum sauce, liquorice.
Palate: Dry, medium+ bodied, medium acidity, medium+ tannins. Plum, red cherry, touch of pine.
Finish: Medium+ finish, spice and dark fruits.
Score: 76/100
Drinking well now, could also use a few more years in the cellar.
Colour: Clear medium garnet
Nose: Surprisingly savoury nose, roasted red pepper, smoked meat, undertone of dried cherry, plum, and a touch of peppercorn.
Palate: Dry, medium-full bodied, medium+ acidity, medium tannins. Cherry, plum, integrated oak, Chinese five spice, hints of tobacco.
Finish: Long finish, soft plum.
Score:82/100
The roasted red pepper note caught me off-guard, surprisingly savoury and dry for Amarone, guessing more producer these days trying to go for a drier Amarone rather than an off-dry style.
Colour: Clear medium garnet
Nose: Cured meat, white-out, cherry, dried strawberry, raspberry, plum, and a touch salt.
Palate: Dry, medium-bodied, high acidity, medium tannins. Plum, cured meat, liquorice, cherry candy, touch of dry flower.
Finish: Long finish, touch of oak and salt.
Score: 84/100
Still needs a few more years to get things together, got good complexity and structure to back it up. While the 2011 is approachable now, I’d say cellar for at least 3-5 more years and check back.
Colour: Clear dark purple core
Nose: Strong liquorice, blackberry, blackcurrant, green leafy note, oil paint, hint of eucalyptus.
Palate: Full-bodied, medium+ acidity, high grippy tannins. Plums, black currant, black cherry, touch of green note again, mineral.
Finish: Long finish, plums and oak.
Score: 82/100
Prime example of really ripe crop, have decent complexity and structure for further development, the tannins needs to be soften up for another 5 or so years. Personally not my style.
Colour: Pale straw
Nose: Elegant floral nose, with notes of lemon, crushed stones, touch of grass and vanilla, dried honey, all very well integrated.
Palate: Dry, medium-bodied, medium acidity. Very complex, pineapples, peaches, mineral, and a touch of oak. All notes are in harmony.
Finish: Long finish, well integrated oak and mineral note.
Score:87+/100
Very high quality white Burgundy, everything is so well integrated together which makes it harder to pick out all the notes. This is how real Burgundy should behave, elegant, refined, and harmonized. I can see it ageing well for the next 7-12 years.
Colour: Clear light ruby core
Nose: Whiff of smoke, greeted by a very savoury nose, ripe apricot, red cherry, sun dried tomato, perfume.
Palate: Dry, medium-bodied, high acidity, medium- tannins. Plum, dusty oak, sour cherry, Chinese medicinal herbs.
Finish: Medium+ finish, plum, mineral, and herbal note.
Score:81+/100
Feels very closed at the moment, more savoury than I would expect. great structure for further development. Should tuck this away for at least the next 5-10 years.
Colour: Clear medium purple core
Nose: Very pronounced cherry candy nose, strawberry swirl candy(crème saver), stone.
Palate: Dry, full-bodied, medium acidity, high grippy tannins. Strawberry gum, mineral, and a touch of oak.
Finish: Long finish, strawberry candy, touch of spice.
Score: 72+/100
One dimensional, fruit forward, strawberry dominant thorough-out, lacks balance.
Colour: Clear medium+ ruby core
Nose: Herbal, diluted cola, black cherry, plums, mineral, and cedar.
Palate: Full-bodied, medium acidity, high grippy tannins, salt, black cherry, black raspberry, crushed stones, touch of tobacco and liquorice.
Finish: Medium+ finish, salty, leather, black raspberry.
Score:80+/100
Very surprising quality, showing good complexity and structure. Should evolve over the next 3-5 years.
Colour: Medium+ purple core
Nose: Immediately greeted by a whiff of smoke, followed by black cherry and black raspberry, liquorice and baking spices.
Palate: Full bodied, medium+ acidity, medium silky tannins. Spices and dark fruits in harmony, a touch of well integrated oak and vanilla. The fruit is well balanced with acidity.
Finish: Long finish, black cherry and lingering spices.
Score: 81/100
I have to admit I have a soft spot for a smoky wine, and this wine delivers. Also at a fantastic price point consider I got it for $18CAD($13.50USD) on a store clearance.