Glen Moray 13 Year Old (SMWS 35.165 – Variety – the spice of life)(1st Fill ex-Chenin Blanc)

May 30, 2017October 17, 2017 whiskytanuki Leave a comment

Glen Moray 13 Year Old (SMWS 35.165 – Variety – the spice of life)

Region: Speyside

ABV: 52.9%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No
Cask Type: 1st Fill Ex-Chenin Blanc Hogshead
Outrun: 180 Bottles

Colour: Amber

Nose: Oily, white grape, smoke, rubber, tar, strawberry, blackberry, spice.

Palate: Oloroso nuttiness, almonds, rubber, tar, mineral, oak.

Finish: Long finish, tar, mineral, stone, charred wood, nutmeg, more spice.

Score: 86/100

Really funky, nothing like a Chenin Blanc wine, and nothing like a Glen Moray, the amber colour isn’t helping either.

Super funky nose and palate; full of smoky tar, rubbery notes throughout, with a touch of red berries on the nose, definitely would’ve guessed a funky red wine cask, such as Barolo (one of the top Italian red wines, known for having rubber notes in the wine, especially the matured ones).

The palate copies the nose, with a lengthy funky finish, full of mineral, charred wood, and spice. Weird but quite a character.

Auchentoshan 1999 17 Year Old Cadenhead

April 1, 2017October 17, 2017 whiskytanuki Leave a comment

Auchentoshan 1999 17 Year Old Cadenhead

Region: Lowland
ABV: 55.5%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No
Cask Type: Bourbon Hogshead

Colour: Straw

Nose: Biscotti, grass, almond chocolate, oily, citrus, toasted oak, faint steamed garlic.

Palate: Oily, honey, vanilla, stone fruits, grass, metallic, nuts, mineral.

Finish: Medium+ finish, rubber, mineral, pepper, oak.

Score: 86/100

Rather interesting experience, completely different from the OB I’ve experienced. Loads of nutty and grassy notes, less fruity than expected. Solid but not my style. Very glad to have tried this.

Aberlour A’bunadh Batch 55, 57 Comparison Review

March 12, 2017October 17, 2017 whiskytanuki Leave a comment

Aberlour A’bunadh Batch 55, 57 Comparison Review

Batch 55

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.

Batch 57

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?

Aultmore 22 Year Old (SMWS 73.69 – Dark Side Eclipsed by Sweet Joys)

February 25, 2017October 17, 2017 whiskytanuki Leave a comment

Aultmore 22 Year Old (SMWS 73.69 – Dark Side Eclipsed by Sweet Joys)

I was suggested to review before looking up the distillery code and cask info, which is what I would be doing below!

[The info will be filled up after my tasting notes]

Region: Speyside
ABV: 52.9%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No

Colour: Light gold

Nose: Right off the bat, sherry cask! Strawberry jam, orange peel, red cherry, raisin, toffee, glazed roast duck (is this the roast duck dram? That I’ve read about?), cocoa powder, oak, baking spice.

Palate: Strawberry jam, sweet malt, cereal, nuts, espresso, ginger, cola.

Finish: Long and spicy, ginger, pepper, oak tannins, mineral water.

Score: 87/100

My guess: 18-20 Year old, refill sherry cask, Speyside/Highland malt?
After looking up: Aultmore 22Y, 52.9%, Refill sherry butt.

Macallan Cask Strength 58.4%

February 16, 2017October 17, 2017 whiskytanuki Leave a comment

Macallan Cask Strength 58.4%

Region: Speyside
ABV: 58.4%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No

Container: Spiegelau Whisky Snifter

Colour:Mahogany

Nose: Sharp ethanol, rich stewed red fruits, walnuts, biscuit, raisins, milk chocolate, candied orange, strawberry, plum.

Palate: Raisins, cinnamon, ginger, orange, red fruit jam, toffee, stewed plums.

Finish: Long finish, lingering cinnamon, ginger, strawberry, oak, and oak tannins.

Score: 89/100

The Macallan CS is an exceptional sherry bomb, which I think was last sold for about $80CAD which would be a steal. It’s a tad pungent on the nose, and a tad too hot for 58.4% on the palate. But it’s complex with waves of red fruits, and nutty chocolate notes on the nose. Part from the usual red fruits, it’s also loaded with spices, especially ginger, with a drying finish.

Can’t imagine this is the same distillery that bottles such amazing whisky, but at the same time introduce us with tier not-good-at-all colour series. This leaves me wanting to try out some older Macallan Single Casks.