Tag: island

Compass Box – This is Not a Luxury Whisky

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Compass Box – This is Not a Luxury Whisky

Region: Blended

ABV: 53.1%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No
Cask Type:
– 79% First Fill Sherry Butt from Glen Ord (Malt) – 19 Year Old – 10.1% Refill American Hogshead from Strathclyde (Grain) – 40 Year Old
– 6.9% Refill American Hogshead from Girvan (Grain) – 40 Year Old
– 4% Refill American Hogshead from Caol Ila (Malt) – 30 Year Old

 

Colour: Gold

Nose: Oily, red apple, herbal, spruce tips, coconut, stewed red fruits, floral, strawberry syrup, smoke, spice.

Palate: Orange peel, ash, peat, rubber, raspberry, oak, strawberry, salted honey.

Finish: Long finish, ginger, incense, oily, pine.

Score: 89/100

Very welcoming nose, full of light smoke, and herbaceous notes; touch of syrupy red fruits and spices, along with tropical coconut notes. On the palate the notes are well-integrated, ashy peat, orange peel, red fruits, touch of salted honey, followed by a long finish with interesting incense-like note, round things off nicely, the finish lasts for minutes.

An amazing blend, wonder how this would compare against the JW Blue Cask Strength. The “This is not a luxury whisky” is very well made, welcoming nose and taste to a lot of people, without being boring like the regular Blue Label. The finish is very remarkable.

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

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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.

BenRiach 14 Year Old Single Cask Virgin American Oak Finish (Cask 2828)

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BenRiach 14 Year Old Single Cask Virgin American Oak Finish (Cask 2828)

Region: Speyside
ABV: 55.9%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No
Cask Type: ex-Bourbon, finish in Virgin American Oak.

Colour: Chestnut

Nose: Cocoa, apple, orange peel, caramel, oak, icing sugar, ash, oily honey, floral vanilla, mineral, pepper, faint cinnamon.

Palate: Pink bubblegum, malt, strong oak, banana, pineapple, almond, smoke, black tea, apricot.

Finish: Long tannic finish, salt, tropical fruit, oak, caramel.

Score: 88/100

I would describe this as best of both worlds, perfect balance between ex-bourbon cask notes, and strong powerful influence of virgin American oak. The previous virgin oak I had were frankly too oaky, bites your tongue off. This is very complex which is unusual for just virgin oak.

Fruity and malty notes, along with cocoa powder, icing sugar, ash, honey, vanilla, spices, goes on and on. The virgin oak is very apparent on the palate, smack of oak, bubblegum, tropical fruits, smoky black tea, with a long oak tannic finish. Exceptional.

Glenburgie 21 Year Old 1995 (Archives)

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Glenburgie 21 Year Old 1995 (Archives)
Tasted Blind

Region: Speyside
ABV: 54.1%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No
Cask Type: ex-Bourbon Hogshead

Colour: Light gold

Nose: Sliced pear, red and green apple, citrus peel, honey, floral, light malt, cereal, custard, oily caramel, pepper.

Palate: Apple, pear, dried apricot, malt, honey, oak, vanilla.

Finish: Long malty finish, pepper, ginger, touch of mineral and oak.

Score: 87/100

Tasted blind, prominent sliced pear and apples on the nose, followed by wonderful ex-Bourbon notes of honey, cereal, malt, and caramel custard, very rich and rounded. Big, bold flavour, hits you with honey apples, pear, dried apricot, along with malty and oaky notes, followed by a long finish with spice to kick things up a notch. Very interesting, it’s my first time trying a Glenburgie, and looking forward to more offerings from the distillery!

Auchentoshan 20 Year Old (Whiskybroker)

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Auchentoshan 20 Year Old (Whiskybroker)

Region: Lowland

ABV: 52.6%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No
Cask Type: ex-Bourbon

Colour: Pale straw

Nose: White flower, mint bubblegum, malty cereal, citrus peel, fruitloop, eucalyptus, honey, pleasant herbal funk, green apple.

Palate: Cedar, oak, floral, stone fruit, green apple, grassy, honey, mint.

Finish: Medium+ finish, eucalyptus, oak, drying cocoa, pepper.

Score: 86/100

Quintessential lowland, floral notes dominates all the way. Lots of green apples, malt, cedar/oaky notes on the nose and palate; with a nice touch of minty, eucalyptus notes, the finish is drying on the palate, with touch of cocoa and peppery spice to round things off. After the glass is empty, leave it for 10 minutes, the glass semlls like rich raisins! Simply the best Auchentoshan I’ve tried, captures the essence of lowland profile!

Glenrothes 1990 23 Year Old (SMWS 30.81 – A Baker’s Delight)

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Glenrothes 1990 23 Year Old (SMWS 30.81 – A Baker’s Delight)

Region: Speyside

ABV: 56%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No
Cask Type: Refill ex-Bourbon Hogshead

 

Colour: Gold

Nose: Biscotti, powdered sugar, apple, orange, pastry, dried apricot, floral, peach, vanilla custard, herbal.

Palate: Dried apricot, peach, butterscotch, nuts, oak, perfume, melon, grape, spice.

Finish: Long finish, malt, melon, oak, mineral

Score: 87/100

 

The nose is very interesting to kick off, nutty, biscotti character, with loads of fruits to back it up. Sweet fruity notes on the palate, with a kick of spice. With a long, malty finish, and a kick of oaky minerality in the end. Better than my previous Glenrothes experience, which have been the OB watery offerings.

Bowmore Vault Edition First Release – Atlantic Sea Salt

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Bowmore Vault Edition First Release – Atlantic Sea Salt

“The Vault Editions from Bowmore is a four-part series of whiskies that highlight one characteristic of the distillery’s style. The first release is named Atlantic Sea Salt and focuses on Bowmore’s maritime style, while displaying its classic smoky and fruity nature.”

Region: Islay
ABV: 51.5%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No

Colour: Straw

Nose: Vanilla, cherry, cotton candy, earthy peat, wood smoke, brine, tissue paper, crystallised honey, hint of citrus peel.

Palate: Vanilla, cherry, apple, pear, sweet malt biscuit, salt, earthy.

Finish: Medium+ finish, sweet peat, salted caramel.

Score: 85/100

 

Bowmore apparently is discontinuing (or already discontinued?) their age-stated Tempest and Laimrig release. This is their follow up, not as salty as the name would suggest but rather well balanced, with nice complexity and very oily and smooth on the palate. On the sweet side, with loads of vanilla and fruits, can tell lots of first-fill bourbon cask used here. Rather pleasant, but I prefer the Laimrig 15 over this.

Tomatin 1990 25 Year Old Single Cask (2496) for LCBO

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Tomatin 1990 25 Year Old Single Cask (2496)

Bottle for the LCBO here in Ontario, Canada.

 

Region: Highland
ABV: 51.4%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No
Cask No.: 2496
Cask Type: “Full maturation in traditional oak hogshead” Assuming Bourbon.
Distilled 14th February, 1990, Bottled 07th March 2016.

 

Colour: Light Gold

Nose: Wax, honey, peach, cereal, citrus, malt, black tea.

Palate: Oak, malt, melon, cereal, mineral.

Finish: Medium finish, oaky.

Score: 79/100

 

Nothing much to write home about, not much complexity, probably a refill cask. At $600CAD a bottle, I feel sorry for those who bought a bottle. Price doesn’t affect my scoring but damn this was boring.

Glendronach 1995 18 Year Old Tawny Port Pipe (Cask 5959)

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Glendronach 1995 18 Year Old Tawny Port Pipe (Cask 5959)

 

Region: Highland
ABV: 53.6%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No
Cask Number: 5959
Cask Type: Tawny Port Pipe

 

Colour: Mahogany

Nose: Sharp burst of ethanol, which died down after an hour. Strawberry, cantaloupe, pepper, caramel, ginger, roasted peanuts, lemon candy, hint of floral note.

Palate: Strawberry gum, ginger, pepper, sweet malt, orange peel, mineral.

Finish: Medium finish, mineral/metallic, cherry cough syrup, ginger.

Score: 85/100

 

Rather interesting dram, the nose was really filled with pungent ethanol at first, after it opened up, revealed a nice mix of fruit and spice, the strawberry note reminds me of the Tomatin 14 Portwood. On the palate it stays true to the nose, but towards the finish it revealed more spice and oddly some mineral notes, which threw off the balance. Overall I am glad to try this dram, very good experience!

Auchentoshan 1999 17 Year Old Cadenhead

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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.