Tag: scotch malt whisky society

Whisky Review – Laphroaig 20 (SMWS 29.172 – Smoked Beer)

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Laphroaig 20 (SMWS 29.172 – Smoked Beer)

Region: Islay
ABV: 58.2%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No
Cask Type: Refill ex-Bourbon

 

Colour: Straw

Nose: Vanilla, apple, smoke, peanut, lemon, malt biscuit, brine

Palate: Brine, lemon, ashy peat, dried apricot, pepper, vanilla, honey

Finish: Medium+, mineral, lemon drop, pear, pepper, salt

Score: 88/100

Tasty Laphroaig from SMWS, very sweet nose full of vanilla, sweet peat, citrus, and saltiness. The saltiness carries through to the palate, along with dried fruits, peppery spice, and a nice blast of ashy peat. Followed by a nice finish, that lingers the previous notes for some while. Haven’t had a disappointing old SMWS Laphroaig yet, this one is very promising!

Whisky Review – Kilchoman 4 2011 (Single Cask 446 PX Finish)

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Kilchoman 4 2011 (Single Cask 446 PX Finish)

Region: Islay
ABV: 57.5%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No
Cask Type: ex-Bourbon, Pedro Ximenez Finish

 

Colour: Copper

Nose: Raspberry, oily, peat, toffee, salt, apple skin, honey

Palate: Ash, earthy peat, brine, honey, cherry, cocoa,

Finish: Long finish, smoke, mineral water, pepper

Score: 85/100

First time trying a single cask Kilchoman, and this one is finished in PX Sherry cask. The peat is more prominent than the Machir Bay, perhaps due to the even younger age, not hiding its youthfulness on the nose, brash peat, salt, red fruits, and honey. The palate is similar to the nose, with a touch more red fruit, and cocoa, followed by a long finish, full of smoke, minerals, and pepper.

I wish they did a longer finish on this one, as the PX influence are more subtle than I would like, still rather solid.

Glenburgie 17 (SMWS 71.42 – Sinbad preparing for a journey)

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Glenburgie 17 (SMWS 71.42 – Sinbad preparing for a journey)

Tasted Blind

Region: Speyside

ABV: 57.5%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No
Cask Type: Refill Ex-Sherry Gorda
Outrun: 750 Bottles

 

Colour: Amber

Nose: Fish oil capsule (The smell when you sniff a bottle of fish oil pills), funky, cinnamon, orange, cherry jell-o, cola syrup, ginger, roasted walnut, malt biscuit, sharp ethanol.

Palate: Hot, chili flakes, medicine capsule note, nutty, cinnamon heart, ginger, red raspberry, dark chocolate, orange peel, charred wood.

Finish: Medium finish, worn leather, mineral.

Score: 84/100

Tasted blind as I just grabbed a random sample, the SMWS code means nothing to me as I have no idea what it is.

Dove into the nose, WHAT ON EARTH IS THIS!? IT smells exactly like the capsule smell of a bottle of fish oil, weird. Diving past the weird funky note reveals some sherry cask notes. On the palate its more or less the same as the nose, but packs a huge punch of spice on the entry, carried throughout to the finish.

Overall a solid whisky, if you can enjoy the funky notes, personally not the biggest fan, but it’s got good complexity and depth.

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.