Tag: scotch review

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!

Longrow Peated

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Longrow Peated

 

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.

Glendronach Peated

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Glendronach Peated

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.

Whisky Review – Caol Ila 17 Unpeated 2015 Release

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Review 9 - Caol Ila 17 Unpeated 2015 Release.JPG

 

Caol Ila 17 Unpeated 2015 [Link]

Region: Islay

ABV: 55.9%

E150: Yes

Chill-filtered: No

Container: Spiegelau Whisky Snifter, neat with a splash of water. Rested for 20 minutes.

Colour: Golden amber

Nose: Hints of smoke, toffee, citrusy fruitiness, vanilla, ripe fruits undertone, I detected hints of absinthe then after resting it was gone. Slight malt and nose from above the glass, dried fruits. Bright fruit notes after a splash of water. Really nice and complex notes.

Palate: Surprisingly smooth on the tongue at this ABV, added a splash of water after. Nice oily sweetness, slight herbal notes, citrus, hints of salt, mouthwatering, slight spice? A taste I can’t describe when I took my last sip and breathe in some air.

Finish: Medium-long, tingling spice, oak, some mineral? OH, after a minute hints of mints!

Score: 86/100

Whisky Review – Arran Private Cask 10 Year Old for LCBO

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Arran Private Cask for LCBO 10 Years Old [Link]

 

Region: Island

ABV: 55.4%

E150: No

Chill-filtered: No

Cask type: First fill bourbon cask

Cask No. 2005/800228

Bottle No. 233/236

 

Container: Spiegelau Whisky Snifter with a splash of water, rested for 30 minutes.

Colour: Pale Gold

Nose: Vanilla, caramel, honey, sweet nose, apples, hints of peaches, dried apricot.

Palate: Cereal, sweet malt, honey, apples, hot on the palate needed to dash it with more water. Slight hint of salt, slight spice.

Finish: Medium-long length finish, sweet malty in the mouth, slight oak, spice.

Score: 83/100

Whisky Review – Bunnahabhain 12

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Bunnahabhain 12 [Link]

Region: Islay

ABV: 46.8%

E150: No

Chill-filtered: No

Container: Spiegelau Whisky Snifter Neat with some water

Colour: Copper/Honey

Nose: Creamy rounded sweetness, sherry, honey, some unknown notes(maybe is what people call brine? I have no idea what brine smells like), cooked apples, really really faint smoke, chocolate, really interesting, smooth on the nose, no pungent alcohol notes, tiny tiny hint of orange?

Palate: Umami, some nuttiness, malt, slight fruit, sherry, spice, oak, something happening on the side of my mouth I can’t describe. Nice oily mouth feel, swirls in the mouth very smoothly.
Finish: Short finish, the flavor goes away quickly (so you can drink more!), I might have added slight bit too much water?

Score: 83/100

 

Saw this on the shelf today, always wanted to try Bunnahabhain but not at the stage to shell out $180 on the 18Y, still want to buy more bottles for my money to explorer different distilleries and their offerings, this is really interesting as one of the few unpeated Islay whisky, it’s the first whisky that let me notice the coastal notes that people talks about, I like the sweetness, overall well balanced whisky at a good price, been looking for a nice summer dram, I think this will do it!

Whisky Review – Arran 12 CS, Amarone Cask, Tokaji Aszu Cask.

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Arran 12 CS – Batch 5 [Link]

Region: Isle of Arran

ABV: 52.9%

E150: No

Chill-filtered: No

Container: Glencairn Neat with a few drops of distilled water, rested for 30 minutes.
Colour: Gold
Nose:  Caramel, dried fruits, malt, oak, honey, sherry, and perfume/floral notes(if I sniff further away from the glass)
Palate: Very nice in the mouth, bit of salt, very little alcohol burn, chocolate, sweet cake, few more drops of water opens up fruity notes and hints vanilla in the background.
Finish: Long finish, lingers around in the mouth with oak and spiciness.
Score: 82/100

Not too complex, has a nice nose with a lot of malt, good mouth feel, but lacks complexity.

Arran Amarone Cask Finish

Region: Isle of Arran

ABV: 50%

E150: No

Chill-filtered: No

Container: Glencairn Neat with a few drops of distilled water, rested for 30 minutes.

Colour: Redish Copper/Darker Rosé Wine

Nose: Red fruit jam, raisins, hints of oak, honey, chocolate.

Palate: Dark chocolate, cooked fruits, more burn than the 12CS, tiny tiny hint of spice.

Finish: Medium finish, mouth warming, fruit lingers for a bit with a soft oak flavor.

Score: 83/100

Offers a bit more than the 12 CS, there is a surprising amount of alcohol burn compared to even higher proof whiskies. I enjoy the wine influence here in this whisky.

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Arran Tokaji Aszu Wine Cask Finish

Region: Isle of Arran

ABV: 55%

E150: No

Chill-filtered: No

Container: Spiegelau Whisky Sniffer Neat with a few drops of Islay water

Colour: Light Copper

Nose: Hints of sourness, orange/citrus, sweet flower notes, a small hint of grass.

Palate: Smother than the Amarone Cask, red grapes, hints of orange and pear, vanilla, more matured fruits, hints of oak.

Finish: Long and complex, kicks in with a small bit of salt, fruity notes, spice, yeast.

Score: 87/100

This is the most interesting one out of all three, and the most complex, a really special finish, opens up really well with few drops of water, I would buy a bottle if I could get my hand on it. Tried it at Via Allegro with over 1000 whiskies in their collection.