whisky review Archives - Page 6 of 11

Auchentoshan 20 Year Old (Whiskybroker)

May 11, 2017October 17, 2017 whiskytanuki Leave a comment

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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)

April 1, 2017December 29, 2017 whiskytanuki Leave a comment

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

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.

Teeling Single Malt

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

Teeling Single Malt

Region: Ireland
ABV: 46%
E150: No
Chill-filtered: No

Colour: Light gold

Nose: Icing sugar, green apple, honey, vanilla, light citrus, floral, yeast.

Palate: Honey, ethanol, vanilla, ripe banana, apple skin, malt, white pepper.

Finish:Long finish, malt, oak, white pepper, mineral water.

Score: 79/100

I bought this bottle after reading it contains some 23 year old malt, and they finish the whiskies in 5 different casks (Sherry, Port, Maderia, White Burgundy, Cabernet Sauvignon). Was disappointed on how little wine influence is present, since this isn’t very complex. Rather simple dram, light fruits and sweet vanilla malt. The finish kinda killed it with the mineral note, WHERE DID THE FRUIT GO?