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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!

Elderton E Series Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

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Elderton E Series Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Colour: Dark purple-garnet

Nose: Blueberry jam, plum, vanilla, baking spice, touch of smoked meat.

Palate: Dry, medium+ body, medium acidity, medium+ fine grain tannins. Blackberry pie, raspberry, pepper, vanilla.

Finish: Medium+ finish, touch of liquorice, more dark fruits.

Score: 77/100

Very standard, big, bold, jammy Southern Australian Shiraz blend. The nose and palate shows similar notes of jammy berries, vanilla, and baking spice, with touch of liquorice kicking in during the finish. This wine feels like a blueberry pie, from the nose to the finish. Very solid wine for the price, if you are into this sort of profile, I personally don’t mind it. Drink now!

Foreign Affair Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

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Foreign Affair Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

Colour: Dark garnet core, light garnet rim.

Nose: Dominant black cherry, blackberry, blackcurrant, raspberry, plum, dried dates, vanilla, cedar, meat, worn leather.

Palate: Off-dry, medium acidity, medium silky tannins. Black cherry, blackberry, blackcurrant, vanilla sweetness, touch of herbs.

Finish: Long finish, sweet oak, touch of spice.

Score: 85/100

Coming from Vineland (St. Catharines/Niagara), Ontario, Canada. The Foreign Affair winery specializes in Italian wine making style. They make a wide range of wines with various types of grapes, Ripasso style, Appassimento (Partial or Fully), Recioto style.

The Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30%(32%?) of the grapes were set aside for the appassimento process. Aged in French and American oak for 24 months, resulting in a wine with a whopping 15.8% ABV.

The nose is very rich and blasts you in the face with waves after waves of dark fruits. Black cherry, blackberry, blackcurrant, you name it; followed by dried dates, vanilla, cedar, worn leather, and a faint suggestion of meat. Very welcoming.

On entry, you will notice a very well-rounded mouth-feel. The acidity seemed moderate, perhaps due to the sweetness balancing it off; the tannins are silky smooth.

Just like the nose, loads of black fruit, perhaps jammy, followed by sweet vanilla, and a touch of herbs. Followed by a long finish of sweet oak and touch of spice. You would not have guessed this wine is 15.8% ABV, it drinks more like 14-14.5%.

This wine is very well integrated already, I don’t see it evolving much more in the future, drink now or over the next 3 years.

In a blind tasting, I would’ve thought the wine is older than it is, judging by the colour and tannins.

Fantastic wines coming out from the Niagara region in Ontario right now, not sure about international availability, but be sure to grab one if you see it. Highly recommended for the price.

**Do note this wine is off-dry.

Montes Alpha Pinot Noir 2014

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Montes Alpha Pinot Noir 2014

Colour: Light ruby core

Nose: Cherry, raspberry, brine, stone, plum, underbrush.

Palate: Dry, medium bodied, medium+ acidity, medium- soft tannins. Ripe cherry, plum, raspberry, crushed stone.

Finish: Medium+ finish, mineral, faint vanilla.

Score: 78/100

Rather interesting nose to start, the usual cherry and red fruits, with a blast of salty briny character. The tannins are soft, and the acidity integrates very well with the wine. Palate is driven by ripe fruits and stone minerality, with a suggestion of vanilla in the finish. I also sensed a touch higher alcohol content in this wine from the finish.

Overall a very well made pinot noir for its price, a foot in the old world style, a small gripe with the higher alcohol content. I paired this wine with duck confit later-on, which was a wonderful pairing. Would drink now.

Fattoi Brunello di Montalcino 2007

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Fattoi Brunello di Montalcino 2007

Colour: Medium garnet core, light tawny rim.

Nose: Meaty, savory, cherry, plum, dried rose, tobacco, leather, grilled red pepper, baking spice, sweet dates, undertone of crushed stone.

Palate: Dry, medium body, high acidity, medium- tannins. Blast of sour cherry, plum, blackberry, touch of sweet cherry, faint leather, touch of green.

Finish: Medium finish, faint grasp of herbs and spice on the very end.

Score: 83/100

Greeted by a very attractive, and savory nose. Very meaty, followed by waves of red and dark fruits, tobacco, leather, grilled red pepper, with a touch of baking spice and mineral hanging around.

Mouthwatering acidity, followed by a noticeable lack of tannins, still a touch grippy in the mouth. The palate isn’t all that complex, with the usual sangiovese notes, with a touch of sweetness and green note. Faint suggestion of herbs and spice in the finish.

The acidity makes this wine excellent to be had with food, just like majority of the offerings from Italy. The wine is ready to drink, and I don’t see it evolving much more with that lack of tannins already at such a “young” age for a Brunello. Drink now or over the coming 2-3 years.

Estampa Gold Syrah Blend 2010

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Estampa Gold Syrah Blend 2010

A blend from Colchagua Valley, Chile. Consists of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec, from a single vineyard. Sounds pretty exciting, time to dive in.

Colour: Dark ruby-purple core, medium garnet rim.

Nose: Crème de cassis, black currant leaf, pepper, meat, liquorice, mint, black raspberry, faint cigarette smoke.

Palate: Dry, medium+ bodied, high acidity, medium tannins. Plum, black cherry, sour cherry (almost tomato like), blackcurrant, light vanilla.

Finish: Long finish, liquorice, sour cherry, oak.

Score: 80/100

Hits you in the face with an initial blastoff crème de cassis, then followed by a peppery, meaty nose, black fruits and very specifically cigarette smoke on the exhale (I am not a smoker). Surprising amount of acidity suggest this is best consumed with food. Loads of dark fruits to start, very juicy due to the acidity. Towards the end vanilla, liquorice, and oak kicked in, lingering. Paired with sousvide rack of lamb later on, wonderful pairing. A decent blend, not intrigued by its complexity, but works wonders with food. The finish lasts for minutes. Drink now or in the coming 2-3 years.

Bodega Chakana Estate Selection Red Blend 2011

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Bodega Chakana Estate Selection Red Blend 2011

Colour: Dark purple core, medium ruby rim.

Nose: Violets, blackberry, black raspberry, plum, black cherry, chocolate dust, cedar, faint pear.

Palate: Dry, full bodied, medium+ acidity, medium silky tannins. Plum, blackberry, black cherry, dried Asian dates.

Finish: Long finish, dark fruits, touch of orange puree, spice.

Score: 81/100

Caught my attention when Parker gave this wine a 94, and available for only like $23CAD back then. Really different from few years ago. The wine aromas and flavour are now integrated, developed some interesting notes not typically found in red wines, such as pear and orange. The tannins soften up quite a bit, but you still notice the alcohol even served at 16 degrees Celsius. Should hold onto the fruit for few more years, good value, bold red, but I disagree with the 94 Parker.

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.