Tasting Notes: Connoisseurs Choice: Royal Brackla 1991

Gordon and MacPhail: Connoisseurs Choice: Royal Brackla 1991 (Scottish Highland Single Malt Whisky: 20 Years: 46% ABV)

Visual: Thick gold.

Viscosity: Only a few streaks. Medium sized and slow.

Nose: Toffee. Planed wood. Mild lime influence. Shortbread. Heather. Slight sulphur. Water makes the heather more emphasised.

Body: Moderate oak that grows quickly. Slight alcohol is noticeable. Custard. Walnuts.  Water makes smoother. Adds lime and chestnut honey.

Finish: Quite dry and oaken. Acorns? Light nuts and moss. Water makes sweeter, adding chestnut honey again.

Conclusion: A whisky that has escaped review for a while based on the misapprehension that I had already reviewed it.  Thankfully the old green tree nearly always has a bottle in. So I dropped by to correct my mistake.

Let’s talk about the whisky as it is with water added, as without that it is an overly oak dominated and touch fiery whisky. So not at its best to say the least. Water allows it to show its best elements, that of a more mellow nutty style which mingles with a light sweetness to give a kind of chestnut honey element which is quite soothing.

Now it does always keep that oak dryness around the edges. When you finish a sip the mix of alcohol and the oak leaves you quite dry and parches. It is soothing, but one that leaves you thirsty.

It doesn’t vary much from what I’ve just described. It is quite single note, pretty much a nut cluster of a whisky. Despite that it is quite reasonable. Straightforward but with a finish that just doesn’t, well, finish. You can take your time with this one, let the flavour just hand there without needing to sip again. It is one that I would imagine would suit a distinguished evening party. You do not concentrate on it, but allow the flavour to hang there as you converse with others, possibly with a wood fire beside you to add to the aromas you experience.

So not a favourite whisky, but I can see its place in the whisky world.

Background: Bottled in 2011, this Royal Brackla whisky was drunk as part of a relaxing day, wandering the whisky pubs of Bath and sampling a few spirits in a leisurely fashion. Taking a photo of this bottle resulted in a few jokes from the locals, resulting in a quick explanation of doing the reviews. It’s odd how rarely I need to do that. Royal Brackla is one I’ve had a few times, but only independent bottlings. I will have to seek out an official bottling at some point to compare. This was a brand new bottled, opened before my eyes.

Tasting Notes: Oban: Distillers Edition

Oban: Distillers Edition (Scottish Highland Single Malt Whisky: 14 Years: 43% ABV)

Visual: A thick custard gold

Viscosity: Fairly even in distribution and fast in spirit’s speed of descent down the glass.

Nose: Light smoke. Smooth oak and pencil shavings. Waters adds some sulphur.

Body: Smooth.  Madeira sweet. Lime jelly. Sultanas and red wine.  Soaked fruitcake. Glacier cherries. Hint of milk chocolate. Water makes even sweeter and adds a meaty broth touch. Even more water adds white grapes.

Finish: Red cherries. Dry tongue feel. Madeira again. Custard.  Smoke. Dry bitter chocolate. Water adds beef crisps and light peat. White grapes again comes with more water.

Conclusion: These distillers editions really add a sweetness to normally quite harsh whiskies don’t they?

Was slightly worried on first glance with this one as the aroma is fairly weak and doesn’t hint at much of a whisky contained below the surface.

When you get into the whisky itself you find it a Madeira and fruitcake styled addition to the Oban line that is rich and if taken without water very much missing the usual almost Island character like influence of main Oban (Yes I know Oban isn’t an Island whisky, but it does have a few calls to the type due to it’s coastal location)

In an odd inversion of expectations water actually brings out the more beef and smoke elements which balance out what would otherwise be a too sweet whisky. Even with water the sweetness isn’t hidden, you are just given new elements to contrast it.

This, with water, is a lovely complex whisky, full of rich flavour and just enough of an edge. The texture is smooth as can be, and like the Caol Ila Distillers Edition, teeters on the edge of too sweet, especially without water. It does ride that thin edge well and gives far more unexpected flavours than your average sweet whisky.

Frankly all the Distiller Editions in the set have been superb. I’d rank this behind the Lagavulin (which I really should review at some point) but none of them are bad and all are good variations on quality bold whisky.

Well worth a try, or a bottle if you have the money about.

Background: Distilled 1995, bottled 2009. Aged in Montilla casks. I have never tried Montilla but presume it is responsible for the elements that seemed Madeira like to me. Oban is a pretty solid whisky at any point and I have enjoyed the distillers editions so far so this seemed a good pick to try. Drunk at the Rummer hotel, where there was a bit of a wedding reception going on t the time oddly. Oh and yes, I know it’s not the best focused photo. Sorry.

Tasting Notes: Glen Garioch: 12 Year

Glen Garioch: 12 Year (Scottish Highland Single Malt: 12 Years: 48% ABV)

Visual: Slightly bronzed gold.

Viscosity: Generally slow and middling length streaks. A few fast chasing streaks.

Nose: Marzipan. Sugared almonds, very sweet and light. Light planed wood. Hint of smoke. Water brings out stewed apples.

Body: Oak front. Golden syrup. Custard and dried apricot.  Milky chocolate. Pears. Water makes apple crumble and oak come out, overall much more fruity with water.

Finish: Almonds and chocolate. Pear drops. Tiny meat broth occasionally. Light oak. Cinnamon. Water makes much more chocolate emphasis come out.

Conclusion: This is really smooth, and if I didn’t know better I would have called it as Speyside for its sweet and fruity style. It has a bit more punch that usually for the fruity sweet style though, probably due to the slightly higher than average abv. No bad thing though. In fact I would advise against watering it down too much because while a drop or two really helps it open up it very quickly looses that extra force and thickness that really helps it stand out from the crowd.

It has a lovely luxurious chocolate finish and a delicate sugar and fruit nose to set it top and tail. It brings you in easy and heads out smoothly.  In fact while it is different in flavour the texture and class reminds me of the pacing on its fellow highland whisky Dalmore.  In my opinion that’s a very good whisky to be like, and the lovely fruitiness means that it brings nearly completely different flavours in with the same stylish touch.

Overall an impressive mix of style and fruit, and stewed and dessert in its flavours.  It balances the extra force with great ease of drinking in the flavours. It isn’t one for long sipping session neat due to that extra force, but works well that way watered down a touch. Neat I would say it would be great post dessert whisky.

A nice introduction to the distillery.

Background: Drunk at “the Tasting Rooms” who usually have a nice selection of less common whiskys.  I’d been meaning to try this one for a while, it being yet another distillery I had yet to try.  Apparently the pronunciation on the name is Glen Geery. Yeah, I would never have worked that one out. Drunk with friends who were similarly enjoying a range of spirits and commenting which gave a nice tasting atmosphere.

Tasting Notes: Dalmore: 1265 King Alexander III

Dalmore: 1265 King Alexander III (Scottish Highland Single Malt Whisky: No age statement: 40% ABV)

Visual: A thick deep bronzed ruby.

Viscosity: A mix of thick trails, which move quickly for the most part.

Nose: Eccles cake. Marzipan. Almonds and blue berries.  That marmalade touch. Light pencil shavings. Water makes for more orange shreds, black toffee and slight elderberry.

Body: Fruitcake mixed with red cherries and brandy cream. Dry oak. Vanilla and raisins.  Very smooth indeed. Water brings out spicy notes. Marmalade. Custard creams. Marzipan then treacle near the end. Milky chocolate and light fresh touch of lime.

Finish: Milk chocolate. Brandy cream, Marmalade. Plums. With water you get gentle mulling spices and raisins. Almonds. Oddly a touch of cucumber at times. Dry oak.

Conclusion: Call me a heretic if you must for saying this, but I prefer this over the Dalmore 40 Year Old.  Now that may seem extreme, but this whisky has so much going on. Its smooth as silk texture wise, but unlike the antediluvian expression its still manages to keep a good force to the flavour as well.

From first glance it impresses, with this deep colour that excites the eye.  When you get to the whisky itself it doesn’t disappoint on the Dalmore stand bys, you get the chocolate smoothness and marmalade lacings that are always such a joy.

However the many and varied finishes bring forth spice, raisins, then the smoothness of marzipan and almonds. These complex layers then fade out to the finish where the defiant remaining flavours float, clinging to their life and breathing flavour for a significant time after. The final elements to lave are the marzipan dry sweetness, an unusual yet welcome grace.

I had tried a few measures before doing this review, revisiting it over  a couple of days, yet despite that I still feel like I am just scraping the surface of what this whisky has to offer. Whilst the core notes remain the same each time, there always seems to be an improvised melody of flavour that surrounds them. From fruitiness to light oak, sweet dessert flavours or spice, it roams the full range.  Very much a whisky that deserves a full bottle rather than a measure.

To try and bring some feel of balance I will mention its minor flaws.  Near the end of the main body the almond flavour can become dominant, hiding the more subtle flavours. Also its heavy flavour can mean that after a measure of two you again lose some of the subtleties. Then again, for such a whisky you really should be savouring it rather than finishing a bottle in an evening.  Very minor points however. Also water weakens it just slightly I would say, the thickness and weight without makes for a more satisfying drink. Though if you have the chance to have more than one measure it does not hurt to see what difference it does make.

Richly complex, smooth and thick. Multi faceted and stylish. An amazing whisky.

Background: First drunk over a year ago at the London whisky show. Since then I have been trying to get my hands on a bottle.  It finally fell into my hands as a kind Christmas gift from my parents for which I thank them greatly.  I was trying to keep it sealed a tad longer, but G-LO helped twist my arm into breaking it open.  This whisky is mixed from malt which has been aged in (deep breath) Olorsos and Madeira butts, port and marsala woods, Bourbon barrels and Cabernet Sauvignon Barriques.   After which I can but presume it spent some time ageing in the kitchen sodding sink as that seems to be the only thing they have missed out.

Incidentally is it just me or does that display box just take the piss?

Tasting Notes: Gordon and Macphail: Old Pulteney: Cask Strength 1995

Gordon and Macphail: Old Pulteney: Cask Strength 1995 (Scottish Highland Single Malt Whisky: 15 Years: 59.9% ABV)

(Bottled 2010)

Visual: Burnished gold with somewhat of a cherry red influence.

Viscosity: Deathly slow streaks for the most point with the occasional outburst.

Nose:  Brandy cream and raisins. Mild liquorice and a touch of shortbread. Light planed wood. Fruitcake. Water relaxes it slightly giving planed wood prominence and adds a slight tar.

Body: Treacle and alcohol burn. Fruitcake, plums and oak.  Water makes sweeter. Toffee style. Very slick. Somewhat of a charring touch, though this lightens to light coffee with more water.

Finish: Charring and alcohol at first. Tongue numbing. Bitter chocolate. Water makes much more chocolate and toffee and much more appealing. Slight salt and raisins here.

Conclusion:  It’s always fun having a cask strength whisky. Spending time adding water drop by drop trying to reduce the burn whilst keeping as much flavour as you can.   This keeps very close to the influence of its choice of casks and wears it proudly.  The sherry gives a huge amount of fruitcake and toffee, with raisins and alcohol punch to end it. This really punches home the difference using a first fill cask can make as the flavours are potent indeed.

Fun as that is, and boy is it fun, it does make it feel more of a display of the cask than of the spirit.  The spirit struggles to show its house character. There is that slight salt evident in the finish that is a Pulteney trademark, but apart from that it doesn’t manage to fight the sherry enough to stand out from the plethora of sherry heavy whiskies on the market.

So it is a nice whisky, but it isn’t that distinctive and thus doesn’t really get the full advantage of its cask strength.  A mixed blessing then.

Background: From a first fill sherry butt. Don’t know if it is single cask as that would indicate. I’d imagine so but wouldn’t want to say for sure.  Drunk at the Rummer hotel after the Ardbeg reviewed previously. Had a lot of water in-between to try and refresh the senses. I have had Old Pulteney official bottling before this independent bottling, but it has never been one of my favourite whiskies. Still it looked fun enough to give a try, and I do love playing with a cask strength. Oh, I got so caught up in doing the tasting notes I only got a photo of the bottle this time and forgot the glass. My bad. Oh and yes that is a ladder to reach the higher shelves of sprits you see there in the photo. There is quite the selection.

Tasting Notes: Signatory Vintage: Cask Strength:Glen Ord 1998

Signatory Vintage: Glen Ord 1998 (Scottish Highland Single Cask Single Malt Whisky: 12 Years: 59.6% ABV)

Visual: Pale Grain.

Viscosity: Thin but quite fast streaks.

Nose:  Planed wood and light nuttiness. The alcohol burn is uncompromising unsurprisingly. Distinct dry oak.  Water makes slight perfumed and more towards crushed peanuts on the nuttiness. A touch of peat possibly?

Body: Sweet syrup. Nut liquore. Tingle of aniseed. Salt. Water makes sweeter yet brings out a charcoal feel to fight it.

Finish: Dry charring. Slightly medicinal. Iodine and a dry gin air. Becomes very dry as you drink more.

Conclusion: This is very dry. It’s a desiccated tongue inducing drink and no mistake. Very slightly medicinal and definitely astringent with a gin like touch to the alcohol.  I’ve probably put off some of you already, and have the others on tenterhooks.

Odd then, that compared to what I have just described, the front of the whisky is massively sweet which makes the dry wine like finish even more unusual.  Initially I took this to be just part of the high alcohol content of the cask strength, but it’s dry nature survived a significant water induced dilution.

It is obviously very unusual, its most standard element is probably the nut character, but it is the dry medicinal touch that stands out. Very different from Laphroaigs take on it, and doesn’t match it with the same level of booming flavour as that beast.

Definitely a whisky that works better with more in your mouth, where the sweetness can tease itself out before the dry finish mutilates you. An interesting and harsh whisky. Fascinating, but too dry for my tastes.  Despite being one for the extremes in whisky I couldn’t take to it.

Background: I’ve never drunk a Glen Ord whisky before. This one I found at a new café/restaurant in Bath. I had noticed their impressive selection of whisky (Many more than on the web site) in their wine shop below earlier that day and decided to give the place a try.   The restaurant looked pretty impressive, and was very friendly staffed, though we limited ourselves to just drinks on this occasion.

Tasting Notes: Glenmorangie: Finealta

Glenmorangie: Finealta (Scottish Highland Single Malt Whisky: No Age Statement: 46% ABV)

Visual: Bronzed apricot flesh.

Viscosity: Quite thick and fast streaks.

Nose: Smoke. Dried apricots. Pears. Banana candy sweets. Rice wine. Light peat and apples. Water dampens lighter notes and brings out smoke and wet rocks.

Body: Smooth and with light peat and a noticeable touch of alcohol fire. Slight custard and marmalade. Water adds peaches and passion fruit. Sherried raisins, chocolate and if you get the balance just right, a delicious run of pear.

Finish: Milk chocolate. Raisins. marmalade, light oak and apricot. Water adds meringue and much sweeter and richer chocolate.  In both cases there is slight alcohol fire, but with water the peat roams more.

Conclusion: This was the whisky that made me pay attention to Glenmorangie again after quite a break from drinking their whisky. A peated Glenmorangie, I could hardly imagine such a thing.

Cleverly, despite it being the unique selling point, they have decided to play the peat very subtly. It’s present underneath, but far from dominant in the whisky.  The main body is indeed quite sweet and fruity, though not as fruity as the nose, which is just bursting with joyous note perfect apple and pear that oozes through.

Possibly this discrepancy can be attributed to the slight alcohol fire present.  Without water I could enjoy the spirit, but found it hard to pin down individual flavours over the excited alcohol which seemed a lot more noticeable than I would expect for the abv.

Thus comes a dilemma, for tinkering with water lets the body open up, but as it does so that amazing aroma starts to weaken.  I would advise taking your time to just enjoy that first aspect to the full before moving on to water experimentation.

The right water balance is also quite hard to find, just a bit too much can significantly weaken it, so go drop by drop.   When you find the balance you get amazing pears and peaches coming through, so it’s well worth taking time over it. This tinker and test makes me glad to have a bottle worth to play with.

The end is the easiest bit to get right, just a touch of water and boom, lovely chocolate and a hint of fruit .

So, definitely a bit more punch and life than the average Glenmorangie, which I like, and such an amazing raw nose.  The peat is an edge not a bludgeon, and doesn’t feel gimmicky.   The fiery nature and need for care with water may make it a poor choice for a single measure, but a fine choice for a nights session.

Not perfect, but I have a good chunk of time for it.

Background: Originally tried at a whisky show, I’ve been keeping an eye out for this getting an open commercial release for while. The second of Glenmorangies private editions where they try out something a bit different. Quite extensive fiddling with water levels marked this tasting note so it had plenty of time to shine.

Tasting Notes: Glenmorangie: Sonnalta PX

Glenmorangie: Sonnalta PX (Scottish Highland Single Malt Whisky: no age statement: 46% ABV)

Visual: Slightly burnished gold.

Viscosity: Comparatively fast and slick.

Nose: Lots of red grapes, possibly Muscat grapes. Orange. Toffee and slight vinous sourness. Wood shavings. Spicy, plum pudding. Some white grapes behind the strong spiced front.  Water adds rhubarb crumble and apple.

Body: Very sweet orange crème. Brandy cream. Sour cherries, or possibly their representation in sweets . Milk chocolate and toffee. Apple crumble.  Water smoothes slightly and adds plums.

Finish:  Red grapes, bailies and fudge. Sugared apples. Water makes chocolate come out and adds the odd mix of raisins, custard and blueberry.

Conclusion: Definitely a whisky that belongs to that odd group of “dessert whisky”. Spicy and pudding sweet meet here in the booming aroma.  Grapes and wine are massively expressive and roll heavily out of the glass. In fact the power of the aroma is such that some elements area more easily picked up nearly a foot from the glass.

The fruitiness continues into the body, and mid body suddenly sour fruits start to sparkle against the sweetness.  Fantastically dessert sweet and refreshingly sour in a great mix. Very refreshing for a whisky, it leaves your mouth shimmering for a good while after.  It’s instantly potent, yet allows for such depth and range of subtle flavours. The Pedro Ximenez influence is obvious, and the Glenmorangie spirit lets us hear it roar.

Great with a dessert, or as a refreshing social gathering whisky, or even better for a slow luxurious examination. A whisky that shows its elegant facets and deceptive tartness that you will want to keep around for a while.

Background: Had at a local pub with wonderful whisky selection, this particular whisky had been recommended by the barmaid before so I decided to give it a try.  Glenmorangie has, for me, been a solid but uninspiring whisky in their main range, however recent exposure to their experimental range has given me a newfound respect for what they can turn out. This was the second in the distilleries “Private Collection” range and has been finished in Pedro Ximenez casks.

Tasting Notes: Glengoyne: 10 Year

Glengoyne: 10 Year (Scottish Highland Single Malt Whisky:10 Year: 40% ABV)

Visual: Slight toffee hued grain.

Viscosity: Medium speed thick streaks.

Nose:  Dried apricot and barley. Sharp lime, pencil shavings, brown sugar, prunes and vanilla. Water adds fudge in a warming style, as if from a hot drink. The apricots are emphasised and slight milky coffee comes out.

Body:  Slick and smooth., Vanilla custard. Slight dried bark. Water makes more custardy and adds slight nuttiness. Coffee liquore and black cherry.

Finish: Light oak and dried apricot. Rum and raisin ice cream. Milk Chocolate. Water makes more chocolate evident. Adds peanuts. The most evident element is still apricot. Black forest gateaux.

Conclusion: It is an odd coincidence this coming so soon after the Glenfiddich 15 as they both seem to call to the same imagery.  Lots of light fruit like peaches and apricots with the darker fruit as a hint behind.

This whisky however seems to use a heavier brush to paint the image. Obvious sweet fruit growing in a darkened woodland, dried apricot and custard through an oak and coffee background. Thus I found this the more enjoyable of the whiskies, taken best with a few drops of water but no more.

The rich fruit body and black forest gateaux finish are all sweet notes, but it uses a dry cut back to balance it well, slicing it away from sickliness and making a satisfying experience.

Feels like a Hansel and Gretel whisky, leading you down a trail through its flavours and mindset.  Without the drop of water its seems more spice than flavour, with too much it goes weak.  Take a bit of care to balance it right and it becomes lovely whisky for relaxing by the fireplace with.

Background: Originally the Burnfoot distillery, and still turns out a whisky under that name (though the only thing I’ve seen it in is plastic bottles which does not make me think it’s a high class example of their whisky). The distillery, despite being close to Glasgow, is one of the most picturesque that I have visited, with the water coming from a waterfall nestled away in an idyllic environment. First tried the whisky at a tour of the distillery where it did not impress too much. Then again I was at the end of a week distillery tour and may have been a tad worse for wear at the time. Glengoyne does not use peat smoke to dry their barley, which they claim gives a very clear expression of the whisky.

Tasting Notes: Dalmore: Cigar Malt

Dalmore: Cigar Malt (Scottish Highland Single Malt Whisky: No Age Statement: 40% ABV)

Visual: Slightly treacle hazed golden syrup colour. The water noticeably swirls within when added to the whisky.

Viscosity: Slides quickly down the glasses sides in a solid sheet.

Nose: Butterscotch, tobacco pouches in very light touches. Golden syrup and marmalade. Slight menthol and red grapes. Water adds light gingerbread and milk chocolate.

Body: Very sweet up front, yet heavy booming and forceful. Red grapes, blood oranges and sherried spices. Tingling orange crème centres. Light menthol. Water makes smother and sweeter, almost treacle like.

Finish: Milk chocolate. Light menthol and tobacco again. Chocolate mint crème centres. Water makes much more obvious the mint cream and ads a nice shortbread touch.

Conclusion:  Oh yes, Dalmore has yet to let me down. Built as an intended accompaniment to cigars, you can really see where they were going with this one.

Big booming powerful strokes in the body, thicker texture and menthol refreshing style all hint at something designed to hold its own with the strong flavours a cigar would bring.

Bit of a pity I don’t smoke then.

While it occasionally hints at a tobacco aroma itself, the butterscotch is much more the main element it brings to the fore, which complements the standard Dalmore marmalade and chocolate nicely.

A huge robust take on the Dalmore style, taking everything and adding a punch to it. It feels like it has much more abv than it actually does, not in alcohol burn as the spirit is very smooth, but in thickness and grip to the flavour.

A lovely mix of Dalmore refined style and forceful spirit.

Background: After finding a hotel bar that boasted over 300 premium spirits I ended up running around trying to get a notepad and pen since I didn’t have my usual kit with me.  Thanks to Martin who helped with the photos for the drinks.  Cigar Malt is also known as Grand Reserva according to the Michael Jackson Malt Whisky Companion and is a mix of between  ten to twenty-year-old whisky (or so that same tome says)