Posts Tagged ‘Scottish Whisky’

« Older Entries

…And you thought it was over

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

What’s this, two posts in one day?  I thought I’d share the rest of the evening’s festivities after the official Tullibardine tasting at The Brandy Library wound down.  There where quite a few people in attendance, including reps for Chivas and Famous Grouse (there were others too, I think).  Honorary Apostles Tamir and Shelline accompanied me as we drank deep the water of life.

Since Total Beverage Solution also handles Edradour and independent bottler Signatory, Adam (the TBS rep) let us sample the Signatory Isle of Jura and the Edradour Calendonia.

The Jura was quite interesting.  Like many other independent bottlers, Signatory does not purchase all their casks from the distillers.  Some of the casks come from overstock sold off by big blending houses (most likely Whyte & Mackay in this instance).  This Jura is one of those.  I’ve never been a fan of Jura.  I’ve always equated Jura’s taste profile to clinging to an innertube during a sea storm.  Something about this cask spending time off the island has tempered the salt.  The Signatory Isle of Jura is a little more balanced and subtle than the last distillery bottling I tried (admittedly some time ago).  The salt is certainly there.  There is a scent of the wilderness too, of animals and earth.  Quite delightful.

The Edradour Caledonia is a special 12 year old release hand picked by Scottish crooner Douglas Maclean and named for his song.  It’s got big, bold sherry notes and rich sugars (honey and brown sugar) without being cloying.  There are plenty of other things going on here so you don’t get bogged down in the sherry.  It reminds me of my favorite pipe tobacco quite a bit.

As mentioned earlier, a rep from Chivas happened to be on hand and poured us a dram of Chivas 18yo as we waxed philosophic on the importance of blends.  You already know my thoughts on Chivas 18yo.  Of course, The Brandy Library’s own Ethan Kelly had to get in on the action by turning us on to Old Parr 12yo.  Old Parr is a blend that has long interested me, solely because of the unique bottle shape.  Yet, I remained skeptical.  It’s an inexpensive blend in a funny bottle.  How good could it be?  Well, it’s quite nice.  If Johnnie Walker Black Label was softened to the point of being drinkable neat, it would taste something like this.  Smokey and sweet, this blend is more complex than expected, but smooth and balanced.  I’d say this a great buy.  After all, everyone should have at least one blended whisky in your bar no matter how much of a single malt snob you are.

Lastly, we had a dram of Glendronach 12yo.  The new Glendronachs are a huge improvement over the old ones.  The sherry is present without being overpowering.  The addition of Pedro Ximinez sherry casks really kicks up the palate.  This is very sophisticated for a 12yo.

Thanks to everyone:  Ethan at The Brandy Library, Anwar from Chivas, Adam from TBS, Shelline and Tamir.  Nights like this are what drinking whisky is about.  Sitting around enjoying a great dram with great conversation.  Slainte.

-Matt

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Matt's Blog, Scottish Whisky | 2 Comments »

Tullibardine At The Brandy Library

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

Last night, I hopped the E train down to Tribeca for some whisky and conversation (way better than tea and sympathy btw).  The Brandy Library and Adam Jacobs of Total Beverage Solution was hosting a tasting of four Tullibardine single malts.

Despite being located on the side of Scotland’s oldest brewery (circa 12th century), Tullibardine is a Highland distillery that you don’t hear about much here in the States.  This is due in part to being mothballed from 1995-2003.  Luckily, the distillery was in pretty good shape and there were a lot of casks just waiting to be bottled.

Tullibardine Vintage 1993
(15 years in 1st fill bourbon casks, no caramel coloring, chill-filtered, 43% ABV)
This is Tullibardine’s “benchmark” expression and arguably the most unique in the range.  I get a lot of citrus from both the nose and the palate.  Specifically, it’s like the pith of a pink grapefruit; slightly tart, slightly sweet, and crisp.  The cereal notes are also very prominent.  When you add in the floral and vanilla notes, it’s like a hearty country breakfast.

Tullibardine Vintage 1993 Oloroso Sherry Finish
(15 years old, about 15 months in sherry butts, non chill-filtered, no caramel coloring, 46% ABV)
Despite the higher proof, this whisky is not “hot” by any means.  The elements that make Tullibardine unique are still present, but with added elements of toffee, dark fruits and spice.  If you threw some haroset* into your country breakfast, this is what you’d get.

Tullibardine Vintage 1992
(16 years old, a marriage of mostly 1st fill bourbon casks with some sherry hogsheads, non chill-filtered, no caramel coloring, 46% ABV)
Here is where we lose some of the unique Tullibardine-ness.  Don’t get me wrong; this is a really nice whisky.  However, it’s very generic.  Vintage 1992 could easily have come from a number of other Highland distilleries.  The cereal notes are still there, there is a lot more sherry influence, but the citrus is muted almost to extinction.

Tullibardine Vintage 1988
(20 years old, a 50/50 marriage of 1st fill bourbon casks and sherry hogsheads, non chill-filtered, no caramel coloring, 46% ABV)
The extra age and slightly different blend resuscitates the citrus (and the whisky).  Vintage 1988 is rich and smooth, like a bolder version of the ’93 Oloroso Finish, but retains the vibrancy of the standard ’93 vintage.

I really enjoyed the uniqueness of Tullibardine, but there’s a catch.  All of the whiskies in this line-up where distilled under the previous ownership.  What’s to say that the new Tullibardine whiskies will be anything like these?  Will there still be that grapefruit vibrancy or will the taste profile become more generic like so many other malts that fall within a somewhat narrow range of deviation?  Only time will tell.  Thanks to Adam from Total Beverage Solution and Ethan Kelly at Brandy Library for playing host.

*Haroset (or charoset) is a blend of fruits, nuts, and spices that people of the Jewish faith eat during Passover to symbolize the mortar used during the years of slavery in Egypt.  I’m specifically referring to the Middle Eastern style that uses figs, dates, raisins and walnuts mixed with cinnamon and sweet wine.

-Matt

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Matt's Blog, Scottish Whisky | 2 Comments »

Gateway Series #9: Johnnie Walker Black

Thursday, July 9th, 2009

Johnnie Walker Black Label Old Scotch Whisky (12yo)
40% ABV, 80 Proof
About $35-40
Available pretty much everywhere

What The Distillery Says:
An acclaimed masterpiece of blending craftsmanship, the rich and smooth Johnnie Walker Black Label is an award-winning blend.

With a depth and complexity drawn from over 40 select whiskies, including the fresh fruitiness of Glendullan, the opulent Mortlach, the earthy Talisker and the creamy, vanillan Cameron Brig, Black Label…it is at once powerful, intriguing and unassailably elegant.  Small wonder it was Sir Winston Churchill’s whisky of choice.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Fresh cut wood, vanilla (extract not bean) and citrus notes that seemed to be a muted orange fragrance.  With water the peat that was so absent without water goes to the forefront.  The water actually disperses the unique notes and makes it smell like generic scotch.
Palate: Salty and smoky with hints of pepper peeking around the edges.  It leaves the mouth feeling brined.  Water opens up the palate a little and adds floral sweetness.
Finish: Smooth on the throat and a mixture of salt and smoke in the mouth.
Comments: I wish some of the more delicate notes on the nose came through on the palate.  It seems odd to me that adding water destroys the nose and opens the palate.  Usually for whiskeys bottled at 40 to 43% ABV the opposite occurs.  That said, Johnnie Walker Black isn’t bad and it’s always consistent.  I could drink this straight but I’d still probably prefer not to.
Rating: Average

What Matt Says:
Nose: Earthy, roasted nuts, citrus, and vegetal.
Palate: Peat, spice, grain, citrus, are the strongest flavors.  With water, some sweetness that I can’t place comes out.  It’s not really honey or sugar (or even burnt sugar).
Finish: Long finish.  Sweetness, smoke, vegetal, brine.
Comments: Not one of the best blends on the market, but a good starter.  Black Label is rounder and better developed than Red Label and more complex than Dewar’s White Label.  I don’t mind this neat, but I think it really shines in a simple cocktail or just with some soda.
Rating:  Average

Overall Rating:  Average.  A good gateway blend.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Matt's Blog, Richard's Blog, Scottish Whisky, Taste of the... | No Comments »

Event Notice: Blend Your Own Whisky

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

Astor Center (NYC) and Balvenie are teaming up to give the true Scotch whisky enthusiast the opportunity to deconstruct then reconstruct the Balvenie Signature 12yo this Friday (April, 24). The cost of the class is $95. More for info, visit Astor Center in person or on the web.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Event Notice, Scottish Whisky | No Comments »

Taste of… The Collector’s Cabinet

Tuesday, February 24th, 2009

Matt and I have discussed, at length the merits of offering reviews on whiskeys that are no longer available.  The argument against it is that if we review a dram that is out of this world then it would offer nothing to our readers but frustration at not being able to procure such a fine spirit.  This was our stance from the outset of Whisk(e)y Apostle.

As time went by we started thinking about this idea in a different light.  We realized that there is something to offer our readers by reviewing the occasional rare whiskey.  From a collector’s standpoint there are other resources available offering assistance in how collectable or valuable certain whiskeys are but rarely anything on taste. (As a general rule, we here at Whisk(e)y Apostle do not advocate the collecting of whiskey.  It is made to drink after all!)

So if you find a rare bottle of whiskey, how are you to know if it’s worth purchasing for the purpose of consumption?  That’s where we hope to offer what little assistance we can.  Matt and I aren’t exactly rolling in dough so this will not be a regular part of our reviews but we’ll do it whenever we get the opportunity.

To kick us off we thought we talk a wonderful whisky from Compass Box called The Spice Tree.  There is an unfortunate story behind why this great whisky is no longer in production.  I’m not going to reproduce the sad tale here but if you are interested further information can be found here (in the “Past Whiskies” section).

The Spice Tree
Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Formerly produced by Compass Box Whisky Company
Blended Malt Scotch Whisky46% ABV/92 Proof
Discontinued

What the distillery says:
A natural, deep, gold-brown color and a rich nose with spices such as clove and nutmeg, and sweet stewed fruits. Palate is soft, sweet, deep and rich with a malt whisky fruitiness embellished by rich spice. Very long.

What Richard says:
Nose: Scotch rolled in a warm bourbon blanket?  If I didn’t know what this was it would really keep me guessing.  Water opens up the nose to honey and floral sweetness.  Quite lovely.
Palate: The wood is the first and last thing you taste but not in the way you might think.  It’s not the tired over wooded flavor of an over aged whiskey.  It’s more like carrying your dram on a walk through the forest.  It’s a fresher wood taste.  There is a minor honeyed sweetness that almost hides from you.  The spice there but much more understated than the name suggests.  There are a lot of nutty flavors and at the very end of the palate I swear I get a hint of spearmint.
Finish: Much smoother than I expected but that really is par for John Glasser’s work.  Spice, nut, and wood remain after the palate is emptied.  It’s almost like peppered walnut bark.
Comments: As unfortunate as it is, this is a discontinued product. If you happen across a bottle at a reasonable price I would highly recommend picking it up.  I can’t give it a “Must Buy” because of the scarcity but it really deserves top honors.
Rating: Must Try

What Matt says:
Nose: Fox glove honey, caramel, wildflowers, and cardamom.
Palate: Like drinking a nice cup of mulled cider by a fresh cut Christmas tree.  Wood, evergreen, mulling spices, cooked fruit (apples and apricots).  The ultimate ‘comfort’ whisky.  Complex without being uppity.
Finish: Oak, white pepper, and pecan husks linger with a touch of caramel sweetness.  This whisky is incredibly smooth with very little burn on the tongue or in the throat.
Comments: My official rating for this will be a “Must Try” for the reasons that Richard states above.  However, if you see a bottle of this, buy it.  If you see two, let me know.  I will buy the other one.  I love this whisky and lament it’s passing.  When the last drop falls from my bottle, I will shed a tear.
Rating: Must Try

Overall Rating:   Must Try

Closing Comments: A lot of discontinued whiskeys are phased out due unpleasant factors (Glenmorangie Burgundy Wood Finish) or diminished stocks (Ardbeg 17 Year) but the Spice Tree is the unfortunate victim of politics.  There is little lacking in this quality dram.  If you are fortunate enough to come across a bottle or dram, by all means drink up.

Slainte!

Tags: , ,
Posted in Matt's Blog, Richard's Blog, Scottish Whisky, Taste of the..., The Collector's Cabinet | 1 Comment »

« Older Entries