Highlands, Scotland- From an island off of the Highland coast.This unique Single Malt brings the brine and smoke to a region known mostly for more delicate malts. Rich, complex and slowly matured. Best enjoyed straight up or with a cube or two of ice.
What Richard Says:
Nose: A hint of smoke with a more vegetal and briney backbone. Palate: Dry, salty, and savory. It’s more than a little bland. Finish: “Smooth” if you go for that kind of thing. Really it is uninspiring and leaves you with nothing to note. Comments: This bottle (and Shieldaig brand) are bottled for Total Wine by Ian Macleod Distillers. This is typical of ultra low cost private label bottles. By that I mean unoffensive but unremarkable. If you need a super cheap scotch then this is probably as good as any other $18 bottle. But that doesn’t mean I would buy it.
Stiggins’ Fancy Plantation Pineapple Original Dark Rum 40% ABV $30 Website What the Blender Says: Plantation Pineapple Rum – Stiggins’s Fancy, created by company founder Alexandre Gabriel and cocktail historian David Wondrich, is inspired by several traditional recipes used in the 1800s. Gabriel infused ripe Queen Victoria pineapples in Plantation Original Dark Rum for three months, before adding the distillate of rum macerated sith the bare rind of the fruit. The resulting 40% abv rum is described as having notes of tropical fruit, smoke, citrus peel and clove.
“David and I did this project in part out of sheer curiosity,” Gabriel said. “Mostly, however, we did it because the pineapple is the symbol of hospitality and also the symbol of the Tales of the Cocktail Apprentice program.”
The new expression is also named after the Reverend Stiggins, a character in Charles Dickens’ The Pickwick Papers whose favoured tipple was pineapple rum. “Stiggins’s Fancy is our liquid “thank you” to the Tales Apprentices who do so much for all of us. We hope you all enjoy drinking it as much as we did making it.
“The 1824 Journal of Patent Inventions notes that it was customary in the West Indies to offer pineapple rum to visiting European friends. Following the West Indian tradition, Plantation Pineapple Rum is our gift to you.”
What Richard Says: Nose: With a wisp of coconut this would smell like the finest pina colada in the world. Rich, bright, sugary rum interlaced with fresh cut pineapple…as you would expect, right? Palate: Surprisingly, this is not cloyingly sweet at all. It is the most impressive pineapple infusion that I’ve ever tasted elegantly laid into the rum. Finish: Dry and fleeting. Comments: This rum is amazing. It is the most impressive flavor infused spirit (not just rum) that I’ve ever tried. By itself this is crazy good and enjoyable and in a cocktail it is damn near unmatched. Kudos! Rating: Must Buy
We would like to thank Maison Ferrand for sending us a sample to review.
Bushmills Sherry Cask Reserve Single Malt Irish Whiskey The Steamship Collection 40% ABV $89 per liter Website What the Distillery Says: THE STEAMSHIP COLLECTION™ is new innovation range, inspired by travel, from Ireland’s oldest working distillery 15 February 2016: BUSHMILLS® Irish Whiskey today announced its first new range of limited edition Irish whiskeys available exclusively to shoppers in select travel retail outlets – THE STEAMSHIP COLLECTION™. The first release in the collection, SHERRY CASK RESERVE, combines the centuries-old fine Irish whiskey making craft with intercontinental flavours, to mark the 125th anniversary of the maiden voyage of SS Bushmills.
The limited edition collection is inspired by the extraordinary voyages of the SS Bushmills steamship to new corners of the world and introduces a range of special cask matured Bushmills Irish Whiskeys. In 1890 the ship, commissioned by then owners The Boyd Brothers, set course for America, travelling as far as Philadelphia and Yokohama, before eventually returning refilled with casks of rum, fortified wine and bourbon – the gateway to new flavour possibilities.
David Phelan, Director of Jose Cuervo® Global Travel Retail, said: “The launch marks an exciting phase for Bushmills and demonstrates Jose Cuervo’s commitment to unlocking the potential of this legendary whiskey in the high profile travel retail channel. The Steamship Collection is available now in Belfast, Dublin and London Heathrow, and while it can’t be purchased elsewhere, we hope distribution will extend across the world, just like the voyages of SS Bushmills to the USA, Asia and beyond.”
SHERRY CASK RESERVE is exclusively matured in first-fill Oloroso sherry butts to deliver additional spiced honey, dark chocolate and rich dried fruit flavours. The bottle is presented in a distinctive maritime-designed packaging featuring a replica illustration of the famous Bushmills steamship.
Speaking about Bushmills’ tradition for innovation Colum Egan, Master Distiller at The Old Bushmills Distillery, said, “For centuries distillers have experimented with different barrels so naturally I was inspired by the adventures of the ship and the opportunities it opened to experiment with various casks from around the world. So, together with Master Blender Helen Mulholland, we created a whiskey with a rich, complex flavour and a smooth finish – a characteristic synonymous with our range of triple distilled whiskeys.”
A limited number of bottles of SHERRY CASK RESERVE are available now exclusively to travellers in Belfast City, Dublin and Heathrow T5 priced at €80, £65, $89 for 1Litre. It is the first release in the collection, which will soon comprise three permanent expressions plus regular special releases.
TASTING NOTES Oloroso (‘scented’ in Spanish) is a darker sherry, with a rich and nutty flavour profile. This adds to sherry’s intense raisin characteristics and provides a new layer of complexity within the whiskey.
Colour: Medium rich gold Nose: A full bodied intriguing aroma with dried fruit, spices and burnt sugar sweetness Taste: Bushmills’ distinctive honeyed maltiness is intensified in this robust, darker liquid. Dark chocolate, nuttiness and spice with sweet oils mingle with vanilla and honey. Finish: A long, sweet and smooth finish with subtle liquorice notes.
What Richard Says: Nose: Brown sugar oatmeal, allspice berries, prunes, dried cranberries, and raw almonds. Palate: Creamy honey mouthfeel that is way ahead of the 80 proof strength, chocolate covered almonds, and cloves. Finish: Mint and fennel seed with a fading tannic finish. Comments: This is one of the more un-Bushmill whiskeys from Bushmills I’ve had in some time. It is a very tasty whiskey in its own right but I find it even more intriguing as a different facet of the Bushmills stock. The sherry balances supremely well with the other components. Delicious! Rating: Must Try
We would like to thank Bushmills for sending us a bottle for review.
Auchentoshan American Oak Single Malt Scotch Whisky 40% ABV $39.99 Website What the Distillery Says: Triple distilled and matured solely in American bourbon casks. The result: a Lowland Single Malt Whisky with the sweet aromas of vanilla and coconut – along with the signature smooth, delicate, Auchentoshan taste.
Tasting Notes
To The Eye: Bright gold. To The Nose: Bourbon vanilla and coconut with layers of zesty citrus fruit. To The Tongue: Refreshingly smooth yet lively with vanilla cream, coconut and white peach. To The End: Crisp with sugared grapefruit and a hint of spice.
What Richard Says: Nose: Vanilla sugar, orange marmalade, fruit cocktail, and a little sherry. Palate: More fruit cocktail, a little melted vanilla ice cream (the cheap stuff not vanilla bean), and sweetened condensed milk. Finish: Spicy with a lingering grassy finish. Comments: Auchentoshan is one of those funny drams that has to hit me just right when I drink it or I’m completely turned off. When I’m in the mood it’s great. When I’m not I want just about anything else. The tasting sessions with this American Oak were all right on. A sweet, smooth, and easy drinking dram. Very nice, if a little underproofed. Rating: Stands Out
We would like to thank Beam Suntory for sending us a sample to review.
Glen Garioch 1797 Founder’s Reserve Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 48% ABV $45 Website What the Distillery Says: The quintessential Glen Garioch, Founder’s Reserve celebrates the brothers who first established the distillery and the 200 plus years of craftsmanship that goes into every bottle that bears the Manson name.
Tasting Notes
Nose – Warm amber in appearance, sweet vanilla and subtle spice combine with fruitier green apple and grapefruits on the nose. Palete – Butter cream and vanilla pave the way to fruity green apple skin and citrus cleanliness, leading to an elegant and subtle finish.
What Richard Says: Nose: Damn, I could smell this all day. Creamy vanilla, rich fruits, cinnamon, cloves, allspice berries, grapefruit, and lime hard candies. Palate: More sweet vanilla cream, apple pie filling, cocoa nibs, fine brandy, and slightly stale cigar tobacco. Finish: Lingering oak and cocoa powder. Comments: The palate and finish aren’t bad but the nose is an amazing standout here. I can’t say the last time I smelled a whisky this in captivating. It is worth ordering a dram just to sit and smell it. Rating: Stands Out, Great Value
We would like to thank Beam Suntory for sending a sample for review.
