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Glenmorangie Astar

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Glenmorangie Astar
57.1% ABV, 114.2 Proof
Around $75, Widely Available
Website

What The Distillery Says:
From the tall peaks of Missouri ‘Ozarks’ to the sweeping grandeur of the Highlands of Scotland, Astar (in Gaelic it means “journey”) is the story of our quest to ‘design’ the very best oak casks that will deliver perfection in the final spirit; the result is a deep, rich, silky and creamy malt that embodies Glenmorangie’s art of whisky creation.

What Richard Says:
Nose: The high bottling strength makes for a trying nose.  The alcohol tends to get in the way.  It’s very delicate and clean.  Crisp apples. With water there is a hint of peat and more of a nutty character.  Also more apple and under ripe fruit.
Palate: Very tart opening with a mild vegetal quality but soon the alcohol bulldozes everything out of the way.  Not a dram to be had without water.  The flavor is too delicate for bottle strength.  With water a honey sweetness develops and is followed by grassy notes.
Finish: Straight, the finish is all alcohol burn.  Once water is added you get a tart finish bookending the tart opening.
Comments: Astar is the “heart” of the new Glenmorangie Original and it shares many characteristics from nose through to the finish.  I would like to maybe see this bottled down around 46% ABV.  Heresy to some but that’s just my opinion.  This flavor profile is much too delicate for so much alcohol.
Rating: Average

What Matt Says:
Nose: Without water the alcohol is dominant, but there is a strong scent of bread dough.  With water, the nose opens to a cornucopia of aromas.  Green apples (the meaty bit, not the skin), vanilla, honeysuckle, oak, and spice all dance together to a sensuous melody.
Palate: There is a lot of oak and spice here.  With water the fruit and sweetness is revealed.  Green apples, cinnamon, ginger, mint, vanilla, and a creamy sweetness like sweetened condensed milk.
Finish: Neat, there is enough burn for a bonfire.  With water, there is tartness (like green apple skins).
Comments: As with anything from Glenmorangie, I carry a slight sentimental bias.  I don’t think this is a dram for a novice, but I would recommend it for a seasoned whisky drinker.  I’m not sure the high proof is necessary.  The best bits of this whisky don’t come out until you add water.  However, that means that this bottle will last me about twice as long (which makes for better value).
Rating:  Stands Out

Overall Rating:  Average.  Not for the novice or the faint of heart.

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Laphroaig 10yo

/ / Islay, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Laphroaig 10yo Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
43% ABV, 86 Proof
Around $35, Widely Available

What The Distillery Says:
Laphroaig, pronounced “La-froyg”, is an all-malt Scotch whisky from the remote island of Islay in the Western Isles of Scotland.  Laphroaig is a Gaelic word, and means “the beautiful hollow by the broad bay”.
In the making of Laphroaig, malted barley is dried over a peat fire.  The smoke from this peat, found only on the island of Islay, gives Laphroaig its particularly rich flavour.
Laphroaig is best savoured neat, or with a little cool water.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Vegetal and peaty in a way that’s second only to Ardbeg.  I also get vanilla, wood chips, and fresh pine straw.  With water the peat fades and it becomes very nutty with hints of leather.
Palate: Creamier on the palate than Ardbeg, but after an initial settling the peat begins to dominate.  Seaweed with a mild brine but not overly salty. Water opens a light honey note but kills everything else.
Finish: On the finish the salty brine kicks it up a notch.  Very little burn.  The wood and peat dominate the finish but not really in a pleasant way.
Comments: For peaty Islays I like Laphroaig better than Ardbeg but not as much as Lagavulin.  I feel that Laphroaig is a whisky that ages well but tends to need that aging.  It goes really well with seafood or cigars.  The 15 Year or the Quarter Cask are better but this isn’t a bad entry to Islay.  Oddly enough the profile of this dram changes over the course of the time spent with it.  On my initial tasting it is good but not overwhelmingly appealing.  However, as you take more sips the dram seems to open up and become a more comforting dram.  A nice quiet even by the fire drink.
Rating: Average

What Matt Says:
Nose: Peat (of course), roasted nuts, orange pith, iodine and oak are strong on the nose.  With water, the peat fades, pulling the citrus and nut notes forward.  A little more water takes the nose to orange essential oils.
Palate: Peat (of course), brine, vanilla, orange juice and buttermilk.  A little water brings out some milk chocolate and honey (like a Toblerone).
Finish: Long on the peat with a touch of seawater and very little burn.
Comments: This is a sturdy whisky (i.e. it holds up to water).  Laphroaig is what a lot of people reach for when they first try an Islay malt.  I think that is not a bad thing.  It’s definitely a good entrance to Islay (but a little burly for the Gateway Series).  There is a creaminess and complexity that Arbeg 10yo lacks and the price point is much more agreeable than the Lagavulin 16yo (which Richard and I agree is the best of the three).
Rating:  Average

Overall Rating:  Average, a great entry into Islay whiskies.

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Gateway Series #9: Johnnie Walker Black

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

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.

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Rowan’s Creek Straight Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

To celebrate America’s independence from British rule, we are reviewing Rowan’s Creek.  I mean, what better way to celebrate than with a dram of America’s native hooch?

Rowan’s Creek Straight Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey
(Batch QBC No o9-21)
50.05% ABV, 100.1 Proof
Around $35

What the Distillery Says:
Rowan’s Creek is stored in charred oak barrels. It is hand bottled at 50.05% alc./vol. (100.1 proof).

Rowan’s Creek is made and bottled by hand, in small lots, one batch at a time.

This Bourbon takes its namesake from the creek that still runs through our distillery. Back in the late 1700’s when John Rowan first settled around Bardstown , whiskey makin’ was the order of the day. John went on and made a name for himself as a well respected judge and statesmen. The judge is long since gone, but the creek that still bears his name is still carrying the best limestone spring water there ever was for making good Bourbon, so you know the whiskey makin’ is still going on. Try a sip of it, straight up in a snifter, or add a dab of branch water if you like. Either way, it’s the very best there is. (Rowan’s Creek is distilled and bottled by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers, Ltd.)

-This is a small batch bourbon therefore your bottle of Rowan’s Creek may taste slightly different depending on bottling year. – Matt

What Richard Says:
Nose: This nose is sweetly floral but hard to get at due to the alcohol strength.  With water fruity notes come out.  Citrus and apricot I believe.  It’s kind of odd but I get absolutely no wood or grain on the nose.
Palate: Not nearly as sweet on the palate as the nose.  Pepper and spice and oh so nice.  This isn’t really a smooth bourbon. Not one for the Basil Hayden fans.  But what is does have is mountains of flavor.  A very robust experience.  It’s like candied Mexican chilies.  With water the pepper is tamed and a lovely honeysuckle flavor develops.
Finish: For such a fiery palate it doesn’t go down to rough…as long as you take it slow.  Lot’s of pepper left on the palate.  The sides of the tongue are almost left numb.  This finish with water is smooth, mellow, but not bland.
Comments: A real man’s bourbon!  I’m not trying to sound sexist or imply that women shouldn’t drink it. I just mean that Rowan’s Creek is one fierce hombre.  It has the classic bourbon character but it wears it better than most.
Rating: Stands Out

What Matt Says:
Nose: Burnt sugar (like dark rum), caramel, vanilla, cereal notes (corn).  With water, it opens up to bold floral and honey suckle notes that remind me of my childhood.
Palate: Oak, char, smoke, caramel, karo syrup, cereal notes (this time malted barley and rye).  Enough body to withstand copious amounts of water.  Sweet but not cloying, spicy but not overly so, Rowan’s Creek is vaguely reminiscent of tamarind candy.
Finish: The finish goes on for a bit.  The malt and rye notes hang around with a little spice.  Just when I think it’s over and I’m ready for another sip, I get hit with flavors of evergreen and mint.
Comments: This is one of my new favorites.  It’s full-bodied and complex at a reasonable price point.  It also makes the best Mint Julep ever.  Knocking down the proof with some cool spring water makes this a perfect summer dram while drinking it straight will warm you to your toes in the dead of winter.  Rowan’s Creek is great anytime of the year.  Between my personal love for this whiskey and the price, I’m going to have to go with a “Must Buy” rating.  However, Richard makes an excellent point.  This whiskey is not for everyone.  If you are a beginner or looking for something simple to enjoy casually, this is probably not the dram for you.  The high proof alone makes it less approachable to a novice.
Rating:  Must Buy

Overall Rating:  Must Try.
Stands out among other bourbons (especially at this price), but may not be the best dram to start your whiskey education.  Not for the faint of heart.

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Gateway Series #8: Johnnie Walker Red Label

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

Johnnie Walker Red Label Old Scotch Whisky (Blended)
40% ABV, 80 Proof
$20-25, Available Everywhere

What The Distillery (Blender) Says:
Johnnie Walker Red Label is a rich, full-bodied blend of up to 35 of the finest aged single malt and grain whiskies.  Bursting with character and flavor, it’s the favorite of millions of people all over the world.

Its vibrancy makes it perfect for mixing – something few other spirits can do without losing their true character.

Red Label was first unveiled in 1906 by Alexander Walker as a powerful combination of spicy, smoky malts and lingering, lighter grains.  He called it “Special Old Highland Whisky.”  In 1909, Alexander renamed it “Johnnie Walker Red Label” in deference to his consumers who were already using “Red Label” as shorthand when ordering the brand.

What Richard Says:
Nose:  Apples and caramel.  Kind of like the candied apples you get at the county fair but not quite.  With water the nose opens up a slightly woodier character.
Palate:  Wow, this stuff is really boring.  It’s nearly flavorless.  There are hints of tobacco and wood but they are the faintest hints and then they’re gone.  JW Red doesn’t really taste bad, it just doesn’t have much of a taste at all.
Finish:  Relatively smooth (I would hope so with a palate that dull).  There is a little burn on the sides of the tongue and it leaves the mouth tasting medicinal.
Comments:  Scotch for the young’uns who just want to get drunk.  A mixer to add alcohol content to something else.  Not really worth your time.
Rating: Probably Pass

What Matt Says:
Nose: Smoke, leather, nail polish remover, caramel and vanilla.  Turns sour with water (smells like hangover vomit).
Palate: Less burn than Dewar’s White Label, but there is not much here.  Smokey (charred oak as opposed to the tobacco in Dewar’s) and a little sour.  With water, the texture firms up and some burnt toffee notes open up.
Finish: Nothing on the center of the tongue, but the burn lingers around the edges along with the sourness.  Water brings out the toffee notes in the finish as well.
Comments: I enjoy much of Johnnie Walker’s line, but something about the Red Label turns my stomach.  Dewar’s White Label is nothing special, but there is nothing stomach churning about it either.  If it’s a choice between this and Dewar’s, go with the Dewar’s every time.  If this is the only whisky in the house, drink beer or volunteer to be the designated driver.
Rating:  Probably Pass

Overall Rating:  Probably Pass

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