Scottish Whisky

Aberlour 16 Year Old Double Cask Matured

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside / ,

Aberlour 16 Year Old Double Cask Matured
Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

40% ABV
$75-$100
Website
Aberlour 16 Year

What the Distillery Says

Fruity & Deep
With the depth and complexity that comes from being matured for 16 years in a combination of American Oak casks and the finest Sherry butts, this expression’s warm and fruity notes are enriched by an engagingly spicy sweetness.

Colour: Rich golden amber
Nose: Rich scented floral and sweet raisin aromas with spicy nutiness
Palate: Smooth and full with sweet, floral and spicy flavours and notes of plum and gentle oak
Finish: Long, warm, spicy fruitiness

What Gary Says

Nose:  Sherry bomb, fruitcake full of raisins, apricots and plums, cloves, oak, smoke, cigar paper and spent matches.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, sweet with dark fruit, plums, raisins, oak, pepper, cinnamon, and clove.
Finish:  Moderately long, drying with pepper, sherry and oak.
Comments:  This is a sherry bomb with an oaky edge, and drinks a tad hot to me. Water tamps some of those edges, but leaves a sulfury note – and the finish degrades. That sulfury/spent matches note is something I’ve gotten in nearly every Aberlour I’ve tasted, and it just isn’t in my wheelhouse (sure, give me some worn Band-aids with an Islay single malt and I’m happy, but leave the spent matches please). Outside of that, it has a nice mouthfeel, so if you’re a fan of Aberlour, this probably won’t disappoint (and if like me you’re just not – this probably won’t be the dram that changes your mind).

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Compass Box Tobias & The Angel

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

Compass Box Tobias & The Angel
Blended Malt Whisky

47.6% ABV
$500
Website
Compass Box Tobias and the Angel

What the Blender Says

Made from just two parcels of whisky, which we are unlikely to source again at these ages, Tobias & the Angel is a culmination of two decades of whiskymaking.

We have a long-held reverence for the whiskies of the Clynelish and Caol Ila Distilleries. Ever since Eleuthera, which we created in 2002, we have understood that these two distillery whiskies complement each other exquisitely.

For the label artwork, so great is our esteem for the whiskies in this blend that we looked to Renaissance painting for inspiration.

We’ve chosen TOBIAS & THE ANGEL , a beautiful painting produced at Andrea del Verrocchio’s studio in Florence during the 15th century. As was common at the time, however, TOBIAS & THE ANGEL showcases the talents of several artists. For example, the little dog with its graceful and minutely-observed curls of hair, and the gleaming fish carried by Tobias, were both painted by a young Leonardo da Vinci.

We love the symbolism of the naïve boy and the divine angel. To us this represents the relationship between aromatic smoke, a hallmark of Caol Ila Distillery, and the ethereal fruitiness and complexity of Clynelish.

TOBIAS & THE ANGEL is our latest study of these two unique flavour profiles, and the effects of their combination. Due to the age of the single malts involved, it is also our rarest and most precious. We hope that those able to acquire a bottle might share its contents with other whisky lovers; the Angel to their Tobias.

FLAVOUR DESCRIPTORS: Distant bonfires underlay ethereal herbal and fruit characters, the result of extended maturation.

DISTILLERY SOURCING: A heavenly partnership of Clynelish Distillery and Caol Ila Distillery.

BOTTLING DETAILS: Bottled at 47.6% | Not chill-filtered | Natural colour

RECOMMENDATIONS: We believe this whisky will be best appreciated sipped at bottling strength. However, you may enjoy it any way you like.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich, smoky earthiness, herbal with fennel and lemongrass while sweet with vanilla, apricots, mangoes, and faint chocolate.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, fruit salad with peaches, stewed pears and cherries all drizzled lightly in caramel, earthy notes with pepper spice, nutmeg, cinnamon, a bit of a vegetal note, peat smoke and a bit of toffee.
Finish:  Long with peat smoke and toasted marshmallow lingering.
Comments: This is a deliciously complex dram – one I want to savor and pick apart every sniff or sip as it seems to keep showing me something new.  A bit of water amps up the fruit notes on the nose, and does the same on the palate while tamping the earthiness, and giving it a bit of waxiness.  I had the absolute pleasure of sampling this over the course of a couple of weeks, and doing so in a side-by-side setting with the preceding blends Eleuthera and The Lost Blend which I was fortunate enough to have bottles of.  That was a lot of fun to experience the progression moving from Eleuthera, which is a fine dram in its own right, to The Lost Blend – where it is quite similar but more rich and complex, to this which was more than a bit more complex.  This is comprised of parcels from Clynelish (24 yrs old) and Caol Ila (34 yrs old) in 51% to 49% ratios respectively.  If those ages are accurate, it is interesting that the older malt flipped here – as Eleuthera’s components were 15 yr Clynelish with 12 yr old Caol Ila.  For a whisk(e)y geek, I would absolutely encourage you to try to find an opportunity to try this – but the price is such that I couldn’t say anyone ‘Must Buy’.  Personally I’ve never spent this much money on a bottle, but I’m incredibly thankful and fortunate that Richard acquired one and generously shared it.  He shared his take on bottles in these higher priced tiers – not thinking about them simply as whiskey, but as an experience.  From that perspective, if you’ve ever enjoyed a $100 (or more) meal – consider that lasts only for a few hours over one evening, whereas you could enjoy perhaps a dozen such evenings with a 2 oz pour of this gem.  Or fewer while sharing the experience with friends.  This is definitely one I’d savor for an entire evening.

Rating: Must Try

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Compass Box Flaming Heart 2018

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Compass Box Flaming Heart 2018
Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

48.9% ABV
$130
Website
Compass Box Flaming Heart 2018

What the Blender Says

This is our sixth edition of Flaming Heart, a whisky born of oak, smoke and fire.

First released in 2006, Flaming Heart was the first whisky to combine the rich, complex spice of Scotch aged in new French oak with the evocative peat-red smoke of Islay malt.

It created a genre-defying style that was smouldering, spicy, complex – and so popular that we’ve re-released it five more times in the years that followed.

In this 2018 edition, we have reintroduced a subtle sherry-cask influence that adds an additional layer of complexity and richness. A medium smoky-peaty base is enriched by a sweet maltiness and notes of baking spices and dried fruit.

It’s a whisky to enjoy late into the night, perfect served neat or paired with rich cheeses.

FLAVOUR PROFILE: A medium smoky-peaty base is enriched by a sweet maltiness and notes of baking spices and dried fruit. Full on the palate and very long on the finish.
SERVING RECOMMENDATIONS: This is a whisky to enjoy late into the night. Drink it neat or with water, or try pairing it with rich cheeses.
TECHNICAL DETAILS: Bottled at 48.9%. Natural colour. Not chill filtered. A limited edition of 15,050 standard bottles and 800 magnums. June 2018.
LEAD WHISKYMAKER: Jill Boyd, 2018.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Smoke and peat with sherried fruit nuts under a fog of sea air, smoked meats and a touch of iodine.
Palate:  Thick and creamy mouthfeel with peat smoke, stewed fruits – berries, plums, peaches – exotic spice notes with honey and a hint of anise along with a touch of sea salt.
Finish:  Long and smokey with an ashy earthiness and hints of fruit.
Comments:  Flaming Heart is one of my favorite offerings from Compass Box, and probably the brand I’ve bought more bottles of than anything else in terms of Scotch whisky. When I first discovered it in 2015 (although ironically finding a 2012 release!), I bought it based solely on a review I read (this one!) and my experienced lined up with Richard’s.  I probably picked up a half-dozen bottles of the 2015 release over the course of 2 years (never bought more than 1 at a time!), so I did compared my sample of this 2018 edition (thanks Rich!) to that.  Very similar for sure – this has maybe a touch more ash/smoke, and the 2015 has maybe a touch more fruit.  When I did a blind side-by-side, I wasn’t sure I could tell any difference.  If you like smokey, peaty whisky that has a nice balance of fruit and spice – I can’t see how this would disappoint.

Rating: Must Try/Must Buy

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Compass Box Hedonism The Muse

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

Compass Box Hedonism The Muse
Blended Grain Scotch Whisky

53.3% ABV
$270-$300
Website
Compass Box Hedonism The Muse

What the Blender Says

Our first-ever bottling, Hedonism explored a brave new world of flavour previously uncharted in the world of Scotch.

When we recently discovered a cask of exceptional aged grain whisky of unknown origin in the spectrum of flavours of a HEDONISM whisky, we were inspired once again to go back to where it all started. This time, the label design reimagines the woman portrayed at the centre of all our HEDONISM labels – the first woman, as far as we know, ever to feature on a Scotch whisky label.

Women now make up the majority of our team here at COMPASS BOX, which is unusual in our industry. This diversity of perspective makes us, I believe, a better business.

HEDONISM, THE MUSE combines this single cask with other rare and remarkable grain whiskies of varying ages from four distilleries to create something we believe is utterly compelling; a whisky that has all the flavour hallmarks of our classic HEDONISM, with even greater depth and intensity.

We invite you to join us in this, our toast to women in whisky.

FLAVOUR DESCRIPTORS: Aromas and flavours reminiscent of vanilla, marzipan and honey. Full on the palate, round and with a very sweet impression. Very long finish that echoes the vanilla and marzipan.
LEAD BLENDER: Jill Boyd
AVAILABILITY: Limited Edition release of 3,060 bottles worldwide. Bottled February 2018.
BOTTLING DETAILS: Bottled at 53.3%. Not chill-filtered. Natural colour.
RECOMMENDATIONS: Drink this whisky whenever and however you like, as any true Hedonist would. When we’re feeling indulgent, we are partial to pairing THE MUSE with salted caramel.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Honey, vanilla, subtle floral, hints of apple and pear with soft spice notes, bit of sandalwood and leather.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel with honey, caramel apple, pepper with allspice, a touch of molasses.
Finish:  Moderately long with trailing vanilla.
Comments:  Grain whisky is often soft and subtle, and this is definitely that.  This is a delicious whisky, although quite subtle. I like Hedonism well enough, although not as well as some (Richard definitely appreciates the Hedonism lineup more than I have). We all have different preferences and palates. For mine, this was a small step up from that. Unfortunately it is a giant leap in terms of price. Nothing objectionable about this pour though, and if you’re a die-hard fan of Hedonism, I wouldn’t discourage you from seeking it out to try.

Rating: Stands Out

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Laphroaig Càirdeas Port & Wine Casks

/ / Islay, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Laphroaig Càirdeas Port & Wine Casks
Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

52% ABV
$90-$100
Website
Laphroaig Cairdeas Port and Wine

What the Distillery Says

TWO REDS ARE BETTER THAN ONE. INTRODUCING THE 2020 CÀIRDEAS – AN INSTANT CLASSIC CRAFTED WITH RUBY PORT BARRIQUES AND RED WINE CASKS
Our 2020 annual release of Laphroaig Càirdeas, Port & Wine Casks, continues our long history of innovation. A unique marriage of our classic Laphroaig whisky rested in second-fill Ruby Port ‘barriques’ along with whisky double matured in ex-Bourbon barrels followed by ex-red wine casks. Soft, round and warming, it’s an incredible ‘friendship’ that charts continents, styles and flavours.

Aromas of dark chocolate and menthol with pink peppercorns open up to an extraordinarily complex flavour. Toasted peaches, charred marshmallows and a hint of plum jam intertwine with Laphroaig’s iodine rich peat smoke to create a limited edition that lingers long on the palate and the memory.

FRIENDS ONLY
On Islay there is a saying; We don’t make friends easily but the ones we do are for life. Launched in 1994, Friends of Laphroaig are fans, friends and followers of our distillery from all over the world. Never short of an opinion or two they help Laphroaig explore new expressions, attend tastings and sometimes even visit the distillery at Laphroaig’s home on Islay. To reward the loyalty of its following, each year we launch exclusive bottlings within the Càirdeas series.

Càirdeas means ‘friendship’ in Gaelic and, each year, a limited-edition bottling is crafted by distillery manager and fifth generation Islay native, John Campbell, available exclusively to Friends of Laphroaig.

TASTING NOTES
COLOUR: Rose Gold
NOSE: Dark chocolate and menthol with pink peppercorns. Toasted peaches and charred marshmallows and hint of plum jam, all intertwined with Iodine rich peat smoke.
BODY: Full bodied.
PALATE: Honey Sweet with medicinal smoke.
FINISH: Mouth Warming and mouth coating with a lingering finish and slat on the lips

What Gary Says

Nose:  Port wine, berries, iodine, sea air, earthy with chocolate and a hint of barbecue pork with honey glaze.
Palate:  Sweet entry, fruity with strawberries, peaches and plums, peat, cinnamon, clove and port.
Finish:  Moderately long, damp with tart fruit preserves and peat.
Comments:  I’m a fan of Laphroaig, and like some finishes of it (PX Cask is one of my favorites), so I had higher hopes for this one. I expected to like this, and I do – but I can’t say I love it. Not sure I’d go for this over the 10 year cask strength. It is squarely Laphroaig with that peaty medicinal theme, but it feels out of balance. At first sniff I get some fruitiness, but then it is dominated by this earthy mineral note smothered in peat (which I don’t mind).

Rating: Stands Out

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