Scottish Whisky

Glentauchers 18 Yr Cask Strength

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

Glentauchers 18 Yr Cask Strength
Gordon & MacPhail Casks 5072 & 5073
Distilled 1995

58.3% ABV
$125-$145
Website
Glentauchers 1995 Cask Strength

What the Producer Says

A rare example of cask-strength Glentauchers, released by independent bottler Gordon & MacPhail. Distilled on 14 June 1995, it was aged in a pair of first-fill sherry butts for 18 years before being bottled on 27 January 2014.

Natural Colour; Not Chill Filtered

Packaging Notes:  Sweet, with apple, pear and eucalyptus notes developing. The palate has chili spice with ripe banana, orange peel and a creamy chocolate edge

What Gary Says

Nose:  Orchard fruit, stewed apples, an herbal/malty note with a hint of darker fruit and nutmeg.
Palate:  Sweet entry with a strong/sharp spiciness, subtle fruit notes underneath with pears, banana, orange creamsicle; some water seems to thicken the mouthfeel, subdues the spiciness a bit and brings out more of the dark fruit notes.
Finish:  Moderately long, drying with fruit and pepper spice.
Comments:  Often I find the tasting notes in a PR or on the bottle to be fairly imaginative but not particularly accurate. Everyone tastes differently, but these were damn close to my experience (in hindsight, I get the eucalyptus although couldn’t put my finger on it as THAT; same thing with the chili spice). Water improves this one quite a bit, and actually improves the mouthfeel which I don’t find very often.

Rating: Stands Out

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Talisker 57° North

/ / Island, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Talisker 57° North Single Malt

57.8% ABV
$75
Website
Talisker 57 North
We would like to thank Paul (who shares reviews on Distiller.com, as well as reviews and general musings on his YouTube channel Dapper Drams) for the sample to review!

What the Distillery Says

Talisker 57° North takes its name from this remote, rugged and windswept distillery’s latitude. And rightly so, because this is an untamed, natural expression of the Talisker’s full power: a volcanic, intensely appealing flavour that most drinkers will have only experienced in a cask strength bottling.

Appearance: Full gold.
Nose: Clean and intense, with the light smoke of a struck match. Creamy toffee balanced by fruit. Hints of seaweed, heather blossom and vanilla.
Body: Explosive, intense and smoky.
Palate: Sweet, with smoke and tar exploding around the middle – evoking the raw volcanic power which formed Skye’s famous Black Cuillin mountains.
Finish: Oily, tingling with the signature pepperiness. Smoother with water.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Big sea-mist, iodine, oysters, sea-brine, acrid smoke, vanilla with hints of chocolate.
Palate:  Sweet with apricots, pears and caramel to start, than a pepper pop midway through with sulfur, smoke and peat.
Finish:  Long, drying with pepper and sea salt.
Comments:  This is Talisker with the volume turned up past 11. A non-age stated bottling, but nothing in my experience would lead me to believe it is young. While the proof will up the umph, taking a 5 yr malt at near cask strength wouldn’t be that similar of a profile when diluted.  After making my notes, I decided to take 10 mL and bring it down to about 92 proof, and it reminded me of Talisker 10 yr – so my guess is that it isn’t far off in terms of age.  Regardless of age, this is just delicious.  If you are a fan of Talisker or peaty malts in general, I’d highly recommend trying it.  I think you’d enjoy it.

Rating: Must Try

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Caol Ila Unpeated 18 Yr 2017 Release

/ / Islay, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Caol Ila 18 yr ‘Unpeated Style’
Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Natural Cask Strength
Special Release 2017

59.8% ABV
$125 (SRP @ release)
Website
Caol Ila 18 Yr Old Unpeated Style

What the Distillery Says

This unusual limited release 18 year old is the oldest unpeated CAOL ILA ever bottled and was matured in refill American Oak casks. It has a style as
clean and fresh as the pale sky that follows clearing rain, with a bitter-sweet warmth and an appetising salty edge. Crisp, smooth hints of fruit and a wild strawberry sweetness dance boldly across the tongue like flecks of foam over wind-lashed waves.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Cut hay, salted caramel and vanilla, strawberry greens, gentle smoke and a hint of salted sea air; a bit of water brings out more smoke and maritime notes.
Palate:  Rich and thick mouthfeel that starts soft and gradually warms, caramel with berries, apricots, peaches, pears, bit of allspice and smoke pick-up in the middle along with honey malt.
Finish:  Long with a warm and subtle spice nod.
Comments:  Wow – this is delicious! I like Caol Ila, and when I heard ‘unpeated’ I’ll admit that my immediate thought was ‘Folks, if it ain’t broke – don’t fix it’. I was curious how this would be without the peat, and I am so glad to have had a chance to try this. Just a lovely, complex dram that highlights the craftsmanship of the makers. Some might wonder if peated malt is a lower quality (where the peat can cover up some mistakes). This shows that isn’t the case. Takes water well, although drinks like it is closer to 50% than 60%.

Rating: Must Try

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Port Charlotte 10 Yr Old Heavily Peated

/ / Islay, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Port Charlotte 10 Yr Old Heavily Peated

50% ABV
$68 – $80
Website
Port Charlotte 10 Yr Heavily Peated

What the Distillery Says

This Port Charlotte 10 year old has been conceived, distilled, matured and bottled on Islay alone. We are a young team with deep-rooted values, and an ambition to make the ultimate “Islay” Islay whisky. A whisky made by people not software; a whisky watched over every day of its maturing life by those who made it; a whisky born of a community with a vision and a mission to kick start a single malt whisky revolution, this Port Charlotte 10 year old is who we are. This is where we’re from.

TASTING NOTES
Nose: The smoke is calmed by the marine, ozone character, time has brought a balance, a harmony in the combination of oak, smoke and spirit. While the smoke is always discernible on the nose it is dry, earthy, peatash in its style and so allows the oak to come forward with waves of golden caramel, fudge, vanilla custard, hints of ginger, nutmeg and clove. There is citrus fruit, coaxed from the glass with a drop of water, gentle lemon meringue and clementine. Breathe deeply and the floral aromas of wild thyme, heather and sea pink bring you to this Atlantic coast.
Palate: On the palate there is a noticeable delicacy and softness in texture and style. Again, the balance of flavour is superb as the smoke wraps loosely around the sweetness drawn from deep within the oak. Coconut, vanilla custard, lemon honey combines with smoked oysters and sun baked salty sand.
Finish: The finish is sublime, smoky sure, but also the soft sweetness of fudge and malted barley, orange, mango and Banoffee pie hinting of the depth and quality of the oak. The many layers interchange on each sip. As the smoke comes and goes so too the notes of the spirit, ripe apple and apricot, beautifully intertwined with malt and oak sweetness and that typical Port Charlotte style dry smoke.
Character: Ageing for 10 years on the shores of Loch Indaal has had a profound effect on this spirit. Like sunshine on a winters day, this Port Charlotte 10 brings clarity and lightens the mood, welcoming and brightening the future.

PRODUCT SPECIFICATION
WHISKY TYPE: HEAVILY PEATED ISLAY SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY
PHENOL LEVEL: 40 PARTS PER MILLION
BARLEY PROVENANCE: 100% SCOTTISH BARLEY FROM INVERNESSHIRE REGION
MATURATION PROFILE:
65% 1ST FILL AMERICAN WHISKEY CASKS
10% 2ND FILL AMERICAN WHISKEY CASKS
25% 2ND FILL FRENCH WINE CASKS
BOTTLING: BOTTLED ONSITE WITH ISLAY SPRING WATER, NON CHILL FILTERED & COLOURING FREE
LIQUID COLOUR: PRIMROSE TO CITRINE
TASTE DESCRIPTOR: BARBECUE SMOKINESS, RICH AND SPICY WITH SWEET MALTY NOTES

What Gary Says

Nose:  Boatloads of peat, medicinal notes of iodine, a briny sea mist with smoke and notes of ginger, honey, milk chocolate, and tropical fruits.
Palate:  Sweet start with vanilla, honey, coconut macaroons, chocolate and bits of caramel before sharpening in the mid palate with some pepper bite (and maybe oregano?); peat threaded throughout.
Finish:  Long and lovely, with honey and smokey peat with ocean breeze.
Comments:  This is squarely in the Islay peaty whisky family; which I happen to really enjoy. It takes a bit of water well, smoothing it out a bit without losing any richness. For fans of peat (Laphroaig, Lagavulin), I think you’ll want to seek this out; I’d recommend going out of your way to try it.

Rating: Must Try

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Deanston 12 Year Sherry Oak

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Deanston 12 Year Sherry Oak
Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

40% ABV
$44
Website
Deanston 12 Year Sherry Oak
We would like to thank Paul (who shares reviews on Distiller.com, as well as reviews and general musings on his YouTube channel Dapper Drams) for the sample to review!

What the Distillery Says

SHERRY OAK
Finished in Sherry Casks

Our tight-knit community is embodied in the traditional methods used to produce this unique single malt whisky.

Crafted by hand, this Deanston malt has been finished in sherry casks to ensure a rich amber colour and deep flavour. This creates a warm, fruity dram which tastes best when shared.

COLOUR: Amber gold
NOSE: The characteristic honey of Deanston, subtle dried fruit with hints of toffee, oak and delicate spice.
PALATE: Sweet honey and fruit, hints dried fruit and toffee with delicate rich oak and sweet maltiness.
FINISH: Sweet and lingering with hints of fruit and delicate spice.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Heavy fruit, raisins, plums, figs, tart berries, fresh prairie grass, brown sugar, honey, oak and a hint of balsamic.
Palate:  Sweet honey malt, fruitcake, raisins, nutmeg, oak with a dash of pepper.
Finish:  Moderate in length, slightly drying with dried dark fruit.
Comments:  This is a Taiwanese market exclusive that a fellow whisk(e)y enthusiast won at auction, so it isn’t mentioned on their web-site. The details above were from images of the box I could find on-line (so if they had multiple varieties of this, may not line up exactly – sorry). I’m unfamiliar with Deanston, so when arranging to trade samples, I picked this to try.
It’s quite a pleasant dram, not particularly complex but fairly ‘flavor intense’ for 40% ABV. I wouldn’t go out of my way to track one down necessarily, but nothing objectionable with this (although at 40% ABV, I did find it didn’t take water well; thinned out rather quickly – which isn’t a surprise for the low proof).

Rating: Stands Out

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