Scottish Whisky

Glenfarclas 12 Year

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

Glenfarclas 12 Year
43% ABV
$47 – $55
Website

What the Distiller Says
100% Oloroso Sherry Cask Maturation.
An excellent introduction to the distillery style – for those who enjoy a sherried whisky.
To be consumed neat or with a drop of water.
A great accompaniment to smoked salmon or Ibérico Ham.

Tasting Notes
Colour: Vibrant, amber-gold.
Nose: Fresh and beautifully light, sherried fruit combined with a tempting spicy sweetness and a hint of sappy oak.
Flavour: Full-bodied with a delightful sherried fruit, oak and delicious sweet sensations.
Finish: Long and flavoursome, with a lingering spiciness.

What Gary Says
Nose:  Rich, thick nose of dark sherried fruit; plums, figs, pears with a note of balsamic vinegar; almonds dusted with cocoa.
Palate:  Rich sweetness, chocolate covered raisins with an earthy spiciness; a bit of mossy smoke with a hint of ginger at the end.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying, with trailing cinnamon.
Comments:  Wow – what a difference a couple of years (and a few proof points) make! We’re conditioned to expect single malts to improve with age, but I was (pleasantly) surprised by how much of a step up this was from the 10 yr. A delicious sherried highland single malt; with more of a spice edge than is typical of the style (which I very much appreciate).
Rating: Stands Out

Glenfarclas 12 Year Read More »

Glenfarclas 10 Year

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

Glenfarclas 10 Year
40% ABV
$40
Website

What the Distiller Says
100% Oloroso Sherry Cask Maturation.
Gloriously smooth, yet with the depth and finish you would normally expect of a much older dram.
A wonderfully sherried whisky and an excellent aperitif.

Tasting Notes
Colour: Vibrant, straw-gold.
Nose: Tempting sherry-sweet malty tones combine with delicate aromas, releasing subtle spices. Warming the glass reveals honey, vanilla and pear drops.
Flavour:Delicately light, with a mouth-watering combination of maltiness, sherry sweetness. Hints of drived fruit, vanilla, cinnamon and cloves tempt the taste buds further.
Finish: Long, smooth and spicy.

What Gary Says
Nose:  Sherried raisins, green apples with an underlying heather/earthiness; a hint of solvent.
Palate:  Sweet start, malty with honey, bits of dark chocolate and kiwi; sharpens to a peppery vegetal (maybe mashed potatoes?) note with just a hint of smoke.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, and drying.
Comments:  This was my introduction to Glenfarclas – starting with the youngest expression in their “aged range” (not sure how old the 105 Cask Strength is, reports are it is younger than 10 yrs). While nothing off-putting, I thought it was a bit thin – and not as fruity on the palate as I’d expect from the nose. Maybe at a higher proof this would be more up my alley. The 12 yr is a significant step up from this.
Rating: Average

Glenfarclas 10 Year Read More »

Cadenhead’s 1842 Live Cask: Islay

/ / Islay, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Cadenhead’s 1842 Live Cask: Islay
Bottled 5/24/2016
55% ABV
$25 (200 mL)
Website

What the Bottler Says
The Cadenhead’s 1842 Live Casks contain two or more single malts from the region they represent. Visitors to the store can buy bottles of various sizes. The casks and contents are changes periodically, so if you like a particular pour, best to buy when you can!

What Gary Says
Nose:  Sea air, brine, peat, iodine with pepper spice.
Palate:  Earthy peat with hints of honey, pepper spice bite at the end.
Finish:  Moderate in length, drying and peppery.
Comments:  I bought this while visiting their London store in May 2016. It is a solid representation of Islay with big peat and sea air. Some water definitely helps bring it into a better balance, allowing more of the honeyed sweetness to cut through. I was really intrigued by this concept of “live casks” where they bottle right there in front of you (and, I couldn’t find anything else in stock and refused to leave empty handed!) Glad I did – very enjoyable pour.
Rating: Stands Out

Cadenhead’s 1842 Live Cask: Islay Read More »

Ledaig Signatory 9 Year

/ / Island, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Ledaig 9 yr Cask Strength
(Signatory, 1st fill sherry butt, cask no 900146)
56.8% ABV
$90
Website

What the Seller Says
A nine-year-old Ledaig from Signatory as part of the Cask Strength Collection. Distilled in 2005, this peated whisky was aged in a first-fill sherry butt, a combination that has produced superb indie bottlings.

What Gary Says
Nose:  Thick sherry with dark fruit, peat, smoke and sea air.
Palate:  Rich mouthfeel, sweet peat, sherried stewed fruit, molasses with a sharp pepper bite.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying with some pepper spice.
Comments:  I bought this on a recommendation that I seek out young Ledaig in sherry. I’m glad I listened, as this is delicious! While this doesn’t need water, it holds up well to it – maintaining the rich mouthfeel – and it subdues the pepper edge a bit. If you like smoke, peat, and sherry – I’d absolutely look for this or something similar.
Rating: Must Try

Ledaig Signatory 9 Year Read More »

The GlenDronach 21 Yr Parliament

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky /

The GlenDronach 21 Yr Parliament
48% ABV
$230
Website

What the Distiller Says
Matured in a combination of the finest Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks for a minimum of 21 years, the ‘Parliament’ continues the great GlenDronach tradition of offering fruit-laden intensity in its single malts. This rich expression has been named ‘Parliament’ after the colony, or ‘parliament’, of rooks that have been nesting in the trees that overlook the GlenDronach distillery for almost 200 years. Bottled at 48%, the ‘Parliament’ is non chill filtered and of natural colour.

TASTING NOTES
APPEARANCE: Deep amber with a cherry wood sheen.
NOSE: A delicate mix of ripe autumnal fruits – notably blackberries and red plums. Rich Oloroso sherry and candied orange segments. Spiced oatmeal biscuits and toasted oak fragrances bring excellent weight and balance.
PALATE: Resolute flavours of fine Oloroso sherry and bitter chocolate sauce, which has been spread liberally over homemade plum pudding. This is all infused with fabulous spicy notes – cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Full bodied with smooth tannins.
CONCLUSION: Long and lingering.

What Gary Says
Nose:  Thick sherry, fruitcake soaked in alcohol, orange marmalade with cloves, allspice, hints of toffee and leather w/ lingering vanilla pipe smoke.
Palate:  Sweet with chocolate, citrus, currants, raisins; balanced nicely with allspice and nutmeg over oak.
Finish:  Long and lingering w/ a bit of tannic smoke as it trails off.
Comments:  A sherry bomb to be sure, but delicious (if you like that sorta thing). This was the first 21 yr old single malt I ever purchased (in large part because it was only $130 back in 2017, which was a steal). A very nicely balanced dram, with a bit more spice and oak to go with all that dark fruit sweetness. While delicious, if offered a free pour of this or the 15 yr Revival – I think I’d go with the 15 yr.
Rating: Stands Out

The GlenDronach 21 Yr Parliament Read More »