Scottish Whisky

Glenfiddich Bourbon Reserve

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch Whiskey Bourbon Barrel Reserve Aged 14 Years
43% ABV
$49.99
Website
glenfiddich-14-mybottleshop-1
What the Distillery Says:
In a class of its own, the Glenfiddich Bourbon Barrel Reserve 14 Year Old uniquely delivers a bourbon heart with the soul of single malt.

Our Malt Master, Brian Kinsman patiently waits for 14 years as the whisky matures in ex-bourbon American Oak casks, and then finishes the whisky in deep charred new American Oak barrels supplied by The Kelvin Cooperage in Louisville, Kentucky.

The result: a rich, sweet and vibrant single malt. Its a whisky that delivers beautifully complex flavours of woody spices combined with ripe summer fruit, resulting from the spirit’s interaction with the casks.

COLOUR: Copper Oak
NOSE: Deep vibrant vanilla notes with hints of citrus, caramalised brown sugar and cinnamon. Baked apple and ripe summer fruits and balanced with the rich oaky aromas.
TASTE: Beautifully rich and sweet with layers of creamy toffee, woody spices, candied orange peel and fresh toasted oak.
FINISH: Long lasting with lingering sweetness.

What Richard Says:
Nose: This explodes on the nose with the smell of fried apple pies. Baked apples seasoned with cinnamon and brown sugar and drizzled with vanilla glaze. The single most “it smells exactly like this…” nose I’ve come across. No “hints” of this or that. As soon as I stuck my nose in the glass I smell the bakery at Mercier Orchards in north Georgia.
Palate: The mouthfeel benefits from the the six more proof points over their 12 and 15. It gives it a bit more richness and depth. The palate flavors don’t jump out as much as the nose. There is a very mellow sweetness playing with the wood. Not the most dynamic palate.
Finish: Dry and chewy. It reminds me of chewing on a toothpick too long.
Comments: This U.S. exclusive release is something rare…a new single malt from an established distiller hitting the market age stated and at or below $50. Well, Glenfiddich has the capacity and stocks to do silly things like give people something they deserve instead of what marketing comes up with as an answer to poor forecasting. Is this some crazy new dynamic from Glenfiddich? No, it’s just a solid malt for a decent price. Really, the flavor profile and finish are a tad too bland for me but damn if I couldn’t smell this all autumn.
Rating: Stands Out

Our thanks to William Grant & Sons USA for providing us with a sample to review.

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Ardbeg Supernova

/ / Islay, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Ardbeg Supernova Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
(2015 release)
54.3% ABV
$180
Website
supernova-bottle-the-conclusion
What the Distillery Says:
Ardbeg Supernova is one of the peatiest whiskies on Earth. Yet it is also intensely spicy and unfathomably sweet. Truly a mystery of the universe.

This final, fleeting Committee bottling of Ardbeg Supernova heralds the culmination of Ardbeg’s experiment in space. Its release coincides with the publication of Dr Bill Lumsden’s highly anticipated White Paper on the mysteries of zero gravity maturation.

TASTING NOTES

A big bang of peat… then heavenly sweet… with a lingering trail of smoke.

Colour: Shimmering pale gold
Nose: A shower of peppery, aromatic herbs shoots through the air, scattering particles of effervescent perfume. In its wake, smoked fruits, briny seaweed and fennel. The sensation comes full circle with the earthy, grounding aroma of vetiver root. Add a few drops of water and luscious linseed oil comes to the surface, sending wafts of sweet smoked toffee, brazil nuts and soot into the atmosphere.
Taste: At 100ppm, the peat is firing on all cylinders, with blasts of spice, salted caramel and billowing smoke. And then it’s back to the laboratory, where antiseptic lozenges, medicinal notes and zingy aniseed intermingle with dark tar and intense chilli-spice.
Finish: Prepare for a long, lingering, peppery aftertaste that goes on and on and on…

What Richard Says:
Nose: You know I find it easier to distinguish between different Islay distilleries by nose than any other small clustered whisky making area. Clearly this is an Ardbeg. A richer, nutty, earthier peat.
Palate: Crisp sweetness like salted caramel candies with a sooty, peppery medicinal quality that is more appealing than it sounds.
Finish: Antiseptic and dry. Evaporated Chloraseptic spray.
Comments: So this year’s release is to commemorate the completion of Dr. Bill Lumsden experiment on the impact of outer space on the maturation of whisky. If you’re really geeky then you can try to find his white paper (which we had previously linked to, but Ardbeg no longer hosts the file – boo!) Personally, I’m a bit more interested in the whisky. 😉 And interesting this one really is. I find Ardbeg to be a more polarizing malt than most. For those that like Ardbeg I think you will really enjoy this. For the rest of you it’s an almost $200 chance you might not want to take.
Rating: Stands Out

We would like to thank The Narrative Group for sending us a sample for review.

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Glenmorangie Tusail

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Glenmorangie Tusail Private Edition Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
46% ABV
$100 to $115
Website
glenmorangie-tusail-2646-p
What the Distillery Says:
The 6th release from Glenmorangie’s award-winning Private Edition, Tùsail is the product of a carefully-selected parcel of Maris Otter barley, floor-malted by hand using traditional techniques, and non chill-filtered.

A rich winter variety of barley first introduced in 1965, Maris Otter was bred specifically to meet the demand for a high quality brewing malt and recognized for its ability to impart rich, rustic malty flavours. Now used only by a select few who continue, like Glenmorangie, to uphold an ethos of sacrificing yield for quality by using only the finest ingredients, the result is a whisky celebrating the variety’s renowned taste profile.

Tasting Notes
Aroma: Deep earthy, robust aromas of malty, biscuity tones, with a backbone of nut toffee.
Taste: A rich, rustic profile of nut toffee, sweet barley malt, ginger, cinnamon, and dates in molasses complements more familiar Glenmorangie notes of peaches, oranges and smoked pears.
Finish: Tùsail lingers on with a mouth-coating finish.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Sweet and grainy. Apple pie, wet oak , and overly sweetened iced coffee.
Palate: Sweet and oily with notes of molasses cookies, pear tart, cloves, and honey.
Finish: Dry and herbal.
Comments: It’s funny because when you get into the whiskey there is a lot of depth but if you dip your finger in for a quick taste you would swear it’s beer. This is one of those interesting whiskies that is more of an oddity to explore at a good whisky bar rather and a bottle of your own.
Rating: Stands Out

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Peat Monster Reserve

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

The Peat Monster Reserve Edition Malt Scotch Whisky
48.9% ABV
$125 to $150 (1.75L)
Website
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What the Blender Says:
To celebrate the 5th birthday of our best selling whisky, we bottled a limited release reserve version of The Peat Monster. Even peatier, smokier, richer and higher-strength than the classic version, it was available only in magnums. Only 1,325 cases of 4 magnums each (1.5L and 1.75L) were produced.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Campfire ash and brine with notes of fresh cut pine wood. A slightly meaty back note sits underneath and as you let this one open up turns to a nice bit of hazelnuts.
Palate: Smoke is more peaty and the brine is more salty. There is a little dark chocolate and saltwater taffy sweetness that shows itself more with a nice cigar. Laying over the entire palate is a creamy chewiness that is really nice.
Finish: Shorter than expected and lightly medicinal. There is something reminiscent of Cloreseptic throat spray and Ricola lozenges. It’s also a bit woodsy, not woody. Wet pine needles perhaps?
Comments: I just happened upon this about six months ago in a store I frequent with some regularity. Since then I’ve seen a few more. Even though this was a 2008/2009 release it can still be found on occasion. Don’t let the size of the bottle scare you off. This is delicious whisky.
Rating: Must Try

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Peat Monster Cask Strength

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

The Peat Monster Cask Strength Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
57.3% ABV
$125 (1.75 Liter)
Website
PeatMonsterCaskStrength-Bottle
What the Blender Says:
This is a big whisky.

We’ve taken our already big, already peaty, already smoky malt Scotch whisky, The Peat Monster, and delivered it at cask strength in a double-size magnum bottle. Available only for a short time and only in this large format, it’s a unique opportunity to explore the complex balance of our usual Peat Monster at a higher bottling strength.

Whiskies are traditionally diluted to bottling strength with water, but with this limited edition release we have explored the intensity and power of whisky straight from the cask. Using exactly the same blend of component whiskies as our classic Peat Monster bottling, the aromas and flavours are similar but more concentrated and powerful. The marriage of Islay and heavy peated Highland single malts creates a warming spectrum of seaside and medicinal peatiness, along with smokiness, all surrounding a core of fruity malt whisky character.

Yes, it’s big. Yes, it’s peaty. Yes, it’s smoky. But like our classic bottling, this is far from a one-dimensional monster. We invite you to try it with and without water and see what complexities you can find. However you drink it, share and enjoy!

Availability
Cask Strength Limited Edition release of 2,000 magnums.
Bottled in February 2015.

Flavour Descriptors
Rich and full on the palate with complex earthy peat and smoke characters. Hints of citrus fruit, nuttiness
and toasted oak.

Recommendations
For the bold, this is an incredibly complex and warming whisky to enjoy at cask strength. We also find it fascinating to add small amounts of water as we sip a glass, admiring the slow evolution in taste as the whisky opens up its wealth of flavour compounds.

Bottling Details
Bottled at 57.3%
Not chill filtered
Natural colour
Available only as magnums (1.5l / 1.75l)

What Richard Says:
Nose: Deep smokiness reminiscent of morning after campfires, licorice notes, and fresh split oak.
Palate: Spicier, richer version of the standard peat monster. Blood oranges and roasted peanuts.
Finish: Medicinal, slightly astringent as the oak, black pepper, and soot fade.
Comments: You better really like this because it only comes in really big bottles. Fortunately this is delicious. If you aren’t a fan of peaty scotch then this isn’t going to change your mind. However, if that is your thing then you should grab one of these. The best things of standard Peat Monster, in the vein of Laphroaig cask strength, with the balance of Lagavulin. Great whiskey!
Rating: Must Try

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