Scottish Whisky

Chivas Live

/ / Matt's Blog, Richard's Blog, Scottish Whisky

Richard and I participated in the Chivas Live online tasting recently.  I attempted to tweet along (quite unsuccessfully) and Richard signed in remotely.  Here are our notes.

Matt:

I love events like this.  Deconstructing a blend, vertical tastings, or anything of that nature revs my whisky engine like nothing else.  I’m not sure the comparison with Johnnie Walker Blue at the end actually did anything for them, but the lead up was great.

Dram #1:  Strath Isla 18 is quite good and everyone at the tasting (and in the blogospere) asked what it would take to get this bottled as a single malt.  My note to Twitter was “maple bacon wrapped around aged goat cheese with a side of green apples.”  I stand by this note.  Green apples and maple on the nose with a hint of smoke.  One of the other bloggers came up with the bacon note and everyone in the room jumped on it.  There is this aged goat cheese that I get at the Green Market in Union Square that is hard and creamy and leaves a very grassy taste in the mouth.  This is the goat cheese I refer to.

Dram #2:  18yo Grain blend.  This dram is quite good if a little simple.  It’s like salted caramel covered in milk chocolate on the nose and palate.  Please bottle this too.

Dram #3:  Islay blend.  This a great Islay blend that I would drink on it’s own.  The nose is a little peat heavy, but the palate has some great dark berry and sherry notes lurking under the smoke and earth.

Dram #4:  18yo Longmorn.  This is great.  Like sour cherry strudel.  Long finish.  I need to revisit this.  To bad they do not bottle this one.

Lastly, we compared Chivas 18yo to Johnnie Walker Blue Label.  Ultimately, we came to the same conclusions as when we did this exercise last Christmas.  Chivas tastes like green apples wrapped in Toblerone and JW Blue is over blended and boring.  The revelation came with the component tastings.  I already liked the Chivas 18yo.  Tasting the components just gave me a greater appreciation for the blend.  Note to all other blenders.  DO EVENTS LIKE THIS.  I want to be at a JW tasting next month and a Ballentine’s tasting the month after.  Cutty Sark, Old Parr, Whyte & McKay, Grant’s, this is what I want.  Our hosts were excellent and I hope to see them all again.

Richard

The deconstruction of a blend by components is something I haven’t been able to do before. I found it incredibly interesting. Obviously, we only tasted four components and Chivas uses quite few more than that for Chivas 18.

Dram #1: Strathisla 18 was the crowd favorite. This particular distillery is the heart of every Chivas blend. I found it heathery and smoky with a long dry finish. Very approachable. I absolutely loved it! We all seemed to love this even more than the Chivas and begged to get this bottled. Seriously, to everyone out there reading this, we need to launch an email/phone/letter campaign to Pernod Ricard to get this bottled. They will try to tell you that they already bottle a 12 but it’s not even in the same league.

Dram #2: Grain 18 took a lot of people by surprise. I was surprised by the number of people (mind you these were bloggers and drink aficionados of one type or another) that initially thought it was silly to age grain like this. They soon changed their tune. Three words for the rest of you…Compass…Box…Hedonism if there are any lingering doubts about grain scotch. I thought this one had a sweet nose and was very grassy and buttery on the palate with hints of salt. Very enjoyable.

Dram #3: Islay 18 was and odd duck. Everyone tried to peg it. I used to think it must be Laphroaig because Pernod used to own them and probably had a reciprocity or sourcing agreement coming out of the divestiture. Finally, Alex with Chivas broke down and told us it was a blend of multiple Islay distilleries. This blended/vatted Islay malt was nice too. I wasn’t as enamored with it as everyone else. It was very delicate and approachable for an Islay with hints of sweetness but I also got a strong taste of Chloraseptic throat spray that I didn’t like. I was in the minority opinion on this and it was my least favorite.

Dram #4: Longmorn 18 is another unbottled gem that should be. It had a very quite nose that opened up to lots of berries and dark fruit on the palate ending with a woody finish. Very nice indeed.

As Matt said, we finished with the Chivas/JW Blue comparison. My opinion of both didn’t change from last year. They are both nice drams but I think they are really for different target markets. I’m still not sold on the angle Chivas is selling putting the two up next to each other. That was more the opinion of the online group than the folks in the room. The people in the room all seemed to gush over Chivas like a little school girl. Maybe free booze will do that to you. (I kid because I love) I was in the definite minority on this one. Everyone tried to make the value argument which I find amusing because you have to be careful or it can backfire on you. They went on about “JW Blue is three times the price of Chivas 18, is it three times better?” No it’s not. It’s different. I don’t think Chivas 18 is three times better than Buffalo Trace either but the price is. They are different. I don’t like the “this is better than that” argument at all. That’s partly why we rate the way we do on Whisk(e)y Apostle.

I’ll close by saying that I couldn’t agree more that I absolutely loved this event. Even doing it remotely via webcam and chat room it was great. I also really enjoyed chatting with some of the other bloggers out there. We don’t really get to do that very often. We should do it more (hint hint). Many thanks to Stephanie and Alex for their time.

Oh…I almost forgot. They were serving the Crooner Fizz at the event and singing it’s praises. I got the recipe for you if you’re interested:

Crooner Fizz
– 2 ounces Chivas 12
– 1/2 ounce Rum
– 1/2 ounce lemon juice
– 1/2 ounce raising syrup (made by muddling equal parts raisins and boiling water)

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Johnnie Walker Green

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

Johnnie Walker Green Label Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
43% ABV/86 Proof
$55
Available Worldwide

What the Distillery Says:
Johnnie Walker Green Label is a rich blend using only malts drawn from the four corners of Scotland – the naturally vibrant flavors provide unparalleled depth, substance and intensity. Each of the malts is specially selected by the Master Blender to create the perfect balance in the whisky.

Each malt whisky is matured for a minimum of 15 years to deliver rich, full layers of flavor. Coupled with the blending mastery of Johnnie Walker, it ensures the characteristic smoothness and distinctive flavor of Green Label.

Four signature malts provide the key taste influences for this 15-year-old whisky. Talisker introduces power and depth of character, Caol Ila contributes mystery and intensity and, at its heart, Cragganmore provides a sweet maltiness, while Linkwood adds a final touch of finesse.

Blending exclusively with malts produces a rich, powerful whisky, with each one giving its own intense flavor and aromas to create a perfect combination.

With its rich gold amber appearance, this medium-full malt summons up a multiplicity of complex natural aromas. It starts on the seashore and drifts inland over moist moss and through evergreen forest. Then come the exotic notes of orange peel, stewed peaches, cooked black fruits and sour cherry.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Sweet fruit wood smoked meats and fresh grass.
Palate: Very sweet initially. Mid palate is oak, vegetal matter, and smoke. Not Islay smoke, much lighter than that.
Finish: Hot and oaky on the finish. No burn but rather spicy.
Comments: This is a very tasty dram. I’m always intrigued with quality vatted/blended malts. Maybe because they are a relative rarity in the world of scotch. Taking the grain whisky out gives a more robust flavor with greater depth. It gives you just as much as Johnnie Blue for a fraction of the price!
Rating: Stands Out

What Matt Says:
Nose: Sweet oranges, sour cherries, lavender, and confectioner’s sugar
Palate: Caramel and spice, plumbs, more lavender, resinous smoke (not peaty but sticky), brine
Finish: A little hot with notes of charred oak, brine and more of that lavender
Comments: This and the Gold Label are my favorites in the Johnnie Walker line.  I’m with Richard in that I like to see these “Pure Malt” blends.  You definitely get a more robust and complex offering when these are done well.  If you are going for easy drinking, go for the Gold Label.  If you want great complexity and a more robust taste profile, go with this one.
Rating:  Stands Out

Overall Rating:  Stands Out

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New Releases – August ’10

/ / Bourbon, Other Whisk(e)ys, Scottish Whisky

I’m a little late with August this month. Life outside of Whisk(e)y Apostle has been a little hectic. Here’s what we heard about in August.

Parker’s Heritage Collection, 4th Edition
Timeframe: September 2010
ABV: 65.6%
Price: $79.99
This is the newest release in the acclaimed Parker’s Heritage Collection. This year’s release is a 10 year old wheated bourbon. Heaven Hill began distilling wheated bourbon back in 1999 after they acquired the Old Fitzgerald portfolio. 52 barrels totaling 4,800 bottles are being released so get yours while you can.

Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection
There are two releases this year, both 15 years old. One was aged in new toasted French oak casks and the other was aged in used charred American oak casks seasoned with toasted oak chips.
Timeframe: Fall 2010
ABV: 45%
Price: $47/375 ml
I should also note a couple of things about these releases. First, these were both fully matured, not just finished in their respective casks. Second, because these weren’t aged in new charred oak casks these can’t actually be called bourbon. However, they still sound tasty to me!

Canadian Mist Black Diamond
Timeframe: Fall 2010
ABV: 43%
Price: $14.99
This is a new release from Canadian Mist that is supposed to be “a richer, more robust blended Canadian whisky.” Is this CM’s answer to Crown Royal Black?

Glendronach Grandeur
Timeframe: Now
ABV: 45.8%
Price: $700
This is a new 31 year old release from Glendronach. Bottled at cask strength, this looks very interesting if you have the means to afford the bottle.

Glendronach 33 Year Old
Timeframe: Now
ABV: 40%
Price: $379.99
This one is another release from Glendronach and is matured in Spanish Oloroso sherry casks. I’m not sure why the 31 year old is twice the price of the 33 year old but either way they look to be interesting luxury drams.

The Balvenie Peated Cask 17 Year Old
Timeframe: September 2010
ABV: 43%
Price: $129.99
This is the latest release in Balvenie’s annual 17 year old releases. This one is finished in casks previously containing exceptionally peaty whisky. Didn’t Glenfiddich do this with Caoran?

The Balvenie 14 Year Old Caribbean Cask
Timeframe: September 2010
ABV: 43%
Price: 59.99
This is a new line extension from Balvenie with their lovely whisky finished in Caribbean rum casks. They’ve had a Golden Rum finished Travel Retail Only bottling at 14 years old for a while. I wonder if this is the same thing released to the masses?

That’s it for August. Balvenie, Glendronach, and Buffalo Trace led the way this month. I also heard about a couple of Benromach releases in their Origins line but no word yet on whether they are coming stateside. As always, if I missed anything please let me know.

Drink wisely my friends,

Richard

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A Great Evening in Atlanta

/ / Richard's Blog, Scottish Whisky

I missed out on the Rare XI Balvenie dinner at New York Prime this past Sunday because I was a little under the weather. I have a young daughter and she’s always bringing home colds from day care. However, I found out that New York Prime’s sister restaurant Joey D’s was doing a more casual version on Tuesday night. I called up my buddy Sam and he was game so off we went!

Joey D’s does their dinners outside on the patio, the whisky list is usually one count smaller (no 21 year old in this case), and the food and atmostphere is more casual than New York Prime. The price tag is also a little cheaper too. Tuesday night they were pouring Balvenie 12 Year Old Doublewood, Balvenie 15 Year Old Single Barrel, and Balvenie 17 Madeira Cask. Oh, and they were REALLY pouring. I think I ended up having seven or eight scotches Tuesday night…not that I’m complaining.

Sam and I get there about half an hour early and sat down at a four top. We were soon joined by Don and DeMark, a couple of gents who bravely came solo. We couldn’t have asked for better table company. Copious amounts of scotch and good conversation flowed all night. Shortly after we sat down we were welcomed by the new Global Brand Ambassador for Balvenie, Sam Simmons. You all probably know him as the venerable . Then the Buckhead Cigar Club representative brought over some very nice La Flor Dominicana cigars and we were off. Dinner included courses of she crab soup, caesar salad, danish baby back ribs, and apple pie a la mode. The food was okay.

We all had a very good time. I will be going back. In comparing it to New York Prime’s dinner there are pluses and minuses to each.

Joey D’s is outside so not as smoky, more casual, the music isn’t too loud so you can still have good conversation, you’re at smaller tables, and they are much more generous with the number of drinks they bring. On the downside the food is just okay. The price tag is $39.99 plus tax and gratuity.

New York Prime offers more variety of whisky with the dinner (usually one more higher end offering), has much better food, and a real guy’s club kind of feel. However, it’s pretty loud when there lounge singer kicks in and there are mostly large tables. Also, it’s indoors so even the seasoned cigar smoker might find it a bit much with all the smoke. The price tag is $59.99 plus tax and gratuity.

Now that I’ve experienced dinners at both restaurants I can say that both are definitely worth while. It really just depends on what atmosphere you would prefer. Hopefully, I’ll see some of you at an upcoming Speakeasy dinner.

Drink wisely my friends,

Richard

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Johnnie Walker Gold

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Johnnie Walker Gold Label, The Centenary Blend
40% ABV/80 Proof
$65
Available Worldwide

What the Distillery Says:
Johnnie Walker Gold Label was blended to celebrate the first 100 years of the House of Walker in 1920. A well-kept secret, it’s only been available outside the company since the 1990s. It has a distinctly smooth, sweet and luxurious character, with a stylish elegance and refined quality.

Gold Label is crafted using whiskies such as Clynelish for a honeyed flavor and creamy texture yet still retaining the signature Johnnie Walker smokiness.

With its rich gold color and old-gold glints, it reveals a full, round, deep nose. There are notes of soft raisins and toffee, fresh malt and light cream – Gold Label is as enticing as it is sensuous.

Its palate is rich and broad with full malt flavors and honeyed spices with almonds and marzipan, which leads to a distinctive creaminess.

Cardhu provides strong yet smooth malt and oak flavors. Extra-mature grain whiskies deliver some of the lingering sweetness, while Clynelish from the northern Highlands is responsible for the unusual aromatic creaminess. The finish is multidimensional and satisfyingly long.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Fresh woodchips added to a fire.
Palate: Slightly sweet with hints of shortbread cookies and mild oak. No water with this one.
Finish: Short and crisp. This is a whisky that gets the heck out of Dodge.
Comments: Gold Label is actually recommended by Diageo to be served out of the freezer. I guess given the muted flavor the chill doesn’t have much to hide. I know this is Matt’s favorite of the Johnnie Walker blends but I’ve never really taken to it. It’s very mild and easily approachable but there’s nothing there to make me specifically want a glass of Johnnie Gold. I do think that overall it stands out because it’s not offensive and shows a great balance similar to Dewar’s Signature. On a side note, I find Gold Label to be a great palate cleanser to prep me for tasting other whiskies.
Rating: Stands Out

What Matt Says:
Nose: caramel, smoke, orchard fruit, light zesty citrus
Palate: Heavier sherry influence than younger Johnnies; dark berries, smokey sweetness
Finish: Lingering traces of peat smoke and brine
Comments: Wow!  Richard and I could not disagree more.  Perhaps its because the sample I sent over was the last drops of a bottle that was open for a while.  I think this is the best JW has to offer.  It’s complex and bold, but smooth.
Rating:  Must Try

Overall Rating:  Stands Out

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