Scottish Whisky

What’s this, two posts in one day?  I thought I’d share the rest of the evening’s festivities after the official Tullibardine tasting at The Brandy Library wound down.  There where quite a few people in attendance, including reps for Chivas and Famous Grouse (there were others too, I think).  Honorary Apostles Tamir and Shelline accompanied me as we drank deep the water of life.

Since Total Beverage Solution also handles Edradour and independent bottler Signatory, Adam (the TBS rep) let us sample the Signatory Isle of Jura and the Edradour Calendonia.

The Jura was quite interesting.  Like many other independent bottlers, Signatory does not purchase all their casks from the distillers.  Some of the casks come from overstock sold off by big blending houses (most likely Whyte & Mackay in this instance).  This Jura is one of those.  I’ve never been a fan of Jura.  I’ve always equated Jura’s taste profile to clinging to an innertube during a sea storm.  Something about this cask spending time off the island has tempered the salt.  The Signatory Isle of Jura is a little more balanced and subtle than the last distillery bottling I tried (admittedly some time ago).  The salt is certainly there.  There is a scent of the wilderness too, of animals and earth.  Quite delightful.

The Edradour Caledonia is a special 12 year old release hand picked by Scottish crooner Douglas Maclean and named for his song.  It’s got big, bold sherry notes and rich sugars (honey and brown sugar) without being cloying.  There are plenty of other things going on here so you don’t get bogged down in the sherry.  It reminds me of my favorite pipe tobacco quite a bit.

As mentioned earlier, a rep from Chivas happened to be on hand and poured us a dram of Chivas 18yo as we waxed philosophic on the importance of blends.  You already know my thoughts on Chivas 18yo.  Of course, The Brandy Library’s own Ethan Kelly had to get in on the action by turning us on to Old Parr 12yo.  Old Parr is a blend that has long interested me, solely because of the unique bottle shape.  Yet, I remained skeptical.  It’s an inexpensive blend in a funny bottle.  How good could it be?  Well, it’s quite nice.  If Johnnie Walker Black Label was softened to the point of being drinkable neat, it would taste something like this.  Smokey and sweet, this blend is more complex than expected, but smooth and balanced.  I’d say this a great buy.  After all, everyone should have at least one blended whisky in your bar no matter how much of a single malt snob you are.

Lastly, we had a dram of Glendronach 12yo.  The new Glendronachs are a huge improvement over the old ones.  The sherry is present without being overpowering.  The addition of Pedro Ximinez sherry casks really kicks up the palate.  This is very sophisticated for a 12yo.

Thanks to everyone:  Ethan at The Brandy Library, Anwar from Chivas, Adam from TBS, Shelline and Tamir.  Nights like this are what drinking whisky is about.  Sitting around enjoying a great dram with great conversation.  Slainte.

-Matt

Last night, I hopped the E train down to Tribeca for some whisky and conversation (way better than tea and sympathy btw).  The Brandy Library and Adam Jacobs of Total Beverage Solution was hosting a tasting of four Tullibardine single malts.

Despite being located on the side of Scotland’s oldest brewery (circa 12^th century), Tullibardine is a Highland distillery that you don’t hear about much here in the States.  This is due in part to being mothballed from 1995-2003.  Luckily, the distillery was in pretty good shape and there were a lot of casks just waiting to be bottled.

Tullibardine Vintage 1993
(15 years in 1^st fill bourbon casks, no caramel coloring, chill-filtered, 43% ABV)
This is Tullibardine’s “benchmark” expression and arguably the most unique in the range.  I get a lot of citrus from both the nose and the palate.  Specifically, it’s like the pith of a pink grapefruit; slightly tart, slightly sweet, and crisp.  The cereal notes are also very prominent.  When you add in the floral and vanilla notes, it’s like a hearty country breakfast.

Tullibardine Vintage 1993 Oloroso Sherry Finish
(15 years old, about 15 months in sherry butts, non chill-filtered, no caramel coloring, 46% ABV)
Despite the higher proof, this whisky is not “hot” by any means.  The elements that make Tullibardine unique are still present, but with added elements of toffee, dark fruits and spice.  If you threw some haroset* into your country breakfast, this is what you’d get.

Tullibardine Vintage 1992
(16 years old, a marriage of mostly 1^st fill bourbon casks with some sherry hogsheads, non chill-filtered, no caramel coloring, 46% ABV)
Here is where we lose some of the unique Tullibardine-ness.  Don’t get me wrong; this is a really nice whisky.  However, it’s very generic.  Vintage 1992 could easily have come from a number of other Highland distilleries.  The cereal notes are still there, there is a lot more sherry influence, but the citrus is muted almost to extinction.

Tullibardine Vintage 1988
(20 years old, a 50/50 marriage of 1^st fill bourbon casks and sherry hogsheads, non chill-filtered, no caramel coloring, 46% ABV)
The extra age and slightly different blend resuscitates the citrus (and the whisky).  Vintage 1988 is rich and smooth, like a bolder version of the ’93 Oloroso Finish, but retains the vibrancy of the standard ’93 vintage.

I really enjoyed the uniqueness of Tullibardine, but there’s a catch.  All of the whiskies in this line-up where distilled under the previous ownership.  What’s to say that the new Tullibardine whiskies will be anything like these?  Will there still be that grapefruit vibrancy or will the taste profile become more generic like so many other malts that fall within a somewhat narrow range of deviation?  Only time will tell.  Thanks to Adam from Total Beverage Solution and Ethan Kelly at Brandy Library for playing host.

*Haroset (or charoset) is a blend of fruits, nuts, and spices that people of the Jewish faith eat during Passover to symbolize the mortar used during the years of slavery in Egypt.  I’m specifically referring to the Middle Eastern style that uses figs, dates, raisins and walnuts mixed with cinnamon and sweet wine.

-Matt