Average

Glen Moray Classic Port Cask Finish

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

Glen Moray Classic Port Cask Finish

40% ABV
$30
Website

What the Distiller Says

This light and fruity expression is finished for eight months in Port pipes from Porto Cruz, the N°1 Porto company in the world. The spirit picks up intense embellishments of summer fruit, dark chocolate and cinnamon and a distinct pink hue.

NOSE: Toasted vanilla and light oak, rich dried fruits.
TASTE: Refreshing spice with a citrus lemon tang. Caramelised sweetness with cinnamon.
FINISH: Lingering, with sweet spice and delicate oak.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Sweet young malt, hints of plum with a sour cereal and port wine note, hints of berries in cream and leather.
Palate:  Sweet, round waxy mouthfeel, smooth with only a scant hint of dark fruit in the back.
Finish:  Short, damp, and fleeting.
Comments:  Following up after a port-finished bourbon, this was far less satisfying. This is the first Glen Moray bottle I’ve bought, and for $30 – I went in with fairly low expectations. The nose was promising, and had me hopeful I had discovered a diamond in the rough, but the palate was a let down. Nothing off putting in this dram – I won’t be dumping the bottle (may experiment with mingling this with something else), but won’t be picking up another either.

Rating: Average

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Amrut Peated Indian Single Malt Whisky

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review / ,

Amrut Peated Indian Single Malt Whisky

46% ABV
$80
Website

What the Distiller Says

According to Indian mythology, when the Gods and Rakshasas – the demons – churned the oceans using the mountain Meru, a golden pot sprang out of the oceans containing the “elixir of life”. This was called the “Amrut”.  The great founders of our distillery aptly named it Amrut Distilleries.

Amrut Single Malt Whisky Peated is a product of many years of research and development with an aim to produce world class whiskies. This whisky is made from the finest imported Scottish peated barley.

It is carefully mashed and distilled in small batches to preserve the natural aromas and matured in oak barrels in unique tropical conditions at an altitude of 3,000 feet above sea level at Bangalore, the “garden city” of India. To retain the natural characteristics of this oak aged Indian Single Malt Whisky we do not chill filter and it is bottled straight from the barrel in its natural color.

Tasting Notes
Nose: Unusually dry peat; not dissimilar to peat reek absorbed by an old leather armchair; a hint of citrus, too
Taste: Despite the nose, the immediate sensation is one of being caressed by molassed sugar and then a ratching up of the peat notes. As they get more forceful, so the experience becomes that little bit drier and spicier, though not without the molasses refusing to give way
Finish: You can tell the quality of the distillate and the barrels it has been matured in by the crystalline depth to the finish. Everything is clear on the palate and the butterscotch vanillas wrap the phenols for a comfortable and clean finale

What Gary Says

Nose: Peat! Seriously, loads of peat, with some exotic wood, incense, and mustiness in the background.
Palate: Sweet Earthy malt, some hints of fruit with vegetal notes.
Finish: Short to moderate in length, on the damp side.
Comments: Nothing off putting, but a bit one-dimensional for me. The nose is heavy on the peat, and on the palate it is sweet and earthy, but all of the exotic subtly I get from Amrut Single Malt is lost in this offering. Definitely unique though, and I applaud them for trying, but not something that I’d rush out and buy a bottle of (not without trying first!)

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2017

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2017

48% ABV
$80
Website

What the Distiller Says

The 2017 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon was drawn from 12 year old barrels from different warehouses and floors. A total of 120 barrels; 93 barrels matured together on the 4th floor of G warehouse, yielding an extremely spice forward expression. The remaining 27 barrels matured together on the 5th floor of K warehouse contributing a rounding sweetness to the blend. Several barrels from both lots basked in the sun, highlighting the effects of maturation along an external wall.

Barreled on May 27, 2005 – Old Forester 2017 Birthday Bourbon is offered at 96 and 95.4 Proof.

TASTING NOTES
COLOR: Bright golden honey
AROMA: Sweet toasted oak and black pepper with a heavy suggestion of orange oil and toffee
TASTE: Oak spice and charred black pepper dominate over a subtle core of chocolate custard and kola nut.
FINISH: Spicy perimeter mouthfeel that slowly cascades off revealing floral undertones and cocoa powder.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Vanilla, salted caramel, solid dose of oak, brown sugar,  allspice and a hint of raisins; a bit sharp as well.
Palate:  Vanilla, caramel apple, allspice, cinnamon with oaky pepper spice.
Finish:  Short to moderately in length, drying with pepper spice notes.
Comments:  I haven’t bought an Old Forester Birthday Bourbon in many years.  Each year is a bit different; some years have been flat out delicious, where other years have been pretty unremarkable – at least for my palate.  This one sits squarely in that latter camp for me.  Pretty oaky, a bit on the sharp side, and just not well balanced.  When they were $35 a throw, I didn’t mind taking the gamble on what it might be, but at $80 – I expect a consistently great bourbon; because in that price tier – you should.  Maybe others find this hitting right in their wheelhouse consistently; if so – this didn’t strike me as anything particularly off-putting.  Just not particularly special.

Rating: Average

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Johnnie Walker White Walker

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

Johnnie Walker White Walker

41.7% ABV
$50
Website

What the Blender Says

WHITE WALKER BY JOHNNIE WALKER
In celebration of the final season of the critically-acclaimed HBO series, Game of Thrones, Johnnie Walker is proud to introduce White Walker by Johnnie Walker.

This new blend perfectly reminds Johnnie Walker and Game of Thrones fans alike that “Winter is Here.” The limited edition bottle utilizes thermochromic ink to give fans a frosty surprise message when frozen. With flavor notes like caramelized sugar, vanilla, and fresh red berries, White Walker by Johnnie Walker makes for a delicious serve. The new blend is best served ice cold, inspired by the White Walkers beyond The Wall.

The Limited Edition White Walker by Johnnie Walker will make a nationwide icy launch starting October 2018 until supplies last.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Sweet, bright, green hay, malty cereal notes with some fruit (pears and cherries), subtle smoke and sea air.
Palate:  Sweet malt, pears with a touch of caramel; a subtle spice note and a hint of tangerines.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, slightly drying with a touch of pepper spice (and a bit boring).
Comments:  So my wife and I are fans of Game of Thrones, so I figured I could write this purchase off as something we both can enjoy, and not ‘another whiskey’ I’ve brought into the house.  That didn’t work. This is definitely different than your Johnnie Walker red or black labels; has a bit more of an edge. Nothing off-putting, but for $50 – unless you’re just really keen to have the bottle (which I’ll admit is kinda cool), not something I’d pick up again. I did sample it both at room temp and right from the freezer. Predictably, it is a bit more thick and viscous coming out of the freezer in terms of mouthfeel, which is nice – but the flavors are even more muted.

Rating: Average

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The Ileach Peaty Islay Single Malt

/ / Islay, Review, Scottish Whisky /

The Ileach Peaty Islay Single Malt
40% ABV
$35
Website

What the Bottler Says
For centuries the stormy waters of the Atlantic Ocean has not only shaped the character of the people of Islay but also the character of their famous whiskies. In many ways this fine malt mirrors the character of Islay people – strong yet gentle, warm yet mellow, but with a maturity beyond its years. Robust peaty, with that unmistakable breath of the seashore, The Ileach is “a true man from Islay”

Tasting Notes:
Nose: Earthy smoky peat and salty ocean Breeze
Palate: Pungent peat smoke, chewy sweet malt, pepper, tar and a touch of iodine
Finish: Long and warming. Smoky ashes of the peat fire

What Gary Says
Nose:  Bright peat, medicinal, seaweed, earthy, subtly sweet, charred oak, notes of rubber.
Palate:  Sweet, young malt, honey, hint of vanilla, bit of pepper with earthy oak notes, thin.
Finish:  Short and drying.
Comments:  This is a mystery single malt – allegedly from the same source throughout (the reason I used the 50 mL picture is because this is what the bottle I bought looked like; in case anyone knows of variations based on labels). It has a pretty nice nose for a young malt, and by the nose I thought maybe Laphroaig. The palate was a bit of a step back though – thin and not as nice as the nose. I bought this mini as I’d never heard of/seen the label before, and it was inexpensive. For the price, there are other single malt bottlers I’ve tried and enjoyed more for less.
Rating: Average

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