Average

Chivas Regal Extra

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

Chivas Regal Extra
40% ABV
$50
Website

What the Blender Says
EXTRA RICH
SHERRY CASK
EXTRA COMPANY REQUIRED
If you know Chivas Regal Extra, you’ll know this most exceptional of luxury whiskies has been the result of painstaking craft. From the finest, first-fill Spanish Oloroso sherry casks that give our scotch whisky its deep amber colour, to the Scottish brawn that locks in its rich, sweet and spicy flavour. You can’t help but know you’re in for an extra special dram that’s made to be shared generously. Because success is a blend, in life and in scotch.

Chivas Regal Extra is selectively matured in Oloroso sherry casks. The result is a whisky that’s both deep in aroma, rich in fruitiness and generous in sweetness.

Tasting Notes
COLOR: Dark in shade with a warm amber glow.
NOSE: Fruity sweet with notes of ripe pears and melon, creamy toffee, milk chocolate, cinnamon and a hint of ginger.
TASTE: Sweet ripe pears in syrup, vanilla caramel, cinnamon sweets and almonds in the background.
FINISH: Incredibly rich, smooth with a long and fulfilling finish.

What Gary Says
Nose:  Rich sweetness, sultanas, honey on toast, toffee, some subtle earthy notes.
Palate:  Soft sweetness with a slightly creamy mouthfeel, raisins and pears, a hint of toffee with a subtle oaky/earthy note.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, steady without any spice uptick at the end.
Comments:  Compared to the Chivas Brothers’ Blend, the nose is clearly a step up – richer with more depth. The palate for me was a bit disappointing. Similar in that the nose represents the flavor well, but too muted and subtle. While a step up, the palate was a much shorter step than the nose – although nothing off putting with either.
Rating: Average

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Chivas Regal – The Chivas Brothers’ Blend

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

Chivas Regal – The Chivas Brothers’ Blend

40% ABV
$55-$60 (travel retail exclusive)
Website
Chivas Brothers Blend

What the Blender Says

An ultra smooth and easy drinking whisky, perfect for sharing with friends. This 12-year old blend includes higher proportions of Strathisla and Longmorn Single Malts and was created as a fitting tribute to the famously smooth blending style of John and James Chivas.

Tasting Notes
COLOR: Rich amber.
NOSE: Bursting with ripe, soft fruit flavours, including peach and pear, and accented with runny honey, marmalade and soft candy.
TASTE: Rich taste of fresh soft fruit flavours, echoing the nose, giving way to a fantastic sweet, creamy texture.
FINISH: Creamy, round and smooth.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Soft, honeysuckle, vanilla, pears, slightly floral with a hint of oak.
Palate:  Soft but bright sweetness with canned pears, honey, vanilla, and a subtle peppery malt note at the end.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, sweet and wet with a slight white pepper note.
Comments:  A subtle and soft dram all around, where the nose lines up with what the palate delivers. Nothing wrong with it, but nothing special for my tastes either; a think just a bit too soft/subtle for my liking.

Rating: Average

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Aberlour 17 yr Double-Cask Cask Strength

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside / ,

Aberlour 17 yr Double-Cask Cask Strength
55.3% ABV
Website

What the Bottle Says
Aberlour Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Double Cask
First Fill Sherry and Bourbon Cask
17 Years Old

Nose: Hints of cinnamon, baked apples and ginger intermingled with luscious dark chocolate and treacle toffee.
Taste: Rich and tangy on the pallet at first, followed by a burst of sweet orange and apricot flavors with delicate dark chocolate notes.
Finish: Long finish with a lingering spice.

What Gary Says
Nose:  Thick, rich sherry dark fruit – raisins, oranges, honey spent fireworks, burnt toast, subtle nuttiness.
Palate:  Rich sweet, creamy mouthfeel that then sharpens, dark fruit/plum jam with notes of oak; water brings the sweet more to raisins with a pepper spice.
Finish:  Moderate to long in length, sweet yet tart while drying.
Comments:  Another pickup by Richard while visiting (no mention of on their web-site, and no price).  By comparison with the Aberlour 17yr CS, the sherry influence here is pretty apparent, but that smokey, spent matches, sulfur note is also still present, even when adding water (water tamped the heat a bit, but not the smokiness as much). If you like a really smokey whiskey, this might be the bees knees. I found it to be better balanced than the other though.
Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Aberlour 17 yr Cask Strength

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

Aberlour 17 yr Cask Strength
The Distillery Reserve Collection
50.2% ABV
Website

What the Bottle Says
The Distillery Reserve Collection
[Non Chill-Filtered]
Aberlour Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whiskey
Aged 17 Years
The Distillery Reserve collection is a limited release of rare and exceptional whiskies from Chivas Brothers single malt whisky distilleries. Each release is bottled at cask strength.
Distilled: 12th December 1997 Bottled: 8th July 2015
Cask Nos: 17749,17756-58, 17771
1 of 1380 50cl bottles

What Gary Says
Nose:  Sharp/astringent, tart cherries, spongecake, hazelnuts with spent matches; bit of water brings out more citrus notes with the cherries and hints of caramel with dark chocolate.
Palate:  Subtle sweetness w/ oranges, apricots and honey, then sharpens to a sulphury, oaky, spicy tobacco note; hints of toffee and cherry; bit of water brings out the oranges and honey a bit more.
Finish:  Moderately long, and drying with smoke.
Comments:  This was a distillery exclusive that Richard picked up while visiting a few years ago, and as such no mention of it on their web-site (and not sure what the price paid was). This drank pretty hot for the proof, and has a lot of sulfur, spent matches. It does take water well, although the smoke was still fairly acrid for me. Next going to review an Aberlour 17yr Double-Cask cask strength, which was an interesting comparison.
Rating: Average

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Mad March Hare Irish Poitín

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Mad March Hare Irish Poitín
40% ABV
$30
Website
Mad March Hare Poitin
What the Bottler Says
Poitín (pronounced ‘put-cheen’) is as Irish as it gets. Distilled as early as the sixth century, it predates every spirit you’re likely to have ever tasted including whiskey. Irish Poitín is a truly unique spirit with an intriguing story, having been forced underground in 1661, and secretly distilled for over 300 years.

Mooney epitomized the rebellious irish man of old. Under the guise of a local fruit & vegetable trader, he distributed his famous Poitín across the land. Always one step ahead of The Law,
Mooney was affectionately known by locals to be as ‘mad as a march hare’.

Quietly distilled in traditional copper pot stills, from locally sourced malted barley. Mad March Hare is a classic Irish Poitín of unrivaled smoothness and flavour, making it just as good
over ice, with a simple mix or in a craft cocktail.

Tasting Notes
Aroma: Heavy malt notes, with coconut & baked apple combine in a highly impressive aroma.
Taste: Silk and creamy texture, over-layered with dried fruits, vanilla and French toast, could leave one to believe it was aged.
Finish: Long and brimming with honey sweetness, with malt spice, toasted almonds and lingering hints of lemon desserts.

What Gary Says
Nose:  Thick and grainy sweet, sugar cookies with a touch of molasses, honey, hint of boiled cabbage.
Palate:  Sweet, malty, a tad vegetal with notes of honey, vanilla and a hint of pepper spice at the end.
Finish:  Short and slightly drying.
Comments:  Poitín is pretty similar in concept to what American distilleries bottle as “new make” or “white dog”; but completely different to drink. With corn being the primary grain in a bourbon mashbill white dog, it is a very different kind of sweet than a malted barley poitín. The use of copper pot stills, and triple distillation all play a role as well. The nose on this is quite thick and dense for only 40% ABV; much more so than the palate.  I personally am not a big fan of white dog, “moonshine” (which technically anything you’re buying legally – isn’t), new make, or apparently poitín. If you are a fan of one or more of those, than I hope my tasting notes are helpful. I do find the history of the spirit, and how it was impacted by the colonization of Ireland, and the various class and religious struggles that the country has experienced. I’m always thankful for the opportunity to try new things, because the only way we know what we like or don’t is to experience them.
Rating: Average

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

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