Must Try

SMWSA Cask No 25.63

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, SMWSA Whiskies /

SMWSA Cask No. 25.63
Lowlands, Central Lowlands
59.8% ABV
Distilled November 1990
$145
US Allocation: 108 bottles
Holiday 2012 Outturn Release

What the SMWSA Says:
The nose suggested fermenting beer – still life on the lid of a washback – green apples, a pear, a peach, some lemon puffs, a stone bowl containing sweet pipe tobacco and a bunch of fresh spring flowers. Pears again on the palate (riper now), also some fizzy fruit (sherbet lemons), more flowers (this time from high summer) and definite peppery spice (‘poire et poivre’). The second nosing had mild liquorice (sherbet dib-dabs) tobacco leaf and pear and nettle sorbet. The reduced palate gave light, pleasant flavours of bergamot and floral perfumes; a mild tingly finish. From Falkirk’s sadly now defunct distillery.

Drinking tip: Summer-time dram – perhaps to accompany tea in the garden.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Green grass, orchards in bloom, and poached pears. Water at first makes it more vegetal and then reveals notes of apples and oranges.
Palate: Really sweet like pear preserves my grandmother used to make. Not sure if it’s the whisky or the proof but that jelly is in a spicy peppery shell. Water mutes the pepper and spice but leave the palate herbal. Where did that wonderful pear jelly go?
Finish: Nothing too remarkable but nothing offensive either.
Comments: This is a pear lover’s dram. Lucky for me I’m a pear lover. The palate and nose are fantastice but water whisks them away all too quickly. Add water slowly and sparingly.
Rating: Must Try

Review sample provided courtesy of the SMWSA and is available to society members through their website or 800.990.1991.

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Glenlivet French Oak 15 Year

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

The Glenlivet French Oak Reserve Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 15 Years
40% ABV/80 Proof
$45
Website
The Glenlivet 15 Yr French Oak Reserve Single Malt Scotch Whisky
What the Distillery Says:
Selective maturation in new French Oak casks made from Limousin Oak creates a characterful and unique expression of The Glenlivet. The rich, spicy notes from French Oak interplay with the fruit and floral notes of The Glenlivet. A delicious whisky to savour.

COLOUR
Deep gold, with intense late afternoon summer sunshine shades.

NOSE
Creamy and rich. Resinous fragrances swirl up before melting into a citrus fruit salad bowl. Orange peel and candied grapefruit aromas. Then, the bouquet opens on buttery notes. Shortbread, almond brandy snaps, vanilla toffee, fudge sauce. A dry spicy echo with a touch of liquorice resonates in the back.

PALATE
Round, sweet, incredibly smooth and velvety. Wood is entirely integrated but present all the way, sweetly enveloping fruity and nutty flavours in an oaky shell. Luscious chocolate fudge lingers on.

FINISH
Lingering with traces of toasted hazelnuts and lightly smoked almonds.

What Richard Says:
Nose: This one is kind of like a vanilla stone fruit parfait. Apricots, peaches, and cream jump out on first whiff. I also get a lot of the oak the dram is named for.
Palate: Fruity (mostly apple), malty, vanilla, and oak. This is a sinfully drinkable dram.
Finish: Initially creamy and then it leave a tannic bitter note accompanying the oak and spice. The finish is my least favorite aspect of this dram but I mitigate that by drinking more of it. 😉
Comments: This is a regular in my home whisky bar. It’s a staple of my table whiskies. I don’t like it as much as the old 12 Year Old French Oak Finish it replaced but it is a very enjoyable sub-$50 15 year old.
Rating: Must Try

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SMWSA Cask 85.23

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, SMWSA Whiskies /

SMWSA Cask No. 85.23
Highlands, Speyside (Lossie)
59.4% ABV
Distilled September 1999
$105
US Allocation: Unknown
October 2012 Outturn Release

What the SMWSA Says:
The first notes are typical of ex-sherry wood maturation: lightly sulfury, with struck matches, or as one put it ‘home-made egg mayo with granary bread’. The sulfur notes soon blow off, leaving yeasty, sour pumpernickel bread and baked pecan pie. At natural strength the taste is very sweet, burnt and aggressive. Water re-introduces the sulfur notes, which linger behind burnt toast spread with butter and bramble jelly or plum jam, and later treacle toffee. In the mouth, the texture is thick and smooth, the taste very sweet and slightly bitter, with raw brambles and redcurrants.

Drinking tip: Strolling in an autumnal orchard

What Richard Says:
Nose: Butterscotch and sherry jump way out and overshadow everything else.
Palate: Sweet like dark corn syrup with nutty bread pudding notes.
Finish: Wood sticks to the back of the tongue like glue. Savor roasted meats and a nutty essence on the way out.
Comments: Candy covered whisky? This is a dram for those with a sweet tooth. I myself have a huge sweet tooth so I’m loving this one. Water works well it. It mellows out the alcohol and keeps all the rest.
Rating: Must Try

Review sample provided courtesy of the SMWSA and is available to society members through their website or 800.990.1991.

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Martin Miller’s Gin

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Martin Miller’s Gin/Martin Miller’s Westbourne Strength Gin
40% ABV/45.2% ABV
$30/$45
Website
Martin Miller's Gin
What the Distillery Says:
[Quite a lot actually. Mr. Miller and his company are quite loquacious about this eponymous gin. Definitely check out the website. Below are the summations from the press materials provided]

Martin Miller’s Gin
Distilled using an innovative process and nine classic botanicals, Martin Miller’s Gin is blended and bottled at 80 proof. It is soft on the palate, and has a gentle delivery of it’s juniper notes, making it the perfect gin for martinis and gin and tonics.

Martin Miller’s Westbourne Strength Gin
Pure and clear in appearance, and with a long peppery finish, Westbourne Strength at 90.4 proof was developed specifically for cocktails that include stronger and more complex flavours and ingredients. Perfect for Bloody Mary’s and classics, like the Negroni.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Herbaceous in a bubbly sort of way. Juniper, jasmine, a citrus zest.
Palate: Sweet, slightly bitter, and peppery with classic juniper flavor. Very soft and easy to drink.
Finish: Medium length with a clean juniper finish.
Comments: This is simply a lovely classic gin. It’s not riffing on the gin base like a Hendricks. It distills (no pun intended) down the essence of London Gin into a standard bearing example. While this is great by itself, naturally the tipple shines in cocktails. I always try a new gin in a martini and a gin & tonic to start. Both are great. However, one of the recipes provided with the samples is a smashing version of the gin & tonic called Gin to Nicks. I can’t recommend that one enough.
Rating: Must Try

I would like to thank Anderson Group PR for providing generous samples for review.

Gin to Nicks

Glass: Hi-ball
Method: Build over cubed ice in glass
Garnish: Lime peel

50ml Martin Miller’s Gin
Dash of Angoustura bitters
Squeeze of lime juice
Good quality tonic water

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Springbank 10 Year Old

/ / Campbeltown, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Springbank Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 10 Years
46% ABV/92 Proof
$50 to $60
Website


What the Distillery Say:
The original Springbank whisky has been distilled legally on the site of the present distillery since 1828, and probably illicitly since well before then! Known and loved amongst whisky enthusiasts the world over, Springbank is produced using lightly-peated barley and a unique two-and-a-half-times distillation. This gives the whisky a character all of its own, making it stand out as a must-have dram on anyone’s shelf.

Produced using the most traditional of production techniques, from floor malting all the way through to the bottling stage, Springbank can best be described as a “hand-made” single malt. The classic Springbank complex, rich character can be found throughout the various bottlings available: the 10 year old is matured mostly in bourbon casks, emphasising the distillery’s character.

Matured 60% bourbon 40% sherry cask

The perfect introduction to the Springbank range. Complexity is the key word here. Yet the combination of Springbank matured in Bourbon and Sherry casks remains perfectly balanced from first sip to the full, rich finish.

Nose: Orchard fruit (pear) with a hint of peat, vanilla and malt.
Palate: Malt, oak, spice, nutmeg and cinnamon, vanilla essence.
Finish: Sweet with a lingering salty tingle.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Heather, honey, burnt sugar, and a little anise.
Palate: Very viscous, almost chewy. Great mouth feel. Fruity and briney. I’d love to be more specific on the fruity but it’s like southern ambrosia. It’s hard to pull the parts out.
Finish: A nice briney oak and an almost but not quite peat smokiness that all rolls together very nicely.
Comments: Oh Springbank I am so at odds with you. I love your whisky but I don’t want to tell people about it for fear it will be harder to get. It’s really hard to go bad with a Springbank. This one, along with Talisker, is in my opinion one of the two finest 10 year old single malt scotch drams available. The price may be a little off putting but you really need to try it.
Rating: Must Try

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