Stands Out

Glenfiddich Bourbon Reserve

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch Whiskey Bourbon Barrel Reserve Aged 14 Years
43% ABV
$49.99
Website
glenfiddich-14-mybottleshop-1
What the Distillery Says:
In a class of its own, the Glenfiddich Bourbon Barrel Reserve 14 Year Old uniquely delivers a bourbon heart with the soul of single malt.

Our Malt Master, Brian Kinsman patiently waits for 14 years as the whisky matures in ex-bourbon American Oak casks, and then finishes the whisky in deep charred new American Oak barrels supplied by The Kelvin Cooperage in Louisville, Kentucky.

The result: a rich, sweet and vibrant single malt. Its a whisky that delivers beautifully complex flavours of woody spices combined with ripe summer fruit, resulting from the spirit’s interaction with the casks.

COLOUR: Copper Oak
NOSE: Deep vibrant vanilla notes with hints of citrus, caramalised brown sugar and cinnamon. Baked apple and ripe summer fruits and balanced with the rich oaky aromas.
TASTE: Beautifully rich and sweet with layers of creamy toffee, woody spices, candied orange peel and fresh toasted oak.
FINISH: Long lasting with lingering sweetness.

What Richard Says:
Nose: This explodes on the nose with the smell of fried apple pies. Baked apples seasoned with cinnamon and brown sugar and drizzled with vanilla glaze. The single most “it smells exactly like this…” nose I’ve come across. No “hints” of this or that. As soon as I stuck my nose in the glass I smell the bakery at Mercier Orchards in north Georgia.
Palate: The mouthfeel benefits from the the six more proof points over their 12 and 15. It gives it a bit more richness and depth. The palate flavors don’t jump out as much as the nose. There is a very mellow sweetness playing with the wood. Not the most dynamic palate.
Finish: Dry and chewy. It reminds me of chewing on a toothpick too long.
Comments: This U.S. exclusive release is something rare…a new single malt from an established distiller hitting the market age stated and at or below $50. Well, Glenfiddich has the capacity and stocks to do silly things like give people something they deserve instead of what marketing comes up with as an answer to poor forecasting. Is this some crazy new dynamic from Glenfiddich? No, it’s just a solid malt for a decent price. Really, the flavor profile and finish are a tad too bland for me but damn if I couldn’t smell this all autumn.
Rating: Stands Out

Our thanks to William Grant & Sons USA for providing us with a sample to review.

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Hibiki Japanese Harmony

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

Hibiki Japanese Harmony Suntory Whisky
43% ABV
$65
Website
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What the Distillery Says:
Hibiki was created to be the paragon of the Suntory blend. The name Hibiki literally means “resonance” in Japaneses, and reflects the Suntory Corporate philosophy to “live in harmony iwht people and nature.” Hibiki celebrates Japanese nature and the subtleties found in the 24 seasons of teh traditional calendar, reflected in the 24 facets of its bottle design. Hibiki is a harmonious blend of innumerous malt and grain whiskies from Suntory’s distilleries, which are meticulously blended to create a full orchestra of flavors and aromas. The Hibiki Japanese Harmony is the epitome of the Hibiki blend. Subtle, noble and harmonious, Hibiki Japanese harmony is a perfect introduction to Japanese Whisky and the award winning House of Suntory Whisky.

Luminous. Delicate. A transparency that unveils complexity.

Color: amber
Nose: rose, lychee, hint of rosemary, mature woodiness, sandalwood
Palate: honeylike sweetness, candied orange peel, white chocolate
Finish: subtle, tender long finish, with hint of Mizunara (Japanese oak)

What Richard Says:
Nose: This one needs a lot of time for the nose to open up. Initially it smells great from across the table but not much when you nose it directly. Give it time and it shows rose oil and honey while walking in the woods right after it rains. Plum pudding and cloves.
Palate: Delicate, almost effervescent sweetness. Poached pears dusted in cocoa powder.
Finish: Drawn out with a light spiciness playing off the oak.
Comments: This is fine whiskey but it doesn’t really stand up to the 12 year old. The pricing on the two is very close and I think you would do yourself a favor to just go ahead and get the aged stated Hibiki.
Rating: Stands Out

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Ardbeg Supernova

/ / Islay, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Ardbeg Supernova Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
(2015 release)
54.3% ABV
$180
Website
supernova-bottle-the-conclusion
What the Distillery Says:
Ardbeg Supernova is one of the peatiest whiskies on Earth. Yet it is also intensely spicy and unfathomably sweet. Truly a mystery of the universe.

This final, fleeting Committee bottling of Ardbeg Supernova heralds the culmination of Ardbeg’s experiment in space. Its release coincides with the publication of Dr Bill Lumsden’s highly anticipated White Paper on the mysteries of zero gravity maturation.

TASTING NOTES

A big bang of peat… then heavenly sweet… with a lingering trail of smoke.

Colour: Shimmering pale gold
Nose: A shower of peppery, aromatic herbs shoots through the air, scattering particles of effervescent perfume. In its wake, smoked fruits, briny seaweed and fennel. The sensation comes full circle with the earthy, grounding aroma of vetiver root. Add a few drops of water and luscious linseed oil comes to the surface, sending wafts of sweet smoked toffee, brazil nuts and soot into the atmosphere.
Taste: At 100ppm, the peat is firing on all cylinders, with blasts of spice, salted caramel and billowing smoke. And then it’s back to the laboratory, where antiseptic lozenges, medicinal notes and zingy aniseed intermingle with dark tar and intense chilli-spice.
Finish: Prepare for a long, lingering, peppery aftertaste that goes on and on and on…

What Richard Says:
Nose: You know I find it easier to distinguish between different Islay distilleries by nose than any other small clustered whisky making area. Clearly this is an Ardbeg. A richer, nutty, earthier peat.
Palate: Crisp sweetness like salted caramel candies with a sooty, peppery medicinal quality that is more appealing than it sounds.
Finish: Antiseptic and dry. Evaporated Chloraseptic spray.
Comments: So this year’s release is to commemorate the completion of Dr. Bill Lumsden experiment on the impact of outer space on the maturation of whisky. If you’re really geeky then you can try to find his white paper (which we had previously linked to, but Ardbeg no longer hosts the file – boo!) Personally, I’m a bit more interested in the whisky. 😉 And interesting this one really is. I find Ardbeg to be a more polarizing malt than most. For those that like Ardbeg I think you will really enjoy this. For the rest of you it’s an almost $200 chance you might not want to take.
Rating: Stands Out

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

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Hakushu 12 Year

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review /

The Hakushu Single Malt Whisky Aged 12 Years
43% ABV
$65
Website
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What the Distillery Says:
HAKUSHU: THE VARDANT JAPANESE WHISKY

From Suntory’s mountain forest distillery, nestled deep in Mt. Kaikomagatake, Hakushu is the fresh and gently smoky single malt whisky with herbal notes that is the revelation of Japanese single malts.

Straight from the untouched forests, mountains and pure waters of the Southern Japanese Alps, it is no wonder that Hakushu is a “green and fresh” whisky, praised by the most curious whisky connoisseurs and lovers of gastronomy.Its crisp and vibrant feel, unique in a single malt, enlivens and liberates your senses.

Green with herbal notes.

Color: champagne gold
Nose: basil, pine needle, green apple
Palate: sweet pear, mint, kiwi
Finish:green tea, subtle smoke

What Richard Says:
Nose: “Green” comes to mind. Green grass, green herbs, green fruits, green conifers. At the very back is just the smallest bit of peat poking around. As it opens I get orange blossom honey.
Palate: Lovely fruity sweetness with again that wisp of smoke. Sweetened lime juice, honeysuckle, and herbal tea.
Finish: Long and warm with a nutty spice.
Comments: Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever had my opinion change so much on a whiskey before. When I first had this a couple of years ago I really didn’t like it. I tried it a few times and it never took. Revisiting it recently from like stock and this one is really hitting my sweet spot. It’s a fresh and vibrate whisky with an approachable sweetness that carries just a hint of smoke. Damn, I’ve overlooked this one too long.
Rating: Stands Out

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Glenmorangie Tusail

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky /

Glenmorangie Tusail Private Edition Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
46% ABV
$100 to $115
Website
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What the Distillery Says:
The 6th release from Glenmorangie’s award-winning Private Edition, Tùsail is the product of a carefully-selected parcel of Maris Otter barley, floor-malted by hand using traditional techniques, and non chill-filtered.

A rich winter variety of barley first introduced in 1965, Maris Otter was bred specifically to meet the demand for a high quality brewing malt and recognized for its ability to impart rich, rustic malty flavours. Now used only by a select few who continue, like Glenmorangie, to uphold an ethos of sacrificing yield for quality by using only the finest ingredients, the result is a whisky celebrating the variety’s renowned taste profile.

Tasting Notes
Aroma: Deep earthy, robust aromas of malty, biscuity tones, with a backbone of nut toffee.
Taste: A rich, rustic profile of nut toffee, sweet barley malt, ginger, cinnamon, and dates in molasses complements more familiar Glenmorangie notes of peaches, oranges and smoked pears.
Finish: Tùsail lingers on with a mouth-coating finish.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Sweet and grainy. Apple pie, wet oak , and overly sweetened iced coffee.
Palate: Sweet and oily with notes of molasses cookies, pear tart, cloves, and honey.
Finish: Dry and herbal.
Comments: It’s funny because when you get into the whiskey there is a lot of depth but if you dip your finger in for a quick taste you would swear it’s beer. This is one of those interesting whiskies that is more of an oddity to explore at a good whisky bar rather and a bottle of your own.
Rating: Stands Out

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