Tastes
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Glenfarclas Single Cask (1997/2021 Cask#181
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed July 25, 2024 (edited July 26, 2024)Glenfarclas Distillery post-tour tasting, 3rd May 2024, whisky #5 Nose: Fortified wine, raisins, dark chocolate, Turkish delight, nutmeg. There is a note of sulphur but it was not disagreeable. Palate: Caramel fondant, marzipan, plums and sultanas in the arrival. Stone fruits, malt extract, stewed dark fruit, sweet black cherries, preserved orange peel, ginger in syrup, pineapple chunks. The texture is rich and beyond creamy, it almost approaches the mouth-feel of a liqueur. Finish: Medium. Wine, malt and preserved fruits. This expression was a special release, distillery-only, single-cask bottling and although the distillery’s signature character is recognizable it was different to any other Glenfarclas I have tasted. Overall it was softer, more velvety in texture and had a much sweeter profile, particularly on the finish. There was a trace of sulphur on both nose and palate but it was benign and agreeable (in the same way that Springbank fermentation sulphur is agreeable). It was distilled in 1997 and filled into a refill Madeira pipe (distillery cask #181), and disgorged on 19th February 2021 at an abv of 50.7%. The bottle from which we tasted did not state the number of bottles, but I believe it was 653 (more about that below). Glenfarclas does not generally use anything other than sherry casks, and they never finish whiskies (as far as I can recall) so a full-term Madeira pipe maturation is remarkable for them. The tour guide did show us some other non-sherry casks in the dunnage we visited, but apparently the whisky from these is seldom sold. I could not find any information about this expression online, but there is a bottle on Whiskybase that has a different label (1997 Family Reserve II Madeira Cask) but is identical in all other respects including the cask number. It states “1 of 653 bottles” so I’m assuming that the whisky I tasted was part of the same batch, but labeled differently for UK sale. It was very interesting to taste but none was available for purchase. “Very Good” : 86/100 (4 stars) -
Glenfarclas vintage 2002, Distillery Exclusive 2023 for Spirit of Speyside Festival
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed July 25, 2024 (edited July 26, 2024)Glenfarclas Distillery post-tour tasting, 3rd May 2024, whisky# 4 Nose: Malt extract, rum and raisin chocolate, cherries, orange peel, preserved ginger, dried apricot and leather. It’s a marvelous, commanding nose that has intensity but is well balanced. An excellent sherry nose. Palate: The arrival is sweetly spicy with preserved fruits stewed in dark honey, pippali, hot cinnamon and nutmeg. In the development the palate becomes maltier with licorice, oak and espresso coffee backed by a leathery, tobacco note. The texture is very good, just a little oily with perfectly contained alcohol. Adding water tones down the spice notes a little, enlarges the sweet flavours (but also introduces a touch of bitterness) and makes the texture creamier. Finish: Long. Mildly spicy and sweet with a candy-like fruity acidity in the aftertaste. This distillery exclusive bottling was released for the Spirit of Speyside Festival in 2023, but bottles are still available from the distillery door (the 2024 Festival exclusive was a NAS called “107” but I did not have an opportunity to taste it). It was distilled in 2002, matured in a 1st-fill sherry butt (distillery cask 3774) for 20 years, and bottled on the 15th February 2023. 636 bottles were filled at cask-strength of 54.3%. A very fine example of classic, old-school 1st-fill sherry Glenfarclas. The nose is quite magnificent and the palate not far short in quality. This is good sherried whisky, but not a generic sherry bomb. I did note a slight astringency when it was watered but this just provided balance against the spicy-sweetness of the neat palate. “Excellent” : 88/100 (4.5 stars)650.0 GBP per Bottle -
Speyburn Spirit of Speyside Exclusive (2004/2024)
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed July 24, 2024 (edited July 26, 2024)Speyburn Distillery post-tour masterclass, 2nd May 2024, whisky #5 Nose: Sherry, dried figs, dried dates, raisins, boiled Christmas pudding. A waft of furniture varnish and old oak. Palate: Dark fruit, sherry, orange marmalade, oak. Not a great deal emerges later or with subsequent sips – it’s a fairly straightforward sherried palate. The texture is waxy rather than creamy or oily and there was walnut-skin tannic astringency. Finish: Medium. Dark fruits, sherry, dark chocolate, oak. This was distilled in 2004 and disgorged in 2024 after being aged in one ex-sherry cask (distillery cask 215) for 19 years. 546 bottles were produced (which is about 410 litres so it must have been a sherry butt) and our tasting was from bottle 513. This bottling was a distillery-only exclusive single-cask expression for the 2024 Spirit of Speyside Festival. It was a pleasant whisky, clean and well sherried with a lovely dark, all-natural colour. On the whole I’d describe it as being better than average but, although there was nothing specifically bad about it, it lacked personality, depth and length so there was no incentive for me to purchase it – particularly for £180. “Above Average” 82/100 (3.25 stars)180.0 GBP per Bottle -
Speyburn Single Cask Distillery Exclusive (2012/2023)
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed July 24, 2024 (edited July 26, 2024)Speyburn Distillery post-tour masterclass, 2nd May 2024, whisky #4 Nose: Hefty notes of ale, malt, toffee, fudge and vanilla. There's nothing shy or retiring about this nose. Palate: Soft and creamy arrival centred on malt and dried fruits. Buttery vanilla shows up in the development and the whisky progresses into a very sweet character with coconut, peanut brittle and caramel highlighted. These notes are balanced by ginger and walnut skin astringency. The texture is creamy. Finish: Medium. The sweet notes give way to oak, green apple skins and weak black tea. This was a single-cask distillery-door exclusive expression, uncoloured, un-chillfiltered and aged entirely in one ex bourbon barrel (distillery cask #438). The cask was filled in 2012 and disgorged in 2023 producing 264 bottles. Our tasting was from bottle #117. Overall it was a singularly malty whisky, not the most subtle thing I’ve ever tasted but with enormous verve and presence. Although the age is not specified on the bottle (apart from the distillation and bottling years) we were told that this was 10 years old and the profile certainly made me imagine Speyburn’s 10 year old core-range expression on a massive dose of steroids. "Good" : 83/100 (3.5 stars) -
Speyburn Distillery post-tour masterclass, 2nd May 2024, whisky #3 Nose: Lots of dark malt extract and Christmas cake aromas (dried fruit, cherries, raisins), oloroso sherry and rosewater. Beneath this there is a subtle foundation of fresh rye bread, tobacco and leather which expands when a little water is added. Palate: The arrival is soft but the mouth-feel gains a drying quality as the palate progresses. Dark chocolate, dried fruit, chewing tobacco and cinnamon appear in the development. There are spicy notes but despite its dry and slightly bitter qualities it always retains a touch of sweetness. High cocoa dark chocolate is a very good comparison. The texture is pleasant but not particularly full. Finish: Medium. The sweet notes from the palate win out in the end with milk chocolate, some orange oil, mild spices and a touch of gentle tannin in the aftertaste. Water adds a touch of hardness and I preferred this one neat. Although Strathisla is widely considered the most attractive distillery in Speyside, I think Speyburn is at least as pretty. It's located in a pleasant wooded valley below the road just north of Rothes and like Strathisla it retains its original pagoda-roofed kiln (although that is no longer operational). The old malting equipment is still in situ and it's a fascinating piece of industrial history. They also provide an excellent tour and tasting options. This 18 year old was my favourite dram of the tasting, as it was for a couple of the other participants, and it is usually around AUS$200 a bottle or less, which makes it good value. “Very Good” : 85/100 (4 stars)
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Strathisla Distillery post-tour tasting, 1st May 2024, whisky#4 Nose: Old polished furniture, pipe tobacco, leather car seats, dark honey, sherry, malt extract, black tea. Over time the nose gets bigger and bigger … it never stops expanding. Palate: The arrival is sweet and plush with dark fruits, tobacco and red berries. It is captivating, almost mesmerising from the first sip. In the development there is fudge and vanilla, dark chocolate and a touch of orange rind. Following this both milk and more dark chocolate emerge to control the palate into the finish. The texture is creamy, seductive and mouth-wateringly juicy. Finish: Long. Good oak, pipe tobacco, chocolate and red berries with everything fading into an aftertaste of sherry and malt. Distilled in 2005 and bottled in 2023, this distillery-exclusive whisky was matured entirely in 1st-fill sherry casks. The batch produced 750 bottles at the reduced strength of 48% abv. This is a huge, commanding sherried whisky that proclaims the virtues of excellent oak casks but is not at all wood-dominated. Its fragrant aromas are reminiscent of all facets of a dunnage warehouse containing hogsheads and the palate is a landscape of lush fruit and malt. It’s one of those whiskies you wish would last forever. In several ways this reminded me of the exquisite pre-2016 GlenDronach 15 Revival, except this is softer, sweeter and fruitier. It was delectable neat and just as good with water, which transformed the profile slightly but did no harm at all. It was different when reduced, softer, but just as good and my preference for taking it neat or watered would change with context. However the best time for this whisky in my opinion would be as a dessert dram. I was surprised to see this whisky on the tasting table as I had no idea that there was an official Strathisla 18 year old, even as an exclusive. The distillery rep who conducted the tour hinted that this may become a core-range expression in the future but I would not hold out strong hopes. However if it did and the local price was not too crazy I would obtain a bottle for sure. “Very Good” : 87/100 (4.25 stars)150.0 GBP per Bottle
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Strathisla 16 year 2006/2022 Cognac Butt Finish Distillery Exclusive
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed July 13, 2024 (edited July 17, 2024)Strathisla Distillery post-tour tasting, 1st May 2024, whisky#3 Nose: Chocolate pudding, malted milk, grape jelly, honey, caramel sauce, vanilla, cinnamon, tropical fruit juice concentrate. Palate: Sweet arrival with grapes, raisins and dark chocolate being the main flavours. In the development there was toffee, prunes and coffee with a resurgence of grape and fortified wine in the late palate. The texture was oily. Finish: Medium/Long. Sweet grapes, raisins, hazelnuts and a pinch of mixed spices leading into a dry aftertaste. This distillery exclusive expression was distilled and filled into ex-bourbon barrels on February 9th, 2006. It was matured for most of its 16 years in those casks before being re-racked into one ex-cognac butt. This was discharged on December 1st, 2022 and produced 840 half-litre bottles of which my tasting was from bottle 753. The whisky was not chill-filtered and although I cannot say for certain that it was uncoloured, I think that was the case. A very fine whisky that showcases good cognac cask finishing, the cognac heritage being just discernable but at no time taking centre stage or overturning the malty heart of the whisky. It is opulently sweet and rich when neat but adding water added a touch of ginger and allspice that provided excellent balance. I preferred it with slight dilution. When declaring our favourite drams of the tasting our group of 8 were split between this and the distillery exclusive 15 year old (also reviewed here). I thought they were equally delightful, but if forced to choose I’d go for the 15 year old. Like the 15 year old this was a cellar door exclusive but I don’t think it is still available. “Very good” : 86/100 (4 stars)110.0 GBP per Bottle -
Strathisla 15 year 2008/2023 Single Cask Distillery Exclusive
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed July 13, 2024 (edited July 17, 2024)Strathisla Distillery post-tour tasting, 1st May 2024, whisky#2 Nose: Raspberries, cranberry juice, strawberries, red apples, green apples, pear juice, vanilla, cinnamon. Palate: Sweet, rich and creamy when neat. Huge strawberry note, milk chocolate, white chocolate, stewed red plums. The texture is creamy and oily. Finish: Medium/Short. Berries stewed with mild spices and served with chocolate. This distillery exclusive expression was distilled and filled into an ex-bourbon barrel (cask 211804) on February 29th, 2008 and discharged on September 11th, 2023. The barrel produced 312 half-litre bottles of which my tasting was from bottle 157. The whisky was not chill-filtered and although I cannot say if it had any artificial colouring added, given the pale straw colour I don’t think it did. It is a deliciously luscious and decadent whisky with impressively contained alcohol. I would never guess this had mid-50s strength abv. It does not need water but a drop or two brings out white pepper and ginger and makes the texture even creamier. It is delicious either way. I was a just a fraction disappointed in the new 11 year old expression (the first we tasted) but this cask-strength 15, the second tasting in the lineup, completely restored my faith in Strathisla. It is simply delicious and more importantly … fun. It is a cellar-door exclusive but you can buy it online as well. When it came to our favourite dram of the afternoon the tasting group of 8 from my tour were split between this and the distillery exclusive 16 year old (which I’ll be reviewing next). Personally, I thought they were equally delightful. “Very Good” : 86/100 (4 stars)90.0 GBP per Bottle -
Mortlach 15 Year (Game of Thrones Six Kingdoms)
Single Malt — Scotland
Reviewed July 13, 2024 (edited July 15, 2024)Tasted at Blair Athol Distillery Whisky Bar, 25 April 2024 Nose: A big, expansive nose that showcases caramel, malt, dried fruits, woody aromas and hints of baking spices. It’s like fruitcake, but not as aromatic as Christmas cake. Adding water makes it softer and quite plush, less intense but still full and satisfying. There is a puff of ashen smoke in the background. Palate: The arrival is balanced between sweet fruits and spices and it has good body that you immediately notice. Malty notes come forward on the mid-palate along with clove, cinnamon and allspice but these are soft and warm, not spiky. With water the palate, like the nose, becomes considerably sweeter with caramel, dried dates, strawberries and toffee dominating. It has that elusive meaty depth of all Mortlach whiskies. Finish: Medium/Long. The late palate spices segue into to lingering chocolate-covered toffee sweetness. Water shortens the finish but does not otherwise change or spoil it. I swore that I’d never engage with the Diageo GoT franchise tie-in whiskies, it being such a blatant marketing exercise. I had the feeling at the time that even Diageo were a bit blasé about the whole thing, given that some of the series releases were nothing more than core-range expressions in special labels. Eventually, I did try a taste of the vile Johnnie Walker “White Walker” blend at a pop-up stall and that was enough to confirm my suspicions so I avoided the rest of the series. However after the initial eight expressions Diageo released this final ninth installment, which received widespread approval. In summary it is a very agreeable whisky and probably the pinnacle of the franchise tie-ins. You can still find this in some stores and via online sellers, but it will be overpriced and poor value. Buy the Gordon and Macphail Mortlach 15 year old Official Label bottling instead. It will be half the price, easier to find and a better whisky all round. “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars)300.0 AUD per Bottle -
Tamnavulin Sherry Cask Edition
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed July 11, 2024 (edited July 13, 2024)Tasted most recently on the Keith and Dufftown Railway “Dram Tram”, Sunday 5th May 2024 and also from a bottle of Batch L2060 07:51 P/013142. Several prior tastings. Nose: Honey, malt, floral bouquet, sherry, banana, vanilla. Over time the nose opens and gains a nice, rich malty depth. Palate: The arrival is sweet and very soft, like butter cookies and caramel. Sultanas, raisins, dark honey, red fruits and absolute truckloads of milk chocolate appear in the development. The texture is silky and luxurious, but not oily. Finish: Short. Leafy, apples, pears and a little honey and pepper ham glaze. Tamnavulin does not get a lot of attention outside of Scotland (outside of Speyside, for that matter) which is a shame as it’s a great session whisky. The core Double Cask Expression is a pleasant, gentle whisky that deserves to be more popular, but this Sherry Cask Edition takes things up a step. It’s a simple, linear whisky with little progression that focuses on sweet fruity malt. It fades quickly but there is absolutely nothing bad going on here and although it might sound a bit dull it’s a delicious and very easy everyday dram. It also expands nicely in the glass with both the nose and palate showing more chocolate over time. It's one of those whiskies you can share with a complete novice and you will both be happy. The label says “Batch 30502” but this has been there on all bottlings since 2019 when it was introduced, so it’s just marketing guff. The heel L2060 code on my bottle indicates it was a 2022 bottling but I’ve had this a number of times and it has been very consistent. This is good whisky and very good value. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)75.0 AUD per Bottle
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