Tastes
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Irish Mist Honey Liqueur
Herbal/Spice Liqueurs — Ireland
Reviewed May 14, 2023 (edited January 20, 2024)Appearance: Amber-gold, transparent with no particulates. Aroma: Spiced honey (clove, cinnamon, vanilla), a waft of sweet citrus and a very deep, warm floral note almost like rose perfume. I assume this is the aroma of heather, but having never smelled heather blossoms as an infusion or extract I can't say for certain. There is a hint of whiskey in the background. Flavour & Texture: Sweet, warming and mildly spicy arrival all centred on honey with traces of vanilla and mild herbal spice. The texture is syrupy and just short of cloying. I remember this liqueur from the 1970s but it disappeared from the shelves somewhere around the mid 80s, I think. In the 60s and 70s it came in an attractive dumpy bottle with a blue/grey label, and later I remember it being in a more elaborate teardrop-shaped bottle. It's a pity they did not revive either of the old packaging styles. It’s far too long ago for me to say with any certainty whether this is the same as the old product, but something makes me feel it is a little different. Back then it was positioned as the milder and less hot cousin of Drambuie, and it can still be described that way, but I can’t escape the feeling that this modern version is less complex. As long as you have a sweet tooth and enjoy honey liqueurs it is a good choice and I can’t imagine you would not enjoy it, but those who do not like sugary liqueurs should steer clear. If you want something with a little more complexity and less density of sugar/honey I'd recommend Amaro Montenegro. The only other honey liqueur I’ve tasted in the last 5 years is Stumbras Krupnikas Medaus and I think this is just about the same level of quality, so I’m giving it the same rating. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)60.0 AUD per Bottle -
Nose: Pineapple, over-ripe apricots, grilled banana, clay, earth, old floorboards. On the dry glass there is an aroma of stale urine (WTF?!?) Palate: Sweet, oily pineapple extract and grilled banana on the arrival, a typical "strong aroma" baijiu profile. The development is swift and does not offer a lot more, but towards the finish it changes course and presents as a "sauce aroma" baijiu, with bean paste and mushroom flavours predominating. There is a zesty astringent quality that is common for baijiu but not found in any other spirit – a sort of gentle earthy prickle on the palate that has a simultaneously sweet, salty and tangy taste. Finish: Medium. The fruity, mainly pineapple, presence that has dominated throughout gently fades into an umami aftertaste. Xiao Lang (Little Lang) is produced by the Langjiu distillery, which is located on the banks of the Chishui River in Sichuan Province. It is the top selling small package baijiu in China and more of it is sold annually than Glenfiddich 12. Yeah, let that sink in. This is an “hybrid aroma” baijiu, which refers to its twofold profile that starts out as strong-aroma but finishes as sauce-aroma. It is very drinkable neat but can also be used in cocktails or mixed drinks. It even works quite well with tonic water (I'm still getting over that shock). This is, like all baijiu, an acquired taste and the aroma is even more unfamiliar. Mrs Cascode nosed this and declared it to have the aroma of artificial pineapple essence, dirty clothes, urea and sweaty feet. I can understand this reaction but note she was smelling my dry glass, and the aroma of this spirit changes through the tasting. To start with it is much fresher and very fruity, and the unusual urea quality is only plain on the dry glass. I think it is the aroma of the "qu" itself showing through (qu is the culture medium that both saccharifies and ferments the grain). If this review is off-putting I apologize – I can only call ‘em as I see ‘em and this is a very alien profile to me, but note that I refilled my glass 3 times while doing this review, and I continue to find this a fascinating, delicious and absorbing spirit, and not at all unpleasant … just weird. I’m calling it an above average example of baijiu, but please take that assessment with many grains of salt – I’m a novice with this remarkable family of spirits. The price is for a 100ml bottle. “Above Average” : 82/100 (3.25 stars)19.0 AUD per Bottle
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Nose: Malt, apple skins, citrus and stone-fruits. The port cask finish is very subtle merely adding a gloss of fortified wine to the basic Dewar’s distillate. That is, however, a pleasant thing and it rounds off the corners of what can otherwise be a fairly ordinary (but competently "average") blended scotch nose. If you compare this to Dewar’s White Label then this is definitely the more interesting scotch. Palate: A larger arrival than either of the other two “Dewar’s Smooth” expressions I’ve tasted recently, but also not as sweet or engaging. It’s surprisingly more like an oloroso sherry finish than port, and there is a good dose of tannin present which gives it a spiky, dry quality (I wonder if they were European oak casks? Surely not!). The texture is OK but overshadowed by the tannic dryness, which makes it seem thin. The palate is not as good as the nose. Finish: Medium: Peppery, sharp spices, overbrewed tea and old walnut skins. The finish is a step down again from the early palate. This is the last of the Dewar’s Smooth finish expressions I bought recently, and it’s not my favourite. It starts reasonably well but the taste and finish do not do justice to the nose. If it was softer and had better balance and a little more fruit on the palate I’d rate it more highly. Adding a dash of water knocks the tannins down a good deal and generally improves the palate and mouth-feel, but the nose loses presence. It takes water surprisingly well for a 40%abv blended scotch – I guess all that oak spice has to be good for something. I thought this seemed like it will be best as a mixer, and in the presence of something sweet like Coke or dry ginger ale it’s probably going to be more than acceptable. I’m rating it one point higher than Dewar’s White Label, which makes my ranking order for these three expressions and the Dewar’s scotches I’ve previously rated here as follows: 82/100 (3.25) - 15 Year Old “The Monarch” 81/100 (3) – 12 Year Old “The Ancestor” 81/100 (3) - Ilegal Smooth mescal cask 80/100 (3) - Japanese Smooth mizunara cask 79/100 (2.75) - Portuguese Smooth port cask 78/100 (2.75) – Dewar’s White Label “Average” : 79/100 (2.75 stars)65.0 AUD per Bottle
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Nose: Shy malt with a light orchard and stone-fruit presence. You do notice aromas associated with agave spirit but they are light and if nosed blind I would not be able to say if this was a mescal or tequila cask, and I certainly couldn’t pick the brand. It’s just not bold enough to allow that sort of discrimination. There’s a tiny hint of ash in the foundation which is very pleasant. Palate: Typical sweet and mildly fruit/cereal Dewar’s house style in the arrival, but it gives way to a growing mescal note as it develops. A little spice is the first thing noticed but instead of the expected gingery quality it takes a left turn into mild vegetal and peppery flavours, with a touch of ash in the background. As with the nose you definitely notice something different to standard Dewars White Label (or 12 year old for that matter), but it’s really not until you know it is mezcal cask finished that the nature of what you are tasting becomes clear. Once you do, however, the presence of mescal as a finish is obvious, and it works very well. The texture is good for a blend, with the foundation Aberfeldy distillate contributing its usual creamy and honeyed qualities. Finish: Very Short. Cereal and a trace of peppered honey with a green vegetative background at the end, but it is a very fast finish. A minute after swallowing there is hardly any trace you ever had it on the palate. This is the second of the Dewar’s cask finished “smooth” range I’m currently tasting. As with the mizunara cask expression I had yesterday it’s satisfying that it has an identifiably individual finish (I wonder if the port cask Portuguese Smooth I’m tasting next will continue the trend?). There’s not much more to add. This blended scotch is just fine as an easy, relaxing sipper neat or over ice, it works as a mixer and it’s reasonably priced. It does offer something more than the standard White Label blend and I'd happily buy this again. I like it a fraction better than the mizunara cask expression so I'm giving it one percentage point more, which gives it the same rating I've previously given to Dewar's 12 year old. “Above Average” : 81/100 (3 stars)68.0 AUD per Bottle
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Nose: A rather shy and undemonstrative nose at first but it gains some momentum after a while and becomes quite sweet. Light honey, light vanilla, light malt, a little peach and apricot with a slowly emerging buttery note. There is not much mizunara wood aroma but the whisky is a little softer and more rounded than other entry level Dewars and it has a fragrant touch. In a blind tasting line-up of Dewars blends you would notice that this has a soft quality to it but you would probably not identify it as due to mizunara casks (well, I wouldn’t anyway). Palate: Light, mainly cereal and thin honey with some soft stone-fruits in the arrival. Mild ginger spice in mid-development but it flashes into view briefly and then disappears. Very easy to drink and the texture is pretty good for an affordable blend, with a full almost creamy quality. Finish: Short. Semi-sweet cereal with a faint spice aftertaste. This is an average blended scotch but to be fair there is nothing objectionable about it and it’s very approachable. You can enjoy it neat as a sipping whisky so it’s definitely on the high side of average. It works well as a mixer but in that context the slight mizunara influence is obscured. If I was going to a barbecue with friends who like the occasional dram but are not particularly fans of whisky it would be a great session bottle to share. It would also be fine as a last dram of the night if you wanted something really soft and easy to relax with. I sort of agree with some of the official Distiller tasting notes but I think Jake is a little hard on this and the score is a bit low. I was initially going to give this 79/100 but I found myself enjoying my tasting dram more and more as I was typing this so I’m boosting it up by a percentage point. For the money this is fair value. I missed out on picking up a bottle of the Dewar’s Caribbean cask when it was around but I do have the Ilegal mescal and Portuguese port cask finished blends. Reviews incoming soon. “Above Average” : 80/100 (3 stars)57.0 AUD per Bottle
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Black Gate BG095 Australian Peated Single Malt
Single Malt — Mendooran, New South Wales, Australia
Reviewed April 30, 2023 (edited May 22, 2023)Nose (neat): At first all I noticed were gentle, demure cereal aromas – grist, oatmeal porridge, and barley sugar. Then later there was a hint of vanilla, subtle oak and a suggestion of peat smoke. This is a spirit-driven nose and it’s extremely tight when neat. However, allowing the dram to sit in the glass for a while works magic and the longer you leave it the larger it becomes. Over time it gains considerable presence as the initial aromas blossom and are joined by emerging mint, sweeter barley sugar, anise and an aromatic texture of rich, pillowy fullness. Nose (watered): Adding water mellows and softens the nose while also unleashing peat smoke. The smoke never gains anything like the force or intensity of, say, Ardbeg but then it’s not trying to be a peat monster. This is more like the sort of peating you expect from Longrow, Glengyle or Benromach. The dry-glass aroma is distant bushfire smoke. Palate (neat): Sweet, muscular, with an intense malty and cereal arrival and slowly building peat smoke. Burnt grass, digestive biscuits, coffee and dried dates in the development. It’s firm and nearly astringent on the palate as tannins, grapefruit zest, green apple skins and dark almost-burnt Anzac biscuits smeared with golden syrup appear in the late development. This whisky has progression and the texture is creamy and satisfying. Palate (watered): The palate gains more body and sweetness, with peat smoke and menthol expanding and playing off against dark cherry preserve, rhubarb tart, sour ginger pickle and lemon zest. The smoke presence is more evident now. Finish (neat): Long. Spicy malt and well contained tannins dance into the sunset to the accompaniment of moderate peat smoke. When watered the finish becomes more spritzy with lingering ginger, bright tannins and peppermint. It loses no length in the process (I thought it actually gained length with dilution) and the aftertaste has a hint of ashy chimney smoke. Many minutes after finishing the dram the last echo of flavour is sweet, mild peat smoke. Black Gate is one of the world’s smallest whisky distilleries. It was founded by husband and wife team Brian and Genise Hollingworth in 2009 in a region of country NSW that experiences extreme temperature variations, from below freezing to 40 degrees Celsius in the summer. They produce about 4,000 litres of spirit annually from their two small direct-fired pot stills. This particular bottling was distilled in April 2018, matured in an ex-bourbon cask (distillery cask BG095) and bottled in June 2021. Only 355 bottles were produced of which mine is number 239. The peated malt for the expression was sourced from either Bairds or Smiths in Scotland. This is a big peated single-cask, cask-strength single malt but it also has a lighter and more delicate side to its personality. Occasionally the nose seems almost candy-like and on initial nosing it reminded me of the Ardnamurchan AD/09:22 cask strength I recently reviewed, with which it shares a quality of subtle, uncomplicated purity. There is heat from the relatively high alcohol strength but it is contained and pleasant – in fact heat is more obvious with dilution as spices show through. Adding a second dilution reduces the whisky to a purring but slightly cantankerous kitten – I eventually took it down to around 25% abv and it was still forceful. How Brian manages to create a whisky of such power but retain a graceful profile while maturing it in small casks in extreme temperatures for just on 2-4 years is beyond my comprehension. Initially Black Gate produced rum and unpeated single malt whisky but since 2016 their focus has been on heavily peated single malt, although unpeated runs are occasionally still done. Originally Brian always used sherry, port and rum casks for maturation but of late he has been using bourbon barrels which allow the distillate character to show through more clearly. I’m in two minds as to which I prefer – the enormous cask-driven flavor of his apera (sherry) expressions or the more focused and clear profile of this one. Regardless of the casking, every issue from Black Gate shares the trait of being a true one-off batch release, unchillfiltered, uncoloured and usually at cask strength from a single-cask. There is a consistent distillery signature of cereal texture, depth and richness, however there is also great variation between batches and every expression should be listed separately. Black Gate is without question one of my top 5 Australian whisky distilleries. “Very Good” : 87/100 (4.25 stars)219.0 AUD per Bottle -
Black Gate BG068 Australian Peated Single Malt
Single Malt — Mendooran, New South Wales, Australia
Reviewed April 30, 2023 (edited May 1, 2023)This review was originally posted here in a general listing for Black Gate whisky on 19 January 2020. I’ve moved it to this listing for the specific expression for reasons that will be obvious. Australian Single Malt Whisky Tasting (Part 1), The Oak Barrel, Sydney 16 January 2020, Whisky #6 Nose: Highly phenolic peat smoke, lemon oil, bacon fat and a faint hint of fruity caramel in the background. Palate: Sweet smoke, red berries and stone fruit (golden peach and apricot) on the arrival. The development veers more towards sweet citrus (tangerine and lemon) and the smoke evolves into a meaty barbecue quality. The texture is oily and full. Finish: Medium/long. The fruit flavours subside and the aftertaste is lingering sweet smoke. This is a robust, heavily peated, single-cask, cask-strength single malt of great character. There is no heat at all from the high alcohol content and it is delicious neat. It can, however, take as much water as you wish to throw into it and suffers no ill effects, simply expanding and softening as it dilutes. Black Gate is one of the world’s smallest whisky distilleries. Founded by husband and wife team Brian and Genise Hollingworth in 2009 in a region of country NSW that experiences extreme temperature variations, from below freezing to 40 degrees Celsius in the summer. They produce about 4,000 litres of spirit annually from their two small direct-fired pot stills. Initially the distillery produced rum and unpeated single malt whisky but since 2016 the focus has been on heavily peated single malt. This particular bottling was distilled in April 2017, matured in a re-coopered ex-port cask (distillery cask BG068) bottled in December 2019. The peated malt for the expression was sourced from Smiths in Scotland. Every bottling from Black Gate is a batch expression, usually from a single-cask, and there is a constant distillery signature of heavily textured depth and richness. However there is also great variation between batches depending on the type of cask used, and every expression really should be listed separately. Highly recommended, and probably the best heavily peated Australian single malt I’ve tasted. It has a profile that lies somewhere between Laphroaig Lore and Glendronach 18 year old, but it is really its own thing. “Very Good” : 86/100 (4 stars)175.0 AUD per Bottle -
Ledaig 2008 12 Year Old Hermitage Cask Finish-Connoisseurs Choice
Single Malt — Isle of Mull, Scotland
Reviewed April 29, 2023 (edited May 14, 2023)Nose: Sweet peat smoke with malt, red wine and sherry notes showing through. Some orchard fruit and coal smoke as it opens together with crisp, light herbal aromas. There is a subtle and elegant presence of oak cask. Nicely balanced. Palate: Soft, sweet entry with foundation peat smoke. Juicy red berries and grapes on the mid palate set against a mild base of soft tannins, just a pinch of white pepper, a few drops of sea water and a twist of sweet lemon zest. The texture is fairly neutral. Finish: Medium. Soft and relaxed smoke and red fruit notes. A very pleasant and easily approachable whisky, if not an earth-shatteringly impressive one. It shows the signature profile characteristics of the distillery’s contemporary style and is clean, well composed and well casked. This whisky is part of Gordon & MacPhail’s “Wood Finished Connoisseurs Choice” range and it is the least expensive expression in that range. In fact it is only a little more expensive than the whiskies in the G&M entry-level Discovery range, which makes it good value for money. It was distilled in 2008 and bottled on the 8th of October 2020 in a release of 4440 bottles. Maturation was initially in refill sherry hogsheads for 9 years, followed by 3 years of finishing in northern Rhone hermitage casks (which most likely contained red shiraz varietal wine). The strength of 45% abv was well chosen and gives just enough presence to the whisky. The wine cask finish does tend to obscure the distillate character just a bit, and you lose some of the porridge, bread and grassy notes of the Tobermory new-make, but the casks also provide a very agreeable complimentary component of juicy red-berries and grapes, so no complaints from me. The profile is relatively straightforward but that is not a problem when all the elements are pleasant and in balance, as here. The only criticism I would make is that the palate lacks a little in density. My initial nosing of this whisky gave me a very good impression and I started thinking “hmm, 4.25 stars?”. However when I tasted it I automatically knocked off a half point. It’s not the proof that is at issue here or any problem with balance or character – that’s all fine – it is a slight lack of weight and structure. If this was just a little more oily or creamy on the palate it would be a very good whisky rather than just a good one. However as I said that’s not a fault as such, it just positions it in a different niche where it is less a whisky to pour for discerning whisky mates and more a cosy dram to relax with as a nightcap or companion to an old late-night movie. The less you analyse this one and the more you just relax and enjoy it the better it gets, and it’s one of the few whiskies that I much prefer without any dilution. “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars)170.0 AUD per Bottle -
Ardnamurchan AD/09.22 Cask Strength
Single Malt — Scotland
Reviewed April 24, 2023 (edited November 7, 2023)Nose (neat): Initially there is almost nothing other than distant notes of oatmeal but after a time there are discernable wisps of peat smoke and a faint buttery, citric and woody aroma reminiscent of an oaky chardonnay. After 5 minutes the nose begins to open and it continues to do so for a long time, displaying maritime minerals and subtle fruit notes, particularly a hint of sweet apple. Don’t even think of hurrying your tasting of this. Nose (watered): Softer and considerably more revealing. The whisky seems to relax almost immediately when water is added and over time it evolves into a richer, denser form with gentle smoke and baked apples on display. A little caramel and vanilla are apparent after a good time to rest in the glass. Palate (neat): The arrival has grippy tannins (but it is not astringent) and focuses on dry maritime peat smoke with background orchard fruits and lemon zest. Mild pepper and paprika spices emerge in the later development and the texture is drying but with a neutral density – it’s certainly not thin. Palate (watered): Considerably sweeter and with greater weight. The peat smoke and tannins meld into a satisfying leathery tobacco note with spicy overtones and the texture becomes silky and creamy. Given time the watered form sees the smoke component of the profile increase. Finish: Medium/long. The peppery qualities of the late palate continue into the aftertaste and the ashy smoke seems to build slightly until it and a crisp briny taste are the last presence. Water sweetens the finish a good deal but allows the final briny presence to survive. This is a subtle and understated whisky that is reminiscent of the annual cask strength Talisker Special Releases. It has a singularly elegant presentation with a purity that borders on austerity when neat, but which changes to a more sweetly enticing form with dilution. It is not complex but very revealing of the raw ingredients and you must give it time to evolve in the glass - otherwise you are just wasting the whisky and your own time. Most critically, it is only when watered that this whisky shows its true form and I cannot recommend adding water strongly enough. To a 1oz/30ml dram add half a teaspoon and wait 5-10 minutes. If there is no haze showing by then add another half teaspoon and wait again, and so on until the mist rises. That’s when it is perfect. Without water this is a cerebrally interesting whisky for sure, but it is only with dilution that it becomes delicious and really compelling. Although this is a young spirit it is a very good one, and I imagine a few more years in the cask will evolve it into something really excellent. This is a whisky enthusiasts’ whisky where the malty heart is the star of the show, as it should be. It’s not blanketed by a wine finish and the smoke presence is subtle and provides foundation while not shouting its presence. Bravo. "Very Good" : 86/100 (4 stars) -------------------------------------------------------- Update 13 May 2023 - Bottle half consumed. I'm very impressed with how this has opened, given a little time and oxygen. Everything is more intense and "full" than initially experienced, and the neat pour has lost a lot of its former tension. It has become buttery, way more smoky and full-flavoured. I'm increasing my rating by a full half point here. This is an excellent single malt whisky, particularly given its comparative youth. Marvellous. Ardnamurchan is doing wonderful things. “Very Good” : 88/100 (4.5 stars)140.0 AUD per Bottle -
Moonshiner Lennox Street Nocino Walnut Gin
Flavored Gin — Marrickville, New South Wales, Australia
Reviewed April 22, 2023 (edited May 1, 2023)Appearance: Dark sienna. When viewed against a strong light it is almost opaque. The meniscus shows a slight haze indicating suspended particulates. Aroma: Coffee, chocolate, vanilla, dried dates, a hint of aromatic spices and citrus. Flavour & Texture: Sweet arrival with toffee and vanilla. The later palate has dried fruit, chocolate and warming spices. The texture has weight but it’s not syrupy. The alcohol content is most apparent in the finish and aftertaste as a warm glow, but it is very well contained. A bitter tinge develops as it opens on the palate but again this is well contained. Moonshiner Co. is a micro distillery located in a small two-room shop on a busy road between the Sydney suburbs of Newtown and Marrickville. The front room houses a neat little tasting area, a bottle display and sales/bar counter while the back room is the distillery. It’s charming, down-to-earth and I loved it immediately. We tasted a flight of four gins and were given a free pour of this nocino walnut gin, and we enjoyed it enough to buy a 100ml sample bottle to try again later. We also bought a large bottle each of their Aussie Native and Signature gins (reviews incoming soon). Moonshiner is a collaboration between four gin lovers who started out making compounded gin and have now scaled things up to distilled gin. The still is custom designed and the distillery is largely self-built, which is great to see. On their website they suggest using this nocino gin with tonic, but I did not think that was particularly successful. Although it is not overly sweet this seems to me as much a liqueur as a flavoured gin, and my favourite way to enjoy it is as a digestif with a cup of black coffee. The profile has more in common with coffee liqueurs than any gin I can think of. The price given below is for a 500ml bottle, but the 100ml sample we bought was $15.00 “Above Average” : 82/100 (3.25 stars)65.0 AUD per Bottle
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