Tastes
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North Star Tasting with Iain Croucher at The Oak Barrel, 11 May 2023, Whisky #4 Nose: Blackberries, raspberries, cranberries, black and red liquorice, chocolate and cinnamon. A huge nose – bloated, blowsy, boozy and beautiful. Palate: A sweet, plush arrival – incredibly fruity and full of cherry compote, blackberry jam, butterscotch sauce and caramel with a dusting of cocoa and cinnamon. The texture is full and lip-smacking. Finish: Medium/short. Prunes stewed in port with a hint of ginger and cinnamon. A completely mad and wonderful whisky that is almost more port than scotch. Purists would run for the door in horror and I admit on first nosing I thought it was odd and funky (a word I very seldom use in connection with whisky) and almost repulsive. However, after the first sip I quickly came to like it and the initially odd-seeming nose resolved into a much more pleasant experience. It’s very drinkable neat with not a hint of the alcohol volume. With water the port influence retreats a little and woody notes from the barrel peek through, which is very pleasant. It’s a crazy whisky but I liked it enough to sprint for the stand after the event to buy a bottle. Initially this was in a refill hogshead but was re-racked by Iain into another hogshead which had previously held ruby port, and it rested in that intense environment for a whole 18 months of its 6 year life. “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars)190.0 AUD per Bottle
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North Star Dalwhinnie 2008 Series 21
Single Malt — Scotland
Reviewed June 1, 2023 (edited July 14, 2023)North Star Tasting with Iain Croucher at The Oak Barrel, 11 May 2023, Whisky #3 Nose: A light nose mainly showing fruit, nuts, cereals and a little oak. Fragrant but not floral – more like freshly baked blueberry and vanilla muffins, and the typical Dalwhinnie dash of honey is present. Balsa wood and light syrup in the distance. Palate: Soft cereal entry with just a hint of ginger spice. On the development it shows a more peppery type of spice note but it is still mild. The palate starts off slightly sweet but moves towards a more dry personality towards the finish. The texture is OK but not remarkable. Finish: Medium. Mildly spicy cereal with a salty aftertaste, like a salted caramel muesli snack bar. Dalwhinnie is seldom seen as an independent bottling and according to Iain he only obtained this by accident when it was mistakenly added to his Diageo cask list one time. Four casks were listed and when the error was discovered they wanted to withdraw them altogether, but eventually relented and allowed him to buy one cask. The purchased cask was a refill hogshead but Iain decided to re-rack and finish in an oloroso hogshead. I don’t know that this added a lot to the profile really, but it does not seem to have done any harm either. I have to confess I’ve never been a fan of Dalwhinnie – it always seems a very humdrum sort of malt to me. This is an OK whisky but the main interest for me was the chance to taste Dalwhinnie in a slightly different guise and I was not inspired to buy a bottle. I’m giving it the same rating I gave to the OB Dalwhinnie 15 a while back. “Above Average” : 82/100 (3.25 stars)199.0 AUD per Bottle -
Glenrothes 36 1986/2022 (North Star Spirits Cask Series 020)
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed May 31, 2023 (edited July 14, 2023)North Star Tasting with Iain Croucher at The Oak Barrel, 11 May 2023, Whisky #2 Nose: Golden syrup and dusky floral cereal. Old lignins, slowly deconstructing. Herbal tea with a vestigial wood-smoke quality. Papery like an old book, but in a good way. Ancient parchment and oak scriptoria burnished with wax for centuries. Palate: An easy and welcoming arrival, but not overly soft. Subtly spiced stewed stone-fruits, strawberry and raspberry compotes, mellow vanilla (scraped pods, not blossoms or extract). Toasted cereal and dried fruits blended fine and sprinkled on crème caramel. The texture is light but very good. Finish: Medium. Real ale! Where did that come from!? It gains a staunch malty tone towards the end before it segues gracefully into a final mildly bright tannic flourish. A very good nose, a spectacular palate and a fine finish. Elegant, gentle, well-constructed and demure but still retaining a shadow of youthful verve despite its advancing years. An elderly gent with a sparkle in his eye and enough energy to take on the youngsters. I returned to this several times during the tasting and it emerged as easily the most impressive whisky on offer. I was left with the final, irresistible impression that this is an excellent example of what Glenrothes can be like with some serious maturation in a good cask. If only the price was not prohibitive I'd buy a case of 6 in a heartbeat. “Excellent” : 88/100 (4.5 stars)1000.0 AUD per Bottle -
North Star Tasting with Iain Croucher at The Oak Barrel, 11 May 2023, Whisky #1 Nose: Floral and musky (vanilla?), darkly fruity (dried fig, date), stewed pears. A full-bodied aroma when neat but with water it changes aspect, becoming more grassy and cereal in profile and losing some of the floral note. Palate: Grippy and tight arrival when neat, and entirely focused on cereal/malt flavours. I did not notice any of the dark fruits or floral qualities from the nose duplicated in its flavours, apart from a little vanilla. It seemed a rather hot palate as well, not spicy – just hot. Water reduced this but it remained grippy and a bit too tannic for my liking. Treacle and hard toffee (walnut brittle?). Finish: Medium/long. Malty, with a bitter/sour note in the aftertaste. It does turn a little sweeter when diluted. This comprises 80% grain whisky from North British and 20% malt whiskies (from Macallan, Glenrothes, Highland Park and Glenturret) and was matured for 6 years in ex-oloroso sherry butts. Apart from the Highland Park component I can easily believe that recipe because this has all the harder aspects of those malts, particularly Glenrothes and Glenturret. I was not inclined to buy a bottle. As a first whisky of the night it was a fine palate-opener, but returning to it repeatedly as the tasting progressed only highlighted how ordinary this was. Maybe I’m being a little hard on it but it just didn’t do anything positive for me. It is the first of an anticipated series and I’ll be interested to see in what direction Iain goes with this. By the way, the face of the Fool on the label is a caricature of Iain. Nice one. “Average” : 79/100 (2.75 stars)95.0 AUD per Bottle
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Nose: Diesel fuel, a touch of hogo, mango, pineapple, apricot, orange. There is a solvent-like aroma but it is neither prominent nor objectionable. Palate: Estery arrival, dunder molasses, a mélange of over-ripe tropical fruit, grassy herbs, dried dates and figs, brown sugar. Slightly metallic and a little tart towards the later palate. The texture is mouth-coating and satisfying, partly due to the dosage it has been given, but it’s by no means cloying or over-sweetened. In fact as the palate develops it veers towards a dry profile and there is a mild white pepper spice note lurking in the undergrowth. Finish: Medium. Well balanced but just a bit muddled in the aftertaste - sweet and metallic/dry notes fight for supremacy, but neither side wins. A good rum that is acceptable as a sipper, but preferably with lots of ice as metallic and tart notes stand out a little too much otherwise. It shines most brightly as a mixer and pairs excellently with fruit juices, falernum, ginger syrup, bitters and so on. So yes, primarily a cocktail rum but I’d happily drink this neat if it was offered. It has a side to it that is vaguely agricole-like, but it’s subtle. It's like a mixture of Jamaican and Haitian rum. A lot of reviewers mention banana but I did not really notice that strongly as either an aroma or flavor. For the money it is good value and maybe it’s the power of suggestion from its Pacific origin but I think this would be excellent as a base for tiki drinks. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)84.0 AUD per Bottle
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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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