Tastes
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Arran 14 Year (2010 Release)
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed February 6, 2023 (edited February 8, 2023)NOTE: This review was first posted three years ago but has been transferred from another listing. Arran tasting night at The Oak Barrel, Sydney, 12 July 2019. Whisky #3 [The whisky is now discontinued. It was included in the 2019 tasting as a retrospective]. Nose: Clean barley malt and fragrant fruit are the immediate impressions. Peaches, mango, honeydew melon, baked apples, vanilla, ginger syrup and a hint of mint, however the aromas are more rounded than in younger Arran expressions. Here there is a sense that they have been stewed together to create a complex sweet sauce or glaze. There's also a cooked grapey note reminiscent of cognac or armagnac coming from the sherry casks. Palate: A very sweet, creamy arrival followed by a rich, fruity and mouth-filling development. Crème brûlée and malt syrup, stewed fruits (apricots, peaches, nectarines and pears), orange conserve, hazelnut and toasted almonds. The texture is excellently oily and creamy. It's the most obviously rich and fruity Arran palate and if there is a fault it is that it can seem one-note sweet after a while. Fortunately this is ameliorated by a touch of oaky tannin and some warm spice. Finish: Medium/long. Sweet malt, fading to a slightly dry aftertaste with dry sherry and tannic notes, some nutmeg and salt. Arran's 14 year old expression contains all of the elements that are notable in its younger whiskies, but here they are larger, more rounded, sweeter and richer. The characteristic distillery ginger and white pepper spice is much tamed here, and the fruity sweet notes are thick and unctuous. Water broadens the texture even further and is interesting, but not required. The last expression of this I tasted was an older batch and it had a more herbal character. That earlier review is attached below. "Very Good" : 86/100 (4 stars) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Originally reviewed December 2, 2017 Nose: A very fresh cereal aroma with grapefruit, barley sugar and a soft underscore of armagnac. There are light floral touches, but also a lot of herbal and grassy notes - mint, crushed camelia leaves, sencha, freshly chopped ginger. As the nose develops bush orchid, honeydew melon and eucalyptus become apparent. A little oak in the background and a subtle cloud of brine that you don't notice until after the second or third sip. An interestingly different nose - floral, but not at all heavy or sweet - "dry grassy floral" if you will. Palate: A citrus-sweet and slightly spicy arrival develops into a mouth-filling palate that is full of wonderful cereal and light fruit flavours. Milk chocolate, malt and stewed fruits, but there is a light touch overall. Rinsed preserved lemons and hazelnuts. Finish: Medium, and turning satisfyingly salty. Some fruity and nutty flavours linger. This is a very well balanced, creamy malt with a subtle but assured character, and for me the nose is the outstanding part of the performance. Really excellent, it rewards time and patience. Water is not necessary, but a drop or two enhances the neat character. Adding a whole teaspoon changes the character more noticably, but in a good way. The nose becomes rounder and richer and the oak comes forward from it's supporting role in the background. On the palate, adding water softens and enhances both the sweet and spicy flavours and in the finish it redefines the saltiness, turning it salt-sweet and making barley sugar the final flavour. A class act overall, and deserving of a solid 4 stars. This is not a malt to hurry or even an everyday dram - it's one to ponder in the company of good music. "Very Good" : 86/100 (4 stars) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------130.0 AUD per Bottle -
Worthy Park Single Estate Reserve
Aged Rum — Jamaica
Reviewed February 6, 2023 (edited February 7, 2023)Nose: Banana, grilled pineapple, fresh-cut grass, rotting guava and mango, a touch of diesel oil, brine (pickle water), axle grease, orange peel, thyme, bitter almonds, oaky vanilla. A pleasantly hefty nose (once it has oxidised - see below). Palate: On first opening the bottle the palate was brittle and borderline metallic, but with oxidisation it has softened to the point where the arrival is sweet, brisk, bright and fruity but still has some sharp notes (herbal lozenges, green olives, lemon and oak tannin). The development is more relaxed and shows lots of tropical fruit, almost-burnt caramel and orange oil, and it veers towards nearly being sweet but there is a hot chilli catch towards the mid-development. The texture is lightly greasy, leathery and “bristling” (if that makes any sense) and there is a grassy agricole note. Finish: Medium/long. Fruity hogo and almost sour fruit notes with lots of spice. There’s a minty, anise quality in the aftertaste. Lots of lovely fruity hogo on the nose. When I first opened the bottle it seemed very sharp and spiky but after a couple of weeks with some air in it the nose has relaxed and become deliciously inviting. Similarly, the palate was a little tense at first but with some air it has calmed down and developed sweetness. Overall this is well balanced and a good introduction to Jamaican rum. It lacks the challenge and class of a really top shelf deep-ester pot-still rum, but it is more accessible. If you taste this and don’t like it then high-ester rums are not your thing. If you find it intriguing, particularly the aromas, then there are many more intense and spectacular hogo rum experiences awaiting. Good sipping and even if you don't like it neat it makes a stunning Cuba libre. “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars)99.0 AUD per Bottle -
GlenDronach Revival 15 Year (2009-2015)
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed January 26, 2023 (edited January 31, 2023)Nose: Butter, sweet sherry, malt extract, very good oak, pipe tobacco, leather jacket, nut n’ raisin milk chocolate, anise and black tea. There is the faintest possible note of peat smoke, but it just adds depth and does not stand out. It’s certainly not what you would call a “peated whisky” and although the smoke note does increase a little over time in the glass it remains a facet of the tobacco and leather notes. Palate: Exceptionally soft arrival with caramel, vanilla and fudge carried on a wave of malted sherry. Exquisite and captivating from the first sip. The palate develops rich dried dark fruits, black cherries, red berries, sweet citrus and a touch of mixed spice. The texture is creamy and there is a luxurious, seductive and mouth-watering juiciness to the palate. Finish: Medium/long. Soft, supple malt that drifts off on a carpet of sherry, chocolate, tobacco and vanilla. This whisky reeks of very good oak cask. It’s not cask-dominated (although the profile is certainly cask-driven) but it presents fragrant aromas that remind me of walking through a dunnage warehouse, full of the smells of earth, black mould and sherry. It is, simply, a superior sherry-bomb and remarkably it also presents a great deal of bourbon-oak quality. I do not know the provenance of the barrels but I bet they were first fill sherry casks raised up from ex-bourbon staves. There appears to be little or no European wood influence here. There is a family resemblance to the 12 year old GlenDronach but this is a more assured and “mature”whisky in every sense. It is also very like Macallan 12 from back (way back) in the day. It also has similarities to the 18 year old GlenDronach (not surprisingly) but that has a more austere, dry and nutty profile. This tasting is from a 2020 batch, which was matured in a combination of oloroso and PX sherry casks. The previous version of this whisky that was produced up until 2015 was exclusively oloroso cask matured but that changed when the expression was reintroduced in 2018. I have not tasted the pre-2016 expression for a long time but I think these new bottlings are a little more “floral” and sweeter. It’s still a great whisky and one I would recommend. At the price it is fair value for a 15 year old single malt in 2023. “Very Good”: 86/100 (4 stars)150.0 USD per Bottle -
Limeburners Darkest Winter
Single Malt — Australia
Reviewed January 26, 2023 (edited January 27, 2023)Nose: (Neat) Sweet light smoke, pine resin, malt, herbal cough drops, green vegetal and earthy notes. There are fragrant fruity aromas as well (pear, stewed apple with just a pinch of clove, cinnamon and nutmeg) but it seemed particularly tight when neat. Nose: (Diluted) A few drops of water opens the nose nicely. The profile is now very similar to the neat nose with nothing good lost but a noticeable softening of the resinous quality and an overall feeling of completeness and balance. Over time in the glass the watered sample gained a lot of honey and become more coherent. Palate: (Neat) Soft but hefty arrival with some powdered ginger and white pepper. Very malty with vanilla notes prominent. The development brings out a smoky presence backing dried mixed fruits and nuts, anise, white pepper, cereal and oak spices. The texture is lightly creamy and the whisky has a soft, warming, blanketing quality. Palate: (Diluted) The smoke is much more immediate and defined when watered but the arrival becomes hotter and spicier, a little too much so for my palate and overall the whisky loses complexity. Arguably it also gains balance but it is an homogenising balance that sacrifices detail. Finish: (Neat) Medium/long. Gristy cereal, malt and mild smoke fading out to a resinous aftertaste. Finish: (Diluted) Long. Smoke is more apparent but a tart, almost bitter note surfaces and stays into the aftertaste. The resinous wood quality is much reduced. Tasted from a sample generously provided by @DrRHCMadden I was very much looking forward to this well regarded and rated whisky. Normally when I receive a batch of samples I start at the shallow end of the pool but in this case I had to dive in from the high board. I split the sample into two and tasted one neat and the other with just a few drops of water, both over an extended period so I could see how each responded to time in a glass. After 90 minutes both samples were “losing it”, which is par for the course. The nose and finish are much improved by dilution but the palate does not fare so well. This whisky is a bit fussy with water but I would still recommend just a few drops (literally - two or three to a dram). It is certainly an interesting whisky and right from the outset it seemed both un-Scottish but also unlike most other Australian whiskies. Full disclosure, I’m not a big fan of Limeburners and there is only one expression of theirs that I have thought to be truly excellent, the Director’s Cut from a few years back (muscat cask matured, I think). This Darkest Night is certainly the closest I’ve tasted in quality to that, but it is also a completely different flavour profile. This is not what I’d call a particularly complex whisky. It has some excellent points but it’s an array of a few very nice aspects rather than a forest or aromas and flavours, which betrays its comparative youth. I’d love to taste this if they could put the barrel in a cool warehouse and let it sit for another 10 years. The nose is very good when neat and outstanding when diluted, so I’m calling it “excellent” overall and rating it 89. The finish is“very good” at 87 in both forms but the palate is where it does not hit the mark for me and although still “very good” I’m only giving it 85. The overall score is thus 87/100. Tasted from a gifted 30ml sample. “Very Good”: 87/100 (4.25 stars) -
Cape Byron "The Original"
Single Malt — Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia
Reviewed January 21, 2023 (edited January 27, 2023)Nose: Bubblegum, lemon, orange, green apple skins, cranberries, vanilla, strawberries, pears. It’s a distillate-driven cereal and fruit centered nose with little obvious (or intrusive) cask influence. As it sits and opens in the glass, and with a few drops of water, more tropical fruit and vanilla appear together with a refreshing zephyr of maritime brine. Palate: Sweet arrival with some accompanying hot spices (ginger and a touch of hot cinnamon rather than chili). The development sees a wave of tropical fruity flavours emerge, particularly kiwifruit, mango, starfruit, dragonfruit and white grapes. The later palate has creamy caramel notes, vanilla and coconut. The texture is medium bodied, but not oily. A dash of water does wonders for this palate and is highly recommended. Finish: Medium. Fruity notes that fade to a mild, creamy aftertaste with a touch of sour pineapple. This tasting was from Batch 2 of what was the initial whisky release from Cape Byron distillery, which is better known locally for gin and liqueurs. It was co-created by Eddie Brook, the distillery founder and master distiller, and Scotch whisky icon Jim McEwan (of Bowmore, Bruichladdich and Ardnahoe fame). On the nose this whisky is much closer to Scottish malts than most Australian whiskies, being unashamedly cereal, fruity and spirit-led with a subtle American oak cask influence. I believe that standard-size ex-Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels were used for maturation rather than the typical small Australian red-wine octaves that are commonly used by our distilleries. It is reminiscent of several Scottish un-peated malts. However the palate shows a more marked Australian temperament with a lot of tropical fruit and spice notes. On first neat tasting the palate can seem a little brash and young, but adding a dash of water improves it enormously, emphasizing the softer sweet cereal side of the distillate. The slightly sharp tang of unripe citrus or pineapple remains on the finish, however. Without water I was going to rate this at 82 (3.25 stars) but with dilution it soars to just short of 4 stars. Overall a great introductory effort, and a pleasant departure from the rather heavy-handed red-wine cask dominated whiskies we have seen locally for a long time. I was left with the feeling that this is a very positive first effort that is eminently enjoyable right now, but that with careful maturation could one day be one of the best domestic whiskies. Well done, Cape Byron. “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars)125.0 AUD per Bottle -
Watkins Whisky Co. Single Malt
Single Malt — Australia
Reviewed January 21, 2023 (edited April 14, 2023)Nose: Dusty resinous wood (oak and pine), orange oil, over-ripe tropical fruit, fresh cut straw. If you draw back from the glass and nose gently you get sweeter aromas with definite toasted marshmallow and baked banana. As it rests in the glass (and particularly after adding a dash of water) caramel, toffee, jasmine and lavender emerge to balance the opening resinous quality. Palate: Sweet, juicy arrival (with just a hint of bitterness) that resolves into tropical fruit. Wine gums, bright tingly oak spice notes (ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg) and dried fruits in the development (dates, plums). Toffee, banana and more brandy or armagnac-like dark fruit notes in the later palate. The texture is full but not oily, and it develops a creamy nature when slightly diluted. Finish: Medium/short. Fresh and preserved tropical fruits that fade into soft oak and leather. Mt. Uncle Distillery was built in 2001 by Mark Watkins at Walkamin in the Atherton Tablelands, about 50km southwest of Cairns. It is the only far-north distillery in Australia. The tablelands region has a noticeably milder and cooler climate than the adjacent Whitsunday coast which makes it just possible to produce aged whisky in what is technically a tropical region (the angels’ share averages 5%). The distillery also produces a range of award winning rum, gin and liqueurs. This whisky was from a spirit run made by Mark in 2011. The spirit was matured in hybrid casks constructed from ex-French oak red wine barrique staves and ex-bourbon barrel heads, and was bottled in 2018. I believe it may have been the only malted barley spirit run the distillery has done, but I’m not certain of that. This whisky is almost unobtainable now except from the distillery door, and I understand their stocks are running out, however I don’t know whether there is further aged stock in the process of maturing for future release. It’s a characterful but slightly off-balance whisky and although it is has a prominent resinous note it does not seem over-oaked or driven by an intense cask presence. The hybrid casks have given it an elegantly light, bright and youthful wood character and the combination of American and French oak make it unlike any other Australian whisky I have tasted. I picked up this bottle at a local bottleshop. It was the last one left and they had marked it down by 40% which made it a bargain. I enjoyed the whisky and I’d recommend it to those who wish to delve into the darker corners of Australian whisky, but at the usual retail price I’d probably not buy a second bottle myself. It’s a good whisky that falls just short of “very good”. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)155.0 USD per Bottle -
Tariquet Bas-Armagnac VS Classique
Armagnac — Bas-Armagnac, France
Reviewed January 10, 2023 (edited January 11, 2023)Appearance: Pale amber. Nose: Fresh, crisp fruits. Grape, peach, apricot. A little cask presence but the oak contribution is genteel and subtle. A fresh and uplifting nose. Very similar to the VSOP in aroma profile. Palate: Soft stone fruits – peach, apricot, plum. A little spiciness but very well balanced in counterpoint against the fresh fruitiness. The texture is elegant and just on the dry side but still sweet. Again, it’s very similar to the VSOP Tariquet expression but just a tad drier. Finish: Medium. Fruity, semi-sweet. Straightforward but most enjoyable and a steal at the price - really, AUD$59 is absurdly cheap for anything of this quality. Young armagnac is the still the hidden gem of contemporary spirits (oops, should I let the cat out of the bag? Sorry). Nah, ignore me, it’s horrible stuff – look somewhere else, please ;-) I tasted the VSOP here a while ago and this is close in profile – choose either with confidence, and have a mild cigar ready to enjoy along with it. I have an irresistible compulsion to indulge in tobacco when drinking this. My rating is based on quality and tasting alone, but if price is factored in this is easily worth 3.5 or higher. “Above Average” : 80/100 (3 stars)59.0 AUD per Bottle -
Tomatin 12 Year Bourbon & Sherry Casks
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed December 21, 2022 (edited January 26, 2023)Nose: Stewed apples, juice from crushed apples that is starting to go brown, butterscotch, brown sugar, vanilla, banana and caramel. It’s a rich nose right from first sniff but it does not evolve over time in the glass. Palate: The arrival is momentarily sweet but rapidly develops a lot of heat with some hard, gritty cereal and cask flavours. It is drying, and a bitter grapefruit note emerges in the later palate, which I would say is due to tannin from indifferent sherry casks. The texture is good with a pleasant oiliness, but it is obscured by the edgy flavours. Finish: Medium. Fruity, but overpowered by bitter tannin. Apples are prominent throughout this profile. The nose has a full and buttery quality with a suggestion of mango, and it outperforms the palate which is hot, hard and bordering on harsh (at least when neat). A dash of water subdues the palate and presents ginger and chilli rather than straightforward tannic heat, but it does not rise to any sort of greatness and, like the nose, it does not evolve over time. If the neat palate was as good as the nose I’d rate this more highly, but as it stands it’s just average, which is a disappointment. I’ve tasted Tomatin that is much better than this. Tasted from a 50ml distillery miniature. “Average” : 77/100 (2.5 stars)5.99 GBP per Pour -
Appearance: Opaque pale brown, like a chocolate milkshake. Aroma: Hazelnut, caramel, a toasty toffee aroma. Reminiscent of nut (peanut, hazelnut, almond) brittle. Taste and Texture: Sweet, creamy and nutty with unmistakable hazelnut. As it lingers on the palate caramel becomes more apparent and is the final note in the aftertaste. The texture is rich and creamy. A very tasty liqueur with no faults to speak of, but this is a crowded drinks niche and there are some great alternative nut liqueurs. The elephant in the room is, of course, Frangelico which is really, REALLY similar to this in aroma and flavour (but not in texture). The presence of cream and caramel here buffers both the intensity of the nutty character and the alcohol content, and this means a profile that is more subtle than Frangelico. As a neat liqueur, or on its own over ice, this would arguably be the better choice for an after dinner drink, but Frangelico is more versatile. I’d certainly recommend a taste if you enjoy cream liqueurs - I can guarantee you will not be disappointed. However I think this only has local distribution so you’ll have to wait until you visit Norway. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)7.0 EUR per Pour
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Stag's Breath Liqueur
Other Liqueurs — Scotland
Reviewed December 10, 2022 (edited December 14, 2022)Appearance: Transparent amber gold. Aroma: Honey, apple cider, a light aroma of pale ale. Flavour and Texture: Honey and a fermented/distilled cereal flavour. Slightly sweet but not sugary or cloying at all. The texture is light and there is a definite ale-like note in the aftertaste I’ve never seen this liqueur in Australia and it’s possible the distribution is UK only. Overall, it is exactly what you would suppose it to be from the description on the label, which says “whisky and fermented honeycomb”. The initial sensation is reminiscent of mead or melomel, but not a strong one, and the base spirit is clearly blending-grade grain whisky and not malt whisky. It’s a pleasant light-bodied liqueur and Mrs Cascode and I both enjoyed the taste we had, but it’s one of those drinks you taste at a distillery and only buy on a whim or out of politeness. It would be overshadowed by almost anything else you might drink in a similar context and in any situation where I had the choice I’d rather buy a sauternes, mistelle, mead, calvados, pommeau … you get the idea. “Average” : 78/100 (2.75 stars)6.99 GBP per PourRoyal Mile Whiskies
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