Tastes
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Black Bull 10 Year Rum Cask (Duncan Taylor)
Blended — Scotland
Reviewed August 20, 2020 (edited September 7, 2020)Nose: Crisp, malty and lightly fruity. There's a sweet note that is a little like a combination of butterscotch, barley sugar and coconut ice. It's not an overt rum aroma, but there is something unmistakably reminiscent of rum, and even more suggestive of raw sugarcane juice. As the whisky rests in the glass this sweet character intensifies. Water brings out grassy, more agricole-like notes. Palate: A raw-sugar and mildly spiced fruity arrival. A little more warm spice emerges in the development, which is also where the rum cask influence becomes much more apparent. The texture is full and the profile velvety soft. Adding water makes the palate even softer, and almost dangerously drinkable! Finish: Medium/short. Warm and sweet with rum and demerara sugar strongly apparent right through into the aftertaste. Duncan Taylor's blended whisky does not seem to have a big presence in markets outside the UK and Commonwealth countries. "Black Bull" is a brand that was registered in the 1860s and its particular claim to fame was the high malt content of the blend. When the name was resurrected by Duncan Taylor in 2009 they wisely decided to stay true to the blend's origins and position it as a high-proof range. Although they do not advertise the fact I'm certain that this blend contains no added caramel, as it is a very pale straw colour, however the constituent malt and grain whiskies are almost certainly chill-filtered. As a test I added a good deal of water to a dram and left it, but after an hour there was no louche. An interesting and enjoyable blend that certainly shows the effect of the rum casks in which it was finished for 16 months. The sugary sweetness of rum is never far away and it is a much more apparent rum finish than I've tasted on any other whisky. The only criticism I have is that this sweetness is a bit one-note and the lack of complexity makes you lose interest fairly quickly. It's nothing spectacular but a good honest everyday sipper or session whisky, and at the very reasonable price it is certainly competitive. Interestingly, the best way I've found to take this is in cola soft drink, in which it bears an uncanny resemblance to a light-bodied gold rum. "Above Average" : 80/100 (3 stars)70.0 AUD per Bottle -
BenRiach 20 Year (old label)
Single Malt — Speyside , Scotland
Reviewed August 16, 2020 (edited September 22, 2020)Nose: Fruity (pear and apple) and lightly malty - sweet and delicate rather than bold, with an almost confectionery note like bubblegum or boiled sweets in the foundation. There is a white grape juice note and over time as it rests this evolves into tinned tropical fruit-salad. There is a little creamy vanilla-tinged oak also apparent. Palate: Sweet, creamy, cereal arrival - exceptionally welcoming and easy. The development is slow and assured and over time there is a subtle broadening of the palate into deeper sweet cereal notes together with orchard fruits, baked pineapple and honey. The texture is voluptuous and enfolding. With time the palate gains body and a more malty quality. Finish: Medium/short. Sweet cereal and barley sugar with just a trace of honeyed oak and apple juice in the aftertaste. The nose bears a resemblance to some Irish whiskies I've tasted and over time as it rests in the glass it "blooms" and gains depth. The same thing happens with the palate which is unbelievably approachable on first sip and only improves with further tasting. Again, this reminds me a lot of quality soft Irish blended whisky - it's reminiscent of Midleton Very Rare, in fact. One of the delights of slowing down my whisky purchasing is that I'm starting to delve into my stash and open bottles I've been sitting on for a while. I purchased this particular BenRiach in 2012 and the batch imprint says it was bottled on 2011/09/12, which means it was casked in 1991 and therefore produced prior to the mothballing (and subsequent closure) of the distillery's own floor maltings in 1998. This is easily the most approachable and stylish BenRiach I have ever tasted, and it is completely different in character to anything in the contemporary range. It certainly confirms the fact that the modern success of BenRiach is based squarely on the huge inventory of excellent old whisky that Billy Walker acquired when he bought the distillery. There has been a 20-year old expression of BenRiach since just after Walker bought the distillery in 2003. Up until 2018 these would all have been blended from pre-mothballing stocks, but the expressions went through significant profile changes over time and the contemporary "dark label" 20 year old bears no resemblance to this or any of the other old "blue-on-white label" bottlings. For this reason I created a new listing here on Distiller for the earlier bottlings. It is an elegant, soft and demure whisky but it is neither shy nor lacking in character. She is a lady of maturity and poise, and should be treated as such. Do not dilute her - let her manifold charms enthrall you, au natural. The price quoted is what I paid in 2012 - it would now only be available on the secondary market, probably at several times that price. "Very Good" : 87/100 (4.25 stars)200.0 AUD per Bottle -
Bunnahabhain Stiùireadair
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed August 12, 2020 (edited March 18, 2021)Nose: Oloroso sherry, right from the start - unmistakable and prominent. Earthy (almost burnt) malt extract, dark dried fruits (dates, figs, raisins), roasted nuts and a little lemon oil. There is a briny minerality to the nose that emerges after a while resting in the glass. A dash of water relaxes the nose considerably and a host of honeyed aromas emerge. Palate: A mild bitter spiciness on the arrival, gaining sweeter notes over time. The development brings a sweet/brine combination and the same dark dried fruits and lemon peel that was in the nose. There's a black coffee/dark cacao note in the mid palate that lasts through into the finish, and a leathery taste. The mouthfeel is creamy and full. As with the nose, the addition of a little water relaxes, deepens and sweetens the profile considerably and reveals some excellent tropical fruit notes without damaging anything. Finish: Medium. A dry and mildly spicy end. The dark roasted malt and espresso base characters take on a more herbal form in the aftertaste. If watered this is sweeter and slightly honeyed. An enjoyable companion-piece to the 12 year old expression rather than a supposed replacement. I never quite believed that story, as the two whiskies are completely different in character, and I'm suspicious of comparison tastings that approach this as if it were a younger NAS version of the same juice. The 12 year old is largely bourbon matured, whereas this whisky is a solid young, dry, sherry beast. The 12 year old was also never withdrawn from sale or even reduced in supply so it's likely that this was introduced so the distillery could offer a 100% sherry matured expression at the bottom of the range. It was released at the same time as two other NAS expressions and it's a NAS itself simply because 12 years in the casks they are using would be overkill (I'd guess it is 7-9 years old) and there is prejudice against single-digit age statements. I'd strongly recommend watering this whisky just a little because it completely transforms it, and at the abv it can take some water in its stride. Neat I'd score it at 3, but with water it realizes its potential. "Good" : 83/100 (3.5 stars)85.0 AUD per Bottle -
Tullibardine 228 Burgundy Finish
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed July 26, 2020 (edited September 22, 2020)Nose: Red berries, vanilla biscuits, and a woody note but it's not the aroma of oak cask - it's more like freshly sawn planks. There is a brisk spirity quality to the nose. Palate: Sweet winey notes turning almost instantly very dry with heavy tannins. As it develops it turns a little towards sweetness and evolves flavours of nuts (almonds, hazelnuts), sour cherry, unripe pear, unripe greengage, orange oil and white pepper but it is always dominated by the cask tannins. The texture is pleasant. Finish: Medium. Mildly spicy, trailing into a woody, winey aftertaste. Milk chocolate lingers on the tongue. The nose is slightly floral, but only a trace. The overarching aroma is of young red wine cask. Everyone seems to mention milk chocolate in connection with this whisky but I only noticed it on the finish as a relatively strong aftertaste. There is an overall woody quality but like many light whiskies conditioned in wine casks it's thin and "planky". There is no barrel char to perform extractive maturation, and it's young to boot, so the aroma and taste of lightly toasted oak is never far away. There is a certain resemblance between this and G.Rozelieurs Blue Label and also Hellyer's Road Pinot Cask matured whisky, but both of those expressions have more depth. This whisky does not have a demonstrative personality and you need to let it breathe for a while in the glass to open up. For that matter, the bottle level needs to get down to well below the shoulder before it becomes really attractive. A dash of water definitely improves this whisky but it is very easy to drown so don't overdo it. An average but unmemorable single malt that is not of a style I particularly enjoy. I would neither buy it again nor recommend it and it has not inspired me to taste anything else by this distillery. If you want to taste red wine cask maturation done with style pay three times the price and buy any Longrow Red - it's more than worth the expense. "Average" : 78/100 (2.75 stars) ------------- Addendum: After posting this I looked over the official review and previous member reviews which mostly indicate that this used to have greater presence and richness of presentation. I don't know whether this expression has changed, but it seems like it may have. I certainly wouldn't rate it at anything like 87/100.85.0 AUD per Bottle -
Nose: Mild malt and cereal aromas wrapped in grain whisky. Some ultra light sweet orchard fruit notes and with time a few brown sugar/syrup aromas arise that are supported by a bat-squeak of ashen smoke. After a long time some light citrus is noticed. [Interestingly, the dry-glass aroma is quite leathery and smoky]. Palate: A sweet arrival with dilute barley sugar and overcooked caramel sauce drizzled over thin porridge. The merest hint of dusty malt, a faint echo of cardboardy ash and a dusting of white pepper. There is no development. Finish: Short and fast, leaving a sweetish aftertaste from the grain whisky. The nose is not unpleasant at all, but it is very thin and soft. It seemed to me like a potentially good nose that has been over-diluted. You keep nosing it more and more deeply in the hope that something exciting will appear, but it always seems just out of reach. The palate is simplistic, fast and again tastes very much like the blend contains too much grain whisky in relation to malt, although both components are of good quality. I remember drinking White Horse back in the day but I've not seen it on the local shelves for a long time now. This bottle from which I'm tasting is a 750ml US specimen and was obtained from a supplier who has contacts in the TRE grey-market. I bought it for old time's sake and to refresh my memory, but I would not bother again. Like Teacher's, this was once a hefty and characterful blended scotch that is now only a shadow of its former self. It is, however, benign and very easy to drink and would probably suit someone who is looking for an extremely mild and friendly sipping blend. "Adequate" : 70/100 (2 stars)47.0 AUD per Bottle
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Tomintoul Peaty Tang
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed July 17, 2020 (edited September 22, 2020)Nose: Light, sweet fragrant smoke - almost perfumed and very soft. You clearly detect cereal and malt aromas behind the peat and there is some fruit, vanilla, anise and honey as well. It's elegant and demure and completely unlike an Islay nose. Palate: Ultra-soft and crisply clean arrival, with some mild fruity notes, cereal and gentle, ashy smoke. Extremely mellow and rounded, smooth and restful. It's like taking a nap on a pile of fresh dry autumn leaves. It's not a complex palate and there is little development, but it's soothing and pleasant with good texture. Finish: Medium. Soft sweet smoke, naptha and a little brine in the aftertaste, which lingers and turns quite sweet. Tomintoul in very unusual raiment, which it wears with style. This is probably the most gentle, relaxed and non-threatening peated whisky you can find. It would be an ideal dram to give to a friend who you know prefers gentle whiskies but wants to try something peated for the first time. There is nothing at all challenging here, and that's the problem as well as the feature. If you're looking for something like Ardbeg, Laphroaig or Caol Ila then stay well clear because you will think this is thin, watery and flavourless. On the other hand if you do not normally enjoy highly peated whisky and are searching for that profile in it's friendliest form, then here is your dram, and it is very reasonably priced. I thought this was pleasant but the question is: would I buy a bottle? The answer is, probably not. Although I liked the sample I tasted, I just can't see myself ever reaching for this. When it comes to peated whisky I don't necessarily want my socks blown off every time, but I do pour those drams in expectation of something assertive, and that's not what this is all about. Then again, I just polished off the tasting sample without even thinking about it and I'm smacking my lips with enjoyment, so who knows? Tasted from a 30ml sampler "Above Average" : 80/100 (3 stars)80.0 AUD per Bottle -
Tomintoul 21 Year
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed July 17, 2020 (edited September 22, 2020)Nose: Fresh-cut hay and grass, barley sugar, orchard fruits, mild soft citrus, a little vanilla. Initially the nose is crisp and tight but with time it develops an earthy, dusty note. There is a faint honey aroma, but it's earthy as well. After some time a fragrance is noticed that is like flowers that have almost decayed. Palate: Soft but very lightly spiced entry. There is a lot of barley sugar, some butterscotch and the flavour of both ripe and unripe fruits in the development. It's not a particularly complex palate but what is there is pleasant. It reminded me of lightly toasted muesli cereal with nuts and dried fruit. The texture is neutral. Finish: Medium/short. Slightly drying at first, then turning sweeter and tailing out to an aftertaste of breakfast cereal sprinkled with cocoa powder and a little sugar. Tomintoul is typically a very soft and approachable whisky ("the gentle dram" is their slogan) but this 21 year old expression has less of the attractive floral and fresh-fruit character that is found in their younger bottlings. There is greater cask influence here, but it's not the aroma of oak cask - it's more like sawdust and pencil shavings, and to be honest it's a bit dull. It's a whisky that takes a while to wake up but with repeated sips the character does eventually unfold and intensify. It remains, however, particularly shy and quiet. It's very easy drinking but curiously lacklustre. I had hoped the distillery character would be complimented by longer time in a cask, but if anything it feels more like it has passed its prime. To give it its due, it is very well crafted with no intrusive off-notes whatsoever. The 16 year old Tomintoul is, for my palate, the peak of the core range and I'd certainly be more willing to buy a bottle of it than this 21 year old, which at twice the price has very little to recommend it. Tasted from a 30ml sampler. "Above Average" : 81/100 (3 stars)230.0 AUD per Bottle -
Nose: Grainy, a little sharp. Some citrus and fudge but with a rubbery, sulphurous undertone. It's pretty typical for a bottom-shelf blended scotch nose and reminiscent of Grant's. Palate: Mildly spicy and hard arrival. Almost metallic cereal notes but hardly any development. Grippy ethanol, like cheap vodka at the core. Some malty notes but veering towards simple burnt sugar, and there's that sulphur note again, rearing it's ugly head. The texture is thin and a bit watery. Finish: Short, thin and dry. Cereal tastes dwindling into mild bitterness. Douglas Laing generally produces quality spirits, and some of their blended malts and cask-strength bottlings are excellent. This blended scotch has been part of their portfolio since just after WWII but while older bottlings and special editions command respect and good prices at auction, the modern version of the blend leaves a lot to be desired. It's not exactly a bad whisky, but it's nondescript and very, very callow. If this whisky was a person who you met socially you'd facepalm and walk away. There is also a dependence on what I feel is very low-grade grain whisky at the core, teamed with rather rough and industrial malt. Girvan and immature Glenrothes? Could be. My overall impression was one of neglect - like it's a legacy product that is still being produced to satisfy a guaranteed and loyal niche clientele, but Douglas Laing really don't care about it very much or put in the effort to create something special. It's outclassed by just about every other blended scotch in that price band and I would certainly not recommend it. "Poor" : 64/100 (1.25 stars)50.0 AUD per Bottle
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Nose: Fragrant cereal and tropical fruit lead the profile - mango, guava, and peaches with toffee in the foundation. As it rests the oak cask becomes apparent and lends a fresh aromatic incense note. That's just the overture, and it keeps unfolding as it relaxes in the glass. Pineapple, mandarin and grilled banana, red berries, rose petals, hibiscus and warm spices (nutmeg and a hint of cinnamon). This is an adorable nose. Palate: A cosy blanket of cereal flavours with just the right touch of sweetness. Easy to drink and almost absurdly soft on the palate. Dried fruit and vanilla, sweet orchard fruits and a tiny note of gentle spice (nutmeg, sweet mild cinnamon and cloves). The texture is very good with that diaphanous silken quality you get when it is perfectly poised on the cusp of creaminess, but is neither oily nor dense. Finish: Medium. It just floats away into the distance with a dash of licorice as an afterthought. The outstanding characteristics of the nose are how it combines depth and fragrance with freshness, and how it leads you deftly into the palate, and I love how the all-bourbon cask maturation has developed the nose. The palate is so soft that on first taste it will disappear and segue straight into the finish before you know it, leaving only a long cereal aftertaste to mark its passing. It's only on subsequent tastes that you really notice the development, it's that subtle, and the progression is so seamless the entry appears to merge directly into the finish. Marvelous whiskey, and worth every cent. The Very Rare is a batch release and the batches vary (more than you would think). I've had half a dozen over the years but this is one of the best I've tasted. The only thing I could criticize is that it is almost too soft and accommodating. If the profile could be kept intact but dialed-up just a notch in intensity it would be perfect. Bottling it at 43% or 46% would also be very welcome but I think sometimes it gets unwarranted criticism for the low proof. 40% does just work sometimes, and this is an example. This is, however, a fragile and gentle whiskey that is balanced at that 40% point so although I usually prefer to water my whiskey in this case I'd strongly recommend against it. Tasted from a 30ml sample. " Very Good" : 87/100 (4.25 stars)300.0 AUD per Bottle
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Nose: Quite full, with a pleasant buttery richness. Sweet malt and honey aromas with a hint of dried fruits, oatmeal biscuits and a definite suggestion of rockmelon (cantaloupe). It's an appealing and inviting nose. Palate: Sweet arrival, very like the flavour of golden syrup or thinned malt extract, and this remains the dominant note on the palate. There is little development, and it's very fast, but you do notice creamy vanilla, caramel fudge, a hint of green apple and mild, sweet nutty notes. The texture is full and very soft. Finish: Short. The malt-extract and syrup character fades to generic sweetness with an afterthought of oak. A basic but surprisingly pleasant bottom-shelf Irish blend. It's a bit bland but has a sweet malty profile, which is undoubtedly what makes it work. To give it its due there are no obvious faults, although I'd wager that if you drank more than a couple of drams it would become cloying. Its sweetness is its strength, but also its flaw. It's an easy drinking session whiskey that works just fine neat, diluted or with ice and certainly won't break the bank. In Australia this is one of the cheapest whiskies you can buy, and if you prefer your whiskey to be free of any smoke character then it would be preferable to most bottom-shelf blended scotches. "Average" : 78/100 (2.75 stars)40.0 AUD per Bottle
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