Tastes
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Nose: Dried fruits, ginger, orange concentrate, fragrant wood (cedar, sandalwood) and distant floral supporting aromas. An elegant oak background edged with the faintest oily-smoke, vanilla and hazelnut chocolate. Palate: A sweet but sophisticated oak and cereal arrival, with just a little sparkling spice around the edges. Almost instantly it starts to develop sweetness of many dimensions - malty, cereal, vanilla and caramel. The texture has a most enjoyable oiliness in the arrival, but then turns dry and slightly austere in the finish with hints of oak. The palate seems to expand and fill the senses. There is also a light and complex spicy note of cloves and cinnamon. Finish: Medium. The development seamlessly segues into the finish, which echoes away on waves of delicate spicy sweetness. The nose is like a friendly and fruity young Springbank, and the palate like a malty highlander, but it is sweeter than either and somewhat reminiscent of a gently spicy bourbon. A good whisky, and one of those rare ones that is both a "whisky-drinker's whisky" but still approachable for a novice. Well recommended and I agree completely with the official distiller summary, but I wouldn't rate it quite as high. It's also fair value, even though the bottle is only 500ml. "Good" : 84/100 (3.75 stars)80.0 AUD per Bottle
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Glen Moray Elgin Classic Chardonnay Cask Finish
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed October 10, 2018 (edited August 11, 2022)Nose: A strangely sour fruit note, almost mezcal-like or maybe even akin to retsina. Cereal and a little vanilla, but quirky. Green tea and parsley. White grapes (or is that the power of suggestion?) Palate: A sweet/astringent arrival that becomes sweeter as it develops. Bright and hard citrus at the start (kumquat?) but relaxing into sweeter lime flavours as it unfolds, then green melon and fruits (but they are all young and just barely ripe fruits). Finish: Short. Crisp and mildly bitter/sour citrus and cereal flavours gradually fading out sweet. This is a whisky that needs to rest in the glass for a while with a dash of water before tasting. When freshly poured it is full of grassy and odd citrus flavours, but as it develops you do clearly detect the chardonnay cask on both nose and palate. A dash of water makes it more agreeable by bringing out some cereal sweetness but overall I didn't think much of it. It's the sort of thing you could become accustomed to if it was all you had on a desert island, but not much more. The price is reasonable but be aware that it's not a typical profile, and an acquired taste. Also note that a few years ago there was a 10 year old Glen Moray single malt that was matured entirely in chardonnay casks and not just finished in them. It was far superior to this expression but is now discontinued. Don't confuse the two. "Average" : 77/100 (2.5 stars)48.0 AUD per Bottle -
Nose: A soft fruity nose with mild lemon/lime, red apple and gentle vanilla floral aromas. There's also some yeasty and nutty hints and a suggestion of IPA. Warm and approachable, but don't nose too deeply because there's a metallic note lurking in the depths ready to attack. Palate: A creamy arrival of bittersweet barley, dried fruit and brown sugar-water. The development starts to turn a little sour and verges towards the metallic. You sense the IPA note more on the palate than the nose. Finish: Short. A slightly hard malty and fruit note that fades quickly leaving a faint sour hoppy tang. I don't get a particularly strong IPA note to the nose of this, but there is that elusive aroma of elderflowers is certainly there. In the mid-palate and right at the end of the finish as everything else is fading away are when you most taste the hops. Like its stablemate the Stout Cask finish, this is essentially Jameson's standard turned up by one notch, but with a slightly different finishing profile. This one is floral and hoppy whereas the stout cask is dark fruity/chocolate and cream, but the profile is stronger and more defined in this whisky. It's pleasant and if the ordinary Jameson's was more like either of these caskmates editions I wouldn't be displeased. Nothing much to write home about really, but perfectly drinkable and worth a try, and worth buying a bottle if you can find it on special. Oh yes, this is also a better mixer than the stout cask edition. "Above Average" : 80/100 (3 stars)55.0 AUD per Bottle
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Laphroaig tasting evening, Sydney, 26 September 18. Whisky #2. Nose: Iodine, charcoal, a muted smokiness, chalk, band-aids and plasticine. Dusky floral aromas and malt with seaweed and brine. An earthy, woody quality. Palate: The arrival is sweet and smoky, then it turns salty with light licorice and white pepper notes. Tarry and peaty flavours emerge with a hint of smoked herring. The palate definitely feels softer and a bit sweeter than it used to, but it is still as oily and textured as ever. Finish: Medium/long. A slightly salty note fades into a mist of light smoke. It's a while since I last reviewed this whisky so the tasting evening last Wednesday was a good excuse to revisit it. The nose is surprisingly subtle after the rather brash Select expression that was first in the lineup (everything is up-front and loud in that whisky but also but strangely abbreviated). The trademark licorice on the palate is sweeter here than it used to be and overall the whisky seems more laid back. The iodine note is certainly much less prominent and the old hospital antiseptic aroma is considerably softened. This may all seem negative, but I don't mind the modern balance of Laphroiag 10. It is less forceful than it was a couple of decades ago and it seems to veer a little to much towards being tame and safe. Still, it's a good expression and a must-try for anyone interested in Islay whisky. If you've never tasted Laphroaig 10 then you're missing an important part of the jigsaw. I do think the official Distiller rating for this is way too high. Once it was worth that much and was a 5-star whisky, but not for a long time now. "Good" : 84/100 (3.75 stars) ------------------------------------------------------ Original Distiller review November 9, 2017 Nose: Iodine, antiseptic, charcoal, smoked fish - but not a great deal of smoke. It's there, but softer and more muted than I remember from the past. I must have drunk many litres of this stuff over the years, but I can't remember it ever smelling so tame. Everything is there, more or less, but it feels turned down (or watered down). Palate: Initally sweet, then developing a smoky, slightly tarry, peaty character along with some bright peppery notes. More smoked fish (oily fish, herring and mackerel). The palate moves seamlessly into a dryer form as it develops, but hints of the sweetness keep returning. Classy. There is less oak tannin than I remember - in fact surprisingly little cask influence - and where is the strong oily character of old? There is some lemon zest and salt, but it's not a breezy fresh outdoor maritime salt - more mineral. I'm sure that overall the palate is rounder and sweeter than it used to be. Finish: Medium-long, a slight salty prickle as all the foregoing flavours and aromas slowly fade into a mist of peat, light smoke and salt. The trademark liquorice in the finish is no longer "zoute drop" - much milder now and more like sweet liquorice. Either this whisky has changed, or I have. Maybe both? It certainly seems to have less character and be more laid back. The iodine is less sharply defined and the old hospital antiseptic aroma is considerably softened. One thing it does have is great balance, and it's still a satisfying dram - however after the Kilchoman Loch Gorm I had last night this is ... safe. Oh dear. I wonder if it is all down to the alcohol strength? "Good" : 84/100 (3.75 stars) [AUD$90 in 2017] ------------------------------------------------------95.0 AUD per Bottle
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Laphroaig tasting evening, Sydney, 26 September 18. Whiskey #1. Nose: Soft smoke with sweet floral flourishes and a maritime hint. Some bright phenols, anise, and a touch of the old-school Laphroaig hospital bandages. Palate: Sweetly smoky arrival. Soft flavours appear as it develops - herbal tisane, black tea, mint, lemon, vanilla and coconut. Later some gentle spicy touches of nutmeg and cardamom arrive. Finish: Medium. Smoke, herbal and a smidge of licorice. Easy to drink, friendly, with a smoke-dominated profile that is tamed and smoothed over by fragrant woody notes. The palate is light but surprisingly, given the complexity of the blend, it's a bit lacking in depth. I'm positive this was developed to appeal specifically to novices, particularly novices of smoky whisky. It's meant to be the gateway drug into Laphroaig, for sure. It's best taken in isolation and not compared to other Laphroaig expressions, as it will always come out second best. As I returned to nose and taste it during the evening it became increasingly brash, and there was an aroma of cardboard that became more obvious over time. The price is also problematic. It costs the same as the classic 10 year old and even though, in my opinion, that has slipped a touch recently it is still a more subtle and interesting malt. If money is an issue the 10 year old is better value. "Average" : 78/100 (2.75 stars)90.0 AUD per Bottle
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Nose: Malt, light butterscotch, a little lemon custard, creme caramel, and some green apple. When you nose it deeply the grain component is revealed. There's also a light vanilla biscuit note like savoiardi and the evidence of some sherry casks. The dry glass has a hint of smoke. Palate: A very pleasant and easy arrival - smooth and creamy sweet malt and a hint of fruitiness. The development is slow and measured, more fruity notes emerge with some nuttiness and the lightest trace of ginger spice, but it's mild ginger simmered in ghee. The texture is light and airy, but I wouldn't criticise it as watery or thin - just delicate. Finish: Short. This one disappears pretty quickly with a touch of spice in the tail. It's not at all bad, but it's the epitome of a smooth and easily-quaffable blend so don't expect anything bold in the profile. It's actually a very old-fashioned style of blended whisky that would have been popular 50 years ago. The main problem is that it's in a price band where it's competing against more interesting blends and some very good lower priced malts (Compass Box Spice Tree is only $10 more) and you'd have to really love smoothness above all else to be able to justify it. "Above Average" : 82/100 (3.25 stars)68.0 AUD per Bottle
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Dalmore 18 Year
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed September 29, 2018 (edited October 12, 2020)Nose: A warm, velvety, enfolding blanket of sherry. Orange juice and orange zest, raisins, old oak, dusky cinnamon, vanilla and a faint whiff of ash. It's an impressive nose right from the start and it increases in interest over time as it develops in the glass. There are also brown sugar and maple syrup notes that are curiously like a bourbon nose. You almost miss it behind the sherry but think "bourbon" when sniffing this and the similarity is immediate. [The dry glass aroma is pure maple syrup]. Palate: A sweet orange preserve and sherry arrival with salted caramel, chocolate-covered raisins, almonds and dried figs. The development brings out chocolate, honey and woody notes, with a little hot spice and tannic bitterness creeping in towards the finish. The texture is velvety and opulent. Finish: Medium/long. Sherry, dried fruit, orange, milk coffee and lingering oak with a bitter cocoa edge and a tiny hint of mint. There's an intriguing mix of sweet and dry in this whisky, which is key to its character. On the one hand there is a wave of sweet citrus and rich fruity flavours, coupled with sweet sherry. However this would be cloying and undrinkable without the presence of the cocoa, pepper and oak tannin, which provide a dry counterbalance. Water does not improve this whisky. The nose disappears and the palate becomes generically sweet and almost saccharine like artificially sweetened chocolate. Take this one neat. It's a good example of a Dalmore but there is a strong similarity between all their expressions, so if this one is a little too expensive try the 12 or 15 year old instead. They are both very pleasant, if a notch or two lower in rank, and will get you 80% of the way here. "Very Good" : 86/100 (4 stars)200.0 AUD per Bottle -
Strathmill 1991 21 Year Cask Strength (The Maltman)
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed September 29, 2018 (edited September 30, 2018)Nose: Clean and refined with an elegant grassy/floral aroma when neat. Over time subtle fruity notes emerge - red apples, rockmelon, and honeysuckle flowers. Further resting develops more honey and a faint touch of leather. Adding water unleashes a hidden barrage of woody notes - sawdust, pencil shavings and oak barrels - together with cloves and stagnant flower-vase water. It also intensifies the leather. An interesting nose. Palate: The nose does not prepare you for the full-frontal assault of the palate. The arrival is balanced but unusual with sweet, astringent, fruity, dry and spicy notes are all competing for attention. In the development it becomes full and rounded, with slightly sour malt, 95% bitter chocolate, oak tannins and hot spiky spices (notably hot English mustard) coming forward. Adding water softens the palate considerably. Finish: Medium. Peppery, slightly sour and finishing dry and bitter (but in a pleasant way). Once watered the finish becomes refreshingly dry and astringent with a touch of ale-like bitterness. When smelled neat the nose on this whisky is mild and reticent, so much so that you'd be forgiven for thinking that it's lacking and weak. However it needs time in the glass and a rest of 20-30 minutes is well worth the wait. As it unfolds the nose gains depth and character and becomes attractively leathery-floral in profile. However it's adding water that really makes this sing, with everything that was previously locked up being released and allowed to bloom. There's an alcohol sting on the palate that makes the hard and spicy profile all the more intense. Water works miracles for this whisky and turns it into a much more interesting and accessible experience that becomes quite compelling as you acquire the taste. I'd strongly recommend a good splash of water and lots of resting time. This is an unusual and demanding malt from a seldom encountered distillery. Distilled in 1991 and matured in a first-fill ex-bourbon cask, it was bottled in 2012 at 50.5% after the angels took a hearty share. It's interesting and I commend it to curious whisky enthusiasts, but I would not recommend it to novices. "Above Average" : 82/100 (3 stars)165.0 AUD per Bottle -
American whiskey tasting evening, Sydney, 21 September 18. Whiskey #5. Nose: Incredibly tight when neat, with an unusual initial aroma akin to the smell of emulsion paint. As it rests and unfolds this falls into place as a firm combination of wood resin, peanuts, buttered popcorn, leather, coconut, cinnamon, clove oil and orange oil together with a completely unexpected aroma of lily-of-the-valley! Water brings out a huge woody note. Palate: A sweet and creamy almost molasses-like arrival that was unexpected after the nose. Spicy and nutty flavours follow with heaps of waxy hot cinnamon and a pervasive background flavour of cooked coconut shavings, like a coconut pastry. A very rye-forward palate, but not a standard one. Finish: Long. Oaky, spicy, notes of vanilla extract and the continuation of the background nutty, coconut and resin character. The finale is quite dry. I found the nose on this to be downright weird at first, but as I got into it the parts of the jigsaw started to fit together and I began to like it, and then the lightbulb came on. For me this bourbon has a hint of hogo that is akin to a Trinidad rum. It's unusual to find in a bourbon and must come from the rye component, but it's quite different to most rye influences. The whiskey has great balance, but it's a balance of uncommon components. The addition of water brought out bready and yeasty flavours that I thought intruded a little on the palate, but it was worth it. The whiskey opens and becomes much more accessible with just a dash of water, or maybe even an ice cube. However you dilute it, I'd suggest letting it sit for a while in the glass to recompose for a while before tasting. A very interesting drop - I don't know that I'd keep it on hand, but it's certainly worth seeking out a taste just for the experience. "Good" : 84/100 (3.75 stars)125.0 AUD per Bottle
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American whiskey tasting evening, Sydney, 21 September 18. Whiskey #4 Nose: Lots of toffee and caramel and a full, hefty oakiness. There's a sweet berry note like cherries or raspberries, and earthy cinnamon spice and ginger, plus and hint of peanut. Water amplifies the woody notes and also brings out brown sugar, pickle water and a slight minty aroma. Palate: A sweet honey/caramel arrival that almost instantly develops into hot cinnamon, black pepper and chilli spice. This persists but over time is tempered by a sweet fruitiness, as of red berries, that enters from the sidelines as it moves towards the finish. Lots of heavy woody favours. Water brings out notes of nuts and vanilla and tempers the heat. Finish: Medium/long. The finish is the conclusion of the palate with nothing new emerging. The final flavours are woody and caramel, and a touch of red berries, but it turns slightly dry right at the end with tannic notes that are quite welcome. This was an appealing whiskey and I returned to it repeatedly throughout the tasting. It held up well against everything but was outclassed by the Woodford Reserve cask strength, which was the final whiskey of the night. Although there is quite a hot kick in the palate I found it to be approachable and not at all overbearing, however water improved the experience by generally softening and loosening the profile which allowed a lot of otherwise hidden aromas and flavours to emerge. I'd recommend a good dash of still water for this one, or even an ice cube and wait until the ice is mostly melted. This expression is available in a myriad forms, as I understand, but the standard stocks in Australia all seem to be the same. The configuration was selected by Rob Samuels, so I guess it's a middle-of-the-road formulation created in bulk for retail outlets. This batch was 55.9% abv, but I have no idea about the stave selection. "Good" : 84/100 (3.75 stars)150.0 AUD per Bottle
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