Tastes
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Kilchoman Madeira Cask Matured (2015 Edition)
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed April 19, 2018 (edited August 27, 2022)Nose: Strong peppery wood smoke, like the aftermath of a bushfire rather than mellow peat smoke. A softer peat gradually emerges through the haze together with a powerful winey note. These dominant aromas tend to swamp the nose. Palate: Dense smoke, blazing hot white pepper and ginger, dusty dark chocolate, peat, fortified wine, raisins, prunes. A little harsh and hard. Finish: Medium. Lingering smoke, wine and dry dark chocolate. It’s not likely that you’ll still find this anywhere, so this review is more for historical interest. In 2011 Kilchoman filled 17 first-fill ex-madeira casks as an experiment. I bought my bottle in 2016, which is the year after I believe it was bottled, so it had spent 4 years in very active and strongly-seasoned oak. That’s a lot of time for the residual fortified wine and some cask elements to be absorbed, but hardly any time for serious maturation of the spirit. I can’t help but feel that it would have worked better to give the whisky 4 years in good bourbon casks and then half a year of finishing in the madeira wood. Not surprisingly it gave me the impression of being undeveloped and awkward – a fresh young whisky covered with a dense blanketing layer of wood smoke and thick wine, but everything being disjointed, argumentative and restless. The heavy smoke seemed to improve with oxidization but it never achieved a really cohesive state with the wine element. In the end this whisky came across as a failed experiment and it’s not surprising that they have not repeated it since. At $180 it was also quite expensive. Kilchoman (who produce some whiskies that I particularly like) have since gone on to perfect their strategy with both Loch Gorm and Sanaig which are far more subtle and evolved products – buy one of those and don’t bother searching out this old Madeira expression. You’ll occasionally see a positive review but even for collectors I wouldn’t recommend it. "Adequate” : 73/100 (2.25 stars)180.0 AUD per Bottle -
Clynelish 1996 19 year Un-Chillfiltered (Signatory)
Single Malt — Highland, Scotland
Reviewed April 19, 2018 (edited January 3, 2019)Nose: Malted grain and stone fruits (peaches, apricots). A faint hint of banana and some white grape juice. There’s a crisp maritime air about it but it’s not a briny malt. A bright and enveloping nose that is on the light side, slightly sweet and full, and very elegant. Palate: Cereal and fruity arrival, but like the nose it is crisp and dry rather than sweet. Some bright barley sugar notes. Spirit driven and lean – a dry bourbon cask maturation. Some bright, hot spices and an increasingly malty character as it develops. Finish: Medium, with lingering barley notes and just a touch of oak. Signatory must have invested in quite a few casks of Clynelish back in the mid 1990s because it’s not difficult to pick up bottlings from them of 16-23 year old Clynelish in both the Unchillfiltered and Cask Strength ranges. This particular one is a very nice presentation of the distillery’s profile and I enjoyed the all-bourbon cask maturation very much. Clynelish is a crisp waxy whisky with lots of subtle sweet and herby characteristics and bourbon maturation really plays to its strengths. This one is a sophisticated and slightly dry whisky that develops nicely in the glass and rewards patient tasting. A drop of water enhances its background sweetness to good effect. In comparison to the standard 14 year old distillery bottling (which is very good) this is drier and more elegant, and makes the younger expression seem a touch sweet and heavy. It also has a much lighter and more lifted finish. Recommended, if you can find it. “Very Good” : 87/100 (4.25 stars)165.0 AUD per Bottle -
Del Maguey San Luis del Rio Mezcal
Mezcal Joven — Oaxaca, Mexico
Reviewed April 14, 2018 (edited August 7, 2022)* My Bottle: From Lot SLR 123. Nose: The nose starts with intense, earthy, herbal aromas - oregano, sage and lemon thyme. This is followed by smoked capsicum and dark honey, rubber, iodine, brine, tar, diesel oil and fragrant oily smoke. It's a very forceful and individual nose. Palate: The arrival is rich, oily and earthy with a sweet umami quality but retaining a sprightly juiciness. Then in the development an banquet of cooked fruits is presented - plantain, apple, orange, berries, pineapple, melon - all stewed in a clay pot in a sweet broth of cinnamon and cloves and drizzled with caramelized sugar. Not very spicy and not brightly herbal, this is a very laid back and round palate. Finish: Medium-long, crisp, clean with a little lingering smoke and earth - after a while a juicy sweetness remains. This wonderful mezcal has a nose that was devised in some outré and probably illegal corner of heaven. The palate is satisfying and second only to the top-shelf Del Maguey expressions such as Chichicapa and Pechugha for complexity. "Good" : 84/100 (3.75 stars)140.0 AUD per Bottle -
Nose: Well integrated fruity and floral bouquet. A citrus note like lemonade and orange sorbet. A bright and refreshing nose but it's rather "spirity" and a little vodka-like. Palate: A fairly neutral arrival - very clean and crisp. Plaintains, apples, some subtle salt and sugars - the saltiness is of an easy, umami, mineral/vegetal character and the sugars are light and creamy, like vanilla icing sugar. More light fruity notes appear as it develops with a touch of minty anise, like a fine pastis. A pleasantly brisk palate. Finish: Short in flavour and medium in texture. The palate drops away sharply, but pleasantly, while a comforting warmth lingers with hints of peppery herbs around the sides of the tongue. No sour, bitter or metallic notes. This is a very clean and enjoyable mezcal with a pleasant smoothness. It's not of great complexity but its simplicity is engaging. It's an easy-drinking mezcal with a slightly herbal quality like a very neutral white rhum agricole or even a vodka, particularly in the finish. There is a smoky note on the nose but it is very subtle and adds depth rather than standing out. This does not have the massive profile of some mezcals but it is enjoyable as an occasional sipper and would be fine as a high-quality mixer. It is a little expensive and I don't think it really competes with the similarly priced Del Maguey expressions. "Above Average" : 82/100 (3.25 stars)130.0 AUD per Bottle
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Casamigos Añejo Tequila
Tequila Añejo — Highlands, Jalisco, Mexico
Reviewed April 14, 2018 (edited January 17, 2020)Nose: Vanilla, wood ash, white pepper, caramelized (almost burnt) sugar, cocoa and burnt wood. There are some metallic/mineral aromas. Palate: A light arrival with spicy notes, followed by sweetness reminiscent of molasses. Tropical fruit hints, golden syrup, vanilla but some rather tannic oak appears towards the finish. Finish: Short. The barrel comes to dominate in the aftertaste with bitter tannins. The profile is soft and reserved but simultaneously clumsy and loud. This añejo tequila starts off promisingly enough but somewhere during the tasting it turns towards the dark side and a metallic, tannic thread weaves uncomfortably through it. It was too long in the barrels, I think, and I suspect they were not great barrels either. The spirit is clean and well made, and resting improves it (the reposado is very pleasant) but for me this expression is over-oaked. In comparison to other matured tequila that I’ve tasted it is a little rough and simple. “Above Average” : 80/100 (3 stars)85.0 AUD per Bottle -
Casamigos Reposado Tequila
Tequila Reposado — Los Altos, Jalisco, Mexico
Reviewed April 14, 2018 (edited November 9, 2018)Nose: Mild peppermint, green capsicum, sappy agave, light vanilla, caramel and sweet woody notes. There is a supporting smoky-oak aroma like barrel char and light hints of tropical fruit and spices. Palate: The arrival is soft and sweet, mostly vanilla and caramelized sugars from the agave but balanced by a touch of pepper. A more vegetal and herbal quality emerges as it develops with mint, menthol, lime, sage, oregano, pine resin and walnuts coming forward. There is a mild briny note but the foundation sweet quality that never fades. The texture is creamy, almost like savory salted caramel. Finish: Short. Sweet vegetal flavours fade into the aftertaste which concludes with a peppery note and a hint of oak. A pleasant sipping tequila that I thought was considerably better than either the blanco or añejo expressions from Casamigos. The short period of aging develops some character and depth in the spirit, which is lacking in the blanco, but the barrels have not yet come to dominate the profile as they do in the añejo. Reasonable value and a good choice for an easy sipping tequila or a mixing ingredient. “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars)80.0 AUD per Bottle -
Casamigos Blanco Tequila
Tequila Blanco — Los Altos, Jalisco, Mexico
Reviewed April 14, 2018 (edited April 6, 2022)Nose: Faintly minty and "green" - light vegetal, sappy notes. Not a lot more. Palate: Light minty arrival. Some soft mineral notes and a little background fruitiness. The overwhelming impression of the palate is of very high grade ethanol and it's somewhat watery in texture. Finish: Short. Faint citrus and mint. Rather sweet i the aftertaste but ethanol is the main memory. This is a well made, clean tequila but the nose is somewhat nondescript and the palate very simplistic. The aromas and flavours peel back like onion layers - but it's only a few layers deep before you hit the ethanol core. It tasted to me like a well made vodka with an infusion of green vegetal aromas and flavours - like the addition of some water in which Brussels sprouts had been simmered for 30 minutes. It's simple and unfussy but rather engineered. In comparison to the whole spectrum of tequila it's on the good side of average, but I didn't think it was interesting enough to describe as above average. "Average" : 78/100 (2.75 stars)70.0 AUD per Bottle -
Japanese whisky tasting evening, Sydney 28 March 18, Whisky #7. Nose: Rich but crisp, fruity (berries and red grapes), damask rose, fragrant honey, oat cluster cereal, rich leather, subtle aromas of sandalwood and almond blossom. It’s a heady but not cloying nose. Palate: Solid malty arrival flowing into a development that is founded on cereal (barley sugar?) and citrus flavours with just enough spice and honey to tie it all together. It’s a warm and enveloping palate – soft, creamy, balanced and seductive. Towards the finish a fragrant oak component moves to the front. Finish: Medium. Fragrant spicy cereal with a little honey and some warmth – a touch of stem ginger preserved in syrup and a very faint smokiness. I’ve been slow off the mark with regard to Japanese whisky – this tasting event was my first real immersion. The Yamazaki 12 was the last expression in the flyte, and in comparison to the earlier whiskies it stood out like a lighthouse beacon on a dark night. I remember saying aloud “ah, now we’re getting somewhere!”. It has a profile that is both akin to scotch whisky but also shows a character of its own that is assured and satisfying. It is not hampered by a self-conscious need to prove its worth against anything else or trumpet its national origin as a selling point – it is simply a very good whisky. Actually, it’s quite a superior whisky. The price has sky-rocketed of late and supplies are mostly sold out locally, but it can still be found in Australia if you search. The Distiller official notes are right on target. "Very Good" : 86/100 (4 stars)350.0 AUD per Bottle
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Del Maguey Espadín Especial Mezcal
Mezcal Joven — Oaxaca, Mexico
Reviewed April 8, 2018 (edited August 7, 2022)* My bottle: From Lot no. SMA-124 Nose: Supurbly soft, rounded, fruity and floral notes with a light sandalwood background. Sweet plant sap and a touch of briny tang. Reminiscent of a crisp maritime highland single malt with a subtle sherry finish and a suggestion of smoke. A dash of water both softens and enhances the smoke. A really enjoyable nose. Palate: A fascinating balance between salt and sweet. There is a light sweet and fruity arrival, which quickly morphs into a briny character. In the development chilli heat emerges, but no pepper - it's more fruity than spicy. As it sits in the mouth smokiness begins to unfold and then suddenly an intense second wave of salt floods the palate, only to vanish again just as quickly. Finish: Long, salt/sweet, warm and smooth. The salty and smoky vegetal notes continue into the distance. Eventually the saltiness is replaced by a mineral sweetness. Quite briny, but there is an alluring soft creaminess to the nose that draws you back again and again. The palate is initially almost shy and restrained, but it quickly and unexpectedly blossoms. The strong salty note might be a bit too much for some palates - if so a dash of water opens things up wonderfully and reveals a balancing sweetness. "Good" : 84/100 (3.75 stars)125.0 AUD per Bottle -
Damoiseau 3 year Rhum Vieux Agricole
Rhum Agricole Vieux — Guadeloupe
Reviewed April 8, 2018 (edited July 18, 2022)Nose: Grassy, herbal, white sugar, faint burnt sugar, ash. Palate: An arrival almost like a fino sherry, coupled with a funky hogo. Light and elegant in character. A restrained, thin mouthfeel. In the background there are dried fruit flavours, but they are very subtle. Finish: Medium. Fresh cane juice, chlorophyll, flinty and with a slightly anise character. A smooth and herbacious rum but definitely one that's only for agricole fans. The grassy cane presence is barely tempered by 3 years in oak and whether you would describe this as "fresh and vibrant" or just plain "juvenile" would be a matter of personal taste. It's enjoyable as a slightly austere sipping rum and comes into its own as a hot climate aperitif. It mixes well and makes a very refreshing ti punch, in fact it combines very well with citrus flavours in any context. Enjoyable, but not the finest rhum agricole by any means, and a bit on the expensive side for what it is. "Above Average" : 80/100 (3 stars)100.0 AUD per Bottle
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