Tastes

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

Nose: A bright, yeasty, cereal nose with notes of green apple, lemon essence, melon, brown sugar, and very faint ginger. There's a micro whiff of smoke, but it's reserved and dainty (you notice it more on the dry glass). Palate: The arrival is lightly sweet and brisk with flavours of melon, white grapes, honey and green apple. A lot of gristy cereal flavours appear as it develops, followed by tastes of light baked goods (brioche, arrowroot biscuits, panettone) and mild ginger spice. The texture is pleasant and lifting, but a little watery, and rather like the texture of a blended scotch. Finish: Short. Light sweet fruit and weak black Darjeeling tea that turns slightly sour, but then back to sweet at the very end. This is a pleasant and easy to drink malt blend with some character but it lacks that certain spark that distinguishes a great whisky. The lightness of body is enjoyable, but very similar to that of a blended scotch. I think the producers sold themselves short and made too many compromises. This should have been composed with a little more personality and then blended with a really fine mature grain whisky, or even just simply bottled at 46 or 48%. Either approach would have resulted in something more interesting (there were two previous Mackinlay's Shackleton expressions which were released at 47.3% - they were considerably more expensive, but very good). I did notice that after being open for a couple of weeks, and with the level down to about 3/4, the whisky had oxidized very gracefully and gained some heft and complexity. I'd recommend opening this, decanting it to oxygenate, re-bottling it and waiting a fortnight before starting to taste. It definitely changes a good deal over time, and for the better. At the asking price it just represents value for money, being competitive against similarly priced blended malts. It has more going on than either Naked Grouse or Monkey Shoulder, but it is but 30% more expensive. Compass Box or the Douglas Laing blends are a better comparison. A few cents from every sale goes to the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust. "Above Average" : 82/100 (3.25 stars)

Nose: The initial aroma is of resinous lemon-scented smoke with a pungently oily character. It’s distinctive and sharp, with a more bracing quality than other Islay smoky profiles. White pepper, sea-spray and tarry ropes appear in the background. The current bottlings [as at mid-2019] also have a more citrus-forward profile than previous batches. Palate: The arrival is all oily smoke, sour peat water, brine and lemon zest. However as bright as it is there is a balancing depth and sweetness, but it’s a slightly astringent sweet taste rather than a thick vanilla sweetness (although there is a touch of vanilla there as well). As it develops you notice heavier components in the background that lend thickness to the texture – caramel, smoky tea, roasted almonds, pine-tree resin and licorice. These supporting flavours all have a thread of subtle salt running through them which adds a dryness to the spirit. This perfectly balances the sweet/sour citrus and tarry smoke. Balance is the keyword here, and it’s what makes the palate of this highly distillate-driven expression so very good. Finish: Long. Smoky, nutty and lemon hints, all fading to a very slightly sweet finale. There are some whiskies that, as soon as you sniff them after having not had one for a while, bring a smile to the face and thoughts of “why did I wait so long to come home?”. Ardbeg 10 is one such whisky, and to my mind recent batches have been particularly good. There is a special quality to the smoky component in Ardbeg that calls to mind the scent of a forest where a fire has recently passed through, followed by heavy rain. It’s that wet, pungent aroma of dead fire and ash without the choking hot cloud of the smoke itself. It’s similar to the smell of a cold peat-kiln or fireplace, or the ash-box of a steam engine. Smoky but austere and calm. Everything in the Ardbeg line is worth trying but the core 10 year expression has great balance and integration. It’s also consistent and good value. This is one of the standout whiskies produced from the triumvirate of distilleries that nest along the south-east coast of Islay. “Very Good” : 87/100 (4.25 stars)

American whiskey tasting evening, Sydney, 21 September 18. Whiskey #6 Nose: Rich woody aromas of many types – sawn planks, waxed floorboards, old sideboards, charred barrel staves, hazelnuts, walnuts, etc. Behind this oak-forward profile there are scents of orange flowers and zest, vanilla extract, raisins, Jersey caramels, bananas, tobacco, desiccated coconut and cinnamon. The addition of water brings out a slight minty and menthol hint and opens the nose considerably. Palate: The arrival is massive and richly semi-sweet like a mouthful of stewed prunes and apricots soaked in high-proof alcohol. This is balanced by a tannic dryness that is just enough to prevent the palate from becoming cloying or one-note sweet, and by an intense, but not unpleasant, alcohol heat. There is also a combination of sugary flavours - brown sugar, maple syrup, treacle, toffee and fruit preserves. As it develops the profile becomes drier with dark chocolate and dried figs appearing alongside warm spicy notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. The overall impression is of dark Christmas pudding flambéed with bourbon. Finish: Long. Astonishingly long. Sweet and leathery, the full mélange of flavours from the palate slowly fades away. I was still tasting a memory of this literally hours later. For my 300th Distiller review I was going to rate an iconic scotch single malt, however after tasting this excellent Woodford Reserve at the whisky night I attended last Friday I decided it had to be the subject, as it is one of the best bourbons I have encountered. I do usually prefer scotch whisky to bourbon so you have to bear in mind that my opinion will always be influenced by that preference. In this case there is something about this whiskey that is reminiscent to me of an old cask-strength Speysider. It is a classic bourbon, by which I mean there are no outré aromas or flavours, no fancy finishes and nothing unexpected. What makes it special is the depth and intensity of its character, with manifold layers being conveyed by the high proof, and its exquisite balance. It is, quite simply, a particularly well-made whiskey at cask strength. However, although its powerful profile can be enjoyed neat, in my opinion water is necessary to allow full appreciation of its complexities. The high alcohol volume locks up the character as tightly as a pirate’s buried treasure, so although it is interesting neat it is also unrelenting and hard to penetrate. Dilution makes it a much more enjoyable and rewarding experience. Fortunately, this spirit can swim like an orca. Just a few drops of water lifts the blanket of alcohol and releases more aromatic fruitiness and fragrant oak. This process continues as more water is gradually added - I eventually took it down to under 40% and it was still massive, flavourful and continuing to open. It’s length and staying power are considerable, but perhaps the most outstanding aspect of this bourbon for me is its dynamic personality. The other spirits that were tried on the night seemed small, limited, easy and two-dimensional in comparison. They were still and quiet – unmoving and passive, whereas the Woodford Reserve seemed to be almost alive in the glass, breathing, constantly evolving and challenging the taste buds. A highly recommended whiskey, and even at the relatively expensive price I’d call it value for money. I was very pleased to be able to acquire a bottle. “Excellent” : 89/100 (4.75 stars)

American whiskey tasting evening, Sydney, 21 September 18. Whiskey #3 Nose: Oak, caramel toffee, treacle, raisins, soft musk – a powerfully hefty and fragrant nose. There’s a thread of resinous honey that keeps surfacing and just a hint of wintergreen. Very nice. Palate: A warm, sweet and spicy arrival that has a powerful heat from the spices, tannins and alcohol. However, it never veers towards being burning. As it develops, a lot of deep fruity flavours appear – plums, dates, raisins and currents – and a nice vanilla note becomes apparent. The addition of water brings out some orange but also makes the palate a little flat. The high proof is carrying all the flavor and once it is diluted even a little it loses its punch. Not that the flavor changes that much, it just loses heft, and you miss it. I recommend taking this one neat. Finish: Medium/long. There is a rich but soft sweet-spice character that slowly fades away. This is a well-made, pleasant whiskey. I’m not exactly sure what “blended” means in this case, but I believe it is a re-racked bourbon finished in port casks, and you can certainly sense the presence of a wine cask at play. There is a buttery, fruity quality to it and it is very smooth, but certainly not lacking character. This particular whiskey was not available for purchase on the night as the bottle was donated by a friend of the tasting presenter. It seems to sell for around US$60 which means it would probably be about AUS$120 and at that price it is OK value, but outclassed by other similarly priced bourbons. “Above Average” : 82/100 (3.25 stars)