Tastes

Another bonus sample from the SDT (only 3 to go), and another Laphroaig Cairdeas from @LeeEvolved. This time we have the 2013 version that was finished in port pipes. Bottled at 51.3% ABV and is non chill filtered and natural color of a ruby copper. This one has been built up by Lee as the be all end all Laphroaig. Let’s see how his enthusiasm holds up. The nose is juicy and fruity port notes that lead into earthy peat, but a restrained smoke. A menthol-like cooling sensation. Red plums, red grapes and blackberries. Definite notes of caramel apples, toffee and hazelnut. Cold ashes, creosote and a little of the medicinal/bandaid notes that Laphroaig is known for. As far as deeper complexity is concerned, it’s just not there. A little water allows for a bit more sweetness and fruitiness but also brings out a mineral note. The palate has much more smoke than on the nose. Sweet with a little spice as well. The port notes are not as strong here as I would have expected. Some smoky red fruits, but nothing too discernible. Pepper, oak, barrel char, sooty and salty/briny. Water just seems to tone everything down a bit without adding anything else. A medium bodied mouthfeel that is oily, mouth coating and mouthwatering. The finish is medium long, smoky, medicinal, semisweet and mouthwatering throughout. Sorry Lee, but this was not the king of the proverbial Laphroaig hill. I personally think the Brodir was the better of the port finishes. Good quality here and full of flavor, but not worth the secondary market price of $230. 4.25. I’ve now had the 2013-2018 Cairdeas and though I’ve yet to properly review the 2014, I would rate them in this order: 1) 2014, 2) 2018, 3) a tie between the 2013 & 2016, 5) 2017. Cheers

Another top shelf bonus sample to help close out the SDT. This year’s Laphroaig Cairdeas, provided by @LeeEvolved was matured in ex bourbon casks from Makers Mark (where Laphroaig sources all of their bourbon casks) and finished in Fino sherry casks. Bottled at 51.8% ABV and is non chill filtered and natural color of honey gold. Classic Laphroaig nose, wafting smoke, medicinal peat, ashy, tarry. Grassier than most other Laphroaigs. Cold ashes, campfire smoke, creosote. Damp earth, moss, vegetal peat and menthol. The Fino notes are buried at first but rise to the surface after some time. Dark red grapes, a touch of vanilla and floral perfume. Towards the bottom of the glass there are toffee and caramel notes. I added some water to see if there was anything hidden under the ABV. Stronger wine notes, mint and florals, but less overall smoke. On the palate, heat builds and builds as you hold it on the tongue, then the heat dissipates and is replaced my a mushroom cloud’s worth of smoke upon swallowing. Ashes, bandaids, rubber, iodine and tennis balls. The wine notes are even further buried on the palate, but they’re there, lurking around in the peat bog. Water adds wood spice, mint/eucalyptus. One of those drams that makes you want to stop taking notes and just sit back and get lost. A medium to full bodied mouthfeel that is mouth coating and dry. The finish is medium short with smoky peat, wine notes and very dry. While I still feel that Lore is the best Laphroaig I’ve had so far (it’s just so oily and rich!), this one is in my top 5 from this distillery. On par with the 2014 Amontillado finish Cairdeas, or maybe just below it due to the shorter finish and dry mouthfeel. One clear, CLEAR indicator of its quality... my wife walked in halfway through my tasting and commented that it smelled great in the room. I offered her a taste and she made the face, the face of someone that just had their first South Coast Islay scotchgasm. She’s never done that with any whisky. So kudos to you Laphroaig, you were this husband and wife’s first Islay. Thanks for the sample Lee. 4.5 Cheers

Down to the last half dozen bonus samples of the final round of the SDT and I am most excited about them. The beginning of the end comes in the form of this 18 year old single malt scotch from Aberlour. I’ve actually owned this bottle for nearly 2 years and never got around to opening it, so I’m glad that it was provided to me in sample form. Bottled at 43% ABV and is chill filtered with colorant added making it a dark amber color. The nose opens with soft sherry, soft but rich. Orange marmalade, raisins and vanilla. Black cherries, worn oak, distant tobacco notes and some maple. Watered down grape juice, cinnamon, cocoa powder and powdered ginger. A touch floral as well. Not as full as I had hoped, but it’s definitely mature. The nose belies a spicy palate. Baking spices, not so much a peppery spice, mostly in the nutmeg and ginger arena. Molasses, tobacco and dark sherry. Thick, almost burnt caramel, Worthers toffee. This is similar in style to the Blair Athol 12, but better in quality and maturity. A medium bodied mouthfeel that is lightly oily and mouthwatering. The finish is medium short, sherry, orange pith and tobacco. I tried. I tried really hard to love this one, but it just didn’t do it for me. Never let it be said that I have called Aberlour 18 a bad dram, because it’s far from that...it just didn’t wow me. The quality is there, it’s just missing something. Something is needed to push it from good to great. Perhaps a higher percentage of first fill sherry casks, higher ABV, something. As it sits, I’m going with a 3.75, but an argument could be made for a 4. Thanks to @Scott_E for the sample. Cheers

Here we have another bottle of cheap bourbon that I bought to drink with the neighbors and/or while hidden discretely in a travel coffee mug while rocking out on stage so I don’t have to pay bar prices for my drinks. Fighting Cock is produced by Heaven Hill and is their answer to Wild Turkey 101. It’s bottled at 51.5% ABV, or 103 proof, which makes it 2 better than WT lol. It used to carry a 6 year age statement, but that was done away with in 2015 I believe and now carries no age statement at all. HH still claims that it contains mostly 6 old year stock. It is a natural color of dark copper and despite its hefty ABV, I believe it is chill filtered as I have drank it with water and over ice and not once noticed any mist forming. The mash bill is 75% corn, 13% rye and 12% malted barley. The nose has an initial hit of mint, followed by heavily charred oak, wood smoke and strong rye spice. Toffee, caramel and butterscotch leading into vanilla cream, buttery corn and black pepper. Cinnamon, light bananas, beeswax and a mineral note (limestone?). Very herbal after resting a while, tobacco, walnuts and peanuts. Water brings out brown sugar, a little more banana and a chalky note. The palate is peppery heat, oak, lots of rye with cinnamon and fennel. Walnuts, but kind of like when you are eating walnuts but then you get a bad one...like that. Bitter orange oil, astringent. Water brings out corn, vanilla, and toffee. At this point it really becomes Evan Williams Black Label. Medium to full bodied mouthfeel, lightly oily, mouthwatering and fairly hot. The finish is medium length with oak, rye and mint. Dry. For a sub $20 bourbon (I paid $18), this is pretty good stuff. The nose has decent complexity with almost nothing off putting or unpleasant. The palate is not quite so good with obvious flaws, but to be fair I believe this was meant to be mixed or at least enjoyed over ice. I was surprised how much of the rye spice came through even though it comprises only 13% of the mash bill. Probably won’t buy again as I feel EW White Label offers better flavors for the same price. A solid 3 Cheers

Another of the bonus samples from the SDT. This is one that I provided for the group. A 23 year old Linkwood from the independent bottlers at Cadenhead. 2 bourbon hogsheads were used to create 492 bottles. Distilled in 1992 and bottled in 2016, this Speyside single malt comes in at cask strength of 55.3% ABV and is non chill filtered and natural color of a shimmering gold. The nose is quite closed off at first, it really takes time and an archeologists skills to dig carefully through this one. Herbal and minty notes are dominant initially. Some fruits emerge, but on the light side, apples, green grapes, bananas, honeydew. A strong raspberry flavor comes in, but it’s not quite raspberry. More like blue razzberry flavored candy. Quite odd and unexpected but it’s definitely there. Vanilla, toffee, bubblegum with florals and grassy notes. I added enough water to bring on some scotch mist and got more toffee and mint. I got a malty note that wasn’t there before and some tangerines. I then added enough water to go beyond scotch mist and went full on 1952 London fog. I got some lime, soap, more tangerine, licorice, green oak and an aromatic quality. A lot to decipher, but sadly nothing that wowed me other than the raspberry, and that was just a puzzled wow. The palate was even more closed off than the nose. Quite hot if you go in unaware of its power, but it’s a weak jumble of flavors with no cohesiveness. Grassy with a little toffee and apples. Not much else neat. Water brings out lime, oak, honey, green tea, ginger and malty notes. A medium to full bodied mouthfeel that is both oily and not at the same time. Mouthwatering. The finish is medium length with lime, mint and grassy. I have to say I had very high hopes after @Joe_C proclaimed this to be one of the very best he’d ever had. I found this for $160 and pulled the trigger almost immediately. What a letdown it was for the hype and the price and the age. 3.25, maybe a 3.5 because of that crazy blue razzberry I got on the nose. Sorry Joe, it just didn’t do it for me. Cheers

So I’ve been hanging out with my neighbors more and more this summer. They are all beer drinkers and like to drink pretty much nightly. As I’m a whisky man I needed to find a cheap bottle to consume in higher quantities so that I didn’t start blowing through my expensive single malts. I bought a few cheaper bourbons, as well as this bottle of blended scotch that I got for $23. Well I drank half the bottle on the first night with the neighbors, poured a couple samples, and that left me with a few drams to use for taking notes. Famous Grouse claims to be Scotland’s No. 1 favorite blend, using high quality malts from Macallan and Highland Park. Bottled at the minimum 40% ABV and surely chill filtered with colorant added making it a golden straw. The nose has heavy cereal notes up front with lighter grain notes, followed by rich (although subdued) sherry. Strong raisins, floral notes, sherried fruits - grapes and red apples, and the barest thread of smoke, but not peat. The grain components are so well integrated they are barely noticeable. Menthol/mint, a bit nutty with pecans and Brazil nuts, some cocoa powder and honey. Vanilla, hay and buttery biscuits. The palate has a strong raisin presence, juicy and fruity. Vanilla cream, hay and coconut/colada. A slight harshness but nothing that takes away from the enjoyment. White grape juice, peaches, toffee and butterscotch. Quite good. A light bodied mouthfeel that is creamy but thin, mouthwatering. The finish is medium short with raisins, vanilla and a bit of grain alcohol. I’m completely blown away by this unassuming blend. The quality is here. The flavors are here. The VALUE is here. The Macallan influence is clear, HP less so. Great to enjoy whenever and wherever. Good enough to bring out for friends, cheap enough to use as a mixer, but more importantly, good enough to sip and thoroughly enjoy. It’s probably a 3.5, but it’s sleeper status and value easily pushes it to a 3.75, maybe even a 4. Highly recommended. Cheers

Stop number 106 on the SDT is Braeval. This stop marks the final destination of the tour (at least of the active distilleries with bottles on the market [plenty of newcomers in the coming years]). What a journey it’s been...over a year and a half and it comes down to this 22 year old single malt from the independent bottlers at Samaroli. This Speysider is bottled at 45% ABV and is non chill filtered and natural color of a yellow gold. The nose opens up with green grapes, crisp red apples, pears, apricots and oak. Vanilla custard with a little lemon zest in it and very faint banana. After a few minutes a malty character comes in with some floral notes and a touch of honey. A bit salty as well, like a pretzel. Powdered ginger, nutmeg, hazelnut and walnuts. Toffee, more vanilla and oak and a very distant coffee note. Water softens everything and brings out a very light grapefruit note and some semisweet chocolate. Fair warning though, this one is easily drown. The palate is quite delicious at first with dried apricots, oranges and baked apples. A sweetness like raspberry or strawberry candy. As the flavors start to really develop on the tongue it moves away from its sweet/fruity beginnings. More and more heat builds and it becomes slightly bitter. Black licorice, oak tannins and ginger. Some vanilla and toffee round it out. Water takes away much of the heat, but not so much the bitterness. A medium bodied mouthfeel that is lightly oily and mouth coating. A medium long finish that is dry with tannins, grape skins, apricots and licorice. At over $200 this is a hard pass, but overall this is a good whisky. No real shortcomings on the nose, but the palate fall just a bit short. A typical Speyside profile, done rather well with the cask (first fill bourbon) doing much of the work. It’s not quite a 4 for me, but a solid 3.75. Thanks to @LeeEvolved for the sample. Cheers

Stop number 105 on the SDT is Blair Athol. A Diageo owned Highland distillery that is primarily used in Bell’s blends. This 12 year old from the Flora and Fauna series is one of the only single malt bottlings available. Bottled at 43% ABV and is chill filtered with colorant added making it a dark amber color. The nose has strong sherry and sherried fruits. Raisins, figs, dates, berries and plums. Some artificial grape and root beer notes that come and go. Honey, vanilla, syrupy sweet at times. Musty/damp oak, slightly minty, anise and licorice with a touch of maple. Salted chocolate and hazelnut, basically Nutella. Tobacco, a bit of cough syrup, pie crust and something odd, like the inside of a brand new shoe, good though. The palate has a strong but welcoming tobacco note, followed by a little spicy oak and semisweet sherry. Chocolate, toffee, vanilla, licorice. Ginger notes, herbal and some oranges oil. Plenty of raisins and dates as well. A medium light bodied mouthfeel that is oily and mouthwatering at first, but turn dry. The finish is medium length with darker sherry notes, tobacco, vanilla, licorice, raisins and turns slightly bitter towards the end. Not bad, but not great either. The sherry notes just seemed a little too dark, as if it were over cooked, if that was a thing with sherry. I’d rather stick with Tamdhu or Macallan if I wanted a sherried whisky. At $55 it’s not a bad option though. 3.25-3.5 Cheers

Taking a quick break from the SDT to get in a bourbon review. I had to do it now because this bottle of Four Roses Yellow Label disappeared faster than any other bottle I’ve owned, simply for the fact that it was $20 and I bought it to drink over ice during gigs. With roughly 2 oz. left in the bottle I figured it’s now or never (or until I buy another bottle). Yellow Label is a NAS Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey that is bottled at 40% ABV, is natural color of amber gold and is chill filtered. The nose is harsh at first, even at 40%, but it mellows fairly quickly. Lots of oak, perhaps a bit too much. Cinnamon, clove and spicy ginger. Apples, mint, dill, rye, corn and a bit of anise or licorice, but it’s faint either way. Something reminiscent of raw cookie dough, vanilla and brown sugar. A hint of bubblegum after a while. The palate has a strong oak presence like the nose. Vanilla, toffee and light cinnamon. Light corn, rye and dill. Barrel char, roasted apple chips some pepper, and a distant banana note. Not much complexity here. A medium bodied mouthfeel, a little astringent and dry. The finish is medium long with oak, vanilla, slightly metallic and dry. Good for only $20, but this was meant to be used as a mixer, or at the very least over ice. Drinking neat isn’t exactly a bad experience, but neither is it very enjoyable. Not nearly as complex as it’s more expensive brethren. I’d put this close to or on par with Evan Williams Black Label. 2.5-2.75 Cheers

Continuing on with the bonus samples from the SDT, here we have a Japanese rice whisky. Ohishi Single Sherry Cask. A NAS bottled at 42.3% ABV, is non chill filtered and natural color of dark copper. Warm sherry on the nose. I am more reminded of a sherried cognac than a malt whisky (though it is obviously neither). Raisins, very floral, some oak and hay. A vague nuttiness, plenty of toffee, vanilla and butterscotch. Candied apples, rice wine and more sherry. The more I nose it the more it feels like a whisky and less like a cognac. Very nice, warm and comforting. Like the nose, the palate is more cognac than malt, though at times that feeling is reversed. Sherry, pancake syrup, berries, nutty. Butterscotch, faintly reminiscent of a Canadian style whisky. Vanilla, floral, cherries. Very much a cool fall afternoon dram, when the leaves are falling and the air is crisp, but not yet cold. A medium to light bodied mouthfeel that is creamy and mouth coating. The finish is long with sherry, cherries, brown sugar and raisins. My first rice whisky was a wonderful experience. A better mouthfeel and a stronger intensity of flavors on the palate would have truly made this spectacular rather than “merely” great. At $70-80 this is a no brainer and if I see a bottle I intend to buy it. One to sit and ponder or to get lost in its warmth. 4.25 and a big thanks to @PBMichiganWolverine for the sample. Cheers