Tastes

Highland Park released their Warrior Series of travel retail exclusive single malts a few years back. There were 6 in all, each named after a famous Viking warrior or ruler. 4 of them were very reasonable priced, the other 2 not so much. I reviewed #2, Einar, a while back and remember it being pretty good so I picked up #3, Harald. Each one in the series uses a different proportion of American and European oak as well as first and refill casks. This one is 50/50 first/refill casks and roughly 50/50 American/European oak. Bottled at 40% ABV and is chill filtered and a natural golden color. The first few pours from the bottle were fairly boring in the nose with not much going on. Some weak notes of lemon, honey and creamy vanilla with some light peat smoke. Sawdust, cigarette ashes. After the bottle oxidized however, things really improved. Sherry notes, toffee, caramel and some pecans. Orchard fruits of peaches, apples, pears. Cherry blossoms and sandalwood at times which gave it a Japanese feel. What came next was a bit of a surprise, an explosion of berry flavors. Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries. Next came chocolate and lots of fudge. Hazelnut, walnuts and more caramel with a hint of coffee. Grassy at times. Things kept changing around on me and no real clarity came as to what kind of whisky this was trying to be. Mostly it was good though. The palate went through the same changes. Fairly light at first, vanilla and lemon citrus. A dry sooty peat and a bit tannic. After enough time and air in the bottle things really improved. It became quite fruity with pineapple, mango, papaya, apricots and apples. Malty, barley sugar, ginger and clove. Puffs of smoke, fudge, dried strawberries and honey. A light bodied mouthfeel that is thin but creamy, a bit dry. The finish was medium length, tannic, light sherry, nutty, strawberries, apple skins and dry. I have to say that at first this was a pretty poor example of a Highland Park. Not much of anything going on and if I had rated it then it would have been a 2.5. Once the bottle got some air in it I was amazed at the changes. Huge fruity notes one day, fudgy another day. It turned out to be a pretty decent malt. Not a terrible price, $60 for 700mL (Einar I think was $45 for 1L and the better of the 2 in quality). Still I mostly enjoyed this one and will score it a 3.5. Cheers

Another Glenturret up to bat today thanks to @LeeEvolved and his never ending shipments of samples. This time the NAS Sherry version (batch #3). This one was bottled slightly stronger than the peated version I had earlier at 43% ABV. Like the last one I believe it to be chill filtered and natural color, this one being an amber gold. The nose opens with sweet and savory sherry. Raisins , brown sugar, toffee and caramel. Buttery and nutty - cashews and almonds. Light cinnamon and clove with some ginger and vanilla. Fruity with grapes, apples and pears, a touch of mint. There is also something of a lemon/orange mix. A pleasant nose that I found quite nice, but obviously on the young side. The arrival on the palate was a bit spicier than I had expected, but not hot in any way that resembles anything cask strength. Sherry, harsh oak and tannic. Buttery, nutty with some vanilla. Oaky bitterness, grapes and sour apples. Clove, allspice, nutmeg. The palate went from average to worse pretty fast. Maybe it’s just an off day for me, but I really did not enjoy the taste. A light to medium bodied mouthfeel that is slightly astringent and very dry. The finish is medium length with bitter oak and sherry, nutty, tannic and dry. While the nose was nice and by far the best aspect of this dram, the palate was unforgivably harsh and bitter. Another few years in the cask may be what this guy needs to come around, but sadly it’s doomed to a life of juvenile delinquency. I’d avoid this one unless it’s going over ice or in a cocktail, because it just can’t stand on its own. 2.75 Cheers

Continuing on with my never ending quest to clear out my backlog of samples we come to Glenturret, one of the “other” Edrington Group distilleries. Not as well known as its sister distilleries of Macallan and Highland Park, but just as important when it comes to the blends of Famous Grouse and Cutty Sark. Here we have an expression not currently available in the States, but thanks to my friend @LeeEvolved who orders from the U.K. quite often, I get the chance to try this peated NAS single malt. Bottled at the minimum 40% ABV which certainly implies that it is chill filtered, but since the other Edrington brands do not add colorant I would have to conclude that this is indeed natural color of a yellow gold. The nose is very malty with plenty of honey. It’s loaded with grilled apricots and tangerines. A modest peat level but well layered into the fruity notes. Smoky and ashy with cigar tobacco. Orange zest, candied pineapple, ginger, nutmeg and anise. Somewhat floral with a touch of bitterness. A bit of English toffee and buttercream. A simple nose but it’s light, refreshing and aromatic. Very warm and welcoming. If the nose was simple, the palate is down right basic. A soft, sweet arrival with fruits and light smoke. Grilled apricots and nectarines. Some ginger and notes of cardboard. Vanilla, malty, ashes and charred oak. A light bodied mouthfeel that is lightly oily and thin. The finish is medium length with peat smoke and slightly bitter oak. This is a simple dram that doesn’t require a lot of attention and goes down easily. The nose is warm and inviting but the palate is a bit flat. Not something to ponder over, but definitely an anytime sipper if you want light peat and some gentle sweetness. 3.25 Cheers

Yet another sample from my friend @LeeEvolved. Island Green is a travel retail exclusive from Johnnie Walker that is a blended malt consisting of Caol Ila, Clynelish, Cardhu and Glenkinchie. These 4 are suppose to represent the 4 regions of Scotland, even though there are really 6 (they left out the Islands [which Islay is not a part of] and Campbeltown). Bottled at 43% ABV and is chill filtered with colorant added making it a yellow gold in color. The nose is lightly smoky and quite waxy. Caol Ila and Clynelish are very much the stars right off the bat. Some campfire ashes and soot. Lots of honey biscuits, a bit salty and grassy. Orchard fruits - apples, apricots, pears, oranges, green grapes, and green bananas. The Cardhu fruitiness makes itself known for sure. Vanilla, toffee, olive brine and light oak. Everything here is pleasant enough, but it’s too weak to grab your attention. It needs to be at least 46%, maybe 48. The palate is fairly light. Light peat smoke and a gentle fruitiness. A touch of pepper, brine, phenolic. Lightly charred oak, campfire ashes, the Caol Ila stands out on the palate. Fairly sweet as well with apples, raspberries, apricots and faint banana. Some of the Clynelish waxiness but not much else. A light bodied mouthfeel that is thin but oily and waxy. Mouth coating. The finish is medium short, smoky campfire ashes, waxy. This blend is crying out for a big dose of Talisker to give it some power. Black Label is a prime example of why they should always keep Talisker in the blend. Also, I think they should have used Oban instead of Glenkinchie to provide some additional fruitiness and some Highland peat. Of course making those changes would destroy the 4 corners motif they were going for, but so what? If you wanted to make a blended malt to highlight the different regions of Scotland, why not just blend together the 6 Classic Malts? Make a Lagavulin, Talisker, Oban, Glenkinchie, Dalwhinnie, and Cragganmore blend (even though this still leaves out Campbeltown). I think that might make for a good blend of done right. Looking at JW’s track record though, they seem to do more wrong than they do right. Enough bitching, it’s a TRE that’s $55 for a 1L bottle from the most popular brand of blended scotch in the world, how much more can you ask for? Cheers

Stop number 107 on the SDT (yes, we are firing up the tour again for a bonus round with both closed and new distilleries) is Cambus. This Lowland grain distillery closed in 1993 and ceased all activity until 2011 when it was reopened as a cooperage. I won this 25 year old at auction for $98, not a bad price at all for a 25 year old scotch. Whiskybroker is the independent bottler that released this vintage. They are a curious company that is more of a wholesaler and storage facility than an independent bottler. They buy and sell whole casks, rent out their warehouse for maturing casks for others, and occasionally bottle some of their own casks for selling. This bottle was number 88 of 555 that came from a sherry butt, cask number 62929. It was filled on 8/8/1991 and bottled on 3/8/2017, which just happens to be 2 years ago today. Bottled at cask strength of 56.9% ABV, non chill filtered and natural color of yellow gold. The nose needs plenty of time to settle down. If you go in too quickly after pouring you get hit with harsh acetone and a vinegar-like harshness. After enough time to compose itself (10-15 minutes) there is grain alcohol (but not as harsh as most other grain scotches out there), lots of honey and some lemon zest, honeysuckle, vanilla, coconut and Honey-Nut Cheerios. Very little burn considering the high ABV. Light sherry notes, clearly a refill cask. Sherried fruits - raisins, honeyed dates, blackberries, raspberries and melon rinds. Some light ginger, nutmeg, almond meal and marzipan. Buttery, a touch sulfuric, cocoa powder and brown sugar. Water brings out a bit more sulfur, a touch meaty. More vanilla, ginger, apples, bread. Slightly sour. The palate starts sweet with light sherry, plenty of heat and some funk. The heat is refreshing and invigorating. Some sulfuric and buttery notes. Honey, grains, creamy vanilla and coconut. Raisins, cranberries, blackberries. Tart and sweet. Oak tannins and some harsh grain alcohol at times. Water brings the heat way down, more juicy sherry, berries, pie crust. More honey and some fresh grainy bread. A medium to full bodied mouthfeel that is very oily, like 5W-30 Quaker State, mouthwatering. The finish is medium length, honey, light sherry, coconut, sourdough, grain alcohol. The finish turns harsh midway through and is easily the low point of this whisky. This was one of the best single grain scotches I’ve had, but that’s not saying much because most of them are garbage. I tried this over several days and most of the time it was fairly enjoyable. Other times it was overly harsh and sour. Water is highly recommended, though not entirely necessary. Most of the time I went without water, but when I did add water it was better (I liked the heat at cask strength in this case). It was nice to try another ghosted distillery and a quarter century scotch for under $100 is quite a good deal. 3.5-3.75 Cheers

Tamdhu...my beloved Speyside single malt distillery. I’ve been collecting Tamdhu for the last couple of years and have already accumulated a nice little cache of their stuff. Recently they released two travel retail exclusive expressions, the Gran Reserva and this 14 year old Ambar (Spanish for amber). I’m generally suspicious of anything released as TRE because I’ve had mixed results in the past...but this is Tamdhu! I have a bottle, but thanks to @PBMichiganWolverine who sent me a generous pour, I don’t have to open my bottle and can keep it stored away with the rest of my collection. Bottled at 43% ABV if it’s anything like the other Tamdhu out there it’s natural color, this one is amber (lives up to its name), but I suspect it is chill filtered. Contrary to the others out there that are, at a minimum, partially matured in first fill Oloroso sherry casks, this one is 100% refill casks. That alone makes me nervous, but let’s see how it performs in the glencairn shall we? The nose is light and delicate, not the sherry bomb I was hoping for. Those refill casks are a huge departure from the first fill casks I’m used to from Tamdhu. Dry grass, honey and malty biscuits. Lemon zest, light fruits like apricots, tangerines and baked apples. Very light sherry notes, raisins and very light oak. Whipped cream and maybe some strawberries to go with it. Lemon bars with graham cracker crust and a light dusting of cocoa powder. On a fresh pour the sherry notes are more readily detectable, more chocolate as well. The palate is just as light as the nose, but with a bit of an alcoholic nip. Slightly bitter and slightly sour. A touch of lemongrass. After a few sips the sherry becomes more prominent, but still pales in comparison to the other Tamdhus out there. Red and green grapes, raisins and an oak wood chip or two. Some baked apples, ginger, and clove. A light to medium bodied mouthfeel that is a bit thin and tongue coating. The finish is medium short with lemon, oak, sherry and apples. Well, I’m not in love here, but I’m not ready to sent it packing either. I think the key is to dive in as soon as you pour. Oxidation seems to be detrimental to the experience. It’s clear to me that Tamdhu needs first fill casks for at least a portion of its maturation. They add so much more in the way of flavor and complexity. This 100% refill maturation just doesn’t cut the mustard. I hope this is a limited run experiment and isn’t a precursor of things to come given the current demand for quality sherry casks. Not sure if I’m being too critical, or exactly as critical as I need to be. Either way I’m still happy to have had the chance to try this one and still have a bottle to keep. Cheers

After reading @LeeEvolved glowing review I just had to pull this sample out and crack it open ASAP. I’m a huge fan of GlenDronach (maybe not quite as much as Lee) so it didn’t take much arm twisting at all. This is my first single cask from GD, and I believe the first whisky I’ve ever had that was exclusively matured in a PX sherry cask. Bottled at cask strength of 54.4% ABV, non chill filtered and natural color of a dark red mahogany, almost pure Grade A dark maple syrup kind of color here. The nose is slightly closed off at first, but given a little time you are rewarded with rich, juicy sherry and dark fruits. Raisins, figs, prunes and dates. Very dense and thick chocolate sauce, sweet with a touch of mint. Pipe tobacco, old leather and rich oak. Glazed fruitcake, black cherries, blackberries and dried apricots. Molasses, brown sugar, caramel and toffee, butterscotch and maple. Water brings a bit of brightness to the overall profile with some chocolate oranges, more tobacco, vanilla, ginger, candied pineapple and grapes. The palate...oh it burns so good. A somewhat hot arrival that is tempered by the sweetness of the PX sherry. Luxurious. Lots of oak and, unfortunately, some bitterness to go along with it. Milk and dark chocolate, pepper, tobacco, chocolate cake and fruitcake. A touch of cherry cough syrup but not in a bad way. Water brings the heat down but most of the bitterness remains (though it was never enough to be a deal breaker). Sticky sweet with sherry and chocolate. A full bodied mouthfeel that is thick and oily. It coats your entire mouth in a syrupy dry film, then becomes mouthwatering. The finish is long, sherry, chocolate, cherries, sweet but also some tannins and dry. Good lord this stuff is good. Full flavored, rich and a great mouthfeel. The only drawback (other than the price) is the bitterness. I think it was just too much oak interaction combined with it being cask strength. I think maybe if it was cut to 50% ABV this would have been about perfect. I agree with Lee that it’s not worth the price to buy multiple bottles, but definitely worth doing once just to see what’s out there. A solid 4.75 and a big thanks to Lee for the sample. Cheers

After a rough day at work I decided rather than drink away my sorrows with quantity I’d instead sip them away while doing a review. That way I could engage my mind in something other than negative emotions over trivial things. I grabbed this sample that was sent to me from @LeeEvolved I haven’t had a Bowmore in a long while so it seemed like a good idea. This single malt from Islay is a travel retail exclusive that was aged at least 17 years in ex bourbon barrels. Bottled at 43% ABV and is certainly chill filtered and has colorant added making it a dark amber. The nose opens with damp, musty peat, ashy and earthy. Quite fruity as well. In fact the sweet fruitiness quickly overtakes the peat in dominance with peaches, apricots, toasted coconut, strawberries and grilled pineapple. Plenty of honey, malted barley and heavy floral notes of orange/cherry blossoms. A light saltiness but overall sweet and fruity. Light oak, maple and caramel. Ever so subtle bourbon notes, vanilla and nuts. The palate is two dimensional; peat and fruit. Tropical fruits like coconut, mango, and apricots. A decent peat level, but nothing compared to Bowmore’s south coast Islay brethren. More earthy than ashy or smoky. Musty cardboard, oak and oak tannins. Not much else going on, but it is interesting how the spirit interacted with bourbon casks and produced such a strong tropical fruit profile, where others are more honeyed with orchard fruits like apples or pears. A light bodied mouthfeel that is thin and watery. The finish is medium long with tropical fruits, peat and is dry. A couple years ago at the begging of the famed Scottish Distillery Tour I supplied the group with a Bowmore Gold Reef. This is incredibly similar to that one. Perhaps a bit more mellowed though. This 17 year old cost double what that NAS did and the difference in quality is negligible from what I remember. So given a choice I’d take the cheaper one any day. I will say that this would be good as a sipper. Not one to dissect, but rather to sip absentmindedly while engaged in other activities. Cheers

When I got my latest batch of samples from @PBMichiganWolverine and saw this rye mixed in I was expecting the worst. I’m not a rye fan to begin with and with a name like Whip Saw I had the feeling it was going to be rough, hot and fit for cleaning out my drains. Let’s see what’s really going on here, shall we? This is a blend of different undisclosed whiskies aged up to 7 years, then finished in wine barrels that held Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon (I’m a sucker for a good wine finish so maybe this won’t be that bad after all). Bottled at 45% ABV and I have no info on chill filtration or colorant, but the color is a beautiful burnt orange like autumn leaves. The mash bill is 76% rye, 21% corn and 3% malted barley. The nose is all wine. Dry Cabernet and very fruity...intriguing. Minty rye, red grapes, low sugar grape jelly and prunes. Almonds, cherries and marzipan. Sweet and tart raspberries and blackberries. A bit of a medicinal/doctors office note, and believe it or not, children’s Amoxicillin (you know, the pink antibiotic that tastes like gum). Caramel, toffee, vanilla, incredibly rich and savory after it sits a while. Water tones down the wine notes a bit and brings out more of the rye spice and some apples. Very creamy after sitting with water. The palate begins with distinct wine notes up front with rye spice right behind it. Light mint, tart berries and apples. Sweet grapes, cherries, marzipan and almonds. Caramel apples, vanilla, wine soaked oak, more rye, cloves and nutmeg. Water has the same effect as with the nose. A light to medium bodied mouthfeel that is dry and mouthwatering at the same time. The finish is long, very long. So long I was still tasting it hours later. Red wine, sweet and tart raspberries, dry. To say that I was pleasantly surprised is a gross understatement. This is good, great even. Best rye I’ve ever had (again I’m a sucker for a good wine finish). Wonderfully pronounced wine notes, smooth with almost no alcohol feel to it. Not much here to not like except maybe the finish could have been a bit sweeter and it could have used more depth overall. All in all this is a fantastic rye. For only $50 it’s a great value as well. 4.25 and highly recommended if you are a red wine drinker. Cheers

This is a sample that I’ve had waiting for me for over a year now. I got it at a Christmas party at my brother in laws house in Windsor in 2017. I’ve had so many samples building up it’s hard to keep track of them all. Any who, this is a limited run of about 1,200 bottles from a local craft distillery in Ann Arbor, Michigan (Go Blue!), that is about an hour from my house. Bottled at very unique 51.25% ABV and is a natural color of amber honey and I suspect it is non chill filtered. When it was available it went for about $58, but I’m sure it’s all long gone considering the low bottle count. The mash bill is 71% corn, 25% rye and 4% malted barley. It’s aged in new American oak barrels and then finished in French oak. The nose is lightly sweet and very herbal. Rye spice, mint and strong oak. Grassy with light dill and a slight mineral note. Orange rinds, black cherries, apples and pears. Peanuts/peanut butter, almond paste, creamy vanilla, cocoa powder and buttercream. Some baking spices as well, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon. The palate is a bit on the simplistic side, but I attribute that to it’s youth. Minty rye and some corn sweetness. Peanuts, oak and chili spice. Apple skins, a slight bitterness and more peanuts, orange oil. Cloves and nutmeg. Almost no burn considering the high ABV. A medium to full bodied mouthfeel that is creamy, mouthwatering then dry. The finish is medium short with rye, mint, oak and orange rind. Not bad for a limited run, high rye bourbon from a local craft distillery. I just checked their website and this (along with the straight rye that came out at the same time) is not even mentioned, it was that limited of a run I guess. I was both surprised and not surprised here. Surprised by the sweetness of the nose and the smoothness considering the high ABV, but I was also expecting something unchallenging and simplistic, which this basically was. I could see this working quite well on a classic cocktail or with a big ice cube. Wish I had grabbed another sample when I had the chance seeing as how I might never have another chance to try it. Cheers