Tastes

I found this diamond in the rough recently at an estate sale and only paid $20 dollars. I had never seen the brand before, but “Islay Blended Malt” caught my eye, so I knew it would be good. Later, after reading the fine print, I got another surprise. It read “Produced & Bottled in Scotland by Macdonald & Muir.” Wow, this malt was primarily “Ardbeg.” For those that don’t know the history: Macdonald & Muir was founded in 1893 by whisky entrepreneurs Roderick Macdonald and Alexander Muir. The company has had a rich history. The Glenmorangie distillery, established in 1843, played a significant role in their journey. In 1918, Macdonald & Muir acquired a 40% stake in the company, gradually gaining full control in the 1930s. In 1997, under the umbrella of MacDonald and Muir, Glenmorangie acquired the dilapidated Ardbeg distillery on Islay from Allied Distillers for £7 million. Then in 2004, the French conglomerate LVMH acquired Macdonald & Muir for £300 million, leaving their UK structure intact still to this day. Recently, Macdonald & Muir has embarked on a new chapter by purchasing The Islay Hotel in Port Ellen. With plans to transform it into a premier whisky and hospitality destination, the company aims to enhance the Islay whisky experience for visitors. This 10yo blended malt was bottled around 2011. Open recently, its cork came out in pieces. Wonderfully smoky, its Ardbeg roots are unmistakable. The other piece of this is likely Caol Ila, which Diageo makes available for outsourcing and blending. If you know your Islay whiskies, then you can already imagine what this is like. Superb!

- Athru (pronounced ah-roo) Knocknarea is an exceptional single malt Irish whiskey. Aged 14 years; 11 years in ex-bourbon and finished 3 years in the finest ex-oloroso sherry casks. The spirit rolls in at a healthy 48% ABV. The sherry influence is a very prominent and likable attribute in this whiskey. Athru’s Lough Gill distillery was commisioned in 2019 in northwest Ireland (Sligo Co.) with stills acquired in Italy. Given these facts, this release must have different roots and probably finished onsite. The company merged with Sazerac of Ireland in 2021. I highly recommend this whiskey, if you can find it. 🥃

- Laphroaig 18 was introduced into their core range in 2009 then discontinued a short time later in 2016. The bottle pictured features a pre-2013 label and was only opened recently after being in storage for over a decade. Distilleries readily admit that phenols in whisky, or smokiness, diminish with time spent in the barrel. This is also true of time spent in an unopened bottle, although never talked about. For example, new-make spirit with a phenol count of 25 ppm may decrease to 7-8 ppm after 15 years or to 4-6 ppm after 30 years of aging. This is why you will rarely see an Islay whisky with an age statement of more than 40 years. By this time it has usually lost all of its characteristic smokiness. Distilleries measure and advertise the phenol count in the mash after the barley has been smoked by the dried peat logs. In the case of Laphroaig, that number starts at 50 ppm and drops down to about 25 ppm from the distillation process. Also, Islay peat moss is primarily sphagnum which is rich in the polyphenols: phenol, creosol, guaiacol and a few others to a lesser extent. Phenol gives Islay whisky its smokiness, creosol lends a tar or asphalt characteristic, and guaiacol a medicinal iodine-like quality. Over time, it is my impression phenol and guaiacol will dissipate and creosol becomes more prominent along with other qualities previously masked. As a result, the whisky can take on a whole new dimension some might find more desirable. I found this to be true with the 18yo pictured. Minimal smoke and lots of everything else typical of Laphroaig. Simply brilliant!

- The Redbreast line of whiskies first appeared circa 1912. They were the brainchild of W.A. Gilbey, a wine importer and whisky bonding agent founded in London in 1857 and expanding into Scotland and Ireland shortly thereafter. Gilbey’s abundant supply of ex-sherry transport casks were utilized to age distillate provided by Jamison‘s historic Bow Street Distillery in Dublin. Gilbey’s sold the Redbreast brand to Irish Distillers in 1986. Irish Distillers was formed in 1966 by a merger of Cork Distilleries Company, John Jameson and Son, and John Power and Son, and was then acquired in 1988 by wine and spirits giant, Pernod Ricard. Redbreast Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey is currently the world’s best selling in this category. “Single pot still” whiskey is unique to Ireland and must be produced with a minimum of 30% unmalted barley giving it its distinctive profile. This is unlike Scotland’s “single malt” whiskies which contains 100% malted barley. The “single” designation in both countries requires production at a single distillery. The Redbreast 27yo pictured debuted in 2019 and is now part of their core range. It has been triple distilled and matured in ex-bourbon, sherry, and ruby port casks. It rolls in, cask strength at 107.2 proof, and the packaging for this product is a cabinetmaker’s delight. Distributors have recently rumored the retail price to be doubling next year. Unfortunately, unless the distillery sends along a sample, this is the best I can do with this review, since I only plan to stare at mine for a few years. 🙂

Lagavulin’s Distillers Edition was first introduced in 1997 with spirit laid down in 1979. Back then, it is reported they took their 16 year-old core release and double matured it in Pedro Jimenez (PX) sherry casks for up to an additional 2 years for a total of 18. Since then, aging has dwindled to where it recently dropped to 15 years (pictured, 2006/2021). Then in 2022 the Distillers Edition removed its age statement altogether to become a NAS (no-age-statement) expression (also pictured). Lagavulin’s nonuse of the word “sherry” on the box for this release is interesting. Usage would require adherence to Spanish regulations and the same applies to the term “sherry cask” since 2015. In brief, the PX grapes used to make sherry must be grown in a geographical triangle in southwestern Spain. PX grapes grown outside this area cannot be used for sherry. Also, the wine must be aged for a minimum average of 2 years for solera style or a full 2 years for single-barrel vintage aging in the case of oloroso. Additionally, to be a certified “sherry cask,” it must be seasoned with “actual” sherry for a minimum of 1 year. To sum it all up, Lagavulin could be doing none of these things based on any literature found describing this release. Indulge in this latest offering neat and it lives up to its heritage. Add a few cubes and it drops a bit in quality.

- Purported operational since the late 1700s, Glenfarclas was first licensed in 1836 then acquired by John Grant in 1865. Since then, the business has successfully navigated through six generations of family heirs. Similar to Springbank’s Mitchell family, the two distilleries are Scotland’s only to remain family-owned-and-operated for over 150 years. Both companies still utilize the time-cherished method of dunnage style warehousing and both seemingly demand a commitment to excellence necessary to carry on a noble legacy. In this current era of high demand, quality European oak ex-sherry casks have become harder to source for aging scotch, especially since most sherry producers use a solera system for maturation where casks are rarely parted with. Also, since 1986 distilleries access to transport casks dried up, and they have resorted to using sherry-seasoned American & European oak to make up this shortfall while still maintaining a high level quality. However, Glenfarclas obtains European oak ex-oloroso casks directly from a family-operated bodega in Spain to guarantee superiority and authenticity in craftsmanship. All this translates into a superb 25 year old whisky, available for a fraction of what is customary for a bottle in this age bracket. The latest publication of @whiskyadvocate quotes a price of $160 (US); however, $229 was the least expensive found in the Boston area. Everything about this whisky speaks to the ex-oloroso sherry casks exclusively used for its maturation. Presenting light amber in the glass, the viscous spirit produces hard-forming legs. An antique, varnish-like nose is heavenly and corroborates the story of time spent in the barrel. Drank neat at 43% ABV, the first hit on the tongue is effervescent and a good indicator of quality casks. The palate is vibrant and dominated by nutty vanilla, dried fruits, and spice that continually builds into a long dry and hugely satisfying oloroso finish. Simply outstandingly!

This Bowmore 17yo is spectacular. Not because it tastes like this or that, but because it’s Islay and sent to me by an old friend 5 years ago. @LeeEvolved 🙂🥃🥃

Another brilliant amalgamation of whiskies by Scotch whiskymaker, Compass Box. A blended grain, it features components distilled in 3 different decades and hailing from the Strathclyde, North British, and Port Dundas distilleries. Bourbon and sherry barrel aging equate into a delicious and complex offering that is non-chill filtered and bottled at a lofty 106 proof. A varnish-like and floral nose is followed by a palate rich in creamy vanilla, toffee, orchard fruits, and spices. Compass Box continues to reengineer the perception of the world’s great whiskies.

Here you go @Slainte-Mhath. Opened this beauty last Christmas: - Compass Box Flaming Heart, 6th Edition, 2018. 48.9% ABV, non-chill filtered, no color added. A blended malt, this latest iteration adds a piece of sherry cask aged whisky to an already complex recipe, featuring recharred and new French oak, plied to malts reigning from the Caol Ila, Clynelish, and Deanston distilleries. Average age of whiskies is 16.27 years. Wonderfully smoky; honeyed vanilla, dried fruits, and baking spices combine in a rich and viscous delivery. A perfect accompaniment to the holidays.

This might be the deal of the decade. It’s not easy to find an excellent 25yo single malt for $275 in US and £147 in UK, but this is what you have here. It’s finished in Porto Cruz port pipes from Portugal, and is a rich amber in color. Incredibly smooth at 43% ABV, the thought if adding water would be sacrilegious. The port is obvious on the nose, but you are then greeted with a sweet pop on the palate that transitions nicely into a dry Port finish. I’ve found that oxidation improves a port finish by adding to the overall dryness. Be interesting to see how this changes over time.