Tastes

- 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.

This Black Art 5.1 sample was sent to me a couple years ago by my friend and whisky guru @LeeEvolved. I had actually sampled the 4.1 version a bit earlier at Norfolk Wine & Spirits. My first blush reaction at that time was a whisky easily in the 4-star category, but Octomore wowed me more that day and was my eventual purchase. This expensive 24yo expression is made with lightly peated barley and much different than the heavily peated malt used for its Port Charlotte and Octomore brethren. My fascination with Bruichladdich is their ability to create this diverse range of whiskies using the same stills, two of which (wash) date back to 1881 when the distillery first opened. Their Octomore 8.3 release boasts the highest ppm count (smokiness) of any single malt on the market at 309 ppm, yet most agree it seems less smoky than their Port Charlotte expressions that average just 40-50 ppm. How can this be? Well, Andrew Jefford, and his book, Whisky Island: A Portrait of Islay and its Whiskies, gives us some insight into this mystery. We know that phenols are measured and advertised prior to distillation, but Jefford also learned their counts after distillation. He quotes these numbers at 20-25 ppm (estimated) for Port Charlotte and 46.4 ppm for Octomore during the 2003 season. Obviously, this is a closer comparison, but how does distillation alone take Octomore’s triple digit number down by this goodly amount. Let’s have a look. The distillery uses very tall plain-pot stills (6 meters) with long thin necks. This promotes refluxing or the capturing and returning of alcoholic toxins/volatiles back into the wash or spirit. A still’s lyne arm design can also be a factor. A rising arm (Ardbeg, Bowmore, & Laphroaig) also promotes refluxing. Bruichladdich’s stills utilizes a lyne arm that descends gently. Also, the size of the charge into the still is important. A smaller charge or fill amount means more copper contact for toxin elimination if the desire is to create a lighter, more elegant spirit. Coal Ila, for example, uses the smallest charge on Islay at 37 to 41% of fill capacity. Foreshots (heads) and aftershots (feints) contain the most undesirable components (congeners), where the middle cut contains the most desirable or good congeners. The amount of time spent at these cut points varies widely and can dictate a lighter, elegant versus a rich, oily, and more pungent style of spirit. In addition to all of this, Bruichladdich’s condensers are supposedly the biggest on Islay (2 tons each) and this could be their magic bullet. They each contain 210 one inch tubes, which means lots of copper contact. Also, the recovery temperature inside the condenser can be regulated. A higher temperature means slower condensation time and more copper contact for volatile extraction. Bruichladdich’s distillation configuration gives them a lot of flexibility as evidenced by the variety of distinct whisky styles they produce. This 24yo Black Art 5.1 comes rolling in at 48.4% ABV. Little is known about the cask types, but most guess at a mix of ex-bourbon and ex-wine. This seems confirmed by a fruity and robust nose, accompanied by vanilla toffee, toasted almonds and malt. The palate is sweet, rich and peppery. It then turns vermouth-like, drying into a resinous oak, malt and spicy finish. A very complex and delightful dram, indeed. A solid 4.25 stars. Thanks Lee!