Tastes
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Port Charlotte Islay Barley
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed April 6, 2017 (edited February 16, 2024)Color: Natural light gold and several gradations darker and richer looking than fellow islanders, Lagavulin8 and Ardbeg10. Unexpected, given its short 6-year gestation in ex-bourbon American oak. Nose: maneuvering the 50% ABV, surprised to find a citrusy zestfulness and a hint of honeyed vanilla prior to catching the first wave of a raw, earthy peatiness, which evoked memories of slogging the bogs at Royal St. David's in Wales. Using Islay barley grown on 6 local farms, Bruichladdich is pushing the "terroir" aspect of their Port Charlotte expression by utilizing local sourcing, distilling, and aging. With a phenolic level of 40 ppm, it was interesting to see this translate into a boggy/vegetal style of peatiness with moderate smokiness. Once the palate survives the onslaught of peppered alcohol, the tongue is rewarded with a sweet dose of vanilla saltwater taffy along with a cascade of citrus fruits, and finishing pleasantly with toasted hints of smoked malted barley. A few drams of this unadulterated spirit will have you hugging the nearest tree, while your wife contemplates having the locks changed before you can get back in. :) -
I’m afraid my new career as a whisky tasting critic is not going so well. Try as I might, I just can’t seem to get the hang of analyzing a dram. I have all of the appropriate accoutrements such as a Glencairn®, and 3 different whisky wheel charts listing over 200 aromas. In addition, there’s an eyedropper capable of delivering a perfect drop of water, an assortment of other glassware, and a multitude of poetically written reviews from this site to act as roadmaps. Despite all of this, my nose seems incapable of discerning more than a dozen basic fragrances. I’m sure a lifetime of taste bud torturing by habaneros and Cohiba Esplandidos hasn’t helped. Anyway, my apologies for the extensive prelude and my review of the Lagavulin 8 goes as follows: The color is a very pale straw reminiscent of its neighbor, Ardbeg 10, and giving a favorable impression of natural appearance. On the nose, the typical Lagavulin smoke is apparent, but, surprisingly, to a lesser degree than big brother, Lagavulin 16. Also, a different smoke as well; perhaps more ashy and much less mellow. Knowing phenols diminish with aging, one would expect the reverse to be true, but in the case of peatiness and its friendship with the nose, at a certain point I believe more becomes less. Next, some clever tacking with the glass is necessary to navigate the smoke and 48% ABV to find what else is lurking. A little citrus, a touch of oaken vanilla, and seaweed on a rocky coastline stir the imagination and some great memories of Britain and Ireland. On the palate, it’s dry and smooth despite the alcohol content; again citrus (maybe lemon), very little smoke, a touch of pepper and honeyed vanilla. The finish is satisfying and lengthy enough. No question, a great whisky, but certainly lacking the complexity and character of its older brothers. Lagavulin paid homage to 19th century whisky writer, Alfred Barnard, with this release, and it's a welcome addition to the expressions marking their 200th anniversary celebration.
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Jack Daniel's Old No. 7
Tennessee Whiskey — Tennessee, USA
Reviewed March 16, 2017 (edited December 2, 2018)When I was a kid chemistry sets were popular one Christmas. I ran across one recently at an estate sale and thought, “Gee, shouldn’t that thing still be quarantined for radioactivity?” Sulfur was everyone’s favorite because every kid in town knew it was the primary ingredient needed in making gunpowder and stink bombs. It’s amazing how we all learned this simultaneously, but it doesn’t surprise me because in those days we had something faster than the Internet; it was called a bicycle! Sulfur was also responsible for giving us our first lessons in chemical engineering. It didn’t take long to figure out its molecules were made up of these little tiny meat hooks that once attached to the nose tissue would hang on for weeks. My older brother was the first to get me, “Here, take a big whiff of this.” Mad as hell, I had to exact my revenge on my little sister, and so forth down the line till everyone got trained. I think the same thing still happens with some whisky, and that’s the point I would like to make about this one. -
Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about! The peat monster in all of its glory! I had to go out this weekend and pick this up to reestablish a baseline. I’m no stranger to Ardbeg 10, but recent excursions into Ardbeg Corryvreckan and Uigeadail left me wondering if Ardbeg had lost its edge. These are both great whiskies, but not what I expected for peat delivery from one of my favorite Islay distilleries.
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Glenmorangie Lasanta Sherry Cask Finish 12 Year
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed March 10, 2017 (edited August 1, 2017)The nose on this spirit was excellent. Even after the glass was dry, I couldn’t help breathing in its fragrant residue. Besides the sherry inspired fruitiness (Oloroso & PX), there was something else there I couldn’t put my finger on. Once the glencairn was warmed it revealed itself and memories from the past came gushing forward. A big pile of empty wooden Zinfandel and Muscato grape boxes from our old wine making days. They produced a slightly moldy fruitiness that would fill the air in the back yard. The number 17 also came to mind, and something I hadn’t thought about in years; the number of bushels necessary to fill a 50 gallon barrel. In tasting, the whisky washed over the tongue very nicely with a viscosity/specific gravity that seemed thinner than a 43% ABV should, and making it very easy to drink. To the taste, the zesty fruitiness carried forward with a mostly dry delivery, and just a tiny pinch of sweetness. I also caught a brief glimpse of vanilla that got quickly pushed aside. The finish was crisp and clean as it should be. I thought this whisky was excellent but somewhat one dimensional. Word to the wise, even a few drops of water seemed to diminish this temperamental spirit. An ice cube will turn the finish bitter. -
Nothing consumable on God’s earth is worth this kind of money, yet here I am to tell you that 1220/8000 is mine. My love of Lagavulin and optics alone were enough for me to buy this. After doing a little research, I noticed the 25yo, 2002 edition has almost doubled in market value at auction since this introduction. Given the historical significance of the 200th anniversary releases, I’m sure this investment will continue to hold its value as long as I can resist the temptation to drink it. It would take a very special occasion for me to crack this baby open, so for now I’ll justify my stupidity as a fine arts purchase, and hope my wife doesn’t find the receipt. :)
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Lagavulin Distillers Edition
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed March 6, 2017 (edited October 10, 2022)Upon the first pour I got immediately excited. “This can’t be!” The appearance struck me as more voluptuous than its kindred spirit and my favorite, Lagavulin 16. I’m immediately forced to do a side-by-side, commandeering a reluctant wife from her peace to act as a second witness. Although I don’t see it, she claims the Distillers Edition to be a tiny gradation darker and richer looking. I’m convinced she’s probably right, but who cares, I’m blinded by passion and need to move to the next phase of intimacy. Crooning with delight on the first sniff, my wife looks on with a familiar expression of disbelief. She realizes there‘s no saving me and best wait till Dr. Jekyll regains his sanity. Departing, she leaves me to wallow in my own machinations of sublimity. On the nose the peat is muted and the winey elegance of the PX inspiration sings to me like the Sistine Chapel Choir. This is no matter for peat lovers, for there is a time, place, and mood for everything and right now I’m standing in a musty wine cellar in southern Spain and supposed origin of the Pedro Ximenez grape. After the first sip everything becomes perfectly clear; this spirit combines the skilled artistry of a master distiller along with the helping hand of divine providence; a masterpiece perfected in 16 years of maturation. With respect to whisky, this is why Islay is my Holy Land and Lagavulin is my Jerusalem! :) -
Octomore 07.1/208 Scottish Barley
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed March 3, 2017 (edited February 16, 2024)My experience with Octomore 7.1 reminds me of a time as a kid when I spent most of my paper route money on a cherry bomb expecting to rock the neighborhood, but instead of a mighty blast I got a fizzler. The level of peat on the nose is faint at best and all efforts to release the peat serpent went for not. I tried the “Murray method” (neat), a few drops of water, dilute to 40%, dilute to 30%, a pile of ice, and still nothing. I then summonsed the opinions of 3 friends and we all concurred; the peat in this spirit is very subtle on both nose and palate. Despite this fact, we all further agreed this whisky to be monumental! It’s oily and smooth giving hints of honey, vanilla, and almond with a lengthy, fruity, and effervescent finish. The taste of nobility is unquestionable, but don’t expect to get punched in the face with the peat of a Lagavulin, as one friend put it. Distilleries measure and advertise phenols based on the malted barley after kilning. The new make spirit can drop to 40% of that figure in ppm, and after 10 years it can drop to 20-25%. A handful of different phenols in the spirit also change percentages during distillation and over time creating a myriad of possibilities for new offerings to the peat loving consumer. Isn’t life wonderful? -
When I read on this site that Jim Murray rated Bell's Original at 91, I recently went out and bought the 2017 edition of his rating guide (excellent!). I had tried Bell's on one of our previous golf trips to Scotland and thought it was very good. Seeing this brand everywhere in the UK and never in the states made me suspicious and, lo and behold, after the first sip I proclaimed, "The bastards are hoarding it all to themselves!" If memory serves me, I believe it was at Moray Golf Club in Lossiemouth. We hooked up with some locals who informed us, "No one leaves till everyone buys a round." Now, far be it for me to break tradition, but it was getting late and we still had a hike up to Tain. Nevertheless, we persevered and it was well worth the philosophy lessons garnered that day. Aside, one gent explained to me, "Unlike Americans, we don't run to the therapist when troubled; this is our therapy." I responded with, "Yes, but I'm from New England and we're so cheap the entire profession had to pack up and move to France." I think he liked my comment because I could see remnants of his last gulp of Tennents dripping from his nose. :)
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Kilchoman Sanaig (2016 Edition)
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed February 13, 2017 (edited February 16, 2024)On the nose this spirit hangs in there with the Islay masters. Unfortunately, the experience is too fleeting after the first tipple, confirming this peat addict's apprehensions of maturity. Also, the Oloroso influence requires too much concentration to be easily enjoyed. I'm sure ten more years of the angel's siphoning will make this young distillery's whiskies truly great. I'm already marking my calendar. :)
Results 71-80 of 84 Reviews