Tastes

On my long airplane trip to Scotland, there was a stop at Amsterdam's Airport, which is famous for its whisky shops. There, i found one that sells single malt samples, some fancy ones. I picked a rarity, that i have seen in auctions but was one of those whiskies i was never going to buy: a 27yo Bruichladdich HB 90. It says it was matured for 17 years in American Oak casks from ex-Bourbon and Tennesee whiskies followed by 10 years in casks from one of Bordeaux’s legendary Chateau. Matured for all of its life on the isle of Islay. Bottled at 49.5%abv, lovely reddish color. Only 12.000 bottles were ever released, from the "Rare Cask Series". On the nose, it is very interesting. Glazed pork, cloth softener. Very spicy on the nose. Greasy and spicy; Dr. pepper cola. After having a couple of sips, i got an aroma of cotton candy and sweet popcorn. The palate is very good. Cherry syrup, black pepper, red fruits. More sips really cleared a lots of sweet syrup and fruitiness. Very easy drinkable. Toffee. The spiciness hits after 3 seconds but it is manageable; the third sip was all about sweet popcorn! Amazing! Aftertaste is acid. Prunes, acid fruits; feels like old sherry. You get this feeling of sour like whiskies like some bourbons. Not bad, just odd. Overall, this was an interesting dram with some changing emotions on each sip. Even if it has some crazy good notes, it lacks a little soul. Aftertaste was nice, but it was the least good part of it. My score for it is 88 over 100.

My final whisky from the Bunnahabhain distillery tasting tour was the very famous "Moine" which is gaelic for "Peat". I actually learned how to pronounce it in Spanish, "moña". This was no ordinary "Moine", this one was matured in french oak casks, and bottled at 57.4%abv as a cask strength. On the nose, fairly peaty. Povidine; merthiolate, prunes, citric. Beautiful aroma although a little simple. On the palate, i have enjoyed the peaty crazy flavors. Vanilla, lotion for burning injuries, Povidine and mouth sores remedy. Prunes. Aftertaste follows the same rythm. Povidine, iodine, prunes an citric peat. Overall, i believe this is a very good dram, but it lacks some complexity. I would love it to be a little more intense in the aftertaste. Moine expressions from Bunna' are always and unexpected treat. My score for it is 88 over 100.

The third expression i had the pleasure to taste at Bunnahabhain, was a Port Pipe Cask Strength matured, bottled at 53.9%abv, 2007 vintage. Sometimes i am impressed on how whisky can be a time machine. When i see "vintage 2007" i always ask myself, where was i in 2007? What was i doing then? (I didn't even knew what a single malt was back then). On the nose: starts with a crazy "Fresco solo" note. Fresco solo is an ecuadorian artificial juice, like "Tang". Red chilli, strawberries and tutti-frutti. On the palate, it was great. Everything you expect from a Port Pipe maturation. Red fruits, strawberries with their leaf. Sulphur, salt and very winey. After a first sip, the flavor changed into chocolate milk. Aftertaste is very good as well. Red wine, sawdust; Super dry and winey. Very nice port profiles. Red fruitiness. Overall, the port maturation was fantastic on a spirit like Bunnahabhain, which has a notoriously famous and good chocolate profile, making a perfect conjuction between the two. Wonderful dram, the best Bunnahabhain from the tasting so far, my score for it is 92 over 100.

My second Bunnahabhain from the distillery tasting was an 11yo white wine hogshead matured one, bottled at 57%abv.; i believe this one is quite rare. On the nose, it starts with coffee with caramel, and coffee with milk. Pineapple, which was expected from the white wine maturation. Milk chocolate, orange peel. The milk chocolate is something very special after nosing it over a couple of sips. On the palate, it has this extremely nice white Kit Kat note. Pineapple. Very nice dram, with Coconut and super tropical profiles. Grapefruit. Aftertaste is a little simple, but passes the test. White chocolate and spices. Overall, this one was interesting to say the least. Tropical and very white chocolaty are the main things here. It was an awesome experiment, that i have truly enjoyed; having said that, it definitively could be better with a more complex aftertaste. My score for it is 86 over 100.

Well, i have arrived to Bunnahabhain, one epic Islay distillery. There i had booked beforehand, a tasting of 4 unique single malts. When we arrived, the distillery was absolutely gorgeous with a visitor centre in front of the sea, in a beach-like house. Marvelous setting i got to say, but the people working there weren't so enthusiastic to teach us about the whiskies or do the tasting with us. They actually left the whiskies in a box for us (samples) and the empty glasses. You can actually take all the time you want, and enjoy the view, but as an experience you'll get 4 minutes of info and then you are on your own. The first whisky i picked from my box was this Pedro Ximenez "NOE" 2004 vintage, bottled at 54.1%abv. NOE is a type of rare PX sherry from Gonzalez Byass, from a 30 year solera maturation. On the nose, it is quite dim and dissapointing. Pineapple, chocolate, hazelnut and sawdust. Tropical notes, arcor's "chocolatin". On the palate it was really good. Milk chocolate, very appealing. Pineapple and tropical fruits. Salt. Chocolate toffee. SUPER SUGARY CAP'N CRUNCH Cereal or Frosted Flakes! Aftertaste was great as well. Sawdust, vinegar, ginger. Actually super vinegar notes. Like the Dalmore custodian, the vinegar here is uncanny. There is this sugary aftertaste, beautiful. Very long. Overall, this should have a better score, but the nose was no match for an awesome palate and aftertaste. The rare sherry used really gave me some interesting notes here. Good whisky, my score for it was 85 over 100.

Hello friends! I have finally arrived to my dreamed destination, the ISLE OF ISLAY. Home of the amazing peated whiskies and some other unpeated that are part of an incredible whisky world. The first distillery i visited was the youngest operational one, Ardnahoe. A beautiful place, where whisky is not ready just yet. Nevertheless, i went to the distillery bar, where they had some marvelous expressions, some independent bottlings and rarities. There i found this Tamdhu 20yo Cask Strength by "First Editions", one of only 265 bottles, bottled at 55.8%abv, vintage 1998. On the nose, nice complexity. Apples, vanilla, toffee. Quite Spicy. Coffee and acetone. Very buttery; corn and recently baked brownies. There is this full toffee aroma after a couple of sips. On the palate, it starts with red apple peel, then toffee and caramel. Black pepper. Sweet and very spicy. Vanilla fondant, vanilla Cake. Aftertaste is all about creamy vanilla. Barley, hay and toffee. Very well delivered. Overall, this was a good whisky, nothing to die for, some classic flavors and aromas, but well delivered to match an enjoyable experience. Tamdhu is famous for its toffee profile and you find it here. My score for this balanced dram is 88 over 100.

The last dram i had in the Scottish mainland was actually a whisky from Islay, which was my next destination, an exciting one. Kilchoman does everything right. Since the day it was born back in 2005, it has lived to the best Islay standards of greatness. I have managed to try this 11th edition, called "100% Islay", a 50%abv whisky, which has grown, matured and bottled in the famous archipelago. On the nose, a stinky, beautiful peat. It has a pond aroma, malted barley and a chocolate that has fallen behind some cotton socks, lol. Gauze and medicinal tape, Bbq sauce; a recently cut sawdust, and gooseberries. On the palate, very fruity for a peated single malt. Prunes, salt. Farm fruits: Grapefruit. Hay, almonds and chocolate. Some toffeenas well. Delicious. Aftertaste was sublime. Charcoal, salt. Its like opening the mouth when a sea wave comes. Pepper spice; very maritime. Gorgeous feeling of Nerf toys and a fresh can of Tennis balls. Overall, this is a very complex dram, with and incredible balance an truly remarkable flavors. Actually the nose is not as spectacular as the palate and aftertaste, but it still is very good. If you can find it, grab it. My score for this one is 95 over 100.

I have to speak the truth here. I have completely forgotten Balblair from my whisky adventures. I don't often give it the attention it might deserve, and i have had this idea that this distillery was on a second or a third level, behind the blockbuster ones. Boy, was i mistaken. Well, i was in a restaurant in Tain, Scotland and i found this wild 18yo bottle sitting in the shelf. I asked for a glass and my mind was blown. Bottled at 46%abv. On the nose, greasy and good. Oranges, Bbq sauce, greasy honey and a Pork chop. After a first sip it released an aroma of stewed apples. It smells a little like a fish market. Crazy, interesting. On the palate, it was fantastic. Smoke, hay, very "cowboy" like. Tobacco. After a first sip, it gave me stewed apples, honey; But there is this hay smoke amazingly aromatic. Aftertaste is very nice. Ginger, smokey aromatic. Honey, bonfire and Bbq sauce. Super neat stuff. Overall, this was a pleasant surprise. It has crazy flavors and aromas that are not mainstream; it offers something new, enjoyable and interesting. This is what i look for in a new whisky: new emotions. Very well delivered, my score for it is 94 over 100.

One of the most renowned Glenmorangie expressions that i have never had before, was the famous "Ealanta". Part of "The Private Collection", this one always goes for a lot of money in auctions (around 200-300) and it is the flagship dram that Glenmorangie shares with the visitors of the distillery. I have always wonder if this one is worth the price. Well, i visited Glenmorangie and i finally had it, now let me tell you about it. Ealanta means "skillfull" or "genius" and it is a 1993 vintage dram, an has been matured in misouri american white oak, where Glenmorangie happens to own a forest where this trees exist. Bottled at 46%abv. On the nose, this is very special. Ripe bananas. A citric complexity is the only way to describe it. Bananas have intensified after a first sip. Vanilla and Coconut Raffaelo bombons (from Ferrero). Fancy. On the palate, it is delicious. Vanilla ice cream, grated coconut. It is the most refined glenmorangie ever. The Signet is chocolate/coffee but it is not as fancy as this (and that is quite the statement). Aftertaste continues the elegance. Salty, super fancy. Ginger, clove, hay; verything very well delivered. There is this very, very dim salty and earthy flavor which is fantastic. Overall, this is a breathtaking dram. When i hear "american white oak maturation" i immidiately expect something classic and maybe boring. This wasn't the case. Ealanta is the best that this type of maturation can offer. Absolutely surprising, my score for it is 96 over 100.

I always lurk in the depths of whisky auctions. I scroll through thousands of bottles almost daily. It is my hobby. An i have seen this bottle going for a good amount of money regulary. I always wonder why, since Glenmorangie Lasanta is in my books the worst "Glenmo", and it is matured in PX sherry, which is actually my favorite sherry maturation. I just think Lasanta is very underwhelming. And after making a small research i got out of my ignorance: Companta is not matured in PX sherry, but really in Grand Cru de Clos de Tart casks (whatever that means) and in Côtes du Rhône barrels (?) (Actually this one is a fortified wine). Bottled at 46%abv, lovely red color. On the nose, it is FANTASTIC. Cherry syrup, milk chocolate; Super sherried (i know it is not sherry but feels like it). Lemon peel has appeared after 5 seconds. It is like the "bubbalo gum" liquid center. After a first sip, it released a more floral profile. Maraschino Cherries, vanilla cream and vanilla wet cake. Outstanding. On the palate, Cherries, Incredibly sweet. It is so sweet that actually reminds me of PX sherry. A second sip was a little winey with slightl mineral notes. Aftertaste is the perfect ending for a wonderful dram. Fortified wine notes, glazed pork and a ginger bomb that is incredibly pleasant. It is very winey. Overall, i was very surprised by how good this is. I believe an average price for this one is around 400 dollars, but in my books, it is totally worth it. If you like a sweet whisky, this is the one you have been looking for. Marvelous single malt, my score for it is 96 over 100.