Tastes
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So, i was visiting the Glendronach, and all of a sudden the people working there (on a sunday) decided they will be pouring some pretty crazy whiskies to me and my ecuadorian group. They actually gave us 5 whiskies in our tour; which we now know was an strategy to get us super hyped and make us buy the whole shop afterwards. Spoiler alert: They succeed in that objective. The first one we tasted, was a 2009 single PX cask, bottled at 59.3%abv. Of course, this was going to be amazing. On the nose, an amazing chocolate, red berries, hazelnut and marzipan was the first aroma. After a first sip, it changed into danish cookies, more hazelnut and even more chocolate. On the palate, Pedro Ximenez was the name of the game: Raisins, figs, dates and a sweet blackberry juice. Fantastic Aftertaste was perfect. A super enjoyable and powerful mixture of red and black berries, Chocolate; Ritter's Dark Chocolate to be precise. Overall, this was almost a five star dram, reaching an overwhelming 97 points in my score system. Well, that wasn't too surprising since all these words were together in the label: "Glendronach", "Single Cask", "PX", "59.3%abv". Wonderful really, sláinte!
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GlenDronach Platinum 16 Year
Single Malt — Highland, Scotland
Reviewed June 10, 2022 (edited July 24, 2022)My friends, guess what, this humble ecuadorian has arrived for the second time to one of the greatest distilleries of the planet, The magnificent, GLENDRONACH. I will now proceed to review some incredible whiskies i had the chance to taste, specially one that deserves the title of "the best whisky i have ever tasted". I will start my series of incredible Glendronachs, with one super hard to find, an expression that was only released for the Taiwan Market, the 16yo Glendronach Platinium. Bottled at 48%abv. On the nose, it starts with a perfect orange leaf note. Stewed apples, cream, cookies and vanilla dough. After a first sip, the oranges went berserk. Nice. On the palate, it starts a little watery, but then a very refined milk chocolate appeared. Lemon, vanilla cookie dough and a citric leaf. Aftertaste was beautiful. Ginger, chocolate, salt and some sulphur notes. Balanced, delicious. Overall, this is a very expensive bottle, that is not very complex, but definitively delicious. I got to say i have had better Glendronachs, specially in their core range. A very good dram that could be a lot better. This is one very rare bottle, that i am glad i have had. My score for this beauty, is 91 over 100. -
Blair Athol 12 Year Flora & Fauna
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed June 10, 2022 (edited June 11, 2022)The Flora and Fauna single malt series is a famous collection of some kind or famous malts that have special animals or plants in their labels. I believe this belonged to Diageo, but some of the distilleries have been sold, other have disappeared. This one is a 12yo Blair Athol, bottled at 43%abv, the spirit animal of this bottle is the Otter, that supposedly lives in the peaty moorlands. On the nose, very sweet. Toffee, Dulce de leche, Red fruits and Mint. Milk cream and pepper. On the palate, it follows the sweet path with some fruitiness. Toffee, orange peel and dulce de leche. Very simple, but not bad. Aftertaste, is where the swampy peaty moorlands appear. Hay, Tobacco and Salt. Very mineral and rocky. Overall, this is an enjoyable dram, but way too simple. It has two or three recurring notes, well delivered but also very standard for a single malt. I don't necessarily think of this as "boring", but it is not interesting either. My score for it is 74 over 100. -
Mi first Adelphi independent bottling was an out-of-this-world Bruichladdich; i have never tried anything from this company except from their new whisky called Ardnamurchan which was very good. Bottled at 63.9%abv, for EXTRA FLAVOR, i found this dram at Tiger Lily a nice club in Edinburgh. On the nose it starts with the classic note of soap from Bruichladdich. Chocolate, fresh towels, cotton candy, cloth softener. Skin lotion for burns and milk chocolate poppers. Incredible aroma. On the palate, it is very creamy, full pepper spiciness. Orange notes, very powerful but truly nice. The chocolate has exploded in the second sip. Really surprising stuff from "'laddie". Some citric flavors on a third sip. Perfect score here. Aftertaste was very good, but not as the palate. Sawdust; envelope glue, it is like licking a paper sheet. Sand / Beachy profiles Overall i find this to be a fantastic dram. Full of flavor and complexity, it is very enjoyable and remarkably easy drinkable for a 63.9%abv dram. The great note and the perfect palate are something amazing. My score for it is 94 over 100.
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XOP Xtra Old Particular, 30yo Auchentoshan
Single Malt — Lowlands, Scotland
Reviewed June 6, 2022 (edited June 7, 2022)One of the beautiful things of Scotland, is that you can find super rare whiskies in a normal bar, for a very cheap price. There is this place called "Tiger Lily" a dancing club, where i stepped in and i found my first Xtra Old Particular (XOP), which i believe is a single cask strength brand of independent bottlings by Douglas Laing. This time was an 30 year old Auchentoshan, bottled at 53.9%abv, distilled in december 1984 and bottled in february 2015. On the nose, a powerful but wonderful lime note, with salty profiles. It has a Tequila impression overall; grapefruit; chocolate here is present but very dim. Tiramisu dessert. On the palate, it is a little too rough for a 30yo. Vanilla, chocolate and Hazelnut. A second sip gave me a beautiful, refined super fancy chocolate note, that i was expecting from a 30yo lowland malt. Aftertaste changes the rythm in a good way. Hay, mineral and rocky. Ginger bomb and very nutty/almondy. Overall, this was a very good whisky. Maybe too good for a "discoteque". It was so clean and potent, that i could really review it even in the middle of loud music. I believe it lacks a little complexity, but it has a nice, balanced flavor and aroma profile. Solid whisky, my score for it is 88 over 100. -
I saw this bottle on a shelf in a convention center in Edinburgh and i immidiately wonder what was it, from what distillery it came and why haven't i ever seen it. It turns out that the bar tender told me: "don't drink this one, you are not going to like it". And of course i needed to have it now. He did say that he believed it came from the Isle of Arran (which is one of my favorites). Well, bottled at 46%abv, let's see what is this about: On the nose: PEAT!. Cigarrette ashes, pond water, gooseberries. It is like a grapefruit water. On the palate, Rough and sulphuric. Vanilla and acid gooseberries. A little watery for 46%abv. Aftertaste is all about Salt, Metallic/copper and Sulphur notes. Peaty profiles no doubt. Overall, i don't know if this is Arran, since it is fairly peated (which is not Arran's speciallity) and not too tropical (which is Arran's trademark). Having said that, even for a simple dram, the peaty notes are very clean and i enjoyed them. That is why i gave an 80 over 100 to this strange and "rare" cheap whisky.
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Glengoyne 10 Year
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed June 5, 2022 (edited September 12, 2022)Glengoyne is often called "the Glendronach Killer" but in my experience it has never ever lived to that name. I have had some of their fancier expressions, but incredibly i have never tasted the 10yo before. Now it is time for me to review one of the iconic whiskies from the scottish highlands. Bottled at 40% abv. On the nose, not bad. Hay, shortbread, danish cookies. A little rough and grainy; it smells like a mountain field. Peach and Chocolate after letting it breath. Vanilla On the palate, it has a chocolate and nutty note at the beggining. A little rough and grainy. Acetone. The second sip gave me creamy vanilla and chocolate. Aftertaste is simple but very appealing. Salty, sulphuric and a little Short, but with a wonderful chocolate ending. Overall, for a not expensive 10yo, this is a very enjoyable dram. I believe that most fans have tried this and for the price it goes, they feel it is hard to beat. Maybe that is why this distillery have so many fans. A good offering, very balanced although a little rough, my score for it is 80 over 100. -
Edradour 21yo Bordeaux Cask Finish
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed June 1, 2022 (edited May 10, 2024)Edradour is one of my favorite distilleries. I just love everything they make, and just recently i have discovered their peaty range, The Ballechin. Having said that, Edradour expressions tend to be really scarce and limited, and this one is no exception. That is why every single drop from the former "smallest distillery in Scotland" is one that i cherish. This is a 21yo, Bordeaux Cask Finish, bottled at 55.7%abv. On the nose, it is peachy. Peach syrup; A peach spice. It has an ashy spiciness somewhere. Very alcoholy for a 21yo. After a first sip, it became much more peachy but not much else, not bad though. This is actually a thin nose. On the palate, it improves a lot. Peaches and milk chocolate. White chocolate, and then Boom!!! a punch in the face of spices, Black pepper and wasabi. The second sip started with butterscotch, hazelnut. A little white wine on the third sip, tropical, coconut. Very complex. Aftertaste is wonderful. A nice bite of fortified wine, very good. Tropical fruits but so powerful that makes you chew a little. It is a ginger explosion with salt, lip scorching. Pleasant. Overall, i have to be honest: i don't usually like Bodeaux cask Finishes. I believe that fact has an influence in my conclusion for this whisky. The nose didn't do much for me, but i have to say that the palate was very good and the aftertaste was quite the experience. It still feels like a bit unbalanced. Not my favorite Edradour, but a very good whisky, my score for it is 88 over 100. -
Collectivum XXVIII (2017 Special Release)
Blended Malt — Scotland
Reviewed June 1, 2022 (edited September 18, 2022)A Blend of 28 malts, by Diageo. Sounds like a Cask Strength Johnnie Walker Green Label to me. Well... i was wrong. Collectivum XVIII is a rather expensive (about $200) blended malt from the entire single malt portfolio of the Whisky Giants, Diageo. Labeled as the Blend to end all blends, i am happy to tell you this has been bottled at 57.3%abv. On the nose, Chocolate, cream and citric oranges. Orange peel. Ferrero rocher, it is like a nutty butter. Letting it breath revealed dried oranges. On the Palate, again this Chocolate profile. Ferrero rocher. Orange acidity. I am getting some raisin acidity and astringency. Increibly chocolaty. Very nice dram. Aftertaste is suitable for a strong, powerful dram, very well crafted. Impalpable sugar, and acid oranges. Some spiciness and mild peat. The aftertaste is quite something. Hazelnut, ginger, mouth numbimg. Puffs of smoke. Overall, i really didn't have any expectations for this whisky, and i was truly surprised. A super complex, powerful, enjoyable dram; this is one i will remember for a long time. It wasn't really overly peaty, and it has a perfect balance. My score for this beauty is 94 over 100. -
Rare Cask Reserves Ghosted Reserve 26 Year
Blended Malt — Scotland
Reviewed May 31, 2022 (edited June 1, 2022)Before this day, i have never even heard about "The Ghosted Reserve". A 26yo blended malt from William Grant & Sons, owners of Glenfiddich and Balvenie. This whisky has been bottled at 42% and it includes whiskies from mothballed distilleries like Ladyburn and Inverleven. A rarity it seems, and quite expensive. On the nose, it is very fruity, after all it comes from Grant's. A citric grapefruit. Gooseberries and pear. Lemon peel and farm fruits. On the palate it is very simple and boring. Toffee, salted caramel, and Pear juice. Aftertaste, is short and dissapointing. Ginger, apple sider, hay. Overall, the only thing i can say about this, is that some Ghosts should be left alone. A very simple and not impressive Dram, i don't know what i expected from this, since any research took me to the Glenfiddich and Balvenie, not my favorie whiskies in the world. Does this feel like a better Monkey Shoulder? It actually feels inferior to the Monkey. My score for this dissapointing malt, is a 75 order 100.
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