Tastes
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Glenfiddich Age of Discovery Red Wine Cask 19 Year
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed December 26, 2020 (edited May 22, 2021)I have finally tasted the three Age Of Discovery whiskies from Glenfiddich and i can now tell you, in my humble subjective opinion, the Madeira Cask one is the best, this Red Wine Cask is the worst of the 3, without being bad at all, it is actually very enjoyable. Age Of Discovery is a series of 19yo whiskies, released sometime ago by Glenfiddich, each one with a lovely story about past centuries and discoveries that changed the world. The Red Wine Cask one, its made to honour the HMS Beagle, the ship that took Charles Darwin to South America (actually to Ecuador's Galapagos Islands!) where he developed his theory of the evolution of the species. Bottled at 40%abv, this whisky has a copper color, finished in south american red wine casks. On the nose, it has all the notes from a winey profile. Grapes, prefumed Tobacco and Chocolate. Very spicy, like some grassy clove spice. Chocolate cake. After a first sip, it revealed lemon, some citrus note that resembles a cheap taxi air freshener; and again this vanilla / chocolate cake note. Very appealing. Red apples. Very winey. On the palate, it is very light and very easy drinkable. Red fruits: red apples and strawberries. Very safe, but nice. Aftertaste is all about wine, tobacco and red fruits. It feels like having a chilean red wine. Overall this is a tasty, very light whisky, which will be highly praised amongst wine lovers, but surely feels dim for hardcore whisky enthusiasts. It is like having a fun red fruits juice. My score for it is a fair 87/100, which reflects the lightness of Glenfiddich spirits. -
Glenmorangie A Tale of Cake
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed December 25, 2020 (edited March 22, 2021)The newest Glenmorangie is quite the experiment, is this "A Tale of Cake", which was made by Dr. Bill Lumsden after getting the idea from his daughter when having a pineapple cake. Pretty interesting story, but, is it good? Bottled at 46%abv, golden color. Matured in bourbon barrels and finished in Tokaji wine casks from Hungary, which is a very sweet wine. Ok, let's talk about this dram: it is a Pineapple. Thank you very much, that is my review on it. Lol. On the nose IT IS AN ACTUAL CAKE. Starts with pineapple pulp, Oily amd lots of Vanilla. Cherry syrup. It actually smells like cake; A dry vanilla cake. After a couple minutes, there you have the inner part made of dulce de leche of any vanilla cake. Everything is delivered perfectly om the nose, No alcohol note. If you were smelling it blindfolded, you would believe it is a cake you are nosing. It has become exactly a three milk cake. The pineapple you nose, is that typical Glenmorangie pineapple. Really something amazing. On the palate it is pretty much the original 10yo with a prolongued peppery spiciness and a hint of vanilla, maybe due to the higher abv. Lots of pineapple juice. I am writing this while holding the first sip in my mouth; you can have it forever, it is harmless. Second sip is more about toffee and dulce de leche with the pepper rising after 4 seconds. Still some pineapple present. Very white winey. Finish has a grassy tobacco dry note, but leaves you some cloying effect that resembles eating something rather sweet. A little citric and dusty. Maybe sider or some apple liquor. Feels a little young on the finish. Overall, this whisky has an amazing aroma, that actually delivers the promise of a Cake. The palate is very easy drinkable but way too similar to the Glenmorangie original. Finish feels different when comparing it to the nose and palate. It is like having an enhanced 10yo Glenmorangie (this can also be said about almost every other expression from this distillery). My score for it is a good 88 over 100. You must definitively try it, but i doubt you will buy more than one bottle of it, since there is a lot to see in the whisky world and this one is interesting but not memorable. -
Any whisky enthusiast that has an Instagram account has at least seen this bottle a couple hundred times. And i got to say that every special edition from Ardbeg tends to go quickly off the shelves and starts to be available for an absurd price on secondary markets. Having said that, i was eager to try "Kelpie" for a long time. As always, some lovely story behind it all. A Kelpie is a mythological scottish water spirit, that resides in lochs, that can take any form, usually a Horse, but can even have a human shape. If the Kelpie gets a human form, some say the horshoe is still on its feet. The most famous Kelpie is the Loch Ness monster; so, everything about this tale is amazing. Lets talk about the whisky. Bottled at standard Ardbeg strength, 46%abv, non-chill filthered, matured in "Black Sea" oak casks from Russia, and bourbon casks. Black sea oak is made from a tree called Quercus Hartwissiana, that grows near the Black sea. Pretty interesting stuff. On the nose, it is a little strange. Starts very poorly, but grows into a nice aroma. Right from the start, you typical Ardbeg peat, but more citric and mossy. There is some dark chocolate fudge under the very medicinal peat. Oily on the nose, not something i usually find. Its like nosing a powerful mint hard candy. After 3 minutes, it released some pork and BBQ. It gets better, since this mint / citric aroma was not very appealing, but after 5 minutes, it is all about chocolate brownies and creamy vanilla. After a first sip, the nose became a dessert. Lots of chocolate, pears, creamy vanilla. Having more sips, just made it sweeter: a vanilla outburst, brownies, butter, a bakery. I have no idea where all this came from, specially when it was so different the first minutes. On the palate it is very easy drinkable, but it just follows one direction. It feels like a soft wine with an Ardbeg profile. First sip is peaty, but then it changes to a vanilla ice cream, with a hint of pepper. Vanilla gets stronger as you take more sips, maybe some prunes are present. Aftertaste is not from Ardbeg. A beautiful chocolate cake. Peat is tamed in a good way. You are not really overwhelmed by the peat, but somehow your lips are scorched after 30 seconds by a salt and ginger combo. It is all about creamy vanilla, moss and dim smokiness. I really have no idea why my mouth is peated after a while, since you don't really feel it when it should be felt... maybe is a peaty spirit that appeared out of nowhere, a proper kelpie. Overall, this is not your normal Ardbeg, and definitively not a normal dram. What i have described here is a crazy unfolding of aromas and flavors in a weird but not off-putting way. My score is a fair 85 over 100, and i encourage you to try it, to experience the strange things this whisky has for you. Sláinte!
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Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique Single Cask Strength
Single Malt — Taiwan
Reviewed December 18, 2020 (edited May 11, 2021)The 2015 World Whiskies Award best single malt winner, Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique, was matured in red and white wine casks, which were retoasted before filling them with this strong and powerful spirit. That year, it also won Los Angeles Wine & Spirits competition, obtaining 91 points in that spirits challenge. Bottled at 57.8%abv, at Cask Strength, with the most beautiful dark red color ever, almost black. On the nose it is close to perfection. The first aroma is the most accurate, thick Blackberry jam note that ever existed in a whisky. I felt like taking a spoon to grab a "bite" of it. Red fruits, Chocolate, Strong oakiness; Lots of strawberries and red fruits. The blackberry jam is wonderful; Plums and prunes. Sawdust And Maraschino cherries. A second sip revealed Chocolate and hazelnut, and exact "Hanuta" waffer hazelnut. On the palate, strong spiciness, Blackberry juice. Ginger note is very powerful, more red fruits with strong alcohol bite. It is very grapey and winey. Increibly fruity and strong. Aftertaste is way too dry: Oaky, sawdust, very woody, with a slight chocolate. I don't usually do this, but i added a couple drops of water to see if anything new appeared. Lemon on the nose was the main change, still very powerful with plums and prunes everywhere with hints of chocolate. Overall, i truly believe this is a great whisky, but the aftertaste was too oaky, which is a little dissonant with all the dehydrated and red fruits. It is powerful enough to develop some complex aromas and flavors, but unlike some cask strength scotches, it is rougher and feels younger. My score for it is an 87 over 100, and i understand why it won prizes, but for my subjective opinion, aftertaste could be better. -
Glendronach 1990 28 year Pedro Ximenez Puncheon Single Cask #7905
Single Malt — Highland, Scotland
Reviewed December 15, 2020 (edited December 17, 2020)Today i got the news that i have won the Distiller's app award for Rookie of the Year, a new category, for people who recently joined Distiller and have the most amount of reviews in one year. It is something worthy of a celebration, so i decided to open a sample of a Glendronach 28yo, single Barrel, Px Puncheon from 1990, Cask #7905, Bottle 6 of 660. I believe not only that Glendronach is arguably the best distillery of Scotland, but also that their single cask series are amazing. I have never had an older Glendronach, i have bottled a 26yo one myself when visiting the distillery, but 28yo is the oldest i have ever had from them. Bottled at 51.7%abv, chesnut color. On the nose, it is more similar to the Parliament 21yo than it is to Allardice 18yo. Starts very winey, with dried and dehydrated fruits, like raisins. Then one of the most amazing red fruits aroma notes i have ever had in a whisky appeared, just wonderful. Chocolate and hazelnut. It feels... dusty. It is like sawdust is surrounding every aroma note. Chocolate butter, almonds and sweet plums. After a first sip, the dried fruitiness is overwhelming, but it is strong on the nose, this is no sweet, tender dram. Some lemon citrusness emerges out of nothing, that was very nice. It feels mostly nutty and woody. The first sip is perfection. What an incredible red fruit flavor, like strawberries, but it quickly turns into an atomic chilli bomb. The spiciness is there right from the start, a strong, pleasant one. Berries, tannins. Very astringent. Very spicy. Oak spicy, pepper and chilli. Aftertaste felt overly oaked. Very, very dry, woody, sawdust. There is a slight ginger note, it is super dry, like licking a paper. Second sip, gave me a chocolate and hazelnut finish, but still very spicy and oaky. Powerful. Overall, i got to say i am definitively a hardcore fan of Glendronach, and even if i recognize this one as a great whisky, it is far from the best "Glendro" i have ever had. It felt overly oaked. Too wood. If you have read my reviews before, you'll know i don't usually use notes as "oaky" or "woody" unless there is a really overload of that. Having said that, my score for it is a fair 89 over 100. -
The Glenrothes Whisky Maker's Cut
Single Malt — Speyside, Scotland
Reviewed December 14, 2020 (edited December 28, 2020)I have yet to try a bad Glenrothes. And this one is even a greater statement for me, since i am not a speyside fan. This expression, is part of the Soleo collection, which is one that is known for the dehydrated fruits flavors and profile, due to the "soleo" technique to dry raisins to make sherry. Having said that, this "Maker's cut" is matured only in first fill sherry seasoned oak casks. Bottled at 48.8%abv with a beautiful copper color. On the nose: the aroma is wonderful, breathtaking. Lemon, cinnamon, blackberry jam, hazelnut, blueberries, tobacco, chocolate, vinegar, BUBBLETAP GUM. Very nice stuff. After taking a first sip, it also revealed coffee and toffee. On the palate, it is a nice dram. Waffer with chocolate, toffe and pepper. Second sip was bold, Red fruits, cinnamon and chilli. It also feels like a bourbon barrel that has been varnished in sherry. Amaretto and oak spice. Aftertaste is almost perfect. Grapes, very winey. An oak burn, but pleasant, dark chocolate, prunes, tobacco with a late bitterness. Oranges, macadamia nuts and cough syrup. Overall, this is a very well crafted whisky. I loved it. It feels fancy, but unlike other really elegant drams, this one is very complex and interesting. The palate is good but not as good as the nose and aftertaste. My score for it is a deserved 93 over 100, i would definitively buy it again. -
Highland Park Twisted Tattoo 16 Year
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed December 13, 2020 (edited March 8, 2021)It is very easy to get trapped by Highland Park's marketing. One of my favorite distilleries, with great looking bottles. This time a beautiful black decanter with a red snake (dragon-like creature), which represents Jormundgander, a mythological Snake, created by Loki the norse god of deception. It was said that the Snake was so big, it could cover the whole "Midgard" (our earth) with its tail, and even bite it. Finally, the snake was exiled by Thor, to a sea that surrounds the earth, till Ragnarok, the final battle, occurs. This amazing story just made me more demanding of a nice score for the actual whisky. Highland Park The Twisted Tattoo is a 16yo whisky matured in spanish Rioja Wine Casks. Pretty fancy stuff. Bottled at 46.7%abv, with a nice deep copper color. On the nose it is excelent. Starts with some red fruitiness, like strawberries, marmalade and aromatic peat. Salt, chocolate and a lot of Mint. It feels cold, like the whisky was kept on the fridge. Medicinal, ashy and naphtalene. After a first sip, it revealed a more maritime profile, like seaweed, pepper and vanilla. White chocolate. After a second sip it has become very salty on the nose. On the palate, starts again with red fruits, to turn into white chocolate for a few seconds and then a pepper bomb. It is very peppery, but it has a lot of wine influence, hence the red fruitiness. Mint, this note is the one that marks the rythm of this dram. Aftertaste is lovely, it is the best part of this whisky. It has a lot of tannins, but also salty and peppery. Ashes, cigarrettes, ginger and spanish ham. After a couple of sips, it went full medicinal, like keeping a tylenol on your palate for a few seconds. Lots of mint here again. Overall, this is a nice, a little bipolar dram. Good amount of flavors and fairly complex, bu somehow it feels the palate is just a transition from nose to aftertaste. I think it is good, and interesting, but not my favorite Highland Park. Still, it manages to get a 90 over 100 in my scorecard, so, i believe you should at least try it once in your lifetime. Sláinte! -
Heaven's Door Double Barrel Whiskey
Blended American Whiskey — Tennessee, USA
Reviewed December 8, 2020 (edited December 14, 2020)Sometimes whiskies make me a better person. And i say this because i have heard 1 million times the song "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" by different artists, including Bob Dylan, and my favorite one is from Guns N' Roses; but i really never had Bob Dylan in my radar. He is one prolific artist, having won even a literature nobel prize. He is a painter, sculptor, blacksmith and of course a music legend. His whiskey, Heaven's Door Double Barrel, has a nice bottle that resembles one of his sculptures, of a metal door, which i believe is supposed to be the one from his famous song. (Not his most famous one though!) (Fact: it actually is "Like a Rolling Stone"). Bottled at 50%abv (100% proof), this is a nice offering. On the nose it is pretty fancy, starting with sour prunes, chocolate, berries, vanilla, toasted wheat, chocolate milk powder (formula). After a first sip, the nose turned sweeter, with cherries, cocoa, hazelnut. Very powdery. On the palate, it is good and rewarding. Oranges, pepper and salt. Then it gave me a metallic note, the one you find in a Pappy Van Winkle, like copper. Nice. Grainy, prunes and brown sugar. Some coffee too. Aftertaste is very balanced and follows the rythm of the whole dram. Very dry, with prunes, grain, brown sugar, burnt caramel and maple. Then a finish thatbis sour, very fancy. Overall, this is actually a very nice whiskey. Everyone in my tasting night loved it, and it has actually won some prizes, which in this case are well deserved. Very balanced, my score for it is 92 over 100, 23 points in every criteria. Cheers! -
Chivas Regal 13 Year Manchester United Special Edition
Blended — Scotland
Reviewed December 5, 2020 (edited May 11, 2021)One of my favorite football teams in the world is Manchester United. Even an ecuadorian was the team's captain for a long time. And i really loved the "Alex Ferguson" era in the team. He won, as a manager, 13 league trophies, therefore, Chivas Regal has made this 13yo whisky to commemorate those premier league titles. But, this whisky, finished in american rye casks, looks more like the team from nowadays. It is good, but far from elite. Bottled at 40% abv, burnished gold color. On the nose, very nice, but not your typical chivas. Coffee, chocolate, mocaccino, cream, butter, vanilla, milk with coffee. Amaretto and oranges. Red fruits, cotton candy; mostly creamy. Like starbucks made whisky. On the palate, it is normal. Not very complex. Dry rye, red fruits and cherry syrup. Not much else. Aftertaste is a little crazy. Starts with red fruits, to switch into ginger, but the one you eat to change sushi rolls, that soapy one. Dry rye. After a couple sips, you will find some cocoa bitterness, very dim. Overall, this one barely makes the 4 stars mark, it is a good dram, but a little one directional on the palate and doesn't feel like a typical Chivas Regal, which are fruity and spicy. Rye influence is there but not enough to actually put it in the name of the whisky. My score for it is 80 over 100. -
Maker's Mark Los Angeles Lakers Purple And Gold Wax Limited Edition
Bourbon — USA
Reviewed December 5, 2020 (edited December 15, 2020)I'm pretty sure that this is the same classic Maker's Mark, but with a Purple and Gold waxing to commemorate Los Angeles Lakers. The reigning champions of the NBA, who recently lost their superstar Kobe Bryant to a Helicopter accident. Bottled at 45%abv, lovely tawny color, let's call this a re-review, or a new review on a different bottling. On the nose, it is actually pretty nice. Starts with raw rice, caramel, grain, cereal, rum and raisins ice cream, peaches, salt crackers. After the first sip, the aroma changes slightly, to crème caramel, burnt caramel, prunes, cherries. There is some humidity to it, resembles a library or a page from a book that went wet and dried. On the palate is simple, but very fruity. Starts with sour prunes and caramel. Second sip is better, with more prunes, cherries and apricots. Aftertaste is "bourbonish". Like the most classic one ever. Dry rye, cardboard, grain, pepper and oak spice. Very dry, but decent. Overall, i get why this is a classic. Because it works. It is a very enjoyable dram, fairly interesting an easy to have on an everyday basis. My score for it is 83 over a 100.
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