Tastes

I was very lucky to attend a marvelous spectacle: The Cirque du Soleil show inside the Macallan Distillery. This marvelous event existed for only 3 weeks, to celebrate Macallan's 200 years of making legal whisky. After the show, i got to the bar and asked for the only expression from the Harmony Collection that i haven't tried yet: the Fine Cacao. Full disclosure, i am not the fondest fan of Macallan, but i had good hopes for this one. On the nose, it was perfect. Red fruits, Lindt chocolate. Butter chocolate. Cocoa cream. Smells incredible. On the palate it was a littlr bit watery. White Lindt Chocolate and Cherries. Aftertaste was sulphuric; Ginger, floral and hazelnut notes. Overall this was another very average Macallan that was a good bargain when it came out and now is super expensive. I have one full bottle that i won't open, because i don't see the point of drinking this one over saving it for a decade to sell it for a lot of money to buy better whiskies, lol. My score for it, is an 88 over 100, and it got that score because the aroma was amazing.

Have you ever received one of those soectacular Ardbeg mails, where they show you an impossible to pay, beautiful new release, that will only live in your whisky dreams? Well, recently i got one for a very exciting release: The Ardbeg Vintage Y2K, a 23yo expression, called "ultra rare", that contains spirit distilled in 2000. Matured initially in ex bourbon casks, and then transferred to sherry oak barrels. Bottled at 46%abv. On the nose it was incredibly Spicy. Pure red hot chilli peppers. The classic Ardbeg Moss, Its like a needle to the nose. A pair of cotton socks, gooseberries. It has this sweet/citric note like oranges. Cotton and a slight sherriness. On the palate, it starts a bit watery. Sugary. The moss and the salt are here. The spices are mild. Tamed chilli. Very sugary. Aftertaste is dissapointingly short. Chilli, salt. Very soft peat. Overall i was super dissapointed. A very tamed Ardbeg, which goes for about a fortune. I was lucky enough to try a sample from the distillery on Feis ile, but this one is a hard pass. Ardbeg system has suffered a Y2k definitively. My score for it is a frightening 81 over 100.

My new name is Bobby Axelrod, from the tv series Billions. And i say this because i have drank the same whiskey that he has had in the show. The mythical Mitchers 10yo. A super rare bourbon whiskey, fairly expensive for any 10yo dram, specially a bourbon. Bottled at 47.2%abv, this one has a black wax protection for the cork. Very fancy stuff if you ask me. On the nose, it starts with BBQ sauce, strawberry syrup, stinky prunes. Much more complex than any other Mitchers. A very particular BBQ spice, pepper, cotton candy. After a second sip, it gave me an aroma of a mixture of all of the above, plus lemons. On the palate, i get a thick strawberry syrup, followed by a spice atomic bomb. On the second sip i got more thickness and more jam. Aftertaste is all about lsyrup and spices. Hay, tobacco. Full spice: salt pepper Overall this is truly worth for Bobby Axelrod's palate, lol. Very rounded, well crafted, elegant. A very good Bourbon that deserves all the prizes it has. 23 points on every criteria, this is a 92 over 100.

In my latest trip to Scotland, i found a wild Glenkinchie 27yo Special diageo release in the underground bar of Edinburgh's Scotch Whisky experience. Called "the floral treasure", this is a 58.3% abv whisky. On the nose i only have questions: Smoky? Salty? Is this really a Glenkinchie?; Sulphur. Lime. Hand sanitizer. On the palate, it is Salty, sulphuric but it also has lime and chocolate notes. Aftertaste is all about sulphuric power. Chocolate y salt. Definitively peaty Overall, this might just be the best Glenkinchie i have ever had, which i got to say, it wasn't the most difficult task ever, since i haven't had too many good Glenkinchies. My score for this surprising dram is 91 over a 100.

An Ecuadorian Whisky matured by my friend Pato Endara, who owns a big farm, where he ages independently the spirit that comes from the "Ceibo" distillery. Bottled at 44%abv. On the nose, i get gooseberries, green grapes, spongy cake and peach halves. Wedding sugary sweets. On the palate it is super-hiper-mega sweet. Very sugary; spicy. Sugar sugar sugar. Aftertaste follows the same rythm. Sugar, peaches, grass. Overall, this is a bet that is very appreciated by us ecuadorians, who have long enjoyed blended scotches and other foreign brands. I feel that this one must grow a little bit. Aging this spitit longer will deliver spectacular results. I have no doubt about that. Slàinte!

The irish whiskey that is having a breakthrough performance lately is "The Whistler". Everything i have had from them is pretty good, even for me, not the fondest fan of Irish whiskies. This one is an Oloroso cask matured version, with a lovely label as most Whistler's labels are. 43% abv is the strength from this dram. On the nose, i get honey, apples, hazelnut, stewed apples and spongy cake. Cupcakes and sawdust. On the palate, it follows the same rythm. Honey, apples. Very enjoyable. Cakey. Aftertaste is grassy and slightly salty. Very light and rewarding. There is some tobacoo notes as well. Overall, a very average dram, which is enjoyable at a fair price. I don't really feel the oloroso profile here, but i can say it is very fruity. My score for it is 81 over 100.

I bought a miniature of a very interesting Tamdhu. It was a 25yo "Whisky Doris" release, that came at 50.1%abv, and those facts are very appealing. I actually use miniatures and samples to taste aome serious difficult to find whiskies like this one. On the nose: Red apples with dulce de leche. Smells beatiful but a little simple. Wet grass. Very floral and perfumed. Sawdust. Honey and tobacco. Nougat. Very, very fresh. The second nose is a lovely meringue sweet; detergent and clean towels. Peach halves. Some salt on the nose. Chocolate with dulce de leche On the palate, it starts sweet. Caramel and lemon. Citric and sweet, tobacco, salt & ginger. There is some chocolate in the back. On the second sip i got lots of dulce de leche that turns salty after 3 seconds. Grapefruits and some other citric fruits. Aftertaste has a dry sawdust finish. Ginger. Not too long, very oaky which is a term i dislike a lot. It is too dry to be long. Aftertaste is enjoyable but not complex nor clean. Notes are a little blurred. On the third sip i got some red apples. Sugary. Overall, i think inexpected more from a 25yo cask strength Tamdhu. It still gave me some lovely flavor and aromas notes. A sólid dram, 87 over a 100 is my score for it.

Im back with my whisky reviews! I was really overwhelmed because i had the chance to make a Kentucky & Tennessee whiskey trip, and also i went to Feis Ile 2024, and trust me i have been tasting A LOT of drams, and i have to recognize that i have been irresponsible in my whisky reviews. Well, let's come back with strength. This is the whisky review of the mythical BOWMORE SHERIFF's from 1970s. This 1960s liquid, bottled in the 70s is one legendary dram, since it is sought by many collectors. It shows a Sheriff's ship in the label. On the nose, it starts with a herbal peatiness; grapefruit. Perfumed. Orange candy, moss, coffee and caramelized fruits. After a first sip i got papaya, pumpkin and orange jello. On the palate, it is very interesting. It starts with a paper note, and a new tasting note here: burning newspaper. Ashes and oranges. Dim salt and humidity. Hay, stable and moss. Ginger. Aftertaste is all about Cigarrettes, old books, hay. Mouth watering. Again this newspaper note. Salt, light peat. Overall, this felt old. Old and vintage, interesting but no way near the flavor or aromas you would expect for a bottle that nowadays can be found at 3.5k. Lightly peated and ashy, it is a glimpse in Bowmore's past. My score for it is 87 over 100.

During my latest whisk(e)y trip in USA, i stopped in a convenience store, and i found a rare pokemon i haven't seen before: a Johnnie Walker High Rye blended Scotch Whisky. Bottled at 45%abv, it describes itself as a "rich and rounded blend of whiskies crafted from rye, barley & wheat; married with the finest single malts". On the nose, i can only describe it as a peaty rye whisky. Salty, rice, vanilla salt water. Creamy. On the palate, it starts with red fruits, vanilla Salt, and sown land. Aftertaste is Peaty and salty. Actually it is a chocolote peat. Overall, i really liked this experiment. It wasn't overly expensive and it was pretty flavorful. The classic JW peatiness gives it a nice spin to the whole thing. My score for it is 88 over a 100.

Ladies and Gentlemen, i got my hands on a 45yo whisky. But it is not any common single malt, it is one epic super rare one. A dram most people can only dream to get some day, and i am so grateful to have tasted it: a Dalmore 45yo Port Colheita. This 40%abv very old single malt, has been matured inniatially in an ex bourbon Cask, then transferred to a Cabernet Sauvignon Barrique; then it was returned to the bourbon cask. A fourth maturation was done in a 20yo tawny port pipe, to be finished in Port Colheita casks from 1961 andn1963. Quite a journey. On the nose, it is fantastic. Red fruits, super winey; hazelnut, maraschino cherry syrup; very perfumed. Nutella. The Hazelnut note here is uncanny. Very sweet on the nose, the cherries drive the car. Syrup y cinnamon. Magnificent. Smells spectacular after a first sip. Watermelon, papaya. Chantilly cream. Tree tomato and Mango. It is like a hazelnut milka chocolate. The Palate is very winey. Watermelon. Fresh farm fruits. Papaya. Mango. It doesnt feel like a Dalmore. Chocolate bathed cherries. After a couple of sips, chocolate with crushed almonds appeared. It is a liquid cherry. Aftertaste has a crushed almonds, full chocolate, dry, ginger profile. Gooseberries, cherries, very elegant spiciness. Toblerone. Hanenuss chocolate. After the first sip a little sulphur and metallic. Long clove, grassy finish. Overall, this is an incredibly elegant single malt, which is perfect in every sense, but also one that i wouldn't pay 17k euros for. Don't get me wrong, i wouldn't pay 17k for any whisky because of two reasons: 1.- i don't have the money; 2.- i don't believe in spending THAT kind of money on a whisky, even if this is my life's hobby. Having said that, this is a very fruity and spicy dram, that doesn't resemble to any other Dalmore out there, and i wouldn't guess it comes from this distillery if given on a blind taste. Nevertheless, it was absolute perfect in the nose, palate and aftertaste to obtain a well deserved 100 points in my books. Sláinte!