Tastes

@pkingmartinmartin , @ctbeck11 @Richard-ModernDrinking and I had our quarterly online tasting. We had 4 pours …all amazing. 25yr Proof and Wood Light whiskey, Tears of Llorana tequila, Del Maguey Iberico, and a no name local only mezcal from a oaxacan distillery. It’s seldom that I have a pour and immediately go out and buy it. This is one of those… just amazing, top tier whiskey. After our tasting, I literally went out where I had noticed this for $350, and bought it immediately. The one word I would use to describe this is “honeysuckle “. I have honeysuckle growing in my backyard, and the spring aromas are amazing. This reminds me of those aromas. Floral but not light. Close to 55% ABV, but drinks Silky smooth with no heat. Just amazing. I can count on one hand how many times I had a pour, and immediately sat in my car to buy a bottle. It’s less than 2… Thanks @pkingmartin for the generous pour

Not a review — just a posting of the components and their volume % : 23yr Macallan first full bourbon, 12.1% 25yr Highland Park, Recharred hogsheads, 38.9% 25 blended scotch ,refill Sherry butt, 15.6% 25yr blended malt, refill Sherry butt, 29.3% 37yr Caol Ila , 4.1%, refill hogsheads Impressively well aged. But close 50% is their own blend. Nice to see a well aged Macallan and HP in there, and in substantial percentage.

My particular bottling is a Drammer’s single cask pick, with a higher ABV, but including it here so as not to create another version. Wow…been close to 3 weeks since I had a pour. Been having less and less…god only knows what I’ll do with my 800 bottles… I really liked this one. It might be on par with the Springbank 10, and better than the venerable Talisker 10 or Ardbeg 10. A strong dose of peat, but not in your face Ardbeg style — more like a Springbank style. Lemons, earthy char, brine. The Drammer’s version is a bit pricier than the standard ( I guess bc of the higher ABV), so not sure if the standard is on the same playing field. But this is a no-brainer. Well made, and well picked by Drammers team.

Sometimes experiments work. Sometimes they don’t. But if you’re Ardbeg, even failures are cash generating. It’s very uncharacteristically Ardbeg. Citrusy. Almost tart. Then comes some soot. Then some sour lactic acid? Finally…then sudden sharp hit of peat comes at you. For me, it’s simply too discombobulated, just a stitched up mess. Mine was only a 1 ounce sample, but I’d be pissed as hell if I were to spend anywhere close to the market price. It lacks complexity and the fluidity I’d expect for something of this price ($250+). You first get citrus. Then soot. Then sharp peat. All as separate entities without one flowing to the next. Not to mention that sour lactic acid taste. That was very uncharacteristic Ardbeg. I’m probably the outlier…but another special release Ardbeg disappointment.

I feel like I’ve let my South Asian brethren down. I should have my cultural heritage card revoked. Let me explain: my daughter got a B in Accelerated Algebra. If I did that as a 7th grader (granted, she’s in the 7th grade taking 9th grade level math), I’d have a thousand generation of shame bought to my household, followed by a swift beating with a dough roller. Instead, I took the American born South Asian approach…sat her down, and tried to get to the root cause of her B. Talking it out instead of shame and a whooping? That’s a discredit to my kin. But the way I look at it, it’s a life lesson for her. She needs to evaluate for herself where she went wrong, and what she needs to do to course correct. I feel the same can be said of this Garrison pour, sent graciously by @ctbeck11 . Oak and honey…that pretty much sums up the nose and palette. I personally found it a bit too sharp and sweet, a telling sign it was bottled too young, and a heavy hand with sticky honey casks. I was hoping more a balanced pour, but this drinks like a dessert. They’re so good in what they got right, like Cowboy and Balmo, that I felt this one was a bit off-pace for them. It’s theoretically a flavored whiskey, and that is just not my cup of tea…so, maybe it’s me and not them. But I feel it’s okay to have an off product…just need to step back and re-evaluate how you need to course correct. If you like pours on the sweet side, this might be for you. Good to try another Garrison product, especially considering the royal lineage it comes from : the Cowboy. Thanks @ctbeck11 for the pour!

Classic Caol Ila. Such an appropriate dram when it’s barely 15 degrees F outside, and about 8 inches of fresh snow. Campfire smoke, brine, tar…with a nice heft of grilled lemons. Young, but hides its age extremely well. I’ve had 1 or 2 North Stars before, a relatively new IB, but they do seem to pick really good casks, most of which are quite affordable. Thanks @ContemplativeFox for generous pour !

Please forgive me Father, for I have sinned. If I were Catholic, I can merely utter those words, repent, and probably recommit the same atrocity. Round and round, so long as I repent. If I were Hindu, I’d be totally screwed, because there is no repent…Karma will beat my ass in due time, either in this life or the next. If I were Muslim, I can undo my atrocity by doing good elsewhere…and I can have that cycle continue again. I knew Octomore x.1 series are my least preferred. I always lean towards the x.3 or even x.2. But over and over, I buy x.1 , only to utter “ I’m so sorry, I really won’t do it again”. Fortunately, this time, it was only a 3cl sample that I paid for, not a full bottle. This one is 59.9% ABV, aged in ex-American whiskey casks, and peated to 130ppm. Which is freakin high, but anything over 40-50ppm , we mortal humans can’t really differentiate anyway. This really doesn’t offer anything special worthy of its price tag. At about $130-200, I’d really expect more, especially when it so boldly comes out saying it’s a 5yr old. I’m getting the standard lemon, peat and brine. Taste is very standard Islay — salt, brine, lemon zest , muted smoke. Nothing I couldn’t have from your cask strength Caol Ila 10-15yr old, but 1/2 the price. So…even though I’m not Catholic , I’m sorry , I truly repent, and my Lord in heaven, I promise I won’t buy another x.1 . At least until next year, when I’ll re-repent.

To me, Ardnamurchan has become synonymous with good quality and reasonable pricing. Yes, it’s a NAS, but the quality is there, not to mention their commitment to making whiskey using sustainable energy. And they have blockchain technology ! How cool is that? A $10,000 Macallan doesn’t have it ( which it should…those are the most counterfeited), but a $60 Ardnamurchan can afford it? So, this was a pour sent by @jonwilkinson7309. It’s a combination of 50% peated, 50% unpeated; in 65% /35% ex-bourbon / Sherry cask. Nose is citrus and minerals. A bit of wet stone. Light peat comes through on the taste, with pear , grapefruit and a bit of smoke. Really well made—and considering the price, it’s a no-brainer to keep around. Thanks Jon for the pour!

Going through my sample basket ( actually more of a large tub than basket), I randomly picked out this one. So, this is the first biodynamic whiskey; in essence made using barley that has been sustainably harvested using biodynamic techniques. I’ve no clue what that is, and really care less. In the greater scheme of things, having one type of whiskey using a sustainable technique won’t make a dent in our climate change. But, sure as hell counts for publicity and “ I was here first “ bragging rights. But now to what really counts…how does this taste? The overall consensus reviews are middle of the road B / B- average. But personally, to me this borders more on B+. The nose isn’t much…light green apples and grape skins. But the taste comes alive with pineapples, lemon, and an almost tequila-esque agave flavor. Out of all the Waterfords I’ve tried to date, granted only 3 or 4 of their early releases, this is my favorite. There’s a certain clean , crisp element to it that makes it refreshing. I think this will be amazing with a few years on it. It’s not for all…that agave like crispness might not be everyone’s cup of tea. So, I’d recommend a sample first. My sample was only $6, so well worth the experiment.