Tastes

I think I found another contender for an "everyday dram". I'm quite liking this---the aroma is like walking into a leather tannery. In Mumbai, in the Dharavi district ( a huge flavela, similar to Rio's), I remember entering into this one tannery. You get the smell of soft leather, cigarettes, burnt earth, and mud. That's what this smells like. In a good way. Taste is crisp apples, molasses, and Dunkin Donuts hazelnut coffee. I love the finish...warming and nutty. I need to look into buying a full bottle. This sample was courtesy of Davie...thank you!!!

My last Drinks by the Dram sample. I had always been curious of Paul John...it's raised in a hot climate like an Amrut, which expedites aging, but it's also by the ocean in Goa, unlike the Amrut which is at a high elevation. Just a bit of geography: Amrut is made in Bangalore, which is incredibly hot and at an elevation of 3000 feet. Goa is on the west coast of India, right at the beach, a tourist hippie heaven. Think Mazaltan, minus the drug cartels. But that maritime location is gentle and hot, with warm tropical breezes instead of the salty briny tempest you'd get in Islay or Islands. Ok...so...The nose is very minty, like smelling tic tacs almost. Some eucalyptus as well. Taste is much more earthy and grassy. I love that the peat is really integrated into the taste, reminds me a lot of that recent Ledaig 18 I had last time. It's there, and lets you know of the peat backbone, but it lets the wood shine first. I love the way it goes from the eucalyptus aroma to the grassy earthy taste. It's also potent, almost 55 ABV (angels share in Goa is to blame I guess). What I don't like is the finish. Has a bitter finish, almost like fenugreek. It was doing so incredibly well until the finish. Would I buy a full bottle? Probably not. It's good one time, but not sure I'd be coming back,just because of that fenugreek finish. I'd be open to trying other products of Paul John though.

My second to the last Drinks by the Dram sample (was determined to finish my samples by this year end): I've never had a Ledaig before, and I figured yesterday's surprise win by the Giants over Dallas called for something new to be opened up! This distillery really came across to me as a sleeper hit. I guess Talisker gets all the glory for the Islands, but I'm starting to learn there are others up there as well, just not as popular. The aroma of this reminded squarely of a Laphroaig. In fact, when I smelled it, I had to go check my sample vial again to see if I accidentally opened up a Laphroaig. I got that bandaid, sea-whipped rope smell. I know that description sounds bad, but it's not...really. (I tell that to my wife everytime I open up a Laphroaig). The aroma really reminded me to last year, on a vacation to Norway in the Lofotan Islands. We stayed in a robruer (fishing hut) in a small village called Reine. There was this fishing rope hanging outside the hut. As soon as you step out, you get a whiff of the cold air and briny smell from the sea-whipped rope. The taste further reminded me of a sherried-Laphroaig or Lag DE. You're first hit with an orchard of fruits, but really quickly that's taken over by a peaty burnt-ashy taste, with a good dose of red fruit sweetnees (from the sherry cask finish?). Finish leaves a burnt taste, in a good way...like the charred taste of a well grilled steak topped with mango salsa. I was really tossing between 4 and 5 stars on this one...I can go either way. I'm not sure what the full bottle price is (I had a small 3cl sample that I bought earlier this year). It's good...but, I can probably do just as good for $100 on the Lag DE. If it's a bit below the Lag DE in price, I'd go for this. Above the Lag DE in price, I'll choose the Lag DE.

Drinks by the Dram sample: This is an interesting whiskey. If an Islay, Highlander, and a tropical Kavalan or Amrut decided to mix, this is the outcome. On the nose, you get blueberries wth a wisp of Smoke. Taste is fruits grilled over charcoal. Specifically, something of a cross between mangoes, pineapples, and berries. But all steeped in red wine, and with just a hint of smoke. Think sangria, with a side of grilled meats. The finish is long with this lingering disappating heat. I know you can't find this in the US, but if your travels take you abroad, it's a worthwhile and unique whiskey to bring back.

Going through my final few Drinks by the Dram: If the Laphroaig 10 is the 300 pound wrestler that can pin you down in a second, then this 18 is the tai chi expert that will nail you as you're impressed by its elegance. Don't go here expecting anything like the 10. This is more complex, more elegant, and more multidimensional. It has the same sea swept rope aroma of the 10, but muted with added layers of caramel and toffee. The taste is more floral than the 10, with peat in the background always lurking and letting you know that it still has the Laphroaig DNA. Finish is long. With a lasting lemon-chocolate-mocha taste that lingers and lingers. I think this is now replaced by the Lore if I'm not mistaken...hopefully the Lore is able to carry the same weight.

One more Drinks by the Dram opened. This won the World Whisky award as best single malt ( how many awarding bodies are there??! Till recently, I thought it was Jimbo Murray only?). It's a 26 yr old Old Pulteney that's been fully matured in an ex-heavily peated cask. Which means it's a Highlander that thinks it's an Islay, but brings characteristics of both to the table. Nose: really liking this. If you close your eyes, you can smell the ocean. Briny, salty. The peat doesnt appear at all. Taste: like citrus fruits, with a strong dose of brine and salt. No sweetness at all. Now the peat shows up, but quite delicate. Almost a tangy lime-lemon lassi, where the glass is rimmed with salt. There's a funny leafy taste as well. Like marijuana (not that I would know, but I grew up in the inner city---I recognize it. ) Finish is loooong. Feels like that taste of the ocean when you're swimming, and you catch a bit of water down your pipe. In a good way. If tasted blind, I'd have guessed a well aged Talisker. Not the brute 10, but maybe the 30 (never had it, but I imagine that to be an understated elegance). Is this the 2016 World's best? Who knows...and not sure I care. But it's good...and I'm glad I bought a small sample earlier in the year before it was declared World's best.

I'm going through my batches of Drinks by the Dram (about 5 more to go). The last one (Yoichi NAS) was a disappointment, was hoping a bit better from this one. Personally, I love the Islands. Something about their briny, salty, yet sweet flavor. Probably my favorite region overall. First whiff does indicate a better experience to come than the Yoichi. I can smell salted caramel. No smoke or peat. Taste is more salt, less caramel. Also getting ripe bananas and chocolate, but really the salt is overwhelming anything else. Finish is sweet briny, tinge of bitter. Like dark chocolate covered with flakes of salt. Not bad...would I buy a full bottle? Probably not. It seems to be pulling its punches, and yet not complex enough to get away with it. If I want the salt briny profile, I'll go for the Talisker 10.

I opened up my Drinks by the Dram sample I got quite a while back from U.K. I thought it fitting while watching tonight's Jets game vs Colts. The burnt ember aroma symbolic of this seasons Jets team. I'm a huge fan of Yoichi, and still have fond memories of their 20 and 10. This NAS versions tricks you; the burnt aroma made me think I'm going to experience the 10 or 20 all over again. I was WRONG. Sly little devil tricked me. The aroma doesn't carry through into the palette. Really falls apart there. Weak orchard fruits and citrus. I'm not getting the same coal smoke infused flavors as I did in the 10 or 20. Finish is worse. Just bitter. I know there's no replicating 10 or 15 yr olds overnight, and there was no way to forecast the high demand that suddenly showed up for Japanese whiskies, but NAS versions like this truly does it a disservice.

I had the fortunate opportunity to share a sample of this a few weeks ago during a business trip (and fortunate to bring back about 10cl ). This is really a unicorn---not too many of these bottles in floatation. I actually never even heard of this distillery, really has always been used by Diageo for its blends, so original bottling as a single malt are quite rare. But...either Diageo happen to stumble upon amazing few casks which they designated for this special release, or they're testing out the market to see if they can diversify this distillery to go single malts in addition to blends. Adds another revenue stream, if capacity is able to produce. . I'm guessing the latter. Anyway, on to my impressions of this: nose is immaculate, like oranges, apples and vanilla pudding. The taste then reminds me of those Austrian waffle cookies---the soft buttery cookies that taste of caramel and chocolate. I love the finish. You get a hint of smoke, just a tad bit, but more of the oranges and app,es. This is really a rare treat, and as amazing as it is, is it worth about $250? It sounds expensive at first, and trust me...it is. Not everyone has the disposable income to spend $250 on a bottle. But, if you were to factor in the rarity, quality, and age, now all the sudden $250 seems fair. Just to compare---Highland Park Valhalla series was at $300 each, and they were barely 16 yrs old. Balvenie Tun 1409 and 1501 are over $300, at least. And neither of these were as good as this. I'm glad I got to sample...and if you happen to come across any, it's a strong recommended buy. Pitch in with a few friends and share---really a worthwhile experience.

On a recent business trip to India, I had taken a few days off to visit in-laws in Mumbai. I had bought this for my brother-in-law , as something unique and not available outside the US (especially South Asia). It's young, maybe 3-4 yrs old, but hides its age extremely well. At the onset, you can smell chocolate, coffee and cinnamon. almost like Mexican cocoa. The taste is a bit oaky, with a heaping dose of baked apples and cinnamon, followed by ginger and chocolate. You get more coffee...espresso specifically. It's definitely Oak driven, wood plays the integral role here. Really well made, and in my humble opinion...better than most other new upstarts (with the notable exception of Kilchoman). Also....on a side note---remy martin is buying this distillery. So...two Americans now bought (High West and now this).