Tastes

Been out of pocket the past two weeks: business to Houston, graduation parties, birthday parties, etc. has just sapped my time/review time. Sneaking in a moment while with the family so I can finally drink something more than beer or everyday party whiskey. Enter Glenturret 11 provided by @Telex for the sixth round for our tasting group. Sliced Granny Smith apples drizzled with vanilla and honey begins the nose. Some dampened hay/straw and an earthy mineral quality comes through as it opens producing and odd synthetic funk. If you really dig in, you can draw out a tropical shaved coconut and macadamia nuts. The arrival is soft and oily, dense. Sweet and spicy. The sweetness of caramel, vanilla and a touch of honey. A spiciness of ground cinnamon and white pepper. Some mixed nuts weave through the palate The palate is left a bit tingly from the spicy palate with some oak dryness that lasts a fair length of time. This was rather average. It’s a dram that’s good to kick back and easily sip, but it’s not one I would readily seek out. Not flashy or sophisticated. The sweet and spicy quality could make this as a good cigar paired sipper. Too bad I don’t have a cigar at this moment. [84/100][Tasted: 6/3/18]

Another round five pour. Another Saturday night. Just sitting back and giving this Glenburgie a go. The nose has a little bit of everything. Vanilla, green apples, hints of charcoal, fresh split oak, dried grass. The arrival is hot and tingling. Spicy red pepper is the initial blast. Once the spicy side ebbs, vanilla, toasted coconut, oak, char come through, however brief. A flash of black pepper towards the finish. The body is medium in weight and density. The finish is short consisting of ginger root, oak, vanilla that becomes drying. There is potential is this scotch. It’s on the cusp of being good. It however lacks the depth, variety and length of flavor. Even more, there is a youthful 8-10 year quality to this and not the more mature 15 year. It’s decent, but nothing that is impressionable. Thanks @LeeEvolved for the sample. [84/100][Tasted: 5/19/18]

Pulling one of the, now, backlogged sample from round five on a semi-virtual scotch whisky tour. This pour provided through the one and only @LeeEvolved. Honey poured over cereal (think Grape Nuts) mixed with almonds, cinnamon, vanilla and apples. There is a musty dampness that hovers amongst the breakfast cereal as initially described; like a hay-filled barn on a rainy day. Some slightly detectable notes of sherry as you let this open. A pleasant nose. The nuttiness forms the basis of the palate. The honey sweetness is drizzled lightly providing a mild counter to the nutty dryness. Grilled apricots and Gala apples add a fruity quality. There is a balanced cinnamon and black pepper spice that zings the palate. All this contained in a thick, rich and oily body. The finish is oaky and dry, but not overtly so. Cereal grains and cinnamon that slowly fades from the palate and goes deep and warm, everlasting. The latter part of the tour has brought some obscure, uncommon scotch. A good percentage disappointing. This, however, is quite enjoyable. Balanced, and consistent from nose through finish. Well done. [90/100][Tasted: 5/18/18]

A Mother’s Day enjoying a relaxing day with the wife. Sushi and a movie and now sitting back with a a lovely wife (and whisky). The color is unique: cognac or brandy looking. A deep, dark amber. Sherry rich of dark fruits and mixed nuts. Currants, dates, figs, black cherries. Molasses sweetness or dark brown sugar. There’s a touch of tanned leather or suede. In the deepest depths of the nose there a hint of dampened tobacco. The nose is one to inhale all day. Sweet and deeply rich. The draw on the palate is initially fruity and sweet of fruit juice with spice and oak all wrapped in a medium-leight body. Cinnamon, vanilla, toffee, raisins; all rich and deep. The sweetness is not overt. A subtle non-saccharine dessert. This dram only enriches and improves with time. A long finish that meanders between orange bitters and charcoal. Some woodiness keeps the palate slightly dry. There is a minty quality or sensation when you wait between draws. The challenge for a whisky, in my opinion, is providing balance. Being not too sweet without being overly dry. Being peaty/smokey without dominating. This Macallan has walked the balance rather well. This is sweet but not syrupy. Fruity but not juicy...a true delight. Simply wonderful. @GenerouslyPaul, many thanks for providing the sample. This is one often not accessible to many. Thanks for the opportunity. [95/100][Tasted: 5/12/18]

Another pour provided by @GenerouslyPaul to the tasting group. Glenallchie 7 year by independent bottler Duncan Taylor. What beholds this brew? Nutty, fruity and tropical are the base aromas. Pecans, walnuts, apples, pears, fresh diced pineapples, coconut, apricots. Some spice of cinnamon with a touch of vanilla and caramel. Sherry influence becomes more apparent over time. There is an overtone of acetone that detracts from the base aromas. On first sip, a strong, there is wave of pepper spice and oak. Once the palate gets acclimated, a course and oily bitterness takes control and renders any other flavors almost undetectable. Peeping through the vortex of bitterness is a trace of toffee sweetness and roasted nuts that lasts for the briefest of moments. Another wave of sharp spice comes forward towards the finish. Bitter, dry and short is how the palate remains: Orange rinds and oak. Diffused and unfocused. The nose is promising but no real foundation. The palate is contains no real flavor other than bitterness. There is potential but it requires time and maybe fresher casks? [82/100][Tasted: 5/11/18]

Friday again. Time for a sample. A Highland graciously provide to our tasting group by @GenerouslyPaul. Much needed and wanted after a bad head cold and one of those crazy work weeks. Nosing reveals unripened honeydew, apple jolly rancher and vanilla extract. Apples, apricots, soap, rubbing alcohol prove to add a bit of an oddity/out of sorts. Some malt and oak. There’s an odd funk of mineral/earthiness and fruity sweetness that adds to this swirl of aromas. Cognac-like on arrival. Wine-y white grape, apricots, toffee, vanilla with a mineral-earthiness. All this contained in a medium body. Vanilla sugar sweetness ultimately comes in the mid-palate as it opens. Fresh ginger as is fades towards the finish which it give liveliness to the palate. As time progresses, the unbalanced profile begins to fall into balance. A short finish of oak, ginger spice with a dash of sweet vanilla. The nose was a oddity, confusing the senses. The palate was somewhat drab but is pulled together/centered around the sweetness but unfortunately that sweetness does not last long; diffusing what was centered around sweetness to a ginger spiciness. All that said, there are hints of sophistication where this is a slow sipper. One to take some time with to slow the day down. At least for 1/24th of it. [85/100][Tasted: 5/4/18]

Note: This is a review for 1940 Haig Gold Label Late George V What a treat! A chance to sample a scotch that is circa World War II. Only in a group of whisky enthusiasts could this be possible. Nose is candy sweet consisting of butterscotch, candycorn, vanilla and honey. There’s are floral and fruity notes in the sweetness. Heather, apples and raisins. Malt and milk chocolate (Whoppers) and cereal grains eventually become detectable when time is granted. It’s a lightweight, enjoyable nose. First draw is slightly peppery and sweet. As the palate gets acclimated, the whisky is notably sweet. The body is thin and lightweight. Butterscotch, vanilla, honey. The sweetness is pleasant but short giving way to a white pepper and fresh ginger spicy zing the is delivered to the finish. A short finish which is slightly oaky dry with a some charcoal with a touch of vanilla and honey sweetness. I wasn’t sure what to expect. That is were scotch palates different 60+ years ago?. It’s like a chance to jump back into time. What was the style of a whisky two generations ago as it compare today. From my perspective, it easy, sweet, inoffensive and made to enjoy without the distractions of sophistication; a social sipper. (You can transport yourself picturing Churchill or King George VI himself sipping on this during wartime). Thank you @PBMichiganWolverine for this rare treat and a glimpse of a whisky world long ago. [87/100][Tasted: 4/21/18]

Note: This is for Exclusive Grain 10 yr old rum finished Girvan. I read the scathing reviews. It can’t be this bad, can it? Pouring the sample from @PBMichiganWolverine. Maybe there’s a beacon of hope. There is a strong presence of industrial cleaning chemicals. Rubber, chewing gum (like the gum you would get with baseball cards), rubber cement, rubbing alcohol. For the natural-like aromas: apples, bananas and vanilla. An odd nose indeed. Hmmm. Strange and different. Rum-soaked Raisin Bran cereal, vanilla sweetness, crazy glue (if I could imagine what crazy glue tastes like) with sprinkles of cinnamon spice. The finish is ginger and toothpicks and nail polish. It would almost be safe to say that this is not a scotch or whisky. More of a cheap mixer rum with industrial qualities. I don’t think there is much more to say. Save your time and your money. [62/100][Tasted: 4/20/18]

A much needed pour to start my late Friday. Need a soother [and catching up on the backlog of samples] finds me pouring this particular scotch courtesy of @Telex. Note: This is for the 11 year old Mortlach from Classic Cask, not the 15 year G&M. A few inhales pulls in melon, pears and apples with a touch of butterscotch sweetness. Opening more, fresh baked bread and lemon zest, though light, is detectable. Rubbing alcohol encases all the fruity sweetness. All the aromas are light and diffused. The arrival is spicy white pepper hot. A glimpse of pineapple tropical with some lemon zest, vanilla. Loaded with flavors, this one is not. The finish is bitter of lemon and ginger. Oaky and spicy that is woody dry. This is a unremarkable with no real memorable qualities. It’s boring and bland. Though not terrible, it’s completely sippable and, if nothing else was around, a second pour would be denied. [82:100][Tasted: 4/20/18]

Still in Hartford. Ventured into Vaughan’s once more. Tullamore Dew stocked on the shelf. Asked for a neat pour of the Single Malt 14 for a nightcap. The nose is all fruit and sugar. Apricots and bananas in a brown sugar reduction. The typical Irish note of straw. Throw is some tropical coconut and honey. Thin bodied mouthfeel with a gentle sweetness. The palate is all demerara sugar, honey with a some fruitiness/tartness of Granny Smith apples towards the back end. Not much complexity or depth, but works well within itself. A small amount of white pepper spice on the finish with cinnamon apple crumb pie sweetness that rapidly switches gears and returns to the an oaky spiciness, though ever so gentle. Inoffensive, straightforward and undynamic yet enjoyable for its sweet simplicity. [84/100][Tasted: 4/12/18]