Time for my first Glen Garioch and first Cadenhead notes on the blog. This one also came through samples swap I did with friends who likes this one very much.
This Glen Garioch is an ex-bourbon cask and like all Cadenhead bottlings, it’s been color-free and non-chilled filtered.
Cadenhead Glen Garioch 21yo 1991 (53.7%, ex-Bourbon cask, 216 bottles, buy here for €77.5)
This is another one dram I tasted for the first time in the last Speyside session I was at. This time it’s Tamdhu 26yo bottled exclusively to the whiskywhiskywhisky.com forum members by the Creative Whisky Company, and somehow Gal of the Whisky Israel blog got a bottle and brought to that session.
It’s Monday and a new week started, so let’s start it big with a new Glenturret whisky. I almost visited Glenturret last October, but due to time constraints, it didn’t materialized. Too bad, as I love to see small scale distilleries in action – getting the cozy and personal touch.
As a relatively small distillery, which is considered as the spiritual home of The Famous Grouse, and I assume most of their production goes toward this blend, they do not provide many official single malt bottlings, with only 10 yo Glenturret as official bottling.
But now, a new semi-official older bottling is here – Glenturret worked together with Hunter Laing to create a (much) older “licensed botling” – a 26 years old whisky, distilled at 1986, aged entirely in bourbon casks, selected and bottled by their Master Distiller Gordon Motion.
So how is this “licensed bottling”?
As whisky geek, I tend to send and receive whisky samples all the time and this is the major source I have to enrich my whisky knowledge (and gives me materials to write here on the blog). Despite all that, there are so many distilleries (and whiskies) out there I never had to chance to familiarize myself with and taste, so whenever I get the chance to try a new distillery, I give it a top priority. So when In a recent samples swap, I got the chance to get my first Royal Lochnagar whisky, I couldn’t say no 🙂
Yesterday I posted an entry on my visit at Kilchoman distillery and the Distillery Manager tour I took. I tasted Machir Bay and the 100% Islay drams during the visit but unfortunately couldn’t take any notes. So instead, here are my tasting notes on the original Kilchoman Sherry Cask release.
Few weeks ago I’ve been in Speyside tasting event which I happened to revisit some whiskies I had before but also taste some new drams (always a great experience) and one of them was a bit oldie Old Malt Cask Macallan aged 15yo which I review today.
As you probably know, the Old Malt Cask (OMC from now on), was a very successful and popular brand which belonged to the original Douglas Laing company. Last year, the company split to 2 companies – Douglas Laing (retaining old name and some of the brands) and Hunter Laing who got the OMC brand.
So old OMC bottling and a Macallan (before they ventured onto Fine Oak stuff), it must be good, ah?
Yesterday I posted on my visit at Laphroaig distillery in October 2013. As usual, here’s a companion review of a Laphroaig dram 🙂
This one was a sample I got from Stewart & Kirsty when we met at SMWS bar in Edinburgh (Thanks folks!). No, it’s no coincidence I choose a SMWS Laphroaig dram given to me in SMWS bar in Scotland to escort a distillery tour post I did during the same trip 🙂
Nose: the classic medicinal notes of Laphroaig – iodine, antiseptics, earthy peat notes, some burning coals, lots of sweet lemon and heather, some fruity/herbal edge. after a few minutes in the glass the peat and medicinal weakens mightily and the sweet notes takes the front seat.
palate: earthy oily peat mixed with sweet heather honey and toasted sugary candies. This time the sweet takes the backseat and the peat notes are rolling over the tongue in big strong wave with leather and greenery notes
Finish: medium length, strong earthy peat and leather notes lingers with small fluffs of sweetness popping up in surprise, although those come infrequently.
Conclusion: Lovely and classic Laphroaig dram. It bore all the classic Laphroaig notes shared with heavy dash of honey and sweet candies. Superb dram.
2nd day on Islay and the most eagerly tour is ensuing – Laphroaig Distillery. If you’re following me and/or my blog, you’re probably aware of my affection to Laphroaig, so this tour was booked with very high expectations.
(Just a quick note before we actually starts – this post has more pictures then the usual so you’ve been warned!)
We woke up to an sunny and bright Islay day, ate quick breakfast and drove early to the distillery to soak some Laphroaig atmosphere at the FoL (Friends of Laphroaig) lounge before going on the high-end Distillers Wares tour. We even saw John Campbell the distillery manager but he was too busy so didn’t managed to get a picture this time.
On the shore at Port Ellen on the way to the distillery
Yesterday I posted a recollection of my visit at Ardbeg distillery last October. This is a golden opportunity to also bring you some treat – tasting notes of aged single cask Ardbeg dram.
A bit of history – Ardbeg distillery as we know it today, under Glenmorangie PLC/LVMH group, has started the quest to restore Ardbeg to its previous glory back in 1997. Older stock (especially from the 1970 and earlier) are precious an hard to get and you rarely can find such bottles around (unless you’re willing to pay dearly). Lately, three(!) different Independent bottlers has bottled Ardbeg casks from 1992 as 21yo whisky from Ardbeg: one from Douglas Laing, one from Hunter Laing and the last one from WhiskyBroker which is the one I’m reviewing today after getting a sample from my friend Ben (Thanks Ben!).
Third stop (and 2nd tour) on Islay – Ardbeg distillery. I enjoy their Ardbeg 10 and Uigeadail whiskies a lot, have a couple of their bottles at home and was very happy to finally arrive there and tour the distillery.
Whisky Gospel 