SMWS 53.233 Fireman’s Gloves on a Mermaid (19 Year Old Caol Ila) Review

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Today is Caol Ila day at Feis Ile 2017 and let me tell you something: Caol Ila may be the least sexy (or most boring – up for you to decide) distillery on Islay. We’re so familiar with their standard and unchanged lineup expressions and with no new expressions popping out from the distillery, it seems like Caol Ila is a bit forgotten. But let me tell you something: the spirit they produce at Caol Ila? It is underrated.

There are some jolly good whiskies coming out from those copper stills. Old Caol Ila whiskies are amazing and even the younger whiskies can be good.

Want a proof? Today’s whisky is your evidence. Initially I planned a review of te Official Caol Ila 25 yo which is more than decent and is available for purchase for a very decent price, but I ‘slipped’ and drank it all without writing notes. Oops.

So next Caol Ila on the shelf was this 19 year old Caol Ila bottled by SMWS. It’s a clear proof that Caol Ila whisky is good and also my first SMWS review in a long while. Damn I should review more of those!

SMWS 53.233 Fireman’s Gloves on a Mermaid (19 Year Old Caol Ila) (60.5%, 258 bottles)

Nose: Full of brine and salt, pudding-y, gentle peat smoke and bonfire smoke from afar, somewhat medicinal although it’s not laphroaig-esque and juicy. Continue reading →

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte PC 12 “Oileanach furachail” (and PC7 as a Bonus) Review

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Today’s the second day of Feis Ile 2017, so happy Laddie day y’all!

In honor of Laddie day, I’ve decided to review a two years old whisky which surprisingly can still be found in many web shops – The Port Charlotte PC12 “Oileanach furachail”. The PC12 signaled the start of Adam Hannett hegemony at Bruichladdich and leads a different way from the PC11.

Oh, and while we’re at it, I’ve also thrown in a bonus review of the PC7, always interesting to see how things develops over time.

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte PC 12 “Oileanach furachail”(58.7%, €119,99)

Nose: I think the whisky got oxidized a bit as we’re having a more gentle nose then I recall when I first tasted it. Gentle dried red fruit with heavy dose of red berries and a topping of dry smoke, honey shines through sometinmes. It has smooth edges with nothing too sharp (“blame” or bless the oxidization). With more time in glass, lovely milk chocolate and teaspoon of coffee with dry smoke throughout it all. Continue reading →

Lagavulin 18 Year Old Feis Ile 2016 200th Anniversary Review

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Happy Feis Ile 2017 everybody! Time to get back to the tradition of reviewing a whisky from the corresponding distillery that holds an open day (after a break last year) and we starts with Lagavulin that holds today their open day (and with a new sparkling Lagavulin 16yo double matured in Muscatel wine casks).

I didn’t need much time to ponder on the whisy to review today and went with the classic choice – the Festival bottling from last year when Lagavulin had their 200th anniversary. An 18 years old Lagavulin from European oak ex-bodega Sherry butts and refill American oak hogsheads.

Lagavulin 18 Year Old Feis Ile 2016 200th Anniversary (49.5%)

Photo credit: maltymates.com

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Reviewing a Duo of World Whisky Finished in Peated Cask, Kavalan Peated Cask vs Amrut Peated Cask

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Lately I’ve been doing a few reviews (when I wasn’t too busy with life) of multiple bottles, and while I don’t think it’s gonna be a permanent thing and I do plan to do single whiskies reviews, I do have another duo review today – two world whiskies matured (fully or finished) in peated cask, ex-bourbon only, both from climates which leads to rapid maturing. So they share common traits but there are still some glaring differences: different distilleries in different regions in the world and different climate. Single cask vs vatting of a 2-3 casks. The Amrut was finished in peated cask while the Kavalan is fully matured (or so I assume) in peated casks.

First one up – A cask strength Kavalan bottled for La Maison du Whisky in france for their 60th anniversary. It was filled into casks on 23/04/2007 (R070423071) and bottled on 08/08/2016 (9 years old) yielding 600 bottles.

Kavalan Peated Cask for LMDW 60th Anniversary (52.4%, €159.00)

Nose: Rich and buttery with strong impact from the bourbon cask. fruit perfume and then intertwined smoke, wood glue, vanilla and honey, Not a usual combination but it works real well. And then there’s even some sweet corn! With a few drops of water: more fruit sweetness. Continue reading →

Ledaig 2005 11 Year Old Cask #900161 (The Single Malts of Scotland) Review

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Last week I reviewed three Ledaig matured in bourbon and a friend of mine who read the post asked me if he was correct in his assumption that I didn’t like them too much. My answer was that I just prefer Ledaig in other types of casks.

And my favorite type of cask for Ledaig? That would be first fill sherry casks. Over the last few years we’ve seen a glut of 2004/2005 Ledaigs matured in first fill sherry casks (9001xx cask numbers) and those I’ve tasted were good (here is a review of one that was bottled for Specs in Texas) . but I especially liked the Signatory releases due to the dirtiness and the tiny amount of sulphur there that elevated them to a good and interesting whisky.

So here’s a review of another Ledaig in sherry cask, this time a 2005 vintage from cask 900161 that produced 564 bottles after being bottled in July 2016 by Speciality Drinks Ltd under the Single Malts of Scotland brand.

Ledaig 2005 11 Year Old Cask #900161 (The Single Malts of Scotland) (56.8%, £65)

Nose: Smooth and sweet earthy peat and it does has that dirt note albeit weak. Slowly the red fruit show up, a mix of berries: blue and red berries, and a dry bonfire smoke and charcoal. Continue reading →

Bunnahabhain Moine Oloroso Review

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The Bunnahabhain Moine Oloroso is a recently released limited edition by Bunnahabhain distillery that features their heavily peated spirit, released under the Moine label, matured in Oloroso sherry casks and bottled in cask strength of 60.1%.

From my own experience, peat and sherry works together quite well if they are given enough time to mature and so that magic will happen. However, we don’t know how old is the Moine Oloroso but I think we can assume it’s relatively young. So the question is: did it spent enough time in the casks (and wasn’t rushed out)?

Bunnahabhain Moine Oloroso  (60.1%, £77.65)

Nose: Heavy bonfire smoke at first, pretty clean and dry, gentle and warm sweet dried fruit, think more purple than red, un-burnt charcoal, soaked raisins, figs, really easy going despite the high ABV. Giving it some more time in the glass it opens up a bit. There’s more punch and more dried fruit sweetness  and dark chocolate, some freshness and fresh red fruit. Very good balance for its age (it’s young one, right?). With a few drops of water it’s fresher and there’s less smoke so naturally more dried fruit. Continue reading →

A Trio of Young Bourbon Matured Ledaig Review

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Following yesterday’s duo we’ll go one step further and have a Trio review. Yup! Three whiskies reviewed today.

I’ve decided to go “Ledaig matured in bourbon casks” theme today. Why? Well, the obvious answer is “because I can” but also because I do like Ledaig and last year it became somewhat fashionable (but thankfully prices are still reasonable).

So let’s start. The first one and the youngest of them all is a Ledaig 2008 from Signatory. a vatting of two casks (Casks 700752+700753) that were distilled 13.5.2008 and bottled 8.3.2016. It was diluted to 46% and so we have a nice yield of 691 Bottles.

Ledaig 2008 7 Year Old Signatory (46%)

Nose: Sweet nose with sweet earthy peat but the dilution is somewhat felt, honey, malt and slowly we get some bonfire smoke and lemon peels as well.

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A Duo of Blackadder Rum Cask Finish Amrut Review

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Whisky is favorite spirit drink but I also like a good glass of proper rum (preferably without added sugar or other additions), so I’m a big fanboy of whisky matured (or finished) in a rum cask, and I’m not the only one in my friends group.

Then came the opportunity to taste and compare two whiskies which are almost twins. They were both distilled in same distillery  (Amrut distillery), probably of the same age (or close to) and bottled by the same bottler (Blackadder) so there’s a pretty good chance both casks may come from the same casks batch purchased by Blackadder. But then, I said they are almost twins, just almost and that’s because there’s one big influential difference – The Rum type.

One of the whiskies was finished in a Guadalupe rum cask and the other was finished in a Jamaican rum cask – totally different kind of rum with different Rum characteristics and influence. Let’s check how the different rum cask influenced the Amrut spirit and which one was the winner

Blackadder Amrut Guadeloupe Rum Finish (61.1%, The Nectar 10th Anniversary, €113.99)

Nose: The bourbon cask used for the bulk of it’s maturating is undeniable here with strong maltiness, honey, dust and spices. But there’s added sweetness from the rum cask – Banana and demerara sugar along with menthol, now some coconut and dried apricots. Continue reading →

Glenburgie 1998 17 Year Old (The Single Malts of Scotland) Review

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It’s Sunday and it’s been a while (yet again) since the last review so here’s a quick review of a summer-time whisky. It’s hailing from Glenburgie distillery which doesn’t have an official bottlings as most of it’s production goes into Ballantine’s and other blends from Pernod Ricard.

This whisky was distilled back in 1998, it slubered in cask #9914 for 17 years before bottled for our enjoyment by Speciality Drinks under The Single Malts of Scotland brand.

Glenburgie 1998 17 Year Old  (The Single Malts of Scotland) (54.1% )

Nose: Starts with creamy porridge, lime, grass, lemongrass, a meadow or orchard on spring day with pears, apples, stone fruit (a bit sour), green melon and after a few minutes, a big fruity note with barley sugar. Continue reading →

Diageo 2017 Special Releases Bottle Information

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it seems like the information on Diageo Special Releases 2017 has started to trickle out as four new labels from Diageo distilleries has popped up in the TTB database and they aren’t of the more familiar brands in their portfolio:

  • Teaninich 17 Year Old (200th Anniversary) – 55.9%
  • Port Dundas 52 Year Old – 46.6%, 752 bottles
  • Glen Elgin 18 Year Old – 54.8%, 5352 bottles
  • Blair Athol 23 Year Old – 58.4%, 5514 bottles

Update (24/4/2017) – WhiskyExperts.net has published information on more bottles in the SP17 release:

  • Brora 1982 34 Year Old – 51.9%, 3000 bottles
  • Port Ellen 1979 37 Year Old – 51%, 2988 bottles
  • Convalmore 32 Year Old – 48.2%, 3972 bottles
  • Caol Ila 18 Year Old – 59.8%
  • Lagavulin 12 Year Old – 56.5%,

So far no mention of the annual Lagavulin 12/Caol Ila unpeated releases and we can be pretty sure more bottles will be added (Will we see Brora/Port Ellen this year?). The post will be updated when more information will be available.

Here are the labels from the TTB database:

Continue reading →