Whisky Review – Wemyss Malts ‘Pastille Bouquet’ 1998 (Mortlach)

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Last week WemyssTT3 Tweet Tasting was my first foray into Wemyss single cask releases. I’ve read reviews and heard from other bloggers that this series is good, so I was very happy to try 2 of those in the Tweet Tasting. The first one was this – a 14/15yo Mortlach named ‘Pastille Bouquet’. Just like SMWS bottlings, those single cask bottlings are given names based on their tasting notes. So let’s see if it’s matching.

Wemyss Malts ‘Pastille Bouquet’ 1998 (46%, £58)

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Whisky Review – Wemyss Lord Elcho NAS

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Last night I participated in another Tweet Tasting and if you follow me you know I love those events – sharing drams with people all around the globe is such a great experience, and this was my first venture into Wemyss protfolio so double the fun!

The event was held to celebrate the launch of Wemyss Lord Elcho blend, the new and younger sibling of their existing and popular Lord Elcho 15yo blend.

The blend is is minimum 40% malt (and probably around this mark) and 60% grain. Here’s my tasting notes from last night:

Wemyss Lord Elcho (40%, £24)

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Whisky Review – Glenmorangie Companta

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As they say: better late than never – I’ve finally found the time to write my notes on the latest expression in Glenmorangie Private Collection Series – The Glenmorangie Companta.

glenmorangie-private-collection-companta

I won’t bother with all the details on this whisky, suffice to say it’s wine finished whisky and if you want more details, just head on to the excellent post by Billy Abbott on TWE blog here.

A friend of mine, Michael (of Malt and Oak blog) has kindly bestow me a sample from the bottle he purchased and I was very keen to try it and see how it stand up to Finealta (which I own) and to Ealanta, the very successful release from last year. Continue reading →

Whisky Review – Benriach 12 Year Old Arumaticus Fumosus (Peated / Dark Rum Cask)

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Seems like lately I’m on a Rum roll and finding different excuses to try and report back to you about Rum or Rum finished whiskies. In another gathering not so long ago we started our drinking with yet another Peated/Rum combo whisky – The BenRiach 12yo Arumaticus Fumosus Peated/Rum. I was curious as I tasted another Rum/Peat whisky few days before that (Chieftain’s Caol Ila), but this one is an official bottling and not from Islay. Let’s dive in:

Benriach 12 Year Old Arumaticus Fumosus / Peated / Dark Rum Cask (46%, buy for £34.95 here)

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Whisky Review – Balvenie 30 Year Old

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I’ve tasted many of the Balvenie core range whiskies: from the 12yo Double Wood to the 21yo PortWood and some indies (spooned Balvenies). I even had a fabulous tour at the distillery (read my recap here). But how about aiming high and try the one high-end OB Balvenie we mortals can have (without going bankrupt)?

No, it’s not the Tun 1041 as I don’t think we can consider the Tun 1041 as core range OB, I’m talking on the Balvenie 30 years old. It’s a cask strength Balvenie, although the ABV may be misleading at 47.3%. The 30 yo Balvenie was matured in a combination of American oak and Oloroso sherry casks.

I’m fortunate having good friends who share the passion and one of the local friends who is a big Balvenie fan, actually went ahead, bought a bottle and invited me over for a dram. I didn’t say no 🙂 (Thanks O. !)

balvenie 30

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Social Media Distilled – Karen Stewart

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It’s Monday again so a fresh week has started and you probably dread the workweek. But don’t forget we’re deep in spring season, everything is blossoming so breath deep (unless you’re allergic!), enjoy the scenery around you and go ahead and read a fresh and new Social Media Distilled interview.

Today I’m happy to introduce Karen Stewart – PR & Marketing Manager of Wemyss Malts and Kingsbarns Distillery and the keyboard behind @WemyssMalts. Wemyss Malts are a small yet growing Independent bottlers producing well known blends and also single casks bottlings. Later this week there will be a Tweet Tasting (on twitter) where four Wemyss malts will be tasted (including the new Lord Elcho), so follow the #WemyssTT3 hashtag on 15th May!

Please tell us a bit about yourself.

Karen Stewart - Wemyss MaltsI grew up in the Stirling area of Scotland, went to St Andrews University and started my career in the beer industry with Bass Brewers (now Coors). I moved into the whisky business about 10 years ago.  I now work in Edinburgh for the family owned independent bottlers, Wemyss Malts.

 

What is your exact position in Wemyss Matls? Could you tell us a little about your journey in the whisky industry? How much of your day to day activity is dedicated to social media? Continue reading →

Whisky Review – Caol Ila 12

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Distillery_caol-ila

Caol Ila Distillery (from wikimedia commons)

Last week I’ve finished another whisky bottle which accompanied me for a while – a staple one, the Caol Ila 12. It was one of my earliest purchases when I was concentrating mainly on peated Islay whiskies. I looked at my tasting notes and much to my big surprise I found out I never wrote down proper notes on it, so immediately I ‘exerted myself’ and finished the bottle while writing down the tasting notes – all for you, my readers! Continue reading →

Rum Review – Havana Club Seleccion de Maestros

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As I said in my last review, I like Rum. It’s my second favorite spirit after whisky and I I think I tasted around 30 or so different rums so far and I’m a proud owner of 3 different Rum bottles distilled locally by a friend (I’ll post notes for those sometime soon).

About a month ago, another friend of mine received from Havana Club representative a bottle of Havana Club Seleccion de Maestros and he was kind enough to share it with me and some other bloggers (Thanks Shai!) but due to the unreliable post system I got them only after Easter/Passover. But as they say, better later then never so let’s talk some Rum!

havana club

I’ve tasted the popular Havana Club 7 years in the past but this one is on a higher grade  and as the name says – it’s the work of Havana Club Master Roneros – he selected some finest aged rums, put them in specially selected barrels (for best wood impact and maximum aroma) and from those to build the final expression. Seems like lots of work go into this one, so lets go ahead and taste it. Continue reading →

Whisky Review – Chieftain’s 1997 Caol Ila 13 year old Jamaican rum cask finish

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I have some affinity to rum as it’s my second favorite spirit so whisky matured or finished in rum is always something I’m happy to drink and enjoy. Few weeks ago I shared some Rum and Rum finished whisky with friends and the line up included this one – a relatively unique combo of peated whisky and rum.

Chieftains 1997 Caol Ila 13 year old Jamaican rum cask finish (43%, 1010 bottles)

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Reviewing AnCnoc peated whiskies – Rutter, Flaughter & Tushkar #LightOnDark

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A few weeks ago Knockdhu Distillery released their first ever AnCnoc peated whiskies to the world with three expressions in the series. All named on peat cutting tools – quite a refreshing change from non-whisky names given to most NAS expressions in the last few years.

The whiskies are bottled at 46%, all non chill-filtered and not coloured (should be mandatory for all whiskies if you ask me!). All were composed from casks laid down between 2004 and 2006, so formal whisky age is ~8 years old although it doesn’t appear on the label but kudos for publicly revealing the age -full disclosure is the way to go and what we customers want – give us the information so we can make a rational decision (or not ;)) if to buy it or leave it on the shelf.

ancnoc peated

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