God Jul fra CaskStrength! Clynelish Single Malt Scotch Whisky And Something A Little Different

It's Christmas Eve! God Jul to all our Scandinavian readers. We hope you have something special in your glass.

Each year, when Christmas rolls around, I like to choose something special to have over the festive period.

Last year, my choice was a Highland Park 21 year old and the year before, the Harrison tipple was a single cask Glendronach.

This year, I find myself not in my native Oxford, but up in the Highlands of Scotland.

With snow forecast and not a huge amount of options other than a Tesco locally, I took a trip to the nearby town of Pitlochry to the quite fabulous Drinkmonger store.

It was there that I discovered an excellent selection of bottles, many from the indie bottler and local lads Signatory, with one bottle catching my eye: a single cask Clynelish.

Clynelish – Signatory - 1995 / 2013 (21.12.95 / 11.04.2013) – cask #12796 – bottle 130 of 859 – 43% abv - £55.00

Nose: Pickled herring, roast chestnut, a hint of Seville orange, jasmine tea, vanilla, toffee.

Palate: Tobacco, some light sooty notes, dark chocolate, cherry lips, rich and oily with some light green veg and ‘the herb’ as they say in South London.

Finish: More of the skunk tones with light vanilla.

Overall: Well... I wouldn’t have chosen a bad one for the Xmas factor, would I?! Honestly, a CRACKER for the price.

But this year, to get me through Christmas in foreign lands, one bottle wasn't nearly enough. 

No, Sir!

This year, I also took a momento with me, picked up on one of the CaskStrength trips of the year.

It was in the first half of 2013 that saw Neil and I head out to Gascony for a research trip to visit the brandy-producing region of Armagnac; one of many trips taken this year to help us write a forthcoming book, due out in 2014. More on that later next year.

A little tip for all you whisky-lovers out there: if you happen to visit the Armagnac region, don't do what I did and take just a suitcase (or what Neil did and take a tiny suitcase). Why? Because you'll want to buy, buy, buy...

Having totally exceeded my easyJet baggage limit, mainly with bottles of 1979 vintage (all for the price of a good blended Scotch), I have been carefully choosing which bottles to open over the course of the year... one was cracked on my birthday a couple of weeks ago. And the another just yesterday.

Castarede - Bas-Armagnac – 1979 Vintage – 40% abv

Nose: Grenadine, cherry (black), toffee, big hit of oak and some almonds, a hit of antique shop and big Christmas Cake. Right at the death, warming Bovril.

Palate: Dried orange, candied cherries, marzipan, fresh coffee (black, again), liquorice root.

Finish: Massive powered cocoa and granulated brown sugar; white tea. Mint.

Overall: Yes, a very good example of a vintage Armagnac. Not the greatest I’ve ever had, but certainly challenge for it. A lovely counterpoint to the light and refreshing Clynelish.

Two totally different beasts of spirits; one grain, one grape. One delicate and light, one rich and fruity. And both for well under £100!

So whatever you choose to dram in Christmas with, just make sure that you leave something good for Santa when he arrives, for when everone has retired to bed, as I'm sure whatever has been left out will magically disappear... Enjoy!

Xmas Rated Prices - Highland Park 12 Year Old and The Balvenie 14 Year Old Caribbean Cask Single Malt Scotch Whiskies

Christmas is a time for... well, drinking whisky. But more than that, it is a time for buying whisky, with many shops and supermarkets discounting core range offerings.

And we aren’t going to complain with that. In fact, as much as there have been some premium purchases at Caskstrength Towers this year, there are always bargains to be had.

In a week where Chelsea footballer and Egland captain John Terry, on something mental like £150,000 per week, is spotted shopping in PoundLand, we know all too well, coming from a music business background, that a ‘bargain’ is too often associated with, erm, stock that doesn’t sell. The bargain bin is the last place you want an album or a DVD to end up. However, when it comes to whisky, we’ll always take a bargain.

This week, as the Christmas shopping began to get into full swing, I found myself in my local Waitrose.

Having developed a partnership with uber-chef Heston Blumenthal over the past few years, which included sell-out items such as a Christmas Pudding with a hidden candied orange in the middle, so popular that in their first year they ended up on eBay for up to £200, the supermarket doesn’t shirk away from playing in the premium arena.

However, despite it’s ‘#middleclass’ appeal, Waitrose is not afraid of a bargain. Both of us have picked up some excellent items over the years in Waitrose, with a Port Ellen 3^rd release at a shade over £100 and a Laphroaig 30 Years Old at around £150 as two examples of great whisky-steals!

But it doesn’t have to be all top-end whisky; no Sir. In fact, this week there was an opportunity at Waitrose to start a whisky cabinet with just two statement whiskies, for less than £60. If you don’t live in the UK, or near a Waitrose, look away now.

The first bottle is a stalwart of the whisky fraternity; one which people hail often as turning point for them in their journey to discovering peat and, once in, will graduate up to their sublime 18 year old offering. The whisky in question is Highland Park 12 Years Old, which 

Waitrose has on sale for just £24.68 for 70cl. I'll repeat that: £24.68p.

Highland Park – 12 Years Old – Single Malt Whisky – 70cl – 40% abv

Nose: a delicate waft of peat comes out of the glass, but this is not turned up to 11, but sitting comfortably at about a 6 or a 7. This allows complimentary aromas of sweet honey, crunchie bar (honey comb and milk chocolate), freshly cut grass and some menthol to sit on a bed of light peat; the opposite way around to most smoky malts.

Palate: vanilla peat is the first flavour to come through with light orange cream, dark chocolate this time and some elements of parma violets. A good slug of malted milk / maltesers  and that delicate peat again at the death.

Finish: sweet with a peaty roundness.

Overall: probably the introduction to smoky whisky which doesn’t drag you down a dark alleyway and mug your taste buds, but takes it out for dinner for an eloquent chat.

Now, if you choose to fork out twenty five of you hear earned pounds on the HP12, you’ll have one of the trinity of great Scotch expressions that you need for the foundations of a good whisky cabinet. The third and final piece of the jigsaw is a cracking blend, but we’ll come to that in another post in a few days time, with the missing link being, of course, a great non-peated whisky, from the Lowlands, Highlands or Speyside region of Scotland.

And again, Waitrose is the place to turn for a true bargain here.

It’s no secret that we have a love for The Balvenie 12 Year Old Doublewood and I don’t know many people who don’t love, love, love this easy drinking dram. But at the moment,  forget the 12 year old as The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 Year Old is on sale for £33 at Waitrose.

£33. 

Considering the 12 year old Doublewood is £32 and this older expression is over £10 more at other whisky-specific outlets, this really is an absolute steal.

The Balvenie – 14 Years Old – Caribbean Cask – 43% abv

Nose: So, this whisky has been ‘finished’ in rum casks, hence the name... and this fact is immediately obvious as a huge sweetness rises from the glass; but not an ordinary saccharine sweet. This is very much a darker, molasses-based sweetness that you’d find in a Navy Rum. Rich and enticing, this is about as sweet as whisky gets without being sickly or false.

Palate: the flavour delivers exactly what the nose promises: strong, malty, sweet tones that saddle strong Navy rums with a mix of the more elderly Armagnacs I’ve tried. Very bold, yet balanced, this really is a step up from the 12 Year Old Doublewood, but be warned, if you like a full-on American oak influenced heavy vanilla palate, this isn’t for you. The vanilla is there, but this is old, rich, real Madagascan vanilla sweetened with heavy brown sugar.

Finish: a wonderfully rich, smooth finish which, again, leans towards an old French brandy than a teenage Scotch.

Overall: For under £35? Are you having a laugh? Do what I did and buy, buy, buy.

So there you have it; great Scotch does not have to be expensive and if you’re one of those muttering about age statements disappearing and the price of Scotch rising, here are two great examples of single malts which will quite rightly prove you wrong!

Of course, you could always go for the best December bargain of all, and order one of the few bottles of 3D Whisky left...

A Distillery With A View... Ardbeg- Feis Ile Day 3

Blimey, that went quickly. Usually, after the full force of the Feis Ile we're both feeling absolutely destroyed and ready for the return journey and a familiar duvet, OR totally inspired, thirsty to dig out more peaty goodness. This time around, as we've only spent a short spell on this wonderful island, we're very much in the latter camp and Saturday brings forth probably the highlight of the week -  Ardbeg's open day. 

Much has been made of celebrating the distillery's cult following around the globe and it's intriguing to see just how many peat'o'philes (is that ok to say?) rocked up at various retailers, bars and whisky events last Saturday, eager to try the new release, Ardbog. We even heard rumours that a flock of inflatable sheep were driven across London Bridge here in London, in homage to the brand's unique sense of humour. But for us, there is really only one place to truly dig down to the core of the brand and that's the Old Kiln Cafe, where by 12pm, hundreds of festival goers were already queuing to get started on the drams and the events that the distillery team had planned.  

Seaview's very own still...
(aka a wood burning stove)

We were fortunate this year to have landed a couple of nights at the distillery's brand new Seaview Cottage, next door to manager Mickey Heads' home from home. As holiday homes go, the place has been designed as the ultimate Ardbeg fan's dream come true.  The location couldn't be more idyllic: With a balcony overlooking the bay and the front door pointing squarely towards the warehouses, one doesn't know which way to look. From the Ardbeg Green carpets to the portraits of Shortie adorning the walls, everything is in-keeping with the irreverence of brand.  You can see for yourself here...

Ardbog Day followed on from last year's elaborate events and the mighty 'hand of destiny' (designed and built by the equally mighty - and all round excellent guy Yogi at the distillery) was once again presiding over the occasion, this time bursting through a giant peat bog in the distillery courtyard.  The events were similarly wacky: bog racing in sacks, a Krypton Factor-style challenge of dexterity and speed to load a wheelbarrow full of peat whilst traversing an tricky course plus excellent tastings from Bryony MacIntyre as well as unique trips to Texa Island with Mickey, to try a few choice drams. And what of the whisky of the day? Ardbog... Bottled at 52.1%, Ardbog is a mixture of bourbon casks with a few that have also been aged in Manzanilla casks, which tend to give a charismatic salty/aromatic note. The 2013 festival bottlings have been excellent (with the Lagavulin leading the way in our opinion) so we had high hopes... Battle of the Bogs? Let battle commence...

Ardbeg  -  Ardbog -  52.1% - 70cl 

Nose: A briney note hits first, with a touch of liniment, a little coal dust and a wee blast of menthol, all bog wrestling for your attention. Underneath, a slight liquorice root develops, with a sweeter tablet/vanilla rich chocolate note, some white pepper and a waft of wood smoke.  

Palate: The coal notes develop, with salt-crusted barbecued pork, some drying oak notes and a hint of sweet tablet again, backdropped by a luscious coating of smoky hickory wood. The mouthfeel is rich and unctuous and very easy drinking, despite its strength. 

Finish: Lengthy iodine and singed BBQ pork give the palate a formidable run for its money. 

Overall: Boom. This is absolutely sterling stuff, raised from the very bowels of the peat bogs, but with so much more alongside. Whereas last year's Ardbeg Day was a little threadbare in places, this is a full on 15-tog-patchwork-quilt of a whisky, bristling with character.  

Although our time on Islay was woefully short by previous year's standards, this Feis Ile has been one of the best yet. Looking at the burgeoning numbers at each of the distilleries, it could well be the most successful yet too- and proves that although the waft of peat is undoubtedly drifting on the breeze around the globe, the allure of actually visiting the island itself burns as fiercely as ever.   

Hatches, Matches & Despatches. Jura Distillery Open Day Fun - Feis Ile Day One

Yes, folks. We’re here again. As yet another year rolls around, with the FA Cup Final out of the way and Glastonbury, Wimbledon and The Ashes on the horizon, what could be a better way to while away your time, than with the Feis Ile: Isle’s Festival of Music and Malt.

Usually, we’d be here right from the off, hitting the eight distilleries in row and then, if we had the time / weather / energy, hit Jura for an hour or so. But not this year. Oh, no. This year, we’ve come to Jura first.

Sitting off the coast of Islay, Jura is an island of ones (save for the TWO doctors): one road, one shop, one church, one hotel, one pub and one distillery. ~188 people live in an area the size of London, seriously outnumbered by 6,000 red deer. It is probably most famous for being the final home of George Orwell and providing him with the perfect isolation where he could write 1984, the piece which, according to some, eventually finished him off.

However, for some of us of a certain age, it also provided the backdrop for one of the most audacious pieces of ‘art’ (or PR stunts, depending on how you look at it) of the 1990’s, when hugely successful British dance outfit, KLF (known at that time as The K Foundation), burnt £1 million pounds. In cash. In 1995.

Even now, nearly 20 years on, it seems utter madness that someone, even in the name of art, could burn a million quid. But that’s exactly what the two members of the KLF, Bill Dummond and Jimmy Cauty did. Many myths and rumours surround this event, with the band claiming that only £900,000 eventually went up in smoke, with £100,000 worth of £50 notes simply flying into the air due to the intensity of the fire. The local police even found up to £1500 in charred notes, which were left for the two members to reclaim if they so wished.

So Jura is a place where interesting things happen and in 1810, a distillery was opened; the perfect place to hide from the excise man. By 1901 the distillery was closed to lay dormant for nearly 60 years, until it was rebuilt in the early 1960’s springing back to life in 1963. Housing the second tallest stills in Scotland, and the largest stills of any island distillery, it is now a single malt which you’ll find all over the world. Yet another piece of art from this small island making a global impression.

The venue for our Turas Mara tastings

This year, Jura held an ‘open house’, over two days running free buses and ferries across from Islay, hoping to attract many more of the folk who have travelled to the Feis Ile for their annual hit of smoky whisky.

With events ranging from warehouse tastings with the ever-energetic Richard Paterson, through to speedboat tastings in the Sound of Jura, (…hosted by yours truly) there were plenty of reasons to drive onto the small car ferry and make the short crossing between islands.  On top of all this, there is an annual festival bottling release from Jura, only available from the distillery during their open days. 

This year, the bottling was extra special, to mark the 50^th anniversary of the distillery reopening, a ‘boutique barrel’, containing whisky from a 1963 French oak cask, as well as containing some heavily peated stock, resulting in a whisky which is both fruity and smoky. 

Jura – Festival 2013 – 1963 French Oak + Heavily Peated 1999 stock – 663 bottles – 52.4% abv - £70.00

Nose: A real treat straight off the bat.  The aroma of a delightfully smooth, almost 70’s peat smoke swirls around the glass initially, followed by some rich notes of spicy sherry/wine tones, some oakiness and a fruity, almost jammy note. 

Palate: Initially dry and hot, with some oakiness delivering a wet wood note, which then fades into a spiciness – a hint of cinnamon and liquorice.  Given time in the mouth, the wine influence takes hold with some bold fruit and a distinct smokiness. 

Finish: The peat lingers alongside an oakiness and a rich fruit note.

Overall: The nose really defines this whisky:  elegant and refined, with a smooth smokiness.  A dash of water develops the fruitiness and direct nature of the spice.  At £70, it’s also very well priced against many of the other Islay festival bottlings.  Well done chaps.

Jura also have a new release, called Turas Mara, which means ‘long journey by the sea’ and is their new offering in Global Travel Retail. Made up from whisky matured in four types of casks (bourbon, sherry, French oak barriques and port pipes) it is priced at £45 for a litre. 

Jura – Turas Mara – GTR only - 42% abv £45.00

Nose: A departure from the festival bottling. Masses of fresh fruit, vanilla, a real sweetness and some subtle spices. Light toffee/peanut brittle, sliced pears and orange zest. Candied and very fruity.

Palate: Sweet and malty, with some herbaceous notes, crème caramel, some sour cherry notes and a hint of creamy oak. With water, zesty lime notes begin to emerge. 

Finish: Clean, with orange zest and a slight drying vanilla oak. 

Overall: Having used this as the main feature for our speedboat tastings, it has established itself as our favourite expression of Jura on the market today.  

Tea, you say?  Turas Mara and cake more like.

It has been a real pleasure spending some extended time on Jura, an island we have only fleetingly visited before. We had no idea as to the hidden beauty of the island and we would highly recommend a visit, and a drive all the way up the islands only road...

Tomorrow we head to Bunnahabhain and try the festival release from Lagavulin...

The Wonka Of The Whisky World: Compass Box

Well, here we are again. Yet another year begins and, would you believe it, we're approaching the middle of the first month already. Sort of. Hush my mouth, we're really only eleven days in. Barely scratching the surface, really! Or should that be 'barley scratching the surface'...?

Right, with the contender for 'worst pun of the year' already made in only our second post of 2013, it's time to start to talk seriously about the year ahead. We've already heard rumours about interesting bottlings to come from a wide variety of different distilleries and blenders, but no matter what is pulled from various warehouses across Scotland (and let's not forget the rest of world, please) and put in a bottle, there is one vital aspect that still underscores the whole of the whisk(e)y business and that is quality.

In 2012 we've seen more bottles than ever released, and at increasingly higher prices (see: Supply And Demand 101) but, ya know, I actually think the quality is getting better. Even Aldi and Lidl are taking their whisky seriously nowadays. Who would have said that a few years ago about two shops which openly claim to be aimed at the shopper on a budget... amazing really. So as we enter our sixth year of writing about this fantastic product, we look forward to sharing our journey of discovery with you and to continue what we set out to do right at the start: educate, entertain and inform.

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Rumours of interesting bottles will always abound on the internet and until someone from a company, PR house or retailer actually tells us something is coming, we often take any whispers with a large pinch of salt. Especially those press releases which magically seem to appear each year on the first day of April...

However, there is one company who specialise in unusual bottles. When you hear a rumour about a possible release from this indie whisky house, you just hope it's true. The Wonka of whisky, Compass Box has been churning out amazing blended whisky since its inception in a West London kitchen in 2000.

Thirteen years later and this creative bunch have turned their hand to pretty much everything they could get away with, within the confines of the ever-changing Scotch Whisky Association regulations (and even some outside of it); this lot are real 'punks', in the purest sense of the word.

But not only do Compass Box have a focus on constructing fantastic liquid, they also have a real eye for art, too. The packaging designs chosen to house the whisky are just fantastic and the boxes which these bottles wear, sublime. Let's take a look at a new release from The House Of Compass Box, by way of an illustration:

Compass Box - The Entertainer - Blended Whisky - 1000 bottles only - Selfridge's exclusive - 70cl - 46% ABV - £84.99 here

This comes in a box and with a label which looks like Magritte and Duchamp have had a fight in workshop in early Nineteenth Century Vienna. To say this is a stunning piece is beyond doubt. But as we all know, whisky is not just about the packaging. How does this stuff actually taste?

Nose: A big hit of butterscotch and fresh daisy, there is also a wisp of peat smoke and oodles of vanilla. Just like opening a bag of Werther's Original by the fireside.

Palate: Deliciously delicate at first, with firey peat coming in to back up the mellow start. Tasted marshmallow melts over hot buttered crumpets and a hint of walnut praline gives some additional depth.

Finish: Vanilla. Peat smoke. Cinnamon. In that order. In equal measure.

Overall: This is incredibly drinkable whisky. With a drop of water it opens up to become really very moorish. Very well constructed a liquid.

This whisky is a creation specifically for the good people at Selfridges (who, ironically, don't actually sell fridges. Unlike John Lewis, who do) where it is exclusively available. Quite a timely release here in the UK; with a Downtown drought on, we have had to quench our thirst for costume drama with a new series that kicked off this weekend called Mr Selfridge, all about the inception of the great store and, I'm sure, some poetic licence on the odd love story of the workers therein.

Just 1000 bottles of this blend have been produced, retailing at £84.99. I wonder if Mr Selfridge was a whisky drinker himself. If so, I'm sure he'd have been proud to have this in his shop. And not just for the box.