The more 'literate' feline's actually prefer Peat to Whiskers...!?

As many of you will have seen, The SMWS are now doing even more out turns than ever, which is clearly great news! We were slightly concerned that the quality level may dip with all these new bottlings, but rest assured, the following couple of drams are right up there with the best we've tried so far.

93.33 - Pine Sap and Black Pepper- 16 Years old - 64.3 % vol - 177 bottles

Nose: Fresh cream, white chocolate mousse, a hint of something medicinal (slight iodine?) lots of wild mint finished off with a note of coal/oil. Given a few drops of water, this comes even more alive with crisp apple covered in buttery toffee. Perhaps I should have saved this for November's bonfire celebrations? Either way, it's a very desirable mix of aromas.

Palate: (without water) Lots of that buttery richness and one of the best mouth feels i've discovered in a while. The richness subsides and then you get sweet caramel, menthol warmness and some definite pine freshness. further down the palate hints of sweet milky coffee emerge, which are enhanced with the addition of water.

Finish: A lovely decay as the cream and oil subside, taking the coffee note to another level.

Overall: I was having a 'Duvet Day' when trying this excellent dram. (partly because it was so bloody cold outside) and will gladly pronounce this as a perfect accompaniment- call it a super- duper-duvet-dram if you like!

53.126 - Classy Peatiness - 18 years old - 56.7% vol - 282 bottles

Anything calling itself 'Classy Peatiness' is really going to arouse a modicum of interest. There are so many 'classy' peated whiskies available, so this will really have to raise its head above the mash tun if it's going to get noticed...

Nose: Well, it's there alright. Peat. Not lots of it, but a nice, spicy peppery OLD peat, not like the aromas you find in any of the recent younger, zingier peated bottlings. This is the sort of peat I think i've missed from a few drams, so it was good to have it back! Hints of older dried marzipan (not overly floral) a little winey something and a definite touch of air dried Parma ham.

Palate: Amazingly, as I type this, my cat Bobby (aka ' The Great Catsby') jumped up and took a keen interest in the glass, before walking across the keyboard and spelling

ssssssssssssppppppggggggggttttttthhhgggrttyiiiiii.

Thats's nearly 'Spaghetti' I think you'll agree. (perhaps he's secretly Italian and hungry?) Anyway, the peat doesn't stop at the nose. Unlike some of the more coal dust and tar bottling's from this distillery, lovely soft swathes of sweet peat drip across the tongue, leading into sharp sherbet, some fresh green apples and a hint of something more meaty, like that salted ham. Hang on... Ham, pepper, spaghetti, wine. This is very nearly a Milanese in a glass!!

Finish: A leisurely stroll for the peat as the finish develops, with a few coal dust notes becoming noticeable on the death.

Overall: Even without Bobby's chance intervention, this got me thinking and i've decided to pair it up with something Italian for dinner tonight. For those of you who love that classic older peat, you'll enjoy the smoothness this has, like a mid-afternoon saunter down a Tuscan piazza on the way to visit the Palazzo Vecchio perhaps??

Burns Night Bonanza...

"Oh Whisky! soul o' plays and' pranks!

Accept a bardie's gratefu' thanks!

When wanting thee, what tuneless eranks

are my poor verses!

Though comes - they rattle i' their ranks

At ither's arses!"

Robert Burns: 1759- 1796

Whisky lovers! our spiritual evening of merriment is almost upon us and cometh the hour for sitting down with friends & loved ones for a dram of your finest to accompany the most Scottish of all dishes: the humble Haggis.

This Burns night, I find myself somewhat pre-disposed, out of reach of a good bottling and unfortunately lacking in any Scottish delicacies.  But before I start recounting some of Burns' most heart-wrenching couplets to convey my misery- all is not lost!

Last Friday, I had the foresight to plan a Pre-Burns Night, evening with several close friends. 

A classic MacSween Haggis was purchased and a wonderful creamy mix of 'Neeps & 'Tatties prepared.  Someone even concocted an edible shrine to all things Scottish (see above) and had provided a proper send off for the Haggis, in the shape of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guard ceremonial band! (well, not the whole company, just one of 'em...)

The conversation quickly turned to which whisky would be the perfect liquid accompaniment... which ended up taking up a larger part of the evening than planned!  

Our fact-finding  took us the length and breadth of Scotland, with a little bit of a curved ball thrown in for good measure.  Below are our recommendations if you're planning on matching a cracking dram with your Haggi (is there a plural for Haggis?)

1. SMWS bottling 26.57 - 'An Absolute Cracker' - 55.4 % vol: This is a really superb dram and its waxy, zesty elegance worked really well with the spiciness of the meat and sweetness of the 'Neeps & 'Tatties.  Old Clynelish and (if you have some) Brora seem to have that special something when it comes to matching with well-flavoured meats...

2. Lagavulin - Distiller's Edition release 1990 - 43% vol: In the past, I have tried highly peated whiskies with Haggis and they just overpower the flavour completely and add a real sour note to the meal... This expression gets round the problem and the rich sweetness of the sherry finish takes the edge off that classic Laga' grit and grime, to meld mouthfuls of meaty delight!

3. Ardbeg Uigeadail - 54.2 % vol: Another bottling which balances the peat with some decent sherried notes.  Unfortunately, my bottle is a little old now and it didn't stand up as well as the Laga' or Clynelish, but that said, a fresh bottle would be an excellent choice for tonight's festivities.

4. Highland Park 18 yo - 43% vol: The sweetest and perhaps most lightweight of the bunch, with layers of honey, spice and orchard fruits.  This combined well with the savoury spice of the Haggis and brightened up the palate a little for our desserts (a devastating bowl of fresh Cranachan!)

5: The curved ball.... er..ok, here goes... Karuizawa Cask 3397 - Distilled 1988- Bottled 2007- 59.8% vol:  Sacrilege!!!  A Japanese whisky with Haggis?! on Burns Night??... Yes, shoot the messengers- we confess all!  it had to be tried at least and... it worked sensationally!!  The mossy, mustiness of damp forest floors and massive meaty sherried palate complimented the meal with total aplomb.  

Somewhat controversial, but let's hear it for equality!  All in all, a fine portfolio of five festive drams that we urge you to try tonight. If you haven't any of these, then go freestyle and find your own top match- the overall finding was that a balance between peat, sherry, sweetness and spicy clout seemed to work best.  

~Slainte!!

  

more musings on the new SMWS bottlings

I have a confession to make.  After the repeated liver tomfoolery  we all give ourselves over Christmas and New Years Eve, I tinkered with the idea of a 'dry January'.  

Someone please tell me there are easier ways to look after the important inside bits!? 

I lasted a few days, but whenever I had friends over for an evening, I couldn't find a single good reason not to join them for a great dram. Moderation is fine, but just temporarily cutting out the things you love is plain madness!

So after finishing a  wonderfully lingering Glenrothes 1985 and all its fruity goodness, (could almost be classed as one of your '5 a day' with that citrus'y palate)  I realised we hadn't posted any notes for a while.

At the end of last year, we had a great chat with Mr Paul Miles of the SMWS, who was kind enough to give us a very enlightened interview on his plans for the Society.  The new member packs look amazing and I think you'd be hard pressed to find any other membership organisation who look after their flock so well.  More to come on this, later this month with the full interview and more tasting notes. 

In the meantime, here's a couple of cheeky drams we were lucky enough to sample.  As with the others we've tried, the detail which goes into these bottlings is fabulous and the following are no exception. 

S.M.W.S- 1.141 - 'One to Cherish and Love'- 41 years old- 48.1% abv- 157 bottles

You could say that this was the distillery that started the whole thing off- the society that is- and long has it produced some intensely expressive whiskies.  How does this fit into the scheme of things? Lets find out.

Nose:  41 years old and it's this fresh?  The initial hit comes from a very unexpected Chardonnay wine zestiness- like nosing a fresh cork from a bottle of  flinty Chablis. Next up is the oak; soft and delicate, giving the aromas a really rich nutmeg'y festive feel.   Not at all like some of the distillery's richer spicy, sherried expressions. Hints of herb butter and a light adhesive also make themselves known, but again, not at all what you'd expect.

Palate:  Wow, there's the oak!  There is an initial dry sourness, but then something surprising happens.  Chocolate covered coffee beans come out of no where and the dryness subsides.  Some sweet malty notes which make me think of perfect toast, all dark brown and brittle.  This definitely tastes old but it hasn't gone senile yet.  

Finish:  Long lingering notes of Licorice, a lightly perfumed vintage white wine, tobacco and that toast again, slavered in dark, thick cut marmalade, with a sprinkling of Cinnamon.  The time is now 12.30pm  and I shall clearly have to nip to the kitchen for some of the above!!

Overall: Apparently this is one of the oldest bottlings the Society has done. It shows, but certainly doesn't disappoint at all.  Another example of what you'd hope for from an old whisky- I bet, given a long cold January evening, that this will have a long and winding story to tell. 

Next up:  a new year- but does this have the necessary 'spring' in its step to impress?

S.M.W.S - 27.71 -Hospital wards and Treacle Toffee - 11 years old- 59.4% abv- 221 bottles

Nose: Powerful with a Capital P! Earthy, mossy and dank, these are unmistakable aromas from this South-Westerly Distillery. Blackened baked apples covered in even darker toffee (the name is pretty damn accurate here!) whiffs of cocoa too.  A brooding storm in a glass.  

Palate:  Definite notes of bandages, then a burst of sweetness, creamy highland fudge, condensed milk and then back to the antiseptic sharpness.  Mixes wonderfully well.  With a little water, more of the creamy notes come through, like a milky coffee.  

Finish:  Oh, this is the dram that doesn't like being woken up! more of that brooding thickness, developing into the rich, flavoursome toffee.  It actually tastes grumpy, but the more it wakes up, the sweeter it gets.  Probably like us all on a cold wet Monday morning.   

Overall:  I have a huge soft spot for this distillery and this is a really cracking youngster from its fold.  You have to love it, despite all its bad tempered protestations!

 

SMWS November Nosings...

Well, the clocks have gone back and you know it's that time to stick the heating on and start stashing some cash away for Christmas- it always has a nasty habit of creeping up on you, requiring unfounded last minute panic spending! Anyway, to keep this brief, the nice people at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society have sent us 4 of their new November releases for our delectation and delight. Back in July we featured a pair of fine bottlings- a Littlemill and a Mannochmore, which have no doubt totally sold out now. The next lot of bottlings are in equally short supply, so certainly won't be hanging around for long...perfect for that early christmas present perhaps??

33.72 Mellow Treat - Age: 10 Years - 57.2% Cask: First Fill Barrel - Distilled May 1998 - 255 Bottles

Nose: There is no pretence about which distillery this comes from. One whiff and you know where you stand: On a grassy knoll over looking Port Ellen...
A deep nosing finds a huge peat hit mixed with plenty of sweet saltiness with hint of heather. A lot more vanilla essence in this nose than on previous 10's from this famous distillery.

Palate: Sherbet, Champagne and smoke (like a good music industry party...!). This is the sweetest Kildalton area whisky I have ever had. The First fill nature of it shines through.

Finish: The sweetness lingers like saccharine in the mouth. There are touches of black cherry jam and over ripe plums.

Overall: A solid expression which is very, very sweet at the end of the palate and in the finish. Needs water which dulls the overall sweetness and enhances the fruits.

125.17 Indulgent Sofa Treat- Age: 12 Years - 57.8% - Cask: Second Fill Hogshead - Distilled August 1996 - 242 Bottles

Nose: Salt is the first thing to hit your nostrils with this whisky, from the 2nd most northerly distillery in Scotland. There is a real youthfulness in the spirit which belies the 12 year old age of this dram. Some green apples and water melon 'jelly belly' jelly beans are present and the longer it spends in the glass, the better this nose gets. Pour a dram BEFORE going to work and let this sit in the air until work is over for the day. Then you will get the full benefit of the rich, flowery aromas in the glass.

Palate: The sweetness of the water melon and the green apples of the nose come to life on the palate. There is also rich summer fruit pudding with red berries of all types stewed together in hearty juiciness. This is really tasty!

Finish: A hint of red chillies and the fruit just slides away gently into the back ground, with the fire of the alcohol content leaving a long ending to an enjoyable dram.

Overall: An excellently fruity dram which we found to be really, really tasty. With water, the nose and the palate are not quite what they were, but the finish is a little more subtle with the fruity flavours lasting like a yummy boiled sweet.

26.27 An Absolute Cracker!- Age: 25 Years - 55.8%- Cask: Refill Hogshead - Distilled May 1983 - 177 Bottles

Nose: A quick swirl of the glass and suddenly we're in familiar territory. This dram is from the second most northerly mainland Distillery. An initial hit of beeswax leads you into diced apples with a squeeze of lemon, golden syrup sponge cake with a dusting of cinnamon. Its so creamy, yet fresh and zesty you just can't wait to dive in for the first mouthful.

Palate: An excellent rich mouth feel immediately leads to a real sweetness- it's like biting into a toffee apple on bonfire night, sweet brittle caramel with crisp, juicy fruit on the inside, again with the presence of the cinnamon. slightly honeyed notes come through and a little more zesty lemon, but the whole package sits together so well in the mouth. Great stuff.

Finish: Like the dying embers of a fire, this really fades out gracefully over time, with real chocolate fudge notes and a zingy ginger spiciness coming through on the death.

Overall: As the name suggests- this is an absolute cracker, hardly surprising when you consider the heritage of the distillery its from. So much more refined than some of its younger brothers and very unique. Something tells us that the 177 bottles are already being greedily eyed up...

29.73 BFD (Big Friendly Dram) - Age: 11 Years - 58.6% - cask Refill Hogshead - Distilled October 1996 - 295 Bottles

Nose: Rather like 33.72, there's no mistaking this when you get your nose in there, but it's all done in a very subtle way, gentle peat, iodine, cream soda and vanilla all compete for your attention against some slight hints of oily creosote- not as obvious as its younger, more well known brother but certainly as pleasing.

Palate: Whilst the nose is slightly delicate and sophisticated, like the local vicar, the heart is a grimy engine driver, all expletives and firey passion! More grit and grime fill the mouth, in the best possible way, then comes the sweet fudge and baked apple, and barbeque sauce which is not expected.

Finish: More sweetness and Manuka honey make this a very odd dram indeed, but a very very good one, nonetheless!

Overall: The 4th in a line of cracking drams from the SMWS. as with the others, don't expect them to be around for too long though- you'll be sorely disappointed...

1966. What happened then? Something great. And it wasn't football related!

Back in the day when the proprietors were Bulloch Lade & Co, before the distillery was closed in 1972 and rebuilt again (re-opening in 1974), this Caol Ila arrived on earth. After 17 years of knocking about in a cask, watching on as its parent was swallowed up into major drinks company after major drinks company, it was eventually bottled by Cadenheads and sent out on to the mean streets of the 1980's. A time when distilleries were closing down at an alarming rate and when blends were all that mattered. Let's see how this mid-1980's release fairs in todays palate:

Caol Ila - 17 YO -Cadenheads Bottling - Distilled Feb 1966 - Bottled Oct 1983 - 46% Vol - 70cl

N- Big hit of peat. This is unmistakably Caol Ila. I was given some and not told what it was, but the pre-face lift personality of this distillery still shines though in the nose (unlike human face lifts!). However, there is much more to this than the modern day Caol Ila. There are tinned pineapples in syrup, a touch of mango. Stuff you would expect from those good Bowmores. You know, the really expensive ones they do now-a-days! Personal to me, or any other Norskmen reading: there is a real smell of my Morfar's boat house in Norway, (up in Hodneland on the Western Coast of Norway just North West of Bergen). All tar, wood and leather constantly drying and encrusted with salt. A touch of dry fish (cod). Really well layered and lovely to nose.

P- On the palate you get a sharp hit of smoke followed by damp shammy leather, a slight bitterness. Vanilla creme. A light palate and not as salty as I expected from the nose.

F- The palate moves into coffee and dark chocco. Medium in length with enough legs left after all these years to warm your heart and leave you glowing.

O- This is a whisky from a different era. Production methods may be "better" and more refined, but there is something about this era of drams that, I'm sure not as well produced from a scientific point of view, retains character. Bags of character. Like in old films when people are driving cars. The special effects are not as good, but the acting can be out of this world.

Get Time Team on the phone!!...

Here at Caskstrength, we're all in favour of 'sinking the odd dram' now and again, but recently, we came across a fascinating story which literally redefines the phrase. Glenfiddich, whose splendid 1977 Vintage Reserve was reviewed a few posts ago have taken the maturation process to a different level and -in conjunction with a Canadian based artist, are attempting to create the worlds oldest single malt whisky. Sounds straight forward. But when you consider the methods involved, it gets stranger by the second.

The project, entitled ‘A Drink To Us (When We’re Both Dead)' by Glenfiddich Artist in Residence, Dave Dyment, sees a 500L cask of newly distilled spirit entombed under the floor of warehouse number eight at the distillery. The cask will not be uncovered and emptied until 2108.
Many people out there will view this as either a crazy marketing-based stunt, or genuine artistry - we're probably somewhere in between, but the idea of burying a cask, to be untouched for a century is certainly a really intriguing and beguiling idea. 2 questions immediately spring to mind:

1. What will happen to the cask, when consigned to its chilly grave?

Well, one suspects that the angels will have a devil of a job getting their share, unless they bring pick axes and shovels. It is hoped the unusual method of maturation with its cold, damp conditions will overcome the difficulties in aging the cask for such a long time.

2. Who's going to be around to sample it, once it's exhumed, bottled and become the stuff of legend?

Well, we'll certainly offer to feature the first 'official tasting notes' at Caskstrength.net but clearly by then, our livers will have no doubt, become a highly sought after single malt- infused Foie Gras-style pate. (that's their intended designation anyway ;-{p )
The artist behind the burial, Dave Dyment, says his angle here is not just the relationship between himself and the eventual buyer of the cask, but also the buyer’s relationship with the person it is passed on to. "The maturation period ensures that the buyer will never drink the spirit, but must pass it on as a gift. The recipients will also likely also have to part with the work. In all likelihood, it will pass through three generations of hands before it is enjoyed".

One thing does remain clear- until it's cracked open, no one has any idea of what the cask will actually taste like.

Cryogenics anyone??

For more info on this, and the Glenfiddich artist in residence programme, visit
http://uk.glenfiddich.com/distillery/artists-in-residence/index.html.

Great Scot! 2 Lags!!

New idea over at Caskstrength... whenever any slightly odd, unusual or rare bottlings come across our paths, we will stick up a few pictures here. Anyone with more information is free to contribute so we can fill in the gaps, so to speak!

Anyway, to kick off, great things often come in pairs- think about John Prescott's legendary '2 Jags'. Here's a pair of fairly unusual Lagavulins for you. 

I recently purchased these out of curiosity and am very keen to get more info about both releases. 

 

OB Lagavulin 12 YO- distilled in 1995 - matured in European Oak-Ltd bottling for Friends of Classic Malts. Bottle no: 09865 -  48%  - 70cl

There was a small debate about this bottling over on Whisky Mag's forum recently, but it still seems unclear how many were made available and what the markets were. This was bought from a German dealer and we're led to believe that it has only been released across mainland Europe. Judging by the bottle number, we'd imagine there's around 10,000 in circulation but we have yet to see any in the UK.  can anyone shed more light on the bottling?? Tasting notes to come.

Taste Still- Vanilla Peat OB- single cask- Distilled 1994- Bottled 2007- No. 1 of a ltd edition of 223 bottles- 56.8% -70cl

This was also recently picked up from a German dealer.  Although technically not labelled as a Laga, there's enough info from the dealer to confirm the contents, although very little on the internet as to the identity of the bottler.  We'd be really interested to receive any info you may have on this bottling, or on Taste Still.  There is a review on Whiskyfun which has helped massively, so thanks to Serge- but does anyone else out there own one, or have tasting notes or more information?

A real question of taste.

Following on from our last post and the weather related theme continues... the sun is back with us (hurrah!) and we're parched, looking for a couple of summer crackers to get stuck into. Low and behold, an anonymous looking parcel drops onto the mat this morning and.... our prayers are answered! 2 brand new samples from the summer range of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society have arrived. Time to assemble our newly purchased garden table and chair set and catch some rays...

What really impresses me about the SMWS is their ethos towards the pure enjoyment of just whisky and nothing else. As many of you are probably aware, there’s little clue to which distillery you’re trying, other than a few well placed pointers to region, cask type and- if you’re really lucky, locality. This can only be a good thing to enhance your appreciation of different styles and essentially hone your nosing ability and palate.
First up, it’s the rather sweetly titled 97-11 ‘Honey Harmony’. All we know is that this is definitely a Lowland, so here’s hoping for a perfectly balanced start.

97-11 'Honey Harmony' Age 18 yo- 56%abv - 233 bottles

Nose: Fresh bourbon, vanilla, candied fruit and creamy chocolate.  I really had this down as a Rosebank on first nosing but the more you keep going, other notes like ripe banana and light heather notes also come through.  

Palate: Rich fruitiness with more of that heather, then there's almost a touch of coconut ice cream sundae, you're left with a nuttiness of crushed hazelnuts and almonds further in.

Finish: Definite notes of fragrant perfume with pears and apples on the very death. Also a slight saltiness coming thru, which lingers for a while.

Overall:  This definitely shares that light and fragrant fruitiness of a Rosebank, but there perhaps isn't as much depth as some which we tasted recently. It has it's own qualities though- the cracking sweetness and nuts on the palate make this a really great summery dram. Fortunately, our sample bottles are of a nice size and an extra dram is swiftly extracted, just in time catch the last bit of sun before South London once again clouds over. So as they often say - 'a little certainly goes a long way'!  

Next up is 64-15 'Waxing Lyrical' - which is something I tend to do after one too many great drams. (cue Caskstrength's 'Verbose Editor' to 'maniacally watch over this one , with one hand hovering on the delete key!) We're told that this is a Speyside whisky, from the Lossie area.

64-15 'Waxing Lyrical' - Age 15 yo - 57.1% abv - 288 bottles

Nose: Sweetness, rum notes, hints of smoke, candied fruit, candle wax and cedarwood.  So far, everything in its right place, really refreshing in character and delicate. Nothing jumps out too far. With a dash of water, you get more creamy toffee hints through here too, rounding the whole lot off very nicely.

Palate:  Wow, didn't expect that!! Licorice, menthol and lots of star anise coat the tongue like nothing i've had for a while. A real wake up call!  After a while, ginger and green herb notes come through, with more parsley if you add water.  A very different experience from what I was perhaps expecting, but really good and refreshing!

Finish: Sweetness and fudge like qualities come through after a while with orange zest and more of that candle wax.  Definitely a lot of depth to this dram, again longer than I had anticipated.

Overall:  This is certainly a distillery that I am very unfamiliar with - my palate has experienced surprise for the first time in a while which can only be a very good thing.  Another cracking dram...

In this day and age of marketing strategy, mass roll outs and heavyweight branding, it's easy to overlook certain distilleries or buy into something because you're 'told to' by the creative jargon on the packaging or flash website. With whiskies as good as these, you simply don't need to; your nose, palate and imagination do all the work- and that is to be applauded.