Merry Christmas from Springbank. In August! : Spirit Of Freedom 30 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky

It is yet another Friday on the global procession towards Christmas. For those of you who work in or around retail, you’ll be aware that around this time business start to propose their Xmas line ups to the world, in preparation for those magazines who need a good long run up at events such as this.

Thankfully, running a website means that we don’t have to write about anything until the very last moment it is required- but our other print outlets in the media, such as magazines and books, do require a fair amount of notice, so it is nice to see the odd email popping into our inbox with a nod in the direction to how we can help you spend your gifting pounds in December and I’m sure you’ll hear more about those from us, on here (and other places) when the chill reality sets in and the snow begins to fall.

However, in with some of the more Christmas-facing press releases and emails, there are often ones about products which have suddenly, without warning, appeared on a shelf somewhere. Traditionally a silly season for news (of all kinds- John Lennon 40 Year Old Scotch whisky anyone?!) it can often be hard to pick out the good from the bad, or the good from the mad.

Here at Caskstrength.net we do receive press samples for review, sometimes for this site, sometime for books we are writing, or contributing to, and sometimes for articles we may be writing elsewhere or discussions we might be involve in. And of course we also buy booze- lots of it. A fair amount of brandy, gin, absinthe, rum, aquavit and other great potables were purchased as research (yes, research...) for our forthcoming book, but nothing gets us more excited, our wallets out faster, than an exciting new whisky purchase.

And last week that is exactly what happened, when I heard about a new release from J & A Mitchell, the chaps behind Springbank Distillery and Wm Cadenheads, when they announced a very limited edition (2014 bottles) 30 Year Old blended Scotch whisky.

All apparently exactly 30 years old (so all from 1984) and constructed from 75% malt and 25% grain, the chaps down in Campbeltown are known for having some exceptional old casks hidden away. So, what price on this 30 year old Scotch... just £75. Yeah, £75.

Spirit of Freedom – 30 Years Old - Blended Scotch Whisky – 2014 bottles only - 46% abv – 70cl - £72.95 here and £74.20 here

Nose: A strong vanilla and fennel note rises with a butter back bone and just a delicate hint of smoke. Walnuts and honey mix well, to give some sandlewood. Peaches and green apple too and a hint of pine. Sea salt. This smells like a blend of old- those great value ones from the 1970’s and 1980’s you can pick up for such great value at auction sites nowadays.

Palate:  Very, very drinkable at its bottled strength, it sits on the palate with a good dollop of oil and pineapple juice. A hint of coal dust in the background, gives a great foundation to tropical fruits and big butterscotch from the grain. A classic blend.

Finish: Oddly, probably the best bit (quite a feat given the nose and palate) with juicy fruit tropical chewing gum, more pineapple, honey, syrup and cinnamon spices with just a hint of that coal dust again.

Overall: For £75 you just can’t go wrong. Not at all.

At this price, you can drink this neat by the fireside, in preparation for Christmas, or you can run headlong in the opposite direction and, while there is still some sunshine left in the sky, dodge the gathering clouds, head out to your garden and drink this in a simply stunning highball.

“What, with a 30 year old blended Scotch whisky?” I hear you cry?!

Yup. With a 30 year old blended Scotch whisky. Happy Christmas!

Cinematic: The General Compass Box Blended Scotch Whisky

New technology is, in general always fun to purchase and play with. Rarely have I found myself buying a piece of new technology that is truly essential; how often does one really need a new camera, tablet computer or, indeed, TV.

However, this last month has seen two piece of, erm, essential technology arrive at Chez Harrison. The first really is an essential: after an inspection on a very aging boiler in my new house, it was deemed by people in the know, who wear proper stout work clothes and carry actual tools, including a real gas-safety monitor, that my current boiler was a silent assassin; not the stylish sort you’d read about in a Nordic noir novel, but a clunky, British elderly sort who was capable of accidently pulling off the perfect crime. Less Stieg Larsson, more Tales of the Unexpected.

Now, I’m not sure many of you would think of a simple boiler, the heartbeat of a house, as a piece of technology. That is, until you see these modern-sorts which one can now purchase. My new boiler comes with a digital remote control, meaning you basically have a thermostat in whichever room you choose to inhabit of an evening. Some of the posher versions even come with an app to allow you to switch the heating and hot water on and off, from your mobile phone or tablet. I know, I know... this is the future, right??

The second piece of new technology which I’ve picked up, is a TV. I think most people would say that a TV isn’t an essential piece in the jigsaw of life but it has managed to ensconce itself firmly into the fabric of our culture and play a major role in our free time.

Buying a TV these days is not as simple as it used to be. 20 years ago, it was simply about size: how big do you want it. And if you want a really big TV, you’ll have to put up with something the size of a small car, parked in the corner of your living room.

In the 21st century, in the telly showrooms of the world, questions arise such as the refresh rate speed; LCD vs LED; 3D capability; do you want a ‘smart TV’ (I take it that means it has been to University for three years and can hold its own at a middle class dinner party...) and so on.

Some of these technological leaps, such as HD and the skinny nature of many of today’s screens are a vast improvement on the technology from previous years. But no matter how many aspects of technology we throw at the small screen, television is simply not the experience that cinema delivers.

Cinema is something else; the big screen, the huge surround sound, the comfy chairs, the sticky floors... it all adds up to an experience which we know and love.

There is something comforting about the cinema, but (it seems to me anyway) that, save for 3D films, the vast leaps forward in technology which we have seen in the world of TV, haven’t quite been applicable in the cinema, with the ‘experience’ relying far more on just that: experience. Visiting the cinema doesn’t seem to feel any different for me now, as it did when I was 12. It is still exciting, visceral and, to some degree (and compared to modern telly), old fashioned. But ultimately, very comforting indeed.

It is this comforting quality of being old-fashioned, antique if you like, which really sets apart the whisky in this post.

Constructed from a complicated mix of two parcels of pre-blended stock, which was allowed to mature for a very long time (33 years and, apparently 40 years) before the good people at Compass Box discovered them and decided that bringing them together into one single, uber-blend was a good idea.

And indeed it was:

The General – Compass Box – Blended Scotch Whisky – NAS – 53.4% abv - 70cl - ~£200 here and here

Nose: A very big, rich nose which brings to mind the age-old tasting note of deeply polished wood, sandalwood, toffee, oak and freshly baked wholemeal bread.

Palate: A strong palate which gives meaty notes, ginger, pulled pork and BBC burnt-ends. A hint of fruity lime is overpowered by candied orange and Ryvita. With water, the orange turns to orange blossom and lighter, white flowers (Lilly) emerge. The robustness is lost but replaced by a lovely floral delicacy, with the grain element becoming more lively.

Finish: Orange creams and banoffee pie. Again, with water, much more delicate but an increased spice on the finish.

Overall: this is a very interesting whisky, full of flavour and very old style, well aged malt and grain. The flavours of all the old-skool are there, and very comforting they are indeed.

Technology? Na, thanks. I’m off to the cinema for the sights, sounds and the smells which I hope never change as I carry on the journey into middle and old age.

The Battle of the Scotch: Lidl vs Aldi

Ahhh... we're bombarded with Christmas adverts at this time of year, trying to sell us everything from shaving products through to the ubiquitous seasonal canapés.

But instead of choosing just one supermarket and nailing your colours to the mast, these days the power is in the hands of the (mobile) shopper.

Having lauded the whisky selection currently available in Waitrose, with 'big name' brands such as Highland Park and The Balvenie at "prices you'd be made to ignore" (picture Saul Goodman-esque advert with giant neon stars flying into view) there are, of course, alternatives... if you're prepared to take a wee gamble.

Of course, with the Scotch Whisky Regulations keeping a tight hold on what can (and cannot) be labelled as ‘Scotch’, it’s not so much of a gamble when buying a bottle with those six letter on; certainly not as much of a gamble as buying a ‘meat pie’ at a lower league football ground. Ahhh... the Saturday ritual of the mystery meat pie. Like Russian roulette with meat and pastry.

So, where can you spend your chips in this casino of flavour, this saloon of Scotch? Well, as you would expect with Waitrose, you’ll get a brand name. But at Lidl and Aldi you’ll hear the call “Gentlemen, place your bets!”

These two cut price supermarkets have, over the past few years, engaged in something of a price war on Scotch and this Christmas, Aldi have taken the bold step of selling a 30 Year Old blended whisky under the title Glen Orrin. Well priced at £54.99, how does it taste?

Glen Orrin – 30 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky – 40% abv – 70cl - £54.99 at Aldi

Nose: A hint of smoke is backed with juicy fruit chewing gum, runny honey and figs. It gives a well balanced and tempting aroma, over time developing into travel sweets, milk cholcate and malted milk biscuits.

Palate: Delicate and easy drinking, it would be nice if this were at a little higher strength as it is a touch watery on the palate, although this would mean fewer bottles and a reduced opportunity for the punter to buy (as well as more money in Her Madge’s pocket from revenue). It is a very easy drink and this has been well constructed with some good old Scotch whiskies in the mix. Honey and vanilla would be the key touchstones here.

Finish: More vanilla, with a touch of dream topping and some smoke.

Overall: Yes, a very good whisky for the money. I’d wager that you’d be better off with two bottles of HP12 from Waitrose, however for the money.

At the other end of the scale, a trip down to Lidl to pick up some of their excellent red wine to sup over the Christmas period found me purchasing a bottle of their Abrachan NAS triple matured blended malt Scotch whisky. Matured in ex-Bourbon, Sherry and Tawny Port pipes, coming in at just £17 it was always going to find its way into my trolley. So, let’s find out if a NAS at £17 blended malt can compete with a sub-£55 30 year old blend...

Abrachan – Triple Matured Blended Malt – 42% abv - 70cl - £17.99 at Lidl

Nose: Well, this isn’t old. It gives spirit, caramel and some flapjack notes. The port sits at the front of the aromas while the vanilla is there, if not a little lost, sandwiched by the sherry on the bottom end. Not the worst blend I’ve ever nosed- far from it... it is a lower, entry level blended malt but for £17 what did I expect from the nose? For the money, it does a very good job indeed.

Palate: A big flavour of malty goodness, this is polar opposite of the smoky beast from Aldi. The sherry and port flavours take the driving seat, fighting a little but after time they calm down, to make way for the spice and vanilla from the bourbon casks. Well balanced? Not quite. Complex? Yes. £17? So far, so good.

Finish: Spices, cardamom, a hint of Bovril meatiness, but that is no bad thing for a NAS whisky as it gives it body and counterbalances the spirit notes of the nose.

Overall: At £17, you can’t go wrong. Far from the greatest whisky on earth, it certainly represents value for money. Where else can you pick up a blended malt for £17 these days?

So there you have it. One good whisky at 30 years old and one excellent whisky for £17 (please consider that statement in conjunction with its price point). In a league table, I’d still take the brand names at Waitrose over the gambles at Aldi and Lidl, but if your wallet has less than £20 in it, then a bottle of the Lidl blend will see you nicely through to the New Year. But if you can afford it, follow Heston to your local Waitrose.

Cargo-ago-go

Howdy! Apologies for our apparent absence for the last week, but clearly B.B.F or ('Breaking Bad Fever') has taken over the Caskstrength office and we simply couldn't do anything else in the meantime in the run up to the grand finale...  

In fact, now it's all over, a light seems to have gone out in our world... Fortunately soon to be filled by the announcement of our very exciting new whisky release in the A-Z Caskstrength & Carry On series.   

Think 'D'... 

Think 3D...

Then be afraid... Be very afraid. Stay tuned to www.3DWhisky.com for more updates and announcements and remember: 

7/11/13 is 3D Day... @3DWhisky

But back to business. September has proven to be a terrific month for whisky events and new releases and fortunately, we've been hanging around a few of them (Breaking Bad permitting)

First up was the wonderful Cutty Sark Cargo event on the 12th September, held in Shoreditch, an area hipper and a Hip Hop Hippo in expensive sneakers and a chunky gold chain.   

Cutty Cargo was the first of its kind and a breakthrough moment for this highly regarded blended whisky;  Build a giant cargo crate in a cool location, fill it with very cool stuff: soulful dance artist Jessie Ware, DJ Duke Dumont, performance theatre, a secret speakeasy room guarded by a spiv, cocktails from 69 Colebrooke Row, a burlesque show and sliders, courtesy of hip London restaurant Meat Liquor.  

Oh, all this and 200 happy people, lashings of Cutty Sark over ice and mixers, shots with craft beers and suddenly, you have a blended whisky that's playing in a very different space to most others.  

Cutty has never professed to follow the pack and resort to Scottish traditions, heather and weather and a lingering walk from a lone piper. It was innovative, groundbreaking and contemporary back in 1923 and in its current guise, is still by far the best at breaking down the barriers to blended Scotch whisky that exist in the minds of younger people, which are easily pole vaulted by the white spirits category... 

Cutty Cargo was a test event and we hope to see this coming to many other cities globally in future.  The future's bright. The future's yellow and ship-shaped. 

Last week saw another pivotal moment in the rise of single potstill Irish whiskey, with the release of Redbreast 21 year old, the oldest expression in the Redbreast family and certainly the whiskey that puts aged Irish whiskey firmly in the hearts and minds of those who have criminally overlooked the spirit. 

The 21 year old is the 9th edition to the Single Pot Still range that Irish Distillers have created (which includes, Green and Yellow Spots, Powers John's Lane and Barry Crockett Legacy) and we were lucky enough to be hosted by master blender for Irish Distillers Billy Leighton, who demonstrated the considerable delights of the new whiskey next to the 12 year old and classic 15 year old. The 21 year old is again a mixture of malted and unmated barley, matured in both American oak and first fill oloroso sherry casks.  

Redbreast - 21 year Old -  46% 

Nose: Stupendously fruity on the first nosing, with notes of fresh vanilla, mango, passion fruit, kiwi, ripe bananas and coconut. Dig a little deeper and you'll find some drier spices, some subtle oak tones and a richer, darker caramel.  

Palate: The fruit and vanilla dominate here, with the tropical notes from above leading a trio of orchard fruits (plums, green apples and wine stewed conference pear)  The mouthfeel is fat and buttery, with a superb golden syrup note coating the tongue, before the woody spice of clove and cinnamon get their wicked way with you.

Finish: Lingering and dry, with lighter fruit notes on the death.

Overall: We've featured Irish whiskey a lot over the last month, with the Midleton Housewarming event, a truly terrific Teeling Silver Series 21 year old (which has more fruit than Carmen Miranda's head dress) and this just adds to the tally of greatness coming from the emerald isle.  

Competition Time: Win A Pair Of Tickets to Jam & Dram 19th May

With a wonderful weekend of relaxing in the garden under our belts (with lashings of Bains Cape Mountain Whisky and ice) the weather shows no sign of abating today either, so whilst we're in a good mood, we've decided to give away TWO pairs of tickets (that's two lucky winners, innit) for the splendid whisky event Jam & Dram on Sunday 19th May run by our friends at The Whisky Lounge. Caskstrength will be compering the day, alongside hosting a series of blending workshops.  

On top of this, you'll also get chance to see Neil's brand new band, Prince Adewale & The Endeavours rockin' the Casbah with their debut gig, The Whisky Lounge Blues Band (featuring none other than The Whisky Lounge's Eddie Ludlow) and an unmissable, all-star performance from a beat combo, The Copper Dogs featuring our good friends and whisky cohorts: Sam Simmons (aka Dr Whisky), Cat Spencer from Master Of Malt, Whisky Magazine's Editor, Rob Allanson and Simon Roser from Simply Whisky. What's not to like about that!

To win a pair of tickets worth £50, all you need to do is email us at info@Caskstrength.net with your name, location, contact details and age. Entry for the competition closes at 12pm on the 13th May.  Please note that you'll need to make your own way to the event at London's Village Underground in Shoreditch, so if you're planning to enter from overseas, don't expect a pair of complimentary airline tickets too... ;-)

We'll be choosing the winning two entries at random on the 15th May.  

Good luck!

Neil & Joel x

A Bloody Brilliant Whisky Event... Jam & Dram

Hello there folks, we trust you are in fine form, now we've had a spot of decent weather.  Here at Caskstrength Heights we've gone from suffering the chilly months next to an asthmatic fan heater, to Joel purchasing a brand new pair of 'OFFICE SHORTS', specifically to wear at his desk during the warmer spells. That's dedication.

Anyway, putting our minor weather news aside, we bring you much more exciting news of a sensational whisky and music event, thunk up by those smart people at The Whisky Lounge and featuring Joel and I as your guides and comperes for the day.

The Jam & Dram (AKA The Great Whisky & Music Experiment) is scheduled to be held here in London on the Sunday 19th May at Shoreditch's effortlessly cool Village Underground.
Starting at 12pm and running until 5pm the day will explore the concept of blended whisky and just how bloody great the art of blending whisky really is.

To this end, Caskstrength will be attempting something rather unusual: deconstructing a blended whisky live on stage using the medium of an assembled group of musicians.  Each player will represent a different aspect of the whisky and will (hopefully) demonstrate just how harmonious a brilliantly put together blends can be.  You will of course be asked to join in with the chorus...

Alongside this introduction,  the day will be filled with blending masterclasses, where you can have a go at blending your own whisky (which you get to take home) as well as three, all-star whisky industry bands performing (which may include a performance from someone located close by...)

We'll also be running competitions and giving you the chance to sample plenty of blends along the way too.

What's not to like about this, eh!  But that's not all. In addition to all this, you can browse around the assembled whisky stands and take in some of the very best drams the business has to offer. Kaboom...

Tickets for this day long event are just £25 each and include the following:

• 1 x Glencairn nosing glass

• 1 x Bottle of water

• All your whiskies sampled throughout the day

• A mini of the blend represented on the day (TBC)

 To book, simply click on the link here, or visit:

http://www.thewhiskylounge.com/book-now-whisky-festivals/london-jam-dram-2013-12-pm/

Hope to see you there folks!

Neil & Joel

This Ship Has Sailed. Our Limited Edition Cutty Sark Is Released

Ahoy there, mateys! After much to-ing and fro'ing from Port to Starboard we are delighted to let you know that our very own Cutty Sark blended whisky has set sail and is released TODAY!!!

Ship-shaped and bristol fashion... it's the
Caskstrength Cutty Sark

For those of you who don't know about our endeavours,  this special limited edition of Cutty Sark is bottling 'C' in our quest to release the A-Z of Whisky (after sell out releases from Arran and BenRiach)
The Cutty Sark we've blended under the watchful eye of Master Blender Kirsteen Campbell is the official release to coincide with the 90th anniversary of the blend, which started life in the Mayfair offices of Berry Bros & Rudd on the 21st March 1923.

We've blended just 500 bottles of this whisky, adhering to the classic Cutty house style of an easy drinking-yet-flavoursome blend. However, we've snuck in a little light smoke, alongside keeping the strength way up there - so much so that it is bottled at 51.4% or 90 UK proof in homage to the 90th anniversary. All bottles are hand signed by our good selves and the lovely Kirsteen.

The first 100 bottles sold will include a fantastic double sided screen printed tote bag (in Cutty yellow of course!) and a very special limited edition newspaper that we've had printed especially, with exclusive interviews, page three stunnas, cocktail recipes and all the usual chitter chatter you'd expect in a tabloid called The Daily Cargo.

The whisky will be available exclusively from Master Of Malt priced at £34.95...  Click here to buy or follow the link: http://www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies/cutty-sark/caskstrength-and-carry-on-whisky/

Happy sailing folks and happy birthday Cutty Sark...

Stormin' Stuff

Fish. A man who knows his knitware
as well as his weather. 

Storms eh.

Here in the UK we get our fair share of them.  From the notorious 'four seasons in a day' that complete the Islay experience, to a great summer's day out ruined by watching a rain soaked cricket pitch from the back seat of a fogged up Austin Maxi. As a nation, we're absolutely hopeless at preparing for or reacting to bad weather situations.

Consider the biggest and most blinding weather cock up in the BBC's living memory.  The great Michael Fish, weatherman and pin-up to millions of beige-clad ladies of a certain age, casually poo-pooed the notion that a concerned caller from Wales might be able to correctly predict a hurricane was about to hit the UK and that we should all prepare for the worst.  The immortal words  'don't worry, there isn't' will probably make their way onto Fish's gravestone, as his flippant remark was of course the start of probably the worst British storm in over 100 years.  On October 15th 1987, millions of pounds worth of damage was caused when the said hurricane tore Britain a new a***hole, killing 18 people in the process.

25 years on and this monumental blooper is still part of the British psyche and even made its way into the opening ceremony of the Olympics, sealing Fish in some sort of crazy, imfamous-yet-guilt-laden time bubble for the rest of his life.

So when two sample bottles arrived on my desk late last week, I was a little perplexed.  Both bottles were labelled 'Storm', but both were apparently completely different whiskies. One of them was a brand new blend from legendary whisky makers Cutty Sark and the other was the brand new, hotly anticipated release from Talisker.

For a second, I saw the words 'lawsuit' flash before my eyes, but then, thinking back about how hard it had been for the Fishmeister to predict the coming of his nemesis storm given all his credentials, I felt slightly more comfortable with the naming issue.  You see, rather like the UK weather, here we have two very unique types of Storm.

Let's consider the new Cutty blend first.  Cutty Sark Storm hasn't stepped a million miles away from the light, refreshing accessibility of the Original blend, but has a proportion of older single malts thrown into the mix to give a darker side to the whisky.  Tropical storm, or full-on shipwreck stuff? Let's find out...

Cutty Sark - Storm -  40%

Nose: Some exceptionally well balanced spiced notes mingle with robust liquorice, a big wad of sherry soaked tweed, plenty of lighter orchard fruit (apples and ripe plums) and a waft of vanilla.  

Palate: Lingering notes of overripe plum, vanilla, some star anise, oloroso sherry, an oaky dryness and creamy vanilla all vie for your attention.

Finish: The oak stays on the palate, but helps to deliver an additional last minute belt of dried spice. 

Overall: This excellent blend has all the hallmarks of Cutty Original but ratchets up the intensity a few notches.  It's bigger and a bit bolder than your average blend, but won't over complicate a classic drink like a whisky sour. In fact, we recently used Storm as part of an Indian food pairing, dashed with some bespoke bitters and the whole thing came together perfectly.  On the Storm'ometer -  this one is right up there.  

Next up and a distinctly chilly breeze has started to blow.

Somewhere in the background, a lone dog begins to howl, foreseeing what is about to hit.  The rusty weather vane on old McNabb's roof suddenly starts to twist around violently, screeching a tortured siren song to the storm gods.  Children playing hopscotch outside on a chalk-etched path look up to the skies as it bruises ove... oh...

Whatever, you get the bloody picture.  Yes.  Kaboom...Talisker Storm has arrived and its fanfare is the cacophonous rattle of thunder emanating from one's Glencairn.  

Talisker Storm doesn't carry an age statement and has been bought together from a variety of aged stock in both refill and rejuvenated casks, aiming to produce an altogether more brooding, powerful and intense whisky.  According to the press release it will sit somewhere between the 10 year old and the Distillers Edition expressions from a price perspective.  

Now seeing as I had a bottle of 10 year old open, I thought it prudent to see just where the new Storm sits. Producing a more powerful and intense Talisker is no easy feat, considering how massive a whisky the marvellous 10 year old is.  The answer is that both whiskies are completely different.  Talisker 10 year old does have a lighter burnt vanilla aroma on the nose and a slightly drier, more smoked bacon led note, with some baked apple and a lot of salty briny character.  Storm on the other hand....

Talisker - Storm -  45.8%

Nose:...Initially, you're in similar waters to the 10 year old.  Peppery, with a hint of smoked dried chipotle chilli, backed with some stewed prune/plum notes and then a big waft of morning-after bonfire embers.  Then it opens up, with a younger, more fiery note, lemon zest, backdropped with some additional spiciness, anise playing the major role. It's deeper, richer and dare I say it, more well-rounded than the 10 year old.  Not necessarily a bonus, considering how arrestingly brutal the 10 year old is but this is a far more interesting, thought provoking and complex a whisky.  

Palate: Given a few minutes to settle down this is stupendous stuff.  Fiery, hot, then rich and sweet, it has a surprisingly refreshing sweetness on the first sip with candied apple slices, vanilla custard and liquorice, before the palate gets bombarded with classic Talisker salty, hot chilli peat.  There's more of the burnt bonfire stuff the further you get in, but it's all contained with a richer fruitiness.  It has a greater viscosity in the mouth to the 10yo too, despite their identical strengths. 

Finish:  As the more ashy bonfire notes die away, you're left with lingering fruit, some drying oak and masses of woody spice, anise and liquorice.  

Overall:  Look.  Talisker 10 year old is one of THE all time, undisputed classic whiskies, so this new expression has heaps of pressure on its shoulders to perform at the same level, let alone pip it to the post.  But after two glasses of this (unusual for me in a tasting note situation) I have to say that this is an absolutely triumphant expression.  No, it isn't more 'intense', 'visceral', 'powerful', 'assertive' (or any other unnecessary adjective) than the 10 year old. It's DIFFERENT. If you will, the tropical storm to the 10 year old's desert storm.  Either way, on sheer whisky making skills, this will undoubtedly blow hurricane-sized holes in its other peaty opponents.  

Now... if only Mr Fish had been able to try a glass before his ill-fated prediction.  No way he'd have missed this storm coming.    

18 Under 30 Part 17: Compass Box Asyla

Will someone turn the (Christmas) lights off when they leave?  

It seems that now all of us have survived the so-called Mayan Apocalypse, festive relief has truly set in across the globe and most of us decided to skip off work today, in search of a few last Christmas bargains they can get their hands on before settling back into a week of pure indulgence.

That is certainly the case for the Caskstrength office anyway -  Harrison, decided to clock off last Friday (Bah, Humbug indeed)  and headed for Scotland (alright for some, eh) whilst I ably manned the phones and the company Visa card -  keenly perusing the internet for whisky porn bargains.

And as part of our ongoing 18 Under £30 series, I've sought out another cracker, this time from our pals at Compass Box.

John Glaser and his team have, for over a decade, been putting together some excellent blended whiskies, including sublime grains and essential malt-based bottlings - all under the maxim, 'Above All, Share & Enjoy', which is a sentiment we wholeheartedly second.




So if you fancy something a little bit different over Christmas, remember the versatility of a quality blend: straight up, over ice, with sparkling water or as part of a cocktail, bottlings like Great King Street (£23.99) and the richer, more complex Spice Tree (£37.32) will serve you very well indeed.  However, our 18 Under 30 wouldn't be complete without this little offer: Compass Box Asyla for under £30!

Compass Box - Asyla - Blended Scotch Whisky - 40% 70cl

Nose: Some seriously fruity notes of fresh orchard fruit (red apples, plums) wrestle with some distinct melon freshness, a blast of sweet grain and a waft of subtle smoke.  

Palate: Sweet at first, with plum jam, some sliced apple, sweetened breakfast cereal, vanilla notes and again just a wisp of smoke.  Balanced, yet bold enough to punch through in a long drink or cocktail.

Finish: Lingering notes of vanilla and a little liquorice/anise spice, alongside some malty bread.

Overall:  One of the core Compass Box range and easy to see why - Asyla is well blended, stupidly easy to drink and as we mentioned above, extremely versatile.   Blending at its best. 

Compass Box Asyla is available for under £30 here and here.

18 Under 30 Part 13: Drinks By The Dram (Not Optimum Spirits Blended Whisky)

In this series of our top picks for items under £30, we have looked at some excellent offerings which give you fantastic 'bang for your buck'. However, it can be a total minefield out there, and you have to be very careful when treading the boards at the lower end of the marketplace.

Okay, this is also true at the top end of the whisky world, too. But it seems to be a truism that at the higher end, you're much more likely to get a bottle of excellent booze than you are the bottom end of the scale. It's just that at the very high end, the big question tends to be around 'value for money', because if something has an extreme price tag attached, the key element is 'just how good is the hooch'?

Hopefully this selection of short posts will acts as some sort of a guide when it comes to the cheaper bottles around; your pillars of fire in the night and cloud in the day, to guide you to the best purchases in town. But on this one occasion, we're not just going to give you some advice on what to spend your 'hard earned' on, but also something to studiously avoid...

So our first DON'T EVEN GO THERE EVEN FOR UNDER £30 comes in the form of this hideous monstrosity:

"Optimum Spirits Blended Whisky"

Sitting comfortably on the shelf of my local Tesco store, in the Scotch Malt Whisky section, (you naughty, nautghy people, Tesco, you) the label doesn't mention the word 'Scotch' at all. In fact, one quick glance at the rear of this 'eco refill pack' shows it's actually from a Dutch distillery, the Toorank Distillery (I guess with a name like this, at least there's a modicum of honesty...) to be precise... which most certainly makes this NOT a Scotch whisky.

It's not often that we sing the praises of the Scotch Whisky Association (who can be seen to tie the creative hands of the whisky-making community in Scotland a little). However, it is situations such as this where you'd hope they'd flex some of the muscle of which they so often talk and at least have a word with Tesco to make sure this item is not simply stuck in the middle of the 'Scotch' bottles on the shelf. 

How about some sort of stickering to make the average consumer aware of the authenticity of the 'whisky' inside this pouch? And I've not even begun to describe the giant '14' on the front label. 14 Years Old? Nope, '14 servings of whisky inside'... I think Michael Caine put it perfectly, here, when it comes to this product.

In the interests of good journalism, I decided to purchase a packet for the princely sum of £8. Yes, that's £8 Shall we see what we get for our money:

Optimum Spirits Blended Whisky – 14 Servings – 30% abv - 35cl - £8

Nose: There are the typical notes of heavy grain whisky, with a huge amount of spirit and acetone. This whisky is YOUNG! As a result, some tinned peaches in syrup and a hint of fresh pine are about all you're going to get.

Palate: Ugh, this is simply one of the worst whiskies I've ever tasted. It's like a bad Frankie Boyle joke: bitter, horrible and leaves an awful taste in your mouth. It's like someone has tried to glue my mouth shut using a fixer made not from the whole of a horse, but just from the genitalia.

Finish: If I'm being polite: very young, spirit tones and a hint of bright banana. If I'm being honest: salty and synthetic... utterly awful.

Overview: “Dear Tesco: what the f- do you think you're playing at?! Seriously. With this stuff, I might have to get all Malcolm Tucker on your ass...”

So, what do you buy for your £8 which might be better than this total liquid let down, this purgatory in a pouch? 

Well, not a lot to be honest. 

Yesterday's £10-ish 20cl of Lagavulin 16 doesn't so much as play both Emperor and King over this Jester of an offering, but also plays God to something which tastes like Satan's house whisky from the bowels of hell.

But if £8 is your limit, your absolute maximum for a purchase, then head over to Master of Malt, who do their wonderful 'Drinks By The Dram' selection. Here, you may only get 10% of the size of the pouch above, but you won't feel like you've had Dutch squatters in your mouth, using your tongue for a mattress and your molars as toilets.

18 Under 30 Part 10: Johnnie Walker Spice Road

Ok then... continuing our odyssey into the reasonably priced tipples you should consider trying this Christmas, we bring you a new little ditty from the world of Travel Retail.  As more people head homewards this weekend for family festivities, the number of folks passing through our airports escalates - meaning that there's usually plenty of offers on and interesting drams to try at the friendly neighbourhood 'duty free' whisky retailers the other side of the security gates.

As we fly fairly regularly from either Gatwick or Heathrow airport, we're no strangers to the World Of Whiskies shop. In fact, as whisky retailers go, they're fairly hard to resist.  Last month we bought you news and tasting notes of a brand new peated Glenfiddich, which was released as a World Of Whiskies exclusive.  Next up, as part of our 18 Under 30, it seems that Johnnie Walker have entered the fray of Travel Retail exclusives with the launch of their new Spice Road blend.



Part one (The Explorers' Club Collection) of three different blends, Spice Road, has (unsurprisingly) aimed to draw together an altogether spicier blend, paying homage to the Walker family's travels across the globe, including the Spice Road of Europe and Asia, the Royal Route between Europe and Persia and the Gold Route of the Americas and the Caribbean.   Expect the latter two 'routes' to be released later next year, with varying price points. But for now, Spice Road is available here for £29.99 

Johnnie Walker - Spice Road - Blended Whisky - 40%  - 1 Litre

Nose: Classic Walker notes of waxy floral aromas, some furniture polish, swathes of smoke, but something altogether spicier. Dried mixed citrus peel, a hint of anise, a some cinnamon and a rich dark demerara sugar.  Inviting, rich and very seasonal. 

Palate:  The smoke is very pronounced and up front, with a burnt bonfire note mixing smoothly with a dry, oaky mouthfeel.  The anise, liquorice and cinnamon all present themselves alongside some tart green apple peel.   An extremely bold palate and perhaps one of the darkest, woodiest Walker blends we've tried.  

Finish:  Lingering sherry steeped oak, malt extract, charcoal/soot and dry cassia bark coat the palate.  Very lengthy indeed.

Overall: For a premium blend coming in under £30, this is almost certainly extremely good value, considering you get a litre for your money.  The balance is drier and richer than other Walker blends and as a result we can see this being ideally suited for sinking over ice next to a roaring open fire. And if it happens to snow wherever your are, even better...

Casks Of Glory

A few weeks ago, we bought you news of a brace of brand new Johnnie Walker bottlings which have now hit the shelves across the globe.  Gone now is the old style 18 year-old Centenary Gold Label (although retailers still have stocks available, so grab a bottle whilst you can) replaced by the un-aged Gold Label and the spanking new Platinum Label, which introduces the same age statement of 18 years to this differently formulated blend.   Both new releases fair extremely well in our opinion, especially the Platinum, which could very easily slake our thirst for the dearly departed Centenary edition (you'll be sorely missed...)  

Now it seems the Striding Man has been furiously pacing about again and rather than resting on his laurels, has been at it again with yet another new release -  this time an addition to the Blue Label family.

The Casks Edition is a duty free only release, hitting airports across Asia, Europe, South America, the Middle East and Australia.  Bottled at 55.8% the blend is another Jim Beveridge special, which aims to highlight a more powerful, robust nuances in whisky making that individual casks can bring to the party. Released in small batches (although we don't know of what size)  the price is not that far off the price of the regular Blue Label, ($300 for a litre bottle) so for those Blue Label fans with that hung-ho holiday spirit passing through a major airport, this looks like an attractive bottle to take to one's poolside retreat. 

So what is it like?  Where does it sit next to the new releases and indeed- the regular edition of Blue Label??

Not the official bottle shot

Johnnie Walker Blue Label - The Casks Edition - 55.8%

Nose: Ooh. Big, bold and quite mossy on the first nosing. Very spicy, with notes of garam masala, peppers, dried ginger, a hint of smoke (less than I expected), then moist fruit cake, with a vanilla cream butter icing. Given some long lingering wafts, notes of spiced apple come to the fore, alongside sponge fingers dipped in Oloroso sherry.  With water, white pepper and some toffee apple notes develop, alongside a weighty dry sherry.  As a JW, this is certainly a big meaty fellow, like the striding man has been in training for a forthcoming athletic spectacle perhaps? 

Palate: Undiluted, the palate is fiery and untamed at first, as one would expect with a cask strength whisky, but soon the heat dies away to reveal a gingery, spicy side, steeped in touches of classic JW golden syrup, sponge cake, cinnamon apple strudel and a touch of vanilla pipe tobacco.  With water, the stewed apple, golden syrup and spice (liquorice this time) develop.  As July days go, it's a bit nippy around the drinking halls of Caskstrength towers and this is working through from within to revivify me. 

Finish: Lingering dry spice notes, with just the faintest smoke and sweetness in cake form.

Overall: For fans of JW in general it won't come as a surprise that this whisky is exquisitely put together.  Less smoke than the Gold and Black Labels, with a heavier slant towards sherry casks,  whatever Mr Beveridge has to play with in his blending rooms is clearly superb and this JW edition just highlights why his understanding of the striding man is becoming almost like a 6th sense.  

Best of Blends

We've done quite a bit on caskstrength.net recently about blended whisky and the worldwide appeal of this section of the whisky market.

One of the biggest differences between the single malts that we all love and blended Scotch whisky, is the proliferation of brand names across the sector. Each and every blend is made to it's own unique recipe; a little of bit of this and a little bit of that means even just 1% difference between blends can lead to a change in flavour and therefore a new brand or expression within a series. And with over a hundred working malt distilleries and seven grain distilleries in Scotland alone, there are almost unlimited ways to construct a blend.

The result is that the world is awash with blended whisky. A quick search shows that respected online retailer, The WhiskyExchange, lists over 252 items in their ‘Blended Scotch Whisky’ section with the cheapest full bottle of Scotch down at £11.95 and the most expensive way up there with any good single malt at £150,000 for a bottle of Royal Salute 45 Year Old.

Now, there are plenty of blends that our UK-based readers will have heard of: Johnnie Walker, Bells, Teachers, Chivas Brothers but there are also a lot of blends which sell very well around the world, which you may not have heard of, or realised their value in specific areas of the globe. Dimple, Windsor and 100 Pipers are just a few examples of blends that sell well around the world, but you might not be fully aware of, if you live in the UK or certain parts of Europe. Black Dog, for example, sold around 1m bottles in India in 2009, more than the entire single malt category did in that year, but have you ever seen a bottle...? It is brands such as these who seemingly quietly (or not so in the case of a brands like J&B or White Horse) go about their business selling oddles of bottles and help to financially support the continued growth of the single malt sector. Note: Johnnie Walker is estimated to have sold 18 million 9 litre cases in 2011. That’s quite a lot of Scotch!

A lot of these blends just aren’t available in the UK market but are heavily promoted in the countries where they have taken a foothold over the past century (or however long they’ve been sold in that market), and so it was fantastic to sit down with Maureen Robinson, one of the Master Blenders at Diageo, to try some of their best selling blends which are either unavailable in the UK market, or are expressions which we would usually never really look at (eg. Bells).

The afternoon session was to encompass nine different Diageo blends from 6 different brands with the express purpose of nosing and tasting the blends to see how they differ and to look at the key flavour profile within each expression.

However, there are issues with approaching a blended whisky from a nosing / tasting angle, as you would a single malt. Many of the brands which sell so well around the world are not poured in to a nosing glass, with a drop of water added and savoured in the same way a premium single malt would be.

No, sir! 

Most are poured into a long glass or a small tumbler and missed with anything from green tea to coke to ginger ale, sometimes even dropped into pints of beer... each to their own, I guess. But if the sales of these products helps to keep the single malt market alive, then it has my full support and backing. When I worked at Island Records, every sale of a Sugababes or Mika album just helped us to have more money to release another PJ Harvey record or sign an Amy Winehouse... as such, I have only noted nose and palate on these blends.

We kicked off with a whisky which I have long wanted to try: Windsor. Mainly available in the Far East (Korea is the key market), Windsor was launched only back in 1996 and has a range which covers a 12 years old, 17 years old, 21 years old, Reserve and XR. Apparently the 17 year old has a luminous label which glows in the dark!

Windsor – 12 Years Old – 40% abv

Nose: Apples, spices and apricots. A hint of Ikea warehouse, too. Woody spices and a touch of honey. Sweet and well balanced.

Palate: A nice hit of vanilla and smooth green apple flavours, this whisky gives fruits and malt, along with toasted brown bread. With a dash of water chocolate orange, cloves and minute amount of smoke.

Second up was the fourth best selling blended whisky in the world, J&B. Named after it’s earliest developers, the wine importers and wholesalers Justerini and Brooks, this whisky was founded way back in 1749 and is styled as a ‘party whisky’ in the brands key markets of Spain, France, South Africa, United States and Portugal. The range includes some oddly named whiskies such as ‘Jet’ and ‘Exception’...

J&B – Reserve  (15 years old) – 40% abv

Nose: Ginger, spices, brown sugar, lemons, limes and oranges. some vintage smoke, subtle banana notes and green apples.

Palate: Vanilla creams and orange again. Very light and mixable. Would go well with ginger ale. Given time in the glass, a little dash of liquorice and rich toffee. 

The third whisky we tried was one which seem ubiquitous in the UK market, Bells. Key markets for this blend include the UK, South Africa, the Nordics, Spain and Brazil.  Established in 1825 by Arthur Bell, the regular expression of this whisky used to be an 8 years old, but has recently become and No Age Statement (and a different configuration from the 8 years old, according to Maureen). The range includes Bell's Original, Bell's Special Reserve (UK only), and those lovely (!) Bell's Decanters, of which one is released each Christmas and have something of a collectors following.

Bells – Original – 40% abv

Nose: Very spicy, green banana, fruit and some smoke. Sharp, but a surprising amount of creaminess a little further in.  This would surprise a few folks if they were to nose it blind. 

Palate: Classic blended whisky with the vanillas from the grain underpinning the smoke and fruit of the malt. A little thinner than the others tried, but not bad at all. Undoubtably designed for mixing with something longer and sweeter.  

Fourth on our tasting mat was a whisky I have never encountered before: Old Parr. The obvious reason for never having come across this blend is that the key markets for this whisky are Japan, Mexico, Colombia and Venezuela. Not a regular visitor to any of these countries, this was a real treat to try a blend with such a strong foothold in these markets. The range is quite extensive with 12, 15 and 18 years old expressions. Legend has it that Thomas Parr (known as "Old Par") was Britain's oldest man, at 152 years of age. I’ll have what he’s having, please...

Old Parr – Original (12 Years Old) – 43% abv

Nose: Malty and smoky. Simple but appealing. Given time, strawberries, woody spice, subtle smoke and bran. A little floral soap with water. 

Palate: Rich fruits with a big oaky hit. Quite a complex blend this - the smoke is defined and quite bold, alongside sponge cake and buttery vanilla.  

Phew... we’re only four whiskies in to this mammouth tasting of 9 different blends. At this point, we were going to try a whisky which Neil and I hold in high regard, having tried some of the older expressions from the 1950’s and 1960’s which we absolutely loved, but we’d not had a chance to try a ‘contemporary’ bottling for a while. White Horse is famed for using a large proportion of Lagavulin whisky (the distillery was one of the ‘White Horse Distilleries’ and sported a large white horse painted on the roof of one of the warehouses back in the mid 1900’s). Sold predominantly in Japan, Brazil, Greece, Great Britain, Africa and The United States, this brand was launched in1890 and has 1900, 12 Years Old and ‘Logan’ as the key expressions in the range.

White Horse – Fine Old – 40% abv

Nose: Complex fruit and green veg, rhubarb crumble. Some stewed plums and a dash of smoke further in. 

Palate: Initially notes of bitter orange, lemon zest and smoke. Peaches and cream and some light malt notes. As the palate dries, some sooty notes. 

White Horse – Logan (12 Years Old) – 43% abv

Nose: Rich and smoky, but also very mellow with big sherry tones. Some rubbery notes and burnt sugar, with a pronounced sootiness within the smoke. 

Palate: Sherry and fruits, this gives off a 'fizzy' mouthfeel. Odd but likeable. Rich, oily and rather 'grown up'. 

The final three whiskies were all from the same portfolio, Buchanan’s. Founded in 1884 by James Buchanan, this whisky has found a foothold within the Latin community, being most popular in Venezuela, United States, Mexico and Colombia. The range includes Buchanan's Red Seal, Buchanan's Deluxe 12 year old (think barley sugar, hints of medicinal smoke and honey -  oily and rich) Buchanan's Special Reserve 18 year old (fantastically waxy, with notes of sweetened cream, stewed fruit, sandalwood and liquorice) and Royal Household, only available in Japan and rare as hen's teeth in the UK.  One would imagine your friendly local specialist retailer beginning with 'Wh' and finishing with 'isky Exchange' might be able to help, should you want to seek one out.

Buchanan's – Royal Household – 40% abv

Nose: Deep aromas of smoke, spices and sherry underpinned with vanillas. Further in -tangerines, some vintage peat , sugary wine gums. Really excellent.

Palate: Iron bru, red wine as the malt and grains working well to give excellent complexity but also real balance. Very rich, rounded and complex.  Extraordinary that we don't get this in the UK - a great shame!

The tasting was a real treat and served to highlight the different flavour profiles between different blends, the art of blending and construction of these whiskies, as well as creating lineage within a certain brand, making sure that the key aspects of flavour profile are maintained throughout the range.

Some of these blends were excellent, to the point where you’d wonder if a hardened single malt drinker would be able to recognise it as a blend (the Royal Household and the Windsor getting special mentions in this field). But overall, this was an excellent example of the diverse properties of a category which provides huge income in to the Scotch whisky industry and gives most single malt whisky distilleries a reason to exists. 


Far from being an sector of the whisky market to be sneered at, blends should be celebrated for their flavours; if you haven’t got a bottle of blended whisky at home, make sure you go out and get a couple, you may well be surprised at what you taste.