WhiskyBox Tasting Notes
WhiskyBox Tasting Notes
Aultmore is located in the Speyside region of Scotland, between the towns of Keith and
Fochabers. It sits in a small hollow known locally at 'The Foggie Moss'. A secluded site
once known for smugglers and illicit stills, the name Aultmore is derived from Allt Mr,
the water source for the distillery, and this translates as 'big stream' from Gaelic.
This Speyside classic has been distilled in handmade copper pot stills since 1897, yet
for over a century it was only sold in limited editions at collectors.
The colour of this malt in the glass is a pale golden yellow and the nose is light, delicate
and sweet. The first aromas are of honey and vanilla, followed by softer notes of malted
barley and freshly cut grass. There is also a slightly hot spirity note and a hint of lemon
zest.
On the palate, the initial notes are very sweet and a bit spirity. The whisky has a
delicate and light feel but is intensely sugary and sweet. The best description that we
could think of was icing sugar mixed with honey. As it settles in the mouth further notes
are allowed through and these include plenty of vanilla, plus some malted cereals and a
distinct grassy element. This seems to be more like dried grass than on the nose. A
twist of lemon is also present. The alcohol spirit is always in the background and adds a
spicy heat.
The finish is short and a little sharp. The sugary sweetness fades rapidly to leave the
drying grassy and zesty sharp lemon notes to fight it out. It is mouth watering and fresh,
and the spirity heat adds to this.
This Aberfeldy 12 is part of the Last Great Malts series being put out by John Dewar &
Sons who built the distillery back in 1896. Aberfeldy is one of the main single malts
used in making the Dewars line of blended scotch whisky and is often called the golden
dram due to its source of water, the Pitilie Burn (small bottle), being filled with gold!
Since 90% of this single malt production is typically used for blending, the owners have
started bottling and promoting the single malt in 1999.
Bright gold in appearance with a pale straw hue, on the nose overripe fruit jump out of
the glass followed by notes of malt, vanilla and hints of sweet white grapes. A
wonderful sniff.
Five minutes sees the fruity edge only slightly diminished. On the palate, there's more
rich overripe fruit with some hay, malt and citrus rind. Dark honey and dried dates and
figs nicely fill out the role of second fiddle as they moves across the palate.
A delightfully different Speyside expression, the finish is long and driven by apricots and
wood. Notes of vanilla, cinnamon, malt, toffee and dried orchard fruit and dried dark fruit
mix in and out as it slowly fades.
For the bottle price, you are actually getting a fair bit of complexity. Something not seen
in other entry level 12 year old single malts at this price point like the Glenfiddich 12
Year Old. This whisky has a good balance with some darker notes mixing in with some of
the brighter ones. Full bodied with a soft and chewy texture that makes for a nice
drinking experience.
The story of Bruichladdich was a sad one. Located on the Rinns of the isle of Islay, it
was built in 1881 by the Harvey brothers, who managed it with great success until the
death of William Harvey in 1936. The distillery changed hands many times until in 1994,
it was eventually shut down.
In 2000, the remains of the distillery were finally acquired with Jim McEwan instated as
Master Distiller. They put special care towards preserving the original machinery used by
the Harvey brothers. This machinery is still in place and being actively used today. Their
entire production process is managed and controlled by hand with no use of computers.
This is a moderately light coloured whisky, but its also very thick, oily and dense, and it
clings to the glass like it never wants to let go of it. The nose is extremely fresh and
clean.
At first deceptively sweet, it then gives way to a more complex scent with many
different components: dried fruit, perhaps some honey. Adding water opens it up quite a
bit and removes some of the strength of the alcohol that sometimes dulls your sense of
smell.
The palate is plentiful. With its thick, oily texture, the smell of dirt and mud mixed with
grass. The finish feels like it could go on forever. The smoke that comes up here
despite this notoriously being an unpeated whisky may remind you of crackling logs
on a fireplace, during a chilly winter night.
This Aberfeldy 21 is part of the Last Great Malts series being put out by John Dewar &
Sons who built the distillery back in 1896. Aberfeldy is one of the main single malts
used in making the Dewars line of blended scotch whisky and is often called the golden
dram due to its source of water, the Pitilie Burn (small bottle), being filled with gold!
Launched in October of 2005, this 21 year old lies at the core of the Aberfeldy range and
is a flagship for the brand. This bottling was heralded as the Best Mainland Single Malt
at the World Whisky Awards 2007.
Bright gold in appearance with a pale straw hue, on the nose are discernable smells of
honey and ripe fruit, along with a malty overtone. It is fresh and interesting enough to
make you long for a taste.
On the palate, there's more rich overripe fruit with some hay, malt and citrus rind. Dark
honey and dried dates and figs nicely fill out the role of second fiddle as they moves
across the palate. There is just a hint of malty smoke. While it is somewhat dry, it is
also sweet and medium-bodied.
The Aberfeldy 21 Year Old has a long and please finish, lingering on the palate for some
time driven by apricots and wood. Notes of vanilla, cinnamon, malt, toffee and dried
orchard fruit and dried dark fruit mix in and out as it slowly fades.
If we had to describe this whisky in one word, it would be smooth. However, one word
does not do it justice. This is a rich and full whisky that will please even the pickiest
connoisseur.
Australian whisky has certainly taken the world by storm in recent years. Amongst
these is the New World Distillery located in Essendon, Melbourne and their expressions
of no age statement whiskies.
The Starward Wine Cask is a single malt but has been matured in re- coopered 100Lt
and 200Lt Australian wine barrels. A deftly handled wine/whisky fusion, the source of
the barrel is a secret, but we can tell you it's from one of South Australia's top Shiraz
producers. The whisky recently won the 2016 World Whiskies Awards for the Best
Australian Single Malt Whisky.
The whisky colour is golden amber with perfect polished copper clarity. The nose has
instant aromas of golden syrup and black treacle. With time to breathe, dried fruits,
especially raisins and sultanas and malty cereals come through.
There is definite wine character imparted by the re-coopered South Australian Shiraz
barrels; comes over like Nebbiolo or Brunello di Montalcino with dried cherry, hints of
prune and plum amid flashes of varnish, sweet spice and vanilla malt.
On the palate this is mouth coating and viscous with notes of treacle and bitter
chocolate evolving into dried red and dark fruits (think of cranberries and raisins
especially) and cinnamon. The sweetness is provided by golden syrup and brown sugar
notes. The finish becomes very dry, pleasantly spicy and with the winey nuances echoed
in the aftertaste.
The Ardmore Legacy continues the distillerys history of producing the only traditionally
peated Highland single malt scotch whisky. This replaces the Ardmore Traditional Cask
as its core expression.
The Ardmore distillery sits between rugged hills in the village of Kennethmont, which is
about 45 minutes drive west of Aberdeen, Scotland. It was founded in 1898 by William
Teacher & Sons to give them a consistent and constant supply for their increasingly
popular Teacher's blended Scotch.
A lightly peated, sweet dram, The Ardmore Legacy comprises 80% peated malt 20%
unpeated malt with a yellow, light gold colour.
On the palate the whisky has an instant grip and vibrancy. The feel in the mouth is lovely
and mixes sweeter and drier notes. A delicate savoury smoke hits first and this has an
earthy feel to it.
Then follows some lovely sweetness - think of icing sugar, boiled caramel sweets and
honey - and distinct fresh green notes (imagine the apple and pear from the nose, plus
some dried grass/hay). With time, the earthy smoke fades and becomes more vegetal,
with plenty of late malted barley notes coming through along with a pinch of cinnamon
and baking spice.
The finish is of decent length. It is the sweetness that fades first to leave the warming
cinnamon spice, bittersweet malted barley and gentle smoke to linger. This creates a
pleasant mouth watering dryness.
In the pantheon of American Whiskey the Bernheim Original Wheat Whiskey is rather
rare in that its a wheat whiskey. Wheat whiskey was actually the original whiskey of
the USA with hundreds of distilleries in New York alone - long before the whiskey
rebellion and for a period of time afterwards. The use of corn and the advent of bourbon
was something that happened long after wheat and then rye whiskey had taken root in
American culture.
The Bernheim Original is an interesting and slightly quirky whiskey showcasing a flavour
profile that you may not have experienced before. With a light caramel colour, the
whiskey presents nice vanilla oak notes, caramel, citrus (pineapple) and a wheat driven
sweetness. You may be able to pick out dark fruits and mint.
Upon the palate, it has a slightly sweet entry with caramel syrup and jammy /
marmalade notes. Leaving it longer allows one to pick up bits of grain, vanilla and citrus
peel. The wheat from the nose comes back, but on the whole its a bit less complex
than the nose.
This whiskey works really well in standard cocktails such as manhattans,
old-fashioneds, whiskey sours. Hence we recommend saving a half measure to try your
own cocktail at home.
While a bit on the light or simple side we applaud Heaven Hill for taking the chance at
reviving an old classic varietal. A very pleasant quality whiskey and well worth including
your collection.
Blantons is named for Col. Albert Blanton, a Frankfort, Kentucky native who began
working at what became the Buffalo Trace distillery in the late 1890s and rose to
manage the distillery around the time it was renamed in honor of George T. Stagg
(another prominent name in the history of Kentucky bourbon) in 1912.
Blanton decided that the barrels aged in the middle of the distillerys Warehouse H
produced the best whiskey, and adopted the practice of personally tasting and selecting
barrels from this area to create a private reserve. When Buffalo Traces Elmer T. Lee
invented the idea of single barrel bourbon whiskey drawn entirely from a single barrel
and not blended with other whiskey or additives in 1984, he chose to use only
barrels aged in the middle of Warehouse H and named the label after Blanton.
Blantons has a deep reddish-gold colour, the sort of off-amber appearance that is
usually a good portent with bourbon whiskey. The whiskey is aged for eight years in
white oak barrels with a #4 (medium) char.
Blantons Single Barrel has a nose of caramel and orange. The flavour is full-bodied with
a hint of cloves and the burnt sweetness of caramel and orange mixed with char, toffee,
and some spiciness.
On the palate, a sweet start, then going dry quickly, creamy roundness to it, corn and
rye. Char and rye at the end. Smooth whisper of a finish. We do not recommend adding
water to this bourbon as it is too delicate to stand up to much mixing for most bourbon
drinks.
Talisker is an Island single malt and the only one on the Isle of Skye. In terms of Scotch
Whisky Associations region categorization, its part of the Islands sub-region of the
massive Highlands.
Founded in 1830 by Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill, the distillerys name comes from the
settlement it leased land from, a settlement owned for centuries by the Clan Macleod
(the clan of the fictitious Duncan and Connor Macleod from the Highlander series!).
Talisker was acquired by Diageo in 1925. Taliskers regular lineup features a 10yo, 18yo,
25yo, and a Distillers edition. The remarkable flavour to take away from Talisker is their
ability to capture sea salt and the ocean in their whisky. You get the smoke, you get all
the hints that its an island malt, but no one else has captured the ocean in a bottle.
The Storm by comparison carries no age statement, which is something Diageo has
been trending towards and they use a mix of first-fill and refill casks.
The colour of the whisky is a rich, dark gold. The nose gives you a clear, distinct ocean
or ocean spray smell immediately with a hint of citrus, smoke, and sweetness. On the
palate, you will get sweetness and smoke a reminder that Talisker are still using peat in
the drying of the malted barley.
The finish is moderate and mostly sweet. You may also get a hint of cigar tobacco as if
from a lightly rolled habanos (cuban cigars).
Talisker is an Island single malt and the only distillery on the Isle of Skye - part of the
massive Highlands region.
The remarkable flavour to take away from Talisker is their ability to capture sea salt and
the ocean in their whisky. While not as overtly peat-heavy as an Islay malt, Taliskers
peat provides a background of earthiness that matches its rocky flavours.
As this is one of the more complex of whiskies, it may take some getting used to. Once
you can appreciate it, though, nothing beats Talisker for relief at the end of a hard day.
The colour of the whisky is a rich golden colour - very similar to the apple juice. The nose
gives you a clear, distinct ocean smell with fragrantly oily, smoke, spicy whisky scents.
Each return to nose the whisky gives you something to sniff at each time you bring the
glass up for a sip.
On the palate, you will get sweetness before the smoke blows in and the flavour takes a
turn towards pepper and minerals.
The finish is long, warming and citrusy, with previously hidden notes of marshmallow,
moss, chalk, lemon, white pepper, and orange peel. Adding a dash of water opens up to
reveal some warmer floral scents. Let the whisky air for half an hour to an hour and the
body is completely tamed becoming deliciously creamy and rounding out the peppery
flavour.
The ABunadh is Scottish Gaelic for "original." Rumour has it that when the second pair
of stills were put in in 1975, a time capsule was discovered behind the name plate
containing an 1898 bottle of Aberlour wrapped around a newspaper about the infamous
Aberlour distillery fire.
The workmen who discovered the bottle polished off four-fifths of the bottle during their
lunch break! The remains of the bottle went off to be analysed at laboratories in Keith.
The A'bunadh is an attempt to recreate this single malt and is a great introduction to
cask-strength whisky -- whisky that is poured straight from the barrel without dilution.
On the nose, the whisky is extremely piercing, partially due to its high alcohol content
with sherry, cloves and cinnamon spiciness.
Warm it up to room temperature and be rewarded with aromas of Christmas cake,
vanilla bean and dark chocolate. With water, orchard fruits come to the fore with blood
plums, peaches and apricot smells amongst nutmeg and cinnamon.
Tasted neat, oak and sherry are met by dry fruit cake, cocoa, orange peel and burnt
toffee as cinnamon brings spiciness. At room temperature or with a little bit of water,
soft sweet sherry and red berries flavours abound strawberry, cranberry and raspberry
hitting the tongue in waves.
The A'bunadh has a fantastic finish with the oak and sherry a constant theme with an
undertow of red grapefruit, cocoa and creamy sweet coffee.
Amrut (Sanskrit for nectar of the gods) is the most famous Indian whisky distillery
outside India. World leading whisky writer Jim Murray has praised the distillery, naming
Amrut Fusion as the 3rd best whisky in the world in his Whisky Bible 2010. This has
resulted in its increasing popularity with drinkers worldwide.
Amrut Fusion is a whisky made from a fusion of Scottish and Indian barley thus giving it
its name. Although having a 50% alc/vol content, this whisky is surprisingly easy and
dense in flavour. Best served neat, the Amrut Fusion has a nice amber almost pale gold
colour in the glass.
Take a long, slow sniff and you will notice the smell of lots of malt and cereal with a rich
explosion of very fruity, cherry and tropical aromas. Be sure to let the whisky breathe for
a couple of moments longer before taking another sniff and notice a faint peaty aroma.
When youre ready, swirl the whisky in the glass and take a short, small sip letting the
whisky sit on your tongue and mouth. You will notice the delightful taste of honey and
dates with a hint of lemon. Feel the creamy sweet texture of the whisky in your mouth
and feel free to swirl it around to get the full experience.
The Amrut Fusion has a medium-long finish on the palate that hangs around for minutes
after youve finished drinking. You may notice a slight, mellow smoky flavour as the
tannins work their way through to your taste buds.
anCnoc 12 Year Old is produced at the Knockdhu Distillery (which is located under the
dark Knock Hill, known to the local villagers by its Gaelic name of Cnoc Dubh).
Production of anCnoc began at the Distillery in 1894 following the discovery of several
springs of clear water on the southern slopes of the aforementioned Knock Hill. Mostly
matured in ex-bourbon wood, with a bit of ex-sherry casks mixed in, this is a classic
example of anCnocs house style, with lots of barley sweetness, honey and citrus.
Pour the whisky and give it a good sniff. Be delighted by the complex aroma that hits
your nose. Smells of sweet lowland grasses, willow thicket, and ripe barley wander in
and out between tart green apples and lemongrass.
The whisky translates very well from nose to mouth. Everything is very well-balanced, as
just enough honey and butterscotch push through to temper the more astringent
flavours. Fruit flavours abound with tart green apples and grapes again making an
appearance.
All of the flavours rush down the throat full of oak spice and white pepper. Theres hints
of charcoal, lemon grass, willow thicket, and a nice soft punch of peat at the end. When
all's said and done the flavours of butterscotch and honey linger on and on.
From the southern coast of the Isle of Islay comes a whisky that is a beautifully
balanced and among the finest examples of a peated whisky. The Ardbeg 10 Year Old.
For peat-lovers, Ardbeg 10yo is probably the highest- quality "entry-level" single malt on
the market, and the distillery many Islay connoisseurs would choose as their favourite.
A whirlwind of peat and complex malty flavours, this is an exuberant, in- your-face
whisky to be cherished; awarded the Whisky Bible Awards 2012: Best Single Malt
Scotch of the Year, 10 Years and Under.
The colour of the whisky as you pour it into a glass reminds one of pale straw, rolled and
lying in the late summer sun. On the nose, there is a gentle aroma of peat with
undercurrents of apple and pineapple. Let the whisky breathe for a while and you may
also smell wet, salty sand or ocean spray.
For newcomers to whisky, the Ardbeg is quite an introduction to the wonderful world of
peaty whisky. If paired with other non-peaty whiskies, our recommendation is to taste
this one last in your whisky flight as the oily finish will linger and is more likely to alter
your taste of other whiskies.
As you taste this full-bodied whisky, flavours of dry and burnt peat and citrus fruit will
erupt with hardly a hint of the "traditional" oakiness of whisky. The finish is especially
long on peaty and malty flavours with hints of smoke.
From the southern coast of the Isle of Islay comes a whisky that is a beautifully
balanced example of a peated whisky - The Ardbeg Uigeadail.
"Uigeadail" literally means "dark and mysterious" and its namesake is Loch Uigeadail,
the enigmatic spring from which Ardbeg's water originates. Uigaedail is a limited release
Ardbeg that mixes their standard ten year whisky with an older malt that has been aged
in sherry casks.
Just let your first sip linger on your tongue, let the rich Islay breeze and the peat smoke
rise through your nose to the top of your head, sit back relax and enjoy the ride.
The nose smells like youre on the Isle of Islay standing next to a smoking heap of peat.
Along with barely noticed notes of grapefruit, honey, and hot pepper.
The palate is amazingly smooth for the high alcohol content. Deep rich smoke with
multiple layers of peat mix together for a very rich, chocolate mocha flavour.
The finish is surprisingly full of salty, sweet candy, black licorice and even more layers
of peat smoke. Theres very little burn with the heavy alcohol content covered almost
completely by the serious smoke.
Upon second tasting and helped along by a dash of water, the whisky opens up with
more of the grapefruit and hot red pepper. Amazingly smooth, we recommend starting by
adding only a few drops to taste the development of the flavour.
If the idea of French whisky seems strange, just keep in mind that distillers like
Warenghem, located in Lannion in the north of Brittany have been long recognised as the
last Celtic holdout of France. Separated from England and Ireland by but a small
expanse of sea, the Bretons have a lot in common with their Celtic cousins further
north, including a taste for good whisky.
The Armorik Classic is the cornerstone of the range bringing together their best in a very
accomplished edition. A marriage of sherry and bourbon casks of different ages, it
highlights the quality of ageing on the Brittany coast and the expertise of their Master
Blender. This non-chill-filtered edition has a pale straw gold colour in the glass with
attractive aromas of marshmallow and sweet malt.
Letting the whisky breathe for about 10-15 minutes adds a hint of pepper to the nose.
On the palate, the whisky seamlessly integrates flavours of cocoa, lightly peppered malt
and sooty peat followed by hints of beeswax, dried banana and almond biscotti in the
finish. The finish is long, warm, and a little astringent from the wood, leaving a spicy
afterglow in its wake.
Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2014 referred to it as a "quietly sophisticated malt." Other
accolades include 'Gold' at the San Francisco Spirits Competition 2014, 91 Points "Very
Nice" Whisky Cast 2014, 'Gold' at the International Review of Spirits BTI Chicago, and
'Highly Recommended", and 4 stars from the Spirit Journal.
The whisky boom has been underway for several decades now and with it has come both
the opening of many new distilleries, as well as interest in whisky- makers in some out
of the way places. A common mistake among whisky fans is to assume that just
because a whisky comes from a non-traditional place, it must come from a newcomer
looking to cash in on the worldwide whisky boom.
While sometimes true, usually those distilleries in unexpected places have been there
for decades, and have merely gone overlooked by the wider world.
The Warenghem Distillery is a case in point. Around for over a century, its located in
Lannion, in the north of Brittany, France.
The Armorik Double Maturation is matured first in Armorik oak barrels that impart a
peaty flavour and then transferred to sherry barrels. With a fresh caramel colour, the
whisky aroma has overtones of dark raisins, vanilla while undertones of cocoa, apricots
and leather trail through.
As you take a sip of the dram, you're hit with big malty and fruity flavour along with
vanilla and dark, rich honey mixed with a touch of citrus towards the end. It has a
relatively long, malty finish with notes of vanilla, honey, cocoa and dark fruit. Skilfully
balanced and more complex than first impressions suggest.
Like the Armorik Classic, it is well crafted with a nice balance and structure to it
accompanied by a great mouth-feel -- a rich, oily texture that lingers long after you've
had your sip.
The Glen Grant distillery is named after its two founders, James and John Grant who
built the distillery in Rothes in 1840. Glen Grant remains one of the worlds best-selling
single malts (being especially popular in Italy), and is also available in various
independent and vintage bottlings.
This is a great whisky for people just beginning their journey into whisky, and even the
favourite of some who are passionate about their drams.
The whisky is light (for a Speysider), floral, fresh and elegant, showing honeyed vanilla,
lively fruit, along with a hint of marshmallow and hay. Soft, dry finish. Pleasant,
straight-forward and uncomplicated. A good, clean, introductory malt thats easy to
embrace.
The appearance of the whisky is a rich golden barley, with a bouquet that is medium/dry
with a good balance of ripe orchard fruits. On the palate, this is packed with vanilla and
cereal grains, feeling creamy and soft in your mouth.
The grass and oak elements come through as do the subtle sherry cask influences the
dried fruit and woody spices (nutmeg and cinnamon). The mix of all the elements is
interesting - the vanilla and dried fruits supply a lovely level of sweetness, while the
cereals and dried grassy notes give a slightly herbal bitterness that creates balance.
The finish is relatively short but very pleasant and soft with the oak, dried fruit and
spices prominent.
Glen Moray is a Speyside distillery located in Laich OMoray (The Laich of Moray), an
agricultural coastal plain located in Moray. Laich means low lying land and Moray is a
local council area of Scotland, located in the north-east and along the coast. Owned by
French company La Martiniquaise, Glen Moray started as a beer brewery in 1831 before
it became a distillery in 1897.
The Glen Moray 16 Gis matured in ex bourbon and ex sherry casks, aged in separate
barrels before they are mixed in the end. The whisky has a stronger nose with more
sherry influence from the sherry maturation. Paired with aged cheddar, it tastes sweet
and spicy, with the nutty texture of the cheese complementing the fruit flavours of the
whisky.
The nose is full of cedar wood/ balsa like notes, barley sugars, quite meaty like Parma
ham, prosciutto, then interesting fresh watery fruits, watermelon strong in here, almost
a note of window putty.
A Speyside Scotch, aged 16 years and matured in old Chenin Blanc white wine barrels,
this amber/copper Scotch is rich with flavour, a solid malt core backed up with lots of
fruit - with apples, bananas, and some cinnamon/clove spices to top it all off. Try it with
a splash of water to bring out more of the malted flavours.
The finish has more honeyed fruit, honey and malt, but with a little more oak character.
Not too bad of a finish considering the low alcohol proof. A very decent dram and fitting
for a warm day. It makes a nice alternative to Dalwhinnie 15 or anCnoc 12.
Clynelish has a confusing history. What we see on the shelf now was distilled at a large,
modern facility built in 1967-1968 to supplement the two pot stills at the old Clynelish
distillery, now referred to as Brora.
The old distillery, built in 1819, had a long and varied legacy of producing highly-regarded
(and often sold-out) whisky. If you find a whisky with a Brora label, hang on to it as it
may be worth several thousand dollars!
The nose is fresh ripe plums, red grapes, indeed a whole fruit punch barely masking
deep, nutty barley. A sour high note stands out so much so that I didnt realize the malt
was peated at first. Some people can detect a note of brine see if youre able to pick
it out. A very robust, multi-layered aroma, and one that stands up to a lot of analysis.
The palate is somewhat thin in the mouth, but also soft with round, welcoming flavours
of caramel. The peat notes dance on the palate sprightly and bright while the whole
evolves to a saltwater taffy-like interplay of sweet, salty, and fruity.
On the finish there is noticeable brine flavour. Like the taste of seawater in your mouth
after swimming in the ocean. Drying after a while and becoming more smoky, black
pepper, sticky dates, and salted caramels may be noticed. A twist of bitter lemon peel
on the exit.
The whisky has a chameleon-like shifting quality - from briney and smoky to soft and
sweet to fruity and sour. Its an experience that any serious malt drinker should have.
This is a malt and grain blend whisky from Shinshu Mars Distillery, a very highly
respectable Japanese producer, known for its "Iwai Tradition" style whiskies. Iwai,
named after Kiichiro Iwai who designed the stills used to distill the whisky is one of the
base releases for Shinshu Mars.
Shinshu Factory where Iwai Tradition is produced is located in the Komagatake
Mountains, in the Japanese Alps. This terrain is an ideal place to produce whisky, where
the air is pure, misty and cool, and the place is rich in good water courses.
Instead of the normal pale straw colour that you would expect from a bourbon barrel
aged whisky, the Iwai is instead the deep, rich amber colour of a whisky aged in port or
sherry casks. The mash bill for the Iwai is mostly corn (75%), with malted barley making
up the remainder. So for all intents and purposes, the Iwai is essentially a Japanese
bourbon!
An easy drinking Japanese whisky in our opinion, and a perfect introduction to
traditional Japanese blended whiskies.
The palate has great pleasant complexity created by vatting of various cask malts with
peaty malts. As it is a full bodied whisky, the finish and thick & rich flavours are not lost
when having it on the rocks or as highballs.
The finish is surprisingly soft and round, despite being categorised as a thick & rich
whisky. The finish is quite long with a crisp lingering flavour.
The Glenrothes is the namesake single malt Scotch whisky from the Glenrothes
Distillery, located beside the Burn of Rothes in the Speyside region. While the
Glenrothes Distillery is owned by Edrington, the Glenrothes Single Malt as a brand is
owned by Berry Bros & Rudd. Their whisky used in Scotch whiskies blends such as
Edringtons Cutty Sark and The Famous Grouse.
The Glenrothes is mainly matured in ex-Sherry casks and some ex-Bourbon casks. What
helps make the Glenrothes distinctive from most other single malts in that its bottlings
are not determined by age, but by vintage. This Vintage Reserve single malt is a Fall
2015 addition to their core line, bottled at 40% abv drawn from 10 different vintages
ranging from 1989 to 2007.
Colour: amber. On the nose: its a very handsome aroma, actually. Its extremely
honeyed, with crme frache, vanilla, Chardonnay notes and a pinch of grapefruit and
lemon zest.
In the mouth this is an easy drinking whiskey. Its slightly dry, almost astringent at the
start with a nice full fruity body. a very nice texture, leading into gentle notes of honey,
vanilla, a touch of citrus again, leaning towards grapefruit. A nice nuttiness. It really
does echo the nose, with a little warming wood spice.
This is a great whiskey to start off a novice Scotch drinker but it offers enough to
appeal to a veteran Scotch drinker. On the finish, the slight astringency turns slightly
peppery, with a long bite with texture and flavour retained for a long time after you
finish.
With 500 medals to its name, Dewar's is the most awarded blended Scotch whisky in
the world. John Dewar began blending his whisky back in 1846. lthough Dewars
sometimes suffers from entry-level preconception, those who ignore the pressure will
be justly rewarded with what is a sublime blended whisky.
Known as The Monarch. This rare and special whiskey is named after the famous
painting, The Monarch of the Glen. In 1851, Sir Edwin Landseer created the famous
painting, an instant masterpiece, that depicts a stag in the Scottish Highlands.
Master blender Stephanie Macleod used the painting as inspiration for this rare and
special whiskey. The Monarch is a blend of very rare vintage single malt and single grain
scotch whiskies. The blend is then married in oak casks for a light, velvety finish.
The colour of the whisky in the glass is a rich gold with a nose thats full of honey and
estery fruity floral notes - green pear and melon come to mind.
The nose is rich and floral. Shaved coconut like the bagged kind you find in the grocery
store mixed with wildflowers and just a hint of honey. The palate in the mouth it has
that great Dewars custard creaminess. Vanilla flan with toffee crumbles on top. Theres
also a bit of fresh cut grass back note to it too.
The finish a little dry and short. Wet popsicle sticks and a grassy, earthy note. As you
continue to drink it the finish gets a little more hint of pepper and spice but again, it is
short and fades to the popsicle sticks again.
The Auchentoshan Distillery is a Single Malt whisky distillery in the west of Scotland
known as "Glasgow's Malt Whisky" due to its close proximity to Glasgow and "the
breakfast whisky" due to its sweet and delicate nature. The name Auchentoshan is from
Gaelic Achadh an t-Oisein meaning the field of the corner.
Originating from the Lowlands, known for producing generally light, gentle spirits, the
Three Wood is a Lowland single malt matured in 3 different casks, namely: Pedro
Ximnez Sherry casks, ex-bourbon casks and Oloroso Sherry.
This is further reinforced by a distinctive triple distillation process - the only active
distillery in Scotland to do so. Proponents of triple-distilled whiskies note that by
volume, the whisky has less bad flavour compounds than the usual double distilled
whiskies.
This is a very inviting malt in the glass, with a deep dark amber colour to the whisky.
This is not a very complex dram and therefore perfect for a novice whisky drinker to pick
apart the flavours.
There's sherry and very fresh oak all over the place. The coffee overtones found on the
aroma continue onto the palate. The whisky finishes superbly with a medium finish, led
by thick dark treacle and toffee notes and chewy wooded notes, balanced with a green
fruit edge.
A remarkable and unforgettable bitter-sweet-sour aftertaste persists tasting like
something between milk chocolate and unsweetened cocoa.
The Auchentoshan Distillery is a Single Malt whisky distillery in the west of Scotland
known as "Glasgow's Malt Whisky" due to its close proximity to Glasgow and "the
breakfast whisky" due to its sweet and delicate nature. The name Auchentoshan is from
Gaelic Achadh an t-Oisein meaning the field of the corner.
Auchentoshan 12 is the entry malt for the Auchentoshan distillery which is one of only 3
remaining Lowlands distilleries after the whisky market crash that caused a rash of
distillery closures in 1983.
The Auchentoshan 12 looks unusually dark given it comes from the Lowland region, a
deep copper colour in the glass.
The nose has a nice aroma of malt, savory spices, fruit, butterscotch, overripe citrus
and a general oily earthiness. Its not super complex, but it has a nice weight to it that
makes it come across as bold.
The palate is smooth. It commences with a sweetness that is slightly soapy before
becoming malty. It is filled with notes of malt, overripe fruit, savory spice, butterscotch
and brown butter along with a touch of vanilla and that same general oily earthiness.
The finish is of medium length and malty with notes of buttered toast and toffee. The
palate is left lightly heated, and the result seems to leave the mouth watering slightly,
awaiting the next sip.
When the topic of go-to whiskies is discussed, The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old
is the whisky that shows up on many peoples lists. Well balanced and easy drinking,
The Balvenie is a Speyside Scotch opened by William Grant in 1892. The Balvenie has
been around a long time and knows how to make a good Scotch! This was William
Grants second distillery after the world-famous Glenfiddich distillery which opened in
1886.
The 12 Year Old DoubleWood is aged for ten years in bourbon casks and finished for a
further two years in sherry casks.
In the glass, the colour is a dark gold, amber. We highly recommend taking 10-20
minutes or longer taking long, slow sniffs of the whisky before tasting. Your nose will be
rewarded with a blend of honey, heather, oak and floral notes.
The palate is heavy with vanilla and woodiness, complimented by the obligatory sherry
flavour which is light and in the background. A few drops of water brings out some floral
accents without diminishing the powerhouse oak. You may also pick out freshly-baked
sugar cookies, caramel, and marshmallow.
The finish is medium-long, relying heavily on the wood accent, some caramel apple,
blackstrap rum, toasted clove or cinnamon, and red-wine tannins. This Scotch stands on
its own as a beautiful example of what quality Speyside whisky and careful oak aging
can do. This gives oak-lovers a whisky with some unexpected twists, all on a pristine
base of one of the best malts in Speyside.
When the topic of go-to whiskies is discussed, The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old
is the whisky that shows up on many peoples lists. Well balanced and easy drinking,
this is a whisky that is also given away as a gift, and its also one that we would be
happy to accept.
In October 2012, Balvenie released a 17 year old version of the DoubleWood. Aged in
American oak barrels and finished in European oak sherry casks with an ABV of 43%, the
new release is more complex and rich than its younger sibling - with deeper vanilla
notes, hints of green apple and creamy toffee flavours.
The Balvenie Doublewood 17 Year Old marks the completion of the distillerys clear
consumer ladder, which uses age statements and wood finishes as a consumer guide
to flavour.
A deep amber colour when poured, the the aroma is sweet and spicy on the nose -
peach, vanilla, cinnamon and allspice the main notes.
The palate is very light, with the flavours tending to concentrate on the middle of your
tongue. The baking spices in the nose are front and center with a moderate cinnamon
heat warming your mouth. After a few seconds, vanilla and light brown sugar make an
appearance and carry you to a warm, medium finish.
The DoubleWood 17 is incredibly smooth and easy drinking. The 17 in comparison to the
12 Year Old, has flavours that were very well balanced and unbelievably smooth. The two
are great complementary additions to the Balvenie line-up.
Buffalo Trace came about when in 1999 visitors to the newly renamed Buffalo Trace
Distillery asked why there wasnt a bourbon called Buffalo Trace. The Master Distiller
Elmer T Lee decided to create a whiskey that matched up with his views on what a full
bodied, robust character, Kentucky straight bourbon should taste like.
Everything about this bourbon feels like its been masterfully engineered to be the
perfect example of what a bourbon should be. Its hard to find any faults with this one
and thats by design.
The nose is instantly likeable and pleasant with notes of caramel, honey, orange, and
vanilla. The nose balances these flavours well while also providing an underlying layer of
oak and mint.
The palate is sweet and mellow with notes of brown sugar, vanilla, and toffee. The
palate might be too sweet for some, but probably very enjoyable for most. Light
amounts of oak and rye spice round out the palate.
With a moderate length finish with oak at the forefront and then opening up to fill your
nostrils. Its a very interesting and full flavoured finish for a 90 proof bourbon.
Buffalo Trace is a solid bourbon that will appeal to any level of whiskey drinker. For
someone new to bourbon, its extremely accessible with its sweet nose and palate, and
a finish that introduces a perfect mix of oak and spice. Although it may not challenge a
seasoned bourbon drinkers developed palate, theyll still appreciate its overall quality
and great value. This could easily become anyones everyday bourbon.
Booker's Bourbon
KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON (KENTUCKY, USA)
The Bookers, although a Jim Beam bourbon, is a far cry from the
entry-level Jim Beam that you may have tasted when left with no other
choice. As the story goes, Master Distiller Booker Noe started bottling his
own bourbon for his close friends in 1992.
It is a cask-strength bourbon, heading straight from barrel to bottle
without adulteration. Uncut and unfiltered imparts a purity thats difficult
to match with small-batch (or big-batch) bourbons. Its aged between six
and eight years, significantly more than the two-year ageing minimum for
other straight bourbons.
The version you're tasting is an eye-watering 62.95% ABV. Nothing about
Bookers is delicate, including its rich brown colour. For those who tend
not to like strong spirits, be forewarned that Bookers hits hard. The nose is
a big bouquet, but not overpowering - pleasing but short honey and vanilla
notes.
The first sip is hot and intense the bourbon doesn't hold back. Caramel
and an obvious oakiness stand at attention, and the finish is long with a
bourbon spice that resonates on the tongue.
Add a splash of water on round two, drink it slowly and patiently and
it opens up beautifully with more woodiness and clear flavours of coffee,
vanilla, raisins and dark chocolate. Though the heat doesnt disappear
altogether, the initial sip and the finish level out and the experience
becomes more complex. For all the boldness, Bookers offers a bourbon
thats impactful because of its potency as well as complexity.
PLACE YOUR WHISKY HERE
BETWEEN SIPS
Bowmore is not a distillery that leaps to mind when discussing Islay whisky. Although
overshadowed by its mighty neighbors to the south, Laphroaig, Lagavulin, and Ardbeg,
Bowmores whisky displays a restraint that can provide much-needed relief to the
bog-soddened palates of peat lovers.
The is because Bowmores malt is peated for less time than the more intense malts
from the southern Islay distilleries, which contributes to its reputation as a tamer
cousin, and reputably more smoky than peaty.
The water used picks up heather in the hills, minerals from the sandstone and limestone
rocks from which it rises, and peat from the lowland bogs on its trip to the distillery. All
of these factors combine to yield a well-balanced, not peat-dominated, flavour profile. If
peat explosions like Ardbeg are not your thing, this may be your whisky.
The nose is full of concentrated smoke, hay, coal dust, and cayenne pepper. The palate
is silky smooth and heavy bodied. Malty sweetness upfront, developing into smoky hay
bales, caramel, and sugar. The peat is well-integrated and refined not in your face,
but still clearly Islay in character.
The finish is long, with typical Islay smoke and slightly bitter charred wood. The
thickness of the mouthfeel is excellent, and the peat smoke notes are refined and
well-rounded. Other notes are too subtle to detect on a first try, but further exploration
is warranted. Dont add any water it ruins the thick mouthfeel and reveals only a small
amount of lemon and floral aroma.
Cragganmore was built in 1869 and named for the hill of Craggan More in Speyside.
Cragganmore lacks the popularity of many of its Speyside neighbours such as the
Glenmorangie Series. Wooden washbacks, worm tubs, and an unorthodox combination of
still shape, and size make for a very complex, meaty whisky.
If you are a Johnnie Walker Green Label fan, this is the single malt answer to that fine
blend. Cragganmore, along with Linkwood, Talisker and Caol Ila form the core of Green
Label. If you like one, you will definitely enjoy the other.
On the nose, this whisky has an incredible aroma -- one of the strongest of any Speyside
whisky. Flowers and baked bread will wash over you in full force in a most wonderful
fashion holding up their claim of having a complex nose.
Upon first tasting, there are distinct malt, honey and marzipan notes distinctive to
Speyside whiskies. This then quickly changes to a delicate smoke with a beautiful
sweetness throughout. There is a tapestry of rich, smoky flavours, perfectly in balance,
woven such that there are no unsightly seams. Truly heaven sent.
The finish is of slightly burnt toast, cinnamon, and brown sugar woven in with gentle
spices that linger considerably upon the palate.
This is a whisky that is smooth, refined, sophisticated and wonderful beyond its mere
12 years of aging. The Cragganmore 12 would handily best any 18 year old single malts.
If you dislike peaty flavours of any kind, then you will love Cragganmore 12 yr old.
The Craigellachie 13 is the second release of Dewars The Last Great Malts series
comprising the Aberfeldy, Aultmore, Royal Brackla, Craigellachie and Macduff. This murky
little dram with the name like a monster straight out of Tolkiens notebook magically
captures both the light and dark aspects of Speyside.
Located at the confluence of the River Spey and the River Fiddich, the Craigellachie
distillery is smack dab in the middle of Speyside territory. The whisky is different (in a
good way) from usual Speyside whisky profile - comprising meaty aromas with light
fruity sulphur. Be warned, this may not be a good fit for sulphur sensitive whisky
tasters.
In the glass, the whisky is a pale golden straw colour unusual in comparison to other
Speyside whiskies. The nose is full of rich complex fruit; apples, pears and apricots with
some honey, grassy malt and vanilla. Hints of cinnamon and a sugary sweetness lounge
in the background until a splash of water is added and then they become more
pronounced.
On the palate, that same rich and complex fruit delivers, but this time it comes with a
charred and woody companion. Glazed honey, and a slightly nutty character may remind
you of honey roasted nuts. A splash of water brings out a bit more of the wood, malt and
earth.
The finish is long with big notes of fruit, woody char and vanilla that moves to malt,
earth and apricots on its way out.
The Dalmore is a quintessential Highland Scotch whisky, with a long and storied
pedigree ranking it among Scotlands most renowned single malts. The name is a
combination of Norse and Gaelic and means big meadowland.
Legend has it that back in 1263, Colin of Kintail, Chief of the Mackenzie clan, saved the
Scottish King Alexander III, from a charging Red Stag. The grateful king bestowed on the
Mackenzies the right to use the royal stag as the clan crest. The emblem, or
caberfeidh, has been on every bottle of The Dalmore since 1867.
The Dalmore is a rich mahogany colour with the characteristic reddish orange hue of fine
antique wood. On the nose there is an initial pronounced aroma of cooked fruit and
Christmas fruitcake. This is followed by honey, rum-infused raisins, vanilla, cinnamon as
well as lighter floral aromas.
On the palate, there is a hint of residual sugar that adds texture and weight in the
mouth. The usual vanilla and wood spice notes are present, as are the nutty and dried
fruit contributions of the sherry butt aging.
The finish is of moderate length with almonds, sweet marzipan, candied orange and
hints of vanilla and tropical spices in the background before ending on a slight bitter
coffee note.
The Dalmore 12 year old is an unpretentious whisky that delivers nice, balanced sweet
sherry flavours with the dry oak and spices that make it a logical choice for an everyday
drink.
Located within the picturesque moors of the Cairngorn National Park in the Scottish
Highlands, lies the Dalwhinnie Distillery; the highest distillery in Scotland! It is here that
one of the lightest single malt whiskies weve ever tasted is passionately created.
The Dalwhinnie 15 is a wonderful malt with a uniquely pleasant character. The secret is
the use of extremely cold water that runs down from the mountains, allowing quick
distillation of the spirit which is then matured for 15 years to develop its character
within refill American Oak ex-bourbon casks.
As a whisky, it has complex aromas with light flavours that deliver themselves gently
and ephemerally onto your taste buds. A relatively subtle whisky - sip too quickly and
the flavours will dissipate before you can process them.
The nose is full of fresh oranges, ginger, honey, and lemon zest. With a drop of water,
the honey remains, but the spice and most of the herbal flavours fade. The whole
experience is crisp, fresh and bright, like a gentle stroll up a sun soaked, heather
covered hillside.
On the palate theres more honey accompanied by vanilla and citrus notes.. It is a
smooth, light dram thats tastes linger and complement one another perfectly. The
finish is lengthy and is by far the most intense part of the dram; giving way to a smokier,
peaty character.
For a different experience, try with dark chocolate before taking a sip. The honey
flavours pair incredibly with the chocolate, creating a bittersweet, full-bodied treat.
Dewar's 12 is one of the "101 Whiskies You Must Try Before You Die" according to Ian
Buxton - a 30 year veteran of the whisky industry and author of many books regarding
legendary whiskies.
With 500 medals to its name, Dewar's is the most awarded blended Scotch whisky in
the world. John Dewar began blending his whisky back in 1846. He and many others
thought he was the first to do it right by pioneering the process of 'double ageing' the
whisky in oak casks and allowing the blend to age as one within the casks. After the
blend is created, the whisky is returned to an oak cask and aged even further, marrying
the flavours to obtain a smooth, robust finish.
Although Dewars sometimes suffers from entry-level preconception, those who ignore
the pressure will be justly rewarded with what is a sublime blended whisky.
After carefully blending a combination of grain whiskies and single malts, the
composition is matured in oak barrels for an additional six months. In order to prevent
the wood of the casks from imparting their flavour on the already blended whisky, only
very old, previously used barrels are utilised during that process.
During that time period, the different levels of esters in the components of the blend
can interact and marry producing a much improved mouth-feel.
The colour of the whisky in the glass is a rich gold with a nose thats full of honey and
estery fruity floral notes - green pear and melon come to mind. The palate is light cream,
not at all heavy with some caramel sweetness and a touch of smoke. This is beautifully
balanced with a mild spiciness of aniseed and a hint of oak. A rich, fruity sweetness,
gives
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The finish is dry with a touch of smoke alongside some lemony sweetness. A
surprisingly long, lingering finish that is complex and warming.
E
EAGLE RARE
KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON
AGE: 10 YEARS / DISTILLERY: BUFFALO TRACE
ORIGIN: KENTUCKY, USA
Distilled by the Buffalo Trace Distillery for 10 Years, the Eagle Rare represents a great
opportunity to dive into the bourbon world and start your exploration. This bourbon with
less than 10% rye, couldnt be more balanced, more well-integrated, more perfectly
engineered to be a go-to bourbon for every palate. Its fair to say that its a nearly
flawless all-purpose bourbon thats easily accessible to everybody.
Eagle Rare 10 has a subtle yet delicious nose. Upfront are strong scents of orange peels
and citrus mixed with aged oak. Lingering on the nose longer, you should be able to pick
up toasted marshmallow. This is a really easy nose to pick apart - prominent and easily
distinguished - a great choice for someone who has a hard time picking out different
scents.
The palate is woody, subtly sweet, and oily. Notes of honey, toasted brown sugar, and
new oak are all present. Neither ice nor water provide any further surprises so our
recommendation is to take it neat. Even a non-bourbon drinker would find this enjoyable.
The finish continues the trend of sweetness is predominantly bubble gum, toffee, and
honey. Light traces of vanilla and dry leather round out the finish.
Some would describe the finish as short or weak, but theres value in a clean, brief
finish that tingles every part of the mouth and then vanishes without any lingering
off-notes. It feels polite and tidy, like a delightful house guest who knows when to
depart and does so without leaving a mess.
Named after the father of Bourbon Rev. Elijah Craig this limited release Small Batch,
twelve-year-old Bourbon is bottled straight from the barrel and without chill filtering,
preserving the natural flavours produced during the ageing process.
You can enjoy the Bourbon much the same way the Jim Beam Small Batch Master
Distiller does when he samples straight from the barrel or, if you choose, add water to
reduce the proof to your liking.
This bourbon has won numerous awards including most recently the 2014 Gold Medal at
the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
First made around 1700, the colour of this Bourbon is a deep amber with a nose that
will remind you of perfume, clover and honey. Deep and rich is structure, this is probably
the most beautiful noses of bourbon found in the world today.
On the first taste, the bourbon tastes of thick molasses, over-ripe banana with the back
of the tongue getting caramelised wood and burnt brown sugar sweetness.
This bourbon is one that we recommend trying with ice cubes in a high-ball glass to
appreciate the difference in flavour from a pour in a standard Glencairn glass.
The Founder's Reserve is a new expression in the core range of The Glenlivet single
malts. The new whisky has been crafted by Alan Winchester, the Master Distiller, and is
designed to pay homage to the style of whisky created by the distillery's founder George
Smith. It has been matured predominantly in first-fill American oak ex-bourbon casks.
The Founder's Reserve is replacing the 12 Year Old and is the new entry level for the
core range. New consumers will discover a fresh, sweet and easy drinking whisky.
Connoisseurs or those determined to compare it to the 12 Year Old may be
underwhelmed by the lighter, more vibrant approach that has been presented. The colour
is pale golden yellow and the nose is instantly fresh, vibrant and fruity. The initial
aromas are of green apple and pear, which are joined by honeycomb and lots of vanilla. In
the background are further aromas of coconut, fresh sawdust, candied/burnt orange and
a hint of almonds.
The palate is equally vibrant and fresh as the nose suggests - plenty of tangy green
apple and boiled pear drop sweets. This vibrancy gives the whisky a light feeling. Other
characteristics soon join in and add sweetness - vanilla, crumbly brown sugar and honey
in particular. With time a woody spiciness develops, reminiscent of baking spices -
cinnamon and nutmeg.
The finish is relatively short and mirrors the palate. It begins fruity and sweet with
plenty of apple, honey and vanilla before becoming increasingly dry, woody and spicy.
Notes of dried coconut and cinnamon accentuate this.
Glenmorangie is one of the most famous distilleries in the world and the biggest selling
whisky brand names in the world. The distillery has the tallest set of stills in Scotland
with each one standing over 5 metres (16.5 feet) tall.
This height means that only the purest and lightest spirit reaches the condenser and
gets collected for maturation. This emphasises the floral notes for which whiskies from
the Highlands are known.
The Quinta Ruban has spent 10 years maturing in American white oak casks, before
being transferred into specially selected ruby port pipes from the Quintas or wine
estates of Portugal for an additional 2 years. The extra maturation in these port pipes
develops Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban into a voluptuous spirit with a complex balance of
sweet and dry flavours and an intriguing contrast of smooth and crisp, cooling textures.
The aroma is full of dark mint chocolate, tangerines and oranges mingling with
sandalwood (think burning incense sticks) and walnut before giving way to a spicy
finish of pepper and nutmeg.
The taste continues the theme with mint chocolate and walnuts enveloping the palate
and laying the foundations for rose, Turkish delights and sweet preserved oranges.
The finish is is long lasting silky aftertaste leaving dark chocolate mints and traces of
orange.
Named after the indigenous people of northeastern Taiwan, the Kavalan expresses the
warm sub-tropical climate of Yuanshan, a town in northern Taiwan close to the Pacific
coast. The Kavalan facility is one of the most technically advanced in the world, with
copper stills constructed in Scotland and producing about six million bottles a year.
The Kavalan whisky has been created, selected and blended by the legendary Dr. Jim
Swan, Master Distiller at Penderyn Distillery in Wales - a worldwide authority in the field
having consulted with numerous distilleries, breweries and wineries. The whisky is only
three years of age, but ages much faster in Taiwan's warm and humid climate.
With fragrant and delicious creamy vanilla, mango and tropical fruits backed by spicy
barley and gentle oak, the Kavalan is a great entry by this relative newcomer. The colour
of is golden and the nose is full of fresh bourbon cask characteristics - vanilla, cereal
grains, oak, coconut and honey.
On the palate, this whisky is fresh, zingy and vibrant with the vanilla and fresh oak
prominent. A lovely sweetness is present that evolves from the malted barley and is
reminiscent of honey. The coconut element is joined by almonds and a zesty lemon note.
The finish is of medium length and remains fresh, simple and full of vanilla oak and
cereal grains.
The Kavalan Single Malt is uncomplicated but very enjoyable and easy to drink. The
intense ex-bourbon cask characteristics and the extra sweetness and creaminess from
these result in a whisky that is closer to a bourbon than a Scottish or Irish whisky.
Matured for a decade in ex-bourbon barrels and finished for a further 2 years in
hand-selected wine barrels from the Sauternais sub-region in Bordeaux, France, the
Glenmorangie Nectar Dor 12 Year Old whisky is an award-wining combination of rich,
spicy and dessert-like flavours. Nectar Dor means golden nectar - the Or is the
Scottish Gaelic word for gold.
Glenmorangie was one of the first distilleries to legitimise the practice of finishing its
whiskies in wine casks. It showed the world how finishing batches in wine and port
casks would result in some award-winning single malt Scotch whiskies.
Along with sweet flavours from the wood, there comes a nice deep golden colour in the
glass. The nose has distinct floral notes combine with vanilla and honey to offer a very
rewarding olfactory experience. Pinot Gris surfaces, along with white grape skins,
almonds, and rose water.
On the tongue, lime and orange zest greet the palate. Cinnamon combines with vanilla
and golden raisins complimenting a touch of peppery spiciness from the ex-bourbon oak.
All told, the interplay of sweet and spice adds welcome complexity for a twelve year-old
offering. The finish is medium in length, and brings honeysuckle and vanilla. All told this
whisky is deliciously oily in the way it interacts with the tissues of the mouth,
particularly after resting in ones glass for a while - its mouth-coating without being
chewy -- a thoroughly enjoyable dram.
Glenmorangie has been an innovator in the industry for years, pioneering cask
expressions and experimental bottlings of their exceptional Highland whisky.
The Glenmorangie Lasanta, at 12 years of age, is in the same Glenmorangie Extra
Matured Series such as the Quinta Ruban and Nectar dOr. This one, after the same
initial 10 years in ex-bourbon, spent 2 years in Oloroso sherry casks.
This makes it sherry finished, as opposed to sherry matured. The idea of the Extra
Matured Series is to showcase Glenmorangie whisky as a canvas for other flavours,
and and in this the Glenmorangie Lasanta delivers.
On the nose, the sherry finish is very evident with a predominant fragrance of dried fruits
and caramel. The effect though is milder than whiskies matured in sherry and the fruit
less robust than Macallan or GlenDronach.
On the palate, there is alternating sweet and tart fruit. Good integration between fruit
jam and the layers of caramel, and soft cereals. The finish is medium-long. A little on the
hot side, but with some nice concentrated dried mixed fruit with the ending slightly
bitter, with a touch of nuttiness.
With water, reveals a burst of raspberry coulis, but the alcohol vapour gets a little hot.
The palate turns slightly sweeter and there is more fruit on the finish. Definitely give
some water a try.
Glenkinchie, called The Edinburgh Malt for its proximity to that city, uses Oregon Pine
washbacks and hard water, which previously flowed from the Kinchie burn. Now the
water comes from Hopes Reservoir which is fed from springs in the Lammermuir hills.
One of the few remaining Lowland distilleries, Glenkinchie represents the Lowlands in
Diageos Classic Malts series.
While Glenkinchie has always operated with just two stills, they are some of the largest
stills in Scotland. The Lowlands region has only six distilleries within it. Like the name
suggests, Glenkinchie lies in a glen of the Kinchie Burn farmland near the village of
Pencaitland, East Lothian.
The colour is a bright golden in the glass with a nose that is light and fruity with barley,
Lowland grass, crisp apple and a bit of cocoa mixed in.
The palate of this whisky is smooth then quickly turns a bit spicy and astringent. Green
fruits, apples and pears along with grassy notes. Crispy and sweet. Bit watery, like
water melon. And very mildly hot. Drops of water and time in the glass makes it very
smooth.
The finish is sharp, yet quite fast. Mildly spicy, with oak tannins. Fresh, earthy and fruity.
Addition of water does make the tannic oak more dominant and bitter notes appear.
Edradour is Scotland's smallest single malt whisky distillery and produces just 90,000
litres of whisky each year. Located in Pitlochry in the Central Highlands, everything is
housed in its original farm buildings and little has changed since it was founded in
1825.
All distilling equipment (a mash tun, two washbacks and a pair of oddly shaped stills)
are crammed into one room and traditional methods with no automation produces all of
the whisky.
The name of Edradour is thought to derive from the Gaelic 'Edred dobhar' meaning 'the
stream of King Edred'. Edradour has a cult following around the world and many say that
you either love it or hate it.
The colour is a dull gold and the nose is pungent, with a combination of dried fruits
(think of sultanas), some sweetness (imagine slightly burnt caramel) and nuts
(especially almonds). There is also a slightly odd aroma that is something like match
heads that have just been struck.
On the palate, this feels thick and oily almost syrupy with a sort of malty, grainy
yeastiness that gives a creamy flavour and feel, with the dried fruits, nuttiness and
sweetness from the nose battling with a pronounced smokiness. This has a similar
sulphuric quality as the match heads but is more prominent than on the nose and more
reminiscent of coal burning. The finish is long with the coal smoke fading away to give
dried fruits again and a touch of woody spice (think of nutmeg).
Arran is the only distillery on the Isle of Arran and was founded in 1994 by Harold
Currie, a former Chivas Brothers director. Arran is one of the last remaining independent
Scottish distilleries.
While this distillery is relatively new, it has already proven that it is capable of
producing outstandingly distinct whisky. It shows that great Scotch can be produced
even if decades or centuries of tradition in a distillery are absent.
A citrusy, light and elegant no-age-statement single malt the Lochranza Reserve
replaced the Arran Original in mid-2014. The name comes from the village on the Isle of
Arran where the distillery is located.
Appearance is a pale straw gold with slow-moving legs in the glass. The nose is
light and nicely floral, like nosing a meadow of flowers. Fresh green apples, lemon peels
and a hint of milk chocolate. After resting for a while, the whisky releases further
aromas - now with sweet honey, cereal barley malt, slight citrus lemon and lime fruits.
The whisky is sublimely delicate on the palate with orange marmalade first, then
berries starting to dominate. The salty sea air notes grow slightly on the palate,
balanced with plenty of juicy citrus and sweet toffee.
Hints of sour and bitter elements from apple, pear, and plum add a depth and
complexity. The finish is of medium length with barely detectable sweet cereal barley
and bitter lemon.
Brackla distillery, as it was known before it got its Royal Warrant, was built in Speyside
in 1812 by Captain William Fraser of Brackla House. It was a decade before the Excise
Act of 1823, which sanctioned distilling of whisky for a license fee, and paved the way
for the modern whisky industry.
In 1835, King William IV whose reign saw the abolition of slavery bestowed a Royal
Warrant upon the distillery. It was the first distillery to get such a label, and its spirit
was henceforth known as the Kings own whisky.
Most of the distillery's production, nearly 4 million litres of spirit annually, goes into
Dewar's blends, but as with other Dewar's distilleries a single malt range has been
launched as part of the Last Great Malts. Royal Brackla 12 is first aged in ex-bourbon
casks and then finished for an undisclosed amount of time in first fill Oloroso sherry
casks.
In the glass, the whisky is fully amber in colour with nose full of pitted fruit (apricots,
nectarines), tropical fruit (mango & papaya), dark malt, honey and a light spice that may
remind you of cider.
The palate starts off with rich notes of toffee, malt, dark fruit and dark honey before
evolving into notes of red apples, spice and dried fruit. The sherry comes through in the
dark fruit & dried fruit notes, but not in a solid identifiable sherry note.
The finish is long with notes of dried apricot, hay, toffee, banana chips and light touch of
smoke.
Ledaig (meaning safe haven in Gaelic, and pronounced lea-chick) is the peated
expression offered by the Tobermory Distillery, located on the isle of Mull. Mull, located
in the Hebridean Isles, is a neighbour to other famous whisky producing islands such as
Islay, Jura, and Arran. Established in 1798 under the original name Ledaig, Tobermory
remains the only distillery on Mull.
The water used in production flows from a private lake near the Mishnish Lochs, to the
Tobermory River, flowing underneath island peat fields as it makes its way to the
distillery. This combination of peated elements give Ledaig much of its character.
Ledaig 10 year is a light delicate lemon yellow in the glass. This makes approaching the
nose quite the surprise - which is medicinal and peaty, with notes of iodine,
butterscotch, fresh cut grass, and warm wildflower honey.
Over all a beautiful bouquet on the nose, warm and rounded. As the nose opens it
becomes perfumed and floral, with the iodine and medicinal notes fading into the
background - displaying a unique island scent unlike that of Islay whiskies.
On the palate, Ledaig is big and oily, briny and full of driftwood flavors. Burnt vegetation,
seaweed, and ash mix with brown sugar and spice. Very bitter chocolate finish. The
finish expands from the oiliness on the palate to a very salty, briny, smoky round finish.
Ledaig 10 year is an interesting and beautiful alternative for those looking to explore
island whiskies outside of Islay or competitors to bigger peat monsters such as
Laphroaig and Lagavulin.
Founded in either 1798 or 1826, depending on which story you go by, Highland Parks
location on windswept Orkney makes it the northernmost distillery in Scotland.
Distilling at the site began back in the late 18th century, but it wasnt until 1826 that a
license was granted for lawful operations. Even today, this Island distillery underscores
its north-of-the-law heritage with vaguely Nordic branding and continuing reminders of
its illicit past.
Highland Park is one of the few distilleries to carry on the tradition of floor malting, a
labor-intensive process where barley is spread across a floor and regularly hand-turned
for even germination before being kilned with Orkney peat, a famously heathery peat
saturated by eons of salt spray.
This whisky is a rich ripe, rosy apricot in colour with medium viscosity when swirled in
the glass. The nose has warm hay, citrus zest, white grape, orange blossom, and rose
giving an immediate impression of a late-summer garden. Peat aroma is very mild,
expressing itself primarily as a kind of salty earthiness, like a flower bed in full bloom
after being fertilized with seaweed.
The palate is initially dominated by very fresh, crisp notes of grain, with a continuation
of orange zest and hay from the nose. The finish is long without being overpowering, and
delivers a welcome bitterness to anchor that sherry sweetness. The peat is subtle here,
too, expressing itself as a recently extinguished campfire rather than a blazing pyre and
lacking many of those bandaid/iodine notes that some find challenging.
The Deveron name has a confused etymology. There is no Deveron distillery and this
expression is made at the MacDuff Distillery. However unlike the Ledaig, or AnCnoc
made by Knockdhu, MacDuff Distillery does also go by the name of Glen Deveron which
is a different whisky brand entirely.
Founded in 1960s as the MacDuff distillery by Glen Deveron Distillers Limited they were
forced to stop using the MacDuff name on bottles Diageo took hold of the MacDuff
trademark. After 1994 the whisky was released as Glendeveron and then at some point
released as Glen Deveron. However, during all of this the distillery itself remained named
MacDuff - they just couldnt release whisky under that name.
This whisky is an approachable dram which has a tang of coastal air about it. The
distillery is set up for a light, fruity spirit thats replete with Apple tones and nutty
notes.
Upon the first sniff, the sweet aroma of gently baked apples and cinnamon is apparent
along with lots of honey. With a little time there is more pastry notes, Apple Danish
pastries, lots of cinnamon, pepper and touches of nutmeg.
The palate arrives with sugar and a good amount of apple jam fruitiness. Cinnamon
again on the palate, along with that pastry feel. A little hotter ginger and pepper proceed
into the development, which increases in honey and brown sugar notes. Mouthfeel is
light, but with some subtle oiliness.
Uncomplicated and easy to sip and enjoy while relaxing.
This expression honours the local lore of a Spanish Armada galleons lost treasures in
the depths of the Tayne Firth (a river estuary) and is part of the Glenmorangie Legends -
a collection of single malts inspired by the legendary lands that have been home to the
Glenmorangie Distillery.
Legend has it that just offshore from our Distillery is the shipwreck of a 16th Century
Spanish Galleon. Once loaded with treasure, it is one of many ships lost when the
Spanish Armada fled from the English Navy round the Scottish coast.
Glenmorangie Tayne captures this tale and is something of a Spanish treasure itself,
having been aged in carefully selected Amontillado Sherry casks, a rarely seen finish in
the world of whisky.
The resulting single malt, Glenmorangie Tayne, is a rich mahogany whisky showcasing a
unique harmony of deep, spicy Sherry cask notes, unusually fragrant top notes with a
warming texture leading into rich, sweet flavours of toffee.
The aroma is heady, fragrant and floral with hints of rose and roasting chestnuts. Lots
of toffee/caramel, sweet apricots, and some nuttiness. Further exploration yields
muscovado sugar, hints of aromatic coffee and chocolate coated raisins.
The palate is an oily and warming texture leading into rich, sweet flavours of toffee,
brown sugar, tropical fruits (peaches, mango and orange) and a gentle nuttiness, like
walnut or Brazil nuts. The Tayne has a long, spicy finish, with bitter-sweet citrus and
dried fruits.
At the centre of the Royal Burgh of Tain, Ross-shire, where the Glenmorangie Distillery
has stood since 1843, lies the resting place of St Duthac. The Duthac expression
honours the annual pilgrimage made by King James IV to the shrine of St Duthac in Tain
during the Middle Ages.
The Duthac is part of Glenmorangie Legends a collection of single malts inspired by
the legendary lands that have been home to the Glenmorangie Distillery.
A selection of single malt aged in ex-bourbon casks was carefully finished in casks
representing the Kings often contrasting nature. The first, finished in casks from Pedro
Ximnez, to add a layer of rich sweetness exemplifying the Kings tempered, diplomatic
side. The second, finished in charred virgin oak casks, providing an intense, spicy side
embodying the Kings fiery, impulsive nature.
The Duthac, is a deep bronze whisky having a seductive aromas of pear, toffee apple,
Brazil nuts in toffee, with an underlying spicy note, some toasty oak.
a beguiling series of flavours with rich, dark, luscious notes of milk chocolate, toffee,
Brazil nuts, and gentle spice juxtaposing the delicate, delicious sweetness of vanilla,
apricots in cream and almond marzipan.
The palate is a series of mouth-filling flavours - milk chocolate, toffee, Brazil nuts,
leather and some aniseed. The spiciness is definite, but gentle, with hints of ginger and
clove. The finish is replete with vanilla, apricots in cream and some almond marzipan.
The George Dickel Superior No. 12 Year old is one of two special bottlings from George
Dickel. This is the only other Tennessee Whiskey distillery in the world apart from the
famous Jack Daniels.
The story goes that George Dickel discovered that whiskey made in the cold winter
months tasted smoother. Commonly called the "Lincoln County Process", the whiskey is
chilled before filtering through sugar-maple charcoal in 13-foot vats making this
whiskey a "Tennessee Whiskey". Mellow and simply sippable this whiskey has a nice
balance amidst the corn driven notes and a medium body that works with the smooth
easy-going texture.
The nose of this whiskey is primarily corn with sweet notes of vanilla, candied citrus
and butterscotch fudge coming through. Honey candy, simple syrup, dried orchard fruit, a
touch of wood and rich, but not cloying, sweetness appear after a little breathing -
making it simply stunning to sniff.
On the palate, cinnamon moves in with corn, caramel and citrus in a foursome of flavour.
Vanilla, wood and a touch of char and leather move through with ease and that rich
sweetness is back along with some notes of grain, dried fruit and an ambiguous spice.
The finish is long and corn driven with notes of vanilla, cinnamon, leather, dried fruit and
a bit of oak. This whiskey is something that is easy to sit and savour, but also works
delightfully well in cocktails.
Leading the resurgence of traditional pot still Irish whiskey is Green Spot Pot Still Irish
Whiskey. Green Spot was one of the first and still one of the only independent bottlings
of Irish whiskey.
The Single Pot-Still is Irish whiskey's equivalent to the "single" in single malt scotch.
This means that the whiskey is not blended and comes exclusively from the stills of a
single distillery.
The single pot still tradition was mostly lost during the twentieth century in favour of
the popularity of blended whiskies like Jameson. However it's now being revived by
brands like the Green Spot.
The whisky has a wonderful nose of fall fruits coming out of the bottle with intense
apple cider and then opening up into ripe green pears. You can note the Fino cask
flavour, if perhaps not the Oloroso cask, and a whiff of the white oak behind it.
Upon first tasting, all the big sweets sort of disappear for a nice warm and perfectly
balanced palate. Just some touches of green grapes, a little oaky age, and some very
mellow grain.
The finish is just miraculously smooth but relatively short. There's not even a whisper of
alcohol burn. This whisky is just so amazingly drinkable, you'll already be thinking more
about your next sip than about the finish of the last one.
The Hakushu Distiller's Reserve is a whisky that has been blended with
older heavily peated malt and aged (all of which are 18+ years old)
American oak matured whisky.
The whisky is filtered through bamboo charcoal, creating a unique
character. All the casks used have been hand selected by Shinji Fukuyo,
who is only the fourth Chief Blender in owner Suntory's 90 year history.
Suntory recommend drinking it neat or in a highball with ice and soda
water. Each time you take a sip, you find something different and to us
that is the sign of a good whisky.. It is a welcome addition to the
WhiskyBox Collection.
The colour is a pale lemon yellow and the nose is light, delicate and
perfumed. The initial aromas are of fresh green pears, vanilla and lemon
zest are followed by hints of freshly mown grass and coconut.
On the palate, this whisky has an instant tangy and refreshing feel with
distinctive notes of lemon zest. There are also hints of marshmallow,
elderflower cordial and ginger, which adds a pleasant warmth and
earthiness.
The finish is long for such a delicate whisky. The sweeter and fruitier
elements are the first to fade, followed by the zesty lemon notes. It is the soft
peat smoke and the menthol-like grassy notes that linger and hold on to the
taste buds.
PLACE YOUR WHISKY HERE
BETWEEN SIPS
The Hudson Baby Bourbon is a single grain bourbon made from 100% New York corn and
aged in 3 gallon small American Oak barrels. This yields good wood components in a
young fresh tasting whiskey - usually a mutually exclusive proposition. Each bottle is
hand filled and numbered. This is Tuthilltown's first whiskey and the first legal
pot-distilled whisky made in New York since the infamous Prohibition Era.
It is mild and friendly, bright to the tongue and warming all the way down. A true
American classic, this is a bourbon to share with those who know enough about bourbon
to appreciate its characteristics as well as its unique taste.
If you have bourbon loving friends who havent tried it yet we suggest you try this
bourbon with them.
Let the bourbon sit in the glass for at least 5 minutes before nosing and tasting. In
appearance, the bourbon is copper coloured with lovely 'fingers' when swirled in an
appropriate whisky glass. Corn, vanilla and crisp oak notes are prevalent upon nosing.
You can smell the oak's influence on the bourbon in the peppery scent and the vanilla
notes.
On the palate, there are notes of corn, oak, vanilla and some fresh ginger with some
sweetness to it. Vanilla and caramel are expressed from the close contact with smaller
oak barrels.
A warming finish with fat oaky notes that are balanced by vanilla and sweetness of the
corn.
The Isle of Jura at just 7 miles by 30 miles long lies off the coast between the more
famous Isle of Islay and mainland Scotland, about 150 miles from Glasgow. It has only
one road and about 200 people.
The Distillery (the island has only one), was built at an old smugglers cave in 1810. The
distillery in those early days led a troubled life, falling into disrepair and was abandoned.
It was not until 153 years later, in 1963, that the distillery was rebuilt who then began
to distill the Jura Single Malt Whisky.
The colour of The Superstition in the glass is a nice copper with an obvious orange
highlight when held up to the light.
Carry your glass up to your nose and youll immediately notice the rich scents and
aromas initially of damp moss and peat in a temperate rainforest along with sweet
malted barley smells and light scent of marmalade and baking spices. A wonderfully
marvelous overall effect that invites you to take a sip.
The initial sip from the glass brings sweet butterscotch with more peat flavour with a
hint of lavender. Let the whisky linger in your mouth and discover the sweet malty
flavours that are brought forward for a smorgasbord for the mouth.
More discerning tasters will find smoky dry fruit (prunes dates and raisins) along with
baked apples and pears. The finish has a medium length with more peat and smokiness
mingling with the sweet butterscotch. A thoroughly enjoyable dram.
The return of a quintessential classic whisky and a part of the WhiskyBox Collection, in
May 2015, a 10th Anniversary Release of the Johnnie Walker Green Label was released
for sale around Australia.
The Green Label is a 'blended malt' or 'vatted malt' scotch whisky - a whisky that is a
marriage of single malt whisky from different distilleries. Since 1997 Johnnie Walker
have been producing this nifty little gem by marrying Caol Ila (from Islay), Talisker (The
Isle of Skye), Cragganmore (Speyside) and Linkwood (Speyside) -- a marriage made in
heaven.
The a rich and full nose, this whisky has tons of mocchaccino and espresso coffee
notes complemented by wood smoke, bitter chocolate and oak.
Upon tasting the whisky really coats the palate. Wild spiced honey up front with
considerable sweetness. The palate is of medium-body with notes of cereals, coffee
beans, chocolate, and maybe some dates and walnuts to a discerning taster. Soon
thereafter malty notes appear with faint sherry and a flourish of gentle peat.
The finish is quite long and spicy with honeyed sweetness and oak with a faint sherry
note on the finish and the taste of bright red raspberries.
Details are scant about how long this iteration of the Green Label will last in the market
but we're proud to have the Green Label as part of the WhiskyBox Collection.
Kilbeggan Blended Irish Whiskey is named after the Kilbeggan Distillery whose license
to distill dates back to 1757. The distillery has been producing whisky uninterrupted for
200 years until it was closed down in 1957.
The Teeling family (owners of Cooley) bought the distillery and in 2007 began producing
whiskey using a pot still that dates back to the 1800s (the oldest working pot still in
the world). The first Kilbeggan made whiskey rolled out in 2014,
On first appearance, the whiskey has a dark yellowish appearance and the nose is full of
honey, fruit, vanilla and malt combined with light notes of caramel, spice and a candy
like sweetness. A faint undertone of brown sugar and citrus pervades throughout.
The palate is sweet malty caramel and vanilla with the grain whiskey making a bold
statement. Light raw woody and citrus notes also combine to produce a medium dry
finish with notes of wood, caramel, grain whisky and a sugary sweetness.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable drink and an excellent contender for your regular after
work tipple.
Teeling is one of the big new Irish whiskey brands. However the company has
actually been around for a while. Teeling Distillery is the first new distillery in Dublin in
125 years, the company has existed since 1782. The Teeling Single Malt consists of
aged malt whiskey (some of it up to 23 years old distilled back in 1991) matured in five
different wine casks including Sherry, Port, Madeira, White Burgundy and Cabernet
Sauvignon.
This combination of cask maturation techniques has never been done before in Irish
whiskey and creates a truly innovative Irish whiskey bursting with personality. The
colour is a deep rich gold.
On the nose, this whiskey is quite gentle and has almost imperceptible aroma. You may
pick out some honey and malted milk (think Milo) and maybe some green apples. Its
very pleasant, if not especially complex.
What was lacking on the nose is more than made up for on the palate. Upon first
sip, there is an explosion of intense fruitiness - grapes, sweet apples, ripe oranges,
pineapple and honey make an appearance one after another. Going in for seconds
exposes an undercurrent of currants, fresh plums, digestive biscuits, ginger and
allspice.
The finish is long with sweetness in harmony with dry tannins from the wood.
Vanilla is present, naturally along with the remains of fruit and malt leaving a lasting
creamy mouthfeel. An exceptionally well-balanced and very tasty whisky!
The Penderyn Distillery resides in the picturesque Brecon Beacons National Park in
Wales. Distillation started in 2000 and on 1st March 2004, their first whisky was
released in the presence of HRH Prince Charles. This made it the first Welsh distillery in
over a century!
The Penderyn 41 Madeira is one of several expressions - a focused, superbly
balanced, eminently flavoursome whisky. An excellent example of how high-quality a
whisky can be made outside of the traditional whisky-making countries.
The spirit is aged in Buffalo Trace first-fill ex-bourbon barrels, followed by a six month
finish in ex-Madeira casks and then filled at 41% alc/vol giving it its name.
One the nose, the first word that comes to mind is clean. Penderyn smells clean,
like freshly-folded laundry and clear spring water. The aroma also presents crushed nuts,
lemon peel, and white chocolate fudge, with a tart high note of fresh plums or green
grapes.
The palate is creamy with a moderate tongue burn. You may notice a very nutty,
with layers of pistachio and hazelnut over a bed of crisp roasted malt. The madeira only
comes through at the end, with notes of golden raisin and a barely noticed touch of
balsamic. A few drops of water will make the nose drier and release more of the pure
barley flavour and is definitely recommended.
The finish is medium-long and dry. Tasting of tannins from grape skin ending
pleasantly with no bitterness.
Benromach, like many of the lesser-known distilleries in Scotland, had its malt used
principally for blending until the new millennium, when new owners Gordon & MacPhail
(independent bottlers) gave the distillery a fresh lease on life with a refurbishment and
a marketing push for a new line of single malts. Benromach say their aim is to recreate
the pre-1960s Speyside flavour which used to have a bit of peat in it.
The Benromach 10 is the first of many of these new offerings and a flagship whisky
for Benromach. Take the time to savour this one - both the nose and the palate are
extremely rewarding to those who patiently sample this complex whisky.
The complexity of this whisky comes from the expertly distilled, lightly peated
spirit. Its matured in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry barrels (80/20) for at least 9 years
before being blended together and finished for another year in ex-oloroso casks.
The colour of the whisky is a brownish yellow. The nose is full and buttery - malted
with rich citrus fruit and a touch of peat and hay. Its a wonderful aroma we could sit
and sniff this for hours! Indeed, this is the best way to pick up all the different notes
rich sherry with fruit & nut chocolate, delicate spice, green apples, malty biscuit and a
touch of light peat smoke.
The palate continues the overall theme with rich malt and fruit accompanied by
spicy notes, butterscotch, sherry and a bit of peat. The whisky has a medium finish with
notes of fruit, butterscotch, malt and golden raisins.
A thoroughly enjoyable dram.
Knob Creek Small Batch is named after Abraham Lincolns childhood home in Kentucky.
It entered the market in 1992 as a small batch bourbon when the industry started to
regain its footing after Prohibition. Distiller Booker Noe set out to create a Bourbon that
resembled pre-prohibition bottling with a higher proof and more age than most bottles
then on the shelves.
The bourbon is aged for nine years in wood, giving it the distinction of being aged the
longest of the Small Batch Bourbons. This extra ageing allows it to absorb more of the
sugar in the wood, giving it a slightly sweeter taste and nose. Knob Creek may not be
the most complex bourbon out there, but its a solid full bodied bourbon with classic
flavours and a smooth finish thats easy to drink. Its delicious neat, on the rocks or in a
cocktail and its robust flavour is why its one of our go to bourbons.
The colour is a very deep amber - caramel with some red and orange facets. The opening
inhalation detects voluptuous, deep aromas of toasted walnut, cereal grain, and dark
toffee. Let the bourbon air out and discover that it stimulates even deeper scents that
include honey, hard candy and overripe peaches.
Upon tasting, caramel comes rolling out of the glass and even though its a bit hidden
some vanilla tumbles alongside of it. A slight corn taste runs through the whole dram
with some full bodied oak balancing it out. Plenty of bourbon spice and some notes of
malt that help round out the whole palate. Caramel dominates the after-taste and is
followed up with some corn, grainy cherry like fruit and a solid woody underpinning.
Since 1816, Lagavulin whisky has been made in a picturesque huddle of buildings on
Lagavulin Bay on the Isle of Islay. The distillery is the most beautifully situated of
distilleries amongst the craggy rocks of the bay. This is also the favourite whisky of Ron
Swanson (Nick Offerman from TVs Parks and Recreation).
In fact, there is a sublime 45 minute video of Nick Offerman enjoying a glass of this
whisky on YouTube that is well worth the watch -- defining what we mean by whisky
being the drink of patient men and women.
Aged in bourbon barrels, the 16 Year Old has a dark amber colour in the glass with
strong, distinctive smoky vapours guaranteed to get your noses attention well before
you take a sniff.
Wait a while for the whisky to breathe and your nose to adjust, and you will be able to
pick out the spicy and sweet aromatic undertones below the smoky, peaty and iodine
filled aromas.
On the palate, the Lagavulin has a very strong, almost over-powering peaty flavour with
hints of oaky and salty flavours. The sherry cask that this whisky is matured in barely
peeks through and may only be noticeable by the most patient of whisky tasters.
Like most Islay whiskies, this 16 year old has a great, long lasting finish with more peat
and smoke mixed with nuts and spices. Although not for the faint hearted, this whisky
is extremely rewarding to those who go in for repeat drams -- proving a textbook
example of a delicious Islay whisky.
The Laphroaig distillery is an Islay single malt Scotch whisky distillery named for the
area of land at the head of Loch Laphroaig on the south coast of the Isle of Islay.
The distillery and brand are owned and operated by Beam Suntory, the American
subsidiary of Japan's Suntory Holdings. This 10 year old expression is an excellent
introduction to Islay Whisky and has a permanent fixture in the WhiskyBox Collection.
It is a fine introduction to the Peaty Islay Whiskies. A warm amber coloured spirit in the
glass, the colour is masked in the bottle by the vivid green of the bottle which is in
marked contrast to the brilliant white tube.
The aromas are very strong with three main themes: intense wood smoke, peat,
medicinal iodine and salty seaweed smell. Warming the whisky slightly above body
temperature releases more of the ash and sooty undertones that mark most Laphroaig
whisky expressions.
On the palate, the whisky has a dry start, continuing with the iodine aroma and
expanding to earth, soil and peat flavours upon further inspection in the mouth.
The whisky finishes medium long, with the peat and smoke lingering long after the more
subtle overtones have dissipated. A thoroughly enjoyable dram full of pleasure and
promise.
The Macallans 1824 Series - Gold, Amber, Sienna and Ruby are sherry matured whiskies
in various casks of various ages to produce various colours and all come with no age
statement. This series is meant to be The Macallan's way forward; replacing their
age-statement whiskies and their Cask Strength edition, ultimately becoming the new
identity of the brand.
The Macallan Amber is as the name implies, Amber in colour and matured in refill & first
fill Spanish & American oak sherry casks.
The whisky has a slightly more classic sherry nose here, slightly sweeter and still
youthful but more grown up with malts coming through nicely, spices and fudgy
goodness, red toffee apples eaten in a field of hey late summer.
On the palate this is medium to light in oils, with a touch of older oaks to keep you
happy while the sweetness of the malt and sherry influence comes through. Hold it on
your tongue for a while and gentle spices come in waves to tickle your fancy. Its really
easy drinking again, and I could imagine sitting drinking a fair amount of this happily in
an early evening summer breeze.
The finish is short, light, dry and quite bitter with malt, aak, vanilla, strawberry flavour,
orange, nut shells and bread dough. More of the sherry raisins goodness turn up and
make a welcome presence felt.
The Michters brand name is a historic one - produced during the middle of the 20th
century at the historic Bombergers Distillery in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania (where
whiskey under many different names had been made since before the US Revolutionary
War).
Legends claim George Washington purchased cases of whiskey from the same area that
originated Michters to give to troops at Valley Forge. This earned it the nickname The
Whiskey that Warmed the American Revolution.
In December of 2013, they officially joined the Kentucky Distillers Association and
became part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
With an amber colour, tending to the lighter side, the aroma clearly has some dried fruit
on the nose, peach and apricot, with a hint of cinnamon. The palate is full of sugars and
baked goods, while the middle of the tongue gets a hint of peppery spice.
This bourbon has a relatively short, dry finish and almost begs for a second taste. Some
lingering graham cracker and honey coalesce towards the end of the finish.
Michters US*1 reminds us of the kind of restaurant you recommend to somebody you
dont know very well whos looking for a nice meal. Its inarguably delicious, and free of
any potentially divisive characteristics. Theres no challenge here, just pleasure, and
while it may not inspire the kind of devotion that comes from loving something others
dont (see: Islay single malts, cult film classics), its extremely enjoyable all the same.
Produced by the Nikka Whisky Distilling Company headquartered in Tokyo, the Nikka
From The Barrel is one of the greatest, if not the best, value for money vetted whiskies
in the world.
In this case, Nikka have used different ages of single malt from both Miyagikyo and
Yoichi and married them together over time to create a whisky that is a definite must
for novice and experienced whisky aficionados alike.
It is an absolute gem of a whisky -- give it a go, you will not be disappointed. On the
nose, this blended whisky has very floral, rose water and other flower notes, good hints
of spice (star anise, clove, nutmeg, hints of cinnamon), apple peel & hints of other
citrus notes (lemon and lime peel).
Note: At first the floral notes are overwhelming but with airing over 30 minutes it opens
up to one of the most fantastic whiskies that has ever graced a whisky drinkers nose.
Give plenty of sniffing time to this one. To taste, this whisky is a very rich and smooth
drink. Starts very light with building sweetness - notes of grape (almost sweet grappa),
apple, caramel, bourbon-corn sweetness on the nose and palate.
It is quite round and balanced in taste, even when taken neat it stays very measured.
almost a bit restrained. The whisky finish is short with citrus zest, figs vanilla, ginger,
quite peppery if taken neat. With water, the finish is full of warm spice and fruit
underscored by an oaky taste.
For the past 15 years Woodford Reserve has taken innovative approaches to craft
unique expressions of whiskey, such as their Woodford Reserve Double Oaked bourbon.
Master Distiller Chris Morris crafted this bourbon with careful selection of ingredients
and aging time in a heavy charred oak barrel. Unlike some distillers who use staves to
finish the whiskey, however, Woodford uses new barrels to do the second aging, with
them this time around being lightly charred, but heavy toasted.
Overall this is a great whiskey that is well balanced with the savory earthy notes pairing
very nicely with the sweet candy flavours that naturally come in a bourbon.
The colour is a deep, dark caramel with excellent ruby (red) hints if held up to the light.
The nose is heavy on caramel, vanilla and oak. It has such a great classic bourbon nose
that we recommend sitting and sniffing for 15-20 minutes before taking your first sip.
Over time you should be able to pick up additional aromas including hints of orange,
butterscotch, mint, sweet tobacco and a slightly astringent pine.
The taste reinforces the aroma with caramel, cinnamon, clove, corn and solid oak
making up the bulk of the flavours. Pepper and leather are brought out by the rye. Add a
dash of vanilla and cherries and you have yourself one hell of a flavour profile.
The finish is fruity caramel paired with oak and corn that stays consistent throughout.
Long and slow. This is best suited to folks who are new to the bourbon scene and want
a nice mellow bourbon, or on those late nights sitting around a fire pit talking with close
friends.
Pure Scot heralds the long awaited return of whisky from the legendary 198 year old
Bladnoch distillery located in the Lowlands region of Scotland.
With a history dating back to 1817 and one of the oldest Scotch producers in the
region, it recently fell silent for several months as its future was debated and in doubt.
Finally, it was rescued by an Aussie David Prior (the same man who started the five:am
yoghurt brand found at your local Woolies) with Master Distiller Ian Macmillan at the
helm to produce the best flavours the Lowlands have to offer.
With a passion for whisky and entrepreneurial chops to boot, Pure Scot represents the
first bottles produced under his stewardship. The first people to sample this whisky will
be from his hometown of Melbourne with the rest of the country to follow in the latter
half of 2016.
With an understated coppery colour, the nose upon first inspection is quite spicy with
lots of ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg notes over an undercurrent of sweet vanilla and
caramel.
The palate is also spicy with lots of heat carried by the lovely sweetness of vanilla and
toffee, now more prevalent. Letting it linger in the mouth for a while produces more
flavours including orange, citrus peel and dark chocolate notes.
The finish is medium long again predominantly spicy with oakiness now incorporated for
good measure.
Very popular with rye aficionados, this is a must try rye for those trying to expose
themselves to the rich flavours of rye whisky. Rich in flavour and full of complex notes
that run the gamut from sweet to savory to spicy and back again its everything you
want in a good quality whiskey and a strong and fearless bannerman for the rye
category.
This complex, potent spirit is perfect for a rye Manhattan, and amazingly won 'World's
Best American Whiskey' at the World Whisky Awards 2010, beating off competition from
the more popular George T. Stagg.
Overall this rye is about as balanced, flexible and versatile as they come. Delicious
neat? Check. Holds up on the rocks? Check. Amazing in cocktails? Double check.
To the eye, the rye is a dark rich caramel with hints of copper. Light on the nose, the rye
spice floats out first followed by a modest caramel and vanilla. Pepper, leather and fresh
tobacco mix with rye spice, a dusty oak and tiny bit of iodine to make for a light, but
pleasant, sniffing experience.
Big bold rye spice floods the palate along with honey, red pepper, cinnamon and caramel
syrup. There is a bit of fruit apple & pear and some leather hanging out in the back. A
splash of water brings out the vanilla, whereas ice seems to bring out more of the rye
and in a Manhattan or Old Fashioned it makes one hell of a statement.
The finish is long and delicious with the rye fading to some oak with a hint of caramel,
corn and barley.
Russells Reserve is named after Wild Turkeys Master Distiller Jimmy Russell and was
released to commemorate his 45th anniversary in 1999. Aged for 10 years in heavily
charred barrels (called 'alligator' barrels) the bourbon receives a more assertive woody
character.
With a dark caramel colouring and a rich, sweet vanilla, caramel and toffee aroma, the
bourbon is a rich and satisfying pour. This is such a deep, rich and complex nose we
recommend taking your time to smell before taking your first sip. Let it rest for even
longer and you may also pick up burnt sugar, butterscotch, and browned butter.
On the palate, dark fruit, caramel and an entire rack of baking spices start things off.
Wood comes right behind with rye in tow while toffee and vanilla follow through. Like
the aroma this has an insanely rich and complex flavour.
Brilliantly balanced with the strong rye and wood keeping the menagerie of sweet
flavours in check. A thick full body thats warm, syrupy and feels heavy on the tongue
with just the right amount of burn to keep things interesting. The finish is pleasantly
long full of wood, toffee, caramel, rye, dark fruit, vanilla and mint slowly fading to a
warm sweet wood.
If someone asked us what should a bourbon taste like, we would offer them a glass of
the Russell's Reserve. Afterwards, we could of course explore wheated bourbons,
traditional bourbons, high rye etc., but to bring it all home we would still end with this. A
thoroughly enjoyable glass of bourbon.
The Singleton is not a single distillery, but rather a brand which represents the single
malts of multiple distilleries. One of these is Dufftown, home to Glenfiddich and the
self-declared Whisky Capital of the World.
The appearance of this whisky in the glass is deep gold with polished mahogany
highlights.
Upon sniffing, the nose is quite full with lots of fresh oak and nutty malt accents. The
aroma displays the sort of richness you only get from combining different cask types.
The nose is approachable and rich. First polished wood and nuts (toasted hazelnut)
dominate, then rich fruits, both stewed (baked apples) and dried (sweet dates) take
over, with soft brown sugar. Behind this, a stick of liquorice.
Upon the first sip (tasted neat), it is sweet and full of orchard fruits typical of a
Speyside malt. The palate is quite short drying pretty quickly becoming pleasantly bitter
as it spreads through the mouth. Water brings out a sweeter, more direct Speyside
character (citrus fruits, pear drops). Light sweetness, then chewy and balanced by a
light acidity, with a good spread of flavours mid-palate.
The finish is medium to long. Elegantly drying and crisp; then a sweetly nutty delayed
warmth, which lingers pleasantly.
.
Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey is traditionally made from a mash comprised of both malted
and unmalted barley which is distilled in a pot still. This style of whisky was produced
as a reaction to British taxes on malted whiskey in 1802. To reduce the taxable amount
of whisky, Irish distillers began to add more unmalted barley resulting in what we have
come to know as Irish Pure Pot Still Whisky.
Writers Tears Pot Still Irish Whisky contains both Single Malt Whiskey and the
aforementioned Pure Pot Still Whiskey in its construction. As is the tradition in Ireland,
the whiskey is triple distilled and matured in American Oak (bourbon) barrels.
The colour of the whisky is a bright golden amber which to me seems to hint at a vibrant
character within the glass. The initial aroma from the glass has a bit of a bourbon flair
complemented by honeyed butterscotch, toffee, oak spices, and obvious taints of
vanilla and almond.
The whisky enters the mouth with soft caramel flavours which are enlivened by oak
spice and fruity citrus peel. We have a solid path of vanilla weaving its way through the
oak and caramel, and some very nice honey accents. Almond and marmalade flavours
weigh in for good measure, and underneath everything else is a lovely maltiness which
seems to anchor the whisky and tie everything together.
The finish is heated by wood spices (ginger and citrus peel) accompanied by a mild
bitterness which is akin to the finish of a good Canadian rye whisky. The combination
warms the palate and dries the throat. And the combination is very appealing.
Long known as 'the gentle dram', the Tomintoul 16yo is soft and nutty,
with a pleasant richness. Multi-award winning, including a Gold Medal
winner at the International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC), this
whisky has been lovingly crafted from a selection of the finest bourbon
casks, each aged for at least sixteen years.
The colour is a rich golden amber and the nose has an immediate dried
fruit hit - imagine raisins and sultanas - with some woody spices like
nutmeg and cinnamon. Following on is a reasonably intense citrus note
reminiscent of dried orange peel or marmalade, an interesting almond
nuttiness and just a whiff of raw spirit that catches your nose hairs.
On the palate, the whisky is quite rich and has a slight buttery feel that
balances the sweetness of the dried fruit, vanilla and citrus notes from the
nose reminding one of butterscotch. Also noticeable is the maltiness from
the barley, some vanilla, and a woodiness that increases with time.
The finish is reasonable, fruity and still quite spirity, with the malty note
coming through prominently, as does some spice (nutmeg or cinammon
again). The overall feeling is pretty dry and woody (think of damp wood).
Awards gifted to this whisky include:
'Gold' International Wine & Spirit Competition London 2010.
'Gold' International Spirit Challenge London 2010.
'Gold' Prodexpo Competition, Russia 2007.
'Gold' China International Wine & Spirits Challenge 2006.
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Change your Subscription at any time at whiskybox.com.au/my-account
1. Most common questions can be found in our FAQ: whiskybox.com.au/faq
2. Contact us on Instagram or Facebook at @WhiskyBoxClub
3. Email us at [email protected] at any time.
Simply ask your friend to leave your email address in the Additional Information box
on Checkout. The $10 Discount will be applied to you and your friend during the
next billing cycle.
- Robert Burns
WhiskyBox Australia
QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS ? //
1. Answers to common questions can be found at: whiskybox.com.au/faq
2. Contact us on Instagram or Facebook at @WhiskyBoxClub
3. Email us at [email protected] at any time.
We recommend sampling no more than 2 whiskies in one sitting for the most
satisfying tasting experience. Experiment with your drams by drinking them
neat, adding some water or with ice to find your personal sweet spot.
QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS ? //
1. Answers to common questions can be found at: whiskybox.com.au/faq
2. Contact us on Instagram or Facebook at @WhiskyBoxClub
3. Email us at [email protected] at any time.
We recommend sampling no more than 2 whiskies in one sitting for the most
satisfying tasting experience. Experiment with your drams by drinking them
neat, adding some water or with ice to find your personal sweet spot.
QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS ? //
1. Answers to common questions can be found at: whiskybox.com.au/faq
2. Contact us on Instagram or Facebook at @WhiskyBoxClub
3. Email us at [email protected] at any time.
Regards,
Slinte Mhaith!
The WhiskyBox Team