Blind Tastings, Springtime, Summertime, Takin' It Easy

Rick’s Mystery Dram series – Week 5 of 10 – Sample #5

June 28, 2010 Jewmalt

Wow, I can’t believe that this series is half way over! The journey has be great so far. Rick, thank you.

As I mentioned in the 3rd post for this “Rick’s Mystery Dram” Series, I’ve decided to make this a wee bit more interesting by sending out a mystery dram to the correct guesser of the week’s mystery dram or, if there has been no correct guess, the sample goes to a commenter (randomly chosen). Last week, Matt L of Houston TX won the mystery dram – and he has requested a Scotch whisky sample. Matt, it’s on its way to you, thanks for posting your guess! I hope you keep coming back.

Details on how to win a mystery dram sample (which will be Scotch or American whisk(e)y, your choice) are listed below, after the review.

For previous “Rick’s Mystery Dram” entries :

Here’s Mystery Dram #1 (which ended up being Parker’s Heritage First Edition)

Here’s Mystery Dram #2 (which ended up being Parker’s Heritage Golden Anniversary)

Here’s Mystery Dram #3 (which ended up being Evan Williams Single Barrel, 2000 vintage, barrel # 234)

Here’s Mystery Dram #4 (which ended up being Tonala 4 year Anejo tequila)

Review time! And, by the way, this is an American whiskey again.

On the nose – A big spicy nose filled with chewy nougats and nuts (the roasted kind you get at a state fair; for my US readers).

Woody spice, orange marmalade… That chewy nougatty goodness keeps me coming back.

There’s rye in here for sure but it seems as if it’s not a youthful rye, the spice is big but round.

On the mouth – The entry is thinner than water and much spicier than the nose had suggested. Say huh!? Not what I was expecting with that lush nougat and marmalade I got on the nose…

This is an easy drinker but, similar to mystery dram # 2, I found that the drop off from the nose to the palate a bit off-putting. Spiced oak starts to arrive…

Finish – Wait a sec, the finish is ramping up here. Oh, this is making it worth it. That woodiness comes back with a vengeance. It’s getting big here in a real toasted oak sort of way.

In sum – Strange. If I were to just nose this I would have told you that this is most likely around the 50% ABV range. Tasting it was another thing completely; I would have said 43-46% (with some sort of a wheat element to smooth out the tasting experience. After the swallow, however, (and in fact, just prior to it), the spice began to build up and burn so now I’m back to a higher ABV – perhaps in the 50% range. I liked this bourbon. The palate left me wanting (a bit) but that nose was great! A dram of this would be a nice way to unwind and end the day.

Clues –

I’m guessing a clear rye influence – perhaps a rye whiskey (or a heavily toasted barrel to add flavor)
Thin mouth feel, smooth (perhaps some from the addition of wheat into the mash bill)
Powerful finish with a good amount of woodiness

JMSWS antes up!

For those who attempt to guess – each week I will be sending out one mystery dram (a small 5cl bottle) and the first person guesses correctly wins the dram. Actually, if there are no correct guesses for the week then a winner will be chosen at random. You win whether your right or not (like a weatherperson – right or not, s/he still has a job)!

So again, I will be awarding a free whisk(e)y sample every week to one lucky winner (whether you guess correctly or not).

How do I enter to win you ask?

Easy, comment on this post with what you think the mystery dram of the week may be. It’s that simple.

I will let you choose the type of mystery dram — Scotch or American Whiskey (though that’s all you’ll know about it). And if you’d like, you can send me your tasting notes and I’ll post them for my readers to guess at. If you’d prefer the blind tasting to be between just you and me… that’s cool too.

Macallan

Macallan 13yr Single Cask – Bottled for the SMWSA – Cask number 24.111

June 25, 2010 Jewmalt

Speyside region – 59.7%ABV – 750ml bottle – Exclusive Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America

I am a proud new member of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America (from here on out to be referred to as SMWSA). I’ve got a few friends who’ve been members for a while now and I was going back and forth; should I join? shouldn’t I join?, etc…

For those of you unfamiliar with the society, the SMWSA is the American arm of the parent society based in Leith, Scotland. Every month they offer up new exclusive whiskies to their members. Whiskies you can find NOWHERE else and they are all Single Cask, Cask Strength expressions. Their whiskies come from over 125 different distilleries (Most are Scottish distilleries but they now include Japanese expressions such as Yamazaki, Nikka and Hakushu).

Back to my becoming a member — again, I was really hemming and hawing over whether or not to join the society. YES I would have access to these great whiskies but hey, there’s a membership fee involved… It wasn’t until I started talking to, and began reading reviews from, my fellow whisky blogger Jason of Guid Scotch Drink that I decided to bite the bullet and join. This is perhaps the tastiest bullet I’ve ever bitten.

For information on the SMWSA including their current whiskies and how to join in on the fun, click here. If you are outside of the US, click here for international branches.

The first bottle I got from the SMWSA was a 13yr Macallan which was matured in a first fill sherry butt (tee-hee… when will I get past the whole ‘laughing at the word “butt”‘ thing? Never, me thinks). This is high octane killer whisky!

On the nose – A word to the wise: give this whisky some time to breathe. It was bottled at 59.7%ABV so it’s… strong stuff. It’ll trim your nose hairs if you let it.

After a good 10 minutes, this beauty (and, it IS a beauty) opens up like a lotus flower. Indian food galore! Mango chutney, heavy on the ginger. A hint of green mint sauce with a nice amount of spice.

Then some nice balsamic vinaigrette notes with a side of green plastic toy soldiers. Banana nut bread, banana peel. Bananarama.

On the mouth – Sour and spicy cabbage (think Kim Chee) and salted nut mix.

Tremendous mouth feel – chewy but, oh so drying and in a really good way (sherry wine tannins, hard at work).

Nutty goodness.

Finish – Wow, all of those great nuts (think stale filbert minus the saltiness I detected earlier) and bananas keep coming back up; over and over, it’s near endless.

In sum – Quite brilliant, really. There is so much going on here to occupy my brain and senses but, at the same time, I could find myself easily sipping on this one without even thinking about it. Scary that a whisky at 59.7% ABV could be an everyday drinker for me! This whisky made the top place in the SMWSA’s “President’s Choice” list of the April outturn and I can see why. Fabulous.

A World of Discovery, All You Need Is Love, Glenrothes, Springtime

Two Indy Glenrothes – Classic Cask and The Premium Barrel – both single cask expressions

June 23, 2010 Jewmalt

My experience with the Glenrothes whiskies is fairly limited but I have to say, I am a huge fan of Ronnie Cox and the video series he leads on the Glenrothes website. To check out the video series, Click here and, for each expression, click “Read More” and you’ll find video tasting notes for each whisky (don’t forget to come back!)

I recently received two samples of independent Glenrothes expressions and thought it would be a good idea to review them side by side. Both are indy bottlings, both are single cask expressions, both are at a reduced ABV; 43% & 46%

The first of these whiskies was one of the strangest malts I’ve had in a while, the other was…pretty good. Pretty damn good. One thing I can say, after tasting these two… I want MORE Glenrothes!

Glenrothes 1990 18yr Single Cask – Classic Cask – Speyside region – 43% ABV – 750ml bottle (please note that the picture of the bottle shown is not the actual Glenrothes bottle. Rather, it is a bottle from “The Classic Cask” collection)

On the nose – Odd nose here, house cleaners – very chemically, nail polish/acetone then toffee enters.

Kumquat citrus nose (but a tad restrained) and vanilla.

After a good while, great dried fruit notes (you have to wait for it a good 6-7 minutes though…). Shaved chocolate.

On the mouth – Pine Sol, Murphy’s Wood Cleaner, mint/menthol notes, then enters some very soothing caramel notes and Smarties.

A great transformation but those chemical notes are a bit off-putting (and at the same time, those odd notes kept me coming back for more. It’s like watching a train wreck… you can’t look away!).

Finish – Medium length.

In sum – I really don’t know what to make of it. If I were to stumble upon my blog and read the notes I just listed above, I would say to myself: “Self, don’t you ever, ever drink this stuff!”. HOWEVER, I truly enjoyed this whisky and was sad to see my sample go. Enjoy this whisky when you are cleaning the house – spring cleaning!

Glenrothes 1996 “The Premium Barrel” Single Cask – for info on Douglas Laing “Premium Barrel” Bottlings, click here – Speyside region – 43% ABV – 750ml bottle (please note that the picture of the bottle shown is not the actual Glenrothes bottle. Rather, it is a bottle from “The Premium Barrel” collection)

On the nose – Clean and brisk nose with a load of lemons.

Pineapple and a good bit of chamomile tea (very nice!).

Light toffee notes, very faint peat smoke.

On the mouth — Strong effervescent mouth feel, thin mouth feel like cut oil.

Butter and toast (though, not together), fennel (not seeds, fennel).

Grassy, spent matches and electrical charges. That faint peat smoke comes back.

Finish – Decent length. About as long as it should be I suppose.

In sum – I really liked the Classic Cask more than this expression. It’s “oddness” was a huge draw for me.

This one was nice, very nice, but I can picture myself going for “The Classic Cask” expression before “The Premium Barrel”.

A World of Discovery, Master of Malt, Refreshed, Summertime, Takin' It Easy, Tomatin

Master of Malt Tomatin 19yr Single Cask 40% ABV

June 22, 2010 Jewmalt

Highland region – Master of Malt Exclusive Single Cask Tomatin 19yr – 40%ABV – £60

About 3 weeks ago I posted a review of the Master of Malt Tomatin 19yr Single Cask, Cask Strength whisky. In that post I told you about a new program I have with the good folks at Master of Malt whereas you can get free whisky samples just by ordering whisky from MoM and using “JSMWS sample” in the delivery instructions in their online shopping cart.

I’ve provided a link after the review for more details on that program.

Truth be told, I am new to Tomatin. The only expressions I’ve ever had are the Master of Malt ones but if these are any indication as to the quality of their whiskies well, they have a new devotee.

On the nose – Same familiar nose as their Cask Strength version I reviewed a few weeks back. It’s actually giving me some sting that I was not expecting. Not with 40% ABV.

Lemons, drying cement, white wine (think Gewürztraminer), refreshing nose, fresh Scotch Tape strips (wow, where the F*** did that come from?? It’s there though).

Sweet & malty, an absolute tease of smoke and a good amount of oak.

On the mouth – Oily entry with a clean flow of honey and malt a touch of cardboard and candied lemon rinds (immensely and increasingly sweet).

Finish – Drying and long with the lemons demanding their presence be know.

In sum – Another triumph for Master of Malt. A seriously enjoyable malt for those who wish to discover as well as for those just wishing to relax and enjoy the rest of their day (as well as be rewarded for satisfying workday).

If I had a full bottle of this (or two), it would be my go-to summer dram. This or the Scapa 16yr.

Click here to find out how you can claim you free whisky (and details regarding my relationship with Master of Malt).

Blind Tastings, Kosher spirits, Refreshed, Summertime, Takin' It Easy, Tequila, Tequilas, Tonala

Rick’s Mystery Dram series – Week 4 of 10 – Sample #4

June 21, 2010 Jewmalt

Well folks, it’s Monday again which means we’ve got another mystery dram to solve.

As I mentioned in the last mystery dram post, I’ve decided to make this a wee bit more interesting by sending out a mystery dram to the correct guesser of the week’s mystery dram or, if there has been no correct guess, the sample goes to a commenter (randomly chosen). Last week, Gal of Whisky Israel won the mystery dram. Details on how to win a mystery dram sample (which will be Scotch or American whisk(e)y, your choice) are listed below, after the review.

For previous “Rick’s Mystery Dram” entries :

Here’s Mystery Dram #1 (which ended up being Parker’s Heritage First Edition)

Here’s Mystery Dram #2 (which ended up being Parker’s Heritage Golden Anniversary)

Here’s Mystery Dram #3 (which ended up being Evan Williams Single Barrel, 2000 vintage, barrel # 234)

Review time!

On the nose – It’s quite obvious that Rick is trying to throw me for a loop here. The first three drams were whiskeys. American Whiskeys. He decided to go south of the border this time and secretly switched my whisk(e)y with Tequila. Based on the deep color, I’d say it’s an Anejo but, from the very first sniff all I could smell was agave and oak.

This is a sweet nose, but not seemingly as juicy as the Don Julio Anejo I reviewed a few months back during Passover.

Toasted wood and chocolate notes (strange, never got chocolate notes in a tequila before…) pop as does some marijuana (Man, this brings back memories. Break out your double LP of “Frampton Comes Alive”), spicy notes and a good bit of agave for sure. Sandalwood and Nag Champa incense.

On the mouth – Light and watery tequila (is this even 40% ABV?). This is a nice sipping tequila for those nervous about the stuff (or remembers the headaches from college). Chocolate notes return and some nice ruby red grapefruity notes appear. Not as sweet as the nose but oh, so drinkable. I was hoping for a whisk(e)y dram but, this is a welcome change.

I change my mind, it’s got an oily mouth feel but it’s as if it’s been watered down a bit. Strange – insanely smooth.

Finish – Short to medium length. Nothing too-too special but not disappointing in any way.

In sum – Rick, you did it again. You’ve managed to fool me but, I’d say that you may have fooled my readers as I’m guessing not many of them know a whole heck of a lot about tequila.

Then again, I could be totally wrong.