Quick post for you.
Shopper’s Vineyard just posted a Close-Out sale on The Balvenie’s 2nd batch to their 12yr Signature bottling (I guess they have to make room for Batch number 3 which is due out in September).
It was $65.99, now it’s $36.99 – you should buy a bottle or six. Here’s the link.
Japan – 55%ABV – 700ml bottle – $|£|€ ???
No matter where I look, this whisky is sold out. And, I think I know why (see my notes below) – here’s what the good folks over that The Whisky Exchange have to say about it:
“A follow up to the incredible Nikka 1987 vintage 20yo that won the World’s Best Single Malt at last year’s World Whiskies Awards, this 1988 is a full-strength mix of both light and heavily-peated whiskies from new oak, refill casks, bourbon barrel and sherry butts – sounds phenomenal.”
Phenomenal?? Hell yes. A HUGE thanks to The Whisky Wall for the sample!
On the nose — Oh mercy, what an amazing nose!
Very strange notes of baklavah, pipe tobacco (being smoked), kim chee and sherry.
Deep dried fruit (like a fried compote filled with plums and apricots – actually, I’m reminded of a Charoset I had a couple of years back.).
Insanely easy to nose.
A tad spicy and (like many Japanese whiskies I’ve had) some sweet top notes that remind me of bourbon.
Green tea and dark chocolate with elegant peat smoke.
On the mouth — Like chewing on chocolate covered fresh tobacco leaves.
Both salty and smoky (like smoked capers).
Dried dates and papaya. Floral potpourri.
Stewed fruits then a highlight on sweetly smoked lemons.
Finish — Lasting fruit – every dried fruit imaginable, lovely & lasting.
In sum –– Quite remarkable, really; nearing on ridiculous (or ludicrous) as to how good this whisky was. The balance is remarkable and at 55%, with the nose/palate/finish combination it’s very drinkable. Only 3500 bottles were made available and, you guessed it, not in the US. Feck.
This is a very contemplative dram. If you can get your hands on some of this, save it for some “YOU” time. Sit back, enjoy the cool breeze (maybe throw a sweater on, light a fire) and think about “what it all means”.
Whiskey sample number nine. Another American whiskey sample from Rick.
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, “Dutch” won the mystery dram and has asked for a sample of some fine American whiskey. Dutch, I’ve got a nice one on it’s way to you. I think you’ll like it a lot.
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.
Review time!
On the nose – Big spicy nose with hints of buttered popcorn and spiced honey.
Buttered toast.
Fresh corn.
Oak and potpourri, mostly oak.
Caramel protein bars.
On the mouth – Hot hot hot!
The nose did not tell me that I would be drinking Sterno.
Hot, thin mouth feel with notes of apple pie and blueberry jam.
Finish – Short with flavor, long with spirit fire.
In sum – This is a spicy hot one for sure but there is some enjoyable corniness on the nose which hints at some corn influence. Corn & rye, this is my guess. 
This is a slow sipper for sure. One to help the summer go by faster – mainly because there’s so much alcohol content to this whiskey that, if you drink too much of it, you’ll be passed out cold until autumn time comes around.
The clues –
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.
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)
Here’s Mystery Dram #5 (which ended up being Wild Turkey Russell’s Reserve, 10 year)
Here’s Mystery Dram #7 (remember, there was no #6 dram. #7 ended up being Jefferson’s Presidential Select, 17 year, batch #3)
Here’s Mystery Dram #8 (remember, there was no #6 dram. #8 ended up being Sazerac Rye 18yr which, by the way, completely threw me off. Not what I was expecting from a rye whiskey. I liked it anyway.)
I received this in my inbox yesterday and wanted to share it with you. Whisky *and* a cruise? Come on!
On top of all the other whiskies on the Whisky Guild’s “Cruise on the Hudson” (partial pouring list shown below the press release), you will NOT want to miss this great opportunity such as this – to taste all of these whiskies from The Balvenie being poured by Mr. Sam Simmons (Dr. Whisky) in a nice intimate setting – The Balvenie Warehouse 24 Experience Room.
If you’re not already a member of The Whisky Guild, you may want to check them out and join today. It’s a great community of whisky lovers and you may already know a guild member or two (heck, I’m a member).
You can click on the Press Release below to get to The Whisky Guild’s to order tickets.
Please drink responsibly – Tickets are non refundable
| Partial Whisky Pouring List of 2010 |
ABERLOUR 12 YR ABERLOUR 16 YR ABERLOUR A’BUNADH Ancnoc 12 YR Ancnoc 16 YR Ardbeg 10 yr ARDBEG UIGEADAIL ARDMORE TRADITIONAL ARDMORE 30 YR BalBlair 1997 BalBlair 1991 The Balvenie Classic The Balvenie 12yo Signature, Batch 1 The Balvenie 12yo Signature, Batch 2 The Balvenie 12yo Signature, Batch 3 The Balvenie 14yo Golden Cask (Travel Retail Exclusive) The Balvenie 14yo Caribbean Rum (launching Sept 2010) The Balvenie 16yo Balvenie Rose (Distillery Exclusive) The Balvenie 17yo Islay Cask (rel. 2001) The Balvenie 17yo New Wood(rel. 2005) The Balvenie 17yo New Oak (rel. 2006) The Balvenie 17yo Sherry (rel. 2007) The Balvenie 17yo Rum (rel. 2008) The Balvenie 17yo Madeira (rel. 2009) The Balvenie 17yo Peated Cask (launching Sept 2010) The Balvenie 21yo Port Wood The Balvenie 25yo Single Barrel The Balvenie 30 The Balvenie 1978 BAYWAY MACALLAN 16 YR BAYWAY EVAN WILLIAM 99 BAYWAY ELMER T. LEE BAYWAY BLANTON’S BAYWAY JACK DANIELS BUSHMILLS BUSHMILLS 12 YR BUSHMILLS 16 YR BUSHMILLS 21 YR BUNNAHABIN 12 YR BUNNAHABIN 18 YR BUNNAHABIN 25 YR CLONTARF Black Label Blend Connemara Connemara CS CRAGGANMORE DALWHINNIE DEANSTON 12 YR DEANSTON 30 YR Danny Boy Irish Whiskey Douglas Benrinnes 13 YR Douglas Blair Athol 13 YR Douglas Bowmore 18 YR Douglas Bunnahabhain 12 YR Douglas Glen Grant 31 YR Douglas Laphrioag 15YR Douglas Macallan 20 YR Douglas Port Ellen 25 YR DRUMGREY THE GLENLIVET 12 YR THE GLENLIVET 15 YR THE GLENLIVET 16 YR Nadurra THE GLENLIVET 18 YR THE GLENLIVET 21 YR THE GLENLIVET XXV GLENFIDDICH 12 YR GLENFIDDICH 15 YR Solera GLENFIDDICH 18 YR Ancient GLENFIDDICH 21 YR Rum Cask GREENORE 8 YR GLENMORANGIE 10 YR Original GLENMORANGIE Lasanta GLENMORANGIE Quinta Ruban GLENMORANGIE Nectar D’Or GLENMORANGIE Astar GLENMORANGIE 18 YR GLENMORANGIE Signet GLENMORANGIE SONALTA PX HIGHLAND PARK 12 HIGHLAND PARK 15 HIGHLAND PARK 18 HIGHLAND PARK 25 HIGHLAND PARK 30 |
Four Roses Four Roses Single Barrel Jefferson’s American Bourbon Jefferson’s Reserve Bourbon Jefferson’s Presidential 17 YR Jewels of Scotland Speyside 8yr old Jewels of Scotland Springbank 1991 Jewels of Scotland Caperdonich 27yr Jewels of Scotland Caperdonich Bunnahabhain 1979 Johnnie Walker Red Johnnie Walker Black Johnnie Walker Green Johnnie Walker Gold Johnnie Walker Blue KINGS CREST 25 Year Old Knappogue CastleLAGAVULIN 16 LAPHROAIG 10 YR LAPHROAIG 10 YR CS LAPHROAIG QUARTER CASK LAPHROAIG 18 YR LAPHROAIG 25 YR LEDIAG 10 YR LONGMORN 16YR THE MACALLAN FINE OAK 10 THE MACALLAN FINE OAK 15 THE MACALLAN FINE OAK 18 THE MACALLAN FINE OAK 21 THE MACALLAN 12 THE MACALLAN 18 Michael Collins Blend Michael Collins Single Malt KILBEGGAN LOMBARD Pebble Beach 12yr LOMBARD Gold Label Old Blend LOMBARD Tidal Ebb Driftwood OBAN 14 YR OBAN 18 YR OBAN DE Old Pulteney 12 YR Old Pulteney 17 YR Old Pulteney 21 YR PC7 Port Charlotte PC7 Port Charlotte Unity 61% Sam Houston Bourbon SCAPA 16 YR SINGLETON TALISKER 10 TALISKER DE TALISKER 18 TOBERMORY 10 CS TOBERMORY 15 YR 1795 Tuthilltown Single Malt Tuthilltown New York Corn Tuthilltown Baby Bourbon Tuthilltown Four Grain Whiskey Tuthilltown Manhattan Rye THE TYRCONNELL THE TYRCONNELL Maderia YAMAZAKI 12 YR YAMAZAKI 18 YR HIBIKI 12 Year Old Washmund’s Single Malt Washmund’s Clear Spirit AND MANY MORE CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES Plus over 20 Different Wines |
Islay region – 63.5%ABV – 700ml bottle (not available through US stores) – £49 | €58
E=MC2 | a2 + b2 = c2 | ei∏ = -1 | Ax = b <—– what does it all mean? Perhaps Bruichladdich’s X4+3 can help us solve problems such as these (or at least get us tipsy enough so as we just don’t give a rat tuckas about it…).
The Bruichladdich X4+3 is a damn interesting… whisky? Hmmm, let’s see.
Ok, before I begin, please know that I am not one for the technicalities. Actually, scratch that. I LOVE geeking out on all of the technical ins-and-outs of…pretty much anything, but, ESPECIALLY whisky (oh yeah, and guitar effects pedals). I just don’t like writing on these subjects. Too many damn words. I will, however, try to summarize some techy stuff for you and hope that I get it all right[ish].
Most whiskies (be they Scotch, American, Japanese, Welsh, Swedish, etc, etc…) are distilled twice, two and a half times or three times. That’s just how it is folks. Almost all Scotch whisky is distilled twice (The Campbeltown whisky “Springbank” is distilled 2.5 times and Hazelburn distills 3 times). The Irish, for the most part distill 3 times and it’s a bit of a mixture here in the US.
The good folks over at Bruichladdich thought that they’d go and one-up everyone by quadruple distilling their spirit (unpeated spirit) then age it for 3 years in both ex-bourbon and French oak barrels.
So, 4x distilled, aged three years (X4+3… get it? Good.).
On top of this, the spirit that goes into the barrels is corked at 90%ABV (feck!). The average is in the 60’s (63.5 – 67% – average. Though, some may say otherwise).
Is this the best example of “mine is bigger than yours” or what?
Truth be told, this process is nothing new and the Bruich’laddies are not trying to one-up anybody. This process of quadruple distilling goes back hundreds of years but has not been mimicked until present date. The earliest mention of it was back in 1695 by Martin Martin. He explained the drinking of this type of spirit as such: “…The first taste affect all the members of the body. Two spoonfuls of this last liquor is a sufficient dose; and if ANY man should exceed this, it would presently stop his breath and endanger his life.”
G-d, I’m getting thirsty!
So, is this or is this not whisky? Re-cap: traditional whisky is 2-3 times distilled, poured into barrels at 63.5% ABV. The X4+3 is quadruple distilled and poured into barrels at 90%ABV…
Eh, screw it. Let’s just taste this stuff.
On the nose – Powerfully strong and filled with limes, grapefruit, strawberries and rocket fuel.
I’m actually getting some grape lollypops and cranberry juice here.
Not as chemically as I expected but powerfully spirited! Candied fruits.
With water — Peppery (think scotch bonnet – sweet and feckin’ hot as $hit), gooseberries, toy model glue.
On the mouth – Bent plastic superheroes, He-man toys and Transformers (More Than Meets The Eye™).
**Loads** of poached pears with touch of cinnamon.
With water — All of the focus is on those poached pears. Straight forward but now getting duo-dimensional as some malty notes reared their head(s).
I liked it more without water when I got those plasticy notes along-side the pear notes.
Great mouth feel with water.
Finish – The first three layers of skin in my mouth have been removed but, I’m cool with that.
In sum – This is one to bring out to parties to say, “Hey guys/gals… check this out!”. It’s beats huffing glue, that’s for sure!
All joking aside, I would never reach for this. However, the X4+3 is a damn interesting dram and one that may work quite well with the mixologists out there (what, with all the fruits and high alcohol content). Also, kudos to Bruichladdich for doing something that has not been done for centuries, bottling it and marketing it. That’s brass balls baby!