Monthly Archives: October 2010

A World of Discovery, Amrut

Amrut Fusion

India – 50%ABV – $60 | £34 | €39

A mixture of non-peated Indian barley and peated Scottish barley.  Bottled at 50% ABV, this is some smokin’ hot stuff.

I would have written something super fun and funny as a lead up to my review of this whisky but, Peter from The Casks beat me to it – a must read!

Perhaps what I can offer are some alternate fusions that are just plain silly: Christmukkah, George Lucas and Star Wars Ep 1, 2 & 3, L. Ron Hubbard & religion…

Can you think of anymore silly fusions?  My favorite one will win you a 5cl sample of Eades Islay Double Malt.  Leave your ideas in the comments section of this post.

OK.  Onto a fusion that I think may have actually worked out pretty darned well:

On the nose — Damp leaves of both the autumnal variety and teas (think Sencha green tea or perhaps Gyokuro).

Smouldering logs in the distance.

Also, very barn-yardy to me.

Beyond this we find a mixed fruit tin filled, mostly, with pineapple.

Butterfingers candy bar.

With water: Slight nuttiness and something creamy or, better yet, soft – like sniffing marshmallows with nutmeg on them.

On the mouth — Hotter than I expected!

Yes, it’s at 50% but I’ve had no issues sipping on cask strength whiskies (SMWS expressions come to mind) without this complaint.

Increasingly peppery.

Fruits are back.

With water: Still a bit hot on the edges of the tongue but down the center I get a creaminess.

Oranges & apricot jam (reminiscent of Sauternes wine).

Still very pepper-ladden.

Finish — Long, burnt, peppery, fruit.

Hints of dark chocolates.

In sum — A very nice dram that is well balanced and fairly exciting.  I’d love to taste this as part of a blind tasting.  Complex, no doubt.  I do have to say though, that of the five Amruts I’ve had their standard, unpeated 46% ABV whisky is my fave.

Special thanks goes out to Raj at Purple Valley Imports for the sample (also, thanks to Gal of Whisky Israel who sent me a sample.  Lucky me, I got to review and dissect this whisky as well as just sit back and enjoy a nice dram of it).

Amrut, Autumn, Cold Winter, Need To Bundle Up

Amrut Peated Single Malt Whisky 46%ABV & Cask Strength – head to head

India – 46%ABV – $62 | £34 | €39

Moving forward with my reviews of the Amrut standard line — let’s jump now to their peated expression(s).

Now, being peated versions of the standard Amrut expressions, these whiskies should prove to have an even more complex and deep profile over the Amrut whiskies reviewed yesterday.  How peated are these?  Well, more so than say a Bunnahabhain or Benromach but nowhere near as peaty/smoky as, perhaps, a Laphroaig, Ardbeg or Longrow.

Let just go onto tasting these whiskies and see what we get…

On the nose – Fried pancetta (ah, more memories from my carnivorous, uber-tref youth).

Caramel chews and tinder sticks (the fire starters, not the band).

Buttered hot bread (just like with the standard NAS 46% from yesterday).

Something immensely sweet about this nose that reminds me of grapefruit jelly beans.

On the mouth – Big oak notes – very much like a humidor with half smoked cigars in it (there’s that peat).

Coconut and lime leaf, a touch of curry.

Gingery mango chutney (again, similar to yesterday’s Amrut).

Grilled cauliflower.

Finish – Oak and vanilla, long and pleasing.

In sum – The peat here is lighter than expected.  While normally a bit of peat will add an extra dimension, I think the addition of peated barley in the expression takes away from their standard NAS, non-peated whisky (which was a cracker, straight up!).

Truth be told, if I’d not have had the standard NAS yesterday, the previous statement might not ring true.  This being said, I did enjoy this whisky and the peat warmed my insides in the ways in which is needed for this time of year.  Oh yes, the heat is on in my house.  I am donning a sweater and all I want to do is snuggle up with the wife.  Tis the season!

And now onto the cask strength version which has nearly 17% more alcohol by volume…

India – 62.8%ABV – $78 | £40 | €46

On the nose – Stuffy nose?

A cold got you down?

Nose some of this whisky and you won’t be complaining of what ails ye any longer.

A big sock to the nose with spirit and lots of it!

If you could turn crispy bacon into a powdered sugar candy for kids, this is what you’d be smelling, just that.

Burnt toast and melted butter.

A Lime Ricky, extra lime.

On the mouth – Great mouth feel.

Yes, this stuff is strong as all hell but it is approachable (more so than yesterday’s Cask Strength though still not for the casual whisk(e)y drinker!).

Orange butter sauce.

A bit briny.

Some seaweed.

Juicy and chewy.

Damp wood.

I’m a fan.

Finish – Smooth and oaky with hints of vanilla extract.

In sum for the Cask Strength and the overall experience between the two – While I thought the added peat to the 46% expression was not up to par with the unpeated version of the Amrut, I found the brashness of this cask strength whisky, combined with the added element of peat, to be a terrific combination.

Many people out there my have a tough time sipping on a whisky that is over 60% and I can appreciate that.  As a note to those people…  Please send your cask strength whisky bottles to my house.  I will ensure the fluid contained within will go to good use 😉

For either of these whiskies, I really do suggest you enjoy there in the cooler months (or, go inside your house during the summer time, crank the A/C unit — pour, sniff, sip, swallow, repeat).

A World of Discovery, Amrut, An everyday dram, Angry, Takin' It Easy

Amrut Single Malt Whisky 46%ABV & Cask Strength – head to head

India – 46%ABV – $50 | £27 | €31

Indian whisky, eh?  Whisky from India?  Damn straight and, why not?  Malt whisky is malt whisky & you can make it where ever you want so long as you have:

Barley (check – The barley is specially grown in the foothills of the Himalayas and the whisky is matured at 3,000ft at Bangalore.)

Water (check – have you see the Himalayas lately?)

Yeast (C’mon, this stuff is everywhere)

A place to mature your whisky (Check – the whisky is matured at 3,000ft at Bangalore and these particular expressions are matured in New American Oak and ex-bourbon before bottling).

For this head-to-head comparison between the Amrut Single Malt bottled at 46% and the Cask Strength version, I decided NOT to add any water to the Cask Strength version figuring that the 46% ABV version did this for me already.  A big thanks to Amrut for catering to my lazy side.

On the nose – New York City tap water (from a Connecticutian’s perspective) or perhaps clean fresh rain.

Spiced butter on freshly baked sesame bread (oh, I like this – a lot!).

A bag of dried grains (think oats & barely).

There’s a savory warmth in here that keeps drawing me in.

Cinnamon rubbed apricots, stewing.

Gruyere cheese.

Vanilla and macaroons.

On the mouth – Excessively chewy.

Chlorinated pool water

And, as much as I wanted to steer clear of indian food references, mango chutney with noticeable gingery notes.

Pine nut and basil pesto (with a clear focus on pine nuts).

Finish – Savory finish filled with buttery breads and more pine nuts.

In sum – Highly enjoyable.  The mouthfeel alone had me in a happy spot.  A nice balanced whisky that is unique.  Easy to approach and exceedingly yummy.  This is a great every day dram, no doubt.

And now onto the cask strength version which has nearly 16% more alcohol by volume…

India – 61.8%ABV – $68 | £34 | €39

On the nose – At 61.8%, the first thing I notice is a blast of grain alcohol.

Yes, I know this is a malted whisky but this was the initial impression I got.

Very forward.

Dry popsicle sticks.

Melon pith.

Band-aids.

On the mouth – Hot but, strangely accessible (sort of…).

Sugared melon (honey dew).

Very sweet with notes of caramel apples.

Soy sauce soaked sesame seeds (say that three times real fast!).

Cardamom & fennel seed.

Apricots.

Finish – Blisteringly numbing but now those popsicle stick are back.

Very sweet.

Notes of dry, uncooked pasta.

In sum for the Cask Strength and the overall experience between the two – Someone PLEASE put my mouth out!!  Hot damn, this stuff will wake you up (and put to right back to sleep if you have too much of it!).

The cask strength expression can be reserved for days when you’ve just had enough and want to say “F### it all!”. I’ve never suggested this before but, go ahead, knock it back and start bitching with your friends!

I’ve got to say, between this cask strength version and the 46% ABV version, I much prefer the 46% ABV (it really is a nice every day dram and one I plan to keep on my whisky shelf).

Special thanks goes out to Raj at Purple Valley Imports for the tasting samples.

Double Barrel, Laphroaig, Macallan

Double Barrel vatting of Macallan & Laphroaig

A vatting of Macallan & Laphroaig – aged 8 years – 46% ABV – $80 – $100 | £40 |€45

This is going to be an interesting experiment for sure.  Mixing anything with Laphroaig is a gutsy move.  Laphroaig has such a strong personality!  The Macallan does as well but you usually find the strength in their sherried expressions.  Judging by the color (like a light white wine, say… a riesling), I’d say there is no sherry influence whatsoever.

I think the point of these whiskies is to give the consumer an idea of what two great whiskies can do for and with one another.  My approach, especially with this expression is — which whisky wins!?  Sort of a last dram standing approach.

Let’s see what we get…

On the nose – A very Laphroaigian nose – pungent peat smoke.

Very forward notes of seaweed and bacon (like walking into a Greek diner on a Sunday morning).

Mustard seed.

Some dried fruits…

Apricots & mangos.

Where’s the Macallan in all of this?

Hints, mere hints, of caramel.

On the mouth – That seaweed note I got on the nose is transformed into sea water/brine.

The mouth feel is very nice, oily with a bit ‘o chew to it.

Everything after this gets quiet (understated).

Little notes of honey, vanilla, caramel and even some nuttiness.

The forwardness of the nose is gone completely and from what I can guess here is that these more Macallian notes on the palate are just being over powered by the pungentosity (hello new word!) of the Laphroaig.

Finish – Laphroaig is surely the winner here.

Smoke remains aboard the tongue of the USS Hatton (that’s me, folks) as do the briny/seaweedy notes.

In sum – After tasting this whisky I decided to search out what other people thought of it and I was struck by the notes that Whisky For Everyone had.  We’re on the same page when it comes tho this whisky.  With how strong the Laphroaig is this expression, I would suggest this as a cold evening dram.  Bundle up, drink more, stay warm!

Special thanks goes out to Aron of the SMWSA for the sample!

A World of Discovery, Autumn, Bowmore, Double Barrel, Highland Park, Need To Bundle Up

Double Barrel vatting of Highland Park & Bowmore

A vatting of Highland Park & Bowmore – 46% ABV – $60 | £34 |€39

Forging forward with reviews of  blended/vatted whiskies.  Today I present a Double Barrel expression by Douglas Laing.  A combination of Highland Park & Bowmore.

Douglas Laing is one of the more prominent independent bottlers who brings us the Old Malt Cask, Premium Barrel & Provenance bottlings.  They also are the masterminds behind Big Peat and, now, these Double Barrel expressions.

Similar to the Eades Double Malt expressions I recently reviewed, the Double Barrel whiskies are vattings (or blends) of two different single malts.  The difference being that these are not further matured in wine casks (like the Eades double malts are).  As far as I can tell, both the Highland Park & Bowmore are ex-bourbon casks with no extra finishing (very light in color!).

On the nose – A tricky nose here.  Bowmore whiskies are known for their soapy noses and I’ve found a few un-sherried Highland Parks to have the same quality.

So, at first sniff, it’s tough to tell which malt is stronger, or, which is which.

Let’s focus on the scents, shall we?

Garlic cloves and lemon zest.

Peachy, fruity handsoap.

Crispy tempura batter.

White pepper and turmeric.

On the mouth – Fresh lake water.

Orange zinger tea bags.

Exceedingly citrusy – vanilla notes are there but the citrus cuts right through.

Astro pop brand lollipops.

Very malty with traces of pears and honey.

Decent mouth feel, not thin, not oily.

Lingering smoke weaved throughout.

Finish – A lasting numbness on the back of the tongue.  Peppery finish.

In sum – A very enjoyable nose here.  Lots for the foodies out there.  While I enjoyed the flavor it seemed a bit off balance and the play by play between the vanilla notes and the citrus notes was uneven.  Overall, I did enjoy this expression and am curious to see what else the good folks at Douglas Laing will come up with next.   Perhaps it’s the mood I’m in now but, I’ like to sip on this again soon (in other words, this is a nice Autumnal whisky)

Special thanks goes out to Aron of the SMWSA for the sample!