All posts by Jewmalt

SuperJew, Husband, Father, Scotch aficionado, Musician, Whisky Society President
Field Trip!, Glenmorangie, Interviews

Day 2 – Video tasting with Glenmorangie’s Global Ambassador David Blackmore – Tasting the “Lasanta”

Here we are in day #2 of our videoed whisky tastings with Glenmorangie’s Global Ambassador, Mr. David Blackmore.

Yesterday we learned a good deal about Glenmorangie – how they source their wood/casks, their philosophy on wood management and more.  Plus, we got a better understanding of where flavor comes from and how it’s imparted to the whisky.  And of course, we got to taste the Glenmorangie Original.

If you missed yesterday’s post, here is a link to it.  These videos flow together so you will benefit from having seen the one prior to this before moving onto today’s video.

Today we learn about the Glenmorangie Lasanta – their new Extra-Matured whisky which spent 10 years in American White Oak then an additional two years in Oloroso Sherry casks.  Additionally, David goes into the history of the Extra-Matured range – great stuff (if you ask me)!

Enjoy!!

And hey, there’s more!! Here’s a supplemental surprise for those of you who loved the old Sherry Wood Glenmo:

Jewish Single Malt Whisky Society’s official tasting notes on the Glenmorangie Lasanta

Highlands Region – 46% ABV – $45 | £39 | €45

On the nose –  For spending only 2 years in a sherry cask, the sherry-type notes are pretty prominent…

Think prunes, boozey raisins and spice.

Heavy metal leather jackets a la Judas Priest circa 1983 (or there abouts), dark chocolates and old harris tweed suits.

Cherry wood and lacquer notes.

Those lovely peach Glenmorangie notes come forth but there’s a heaviness to it that makes it somewhat different from that Glenmo-peach note I’m used to.

Smoked-salt on watermelon is in here too.

On the mouth – Ooey & oily mouthfeel.  It’s all about dark chocolate here.  Big and powerful, sweet yet sharp and then a bit of tang.

Very sweet, almost cloying but it gets turned around right quick with some red wine tannins and fruits — we’re talking cranberry and blackberry.

Fresh soil notes and then citrus and a bit of creamy malt (better yet, a malted milk ball).

Finish – Nice dry finish with a lasting sweetness that seems to be balanced out by an earthy quality.

In sum – I had this whisky when it first came out in 2007/8 and was not a fan.  This is the 2010 version and it just seems more mature and balanced.  The sherry finish is nicely integrated and the balance between the sweet and dry is nice as is the addition of earthy notes and a touch of citrus floating above it all.  This is a late night dram that will help to you to get your ideas out; open up your brain a bit.

You can view days 1, 3 and 4 of this video series, here, here and here (respectively).

Field Trip!, Glenmorangie, Interviews

New series – Video tasting with Glenmorangie’s Global Ambassador David Blackmore – Day 1 – Tasting the “Original”

A few months back I got together with Mr. Blackmore (pictured right) to record a video series.  This video series.  Actually, the full story is that he and his wife invited us (“us” being the full Hatton compliment – me, the wife and our two kids) over to their house for some food, drinks and fun times (don’t get dirty now!).

This video tasting series is something I’ve wanted to do with David for some time so, during the visit, while the ladies (both of the short and tall variety) were upstairs, David and I went downstairs into his whisky tasting room and reviewed the Glenmorangie line — or at least a large part of it.

Today is day one of this four day series.  The idea behind it is not just to go over tasting notes on whiskies (been there, done that and others do it much better that I).  Rather, the idea and hope is to give people an idea of what a tasting seminar might be like.  I hope that what you’ll see over the next few days will not only entertain but also educate you.

In hindsight, I think my attire should have been a bit less… dress-down-knock-around but that’ll have to be for the next series.  Anyway, it’s the content regarding the whisky that matters, right?  Right.

Enjoy Day one and come back for days two through four!

Tasting notes on the Glenmorangie Original (as tasted in May of 2010 by six of the local Connecticut JSMWS members – the notes are combined group notes):

The Original – Ten Years – 43% ABV – $29 – $39 | £26 (UK version is bottled at 40% ABV)

On the nose — Cirtusy, honeyed citrus candies, slight smoke & pineapples, grassy, vanilla bean ice cream.

On the mouth – Lemongrass, more honey, a bit thin but has a bit of an attack (“softens a touch with a drop of H2O” — John), pecans & oaky vanilla

Finish – (Here’s where tended to differ)  One of us thought the finish was surprisingly long while another thought it was “shorter than an oompa-loompa churning cream & sugar”  (Ok, I threw that analogy in.  It was better than just saying it was a short finish, right?).  I found the finish to be medium in length, a bit effervescent and with the slightest twinge of smoke (hugely slight!).

You can view days 2, 3 and 4 of this video series, here, here and here (respectively).

A bit of a let down..., A World of Discovery, An everyday dram, Autumn, Cold Winter, Cragganmore, Dailuaine, Dalmore, Highland Park, I'd not drink this one if I were you..., Let's celebrate!, Master of Malt, Takin' It Easy

Four, count them, four single cask whiskies bottled by Master of Malt

There is no shortage of Independent bottlers of whisky and to me, that’s a good thing.  The more the merrier.

The independent bottler offers to the whisky consumer (both newbies and veterans) a bit more of an adventure into the wide world of whisk(e)y.  Please understand, I’m not down on distillers’ own bottlings (E.G. Highland Park 18yo, Arran 14yo, Ardbeg Corryvreckan, etc…).   What I am trying to point out is that Independent bottlers allow the consumer more variety and flavors and other ways to love the distilleries they’re already familiar with.  Their bottlings also allow for newbies to whisky a different way to “get into” whisky.

LONG LIVE INDEPENDENT BOTTLERS!

Master of Malt is not only a whisky/spirits shop but they also independently bottle single casks of whisky from time to time (and seemingly more and more often).

Here is a link for a comprehensive guide to Independent Bottlers (as found on Serge’s whiskyfun.com).

Today I am reviewing four single cask bottlings from Master of Malt:

  • A 20yo Single Cask of Cragganmore,
  • A 13yo Single Cask of Highland Park,
  • A 14yo Single Cask of Dalmore,
  • and, finally, a 27yo Single Cask Dailuaine whisky

Cragganmore 1991 20yo

Speyside Region – Refill Hogshead (sample did not specify bourbon or sherry but from the color and flavors, I’m supposing it’s an ex-bourbon hogshead) – 54.2%ABV – £49.95

On the nose — Light, perfumed and a bit salty smelling.  Very floral (if you have a significant other who digs whisky, get some of this for her or him.  You can’t drink a bouquet of flowers but you can drink this!).  Some latex glove notes which seem to be oddly mixed up with pine nuts.  Ashes from burnt notebook paper with a side of white pepper.  A bit of a biting nose – smells of 54.2% ABV…

Coming back to this and the peppery quality really stands out.

On the mouth — Slightly vicious mouth feel, good attack.  Fruit salad, half dried-out orange wedges and, if I’m not mistaken, an owl barn.  Water cress, sugared lemon slices and a touch of butterscotch.

Cedar wood shavings which is now leading up to the finish…

Finish — Drying, long and filled with those sugared lemon slices I got on the palate.

In sum —  This is a solid, solid, Craggy.  One that’s geared more toward the late spring or early summer; a mid-day dram to pick you up a bit.

Highland Park 1997 13yo

Islands Region – refill ex-bourbon hogshead – 57%ABV – £44.95

On the nose – Vitamin E gel caps (those gelatin, vitamin E fluid filled pills) and medicated Band-Aids™.  Some notes of unripened stone fruits (apricot, peach, etc..).  Orangey baby aspirins with a side of cherry tarts; or vice versa…

A smokey undertone, with medicinal overtones, hospital beds & sharps disposal cans.

On the mouth – Sweet & smokey attack right upfront with a creaminess that hits the spot.  Back to the citrus but more toward tart lemons or perhaps kumquat (teehee).  Polypropylene pellets quickly becoming plastic containers via plastic injection molding machines.

Magnifying glass + sun + brush and branches = a flavor I’m tasting here.

Finish – Drying, smoky and medicinal.  A touch of oak and vanilla and after about 30 seconds, marzipan

In sum – As a Highland Park, I’m not a fan.  This is nothing like any HP you’ll ever taste.  Take away the name and it’s a pretty good whisky!  It’s not mind-blowing but it’s fun and interesting.  I’d suggest using this as one to fool your friends with.  They’ll never guess this was a Highland Park.

Dalmore 1996 14yo

Highlands Region – Refill Hogshead (sample did not specify bourbon or sherry but from the color and flavors, I’m supposing it’s an ex-bourbon hogshead) – 57%ABV – £44.95

On the nose –  An oaky influence and all things Bourbon: pencil shavings, toasted almonds and model glue.  Fresh and bright as well as a touch of toastiness and even a touch of brine.  This is a Dalmore??  Dried apricots and vanilla cream.  Walnuts, almonds and get this, egg whites.

An enjoyable nose; a vibrant nose.

On the mouth – What, what, what?  Where did the 14 years of aging go?  On the outset, this whisky tastes A) YOUNG & spirity and B) and a bit like a grain whisky or a young blend.  After getting used to how different the flavor is as compared to the smells, I’m presented with hints of maple syrup, orange rind and orange juice and very puckering fresh white wine grapes (stolen off the vine during a vineyard tour).

Hi-octane ice wine.

Finish – Peppery finish, long and offering up some apricot

In sum – The nose, wonderful.  To taste, however… from the get-go I was very disappointed.  I warmed up to it a bit once I began to understand it but in the end, it’s not one that I would reach for.  For the price, it might be fun to explore however there are some better single cask whiskies offered up by Master of Malt (and other indy bottlers) that you can spend your money on.

Dailuaine 1983 27yo

Speyside Region – Refill Sherry Hogshead – 53.6%ABV – £64.95

On the nose –  This is an interesting mix of scents and jammed into a tight little package.  We’re talking soy sauce (with a side of ginger slices) meets wood char meets dandelion jam.  On top of this, there’s a nice ooey honey center and something a bit like spiced gum drops yet not like spiced gum drops… spicy nutmeg cakes maybe.  I can’t pinpoint it but the scent is near intoxicating.  Reminds me of cold nights with lots of family and LOTS of holiday heavy cakes.

Rum raisins (and the sugared raisins you find in a bowl of Raisin Bran™).

On the mouth – Loads of raisiny spice notes.  Cinnamon swirl bread, Cinnamon Toast Crunch™.  Flavors aside, let’s look at the mouthfeel – Slightly viscous with a tinge of effervescence.  Hints of orange spice.

Do you see a theme here?  SPICE! (desert planet, Arakis.  Mother!!  The sleeper has awoken!)

Finish – A sweet finish with some warm butteriness to it.

In sum – In all honesty, I bought a bottle of this stuff halfway into reviewing it.  No shit.

This is a kick-ass bottle of single cask Dailuaine and oh-so-perfect for colder/cool weather.  It’s warming, comforting, soothing, delicious.

Special thanks goes out to the fine chaps and chappesses from Master of Malt for the samples!

Autumn, Balvenie, Cold Winter, Takin' It Easy

The Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch #3 – US exclusive

Speyside region – 50.3%ABV – $250 (picture shown is from Batch #2)

Last year (or so; maybe a bit earlier) I heard about a new distillery only bottling from The Balvenie: Tun 1401.

Tun 1401 was an experiment by Master Blender David Stewart to mix multiple casks or in a large, 2000 liter tun (or, mega-cask), marry the whiskies over the period of a few months in the Tun and see what happens.  David Stewart being who he is knew exactly what would happen (being 50 years in the business (all of those years with The Balvenie & Glenfiddich) there’s no doubt he knew what he was doing).

My guess is mixing these casks allowed him to use older stocks that might have been too woody to bottle by themselves; tempering with younger whiskies and getting a good mix of sherry & bourbon matured whiskies for a nice, balanced yet complex, cask strength whisky.

Well, the “experiment” worked and all of the Tun 1401 bottles sold out right quick!  Now what do to? Capitalize on the sucess of the whisky and make it more widely available, that’s what!

David got to work quickly on batches #2 & #3.  The second batch is for the UK/EU market while batch #3 is for the US.

I asked what whiskies were in the batch (batch #3) and here’s what was returned:

  • Tun 1401, batch 3 is a vatting of 10 casks (7 Bourbon Cask, 3 Sherry butts), which were laid down during David Stewart’s time at the distillery. Each was hand picked by David for this special vatting.
  • The oldest cask is from 1967, the youngest from 1989
  • The whiskies were married together in a traditional marrying tun, which has a capacity of roughly 2000 liters. The marrying process took place in Warehouse 24 and lasted roughly 3 months
  • Total of 1800 bottles available.

So, how did they do it?  How is it really married?  See the video below.

How is the stuff?  Well…

On the nose –  Hey now!  Those classic honied notes you get from The Balvenie are very pronounced in this whisky.

On top of it, you can smell the age in this whisky – dank oaky notes, fresh rain on a woodsy walk in the springtime and crushed sassafras leaves.

Wonderful autumnal notes in here too – warm cinnamon apple sauce, fresh cardamom, and the smell from a warm Maine cottage (like the one from On Golden Pond, just drying the summer humid air out of the wood).

I’m also getting some blueberry sauce and wood framed model airplanes (model glue and all).  Ah, memories of building model airplanes with my dad in north western Connecticut in the late 70’s.  Love it.

On the mouth – Thick, vicious, oily mouth feel with a warming sensation that starts from the tip of the tongue down to the belly.

This is what to drink in cold weather for sure!!

Flavorwise, I’m getting much of the same on the palate as I got on the nose.  There’s no evolution here from smell to taste but in this case, I’m happy about that.

Finish – Long drying finish that’s got both a nice oaky quality to it but now there’s a strong introduction of date bars.

In sum – A big thanks goes to The Balvenie for giving the US the entire batch of this stuff.  I love The Balvenie (that’s no secret) but The Balvenie at cask strength and of this quality is something to be very thankful for.  I hope to buy a bottle of this stuff (and/or hope that I find it next to the family Chanukiah (Chanukah menorah) this winter.  Fingers crossed!!

Thanks to Andy Weir for the sample!

Field Trip!

The 18th Annual Scotch and Single Malt Extravaganza fall schedule is here & I have a discount code for your tickets!

What is the Single Malt and Scotch Whisky Extravaganza? In short, it is a top notch, gala, whisky tasting event (mostly single malt Scotch and Japanese whiskies) that travels to 14 major markets including Boston, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington, DC.

I was at the 2011 NYC event and it was fantastic.

As you may or may not know, I am a member of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (of America). And in case you’re not aware, the SMWSA does a series of tasting events called “The Single Malt & Scotch Whisky Extravaganza“. The “Extravaganza” is now in it’s 18th year. If you’ve never been to one of their events, you may want to change that, and soon!

Perhaps I can help. I’ve been working with the good folks at the society and they were kind enough to extend to me a discount code for my readers; specifically for people who are not members of the SMWSA. Tickets to one of their Extravaganzas, for members, are $120.00ea, non-members are $135.00ea. If you use the discount code JMSWS2011, those of you that are currently not members can purchase your first two tickets at the member price of $120.00. Not bad!

For more information on the SMWS events and on how to purchase your tickets, click here.

See below for a full listing of their Fall events schedule. I always jump at a chance to meet my readers so, for those wanting to come out and meet yours truly, I will be at the Boston event and will be doing my damnedest to get to the Chicago event.

L’chayim/Slainte/Cheers/Kampai!