Category Archives: Distilleries

A World of Discovery, All You Need Is Love, An everyday dram, Autumn, Springbank

Springbank 15yo – A whisky shelf must.

Campbeltown Region – 46%ABV –$75 – 90 | £44 | €50

I submitted the following to the Edinburgh Whisky Blog in the hopes to win a small sample of The Glenlivet 70yo.  My entry was among 13 favorites chosen by Lucas (one of the two fine chaps who run the blog, in case you’re not familiar…).  I had some tough competition and in the end did not win but hey, it was fun to write and I was happy to be chosen as one of Lucas’ favorites.

Here’s a link to all of the entries.

I’m reminded of a story my father once told about his trying to listen to, and appreciate, Bob Dylan. All of his friends were talking about this protest singer with a gravel-like voice that was telling it like it is. We’re talking circa 1964/65. He picked up two albums suggested to him by friends: “Bob Dylan” and “Freewheelin’”. He listened to these albums but could not get into it — he couldn’t understand what his friends liked about him. But he knew, from all of the praise about Bobby D, there had to be something. So, he listened to them over and over and over again and then realized that he kept playing them because he could not stop listening. He fell in love.

The story near mirrors my experience, from many years ago, with Springbank 15yo. It tasted like no whisky I’d had before and no whisky I wanted to have ever again. Yet EVERYBODY LOVED this whisky. There had to be something to it. I had to come back to it over and over again. It took me about 650 ml of my 750 ml bottle to fall in love. Now, it’s a staple bottle on my shelf (along side many other springers)! The moral is that it may not be the whisky that’s “bad” but our nose or palate that’s not ready for what it has to offer.

On the nose – Flinty soil, coastal hay/grass and a good touch of tinned pineapple and fresh orange juice.

Smoked & oily whitefish – salty stuff!

Peat smoke and burning brush (so well integrated).

Apple juice and mulling spices… a bit waxy in scent as well.

A fun mix that can take a bit to get used to but all-in-all thoroughly enjoyable.

On the mouth – This smacks of doused campfires and morning orange juice.

Candy/chalky wafers (yes, the Necco type).

Very sweet with notes of dried fruits (dates, mostly).

Even mouthfeel with both a juicy and tannic quality.

Browned lemons, grilled lemons and a bit of the fishiness I got on the nose.

Turnips and freshly paved roads.

Finish – A slightly winey finish, tannic, long and notes of burnt wood.

In sum – First & foremost, I threw a lot of scents and tasting notes out there for this one but I must try to express that on the whole; as a summation of all that’s going on here, this is uniquely “Springbank”.  Springbank is thoroughly unique and pretty damn unmistakable.  This is a good thing!  I’d enjoy this one as often as you could and keep it on your shelf – I do!

A World of Discovery, Cold Winter, Laphroaig, Rosebank, Summertime

A couple of SMWS single cask bottlings (and they could not be more opposite from one another)

Back in March I had the good opportunity to attend the Single Malt & Scotch Whisky Extravaganza in NYC.  You might remember that post.  If not, here it is.  It was a fantastic event and I plan on attending two of the Fall Events: one in Boston, one in Chicago.  Details on the Single Malt & Scotch Whisky Extravaganza Fall schedule to follow in the coming months.

The good folks at the SMWSA were kind enough to give me some samples of the whiskies they were pouring at the NYC event for review.  So, before I get to the actual reviews, I’ve got to say thank you to Aron S for the samples!

Today I’m reviewing sherried Laphroaig peat monster and a light little ditty from Rosebank.  Why am I reviewing two completely different whiskies in the same post?  Well, it is MY blog after all.  “I do what I want!”

Now that I’ve gotten that out of my system, on to the review…

SMWS 29.88 – Laphroaig – Ex-Sherry 9yo 60.9% ABV

On the nose — It’s very easy to get caught up in the soot and ashes that are all over this nose…

However, getting past that, I found some great bread pudding notes.

After that it’s gets very sea-like…

with loads of fresh caught fish.

Nori wrapped brisket and olive brine.

Rusty pipe water.

On the mouth — Rusted iron frying pans soaking in a low-tide pool of sea water which is filled with flint stones and dying crabs, cracked shells and all.

I like this… sort of.

Honied ham sandwich slices and old brown lemons.

It all sound a bit too odd but, in context, it quite nice.

Chicoried coffee (like Luizzianne).

Salted caramels and chocolate covered toffee.

Finish — Full of coffee, chocolate and overcooked prunes.

A tad nutty as well.

All in all, it’s got a decent length.

In sum — Very much a whisky for specific moods.  I liken this one to a drink one should drink when they’re ‘pissed the *BLEEP* off’.  (to use the parlance of our times…).  A really, really odd duck but one that I imagine you’d like if you’re a fan of the Ardbeg Uggy.  Very complex and crazy stuff.

SMWS 25.55 – Rosebank – Ex-Bourbon 19yo 60.8% ABV

On the nose — A lightly fruited nose (think pear & pineapple) with hints of herbal teas.

White pepper and even some notes of sweet hay.

Milk chocolate and a touch of light caramel (nice notes I often find in Rosebanks).

Back to the fruits now (the same as before).

What amazes me is how easily, at 60.8%ABV, this one can be nosed.

You’d think this is a low ABV whisky.

Rose pedals and sugared & honeyed chamomile.

On the mouth –– Bright, effervescent and loaded with lemon fizz candies, over-sugared apple sauce.

Lemon, lemon, lemon, lemon, lemons.

Did I mention lemons?

How about… Lemons?

Oh, wait….Lemons?

More white pepper and now some white bread toast.

Finish — Juicyfruit gum (like, dead on!), more white pepper and sugarcane.

Lasting peppery finish.

In sum — A very one sided whisky but one that is so easily consumed.  Perfect as an aperitif, a mid day pick-me-up or a late summer relaxer.

Ardbeg

Winner of the Villeroy & Boch nosing glasses announced!!

Just this past Monday I did a review of two different Villeroy & Boch whisky nosing glasses.  As you might recall, this was both a review of the glasses and a Father’s Day giveaway announcement for one lucky winner.

From the near 75 entrants I picked one name at random – Jeff Partington.  Congrats Jeff, Happy Father’s Day!

What does Jeff win?  His choice of a set of two of the Single Malt Nosing Goblets (pictured left) or the Single Grain/Lowlands Tumbler (pictured right).  Additionally, because I’m a nice guy, ;), I’m throwing in two 5cl samples of a whisky of his choosing – Scotch, American (bourbon or rye), Japanese or Swedish whisky.

I’d like to thank the good people at Villeroy & Boch for sending me the whisky glasses to sample out and for additional glasses to be sent to Jeff as his Father’s Day gift.

If you’ve not seen the video reviews of these fine glasses, you can check out Monday’s post here.

Ardbeg

Reviewing… whisky nosing glasses?

A short while back, and completely out of nowhere, Villeroy & Boch emailed me asking if I would be interested in reviewing their whisky glasses.  I remembered hearing about their glasses last year (I think) on Mark Gillespe’s WhiskyCast Podcast and was intrigued.

For the most part, I use a standard Glencairn glass or their Copita glass when nosing/reviewing/drinking whisky but am always open to trying new glasses.  So what the hey, I said yes.  I’m happy to review their glasses.  What’s more is the Villeroy & Boch folks agreed to do a giveaway with me (perfect timing for Father’s Day).

Villeroy and Boch Single Malt Nosing Goblet
Villeroy and Boch Lowlands Tumbler

So here’s the deal, check out the two videos below.  The first one is a review of their Single Malt Nosing Goblet.  The second is a review of their Single Grain/Lowlands whisky tumbler.  After you’ve checked them out, you should have some info to go by to decide which set of (2) glasses you might want (should you win).  The Nosing Goblet is to the left, the Tumbler is to the right.

“So, how do I enter to win?” – send an email to: jewmalt@yahoo.com and I will choose, at random, one winner out of all the people who enter*.

*the glasses can only be send within the US and Canada

I will announce by Wednesday, June 9th so DO NOT HESITATE! Email today.

To make it even sweeter, I will give out two samples (one for each glass) of whisky.  Something special for that special father out there.  You would just need to let me know if you want Scotch, American, Japanese or Swedish whisky and it’s yours!  Sharing is caring and a good father deserves good whisky.

Note: the glasses will come from Villeroy & Boch, the whisky samples will come from me.

Enjoy the vids. First, the Single Malt Nosing Goblet (man, look at the picture this video start with.  I look like I’m asleep):

Next, the Single Grain/Lowlands Tumbler:

Good luck!!