Category Archives: Distilleries

Islay, Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 2015, Single Cask Nation

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar dram # 13 – Single Cask Nation’s “Undisclosed” Islay 7yo, Cask 613-2/2112

December 13, 2015 Jewmalt

Region – Um, Islay – ABV – 56.3%

You know, it just did not seem right that I would review a whisky that my company, Jewish Whisky Company, bottled. We bottle whisky under the Single Cask Nation label and today’s whisky is a 7yo single malt from an “Undisclosed” distillery.

This is the second “Undisclosed” Islay we’ve bottled and while both this and our first Undisclosed are completely sold out, our third “Undisclosed” Islay is still available to members of Single Cask Nation.

I will now pass the baton over to my friend, Dr, Matt Lurin. Being a long time aficionado and collector aside, Matt puts on a wonderful charitable whisky event in NYC called “Water of Life.” You can find out more about Matt’s event here.

It’s all you, buddy!

I was honored when Joshua asked me to be a guest reviewer for The Whisky Advent Calendar day 13. Although some may find the number unlucky, I consider myself the fortunate one here. You may ask what qualifies me as a guest reviewer, which is a fair question. In a nutshell, I am a long time collector, organize a large charity whisky event, and am one of the ‘founding father members’ at SCN.

I enjoy all sorts of whisky, but am well known for my fondness for Islay whiskies, and am found there in late May each year for the Feis Ile, a celebration of the wonderful islands (Islay and Jura) and a time to appreciate their great whisky.

You may be curious about my fondness for Islay whiskies, and that too would be fair. I tell everyone there are 3 main reasons I love them, First off, the iodine and medicinal tastes. I work as an ER doctor, and this smell takes me back home in a positive way. Secondly, the smoke. This reminds me of the smell at my old job in the ambulance bay, when the nurses take break and gather by the no smoking sign, puffing away. And third, most folks would not believe the stuff I have to smell daily at work. No human being should have to endure that, and it takes a strong whisky to help clean my sinus and palate, as well as help me to forget. There you have it.

On that note let’s approach today’s whisky.

Hello to ‘2008 Undisclosed Islay’, 7 yo, 56.3%, the third undisclosed Islay whisky bottled by SCN in the past year. and what a dram it is.

Visually I appreciate a straw colored liquid. Makes me appreciate the youthfulness of this dram, as well as the likelihood of this being from a Bourbon Barrel. I’m excited, let’s continue.

The nose screams to me – Northern Islay. I appreciate the smells of the ocean, a sea spray if you will, that takes me back to a boat ride on the sound, checking out the seals and feeling the crisp breeze in my face. I also find myself enjoying a little waxy lipstick scent, some peppers, peppermint, smoke and some dusty cellar. At 56.3% I do get a little alcohol burn on my nose, but the freshness survives.

The palate is rich and oily. Loving the smoke, and the iodine. It’s now that I want to fall back to a favorite tasting note. “I get tropical fruit”, and to be fair since all fruits are considered tropical on Islay I’d be correct. But let’s work a little harder. Is that banana? A Creme Brullee note? Wait a second, there’s the pepper, ginger, and black licorice. Patience truly is a virtue.

The finish is long and warm. I was truly hoping to enjoy this dram outside on a New York December night, having this warm me up. However, Holiday lights not withstanding, I am able to sit outside in a short sleeved Islay shirt, enjoying the 60 + degrees heat. I do find this very soothing, on the finish. Cracked pepper, menthol and oh that peaty goodness.

In Sum: A wonderful winter dram, even if a warm 60 degrees. It may be an Undisclosed Islay, but it’s a classic Islay and a cracking whisky.

Thanks for the opportunity Joshua. See you May 12, 2016 at Water of Life, and I hope a few times before then. Now back to you.

A.D. Rattray, Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 2015

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar dram # 12 – A.D. Rattray’s “Bank Note” 5yo

December 12, 2015 Jewmalt

Regions – a blend of regions – ABV – 43%

Something totally unexpected in this Advent Calendar – a blend. But then again, you never supposed to know what to expect. Every day a surprise, right?

This blend is as inexpensive as $20/bottle (1L) at K&L and up to $40 in stores located elsewhere (I’m looking at you New Jersey).

As you would expect in a blend, this is a mix of malt whiskies and grain whiskies. However, this has 40% malt whisky and 60% grain whisky. Normally the ratio is closer to 80/20 (grain to malt). So we should hope for a little more quality here.

I’m just going to jump right into this one.

On the nose — Very grain forward yet there’s a nice Apfelkuchen (apple cake) note that comes at you quickly. A bit of uncooked biscuit dough, spiced cookie dough.

It’s a sweet bread blend, to be sure (not the disgusting sweet bread which is made from meats but actual sugary sweet breads).

In the mouth — Much of the same in the mouth as it is on the nose but now with the addition of a hint of peat.

Mouthfeel is the same as you’d expect from Johnnie Walker Black. Some hints of spice and Szechuan chiles.

Finish — Shortish with lasting spice on the sides of the tongue.

In sum — Perfectly inoffensive and easy drinking but nothing you’d need to spend some you time with. The is to be poured when you’ve got a big group of people over and they want “a Scotch.”

Glenrothes, Glenrothes, Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 2015

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar dram # 11 – Weymss Malts “Kumquat Cluster” Glenrothes Sherry Butt # 3343

December 11, 2015 Jewmalt

Region – Speyside – ABV – 46%

Dram # 11 brings us a Weymss Malts whisky entitled “Kumquat Cluster” which is a 21yo Glenrothes single sherry butt, cask # 3343.

Based on the color, which is fairly light, I’d have to say this is a refill butt.

There is a joke in there somewhere. I’ll leave you to that.

The Glenrothes and I normally do not get along. The spirit character usually doesn’t sit with my palate but I know they have a great following.

Though, truth be told, I do wish their OB bottlings were at a higher ABV. They’re usually at 40% or 43%, chill filtered and with caramel color added. I think if they slowly moved to 46%, they’d do a great job bringing their followers to the world of non-chill filtered and no-caramel color added whiskies. The grass is greener on this side, people.

Still, they put out a host of whiskies, various vintages, that people go head over heals for. They must be doing something right, right?

Back to the whisky at hand though. As an independently bottled cask of The Glenrothes, this, I would hope, offers something that the OB releases do not offer. At first glance, it’s 46% NCF and no caramel color is added. That’s a start. At 21 years of age, this will be the oldest Glenrothes I’ve had to date.

Let’s see what happens.

On the nose — Citrus laden melting caramel cubes. Some attic wood and a hint of sour milk (in a good way, trust me on this one). Pecan pie filling, young strawberries, Alpha-Bits cereal sans the marshmallows, a hint of Ovaltine.

The attic wood tells me this is a Glenrothes but everything else just falls into place so nicely.

In the mouth — Now I see where they got the Kumquat Cluster name. It’s like drinking fresh kumquat juice, skin and all.

A touch of pepper, lots of malt, hints of fresh and dried figs, date rolls (sans almond), mint tea, some Chinese Five Spice to boot!

Finish — Long, malty, citrusy, hints of pepper.

In sum — Cracking whisky. I was really dreading this one but, wow, I was impressed. This is a whisky I’d reach for on a daily basis. Quite nice indeed.

Islay, Islay, Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 2015

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar dram # 10 – Samaroli “Islay” 9yo, cask # 80006

December 10, 2015 Jewmalt

Region – um, Islay – ABV – 43%

Unnamed Islays seems to be the way things are going now when it comes to independently bottled cask of Islay whisky. Most, based on comparisons to “Original Bottlings,” or “Owner Bottlings,” seem to be Caol Ila, Ardbeg or Lagavulin if you’re really lucky. All I’ve tasted have been great <shameless plug> including the 3, soon to be 4 “Undisclosed Islay” Single Cask Nation releases </shameless plug>.

This one is the first, however, that I will taste that is not bottled at full cask strength. Another 43% ABV for this Samaroli. Samaroli = elegance in my mind though I’ve rarely seen anything lower than 45% ABV until now.

Let’s see what happens with this 9yo at 43%:

On the nose — Soft peat wreathed in lavender rests on a bed of licorice nibs. Heather to the fore with gorse in the distance.

Some iodine and hospital beds make themselves known as does beach pebbles and blue slate.

A flinty minerality brings me in to sip…

In the mouth — Initial pepper sting that sticks to the tip of the tongue as the oily build dances about mid-palate. If I had to guess, I’d say this is a Caol Ila.

Very edgy stuff, not rounded in any way, which is nice. You get the softness from the lower ABV but the edginess from the youth of the whisky.

Think flint stones (not Flintstones) meets burnt brush and driftwood meets seaweed and burning peat meets dandelion jam and lavender with a hint of lemon rind.

Finish — Lasting, citrusy and sooty

In sum — What a way to enjoy a younger Islay whisky. Though I normally prefer the brash in-your-face-ness of young Islay whisky, the water tamed it to the perfect just-sit-and-relax ABV. My initial reaction was “another 43% whisky from Samaroli, really?” However, this was simply loverly whisky. I enjoyed the interplay between youth and elegance (by way of lower ABV).

Glen Moray, Glen Moray, Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 2015

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar dram # 9 – A.D. Rattray Glen Moray 8yo, Cask # 900029

December 9, 2015 Jewmalt

Region – Speyside – 64.8% ABV (holy moly!)

Glen Moray is one of my favorite Glens. It is too oft overlooked. Here in the US distribution seems to a bit sporadic so therefore few really know about the brand on this side of the pond (when compared to the Glenfiddichs and Glenmorangies of the world).

One thing I did not expect with this particular Glen Moray was the strength that it was bottled at. Normally, Glen Moray fills their casks at 63.5% (like the majority of distilleries out there). However, if this was casked at 63.5% how could the bottling strength be 64.8% at 8 years of age? They must’ve filled this cask at a higher ABV.

Both Tamdhu and Glenfarclas fill at around 70/71% (and Kilchoman does the same on occasion). Perhaps Glen Moray fills at a higher ABV on occasion, too? Looks like I have some investigation in front of me!

Anyway, all that aside, I have a whisky to review. Here we go:

On the nose — Thick yet stinging sherry presence. Huge peppery note on this which tells me it’s a sherry butt rather than a hogshead. Look at that! It IS a butt. I like big butts. I can not speak untruths.

Back to the scents (and my senses): potpourri, picked walnuts, cola syrup, New Chuck Taylors, tart plum, wood charr, apple tarts.

Man, I can go on and on here. This is a very expressive and impressive nose!

In the mouth — Requires. Water. I’m. Dying. Here.

Screw it, let’s give another sip: I guess that first sip killed the complaining taste buds because sip # 2 was not a death sentence!

I will add water but, before I do I find a sweet yet herbaceous quality to this whisky and notes of party balloons and sweet rub spices.

With the addition of water: Raspberry fruit leather, actual leather, watermelon covered in smoked salt, Raspberry jolly ranchers or, better yet, Red Hot Dollars (which are raspberry in flavor and not hit at all). Cherry pits and apple skin (granny smith).

Finish — Long and peppery at the back of the throat.

In sum — This whisky needs, nay, loves water. It’s a bit of a water rat. Without it, you’ll likely burn to a crisp. With it, maybe bringing it down to 58% or so, it a raspberry charmer. A bit red fruit focused but very tasty.

Jewmalt Whisky Reviews