Category Archives: Takin’ It Easy

Highland Park 18yr – The best dram I’ve tasted in 2009!

Islands – 43%ABV – 750ml bottle – $75-99 | £55 | €64

I’ve read so many reviews on the HP18 (Highland Park, not Harry Potter, come on people!!) I figured, enough is enough – I had to try just to see what all the hoop-a-lah was about.

Back in October of 2009 I went to The Scottish Arms in St. Louis Missouri. If you’ve never been, go. Now. More than 150 drams (Scottish, Japanese, American, you name it) on their whisky menu – amazing! Well, while I was there I tried the HP18 and all I could say was…”eh…, so what”

PLEASE READ ON

I realized the reason the whisky was so sub-stellar was just because of the type of glass they used (should have brought my own Glencairn) and the fact that I had food getting in the way of the tasting. Note to self: only taste when you’re either A) done with food or B) haven’t had food yet (though on an empty stomach… that can be…ummmm…fun?!).

So, after many people telling me that I must be crazy for thinking the Highland Park 18 was no more than a big yawn, a little while later, I decided to shut them up and lay down the casheesh to buy a bottle.  I actually got the bottle for much less than what is shown but, it was an eBay buy so I won’t post that price.  Let’s just say, I got it for about the price of the standard 12yr bottle of Highland Park!!

Around this time I was reading that many people do their whisky tasting in the morning time so I decided to conduct my tasting during that time myself.  What a way to start the day!!  The following notes, by the way, were written in October, 2009:

Nose (almost 3 full whiffs!!) Not as smokey as I had anticipated. Very sweet smelling, almost juicy with an underlying smokiness to it. Second whiff: More of the same, this time a little more smoke but now the oak came out a bit and something almost tropical – overripe banana perhaps? I couldn’t wait for the 3rd whiff…

Palate Absolutely one of the most succulent drops I’ve ever had! The smoke was underlying but kept peaking it’s head out and was balanced so well by the sweetness. Sherry notes but thankfully not overly so. The age came out a bit, long vanilla oak notes and more sweet smoke. G-d damn, I’m in heaven!

Finish Soft and silky, warming (which is much needed as it was 33deg F this morning!), smokey and long.

In sum Those who know me now I am a devoted fan of the Glenmorangie line but I have to say, with the exception of the D’or (which remains to be my dram of choice), this has knocked all of the other Glenmos out of the way! Maybe it’s the weather, maybe it’s because I had it in the morning, I don’t know. I can tell you that I think I’m in love.

Glenfarclas 15yr – Spicy, fruity…damn good dram!

Highlands – 46%ABV – 70cl – Not available through US stores – Master of Malt has it for £36 | €42

One thing that really bugs me is UK only or, better yet, non-USA bottlings of whisky.  My anger is not directed toward the UK in anyway, it’s directed at US law.  Specifically when it comes to the US *NOT* accepting foreign bottles which are 700ml (or, 70cl). They have to be 750ml.  Why?  It seriously does not make sense to me.  If you can clue me in, please, do!  Email me – I have to know what the dumb-arse reason is.

People in the US are missing out on so many good whiskies (or paying too much in shipping from the UK/EU to get them) due to US law regarding 70cl bottles.  One of the many drams us yanks are missing out on is the Glenfarclas 15yr.

The Glenfarclas 15yr is one of the better sherry finished drams out there – it benefits from all of the good things about sherry (rich fruits & spice) without being too winey, though, there is wine there for sure.  Many folks in the UK/EU refer to this as the ultimate Christmas Cake dram.  Jason over at WHISKYhost gives an excellent description of what Christmas Cake is actually like (if you’re a Jew like me, who has never had Xmas cake, you’ll benefit from this post).

Initial whiff Wine soaked raisins, cinnamon (lots of it, almost like the smell of Big Red Chewing Gum), white pepper, extremely fragrant & masculine (in a very feminine, perfumey kind of way…)

On the mouth Rich & decadent, oily, coating & spicy, very spicy.  Chewy, like chewing on taffy, malty sweet

Finish Like the energizer bunny, it keeps going! A bit tannic, wine from the nose returns, the sides of my tongue have been tingling for some time now.

In sum This is the first and ONLY Glenfarclas I’ve had.  Here in the US we have the 12yr, 17yr, 21yr and (I think) the 25yr.  And there are, of course, many others in the ‘farclas line but of all the Glenfarlas’ out there, this is the one I’ve read about the most so I went for the dram toughest to get in the US and I did not regret it one bit!  I prefer to enjoy this on a colder night.  Perfect for Christmas or, maybe good for the eighth night of Chanukah 😉  Nice cold weather stuff.

Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey Batch 29

Denver, Colorado, USA– 47%ABV – 750ml bottle – $45 | £64 | €78

I first had the pleasure of tasting Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey at WhiskyFest in NYC.  To see my review of that event, please pop over to Whisky Israel (then pop back here to read this grand review!).

At WhiskyFest last year I was hopping around from table to table; so little to do, so much time… scratch that, reverse it.  Carrying on — I had a boatload of tables to visit during the event!  I’ll be quite honest in stating that, while I had interest in visiting the Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey booth, if I missed them, I missed them.  This was not because I didn’t have the interest, I was simply more focused on Scotch whisky rather than American whiskey.

So there we were, going from this table to that, from that aisle to this aisle… our heads were spinning – it was quite an experience!  We were on our way to the Old Pultney/Balblair booth when my buddy Jeff stopped me and said “Josh, you’ve got to try this $hit!!”.  I saw that he was at the Stranahan’s booth and I said to myself that I could at least scratch these guys off my list (and then get to Balblair already!!).

The nice man at the booth poured me a wee bit and I sniffed… Wow… This is not like any other American Whiskey I’ve ever nosed before!  I continued with the next step (umm, the tasting of course) and wham-o!! My friend Jeff said exactly what I was thinking: “Dude, it’s like liquid banana chips!”  And it was.  Absolutely delicious, these guys nailed it and made something so very unique from all the other American whiskies I’ve every had.

This being said, by hook or by crook, I had to get a bottle.  And that I did.

Now, before I go on I will tell you that I do not know what batch number(s) were being served at WhiskyFest NYC but I can tell you that what I bought was very different from what I had at the fest.  Not in a bad way — at all (though I do wish I could find the banana chip batch.  I’ve got an email into them already so once I find out, you will find out).

Initial whiff Berries, off the bat.  Some cinnamon, a little banana peel, spices (for my Jews out there, reminded me of Havdalah spices).

On the mouth Quite spicy but wildly smooth.  Mouth coating, banana (whole banana, not chips), vanilla, lots of vanilla and a little oak which surprised me as this stuff only stayed in barrels for two years.

Finish Here’s where it gets really interesting and a bit… “R” rated (but hey, we’re all over 21, right??). Directly after the swallow, the most interesting taste came up on the back sides of my tongue.  I asked the drummer of my band to corroborate… we both got the amazingly strange taste of Marijuana in our mouths!  As if we were with Bill Clinton, not inhaling, and taking a hit off of a pipe (or “bowl”, to use the parlance of our times…).  So odd!  It brought me back to the good ‘ol days…  The finish made my mouth felt like it was at a Whitesnake concert circa 1988

In sum This is quite amazing stuff and I liked the fact that my batch was so very different than the batch at WhiskyFest.  It’s like trying single cask scotch whisky, every cask tastes very different.  That being said, for this batch, I think I would suggest to drink it in a relaxing type mood or when cuddling up with a book, a wife, a husband, etc…  Enjoy this year round but try it in the late fall time when the leaves are changing (if that happens in your neck of the woods).  L’chayim/Slainte/Cheers!

Port Ellen 1978 24yr 2nd Release

Islay region – 59.35%ABV – cask strength – 700ml bottle – $?? | £?? | €?? – I could not find this one available anywhere.  It was bottled in 2002 and limited to 12,000 bottles.  My guess is that it was in the £250 range (which is more like $450 to my fellow yanks out there).

I consider myself very fortunate to have met so many interesting and kind people in the wide world of twitter.  I could go on naming names but I wont.  I will say, with regards to this tasting, I need to thank one of my twitter friends: Keith from Whisky Emporium.  He and I did a sample trade and my sample was this lovely and rare Port Ellen expression.  Keith, thank you.  If you’ve not visited Whisky Emporium yet, please do.  There are lots of great tasting notes, glass suggestions for different malts, whisky & food pairings, whisky & chocolate pairings, etc…  He’s got a very robust & unique site.

With regards to Port Ellen, it’s really one of the few Islay distilleries that I basically know nothing about.  Rather than focus on the distillery, I will focus more on the whisky itself.  If you’d like some information on the Distillery, here is a link from The Whisky Exchange with more info.

I will say that this stuff was so unique (especially given the style of the whisky itself, as you will read below, and it being an Islay malt) that I do plan on finding out more about Port Ellen and the history of expressions.  And, if my funds take a huge turn for the better, I may even buy some of this stuff.  I can tell you that Port Ellen whiskies are rare and uber-expensive!!

Initial whiff Wow, this noses more like a Cambeltown – Grassy/flowery peat, fruity, definite hints of sea breeze.  Maybe a little bit of the smell of an electrical charge, metallic (not Metallica, though this stuff does rock) in a way.

On the mouth Nearly undrinkable without water.  Some like it hot and some sweat when the heat is on, I’m sweating here… I need a little water.  Ahhh, much better.  Back to the fruits (think citrus – oranges & kumquats), grassy again, malty, waxy mouth feel, lots of smoked seafood here (yes, this coming from a vegetarian (I used to eat fish)), tar (sans feathers) and very delicate peat.  It is 24 years old after all.  It seems the peat has lost much of it’s fight or, better yet, it’s compromised with the other elements.  Very complex and quite yummy!

Finish Long, the fruits stay but now the peat is a wee bit stronger.

In sum This stuff is worth it’s weight in gold.  It’s an Islay in Campbeltown’s clothing.  Of all the regions, I do love Campbeltown the most.  Extremely complex, lots of salt, fishy peat & yummy citrus.  Because of the lighter style (read: more delicate peat with the addition of salt & fruits) I would suggest this one in the spring or summer time when you just want to take it easy or feel refreshed.  Good luck finding some though!!

Cragganmore 1992 Distiller’s Edition (Double Matured in Port Casks)

Speyside – 40%ABV – 750ml bottle – $58-80 (seriously, where are all of these spreads coming from??) | £35 | €40

Not sure if you’ve seen it yet but Jason of WHISKYhost just posted a stellar review of the Cragganmore 10yr Cask strength.  If you have not, check it out now, then come back for my review of Cragganmore’s 1992 Distiller’s Edition.

The standard 12yr Crag’ is such a cracker of a dram.  The price is right (about $40USD) and I’d say it’s just an all-around-great-everyday-dram.  I read a review somewhere whereas the Crag’ 12yr was referred to as “the little dram that could”.  While I can appreciate the loving note on the Crag’ 12, “little” is not really be applicable to Cragganmore…

Wait a sec, I’m reviewing the 1992 Distiller’s Edition, right?  Ok, enough of my blathering on about the 12yr.  Here we go on the dram-at-hand:

After having the Balvenie 21yr Portwood, then the Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban, I was excited to find out that Cragganmore also had a Port finished whisky: 1992 Cragganmore Distiller’s Edition (picture shown is their 1993 edition which I have not yet tried).

Initial whiff Some brine & spirit (more spirit than I expected for the ABV), peppery oak and perhaps some minted honey & orange rind. All this was drawing me in, big time.

On the mouth Nothing, at first, like the nose. Initial reaction: Butter, the feel is like melted butter with a warming toffee flavor. Then, it gets a little spicey and tingley (think ginger on a good sushi roll). There more wood influence then port but wow, a nice experience so far.

Finish Lasting, oaky, spiced orange (the taste of the smell of oranges that have cloves stuck in them, if’n you know what I mean).

In sum I was expecting a little smoke here, as with the standard Cragganmore (just a little smoke) but I think something overtook it, perhaps the port…  As interesting as this one is (and as much as I like port finished whiskies), I have to say that I prefer the standard Cragganmore 12yr expression over this.  I can’t wait to try their 10yr Cask Strength