All You Need Is Love, Autumn, Benromach, Cold Winter, Springtime, Takin' It Easy

Benromach 10yr – More powerful than a Blackhole!!

Speyside – 43%ABV – 70cl (non-US) – US (in a 750ml bottle) $49 | £29 | €34

The Benromach 10yr is one of the most attractive malts I’ve ever had. Granted, I’ve only been imbibing the harder stuff for 3 years or so. So, I’m new to this wonderful world of whisky…

Like many of you, I read review after review of how spectacular this stuff was and I had every intention of trying some at WhiskyFest NYC 2009 – Sadly, one of the many booths I missed.

It wasn’t until I read Dr. Whisky’s review of the stuff that I finally opened up my wallet and laid down the cash for this baby. It ended up coming on my Birthday – what a birthday it was!

Initial whiff — Sweet warm smoke, honey, sweet peony, penny candy store (hanging out by the butterscotch), damp towel, vanilla, sweet pipe tobacco or, better yet, my Grandpa John’s old pipe collection

On the mouth — Gooey-ooey butterscotch riddled with smoke, root veggies (Dr. Whisky nailed it when he said he tasted stewed carrots – dead on!), fresh soil, leather, more butterscotch – mouth coating and smooth as heck!

Finish — Long, smokey oak, vanilla is back with some nuttiness creeping up.

In sum — This is the ultimate comfort dram. Usually, I like an ABV of at least 46% but I think they nailed it with the 43%. I had two drams that night.

So, here’s where the black hole comes in. I am a total freak when it comes to shows about space, black holes, supernovas (including the Ardbeg Supernova!!)… good sciencey stuff. I was watching a show on black holes the night I opened this up and I found my self completely blocking the outside world and was staring at the legs in my glass as they slowly danced back down to the bottom. I was so taken by this stuff that it took me from my science show! And, that’s really saying a lot. Truly astounding stuff – great effort from the folks at Benromach (even thought I said 43% was dead on, I would love to try this as a cask strength!)

Aberlour, Angry, Autumn, Cold Winter

Aberlour A’bunadh Cask Strength Batch #21

Speyside – 59.5%ABV – cask strength – 750ml bottle – $52 | £60 | €70 (pricing shown in £ & € are for batch 19, I could not find a source for batch #21)

I’ve often wondered how the carnival side show people were able to do the things they could (E.G. bang a nail into their face, swallow a sword or eat fire). In the case of the A’Bunadh I would say that a fire eater would have no problems drinking this stuff.

Before I got forward, let me tell you, this is a positive review! The burn-i-ness is all part of the experience.

Initial whiff — Pure sherry wine, wow!  HUGE.  Some chocolate notes, bits of candied orange, maybe sharper than orange, lemons? Fresh tobacco.

On the mouth — OUCH!  This stuff is hotter than a $3 pistol.  I love the quote from  Dr. Whisky — “Not unlike drinking a brick”, the sherry is immense.  Cinnamon spice, big waxy mouth feel, very tongue coating stuff.  Some of the biggest sherry I’ve ever had.  A bit winey and now, the burning fire is back.  This is some strong stuff.

Finish — The burn goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on…  Wait, some bay leafy finish and now, some oak.

In sum — I’m not one usually one for an over sherried drop but this one, in the right mood is just top notch. Very sherry-grapey, dried fruits, waxy on the tongue, cinnamon, (maybe nutmeg) and napalm.

Autumn, Cold Winter, Lagavulin, Need To Bundle Up

Lagavulin 12yr Cask Strength – 2009 Edition

Islay region – 57.1%ABV – cask strength – 750ml bottle – $55 | £58 | €68

The first whisky to ever hook me was the Lagavulin 16yr — and I have to say, all of the regulars in The Jewish Single Malt Whisky Society adore the Lagavulin 16yr; such a lovely dram. It reminded me of the first time I went camping with my father (25+ years ago, I was 11 or so) we had a warm campfire and were cooking baked beans in a can over it. This was the first night I ever saw the Milky-way without the obstruction of city/town lights – wondrous! We just hung out and watched the fire die to glowing embers & fell asleep.  That’s the feel of the Lagavulin 16 for me.

This 12yr is a little different, not as cozy and a little less natural. This is more like a lazer-light-show version of the Milky-Way, sans Pink Floyd.

Initial whiff — Lemon zest, oak, vanilla, and faint smoke. Salty & spicey, singed hair.

On the mouth — Bam!!! biting smoke, almost effervescent. A little melon perhaps and the smoke returns, oh, now oaky

Finish — Long, peaty, pleasing, seltzer type feel lasts for a while with lingering water doused fire flavor

Here’s where it gets weird – I never do this but, I added a little water because, WTF, right?

BAD IDEA! – Changes are as follows:

Initial whiff — spent rubber bands, burning rubber and a little vanilla, mostly the rubber bands

On the mouth — Mouth feel got real oily, but bad oily. Think bad vegetable oil. The flavor is almost like artificial rubber (isn’t rubber artificial? Imagine a fake version of that – odd!)

Finish — oiliness stays, so does the rubber but smoke comes to the rescue.

In sum — In the end, after water, I wanted to shave my tongue. Blech!  Without water – fabulous, with water – shaved tongue.

Ardbeg

Moods are for cattle and loveplay – Gurney Halleck, Dune

So, one of the things I aim to do, to help stand out a bit amongst all of the other great Whisk(e)y blogs, is to try and equate/suggest different malts for different moods and/or seasons.

When it comes to seasons, I’m sure there are many people that would say something like, “yes, I prefer an Islay in the cold winter time” or, “Oh man, give me a wee bit of the Scapa 16yr and let me sit in the shade – it’s a blistery hot day today!”  Unless of course if you’re my good friend Gal who lives in Israel.  I don’t know how he does it but he enjoys the peatiest of malts all year round and Israel is one hot country!

The other thing I find, when choosing a whisk(e)y, is that mood can play a huge roll in what I drink.  On a hot summer day, give me Duvel Belgian beer, a Leffe, Coronoa with a slice of lime or (as I mentioned above) some Scapa – Something lighter & more refreshing.  And when it’s the dead of winter, sometimes I just want to take a chunk of peat, stick it in my mouth and light my face on fire – I need Laphroaig, Ardbeg, Bruichladdich, etc…!!!

You’ll notice in the left hand side there are categories for different distillers (this will, of course grow as the blog grows).  In addition to that, you should see a category called “What Mood Are You In” and one called “Malt Drinking Season”.  Under these main categories there are sub-categories which define various moods and seasons.  I will categorize my malts in these Seasonal/Moody categories as well as in the distiller ones.

If you have any suggestions as to new mood categories or changes to seasons, please let me know you’re thoughts and I’ll add them.

Let it be known that, for obvious reasons, under the moods category, I will not be adding the “I’m Sad” or, “Kill Me Now” categories.

L’Chayim/Slainte/Cheers!

A World of Discovery, Autumn, Cold Winter, Highland Park, Need To Bundle Up

Highland Park stole my Hjärta

Islands – 58.1%ABV – cask strength – 700ml bottle – £65

Ah, the Hjärta – a 12yr Cask Strength Highland Park. Available only through the distillery’s website, the distillery & in nordic countries. Which of coarse leaves the rest of the world out (unless you have sources…).

I’ve been lusting after this for some time and now it is in my possession (Mmmmwwwaaa-ha-ha-ha-ha!).

Let’s cut to the chase and go to my thoughts on it, shall we? Yes, we shall:

Color — Old pirates gold

Initial whiff — For 58.1%abv, nowhere near as prickly as I had expected. I could jam my nose in there ’til my “Hjärtas” content (or I run out of oxygen). Licorice, fried pineapple slices, heather, smoke and moldy celery. A bit salty and a wee more grassy

On the mouth — A bit more hot now, spicey, some sherry notes, buttered toast with honey & jam (raspberry), pineapple again and wisps of smoke, peat & figgy stuffs – all in all, a very luscious dram (reminds me of the succulency of the 18yr)

Finish — Long and a bit burny (in a good way), the sherry comes back up, smoke.

In sum — Rumor has it that a 12yr CS may be on the way as a standard expression for Highland Park. If the Hjarta is any indication as to what we can expect – I’ll be waiting with baited breath!!

The 18yr is still king in my book but this is uber nice!  Thanks to the fine gent who helped me get a bottle!!

I drink booze, and sometimes I talk about it.