Tag Archives: Brine

Region – Speyside – ABV – 48.7%

The day that I’m writing this review is the day after I saw the new Star Wars film. I plan on seeing it again tomorrow, and then again a day or two after that. Yes, people, it was that good. JJ Abrams done right by Star Wars and helped me to forget the atrocities that are Episodes 1, 2 & 3.

Wait, this is a whisky blog and not a Space movie blog, right? Right.

This is the very first Glentauchers that I am publicly reviewing. I’ve had a few in my day but never did get around to reviewing one on this here bloggy blog.

Raise your hand if you’ve had much Glentauchers in your life? My guess is few hands went up.

I’ve had some great ones. Let’s see what this one is like.

On the nose — Somehow I smell a perfect mix of Kellogg’s™ Frosted Flakes and Post™ Fruity Pebbles. (Time for a supermarket run!)

Grapefruit marmalade on buttery biscuits. A mere hint of peat sits right in the middle, becoming the centerpiece to a peat sandwich with lightly toasted sprouted malt bread.

Finally, we’ve got a little bit of lemon pinwheel here.

In the mouth — Fizzy-fizzy mouthfeel, quite prickly indeed. A bit quieter in the mouth. Let’s try a little harder though:

Briny and spicy upfront with some Asian pears, and Jicama (I seem to recall the Jicama note in a previous review).

A bit botanical now. Almost gin-like with the lack of intense Juniper. Oh! Gin Fizz!

Not too much else going on here.

Finish — Lasting gin-y-ness and fizz on the tongue.

In sum — While very promising on the nose, it seems to fall apart a bit on the palate. It’s saving grace, however, is the wild mouthfeel. Perhaps one of the fizziest feeling whiskies I’ve had in a while.

An everyday dram, Takin' It Easy, Wild Turkey - Kentucky Spirit

Wild Turkey “Kentucky Spirit” cask # 98, pick by Julio’s

October 24, 2015 Jewmalt

Region – Kentucky – 50.5% ABV

I’m not a bourbon guy (generally speaking). Really, I’m just not huge on American spirits in general.

Don’t get me wrong, I quite enjoy bourbon, rye, and other American whiskeys. It’s just that, well, my heart and passion is in malt whisky.

You can look at all of my posts over the past 6 or so years, and see that I focus on malt whisky. Malt whisky is mine, my precious. I wants it. I needs it. The others, they’re all tricksie!!

Gollum! Gollum!

Still, I need to give credit to a whisk(e)y where credit is due. There are some good bourbons, great bourbons, and amazing bourbonsout there. Today, I’m reviewing a great bourbon. A well selected cask.

I think this cask may be all sold out at this point (I’m glad I purchased my bottle when I did) as this was a bottling that Whisky Advocate quite liked. It’s in the top 10 of 2015’s releases. Not too shabby.

On to the tasting!

On the nose — Spoiler alert! It smells like bourbon! Cloves, cinnamon, allspice, pencil shavings, coconut, cooked vanilla pods. The standard stuff you’d expect to smell (thank you new charred oak – we know you all too well).

Let’s get beyond this though… buttered popcorn, wet leather, salted bread dough (huh…), Cherry tarts. All of these notes are well integrated.

In the mouth — Big and spicy stuff with notes of salted licorice, vanilla ice cream, buttered baguette, cream of corn soup (if it could be a very sweet soup). Pear skins, and a hint of mint. Decent mouthfeel with a fair amount of oiliness.

Finish — Cherry tootsie pops, all the way. Medium finish

In sum — This can be picked apart (a la the above) or treated like bourbon should be treated – simply fine-fine sippin’ juice! Really yummy stuff here. Nicely chosen, Julio’s!! Well met.

Breakfast Whisky, Let's celebrate!, Springbank, Takin' It Easy

Springbank 15yo Single Cask, re-charred Sherry Butt 58.3% ABV

July 25, 2013 Jewmalt

Campbeltown region – 58.3% ABV – $139

It is a very true statement that Springbank is a Scotch Whisky that is in a league of it’s own.

The quality of their products tend to be a few notches above the rest and the whisky’s character is, well, unique. Very unique.

Could the essence of their individuality be connected to terroir (Campbeltown and they, Springbank, being one of only three distilleries in Campbeltown)?

Perhaps it’s their distilling process (2.5 times distilled which is explained here)? I think not as their other products, Hazelburn (3 times distilled and unpeated) and Longrow (2 times distilled and heavily peated) still have that Springbankiness to them…

Maybe it’s the fact that they handle every step of the process whisky-making process from malting on up?

Perhaps it’s the fact that their wash (beer to be distilled in to spirit) spends 70 hours or more fermenting in Boatskin Larch wash backs? (Most Scottish distilleries ferment their wash between 48 & 54 hours in either Oregon Pine or Stainless Steel).

I am not sure any one of the above points really offers up answers. Regardless, Springbank Scotch Whisky is pretty amazing stuff. While I am a known Glenmorangie freak, I have to say that Springbank produces my favorite whisky. Ever. And when they do it right. Boy howdy, they do it right-right!

Today’s Springer is a 15yo single cask matured in a re-charred sherry butt. This is a highly unusual style of Scotch whisky and it sounded simply super fun and interesting to me so I had to get a bottle. Had to.

On the nose — As I might have guessed (and surely hoped), the nose is very Bourbon-like due to the re-charred oak. There’s a high sweetness here and a sharpness in scent.

Brown sugar and peat! What a combo! Paraffin wax and molding clay. Pencil shavings, albeit burnt pencil shavings. A wide combination of dried fruits (dates, prunes, dried banana, etc…), pickled walnuts and cherries pits.

There’s a salty/briny quality to this as well. Heavy leather gloves (well used) and a brush fire.

This is like nosing a 50-50 mix of George T Stagg and a sherried Springbank.

On the mouth — Big, salty and massively sherried (but without being like a run-of-the-mill sherry bomb). There is no unidimensionality going on here. In fact, there’s a lot going on here and it’s part of a nice flavor story:

Salted dates floating in a bowl of Mexican vanilla extract and grated chicory. Soft yet driving peat and dank malt (a la Malta Goya).

A lovely mouth feel. Very bourbon like in experience (mouthfeel, very sweet and prickly on the sides of the tongue, charred-oaky-goodness) with the addition of cherry-twizzler sweetness!

The nuttiness returns but it’s like a nutty-syrup mixed with unlit cigars.

Finish — Medium finish loaded with dates and a touch of salt.

In sum — As if Springbank was unique enough! This is a wildly fun ride of a whisky that would impress the Bourbon lovers out there. Heck, this should impress whisk(e)y drinkers anywhere. Very tasty and quite balanced.

One could sit and dissect this whisky or just relax and simply enjoy it. This is a desert (and dessert) island dram for me. I better get another bottle before you all buy it out on me!!

Bruichladdich, Takin' It Easy

Two whiskies from Bruichladdich that I’ve been meaning to review since… 2010!

July 11, 2013 Jewmalt

For the most part, I try not to be a slacker. In fact, I am a real go-get-em, gung-ho guy with a ton of sticktoitiveness. For the most part that is…

Somehow, someway, I’ve been sitting on a few samples from Bruichladdich (as well as samples from a few other distilleries) for quite a while now. And by “quite a while” I mean like 2 or 3 years. That’s a long time, right? Right. No better time than the present to review them though, right? Right.

So what do we have today? Firstly, we have “Redder Still;” part of the Blacker/Golder/Redder series from the lads and lasses at laddie. Second is a 1992 (distilled in 1992, that is) sherry release from them – the Fino Cask.

Redder Still is matured in Château Lafleur Pomerol wine casks and the Fino Cask is matured in, well, Fino casks. The former is bottled at 50.4% ABV (with 4000 bottles released) and the Fino was bottled at 46% ABV – 6000 bottles in that release.

Here are my thoughts on these two:

Bruichladdich Redder Still – 50.4% ABV

On the nose – My immediate impression is that of paraffin wax and red wine gums.

Incredibly soft on the nose. If I could apply an attribute to this nose that was not in the realm of scents, I would say this noses like a cotton ball.

Salted and ground mustard seed meet lager beer. Quite malty.

Am I detecting smoke here? I think so.

Not very winey at all considering this was matured in Château Lafleur (Pomerol, red wine cask – nothing to do with Fleur Delacour, mind you) casks. Really soft peat — looking for the wine notes but, none here really. Not yet.

Wait a sec, red currant jams and cracked black pepper. Moving on because this smells yummy and I want to taste now.

On the mouth – Quite sweet upfront. Sugary sweet, in fact. Oily moth feel with an effervescence toward the back and sides of the tongue.

Plums (prunes, too! Elderly plums, as it were) and smoke and more wine gums and peppery yet all of this is not forceful in anyway.

Much more winey after a few sips but is still very much whisky. Smoke is present in the mouth and it gets quite drying as we get to the finish.

Finish – Short… a bit abrupt.

In sum – Compared to the *AMAZING* Blacker Still, this pales. Taken out of that family of Blacker/Golder/Redder, the Redder Still is a nice-nosed whisky! I quite enjoy it actually. The flavors work well together too however they’re a bit like a boy scared to ask a girl to hold his hand. I feel this whisky should man up a bit in the flavor impact department but it does not.

Thinking back to that nose though… yum, yum, yum!

Bruichladdich 1992 Fino Cask – 46% ABV

On the nose – Quite noticeably a Bruichladdich with a salty coastal element that’s reminiscent of their old 90’s 15yo.

Noses of yellow chilis and the sweetness of Scotch Bonnet peppers (before you bite into one and it burns your dad gum head off!).

A touch of sulfur and turmeric. I think this is the first time I smelled Deviled Eggs in a whisky! Guess what, it’s subtleness work here!

Some damp cardboard and sugared papaya (fresh, not dried). Soft black licorice.

On the mouth – Wow, the fino influence is right there and pretty dang lovely. Nutty, very nutty. Salted almond and pecan, fig paste and dried banana.

Anise seed, black licorice (again, though, salted this time), window putty.

At 46% it has enough attack to it as well as nice oils allowing for a good mouthfeel.

Sweet pecan pie and black strap molasses (treacle for the Brits out there). Quite a satisfying whisky so far!

Finish – Increasing sherried goodness, melted caramel and a touch of rum cake.

In sum – This is one fine Bruichladdich! the scent, flavors, mouthfeel, finish, etc… all works out. Very nicely balanced with the sweet, salty, slight pepper. Very much a dessert whisky. Worth you seeking out, in my opinion!

Cold Winter, Let's celebrate!, Mackinlay's

How I almost ended up in jail or, my review of the second release of Whyte and Mackay’s “Mackinlay’s” replica whisky from the Shacklton Expedition

February 11, 2013 Jewmalt

A mixture of Speyside & Highland region whiskies – 47.3%ABV – $175

The video below was recovered at the end of last week, one month after my trip to Antarctica.

Found by the Antarctican police (also known as Intersouthpol) and then released by the Antarcticaian natives, the video is here for your viewing pleasure.

This video is my review of the second release of Shackleton whisky or, Whyte and Mackay’s Mackinlay’s replica whisky:

If you’re interested in my written review, I was able to save enough of the liquid to write down my notes.

They are as follows:

On the nose — Flinty, coastal and smelling of goarse flowers (?) and then more earthy wild flowers. Biscuity and touches of lemon water, cold sweet cream butter.

Maltiness that verges on a Belgian beer (*verges*, it’s not quite there).

Very briny and notes of crushed pineapples abound!

On the mouth — Massive smoke, lemons bars, fig newtons minus the fig.

Still malty and with a great mouth feel.

Oddly sweety and peaty (the sweetness, like the first release) reminds me of Pop Rocks (maybe it’s the zippy feel on the sides of my tongue).

This is a great winter-warmer-upper! Briny still and the oily mouth feel makes my mouth happy.

Finish — Lasting, zesty.

In Sum — A fine, fine whisky. I’ve said this before but, if Richard Paterson got it right in his replication (and if anyone could, it’d be him), then the original Mackinlay’s whisky was a cracker!

Grab a bottle. It’ll warm you up!

Jewmalt Whisky Reviews