Tag Archives: Chewy

Scotch Whisky Reviews: Exclusive Malts Dailuaine & Auchroisk

August 7, 2013 Jewmalt

We’ve got two Scotch Whisky Reviews for you, both as part of the Exclusive Malts range.

The whiskies are Dailuaine and Auchroisk. Two not-so-commonly bottled distillery single casks (both distilleries are Diageo-owned distilleries, btw)…

Today we’re going to go right into the tasting notes.

Let’ see what we have in store, people!

Dailuaine 21yo – Speyside region – 51% ABV – $138

On the nose — A bit prickly on the nose and smells about 13 years younger than the age statement states.

It is, however, quite bourbon-y smelling and most assuredly spicy with two scents that hit me from nowhere: water chestnuts and unsweetened, uncinnimoned apple sauce. In other words, aside from the spice, it’s a bit light in scent to start.

Leather shoes (new), pineapple and mango (unripe). The tropical fruits are nice here and play well with the spice element.

On the mouth — Massive spice and this one is screaming “Hey!! I’m a Dailuaine just without the sherry maturation you’re used to, Yossi!” I’m sure there are plenty of other ex-bourbon Dailuaine bottlings out there but this is my first. Nice to see that the spirit character remains.

Oily yet effervescent mouthfeel. Silly putty and vinyl capes from my Jawa action figures from my old Star Wars action figure collection. No lie. It’s that specific a note. If only I kept that figure in the original packaging…

Peppery with orange and pineapple syrup from fruit cups. Leather (again) and fresh, unburnt pipe tobacco.

Finish — Lasting and lovely. Peppery and polished.

In sum — A decent offering for a Dailuaine. Not my favorite as I prefer the sherried Dailuaines but this one tells a story from beginning to end and could surely hold it’s own from a flavor and balance standpoint.

This is an early spring dram. It has a hopeful feel to me.

Auchroisk 17yo – Speyside region – 55.6% ABV – $???

On the nose — Boy-oh-boy, why the sour puss, Sourpuss?

Quite sour in scent but with hints of chocolate covered orange rinds sitting ‘neath said sourness.

Winter ski gloves after a full day of skiing. Hey, my notes are getting quite specific today!

Rubber dish gloves and a touch of soap (in a good way. Remember, I dig mild soap notes and this is *mild*). These notes are offset by fresh and dried papaya and some persimmon. Wow, yum!

An unusual nose but inviting, methinks.

On the mouth — ¡Holy frijoles! It gets all sorts of wacky here. Very rye-whiskey-like with dill and seeded rye toast (dry, as it were). Very woody but woody good, like rye or bourbon, not woody bad like whisky gone old and dried out/astringent. This is far from astringent.

I have to put it out there that the nose is off balance from the mouth but the flavor profile is insanely unique and delicious so it sort of makes up for being off balance.

New charred oak (the smell of the inside of a freshly drained ex-bourbon cask), vanilla and banana chips. Orange Tang drink (having nothing to do with Taang!, mind you).

Finish — Finishes with banana chips and a distinct note of what some college students described to me as a “hash pipe.”

Oh, those students!!

In sum — Well, I’m pretty much in love with the flavor profile on this whisky. It noses OK, too. This is a conversation piece. You and some friends can have a lot of fun with this one!

Probably best when part of a tasting. Be warned, it will likely dominate the conversation…

Special thanks to the especially nice people from ImpEx for the samples!

An everyday dram, Cold Winter, Lost Spirits

American distillery Lost Spirits fourth cask of Leviathan I – heavily peated single malt whiskey

January 30, 2013 Jewmalt

California – 53% ABV – $50 (sadly now sold out but you can get Leviathan II for $50. You may want to hop on this as these casks render less than 200 bottles each).

Today will be the third exploration into a bit of an oddity amongst American whiskeys. What makes Lost Spirits Leviathan so unique? Though I’ve touched on that previously, let’s review it again:

Well, it’s a single malt to start. (Yes I, like everybody else’s uncle and their respective monkeys, read the NY Times article about the surge in the American single malts.) Beyond being a single malt whisky Leviathan is:

Peated to 110ppm (only Islay’s Bruichladdich can claim a higher peat ppm with their Octomore)
Matured in a late harvest Cabernet cask (few people have even heard of this style wine)
Single cask, cask strength, non-chill filtered, no colors added… the whole she-bang that whisk(e)y aficionados/anoraks/geeks look for in a whisk(e)y.

Maybe “oddity” is not the best descriptor. Maybe they’re a bit of a loner and a rebel. Yeah, that’s better.

You may have already read my review of Cask # 1 and/or Cask # 3. Here are my notes for Cask # 4:

On the nose – The nose is noticeably malt-forward but the maltiness has a deep, dank cellar-like malted barley quality.

Almost humid in scent.

As with Cask # 3, we’re getting some Horse Hindquarters Here (a triple H, different than HHH a la “Pump Up the Volume”).

Mezcal-like in my book with the burnt quality (not so much peaty but burning smoke).

Whoa. Grape “Bonkers” candies.

Heavy on the strawberry-jam-like sniffyness.

Dark millet cookies/biscuits minus any addition of cardamom powder.

On the mouth – Barrel char mixed with sweet red table wine.

Fleshy bits upon the peach pits (much like cask # 3).

I have to say that I’m very happy with the mouthfeel. Oily, tongue coating and rich.

Nowhere near as smokey in flavor as it is in scent. Very fruity, woody and winey with smoke around the edges reminding the dear drinker that yes, this is a peated whisky.

And finally, some over ripened mango right before some tannin-y dryness kicks in…

Finish – Lasting and now some sweetened spicy notes emerge and dance about on the center of the tongue.

In sum – What can I say about this whiskey? Well, it is very much a mood whiskey and a whiskey I could find myself in the mood for quite often.

While it is a big ‘ol peat monster it’s not trying to be Scotch whisky. It really is it’s own animal and stands alone (and quite tall) in the US Single Malt whisk(e)y arena.

Cold Winter, Craigellachie, Glen Kieth, Jura, Summertime

Three various Single Casks in the Chieftain’s range: Jura, Glen Kieth and Craigellachie

November 27, 2012 Jewmalt

Various regions of Scotland… 3 different single casks bottled for the Chieftain’s range.

After a few quick points, we will get straight on to the reviews today!

Special thanks to the folks from ImpEx for the cask samples!

To learn more about the Chieftain’s Range in general, click here.

Chieftain’s Glen Kieth 17yo bottled at 54.9% ABV

On the nose – A light peat influence here, or so it would seem.

Salty, hay and a touch of candy-like lemon drops (a thread of smoke?).

Sherry-like influence (getting hints of Amontillado) but also sort of bourbon in character (think wood spice, honey and even a shake of white pepper).

A fun little nose, if a little confused.

On the mouth – Light white berries, unripened plums, sugared plums as well.

Biscuits, undercooked. Pie crusts… Oh! Gooseberry pie. This is nice.

Somewhat simple but nice and focused.

Lightly oily slightly effervescent feel to it.

Finish – Shortish with, again, a thread of smoke.

Chieftain’s Jura 12yo bottled at 58.4% ABV

On the nose — Few whiskies yell at me from the glass saying, “Hey Hatton, I was distilled at such and such distillery… duh!!!” like Jura yells at me.

It always seems to start off with a note that I can only call Eeore’s thistles – like burning pricker bushes.

On top of this is a slight soapy quality. People get a little freaked out about a soap quality in a whisky. For me, done right, the soap “quality” can be just that, a “quality.”

The soap on this is within tolerance but surely on the higher side.

There’s also a touch of lavender in here as well as calking.

On the mouth — Very industrial to taste, window putty, calking, wet cement.

Pushing these notes to the side and now we discover some great gristy notes. You can taste the wash (beer to be distilled into spirit) but it’s very beer-like. Lager-like. But, a good lager (sans hops, obviously).

Rainbow candy buttons.

Finish — Short and slightly drying.

Chieftain’s Craigellachie 21yo bottled at 58.3% ABV

On the nose — You can see why they use so much of this malt in the Dewar’s blend. It’s got a nice, balanced nose.

Let me start of with the fact that, even at 58.3%ABV, it’s not hot on the nose. The scents are all right there.

This noses like a 21yo: Wood spice and dill covered lemon slices. Green wood and honey spice. Apple sauce with brown spices. Are you catching a theme here? Tough to get beyond the spiced quality.

I’m a fan of the spice bombs so, let see how it translates in the flavor profile.

Adding a dash of water brings out some notes of pool water and gobs of malt!

On the mouth — Yeah, yeah… this is it. This is what I look for in, say, some of the older Dailuaines… Fruity little spice bombs.

This is, however, just a little hot. Without water, we’ve got baked pears with a slight hint of cloves. Also, vanilla. A good deal of vanilla. Yeah, water is needed with this one.

Not just to temper the heat but the water *really* opens up this whisky!

Ooey flan comes to mind as I take another sip. Browned sugar and candied fennel.

Finish — A long and overly spiced finish. Perhaps a bit too spiced (if there were such a thing). Wow, very long.

In sum…

Glen Kieth: An interesting whisky. My first Glen Kieth. Over all, I liked it. I wonder what a few more years in the cask might have done for this whisky…

Jura: Yeah, this is an odd one. Over all, while it was a little all over the place, I enjoyed drinking it. Nosing it was enjoyable mainly because it’s got that Jura oddness that has you coming back for more. This really is a winter-warmer-upper!

Craigellachie: With a dash of water, I am incredibly impressed with this cask. It tells a wonderfully balanced story from beginning to end (with the spice volume turned up just a touch too high at the finish). Without the water….well, I suggest you add a dash. Should you get a bottle, you’ll see what I mean. This is one where the extra H20 makes an incredible difference.

For more solid reviews of Chieftain’s reviews, be sure to check out Peter’s (of “The Casks” fame) reviews.

Arran, Let's celebrate!, this might be *really* good!

Two new Arran premium single cask for the US market. One ex-sherry, one ex-bourbon

November 9, 2012 Jewmalt

Arran-Sherry-Cask — Arran Premium Sherry Cask, the first to be reviewed…

So as to keep this post clean and more focused, I will try to do less talking and more reviewing.

There is one thing, however, that I need to point out regarding these two Arrans (as well as say the Devil’s Punch Bowl and more to come):

As you likely know, what’s being reviewed today are really special release whiskies from Arran. In years past, all of the special releases were reserved for the UK and other countries. Basically countries that would accept the standard 70cl (700ml) bottle. The one we here in the US of A will not accept. Here in the US, the 75cl (750ml) bottle is king.

Arran-Bourbon-Cask — Arran Premium Bourbon Cask, review # 2!

Something happened, however, just over a year ago. Arran changed importers. I’m not really sure who they were with previously but for more than a year now, ImpEx has been importing Arran whiskies.

Disclaimer: It’s no secret that I have a little bit of a relationship with ImpEx. I announced that here. I’m not employed by them but I have poured their stuff before at events and I review the whisky samples they send me (like the ones below). I just wanted to put that out there before I spout on about them more…

ImpEx knows whisky. What’s more is, I think, they have their finger on the pulse of the US market and what the US market wants. The world is becoming a much smaller place, what with things like the interwebs and such and because of this (and other factors, to be sure), American whisky drinkers want what the rest of the world gets. We don’t want to be left out. I know I sure don’t…

This said, ImpEx seems to have made a point of working with Arran to bring in special casks, limited editions, etc… into the US. This is not a simple task as it’s likely easier for Arran to work with the 70cl bottle for these smaller runs/limited editions.

So, kudos to ImpEx for fighting for us American Scotch whisky lovers! Keep up the good work bringing over more limited hooch!

Wow, I carried on way longer than expected. Let’s review, shall we?

Islands region – 51.1%ABV – SherryCask #1979 – $130 (soon to hit US shelves)

On the nose – Chocolate covered espresso beans, heavy wood spice (Cocobolo wood to be specific).

Dark, damp wood shavings and a slight touch of gun powder.

This is a funny and insanely delicious smelling big bear of a whisky.

Some heavy cola notes.

On the mouth – Nose to palate, the same story is delivered. Starting off with the damp, dark wood but right behind it we find the espresso beans and chocolate.

Exotic wood spice becomes quite present.

Drying with leather toward the end as we get to the finish.

Finish – Long, drying with spice and leather strips.

In sum – This 16yo drinks more like a fully realized 25+ year old whisky. A fine choice of cask. Well worth your precious time.

Islands region – 52%ABV – SherryCask #2096 – $130 (soon to hit US shelves)

On the nose – This reeks of what I love about Arran: A forward pungency, bruised apple and a touch of brown spices.

This is a heavy style Ex-Bourbon whisky, not typical of most XB matured whiskies but similar to these XB Arran’s as they get older and older.

There’s something deep, dark and dang in here. I’m thinking fig cakes and more bruised fruit (in the form of strawberries this time).

Strawberry jam over butter cookies.

On the mouth – A bit shy/elusive upon first sip. Not as forceful in flavor as the nose suggested.

Actually, very light in flavor. The nose fooled me.

Initial thoughts: buttered water crackers; baked phyllo dough covered in quite rich butter.

Paraffin wax, light viscosity. Just a touch of sour apple slices.

Finish – Spice, pepper and milk chocolate, medium finish.

In sum – As Arran single casks go, this one delivers like an SOB on the nose. A bit disjointed from the palate but the finish helps to turn things around making the over all experience a fun little ride. I’d say this is an aperitif whisky. Have it on it’s own so that you’re able to experience all it has to offer.

You may enjoy Guid Scotch Drink’s review of the Arran Premium Bourbon Cask

You may also enjoy Guid Scotch Drink’s review of the Arran Premium Sherry Cask

Special thanks to EK, SF and the rest at ImpEx for the samples!

Autumn, BenRiach, Cold Winter

A single cask of BenRiach chosen by the fine chaps at caskstrength.net, bottled by BenRiach and sold exclusively through Master of Malt

September 5, 2012 Jewmalt

Speyside region – 55.2%ABV –£55 | $87

Apologies for the mouthful-of-a-post-title! Some fine details there though.

A sample of this whisky came to me out of the blue. It was a nice little surprise that showed up on my door step and I have to thank the folks at Master of Malt for it. So, thanks guys and gals!

A long time fan of BenRiach, I am honestly not a big fan of BenRiach from PX (Pedro Ximenez) casks. (I like my BenRiach like I like my Torah, eye-opening, sweet and fulfilling.)

The truth of the matter , however, is that I find difficulty connecting with PX matured whiskies in general. The PX casks can be so very dominating to the overall flavor profile that the spirit character is often lost (making the whiskies often very one-dimensional). To be sure, there are exceptions to this broad generalization I just made.

Let’s see what the cask did to this 16yo BenRiach…

On the nose — What gets me from the go on this one is an unusual scent of pine needles.

Very fruity (dark fruits, dense scents) with some subtle peat (or so it seems).

Then a meatiness kicks in that is reminiscent of barbecutie beef ribs.

Fruit cocktail with bursts of cherry (skins and stones) ride the meatiness, just along the top.

Sugared malt.

On the mouth — Big ‘ol mouth feel. Loads of berries! Loads and loads of berries (heavy on Rainier cherries).

There’s something a bit dusty in here; old attics.

Zero meatiness on flavor (thankfully).

Very dense fruits and fresh tobacco/spicy unlit cigars. Just a touch spicy.

Finish — Birch root/dark birch beer. Long and spicy.

In sum — All-in-all, pretty damned yummy! The natural fruitiness of the BenRiach spirit shone through the thick PX influence. No issues with uni-dimensionality. If you like your whiskies big and powerful, you’ll find this one to be up your alley (and surprised by some of the fine fruits in it).

You might find Jason’s (of guidscotchdrink.com fame) review of this whisky interesting as well…

Jewmalt Whisky Reviews