Tag Archives: Dried Fruits

Exclusive Malts – Bowmore 11yo – 53.6% ABV

April 10, 2013 Jewmalt

Islay region – 53.6% ABV– US only — Price: unknown at this point.

Day 3 of my Exclusive Malts reviews.

On this day we travel to Islay to visit the Bowmore distillery, one of Islay’s most beautiful distilleries.

Most of my favorite bottlings of Bowmore are independent bottlings (a great example was Master of Malt’s 26yo Bowmore – holy crap, that was an amazing, amazing, amazing whisky).

Let’s see how this one plays into the I-prefer-indy-Bowmore-bottlings-playbook…

On the nose – Big, smoky, meaty with hints of spent match sticks and balsamic vinegar.

Damp and smoldering (?) cardboard and, deep in the background, UK parma violets, lavender and chrysanthemums.

Burning tires and hints of chicory. Balsamic reduction and beef ribs and spent cigars.

This is a big man, male chauvinist pig of a whisky. In an Archie Bunker sorta way, I dig it so far!

On the mouth – Damp wood, earthy forest floor, farmyard barn on a rainy spring day.

No heat at all and a great mouth feel! Campfires and damp tents. Wow, this is truly yummers.

Chocolate covered pastrami on rye. Like the sandwich has been bronzed in chocolate.

If you could bronze with chocolate (I guess it’d just be called “chocolated” then, right?)…

Boozed raisins, dates and sulphured figs.

Finish – More of the sulphured figs (add to that apricot).

In sum – Please don’t be scared of this word “sulphured” as this is not a sulphur-y whisky. Go to your local health food store and buy sulphured dried fruit. You’ll see what I’m talking about.

This is a massive whisky that has the digestive feel of a fernet branca. End on a good note, end your evening with this one.

Thanks again to the folks at ImpEx for the sample!

Arran, Let's celebrate!, Takin' It Easy

Arran Premium Sherry Single Cask bottled for San Francisco’s “The Whisky Shop”

December 17, 2012 Jewmalt

Islands region — 54.9% ABV – Single Cask # 96/1517 – $100, bottled for, and sold exclusively through, San Fransico’s “The Whisky Shop”

This sample was sort of an out of the blue one for me. The good folks at ImpEx sent me the sample suggesting that I might be interested in reviewing it.

I knew that Arran had a line of “Premium” Sherry and Bourbon casks but this is the first I saw where they bottled one for a specific store. This practice may be new, it may not be new. Here we have it though, a single premium sherry cask for The Whisky Shop in San Francisco.

I’ve heard of The Whisky Shop but have never shopped there before.

ARRAN-WHISKY-SHOP Like Binny’s, Julio’s and a few others, The Whisky Shop has a reputation for being experts in all things whisk(e)y.

I am curious to taste this one, for sure. Thanks to the good folks at ImpEx for sending me a sample!

Color – Muscato wine (I only mention the color as it seems light for a 16yo sherry single cask)

On the nose – Obviously sherried but no *heavy* sherry notes, I wonder if this is a 2nd fill cask. Either way, it’s smelling quite nice.

Let’s run down the list of scent, shall we?

ARRAN-WHISKY-SHOP1 Candied bacon and the smell of the taste of iodized salt. Cola with a side of Black pu’er tea. I need to point out something I’m not getting, something I normally get with Arran malts: Apples. No sign of that apple sweetness.

Fried dates; more gristle, less dates.

Wait a second!! Wait a *BIG* second! Apple cider vinegar becomes very evident. I am rewarded for my patience.

On the mouth – Fresh apples, bright fruits. Very forward, sweet and bright. This is almost like a high-octane dessert wine (ice wine).

Green grape skins and grape flesh (I know, a long-winded way of saying “grapes”).

Very fizzy along the tongue but a wonderful, even mouthfeel all around.

ARRAN-WHISKY-SHOP4 Some coastal notes as well. Really enjoyable.

Finish – Long and filled with that lovely apple cider vinegar I got on the nose.

In sum – In all honestly, to me, this is not something that those that like sherried whiskies would seek out (as a heavily sherried whisky). However, this is one of the more delicious Arran’s I had (single cask or standard bottling).

Highly recommended, dear people. This is a perfect after dinner drink. Serve in place of dessert wine. The perfect night cap!

All You Need Is Love, Dailuaine, Glen Grant, Let's celebrate!

Two new ‘Old Malt Cask’ whiskies for the US Market: 36yo Glen Grant and a 28yo Dailuaine

December 12, 2012 Jewmalt

I am fortunate in that I’ve had a few new samples of Old Malt Cask sent my way. (Hip Hop Hooray for me!!)

One of the single cask ranges as part of the Douglas Laing family of Independent Bottled whiskies, Old Malt Cask is somewhat unusual as they normally bottle their whisky at 50% ABV rather than cask strength. Though not *that* unusual I suppose as Lombard’s does this as well.

The Old Malt Cask range of whiskies is one that has releases under the brand nearly every month (though the releases get spread out all over so the US might not see new OMC whiskies every month…).

Today we’re reviewing 2 of the four samples I’ve received. Special thanks to the good folks at International Wine and Spirits for the samples!

Old Malt Cask 28yo Dailuaine, refill hogshead, bottled at 50% ABV, 133 bottles – $230 from Binnys.

On the nose – Spicy, industrial, new newspapers, fresh ink.

Old-Malt-Cask-1 Wow, I am smelling New York City on a dry, spring day.

Waft of perfume, new leaves, young flowers black pepper and a bit of pastrami sangwich to boot!

On the mouth – One can only dream of a mouthfeel like this. Much like the 27yo Dailuaine from Master of Malt, just a touch more oily.

Flavor wise, it’s very similar to that same MoM Dailuaine in that the Dailuaine qualities shine like a crazy diamond. Spice, lots of it.

Old-Malt-Cask-2 Raisins in light brown sugar with a touch of brown spice.

Spiced gum drops (minus the sugar coating).

Finish – A lightly spiced, medium length finish.

In sum – Dailuaine continues to impress the living bejebus out of me. I’ve not met a Dailuaine I haven’t liked and this one is no exception.

This is another late summer dram for me…

Old Malt Cask 36yo Glen Grant, Brandy Finished Butt, bottled at 50% ABV, 150 bottles

On the nose – A touch floral but quite nutty (hazelnuts primarily).

Old-Malt-Cask-3 Kefir leaves in coconut soup. Very sweet and light malt, yellow berries, wood spice, seasoned oak.

While not the most complex, it’s still a very, very really loverly nose.

On the mouth – I’ve seen the light! Great mouthfeel!

Light, floral and nutty. The style is somewhat reminiscent of an ex-bourbon Rosebank whisky.

You know you’re drinking an older whisky but this has a vibrancy that let’s itself be known by way of a fizzy-mouthfeel and ripe fruits.

Old-Malt-Cask-4 Also in here we have some chamomile tea, baker’s chocolate and highly salted black licorice.

Finish – Lemoney pie crusts, medium long.

In sum – The cask seems to be less invasive on the spirit than I would have expected. This is a great whisky here. Glen Grant really has true character and they’ve captured it in this here cask.

This is a late summer dram. One to enjoy sometime before lunchtime.

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!

Jewmalt Whisky Reviews