Tag Archives: Dried Fruits

A World of Discovery, Brora, Let's celebrate!, Takin' It Easy

Hey Dora, you want some more’a that Chieftain’s 30yo Brora?

Highlands Region – 54.6%ABV – Sherry Butt # 1523 – 469 bottles –  1981/2011 – 30yo – was $249 at K&L Wines but is sadly all sold out (in a pre-release sale nonetheless!)

…how about you Fauna? You wanna?

A gold star to the first person that gets the references in this post’s title and in the first sentence.

It’s not often you get a chance to have Brora in your glass and when you do you need to give thanks to G-d, Adonai, the Whisky Fairy, El, Elvis… what ever you call your higher power.  Brora whiskies are like hens teeth.  Very expensive hens teeth (though comparatively speaking, at $249, this 30 Brora is cheap.  The last 30yo Brora I reviewed was from a $400 bottle!)

The Brora distillery, or “old Clynelish” as it’s sometimes referred to, closed in 1983 (along with many other distilleries).  It’s stills are no longer operational.  We’ll never see this lost distillery opened again which is quite sad as they produced stellar spirit!

As I pointed out in my last review of a Brora whisky, Serge Valentin of WhiskyFun! did a great piece on the Brora distillery over at the Connosr website.  It’s well worth a read.

On to the whisky at hand.

On the nose — Upon first nosing there’s an oh-so noticeable waft of sherry and oak.  It sort of slaps you.  Wakes you up.  Well, I’m already awake and prefer not to be slapped.

Let’s give this whisky a little time with some air.  (Ten minutes go by.)

It’s amazing how I am rewarded just by simply displaying a touch of patience.  The sherried notes are there, yes, as is the oak/age.  However, wonderful hints of mint and fennel followed by smoked caramels (salted) say hello to my nose.  Hi.

I am now able to inhale deeply and when I do there’s a fair amount of black pepper and some cured meats (think Linguiça).

Increasingly peppery with traces of dried fruits and tanning oil.

On the mouth — Wow.  Wow-wow.  Deliciously oily and slightly waxy.

Bursts of pepper along the sides of the tongue, crushed fruit cherry bars and sweet rose water up the center of the tongue.

Baked apples with a ton of brown spices and sugar.

Pot pourri, fig newtons.  Lots of fig cookie qualities here – breading and all.

Hints of smoke here and there.  Everytime you think you found the smoke, it hides away.

Not a touch of sulfur or a bit of that over-oaked “quality” you’d be concerned with in an older whisky such as this.

Finish — Incredibly lengthy with an Oolong, floral sweetness at the way back of the tongue.

In sum —  A absolute stunning single cask of whisky.  One of the best I’ve had this year.  Easily.  Balanced, luxurious, indulgent and warming.

Kudos to Chieftain’s for choosing this cask of Brora (great choice!)  and adding it to their range.

Autumn, Bunnahabhain, Master of Malt

Islay distilleries explained thru Rock and Roll comparisons – Part 6 – Bunnahabhain & my review of the 20yo Single Sherry cask from Master of Malt

Islay distilleries and their whiskies explained through Rock and Roll – Part VI (of VIII)

I was hoping to get part six of this series up last week but time just got away from me. Having only three more Islay/Rock posts left (including today’s post), I’ll be sad to see this series end.

Here’s one of the beauties of Islay: We’re going from young, brash and heavily peated Kilchoman, to older and gentler, Bunnahabhain.  Bunnahabhain’s tagline is “Welcome to the gentle taste of Islay.”

Known as Islay’s [basically] unpeated whisky, Bunnahabhain is also known for often being generously sherried.  Today’s whisky, though not bottled by Bunnahabhain, is no exception to this generalization.

Before we move forward, let’s quick run down the Islay distilleries & their rock and roll equivalents we’ve covered so far — Part one:Bruichladdich as The Sex Pistols, Part two: Ardbeg as Slayer, Part three: Caol Ila as The 80′s (They get their very own decade!), Part four:Bowmore as David Bowie and Part five: Kilchoman as the Jackson Five (somewhat fitting, in retrospect, with them both bearing the number five).

Today we’re reviewing a 20yo Bunnahabhain bottled by Master of Malt.  Sadly, this bottling is completely sold out however, Master of Malt still have some of this as part of their “Drinks by the Dram” offering.  I’m glad I bought a bottle before they were all sold out!

20yo Bunnahabhain – 54.1%ABV – bottled by Master of Malt – Sold Out (though you can get a 3cl sample of it for only £5/$7)

On the nose — What you’d come to expect with a heavily sherried whisky (and I mean heavily):  Furniture polish, cherry stones, tanned leather, rum balls and/or tiramasu, stewed prunes, burning cigars, unlit cigars (dark wrappers)… You name it, it’s in here and nicely organized.

On top of this is a very evident woody note… Oaky and I can almost smell the tannins.

With water and there’s some added unlit pipe tobacco (floral and reminiscent of some hookah stuff I’ve smoked before) and dark chocolates.

On the mouth — MASSIVE ATTACK.  It’s like all of the aforementioned items I got on the nose were jammed into my mouth.  Thinnish mouthfeel and highly drying.  Hmmm… a bit too oaky given its age.  Let me try some water here.  ¡¡Agua al rescate!!

 

The mouth feel is saved and there less heat and less attack upon entry.

The flavors seem to match the nose (again) yet the addition of chocolate covered raisins and wafts of light smoke offer up something quite delicious.

Still a bit drying which leads me to the finish…

Finish — Somehow my mouth starts to water as the whisky continues to dry in a long and slightly spicy finish.

In sum —  This whisky is a powerhouse, no doubt.  Without water, it’s a difficult whisky to drink.  With a dash of water, it’s delicious (yet the oak will not be subdued and therefore, it’s a bit off balance).

An autumn whisky for sure.  This’ll warm you – boy, will it warm you!

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Bunnahabhain – The Band!

With Michael Stipe’s unique voice rising over the band’s overall unmistakable sound and while every song was quite different, every song was very much R.E.M.

Like them or not (and I happen to love them), you can’t argue with this fact.

The same could ring true with Bunnahabhain.  While they do experiment with peated and ex-bourbon expressions such as “Toiteach (and a few others),” it’s fairly safe to say you know what you’re going to get when you taste their 12yo, 18yo,  25yo.  Big sherried whiskies.

What’s more is, like when bands have their music remastered, in 2011 Bunnahabhain “remastered” their standard range.  Moving their ABV from 40%/43% up to 46.3%, discontinuing the use of E150a caramel coloring and the ending the practice of chill-filtration has seemed to do wonders to the their standard range, breathing in new life and vibrancy.

So, rock on Bunnahabhain!  Stand in the place where you live.  Don’t Lose Your Religion, just distill while playing your Finest Worksong.

Autumn, Cold Winter, Dalmore, Let's celebrate!, Sirius Whisky Purveyors

Sirius Whisky Purveyors – 1964 single cask of Dalmore

Highlands region – 60%ABV – $$??

Being that I don’t know much about this whisky (the exception being that it’s single cask, cask strength, 47 years old, natural color and no artificial coloring added) or the full scope of what Sirius Whisky Purveyors is up to with their whiskies, I’m going to keep the preamble to a minimum.

What I do know is that Sirius is an independent bottler to the Nth degree.  Pun is actually intended here as Sirius is owned and run by Mahesh Patel – the man responsible for a very unique whisky show – the “Nth” or, Universal Whisky Experience — THE ultimate whisky show with respects to it featuring only the oldest, rarest, high cost whiskies.

It’s no wonder that Mahesh has chosen this cask of Dalmore (in addition to many other casks soon to be released) – it screams premium!  A 47 year old single cask of Dalmore?  You know it.

Whisky shows as well as old and premium single malts aside, Mahesh is a heck of a guy.  A total charmer.  Personable, smart, sweet and, man, he knows his whisky!

I will release more information about Sirius Whisky Purveyors as soon as it’s available to me.

On the nose –  Sharp and bright yet its age is made known.  Notes of sugar cane and demerara rum.

Tiramisu and a big, boozy orange with traces of cloves and allspice.

Interesting note here – raw ramen noodles!  For a 47yo whisky – this is very alive.  Not at all tired.

Roasted nuts, pickled ones too.

A full humidor cigar shop (I’m thinking Corona Cigar Company in Florida).

The addition of water softens the whisky a bit and adds a “dusty” element and puts a focus on the tobacco notes.

On the mouth – Incredibly hot.  I think it’s safe to say that some water will help to open this one up a bit – it’s quite, tight.  The addition of water is like sending this to a whisky masseuse.

An interesting mix of what you’ve come to know and love from a sherried whisky (tobacco, prunes, cinnamon, cloves, citrus, etc…) but there’s a young, juicy quality here that I can only equate to Hi-C fruit juice – hey, I have kids.  What do you expect?

A touch of brine and a good deal of spice.

Finish – Decent length with allspice and oranges.

In sum – This whisky not only holds up to water but shines with it.  Without the water, I found it to be just too hot (for my tastes).  With water though, it’s really lovely.  No signs of its age from an over-oaked perspective.  However, it’s age shows in terms of complexity.  A touch off balance without water but spot on with.

I’m not sure what the cost of this whisky will be but my guess is a 47yo Dalmore will cost a pretty shekel so you’re most likely going to break this out for the “special times” in life or, this will make a great addition to your whisky collection (if that’s your bag).

Armagnacs, Cold Winter, Kosher spirits, Need To Bundle Up

A couple of Armagnacs by Marquis de Montesquiou – VSOP & XO

France – both bottled at 40% ABV

WARNING & DISCLAIMER – For those who keep, these Armagnacs are not certified as “Kosher” or “Kosher for Passover” (For my kosher keeping friends, imbibe at your own discretion.)

Being that Pesach (Passover) is right around the corner I thought it’d be a good idea to review some non-grain alternative distilled spirits.

I’ve reviewed some Armagnacs in the past and, in general, I find Armagnac to be quite a pleasant and complex spirit.  I would not go out of my way to drink some but I’d never turn it down and I’d surely drink Armagnac over most whisky blends (sorry to sound like a whisky snob.  I actually really like blends – especially Compass Box which is in a league of its own.  When it comes to Compass Box, I think the operative word is *love*).

What is Armagnac?  Wikipedia tells us:

“Armagnac (French pronunciation: [aʁmaˈɲak]) is a distinctive kind of brandy produced in the Armagnac region in Gascony, southwest France. It is distilled from wine usually made from a blend of Armagnac grapes, including Baco 22A, Colombard, and Ugni Blanc, using column stills rather than the pot stills used in the production of Cognac. The resulting spirit is then aged in oak barrels before release. Production is overseen by INAO and the Bureau National Interprofessionel de l’Armagnac (BNIA).

Armagnac was one of the first areas in France to begin distilling spirits, but the brandies produced have a lower profile than those from Cognac and the overall volume of production is far smaller. In addition they are for the most part made and sold by small producers, whereas in Cognac production is dominated by big-name brands.”

For more information from Wikipedia on Armagnac, click here.

To find out more about Marquis de Montesquiou, click here.

To find out how these Armagnacs fare in a nosing glass, read below:

Marquis de Montesquiou – VSOP – $49.99

On the nose –  Lots of oak influence on this one with waves of vanilla and citrus zest (think Minneola Orange).

Not unlike prunes (boozy ones at that) mixed with red currant.

Some coconut off in the distance with dried mango to the fore.

More dried fruits – like a mixed bag of dried fruits.

On the mouth – Cinnamon ribbon candy followed by white flesh peaches, dried apricots and oodles of vanilla spiced chai.

Middle of the road mouthfeel.  This is quite delicious.

The spice really comes through and there’s a touch of a floral freshness to it that reminds me of a blossoming apple orchard (yet without tasting floral – it’s just a feel).

Finish – Spiced rum cakes, decent length.

In sum – I’m happy to have had this Armagnac.  Fine, refined, balanced.  Perfect as an after dinner drink in place of a Port or Madeira.

Marquis de Montesquiou – XO – $129.99 (suggested retail – could not find an online retail source.  It’s imported by Impex – tell this to your local bottle shop and they should be able to help out)

On the nose –  Full of fresh berries – blue, red an incredibly ripe and juicy.

Spiced berry compote and vanilla bean ice cream – being melted by said compote.

Cantaloupe (?) with anise seed powder sprinkled about.

On the mouth – Much more present in mouthfeel than the VSOP however, the flavors are a bit more reluctant to rear their heads.

Trying another sip…  A much more subtle Armagnac than the VSOP.  The fruits are not here but the vanilla remains.

Touches of brown sugar and waxy, candied orange peel.

Finish – Warming and long.  Burnt potpourri.

In sum – A different animal compared to the VSOP.  If I had to choose (based on flavor, overall experience and price point),  I’d go with the VSOP.

However, this XO does offer you a drink that’ll warm your bones as well as any peaty whisky.

Special thanks to the good people at Impex Beverages, Inc for the samples!

An everyday dram, Glenglassaugh, Springtime, Summertime

The Revival of Glenglassaugh!!

Highlands Region – 46%ABV – US price forthcoming but you can pre-order it at Singlemaltsdirect.com for just shy of £36

“Revival” is fitting name for Glenglassaugh’s initial offering of whisky from the newly re-opened distillery.  Many of the details of the make up of this whisky could not be shared.  I do know, however, that there is a mixture of 1st and 2nd fill casks that were then married up in 1st fill sherry butts for 6 months (which adds to the beautiful color that you see to the right and to the flavor of course).  Bottled at 46% ABV, this is a non-chill filtered whisky with zero caramel coloring added.

After many different spirit offerings from Glenglassaugh (on top of Glenglassaugh’s older whisky offerings), Glenglassaugh – under it’s new management – has finally released a 3yo whisky.

Congrats to Stuart, Ronnie and the rest of the team at GlenG!!

Thanks, too, to Ronnie R for both the preview and official samples!!

I’m not sure why but when I hear about a distillery re-opening I imagine those reopening to talk much like this (I know if I were them, I would!):

Glenglassaugh Revival Preview Sample:

On the nose –  Fruity pear jam spread over well buttered crumpets.

Salty brine-like quality.

Baked pears.  The youth of this almost-whisky is apparent but so is the cask influence.

There’s a Rose-ness to this – a semi-dry Rose on a summer day.

There’s a vanilla/creme brulle essence that most certainly came from some bourbon barrels.

On the mouth – Like fresh pear flesh however, this is quite peppery as well.

Warmed butter and unripened stone fruits.

A touch drying along the sides of the tongue.

Finish – Peppery and a bit winey (again, that Rose-like flavor).

Much longer than you’d think given its age.

Glenglassaugh Revival Retail Sample:

On the nose –  Very similar to the pre-release but with less of a salty element to it and more of a fruit element.

More of the Rose-ness here.  However, something I didn’t get on the pre-release are notes of cracked black pepper and some stone fruits like apricot and white flesh peach.

On the mouth – More “present” than the pre-release.  Full of pears and dried apricot.

Peppery and effervescent but also, and this can not be overlooked, VERY sweet with an underlying salty quality and a touch of brown spices that offer up what I find to be a very balanced little dram!

The beauty of the Glenglassaugh spirit and choice of casks really seem to compliment each other.

Finish – Drying and full of dried fruits and fresh, unripened ones.  A lasting peppery finish.

In sum – I’m am very impressed with both of the preview spirit sample and the full-fledged WHISKY sample.  I plan on keeping a bottle of this on the shelf.  It’s a no-brainer whisky that is both challenging (there is a lot to tease out of here) but also, just a nice-nice summer dram.  Kudos to Mr. Stuart Nickerson.  Well done, good sir!

In case you’ve not seen it, I had the good opportunity to interview Stuart Nickerson of Glenglassaugh a while back.  Here’s part one, here’s part two – I greatly enjoyed this interview and I hope you do, too!