Tag Archives: Floral

Angry, Cold Winter, Laphroaig, Need To Bundle Up

Laphroaig Quarter Cask

Islay region – 48%ABV – 750ml bottle – $39 and up | £27 | €32

So, there is a very interesting story to the Laphroaig Quarter Cask.  Apparently, years ago, before you and I were born (well, maybe not you, or you, or her, but he and me), the good folks at Laphroaig (and perhaps other distilleries) used to use smaller casks for transporting whisky as it was easier to do so by way of the ‘pony express’.

Well, enter the modern world where everything is about how you can ‘save a buck’, and these distilleries chose to use larger casks for transporting via rail & road.

In doing so, what was lost, however, was a quicker maturation process (due to greater contact with the wood, up to 30%) and an added oakiness the extra wood contact imparted.

Laphroaig revived quarter casking for this expression and I have to say I’m quite thankful they did.  In comparison to the Laphroaig 10yr, this Quarter Cask expression has a softer mouth feel and more of a sweetness which both offsets and compliments the amount of peat in this baby.  As a bonus, it’s bottled at 48%!!

Not only is this expression (in my eyes) superior in almost every way to their standard 10yr, it’s only about $7-10 more over the 10yr — a real bargain if you ask me!

Here we go!

Initial whiffs — Smoke, like a furnace blast, rather sweet, orange blossoms and extinguished soy candles, pine, oak, herbal/flowery tea (chamomile perhaps?), rotten bananas – I can almost taste the fruit flies 😉

Palate — Smokey & quite leathery, chewy but smooth in texture & medicinal/herbal, loads of oak (the quarter sized casks have a huge influence here), much better than their standard 10yr expression – the balance is great!

Finish — Long, smoky, drying finish, tons of oak here!  Quite satisfying.

In sum — With all of the medicinal & herbal notes in this baby, she’ll nurse you back to health!  This is like Scottish chicken soup.  Quite warming, even after first sip.  If you’re not a peat head, this is not one for you, this is a peaty one and I think you’d have a tough time getting past the initial smoke blast this one gives you.  If you are a peat head — welcome to heaven!

Side note (or would it be a footer way down here….hmmmm) — The fact that they have a titanium white cork cap kills me.  You’d think, with all of the peat in this one, that the cap would be charred & melted or something.

Port Ellen, Refreshed, Springtime, Summertime, Takin' It Easy

Port Ellen 1978 24yr 2nd Release

Islay region – 59.35%ABV – cask strength – 700ml bottle – $?? | £?? | €?? – I could not find this one available anywhere.  It was bottled in 2002 and limited to 12,000 bottles.  My guess is that it was in the £250 range (which is more like $450 to my fellow yanks out there).

I consider myself very fortunate to have met so many interesting and kind people in the wide world of twitter.  I could go on naming names but I wont.  I will say, with regards to this tasting, I need to thank one of my twitter friends: Keith from Whisky Emporium.  He and I did a sample trade and my sample was this lovely and rare Port Ellen expression.  Keith, thank you.  If you’ve not visited Whisky Emporium yet, please do.  There are lots of great tasting notes, glass suggestions for different malts, whisky & food pairings, whisky & chocolate pairings, etc…  He’s got a very robust & unique site.

With regards to Port Ellen, it’s really one of the few Islay distilleries that I basically know nothing about.  Rather than focus on the distillery, I will focus more on the whisky itself.  If you’d like some information on the Distillery, here is a link from The Whisky Exchange with more info.

I will say that this stuff was so unique (especially given the style of the whisky itself, as you will read below, and it being an Islay malt) that I do plan on finding out more about Port Ellen and the history of expressions.  And, if my funds take a huge turn for the better, I may even buy some of this stuff.  I can tell you that Port Ellen whiskies are rare and uber-expensive!!

Initial whiff – Wow, this noses more like a Cambeltown – Grassy/flowery peat, fruity, definite hints of sea breeze.  Maybe a little bit of the smell of an electrical charge, metallic (not Metallica, though this stuff does rock) in a way.

On the mouth – Nearly undrinkable without water.  Some like it hot and some sweat when the heat is on, I’m sweating here… I need a little water.  Ahhh, much better.  Back to the fruits (think citrus – oranges & kumquats), grassy again, malty, waxy mouth feel, lots of smoked seafood here (yes, this coming from a vegetarian (I used to eat fish)), tar (sans feathers) and very delicate peat.  It is 24 years old after all.  It seems the peat has lost much of it’s fight or, better yet, it’s compromised with the other elements.  Very complex and quite yummy!

Finish – Long, the fruits stay but now the peat is a wee bit stronger.

In sum – This stuff is worth it’s weight in gold.  It’s an Islay in Campbeltown’s clothing.  Of all the regions, I do love Campbeltown the most.  Extremely complex, lots of salt, fishy peat & yummy citrus.  Because of the lighter style (read: more delicate peat with the addition of salt & fruits) I would suggest this one in the spring or summer time when you just want to take it easy or feel refreshed.  Good luck finding some though!!

Bruichladdich, I'd not drink this one if I were you..., Kosher Spirits (not for Passover)

Bruichladdich 1994 (12yr) Kosher Wine Cask

Islay region – 46%ABV –  750ml bottle – $46 | £35 | €?? (Have not seen this in Euro currency)

So, the folks over at ‘Laddie came out with some bottles which were finished in a kosher wine cask from Mt. Carmel. Rumor has it (an unconfirmed rumor, mind you), this expression was initially distributed in the general New York City area which is 20% Jewish – you gotta love target marketing! I have some friends that keep kosher so I figured, before I suggest a new “finished” dram to my kosher keeping buddies who would normally not touch a dram which has been finished in a non-kosher cask, that I’d give it a go.  I was able to sample this one before announcing to the Jewish world all of the glories of the ‘laddich kosher cask so, let’s begin…

I’m glad I tried first because they never would have forgiven me had I suggested this one.  Many people will say that there is no such thing as bad whisky and I, for one, would agreed.  I would argue, however, that this should not be termed a good whisky; not in my opinion.  Don’t get me wrong, the folks at Bruichladdich have bottled some absolutely amazing stuff just, not this time.

Initial whiff — Lots of spirit here and a dryness hits you right away. Some faint smoke and maybe the smell of daisies – kind of flowery.  Where’s the ‘laddie fruitiness??

On the mouth — This sort of reminds of day old salad or veggies that are starting to go bad. Slight smoke again and a little salty. Still a lot of spirit in this too.

Finish — As dry as a (insert your own dirty comment here) on a slow saturday night. The nice thing here though is that you can tell that the dryness is a winey dryness so, they it nailed here. So, that’s good…

In sum — Sorry folks, this is my first bad review and actually, the first ‘laddie that I haven’t loved.  I would not suggest this one for any mood or season.

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!)