You may have noticed, if you’ve poked around the blog a bit, that I’ve only reviewed one expression of The Balvenie so far: The Balvenie 17yr Madeira Cask. Truth be told, Balvenie whiskies have always been whiskies I’ve held very dear and, until now, I haven’t really wanted to share my thoughts and notes on them. Selfish, I know. But, they were mine.
Well, times have changed. And as I tell my daughters every day, Sharing is Caring™. So, all this week, I will be sharing my thoughts on some very nice expressions from The Balvenie.
What’s more is, every day this week, in addition to my notes, I’ll be featuring some exclusive videos of people from The Balvenie distillery and they too will be sharing with you. They will share what their favorite Balvenie expression is and why. A BIG ‘ol thank you to Sam Simmons (aka Dr. Whisky) for the footage!
Video #1 – Stuart Watts, Distillery Manager at The Balvenie:
While I won’t be reviewing the DoubleWood today (that review is forthcoming…this week), I will give you my notes on their 17yr Sherry Wood:
On the nose – A strange nose of this Balvenie.
Sherry, for sure but hints off the bat of salted meats (while I’m not smelling this here, I’m struck with a memory of roast beef and mayonnaise sandwiches for lunch in the 3rd grade – I wasn’t raised kosher or vegetarian. My, how things have changed).
Smoked cheese and cinnamon. Some slight dried fruit and chocolatey notes. Shaved dark chocolate.
Big sherry now but the Balvenie honey notes smooth out the sharpness I find in many sherried whiskies.
On the mouth – Soft, almost watery entry. Let’s try this again…
Soft for sure yet, less watery – thinned oil (in texture).
Third sip and, wow! It’s like a game of whisky tennis in my mouth – Balvenie honey & citrus notes bounce over to prunes and Ice Cube chocolates (the candy), back to the honey then soft vanilla.
This whisky is so soft that this can be lost on the sherryheads out there. This is not an attack of sherry.
This, like most Balvenies I’ve had, just screams of elegance.
Finish – A slightly salty finish, medium long and with traces of almonds and dark chocolate.
In sum – This is one to relax with but also one to get your mind going. Start concentrating on the whisky then move onto bigger life issues.
Speyside region – 55.1%ABV – 70cl Decanter (yes folks, a decanter.) – £390 | €469
I’ll be upfront here. Many folks out there will not have the chance to try this stuff. It’s rare and it’s very expensive. Before you start calling me a Daddy Warbucks I will tell you that I reviewed this dram from a sample. A big, *BIG* thank you goes out to Alan for the sample! Cheers He’bro!
Why am I so excited about a bottle I could never afford? Well, because A) some of you good people out there can swing the squids for a bottle and B) Glenglassaugh is a newly re-opened distillery and if this whisky is any indication as to what we’ll see coming out of their stills & casks, well… let’s say we should all be excited.
On to the whisky!
On the nose – Light & fruity nose filled with a mist of lemons (better yet, Etrog) and white pepper.
A hints of lovely oak to it. Sweet flowers and Sharpies (black markers).
Honey salted butter (unmelted butter – a fresh stick).
Black licorice.
Sugar cubes and almond oil.
On the mouth – Fruity – Apples and berries.
Loads of toffee and burnt tea leaves.
Rose water (oh, I love this!).
This is getting hotter by the second — cayenne and jalepeno notes pop in right as it heats up – brilliant.
Black grapes and cherry skins.
The mouthfeel went from oily and chewy but we go quickly over to thin and hot.
Finish – Prickly pears both in taste and feel “prickly” tongue and cheeks.
In sum – I am thankful to have had a chance to taste this stuff. I was only 6 years old when this was distilled. That aside, there’s a reason this is an award winning whisky. Powerful and truly enjoyable Scotch whisky! Another dram to break out for the most special of life cycle events such as the birth of a child, marriage, bar/bat mitzvah (for my heebs out there), Christening (because I’m an equal opportunity whisky lover), etc…
Last month I had the good opportunity to interview Stuart Nickerson (Managing Director of the newly re-opened Glenglassaugh distillery). If you’ve not yet had a chance to read it, you may want to do so right now. Part 1 & Part 2
Yes, I know it’s Monday and I should be posting my “Rick’s Mystery Dram # 4” but, I had a very late band practice last night and did not have a chance to sample the sample. So, being that I tasted this MoM Tamnavulin a couple of weeks back, I thought I’d put up what should be my Tuesday post – “Master of Malt, Drinks by the Dram – Tamnavulin Single Cask” review.
I hope to post my “Rick’s Mystery Dram” on Wednesday. I can’t sample the stuff this evening because later today I’ll be heading out to an Ardbeg & Glenmorangie tasting event in NYC. Life is hard.
And, now, the Master of Malt Tamnavulin:
On the nose — A sharp and pointy grape bush, juicy nose but the ABV really gets ya! Sugared berries (think sugar coated blueberries) and lemons. The nose reminds me slightly (ever so) of the palate on the Master of Malt 26yr Bowmore (powdered candies and sugary fruits galore).
Oh, I want to focus on that powdered candy goodness but the lemons take over a bit here.
On the mouth — Oily, a bit chewy, honied lemony notes (minus the bitter),
some the fruit from the nose but things sort of drop off from there…
Finish — Short and a bit unimpressive.
In sum — The balance just seems off here. What starts off so nicely (When I say nicely, I actually mean quite exquisite. I love-love-loved the nose; right up my alley.) dies pretty quickly. Jim Murray gave it a 90.5 in his 2009 Whisky Bible. Not sure I agree with him… I actually have a 2nd sample of this so, I will come back to it. We’ll see…
New York, June 08, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — The Glenmorangie Company and Moët Hennessy USA are proud to announce that Glenmorangie Original, Scotland’s favorite single malt Scotch whisky, has become kosher-certified by the Orthodox Union (OU), the world’s largest and most respected kosher certification agency. Additionally, its pioneering new expression, Glenmorangie Astar, has also become kosher-certified. Glenmorangie’s sister distillery, Ardbeg has also received OU Kosher certification for its Ardbeg 10yr old expression.
New packaging and promotional materials bearing the “OU” symbol will be distributed nationwide over the next few months.
“At Glenmorangie we take great pride in producing Scotland’s favorite single malt whisky, using the finest Scottish barley and hand selected American white oak casks of only the highest quality. The OU kosher certification will bring our iconic brand to an entirely new consumer base that can now enjoy our products,” Brian Cox, Glenmorangie U.S. Brand Director.
The Orthodox Union rigorously monitors all aspects of production. It supervises the process by which the whisky is created, examines the raw ingredients used to make Glenmorangie and regularly inspects the distilling and bottling facilities to make sure that its standards are met.
“We are very pleased to have Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Whisky become the first major single malt scotch brand to attain OU certification. It was also gratifying for OU to guide the Glenmorangie Company through the certification process and bring this famous single malt brand to the growing kosher market place,” remarked Rabbi Eliyahu Safran, OU Kosher Vice President of Communications and Marketing. “It was rewarding for OU Kosher’s team, headed by Rabbi Nachum Rabinowitz and Dr. Avraham Meyer, to collaborate with the Glenmorangie team to bring these renowned products to an ever-growing kosher market place.”
For further information, please e-mail David Blackmore, Glenmorangie U.S. Communications Manager, at glenmorangiepr@mme.net.
PRODUCT NOTES
Glenmorangie Original, is bottled at a strength of 43% ABV and chill-filtered, to enhance the smooth but complex flavors. It is aged for a minimum of ten years in superior quality American White Oak ex-bourbon barrels, made from forests carefully and sustainably managed for the Glenmorangie Company. These casks are filled with the Glenmorangie spirit, distilled to an unparalleled level of complexity, aroma and smoothness in the tallest copper-pot stills in all of Scotland. The result is a smooth yet complex malt whisky, revered and rewarded across the globe for generations. Glenmorangie Original consistently outscores its direct competition, scoring 94 points for the past 6 years in “The Whisky Bible”. Jim Murray, the author of the Whisky Bible and world renowned whisky expert describes Glenmorangie Original as “Complexity at its most complex.”
Glenmorangie Astar, is one of the newest expressions from the famed Glenmorangie Distillery, and is the first whisky in the world to be matured in ‘designer casks’ sourced from selected, air seasoned, slow-growth American white oak.
The creation of Astar began in 1985 and is the brainchild of Dr. Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie’s Head of Distilling and Whisky Creation. The wood used to mature the whisky is carefully selected, slow-growth, fine-grained American white oak, found specifically in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri. The wooden ‘staves’ crafted from the oak is left in the open air to season for at least 24 months. This long wait, coupled with the wood’s inherent porosity, allows the white oak wood to breath and soften, adding the first elements of flavor that will contribute to the final spirit. The staves are ‘coopered’ into oak casks and toasted to contribute further flavors of almond and coconut. The casks are then filled with Tennessee whiskey and set aside to mature for four years, smoothing out any rawness in the wood, and at the same time releasing luscious undertones of vanilla.
These ‘designer casks’ are then ready to be emptied and shipped to the Glenmorangie Distillery in Tain, to be filled with Glenmorangie’s renowned, delicate and complex spirit, uniquely derived from Scotland’s tallest stills. The casks are finally laid down for many years in dark, cool, earth-floored warehouses for a long, slow maturation. Glenmorangie Astar is bottled at 114.2 proof, 57.1% ABV which represents the whisky in its most natural form, and allows the drinker to explore the fullest spectrum of aroma, texture and flavors.
Dr. Bill Lumsden comments: “At Glenmorangie we are particular. We believe up to 60% of the flavor of the whisky comes from the wood and our quest for the very best wood is unparalleled. It is difficult to sum up years of passion and commitment! But I would describe Glenmorangie Astar as everything a single malt should be – it is the result of an incredible journey: the pursuit of perfection.”
ABOUT GLENMORANGIE
Glenmorangie originates in the Scottish Highlands where, at the Glenmorangie Distillery, it is distilled in the tallest malt whisky stills in Scotland, expertly matured in the finest oak casks, and perfected by the 16 Men of Tain. The distillery was founded in 1843 and is renowned as a pioneer in its fields, uniting tradition with innovation. Most recently, at the 2010 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Glenmorangie was awarded the prestigious title of ‘Distillery of the Year’.
Today, the company is one of the most renowned and innovative distillers and marketers of Scotch whisky brands worldwide and is part of Moët Hennessy, the wine and spirits division of Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH). Headquartered near Edinburgh, Scotland, the company produces two main single malt brands – Glenmorangie Single Highland Malt Whisky and Ardbeg Single Islay Malt.
ABOUT THE ORTHODOX UNION
The Orthodox Union, now in its second century of service to the Jewish community of North America and beyond, represents the fastest growing segment in Jewish life. The OU is a world leader in community and synagogue services, adult education, youth work through NCSY, political action through the IPA (Institute of Public Affairs), and advocacy for persons with disabilities through Yachad and Our Way. Its kosher certification label, the OU, is the world’s most recognized kosher symbol and can be found on over 400,000 products manufactured in 80 countries around the globe.
Great news, right!? How very smart of The Glenmorangie Company and Moët Hennessy USA to move forward with certifying these three great, staple Scotch whisky products.
I have come up with a couple of new logos which both Ardbeg and Glenmorangie are free to use (no royalty payments required!):
Ok, before you begin to read my post on this dram, you may want to hit play on the youtube video below (so as to set the mood):
Is it playing? Good. Just keep it sort of quiet and in the background. Umm, a little lower in the volume… there. Good.
When I was young, about six years in age, my uncle started feeding me music from all sorts of great bands. Bands he loved and wanted me to love in kind. Two of the bands stuck out and I still love them to this day. The Ramones and Black Sabbath. In fact, the first album I ever owned was Black Sabbath’s Paranoid album.
Let’s put the Ramones to the side for now and focus on Black Sabbath. Here I was six years old, listening to Black Sabbath and… was I scared? A bit (I mean, listen to this song for “Peat’s” sake – you do have the video playing, right?). But mostly, I was entranced. Even at six, I knew that these guys were on some level beyond any other band I’d ever heard.
As I got older, I became more obsessed with the music of Black Sabbath and (here comes a crazy geek moment) Dungeons and Dragons. There, I said it. I was into D&D big time. D&D, Lord of the Rings, you name it, I was into it.
You must be thinking “Hey Hatton, where are you going with this?” or, “Dude, D&D… seriously!?”
The point I am coming to is that I saw something mystical and magical in this music and those role playing games and sipping on this whisky took me back there.
Yes, nearly 31 years later and I came across this interesting and new Bruichladdich expression called Black Arts and I’m taken back to those things that got me interested in the “strange”. But, come to think of it, it was not just strange. It was new, different, unique and artistic – something I think this expression is.
What is Bruichladdich’s Black Arts expression? First, let’s take a look at their bottle:
You’ll notice a matte black finish on the bottle and cylinder. This, as I understand it, is a follow up to Bruichladdich’s “Blacker Still” expression. Just looking at it and I get a creepy-cool feeling. It’s the type of feeling you get when you’re around a campfire telling ghost stories – the good creepy. You want more.
And yes, I wanted more. I wanted to open the bottle right away but, before I did, I took a closer look at the bottle and saw a Star of David on there. Wait a sec. Hold you’re horses. What does this mean? I don’t know any Jew that works in the Black Arts – What’s going on here!?!?
I did some reading up on what this star meant and found that Bruichladdich says the star is actually “two triangles that represent the reconciliation of the opposites of fire and water”. In fact, here’s the full quote from Bruichladdich’s product sheet: “Alchemy, the black art, the eternal search for rejuvenation and immortality, gave us whisky. Gebber the Arab is said to be the first distiller of al-iksir, the water of life, in Persia around 790 AD.” (or, CE and I prefer to say. C.E. being the Common Era) “The spirits Eau de vie, Aqua Vitae, Vodka, Aquavit, Uisque Beatha all share that same original meaning. Geber understood that precious metals were hidden in alloys and ores. By the rearrangement of base metal’s qualities, via elixir, it could be transmutated into Gold. Elixir also existed as a dry, red powder made from Philosophers’ stone. If it could turn poor metal into gold – it could give eternal life. The two triangles that represent the reconciliation of the opposites of fire and water.”
Cool stuff, right?
Speaking of “red powder”, after I poured a dram, I wondered if Bruichladdich found this Philosophers’ stone and put a wee bit into each cask. The reason I wondered this….well, take a look at the color of this whisky (on your left – click on it for a larger image).
While it may be tough to see here in this picture. I will tell you that, in person, this fluid is red. Red whisky. I’ve never seen anything like this before and, just like when I first heard Black Sabbath, I was entranced. Just a note here: this is the natural color of the whisky; no color added.
How did they get this whisky red? Is it the red powder from the Philosophers’ stone? If you think the answer is “yes” then I suggest you check yourself into an insane asylum. While you may think the good folks at Bruichladdich are alchemists with all of those great expressions they come out with, this is the real world and they’re using real science here, not alchemy.
So, how did they get it red? A little birdy told me that this whisky was finished in three red wine casks, one right after the other. Awesome.
OK, I think it’s about high time I get to the tasting:
On the nose — 51.1% alcohol be damned! I can sniff this all night with no issues. Big red fruits! Raspberry, strawberry, cranberry and some fruit of the more tropical variety — passion fruit & papaya (all of these berries makes me think of my daughter’s book called “Jamberry”). Wow. Some nail polish remover notes here, something a bit sour and some over steeped green tea… I’m in love with this nose! This is just the right influence of wine on the whisky. Some spiciness on the nose and a bit of honey (which I did not expect here). With a few drops of water the fruits get very juicy smelling – almost over ripe.
On the mouth — Great entry here and I’m a bit taken aback. What a balance! The fruits are big but dry – like a good & fruity cabernet. Grassy, fresh hay. Quite grapey, quite winey. The mouth feel is nice nothing too special about it though. Let’s add a few drops of water. With water the mouth feel evolves into something completely different and beautiful. I feel like an alchemist turning dried fruits into re-ripened fruits. There’s something deep in the background that resembles the faintest whiff of smoke but, I dont think this was at all peated.
Finish — Longer and slightly burning. Wow, increasingly burning and getting stronger by the second. Cool stuff.
In sum — This is a true artisan’s whisky. And while some folks thought this dram crossed the line a bit between wine finishes and whisky; to me, the extra finishing was something of pure genius. What a great marriage between wine and whisky. While the two whiskies are nothing alike, the mystery surrounding the Bruichladdich Black Arts reminds me of the mysteries around the Glenmorangie Signet. Two very different whiskies; two very great whiskies. My hat’s off to the folks at Bruichladdich. They’ve created a magical dram here.
Speyside – 43%ABV – 750ml – $80-100 (another HUGE spread!) | £85 | €104
Sherry, for sure but hints off the bat of salted meats (while I’m not smelling this here, I’m struck with a memory of roast beef and mayonnaise sandwiches for lunch in the 3rd grade – I wasn’t raised kosher or vegetarian. My, how things have changed).
Smoked cheese and cinnamon. Some slight dried fruit and chocolatey notes. Shaved dark chocolate.
Ice Cube chocolates (the candy), back to the honey then soft vanilla.
Finish – A slightly salty finish, medium long and with traces of almonds and dark chocolate.
