Tag Archives: Lemons

Bruichladdich, It's not too bad. Nothing to cry home about though., Octomore

Rest and Be Thankful Whisky Co.’s single Sauternes cask Octomore, Cask # 16746

 

Region – Islay – ABV – 63.8% – now sold out but was $228.

A bit of a rarity here – an independently bottled single cask of Octomore which was bottled at 6 years of age at the nice ABV of 63.8%.

Being that Comus 4.2 (Bruichladdich’s 5yo Sauternes cask matured Octomore) was easily my favorite Octomore (still to this date), when I saw this bottling released, I had to have one.

The difficult part for me was in purchasing a bottling from an independent bottler I was not familiar with.  The packaging seemed nice enough and, hey, single cask Octomore? I had to give them a go, right?!

What was the result you may ask?:

On the nose — A fair amount of peat on this one (it is peated to 167 ppm). Not too overwhelming though.  Some bicycle inner-tubes come across at first but this is backed crushed almonds as well as raw filberts.

Rest and Be Thankful Octomore SauternesPear drops, too. Proper English scones. Sun dried water balloons. With water I detect some hot cinnamon, too.

In the mouth — Without water it’s incredibly hot and tight with obvious pear and more sun dried water balloon notes.

Water is needed with this one.

Rest and Be Thankful Octomore Sauternes

With water it’s got a great and oily mouthfeel. Quite sweety and peaty with more focus on the peaty. It’s quite phenolic. Think burning o-rings (viton as well as silicon), and new nitrile gloves.

Some tropical fruits here, too. Think passion fruit and persimmon, and a touch of papaya and even a little guava.

Finish — Long and peaty with hints of marzipan, lemons and even a little slivovitz.

In sum — Not sure if it could have used less or more time in the cask.  I never do score but if I were to compare this to Octomore Comus, and Comus were a 10 (on a scale of 1 to 10), this would be a 7. Defo one for colder weather and one to share with friends.

 

A.D. Rattray, Glentauchers, Glentauchers, Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 2015

SCOTCH WHISKY ADVENT CALENDAR DRAM # 21 – A.D Rattray’s 1992 Glentauchers, Cask # 6042

 

Region – Speyside – ABV – 48.7%

The day that I’m writing this review is the day after I saw the new Star Wars film. I plan on seeing it again tomorrow, and then again a day or two after that. Yes, people, it was that good. JJ Abrams done right by Star Wars and helped me to forget the atrocities that are Episodes 1, 2 & 3.

Wait, this is a whisky blog and not a Space movie blog, right? Right.

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 2015This is the very first Glentauchers that I am publicly reviewing. I’ve had a few in my day but never did get around to reviewing one on this here bloggy blog.

Raise your hand if you’ve had much Glentauchers in your life? My guess is few hands went up.

I’ve had some great ones. Let’s see what this one is like.

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 2015On the nose — Somehow I smell a perfect mix of Kellogg’s™ Frosted Flakes and Post™ Fruity Pebbles. (Time for a supermarket run!)

Grapefruit marmalade on buttery biscuits. A mere hint of peat sits right in the middle, becoming the centerpiece to a peat sandwich with lightly toasted sprouted malt bread.

Finally, we’ve got a little bit of lemon pinwheel here.

In the mouth  — Fizzy-fizzy mouthfeel, quite prickly indeed.  A bit quieter in the mouth. Let’s try a little harder though:

Briny and spicy upfront with some Asian pears, and Jicama (I seem to recall the Jicama note in a previous review).

FNK_Ramos-Gin-Fizz_s4x3A bit botanical now. Almost gin-like with the lack of intense Juniper. Oh! Gin Fizz!

Not too much else going on here.

Finish — Lasting gin-y-ness and fizz on the tongue.

In sum — While very promising on the nose, it seems to fall apart a bit on the palate. It’s saving grace, however, is the wild mouthfeel. Perhaps one of the fizziest feeling whiskies I’ve had in a while.

Samaroli, Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 2015

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar dram # 14 – “2008 Samaroli” by Samaroli, 7yo blended malt whisky

 

Blend of Glenallachie, Glentauchers, and Macduff – 43% ABV

Thanks again to Dr. Matt Lurin for his review of the Single Cask Nation Undisclosed Islay 7yo.  His review reminded me just why we selected that cask. Pow! It was a cracker!

From:

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 2015

We go to:

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 2015

Please don’t take this as an insult to the whisky. Quite the contrary. If anything, these two images simply illustrate the style of each whisky. This Samaroli is soft, gentle and at total comfort to spend with.

You’ll see:

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 2015On the nose — Peppermint and chamomile tea, cured olive brine, and clean pool water. Ribbon candies, lemon water and cereal boxes (the paperboard itself).   A little bit of pear and quince (the fruit, not the jam).

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 2015In the mouth — Like drinking the song “Easy Like Sunday Morning.” Soft, sweet, floral, a bit peppery but all in all, oh so easy! Still more peppermint and now white tea. Medium oily mouth feel. Yellow cake, less the sugary sweetness.  Wild flowers, green peppercorns.

Finish — Long, heathery, wonderful.

In sum — As with the other Samarolis I’ve tasted since the start of this calendar, this is soft and beautiful. You drink this for a completely different reason than yesterday’s Single Cask Nation selection. This is to relax with. Open it up and relax!

Islay, Islay, Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 2015

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar dram # 10 – Samaroli “Islay” 9yo, cask # 80006

 

Region – um, Islay – ABV – 43%

Unnamed Islays seems to be the way things are going now when it comes to independently bottled cask of Islay whisky. Most, based on comparisons to “Original Bottlings,” or “Owner Bottlings,”  seem to be Caol Ila, Ardbeg or Lagavulin if you’re really lucky. All I’ve tasted have been great <shameless plug> including the 3, soon to be 4 “Undisclosed Islay” Single Cask Nation releases </shameless plug>.

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 2015This one is the first, however, that I will taste that is not bottled at full cask strength.  Another 43% ABV for this Samaroli.  Samaroli = elegance in my mind though I’ve rarely seen anything lower than 45% ABV until now.

Let’s see what happens with this 9yo at 43%:

On the nose — Soft peat wreathed in lavender rests on a bed of licorice nibs. Heather to the fore with gorse in the distance.

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 2015Some iodine and hospital beds make themselves known as does beach pebbles and blue slate.

A flinty minerality brings me in to sip…

In the mouth — Initial pepper sting that sticks to the tip of the tongue as the oily build dances about mid-palate. If I had to guess, I’d say this is a Caol Ila.

Very edgy stuff, not rounded in any way, which is nice. You get the softness from the lower ABV but the edginess from the youth of the whisky.

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 2015Think flint stones (not Flintstones) meets burnt brush and driftwood meets seaweed and burning peat meets dandelion jam and lavender with a hint of lemon rind.

Finish — Lasting, citrusy and sooty

In sum — What a way to enjoy a younger Islay whisky. Though I normally prefer the brash in-your-face-ness of young Islay whisky, the water tamed it to the perfect just-sit-and-relax ABV. My initial reaction was “another 43% whisky from Samaroli, really?” However, this was simply loverly whisky. I enjoyed the interplay between youth and elegance (by way of lower ABV).

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 2015, Strathisla, Strathlsia

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar dram # 7 – Samaroli 1997 Strathisla 18yo, cask # 47821

 

Region – Speyside – 45% ABV

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 2015Advent Calendar day # 7 brings us another Samaroli. You may recall the Samaroli blended malt we tasted in day 3. Cracking stuff (though a bit soft at 43% ABV).

Strathisla is a very classic Speyside whisky owned by Chivas Bros/Pernod Ricard. The regular bottlings of Strathisla are known to be dense and rich (with some good sherry cask maturation) but most of the juice goes into various Chivas blends.

Today’s dram is a Strathisla that spent 18 years in an American Oak bourbon barrel.  The color is incredibly light which tells me that this is a refill cask (3rd or 4th use, my guess).  The richness of the European Oak sherry cask will likely not be in here but let’s not assume (we all know what happens when we assume).

Let’s try it:

https://jewmalt.com/scotch-whisky-advent-calendar-dram-3-samaroli-glentauchers-benriach-19yo/On the nose — Light, delicate, floral… think white tea (Bai Mu Dan).  Some hints of sugary Smarties (the US version, not the UK version).

Candied lemon rind, focusing more on the candy and less on the lemon. Clean dry cardboard in the background.

In the mouth — Here’s where it ramps up a bit. Soft peat at the fore with an allspice backbone.

Fennel seeds and shaved fennel.  A touch sour in the mid palate and hints of fresh malted barley.

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 2015Luxurious mouthfeel here.  Apple sauce with cinnamon and cayenne bring us to the finish.

Finish — That cayenne note is solid all the way through this long finish and sticks around as notes of peony and apple blossoms slowly fade away…

In sum — When longing for a Strathisla, I would not reach for this. When looking for a cracking dram that’s solid through and through regardless of origin, this one fits the bill.  This is like a complicated puzzle that, when assembled the way it is, presents a wonderful picture.  Great stuff people!