Tag Archives: Lemons

An everyday dram, Summertime

Arran 9yr Single Cask – Bottled for the SMWSA – Cask number 121.32

Islands region – 56.3%ABV – $90 (no longer available – only 312 bottles available)

The Single Cask, Cask Strength goodness of Arran Malt whisky brought to you (me) by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

One of the beautiful things about whiskies that are drawn from a Single Cask is that they are 100% unique whiskies, never to be repeated again (the adventure seeker in me LOVES this).

Also, you can find whiskies from a single distillery that will often times be quite different from that distillery’s standard offerings.  Some good examples of this is this Macallan I tasted here, and these Bowmore whiskies I’ve had here.

So, what will we find with this SMWS bottling of this nine year old Arran cask?

On the nose — Fruity nose filled with lemons & a good helping of pineapple in a light syrup.

Strong nose – it’ll git ya!

Toffee cremes & salted butter.

Birch beer.

Vanilla bourbon goodness!

Buttered corn, creamed corn, corn grain.

On the mouth — Insanely creamy mouthfeel.

Like drinking caramel (there’s a sting with it, however – it’ll git ya!).

Malty, bread-like.

Apricots & warm apple pie.

Tangerines.

Very tannic – a drying sensation throughout the mouth.

More toffee tones.

Finish — Long and creamy with lemon lozenges.

Apricots galore!

In sum — A big bourbon influenced dram.  Another win for the SMWS if you ask me.  Insanely approachable, fruity and yum-yum-yummy.  Enjoy in good company.  Share this with close friends on a nice summer’s day.

Autumn, Refreshed, Springtime

SMWS 3.154 – Bowmore 9yr Single Cask 58%

Islay region – 58%ABV – 750ML bottle – Go here to join the society & gain access to their bottles

Today begins a full week of SMWS whisky reviews.

I am a fairly new member of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America (from here on out to be referred to as SMWSA).  I’ve got a few friends who’ve been members for a while now and I was going back and forth; should I join? shouldn’t I join?, etc…

For those of you unfamiliar with the society, the SMWSA is the American arm of the parent society based in Leith, Scotland.  Every month they offer up new exclusive whiskies to their members.  Whiskies you can find NOWHERE else and they are all Single Cask, Cask Strength expressions.  Their whiskies come from over 127 different distilleries (Most are Scottish distilleries but they now include Japanese expressions such as Yamazaki, Nikka and Hakushu).

Back to my becoming a member — again, I was really hemming and hawing over whether or not to join the society.  YES I would have access to these great whiskies but hey, there’s a membership fee involved…  It wasn’t until I started talking to, and began reading reviews from, my fellow whisky blogger Jason of Guid Scotch Drink that I decided to bite the bullet and join.  This is perhaps the most scrumdittilyumtious bullet I’ve ever bitten.

For information on the SMWSA including their current whiskies and how to join in on the fun, click here.  If you are outside of the US, click here for international branches.

This is the third bottle I purchased from the SMWSA and I did so for two reasons.

Reason #1 – It’s a 9 year old Single Cask Bowmore coming in at 58% alcohol by volume (a young peaty, high ABV whisky? Sign me up!)

Reason #2 – I love the titles the good SMWS folks give their whiskies and this title did not let me down.  They entitled it “Burning Heather, Charcoal Embers – and Gunpowder!”

So, how does it taste?  Does the title give us an indication as to what we’re about to taste?  Mayhaps… let’s see:

On the nose — Very fragrant, almost flowery.

Sugared lemon pinwheels.

Slightly salty (think sea salt and nori).

Dried flowers + sunlight + magnifying glass + 9 year old boy.

Sweet oak scent.

On the mouth — Mouth-wateringly sweet and explosively peaty – HUGE attack!

Not smokey, almost like an electrical fire in the mouth.

Buttery and lemony at the same time.

Dead honey suckle and sweet herbal teas.

As high in alcohol content as this is, I found that that with time and a bit of patience, no water was needed.

Finish — Long and oaky – now the peatiness is more of a natural wood-burn smoke.

A sparkler down the center of the tongue.

In sum — Unique, invigorating and lovely.  I’d say the title did not let down.  This is explosive and flowery.  Light and zingy as well.  A warm fall or oddly warm, early spring day is a perfect time for this dram.  Today was a warm fall day so, it was quite perfect.

This was the wake dram that Jason of Guid Scotch Drink and I enjoyed a few weeks ago when he came by for a visit.  And I have to say, it was the perfect way to start the day.  A true wake-you-up drink that’ll beat coffee, Red Bull, Rock Star… whatever…

Kosher Spirits (not for Passover), Loch Chaim, Macallan, Refreshed, Springtime, Whiskies

Loch Chaim Macallan 18yr Single Cask

Speyside region – 43%ABV – $96 – $127

As you may or may not know, I am part of a whisky blogging group called The Whisky Round Table.  We’re a group of 12 whisky bloggers who bring up a new topic every month to discuss.  Each month one of us fearless knights (of the Whisky Round Table) comes up with a question and we all have to answer it on that questioner’s blog.  You can follow our twitter feed here: @whiskyknights

Why do bring this up?  Well, Ruben of Whiskynotes.be recently brought up a great question about Independent bottlers (you can find it here as well as our answers to his question) and Loch Chaim, as I am finding, is one of these great indy bottlers we all discuss.

This next expression is a great example of a well chosen cask by an indy and another reason why independent bottlers should not and can not be ignored.

Color – This is an 18 year old whisky?

I don’t normally rate color but this so light, like a Sauvignon Blanc.

Obviously, there’s no sherry influence here but even with a bourbon cask I would have expected more color.

On the nose – Again, this is an 18 year old whisky?

Very aggressive nose filled with a boat load of spice and vanilla.

Some toasted coconut notes.

Lemon essence water.

Grassy.

Chamomile tea.

On the mouth – Nice entry; slight viscosity.

More chamomile tea with an extra teaspoon of sugar.

Perhaps some green apple and star fruit.

Finish – Tea and coffee.  A bit fizzy.

In sum – Do not go into this thinking you’re going to experience your typical (read: sherried) Macallan.  This is as near the antithesis of a standard bottle of Macallan you can find.  However, this is not a bad thing.  Oh, I found this whisky to be very light and refreshing!  I could wake up with this stuff, it’s most invigorating.  Very much a springtime whisky.

Glenglassaugh

Glenglassaugh Peated New Make Spirit – 50%ABV

Highland Region – 50%ABV – 200ml – $29.99

“What’s this,” you say, “a heavily peated Highland malt?”  Yes folks, the fine group at Glenglassaugh are working on some spirit which they are peating at a level of 30 ppm (parts per million).  As a frame of reference, Laphroaig has a peating level of 40 ppm whereas Bunnahabhain has a level of about 5 ppm.  So, 30 ppm is going to give us a nice peaty little Highlander!

Let’s see what this spirit tastes like prior to maturation:

On the nose – Water doused campfire.

An old pipe you find that you’re sure you used a lot while in college (if you catch my meaning.  Ok people, a pot pipe.  Wow, it’s been a while!  Seriously.).

Fresh dirt & gardening gloves.

More of that pipe (kind of like the resin from said pipe).

Believe it or not, clean cotton.

On the mouth – Bright lemons.

Salty (reminiscent of a very young Ardbeg if it were to have no oak influence).

Malty for sure and the pears that I detected in the Clearac are there.

Ashtray and last night’s cigarette (yet another thing I haven’t done in years but, man, how cool that those memories come back through smell and taste).

Finish – Medium long.  More biting than the clearac.

In sum – This is going to be quite an interesting Highland malt.  The peat is clear, and bold.

To see Jason of Guid Scotch Drink’s notes, click here.

Angry, Cold Winter, Glenmorangie, Need To Bundle Up, Summertime

Glenmorangie Astar

Highlands region – 57.1%ABV – 750ml bottle – $65-75 | £52 | €63

Do you think you know Glenmorangie?  Perhaps you knew Glenmorangie but, man-o-maneschewitz, things have changed.  Today’s Glenmo is not your daddy’s Glenmo.

Whether is the Signet, Nectar D’or (Sauternes finish), The Traditional (not a standard in their new line up but a damn good whisky), Sonnalta PX, The Quarter Century… we sure as shite can’t discount their  “Original” Ten year or Quinta Ruban (Port finish) — Glenmorangie has kicked it up a notch (many, many notches).

I find their line to be so refreshing, different, complex as all heck and just… well, wonderful.

So again — Hi, My name is Joshua and I am a Glenmorangie devotee. (“Hi Joshua”).

Let’s see how this expressions fares with the others I’ve mentioned and lined to:

On the nose – Loads of Mexican vanilla extract.

Wisps of strawberry.

Tangerines.

Spice, spice, spice.

A bowl full of lemons (you know what to do with a bowl full of lemons, right?).

A strong backbone of oak.

Some malt notes (I guess you should expect such a thing from Scotch malt whisky).

With a touch of water, some brighter and different fruits come out: pineapple and unripened pears.

On the mouth – Big creamy vanilla attack.

Made my mouth water uncontrollably.  I haven’t drooled in a while but… wow.

Citrus notes for sure.

Warmed peaches and cream.

With the addition of water the creaminess goes away (unfortunately) but a stronger spiciness comes out.

Finish – Malt, toffee and pure hot firey alcohol.

In sum – New wood goodness.  This is a big, strong, in your face yet strangely lighter style of whisky.  I’m not sure about this one.  Oh, it’s a nice whisky.  A really nice whisky; don’t get me wrong here.  It’s just I’m not quite sure of where in the Mood-And-Season-O-Meter™ it fits.  I would reach for this in the dead of winter for sure (due to the high-octane quality of this whisky).  However, it’s very light in style – something you think would be great for the summer time…  Hmmm, I’ll let you decide.