Tag Archives: Peat

An everyday dram, Cold Winter, Lost Spirits

American distillery Lost Spirits fourth cask of Leviathan I – heavily peated single malt whiskey

 

California – 53% ABV – $50 (sadly now sold out but you can get Leviathan II for $50.  You may want to hop on this as these casks render less than 200 bottles each).

Leviathan I, Cask # 4

Today will be the third exploration into a bit of an oddity amongst American whiskeys.  What makes Lost Spirits Leviathan so unique?  Though I’ve touched on that previously, let’s review it again:

Well, it’s a single malt to start. (Yes I, like everybody else’s uncle and their respective monkeys, read the NY Times article about the surge in the American single malts.)  Beyond being a single malt whisky Leviathan is:

  • Peated to 110ppm (only Islay’s Bruichladdich can claim a higher peat ppm with their Octomore)
  • Matured in a late harvest Cabernet cask (few people have even heard of this style wine)
  • Single cask, cask strength, non-chill filtered, no colors added… the whole she-bang that whisk(e)y aficionados/anoraks/geeks look for in a whisk(e)y.

Maybe “oddity” is not the best descriptor.  Maybe they’re a bit of a loner and a rebel.  Yeah, that’s better.

You may have already read my review of Cask # 1 and/or Cask # 3.  Here are my notes for Cask # 4:

Lost-Spirits-Leviathan-cask-4On the nose –  The nose is noticeably malt-forward but the maltiness has a deep, dank cellar-like malted barley quality.

Almost humid in scent.

As with Cask # 3, we’re getting some Horse Hindquarters Here (a triple H, different than HHH a la “Pump Up the Volume”).

Mezcal-like in my book with the burnt quality (not so much peaty but burning smoke).

Whoa.  Grape “Bonkers” candies.

Heavy on the strawberry-jam-like sniffyness.

Dark millet cookies/biscuits minus any addition of cardamom powder.

Lost-Spirits-Leviathan-cask-4-2On the mouth –  Barrel char mixed with sweet red table wine.

Fleshy bits upon the peach pits (much like cask # 3).

I have to say that I’m very happy with the mouthfeel.  Oily, tongue coating and rich.

Nowhere near as smokey in flavor as it is in scent.  Very fruity, woody and winey with smoke around the edges reminding the dear drinker that yes, this is a peated whisky.

Lost-Spirits-Leviathan-cask-4-3And finally, some over ripened mango right before some tannin-y dryness kicks in…

Finish – Lasting and now some sweetened spicy notes emerge and dance about on the center of the tongue.

In sum – What can I say about this whiskey?  Well, it is very much a mood whiskey and a whiskey I could find myself in the mood for quite often.

While it is a big ‘ol peat monster it’s not trying to be Scotch whisky.  It really is it’s own animal and stands alone  (and quite tall) in the US Single Malt whisk(e)y arena.

A World of Discovery, Speyside Distillery

Old Malt Cask 20yo Speyside

 

OMC-Speyside-1Speyside region – 50% ABV – from a single Oloroso Sherry Butt, 150 bottles for the US.  Not sure who got the rest of the bottles from this butt… Maybe a UK/EU Bottling at 700ml?

This whisky reminds me of the theme song to Spielberg’s old cartoon (that I LOVED as a kid/teenager), Tiny Toons.

Here we have single cask of whisky matured in an Oloroso Sherry butt.  What would we usually expect from sherry wood?:  Notes of dried fruits, leather, chocolate, brown spices, cherry stones, cola syrup, etc…  Deep and dark, sometimes cloyingly sweet flavors.

But this cask is breaking all of the rules!

“So here’s Acme Acres,
It’s a whole wide world apart,
Our home sweet home,
It stands alone,
A cartoon work of art!
The scripts were rejected,
Expect the unexpected
On tiny toon adventures
It’s about to start!”

OMC-Speyside-2On the nose –  A wonderfully peppery nose that has hints of coastal grasses, medicinal throat lozenges, model glue and diaper cream.

A hint of peat perhaps – not smoky at all but an interesting waft of peat and vegetality.

OMC-Speyside-3Onion crisps (Funyuns™) malt grist and vinegar.  A touch of honey and citrus comes to the fore.

Not an every day sort of nose for me but I am really digging the components.  Well put together so far and above all, interesting.  Let us carry on, wayward son!

On the mouth –  Much more restrained and fruity than expected.

OMC-Speyside-4That coastal element comes out again (again with the grasses and now salty beach stones) and reminds me a bit of what I love about the Laddie Ten.

Loads of white pepper and a gooseberry sourness to boot.  More onion crisps and a hint of adobo spice.

OMC-Speyside-5Very malty, this one.  Like a malt beverage cut with 2% white cranberry juice.

Mouth feel is like flat soda.

Finish – The flavors dissipate pretty quickly but some zing remains on the tongue.

In sum – A very interesting whisky that would likely do well in a tasting of many different whiskies.  Not my favorite Speyside bottling but the nose get extra points for uniqueness.

It’s whiskies like this that get me excited when looking to explore deeper within a distillery to see what it can offer.  This helps to show why single casks are so unique and sometimes quite special.  Or, in this case, odd and a ton of fun.

Special thanks to the folks at ISW for the official sample!

Cold Winter, Glen Moray

Glen Moray 2yo peated spirit, Batch #1 Cask #141

 

Speyside region – 60.6%ABV – 20ml bottle – £18 from Royal Mile Whiskies but expect to get a different cask, cask #141 is sold out.

“…if only you applied yourself…”

“…you could do so much more if only you tried harder…”

“…you’re not living up to your full potential…”

“…seriously, why do you spend so much time in the bathroom?”

Many of us can likely identify with some of the above statements.  Just think of your time in middle school, high school, etc… and it might all come back.  Heck, I know my teachers have used at three of the above statements on me (I’ll let you choose which three).

Why do I bring this up?  Well today we’re reviewing potential whisky, AKA spirit.  This juice is only two years old.  Like a student with great potential this spirit is young and raw and gives you a good glimpse (if you spend time with it to try and understand it) as to what it *could be* given a few more years of maturity.

Let’s dive in.

On the nose –  The smoke is insanely obvious on this one so let’s not talk about it right not.  I want to discover what’s ‘neath the peat smoke and there *is* a lot to discover here.

Off the bat I smell candy-style bananas (think Now and Laters).

Salty, green veggies and dirty socks (in a nostalgic way).

Apple skins, burnt as they were.

Now, I think, we can’t ignore the peat influence.  Burning tires and smouldering stuff.  Ivory soap, minus the soapiness (even though it’s full of smoke, there’s something clean in here).

Hay and barnyard (but it’s slight) and unripe red berries.

On the mouth – Yes, this is 60.6% ABV.  Yes, this is spirit and not whisky but it is engaging, satisfying and so full of potential.

It all comes back to that classic Glen Moray mouthfeel.  Luscious and indulgent in its creaminess.

Malt, cream ale, peat smoke galore.

Bananas, butter cream candies and lots of salted apple-y goodness!

More notes to follow in coming years of maturity…

Finish – Apples and peat smoke with a briny edge to it.  A surprisingly long finish!

In sum – I really love the direction of this spirit… let me carry that further, I really love the direction that Glen Moray is going in.

Adding this to their lines of single casks and wine cask fully-matured whiskies, Glen Moray is starting to tell a new story.  They are not just a supermarket malt, there is true character in addition to the known quality.  Hear me now, within a few years, if done right, Glen Moray can and will prove themselves to be a true luxury malt.

Special thanks to IA for the sample!!

Cold Winter, Kilchoman, Refreshed, Springtime

Kilchoman 100% Islay whisky. First Edition vs 2nd edition

 

Islay Region – 50%ABV

1st Edition can be found for $?? sold out in most US stores | £77 (£66 ex VAT)

2nd Edition can be found for: $87 | £54 (£45 ex VAT)

I have a lot to cover in my side by side to these two Kilchomans so I’ll keep this quick.  As an opener, know that the 100% Islay series from Kilchoman is quite different from their standard releases:

  • They’re peated to a much lower ppm (25ppm as compared to 50ppm as per the usual Kilchoman release).
  • I’m not sure if the distillate cuts are different compared to their standard spirit runs but over all, these are a different experience from other Kilchomans.
  • Also, both editions of Kilchoman’s 100% Islay are all ex-bourbon matured whereas most Kilchomans are a mix of ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks.

I love that Kilchoman runs this series and look forward to trying 3rd, 4th and, 5th edition 100% Islays!

On the nose — The first edition, in contrast to the latest 100% Islay, comes off as heavy and medicinal.

Truthfully, both are light in character but the second edition is quite sweet and filled with pear drops, a touch of sea air, malt, yeast and the actual sweetness of wash that permeates every inch of their distillery.

The second edition of the 100% Islay is transporting me back to my visit to the Kilchoman distillery.

Turning back to the first edition of this more lightly peated Kilchoman (both are peated to about 25ppm as compared to their standard level of 50ppm), the character is more like a rainy morning at a beach during low tide: salty, sea shells, some lemon, day old linens – comforting & relaxing as I nose it whereas the second edition is more lively and invigorating.

Two very different animals so far.  Both enjoyable.

On the mouth — First edition: great mouthfeel and more of an initial sweetness (something I didn’t really get while nosing it).  Phenolic, canvas army bags, lemons (again), salty to taste and very light vanilla influence.  This is a fine example of a young Islay whisky.  Drying as I get to the finish, too.

Second edition: More exotic in flavor! candied caraway seeds and candied young lime rind.  I am reminded of a Thai dish I was told was called “Ming Com” I had once while in Seattle.  There was some sort of green leaf I used to grab lime chunks and small red chilies – this is the combo I am getting here.  A lighter mouthfeel than the first edition but the flavor combination helps to make up for that.

Finish — First edition: Medium length with just a touch of wood spice on the center of the tongue.

Second edition: a long, exotically sweet finish.

In sum —  Two very different, yet satisfying drams.  For my tastes (at least as far as today goes), the second edition’s style and the invigorating element to it made me really connect with it.  I often enjoy whisky as a pick me up rather than something meant to relax me.

Want to relax?  Get the first edition.

Need a pick-me-up?  the second edition is the way to go!

Special thanks to ImpEx for the sample of 2nd edition Kilchoman.  The 1st edition was my bottle but now I want a bottle of the 2nd edition 🙂

My guess is you’ll enjoy Jason from Guid Scotch Drink’s review of the Kilchoman 100% Islay 2nd edition

Autumn, Cold Winter, Kilchoman, Let's celebrate!

A single sherry cask, cask strength 5yo Kilchoman bottled exclusively for Royal Mile Whiskies.

 

Islay region – 59.6%ABV – £70 (available only through Royal Mile Whiskies)

Total spoiler alert here, dear reader.  I fell head over heels for this whisky I’m about to share my notes on.

This is easily one of the best Kilchoman single casks I’ve tasted to date.  The only one I enjoyed more is one yet to be released (details on that to follow, no teasers though as the focus NEEDS to be on this lovely wolf among whiskies).

At only five years old, this sherried Kilchoman covers all the bases for the true lover of peaty whiskies: Peaty, sweet, balanced, powerful, invigorating, lovely.

I can’t stand it any longer, I need to share my notes:

On the nose — Very sweet and with a good deal of soft peat.

Don’t let the word “soft” scare you away, dear Peat Head.  It’s massively peaty but has a soft approach.  Better put, at 59.6% ABV, it noses like a much lower ABV peat monster.

The sweet Kilchoman character of the spirit shines through and mixes well with the sherry cask.  Not as medicinal as the Kilchoman Sherry Cask however that canvas sneaker element is here.

Burnt apricots and black pepper.

Star anise (subtle and well integrated with the peat smoke).

Chocolate covered espresso beans.  Yum!

On the mouth — Oily and peaty.  There is a great mix of sweet and medicinal happening here.  This is a peat monster and the sherry influence is lovely here.

Briny, raisiny, sea-influenced goodness.

Untamed and making me wish I bought a second bottle.

Molasses cookies, minus the cookie.

Black licorice goodness.

Finish — Medium length and slightly effervescent.

In sum —  A single cask of Kilchoman that shows just how good a fully sherried Kilchoman can be.  Yummy from beginning to end.  One for the cold winter for sure.  But, heck, the colder wether is coming…  This would be fine on a cool night by a bonfire.

A great, great single cask of whisky!