Tag Archives: Slivovitz

Chieftain’s Range (4th release for the US) – Glenrothes 12yo single cask # 16415, first fill sherry

Speyside region – 46%ABV – $53 – $67 (pretty wide spread here – I’ve provided a link to the store that offers it for $53)

What is “Chieftain’s“?  Chieftain’s is a well respected and award winning independent bottler owned by Ian MacLeod Distillers (the same people that own Glengoyne) and have the good fortune of being able to choose their whiskies from one of the largest (if not THE largest) whisky warehouses in Scotland: The Ian MacLeod warehouse which houses many tens of thousands of casks of whisky at any given time.  That’s a nice position to be in for an independent bottler!

This single cask of The Glenrothes interestingly enough, was bottled at 46% ABV rather than cask strength.  When it comes to independent bottlers, and as ABV’s are concerned, Chieftain’s seems to do things a bit different.  As a rule of thumb, most indy bottlers will bottle single casks at 40%, 43%, 45%, 46%, 50% or cask strength and they will stick to that ABV for nearly every release.

Rules, however are meant to be broken.  Chieftain’s seems to bounce around a bit and will bottle somewhere between Cask Strength and 46% depending on the release, yet they are always non-chill filtered (thankfully) and have no added coloring.

As mentioned, this whisky was bottled at 46%; a full 3% higher than nearly all OB bottlings of The Glenrothes (and again, non-chill filtered and no added coloring).  Let’s see what happens.

On the nose  Seems very true to the Glenrothes house style – Soft sherry, saw dust and slivovitz (plum brandy) fill the nostrils.

It’s like an off-the-shelf, owner’s bottling, Glenrothes with a bit of a kick (the extra 3% ABV points, perhaps?).

Notes that I usually associate with a nice Sassacaia wine – cedar wood, cherries, earthy chocolate.

Fresh birch tree bark (golden birch).

On the mouth Decent attack with a touch of burn and mild viscosity.

While this isn’t a peated whisky, I’m struck with some coal soot from the start then a slight metallic quality (household knives and forks).

After that I’m presented with spiced apple sauce and spice drops.

Bitter chocolate (80% cocoa bars).

Cedar bark and fresh gardening mulch.

Finish Bitters and a touch of mint.  Decent length.

In sum Comparable in experience to The Glenrothes standard 90’s vintages out now – the Glenrothes quality really shines through and if that’s your bag – you’re in for a treat here!  While I think of sherried whiskies as digestifs, I’m more apt to suggest this as an aperitif.

Special thanks goes out to Impex Beverages for the sample!

The Scotch Tasting Bums seemed to like this one.

Suntory Hibiki 12yr – An every day dram that is better to drink than to deconstruct

Japan – 43%ABV – $40 – $60 | £35 | €42

This is one of two Hibiki whiskies I’ve had to date.  Tomorrow I will be reviewing the 21yr but today, it’s the 12yr.

The music dork in me can’t help but think of Rush’s “2112” album when I think of the two Hibikis I’ve had.  Get it? 21yr. 12yr.

Whatever, now I can’t get “Temple of Syrinx” out of my head.  And now, you won’t be able to either…  Haha.

So, what does the latter half of Rush’s epic… I mean, what does the Hibiki 12yr smell & taste like?  It’s like this:

On the nose Plumes of plums and the wine thereof.

Some honey, honey.

Lemons & lemon custard.

Just now my 2yr old daughter asked to smell this whisky and I asked what she smelled and without any hints or hesitation she said – LEMONS!

Actually, she screamed it.

Reminiscent of a few bourbons I’ve had with a high sweet note I often associate with new charred oak barrels.

Sassafras leaves & black licorice.

On the mouth Chewy mouthfeel.

A slight touch of savory spices — too many to name; a good mix.

Grain is evident but so is the malt.

Oak & more plum wine notes.

Slivovitz (plum brandy), however, the note is slight.

New oak leaf buds (…the smell of.  And yes, I have smelled them).

Finish The finish has a grainy sweetness that remains for a good bit.

In sum Nicely balanced blend that is better to enjoy rather than deconstruct.  I review one to three whiskies almost every day and I can say that I reach for this one when I’m tired of reviewing.  An every day dram at a decent price.  Perfect for dropping it all, letting it go and enjoying the here and now.

Sometimes you just have to say “What the F###”.

Eades Double Malt – Double Post – Speyside & Highland expressions

Moving forward with my vatted malts and blended whiskies series; moving on with the Eades Double Malts.  Last week I posted about their great vatted Islay expression.  I thought, seeing as these are “Double Malts” (the combination of two wine cask finished single malts into one expression) that I’d do a double post today – two different Eades Double Malt expressions.

So, what’s left in their line?  We’ve got a Double Malt Highland expression which is comprised of 50% Clynelish (a 10yr single malt finished in a Chateau LaFitte Bordeaux cask) and 50% Ben Nevis (another 10yr single malt finished in a Grenache Blanc Cask).  We also have their Speyside expression which is 70% Dufftown (a 12yr finished in Red Zinfandel) and 30% Mortlach (a 15yr beauty finished in a Callejo Tempranillo cask).

Special thanks goes out (again) to Pat of the Virginia Distilling Company for the samples!

Let’s start with the Highland Malt:

A Highland vatting of Clynelish & Ben Nevis – 46%ABV – 750ml – $70

On the nose — And odd yet interesting nose we have here…

Off the bat, notes of a wet cinder block.

Malt vinegar & chocolate.

Both vinegar & chocolate notes are slight – as if they were watered down in some way.

Buttermilk biscuits (malty, buttery).

Unripened pears.

Strong vanilla and oaky notes that, given the combination, are reminiscent of a bourbon (or the sweet result of a heavily charred barrel).

Soured milk (perhaps this is the vinegar note better realized?)

On the mouth — Very sweet with notes of english toffees.

Hot cinnamon on pears.

Nutmeg spice (back to that sweet bourbony feel).

Something sweet yet earthy in here.

Finish — Medium length.  Caramels, nicely salted.

In sum — Hmmm… perhaps, like the make-up, I’m a bit 50-50 on this one.

There’s a lot going on with the nose but once sipped on, the palate gets somewhat narrowed down (or funneled) into something a bit more focused.

It sounds like a nice thing but I was hoping for a little joyride like I was given with the nose on this one.

Now for the Speyside:

A Speyside vatting of Dufftown & Mortlach – 46%ABV – 750ml – $70

On the nose — Big, thick nose filled with dates and dark chocolates.

More dried fruits, juicy and nicely chewy (chewy like figs).

Salty and slightly smoked.

Stewed prunes and canned prunes.

Almonds via marzipan.

A dusty attic with no-longer-being-used furniture.

Very happy with this nose, thank you muchly.

On the mouth — Nice mouth feel.

The prunes regain the life they once had and turn back into plums.

That smoke creeps back.

My tongue gets licked back by light hints of leather and perhaps freshly dried tobacco leaf.

After becoming plums, said fruits then get distilled turning into a fairly hot slivovitz.

My mouth is now happy as well.

Finish — Medium length filled with melting chocolates.

In sum — A nice cold night dram.  Sit back and enjoy.

Glenrothes – Alba Reserve

Speyside region – 43% ABV – $50 | £40 | €48

Kosher whiskies day two.

Another year, another whisky.  I’ve been hearing about the Glenrothes Alba Reserve for some time now.  Actually, I had it last year at WhiskyFest NYC.  However, it was one of the last whiskies of the evening and I have to say that after 25+ different whiskies it’s tough to tell what’s good and what’s not.  Heck, it can be tough to remember what whiskies you had!

Somehow, I’m guessing because I’m a Jew, I’ve had at least 20 people ask me if I’ve had the the Glenrothes Alba Reserve.  It is a kosher certified whisky (by the London Bet Din), matured in refill bourbon casks.  It is also a Double Gold winner at the recent 2010 San Francisco World Spirit Competition.

Kosher & award winning?  I guess I just had to try it.

I sort of like the Glenrothes packaging.  The bottle is often refereed to as being shaped like a hand-grenade.  There’s an odd sexiness to their bottles.

The Alba Reserve carries no age statement.

Let’s see how the fluid is:

On the nose Initial whiff is that of plum brandy – slivovitz.

Damp wood, old wood.

Vanilla and saw dust (smoldering, smokey).

We’re not going to blow your mind here, just make you want to sip a wee bit.

On the mouth Cadbury Fruit and nut bar minus the chocolate.

Slight citrus notes.

Watered down honey.

At 40%ABV, this is an easy drinker (upside).

However, it’s not the most challenging whisky (upside and downside).

Some toasted coconut.

Finish Medium in length with clear vanilla and honey notes.

In sum An easy everyday drinker.  Nothing super special about it but, that’s not a bad thing.  This may be a great whisky to give to the casual whisky drinker or as a good gateway whisky.