Tag Archives: Sweet Smoke

Balblair, Ledaig

Two new whiskies for the Gordon & Macphail’s Private Collection. A 19yo Ledaig and a 20yo Balblair

 

Today, dear readers, you are going to get a two-for-one review session.

I’ve been reviewing whisky after whisky after whisky and have a whole host of notes at the ready.  However it’s been a little difficult finding the time to actually post my notes.

That said, seeing as I had a little window of time in which to post up a review, I thought I’d kill two whiskies birds with one review stone.

The two today, to me, are a couple of odd ducks.  I’ve never had a finished Ledaig until now.  The same goes with the Balblair I’m also reviewing today.  Both are wine finished and part of the Gordon Macphail “Private Collection” range of whiskies.  Furthermore, both are bottled at 45% ABV which is an unusual bottling strength given that 40%, 43%, 46% and cask strength tend to be the most common…

20yo Balblair finished in Crozes-Hermitage Wood – 45% ABV – $145

Some notes from Gordon & Macphail:

Private Collection Balblair Distillery Crozes-Hermitage Wood Finish was distilled in 1991 and bottled in 2012 and again finished for 40 months from casks from the northern Rhône region of France.

On the nose –  Very heavy with the wine influence on this one.  It smells of tannins and Acid brand cigars (herbed, herbal, perfumed, perfumal? Nah, just perfumed).

Wow, chili peppers and… salted avocado (???).

Some fruits are hiding behind the winey scents.

Still more, we have some damp, dank sweetness swirling about the glass.  A oddly interesting nose.

There seems to be a bit of a fight going on with the scents here.

On the mouth – Similar to what I got on the nose.  The chili pepper zing hits the side of my tongue.  Mouth begins to water.

Cranberry relish and other tart fruit relishes.  Lots of red fruit and an interesting mouthfeel.

There’s a wet-like viscosity that is drying my tongue.  It doesn’t make sense but, it’s happening.

Cigars again.

Finish – Long, drying and filled with red fruits.

In sum – Totally NOT what I look for in a Balblair.  While it’s not *my* bag but I can see folks loving this one.

If you like your whiskies with a heavy wine influence, look no further.  This does a good job highlighting that aspect while still retaining it’s whiski-ness.

19yo Ledaig finished in St. Joseph Wood – 45% ABV – $95

Some notes from Gordon & Macphail:

The expression from Ledaig Distillery was distilled in 1993 and bottled in 2012 and finished in St Joseph casks for 40 months.

On the nose –  What’s to be expected from a nice, older Ledaig: Soft peat and nice fruits.

Apple lollipops, even apple schnapps.

Spiced gum drops, allspice.  Lots of various candied scents.

A bit of a mishmash and focused on the fruity elements but really nice smelling overall.

On the mouth – Here’s where is begins to get real!

Very wine forward but oh, so pleasantly so (red fruits, black pepper and just a drop of fresh cement)!

A little woody but not in a bad way at all.  It helps add in some wood spice elements.

A touch of wet cardboard (I often get this in whiskies where the cut of the distillate has a fair amount of tails.  Heck, I get this a lot in most Ledaigs/Tobermorys).

Great mouthfeel.

Finish – Drying with threads of peat throughout.  Pretty gosh darned long…

In sum – A very interesting whisky.  I enjoyed it thoroughly.  While the nose seemed a bit too focused, it really drew me in to taste and this whisky shines in flavor.  A even keeled finish with decent length.

I could enjoy this repeatedly.

Thanks to CR for the official samples!!

Balvenie, Takin' It Easy

Balvenie 17yo DoubleWood (not to be confused with the standard, 12yo version)

 

Speyside region – 43% ABV – $129

New to The Balvenie’s standard range is a 17yo whisky.

Before this launch, they had their 12yo Signature, 12yo DoubleWood, 15yo Single Barrel series (amazing series, people!) and a 21yo PortWood as their standard range.

There have been the one-off 17yo yearly releases such as the Madeira Cask, Islay Cask, Peated Cask, Sherry Wood, Rum Cask, etc…, etc…, etc…

What’s new this year is a now standard whisky: the 17yo DoubleWood.  Essentially, an older version of the 12yo.  At $40 (give or take) I’ve always found the 12yo DoubleWood to be one of the best buy whiskies out there.  With this one jumping nearly $90 in cost, let’s see what it does; what the differences are…

On the nose –  Kip Winger says she’s 17 but she don’t smell 17.

(Yes, I know that sounded a bit too off but, come on, you know who you’re reading folks!)

This juice has the youthful quality of light bright fruit upon first sniff (pears, which are slight, as well as green plums).

A touch of rain water and then some sherry notes pop in: dates, mainly, then a seemingly perfumed cola…

Nosing after a few sips and the wood starts to come through in a welcome way.

On the mouth – Packed full of light flavors:  Honey (“The” signature Balvenie character), light wood spice, white/yellow cherries.

Insanely approachable whisky.  Easy going.  Almost too easy.

Sugared breakfast cereal (thinking Alpha-Bits, to be sure).  Soft mouthfeel.

Not very viscous but again, easy.

Finish – Biscuits, buttered with honey and medium wood spice.

In sum – For my tastes, I think I like the 12yo DoubleWood over this 17yo.  Both are fine whiskies to be sure but I think the 12yo is a more challenging whisky and I’m one that likes to be challenged.

For those in the audience that is looking for what is quite possibly the easiest drinking whiskies I’ve had in a while, this baby is for you.

Special thanks to AW for the official sample!

Lost Spirits, Summertime, Takin' It Easy

Lost Spirits Leviathan I, Cask #3

 

California – 53%ABV – $55 (solid pricing for single cask, cask strength whiskey!)

As I begin to write about this 3rd cask of Leviathan from Lost Spirits Distillery (Leviathan being a single malt whiskey from California peated with Canadian peat to 110ppm), I immediately began to wonder what to lead off with.

Sure, I could go right to the review but if I did, I’d be remiss in telling you that having looked at the awesome still at Lost Spirits, I was in some way reminded of Trogdor the Burninator.

Wait, come again?  You’ve not heard of Trogdor the Burninator?  I feel I must enlighten you:

(Yes.  I am still sort of 9 years old…)

My bit of fun off to the side now, seriously, check out the Lost Spirits still.  It’s a stunning work of art (that creates some fine juice).

Let’s review the whiskey!

Nose —  Pushing initial thoughts of Mezcal out of my head and I find this to be a very grain-forward whiskey.  All upfront we have horse feed, barley draff and peated mash all ready to be turned into wash/beer.

It’s also very barn-yardy (to be expected with younger, peated whiskies).

Let’s not forget the fruits, shall we?  Milk chocolate covered strawberries.  Perhaps a touch of marzipan and peach pit.

Quite easy to nose at 53% ABV!  Smokey, for sure, but there’s a charred wood quality here, too.

Palate — Big and juicy and fruity!  Tons of red berries, still getting some of those peach notes (the flesh right by the pit: tart yet over ripe).

Back to the barnyard-like notes.  In fact, and this note was pointed out to my by a good friend, there’s a touch of horse-hind.

Put your nose up to a horse and, bam!

Warming, comforting, almost a bit too fruity (if that’s possible).

Finish —  Fruity notes increase as does a building spice along the sides of the tongue.

In sum — Beyond the individual notes, taking the macro look and as previously reported, this is a very unique spirit!  While I thought the first one I had was a touch more balanced, this one was insanely enjoyable.  This to me is a summer dram.  Yes, it’s smokey & peaty, but the fruits and grain have their hands on the wheel with this one.  I’d love to have a dram of this while hanging out in a field of grains, reading a book.

Special thanks to BD for the official ample 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