Scotch Finishes Tasting

story_imageTrinity Hall Irish Pub hosted a tasting of Scotch Whiskies with various finishes. Here’s what we tasted:

Glen Moray Classic Port Cask Finish – Simple, yet pleasing with orchard fruit, some stone fruit, cereal and vanilla. The nose and palate are similar with more fruit variety showing up on the palate. The finish is short and sweet resulting in a fairly nice whisky… especially for just $25.

Spey River Rum Cask – This was the worst showing of the night with a slightly astringent and grassy palate along with some fruit and even a note of tar (remember that this is a Speyside offering). I wouldn’t recommend this one.

Glen Moray Special Reserve 10 Year Chardonnay Cask Matured  – Another good showing from Glen Moray with buttery molasses and fruit with some vanilla.  Again, more fruit variety on the palate, including white grape, plum and apple. This is a bit lighter than the Port Cask Finish as would be expected when using a lighter wine. This one is about $45 and about on par with the Port Cask Finish, so not as good of a value. I also noticed that both of the Glen Morays did not take to the air well, deteriorating a bit after sitting for a while. I would recommend drinking a dram within about 20 minutes to preserve the flavors.

Glen Scotia Double Cask – While fairly mild on the nose, this one was bold on the palate. The cereal, honey, apple and plum on the nose were joined by cherry cough syrup, green apple and a note of licorice on the palate. A long and oily finish with lingering cough syrup and cereal rounded out a fairly nice whisky, if you like cough syrup. This Campbeltown single malt was more promising at first, but the cherry cough syrup was too dominant for my taste. Still, I would recommend it at less than $60.

Loch Lomond Inchmurrin Madeira Wood Cask – A bit of cereal and plum with cocoa notes on the nose with apple, straw, white grape, ginger and black pepper added on the palate. A nice long and leathery finish with lingering spice, fruit and cocoa. A very nice whisky and a good value at $75 from the Loch Lomond Distillery in the Highlands.

Kavalan Concertmaster – This is another port cask finished single malt… this time from Taiwan. It’s much bolder than the Glen Moray with some bourbon-like notes added and bigger fruit notes… plum, cherry, apple and prune. The finish is long and rich with dark stewed fruit and a touch of tobacco. It’s not quite as good as the Inchmurrin and more on par with the Glen Scotia, but I like the flavor profile better here (i.e. not a fan of cherry cough syrup). At $75, it’s a premium value for what you get.

Deanston 18 Year Old Cognac Cask Finished – Note that this is the only whisky with an age statement tonight! It’s quite good with very noticeable cognac influence after having spent 6 years in a cognac cask. Notes of cereal, cherry, plum, grape, apple, pear, ginger and a hint of tobacco. The finish is fruity, spicy and long. This is a very nice whisky and the most expensive of the night at about $160.

Quite a nice lineup tonight and none that I’ve ever tasted before. Although it’s close, I would pick the Inchmurrin as the best of the night with the Deanston 18 following closely behind. The fact that the Inchmurrin is half the price is a bonus! I consider the Kavalan to be overpriced, while the two Glen Morays are a great value.

Private Tasting

GlenDronach Cask Strength, Batch 3Another whiskey tasting hosted by a fellow aficionado, which included (brace yourself):

Old Grand Dad 114° 1980 ($18) – Notes of cherry, vanilla, lemon, pear, tobacco, char, anise… somewhat tannic… very good!

Brenne Single Malt ($60) – dark red grape, bubble gum, strawberry, ice cream, black pepper, overripe banana… very interesting and a decent dram.

Linkwood 18 Year Old Sherry Butt 1988 (Cadenhead’s Cask Ends) – 58.7% ABV with notes of gunpowder, sulphur, ginger, cherry, white pepper, apple, grass… spicy and tangy with too much sulphur

Balvenie 15 Year Old Single Barrel Sherry Cask #4449 ($90) – bright fruits, ginger, lemon, woody finish, clove, bitter honey… sounds better than it is…. not impressed

Balvenie 15 Year Old Single Barrel Sherry Cask #4443 ($90) – milder nose than #4449… same notes, but sweeter with additional clove… better balance than #4449 and the winner of the two, but neither of these is as good as the now discontinued 15 Year Old Single Barrel (Bourbon Cask), which is excellent

Amrut Single Cask August 2012, Batch 10 ($74) – 61.8% ABV with notes of cardamom, clove, lemon, ginger, truffle, pear, honey, black pepper… distinct earthiness about this one… very good

Amrut Intermediate Sherry ($119) – 57.1% ABV and has a mild earthy sweet nose with a woody finish… notes of cinnamon and cherry… very good

Balvenie 42 Year Old 1971 Cask #5034 Sample #130613031 – We were quite fortunate to have 1 of only 3 bottles in the world present for this tasting tonight.  This is one of the components of Tun 1401, Batch #9… 52.4% ABV and mildly earthy with notes of truffles, straw, fresh cut grass, apple, pear, mild honey and white pepper with a mildly woody finish… it just got better and better as I let my pour linger for the rest of the evening… outstanding!

Bruichladdich 22 Year Old October 9, 1991 (Exclusive Casks) – 50.6% ABV with a briny, spicy sweetness of honey, ginger, white pepper, black pepper, vanilla and  cereal… very good stuff!

Probably Speyside’s Finest Distillery 22 Year Old June 1991 Single Cask Refill Hogshead ($120) – This was a Binny’s selection that is probably from Glenfarclas at 50% ABV… notes of honey, white pepper, ginger, apple and pear with a great mouth feel… excellent!

Yamazaki 18 Year Old ($200) – nice balance with great mouthfeel… notes of dark fruit, honey, pear, mild spice, mild wood… excellent!

Glendronach Cask Strength 2013, Batch #3 – 54.9% ABV with earthy notes as well as caramel, vanilla, tobacco, truffle, ginger and pear… outstanding!

Aberlour A’Bunadh Batch #45 ($70) – 60.2% ABV with notes of ginger, bright fruits and pepper… another very good batch.

MacAllan Cask Strength ($80) – 60.1% ABV from a sherry cask… notes of ginger, pepper, honey and cocoa… pretty good.

Brora 30 Year Old 2007 6th Edition – fantastic as when I had it before… farmy, earthy, fruity, spicy… outstanding!

Strathclyde 29 Year Old Single Grain 1980 (Duncan Taylor Cask #1497) ($180) – 56.7% ABV best Scotch grain whiskey I’ve tasted… fruity, mild spice… very nice.

JJ Neukomm Single Barrel Missouri Malt Whiskey – cherry wood, tannic, green apple, herbal, anise… not bad, but nothing great.

Ardbeg Corryvreckan L9 2009 – less peated than any Ardbeg I’ve had… fruity, sweet, slightly medicinal… typical Ardbeg and very good.

There were 4 others after this that I missed:  Ardbeg Auriverdes, Glen Mhor 26 Year Old 1978 (Scott’s Selection), KaVaLan Single Malt 2013, KaVaLan Single Malt Port Cask Finish 2012.  I was just too tired to continue at this point.  I did get a quick taste of Auriverdes in order to decide whether I wanted a bottle on hold for me… it was pretty good, but I passed at $82.

These private tastings have been the most rewarding and interesting, if not the most grueling.  For tonight, the highlight for me was the Glendronach Cask Strength, with the Balvenie 42 Year Old Cask Sample as a close second.  Of course, I was delighted to have another go at Brora 30, which is one of the best whiskies that I’ve tasted.  Honorable mentions go to Probably Speyside’s Finest Distillery 22 Year Old, Yamazaki 18 Year Old and Strathclyde 29 Year Old Single Grain.

Glenmorangie Tasting

GlenmorangieTonight was another great tasting event at Trinity Hall Irish Pub, with the current Glenmorangie product range on the slate. Dan Crowell was on hand to describe each pour:

  • The Original ($28) – 10 year old ex-bourbon cask… nose of light honey and malt; taste of orange, honey, lemon drop, mild spice, mild wood, nice malt flavor, mildly dry finish… a drop of water reveals a floral aspect and bitterness, but it’s better without it
  • La Santa ($37) – 10 years in ex-bourbon cask, then finished for 2 years in ex-sherry cask… definite sherry nose with plum, cherry, vanilla, raisin… taste of apple, plum, charred oak, date… finish is mildly spicy with milk chocolate
  • Quinta Ruban($37) – 10 years in ex-bourbon cask, then finished for 2 years in port cask… milder nose with prune… taste of prune, spearmint, honey, cocoa, honey, shortbread, vanilla
  • Nectar D’Or (10 years in ex-bourbon cask, then finished for 2 years in sauternes cask… nose of honeysuckle, pear, vanilla… taste of pear, apple, vanilla, wood is toned down a lot, ginger, mild grass… bit sweeter and more onteresting than original
  • 18 Year Old ($76) – 15 year old ex-bourbon cask, then 30% transferred to ex-Oloroso sherry casks… nice fruity nose, apple, plum, fig… taste of spice, white grape, marmalade, ginger… finish is mildly spicy, leathery and slightly sour
  • Ealanta ($186) – 19 year old virgin oak… nose of vanilla, far cherry… taste of vanilla, caramel, honey, apple, pear, ginger, candied fruit, truffles… finish is spicy, long, fruity, mildly leathery… Excellent!
  • Companta ($86) – no age statement, finished in Grand Cru and Rasteau casks… nose of light charred oak, overripe apple… taste of lemon, grapefruit, honey, candied ginger, clove, black pepper, tannins… opens up with a drop of water

As a bonus, we tasted a Rasteau in order to identify the influence in Companta:

  • Alfio Moriconi Cote de Rhônes Rasteau – fortified wine, sour red grape, viney/green stem, cherry, plum… not a great fortified wine

While Ealanta was great (and hard to find now), the rest of the line wasn’t so impressive.  I think that Quinta Ruban and La Santa are good values, but there are other sherry finished malts that compete well with La Santa in the price range or just a bit higher, like GlenDronach 12 or MacAllan 12. Quinta Ruban stands out as one of the few port wood finishes in this price range, so that makes it a bit more interesting.  I would definitely pass on Companta and the 18 Year Old is just a bit too laid back with sour notes that shouldn’t be there.  Nectar D’Or is an interesting whisky with sweet notes that become more prominent over time.  I tend to enjoy it initially, but I can’t have it too often because of the sweetness that tends to be out of balance after spending more time with it.  Finally, I’ve decided that The Original isn’t so good after all… get the superior Monkey Shoulder instead for a few dollars less.

Private Tasting

Black Bull 30A local fellow whiskey enthusiast invited me to his home for a tasting and I enthusiastically accepted. This was a small gathering, including a local pub owner, liquor expert, another enthusiast, the host and me. I was honored to even be included and the lineup was incredible.

We started off by sampling a couple of beers:

  • Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout – nice coffee stout with notes of dark chocolate.
  • Prairie/Evil Twin Bible Belt – this is Evil Twin’s Even More Jesus imperial stout that is spiced like Prairie Artisan Ale’s Bomb! with coffee, vanilla, cacao nibs and chile… this is far less peppery and less complex than Bomb!, but it’s still good with a nice thick, dry dark chocolate flavor along with bitter coffee… the other infused flavors don’t really make much of a showing.

Up next was my first Armagnac and probably my first good brandy:

  • Chateau du St. Aubin Bas-Armagnac – dry, fruity, dark fruits, light wood, sherry finish, beautiful nose, refreshing (per our expert and I agree)… Excellent!

Finally, it was time to sample some whisk(e)y:

  • Mackmyra Special 06 Summer Meadow 2011 – wintergreen, ginger, white pepper, sea salt, white grape, green apple… very nice… may have to look for a bottle next time I’m in Stockholm
  • Glengassaugh The Spirit Drink That Dare Not Speak its Name – this is new make spirit (i.e. unaged) and it was pretty bad stuff… notes of barnyard on the nose and palate… on a positive note, it did give me an idea of what the wood was working on for all that time
  • Bruichladdich The Organic – earthy and sweet with a pure, natural malt profile… notes of dough, spice, ginger, pepper, lemon with a mildly leathery finish… different and very interesting… Excellent!
  • Old Potrero Single Malt Straight Rye – dough, swamp oak (per our host and I agree… thanks for naming that flavor for me), mild spice, honey and sweet tobacco… a different kind of rye… supposed to be old school
  • Glenmorangie 12 Year Sherry Wood Finish 2005 – grape, nice spice and sweetness, long finish, dark fruit, full malt, mild dry cocoa… Excellent… best Glenmorangie I’ve ever tasted!
  • Black Bull 12 Year – bitter caramel, cigar box, white pepper… bold and flavorful… at $45, this is a great buy!
  • Black Bull 40 Year (3rd Release, 41.6% ABV) – grain, more refined, balance of fruit, leather, mild ginger, bitter orange, very mild… I was expecting a lot more… disappointed
  • Black Bull 30 Year – lots of sherry influence, fruity, mild spice, dark fruit, apple, pear, cherry… Best blend I’ve ever had by far!
  • Longmorn 17 Year 1996 (The Ultimate, 57.2% ABV) – spicy, needs water, bold and untamed , fruity, mildly bitter, malty, strong sherry influence, very dark… not too good
  • Aultmore 12 Year 1991 (SMWS 73.12, 58.4% ABV) – spicy, fruity, spreads across the palate, fairly hot, tobacco, dark fruit, mildly sulfurous
  • Glen Grant 17 Year 1988 (SMWS 9.35, 53.9% ABV) – hot, slightly medicinal, fruity, herbal, probably second fill (per our pub owner), a little water opens it up
  • Ardmore 20 Year 1985 (SMWS 66.17, 53.4% ABV) – mildly peated, fruity, sweet, earthy, ashes
  • Glen Scotia 13 Year 1991 (SMWS 93.13, 63.7% ABV) – light fruit, spice, woody, light peat, mildly medicinal, leathery, machine oil (again, thanks to our host for this one)
  • Springbank 12 Year Recharged Sherry Cask 1999 (Springbank Society, 57.9% ABV) – mildly medicinal, fruity, mildly spicy, everything is here and with nice balance, mild peat… Excellent!
  • Brora 30 Year (6th Edition, 55.7% ABV)- bold fruit and spice, amazing balance and complexity, mild peat… Outstanding!
  • Glenlochy 32 Year Refill Butt 1980 (Signatory Cask Strength Collection, Cask #1759, 60.1% ABV) – pure malt, honey, lots of fruit with moderate spice, leathery finish, water really opens it up, fairly ho
  • Port Ellen 25 Year 1982 (Chieftain’s Choice, Cask #1522, 43% ABV) – mildly peated, lots of balance without any boldness, spice, fruit , mild leather… Excellent!
  • Glenfiddich 125th Anniversary Edition – mildly peated, mild spice and fruit, honey… different kind of Glenfiddich and pretty good
  • Laphroaig 9 Year Refill Sherry Butt 2001 (SMWS 29.88, 60.9% ABV) – bold peat, bold spice and fruit, in your face flavor, medicinal with balance… Excellent!

Wow!  What a great lineup of whisky!  The Brora 30 Year was definitely the standout for me and the best single malt I’ve tasted.  Honorable mention goes to Black Bull 30 Year from Duncan Taylor.  It’s too bad that many of these are unavailable, but some of the excellent ones still are, such as Black Bull 12, Bruichladdich The Organic and Chateau du St. Aubin Bas-Armagnac.  These are all worth seeking out!

Tom’s Scotch Party

Tom Caughran hosted a Scotch whisky tasting at Total Wine & More in Dallas tonight.  For me, it was their best tasting to date with a nice mix of independent bottlings and a French single malt.  Here’s what he served with some brief notes:

  • Arran 16 Year Old Oak Cask 1997 (Exclusive Casks) – $90

This one was a cask strength bottling (51.2%) with notes of bright fruit, honey, ginger and a woody, bitter finish.  A bit of water exposed some nuttiness.  I’d say it was decent, but I’d pass on this one.

  • Glen Garioch 23 Year Old 1989 (Exclusive Casks) – $130

Another cask strength bottling (54.1%), this one was also fruity with a bit of spice and the fruits carried over into the finish, being joined by a mild nutty flavor.  Water really opened the fruit flavors up and revealed a slight creaminess.  This is a solid whisky, but not worth the asking price.

  • Bruichladdich 20 Year Old 1992 Cask #3793 (Berry’s) – $130

The first peaked whisky of the evening with notes of dried fruit, clover, ginger and herbs.  The finish was herbal and leathery with a touch of cocoa.  The nose was mellow with touches of fruit and grass.  Unfortunately, this was another solid whisky that was overpriced… another pass.

  • Longmorn 20 Year Old 1992 Cask #71735 (Berry’s) – $100

This was only my third Longmorn (the first one was a younger expression, also from Berry Bros and Rudd and the second one was another 20 Year Old from Master of Malt… both disappointing) and it was the first eye opener of the evening.  This one smelled and tasted a bit like bourbon with notes of caramel and vanilla on the nose, then adding dark fruit, lemon and honey flavors.  The caramel carried through to the finish, which became slightly leathery and peppery, mostly of white pepper.  While this one was well done, I’m not a fan of white pepper and that was enough to put me off of this one and on to the next one.

  • Linkwood 15 Year Old 1997 Cask #7182 (Berry’s) – $70

Another nose that reminded me of bourbon, but with a light delicate characteristic.  The taste was also light and fruity with a bit of pecan.  The finish was long and light, eventually adding some spice while the nuttiness lingered.  There’s nothing bitter about this one and the operative word for me was, “delicate.”  I thought this one was fantastic!

  • Imperial 17 Year Old (Battlehill) – $100

The sherry influence was immediately noticeable on the nose.  Flavors of plum, hazelnut and anise were joined by dark berries and sage on the finish, which lasted quite nicely.  This is a big whisky with lots of flavors lining up to be noticed.  None of them overpower the others, which keeps me interested and searching for more.  This is one I’d like to spend some additional time with.  In fact, this one was so good that I was still reflecting on it when the next sample arrived and had a hard time shifting my attention away from it.

  • Strathmill 22 Year Old (Battlehill) – $120

While this was a good whisky, it had the unfortunate distinction of following the fantastic Imperial.  It was hard not to keep reflecting on what had just happened, but I finally managed to focus and give it a fair shot.  I’m glad I did as it was another solid offering.  This was the second, more mildly peated whisky of the evening with a mildly fruity nose and a nutty, slightly medicinal flavor profile.  Also present were notes of marshmallow and nuts as a light and spicy finish was unveiled.  This was my first Strathmill and it was very good.

  • Michel Couvreur Pale Single Malt – $100

I had learned about the two offerings from Michel Couvreur recently and was interested in learning more.  I was pleasantly surprised to see their more expensive offering on the slate tonight.  This was a very unique whisky that reminded me of Earl Grey tea, with it’s notes of lavender, heather, bergamot along with light fruit and ginger.  The lavender was present from nose to finish, providing a consistent context for the other aromas and flavors.  I don’t know if I would want to drink this often, but it might be a nice whisky to have once in a blue moon.  If you like Earl Grey, then you should definitely try this one; conversely, if you don’t like Earl Grey, then I would stay away from it.

The clear winner of the night was the Imperial, which I took home with me.  A complex, bold amalgamation of fruits, nuts and spices, it grabbed my attention immediately and held it throughout the (unfortunate) next pour, which it overshadowed by a mile.

Runner-up was the Linkwood with it’s delicate profile.  I was amazed at how complex it was while remaining delicate and very approachable.  This would be a great summertime whisky for a clear, calm night under the stars with the one I love… except she won’t touch the stuff. 😮

Honorable Mention goes to Michel Couvreur’s Pale Single Malt, which was true to it’s tasting notes of lavender and heather.  The unique flavor profile intrigued me; however, at $30 less I’ll probably have to pick up their Overaged Single Malt.  It’s a blend of sherry casks up to 27 years old and I hear that it’s the better of the two.

Signatory Fettercairn 15 Year Old 1996 (Vintage Collection)

Highland Single Malt, 15 Years,46% ABV, $50

Highland Single Malt, 15 Years,
46% ABV, $50

This is #5, so I’m still 6 days behind schedule after this one. I’ll have to go for 2 tonight. First up is a Signatory bottling from a now defunct highland distillery.

Firstly, I’ll note the pale coloring. Although it pours a pale yellow-gold, the nose is moderately bold. There’s lots of honey and straw with notes of ginger, overripe pear, mild tobacco and sea salt.

The taste is fruity and delicate at first, giving way to a gradual build of mildly peppery spice and an equally mild woodiness. The fruits linger all the way through to the finish and fade slowly. Initially, there’s lemon drop, orange, pear, vanilla and apple, then a gradually increasing amount of ginger that is joined by black and white pepper. The peppers are mild, while the ginger is more prominent. The mild sweetness up front is contrasted with a dry, woody and mildly bitter finish. The lingering and soft fruitiness provides good balance as the wood fades. After a while, I notice a bit of brine that is quite complementary along with a really smooth honey flavor… not like raw honey, but more like a creamed honey that goes well with the candy, fruit and spice

This is a very nice whisky and one I might have to pick up (thanks for the sample, Mark E.). Some refer to this as a nice Summer whisky and I get that. I’ll add that it’s quite nice on this cold winter night as well.

The MacAllan Tasting

The MacAllan LogoLast night I attended a tasting of single malts from The MacAllan at Trinity Hall Irish Pub in Dallas.  Jerry Fonicello from The MacAllan was there to introduce each of the pours and was both informative and entertaining, if not a little “over the top.”  Marius Donelly (proprietor of Trinity Hall Irish Pub) did a great job of putting this together at a reasonable price (including food) and with a great selection.  Speaking of the selections, here’s the lineup that we tasted with our local prices for a bottle:

  1. The MacAllan 10 Year Old Fine Oak Single Malt – $36
  2. The MacAllan 12 Year Old Sherry Oak Single Malt – $40
  3. The MacAllan 15 Year Old Fine Oak Single Malt – $70
  4. The MacAllan 17 Year Old Fine Oak Single Malt – $130
  5. The MacAllan 18 Year Old Sherry Oak Single Malt – $146
  6. The MacAllan 21 Year Old Fine Oak Single Malt – $250
  7. The MacAllan 25 Year Old Sherry Oak Single Malt – $640

The standout values for the night were the Fine Oak 10 and Sherry Oak 12, which were both good.  I would give a slight nod to the Sherry Oak 12, which had a more interesting flavor profile due to the sherry influence.  The standout of the night was the Sherry Oak 18, which I consider a very nice whisky, but overpriced.  Everything after that was severely overpriced, in my opinion.  The Fine Oak 21 was interesting, but not dramatically more so than the Fine Oak 17 and the Sherry Oak 25 was a disappointment when compared to the Sherry Oak 18, especially at more than 4 times the price!

I’m really glad that I was able to attend this event and get this experience at a price that would’ve matched that of a single pour of the Sherry Oak 25.  This helped solidify my previously unfounded belief that The MacAllan makes very good whisky at outrageous prices, while offering the masses some solid values at the same time.  Even in the lower price range, you can find better offerings, but you can always return to these for a reliably good and solid whisky.  If you’re interested in trying their best, then it might be worth it to spring for the Sherry Oak 18 before it disappears from shelves as The MacAllan introduces an entirely new range next year.  I don’t expect much change with the new line that would dissuade me from the evaluation that I came away with last tonight.  I might even try some of their new entry-level whisky when they’re available.

Glenmorangie Nectar D’or

Single Malt, 12 Year, 46% ABV, $50

This is Glenmorangie Original 10 Year Old that is finished for an additional 2 years in Sauternes “barriques.”

It has an aroma of straw and honey enveloped in a bit of tobacco, lemon drops and ginger.  I find it to be sweet and malty and sometimes accented with a note of wood. There are also notes of cherry, toffee, grass and pear.

The taste is tangy and sweet while the finish is peppery and dry.  Initially, I detect lemon, cherry, orange, honey, toffee and soft straw, then a hint of tobacco and ginger arrive next as a finish of white pepper, leathery oak, vanilla and lemon take over.  The lemon fades fast from a burst of tangy heat that develops mid-palate.  After a while, a bitter wood flavor develops in the background while the leather and tangy pepper linger on.  There’s a lot of sweetness up front, but its thin a midst the tangy burn that develops quickly.  A bit of water reveals more pepper and lemon (not what I was hoping for), along with cardboard, bitter white grape and a maltier flavor.

I’ll have to try their Original 10 Year Old again for comparison, but I think its probably better, which leads me to conclude that the Sauternes finish is not as good as sherry or port.  I’ve tasted both of those (La Santa and Quinta Rubin) and both were better than this as I recall.

MacLeods 8 Year Old Highland (Ian MacLeod)

Highland Single Malt, 8 Years, 40% ABV, $47

The nose is light with notes of raw honey, butterscotch, pear and burnt sugar. The taste is tart, sweet and lightly peppered. Lots of vanilla, apple, salted caramel and ginger lead in and settle into a slightly bitter citrus vanilla finish. The pepper is soft throughout, so the fading is much less notable. When its all said and done, all that remains is a mild oaky bitterness. The entry is very bold as compared to the nose and the finish. Still, this is a decent dram.

MacLeod’s bottling notes:

An undemanding 8 year old single malt from an unnamed Highland distillery, this was bottled by Ian Macleod.

Blair Athol 1995 – Manager’s Choice

Highland Single Malt, 14 Years,
54.7% ABV, $315

With this one, I’m caught up and back on schedule!

Honey, ginger, caramel and pepper on the nose. Candied ginger, vanilla, orange, pepper and a bit of oak on the palate. It takes quite a bit of water to tone down the alcohol burn, then there are notes of vanilla, apple and clove to complement the candied ginger. That’s about it. I’m surprised that this one doesn’t have more to offer at the price. The taste ends with a mild oak and fades quickly. It’s good, but not spectacular.

The bottler notes:

The Blair Athol edition of Diageo’s recent Managers Choice range of single casks from every distillery in their arsenal. This was distilled in 1995 and bottled in 2009 from cask number 5989. Each bottle is individually numbered.