Tag Archives: Single Malt

Springbank Tasting

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Springbank LogoTonight, I attended a tasting of the Springbank product line hosted by Spec’s Dallas location at Walnut Hill and US75.  Randal Watson from the Springbank Distillery presented each of the whiskys.  Here’s the lineup with some brief notes:

  • Springbank 10 Year Old – $43
  • Springbank 18 Year Old –  $130
  • Springbank 12 Year Old Cask Strength Calvados Expression – $90
  • Longrow 10 Year Old – $50
  • Longrow Red 11 Year Old Cabernet Sauvignon Finish – $80

Longrow LogoThe best pour of the night was the Springbank 18 Year Old, but the most intriguing for me was the Longrow Red.  The wine finish of the latter really worked well and I’ve learned that there’s an offering with an Australian Shiraz Finish as well. The Calvados Expression was better than I remembered and definitely worth a mention as was the Longrow 10 Year Old, which is one of the best entry-level offerings that I’ve had.

BenRiach and GlenDronach Tasting

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Another Trinity Hall tasting (I love these events) and this time it was hosted by Alistair Walker of the BenRiach and Glendronach distilleries.  Here’s the lineup with some notes:

  • BenRiach logoBenRiach 12 Year Old – $43
    Notes:  This one started out great, but got bitter after a while.  Initially, I was impressed with the notes of vanilla and honey, but this proved to be short-lived.
  • BenRiach 16 Year Old -$75
    Notes:  Nice sherry influence with hazelnut and oak notes.
  • Glendronach LogoGlenDronach 12 Year Old – $46
    Notes:  Much better than BenRiach 12 with more sherry influence.  Also, better than MacAllan 12 (from a recent tasting). This one spends 7 years in ex-bourbon casks, then 5-6 years in sherry casks. It’s blended from malts up to 16 years old (an artifact of the distillery closure from 96-’02), with the youngest being 12 years old.  I highly recommend this one for MacAllan 12 fans… it’s better and costs less.
  • GlenDronach 14 Year Old Virgin Oak – $70
    Notes:  Starts out in ex-bourbon casks, then finished for 18 months in American oak. Sweet and fruity.
  • GlenDronach 15 Year Old Revival – $80
    Notes:  Milder nose, but really great taste. It’s aged in first-fill Oloroso Sherry casks for the entire 15 years.  Easily, the standout of the night.  I want some!
  • GlenDronach 18 Year Old Allardice- $100
    Notes:  Not as good as Revival… less dark fruit and more spice and wood.
  • BenRiach 17 Year Old Solstice 2
    Notes:  Finished in Tawny Port casks and heavily peated. Not available in USA. Spicy, hot, peaty and sweet. Very good!  I might have to search this one out on future European travels.

I’m now a big fan of the BenRiach and Glendronach distilleries.  This was a great lineup of whisky, providing great variety and interesting (even creative) combinations of aging.  I’ve got a bottle of Glendronach 21 Year Old Single Cask Oloroso Sherry Cask (1990) that is bottled at cask strength and is non-chill filtered at home that I can’t wait to try now.

An Unexpected Balvenie Tasting

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Balvenie LineupWhile at Trinity Hall Irish Pub last night for the Highland Park tasting event, I met Jason Stein, the Balvenie Brand Ambassador.  When the event was concluded, the following pours were delivered to our table complements of Jason:

  • Balvenie 12 Year Old Double Wood – $44
  • Balvenie 14 Year Old Caribbean Cask – $57
  • Balvenie 15 Year Old Single Barrel – $70
  • Balvenie 17 Year Old Double Wood – $110
  • Balvenie 21 Year Old Port Wood – $200

It was a good move on his part because they were all very good.  The only Highland Park offering that was clearly better was the 30 Year Old.  I’ll be exploring more of the Balvenie line as a result of this surprise tasting.

Highland Park Tasting

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Loki

Last night, I attended the Highland Park tasting event at Trinity Hall Irish Pub in Dallas.  These Trinity Hall events organized by Marius Donnelly continue to be great in every aspect: well organized, well attended, excellent selections and a lot of fun with people who are serious about whisky.  Here’s the lineup from last night:

  • The Black Grouse – $28
  • Highland Park 12 Year Old – $40
  • Highland Park 15 Year Old – $56
  • Highland Park 18 Year Old – $110
  • Highland Park 25 Year Old – $300
  • Highland Park 30 Year Old – $430
  • Highland Park Loki – $220
    • 15 Year Old Limited Edition from their Valhalla Collection

The best pour of the night was the 30 Year Old, followed by Loki and the 25 Year Old.  Also, worth noting is that the 12 Year Old is quite good for the price and both the 15 and 18 Year Old are not good at all… even The Black Grouse was more enjoyable than these.  As a bonus, I came away with a Highland Park ball cap and an unusual glass.

slant-2-oz.-shot-glass

 

The MacAllan Tasting

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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.

Springbank 12 Year Old Cask Strength Calvados Cask Finished

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Campbeltown Single Malt, 12 Years,
52.7% ABV, $90

There aren’t but a few Campbeltown distilleries in operation today, so I’m excited about this offering from Springbank. It comes highly recommended and is still available (it’s a limited edition) so that plays a role in the timing as well. After all, I only have a 1.5 oz. sample (thanks, Mark!).

It pours a clear golden color or a light amber. On the nose, its lightly peaty with a soft smoke that’s barely detectable. There are added notes of honey, toffee, ginger, cherry and vanilla (sorry, I don’t get any apple).

The taste is hot ginger with lots of vanilla, lemon, orange, white pepper and the finish is woody with mild peat and smoke. The spices linger in the background, but aren’t bold. This definitely needs some water.

With the addition of a few drops of water, the apple appears but it’s still light. The peat and smoke are subdued, but the honey remains dominant with notes of grass and white pepper. The taste becomes spicy and hot briefly, but diminishes to a mildly bitter wood, ginger, leather and white pepper finish. The fruit up front is dominated by spice; however, I still taste bitter pear, pineapple and apple along with vanilla. I’m going for more water.

The initial burst of spice is almost overpowering and it still settles into a spicy and woody finish… more water. By the time that the peppery heat is tamed, the fruits are too subdued. The spice is far too dominant here and I’m disappointed. It could really use some help from that Calvados cask, but I’m just not getting it… at least not to the degree required to restore some balance.

Having come this far, I’m pretty sure that the water destroyed the fruit and enhanced the spices and that’s the opposite of what I was hoping to achieve. It could be that the balance was best at full proof.

Based on this experience, I’m thinking that I’m going to pass on this $90 offering (and that’s with $15 off for the next few weeks), but I’m still not sure. It’s hard to believe that all of these people have been that far off in their praise. It’s also possible, that I just don’t appreciate this whisky.

Update

I was provided with another sample (thanks, Gene!), so I’m giving it another try. This time no water!

My notes above still stand. The taste is spicy, slightly sweet and fruity. The wood arrives last and carries into the finish with the spices as the sweetness and fruits fade. The finish is leathery, bitter wood and spices of ginger and white pepper. The fruits up front are mildly tart and sweet with flavors of green apple, orange, lemon, tart cherry, peach, persimmon and pink grapefruit. There are notes of vanilla and grass, but the prominent flavors are fruit and spice that transition to a spicy bitter finish. As i sip it more, i discover more sweetness up front that lasts a bit longer, but the spice still wins out easily. Also, at this proof I start to experience some numbing that subdues these sweet flavors as they develop. It’s very flavorful, but I don’t think its the style I prefer. For me, this is not well balanced mostly because of the bold spice and wood. I stand by my previous assessment and will pass on this one. If you like this profile, then this is a fine whisky.

I was discussing this one with a friend and we wondered if this one works better on ice, which is the way he drinks his whisky but not the way I drink mine. In any case, I share that just in case its your method and you like a spicy, woody malt.

The 2013 Spirit Journal World’s Top 120 Spirits

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Spirit JournalF. Paul Pacult has published his Top 120 Spirits for 2013 and here’s how I fared with the list:

7. Parker’s Heritage Collection Master Distiller’s Blend of Mash bills Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (USA) 63.5% abv, $80.

I know of 4 batch releases of this sixth release from the Parker’s Heritage Collection, but this doesn’t match any of them.  Perhaps this was a pre-release batch that he reviewed, after all he is a special guy in the world of spirits.  My bottle is the most current release at a whopping 69.7% ABV and considered by many to be the best batch of the four.

32. Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey (USA-2012) 66.2% abv, $70.

I have the 2011 edition of this limited annual release from the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, but I’ve yet to open it.

56. Merlet Crème de Cassis de la Saintonge Boisée Liqueur (France) 20% abv, $25.

I have a bottle of this that a friend of mine picked up for me in Paris last year.  It’s quite good!

60. William Larue Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (USA) 61.7% abv, $70.

This is another one in my cabinet from the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection and I’m looking forward to opening it.  It’s a wheated bourbon and I don’t have any experience with this type, so I need to open it soon.

67. El Tesoro de Don Felipe Añejo 100% Agave Tequila (Mexico) 40% abv, $59.

This is my favorite tequila and I’ve still got another bottle of it left from a clearance deal I happened upon over a year ago.  I also have the blanco and reposado from El Tesoro and they’re quite good as well.

85. Laphroaig Cask Strength 10 Years Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (Scotland) 55.3% abv, $60.

I’ve had a sample of this from a friend and it’s a bold Islay whisky.  I prefer Ardbeg Ten, but this one suits the preferences of many.  I spent too much time evaluating it at cask strength and my mouth was becoming numb by the time I had added enough water to bring it down to a realistic level.  I plan on giving this one another try.

86. Dos Maderas 5 + 3 Years Old Superior Reserve Rum (Guyana/Barbados) 40% abv, $38.

I finished my bottle of this one last year and it was pretty good, if not bit too sweet.  I like this much better than Dos Maderas PX (5+5), which is finished in Pedro Ximenes Oloroso Sherry casks, as that one is overly sweet for my taste.

87. Herradura Blanco 100% Agave Tequila (Mexico) 40% abv, $55.

Last year, I bought a sample pack of Herradura Blanco, Reposado and Anejo.  I liked the Anejo the best.

92. Santa Teresa 1796 Ron Antiguo de Solera (Venezuela) 40% abv, $39.

My brother introduced me to this Jamaican rum.  While it was good, I consider Appleton Estate Extra 12 Year Old Jamaican Rum to be better.

97. Rhum Barbancourt Réserve Spéciale 8 Year Old Rum (Haiti) 43% abv, $23.

I’m on my second bottle of this rhum agricole (i.e. cane juice rum) and it was a slow start for me with this one.  At first, I was totally unimpressed and considered it a bit over-aged, but as time wore on I came to appreciate it more and more.   It’s got a “reedy” flavor to it that takes a bit of getting used to.  Now, I don’t think I would be without it and plan to try other rums of this style.

99. WhiskeyPig Straight Rye Whiskey Aged 10 Years (Canada) 50% abv; $70.

This one is 100% rye (most rye whiskeys are around 90-95%) and is bottled in Vermont.  I found a bottle in Louisiana about a year ago, but now it’s readily available here in Texas.  I’ve not opened my bottle yet, but my friends tell me that I’m in for a real treat when I do.

114. Balcones 1 Texas Single Malt Whisky Special Release (USA) 52.7% abv, $68.

This local distillery in Waco, TX has won many awards with their Texas Single Malt.  Personally, I find it to be the best of the young or no age statement (NAS) malt whiskys that I’ve tasted.  It’s bursting with flavor and has a nice dry finish.

Balcones Tasting at Trinity Hall Pub

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Balcones CollectionTrinity Hall hosted a tasting of the collection of whiskeys from Balcones Distilling in Waco, TX. Chip Tate, master distiller, and Winston Edwards, brand ambassador, were both present. As we progressed through the entire collection, Chip gave some insight into the history and details of each one. It was thoroughly enjoyable (Mark and Ken were great company, as well as our new friend, Terry, from Cedar Hill) and each of the whiskeys was very good in its own right. The highlights of the evening were a tasting of Balcones 5th Anniversary Texas Straight Bourbon (only a single barrel produced), then (on the “down low”) a sample of Brimstone Resurrection with a complimentary Balcones-labeled Glencairn whisky glass (thanks, Chip!). The latter could quite possibly be the best whisky I’ve tasted. I’ll let you know when I get a bottle. 😉

Bunnahaiban Toiteach

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Islay Single Malt, No Age Statement,
46% ABV, $79

Pronounced “Toch Chach”, here’s what the distiller says about the name:

Toiteach means smoky in Scots Gaelic, reflecting the seeming contradiction that this peaty paradox represents.

This is a great smelling whisky that I’ve been looking forward to tasting for a while. The smell is of sweet grass, butterscotch, malt, tobacco, smoke, candied ginger, pear, honey, dark cherry and lemon. It’s really great on the nose!

The taste is sweetly smokey, but less so than Ardbeg Ten (my reference Islay Malt to date). It’s starts out tangy, sweet and malty with notes of lemon, lots of ginger, butterscotch, toffee and straw. The pepper arrives quickly and lasts through to the finish of light wood, slight leather, mild smoke and a continuance of the toffee. A little water tones down the tartness, but not the spices. The wood becomes a bit more prominent and the smoke becomes subtle. Midway through, there’s a more pronounced arrival of toffee and vanilla with the addition of apricot and honey. I also notice a slight iodine finish that I didn’t notice before.

This is a really good whisky. There are aspects that I prefer over Ardbeg Ten (aroma, spice, fruits) and others that don’t compare as well (not enough smoke and too much wood, not to mention the iodine, which I’m not a fan of). Still, its one that I’m likely to buy and spend more time with (thanks for the sample, Mark) as there’s enough here to keep me interested and hoping for more… even at $80.

Glenmorangie Nectar D’or

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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.