Country:
Scotland
Brand:
Chieftain’s Auchroisk Medoc Finish
Bottled
by: Ian Macleod & Comp. Ltd., Edinburgh
Type:
Single Malt Whisky
Region:
Speyside
Age:
11 Years
Alcohol:
43%
Colour:
Golden
Nose: Sour like Vinegar, Wood, Grains, Caramel,
Malt, Harsh Alcohol, Light Peat, Hints of Red Fruit and Port Wine.
Taste:
Not extremely pleasant. It’s harsh and hot with Spices (think of Nutmeg) and a
strange Medicinal/Metallic off-note. Bit of Toffee/Caramel and a hint of
Berries.
Finish:
Bitter-Sweet with Wood and Spices. Fortunately it’s not very long.
With
a few drops of water you get a few extra faint floral - and fruity tones on the
Nose. Heather comes through and hints of Buttered Toast with a touch of Honey.
The Nose certainly benefits from a bit of water. The Palate however does not
and reveals a sloppy wood quality. The Finish practically disappears with the
exception of a rather unpleasant sweetness that stays for a couple of minutes.
Rating:
70
Nose: 19 - Taste: 17 - Finish: 16,5 – Overall: 17,5
There
are five Chieftain expressions in this gift-set. Let’s hope the three remaining
ones are better than what we had so far.
General
Remarks: Ian MacLeod is a so-called Independent Bottler. These companies play
an important part in today’ s whisky industry. They buy casks of (young) spirit
from Distilleries, mature them, finish them and bottle them, all at their own
discretion and then sell the final product under their own label. This is all
very attractive for whisky drinkers who look beyond the standard Distillery
offerings. They are often bottled at cask strength and non-chill-filtered. Many
times, but not always, Independent Bottlers offer products that are greatly
appreciated.
The
Auchroisk Distillery was only founded in 1974. It’s a large distillery, located
in Banffshire ,with an annual production capacity of around 3,5 million litres.
It is owned by the Diageo Group and is the Home Distillery for the J&B Rare
Blend. The 11 Year Medoc finish was distilled in 1994 and bottled in 2005.
Drinking
Experience Neat: Below Par.
Conclusion:
Another Medoc Finish from Ian MacLeod and although it’s slightly better than
the Dalmore 10, there is no cause for rejoicing. The Nose is not that bad and
would have been even better if not for the Vinegar off-note. I feel that a high
percentage of older Refill Casks have been used here. But Palate and Finish are
quite disappointing and therefore I can’t recommend this Single Malt.
Jan
van den Ende June 6, 2012
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