Isle of Skye Review

Country: Scotland

Brand: Isle of Skye

Type: Blended Scotch Whisky

Age: 8 Years

Alcohol: 40%

Date: 29/12/2013

Colour: Medium Amber  

Nose: Young, lightly Floral but a bit Edgy. The Grain Whiskies are way too dominant. I can't identify Talisker and I think I should in a Blend called Isle of Skye! I find Grain, Lemon, Oak, light Pepper, light Smoke, Raisins, Honey, Straw, Heather, Malt and Custard. Certainly Refill Ex-Bourbon Casks. The Alcohol is very present.

Palate: The delivery is a bit Thin. Sharp Young Grain Whisky, light Smoke, Pepper, slightly Bitter Oak, Straw, Sweet Barley, Honey and Lemon. 

Finish: Middle-Long, Sweet, Fiery and Spicy with Custard, Sugar, Honey, Black Pepper, slightly Bitter Oak and some Nut Shells. 

No Need to add Water to the Isle of Skye although you get a bit more Fruit (Apricot) on the Nose.

Rating: 78.5

Nose: 19 – Taste: 20.5 – Finish: 19.5 – Overall: 19.5

General Remarks: The Isle of Skye Blended Whisky was created by Ian MacLeod more than 100 years. Today it is elaborated, blended and bottled by Ian MacLeod Distillers Ltd, an Independent Bottler established in 1934 and a.o. owner of the Glengoyne Distillery and various other Blends such as Smokehead. Many people will know their Chieftain's range as well. The Isle of Skye is also part of a small collection known as MacLeod's Scotch Whisky Trail that also includes a Single Malt from Lowland, Speyside, Highland, Islands and Islay. The Isle of Skye contains Single Malts from Skye (Talisker), the Isles and Speyside as well as Grain Whiskies. It is said to mature mainly in Ex-Bourbon casks and the Blend is married in Oak for an additional 6 months before bottling. This Blend is not expensive at around 30 US Dollars.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay

Conclusion: Jim Murray and also Ralfy were really enthusiastic about this Blend but I just can't see where they are coming from. Unless they really like young Grain Whiskies. Which I don't! Sure, the price/quality ratio of this Blend is good. Isle of Skye is better than JW Red when sipping it neat. But is that a good reference? In my opinion the Isle of Skye is quite drinkable but it lacks Depth, interesting Aromas, Flavours and a sufficient amount of Talisker. Perhaps it shouldn't be called Isle of Skye! It smells and tastes much more like Grain Whisky with some Speyside Malt and a hint of the Islands.

Jan van den Ende                                                      December 2013

Highland Park Svein Review

Country: Scotland 

Region: Highland-Island-Orkney

Brand: Highland Park Svein

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: NAS

ABV: 40% 

Colour: Yellow Gold

Nose: Very light. Not unpleasant but little expressive. Floral tones (Heather, Honey, Pine Needles), Red Fruit, Citrus Fruit (Orange, Lemon and Grapefruit), Young Oak, Straw, Nuts, Dried Fruits (Raisins and Apricot), light Pepper, Malt, light Mint and soft Peat/Smoke. The Alcohol is not yet fully integrated.

Palate: Again on the light side. I get Young and slightly Bitter Oak, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Sweet Barley, Pencil Shavings, Honey, Dried Fruits (Raisins, Sultanas, Apricots), Orange Peel, Mandarins, Lemon, Grapefruit and very distant Smoke.

Finish: Rather Short and mainly Dry with slightly Bitter Oak, Malt, Dried Fruits, light Pepper, Sour Grapefruit, Gooseberry and a touch of Honey.

I added a bit of Water and Red Fruit, Citrus and Wax become stronger on the Nose. Palate and Finish become too Watery though. 

Rating: 81.5

Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 20.5

General Remarks: Highland Park was founded in 1798 by Magnus Eunson and is the most northerly distillery in Scotland, It is located on the Orkney Isles, off the North-East coast of Scotland. Highland Park is one the very few remaining distilleries that malts (at least part of) the Barley on its own malting floor. The distillery uses local Orcadian Peat, that mostly consists of Heather and other Plants. Only a limited amount of the Malt is dried with Peat though. Highland Park is owned by the Edrington Group. In 2008 the very nice Visitor Centre was upgraded.

Together with Einar, Harald, Sigurd, Ragnvald and Thorfinn, the Highland Park Svein is part of the Warrior Series, released in 2013, initially via Travel Retail. All six are named after Viking warriors with the idea to match the whisky with the characteristics of the warrior in question. Svein is the ultimate Viking War Chief and his exploits lie at the heart of the History of the Earls of Orkney. Svein was generous and loved adventure. The Svein is not very expensive at around 55 US Dollars and matured in American Oak (90%) and European Oak (10%). One third of the casks used is first fill.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good

Conclusion: Svein was said to be generous and adventurous. This Single Malt is

certainly not adventurous. More mainstream ABBA than Warrior Svein! It's pretty standard young Highland Park actually. And as it's a young spirit it can hardly be too generous as well. It's similar to the 12 Years but not quite as good. It's not very expensive but there are better options in this price range. So I wonder if Svein will stay with us for a long time. Let's wait and see. In the meantime I'm looking forward to test Harald in 2014!

Jan van den Ende                                                                  December 27, 2013

Bowmore 1996 Review

Country: Scotland

Region: Islay

Brand: Bowmore 1996 Sherry Finish

Selected by and Bottled for Wilson & Morgan, Edinburgh

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 16 Years

ABV: 56.6 %

Date: 25/12/2013

Colour: Dark Gold/Copper/Hint of Orange

Nose: Give this Bowmore sufficient time in the glass to breathe. At least half an hour or so. There's quite some Alcohol. Work your way around it and you will find elegant Sherry notes, subtle Peat and Smoke, Red Fruit, Orange Liqueur, Pineapple Marmalade, Green Apples, Salt, Oak, Cinnamon, Cardamom, gentle Maritime notes, Honey, Hay, Almonds, Leather and hints of Espresso, BBQ and Balsamic Vinegar. There are many aromas to be discovered here. I do believe however that a slightly lower ABV of around 50% would have benefited this Bowmore. The Alcohol is a bit too present.

Palate: Quite different from your average standard Bowmore bottlings. It's quite Spicy actually with Pepper, Salt, Cardamom and Nutmeg. But Creamy at the same time with juicy Peat, Honey, Sherry, Charred Wood, Marzipan, Nuts, Orange Zest, Lemon, Green Apples, Tobacco, Herbs, Leather and Menthol.

Finish: Middle Long and basically Dry with Red Fruit, gentle Peat and Smoke, Malt, Honey, Nuts, Vanilla, Pepper, Salt, Green Apples, light Maritime notes, Cigar Ash and Menthol. 

I added a couple of drops of water. On the Nose the Red Fruit, Orange and Honey are stronger. More Cardamom, Pepper, Menthol and Licorice on the Palate. You should try this out both with - and without Water.

Rating: 88.5

Nose: 22 - Taste: 22.5 - Finish: 22 - Overall: 22

General Remarks: The Wilson & Morgan Company is an Independent Bottler, based in Italy. Owners are the Rossi family that started importing Blends in the sixties. Single Malt Selection was added in the 1980's and in 1992 Wilson & Morgan was founded by Fabio Rossi to attend the high end Single Malt market. At various distilleries, W&M selects barrels for their Barrel Selection series. Most of the casks mature at the distillery itself. The Bowmore I'm tasting today was distilled in 1996 and bottled in 2012. It matured in Ex-Sherry Butt # 960004. No artificial colouring was added and the Whisky is not Chill-Filtered. It sells at around 100 US Dollars. 

The Bowmore Distillery was founded in 1779 by John Simpson. It's the oldest Islay distillery, located in Bowmore. Since 1994 it is completely owned by Morrison Bowmore Distilleries, part of the Japanese Suntory Group.

Drinking Experience Neat: Very Good

Conclusion: This is a very nicely balanced Bowmore. You won't find a lot of Tea, Flowers, Soap and young Peat like in the younger standard Distillery bottlings. The Nose is elegant and subtle and on the palate the balance between Spicy and Creamy is very well done. Excellent Cask Selection by Wilson & Morgan. This Bowmore could have scored even higher if it would have been bottled at a slightly lower ABV of around 50%. Because in my opinion the Alcohol is not quite in balance with the other Aromas and Flavours. But other than that, this is a Single Malt I can fully recommend.   

Jan van den Ende                                                        December 2013