Oban 21 Years (Special Release 2018)

”For What It’s Worth”

Whisky Review # 934

Country: Scotland
Region: Western Highlands

Brand: Oban - Special Release 2018 - Distilled in 1996- Bottled 2018 - 2860 Bottles

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 21 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 57.9% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: Mix of Re-Charred American Oak & Re-Fill European Ex-Sherry Butts
Chill Filtration: No

Price Average: US$ 700 (October 2021)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😡Ridiculously Overpriced!

Buying Advice: 👎It's not worth the money. You better buy ten bottles of the 14Y

Color: Golden (Natural Color)

Nose:

The Nose is rather shy. Be sure to give it at least half an hour to open up. Even so, the Aromas don't jump out of the glass. The casks weren't extremely active and I wouldn't give it 21 Years in a Blind Tasting. The Nose is mainly driven by Fruit and Green notes. But those are interwoven with a fine coastal cloud and that works out fine. The Alcohol is there but does not interfere with the Nosing procedures. The Nose is pleasant but a bit unassuming and that's a pity.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Wax, Green Leaves, Vegetables and Apples, Orange, Mandarin, Lemon, Sweet Earthy Peat, Brine, Tar, Smoke, Charred Oak, Ginger, Cinnamon, Menthol and Dusty Shelves.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Honey, Yeast, Fruitcake, Marzipan, Nectarine, Dried Fruit like Apricots and Plums, Wet Rocks and Sand, White Chocolate, Caffe Latte, Green Olives, Smoked Pork Chops and mixed Nuts.

Palate:

Quite Edgy and Nervous when compared to the introvert Nose. Slightly Hot as well.  The Alcohol is very noticeable at this point. The Palate presents a mix of Bitter, Sweet, Sour and Salty notes and I miss balance here. It's a bit Rough and Dirty.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Wax, Orange, Mandarin, Lemon, Oak Char, Green Coconut, Smoke, Earthy Peat, Brine, Apple Beignets, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Dark Chocolate, Herbal Tea, Raspberry Jam, Menthol, Aniseed and Licorice.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Vanilla, Honey, Toffee, Yeast, Melon, Dried Apricot, Nougat, Mixed Nuts, Caffe Latte, Tobacco, Cardamom, Cloves and Nutmeg.

Finish:

Medium Long, Bitter-Sweet, quite Hot and slightly Acid. Quite Dry towards the end. The Alcohol is overpowering and some Water will be required. I find Sweet Toasted and Malted Barley, Wax, Salted Caramel, Honey, Orange, Mandarin, Lemon, Green Apple, Grass, Dark Chocolate, Earthy Peat, Ashes, Mixed Salted Nuts, Charred Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves, Cardamom, Ginger, Nutmeg, Aniseed, Licorice, Leather, Herbal Tea and Menthol. A distant hint of PVC Pipes.

Drinking Advice:

I added a bit of Water and while it naturally helps to calm down the Alcohol, it also hides most of the Aromas and Flavours leaving you with a feeling that's not unlike brushing your teeth with Colgate Spearmint. I prefer it neat but add only a few drops of Water if you must.

Rating: 84.5

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 20.5 - Overall: 21

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good

Conclusion:

The Oban (Gaelic: Little Bay) distillery is one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland and was founded in 1794. It is located in the seaport of the same name on the frontier between the Western Highlands & the Isles. This is where Peat and Heather meet Salt and Seaweed! Oban is now owned by the Diageo Group. It produces +/- 840.000 litres per year. The core range exists of the Little Bay, the 14 - & 18 Years as well as the Distiller's Edition with Sherry Finish.

I'm not a big fan of this distillery and this Special edition does nothing to change my mind, not even considering the quite ridiculous price. I can't remember having ever tasted a 21 Year-old Single Malt that was so Rough & Unbalanced. I must question the Cask Management in this respect. With 21 Years of cask time you would expect a fully matured Single Malt but that's not the case here. It still smells and tastes like a semi-finished good. If you like Oban, do yourself a favor and buy 10 bottles of the core range 14 Years instead. This special edition is not worth your money.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                      October 27, 2021

Benromach Vintage 2009 Batch 1

”Give Me Just a Little More Time”

Whisky Review # 933

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside

Brand: Benromach Vintage 2009 Batch 1

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: Around 10 Years (Bottled on May 29, 2019)

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 58.8% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: Mix of First-Fill Ex-Bourbon casks and First-Fill Sherry Wood
Chill Filtration: No

Price Average: US$ 90 (October 2021)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐Okay. A bit expensive for a 10 Year old.

Buying Advice: 👍Slightly Young but well-made peated Speysider.

Color: Golden Amber with Orange hues (Natural Color)

Nose:

The Nose is welcomed by a light but pleasant & aromatic Peat Smoke that combines well with the fruity Sherry cask notes. Despite the high ABV, the Alcohol seems to be well-integrated despite the Malt's apparent youth. The Nose is mainly Sweet with a few Sour and Salty notes for balance. Rather Dry as well. I like the slightly dusty Dunnage Warehouse feeling. Another 5 years or so in the cask would do wonders to this Benromach.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Toasted Barley, Buttered Toast, Mix of Straw and Cow Manure, Yeast, Grass, Dried Apricot, Green Apple, Toasted Pineapple, Mandarin, Lemon, Cranberry, Peat, Smoke, Dusty casks in a Dunnage Warehouse, Zigeuner Schnitzel, Herbs, Salted Nuts, Pepper, Mint and Cloves.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Honey, Iodine, Tar, Wet Rocks, Leather, Tobacco, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Ginger, Licorice and tiny hints of Rubber and Sweaty Feet.

Palate:

The Alcohol is much more present now and that makes the Malt slightly Dirty and edging towards Campbeltown. Not a bad thing though. The pleasant combo of Peat, Smoke and Sherry from the Nose is now accompanied by Smoky, Herbal and Spicy notes. Good Cask Management. The Youth of the Malt remains noticeable though.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Toasted Barley, slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Straw mixed with Cow Manure, Green Apple, Toasted Pineapple, Dried Apricot, Cranberry, Lemon. Orange/Mandarin, Earthy Peat (Forest Floor), Smoke, Smoked Ham, Dark Chocolate (70%), Pepper, Nutmeg, Mint and Ginger.  

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Toffee, Honey, Grass, Tar, Ashes, Dusty Sherry casks in a Dunnage Warehouse, Strong Herbal Tea, Roasted Coffee Beans, Salted Nuts, Cinnamon, Rubber, Leather and Cooked Vegetables.

Finish:

Middle Long/Long. A Mix of Bitter, Sweet, Salty and Sour notes. Quite Dry towards the end. The Alcohol is more noticeable at this point and it even kicks a little. I find Toasted Barley, Mix of Straw and Cow Manure, Salted Caramel/Toffee, Smoke, Dry Earthy Peat, Tar, Ashes, Orange, Lemon, Mandarin, Dried Apricot, Toasted Pineapple, Cranberry, Green Apple, extra strong Black Tea, Espresso, Dark Chocolate (70%), Marzipan, Smoked Ham, Dusty Sherry Casks, Burnt and Wet Newspaper, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves, Mint & Ginger. Distant hints of Rubber and Leather.

Drinking Advice:

I added a bit of Water and that enhances the Fruit on the Nose, especially Apricot and possibly Peach. It also gets less "Dirty" this way. Palate and Finish benefit from a few drops but don't overdo it as you don't want to lose the true character of the Malt.

Rating: 86.5

Nose: 22 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 21.5 - Overall: 21.5

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion:

The Benromach Distillery is located in Forres (Morayshire) and was founded in 1898

by the Benromach Distillery Company. Benromach was mothballed from 1931-1937 and from 1983-1993. In 1993, Benromach was bought by Independent Bottler Gordon & MacPhail from United Distillers and since 1998 the Distillery is up and running again. The current year production is around 400.000 litres. The new core range includes, since 2020, the 10, 15 & 21 Years and the 2009 Cask Strength I'm reviewing today.

I like the way Benromach combines Speyside Malt and Peat just like in the old days. We visited this Speyside distillery in May 2014 and it was certainly one of the more memorable distillery visits. I like this distillery and its parent company Gordon & MacPhail. I have yet to taste a disappointing Malt made by either. With respect to the 2009 Vintage I only have one suggestion. Please consider giving this Malt or a similar expression another 5 years in the cask and you will be able to present a jewel to the market. It will be more expensive of course but it will be worth the wait. Go for it Gordon & MacPhail!!!

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                      October 20, 2021

Pictures taken during our visit in May 2014

Malt Whisky Yearbook 2022

                    “A Wee Book on Whisky with Tons of Information"

" In 2005, Ingvar Ronde set out on a quest to try and release the perfect one- volume annual Whisky Book. In 2021 we can safely say "Mission Completed".

Hi Everybody and Welcome at Best Shot Whisky Reviews!

As you all know the purpose of Best Shot Whisky Reviews is to give my personal opinion on Whiskies from all over the world. As it's important to maintain my independent position I'm not engaged in any commercial activity. But, as I have done over the last 8 years, I would like to make an exception to be able to share with you the new edition of The Malt Whisky Yearbook by Ingvar Ronde that has been released every year since 2005. As always, the Malt Year Book is packed with highly interesting stories, this time amongst others about Roasted Malt, the 1823 Excise Act, Local Community Whisky producers, Future Sales predictions based on history, Whisky Legislation & Japanese Whisky. The writers include Charles MacLean, Gavin D. Smith, Neil Ridley, Joel Harrison, Ian Wisniewski and Stefan van Eycken.

The most important part of the book remains the detailed description of Scottish and Japanese Distilleries & slightly shorter presentations about Single Malt Whisky Distilleries from the rest of the world. All in all, a total of 727 Malt distilleries are presented. 

And there's much more such as a new item called Trailblazers of Whisky featuring  seven Whisky icons, a presentation of 150 of the best Whisky Shops in the world, a comprehensive summary of the past whisky year and an entire chapter about the world's most important independent bottlers.

Whisky Statistics, Best Whisky Web Sites (including Best Shot Whisky Reviews 😃), Distilleries per Owner, Closed Distilleries & New Distilleries and Maps complete this Book that also contains more than 500 color photos and over 200 Tasting Notes.

Ingvar Ronde

Year after year, this book not only manages to inform you in depth about the Malt distilleries all over the world but it also gives you solid background info that gives you an idea of the state of today's Whisky market. That's basically all you need if you want to buy one book on Whisky. And that applies to both Whisky enthusiastics and people that work in the Whisky industry.

On top of that, this book is certainly not expensive for what it offers (US$ 20) and is sold in Whisky Shops, International Book Stores, Distillery Visitor Centers and of course at the editor's website:

Malt Whisky Yearbook 2022

I wish you lots of fun with the Malt Whisky Yearbook 2022!

Cheers!

Jan

Bruichladdich Octomore 09.1

”Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire” 

Whisky Review # 932

Country: Scotland
Region: Islay

Brand: Bruichladdich Octomore 09.1 (156 PPM)

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky - 42.000 Bottles
Age: 5 Years (2012-2018)

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 59.1% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: First-Fill American Oak Ex-Bourbon/Whiskey casks
Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 170-190 (October 2021)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Way too expensive for such a young Whisky.

Buying Advice: 👎In this case better go for young Ardbeg, Caol Ila or Laphroaig.

Colour:

White Wine (Natural Color)

Nose:

Young, Peated Coastal Malt. Smoke and Peat are not overwhelming though. On the other hand, the Alcohol is quite noticeable which is not really a surprise given the high ABV. The Nose is a Light mix of Sweet, Sour, Coastal and Mineral notes. It's okay but I'm not particularly impressed.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Malted Barley, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Cold Campfire Smoke, Wet Earth, Brine, Soot, Iodine, Smoked Fish and Bacon, Lemon, Grapefruit, Green Apple, Dusty Oak, Pepper and Mint.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toffee, Brown Sugar/Caramel, Honey, Grass and Straw, Toast with Banana/Peanut Butter, White Wine, Lemon-Tea, Pear, Nuts, Wet Rocks & Sand, Cinnamon, Ginger, Milk Chocolate, Leather and Olive-Oil.

Palate:

A Young and Nervous mix of Sweet, Bitter, Salty, Sour & Smoky notes. The Alcohol is quite strong. The 09.1 certainly does not rank among my favorite Octomores.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Malted Barley, slightly burnt Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Cold Smoke, Wet Earth, Soot, Iodine, Ashes, Charred Dusty Oak, Brine, Walnuts, Lemon, Grapefruit, Fish, Shell Fish and Bacon on the BBQ, Herbal Tea, Pepper, Salt, Ginger and Cardamom.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Caramel, Toffee, Nougat, Yeast, Grass and Straw, Pear, Coconut, Diesel Oil, PVC Pipes, Milk Chocolate, Leather and Cooked Brussels Sprouts.

 

Finish:

Quite Long, mainly thanks to the Peat/Smoke. A bit of an Alcohol kick. Medium-Dry towards the end.  A mix of Sweet, Salty and Sour notes. I find Sweet Malted Barley, slightly burnt Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Toffee, Treacle, Cold Smoke, Wet Earth, Soot, Brine, Ashes, Green Apple, Lemon, Grapefruit, Gooseberry, Sultanas, Herbal Tea, Walnut Shells, Smoked Fish/Shell Fish & Bacon, Milk Chocolate, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Licorice, Salt, Cardamom, Wet Rocks & Sand, Stale Espresso, PVC Pipes, Diesel Oil and Cooked Brussels Sprouts.

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water and although the Nose hardly presents changes, the Alcohol is toned down on the Palate and that's a good thing. The Finish becomes a lot shorter though. Taken everything into account my advise would be to add a few drops of Water to this Octomore.

Rating: 83

Nose: 21 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20.5 - Overall: 21

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good

Conclusion:

Bruichladdich was founded in 1881 by Barnett Harvey. During its history it was mothballed various times, the last time in 1998. In 2012 the Islay distillery was bought by Remy Cointreau (France). Since, Bruichladdich is showing a healthy growth again. The distillery produces 3 types of Single Malt, i.e. the unpeated Bruichladdich & the heavily peated Port Charlotte & Octomore. The basic core range includes Classic Laddie and a 10-year old Port Charlotte. The annual production amounts to around one million litres. About 10% of that is Octomore. Octomore by the way means " The Big Eighth". This is a medieval division of common ground.

The Octomore 09.1 was distilled in 2012 with 100% Scottish Concerto Barley from the 2011 harvest. It matured in Ex-Bourbons casks, mainly from Jim Beam & Jack Daniels.

This is certainly not one of my favorite Octomore expressions. It's basically about Youth, Alcohol & Peat Smoke. A bit one-dimensional in my opinion. There's a saying that "There's no Smoke without Fire" and indeed you get lots of both with the 09.1. You will have to dig deep to find the additional Aromas and Flavors. You will have to dig deep in your pocket as well to buy this Bruichladdich. You get way better value for money with young Ardbeg 10, Caol Ila 12 and Laphroaig 10!

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                      October 13, 2021

All pictures were taken during our visit in May 2014

Inchmoan 10 Years

”We Will Rocks You”

Whisky Review # 931

Country: Scotland
Region: Western Highlands

Brand: Inchmoan (Peated - Around 50 PPM)

Distilled at: Loch Lomond Distillery
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 10 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon American Oak casks
Chill Filtration: No

Price Average: US$ 50 (October 2021)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😑Okay

Buying Advice:😔 Good on the Rocks but not sufficiently good as a sipping Malt.

Colour: Chardonnay (Artificially Colored)

Nose:

The first impression is that of a Young, Peated Malt. Somewhere between Laphroaig and Glen Scotia or Ledaig. There's definitively a light Maritime character to this Inchmoan and that's a bit of a surprise. The Alcohol is quite noticeable and it feels a bit Thin despite the adequate ABV. I detect a few Salty, Sour, Dairy, Green & Plastic notes. The fruit is hidden behind the Peat.

Main Aromas:

Malted Barley, Salted Caramel, Cold Smoke, Wet Mud, Forest Floor, Grass, Yeast,  Salted Fish/Bacon, Tart Apple, Grapefruit, Gooseberry, Lemon, Plastic, Herbs de Provence, Cardboard Boxes, White Chocolate, Mint and Nutmeg.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Coconut, Iodine, Tar, Brine, Wet Rocks, Mandarin, Pear, Rubber, Dusty Oak, Iron, Leather, Tobacco, Cinnamon, Camembert, Almond Oil and Licorice.

Palate:

Young. A mix of Bitter, Sweet, Sour, Salty and Green notes. A little Rubber and PVC Pipes as well. Remarkably Dry. The Alcohol is quite noticeable.

Main Flavours:

Malted Barley, Salted Caramel, Cold Smoke, Wet Earth, Brine, Salted Fish/Bacon, Wet Newspaper, Wet Rocks/Sand, Lemon, Mandarin, Gooseberry, Grapefruit, Tart Apple, Herbs de Provence, Camembert, Yeast and Pepper.  

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Vanilla, Tare, Ashes, Soot, Iodine, Iron, Salted Almonds, White Chocolate, Nutmeg,  Cinnamon, Iron and Tobacco.

Finish:

Middle-Long. A mix of Sweet, Bitter, Sour & Salty notes. The Alcohol is very present I'm afraid. Quite Dry after a while. The Young feeling remains right until the end. I find Malted Barley, Salty Caramel, Vanilla, Salted Almonds, Cold Smoke, Wet Mud, Wet Rocks/Sand, Wet Newspaper, Iodine, Soot, Rubber, Ashes, PVC Pipes, Stewed Apples, Grapefruit, Lemon, Mandarin, Gooseberry, Dried Herbs de Provence, Dusty Oak, Salted Bacon/Fish, Camembert, Tobacco, White Chocolate, Pepper, Nutmeg & Mint.

Drinking Advice:

I added a bit of Water and that helps to calm down the Alcohol. But you're left with a Peppery, Peaty Vodka. So better sip it neat or, preferably, on the Rocks.

Rating: 83

Nose: 21 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 20.5  - Overall: 20.5

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Good

Conclusion:

The modern Loch Lomond Distillery was constructed in 1965 by Littlemill Distillery Company but Whisky has been distilled on the shores of Loch Lomond since 1814. In 2014 it was sold to Exponent Private Equity and, finally, in 2019 to Hillhouse Capital Management. Loch Lomond uses four types of Stills including Straight Neck Pot Stills and a Single Grain Coffey Still. It produces both Single Malt & Single Grain Whisky. Around 2,8 million litres of the first and 2 million litres of the latter. Loch Lomond possesses two sub-Brand Names namely Inchmurrin for Fruity and Sweet Malt and Inchmoan for Peated and Spicy Malt. Inchmoan uses a combination of Malt Whisky from their traditional Swan neck pot still and the straight neck pot still.

In general I'm not too fond of Young Single Malts that present a relatively high ABV and/or are heavily peated. On many occasions these features try to hide the Youth and the indifferent Cask management. I feel that's very likely the case here with this Inchmoan. Unfortunately the peat conceals most of the Fruity notes as well. It's not really a bad Single Malt and the Rubber/Plastic/Iron off-notes are within limits. But the reasons mentioned above do prevent this Inchmoan from being a truly enjoyable sipping Malt. On the Rocks it's just fine though and that's the way I'm going to enjoy this bottle of Inchmoan!

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                         October 6, 2021