Clynelish 1997 (The Old Malt Cask)

”Mr. Pleasant”

Whisky Review # 928

Country: Scotland
Region: Northern Highlands

Brand: Clynelish - Distilled April 1997

Bottled By/For: Hunter Laing - The Old Malt Cask Series in February 2015
Type: Single Malt Single Cask Scotch Whisky - Cask # HL 11236 - 280 Bottles

Age: 17 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 50% (On or Around Cask Strength)
Maturation: Refill Hogshead
Chill Filtration: No

Price Average: US$ 165 (September 2021)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Acceptable by today's standards.
Buying Advice: 👍 A well-made consistent Highland Malt.

Colour: Pale Straw/Light Gold (Natural Color)

Nose:

Grassy, Waxy and Citrusy. A mix of Sweet and Sour, Fruity and Floral notes. Oak and Alcohol are there but not in an invasive way. A nice Salty touch. Certainly not mind-blowing but quite pleasant.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Malted Barley, German Butter Biscuits, Butterscotch, Vanilla, Grass & Straw, Wax, Mandarine, Lemon, Apple, Pear, Pineapple, Fresh Herbs, Oak, Pepper, Salt and Sugared Almonds.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Heather-Honey, Toffee, Nectarine, Grapefruit, Orange, Banana Ice Cream, Floral Soap, Wet Stones, Cinnamon, Marzipan and distant hints of Varnish and Tobacco.

Palate:

A pleasing mix of Sweet, Sour and Salty notes. Only a light Bitterness from the Oak. The Alcohol is slightly more noticeable now but it remains quite laid-back despite the high ABV. As on the Nose this Clynelish won't break the front pages but it's a well-made Highland Malt that maintains its distillery character and is not dominated by the wood.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Malted Barley, Salted Toffee, Vanilla, Grass & Straw, Nectarine, Grapefruit, Lemon, Apples and Pears, Pineapple, Milk Chocolate, Sugared Almonds, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Mint, Cloves and Licorice.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Caramel, Butterscotch, Pastry, Heather-Honey, Banana Ice Cream, Orange, Wax, Floral Perfume, Wet Stones, Wet Leaves, Nutmeg and Tobacco.

Finish:

Middle-Long and Bitter-Sweet. A few Sour & Herbal notes for balance. Medium-Dry in the end. The Alcohol and cask are a bit more noticeable but it all stays within reason. I would say this Clynelish was bottled at the right moment. I find Sweet Malted Barley, Salted Toffee, Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Nectarine, Grapefruit, Lemons & Mandarins, Apples and Pears, Pineapple, Banana Ice Cream, Milk Chocolate, Wax, Fresh Herbs like Coriander, Sugared Almonds, Wet Stones, Pepper, Clove, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Ginger, Mint, Iron, Grass, Straw and Licorice.

Drinking Advice:

I added a bit of Water and although that didn't make a lot of difference on the Nose, it really benefited Palate and Finish. The Flavors develop and are enhanced and the Palate becomes quite Creamy. I liked it both ways but I would suggest to add a few drops to this Clynelish.

Rating: 86

Nose: 22 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21.5

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion:

The distillery was founded in 1819 by the 1st Duke of Sunderland in the small town of Brora. It is owned by Diageo and the spirit is an important ingredient of various JW Blends. It produces around 4,8 million litres of Alcohol per year. Its sister-distillery Brora lies next to Clynelish and has been reopened this year after having been closed in 1983. A new Clynelish Visitor Centre is probably ready by now as well. The pictures were shot during our visit to Clynelish/Brora in May 2019.

I really enjoyed this Clynelish from Nose to Finish. It's not a work of art but a very consistent and well-made Highland Malt from Nose to Finish. A very pleasant mix of Sweet, Sour and Salty notes with plenty of Citrus and Orchard Fruit, Fresh Herbs, Floral Perfume and Spices. The Alcohol is there but I would not give it 50% at a Blind Tasting. Well done Clynelish and Hunter Laing. A good marriage between cask and spirit.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                    September 1, 2021

Highland Park The Light

”I Saw The Light (I Think!)”

Whisky Review # 912

Country: Scotland
Region: Highlands - Islands - Orkney

Brand: Highland Park The Light

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky - Limited Edition - 28.000 bottles
Age: 17 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 52.9%
Maturation: Refill Ex-Bourbon Casks
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 190-260 (April 2021)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎Way too expensive for what it offers.
Buying Advice: 😐I'm too confused to give a buying advice.

Colour:

Light Gold (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Be sure to give this Highland Park a little time in the glass before Nosing and take care not to stick your Nose in the middle of your glass as there is some Alcohol to be found there. I also get a bit of this "West-European" New Oak Varnish and that is strange as The Light matured in Refill Ex-Bourbon casks. And not the most active ones by the way. The Nose is slightly on the Thin side and I'm starting to wonder if the sample I bought really contains The Light. There's hardly any Smoke around as well. My supplier is very reliable (Whiskysite Netherlands) and I must assume I got the correct sample though. Perhaps I'm confused by the fact that Highland Park usually uses Sherried Wood for maturation. In any case I wouldn't give it 17 Years!

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Grass and Straw, Pears and Green Apples, Dried and Fresh Herbs, (New) Oak, Sour Fruit (Gooseberries, Plums, Grapefruit, Lemon), Cinnamon and Mint.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Heather Honey, Yeast, Campfire Smoke, Earth, Wet Rocks, Seville Orange, Floral Soap, Nectarine, Mango and Ginger.

Palate:

On the Palate, The Light shows a bit of character with a mix of Sweet, Sour & Bitter notes. Again, it doesn't feel at all as a fully matured 17 Year-old Single Malt. I'm Going Slightly Mad as Freddie Mercury used to sing. Am I drinking too much Whisky or what! Well it is what it is or at least I hope it is. The Alcohol is quite strong.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Sour Fruit like Gooseberries, Lemon, Green Apple, Grapefruit and Lemon, Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Cloves and Mint.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Heather-Honey, Buttered Toast, Banana, Dusty Track, Toasted Nuts, Dry Earth, Campfire Smoke, Leather, Soot, Licorice, Dried & Fresh Herbs, Pear and Nectarine.

Finish:

Middle-Long, Sweet, Spicy and slightly Hot. The Alcohol is certainly present. Some Sour notes as well and a light Bitterness towards the Medium-Dry end. I find Toasted & Malted Barley, Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Resin, Toasted Nuts, Lemon, Seville Orange, Grapefruit, Gooseberries, Burnt Heather, Dusty Track, Candle Wax, Campfire Smoke, Peat, Green Apple, Oak, Fresh and Dried Herbs, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Cloves, Ginger, Menthol and Soot.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water does not improve The Light.

Rating: 83

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

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good

Conclusion:

The distillery was founded in 1798 by David Robertson. It is located in the small town of Kirkwall on the isle of Orkney. Orkney is still quite strongly influenced by its Viking past & the distillery has increasingly used this past as a rather successful marketing tool. Highland Park currently produces around 2.5 million litres of Alcohol & is owned since 1997 by the Edrington Group. The core range basically consists of the 10 (Viking Scars), the 12 (Viking Honour), the 18 (Viking Pride), the 21, 25, 30 and 40 years, Dragon Legend and Viking Pride.

We visited Highland Park in May 2019 and I thoroughly enjoyed the visit despite the terrible weather. Orkney is a special place and I understand the tradition and the bond with the Viking ancestors. It's such a pity that the distillery regularly distorts this picture with mediocre, expensive "Cult" Single Malts based on that theme.

The Light, representing Spring & Summer was launched in 2017 together with The Dark, representing Autumn and Winter. The latter matured in Ex-Sherry Wood.

I can't remember having ever been so confused when tasting a Single Malt for Best Shot. Usually I know what to expect more or less based on experience. But not in this case. For the very first time I really doubted the contents of my little sample bottle. Is this really a 17 Year-old Single Malt Highland Park? If so I'm disappointed. The principal reason is the lack of quality of the refill casks that didn't give a lot of additional character to the Spirit. The low level of Peat/Smoke and the ever present Alcohol did not help as well. It didn't feel like a 17 Year old Malt. It's the first time I review a HP that matured in Refill Ex-Bourbon casks so that might be the problem as well. I simply did not get what I expected. In any case I must assume that the sample indeed contained The Light and that being so this Single Malt simply does not work for me. I didn't see The Light at the end of the tunnel!

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                            April 28,2021

All pictures were taken during our visit in May 2019

Mortlach 1995 (A.D. Rattray) Review

“Like a Rolling Stone”

Whisky Review # 619

Country: Scotland

Region: Speyside

Brand: Mortlach 1995 (A.D. Rattray Cask Collection)

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Whisky

Age: 17 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 58.4%

Maturation: Bourbon Hogshead

Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 80-100 (June 2017) 

Buying Advice: 😀  Positive. Interesting Malt with reasonable P/Q ratio.

Colour: Golden (Natural Colour)

Nose: 
Crisp and Fruity with Mineral, Grassy, Waxy and Spicy notes as well. The Alcohol is quite noticeable but that's no big surprise given the ABV of close to 60%. I find Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Toffee, Vanilla, Grass, Straw, Earth, Dried Fruit like Raisins and Apricots, Orange Marmalade, Tinned Pineapple, Saw Dust, Wet Stone, Heather-Honey, Bee-Wax, Sugared Almonds, Stewed Apple, Dusty Road, Leather, Milk Chocolate, Sweet Licorice, Ginger, Pepper and a sprinkle of Fresh Mint. Perhaps the faintest hint of a piece of Bacon on a distant BBQ. Be sure to give this Mortlach enough time in the glass in order to reveal its Aromas.

Palate: 
Very strong delivery thanks to the high ABV. Mainly Sweet but with a few Bitter, Sour, Oaky, Earthy and Spicy notes for balance. I find Sweet Barley, Butterscotch, Caramel, Marzipan, Dried Fruit, Milk- and White Chocolate, Vanilla, Stewed Apples, Almonds, Dirty Road, Salt, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, light Licorice, Orange Marmalade, Grapefruit, Sour Grapes or Grappa and hints of Leather and Raspberry.

Finish:
Middle-Long, warming and Spicy. Sweet at first but quite Dry in the end with a slight Woody Bitterness. I find Toasted Barley, Sticky Toffee, Caramel, Stewed Apples, Marzipan/Almonds, Honey, Milk Chocolate, Toasted Oak, Grapefruit, Salted Almonds, Orange Marmalade, Lemon Zest, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon and hints of Leather and Raspberry Jam. The Alcohol remains strong until the end.  

Drinking Advice: 

I added 3 drops of Water and that helps to calm down the Alcohol on the Nose. The Aromas remain the same but they become more accessible. The same goes for the Palate. Perhaps some additional Floral notes here. The Finish becomes shorter, more Mineral and with a Metallic note I could live without. Still, this Mortlach deserves a few drops of Water!

Rating: 85

Nose: 22 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21

General Remarks:

🏣   The Distillery, The Bottler and Today's Whisky:

The distillery was founded in 1823 by James Findlater. It changed hands various times before being bought by John Walker & Sons in 1923. The latter was purchased by Distillers Company Ltd that later became part of Diageo. Mortlach is located close to the centre of Dufftown. Most of the Spirit is used for the Johnnie Walker Blends but since 2014 the Malt core range was introduced that consists of the NAS Rare Old, the Duty Free version called Special Strength, the 18 Years and the 25 Years.

A.D. Rattray was founded in 1868 by Andrew Dewar Rattray. It suffered during the crisis of the early 1900's. It changed hands various times before returning to the family. Current owner is Tim Morrison, a fourth generation descendant of the founder who used to work for Morrison Bowmore Distillers. He launched the Cask Selection series in 2004.

The Spirit for today's Single Cask Whisky was distilled on the 19th of June 1995 and was bottled at Cask Strength on January 21, 2013.

🍷  The Spirit:

Mortlach is equipped with six stills of various sizes. Unlike in most distilleries, these stills operate separately, rather than in pairs. Cooling of the vapours takes place with worm tubs. The Lyne arms are pointed downwards to create a full and meaty Spirit, quite different from your usual Speyside profile. The water for the Whisky is sourced in the Conval Hills.

🌲  The Wood:

This Mortlach matured for 17 Years in a Bourbon Hogshead with Cask # 3426. Only 264 bottles were drawn from the cask.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion:

Quite different when compared to your average Speyside Single Malt. If Speyside is Flower Power, this Mortlach is Dylan's Like a Rolling Stone. It's Edgy, almost Dirty sometimes and the high ABV seems to be spot on for this Malt. I would not recommend this Mortlach to beginning Whisky drinkers but for advanced Whisky fans this is a nice Malt to discuss on a Tasting session with some friends! It's not perfect and it's a bit untidy in places but it's certainly interesting and that's exactly what seems to be missing with lots of today's mainstream modern-cut Single Malts. I like it!

Jan van den Ende                                                                      June 21, 2017

BenRiach Septendecim Review

“Ben Islay”

Country: Scotland 

Region: Speyside

Brand: BenRiach Septendecim (Peated) 

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 17 Years

ABV: 46% 

Colour: Light Gold/White Wine (Natural Colour)

Nose: Earthy Peat, Cold Smoke, Tar, Ashes, Leather, light Rubber, Cured Meat, Wet Paper, Soy Sauce, Dusty Shelves, Vanilla Flavoured Tobacco, Dried Herbs, Charred Oak, Cereals, Hay, Wax, Toffee, Red Apple, Nectarine, Grapefruit Juice, Sugared Tea, Lemon-Grass, Menthol, Nutmeg and Cinnamon. The Alcohol is reasonably well-integrated. The Nose is quite similar to Islay Malts. It's not bad but the Peat and Smoke are a bit dominant. I would have liked some more Fruit for balance. 

Palate: Peaty, Bitter-Sweet and Spicy with Dirty Peat, Cold Smoke, Leather, Tar, Soot, Ashes, Burnt Straw, Wet Newspaper, Toffee, Vanilla, Marzipan, Cinnamon, Chili Pepper, Nutmeg, Lemon-Grass, Barley, Charred Oak, Rubber, Red Apple and Mint. Slightly Sour towards the end. I miss a bit of Balance here as well.

Finish: Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet, Herbal and Dry with Earthy Peat, Malt, Cold Smoke, Cigar Ashes, Soot, light Rubber, Charred Oak, Smoked Meat, Wax, 
Sour Apples, Lemon, Salted Butter, Toast, Dried Herbs, Sugared Tea, Menthol, Pepper, Nutmeg, Ginger and Cinnamon.

The BenRiach Septendecim does not improve with added Water.

Rating: 83

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

General Remarks: The BenRiach distillery is located in the heart of Speyside between Elgin and Rothes. It was founded around 1898 by John Duff, the owner of the nearby Longmorn distillery. Today it's one of the few distilleries with its own Malting Floors. Since 2004, it is independently owned by BenRiach Distillery Company. A lot of their production goes into the Chivas Regal Blends. The Septendecim (Latin for Seventeen) was launched in early 2012 and became a regular peated distillery expression. It matures in Refill Ex-Bourbon Casks and is not Chill-Filtered. It sells at an average 65 US Dollars (November 2015).

Drinking Experience Neat: Good 

Conclusion: This is a perfect imitation of an average peated Islay Malt. It's a bit of a One-Trick Pony as the Peat, Smoke and affiliated Aromas and Flavours are in complete control. I would have liked to find more Fruit for balance. I also find it a bit Flat on the Palate. And I'm not too fond of the Rubber notes I found. Nowadays a lot of distilleries outside Islay are producing peated Malts. I have nothing against that as long as it adds something to the original distillery character. I don't think that's the case here. This smells and taste like an Islay whisky produced by BenRiach. So why would you consider buying this if you are an Islay fan? Because it's an acceptable peaty alternative, that is reasonably priced for a 17 years old Single Malt.   

Jan van den Ende                                                             November 12, 2015

Glen Grant 1995 (The Maltman) Review

“Malty, the Maltman”

Country: Scotland 

Region: Speyside 

Brand: Glen Grant 1995 (The Maltman)

Bottled by: Meadowside Blending Co. Ltd, Glasgow
Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 17 Years

ABV: 46 % 

Colour:  Light Gold (Natural Colour)

Nose: Sweet, Malty, Floral and Fruity. The Alcohol is noticeable and you need to find your way around it. But when you succeed in doing so you will find a basket full of Fresh Fruit that contains Apples, Pears, Pineapples, Peaches, Nectarines and Bananas. I also find Sweet Barley, Oak and Resin, Wax, Custard Pudding, light Bourbon, light Honey, Grass, Lemon Zest, lightly Buttered Toast and light Wood Spices. Despite all these Aromas, it's not a very Complex Nose. Malt and Fruit are the main drivers. It's a pity that the Alcohol is not fully integrated.

Palate: Good- and Creamy Delivery. Here, the ABV works fine. Sweet at first but Oak and Spice quickly appear on stage. It's less Fruity than the Nose suggests. I find Sweet Barley, Charred Oak, Grass, Citrus (Mainly Orange), Apple, Melon, Vanilla, Bitter Chocolate, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Ginger, light Licorice and a hint of Espresso. 

Finish: Middle-Long, Woody, Spicy and Sweet with a very light Bitterness in the end. I find Sugar, Marzipan, Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Lemon, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, light Licorice, Charred Oak and hints of Aniseed and After Eight.

I added a bit of Water and on the Nose you get More Malt and some Floral Perfume. On the Palate the Malt and Spices become even more dominant and the Finish gets rather Short. It's nice to add a bit of Water before Nosing but you better sip it Neat.

Rating: 83 

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

General Remarks: 

Glen Grant is the only Scottish Distillery that was named after its founders/ owners John and James Grant. The Distillery is located just off the A 941 in Rothes, Morayshire, around 10 miles South of Elgin. It was founded by the Grant Brothers in 1840 and since 2006 it belongs to the Italian Campari Group. Glen Grant is mostly known as a Single Malt, especially in Italy but it's also a part of the Chivas Regal - and Old Smuggler Braemar Blends.

The Malt I'm tasting today was distilled in September 1995. It matured in an Ex-Bourbon Cask (# 97266) and was bottled in February 2013 by Independent Bottler Meadowside Blending Co. Ltd, Glasgow in their The Maltman Single Cask Series. Meadowside was founded in 2011 by Donald Hart and his son Andrew. This Glen Grant was not Chill-Filtered. Only 276 bottles went to the market. At the moment the average price lies around 90 US Dollars (November 2015).

Drinking Experience Neat: Good. 

Conclusion: It's surely a coincidence that this Glen Grant was released as part of Maidenhead's The Maltman series. Because it is a very Malt driven Whisky. On the Nose, the Barley is accompanied by lots of Fruit and that gives a very nice combination. Unfortunately, the Alcohol is a little too present in my opinion. The same Alcohol however guarantees a good Delivery. The lack of sufficient Fruit on the Palate allow Oak and Spices to dominate. I would have liked to see more balance there. The Finish is okay but simply does not provoke excitement. All in all this Glen Grant is a somewhat uneventful Speysider. Not bad but not great either.

Jan van den Ende                                                               November 5, 2015

Tasting Session at Glen Grant (May 2014)