Flaming Heart 4th Edition Review

“A Potential Cracker”

Country: Scotland 

Brand: Flaming Heart (4th Edition)

Bottler: Compass Box Whisky Co.

Type: Blended Malt Whisky

Age: NAS

ABV: 48.9 %

Colour: Straw/Yellow Gold

Nose: Wet Earth, Slightly Medicinal Peat, Tar, Cold Smoke, Ashes, Shell Fish, Wet Newspaper, Malt, Sugared Breakfast Cereals, Diesel Oil, Lemon, Walnut Shells, Vanilla, Perfumed Soap, light Honey, Caramel, ripe Banana, Pineapple, Sweet Cherries, Straw, Charred Oak, Menthol, Pepper, Salt and Nutmeg. It's a well-balanced Sweet & Peat combo but it lacks intensity. It's rather Light and there's a Young feel to the Spirit. The Alcohol is reasonably well integrated.  

Palate: More Citrus than on the Nose, especially Lemon and Grapefruit. I also find Sweet Peat, Cold Smoke, Brine, Ashes, Charred Oak, Salted Butter, Shell Fish, Apple, Vanilla, Green Olives, Espresso Coffee, Medicinal notes, Sugared Cereals, Nut Shells, Straw, Pepper and Nutmeg. The Alcohol is noticeable here as it is in the Finish.  

Finish: Quite Long and Salty with Lemon, Cherry, Licorice, Sugared Tea, Wet Clay, Cold Smoke, Ashes, Shell Fish, Charred Oak, Menthol, Pepper and Green Olives.  

I added a bit of Water and on the Nose the impression of a Young Spirit with a high ABV increases. I find some Meaty notes as well as a bit of Tropical Fruit. I don't think added Water improves the Palate and I get too much Sugared Tea in the Finish. But the Flaming Heart gives you some space to experiment with a couple of drops at the time.

Rating: 85

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

General Remarks: This is the 4th Edition of the Flaming Heart Expression by Compass Box. It was released and bottled in August 2012. Only 9147 bottles were made available. Like all whiskies released by Compass Box it's Naturally Coloured and Non Chill-Filtered. The Single Malts used to compose this Blend mainly matured in refill Ex-Bourbon Casks and New Heavily Toasted French Oak Casks. For the first time Compass also included some Ex-Sherry Casks in the composition. The 4th Edition consists of roughly 2/3 Clynelish, 1/3 Laphroaig as well as a bit of Malt from Speyside and the Islands. It is sold at around 110 US Dollars on average. (April 2015). 

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: This is my first Flaming Heart so I can't compare this 4th Edition to its predecessors. Let me start by saying that this is a solid Blended Malt that offers a nice combination of Sweet Highland and Peated Islay. It's quite well balanced. The ABV is a tad too high in my opinion and it seems to cover up the relative youth of the Malts used in this Blend. The Heavily Charred New French Oak tends to do the same. In the end I miss the Intensity and Depth that would come with a longer more natural cask maturation. Just imagine this blend if it would be bottled at around 15 Years. I think it would be a complete cracker! As it is, it' still good but considering its relative youth it's quite expensive at over a 100 US Dollars per bottle. 

Jan van den Ende                                                                    April 16, 2015

Poit Dhubh 8 Years Review

“Forgettable”

Country: Scotland 

Brand: Poit Dhubh

Bottler: Praban Na Linne Ltd. 

Type: Blended Malt Whisky

Age: 8 Years

ABV: 43 %

Colour: Dark Amber

Nose: The influence of some Ex-Sherry casks is noticeable. I also find the same Cabbage note that I encountered in the 12 Years and in Island Malts like Arran and Jura. I used to think it was Sulphur but I have come to believe it is part of the Island Peat Aroma structure. Over time and with sufficient air contact, this Cabbage note becomes weaker. I also find Dried Fruit, slightly burnt Toast, Oak, Nut Shells, Sweet Malt, Vanilla, Brown Sugar, Toffee, Citrus, Leather, Honey, a sprinkle of Salt and some Talisker Pepper. The Alcohol is not fully integrated.

Palate: Sweet and slightly Thin Delivery with Toffee, Caramel, Wet Earth, light Smoke, light Sherry, light Honey, slightly Bitter Oak, Licorice, Orange, Menthol, Nuts, Cocoa, Salt and Pepper. 

Finish: Short and Bitter-Sweet with Cocoa, Toffee, Earth, light Smoke, Licorice, Medicinal tones, Citrus, Pepper, Salt, Oak, Toast, Menthol and Floral Perfume.

I added a bit of Water and the Nose gets a little extra Honey, Citrus and Floral tones. Palate and Finish however become too weak. 

Rating: 80.5

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

General Remarks: Poit Dhubh (Gaelic for Black Pot or Illicit Still) is Blended Malt Whisky, partly matured in Ex-Sherry Casks. It was released in 1984 and is Non Chill-Filtered since 1992. It costs around 45 US Dollars. It is bottled by Praban Na Linne Ltd, located on the Isle of Skye (Hebrides) and founded in 1976 by Sir Iain Noble. It's still a family-owned company. There are also 12 - and 21 year old expressions of the Poit Dhubh. The 8 Years is not Chill-Filtered and sells at around 45 US Dollars (April 2005).

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good

Conclusion: Easily the less impressive of the Poit Dhubh expressions. I suspect a higher percentage of Speyside Malts, matured in second or third refill casks. The Talisker influence is less noticeable when compared to the 12 - and 21 Years. As the price difference between the 8 and 12 years is not very significant, I advise you to stick with the 12 years. More value for money!

Jan van den Ende                                                                     March 6, 2015

Photo credit: Whisky Journal DE

Silver Grouse 12 Years Review

Country: Scotland

Brand: The Silver Grouse

Type: Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 12 Years

ABV: 45%

Colour: Golden Amber with Orange tones. Caramel was added.

Nose: First of all I advise you to give the Silver Grouse sufficient time in the glass. It's a while ago that I smelled a Whisky and could not identify one of the main Aromas but it's clearly the case here. I even have difficulties in describing it. Well, let's start with what I do get. Sherry and a hint of Sulphur, Sweet Red Fruit, Sour Apples, Dried Apricot, Honey, Barley, Milka Milk Chocolate, Toffee, Walnuts, Oak, Buttered Toast, light Vanilla and hints of Aniseed, Cinnamon, Espresso and Salt. Mainly Ex-Bourbon Refill but some Ex-Sherry Casks as well I think. The Alcohol is not fully integrated. The Silver Grouse has a very dark colour and I wonder if it's the added Caramel that I smell. Or maybe the Phosphor. Despite this small issue I find the Nose sufficiently interesting for a Blended Whisky. For sure Macallan is one of the vatted Single Malts here. 

Taste: Quite Sweet but slightly Sour at the same time with Sherry, light Sulphur, Cocoa Powder, Barley, Toffee, light Vanilla, Oak, Dried Fruits like Raisins and Apricot, light Chocolate and Spices like Pepper and Nutmeg.  

Finish: Middle Long and a bit like Rum or Bourbon with Oak, Vanilla, Cinnamon, light Sherry, Pepper, Nutmeg, Dried Fruits and light Menthol. 

I added a few drops of Water and you get more Barley, Fruit (Peach), Vanilla and Honey on the Nose. Palate and Finish do not show material differences with the exception of some more Pepper in the Finish. You should try to nose both with - and without Water. But better sip it neat!

Rating: 83.5 

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 21

Macallan Distillery

General Remarks: The Silver Grouse 12 Years Vatted Blend was created to celebrate the fact that The Famous Grouse was Scotland's best selling Blended Scotch for 25 Years. Caramel was added for colour and the Blend was Chill-Filtered at -8 Degrees Celsius. It is said to contain some Macallan, Highland Park and Glenrothes. The average price is 40 US Dollars. I bought a sample at Whiskysite in Rotterdam. I never saw it in any shop though, neither in Brazil nor abroad.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: This was certainly an interesting Blend to smell. Except for the UWA (Unidentified Whisky Aroma) I liked the Nose. Lots of Aromas to discover. Good combination of Sweet and Sour. With Water the Nose becomes Sweeter and you will find a nice Peach Note. The Palate and Finish are not quite that interesting and a bit too Sweet perhaps but certainly good enough for a Blend in this Price Range. If you can find it for around 40 US Dollars you should certainly get it. If all 40 US Dollar Blends would smell like the Silver Grouse 12 years, the Whisky World would be a better place!

Jan van den Ende                                                            February 5, 2014

Monkey Shoulder Review

Country: Scotland 

Region: Highland - Speyside

Brand: Monkey Shoulder

Type: Blended Malt Whisky

Age:  NAS

ABV:  40 %

Colour: Golden

Nose: Nothing special but not unpleasant with Malt, Toast, Orange Marmalade, Oak, Dried Fruit, Plums, Apples, Nectarine, Honey, Vanilla, Grass/Straw, light Butterscotch, Bread Dough, Brown Sugar and light Aniseed. Some Floral Tones as well.

Palate: A bit on the Thin Side with Malt, Toast, Butterscotch, slightly Bitter Oak, Toffee, Lemon, Brown Sugar, Plums, Strawberries, Pepper, Cloves, Olive Oil and Honey.

Finish: Short with Malt, Pepper, Cloves, Nutmeg, light Licorice, Honey, Vanilla and Oak.

The Monkey Shoulder does not accept added Water very well. It becomes too thin really.

Rating: 79

Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 19.5 - Finish: 19.5 - Overall: 19.5

The Balvenie Distillery

General Remarks: Monkey Shoulder is the popular name for a painful but temporary injury that Malt Men suffered on the Malting Floor while turning the Malted Barley with a shovel repetitively. It's also the name of this mix of three Single Malts owned by William Grant & Sons Ltd. They are the Glenfiddich, the Balvenie and Kininvie. The Blend (Batch 27) was distilled and matured in Dufftown by W.Grant. The three Single Malts mature in First Fill Ex-Bourbon Casks before being blended in small batches of 27 casks only. The Monkey Shoulder is certainly affordable at around - or slightly below 40 US Dollars.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Good

Conclusion: It's not a bad blend although it tastes rather young and somewhat unfinished. And while the Nose is not unpleasant, I find Monkey Shoulder too Thin on the Palate and not interesting enough to sip neat.  It's okay on the Rocks or in Cocktails. I prefer The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 over this any time.

I tasted this Blend again on December 28, 2015. I have made some small changes in the Tasting Notes but the final Rating remains unchanged. The Nose is okay but Palate and Finish are not really interesting. A Good Blend to drink on the Rocks! 

Jan van den Ende                                   May 6, 2013 and December 28, 2015