Islay Mist Review

“I Mist Islay in this Blend”

Country: Scotland 

Brand: Islay Mist Deluxe

Bottler: MacDuff International Ltd, Glasgow

Type: Blended Scotch Whisky

Age: NAS

ABV: 40 %

Colour: Pale Gold

Nose: The name Islay Mist suggests some serious Peat and Smoke but that's not the case. There's a bit of Earth, Iodine, Brine and Campfire Smoke present but it's pushed into the background by Fruity New Make Spirit, Grapefruit, Grain
Alcohol, Dried Herbs, Toast and Removal Boxes. It's quite Thin actually. After a while I find some light Vanilla, light Honey, Floral Soap, Malt and White Sugar. When you smell the empty glass after an hour or so the Peat and Smoke are more noticeable. 

Palate: Young, Unfinished, Thin and Sugary Sweet with Floral Soap, Grain Alcohol, Citrus, light Honey, light Smoke, Wet Clay, Dried Herbs, Pepper, Menthol and Refill Oak. 

Finish: Middle-Long and Sugary Sweet with Grain Alcohol, light Smoke, Ashes, Mandarin, light Licorice, Dried Herbs, Pepper and Salt.

The Islay Mist does not accept added Water very well. It's already Thin as it is.

Rating: 76

Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 18.5 - Finish: 18 - Overall: 19 

General Remarks: Islay Mist is an Islay led Blended Whisky that also contains Whiskies from the Mainland. It was first launched in 1922 to celebrate the 21st Birthday party of one Lord Margadale. Apparently it's a Blend with Laphroaig at the heart, accompanied by some Speyside Malts (including The Glenlivet) and some Grain Whiskies. There are various expressions available in the market. Next to the NAS I'm reviewing today you can find the 12 Years, the 17 Years, the Peated Deluxe and the Peated Reserve. The NAS Deluxe is sold at a price that varies between 25 and 40 US Dollars (February 2015).

Drinking Experience Neat: Disappointing and Below Average.  

Conclusion: Islay Mist is too strong a name for this Foggy Highlander. It's very tough to detect Laphroaig as the driving force of this Blend. It tastes and smells more like Grain Whisky blended with some young indifferent Highland Malt and a little Islay. On the Nose it's not too bad although the Islay component is not at all prominent. There's a bit more Smoke and Earth on the Palate and in the Finish but all in all Palate and Finish are too Thin, Young, Herbal and Edgy to impress. It somehow tastes like an unfinished Spirit. I will try to get some of the older expressions but this NAS Islay Mist does not work for me.

Jan van den Ende                                                           February 18, 2015

Johnnie Walker The Adventurer Review

“(You’re the) Red Label in Disguise”

Country: Scotland

Brand: Johnnie Walker The Adventurer (Explorer's Club Collection)

Type: Blended Scotch Whisky

Age: NAS

ABV: 40%

Colour: Dark Gold

Nose: Young and Edgy with Grain Alcohol, Nut Shells, Brown Sugar, Salt, Oak, Heather, Malt, Green Apple, Dried Fruit, light Vanilla, Caramel and light Peat Smoke. It reminds me of JW Red although the Adventurer is slightly less Edgy.

Taste: Thin and Watery but again not quite as rough as JW Red. The Peat Smoke is more present here. I also find Grain Alcohol, Salted Nuts, Sugared Breakfast Cereals, Oak, Orange Zest, Toffee, Caramel, Resin, light Licorice and Pepper. 

Finish: Short and Edgy with Grain Alcohol, Sugared Breakfast Cereals, Toffee, Caramel, light Peat Smoke, slightly Bitter Orange Zest, Oak, Salted Almonds, Pepper, Cinnamon and Menthol. 

The Adventurer does not accept added Water. If you like, add a little Ice.

Rating: 77

Nose: 20 – Taste: 19 – Finish: 19 – Overall: 19

General Remarks: The Johnnie Walker Brand is owned since 1997 by the Diageo Group. The Explorer's Club Collection is exclusively sold via Travel Retail and was introduced during 2012 and 2013 to honour the Johnnie Walker Whisky Traders who have always travelled the whole wide world in search of new adventures, experiences, flavours and aromas. The Trade Routes series include The Spice Road, The Gold Route and The Royal Route. Diageo's Master Blenders have tried to create Blends that reflect those voyages, stories and regions. It is likely that The Adventurer was the first of a new series within The Explorer's Club Collection. However a law suite was launched by the existing real life Explorer's Club that included such legendary names as Buzz Aldrin and Sir Ernest Shackleton. The Club funds scientific Research and Education and did not want their name used for commercial purposes without their permission. A judge ruled in favour of the Club in August 2014 which forged Diageo to rethink their strategy with regards to the Explorer's Club Collection. As a result, the Adventurer has become almost a rarity and a collectors item despite its humble ambitions. If you can find it in Travel Retail shops somewhere it would most likely cost you between 25 and 40 US Dollars.

Drinking Experience Neat: Below Average

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Okay

Conclusion: I wonder why Diageo launched this new JW Expression, be it that it might need to be continued under a different name on account of the law suite. That's probably just as good as the Adventurer does not bring any Adventure whatsoever. It's just a plain Vanilla (or better, plain Caramel) Blended Scotch Whisky that has nothing exciting to offer. It's a slightly refined version of the JW Red at a higher price in my opinion. And that would be in line with the company policy of the last years whereby good Blends like the original Black, Gold and Green are replaced by Double Black, Gold Reserve, Platinum and the Explorer's Club expressions. These new Blends are carefully promoted and packaging and design are really great and aimed at a (mostly) younger public. But in my opinion all this can't hide the fact that these new Blends do not have the same quality as the original expressions and they are marketed at much higher price levels. With enough commercial margins to, at least, increase the ABV to 43% and cut back on the Caramel colouring. And perhaps stop the Chill-Filtering of the most expensive expressions. That way at least the consumer would get something in return as well. The way it is I won't spend my money on Blends like The Adventurer. Or whatever it's name will be in the future! 

Jan van den Ende                                                             February 1, 2015

Catto's 12 Years Deluxe Review

“Catto’s 12 Years beaten by its Younger Brother NAS in the Price Vs Quality Ratio“  

Country: Scotland 

Brand: Catto's Deluxe 

Produced by: James Catto & Co Ltd, Airdrie

Type: Blended Scotch Whisky 

Age: 12 Years

ABV: 40 %

Colour: Straw

Nose: Sweet and less aggressive when compared to the NAS. The probable higher Malt content and the longer maturation did their job. I find Citrus Fruit, Peach, Pineapple, Fresh Herbs like Parsley, Malt, Breakfast Cereals, Buttered Toast, Wax, light Wood, Coconut Shells, Toffee and light Vanilla. The Alcohol is hardly noticeable.

Palate: Light and Sweet Delivery with Sugared Breakfast Cereals, Nut Shells, Refill Oak, Straw, Grass, light Honey, light Vanilla, Lemon Zest and Wood Spices. This is quite a deception after the promising Nose.

Finish: Middle-Long and Sugary Sweet with Fruit Candies, Breakfast Cereals, light Vanilla, Toffee, Butter Biscuits, light Oak and a sprinkle of Pepper & Salt. 

Catto's 12 Years does not benefit from added Water. 

Rating: 79.5

Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 19.5 - Finish: 19.5 - Overall: 20

Picture Credit: Catto's

General Remarks: The Brand can be traced back to 1861 when James Catto started blending Highland Malt - and Lowland Grain Whiskies in Aberdeen. It's still around and is nicknamed "The Artisan Blend". Today the Blend is created by Catto's Master Blender Stuart Harvey. The 12 Years is a Mature Version of the NAS Rare Old Blend and contains Malt - and Grain Whiskies from the Highlands, Speyside and the Lowlands that matured at least for 12 Years before being married. As we know, the heart of the NAS Rare Old Blend is formed by Single Malt Whisky from Balblair, Balmenach, Knockdhu, Pulteney & Speyburn. In all, the NAS Blend is said to contain 18 Single Malt - and 3 Grain Whiskies. Catto also produces a 25 Years. The 12 Years is sold at around 32 US Dollars. In the year 1990, Inver House Distillers bought the Brand Name but were not given the Recipe. 

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay

Conclusion: Catto's 12 Years Blended Scotch is not an expensive Whisky. But it's twice the price of the NAS Rare & Old Blend. Therefore I had expected more of it. It's starts off well enough with a Nose that is slightly better than the NAS. Quite Fruity, lots of Cereals and a nicely restrained Alcohol. But on the Palate and in the Finish it's Light, Thin and Sugary Sweet and simply misses Flavour. At this price level you will certainly find weaker whiskies than Catto's 12 Years. But I don't find sufficient Flavours and Aromas that would warrant Catto's 12 years a permanent place in my whisky cabinet. In fact, the NAS has a better Price Quality ratio. And that comes as a bit of a surprise!

Jan van den Ende                                                             January 27, 2015