Showing posts with label Cardhu 18. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cardhu 18. Show all posts

Speyburn Bradan Orach Review - Cardhu 18 Years Review - Allt-A-Bhainne 1995 (Chapter 7 Cask 166300) Review - Longmorn 1991 (Carn Mor Cask 54953) Review


“Speyside Special # 3”

Introduction:

Most of you know that I mainly use samples and miniatures when preparing my Reviews. I usually buy these in Holland and sometimes in Germany or the UK. Sometimes I receive samples from friends or readers or independent bottlers. In only two cases I received a few samples directly from distilleries. When planning my reviews for the coming months I always try to give attention to all Scottish Whisky regions as well as other Whisky/Whiskey/Bourbon producing regions all over the world with special attention to the USA, Ireland and Japan. And last but not least the blends. At the request of many readers I give preference to more recent expressions. As a result, my backlog of older samples has increased quite a bit. To do justice to those samples I will review them in the format of Specials. These specials will deal with a specific region like today or with specific bottlers, countries or distilleries. The reviews in these Specials will concentrate on the Whisky and won't touch too much details about distilleries, maturation etc. I do hope you will like these Specials just as much as my regular reviews and I look forward to your reactions and suggestions. In this special I will review four random Speyside Single Malts. Enjoy!
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Whisky Review # 748

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside
Brand: Speyburn Bradan Orach
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS (Probably 5 Years or so)
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: Refill Ex-Bourbon Casks
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 20-30 (July 2018)
Buying Advice: 😞 Negative. Smells and Tastes like a cheap Blend. 

Colour:

Pale Gold (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

Young, Thin, Harsh and Yeasty. It smells like a Bottom Shelf Blend mixed with Lager Beer. Alcohol and Refill Cask are quite present. Not really enjoyable.

Main Aromas:

Sugared Breakfast Cereals, Toast and Margarine, Refill Oak, Straw/Grass, Pine Needles, Nuts and Nut Shells, Dough, Caramel, Sour Berries, Lemon, Cheese, Cooked Potatoes and Green Plums.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toffee, Floral Soap, Grapefruit, Wet Cardboard, Green Apple, Pineapple, Unripe Pear, White Pepper and Mint.

Bradan Orach (Golden Salmon)

Palate:

Thin, Watery, Hot and Sharp. A mixture of Sugary Sweet, Bitter and Sour notes.

Main Flavours:

Sugared Breakfast Cereals, Toast and Margarine, Caramel, Alcohol, Refill Oak, Saw Dust, Nuts and Nut Shells, Pine Needles, Green Apples, Grapefruit, Lemon and Pepper.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Sour Berries, Green Plums, Green Banana, Mint, Aniseed, Dried Herbs and Tea.

Finish:

Middle-Long, Sharp, Edgy, Hot and Watery. A mix of Sugary Sweet and Bitter Refill Oak. I find Sugared Breakfast Cereals, Toast and Margarine, Aspartame, Refill Oak, Green Apple, Grass, Sour White Grapes, Grapefruit, Herbal Tea, Caramel, Nut Shells, Alcohol and Pepper.

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water and the Harshness retreats. Not much else is left though. Palate and Finish practically disappear as well. This is a mixing Alcohol at best!

Rating: 70

Nose: 18 - Taste: 17.5 - Finish: 17 - Overall: 17.5

Drinking Experience:

Below Average. In a Blind Tasting most Whisky fans would probably assume this to be a Bottom Shelf Blend. Given its low price it might be considered as raw material for mixing.

Conclusion:

The Speyburn Distillery is located in Rothes and was founded in 1897 by the Hopkin Family. Today it is owned by Inver House Distillers, part of Thai Beverage PLC. The distillery is quite popular in the USA, mostly because of the low price I suppose. Next to the Bradan Orach, the core range includes a 10 and 25 Years. Most of the production goes into Blends like Inver House.

Bradan Orach is Gaelic for Golden Salmon. The River Spey of course is a great place for Salmon fishing. It's a beautiful name for a very mediocre Single Malt. It really smells and tastes like a cheap Blend. It is indeed not expensive of course. I even saw it on offer for 15-18 US Dollars in some places. So you can't expect Whisky heaven at this price level. But without considering the price, the Bradan Orach is not interesting enough to consider as a sipping Malt.



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Whisky Review # 749

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside
Brand: Cardhu
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 18 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: A mix of mostly Ex-Bourbon casks and some Sherry Wood.
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 70-85 (July 2018)
Buying Advice:😐 Nice for Starters. Boring for advanced Whisky fans.

Colour:

Golden Amber (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

Light, Sweet, Perfumy, Malty and Buttery. The Sherry casks are noticeable but the Sherry influence is limited. It keeps a low profile for an 18 Years old.

Main Aromas:

Malted Barley, Buttered Croissants, Vanilla, Straw/Grass, Floral Perfume, Citrus Peel, Grapefruit, Fresh Pineapple, White Orchard Fruit, White Chocolate, Fresh Herbs (Mint), Freshly Polished Leather Upholstery and Caffe Latte.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Heather-Honey, Gewurztraminer, Brown Sugar, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Apricots and Plums, Almonds, Peanuts, Gooseberry, Nectarine, Cinnamon and Cloves.


Palate:

Light and a little Thin. An 18 Years old deserves an ABV of 46%. Mainly Sweet with a few Sour and Dusty notes. Uneventful.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Barley, Toffee, Vanilla, Dried Fruit like Raisins & Plums, Citrus Peel, Pear, Apple, Dusty Track, Hay/Grass, Milk Chocolate, Cinnamon, Pepper, Tobacco and Leather.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Heather-Honey, Brown Sugar, Musty Oak, Caffe Latte, Fresh Herbs (Mint), Kiwi, Peanuts, Cloves and Cardamom.


Finish:

Middle-Long and a little Thin. Mainly Sweet and Malty. Some Sour and Bitter notes towards the Dry end. I find Malted Barley, Toffee, Vanilla, Brown Sugar, Milk Chocolate, Caffe Latte, Heather-Honey, Orange Peel, Raisins, Apple, Pear, Dusty Road, Oak, Nutella, Menthol, Pepper, Cinnamon and Cardamom.

Drinking Advice:

I added a few drops of Water and you will get more Fruit on the Nose. Peach and Banana. Palate and Finish become too Thin though. Better sip it neat.

Rating: 82.5

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 20.5

Drinking Experience:

Okay/Good. Underwhelming!

Conclusion:

Cardhu means Black Rock. The Distillery is located in Knockando, Morayshire, some eight miles South-West of Aberlour. It was founded in 1824 by John Cumming and was bought in 1893 by John Walker & Sons. Today it belongs to the Diageo Group. Cardhu Single Malt is mostly known as a very important part of the Johnnie Walker Blends but it has always been a very popular Single Malt in Spain. Today, Diageo is looking to reposition the Cardhu Single Malt in other markets  as well. The Distillery possesses a Stainless Steel Full Lauter Mash Tun, 10 Wash Backs and 3 Pairs of Stills. In 2017 their total production amounted to around 3,4 million litres. The core range of the distillery includes the 12, 15 and 18 years and the NAS expressions Amber Rock and Gold Reserve.

The 18 Years was released in 2011. Usually my favourite Whiskies are in the 16-18 Years range but I can't include the Cardhu 18 unfortunately. It's not really bad but it's a very low profile Single Malt considering its age. Of course it should not have been Chill-Filtered and of course it deserves a higher ABV. The way it is presented, the Cardhu 18 years is a very "Middle of the Road" Single Malt with hardly any complexity. It will scare off no one and it's perfectly suitable for the beginning Whisky drinkers. Experienced Whisky drinkers will find it very bland. Perhaps not a coincidence as Cardhu is one of the work horse distilleries for the Johnnie Walker Blends. The Price range is okay when you consider its age, not so good when you consider its Aroma/Flavour profile. I keep thinking that the Cardhu 18 Years could be so much better with a little extra care, good casks and attention for details. Here's a challenge for you Diageo!


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Whisky Review # 750

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside
Brand: Allt-A-Bhainne 1995
Bottled By: Indie Bottler Chapter 7, Switzerland
Type: Single Malt Single Cask Whisky - Cask # 166300 - 264 Bottles
Age: 18 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 59.2% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: Bourbon Hogshead
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: Around US$ 130 (July 2018)
Buying Advice: 😀 Good Whisky. Quite Dry and Woody! Not for starters!

Colour:

Golden Amber (Natural Colour)

Nose:

The high ABV and active Cask are noticeable right away. On the Nose, this Malt is a mix of Bitter, Sweet, Sour, Woody and Dusty notes. Quite Dry as well. Be sure to give it sufficient time in the glass to open up.

Main Aromas:

Toasted Cereals, Butter Kekse (German Butter Biscuits), Grass/Straw, Caramel, Vanilla, Toffee, Hazelnut, Red Apple, Banana, Roasted Pineapple, Dusty Wooden Book Shelves, Orange Peel, Peach Jam, Cinnamon and Cocoa Powder.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Heather-Honey, Dried Fruit like Raisins & Apricots, Dusty Track, Mature Bourbon,   Mandarin, Nectarine, Fresh Herbs, Caffe Latte, Leather, Nutmeg, Cloves, Pepper and Milk Chocolate.


Palate:

Bitter-Sweet, Dry, Woody, Mature and a bit Hot. This Malt is really governed by its cask.

Main Flavours:

Toasted and Malted Cereals, Buttered Toast, Toffee, Caramel, Vanilla, Dusty Oak, Orange Peel, Toasted Almonds, Toasted Pineapple, Straw, Milk Chocolate, Pepper and Cinnamon.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Heather-Honey, Apple, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Apricots and Coconut, Nutmeg, Ginger, Cocoa Powder, Menthol and Licorice.

Finish:

Middle-Long, Bitter Sweet and a little Hot. A few Sour and Herbal notes as well. I find Toasted Cereals, Caramel, Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Straw, Orange Peel, a mix of Nuts (Almonds and Hazelnuts), Toasted Pineapple, Herbal Tea, Grapefruit Juice, Sour Grapes, Apple, Cocoa Powder, Pepper, Cinnamon, Menthol, Ginger and Licorice. Quite Dry in the end.

Drinking Advice:

I added a few drops of Water and that helps of course to tame the Alcohol. I do not think the added Water significantly alters the Aroma/Flavour profile. It's just a bit easier to enjoy this Single Malt this way. I do notice a little Metallic note now that I didn't notice before. Anyway, this Alt-a-Bhainne accepts a little Water so just add a few drops at a time to find the perfect balance for you.

Rating: 86.5 

Nose: 22.5 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21.5 

Drinking Experience:

Good.

Conclusion:

All-a-Bhainne was founded in 1975 by Chivas Brothers, basically as a supplier of Malt for their Blends. It was mothballed between October 2002 and May 2005. A distillery range of Single Malts does not exist so we have to look at Independent Bottlers. It's a large distillery with two pairs of stills that produce over 4 million litres per year.

It's not easy to encounter Allt-a-Bhainne Single Malts. This is my second review of this distillery. I kinda like the Spirit this distillery produces so a lot of what happens after distilling depends on the cask and the time of maturation. In this case I believe that cask 166300 was a very active one. It certainly left its mark on this Single Malt. Personally I think 15 years would have been enough. As it  is, this Allt-a-Bhainne is a well-made Single Malt that will please advanced fans. There's enough to discover despite the fact that the Wood really dominates the procedures. I think this distillery should reconsider its policy a little bit. I believe that a 15 Year old Distillery Bottling that matured in a First Fill Ex-Bourbon cask would be a potential cracker. Another challenge, this time for Pernod Ricard!



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Whisky Review # 751

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside
Brand: Longmorn 1991 - Distilled 30/04/1991
Bottled By: Carn Mor - Celebration of the Cask - Bottled 02/02/2015
Type: Single Malt Single Cask Whisky - Cask 54953 - 191 bottles
Age: 23 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 57.4% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: Bourbon Hogshead
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 175-210 (July 2018)
Buying Advice:😉 It's a Good Malt but very Woody. Too much so for me!

Colour:

Golden Amber (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Full and Mature. It does not seem overly complex. Quite Malty. Be sure to give this Single Malt enough time in the glass. This Longmorn is slow to give away its Aroma treasures. I do get a few off-notes as well. Varnish is the first. The 2nd is a bit more difficult to describe. Iron Dust comes to mind although I don't think I've ever seen let alone smell it. Other than that the Nose is a combination of Sweet, Herbal and Sour notes. The Alcohol is strong.

Main Aromas:

Toasted Barley, Buttered Toast, Apple and Peach filled Pastry, Brown Sugar, Wax, Dusty Track, Dried Herbs, Old Oak, Straw, Lemon Peel, Gooseberry, Grapefruit, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon and Menthol.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Apple-Vinegar, Orange Peel, Papaya Cream with Cassis, Milk-Hazelnut Chocolate, Nutmeg and old Leather.


Palate:

Bitter-Sweet and Strong. Wood and Wood Spices are quite dominant. I believe this Longmorn should have been bottled a few years earlier. I miss a bit of much needed balance here. But that's personal of course.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Cereals, Apple- and Apricot filled Puff Pastry, Vanilla, Old Wood, Straw, Lemon, Seville Orange, Dusty Track, Walnuts, Menthol, Pepper, Nutmeg, Clove, Ginger and Cinnamon.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Heather-Honey, Banana Ice Cream, Caramel, Papaya Cream with Cassis, Rum, Dark Chocolate, Herbal Tea, Cardamom and old Leather.

Finish:

Middle-Long, Strong, Woody and Bitter Sweet. Quite Spicy, Dry and a little Hot  towards the end. I find Butter Kekse (German Butter Biscuits), Toasted Cereals, Vanilla, Walnut, Apple, Seville Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit, Cassis, Herbal Tea, Straw, Mature Bourbon, Earth, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Licorice and old Leather.

Drinking Advice:

I added a few drops of Water and the Spirit relaxes. The off notes on the Nose disappear and the Fruit and Malt take over. Wood and Wood Spice still rule on the Palate and strong Menthol can be found in the Finish. I advise you to add a teaspoon of Water to this Longmorn.

Rating: 85

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

Drinking Experience:

Good. The Wood dominates the Spirit. Too much so for me personally.

Conclusion:

The Longmorn Distillery is located in Longmorn, Elgin and was founded in 1893 by John Duff, George Thomson and Charles Shirres. In 1897 John built the BenRiach Distillery quite close to Longmorn. Duff and Company went broke and ownership changed hands various times. In 1978 the distillery was bought by Chivas Brothers which in turn were acquired by Pernod-Ricard in 2011. Part of the production is used for blends like Chivas Regal, Something Special and the new Queen Anne.

Twenty Three years in an active cask is a long time and it shows! If you are a Malt fan of the Woody Woodpecker type you're gonna love this Longmorn. It's not quite my thing though. Wood and Wood Spices are too dominant, especially on the Palate and in the Finish. A little voice inside my head tells me that 18 years or so would have been quite enough for this Longmorn. I realise of course that this is highly personal. My personal Whisky motto is: The Cask should serve the Spirit. That's not the case here. The cask completely took over. If you like that, this Longmorn is just what you're looking for. If you don't you better spend your Whisky Dollars elsewhere. Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                      July 9, 2018


Some of the Pictures were taken during our visits to these distilleries in May 2014.
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Guest Review # 1 - Cardhu 18 Years


Hello Everybody and Welcome to Best Shot Whisky Reviews!

Today it's a great pleasure to present to you the first Tasting Notes written by one of the regular visitors of the site. Via Facebook he transmitted his Tasting Notes of the Cardhu 18 years. So here we go:

Guest Review # 1 
Cardhu 18 Years
ABV: 40%
Region: Speyside
Written by: Akagi
Lives in: Cologne, Germany.

Colour: Amber

Nose: First impression is of massive Pineapple with clear hints of Oranges, Apples and Pears. Very Fruity and no Alcohol whatsoever!

Palate: Again Pineapple and lots of other Fruits, especially Yellow Fruits.
Only after some time you can smell and taste the Oak and feel the 18 years of maturation.

Finish: Medium-Long, Sweet and Fruity with a little bit of Oak right at the end.

Rating: 88 (out of 100)
Nose: 23 - Taste: 22 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 22

Conclusion: Can't believe the Pineapple is so clear! If this would have been bottled at 46%, it would have been a great whisky. Still, it's mighty good, very well-balanced, and accessibly priced at around 80 US Dollars.

Akagi                                                                                    March 10, 2013

Akagi's Current Selection

Thanks a lot Akagi. Sounds like a very tasty dram indeed! If you would like to write a Guest Review for Best Shot Whisky Reviews, just give it a try and let me know! 
I wish you all a very nice week and see you all back tomorrow for the Tasting Notes on the Macduff 2000 Archives Single Malt.

Saude!

Jan