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 I always try to give attention to all Scottish Whisky regions as well as most of the 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 review specific distilleries or take a look at specific bottlers, countries, regions or Blends. The reviews in these Specials will concentrate more on the Whisky and won't go into 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 today's Distillery-Special I will review a mixed bag of three Islay/Jura Single Malts.
=================================================
=================================================
Whisky Review # 726
Country: Scotland
Region: Highlands - Islands - Jura
Brand: Jura Elixir
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 12 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Price Range: US$ 50-60 (May 2018).
Buying Advice: 😐 Price/Quality Ratio is okay. Jura fans should try it out!
Colour:
Copper with shades of Orange (Artificially Coloured)
Nose:
Sweet and Fruity with a few Bitter and Sour notes for balance. The Sherry Cask is clearly noticeable. I don't find the Cooked Vegetables note that I encounter so often in NAS Jura Malts. I'm not the biggest fan of Jura Noses but this is not too bad.
Main Aromas:
Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Toffee, Butterscotch, Dairy/Caffe Latte, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Bananas and Dates, Plum Liqueur, Toasted Almonds, Seville Oranges, Slightly Sour Grapes, Nuts, Cloves and Dark Chocolate.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Marzipan, Nougat, Apple, Pineapple, Sherry, Fresh Herbs, Musty Oak, Cinnamon, Ginger, Dough, Straw, Earth and Tobacco. A very distant Peat fire.
Palate:
The Delivery is a bit on the Thin side. There is also a 46% expression on the market so by all means look for that one if you like the general Aroma/Flavour profile of this Elixir. The Sherry cask is even more noticeable by now. The Elixir is basically Sweet on the Palate but I do find a few Bitter and Sour notes as well.
Main Flavours:
Toasted Cereals, Dried Fruit, Nuts, Apple, Plum Jam, Salted Caramel, Toffee, Caffe Latte, Seville Orange, Cinnamon, Pepper, Ginger, Nutmeg and Cloves.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Sherry, Musty Oak, Grapefruit, Lemon, Pineapple, Honey, Tobacco, Licorice, Aniseed, Mint, Earth, Rubber/Plastic, Honey and Peat/Smoke.
Finish:
Middle-Long and mostly Sweet. A light Bitterness and also a slight Metallic off-note towards the Medium-Dry end. I find Toasted Barley, Caramel, Toffee, Dried Fruit and Nuts, Plum Jam, Yeast, Dried and Fresh Herbs (Mint), Cocoa Powder, Honey, Caffe Latte, Pepper, Nutmeg, Salt, Sherry, Grapefruit, Seville Orange and hints of Peat/Smoke and Aniseed.
Drinking Advice:
Added Water makes the Elixir too Thin in my opinion. Smoke/Peat and Orange develop. Better sip it neat.
Rating: 82.5
Nose: 21 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20.5 - Overall: 20.5
Drinking Experience:
Good.
Conclusion:
The Elixir 12 Years was released in 2012. An Elixir is a magical/medicinal potion that gives life to those who need it. Well that's a great description for Whisky I would say. It was released in 2012.
You don't have to wake me up for a dram of Jura in the middle of the night but I will say that the Elixir is one of the more agreeable Single Malts of this island distillery that I have tasted so far. No Cooked Rotten Vegetables or Baby Vomit this time around. The 2 Year Sherry Cask Finish is clearly noticeable and Dried Fruits and Nuts are all over the place. There's hardly any Peat or Smoke around so Peat lovers should look elsewhere. But if you are a Jura fan, you should give the Elixir a chance, also considering that the P/Q ratio is quite reasonable. Let's drive to the ferry now and go to Islay!
Whisky Review # 727
Country: Scotland
Maturation: White Oak Bourbon Casks (10 Years) and Oloroso Casks (2 Years)
Chill Filtration: Yes Price Range: US$ 50-60 (May 2018).
Buying Advice: 😐 Price/Quality Ratio is okay. Jura fans should try it out!
Colour:
Copper with shades of Orange (Artificially Coloured)
Nose:
Sweet and Fruity with a few Bitter and Sour notes for balance. The Sherry Cask is clearly noticeable. I don't find the Cooked Vegetables note that I encounter so often in NAS Jura Malts. I'm not the biggest fan of Jura Noses but this is not too bad.
Main Aromas:
Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Toffee, Butterscotch, Dairy/Caffe Latte, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Bananas and Dates, Plum Liqueur, Toasted Almonds, Seville Oranges, Slightly Sour Grapes, Nuts, Cloves and Dark Chocolate.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Marzipan, Nougat, Apple, Pineapple, Sherry, Fresh Herbs, Musty Oak, Cinnamon, Ginger, Dough, Straw, Earth and Tobacco. A very distant Peat fire.
Palate:
The Delivery is a bit on the Thin side. There is also a 46% expression on the market so by all means look for that one if you like the general Aroma/Flavour profile of this Elixir. The Sherry cask is even more noticeable by now. The Elixir is basically Sweet on the Palate but I do find a few Bitter and Sour notes as well.
Main Flavours:
Toasted Cereals, Dried Fruit, Nuts, Apple, Plum Jam, Salted Caramel, Toffee, Caffe Latte, Seville Orange, Cinnamon, Pepper, Ginger, Nutmeg and Cloves.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Sherry, Musty Oak, Grapefruit, Lemon, Pineapple, Honey, Tobacco, Licorice, Aniseed, Mint, Earth, Rubber/Plastic, Honey and Peat/Smoke.
Finish:
Middle-Long and mostly Sweet. A light Bitterness and also a slight Metallic off-note towards the Medium-Dry end. I find Toasted Barley, Caramel, Toffee, Dried Fruit and Nuts, Plum Jam, Yeast, Dried and Fresh Herbs (Mint), Cocoa Powder, Honey, Caffe Latte, Pepper, Nutmeg, Salt, Sherry, Grapefruit, Seville Orange and hints of Peat/Smoke and Aniseed.
Drinking Advice:
Added Water makes the Elixir too Thin in my opinion. Smoke/Peat and Orange develop. Better sip it neat.
Rating: 82.5
Nose: 21 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20.5 - Overall: 20.5
Drinking Experience:
Good.
Conclusion:
The Elixir 12 Years was released in 2012. An Elixir is a magical/medicinal potion that gives life to those who need it. Well that's a great description for Whisky I would say. It was released in 2012.
You don't have to wake me up for a dram of Jura in the middle of the night but I will say that the Elixir is one of the more agreeable Single Malts of this island distillery that I have tasted so far. No Cooked Rotten Vegetables or Baby Vomit this time around. The 2 Year Sherry Cask Finish is clearly noticeable and Dried Fruits and Nuts are all over the place. There's hardly any Peat or Smoke around so Peat lovers should look elsewhere. But if you are a Jura fan, you should give the Elixir a chance, also considering that the P/Q ratio is quite reasonable. Let's drive to the ferry now and go to Islay!
=================================================
Whisky Review # 727
Country: Scotland
Region: Islay
Brand: Kilchoman 100% Islay - 2nd Edition - Bottled 2012
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS (3-4 Years)
Age: NAS (3-4 Years)
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 50%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon Casks (Mix of First-Fill and Second-Fill)
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: Around US$ 75-120 (May 2018). Large price differences!
Buying Advice: 😒 It's not bad but way too expensive for such a Young Malt.
Colour:
Pale Straw/White Wine (Natural Colour)
Nose:
Light, Young, Fruity and Mostly Sweet. A few Sour notes as well. The Peat and Smoke are quite subdued, certainly when compared to other young Islay Malts. The Alcohol is noticeable of course. It's not unpleasant but you need to be into very Young Single Malt to appreciate it.
Main Aromas:
Slightly Burnt Toast, Toasted Barley, Soft Sweet Peat, Straw mixed with Horse Manure, Salted Peanuts, Gooseberries, Lemon, Pepper and Cinnamon.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Varnish, Iodine, Ashes, Wet Grass, Salted Fish, Vanilla, Dairy, Pear Drops, Green Apples, Coconut Milk and Mint.
Palate:
Very Young and Nervous. The Peat is more noticeable by now. On the Palate the 100% Islay is mostly Bitter-Sweet. I find a few Sour, Acidic and Salty notes as well.
Main Flavours:
Toasted Cereals, Sweet Peat, light Smoke, Ashes, Soot, Salted Peanuts, Green Banana, Lemon, Bitter Grapefruit Juice, Pineapple, Green Apple, Alcohol, Grass, Pepper, Cinnamon and Nutmeg.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Vanilla, Gasoline, Licorice, Aniseed, Caffe Latte, Dried Herbs, Tobacco, Coconut Milk, Green Apples and Oak Char.
Finish:
Middle-Long and mostly Bitter-Sweet. A few Sour notes as well towards the Dry end. I pick up a few Metallic off-notes here. I also find Toasted Barley, Soft Peat, Wet Rock, Iodine, light Smoke, Ashes, Soot, Farmyard, Vanilla, Lemon, Green Banana, Pepper, Salt, Dried Herbs, Cinnamon, Aniseed, Bitter Grapefruit Juice, Milk, Alcohol, Gasoline and Grass.
Drinking Advice:
I added a few drops of Water and Cereals, Straw and Peat develop on the Nose. More Peat and Smoke on the Palate and in the Finish as well. Visions of Bitter Lemon (the Softdrink) as well. I suggest to experiment with a few drops at a time.
Rating: 81.5
Nose: 21 - Taste: 20 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 20.5
Drinking Experience:
Okay. Much too Young for my taste.
Conclusion:
Kilchoman opened in 2005 so it's understandable that they have released scores of Young Whisky so far. This farm distillery is very committed to do as much as possible of their production process on Islay. That's exactly the idea behind the 100% Islay series that was launched for the first time in 2011. Everything was done on Islay from growing barley, malting, distilling, maturation to bottling. A very nice initiative indeed!
There's nothing really wrong with this Kilchoman except for the fact that it's way too Young and Edgy. I did prefer the 6th Edition that I reviewed earlier but in general they have the same common problems. They are too Young and way too expensive for their age, 100% Islay or not. So if you like young Kilchoman I advise you to go for the Machir Bay instead. It might not be 100% Islay but it's a solid Young Kilchoman at a more agreeable price level.
Country: Scotland
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon Casks (Mix of First-Fill and Second-Fill)
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: Around US$ 75-120 (May 2018). Large price differences!
Buying Advice: 😒 It's not bad but way too expensive for such a Young Malt.
Colour:
Pale Straw/White Wine (Natural Colour)
Nose:
Light, Young, Fruity and Mostly Sweet. A few Sour notes as well. The Peat and Smoke are quite subdued, certainly when compared to other young Islay Malts. The Alcohol is noticeable of course. It's not unpleasant but you need to be into very Young Single Malt to appreciate it.
Main Aromas:
Slightly Burnt Toast, Toasted Barley, Soft Sweet Peat, Straw mixed with Horse Manure, Salted Peanuts, Gooseberries, Lemon, Pepper and Cinnamon.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Varnish, Iodine, Ashes, Wet Grass, Salted Fish, Vanilla, Dairy, Pear Drops, Green Apples, Coconut Milk and Mint.
Palate:
Very Young and Nervous. The Peat is more noticeable by now. On the Palate the 100% Islay is mostly Bitter-Sweet. I find a few Sour, Acidic and Salty notes as well.
Main Flavours:
Toasted Cereals, Sweet Peat, light Smoke, Ashes, Soot, Salted Peanuts, Green Banana, Lemon, Bitter Grapefruit Juice, Pineapple, Green Apple, Alcohol, Grass, Pepper, Cinnamon and Nutmeg.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Vanilla, Gasoline, Licorice, Aniseed, Caffe Latte, Dried Herbs, Tobacco, Coconut Milk, Green Apples and Oak Char.
Finish:
Middle-Long and mostly Bitter-Sweet. A few Sour notes as well towards the Dry end. I pick up a few Metallic off-notes here. I also find Toasted Barley, Soft Peat, Wet Rock, Iodine, light Smoke, Ashes, Soot, Farmyard, Vanilla, Lemon, Green Banana, Pepper, Salt, Dried Herbs, Cinnamon, Aniseed, Bitter Grapefruit Juice, Milk, Alcohol, Gasoline and Grass.
Drinking Advice:
I added a few drops of Water and Cereals, Straw and Peat develop on the Nose. More Peat and Smoke on the Palate and in the Finish as well. Visions of Bitter Lemon (the Softdrink) as well. I suggest to experiment with a few drops at a time.
Rating: 81.5
Nose: 21 - Taste: 20 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 20.5
Drinking Experience:
Okay. Much too Young for my taste.
Conclusion:
Kilchoman opened in 2005 so it's understandable that they have released scores of Young Whisky so far. This farm distillery is very committed to do as much as possible of their production process on Islay. That's exactly the idea behind the 100% Islay series that was launched for the first time in 2011. Everything was done on Islay from growing barley, malting, distilling, maturation to bottling. A very nice initiative indeed!
There's nothing really wrong with this Kilchoman except for the fact that it's way too Young and Edgy. I did prefer the 6th Edition that I reviewed earlier but in general they have the same common problems. They are too Young and way too expensive for their age, 100% Islay or not. So if you like young Kilchoman I advise you to go for the Machir Bay instead. It might not be 100% Islay but it's a solid Young Kilchoman at a more agreeable price level.
=================================================
Whisky Review # 728
Country: Scotland
Region: Islay
Brand: Port Askaig 100 Proof
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS
Age: NAS
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 57.1% (Around Cask Strength)
Maturation: Refill Ex-Bourbon Casks
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 50-65 (May 2018).
Buying Advice: 😃 Good P/Q ratio. Nice Day-to-Day Young Islay Malt.
Colour:
Pale Straw/White Wine (Natural Colour)
Nose:
Light, Young and a little Edgy. The Oak influence is hardly noticeable. This Malt could be anywhere between 5 and 10 Years in my opinion. The Alcohol is there of course but not in an all too aggressive way. Most of the Aromas mentioned below are mere hints and suggestions. Barley, Peat, Apple and some Mineral and Coastal notes are the main drivers. The Nose is the weakest part of this Malt.
Main Aromas:
Sweet Barley, Slightly Burnt Toast, Earthy Peat, Straw, Grass, Cold Smoke, Wet Rocks and Sand, Lemon, Green Apple, Cinnamon and Herbs.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Iodine, Soot, Salted Nuts, Tobacco, Rubber, Raw Meat, Cheese, Fish/Shellfish on the BBQ, Floral Soap and Milk Chocolate.
Palate:
Good Delivery. The Alcohol is strong of course but it doesn't really bother me. The Creamy Palate is much more expressive than the Nose. Much Sweeter as well. It still feels relatively Young though.
Main Flavours:
Toasted Cereals, Sweet Earthy Peat, Cold Smoke, Soot, Ashes, Rubber, Charred Oak, Salted Caramel, Wet Rocks, Green Apple, Lemon, Salted Fish/Shellfish on the BBQ, Raw Meat/Ham, Cinnamon, Pepper and Nutmeg.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Straw, Grass, Floral Soap, Tobacco, Licorice, Caffe Latte, Hazelnut-Chocolate, Cloves and Mustard.
Finish:
Medium-Long, Young, Bitter-Sweet, Meaty, Creamy and Dry towards the end. I find Toasted Cereals, Sweet Peat, Cold Smoke, Ashes, Soot, Brine, Iodine, Band-Aid, Rubber, Charred Oak, Salted Fish/Shellfish on the BBQ, Raw Beef, Salted Caramel, Green Apple, Lemon, Grapefruit, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Honey, Tobacco, Licorice and Milk-Hazelnut Chocolate.
Drinking Advice:
I added a little Water and Peat, Soot and Lemon develop on the Nose. Palate and Finish get very Spicy with developing Chili Pepper, Menthol and Aniseed. I prefer to sip it neat but it's certainly interesting to add a few drops!
Rating: 84.5
Nose: 20.5- Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 21.5 - Overall: 21
Drinking Experience:
Good
Conclusion:
Caol Ila is the distillery closest to Port Askaig so it's more than reasonable to suggest that the Port Askaig 100 Proof was distilled there. The US readers might wonder why 100 Proof does not translate to an ABV of 50% but that's because Port Askaig used the old English Proof calculation for Whisky. They did that as to show that this Single Malt resembles old-school Islay Whisky.
This Port Askaig has two faces really. The Nose is very introvert and doesn't show its hand. It's only on the Palate and in the Finish that this Port Askaig starts to shine. If you like Young but not too Young Islay Whisky you can go for this Port Askaig, even more so when you consider the very reasonable P/Q ratio. When Young Islay is concerned I usually prefer the Vintage Distillery Bottlings. But I must admit I was pleasantly surprised by this Port Askaig. A pity that the Nose is not very expressive. But otherwise it's a nice alternative if you're looking for a reasonably priced peated daily dram!
Maturation: Refill Ex-Bourbon Casks
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 50-65 (May 2018).
Buying Advice: 😃 Good P/Q ratio. Nice Day-to-Day Young Islay Malt.
Colour:
Pale Straw/White Wine (Natural Colour)
Nose:
Light, Young and a little Edgy. The Oak influence is hardly noticeable. This Malt could be anywhere between 5 and 10 Years in my opinion. The Alcohol is there of course but not in an all too aggressive way. Most of the Aromas mentioned below are mere hints and suggestions. Barley, Peat, Apple and some Mineral and Coastal notes are the main drivers. The Nose is the weakest part of this Malt.
Main Aromas:
Sweet Barley, Slightly Burnt Toast, Earthy Peat, Straw, Grass, Cold Smoke, Wet Rocks and Sand, Lemon, Green Apple, Cinnamon and Herbs.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Iodine, Soot, Salted Nuts, Tobacco, Rubber, Raw Meat, Cheese, Fish/Shellfish on the BBQ, Floral Soap and Milk Chocolate.
Palate:
Good Delivery. The Alcohol is strong of course but it doesn't really bother me. The Creamy Palate is much more expressive than the Nose. Much Sweeter as well. It still feels relatively Young though.
Main Flavours:
Toasted Cereals, Sweet Earthy Peat, Cold Smoke, Soot, Ashes, Rubber, Charred Oak, Salted Caramel, Wet Rocks, Green Apple, Lemon, Salted Fish/Shellfish on the BBQ, Raw Meat/Ham, Cinnamon, Pepper and Nutmeg.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Straw, Grass, Floral Soap, Tobacco, Licorice, Caffe Latte, Hazelnut-Chocolate, Cloves and Mustard.
Finish:
Medium-Long, Young, Bitter-Sweet, Meaty, Creamy and Dry towards the end. I find Toasted Cereals, Sweet Peat, Cold Smoke, Ashes, Soot, Brine, Iodine, Band-Aid, Rubber, Charred Oak, Salted Fish/Shellfish on the BBQ, Raw Beef, Salted Caramel, Green Apple, Lemon, Grapefruit, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Honey, Tobacco, Licorice and Milk-Hazelnut Chocolate.
Drinking Advice:
I added a little Water and Peat, Soot and Lemon develop on the Nose. Palate and Finish get very Spicy with developing Chili Pepper, Menthol and Aniseed. I prefer to sip it neat but it's certainly interesting to add a few drops!
Rating: 84.5
Nose: 20.5- Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 21.5 - Overall: 21
Drinking Experience:
Good
Conclusion:
Caol Ila is the distillery closest to Port Askaig so it's more than reasonable to suggest that the Port Askaig 100 Proof was distilled there. The US readers might wonder why 100 Proof does not translate to an ABV of 50% but that's because Port Askaig used the old English Proof calculation for Whisky. They did that as to show that this Single Malt resembles old-school Islay Whisky.
This Port Askaig has two faces really. The Nose is very introvert and doesn't show its hand. It's only on the Palate and in the Finish that this Port Askaig starts to shine. If you like Young but not too Young Islay Whisky you can go for this Port Askaig, even more so when you consider the very reasonable P/Q ratio. When Young Islay is concerned I usually prefer the Vintage Distillery Bottlings. But I must admit I was pleasantly surprised by this Port Askaig. A pity that the Nose is not very expressive. But otherwise it's a nice alternative if you're looking for a reasonably priced peated daily dram!
Jan van den Ende May 10, 2018
The pictures were taken during our visits to these distilleries in May 2014 and May 2017.
