Glenmorangie Tusail Review

“Barley Babe”

Country: Scotland
Region: Northern Highlands

Brand: Glenmorangie Tusail (Private Edition)

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: NAS (Said To Be Around 10 Years)

ABV: 46%
Chill-Filtration: No   
Buying Advice: Interesting and Different. Quite expensive though.
Whisky Review # 573

Colour: Bright Gold (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: Young, Creamy and very Malty. Certainly different from your average Glenmorangie. I find Sweet Barley, Butter Kekse (German Butter Biscuits), Pastry stuffed with Apricot Jam, Bounty Bars, Vanilla, Toffee, Grass, Straw, Orange - and Lemon Peel, Heather-Honey, Ripe Banana, Milk Chocolate with Nuts, Fresh Coriander, Sugar Coated Red Apples, Cinnamon, Ginger and very light Oak. The Alcohol is reasonably well-integrated. Nosing this Glenmorangie is almost like walking into a Bakery shop early in the morning. The Malt and ripe Fruits are the dominant drivers here with the Glenmorangie Citrus as a mere support act. Quite pleasant altogether!   

Taste: The Tusail shows a bit more of its relative youth here with a tiny bit of Sharpness. On the Palate, the Tusail is Malty and Bitter-Sweet. A few more Spices and a little more Cask time would have helped the Malt here. I find Sweet Barley, Butter Kekse, Bounty Bars, Toffee, Brown Sugar, Puff Pastry stuffed with Apricot Jam, Vanilla, light Heather-Honey, Dusty Roads, Grass, Straw, Sweet Red Apple, Banana Ice Cream, Grapefruit Juice, Citrus Peel, light Oak, light Cinnamon, light Ginger, light Cardamom and Lemon-Pepper.   

Finish: Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet and Malty with a few Sour and Spicy notes as well. I find Malted Barley, Toffee, Butterscotch, Vanilla, Banana Ice Cream, light Heather-Honey, Bounty Bars, Milk Chocolate, Sweet Red Apple, Cinnamon, light Lemon Pepper, light Cardamom, light Nutmeg, light Ginger, Nuts, light Oak and Dusty Roads. It's a little Dry in the end but not overly so. I would have liked the Finish to be a bit longer.

The Tusail does not improve with added Water. I did get some Orange Blossom on the Nose but otherwise it becomes too Thin. 

Rating: 86.5

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

General Remarks: Glenmorangie was founded in 1843 by William Mathesen. A nice Visitor Centre was opened in 1994 and a museum followed in 1997. Since 2004 it is owned by Moet-Hennessy. Glenmorangie has always been one of the pioneers to experiment with different Wood Finishes and other novelties.

The Tusail was launched in 2015 as the sixth entry to Glenmorangie's Private Edition series. Tusail is the Gaelic word for "Originating". It is made with the traditionally floor-malted Maris Otter Barley. This malt was first introduced in 1965 as a low yielding but high quality Brewing Malt. The Tusail matured in Ex-Bourbon casks. It's for sale at an average 90 US Dollars (November 2016).

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: It is often discussed in Whisky Land if the type of Barley used has a big influence on the final product. Based on the Glenmorangie Tusail I tend to think it does. Because I can't remember ever having tasted such a Creamy and Malty spirit. Of course I have no way of knowing if this is exclusively caused by the use of the Maris Otter variety. Fact is that the Tusail smells and tastes quite different. It's almost as if the Whisky received a Finish in Ex-Beer casks! That's the feeling to this Glenmorangie. It's a very tasty whisky and I only have two issues with it. In the first place, a somewhat longer maturation surely would have provided more balance. As it stands, the Fruit, Pastry, Bounty Bars and Malt dominate the other Aromas and Flavours. And in the second place, it's very expensive for a NAS Single Malt. If you don't have problems with these issues I can fully recommend the Tusail. It's a very interesting Whisky indeed!

Jan van den Ende                                                                November 9, 2016

Glendronach 1995 (Whiskybase) Review

“I Don’t Love You But I Think I Like You”

Country: Scotland

Region: Eastern Highlands
Brand: Glendronach 1995

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 19 Years  

ABV: 54.2%
Chill-Filtration: No  
Buying Advice: Difficult. I kinda liked this Malt but it's too expensive. 
Whisky Review # 571
Sample provided by Menno from the Netherlands. Many Thanks!

Colour: Dark Amber (Natural Colour)  

Nose: Please give this Glendronach enough time in the glass. The Alcohol is quite strong and you carefully need to find your way around it. The Sherry cask influence is obvious but fortunately I only get a very light Sulphur note that does not spoil the Nosing pleasure. The Nose is mainly Sweet but there are some Sour notes as well. I find Sweet Barley, Butterkekse, Caramel, Treacle, Brown Sugar, light Heather-Honey, Dried Fruits like Raisins and Figs, Assorted Nuts, Cherry-Flavoured Cough Drops, Orange Peel, Peach Marmalade, Lemon Peel, Fortified Red Wine, Blueberry cones, Wax, Dark Chocolate, Dusty Shelves, Polished Leather, Thyme, light Winter Spices, Tobacco, Fresh Cappuccino and Balsamic Vinegar. I like the Nose although the ABV is slightly too high. It should improve with a few drops of Water. 

Taste: Bitter Sweet, slightly Sour and more Herbal and Spicy than the Nose gave away. The Sherry influence is quite strong and you need to appreciate that specific Flavour profile to fully enjoy this Glendronach. There's a strong Tannic aspect to the Palate that won't work for everybody. I find Toasted Cereals, Burnt Toast, Caramel, Toffee, Brown Sugar, Treacle, Dried Fruits like Raisins and Figs, light Dark Honey, Orange Peel, Nutella, Apricot Jam, Blueberry cones, Wood, very light Sulphur, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves, Cinnamon, Ginger, Dried Herbs, Dark Chocolate and Licorice.         

Finish: Bitter-Sweet, Sour, Medium Spicy and quite Tannic with Toasted Cereals, Caramel, Toffee, Cappuccino, Dark Beer, Dark Red Fruit (Berries), Dried Fruits like Raisins and Plums, Dark Chocolate, Cocoa Powder, Orange Peel, Sherry, Dusty Shelves, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger, Licorice, Tobacco, Mint and Brown Sugar. Quite Dry in the end. The Dark and slightly Bitter Chocolate note stays with you for a while.

As I merely had a small sample at my disposal, I only tasted this Malt neat. 

Rating: 85.5  

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

General Remarks: Glendronach was founded in 1826 in the town of Forgue. It changed hands many times during its history. In 2008, Pernod Ricard sold the distillery to the owners of BenRiach. In 2016, Glendronach was bought by the Brown Forman Group.  

The Single Cask Glendronach 1995 I'm tasting today was distilled on September 20, 1995 and matured in an Ex Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon (cask # 3804) It was bottled for Whiskybase Rotterdam in August 2015. The cask provided a total of 694 bottles. It is priced at around 165 US Dollars (November 2016)

Drinking Experience Neat: Good 

Conclusion: In my opinion, this Glendronach is a great After-Dinner Whisky for those who also like Brandy, Port Wine or Madeira after a good meal. I say this because the PX Sherry influences are quite dark and strong. I quite liked the Tasting experience and it's a pity I only had a small sample. The title of this Review says it all as far as I'm concerned. The only serious problem with this Glendronach is the price. It's way too expensive and there are many cheaper alternatives, even within the Glendronach core range. The 18 Years Allardice comes to mind here. To sum it all up, the Glendronach 1995 is a good Single Malt but it's not sufficiently special to justify its price tag.   

Jan van den Ende                                                               November 3, 2016

Highland Park Dark Origins Review

“Smuggler’s Blues

Country: Scotland

Region: Islands
Brand: Highland Park Dark Origins

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: NAS 

ABV: 46.8%
Chill-Filtration: No 
Buying Advice: Negative. The 12 - and 15 Years are better choices.
Whisky Review # 570

Colour: Dark Amber/Copper (Natural Colour)  

Nose: Young and a little Edgy. The Alcohol is quite noticeable. Unfortunately some Sulphur and Varnish notes slip in as well. I find Sweet Barley, Toast with good quality Margarine, Caramel, Toffee, light Vanilla, Straw, Dried Fruit like Raisins and Figs, Dough, Cassis, Salted Nuts, Toasted Oak, Tomatoes sprinkled with Balsamic Vinegar, light Heather-Honey, Apple, Citrus Peel, Tobacco, Milk, Cocoa Powder, Winter Spices, Light Licorice and traces of Aniseed. In the background I notice some Earthy Peat and light Smoke. Despite the relative large number of Aromas, the Dark origins is not a well-balanced Single Malt. It is most certainly too young for that. On the Nose, the Dark Origins feels like a younger, less balanced and more aggressive little brother of the 12 years.

Taste: Young, Edgy and quite Thin despite the high ABV. The Alcohol is very present and the Sulphur/Varnish note is there as well. I find Toasted Cereals, Toffee, Caramel, Treacle, Dried Prunes, Nut Shells, Artificially Flavoured Cough Syrup (Cherry), Bitter Orange Juice, Bitter Tea, Menthol, Licorice, Winter Spices, Pepper, Cocoa Powder, Earthy Peat, light Dirty Smoke, light Oak and Balsamic Vinegar.    

Finish: Middle-Long, slightly Harsh, Bitter-Sweet and Herbal. Almost too Dry in the end. The Sulphur note is still there I'm afraid. I find Toasted Cereals, Toffee, Caramel, Orange Peel, Cocoa Powder, light Earthy Peat, light Dirty Smoke, Nut Shells, Dried Herbs, Peppered Vodka, Licorice, Aniseed, Toasted Oak and Bitter Tea. A bit of Rubber as well after a while.

I added a few drops of Water and on the Nose the Dark Origins becomes Thin but also less aggressive. Light notes of Butterscotch and Milk Chocolate are now perceptible. The Palate and Finish become too Thin for my taste but the Earthy Peat comes more to the front. You can carefully experiment with a few drops. 

Rating: 81 

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

General Remarks: Dark Origins was released in 2014 and is the most recent addition to the core range. It is inspired by the courageous personality of the "founder" of Highland Park, Magnus Euson. He was a well-known smuggler in his days who mostly operated in the darkness of night. It matures in a combination of 80% First Fill Ex-Sherry Casks of which 60% is European Oak and 20% Refill Ex-Sherry casks. The average price is around 80 US Dollars (October 2016).

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay

Conclusion: Unfortunately, the Dark Origins is another example of what is wrong in today's whisky world in my opinion. A clever story, packaging and marketing are paired with young, immature Whisky with an awkward Price/Quality ratio. And a higher percentage of First Fill casks and a high ABV can't hide those facts.
If you like Highland Park, just stay with the seasoned 12 - and 15 Years, as long as they are around anyway. Highland Park, leave your Dark Origins behind and show us a Brighter Future!

Jan van den Ende                                                                 October 31, 2016

Arran 18 Years Review

“I’m Eighteen and I Like It”

Country: Scotland

Region: Islands
Brand: Arran

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 18 Years (Limited Edition) 

ABV: 46%
Chill-Filtration: No
Buying Advice: Fully Recommended
Whisky Review # 569

Colour: Full Gold (Natural Colour) 

Nose: Sweet, Fruity and Pleasant. The Ex-Sherry casks are quite noticeable. I find Sweet Toasted Barley, Toffee, Vanilla, Nuts, Dried Fruits (Raisins), light Heather-Honey, Canned Pineapple in Syrup, White Grapes, Red Apples, Peach Jam, Orange - and Lemon Peel, Ripe Mango, Caffe Latte, Cinnamon, Ginger and a light Dusty Wood note. It's quite light, crisp and clean for an 18 Years Old and the Fruity tones dominate the wood completely. I'm pretty sure that (mainly) Refill casks were used. The Alcohol is there of course but it's reasonably well integrated. It's not a very complicated Nose for its age but it's quite pleasant!

Taste: Sweet, Fruity and Creamy. The nice Spices make sure there's balance. I find Sweet Barley, Toffee, Dried Fruits (Raisins, Sultanas), Vanilla, Caramel, Nutella, Mango, Citrus Peel, Peach Jam, Milk Chocolate, Caffe Latte, light Honey, Wax, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Pepper, Ginger and a little Oak. The ABV is perfect.  

Finish: Middle-Long, Fruity, Creamy with nice Spices for balance. I find Sweet Malted Barley, Vanilla, Toffee, Nutella, Raisins, Sweet Apples, Pear Drops, Milk Chocolate, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Ginger, Wax and light Wood. A little bit Dry towards the end.   

I added a few drops of Water and I find more Creamy Barley on the Nose. The Palate and Finish do not change a lot with added Water. It's a matter of taste as always. I prefer it neat but you can certainly add a bit of Water if you like.

Rating: 88

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

General Remarks: The Isle of Arran in Lochranza at the Isle of Arran is a very young and independent distillery. The first spirit was produced in 1995. The 18 Years Limited Edition (9000 bottles) was released in March 2015. It's a real 18 Years of course as Arran wouldn't have older stocks of Whisky available. It matured in Ex-Sherry Hogsheads. It may still be available in places at prices between 80 and 100 US Dollars (October 2016). In the meantime a new Arran 18 Years has been incorporated in the core range of the distillery. The Arran 18 years Limited Edition I'm tasting today is bottled at 46% without Chill-Filtration. Caramel was not added. Well done!

Drinking Experience Neat: Good, Pleasant and Well-Balanced

Conclusion: I'm sure I wouldn't give this Arran 18 Years when tasted blind. It's still Crispy, Clean and relatively Light. The Wood and Wood Spices are there but they interact nicely with the Fruity Spirit. It's by no means a Sherry Monster but the Ex-Sherry casks did provide some pleasant and Creamy notes of Nutella and Dried Fruits. The Fruity notes are very clear, especially Pineapple and Peach. It is not a very complicated Malt given its age but one should consider that there are no older whiskies present in this Arran. Still, the Arran 18 Years is a Single Malt that will please many people. It's Fruity, it's Fresh and it's got Balance. If I was to use only one word to describe this Arran, it would be "Pleasant". And all that at a very acceptable Price/Quality ratio. Congrats Arran!  

Jan van den Ende                                                                 October 27, 2016

Glen Scotia 12 Years Review

“And Now For Something Completely Different”

Country: Scotland 

Region: Campbeltown

Brand: Glen Scotia (Old Version bottled between 2005-2012)

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 12 Years

ABV: 40%
Chill-Filtration: Yes
Whisky Review # 568

Colour: Dark Gold with a shade of Orange (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: Mostly Sweet but with a light Bitter touch for balance. Glen Scotia usually matures their Whisky in Ex-Bourbon casks but the Dried Fruit and Nuts Aromas that I find suggest some Sherry influence. Remarkable. I also detect Toasted Barley, lightly Buttered Toast, Caramel, Marzipan, Toffee, light Vanilla, light Heather Honey, Straw, Dusty Shelves, Apple, Pear, Citrus, Pepper, Ginger, Dried Herbs, Cinnamon and Bitter Chocolate. In the background a little Earthy Peat, Soft Leather and Smoke from a distant fire. Hints of Diesel and Raw Meat. Some Mineral tones as well. The Alcohol is not completely integrated. This is certainly not an everyday modern Middle of the Road Whisky. It is a bit of a mixed bag but there's some authentic raw quality to it.  

Palate: Bitter Sweet, slightly Sour, Woody, Spicy and Herbal. The Dirty Earth and Factory Smoke are a bit clearer now. The Alcohol is certainly noticeable as well. I find Toasted Malted Cereals, Caramel, Candle Wax, Straw, Dried Fruit (Raisins), Salted Almonds, light Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Apple, Butterscotch, Citrus Peel, Ginger, Pepper, Cardamom, Dried Herbs, Tobacco, Aniseed and a hint of Dark Chocolate. An ABV of 43-46% would have greatly enhanced this Glen Scotia.   

Finish: Quite Long, Bitter-Sweet, Salty, Herbal, Spicy, slightly Sour and Dry in the end. A light Alcohol bite as well. I also find Wet Earth, Soft Smoke, Diesel, Charred Oak, Caramel, Heather, Straw, Nut Shells, Gin, Citrus Peel, Licorice, Pepper, Ginger, Cardamom and a hint of Dark Chocolate.    

I added a bit of Water and on the Nose you will get some extra Herbs, Spices and Citrus. A hint of Caramelised Bananas as well. Palate and Finish become too Thin. Better enjoy this Glen Scotia neat.

Rating: 84.5 

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

General Remarks: The Glen Scotia Distillery was founded in 1832 and is located in Campbeltown on the Kintyre peninsular. It's one of the three surviving distilleries in Campbeltown along with Springbank and Glengyle. The current owner is a Glasgow based Blending House called Loch Lomond Distillery. The 12 years I'm reviewing today was launched in 2005.  In 2012, a new set of core Expressions was released (10, 12, 16, 18 and 21 Years), all with an ABV of 46%. Finally, a new range was launched in 2015. It consists of the 15 Years and two NAS Expressions, the Double Cask and the Victoriana. The Old 12 Years is still around at places and today, the average price should be somewhere around 45 US Dollars. 

Drinking Experience Neat: Quite interesting and certainly not Mainstream! 

Conclusion: If you like Mainstream Modern Single Malt, I don't think you will appreciate this Glen Scotia. If you're looking for something more adventurous with an excellent Price/Quality ratio, this Glen Scotia 12 Years might be an interesting alternative. It has its flaws though. The Alcohol bite is noticeable despite the low ABV. And it lacks a certain balance. But on the other hand there is a Raw, Authentic feel to this Glen Scotia that you won't find anymore in the standard Distillery offerings of today. Enjoy it while it's still there! 

Jan van den Ende                                                                 October 24, 2016

Glenfiddich 18 Years Review

“The Black Sheep of the Family”

Country: Scotland

Region: Highland/Speyside

Brand: Glenfiddich 

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 18 Years ("Old" Version)

ABV: 40 %
Chill-Filtration: Yes 
Whisky Review # 566

Colour: Golden Amber (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: Pleasant but not very intriguing. There is some Sherry influence but it's all a bit quiet and underwhelming. The Alcohol is noticeable but not in a very annoying way. In fact, the ABV is certainly inadequate for an 18 Years old Malt. I find Toasted Barley, slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Mixed Dried Fruits and Nuts with Raisins and Hazelnuts in the lead, light Honey, Brown Sugar, Toffee, Salt, Pear Drops, White Grape, Sweet Apple, Grass, Straw, Wood Shavings, Herbs, light Vanilla, Cinnamon, light Ginger, Citrus and hints of Peach Jam and Mint. It's Sweet but not overly so. It's an okay Nose for Whisky Newbies but there's not much adventure to be had for the more experienced fans. Despite the bits and pieces of Aromas that I find, there's a bit of a Tired Refill cask feeling to the Glenfiddich 18 years.    

Palate: Quite Sweet but certainly too Thin. The ABV is absolutely inadequate for this Single Malt. The Oak is much clearer now. I find Toasted Barley, Toffee, assorted Nuts and Dried Fruits with Raisins and Almonds leading the way, light Honey, Orange Peel, light Vanilla, Sweet Apples, Pear Drops, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Ginger, light Licorice and hints of Dark Chocolate and Espresso.  

Finish: Short, Medium-Sweet and on the Thin side. The Oak, Herbs and Spices are much more present now. I find Toasted Barley, Toffee, Rum-Soaked Raisin, light Vanilla, light Honey, assorted Nuts, Oak, Orange Peel, Dried Herbs, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, light Licorice, light Mint and hints of Tea and Cocoa Powder.

I added a little water and I get some extra Floral notes on the Nose. Both on the Nose and on the Palate I find a little Strawberry Jam as well. Remarkably, the added Water doesn't kill this Malt despite the low ABV. You can experiment with a few drops at a time.

Rating: 83  

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

General Remarks: The Glenfiddich (Gaelic for Valley of the Deer) Distillery was founded in 1886 by William Grant. It's still owned by the Grant Family today and Glenfiddich is the world's best selling Single Malt. The standard distillery range consists of the 12, 15 and 18 Years. The 18 Years expression matures in a mix of Ex-Sherry and Ex-Bourbon casks. Recently, Glenfiddich introduced the 18 Years Small Batch Reserve. I'm not sure if there is a real difference between the two except for the packaging and bottle. Both are being married for a short time in small batches before bottling. I will try to get a sample of the Reserve as soon as possible to be able to compare the two. The "Old" 18 costs between 60 and 100 US Dollars depending on where you live. The average price is around 85 US Dollars (October 2016).

Drinking Experience Neat: Good and dangerously drinkable but not very exciting. 

Conclusion: The Glenfiddich 18 Years is a nice entry Malt for beginning Whisky drinkers but more experienced fans will be rapidly bored by this Malt. It's all a bit tired and predictable. In fact I question the necessity of this expression as it isn't an improvement over the 15 years. Maybe that's in fact the reason that the Distillery decided to introduce the new 18 Years Small Batch Reserve. I really must try to get a sample of this "New" 18 years expression. Let's hope the distillery did a good job in revitalising their 18 years Single Malt. I'll keep my fingers crossed. Because the "Old" 18 Years is a bit of a Black Sheep in the Glenfiddich Family!

Jan van den Ende                                                                 October 13, 2016

Glenfiddich May 2014