Knockando 15 Years Review

“Boring instead of Roaring”

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside

Brand: Knockando Richly Matured

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 15 Years

ABV: 43% 
Chill-Filtration: Yes  
Whisky Review # 608
Buying Advice: 😴  Neutral. It's boring. Price/Quality okay at $ 45,--.

Colour: Golden Amber (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: Light, Floral and Fruity. It's mostly Sweet with some slightly Sour notes in the background. The Sherry cask influence is noticeable but subdued. I find Sweet Cereals, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Caramel, Raisins, Sugared Almonds, Puff Pastry filled with Warm Apple, Caffe Latte, Milk Chocolate, Toasted Refill Oak, light Honey, Grass, Dusty Road, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and a sprinkle of Lemon. Most of the Aromas I picked up are mere hints or even suggestions. The main drivers are Sweet Cereals, Apple, Caramel, Butter/Cream and Nutmeg. On the Nose, this Single Malt is not bad but it lacks depth, complexity and adventure.   

Palate: A little Thin, Bitter-Sweet and slightly Sour. I find Sugared Cereals, Malt Biscuits, Almonds, Raisins, Caramel, Vanilla, Milk Chocolate, Caffe Latte, Apple- and Pear flavoured Candies, Oak, Grapefruit, Dirty Earth, light Honey, Pepper and Nutmeg.

Finish: Short. Bitter-Sweet and a few Sour Notes. Dry towards the end. Very clear notes of slightly Sour Green Apples and Grapes. I also find Sweet Cereals, Malted Barley, slightly Bitter Refill Oak, light Honey, Caramel, Almonds, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon and a hint of Marzipan.   

I added a little Water and the Nose becomes quite Floral (Perfume). The Apples come to the front as well. Palate and Finish do not benefit from added Water. They simply become too Thin.

Rating: 81.5     

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

General Remarks:

The Knockando distillery was founded in 1898 in Upper Knockando, Morayshire, some 9 miles from Aberlour. Production already started a year later in 1899. It was mothballed from 1900-1904 as a result of the end of the great Victorian Whisky boom. Through various mergers it ended up with Diageo in 1997. Today, the core range consists of the 12, the 15, the 18 and the 21 Years. Knockando is an important part of the J&B Rare Blend as well. The 15 Years I'm reviewing today was distilled in 1997 and bottled around 2012. All Knockando Single Malts are still Vintage expressions. The 15 Years matured in a mix of Refill Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Sherry casks. Prices are usually in the 45-60 US Dollar range (April 2017).

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay but quite uneventful. 

Conclusion: I can confirm that quite a bit of Knockando spirit is used for the J&B Blend. I just had a look at my tasting notes of this Blend that I reviewed in 2012 and the Knockando influence is quite clear. As a 15 year old Single Malt however the Knockando 15 Years does not convince me. The Spirit is okay I guess with Fruity and Floral notes although the Sweet Cereals remain quite prominent. But again I question the cask management. The Sherry influence is very limited, so few and inactive casks of that type were used. And the Bourbon casks were already used a couple of times. In that case I always get this Bitter "Refill" note that is so common in cheap Blends. To summon it up, the Knockando 15 years is not a bad Whisky and, at 45 Dollars, the price/quality ratio is okay. But it's a Malt that lacks depth, personality and fun! It's just boring.

Jan van den Ende                                                                        April 6, 2017

Bowmore Darkest Review

“The Dark Side of the Malt”

Country: Scotland
Region: Islay

Brand: Bowmore Darkest (Bottled Around 2014)

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 15 Years

ABV: 43% 
Chill-Filtration: Yes
Whisky Review # 607
Buying Advice: 😐  Neutral. P/Q Ratio is okay. Too Much Sherry IMHO.

Colour: Very Dark Amber/Mahogany with a hint of Orange. This is indeed one of the darkest coloured whiskies I've ever seen or tasted. There was really no need to add Caramel in my opinion.  

Nose: The Sherry cask influence is obvious and I detect a little Sulphur. Nothing alarming though. Typical Bowmore Aromas like Smoke, Peat, Tar, Perfume, Wet Stone, Brine, Rubber and Iodine are noticeable but in a very subdued manner. They are being pushed back by Dried Fruit (Raisins, Sultanas, Plums and Dates), Berries, Caramel, Treacle, Vanilla, Toffee, Rum Soaked Fruitcake, Bourbon, Malt, Baked Apples, Light Citrus, Leather, Menthol and hints of Pepper, Cinnamon, Espresso and Bitter Chocolate. After a while I find a very faint BBQ Aroma. On the Nose, the Bowmore Darkest is a combination of a Sherried Speysider and a lightly peated Islay Malt. I'm sure this might confuse a few people. Personally I think that a slightly shorter Oloroso Finish (1,5 - 2 Years) and an ABV of 46% would have made this a better proposition. As it stands, it's okay on the Nose but rather unbalanced. 

Palate: The delivery is a bit on the Thin side. On the Palate as well, the typical Bowmore Aromas only play second fiddle. Light Smoke, light Wet Peat, Tar and Iodine are there but in the background. The main drivers are Barley, Caramel, Toffee, Treacle, Butterscotch, Dried Fruit like Plums, Sultanas and Apples, Nuts Berries, Leather, Grapefruit Juice and a few Herbs and Spices like Mint, Pepper, Clove and Cinnamon. Hints of Dark Chocolate and Tobacco.   

Finish: Middle-Long, quite Dry and basically Sweet. A light Bitterness pops up towards the end. Some Citric, Sour and Salty notes as well. Without a doubt it's my favourite part of this Single Malt. I find Sweet Barley, light Peat, Smoke, Iodine and Tar, Sulphur, Caramel, Toffee, Espresso, Blackberries (the Fruit), Oak, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Clove, Licorice, Mint, Lemon, Grapefruit, Mixed Nuts and Dried Fruit, Dark Chocolate, slightly Sour Apples and this distant hint of raw Meat just placed on the BBQ.     

The Bowmore Darkest does not improve with added Water. Better sip it neat. 

Rating: 84.5    

Nose: 21 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 21.5  - Overall: 21.5

General Remarks:

The Bowmore Distillery was founded in 1779 by John Simpson. It's the oldest Islay distillery, located in Bowmore. Since 1994 it is completely owned by Morrison Bowmore Distilleries, part of the Japanese Suntory Group. It's one of the very few Scottish Distilleries with an active Malting Floor that provides around 30% of the Malt used by Bowmore. The 15 Years Darkest is part of Bowmore's core range for the domestic markets alongside the 12 Years, the 18 Years, the 25 Years and the NAS Small Batch Reserve. 

The Bowmore Darkest was launched in 1999, at first as a NAS expression. Later it was upgraded to a 15 Years Single Malt and this change significantly increased its popularity. It matures for 12 years in Ex-Bourbon casks before being finished for 3 years in Ex-Oloroso casks. The average price is around 65 US Dollars (April 2017).

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: The Bowmore Darkest is a tough one to call. It's certainly not a bad Single Malt and the Price Quality ratio is good. But, and I've said it before, I believe that a Wine Finish of any kind should enhance the original qualities of the Spirit and not overwhelm them. And the latter unfortunately is the case here. It's coming across as a Sherried Speysider with an Islay Finish. A bit weird if you ask me. Therefore, my humble suggestion to Bowmore would be to cut the Ex-Oloroso Finish to something between 1,5 and 2 years, increase the ABV to 46% and get rid of the Caramel colouring. In this way you might probably create an interesting alternative for people that love Lagavulin 16 or peated BenRiach. At times like these I would have loved to have a career in the Whisky world. Back to reality and the Bowmore Darkest. As it stands it's a somewhat underwhelming hybrid between Speyside and Islay with a good Price/Quality ratio. So by all means give it a try when you have the chance!   

Jan van den Ende                                                                        April 3, 2017

Stronachie 18 Years (A.D. Rattray) Review

“It’s Graining Again”

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside

Brand: Stronachie Small Batch
Distilled at: Benrinnes
Bottled by: A.D. Rattray Ltd. 

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 18 Years

ABV: 46% 
Chill-Filtration: Probably 
Whisky Review # 606
Buying Advice: 😑 Neutral. Price is okay. Malt is okay but forgettable. 

Colour: Pale Gold (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: Based on the Colour and the Aromas I believe that this Stronachie mainly matured in Ex-Bourbon casks. There are some light Refill Ex-Sherry cask notes as well but they are a minority. My first impressions are Toasted Barley, Butter Kekse (German Butter Biscuits), Grass, Wax, Heather/Honey, Vanilla and some Citric notes (Lemon). The Alcohol is not fully integrated so avoid sticking your Nose in the middle of the Glass. After a while I get some Orange, Caramel, Milk Chocolate, Stone Fruit and Banana Ice Cream. Then light Spices like Pepper and Ginger and a hint of Dusty Charred Oak. On the Nose, this Stronachie is a bit simple and slightly boring but not totally unpleasant. The casks weren't very active ones if you ask me. It's a bit like the Cardhu 12 Years I reviewed earlier.

Palate: Sweet with some Bitter, Herbal and Spicy notes. I find Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Toffee, Buttered Toast, Banana Ice Cream, Stone Fruit, Heather/Honey, Grass and Hay, Citrus (Lemon and Orange), Nuts, Wax, Dusty Road, Pepper, Cloves, Cinnamon, Ginger and hints of Milk Chocolate and Charred Oak. 

Finish: Light and on the short side. Mainly Sweet but with a light Bitterness and some Mineral tones as well. The Barley plays its important part right until the end. I also find Peach flavoured Yogurt, Brown Sugar, Milk Chocolate, Vanilla, Honey, Orange, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Menthol, Aniseed, light Licorice and Lemon-Tea. 

I added a little Water and the Nose is basically reduced to Barley. Palate and Finish become quite Floral and you'll get lots of Fresh Mint in the Finish. You can carefully experiment with a little Water in this case. But be careful not to drown the Spirit.

Rating: 82.5   

Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 20.5

General Remarks:

Stronachie was a Highland distillery that was active between 1890 and 1928. The Scottish agent for this whisky, the Independent bottler A.D. Rattray Ltd. has launched a small range under the Stronachie name. This Single Malt is actually distilled at Benrinnes, close to Aberlour. A.D. Rattray purchased a 1904 bottle of Stronachie  and compared it to lots of samples from many Highland distilleries. Benrinnes came closest to the original Stronachie Aroma and Flavour profile. The Stronachie 18 Years was launched in 2010 and matured in a mix of Refill Ex-Bourbon and Refill Ex-Sherry casks. It is not really expensive and is mainly priced in the 40-70 US Dollar range depending on where you live (March 2017). The other Stronachie in the range is the 10 Years old.

The Benrinnes Distillery was founded in 1826 by Peter McKenzie. It was destroyed twice in its early years, once by a flood (1829) and a fire (1896). The present distillery complex was built in 1955/1956. The current owner is Diageo and almost all of the production is destined for Blends like Johnnie Walker, J&B and Crawford's 3 Star.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good but a little Boring!

Conclusion: I can see why the Benrinnes is a good component for Blends. It has lots of Creamy Cereals, a little Fruit, a little Spice, a bit of Citrus, a few Herbs and some Floral notes. A reliable partner! On the other hand none of those Aromas and Flavours really stand out with the exception perhaps of the Barley. As a result, the Stronachie/Benrinnes is an easy going dram but without much depth and personality. Likable but boring at the same time. It's not expensive for an 18 Year old but always remember that (relatively) low prices won't buy you first class casks. In my opinion this Stronachie suffers from the use of many 3rd or 4th Refill casks. It could have been a better Singe Malt but as it stands it is most certainly drinkable but also extremely forgettable. 

Jan van den Ende                                       March 30, 2017 and June 24,2017

Lagavulin Distillers Edition 1997 Batch 4/502 Review

“Sweet Sixteen”

Country: Scotland
Region: Islay

Brand: Lagavulin Distillers Edition 1997 (Batch 4/502)

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 16 Years

ABV: 43% 
Chill-Filtration: Yes 
Whisky Review # 603
Buying Advice: 😊 Positive. Good Malt although I personally prefer the regular 16 Years.

Colour: Rich Gold (Artificially coloured) 

Nose: This is only my second Lagavulin and I'm nosing and tasting this DE right after having reviewed the Lagavulin 16 Years for the second time. On the Nose, the 1997 DE is a bit shy in comparison. So be sure to give it enough time in the glass before Nosing. The PX finish did add some Aromas but also slightly diluted the Islay character of the Lagavulin. The Cold Smoke and Earthy Peat are still there off course but they remain in the background together with the soft Tar, the Soot, the Salt Water, the Fish and the Iodine. I find Toasted Barley, Brown Sugar, Treacle, Pine Resin, Dried Fruits (Raisins, Plums and Apples), Lemon, Butterscotch, Vanilla, Sour Red Grapes, Tobacco, Herbal Tea, Leather, Salted Almonds, Cinnamon, Cloves, Mint, Oregano and Dark Chocolate. The Nose is Sweet but not overly so and does present some Mineral notes as well. The Alcohol seems more present than in the 16 Years. Remarkable! It's a pleasant Nose but it is a little Shy and Laid-Back, especially in the direct confrontation with the 16 Years. 

Palate: Slightly Thin and quite a bit Sweeter as expected. The PX casks did their trick and manage to adjust the Islay features. If that's a good thing or not is up to one's personal taste. For me it's perhaps a little too sweet. I find Toasted Malt, Vanilla, Dusty Peat, light Cold Smoke, Ashes, Tar and Brine, lightly Smoked Fish or Shell Fish, Wet Grass, Tobacco, Leather, Herbal Tea, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Figs and Apple, slightly Sour Red Grapes, Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg, Mint, Licorice and hints of Cocoa and Dark Chocolate.  

Finish: Middle-Long and slightly Thin but pleasant and Well-Balanced with a good combination of Sweet, Sour, Salt, Oak and Spices. Perhaps a little Bitter towards the end. I find Toasted Cereals, Salted Butter, Cold Smoke, Dusty Peat, Ashes, light Iodine, Green Apple, Lemon, slightly Sour Red Grapes, Tobacco, Salted Butter, Leather, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg, Licorice, Menthol, Oak, light Tar and a hint of Bitter Chocolate and Espresso.   

This Lagavulin does not like added Water. Better sip it neat!

Rating: 85.5   

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

General Remarks:

The Lagavulin Distillery is located near Port Ellen on the island of Islay. It was founded in 1816 by John Johnston. It's part of the Diageo Group. The distillery has a very limited core range i.e. the 12 Year old CS, the 16 and the Distillery Edition that was launched for the first time in 1998. It is basically a standard 16 Year old that matured in Ex-Bourbon casks before being finished for a couple of months in Ex-Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks. Prices are usually in the 70-100 US Dollar range (March 2017). 

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: The Lagavulin DE 1997 is a good Malt and an almost perfect way to start appreciating Islay Malts. It's a pleasure to sip this Malt and it is extremely drinkable. But it has some flaws when compared to the regular 16 years. The Nose of the DE is quite introvert and it needs a lot of time to open up. I also believe that any Sherry cask finish should enhance the character of the Spirit but not change it too much. In this case however the PX casks did their job a little too good in my opinion. As a result the Lagavulin DE 1997 became a very pleasant Single Malt that many people will enjoy. I did as well but it's a bit too much Middle of the Road. I miss the Edge and Bite of the regular 16 Years. With this statement the prosecution rests and will enjoy another dram. Because it is very drinkable!

Jan van den Ende                                                                    March 20, 2017

Talisker Distillers Edition 2015 Review

“Skye-High”

Country: Scotland
Region: Highlands - Islands - Skye

Brand: Talisker Distillers Edition 2015 (TD-S 5RD) 

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 10 Years 

ABV: 45.8% 
Chill-Filtration: Likely
Whisky Review # 599
Buying Advice: 😄  Positive. Good Malt and Excellent Price/Quality Ratio.

Colour: Chestnut/Oloroso Sherry (Likely Artificially Coloured)

Nose: A Coastal Malt without any doubt! My first impression is Tarred Driftwood and I will certainly sniff the air around this Distillery during my upcoming visit in May this year! After a while this Wood mingles with a mix of Salted Nuts and Dried Fruit (Sultanas, Raisins, Apricots and Plums). These are the main drivers on the Nose of this Talisker. I also find Sweet Barley, Toasted Cereals, Brown Sugar, Toffee, Vanilla, Dirty Earth, Distant Factory Smoke, Sour Apples, Citrus Peel, Floral Perfume, light Iodine, Leather, Dusty Old Books, Dried Herbs, Light Aniseed, Pepper and Menthol. The Alcohol is quite present! The Sherry casks were very active considering the fact that this Talisker was only finished in those casks for a couple of months. I could imagine that regular Talisker 10 drinkers would feel that the Sherry overpowers some of the original characteristics but personally I feel that Talisker Spirit and Sherry go well together. 

Palate: Good delivery thanks to the adequate ABV. On the Palate, this Talisker is mostly Sweet with some Bitter and Sour notes as well. I find Sweet Barley, Toasted Oak, Vanilla, Toffee, Butterscotch, Salted Nuts, Brine, Dirty Earth, light Smoke, Cocoa Powder, Sour Apples, Smoked Fish on the BBQ, Leather, Ashes, Pepper, Cinnamon, Mustard, Aniseed, Licorice, Dried Herbs and Menthol.

Finish: Quite Long, Bitter-Sweet, Spicy and Ashy. A little Dry and slightly Sour towards the end. I find Sweet Barley, Malted Cereals, Dirty Earth, light Smoke, Wet Stone, Brine, Salted Fish sprinkled with Lemon, Salted Nuts, Cocoa Powder, Grapefruit Juice, Sour Apples, Leather, Licorice, Pepper, Cinnamon, Mint and a mere hint of Dark Chocolate. It is not as Peppery as the regular 10 Years but it's still tasty enough. The Finish really invites you to take another sip!   

I added a little Water and on the Nose you get more Floral Perfume, Lemon and Grapefruit. The Dirty Earth and Peat develop on the Palate together with some Juicy Oranges. With a little Water you'll get rid of most of the Alcohol and that's not a bad thing in this case. This Talisker certainly accepts a little water and I must admit I liked it both ways!  

Rating: 86.5   

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

General Remarks:

The Talisker distillery is located in Carbost on the shores of Loch Harport on the Isle of Skye. It was founded in 1830 by Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill and produces around 3 million litres of Alcohol per year. It is part of the Diageo Group. Almost on a yearly basis, a Distillers Edition is launched, usually a more or less Standard 10 Years expression that received a Sherry Cask Finish. The 2015 Edition was distilled in 2005. It matured for around 10 years in Ex-Bourbon casks before finished for a couple of months in Ex-Amoroso Sherry casks. It won't be easy to find these days but prices were usually in the 60-70 US Dollar range (March 2017). In the meantime, the Distillers Edition is part of Talisker's core range.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good stuff and not too expensive!

Conclusion: I must admit that I'm a fan of the Talisker 10 and Talisker 18. The first one is wild and rough with this unforgettable Pepper jive and the latter one is well-balanced, especially on the Palate. This 2015 Distillers Edition has a bit of both of them and I quite liked it as well. It's kind of rough on the Nose, more balanced on the Palate and with an inviting Finish. Good Price/Quality ratio as well. I will certainly try and taste the more recent Distillers Edition during my visit to Talisker. It won't be easy to find but I can certainly recommend the 2015 DE! Much better than their recent NAS expressions!   

Jan van den Ende                                                                      March 2, 2017

Bladnoch 19 Years Review

“Interesting Rebel Without a Cause”

Country: Scotland
Region: Lowlands

Brand: Bladnoch 
Bottling Series: Belted Galloway Cattle Label

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 19 Years 

ABV: 55% 
Chill-Filtration: Likely.
Whisky Review # 598
Buying Advice:😐 Neutral. Interesting but Expensive. Not my Style. 

Colour: Golden (Natural Colour)

Nose: The Alcohol is quite strong and it's not easy to find your way around it. Be sure to give this Bladnoch enough air contact. Malt and Straw are the main drivers on the Nose but a few surprising artificial Tropical Fruit notes appear as well. I find Toasted Barley, Buttered Toast, Heather-Honey, Dried Grass/Straw, Vanilla, Yeast, light Sherry, Mixed Citrus Peel, Hazelnut-Chocolate, Oak, Floral Perfume, Cinnamon and hints of Cardboard, Mint, Coconut, Pear, Pineapple and Mango.

Palate: Dry, Malty, Oaky and Spicy. The Alcohol remains very present. I find Toasted Barley, Buttered Toast, Grass and Straw, Vanilla, Toffee, Green Coffee Beans, Lemon, Orange, Grapefruit, Floral Perfume, Tutti-Frutti Bubble Gum, Coconut, Pepper, Ginger, Cardamom, Oak, Hazelnut-Chocolate, Heather-Honey and a sprinkle of Mint. 

Finish: Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet and Spicy. Very Dry towards the end. I find Toasted Barley, Toast, Grass/Straw, Nuts, Vanilla, Toffee, Lemon, Grapefruit, Herbal Tea, Oak, Coconut, Pear, Pepper, Ginger, Cardamom and light Menthol.  

I added a little Water and on the Nose you get more Malt, Citrus and Perfume. On the Palate, the added Water helps to kill the Alcohol bite. The Finish gets a bit weak though. My advise is to carefully add a few drops at a time until you find the perfect balance. 

Rating: 82.5  

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

General Remarks:

The Bladnoch Distillery is located in Bladnoch, Wigtown and was founded in 1817 by Thomas and John McClelland. It changed hands various times before being mothballed by United Distillers in 1993. A year later it was bought by Raymond Armstrong but unfortunately the distillery went into administration in 2014 and was put up for sale again. In 2015 it was bought by David Prior, an Australian businessman who wants to put Bladnoch on the whisky map again. The 19 Years I'm tasting today was distilled around 1990 and bottled in 2009. It most likely matured in a mix of Refill Ex-Bourbon and Refill ex-Sherry Casks but I'm not absolutely sure about that. It's quite expensive and prices are usually in the 150/200 US Dollar range (February 2017).

Drinking Experience Neat: Quite interesting. It's not my style though.

Conclusion: This is my third mature Bladnoch and I am pretty sure now that it's not my favourite style of Whisky. I must admit though that's it's interesting and different. But I find it a bit too much Rebel Without a Cause. My main problems with Bladnoch are the lack of Balance and the very present Alcohol. A little Water helps to control the latter but also takes away quite a bit of the character. Because this Single Malt certainly does not lack personality. You will remember Bladnoch once you've tasted it. It doesn't quite work for me but do give it a try when you encounter it as taste is of course a very personal matter. It is quite expensive as it has become a bit of a cult name in the Whisky world. Let's see if the new owners with their new equipment can come up with a slightly more balanced Whisky in the future without compromising the "old" Bladnoch style too much.

Jan van den Ende                                                               February 27, 2017