Bowmore The Devil's Casks Limited Edition III Review

“The Devil Went Down to Bowmore”

Whisky Review # 701

Country: Scotland

Region: Islay

Brand: Bowmore The Devil's Casks (Limited Edition III Double the Devil) 

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 56.7% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: Mix of First-Fill Oloroso and First-Fill PX casks   
Chill Filtration: No         
Price Range: US$ 175-275 (March 2018). Large price differences. Be careful!
Buying Advice:😕 Should we really pay around US$ 200 for such a young Malt?   
Colour:

Mahogany (Possibly Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

Sweet, Young, Medium-Dry and a little Dusty with deep characteristic First Fill Sherry cask Aromas and a touch of Islay. The Alcohol is not fully integrated.  

Main Aromas:

Lots of Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas, Plums, ripe Figs, Berries and Currants. I also find Brown Sugar, Treacle, Orange Peel, Salted Caramel, Dark Chocolate, Toasted Barley, Fresh Wood, Rum soaked X-mas Cake, Tobacco and Nuts.         

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Slightly Burnt Toast, Cognac, Dusty Shelves, Floral Perfume, Tar, Ashes, Iodine, Burnt Grass, light Smoke, Meat and Bacon on the BBQ, Old Leather, Pepper, Ginger and Menthol.   

You Can Run But You Can't Hide!

Palate:

Strong delivery with noticeable Alcohol. Bitter-Sweet and relatively Young. I would guess the Spirit matured for around 8 Years. There's a rough feeling to it.

Main Flavours:

Salted Caramel, Treacle, Dark Red Fruit, Chocolate, Orange Peel, Walnuts, Fresh Oak, Cherry-Flavoured Cough Syrup, Pepper, Ginger, Dried Herbs and Licorice.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Smoke, Dirty Earth, Toasted Barley, Vanilla, Cloves, Nutmeg, Cardamom, Strong Espresso and Leather.     

Finish:

Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet and quite Dry. The Alcohol is still strong. I find Dark Red Fruit, Cherry-Flavoured Cough Syrup, Malted Barley, Dark Chocolate, Salted Caramel, Dried Herbs, Nuts, Tar, Old Leather, Tobacco, Strong Espresso, Orange Peel, Earthy Peat, Smoke, Fresh Oak, Varnish, Walnuts, Licorice, Pepper, Ginger, Cloves and Cardamom.

Drinking Advice:

I added a few drops of Water and on the Nose the strong Alcohol disappears. More Red Fruit appears like Strawberries, Raspberries and Blackcurrants. A bit of Honey perhaps. The Finish becomes rather Short and Leathery but the Palate becomes more balanced. My advice would be to add a few drops of Water to this Bowmore.

Rating: 84.5  

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

Drinking Experience:

Certainly interesting but too Young for my taste. There's not enough balance between Fresh Wood, Wood Spices, Sherry and Spirit. But then again, you can't expect the Devil to be smooth and elegant!  

Conclusion:

This Bowmore is the 3rd and final Limited Edition of the Devil's Cask Series. The first Edition was released in 2013, a 10 Year Old Bowmore that matured in First Fill Oloroso Sherry casks. The second edition followed a year later and was also a 10 Year old but  this time the Spirit matured in First Fill Pedro Ximenez casks. The third NAS edition was released in 2015 and matured in a mix of First Fill Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso casks. It's the latter one that I'm reviewing today. The story behind the Devil's Casks series is the following. One day, the devil tried to hide in the round Bowmore church. The people of Bowmore chased him out of the church but the devil escaped through the distillery. It was assumed that he made his escape in a Whisky cask heading for the mainland on a boat called The Maid of Islay. Nice story!

The Bowmore The Devil's Cask Limited Release III is not a bad Single Malt and the Tasting Experience is quite interesting. This is not at all a mainstream boring Malt. You must love Sherry and/or Red Wine Finishing though to be able to fully enjoy this Single Malt. The Islay characteristics are there but the Sherry is quite overwhelming. My main issue with this Bowmore is its apparent youth. As a result, there's not enough balance between the various Aromas and Flavours. It all smells and tastes a bit unfinished. I'm glad I had the opportunity to taste a sample of this Single Malt but I wouldn't pay the odd US$ 200,-- for a bottle of this Bowmore. It's simply too young for that kind of money!

Jan van den Ende                                                                   March 20, 2018

Glen Grant The Major's Reserve Review - Glenlivet Founder's Reserve Review - Glenlivet 18 Years Review - Aberlour 15 Select Cask Reserve Review

“Speyside Special # 1”

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 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. Today's special will look at 4 Speyside Single Malts. Enjoy!

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Whisky Review # 697

Country: Scotland

Region: Speyside

Brand: Glen Grant The Major's Reserve 

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: Refill Bourbon Casks  
Chill Filtration: Yes        
Price Range: US$ 25-30 (March 2018).
Buying Advice:😒 Not good enough as a Sipping Malt. Better leave it alone! 

Colour: 

Pale Gold/Chardonnay (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

The first impression is a bit unpleasant. A mix of sharp Alcohol, Refill Wood and Cooked Vegetables. There aren't a whole lot of goodies to discover here. Sugary Sweet with a few faint Floral notes. The overall feeling is Young and Light. It smells like a cheap Blended Scotch Whisky. Be sure to give it enough air time!

Main Aromas:

Cooked Vegetables, Refill Wood, Sugar, Yeast, Acetone, Alcohol, Grass, Straw, Vanilla, Green Apple, Unripe Pear, Bitter Almonds and Cinnamon.     

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Heather-Honey, Toast and Margarine, Citrus (Lemon and Orange), Coconut, light Licorice, light Menthol and Banana.

Palate:

Thin, Young and Edgy. Mainly Sugary Sweet with a few additional Sour, Floral and Herbal notes. 

Main Flavours:

Sugar, Vanilla, Caramel, Resin, Alcohol (Grappa), Green Apple, Pear, Lemon, Dried Herbs, Pepper,  

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Malted Cereals, Toffee, Heather-Honey, Cocoa Butter, Hazelnut, Clove, Nutmeg, Banana and Tea with artificial Strawberry flavour.

Finish:

Quite Short. Sugary Sweet at first but with an increasing Bitterness towards the Dry end. I find Alcohol, Refill Wood, Resin, Vanilla, Pepper, Lemon, Green Apple, Caramel and hints of Hazelnut, Clove, Heather-Honey, Banana and Margarine.    

Drinking Advice:

Due to the small size of the sample I only Nosed and Tasted the Major's Reserve neat. The Single Malt is named after James "The Major" Grant who inherited the distillery in 1872. He introduced Purifiers in both Wash - and Spirit Stills to be able to produce the light Whisky that the distillery is known for.

Rating: 74.5

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

Drinking Experience:

Below Average. The first Nosing impressions were almost unpleasant. 

Conclusion:

When I look at the picture below that was taken during our visit to the distillery in 2014, you will observe the distance between the guide and me. Is it a mere coincidence? I must admit I'm not a big fan of this distillery and The Major's Reserve does nothing to change my opinion. In fact it's one of the worst Glen Grants I have tasted so far. It's unfit as a sipping Whisky. I can imagine it might taste okay over Ice on a warm day but that's about it. It's not for nothing that the Glen Grant Whiskies are very popular in Italy. But personally I fail to see why distilleries would risk their popularity by launching weak Malts like this. It might yield Short Term Profit but there's the real risk that consumers will turn their back on Glen Grant given the poor performance of this entry Malt. I also wouldn't link this specific Single Malt to James "The Major" Grant who was known to be a man looking for quality and innovation. Well, enough said. Let's move on to Glenlivet!

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Whisky Review # 698

Country: Scotland

Region: Speyside

Brand: Glenlivet Founder's Reserve 

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: Mix of First-Fill and Refill Bourbon casks  
Chill Filtration: Yes        
Price Range: US$ 30-38 (March 2018).
Buying Advice:😒 It's not expensive but it lacks character, depth and quality. 

Colour: 

Golden (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

This is slightly better than the Glen Grant. The First Fill casks provide a bit of freshness that was lacking in the Glen Grant. The Founder's Reserve is mainly Sugary Sweet on the Nose but a few Sour, Mineral and Floral notes are there as well. The Aromas are quite Light and this is obviously a very young Whisky. The Fruity notes remind me of Artificially Flavoured Candies rather than Fresh Fruit.

Main Aromas:

Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Caramel, Apple, Pear, Grass, Orange, Raisin, Freshly cut Wood, Floral Perfume and Mint.    

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toffee, Honey, Mandarin, Almonds, Cocoa Powder, Cinnamon, Malted Barley and Ginger.

Palate:

Young and Thin. The Harsh Alcohol is noticeable. On the Palate, the Glenlivet is Sugary Sweet, slightly Sour and Grassy. Oak and Spices come to the forefront.  

Main Flavours:

Caramel, Toffee, Apple, Pear, Grass, Vanilla, Alcohol, Orange, Freshly Cut Wood, Pepper, Cinnamon, Mint and Ginger.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Malted Cereals, Milk Chocolate, Aniseed, Honey, Nutmeg, Acetone, Dusty Road and Tin Cans.

Finish:

Light, Short and a little Raw. The Alcohol is quite noticeable. It starts Sugary Sweet but a little Bitter Wood appears towards the Medium-Dry end. I find some Caramel, Toffee, Honey, Apple, Raisins, Vanilla, Coconut, Pepper, Milk Chocolate, Barley Sugar, Citrus (Orange, Lemon, Mandarin), Ginger and Mint.  

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water and the Nose becomes quite Thin with lots of Vanilla, Milk Chocolate, Pear and Barley Sugar. The Palate becomes quite Malty. Lots of Pear as well. With added Water the Sharp Alcohol retreats of course but you're left with a very Thin and Fragile Spirit. Don't add more than 4 drops!

Rating: 78 

Nose: 20 - Taste: 19.5 - Finish: 19 - Overall: 19.5

Drinking Experience:

Okay. Utterly forgettable. 

Conclusion:

This entry Glenlivet Malt was named to honour George Smith, the founder of the distillery and was released in 2014. It's part of the core range at the moment. It is one of those Young Whiskies that seem to flood the market these days. It's not totally bad but I don't find any depth or character in this Single Malt. It's all very Bland. I'm not a big fan of the 12 Years either but it's better than Founder's Reserve. Not by a whole lot though. They are both Malts that you will forget as soon as you have swallowed them. Again, if I were the distillery owner, I would never name such a simple young Spirit after the founder of the Distillery. He deserves much better!

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Whisky Review # 699

Country: Scotland

Region: Speyside

Brand: Glenlivet 

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 18 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: A mix of First - and Second Fill Bourbon - and European Oak casks
Chill Filtration: Yes        
Price Range: US$ 65-85 (March 2018).
Buying Advice: 😐 Good $/Quality Ratio. Pretty standard Sherried Speysider. 

Colour: 

Old Gold (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

It's not a Sherry-Bomb but the influence of the Sherry casks is quite clear. The 18 Years is quite Sweet with an array of Dried Fruit, Nuts and Spices. It's a bit Thinner than I had expected. Surprisingly the Alcohol is quite strong. Be sure to give this Glenlivet enough time in the glass.  

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Butter-Kekse (German Butter Biscuits), Caramel, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Raisins & Plums, Dark Chocolate, Clove, Nutmeg, Vanilla, Orange and Toasted Almonds.     

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Maraschino Cherry, Heather-Honey, Cooked Apple, Tinned Pineapple, Cinnamon, Ginger, Brown Sugar, Coconut, Dusty Road, Marzipan and Banana.

Palate:

The delivery is slightly Thin and this Glenlivet should have been bottled at 46%. The Palate basically follows the Nose. But more Bitter-Sweet now and with a few Sour notes.

Main Flavours:

Caramel, Brown Sugar, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Apples and Apricot, slightly Sour Berries, Pepper, Nutmeg, Clove, Orange and Menthol.  

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Vanilla, Toffee, Nuts, Heather-Honey, Sweet Barley, Charred Oak, Dried Herbs, Cinnamon, Ginger, Licorice, Marzipan, Aniseed, Plum Jam, Wet Stone, Tobacco and Tinned Pineapple.  

Finish:

Quite short actually. Mainly Sweet with a slight Bitterness towards the Medium-Dry end. A few Sour notes as well. I find Sweet Barley, Dried Fruit like Raisins & Plums, Spices like Pepper, Nutmeg, Clove and Ginger, Toasted Almonds, Charred Oak, Orange, Menthol, slightly sharp Alcohol and hints of Tobacco, Dried Herbs, Licorice, Espresso, Grapefruit and Maraschino Cherries.        

Drinking Advice:

I added a few drops of Water and on the Nose I get extra Floral notes. More Barley and Orange as well. The Alcohol retreats of course. More Barley, Vanilla and Spices on the Palate and a lot more Licorice in the Finish. My advise would be to add a few drops (around 5) to your dram as it helps control the Alcohol despite the fact that it does become a little Thin.

Rating: 84.5 

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

Drinking Experience:

Good. 

Conclusion:

The Glenlivet 18 Years is part of the core range of the distillery. It's a pretty solid Sherried Speysider. It's also quite straight-forward, uncomplicated and without highs and lows. There is no Wow factor at any given moment during the Nosing and Tasting. If you're a fan of The Balvenie Double Wood for example, you will quite like this Glenlivet. Those of you who look for a bit of character and adventure should look elsewhere though. And, before I forget, this should have been bottled at 46%.

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Whisky Review # 700 (🎇)

Country: Scotland

Region: Speyside

Brand: Aberlour Select Cask Reserve 

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 15 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: Mix of Bourbon and Sherry casks   
Chill Filtration: Yes        
Price Range: US$ 50-60 (March 2018).
Buying Advice: 😒 Barely qualifies as Sipping Malt. Good over Ice!  

Colour: 

Medium Auburn (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

This is not as good as the 18 years I reviewed a while ago. Some indifferent casks I suppose. My first impressions are a mix of Vegetal notes, Sour Dough, Wood Coating Agents and Fresh Saw Dust. These Aromas diminish over time so be sure to give this Aberlour enough time in the glass. The Sherry casks make their presence known but not at all in an overwhelming way. The Nose is mainly Sweet but I find some Sour and Herbal notes as well. The Alcohol is noticeable.  

Main Aromas:

Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Caramel, Brown Sugar, Milk Chocolate, Sawdust, Grass, Straw, Orange, Banana sprinkled with Cinnamon, Sour Dough, Stewed Apples, Dried Fruit like Raisins and Apricot, Fresh Herbs and Strawberry Jam. The odd Wood Coating Agent (Wood Stain) Aroma does not quite go away and that's a pity!       

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Sweet Barley, Heather-Honey, Toffee, Almonds, Marzipan, Charred Oak, Lemon, Peach, Mint, Pepper and Nutmeg.

Palate:

The Delivery is on the Thin side. Bitter-Sweet and Sour notes fight for the lead. A few Dry Earthy tones as well. 

Main Flavours:

Caramel, Vanilla, Brown Sugar, Milk Chocolate, Banana, Orange, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Plums and Sultanas, Strawberry Jam, Grass, Straw, Cinnamon, Herbal Tea and Menthol. The Alcohol is quite harsh.      

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Refill Oak, Floral Soap, Sweet Barley, Mandarin, Grapefruit, Honey, Almond, Saw Dust, Coconut, Lemon, Aniseed, Licorice, Pepper and Nutmeg.  


Finish:

Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet and little Thin. Quite Dry towards the end. The Harsh Alcohol is really present. It's hard to believe this Spirit matured for 15 long years. Says something about the quality of (at least some of the) casks if you ask me. I find Caramel, Vanilla, Floral Soap, Dried Herbs, Milk Chocolate, Bitter Orange, Dried Fruit (mainly Apricot), Cinnamon, Licorice, Nutmeg, Pepper, Dusty Road, Banana, Refill Wood and Menthol.

Drinking Advice:

I added around 5 drops of Water but I can still smell a wood stained fence made from Fresh Wood. At least the Alcohol has retreated. But there's not too much left of the Aromas. It's more Malty now and I find some Peach and Strawberry. Palate and Finish don't improve and the harsh Alcohol remains. Since I had a full bottle of this Aberlour (bought in Germany) I tried it over Ice as well and that's how I liked it best. It barely qualifies as a sipping Whisky. 

Rating: 81.5 

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

Drinking Experience:

Okay. Good over Ice.

Conclusion:

The Select Cask Reserve was originally released in France only. In the meantime it is available in other countries as well, mainly in Europe. Aberlour is the best selling Single Malt in France and perhaps the distillery is sure they can sell some of their let's say less interesting casks over there. I'm not saying that this is actually happening but that's the impression I get when tasting this Select Cask Reserve. Select Casks indeed! But based on what! In any case I really don't recommend this Aberlour as a sipping Whisky. It's quite okay over Ice though and that's just what many people might do in sunny France. In the rest of the world we better stay with the A 'Bunadh series.

Jan van den Ende                                                                   March 12, 2018

The Pictures were taken during our visits to these distilleries in May 2014.

Laphroaig 25 Years Review - Laphroaig PX Cask Review

“Laphroaig Special”

Whisky Review # 695

Country: Scotland

Region: Islay

Brand: Laphroaig 

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 25 Years (Bottled at Cask Strength in 2014)

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 45.1%
Maturation: Mix of Bourbon and Oloroso Sherry Casks  
Chill Filtration: No       
Price Range: US$ 375-475 (March 2018).
Buying Advice:😔 Good Malt but very expensive. Go for the 15 or 18 years!

Colour: 

Light Golden (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Sweet, Salty, Fruity, Mineral, Dry and slightly Dusty. The Alcohol is very nicely integrated. The typical Laphroaig Aromas are there but they remain discretely in the background. Mild Herbs, Spices and Oak. The Sherry cask influence is there but not at all overwhelming. Good balance. Quite mild for a Laphroaig.  

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Fresh Fruit (Apple, Pear, Pineapple), Dried Fruit like Raisins and Apricots, Grapefruit Juice, BBQ Smoke, Wet Earth, Band-Aid, Iodine, Cinnamon and Mint. 

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Herbal Tea, Honey, Raw Meat on the BBQ, Nutmeg, Pepper, Cloves, Cardamom, Ginger, Tobacco, Polished Leather, Ashes, Tar, Green Vegetables, Dark Chocolate and Caffe Latte.

Palate:

Bitter-Sweet, Fruity and quite Salty with some Sour and Mineral Notes as well. Oak, Herbs and Spices are more noticeable. 

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Fresh Fruit (Apple, Pear, Pineapple, Banana), Peat/Smoke, Iodine, Ashes, Grapefruit Juice, Seville Oranges, Herbal Tea, Licorice, Cinnamon, Mint  

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Toffee, Heather-Honey, Green Vegetables, Mandarin, Lemon, Dried Fruit, Sherry, Clove, Pepper, Almonds, Shellfish and Cocoa Powder.

Finish:

Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet, Mineral, slightly Dusty and Dry. The Oak is far more present now. I find Sweet Barley, Salty Caramel, Vanilla, Smoke/Peat, Ashes, Tar, Lemon, Grapefruit, Apple, Mild Sherry, Leather, Tobacco, Cinnamon, Pepper, Licorice, Menthol, Cocoa Powder and Espresso.  

Drinking Advice:

Due to the small size of the sample, I only Nosed/Tasted it without added Water.

Rating: 86.5

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

Drinking Experience:

Good. The 25 Years most likely matured in a mix of Refill Ex-Bourbon casks and some First-Fill Oloroso Sherry casks. The ABV of 45.1% is slightly too low. I'm not sure if it was bottled at Cask Strength. My gut feeling is that it was watered down. In any case this Spirit could do with a higher ABV, especially at this Price Level.  

Conclusion:

The 25 Years is a very nice and mild Laphroaig distilled in the days that Fruity Spirit was important to counterbalance the fiery Islay Flavours. Modern day Malt of this distillery is much more focused on Peat and Smoke. It's a matter of taste which of the two styles is more appealing. I have two issues with the 25 Years: the Price and the ABV and they are actually linked. The 25 Years is expensive and it deserves a higher ABV. As it is, it is slightly underwhelming for a Single Malt of this age. The Price/Quality ratio is not ideal. My recommendation is to look for the 15 - or 18 years instead if you can find them.

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Whisky Review # 696

Country: Scotland

Region: Islay

Brand: Laphroaig PX Cask (Triple Matured) 

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 48%
Maturation: Bourbon Casks, Quarter Casks and PX Finish.  
Chill Filtration: Yes       
Price Range: US$ 70-100 (March 2018).
Buying Advice: 😒 The 10 Years is the better young Laphroaig alternative!

Colour: 

Golden Amber (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

Relatively Young and a little Dirty and Harsh. The Alcohol is not fully integrated. Bitter-Sweet and a tad Salty. The influence of the PX cask Finish is noticeable but not very strong. A few Mineral and Herbal notes. Medium Spice. The Sweet notes are a bit artificial.

Main Aromas:

Toast with a mix of Butter and Margarine, Toasted Malt, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Factory Smoke, Dirty Earth, Soot, Tar, Diesel, Rubber, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas, and Apples, Dried Herbs, Cinnamon and Nutmeg.   

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Heather-Honey, Toffee, BBQ-Smoked Ham, Bacon and Shellfish, Iodine, Leather, Tobacco, Wet Stone, Clove, Pepper, Lemon, Aniseed, Grapefruit, Floral Perfume, Sherry, Licorice, Bitter Chocolate and Strawberry Jam.

Palate:

The arrival is slightly Thin despite the high ABV. The Alcohol is aggressive and quite strong. Bitter, Sweet and Sour notes are battling it out. Spices and Herbs are in there as well. A bit of a mixed bag. I miss balance and direction. 

Main Flavours:

Toasted Cereals, Treacle, Factory Smoke, Dirty Earth, TCP Pipes, Rubber, Tar, Iodine, Ashes, Smoked Fish, Meat & Shellfish, Grapefruit, Strawberry, Mandarin, Pepper, Cinnamon and Nutmeg. 

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Dried Fruit (Raisin, Apple), Dried Herbs, Licorice, Lemon, Aniseed, Toffee, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Oak, Clove, Tobacco, Leather, Sherry and Milk Chocolate.

Finish:

Medium-Long, Bitter-Sweet, Salty, Dirty, Hot and Spicy. The Bitterness increases towards the Dry end. The Sweetness is artificial. I find Toasted Malt, Vanilla, Tar, Diesel, Factory Smoke, Dirty Earth, Iodine, Smoked Ham & Shellfish, Charred Oak, Pepper, Nutmeg, Licorice, Dark Chocolate, Assorted Nuts, Strawberry Jam, Tobacco, Leather and overripe Banana.   

Drinking Advice:

When I announced the Changes in my Tasting Notes some days ago it rained reactions. Most were very positive about the concept with the exception of the adding Water issue. Unanimously I was asked to retain the added Water in the Reviews. You have convinced me that I was wrong on this issue and therefore I will continue to Nose and Taste with added Water as well if the size of the sample is sufficient.

Therefore I added a little Water to the PX Cask and the aggressive Alcohol retreats which is a good thing. The Nose becomes Sweeter with Milk Chocolate, Honey, Toffee and Nuts. The Dirty character is gone though. On the Palate, the Sweeter Sherry notes develop. The Finish becomes quite Thin though. There is certainly room to play with a little Water.

Rating: 81.5

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

Drinking Experience:

Good. The PX was released in 2011, initially for Travel Retail only. Nowadays it is widely available. It matures for around 10 years in refill Ex-Bourbon casks, then for around 6-9 months in Quarter casks before being finished for a couple of months in Ex-Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks. The name PX Cask therefore is a little misleading in my opinion. Triple Matured would have been more adequate. 

Conclusion:

What a contrast between the two Laphroaigs I have tasted today. The old style well-balanced 25 Years Vs. the modern aggressive mixed bag called PX Cask. I must admit I liked the former a lot better. The PX cask is too harsh and edgy for me and the ABV is too high in this case. The PX finish must have been short as the Sherry influence is minimal. I honestly do not see the need for Laphroaig to add this type of expression since they already have a fiery crowd pleaser like the 10 Years in their arsenal. It's just a question of making more money with a slightly adjusted 10 Years I suppose. I don't know about you but this does not work for me! I'll stick to the 10 Years if I want a strong, fiery young Laphroaig!

The Pictures were taken during our visit in 2014

Aberlour 18 Years Review

“Underpowered Speysider”

Whisky Review # 694

Country: Scotland

Region: Speyside

Brand: Aberlour 

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 18 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: Mix of Bourbon and Sherry Casks  
Chill Filtration: Yes       
Price Range: US$ 70-100 (March 2018). 
Buying Advice: 😏 Unfavourable P/Q ratio. Go for the A'Bunadh instead!

Colour: Golden Auburn (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

Sweet & Fruity with some Sour, Herbal and Floral elements. The Alcohol is not fully integrated. The Sherry cask influence is noticeable but not overwhelming.

Main Aromas:

Vanilla, Butter Biscuits, Toffee, Peach, Orange, Banana, Apple, Floral Soap and Milk Chocolate.  

Supportive Aroma Accents: 

Sweet Barley, Brown Sugar, Heather-Honey, Marzipan, Grass, light Nutmeg, light Pepper, light Cinnamon, Nuts, Sherry, Mint, Apricot, light Licorice and light Oak.

Palate:

Bitter-Sweet, Fruity and slightly Thin. A few Sour elements as well. Perhaps a tad of Sulphur but nothing serious. The Alcohol remains noticeable. The Sherry cask influence is more clear now.

Main Flavours:

Vanilla, Toffee/Caramel, Milk Chocolate, Apple, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas and Apricot, Peach, Mandarin/Orange, Grapefruit, Strawberry, Pepper, Nutmeg, Mint and Oak.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Sweet Barley, Heather-Honey, Nuts, Plums, Lemon, Cinnamon, Licorice, light Leather, Grass and Earth.

Finish: 

Middle-Long, Bitter Sweet and slightly Thin. Dry towards the end. The Alcohol gives a little Kick. Oak, Spices and Herbs are more noticeable. I find Caramel, Vanilla, Dried Fruit like Raisins and Apricots, Floral Soap, Milk Chocolate, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Mint and Licorice.     

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water and the Nose becomes rather Floral. The Alcohol retreats of course. Peach and Banana become even more noticeable. Palate and Finish become too thin and lifeless. Better sip it neat despite the Alcohol.

Rating: 83.5      

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

General Remarks:

🏣   The Distillery and Today's Whisky:

The Aberlour distillery was founded in 1879 by James Fleming and is located in the small town of Aberlour in Banffshire. Since 1974 it is owned by Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard). The core range includes the 12, 16 and 18 Years but their most loved expression is the A' Bunadh that matures in Oloroso casks and is bottled at Cask Strength. We visited the distillery in May 2014. Great Tour and Tasting Session where you can fill and label your own bottle of Aberlour. You need to pay for that bottle of course. But the Distillery is certainly worth a visit!

The Aberlour 18 Years was initially released for the French market only. But in 2008 it was introduced to the rest of the world as well.

🍷  The Spirit:

Aberlour operates two pairs of stills. The Lyne arms point slightly downwards and produce a Medium-Bodied, Sweet, Fruity, Malty and Spicy Spirit. The Spirit is partly used in Blends like Clan Campbell and House of Lords. The Water is sourced from a spring on Ben Rinnes. Aberlour is the best selling Single Malt in France.

🌲  The Wood:

The 18 Years matures in a mix of Refill Ex-Bourbon and Refill Ex Sherry casks. (Mainly Oloroso but with a few PX casks as well).

Drinking Experience:

Good but slightly on the Thin side. This would be a lot better when bottled at Cask Strength. The success of the A' Bunadh series proves this point.

Conclusion: 

The Aberlour 18 Years is a Fruity and Floral Speyside Single Malt that most likely matured in a mixture of good and average Bourbon and Sherry casks. Both Nose and Palate are a bit underpowered. The 18 Years misses the strength of the A' Bunadh expressions. Despite the relatively low ABV, the Alcohol is quite noticeable throughout. The age of the Spirit only becomes clear in the Finish so I must assume that at least a percentage of the casks was not very active. At 18 Years a whisky can't be cheap of course but based on my tasting notes I must conclude that the price/quality ratio for the 18 Years is unfavourable. If you like Aberlour, like I do, you'd better go for the A' Bunadh expressions.

Jan van den Ende                                                                          March 5, 2018