Ardbeg Grooves

”Let’s Groove”

Whisky Review # 908

Country: Scotland
Region: Islay

Brand: Ardbeg Grooves - Limited Edition Feis Isle 2018

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: A mix of Ex- Bourbon and Portuguese Ex-Wine Casks
Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 150-230 (March 2021)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎Too expensive for such a Young, Experimental Ardbeg
Buying Advice: 😑 It's not bad and you might like it but it leaves me stone-cold! 

Colour:

Dark Amber (Natural Color)

Nose:

A mix of familiar Ardbeg Coastal/Medicinal Aromas & Sweet Red Wine casks. Herbs & Spices are there as well. It's a Young Whisky for sure and the Alcohol is slightly noticeable. It's certainly interesting but I don't think it's the direction I want Ardbeg to take in the future. The Nose leaves me a bit confused actually and I'm not quite sure what to think of it. It's not bad though.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Malted Barley, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Cold Smoke, Peat (Wet Clay), Ashes, Soot, Sweet Dark Red Fruit, Lemon, Smoked Pork, Paprika Schnitzel served with Fresh Coriander and Lemon, Leather, Oak Char, Pepper, Ginger and Menthol.   
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Marzipan, Tar, Iodine, Mix of Straw and Cow Manure, Band-Aids, Wet Rocks and Sand, Resin, Rum-Soaked Raisins, Seville Orange, Polished Old Wood, Green Apple, Cinnamon, Cloves and hints of Rubber and strong Espresso.   

Palate:

Quite Sweet and a little Young and on the Thin side. A few Bitter, Salty & Sour notes for balance. It's okay I guess but I'm not getting Into the Groove!

Main Flavours:

Sweet Malted Barley, Salted Caramel, Peat (Wet Clay), Cold Smoke, Ashes, Dark Red Fruit, Cherry-Flavored Cough Syrup, Leather, Fish and Shell-Fish on the BBQ, Lemon, Green Apple, Charred Oak, Pepper, Ginger, Licorice and Menthol.

   
Supportive Flavour Accents:

Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Soot, Tar, Iodine, Band-Aids, Resin, Seville Orange, Rum-soaked Raisins, Coriander, Smoked Paprika Powder, Mix of Straw and Cow Manure, Herbal Tea, Cinnamon and Cloves.

Finish:

Middle-Long and Bitter-Sweet. Increasingly Bitter, Dry, Salty and Ashy towards the end. I find Sweet Malted Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Peat (Wet Clay), Cigar Ashes, Cold Smoke, Soot, Tar, Leather, Charred Oak, Dusty Cellar, Wet Rocks and Sand, Smoked Nuts, Bacon on the BBQ, slightly Sour Red Wine, Herbal Tea, Cocoa Powder, Lemon, Green Apple, Cardboard Office Boxes, Resin, Rum-Soaked Raisins, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Menthol and Licorice. Hints of Strong Espresso & Iron.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water spoils this Ardbeg.

Rating: 85

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

Drinking Experience Neat:

Good but not my kinda thing.

Conclusion:

The current Distillery was founded in 1815 by John MacDougall, close to the little town of Port Ellen on the island of Islay. In 1997 the distillery was bought by The Glenmorangie Company (part of French based Moet Hennessy) from the previous owners Allied Distillers. This company closed Ardbeg between 1981 and 1989 and only produced yearly during 2 months between 1989 and 1997. As a result, Ardbeg is lacking older stocks and is almost forced to launch Limited Editions while maintaining a very limited core range that consists of the 10 Years, Corryvreckan, An Oa, Traigh Bhan, Wee Beastie and Uigeadail. Like Glenmorangie, Ardbeg likes to experiment with Wood, Toasting and NAS expressions. In 2020 Ardbeg produced around 1,4 million liters of Alcohol.

Ardbeg Grooves was released on the occasion of Ardbeg Day 2018. Part of the Malt used to make Grooves was matured in Red Wine casks that were heavily charred resulting in heavy grooves in the surface of the wood.

People that follow my reviews on a regular basis know that I'm always in for new ways of maturing Whisky. So I will applaud Ardbeg's work and thinking in creating the Grooves. And I'm sure there will be people who will like it despite the fact that the price is very steep for such a Young Whisky. But it doesn't work for me although it's not a bad Single Malt. And I'm a big Ardbeg fan! But to me the Grooves strays too far from everything I love about Ardbeg. And why would I buy an Ardbeg that isn't an Ardbeg. Innovation is good when it adds value to the distillery character. In my opinion that's not the case here. Look forward to hear your opinion!

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                         March 31, 2021

Glenfiddich Winter Storm Batch 1

”Riders on the Storm”

Whisky Review # 906

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside

Brand: Glenfiddich Winter Storm Batch 1 - Experimental Series # 03 - Bottled: 2017

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky - 8000 Bottles
Age: 21 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: Probably Ex-Bourbon with ca. 6 months Canadian Icewine Cask Finish
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 400-700 (March 2021). Huge price differences! Be aware!
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 This is way-overpriced even considering its 21 Years.
Buying Advice: 😒 It's just way too expensive for what it offers.

Colour:

Golden Amber (Artificially Colored)

Nose:

Light and Sweet. After 21 Years in the various casks, this Whisky deserves an ABV of around 46%. I find this to be a recurrent problem of Glenfiddich's older and more expensive Single Malts. They really should take a good look at this. Other than that the Nose shows a slightly boring but well-balanced mix of Fruit, Caramel, Wine & Spices. Surprisingly, the Alcohol is not fully integrated.

Main Aromas:

Barley Sugar, German Butter Biscuits, Apple, Pear-Drops, Artificially-Flavoured Fruit-Candies, Grass and Straw, Cinnamon-Spiced Tea, Pepper and Dried Herbs.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toffee, Honey, Vanilla, Fresh Meadow Flowers, White Wine, Nectarine, Gooseberry, Lemon, Wax, Studentenhaver (Mixed Dried Fruits and Nuts) and Arabian Sweets.

Palate:

A mix of Sugary-Sweet, Bitter and Sour notes. The Icewine finish is certainly more noticeable here than on the Nose.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Sugar, Toffee, Caramel, Apples, Artificially Flavoured Fruit Candies (Pear, Melon, Nectarine), Grass & Straw, Seville-Orange, Grapefruit, Oak, Menthol,  Pepper, Cinnamon and Ginger.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Wax, Vanilla, Marzipan, White Wine, Lemon, Milk-Chocolate, Herbal Tea and cheap Spanish Brandy. I can still remember drinking the latter back in 1972 in Calafell on Spain's Costa Dorada.

 

Finish:

Short to Middle-Long and Thin. Almost Sugary Sweet at first but with increasing Bitterness and Sourness towards the Medium Dry end. The Alcohol is noticeable and so is the Wine Finish. I find Sweet Barley, Toffee, Caramel, Vanilla Fudge, White Wine, Oak, Seville-Orange, Grapefruit, Lemon, Apple, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Milk-Chocolate, Menthol & hints of Salt, cheap Spanish Brandy & Cardboard boxes. The Menthol & Mint seem to almost explode in your throat. It's certainly different but I can't say I like it a lot. 

Drinking Advice:

No need to add Water. It's Thin enough as it comes.

Rating: 84

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

Drinking Experience Neat:

Okay/Good. It's not bad but I won't enter the fanclub!

Conclusion:

Glenfiddich was founded in Dufftown in 1886 by William Grant. It's one of the few distilleries that is still in the hands of the founder's family. In the year 1963 it became the first whisky that was marketed worldwide as a Single Malt. It was the first Single Malt to appear in the Travel Retail and Duty Free shops as well and the chance is huge that Glenfiddich was your first Single Malt. It was mine! It is also the first distillery that opened a visitor centre, back in 1969. The current core range consists of the 12, 15, 18, 21, 26, 30  and 40 years old. We visited the distillery in May 2014 and May 2019. Despite the large number of visitors they still do a good job on the Tours.

The Winter Storm was first released in October 2017. Glenfiddich's Malt Master Brian Kinsman got the inspiration when he visited the Icewine producing Peller Estates Winery near Niagara in Canada. The grapes for this wine are picked during the Canadian Winter in January. The grapes need to be very hard and are harvested at moonlight at minus 10 degrees C. Working together with Mr. Craig McDonald, Peller's VP of Winemaking, Brian experimented with several French Oak Icewine casks, filling them with Glenfiddich aged Malts of different ages for upto 6 months. It appeared that only the older whiskies (21 Years) could cope with the very sweet Icewine intensity.

I always applaud experiments so I congratulate Mr. Kinsman on trying to find a new road. I must confess however that this specific road doesn't seem to go anywhere. The Nose is okay but Palate and Finish are merely regular. I think that expensive projects like this deserve Better Cask Management and a higher ABV. The way it is presented it doesn't deserve the high prices at which Winter Storm is offered. The industry should sell excellent whisky at these prices and not stories and hypes. That way they avoid them being seen as Riders on the Storm!

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                         March 17, 2021

All pictures were taken during our visit in May 2019

Bruichladdich Octomore 08.1 Masterclass

”Smoke Screen”

Whisky Review # 904

Country: Scotland
Region: Islay

Brand: Bruichladdich Octomore 08.1 (167 PPM) - Masterclass

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky - Limited Edition - 42.000 Bottles
Age: 8 Years (2008-2017)

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 59.3% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: First Fill Ex-Bourbon Casks
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 150-180 (February 2021)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Too expensive for such a young Single Malt.

Buying Advice: 😐 It's okay but try to find the 07.3 instead!

Colour:

Golden Sunlight (Natural Color)

Nose:

Soft despite the high ABV. And the 08.1 is not a Peat Bomb either. Of course Peat and Smoke are there but they're merely weaving a nice background for the other Aromas. The Nose is certainly not spectacular. Even a little plain. It's quite Sweet with a few Sour notes for contrast. A little bit Young, Dirty and Edgy. Make sure to give it a little time in the glass before Nosing and avoid Nosing in the middle of the glass as the Alcohol is more noticeable that way.

Main Aromas:

Toasted Barley, Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Distant Campfire Smoke, Coastal "Wet" Peat/Clay, Lots of Citrus Fruit like Orange and Mandarin, Cafe Latte, Green Bell Pepper, Smoked Bacon, Pepper, Cinnamon, Sour Berries, Espresso and Mint.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Tar, Brine, Ashes, Iodine, Farmyard, Green Apple, Roasted Pineapple, Wet Stones and Sand, Lemon-Infused Tea, Milk Chocolate, Nutmeg, Rubber, Plastic and Leather.

Palate:

Peat and Smoke come into play as does the Alcohol. This Octomore is best enjoyed in little sips. It's mainly Sweet with a few Sour notes for balance. It actually tastes quite Young and that's a bit surprising. Young Kilchoman came to my mind. There's a little bit of Plastic around as well. It's not really an off-note but it might not be to everyone's liking.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Malt, Barley Sugar, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Buttered Toast, Cold Campfire Smoke, Coastal Peat/Wet Clay, Tar, Soot, Orange, Mandarin, Green Apple, Green Bell Pepper, Schwarzwalder Schinken, Charred Oak, Dried Herbs, Pepper, Nutmeg and Menthol.
  
Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Ashes, Iodine, Brine, Wet Grass, Wet Sand & Stones, Gooseberry, Lemon, Farmyard, Caffe Latte, Cinnamon, Ginger, Plastic, Leather & Roasted Nuts (Almonds and Walnuts).

 

Finish:

Long and quite Sweet with Dryness developing towards the end. The Alcohol is more noticeable by now. The Spirit coats your mouth in a pleasant way and invites you to have another sip. I mainly find Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Apricot-filled Buttered Puff Pastry, Cold Campfire Smoke, Coastal Peat, Tar, Ashes, Iodine, Soot, Honey, Green Bell Pepper, Dried Herbs, Burnt Grass, Honey, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Ginger, Bitter-Lemon, Orange, Menthol, Plastic, Charred Oak & Leather.   

Drinking Advice:

I added Water but this Octomore almost becomes liquid Peppery Smoke. Better sip it neat despite the high ABV.

Rating: 86

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

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion:

Bruichladdich was founded in 1881 by Barnett Harvey. During its history it was mothballed various times, the last time in 1998. In 2012 the Islay distillery was bought by Remy Cointreau (France). Since, Bruichladdich is showing a healthy growth again. The distillery produces 3 types of Single Malt, i.e. the unpeated Bruichladdich & the heavily peated Port Charlotte & Octomore. The basic core range includes Classic Laddie and a 10-year old Port Charlotte. The annual production amounts to around one million litres. About 10% of that is Octomore. Octomore by the way means " The Big Eighth". This is a medieval division of common ground.

The Octomore 08.1 was distilled in 2008 using 100% Scottish Barley from the 2007 Harvest. It matured in First Fill American Oak and the casks were provided by a.o. Buffalo Trace, Clermont Springs, Four Roses, Heaven Hill and Jack Daniels.

After the delicious 07.3 this 08.1 was a bit of a disappointment. It's not bad mind you but a bit plain, youngish and unexciting. No way I would pay over US$ 150 for this Bruichladdich. It's just not worth that kind of money. Don't let the Smoke Screen fool you. It's accepted that most Single Malts tend to get better with time. That's not the case with the Octomore though. It shines brighter in its early years. All in all I would rate this Octomore as merely regular. 

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                     February 24, 2021

All pictures were taken during our visit in May 2014

Glenfiddich Vintage Cask Collection Peated

”Wasted Time”

Whisky Review # 898

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside

Brand: Glenfiddich Vintage Cask Collection - Peated Single Malt

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: European Sherry Wood & Bourbon casks married in Solera Vat # 3
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 100-130 (December 2020)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎Too expensive for what it offers
Buying Advice: 😐 The Peat is nice but it's way too Thin on the Palate.

Colour:

Amber with shades of Orange (Artificially Colored)

Nose:

Nice balance between Peat, Sherry Wood and Bourbon casks. It's a bit on the Thin side caused of course by the low ABV. The good thing is that the Alcohol is hardly noticeable on the Nose. Main Drivers are Smoke, (Dried) Fruit and Earthy notes. All in all quite pleasant.

Main Aromas:

Malted Barley, Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Smoke, Earthy Peat, Pear, Apple, Straw and Grass, Orange Marmalade, Dairy and Cinnamon.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toffee, Honey, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Forest Floor, Dried Herbs, Fruit Cake, Yeast, Leather, Pork on the BBQ, Milk Chocolate, Dried Apricot and Pepper.

Palate:

A big disappointment after the agreeable Nose. It's way too Thin on the Palate and all the good work of the distillery in creating this Single Malt goes to waste. The subtle Smoke and Peat work well with the Fruity Glenfiddich Spirit but with this ABV it tastes more like a peated Fruit Juice than a Single Malt Whisky. I really hope that Glenfiddich will continue to experiment with peated Whisky but I urge them to give these special Single Malts a more adequate ABV of around 46% and a bit more of well-aged Whisky. Then we're really talking! I almost forgot to mention that it's mainly Sweet on the Palate. Flavor-wise it basically follows the Nose.

Main Flavours:

Malted Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Smoke, Earthy Peat, Apple, Pear, Orange Marmalade, Cinnamon, Ginger, Charred Oak and Floral notes.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Toffee, Dried Fruit like Raisins and Apricots, Milk Chocolate, Lemon, Yeast, Pork on the BBQ, Pepper, Leather, Tobacco and Dried Herbs.

 

Finish:

Middle-Long & mainly Sweet with a light Bitterness towards the end. It's quite Thin and the raw Alcohol is noticeable at this point. It's Medium-Dry in the aftertaste and I find a light Metallic off-note. I find Malted Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Toffee, Apple, Pear, Banana, Smoke, Earthy Peat, Floral notes, Yeast, Leather, Tobacco, Roasted Marshmallows, Honey, Cocoa, Pepper, Cinnamon, Licorice, Ginger and Charred Oak.

Drinking Advice:

No Need to add Water to this Glenfiddich. It's Thin enough as it is.

Rating: 84.5

Nose: 22.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20.5 - Overall: 21

Drinking Experience Neat: Good Nose but too Thin on the Palate

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Smooth and Very Nice.

Conclusion:

Glenfiddich was founded in Dufftown in 1886 by William Grant. It's one of the few distilleries that is still in the hands of the founder's family. In the year 1963 it became the first whisky that was marketed worldwide as a Single Malt. It was the first Single Malt to appear in the Travel Retail and Duty Free shops as well and the chance is huge that Glenfiddich was your first Single Malt. It was mine! It is also the first distillery that opened a visitor centre, back in 1969. The current core range consists of the 12, 15, 18, 21, 26, 30  and 40 years old. We visited the distillery in May 2014 and May 2019. Despite the large number of visitors they still do a good job on the Tours.

Following the success of the innovative Solera Vatting for the 15 Yr Solera Reserve, Glenfiddich has created three new Solera Vats. The Vintage Cask is the 3rd release in this series and all three are sold exclusively in Global Travel Retail. This vatting contains whiskies aged in either European Spanish sherry - or 1st fill Bourbon casks  using heavily peated whisky (25 ppm). That comprises around 50% of the vatting and as it is blended with other whiskies it's brought down to about 10-15 ppm in the glass. Glenfiddich Vintage Cask harks to the past, when the distillery's output was partly peated.

Sometimes it's not easy to be a Whisky fan these days. Take this Glenfiddich for example. You know this could be a great Single Malt if longer-matured Whisky and a more appropriate ABV would be applied. The price would suggest something like that to be possible. Instead we get a relatively Young, not fully-matured Whisky that is bottled at the absolute legal minimum of 40%. Does that make sense? No! You're just paying way too much for a Young, Thin Whisky that comes in a nice bottle and fancy box. It's such a pity, the more so as the Glenfiddich Spirit and Peat combine well as can be ascertained on the Nose. So I would really like to ask the distillery to consider making a fully-matured peated Single Malt bottled at 46%. I am sure it would please many Whisky fans all around the world! As it is today I can't recommend this Single Malt at this price level.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                 December 30, 2020

All pictures were taken during our visit in May 2019

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I would like to Wish all my readers and whisky fans all over the world a better, healthier and more recognizable 2021. Because 2020 really sucked! Big Time! Stay Healthy and enjoy your Whisky in a safe way! Cheers, Jan.

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Highland Park Valknut

”Love Triangle” 

Whisky Review # 895

Country: Scotland
Region: Highlands - Islands - Orkney

Brand: Highland Park Valknut

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46.8%
Maturation: Sherry-Seasoned American and European Oak + Ex-Bourbon casks
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 60-80  (November 2020)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👌Okay. It's a little expensive for such a Young Whisky.
Buying Advice: 👍 One of the better HP's I've tasted in recent years. 

Colour:

Light Amber (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Pleasant but slightly on the Thin side. The Sherry influences are rather limited. Peat and Smoke weave their spell but they do so in a quiet way. Sweet & Sour notes are in the mix. The high ABV can't hide the fact that this is a rather young Whisky. A hint of Sulphur but nothing too serious. Malt, (Dried) Fruit, Coastal notes and Spice are the main drivers.

Main Aromas:

Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Earthy Peat, Smoke from a Distant Fire, Dried Fruit like Raisins and Apricots, Sweet Apple, Fresh Herbs, Dusty Oak, Dough, Pepper and Cinnamon.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Buttered Toast, Heather-Honey, Nectarine, Grapefruit, Lemon, Floral Perfume, Wet Rocks, Nuts, Wax, Straw and Grass, Varnish, Leather, Cloves and Aniseed. A hint of Fish on the BBQ.

Palate:

Not unpleasant but Young and on the Thin side. This Valknut almost screams for an appropriate maturation time to provide it with strength and character. It's a pity really because this Valknut is a potentially excellent whisky! The Palate is Medium-Dry and mainly Sweet but you will find a few Sour and lightly Bitter notes as well for balance.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Earthy Peat, Distant Smoke, Dried Fruit like Raisins and Sultanas, Sweet Apple, Orange, Nectarine, Pepper, Cinnamon, Aniseed, Cloves, Nutmeg and Ginger.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Heather-Honey, Toffee, Grapefruit, Lemon, Toasted Pineapple, Blackberry, Fresh Herbs, Leather, Cocoa Powder, Meat and Fish on the BBQ and Peanut Butter.

Finish:

Middle-Long, Medium-Dry and quite Sweet. A few Bitter and Sour notes towards the end. Peat and Smoke remain discretely in the background although there's perhaps a bit more of it around than in your average Highland Park. I find Toasted Barley, Vanilla, Brown Sugar, Salted Caramel, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas and Plums, Nuts, Dusty Charred Oak, Peat/Smoke, Ashes, Citrus Peel (Orange/Lemon), Wet Rocks, Meat and Fish on the BBQ, Grapefruit Juice, Dark Chocolate, Fresh Herbs, Pepper, Cloves, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, Leather, Mint, Aniseed and Licorice.

Drinking Advice:

A few drops of Water really help to open up the flavors. But don't overdo it as it drowns quickly.

Rating: 86

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

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion:

The distillery was founded in 1798 by David Robertson. It is located in the small town of Kirkwall on the isle of Orkney. Orkney is still quite strongly influenced by its Viking past & the distillery has increasingly used this past as a rather successful marketing tool. Highland Park currently produces around 2.5 million litres of Alcohol & is owned since 1997 by the Edrington Group. The core range basically consists of the 10 (Viking Scars), the 12 (Viking Honour), the 18 (Viking Pride), the 21, 25, 30 and 40 years.

The Viking Legend Series consists of the Valkyrie, the Valknut & the Valhalla, made in partnership with Danish designer Jim Lyngvild who was responsible for the bottle and box design. His 36th grandfather was Ragnvald Eysteinsson, the first Earl of the Orkney Islands. The word Valknut means literally "Knot of Those Slain in Battle". Its symbol of inter-linked triangles on the packaging represents the transition from earthly life to heavenly life. Valknut was released in 2018 and uses a small portion of Orkney-Grown Tartan Barley.

We visited Highland Park in May last year and I really enjoyed the visit despite the terrible weather. Orkney is a special place and I understand the tradition and the bond with the Viking ancestors. It's such a pity that the distillery regularly distorts this picture with mediocre, expensive "Cult" Single Malts based on that theme. But, to be fair, the Valknut is one of the exceptions to the rule. It has its flaws, mainly because it's under-matured. But it also shows a masterful discrete touch of Peat and Smoke that is rare these days. It wouldn't be my favorite whisky to take to heaven once slain on the battlefield but I do consider it to be one of the better Highland Park Whiskies that has been released in recent years. So help me Odin! 

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                    November 28,2020

All pictures were taken during our visit in May 2019

Laphroaig 1997 (Sansibar)

”Money Money Money”

Whisky Review # 890

Country: Scotland
Region: Islay

Brand: Laphroaig 1997-2016 - Limited Edition

Bottled By: Sansibar, Germany - 241 Bottles

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Scotch Whisky
Age: 18 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 53.4% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon Cask
Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 300-350 (September 2020)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎I like it but it's really expensive.
Buying Advice: 😋 Not the best matured Islay I've tasted but very nice anyway!

Colour:

Chardonnay (Natural Color)

Nose:

Well-Matured Islay Malt. This Laphroaig still possesses most of the maritime notes of a young Islay but it presents them in a more warm and mellow way. The Nose is mainly Sweet but there are some lightly Bitter and Sour notes for balance. It's not sensational but certainly pleasant.

Main Aromas:

Toasted Barley, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Campfire Smoke, Maritime Peat, Burnt Rubber, Cigar Ashes, Iodine, Hospital, Bacon and Pork on the BBQ, Lemon, Grapefruit, Red Apple, Damp Dunnage Warehouse, Salted Nuts and Menthol.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Heather-Honey, Toffee, Biscuits, Wet Grass, Freshly printed Newspaper, Tar, Soot, Leather, Tobacco, Dark Chocolate, Dried Apricot, Herbal Tea, Pepper and Ginger.

Palate:

I really like fully matured Islay Whisky and while this Laphroaig isn't the best I have tasted so far it is certainly pleasant enough. It's probably a tad too Sweet to be a real winner but I love the coating mouth-feeling that matured peated Islay Malts offer. Only the price prevents me from sipping a dram of this type of Whisky every single day. But you should certainly enjoy one if you have the chance to go to Islay. I've been lucky enough to visit Islay in 2014 and 2017 and I can only recommend it with all of my heart.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Barley, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Campfire Smoke,  Maritime Peat, Cigar Ashes, Iodine, Red Apple, Lemon, Grapefruit, Menthol, Pepper, Licorice, Herbal Tea and Damp Wood.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Toffee, Dried Apricot, Straw and Grass, Bacon on the BBQ, Salted Nuts, Tobacco, Leather, Aniseed, Cinnamon and Ginger.

Finish:

Middle-Long/Long. Sweet with a few Bitter and Sour notes for balance. Medium-Dry towards the end. I find Toasted Barley, slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Butter, Vanilla, Dried Apricot, Campfire Smoke, Maritime Peat, Cigar Ashes, Soot, Rubber, Tar, Charcoal, Bacon on the BBQ, Leather, Iodine, Dusty Oak, Lemon, Grapefruit, Orange-Flavored Bitter Chocolate, Cinnamon, Pepper, Ginger, Menthol, Licorice, Aniseed and Ginger.

Drinking Advice:

No need to add Water to this Laphroaig.

Rating: 87.5

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

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion:

Laphroaig is located a few miles outside Port Ellen on the island of Islay and was founded in 1815 by Alexander & Donald Johnston. It was bought by Beam Suntory in 2014. Since, the distillery has launched a number of NAS Whiskies that received mixed critics. I find this a pity as I used to consider Laphroaig one of my favorite distilleries. The 10, the discontinued 18 and the old 15 Years are some of my all time favorites. I also love to visit the place and the people. I really hope Laphroaig is not steering too much towards mainstream Whisky but at the moment it kinda looks that way.

Sansibar Whisky is a German Indie bottler founded by Jens Drewitz and others who taste and hand-select almost all casks they buy at the distilleries.

Fully-Matured Islay Whisky is probably my favorite type of Whisky. There's no other Whisky that gives me this complete feeling of well-being on the Palate. And while this Laphroaig is a little too Sweet for me I thoroughly enjoyed the tasting session. It can't be cheap of course but US$ 300 or more is a really steep price. Do as I did and try to get a sample somewhere. It's worth the investment!

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                               September 21, 2020

Glenfiddich 18 Small Batch Reserve

”Eighteen Without a Bullet”

Whisky Review # 889

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside

Brand: Glenfiddich 18 Small Batch Reserve - Batch # 3464

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 18 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: Mix of Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Oloroso Sherry casks
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 70-90 (September 2020)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Okay
Buying Advice: 😔 Nice for Beginners. Not really interesting for the long-time fans

Colour:

Mahogany (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

Can a Scotch Single Malt smell like Comfort Food? Probably not but it was the first thing that came to my mind when smelling this Glenfiddich. The comfortable but not overly exciting Aromas of a well-matured modern mainstream Malt. It's agreeable and forgettable at the same time. The Sherry notes are present but not in a very pronounced way. The Nose is Medium-Sweet and ever so slightly Meaty.

Main Aromas:

Toasted Barley, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Toffee, Marzipan, Sweet Apples & Pears, Dried Fruit like Figs, Raisins and Apricot, Grass and Straw, Nutella, Dusty Casks and Wood Shavings, Cinnamon, Mint and Ginger.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Demerara Sugar, Salted Caramel, Marshmallow, Honey, Vanilla, Wax, Floral Soap, Ripe Banana, Mixed Citrus Juice, Bounty Candy Bar and Pepper.

Palate:

Arrival and Mouthfeel are quite Thin. It should be a crime against the Whisky-loving community to bottle an 18 year old Single Malt at 40%. It's a damn shame! This would be so much better at 46%! Otherwise the Palate is friendly enough to appeal to beginning whisky drinkers. For the advanced fans it holds few secrets like most modern mainstream Malts. The Palate is mainly Sweet with a few light Bitter and Sour notes for balance.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Barley, Vanilla, Toffee, Bounty Candy Bars, Rum-Soaked Raisins, Dried Apricots/Figs, Orange Peel, Sweet Apples/Pears, Nutella, Dusty Casks, Cinnamon, Ginger and Licorice.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Salted Caramel, Marzipan, Fruit Cake, Straw, Wax, Espresso, Mixed Citrus Juice, Pepper, Nutmeg and Mint.

Finish:

Short/Medium-Long, Thin and mostly Sweet. A little bit Dry towards the end. I find Toasted Barley, Toffee, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Honey-Nut Cereals, Fruit Cake, Rum-Soaked Raisins, Orange Peel, Bounty Candy Bars, Dried Apricot, Sweet Apples & Pears, Dusty Oak, Herbal Tea, Tobacco, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Mint and Licorice. After a while some Strawberry Cake and Espresso.

Drinking Advice:

This Glenfiddich does not need added Water.

Rating: 84

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

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Good

Conclusion:

Glenfiddich was founded in Dufftown in 1886 by William Grant. It's one of the few distilleries that is still in the hands of the founder's family. In the year 1963 it became the first whisky that was marketed worldwide as a Single Malt. It was the first Single Malt to appear in the Travel Retail and Duty Free shops as well and the chance is huge that Glenfiddich was your first Single Malt. It was mine! It is also the first distillery that opened a visitor centre, back in 1969. The current core range consists of the 12, 15, 18, 21, 26, 30  and 40 years old. We visited the distillery in May 2014 and May 2019. Despite the large number of visitors they still do a good job on the Tours.

After Maturation, Malt Master Brian Kinsman hand-selected 150 exceptional casks and married those in large wooden tuns for another 3 months. So the distillery goes a long way to present this Small Batch Reserve. And then bottles it at 40%! Does that make sense? To me it doesn't! Better to use this fine new bottle and packaging and present a truly up-graded 18 Years with 100% First Fill casks, Natural Color, No Chill-Filtration and a decent ABV of 46%. Now that would make an impact. As it is though the Small Batch Reserve is a nice gift for beginning whisky fans but that's about it. Come on Brian, think this one through again!

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                 September 14, 2020

All pictures were taken during our visit in May 2019