Best Shot Whisky Reviews : Single Malt Scotch Whisky Review

Showing posts with label Single Malt Scotch Whisky Review. Show all posts

Balvenie The Creation of a Classic

“Being Boring”

Whisky Review # 994

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Speyside

Brand: Balvenie The Creation of a Classic - Original Cask Finish Series

Type: Single Scotch Whisky

Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon Barrel with finish in Oloroso-Sherried European Oak

Chill Filtration: Yes

Price Range: US$ 60-100 (June 2023)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Okay at around US$ 60. It's not worth much more.
Buying Advice: 😑 Too boring for me but if you're into Mainstream Malt, go for it!

Colour: Golden Amber (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

Relatively Young, Light & Sweet. A few Sour notes in the background. Not bad but a bit unassuming. Quite mainstream. It won't offend anybody but there's certainly no Wow factor as well.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Straw, Sweet Apple, Orange, Nectarine, Sour Red Grapes, Dusty Track, Oak and Wood Chips, Ginger and Cloves.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Caramel, Pancakes sprinkled with Syrup, Ripe Banana, Sultanas, Raisins, Plums, Waxed Furniture, Green Tea, Pastry Dough and hints of Milk Chocolate and Tobacco.

Palate:

Light, Young and Bitter Sweet. Quite Dry. The Alcohol starts popping up. Typical Middle of the Road Mainstream Duty Free Malt. It's not really bad but it doesn't do a thing for me.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Malt, Vanilla, Caramel, Toffee, Sweet Apple, Dried Apricot, Orange, Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger and Menthol.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Sultanas, Raisins, Pancakes with Syrup, Nectarine, Bounty Bars, Espresso, Herbal Tea, Nutmeg and Cloves.

Finish:

Middle-Long. Sweet at first but with increasing Bitter notes towards the Dry end. It misses Volume & this Balvenie can't hide its Youth. The Alcohol becomes noticeable as well. I also find Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Caramel, Toffee, Honey, Sweet Apple and Orange, Nectarine, Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Cloves and lots of Menthol.

Drinking Advice:

With Water it becomes quite Malty on the Nose. Peach and Rose-Water appear. The Palate starts to taste like Cardhu and/or JW and in the Finish you'll get even more Menthol. Try it out both ways!

Rating: 7 (*******)

Nose: 7 - Taste: 7 - Finish: 6.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good. Very Mainstream.

Conclusion:

The Balvenie distillery was founded in 1892 by William Grant in Dufftown, Keith, Banffshire. Production started in 1893. It's still in the hands of William Grant & Sons. They have an extensive core range that includes the 12 Doublewood, the 14 Caribbean Cask, the 15 Years Sherry Cask and the Portwood 21. We tried to visit the distillery in 2014 & 2019 but both times it was closed for maintenance. Balvenie is currently ranked nr. 6 in the list of world wide Single Malt sales. Current annual production amounts to around 6,5 million litres.

This Single Malt was made to remember the fact that the Balvenie Malt Master David C. Stewart back in the 70's and 80's was the first Malt Master to Finish a Single Malt in different casks from the one it initially matured in. Nowadays almost all distilleries follow this idea. David now considers well-earned retirement after well over 50 years with the distillery.

Those of you who follow my posts on a regular basis know that I'm not a fan of the Modern Mainstream Malt. Almost like M & M's but I like those! I think this Balvenie is quite okay for beginning Malt adepts as it does nothing to deeply offend your Nose and Palate. But if you're into Single Malt for a number of years now you will get bored when sipping this. Nothing exciting going on. The silent majority of Malt these days I'm afraid. Nice presentation and bottle though!

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende June 29, 2023

Jura The Bay 12 Years

“Baywatch”

Whisky Review # 989

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Islands - Jura

Brand: Jura The Bay

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 12 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 44%
Maturation: American White Oak Ex-Bourbon Casks

Finish: Casks that previously contained 15 Year old Pedro Jimenez Sherry

Chill Filtration: Yes

Price Range: US$ 45-60 (May 2023)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍
Buying Advice: 😐 It's not a bad Jura but it's not quite my style of Whisky.

Colour: Dark Amber with shades of Orange and Brown (Artificially Colored)

Nose:

Quite Sweet. It's cleaner than most of the Jura Malt that I've tasted so far. No real off-notes with the exception of a little Sulphur perhaps. The PX-Finish has left its mark with notes of Nuts and Dried Fruits. After a while some lightly Bitter, Salty and Sour notes come through and provide some balance for the Sweetness. The Alcohol is reasonably well-integrated.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas, Plums and Dates, Nuts, Nougat, Stewed Apples & Bananas, Dusty Charred Casks, Dried Herbs, Dark Chocolate, Seville Orange, Roasted Coffee, Cinnamon, Ginger and Nutmeg.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Buttered Toast, Toffee, Honey, Butterscotch, Brown Sugar, Marzipan, Dairy, Dough, Straw, Dusty Earth, Tobacco, Pepper and Cloves.

Palate:

Bitter-Sweet with a few Sour and Salty notes for balance. The Alcohol is certainly more noticeable now but it stays within limits. It's not a bad Jura but it's a bit Heavy and Dull. Not really my style.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Toffee, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas, Figs and Dates, Plum Jam, Nuts, Dark Chocolate, Roasted Coffee, Stewed Bananas and Apples, Seville Orange, Grapefruit, Dusty Casks, Pepper, Licorice, Ginger, Aniseed and Cinnamon.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Vanilla, Dairy, Nougat, Tobacco, Lemon, Dirty Earth, Nutmeg, Cloves, Mint and Slightly Sour Berries. Perhaps a light Plastic note.

Finish:

Middle-Long and mostly Bitter-Sweet. Developing Salty and Sour notes towards the Medium-Dry end. I find Sweet Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Toffee, Honey, Dairy, Yeast, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Plums and Apricots, Nuts, Dark Chocolate, Roasted Coffee, Dusty Oak, Dried Herbs, Dirty Earth, Seville Orange, Grapefruit, Licorice, Aniseed, Mint, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Mint and Ginger. The PX influence is quite clear. A light Metal note after a while. The Alcohol is a bit more noticeable at this point. I also have the feeling that it's rather heavy on the added Caramel.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water does not improve The Bay. Best way to enjoy is Neat.

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 7,5 - Finish: 7.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good

Drinking Experience On the Rocks: Okay/Good

Conclusion:

Jura means Deer Island. The Distillery is located in the small village of Craighouse the island's "capital". Craighouse lies on the A 846, some eight miles from the Ferry Terminal to Islay. It was founded in 1810 and since 1993 it belongs to Whyte & Mackay Ltd (Now United Spirits). Jura is mostly known as a Single Malt but it's also a very important part of the Whyte & Mackay Special Blend. The Distillery possesses 1 Stainless Steel Semi Lauter Mash Tun, six stainless steel Wash Backs and two Pairs of Stills. In 2022 their total production amounted to around 2,4 million litres. The following Single Malts are part of the new core range introduced during 2018: Journey, Seven Wood, 10, 12, 18, 14 Year Rye and 21 Years (Tide).

Jura has never been on my list of favorite distilleries but they have improved the quality of their Whisky in the last few years. Gone are the Cooked Veggies and Baby Vomit notes I got ever so often. The Whisky is more clean thanks to improved Cask Management &, probably, the shorter running time of the Heart in the Spirit Still. The Bay is certainly not a bad Jura but it's a little Boring. It's also a bit Heavy on the added Caramel if you ask me. Improvements have been made though and I'm looking forward to the day I can fully enjoy a Jura expression.

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende May 11, 2023

Craigellachie 17 Years

“Hot Legs”

Whisky Review # 983

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Speyside

Brand: Craigellachie
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 17 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Mix of Re-Fill Ex-Bourbon Casks and Sherried Wood

Finish: 50% in First-Fill Bourbon casks and 50% in First-Fill Sherry Casks
Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 90-110 (March 2023)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Okay if you can score it at around 80 US Dollars
Buying Advice: 😐 Plain & too much Alcohol Burn for my liking but that's just me!

Colour: Light Amber (Natural Color)

Nose:

Please give this Craigellachie some time in the glass before Nosing. It opens up a bit slowly and the initial wafts of Alcohol are quite strong. As always avoid sticking your nose in the middle of your glass. The Nose is not very complicated and the Sherry cask influence is clear. As a result, Malt and loads of Dried - (Dark) Red Fruits lead the way. Some are Sweet and some slightly Sour. There's a bit of Sulphur in the air but it doesn't really bother me. All in all not bad but a bit plain.

Main Aromas:

Malted Barley, Buttered Toast, Caramel, Vanilla, Bread Dough, Dried Fruit such as Raisins, Apricots, Figs and Plums, Dark Red Fruit (Berries, Cherries), Slightly Sour Citrus (Orange, Mandarin, Lemon), Bounty Bars, Grass, Dusty Charred Oak, Mint & Cinnamon.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Toffee, Wax, Green Apple, Pear, Mango, Marzipan, Nougat, Pepper, Green Herbs and hints of Meadow Flowers, Licorice, Metal coins and Glue.

Palate:

This is my first Craigellachie Distillery bottling. I had a few Indie bottles in the past but none of them were very convincing. And this official 17 years won't make me a huge fan of Craigellachie Single Malt as well. But it's strong and powerful and as such quite suitable for Blended Whisky. On the Palate the 17 years is quite a Power House with lots of Malt and Alcohol. You would expect a much higher ABV in a blind tasting. The Palate presents a mix of Sweet, Sour, Bitter and Salty notes and I identify the same main drivers as on the Nose. The Sulphur is more noticeable now but it's not too bad.

Main Flavours:

Malted Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Dough, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Apricots and Plums, Dark Berries and Cherries, Bitter Orange, Grass, Dusty Charred Oak, Butter, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Mint.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Toffee, Honey, Toast, Pear, Lemon, Grapefruit, Toasted Pineapple, Gooseberry, Nuts, Herbal Tea, Dark Chocolate, Dairy, Raw Meat, Cloves, Ginger and Licorice. A hint of Leather.

Finish:

Middle-Long and a bit Hot. Sweet at First but with developing Sour and Salty notes and increasing Bitterness towards the Dry end. The Sulphur is a bit more noticeable now but stays within limits. I basically find Toasted Barley, Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Toffee, Wax, Dough, Honey, Dusty Charred Oak, Orange-flavored Bitter Chocolate, Lemon, Grapefruit, Dark Berries, Cherry-Flavored Cough Syrup, Toasted Pineapple, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, Cloves, Mint, Nuts, Strong Espresso and hints of Artificial Sweetener, Raw Meat, Milk and Licorice.

Drinking Advice:

I added a little water and that kills most of the unwanted Alcohol Heat. On the Nose it does become Malt Juice much like Cardhu. Palate & Finish improve with the Water however so my advise is to add a little bit.

Rating: 7 (*******)

Nose: 7 - Taste: 7 - Finish: 6

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

A few of my loyal readers have pointed out that every once in a while my final Rating note did not seem to be totally in line with the written text. I recognize that. When I started this Whisky Blog back in 2011, I was not at all experienced in tasting and scoring Single Malts & Blends. Looking back I realize that during the early years I probably scored the good Whiskies too low and the not so good Whiskies too high. Ever since the beginning I try to remain consequent in my rating, always comparing the outcome to the rating of comparable whiskies in terms of quality and taste and adjusting the final rating if necessary. This might lead to the discrepancy I mentioned before. As a result I have decided to use a new rating system this year. I will still give a rating for Nose, Taste and Finish but now on the scale from 1-10 whereby 1 represents the worst and 10 the best. The sum of these numbers will be divided by 3 to get the rounded final score. I hope this new scoring makes it easier for you to understand what I thought about the whisky I'm reviewing.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion:

The Craigellachie Distillery was founded around 1890/91 and is located between Craigellachie and Aberlour in Banffshire. Since 1998 it's owned by John Dewar & Sons, part of Bacardi. The core range includes the 13, 17, 23 and 33 Years. Most of the production disappears in the Dewar's Blends. The annual production currently amounts to 4.1 million litres. During our trip to Scotland in May 2014 we passed the Distillery. Unfortunately it's not open to the public.

As said above, this was my first tasting of a Single Malt that is part of the recent core range of this Distillery. I think they are on the right track with respect to their Single Malt profile but they are not quite there yet. The Spirit is quite Powerful so it needs very precise cask- and spirit safe management to extract the best of it. This 17 Years is way too Hot and Nervous for its age in my opinion. It's not really bad but I would not buy a full bottle for the time being.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende March 23, 2023

Longrow 21 Years

“Dirty Dancing with Muddy Waters”

Whisky Review # 981

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Campbeltown

Brand: Longrow
Distilled at: Springbank Distillery, Campbeltown
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky - Bottled in 2019 - 3600 Bottles - Limited Edition

Age: 21 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Ex-Sherry Casks (60%) and Ex-Bourbon Casks (40%)
Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 450-600 (March 2023)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Very Expensive. Should have been bottled at Cask Strength
Buying Advice: 😋 Delicious Dirty Campbeltown for those rare occasions!

Colour: Amber (Natural Color)

Nose:

Lovely "Dirty" Campbeltown with a mix that includes Burnt Matches, Mud, Petrol and Sulphur. The Sulphur is okay though unless you are allergic to that stuff. Restraint Smoke and Peat that comes as a bit of a surprise. The Sherry cask influence is very clear. The Alcohol is sufficiently integrated. Mostly Sweet but with sufficient Sour, Salty and Funky notes to keep it interesting. Not your average Mainstream Malt of course but I like it despite the fact that it's a little on the Thin side.

Main Aromas:

Toasted Barley, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Straw, Sour Berries like Strawberries and Red Currants, Citrus Peel (Lemon, Grapefruit, Mandarin), Wet Dirty Muddy Peat, Factory Smoke, Charred Oak, Dunnage Warehouse, Wet Rocks, Dark Chocolate, Burnt Matches, Leather, Pepper, Cinnamon ,Cloves and Mint.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Honey, Toffee, Resin, Tropical Fruit Mix (Banana, Mango, Nectarine), Bounty Bars, Dusty Old Books and Furniture, Mix of Dried Fruits and Nuts (Apricot, Raisin, Almond, Plum), Smoked Meat/Fish sprinkled with Herbs and Olive Oil, Forrest Floor, Nougat, Tobacco, Soot, Licorice, Aniseed, Petrol and traces of Varnish, PVC Pipes, Rubber, Wood Polish and Munster Cheese.

Palate:

The Sweet/Sour/Salty/Dirty/Muddy Mix very nicely coats your mouth and throat. It's quite satisfying. Peat and Smoke are certainly more present now. The Alcohol is nicely integrated but a slightly higher ABV would have been even better. Everything that Springbank produces has this Oily old-fashioned feeling to it and I'm a big fan!

Main Flavours:

Toasted Malt, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Sour Berries (Strawberry, Raspberry), Citrus Peel (Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit), Earthy & Muddy Peat, Factory Smoke, Brine, Ashes, Soot, Tar, Hospital, Charred Oak, Dunnage, Smoked Bacon, Leather, Farm, Warm Banana sprinkled with Nutmeg & Cinnamon, Pepper, Ginger, Cloves and Dried Herbs.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Toffee, Honey, Wax, Resin, Mix of Nuts, Dried Fruit and Dark Chocolate flakes, Old Books, Tobacco, Wet Rocks, Aniseed, Licorice, Espresso/Black Tea & traces of Wall-Paper Starch, Slivovitz, PVC Pipes and Dyon Mustard.

Finish:

Middle-Long. Dirty but in a nice way. It's like licking a Petrol Pump! Mainly Sweet but with Sour, Salty and Funky notes for company. A light Bitterness towards the Medium Dry/Dry end. Smoke & Peat are more noticeable at this point. The Sulphur is there but okay. I find Toasted Malt, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Dirty Earthy Peat, Factory Smoke, Hospital, Soot, Ashes, Tar, Brine, Sour Red Berries and Cherries, Dusty Casks in a Dunnage Warehouse, Mixed Nuts and Dried Fruits, Citrus Peel (Orange, Grapefruit), Grilled Pineapple, Leather, Tobacco, Strong Espresso/Black Tea, Smoked Bacon, Pepper, Ginger, Nutmeg, Cloves, Mint , Licorice and traces of Slivovitz, PVC Pipes, Rubber, Petrol and Wall-Paper Starch.

Drinking Advice:

This Longrow does not improve with added Water.

Rating: 8.5 (********1/2)

Nose: 8.5 - Taste: 8.5 - Finish: 8.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

A few of my loyal readers have pointed out that every once in a while my final Rating note did not seem to be totally in line with the written text. I recognize that. When I started this Whisky Blog back in 2011, I was not at all experienced in tasting and scoring Single Malts & Blends. Looking back I realize that during the early years I probably scored the good Whiskies too low and the not so good Whiskies too high. Ever since the beginning I try to remain consequent in my rating, always comparing the outcome to the rating of comparable whiskies in terms of quality and taste and adjusting the final rating if necessary. This might lead to the discrepancy I mentioned before. As a result I have decided to use a new rating system this year. I will still give a rating for Nose, Taste and Finish but now on the scale from 1-10 whereby 1 represents the worst and 10 the best. The sum of these numbers will be divided by 3 to get the final score. I hope this new scoring makes it easier for you to understand what I thought about the whisky I'm reviewing.

Drinking Experience Neat: Very Nice

Conclusion:

The Longrow peated Single Malt is produced at the Springbank Distillery. In 1973, Springbank started a project that would try to produce a peated Islay type of whisky on the Scottish mainland. The name of the project was Longrow, named after the old Longrow distillery that was located close to Springbank. In 1990 the first peated Longrow appeared on the market. The Longrow Malts are dried for 48 hours over peat smoke. Longrow represents around 10% of the total Springbank production that currently amounts to 280.000 litres.

This is not your everyday " to go to" Whisky. It's probably a little too Dirty for that. But it somehow tastes like Old School Whisky and I really like to enjoy this type of Single Malt from time to time. It's very expensive and at this price level it should have been bottled on or near Cask Strength. It would have helped the Nose that's a bit on the Thin side. Still, I love Whisky like this because there's so much to discover. If you have the opportunity, go for it. I can safely recommend it if you like the Aroma/Flavour profile and are tired of today's Mainstream stuff.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende March 9, 2023

Port Charlotte 10 Years

”I Like Your Style”

Whisky Review # 976

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Islay

Brand: Port Charlotte
Distilled at: Bruichladdich

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 10 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 50%
Maturation: Mostly Ex-Bourbon casks plus around 25% French Wine casks
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 50-65 (February 2023)

P/Q ratio: 👍 Good

Buying Advice: 👍 If you like peated young Whisky, it's a no-brainer!

Colour:

Light Gold (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Young and Light. The Peat (40 ppm) is noticeable but softer than competitors like Ardbeg 10 and Laphroaig 10. In a blind Tasting you might easily consider it to be a peated Highlander. It's Sweet but not overly so and you will also find some Bitter, Sour and Salty notes. There's quite a lot of Fruit around thanks to the Wine casks and there a slightly Dirty feel to this Nose as well. All in all not bad and certainly interesting. The Alcohol is noticeable but not overwhelming.

Main Aromas:

Toasted Malt, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Earthy Peat, Farmyard, Straw, Cold Smoke, Ashes, Soot, (Shell) Fish and Ham on the BBQ and sprinkled with Lemon and Fresh Herbs, especially Coriander & Oregano, Cocktail of Fresh Fruit like Apples, Pears, Bananas, Strawberries & Orange Juice, Dusty Wood, Leather, Aniseed and Mint.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Toffee, Tar, Iodine, Hospital, Raisins, Toasted Pineapple, Sugared Tea, Wet Rocks and Sand, Milk, Metal, Sulphur, Rubber, Olive Oil, Cinnamon, Cloves, Pepper, Curry and Licorice.

Palate:

Quite Oily for a 10-Year old. The same savory mix of Sweet, Bitter, Salty and Sour notes. It's a bit Dirty and slightly off in places but that's part of the character of this Young Islay Malt. The Alcohol is not overwhelming despite the high ABV. Quite Dry.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Malt, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Earthy Peat, Cold Smoke, Ashes, Soot, Farm-Yard, Straw, (Shell) Fish and Bacon on the BBQ, sprinkled with Lemon and Fresh Herbs, Dusty Oak, Bitter Orange, Grapefruit, Dusty Oak, Leather, Pepper, Licorice, Mint and Ginger.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Toffee, Bitter Almonds, Tar, Iodine, Hospital, Red Berries, Overripe Banana, Toasted Pineapple, Wet Stones and Sand, Metal, Rubber, Tobacco, Cloves, Curry & a mix of Milk and Baby Vomit.

Finish:

Middle-Long with lingering Ashes and Metal. A mix of Sweet, Bitter, Salty and Sour notes. Very Dry towards the end. I find Toasted Barley, Burnt Caramel, Toffee and Vanilla, Earthy Peat, Cold Smoke, Ashes, Soot, Tar, (Shell) Fish and Bacon on the BBQ & sprinkled with Lemon and Herbs, Nuts, Grapefruit, Apple, Overripe Banana, Wet Stones, Dusty Oak, Dark Cocolate, Espresso, Leather, Pepper, Cinnamon, Mint, Aniseed, Ginger, Menthol, Iron, Licorice and a light Off-note that reminds me of Milk and Baby Vomit. Not enough to scare me off though!

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water & that makes the Palate quite Succulent and Tasty. The Nose becomes a little Malty but it's certainly okay to play with a little Water in this case.

Rating: 8 (********)

Nose: 8.3 - Taste: 7.8 - Finish: 7.6 - Overall: 8

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

A few of my loyal readers have pointed out that every once in a while my final Rating note did not seem to be totally in line with the written text. I recognize that. When I started this Whisky Blog back in 2011, I was not at all experienced in tasting and scoring Single Malts & Blends. Looking back I realize that during the early years I probably scored the good Whiskies too low and the not so good Whiskies too high. Ever since the beginning I try to remain consequent in my rating, always comparing the outcome to the rating of comparable whiskies in terms of quality and taste and adjusting the final rating if necessary. This might lead to the discrepancy I mentioned before. As a result I have decided to use a new rating system as of today. I will still give a rating for Nose, Taste and Finish but now on the scale from 1-10 whereby 1 represents the worst and 10 the best. The sum of these numbers will be divided by 3 to get the final score. I hope this new scoring makes it easier for you to understand what I thought about the whisky I'm reviewing.

Drinking Experience Neat:

Good

Conclusion:

Bruichladdich was founded in 1881 by Barnett Harvey. During its long 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 the Classic Laddie, Port Charlotte 10 Years and Octomore 10 Years. The annual production amounts to around 1.3 million litres of which 50% is currently peated.

A pleasant surprise with a good P/Q ratio. It has some flaws & off-notes but these are not off-putting and kind of contribute to the character of this Port Charlotte. If you like Young, Peated Islay Malt you can't go wrong with this 10 Year old.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende February 2, 2023

GlenAllachie 10 Years Port Wood Finish

”Once in a Lifetime”

Whisky Review # 975

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Speyside

Brand: GlenAllachie Port Wood Finish (Wood Finish Series)

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 10 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 48%
Maturation: 8 Years in Ex-Bourbon Casks and 2 Years in Ruby Port Oak Pipes

Sample received from Jan in The Netherlands. Many Thanks!
Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 45-65 (January 2023)

Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Okay at around US$ 50

Buying Advice: 👎 There are better Red Wine Finished Malts around.

Colour:

Amber with shades of Red and Orange (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Young and relatively Light. The influence of the Port pipes is not overwhelming at all. It's Sweet with a few Sour notes for balance. Lots of (Dark) Red Berries. The Alcohol is noticeable but does not interfere with the Nosing procedures.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Caramel, Heather-Honey, (Dark) Red Berries like Raspberries, Strawberries, Blackberries & Cranberries, Milk-Chocolate, Coconut, Dusty Oak, Marzipan, Cinnamon, Mint and Caffe Latte.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toffee, Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Dried Fruit like Raisins and Apples, Grass and Straw, Cherry-Flavored Cough Pastilles, Slivovitz, Dusty Warehouse, Slightly Sour Red Wine, Forest Floor, Banana and hints of Polished Leather Upholstery.

Palate:

Bitter-Sweet with a few Sour notes as well. Quite Dry. The Alcohol is noticeable and a slightly lower ABV would be better in this case. No need to bottle a 10 Year old Single Malt at 48%.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Barley, Caramel, Heather-Honey, (Dark) Red Fruits such as Raspberries, and Blackberries, Dried Banana, Bitter Almonds, Slightly Sour Red Wine, Milk-Chocolate, Pepper, Cinnamon and Mint.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Toffee, Butterscotch, Treacle, Brown Sugar, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas and Apples, Cherry-Flavored Cough Pastilles, Slivovitz, Wet Stones, Ginger, Aniseed, Lemon & hints of Leather, Espresso and Tobacco.

Finish:

Middle-Long & Bitter-Sweet. Dry towards the end. The Alcohol remains noticeable. A few Metallic, Mineral and Rubbery off-notes. I also find Toasted Barley, Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Caramel, Bitter Almonds, Cherry-Flavored Cough Syrup, Dusty Oak, Slivovitz, Red Berries (Raspberry, Strawberry), Wet Paper, Milk-Chocolate, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Peppermint and hints of Leather and Dark Espresso.

Drinking Advice:

On account of the size of the sample I only tasted this Glenallachie neat.

Rating: 6.5 (******1/2)

Nose: 7 - Taste: 6.5 - Finish: 6 - Overall: 6.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

A few of my loyal readers have pointed out that every once in a while my final Rating note did not seem to be totally in line with the written text. I recognize that. When I started this Whisky Blog back in 2011, I was not at all experienced in tasting and scoring Single Malts & Blends. Looking back I realize that during the early years I probably scored the good Whiskies too low and the not so good Whiskies too high. Ever since the beginning I try to remain consequent in my rating, always comparing the outcome to the rating of comparable whiskies in terms of quality and taste and adjusting the final rating if necessary. This might lead to the discrepancy I mentioned before. As a result I have decided to use a new rating system as of today. I will still give a rating for Nose, Taste and Finish but now on the scale from 1-10 whereby 1 represents the worst and 10 the best. The sum of these numbers will be divided by 3 to get the final score. I hope this new scoring makes it easier for you to understand what I thought about the whisky I'm reviewing.

Drinking Experience Neat:

Okay

Conclusion:

The Glenallachie Distillery is quite new and was founded only in 1967. It is located on a hill above Aberlour, close to Ben Rinnes. It closed from 1987 to 1989 when it was purchased by Pernod Ricard who in turn sold it to The GlenAllachie Distillers Company in 2017. Most of the Spirit disappeared in Blends like Clan Campbell, House of Lords, White Heather & Chivas Regal until 2018. At that time a core range was launched by the new owners that currently includes the 10 Years CS, the 12, 15, 18, 21 CS and 30 CS.

I'm not a huge fan of (Fortified) Red Wine finished Single Malts but there are a few exceptions like this Longrow. The GlenAllachie 10 Y is a young Single Malt that received a Face-Lift with a 2 Year Port Finish and a (too) high ABV. The result is a slightly unbalanced and nervous Single Malt that presents a few (artificial) off-notes, mainly in the Finish. The Nose is okay but the rest leaves a lot to be desired. One dram was enough for the rest of my life!

Cheers! 🥃

Jan van den Ende January 12, 2023

About this site

There are a lot of people writing about whisky. There are few people that write independent reviews. If you have to believe the first category, there are only excellent whiskies. That just is not true. There are a lot of excellent whiskies yes. As there should be because whisky today is expensive! But there is a lot of indifferent product and some stuff is just not good enough. There is a clear need for independent reviewers. I am one of them. I have nothing to do with the industry. I don't sell anything. I don't have the perfect Palate. My opinion is as good as yours! I just taste whiskies and tell you what I think about them. That's all.