Royal Lochnagar 2009 Selected Reserve Review

“Royal Prices”

Country: Scotland
Region: Eastern Highlands

Brand: Royal Lochnagar 2009 Selected Reserve 

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS

ABV: 43% 
Chill-Filtration: Yes
Whisky Review # 602
Buying Advice: 😃/😟  Positive as it's a nice Single Malt although it has its flaws. Worried, as it's currently too expensive.

Colour: Light Mahogany (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: The Sherry Cask influence is clear. There is a little bit of Sulphur around but it doesn't spoil the party. My first impression is a walk in the forest after a rain shower. Damp Leafs, the wet Stones on the path, the wet Moss, Resin and some Mushrooms. After a while we're back to Sherry basics with Brown Sugar, Dried Fruit like Raisins and Apricots, Toffee, Caramel, Treacle, assorted Nuts, Plum Jam, Sweet Apple, Blueberries, Vanilla, Buttered Toast, Toasted Barley, Cinnamon, very light Pepper, Ginger, Oak, light Citrus and a hint of Tobacco. The Malt is certainly mature and the Alcohol is reasonably well integrated. This Royal Lochnagar deserves a slightly higher ABV.

Palate: Slightly Thin delivery on account of the relatively low ABV. On the Palate this Royal Lochnagar is mainly Sweet with some Fruit, Oak and Spices. I find Toasted Barley, Brown Sugar, Toffee, Caramel, Blueberry Cupcakes, Dried Fruit like Raisins and Apple, light Citrus, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, very light Menthol and Latte. 

Finish: Mainly Sweet but with a few Sour notes as well. Slightly Thin and a bit too short. The Oak and Spices are quite obvious by now. I also find Toasted Barley, light Vanilla, Toffee, Sweet Red Apples, Dried Fruit, Latte, Pepper, Nutmeg, Ginger, Cinnamon, Hazelnut-Chocolate and a hint of Orange Blossom.

I added a little Water and on the Nose you get images of a Latte accompanied by some Apple Pie and Cream. Palate and Finish do not change significantly but you can certainly experiment with a little Water here. 

Rating: 85.5   

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

Picture Credit: henridh

General Remarks:

The original Royal Lochnagar Distillery was built in 1823. It was destroyed by fire twice, respectively in 1824 and 1841. In 1845 it was rebuilt by John Begg. It was Queen Victoria's favourite distillery and received its Royal Warrant in 1848. It is located in Lochnagar, Royal Deeside near Balmoral Castle. The current owners are Diageo. Most of the production goes into Blends like Johnnie Walker Blue and Black and Windsor, the most popular Blend in South Korea that was launched in 1996. The core range consists of the 12 Years and the Selected Reserve.

The Selected Reserve is a limited yearly edition of specially selected casks of different vintages. It is launched to commemorate the very day that Queen Victoria visited the distillery in 1848. All bottles are individually numbered. The 2009 release numbered 2982 bottles. It most likely matured in a mix of Ex-Sherry and Ex-Bourbon Casks. This edition is said to contain Whisky of 18 years or older. It's quite expensive and is usually sold in the 150/200 US Dollar range (March 2017).

Drinking Experience Neat: Good 

Conclusion: This Royal Lochnagar is a pleasant enough Single Malt but it should have been bottled at a slightly higher ABV. The price would surely justify that. As it is, Palate and Finish are on the Thin side and that's a pity because otherwise this Malt makes a mature and well-balanced impression. A good mix of Sweet and Sour, Fruit, Oak and Spices. I enjoyed the sample and would not mind buying a full bottle. The problem however is the price. It's way too expensive! I would kindly suggest Diageo to at least increase the ABV to 46% and present this Single Malt without added Caramel and without Chill-Filtration. It would result in a better Whisky that would justify its price! 

Jan van den Ende                                                                         March 16, 2017

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Dear Whisky Friends,

You may have noticed some problems with the Lay Out. We are trying to solve the issue as soon as possible!

Cheers!

Jan

Huxley Blend Review

“A Missed Opportunity”

Country: Scotland/Canada/USA 

Brand: Huxley Rare Genus Whiskey

Type: Blended Whisky/Whiskey
Age: NAS

ABV: 42% 
Chill-Filtration: Yes 
Whisky Review # 601
Buying Advice:😑 Indifferent. It's not expensive but it's boring and without any Wow factor.

Colour: Amber (Artificially Coloured) 

Nose: Young distillate. The Grain Alcohol is quite noticeable. Still, I have Nosed worse Whisky at this price level. Cereals, Hay and Toffee are the main drivers. I also find Buttered Toast, Yeast, Vanilla, Caramel, Wood Chips, Refill Oak, Dried Fruit (like Apples, Plums and Raisins), light Citrus, light Cinnamon, Mint, Resin and a very faint hint of Horse Saddles. It's not really bad but rather boring. I kind of expected more from this interesting experiment.

Palate: Slightly Thin and Harsh Delivery. On the Palate, the Huxley is Sugary Sweet with some Bitter, Spicy and Herbal elements. I find Toasted Cereals, Toast, Brown Sugar, Caramel, Toffee, Lemon, Grapefruit, Refill Oak, Sultanas, Pepper, Nutmeg, Ginger, Cinnamon, Dried Herbs and a hint of Bananas.

Finish: Short, Spicy and Hot with Toasted Cereals, Toast, Toffee, Brown Sugar, Caramel, light Vanilla light Salty Licorice, Ginger, Pepper, Nutmeg, Lemon Juice, Grapefruit Juice, light Cinnamon and a faint hint of Burned Bananas.

The Huxley does not improve with added Water except for the fact that you take out a bit of the Harsh Alcohol. It does get very Thin though.

Rating: 76

Nose: 20 - Taste: 19 - Finish: 18.8 - Overall: 18.5

General Remarks:

After Boxing Hares and Smoky Goat, Diageo's Whisky Union Team launched the Huxley Rare Genus Whiskey in July 2016. All three of these experimental Whiskies were designed to invite the consumers to "uncharted territory". This latest expression is named in honour of T.H. Huxley, a 19th century anatomist. The label features a "Mobsprey", a mythical hybrid beast that is part Moose, part Osprey and part Bobcat. This makes sense as the Huxley is a combination of Whisky/Whiskey from Scotland, Canada and the USA. The Scottish part in the mix contains both Malt - and Grain Whisky. The Huxley was primarily released in Austria and Germany to test the market. In the meantime it's available elsewhere as well. Prices are usually in the 25 to 30 US Dollar range (March 2017).

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay but no more than that!

Conclusion: On paper, the Huxley experiment sounds interesting enough. Indeed I believe it's the first time that somebody officially mixed some Scottish, Canadian and American Whisk(e)y and brought it to the market. Full kudos for the initiative! But the makers also wanted to keep the price as low as possible. And a quality Whisky at a low price is impossible considering today's market circumstances. The Huxley clearly shows this dilemma. I mainly detect Scottish Grain Alcohol and Canadian Whisky. It's almost impossible to clearly identify Malt Whisky and Bourbon. And the Refill ex-Bourbon casks used are of indifferent quality. The end result is not really bad but extremely boring, slightly harsh and overall disappointing. In my opinion, Diageo should review this idea and experiment with better ingredients and active casks. As it stands, Huxley is a good idea but also a missed opportunity!

Jan van den Ende                                                                    March 13, 2017

Glen Deer 30 Years Review

“Herbal Tea”

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside

Brand: Glen Deer Special Reserve
Distilled, Blended and Matured by: William Grant & Sons

Type: Blended Malt Whisky
Contains Single Malt from: Glenfiddich and The Balvenie
Age: 30 Years 

ABV: 40% 
Chill-Filtration: Likely
Buying Advice: 😷 Negative. Tastes like Medicinal Herbal Tea. Good Nose though. It's not expensive.

“Whisky Review # 600”

Colour: Golden Amber (Probably Artificially Coloured)

Nose: The Ex-Sherry Cask influence is quite clear. My first impression is that this Blended Malt probably contains more Glenfiddich than Balvenie. I do get a bit of Sulphur as well but nothing serious. The Nose is basically Sweet and Medium Full. This Malt should probably have been bottled at Cask-Strength to enhance the Aromas. On the Nose, this Glen Deer 30 Years has all the characteristics of a Single Malt that you would appreciate around Christmas time or after a nice dinner in combination with a Medium-Strong Cigar. I find Toasted Barley, Buttered Toast, Dusty Straw, X-mas Cake, a Mix of Dried Fruits (like Raisins and Apricot) and Nuts, Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Honey, Orange, Strawberry, slightly Sour Apples, Wood Shavings, Cinnamon, Ginger, Mint and hints of Furniture Polish and Dusty Road.

Palate: Slightly Thin Delivery on account of the low ABV. On the Palate, the Glen Deer is mainly Sweet with some Oaky, Herbal and Sour notes as well. It's quite disappointing after the good enough Nose. I find Toasted Barley, Toffee, Raisins, slightly Bitter Almonds, Vanilla, Honey, Orange, Strawberry, Herbal Tea, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Aniseed, Ginger, Clove, Licorice and stale Coffee.

Finish: Not very Long, slightly Spicy, Bitter-Sweet, Herbal and Oaky. Quite Dry in the end with a strange Off-Note I can't quite place. An odd mixture of Oak, Metal, Herbal Tea and Green notes. This does not work for me at all. I also find Toasted Barley, Nuts, Orange, Honey, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Licorice, Aniseed and Cocoa Powder.  

Added Water does not improve this Glen Deer. On the Palate and in the Finish I keep on being punished with this Herbal Tea Flavour. You know, the one that people use to lose weight.

Rating: 81.5   

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 19 - Overall: 20.5

General Remarks:

The Glen Deer 30 Years is a special expression made by William Grant & Sons for the French market. In the meantime you can buy it elsewhere as well. Glen Deer is a Blend of Single Malts from Glenfiddich and the Balvenie. The Malts for this Blend were distilled in May, 1980. They matured in a mix of Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Sherry casks before being married and bottled in 2012. Therefore this Glen Deer has in fact over 30 Years. It's still available in places. Prices are likely to be in the 80-100 US Dollar range (March 2017). Quite cheap for a whisky of this age. 

The Glenfiddich (Gaelic for Valley of the Deer) Distillery was founded in 1886 by William Grant. It's still owned by the Grant Family today and Glenfiddich is the world's best selling Single Malt. The standard distillery range consists of the 12, 15 and 18 Years.

Glenfiddich (May 2014)

The Balvenie distillery was founded in Dufftown in 1892 by William Grant. It is still in the hands of the Grant family. The Balvenie lies at the heart of the Grant's Family Reserve Blend.

Drinking Experience Neat: The Nose is okay but Palate and Finish are quite disappointing.

Conclusion: I choose this 30 Year Old blended Malt to be my 600th Review as I expected something special. It is special but not entirely in a positive way. The Nose is quite okay and suggests your typical sherried Speysider. The Palate and Finish however are quite disappointing. I suspect indifferent cask-management. I am constantly reminded of Herbal Tea that is used to help people lose weight. A worthy cause certainly but not a Flavour I want to encounter in my Malt. Based on the Nose alone, this Glen Deer has an excellent Price/Quality ratio. Based on Palate and Finish however there is no way I can recommend this Blended Malt. Unless of course you got hooked on this Flavour in your latest effort to fight the extra kilos.                      

Jan van den Ende                                                                      March 6, 2017

The Balvenie (May 2014)

Talisker Distillers Edition 2015 Review

“Skye-High”

Country: Scotland
Region: Highlands - Islands - Skye

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

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 10 Years 

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

Colour: Chestnut/Oloroso Sherry (Likely Artificially Coloured)

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

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

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

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

Rating: 86.5   

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

General Remarks:

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

Drinking Experience Neat: Good stuff and not too expensive!

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

Jan van den Ende                                                                      March 2, 2017

Bladnoch 19 Years Review

“Interesting Rebel Without a Cause”

Country: Scotland
Region: Lowlands

Brand: Bladnoch 
Bottling Series: Belted Galloway Cattle Label

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 19 Years 

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

Colour: Golden (Natural Colour)

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

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

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

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

Rating: 82.5  

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

General Remarks:

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

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

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

Jan van den Ende                                                               February 27, 2017