Nikka Taketsuru 17 Years Review

“Water of Life”

Country: Japan

Brand: Nikka Taketsuru

Type: Blended Malt Whisky
Age: 17 Years

ABV: 43% 
Chill Filtration: Likely
Whisky Review # 616
Buying Advice: 😋  Great Nose. Good Blend. 😟  Expensive.

Colour: Light Amber (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: Interesting! My first association was a Bourbon finished in Sherry casks! It's quite different when compared to mainstream Scottish Whisky. The Sherry casks influence is more than evident. I find lots of Dried Fruits like Plums, Figs, Raisins, Sultanas, Dates and Apples. Dark Honey, Blueberry Preserves, Coffee and some Bitter Chocolate. But there's enough Vanilla as well representing the Bourbon casks. I can't find any Smoke or Peat in the Islay sense of the words. I do get Charred Oak and Dusty Roads. Recently polished Leather. Perhaps some Virgin Oak was used to mature this Taketsuru. This is a very complex Nose and Aromas and impressions pop up all the time. Fresh Cigar Smoke, Marzipan. Also more regular notes such as Buttered Toast, Toffee, Herbal Tea, Lemon, a teaspoon of Pepper and, surprisingly, a little Salt. And finally a slice of Sweet Pineapple sprinkled with Mint. There's so much going on here that it's almost a bit too busy. I just looked at my watch and I realised that I'm nosing this Blend for more than an hour now. Amazing. The one thing that puzzles me a bit is the Alcohol. It's more present than I would have expected of 17 year old Malt. But other than that Nikka has succeeded in creating a Nose that is made to be enjoyed and discussed with friends after a nice dinner.

Palate: Quite disappointing after the intriguing Nose. The Alcohol is confusing. On the one hand you feel that an ABV of 46% would have greatly helped the delivery and mouth feel that presently is a bit on the Thin side. On the other hand the Alcohol is quite present! We have a bit of a dilemma here. Would love to hear your opinions on this one. On the Palate, the Taketsuru presents a mix of Sweet, Spicy and Sour elements. The Oak is much more noticeable by now. I find Sweet Barley, Toffee, Caramel, Vanilla, Dried Fruit (Raisins, Sultanas), Red Wine, Dried Herbs, Dark Honey, Bitter Orange, Bourbon, Chocolate, Blackberry Preserves, Dusty Road, Pepper, Salt, Cinnamon, Mint, Licorice, Aniseed and hints of Leather, Tobacco and Espresso. There is a sort of Dirty and Meaty feel to this Blend that ever so slightly reminded me of a mature Mortlach.

Finish: Middle-Long. Mainly Bitter-Sweet but also with Sour Grapes or Red Wine notes towards the end. Licorice, Aniseed, Herbs, Charred Oak and Chocolate are key notes. I also find Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Demerara Sugar, Strong Herbal Tea, Tobacco, Dark Honey, Soy Sauce, Lemon, Pepper, Cinnamon and hints of Pineapple and Espresso. A little Alcohol kick right at the end.

I added a little Water but came to regret that. The Nose completely lost its complexity and reminded me of a Fruit Cocktail. Palate and Finish do not get any better as well. Definitively a Whisky to sip Neat.   

Rating: 87.5       

Nose: 23 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 22

General Remarks:

The Taketsuru range was launched in 2001 in honour of Masataka Taketsuru who founded Nikka whisky in 1934 after having studied chemistry in Glasgow and learnt the art of distilling at Longmorn and Hazelburn. Yoichi was the first distillery, located in Yoichi, Hokkaido. This area roughly resembles the Scottish Speyside region. Originally, the Taketsuru range consisted of the 12, 17 and 21 years. A couple of years ago, Nikka decided to stop producing Vintage Malts. The 12 Years has been replaced in the meantime by the NAS Pure Malt. The 17 and 21 Years are becoming hard to find. The price of the award winning 17 Years lies usually in the US$ 180/240 range (June 2017).

🍷 The Spirit: The Taketsuru 17 years is a blend of especially selected Single Malt Whiskies from Nikka's two Malt distilleries, Yoichi and Miyagikyo. The first one produces Rich and Peaty whiskies. This distillery still uses the traditional Direct Heating Distillation where the Pot Stills with downward Lyne arms are heated with Coal Powder giving the Whiskies a distinct Aroma and a full Body. Yoichi mostly uses peated Barley with 4-50 PPM. Miyagikyo on the other hand is known for its Fruity and Elegant malts. It is located in Miyagi (Honshu). The large stills have boil bulbs and upward Lyne arms. Unpeated or very lightly peated Barley is used. (June 2017).

🌲 The Wood: Nikka does not specify what casks are used for the Taketsuru 17 Years. However strong Sherry Cask Aromas and Flavours like Dried Fruits, Nuts, Chocolate, Coffee and Berries are evident as are the Vanilla and Charred Oak from the Bourbon casks. I would not be surprised if a small number of Mizunara (Japanese Oak) casks and/or Virgin Oak casks were used as well.

Drinking Experience Neat: Quite Good. Very nice Nose!

Conclusion: This is one of these What If conclusions. Because if the Palate and Finish would have been able to accompany the wonderful Nose, this Taketsuru would have rocketed into my Top 5. And I would have gladly paid 200 Dollars for this Blend although this is something I normally wouldn't do. But Palate and Finish are noticeably weaker than the Nose and I'm afraid I can't quite explain why. Did the Spirit remain a couple of years too long in the casks? Should it have been bottled at 46% or even Cask Strength? You would think so but the Alcohol is already strong enough. Is the Sherry cask percentage perhaps a tad too high? Do the Sour elements point at some weaker casks in the mix? That's exactly why I like Whisky so much. It's as complicated as life itself. It's not for nothing that Whisky derives from the Gaelic word Uisge Baugh or "Water of Life"

Jan van den Ende                                                                       June 5, 2017

Miyagikyo and Yoichi Distilleries

Antiquary 21 Years Review

“A Semi-Precious Stone”

Country: Scotland

Brand: The Antiquary (Gold Box)

Type: Blended Whisky
Blended By: J & W Hardie Ltd, Glasgow (Tomatin)
Age: 21 Years

ABV: 43% 
Chill Filtration: Yes 
Whisky Review # 615
Buying Advice: 😐 Neutral. Good Blend. Negative Price/Quality Ratio.

Colour: Light Golden (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: There is a nice balance between the Bourbon - and Sherry casks but the Grain Alcohol is still quite noticeable. It's rather Light and Clean for a 21 Year old Blend. Sweet, Medium-Dry and Malty with very distant hints of Grassy Peat and light Smoke. I also pick up Sweet Cereals, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Caramel, Toffee, Heather-Honey, Straw, Dried Herbs, Dusty Road, Banana Flavoured Candy, Citrus, Black Currant Jam, Cooked Apples, Cinnamon, light Menthol, Aniseed, Refill Oak casks and traces of Pepper and Nuts. Most of the Aromas are merely impressions and it takes quite some time to identify them. You would expect some clearer notes after 21 Years which leads me to the conclusion that (most of) the casks weren't very active. After more than an hour I also got an additional Tropical Fruit note but I can't pin it down. Honey Melon perhaps. 

Palate: Slightly Bland and Thin Delivery. An ABV of 46% would have been more adequate. On the Palate, the Antiquary is mainly Sweet with clear notes of Malt, Cereals, Fruit and Spices. the Impressions of Flavours include Sweet Cereals, Buttered Toast, Toffee, Caramel, Straw, Heather-Honey, Cooked Apples, Citrus, Dried Figs, Melon, Cinnamon, Pepper, Nutmeg, Aniseed and a mere hint of Peat.

Finish: Long, Fruity and Pleasantly Sweet. Quite Mineral towards the end. I find Red Apples, Banana, Melon, Pear, Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Fudge, Cinnamon, Pepper, Nutmeg, Oak, Walnuts, Grain Alcohol , Aniseed, Menthol and a very faint hint of Peat. My favourite part of this Blend.    

I added a little Water and the Nose becomes extra Fruity - and Floral. Palate and Finish don't take the water quite as well.

Rating: 84       

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

General Remarks:

The Antiquary Blend was produced for the first time in 1888 in Edinburgh by John & William Hardie. The name derives from a novel by Sir Walter Scott. The diamond-shaped bottle and presentation are quite nice. J & W Hardie Ltd in Glasgow was bought in 1995 by the Tomatin Distillery Company Ltd. The Blend contains around 55% Malt Whisky, a high percentage. All in all some 30 Grain - and Malt whiskies are used for the Antiquary. The heart of the Blend is Speyside, represented by a/o Glenrothes, Mortlach, Benrinnes, Linkwood and Cragganmore. Highland malts include Tomatin, Royal Lochnagar and Clynelish while the Lowlands are represented by Glenkinchie. A touch of Bowmore takes care of the subtle peated part of the Blend. The Grain Whiskies are from Camaronbridge and Port Dundas. Maturation takes place in a mix of Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Sherry casks. The average price of the Blend lies around 90 US Dollars (May 2017).

Drinking Experience Neat: Good  

Conclusion: The Antiquary 21 years is certainly a very big step forward when compared to the Antiquary 12 Years I reviewed earlier. The 21 Years is a good Blend as it should be given the spicy price-tag. But it's not an exceptional blend and there are two main reasons for that. First of all I suspect that the Malts used did not mature in very active casks. And secondly, as a result, the Grain Alcohol remains quite prominent despite the high Malt content. On the outside the Antiquary 21 years indeed shines like a Diamond with its nice packaging and bottle. The Whisky itself is more like a semi-precious stone. Good but not Great! 

Jan van den Ende                                                                      May 30, 2017

Tomatin

Balvenie 21 PortWood Review

“Speyside’s Port Authority”

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside

Brand: The Balvenie PortWood

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 21 Years

ABV: 43% 
Chill Filtration: Yes 
Whisky Review # 614
Buying Advice: 😐 Neutral. Nice Malt for Port lovers. Negative Price Vs. Quality Ratio. 

Colour: Old Gold/Brandy with a touch of Orange (Probably Coloured)

Nose: An interesting combination of Sweet, Sour, Dusty, Fruity, Floral and Oak tones. The Port Pipe Aromas are unmistakably present. At first I get a bit of the Cooked Vegetables Aromas I often find in the Jura Single Malts. They tend to disappear over time so it's very important to give this Portwood sufficient time in the glass before Nosing. After around 15 minutes I find Toasted Cereals, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Toffee, Caramel, Wax, Honey, Brown Sugar, Bourbon, Stewed Orchard Fruit, Blackcurrants, Red Wine, Polished Leather Upholstery, Dirty Road, Nectarine, Tinned Pineapple- and Peach slices in Syrup, light Citrus, Cinnamon, Clove, light Menthol and Aniseed. Although noticeable, the Alcohol is still reasonably well-integrated. I also find a hint of Smoke from a very distant fire. There are more than sufficient traces of Aromas to be found if you take the time with this Single Malt. The main drivers however are Sweet Fruit, Buttery Cereals and Polished Leather, accompanied by Wood, Spice and slightly Sour Red Wine. It's not bad but it isn't entirely my style. 

Palate: The delivery is a little Thin. On the Palate and in the Finish the age of the Malt becomes clear as Oak and Wood Spice appear at the front. On the Palate, the Portwood is mainly Bitter Sweet but also with a few Sour Notes. I find Toasted Cereals, Buttered Toast, Toffee, Caramel, Honey, Vanilla, Brown Sugar, Dried Fruit like Apple, Apricot and Plums, Nectarine, Citrus, Dusty Road, Red Wine, Hazelnut, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Aniseed, Cocoa Powder and Tobacco.     

Finish: Middle-Long and Bitter-Sweet with a few Sour notes as well. Dry in the end with Tannins and Oak. Unsweetened Cappuccino topped with Cinnamon and Cocoa Powder is my first image. After a little while I also find Toasted Cereals, light Honey, Orange-flavoured Dark Chocolate, Brown Sugar, Red Apples, Nuts, Red Wine, Sour Cherries, Nectarine, Pepper, Aniseed, Nutmeg and Tobacco.   

The Balvenie PortWood does not improve with added Water. Better sip it neat. 

Rating: 84.5        

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

General Remarks: 

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. Today it's one the 10 most sold Single Malts worldwide.

A vintage Portwood was released for the first time in 1996. Today the 21 Years Portwood is part of the core range of the distillery. There are two expressions around at the moment. The standard one I'm tasting today and a Travel Retail expression that is bottled at 47.6% and without Chill-Filtration. The Portwood matures for over 20 Years in Ex-Bourbon casks before being finished for a number of months in 30 Year Old Port Pipes. The Price varies a lot from place to place but is usually in the 150/200 US Dollar range (April 2017). That's quite expensive but a 21 Year old Whisky can't be cheap of course. 

Drinking Experience Neat: Good 

Conclusion: The Balvenie is one of those distilleries that produces whole ranges of pleasant, enjoyable Single Malts that are quite mainstream. It's difficult not to like them. On the other hand they all miss the "WOW" factor in my opinion. And that means that the Price/Quality ratio becomes rather important when you are going to buy a Balvenie Single Malt. I kinda liked this Portwood for example but no way I would spend over 150 US Dollars for this Single Malt. It's not special enough for that kind of money. And the same goes for most of Balvenie's special expressions. That's why I always come back to the 12 Years Double Wood as one of my to-go-to drams. Pleasant Single Malt with an excellent Price/Quality Ratio. If you adore Port Finished Single Malts however and you have the cash, this Portwood is certainly not a bad choice. 

Jan van den Ende                                                                      April 27, 2017

Laphroaig Lore Review

“Where Do We Go From Here”

Country: Scotland
Region: Islay

Brand:Laphroaig Lore

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS

ABV: 48% 
Barrier Filtration: Yes 
Whisky Review # 613
Buying Advice:😡  Way too expensive. Go for the 10 or the Quarter Cask!

Colour: Golden Corn (Most likely Artificially Coloured)

Nose: Young and slightly Dirty with Cold Smoke, Dirty Earth, Soot, PVC Pipes, Tar, Ashes, Diesel Oil, Leather, Iodine, Brine, Wet Stones, Burnt Toast, Charred Oak, Damp Cellar and Shell Fish. I don't get a significant Sherry influence. A little bit of Salted Nuts, Dried Fruit and Straw. After a while in the glass I get some Vanilla, Toffee, Caramel, Cocoa Powder, Lemon, Milk Chocolate, Ripe Bananas and Apple Sauce. The Spices include Ginger, Cinnamon and Cardamon. And finally quite a bit of Menthol. It's not as outspoken as the 10 Years and not near as mature as the (former) 18 years. It's another attempt to create a young mainstream Laphroaig. Gone are the days that you either loved this distillery or hated it. Good for sales without any doubt. A pity for those Whisky fans who loved the distinguished characteristics of each distillery. If the trend continues this way the whole concept of Single Malt will be hollowed out and Whiskies will merely be distinguished by type. Something like Sweet, Medium Sweet, Dry, Lightly Peated and Heavily Peated. And those varieties could be made in a few huge producing facilities. Am I too pessimistic here? Or are we slowly but surely being pushed in that direction! Only time will tell! Let's stop the ranting and return to the Nose of the Lore. It's okay but nothing special. And that just adds to my case! Because a Single Malt should not be just okay. That's something for boring Blends.     

Palate: There's a Young feel to it on the one hand but it's a bit Oily at the same time. I find Cold Smoke, Dirty Earth, Brine, Ashes, Soot, Tar, Iodine, Leather, Plastic, Caramel, Toffee, Sour Cherries, Green Apple, Pear, Pepper, Cinnamon, Clove, Nutmeg, Lemon, Grapefruit, Gooseberries, Licorice, Dried Fruit, Smoked Fish or Shell Fish, Aniseed and hints of Tobacco and Chocolate.   

Finish: Middle-Long and quite Dry. The Ashes and Dirty Earth stay a little longer on your Palate. The Finish is mainly Bitter-Sweet with some Mineral and Sour notes as well. I find Toasted Barley, Charred Oak, Ashes, Cold Smoke, Soot, Iodine, Wet Grass, Vanilla, Green Apple, Pear, Salt, Gooseberries, Raspberries, Licorice, Cinnamon, Pepper, Nutmeg, Aniseed, Fish and/or Shell Fish on the BBQ and hints of Tobacco, Leather and Cocoa Powder. After a few sips the Bitterness seems to increase and that's not a good thing.

I added a little Water and on the Nose some extra Fruit appears. Mainly Pears and Apricots. A little Orange perhaps. Palate and Finish become too Thin for my taste. Better sip it neat. 

Rating: 83.5       

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

General Remarks: 

Laphroaig was founded in 1815 by Alexander and Donald Johnston. It is located close to Port Ellen on the island of Islay. It is currently owned by Beam Suntory. The core range consists of the Select NAS, the 10, the 10 CS, the Quarter Cask, the Triple Wood and the Lore that was added in 2016. The lack of older stocks forces the distillery to launch more NAS Expressions. Unfortunately, the very nice 18 Years old was discontinued in 2015. In fact the Lore seeks to replace the 18 Years. 

The Lore was released in 2016. Lore means the verbal passing of tradition and skill and current Distillery manager John Campbell created the Lore to celebrate the fact that Laphroaig has been made this way during the last 200 years. The Lore is said to contain Spirit that is at least 7 years old but some 1993 vintage is in the mix as well. The Whisky matured in various types of casks that include First & Refill Ex-Bourbon casks ,First Fill Ex-Oloroso Casks and some Whisky that matured in Quarter casks and was finished in Virgin European Oak casks. It is not at all cheap with prices mostly in the 85-125 US Dollar range (April 2017).

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: I can understand the current dilemmas of the Whisky Market that has grown much faster as expected. This is mainly a result of the concentration of the production. Big companies have ample means to market their whiskies on a world wide scale, something that would be impossible if all distilleries would still be independent and/or family run. As a result of the fast growing consumption stocks have been dwindling at an alarming rate and many older whiskies needed to be discontinued and replaced by younger NAS Whiskies. Normally, younger whiskies should be cheaper than older ones and the industry needed to be resourceful to maintain - or even increase margins. As a result we are being bombarded by nice stories, beautiful names, exotic finishing, high ABV and...high prices. The Lore is a good example of this. It's basically a young whisky with added Wood contact and a small percentage of older Vintage Malt. That does not make it a bad Whisky of course and I would happily pay 50 US Dollars for a bottle. But at a 125 US Dollars the Price/Quality ratio sucks big time. The Lore simply is not worth that kind of money. Better stay with the 10 Years or the Quarter Cask.    

Jan van den Ende                                                                      April 24, 2017

Glenmorangie Milsean Review

“Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)”

Country: Scotland
Region: Northern Highlands

Brand: Glenmorangie Milsean (Private Edition)

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS

ABV: 46% 
Light Chill-Filtration: Yes 
Whisky Review # 612
Buying Advice: 😑  This is not my idea of a good Whisky. And it's way too expensive for Artificially Flavoured Candies. But that's just me!  

Colour: Full Gold with Red and Orange notes

Nose: Lighter than I had come to expect. Be sure to give the Milsean sufficient time in the glass. Initially I got some wafts of Varnish but they almost disappear with time. The Wine Finish is noticeable but the Ex-Bourbon casks have not been totally dominated. On the Nose the Milsean is indeed quite Sweet but the Sweetness comes across as slightly artificial. It does remind me a bit of the canned Fruit Cocktail in Heavy Syrup that was served on birthday parties when I was a kid. The one that usually contained Pineapple, Pear, Melon, Grapes and Cherries. Additionally I get some Apple as well.

I also find Buttered Toast, Icing Sugar, Vanilla, Toffee/Butterscotch, Coconut, Rum soaked Raisins, Orange, Plum Jam, Red Wine, Cinnamon, Ginger, Sweet Barley, Blueberry Muffins, Mint and a few Floral and Green notes that I can't pin down exactly. 

Palate: Not quite as Sweet as I expected after the Nose. Oak, Spices and a few Sour notes come into play as well. It's actually a little Thin despite the good ABV. I find Tutti Frutti Bubblegum, Icing Sugar, Vanilla, Toffee, Rum soaked Raisins & Sultanas, Coconut, Pineapple, Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit, Nectarine, Bourbon, Buttered Toast, Ginger, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Aniseed, Menthol, Red Wine, Herbal Tea and a few Floral notes.  

Finish: Medium-Long. Very Sweet at first but quite Dry later on with a Metallic Off-Note and a rather unpleasant Woody Bitterness. This is easily the weakest part of this Malt. I find Honey, Icing Sugar, Strawberry Jam, Bourbon, Red Wine, Orange, light Pepper, Ginger, Clove, Menthol, Green Apple and hints of Tobacco and Herbal Tea.

I added a little Water and on the Nose I find Strawberry Candies, Fudge and Plum Jam. Palate and Finish become too Watery for my taste. Better sip it neat.

Rating: 81    

Nose: 21 - Taste: 20 - Finish: 19.5 - Overall: 20.5

General Remarks:

Glenmorangie was founded in 1843 and the production started in 1849. It was rebuilt in 1887 and was mothballed from 1931 to 1936. It is located in Tain in the Northern Highlands. Since 2004 it's in the hands of Moet Hennessy. The distillery was one of the first to experiment with different Cask Finishing. Today it's the 4th best selling Single Malt in the world.

The Milsean (Gaelic for Sweet Things) was launched late 2016 as the 7th release in the Private Edition series. The Spirit matured firstly in Ex-Bourbon casks before being finished for two-and-a-half years in 269 heavily toasted casks that previously matured Portuguese Red Douro Wine. The Private Edition series were created by Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie's director of distilling and whisky creation. With the Milsean he and his probable successor Brendan McCarron try to recreate the Aromas and Flavours that most of us will remember from the old-style Candy Shops. Label and Packaging are styled in the same fashion. It's not cheap for a NAS Single Malt with prices usually in the 100-120 US Dollar range (April 2017).
  

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay 

Conclusion: I like my Single Malt to be Well-Matured, Complex, Balanced with as much as possible Natural Aromas and Flavours and without any off notes. Unfortunately, the Milsean does not tick any of these boxes. There is a young feel to this Malt and the Red Wine Finish can't hide this fact. It's not at all a complex and balanced Whisky as its main drivers are Canned Fruit, Wood and Wood spice. It's all a bit Rough and Unfinished. The Aromas and Flavours seem artificial and there are a few unpleasant off-notes in the Finish. Does the Milsean remind me of a Candy Shop filled with Artificially flavoured Candies? Yes, it does. Is that my idea of a good Whisky? No it isn't.   

Jan van den Ende                                                                      April 20, 2017