“All Around the World”
Introduction:
Most of you know that I mainly use samples and miniatures when preparing my Reviews. I usually buy these in Holland and sometimes in Germany or the UK. Sometimes I receive samples from friends or readers or independent bottlers. In only two cases I received a few samples directly from distilleries. When planning my reviews for the coming months I always try to give attention to all Scottish Whisky regions as well as other Whisky/Whiskey/Bourbon producing regions all over the world with special attention to the USA, Ireland and Japan. And last but not least the blends. At the request of many readers I give preference to more recent expressions. As a result, my backlog of older samples has increased quite a bit. To do justice to those samples I will review them in the format of Specials. These specials will deal with specific countries like today or bottlers, regions or distilleries. The reviews in these Specials will concentrate on the Whisky and won't touch too much details about distilleries, maturation etc. I do hope you will like these Specials just as much as my regular reviews and I look forward to your reactions and suggestions. In this special I will review four random Whiskies from Canada, Australia, the USA and Brazil. Enjoy!
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Whisky Review # 755
Country: Canada
Distillery: Hiram Walker & Sons
Whisky Review # 755
Country: Canada
Distillery: Hiram Walker & Sons
Brand: Canadian Club
Type: Barrel Blended Canadian Whisky
Age: 6 Years
Age: 6 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: New White Oak Barrels
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 15-25 (July 2018)
Buying Advice: 😏 Not good enough as a Sipping Blend. For Mixing only!
Colour:
Golden Amber (Artificially Coloured)
Nose:
Quite Thin and Weak. The Alcohol is very prominent. It's more like a Flavoured Vodka or White Rum actually. A light mix of Bitter, Sweet and Sour notes. I do not detect any serious off-notes.
Main Aromas:
Cereals, Slightly Burnt Toast with Margarine spread, Brown Sugar, Caramel, Hay, Vanilla, Almond, Apple, Mint and Citrus Peel.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Burnt Grass and Heather, Acetone, Gooseberries, Oak Char, Banana, Pineapple, Green Tobacco, Cabbage and Aniseed.
Palate:
Thin, Watery and slightly Harsh. The Alcohol is quite noticeable. A mix of Sugary Sweet, Bitter and Sour notes.
Main Flavours:
Cereals, Corn Syrup, Brown Sugar, Caramel, Vanilla, Apple, Gooseberries, Oak Char, Vodka, Pepper and Green Tobacco.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Burnt Grass, Rye, Cherry Flavoured Cough Syrup, Nuts, Citrus Peel, Cinnamon, Mint, Nutmeg, Ginger and Licorice/Aniseed.
Finish:
Middle-Long, Thin and Harsh. A combination of Sugary Sweet, Sour and Bitter notes. I find Cereals, Corn Syrup, Rye Spice, Caramel, Vanilla, Acetone, Pepper, Vodka, Gooseberries, Grapefruit, Lemon-Peel, Apple and Oak Char.
Drinking Advice:
I added a little Water and the Canadian Club becomes less harsh. It also gets dangerously Thin though. Just add a few drops to find your preferred balance. It really doesn't matter a whole lot as this Blend is basically suited for cocktails.
Rating: 72
Nose: 18.5 - Taste: 18 - Finish: 17.5 - Overall: 18
Drinking Experience:
Below Average. Not interesting enough as a sipping Whisky.
Conclusion:
Canadian Club Whisky was created by Hiram Walker in the year 1858 and has been produced ever since then in the Hiram Walker & Sons Distillery located in Windsor (Ontario). Nowadays, the distillery is owned by Pernod Ricard from France. The Canadian Club Brand however is owned by Beam Suntory. Corn, Malted Rye, Rye and Barley are part of the mash bill for Canadian Club. It ages for 6 Years in a mix of New - and Refill White Oak casks. In recent years the 6 years has been reformulated to a NAS Whisky called "1858" Extra Aged. This goes to say it aged longer than the Canadian legal requirement of 3 years. Most likely it aged for around 5 Years. Please find my Review of the NAS version here.
The 6 Years I am tasting today comes from a miniature plastic bottle of 50 ml. that I bought a few years ago. Around 15% of the contents has evaporated in the meantime. The miniature was destined for the US market as it was imported and bottled by Canadian Club Import Company, Deerfield Illinois.
The six years is slightly better than the more recent NAS expression I reviewed earlier. It's a little less Harsh and a bit more flavourful. Nevertheless, the Canadian Club 6 Years is not interesting and mature enough to seriously consider it as a sipping Whisky. It actually reminds me more of a Flavoured Vodka. It's quite cheap of course which probably makes it a fine base for cocktails. But those are not my speciality I'm afraid. Let's leave Canada now and go Down Under.
Country: Australia
Maturation: New White Oak Barrels
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 15-25 (July 2018)
Buying Advice: 😏 Not good enough as a Sipping Blend. For Mixing only!
Colour:
Golden Amber (Artificially Coloured)
Nose:
Quite Thin and Weak. The Alcohol is very prominent. It's more like a Flavoured Vodka or White Rum actually. A light mix of Bitter, Sweet and Sour notes. I do not detect any serious off-notes.
Main Aromas:
Cereals, Slightly Burnt Toast with Margarine spread, Brown Sugar, Caramel, Hay, Vanilla, Almond, Apple, Mint and Citrus Peel.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Burnt Grass and Heather, Acetone, Gooseberries, Oak Char, Banana, Pineapple, Green Tobacco, Cabbage and Aniseed.
Palate:
Thin, Watery and slightly Harsh. The Alcohol is quite noticeable. A mix of Sugary Sweet, Bitter and Sour notes.
Main Flavours:
Cereals, Corn Syrup, Brown Sugar, Caramel, Vanilla, Apple, Gooseberries, Oak Char, Vodka, Pepper and Green Tobacco.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Burnt Grass, Rye, Cherry Flavoured Cough Syrup, Nuts, Citrus Peel, Cinnamon, Mint, Nutmeg, Ginger and Licorice/Aniseed.
Finish:
Middle-Long, Thin and Harsh. A combination of Sugary Sweet, Sour and Bitter notes. I find Cereals, Corn Syrup, Rye Spice, Caramel, Vanilla, Acetone, Pepper, Vodka, Gooseberries, Grapefruit, Lemon-Peel, Apple and Oak Char.
Drinking Advice:
I added a little Water and the Canadian Club becomes less harsh. It also gets dangerously Thin though. Just add a few drops to find your preferred balance. It really doesn't matter a whole lot as this Blend is basically suited for cocktails.
Rating: 72
Nose: 18.5 - Taste: 18 - Finish: 17.5 - Overall: 18
Drinking Experience:
Below Average. Not interesting enough as a sipping Whisky.
Conclusion:
Canadian Club Whisky was created by Hiram Walker in the year 1858 and has been produced ever since then in the Hiram Walker & Sons Distillery located in Windsor (Ontario). Nowadays, the distillery is owned by Pernod Ricard from France. The Canadian Club Brand however is owned by Beam Suntory. Corn, Malted Rye, Rye and Barley are part of the mash bill for Canadian Club. It ages for 6 Years in a mix of New - and Refill White Oak casks. In recent years the 6 years has been reformulated to a NAS Whisky called "1858" Extra Aged. This goes to say it aged longer than the Canadian legal requirement of 3 years. Most likely it aged for around 5 Years. Please find my Review of the NAS version here.
The 6 Years I am tasting today comes from a miniature plastic bottle of 50 ml. that I bought a few years ago. Around 15% of the contents has evaporated in the meantime. The miniature was destined for the US market as it was imported and bottled by Canadian Club Import Company, Deerfield Illinois.
The six years is slightly better than the more recent NAS expression I reviewed earlier. It's a little less Harsh and a bit more flavourful. Nevertheless, the Canadian Club 6 Years is not interesting and mature enough to seriously consider it as a sipping Whisky. It actually reminds me more of a Flavoured Vodka. It's quite cheap of course which probably makes it a fine base for cocktails. But those are not my speciality I'm afraid. Let's leave Canada now and go Down Under.
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Whisky Review # 756
Country: Australia
Region: Tasmania
Brand: Sullivans Cove American Oak Cask
Type: Single Malt Whisky (Small Batch - Single Cask)
Age: NAS (Said to be 10-11 Years)
Age: NAS (Said to be 10-11 Years)
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 47.5%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon American Oak Cask
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 150-350 (July 2018)
Buying Advice: 😀 Well-Made Whisky - 😡 Ridiculous Price!
Colour:
Light Golden (Natural Colour).
Nose:
An overwhelming Aroma of Cereals, Fruit, Fresh Wood and Vanilla. Quite Rich. Mainly Sweet and Buttery but with a few slightly Sour notes as well. It's not very complex but quite pleasant nonetheless.
Main Aromas:
Sweet Barley, Salted Butter, Grass/Hay, Marzipan, Milk Chocolate, Bounty Candy Bar, Banana Ice Cream, Mango, Red Apples, Hazelnut, Cinnamon & Fresh Wood.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Honey, Brown Sugar, Dusty Track, Floral Soap, Grapefruit Juice, Orange- and Lemon Peel, White Grapes, Ginger and Pepper.
Palate:
Relatively Young, Creamy, Buttery and Sweet. Again, not very complex but well-made.
Main Flavours:
Sweet Malted Barley, Vanilla, Salted Butter, Whipped Cream, Apricot Jam, Apple, Mandarin, Milk Chocolate, Orange, Hay, Cinnamon and Ginger.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Honey, Caramel, Dusty Track, Hazelnuts, Lemon, Cherry-Flavoured Candies, Tinned Pineapple and Pepper.
Finish:
Middle-Long, Creamy and Sweet at First. An increasing Bitterness towards the Dry end. I find Sweet Malted Barley, Vanilla, Hazelnuts, Milk Chocolate, Honey, Orange-Peel, Tinned Pineapple, Cherry-Flavoured Cough Pastilles, Apricot Jam, Fresh Oak, Apple, Straw, Cinnamon, Pepper, Aniseed and Tobacco.
Drinking Advice:
Due to the small size of the sample, I only enjoyed this Sullivans Cove neat.
Rating: 85
Nose: 22 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21
Drinking Experience:
Good.
Conclusion:
Sullivan's Cove Distillery is located in Cambridge, Tasmania and was founded in 1994. It really started to shine in 1999 when Patrick Maguire took over. Sullivan buys their Wash from the Cascade Brewery in Hobart. In 2016 Sullivan was bought by Adam Sable (Ex-Bladnoch). The distillery uses Water from the rain forest that surrounds the distillery.
I Bought my small sample at Master of Malt (Drinks by the Dram) a couple of years ago. Unfortunately there's little or no information on the label as to when this particular batch was produced and bottled. I'm also not sure whether it was a Limited Single Cask Edition or not. I don't think so but...
I'm pleasantly surprised with the quality of this Aussie. It reminds me of a West European mainland Whisky. Millstone from Holland came to my mind. Sullivans Cove has won quite a few awards during the last years. I normally do not pay much attention to these awards as they are Industry-driven but in this case the awards lead to an absurd price increase of the Sullivans Cove Whisky. And that's a pity because only very few people will be ready to pay 200 or 300 US Dollars for a Young Whisky like this. And while it's well-made it's not at all complex. A mix of Cereals, Butter, Vanilla and Fruit. A good Breakfast Whisky! I wish this Distillery all the best because the quality deserves it. I would urge them to revise their price policy though. This is way out of line!
Country: USA
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon American Oak Cask
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 150-350 (July 2018)
Buying Advice: 😀 Well-Made Whisky - 😡 Ridiculous Price!
Colour:
Light Golden (Natural Colour).
Nose:
An overwhelming Aroma of Cereals, Fruit, Fresh Wood and Vanilla. Quite Rich. Mainly Sweet and Buttery but with a few slightly Sour notes as well. It's not very complex but quite pleasant nonetheless.
Main Aromas:
Sweet Barley, Salted Butter, Grass/Hay, Marzipan, Milk Chocolate, Bounty Candy Bar, Banana Ice Cream, Mango, Red Apples, Hazelnut, Cinnamon & Fresh Wood.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Honey, Brown Sugar, Dusty Track, Floral Soap, Grapefruit Juice, Orange- and Lemon Peel, White Grapes, Ginger and Pepper.
Relatively Young, Creamy, Buttery and Sweet. Again, not very complex but well-made.
Main Flavours:
Sweet Malted Barley, Vanilla, Salted Butter, Whipped Cream, Apricot Jam, Apple, Mandarin, Milk Chocolate, Orange, Hay, Cinnamon and Ginger.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Honey, Caramel, Dusty Track, Hazelnuts, Lemon, Cherry-Flavoured Candies, Tinned Pineapple and Pepper.
Middle-Long, Creamy and Sweet at First. An increasing Bitterness towards the Dry end. I find Sweet Malted Barley, Vanilla, Hazelnuts, Milk Chocolate, Honey, Orange-Peel, Tinned Pineapple, Cherry-Flavoured Cough Pastilles, Apricot Jam, Fresh Oak, Apple, Straw, Cinnamon, Pepper, Aniseed and Tobacco.
Due to the small size of the sample, I only enjoyed this Sullivans Cove neat.
Rating: 85
Nose: 22 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21
Drinking Experience:
Good.
Conclusion:
Sullivan's Cove Distillery is located in Cambridge, Tasmania and was founded in 1994. It really started to shine in 1999 when Patrick Maguire took over. Sullivan buys their Wash from the Cascade Brewery in Hobart. In 2016 Sullivan was bought by Adam Sable (Ex-Bladnoch). The distillery uses Water from the rain forest that surrounds the distillery.
I Bought my small sample at Master of Malt (Drinks by the Dram) a couple of years ago. Unfortunately there's little or no information on the label as to when this particular batch was produced and bottled. I'm also not sure whether it was a Limited Single Cask Edition or not. I don't think so but...
I'm pleasantly surprised with the quality of this Aussie. It reminds me of a West European mainland Whisky. Millstone from Holland came to my mind. Sullivans Cove has won quite a few awards during the last years. I normally do not pay much attention to these awards as they are Industry-driven but in this case the awards lead to an absurd price increase of the Sullivans Cove Whisky. And that's a pity because only very few people will be ready to pay 200 or 300 US Dollars for a Young Whisky like this. And while it's well-made it's not at all complex. A mix of Cereals, Butter, Vanilla and Fruit. A good Breakfast Whisky! I wish this Distillery all the best because the quality deserves it. I would urge them to revise their price policy though. This is way out of line!
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Whisky Review # 757
Country: USA
Distillery: Copper Fox, Sperryville, Virginia
Brand: Wasmund's
Type: Single Malt Whisky (Small Batch)
Age: NAS (Said to be 12-42 Months depending on the batch)
Age: NAS (Said to be 12-42 Months depending on the batch)
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 48%
Maturation: Fresh American Oak (With Added Wood Chips)
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 35-45 (July 2018)
Buying Advice: 😔 Interesting Experiment. Expensive Bark-Juice!
Colour:
Dark Copper (Natural Colour)
Nose:
Very Sweet and Buttery. The Alcohol is quite present. A light Vomit-like off note. It's been a while since I noticed that in a Single malt.
Main Aromas:
Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Cereals, Grass/Straw, Farm Yard, Herbal Tea, Sour Cherries, Wet Earth, Dusty Track and Tree Bark.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Vanilla, Caramel, Yeast, Apple, Acetone, Sawdust, Pepper, Gasoline, Imitation Leather, Bonfire Smoke, Sweaty Feet and Milk Chocolate.
Palate:
Very Sweet and slightly Hot and Musty. The Wood influence is overwhelming. It's almost like Liquid Oak.
Main Flavours:
Toasted Cereals, Vanilla, Herbal Tea, Ashes, Cherry-Flavoured Cough Pastilles, Sour Apple, Oak Char, Pepper, Menthol and Licorice.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Bonfire Smoke, Caramel, Treacle, Wet Earth, Dusty Track, Gasoline, Sawdust, Paint Thinner, Nut Shells, Cinnamon, Pipe Tobacco and Aniseed.
Finish:
Long, Edgy and quite Hot. Sweet at First but Bitter towards the end. Lots of Oak Char and Ash. I also find Barley Sugar, Vanilla, Caramel, Pepper, Cherry Flavoured Cough Pastilles, Sour Apples, Treacle, Licorice, Herbal Tea, Mint, Paint Thinner and Nut Shells.
Drinking Advice:
No need to add Water to this Wasmund's.
Rating: 73
Nose: 19 - Taste: 18- Finish: 18 - Overall: 18
Drinking Experience:
Below average! There are some interesting ideas here but the execution could be more refined.
Conclusion:
Copper Fox was founded in 2000 by Rick Wasmund. In 2005 a new distillery was built on a different location and production started in 2006. Copper Fox does its own floor Malting and the Barley is dried with selected Fruit-wood. After distillation the Spirit is filled in American Oak barrels together with toasted chips of Apple - and Cherry wood as well as some Oak chips. All this of course to speed up the maturation process. A second distillery was opened recently in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Unfortunately my sample does not state when the specific batch was distilled, nor how long (short) it matured. In any case we are talking about a very young Whisky that was forced to mature rapidly in a Sea of Wood. Now please don't get me wrong! I am totally open to new ideas in the production of Whisky and I fully applaud what the people at Copper Fox are trying out. I also think though that there is a huge difference between a careful mix of traditional maturation and Wood Chips and drowning the Spirit in tons of Wood Chips, Apple - Cherry or otherwise. Because I don't think the Whisky world is really ready for Bark Juice. I know I ain't! So my advise to Copper Fox would be to further exploit the use of Wood Chips bearing in mind that Wood should serve the Spirit, not the other way around. Good Luck Rick!
Whisky Review # 758
Country: Brazil
Maturation: Fresh American Oak (With Added Wood Chips)
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 35-45 (July 2018)
Buying Advice: 😔 Interesting Experiment. Expensive Bark-Juice!
Colour:
Dark Copper (Natural Colour)
Nose:
Very Sweet and Buttery. The Alcohol is quite present. A light Vomit-like off note. It's been a while since I noticed that in a Single malt.
Main Aromas:
Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Cereals, Grass/Straw, Farm Yard, Herbal Tea, Sour Cherries, Wet Earth, Dusty Track and Tree Bark.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Vanilla, Caramel, Yeast, Apple, Acetone, Sawdust, Pepper, Gasoline, Imitation Leather, Bonfire Smoke, Sweaty Feet and Milk Chocolate.
Palate:
Very Sweet and slightly Hot and Musty. The Wood influence is overwhelming. It's almost like Liquid Oak.
Main Flavours:
Toasted Cereals, Vanilla, Herbal Tea, Ashes, Cherry-Flavoured Cough Pastilles, Sour Apple, Oak Char, Pepper, Menthol and Licorice.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Bonfire Smoke, Caramel, Treacle, Wet Earth, Dusty Track, Gasoline, Sawdust, Paint Thinner, Nut Shells, Cinnamon, Pipe Tobacco and Aniseed.
Finish:
Long, Edgy and quite Hot. Sweet at First but Bitter towards the end. Lots of Oak Char and Ash. I also find Barley Sugar, Vanilla, Caramel, Pepper, Cherry Flavoured Cough Pastilles, Sour Apples, Treacle, Licorice, Herbal Tea, Mint, Paint Thinner and Nut Shells.
No need to add Water to this Wasmund's.
Rating: 73
Nose: 19 - Taste: 18- Finish: 18 - Overall: 18
Drinking Experience:
Below average! There are some interesting ideas here but the execution could be more refined.
Conclusion:
Copper Fox was founded in 2000 by Rick Wasmund. In 2005 a new distillery was built on a different location and production started in 2006. Copper Fox does its own floor Malting and the Barley is dried with selected Fruit-wood. After distillation the Spirit is filled in American Oak barrels together with toasted chips of Apple - and Cherry wood as well as some Oak chips. All this of course to speed up the maturation process. A second distillery was opened recently in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Unfortunately my sample does not state when the specific batch was distilled, nor how long (short) it matured. In any case we are talking about a very young Whisky that was forced to mature rapidly in a Sea of Wood. Now please don't get me wrong! I am totally open to new ideas in the production of Whisky and I fully applaud what the people at Copper Fox are trying out. I also think though that there is a huge difference between a careful mix of traditional maturation and Wood Chips and drowning the Spirit in tons of Wood Chips, Apple - Cherry or otherwise. Because I don't think the Whisky world is really ready for Bark Juice. I know I ain't! So my advise to Copper Fox would be to further exploit the use of Wood Chips bearing in mind that Wood should serve the Spirit, not the other way around. Good Luck Rick!
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Brand: Old Red
Type: Malt Whisky Drink
Age: NAS
Age: NAS
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 38%
Maturation: What?
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 6-8 (July 2018
Buying Advice: 😥 Borderline Drinkable. Very cheap Basis for Mixed drinks.
Colour:
Copper (Artificially Coloured)
Nose:
Sharp, very Thin and Watery. It's basically Coloured Alcohol. No real off-notes.
Main Aromas:
Alcohol (Vodka), Sugar, Nut Shells, Wood Pellets and Pepper.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Burnt Toast, Toasted Cereals, Treacle and Cooked Apples.
Palate:
Bitter-Sweet, Sharp, Thin and Watery. No offending Off-Notes.
Main Flavours:
Alcohol (Vodka or cheap White Rum), Sugar, Nut Shells, Wood Chips, Licorice and Pepper.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Vanilla, Toffee, Burnt Toast and Green Apple.
Finish:
Short en Sharp. Sugary Sweet with a few Bitter notes towards the Dry end. I find Alcohol (Vodka or cheap White Rum), Burnt Toast, Nut Shells, Wood Chips, Toffee, light Vanilla, Green Apple, Pepper and Licorice.
Drinking Advice:
You can actually add a few drops of Water to get rid of most of the sharpness. It becomes really Thin though. This is not a sipping drink. For mixing only.
Rating: 64
Nose: 16 - Taste: 16 - Finish: 16 - Overall: 16
Drinking Experience:
Way Below Average.
Conclusion:
The Old Red is produced by Casa di Conti, a beverage company founded in 1947 by the Conti family in the city of Candido Mota in the interior of the state of Sao Paulo (Brazil). They produce Vermouth, Beer, Soft Drinks, Energy Drinks & Liqueurs.
Old Red is a Malt Whisky drink made of Sugar Cane Alcohol, Sugar, 3 Year Old Malt Whisky, Oak Extract and Water.
Most of you know by now that I mainly use samples and miniatures for my Tasting sessions. I collect the miniature bottles and guard them in a nice cabinet. To give them a little more "life", I refill them with cheap local Whisky. So that's why I bought a bottle of the Old Red as I have bought bottles of quite similar stuff in the past. These locally blended Whiskies or Whisky drinks are indeed very cheap and in today's Whisky world you can't expect miracles at this price level.
Old Red is basically a coloured and sugared Alcohol. It's hard to detect the Malt Whisky that should be in there somewhere. It's not good enough as a sipping drink but its low price should make it attractive for mixing purposes, But only is quantity is more important than quality. The good thing is that I'm still alive and that Old Red is not the worst stuff I've tasted so far! Cheers! Until next week!
Jan van den Ende July 30, 2018
Maturation: What?
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 6-8 (July 2018
Buying Advice: 😥 Borderline Drinkable. Very cheap Basis for Mixed drinks.
Colour:
Copper (Artificially Coloured)
Nose:
Sharp, very Thin and Watery. It's basically Coloured Alcohol. No real off-notes.
Main Aromas:
Alcohol (Vodka), Sugar, Nut Shells, Wood Pellets and Pepper.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Burnt Toast, Toasted Cereals, Treacle and Cooked Apples.
Palate:
Bitter-Sweet, Sharp, Thin and Watery. No offending Off-Notes.
Main Flavours:
Alcohol (Vodka or cheap White Rum), Sugar, Nut Shells, Wood Chips, Licorice and Pepper.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Vanilla, Toffee, Burnt Toast and Green Apple.
Finish:
Short en Sharp. Sugary Sweet with a few Bitter notes towards the Dry end. I find Alcohol (Vodka or cheap White Rum), Burnt Toast, Nut Shells, Wood Chips, Toffee, light Vanilla, Green Apple, Pepper and Licorice.
Drinking Advice:
You can actually add a few drops of Water to get rid of most of the sharpness. It becomes really Thin though. This is not a sipping drink. For mixing only.
Rating: 64
Nose: 16 - Taste: 16 - Finish: 16 - Overall: 16
Drinking Experience:
Way Below Average.
Conclusion:
The Old Red is produced by Casa di Conti, a beverage company founded in 1947 by the Conti family in the city of Candido Mota in the interior of the state of Sao Paulo (Brazil). They produce Vermouth, Beer, Soft Drinks, Energy Drinks & Liqueurs.
Old Red is a Malt Whisky drink made of Sugar Cane Alcohol, Sugar, 3 Year Old Malt Whisky, Oak Extract and Water.
Most of you know by now that I mainly use samples and miniatures for my Tasting sessions. I collect the miniature bottles and guard them in a nice cabinet. To give them a little more "life", I refill them with cheap local Whisky. So that's why I bought a bottle of the Old Red as I have bought bottles of quite similar stuff in the past. These locally blended Whiskies or Whisky drinks are indeed very cheap and in today's Whisky world you can't expect miracles at this price level.
Old Red is basically a coloured and sugared Alcohol. It's hard to detect the Malt Whisky that should be in there somewhere. It's not good enough as a sipping drink but its low price should make it attractive for mixing purposes, But only is quantity is more important than quality. The good thing is that I'm still alive and that Old Red is not the worst stuff I've tasted so far! Cheers! Until next week!
Jan van den Ende July 30, 2018
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