Pig's Nose Blended Scotch Whisky Review

Country: Scotland

Brand: Pig’s Nose

Bottled by Spencerfield Spirit Company, Inverkeithing

Type: Blended Whisky

Age: At least 5 Years Old

Alcohol: 40%

Colour:  Amber/Copper

Nose: I would have expected lots of sharp alcohol given the youth of this blend but that’s not the case. The first impressions are Grains (Barley and Corn), Vanilla, Apples and Light Peat. A bit of Sour Alcohol/Vinegar and light Wood pops up a bit later. After 10 minutes or so I get some Dried Fruits (Sultanas).

Taste: Smooth delivery with Honey, Peanut (Butter),Licorice, Sugared Tea, some Sherry, Light Spices and Malt. 

Finish: Middle-long but not very wild and exciting I’m afraid. First Sweet (Sugar, Caramel) followed by Citrus and Salt. Quite dry in the end.

When adding a couple of drops of water you get more fruity tones on the nose. Melon and Peach. On the palate you get more Wood and Vinegar and loose some Tea and Peanuts. In my opinion the nose benefits from a bit of water but I prefer to drink it straight. In any case, you can experiment with a few drops but as always be careful not to overdo it.

Rating:  79 

Nose: 20 – Taste: 21 – Finish: 18 – Overall: 20

General Remarks: Alex Nicol, who used to work for Whyte and Mackay, Laphroaig and Glenmorangie, founded The Spencerfield Spirit Company. The Pig’s Nose Blend was prepared by Richard Paterson of Whyte and Mackay fame. It contains Single Malts from Speyside, Highlands and a bit of Islay, blended together with Grain whiskies.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: Soft and Smooth as a Pig’s Nose. That’s the idea behind this blend. It’s certainly smooth for such a young blend of whiskies. I believe it contains mainly Speyside and Highland Malts. Can’t find much Islay here apart from a bit of peat on the nose. At a price of between USD 30, - and 35, - it’s certainly an alternative if you like smooth and sweet. If anything, I find it a bit too sweet on the palate. It really brought me back to the dressing room when I was a kid playing in a local soccer team. At half time you would receive a cup of sweet tea, sweet as a Pig’s Nose!

Jan van den Ende                                                          February 24, 2012

Fleetwood Mac - Kiln House - Review

Today I would like to present to you an Album from Fleetwood Mac recorded in 1970. Not because it's such a great Album but because of its title Kiln House. No better way than to combine Classic Rock and Whisky. As you know the Kiln is used to dry the soaking wet and germinating barley. Today most distilleries use hot air to dry the barley but distilleries on a/o Islay, the Orkney Isles and in Northern Scotland still use traditional peat and coal fires to dry the malt and get the peat flavour in the whisky. Drying goes on until the barley, now called Malt,  has reached the ideal temperature for grounding.
So that's the Kiln House in a nutshell. Here's the Album:

Fleetwood Mac - Kiln House - 1970

Songs: This is the Rock, Station Man, Blood on the Floor, Hi Ho Silver, Jewel Eyed Judy, Buddy´s Song, Earl Gray, One Together, Tell Me All The Things You Do, Mission Bell.       

Type of Music: Early Seventies Eh…….. Music, I suppose.

Comments:

This was the first album without founding member Peter Green who joined a religious cult. So we have the rhythm section Fleetwood/Mc Vie and guitarists Danny Kirwan and Jeremy Spencer. And we have some backing vocals from Christine McVie who would join the band right after the release of Kiln House. But it´s basically Jeremy who leads the way on this Album. But where does the road go to one wonders? We have a Carl Perkins pastiche called This is the Rock, a hilarious Elvis imitation in the country song Blood on the Floor and a Buddy Holly tribute called Buddy´s Song. Then there is some country-rock a la The Band in Station Man and, Oops we almost forgot we were a blues band, there is the Blues Rock of Tell Me All The Things You Do. Even an instrumental called Earl Gray which is not really my cup of tea but it´s not bad either.

Two insignificant songs are called One Together and Mission Bell. And all that remains is Jewel Eyed Judy. Hey, wait a minute! Now that´s a good song! Watch for those guitars. Best song on the Album without a shadow of a doubt.

So what´s the point of all the above. None I guess, the guys were just having fun!

Rating: ***** (5 out of 10)

Black = Good Songs

Green = Great Songs

Red = Could Be Better

Who should buy this Album: Well, nobody I suppose unless you’re a huge fan of Fleetwood Mac!

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Bayou Country - Review

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Bayou Country - 1969

Songs:  Born on the Bayou, Bootleg, Graveyard Train, Good Golly Miss Molly, Penthouse Pauper, Proud Mary, Keep on Chooglin’.

Type of Music: Late Sixties Blues (Swamp) Rock.

Comments:

The second of the three albums CCR would produce in 68/69. And I like it a lot!! I know it´s too short with only 34 minutes of which 16 are used for the overlong jams Graveyard Train, a very slow Blues song, and Keep on Chooglin´  , a Suzie Q Rip-off.  And it´s got a cover of Good Golly Miss Molly that I don´t particularly like but that does point to future classics like Travelin Band  and Fortunate Son. And it does sound a bit sloppy from time to time and the album was probably recorded in a hurry. But the rough CCR sound is well established by now and John´s songs are getting better and better.

The best of CCR is yet to come and that says a lot when an album contains such absolute Classics like Born on the Bayou which is in the TOP 3 of my favourite CCR songs and the overplayed but still fresh sounding Proud Mary which would later be successfully covered by Ike and Tina Turner.

This is The place to start your Creedence collection. There is a remastered version waiting for you in the shops!!          

Rating: ******** (8 out of 10)

Black = Good Songs

Green = Great Songs

Red = Could Be Better

Who should buy this Record:  Everybody that loves John Fogerty´s Swamp Rock!!

McClelland's Lowland Review

Country: Scotland

Brand: McClelland’s

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Region: Lowland

Age: Not specified but most likely around 5 Years

Alcohol: 40%

Date: 19/02/2012

Colour: Yellow Gold

Nose: There’s not too much going on here. Bitter Sweet with Malt, Oak, Light Peat, Caramel and Sharp Alcohol, which was to be expected given its relative youth. There are some fruity tones there in the back but you really have to look for them. And then they are not even really pleasant. Like slightly bitter Orange -or Tangerine Juice. A faint hint of Spices.

Taste:  The delivery is harsh with Alcohol, Wood, Malt and Sugar. There’s a Bite on the palate. Little bit of Sherry is not enough to save this.

I added a few drops of water but it doesn’t make any difference.

Finish: Short and Bitter. Wood and a Bit of Toffee.

Rating:  72,5(out of 100)

Nose 19– Taste 18 – Finish 17,5 – Overall 18

General Remarks: A McClelland’s Distillery does not exist. It’s a series of 5 Single Malt Whiskies from the main Scottish production areas. Four of them, the Highland, the Lowland, the Speyside and the Islay are NAS or Non-Age Specified. In 2008, a Speyside 12 Years was added. McClelland’s Parent company is Morrison Bowmore Distilleries (Suntory Group). They are the owners of Auchentoshan (Lowland), Bowmore (Islay) and Glen Garioch (Highland). So we only have to guess where the Speyside is produced I would say! We can safely assume that the Auchentoshan Distillery produced this Lowland Malt. You can find my tasting notes on their 12 Year Expression on the site. Didn’t score very high and neither does this one. McClelland’s main markets are the USA, Canada, Japan and France.

Drinking Experience Neat: Average

Conclusion: Smooth and Light like the landscape. That’s how a Lowland Whisky is supposed to taste!

Unfortunately that’s not the case here. Instead it’s Harsh, Bitter, Sugary Sweet and Dull. It’s cheap at around USD 30, - but I can think of better ways to spend my money!

Jan van den Ende                                                                   February 2012

Jim Beam Black Review

Country: USA

Brand: Jim Beam Black Label

Type: Bourbon (Kentucky)

Age: 6 Years

Alcohol: 43%

Colour: Deep Gold

Nose: Very Rich with Sweet Grain, Banana, Coconut, Dried Apricots, Vanilla, Light Oak and Charcoal. There is some young alcohol there so best leave it in the glass for at least 15 minutes before starting to nose.

Taste:  The delivery is smooth and sweet though less sweet as I’d expected after the nose. Vanilla and Caramel. Some light spices are developing. But above all there is a distinct Cherry flavor.

Finish: Middle long with the Cherries leading the way to a dry and nutty finish.

Rating: 85

Nose: 22 – Taste: 21 – Finish: 21 – Overall: 21

General Remarks: With a few drops of water you bring out some more fruit in the nose (Dried Apricots and Prunes). But the palate is ruined so I advise you to drink it either straight or with an ice cube or two.

Drinking Experience Neat:  Good

Drinking Experience On the Rocks: Average (Nutty Bitterness)

Conclusion: I’ve read a lot of very positive opinions on the Jim Beam Black 8 years expression that is being sold in the USA. In Brazil and other parts of the world we have to do with the imported version that aged for 6 years only. I consider it to be a good Bourbon, slightly better than the Jim Beam White Label that I also bought here in Brazil. But I think I will have to go to the States to get the real one. So maybe in the future I’ll go Back to Black!

Jan van den Ende                                                        November 18, 2011