Linkwood 15 Years (Gordon and MacPhail) Review

Country: Scotland

Brand: Linkwood

Region: Speyside

Type: Single Malt

Age: 15 Years

ABV: 40%

Colour: Full Gold

Nose: I thought I was smelling a Bowmore at first. In a blind tasting this would have fooled me completely. First impressions are Peat, Smoke, Leather and Oak, followed by Hints of Sherry, Caramel, Red Fruit, Malt, Dried Fruits (Sultanas) and Honey. I got the image of old books found in an attic that hadn't been dusted for quite some time! It's not unpleasant but a bit one-dimensional.

Taste: Slightly Thin Delivery. Another one that should have been bottled at 46%. I find Peat, Oak, Red Fruit, Sherry, Black Pepper, Anise, Olive Oil and Salt.

Finish: Middle-Long with some Black Pepper, Anise, Wet Earth and a sprinkling of Salt. The mild Peat stays with you for a couple of minutes. 

I added a few drops of Water but the Nose does not change a lot. And Palate and Finish just get watered down. Sip this one neat!

Rating: 82.5 

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

General Remarks: The Linkwood Distillery was built in Elgin in 1821. A second facility was constructed in Linkwood in 1971. The old distillery went out of production in 1985. It reopened in 1990 but produces only during a couple of months per year. Today it is part of the Diageo Group. Gordon and MacPhail is an Independent Bottler and Distiller founded in Elgin in 1895. Currently the company bottles over 350 expressions from around 70 Distilleries. This Linkwood expression was matured in a combination of first fill and refill Ex-Sherry Casks. In Europe it's sold at around US$ 60.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: I was expecting more of the Linkwood 15 Years. Its nose is controlled by Peat that leaves little room for other flavour components to come forward. The Nose is familiar to a standard Bowmore but the latter manages a better balance between Peat and Sweet components such as Fruits and Sherry. The bottling at 40% is clearly a mistake. As a result, the Delivery is on the Thin side. The Palate is not very complex and Peaty Spiced Olive Oil summons it up reasonably. That does not exist in real life of course but inventing stuff is one of the privileges of the writer! The Finish is nothing special but the mild Peat stays in your mouth for a few minutes. It's not a bad dram but it suffers from being too one-dimensional. Frankly, it's a bit boring.

 Jan van den Ende                                                            November 25, 2012

Gordon & MacPhails's Shop in Elgin

Canadian Mist Review

Country: Canada

Brand: Canadian Mist

Type: Blended Canadian Whisky

Age: NAS

ABV: 40%

Date: 23/11/2012

Colour: Pale Amber

Nose: Rather subdued but not unpleasant Nose with some Malt, Grain (Toast), Orange Peel, Bourbon, Rye Spices, Oak, Prunes, Vanilla, Red Grapes, Caramel and Apple. Less Alcohol then I expected.

Taste: Rather Thin and Sweet delivery with Caramel/Toffee, Rye Spices, Orange Peel, Oak and Pepper.

Finish: Short with Toffee, Pepper, Grain and Citrus. Dry, Spicy and slightly Bitter.

I added a few drops of Water and it reinforces the Grain, Vanilla, Caramel and Orange a bit. But Palate and Finish do not benefit from Water. Better have it neat if you must. In practise, most people use the Canadian Mist only as a basis for Cocktails. 

Rating: 80 (out of 100)

Nose:  21 - Taste: 20 - Finish: 19 - Overall: 20

General Remarks: Triple-Distilled Canadian Mist is one of the most popular whiskies in Canada and was first launched in the sixties. Nowadays, it is distilled from Corn, Rye and Malted Barley at the Canadian Mist Distillery in Collingwood, Ontario. The water is sourced from the Georgian Bay. The whisky matures in charred White Oak Barrels, most likely for around 3 years. The Brand is owned by Brown Forman from Louisville. The presentation and bottle are very nice.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good

Conclusion: The Nose is certainly the better part of the Canadian Mist. The Palate is not very complex and the Finish is short and forgettable. It's sweet and light and therefore a good basis for Cocktails. It's quite drinkable but not really interesting enough to sip neat.

 Jan van den Ende                                                          November 2012

Crosby Stills Nash & Young - Deja Vu

Songs: Carry On, Teach Your Children, Almost Cut My Hair, Helpless, Woodstock, Déjà Vu, Our House, 4+20, Country Girl, Everybody I Love You.

Type of Music: (Country)Rock /Folk 

Comments: 

This Album changed my musical views when it was released in 1970. Until that time I was mostly a Soul - and Motown kind of guy. My favourites were Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Four Tops, Temptations etc.  Liked the Stones as well. But I can still clearly remember a rainy night in my hometown Rotterdam in the Netherlands  when a friend played Carry On for me. He drew my attention to the point in the song where the A Capella part of the chorus ends and the organ flows in. I thought then and still think now that it´s one of the great moments in Rock Music. And I was hooked forever. As a result , 42 years and thousands of records later, I´m writing a review of what must be one of my all time favourite Albums.

It´s different from the debut album. Neil Young joined CSN. This resulted in two things. Good songs and a lot of trouble. Captain Stills did not want to share his ship with Captain Young. Therefore most of the album was recorded in separate sessions. Strangely enough you don´t notice that at all when listening to the record. Especially Joni Mitchell´s Woodstock sounds as a great Group effort.

As a whole, Déjà Vu sounds more dark and serious than the flower (folk)rock of the debut album. They grew up very quick indeed.

Some songs like Graham´s Teach your Children and Our House and David's Almost cut my Hair sound a bit dated as well now. And most of the songs on the album have been overplayed by Classic Rock and MOR Radio Stations. Nevertheless these songs are among the best that Graham and David ever wrote, together with the dreamy Déjà Vu.

And the same goes for Stephen´s contributions. His acoustic 4+20 is simply a great little song and Carry On is in the Top 10 of my favourite Classic Rock Songs.

Neil´s songs are good but pale a bit in comparison to the rest. I thoroughly enjoy the first half of Country Girl but it deserves a better final part. But Helpless, although not bad really, and Everybody I love You are just a bit below par. Not by much though.

Déjà Vu is an essential Rock album and a musical statement of the Woodstock generation. What a pity that Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young  separated shortly afterwards. They would re-group from time to time but would never be able to reach the level they display on this here record.    

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

Santis/Abhainn Dearg Viking Review

Country: Switzerland/Scotland

Brand: Santis Malt/Abhainn Dearg Edition Viking

Type: Blended Single Malt

Age: NAS (Probably between 3-5 Years)

ABV: 48%

Date: 20/11/2012

Colour: Pale Straw

Nose: Crisp Nose of a young Malt Whisky with Malt, Anise, Lemon, Grass, Oak, Brown Sugar, Dried Apricots, Orange Peel, Butter and hints of Varnish, Underberg and Apple Pie.

Taste:  Sweet Malt, Anise, Orange, Spices, Oak, Vanilla, Plastic (Slight) and a Salty note. Despite the 48%, the Alcohol is never too present.

Finish: Middle-Long with Pepper, Cloves, Orange, Light Spices, Nuts and Oak. Dry and slightly Metallic towards the end.

I added a few drops of Water and you get more Malt, Apricot, Peach and Buttered Toast on the Nose. But Palate and Finish do not benefit from the added Water. So my advise would be to nose the Viking both neat and with a couple of drops of water but to sip it neat.

Rating: 80.5 (out of 100)

Nose:  21.5 - Taste: 20 - Finish: 19 - Overall: 20

General Remarks: The Viking is a Private Bottling prepared by order of Detlef Sommer by the Locher Distillery in Appenzell, Switzerland. It's a Blend of two Single Malts, one distilled by the Locher Distillery and one by the Abhainn Dearg Distillery. Its probably the first marriage between a Scottish - and a Swiss Single Malt. The Viking will be officially introduced on the Whisky ship Zurich event to be held from November 28 until December 2, 2012. Only 250 bottles of this vatted Malt will be available.

The reason for this special Blend is the book "Viking" written by Detlef Sommer under the pseudonym Ted Lindsay that was released earlier this year. The book is a mixture of history and fiction and is situated in Switzerland and on the Outer Hebrides, the Island chain off the Scottish West Coast. Part of the history of the book takes place near the Red River Bay on the Isle of Lewis. The Abhainn Dearg (Red River) Distillery can be found here. It's the most westerly Scottish Distillery. Abhainn Dearg is a small and very young Distillery that started producing in 2009. Thus the idea to Blend the two Single Malts was born. This can not be anything else than a very young whisky of course. The Scottish part matured in Ex-Bourbon Casks for a likely three years and the Swiss part in Old Oak Beer Casks, probably for 3 to 5 years. No added colour. Non Chill Filtered.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: I am not yet familiar with the young spirit of the Abhainn Dearg Distillery. But I believe it brings the American Oak and the Salty Notes to this Blend. On the Swiss side it's easy to recognise the characteristics of the Sigel- Santis Editions. The Nose is clearly the best part of the Viking. The Palate shows promise but still bears the characteristics of a young Whisky. I would really be interested to know how this combination would have worked out after a longer period of maturation. Who knows what might happen in the future! In the meantime the Viking is a great initiative. I'm sure that young distilleries from all over the world would benefit from projects like this!

 Jan van den Ende                                                          November 2012

                             

The Abhainn Dearg Distillery

Scapa 16 Years Review

Country: Scotland

Brand: Scapa

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Region: Highland - Orkney

Age: 16 Years 

ABV: 40%

Colour: Bright Yellow Gold

Nose: Light but agreeable. Immediately I get Butterscotch, Straw, Apricot Marmalade, Oak, Orange Peel, Malt, Heather and Vanilla- flavoured Biscuits. Traces of Brine and Peach. I had expected a more coastal feel to the Nose but it's hardly there. This Scapa is made with unpeated Barley of course but after 16 years of storage, presumably on Orkney, I would have liked to find a stronger presence of the location. It's pleasant enough though and quite inoffensive.

Taste: Smooth and Sweet. Hardly any Alcohol. Quite Floral with Heather and Honey, Caramel, Oak, Vanilla and light Spices (Cloves).

Finish: Middle Long and quickly becoming Dry with Oak, Vanilla, Spices, Caramel and Cocoa-Butter.

I added a few drops of Water and you get more Butterscotch, Heather and some Bananas on the Nose. But at 40%, the Water does not add anything to Palate and Finish. It's a crying shame that Single Malts like this are not bottled at 46%. 

Rating:  85.5 

Nose: 22 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 20.5 - Overall: 21.5

General Remarks: The Scapa 16 years was relaunched in 2008 to replace the very popular 14 Years. It's distilled from unpeated malted Barley and matured in First Fill Bourbon Casks. It is chill-filtered. It's not cheap at around 70 Dollars. The Distillery, located on the Isle of Orkney off the North-Eastern coast of Scotland, is owned by Pernod Ricard/Chivas. 

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: I believe that this could have a been a great whisky! With a little bit more Brine, Sea Air, Seaweed and whatever else you experience when you live on the coast plus a touch of Peat-Smoke this could have been splendid. And it should have been bottled at 46% of course and should have been Non Chill-Filtered to preserve more of the Distillery Character. Unfortunately, all of this is not the case and instead you get loads of Butterscotch, Honey and Heather. Don't get me wrong, it's still a very nice whisky and many people will love the smooth and easy going Palate. But it's a bit of a One Trick Pony in the end. The Scapa Distillery is capable of much more in my opinion.

Jan van den Ende                                                              November 18, 2012