Aberlour A' Bunadh Batch 37 CS Review

Country: Scotland

Region: Speyside 

Brand: Aberlour A' Bunadh Batch 37 CS

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: NAS

ABV: 59.6 %

Date: 25/26/01/2013

Colour: Copper/Deep Amber

Nose: With almost 60% Alcohol the A'Bunadh needs time to open up of course. Don't rush! Use every angle to sniff this dram. If you simply stick your nose in the middle of the glass you won't get nothing but Alcohol. The Nose is quite powerful but also very sweet. I do not get any off-notes nor significant Sulphur for that matter. The Sherry is there of course but it's not too dominant. Lovely dessert flavours like Crepe Suzette (Warm Pancakes with Butter, Caramel, Orange Zest/Juice and the Orange Liqueur Gran Marnier) and warm Bananas soaked in Rum. But also Malt, Oak, Spices, (Bourbon-like)Vanilla, Nuts, Prunes and Raisins.

Taste: The Sherry from the Nose remains and weaves a web around an array of Spices such as Black Pepper, Cardamon, Ginger, Nutmeg and Cloves. All this accompanied by lots of Bourbon Vanilla as well as Oak, Caramel, Dates and hints of Tobacco and Chocolate.

Finish: Middle Long and Hot with Sherry, Black Pepper, Vanilla and Rum-Soaked Raisins.

I added a spoonful of Water and that reduces the Alcohol of course. The Nose however gets Malty and Buttery and much of the flavour profile is lost. The Palate and Finish become more smooth but less balanced. Still, you can experiment with a couple of drops if you find the Alcohol too strong. Personally I prefer to sip the A'Bunadh neat.

Rating: 88  (out of 100)

Nose: 22.5 - Taste: 22 - Finish: 21.5  - Overall: 22

General Remarks: The A' Bunadh (Gaelic for of the Origin) was recreated in 1975 when Distillery workers found an old bottle of Aberlour from 1898. It is bottled at Cask Strength, Non Chill-Filtered and without adding Caramel for colouring. It matures in good quality Oloroso Sherry Butts.

Drinking Experience Neat: Very Good

Conclusion: This is a real Powerhouse and a perfect dram for Christmas! I'm living in Brazil for almost 20 years now and sometimes it's difficult to imagine sipping whisky on a Christmas Eve when outside the cold wind is howling and the snow is falling. Right now for instance it's 9.30 in the evening and it's still around 28 degrees Celsius. But even so I'm getting these Christmas images while sipping the A' Bunadh and that says something about the quality of this whisky. And it's still pleasantly priced at around 50 to 60 US Dollars. It helps of course that it's NAS but you don't get that impression while sipping. This could easily pass for a 15 year old in a Blind Tasting in my opinion. Nosing this dram requires patience. At least let it sit in the glass for an hour or so. You will be rewarded with wonderful dessert flavours. The Palate is a balanced combination of Sherry, Spices and Vanilla. The Finish is hot and could have been a bit more subtle. On the whole however this is a well-crafted sherried Speysider that I can fully recommend.

Jan van den Ende                                                                            January 2013

Bruichladdich The Laddie 10 Review

Country: Scotland

Region: Islay

Brand: Bruichladdich The Laddie

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 10 Years

ABV: 46 %

Colour: Medium Amber/Bright Gold 

Nose: A surprise right at the beginning. This is an unpeated Whisky but there is certainly a Damp, Wet Wood, Peaty smell to it. I've never been to Islay unfortunately but I can imagine I'm walking through the Peat Fields on a cold and foggy morning. I also get light Baby-Vomit, Cooked Vegetables and Potatoes (not unlike the Jura 16 but less prominent) and  slight Band-Aid tones. They are not strong enough to be considered off-notes and they tend to get weaker with more time in the glass. I can't exactly smell the Sea here but there are certainly some Maritime, Salty, Briny Notes to be found. The little Fruit I get consists mainly of Pineapple, Lemon and Banana. Some hints of Grass/Straw, Butter, Menthol and Leather. A lot of different things are going on but they do not paint a very coherent picture. I had heard a lot of good stuff about the Laddie so maybe I set the bar too high. To summon it up, It's Not Right But It's Okay as Whisky Houston used to sing.

Taste: Oak, Malt, Lemon, Candied Fruits, Vanilla, Bourbon, Black Pepper, Sultanas, Honey, Ginger, Cloves, Nutmeg, Orange, Brine, Tobacco, Licorice and Nuts. Ever so slightly Metallic.

Finish: Medium long with Malt, lightly Charred Oak, Herbal Tea, Honey, Black Pepper, Menthol, Lemon, Ginger, Nutmeg and a pinch of Salt. After a few minutes a slightly bitter Earthy tone appears.

I added a few drops of Water and the Nose becomes fruitier and mellow.  The Candied Fruits on the Palate become stronger. Licorice appears in the Finish as well. You can experiment with a few drops but don't overdo it. Personally, I prefer it neat. Actually, I prefer to taste whisky neat most of the time. 

Rating: 84.5

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

General Remarks: Without any doubt, the Laddie is the best-known  expression of this Distillery that was bought by Remy Cointreau in 2012 from a group of private investors (including Mark Reynier). It was cask-filled at 70% for extra flavour and first bottled in September 2011, exactly 10 years after the re-opening of the Distillery in 2001. It's not Chill-Filtered, unpeated, American Oak matured and does not contain colourants. It costs around 50 US Dollars.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: Let me start by saying that the Laddie is not at all a bad whisky. But certainly I had come to expect more of it. The Nose is quite interesting and the unpeated Peat smell took me by surprise. But the multiple flavours, although not bad on an individual basis, are not fully in balance. Palate and Finish are a bit flat and do no provoke any Wow-This is It feelings. This is my first acquaintance with the Bruichladdich distillery but certainly not the last. Miniatures of Links, Rocks, Waves and Peat are waiting to be savoured!

Jan van den Ende                                                             January 25, 2013

Glenfarclas 105 CS Best Shot Whisky Review

Country: Scotland

Region: Highland/Speyside 

Brand: Glenfarclas 105 CS

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: NAS

ABV: 60 %

Colour: Dark (Reddish) Gold

Nose: Full and Complex. With an ABV of 60% this dram needs lots of time to open up. The first clear impressions are Sweet Oloroso Sherry, light - and acceptable Sulphur, (Hazel) Nuts, Grains, Wood (Pencil Shavings), Brown Sugar, Caramel and Fruits like Plums, Peach and Tangerines. It's a complex Nose but there's Alcohol to deal with of course. So take your time to nose the 105. After a while you get hints of Leather, Honey, Coffee, Mashed Ripe Bananas, Straw, Sweet Port Wine, Chocolate, Rum and Vanilla. Pinch of Salt. This is still a rather young whisky and the Oak is in balance with the Spirit. There is a light Vegetable-like flavour component that bothers me a bit. Can't quite pin it down but it's something like Cabbage or Carrots. Quite a complex Nose but a bit heavy and not entirely to my liking.

Taste: Quite Hot and Spicy with Pepper, Malt, Oloroso Sherry, Wood, Ginger, Aniseed, Tobacco, Marzipan, Rum, Cloves, Citrus, Salty Earth, Wet Leafs, Hazelnuts, Caramel and Coffee.

Finish: Very Dry with Black Pepper, Orange Liqueur, Sherry, Marzipan, Nuts, Cinnamon and (Milk) Chocolate. After five minutes or so my mind is telling me I ate Popcorn and urges me to take another sip of the 105. Quite remarkable!

I added a spoonful of Water. As the Alcohol is toned down, the Nose has an easier time in showing its (Distillery) Character of Fruit, Grain and Blossom with a pinch of Salt. Some Toast with Honey and/or Orange Marmalade as well. And the off-note almost disappears. Still, I get more flavour details while sipping it neat. I certainly advise you to experiment with still water here. Palate and Finish are better enjoyed neat. 

Rating: 85.5  

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

General Remarks: The Glenfarclas 105 is bottled at an even 60% after blending batches of mature barrels without adding water. The 105 is NAS but matured for 8-10 years according to the producers. It was first released in 1968. The Glenfarclas Distillery is owned by the Grant Family since 1865. The 105 CS is sold at around 75 US Dollars. 

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: Not an easy one to judge. On the one hand it's a very interesting dram. A complex nose with lots of stuff to discover. I could have lived without the Vegetable off-note though. On the Palate the spirit is quite warming with lots of Spices and impressions of Marzipan soaked in Rum. The Finish is middle-long and interesting enough and the Popcorn effect brought a smile to my face. And if you like a heavy sherried Speysider you should certainly try it out some time. Still, I'm glad I only bought a miniature and a sample. I wouldn't like the idea of having to work myself through a full bottle of the 105. It's one thing to enjoy this dram occasionally, maybe paired with some fine chocolate. But I can't see myself sipping this on a regular basis. It's a bit heavy (handed) and almost too serious despite its relative young age!

Jan van den Ende                                                               January 22, 2013

Praia de Pipa

Hi Everybody and Welcome to Best Shot Whisky Reviews!

Just returned after some very nice holidays at Pipa Beach, situated on the beautiful shores of the state of Rio Grande do Norte in the North-East of Brazil. Just enjoying the sun, the people, the family, the seafood and of course some beer and Caipirinha!

Really had a nice time there! I hope you enjoyed reading some of the older Tasting Notes in the meantime. Nevertheless I'm sure you're looking forward to some new Reviews and so am I. Tomorrow and Tuesday I will taste the Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength. Should be a good one! I reviewed the Glenfarclas 12 earlier and liked it!

So welcome back everybody! I'm looking forward to a great new tasting year 2013. I have quite some surprises coming up so stay tuned!

Saude!

Jan