Laphroaig 15 Years Review

Country: Scotland

Region: Islay

Brand: Laphroaig

Type: Single Malt Whisky 

Age: 15 Years

ABV: 43 %

Colour: Light Amber

Nose: Very Mellow when compared to the 10 years for instance. Not at all Aggressive. A pleasant combination of Sweet Peat, Sherry, Fruit (Pear, Apple, Pineapple, Banana), Oak, Grass, Tar, Charred Driftwood, Leather, Malt, Butter, Vanilla, Salt, Lemon and Spices. Hints of Sulphur, Iodine, Grapefruit and Tea. This whisky has some Island characteristics (Jura, Arran) but in a Blind Tasting Session I wouldn't have identified it easily as an Islay. I would suspect this Laphroaig matured in a combination of Ex-Bourbon Casks and Ex-Sherry Butts.

Palate: The Delivery is a bit Thin. Peat and Spices (Black Pepper and Nutmeg) are stronger than the Nose would suggest.I  also get some Iodine, Seaweed, Salt, Nuts, Oak, Lemon and hints of Sulphur, Mint-Chocolate and Sherry. Quite dry! 

Finish: I would have loved it to be longer. Dry, Briny but still Mellow with Sweet Peat, Chocolate, Smoke, light Spices and Licorice, Tar and Vanilla.

I added a bit of Water and the Peat on the Nose becomes Juicy. The Malt is clearer now and Vanilla, Fruit and Sherry work well together. But Palate and Finish do not accept Water very well.   

Rating: 86

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

General Remarks: Laphroaig was founded in 1815 by Donald and Alexander Johnston. Nowadays the shares are hold by Beam Inc. It's located in Port Ellen and uses Water from the Kilbride Dam. The 15 years has been discontinued around 2010 and has been replaced by the 18 years. The 15 years is still for sale at an average price of around 150 US Dollars. But depending on where you live, this price could be higher.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: Very nice experience. It doesn't smell and taste like your regular Laphroaig and it's not even easy to recognise it as an Islay whisky although you can certainly spot some Maritime tones. A Stranger in the Night but certainly a Single Malt that holds its own. The Nose is the best part. On the Palate it's not overly complex and the Finish is on the Short Side. It's also too expensive now as stocks are dwindling away. But back in 2009 or so it would set you back somewhere between 35 and 50 US Dollars and at that price I would have bought quite a few bottles. Unfortunately I was not yet into Whisky at the time. Isn't it a Pity as George Harrison would sing!

Jan van den Ende                                                                    July 23, 2013

Kilchoman Machir Bay Review

Country: Scotland

Region: Islay

Brand: Kilchoman Machir Bay 2012

Type: Single Malt Whisky 

Age:  NAS (3-5 Years)

ABV: 46 %

Colour: Light Gold/Pale Straw

Nose: Nice Peat similar to young Ardbegs along with BBQ Smoke and Ashes. The Machir Bay 2012 is still a tad on the sharp side. Some Plastic or Rubber there as well but no real off-notes. Smoked/Cured Meat or Sausages although not (yet) of Superior Quality. A bit of Iodine, Tar and Shell Fish, just enough to let you know that this whisky was produced near the Ocean. Quite Mineral and Herbal as well with Wet Stones and Aniseed in the foreground. Oak, Vanilla, Butter, Honey, some Lemon or Grapefruit and a hint of unripe Strawberry are my final impressions. Can't make out any Sherry on the Nose.

Palate: Slightly Rough, Bitter-Sweet, Spicy, Beefy but still a bit on the Thin side with Peat, Salt, Spices like Nutmeg and Black Pepper, Smoke, Ashes, Licorice, Aniseed, Burnt Toast, White Sugar and Oak. A hint of Bitter Dark Chocolate every once in a while.

Finish: Quite Long, Bitter-Sweet, Spicy, Salty and Dry in the end with Peat, Ashes, Black Pepper, Cloves, Nutmeg, Licorice, Aniseed, Brown Sugar, Oak and Vanilla.

I added a bit of Water and the Peat retreats on the Nose. It's still there of course but the Ex-Bourbon Cask is more evident now. I get lightly Buttered Toast as well with perhaps a bit of Peach Marmalade. Palate and Finish become too thin. The Machir Bay does not take Water very well. Better sip it neat!  

Rating: 84

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

General Remarks: Kilchoman is the newest (farm) Distillery on Islay. Around 30% of the yearly Barley necessity is produced on the farm. The rest comes from Port Ellen. It is located on the West Coast and was founded by Anthony Wills in 2005. The Machir Bay is named after the beautiful bay that can be found close to the distillery. The Machir Bay will be available in yearly batches. Each year the average age of the batches will increase. The Machir Bay we are tasting today was bottled in 2012, aged in First Fill Ex-Bourbon Casks (Buffalo Trace) for 3 years (60%), 4 years (35%) and 5 years (5%) and was vatted and partly finished in Ex-Oloroso Sherry Butts for an additional 2 months. The whisky is Non Chill Filtered and was not artificially coloured. At the moment the Machir Bay costs around 60 US Dollars.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: If only this Machir Bay could get more time to mature! This will happen to future batches of course and that is quite encouraging. Everything is there to produce a great whisky at Kilchoman. The Machir Bay 2012 is just a bit too young, too Thin on the Palate and well, nervous. I miss Fruity tones as well to tone down the Peat and the Spices. Two months of Sherry Butt Finishing is apparently not enough to let Sherry tones shine through. Despite these slight imperfections, I have no doubt that the Machir Bay holds a promise for the foreseeable future. I will certainly try other batches of this Whisky!

Jan van den Ende                                                                     July 21, 2013

New Look

Hello Everybody and Welcome Back to Best Shot Whisky Reviews,

After a nice Holiday I'm back in Sao Paulo and write my first words for Best Shot Whisky reviews in the new outfit. It's not completely ready yet and a few adjustments will be made during the coming week. But the basic structure and new lay-out have been completed. Important changes are a.o. that you can now view an adapted version on your mobile phone and that all reviews and tasting notes have been archived in drop-down lists. The Search option is also working perfectly now. The site is also more compact and easy to read. The colouring helps for a more relaxed reading. Still, please let me know any comments, positive and negative. 

Tonight and tomorrow I will taste the Kilchoman Machir Bay 2012 and I'm really looking forward to this young and peated "farm whisky" from Islay. I will post it tomorrow afternoon.

On Friday, August 9 (19.00-22.00 hours) and Saturday August 10, 2013 (16.00-19.00) my friend Alexandre Campos who has a vast experience in the wonderful world of whiskies is organising A Taste of Scotland, a course and tasting session on premium Scotch whiskies. You can see the 5 whiskies that will be tasted on above poster. All participants will taste 25 ml of these 5 whiskies, thereby discovering the differences between the main Scottish production areas. The sessions will be held at Ciclo das Vinhas, Rua Maria Figueiredo 305, Paraiso, Sao Paulo. I can certainly recommend this. For more information please visit loja@singlemalt.com.br.  

Have a nice weekend everybody. I hope you enjoy our new look and I will see you all back tomorrow for the Tasting Notes of the Kilchoman Machir Bay 2012.

Cheers!

Jan

A Change Is Gonna Come!

Hi Everybody and Welcome at Best Shot Whisky Reviews!

I wonder how many of you will remember this hit single by Sam Cooke from 1965. Yes my dear readers, a Change IS gonna come. Beginning next week, probably on Tuesday night, the lay out of Best Shot Whisky Reviews is gonna change. For the better we hope! We will not only have a new logo, new colours and a new background but also lots of little things that will make the site more user-friendly. Better organised with almost no necessity to scroll. It will also have a special adapted form for mobile phones and the like. I'm really looking forward to it and I hope you will enjoy the changes. Please let me know any suggestions you might have. I will also be out of town for a couple of days so you can expect the next review around July 20. A good time to have a look at the older reviews of Whisky and Classic Rock. I would like to wish you all a very nice weekend and hope that in a week or so we can have a toast together to celebrate the new lay out!

Saude!

Jan