MacDonald's Glencoe 8 Years Review

“The Kind of Junk Food I Like”

Country: Scotland

Region: Western Highlands

Brand: MacDonald's Glencoe (Ben Nevis Distillery)

Type: Blended Malt Whisky

Age: 8 Years

Alcohol: 58%

Colour: Golden Sunlight

Nose: Young, Dry and Nutty with Sherry, light Sulphur, Dried Fruits, Nuts, Malt Straw, Cereals, Orange Marmalade, Honey, Toffee, Green Coffee Beans, Oak, Canned Peaches, Spices and Vinegar. The Alcohol is quite strong so better Nose your way around the edge of the glass. Give it enough time in the glass to open up.

Taste: Strong Delivery with Sherry, light Sulphur, Strong Tea, Oak, Barley, Nuts, Spices, light Menthol, Dried Apricot, Coconut, Toffee and Honey.  

Finish: Middle-Long, Fiery and Strong with Barley, Caramel, Nuts, Coconut, Strong Tea, Licorice, Menthol and Spices. A hint of Dark Chocolate after a few minutes.

Bottles on Display at the Ben Nevis Gift Shop

I added a bit of Water but that did not improve the Aroma and Flavour Profile. Better sip it neat.

Rating: 83.5

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

General Remarks: This Blended Malt Whisky was introduced to the market in the late 1960's by Rory McDonald, a direct descendant of Long John McDonald who founded the Ben Nevis Distillery in 1825. The distillery is located near Fort William (Inverness-shire) at the foot of Britain's highest mountain, Ben Nevis. Since 1989 the distillery is part of the Nikka Group from Japan. The Glencoe Blend is a bit of a mystery to me. It's produced at Ben Nevis but does that mean that there are no other Malts present in the Blend? In any case, it's Naturally Coloured, likely Not Chill-Filtered and apparently bottled at Cask Strength. This means of course that at least various badges are blended to be able to reach the exact ABV of 58%. Judging by the flavours, both Ex-Sherry - and Ex-Bourbon Casks were used. The Blend costs around 65 US Dollars.

Glen Coe

The name of the Blend refers to the massacre at Glen Coe in 1692 of 38 McIans (sept of the clan McDonald) by government troops under Captain Robert Campbell. What made matters even worse was the fact that Campbell and his men had enjoyed the famous Highland hospitality before killing their hosts.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: It's not an easy one to score. On the one hand it's quite young and not at all complicated and I do get some Sulphur but on the other hand the high ABV and the absence of Chill-Filtration give it quite some punch and character. I would not kill any McIans for a bottle of MacDonald's Glencoe 8 Years but I also wouldn't say no to a dram of this MacDonald's if offered to me in the Highlands. It beats their Hamburger anytime!

Jan van den Ende                                                             October 5, 2014

Ben Nevis Distillery (May 2014)

Glenlivet Nadurra 16 Years Review

“A Speysider with a Punch”

Country: Scotland

Region: Speyside 

Brand: The Glenlivet Nadurra

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 16 Years

ABV: 54.8 %

The entrance as seen from the Parking Lot!

Colour: Yellow Gold 

Nose: The Alcohol is quite strong so you have to work your way around it. Give this Single Malt enough time in the glass to open up. The Nadurra is Sweet, Creamy and Fruity with some Bourbon influences. I find Banana, Strawberry Cream, Vanilla, Charred Oak, Butterscotch, Dough, Straw, Malt, Orange, Peach, Nutmeg, Ginger, Cinnamon, Toasted Cereals, Floral tones and a hint of Milk Chocolate. The Nose is not extremely complicated but reasonably pleasant and balanced. I do believe that the ABV is a bit too high for this specific Whisky. I don't think I ever wrote that before!!

The Distillery and its Surroundings!

Palate: A combination of Fruit, Floral tones and Spices. Again, the Alcohol is quite present. Besides Bananas, Peach and Pear I find lots of Spices such as Pepper, Nutmeg and Aniseed. I also find Citrus Peel, Malt, Honey flavoured Cereals, Ginger, Dough and Brown Sugar.

Some of the Stills!

Finish: Middle-Long. Sweet at first but quite Dry and slightly Bitter-Sweet in the end. I find some Charred Oak, Nutmeg, Pepper, Ginger, Aniseed, Citrus Peel, Vanilla, Banana and Malt.

A Picture of the Photographer!

I added a bit of water and on the Nose the Alcohol retreats somewhat and that's a good thing in my opinion. It's easier now to appreciate the Fruit, Malt, Vanilla, Cereals and Spices. On the Palate however Spices and Licorice start to reign while the Finish becomes very Dry and Oaky. A couple of drops are okay but be careful!

Rating: 86

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

A Familiar looking Bar Man!

General Remarks: George Smith built The Glenlivet Distillery in 1824. It moved to the current location, Minmore House near Ballindalloch in 1858 and produces around 10 million litres of Alcohol yearly. Current Owners are Chivas (Pernod Ricard). Glenlivet is the best selling Single Malt in the USA and the second best on a global scale. Most of the production is sold as Single Malt with most of the remainder going to the Chivas Regal – and Royal Salute Blends. Most distilleries closed various times during their history, especially during the Depression and in wartime. But Glenlivet only closed during World War II. Without any doubt, the Glenlivet has contributed a lot to the current popularity of Single Malt whiskies. 

The Glenlivet Nadurra (Gaelic for Natural) I'm tasting today was bottled at Cask Strength in March 2013 as part of Batch 0313W. The Nadurra isn't Chill-Filtered and matured in First Fill American Oak Casks. It costs around 70 US Dollars.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

The Tasting of the 18 Years!

Conclusion: Certainly different from your average plain Glenlivet. The Nadurra shows character and there's a handicraft feel to it. I think I would have scored this even higher if not for the Alcohol. I really think the ABV is too high for the Nadurra. When you have a complex Single Malt, a high ABV usually manages to merge with the other flavours. But in this case the Alcohol has nowhere to hide. That said, the Nadurra is certainly an interesting Single Malt with a fair Price - Quality ratio. Give it a try when you stumble across this Glenlivet.

Some Data: Glenlivet means Glen of the Smooth Place. The Distillery is located in Ballindalloch (Banffshire). It's in the middle of nowhere but you can find it quite easily following the signs from either Aberlour or Dufftown. The Glenlivet  Distillery possesses 2 Still Rooms. In the old one you can find 4 Pairs of Stills, 8 Wooden Wash Backs and the old Mash Tun that's not being used anymore. In the new Still room that was completed in 2010, you will find 1 Briggs Mash Tun, 8 Wash Backs (Oregon Pine) and 3 Pairs of Stills. By the end of 2013 their maximum production capacity amounted to an impressive 10,5 million litres.

Old Warehouses in the Sun (A Miracle!)

The water for the distillery is sourced at Josie's Well. From Easter to October, the Distillery opens from Monday - Saturday from 9.30 to 16.00 hours and on Sunday from 12.00 to 16.00. The Standard Tour is free. The Ambassador's Tour that is organised every Friday morning costs 25 Pounds and needs to be booked in advance. The Visitor Centre and Shop are quite spacey and there's a restaurant section where light meals can be enjoyed.

This Picture Must Have Been Taken a Million Times!

We visited The Glenlivet on Saturday May 24, 2014. For once we saw a bit of the sun at the end of our visit.  We did the Standard Tour. It's short and for free but the guide was friendly and knowledgeable. A real pity that we weren't allowed to take any pictures inside. And in this case, this rule was applied in a very rigid way. At the end of the Tour we tasted the 18 Years.

Jan van den Ende                                                           October 1, 2014

Talisker 57 Degrees North Review

Post # 500

Country: Scotland

Brand: Talisker 57 Degrees North

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Region: Highland (Island: Skye)

Age: NAS

Alcohol: 57%

Colour: A combination of Gold, Amber and Orange

Nose: Young, Edgy, Sweet, Sour and Salty all at the same time. I find Mild Sweet Peat, Wet Clay, Campfire Smoke, Sea Water, Raw Bacon, Fish and Shellfish, Mineral Tones, Leather, Caramel, Malt, New Spirit, Orange, Lemon, Dried Herbs, Pepper, Oak and hints of Plastic and used Matches. Lots of Strong Alcohol around. Still, I like it! It's similar to the 10 Years but it feels younger and more nervous. It's as rough as the location where it was distilled.

Taste: Strong Delivery. A bit of Sweet Fruit (Apricot perhaps) is followed by Wet Clay, Peat, Smoke, Orange and Lemon Zest, Butter Biscuits, Vanilla, Oak, Black Pepper, Aniseed, Licorice and a hint of Dark Chocolate.

Finish: Undeniably Talisker with strong Jalapeno Peppers, Smoke, Sea Water, Herbs, Menthol, Licorice, Lemon, Black Espresso and Dark Chocolate. Quite Dry and Salty in the end! 

I added a bit of Water and the Nose becomes a bit less Edgy with Floral Tones, Honey and Citrus. It also gets Sweeter on the Palate with some (Dried) Fruit and Toffee. Nice Pepper and Sweet Earthy Peat as well. The Finish is quite a bit shorter. I advise you to try it both ways!

Rating: 86.5

Nose: 22 – Taste: 21.5 – Finish: 21.5 – Overall: 21.5

 

                               

General Remarks: Today we are celebrating Post # 500 on Best Shot Whisky Reviews that started its activities on November 11, 2011. Of these 500, 375 posts are Whisky Tasting Notes/Reviews. I would like to thank all of you for the interest and support you have given me right from the beginning. I hope I will be able to continue this great hobby for a long time. Because I simply love Nosing and Tasting Whisky and write about it. Cheers to all of you! And since Talisker is one of my favourite distilleries, I chose the 57 Degrees North as Post Number 500. Enjoy!

The Talisker distillery is located in Carbost on the shores of Loch Harport on the Isle of Skye. It was founded in 1830 by Hugh - and Kenneth MacAskill and produces 2,6 million litres per year. It’s part of the Diageo Group. The Talisker 57 Degrees North was launched around 2008, initially as a Travel Retail Special. It matured mainly in Refill Ex Bourbon Casks but I suspect some Ex-Sherry Casks were used as well. It is bottled somewhere near Cask Strength. The name and ABV refer to the exact latitude of the Isle of Skye. It costs around 90 US Dollars.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good 

Conclusion: The 57 Degrees North is not as Peaty and not quite as Peppery as the 10 Years and not as sophisticated as the 18 Years. But I believe it is solid enough to justify its own place in the Talisker line-up, helped without any doubt by the strong ABV of 57%. Thanks to its obvious youth, the 57 Degrees North shows a nervous roughness that simply combines with its place of birth. It smells and tastes a bit "Unfinished" at times but it gets away with it. The 18 Years still remains my favourite but if you like the Distillery profile you won't be disappointed with the 57 Degrees North. It's a bit different for sure but still a fine Talisker!

Jan van den Ende                                                       September 28, 2014