Speyside Cooperage 10 Years Review

“The Real Cooper’s Choice” 

Country: Scotland

Region: Speyside

Brand: Speyside Cooperage 

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 10 Years

Alcohol: 40%

Colour: Light Amber

Nose: Sweet but not too Sweet and quite Fruity with Peach, Apricot, Pineapple, Green Apple, Barley Sugar, Nuts, Golden Syrup, Buttered Toast, Fine Orange Marmalade, Toffee, Custard, Honey, Milk Chocolate, Hay, Heather and other Floral Tones. The Nose is not spectacular but Well-Balanced and Pleasant. The Alcohol is quite nicely integrated given the Spirit's relative young age.

You can identify the Coopers by the Red Shirts 

Taste: Slightly Thin but still Creamy Delivery with Golden Syrup, Barley Sugar, Ripe Banana, slightly Bitter Orange, Caramel, Nuts, Oak, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Honey and Licorice. This is my least favourite part of this Single Malt.

Finish: Middle-Long with Cocoa Butter, White Chocolate, Orange Marmalade, Buttered Toast, Caramel, light Spices (Cinnamon, Pepper and Nutmeg), Dry Earth and Menthol. 

Crazy Pete at Work!

I added a bit of Water and I find additional Floral Tones and Traces of Porridge with added Honey. On the Palate you get more Oak and Spices while the White Chocolate is enhanced in the Finish. I prefer it neat but you can certainly play with a but of Water. 

Rating: 83

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 20 – Finish: 21 – Overall: 20.5

That's Me at the Corner, That's Me in the Spotlight!

General Remarks: The Speyside Cooperage was founded in 1947 by the Taylor family. Since 2008, it belongs to a French Group. It is the only operational cooperage in the UK where you can watch the art of coopering. The casks are made from American Oak and are destined for the Scottish Whisky industry as well as for export. The coopers are paid per Cask and it is fantastic to see how fast some of them handle the wood. Yearly, around 150.000 casks are made or reconditioned. The 10 Years Single Malt I'm tasting today is especially bottled for the Speyside Cooperage. We don't know where this Spirit was produced but I would guess it's from da Hood.

There's enough room to operate!

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: I was expecting a Marketing Gimmick but that's not the case. The Speyside Cooperage 10 Years is an acceptable young Speysider. The best part is the Fruity and Floral Nose. The Palate can't quite follow up. The delivery is on the Thin side and I'm not too fond of the Bitter Orange note. The Finish is better again with clear Cocoa, Chocolate and Spice Notes. I couldn't tell you what distillery produced this Spirit. During the Tasting the following names came to mind: Craigellachie, The Glenlivet, Cardhu and Tamdhu. But I wouldn't bet my life on any of them! Let the mystery live on! 

A Closer Look at a Cask that's almost ready

Some Data: The Speyside Cooperage is located just outside the centre of the little village of Craigellachie. It's open all year from Monday to Friday from 9 AM until 4 PM. The last tour of the day starts at 3.30 PM. The Cooperage is closed over Christmas and New Year from December 19 until January 5 (2014/2015 Season). The Tour costs 3,50 Pounds for adults.

All Casks Are Thoroughly Tested Before Release!

We visited the Speyside Cooperage on Thursday May 22, 2014. The weather was awful that day and it hardly stopped raining. We did the Tour that starts with a very nice video presentation that shows all the ins and outs of coopering from Acorn to Cask. The Tour itself is very nice and you are allowed to take pictures along the way. At the end of the Tour you can try to assemble a mini cask. I can assure you that it's not at all easy! The big attraction is a cooper nicknamed Crazy Pete. He's the fastest of them all and, consequently, earns more money than all the others. It's fascinating to see him dance, twirl and run around the cask like a madman. After the tour we had a very mediocre Cappuccino in the Coffee Shop and did some shopping in the very nice Gift Shop. If you are in Speyside, don't forget to pay a visit to the Cooperage. You won't regret it!

The Guy in Front is from Hungary and came to Scotland by Bike!

Jan van den Ende                                                             January 7, 2015

Brother in Law Jan in the Crowded Coffee Room!

Old Orkney Review

Hi everyone, after a week holidays in the mountains I'm back with the first Review of the New Year. But first of all I would like to wish all my readers and their families a very Happy and Healthy 2015. Over the last 3 years you have supported Best Shot Whisky Reviews with your visits, questions and comments. I sincerely hope that you will continue to accompany my Journey through the Land of Single Malts and Blends from all over the world in 2015! The interest you have shown is a huge driver for me to try and improve with every new review. Please feel free to leave your comments, questions and suggestions. They are more than welcome! And now let's continue with the first Review of 2015!  

“A Weak Revival of an Old Name”

Country: Scotland

Region: Islands - Orkney

Brand: Old Orkney
Bottled by: Gordon & MacPhail, Elgin

Type: Blended Whisky

Age: 8 Years

ABV: 40%

Colour: Full Gold

Nose: A quick Floral brush is followed too rapidly by Caramel, Grains, Young Oak, Malt, light Peat, light Cold Smoke, lightly Buttered Toast, Peanuts, Dried Apricot, light Citrus, light Acetone and a sprinkle of Salt. The Alcohol stings a little. All in all, it doesn't seem to go in any specific direction and I miss a bit of balance and purpose. Still, at this Price Level I have nosed far worse.

Taste: Thin, Edgy and slightly Bitter Arrival. The Alcohol is quite present. I find some Toffee, Caramel, Refill Oak, Wood Spice, Licorice and the Smoke of a cheap Menthol Cigarette.

Finish: Bitter-Sweet and Short with Grains, Alcohol, Spices, light Salty Peat, Sea Water, Sugar, Menthol, Refill Oak and a vague Floral note.

I added a few drops of Water and the Nose gets a little extra Fruit. It almost doesn't smell like Whisky anymore. It's more like a Banana-Rum Cocktail. Still, it's not bad. Try it out! Palate and Finish however do not accept the added Water. 

Rating: 72

Nose: 19 - Taste: 17.5 - Finish: 17.5 - Overall: 18

The Gordon & MacPhail Shop in Elgin

General Remarks: 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 as well as Blended Whiskies. Originally, Old Orkney or "OO" was a Single Malt produced in the 1920's at the Stromness Distillery on the Isle of Orkney. This Distillery closed in 1928 but "OO" remained available into the late 1930's, firstly as Single Malt and later on as Blended Whisky. The name Old Orkney was revived in the 1990's by Gordon & MacPhail. Next to the 8 Years you can find a 12 Years Blended Malt Whisky. Old Orkney 8 Years sells at an average 26 US Dollars. I bought the miniature on the spot at the Gordon & MacPhail shop in Elgin. The light Floral Smoke suggests the presence of young Highland Park in the Blend.

Drinking Experience Neat: The Nose is okay but the rest is below average.

Conclusion: The Label states that this Old Orkney is "The Islands Peedie (Small)
Dram". But if I lived on Orkney I would go for a Highland Park instead unless I would be totally out of cash. Because the "OO" is a simple bottom shelf Blend, be it with a reasonable Nose at this price level. Other than that there's not a lot to enjoy and if I was either Gordon or MacPhail I'm not sure I would want to commercialise this type of Blend as it does not seem to fit in their well known range of quality whiskies. In any case I won't dream of the Old Orkney 8 Years tonight!  

Jan van den Ende                                                             January 4, 2015

Tomatin Legacy Review

“An Affordable Summer Malt”

Country: Scotland

Region: Northern Highlands

Brand: Tomatin Legacy

Type: Single Malt

Age: NAS

ABV: 43%

Colour: Pale Gold

Nose: Light like a Summer Breeze! This is quite clearly a relatively Young Single Malt. Fruity New Make Spirit on a bed of Pine Needles and light Oak. I find light notes of Lemon Cake, Butterscotch, Buttered Toast, Pencil Shavings, Grass, Tropical Fruit Cocktail, Canned Pineapple, Banana Ice Cream, Vanilla, Malt, Milk Chocolate, Nuts, light Citrus, Floral - and Vegetable Tones and Mint Flavoured Tea. These are mostly subtle Notes though. The Alcohol is not fully integrated and that's a pity. Otherwise it's reasonably Well-Balanced.

Taste: Light and Sweet with Sweet Barley, Pine Needles, Grass, Sweet Honey Candies, Toffee, Fruit Cake with added Cream, Vanilla, White Chocolate, Oak, Lemon, Nuts, Cinnamon and Pepper.    

Finish: Middle-Long, Mostly Sweet and Buttery with Sweet Barley, Apple-Pie, Ginger Bread, Dairy, Lemon, Salted Nuts, Pepper and Cinnamon. A bit Dry in the end with a light Metallic Off-Note.

I added a few drops of Water and on the Nose you get extra Barley, Dairy, Fruit and Toffee. Palate and Finish become too Thin. However, it's nice to Nose it with a bit of Added Water!

Rating: 82.5   

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20  - Overall: 20.5 

My Miniature of the Legacy

General Remarks: The Tomatin Distillery was founded in 1897 and is located close to the A9 Motorway, halfway between Aviemore and Inverness. Over the years it grew very fast and today it has one the largest production capacities in the industry, although the distillery is currently not producing at full capacity. It is owned by the Japanese Takara Shuzo and Okura Group. A large part of the production (80%) goes into blends like Antiquary and Talisman. Lately the distillery is making an effort to promote its Single Malts. The Tomatin Legacy is a new NAS Entry Level that was launched in 2013. It matured in a mix of Ex-Maker's Mark Bourbon Barrels and Virgin Oak Casks. It costs on average 30 US Dollars.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: Light, Fruity and Uncomplicated Summer Dram. Might do quite well over a little Ice. Great Value for Money as well if you can find it at around 30 US Dollars. The Nose is Light and Sweet with lots of Tropical Fruit. Like Brazilian New Make Spirit! If that would be produced over here of course which it ain't! A touch too Light on the Palate. Here a bit of extra Wood Contact would have helped. In the Finish there's this light Metallic Off-Note that probably should not have been there. But if you like the Flavour Profile and like Young, Light and Fruity Whisky you can't go wrong with the Tomatin Legacy at this price level.

Jan van den Ende                                                              December 26, 2014