Millstone French Oak Review

“Not the Ideal Marriage” 

Country: The Netherlands

Brand: Millstone French Oak

Type: Pot Still Malt Whisky 

Age: 10 Years 

ABV: 40 %

Colour: Dark Golden

Nose: Sweet with New Oak, Varnish, Butterscotch, Vanilla, Orange Marmalade, light Honey, Nut Shells, Dried Apricot, Pencil Shavings, Toffee, light Spices and light Floral tones. It's okay but not overly exciting.

Palate: Malt, Toffee, Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Oak, light Honey, light Menthol, Orange, light Varnish, Salted Butter, Nutmeg, Pepper and Cinnamon. 

Finish: Middle-Long, Fruity, Spicy and Bitter-Sweet with Oak, Vanilla, Orange Peel, Buttered Toast, Nutmeg, Pepper, Cinnamon, Licorice, Menthol, Varnish and a little Salt.

I added a bit of Water and on the Nose you get more Vanilla and Floral Soapy tones. A little more Fruit in the Finish as well. You can experiment with a few drops at a time.

Rating: 82

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

General Remarks: The Zuidam Distillery was founded in 1974 by Fred van Zuidam and his wife Helene and is currently run by their sons Patrick and Gilbert. It is located in Baarle-Nassau on the Dutch-Belgian border and is the only Distillery in The Netherlands that ferments, distills, ages and bottles at its own premises. Next to Malt Whiskies, Zuidam also produces Rye Whisky, Gin, Rum, Genever and Liqueurs. The name Millstone derives from the Windmills that are used by Zuidam to mill the Malted Barley. The Millstone 10 Years I'm tasting today was actually distilled on February 26, 1999, matured in French Oak Casks and was bottled on the 21st of August 2013. That's 14, 5 Years! The ABV of 40% is lower than the 43%, Zuidam is using today. My 200 ML bottle hails from Cask # 351. On average you will pay around 60 US Dollars for the 10 Year old Millstone French Oak, bottled at 43%.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: Although there's nothing specifically wrong, the French Oak is not my favourite Millstone. It's not a subtle whisky and the Oak and Oak Spices are quite present. I prefer the 12 Year Sherry Cask anytime. The Sherry Cask is similar to Sherried Speyside Whisky while the French Oak has all the main characteristics of a European mainland Whisky with Oak, Vanilla and Spices as the main drivers. So while the French Oak is not a bad Single Malt, I don't find it sufficiently interesting to enjoy on a regular basis. Look forward to try the 1999 Special # 1 PX Cask who has just been nominated Best European Single Malt Whisky in the 13-20 Years category. Well done Millstone! It looks like Zuidam Spirit and Ex-Sherry Casks were made for each other. Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                       April 2, 2015

New Casks Arriving at Zuidam (Photo credit: Zuidam Distillery) 

2015 Whisky Blogger of the Year Competition

Dear Friends,

I'm very proud to let you know I have been nominated for the 2015 Whisky Blogger of the Year Competition together with 24 other Whisky Bloggers from all around the world. It's nice to see that my hobby is appreciated and it's a great driver for me to go on and try to get better with every article. If you think I deserve your vote please click the link hereunder and a prepared e-mail message will appear. You only have to send it! 

Every voter has the chance to win one of 5 International Whisky Guides. It would be great if you would take take the time and participate! 

Here's the link:

Vote For Jan <mailto:vote@whiskycompetition.com?subject=2015%20IWC%20Best%20Blogger%20-%20I%20Vote%20for%20Jan%20van%20den%20Ende>

Thanks a lot and Cheers!

Jan

Glengoyne 17 Years Review

Country: Scotland 

Region: Southern Highlands

Brand: Glengoyne 

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 17 Years

ABV: 43 %

Colour: Golden with a touch of Orange

Nose: Immediate images of Christmas with Rum Soaked Fruit Cake, Christmas Spices, Sherry, a little Sulphur, Blackcurrant Muffins, Honey, Orange Peel, Oak, Nuts, Red Fruit, Bourbon, Vanilla, Sweet Barley, Brown Sugar, Cocoa, Grass, Warm Stewed Apples, Caramelised Bananas, Buttered Cake, Floral Soap and a sprinkle of Ginger and Cinnamon. It's quite Sweet and a bit Heavy. The Alcohol is not fully integrated. It's similar to the 15 Years but it opens up more easily.

Palate: Sweet but slightly Thin delivery. An ABV of 46% would have been more adequate for this Spirit. I find Fruitcake, Orange Peel, Banana Ice Cream, Rum, Dried Fruits, Vanilla, Red Fruit, Caramel, Milk Chocolate, Cocoa, Walnuts, Malt, Oak, light Sherry, Nutmeg, Cinnamon and light Pepper. 

Finish: Middle-Long and Bitter-Sweet with Sweet Barley, Milk Chocolate, Pear, Orange, Banana, Vanilla, Cocoa, Coffee, Oak, Brown Sugar, Nutmeg, Pepper and a little Mint.

I added a bit of Water and the Nose gets more Vanilla, Apple and Oak. Palate and Finish do not benefit from extra Water. Better sip it neat.

Rating: 82.5 

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

General Remarks: The Glengoyne Distillery was founded in 1833 by the known Edmonstone Family and is located in Dumgoyne by Killearn (Glasgow). Since 2003 it is owned by Ian MacLeod Distillers. Glengoyne has the slowest Distilling process of all Scottish distilleries to ensure lots of contact with the Copper Stills. The Barley is also dried exclusively with Hot Air. Peat is never used. Glengoyne is used in Blends like The Famous Grouse and Cutty Sark. The Glengoyne 17 Years is naturally coloured and matured in a mix of Ex-Bourbon Casks and new - and refill Ex-Oloroso Sherry Casks. Unfortunately it has been discontinued. The 17 Years was sold at around 75 US Dollars before it was discontinued. Today it might cost you anything between 70 and 150 US Dollars (March 2015)

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: I can see why this expression has been discontinued. It does not differ a whole lot from the 15 years and there's already an 18 years in the core range as well. That makes the 17 Years a bit superfluous. Having said that, the 17 Years is not a bad Single Malt. But it's on the Thin side for a 17 years and it should have been bottled at 46%. I also found traces of Sulphur and I'm not at all into that. I'm almost as critical as Jim Murray in this respect. Wow, who would have thought that! I will try and get a sample of the 18 years but so far I would advise you to choose the 15 years instead. The 17 years does not justify its current price tag.

Jan van den Ende                                                                   March 30, 2015

Elements of Islay BN4 Bunnahabhain Review

“Peat, Rubber and Fruity New Make Spirit”

Country: Scotland

Region: Islay

Brand: Elements of Islay BN4 Bunnahabhain

Bottled By: Specialty Drinks Ltd.
Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: NAS

ABV: 54.5 %

Colour: Light Golden

Nose: Heavy Sweet Peat, Wet Clay, Rubber, PVC Pipes, Resin, Toasted Barley, Old Leather, Salted Meat, Shell Fish on the BBQ, Heather and other Floral notes, Sugar, Vanilla, Lemon-Pepper and Dried Herbs. The Peat becomes more mellow once you let the Spirit get lots of air contact. The Floral notes become stronger as well. This certainly leaves the Elements more in balance but also a little less interesting. In any case, the difference is quite noticeable. The Alcohol is there of course but it remains within reason.

Palate: Sweet Peat, Smoke, Wet Clay, Rubber, Young Fruity New Make Spirit, Smoked Fish, Shell Fish on the BBQ, Salted Butter, Peanuts, Vanilla, Pepper, Licorice and Lemon. On the Palate the Alcohol is a bit more present. 

Finish: Sweet and Spicy. A little Bitter towards the end with Sweet Peat, Wet Clay, Smoke, Rubber, Fruity New Make Spirit, Salted Peanuts, Sugared Tea, Pepper, Lemon, Menthol, Licorice and a hint of Cow Manure. I think that the Finish is the best part of this Bunnahabhain.

I added a couple of drops of water. On the Nose the Spirit is a little less Edgy. I also get some more Salt and Dried Herbs. I also find a little extra Fruit on the Palate. But the Finish becomes too Thin for my taste. The high ABV allows you to experiment with a little Water though. 

Rating: 83 

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

General Remarks: The BN4 is the 4th Bunnahabhain release by Independent Bottler Specialty Drinks. Each release in this series is a Blend of between 5 and 20 casks, is naturally coloured, not Chill-Filtered and bottled at Cask Strength. The BN4 matured in Ex-Bourbon casks. It won't be easy to find a bottle right now but if you do you will probably pay an average 65 US Dollars for 0,5 liter.

Bunnahabhain (Mouth or Foot of the River) Distillery was founded around 1881 and is located close to Port Askaig. Usually, the Distillery dries the Malt with hot air or light Smoke, giving their whisky a more subtle flavour than most of its Peated neighbours on the island. But they also produce peated expressions like this BN4. Their peated spirit is also used in the Black Bottle Blend.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: I must confess I'm not too familiar as yet with peated Spirits from Bunnahabhain. Judging by the Elements however peating at this distillery is a serious business. When I opened my little sample bottle the Heavy Peat Aromas spread rapidly through my room. They really dominated the Nose. Over time and with sufficient air contact however, the Peat retreats somewhat and as a result Peat and Fruity New Make Spirit become more balanced. There are other Aromas and Flavours to be found as well of course as you saw from my notes above. But they are all quite understated when compared to the main drivers Peat, Wet Clay, Fruity New Make Spirit, Rubber and Spices. Not at all a bad combination and quite drinkable. But the Spirit is also quite young and lacking depth and subtlety. For this reason the BN4 is perhaps a tad too expensive.

Jan van den Ende                                                                   March 26, 2015

Mackmyra Happy Hunting Review

“Too Young To Be Married”

Country: Sweden

Brand: Mackmyra Special # 5 "Happy Hunting"

Type: Single Malt Whisky 

Age: NAS 

ABV: 47.2 %

Colour: Golden Straw

Nose: The Fresh Oak, Resin, Vanilla and light Varnish immediately remind me of German and Dutch whiskies I have tasted recently. The Aroma is really quite different from your average Scotch Single Malt or Blend. It's young Whisky for sure and the Wine Finish must have been rather short. I find notes of slightly Sour Cranberry Juice, Grass and Straw, German Butterkekse (Butter Biscuits), Toffee, Lemon Pie, Aniseed and Dried Herbs. The Alcohol is quite present. I do not believe a young whisky like this benefits from such a relatively high ABV. The Nose is certainly not unpleasant but there's an unfinished feel to it. 

Palate: Young and Edgy. The Alcohol is a bit too strong in my opinion. I find Red Fruit, Sweet Barley, Creamy Vanilla, Oak, Toffee, Straw, Ginger, Pepper, light Menthol and Dried Herbs.  

Finish: Short, Spicy and Dry towards the end. The Alcohol stings a bit. I find Banana flavoured Candies, Toffee, Creamy Vanilla, Ginger, Pepper and Lemon Grass.

Lingonberries (Picture: Wikipedia)

I added a bit of Water and you get a bit more Red Fruit on the Palate. The Alcohol is of course subdued but the added Water leaves the Spirit without its identity. Better sip it neat.

Rating: 81

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

General Remarks: The first Mackmyra distillery was constructed in 1999. Today it's being used for special expressions and marketing events only. The reason for this is that in 2012 a brand new distillery was built close to the old one.

The new distillery is quite high as it operates via the gravity principle. Water and and Malted Barley start the process on the highest floor and the product winds its way to the bottom floor where the stills are installed. The Happy Hunting is Expression # 5 of a Special series, launched between 2009 and 2013. It really is different from your usual Scotch in the sense that it matured in small casks made of Swedish Oak before being finished in Casks saturated with Lingonberry Wine. These berries are related to Cranberries and Blueberries. The Happy Hunting was inspired by an Autumn walk in the forest and is not artificially coloured It has now been discontinued but was sold at an average 80 US Dollars.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good  

Conclusion: I have tasted quite a few West European mainland whiskies in the meantime and I have acquainted myself to their specific Aromas and Flavours that are quite different from their Scottish brothers. The mainland Whiskies are almost always very young when they are bottled and mostly mature in new oak casks. No wonder they often remind me of Fruity Liqueurs or New Make Spirit with lots of Creamy Vanilla and Resin from the new Wood. But unfortunately they are not allowed to have more wood contact to extract additional Aromas and Flavours from the Casks. And, as is the case with the Mackmyra Happy Hunting, the Finishing in a different kind of cask is not long enough to add sufficient additional Flavour components. Like so many starting distilleries, Mackmyra needs to find a balance between the necessity to make cash to start paying back the high investment costs and the need of building up stocks of fully matured whiskies that would certainly please consumers. As a result of the above, most of the European mainland whiskies I have tasted so far, while certainly not bad, give an unfinished impression. Let's hope these promising new distilleries will be allowed to launch fully matured whiskies in the future, allowing them to show the consumer their real skills. I, for one, am looking forward to that moment!

Jan van den Ende                                                                    March 23, 2015

The First " Old" Mackmyra Distillery