Haig Supreme 2015 Review

“Mixed Emotions”

Country: Scotland 

Brand: Haig Supreme

Type: Blended Scotch Whisky

Age: NAS 

ABV: 40 %

Colour: Golden Amber 

Nose: The young Grain whiskies are all over the place. I do wonder if I ever really will appreciate their Aroma. I also get Dried Apricot, Mandarin Peel, Nuts, Caramel, Honey, Refill Wood, Cereals, Toast and Margarine, a hint of Sherry and Smoke from a very distant fire. Some slightly Sour Apples after a while. A light Plastic like Off-Note as well. The Alcohol is not fully integrated. It's not a very inspiring Nose. Still, it's the better part of this Blend!

Palate: The Delivery is slightly Watery. Haig Supreme is Sweet at first with Sugared Orange Peel, Honey, Caramel, Toffee and light Vanilla but certainly more dry and slightly bitter towards the end with Refill Oak, Nut Shells, Hay, Pepper and a bit of Smoke. 

Finish: Short, Dry and slightly Bitter towards the end with Refill Oak, Caramel, Toffee, Sugar, Hot Grain Alcohol, Hay, Pepper, Nuts and a puff of Smoke. 

Haig Supreme does not accept Water very well. Everything just gets watered down.

Rating: 76

Nose: 19.5 - Taste: 19 - Finish: 18.5 - Overall: 19

General Remarks: The oldest family name in Scotch Whisky is Haig. Robert Haig began distilling on a farm in 1627. To honour this remarkable heritage, John Haig & Co. of Edinburgh, Scotland (Diageo Group) launched the Haig Supreme, a blended Scotch whisky made of 20 different Grain- & Malt Whiskies that aged in European Oak casks. It's not at all expensive at around 30 US Dollars (August 2015)

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Okay

Conclusion: I tasted the Haig Supreme earlier. In July 2013 to be specific. I scored it just half a point higher back then but all in all my earlier impressions were confirmed. Today, I'm just a little bit more capable in describing more precisely what I smell and taste. Haig Supreme is not a sipping whisky and I suppose that's okay at this price level. There are simply not enough Aromas and Flavours present to enjoy it neat. On the rocks and in the mix however it can certainly compete with the likes of JW Red Label and in fact I find Haig slightly less aggressive. It's not much but it's something I suppose!

Jan van den Ende                                                                  August 10, 2015

Redbreast 15 Years Review

“Older Does Not Automatically Mean Better”

Country: Ireland

Brand: Redbreast

Type: Single Pot Still Whiskey

Age: 15 Years

ABV: 46%

Colour: Golden Copper

Nose: Like the 12 Years, it needs sufficient time in the glass to open up. All the same, the Nose of the 15 years does not impress me as much as the 12 years did some time ago. It's not bad though with Cereals (Barley, Rye), light Honey, Porridge with Butter and Sugar, light Sherry, Nuts, Dried Fruits, light Acetone, Charred Oak, Milk Chocolate, Espresso, Pear, Apple Vinegar, Citrus Peel, Hay, Brandy, light Vanilla, Dusty Road, Cinnamon and Christmas Spices. The Alcohol is not fully integrated. I must admit I had expected more!

Taste: Bitter-Sweet and quite Spicy with light Sherry, Dried Fruits, Almonds, Papaya Cream with Cassis Liqueur, Banana, Toffee, Vanilla, Oak, Hay, Citrus, Cinnamon, Pepper, Cardamom, Nutmeg, Clove and Licorice.   

Finish: Middle-Long, Spicy and slightly Bitter with Pepper, Cardamom, Aniseed, Nutmeg, Dried Herbs, Herbal Tea, Mint, Licorice and Grapefruit Juice. Some Sweet notes as well with light Vanilla, light Honey and a hint of Milk Chocolate. Some Varnished Oak pops up after a while.

I added a couple of drops of Water and I get a little Peach on the Nose as well. As the Alcohol is less noticeable, the Fruit - and Cereal notes develop better. But Palate and Finish do not benefit at all from the added Water. 

Rating: 83.5  

Nose: 22 – Taste: 20.5 – Finish: 20.5 – Overall: 20.5

General Remarks: The Redbreast whiskey is produced at the Old Midleton Distillery in Cork, part of the Pernod Ricard Group. Jameson is also produced at this complex. Redbreast 12, 15  and 21 are the only aged Single Pot Still Whiskies at the moment, using malted and un-malted Barley in the mash bill. The 15 Y is Triple-Distilled, Non Chill-Filtered and matures in Ex-Sherry - and Ex-Bourbon Casks. The Redbreast 15 I'm tasting today was bottled in 2013 and is said to contain 15-19 Year Old Whiskies. It's not cheap and costs between 80 and 100 US Dollars (August 2015).

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: The Redbreast 12 Years is one of the better Irish Whiskies I have tasted so far. I especially loved the Nose! So I was really looking forward to try its older brother, the 15 years. The Nose of the 15 Years is a lot less complex and more restrained than the 12 Years. When nosing the 12 Years I got an image of a rich Fruitcake while the 15 Years reminds me more of a plate of Buttered and Sugared Porridge. On the Palate and in the Finish the 12 and 15 years have more in common with lots of Spices leading the way. Based on my observations, the Redbreast 15 years is not really worth the extra buck. I at least will stick with the 12 Years for the time being! 

Jan van den Ende                                                                   August 6, 2015

GlenDronach The Hielan Review

“No Man’s Land”

Country: Scotland

Region: Eastern Highlands  

Brand: GlenDronach The Hielan

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 8 Years

ABV: 46%

Colour: Golden Amber 

Nose: Sweet, Sour and a bit Soapy at times. The Sherry is there but it's light when compared to other GlenDronach expressions. I feel that less Ex-Sherry Casks and, in general, more Refill Casks were used to mature The Hielan. I find Malt, slightly Sour Apples, Dried Fruit, Orange Peel, Caramel, Butterscotch, Honey, Charred Oak, Peanut Butter, Nuts and Wax. There's not an awful lot going on here and on the Nose The Hielan is a little bit boring. The Alcohol is not fully integrated. 

Palate: Young, Edgy, Bitter-Sweet and slightly Sour with Dried Fruits like Raisin and Apricot, Caramel, Malt, Breakfast Cereals, Nuts, light Honey, Charred Oak, Orange Peel, light Vanilla, Hot Spices (Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon) and some Cocoa Powder. The Alcohol is very present.

Finish: Middle-Long, Sweet and Sour, Hot, quite Dry and slightly Bitter towards the end. I find Malt, Grains, Caramel, Raisins, Nuts, Dried Fruit, Pepper, Oak, Apple-Vinegar, Buttered Porridge and Milk Chocolate. Again, the Alcohol is quite noticeable.

The Hielan does not benefit from added Water. Better sip it neat!

Rating: 81

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

General Remarks: The GlenDronach Distillery was founded in 1826 in Forgue (Aberdeenshire). It was sold in 2005 by Pernod-Ricard to the owners of the BenRiach Distillery (Billy Stewart and partners). The GlenDronach The Hielan was launched in 2015 to replace the 15 Years Revival. It matured in a mix of Ex-Bourbon, Ex-Oloroso and Ex-PX Casks. Prices vary in general between 30 and 50 US Dollars (August 2015). Like most distilleries, GlenDronach released a new, young Standard Expression. The lack of older stocks and the need to be able to compete with the increasing number of relatively cheap NAS expressions from other distilleries are likely to be the two main reasons behind the launching of The Hielan. I must congratulate GlenDronach on their choice. In my opinion any Age Statement is better than none! And in the old days it was quite normal for standard Malts to age between 6 and 10 years. It's also positive that The Hielan is naturally coloured and not Chill-Filtered.

Drinking Experience Neat: Average 

Conclusion: Whisky lovers like you and me are living difficult times. The quite unexpected growth of the Whisky consumption all over the world has driven up prices and swallowed up stocks of aged whisky. It has come to a point where aged Single Malt Whiskies have become too expensive for a large number of consumers. They are forced to consider rather boring Blended Whisky or the new wave of NAS Whiskies that is launched by many distilleries using fancy names and packaging. All this window dressing can not conceal the fact however that we as consumers are faced with a growing sea of young Whiskies. The GlenDronach Hielan is a good example. It's reasonably priced, it's got an age statement and it's drinkable although it's quite clear that GlenDronach had to relax the Wood Management in order to create an affordable Single Malt. But as far as maturation is concerned it should be ranged halfway between New Make Spirit and Matured Whisky in my opinion. The Hielan has an Unfinished feel to it. As I was tasting I laid the connection with "No Man's Land". And that's a place where nobody really wants to be!

Jan van den Ende                                                                    August 3, 2015

Tamdhu 1984 Scott's Selection Review

“Old and Wise”

Country: Scotland 

Region: Speyside

Brand: Tamdhu 1984 (Scott's Selection) 

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 27 Years

ABV: 49.6%

Colour: Golden

Nose: Mature and Floral with Heather Honey, Sherry, Dried Fruits like Raisins, Dates and Apricots, Sweet Barley, Golden Syrup, Buttered Toast and Orange Marmalade, Toffee, Butterscotch, Dry Earth, slightly Sour Red Apples, Peach, Vanilla sauce, Bourbon, Cinnamon, Ginger, Mint and distant hints of Leather and Tobacco. The Oak and Alcohol are present of course but they are quite nicely integrated with the other Aromas. Can a Whisky smell Creamy? This Tamdhu does in my opinion.  

Palate: Strong, Spicy and Sweet-Sour Delivery with Malt, Orange Marmalade, Sponge Cake, Red Grapes, Red Apples, Dried Fruits and Nuts, Heather Honey, Toffee, Vanilla, Mint, Pepper, Ginger, light Salty Licorice, Dry Earth and a bit of Lemon. The Alcohol and Oak are more noticeable here. 

Finish: Middle-Long, Woody and Spicy with Toast (the Dutch Beschuit) with little Aniseed balls, Pepper, Mint, Heather Honey, Orange Marmalade, Dried Apricot, Raisins, Malt and Oak. Quite Dry in the end. The Alcohol is more present here. 

I added a bit of Water and the Nose shows even more Floral - and Malty notes. Spice, Honey, Red Fruit, Licorice and Aniseed lead the way on the Palate and in the Finish. The Alcohol calms down this way. This Tamdhu certainly accepts a little Water.

Rating: 85 

Nose: 22.5 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 21.5

Stills at Tamdhu

General Remarks: The Tamdhu Distillery was founded in 1896 by a group of Whisky Blenders of which William Grant was the most important. It is located in Knockando/Aberlour in Morayshire. It closed from 1911 to 1913, 1928 to 1948 and 2009-2011 when it was bought by the current owners Ian MacLeod. Under the old owners (The Edrington Group) most of the Spirit went into Blends like Cutty Sark, Vat 69, White Horse, The Famous Grouse  and J&B. The new owners however are keen to put Tamdhu on the Whisky map as a premium Single Malt. But of course it will also be used for MacLeod's own Blends like King Robert II. The Tamdhu I'm tasting today was distilled in 1984 when the distillery was still owned by Robertson & Baxter (Edrington).

The Scott's Selection is a collection of Single Malts handpicked by Robert Scott, the former Master Blender at Speyside Distillers in Glasgow. This Tamdhu is bottled at Cask Strength and not Chill-Filtered. Scott's Selection organised its last Whisky Tasting Event on September 13, 2014 in Roosendaal, Holland. The Tamdhu I am reviewing today was distilled in 1984 and bottled in October 2011. It matured in an Ex-Sherry Hogshead (Cask # 2841) and costs an average 140 US Dollars. 

Drinking Experience Neat: Good 

Conclusion: This is my first Tamdhu and also one of the oldest Whiskies I've tasted so far. It certainly did not disappoint. The Barley is Fat and Juicy and I can see why Blend producers would like to include Tamdhu in the mix. I quite like the Nose that presents a mature, balanced and creamy mix of Fruit, Honey, Malt and Butterscotch. Palate and Finish are not quite as balanced. The age is showing and Oak and Alcohol are a bit too present there. The Finish is on the short side and quite Dry with a very distinctive Aniseed note. Despite the flaws, I enjoyed tasting this Tamdhu. Good Price/Age/Quality ratio.

Jan van den Ende                                                                       July 30, 2015

Bunnahabhain 1989 C&S Review

“Old of Age but Young in Spirit”

Country: Scotland

Region: Islay

Brand: Bunnahabhain 1989 C & S Dram Collection - Dram Senior Series

Bottled by: Scottish Whisky Centre Ltd, Hilton, Bankfoot, Perth 
Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 24 Years

ABV: 45.8 %

Colour: Light Golden

Nose: Heather Honey, Perfumed Soap, Herbs, Varnish, Orchard Fruit, Straw, Butterkekse, Toasted Barley, Brine, light Peat, light Smoke, Mandarin, Lemon Peel, Oak, Demerara Sugar, Toffee, light Vanilla, Wet Stones and Pineapple in Syrup. The Alcohol is not fully integrated. I like the subtle interaction between the light Peat, the light Smoke and the Brine with the other Aromas. The Nose is not bad but the rather strong Varnish note spoils a bit of the fun.

Palate: Sweet, Salty and Herbal with light Peat, light Smoke, Toasted Oak, Buttered Toast, Barley, Vanilla, Citrus, Dried Herbs, Hay, Espresso, Pepper, light Licorice, light Cinnamon and Mineral tones. 

Finish: Middle-Long and Warming with slightly Bitter Oak, Dirty Earth, light Smoke, Pepper, Salt, Cardamom, Licorice, Hay, Buttered Toast, Heather Honey, Vanilla, Toffee and a hint of Menthol.   

I added a couple of drops of water. The Nose becomes quite Floral and I also find some Grapefruit. Palate and Finish become a little Creamier. You can certainly experiment with a couple of drops!

Rating: 83

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

General Remarks: The Single Cask Bunnahabhain 1989 I'm tasting today was distilled on October 20, 1989, matured in an Ex-Bourbon Hogshead with Cask # 5710 and was bottled at Cask Strength on September 8, 2014 for German based Indie Bottler C&S (Caminneci) in their Dram Senior Collection. It is naturally coloured and Non Chill-Filtered. It sells at around 105 US Dollars.

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 then most of its Peated neighbours on the island. 

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: Quite Fresh for a 24 Years old Single Malt. I didn't find any Musty or Dusty elements. The light Smoke and light Peat work nicely together with some of the other Aromas and Flavours. I would have scored this higher but for the strong Varnish note on the Nose. I also find the Palate a little too Herbal. The Finish is quite nice and warming though. All in all a very decent Single Malt at a reasonable price considering its age.   

Jan van den Ende                                                                       July 27, 2015