Famous Grouse 15 Years Review

“Blame It On The Casks”

Country: Scotland

Brand: The Famous Grouse

Type: Blended Malt Whisky

Age: 15 Years

ABV: 43%

Sample provided by Jan from the Netherlands. Thanks a lot!

Colour: Deep Gold (Artificially Coloured) 

Nose: I would think that the Malts used in this Blend matured in a mix of Re-Fill Ex-Sherry (Oloroso) and Ex-Bourbon Casks. There is some Sulphur around but not enough to disturb me. I find Sweet Barley, Malt, Buttered Toast, Dried Fruit, Nuts, Plum Jam, slightly Sour Apples, Peach, light Honey, Caramel, Refill Oak, Milk Chocolate, light Vanilla, Espresso and a sprinkle of Salt and Cinnamon. I believe that Glenrothes lies at the heart of this Blend. The Macallan is there for sure but it's much harder to detect any significant influence from Highland Park. The Alcohol is not fully integrated. Although not bad, the Nose of this 15 Year old Grouse does not quite convince me.

Taste: The Delivery is a bit Light. I find Malt, Breakfast Cereals, Syrup, slightly Sour Apples, Vanilla, Peach Jam, Caramel, Cocoa Powder, Raisins, Salted Butter, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Alcohol and traces of Salt and Dirt Road.    

Finish: Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet, Woody and Spicy with Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Bourbon, Dirty Earth, Dried Fruits, Refill Oak, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon and Menthol. Hints of Aniseed and Licorice. The Alcohol remains very present.  

The Famous Grouse 15 Years does not improve with added Water. 

Rating: 81.5  

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

General Remarks: The Famous Grouse 15 Years Blended Malt was a limited edition at first, mainly for the Asian Travel Retail market. Today you can buy bottles in other continents as well but the number is dwindling as the Edrington Group discontinued the Famous Grouse Expressions with Age-Statement. It is said to contain Malt Whisky from Glenrothes, Macallan and Highland Park, all distilleries that belong to the Edrington Group. The price varies a lot depending on where you live but it's usually in the range of 50 to 100 US Dollars. (December 2015). It is Chill-Filtered but not at very low temperatures.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good 

Conclusion: I'm not quite convinced by this Famous Grouse Experience. It does not seem to offer a lot in terms of interesting Aromas and Flavours for a 15 Year old Blended Malt. I gather that most of the Casks used weren't very active ones. The Nose is okay and the Sherry influence is there. On the Palate and in the Finish I miss elegance and depth. The Alcohol remains strong throughout the Nosing and Tasting. I can see why this Vatted Blend was discontinued. It's too expensive as an everyday Blend for most people and for a special occasion lots of people would prefer to buy a Single Malt. I kinda liked the Silver Grouse 12 Years limited edition and I expected a more mature version of this expression when I opened my 15 Years Sample. But to be honest, that not quite the case. I blame it on the casks!

Jan van den Ende                                                              December 17, 2015

Macallan in the Scottish Sunshine

BenRiach 12 Years Sherry Wood Review

“Sherry Oh Baby”

Country: Scotland 

Region: Highlands - Speyside

Brand: BenRiach Sherry Wood

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 12 Years

ABV: 46% 

Colour: Dark Sherry (Natural Colour)

Nose: Sweet and driven by the Ex-Sherry casks with lots of Dried Fruits, Nuts and Christmas Spices. I don't find a clear Sulphur note. It's quite probable that a significant amount of First Fill Casks have been used for this Malt. I find Sweet Barley, Yeast, Butterkekse, Toffee, Milk Chocolate, Marzipan, Stewed Apple, Orange, slightly Sour Cherries, Honey, Sugared Almonds, light Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Clove and Oak. Hints of Espresso and Leather. Some Floral notes after a while. It's a pity that the Alcohol is not fully integrated. Still, not bad!

Palate: Mostly Bitter-Sweet and a little "Hot". I find Sweet Barley, Caramel, Toffee, Milk Chocolate, Marzipan, Orange, Lemon, slightly Sour Cherries, Dried Fruits, Walnuts, Oak, Pepper, Nutmeg, Clove, Licorice, Cardamom and traces of Salt, Leather and Espresso.
       

Finish: Middle-Long, slightly Sour but mostly Bitter-Sweet with Sweet Barley, Dark Red Fruit, Caramel, Toffee, Oak, Nuts, light Honey, light Vanilla, Dark Chocolate, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and traces of Cardamom, Dusty Road, Espresso and Licorice. The Alcohol is still a bit "Hot". Quite Dry in the end. 

I added a bit of Water and on the Nose you get more Barley and Fruit. On the Palate you get rid of most of the Alcohol and that's a good thing. The 12 Years Sherry Wood becomes quite Fruity and Creamy. The Finish suffers a bit from the added Water and becomes Short and Spicy. I would recommend to add a few drops but be careful not to drown the Whisky.

Rating: 83 

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

General Remarks: The BenRiach distillery is located in the heart of the Speyside between Elgin and Rothes. It was founded around 1898 by John Duff, the owner of the nearby Longmorn distillery. Today it's one of the few distilleries with its own Malting Floors. Since 2004, it is independently owned by BenRiach Distillery Company. Most of their production goes into the Chivas Regal Blend but more than enough is left for the many Single Malt Expressions. The 12 Years Sherry Wood matured in a mix of Ex-Oloroso and Ex-PX casks from Jerez in Spain. It is not Chill-Filtered and costs between 50 and 90 US Dollars depending on where you live (December 2015).

Drinking Experience Neat: Good  

Conclusion: In some places you can buy this BenRiach for less than 50 US Dollars. At that price level it's a bargain if you fancy Sherried Speysiders. In other places however this Single Malt could cost you up to 90 US Dollars and I would sincerely hesitate to pay that kind of money for the 12 Years Sherry Wood. The Nose is certainly okay but on the Palate I find this Single Malt a bit boring with the Barley, the Marzipan, the Dried Fruits and the Christmas spices. But that's personal of course. More importantly however, it's too Hot. The Spirit clearly struggles with the ABV of 46%. There's also the Sour note that I'm not too fond of. To sum it up, the BenRiach 12 Years Sherry Wood is an interesting alternative if you are looking for a reasonably priced Sherried Speysider with an Age Statement. I must confess though that it's not quite my style!   

Jan van den Ende                                                             December 14, 2015

Bunnahabhain 1986 Duncan Taylor Review

“Some Like It Hot”

Country: Scotland

Region: Islay

Brand: Bunnahabhain 1986 (Duncan Taylor The Octave Series) 

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 25 Years

ABV: 54.3 %

Colour: Full Gold (Natural Colour)

Nose: Full and Mature. Quite Sweet and Fruity with Barley Sugar, Pineapple, Melon, Orange, Overripe Banana, Butterkekse, Salted Nuts, Polished Leather, Dried Fruits, Dark Chocolate, Marzipan, Pepper, Cinnamon, light Honey, Fruit Syrup, Oak and a hint of Tobacco. There's a pleasant Old-Fashioned, Rusty Mineral feel to this Bunnahabhain. A light Bitterness towards the end creates a fine balance with the Sweet Fruity notes. Well done! 

Palate: The Oak is much more present now along with the Wood Spices. On the Palate, this Bunnahabhain is Bitter-Sweet and a bit Oily. I find Toasted Barley, Caramel, Dark Chocolate, Brown Sugar, Tobacco, Herbal Tea, Orange, Berries, Red Apple, Pepper, Nutmeg, light Menthol, Polished Wood, Licorice, Cardamom and Dry Earth. The Alcohol is a bit on the "Hot" side.        

Finish: Middle-Long, Woody and Bitter-Sweet with Dried Fruits, Orange, Dark Chocolate, Overripe Bananas, Oak, Brown Sugar, Beeswax, Herbal Tea, Toast and Salted Butter, Pepper, Nutmeg, light Menthol, Cinnamon and Licorice.   

I added a couple of drops of water. The Nose becomes more Fruity but it looses density and complexity. Palate and Finish become quite Woody an Spicy but some Sweet Fruit shines as well. I prefer it neat but you can certainly try out a few drops at a time. 

Rating: 86.5 

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

General Remarks: The Single Cask Bunnahabhain 1986 I'm tasting today was distilled in 1986. It matured for 25 years in an Ex-Sherry Cask # 382893 before being finished for six months in an Octave 50 L Cask to get extra intense Wood contact. It was bottled at Cask Strength in 2012 by Indie Bottler Duncan Taylor for the Dutch based Whisky group the Casqueteers in The Octave Series. It is of course Non Chill-Filtered and was sold at around 150 US Dollars but it will be very hard to find, if at all.

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: If you like fully matured Ex-Sherry Cask whisky you can't go wrong with this Bunnahabhain. The Octave Cask finish further enhanced the Woody Flavours but not to a point where it would become too much. On the Nose I found a wonderful balance between the Oak, Spices and Sweet Fruit. On the Palate and in the Finish the balance swings a little towards the Oak and Spices although the situation never gets out of control. The Alcohol is a bit Hot so naturally you are tempted to add a little Water. In doing so however, the Spirit looses part of its complexity, especially on the Nose. And that's a pity because that's the best part of this Bunnahabhain. So be careful when you add Water. You don't want to drown this Islay Spirit. If you like the Flavour - and Aroma profile of this Bunnahabhain you can safely buy it if you can find it. The price is quite reasonable for a Spirit of this age!

Jan van den Ende                                                              December 10, 2015

Dalwhinnie Winter's Gold Review

“A Hazy Shade of Winter”

Country: Scotland 

Region: Highland - Central

Brand: Dalwhinnie Winter's Gold

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: NAS

ABV: 43 %

Colour: Deep Gold (Artificially Coloured)

Room Temperature:

Nose: Young and Light. Do I detect a hint of Sulphur? I'm not quite sure. I do find Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Yeast, Creamy Toffee, Golden Syrup, Brown Sugar, light Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Almonds, Straw, Young Oak, Dried Fruits, Pineapple, Nectarine, Orange, Apple, Floral Perfume, Ginger Bread, a sprinkle of Mint and a very distant hint of Smoke. Most of these Aromas are quite Faint. On the Nose, Creamy Barley, Honey, Syrup and Citrus are the main drivers. It's not really bad but it misses Balance. The Alcohol is not integrated. I don't think that there's a lot of Whisky older than say 5 Years in Winter's Gold. There's a clear Unfinished feel to this Spirit.     

Palate: Slightly Thin, Spicy and Bitter Sweet. The Wood and Wood Spice are quite present. I find Sweet Barley, Creamy Toffee, Golden Syrup, Heather-Honey, Cocoa Powder, Icing Sugar, Straw, Young Oak, Nectarine, Orange, Apple, Banana, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon and Mint.  

Finish: Unfinished, Middle-Long, Bitter Sweet and Herbal. Quite Dry in the end. Again, Wood and Wood Spice are dominant Flavours. I also find Sweet Malt, Golden Syrup, Brown Sugar, Heather Honey, Toffee, light Vanilla, Straw, Grass, Orange, Nectarine, Banana Flavoured Candies, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger and Mint. On the Palate and in the Finish, Winter's Gold reminds me of Peppered Vodka or German "Obstler" from time to time.

I added a bit of Water and on the Nose you get more Floral Perfume - and Citrus notes. Lots of Creamy Barley as well. But Palate and Finish do not take added Water very well. You can add a little Water for Nosing purposes but it's better to sip Winter's Gold neat.

Frozen: In this form Winter's Gold becomes quite syrupy. As obviously was to be expected, it's very difficult to pick up Aromas on the Nose. I get Barley and perhaps a Fruity note. On the Palate I find Creamy Barley, Honey, Citrus and Oak. And perhaps a tiny tad of Smoke. The Finish becomes real Short, is Bitter-Sweet and still very Oaky. I must say that the Frozen condition doesn't bring significant changes to the general Aroma and Flavour profile of Winter's Gold. With the exception of the Smoke I found on the Palate. The frozen state does help to hide some of the imperfections of the Spirit. But it also increases the feeling of drinking a German "Obstler" (Fruit Liqueur) instead of a Single Malt Whisky.

Rating: 79 

Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 19.5 - Finish: 19 - Overall: 20

General Remarks: The Dalwhinnie Distillery is the highest -, coldest - and most remote Scottish Distillery. It was originally named Strathspey (a village nearby) and was founded in 1897. The pure spring water comes from Lochan An Doire-Uaine, the highest source of any malt, located at 2000 feet in the Drumochter Hills. The Distillery is now part of the Diageo group and represents the Central Highlands in their Classic Malt Range. The Dalwhinnie is also used in the known Buchanan's - and Black & White Blends. 

In August/September 2015, Diageo (as part of their strategy to launch NAS versions of their Classic Malt range) introduced Dalwhinnie Winter's Gold to honour the influence that the cold has on the Dalwhinnie Spirit. For the Winter's Gold, the distillery only uses Spirit produced between October and March. It matures in a mix of American and European Oak and is Chill-Filtered before bottling. Also, Diageo recommends Winter's Gold to be served frozen following the path of the Snow Grouse and JW Gold. Well, today's Whisky World is full of NAS Whiskies, accompanied by a nice story as we all know. It's priced at between 35 and 55 US Dollars, depending on where you live (December 2015).

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good

Conclusion: This is the first Single Malt that I have tasted where it came to my mind that the Spirit gave some Flavour to the Wood instead of the other way around. I hope this is not the future of Whisky! Because despite all the slick packaging, nice names and beautiful stories it can't be denied that a lot of the current NAS expressions simply miss Mature Flavours and Aromas as well as Balance. Winter's Gold is no exception to the rule I'm afraid. It was most likely launched to release the pressure on the stocks used for the 15 Years. I guess this means we will see the 15 Years occasionally while the supermarkets will be flooded with Winter's Gold. Is that a good thing? No, it isn't in my opinion. The 15 Years was a light but fully matured Summer Dram. Not spectacular but nice as an aperitif. Instead we get Winter's Gold a young, simple, unbalanced and immature Single Malt. And it's slightly more expensive as well, depending on where you live. I'm sorry but I won't be tempted by fantasy names and nice stories. Because it's what's in the bottle that matters! And in that respect, while not really bad, Winter's Gold simply disappoints.

Jan van den Ende                                                               December 7, 2015