Bruichladdich 12 Years Review (First Edition)

“Vanilla Fudge”

Country: Scotland

Region: Islay

Brand: Bruichladdich 

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 12 Years (First Edition)

ABV: 46 %
Chill Filtration: No

Colour: Golden (Natural Colour)

Nose: Sweet with a huge Vanilla kick upfront. It' s been a while since I got such a clear and strong Vanilla Aroma. No Smoke to be found in this Islay. No classic straight forwarded Peat as well although I get some musty Cooked Vegetables and Grassy notes that remind me of Jura. They do tend to diminish over time. There are not that many Aromas to be found on the Nose of this Bruichladdich but the ones that I get are crystal clear. Next to the Vanilla these are Pineapple and Coconut Milk. I also get hints of Pear in Heavy Syrup, Milk Chocolate, Malt, Heather-Honey, Citrus, Dough, Toffee and light Oak in the form of Wood pellets. The Alcohol is quite nicely integrated. To sum it up, the Bruichladdich 12 Years does show some clear notes on the Nose but it's also a bit simple and certainly uneventful. 

Palate: Barley, Vanilla, Oak, Butterscotch, Pineapple, Coconut, Caramel, Toffee, light Orange, Caramel, Mint, Salt, Pepper and Ginger.   

Finish: Middle-Long, slightly Oily and Medium Creamy with Toasted Barley, Oak, Pear, Apple, light Orange, Toffee, Vanilla, Butter, Herbs (Mint), Pepper, Salt and Ginger.

The Bruichladdich 12 Years does not improve with added Water.

Rating: 81.5   

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

General Remarks: Bruichladdich was founded in 1881 by Barnett Harvey. The distillery changed hands various times over the years. It stopped producing from 1929 to 1936, from 1983 to 1993 and from 1995 to 2001 although it did produce a couple of months in 1998. In the year 2000 the distillery was bought by Murray McDavid who brought Bruichladdich back on the Whisky map. He did this so successfully that he was able to sell the distillery in 2012 to the French spirit giant Remy Cointreau. The 12 Years First Edition I'm tasting today was bottled somewhere between 2003 and 2005. This means it was likely distilled in the early nineties. A Second Edition was also launched but both editions are now discontinued. Some bottles of the 1st edition are still around at prices that vary between 60 and 150 US Dollars (May 2016). The 12 Years 1st Edition matured in Ex-Bourbon Casks made of both Spanish and American Oak.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good   

Conclusion: The Nosing and Tasting of this Bruichladdich left me disappointed. The same occurred when I tasted The Laddie 10. They are not bad whiskies but I completely miss the Wow factor. I rated the 10 Years slightly higher as I found it a little less boring. With respect to the 12 Years there are 3 special features that caught my attention. On the plus side I really liked the clearness of the Vanilla, Pineapple and Coconut Milk on the Nose. On the minus side I could easily live without that slightly musty Cooked Vegetables Aroma that I also find in most of the Jura Malts. And I think the Oak is quite present for a 12 Year old. Bruichladdich recently withdrew all remaining vintage Malts (10, 16 and 22 Y) from the market. They are now only available at the distillery. And the 12 years has been discontinued. So all we can do now is wait for the first 10 or 12 year old Bruichladdich produced under the new owners. Unless all Spirit is used for assorted NAS expressions of course! 

Jan van den Ende                                                                        May 5, 2016

Miltonduff 2009 and Tomatin 2008 Review (Cask Samples Casqueteers)

Country: Scotland

Region: Speyside

Brand: Miltonduff 2009 (Cask Sample Casqueteers)

Type: Single Malt

Age: 7 Years (April 2016)

ABV: Unknown. Probably 55-60%.

Whisky Review # 534

Sample provided by Adri from the Netherlands. Many Thanks!

Colour: Pale White Wine (Natural Colour). Compare this to your average Scottish Blend to know how much Caramel is used to artificially colour young whisky!

Nose: I'm very excited because I have never before Nosed and Tasted Cask samples from (relatively) young and immature whiskies. So here we go! On the Nose this Miltonduff indeed presents itself as a young Whisky. There is still a New Make feel to the Spirit and, consequently, the Alcohol is quite noticeable. To be honest, I expected a little more Cask influence given the fact that we are talking about a 7 Year old Malt. After a bit more air contact some light Floral and Fruity tones appear. I get Heather-Honey, Nectarine, Grass, Straw and light Citrus. Some Sugared Cereals, lightly Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Coconut, young Refill Oak and both Fresh - and Dried Herbs pop up as well. It did remind me somewhat of the Ballantine's Finest Blend.

Taste: Young, Hot and Edgy. The Alcohol is very strong and so are the Wood and Wood Spices. It's quite clear the Cask and the Spirit only have started to get to know each other. Again I would have expected the cask to be a little more active. I understand that the cask was 6 years old when the Miltonduff entered so it's certainly not a worn out cask. Only time will tell how the Spirit will further develop. At the moment I find Toasted Barley, Vanilla, Sugared Cereals, light Toffee, Green Apple, light Citrus, Nut Shells, Grass, Straw, light Licorice, Salt and Pepper.  

Finish: Short, Sharp, Hot and Bitter-Sweet with Toasted Barley, light Toffee, light Caramel, light Butterscotch, Nut Shells, Grass, Straw, Floral Soap, Refill Oak, Lemon, Grapefruit, Salt, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and light Licorice. There is a medium strong Alcohol Bite towards the end.

Casqueteers 

In 2011 three Whisky fans from the Netherlands jointly decided to buy a cask of Bunnahabhain 1986. The experiment was a success and the idea was taken a step further. Other selected casks would be bought and each cask would be offered up for sale in a limited number of parts per cask. The idea was to have a relatively small number of owners per cask that would facilitate joint tasting sessions. In the meantime 200 owners from Europe and Asia possess 45 casks from distilleries like Clynelish, Tomatin, Littlemill, Wolfburn, Strathearn, Isle of Harris, Tormore, Mortlach and Miltonduff. If you are interested to participate in this project, please visit their website: www.casQueteers.com

Miltonduff

This distillery was founded in 1824 and is located in Elgin. A huge reconstruction of the distillery took place in 1974. It changed hands various times over the years but since 2005 it is owned by Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard). Most of the production is destined for the Chivas blends. More specifically, Miltonduff and Glenburgie form the heart of Ballantine's. The Miltonduff Cask Sample I'm tasting today was distilled on the 11th of March 2009. It matures in a Refill Ex-Bourbon cask with Cask # 900068. It will probably be bottled around 2021/22.

Drinking Experience Neat: Young, Hot and Immature. 

Conclusion: I really enjoyed this Nosing and Tasting session as it was the first in its kind for me. I must admit I had expected a little bit more Cask influence after 7 years. The Miltonduff 2009 still has a New Make Spirit Feel to it. You know it's gonna be a Whisky in a number of years but taste-wise it also still reminds me of German Fruit Liqueur (Obstler) and/or Flavoured Vodka as the Spirit is Young, Hot, Sharp and Nervous. It will be very interesting to see how this Spirit will develop in the coming years. My impression at the moment is that this Miltonduff might reach full maturity in 10 years or so.  

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Country: Scotland

Region: Northern Highlands

Brand: Tomatin 2008 (Cask Sample Casqueteers)

Type: Single Malt

Age: 8 Years (April 2016)

ABV: Unknown. Probably 55-60%.

Whisky Review # 535

Sample provided by Adri from the Netherlands. Many Thanks!

Colour: Pale White Wine (Natural Colour)

Nose: Although the Alcohol is strong and noticeable, the Tomatin presents itself generally speaking as a Light and Milder Spirit when compared to the Miltonduff. It's obviously a different kind of cask. Again however I would have expected a few more Aromas and a little more colour after 8 years in the Ex-Sherry cask. The Tomatin is quite clean on the Nose and my first impressions are of Pear, Biscuits and Vanilla. After a while I find Floral tones, Perfumed Soap, Grass, Fresh Herbs, Lemon and light Spices. There is nothing really aggressive here and I suspect this Spirit will develop into a very nice Fruity Aperitif Whisky to be enjoyed on sunny days. After 10 minutes or so I find light additional notes of dark Red Forest Fruit.

Taste: Young, slightly Edgy but with developing Fruity Flavours. I find Malt, Vanilla, Toffee, light Caramel, Grass, Floral Soap, Pear, Apple, Berries, Fresh - and Dried Herbs, light Oak, Lemon, Ginger and Pepper. The Alcohol is quite noticeable but it appears to me it will nicely integrate over time.       

Finish: Short, Fruity and a little Rough and Sugary Sweet with a light Bitterness towards the end. I find Malt, Buttered Toast, light Toffee, light Caramel, light Oak, Grass, Herbs, Alcohol, Spices like Pepper, Ginger and Cardamom and Fruity Flavours like Red Grapes, Red Berries, Green Apples and Pears.

Tomatin

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 Cask Sample I'm tasting today was distilled on the 7th of February 2008. It matures in an Ex- Sherry Puncheon with Cask # 900042. It is likely to be bottled around 2024.

Drinking Experience Neat: Young, a little Edgy but Fruity and Promising. 

Conclusion: The Tomatin 2008 is still a relatively Young whisky but Cask and Spirit seem to like each other. I get some nice developing Fruity Flavours and the Spices are not just Hot but also well defined. The overall impression is that of a Light, Smooth, Fruity and mildly Spicy Spirit that will likely turn out to be a delightful Summer Dram in 8 years or so!  

Final Note: I only score bottled Whiskies.

Jan van den Ende                                                                        May 2, 2016

Blair Athol 1989 Carn Mor Review

“Tropical Rain Forest”

Country: Scotland

Region: Central Highlands - Pertshire

Brand: Blair Athol 1989 (Carn Mor - Celebration of the Cask Series)

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 24 Years

ABV: 57.2%
Chill-Filtration: No

Colour: Golden (Natural Colour) 

Nose: The Alcohol is quite strong so be sure to give this Blair Athol enough time in the glass before Nosing. It's quite Malty, Fruity and Floral but also a bit Dusty with Malted Barley, Buttered Toast, Straw, Salted Peanuts, Dusty Road, Vanilla, Honey, Red Apples, Mandarin, Lemon, Nectarine, Pineapple and some Tropical Fruit that I find difficult to identify. Mango perhaps. Some light Spices as well, mainly Cinnamon and Ginger. With more time in the glass the Fruits tend to develop and after a while I get some Banana Bread and Tutti Frutti as well. I also detect something that I can only describe as Perfumed Candles. The Oak is of course noticeable but not in a dominant way. There's enough to discover on the Nose but you must carefully find your way around the Alcohol. All in all it's not bad at all although it misses the "Wow" factor.

Taste: Strong delivery thanks to the high ABV. It's still Fruity but the Oak and Spices are more noticeable now. I find Toasted Barley, Vanilla, Honey, Banana, Blueberry, Tutti-Frutti, Orange, Grapefruit Juice, Salted Nuts, Nectarine, Dusty Road, Herbal Tea and Spices like Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon and Cardamom.  

Finish: Sufficiently Long, Fruity, Bitter Sweet and Spicy with Toasted Grain, Blueberry Muffins, Orange, Banana, Mango, Berries, Salted Nuts, Cooked Vegetables, Vanilla, Dusty Roads, Menthol, Herbal Tea, Licorice, Cinnamon, Pepper, Ginger and Cardamom. The Oak is quite strong at this point.

I added a little Water and that helps to control the Alcohol. Other than that the Aromas and Flavours are basically the same. A bit more Fruit on the Nose and Licorice and Grapefruit Juice in the Finish. You can certainly experiment with a little Water although I still prefer to sip it neat. 

Rating: 85.5

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

General Remarks: This Blair Athol 24 Years Single Cask Whisky was distilled on the 2nd of November 1989 and was bottled at Cask Strength on the 6th of October 2014 by Indie Whisky bottler Morrison & Mackay from Perth. It matured in an Ex-Bourbon Refill Hogshead with Cask # 6463. Only 228 bottles went to the market and I was lucky enough to buy a sample. This Malt is still available in places and will cost you around 180 US Dollars. 

Blair Athol was founded in 1798 by John Stewart and Robert Robertson. It was called Aldour at first and received its current name only in 1825. The Distillery is located in Pitlochry and is owned nowadays by Diageo. Almost all of the Spirit is destined for the Bell's Blend.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: This is an interesting Single Malt, especially on the Nose. With a little patience you discover lots of Fruity Aromas. On the Palate and in the Finish the years in the cask begin to tell and there the Wood and Wood Spices start to dominate although the Fruity and Malty Flavours maintain their presence as well. The Refill Cask still managed to give sufficient Aromas and Flavours to the Spirit. I would have loved to have tasted this Blair Athol at around 15-17 years as I believe the balance between Malt, Fruit, Wood and Spices would have been perfect at that age. Still, if you like strolling in a Tropical Rain Forest, this Blair Athol might just be the Single Malt you're looking for. It's not that expensive for a 24 year old Whisky and you can still find it on the Internet. Cheers!    

Jan van den Ende                                                                      April 28, 2016

Highland Park 16 Years Review

“Another Storm in a Tea Cup”

Country: Scotland 

Region: Highlands-Islands-Orkney

Brand: Highland Park

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 16 Years

ABV: 40% 

Colour: Deep Gold/Amber (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: The Refill Sherry Cask influence is clear and I immediately pick up Dried Fruits like Apricot, Raisins and Sultanas as well as assorted Nuts. On the Nose, this HP is mainly Sweet and a bit on the Light side. It's a pity that most of these Travel Retail expressions are bottled at 40%. I also find Banana Bread, Sweet Apples, Fresh Pastry, German Butter Biscuits (Butterkekse), Heather Honey, Vanilla, Toffee, Sugared Orange Peel, light Oak, light Aniseed and a distant note of Varnish. Behind it all a Thin web of Vegetable Peat and Campfire Smoke has been woven. The Alcohol is not completely integrated. Although I find various Aromas, most of them are mere hints. Cereals, Dried Fruits and Honey are the main drivers. On the Nose, I find this Highland Park Thin and Underdeveloped for a 16 Year old Single Malt.      

Palate: Bitter Sweet and on the Thin Side. Single Malts of this age really deserve to be bottled at, at least, 43%. I find Malted Barley, Heather Honey, Dried Fruit, Vanilla, Salted Nuts, Orange, Grass, Herbal Tea, light Licorice, light Pepper, light Ginger, light Cinnamon, light Smoke and Peat and slightly Sour Red Grapes.     

Finish: Rather Short, mostly Sweet but with a light Acidity. I find Dry Earth, Grass and Straw, Cereals, Vanilla, Toffee, Honey, Dried Fruit, Orange Liqueur, light Pepper, light Aniseed, light Licorice, light Cinnamon, Oak, slightly Sour Red Grapes Jam and Smoke of a distant Campfire.

With added Water I find more Cereals and Honey on the Nose. Palate and Finish become too weak for my taste. Better sip it neat. 

Rating: 82 

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

General Remarks: Highland Park was founded in 1798 and is located on the Orkney Isles off the North-East coast of Scotland. The distillery uses local Orcadian Peat, that mostly consists of Heather and other Plants. Highland Park matures most of its spirits in Ex-Sherry casks from both Spanish and, curiously, American Oak. Highland Park is one the very few remaining distilleries that malts around 30% of its Barley needs on their own malting floor. The HP 16 years is not part of the core range and was created exclusively for the Travel Retail Market in October 2005. Back in 2012 I tasted another 16 Year Old HP Travel Retail expression. That was a Vintage 1994 however that was bottled in 2010. I found that one quite disappointing by the way. The HP 16 I'm reviewing today won't be easy to find in the meantime. Expects prices way over 100 US Dollars (April 2016).

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good but Indifferent.

Conclusion: I usually like Single Malts that have matured for 16 Years but I must admit I find this Highland Park to be unimpressive. I blame indifferent Cask Management and an insufficient ABV. More and more I find Travel Retail expressions to be rather weak versions of similar Standard Distillery Bottlings. This is a general observation on my part and certainly not limited to Highland Park. If you like HP and I'm sure many do as it's a very easy going Whisky, you are better off with the regular 12, 15 or 18 years depending on your taste and cash flow. This 16 Year old unfortunately does not do justice to the HP Spirit.   

Jan van den Ende                                                                     April 25, 2016

Bladnoch 1990 Wilson & Morgan Review

“Wooden Heart”

Country: Scotland 

Region: Lowlands

Brand: Bladnoch 1990 (Wilson & Morgan - Barrel Selection)

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 18 Years

ABV: 51%
Chill Filtration: No

Colour: Golden (Natural Colour)

Nose: Fruity, Malty and a bit Dusty with Toasted Barley, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Caramel, Brown Sugar, Grass, Straw, Heather-Honey, Floral Soap, Apple, Pear, Oak, Lemon Zest, Cardboard Boxes, light Herbs, Varnish and a hint of Coconuts. There's not a whole lot going on here. I believe this Bladnoch matured in an Ex-Bourbon cask but I don't get a lot of feedback from the Rum Finish. The Oak and Alcohol are present but not in a too dominating way. Do give this Bladnoch enough time in the glass to open up.     

Palate: Strong delivery thanks to the high ABV. The Wood, Spices and Alcohol are much stronger now. I also find Malted Grain, Straw, Vanilla, Apple, Pear, Lemon, Pepper, Ginger, Cardamom and Candle Wax.  

Finish: Middle Long, Woody and Spicy. The Oak and Wood Spice are quite in the lead at this point. Very Dry towards the end. I find Malted Cereals, Oak, Butter, Vanilla, Brown Sugar, Straw, Orchard Fruit (Mainly Pears), Lemon, Pepper, Mint, Nutmeg, Ginger and Cardamom.

With some added Water the Alcohol retreats and that's a good thing in this case. On the Nose, Citrus Fruit like Lemon and Grapefruit become more noticeable. I don't think the Water improves the Palate and the Finish. Images of Extra Bitter Lemon popped up. For Nosing purposes alone you might add some Water but it's better to sip this Bladnoch neat.

Rating: 82.5

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

General Remarks: This Bladnoch was distilled in 1990 and bottled at Cask Strength in 2008 by Independent Bottlers Wilson & Morgan in their Barrel Selection Series. It matured in Casks # 5071 and 5072 and received a Rum Cask Finish. It costs around 100 US Dollars but the availability is limited. 

The Bladnoch Distillery is located in Bladnoch, Wigtown and was founded in 1817 by Thomas and John McClelland. It changed hands various times before being mothballed by United Distillers in 1993. A year later it was bought by Raymond Armstrong but unfortunately the distillery went into administration in 2014 and was put up for sale again. In 2015 it was bought by David Prior, an Australian businessman who wants to put Bladnoch on the whisky map again.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good

Conclusion: So far I have tasted only two Bladnoch expressions and they were both quite mature with 21 - and 18 years respectively. I must admit they are not quite my style. On the Nose it's basically Orchard Fruit and Citrus and not a whole lot else. On the Palate and in the Finish the Wood and Wood Spice are quite dominant. I would love to try a 15 year old Bladnoch one day as I believe that could be the correct maturity for this Spirit. In the case of this Wilson & Morgan Bladnoch I wonder how long it was finished in Rum casks as I can hardly find any additional flavours and aromas other than those supplied by the ex-Bourbon cask. Three to five months perhaps. If you are a fan of Woody Pears Apples and Lemons this Bladnoch could be just what you're looking for. As for me, I will be on the look out for a younger whisky of this Distillery. Who knows what the new owner can deliver in the coming years! 

Jan van den Ende                                                                      April 18, 2016