Teacher's Highland Cream Review

“Not Hot For Teacher’s”

What Happened Earlier!

On January 18, 2012 and again on September 27, 2013 I tasted the following version of Teacher's Highland Cream:

Country: Distilled, Aged and Blended in Scotland. Mixed with water and bottled in Brazil by Allied Domecq Brazil.

Brand: Teacher’s Highland Cream (Wm. Teacher & Sons Ltd.)

Type: Blended Whisky

Age: Unspecified but probably between 3 and 8 Years

Alcohol: 40%

This is what I thought about it:

"I really don’t know if, and if yes, what happened with this whisky between it being distilled in Scotland and bottled in Brazil. Is only water added to the mixture received from Scotland? Because I find it hard to believe that I am drinking the same whisky that is highly praised in so many parts of the world. Or did I get a bad - or falsified bottle or something? I tasted a second bottle in September 2013. I wasn't that horrified this time, slightly adjusted the Tasting Notes and increased the Final score to 63 points. Still well below average of course. Not a Blend I can recommend, at least not the way it's marketed in Brazil"

Bad Stuff! But now I've been able to secure a sample of the Original Teacher's (New Label) via Masters of Malt in London. This version of course was bottled at origin in Scotland. I am really looking forward to taste this one so here we go:

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Country: Scotland

Brand: Teacher’s Highland Cream (2015 Packaging - Wm. Teacher & Sons Ltd)

Type: Blended Whisky

Age: NAS

ABV: 40%

Colour: Pale Gold (Artificially Coloured) 

Nose: Grain Alcohol and Refill Wood are my first impressions. A faint hint of Smoke in the background. I also find Toast and Margarine, Straw, a little Malt,   

Peanuts, Toffee and a touch of Lemon and Green Apple. There is a little off note as well. It's not easy to describe but it's something between Cooked Vegetables, Plastic and Sweaty Feet. Overall, Teacher's is Thin and slightly Edgy on the Nose. Still, it's by far not as bad as the "Brazilian" version. After 15 minutes I find a light Leather Aroma as well.

Taste: Very Thin and Sugary Sweet with Grain Alcohol, Toffee, Caramel, Straw, Refill Oak, Licorice, Pepper, light Menthol and hints of Peanuts and Leather.  

Finish: Short and Sugary Sweet at first but with a little Hot Bitterness that pops up towards the end. I find Grain Alcohol, Sugar lumps, Toffee, Refill Oak, light Menthol, Licorice, a faint Smoke and hints of Leather and Candle Wax.

Added Water completely kills this Blend.  

Rating: 70 

Nose: 18 - Taste: 17 - Finish: 17,5 - Overall: 17,5

General Remarks: Teacher’s Highland Cream was elaborated for the first time in 1863 by William Teacher. It is said to have a Malt content of around 45%, very high for a blended whisky. At its heart is the peated Ardmore Highland Single Malt. Glendronach used to be another important ingredient but it's not anymore. Could that be the reason that many people complain that the quality of the Blend suffered greatly over the last few years and even more apparently since the new packaging was introduced in 2015? Certainly something the company needs to look in to if it doesn't want to lose market share.

Drinking Experience Neat: Below Average 

Conclusion: I was really looking forward to Nosing and Tasting the Teacher's Highland Cream as it used to be praised by many Whisky fans while at the same time I was appalled by the lack of nice Aromas and Flavours in the so called Brazilian version. The sample I nosed and tasted today was not as bad as the Brazilian version but also not as good as it apparently was a few years ago. It is very cheap of course so you can't expect a great whisky. But my advise to Teacher's would be to look for a worthy replacement of the lost Glendronach component, even if that would mean that the price would go up a bit. That's much better than endangering the Brand's good name by including perhaps less expensive Malts in the formula. In the meantime I would really love to taste a Teacher's Highland Cream from say 10 years ago to be able to make a final comparison. If someone has a sample to spare please let me know!  

Jan van den Ende                                                                   May 16, 2016

Stills at Ardmore

Braeval 1994 C&S Braes of Glenlivet Review

“Too Much Wood Will Kill You In The End”

Country: Scotland

Region: Highlands - Speyside

Brand: Braeval 1994  (C & S Braes of Glenlivet - Dram Collection - 197 Bottles)

Bottled by: The Scottish Liqueur Center Ltd, Perth
Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 19 Years

ABV: 54.4% 

Colour: Pale Straw/Light Gold (Natural Colour)

Nose: Sweet, Malty, Fruity and with a nice underlying Oak Aroma. The Alcohol is quite strong so you will have to wind your way around it. I find Toasted Barley, Buttered Toast, Grass, Straw, Oak, Vanilla, Caramel, Dried Fruits (Apricots and Raisins), Honey Nuts, Pineapple, Banana, Tutti-Frutti, Orange, Lemon, Peach, Apple and Pear. All the time I find different Fruit Aromas. It's really like a Fruit Cocktail. The Oak Aroma reminds me of Cognac from time to time. Finally I get some Herbs and light Spices like Ginger, Cinnamon and Nutmeg.   

Palate: Sweet at first but quite Woody, slightly Sour and Bitter afterwards with Charred Oak, Toasted Barley, Straw, Toffee, Vanilla, Lemon, Apple, Mandarin, White Grapes, Honey, Dried Fruit, Sour Berries, Pepper, Nutmeg and Licorice. 

Finish: Middle-Long. Bitter Sweet at first but Dry and a little Hot towards the end with Toasted Barley, Toffee, Caramel, Vanilla, Orange, Mandarin, White Grapes, Dried Fruit, Chocolate, Pepper, Nutmeg, light Menthol and Licorice. A little Off Note that reminds me of plastic (PVC) pipes of all things.  

I merely had a small sample at my disposal so I only tasted this Braeval neat.  

Rating: 83 

Nose: 22.5 - Taste: 20 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 20.5

General Remarks: This Braeval was distilled on the 8th of December 1994 and was bottled at Cask Strength on the 8th of September 2014. It matured in an Ex-Bourbon Barrel with Cask # 159158. This Single Cask expression is Non-Chill-Filtered. It's still available, a/o at Whiskybase in Rotterdam, at around 90 US Dollars.

The Braeval distillery is located in the Braes of Glenlivet and was founded by The Chivas and Glenlivet Group in 1973. Originally the Distillery was named Braes of Glenlivet but it changed to Braeval in 1994. Pernod Ricard bought Chivas Brothers in 2001 and mothballed Braeval from 2002 to July 2008 when it started producing again. Most of the production is destined for the Chivas Regal Blends. There are no Official Distillery Bottlings under the name of Braeval so we depend on Independent Bottlers like C & S.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good, especially on the Nose. A bit too Woody on the Palate and in the Finish for my taste.

Conclusion: This is only my second Braeval and once I again I find it a pity that practically all its Spirit disappears in the Chivas Blends. This distillery certainly could produce a successful standard Single Malt. I think that a 12 - and a 15 Y would make a perfect core range. Even at 19 years it's still very good on the Nose but on the Palate and in the Finish the Wood and Wood Spice become too dominant as far as I'm concerned. If you don't mind the Wood and have 90 US Dollars to spare I can assure you that you will enjoy pleasant moments when nosing this Braeval. 

Jan van den Ende                                                                           May 13, 2016

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