Glen Garioch 1990 (Archives) Review

“You’re Not The One That I Want”

Country: Scotland

Region: Highland (Eastern)

Brand: Glen Garioch 1990 (Whiskybase First Release Archives)

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 21 Years

ABV: 54%

Colour: Pale White Wine (Natural Colour)

Nose: Malty, Lemony, Dusty and a little Salty. I find Malt, lightly Buttered Toast, Cereals, Heather-Honey, Cooked Vegetables, Toffee, light Vanilla, Wet Paper, Wet Straw, Charred Oak, Green Grapes, Green Apple, Lemon, very light Peat, Herbs, light Leather, Nuts, Mint-Chocolate, Aniseed, light Pepper, Cardamom, Ginger and Salt. The Alcohol is relatively strong and not fully integrated. 
  

Palate: Strong Delivery. The Alcohol, Wood and Spices are very present. On the Palate this Glen Garioch is Bitter-Sweet and a bit Edgy. It could certainly do with more Fruity Flavours. I find Malt, Cereals, Nuts, Wax, Caramel, Lemon, Plums,
Strong Bitter Tea, Green Apple, light Vanilla, very light Peat, Pepper, Cloves, Salt, Licorice, Aniseed, Ginger and hints of Leather and Wet Sand.  

Finish: Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet, Dusty, Mineral and Woody. Quite Dry towards the end. The Alcohol is a bit Fiery. I find Sweet Barley, Caramel, Strong Tea, Espresso, Heather-Honey, Green Apple, Citrus (Lemon and Orange), Dry Earth, very light Peat and Ashes, Wet Stone, Charred Oak, light Menthol, Licorice, Herbs, Pepper, Salt and Cloves. A very distant hint of Smoked Meat.   

I only had a small sample at my disposal. Not enough to try it both neat and with added Water.  

Rating: 81

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

General Remarks: The Glen Garioch Distillery is located in Aberdeenshire and was founded in 1797 by John and Alexander Manson. Nowadays it is owned by Morison Bowmore Distillers, part of the Japanese Suntory Group. The Glen Garioch Single Cask we are tasting today was distilled on the 28th of December 1990 and bottled at Cask Strength by Independent Bottler Whiskybase, located in Rotterdam, the Netherlands on the 5th of January 2011. It matured in an Ex-Bourbon Hogshead with Cask # 252 out of which 267 bottles were reserved for Whiskybase. The whisky is not chill-filtered. It was sold at around 80 US Dollars but it will be very difficult to find at this point in time.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay

Conclusion: I must admit this Glen Garioch is not at all my style. It's quite Musty and I miss Fresh Fruity notes. The Wood, Spice and Alcohol are very dominant this way. To be honest, I believe the Spirit has overstayed its time in the cask. I also feel the ABV is a bit too strong for this Spirit. All in all I found this Tasting Session quite disappointing. I'm glad I didn't buy a full bottle! 

Jan van den Ende                                                                       April 4, 2016

Yamazaki Puncheon Review

“Rebel Rebel”

Country: Japan

Brand: Yamazaki Puncheon
Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: NAS (Bottled in 2013, the final year of the Cask Collection Series)

ABV: 48 % 
Chill-Filtration: No  

Colour: Golden (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: Edgy, Sweet, Floral and Fruity. The Alcohol is quite present. I find Sweet Barley, Buttered Croissant, Breakfast Cereals, Wax, Heather-Honey, Grass, Straw, Vanilla, Assorted Fruit Flavoured Candies, Banana Ice Cream, Charred Oak, Plum - and Peach Marmalade, Lemon and Cinnamon. It's not bad but there's a slight Artificial feel to it. I also miss a bit of Balance. It's almost like Oak and Spirit are fighting each other in stead of living together in Harmony. 

Palate: Without any doubt the most Aggressive Palate of all the Japanese Single Malts I've tasted so far. The Alcohol, Oak and Spices are quite dominant. I also find Sweet Barley, Buttered Pastry, Breakfast Cereals, Vanilla, Plums, Citrus, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves and Ginger. Sour White Grapes towards the end. 

Finish: Medium-Long, Sweet and Spicy with a Sour, Medium Dry Finish. I find Sweet Barley, Milky Way Candy Bar, Vanilla, Ginger Ale, Butter, Apple Juice, Sour White Grapes, Alcohol, Lemon, Pepper, Cinnamon and Nutmeg. A light Metallic-like off-note after a while.

Even with added Water, the Alcohol on the Nose remains strong. More Floral - and Malty notes pop up. Closer to Speyside now. Palate and Finish do not benefit from the added Water. Especially the Finish becomes a little Rough, Bitter-Sweet and Sour. Better sip it neat.

Rating: 83

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

General Remarks: The first malt whisky distillery in Japan was constructed by the Suntory Founder Shinjiro Torii in 1923 in the Yamazaki Valley close to the city of Kyoto. The place was chosen because its water, soil and climate were similar to Scotland. It was the first distillery of this kind outside Scotland and it used copper pot stills. Today the Suntory Yamazaki is the most popular Single Malt in Japan and it is exported to more than 25 countries. Since 1972 Suntory is importing its malted barley from Scotland and Australia. The spirit for this Yamazki Puncheon matures in Ex-Bourbon Puncheons of 480 litres made of American White Oak instead of the regular Hogsheads that contain 230 litres. 
As a result it matures slightly slower as there is less Wood contact. It's not cheap and its price varies between 125 and 300 US Dollars, depending on the location. The average price lies around 150 US Dollars (March 2016).

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: It's a very interesting Japanese Single Malt. There's little "Hibiki" or Harmony to be found here. It's a bit Edgy here and there but it certainly shows character. On the other hand it's not very complicated. Despite the fact that I get traces of various Aromas and Flavours, the Wood, Vanilla and Spices are the main Drivers of this Yamazaki accompanied by Floral and Fruity notes. On the Palate and in the Finish I find it slightly on the Sour side and that's not quite to my taste. It's a bit of a Rebel among the Japanese Single Malts and I like that! It's way too expensive though for what it offers. But so is all Japanese whisky at this point in time. Still, it's a pity that the Puncheon has been discontinued. It has guts! 

Jan van den Ende                                                                   March 31, 2016

Haig Gold Label Review

“Another One Bites The Dust”

Country: Scotland 

Brand: Haig Gold Label

Type: Blended Scotch Whisky

Age: NAS 

ABV: 40 %

Colour: Golden Amber (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: Despite the 40% Malt content, the Grain Whisky is quite present on the Nose. Haig Gold Label is both Sweet and Sour with Sugared Cereals, Toast and Margarine, Caramel, Brown Sugar, Refill Oak, Nut Shells, Mandarin Juice, Lemon Peel, Grass, Straw, Sour Apples, White Grapes, light Heather-Honey, Peanut Butter and distant hints of Burnt Tyres and Dried Apricot. The Alcohol is not fully integrated.    

Palate: Sugary Sweet and Watery with Sugared Cereals, Caramel, Toffee, very light Vanilla, Nut Shells, Refill Oak, light Citrus, Grass, Straw and hints of Thin Coconut Milk and Cold Smoke.  

Finish: Short, Bitter-Sweet, Edgy and Sharp with Sugared Cereals, Caramel, Toffee, Straw, Nut Shells, Lemon, Refill Oak, Grain Alcohol, Pepper and distant Cold Smoke. There's something Artificial about the Finish that I can't quite place.

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

Rating: 73

Nose: 19 - Taste: 18 - Finish: 17,5 - Overall: 18.5

General Remarks: Haig Whisky is one of the oldest whiskies in the world and was first distilled by John Haig in 1824 in Cameronbridge in Scotland. It was very popular until some 40 years ago when it left the Haig Family Ownership. After exchanging hands a couple of times it is nowadays owned by Diageo and the brand name is gaining popularity again with the Gold, Dimple and Pinch Blends as well as the Haig Club Single Grain. Haig Gold is made of some 30-40 whiskies and contains 40% Malt a/o from Linkwood, Glenkinchie, Cragganmore, Knockdhu, Mannochmore and Glenlossie. The Malt whiskies used for Haig Gold matured in Refill Ex-Bourbon casks from Kentucky. It's reasonably cheap and usually priced in the 25 to 30 US Dollars range.    

Drinking Experience Neat: Below Average.

Conclusion: Whisky is very expensive these days and unfortunately many people can't afford to drink good Single Malts on a regular basis. So they are either forced to drink Bottom Shelf Blends like this Haig Gold Label or will consider Bourbon or other Alcoholic Beverages like Vodka or Gin. To me, Bourbon is still the best option. The main reason is the wood used to mature Whiskies that go into blends like Haig Gold. We know that over 70% of the taste of Whisky comes from the cask. And Refill casks that have been used many times simply don't have much interesting Aromas and Flavours left to give to the Spirit. As a result Haig Gold Label and many of its peers are simply not good enough to sip neat. It doesn't give you any pleasure. On the Rocks or Mixed are the alternatives. I have tasted many standard Scottish Blends in the meantime but I always come back to JW Black as it has the best Price/Quality ratio as far as I'm concerned.

Jan van den Ende                                                                    March 28, 2016

Glenkinchie

Linkwood 1995 (Anam Na H-Alba) Review

“Strawberry Fields Forever”

Country: Scotland

Brand: Linkwood 1995 (Anam Na H-Alba)

Region: Speyside

Type: Single Malt

Age: 17 Years

ABV: 51.1%
Sample provided by Tom from Germany. Many Thanks!

Colour: Light White Wine (Natural Colour)

Nose: Light, Sweet, Malty, Fruity and Floral. I find Sweet Barley, Grass, Straw, Yeast, Heather Honey, Vanilla, Fresh Herbs, Green Apple, Strawberry Flavoured Yogurt, light Citrus, Caramel, Buttered Toast, light Spices, Bourbon, Marzipan, light Oak and Almonds. Quite Clean and Fresh for a 17 Year old Malt. The Wood and Alcohol are noticeable but nicely integrated. I would have liked to find a bit more complexity though.

Taste: A combination of Sweet, slightly Bitter and Sour Flavours. I find Sweet Barley, Grass, Caramel, Vanilla, Almonds, Orange, Green Apple, Strawberry, Floral Perfume, Butter, Aniseed, Pepper, light Licorice, light Ginger, Cardamom and Oak.

Finish: Quite Long. Bitter-Sweet and Sour at first. Dry towards the end. I find Sweet Barley, Grass, Floral Perfume, Lemon, Green Apple, Grapefruit Juice, Orange Juice, Strawberry Ice Cream, Aniseed, light Licorice, Ginger, Pepper and Oak.  

I added a few drops of Water and on the Nose the Floral notes develop. Palate and Finish do not show significant changes but you can certainly add a little Water to this Linkwood.

Rating: 85

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

Picture Credit: Whiskyraritaeten and More DE

General Remarks: The Linkwood Distillery was built in Elgin in 1821. A second facility was constructed in Linkwood in 1971. The old distillery went out of production in 1985. It reopened in 1990 but produces only during a couple of months per year. Today it is part of the Diageo Group. Most of the production is destined for Blends like Bell's, Haig and White Horse. The Linkwood Single Cask 17 Years I'm tasting today was distilled on June 5, 1995. It matured in an Ex-Bourbon Hogshead with Cask # 7126 and was bottled at Cask Strength for Independent bottler Anam Na H-Alba from Germany. No Chill Filtration took place. Average price: Around 80 US Dollars. It won't be easy to find though!

Drinking Experience Neat: Good 

Conclusion: It's not everyday that I come across a 17 Year old Linkwood Malt. So I was really looking forward to tasting this Anam Na H-Alba expression. And I must say that the Linkwood did not disappoint. The Nose is Pleasant albeit it a bit Modest. A few drops of Water help to develop it a little more. On the Palate and in the Finish two Flavours require special attention namely Strawberry and Aniseed. Not an obvious combination but somehow it works. When I add it all together I conclude that this 1995 Linkwood is a good but not spectacular Malt. The price/quality ratio is about right. It's not a whisky I would care to drink on a regular basis but it's interesting enough to sip from time to time. 

Jan van den Ende                                                                   March 21, 2016

Bunnahabhain 1991 (Berry Bros & Rudd) Review

“Restrained Power”

Country: Scotland

Region: Islay

Brand: Bunnahabhain 1991 (Berry Bros & Rudd - Berry's Own Selection) 

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 20 Years

ABV: 46.1 %

Colour: Golden Straw (Natural Colour)

Nose: Sweet and Discrete. Very Light Peat and Smoke in the background. The Alcohol is not totally integrated. I find Sweet Barley, Butterkekse, Grass, Hay, Toffee, Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Orchard Fruit, Melon Juice, light Mandarin, Oak, Toasted and Salted Nuts, light Spices and hints of Marzipan, Chocolate and Banana-Flavoured Candies. It's remarkably Fresh for a 20 Year Old Single Malt. The bottle does not state in what type of Cask this Bunnahabhain matured but I'm pretty sure it was a good, medium-toasted Ex-Bourbon barrel. It's a very clean and pleasant nose but I would have expected more complexity after 20 Years in the cask.   

Palate: Sweet, moderately Spicy and a little Waxy. Good Balance. Still quite Fresh although the Oak is there of course. I find Sweet Toasted Barley, Grass, Straw, Vanilla, Toffee, Apple, Banana, Melon, Mandarin, Herbs, Salted Nuts, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Mint and a touch of Smoke and Licorice. The Alcohol is nicely integrated at this stage.
      

Finish: Middle-Long, Malty, Creamy and moderately Spicy. Dry towards the end. The quality Oak is more noticeable now but it certainly does not dominate. I find Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Toffee, Straw, fresh Herbs, Apple, Melon, ripe Banana, Mandarin, creamy Milk Chocolate, Pepper, a little Salt, Cardamom, Licorice and Cinnamon. The faintest hint of Smoke gives some support.
  

I only had a small sample and just smelled and tasted it neat.

Rating: 86.5  

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 22 - Finish: 21.5 - Overall: 21.5

General Remarks: The Single Cask Bunnahabhain I'm tasting today was distilled in 1991. It matured for 20 years in Cask # 5525 and was bottled at CS in 2012 by Indie Bottler Berry Bros. & Rudd. It is Non Chill-Filtered and is sold at around 90 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: Very Nice.  

Conclusion: I really enjoyed this Bunnahabhain, especially on the Palate. The Nose is pleasant but quite discrete given its age. It's on the Palate that this Malt shows its hand. Not overly complex but well-balanced and with a restrained Power. Quite liked it. The Finish is still good but the Oak is more noticeable by now. If you can find it at 90 US Dollars you can safely buy it. You won't regret it. This Bunnahabhain shows that Islay Whisky can be so much more than just Iodine, Peat, Tar and Brine. Well done! 

Jan van den Ende                                                                    March 17, 2016

Visit May 2014 (Closed Unfortunately)