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

Jack Daniels Sinatra Select Review

“The Lady is a Tramp”

Country: USA

Brand: Jack Daniels Sinatra Select

Type: Whiskey (Tennessee)

Age: NAS 

Alcohol: 45% (90 Proof)

Colour: Deep Amber with a shade of Orange

Nose: Sweet but not as Smooth as I expected. The Alcohol is quite noticeable and so is the Wood. The "Sinatra" barrels certainly left their marks. I also find Sweet Corn (Syrup), Rye, Malt, Charred Oak, light Acetone, Caramel, Custard, Overripe Bananas, Orange Peel, Peach, Apple, Cherry, Butter, Honey coated Nuts, Pepper, Cinnamon and traces of Furniture Wax, Leather and Tobacco. On the Nose, the Sinatra Select has more Oak and Depth than the Old # 7 but is not as pleasant as the Single Barrel and not as delicious as my favourite, the Silver Select.  

Palate: Strong, Hot, Spicy and Bitter Sweet. The Wood influence is quite strong and tends to dominate the other Flavours such as Sweet Corn, Rye, Caramel, Toffee, Vanilla, Butterscotch, Orange, Cherries and Banana. I also find Charred Oak and Spices like Pepper, Cinnamon and Clove. 

Finish: Middle-Long, Hot, Woody, Spicy and Buttery. Quite Dry after a few seconds. I find Sweet Corn, Rye, Orange, Charred Oak, Cooked Red Fruit, Butterscotch, Banana, Salted Butter, Soy Milk, Vanilla, Pepper, Clove, Menthol, Cinnamon and a little Licorice.

I added a couple of drops of water to the whiskey and the Alcohol retreats of course. On the Nose you will find more Fruit and Vanilla. On the Palate the Sinatra Select is less Hot but the Finish becomes rather Short. Still I would advise you to experiment with a little Water.

Rating: 81.5      

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

General Remarks: The Jack Daniels Distillery is located in Lynchburg Tennessee. It was indeed founded by a man called Jack Daniel in 1866 and it stayed in the family until 1956 when it was bought by Brown Forman from Kentucky. Jack Daniels Sinatra Select was released in 2013 to honour the friendship between Frank Sinatra and Jack Daniels. For around 40 Years, Jack Daniels was Frank's favourite whiskey and he almost acted as a Brand Ambassador. What's special about the Sinatra Select? In the first place it is bottled at 90 Proof, the original ABV of Jack Daniels Old # 7 before it was diluted twice over the years. And it partially matured in "Sinatra" barrels. Deep grooves were cut into the staves of those casks increasing the exposure of the Whiskey to the Wood. Those barrels are then married with a much larger percentage of casks containing the normal Old # 7. The Package and Bottle are spectacular but the price is very high at around 160 US Dollars for a 1 liter bottle (April 2016).  

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good 

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Okay/Good. The Wood is too heavy in my opinion. The Single Barrel is the best option if you like your JD over Ice.

Conclusion: Frank Sinatra used to enjoy his Jack Daniels with a little Ice and a little Water. That leads me to conclude that he liked his Whiskey Smooth. I'm not sure therefore that he would have liked this Sinatra Select that was crafted in his honour. Because the extra Wood contact in the Sinatra barrels has left this expression Woody, Hot and a little on the Rough side. The Wood is too present in my opinion although it does provide the Smoky Aroma that Frank used to love. If you are used to enjoy your JD over Ice, both the Gentleman Jack and the Single Barrel are the better options. If you prefer to sip it neat, the Silver Select is the JD for you. Forget about this Sinatra Select despite the very nice bottle and packaging. No way it deserves its very steep price. In fact, The Lady is a Tramp!

Jan van den Ende                                    April 14, 2016 and March 16, 2017

Old Ballantruan Peated Review

“A Fisherman’s Friend”

Country: Scotland 

Region: Speyside 

Brand: Old Ballantruan Peated (Distilled at Tomintoul)

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: NAS (Around 5 Years)

ABV: 50%
Chill-Filtration: No 

Colour: Golden (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: Sweet, Young and a bit Thin. I believe that Refill Ex-Bourbon and a lower percentage of Refill Ex-Sherry casks were used to mature this Spirit. It's a Young Malt for sure and I would guess it matured for around 5 years. There's still a light New Make feel to the Spirit and the Alcohol is quite noticeable. You wouldn't guess an ABV of 50% though. The Peat and Smoke are there but they don't really dominate the other Aromas. I also find Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Straw, light Sherry, Nuts, Caramel, Toffee, Vanilla, Floral Soap, Heather-Honey, Sweet Apple, Dried Herbs, Espresso, light Refill Oak, Dough, Banana Bread, light Menthol and little hints of PVC and Meat or Fish on the BBQ. Most of the Aromas described above are not terribly clear. You really need to take your time and dig for them. Adding it all up I conclude that on the Nose the Old Ballantruan is a Young, Light and relatively Clean Spirit. It's the inland version of a Young and Immature Islay malt.

Palate: Young, Thin and a little Rough and Hot with Sweet Barley, Caramel, Toffee, Nuts, Cherry Flavoured Cough Syrup, Lemon, Charred Refill Oak, light Peat, light Campfire Smoke, Apple, Dried Herbs, Pepper, Ginger, Licorice, Soap and hints of Metal, PVC pipe and Smoked Meat. I do feel that Tomintoul added quite some E-150 Caramel to the Old Ballantruan.      

Finish: Bitter-Sweet and a little Hot. More Salty notes towards the end. I find Sweet Barley, Caramelised Ginger, Grass and Straw, Caramel, Alcohol, Refill Oak, Artificially Flavoured Strawberry Candies, Lemon, Espresso, Dry Earth, light Campfire Smoke, Ashes, light Vanilla, Pepper, Licorice and hints of Raw Meat, Metal and Wet Newspaper. The Ashes, Metal, Wood Spices and Paper remain in your throat for quite a while.

I added a bit of Water and on the Nose you get more Orchard Fruit and Lemon. Palate and Finish do not benefit taste wise from the added Water but the Alcohol Burn diminishes of course.  

Rating: 82   

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

General Remarks: Back in 2001, Tomintoul started experimenting with peated Whiskies. A couple of years later, the Old Ballantruan Peated NAS expression was officially launched followed in 2012 by a 10 Year old version. The name Old Ballantruan refers to the Ballantruan spring in the Cromdale Hills close to the town of Tomintoul. The water of this spring is used by the Tomintoul distillery. Recently the Peaty Tang expression was introduced, less heavily peated than the Old Ballantruan. It is possible that the latter will replace Old Ballantruan NAS in the coming years. The core range of the distillery also includes the 10,14,16 and 33 Years as well as a 12 Year old Oloroso. Tomintoul is also used in blends like Dundee and Parker's. Old Ballantruan NAS is usually for sale at prices in the 40-50 US Dollar range (April 2016).  

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good 

Conclusion: If you like your Whisky Young and Rough and are looking for an affordable alternative for young Islay you might consider this Old Ballantruan. It's not a Malt for beginning Whisky drinkers though. The Spirit is quite Young and Immature and the Alcohol is hot. I also found some light off notes such as PVC and Metal. Personally I find it on the Thin side and Unfinished but I could imagine liking a dram of the Old Ballantruan when fishing on the high seas in a rain storm. I would never do that by the way but I hope you get the picture.

Jan van den Ende                                                                    April 11, 2016

Tomintoul

Laphroaig 15 Years Review (Bottled Around 1985)

“Great Old Laphroaig”

Country: Scotland

Region: Islay

Brand: Laphroaig

Type: Single Malt Whisky 

Age: 15 Years (Bottled Around 1985)

ABV: 43 %

Sample provided by Marcus from Germany. Many Thanks!

Colour: Golden Sunlight

Nose: Very nice and well-balanced. I believe the spirit matured in a mix of Ex- Bourbon and Ex-Sherry casks. On the Nose this Laphroaig is mostly sweet and well-rounded. The Peat is there but in a very subtle way. It merely enhances the other Aromas. If you were looking for a Peat Monster, look elsewhere! I find Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Caramel, Vanilla, Charred Oak, Sherry, Dried Fruit, Nuts, light Peat, light Smoke, light Iodine, light Medicinal notes, Straw, Wet Stone, Milk Chocolate, Flavoured Pipe Tobacco, Orange, Grapefruit, Apple, Tropical Fruit Mix, Mint and Salt. Traces of Leather, Tar, Floral Soap and smoked Meat. The Alcohol is perfectly integrated. I nosed this Laphroaig for over half an hour and found quite some traces of Aromas. Still, it isn't overly complicated. Just very Pleasant and Soothing. I could smell this for hours! 

Palate: Medium Sweet but a little on the Light Side. This Spirit deserves an ABV of 46%. I find Malt, light Sweet Peat, light Smoke, light Tar, light Iodine, light Sherry,  Nuts, Caramel, Espresso, Straw, Charred Oak, Orange, Grapefruit, Lemon, Green Tea, Fresh Herbs, light Cinnamon, Licorice, Pepper, Salt and Nutmeg.   

Finish: Quite long and simply delicious. A little Dry and Salty towards the end. I find Sweet Barley, light Peat, light Smoke, light Soot, light Ashes, Chocolate, Vanilla-Flavoured Pipe Tobacco, light Sherry, Espresso, Salty Licorice, Charred Oak, a little Pepper and a hint of Nutmeg. 

Due to the fact that I only had a small sample at my disposal, I merely tasted this Laphroaig neat.

Rating: 89

Nose: 22.5 - Taste: 22 - Finish: 22 - Overall: 22.5

The Bottle That Provided The Sample!

General Remarks: Laphroaig was founded in 1815 by Donald and Alexander Johnston. Nowadays the shares are hold by Beam Inc. It's located in Port Ellen and uses Water from the Kilbride Dam. The 15 years was first released in the 80's but was discontinued around 2010 when it was replaced by the 18 years. A limited edition of the 15 years was launched in 2015 to celebrate 200 Years Laphroaig. The (recent) 15 years is still for sale in places at an average price of around 150 US Dollars. But depending on where you live, this price could be higher. You might find some Laphroaig 15 bottled around 1985 in auctions. You can expect prices in the range of 700 US Dollars or more (April 2016).

Drinking Experience Neat: Very Good 

Conclusion: I wasn't a Whisky drinker in the 80's and after having tasted this Laphroaig I thoroughly regret that. Because this is good stuff! I know it's a cliche to say that they don't make them like this anymore but in fact they don't so what can I do. The first thing that comes to mind when describing this Single Malt is Balance. I love it when subtle Peat, Smoke, Maritime and Mineral notes support the other Flavours and Aromas without being dominant. It's the type of Whisky I like the most. I basically only have one complaint about this Whisky. It should have been bottled at around 46%. Because it is a bit on the Thin side on the Palate, especially for a Laphroaig. Other than that I thoroughly enjoyed this Single Malt and it sails straight into my Top 10 so far. I wished I had a couple of bottles lying around. Unfortunately that's not the case. Once again a big thanks to Marcus for sending me the sample. Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                       April 7, 2016

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