BenRiach 15 PX Finish Review

“Whisky Sour”

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside

Brand: BenRiach Pedro Ximenez Finish

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 15 Years

ABV: 46% 
Chill-Filtration: No
Whisky Review # 588
Buying Advice: 😐  Neutral. It's not a bad Sherried Speysider but there is fierce competition in this specific segment. Aberlour, Glenfarclas and the Highland Malt Glendronach come to mind.  

Colour: Dark Copper (Natural Colour)

Nose: Full and Sweet with a couple of Sour notes as well. The 1 Year PX Cask Finish clearly left its mark. Judging by the colour and the Aromas these casks must have been saturated with Sherry and/or Paxarette (Sherry Syrup). I do not identify any significant presence of Sulphur. I find Sweet Barley, Christmas Cake topped with Maraschino Cherries, Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Caramel, Honey, Butterscotch, a mix of Dried Fruits and Nuts containing Raisins, Sultanas, Plums, Prunes, Figs, Dates, Apple and Walnuts, Marzipan, Bourbon, Red Grapes, Charred Oak, Dusty Shelf, Straw, light Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Clove, a pinch of Salt and hints of Dark Chocolate, Espresso, Herbal Tea and Tinned Pineapple in Syrup. It's not bad but a little on the Heavy side. The distillery character is practically "Gone with the (Sherry) Wind". Okay After-Dinner Alternative for Brandy or Port Wine. Unfortunately the Alcohol is not fully integrated.
      

Palate: The delivery is a little Thin despite the good ABV. The Alcohol is noticeable. On the Palate, this BenRiach is Bitter-Sweet, Medium Dry and Spicy with some Sour notes as well. I find Sweet Barley, Toffee, Caramel, Vanilla, a mix of Dried Fruit, Walnuts, Honey, Charred Oak, Dried Herbs, Orange Peel, Espresso, Strong Black Tea, Mulled Wine, Bourbon, Grapefruit Juice, Honey, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Clove, Menthol, Licorice, Dried Herbs and Dark Chocolate.       

Finish: Middle-Long, Medium-Dry, Spicy and Bitter-Sweet. Some Sour notes as well. I find Sweet Barley, Toffee, Caramel, Dried Fruit, Walnuts, Dark Chocolate, Orange Peel, Maraschino Cherries, Mulled Wine, Bourbon, Pepper, Clove, Ginger, Menthol, Licorice, Dried Herbs, Grapefruit Juice, Charred Oak and hints of Espresso and Strong Black Tea.

PX Sherry Cask (Credit: Nosh Online)

I added a little Water and on the Nose Sour Cream and Floral Soap develop. Some Citrus as well. Quite different! On the Palate you get some extra Citrus, Vanilla and Red Berries. A bit too much Licorice and some Wallpaper Paste in the Finish. Still, you can certainly experiment with a little water here.   

Rating: 84

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21

General Remarks:

The BenRiach distillery was founded in 1897 by John Duff & Co and is located in Longmorn, Elgin (Morayshire). It changed hands a couple of times in its history but in April 2016 it was bought by Brown Forman. BenRiach produced more or less 2,3 million litres in 2016. The core range includes the NAS Heart of Speyside, the 10, 16, 20, 25 and 35 years. On a regular basis, the distillery also experiments with peated whiskies and various types of Finishing.

The 15 Years PX Finish was launched by the end of 2006 as part of the Wood Finish Series. It matured for 14 years in Refill Ex-Bourbon casks and for 1 year in Refill Ex-PX Sherry butts, procured in Jerez de la Frontera in Southern Spain. The sample I'm tasting today was bottled around 2014. In the meantime this 15 Year PX has been replaced with the 17 Year PX. Therefore it won't be that easy to find the 15 PX. It's still out there on the Internet though with prices in the 60-70 US Dollar range. Depending on where you live additional taxes will increase the final consumer price (January 2017). 

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion: The BenRiach 15 Years PX Finish is not a bad Single Malt. It might serve well as the occasional After-Dinner Whisky. Personally I find it a bit too heavy to consider drinking it on a more regular basis. I don't think it's a very well-balanced Whisky. It feels like the Sherry was forcefully imposed on the Ex-Bourbon matured Spirit. I'm also not that fond of the Sour notes as they are a bit strong. And, finally, it's a pity that the Alcohol is not fully integrated. The Price/Quality ratio is not too bad but I've had better Sherried Speysiders during the years.

Jan van den Ende                                                                 January 12, 2017

Wemyss Malts Fruit and Nut Fudge 1989 Review

“Nuts!”

Country: Scotland
Region: Highlands

Brand: Wemyss Malts Fruit and Nut Fudge 1989
Specially Selected By: Wemyss Vintage Malt Ltd. 
Procured from: Cigars and Spirits

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Whisky
Age: 19/20 Years

ABV: 46% 
Chill-Filtration: No
Whisky Review # 587
Buying Advice: 😞  Negative. Very plain for a mature Single Malt.

Colour: Golden Sunlight (Natural Colour)

Nose: My first impression is that there's not too much going on here. I would have expected much more depth and complexity given the age of this Malt.  The Alcohol is certainly noticeable and I also get something that reminds me of Varnish. This Malt certainly needs some time in the glass to open up. After some time I find Toasted Cereals, Butter Biscuits, light Floral tones, Dried Herbs, Oak, light Heather, light Lemon, light Caramel, light Resin, Refined Sugar and Bread Dough. No idea why this is called Fruit and Nut Fudge. With some imagination I think I get some slightly bitter Almonds and perhaps a tiny bit of Dried Apricot. But that's all. After half an hour or so I get some Vanilla and Cinnamon from the cask as well as some unripe Nectarine. I'm quite disappointed with this Malt. It actually smells more like an indifferent Blended Whisky than a mature Single Cask malt.

Palate: Better - and a little more interesting than expected after the boring Nose. It's slightly Creamy, Bitter-Sweet, Herbal, Spicy and Hot. Dry towards the end. The Alcohol is not fully integrated. I find Toasted Cereals, Toast, Charred Oak, Brown Sugar, light Vanilla, Toffee, light Citrus, Nectarine, Nut Shells, Dried Herbs, Herbal Tea, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Menthol and a hint of Dairy or perhaps White Chocolate.  

Finish: Middle-Long, slightly Creamy, Hot, Herbal and Spicy. Sweet at first but Dry and a little Bitter towards the end. I find Toasted Cereals, Toasted Oak, Toffee, light Vanilla, Nut Shells, Dried Herbs, Herbal Tea, Nectarine, Dusty Road, Varnish, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger and Menthol.

I added a little Water and the Alcohol and Varnish retreat on the Nose. Some faint Floral and Fruity notes appear. On the Palate and in the Finish the Malt becomes less Hot & Spicy but also quite Thin. A bit of extra Mint-Toffee perhaps. I suggest you carefully add a few drops at a time to find the ABV level that best suits you. 

Rating: 78.5

Nose: 18.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 19.5

General Remarks:

The Wemyss Family has been involved in the Single Malt business ever since the turn of the 19th century when John Haig built his first distillery on Wemyss land.
Their range of Single Cask Whiskies was conceived with the aim of making them more accessible and understandable. That's why the Wemyss Malts are named after the Aromas and Flavours rather than simply mentioning the Distillery name. A Wemyss tasting panel, lead by Isabella Wemyss and Charlie MacLean have the pleasant task of identifying the casks that will be used for the Blended Malt - or Single Cask range.

The Wemyss Malts Fruit and Nuts Fudge 1989 matured in Ex-Bourbon casks and was bottled in 2009/2010. The spirit was distilled in 1989 at the Aberfeldy distillery, located in Aberfeldy (Pertshire) in the Southern Highlands. It won't be easy to find at this moment but I saw it on the Internet at around 75 US Dollars (January 2017). Aberfeldy is owned by John Dewar & Sons Ltd, part of the Bacardi Group. Most of the output is used in Dewar's White Label and the 12Y -, 18Y - and Signature Blends. The core Single Malt range consists since 2014 of the 12, 16 and 21 Years old as well as an 18 Years old exclusively for the Travel Retail Shops.  

Drinking Experience Neat: Below Average.

Conclusion: I was very curious as I only tasted one other Aberfeldy before. (Aberfeldy 1994 Old Malt Cask). Unfortunately I was very disappointed with this Wemyss Expression. The Nose of this Aberfeldy is very plain and to be honest resembles more an average Blended Scotch. On the Palate and in the Finish it's better but never really convinces. Too much Spices, Herbs, Menthol and Alcohol and too little Fruit and Nut Fudge. I really can't understand why it's called this way! It will be very difficult to find this expression nowadays but I would advise against buying a full bottle anyway if you should find it. Better try out a sample first like I did. If they are still around that is. I procured mine via Cigars & Spirits.

Jan van den Ende                                                                   January 9, 2017

Aberfeldy Distillery

"Nuts" was the famous negative response of the American General Anthony McAuliffe in Bastoge (Belgium) in December 1944 when the Germans suggested him to surrender the surrounded city during the Battle of the Bulge.

Auchentoshan 1990 (Archives) Review

“Strange Bird”

Country: Scotland
Region: Lowlands

Brand: Auchentoshan 1990 (Whiskybase Archives Series)
Bottling Series: The Indian Ducks and Their Allies

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Whisky
Age: 23 Years

ABV: 47.7% 
Chill-Filtration: No
Whisky Review # 586
Buying Advice: 😕  Negative. Too Weird, Too Bitter and Too Expensive.

Colour: Pale Straw/White Wine (Natural Colour)

Nose: I wouldn't give this Malt 23 years. The slightly Dusty Wood is there but it certainly does not dominate the Nose of this Auchentoshan. As usual, the triple distillation gives the Spirit a Soft - and Light Aroma profile. It's Malty, Bitter-Sweet and Mineral with Sweet Malted Barley, Cake with a dollop of Cream, Wet Stone, Grass and Straw, light Heather-Honey, Dirt Road, Salted Nuts, light White Orchard Fruit, light Vanilla, light Citrus, light Pepper, light Cinnamon, light Licorice and a light off-note that reminds me of an Insect Repellent that my late mother used to apply to me when I was a kid. I can't remember the brand I'm afraid. It's a bit of a weird mix of Aromas. It's not bad but I can't say I really like it. The Alcohol is still quite present which comes as a surprise at this age.    

Palate: The Oak and Wood Spices are much clearer now. On the Palate, this Auchentoshan is Bitter-Sweet, Herbal and Mineral. There are almost no Fruity notes around. A bit of Citrus, Pear and Green Apple. I find Malted - and Toasted Cereals, light Vanilla, light Heather-Honey, Grass and Straw, Dirty Road, Dried Herbs, Pepper, Salty Licorice, Menthol, Aniseed, Grapefruit-Juice and Dried Coconut. It's not a boring Single Malt but it's kinda strange and too bitter for my taste. The lack of Fruit is remarkable.

Finish: Bitter-Sweet and Herbal with a Metallic off-note right at the end. It's not overly long and that's an advantage in this case. I find Toasted Cereals, Charred Oak, Dried Herbs, School Milk, light Citrus, light Vanilla, Salty Licorice, Pepper, Menthol, light Heather-Honey, Oak and a hint of Coffee. Where are the Fruity notes? A touch of Green Apple perhaps. The Bitterness remains in your throat for a quite a while. Not really pleasant.  

I only had a small sample of this Auchentoshan at my disposal so I only tasted this Malt neat.

Rating: 81

Nose: 21 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 19.5 - Overall: 20

General Remarks:

The Auchentoshan distillery was founded in 1823 and is located in Dalmuir, close to Glasgow. It exchanged hands a couple of times before being bought by Morrison (Bowmore) in 1984. Morrison of course was bought by Suntory from Japan in 1994. From then on the distillery has become very popular again. It's one of the few remaining Lowland distilleries and it's the only Scottish one that maintains triple distillation.

The Auchentoshan I'm tasting today was distilled on the 11th of November 1990. It matured for 23 Years in a Hogshead with Cask # 6850 and was bottled at Cask Strength in September 2014. It's a joint bottling by Whiskybase and the German Independent bottler Whiskyfassle. Each company brought 71 bottles to the market place. It will be very hard to find nowadays but I've seen a bottle on the Internet that was priced at around 150 US Dollars (January 2017).

Drinking Experience Neat: Strange

Conclusion: This Auchentoshan is anything but boring. I must admit it's the first time I have tasted a Whisky that leaves me confused. There's a lot to discover if you take your time but I don't always like what I find. Or don't find for that matter. Because this Single Malt almost completely lacks Fruity notes, especially on the Palate and in the Finish. And that Fruit is needed to give this Single Malt Balance. I also don't like the Metallic Off-Note and the Insect Repellent on the Nose is kinda unique as well. But the one thing that bothers me most of all is the Bitterness on the Palate and in the Finish. Too much for me! If you can find a sample you should give it a try for sure. But I wouldn't spend 150 US Dollars or so on a full bottle. Strange Bird that Indian Duck! 

Jan van den Ende                                                                   January 6, 2017

Fellowship Malt 10 Years Review

“The End Justifies the Means”

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside

Brand: The Fellowship Malt
Bottled By: Gordon & MacPhail, Elgin. 
Bottled For: The Rotary Club of Elgin c/o The Mansion House Hotel, Elgin.

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 10 Years

ABV: 40% 
Chill-Filtration: Yes 
Whisky Review # 585
Buying Advice: 😔  It's a good cause and the Price/Quality ratio is okay. Don't expect miracles though!

Colour: Light Golden Hay (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: Light and Malty. I'm pretty sure the Spirit matured in Refill Ex-Bourbon casks. The Alcohol is not fully integrated. I find Malt Biscuits, Buttered Toast, Toffee, light Vanilla, light Heather-Honey, Grass and Straw, light Refill Wood, Nut Shells, light Dirty Earth, light Orange Peel and hints of Coconut and Milk Chocolate. Some light Floral - and Fruity notes (Apple/Apricot) as well. On the Nose, the Fellowship Malt is not really bad but quite light and slightly boring.

Palate: Light, slightly Watery delivery. Quite Spicy as well which comes as a bit of a surprise after the soft Nose. I find Sugared Cereals, Malted Barley, Toffee, light Vanilla, Caramel, light Heather-Honey, Apple, Pear, light Refill Wood, Alcohol, Lemon, Pepper, Cinnamon, light Nutmeg, Ginger, Aniseed and Licorice.

Finish: Short, mostly Sweet and Medium Dry with a slight Alcohol/Pepper bite at the end. I find Malted Cereals, Sugared Nuts, Caramel, Toast, light Heather-Honey, Dirty Earth, Citrus Peel, Pepper, Aniseed, light Ginger, light Cinnamon, Licorice, light Menthol, light Refill Wood and some Cocoa Powder. 

I added a little Water and on the Nose you get a bit more Fruit (Pear, Pineapple) and some Ginger cookies. Palate and Finish become too Thin. Better sip this Malt neat.

Rating: 81

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

General Remarks: Since 2009, the Rotary Club of Elgin, Scotland has been promoting the sale of a 10 Years old Speyside Single Malt. The actual bottling, sales and distribution were outsourced to local Independent bottler Gordon & MacPhail. All commissions went directly to the Rotary Foundation to support an ongoing campaign against polio. In the meantime these commissions have covered the costs of well over 500.000 inoculations against this disease. The official sales prices is around 35 US Dollars although you might find it cheaper sometimes in British supermarkets. (January 2017). To be honest I have no idea where this Mystery Malt was distilled. When tasting, distilleries like Glenlivet, Glen Moray, BenRiach and Cardhu came to my mind. If you have additional info on this, please leave a comment!

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay.

Conclusion: One can only applaud the initiative of the Rotary Club of Elgin. The fight against polio is indeed important. I also understand the need to offer a Malt at a reasonable price to stimulate sales. In today's expensive Whisky world you can't expect a superb Malt at 35 US Dollars. As a result, the Fellowship Malt is a light Speysider that matured in indifferent refill casks. It's not bad and the Price/Quality ratio is okay. But don't expect much depth and substance. But like I said in the heading of this post " The End Justifies the Means". Finally I would like to wish all the readers of Best Shot Whisky Reviews and their families a good and healthy 2017. Let's make the world a better place! Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                   January 4, 2017

Jameson Signature Reserve Review

“I Won’t Give It To Someone Special”

Country: Ireland

Brand: Jameson Signature Reserve

Type: Triple Distilled Blended Irish Whiskey
Age: NAS

ABV: 40% 
Chill-Filtration: Yes
Whisky Review # 584
Buying Advice: 😒 I won't buy it again. There are better expressions in the Jameson portfolio at more or less similar price levels.

Colour: Pale Gold (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: The Alcohol is quite present so you have to find your way around it. Most of the Jameson expressions have similar, mainly light, Aromas and Flavours. On the Nose, the Signature Select is Sweet and a little Dusty. I find Sugared Cereals, lightly Buttered Toast, Puff Pastry filled with Apricots, Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Straw, Red Apple, Pear, Nectarine, Toffee, light Coconut, Banana Ice Cream, Hazelnut-Milk Chocolate, Raisins, Cinnamon, light Ginger, Fresh Mint and a little Oak. 

Palate: Thin and slightly Sharp delivery. The Signature Reserve is basically a standard Jameson Blend with some added Ex-Sherry matured Pot Still Whiskey. I find Sweet Cereals, Straw, Vanilla, light Heather-Honey, Toffee, slightly Sour Apples, Grass, Hazelnut-Milk Chocolate, Raisins, Coconut, Dried Apricot, Cheese, light Pepper, light Cloves, light Cardamom, light Cinnamon, light Ginger, light Licorice, light Citrus and some Fresh - and Dried Herbs. The Alcohol is not fully integrated.

Finish: Short, mainly Sweet but with a few Bitter - and Sour tones as well. I also find a light Metallic off-note right at the end. Other than that I get Sweet Cereals, Toffee, Vanilla, Nectarine, (Coco) Nuts, Alcohol, Dusty Shelf, Lemon, Wet Stone, Red Apple, Pear, Menthol, light Pepper, light Cardamom, Cinnamon, light Licorice, light Ginger and light Varnish.  

I added a little Water and on the Nose you get a little extra Hazelnut-Milk Chocolate and some tropical Fruits. Palate an Finish become too Thin for my taste. 

Rating: 80

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

General Remarks: The Jameson Signature Reserve was launched in 2008 and was originally only available in the Travel Retail Shops but in the meantime it's widely available and is still part of the Jameson core range. The Signature Reserve is said to contain a high proportion of pure Pot Still Whiskey which matured in a mixture of Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Oloroso Sherry casks. It is usually priced between 35 and 50 US Dollars (December 2016).

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Good

Conclusion: The Jameson Signature Reserve is not a sipping Whiskey. Better enjoy it over a little Ice. When drinking it neat, the slightly Sharp Alcohol is a little bit irritating. Taste wise, the Signature Reserve leans heavily on Cereals, Dried Fruit, Vanilla, Milk-Hazelnut Chocolate and light Spices. Most of the other Aromas and Flavours are merely hints. I'm not impressed by this Jameson expression. It's nicely priced of course and you get a full litre but it pales when compared to the Crested 10 that I tasted recently. I bought a full bottle at the Airport out of curiosity but I won't do that again. If you're into Jameson, better look for the Crested 10 or Crested as it is called today.

Jan van den Ende                                                                   December 26, 2016

The Old Midleton (Jameson) Distillery (Picture Credit: Friends of Islay)