Highland Park 1986 (Mo Or) Review

“Beautiful Nose”

Whisky Review # 621

Country: Scotland

Region: Highland - Islands - Orkney

Brand: Highland Park 1986 (Mo Or Collection)

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Whisky

Age: 24 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%

Maturation: Ex-Bourbon Hogshead

Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: Around US$ 170 (July 2017). Not widely available anymore. 

Buying Advice: 😋  Positive. The Great Nose justifies the Price Tag.

Colour: White Whine (Natural Colour)

Nose: 
Quite Light but nevertheless fully matured. Very interesting! The Oak is certainly present but quite inoffensive. The Alcohol is nicely integrated. A light veil of Peat welcomes your Nose and it's quite stunning actually. Well done! On the Nose this Highland Park is mildly Sweet. Fresh Apple Crumb Pie, prepared with quality Salted Butter and a sprinkle of Cinnamon. I also find Malted Barley, Heather-Honey, Grass, Dusty Straw, Vanilla, Lemon, Grapefruit, Mint, Licorice and traces of stale Cigar Ashes, Wax and Leather. Understated but Sophisticated sums it up pretty neatly. Quality Nose. Be sure to give this Malt enough time in the glass.

Palate: 
Good delivery thanks to the adequate ABV. Quite tasty but not as Sophisticated as on the Nose. The Oak is more noticeable by now although never in an annoying way. On the Palate I find Sweet, Salty, Herbal and mildly Sour notes like Toasted Barley, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Straw, Dusty Road, Licorice, Menthol, Dried Herbs, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, light Pepper, Tobacco, light Peat, Toasted Nuts, Lemon, Grapefruit, Tangerine, Melon and Green Apple.

Finish:

Quite Long and Warming. The Toasted Oak is quite noticeable by now but cask # 2275 was certainly a good one. The Finish is a mix of Sweet, Salty, Herbal and mildly Bitter notes such as Sweet Barley, Tea with Sugar and Lemon, light Earthy Peat, Salted Nuts, Licorice, light Menthol, Tobacco, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, Dried Herbs, Dusty Road, Tangerine and Green Apple.

Drinking Advice: 

Due to the fact that I only had a small sample at my disposal, I only nosed and tasted this Highland Park neat.

Rating: 86.5 

Nose: 22.5 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 21.5 - Overall: 21.5

General Remarks:

🏣   The Distillery, The Bottler and Today's Whisky:

The distillery was founded in 1798 by David Robertson and is located in Kirkwall on the Orkney Islands. In 2016 they produced well over 2 million litres. The distillery has 5 malting floors that allow them to malt around 30% of their needs. The core range currently includes the 12, 15, 18, 25, 30 and 40 Years as well as the NAS expression Dark Origins. Highland Park Malt is also used for the Famous Grouse and Cutty Sark blends. Since 1999, Highland Park is part of the Edrington group.

The Whisky Talker is an Independent Bottler, based in The Netherlands. The goal behind the Mo Or (Gaelic for My Gold) Collection is to offer at least one cask from every distillery found in Scotland. All Whiskies are Single Cask, do not contain Artificial Colouring and are not Chill-Filtered. All bottles are individually numbered and hand-filled. The manager is Michel Kappen.

The Highland Park 1986 I'm reviewing today was distilled on the 27th of June, 1986. It matured for 24 years in an Ex-Bourbon Hogshead before being bottled on October 29, 2010. Three Hundred bottles went to the market.

🍷  The Spirit:

Highland Park operates two pear-shaped pairs of Stills with Lyne arms that are pointed either straight, slightly upwards or slightly downwards to produce an even well-balanced Spirit. The Water is sourced from the Crantit Spring, close to the Distillery.

🌲  The Wood:

Today's Highland Park 1986 (Mo Or) matured in an Ex-Bourbon Hogshead with cask # 2275. Without any doubt a quality cask. It gave sufficient flavours and Aromas to the Spirit without ever being overwhelming. Good cask management!

Drinking Experience Neat: Good. Excellent Nose.

Conclusion:
So far I'm quite impressed by the Mo Or collection. The main reason is the good cask management. To me that means that the cask gives sufficient Aromas and Flavours to the Spirit without completely overpowering it, even after 24 long years. And that's exactly what cask # 2275 did to the Spirit that was distilled by Highland Park in 1986. On the Nose this works out the best. The combination of the Apple Crumb Pie and the veil of distant Peat is absolutely beautiful. As so often, Palate and Finish can't quite live up to the high expectations that the Nose creates. It becomes quite Herbal and Citrusy with a bit too much Licorice for my taste. Still, a very interesting and well-made Single Malt. I do wonder how many people would recognise it as a Highland Park in a blind tasting. And that's precisely the reason that Indie expressions can often be so thoroughly fascinating and tasty.

Jan van den Ende                                                                         July 3, 2017

Auchentoshan Valinch Review

“Power to the People”

Whisky Review # 620

Country: Scotland

Region: Lowlands

Brand: Auchentoshan Valinch (2011 Limited Release)

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 57.5%

Maturation: American Bourbon Oak

Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 55 Average (June 2017) 

Buying Advice: 😐  Neutral. Price/Quality ratio is okay. ABV too high for this young Spirit in my opinion.

Colour: Light Gold (Natural Colour)

Nose: 
Crisp and Clean but with a Young feel to it. The Alcohol is quite present so you need to find your way around it. On the Nose, the Valinch is mostly Sweet with Fruit, Oak, and Herbs. A few Floral, Mineral and some slightly Sour notes as well. I find impressions of Malted Barley, Toffee, Vanilla, Brown Sugar, lightly Burnt Toast, Grass, Straw, Apple, Grapefruit, Mandarin, Lemon, Grapes, Raspberry, Banana, Salted Almonds, Coconut, Butter, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, light Menthol and hints of Papaya Cream and Floral Soap.  

Visit May 2017

Palate: 
Young, Bitter Sweet, Fruity and Spicy. The Alcohol is quite noticeable. I find Malted Barley, Vanilla, Butterscotch, Apple, White Grapes, Grapefruit, Mandarin, Banana Ice Cream, Nectarine, Raspberry, Lemon, Salted Almonds, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Clove, light Menthol, Charred Oak and some Mineral notes. A bit of Melon after a while as well as a light Metallic note.      

Finish:
Middle-Long, Young, Bitter-Sweet and Spicy. The Alcohol is quite strong and reminds me of a Young Grappa from time to time. I find Malted Barley, Vanilla, Grass, Straw, Cocoa Powder, Lemon, Grapefruit, Raspberry, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Oak, Almonds and a light Metallic note. Quite Dry after a while. 

Visit May 2017

Drinking Advice: 

I added 3 drops of Water and that does take away some of the Heat, especially on the palate. The Vanilla and Fruit develop a bit better this way. You will get some additional Floral tones as well. The Valinch accepts 3-4 drops of Water. Be careful though as too much Water will completely kill the Valinch.

Rating: 82.5 

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

General Remarks:

🏣   The Distillery and Today's Whisky:

The Auchentoshan distillery was founded in 1823 by John Bulloch and is located in Dalmuir/Clydebank, close to Glasgow alongside the A 82. It's in the hands of Morrison Bowmore (Suntory) since 1984. The new visitor centre was opened in 2004. The Core range consists of the NAS American Oak, the NAS Threewoods and the 12, 18 and 21 Years (June 2017).

The Valinch was launched in 2011 as a Limited Release at the request of many Auchentoshan fans. The idea was to create a Non Chill-Filtered, Cask Strength version of the popular Auchentoshan Classic. The Valinch is the name of the large metal (copper) pipette that is used to draw Whisky straight from the cask. 

The three Stills - Visit May 2017

🍷  The Spirit:

Auchentoshan is the only remaining Scottish distillery that still practises a full triple distillation for all its Whisky. There are of course three stills, One Wash -, One Intermediate - and one Spirit Still. Triple distillation guarantees a Delicate, Light, Floral and Fruity Spirit. The Water for the Whisky is sourced from Loch Katrine.

🌲  The Wood:

The Valinch matured in First Fill Ex-Bourbon casks made of American Oak.

Visit May 2017

Drinking Experience Neat: Good. The Alcohol is quite strong though. 

Conclusion:Give More Power to the People. Good initiative by Auchentoshan to give their fans a fortified version of the Classic. However, a good Single Malt is not just about a high ABV. A high ABV usually benefits a well-matured Spirit. In this case however, the ABV is too high for the Young, Delicate, Triple-Distilled Auchentoshan Spirit in my opinion. The Alcohol is way too dominant. I believe that 46% would have been the limit in this case. As it stands, the Valinch reminds me a bit of a Young, Rough Grappa. A little Water does take away some of the heat but it does not resolve the intrinsic imbalance of this Lowland Single Malt. The Price/Quality ratio is okay if you're a big Auchentoshan fan but personally I wouldn't order a bottle of the Valinch. 

Jan van den Ende                                                                      June 26, 2017

Visit May 2017

Mortlach 1995 (A.D. Rattray) Review

“Like a Rolling Stone”

Whisky Review # 619

Country: Scotland

Region: Speyside

Brand: Mortlach 1995 (A.D. Rattray Cask Collection)

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Whisky

Age: 17 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 58.4%

Maturation: Bourbon Hogshead

Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 80-100 (June 2017) 

Buying Advice: 😀  Positive. Interesting Malt with reasonable P/Q ratio.

Colour: Golden (Natural Colour)

Nose: 
Crisp and Fruity with Mineral, Grassy, Waxy and Spicy notes as well. The Alcohol is quite noticeable but that's no big surprise given the ABV of close to 60%. I find Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Toffee, Vanilla, Grass, Straw, Earth, Dried Fruit like Raisins and Apricots, Orange Marmalade, Tinned Pineapple, Saw Dust, Wet Stone, Heather-Honey, Bee-Wax, Sugared Almonds, Stewed Apple, Dusty Road, Leather, Milk Chocolate, Sweet Licorice, Ginger, Pepper and a sprinkle of Fresh Mint. Perhaps the faintest hint of a piece of Bacon on a distant BBQ. Be sure to give this Mortlach enough time in the glass in order to reveal its Aromas.

Palate: 
Very strong delivery thanks to the high ABV. Mainly Sweet but with a few Bitter, Sour, Oaky, Earthy and Spicy notes for balance. I find Sweet Barley, Butterscotch, Caramel, Marzipan, Dried Fruit, Milk- and White Chocolate, Vanilla, Stewed Apples, Almonds, Dirty Road, Salt, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, light Licorice, Orange Marmalade, Grapefruit, Sour Grapes or Grappa and hints of Leather and Raspberry.

Finish:
Middle-Long, warming and Spicy. Sweet at first but quite Dry in the end with a slight Woody Bitterness. I find Toasted Barley, Sticky Toffee, Caramel, Stewed Apples, Marzipan/Almonds, Honey, Milk Chocolate, Toasted Oak, Grapefruit, Salted Almonds, Orange Marmalade, Lemon Zest, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon and hints of Leather and Raspberry Jam. The Alcohol remains strong until the end.  

Drinking Advice: 

I added 3 drops of Water and that helps to calm down the Alcohol on the Nose. The Aromas remain the same but they become more accessible. The same goes for the Palate. Perhaps some additional Floral notes here. The Finish becomes shorter, more Mineral and with a Metallic note I could live without. Still, this Mortlach deserves a few drops of Water!

Rating: 85

Nose: 22 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21

General Remarks:

🏣   The Distillery, The Bottler and Today's Whisky:

The distillery was founded in 1823 by James Findlater. It changed hands various times before being bought by John Walker & Sons in 1923. The latter was purchased by Distillers Company Ltd that later became part of Diageo. Mortlach is located close to the centre of Dufftown. Most of the Spirit is used for the Johnnie Walker Blends but since 2014 the Malt core range was introduced that consists of the NAS Rare Old, the Duty Free version called Special Strength, the 18 Years and the 25 Years.

A.D. Rattray was founded in 1868 by Andrew Dewar Rattray. It suffered during the crisis of the early 1900's. It changed hands various times before returning to the family. Current owner is Tim Morrison, a fourth generation descendant of the founder who used to work for Morrison Bowmore Distillers. He launched the Cask Selection series in 2004.

The Spirit for today's Single Cask Whisky was distilled on the 19th of June 1995 and was bottled at Cask Strength on January 21, 2013.

🍷  The Spirit:

Mortlach is equipped with six stills of various sizes. Unlike in most distilleries, these stills operate separately, rather than in pairs. Cooling of the vapours takes place with worm tubs. The Lyne arms are pointed downwards to create a full and meaty Spirit, quite different from your usual Speyside profile. The water for the Whisky is sourced in the Conval Hills.

🌲  The Wood:

This Mortlach matured for 17 Years in a Bourbon Hogshead with Cask # 3426. Only 264 bottles were drawn from the cask.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion:

Quite different when compared to your average Speyside Single Malt. If Speyside is Flower Power, this Mortlach is Dylan's Like a Rolling Stone. It's Edgy, almost Dirty sometimes and the high ABV seems to be spot on for this Malt. I would not recommend this Mortlach to beginning Whisky drinkers but for advanced Whisky fans this is a nice Malt to discuss on a Tasting session with some friends! It's not perfect and it's a bit untidy in places but it's certainly interesting and that's exactly what seems to be missing with lots of today's mainstream modern-cut Single Malts. I like it!

Jan van den Ende                                                                      June 21, 2017

Ardbeg Auriverdes Review

“The Sweetest Taboo”

Whisky Review # 618

Country: Scotland
Region: Islay

Brand: Ardbeg Auriverdes

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS (Apparently distilled in 2002)

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 49.9%
Maturation: American Oak Ex-Bourbon Barrels
Chill Filtration: No 
Price Range: US$ 140-200 (June 2017) US$ 80 at date of release.
Buying Advice: 😡  Way too expensive.  Better stick to the core range!

Colour: Light Golden (Natural Colour)

Nose: Surprisingly Light and Sweet when compared to the 10 Years. There is some Wet Earth and Campfire Smoke present of course but I certainly wouldn't consider them too dominant. I also find other Islay notes like Burnt Toast, Iodine, Brine, Tar, Soot, Diesel Oil, Ashes, Rubber Tyres, PVC Pipes and Leather. If you don't fancy those Aromas in a Whisky, rest assured. They are balanced by more pleasant sounding notes of Bacon, Fish and Shell Fish on the BBQ, Charred Oak, Vanilla, Caramel, Sweet Barley, Straw, Grapefruit Juice, Dried Herbs, Licorice, Flaked Chili Pepper, After Eight Mint Chocolate and Lemon Zest. The Auriverdes is a relatively Young Whisky and the Alcohol is not yet totally integrated. On the Nose, the Auriverdes comes across as an Islay "Light" Malt. The Peat lovers amongst us might find that slightly disappointing but to the general public it's certainly a more accessible Ardbeg nose. In my opinion it's not bad but as you know I'm not too fond of this sort of compromises that seek to please as many consumers as possible.   

Ardbeg - Visit May 2017

Palate: Quite Spicy and Medicinal at first but Sugary Sweet soon thereafter. This is not at all my cup of Whisky! I find Buttered Toast, Caramel, Toffee, Charred Oak, Wet Earth, Ashes, Soot, Tar, Leather, Bacon, Sugared Herbal Tea, Lemon, Grapefruit, Pepper, Salt, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, Licorice, Cocoa, Menthol and a hint of Coffee Flavoured Dark Chocolate. 

Finish: Middle-Long. Mostly Sugary Sweet but with some Bitter, Sour and Salty elements as well. More Dry in the end. The Alcohol and Charred Oak can't hide the presence of some young Spirit. I find Wet Earth, Charred Oak, Ashes, Soot, Tar, Iodine, Burnt Plastic, Bacon, Grapefruit, Lemon,  Toffee, Caramel, Sugared Tea, Sweet Licorice, Dark Chocolate, Ginger, Nutmeg and Menthol. Floral Soap after a few minutes.

Ardbeg - Visit May 2017

Drinking Advice:

I added a few drops of Water and the Sweet Peat on the Nose develops. Palate and Finish become unpleasantly Sweet though. Better sip the Auriverdes neat.

Rating: 83     

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

General Remarks:

🏣   The Distillery and Today's Whisky:

The current Distillery was founded in 1815 by John MacDougall close to the little town of Port Ellen on the island of Islay. In 1997 the distillery was bought by The Glenmorangie Company (part of French based Moet Hennessy) from the previous owners Allied Distillers. This company closed Ardbeg between 1981 and 1989 and only produced yearly during 2 months between 1989 and 1997. As a result, Ardbeg is lacking older stocks and is almost forced to launch Limited Editions while maintaining a very limited core range that consists of the 10 Years, the Corryvreckan and the Uigeadail. Like Glenmorangie, Ardbeg likes to experiment with Wood, Toasting and NAS expressions.

The Auriverdes was launched on May 31, 2014 to celebrate both Ardbeg Day 2014 and the World Cup Football 2014 in Brazil. Auri (Gold) and Verdes (Green) refer to the Brazilian National Colours as well as to the Golden Ardbeg Whisky that is sold in the well-known Green bottles.

🍷  The Spirit: 

Ardbeg possesses only one pair of Stills with tall necks and rising Lyne arms that create lots of Reflux. A Purifier is connected to the Spirit Still that takes out the heavy Vapours and guarantees a Lighter and Fruity Spirit. The Water for the Spirit is sourced from Loch Uigeadail.

🌲  The Wood:

The Spirit for the Auriverdes matured in Charred American Oak Bourbon Barrels with new specially toasted American Oak lids. This Spirit was later blended with a percentage of Ardbeg Spirit that matured in standard 1st and 2nd Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrels.
  

Drinking Experience Neat:

The Nose is certainly Okay but Palate and Finish are way too Sweet for my taste.

Conclusion:

The Ardbeg Auriverdes is not a bad Single Malt but it's not as good as the core range. Therefore it's way too expensive for what it offers. As a concept and taste wise it does not work for me personally as well. The Nose is quite okay and sufficiently balanced although much Lighter than you would expect of an Ardbeg. Many people would probably call it more accessible though so it's not necessarily a bad thing except for Hard Core Peat adepts. On the Palate and in the Finish however the Charred Oak and the High ABV can't hide the fact that there's some very Young and slightly Sharp Malt Whisky in the mix. And it's Sugary Sweet, way too Sweet for my taste. I don't think I have ever tasted such a Sweet Ardbeg before. If you like Sweet then it's fine of course but I will pass next time somebody offers me an Auriverdes.

Jan van den Ende                                                                      June 19, 2017

Ardbeg - Visit May 2017