Blair Athol 1990 (Douglas Laing) Review

“Bell (‘s) Bottom Blues”

Whisky Review # 622

Country: Scotland
Region: South-Eastern Highlands

Brand: Blair Athol (Douglas Laing - Old Malt Cask Series)

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Whisky
Age: 21 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 50%
Maturation: Refill Ex-Bourbon Hogshead
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: Around US$ 100 (July 2017) 
Buying Advice: 😄 Positive. The best Blair Athol I have tasted so far.

Colour: Pale Gold/Chardonnay (Natural Colour)

Nose: Certainly not overwhelming but quite pleasant and well-matured. Malt, Fruit and Vanilla are the main drivers. The Oak and Alcohol are there but they remain nicely in the background. I find Malted Barley, Buttered Toast, Fresh Pastry, Wax, Vanilla, Toffee, Heather-Honey, Salted Nuts, Grass, Dusty Straw, Banana, Orange, Lemon, Mandarin, Pear, Apple, Plums, Pineapple, Cherries, Fresh Herbs, Oak and light Spices like Cinnamon and Ginger.

Visit May 2014

Palate: Sweet, Creamy, Fruity and Spicy wit some Herbal - and Salty notes as well. I find Toasted Barley, Fresh Pastry, Fruit Cake, Honey, Syrup, Vanilla, Oak, Orange, Tangerine, Lemon, Banana, Chocolate, Salted Nuts, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Fresh Herbs, light Licorice, light Menthol and Herbal Tea.  

Finish: Middle-Long, Sweet, Creamy and Spicy with Bitter - and Herbal tones in the end. I find Toasted Cereals, Fresh Pastry, Honey, Vanilla, Banana, Orange, Lemon, Salted Nuts, Plums, Milk Chocolate, White Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Licorice, Herbal Tea, Oak and light Menthol.

Visit May 2014

Drinking Advice:

I added a few drops of Water and on the Nose the Fruity - and Malty notes seem to develop even further. Palate and Finish become more Spicy and Herbal with developing Menthol and Licorice. You can certainly experiment with a few drops of Water in this case. I liked it both ways.  

Rating: 86.5      

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

General Remarks:

🏣   The Distillery, the Bottlers and Today's Whisky:

The distillery was founded in Pitlochry (Pertshire) in 1798 by John Stewart and Robert Robertson, initially under the name Aldour. Only in 1825 did it receive its current name. It was mothballed in 1932 and bought by Arthur Bell & Sons, a family owned Blender. Production restarted in 1949 and from then on and until today Blair Athol became the heart of Bell's Blended Whisky. Eventually, the distillery, via take-overs, became part of Diageo. Only very few Single Malts are launched from time to time by Blair Athol so we mostly depend on independent bottlers in this respect.

Douglas Laing & Co is an independent Whisky bottler that was founded in 1948 by Fred Douglas Laing in Glasgow. Today they are mostly known for their Exceptional Single Casks series as well as the Remarkable Regional Malts Series that includes well-known blended Malt whiskies Timorous Beastie, Scallywag, Rock Oyster and Big Peat. In 1999, the company released the Old Malt Cask Series. Their current directors are Fred Hamilton Laing and his daughter Cara. In 2013, Hunter Laing & Co was founded by Stewart Laing, the other son of Fred. The assets of the old Douglas Laing & Co were split up between Fred Hamilton and Stewart. The Old Malt Cask Series went to Hunter Laing & Co.

The Blair Athol 1990 I am tasting today was distilled in August 1990 and was bottled in August 2011. Only 268 bottles were drawn from the cask but you can still find some on the Internet. 

🍷  The Spirit:  

Blair Athol currently produces around 2 million litres of Alcohol using two pairs of pear-shaped Stills with Lyne arms that point downwards creating an aromatic Nutty and Malty type of Spirit. The Water is sourced from the Allt Dour Burn. 

🌲  The Wood:

The Spirit matured for 21 Years in an Ex-Bourbon Refill Hogshead with cask # 7561. This cask wasn't extremely active in my opinion but it did give sufficient Aromas and Flavours to the Spirit while maintaining some of the characteristics of the distillery. Good cask management. 
  

Visit May 2014

Drinking Experience Neat: Good. 

Conclusion:

This is the best Blair Athol I have tasted so far. It certainly holds it ground as a Single Malt in this case. Which proves, as so often, that good casks do produce good Whisky. The Blair Athol 1990 by Douglas Laing is not at all heavy but well-balanced, Fruity and Malty with enough Herbal and Spicy notes for balance. A nice Malt to sip on a sunny Summer Afternoon. I know that Bell's is a popular Blend but it kinda hurts to know that almost all Blair Athol Spirit is matured for a short time in indifferent Refill Ex-Bourbon casks to guarantee Malt supply for this Blend. Because Douglas Laing shows here that Blair Athol could be so much more when given the time and a good cask. I understand it from a commercial point of view but it's a pity nevertheless.

Jan van den Ende                                                                         July 6, 2017

Visit May  2014

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