Bowmore 2000 Review, Benrinnes 1995 Review, Longmorn 1996 Cask 72323 Review, Longmorn 1996 Cask 72319 Review, Auchroisk 1990 Review

“The Ultimate Whisky Company Special”

Introduction:

Most of you know that I mainly use samples and miniatures when preparing my Reviews. I usually buy these in Holland and sometimes in Germany or the UK. Sometimes I receive samples from friends or readers or independent bottlers. In only two cases I received a few samples directly from distilleries. When planning my reviews for the coming months I always try to give attention to all Scottish Whisky regions as well as other Whisky/Whiskey/Bourbon producing regions all over the world with special attention to the USA, Ireland and Japan. And last but not least the blends. At the request of many readers I give preference to more recent expressions. As a result my backlog of older samples has increased quite a bit. To do justice to those samples I will review them in the format of Specials. These specials will deal with a specific bottler like today or with specific regions, countries or distilleries. The reviews in these Specials will concentrate on the Whisky and won't go into details about distilleries, maturation etc. I do hope you will like these Specials just as much as my regular reviews and I look forward to your reactions and suggestions. Today's special will look at five Single Malts, 4 from Speyside and 1 from Islay, bottled by the Dutch Independent Bottler The Ultimate Whisky Company. Enjoy! 

Van Wees (The Ultimate Whisky Company)

The Ultimate Whisky Company was founded in 1994 when Han and Maurice van Wees started to select their best casks for bottling under "The Ultimate" label. These Single Malt Single Cask Whiskies are not Chill-Filtered and maintain their Natural Colour. All regions of Scotland are represented in the series. Each bottle is numbered and all cask details are mentioned on the label. Currently, the Ultimate series consist of 35 expressions. You can find them on their website The Ultimate Whisky Company. Since 1994 more than 750 Single Malts have been released under The Ultimate Label. In today's Special I will look at five of their older Single Cask releases. They are no longer available in the shop but you might find the odd bottle on the Internet or in auctions. The Ultimate Single Malt Scotch Whisky is one of the brands of B.V. Groothandel van Wees, located  in Amersfoort, the Netherlands. 

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Whisky Review # 648

Country: Scotland

Region: Islay

Brand: Bowmore 2000

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Whisky
Age: 12 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Bourbon Barrel (346 Bottles)  
Chill Filtration: No  
Buying Advice: 😐 Neutral. Okay but Nothing Special.

Colour: White Wine/Pale Straw (Natural Colour)

Nose: Typical Bourbon-Matured Young Bowmore. Please give this Malt sufficient time in the glass before Nosing. The slightly Dirty Smoke, a little Tar and Coastal Peat are there of course but they remain in the background. The Alcohol is quite present so you need to find your way around it. On the Nose, this Bowmore shows Sweet, Sour, Mineral and Fruity elements. I find Toasted Barley, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Grass, Musty Straw, Lemon, Brine, light Iodine, Leather, Cigar Ashes, Bread Dough, Green Apple, Wet Sand and Stones, Refill Wood or Wood Shavings, light Pepper, Ginger and hints of Gooseberries, Cured Meat and Shellfish.   

Palate: Sweet with a few Sour, Bitter and Herbal notes. I find Toasted Barley, Burnt Toast, Charred Oak, Straw, Grass, Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Dirty Earth, light Iodine, light Tar, light Soot, Brine, Lemon - and Orange Zest, Dried Herbs, Pepper, Ginger, light Licorice, Cinnamon, Cocoa Powder and hints of Leather, Raspberries and Floral Perfume.   

Finish: Middle-Long and Bitter Sweet with increasing Bitterness and a Metallic  note towards the Dry end. I find Toasted Barley, Burnt Toast, Dirty Earth, Straw, Wet Cardboard, light Iodine, light Soot, Brine, Cigar Ashes, Tannins, Grapefruit, Lemon, Pepper, Ginger, Herbs, Heather-Honey, Licorice and hints of Leather and Dark Chocolate.

Rating: 83 

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

Conclusion: 

This Bowmore was distilled on the 31st of May, 2000. It matured for 12 Years in Hogshead # 1437 and was bottled on the 29th of March 2013. The last known sales price was around 50 US Dollars which is okay. I have no idea of the current value of the odd bottle that's still around on the Internet. Personally I would not bother too much in finding this Bowmore expression. It's not bad but there are some flaws, especially in the Finish. Above all, it's utterly forgettable and without any Wow factor.

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Whisky Review # 649

Country: Scotland

Region: Speyside

Brand: Benrinnes 1995

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Whisky
Age: 17 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%

Maturation: Bourbon cask (345 Bottles) 

Chill Filtration: No   

Buying Advice: 😀 Interesting but with a few flaws. Okay at US$ 50,-. 

Colour: Light Golden (Natural Colour)

Nose: Sweet, Mature and very Fruity. My first impressions are warm Apple Pie and Pina Colada. I also find Sweet Barley, Butterkekse (German Butter Biscuits),  Vanilla, Caramel, Heather-Honey, Hay, Grass, Pear, Banana, Coconut, Pineapple, Citrus, Apricot, Rittersport Strawberry Yogurt Chocolate, Charred Oak, Ginger, Cinnamon and light Pepper. I would score it higher but unfortunately I also get two less favourable notes. The first one is something Musty that I find hard to place. The second one reminds me of cooked Cabbage. I don't know if the cask is to blame or something happened during distillation. A pity anyway. 

Palate: Bitter-Sweet with some Herbal and Sour notes. I find Toasted Cereals, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Molasses, Toffee, Citrus, Strawberry-Flavoured Yogurt, Grappa, Apple, Pear, Banana, Gooseberries, Heather-Honey, Cured Meat, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves, Ginger, Menthol, Tobacco, Herbal Tea, Cocoa Powder, Charred Oak and Dusty Road.   

Finish: Middle-Long. Mostly Sweet but also with a light Bitterness that pops up right at the end. The Alcohol is more noticeable by now. I find Malted Cereals, Brown Sugar, Molasses, Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Charred Oak, Milk Chocolate, Peach-Flavoured Yogurt, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Citrus and hints of Aniseed, Menthol, Licorice, Tobacco and Wet Rocks.

Rating: 82   

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

Conclusion: 

This Benrinnes was distilled on the 6th of June 1995. It matured for 17 Years in Hogshead # 5886 and was bottled on the 4th of June 2013. The last known sales price was around 50 US Dollars which is okay. I have no idea of the current value of the odd bottle that's still around on the Internet. Most of the Spirit distilled at Benrinnes is destined for the Johnnie Walker & J&B Blends and I can see why. It's a robust Spirit that can compensate for lighter components. The Flora & Fauna 15 years is basically the only official Distillery Single Malt. So most Single Malts around are launched by Independent Bottlers. I was actually pleasantly surprised by this Benrinnes expression. It's quite Fruity with some not so common Dairy notes. But during the Nosing and Tasting, the Cabbage and the Musty notes kept haunting me on a regular basis. Still it's certainly an interesting Malt to try out and if you can find it at around 50 US Dollars, give it a go.

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Whisky Review # 650

Country: Scotland

Region: Speyside

Brand: Longmorn 1996

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Whisky
Age: 17 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 57.5%

Maturation: Sherry Cask (608 Bottles)  

Chill Filtration: No   

Buying Advice: 😉Well Made. Quite Woody! Hard to find. Not cheap.

Colour: Copper with Brown and Mahogany notes (Natural Colour)

Nose: The ABV is quite high so be sure to give this Longmorn sufficient time in the glass before Nosing. I get a little Sulphur but in this case it incorporates without any effort in the Aroma profile. The Sherry influence is very clear and there's a real chance you start humming "White Christmas" when nosing this Longmorn. I find Rum Soaked Christmas Cake dotted with Dried Apricot, Raisin, Sultanas, Nuts, Plums and Figs. There's also Malted Barley, Brown Sugar, Toffee, Caramel, Buttered Toast, Blackcurrant Muffins, Orange Peel, Pineapple, Vanilla, Dark Chocolate, Dusty Road, Oak, Resin, light Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Clove and Ginger. Hints of Waxed Leather Upholstery, Floral Perfume and Dark Espresso with a splash of Brandy. The Alcohol is reasonably well-integrated.

Palate: Strong delivery thanks to the high ABV. The Alcohol is quite noticeable by now and so are Wood and Wood Spices. Based on the Palate and also on the Finish I feel that this Longmorn overstayed its cask time for a year or two. The Wood, Herbs and Spices take control and the Fruit moves to the background. I find Malted Barley, Vanilla, Heather-Honey, the Christmas cake from the Nose, Orange Peel, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Cloves, Cardamom, Licorice, Menthol, Tobacco, Sour Cherries, Waxed Leather, Dark Chocolate, Espresso and Herbal Tea.    

Finish: Bitter-Sweet, Woody, Spicy and Herbal with good Length. Quite Dry in the end. The Alcohol is quite strong. I find Toasted Barley, Toffee, Orange Peel, Vanilla, Chocolate, Walnuts, Espresso, Brandy, slightly Sour Cherries, Heather Honey, Cinnamon, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves, Herbal Tea, Tobacco, Licorice, light Menthol and hints of Waxed Leather.   

Rating: 86.5 

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

Conclusion: 

This Longmorn was distilled on the 1st of May 1996. It matured for 17 Years in Sherry Butt # 72323 and was bottled at Cask Strength on the 11th of October 2013. The last known sales price was around 175 US Dollars. I have no idea of the current value of the odd bottle that's still around on the Internet. If you like medium-heavy Sherried Speysiders, this Longmorn will certainly please you. You must also like Oak and Wood Spices though as they are quite dominant. Not on the Nose mind you but certainly on the Palate and in the Finish. Personally I believe this Longmorn should have been bottled some 2 years earlier. That way the balance between Wood, Fruit and Spices would have been better. It's still a nice after-dinner Malt though. It won't be cheap though but first you must find the odd bottle! Good Luck!

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Whisky Review # 651

Country: Scotland

Region: Speyside

Brand: Longmorn 1996

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Whisky
Age: 17 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 57.2%

Maturation: Sherry Butt (600 Bottles)  

Chill Filtration: No   

Buying Advice: 😇 Not cheap of course but Excellent Sherried Longmorn.

Colour: Mahogany/Chestnuts (Natural Colour)

Nose: One of the darkest naturally coloured Whiskies I've Nosed and Tasted so far. First thing I notice is the fact that the Alcohol is nicely integrated in this case. Well-Matured is my second observation. This is a great Nose for Sherry Bomb lovers. There is a bit of Christmas Cake here as well as a little Sulphur but they are an integral part of the Aroma profile and do not stand out. What does stand out though is the high quality Dark Chocolate. Simply delicious. I also find Malt, Buttered Toast, Toffee, Caramel, Brown Sugar, Treacle, Vanilla, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Raisins, Figs, Prunes and Plums, Nuts, Black Currants, Orange Peel, Cherries, Banana, Balsamic Vinegar, Rum, Brandy, Oak, Resin, Dried Herbs, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Menthol, Polished Leather and Espresso. I get lots of Aromas with every sniff but somehow the balance remains intact. I like that. This is impressive. Good cask, great nose!     

Palate: Strong Delivery thanks to the high ABV. In fact the Alcohol is of course more noticeable but not in an unpleasant way. On the Palate this Longmorn is Bitter-Sweet, quite Dry and with some Herbal and Sour notes. I find nice Thick Sherry, Malted Barley, Caramel, Vanilla, Honey, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Figs,  Sultanas, Apricot and Plums, Cherries, Hazelnut-Milk Chocolate, Rum, Brandy, Oak, Tannins, Orange Peel, Tobacco, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves, Dried Herbs, Aniseed, Licorice, Strong Espresso and Polished Leather. Lots of Flavours but always a nice balance between Bitter, Sweet, Sour, Wood, Herbs and Spices.

Finish: Pleasantly Long. Mostly Bitter-Sweet but with a few slightly Sour tones as well. Again good Balance. Quite Dry towards the end. The Sherry remains Thick and Delicious right till the end. The Alcohol is more noticeable by now. I find Malted Barley, Treacle, Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Oak, Tannins, Walnuts, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas, Plums and Prunes, Dried Herbs, Rum, Brandy, Milk  and Bitter Chocolate, Orange Peel, Candied Cherries, Pepper, Clove, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Aniseed, Menthol, Tobacco and hints of Espresso and Polished Leather. 

Rating: 88.5

Nose: 23 - Taste: 22 - Finish: 21.5 - Overall: 22  

Conclusion: 

This Longmorn was distilled on the 1st of May 1996. It matured for 17 Years in Sherry Butt # 72319 and was bottled at Cask Strength on the 23rd of July, 2013. The last known sales price was around 230 US Dollars. I have no idea of the current value of the odd bottle that's still around on the Internet. It's worth the money though. This is a Malt for special occasions like Christmas Eve. What I like most about this Longmorn is the balance. There are lots of Aromas and Flavours to be found but they all work together somehow. And while the Alcohol is strong, it just adds to the feeling of near perfection. The cask was of good quality. Perhaps this Longmorn could have been bottled a year earlier but now I'm nitpicking. If you can find a bottle of this Longmorn just buy it if you have the means. You won't regret it.

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Whisky Review # 652

Country: Scotland

Region: Speyside

Brand: Auchroisk 1990

Type: Single Malt Single Cask Whisky
Age: 22 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%

Maturation: Bourbon cask (334 Bottles)  

Chill Filtration: No    

Buying Advice: 😐 Not for everybody! Go for it if you like the profile!

Colour: Golden (Natural Colour)

Nose: Make sure to give this Auchroisk enough time in the glass before Nosing. My first impressions are Cooked Cabbage and Plastic/Rubber. That's not a good start! It smells a bit Dirty and there are some Sour notes. The Alcohol is a little rough as well. You really need some patience here. With time these unpleasant notes get less intense. After half an hour or so I find Toasted Barley, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Caramel, Orchard Fruit, Gooseberries, Grapefruit, light Citrus, Hazelnut-Chocolate, Nougat, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Mint, Dried Herbs and Heather-Honey. I was expecting much more Oak to be frank. In a blind tasting I would never have thought this to be a 22 Year old Malt.  Cask  # 3659 was not overly active in my opinion. At the end I pick up Tangerine notes while nosing the edge of the glass. All in all however I'm not very impressed by this Nose.  

Palate: Better than expected after the disappointing Nose. It's still a bit Dirty and there are many Sour notes but there is something original here as well. This is not your average mainstream Speyside Malt. Here I am, Take it or Leave it. That's the feeling I get here. There's certainly more Oak now and I also find Toasted Barley, Caramel, Vanilla, Toffee, Butterscotch, Nougat, Toasted Nuts, Straw, Apple, Pear, Grapefruit, Gooseberries, Lemon, Pepper, Clove, Licorice, Menthol and Ginger. 

Finish: Bitter-Sweet, quite Creamy, a little Hot and Spicy. Medium-Dry in the end. The Oak is more noticeable by now. I also find Porridge, Caramel, Almonds, Heather-Honey, Plum Jam, Citrus Peel (Orange and Lemon), Grapefruit Juice, Gooseberries, Menthol, Pepper, Cloves and light Licorice. 

Rating: 82.5

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

Conclusion: 

This Auchroisk was distilled on the 20th of February 1990. It matured for 22 Years in Hogshead # 3659 and was bottled on the 11th of January 2013. The last known sales price was around 120 US Dollars. I have no idea of the current value of the odd bottle that's still around on the Internet. The Nutty and Malty Spirit of this distillery is mostly used in the J&B Blend. The Auchroisk 1990 is not at all your average Speyside. It's bold and dirty and has a mind of its own. I did not like the Nose a lot but Palate and Finish are certainly interesting. Not a Malt for everybody but give it a try if you fancy the Aroma/Flavour profile. It won't be easy to find though!

Drinking Advice:

Due to the fact that I merely had small samples at my disposal, I only Nosed and Tasted these five Single Malts neat.

Jan van den Ende                                                                   October 2, 2017

Bowmore Black Rock Review

“Thin Line Between Love and Hate”

Whisky Review # 647

Country: Scotland
Region: Islay

Brand: Bowmore Black Rock

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS (My guess: 8-10 Years) 

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: Sherry and Bourbon Casks    
Chill Filtration: Yes    
Price Range: US$ 55-70 (September 2017) 

Buying Advice: 😒 Negative. Not worth the Money. Go for the Darkest! 

Colour: Dark Amber with a hint of Orange (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: Young and Light. The Smoke and Earthy Peat are there but remain in the background. The Sherry cask influence is noticeable but these weren't extremely active casks. The Black Rock is by no means the Sherry monster of Loch Indaal. I don't get any Sulphur and that's positive. I get some Fruit like Blackberries and Cherries but it's not Fresh Fruit. More like artificially flavoured Candies. I also find Toasted Cereals, Toffee, Salted Caramel, Heather-Honey, Grass, Straw, Brine, Smoked Fish or Shellfish, Mandarin Juice, Dried Fruit like Sultanas and Figs, Dried Banana chips covered with Cocoa Powder, Dusty Road, Unlit Cigars, Leather, Citrus Peel and light Spices like Cinnamon, Ginger and Pepper. Please note that most of these Aromas are mere suggestions. Artificial Fruit, Salted Caramel and Dried Fruit are the main drivers accompanied by some Coastal and Peaty notes. After a while I also get a few hints of Burning Paper and new PVC bottles. They are not strong enough though to be considered as off-notes. The Alcohol is noticeable but not in a Harsh way. On the Nose, the Black Rock is not really bad but it's a bit bland. Taking Islay Light Malt to the next level.

Visit May 2017

Palate: Young, Thin, slightly Hot and Bitter Sweet with Toasted Cereals, Toffee, Salted Caramel, Molasses, Straw, Heather-Honey, Blackberry (The Fruit), Dusty Road, Citrus Peel, light Peat/Smoke, light Iodine, Ashes, Tobacco, Pepper, light Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Cocoa Powder, Menthol and hints of Burnt Paper and Bitter Chocolate.     

Finish: Light, Short, Watery and Bitter Sweet. Dry towards the Bitter end. I get notes of Metal, Plastic and Rubber that should not be there. I also find some light Factory Smoke, Dirty Earth, Ashes, Alcohol, Salted Caramel, Dried Herbs, Refill Wood, Tobacco, light Iodine, Burnt Paper, Orange Peel, Stale Sugared Espresso, Cocoa Powder, something like Rotten Fish and light Spices like Pepper, Ginger and Cinnamon. A faint hint of Menthol cigarettes.

Visit May 2017

Drinking Advice:

Added Water completely kills this Bowmore.

Rating: 78

Nose: 21 - Taste: 19.5 - Finish: 18.5 - Overall: 19

General Remarks:

🏣   The Distillery and Today's Whisky:

Bowmore is the oldest Distillery on Islay and was founded in 1779 by David Simpson. It changed hands a couple of times along the years but since 1994 the Japanese Suntory group controls Bowmore. Bowmore still malts around 30% of the Barley on their premises. They currently produce around 1,3 million liters of Alcohol. The core range includes the NAS Small Batch Reserve, the 12, the 15 Darkest, the 18 and 25 Years. Some of the Bowmore Spirit is used in Blends like Rob Roy and Black Bottle. We visited the distillery in 2014 and 2017. I really like the Malting Floor. Nice Shop and Visitor-Centre. Certainly well-worth the visit.

The Black Rock was released for the Travel Retail Market in 2014 as part of a trilogy that also includes the Gold Reef and the White Sands. In the meantime the Black Rock is available elsewhere as well. It is named after the Black Rock in Loch Indaal and is visible when you visit the distillery.

Visit May 2014

🍷  The Spirit:

Bowmore has 2 pairs of Stills. The Lyne arms point slightly upwards and produce a Medium-Bodied, lightly Medicinal Spirit. The Water is sourced from the River Laggan. Lack of rain can upset Bowmore's production as we have seen in the past.

Visit May 2014

🌲  The Wood:

The Black Rock matured in a mix of (mainly) Spanish Sherry casks and Bourbon barrels. Judging by Aroma and Flavour I would assume they were probably 2nd and 3rd Refill casks.

Drinking Experience: Below Average.

Conclusion:

Oh dear, first the Bunnahabhain Stiuireadair and now this Black Rock. If I could I would move to Islay tomorrow because I simply love the place. And I love a lot of their Single Malts. But not these two I'm afraid. I reviewed the Stiuireadair here so Back to Black Rock! The Nose is not too bad actually but on the Palate and in the Finish this Bowmore totally disappoints. Young, Thin, Bitter, Rubber and Metallic are not the terms I would like to apply to any Bowmore Single Malt. Better casks and a higher ABV could have upped the Black Rock but that's daydreaming. As it stands this is not a Single Malt I can recommend. If you like Sherried Bowmore go for The Darkest 15 Years instead. It's hard to believe that the Black Rock hails from a distillery that produced such stunners as the 17 Years. 

Jan van den Ende                                                             September 28, 2017

Visit May 2017

Bunnahabhain Stiuireadair Review

“Rush Job”

Whisky Review # 646

Country: Scotland
Region: Islay

Brand: Bunnahabhain Stiuireadair

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS 

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46.3%
Maturation: Sherry Casks   
Chill Filtration: No   
Price Range: US$ 40-55 (September 2017) 

Buying Advice: 😒Negative. Go for the 12 Years instead.

Colour: Light Golden (Natural Colour)

Nose: This is pretty young Whisky if you ask me. The high ABV can't hide that. I get images of a cowshed, the floor of which is covered with a mix of Musty Straw and Manure. I also get Refill Sherry casks that were treated with Sulphur. In short, I've nosed better Bunnahabhains in my time. The Alcohol is slightly Sharp as well. Be sure to give this Malt sufficient time in the glass before Nosing. After a while I find Toasted Cereals, Salted Caramel, Brown Sugar, Dried Fruit like Sultanas and Apricot, Nuts and Nutshells, Vanilla, Cocoa Powder, Heather-Honey, Plum Marmalade, Overripe, almost rotten Apples, Mushrooms, light Citrus, Bitter Tea and hints of Spices like Cloves and Cinnamon.

Visit May 2017

Palate: Young, Edgy, Hot and Bitter-Sweet with Toasted Cereals, Salty Caramel, Brown Sugar, Heather-Honey, light Vanilla, Dried Fruit like Plums and Sultanas, Nuts and Nutshells, Mandarin Juice, Cocoa Powder, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves, Cardamom, Herbal Tea, Refill Oak, Sulphur, Grappa and hints of Espresso and Tobacco.  

Finish: Rather Short, Bitter Sweet and slightly Hot, Sour and Sharp towards the Dry end. Some Sulphur and Metal as well. I also find Toasted Grain, Salty Caramel, Tea sweetened with Aspartame, Mandarin Juice, Lemon Peel, Dried Fruit like Plums and Sultanas, Bread Dough, Grass, Pepper, Cardamom, Refill Oak, Grappa and hints of Tobacco and Bitter Espresso.  

Drinking Advice:

I added a few drops of Water and on the Nose you get rid of most of the Alcohol and find some Creamy Malt and Caffe Latte. Palate and Finish don't improve in my opinion.

Rating: 79  

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

General Remarks:

🏣   The Distillery and Today's Whisky:

The Bunnahabhain distillery was founded in 1881 and is located on the isle of Islay, close to Port-Askaig. Since 2003 it is owned by Burn Stewart Distilleries, part of the South-African Distell Group Ltd. At the moment the distillery roughly produces 1,5 million liters per year. The core range consists of the 12, 18 and 25 Years as well as 2 peated expressions, the Toiteach and the Ceobanach. We last visited Bunnahabhain in May this year and were not impressed with the Tour, the Shop and the general outlook of the distillery. I'm pleased to report that very recently the owners have announced serious investments in the amount of 11 million Pounds. Improvements will be made both in infrastructure and in the production process. Everything will be ready by 2020 and I certainly would love to visit the distillery by then!

Stiuireadair (pronounced Stew-Rahdur) is the old Gaelic word for Helmsman and refers to the shoreline on the North-Eastern coast of Islay and the influence of the sea on the Bunnahabhain Whisky. This NAS expression has been released very recently, apparently to ease pressure on the dwindling stocks of the very popular 12 years. As such, it will probably not be added to the core range but then again you never know. The Stiuireadair is made with unpeated Malt.

Visit May 2017

🍷  The Spirit:

The distillery possesses two pairs of Stills with Lyne arms that either have a straight forward or slightly upwards angle. The Spirit is usually light bodied with Sweet Fruit and Nuts. The Water is both sourced from the River Margadadale (cooling) and Loch Staoisha (distilling).

Visit May 2017

🌲  The Wood:

The Stiuireadair matured in a mix of indifferent First - and Second Fill Sherry casks.

Drinking Experience: Below Average

Conclusion:

It's like someone ordered to quickly prepare a young Bunnahabhain and boost it with a high ABV, some indifferent Sherry casks and an unpronounceable Gaelic name. I know I sound quite harsh here but what can I do. This is not a very tasty Bunnahabhain and it's certainly no valid substitute for the 12 years. I fully understand the problem of rapidly dwindling stocks as a result of the increasing demand but this is not the correct way to solve the issue. Like I wrote above, the distillery looks neglected and it badly needs a face lift. I'm very glad that the owners are going to straighten that out. This Single Malt needs a face lift as well and I hope Bunnahabhain will address the issue. So we can all be proud of the Distillery and the Stiuireadair in 2020. For the time being however, the 12 Years is the better option by far.

Jan van den Ende                                                            September 25, 2017

Visit May 2017

Mackmyra Motorhead Review

“Ace of Spades Meets The Dancing Queen” 

Whisky Review # 645

Country: Sweden

Brand: Mackmyra Motorhead (Limited Edition - Batch # 1)

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS (Around 5 Years)

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: Bourbon casks with Partial Sherry Finish  
Chill Filtration: Yes  
Price Range: US$ 65-80 (September 2017) 

Buying Advice: 😐 Neutral. Nice Mackmyra. Expensive for a 5 Year old!

Colour: Golden Amber (Natural Colour)

Nose: I immediately get the Aroma of the New Wood that is quite characteristic for West-European mainland Whisky. Light Resin, Alcohol and Varnish are there as well but not in a very aggressive way. I also find Freshly baked Croissant, Salted Butter, Butterkekse (German Butter Biscuits), Toasted Cereals, Caramel, Toffee, Honey, Sugared Almonds, Vanilla, Hay, Dried Fruit/Nuts mix, Dried and Fresh Herbs, Lemon, Aniseed and some faint hints of Green Tobacco, Tutti Frutti Bubble Gum and Freshly printed Newspaper. On the Nose, Motorhead is mostly Sweet with some Sour and Herbal notes. The First-Fill American Oak barrels lead the way but the Sherry cask finish is noticeable as well and slightly masks the youth of the Spirit. The Nose is certainly not unpleasant although it's more Abba than Motorhead. 

Palate: The Youth of the Spirit is more noticeable now. And so is the Alcohol. But fortunately it doesn't get out of control. On the Palate, Motorhead is Sweet, Herbal and slightly Spicy. I find Toasted Barley, Toffee, Caramel, Vanilla, Hay, Almonds, Lemon, Raisins, Honey, Orchard Fruit, Dried and Fresh Herbs, light Aniseed, Menthol, Pepper, Ginger, Cloves and Toasted Oak. Abba is gone and Motorhead takes control!

Finish: Middle-Long, Sweet, Herbal, slightly Hot and Spicy. Dry towards the end with a light Metallic note that will please Motorhead fans😜. I also find Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Toffee, Salted Caramel, Raisins, Lemon-Flavoured Herbal Tea, Grass, Toasted Oak, Pepper, Ginger, Cloves, light Aniseed, light Menthol, light Varnish and hints of Green Tobacco.

Drinking Advice:

The Motorhead does not improve with added Water. Better sip it neat.

Rating: 80.5 

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

General Remarks:

🏣   The Distillery and Today's Whisky:

The first Mackmyra distillery was founded in 1999. In 2012 a new distillery started production. It is located just outside Gavle, only a few miles away from the first distillery. The new structure is one of the highest in its kind and follows the gravity model where the production process starts on the upper floor and works it way downwards. This process decreases energy costs by almost 45%. The owners (Mackmyra Svensk Whisky AB) suffered some financial problems in 2014, probably as a result of the huge investment in the new distillery. As a result production went down considerably. But it seems that the situation is back under control now and the future looks bright. 

The British Rock/Heavy Metal Band Motorhead was formed in June 1975. In 2015 it celebrated its 40th Anniversary. To commemorate this achievement the Motorhead Whisky was released in collaboration with beverage partner Brands for Fans and the Mackmyra distillery. The band most likely choose Mackmyra because drummer Mikkey Dee hales from Sweden. Apparently the band played an active role in choosing the casks and the subsequent blending process. 2015 was to be a year of celebration but unfortunately Motorhead's founder and lead- vocalist/bass player Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister died from cancer on December 28, 2015. The following day the two other band members confirmed that Motorhead would not continue.

Mackmyra Stills (Picture Credit: Petr Dudin)

🍷  The Spirit:

The new distillery has one pair of Stills. The Lyne arms have a slight downwards angle. With the exception of the yeast, all raw materials are sourced within an area of 75 miles around the distillery. The water is filtered naturally before being sterilised with a high-intensity UV light. The distillation process is very slow creating a full, mature Spirit.

🌲  The Wood:

The Spirit used for this Whisky basically matured in new First-Fill American Oak Barrels. A small part of the Whisky was finished in Ex-Oloroso casks during the last 6 months before being re-married with the remaining Spirit before bottling.

Drinking Experience: Good

Conclusion:

When Nosing and Tasting European mainland Whiskies you should really switch off your Scotch references. In my opinion these mainland Whiskies have their own Aroma and Flavour profile and should be judged as such. In doing so I find this Motorhead quite enjoyable despite the fact that it's Young and dominated by the New Wood. It's easier to enjoy this type of Whisky if you're into Bourbon. On the Nose, this Mackmyra is more like Pop Music but on the Palate and in the Finish it's Sharper and Edgy and even presents a slight (Heavy) Metal note. This Whisky was not really "Born to Raise Hell" but I'm sure it will please Motorhead fans nevertheless as it was created to honour the musical legacy of this famous band. 

Jan van den Ende                                                            September 21, 2017

Mackmyra Gravity Distillery, Gavde (Picture Credit: Robin Hayes)