Edradour The Fairy Flag Review


“Sherry Christmas” 

Whisky Review # 671

Country: Scotland
Region: Southern Highlands
Brand: Edradour The Fairy Flag am Bratach Sith
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 15 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Bourbon casks with Sherry Finish   
Chill Filtration: No     
Price Range: On average US$ 95 (December 2017). 
Buying Advice: 😔 At this price level go for Glendronach or Aberlour! 

Colour: Mahogany/Brown - Quite Dark (Natural Colour)

Nose: Powerful and Dark Sherry Notes including some Sulphur and Rubber that diminish over time. It's essential to give the Fairy Flag enough time in the glass before you start Nosing. Christmas is in the Air with Rum Soaked Raisins, Figs, Sultanas, Apricot, Dates, Mulled Red Wine and Christmas Spices. I also find Toasted Cereals, Buttered Toast, Brown Sugar, Treacle, Vanilla, Blackberry, Port Wine, Caramel, Lemon Peel, Orange Flavoured Dark Chocolate, Charred Oak and traces of Tea, Polished Leather and Tobacco. It's quite Sweet, a little Heavy and mildly Herbal. The Sherry cask influence is strong. It's not quite my style but it's not bad.   

Palate: Bitter-Sweet with Dusty Wine Cellar, Christmas Cake, Dried Fruits (See Nose), Blackberry, Raspberry, Salted Caramel, Toffee, Orange - and Grapefruit, Dark Chocolate, Toasted Cereals, Sour Apples, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Oak, Menthol, Sulphur, Tobacco, Polished Leather and Port Wine.


Finish: Middle-Long, Sweet, Malty and Nutty. Dry and slightly Bitter and Sour towards the end. The Sherry cask influence remains strong and I find Toasted Cereals, Dried Fruit (See Nose), Caramel, Treacle, Brown Sugar, Nuts, Dark Chocolate, Polished Leather, Tobacco, Perfumed Soap, Herbal Tea, Mint, Pepper, Nutmeg, Charred Oak, Cherry- Flavoured Cough Syrup, Sulphur and Acetone.       

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water and that works quite well. The Fairy Flag gets less Dirty & Dusty and more Nutty. You should certainly experiment with a few drops here.  

Rating: 83      

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


General Remarks:

🏣   The Distillery and Today's Whisky:

The name Edradour was first mentioned in 1837 but the first Single Malt was  released in 1986. The success story started in 2002 when Andrew Symington bought the distillery from Signatory. Edradour was Scotland's smallest working distillery for many years but today there are more than 10 smaller distilleries. At the moment Edradour produces around 130.000 litres of which around 26.000 are heavily peated. The core range consists of  the 10, the 12 Caledonia, the 14 CS Sherry and the 10 CS Bourbon. We visited the distillery in 2014. The fact that it is located close to Pitlochry means that lots of visitors are in fact tourists who participate in organized trips. The place was crowded and there was a very commercial feel to it that I didn't care for. A pity, because the Distillery itself as well as the surroundings are very picturesque.   

The Fairy Flag 15 Years was released in 2015 to mark the release of a film that carries the same name and was made by Rory Mhor Nicoll and Peter Columbia. It tells the story of an epic romance between the Clan Chief of the MacLeod's and the mysterious Fairy maiden, said to have almost magical qualities. In the meantime the Fairy Flag has been discontinued. I bought a miniature bottle in a Cigar/Whisky shop in Heidelberg, Germany. When I opened the package today I noticed that around 15% of the contents have evaporated.


🍷  The Spirit 

The Edradour distillery operates 1 pair of stills. The Lyne arms point downwards. The spirit is medium-bodied, Sweet, Malty, Nutty and Perfume-like. The water for this Farm Distillery is sourced from springs on Moulin Moor.


🌲  The Wood:

The Fairy Flag matured in Bourbon casks for 8 years before being transferred to fresh Ex-Oloroso Sherry casks where it matured another 7 years.

Drinking Experience: Interesting

ConclusionI must admit that Edradour is not one of my favourite distilleries. I find their expressions a bit "unfinished", rough and dirty. And there are always some off-notes to be found. Having said that, the Fairy Flag is certainly not a bad Single Malt despite its flaws. Because it has some character as well. If you are into Sherry Bombs, this Edradour would serve you well except for the fact that it's more expensive than some of its direct competitors like Glendronach, Glenfarclas and Aberlour. So despite the fact that I have some sympathy for the Fairy Flag I can't really recommend this expression as it's too expensive. That might well be the reason it has been discontinued in the meantime.

Jan van den Ende                                                              December 26, 2017

All Pictures were taken during our Visit in May 2014

Caol Ila 18 Years Review


“All I Want For Christmas Is You” 

Whisky Review # 670

Country: Scotland
Region: Islay
Brand: Caol Ila 
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 18 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: Bourbon casks  
Chill Filtration: Yes     
Price Range: On average: US$ 125 (December 2017). 
Buying Advice: 😃 Must Buy. Very nice Single Malt. Too low ABV though. 

Colour: Golden Amber (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: Pleasant and Well-Balanced. Nothing aggressive to be found. The Smoke weaves a magic spell around the other Aromas. No Whisky smells as good as a mature peated Whisky from Islay. Love it! The Peat is there but it's Herbal and Grassy rather than Coastal. I also find Sweet Barley, Toast, Caramel, Vanilla, Toffee, Straw, Salted Pork Meat, Light Soot, Rubber and Diesel Oil, Iodine, Wet Rock, Apples and Pears, Citrus (Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit), Cinnamon, Pepper, Clove, Pineapple, Butter and traces of Leather, Licorice, Wet Paper and Tobacco.


Palate: A little Thin but again very Agreeable. It's not at all Complex but you just want another sip and another...It's basically Sweet with a few Bitter and Sour elements. Again, good balance! I find Toasted Cereals, Sweet Barley, nice Grassy Peat, Salted Caramel, Toffee, Honey, Vanilla, Marzipan, Pork/Bacon on the BBQ, light Soot, Ashes and Tar, Iodine, Mandarin, Lemon, Grapefruit, Pineapple, Apple, Cinnamon, Pepper, Nutmeg, Ginger, Menthol, Licorice, Toasted Oak and traces of Leather, Chocolate, Tobacco, Herbal Tea and strong Espresso. The Smoke is a beautiful misty flavour in the background.    

Finish: Bitter-Sweet, Oily, Creamy, slightly Sour and Salty. Pretty Good! I find Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, Toffee, Vanilla, Nutella, Floral Peat, Apple, Pear, Mandarin, Lemon, Grapefruit, Toasted Oak, Chocolate, Iodine, Soot, Tobacco, Leather, Dried Herbs, Menthol, Pepper, Ginger, Nutmeg and Cinnamon. Hints of Smoked Fish and strong Espresso. If anything, a little Thin. This would be great at 46% or even Cask Strength.        

Drinking Advice:

The Caol Ila 18 Years easily accepts a few drops of Water. It doesn't change the main characteristics although the Smoke does become more evident. Slowly add a few drops to see what it does for you.   

Rating: 89     

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



General Remarks:

🏣   The Distillery and Today's Whisky:

The Caol Ila Distillery was founded in 1846 and is located close to Port Askaig on Islay. It was bought by DCL in 1927 and through some mergers is now part of Diageo. The distillery was rebuilt in 1974 and only one old Warehouse reminds us of former days. Traditionally, Caol Ila is an important component of Blends like Johnnie Walker, Bell's and White Horse. But during the last 10 years Diageo has made great efforts to position the Distillery as a Single Malt as well. Caol Ila is beautifully located alongside the strait between Islay and Jura. The Core range includes the 12, 18 and 25 Years as well as the NAS Moch. We enjoyed both our visits to the distillery in 2014 and 2017 respectively despite the fact that you're not allowed to take pictures.

The 18 Years was released in 2002. A non-peated version also exists. 

Visit May 2014 "That's the Spirit"
🍷  The Spirit 

The distillery operates three pairs of stills. The Still room provides a magnificent view towards Jura. The Lyne arms possess either a straight or downwards angle. The fermentation time is 60 hours. The Spirit is full-bodied Medicinal and Herbal. The Water is sourced from Loch nam Ban. The Malt is peated to 30-35 PPM.


🌲  The Wood:

I have no official information on this item. Based on Nosing and Tasting I believe the 18 years matured in Refill Bourbon casks.  

Drinking Experience: Very nice.

ConclusionI adore the Caol Ila 18 Years. It even beats the 25 Years although they share the same problem. And that's the fact that the ABV is too low in both cases. Both could have been really great whiskies at 46% or Cask Strength. The 18 is still very good though and I simply love the way how the Smoke in the background embraces all other Aromas and Flavours. It's a very nicely balanced Single Malt. It's a joy to take sip after sip. Today, Few distilleries have 18 and 25 years Whiskies in their core range. So Diageo, please reconsider the ABV of both the 18 and the 25 Years of Caol Ila. These whiskies fully deserve it and you would do the fans of this beautiful distillery a great pleasure. And that's what Single Malt should be about shouldn't it. To create the ultimate sipping pleasure!

Jan van den Ende                                                              December 21, 2017

Visit May 2014

Ardbeg Dark Cove Review


“Not So Dark a Cove” 

Whisky Review # 669

Country: Scotland
Region: Islay
Brand: Ardbeg Dark Cove 
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46.5%
Maturation: A Mix of Bourbon and Sherry casks. 
Chill Filtration: No     
Price Range: On average: US$ 175 (December 2017). 
Buying Advice: 😒 Negative. Better stay with the core range!

Colour: Golden Amber (Natural Colour)

Nose: Quite different from your average Ardbeg. It's quite Introvert and Soft and the Smoke is a background Aroma. On the Nose, the Dark Cove is Sweet with a few Mineral- and Meaty notes. I find Toasted Grain, Buttered Toast, Sweet Peat, Vanilla, Treacle, Honey, Caramel, Citrus, Leather, Meat or Bacon on the BBQ, Wet Sand, Peanut Butter, Dark Chocolate, Pepper, Ginger, Clove, Salt, Cinnamon and Soy Sauce. The Sherry casks are represented by Dried Fruit like Dates and Sultanas and some Nuts. And finally I find traces of Plastic, Rubber, Iodine, Tar, Band-Aid, Leather Polish and Green Apple. It's a Young Whisky and the Alcohol is quite noticeable. At this price-level I would have expected a more outspoken Aroma profile. It's very Laid-Back, almost Lazy! 

Palate: Quite tame delivery despite the seemingly adequate ABV. I can see that the Committee Release at 55% would be more adequate. I find Toasted Cereals, Salted Caramel, Burnt Toast, Honey, Charred Oak, Dried Fruit, Apple, Smoked Meat, Citrus, Dark Chocolate, Espresso, Pepper, Licorice, Menthol, Ginger, Hay, Sweet Peat, Soy Sauce, Tar, Ashes and hints of Leather and Tobacco.  

Finish: Quite Long, Bitter-Sweet and Medium-Dry. I find Toasted Grain, Toffee, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Charred Oak, Espresso, Strong Black Tea, Licorice, Honey, Pepper, Nutmeg, Clove, Ginger, Dark Chocolate, Menthol, Earthy Peat, Ashes, Soy Sauce, Bacon on the BBQ, light Tar and Burnt Rubber, Dark Red Fruit and Dried Herbs. The Sweetness is slightly Artificial and a bit unpleasant after a few sips.        

Drinking Advice:

Added Water does not improve the Dark Cove. 

Rating: 85.5    

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

Image result for ardbeg dark cove

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 Dark Cove refers to the illegal distilling and smuggling that was so common  in the old days on the isle of Islay and often happened in hidden coves and on remote beaches. It was launched as a limited edition to celebrate Ardbeg Day 2016 that was held on May 28 of that year. A special Ardbeg Committee release of the Dark Cove bottled at 55% was released as well.

🍷  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:

There is no official available information on the casks except for the fact that it's a mix of Bourbon casks and Dark Sherry casks. Based on Nosing and Tasting I would say that the Dark Cove matured in refill Bourbon casks (Jack Daniels) and perhaps as much as 15% of heavily seasoned Oloroso/PX Sherry casks.

Drinking Experience: Good but I expected more based on Marketing and Price Level.

ConclusionI am a Big fan of Ardbeg's core range and the Uigeadail is still my favourite Whisky. I'm not extremely excited by their special editions though. I applaud the fact that they are doing their best to create something "new" each time but I always come to basically the same conclusion. The core range is better and less expensive. I realize that many collectors and speculators love these special Ardbeg editions and they are usually sold out in no time. And, to be frank, the Dark Cove is not at all a bad Single Malt although it has its flaws. But in my opinion you are way better of with the core range if you like Ardbeg!

Jan van den Ende                                                              December 18, 2017

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Talisker Dark Storm Review


“Storms Over Skye”

A Bit of History.

On September 15, 2013, I reviewed the Talisker Storm. Here are the Tasting Notes I wrote back then:

Country: Scotland
Brand: Talisker Storm
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Region: Highland - Islands - Skye
Age: NAS
ABV: 45,8%

Colour: Light Gold

Nose: With a name like this I would have expected impressions of Briny Waves full of Foamy Salty Water breaking on the rocks and screaming white Seagulls fighting the Dark and Rolling Thunderclouds above the Isle of Skye. In reality, the Nose of the Storm is not much more than a gentle Breeze of (Tropical) Fruits like Banana, Apricot and Pineapple, Honey, Salted Butter, Malt, Pencil Shavings and Orange Peel in combination with some Leather, Dusty Earth, Wood Smoke, Pepper, Ginger, Mint and hints of BBQ and Band-Aids. It's clear that there are some young spirits included in the Storm and the Alcohol is not completely embedded. When compared to the Talisker 10, the Storm has perhaps a tad more Peat and Salt. 

Taste: On the Thin side despite the relatively high ABV. It is quite Dry and Salty and presents a light Bitterness that could be a result of relaxed Wood Management. I find light Wood Smoke, Dusty Peat, Brine, Grass, Malt, Wax, Leather, Nuts, Honey and Pepper. It's not as diverse as the 10 Years but perhaps slightly more balanced.


Finish: Medium Long, Dry and Salty with (Chili) Pepper, Wood Smoke, Oak, Peat, Ginger and a touch of Honey. Rather forgettable. It's in the Finish that the Storm clearly loses the battle against the 10 Year.

The Talisker Storm does not accept Water very well despite its fiery name.  

Rating: 84,5

Nose: 21 – Taste: 21.5 – Finish: 21 – Overall: 21

Conclusion: The Talisker distillery is part of Diageo. And Diageo takes marketing very seriously. Talisker sales have boomed during the last years. And everybody knows the word-wide success story of Johnny Walker Blue despite it being overpriced and overvalued. But let's go back to Talisker. With the Ten Years they have a standard OB that's quite good although quality has dropped a bit over the years. I would not be surprised if increasing demand for the 10 years was threatening supply. So a short-term solution needed to be found. And that solution could well be the NAS Storm that was introduced with the usual quality marketing of Diageo. Great packaging and presentation that will certainly please potential buyers. "Bring on the Storm" the propaganda screamed. To me this Single Malt seems to be the temporary assistant of the 10 years until supply and demand of the latter are back in balance. But let's go back to the intrinsic quality of the Storm. When compared to the Nose of the 10 years, the Storm is slightly more Peaty and Salty but also younger and a bit edgy. On the Palate the Storm is actually quite smooth but shows less character than the 10 Years. And while the Finish of the 10 years is something you will remember for the rest of your life, the Finish of the Storm is smooth but quite forgettable. All this leads me to the conclusion that, while the Talisker Storm is not a bad Single Malt, it is actually not much more than a Storm in a Teacup!

Very recently, one of friends travelled abroad and on the way back brought me a bottle of the Dark Storm, bought at the Sao Paulo Airport Travel Retail Shop. I am very curious to see how it is and how it compares to the Storm. So Let's go!

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Whisky Review # 668

Country: Scotland
Region: Highlands - Islands - Skye
Brand: Talisker Dark Storm 
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 45.8%
Maturation: Heavily Charred Bourbon casks. 
Chill Filtration: Yes     
Price Range: Around US$ 70 (December 2017). 
Buying Advice: 😐 Neutral. Not bad for a NAS! Still prefer the 10 Years!  

Colour: Dark Amber with shades of Orange (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: Smoked Kipper, Sweet Earthy Peat and Bacon are my first impressions. For a moment Lagavulin 16 Years popped up in my mind. It's a relatively Young Whisky but apparently the extra Charred casks absorbed a part of the harshness that is characteristic for young peated Malts. The Alcohol is noticeable though so you need to work your way around that. This Whisky could have been made on Islay because I find Iodine, Tar, Band-Aids and Brine. But there's enough Chili and Pepper there that screams I'm Talisker! I also find Sweet Barley, Toasted Cereals, slightly Burnt Toast, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Brown Sugar, Wax, Yeast and Dusty Attic. The Fruit is represented by thick Warm Apple Sauce, Mandarin, Raisins, Lemon and Orange. Finally Menthol, Leather and traces of Tobacco, Soy Sauce, Banana and Dark Chocolate. It's not bad but it's nothing special either and the Sharp Alcohol bothers me a bit.

Visit May 2017

Palate: Bitter-Sweet and Dry with a few Sour notes towards the end. I find Toasted Cereals, Salted Caramel, Dusty Peat, Yeast, Iodine, Tar, BBQ, Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Nuts, Orange, Lemon, Red Berries, Ripe Apple, Raisins, Leather, Tobacco, Pepper, Nutmeg, Ginger, Licorice, Menthol, Dried Herbs, Charred Oak, Espresso and Dark Chocolate. 

Finish: Quite Long and better than the Storm in this aspect. Still, it's a Young Whisky and there are some Sharp and Raw edges here. Rusty Iron came to my mind. I also find Toasted Cereals, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Almonds, Mandarin, Orange, Heather-Honey, Apple, Grapefruit, Charred Oak, Pepper, Nutmeg, Clove, Ginger, Aniseed, Licorice, Earthy Peat, Floral Soap, BBQ and Dark Chocolate. On the Finish, this Dark Storm is Bitter-Sweet and Quite Dry. A few Sour notes as well. The Alcohol remains noticeable. After a while a Strawberry note appears out of nowhere.    
Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water and that takes care of the Sharp Alcohol. The Dark Storm accepts a few drops although you do meddle with the character of this Malt. 

Rating: 84.5   

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

General Remarks:

🏣   The Distillery and Today's Whisky:

The distillery is located in Carbost on the Isle of Skye and was founded in 1830. The current owners are Diageo. Despite the remote location, Talisker receives lots of visitors and the Shop and VC were recently refurnished. We visited the distillery in May this year and it was crowded! We didn't like the Tour a lot. You are not allowed to take pictures and mill and casks can only be seen behind glass. You can't get very close to the stills as well. It was nice to have a close look at the wooden worm tubs outside. The subsequent Tasting was really nice though and we spend almost an hour in a separate room tasting six different Taliskers. If you're on Skye you should certainly pay Talisker a visit.

The Dark Storm was released specifically for the Travel Retail market in 2013, a few months after the introduction of the Storm. Dark Storm was launched as the peatiest Talisker! In the meantime you can buy it on line as well.

Tasting during Visit May 2017

🍷  The Spirit 

Talisker operates two wash stills and three spirit stills. The Lyne arms of the wash stills make a peculiar U bend that increases the contact of the spirit with the copper. The fermentation time is long. The stills produce a lightly peated full-bodied Spicy and Peppery Whisky. The Water is sourced from the Springs on Cnoc Nan Speirag just above the distillery.

Visit May 2017
🌲  The Wood:

The Dark Storm matures in selected heavily Charred casks to create extra Spice and Smoke. I have no specific information on the type of casks used and the colour does not give us any clues as a hand full of Caramel was added. Based on the Tasting however I conclude that Bourbon casks were used. 

Drinking Experience: Good

Conclusion: I just noticed that I gave the Storm and the Dark Storm the same score. Does that mean they are basically the same Whiskies? No, not at all. The Storm is merely a gentle Breeze and an easy going Single Malt. The Dark Storm has more character and is far more Raw and Edgy. Both are quite Salty when compared to other Taliskers. Both Storm and Dark Storm have something in common though. They are both young Whiskies and pale when compared to the  Show stoppers of the distillery, the 10 and the 18 Years. The latter one remains my favourite Talisker and in fact one of my favourite Single Malts.      

Jan van den Ende                                                              December 14, 2017

Image result for talisker distillery
Visit May 2017

Glen Keith 1992 (Archives) Review - Craigellachie 1991 (Scott's Selection) Review, Miltonduff 10 Years (Gordon & MacPhail) Review - Glen Grant 1990 (Gordon & MacPhail) Review


“A Quartet of Indie Speysiders”

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 region like today or with specific bottlers, 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 4 Single Malts from Speyside bottled by various Independent Bottlers. Enjoy!
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Glen Keith 1992 Arc

Whisky Review # 664

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside
Brand: Glen Keith 1992
Bottled by: Whiskybase - Archives - The Fishes of Samoa Series
Type: Single Malt Single Cask Whisky
Age: 21 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 51.5%
Maturation: Bourbon cask # 120599 (218 Bottles) 
Chill Filtration: No   
Buying Advice: 😐 Neutral. Good Malt. A few flaws. Rather expensive. 

Colour: Chardonnay (Natural Colour)

Nose: Relatively Light for a 21 Year old Single Malt. Quite pleasant though with lots of Fruit and Malt. The Alcohol has integrated reasonably well despite the high ABV. I find Sweet Barley, Toffee, Salted Caramel, Butter Kekse (German Butter Biscuits), Puff Pastry, Vanilla, Hay, Grass, Raisins, Heather-Honey, Wax, Peach, Saw Dust, Floral Soap, Apple, Pear, Pineapple, Orange, Latte Macchiato, Almond Paste and traces of Lemon Grass, Cinnamon, Clove, Nutmeg, Wood Polish, Papaya Cream and Menthol. There is also a hint of Dark Red Fruit but I can't quite pin it down. Nice laid-back Nose. Good cask.     

Palate: Bitter-Sweet, Herbal, slightly Sour and Medium Dry. The Alcohol is more present now. I find Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Toffee, Honey, Vanilla, Mandarin, Plums, Banana, Pineapple, Toasted Oak, Straw, Dried Herbs, Licorice, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, Cocoa Powder, Dried Apricot, Menthol and traces of Tobacco and Wood Polish.  

Finish: Mostly Sweet. A few Bitter, Sour and Herbal notes towards the Medium-Dry end. The Alcohol is even more noticeable by now. I find Toasted Barley, Butter Kekse, Salted Caramel, Dough, Grass, Hay, Vanilla, Orange-Flavoured Chocolate, Cocoa Powder, Pear, Apple, Heather-Honey, Latte Macchiato, Menthol, Licorice, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg and a slight Rubbery off-note. 

Rating: 85    

Nose: 22.5 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 20.5 - Overall: 21   

Conclusion:

The Glen Keith I'm reviewing today was distilled in October 1992 and was bottled at Cask Strength in March 2014. Glen Keith's production is mainly used in well-known Blends such as Chivas Regal and Passport. A few bottles of this Archives expression can still be found on the Internet. Prices are in the 160-190 US$ range. Let's see if it's worth that kind of money. The Nose is very nice with all kinds of Fruit but on the Palate Wood and Spices become very prominent and I didn't care for the light Rubbery off-note in the Finish. If Palate and Finish were as good as the Nose I would fully recommend buying a bottle. As it stands however I find the current price a little too stiff for the total package. 

Image illustrative de l'article Glen Keith

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Craigellachie 1991 Sc

Whisky Review # 665

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside
Brand: Craigellachie 1991
Bottled by: Scott's Selection
Type: Single Malt Single Cask Whisky
Age: 20 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 55.8%
Maturation: Bourbon cask # 2712 (225 Bottles) 
Chill Filtration: No   
Buying Advice: 😜 Bored with mainstream? Then give this a try!  

Colour: White Wine/Pale Straw (Natural Colour)

Nose: The Alcohol is there so you will have to find your way around it. Quite different from the Glen Keith by the way. The Glen Keith was pleasant and quite balanced on the Nose but this Craigellachie is still Nervous and Edgy even after 20 years. Less interaction with the cask. The Nose is mainly Sweet but there are quite a few Mineral and Green notes as well. I find Toasted Breakfast Cereals, slightly Burnt Toast with a mix of Butter & Margarine, Farm Yard, Grass, Straw, Vanilla, Wet Sand, Bread Dough, Nuts and Nutshells, Heather-Honey, Cooked Vegetables, Sweet Apple, Pear Drops, Orange, Unripe Strawberries, Muesli Bars, Salted Caramel, Pepper, Nutmeg, Refill Wood and traces of Cherry-Flavoured Candies and Cinnamon. It's all a bit untidy as Field Marshall Montgomery used to say.

Palate: Sweet and Funky. Good Delivery thanks to the high ABV. It remains a bit of a mess but there's a certain flair here that I can't deny. It's the best part of this Malt in my view. I find Toasted Cereals, Salted Caramel, Apricot Jam, Orange-Flavoured Dark Chocolate, Toasted Oak, Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Nuts, Sweet Apple, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Ginger, Cardamom, Licorice, Menthol, and Aniseed. Unripe Pineapples perhaps.    

Finish: Middle-Long but Powerful thanks to the high ABV. Malt, Oak and Spice rule in this department. I find Toasted Cereals, Salted Caramel, Bitter Chocolate, Orange Peel, Pepper, Nutmeg, Ginger, Cardamom, Licorice, Aniseed, Menthol and traces of Dried Fruit like Apricot and Sultanas.   

Rating: 83.5   

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

Conclusion

This Craigellachie was distilled in 1991 and bottled at Cask Strength in October 2011. Craigellachie is of course the home of the Dewar's Blends. The 1991 Single Malt I'm tasting today is certainly an interesting whisky. Not at all boring like many of today's mainstream Single Malts. It is quite funky actually albeit it also a bit nervous, edgy and unbalanced. The best part for me is the Palate and that's highly unusual. You can still buy this Single Malt at around US$ 140. That's not cheap of course and I don't think everybody will like this Craigellachie as it clearly has a mind of its own. But if you're the adventurous type that is easily bored with today's mainstream stuff you might give this one a try! 
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Whisky Review # 666

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside
Brand: Miltonduff
Bottled by: Gordon & MacPhail
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 10 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: A mix of First-Fill and Refill Sherry casks  
Chill Filtration: No    
Buying Advice: 😐 Neutral. Simple Speyside Malt with Good P/Q ratio.  

Colour: Light Golden (Original Colour)

Nose: Quite Light but not unpleasant. Fruity and Floral. The Sherry casks are noticeable but not overly so. Mostly refill casks I would say. I find Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Toffee, Caramel, Heather-Honey, Hay, Grass, Charred Oak, Apple, Pear, Orange, Peach, slightly Sour Berries, Fresh Herbs, White Wine, Milk Chocolate, Green Vegetables, Bread Dough and a sprinkle of Lemon. Simple and quite inoffensive.  

Palate: Light and on the Thin Side. An ABV of 40% hardly ever convinces. I find Sweet Barley, Toffee, Butterscotch, Caramel, Hay, Straw, Heather-Honey, Red Apple, Orange, Sour Gooseberries, Fresh Herbs, Green Vegetables, Hazelnuts, Charred Oak, Pepper, Licorice and Sugared Tea.     

Finish: Rather short and a bit Thin. Mostly Sweet but with some Sour and Bitter notes towards the surprisingly Dry end. I find Sweet Barley, Toffee, Caramel, a mix of Nuts, Apple, Orange, Green Vegetables, Charred Oak, Alcohol, Pepper and light Licorice and Menthol.

Rating: 81    

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 19.5 - Finish: 19.5 - Overall: 20.5   

Conclusion

Miltonduff is mostly known for its contribution to the Ballantine Blends. It's very difficult to find a Single Malt of this Distillery other than the 10 Years bottled by Gordon & MacPhail that I'm reviewing today. There's not much to say about this Malt I'm afraid. It's a simple entry Speysider without any highs or lows. But at around US$ 40, the Price/Quality ratio is quite good. Nice for beginning Whisky drinkers but too simple for advanced Malt fans. 
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Whisky Review # 667

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside
Brand: Glen Grant 1990
Bottled by: Gordon & MacPhail
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 17 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: Bourbon casks  
Chill Filtration: No    
Buying Advice:  😐 Neutral. Simple Speyside Malt with Good P/Q ratio.

Colour: Light Golden (Natural Colour)

Nose: Light. In a Blind Tasting I wouldn't have given this Malt seventeen years. It smells Younger and still quite Fresh. Good but not overly active Bourbon casks. This Glen Grant is mildly Sweet, Fruity and Floral on the Nose. I find Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Caramel, Heather-Honey, Raisins, Red Apple, Peach, Ripe Banana, Pineapple, Nectarine, Citrus, Grass, Milk Chocolate, Saw Dust, Wax, Floral Soap and traces of Resin, Ginger and Aniseed.   

Palate: Creamy but Thin at the same time. I find Sweet Malt, Caramel, Toffee, Golden Syrup, Buttered Toast, Vanilla, Grass, Hay, Hazelnut, Red Apple, Pear, Citrus, Nectarine, Charred Oak, Milk Chocolate, Fresh Herbs, Pepper, Ginger, Aniseed, Licorice, Menthol and Cinnamon.      

Finish: Rather Short and on the Thin side. Sugary Sweet on the one hand  but with some Bitter and Sour notes toward the Medium-Dry end. I find Sweet Malt, Caramel, Vanilla, Golden Syrup, Toffee, Nectarine, Citrus, Hazelnuts, Charred Oak, Sugared Tea, Licorice, Menthol, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg and a bit of Cocoa Powder.

Rating: 80     

Nose: 21 - Taste: 20 - Finish: 19 - Overall: 20   

Conclusion

This Glen Grant might be difficult to find but it's not at all expensive for its age. I have seen prices at around US$ 40. Excellent Price/Quality ratio at this price level. Like the Miltonduff I described above, this Glen Grant is a Light and Thin Entry Speysider. It's not at all bad but there's not too much of interest going on either. To be used as an Aperitif on a hot summer day. Cheers!


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

Jan van den Ende                                                              December 11, 2017