Teeling Single Grain Review

“I Can’t Stand the Grain”

Whisky Review # 863

Country: Ireland

Brand: Teeling Single Grain
Crafted and Bottled by: The Teeling Whiskey Company, Dublin
Distilled at: Cooley
Type: Single Grain Irish Whiskey

Age: NAS (Said to be 5 Years)

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: French Oak California Cabernet Sauvignon Red Wine Barrels
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 30-50 (March 2020)
Price/Quality Ratio:😐Okay at US$ 25.  Too expensive if priced over US$ 30.
Buying Advice: 👎 Young, Rough Grain Alcohol with Spices & Dark Red Fruits.

Colour: Golden (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

Be sure to give this Young and slightly Rough Teeling enough time in the glass before Nosing. The Alcohol is quite strong and needs to calm down. It will never completely go away though and that affects the Nosing pleasure in a negative way. On the Nose you'll find Sweet, Bitter and Sour notes. It's quite Fruity actually although it feels rather artificial. The Red Wine casks are noticeable but they didn't give a lot of extra colour to this Single Grain. I believe I find hints of Virgin Oak as well. Although there's 95% corn in the Mash bill, it doesn't smell like Bourbon a lot.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Grains, Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Artificially Flavoured Candies (Apple, Melon, Pear), Orange Peel, Red Wine, Oak, Pepper, and Cinnamon.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Vanilla, Demerara Sugar, Dusty Track, Forest Floor, Dried Herbs, Milk-Hazelnut Chocolate, Aniseed, Licorice, Leather/Nail Polish & Raw Minced Meat.

Palate:

Young, Unbalanced, Dry and slightly Rough. The Grain Alcohol is everywhere. Again a mix of Sweet, Bitter and Sour notes.

Main Flavours:

Cereals, Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Sour Red Wine/Red Berries, Slivovitz, Orange Peel, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon and Ginger.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Wax, Treacle, Vanilla, Milk-Hazelnut Chocolate, Artificially Flavoured Candies (Apple, Pear, Nectarine), Dried Herbs, Dusty Earth, Licorice, Aniseed and Leather-Polish.

Finish:

Quite Short and Dry. Only the Alcohol, Cereals and Caramel stay a little longer. It's what you would expect of a Young and Light Grain Whiskey. I find Cereals, Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Treacle, Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Sour Red Wine, slightly Bitter Oak, Orange Peel, Hazelnut, Sultanas, Cocoa Powder, Slivovitz, Pear, Pepper, Nutmeg, Ginger and Cinnamon.

Drinking Advice:

I added a bit of Water and that cuts a bit of the Alcohol of course. But the Single Grain becomes more something of an Apricot Fruit Liqueur on the Nose. The Taster becomes too Thin though and the Finish virtually disappears. Better sip it Neat.

Rating: 77

Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 19.5 - Finish: 18 - Overall: 19

Drinking Experience Neat: Borderline Okay.

Conclusion:

In 1989, John Teeling started the Cooley Distillery together with his sons Jack and Stephen. John sold the distillery in 2011 to Beam-Suntory. Part of the agreement was that Teeling retained 16.000 casks of ageing Cooley Whiskey. In 2012, Jack and Stephen founded Teeling Whiskey Company, bottling the Cooley casks under the Teeling label. Subsequently they founded a new distillery in the year 2015 in Dublin but also continue to bottle the sourced Cooley casks that have aged sufficiently.

The Triple-Distilled Single Grain was released in 2013. The Mash Bill consists of 95% Corn and 5% Malted Barley.

In my opinion, Single Grain Whisky in general benefits from maturing for a long number of years (around 20) in good casks. It's very difficult to produce a good Single Grain in a short period of time. Teeling tried to partially attend this issue by maturing the Spirit in Red Wine casks. The Young Grain Alcohol remains all over the place though although admittedly the casks add some dark Red Fruit and Wine tones. The casks weren't particularly active though as they could not add a whole lot of colour to the Spirit during the 5 Years or so of maturation. So while I applaud the innovative effort by Teeling I can't really recommend this Single Grain. It might serve for cocktails if you can get it at around US$ 25.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                     March 9, 2020

Johnnie Walker A Song of Fire Review

“Baby Dragon”

Whisky Review # 862

Country: Scotland

Brand: Johnnie Walker A Song of Fire (Limited Edition)
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky

Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40.8%
Maturation: Probably Refill Bourbon Casks with some Sherry Wood & Virgin Oak
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 32-38 (March 2020)
Price/Quality Ratio: Just Okay. It's a nice bottle for your GoT collection though!
Buying Advice: 👍 It's a little Thin but the Bottle will convince you. Just once!

Colour: Light Amber (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

Light, Young, a little Musty and Sweet. The Dragon probably just flew over Caol Ila a few times and picked up a bit of the Smoky Air around the distillery. Cause there's only a thin veil of Cold Campfire Smoke around. A little (Dried) Fruit, some Citrus and a few Nuts and Spices and that's about it. The Grain Alcohol is noticeable but it's not too sharp.

Main Aromas:

Toasted Grains, Caramel, Brown Sugar, Mixed Dried Fruit and Nuts, Dusty Earth and Cold Smoke, Orange and Lemon Peel, Leather, Dried Herbs, Milk Chocolate and Pepper.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toffee, Vanilla, Malted and Toasted Barley, Refill Oak, Cooked Apples, Plastic, Perfume, Cinnamon, Cloves, Aniseed and BBQ.

Palate:

Light, Young, Thin, Bitter-Sweet & a little Hot & Sour. The Grain Alcohol comes to the front and Smoke and Dusty Track are more noticeable as well.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Cereals, Grain Alcohol, Toffee, Caramel, Dried Fruit like Apricot, Salted Nuts, Orange Peel, Cold Smoke, Dusty Road and Pepper.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Toasted Malt, Vanilla, Wax, Honey, Leather, Milk Chocolate, Ashes, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Lemon and Artificially Flavoured Strawberry Yogurt.

Finish:

Short/Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet, Young, Spicy, Thin and a little Hot. The Grain Alcohol rules by now and images of Peppered Vodka appear. I identify Toasted Cereals, Grain Alcohol, Caramel, Toffee, Dried Fruit like Apricots & Salted Nuts, Cold Smoke and Dusty Road, Refill Oak, Leather, Ashes, Dried Herbs, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Citrus and Artificially Flavoured Strawberry Yogurt.

Drinking Advice:

You can add a few drops of Water but I prefer it Neat or on the Rocks.

Rating: 77

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

Drinking Experience Neat: Just Okay

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Light but Okay

Conclusion:

Diageo and HBO work together in celebrating the enormous success of Game of Thrones. As successors to The White Walker Blend released in 2018 two new Blends saw the light last year. A Song of Fire representing the House Targaryen and A Song of Ice representing House Stark that I reviewed earlier this month.  A Song of Fire comes in a very nice frosted bottle that shows a Dragon, the House Targaryen's house sigil, in a fiery setting with deep Red Colours. At its heart lies Caol Ila, one of Scotland's Islay distilleries. It is bottled at a weird ABV of 40.8%. Quite unusual!

Like A Song of Ice, his hot sister does not provide Whisky heaven. It's too Thin for that and the Aroma/Flavour profile is pretty basic. But it's less Harsh than JW Red and if you buy it at a Travel Retail Shop like I did you get a very nice bottle for US$ 19. It's much more a Collectors Item than anything else but as a one time buy it will serve you well.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                     March 2, 2020

Ardbeg Uigeadail 2016 Review

“The Ardbeg Uigeadail Reviews”

History:

At the start of 2014 I had the opportunity to review the Ardbeg Uigeadail bottled in 2012. I loved this Single Malt and it still occupies the # 1 spot in my All-Time Whisky List. Early 2018 I received a small sample of the same Whisky, bottled in 2017. I did a quick and dirty tasting session due to the very small size of the sample but it became clear that it differed substantially when compared to the 2012 expression. When I was in The Netherlands last year I received a generous sample of the 2016 Bottling from my brother in law Jan Bronkhorst with the request to do a full review on this expression in order to better compare it with the 2012 bottling. That's exactly what I'm gonna do today. Cheers and thanks for the sample Jan!

Ardbeg Uigeadail 2012 Review (Reviewed on January 1, 2014)

Country: Scotland

Region: Islay

Brand: Ardbeg Uigeadail (Bottled 2012)

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: NAS

ABV: 54.2 %

Colour: Amber

Nose: Give the Uigeadail sufficient time in the glass. At first I get loads of Earthy Juicy Peat accompanied by Smoked Meat, Bacon, Fish-Oil, Tar, Leather, Rum-Soaked Fruit Cake, Pepper and Salt. But be patient because this Ardbeg has more to offer. After a while I find Raisins, Espresso, Chocolate/Cocoa, Toffee, Caramel, Brown Sugar, a little Sherry, Malt and Cigar Ashes. The ABV is a bit too high perhaps and the Alcohol is not completely integrated. But other than that the Uigeadail is nicely balanced and comfortable on the Nose.

Palate: Juicy Peat, Creamy Barley, BBQ Smoke, Tar, Leather, Oak, Sweet Dark Fruits, Honey, Bacon, light Medicinal tones, Pepper, Cinnamon, Lemon, Sherry and a hint of Chocolate. This is Ardbeg at its best!

Finish: Very Long, Sweet at first but Dry later on. Juicy Peat, Earth, Caramel, Sweet Barley, Brown Sugar, Espresso, light Licorice, Cigar Ashes, White Pepper, BBQ Smoke and Toast with a nice slice of Bacon.

With a bit of Water the Nose gets more Honey and Dark Fruits (Prunes). Honey and Sweet Peat are reinforced on the palate but the Finish becomes shorter and not quite that expressive. Better sip the Uigeadail neat!

Rating: 92.5

Nose: 23 - Taste: 23.5 - Finish: 23 - Overall: 23

General Remarks: The Ardbeg (Little Height in Gaelic) Distillery is located on the South Coast of the Isle of Islay. The Distillery was founded in 1794 and commercial production started in 1815. It was closed between 1981 and 1989 after which it produced on a low scale until 1997 when it was bought by Glenmorangie Plc, part of the French LVMH Group. The Uigeadail takes it name from the loch that provides the Distillery with the peated Water. Uigeadail means Dark and Mysterious Place in Gaelic. It matures in a mix of Ex-Bourbon Casks and Ex-Sherry Butts and is married before bottling.The whisky is not Chill-Filtered and (in this case) bottled at Cask Strength in November 2012. It costs around 90 US Dollars, an excellent Price/Quality ratio.

Drinking Experience Neat: Very Good/Excellent

Conclusion: Ardbeg is certainly one of my favourite distilleries. Both the 10 Years and the Supernova 2010 are charted high in my Top 20 so far. But the Uigeadail seems to take the best of those two whiskies and add even more complexity and balance. Coastal, Floral and Fruity tones are in near perfect harmony. And despite its complexity it remains utterly drinkable as well! This could have scored even higher if the Uigeadail had been bottled at a slightly lower ABV. I think that anything between 46 and 50% would have been sufficient. Of course you can add a little Water but I'm not a great fan of that. Because in doing so you might make it easier to appreciate the Uigeadail but at the same time you alter the Spirit. I prefer to judge the whisky the way it is presented by the makers. But all in all this is a great Single Malt and it goes right to the # 1 spot in the Complete Ranking so far. What a great way to start 2014!

Ardbeg Uigeadail 2017

In the beginning of 2018 I had the chance to taste a dram of an Uigeadail that was bottled in 2017. For sure this expression has changed. It's less complex and shows more Peat and Spices. The Finish is a lot shorter than it was before. It's still a nice Whisky but the magic is gone. I would assume that the lack of good Bourbon and Sherry casks has hit the Uigeadail as well. Based on the sample I would rate the 2017 expression as follows:

Rating: 86.5

Nose: 22 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 22 =================================================

“The Magic Has Gone”

Whisky Review # 861

Country: Scotland

Region: Islay
Brand: Ardbeg Uigeadail (Bottled in 2016)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 54.2%
Maturation: A mix of Ex-Bourbon and Sherry Wood
Chill Filtration: No
Sample provide by: Jan from the Netherlands. Many Thanks!
Price Range: US$ 80-100 (February 2020)
Price/Quality Ratio: Okay
Buying Advice: 👍It's not what it used to be but still a good peated Malt.

Colour: Medium Amber (Natural Colour)  - It's Lighter in Colour than the 2012

Nose:

Lots of Peat, Smoke and (Burnt) BBQ notes. Some Sweet, some Sour. I feel that the Sherry cask influence has diminished. It's not bad for sure but it lost balance and complexity when compared to the 2012.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Burnt Toast, Salted Caramel, Peat (Dirty Earth), Cold Campfire Smoke, Burnt Grass, Tar, Ashes, Bacon and Fish on the BBQ, Lemon, Pepper, Tobacco and Leather.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Brown Sugar, Toffee, Cooked Vegetables, Raspberry, Blueberry, Rum Soaked Raisins, Dark Chocolate, Herbal Tea, Black Espresso, Menthol and Old Cheese.

Palate:

Bitter Sweet, slightly Young and a little Rough. Still, it's my favorite part of this Uigeadail. Again quite a lot of Peat/Smoke, BBQ and Dark Fruits. It's a little Mineral and Medicinal as well.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Burnt Toast, Salted Caramel, Dirty Peat, Cold Campfire Smoke, Tar, Ashes, Bacon and Fish on the BBQ with a sprinkle of Lemon, Dark Cocoa, Pepper, Ginger, Cardamom, Leather, Licorice, Menthol and Dark Espresso.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Toffee, Brown Sugar, Honey, Vanilla, Wet Stones, Burnt Newspaper, Raspberry, Blueberry, Rum Soaked Raisins, Cherry-Flavoured Cough Syrup, Forrest Floor, Oak and Cinnamon.

Finish:

Quite Long. Bitter-Sweet and Medium-Dry. It feels a little Young and Harsh and I wonder if some Fresh Oak was introduced to the maturation process. I find Sweet Barley, Burnt Toast, Dirty Peat, Cold Smoke, Tar, Ashes, Bacon and Fish on the BBQ, Salted Caramel, Toffee, Honey, Cherry-Flavoured Cough Syrup, Oak, Dark Chocolate, Bitter Espresso, Pepper, Menthol, Herbal Tea, Lemon, Leather, Tobacco and Licorice.

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water and although you loose a bit of the Harshness, it gets too diluted in my opinion. You can add a few drops but don't overdo it!

Rating: 86

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 22 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21.5

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion:

The Uigeadail is still a nice peated Whisky but, as I wrote in my 2018 update, the magic has gone. The main reason must be the lack of good Sherry Wood. I  suspect that some Virgin Oak was used in the 2016 expression. As a result, the 2016 shows a lot of Peat, BBQ, Spices and Dark Fruit but it misses complexity and balance when compared to the great 2012 expression. Its relative Youth becomes also more clear in a few harsh notes. I still wouldn't say no if someone offered me a dram of the Uigeadail but I wouldn't go running after a full bottle anymore. Another dream is over unfortunately. We must face today's distorted Whisky market I'm afraid. Let's hope the good old days will return some day!

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende
                                                                                         February 17, 2020

Johnnie Walker A Song Of Ice Review

“A Blend On Ice”

Whisky Review # 860

Country: Scotland

Brand: Johnnie Walker A Song of Ice (Limited Edition)
Type: Blended Scotch Whisky

Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40.2%
Maturation: Unknown. I presume Refill Ex-Bourbon - & some Refill Sherry Wood
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 30-35 (February 2020)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍Okay. Nothing special though and a little Thin.
Buying Advice: 👍 You won't throw it in the sink and it's a nice bottle! 

Colour: Golden Sunlight/Light Amber (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

Light, Young, Floral, a little Thin and Sweet. The Grain Whisky rules but it's a little Softer than the regular JW Red. Not much going on though. The Alcohol is noticeable.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Grain, Breakfast Cereals, Brown Sugar, Caramel, Honey, Grass, Banana, Green Apple, Coconut, Mint, Cinnamon and Gooseberry.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Butterscotch, Toffee, Wax, Orange, Pear, Nectarine, Herbal Tea, Lemon, Varnish and Oak Char.

Palate:

Light, Young, Bitter-Sweet and slightly Sour. Again, it's a little softer and less harsh than the regular JW Red. You can sip this Neat although I prefer it over ice. The Alcohol is present of course.

Main Flavours:

Grain Alcohol, Sugared Breakfast Cereals, Caramel, Toffee, Honey, Grass, Oak Char, Banana, Coconut, Green Apple, Cinnamon, Pepper, Ginger and Menthol.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Vanilla, Butterscotch, Toast and Margarine, Wax, Pear, Gooseberry, Nectarine, Varnish, Iron, Herbal Tea and Nutmeg.

Finish:

Quite Short, Bitter-Sweet and a little Sour and Musty. I find Sugared Breakfast Cereals, Grain Alcohol, Toffee, Caramel, Oak Char, Artificially Flavoured Candies (Cherry/Pineapple/Green Apple), Honey, Grass, Lemon, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Iron, Pepper, Ginger and Gooseberry.

Drinking Advice:

I prefer it without added Water but you remarkably can add a few drops if you like.

Rating: 77

Nose: 20 - Taste: 19  - Finish: 18.5  - Overall: 19.5

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Light but Okay

Conclusion:

Diageo and HBO work together in celebrating the enormous success of Game of Thrones. As successors to The White Walker Blend released in 2018 two new Blends saw the light last year. A Song of Fire representing the House Targaryen and A Song of Ice representing House Stark. I will review the first one later this month.  A Song of Ice comes in a nice bottle and shows a Dire Wolf, the House Stark's house sigil, in an icy setting with frosted Blue and Grey Colours inspired by the North of Westeros. At its heart lies Clynelish, one of Scotland's northern distilleries. It is bottled at a weird ABV of 40.2%. Never saw that!

I usually don't care much for Diageo's commercial policy but I do think they did it right this time. For US$ 30 (Or US$ 19 that I paid in the Duty Free) you get a very nice bottle that you will want to keep and a reasonable Blend to go along with it. This is a step up from the regular JW Red. It's not a huge step of course but still! It's easily drinkable over Ice and you can even sip it neat if you like. I don't taste much Clynelish but at this price level I'm not gonna complain. This is not a Blend for the winters that are coming but should be enjoyed on a warm summer day over Ice.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                February 10, 2020

AnCnoc 12 Years Review - AnCnoc 18 Years Review - AnCnoc Peatheart Review

“AnCnoc Three Times”

Whisky Review # 857

Country: Scotland
Region: Highlands

Brand: AnCnoc
Distilled at: Knockdhu
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 12 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: Refill Ex-Bourbon Casks
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 30-40 (February 2020)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Okay, especially if you can get it at around US$ 30.
Buying Advice: 👎It's not bad but at 40% it's way too Thin. Not recommended 

Colour: Yellow Gold (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

Light, Fruity, Floral, Sweet, Sour, a little Thin and slightly Dusty. There is some Alcohol as well so please give this AnCnoc sufficient time in the glass and nose along the brim of your glass. The Nose is a bit underwhelming.

Main Aromas:

Toasted Grains, Sweet Barley, Grass & Straw, Yeast, Wax, Green Apple, Lemon, Grapefruit, Gooseberry, Cinnamon, Ginger, Licorice and Mint.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Buttered Toast, Honey, Floral Soap, Nuts, Apricot-filled Puff Pastry, Wet Stones, Dirty Track, Wet Newspaper, Metal, Unripe Banana dusted w/ Nutmeg, Pineapple and Mandarin.

Palate:

Light, Thin, Bitter-Sweet, Dry, Sour & Salty. The ABV of 40% is definitively too low in this case. The Aromas and Flavours are there somewhere but they are not presented in the correct way.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Grains, Sweet Barley, Grass and Straw, Yeast, Green Apple, Grapefruit, Lemon, Gooseberry, Pepper, Ginger, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Licorice, Tobacco and Mint.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Salted Caramel, Sugar, Vanilla, Honey, Smoke, Mixed Nuts/Dried Fruit, Clove, Dusty Refill Oak, Cocoa Powder, Dried Herbs, Floral Soap and Mandarin.

Finish:

Short, Bitter-Sweet, Sour, Salty, Watery & slightly Hot. The Bitterness increases towards the Dry end. The Alcohol is quite present. I find Toasted Grains, Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Floral Perfume, Lemon, Grapefruit, Gooseberry, Seville Orange, Honey, Nuts, Green Apple, Pear, Dried Herbs, Leather, Tobacco,  Pepper, Cinnamon, Dusty Oak, Licorice and a faint whiff of Smoke.

Drinking Advice:

Due to the small size of the sample I only tasted this AnCnoc neat.

Rating: 82

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

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good

Conclusion:

The Knockdhu distillery was founded in 1893 by DCL in the little village of Knock very close to Huntly (Aberdeenshire). It was mothballed in 1983 but reopened in 1989. Until 1993 the whisky was called Knockdhu but the owners decided to rename it to AnCnoc to avoid any possible confusion with the whisky produced at Knockando, a Diageo distillery in Speyside. The new owners are Inver House Distillers, part of Thai Beverages PLC. The beautiful distillery currently produces 1.7 million litres of Alcohol per year. The core range includes the 12, 18, 24 & 35 years and the Peatheart.

The 12 Years was re-introduced in 2003. It usually gets very reasonable or even good critics but I beg to differ here. It's not a bad Single Malt and the Aromas and Flavours are there somewhere below the surface. But the low ABV does not succeed to transport same towards Nose and Palate. It's way too Thin this way and that's a pity. The Price/Quality ratio is okay I suppose but I wouldn't buy a full bottle of the the 12 Years anyway due to the lack of body.

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Whisky Review # 858

Country: Scotland
Region: Highlands

Brand: AnCnoc
Distilled at: Knockdhu
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 18 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Mix of 2nd Fill Ex-Bourbon Casks and 2nd Fill Ex-Oloroso Wood
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: Around US$ 80-100 (February 2020)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍Okay/Good. An 18 Years can't be cheap these days!
Buying Advice: 👍 Interesting Sherried Highland Malt with character.

Colour: Dark Amber with shades of Brown (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Quite Sweet with lots of Sherry cask influence in the form of Dried Fruit & Nuts. There are a few Sour and Bitter notes as well that provide some balance. The Alcohol is noticeable so please nose around the edges of your glass where you will pick up a nice Peach note.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, German Butter Biscuits, Vanilla, Honey, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas and Plums, Toasted Nuts, Toasted Pineapple sprinkled with Cinnamon, Orange, Peach, Sugar, Chocolate, Cardamom, Ginger and Nutmeg.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Butterscotch, Mango, Banana, Apple, Pear, Gooseberry, Polished Leather, Glue, Tobacco, Dusty Track, Old Newspapers, Mint, Aniseed, Licorice, Herbal Tea and Musty Oak.

Palate:

The Sherry influence is quite clear again. A touch of Rubber perhaps but nothing too serious. Sugar, Dried Fruit, Nuts and Spices are in the lead. The Palate does feel a little Thin for an 18 Years old. Quite Dry as well. A mix of Sweet, Bitter and Sour notes.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Grains, Sweet Barley, Honey, Vanilla, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Raisins and Dates, Apple, Pear, Straw, Orange, Lemon, Dark Chocolate, Pepper, Clove, Ginger and Nutmeg.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Toffee, Salted Caramel, Butterscotch, Brown Sugar, Peach, Gooseberry, Musty Oak, Espresso, Cinnamon, Aniseed, Licorice, Menthol and Tobacco.

Finish:

Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet, slightly Hot and quite Dry and a little Salty towards the end. I find Toasted Grains, Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Honey, Toffee, Dried Fruit like Raisins & Dates, Peanut Butter, Toasted Nuts, Oak Char, Apple, Pear, Dark Chocolate, Espresso, Sugar, Polished Leather, Straw, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger, Nutmeg, Menthol and Licorice. A touch of Smoke & a sprinkle of Lemon.

Drinking Advice:

Due to the small size of the sample I only tasted this AnCnoc neat.

Rating: 86

Nose: 22 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21.5

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion:

I liked the 18 years much better than its younger brother the 12 years. It has more balance and matured in better casks. The Sherry cask influence is quite substantial suggesting some active casks on that side. Like the 12 Years it feels a little Thin, especially on the Palate. But it does show character and presents enough interesting Aromas and Flavours to justify buying a bottle, Cheers!

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Whisky Review # 859

Country: Scotland
Region: Highlands

Brand: AnCnoc Peatheart (40 PPM) - Batch 1
Distilled at: Knockdhu
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon Casks
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 55-65 (February 2020)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Too expensive when compared to Young Islay Malts.
Buying Advice: 👍Young but tasty peated Single Malt. Too expensive though.

Colour: Chardonnay (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Young and Light. The Peat and Smoke are quite similar to Young Islay but less intense. The Alcohol is there so make sure to wind your Nose around it. The Nose is Sweet and slightly Medicinal. The Fruity tones remind me of Orchard & Citrus Fruit. It's okay I guess but very young and timid.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Dough, Grass & Straw, Cold Smoke, Dirty Earth (Peat), Iodine, Band-Aid, Tar, Green Apple, Lemon, Ginger, Menthol and Tobacco.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toasted Grain, Heather-Honey, Salted Toffee, Ashes, Soot, Orange Peel, Nuts, Artificially Flavoured Candies (Pineapple, Pear), Cocoa Powder, Wet Stones and Sand, Herbal Tea and Bacon on the BBQ. A hint of Varnish.

Palate:

Young, Sweet, a bit Nervous and a little on the Thin side but certainly tasty. I feel that Knockdhu would be able to create a truly wonderful matured peated AnCnoc. I hope they will do that in the future! The Palate is quite consistent with the Nose although the Peat and Smoke tend to dominate the Fruity notes somewhat. It's still a little unbalanced but, again, shows character.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Malted Barley, Vanilla, Grass and Straw, Campfire Smoke, Wet Peat, Tar, Soot, Iodine, Band-Aid, Bacon & Pork on the BBQ, Green Apple, Lemon, Orange and Grapefruit, Pepper, Ginger, Cardamon, Leather and Cocoa Powder.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Heather-Honey, Salted Toffee, Dough, Ashes, Wet Stones/Sand, Pear, Toasted Pineapple, Herbal Tea, Cinnamon, Salted Nuts, Aniseed, Licorice and Tobacco.

Finish:

Middle-Long/Long, mainly Sweet, Spicy & slightly Hot. The Sweetness becomes very Sugary after a few minutes. That's a real pity. I find Sweet Barley, slightly Burnt Toast, Vanilla, Dough, Salted Toffee, Heather-Honey, Green Apple, Pear, Lemon, Orange Peel, Grapefruit, Campfire Smoke, Wet Peat, Soot, Tar, Iodine, Cocoa Powder, Espresso, Herbal Tea, Pepper, Ginger, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Aniseed, Menthol, Licorice and Leather.

Drinking Advice:

Due to the small size of the sample I only tasted this AnCnoc neat.

Rating: 84

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

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Conclusion:

The Peatheart was released in 2017 and at 40 PPM it's the peatiest Whisky by Knockdhu until now. It was named after the peat bogs surrounding Knockdhu which are described as the heart of Scottish peatlands.

The Peatheart is an interesting alternative if you like Young Islay malt. It's not very competitive though when compared to the likes of Ardbeg and Laphroaig. After having reviewed and tasted these three AnCnoc expressions I found two common problems that affect them all. The first one is the price. Knockdhu is not a very well-known distillery and their prices should be a little easier despite the fact that the remote location will likely increase their production/distribution costs. The second item relates to the body of Knockdhu Whisky. All three of the reviewed Whiskies show a slightly Thin body despite the correct ABV of the 18 Years and the Peatheart. I think this is something that the distillery should look at as it compromises the mouth feel of Knockdhu Single Malts. Other than that I truly believe that the characterful Whisky of this distillery could become a very good alternative for those who get thoroughly bored by today's Mainstream Malt Madness. We visited the distillery in May last year and I can totally recommend a visit. The number of visitors is still small and you will receive all the attention you need although the Visitor Centre is still rather simple. But the beautiful lay out of the distillery and its surroundings more than make up for that!

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                February 3, 2020

All Pictures were taken during our visit in May 2019