Glen Elgin 18 Years

”Glen Elegant”

Whisky Review # 918

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside

Brand: Glen Elgin

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky - Distilled 1998 - Bottled 2016
Age: 18 Years - Diageo Special Limited Release -  5352 Bottles

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 54.8% (On or Near Cask Strength)
Maturation: Mix of Ex-Bodega Sherried Butts and Refill European Oak
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 280-400 (June 2021)

Price/Quality Ratio: 👎Ridiculously overpriced
Buying Advice: 😋Well-made, Elegant and Delicious. If you have the $, go for it!

Colour:

Golden (Natural Color)

Nose:

Quite Fresh and Vibrant. It doesn't open up very easy so please give it some time in the glass before Nosing. A nice mix of Fruity, Floral, Dairy and Green notes. It's Sweet but in a nice way. The Sherry influence is there but more of the Fino type. I don't use the word too often but this is a Nose I consider to be Elegant.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Buttered Cake, Fresh Apricot-filled Puff Pastry, Vanilla, Grass and Straw, Green Apple, Tangerine, Bounty Candy Bars, slightly Dusty Wood, Marzipan and Cinnamon.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Heather-Honey, Butterscotch, Yeast, Dough, Banana Ice-Cream, Fresh Herbs, Dusty Track, Salted Peanuts, Lemon, Floral Perfume, Polished Leather Upholstery and the faintest hint of Smoke.

Palate:

The Palate shows more muscles and Spice than the Nose would lead you to believe. The 54.8 percent Alcohol makes itself known as well. Still, it's so much better than the Mainstream Malt Madness I am tasting most of the time. The Palate reminds me of a Buttery Cake with Cream and lots of Sweet and Sour Fruits. I like it!

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Apricot-Filled Buttered Puff Pastry, Grass and Straw, Bounty Candy Bars, Grapefruit, Orange, Tangerine, Lemon, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves and Ginger.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Heather-Honey, Toffee, Demerara Sugar, Nougat, Candied Almonds, Wax, Tea with Milk Cream, Fresh Herbs, Pear Juice, Dusty Oak and Polished Leather Upholstery.

  
Finish:

Middle-Long. A mix of Spices, Sweet & Sour Fruit. Creamy & Sweet in the beginning but a bit more Sour and Waxy towards the Dry end. The Alcohol is more noticeable at this point but there's quality in this Finish. I find Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Toffee, Caramel, Milk-Hazelnut Chocolate, Heather Honey, Nougat, Green Apple, Orange, Grapefruit, Lemon, Tangerine, Wax, Herbal Tea, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Cloves, Mint, Aniseed, Dusty Oak and Floral Perfume. Again this very faint hint of Smoke.  

Drinking Advice:

With a little Water you enter a Bakery shop early in the morning when the Bread is freshly made. Lots of Citrus Fruit as well. Palate and Finish do not change a lot but you manage the Alcohol this way. I like it both ways.

Rating: 88.5

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

Drinking Experience Neat: Very Nice!

Conclusion:

The Glen Elgin distillery is located four miles south of Elgin in the small village of Fogwatt close to the A 941. It was founded in 1898 by James Carle and William Simpson. It had its ups and downs but was finally bought by DCL in 1930. Today it's part of the Diageo Group and became one of their Classic Malts range in 2005. Most of the Spirit is destined for Blends. The only official bottlings are the 12 Years and the limited 18 Years Edition I'm reviewing today that was released in 2017.

This Glen Elgin is actually a Blend of two 18 Year-Old Single Malts, both distilled in 1998 and bottled in 2016. The first one matured in Refill European Oak Butts and used a common Yeast strain. The second one, matured in Ex-Bodega Sherry casks, used the aromatic Pombe Yeast, normally applied to selected Beers and Rums.

What a great Single Malt! Ridiculously overpriced but That's the Way of Diageo's World unfortunately. Elegant and Soft on the Nose but Spicy and Powerful on the Palate and in the Finish. A nice mix of Sweet and Sour Fruit with lots of nice Bakery impressions as well. A pity that most of Glen Elgin's production disappears in the endless Sea of Blends. It certainly deserves a place on the Single Malt market. Come on Diageo, give it a go! How about a 15 and 18 years with a decent ABV and good Cask management to accompany the existing 12 Year Old! Whisky fans would love it!

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                           June 9, 2021

Chivas Regal Ultis

”(For God’s Sake) Give More Power to the People” 

Whisky Review # 917

Country: Scotland

Region: Speyside

Brand: Chivas Regal Ultis

Type: Blended Malt Whisky
Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: A Mix of Ex-Bourbon Casks and Spanish Oak Sherried Wood

Chill Filtration: Yes

Price Range : US$ 130-160 (June 2021)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Too expensive for what it offers. 
Buying Advice: 😑 The Blend is Okay but Thin. Regrettably Forgettable.

Colour:

Amber with shades of Orange (Artificially Colored)

Nose:

The first thing I have to notice is the rather hesitant delivery of the Ultis. I simply can't imagine that Chivas goes through all this care and love for this luxury Blend and then bottle it at 40%. It doesn't make sense from a quality point of view. It's still not bad mind you but the statement could have been so much stronger. It's quite Sweet with Malt, (Dried) Fruit, Caramel & Spices leading the way. The Sherry influence is noticeable but not too strong. Good Balance between the two types of Oak used for the maturation.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Caramel, Sweet Apples, Red Berries, Orange, Herbal Tea, Pepper, Cinnamon, Tobacco and Leather.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Vanilla, Bounty Candy Bars, Charred Oak, Grass and Straw, Mixed Nuts and Dried Fruits, Marzipan, Nectarines, Mandarin, Forest Floor, Dusty Track, Cardamom and Nutmeg.

Strathisla, the Rainy Home of Chivas

Palate:

A Balanced mix of Sweet, Bitter & Sour notes. It just lacks the Power. What a pity!

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Grass & Straw, Mixed Nut and Dried Fruits, Sweet Apple, Orange, Peardrops, Charred Oak, Dusty Track, Tobacco, Pepper, Cinnamon and Ginger.

Supportive Flavour Accents:
   
Honey, Toffee, Bounty Candy Bars, Nectarine, Mandarin, Papaya Cream, Leather, Nutmeg, Cloves, Mint , Herbal Tea and Licorice.

Tormore Distillery

Finish:

Short/Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet and Medium Dry. The inadequate ABV leaves you with this thin impression and mouthfeel that spoils most of the fun. There's also a certain quantity of indifferent casks in the mix. I find Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, Toffee, Vanilla, Honey, Sugar, Mixed Dried Fruit & Nuts, Orange, Dusty Track, Grass & Straw, Oak Char, Red Grapefruit, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Licorice, Mint, Cacao, Tobacco, Leather and Black Espresso.

Drinking Advice:

No need to add Water to the Ultis. It's thin enough as it is.

Rating: 82.5

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 20.5

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good.

Conclusion:

The Ultis is the first ever Blended Malt produced by Chivas. The use of five Single Malts (Allt-A-Bhainne, Braeval, Longmorn, Strathisla and Tormore) honors the fact that Chivas only had five Master-Blenders since the Blend was introduced in 1909, namely Charles Howard, Charles Julian, Allan Baillie, Jimmy Lang and Colin Scott. The name Ultis is a combination from the Latin words Ultimate and Fortis meaning Strength.

I had expected so much more! The Blenders of Chivas had the chance to produce something memorable on this special occasion. Their biggest sin was to bottle this at 40% but I also feel the cask management could have been much better. It's not a bad Blend mind you & relatively well-balanced but you should expect that at this price level. But it's also utterly forgettable & that's exactly something that a special occasion edition should not be. The Master Blenders of Chivas deserve something better and so do we!

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                             June 2, 2021

Longmorn Distillery

Jura 18 Years

”Theme From The Deer Hunter”

Whisky Review # 916

Country: Scotland
Region: Islands - Jura

Brand: Jura

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 18 Years - Travel Retail Edition

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 42%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon Cask with Red Wine Cask Finish
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 60-90 (May 2021)

Price/Quality Ratio: 😐Okay at US$ 60 given its age.
Buying Advice: 👎Not Good Enough for an 18 Year Old Single Malt.

Colour:

Golden Amber with Shades of Red (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

On the Thin side, slightly peculiar for an 18 Years. The Bourbon casks can't have been very active and that might explain the "necessity" of a Short Red Wine Finish. I only get a little of the traditional Jura Baby Vomit but the Nose, although basically Sweet, does offer some slightly Musty and Funky notes, as well as a bit of Sourness. Red Fruit, Dried Fruits and Caramel are the main drivers.

Main Aromas:

Dusty Barley, Caramel, Dried Fruit like Rum-Soaked Raisins, Apricots & Plums, Red Fruit like Grapes, Blackberries and Blackcurrants, Citrus Peel, Sour Gooseberries, Dusty Track, Cinnamon and Green Coffee Beans.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Buttered Toast, Toffee, Vanilla, Brown Sugar, Green - & Cooked Vegetables, Milk-Hazelnut Chocolate, Grass & Straw, Green Apple, Wet Stones, Green Tobacco, Leather, Charred Oak and Dried Herbs.

Palate:

Bitter-Sweet and again on the Thin side. You simply would expect more from a well-matured 18 Year old Single Malt. The casks are mainly to blame but I never was a real fan of their New Make Spirit either. It just doesn't click with Jura. We visited the distillery back in May 2014 and it was a really nice visit. Still...

Main Flavours:

Musty Grain, Caramel, Sour Red Fruit like Berries, Grapes & Cherries, Gooseberries, Grapefruit, Oak Char, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Apricots & Dates, Cinnamon, Pepper and Licorice.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Toffee, Vanilla, Milk-Hazelnut Chocolate, Lemon Drops, Green Apple, Grass and Straw, Green Veggies, Dusty Track, Green Apple, Tobacco and Herbal Tea.

Finish:

Middle-Long & Bitter-Sweet with increasing Bitterness towards the Medium-Dry end. The Alcohol is noticeable and the feeling of 3rd and/or 4th refill casks does not go away. I get Musty Grain, Caramel, Honey, Grass & Straw, Nougat, Brown Sugar, Green Veggies, Green Coffee Beans, Charred Oak, Sour Red and Yellow Berries, Lemon Drops, Herbal Tea, Licorice, Cinnamon and Pepper.

No need to add Water to this Jura. It's Thin enough as it is.

Rating: 82.5

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

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay

Conclusion:

Jura means Deer Island. The Distillery is located in the small village of Craighouse the island's "capital". Craighouse lies on the A 846, some eight miles from the Ferry Terminal to Islay. It was founded in 1810 and since 1993 it belongs to Whyte & Mackay Ltd. Jura is mostly known as a Single Malt but it's also a very important part of the Whyte & Mackay Special Blend. The Distillery possesses 1 Stainless Steel Semi Lauter Mash Tun, six stainless steel Wash Backs and two Pairs of Stills. In 2020 their total production amounted to around 2,1 million litres. The following Single Malts are part of the new core range introduced during 2018: Journey, Seven Wood, 10, 12 and 18 Years (44%).

Jura means Deer Island and I feel like the Deer Hunter sometimes as I don't get myself to really enjoy the Jura Single Malts. It's difficult to exactly put my finger on the sore spots but the kind of "dirty" New Make Spirit and the indifferent Cask management are certainly two of my main issues. And I can add market strategy as well. Though Jura whiskies are readily available all over the world and flock Travel Retail shops I can't imagine many first time customers gladly come back for a Refill next time around. But maybe I'm wrong and maybe it's just me. In any case this 18 years does nothing to revive my feelings for this distillery. It's Weak and Thin and although there are no real off-notes around this time I can't find any pleasure when sipping this Single Malt. I'm sorry Jura but that's how I feel.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                           May 26, 2021

Pictures taken during our visit in May 2014

Balblair 15 Years

”I Go To Sleep”

Whisky Review # 915

Country: Scotland

Region: Northern Highlands
Brand: Balblair
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 15 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon casks with Finish in First Fill Spanish Oak butts.
Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 70-85 (May 2021)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐Okay, considering its age. 
Buying Advice: 😔Okay for new Whisky fans. Slightly Boring for the advanced.

Colour: Amber (Natural Color)

Nose:

I wonder if there's some New Oak involved in the maturation because I get a light Varnish note that is quite typical for that kind of wood. Other than that the Nose is mainly composed of Cereals, Caramel, (Dried) Fruits and Spices. Not bad but quite mainstream i.e. slightly boring. The Sherry influence is limited, yet noticeable.

Main Aromas:

Malted Barley, German Butter Biscuits, Vanilla, Caramel, Toffee, Dried Fruit such as Raisins, Sultanas, Plums, Apricots and Apples, Citrus Peel, Nutmeg and Cinnamon.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Heather-Honey, Cocoa Powder, Nuts, Marzipan, Charred Oak and Sawdust, Grass, Dusty Track, Caffe Latte, Dark Berries and Cherries, Banana Ice Cream, Dried and Fresh Herbs like Mint and Parsley, Pepper, Ginger and Cardamom. A distant hint of Leather-made Shoes.

 

Palate:

In line with the Nose. Mainly Sweet but with a few mildly Bitter and Sour notes as well. Medium-Dry. Some of the Dusty & Sour notes suggest that not all casks used were of the best possible quality. There's nothing terribly wrong with this Balblair but I had to fight some serious yawning during the Tasting session. The Alcohol is not totally incorporated by the way. The general mouthfeel is slightly Thin.

Main Flavours:

Malted Barley, Caramel, Buttered Toast, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Apricots, Plums and Prunes, Red Berries, slightly Sour Cherries, Green Apple, Orange, Cinnamon and Ginger.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Heather-Honey, Toffee, Vanilla, Demerara Sugar, Marzipan, Nuts, Dusty Track, Oak Char, Sawdust, Grapefruit, Lemon, Cocoa Powder, Dried & Fresh Herbs like Mint and Parsley, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves & Cardamom. Distant hints of Tobacco & Leather.

Finish:

Middle-Long. Mainly Sweet but with a few Sour and light Bitter notes towards the Medium-Dry end. A mild Alcohol bite. I find Malted Barley, Vanilla, Caramel, Toffee, Butter, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas and Plums, Grapefruit, Lemon, Orange, Cocoa Powder, Charred Oak, Dusty Track, Nuts, Red Berries, Sour Cherries, Green Apple, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Aniseed, Mint and that distant hint of Leather again.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water does not improve the taste and Finish of this Balblair. On the Nose however the Malt notes deepen and the Buttery feeling increases. A few drops can't hurt but don't overdo it.

Rating: 84.5

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

Drinking Experience Neat:

Good

Conclusion:

Balblair is located in Edderton (Tain) and is one of the oldest Scottish distilleries. It was founded in 1790. Since 1996 it is owned by Inver House Distillers, a part of the Thai Beverages PLC. In 2007 the entire range was relaunched on the basis of Vintages instead of Age Statements. Glenrothes did this as well. But this changed again in 2019 and a new Age-Statement core range was launched with the 12, 15, 18 and 25 Years. The Spirit is also used in Blends like Hankey Bannister and Inver House. The visitor centre was only opened in 2012. We visited this great looking distillery in May 2017 and did a very nice tour. Extra attention is paid to the fact the distillery was part of the set for the movie "The Angels Share" released in 2012. The distillery produces around 1.5 million litres of Spirit per year.

The Balblair 15 Years is one of those Single Malts that, while certainly not bad, does not arouse any feelings with me. If I would have bought a full bottle and would have finished it, I probably would have said: Well, okay. But I didn't buy a full bottle and I'm not going to as well. It's okay and inoffensive for beginning whisky fans but it's too Mainstream and boring for me. This could have been so much better with 100% quality casks! You can do better Balblair!

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                           May 19, 2021

All Pictures taken during our visit in May 2017

Woodford Reserve Classic Malt

”Malt and Barley Blues”

Whisky Review # 914

Country: USA

Region: Kentucky
Brand: Woodford Reserve Classic Malt - Master's Collection (2013)
Distilled at: Woodford Reserve/Brown-Forman Distillery, Versailles, Kentucky
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS (said to be 6-9 Years)

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 45.2%
Maturation: Refill Bourbon casks
Chill Filtration: No
Sample provided by Mauricio from Brazil. Many Thanks!

Price Range: US$ 110-140 (May 2021)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Way too expensive for what it offers.
Buying Advice: 👎 I love experiments but this one did not work out very well 

Colour: Chardonnay (Natural Color)

Nose:

Young and Buttery. The Varnish note reminds me of West-European Single Malts. The Nose is a mix of Sweet and Sour notes and it's quite different when compared to your standard Scottish entry Single Malt. The Nose is okay I guess but no more than that. This is only made with Malted Barley but nevertheless there is a Cereal feel to it.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Cereals, Vanilla, Buttered Cake, Varnish, Saw Dust, Grass & Straw, Dough, Yeast, slightly Sour Red Berries, Orange and Lemon Peel, Cinnamon and Mint.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toffee, Honey, Glue, Charred Oak, Nectarine, Pear, Cheap Marzipan, Dusty Track, Green Coffee Beans, Green Vegetables, Artificially Flavored Pear & Banana Candies, Pepper and Cardboard Boxes.

 

Palate:

Young, Thin & Edgy. Cereal-driven. A rough mix of Sugary Sweet, Sour and slightly Bitter notes. Unexpectedly Dry. Don't wake me up for this one!

Main Flavours:

Sweet Sugared Breakfast Cereals, Buttered Cake, Vanilla, slightly Sour Red Berries, Grass and Straw, Saw Dust, Dusty Track, Lemon Peel, Cinnamon, Pepper & Mint.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Toffee, Woodglue, Ovomaltine, Milk-Hazelnut Chocolate, Artificially Flavored Candies (Apple, Pear, Peach, Strawberry, Raspberry), Charred Oak, Nutmeg, Rum and Cardboard.

Finish:

Short/Middle-Long and slightly Hot. Sugary Sweet at first but with developing Sour and a few Bitter notes towards the Dry end. The Alcohol is rather noticeable at this point. I find Sweet Cereals, Buttered Cake, Banana Ice Cream, Vanilla, Toffee, Dough, slightly Sour Red Berries, Lemon Peel, Artificially Flavored Candies, Varnish, Grass, Grapefruit, Dusty Earth, Cardboard, Cinnamon, Pepper, Licorice & Menthol.

Drinking Advice:

With added Water it becomes something that reminds me of Soy Milk. It's not good enough as a sipping Whisky so this is probably best enjoyed on the rocks.

Rating: 74

Nose: 19 - Taste: 18.5 - Finish: 18  - Overall: 18.5

Drinking Experience Neat: Just Okay.

Conclusion:

Elijah Pepper started distilling whiskey on the picturesque  banks of Glenn’s Creek in the year 1812. Nowadays, the facility is the oldest operational Distillery in Kentucky. All the Whisk(e)y produced here is triple distilled in copper pot stills imported from Scotland.

Dear Woodford, I'm a fan of your Bourbon but this attempt at making a Single Malt did not work out for me. Is it the Malt? Is it the Water? Is it the Yeast? The Casks? A combination of all this? Probably. In any case the end result does not stand its ground when compared to Scottish entry Single Malts. It reminds me slightly of some French, German, Irish and Austrian Single Malts that I've tasted in the past. But these were all matured in new Wood while this Woodford matured in Refill Bourbon casks. I'm a bit puzzled where this went wrong but I urge Woodford to have a look at the whole process again and see where improvements can be made. I would certainly add a few years to the maturation process and find me some first class casks. The way it's presented today I can't recommend this US Single Malt.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                           May 12, 2021