Macallan Enigma

”Macallan Vs. Oakenfold”

Whisky Review # 922

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside

Brand: Macallan Enigma - Quest Collection
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky - Bottled 2017

Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 44.9%
Maturation: First Fill European Oak Sherry-Seasoned Butts and Hogsheads from a single cooperage-partner, Tevasa in Jerez de la Fronteira
Chill Filtration: Probably

Price Range: US$ 240-360 (July 2021)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Extremely expensive for a NAS Whisky
Buying Advice: 😃/😔 Well-made but very expensive Sherried Speysider. 

Colour: Golden Amber (Natural Color)

Nose:

Wafts of Sweet Oloroso and PX Sherry and Fresh European Wood are certainly the first impressions. Dark Fruit and Nuts lead the way in this reasonably Dry mix of Sweet, Sour, Dusty, Woody, Meaty and Spicy notes. The Alcohol is well-integrated. Very good cask management. It's a one-way Sherry street for sure but it's nicely done.

Main Aromas:

Malted and Toasted Barley, Buttered Bread, Demerara Sugar, Candied Orange Peel,  Dark (Dried) Fruit like Sultanas, Apricots, Plums, Prunes & Dates, Dark Chocolate, Mixed Nuts including Candied Almonds, Dusty Oak, Cinnamon and Ginger.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Yeast, Straw, Red Apple, Banana-Bread, Herbs, Strawberry flavored Yogurt, Peaches in Sour-Cream, Meat-Broth, Soy Sauce, Nutmeg, Pepper and Menthol.

Palate:

Medium-Dry and perhaps a little on the Thin side despite the adequate ABV. I think that an ABV of 47/48% would be even better in this case. On the Palate the casks take control and Dark (Dried) Fruit, Nuts, Spices and Oak lead the way. I quite like this mix of Sweet, Sour and mildly Bitter flavors with a nice Salty and slightly Meaty touch. 

Main Flavours:

Malted and Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Demerara Sugar, Dried Fruits such as Sultanas, Raisins, Apricots, Plums and Dates, Candied Orange, Candied Almonds, Milk-Hazelnut Chocolate, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg, Ginger and Mint.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Vanilla, Toffee, Honey, Yeast, Straw, Red Apple, Banana Pie, slightly Sour Berries, Meat Broth and Herbs.

Finish:

Middle-Long, perhaps slightly on the Thin side and a mix of Sweet, Sour and mildly Bitter notes. Well-Balanced in this respect. Flavor-wise the Dried Fruit, Oak & Spice are back in force. A nice Salty touch as well. I find Toasted/Malted Barley, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Demerara Sugar, Toffee, Honey, Straw, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Apricots, Plums and Dates, Red Apple, Candied Orange, Banana Bread, Hazelnut-Milk Chocolate, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger, Dusty Oak and a hint of Iron bars. Medium-Dry.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water does not improve this Macallan.

Rating: 86

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

Drinking Experience Neat:

Good.

Conclusion:

The Macallan distillery was founded in 1824 by Alexander Reid and is located in the village of Craigellachie (Morayshire). The majority of the shares is owned by the Edrington Group. The current production lies at around 11.5 million litres per year. The Quest collection was launched in 2017/2018 to replace the 1824 Collection that consisted a.o. of Gold, Amber, Siena and Ruby. While these series focused on color, the new Quest collection that consists of Quest, Lumina, Terra and Enigma focuses on Oak. The Quest collection was initially launched on the Travel Retail market and does not bear an age-statement.

If you like well-made sherried Speysiders and you've got the cash, this Macallan will work out fine for you. It presents a nice combination of Sweet, Sour, slightly Bitter and Dusty notes with a touch of Salt. It's just a little too much on the Thin side to call it a total Sherry-Bomb though. A slightly higher ABV would have really done that trick in my opinion. If you're not into sherried whisky you should leave this one alone though as it's quite one-dimensional on Dried Fruit, Nuts, Spices and Oak. In any case I have to say that the price is really too high for a NAS Whisky despite the fact that good casks were used for this Enigma. And that's a pity 😞.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                              July 7, 2021

All Pictures Taken During Our Visit in May 2014

Glenallachie 15 Years

”A Bitter Pill to Swallow”

Whisky Review # 921

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside

Brand: Glenallachie
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 15 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Quite a mix. Specified below under Conclusion.
Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 60-80 (June 2021)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍Reasonably priced for a 15 Years
Buying Advice: 😐Neutral. It's not really bad but just not my thing!

Colour: Mahogany (Natural Color) - Very Dark Color

Nose:

A mix of Sweet and Sour notes. The Sherry influence is quite clear. Dark (Dried) Fruit, Fruit Candies & Nuts lead the way. In a blind tasting I probably wouldn't have given this Malt 15 Years. It's a little Thin despite the adequate ABV. I do believe there's some Fresh Oak in the cask-mix as well.

Main Aromas:

Malted and Toasted Barley, Buttered Bread, Brown Sugar, Nuts like Chestnuts and Walnuts, Dried Fruit like Plums, Prunes and Sultanas, Fruit-Flavored Candies like Apricot or Nectarine, Sour Red Grapes and Cherries, Herbal Tea, Dusty Casks, Wax, Orange-Flavored Chocolate, Straw, Tobacco Leaves, Cinnamon and Nutmeg.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Butterscotch, Caramel, Toffee, Vanilla, Sweet Apple, Marzipan or Turkish Sweets, Dusty Track, Green Plants and/or Vegetables, Floral Soap, Leather, Curry, Pepper and Cardamom. A hint of Snickers candy bars.

Palate:

Again a little on the Thin side. It basically follows the Nose but the Sweet and Sour notes are now accompanied by an increasing and slightly Harsh Bitterness. It tastes a little Dirty and I could imagine the middle cut to be run a bit shorter. Again, Dried Dark Fruit, Nuts and Spices lead the way.

Main Flavours:

Malted and Toasted Barley, Caramel, Brown Sugar, Dark (Dried) Fruit like Prunes, Plums, Sultanas and Dates, Orange-Flavored Dark Chocolate, slightly Sour Cherries and Red Grapes, Chestnuts and Walnuts, Herbal Tea, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger, Menthol and Licorice.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Vanilla, Toffee, Butterscotch, Sweet Apple, Tobacco Leaves, Leather, Espresso, Wax, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Soy Sauce and Ashes.

Finish:

Middle-Long. A mix of Sweet and Sour notes with increasing Bitterness towards the rather Dry end. The Finish is quite Spicy and even a bit Hot. I find Malted/Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Toffee, Brown Sugar, Dried Fruit like Dates and Sultanas, slightly Sour Cherries and Red Grapes, Orange-Flavored Bitter Chocolate, Bitter Espresso, Herbal Tea, Tobacco Leaves, Chestnuts and Walnuts, Wood Polish, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger, Cardamom, Ash, Licorice and Menthol.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water further develops the Dried Dark Forest Fruits on the Nose. I do not detect any other additional value so I personnally prefer it neat.

Rating: 84

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

Drinking Experience Neat:

Okay/Good. Not really my type of Whisky. 

Conclusion:

The Glenallachie Distillery is quite new and was founded only in 1967. It is located on a hill above Aberlour, close to Ben Rinnes. It closed from 1987 to 1989 when it was purchased by Pernod Ricard who in turn sold it to The Glenallachie Distillers Company in 2017. Most of the Spirit disappeared in Blends like Clan Campbell, House of Lords, White Heather & Chivas Regal until 2018. At that time a core range was launched by the new owners including the 10 Years CS, the 15, the 18 and the 25. The 15 Years was actually added to the core range in September 2019.

The 15 Years is a marriage of various casks. Some 100% Sherry Matured, Some 100% Sherry Matured although re-racked into new PX & Oloroso Hogsheads and Puncheons and finally some 2nd Fill Bourbon casks also re-racked in PX & Oloroso casks. All spirit that was re-racked matured in the new casks for anything between 18 months and two years.

I suppose that Sherry-Bomb lovers might find this Glenallachie to be an affordable alternative. But I can't say I really like this Whisky. Because there is a sort of Dirty and Bitter over-sherried almost artificial feel to this Glenallachie. Not the good dirty quality of say Springbank or Ledaig mind you. Because that's an asset. In this case it's a liability. I'm not saying this is a bad Single Malt but it's not my kinda Whisky. Happy I only bought a sample!    

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                          June 30, 2021

Santis Malt Snow White No. 6

”Here Comes Santis Claus”

Whisky Review # 920

Country: Switzerland

Brand: Santis Malt Snow White No. 6 - Limited Winter Edition - 2000 Bottles
Type: Single Malt Swiss Whisky - Bottled in 2018

Age: NAS (Said to be 6 Years)

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 48%
Maturation: Oak Beer Casks (5 Years) with Cognac Orange Liqueur Finish (1 Year)

Chill Filtration: Yes

Price Range: US$ 75-90 (June 2021) - 500 ML Bottle
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Quite expensive for such a Young Whisky.
Buying Advice:🌲Should go well with X-mas Cake! Not your everyday Malt though!

Colour: Dark Amber with shades of Orange (Natural Color)

Nose:

A familiar waft of Fresh Oak, Glue and Varnish welcomes the Nose. I so often find this in West-European Whiskies. The Alcohol is noticeable as well. The Nose is quite Sweet with Fruity and Bakery notes. The Orange note is obvious. It's quite unlike your average Scottish Whiskly but certainly not unpleasant.

Main Aromas:

Malted and Toasted Barley, Buttered Toast, Buttery French Brioche Bread, Orange, Sweet Apple, New Oak, Varnish, Glue, Grass, Artificially-Flavored Lemon Candies, Menthol, Rubber, Yeast and Underberg.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Demerara Sugar, Butterscotch, Pancakes with Golden Syrup, Honey, Toffee, Belgian Kwak Beer, Milk Chocolate, Apricot-Flavored Yogurt, Cinnamon, Aniseed and Green Plants.

Palate:

A little Thin despite the adequate ABV. But Creamy at the same time. The palate is a mix of Sweet, Bitter and Sour notes. The Orchard and Bakery are never far away.

Main Flavours:

Malted and Toasted Barley, Vanilla, Demerara Sugar, Caramel, Orange, Apples and Pears, Fresh Oak, Yeast, Puff-Pastry, Pepper, Cloves, Menthol and Licorice.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Buttered Toast, Pancakes & Golden Syrup, Toffee, Honey, Slightly Sour Red Wine, Lemon, Salt, Plastic, Rubber, Tea/Stroh Rum and Aniseed.

Finish:

Middle-Long and Bitter-Sweet. A few Sour notes as well. The Orange note is quite strong and we're pretty close to the thin line between Whisky and Liqueur. I find Sweet Malted and Toasted Barley, Toffee, Caramel, Vanilla, Orange, Lemon, Apple, Pear, Sour Red Wine, Tea & strong Stroh Rum, Fresh Oak, Nut Shells, Cinnamon, Cloves, Pepper, Menthol, Aniseed, Licorice, Salt and Iron. The Alcohol certainly remains noticeable.

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water and that helps calm down the Alcohol. A few drops work just fine here but don't overdo it. The Water further develops the Orange and Spices.

Rating: 82.5

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

Drinking Experience Neat: Good, just Different.

Conclusion:

The Brewery in Appenzell (Switzerland) produces beer since around 1830 and was purchased by the Locher Family in 1886. Today they produce a wide range of beers, with or without Alcohol. In the year 1999 the Brewery started distilling whisky that was presented to the market for the first time in 2002. The core range consists of the Himmelberg, the slightly peated Dreifaltigkeit and the Sigel. A range of limited editions include the Alpstein and the Snow White.

Forget about Scotland before Nosing & Tasting this Swiss Single Malt. You should not compare them but just judge them by their own cover. This Santis is not a bad Single Malt but it comes dangerously close to being a Liqueur. Perhaps the Orange Finish was a little too long. And there's this very distinctive Fresh Oak flavor that you will mainly find in Mainland European Whiskies. Snow White # 6 did bring me in a Christmas mood though and that's the perfect time to enjoy this Swiss Single Malt together with a piece of Christmas Cake. Father Christmas arrived too early this year so Santis Malt should consider presenting him with a Swiss Watch!

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                           June 23, 2021

Aberlour 12 Years Double Cask Matured

”Back To Life (Back To Reality)”

Whisky Review # 919

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside

Brand: Aberlour Double Cask Matured
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 12 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: Vatting of American Oak and Seasoned Sherry Butts
Chill Filtration: Yes

Price Range: US$ 38-45 (June 2021)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Okay for a 12 Year-old Single Malt.
Buying Advice: 👎Save a little more and go for the A'Bunadh.

Colour: Deep Gold (Artificially Colored)

Nose:

After last week's characterful Glen Elgin, we are back in Mainstream Malt territory with this Aberlour. The Nose is not bad mind you but quite predictable. The Sherry Wood is noticeable but certainly not overpowering. There is actually a nice balance between the two cask types used on the Nose. Buttery Fruit Cake, Toffee, Yeast and Nougat are the main drivers. The Nose is mainly Sweet with a few Bitter and Sour notes for balance.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Buttery Fruit Cake, Toffee, Apple-Pie filled with Raisins and Sultanas, Apricot-Filled Puff Pastry, Yeast, Dough, Nougat, Charred Oak, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Cloves.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Caramel, Vanilla, Honey, Marzipan, Lemon, Grapefruit, Banana, Nectarine, Fresh Herbs, Dusty Track, Cocoa Powder and Mint. A distant hint of Leather.

Palate:

Rather disappointing after the pleasant Nose. Indifferent Cask Management spells trouble in palate-paradise though. The Palate is Thin and a bit Raw and Edgy. It presents a mix of Sugary Sweet, Sour, Bitter and Spicy notes. The Alcohol is quite noticeable. You don't have to wake me up for this Aberlour!

Main Flavours:

Malted Barley, Toffee, Brown Sugar, Grass, Sweet Apple, Banana, Nougat, Raisins, Charred Oak, Herbal Tea, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger and Mint.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Vanilla, Caramel, Honey, Wax, Buttery Puff Pastry, Seville-Orange, Grapefruit and Lemon, Nutmeg, Cloves and Artificially Flavored Tutti-Frutti Bubble Gum.

Finish:

Short/Middle-Long, Thin, Edgy and a little Hot. Easily the worst part of this Malt. There were quite some, if not all, Refill casks in the mix here. The Finish is a mix of Sugary Sweet, Sour and light Bitter notes. This Finish does not invite you to have another sip actually which is a pity after the simple but quite acceptable Nose. I find Toasted Barley, Caramel, Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Honey, Wax, Sweet Apple, Lemon, Grapefruit, Seville-Orange, Fruitcake, Nougat, Grass, Herbal Tea, Charred Oak, Cocoa Powder, Caffe Latte, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Cloves, Mint, PVC Pipe and Aniseed or perhaps Mint.

Drinking Advice:

No need to add Water to this Aberlour. It's Thin enough as presented.

Rating: 79.5

Nose: 21 - Taste: 20 - Finish: 19  - Overall: 19.5

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay at best. The Nose is the better part.

Conclusion:

The Aberlour distillery was founded in 1879 by James Fleming and is located in the little village of the same name in Banffshire, Speyside. Since 2001 it is owned by Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard). The capacity of Aberlour is around 3,8 million litres per year. The core range includes the 12, 16 and 18 Years as well as the A'Bunadh and the Casg Annamh.

Back to Life (Back to Reality) with this Aberlour. The Nose is okay but the rest is not at all interesting and shows exactly all the problems that I have with the current Mainstream Malt Madness. Indifferent Cask Management leaves the Spirit without character and the low ABV does not help either to bring out the Flavors & Aromas. Today unfortunately this type of standard Single Malt is the rule rather than the exception. Mediocre and Forgettable. A waste of time and resources! If you are considering to buy an Aberlour Single Malt go for their A'Bunadh series. That's honest Whisky for a reasonable price.  

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                          June 16, 2021

All pictures were taken during our visit in May 2014

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