Macallan 18 Years Triple Cask Matured

”Price Tag”

Whisky Review # 953

Country: Scotland
Region: Highland/Speyside

Brand: Macallan Triple Cask Matured (Fine Oak)

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 18 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: Mix of American & European Sherried casks and Ex-Bourbon barrels
Chill Filtration: Yes

Price Range: US$ 225-325 (July 2022)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Too expensive for what it offers
Buying Advice: 😀 Well-made Sherried Speysider with only a few flaws

Colour:

Light Amber with Shades of Orange (Natural Color)

Nose:

The Nose is mainly Sweet but a few Sour notes provide some balance. The Alcohol is noticeable and I detect a bit of Sulfur as well. Nothing serious though. The Nose is certainly not unpleasant but it could do with a slightly higher ABV. The Sherry casks are clear but this Macallan is certainly not a Sherry-Bomb. Main drivers are Malt, (Dried) Fruit and Nuts.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Butter Biscuits, Vanilla, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Raisins, Dates, Figs, Plums and Bananas, Nectarine, Orange, Apricot-Filled Puff Pastry, Floral Perfume, Herbs Garden, Nougat, Milk-Hazelnut Chocolate, Charred Oak, Cinnamon & Ginger.    
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toffee, Caramel, Heather-Honey, Yeast, Grass and Hay, Bounty Bars, Grapefruit and Lemon, Red Apple, Pepper, Leather and Tobacco. Hints of Sulfur, Rubber and Struck Matches.

Palate:

It basically follows the Nose. It's a bit on the Thin side though. This 18 Years really deserves an ABV of at least 46%. Bitter-Sweet and Sour notes are in balance.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Toasted Barley, Vanilla, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas, Plums and Dates, Apricot-Filled Puff Pastry, Milk-Hazelnut Chocolate, Charred Oak, Grapefruit, Orange and Spices like Pepper and Ginger.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Heather-Honey, Toffee, Salty Caramel, Grass and Hay, Red Apple, Dark Cherries, Lemon, Bounty Bars, Floral Perfume, Nougat, Leather, Tobacco, Cinnamon, Nutmeg  & Cloves. Hints of Sulfur and Rubber.

Finish:

Middle-Long and quite Creamy. Bitter-Sweet, Salty and Sour notes provide balance. The Alcohol is not fully integrated. The Bitterness increases somewhat towards the Medium-Dry end. The Sulfur note is more noticeable as well. I also find Toasted & Malted Barley, Salted Caramel, Toffee, Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Dried Fruit Sultanas, Raisins & Plums, Nougat, Milk-Hazelnut Chocolate, Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit, Red Apple, Herbs, Cherry-Flavored Cough Syrup, Caffe-Latte, Charred Oak, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Pepper, Ginger, Cloves, Tobacco and Leather. In the background hints of Rubber.

Drinking Advice:

A few drops of Water help ease the Alcohol and enhance the Fruity notes. The Finish becomes more Spicy though and Menthol is noticeable. It also becomes quite Dry. I would suggest to add a few drops though.

Rating: 85.5 - Stars on a 1-10 scale: 8 (********)

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

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

A few of my loyal readers have pointed out that every once in a while my final Rating note does not seem to be totally in line with the written text. I recognize that. When I started this Whisky Blog back in 2011, I was not at all experienced in tasting and scoring Single Malts & Blends. Looking back I realize that during the early years I probably scored the good Whiskies too low and the not so good Whiskies too high. Ever since the beginning I try to remain consequent in my rating, always comparing the outcome to the rating of comparable whiskies in terms of quality and taste and adjusting the final rating if necessary. This might lead to the discrepancy I mentioned before. It would have been much easier if I would have chosen a simple 1-10 rating since the beginning but after having reviewed 950 whiskies it would not be wise to change the system now. I will however from now on add stars on the 1-10 scale so you will have a better idea of what I thought of the whisky reviewed. Please feel free to comment!

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 core range includes a/o Sherry Oak, 12, 18, 25, 30, 12 Triple Cask & Gold, 12, 15 and 18 Double Cask. We have visited both the old & the new distillery and liked the old one better. For some reason I don't like the combination of Modern infra-structure and Whisky. I'm more the Springbank kinda guy!

The 18 Years Triple Cask was launched in mid-2018 to replace the Fine Oak. My sample was distilled in 2020. In the meantime this expression is now discontinued and replaced by the Double Cask version.

This 18 Years is a well-made though not exceptional Macallan. There are a few things that would certainly have improved this Single Malt such as a slightly higher ABV and the absence of the Sulfur and Rubber notes. Personally I also feel that the Wood slightly dominates the Spirit. A few more Fruity notes would have benefited this Macallan. Still, it's a nice Sherried Speysider. It comes at a hefty price though! 

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                              July 4, 2022

GlenDronach Port Wood

”(Follow Me) I’m the Port Piper”

Whisky Review # 952

Country: Scotland
Region: Eastern Highlands

Brand: GlenDronach Port Wood - Limited Edition

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: PX and Oloroso Sherried Wood with Finish in Port Pipes
Chill Filtration: No

Sample provided by Mauricio from Brazil. Many Thanks!

Price Range: US$ 55-70 (June 2022)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😔 Quite expensive for a rather Young Single Malt.
Buying Advice: 😐 Ideal introduction to Whisky for Port Wine lovers.

Colour:

Light Copper with shades of Orange and Brown (Natural Color)

Nose:

Young and slightly Thin. The Port Pipes are quite dominant and I would suspect that the Sherry casks used were 2nd and/or 3rd refill as their influence is rather limited. Dark Red Fruit, Dried Fruit and Toffee/Butterscotch are the main drivers. The Nose is mainly Sweet but a few Sour notes can be found as well. The Alcohol is not fully integrated.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Toffee, Butterscotch, Fruit Cake made with Raisins, Sultanas, Plums, Figs, Dates, Dark Berries and Nuts, Orange, Mulled Red Wine that was spiced with Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves and Ginger, Oak Char & a Tropical Fruit note that I can't quite put my fingers on.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Caramel, Syrup, Honey, Apricot-Filled Puff-Pastry, Grass and Straw, Apple Strudel, Lemon, Banana, Caffe Latte, Milk Chocolate, Dusty Track and Leather. A bit of Artificially-Flavored Bubble Gum after a while.

Palate:

Young, on the Thin side and a little Rough. The Port Pipes remain in control and the Alcohol is present. The Palate is mainly Bitter-Sweet with a few Sour, Salty & Dusty notes as well.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Toffee, Butterscotch, Fruit Cake made with Raisins, Sultanas, Plums, Figs, Dates, Dark Berries & Nuts, slight Sour mulled Red Wine spiced with Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger and Cardamom, Oak Char and Orange-Flavored Milk-Hazelnut Chocolate.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Salted Caramel, Brown Sugar, Syrup, Wax, Yeast, Grass/Straw, Dusty Track, Lemon, Grapefruit, Cooked Red Apple, Tobacco, Metal and Aniseed.

Finish:

Middle-Long, Bitter Sweet and a little Thin with a developing Sourness towards the Medium-Dry to Dry end. The Port Pipes maintain their strong presence. I find Sweet Barley, Toffee, Vanilla, Caramel, Honey, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas, Figs, Dark Berries, Dates and Apricots, Nuts, Orange flavored Milk-Hazelnut Chocolate, Oak Char, Grapefruit, Gooseberry, Coconut, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger and Cardamom. Distant hints of Licorice, Aniseed and Tobacco. The Alcohol remains noticeable.

Drinking Advice:

Although a little added Water enhances the Fruit notes on the Nose, the Palate and Finish become even Thinner and quite Spicy. Just a few drops will do here.

Rating: 82  - Stars on a 1-10 scale: 7.5  (*******1/2)

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

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

A few of my loyal readers have pointed out that every once in a while my final Rating note does not seem to be totally in line with the written text. I recognize that. When I started this Whisky Blog back in 2011, I was not at all experienced in tasting and scoring Single Malts & Blends. Looking back I realize that during the early years I probably scored the good Whiskies too low and the not so good Whiskies too high. Ever since the beginning I try to remain consequent in my rating, always comparing the outcome to the rating of comparable whiskies in terms of quality and taste and adjusting the final rating if necessary. This might lead to the discrepancy I mentioned before. It would have been much easier if I would have chosen a simple 1-10 rating since the beginning but after having reviewed 950 whiskies it would not be wise to change the system now. I will however from now on add stars on the 1-10 scale so you will have a better idea of what I thought of the whisky reviewed. Please feel free to comment!

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good

Conclusion:

GlenDronach was founded in 1826 by James Allardice in Forgue, Aberdeenshire. It changed hands various times before being acquired in 2016 by Brown Forman. The core range consists of the 12 Years, the 15 Years Revival,the 18 Years Allardice and the 21 Years Parliament. We visited the distillery in May 2019 and we had an unforgettable time there. I will treasure this memory for always. A very nice Tour and a tasting that included the whole range of the distillery plus some extras. Great! I can only fully recommend a visit!

The Port Wood that I'm reviewing today was launched in 2019 and was inspired by Scotland's history of importing casked Port Wine from Porto during the 19th century. The Port Wood is a NAS Single Malt but I would think that it matured for a total of between 8 and 10 years of which roughly 2 years in Port Pipes. The Port Wood is a creation of GlenDronach Master Blender Rachel Barrie.

The GlenDronach Port Wood is aptly named. It's a Young Single Malt that matured in Re-Fill Sherried Wood with a lengthy Port Pipe Finish that left its unmistakable mark. It's probably the best introduction to Single Malt for Port Wine fans. For long-time Whisky fans it's likely to be a little too Thin, a little too Young and very predictable. It's okay I guess but I prefer the 12 Years as my to-go-to GlenDronach.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                           June 28, 2022

***Footnote: One of my readers on Facebook correctly noted that the picture of the bottle at the top of this post mentions a maturity period of 10 Years. So it would not be a NAS Single Malt as I mentioned in the text. The picture is a 2019 bottling when this Port Wood carried a 10 Years Age statement. This statement disappeared in later versions however & the NAS sample I tasted today was bottled in late 2020 or early 2021. I'm sorry about this mix-up! Cheers, Jan.

Laphroaig The 1815 Legacy Edition

”Diet Laphroaig - Money For Nothing”

Whisky Review # 951

Country: Scotland
Region: Islay

Brand: Laphroaig The 1815 - Legacy Edition

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 48%
Maturation: 1st Fill Over-Charred Bourbon casks with Finish in New European Oak
Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 75-105 (June 2022)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Too expensive for what it offers. Stay with the 10 Years!
Buying Advice: 👎 Too Young, Too Mediocre and Too Expensive!

Colour:

Golden Amber with shades of Orange and Brown (Natural Color)

Nose:

Young. A mix of Sweet, Sour, Musty, Hospital, Spicy & Mineral Notes. A bit of Plastic & Rubber as well. The Peat & Smoke are there but certainly not in an overwhelming way. It's all a bit subdued, Laphroaig on a diet!

Main Aromas:

Toasted and Malted Barley, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Honey, Yeast, Wet Peat and Grass, BBQ Smoke, Iodine, Dried Fruit like Apricots, Raisins and Figs, Orange, Smoked Fish and Shellfish on the BBQ sprinkled with Lemon & Herbs, Nuts, Mint, Cinnamon and Ginger.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Nectarine, Green Apple, Tangerine, Hospital, Soot, Brine, Plastic, Tar, Wax, Rubber, Wet Rocks, Mushrooms, Petrol, Grapefruit, Bacon on the BBQ, Licorice, Cardamom, Pepper and Nutmeg.

Palate:

Young. The Alcohol and New Oak are more noticeable at this point. The Palate is a mix of Sweet, Bitter & Sour Notes and is driven by Oak & Wood Spices. The Plastic & Rubber of the Nose are still there as well.

Main Flavours:

Toasted and Malted Barley, Burnt Toast, Burnt Straw, Salted Caramel, Honey, Brown Sugar, Dried Fruit like Apricots, Raisins, Prunes and Figs, Nuts, Musty Oak, BBQ Smoke, Wet Peat, Iodine, Ashes, Tar, Bacon, Herbal Tea, Pepper, Cloves, Nutmeg, Ginger, Menthol and Licorice.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Toffee, Vanilla, Nectarine, Seville-Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit, Dark Chocolate, Soot, Plastic, Rubber, Paint Thinner, Hospital, Leather, Tobacco, Cinnamon, Cardamom & Currie.

Finish:

Middle-Long and mostly Sweet. Some Sour and Bitter notes towards the rather Dry end. Lots of Oak and Wood Spices. Very Tannic. I find Malted and Toasted Barley, Burnt Heather, Salted Caramel, Honey, Brown Sugar, Wet Peat, BBQ Smoke, Iodine, Soot, Tar, Wet Rocks, Ashes, Farmyard, Nuts, Oak, Herbal Tea, Grapefruit, Seville Orange, Cherry-Flavored Cough Syrup, Bacon, Leather, Tobacco, Dark Chocolate, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves, Ginger, Curry, Menthol and Licorice. The Plastic and Rubber stay with us till the end.

Drinking Advice:

You can add a little Water to The 1815. Not too much though to avoid it becoming Liquid Peat Smoke with a Menthol infusion.

Rating: 81.5 - Stars on a 1-10 scale: Borderline 7 (*******)

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

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

A few of my loyal readers have pointed out that every once in a while my final Rating note does not seem to be totally in line with the written text. I recognize that. When I started this Whisky Blog back in 2011, I was not at all experienced in tasting and scoring Single Malts & Blends. Looking back I realize that during the early years I probably scored the good Whiskies too low and the not so good Whiskies too high. Ever since the beginning I try to remain consequent in my rating, always comparing the outcome to the rating of comparable whiskies in terms of quality and taste and adjusting the final rating if necessary. This might lead to the discrepancy I mentioned before. It would have been much easier if I would have chosen a simple 1-10 rating since the beginning but after having reviewed 950 whiskies it would not be wise to change the system now. I will however from now on add stars on the 1-10 scale so you will have a better idea of what I thought of the whisky reviewed. Please feel free to comment!

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay

Conclusion:

Laphroaig is located a few miles outside Port Ellen on the island of Islay and was founded in 1815 by Alexander & Donald Johnston. It was bought by Beam Suntory in 2014. Since, the distillery has launched a number of NAS Whiskies that received mixed critics. I find this a pity as I used to consider Laphroaig one of my favorite distilleries. The 10, the discontinued 18 and the old 15 Years are some of my all time favorites. I also love to visit the place and the people. The annual production currently amounts to 3.3 million litres of which 70% is destined to be bottled as Single Malt. The core range consists of the 10, the 10 CS, the 10 with Sherry Oak Finish, the Quarter Cask, the Triple Wood, the Lore, the 16 and the 25 years. The 1815 I'm reviewing today was launched in 2017 to celebrate over two centuries of Laphroaig history and forms part of the Travel Retail core range.

It can't be denied that Laphroaig has changed since it was bought by Suntory Beam in 2014. Before that you either liked or disliked Laphroaig. There was no middle way. Today there are many Laphroaigs that are okay or simply forgettable. And the worst of them usually go to the Travel Retail graveyard. Like this 1815. It's okay but no more than that. It's a Young whisky and you can't hide that with extra Alcohol & extra New Oak. And it's disproportionally expensive. It's similar to the An Cuan Mor although the latter is at least different, more balanced and more enjoyable. The 1815 is dominated by Wood and Wood Spices and is boring. I don't like Diet Coke very much and this Diet Laphroaig, although drinkable, will certainly not be on my Christmas list! 

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                          June 21, 2022

Adelphi's Breath of the Isles 2007

”Speak To Me/Breath” 

Whisky Review # 950

Country: Scotland
Region: Isles

Brand: Adelphi's Breath of the Isles 2007
Type: Single Malt Single Cask Scotch Whisky

Age: 11 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 58.7%
Maturation: Re-Fill Ex-Oloroso Sherry Cask - Bottled 2019
Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 100-120 (June 2022)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Quite a stiff price for an 11 Year old Malt
Buying Advice: 👎 Better stay with the standard distillery bottlings.

Colour: Light Amber (Natural Color)

Nose:

As we only know this Malt was distilled on the Isles it's fun to start nosing and see if we can unravel the secret. After having nosed this for half an hour or so I'll start by excluding Highland Park. Highland Park usually matures in Sherried Wood and this Sherry-Matured Breath of the Isles does not ring any HP bells in my head.  On the Nose this Breath o/t Isles feels relatively young and a bit thin. It's mainly Sweet but there are a few Bitter and Sour notes as well. It's mainly driven by (Dark) Dried Fruit, Sugar, Cocoa and Spices. The Peat & Smoke are there but not at all in a dominant way. The Re-Fill Sherry-cask notes are quite clear but they don't dominate either. The Alcohol is noticeable. The Nose is not bad but it lacks a bit of Power.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Butter Biscuits, Honey, Brown Sugar, Straw, Apricot-Filled Puff-Pastry, Dried Fruit like Plums, Raisins, Sultanas, Apples and Pineapple, Papaya Mousse with Creme de Cassis, Cocoa Powder, Nougat, Distant Smoke & Earthy Peat, Cardamom, Pepper and Garam Masala.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Salted Caramel, Toffee, Vanilla, Fortified Wine, Pear, Lemon, Grapefruit, Wet Rocks, Brine, Iodine, Herbal Tea, Floral Soap, Leather, Cinnamon, Nutmeg Cloves and Aniseed. A little Petrol as well.

Palate:

Young, Mainly Sweet and Medium-Dry. A few Bitter, Sour & Salty notes as well. The Alcohol is quite strong.

Main Flavours:

Malted and Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Honey, Wax, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Raisins, Plums and Dates, Apricot-Flavored Puff-Pastry, Orange-flavored Bitter Dark Chocolate, Distant Smoke and Earthy Peat, Oak, Pepper, Garam Masala and Ginger.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Vanilla, Brown Sugar, Nectarine, Lemon, Grapefruit, Apple, Pear, Lemon, Bounty Candy Bars, Wet Rocks, Leather, Herbal Tea, Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg & Menthol.

Finish:

Middle-Long, Sweet, Young, Waxy and Spicy. A little Bitterness towards the Medium-Dry end as well. The Pepper note is strong, pointing towards Talisker. It's not quite the same Pepper though. The Alcohol is quite strong at this point. I find Malted and Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Toffee, Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Wax, Distant Smoke and Earthy Peat, Dried Fruit like Plums, Sultanas, Raisins and Apricots, Nectarine, Apple, Pear, Orange-flavored Dark Chocolate, Creme de Cassis, Charred Oak, Lemon, Grapefruit, Garam Masala, Cloves, Nutmeg, Pepper, Ginger, Menthol, Ashes and Strong Espresso.

Drinking Advice:

Although the Aroma/Flavor profile does not change a whole lot with added Water, I certainly advise you to add a few drops as it helps to calm down the Alcohol.

Rating: 84.5  - Stars on a 1-10 scale: 7.5 (*******1/2)

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

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

A few of my loyal readers have pointed out that every once in a while my final Rating note does not seem to be totally in line with the written text. I recognize that. When I started this Whisky Blog back in 2011, I was not at all experienced in tasting and scoring Single Malts & Blends. Looking back I realize that during the early years I probably scored the good Whiskies too low and the not so good Whiskies too high. Ever since the beginning I try to remain consequent in my rating, always comparing the outcome to the rating of comparable whiskies in terms of quality and taste and adjusting the final rating if necessary. This might lead to the discrepancy I mentioned before. It would have been much easier if I would have chosen a simple 1-10 rating since the beginning but after having reviewed 950 whiskies it would not be wise to change the systen now. I will however from now on add stars on the 1-10 scale so you will have a better idea of what I thought of the whisky reviewed. Please feel free to comment!

Drinking Experience Neat:

Good

Conclusion:

This is not an easy one to judge. It's not a bad whisky at all but it could have done with more cask time as this was not an extremely active cask. The ABV is simply too high for this Spirit. It all noses and tastes a bit too Young in my opinion. As for the 1 Million $ question as to what distillery produced this malt I must admit that I'm not completely sure. The Pepper notes suggest Talisker but Talisker pepper is different in my mind although I never tasted Talisker that matured in an Ex-Oloroso cask. If I have to put money I would go for Arran but my guess is as good as yours. Please leave your comment if you have additional information on the subject. In any case I prefer the Arran 10, the Highland Park 12 and the Talisker 10 over this Breath!

 

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                           June 14, 2022

Bunnahabhain An Cladach

”(Un)Pure Shores”

Whisky Review # 949

Country: Scotland
Region: Islay

Brand: Bunnahabhain An Cladach
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 50%
Maturation: Mix of Oloroso Sherried wood and Ex-Bourbon casks
Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 40-55 (May 2022)
Price/Quality Ratio: 😐 Okay at around US$ 40 
Buying Advice: 👎 Can't really recommend this An Cladach

Colour: Golden Amber (Natural Color)

Nose:

This Bunnahabhain needs some time in the glass to avoid the initial wafts of Sulfur and Varnish. This is a young Single Malt and there's still a bit of New Make Spirit in the air. The Alcohol is not really integrated. The nose presents itself Nervous and without much Balance. It's a mix of Sweet and Sour notes and shows a rather high Acidity. The Oloroso influence is clear. All in all I'm not impressed though.

Main Aromas:

Malted Barley, Butter Biscuits, Brown Sugar, Salted Caramel, Toffee, Treacle, Wax, Yeast, Grass and Straw mixed with a little Cow Manure, Dried Fruit like Plums, Figs, Raisins, Sultanas and Apricots, Mixed Red Berries, Green Apple, Orange, Hazelnut-Milk Chocolate, Dusty Oak, Leather, Stale Espresso, Metal, Pepper, Cinnamon and Nutmeg.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Butterscotch, Vanilla, Honey, Resin, Pear, Nectarine, Banana, Sour Cherries, Mango Mousse, Herbal Tea, Nougat, Dusty Earth, Hospital, Varnish, Sulfur, Petrol, Coconut Cask, Ginger, Cloves and Mint.

Palate:

Young. A mix of Sweet, Sour, Bitter, Raw, Acid & Metallic notes. Don't wake me up for this Bunnahabhain. Man, it's really hard to find a reasonable priced decent Single Malt in the Travel Retail shops!

Main Flavours:

Malted & Toasted Barley, Treacle, Brown Sugar, Salted Caramel, Toffee, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Sultanas, Figs, Plums and Apricots, Apple-Vinegar, Sour (Dark) Berries and Cherries, Milk-Hazelnut Chocolate, Dusty Casks, Licorice, Copper Coins, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves and Nutmeg.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Vanilla, Butterscotch, Banana, Orange, Mango Mousse, Dried Herbs, Dusty Earth, Leather, Tobacco, Nougat, Cardamom, Ginger, Mint, Varnish and Sulfur.

Finish:

Middle-Long. Sweet and Sour at first but quicky showing a Bitterness that becomes almost unpleasant towards the Medium-Dry end. I find Toasted Malt, Treacle, Salted Caramel, Toffee, Yeast, Grass and Straw, Dried Fruit like Sultanas, Figs and Plums, Sour Red Berries and Cherries, Pear, Green Apple, Mixed Nuts, Milk Chocolate, Dusty Casks, Dusty Earth, Sulfur, Dried Herbs, Stale Espresso, Peanut Butter, Cinnamon, Pepper, Cloves, Nutmeg, Mint, Wet Rocks, Leather, Licorice, Copper Coins and Stale Espresso.

Drinking Advice:

A little Water certainly helps to calm down this Spirity Bunnahabhain. More Malt & Fruit on the Nose but lots of Spices and Menthol on the Palate and in the Finish. I would add a few drops though.

Rating: 80

Nose: 20.5 - Taste: 20 - Finish: 19.5 - Overall: 20

Drinking Experience Neat:

Borderline Okay. This Bunnahabhain does not light up my day.

Conclusion:

Bunnahabhain was founded in 1881 by William Robertson and is located close to Port Askaig on the isle of Islay. It is currently owned by Distell International Ltd that made substantial investments in reviving the site. A brand new Visitor Centre was opened in 2021. The core range now includes the 12, 18, 25 and 40 years alongside some peated expressions like the Toiteach and the Stiuireadair. Total production is around 2.5 million litres of which roughly 35% is peated. The An Cladach (Gaelic for "The Shore") that I'm reviewing today was launched in 2017.

Easily the weakest Single Malt I have tasted this year. It's Young, Rough, Metallic, Bitter and quite unbalanced. I don't get any pleasure out of this I'm afraid. And I don't really know what's the cause. Most likely a combination of Youth, Indifferent Casks and perhaps a longer Middle cut. It's almost as miserable as the weather during our visit to the distillery! In any case I can't recommend this one and I urge you to stay with the slightly better 12 Years. Or, if you like peated Malts, go for the Toiteach instead. That's more like it! 

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                            May 31, 2022