Nikka Super Rare Old

 

 

 

43°

Distilleries Officially Unknown - Japan

Ex-Bourbon and Sherry Casks

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Blended Whisky 

Launched in 1962

Almost Unpeated

Masataka Taketsuru launched Nikka Super as a tribute to his late Scottish wife. From the outset, it was a huge success. But over the years, the recipe changed considerably. In 1962, Nikka had just one distillery, Yoichi. Miyagikyo was created in 1969, and the distillery's products certainly became major ingredients in Super Rare Old. In 1989, the Ben Nevis distillery became the property of the Nikka group, and its distillate was definitely included in the recipe. Finally, in 1999, Miyagikyo received the Coffey stills that had previously been at Nishinomiya. Nikka Super therefore received malt whisky and grain whisky from Miyagikyo. And Nishinomiya's share would be gradually reduced, until 2024, as the distillery closed in March this year. So the three main distilleries currently used to make Nikka Super are Miyagikyo, Ben Nevis and Yoichi, whereas only the last was used in 1962. The recipe, and therefore the taste of the product, have changed so much that a limited edition was even released in 2015, which is supposed to respect the original recipe of Super Rare Old, mainly made from Yoichi, of which I speak here. 

Let's Taste It : 

Honey and citrus fruits, lime and pineapple, ripe yellow plums, liquid caramel, melted butter and starch. Wood glue. Floral touches. Pumpkin and butternut. It's a little light on the palate, but very well done, with a good balance between fruit, honey and cereals. A few biscuits and peppery spices. Beeswax. The finish is a little short and collapses fairly quickly, but there's honey and notes of lemon, prickly pear and dwarf banana. Cola and sandalwood. A hint of chocolate.

 

In Short, 

For a blended whisky, it's really very good. You can recognise the influence of Ben Nevis, which brings its notes of honey and citrus fruit. The finish is a little disappointing though. It's a shame, the price has gone up a bit in recent years, but up until then, this was a very good, inexpensive, easy-drinking blended.

Score : 83

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           The Courteeners - The Beginning of the End

Glen Moray 1991 Whisky Sponge Edition N°99 32 yo

 

 

 

51,8°

Distillery : Glen Moray - Speyside

Refill Hogshead and 2d Fill Sherry Hogshead 

Independent Bottling 

By Decadent Drinks 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

For the penultimate bottling of Whisky Sponge, the gentlemen at Decadent Drinks have chosen Glen Moray. Or rather two Glen Moray Hogsheads, one Refill, dating from 1990, certainly Bourbon, the other 2d Fill Sherry, dating from 1991. The result was 302 bottles ready to be sold around the world.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Quite old-school, elegant nose, with a fine and delicate woodiness. Amadou, wood wax, polish. Fermented and candied fruits, black berries, figs, muscat grapes, blood oranges, redcurrants. Maple syrup and fir honey. Floral touches. The palate is still very woody, with quince jam, oak bark and resin, a pinch of cinnamon, saffron, slightly exotic spices. Green tea. Very long, quite magnificent finish, just the right amount of explosiveness, resin and wax, sweet spices, citrus zest and cigar box. Green apple peels.

 

In Short, 

At this age, there's always something special. It's excellent, obviously, bewitching, complex and deep. On the palate, however, it's a little less successful, there's nothing that stands out compared to the nose and the finish, which are sublime. A fine near-conclusion for this legendary range. Of course, the price is almost as violent as the finish.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Norht County Music - Ain't No Grave

Ben Nevis 2012 Malts of Scotland 12 yo

 

 

 

56,9°

Distillery : Ben Nevis - Highlands

Sherry Hogshead

Independent Bottling 

By Malts of Scotland

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Almost Unpeated

 

 

 

This Ben Nevis matured in a Sherry Hogshead for 12 years was selected and specially bottled for the DeinWhisky.de website. The cask yielded 274 bottles. In the same batch, there is a Benriach of the same age, bottled for the same site, which has exclusive sales of both expressions. I asked for the Benriach, but the site made a mistake and sent me the Ben Nevis instead.

Let's Taste It : 

Floral sherry, lilac and bougainvillea, damp wood, fresh figs, exotic fruits, maracuja, dragon fruit, persimmon. An ounce of smoke. Beetroot. Blueberries, blackcurrants. It's silky on the palate, with drops of honey, lemon and pineapple, banana, then fierce spices, pepper and cumin. Damp wood. Quite long finish, suitably explosive, cloves and nutmeg, soft caramel, a dash of melted chocolate, a slightly bitter woody touch, black radish. Various roots, damp earth.

 

In Short, 

It's very well made, with a certain character. But I don't find the distillery's profile, which is a shame, the Sherry is a bit too overpowering. Nevertheless, it's a very pleasant experience, especially with the finish, and the price is really interesting. I'd recommend buying it, especially as there's still some left, which I find surprising.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Germinate Records Band - Easy to Adore

Blended Grain 1972 Notable Age Statements 50 yo

 

 

 

50,8°

Distilleries Officially Unknown - Scotland

Refill Bourbon Barrels  

Independent Bottling 

By Decadent Drinks 

Limited Edition 

Blended Whisky

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

The 8th bottling in the Notable Age Statements range, launched by Decadent Drinks in 2022, is a Blended Grain, which means it contains only grain whisky from several distilleries. There are only 8 grain-producing distilleries in Scotland, and only 5 of them were open in 1972: Cameronbridge, Girvan, North British, Invergordon and Stratchclyde. The contents of this bottle inevitably come from some of these 5 illustrious names.

Let's Taste It : 

Very old school, with a rustic balance, grainy and crunchy cereals, creamy vanilla, melted butter, various citrus fruits, grapefruit, lime, liquid honey, apricot drizzle, coconut, green apple, dates. Dusty old furniture. Unctuous, woody palate, figs, encaustic, beeswax, toasted cereals, very light spices. Pleasant but not exceptional finish, bark, tinder, hints of honey and apricots, floral touches, terracotta. Whole chestnuts roasted over a wood fire.

In Short, 

It doesn't look quite its age; I find it relatively dynamic and fruity for its 50 years. The influence of the wood is not overpowering. It's a very pleasant, interesting and well-made product. The curious can try to buy it, but personally I think it's too expensive, you're paying the price of age, but that's not reflected on the palate.

Score : 89

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Shocking Blue - Venus

Mortlach 2007 Equinox & Solstice Summer Edition 16 yo

 

 

 

48,5°

Distillery : Mortlach - Speyside

American Oak Refill Bourbon Hogshead

Independent Bottling 

By Decadent Drinks 

Limited Edition  

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured 

Totally Unpeated

With Equinox & Solstice, launched in 2021, we have a whisky for every season. Every three months, a new bottling is supposed to illustrate the new weather. It's aged from 7 to 16 years at the moment, and it's always reduced to 48.5°. This one is a Single Cask, but apparently that's not always the case. We don't know how many bottles have been released.

Let's Taste It : 

Perfectly balanced nose, between beeswax and Aosta ham, with some buttery and oily notes, meat juice, firm cereals, greasy vanilla, semi-cooked white fruit. Liquid honey and starch. On the palate, it's fruitier, with juicy green apples and yellow plums that are a little too ripe. Crisp biscuits with vergeoise, peanut butter and light spices. Diluted lemon, pineapple zest. Quite a long finish, not hugely powerful but very pleasant, light pepper and coconut, grains of rice and white radish, green vegetables.

In Short, 

A Mortlach in a Bourbon cask is quite rare, and for that reason alone it's worth tasting. It's well-made, with fruit and character, but it's still Speyside. A real curiosity for fans of the distillery. What's more, the price seems very reasonable. Well, it depends on the shop, but on the whole, there are reasons to splurge.

Score : 88

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                          CUReBAN - Borderline

Haig Gold Label late 1970s/early 1980s

 

 

 

40° (I assume)

Distilleries Officially Unknown - Scotland

Ex-Bourbon Casks From Kentucky

Independent Bottling 

By John Haig & Co. Ltd

Core Range 

Blended Whisky 

Launched around 1890

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

I got this bottle from my grandmother. It may have been open for more than 40 years. The alcohol content is not indicated on the bottle, which means that it dates from before 1990, when this became mandatory in France. Until the 1970s, Haig Gold Label was imported into France by a company called Pierre Rivière et Cie. This was mentioned on the bottle. There's no mention of it here, so I've deduced that this bottle dates from the late 1970s or early 1980s. The former is the more likely hypothesis, given the label on the back of the bottle, which I find on other bottles officially dated 1970s. On the other hand, the code on the bottom of the bottle is Z833 24 04. This would suggest that it was bottled in 1983. In other words, it's an antique. John Haig & Co. Ltd is said to be the oldest spirits brand in business, having been founded in 1824. The Haig family has been in the whisky business since the 13th century, apparently. They are also the founders of the Cameronbridge distillery, which is certainly one of the main ingredients of the Haig Gold Label. By reputation, the other distilleries involved were Glenkinchie and Linkwood. But at the time, the only distillery listed on the bottle was Markinch, in the County of Fife, which has been closed since 1983. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Airy caramel, dust, dates and quinces, apricots, noble wood, larch or cherry. It's good, but light. Chocolate chips, old yellowed books. Egg cake. A touch of vanilla. Orchard fruits in the background, green apples, pears, peaches. A drop of turpentine. On the palate, it's woody, velvety and a little alcohol-laden. Dried figs, spices, black pepper, cumin, cloves. A hint of bitterness. The finish is not very successful, too aggressive, a dash of cola and bitterness, tobacco leaves, cigar smoke. Olives.

 

In Short, 

It's a decent Blend, but it's still a Blend. I'm not going to start saying it's wonderful because it's from another era. The nose is nonetheless not bad at all, but all the rest has important flaws. In any case, it's drinkable. Connoisseurs tell me that the quality of this Blend really dropped around the mid-1970s. Maybe this one dates from later.

Score : 77 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Cavan O'Connor - Little Town in the Old County Down

Glenrothes 2014 100 Proof Edition #20 10 yo

 

 

 

57,1° (100° Proof)

Distillery : Glenrothes - Speyside

1st Fill Oloroso Sherry Butts

Independent Bottling 

By Signatory Vintage 

Limited Edition 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

This is the second Glenrothes to be bottled in this range, launched earlier this year. The ageing process is more or less the same, it has just been extended by a year. The other bottle is pretty good, so I imagine the aim is to do just as well.

Let's Taste It : 

Crunchy red fruits, quince purée, apple compote, warm freshly baked bread. Lightly smoked wood. It's indulgent, with sponge cake and nougatine, chantilly, gooey caramel. Chestnut cream. On the palate, it's velvety, custard, slightly acid apples, cloves and cumin, dark chocolate. The finish is powerful and deep, quite long, wood charcoal, earthy undertones, fresh figs, blueberries, a touch of bitterness. The influence of the wood is intense. Redcurrants, cranberries, dried apricots. Chocolate chips.

 

In Short, 

I didn't find it as good as the previous one. Both are saturated with Sherry and marked by the influence of wood, but with the first, it becomes rounder after a while. With this one, the wood influence is maintained, even after an hour. It's still good, but there are smoky and slightly bitter notes. Which has its charm. As usual, the price is very attractive, so why hold back?

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Blackbriar - Floriography

Royal Brackla 2007 Silver Seal Young 15 yo

 

 

 

59,3°

Distillery : Royal Brackla - Highlands

Oloroso Sherry Cask

Independent Bottling 

By Silver Seal 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated 

 

 

 

The latest addition to the Silver Seal Young range launched last year, this Royal Brackla is still 15 years old. Aged in a single Oloroso Sherry cask, it produced 217 bottles.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It :  

Crème brûlée, buttered toasts, ripe bananas, juicy apples and pears, brown sugar, cinnamon. Some red fruits in the background, cherries and redcurrants, but discreet. Coppery wood, damp leather. On the palate, it's unctuous and pastry-like, more on apricot and fig. Perhaps a touch of exotic fruits, blueberries, lively spices. Half-melted chocolate. Powerful, long finish, cloves, pepper, oak bark, still some cinnamon, filled brownies, pecan nuts, dried sultanas. Roasted peanuts.

In Short, 

It's a great success, with a light Sherry that brings fruit and sweetness. The cinnamon is predominantly present, providing a framework for the whole tasting experience. As usual with this bottler, it's too expensive for my wallet, but wealthy enthusiasts can treat themselves.

Score : 90

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Anastasia Minster - Dancing With a Ghost

Pluscarden Valley 1998 Silver Seal 25 yo

 

 

 

53,5°

Distillery Officially Unknown - Speyside

Sherry Finish

Independent Bottling 

By Silver Seal 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated 

 

 

 

I don't know if Pluscarden Valley really exists, but Pluscarden Abbey does, and has since around 1230. And the Miltonduff distillery was established in the mill of this abbey, so Pluscarden Valley has been a brand name used since the 60s when you don't want to name Miltonduff. And Sestante, which changed its name to Silver Seal in 2000, didn't shy away from it. Yes, but this time it doesn't seem to be Miltonduff. Il Capo himself assured me that it was Glenrothes. Why keep the name Glenrothes a secret? Why name it after a brand that traditionally refers to Miltonduff? I have no idea. Perhaps Massimo Righi wanted to throw me off track. We can't be sure of anything. In any case, it's one of these two distilleries. The juice was finished in a Sherry cask, and 356 bottles were filled.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is superb, woody, elegant, perfectly balanced, with a roundness with no false angles. Candied apricots, salted butter caramel, melting chocolate, cinnamon, spongy red fruit, morello cherries, angelica. Orange marmalade. It's slightly less complex on the palate, quince jam, cloves, tannins and grainy cereals. Spices are varied, but not aggressive. A pinch of pepper. Very long, full finish, with roots, ivy, bougainvillea and almond shells. Hints of earth and saffron, pine cone, chocolate mousse.

 

In Short, 

It's sublime, magnificently well done. The finish in particular is incredible. On the palate, however, it's a tiny bit below par, slightly soft. It fits the Glenrothes profile, and besides, I don't know why Massimo Righi would tell me nonsense. The price is of course high, given the age and the small number of bottles. This is a bottle that requires sacrifice, but it will reward you for your pains.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           The Electrophonics - Love Upon a Shelf

Mac-Talla Mara Cask Strength 2022

 

 

 

58,2°

Distillery Officially Unknown - Islay

Ex-Bourbon American Oak Barrels

Independent Bottling 

By Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2022

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

 

 

 

I've already talked about the Mac-Talla Mara Cask Strength here, and it's not my habit to talk about the same bottle twice, but these are special circumstances. When the Mac-Talla Mara was launched in 2020, the rumours were that it was Bowmore, which was confirmed by several clues (the announced peat content, the fact that Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers are former owners of the distillery), and having tasted it, I could have sworn that it was. But then I tasted it again recently, and I didn't find the Bowmore markers at all, but rather those of another well-known distillery. So I asked around, and the Brand Ambassador confirmed that Mac-Talla is a brand that uses several distilleries, in other words, they don't only bottle Bowmore. And I noticed that on Whiskybase, a second batch of this bottling was made in 2022, and that the rate is not at all the same. Could it be that they've changed distilleries?

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

It's very iodised and coastal, with a sea breeze, foam, seaweed, kelp, shellfish and plenty of salt. A few mineral and herbaceous touches, limestone, slate, quartz, tall grass and reeds. White fruits, but very far in the background. Cigar ash, thick peat. On the palate, it's full-bodied, a little fruitier, with a hint of vanilla and yellow plums, pleasant spices, cloves and grey pepper. The finish is long, powerful, everything you'd expect from a Cask Strength, notes of coal and tar, but also salt, tide, fresh fish, pebbles, a zest of lemon.

 

In Short, 

In my opinion, this one is very different from the one I tasted a few years ago, and it's Caol Ila. And if these gentlemen have decided to change distilleries, then that's a very good idea, because it's more powerful, more characterful, more coastal. Much better, in fact. Young Bowmore without Sherry isn't great, it needs at least 18 years to develop its full potential. The good Bowmore under 18 that I tasted were all aged in Sherry casks. Caol Ila, on the other hand, tastes very good young and in Bourbon casks, because it's very coastal, full of smoke and iodine, it's got character, and it's easily recognizable. After all, I'm just saying that, but I can't be sure, I could be talking nonsense. In any case, I now think that Mac-Talla Mara is a good cask strength whisky, and the price is right, so I reckon it's not a bad idea to buy it.

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           The Darkness Foundation - Omega

Cardhu 18 yo

 

 

 

40°

Distillery : Cardhu - Speyside

Bourbon and Sherry Casks

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2011

Totally Unpeated 

 

 

 

This represents the top of the distillery's Core Range. It has more of a Sherry character than the 12-year-old, which is mainly aged in Bourbon barrels.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Very unexpressive, timid nose, egg custard, discreet cereals, vanilla cream, rye bread, sultanas, woody and slightly damp leather. Orange marmalade, runny toffee. A hint of blackcurrant. On the palate, it seems a little better, but it's still light. It's velvety, chocolate milk, watery pears, candied quinces, barely perceptible spices. Average finish, malted cereals, dried biscuits, raisins and lemon, chocolate chips, hazelnuts, cloves, ginger. Tobacco bits.

In Short, 

It's very disappointing considering the age. It's not bad in itself, it's just that it's very closed. Typical of a whisky that you barely taste. Harmless. Transparent. I had a hell of a time writing the tasting note, I couldn't think of anything to say. What's more, they put it at the same price as an 18 year old with personality.

Score : 84

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Cynthia Ruth - Good Years

Cardhu 12 yo

 

 

 

40°

Distillery : Cardhu - Speyside

2d Fill Bourbon Barrels and Sherry Casks

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2005

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

Cardhu 12yo is one of the very first aged single malts on the market. There are specimens dating back to the 1960s. At the time, it was 43° ABV, and it was not until the 1980s that it was reduced to 40° ABV. And it was in 2002 that Cardhu 12 Year Old was changed from Single Malt to Vatted Malt, due to a lack of stock. This, of course, caused a huge scandal, and Cardhu 12yo Pure Malt was discontinued in 2004. The following year saw the resurrection of Cardhu 12 yo Single Malt, the one we'll be tasting today.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is very light, but reveals lemon zest, spicy apples, blood orange, clementines, dried raisins, old prunes, mint jelly, and a few floral fragrances, half-wilted flowers. Plywood laths. On the palate, it's even lighter and a little acidic, green apples and unripe fruits, some discreet spices, lychees, cereals. The finish is a little better, at least it's well managed, chocolate, varnished wood, warm chestnuts, creamy vanilla, a drop of honey, a pinch of salt.

 

In Short, 

This is without doubt one of the worst aged Single Malts on the market. What's more, I find it a bit acidic, I must admit I've never liked it. Even so, I think it has improved a lot with time, the finish is neater, and the impression of eating raw orange peel has diminished. Of course, I don't recommend buying this whisky, this note is only there to prepare you psychologically to drink a dram at your brother-in-law's, or any other person who knows absolutely nothing about whisky, but who still has a Single Malt.

Score : 80 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Madonna - Like a Virgin

Ben Nevis 2015 100 Proof Edition #5 8 yo

 

 

 

57,1° (100° Proof)

Distillery : Ben Nevis - Highlands

1st and 2d Fill Oloroso Sherry Casks 

Independent Bottling 

By Signatory Vintage

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Almost Unpeated

 

 

 

This is the second Ben Nevis in the 100 Proof range launched by Signatory earlier this year. The first was heavily peated and the Sherry casks were refill; this one is barely peated, and the Sherry casks are more prominent.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Damp leather, red fruit, quince jam, prunes, smoky wood, cinnamon, viandox, tannins. Behind, fruity freshness, sparkling mirabelle plum, a drop of honey. Fruit pastes. Melting caramel. Alcohol averagely integrated. On the palate, lots of spice, liqueur-like raspberry, chilli, mustard, red pepper, steak juice. Very powerful finish, quite long, wood juice, spongy bark, cola, elderberry, raw chestnuts. Hazelnuts and chocolate. A hint of vanilla. Vegetal touches.

 

In Short, 

I found the Sherry too powerful and the wood has worked too much. The result is quite dirty and deep, which is good, but also unbalanced and very woody, which I liked less. On the palate, it's good, but very spicy. The finish makes up for all that, being intense, long and beautiful. The result is an uneven whisky, with some fine qualities but also many flaws. I didn't find any of the identity of this distillery, which I like very much. Personally, I'm not sure I'd recommend buying it, but I liked the finish.

Score : 87 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           VOLA - Bleed Out

Mac-Talla Oloroso Limited Edition

 

 

 

54,8°

Distillery Officially Unknown - Islay

1st Fill and 2d Fill Oloroso Sherry Butts

Independent Bottling 

By Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2024

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

 

 

 

Every year around Feis Ile, the famous spirits and music festival held on Islay, Mac-Talla releases a new limited edition. This one is the 3rd, and was aged exclusively in first and second fill Oloroso Sherry Butts from Bodega José y Miguel Martin. On some websites, I read that the distillate was aged for 7 years, and on others, 10 to 15. The first assumption is of course the most likely. 12 Butts were used, bringing a total to around 5,000 bottles. One site mentions a peat content of 30 ppm, which does not correspond to any of the levels used on the Isle of Islay, but Bowmore is at 25, and Caol Ila at 35, so the hypotheses oscillate between these two distilleries.

Let's Taste It : 

Dark, fruity, earthy Sherry on the nose. Light peat with a hint of minerality and sweetness. Blueberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, pie crust, custard, spices, brown sugar, cinnamon, wood and chocolate. Campfire, liquorice and tar. On the palate it's very decent, with red fruits and big spices, cardamom, cloves, blood orange, sultanas, a thin layer of ash. Long finish, earth and liquorice, espresso coffee and caramel, heather, cola, chocolate fondant, braised mushrooms.

 

In Short, 

An excellent little discovery, people don't talk about it much but the bottles are selling like hotcakes. The Sherry is very well integrated and blends magnificently with the peat, which is not too overpowering, it has everything it takes to delight connoisseurs. Bowmore often goes very well with Sherry, the fruit is intense and the iodine hardly noticeable, everything points to this distillery, especially as the Morrison family are one of its former owners. In any case, this is definitely a bottle up for grabs.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Crying Vessel - For What It's Worth

Port Askaig 2004 Bourbon Cask 14 yo

 

 

 

45,8°

Distillery Officially Unknown - Islay 

1st Fill Bourbon Casks

Independent Bottling 

By Elixir Distillers 

Limited Edition

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2018

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured 

This is one of the many limited editions launched by Port Askaig over the years. According to highly informed people, it's not Caol Ila this time, but Bunnahabhain. This is the fruit of 11 first-fill Bourbon casks, the contents of which were distilled in 2004. If it is indeed Bunnahabhain, it is very rare to have peated liquid of this age from this distillery.

Let's Taste It : 

Smooth on the nose, with a more discreet peatiness. Slight maritime touch, but mostly white fruits and almonds. Waxy smoke, pastry cream and maple syrup. Vanilla and marshmallow. Behind, ocean air, sea breeze, iodine. Fig and chocolate. Light on the palate, but full of spices, orchard fruits, goat's milk, but also thick peat. Lychees, oysters. Long but not very explosive finish, liquid honey, hazelnuts, pine cones. Sand from the beach. A grain of salt. Churned butter.

 

In Short, 

The nose is very pleasant, with a pinch of iodine, but too little to make me think that this is Caol Ila. On the palate, however, it's not very expressive and I have to admit I'm a bit disappointed. The finish is nice but not great either. Overall, I don't find this expression up to the standard of the brand's others. As far as the peatiness is concerned, Caol Ila is something else than Bunnahabhain. And I think I now know why Bunnahabhain only sells young peated whiskies. After a certain age, the distillate loses its character.

Score : 86

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Rival Sons - Soul

Williamson 2013 Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited 9 yo b. 2023

 

 

 

47,5°

Distillery : Laphroaig - Islay 

Bourbon Hogshead 

Independent Bottling 

By Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 43 ppm 

Morrison and MacKay, which became Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers in 2021, bought a large number of casks from Laphroaig distilled in 2013. To date, they have produced 6 such bottlings, between 2021 and 2023, all named Williamson at the distillery's request and as a tribute to the woman who ran the distillery between 1954 and 1972. 2 are cask strength, and 4 are reduced, and of these 4, only one was bottled in 2023. The others are more difficult to distinguish. This one is a blend of 5 Boutbon Hogsheads that produced 1,798 bottles.

Let's Taste It : 

Right away, beautiful medicinal peat and limestone, betadine, bandages, coarse sea salt, sea foam and seaweed, sea breeze, iodine, kelp, star anise. Crushed white fruits, plums, yellow apples. Oysters, buttery vanilla, gravel. The palate is velvety and maritime, with a fine layer of peat, seafood, scallops and boutargues, custard and mirabelles, measured spices, pepper and cumin. On the finish, clove, bark, charcoal, upside-down ashtray, gypsum and quartz, mint leaf. Almonds.

In Short, 

A concentrate of Laphroaig, a beautiful peat that is at once medicinal, mineral and maritime. An intense experience, where you feel all the telluric vibrations of Scotland. And with that, the price is acceptable, it's worth it.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Ghost Cop - Trouble

Knockando 12 yo

 

 

 

43°

Distillery : Knockando - Speyside

Bourbon and Sherry Casks 

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2021

Totally Unpeated 

 

 

 

Like its elders from the same Core Range, Knockando 12 yo was created in 2021, because previously all bottles of Knockando were vintage.

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is light, evanescent, sponge cake, vanilla, ethereal white fruit, a drop of honey, buttered toast, grainy cereals, beeswax, apricots and mirabelles. Pastry cream, a pinch of icing sugar. Quite fruity on the palate, with orchard fruits, green apples and Comices pears, but also yellow plums, honey and a touch of bitterness from the wood, discreet spices. It dries out at the end, giving way to a short finish, which crumbles very quickly and disappears as if it had never been there. Candied lemon and banana.

In Short, 

It's a low-end whisky, and the question is whether it's good for the price it's offered at, which is often very low. And I don't really have an answer, the fact is that there's not a lot of pleasure to be found in it. The Sherry is nowhere to be found, it's just there to round things off a bit. The casks leave a bitter taste, and the nose is really light.

Score : 81

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Laura Murren - This Love is From Below

Old Perth Cask Strength

 

 

 

58,6°

Distilleries Officially Unknown - Speyside

Independent Bottling 

By Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers

Core Range

Blended Malt 

Launched in 2021

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated 

 

 

 

Old Perth is a brand that was born in 1908, thanks to the efforts of Peter Thomson, a native of Perth in Scotland, who was keen to add an alcoholic drink of his own to his grocery shop. It was a Blended Whisky with a good reputation, containing Macallan and Highland Park among other things, and not much grain whisky. But in the early 1980s, the heirs had to abandon its distribution. The brand was sold several times, until it fell into the hands of Morrison and Mackay, an independent bottler. It turns out that one of the members of the MacKay family had once worked for the Thomson family. They relaunched the brand in the early 2010s, and it became a perfectly decent Blended Malt. Then, in 2021, Morrison & Mackay became Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers, and the Old Perth range was completely revamped, aged only in Sherry casks. The distilleries used are unknown, but it is sure they are from Speyside. The Brand Ambassador told me that they were distilleries famous for their Sherry cask bottlings. So Macallan and Aberlour come to mind.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Buttered sherry topped with caramel, intense and varied red fruits, blueberries, black cherries, blackcurrants, it's very velvety and round, raspberry jam, but also a zest of lemon, walnuts and treacle. Dried figs and apricots. On the palate, the spices are present from the outset, with caramelised leather and nutmeg. The red fruits are still there, with a round, velvety texture that's a great success. Cinnamon and nutmeg. The finish is fine, quite powerful, long, heather, cola, black pepper, chocolate cake. A few earthy touches, black mushrooms and bark.

 

In Short, 

This is a perfectly successful Blended Malt, well up to the standard of a Single Malt. Everything is very well integrated and the balance is perfect. It lacks a little complexity, it's really Sherry and nothing else, but it's very well done, perfect for enthusiasts. What's more, I can see that the price is very reasonable. A must try if you like the profile.

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Van Der Graaf Generator - Darkness

Glen Keith 2013 Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited 10 yo

 

 

 

47,5°

Distillery : Glen Keith - Speyside

3 Bourbon and 1 Virgin Oak Barrels

Independent Bottling 

By Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

Built in 1957, Glen Keith is another of those distilleries where almost all the production goes into blends, notably Chivas Regal, Passport and 101 Pipers. Fortunately, the independent bottlers are there to help us discover the hidden character of this distillery, here thanks to a blending of 3 Bourbon Barrels and 1 Virgin, all from American oak, having kept the precious liquor for 10 years, for a total of 1,425 bottles.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The fruit is very present, blood oranges, quinces and apricots, the whole malted and chocolatey, soft cereals, maple syrup and acacia honey. A touch of airy freshness, with a pinch of salt and quartz. On the palate, light velvet, molasses and candied figs, black grapes, dried bananas, but intense spices, nutmeg, cumin, cayenne pepper. Lemon, grapefruit and other citrus fruits. Long finish, liquorice, chocolate, coffee, cloves, elegant woodiness. Amadou, hot chestnuts. Fried mushrooms.

 

In Short, 

Among these distilleries used almost exclusively for industrial purposes, I've come to think that Glen Keith is certainly the most interesting. A variety of fruit pulps, wood and chocolate are its hallmarks, always with a fine balance that does not detract from the intensity of the flavours. This one is a great success, and you can still find it, but at a slightly high price.

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Lonnie Brooks - In The Dark