Ledaig 2007 House of McCallum Vintage 15 yo

 

 

 

46,5°

Distillery : Tobermory - Islands 

Ex-Bourbon Cask 

Independent Bottling 

By House of McCallum 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 37 ppm 

Created in 2018, House of McCallum isn't afraid of bold bottlings, but this time it's a simple ageing in a single Bourbon Cask. The goal is certainly to enhance the distillate full of peat and other strange flavours. Only 415 bottles were filled and subtitled The Auld Alliance, in memory of the friendship between France and Scotland. 

Let's Taste It : 

Beautiful astringency, burnt plastic, dirty iodine, grainy smoke that spreads out in thick wisps, earthy peat. Barely a hint of white fruits and vanilla behind. Old tyres, tar, you'd think you were at a gas station. Or could it be an industrial port? With fuel and motor oil. On the palate, Italia grapes, it's definitely fruitier, green apple, it's almost sparkling, but you can smell the peat behind. Strong spices, cumin, black pepper, nutmeg. Cataclysmic finish, coal, gas oil, drying concrete. Cloves.

 

In Short, 

A Ledaig as we like them, the age of the juice doesn't water it down at all, on the contrary, it seems to me. It's very violent. Once again, I regret that it's not Cask Strength, but after tasting the finish, I could believe that it is. The price is insane though.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Manowar - Warriors of the World United

Caol Ila 2008 House of McCallum Vintage 13 yo

 

 

 

46,5°

Distillery : Caol Ila - Islay 

Graves Wine Finish

Independent Bottling 

By House of McCallum 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured 

Peated around 35 ppm

 

 

 

Still in House of McCallum for this 13 year-old Caol Ila which was finished in French Wine Casks, from the Graves area. This is the blending of 2 casks, which gave 738 bottles exactly. As usual, unchillfiltered, uncoloured, but this time not Cask Strength unfortunately. 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The finish in wine casks adds a mellowness to the nose, without in any way masking the costal character of the distillery. Shellfish, whelks, scallops and mussels in white wine. Iodine and sea spray in the background. Some stewed fruits, quinces, apricots, walnuts, dates. On the palate, it's vinous and meaty, blackberry syrup, smoked ham, bacon, and long, intense spices, cinnamon, nutmeg. Atomic finish, with paprika and heather, wood, tannins, wine lees, coffee grounds. Orange peel and a pinch of salt.

 

In Short, 

It's surprising, because the finish is more explosive with this one than with the previous one I tasted, the 11-year-old Caol Ila, which is 4° more. It's rare that the qualities of the Caol Ila distillate are preserved with finishes in wine, port or sherry casks, which is the case here. It should be taken advantage of, except that the price is really excessive for a reduced whisky, which is a shame. If it had been Cask Strength, it would have been superb.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Gentle Giant - Funny Ways

Caol Ila 2010 House of McCallum Vintage 11 yo

 

 

 

50,5°

Distillery : Caol Ila - Islay 

Ex-Bourbon Hogsheads

Independent Bottling 

By House of McCallum 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 35 ppm

Let's go back to Antony McCallum, the proud owner of a trading company bearing his name, to taste this Caol Ila aged entirely in two Bourbon casks, which produced 680 bottles. The range is subtitled The Auld Alliance, in tribute to the 700-year-old alliance between Scotland and France.

Let's Taste It : 

Pure Caol Ila, tide, soot, shellfish, kelp, sea spray, coarse salt that stings the lips, slight astringency, cartilage, fish with bones. The sea wind whips the face. White fruits very much in the background. Cottony, vaporous peat. Quite pleasant on the palate, slightly acidic, lemony. Like sucking candy. Softly creamy. Spices not too striking, grey pepper, cumin. Long finish, not too violent, sandy, seawater, oysters. Salt crust, sediment. Barley sugar.  

 

In Short, 

If there was such a thing as shellfish alcohol, this would probably look like it. It's very nice, and well worth a taste for any Caol Ila lover. Deeply maritime, and so much so that you don't really feel the peat too much any more. The finish could have been better, though. The price can almost double, so be sure to shop around.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                            To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Runrig - Loch Lomond

Linkwood 2007 House of McCallum Vintage 15 yo

 

 

 

50,5°

Distillery : Linkwood - Speyside 

Ruby Port Finish

Independent Bottling 

By House of McCallum 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

This Linkwood, a blend of two casks finished in Ruby Port, is typical of House of McCallum, which doesn't shy away from experimentation. However, there is still no indication of the first maturation or the length of the finish. One website says it's cask strength, but there's no confirmation of this either.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It :

The classic profile of a Port finish: damsons, tobacco, lingonberries, a dash of charcoal, heather earth, forest undergrowth, ferns, a few acorns and creepers, but this time it's softer, rounder, with raspberry jelly, drops of honey and nuts. Very beautiful on the palate, smooth and silky, complex, the red fruits combine with a fine woodiness, varnished mahogany, Armenian paper, a bunch of white grapes. The spices are rich without being too intense. The finish is strong and long, back in the forest, I can almost hear the twigs crackling under my feet. Chestnuts, damp black earth, autumn leaves.

 

In Short, 

It's quite a success, the Port imposes its mark without being heady, but the distillery's profile is a bit lost in this, I'd have liked more fruits, a variety that can only be found in this distillery. Moreover, the price seems extravagant to me, for a bottle that is not a Single Cask.

Note : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Daniel Castro - I'll Play the Blues for You

Blair Athol 2011 House of McCallum Vintage 11 yo

 

 

 

55,5°

Distillery : Blair Athol - Highlands

1st Fill Bourbon Cask 

Independent Bottling 

By House of McCallum

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

Anthony McCallum took this first-fill Bourbon cask, which now contains Blair Athol, and let it simply blossom for 11 years. For once, there was no strange experiment, proving that the house knows how to moderate itself when it needs to. Only 140 bottles were filled, and reserved for the Belgian market, for the Spiritus Sanctus festival, for which this bottling was specially made.

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is soft and round on the whole, honeyed, with mirabelle plums and a hint of earthy astringency and whitewash. Rich cereals, miesli, very light vanilla, really mellow on the palate, with all sorts of fresh grapes and plums, a bit of pastry cream and barley sugar, discreet spices, a dash of lemon meringue behind. The finish, on the other hand, is robust, with rye and genoise, dry earth, chestnuts, red cabbage and leeks. Fading honey and lemon. Sand from the beach. 

 

In Short, 

I think this one is a real success. It's very well balanced, lets the distillate express itself, the vanilla and lemon are not too strong. It's not aggressive, and at the same time there's a nice complexity. This time, the price doesn't seem excessive to me, but it must be very hard to find.

Note : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Big Daddy Wilson - Walk a Mile in my Shoes

Mannochmore 2009 House of McCallum Vintage 13 yo

 

 

 

51,5°

Distillery : Mannochmore - Speyside

Graves Wine Finish

Independent Bottling 

By House of McCallum 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

Another bottling with an original finish from House of McCallum, a trading company whose director, Anthony McCallum, likes to experiment. However, there are still no details about the first maturation, although we're expecting an unsurprising Bourbon barrel. 781 bottles were produced, it seems that this is not a Cask Strength.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is more reserved, but deeper, fleshy, tree bark, earth and honeysuckle, lingonberries, muscat grapes, honey nuts, lemon zest. Cereals in the background. On the palate, it's foresty, heather, ferns, but also red fruits, blackberries and blueberries, but without excess. Discreet spices, paprika and nutmeg add depth. The finish is long and peachy, with mellow chestnuts, toasted wheat, damp black earth, bushes, cola and marzipan. 

 

In Short, 

Quite austere, despite lovely red fruits. At the same time, it has a certain depth. Interesting, original on the whole, with a fine finish, but the price goes too far.

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

                                           José Feliciano- The Thrill is Gone

Dailuaine 2009 House of McCallum Vintage 13 yo

 

 

 

46,5°

Distillery : Dailuaine - Speyside

Pomerol Wine Finish

Independent Bottling 

By House of McCallum

Limited Edition 

SingleMalt

Bottled in 2022

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

Since 2018, Anthony McCallum has been creating ever more daring bottlings within the brand he created. Here, in The Vintage Collection range, under The Auld Alliance label, this 13-year-old Dailuaine finished in organic Pomerol casks. As for the first maturation, that remains a mystery, but a classic Bourbon barrels are very likely. 1010 bottles are on sale, it is a blending from three caskd, it seeems.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

A sweet and soft wine, with a fine balance, cherries, muscat grapes that crunch under the tongue, blueberries and lingonberries but without excess. It is oily, woody, with a touch of honey and mother-of-pearl. Full and effective on the palate, between lychee and raspberry jelly, the spices are measured, not too strong. A few cashew nuts. Sufficiently long finish, earth and chocolate, orange peel, vegetal notes, moss and lichen, before ending on angelica.

 

In Short, 

It's fine, pleasant and well-balanced, not excessive like some wine barrel finishes. However, the price is outrageous. It's a nice product, but it's reduced, after all.

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           The Band - The Weight