Bunnahabhain 27 yo The Single Malts of Scotland A Marriage of Casks

 

 

 

48,4°

Distilley : Bunnahabhain - Islay

Refill Hogsheads

Independent Bottling 

By Elixir Distillers 

Limited Edition

Single Malt

Bottled in 2018

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

At Elixir Distillers, The Single Malts of Scotland prestige range usually includes vintage bottlings, but the A Marriage of Casks sub-range offers non-vintage editions that are very old, at least twenty years. 

Let's Taste It : 

Very well-balanced and fine. The Bunnahabhain profile is immediately recognisable, with lots of varied fruits, peach, grape, pineapple and passion fruit. Salty iodine, a beach at low tide, punctuated by rocks set with mussels. A grassy touch, an ounce of light, woody sherry, balanced by a dash of vanilla. A smoky and dusty touch. Very pleasant on the palate, once again very fruity with smoky sherry, nectarine, carrot and beetroot. Gentle winey hints, immensely long, sandy finish, it's a nectar.

In Short, 

It's very good, a real fruit bomb, and quite original, while remaining completely in line with the distillery's profile. A must-have for enthusiasts, well, those who can afford it.

Score : 89

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

   

                                          Omara Portuondo - Dos Gardenias

Clynelish 1995 Cask Strength Collection 22 yo

 

 

 

55,4°

Distillery : Clynelish - Highlands

Refill Sherry Butt

Independent Bottling

By Signatory Vintage

Limited Edition

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2018

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 8 ppm

 

 

 

The Cask Strength Collection is an absolute benchmark among independent bottlers. They systematically offer first-class bottlings in Cask Strength and very often in Single Cask. Here, a Clynelish aged in a single sherry cask, in an edition of 601 units.  

Let's Taste It : 

Candle wax, honey, rubber, wood, mandarins, peaches, resin, eucalyptus, ferns. The sherry casks make themselves felt, but only slightly, without drowning out the rest. More exotic than red fruits, pineapple, mango, papaya. On the palate, raspberries, wild strawberries, it's a bit vinous, leather, hazelnuts, very light grainy peat, dust. An ounce of vanilla. Not too ripe banana. Endless finish, with dry earth and liquorice. Chocolate. Very subtle. Soft caramel in retro-olfaction.

In Short, 

An excellent bottling, as is often the case with this range. Two years after its launch, it has become nearly impossible to find, and at a prohibitive price, but you will surely find something to satisfy you with a more recent one.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                             To Be Listened While Sipping :

Roberto Fonseca - Cuando Uno Crece

Port Charlotte 2009 MC : 01 Cask Exploration Series 9 yo

 

 

 

56,3°

Distillery : Bruichladdich - Islay

American and French Oak Casks, Marsala Finish

Original Bottling 

Travel Retail Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2018

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 40 ppm

In the Cask Exploration Series, the distillery is presenting this edition finished in Marsala, a Sicilian liqueur wine. It is certainly a dry red Marsala.

 

Let's Taste It :

The Marsala initially comes through a little too strongly, with vinous hints, fermented fruits and candied cherries. Then the peat rises, a bit granitic, and it's very balanced, sweet, with plum pulp, lemon zest, a scent of undergrowth, sandalwood leaf, damp grass, pungent smoke and green apple. The smoke is very present at the end. A dash of fruits nonetheless. On the palate, it's excellent, wood and marsala combine, wine lees, blackberry liqueur, spices are present, then red fruits, the finish, all controlled power, on strawberry and raspberry, very long, almost gooseberry at the end, then wood and earth. Black earth, waterlogged. Blackcurrant. Mentholated cigarettes.

 

In Short, 

I am very impressed. The Marsala works like an even tastier sherry, and marries very well with the Port Charlotte peat. A real delight.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

   

                                          Peter Gabriel - Signal To Noise

Ballantine's Finest

 

 

 

40°

Distillery : Glenburgie, Miltonduff, Glentauchers & others - Speyside, Highlands, Islay, Lowlands

American Oak Casks

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Blended Whisky 

Launched in 1910

Almost Unpeated

 

 

 

The third best-selling spirits brand in France, Ballantine & Son has a true asset with this Finest, which is more than a hundred years old and whose recipe has certainly changed over time, but not its success. The group uses mainly its own distilleries, which is why this is considered more or less as an original bottling.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Not much flavour. You can smell the grain and cereals, corn and wheat, a touch of lemon and caramel, that's all. And the nose has no breadth, even in the best glass in the world, you could barely smell it. Not too badly balanced, though. On the palate, vanilla, crushed quinces, dry wood. It's very young, obviously, and quite spirity. The finish is rather unpleasant. It's earthy and short. There's no length on the palate, and after swallowing there's nothing left, except the alcohol, of course.

In Short, 

Obviously, this is not what you want when you claim to be a whisky lover. The fact remains that you can find much worse among supermarket blends. This is undoubtedly one of the least bad. Avoid it though, and if you are served it, run for your life.

Score : 73

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

   

                                          Philippe Katerine - Louxor J'adore

Jura 10 yo Origin

 

 

 

40°

Distillery : Isle of Jura - Islands

Ex-Bourbon Barrels

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2010

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

This expression was the distillery's best known and easiest to find before it was replaced by the 12-year-old in 2017.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is light, a bit fruity, a bit floral, with hints of apple, pear and chrysanthemum. Sweet, slightly cereal-like fragrances. On the palate, not very balanced for my taste, rather strong and thick apricots, not sufficiently counterbalanced by unripe peaches. All in all, it seems quite young. A pinch of pepper. Finally, I didn't like the acidic and aggressive finish, like lemon concentrate. Fortunately it's short, and it's the first time I'm happy about it.

 

In Short, 

I didn't like it at all, in fact it's the worst Single Malt I've ever tasted. To be avoided at all costs. The new 12 year old from the same distillery, while not stunning, is much better.

Score : 77 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

                                           Billie Eilish - Bad Guy

The GlenDronach Peated

 

 

 

46°

Distillery : The GlenDronach - Highlands

Bourbon Casks, Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez Sherry Finish 

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2015

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 25 ppm

GlenDronach, which usually uses sherry casks for a product that is not peated at all, has decided to include a peated bottling in its catalogue. It is said that in ancient times, the distillery always used peat, so this is a return to its roots.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Thick, damp peat with a vegetal touch. Behind, hints of vanilla and mango juice due to ageing in bourbon casks. Mirabelles and greengages. A dash of acidity. I can't taste the sherry cask finish. On the palate, though, it's a bit young, metallic, coaly, the vanilla struggling to find its way through. Lemon pulp. Relatively balanced. The finish pulls slightly, chalky, leaving an aftertaste of ash and tobacco. Although aggressive, it doesn't last very long.

 

In Short, 

Back to basics or not, in my opinion it's a failure. On the nose the peat lacks depth, on the palate it's too young, and the finish is a bit unpleasant. GlenDronach's peat-free sherry cask-aged bottlings are much better, so they'd do better to stick to them.

Score : 81

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                         To Be Listened While Sipping :

      

                                         Billy Idol - John Wayne

Elements of Islay Peat & Sherry Selected by LMDW

 

 

 

58,5°

Distillery Officialy Unknown - Islay

Sherry Casks

Independent Bottling 

By Elixir Distillers

Limited Edition 

Blended Malt

Bottled in 2018

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 35 ppm

 

 

 

In 2018, Elixir Distillers is releasing 5 different editions of Peat & Sherry. This one is being launched as a tribute to La Maison du Whisky, the largest whisky distributor in France.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

It takes a long time for the nose to open up. Smoky haze, fairly balanced. Sherry between woody and vinous, damsons, an ounce of charcoal behind. Red plum, greengage, quickly short-circuited by a full ashtray. Alternating sherry and smoke. Finally it's the peat that rises and puts everyone in agreement. A hint of iodine, even salt. The palate is spicy, avinaceous, liquorish, spicy, earthy, lignite, cloves, blood orange, damp wood, humus, viandox. Lovely long, gently drying finish, melting chocolate, charcoal and red fruits. It's greedy, but at the same time it dives deep into the earthy. Grenadine syrup. Candied cherry. Cocoa beans.

 

In Short, 

An excellent blend, where the sherry, far from angelic, combines with very smoky peat. A must-have if you can find one at a decent price.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           The Velvet Underground - Venus In Furs 

Nikka Blended

 

 

 

40°

Distillery : Yoichi, Miyagikyo - Japan

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Blended Whisky

Launched in 2012

Peated around 10 ppm

This Blended version from Nikka was a bit their bottom of the range, before it was replaced by Nikka Days in 2018. It's now hard to find, and more or less fallen into oblivion.

Let's Taste It : 

Almond and vanilla wrapped in a very light peat. Chocolate and cola, a pinch of earth. Hazelnut, brown sugar. It's quite malty, with a few cereals, like puffed rice, wheat and oats. Porridge. Quite light on the palate, however, with just a hint of white fruits. Grapes, plums and pears. Strong finish, slightly suave, barely sparkling. On dried apricot and quince. A pleasant whisky on the palate, though a little sweet. It goes down well on its own, unnoticed.

In Short, 

A pleasant blended that's as well-balanced as ever. It is, nevertheless, a bit expensive for what it is.

Score : 81

    

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                           Blur - Girls and Boys