Old Pulteney 18 yo The Maritime Malt

 

 

 

46°

Distillery : Pulteney - Highlands

Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Oloroso Sherry Casks

Original Bottling

Core Range 

Single Malt 

Launched in 2018

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

This expression replaces the 17-year-old, which nevertheless left its mark on the distillery. It is, of course, the prestige edition of the range, but not the pinnacle, as there is also a 25-year-old.

 

Let's Taste It : 

A good touch of sherry, with dried sultanas, a leather belt, elastic, puffed rice, cereals, white chocolate. The iodine comes next, a gentle sea breeze, salty, even spicy, a shade of caramel, vanilla butter, floral fragrances. The palate is very soft at first, honeyed and gently fruity, plum, pear and mirabelle, but the spices quickly rise, pepper and cinnamon, chocolate, nutmeg. A zest of lemon. Long finish of candied vanilla. Barley sugar, marshmallow.

 

In Short, 

This one has nothing to be ashamed of: it's subtle, varied and original, but also has the right amount of iodine to match the distillery's hallmarks. Nevertheless, the value for money is not entirely convincing.

Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                                    Sevdaliza - Live at Best Kept Secret 2016

Bowmore 1997 Xtra Old Particular 21 yo

 

 

 

56,2°

Distillery : Bowmore - Islay

Refill Bourbon Hogshead

Independent Bottling 

By Douglas Laing & Co.

Limited Edition 

Single Cask

Bottled in 2018

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 25 ppm

The Xtra Old Particular range is Douglas Laing's most prestigious, bringing together what they call their Exceptional Single Casks. This limited edition has been produced in 317 units.

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is dominated by citrus fruits, braised lemons, bleeding mandarins, a hint of bewitching smoke, white fruits, plums and grapes, and a few mineral elements, rock, limestone and salt. Well balanced. On the palate, it's almost like limoncello, very soft, dark, damp wood, the peat is barely noticeable, but it's there. A touch of grapefruit, without being bitter. In the finish, the lemon comes back to play tricks on us, quite long, nuanced, just right. Tart tatin, cinnamon, dry earth.

In Short, 

It's very good, superbly nuanced, but you have to like lemon. Personally, it's not my favourite flavour. Still, it's really well done. The price, however, makes you cringe.

Score : 88

            

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                           Natimbalès - Rebelle

Jura 1988 Rare Vintage 30 yo

 

 

 

53,5°

Distillery : Isle of Jura - Islands

Ex-Bourbon Casks and Tawny Port Cask Finish

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2018

Unchillfiletered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

It was in 2018 that the distillery launched into Rare Vintage, a series of ambitious bottlings at least 28 years old. This is the second in the series. 1406 bottles have been released.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Extremely well-balanced nose. Ageing in bourbon casks produces intense white fruits and vanilla, which blend voluptuously with the distillery's hallmarks, apricots, rhubarb and quinces. An ounce of red fruits, due to the finish in port casks. A few floral hints. Plenty of depth. Very tasty on the palate, with smoked ham and pear compote, jam and a few exotic fruits, passion fruit and mango. Robust wood. Perfect finish, very long, caramel, wood and earth.

 

In Short, 

Simply put, it's a delight. Finally, a faultless bottling from the island of Jura, you'd have to look far to find one. On the other hand, given the price, I'll pass.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

             

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Lightnin'Hopkins - It's a Sin to be Rich, It's a Low-Down Shame to be Poor

AnCnoc 24 yo

 

 

 

46°

Distillery : Knockdhu - Speyside

Ex-Bourbon Barrels and Sherry Casks

Original Bottling

Core Range

Single malt 

Launched in 2015

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Almost Unpeated

 

 

 

The Knockdhu distillery reopened in 1989, so this 24-year-old was released in 2015. Under its contract with Diageo, it undertakes not to use its own name in the sale of its whiskies, which is why they do not bear the name of the distillery.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

A very balanced nose, between wood and sweet vanilla. Discreet sherry, corn, peanuts, light tobacco, a bit damp. Pudding, dried sultanas, chocolate fondant, it's also very sweet. Very round on the palate, all kinds of fruit, vanilla and nuts. Smoked orange, thick honey, gingerbread. Plums and prunes, pumpkin, carrot. Extremely long finish, a little fizzy, cola, sandy earth and pine needles. A pinch of charcoal and caramel, and a few pastry-like fragrances.

 

In Short, 

It's a little delight, at once greedy, very fruity and pastry-like, with a hint of smoke. Very well-balanced too. The price is not excessive, so it's well worth a try for fans of the genre.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

   

                                          Wes Montgomery - Here's That Rainy Day

The Balvenie Tun 1509 Batch n°6

 

 

 

50,4°

Distillery : The Balvenie - Speyside

DoubleWood and Sherry Refill Butts, Ex-Bourbon Americain Oak Barrels

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2019

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Totally Unpeated

 

 

 

The Tun 1509 series began in 2014, when David Stewart created blends that he married for three months in the Tun 1509 in question. Batch No. 6 therefore contains 21 different casks, all of which are said to be at least 21 years old, although this is not mentioned on the bottle.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Very fine nose, cereals and sherry coated in balanced bourbon, like genoise, snow-whipped eggs, melting meringue, caramel and, of course, vanilla. Chantilly cream, set with crushed hazelnuts. paris-brest, amandine. Fruity, very delightful on the palate too, pear, apple, white plum, rum raisins, strawberry, very long finish, rising to a long crescendo. At the end, earth and wine lees, heather, walnuts, a hint of blackcurrant. A very fine piece of work.

 

In Short, 

It really is an incredible delicacy. Don't hesitate to buy it if you can afford it, because the price is extravagant.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                           Beth Gibbons/Gorecki/Penderecki - II. Lento e Largo/Tranquillissimo

Bunnahabhain Moine 2011 La Maison du Whisky Exclusive Bottling 7 yo

 

 

 

60,3°

Distillery : Bunnahabhain - Islay

Bourbon Hogsheads

Independent Bottling 

By Signatory Vintage

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2018

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 40 ppm

 

 

 

To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Signatory Vintage is sending a small gift to their favourite distributor in France, La Maison du Whisky, with this bottling of 653 units made from a blend of two different casks, numbered 704481 and 704482.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Strong but very pure peat, crystalline, mineral and iodised. Almost ethereal. It is reminiscent of chalk cliffs under the swell, invaded by gulls. An excellent marriage with vanilla sugar, white fruits, yellow plums, white grapes and pear. On the palate, the peat is still very strong but not overpowering, the fruity flavour is totally free, and the result is rather greedy. The finish is powerful and fairly long, with smoke, gravels and a hint of star anise. A little taste of salt at the end, like licking a pebble that has been in the sea.

 

In Short, 

I really liked it. It's not overly complex but it's very balanced, and I loved the minerality. What's more, the price is still right, so it's not surprising that this bottling sold out so quickly. If you happen to find a copy, buy it without hesitation.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

   

                                           Lisa Gerrard & Pieter Bourke - The Human Game

Caol Ila 1990 The Syndicate's 26 yo

 

 

 

50,4°

Distillery : Caol Ila - Islay

Bourbon Cask

Independent Bottling

By Murray McDavid

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2016

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 35 ppm

 

 

 

The Syndicate's range offers top-of-the-range bottlings of whiskies produced on Islay and bottled at the Bruichladdich distillery. Indeed, the founder of Murray McDavid is also the man who bought Bruichladdich in 2000 and brought it back to life, Mark Reynier. Here, we have a single bourbon cask, which gave 188 bottles of a 26-year-old from a very prestigious distillery.
 

Let's Taste It :

Very gentle influence of bourbon, vanilla, mirabelle plums, white grapes, pear juice. Light, slightly salty breeze of smoke. Granular peat. With the addition of water, it becomes fuller. Iodine, limestone, dust, fresh sea breeze. Very light honey. Eucalyptus. Icing sugar, pastry cream. A lemon zest. The latter takes over on the palate, with a touch of peat and spices, liquid honey, damp wood, genoise, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, sandalwood leaf, saffron, white chocolate, chicory. Slightly acidic finish, quite long nonetheless, grapefruit pulp, a hint of blood orange, with a very slight bitterness.

 

In Short, 

An excellent product, very smooth and complex, although I have a small reservation about the bitter finish, dominated by grapefruit. The rest is perfect and very intense, so those who don't mind the bitterness can go for it with their eyes closed.

Score : 89

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

   

                                          Nick Drake - I Was Made To Love Magic

Caol Ila 2006 Cask Strength Collection 12 yo c. 311565 & 311569

 

 

 

55,9°

Distillery : Caol Ila - Islay

Bourbon Hogsheads

Independent Bottling 

By Signatory Vintage 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2019

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 35 ppm

 

 

 

Signatory Vintage is offering a blend of two casks of Caol Ila distilled on the same day. These are casks 311565 and 311569, giving us 515 bottles.

 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Iced iodine catches the nostrils. Behind, vanilla, candied lemon and icing sugar. Camphor. Orange peel. Quite thick peat, foggy smoke. Ripe banana, which gradually takes over, reminiscent of Haribo sweets. Passion fruit. Mouth in the same vein, vanilla and exotic fruits, but after a while the spices rise, nutmeg, cloves, damp wood, plantain, corn, grapefruit. Quite a powerful finish, with charcoal, cola, juniper and a hint of peppermint. Sage leaf.

 

In Short, 

Without being earth-shattering, Signatory has put together an interesting and enjoyable blend. The price isn't extravagant this time, and it makes you want to dig deeper into the subject, even though it's more or less impossible to find it these days. 

Score : 88 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                           Natacha Atlas - Moustahil