Ardbeg Ardcore Committee Release

 

 

 

50,1°

Distillery : Ardbeg - Islay

White American Ex-Bourbon Casks

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2021

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 54 ppm

 

 

 

This limited edition is made from black malt, meaning that the barley has been roasted at 250° Celsius before being distilled. Apart from that, the maturation is classic, exclusively in Bourbon casks. The whole thing is accompanied by a bit of a marketing frenzy around Punk, the point of which I didn't really understand, nor what it had to do with black malt. I couldn't find any information on the number of bottles produced.

 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Big, unpolished peat. A bit clammy, sticky, swampy earth, dust, ashes, raw coal. The Bourbon influence can be felt behind, but it's really discreet. A few touches of vanilla and honey. Strangely, it's slightly sweet, with hints of shortbread and speculoos. After a while, it's quite balanced, even creamy. On the palate, the Bourbon comes through, it's very smooth, pleasant and ethereal. A vanilla punch with lychees, a touch of ginger, a squeeze of lemon and that's it. Oh yes, a good pile of peat, of course. Quite thick. The finish is a little short, unfortunately, but punchy, caramel, marrons glacés, chocolate. Earth and coal, and guess what? A good pile of peat. Opaque smoke. A dash of mint.

 

In Short, 

It's a good Ardbeg, and I'm putting it between Grooves and Arrrrrrrdbeg! in the committee's list of releases. It's good, but nothing extraordinary, and it's got nothing to do with Punk. Honestly, it's on a par with Ten, and even it seemed to me that the finish wasn't as good. That said, it's pleasant to drink, provided the price of the bottle doesn't stick in your craw.

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           à déguster en écoutant :

 

                                           The Cramps - Tear it Up

Brora 1981 Signatory Vintage Single Cask 18 yo

 

 

 

46°

Distillery : Brora - Highlands

Wine Treated Bourbon Hogshead

Independent Bottling 

By Signatory Vintage 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 1999

Peated around 7 ppm

Limited informations on this bottling carried out in 1999 by Signatory Vintage. We just know that there were 350 bottles. Specially crafted for La Maison du Whisky, it is intended for the French market. At the time, the distillery, which closed in 1983, was little known. The bottles got lost in nature. It was not until 10 to 15 years later that, with demand having exploded, the last copies sold at exorbitant prices. It should be noted that in 1981, Brora only used very little peat.

 

Let's Taste It : 

First nose, camphor. Very medicinal. Ether, disinfectant. And even detergent. Quite strong iodine. Little by little, white fruits take off. Varnished wood. Finally, it becomes very sweet, both earthy and greedy. Dry earth, white chocolate. Astringent peat. Coarse salt, minty freshness. Slices of apricot. After a while, nice balance, very pleasant. Citrus fruits, sesame, mate. On the palate, light fruits and explosive spices, cumin, paprika, heather, ferns, it's a little foresty. Salty and lemony. Olive oil. Ointment. Finishes slightly bitter, incense, paraffin, quite long, powerful, woody, sparkling.

 

In Short, 

For my first experience with Brora, I'd have to say that it wasn't conclusive... On the nose, which was initially very unbalanced, and on the palate, which was slightly watery, I found objective flaws. However, the complexity, originality and even radical nature of the product made me raise my rating, The nose really has a strong personality, and although I didn't like it very much, I think it can delight connoisseurs. The highly oily palate is interesting, and the finish is good. In fact, I found some similarities with Clynelish, the fairly strong spices, the minty touch and the ointment. I'm not crazy about it, but at least it's interesting and quite pleasant. I'm looking forward to the legendary bottlings, of which I have a few samples here and there.
Score : 88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Idles - MTT 420 RR

Clynelish 1995 The Single Malts of Scotland 23 yo

 

 

 

56,2°

Distillery : Clynelish - Highlands

Bourbon Hogshead

Independent Bottling 

By Elixir Distillers 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask

Bottled in 2019

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 8 ppm

 

 

 

As said in my previous post, the Singh brothers have a whole slew of 1995 Clynelish casks in their warehouses, and since 2014, they have been releasing one a year. This is an opportunity for us, humble consumers and enthusiasts, to detect the small differences and the evolutions over time. In 2019, we even had two different casks of Clynelish 1995, one within the Malt Collection range, and another within The Single Malts of Scotland range, this one, from which it was filled 231 bottles and which went on sale at the very end of the year.

 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It :  

Lemon and camphor, or perhaps it's very sweet iodine, or simply a fresh, countryside breeze. Quite mineral. Very balanced. You have to wait a few minutes for the white fruits to emerge. Plums, mirabelles, Chasselas grapes. Banana, passion fruit, papaya. After a while it becomes very exotic and a little alcoholic. You end up smelling wax, more beeswax than candle wax. Old paper soaked in tea. Liquid honey. Old ink, from schools long ago, with desks and inkwells. Liquorice stick. A few herbaceous hints. Chlorophyll and candied rhubarb. An ounce of smoke. Brown sugar. On the palate, the lemon comes through, but accompanied by a very sweet varnish, wood liqueur, pineapple, then the spices, as always quite strong with Clynelish, cumin, black pepper, nutmeg which takes over at the end. A rather explosive finish, once again very peppery, then slowly fades away, giving way to caramelised genoise, brioche bread, a dash of vanilla and pastry cream, meringue, red fruit coulis, heather earth, cola seeds, cocoa powder.

 

In Short, 

Well I'm amazed, it's not at all the same whisky as the 21 year old from my previous post, this one beats it hands down, and yet the other was already very good. The nose is very complex and intense, the mouth is perfectly balanced, the finish is quite explosive and very long. It's really a magnificent Clynelish, I even started to find out about the prices to acquire a bottle. I came away disillusioned.

Score : 91

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

                                                   Jeff Beck - A Day in the Life

Clynelish 1995 The Single Malts of Scotland 21 yo

 

 

 

55,9°

Distillery : Clynelish - Highlands

Bourbon Hogshead

Independent Bottling 

By Elixir Distillers

Limited Edition

Single Cask

Bottled in 2017

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 8 ppm

 

 

 

In 2002, the Singh brothers founded Specialty Drinks and one of their many good ideas was to acquire a number of Clynelish casks dating back to 1995. Since 2014, they've been bottling one every year or so, the first being 18 years old, the second 19, and so on. The bottle we have here is the third cask to be bottled that I know of. It's 2017, and the company has changed its name to Elixir Distillers. This is a 21-year-old whisky, 246 bottles have been produced, which will be destined exclusively for the French market.

 

Let's Taste It : 

Waxy honey, varnished parquet, smooth cream. A wisp of smoke, a zest of lemon and some candied fruits, pineapple, apricot, papaya, kumquat. Some spices with the addition of water, but it remains light. A hint of iodine, then the fruits become more intense and sweet. Wood resin. It becomes herbaceous at the end, with chlorophyll and rhubarb. On the palate, the lemon is initially very present, punctuated by spices, ginger, curry, nutmeg. Green pear, with a slightly astringent edge. The finish is long and very powerful, with citrus pulp, grapefruit, sesame seeds and green wood. A touch of bitterness.

 

In Short, 

An excellent Clynelish, 1995 is really a good vintage. A little clean cut but very complex and deep, bursting with fruits, especially exotic. Peat is virtually unnoticeable. The price today is of course way too high for what it is, as the stock is sold out, but at the time of its release it was more or less worth it.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           Tp Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                          Simon & Garfunkel - The Boxer

Port Charlotte 2003 Hidden Spirits 14 yo

 

 

 

55,5°

Distillery : Bruichladdich - Islay

2nd Fill Ex-Oloroso Sherry Hogshead

Independent Bottling 

By Hidden Spirits 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2017

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 40 ppm

 

 

 

Hidden Spirits is an independent Italian bottler founded in 2013 by Andrea Ferrari. Already following in the footsteps of its illustrious elders, Samaroli and Sestante, its reputation has already been made thanks to a few standout bottlings. This edition has also been the talk of the town. It is a Port Charlotte aged in a single second-fill Oloroso cask, and bottled at the age of 14 years and 13 days. 316 bottles went on sale.

 

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Ripe quinces, apricot loukoum, icing sugar, and immediately behind it thick peat, greasy fertile earth, oozing coal, fuel oil, motor oil. But it's as if it's candied, as if the anthracite was topped with a dab of chestnut cream. Chocolate ganache. Diffused smoke. With the addition of water, it becomes fruitier, but also more ashen. Rich, still oily, slightly alcoholic. Loamy earth, fleshy mud. The Oloroso finally starts to become more precise, caramel and leather, orange jam, cashew nuts. But the rustic peat is still there, make no mistake about it. On the palate, it's oily, the fruits become riper, like applesauce, with chunks inside. And lumps of sugar. Then light spices, cinnamon, paprika, curry, before a big bubble of peat is formed, and finally explodes on the palate, spurting gas oil, scaly water. You sink into the earth, the coal, the petrol. Long, sparkling finish, cola at first, then sinking into sand, pine needles, an ounce of eucalyptus, beautiful breadth, hazelnuts, toast, meat sauce. Maple syrup, pancakes.

 

In Short, 

It was a superb moment, and I wonder if I'm not going to raise my score again. I've never experienced such a perfect marriage between the violent, politically incorrect flavours of peat and the fruity, sweet plenitude of Oloroso. As it is a second fill cask, the Sherry is not at all striking, giving way to the distillate, which is at its best here. I won't say any more, just that the bottle is still available in certain specialist shops in Italy, or on auction sites from time to time. The price is a bit borderline, but as far as I'm concerned, it's the best I've tasted from Port Charlotte, and it easily rivals the best Octomore, so don't hesitate.

Score : 91

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened Whils Sipping  :

  

                                          The Murder Capital - Green and Blue

Port Charlotte 2001 Appeldoorn 13 yo

 

 

 

61,6°

Distillery : Bruichladdich - Ilsay

Fresh Oloroso Sherry Cask 

Original Bottling

Limited Edition

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2015

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 40 ppm

 

 

 

In the Prvate Cask Bottling range, which is definitely full of surprises, this little 13-year-old gem aged in a single Oloroso sherry cask will leave no one indifferent. The first year of distillation for Port Charlotte, the bottling was done in honour of Appeldoorn, a wine and spirits shop in Velp, Holland. 272 bottles were made.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

On the nose, meaty fuel oil, liquorous gas oil, evanescent peat, red fruits galore, blueberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, quite dark, morello cherries, chimney soot, gooseberries, amarena, very light iodine, cork, raspberries, clouds of smoke. On the palate, it's vinous, viscous, plum pulp, caramel, red grapes, slowly macerated, deep spices, paprika, saffron, cinnamon, cloves, lovely woody background. Peach pits. Greengages. Quite crazy finish, crimson fruits, charcoal and cola, long and explosive, pomegranate seeds, forest berries, a few drops of tomato concentrate. Gravel.

In Short, 

It's very intense, this Sherry. It's madness. It's all accompanied by the usual hallmarks, but here the peat isn't so intense, it's mainly the charcoal that stands out. It's a great success, an exceptional bottling that brings together everything I love about whisky: intensity, variety, subtlety and violent contrasts. A must-have, whenever possible. The Appeldoorn shop still has a few examples, which it sells at a prohibitive price, but it can be found under better conditions at auction.

Score : 91

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           Mdou Moctar - Tarhatazed

Port Charlotte 2001 Octomore Farm 16 yo

 

 

 

61,6°

Distillery : Bruichladdich - Islay 

Bourbon Barrel 

Original Bottling 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2018

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 40 ppm

 

 

 

Within the Private Cask Bottlings range, there are all kinds of curiosities at Bruichladdich. And in particular this one, from Port Charlotte, but distilled with barley from Octomore Farm, which gives an interesting blend of the two brands from the same distillery. The maturation was made entirely in Bourbon barrels, it is among the first Port Charlotte distilled, and only 216 bottles were filled.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

Big thick peat, country, grainy, earthy. We're in the hay, the barn, the cattle mooing beside us. Hints of vanilla, cigar smoke. Full ashtray. Beautiful breadth, a touch of iodine, the tide is coming in. Kelp. Pleasant palate, slightly fruity, with yellow apple, spices, cumin, white pepper, curry, very woody. Semi-salted butter. Pistachios and cashew nuts. Quite a long finish, a nice explosion on the palate, without being too violent, it's airy, oatmeal, undergrowth, eucalyptus. Heather.

 

In Short,

There are good qualities in this bottling, that said, I found that it was very farmy, and a little monochromatic. It's more Octomore than Port Charlotte, and like the Octomore .1s, often simple and rustic. The 2nd Port Charlotte Octomore, only 10 years old, seemed to me more successful, more nuanced, more divided between Port Charlotte and Octomore, this one seems more rudimentary to me. It remains a very good dram, but too expensive for what it is, and without particular originality.

Score : 89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

                                           Velvet Revolver - Sex Type Thing

SMWS 2007 33.138 A Thigh-slapping Dram 12 yo

 

 

 

60,9°

Distillery : Ardbeg- Islay

2nd Fill Oloroso Sherry Butt

Independent Bottling 

By Scotch Malt Whisky Society 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2019

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 54 ppm

 

 

 

In 1983, when Pip Hills created the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, the Ardbeg distillery was closed for two years. This is probably why it was given the number 33, which was a little late for a distillery of this level, as the illustrious Society's first bottling of Ardbeg didn't take place until 1986. But then they made up for it, and as the code indicates, this bottling is the 138th, made in 2019 after spending 12 years in a second-fill Sherry Oloroso cask, 615 bottles have been released for sale.

 

 

 

Let's Taste It : 

The nose is powerful, full-bodied, I'd say more of a flick on the cheek, but without fuss, it's still pleasant. The Sherry is intense, with cranberries, gooseberries, blueberries, combined with an oily peatiness, plastic, gravel, nails. Thick smoke. You can't get enough of it. The palate is straightaway very spicy, with cumin, paprika, nutmeg, prunes, dried grapes and varnished wood. Red fruits galore, raspberries, pomegranate, blackberries. A little sooty around the edges, this is close to a good fire. Atomic finish, woody, encaustic, charcoal, telluric tremors, apricot shade.

 

In Short,

An excellent one, pretty close to the Uigeadail, but better, more woody and complex, more intense, more fruity. In terms of price, we are on dizzying heights, it’s better to forget. 

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                          Amyl & The Sniffers - Some Mutts (Can't Be Muzzled)