Once again, there was tremendous interest in our December 3rd tasting. Due to a little bit of burnout and scheduling conflicts, we missed a tasting in November. In the new year, I think I will keep the tastings to once every 2 months, I think we'll have more consistent interest and is will be a little less work for me over what will be a busy time. If we somehow end up with an accumulation of bottles, well, maybe we'll organize a little something to take care of the "problem."
Big cheers to Dara for hosting, Max for procurement (again, this time at the LCBO), and to Laurent for his tenth and final scotch club. One of our founding members will be taking a position in Paris (congrats!) and will be sorely missed; we sent him away with a taste of the only Canadian single malt and a couple of Speysides (his favourite region).
Attending: Me, Max, Laurent, Derek, Allard, Dara, Kevin, Norm, Ian M, Joe, Jesse, Stevens, Dave C
Glen Breton Rare 10 (Nova Scotia, Canada)
It was only a matter of time before we got around to tasting Canada's only single malt whisky; the fact that Dave C had a bottle laying around and it was appropriate to send someone out of the country with it convinced us that it was time.
Nose: Strong bite, but complex - herbal, floral and almost perfume-like aromas over honey.
Palate: Smooth and a touch sweet, maybe a little ginger. A bit lacking, but completely unique as far as anything I've ever tasted.
Finish: Woody, but not unpleasantly so. Herbal/floral character returns.
Overall: A unique whisky with interesting character; if it reminds me of anything, it would be the P&M from Corsica. Worth trying, but more on a novelty basis. 8/10.
Mortlach 13 (Speyside)
An old friend of mine (and Max & Norm) brought a bottle of the 16 over a couple years ago, and we found it to be fantastic. Max was all over this when I gave him the shortlist of whiskies for this month. This one was bottled exlcusively for the LCBO, so it was nice to have a taste of this rare whisky.
Nose: Some heavy alcohol and esters over a nice grain background, hints of vanilla.
Palate: Smooth arrival and soft mouthfeel. Sweet with malts and a touch herbal.
Finish: A little wood coming through before some serious alcohol takes over. Lacks subtlety.
Overall: A little water did wonders to this in my opinion (though not Laurent's). Once it clouded up a little, the malts got bigger and sweeter, the wood was longer and richer. Went from a solid 8 to an 8.5-9/10.
Glenrothes 1985 (Speyside; 2005 bottling)
The Glenrothes is coveted by blenders and single malt lovers alike, it has a smooth character and is aged mostly in sherry casks. I was pretty excited for this bottle, the taste of the Select Reserve I had at the Black Watch tasting had whet my appetite for their single malt.
Nose: Smooth and rich. Big sherry notes, a bit nutty.
Palate: Fantastic arrival. Berries and grapes over a nutty background. Sweet, smooth and wonderful.
Finish: Beautiful. Archetypal Speyside. Nothing dry, smooth to the point of almost lacking character.
Overall: Maybe not as fat and juicy as the Glenfarclas 25, but a fantastic showing. Classic Speyside quality. 9-9.5/10
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
October 2010 Tasting
Our October meeting was held on the 22nd, once again hosted by stalwarts Max and Pat, whose apartment is rapidly becoming more or less our home. Thanks so much for the hospitality, guys. A big cheers to Mark, who enjoyed his tenth tasting tonight and his 32nd whisky with the club.
Max also distinguished himself once again in procurement, picking up three whiskies in Calgary that all looked pretty fantastic. Some big Highlands and Islays, all bottled at cask strength around 55%. Without a full roster of guys, some ended the evening somewhat worse for the wear. Bad enough that the tasting notes got a bit lost for about a month... Still, a great tasting overall with big, ballsy whiskies. And some experimental habanero cheese that burned the crap out of all of our tongues as well...
Attending: Me, Max, Mark, Laurent, Derek, Allard, Norm, IanM, Pat, Dave C
Edradour 16 (Highland)
Probably Scotland's smallest distillery, Edradour has only 2 employees and distills about 90 000 litres per year. I'd never tried anything from this distillery before, something that happens to me less and less these days. I wasn't sure what to expect, but had been recommended this distillery by a cute waitress once, and so had high hopes.
Nose: A bit spicy. Some wood, great berry and cherry-type flavours.
Palate: First sip is lovely, but it starts to get rough - some good toffee and subtle wine notes are washed out by a big mess of alcohol, ester, and ketone.
Finish: Woody, a bit of acetone. Some nice flavours, but big alcohol feel doesn't make it flow too smoothly.
Overall: Mediocre at best. The worst part is that the first sip or two actually taste fantastic, and things quickly go awry. Probably would have been a similar story with the waitress. 8/10
Springbank 16 Oloroso Finish (Highland)
Another distillery I hadn't encountered, Springbank is a family-run establishment and the last surviving still of Campbeltown. This bottling was exclusive to Kensington Wine Market, they bought the contents of an Oloroso cask and had it bottled and shipped over. Another cask strength with no chill filtering.
Nose: A little Bowmore character over some big wine notes. Huge sherry, maybe some spice in the back?
Palate: Great wine and and malt flavours: fat and rich. Touch of smoke and phenol towards end. Just fantastic.
Finish: Some Bowmore phenol here, too. Big and juicy.
Overall: What a great sherry-finished whisky should be - almost succulent. Great complexity and balance with some peat bubbling through all those great sherry flavours. 9/10
Bowmore Tempest (10-year-old, Islay)
An Islay that has escaped the tastings so far, Max and I were looking forward to this as we're big fans of the 12-year-old. This is also a rare bottle, with only one shop in Canada selling it. We're not likely to tire very soon of Max's Calgary visits.
Nose: Big toffee and a little citrus over Bowmore's signature (Murray calls it "Fisherman's Friend") aroma.
Palate: Amazing mouthfeel. Thick, rich and oily. Big toffee before the signature distillery flavours take over. Near-perfection marred by a touch of acetone towards the end.
Finish: A little raw, but complex and satisfying. Lingering toffee, iodine and phenol laid over subtle oakiness.
Overall: A great expression from one of my favourite distilleries. Huge character, incredible arrival, really just a fantastic whisky altogether. Between 9 and 9.5/10
Max also distinguished himself once again in procurement, picking up three whiskies in Calgary that all looked pretty fantastic. Some big Highlands and Islays, all bottled at cask strength around 55%. Without a full roster of guys, some ended the evening somewhat worse for the wear. Bad enough that the tasting notes got a bit lost for about a month... Still, a great tasting overall with big, ballsy whiskies. And some experimental habanero cheese that burned the crap out of all of our tongues as well...
Attending: Me, Max, Mark, Laurent, Derek, Allard, Norm, IanM, Pat, Dave C
Edradour 16 (Highland)
Probably Scotland's smallest distillery, Edradour has only 2 employees and distills about 90 000 litres per year. I'd never tried anything from this distillery before, something that happens to me less and less these days. I wasn't sure what to expect, but had been recommended this distillery by a cute waitress once, and so had high hopes.
Nose: A bit spicy. Some wood, great berry and cherry-type flavours.
Palate: First sip is lovely, but it starts to get rough - some good toffee and subtle wine notes are washed out by a big mess of alcohol, ester, and ketone.
Finish: Woody, a bit of acetone. Some nice flavours, but big alcohol feel doesn't make it flow too smoothly.
Overall: Mediocre at best. The worst part is that the first sip or two actually taste fantastic, and things quickly go awry. Probably would have been a similar story with the waitress. 8/10
Springbank 16 Oloroso Finish (Highland)
Another distillery I hadn't encountered, Springbank is a family-run establishment and the last surviving still of Campbeltown. This bottling was exclusive to Kensington Wine Market, they bought the contents of an Oloroso cask and had it bottled and shipped over. Another cask strength with no chill filtering.
Nose: A little Bowmore character over some big wine notes. Huge sherry, maybe some spice in the back?
Palate: Great wine and and malt flavours: fat and rich. Touch of smoke and phenol towards end. Just fantastic.
Finish: Some Bowmore phenol here, too. Big and juicy.
Overall: What a great sherry-finished whisky should be - almost succulent. Great complexity and balance with some peat bubbling through all those great sherry flavours. 9/10
Bowmore Tempest (10-year-old, Islay)
An Islay that has escaped the tastings so far, Max and I were looking forward to this as we're big fans of the 12-year-old. This is also a rare bottle, with only one shop in Canada selling it. We're not likely to tire very soon of Max's Calgary visits.
Nose: Big toffee and a little citrus over Bowmore's signature (Murray calls it "Fisherman's Friend") aroma.
Palate: Amazing mouthfeel. Thick, rich and oily. Big toffee before the signature distillery flavours take over. Near-perfection marred by a touch of acetone towards the end.
Finish: A little raw, but complex and satisfying. Lingering toffee, iodine and phenol laid over subtle oakiness.
Overall: A great expression from one of my favourite distilleries. Huge character, incredible arrival, really just a fantastic whisky altogether. Between 9 and 9.5/10
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
September 2010
Our September 24th tasting took place at Max's, where we profited from his fine procurement skills. Another trip to Calgary's Kensington Wine Market saw us hoping to pick up a rare repeat whisky along with some of its siblings - the Port Charlotte 5, 6 and the 7-year-old we tried back in March. Sadly, the 5-year-old was no longer available, so we tried our palates with another one from the same distillery: the Bruichladdich Octomore.
This was our first stab at a "horizontal" tasting, where all the whiskies come from the same distillery. The first run of Port Charlotte was distilled at Bruichladdich on Islay; and all three of them since they came under new management. All are bottled at a cask strength of over 60%, meaning we more than got our money's worth in terms of "bang for the buck." Oddly, a lot of us found these strong, young whiskies had great character that wasn't improved by water at all.
Joe and Jesse both attended their 5th tasting (16 and 15 whiskies sampled, respectively) and newcomers Dave C and Peter seemed to enjoy themselves. Many thanks to Max and Pat for hosting; and another cheers to Max for a fine procurement - these were 3 top-tier whiskies, although if you didn't love the Islays, it might have been a tough night.
Attending: Me, Max, Mark, Dara, Derek, Allard, Norm, Joe, Jesse, Stevens, Pat, Ardeshir, Peter, Dave C.
Port Charlotte 7
As mentioned, we tried this back in March and it was very well-remembered by myself, Max, Allard, Joe and Stevens... the other lads had heard about it and were pretty stoked to have another shot at it.
Nose: There's that toffee/caramel, spice, smoke... everything. Yum.
Palate: Sweet, smoky, balanced and almost a hint of bacon in there. Just a fantastically complex and balanced whisky.
Finish: Chewy peat, huge phenol and nice oak background. Long, complex and beautiful.
Overall: As good as remembered, meaning among the best whiskies I've ever had. 9.5/10
Port Charlotte 6
Another gem from Port Charlotte. Even better than the 7, which was a surprise - I didn't think it got much better than the 7. The overwhelming favourite of the night.
Nose: Fantastic. Great sweetness; the peat blends well into complex malt sugars with big alcohol notes.
Palate: Sweeter than the 7-year-old, maybe some citrus as well. Complex and beautiful as the peat eases into the fore.
Finish: Fantastic peat, mouth-watering, rich, complex and chewy. Fuck yeah.
Overall: What a whisky. Big flavours, big character, incredibly well-balanced and just downright amazing. Did I mention AMAZING? A must-have for Islay lovers. 9.5 or 10 on the 10-point scale.
Bruichladdich Octomore
Supposedly the most heavily-peated scotch ever made (at the time) with a whopping 131 ppm phenol. At 5 years old and something like 64% alcohol, I wasn't sure what to expect from this beast. I attempted making a 131 ppm phenol solution in the lab to compare this two, but I couldn't get a concentration on the Tris-saturated bottle we use for DNA extractions... but this definitely lived up to expectations.
Nose: Like a phenol/alcohol solution from the lab, with some interesting citrus notes.
Palate: A little hot and sweet with the enormous alcohol content, but then balanced and complex flavours have a go 'round before the phenol takes over.
Finish: Nothing complex or layered here, just fantastic phenol goodness.
Overall: Despite the high-phenol warnings, this is a complex and well-balanced scotch, truly a pleasure even at 64%. Not for those loving a mellow whisky. 9.5/10
This was our first stab at a "horizontal" tasting, where all the whiskies come from the same distillery. The first run of Port Charlotte was distilled at Bruichladdich on Islay; and all three of them since they came under new management. All are bottled at a cask strength of over 60%, meaning we more than got our money's worth in terms of "bang for the buck." Oddly, a lot of us found these strong, young whiskies had great character that wasn't improved by water at all.
Joe and Jesse both attended their 5th tasting (16 and 15 whiskies sampled, respectively) and newcomers Dave C and Peter seemed to enjoy themselves. Many thanks to Max and Pat for hosting; and another cheers to Max for a fine procurement - these were 3 top-tier whiskies, although if you didn't love the Islays, it might have been a tough night.
Attending: Me, Max, Mark, Dara, Derek, Allard, Norm, Joe, Jesse, Stevens, Pat, Ardeshir, Peter, Dave C.
Port Charlotte 7
As mentioned, we tried this back in March and it was very well-remembered by myself, Max, Allard, Joe and Stevens... the other lads had heard about it and were pretty stoked to have another shot at it.
Nose: There's that toffee/caramel, spice, smoke... everything. Yum.
Palate: Sweet, smoky, balanced and almost a hint of bacon in there. Just a fantastically complex and balanced whisky.
Finish: Chewy peat, huge phenol and nice oak background. Long, complex and beautiful.
Overall: As good as remembered, meaning among the best whiskies I've ever had. 9.5/10
Port Charlotte 6
Another gem from Port Charlotte. Even better than the 7, which was a surprise - I didn't think it got much better than the 7. The overwhelming favourite of the night.
Nose: Fantastic. Great sweetness; the peat blends well into complex malt sugars with big alcohol notes.
Palate: Sweeter than the 7-year-old, maybe some citrus as well. Complex and beautiful as the peat eases into the fore.
Finish: Fantastic peat, mouth-watering, rich, complex and chewy. Fuck yeah.
Overall: What a whisky. Big flavours, big character, incredibly well-balanced and just downright amazing. Did I mention AMAZING? A must-have for Islay lovers. 9.5 or 10 on the 10-point scale.
Bruichladdich Octomore
Supposedly the most heavily-peated scotch ever made (at the time) with a whopping 131 ppm phenol. At 5 years old and something like 64% alcohol, I wasn't sure what to expect from this beast. I attempted making a 131 ppm phenol solution in the lab to compare this two, but I couldn't get a concentration on the Tris-saturated bottle we use for DNA extractions... but this definitely lived up to expectations.
Nose: Like a phenol/alcohol solution from the lab, with some interesting citrus notes.
Palate: A little hot and sweet with the enormous alcohol content, but then balanced and complex flavours have a go 'round before the phenol takes over.
Finish: Nothing complex or layered here, just fantastic phenol goodness.
Overall: Despite the high-phenol warnings, this is a complex and well-balanced scotch, truly a pleasure even at 64%. Not for those loving a mellow whisky. 9.5/10
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Quiet summer?
From the blog, you would think that it would have been a quiet month or two. I assure you it hasn't been, with 15 whiskies tasted in the last 5 weeks. I didn't really preoccupy myself in taking proper notes for them all, but I'll mention the standouts as I get around to them.
A blasphemous, but strangely enjoyable co-ed tasting was held Friday August 13, with mainly colleagues from work. Scotch Club regulars included myself, Kevin, Laurent, Ian M, Jesse and Rich; a total of 22 people participated in the tasting. A great time was had by all, and the women raised the tone of the discussions significantly. For the $20 admission, tasters got an ounce of An Cnoc 12, Cragganmore Distiller's Edition, Dalwhinnie 15, Talisker 10, and Lagavulin 16. A big thanks to Laurent with the help in the procurement and to Carine for generously hosting the event.
The important lesson here was that the vast majority of the 10 or so female tasters enjoyed the Cragganmore the most. So speaking broadly, if your girl isn't sure whether she likes scotch, start her on something sherried and not too smoky - a Macallan, much of the Diageo Distiller's Edition series, maybe a Mortlach or a Glenrothes. I felt truly blessed as we finished up the tasting with the Lagavulin; more than a couple of ladies didn't take such a strong liking to it and I gallantly allowed them to divest themselves of the offending spirit in my own glass.
Then on September 17th, in a highly-anticipated event Stevens invited us along for, a tasting was hosted by his stepfather Claude and the 78th Fraser Highlanders at the Black Watch Armory. A spectacular selection of 10 whiskies were on offer, accompanied by appetizers and excellent company. Scotch club regulars included myself, Stevens, Allard, Nick and Joe.
The venue was really quite impressive, but was overshadowed by the selection: Yamazaki 12, The Black Grouse, Black Bush, Glenkinchie 12, The Peat Monster, Bowmore Legend, Glenrothes Special Reserve, Old Pulteney 12, Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban, and Highland Park 12. About a half-ounce was served of each for the incredible bargain of $40, with proceeds to St-John's Ambulance. There was even a raffle with prizes including single malts! A big thanks, congratulations and slainte! to Claude for a well-run and truly impressive tasting.
Real standouts included my first tasting of a Glenrothes and the Bowmore Legend. The Glenrothes impressed with big, nutty and smooth Speyside flavours; the Legend turned out a very respectable showing in the "affordable Islay" category. The Peat Monster lived up to its name and I found it reminiscent of the Laphroaig Quarter-Cask; I can see it making an appearance at Scotch Club one day.
We go back to what should be a monthly routine with a big Bruichladdich tasting next week, taking me to some 18 whiskies in 6 weeks - 19 if you count the Snow Grouse Dara kindly brought back over for me from Europe!
A blasphemous, but strangely enjoyable co-ed tasting was held Friday August 13, with mainly colleagues from work. Scotch Club regulars included myself, Kevin, Laurent, Ian M, Jesse and Rich; a total of 22 people participated in the tasting. A great time was had by all, and the women raised the tone of the discussions significantly. For the $20 admission, tasters got an ounce of An Cnoc 12, Cragganmore Distiller's Edition, Dalwhinnie 15, Talisker 10, and Lagavulin 16. A big thanks to Laurent with the help in the procurement and to Carine for generously hosting the event.
The important lesson here was that the vast majority of the 10 or so female tasters enjoyed the Cragganmore the most. So speaking broadly, if your girl isn't sure whether she likes scotch, start her on something sherried and not too smoky - a Macallan, much of the Diageo Distiller's Edition series, maybe a Mortlach or a Glenrothes. I felt truly blessed as we finished up the tasting with the Lagavulin; more than a couple of ladies didn't take such a strong liking to it and I gallantly allowed them to divest themselves of the offending spirit in my own glass.
Then on September 17th, in a highly-anticipated event Stevens invited us along for, a tasting was hosted by his stepfather Claude and the 78th Fraser Highlanders at the Black Watch Armory. A spectacular selection of 10 whiskies were on offer, accompanied by appetizers and excellent company. Scotch club regulars included myself, Stevens, Allard, Nick and Joe.
The venue was really quite impressive, but was overshadowed by the selection: Yamazaki 12, The Black Grouse, Black Bush, Glenkinchie 12, The Peat Monster, Bowmore Legend, Glenrothes Special Reserve, Old Pulteney 12, Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban, and Highland Park 12. About a half-ounce was served of each for the incredible bargain of $40, with proceeds to St-John's Ambulance. There was even a raffle with prizes including single malts! A big thanks, congratulations and slainte! to Claude for a well-run and truly impressive tasting.
Real standouts included my first tasting of a Glenrothes and the Bowmore Legend. The Glenrothes impressed with big, nutty and smooth Speyside flavours; the Legend turned out a very respectable showing in the "affordable Islay" category. The Peat Monster lived up to its name and I found it reminiscent of the Laphroaig Quarter-Cask; I can see it making an appearance at Scotch Club one day.
We go back to what should be a monthly routine with a big Bruichladdich tasting next week, taking me to some 18 whiskies in 6 weeks - 19 if you count the Snow Grouse Dara kindly brought back over for me from Europe!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
July 2010 Tasting - Blends
Our July 23rd tasting proved to be quite a popular event, with a full 12 people attending. We had a couple bottles in reserve that had been sitting for 2-3 months: a Corsican whisky that Laurent searched out in France in May, and bottle Stevens picked up at a duty-free not long after that. With 2 bottles of blended whisky in hand, only $90 spent, and a full roster, I looked through the SAQ site to see how to best spend the rest of our budget. Max and I thought it might be fun to go with a selection of blends, and so the idea of a "blend night" was born...
Knowing the dangers of a 4-bottle scotch club, we nonetheless forged bravely ahead into a tasting we knew would be quite painful. Thanks go out to Stevens and Laurent for procurement (and patience!) and Max & Pat for hosting; cheers to Max for our 10th "official" event and to Ian M for attending 5 consecutive tastings since his first invite in March.
Attending: Me, Max, Mark, Laurent, Dara, Derek, Allard, Ian M, Joe, Jesse, Nick, Pat
The Black Grouse
Made by the same guys that do The Famous Grouse, I had tried this before on a trip overseas when I read it was a good and inexpensive blend with a nice peat quality. I resolved to have someone pick up a bottle for scotch club on their next voyage out of the country to taste with the club as an example of how great a blend can be. Everyone I've introduced to this scotch has enjoyed it thoroughly, and it was rated #1 on the night (albeit by a fairly narrow margin). It's now available in Ontario for $33/750 ml, making it the best buy in whisky. Period.
Nose: Pleasant and balanced, with sweetness and malt overlying pure and beautiful peat smoke.
Palate: Malty caramel with a little spice. Beautiful smoky notes in the back. Light phenol is enough to be heard but not overwhelm.
Finish: Smooth, sweet and gentle. Lingering peat over great oaky tones. Absolutely beautiful.
Overall: If your friends like whisky, keep a bottle of this around at all times. They will thank you. A magnificent whisky for magnificent price. Slightly over the 9/10 mark.
Ballantine's 17
I don't mind me a Ballantine's, and drank a fair amount of their Special Reserve before I discovered the Black Grouse. Being that the 17 is an award-winning whisky that Jim Murray was pretty excited about (13-18 Year Old Blended Scotch of 2010), I wanted to include this in the tasting. A strong showing, but it narrowly missed the favourite of the night to a bottle less than half its price.
Nose: Oaky and good vanilla. Slight traces of sherry and peat.
Palate: Sweet, smooth and silky. Honey, oak, a dash of phenol and a pile of malt.
Finish: Smooth, warming and tons of rich malty flavour.
Overall: A great scotch, but a little lacking in character. Great balance and complexity but maybe TOO subtle. Just short of 9/10.
Usquaebach Reserve Blended Scotch Whisky
This started popping up on the SAQ site a couple of months ago. An expensive blend, I had never heard of it and found nothing substantial about it anywhere on the net or in the Whisky Bible, either. Apparently the illness of the brand owner made it unavailable for years, and it has recently come back on the market. Between the lack of information, the way it fit our budget, and the amazingly cool clay decanter it comes in, we had plenty of great reasons to try it.
Nose: On the fruity side - apple, pear and ester qualities. Nicely balanced by a touch of smoke.
Palate: Smooth with honey and a bit of bitter, dry oak. Pleasant and balanced.
Finish: Beautifully smooth, but short and lacking.
Overall: Like a new nerdy guy at work treading around lightly trying not to offend anyone. Doesn't cause any friction but is ultimately a bit boring. No more than 8.5/10
P&M Blend Supérieur (France)
A little-known distillery from the island of Corsica distills this whisky from beer mash and ages it in French oak, some that has previously contained various eaux-de-vie produced at the same distillery. Procured by Laurent, we thank him for keeping it untouched on his shelf for so long!
Nose: Surprising. Perfume, flowers, citrus and spice. Like nothing else in whisky.
Palate: Sweet, fruity and distinct oakiness. Like a strange liqueur that probably exists somewhere but I've yet to try.
Finish: A little hot with some grain liquor quality and strong chestnut flavour.
Overall: A unique whisky that shocks and thrills with unexpected flavours and tremendous complexity. Far from great, but certainly interesting. 8/10.
Knowing the dangers of a 4-bottle scotch club, we nonetheless forged bravely ahead into a tasting we knew would be quite painful. Thanks go out to Stevens and Laurent for procurement (and patience!) and Max & Pat for hosting; cheers to Max for our 10th "official" event and to Ian M for attending 5 consecutive tastings since his first invite in March.
Attending: Me, Max, Mark, Laurent, Dara, Derek, Allard, Ian M, Joe, Jesse, Nick, Pat
The Black Grouse
Made by the same guys that do The Famous Grouse, I had tried this before on a trip overseas when I read it was a good and inexpensive blend with a nice peat quality. I resolved to have someone pick up a bottle for scotch club on their next voyage out of the country to taste with the club as an example of how great a blend can be. Everyone I've introduced to this scotch has enjoyed it thoroughly, and it was rated #1 on the night (albeit by a fairly narrow margin). It's now available in Ontario for $33/750 ml, making it the best buy in whisky. Period.
Nose: Pleasant and balanced, with sweetness and malt overlying pure and beautiful peat smoke.
Palate: Malty caramel with a little spice. Beautiful smoky notes in the back. Light phenol is enough to be heard but not overwhelm.
Finish: Smooth, sweet and gentle. Lingering peat over great oaky tones. Absolutely beautiful.
Overall: If your friends like whisky, keep a bottle of this around at all times. They will thank you. A magnificent whisky for magnificent price. Slightly over the 9/10 mark.
Ballantine's 17
I don't mind me a Ballantine's, and drank a fair amount of their Special Reserve before I discovered the Black Grouse. Being that the 17 is an award-winning whisky that Jim Murray was pretty excited about (13-18 Year Old Blended Scotch of 2010), I wanted to include this in the tasting. A strong showing, but it narrowly missed the favourite of the night to a bottle less than half its price.
Nose: Oaky and good vanilla. Slight traces of sherry and peat.
Palate: Sweet, smooth and silky. Honey, oak, a dash of phenol and a pile of malt.
Finish: Smooth, warming and tons of rich malty flavour.
Overall: A great scotch, but a little lacking in character. Great balance and complexity but maybe TOO subtle. Just short of 9/10.
Usquaebach Reserve Blended Scotch Whisky
This started popping up on the SAQ site a couple of months ago. An expensive blend, I had never heard of it and found nothing substantial about it anywhere on the net or in the Whisky Bible, either. Apparently the illness of the brand owner made it unavailable for years, and it has recently come back on the market. Between the lack of information, the way it fit our budget, and the amazingly cool clay decanter it comes in, we had plenty of great reasons to try it.
Nose: On the fruity side - apple, pear and ester qualities. Nicely balanced by a touch of smoke.
Palate: Smooth with honey and a bit of bitter, dry oak. Pleasant and balanced.
Finish: Beautifully smooth, but short and lacking.
Overall: Like a new nerdy guy at work treading around lightly trying not to offend anyone. Doesn't cause any friction but is ultimately a bit boring. No more than 8.5/10
P&M Blend Supérieur (France)
A little-known distillery from the island of Corsica distills this whisky from beer mash and ages it in French oak, some that has previously contained various eaux-de-vie produced at the same distillery. Procured by Laurent, we thank him for keeping it untouched on his shelf for so long!
Nose: Surprising. Perfume, flowers, citrus and spice. Like nothing else in whisky.
Palate: Sweet, fruity and distinct oakiness. Like a strange liqueur that probably exists somewhere but I've yet to try.
Finish: A little hot with some grain liquor quality and strong chestnut flavour.
Overall: A unique whisky that shocks and thrills with unexpected flavours and tremendous complexity. Far from great, but certainly interesting. 8/10.
Monday, July 5, 2010
June 2010 Tasting
Just barely managed to squeeze a tasting into June, as I was trying to plan around a visit from an old friend and scotch lover and did something seemingly insane - plan Scotch Club for a Wednesday night. However, it was June 30th, the day before Canada Day. With most everybody off work on Thursday, we were free to celebrate with a highly-rated Canadian rye alongside a couple of fine single malts. Big cheers to Dara for hosting despite the arrival of his parents that evening!
We had a surprisingly good promised turnout, and I (perhaps foolishly) bought for 13 people attending. Some of these had last-minute issues - Canada Day is Moving Day here in Montreal, and Norm's movers screwed him over; Dara's dad was more or less dragged out by his wife - and another might have been a flat mistake on my part. As a result, several of the men put in more than the $30 we normally charge. Thanks guys, your contributions will be noted and some sort of bonus will make its way back to you.
Also thanks again to Erin for some great baking, and the ladies of Book Club for putting up with us afterwards at L&B. A last cheers to BetterMax, we unknowingly did our 10th event this night - 29 whiskies tasted and counting!
Attending: Me, Max, Mark, Kevin, Laurent, Dara, Derek, IanM, Stevens, Barry
Alberta Premium 5 (Canada)
Max and I were slightly sceptical about this whisky, being more fans of scotch than rye. However, Jim Murray talks about this whisky like ambrosia - statements along the lines of 'should be regarded as a national treasure' or words to that effect; and rating it an incredible 94.5. We decided that this was a better buy than the Glen Breton single malt whisky from Nova Scotia, and gave it a shot. At $30, why not?
Nose: Slightly sweet with complex sugars - maple and molasses maybe. Distinct grain liquor smell, though.
Palate: Sweet, nutty (one taster had coconut, too). Quite smooth and pleasant up front. Maybe some ketones towards the back.
Finish: Pure grain liquor, like a cheap vodka. Nasty, and seemingly immune to the addition of water or ice. Maybe some Canada Dry?
Overall: Whatever Jim Murray has to say, and despite a wholly pleasant palate, I wasn't a big fan. I compared it today to a girl who hasn't yet learned that teeth are no good in a blowjob. Sure, you enjoy it to a certain extent, but it's also painful and difficult to get off. Many guys didn't even want their second round. 6.5/10.
Lagavulin Distiller's Edition (Islay, no age statement)
Barry, who isn't normally a peat fan, was given the chore of picking up our 3rd bottle from the SAQ (sadly, he didn't get to London's shops before leaving). I think the promise of the sherry balanced with peat intrigued him, and I admit to wanting to try this expression badly. Lagavulin 16 is one of my favourite whiskies, and my discovery that I really enjoy heavily-sherried Islays - Ardbeg Uigeadail and Port Charlotte 7, for example - had me anticipating this pretty eagerly.
Nose: A little winey sweetness up front, and then big phenolic peat flavours. Lovely.
Palate: Sweet, smooth and calm at the outset. Maybe even weak. Builds to some serious phenol heights in a very enjoyable ride.
Finish: No lack of it. Loads of peat, but without that sorta chewy, lip-smacking bit that the best have. Something else I couldn't quite identify, but quite pleasant.
Overall: Good, maybe even great, but fell short of the high expectations set by the aforementioned whiskies. At the same price tag ($145 at the SAQ), you can get the Ardbeg Uigeadail, and get soooo much more bang for your buck. 9/10.
Talisker 25 (Highlands - Islands)
Another great buy by Max at Binnie's. $210 in Chicago compared to $400 and change at the LCBO. We were really looking forward to a bottle that broke our price record (previously about $190 for the Highland Park 23 and the Convalmore 21) and tied our age record (25 years, tied with a Glenfarclas). That's right, over $200 and 25 years old. Big pimpin'.
Nose: Strong, the 57% cask-strength bottling really shows up. A little berry, a little woody, a little... aldehyde?
Palate: Sweet and lovely in front, gets washed out by too much water. Quite peppery. Nice little smoke flavours with little in the way of phenol.
Finish: A little bitter with more of that pepper and some good solid wood and smoke flavours.
Overall: A brilliant expression of Talisker. It's smooth like a velvet suit and kicks like a gaudy, heavily-weighted cane. Feel lucky to have had the chance to drink some, but I'd never grab a bottle myself. 9/10.
We had a surprisingly good promised turnout, and I (perhaps foolishly) bought for 13 people attending. Some of these had last-minute issues - Canada Day is Moving Day here in Montreal, and Norm's movers screwed him over; Dara's dad was more or less dragged out by his wife - and another might have been a flat mistake on my part. As a result, several of the men put in more than the $30 we normally charge. Thanks guys, your contributions will be noted and some sort of bonus will make its way back to you.
Also thanks again to Erin for some great baking, and the ladies of Book Club for putting up with us afterwards at L&B. A last cheers to BetterMax, we unknowingly did our 10th event this night - 29 whiskies tasted and counting!
Attending: Me, Max, Mark, Kevin, Laurent, Dara, Derek, IanM, Stevens, Barry
Alberta Premium 5 (Canada)
Max and I were slightly sceptical about this whisky, being more fans of scotch than rye. However, Jim Murray talks about this whisky like ambrosia - statements along the lines of 'should be regarded as a national treasure' or words to that effect; and rating it an incredible 94.5. We decided that this was a better buy than the Glen Breton single malt whisky from Nova Scotia, and gave it a shot. At $30, why not?
Nose: Slightly sweet with complex sugars - maple and molasses maybe. Distinct grain liquor smell, though.
Palate: Sweet, nutty (one taster had coconut, too). Quite smooth and pleasant up front. Maybe some ketones towards the back.
Finish: Pure grain liquor, like a cheap vodka. Nasty, and seemingly immune to the addition of water or ice. Maybe some Canada Dry?
Overall: Whatever Jim Murray has to say, and despite a wholly pleasant palate, I wasn't a big fan. I compared it today to a girl who hasn't yet learned that teeth are no good in a blowjob. Sure, you enjoy it to a certain extent, but it's also painful and difficult to get off. Many guys didn't even want their second round. 6.5/10.
Lagavulin Distiller's Edition (Islay, no age statement)
Barry, who isn't normally a peat fan, was given the chore of picking up our 3rd bottle from the SAQ (sadly, he didn't get to London's shops before leaving). I think the promise of the sherry balanced with peat intrigued him, and I admit to wanting to try this expression badly. Lagavulin 16 is one of my favourite whiskies, and my discovery that I really enjoy heavily-sherried Islays - Ardbeg Uigeadail and Port Charlotte 7, for example - had me anticipating this pretty eagerly.
Nose: A little winey sweetness up front, and then big phenolic peat flavours. Lovely.
Palate: Sweet, smooth and calm at the outset. Maybe even weak. Builds to some serious phenol heights in a very enjoyable ride.
Finish: No lack of it. Loads of peat, but without that sorta chewy, lip-smacking bit that the best have. Something else I couldn't quite identify, but quite pleasant.
Overall: Good, maybe even great, but fell short of the high expectations set by the aforementioned whiskies. At the same price tag ($145 at the SAQ), you can get the Ardbeg Uigeadail, and get soooo much more bang for your buck. 9/10.
Talisker 25 (Highlands - Islands)
Another great buy by Max at Binnie's. $210 in Chicago compared to $400 and change at the LCBO. We were really looking forward to a bottle that broke our price record (previously about $190 for the Highland Park 23 and the Convalmore 21) and tied our age record (25 years, tied with a Glenfarclas). That's right, over $200 and 25 years old. Big pimpin'.
Nose: Strong, the 57% cask-strength bottling really shows up. A little berry, a little woody, a little... aldehyde?
Palate: Sweet and lovely in front, gets washed out by too much water. Quite peppery. Nice little smoke flavours with little in the way of phenol.
Finish: A little bitter with more of that pepper and some good solid wood and smoke flavours.
Overall: A brilliant expression of Talisker. It's smooth like a velvet suit and kicks like a gaudy, heavily-weighted cane. Feel lucky to have had the chance to drink some, but I'd never grab a bottle myself. 9/10.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
May 2010 Tasting
So it finally happened. We finally had such a poor turnout that we couldn't run a full-scale tasting; scheduling it on the Friday of May 24 weekend was maybe a bad idea in retrospect. It was a stretch to get even 8 guys to show up. We decided to scale the tasting back to 2 bottles and 3 rounds each, and indulged in the Caol Ila 12 and the Glenlivet 21 that Mark and Max brought back from Watertown. Then at the last minute, Mark had to back out due to an illness in the family. Still, the 7 of us managed to have a great time and came in on-budget. Thanks to Max and Pat for hosting yet again, we promise to give you guys a break next month. Good times were had by all; a lot of laughing about TB and speculation about what the Habs will do this off-season after their out-of-nowhere playoff run... and no keg this time meant that things weren't so bad the next day.
Attending: Me, Max, Laurent, Ian M, Jesse, Pat, Jason
Glenlivet 21 (Speyside)
Sold in a heavy hardwood case, this is one fancy-looking bottle o' scotch. Felt like maybe they should have spent the extra money on product before we even opened it up. I'm not a big fan of the Glenlivet 12, but was thinking that this should be an entirely different animal after another 9 years in the barrel. This bottle is from the same batch as Jim Murray tastes in the 2010 Whisky Bible, so it was fun comparing our impressions to his knowing it was the same stuff.
Nose: Vanilla, cream, honey. Heavy but imbued with an alcoholic sharpness I didn't appreciate.
Palate: Great arrival. At first I didn't get much fruit - mostly malt and heavy burnt caramel. Silky and smooth. Oddly, on the 3rd ounce, we started tasting some strong banana notes...
Finish: A little raw still, heavy alcohol. Some burnt sugar and that bitter wood you get in the 12-year-old's finish.
Overall: For once, I was completely behind the tasting notes on this one, although I didn't like the mouthfeel as much as Mr. Murray seemed to. Certainly didn't make up for the disappointing finish. 8 or 8.5 on 10.
Caol Ila 12 (Islay)
Full disclosure: Caol Ila is my favourite distillery and this is likely a heavily biased review. The earthy, oily tones of their scotch produce a unique taste that I just love; there is some of it in the Port Charlotte and the Ardbeg Uigeadail we had this spring but it is much stronger in the Caol Ila. This was end up being the overwhelming favourite of the night, with all seven of us rating it higher than the Glenlivet.
Nose: Oh, so good... peat, malt, and that wonderful earthy, oily character.
Palate: Oily, smooth arrival with a gorgeous natural sweetness, then the signature Caol Ila flavours take over - oil, creosote, smoky peat, darkly roasted malt. Salty.
Finish: Nothing dry here - just that sweetness combined with the leftover oiliness and peat. Only wish it could last even longer...
Overall: A fantastic scotch and a steal at US$60. All the guys agreed this was something amazing, like a cute girl who's great in bed and enjoys cooking and cleaning - you want her around the house all the time. 9 or 9.5/10.
Attending: Me, Max, Laurent, Ian M, Jesse, Pat, Jason
Glenlivet 21 (Speyside)
Sold in a heavy hardwood case, this is one fancy-looking bottle o' scotch. Felt like maybe they should have spent the extra money on product before we even opened it up. I'm not a big fan of the Glenlivet 12, but was thinking that this should be an entirely different animal after another 9 years in the barrel. This bottle is from the same batch as Jim Murray tastes in the 2010 Whisky Bible, so it was fun comparing our impressions to his knowing it was the same stuff.
Nose: Vanilla, cream, honey. Heavy but imbued with an alcoholic sharpness I didn't appreciate.
Palate: Great arrival. At first I didn't get much fruit - mostly malt and heavy burnt caramel. Silky and smooth. Oddly, on the 3rd ounce, we started tasting some strong banana notes...
Finish: A little raw still, heavy alcohol. Some burnt sugar and that bitter wood you get in the 12-year-old's finish.
Overall: For once, I was completely behind the tasting notes on this one, although I didn't like the mouthfeel as much as Mr. Murray seemed to. Certainly didn't make up for the disappointing finish. 8 or 8.5 on 10.
Caol Ila 12 (Islay)
Full disclosure: Caol Ila is my favourite distillery and this is likely a heavily biased review. The earthy, oily tones of their scotch produce a unique taste that I just love; there is some of it in the Port Charlotte and the Ardbeg Uigeadail we had this spring but it is much stronger in the Caol Ila. This was end up being the overwhelming favourite of the night, with all seven of us rating it higher than the Glenlivet.
Nose: Oh, so good... peat, malt, and that wonderful earthy, oily character.
Palate: Oily, smooth arrival with a gorgeous natural sweetness, then the signature Caol Ila flavours take over - oil, creosote, smoky peat, darkly roasted malt. Salty.
Finish: Nothing dry here - just that sweetness combined with the leftover oiliness and peat. Only wish it could last even longer...
Overall: A fantastic scotch and a steal at US$60. All the guys agreed this was something amazing, like a cute girl who's great in bed and enjoys cooking and cleaning - you want her around the house all the time. 9 or 9.5/10.
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