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.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
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.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Apr 2010 Tasting
I was a little worried about numbers for this tasting - stalwarts Dara, Derek and Allard all took a pass on this one and so did 8 other guys, but I managed to get 11 together for the 16th with the late addition of Rich and newcomer Mood. Kevin pulled into a tie with Mark for second-most Scotch Clubs attended - and 19 whiskies sampled. Then Stevens had to cancel on account of food poisoning, leaving us with 10 total. He missed some great whisky, but as it turns out we were only $5 off-budget. Thanks go out to Erin for a nice spice cake, Max & Pat for hosting, and Max for pouring (usually my job) - I haven't enjoyed a blind tasting since Scotch Club 1.0 back in July!
Attending: Me, Max, Mark, Kevin, Norm, Jesse, Rich, Ian M, Pat, Mood
Penderyn (Wales, no age statement)
Norm brought this back from a conference in Wales, where Penderyn is the only whisky distillery. A nice treat we certainly aren't going to find at the SAQ! Sales began in 2004 of this small-batch whisky, and reviews are favourable although note a high variability between bottlings. It was well-liked, and rated equal to the Oban 14 we had beside it.
Nose: Whole ton of vanilla cream.
Palate: Smooth, slightly woody. Dry and a little bitter.
Finish: Smooth and short, a little herb or wood bitterness.
Overall: A nice whisky, especially at around $50, but not as pleasantly surprising as the $43 Redbreast 12 was last month. Inoffensive but ultimately uninteresting. 7.5 or 8 on 10.
Oban 14 (West Highland)
I haven't tried Oban since I started seriously drinking scotch and was looking forward to Mark bringing this in from Ontario for my less-naive palate to have a go of. While good, I feel like it wasn't all it's cracked up to be - I didn't find it particularly smoky or peaty. Maybe because we had it on the back of the Ardbeg. In any case, this whisky pretty much tied with the Pendryn and over twice the price, and we've had cheaper whiskies rated higher than this $115 bottle.
Nose: Woody, a little smoke with something sweet - custard?
Palate: Smooth, light, slight spice, oak and a little peat.
Finish: Smooth and alcoholic with a good balance of oak, peat and smoke.
Overall: Smooth and light, maybe because of the chill filtering. Easy drinking. It was good but somehow disappointing - like picking up a cute girl and it turns out she has saggy boobs. You don't kick her out, but there's a cloud hanging over the whole affair in your mind. 8/10.
Ardbeg Uigeadail (Islay, no age statement)
I walked into the SAQ with a Glenrothes I'd seen last month in mind, and saw this bad boy, Jim Murray's top whisky of 2009, sitting proudly on the shelf Thursday night. I hesitated over this selection for a while before realizing that Laurent, who has reservations about peat, would be absent for this one. I indulged in a mini-tasting and was blown away - the peat and iodine, the almost medicinal quality of the Ardbeg 10 was present, but tempered by a tremendous balance with a myriad of flavours from the sherry finish. An overwhelming favourite, with 9 of 10 guys rating it #1 of the evening. Shame about the $145 price tag at the SAQ, but it isn't exactly overpriced...
Nose: Sherry and dark fruits, Christmas cake, subtle smoke and phenol.
Palate: Absolutely enormous. Toffee, fruit, wine, and spices giving way to solid earthy, peaty and phenolic flavours. Deep, rich, well-balanced and more complex than quantum physics. Ridiculously smooth and drinkable at 54.2%.
Finish: Rich, spicy, with a lingering, chewy, lip-smacking peaty aftertaste that's just fantastic.
Overall: Holy #$%@. Wow. This is what Port Charlotte wishes it was. One of the 3 best whiskies I've ever had, and possibly a new number one. Between 9.5 and 10 of 10. Wow.
Attending: Me, Max, Mark, Kevin, Norm, Jesse, Rich, Ian M, Pat, Mood
Penderyn (Wales, no age statement)
Norm brought this back from a conference in Wales, where Penderyn is the only whisky distillery. A nice treat we certainly aren't going to find at the SAQ! Sales began in 2004 of this small-batch whisky, and reviews are favourable although note a high variability between bottlings. It was well-liked, and rated equal to the Oban 14 we had beside it.
Nose: Whole ton of vanilla cream.
Palate: Smooth, slightly woody. Dry and a little bitter.
Finish: Smooth and short, a little herb or wood bitterness.
Overall: A nice whisky, especially at around $50, but not as pleasantly surprising as the $43 Redbreast 12 was last month. Inoffensive but ultimately uninteresting. 7.5 or 8 on 10.
Oban 14 (West Highland)
I haven't tried Oban since I started seriously drinking scotch and was looking forward to Mark bringing this in from Ontario for my less-naive palate to have a go of. While good, I feel like it wasn't all it's cracked up to be - I didn't find it particularly smoky or peaty. Maybe because we had it on the back of the Ardbeg. In any case, this whisky pretty much tied with the Pendryn and over twice the price, and we've had cheaper whiskies rated higher than this $115 bottle.
Nose: Woody, a little smoke with something sweet - custard?
Palate: Smooth, light, slight spice, oak and a little peat.
Finish: Smooth and alcoholic with a good balance of oak, peat and smoke.
Overall: Smooth and light, maybe because of the chill filtering. Easy drinking. It was good but somehow disappointing - like picking up a cute girl and it turns out she has saggy boobs. You don't kick her out, but there's a cloud hanging over the whole affair in your mind. 8/10.
Ardbeg Uigeadail (Islay, no age statement)
I walked into the SAQ with a Glenrothes I'd seen last month in mind, and saw this bad boy, Jim Murray's top whisky of 2009, sitting proudly on the shelf Thursday night. I hesitated over this selection for a while before realizing that Laurent, who has reservations about peat, would be absent for this one. I indulged in a mini-tasting and was blown away - the peat and iodine, the almost medicinal quality of the Ardbeg 10 was present, but tempered by a tremendous balance with a myriad of flavours from the sherry finish. An overwhelming favourite, with 9 of 10 guys rating it #1 of the evening. Shame about the $145 price tag at the SAQ, but it isn't exactly overpriced...
Nose: Sherry and dark fruits, Christmas cake, subtle smoke and phenol.
Palate: Absolutely enormous. Toffee, fruit, wine, and spices giving way to solid earthy, peaty and phenolic flavours. Deep, rich, well-balanced and more complex than quantum physics. Ridiculously smooth and drinkable at 54.2%.
Finish: Rich, spicy, with a lingering, chewy, lip-smacking peaty aftertaste that's just fantastic.
Overall: Holy #$%@. Wow. This is what Port Charlotte wishes it was. One of the 3 best whiskies I've ever had, and possibly a new number one. Between 9.5 and 10 of 10. Wow.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Irish Tasting - March 2010
In honour of St Patrick's and a truly spectacular number of birthdays in the month of March, we sampled two Irish whiskies, chosen somewhat at the last minute, and a fantastic scotch brought from across the pond by a friend of Max's. Thanks to Persian New Year, Dara and Ardeshir had to take a pass, whereas some of our other long-standing members had less interesting reasons. Except Mark, who was building robots. In any case, first-timers Sam, Ian M and Jamie seemed appreciative. Thanks again to Erin, this time for brownies.
Max's new apartment proved an excellent venue for scotch club (thanks to him and Pat, who had a wee taste of everything), and Joe finally managed to successfully identify a couple of whiskies (2/3 - somehow). We got a taste of the Irish, but found not everyone has a taste for the Irish... Laurent wouldn't even touch his second round of Bushmill's. With only 10 guys, I was happy to come in on-budget, and thanks to the "extra" whisky it got awful drunk out towards the end of the 2nd round. Plus we learned what "Frazzles" are. And no, they don't live underground eating the fruits of hard Dooger labour.
Attending: Me, Max, Kevin, Laurent, Allard, Joe, Stevens, Jamie, Sam, Ian M.
Bushmill's 16 (Ireland)
Grabbed at the last minute and mostly selected on the basis of budgetary constraints, the Bushmill's suffered from not having tasting notes prepared for the blind tasting. However, it turned out to be the favourite of the night - although scores were pretty tight. Personally, I wasn't a huge fan - but, unlike Laurent, still enjoyed getting a taste of this "premium" Irish whisky. Finished in Bourbon, Oloroso, and port casks.
Nose: Winey and sweet.
Palate: Spicy, hints of smoke, and something I just couldn't quite put my finger on.
Finish: Sweet but a little dry somehow, long and smooth.
Overall: Not a favourite for me, but a fairly smooth and interesting dram that ranks at least with the Jameson's 18 that I tried not too long ago. Oddly the first round tasted much better than the 2nd, which is normally not the case at all. 8/10.
Redbreast 12 (Ireland)
One of only 2 traditional Irish pot still whiskies on the market, I insisted we try to get a hold of this one for scotch club. I wasn't disappointed, and neither was anyone else as this whisky was ranked 2nd on the night. At $43 for the bottle, this is a whisky with great value and a lot of character. Impressive.
Nose: Cherries, raisins, plums; something creamy.
Palate: Big, smooth and sweet with some spice cake-type notes and dried fruit.
Finish: Short and smooth.
Overall: Wasn't sure what to expect from this whiskey and ended up enjoying it thoroughly. A bit Speyside-ish owing to the fruit notes and smooth character. Great value. 8.5/10.
Port Charlotte 7 Sin an Doigh Ileach (Islay)
I was sceptical about this whisky for two reasons. First, it's made by Bruichladdich, and I'm not a big fan of the 2 expressions I've had from them. The other, of course, was that's only 7 years old and from a brand-new distillery (opened 2002-3 from what I've read and deduced). However, the more I read about it, the more I got excited - the reviews were very positive. At 61%, this dram is more than drinkable, but is best enjoyed a bit diluted.
Nose: Toffee notes, with earth and campfire smoke. Bacon?
Palate: Sweet, with some earthy feel. Well-balanced with strong peat and smoke notes. Rich and complex.
Finish: Rich, sweet and a bit smoky. Long-lasting and chewy.
Overall: Hits the tongue like a good Speyside and rolls down the throat leaving Islay in its wake. The best of several worlds. Instantly cracked my top ten, and improved significantly with a couple drops of water. 9.5/10.
Max's new apartment proved an excellent venue for scotch club (thanks to him and Pat, who had a wee taste of everything), and Joe finally managed to successfully identify a couple of whiskies (2/3 - somehow). We got a taste of the Irish, but found not everyone has a taste for the Irish... Laurent wouldn't even touch his second round of Bushmill's. With only 10 guys, I was happy to come in on-budget, and thanks to the "extra" whisky it got awful drunk out towards the end of the 2nd round. Plus we learned what "Frazzles" are. And no, they don't live underground eating the fruits of hard Dooger labour.
Attending: Me, Max, Kevin, Laurent, Allard, Joe, Stevens, Jamie, Sam, Ian M.
Bushmill's 16 (Ireland)
Grabbed at the last minute and mostly selected on the basis of budgetary constraints, the Bushmill's suffered from not having tasting notes prepared for the blind tasting. However, it turned out to be the favourite of the night - although scores were pretty tight. Personally, I wasn't a huge fan - but, unlike Laurent, still enjoyed getting a taste of this "premium" Irish whisky. Finished in Bourbon, Oloroso, and port casks.
Nose: Winey and sweet.
Palate: Spicy, hints of smoke, and something I just couldn't quite put my finger on.
Finish: Sweet but a little dry somehow, long and smooth.
Overall: Not a favourite for me, but a fairly smooth and interesting dram that ranks at least with the Jameson's 18 that I tried not too long ago. Oddly the first round tasted much better than the 2nd, which is normally not the case at all. 8/10.
Redbreast 12 (Ireland)
One of only 2 traditional Irish pot still whiskies on the market, I insisted we try to get a hold of this one for scotch club. I wasn't disappointed, and neither was anyone else as this whisky was ranked 2nd on the night. At $43 for the bottle, this is a whisky with great value and a lot of character. Impressive.
Nose: Cherries, raisins, plums; something creamy.
Palate: Big, smooth and sweet with some spice cake-type notes and dried fruit.
Finish: Short and smooth.
Overall: Wasn't sure what to expect from this whiskey and ended up enjoying it thoroughly. A bit Speyside-ish owing to the fruit notes and smooth character. Great value. 8.5/10.
Port Charlotte 7 Sin an Doigh Ileach (Islay)
I was sceptical about this whisky for two reasons. First, it's made by Bruichladdich, and I'm not a big fan of the 2 expressions I've had from them. The other, of course, was that's only 7 years old and from a brand-new distillery (opened 2002-3 from what I've read and deduced). However, the more I read about it, the more I got excited - the reviews were very positive. At 61%, this dram is more than drinkable, but is best enjoyed a bit diluted.
Nose: Toffee notes, with earth and campfire smoke. Bacon?
Palate: Sweet, with some earthy feel. Well-balanced with strong peat and smoke notes. Rich and complex.
Finish: Rich, sweet and a bit smoky. Long-lasting and chewy.
Overall: Hits the tongue like a good Speyside and rolls down the throat leaving Islay in its wake. The best of several worlds. Instantly cracked my top ten, and improved significantly with a couple drops of water. 9.5/10.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Feb 2010 Tasting
Finally, my posts have caught up with my journal. Our February tasting took place on the 19th at Max & Norm's place (thanks guys!) on Max's last weekend there. As I organized my journal and whisky lists, and out of a raging sense of curiosity, I tallied up all the single-malt scotches I have ever tried more than just a sip or two of. This tasting brought me to 50 different whiskies from 27 different distilleries.
This was one of our best tastings of all-time, second only to Christmas. The two cask strength whiskies (both over 55%) wreaked some havoc on us all the morning after, but all 3 whiskies were hits. Erin again sent some of her great baking over with Kevin, this time fresh cookies. Scotch Club rookie Jesse went 3 for 3 on the blind tasting with great confidence.
Attending: Me, Max, Norm, Mark, Dara, Derek, Kevin, Laurent, Allard, Jesse, Richard.
Glengoyne 12 (Highlands)
Bottled at some 57.2%, this is a powerful whisky that uses an entirely unpeated malt. It's distilled on the Highland line and actually matured in the Lowlands. Grabbed this at the SAQ after a mini-tasting (man, I love mini-tastings at the SAQ), where I found it outscored the Glenlivet Nadurra cask strength.
Nose: Light fruits - pears, apples.
Palate: Some sweetness - fruit, honey, a little caramel. Strong, but not unpleasant, alcoholic aroma over oaky herbals.
Finish: Long, dry, with oak and straw notes.
Overall: Smooth for its strength, this is a nice, light and enjoyable scotch. Good complexity for a 12-year-old. A solid 8.5/10.
Caol Ila Distiller's Edition 1996 (Islay)
We gave the Islays another stab, this time with my favourite distillery. This scotch has much broader appeal than the Laphroaig Quarter-Cask, being finished in Muscat casks and having far less phenol (around 35 ppm). This one was much better-received than the Laphroaig, scoring #1 or #2 on everyone's list. Can't figure out why it's $100 at the LCBO but $130 at the SAQ.
Nose: Some grape over great smoke and peat notes.
Palate: A little grapiness up front giving way to Caol Ila's signature earthy, oily peat smoke. Complex and balanced throughout with a little caramel and spice.
Finish: Long but not especially complex - good smoke and peat.
Overall: This is my favourite distillery, and this was no disappointment to me. It's like your girlfriend in a wig - you like that she's the same girl, but you like that she looks a little different tonight. Tied with Laphroaig Quarter-Cask for #4 and #5 on my all-time list. 9.5/10.
Convalmore 21 1984 (Speyside)
Bottled 2006 by Gordon & McPhail
We let Max go wild at an enormous liquor store in Chicago with $200 for a single bottle. He was like a kid in a candy store, and to his credit, picked up this beauty from Convalmore, which we'd never heard of. This distillery closed in 1985, so it was fun to get a taste of something we'll likely never see again. Another cask-strength bottling, this one weighed in at 57.1% and managed to be quite smooth despite that.
Nose: Grape and cherry, bright alcohol.
Palate: Caramel and dark fruits, going to oak and malts, with a hint of smoke. Round and balanced.
Finish: Alcoholic, some bitter oak and quite dry.
Overall: Easy to see why this was used so extensively in blends - nothing spectacular, but absolutely nothing unpleasant. It's nice, but I felt like the price tag had more to do with novelty value than quality. 8.5 of 10.
This was one of our best tastings of all-time, second only to Christmas. The two cask strength whiskies (both over 55%) wreaked some havoc on us all the morning after, but all 3 whiskies were hits. Erin again sent some of her great baking over with Kevin, this time fresh cookies. Scotch Club rookie Jesse went 3 for 3 on the blind tasting with great confidence.
Attending: Me, Max, Norm, Mark, Dara, Derek, Kevin, Laurent, Allard, Jesse, Richard.
Glengoyne 12 (Highlands)
Bottled at some 57.2%, this is a powerful whisky that uses an entirely unpeated malt. It's distilled on the Highland line and actually matured in the Lowlands. Grabbed this at the SAQ after a mini-tasting (man, I love mini-tastings at the SAQ), where I found it outscored the Glenlivet Nadurra cask strength.
Nose: Light fruits - pears, apples.
Palate: Some sweetness - fruit, honey, a little caramel. Strong, but not unpleasant, alcoholic aroma over oaky herbals.
Finish: Long, dry, with oak and straw notes.
Overall: Smooth for its strength, this is a nice, light and enjoyable scotch. Good complexity for a 12-year-old. A solid 8.5/10.
Caol Ila Distiller's Edition 1996 (Islay)
We gave the Islays another stab, this time with my favourite distillery. This scotch has much broader appeal than the Laphroaig Quarter-Cask, being finished in Muscat casks and having far less phenol (around 35 ppm). This one was much better-received than the Laphroaig, scoring #1 or #2 on everyone's list. Can't figure out why it's $100 at the LCBO but $130 at the SAQ.
Nose: Some grape over great smoke and peat notes.
Palate: A little grapiness up front giving way to Caol Ila's signature earthy, oily peat smoke. Complex and balanced throughout with a little caramel and spice.
Finish: Long but not especially complex - good smoke and peat.
Overall: This is my favourite distillery, and this was no disappointment to me. It's like your girlfriend in a wig - you like that she's the same girl, but you like that she looks a little different tonight. Tied with Laphroaig Quarter-Cask for #4 and #5 on my all-time list. 9.5/10.
Convalmore 21 1984 (Speyside)
Bottled 2006 by Gordon & McPhail
We let Max go wild at an enormous liquor store in Chicago with $200 for a single bottle. He was like a kid in a candy store, and to his credit, picked up this beauty from Convalmore, which we'd never heard of. This distillery closed in 1985, so it was fun to get a taste of something we'll likely never see again. Another cask-strength bottling, this one weighed in at 57.1% and managed to be quite smooth despite that.
Nose: Grape and cherry, bright alcohol.
Palate: Caramel and dark fruits, going to oak and malts, with a hint of smoke. Round and balanced.
Finish: Alcoholic, some bitter oak and quite dry.
Overall: Easy to see why this was used so extensively in blends - nothing spectacular, but absolutely nothing unpleasant. It's nice, but I felt like the price tag had more to do with novelty value than quality. 8.5 of 10.
Jan 2010 Tasting
I made the best New Year's resolution ever this year: to drink more scotch. Specifically, I wanted to try holding a tasting every month. Scotch Club had really taken off by this point, with people clamouring for one of the 12 spots. There is an unofficial tier system where the founding crew of me, Max, Norm, Dara, Derek, Laurent, Kevin and Mark always get first dibs on the spots, followed by our other top tasters - Allard, Ardeshir, Joe, Nick and Jason.
This tasting, held at Dara's on Jan 29th, filled up immediately. Some of the guys from Christmas were pretty upset when they heard there were no spots open for this tasting - Jean-Martin offered me double the admission fee if I would kick someone out. Special thanks to Kevin's wife, Erin, for baking us some sweet snacks.
Attending: Me, Dara, Derek, Max, Mark, Kevin, Laurent, Ardeshir, Allard, Nick, Joe, Jason.
Highland Park 23 1984 (Highlands - Islands)
"Old Malt Cask" bottled 2007 by Douglas Laing & Co.
Our first crack at a private bottling, the "Old Malt Cask" series are whiskies from single casks purchased from various distilleries and bottled at 50% without chill filtration or colouring. I was expecting big things from this bottle, being such a Highland Park fan. At $190, this is still our most expensive scotch to date as of this writing. It was liked, but didn't seem to be a standout for most. The alcohol was a bit strong, and water didn't improve the flavour profile at all. Max tried it on the rocks (the lack of chill filtration was immediately apparent), and pronounced it to be fantastic.
Nose: Vanilla, honey, some background peat and wood. Great balance.
Palate: Malted sugar and honey at first, becomes herbal and woody with a little peat in the back. Smooth.
Finish: Heavy oakiness, nice peat presence. Very dry. Long, but not especially complex.
Overall: A little like dating a high-maintenance girl who's no good in the sack. A good scotch but not worth the price tag. I put it between 8.5 and 9/10; whereas the Highland Park 12 is a solid 9 IMO.
Glenfiddich 18 (Speyside)
There's a lot of scotch drinkers that turn their nose up at Glenfiddich, because we all outgrew the 12-year-old at some point and wouldn't touch it with a 10-foot pole anymore. I wouldn't have either, until Laurent gave me a taste of this at the pub. I agreed it was far better than the 12, and we also agreed that strangely, that one was better than the bottle we had tonight. Dara and I had a taste of this beside the Glendfiddich 21 at the SAQ the night before, and found it actually superior.
Nose: Fantastic. Wine, grapes and dried fruits. A little oak but subtle.
Palate: Mellow fruitiness gives way to solid oak. Quite smooth.
Finish: Huge, solid oakiness characteristic of Glenfiddich, but smoother and warming in this expression. Little complexity.
Overall: Honestly, I remember this having more dried fruit flavour in the finish that came off a lot richer and more satisfying. 8.5/10.
Laphroaig Quarter-Cask (Islay)
Max and I are both big Islay fans, and we thought that it was time to introduce the guys to peat. My brother and I picked up a bottle of this at Christmas, and found it to be absolutely spectacular - and a great bargain at $65. Beware, though, as this is a big fat nasty peat-packing monster. I've read in some places it has around 65 ppm phenol, and when you have a dozen glasses of it under your nose, you smell it pretty well. It was at least an educational experience for some (Kevin hated this one), but it received the most votes for favourite of the night.
Nose: Phenolic peat smoke punches you in the face. Jim Murray describes it as "a crofter's fireplace," which makes me think those guys (whatever they do) must have short lifespans.
Palate: Just a touch of sweetness up front (caramel or toffee; without coffee or chocolate notes) before an exquisitely well-balanced shitstorm of peat, smoke, and oak goes slam-dancing on your tongue. Salty.
Finish: Tons of peat and oak blending into a chewy, never-ending finish. Astounding.
Overall: This is a whisky with enormous character, but absolutely no middle ground that people will either love or hate. I'm a lover, and rate this at #4 or #5 on my all-time list. 9.5/10.
This tasting, held at Dara's on Jan 29th, filled up immediately. Some of the guys from Christmas were pretty upset when they heard there were no spots open for this tasting - Jean-Martin offered me double the admission fee if I would kick someone out. Special thanks to Kevin's wife, Erin, for baking us some sweet snacks.
Attending: Me, Dara, Derek, Max, Mark, Kevin, Laurent, Ardeshir, Allard, Nick, Joe, Jason.
Highland Park 23 1984 (Highlands - Islands)
"Old Malt Cask" bottled 2007 by Douglas Laing & Co.
Our first crack at a private bottling, the "Old Malt Cask" series are whiskies from single casks purchased from various distilleries and bottled at 50% without chill filtration or colouring. I was expecting big things from this bottle, being such a Highland Park fan. At $190, this is still our most expensive scotch to date as of this writing. It was liked, but didn't seem to be a standout for most. The alcohol was a bit strong, and water didn't improve the flavour profile at all. Max tried it on the rocks (the lack of chill filtration was immediately apparent), and pronounced it to be fantastic.
Nose: Vanilla, honey, some background peat and wood. Great balance.
Palate: Malted sugar and honey at first, becomes herbal and woody with a little peat in the back. Smooth.
Finish: Heavy oakiness, nice peat presence. Very dry. Long, but not especially complex.
Overall: A little like dating a high-maintenance girl who's no good in the sack. A good scotch but not worth the price tag. I put it between 8.5 and 9/10; whereas the Highland Park 12 is a solid 9 IMO.
Glenfiddich 18 (Speyside)
There's a lot of scotch drinkers that turn their nose up at Glenfiddich, because we all outgrew the 12-year-old at some point and wouldn't touch it with a 10-foot pole anymore. I wouldn't have either, until Laurent gave me a taste of this at the pub. I agreed it was far better than the 12, and we also agreed that strangely, that one was better than the bottle we had tonight. Dara and I had a taste of this beside the Glendfiddich 21 at the SAQ the night before, and found it actually superior.
Nose: Fantastic. Wine, grapes and dried fruits. A little oak but subtle.
Palate: Mellow fruitiness gives way to solid oak. Quite smooth.
Finish: Huge, solid oakiness characteristic of Glenfiddich, but smoother and warming in this expression. Little complexity.
Overall: Honestly, I remember this having more dried fruit flavour in the finish that came off a lot richer and more satisfying. 8.5/10.
Laphroaig Quarter-Cask (Islay)
Max and I are both big Islay fans, and we thought that it was time to introduce the guys to peat. My brother and I picked up a bottle of this at Christmas, and found it to be absolutely spectacular - and a great bargain at $65. Beware, though, as this is a big fat nasty peat-packing monster. I've read in some places it has around 65 ppm phenol, and when you have a dozen glasses of it under your nose, you smell it pretty well. It was at least an educational experience for some (Kevin hated this one), but it received the most votes for favourite of the night.
Nose: Phenolic peat smoke punches you in the face. Jim Murray describes it as "a crofter's fireplace," which makes me think those guys (whatever they do) must have short lifespans.
Palate: Just a touch of sweetness up front (caramel or toffee; without coffee or chocolate notes) before an exquisitely well-balanced shitstorm of peat, smoke, and oak goes slam-dancing on your tongue. Salty.
Finish: Tons of peat and oak blending into a chewy, never-ending finish. Astounding.
Overall: This is a whisky with enormous character, but absolutely no middle ground that people will either love or hate. I'm a lover, and rate this at #4 or #5 on my all-time list. 9.5/10.
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