Category Archives: Review

Review: Connemara

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ConnemaraConnemara Peated Irish Whisky – 40% ABV

Info: “Inspired by Ireland’s ancient distilling traditions, Connemara’s smooth sweet malt taste and complex peat flavours makes it a truly unique Irish whiskey. Connemara is the most decorated Irish whiskey with a huge collection of Gold Medals and has been honoured as the ‘Worlds Best Irish Single Malt’. ”
Colour: Orangey carmalelly gold.
Nose: Caramel sweet barley with light peat. Slight wine tones. Beefy, flinty, metallic, minerally.
Palate: Light filtered oils cover your mouth with caramel toffee barley and gentle peat.
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Review: Kingston Black Apple Aperitif

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KingstonBlackBottleSomerset Cider Brandy’s Kingston Black Apple  Aperitif – 18% abv

Info: “The outstanding vintage qualities of the rare Kingston Black apple have for generations made it a legend in the orchards of the West Country. We believe that the subtle flavours of this unique blend of apples, spirit and tradition makes a superb aperitif. Kingston Black can also be served ice cold as a dessert wine.”
Colour: Fairly dark crimson red, very wintery looking.
Nose: Autumnal apples, slightly musty and sweet.
Palate: Fairly light and not too thick, sweet, appley with a base that gives it some gravitas.
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Review: Port Charlotte Islay Barley

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Port Charlotte (Bruichladdich) – Islay Barley 2008 – 50% abv

Info: This is the first Port Charlotte release to have been created using barley that was exclusively grown on Islay and nowhere else. Harvested in September 2008 from the farms at Coull, Kynagarry, Island, Rockside, Starchmill and Sunderland, peated to 40 PPM, then distilled in December of the same year, this is a whisky of flawless provenance. The intention is to try and recreate the spirit that was made at the distillery over 100 years ago.

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Review: Cotswolds Dry Gin

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Inaugural-Release+CartonCotswolds Dry Gin – Inaugural Release – 46% abv

On to my second gin review of recent releases from new English distilleries. Here’s some info, followed by my notes…

“Our Cotswolds Dry Gin has a delectable blend of nine carefully-considered botanicals.

The expression of the traditional London dry style comes from the maceration into our pure wheat spirit of juniper, coriander and angelica root, which have been left for 12 hours to allow their flavour characteristics to fully infuse.

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Review: The Lakes Gin

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TheLakesGinBottleThe Lakes Gin – 43.7% abv

It’s not always about whisky, and so for something a little different here’s the first of two gin reviews… Here’s a bit of info about The Lakes’ new gin, followed by my thoughts below…

“Close to Bassenthwaite Lake, in an area of unimaginable beauty encircled by Cumbrian fells, we have the perfect home for The Lakes Distillery. We have ideal water from the famous River Derwent, with its source high up in the fells, a team steeped in distilling experience, and perfect conditions for creating outstanding spirits.

Juniper can be found across the fells in The Lakes District, and we use this local juniper as the very heart of our gin. Using classic gin botanicals augmented with others native to The Lakes – including bilberry, heather and meadowsweet – this is an artisan gin which is complex, intriguing and delicious.”

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Review: Chivas Regal 12yo Blended Scotch Whisky

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chivas-regal-12-year-old-whiskyChivas Regal 12yo Blended Scotch Whisky – 40% abv

It’s one you’ll see on shelves easily enough, and one that tries to looks more classy than some. But it’s new to me, so let’s have a whirl!

Colour: Not overly packed with E150 caramel colouring, but the bottle says there is some which isn’t a surprise; mass produced whisky needs a drop to help with consistency so we’re told.
Nose: A fairly classic light blended nose to this, gentle oaks and fruit, a drop of toffee.
Palate: It’s a touch sweeter and more alluring than the nose leads you to believe. You can tell it’s made up of whisky that’s aged, that’s good. There’s a nice citrus (orange lead) note.
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Review: The Naked Grouse

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The Naked Grouse – 40%

the_famous_grouse_naked__76812_origWhat can I say… I rather like the packaging, even if it’s obviously intended to lure single malt fans towards the brand (if it works then good on them I say). The tagline for the whisky is “for the sophisticated whisky drinker that savours a dram”. The rest of the PR reads as follows with my notes and thoughts after…

The Naked Grouse is a unique and expertly crafted, small batch blended Scotch whisky containing hand-blended world-renowned malts that combine to produce a sweet, rich and smooth taste. The exceptional blend was inspired by William Gloag of The Famous Grouse family and his pioneering discovery of sherry cask maturation. This innovative process, along with an enduring legacy of expertise, creates a stunning example of the blender’s art and results in a sophisticated dram with notes of cherry compote, spicy cinnamon and dark chocolate.

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My Dewar’s Last Great Malts Trip – Day Two

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Dewars-new-logo1        

So, I’ve been on a Last Great Malts trip, kindly put on by Dewar’s… To read about day one of the trip, go here.

Day 2, and it’s a bright and early start. Actually, I tell a lie, it’s an early start with a sore head, but a good full Scottish breakfast and coffee later and the world seems just about right again. Which is a good thing as we’re straight back onto the coach for the next part of our tour. It’s a different coach to yesterday, we won’t mention the mishap the day before.
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My Dewar’s Last Great Malts Trip – Day One

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Dewars-new-logo1        

Last week I was one of a lucky few to be invited up to Scotland by Dewar’s to look around their distilleries. Termed the ‘Last Great Malts’, Dewar’s have taken the step to release single malt whiskies from their distilleries which, until now have mostly only been used in blending or seen as single malts in the independent bottlers world.

This is great news within the category because Dewar’s are rather going against the grain here… their releases all have age statements, and where the bottles are new to market they’re being released at 46% non chill filtered and with no colour, with existing releases (Aberfeldy 12yo for example) being changed over time to match. Big congrats to Dewar’s for this as many other brands at the moment are increasingly releasing more and more no age statement whiskies which are filtered, coloured and reduced to within an inch of their lives with water.
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Review: The Glenrothes Vintage Reserve

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Vintage_Reserve_Bottle_ShotThe Glenrothes – Vintage Reserve – 40%

First off, here’s some of the PR info before I get on to my tasting notes which you’ll find below…

Berry Bros. & Rudd Spirits is delighted to announce the release of Vintage Reserve from award-winning Speyside distillery, The Glenrothes. As with many single malts, the new expression carries no age statement but, in an unprecedented move, all the Vintages used in this single malt have been revealed.

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