Review: Redbreast Whisky’s #RedbreastDreamCask event

redbreast whiskey

Redbreast Whisky’s #RedbreastDreamCask event

Back in May, as part of the celebrations for World Whisky Day I was one of the lucky folk to be invited along to Billy Leighton’s Redbreast Dream Cask event over on Facebook.

It was a 20-minute online live tasting with Redbreast Head Blender Billy Leighton, and Apprentice Blender Dave McCabe from warehouse A1 in the grounds of the Midleton Distillery. They talked us through an anonymous dram that we had been sent through the post. Queue lots of wandering what the dram was going to turn out to be before the event!

The video feed is still available on Facebook, so if you fancy watching it, please head to https://www.facebook.com/RedbreastSinglePotStill.

If you’re going to watch the video, then watch out spoilers below…

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Head to Head: Summery British Blackcurrant Liqueurs

British Cassis RangeHead to Head: Summery British Blackcurrant Liqueurs

During the summer there’s nothing I like more than finding alternatives to malt, sometimes a change just hits the spot. I love a cold drink of Ribena, so I went on a quest to find the best British alcoholic Blackcurrant Liqueurs; something more adult for a summers evening cocktail.

Two of my favourite on the UK market are Chase Blackcurrant Liqueur, and White Heron British Cassis Blackcurrant Liqueur.

Let’s take a look at the two side by side…

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Review: Bowmore 18 Year Old (Travel Retail)

Bowmore 18 Year Old (Travel Retail)Bowmore 18 Year Old (Travel Retail) – 43% abv

Info: Bowmore recently unveiled three new duty-free exclusive malts, aged 10, 15 & 18 years, marking a return to age statements for the first time in five years. The 18yo is described as Deep and Complex, and has been matured in both Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez Sherry casks.
Colour: Medium to dark burnished gold, autumn orange. (the bottle says it contain E150a colouring).
Nose: Gentle and sweet. You’re greeted by smooth and restrained peaty hints, along with a waxy varnish type note followed by a rich and layered fruity compote of winter berries; stewed blackcurrants, blackberries and gooseberries along with hints of macadamia nuts.
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Review: The Entertainer by Compass Box

The Entertainer Compass BoxThe Entertainer by Compass Box – 46% abv

Info: Released over four years ago, The Entertainer by Compass Box is an exclusive whisky to Selfridges, so a slightly more unusual Compass Box dram to find. 1000 bottles produced.
Colour: Bright and fairly light gold, summery.
Nose: A slightly older nose to this, but fairly strong and powerful. There’s hints of over ripe citrus fruit, Christmassy fruit cake, toffee caramels, hints of gentle smoke and just a pinch of herb. With a little more time to open up there’s some creamy vanilla notes, and some mossy dunnage-style damp wood. Selfridges and Compass Box are very much trying to recreate a nose found in whiskies from yesteryear.
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Review: Lagavulin 1994 Distillers Edition

Lagavulin 1994 Distillers EditionLagavulin 1994 Distillers Edition – 43% abv

Info: Lagavulin, finished in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. Yum. Distilled 1994, bottled 2010. 43% abv.
Colour: Rusty gold, slightly orangey.
Nose: On the nose you’ve got those sassy Lagavulin notes; sweet peat, ozone, salty sea breeze, Lapsang… but it’s all held in check a little by beautiful rich fruitcake fruit notes from the secondary maturation in sweet PX sherry casks. Almost a drop of milk chocolate, hints of seville orange marmalade.
Palate: On the palate it’s fairly oily, it’s laid back and easy on your tongue, hints of spices. There’s sweet Christmas fruitcake flavours amongst gentle peat and moss notes, the two integrating perfectly together. A slight tar background with hints of salt.
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Bumper Review: The Wood Makes the Whisky | Gordon and MacPhail

gordon macphail logo

The Wood Makes the Whisky | Gordon and MacPhail

Below you’ll find a bumper review of 18 G&M whiskies, but first let’s take a quick look at why I’m reviewing these whiskies in the first place… In short, it’s all about wood!

The Wood Makes the WhiskyGordon and MacPhail’s Ewen Macintosh (Chief Operating Officer) possibly sums up their ‘Wood Makes the Whisky’ campaign best when he said “Here at Gordon & MacPhail we have always been focused on the close relationship between oak and spirit, and have learned from vast experience that wood really does make the whisky. We have selected the special series of whiskies to demonstrate this complex relationship.

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Multi Review: Eleven Douglas Laing Single Malts

douglas laing logo roundelEleven Douglas Laing Single Malts

As a Douglas Laing Fellow (that’s basically a voluntary brand ambassador) I’m lucky enough to get sent quite a few samples from time to time, along with lots of other goodies. (What a great Christmas jumper for 2016!)

As such, I’ve had eleven samples sitting waiting to be enjoyed, so why not over the Christmas break sit back and do a multi review of them all?! Many are no longer available online, but you may find them on shop shelves when looking so the notes are still useful as a reference. Also, it goes to show the quality of stock that Douglas Laing have access to, so even if a bottle I have reviewed isn’t available any more, then you can be sure there’s a very similar replacement ready to purchase.

So, let’s get drinking reviewing…

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Multi Review: Five Douglas Laing Single Grains

douglas laing logo roundelFive Douglas Laing Single Grains

Douglas Laing independently bottle single malt whiskies and single grain whiskies under various different brands within their range.

Let’s take a look at five of their single grain whiskies, ranging from a younger 11yo right up to a stonking 50yo.

Single grain’s often don’t pack the same flavour hit as single malts, mostly due to the different production process… that said, I’ve always found them to have plenty of flavour, especially if picked well, as Douglas Laing surely does. Therefore, for me, I’m a big fan, I like easy going whiskies that don’t tax me too much, I’m lazy like that. Also, they generally cost less, winner!

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Review: Yula II 21 Years Old (Douglas Laing)

Yula II 21 Years OldYula II – 21 Years Old – 52.3% abv

Info: Yula II 21 Years Old from Douglas Laing was released a year after the first Yula was released and becomes the second in a trilogy of limited editions.
Colour: Light summary gold.
Nose: Punchy and up front, the 21 years haven’t dulled this dram one bit. It’s full of bite, full of Islay coastal wind, salt and peat. Instantly you feel like you’re sat on a beach during a late summer’s evening storm, watching the waves go by. After a little while the nose settles and out comes floral peat notes, and a real cereal character.
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Review: Timorous Beastie 21yo & 40yo

Timorous Beastie LogoTimorous Beastie: 21 Year Old and 40 Year Old

The good folks at Douglas Laing have had Timorous Beastie in their line up for a couple of years now… Have a read of my thoughts of the original here.

Timorous Beastie is a marriage of Highland Single Malts from Dalmore, Glengoyne, Glen Garioch and Blair Athol distilleries.

What’s new is that there’s now various other special editions in the lineup to enjoy! Sadly they sold pretty much as quickly as they were released, but no matter, let’s take a look at them anyway, and if you happen to find a bottle to buy somewhere then you’ll know what treats you have in store!

Let’s take a look at the new 21 year old, and the 40 year old…

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