Category Archives: Whisky

XMas Ideas: Drinks by the Dram Whisky Advent Calendar

Posted on by
Reply

standard whisky craft advent calendarDrinks by the Dram Christmas 2016 Whisky (and other!) Advent Calendar

It’s that time of the year where the nights have drawn in, and the crazy neighbours may have started adoring their houses with flashing Christmas decorations. With only a few days left before December hits, there’s still time to consider what you might want to do to treat yourself, or a good friend to for Advent… and what better a treat than this year’s Whisky Advent Calendar (other spirits are available). It’s a box full of 25 x 3cl drams, a different whisky (or other spirit) every day, what a good idea! Let’s take a look at some of the official PR blurb: Continue reading →

Review: Lagavulin 25 Year Old (200th Anniversary)

Posted on by
Reply

Lagavulin 25 Year Old (200th Anniversary)Lagavulin 25 Year Old (200th Anniversary) – 51.7% abv

Info: Lagavulin 25 Year Old (200th Anniversary) was released in 2016 as part of the celebrations for the distillery’s anniversary, and lists all the managers over that time on the bottle. It’s aged exclusively in Sherry casks, and released at cask strength. 8000 bottles worldwide.

Colour: Rich dark golden amber, the rusty depths of autumn.

Nose: Powerful, rich, deep, and lively. There’s deep chocolaty raisin notes amongst spadefuls of rich smoked fruitcake (Why can’t I get one of those? That’d be amazing!). The peat is very much tamed here, to more of a relaxing evening ember of a dying fire by the sea. Sweet cured bacon notes pop out at you. Old waxed antique oak in the background.

Continue reading →

Quick Review: Dalwhinnie Winter’s Gold

Posted on by
Reply

dalwhinnie winters gold whiskyDalwhinnie Winter’s Gold – 43% abv

Info: No age statement. Suggested to be served frozen.
Colour: Golden, rather caramelly looking.
Nose: Fairly light, nutty with lots of barley notes. A few younger notes, but a generally sweet and pleasant nose.
Palate: Medium, if not slightly thick oils which are fairly spiced, but balanced enough not to annoy. There’s both young and old oak notes that creep out.
Finish: Subtle and medium in length, tannin touches. There’s a tiny bit of heather floral peat left around.
Thoughts: Possibly slightly engineered, but actually a very likable, oak sappy spiced highland dram.
Available: Master of Malt – £38.95 – Thanks to them for the sample!

 

Review: Ardbeg 21 Year Old

Posted on by
Reply

Ardbeg 21 Year OldArdbeg 21 Year Old – 2016 – 46%

Info: Ardbeg 21 Year Old 2016 Committee release.
Colour: Fairly light, straw with some sunlight on it.
Nose: Slight farmyard hints, herbs, slightly peppery herbs, heathery peat, mashed up grapes, hints of coal or charcoal. Gentle oaks and some malt bringing up the rear. After a while and a little air, sweet and subtle tones of summery citrus come through on waves of coastal air.
Palate: The palate is nice and thick with creamy sweet oils, which I maybe wasn’t expecting and is a treat. As you hold it on your tongue after a while gentle puffs of peat smoke start to come forward mingled with a coastal peatiness.
Continue reading →

Review: Half Century Blend

Posted on by
Reply

the half century blend whiskyHalf Century Blend by The Blended Whisky Company

Info: Blended whisky, containing spirit that’s all over 50 years old! Batch 1, 768 bottles, 45.5% abv.
Colour: Beautifully golden, autumnal rusty tints.
Nose: Old, bags of old… if you know what old whisky smells like then this is certainly it. It’s dry, fruity, nutty, gently woody, very slightly herbal… a whole mix of goodness for your nose to enjoy.
Palate: Fairly drying straight off, with spices which lead in to flavour filled greatness; old bourbon matured, coconut, mushey red apples, autumn leaves, gentle sweetness. It’s fairly thick, with some hints of old hessian.
Continue reading →

Review: Big Peat Christmas 2016 (& Others!)

Posted on by
Reply

Big Peat Christmas 2016Big Peat Christmas 2016 & Special Guests (Big Peat Christmas 2015 & 2013, & Old Big Peat)

Info: Big Peat Christmas 2016, a now traditional fixture of the winter whisky calendar, is back to deliver some more goodies! This year a slight change has been made, and the recipe now contains malts from every active distillery on Islay, along with some Port Ellen as well. 2300 cases (20,700 bottles?), 54.6% abv. It’s non chill filtered and non coloured.
Nose: Creamy spirity peat, a mix of coastal peat and inland heathery peat, all with an underlying base of burning embers that are smouldering away merrily.
Continue reading →

Review: BenRiach Peated Quarter Casks

Posted on by
Reply

BenRiach Peated Quarter CasksBenRiach Peated Quarter Casks – 46% abv

Info: Fully matured in quarter casks, i.e. smaller casks than are usually used, which helps to mature the whisky faster. This is bottled at 46% abv, is non chill filtered and is natural colour.
Colour: Light gold, straw.
Nose: Light, bright, and medium peated; wood smoke and burning heather. Some spices, and light, sweet orchard fruits.
Palate: Rich and thick oils coat your palate easily with sweet barley, fruits and smoky peat. Hints of oak adds good spice.
Finish: The finish is long and warming, with younger oak notes lasting out for quite a long time at the end. Some herbal hints.
Continue reading →

Review: Braeval 25yo (XOP Douglas Laing)

Posted on by
Reply

Braeval 25 BottleXOP Braeval 25yo – Douglas Laing – 57.3% abv

Info: Refill Hogshead, 9 bottles produced(!). Distilled in 1990, cask 11008. 57.35 % abv. No colouring, no chill filtering.
Colour: Rich autumnal gold.
Nose: Fairly packed nose, lots of flavours. There’s definitely an old spirity quality along with a handful of old nuts that have been sitting around for a while waiting to be cracked. A waxy quality, and old polished oak and leather notes. There’s almost a dark smoked background, possibly coming from cask char. With time it opens up much more showing some stewed, spiced winter fruit notes.
Palate: Thick, oily and reasonably powerful, what else would you expect for 57.3%. There’s some winter spices there giving it a good bit of life, but they’re not too strong as to spoil my enjoyment and they tail off as your saliva gets going. The palate feels quite old, there’s some gentle oak sap notes along with the slightly waxy leathery tones and hints of tannins.
Continue reading →

Trip: A visit to Balblair (plus a review of the 1990 vintage)

Posted on by
Reply

logo_Balblair_2

A visit to Balblair
(plus a review of the 1990 vintage)

This was originally written in 2015, and I totally forgot to post it! It was based on a visit a few years ago, but I’ve been back twice since then…

If any of you reading this have followed my trips over the years up to Scotland then you might know that Inverness is one of my favourite places, it feels like a home from home to me – there’s some definite similarities to where I live in the South West. As luck would happen to have it, I also love the whisky produced around this area… it’s not overly far to get down to Speyside, but also when heading north you’ll find some great distilleries producing fine products.

Continue reading →

Review: McDonald’s Traditional Ben Nevis

Posted on by
Reply

mcdonald's traditional ben nevisMcDonald’s Traditional Ben Nevis – 46% abv

Info: McDonald’s Traditional Ben Nevis is a special edition that celebrates the distilleries 185th year. It’s a combination of the current Ben Nevis style with a slightly more heavily peated version aimed at reproducing old style 1880s whisky. Limited to approximately 700 bottles. IWSC 2012 – Gold Outstanding Medal. No age statement.

Colour: Golden, slight autumnal hints.

Nose: Gentle, light to medium peat.  Meaty, grippy, toffee, caramelized banana, ripe fruits. Lovely chubly.

Continue reading →