Review: Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ryder Cup

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JWsquare-Ryder-CupJohnnie Walker Blue Label Ryder Cup Limited Edition – 40.0% ABV

Info: Diageo sponsored the 2014 Ryder Cup and released this special bottling of Johnnie Walker Blue Label to celebrate using some of their rarest stocks. It’s been around a wee while, but there’s still some about.
Colour: Golden with rusty orange tints.
Nose: There’s a fruity smokiness that leaps out of the glass, there’s old restrained oak and some sweetness. There’s a farm hint on the nose along with almonds. In general a very blended nose, nothing sticks out too far.
Palate: Buttery silk with a pinch of spices, it goes into a gentle sweetness with autumn fruits and hints of bonfire in the background. Surprisingly thick in the mouth considering the ABV (which indicates it’s chill filtered).
Finish: Gentle honied oak appears more strongly along with soft puffs of Highland smoke and a sweet warmth that spreads slowly over your chest.
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Review: Octomore 6.3 Islay Barley

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octob.2009Octomore 6.3 Islay Barley – 2009 / 5yo – 64% abv

Info: The first Octomore distilled from 100% Islay barley. Grown and harvested by James Brown from Lorgba, a field on Octomore farm. A massive 258 PPM.
Colour: Fairly rich golden, autumn tints.
Nose: As ever you have those well known slightly briny deep engine oil tones that Bruichladdich is famous for, smokey barley and sweet citrus and oak notes, a background of marmalade. It becomes lighter and lighter over time with honeyed tones showing.
Palate: Really oily and rich with slightly sweet mossy peat tones. The high ABV does make it quite hot. The mossy tones seem more pronounced in this particular Octomore over previous versions, and I like them!
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Review: Famous Grouse Commonwealth Games 2014 (Glenturret)

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tfg_glasgow_2014_2Famous Grouse Commonwealth Games 2014 – Glenturret 28yo – 46.4% ABV

Info: A special bottling of 1986 Glenturret released for Glasgow’s hosting of the 2014 Commonwealth Games; the casks were filled when the Commonwealth Games were last in Scotland. Aged for 28 years before being bottled just before the event. 1800 bottles.
Colour: Light, bright golden.
Nose: A robust fruity nose, plenty of overripe bananas, fresh mangos and passion fruits. There’s gentle citrus notes and oak.
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Review: Nomad Outland Whisky

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nomadbottleNomad Outland Whisky – 41.3% ABV

Info: A collaboration between Gonzalez Byass and renowned whisky distiller Richard Paterson. 26 malts and six grains are expertly blended together in Scotland and then transported to the Gonzalez Byass Bodega in Jerez, where it is finished in Perdro Ximinez sherry barrels.
Colour: Rich amber, golden rust.
Nose: Packed with raisin sherry fruits, really thick and dark fruits, which intertwine interestingly with bucketfulls of vanilla and malty tones once the air has had a moment to get to it, citrus fruits too.
Palate: The palate is really sweet and easy, again lots of vanilla and raisins, like a great rum and raisin fudge. Nice and thick feeling.
Finish: The finish shows some spices at first which makes it interesting before the warm winter stewed fruits come forward to leave a nice warming tone on your chest. There’s a nice sappy oakiness to back everything up.
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Review: Kilchoman Original Cask Strength

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KilchomanOrigCSBtlKilchoman Original Cask Strength – 59.2% ABV

Info: The Original Cask Strength release is a vatting of 35 ex-bourbon barrels filled in 2009 with 9.200 bottles filled in 2014 at 59.2% ABV.

Colour: Very light straw.

Nose: Surprisingly calm, it’s strong with an alcoholic nip of course, but there’s lashings of butter, citrus notes, fruits barley and gentle puffs of salty smoke. A dash of water would probably open this up to release more flavours.

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Review: SIA Blended Scotch Whisky

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SIA Blended Scotch Whisky – 43% ABV

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Info: Crowdfunded blend/brand SIA was ‘conceptualised’ by Carin Luna-Ostaseski and put together by Douglas Laing & Co., Ltd. especially for the US market. It contains 40% Malt and 60% Grain. The regional breakdown is 50% Speyside, 40% Highlands and 10% Islay.

Colour: Honest pale gold, fully ripened straw.

Nose: Fairly upfront and spicy on the nose, there’s a depth of clotted cream fudge and toffee with puffs of smoke via the smallest hint of peat. After a while a grassy / hay note comes through.

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News & Review: Auchentoshan 1988 Wine Cask Finish

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Auchentoshan Single Malt Scotch Whisky Launches the Longest Ever Wine Finish in the Industry

auchentoshan-1988WineBottleFor my review please see below, but first, let’s catch up with some of the PR info that relates to this release…

This 25 year old limited release of 1,800 bottles brings together the best of American oak and French oak. It was initially matured for eight years in North American bourbon casks followed by an exceptionally long finish of 17 years in first fill wine barriques from Bordeaux, making it the longest Auchentoshan has ever been finished, and the longest wine finish in the industry.

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Reviews: 5 x Maverick Drinks’ Darkness! Whiskies

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Back in May Maverick Drinks announced the launch of Darkness! – ‘a range of exceedingly dark single malt and single grain whiskies with an enormously punchy, unashamedly brazen character’.

I take a look at five of them below, but before I do, here’s a little more info…

These so-called “sherry monsters” are sourced from Scotland’s top distilleries and are gloriously dark in colour thanks to the use of small, specially crafted sherry casks for finishing. The range is the first of its kind.

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Review: Talisker 5 Year Old – Douglas Of Drumlanrig

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Talisker-5yo-Pack-webTalisker 5yo – Douglas of Drumlanrig – Best of the West Festival bottling – 59.9% ABV

Info: Distilled in December 2008 and bottled in April 2014. Single cask, 298 bottles, refill hogshead cask 10592 from the folks at Hunter Laing.

Colour: Very light to clear, hints of yellow.

Nose: Peppery strong nose with peaty smoke wafting around like a gale on a beach on Skye (or Islay). It’s maybe held back a little by the high ABV. Sweet lush young barley.

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Review: Old St. Andrews whisky range

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Old St. Andrews Tweet Tasting: A review of the range

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Recently I took part in an online Twitter Tasting to have a look at four of the Old St. Andrews range of whiskies. You may have seen these in tourist shops, they’re in the shape of golf balls and mini barrels… so if you like golf and whisky then they might be the xmas stocking filler pressie for you?!

Let’s take a look at the range…

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