News & PR: Lagavulin 1991 Single Cask

Posted on 31st Dec 2016 by Steve Prentice

LAGAVULIN BRINGS ITS YEAR OF BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS TO A SIGNIFICANT CONCLUSION WITH LAGAVULIN 1991

A LIMITED EDITION RELEASE OF 522 BOTTLES FROM A SINGLE CASK TO BENEFIT CHARITIES ON ISLAY

Concluding Lagavulin Distillery’s memorable 200th anniversary year on an alltime high, the iconic distillery announced today that an extra special single cask bottling of a 24 year old whisky will be released to deliver a lasting legacy on Islay. The extremely limited edition will see all proceeds, exceeding £0.5M, divided between seven charities on the island.

This extraordinary whisky will enrich everyone lucky enough to purchase a bottle, both through the quality of the whisky and the knowledge that their action is giving back to the very place this was created in.

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Review: Glenfiddich IPA

Posted on 24th Dec 2016 by Steve Prentice

Glenfiddich Experimental Series – IPA Cask Finish – 43% abv

Info: Since at least 2009, Grant’s has had their “Cask Editions – Ale Cask Finish” offering. Now Glenfiddich (the same company as Grant’s) has what they describe as “The first experiment of its kind. Malt Master Brian Kinsman collaborated with Seb Jones, an entrepreneurial Speyside brewer, to create a new craft IPA and pioneer the way for a new kind of single malt scotch whisky”. Hopefully the previous 7 years of experience has helped them in this experiment, let’s see…
Colour: Clear and bright gold.
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Review: BenRiach 22yo Moscatel

Posted on 22nd Dec 2016 by Steve Prentice

BenRiach 22yo Moscatel – 46% abv

Info: The BenRiach 22yo Moscatel was originally matured in American bourbon barrels before being finished in Moscatel wine casks from Portugal and Spain. Non chill filtered, natural colour, 46% abv.
Colour: Rusty dark gold with red tints.
Nose: A nice lively nose with lots of fruity flavours, some spirit notes and hints of oaky cask wood. The fruits are like mushed down autumn fruits with a dollop of chantilly cream. With some air, further rich notes of orange marmalade and fig come through.
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Review: GlenDronach 25yo Grandeur Batch 8

Posted on 20th Dec 2016 by Steve Prentice

GlenDronach 25yo Grandeur Batch 8 – 50.5% abv

Info: Matured for 25 years in Oloroso Sherry casks. 1,505 bottles, 50.5% abv.
Colour: Deep, rich, dark, winter sherry fruits.
Nose: Like the colour, the nose is deep and dark, jam packed with winter sherry fruits, berries, malt and brown sugar caramels. Old fashioned, vintage whisky.
Palate: Lovely thick and oily, your palate is covered in gently sweet whisky flavours, which isn’t spice dominated, rather it’s bolstered by gentle spices to elevate the whole thing to a higher level. There’s a herbal nature at the middle of the dram followed by older antique oaks at the back to balance things out.
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Review: GlenDronach 14yo Marsala

Posted on 19th Dec 2016 by Steve Prentice

GlenDronach 14yo Marsala – 46% abv

Info: This GlenDronach 14yo Marsala single malt is finished in casks which previously held Marsala wine.
Colour: Golden with deep yellow tints.
Nose: There’s what I’d call a proper nose going on here, something really full of flavours which keep you wanting to smell for ages. There’s plenty of sweet malt, backed up by sweet fruits, summery grapes and Cantaloupe melons, all with the backing of something properly matured in dunnage warehouses.
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Review: Teeling Port Cask

Posted on 18th Dec 2016 by Steve Prentice

Teeling 2002/2015 Single Cask – 54.2% abv

Info: Teeling Port Cask is a Single Cask, #902.
Colour: Light and bright with salmon pink hues.
Nose: Bubble Gum fruits, gooseberries, stewed fruits and apples.
Palate: Barley followed by sweetness from the stewed fruits. Warmth from the higher abv, and a nice amount of oils over your mouth.
Finish: Fresh, tropical, medium sweetness and fruits. Long lasting!
Thoughts: Yummy stuff. I’ve not had too much Teeling, but what I have had has always been great. Nice puff of cask char at the end!
Available: Probably long gone, around €60 originally.

Thanks to whoever gave me the sample (really sorry I’ve forgotten who?!).

Review: Bruichladdich’s 10 Year Old Second Releases

Posted on 17th Dec 2016 by Steve Prentice

A NEW ‘TROIKA’ OF TENS

In 2011, Bruichladdich released their first new 10 year olds made from the spirit distilled since they re-opened for business in 2001.

Now Bruichladdich have released their second batch of 10 year olds, described by their Head Distiller Adam Hannett as “Very different – all three represent a snapshot in time. There is a respectful nod to those that have gone before… Although they are all fundamentally built on first-fill bourbon, I have used different suites of casks to construct each dram. There is Grenache Blanc in the Octomore, Tempranillo in the Port Charlotte and this new Laddie Ten vatting has some spirit matured in beautiful old sherry wood.”

So, without further ado, let’s see what my thoughts on them are…

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Review: Old Pulteney 17yo & anCnoc 22yo

Posted on 16th Dec 2016 by Steve Prentice

Old Pulteney 17yo & anCnoc 22yo

So I’ve reviewed many of the Old Pulteney, anCnoc and Balblair range, but I’ve missed these two gems out of the list, so without further ado let’s remedy that!

Old Pulteney 17yo – 46% abv

Info: “Aged in both American and Spanish oak casks, the mid-range Old Pulteney 17 Year Old strikes the perfect balance between maturity and distillery’s signature coastal style, winning hearts of whisky enthusiasts the world over.”
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Review: Glenfiddich Project XX

Posted on 15th Dec 2016 by Steve Prentice

Glenfiddich Project XX – 47% abv

Info: Don’t let the Glenfiddich Project XX tempt you into thinking this is a 20yo… read on just a wee bit further and you’ll quickly realise this is a blend of Glenfiddich whiskies selected by 20 ambassadors and put together to form this NAS release. “It’s a mix of sherry casks, bourbon casks and more, with a rich and spicy character”. Interesting stuff, those ambassadors should know what they’re on about! It’s bottled at 47% abv, with no chill filtration, good stuff.
Colour: A nice full gold, slight autumnal hints to it.
Nose: Rather a nice nose here, full of flavour. Plenty of malt, and some wine type notes which meander between fruits tones, over to more flinty stone type notes, to fizzy hints and more regular vanilla and cream notes.
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Review: Three Year Old Deluxe by Compass Box

Posted on 10th Dec 2016 by Steve Prentice

Three Year Old Deluxe by Compass Box – 49.2% abv

Info: Is the Three Year Old Deluxe by Compass Box slightly tongue in cheek? Oh yes I think so! Good for them. 0.4% total liquid volume in this blend is 3 years old, the entire rest of the bottle is lots older, but because of EU regulations they can’t say how old. Unless you ask them directly, which you should (drop them an email and they’ll tell you the recipe!).
Colour: Bright, clear and golden.
Nose: Quite a lot of this whisky is from Clynelish distillery, and you can tell, it’s quite a familiar nose (if you know your Clynelish), it’s definitely got that north highland coastal, heathery tang to it. Behind it is malt, oak, and small, gentle peaty hints with spices.
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SWB | Somerset Whisky Blog

Reviews and opinions with a focus on Single Malt Scotch Whiskies since 2011