Ah the mighty blended whisky. Makes up about 90% of all the whisky consumed in the world today and it is due to it’s global appeal that many of the single malts we know today have survived the ups and downs that effect whisky consumption from time to time. It’s simple economics really, as we find ourselves again in a double dip or is that double-double dip recession, not everyone has the readies at hand to be buying the latest single malt release, or have a selection at home to tap into from time to time. The blend is there, as it always has been, to bring whisky at a price point that most can afford and with as much variation in character within the category, if not more than the single malt, there is something for all. Of course not all are created with entry level price points, some “deluxe” blends compete pound for pound with an 18 year old single malt and some considerably more. But you can at least begin at the less wallet busting examples and happily dram the time away. I’ve got a few favourites that I always have in the cupboard, the every day tipples that hit the spot such as Wemyss, Cutty Sark, Grants and Tweeddale but I might have to make room for yet another – Banknote.
Banknote is a blend from independent bottler A.D. Rattray which, like their Stronachie brand, has been “resurrected” and is doing well in foreign markets. It hasn’t really seen much light in the UK yet but I am sure that will change. The basics of it are that it’s a 5 year old blend with the emphasis on a sherry character made up of a 40%/60% malt/grain mix and released at 43% ABV. I like the fact that they state clearly the age, it might be a brave move but I think the UK consumer is coming to terms with the fact that age is not everything.
Nose: A tight, sherry heavy nose with jarred apple sauce, high robust grain notes with spikes of peat, driftwood, newly varnished wood and quince jelly. Rich vanilla, almost fudge like with a caramel sauce overtone.
Palate: Oily and rich to the fore bolstered with very soft peat smoke followed closely by prickly sherry influenced spices. Orchard fruits bring a sweetness mid palate before becoming nutty (Brazil) with a light linseed oil.
Finish: Grippy and almost tannic on the finish as the nutty element fades leaving earthy spices and distant peat.
Summary: Certainly a richer style of blend and definitely a healthy amount of youthful grain in there but it all holds together rather well indeed. After the initial sherry hit, it settles to a fruity, gently spicy all rounder which I think will appeal to most.
It was on a typical spring day, the rain in Central London doing it’s best to keep our hopes of summer at bay, that a select few gathered in the basement bar of Central & Co. to taste, for the first time outside the distillery, two whiskies released by the John Distilleries, India. Paul John single malt whisky is produced in Goa and aims to be quite a revelation when coming to the competitive world whisky market. Interestingly, the company have devised a marketing objective which focuses on foreign markets first, to build a brand, then return to India where the domestic market will be eagerly awaiting its arrival. As Pritesh Mody of LFLD Amplified, who is tasked with creating the buzz around the launch into the UK, said “In the 80′s with the boom in city wealth, British people wanted German Cars, French wine and Italian clothes, it’s the same in the Indian market who want the luxurious foreign items rather than home produced.” With India being amongst the largest consumers of whisky in the world, it’s not surprising to find a company aiming for a share.
Pass the erm…whisky?
John Distilleries was established in 1992 and is one of the largest spirit producers in India. Most of the “Indian whisky” produced is actually from molasses rather than grain and is not allowed to be exported as whisky (it is actually rum, blended with a small amount of whisky). However, with many of the brands within their portfolio selling in excess of 1 million cases per month, I doubt John Distilleries are too worried about exports. Paul John single malt is very different.
As master distiller Michael John (no relation) explained, they have used Indian 6-row barley to create the mash for the “Brilliance” and “Edited” releases as well as the previous single cask releases. Double distilled in copper pot still after a 60 hr fermentation period, 20,000 litres at a time before being matured in ex bourbon cask. All very normal then. Michael went further to explain that in 30 degree heat they loose a massive 12% per annum of liquid and alcohol evaporation know as the angels share. Scotland, in contrast, looses on average just 1% and we moan enough about that! With this high heat and rapid maturation, Michael said they will not be able to produce a whisky older than 8 years old (minimum requirement for whisky is 40% abv) but this heat does help increase the flavour development, so there is little need to age anything for that length of time.
Nose: Fresh with an immediate coastal familiarity. The youthful nose has structured malt and honey which mingles with a floral overtone all seemingly pinned down by a cork-wood wrapped in banana leaf with a light drizzling of vanilla infused caramel.
Palate: At first quite creamy then quickly develops some good spice of mace and nutmeg mixed in with the honey found in the aroma. There is a tropical fruitiness mid palate which never becomes too prominent, instead being overruled by well structured vanilla and oak.
Finish: Lots of delicious vanilla and a final hint of sea salt caramels.
Paul John “Edited” peated single malt Indian whisky
Nose: For a peated whisky, this is very light indeed. Soft distant peat smoke wrap around the nose of malted barley, pebble beach, quince, cedar and apple blossom. There is a general sweetness with spice turning to liquorice chews all wonderfully enveloped in the smoke from a dying beach bonfire.
Palate: The peat smoke shows itself far more now, but still restrained with a honey type sweetness behind it. Ash and cinnamon emerge in equal amounts which in turn create a salted nut element before returning to the smoke rich palate which we began with.
Finish: Lingering peat smoke with light ash and a sea salt edge.
Summary: If either of these superb examples were placed in front of me at a blind tasting, I would struggle (as I am sure many of my friends in the industry would) to know their origin let alone age. Both are superb examples of well crafted whisky, released with optimum flavour and character. The 46% abv allows you to release a little more softness but I prefer to keep them undiluted. I am sure both of these will be not just a talking point, but an active part in most whisky drinkers cabinets in the not too distant future.
I’ve never been very good at studying, never really been much of a reader hence most of my blogs are short and to the point. I get easily distracted and mostly end up SQUIRREL…
Anyway, I find the best way for me to learn about most things is to experience it first hand and absorb the entire subject, breathe in the history and knowledge, something tangible that will leave a lasting impression. This was a stumbling block at the age of 5 when I wanted to learn about space travel and astronauts. Fortunately, having chosen a career in the whisky industry it is a little easier for me to learn about my eventual calling. I have had the opportunity to not only visit many of the distilleries in Scotland and further afield, but work at them also, really getting under the skin of it all.
Now you can have the chance of a similar experience courtesy of Glen Garioch (it’s pronounce Gee-ree) by entering their fabulously exciting competition here. If you need a little help finding the answer to the question, then take a peek at my post about my visit to the distillery, it might help. I’ve also reviewed the 12 year old, Founders Reserve and 1995 vintage releases which I love so take a moment to drool over the notes before having the chance to sample them for yourself.
This great opportunity includes a VIP tour of the distillery, a private tasting held by Rachel Barrie- Master Blender, salmon fishing, carefully guided by local experts and panning for gold at a secret location precious few will ever see. Runners up will receive their own very special Limited Edition Small Batch Release of Glen Garioch Single Malt Whisky.
Entries close midnight June 3rd 2013.
Are you still reading this? I’d expect you to be on the competition page by now.
It seems that Talisker fans are really being spoiled at the moment after the recent release of Talisker Storm hot on its heels (or should that be stern) we have Talisker Port Ruighe.
Finding new names for new whisky releases must be a constant battle for the industry but at least there is always Gaelic to fall back on. Port Ruighe is named after the main port on the Isle of Skye, Portree. The town was originally know as Kiltragleann (The Church at the Foot of the Glen) but it is thought than in 1540, after a visit by King James V of Scotland to show his power over the Scottish lairds, it was renamed Portree which in the Gaelic tongue “Portrigh” means “The Kings Port“. This is often contested as some believe that the town’s name is derived from the Gaelic, “Port Ruighe” meaning “slope harbour“. Whatever the originals of the name, we do know for sure that this release has been created “as a tribute to the great Scottish trading-houses such as the Cockburns, Grahams and Symingtons who were instrumental in the creation and global growth of the port wine trade” because the press release told me so. So thats the name, what about the whisky?
Port Ruighe has been created by drawing from stock matured in American oak and European oak refill casks before being “finished” (transferred all together into another cask for a short time to draw final character) in ex-port casks called “pipes”. These final resting casks impart light fruity notes usually of strawberry or cherry to a spirit along with a faint pink hue to the colour. Like Talisker Storm, Port Ruighe has been release without an age statement and at the standard Talisker strength of 45.8% alcohol by volume.
Talisker Port Ruighe Single Malt Scotch Whisky
No Age Statement
45.8% ABV
Port Pipe Finish
RRP TBC (but circa £60)
Appearance: Rose gold with deep orange.
Nose: Deep charred cedar, spent match to the fore with rich sweet plum sponge, spiced orange marmalade, apple blossom honey backing it up to deliver a rounded, full nose of well integrated bold aromas. A creamy edge like milk bottle chews/play-do seems to linger overall whilst the peated element is kept low rather than the main focus.
Palate: Smooth and rich to begin. The complex sweet fruity notes found on the nose immediate apparent in the mouth with orchard fruits of quince, pippin apple, cherry mix before cranberry dryness. Additional sweetness is delivered in the form of honey and earthy spices with a touch of nutty chocolate. Mid palate is brought alive with a tingling mixture of cooling salt and pepper followed with coal tar soap, samphire and charred cinnamon which incredibly manages to deliver classic Talisker flavours even after all that has gone before.
Finish: It’s all about the peat now. Lingering oily seaside smoke delightfully delivered with elegance and panache. Salty, peppery and very much Talisker.
Summary: What is most interesting here is that normally port finished whisky is more about the character the port will deliver as I mentioned at the beginning. More soft red fruit is expected. But here we have a great example of using the development to integrate with a classic whisky without destroying the base “DNA”, far from it. The resulting flavours have, for me created a Talisker expression which is different enough for a fan to seek out on a regular basis without being too “out of the ordinary”. Sweeter, yes, but now overpowering so. Great stuff.
Master of Malt have long been pals of Dramatic Whisky and I’d like to think it’s because our two companies have the same outlook on the world of whisky- keep it fun. I would say that we both bring a youthfulness to whisky, but my graying hair might be evidence that I’m simply hoping to be included in that category!
Something thing they do which I think is ace is ‘Drinks by the dram’ which allows anyone to purchase miniatures of just about anything they stock. Of course, you have to pay accordingly and a 3cl sample starts at under £4 up to the current £209 for 3cl of Glenfarclas 1953. Fortunately enough they sent me a sample of that last one. See, I told you we were pals. This is a huge help to those who wish to try a broader range of whisky without forking out to do so.
They also have a new range of their own bottling under the name ‘That Boutique-y Whisky Company’ and yes, the “y” is hyphenated. Under this label the guys bottle single malts, grains and blends from a variety of renowned distilleries, each limited release 50cl bottle is adorned with various sketches and comic book illustrations which will no doubt help the already growing cult status of these drams. The range already has quite a number of releases in the range and when they offered to send me some samples, the ‘Drinks by the Dram’ creation came in handy. I have 18 samples to get through! so I am doing this in parts, this being part one. Selecting the first five was no easy task, but sticking to things such as Bunnahabhain and Deanston which I recently reviewed and Clynelish as another favourite plus Springbank and Braes O’ Glenlivet to round out a fine line-up. And I thought I would start with the lighter styles so the choices of my first five samples (part 1) are as follows:
Clynelish- Batch 1
So what’s the label all about: Clynelish was built after Brora closed and whilst it is a superb whisky, it is seen by purist (or should that be purrists) in this case as never quite being up to ‘scratch’.
Nose: Rattan fruit basket filed with tangerines, melon and peaches. Not immediately typical of Clynelish, less waxy but still has a coastal “freshness” holding the fruit down. Light spice on the nose, earthy vanilla pod and a bit of waxed church candle towards the end.
Palate: More of the expected waxy, creamy mouth-feel with stem ginger and vanilla before a hint of cardamom and cinnamon spice dusted over red berries mid palate. Faint salty element licks around the mouth bringing the earthy notes back to the fore.
Finish: Lingering citrus peel with a waxed edge. Earthy tones dry out the very long finish.
Summary: At first, not immediately recognisable as a Clynelish, them it bursts through with jubilant energy. Very good dram indeed.
Springbank- Batch 1
So what’s the label all about: Those cheeky chaps (bet they hate that tag) from Cask Strength, Neil and Joel twisting and shouting, trying to squeeze every last particle from a grain mill.
Nose: A sweet peat reek to begin, underlined with coal embers, brown paper, slices of start fruit and a hint of baby sick. Came back to this 20 minutes later and yup, still baby sick in there somewhere.
Palate: Light sweet peat smoke and a mineral iodine flare before charred cedar wood dries out the palate allowing the white fleshed fruits to emerge.
Finish: Turns slightly oily to the finish, with the white fruits flowing on for some time.
Summary: Once you have a note stuck in your head, like a bad song, it’s tricky to get rid of it and butyric acid is a tough tune for any spirit to hum (of). I just could get the nose to match up to the tasty palate and it stopped the enjoyment right there.
Bunnahabhain- Batch 1
So what’s the label all about: A picture tells a thousand words- well almost. Here we see an elevated depiction of the Bunnahabhain distillery itself with everything from rally cars to shark infested waters.
Nose: Parma ham fat with white pepper over a piece of driftwood. Almost akin to reposado tequila, a definite vegetal nose with busts of coastal sea air. Samphire, turning to damp hay and deeper farmyard notes with a floral lift of violets at the end.
Palate: Creamy mouth-feel with liquorice root, milk bottle chews and vanilla before the salt washes through to leave chestnuts and buttery elements and peat water. Touches of ginger root and kippers keep the complex palate lively.
Summary: Being a fan of Bunnahabhain I was keen to get into this one and it didn’t disappoint. Complex, ever-changing and almost a challenge to the palate but in such an interesting way. Superb.
Deanston – Batch 1
So what’s the label all about: Deanston used to be a cotton mill before it was turned into a distillery in the mid 60′s, so it’s fairly ‘new” it whisky terms. According to MoM, hippies were around in the 60′s also although I doubt many made it to the banks of the river Teith.
Nose: Sweet apple sauce with perfumed vanilla and fresh ginger shavings. The up front nose calms to reveal quince, grape and yellow sultanas with a good beechwood background.
Palate: Rich, creamy vanilla to the fore with lighter ginger spice close behind. Over-ripe banana with flaked almonds and a leafy element towards the end.
Finish: Dries with good malty grip and clean spice.
Summary: Quite close to the Deanston 12 in character, but seems to have the volume turned up a touch. Good example of this new kid on the block.
Braes o’ Glenlivet – Batch 1
So what’s the label all about: The inspiration for the label was the fact that it was Braes o’ Glenlivet that drew the Master of Malt trio Ben, Tom and Justin into the wonderful world of whisky in the first place.
Nose: Red berries mixed with poster paint, almond and lead pipe. Lets just say there is a lot going on in here. Varnished wood, bread and butter pudding, tinned pears and cherries.
Palate: Rich and buttery, again hints of bread and butter pudding spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon. Brazil nut and cherry bakewells.
Finish: Long and creamy, the bakewell lingers on.
Summary: A huge complex whisky, seemingly light at first but continues to develop and twist. A lot of fun and a great whisky.
So that is Part 1 done, as you will see the above limited releases are already selling out and I suspect this will always be the case. A great idea, executed with style and a good dollop of humour. Wish the rest of the industry could loosen up a bit like this.
Strathisla distillery in the speyside town of Keith is often referred to as the prettiest distillery in Scotland, of course, that’s a very difficult thing to prove as so many distilleries lie in beautiful parts of Scotland, many with their own individuality and stunning backdrop. But one thing you can say about Strathisla is that it has the longest continual production of any distillery.
Opening in 1789 in the former farmstead it was then known as Milltown, changing its name to Strathisla in the early 1950′s when Chivas Brothers bought it over. Chivas has long cherished the Strathisla character as a main component in its Regal blend. In fact, you don’t see a huge amount of Strathisla on the market as most of its annual production goes straight to the blend so it was nice to see that the brand has been given a face-lift, an indicator perhaps that some more of the single malt will be coming to the market at some point soon. I did take a trip up there quite recently, and not only is the location quite beautiful but the charm of the actual distillery is wonderful. As it was originally a farmstead, the stills have been built within existing barns and have been creatively intertwined with the roof rafters in order to get maximum height without making the presence of the distillery know. Remember, very few distilleries in the late 1700′s were actually legal so keeping your position a secret from the excise man was key.
So whilst the outside of the distillery is sure to remain untouched by modern design, the bottle has certainly seen a huge change. Gone is the etched front elevation of the distillery and its angular, tall brown glass, instead a more squat vessel of clear glass, sharp typeface and a splodge of cerise pink has been introduced. At first glance, the distillery name stands out much clearer, as does the 12-year-old age statement and whilst surrounded by its carton, it’s the fresh white box with bright pink disc atop that will catch the eye from a distance on the shop shelf. Simple, clean design with a few hooks thrown in. I suppose Strathisla has, due to its relative rarity, always stood out for “those who know” as the old design was easy to spot if you knew what you were looking for so again, the redesign perhaps indicates Strathisla is looking for a much bigger, new market of whisky drinkers. The liquid inside certainly wont disappoint those who try it for the first time. Unfortunately, despite having had many bottles of Strathisla pass through the office, I don’t have any notes on the original whisky. Not normally an issue when a bottle gets a facelift, but not only has the label changed, but also the strength which now reduced to 40% abv where as the previous release was 43%.
Nose: immediately fruity with warm vanilla drenched over cooked pear slices and candied peel. some juicy california sultanas in there also. Heather honey, light toffee coated pecan nut with warm eucalyptus leaf, seasoned oak and suede.
Palate: Full and creamy with vanilla at the fore. Spices emerge mid palate, laced through honey sweetness and a hint of clean mineral edge that becomes a touch like sulphur. Orange oil and pithy peel bring the fruitiness back.
Finish: Cocoa nib and polished leather on the end of the palate, well-balanced between sweet fruit and dry woody notes.
Summary: The reason that this malt is so praised for blends is quite clear, bursting with character as it is. The balance of sweet fruit, rich vanilla and dry oak notes is perfect. The overall profile of this malt would easily stand up against other examples of more maturity. New or old bottle, who cares. Just get some.
And for those of you interested in where the ispiration for the title of this blog came from- click here.
When was the last time you heard someone say “Oh, I stay away from peated whisky as I’m not a fan”. I hear it in a regular basis as guests at Dramatic Whisky events come to grips with the various styles of drams on offer. But more often than not that statement is followed by “especially Islay“. Now, it’s this last part that sends me into a mini meltdown and it is truly the fault of the whisky industry from the past. Regions were to a point, a quick way of introducing people to various styles of whisky, but this lingering categorisation only serves to restrict the consumers choices rather than aid them. I wrote a bit about them here which goes into a bit more detail but basically, if you choose your whisky only by region, you’ll miss out on some gems in the whisky world which brings me neatly onto Bunnahabhain.
Bunnahabain, pronounced “Boona-haa-ven” and meaning ‘stream foot” or ‘mouth of the river’ with its location at the end of the Margadale river from where the distillery draws its water from, is located on the north-east part of the island rather isolated in comparison to the other distilleries on Islay. Since 1881 the distillery has been producing whisky and whilst it was true that at that point the whisky would have been peated, today it is one of only two distilleries on Isaly that does not have peated whisky as its “core release” the other being Bruichladdich. With its own floor maltings ceasing in 1963 its safe to say the change probably came some time around then.
So what of the whisky today? The most easily accessible are the 12, 18 and 25 year old whiskies with Toiteach as the limited edition “peated” style all at the higher abv of 46.3% and non chill-filtered, a move in recent times across the board from current owners Burn Stewart Distillers and welcomed by Bunnahabhain fans. I also had the good fortune to review the recent 40 year old release which was a stunning dram indeed. Bunnahabhain has always been a whisky I would opt for if I saw it on a back bar somewhere as its coastal style and soft character is just what I look for in my malts.
Nose: If ever a whisky had an aroma of its origins, this is it. Fresh sea air on a Scottish pebble beach. Samphire over driftwood and lifts of fresh ginger.
Palate: Chewy and rich with fresh ginger creams, malty mid palate and salted caramel. Warming yet still fresh notes of the sea.
Finish: Ginger and vanilla spice linger with a hint of earthy mocha.
Nose:The DNA of the seaside emerges first, salty air, tarry ropes wrapped in leather with bold sherry character. Date and fig loaf sprinkled with nutmeg and an espresso on the side.
Palate: Big on the sherry influence, spiced with mace, leather and hints of pipe tobacco and roasted brazil nut. There is still the core message of salted sweetness blended through this bold palate.
Finish: Waves of salty almonds washed down with sherry and a bundle of earthy spices behind.
Nose: Sweet leather and cherry wood polished with linseed oil. Rich spices, old velvet, driftwood and tarry rope - the nose twists and turns around the central elements.
Palate: Bursting with rich deep sherry soaked dark fruits, mixed spice and Demerara sugar. It seems spiky at first, but is instantly calmed by a creamy vanilla element, smooths out and relaxes leaving behind a trail of deliciousness.
Finish: Incredibly long, old leather, slight tannin grip and a hint of over roasted chestnut almost charred.
Nose: Immediate peat smoke but with an unmistakable coastal character. Sweet salty air and drifts of dry citrus peel (tangerine) in the background. Old fish and chips wrapper with a bit of honey, vanilla and samphire all in there.
Palate: A sweet smoke, rich and playful on the palate, parma ham and smoked figs with a slightly medicinal citrus edge somewhere between menthol and lime.
Finish: unsurprisingley it’s the sweeter side of the peat smoke that lingers, turning slightly salty at the end.
Summary: A fine line-up indeed with just about everythign you could ask for. The style is eveident throughout the range despite the change of cask, that coastal element shines and helps maintain the Bunnahabhain message.
It will come as no surprise to those who follow my ramblings or indeed most of the whisky press to find that the whisky industry is changing. There, I said it and I don’t care. It’s getting younger and I don’t mean we are seeing more teenagers replace a bottle of MD 20/20 with the latest single cask but the spirit itself is reaching our glasses with less age, and it’s a good thing.
There are two main reasons for this, firstly demand is at such a peak that aged stock is being squeezed out of every distilleries warehousing and if you happen to have an age statement on your label, then you are stuck with only putting stock of that age (or greater) in your bottle. Simple way around this is of course to remove the age statement and release your brand under a catchy name with a back story about flavour rather than age such as Talisker Storm or Macallan Gold. As long as you haven’t messed around with the original character of the spirit, I think this is a fine idea and also shows the consumer is starting to understand that oldest does not always mean best.
Secondly, there are a lot of new distilleries out there, just releasing their product to the market and do not have the luxury vast stock with good age to drawn from but still need to make a bob or two in the meantime. We saw this with The English Whisky Co and their “Chapter releases” which cleverly gave the consumer the opportunity to sample the spirit as it aged towards the magical 3 years and 1 day before it could be called whisky. This helped not only establish the distillery but create a following which turned this new venture into almost cult status which continues today. I reviewed the Private Cellar selection previously which has some creative finishes. On the flip side, Glenglassaugh distillery had a very different problem which lead to them releasing new make spirit. As a mothballed distillery reopened, all they had available to them was very old stock. Not ideal to release your first malt after many years and slam a £300 price tag on it. So it was new make to the rescue again, this time under the name “The spirit that blushes to say its name” thankfully re-branded and still available from the distillery such as its popularity.
But it was whilst chatting with the guys from Glen Moray distillery as they introduced to me the new peated spirit release that I became rather curious. Glen Moray is not a new distillery and has plenty stock, so to venture down the road of underage whisky shows keenness to develop and innovate, not just stick with what you know. The distillery, in the town of Elgin on the banks of the Moray Firth has been in production since 1897 although it was a brewery prior to a distillery so alcohol of one form or another has been associated with the site for longer.
Presented in a square 20cl bottle and sealed with a white wax dipped top the pale product with designed font is certainly a far cry from the design of the traditional Glen Moray releases and again shows that this is something that a lot of time and effort has gone into. It’s the first time the distillery have chosen to release a peated spirit and I liked the look of it a lot, but how did it taste?
Nose: A balanced nose of soft smouldering highland peat and fresher coastal/mineral notes which develops sweet lime citrus and fresh-cut straw. The above all seem to draw together to create a farmyard note. With water, deeper notes of fresh leather and artists oil paint are added.
Palate: Bursting sweet heat (that will be the 60.6%) rich vanilla and sweet peat smoke with just enough salty edge to cleanse the palate before becoming too overpowering. With water, the heat clams to allow the sweetness of red berry, lime marmalade and mocha coffee. The ever-present vanilla holds it all together with the peat smoke really adding to this young but elegant spirit.
Finish: Vanilla syrup mocha coffee and a white chocolate and cranberry muffin (slightly charred) on the side.
Summary: Approaching young spirit is always usually a challenge as it can be tough to see through the energetic alcohol and get to the core of what the spirit is trying to say, but this was a delight. Rich, rounded and delivered a great character. I’m not entirely sure what Glen Moray have planned for this, but it’s spot on as it is with a clear indication that it will only get better with age. But let’s hope they always keep this younger expression available.
How many times have you been in a situation, with a group of friends normally in the pub but certainly with alcohol involved to a grater or lesser degree, and the topic of conversation turns to one of invention, or to put it simply “why didn’t I think of that”. It’s a common happening for sure but I suppose the outcome and idea all depends on who you have gathered around you at the time. Trouble is, most good ideas and solutions to life’s little issues remain firmly where they were born – n the pub, never reaching beyond the embryonic state, most never making it even past the next round.
But the Swedes do think a little differently don’t they. Dynamite, the adjustable spanner and the three-point seat belt are just three wonderful additions to our world thanks to forward thinking Swedes. And of course Mackmyra Single Malt Whisky.
Founded in 1998 by the eight friends who had asked that fateful question “why is there not a Swedish whisky?”, the distillery produced it first drops of new make on 18th December 1998 with the first official releases of Mackmyra Elegant and Mackmyra Smoke coming to the market in 2002. Fast forward 6 years and the first Swedish whisky is `produced in large volumes .The “First Edition” is produced using Swedish ingredients and no additives.
The latest edition to join the ever popular range is Mackmyra The Swedish Whisky “Brukswhisky”where the website has the following information on it: Mackmyra The Swedish Whisky is made from our soft elegant recipe matured in bourbon casks. We then spiced it up with a special combination of large and small casks: rich sherry and a touch of our fresh Swedish oak. For a light hint of juniper smoke, we added some of our smoky variety. Sounds fun right? well, lets give it a go.
Mackmyra The Swedish Whisky Single Malt
No Age statement
Ex Bourbon/Sherry cask with Swedish oak
ABV: 41.4 %
RRP £36.00
Appearance: Pale young straw
Nose: Light vanilla with young malt and newly painted wood. Fruity notes of lemon curd and grapefruit peel and slices of fresh quince are muted behind a muslin cloth. In the background, a curious note, not unlike a cold caramel latte and that fresh painted wood has become more polished now.
Palate: A balance of light woody vanilla and lively citrus grip before turning richer than expected with warming spices of clove, mace and white pepper. Rounded sweet fruit elements help bring the two characters neatly together.
Finish: Lingering cinnamon dusted pear with a malty custard cream on the side. That slight coffee not pops up at the very end again.
Summary: LIght on the nose, this whisky certainly delivers more on the palate, dancing around in quite an unexpected way. If you have yet to try a Mackmyra whisky, then this is certainly a good one to begin with. And remeber, when you do raise a glass, ask yourself “Why didn’t I think of that”
When I first heard that Balvenie were to release another version of the Single Barrel, this time a 12 year old, I got rather excited. Having always been a fan of the Single Barrel 15 year old, this newest expression was sure to get my lips smacking.
Single cask whiskies are a perfect time-shot of maturation, with each cask delivering a different and unique character to the whisky resting within and with no other casks married into batches, finding them is a rare treat. I say rare, because normally single cask expressions are limited in number. By their very nature, there is only as much as the cask can hold and once gone, never to be replicated. Normally it’s the selection of a malt master who will tend to discover a certain cask, resting and maturing at just the right pace which seems to be delivering a certain style, still in keeping with that of the distillery but a perfectly unique example. So when Balvenie decided to set aside casks to mature their whisky, releasing these after 15 years as single cask bottles it was a great opportunity for many more people that usual to sample some great drams. With each bottle being numbered and dated you could actually work out the age as not all seemed to be right for release at 15 years and if you do a little maths you can find examples of Balvenie Single Barrel 15 year old actually at 16 & 17 years and older.
This new 12 year old has been rested in First Fill casks of ex-bourbon. That may sound a little strange, calling a cask first fill if it’s actually second hand, but in the scotch industry we refer to cask use when it is used here. So an ex-bourbon cask is “first filled” with scotch, use it again and it becomes a refill cask. If the whisky was matured in a brand new cask, with no previous contents then it is know as “virgin cask” such as used by Deanston but few distillers use these as the powerful notes can sometimes be overpowering.
Nose: As you would expect from Balvenie, the signature notes of honey, dried citrus peels and light spice are immediate. But there is a hit of sliced pear and vanilla ice cream which seems to dry out the nose somewhat, which isn’t surprising considering the 47.8% abv. Apple blossom emerges to give a floral element and ties everything up in a well structured bouquet.
Palate: Rich and honey sweet with perfect grip of cinnamon spice. The fruity notes of dried peel and a hint of pineapple roll through the palate with a pear tarte tatin sweetness. A malty backbone with deep woody vanilla holds it all together.
Finish: Sweet spicy honey all the way with a dry oak tail.
Summary: Although bold at this level of ABV, I didn’t think the addition of water was required and that shows how well integrated the spirit and cask has become. Big, it certainly is but what impressed me is the integration of flavour as they raised and dipped around a thick mouth-feel. There is a lot going on, but thankfully all in the same direction rather than challenging the palate too much. Well worth seeking this one out and with an RRP of just under £50 I think Balvenie will need to lay a few more casks down.
This is a huge help to those who wish to try a broader range of whisky without forking out to do so.
