Signatory Mortlach 11 Year NCF

 

Another nice Signatory bottling of a single malt usually consigned to the blending vats - specifically, the vats of Johnny Walker in this case. Mortlach is known for using an uncommon distilling technique that amounts to 2.7x distilled, like Springbank. This supposedly results in a rather savory, meaty flavor profile. This bottle - 46% ABV, non-chillfiltered, natural color - is aged 11 year in bourbon barrels. Let's see how Mortlach tastes:

Signatory Edradour 10 Year NCF

 

Following on the heels of my lovely Signatory bottling of the Linkwood 11 year is this very nice Signatory bottling of Edradour 10 year. Edradour is usually a sherry-forward dram, but this independent bottling is even nicer than the usual core expression, being neither chill filtered nor colored, and coming in at a slightly higher than usual 46%. Not to mention the fancy silver canister the bottle arrives in.  

Compass Box Oak Cross

 

I found this Compass Box Oak Cross at a price I couldn't resist. I've had a number of their other standard offerings, especially The Peat Monster, but never this one. Consisting of a marriage of American and French oak, with the core idea being a blending of vanilla and spice, it is mainly Clynelish with a couple other malts mixed in the bargain for their various qualities and then finished in a special Compass Box cask for two years. Bottled at 43% with no chill filtration and no coloring. Let's see if it succeeded:

Signatory Linkwood 11 Year NCF

 

I've always been curious about Linkwood, one of the oldest distilleries out there (1821). Their 15 year routinely sells for north of $150. And owners Diageo uses most of Linkwood's output for blending, so it's a single malt you almost always see as an independent bottling. 

This one is part of Signatory's No Chill Filtration collection, and it's also uncolored - a beautiful light straw color that betrays how many other whiskies are tainted with E150. Aged for 11 years in a (presumably bourbon, presumably refill) hogshead, and bottled at 46% ABV. Let's see if rare ol' Linkwood makes the grade:

Caol Ila 12 Year (Third Take)

 

Time for my triennial review of Caol Ila's core 12 year expression. As usual, it's 43% ABV, chill filtered, and colored. A shame, that. But what can you expect from a Diageo blending whisky where 95% of the liquid gets tankered to the mainland for blending? Craft presentation on the remaining 5%? I don't think so. 

Laphroaig 10 Year (Second Take)

 

What a classic Laphroaig 10 Year is! It's been an unbelievable 6 years since I last reviewed this, so it's time for an update. One of the definitive Islay drams. I remembered it being a little bit stiffer than 43% ABV, but on the other hand maybe that low-ish percent explains how I've downed so many bottles so easily over the years - very little sting. However, it is colored and also chill filtered (fie!). Oh well, you can't have everything. Here we go...

Bowmore 12 Year (Second Take)

 

Years later, another look at Bowmore 12 Year. Still colored, still chill-filtered, still aged for 12 years... still bottled at a thin 40% ABV. 40%??? What are they thinking?!

Aerstone Land Cask 10 Year

 

In my occasional quest for good drinking budget-level Scotch, I sometimes take a chance on something like Aerstone Land Cask - $30, clearly aimed at the entry segment, but has the possibility of a diamond in the rough. 

Glenfarclas 105 (NAS)

 

Glenfarclas 105 (British proofing system for 60% ABV!) is one of the classical "sherry bombs" or "sherry monsters" - (ideally fully) sherry-matured Scotch, and preferably cask strength, like Aberlour A'Bunadh, Glendronach Cask Strength, and Glenlivet Nadurra Oloroso. 

Aberlour A'Bunadh Batch 65

It's been a long time since I've had Aberlour A'Bunadh. This bottle is Batch 65, at 59.5% ABV, matured in oloroso sherry casks. No chill filtration, no coloring. Let's see what we have:

Talisker 10 Year (3rd Take)

What a disappointment... this bottle, and Talisker generally, really let me down. Something was really off here - where I was used to salty maritime notes, a subtle minerality, some peat and smoke to brace the malt... well, I got easy obvious fruit, no peat or smoke until the last of the bottle, and in place of the mineral/oceanic qualities, an unpleasant "turned cider" sourness. 

My friend Rob told me there have been whisperings of a decline in the core Diageo offerings... if they are true, this is exhibit one,  I'm going to avoid Talisker for a long time. What a steep tumble. 

Laphroaig Cask Strength Batch 006

Another go at the mighty Laphroaig Cask Strength bottlings, this time Batch 006 (February 2014 bottling date). Matured 10 years in ex-bourbon barrels, bottled at a hefty 58% ABV (116 proof!). I've reviewed this twice before, with very positive things to say both times. I have no doubt this will go the same way. Shout out to Lion's Liquors in Petworth, Washington DC, where I found this.

Kilkerran 12 Year

Kilkerran 12 year, owned by Springbank, has been long in coming. For years they released their progress towards this bottling, and people were elated when this finally dropped. Non-chill-filtered, non-colored, bottled at 46% and aged for a dozen years in a mix of 70% ex-bourbon barrels and 30% ex-sherry, this is the core offering of the newest (third) Campbeltown distillery. 

Ardmore 15 Year (Exclusive Malts)

This Ardmore 15 year was the big winner of Rob Martin Whisky Day... Ardmore is generally known as the main whisky in the blended Teacher's Highland Cream, but has also been known for some single malt offerings, including some real gems from independent bottlers. This version is ex-bourbon cask and bottled at a brisk 51.5%. 

Nose: Surprisingly wine-like - fragrant, a little sour, a little astringent, floral, grapes, malt, some vanilla, hints of smoke and peat (not strong), leathery. Opens over time. 

Mouthfeel: Thick, viscous. 

Palate: Diverges a bit from the nose - less wine and more ex-bourbon. Char, light smoke, vanilla, leather, heavy malt, but very smooth! No hint of alcohol burn. The taste also carries forward the floral note, but I can't identify it clearly. Very clearly a middle-aged ex-bourbon cask strength bottling, it has all the hallmarks, but a few nice wisps and angles of its own. 

Finish: Char and vanilla and peppery tannins all slowly fade until only a light smoke element remains. Nice. 

Verdict: I really liked this, despite the fairly lackluster reviews on the net. But I'm a big Ardmore fan anyway, from their old Traditional Cask days. Whatever flavor profile they are bringing, it matches up for me. This was a nice, smooth, and flavorful dram that was expertly balanced - a little flowerly, a little malty, a little asstringent, a little sweet. Worthwhile. 

Port Askaig Cask Strength (NAS)

Port Askaig isn't a distillery, it's just a town - "the gateway to Islay" - and so this isn't a normal bottling but an independent cast strength anonymous ex-bourbon Islay offering, non-chill filtered and uncolored. One rumor (ScotchNoob) is that it's Caol Ila. Let's see how it does...

Balblair 10 Year (2003)

Balblair has been rebranding lately, much as fellow InBev distillery Old Pulteney was rebranded. This bottle comes from before the rebrand, and is certainly a nice Speyside, especially for those seeking a gentler, softer experience.  

Bottled at a completely decent 46% ABV, and distilled in 2003 (matured in 2nd fill ex-bourbon for 10 years, 2003-2013). This came on a day where I tasted several rich drams in a row, with Balblair roughly in the middle - did it get lost in the shuffle? Let's find out...

Deanston 20 Year Oloroso Cask

My good friend Rob Martin let me taste this one... and what a journey it ended up being! Deanston is a Highland Scotch, matured 20 years in ex-oloroso sherry casks, bottled at 55.3% ABV.

Ardbeg Blaaack (NAS)

The 2020 annual release from Ardbeg, "Blaaack" refers to sheep, specifically the 7:1 ratio of sheep to people in New Zealand - where the red wine (Pinot Noir) casks used to finish this whisky came from.  This is the general release, bottled at 46% and matured in ex-bourbon, finished in red wine. 

Clynelish 14 Year

I've been hearing about Clynelish (KLINE-leash) off and on since I started this blog. The story is really in two parts - a story of two distilleries. The original Clynelish distillery is now called "Brora" and was last open between 1968 and 1983, making heavily peated whisky to make up for a shortage on Islay (!) for blending purposes (!!). Brora is long closed, and any remaining bottles from it are in the Holy Grail pantheon of whiskies. 

The modern Clynelish, up in the far, far northeast of Scotland (think: Old Pulteney), has been putting out high quality whisky for many years now, but - as is the way of our capitalist society - most of it has been channeled straight into Johnnie Walker Gold. 

Craigallachie 13 Year

It's long since time that I try Craigallachie 13 year, a Speyside with a big reputation. This was the core whisky in Dewar's for years - and I guess it still is - but for a few years now they have issued a single malt expression as well. Bottled at 46% ABV, aged for 13 years in ex-bourbon barrels, non-chill-filtered but colored. Famous for a "sulphurous" quality due to use of a worm tub in the distilling process. 

Laphroaig 16 Year

This is a REAL pleasure. My first Laphroaig in a while, and it's a nicely aged one - the same age as Lagavulin, the magisterial standard for all Islay. Can Laphroaig 16 measure up to that lofty standard? Aged in ex-bourbon barrels, and bottled at a nice 48% ABV. 

Kilchoman Loch Gorm 2017 (Third take)

It's been a while since I got my hands on a nice bottling from Kilchoman... this was originally supposed to the 4th edition of 100% Islay, but the liquor store called and told me they had to substitute Loch Gorm instead. No problem, they are all interesting! This one is matured in sherry casks and rather heavily peated to produce the ultimate Islay sherry bomb (sorry, Uigeadail). Bottled at 46% ABV, uncolored, non-chill-filtered. Aged about 7 years. 

Springbank 10 (Second Take)

I just picked up another bottle of Springbank 10 after a few years away, and wanted to review it anew, since my memory of the original had faded a bit. Matured in a mix of sherry and bourbon casks, and bottled at 46% ABV. 

Ardbeg Uigeadail (Second Take)

Continuing my Ardbeg series that I've been on: a second look at Uigeadail, since I think it's changed significantly since 2013 or 2014 when I last reviewed it. Still aged in sherry casks and bottled at a nice, stiff 54.2% ABV, let's see how (I think) it's changed. 

Ardbeg Auriverdes (NAS)

Another great limited release by Ardbeg! This one is from 2014. Aged in charred American oak, and bottled at 49.9% - how does Gold and Green liquid fare?

Ardbeg Drum (NAS)

The first of the limited bottlings that I've reviewed, although I've had most of them - I'm long overdue! This is the 2019 release for Ardbeg Day, and is finished in former rum casks (supposedly from Demerera rum, of El Dorado fame). Bottled at 46% and - as usual - uncolored and non-chill-filtered. What does Ardbeg look like through a rum filter?

Ardbeg 5 Year "Wee Beastie"

Behold! A new addition to the Ardbeg lineup - "Wee Beastie," a 5 year expression aged in ex-bourbon and ex-oloroso sherry barrels/casks. The moment I received the email that this was released I immediately had some delivered, and then savored a dram of the 10 year, always a perennial favorite in this household. Let's see how the little brother stacks up...

Teeling Single Pot Still Irish Whisky

This blog has natural dips in production (much like some distilleries!) when my supplies and funds both get low at the same time. But today is a great treat - not a Scotch, but a very worthy Irish whisky has crossed my path!

Redbreast 12 Year Irish Whisky

Ah, Redbreast! Among the very best of Irish whiskies, it's amazing I haven't reviewed it yet. Same goes for Green Spot / Yellow Spot.

Lagavulin 8 Year

This is a real treat - I found the fairly recent Lagavulin 8 Year on major discount at my local liquor store. It was significantly cheaper than the 16 Year, which isn't common here in Washington DC.  This was created to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Lagavulin distillery, which is one of my very favorites. It's fairly well known among drinkers of heavily peated Scotch that the younger the age of the liquid, the rougher the smoke tends to be, to the point of being unruly and sometimes unpalatable. Let's see how this turns out... 

Glenmorangie Spios (NAS)

Glenmorangie has experimenting a bit more than most distilleries these days. In the last few years, we've had Scotch that was aged in madeira casks, wine casks, using fancy barley, Grand Cru barrels, casks made from premium slow-growth oak, and so on. Their Prestige Line releases a new interestingly-aged bottle every year, and 2018's release is Spios (Gaelic for "Spice"), which is aged entirely in rye whiskey barrels (!). 

Kilchoman Loch Gorm 2017 Release

I first had this delectable Islay Scotch at a Kilchoman tasting back in the fall of 2016. It's Kilchoman's entirely sherry-aged offering, and I took an immediate liking to it. Unlike the Single Cask releases, which have a strong (and incredible) savory element, like barbecue ribs, Loch Gorm is more subtle, and perhaps a little more pure. So I bought a bottle, which I just opened.

Laphroaig 10 Year Cask Strength Batch 009

My father donated this bottle, which I have been thinking about for some time now. I've had a bottle of the Cask Strength in the past, and it blew me away - almost literally. I remember huge waves of peat and brine and iodine and ash and seaweed. And after the liquid sat in the glass for a few minutes, a rich rich vanilla, a golden malt, and a thick biscuit flavor. Was my memory accurate? Was I romanticizing this potent, monstrous dram? Let's find out. This is 10 years in bourbon casks, batch 009, bottled at 58.1% ABV. 

Ardbeg Day 2018 - Washington DC event review

I went to the Ardbeg release party for their An Oa bottling last year, and it was a BLAST. I had a ton of fun, and I came away with nothing but positive vibes and delicious tastes of fantastic whiskey. 

Well, this year's Ardbeg Day, part of Feis Ile, came today and I was lucky enough to be in attendance. At Jack Rose Saloon in Adams Morgan, a large crowd came together to celebrate Ardbeg whiskey, and specifically their new Grooves bottling for 2018. 

Springbank 18 Year

This pour was a generous gift from the good gentlemen at Arrowine here in Washington DC. They had a sample bottle and poured me a Glencairn of this 18 year old Campbelltown Scotch. Heavily sherried (80%, I've read) and the remainder ex-bourbon, bottled at 46% ABV. 

Port Charlotte Scottish Barley (NAS)

Port Charlotte is the heavily peated imprint of Islay distillery Bruichladdich. I've seen a few different Port Charlotte varieties - Scottish Barley, Islay Barley, Feis Ile, and others - but before now I'd only had the now-discontinued The Peat Project, which had a deeply flawed nose but had very savory flavors. 

Balvenie 12 Year Single Barrel (Cask 3347, Bottle 138)

This was a gift from my good friend Mik of miksologist.com. He knows I'm a mammoth Scotch drinker, and found this for a steal. I do love the Balvenie lineup (and can't wait to try the peated cask), and have particularly good memories of the Caribbean Cask offering. 

Compass Box Peat Monster Blend

I've had several offerings in the Compass Box family - including Spice Tree, Orangerie, and Great King Street: Artist's Blend, which I reviewed and quite liked - but none has intrigued me more than Peat Monster. 

Kilchoman Loch Gorm (2017)

This is the last of the whiskies from the Arrowine/Impex tasting from early November. And quite possibly my favorite. Entirely aged in former sherry casks (!), this is bottled naturally (no filtering, no coloring), at 46% ABV. 

Kilchoman Machir Bay (2017 Bottling)

This is the sixth and penultimate whisky from the Arrowine/Impex tasting in early November. And ah, we have reached my wheelhouse - peated Islay whisky. Kilchoman is my particular favorite - the quality just drips from it, in every aspect. It looks right, smells right, tastes right - everything about Kilchoman remains astonishing. 

Tamdhu Batch Strength 002 (NAS)

This is the fifth offering in the Arrowine/Impex tasting from November 4th, at RIS in Washington DC. The first No Age Statement whisky of the group, this was one I was legitimately excited about - I have had Tamdhu's batch 001, and liked it very much (sadly, no notes were taken, so no post about it). This is un-chill-filtered and uncolored, bottled at a brisk 58.5% cask strength. 

Tomintoul 10 Year (Exclusive Malts)

This was the fourth whisky in the Arrowine/Impex tasting from early November. After three straight high-quality drams - Invergordon, Glen Moray, and Benmenach - I knew I was in for something good with this 10 Year expression from Tomintoul, a whisky whose official bottling I've had and reviewed here. It was ... alright, at best. But this bottling from Exclusive Malts? Well... let's see. No chill-filtering, no coloring, bottled at 56.2% ABV. 

Balmenach 13 Year (Exclusive Malts)

This was the third of the whiskies I tasted at the Arrowine/Impex tasting in early November. After a very old Invergordon and a rather young, juicy Glen Moray, this Balmenach was a real mystery. Impex manager Jared Card informed us that Balmenach is another distillery where 99% of the liquid goes into blends like Dewars or Cutty Sark or Famous Grouse (in this case, MacArthur's and Hanky Bannister), but the unused 1% gets bottled as single malt by companies like Exclusive Malts.

Glen Moray 9 Year (Exclusive Malts)

This was the second discovery at the Arrowine/Impex tasting in Washington DC on Saturday. Honestly, I wasn't expecting a lot out of a 9 Year Speyside, but this bottle really pleasantly surprised me. 

Invergordon 43 Year (Exclusive Malts)

Today I attended the yearly whisky tasting at Arrowine liquors in Washington DC - last year was entirely Kilchoman, a distillery very close to my heart. This year I had seven generous samples, all of which I documented thoroughly and will appear here. The first was was a 43-year single grain from Invergordon. 

Talisker 10 Year (Second Take)

Boy, do I love Talisker. This is easily one of my top three Scotches, ever. I last reviewed this over three years ago, and it was LONG overdue for a return look. 

Bowmore 15 Year 'The Darkest'

When I think of "sherried Islay Scotch," this is definitely not the first, second, or third bottle that comes to my mind. I've long wanted to try this 15-year-old Bowmore offering - the standard 12-year expression aged an additional three years in Oloroso sherry casks, bottled at 43% ABV. The price is a little prohibitive - hovering between $75 and 90 depending on what shop you are frequenting - but I happened upon a good sale and splurged. 

This seems to be surprisingly divisive.

Ardbeg An Oa Release Party, Washington DC, at Jack Rose Saloon

A member of the Ardbeg Committee, I received an email from the local Ardbeg representative inviting me to Jack Rose Saloon tonight (9/23/17) to celebrate the release of the newest Ardbeg expression, An Oa (which I recently picked up and reviewed). 

Tomintoul 10 Year

Thanks to inscrutable liquor store metrics, Tomintoul 10 Year is on sale at virtually every shop in Washington D.C. this month, generally around $30. That puts it squarely in the "eh, what the hell" range of purchases.