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Archive for the ‘Scotch Whisky’ Category

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Review: Gordon and MacPhail Inchgower 2005 (Connoisseurs Choice)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 19, 2018

The Connoisseurs Choice is a series of malt whiskies from various Scottish distilleries many of which are no longer producing whisky.  Boasting over 40 different single malts available from the Scottish regions The sheer variety of styles and flavours of whisky available from Gordon and Macphail’s Connoisseurs range is staggering.

The Inchgower Distillery was built in 1871 in the Lowland Region of Scotland. The facility is currently owned by Arthur Bell & Sons Ltd (since 1938), however the current operator of Inchgower is the spirits conglomerate, Diageo. The Distillery has four operating stills with the whisky produced contributing a major portion of Bell’s Blended Whisky.

Gordon and MacPhail Inchgower Distillery 2005 (Connoisseurs Choice) is a Single Malt Whisky which was distilled in 2005 and bottled in 2016. It was matured in refill sherry casks with no special finishing. The Spirit was bottled at 46 % abv.

Here is a link to my review:

Review: Gordon and MacPhail Inchgower 2005 (Connoisseurs Choice)

“… The dram is off the beaten path so to speak with interesting flavours and a firm spicy bite. I like it much better with ice than without, and I also suspect my appreciation would have grown if my sample had been larger. There is a real “once you get used to this ou are really going to like it” quality about the whisky …”

Please enjoy my review as well as the cocktail suggestion which follows.

Chimo!

 

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Review: Glen Garioch 1994 Vintage

Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 1, 2018

The Glen Garioch Distillery (pronounced ‘Glen Geery’) is located in the town of Oldmeldrum, approximately 20 minutes from Aberdeen. It is the Eastern-most distillery in Scotland, in the Valley of Garioch, which is apparently one of the best barley growing regions of Scotland. The distillery was established in 1797.

Glen Garioch’s Vintage bottlings represent Single Malt Whiskies which were distilled in the same year. In the case of Glen Garioch 1994 Vintage the whisky was of course distilled in 1994 and laid down in American Oak casks. Seventeen years later the mature whisky was bottled at 53.9 % alcohol by volume.

Here is a link to my review:

Review: Glen Garioch 1994 Vintage

“… The disproportionate amount of fine oak spice verses caramel/butterscotch sweetness indicates that the barrels used to age the whisky had spent much of their life aging other spirits. The caramel and toffee flavours which come from young charred casks are all but gone leaving just fine spicy sap and very light vanillans. One could easily mistake this Malt for a much younger spirit …”

Please enjoy my review which includes a serving suggestion, the standard Old Fashioned Cocktail.

Chimo!

Posted in Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Glen Garioch 1994 Vintage

Review: The Glenlivet 15 Year Old (French Oak Reserve)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 19, 2018

The Glenlivet Distillery is located near Ballindalloch in Moray, Scotland. The Distillery was founded in 1824. It remained open during the first World War as well as and through the Great Depression with its only during World War II. The Glenlivet brand is owned by the French conglomerate Pernod Ricard, and has grown to be largest selling single malt whisky in North America and the second largest selling single malt whisky globally.

According to the Glenlivet website:

The 15 Year Old gets its distinctive rich and exotic character from a process of selective maturation in which a proportion of the spirit is matured in French oak casks. In fact, we at The Glenlivet were one of the first to use French oak for making whisky, a technique that has since been imitated the world over.

The Limousin oak we use is cut in France’s Dordogne region, where it’s often used to mature cognacs. Its low density allows whisky to sink deep into the wood, and we carefully control how long the whisky matures in the casks so as not to overpower the desired result: a unique, pleasing spiciness.

Here is a link to my review:

Review: The Glenlivet 15 Year Old (French Oak Reserve)

” … The whisky is much better than the flavour descriptors indicate. The flavours develop over time making this a whisky I would allow to sit for ten or fifteen minutes to maximize my enjoyment …”

Please enjoy my review which conclude with my recommended serving, an Old Fashioned with Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters.

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Review: Tomatin 15 Year Old (Single Malt)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 11, 2018

The Tomatin Distillery is located in the Monadhliath Mountains near Inverness, the capital of the Highlands of Scotland. The Distillery was established in 1897.

Because of its location in the Monadhliath Mountains, Tomatin is one of the highest distilleries (elevation wise) in Scotland at 315 metres above sea level. In 1985 as the Distillery was expanded and was at that time renamed, The Tomatin Distillery Co Ltd.. The company now operates 12 stills, in a process which perhaps more closely resembles a large-scale industrial factory rather than a typical Single Malt Distillery. This is because the distillery has always been a large-scale producer of whisky for Scotland’s major blends. However, Tomatin has recently began to focus their efforts on also producing their own Single Malt Whisky as well as establishing their own brand identity.

Here is a link to my review:

Review: Tomatin 15 Year Old (Single Malt)

“… The whisky remains dry in the mouth with only a light build-up of butterscotch and a mild malt grain sweetness. Green grapes, apple and pear, vanilla, cinnamon, citrus zest and marmalade, poplar sap and willow bark, timothy hay, and a firm undercurrent of almond …”

Please enjoy my revie wwhich concludes with my cocktail suggestion, the Old Fashioned Cocktail.

Chimo!

 

Posted in Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Tomatin 15 Year Old (Single Malt)

Review: The Glenlivet 12 Year Old (Single Malt)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on July 4, 2018

The Glenlivet Distillery is located near Ballindalloch in Moray, Scotland. The Distillery was founded in 1824. It remained open during the first World War as well as and through the Great Depression with its only during World War II. The Glenlivet brand is owned by the French conglomerate Pernod Ricard, and has grown to be largest selling single malt whisky in North America and the second largest selling single malt whisky globally.

The Glenlivet 12 Year Old is the flagship whisky in the Glenlivet core line-up. According to the Glenlivet website:

Representing The Glenlivet’s signature style, this classic malt is first matured in traditional oak, before spending time in American oak casks which impart notes of vanilla and gives the whisky it’s distinctive smoothness. The mineral-rich water that comes from Josie’s Well helps form the flavours during mashing and fermentation, whilst the specific height and width of the copper stills add a delicate yet complex character.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: The Glenlivet 12 Year Old (Single Malt)

“… Building oak spice, marmalade, raisin and red licorice. Almond persists, but now I notice an additional fruitiness of canned peaches and apricots. Polar wood, willow and grassy heather start to form as well. The interesting thing here is that the way the scents and smells meld into each other. The whisky appears to be very well-balanced … “

Please enjoy my review which includes my suggested serving, an Old Fashioned with Chocolate Bitters.

Chimo!

 

Posted in Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisky Review | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Review: The Glenlivet 12 Year Old (Single Malt)

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