Archive for the ‘Single Malt Whisky’ Category
Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 28, 2015
The Balvenie Distillery is located at Dufftown which is of course, pretty much situated in the heart of the Speyside region of Scotland. This is a Single Malt Distillery; but one which holds the distinction of being the only such distillery where every part of the process of making whisky takes place right at the distillery. The distillery grows and malts its own barley (about 10 % of its total requirement); it has its own cooperage; and it has its own copper-smith. Owned by William Grant and Sons, the distillery is one of the top 10 producers (by volume) of Scottish Single Malt Whisky.
The Balvenie 12 Year Old Single Barrel is one of the company’s most recent offerings to arrive in Canada, and it replaces The Balvenie 15 Year Old Single Barrel whose stocks have been dwindling such that this expression is now quite hard to find (at least where I live). The 12 Year Old (like the 15 Year Old before it) is a true Single Barrel Whisky as each bottle is drawn from a single first-fill Bourbon cask selected by The Balvenie Malt Master, David Stewart. These casks were chosen to represent a consistent Balvenie character; however, each barrel will have its own unique character, and therefore each bottling from each unique barrel will be slightly different from each other. (And yes, this whisky spent its entire 12 year aging life in one single first-fill barrel.)
Here is a link to my review of the #88 Spirit in my Rum Howler 2015 Top 100 Spirits Countdown:
“… The breezes above the glass indicate that the whisky has a firm oak character as those breezes are filled with a firm presence of clean oak spice. This woody spiciness is accented (quite nicely) with vanilla, sawgrass and almond scents. As the glass breathes, the whisky breezes become more complex bringing forward additional hints of butterscotch, honey and some sweet beer-like malt …”
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You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits
Posted in Awards, Extras, Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: 12 Year Old, Bleneded Scotch, McClellands Single Malt, Review, Rum howler, Single Barrel, The Balvenie, Top 100 Spirits, Whisky | Comments Off on # 88 The Balvenie 12 Year Old Single Barrel
Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 25, 2015
The 28-year-old, Auchentoshan 1976 is a Single Cask bottling, distilled in 1976, which I found and tasted at CSN Wine and Spirits in Calgary, Alberta. The store had purchased the entire cask of 156 bottles and at that time had approximately 20 bottles left in stock. (Note: CSN Wine and Spirits has many Single Cask bottlings for the avid Whisky enthusiast to enjoy. )
I was given a sample of this particular bottling by the Store Manager, J.P. Sandhu, who spent some time with me on a lazy Friday afternoon allowing me to sample some of the great selections of rum and single malt whisky which were available in his store. Although this whisky is certainly no longer available, it does rank as one of the truly great Scotch Whiskies I have tasted and deserves a spot on my Top 100 Spirits List.
Here is a link to my review of the #91 Spirit in my Rum Howler 2015 Top 100 Spirits Countdown:
“… The initial nose is full of lemon citrus and orange peel. A nice floral bouquet is evident in the glass as well with herbal qualities and a rich taint of heather. I sense a light peat aroma which begins to gain steam and turns smokey as the glass decants. Oak and vanilla have also began to build in the breezes which are speckled with scents of pine and moss …”
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You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits
Posted in Awards, Extras, Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: 1976, Auchentoshan, CSN Wine and Spirits, Rum howler, Single Malt, Top 100 Spirits, Whisky Review | Comments Off on # 91 Auchentoshan 1976 (Aged 28 Years)
Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 24, 2015
The Glenmorangie Distillery was officially licensed to produce whisky in 1843 (how long the distillery was unofficial is unknown to me). Glenmorangie, from the beginning, established a tradition of innovation beginning with the construction of tall gin styled stills which would be used to distill their whisky rather than the traditional shorter onion shaped stills in use at the time. They were also amongst the first distilleries to use American oak for maturing their whisky, and in the early 1990’s they were at the forefront of the new style of ‘extra matured’ whiskies which are finished (or perhaps we can say flavoured) by spending time in used wine barrels.
The Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban is a mature whisky (12 years old) that is first aged in ex bourbon casks for at least 10 years, and then finished or ‘extra matured’ in Ruby Port pipes from the Quintas of Portugal. The use of ruby Port pipes gives the Quinta Ruban a sweeter, fruitier flavour and finish.
Here is a link to my review of the #92 Spirit in my Rum Howler 2015 Top 100 Spirits Countdown:
“… The initial aroma in the breezes is fruity, oak filled, and stained with chocolate. I notice zesty citrus notes in the air as well as impressions of maraschino cherry and dry fruit. Oak spices seem to lift from the glass giving me indications of orange peel, and spicy pepper. As the glass sits, walnuts, pecans and the light scent of baking spices (vanilla, nutmeg, with hints of cinnamon) are added to the breezes …”
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You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits
Posted in Awards, Extras, Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: Glenmorangie Whisky, Quinta Ruban, Review, Rum howler, Scotch, Single Malt, Top 100 Spirits, Whisky | Comments Off on # 92 Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban
Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 22, 2015
The Glenfarclas Distillery is located in the Glenfarclas valley on the Recherlich Farm at Ballindalloch which is in the heart of Speyside. The Distillery was purchased by the Grant Family in 1865, and it has remained in the control of the Grant Family for six generations up to the present day. In fact, Glenfarclas is one of only a few distilleries remaining in Scotland which is independently family owned and managed.
I have had several opportunities to meet George Grant (of that sixth generation of the Grant Family) right here in Edmonton at a tasting events sponsored by Pacific Wine & Spirits Inc, who are the local importer/distributor of Glenfarclas Highland Single Malt Whisky in Alberta. At each event I attended, I was allowed to sample the entire line-up of Glenfarclas Whisky. Each time, I took the time to write detailed tasting notes for each whisky.
Here is a link to my review of the #94 Spirit in my Rum Howler 2015 Top 100 Spirits Countdown:
“… The nose is very rich with the scents and smells of the sherry influence upon the whisky. Dried fruit (raisins, dates, and prunes) lead out with a very noticeable accent of dark chocolate. Dark toffee smells enrich the air above the glass, and as the whisky sits, rich baking spiced build and build. I can smell rich brown Demerara sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla in the breezes above the glass …”
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You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits
Posted in Awards, Extras, Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: 15 Year Old, Glenfarclas, Review, Rum howler, Scotch, Single Malt, Top 100 Spirits, Whisky | Comments Off on #94 Glenfarclas 15 Year Old
Posted by Arctic Wolf on September 20, 2015
The Macallan Distillers Ltd recently launched a new line of Single Malt Whisky which they call, The Macallan 1824 Series. Each whisky in the 1824 Series is 100 % Sherry Cask whisky, and each whisky within the range draws its name from the colour of the whisky inside the bottle as the series moves up the ladder from Gold to Amber, Sienna, and finally to Ruby in that order.
These whiskies carry no age statement. Instead, the consumer is asked to draw a parallel between the colour of the whisky in the bottle and its age, complexity, and quality. Because these whiskies are naturally coloured by the casks from which they are drawn, the implication is that the richer darker whiskies have aged longer, and/or have had more of their blend drawn from the higher quality Sherry oak casks.
The Macallan Ruby is the darkest production whisky in the series. The Ruby is bottled at 43 % alcohol by volume, and all of this whisky was matured exclusively in European oak sherry casks.
Here is a link to my review of the #96 Spirit in my Rum Howler 2015 Top 100 Spirits Countdown:
“… The entry into the mouth brought somewhat of an unexpected rush of oak and spice forward as the whisky carried even more oak spice across the palate than what the nose implied. The complexity is top-notch as I tasted bittersweet dark chocolate, caramel toffee, raisin filled fruit cake, canned apricots, and zesty orange peel all mingling within that spicy rush of oak sap …”
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You may follow my Countdown list of the 100 Best Spirits here: The Rum Howler 2015 – Top 100 Spirits
Posted in Awards, Extras, Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: Ruby, Rum howler, Scotch, Single Malt, The Macallan, Top 100 Spirits, Whisky, Whisky Review | Comments Off on # 96 The Macallan Ruby
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