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Posts Tagged ‘Scotch Whisky’

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Review: Bowmore 12 Year Old Single Malt Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 19, 2011

Morrison Bowmore Distillers was founded in 1951 by Mr. Stanley P. Morrison and Mr. J. Howat. Like most major distilling companies the ownership of Morrison Bowmore has changed over the years, and it is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Suntory Linited, a Japanese spirits conglomerate. The subsidiary company owns three major distilleries in Scotland; the Bowmore Distillery (on the Hebridian Island) in the  Islay Region of Scotland, the Auchentoshan Distillery in the Lowland Region of Scotland, and the Glen Garioch Distillery in the Highlands of Scotland. The Bowmore brand is the flagship whisky brand of Morrison Bowmore Distillers and has grown to be one of the most important whisky brands in all of Scotland.

I was fortunate enough to meet Morrison Bowmore’s, Regional Manager for North America, Jamie MacKenzie at the Edmonton Whisky Festival this past winter. He asked me to reach out to him when I was ready to review some of the Bowmore Whiskies on my website, and I did so recently. As a result, I was forwarded a small gift pack which included three 200 ml bottles of the Bowmore 12, the Bowmore 15 Darkest, and the Bowmore 18 Year Old Single Malt Whiskies. These three bottles form the heart of the Bowmore core range.

My first review of this range is the Bowmore 12 Year old Single Malt Whisky. Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…I allowed the glass to decant which caused the aroma to deepen. The peat began to demonstrate some floral characteristics, and it seemed to begin to carry more herbal qualities as well. The whisky is still bringing  forward a light ash-like aroma similar to the smell of coals from a wood burning fire when you are camping…”

You may read the full review here:

Review: Bowmore 12 Year Old Single Malt Whisky

I have followed the review with a classic cocktail suitable for a Peated Islay Whisky, The Rusty Nail.

Please enjoy the review!

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

Review: The Macallan Sherry Oak 18 Year Old Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 1, 2011

Permission to use this picture was granted by J.L. Wheelock

The oak casks which age The Macallan Sherry Oak Whiskies have been selected from refill Sherry casks originating in Jerez Spain where they previously held aged sherry for two years. Using two-year old Sherry casks is an expensive proposition; however, the makers of The Macallan Whiskies believe that the resulting combination of rich Sherry seasoning, and relatively young oak casks will result in a superior whisky. Indeed in my review I note the strong oak influence which sits astride the Sherry enhancement.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…Upon nosing the glass, smoke-filled sherry notes of raisins, prunes, and dates present themselves forcefully. Damp tobacco, and notes of caramelized brown sugars abound. I also detect a strong oak presence giving the glass somewhat of a cognac flair…”

You may read the full review here:

Review: The Macallan Sherry Oak 18 Year Old

Please enjoy the review!

Posted in Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: The Macallan Sherry Oak 18 Year Old Whisky

Review: The Macallan Fine Oak 17 Year Old Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 24, 2011

Permission granted for the use of this picture by J.L. Wheelock

The Macallan Fine Oak Series is a range of single malt Scotch whiskies, produced at The Macallan Distillery at Craigellachie, in the Speyside region of Scotland. These whiskies are matured in seasoned American oak casks, (sherry as well as bourbon), as well as seasoned sherry casks from Spain. I have previously reviewed the The Macallan Fine Oak 10 Year and The Macallan Fine Oak 15 Year Old expressions here on my blog, and I am happy to continue this series with a review of The Macallan Fine Oak 17 year Old. Here is an Excerpt from the review:

“…When I pour the 17 Year old Macallan Fine Oak into my glass, my nose is greeted by sweet honey and marshmallow scents as well as a lovely creamy butterscotch. This is noticeably sweeter on the nose than my previously reviewed 15 Year Old Macallan Fine Oak, and that sweetness seems to make the aroma more penetrating and assertive….”

You may read my full review here:

Review: The Macallan Fine Oak 17 Year Old Whisky

Please enjoy the review!

Note: This review is based upon a small sample provided to me from the personal collection of J. L. Wheelock, who is part of the Beam Global team here in Alberta. The sample was smaller than my normal 200 ml minimum sample size, and the reader should be cautioned that I was not able to give the sample my normal rigorous tasting regimen of five independent tasting sessions. Instead I completed two tasting sessions of the sample and completed my review on that basis.

Posted in Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Review: The Macallan Fine Oak 17 Year Old Whisky

Review: Signatory Dufftown 1984

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 17, 2011

This Whisky disappeared too fast!

Dufftown is the largest distillery belonging to Diageo.  The whisky from this distillery is primarily intended for blends. Bell’s, Islander, Dewar’s White Label, and of course Johnnie Walker all require Dufftown Whisky as part of their construction. I recently purchased a 26-year-old Signatory bottling  of Dufftown which was distilled in 1984. For those who are unfamiliar with this company, The Signatory Company was founded in 1988.  It is family owned and managed, being one of only three truly independent bottlers in Scotland.  (Signatory likes to draw a distinction between the independent companies who bottle their own products, and the independent companies whose products are bottled under contract.)

I am fortunate, as in my locale there are several stores which allow me to sample well aged Single Cask Whiskies prior to purchase. It takes a lot of the risk out of the purchase decision, and I have been able to build quite a collection of rare and old whiskies for my enjoyment.  Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…I smell a delightful alpine forest rising from the glass as the whisky is poured. Punky woody notes take shape with spongy moss, willow thicket, and floral notes abounding. Rich vanilla scents follow accented by a wonderful backdrop of honeycomb and oak. Caramel builds in the glass coexisting very nicely with a developing marzipan…”

Here is a link to the full review:

Review: Signatory Dufftown 1984

Please enjoy the review!

Posted in Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Review: Signatory Dufftown 1984

Review: Highland Park 40 Year Old Whisky

Posted by Arctic Wolf on April 2, 2011

The Highland Park 40 year Old is a relative newcomer to the Highland Park portfolio having been released in 2008 as the premier production whisky in the Brand line-up.  This is not a one-off bottling which will disappear when the stocks run dry, but instead an extremely limited yearly bottling. Like the Highland Park 30 Year Old Whisky, this 40-year-old is matured in refill sherry oak casks. The aim is to ensure that the long-term aging does not cause the oak to dominate the whisky in a deleterious manner.

It  is a rare treat to be allowed to sample a 40-year-old whisky. The effects of the long-term aging in oak should reverberate through the whisky, and at 48.3 percent alcohol by volume this spirit will be a challenge to approach. Thus, it is with a little trepidation that I begin.

Here is a link to my review:

Review: Highland Park 40 Year Old Whisky

Please enjoy the review!

Posted in Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , | Comments Off on Review: Highland Park 40 Year Old Whisky

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