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Posts Tagged ‘Scotch’

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Review: Gordon and MacPhail Caol Ila Distillery 2003

Posted by Arctic Wolf on August 15, 2018

Caol Ila Distillery is an Islay Scotch whisky distillery near Port Askaig on the isle of Islay, Scotland. Built in 1846, the distillery is famous for its classic Islay style. Their whisky is made with a large percentage of peated malt and because of this the resulting spirit is full of aromatic phenols.

Gordon and MacPhail Caol Ila Distillery 2003 (Connoisseurs Choice) is a Single Malt Whisky which was distilled in 2003 and bottled in 2016. The Spirit was bottled at 46 % abv.

Note: I was invited to a private Scotch Whisky Tasting where I sampled several expressions in the Gordon and Macphail Connoisseur’s Choice line-up including Inchgower 2005, Tomatin 2002, and Caol Isla 2003. As a guest at the tasting, I was given small 50 ml samples of some of the spirit to take home. At the tasting, I took brief tasting notes for some of the spirits and compiled this review based upon those tasting notes as well as from tasting sessions with my small sample of Caol Isla 2003.

Here is a link to my review:

Review: Gordon and MacPhail Caol Ila Distillery 2003

“… The Whisky overtakes the peat which I find delightful. Too many times Peat is the central theme of an Islay whisky. I always say that peat should support the whisky, rather than it being the other way around. Heather and mint can be found, poplar and willow thicket, malt barley and light butterscotch …”

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

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: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Review: Invergordon 1984 – 28 Year Old (SKU W&M 228)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on March 29, 2017

inverInvergordon Distillers (currently owned by Whyte & Mackay) was founded in 1959 in the Highlands region of Scotland and the newly built distillery began to operate in 1959.  The distillery has three working Coffey stills which produce grain whisky (primarily from wheat and corn) for various Whyte and Mackay blended whiskies as well as other Scottish producers.

The Wilson and Morgan 1984 Invergordon 28 Year Old Single Grain Whisky (SKU W&M 228) was distilled in 1987 and bottled in 2016. This whisky is part of Wilson and Morgan’s Special Release Series which is comprised of Scotch whiskies, all of which are 25 years of age or older, and many of which have received an unusual or special maturation regime. This particular whisky was matured for its entire life in a 2nd fill Sherry butt and bottled at cask strength (56.5% alcohol by volume).

Here is a link to my full review of this special whisky:

Review: W&M Invergordon 1984 – 28 Year Old

“… This is a complex whisky full of charred oak and cereal grain, but tempered with rich vanillans and butterscotch toffee. There is a firm herbal quality within the grain which reminds me of fresh-cut green hay with just a smidgen of heather and menthol …”

Please enjoy my review of this outstanding grain whisky, Chimo!

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Beyond Islay: Part 7 – Ledaig 18 Year Old

Posted by Arctic Wolf on March 12, 2017

ledaig-18yoIt is back to the Isle of Mull for the finale of my Beyond Islay Single Malt Whisky review series. The series of reviews has been based upon 7 different Single Malt Whiskies I taste at the Beyond Islay tasting event hosted by Ryan Engen who is the Director of Spirits, for Liquor Stores N.A. Inc. at the Edmonton Wine and Beyond McTagggert Ridge location. At the tasting,Ryan had selected Single Malt Whiskies which represented the diversity of Scotland’s Island Whiskies produced on the lesser known Scottish Islands.

As indicated, Ledaig is produced at the Tobermory Distillery upon the Isle of Mull. The peated spirit was matured for 18 years in oak casks and then finished in ex-Sherry casks.

Here is a link to my review:

Beyond Islay: Part 7 – Ledaig 18 Year Old:

“… The breezes above the glass carried a complex aroma with peat smoke entwined with sherry-like scents of cherry licorice and raisins. Baking spices came forward with rum-like dark brown sugar mixed with vanilla and bits of cinnamon and clove. The peaty scents were somewhat pungent as organic boggy smells mixed with oily phenols, licorice root and menthol …”

Please enjoy my review which ends with a short cocktail, What Rough Beast.

Chimo!

 

 

 

Posted in Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Beyond Islay: Part 7 – Ledaig 18 Year Old

Review: The Glenrothes Peated Cask Reserve

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 22, 2017

black-cove-sam_3014Berry Bros. & Rudd is one of London’s oldest Wine and Spirits Merchant with over 300 years of experience and tradition from which to draw upon. The company began its operation at 3 – St. James’s Street (in London, UK) in 1698, and still operates from that same location today. Although they are primarily merchants of wine, the company has a strong presence in the sale of distilled spirits as well.

Berry Bros. & Rudd developed the Cutty Sark brand in 1923. In 2010 Cutty Sark (the brand) was sold to The Edrington Group. As part of the arrangement Berry Bros. & Rudd acquired The Glenrothes Single Malt Whisky brand.

The Glenrothes Peated Cask Reserve is produced from 1992 Vintage stocks which were given an added maturation time in selected casks which were acquired from Islay. The intent od this second maturation was to add a hint of peat smoke to the Glenrothes Whisky flavour profile. This bottling represents the first such whisky produced by the distillery.

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: The Glenrothes Peated Cask Reserve

“… I taste a firm but mild herbal peat complemented by orange peel and oak spice. The flavour is sweetened just a little with a light winding of butterscotch. There is some menthol and herbal grassiness, and when I chew the whisky, an intense oak spiciness manifests itself with an increased build-up of malty sweetness …”

Please enjoy the review which concludes with my cocktail suggestion, the Black Cove.

Chimo!

 

 

Posted in Scotch Whisky, Single Malt Whisky, Whisk(e)y, Whisk(e)y Review | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: The Glenrothes Peated Cask Reserve

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