This is from a recent Connoisseurs Choice bottling.
On the nose it's clear, clean malt. There's hay and cut grass. It's light. Wait a while and there's an unexpected twist of strawberries and cream. A touch of baked apple perhaps. Some tropical fruit but reserved really. After a little bit more the aroma of cheap advent calendar chocolate and tinned condensed milk shine through.
The palate is a parade of malt, spice then cream and butter. There's a slight oiliness to it but not too much - it's all too delicately balanced. Again, a thread of smoke that links. And that strawberry and cream nose coming through as flavour at the end, when everything else has had enough of itself.
There's a tangy bitterness on the finish. It's a youthful dog, not exactly sprite but neither placid either. There's a touch of a salty edge but again it's all about balance. Nothing here pokes it's head too far out. Everything is well crafted. Everything in it's place. Everything well balanced. Not like a Japanese or Swedish malt where this is it's intended destination. More like a fruit picked from the tree as opposed to one that falls. You feel it has the legs to go that extra ageing. As if the casks have yet to fully reveal themselves. Possibly too polite. It's great where it is but this is not it's final stop. But where it is is great. Enjoy.
Saturday 31 March 2012
Wednesday 14 March 2012
Islay Tasting Feb 2012
Last months tasting was Islay. It's been about a year or so since we did this small island off the coast of Scotland. So we had some new bottles to play with. I'm sure this was the running order for the night - although I may have swapped 1 and 2 around. Sadly I didn't get to keep a sample of all of them to double check.
1. Bruichladdich Laddie Ten
2. Bunnahabhain Macphail's dist. 2001 btl. 2011
3. Laphroaig Triple Wood
4. Ardbeg Corryvreckan
5. Kilchoman 5YO.
6. Caol Ila G&M 1997 Hermitage Finish.
So everything was fairly new - ok the Triple Wood Laphroaig has been available as a Friends of Laphroaig and in Duty Free for a bit. The Bruichladdich is from the new distilling regime. Numbers 2, 5 and the freebie that was number 6 are 2011 bottles. Leaving just Corryvreckan as something that's been kicking around a little longer.
Bruichladdich Laddie 10
Spicy to kick off. The impression of peat but it's all spice and rugged. Dry fruit, slight chocolate bar - Cadbury's Twirl. It's the Cadbury's Caramel Bunny. Chunky, dependant and reliable. It's a nose that's assured and directional. Seductive. Lovely chunky fruit. It follows on with the palate. Large. Lego bricks. Chunk, chunk, chunk. It's oh-so lovely and balanced. No rough edges, no gambles. There's nothing here to disappoint. It's a cuddle. It's a hug. Chocolate and malt on the finish. Take it easy Mr Beaver.
Bunnahabhain 2001 MacPhails.
No sample but you can have a look at the Adelphi review as a comparison. It;s not that far off. Except this would be a bit cheaper. In the meantime here's a picture...
Enjoy that yeah?
Laphroaig Triple Wood.
I've had this a couple of times and I'm not sure about it. It ticks all the right boxes, it's really well made. Yes it's the Quarter Cask finished for a bit longer in a Sherry Butt. I know they say it's the most complex version yet. It's undoubtably Laphroaig. It's just that the sharpness, that direct attack that defines Laphroaig is masked by the cask. Don't get me wrong maybe this is a good thing. When I first heard the Streets "Original Pirate Material" i didn't "get it". I knew it was of value but I couldn't get my head round it. And so with this. But when I actually sat down and listened to the Streets - gave it some time and considered it on it's own then I got to work it out. It's going to have to be the same with this. I'm sure.
Ardbeg Corryvreckan
Nowhere near the peat you expect. Subtle. You can smell the sweetness. Lilacs in the bonfire. Flowers. And then it slowly marches on. That persistent peat drum. And now here it arrives. How do they do that? A Kings' fanfare. Unfolds and reveals. Char-grilled Lamb. Aubergine. Turksh meze. Tar, grit, asphalt. Burnt rubber. Heady Dark Chocolate. American cinnamon. Power and grace. The complexity follows in the palate along with that regular Ardbeg electric spark. It rises, peaks, plateau and descends homeward. It reminds me of watching the boating lights from the headland of East Runton, superfluous cigarettes and sleeping in a tent. That barely safe from the elements, but actually safe from the elements kind of feeling.
Kilchoman 2006
I had a cask sample of the 5YO at the Whisky Exchange Show months back. This though is the official release released at 46%. It's the most upfront. It says peat. It says Islay. There's the obvious smoke but it's custard cream as well. Kind of youthful in a playful way; young as opposed to immature. Again direct and assured but without overbearing force. It's not as try hard, show-and-tell as the Ardbeg. It's the custard and vanilla that keep it fresh without labouring the point. So the Ardbeg, in comparison looks a little prog rock. This is that Pete, Bjorn and John "Whistling Song". Don't get me wrong - it's got bollox, it's got legs. But it knows it's own path. It might not be as chunky as the Bruichladdich but they seem to be siblings in a spiritual way. In the same way that the Ardbeg and the Lahproaig have a connection so does the 10YO Bruichladdich and the 5YO Kilchoman. Is it any wonder???
Caol Ila Gordon and MacPhail
Hermitage Wood Finish 1997.
Wow this is a weird little beasty. It's the colour of rose wine (no wonder as it's finished in a Hermitage cask - that's Rhone and that means Syrah, mainly). Or maybe some proper nasty West Country cider. Deep. But on the nose it's all Islay. Peat reek, smoke, and stacks of chocolate chip cookie. Weird. Yep there's them wine notes you'd be expecting too. Full and round. Proper horsey ride as it kicks on the palate. The lagtime makes you think "Where is..." before swamping the mouth, smashing it about, a bit of a rag, raising the spice and the smoke in tandem with that kind of chocolate meets, and it is there, syrah. I kind of wish I had this blind - just to see whether I would have got the cask. There's two very opposing elements going on here - and it feels like the Caol Ila itself is a bit more potent and pokey than usual. The "bonfire on a beach" and that slightly lightness, oiliness that you associate are a bit on the back burn. It's a lot more intense, like they've rushed it through the still. It's almost got a chilli hotness that you would look at from Talisker but with none of the electricity. The thunder without the lightning. Then battling away at the other end is the strawberry and cream flavours that are layered in between. And perhaps some candy floss. These all appear on the finish as the heat of the peat dies down and the fruit appears like a beautiful sunset coda. I think because both elements are so opposed that it actually works. I've had the Springbank wine finishes and they seem to be more integrated but at the same time don't always seem to work. This is almost the same - it's like walking between two rooms, both playing different types of music. Standing between them both it sounds like a complete mess but now and then both musics fit together and create something bizarre, unique and harmonious. It's fleeting but it makes you want to return to see if you can recapture a moment like it again. If Heston Blumenthal had decided to make a whisky i reckon it would be a bit like this...
Wednesday 7 March 2012
Adelphi 2012 Casks
Right a few weeks back I got a few samples from some recent Adelphi casks. Single casks bottled at cask strength. It's taken a little while to give them my full attention - obviously you don't want to rush these things - so over the course of a couple of weeks I've tried each one twice and made these notes....
Balmenach
Cask 3265.
Distilled 1988, Bottled 2012. 23YO.
54.2%
170 bottles.
Nose: Playful, round, sweet and heady. Full bodied charmer. One to take home to meet the parents. Fruity, tropical citrus. Then a slight herby edge. Develops over time into aromas of Bakewell tart, fudge and cake. Occasional sterner hits of graphite, flint. Opens back up to softer cereal notes. A touch of key lime pie, orange Starburst sweets. Chocolate brownie big-style after some more time. Maybe some olbas oil. Back again with the green herb edge. Complex and inviting nose.
Taste: A slow builder. The spice is subtle, increases gradually with a slight rolling peak to it. There's an earthiness too. Perhaps mushrooms on toast - that earthy bit from the mushrooms, balanced against the malt edge of the toast. Savory.
Finish: Tangs it out with a slight bitter edge. The oak making a break for it. The lemon citrus fizz is short and a lick of salt makes itself known. The delivery is not as promising as the nose and perhaps a little bit shorter than expected.
Linkwood
Cask 5300
Distilled 1984, Bottled 2012. 27 YO
53.3%
261 Bottles.
Nose: Straight in with that Opal Fruit (showing my age there), lemon and lime and tropical nose. Great stuff and just what I love about Linkwood. Mouth-watering fruit, backed up and balanced by savoury notes. It took me a while to pin it down but that savoury part of the nose reminded me of that aroma of airplane seats and the dryness of wallpaper paste. Each to their own I suppose but that's what I got. Anyway this cask is a lot smoother, not as upfront and banging and a bit more finesse, refined, perhaps stately. There's a lot to consider as it zips about - there's more than a smack of crunchy green apples going on - right big bag full. But also that lovely lemon sherbert fizz kicking around the margins. Definitely Linkwood all the way.
Taste: Big and full on. Crackles and crackling. Meaty. It's a typical Sheffield Hot Roast Pork. It's a Bacon sandwich. All the way. There's leather on the back and a subtle hit of smoke as it power slides it's way to it's conclusion.
Finish: Tangy with drying salt. Yeah salt. It's not exactly spice but it is subtle and it is strong. On the nose it's all fruit and sunshine and on the palate it's all power and strength. Hard motoring in a tropical paradise.
Bunnahabhain
Cask 948
Distilled 2000, Bottled 2011. 10YO
59.8%
636 bottles.
Nose: Sherry. Sweet and figgy. Slight tobacco. Big, bold and confident. Liquorice. Grilled meat. It takes a little while but then it opens up. Dusty wood, sherry, slightly perfumed. A touch of mint to keep it clean. Dark Cherry and fudge to warm it back up. After a second bash there's a soapy note I missed first time. The liquorice and cherry are still in place. Warming.
Taste: Like the nose, big and bold. Thick and chewy. Bitter Chocolate. Sweet sherry with a dose of chilli. Is it Bovril? More like Marmite - twiglets all the way.
Finish: Sharp and full. A slight bitter wobble at the end as the wood rumbles. For only 10 years it's a deep autumnal malt, both in colour and taste.
Bowmore
Cask 8
Distilled 1995, Bottled 2012. 16YO
54.4%
603 bottles
Nose: Sweet. Treacle cake. Stabby peat that jumps out and doesn't seem integrated. Very closed to kick off with. After a while begins to eek out some fruit and some balance. Light peat now. More shallow peat wrapped in honeycomb. Still a sharpness here and there. Bang - here we go - that's all Turkish Delight. And then snatched away back to engine oil and smashed orange. This reminds me a little of the Highland Park Signatory Unchillfiltered 19 YO current bottling. Tar. And boats. Tarpaulin.
Left overnight the glass takes on the most wonderful aroma. Old library. Books. Thames barge. Wet timber. Oil. Sails. Smoke. Wood burning stove. Salt. This is Maldon quayside in the winter. A thing of absolute beauty.
Taste: Big, dry and peat. Follows on from the nose with the sharpness. This is not a soft Islay. Light and then immediately hits in the middle of the tongue. Big peat, if slightly thin. Salt. Rope.
Finish: Salt and rope. Clanking boat lines in the wind. Alive and slightly electric. This dram is all about the sea. Not the brine, but the dry. Above the waves. Prevailing winds, sea spray. Deep winter. Wet timber. Endurance enjoyment.
Clynelish
Cask 4721
Distilled 1997, Bottled 2012. 14YO
57.2%
201 Bottles.
Nose: Orange and citrus and bacon fat. Full, thick and big. Complex goings on. Vibrant and woody. There's that bacon fat again. Scented candles??? Fragrantly fruity. There's some spice. Layers. Smoke, but charcoal embers not peat. Dying fire to a rising sun. Slight slight coastal salt. A touch of medicine cabinet but not much. Don't over play it. Soft leather. Gymkhana. Spent hay. Rain on tarmac. After the storm.
Taste: Ok this is.... Cmon Billy! That's a big delivery. Rears like a horse. Opens the traps.. wait for it.. then bang! Salt, sweet, spice. Layer and layer. Bitter, smoke. Bitter back to sweet. Back to salt. Wood. Mealy. Thoroughbred.
Finish: Smoke and salt to finish. A chilli kick but surging as opposed to Talisker's lightning bolt around the mouth zippiness approach. Robust and sharp.
Okay, some pretty great casks there from Adelphi. Quite hard to pick a favourite. The nose on the Balmenach is nothing short of absolute stunning, perhaps a big ask to maintain it on the palate but worth everything for that nose. Hmmm. Lovely. Deffo the best aroma of all the malts on show. Linkwood just reminds me of that old arcade game Outrun. It's a Ferrari Cabriolet with the foot down along the California coast road. It's such great fun to test drive. On the flip is the Bowmore which is it's exact opposite. Where there was sunshine there is now wind. Sea salt spray from waves. It's a sailors malt all the way. It has that homely feeling of being up against a wood fire as all the elements come closing in. Certainly not a beach holiday but hugely enjoyable in it's own way. Bunnahabhain does what it sets out to do in a very well constructed way. Well made and academically brilliant. But perhaps a bit too linear, a bit too in-the-box for me personally. Finally where Bowmore might be a boat, Linkwood a fast car, Clynelish is a race horse. Tight and muscular. Bold, striding, confident. Dense, complex and layered. A true thoroughbred.
This stuff is limited so if you do have the chance to pick up some of these bottles I recommend it, there's little to be disappointed by.
Balmenach
Cask 3265.
Distilled 1988, Bottled 2012. 23YO.
54.2%
170 bottles.
Nose: Playful, round, sweet and heady. Full bodied charmer. One to take home to meet the parents. Fruity, tropical citrus. Then a slight herby edge. Develops over time into aromas of Bakewell tart, fudge and cake. Occasional sterner hits of graphite, flint. Opens back up to softer cereal notes. A touch of key lime pie, orange Starburst sweets. Chocolate brownie big-style after some more time. Maybe some olbas oil. Back again with the green herb edge. Complex and inviting nose.
Taste: A slow builder. The spice is subtle, increases gradually with a slight rolling peak to it. There's an earthiness too. Perhaps mushrooms on toast - that earthy bit from the mushrooms, balanced against the malt edge of the toast. Savory.
Finish: Tangs it out with a slight bitter edge. The oak making a break for it. The lemon citrus fizz is short and a lick of salt makes itself known. The delivery is not as promising as the nose and perhaps a little bit shorter than expected.
Linkwood
Cask 5300
Distilled 1984, Bottled 2012. 27 YO
53.3%
261 Bottles.
Nose: Straight in with that Opal Fruit (showing my age there), lemon and lime and tropical nose. Great stuff and just what I love about Linkwood. Mouth-watering fruit, backed up and balanced by savoury notes. It took me a while to pin it down but that savoury part of the nose reminded me of that aroma of airplane seats and the dryness of wallpaper paste. Each to their own I suppose but that's what I got. Anyway this cask is a lot smoother, not as upfront and banging and a bit more finesse, refined, perhaps stately. There's a lot to consider as it zips about - there's more than a smack of crunchy green apples going on - right big bag full. But also that lovely lemon sherbert fizz kicking around the margins. Definitely Linkwood all the way.
Taste: Big and full on. Crackles and crackling. Meaty. It's a typical Sheffield Hot Roast Pork. It's a Bacon sandwich. All the way. There's leather on the back and a subtle hit of smoke as it power slides it's way to it's conclusion.
Finish: Tangy with drying salt. Yeah salt. It's not exactly spice but it is subtle and it is strong. On the nose it's all fruit and sunshine and on the palate it's all power and strength. Hard motoring in a tropical paradise.
Bunnahabhain
Cask 948
Distilled 2000, Bottled 2011. 10YO
59.8%
636 bottles.
Nose: Sherry. Sweet and figgy. Slight tobacco. Big, bold and confident. Liquorice. Grilled meat. It takes a little while but then it opens up. Dusty wood, sherry, slightly perfumed. A touch of mint to keep it clean. Dark Cherry and fudge to warm it back up. After a second bash there's a soapy note I missed first time. The liquorice and cherry are still in place. Warming.
Taste: Like the nose, big and bold. Thick and chewy. Bitter Chocolate. Sweet sherry with a dose of chilli. Is it Bovril? More like Marmite - twiglets all the way.
Finish: Sharp and full. A slight bitter wobble at the end as the wood rumbles. For only 10 years it's a deep autumnal malt, both in colour and taste.
Bowmore
Cask 8
Distilled 1995, Bottled 2012. 16YO
54.4%
603 bottles
Nose: Sweet. Treacle cake. Stabby peat that jumps out and doesn't seem integrated. Very closed to kick off with. After a while begins to eek out some fruit and some balance. Light peat now. More shallow peat wrapped in honeycomb. Still a sharpness here and there. Bang - here we go - that's all Turkish Delight. And then snatched away back to engine oil and smashed orange. This reminds me a little of the Highland Park Signatory Unchillfiltered 19 YO current bottling. Tar. And boats. Tarpaulin.
Left overnight the glass takes on the most wonderful aroma. Old library. Books. Thames barge. Wet timber. Oil. Sails. Smoke. Wood burning stove. Salt. This is Maldon quayside in the winter. A thing of absolute beauty.
Taste: Big, dry and peat. Follows on from the nose with the sharpness. This is not a soft Islay. Light and then immediately hits in the middle of the tongue. Big peat, if slightly thin. Salt. Rope.
Finish: Salt and rope. Clanking boat lines in the wind. Alive and slightly electric. This dram is all about the sea. Not the brine, but the dry. Above the waves. Prevailing winds, sea spray. Deep winter. Wet timber. Endurance enjoyment.
Clynelish
Cask 4721
Distilled 1997, Bottled 2012. 14YO
57.2%
201 Bottles.
Nose: Orange and citrus and bacon fat. Full, thick and big. Complex goings on. Vibrant and woody. There's that bacon fat again. Scented candles??? Fragrantly fruity. There's some spice. Layers. Smoke, but charcoal embers not peat. Dying fire to a rising sun. Slight slight coastal salt. A touch of medicine cabinet but not much. Don't over play it. Soft leather. Gymkhana. Spent hay. Rain on tarmac. After the storm.
Taste: Ok this is.... Cmon Billy! That's a big delivery. Rears like a horse. Opens the traps.. wait for it.. then bang! Salt, sweet, spice. Layer and layer. Bitter, smoke. Bitter back to sweet. Back to salt. Wood. Mealy. Thoroughbred.
Finish: Smoke and salt to finish. A chilli kick but surging as opposed to Talisker's lightning bolt around the mouth zippiness approach. Robust and sharp.
Okay, some pretty great casks there from Adelphi. Quite hard to pick a favourite. The nose on the Balmenach is nothing short of absolute stunning, perhaps a big ask to maintain it on the palate but worth everything for that nose. Hmmm. Lovely. Deffo the best aroma of all the malts on show. Linkwood just reminds me of that old arcade game Outrun. It's a Ferrari Cabriolet with the foot down along the California coast road. It's such great fun to test drive. On the flip is the Bowmore which is it's exact opposite. Where there was sunshine there is now wind. Sea salt spray from waves. It's a sailors malt all the way. It has that homely feeling of being up against a wood fire as all the elements come closing in. Certainly not a beach holiday but hugely enjoyable in it's own way. Bunnahabhain does what it sets out to do in a very well constructed way. Well made and academically brilliant. But perhaps a bit too linear, a bit too in-the-box for me personally. Finally where Bowmore might be a boat, Linkwood a fast car, Clynelish is a race horse. Tight and muscular. Bold, striding, confident. Dense, complex and layered. A true thoroughbred.
This stuff is limited so if you do have the chance to pick up some of these bottles I recommend it, there's little to be disappointed by.
Saturday 3 March 2012
Vista Hermosa - Coffee
If the postie is going to wake me then it's always a bonus if it contains this months Square Mile Coffee parcel. This month it's Vista Hermosa from Huila in south east Colombia. Luis Alfonso Tovar along with his wife and three kids are responsible for this one. They've got 15,000 trees on their 3.5 hectare farm and grow the Caturra, Castillo and San Bernado varieties.
All earthy and pungent on the grind and thick, full bodied with a touch of sweetness in the mouth. They say lime juice and plums and I'm getting that. Lime juice acidity to kick off with the plums coming in a bit later on the finish. Hmmm. This might be my favourite one yet!
All earthy and pungent on the grind and thick, full bodied with a touch of sweetness in the mouth. They say lime juice and plums and I'm getting that. Lime juice acidity to kick off with the plums coming in a bit later on the finish. Hmmm. This might be my favourite one yet!
Thursday 1 March 2012
From the Archive: Blair Athol, Tullibardine, Edradour
FROM THE ARCHIVE:
THURSDAY, 4 AUGUST 2011
BLAIR ATHOL
Situated in the town of Pitlochry, Blair Athol is one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland. Founded in 1798 by John Stewart and Robert Robertson it was originally named Aldour distillery. The name comes from the adjacent river, Allt Dour, which means "stream of the otter". A picture of an Otter appears on the Diageo "Flora and Fauna" distillery bottlings. Blair Athol's malt is an integral part of Bell's blended whisky and the branding appears in most parts of the distillery. The overwhelming majority of spirit is taken off for blending with only 0.3% destined to make single malt, equating to about 10,000 bottles a year. Until 2010 the only official bottling was the 12 year, however in May a no age statement, first fill sherry bottled at cask strength (56.5%) was made available, which was what was picked up after the tour finishes in the distillery shop.
FACTS
Water: Allt Dour burn for cooling.
Malt: 130 tonnes a week, supplied from Diageo maltings at Glen Ord.
Mash: Semi-lauter stainless steel mash tun. 8 tonnes at a time. Around 16 mashes a week. Apparently only 2 waters. First water at 65C. Second water at 85C.
Washbacks: 6 new Stainless steel washbacks. (These replaced 4 wooden and 4 stainless steel washbacks in 2010 - The wooden were 75 years old and were brought from Mortlach).
Fermentation: 55 hours (130 l yeast added to 33,000 l of wort). Wash at 9%
Draff and pot-ale combined, reduced and given to local farmer.
Wash Still: 2
Spirit Still: 2, slight descent on lyn arm.
Production: Foreshots 15 minutes.
New make: Average around 68%
Maturation: All single malt matured in 1st fill Sherry Butts. Cask strength 57% - 56%
Warehousing: Single malt matured on site. 3 Warehouses containing 5000 casks in each, 15,000 in total. The oldest cask dates back to 1968.
BLAIR ATHOL 12
Nose: Mellow, sherry and orange.
Taste: Bold, malty and sweet.
Finish: Thick with a tang of spice.
TULLIBARDINE
Blackford is home to both Tullibardine and to Highland Spring water and both obtain their water from the Ochil Hills. Tullibardine is a relatively new distillery, founded in 1949 by the architect William Delme-Evans, who went on to design Glenallachie and the Jura distilleries. Even more recent is the commercial shopping outlet that sits next to the distillery, built by the new owners when they took over the distillery. Maturing stocks of whisky were low (around 3000 cases) so the shopping centre, the majority of which is taken over to Baxter's food retail and cafe, has proven to be a reliable income stream.
Whyte & MacKay mothballed the distillery in 1994 and the new owners bought it for £1.1 million in 2003. Tullibardine has created a number of finishes in various wood casks and various vintage releases so a core range has yet to be established, although the 1993 seems to be the entry point.
Although the development, located just outside the small village, may be new the site itself was previously home to Scotland's oldest brewey. King James IV, interestingly the last British Monarch to be killed in battle, bought beer from the brewery in 1488 to celebrate his Coronation. The cafe is accordingly named 1488, which is were the tour starts from. The distillery was in shutdown for maintenance when visited in July so it was interesting to see the stills in pieces.
FACTS
Water: Ochil Hills
Malt: from Glenesk, Montrose. 156 tonnes a week.
Mash: Stainless steel lauter mash tun. 6 tonnes at a time. 15,000 l at a time. First water 65C. Second Water 85C. Third Water 95C. 26 mashes a week.
Washback: 8 inside, 1 outside. Stainless steel.
Fermentation: 48 hour short, 60 hour long. (70l distillers yeast added to 30,000l wort). Wash at 7-8%
Wash still: 2. 21,581 l
Spirit still: 2.
Production: Foreshots 15 minutes. Spirit run (heart) 5 to 6 hours. Cut at 70%
New make: 63.5%
Maturation: American oak. Casks from Jim Beam, Jack Daniels, Heaven Hill, Clermont Springs. Sherry casks. 10% of production is for Single malt only 4,000 casks matured on site. 90% Casks aged off-site.
TULLIBARDINE
NEW MAKE (PURE POT SPIRIT)
Nose: Cereal, biscuit, honey, with touches of lavender on the nose.
Taste: Clean, firm, crisp fruit and malt, long finish.
TULLIBARDINE 1993
Nose: Fresh, vanilla and slightly milky.
Taste: Juicy, powerfully clean, weighty but light.
Finish: Soft and fruity with a crisp, sweet barley finish.
AGED OAK
Nose: Fresh, very maltly with cereal appearing, pear drops and caramac bars.
Taste: Full bodied oak. Sweet later then tang of malt on finish.
Finish: Long and slightly bitter spice.
BANYULS (4-5 years)
Colour: Rose pink
Nose: Sawdust, dry, woody.
Taste: Sweet, cherry, grape and syrupy wine gums.
Finish: Mouthfilling, dry medium finish.
EDRADOUR
Through the bustling town of Pitlochry and hanging a right in town into the countryside and down a single file track is the way to Edradour, one of Scotland's prettiest and smallest distilleries. Edradour means "the land between" as it is situated between two rivers. Founded in 1825, Edradour is typical of a farm distillery, a collection of small white and red painted buildings. The tour starts in the bar, where you can buy various drams at very reasonable prices and then onto a video detailing the history over a dram of the 10 year old. Being a very small distillery the whole production is housed in one building.
FACTS
Malt: from Bairds, 1,100kg a day (equates to 450 l of alcohol).
Water: Spring water from Moulin Moor for bottling and distilling. Edradour burn water for cooling.
Mash: Cast iron Rake and plough mash tun. 5 hour mash. 9000 l.
First water: 60C. Second water: 70C. Third water: close to boiling.
Wort cooled by Morton refrigerator - the only one used in the industry. Original Morton was 75 years old before it was retired. New one made to exactly the same specification. Stainless steel - 3 years old.
Washbacks: 2 Pine. 6000 l.
Fermentation: 48 - 56 hours
Wash strength: 8%
Wash Still: 1 wash still. 400 imperial gallons
Spirit Still: 1 spirit still. Smallest legally allowed by Scottish law.
Spirit run: Foreshots 15 minutes.
Production: 900 l a day. 15 casks filled per week.
Condensers: 2 Traditional worm tubs situated outside the still room.
Pot ale and draff to farmer.
New Make: 70%. Into cask at industry standard 62.5%
Maturation: 85% Bourbon casks. 100% Spirit matured on site.
Most of the range is matured not finished in their various casks.
New bottling plant located next to distillery car park. Bottling on site, including bottling for Signatory range.
EDRADOUR 10 YEAR
Nose: Heavy with sherry and a hint of smoke.
Palate: Robust, creamy, nutty with a bit of prickly spice.
Finish: Maltly, soft and a bit of oak.
Deanston 12
We've been doing a bit of back bar spring cleaning up at the Blake. Pruning the whisky shelves, supping up the last of some old bottles, getting some new stock in, some old faves back again. One of them is the Deanston 12.
I've got a little soft spot for Deanston. The beautiful thing with whisky is that it can throw up loads of surprises - you can find a dram that challenges, pulls you about, pushes you around and takes some time with to unlock it's little secrets. But sometimes you want something that is uncomplicated and easy going. Not every malt should be the equivalent of a Michelin restaurant, sometimes the best thing in the world is a bit of toast. And that's what I think about Deanston.
The distillery itself is housed in old Arkwright Cotton mill that was converted it's present usage in 1966. It's in a beautiful location, lying just outside the tiny leafy village of Deanston, close to Stirling. It's an imposing building nestled next to the wide-flowing River Teith that powers it's watermill. The watermill, once the largest in Europe, provides the electricity demands for the distillery - so it is completely self-sufficient.
It's a whisky that is off most people's radar. Commonly found in Marks and Spencer as they bottle a line for them. It's also not the easiest distillery to find and one that if you wish to visit you have to phone in advance. When I went they were on shut-down, servicing the stills so I couldn't get to have a look around.
The whisky itself feels indicative of it's location. Just over the Lowland border, rolling, undulating hills, green, leafy, lush and lulling water. Slow and tranquil. Long ferments, slow distillation are a key to this. It's all honey, sweet cereal and malt on the nose. Honey on toast. It's the same on the palate - malt sweetness, orange marmalade, honey, waxy, toasty. The finish has a little lick of spice, a nod to the oak, just to knock it back to the dry side at the end. It's not a complicated malt, but it is tasty. Like I say sometimes the best thing in the world is a slice of toast.
I've got a little soft spot for Deanston. The beautiful thing with whisky is that it can throw up loads of surprises - you can find a dram that challenges, pulls you about, pushes you around and takes some time with to unlock it's little secrets. But sometimes you want something that is uncomplicated and easy going. Not every malt should be the equivalent of a Michelin restaurant, sometimes the best thing in the world is a bit of toast. And that's what I think about Deanston.
The distillery itself is housed in old Arkwright Cotton mill that was converted it's present usage in 1966. It's in a beautiful location, lying just outside the tiny leafy village of Deanston, close to Stirling. It's an imposing building nestled next to the wide-flowing River Teith that powers it's watermill. The watermill, once the largest in Europe, provides the electricity demands for the distillery - so it is completely self-sufficient.
It's a whisky that is off most people's radar. Commonly found in Marks and Spencer as they bottle a line for them. It's also not the easiest distillery to find and one that if you wish to visit you have to phone in advance. When I went they were on shut-down, servicing the stills so I couldn't get to have a look around.
The whisky itself feels indicative of it's location. Just over the Lowland border, rolling, undulating hills, green, leafy, lush and lulling water. Slow and tranquil. Long ferments, slow distillation are a key to this. It's all honey, sweet cereal and malt on the nose. Honey on toast. It's the same on the palate - malt sweetness, orange marmalade, honey, waxy, toasty. The finish has a little lick of spice, a nod to the oak, just to knock it back to the dry side at the end. It's not a complicated malt, but it is tasty. Like I say sometimes the best thing in the world is a slice of toast.
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