Category: Highlands | Page 4 | MaltKlaus' Daily Drams

June 25, 2015October 7, 2016

NAS vs. Age Statement Blind Tasting Challenge: Macallan 10yo Fine Oak vs. Macallan Gold

Blind Tasting Challenge - NAS vs. age statement

In early 2015 whisky blogger and malt maniac Oliver Klimek set out to do a wide-scale comparison between NAS and age statement expressions, all done blind and with 35 tasters per pair of whisky. The results are very interesting with a near-draw between the entry-level malts and their NAS counterparts. Head over to his site dramming.com for all details on the challenge and the results!

Here are my original tasting notes on the first pair of whiskies: The Macallan 10 yo Fine Oak vs. their NAS Gold edition. All notes are original as written during the blind tasting phase.

A5A: Macallan 10yo Fine Oak
Distillery: Macallan
Bottler: Official Bottling
Distilled: –
Bottled: 2014
Age: 10yo
Limitation: –
Casks: Bourbon+Sherry
Alcohol: 40%
chillfiltered; natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: straw
We’re back to the very light and faint noses. Classic style, vanilla, honey, a light creamy pudding note, eucalyptus, glucose-laden tinned fruits, sweet white grapes, dark oranges and faint notes of malt. Getting less fruity and quite a bit more malty as time progresses. Continue reading “NAS vs. Age Statement Blind Tasting Challenge: Macallan 10yo Fine Oak vs. Macallan Gold”

June 22, 2015October 7, 2016

NAS vs. Age Statement Blind Tasting Challenge: Dalmore 12yo vs. Valour

Here are my original tasting notes on the first pair of whiskies: The Dalmore 12yo vs. their NAS Valour edition. All notes are original as written during the blind tasting phase.

A2A: Dalmore 12yo
Distillery: Dalmore
Bottler: Official Bottling
Distilled: –
Bottled: 2014-2015
Age: 12yo
Limitation: –
Casks: –
Alcohol: 40%
chill filtered; coloured
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: dark red gold (as fake as can be)
The nose opens initially light and alcoholic. Light vanilla, orange juice, orange rind, green apples, peppermint, with a profound sweetness (molasses and caramelised ginger?) in the background and also a light rubbery note. Getting sweeter and darker as time goes on with dried fruits appearing in the mix. Continue reading “NAS vs. Age Statement Blind Tasting Challenge: Dalmore 12yo vs. Valour”

April 26, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Ben Nevis 1966-2015 49yo Spirit by Whiskybroker – “Spirit of the Highlands”

Ben Nevis spirit 49 years by Whiskybroker

Dram data:
Distillery: Ben Nevis
Bottler: Whiskybroker.co.uk
Distilled: 15.03.1966
Bottled: 10.04.2015
Age: 49 years
Limitation: 524 bottles (50cl)
Casks: –
Alcohol: 29,5%
unchillfiltered; natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: Amber
The nose opens with very noticeable, fragrant old wood on dried dark fruits. Like entering a carpenter’s cupboard where he hides his old dried snack plums. Continue reading “Tasting: Ben Nevis 1966-2015 49yo Spirit by Whiskybroker – “Spirit of the Highlands””

March 29, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Clynelish 1994 – 2015 by Cadenhead’s (coming soon…)

Dram data:
Distillery: Clynelish
Bottler: Cadenhead’s
Distilled: 1994
Bottled: 2015 (coming soon!)
Age: 20/21 years
Limitation: unknown
Casks: Ex-Sherry Butt
Alcohol: unknown (probably mid-50s)
Unchillfiltered, natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: amber
The nose doesn’t leave anything for discussion: This is European oak ex-sherry (butt) matured! Rich dark creamy sherry notes with a noticeable oak influence. Continue reading “Tasting: Clynelish 1994 – 2015 by Cadenhead’s (coming soon…)”

March 26, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Glenmorangie 10y The Original

Dram data:
Distillery: Glenmorangie
Bottler: Original Bottling
Distilled: –
Bottled: Ca. 2013 (lot L13 260)
Age: 10
Limitation: –
Casks: –
Alcohol: 40%
Chillfiltered, coloured
Price at the time of purchasing: 30€
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: light gold (only very little caramel then, probably just to smooth out batch variance…)
The nose is what you’d expect from “Scotland’s tallest stills” – a clean, light distillate. Continue reading “Tasting: Glenmorangie 10y The Original”

March 15, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Glenglassaugh Torfa

Dram data:
Distillery: Glenglassaugh
Bottler: Official Bottling
Distilled: not before 2008
Bottled: 26.02.2014
Age: NAS
Limitation: –
Casks: Ex-Bourbon
Alcohol: 50%
Unchillfiltered, natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: white wine
The nose tells the story of a pretty young, heavily peated dram: The dominating peat smoke (mainland style, campfire-ish) works reasonably well at masking the young character of the malt. Continue reading “Tasting: Glenglassaugh Torfa”

February 22, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Glen Garioch 1993 20y by Single Cask Collection

Glen Garioch 1993 20 years Single Cask Collection

Dram data:
Distillery: Glen Garioch
Bottler: Single Cask Collection
Distilled: 29.09.1993
Bottled: 04.02.2014
Age: 20 years
Limitation: 226 bottles
Price at the time of purchasing: – (sample)
Casks: Bourbon Hogshead no. 808
Alcohol: 55,1%
Unchillfiltered, natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: straw
The nose is a bit closed down at first, it needs some time to open up. Neat: A mix of delicate vanilla, peppermint, white pepper and lemon juice. Continue reading “Tasting: Glen Garioch 1993 20y by Single Cask Collection”

February 8, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Ben Nevis 1996-2008 11y by Douglas Laing Mc Gibbon’s Provenance

Dram data:
Distillery: Ben Nevis
Bottler: Douglas Laing Mc Gibbon’s Provenance
Distilled: Winter 1996
Bottled: Spring 2008
Age: 11
Limitation: –
Casks: Sherry Finished Butt DMG 4236
Alcohol: 46%
Unchillfiltered, natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: amber
Let’s start with the nose. Did they bottle the right cask? 11 years? Dark, mysterious sherry, leather shoes, caramel cough lozenges, vanilla, almost dried paint, cocoa, medium dark milk chocolate, very dry figs, dates and raisins and an overripe peach. Continue reading “Tasting: Ben Nevis 1996-2008 11y by Douglas Laing Mc Gibbon’s Provenance”

January 21, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Glencadam 15y

Dram data:
Distillery: Glencadam
Bottler: Original Bottling
Distilled: –
Bottled: 09.08.2011
Age: 15
Limitation: –
Casks: –
Alcohol: 46%
Unchillfiltered, natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: straw
The nose is a classic, mellow, highland-style ex-bourbon cask nose. Vanilla pudding with a slice of lemon on top. Continue reading “Tasting: Glencadam 15y”

January 18, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Clynelish 1995 16y by Kintra

Dram data:
Distillery: Clynelish
Bottler: Kintra
Distilled: 12.1995
Bottled: 11.2012
Age: 16
Limitation: 90 bottles
Casks: Refill Sherry Butt 2156
Alcohol: 53,7%
Unchillfiltered, natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: straw
The nose immediately reminds me of medicine. Well, some might actually call whisky medicine… A spicy, herbal, peppery mixture. Continue reading “Tasting: Clynelish 1995 16y by Kintra”