Category: Speyside | Page 4 | MaltKlaus' Daily Drams

March 20, 2016March 16, 2019

Tasting: Benromach 35 yo / 2016

Dram data:
Distillery: Benromach
Bottler: Original bottling
Distilled: –
Bottled: 2016
Age: 35 years
Limitation: –
Casks: First fill Ex-Sherry
Alcohol: 43%
most likely chill filtered and uncoloured
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: reddish amber
It’s not every day (for me at least) that there’s a 35 year-old whisky in the glass, so this is a special occasion. Time to assume position, pour the remainder of the sample I was sent for the #Benromach35 tweet tasting and sniff away!
The nose opens just as expected from a whisky past a certain maturation point. Beeswax, polished oak, oak-matured honey (wait, what?), oily, thickened grape juice and dried orange peel paired with chocolat-ey cigar tobacco and an old, slightly dusty leather jacket forgotten in grandma’s closet (but in a good way). Continue reading “Tasting: Benromach 35 yo / 2016”

March 9, 2016October 7, 2016

Tasting: Glen Spey 1995 20 yo by Cadenhead’s – 2015 Club bottling

Dram data:
Distillery: Glen Spey-Glenlivet
Bottler: Cadenhead’s
Distilled: 1995
Bottled: 2015
Age: 20 years
Limitation: 180 bottles
Casks: Ex-Sherry hogshead
Alcohol: 52,7%
Unchillfiltered, uncoloured
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: dark forest honey
It’s been ages since my last whisky review – the cold ruined my nose and palate for quite a while. In the glass today is one of my most anticipated bottles of the year – the “free” bottle from Cadenhead’s club which you get when you trade in a full stamp card (i.e. for buying six bottles of whisky from them). Great deal and it’s always a big mystery what the surprise bottle is going to be. For last year’s bottling, which arrived here in Austria in February 2016, they chose a sherry hogshead (!) from a rather obscure Speyside distillery. So let’s check it out!
The rather gentle nose is that of a well-aged (probably first fill) proper dry Sherry (Olorosoor Fino? – i.e. not overly sweet cream sherry) European oak sherry cask. Slightly dry sherry notes and wood spices (sandalwood, cinnamon, star anise) up front, met by what remains of a clean, slightly citrus-laden distillate. When I first tasted it I had lightly vegetal notes too – I think I can attribute those to my cold, I can’t find them anymore. Continue reading “Tasting: Glen Spey 1995 20 yo by Cadenhead’s – 2015 Club bottling”

December 11, 2015October 7, 2016

24 drams till Christmas tasting #11: Benriach 12 yo

Dram data:
Distillery: Benriach
Bottler: Original Bottling
Distilled: –
Bottled: ca. 2015
Age: 12 years
Limitation: –
Casks: Oloroso and PX
Alcohol: 46%
unchillfiltered; natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: dark honey
The label says “matured in sherry wood” and the nose agrees! Medium intensity, rather dry sherry notes (dry-ish Oloroso?) meet red fruits (cherries, plums), oranges with zest, raisins (+sweetness), caramelised ginger, and mixed spices – allspice, cinnamon and cloves. Continue reading “24 drams till Christmas tasting #11: Benriach 12 yo”

December 9, 2015October 7, 2016

24 drams till Christmas tasting #9: Tomintoul Peaty Tang NAS

Dram data:
Distillery: Tomintoul
Bottler: Original Bottling
Distilled: –
Bottled: 04.03.2014 (14/02072)
Age: NAS
Limitation: –
Casks: –
Alcohol: 40%
chill filtered; coloured
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: light gold
The nose starts with a quite noticeable level of fragrant peat smoke – quite sweet (malt sweetness mixed with brown sugar) and mingled with notes of vanilla, custard, heather, sweet flowers and orange blossoms. Quite light and pleasing, designed not to overwhelm.
Continue reading “24 drams till Christmas tasting #9: Tomintoul Peaty Tang NAS”

December 8, 2015October 7, 2016

24 drams till Christmas tasting #8: Strathmill 1995 19 yo by Cadenhead’s

Dram data:
Distillery: Strathmill
Bottler: Cadenhead’s
Distilled: 1995
Bottled: 10.2015
Age: 19 years
Limitation: 264 bottles
Casks: ex-bourbon / ex-Chateau Lafitte since 2009
Alcohol: 55.1%
Unchillfiltered, uncoloured
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: honey
The nose is… different on first sniff. Slightly alcoholic and summer fruits (strawberries). Is this some sort of finishing? Doesn’t say on the miniature so let’s check online. Ah yes, there you have it, matured in a Chateau Lafitte (sic!) red-wine cask since 2009 (roughly six years). Thought as much. Thank god the wine finish isn’t overdone, it is still a light spirit from most likely an initial x-fill bourbon cask kindly nudged into a different direction without killing it. Now that’s established we can go back to nosing, shall we?
Continue reading “24 drams till Christmas tasting #8: Strathmill 1995 19 yo by Cadenhead’s”

December 1, 2015October 7, 2016

24 drams till Christmas tasting #1: Mortlach 1988 26 yo by Cadenhead’s

Dram data:
Distillery: Mortlach
Bottler: Cadenhead’s
Distilled: 1988
Bottled: 10.2015
Age: 26 years
Limitation: 570 bottles
Casks: Sherry
Alcohol: 56.1%
Unchillfiltered, uncoloured
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: honey
The nose opens with quite a bit of alcohol and the signature meaty notes of sherry-matured Mortlach. I think last year’s bottling was a tad richer if I remember correctly (and re-read my tasting notes on that one). Let’s give it some time. *tick tock tick tock*. Well, as meaty as they come. Influenced by old european oak sherry casks too – leather, dampened spices, grandma’s old wardrobe (but in a good way), caramel, semi-dark chocolate and old ginger root. Continue reading “24 drams till Christmas tasting #1: Mortlach 1988 26 yo by Cadenhead’s”

November 15, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Glenrothes 1988 25 yo bottled by Archives

Dram data:
Distillery: Glenrothes
Bottler: Archives
Distilled: 06.06.1988
Bottled: 06.11.2013
Age: 25 years
Limitation: 213 bottles
Casks: Refill Sherry Hogshead 7318
Alcohol: 53%
Unchillfiltered; uncoloured
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: golden straw
The nose opens with vanilla and light, continental fruits – sweet red apples and ripe pears. Also sweet honey melon, light honey, banana chips, vanilla pudding and a slight layer of oak in the background to round things off. Not the most complex nose, but a nice, well-aged refill cask. Continue reading “Tasting: Glenrothes 1988 25 yo bottled by Archives”

October 18, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Benromach 10 yo 100 proof

Dram data:
Distillery: Benromach
Bottler: Original Bottling
Distilled: –
Bottled: 2014
Age: 10 years
Limitation: –
Casks: 9 years ex-bourbon, 1 year ex-sherry
Alcohol: 57%
Probably unchillfiltered; natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: amber
The nose opens with quite a lot of alcohol – not surprising looking at the strength at 57% ABV – 100 British proof. After the alcoholic note fades down a little we can find fragrant peat smoke, dark european wild-fruit sweetness, ground coffee- and cocoa beans and slightly burnt toffee. Continue reading “Tasting: Benromach 10 yo 100 proof”

October 14, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Benromach 10 yo

Dram data:
Distillery: Benromach
Bottler: Original Bottling
Distilled: –
Bottled: 10.04.2014
Age: 10 years
Limitation: –
Casks: 9 years ex-bourbon, 1 year ex-sherry
Alcohol: 43%
Probably chill filtered; natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: deep red gold
The nose opens with a mixture of fragrant, light peat smoke (the malt is peated to 10-12 ppm) and sherry influence. Quite astonishing, how only one year in (presumably fresh) Oloroso butts has taken control over the spirit but not getting too loud. Continue reading “Tasting: Benromach 10 yo”

September 2, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Benrinnes 14 yo 1998 – 2013 by Mc Gibbon’s Provenance

Dram data:
Distillery: Benrinnes
Bottler: Mc Gibbon’s Provenance
Distilled: Winter 1998
Bottled: Spring 2013
Age: 14
Limitation: –
Cask: Sherry Butt 9632
Alcohol: 46%
unchillfiltered; natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: light gold
The nose opens with a noticeable sweet and dry sherry influence. There’s also vanilla, citrus, light caramel with a hint of menthol and an earthy background note. Continue reading “Tasting: Benrinnes 14 yo 1998 – 2013 by Mc Gibbon’s Provenance”