Tag: whisky | Page 19 | MaltKlaus' Daily Drams

July 29, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Glenfarclas 15yo

Dram data:
Distillery: Glenfarclas
Bottler: Original bottling
Distilled: –
Bottled: 2013 – L04 06 13
Age: 15 years
Limitation: –
Casks: –
Alcohol: 46%
unchillfiltered; natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: red-gold
The nose starts off as a mixture of oloroso sherry, a strong note of citrus peel and -juice and a whiff of smoke (no more than 5 ppm) in the background. Burnt caramel and cocoa / dark chocolate (a result of the direct-fired stills?) and a subdued puree of dark, dried fruits (figs, dates, plums) with a few brazil nuts thrown into the mix. Continue reading “Tasting: Glenfarclas 15yo”

July 26, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Glenfarclas 2001 13y for Whisky Circle Pinzgau

Dram data:
Distillery: Glenfarclas
Bottler: bottled for Whisky Circle Pinzgau
Distilled: 18.10.2001
Bottled: 26.01.2015
Age: 13 years
Limitation: – (shared cask)
Casks: Oloroso Sherry Cask
Alcohol: 51,5%
unchillfiltered; natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: honey
The nose starts off dark and mysterious. Wood honey, thick sherry, roasted cocoa beans, dried figs and dates, raisins, roasted walnuts, the faintest whiff of smoke, and a mixture of spices – cloves and wet cinnamon. The (slight!) smoky and spicy notes also remind me strongly of the classic Glenfarclas 15 – it’s rare to find the distillery character, some of which I’m guessing stems from the direct-fired stills, so clearly defined in an independent bottling. Continue reading “Tasting: Glenfarclas 2001 13y for Whisky Circle Pinzgau”

July 13, 2015October 7, 2016

Blind Tasting: Laggan Mill (Lagavulin) NAS Butt 2772

Dram data:
Distillery: “Laggan Mill” (yeah, come on, it’s Lagavulin…)
Bottler: Cooper’s Choice
Distilled: –
Bottled: 2014
Age: NAS
Limitation: 575 bottles
Casks: Butt 2772
Alcohol: 53,5%
unchillfiltered; natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: very pale white wine
The nose screams at me: I’m a young peat monster from Islay. I’m going out on a limb here, but I don’t think this is not an Islay dram 😉 Peat smoke, peat smoke, alcohol (not overpowering), peat smoke, brine, fresh iodine (if such a thing even exists), boiled seaweeds, peppermint (from the alcohol), white pepper, citrus aroma, freshly cut flowerbed (more on the grassy side), malty background sweetness, a hint of vanilla and a faint metallic note (probably pretty young). Continue reading “Blind Tasting: Laggan Mill (Lagavulin) NAS Butt 2772”

July 8, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Michel Couvreur Overaged NAS Blended Malt

Dram data:
Distillery: – (blended malt)
Bottler: Michel Couvreur
Distilled: –
Bottled: –
Age: NAS
Limitation: –
Casks: ex-sherry
Alcohol: 43%
unchillfiltered; natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: amber
The nose opens dark, rich and mysterious. A spicy dark fruit cake. Sweet dried raisins, plums, figs, thick juicy sherry, caramel, sweet cocoa, cloves, dark spiced biscuits all form a very harmonious blend. Continue reading “Tasting: Michel Couvreur Overaged NAS Blended Malt”

July 5, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Balblair 2003 – 2013 1st release

Dram data:
Distillery: Balblair
Bottler: official bottling
Distilled: 2003
Bottled: 2013
Age: ca. 10 years
Limitation: –
Casks: ex-bourbon
Alcohol: 46%
unchillfiltered; natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: white wine
The nose is just as one would imagine a 10-year-old Highland malt from ex-bourbon casks to be. Notes of citrus, sweet vanilla pudding, malt extract on the first nosing. Not too shy thanks to the 46% bottling strength, but not too overpowering either. Continue reading “Tasting: Balblair 2003 – 2013 1st release”

July 2, 2015October 7, 2016

Blind tasting: Glen Ardoch NAS (Deanston)

Dram data:
Distillery: Deanston
Bottler: bottled under the “Glen Ardoch” brand
Distilled: –
Bottled: 2015-ish
Age: NAS
Limitation: –
Casks: –
Alcohol: 40%
Probably chill filtered; unknown colouring status
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: gold
The nose is pretty light and shy, classic young mostly refill ex-bourbon style. Vanilla, apples, pears, a touch of malt, more vanilla (pudding), oranges, eucalyptus, white pepper and light green leaves. There’s also something in the background which I just can’t put my finger on (it’s industrial waxy-ish but not full-on wax…) and which I just recently encountered in a Deanston. Continue reading “Blind tasting: Glen Ardoch NAS (Deanston)”

June 30, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Benromach 15y

Dram data:
Distillery: Benromach
Bottler: Original Bottling
Distilled: 2000-ish
Bottled: 2015
Age: 15 years
Limitation: –
Casks: 9 years ex-bourbon, 6 years ex-sherry
Alcohol: 43%
Probably chill filtered; natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: deep red gold
The nose opens on a rich, sweet and creamy note with a faint layer of fragrant smoke in the background. Sweet sherry mixes with hints of vanilla, figs, dates, fresh sweet strawberries, sweet dark cherries, caramel, toffee, milk chocolate, cloves, allspice a noticeable (but well-integrated) plain oak wood note and faint cough lozenges.

Continue reading “Tasting: Benromach 15y”

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 24, 2015October 7, 2016

NAS vs. Age Statement Blind Tasting Challenge: Cardhu 12 yo vs. Amber Rock

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

A4A: Cardhu Amber Rock
Distillery: Cardhu
Bottler: Official Bottling
Distilled: –
Bottled: 2014-2015
Age: NAS
Limitation: –
Casks: Bourbon + toasted oak finish
Alcohol: 40%
most likely chill filtered and coloured
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: gold
The nose opens with a rich and creamy note of vanilla and fruits. Oranges, orange rind, ripe pears, lots of apricots, fully ripe peaches, almost over-ripe Kiwi (including slightly bitter notes of Kiwi kernels), raisins and a top note of ginger. Maybe a very faint note of smoke – 2ppm-ish, but it could also stem from the casks. No european oak notes, though, probably American Oak Ex-Sherry casks? Just pure speculation – it is a blind tasting after all. Continue reading “NAS vs. Age Statement Blind Tasting Challenge: Cardhu 12 yo vs. Amber Rock”

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”