Amrut Mini

$4.40

OMC Tullibardine 23 Year

$171.89

This Old Malt Cask bottling is from a single cask, a refill Hogshead Ref 10453 bottled at 50%. Distilled in 1990 319 total bottles were filled at bottling in 2014. This is a distillery not often bottled by independent bottlers. 

Andrew's Tasting Note

Nose: mulled mint leaves, mincemeat and candied cherries; dried chunks of orange and pineapple, pure vanilla and floral perfumes; there is something very curious on the nose that I just can't put my finger on, sandalwood perhaps.

Palate: more mint on the palate: mint leaves freshly mulled for a mint julep or a mojito; honey and vanilla cream with more dried orange and pineapple; sandalwood and Old English Butterscotch with milk chocolate; still floral with soft toasty oak and building spice.

Finish: long, drying and oaky with prominent spices and more sugary mint.

Comment: lots of layers with some classic Tullibardine notes, and some real curiosities.

Ichiro's Mizunara Wood Reserve

$166.49

This blended malt bottled at 46% is rumoured to be composed of single malts from the Chichibu and Hanyu distilleries; the latter or which is closed. The whiskies were matured partly or in full in Mizunara or Japanese oak. 

Andrew's Tasting Note

Nose: the Japanese oak jumped out of the bottle the moment the cork was lifted; rich, earthy and spicy but balanced; the spices are dark but tamed: some fennel, candied ginger, cardamom and nutmeg; become more floral and creamy.

Palate: big, rich and fruity, almost sherried (Pedro Ximenez) with syrup and decadent spice: candied ginger and cinnamon hearts; there is some youthful barley but also the feel of older more mature whiskies in the mix; a balance of subtle oils and floral notes with more intense leather and tobacco.

Finish: long, rich, coating and spicy with fading sugars and fruits.

Comment: this is a very enjoyable dram and the Mizunara wood certainly makes its presence felt.

Glenfarclas 1970

$1,664.99

Celebration Of Cask Clynelish 24 Year

$233.99

You don't often see older bottling of Clynelish such as this, and certainly not from the distillery's owner Diageo. This 24 year old bottling was distilled in 1989 and matured in a Hogshead cask 5890, bottled at 52%. KWM is only getting 12 bottles.

Andrew's Tasting Note

Nose: very floral and honeyed, lots of beeswax and dried diced light fruits with building spice; becomes toastier with almond brittle, orange peel, ginger and cardamom.

Palate: big, coating, waxy, creamy and spicy with loads of toasty oak; creamed honey, Manukah honey, floral rosehips and loads of spice, lots of ginger, cinnamon and cardamom with even a touch of clove and anise.

Finish: very long and coating, it is honeyed, toasty and spicy.

Glenfarclas 1965

$1,529.99

SMWS New Member's Kit #6

$198.00

Every new member receives this handsome gift pack with three 100ml cask strength bottles, a copper Society lapel pin and a membership handbook all in a stylish case.  It is your gateway to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, the world's largest whisky club, and their exclusive member-only whiskies.  Curious?  Sign up now or visit www.smws.ca for more information. 

Scotch Malt Whisky Society 53.184

$153.89

FAIRGROUND ON THE BEACH

This 19 year old Ileach is still an impressive 60.4% after maturing in a Refill Butt. The Outturn was 505 bottles with a portion having come to Canada.

Profile: "Heavily peated."

Panel's Tasting Note: "The nose offered candy floss, cinder toffee, peat smoke, rock-pools, barbecues and donuts, evoking Port Ellen’s occasional beach fairground. It also had lemon, ash, dark chocolate and bacon Frazzles. The neat taste was almost galactic in its vastness, with lots of smoke, intense spice, chocolate (violet creams, chocolate gingers, Crunchie) and flavours of roast pork (with crackling) and vegetable kebabs. The reduced nose combined maple-glazed ham (clove and pineapple) with wood-smoke by the sea-shore, tar, gym shoes and canvas. The palate now uncovered faint lavender, crispy seaweed, ash, black peppercorns, smoke, tar and something vaguely medicinal. From Islay’s biggest distillery."

Drinking Tip: "Might put you in the frame of mind for a Huckleberry Finn or Bilbo Baggins kind of adventure."

Scotch Malt Whisky Society 35.87

$103.49

EXUBERANT, CONFIDENT, ENERGETIC, VIVACIOUS

This 9 year old Speysider was bottled at 60.1% from a First Fill Barrel.

Profile: "Young & spritely."

Panel's Tasting Note: "The nose was lively, fresh, exuberant and confident with a full rainbow of colours – toffee, marshmallows, vanilla slice and brown sugar; also tart apple pie notes, spring blossoms, dark chocolate, leather, tobacco, linseed oil and polished antique furniture. The palate was sweet and Bourbon-like, with toffee sponge, candied angelica, dark chocolate and dates, all balanced by the citric zestiness of lemon cake and green apple. The reduced nose        became sharper and more stimulating – cream soda,   apple skins, while the taste seemed amazingly energetic and vivacious; sweet and fruity, like Bakewell tart. From the distillery named after the county."

Drinking tip:  "Would be a good ice-breaker, or the first dram at a picnic to enhance the excitement."