Scotch Malt Whisky Society 26.105
$233.99
BUMBLEBEES BY THE SEA
This elegant 29 year old is from the Highlands and sits at 57.6% from a refill butt
Flavour profile: Light & delicate
Outturn: 548 bottles
Panel's tasting note: "The first aromas were predominantly dark runny honey over crackers, followed by salted lemon and fresh kiwi fruit. With time, camphor and citronella candles burning in a damp pine forest. Juicy Fruit gum emerged on the nose and in the taste. It retained a white peppery heat at full strength, with lemon zest and lime posset emerging. Aspen bark, cinnamon and spearmint all became easier to find with water as if they had all been washed up on a seashore. A muskiness reminiscent of coastal dunnage warehouses belied its age, but homemade lemonade and green Starbursts lifted any hint of heaviness."
Drinking tip: " Have a light hand with water"
Scotch Malt Whisky Society 27.107
$152.99
TO THE MANOR BORN
This 16 year old from Campbeltown was aged in a refill gorda and comes in at 56%
Flavour profile: Deep, rich & dried fruits
Outturn: 759 bottles
Panel's tasting note: "Thick, old fashioned vanilla ice cream, with tinned peaches, then a complex of polished leather (an antique desk, a sea chest, a worn leather chair, a vintage car), but also sherry trifle and creamy yogurt, amber beads and rich fruit cake. Rich and sweet to taste, then tannic-dry with bitter chocolate and salt crystals; sandalwood. Water sweetens the nose to treacle toffee and sticky toffee pudding, hazelnut and almond praline – rich and complex. The taste is rich, sweet and very fruity; elegant, with dark chocolate and treacle, and macadamia nuts in the aftertaste."
Drinking tip: "Digestif after Sunday lunch"
Scotch Malt Whisky Society 73.69
$193.49
DARK SIDE ECLIPSED BY SWEET JOYS
This 22 year old Speysider comes in at 52.9% after maturing in a refill sherry butt
Flavour profile: Deep, rich & dried fruits
Outturn: 620 bottles
Panel's tasting note: "The nose delivered savoury notes, evoking tapas bars (fino, amontillado, tortilla, old polished wood, etc.) but the dessert menu was even stronger (crème caramel, rum and raisin ice-cream, apple granny cake). More complex with water – sugared seaweed, Japanese sweet omelette, earthy hazelnut and plastic toys in the sun. The taste was essentially sweet – vanilla, amaretto, caramel, carrot cake, figs – but with a slight metallic, gamey, bittersweet edge of burnt cake and walnut. With water, its darker side (hoisin duck patrolling the farmyard in wellies) was happily dominated by the joyful sweetness of toffee, toasted marshmallows, Nutella, Dr Pepper syrup and panna cotta."
Drinking tip: "Could accompany food (Spanish, oriental, e.g.) - or maybe better after a meal, with coffee"
Scotch Malt Whisky Society 123.14
$121.99
PLAYFUL SPICES BUZZ THE MOUTH
From the Southern Highlands, this 12 year old is 57.4% and was matured in a 1st fill barrel
Flavour profile: Spicy & sweet
Outturn: 225 bottles
Panel's tasting note: "Sweet but slightly assertive woody spices pervaded the nose – pepper, humbugs, ginger, cinnamon apple pie and Liquorice Allsorts; also some leather, dead leaves and furniture polish. The neat palate also had exotic spices (clove, liquorice, anise) and oriental wood; however; curious notes of After Eights, gin and fermented honey kept it from being one-dimensional. On the reduced nose, cinnamon glazed donuts and ginger snaps represented continuity, while spearmint, wet stones and very light coal-tar soap brought fresh suggestions into play. On the reduced palate chocolate, blackcurrant and toasty flavours appeared – while the spices still buzzed our mouths like playful hornets."
Drinking tip: "A dram to perk you up - maybe with coffee and chocolate mints after a meal"
Scotch Malt Whisky Society 127.43
$134.99
KISSING A SMOKER
This 12 year old from Islay is 65% after maturing in a refill barrel
Flavour profile: Heavily peated
Outturn: 228 bottles
Panel's tasting note: "A damp shed containing oil paints, turpentine and rabbit skin glue soon developed into meaty and peaty notes. There was roast pork, turkey and pheasant on the menu and a Twix to wash it all down. The palate had lots of peat and a caramelized meatiness then lasting cigarette smoke on the finish. It was described as ashy and epic, "Like kissing a smoker" one panellist said. The nose with water took us back to the shed in oily overalls for some putty and linseed oil. Then the meaty notes returned - Chinese suckling pig and duck in hoisin sauce. Honey glazed ham with rosemary and thyme on the palate and plenty of smoke to finish."
Drinking tip: "For chilling out with a Simon and Garfunkel CD"
Kilkerran Work in Progress 7 Bourbon
$76.49
The Kilkerran single malt from Glengyle distillery is nearly 12 years of age, and we are on the final releases of the Work in Progress Series, batch 7. There are Bourbon and Sherry cask matured releases, both 11 years of age. The Bourbon cask is also cask stength, a first! Very small quantities, these will not last long!
Distiller's Tasting Note
Nose: Immediate hit of lush green apples mixed with marzipan and hot baked vanilla buns. A gentle smoke hugs the fruit notes throughout. Let it breathe in the glass for a quarter of an hour and you are greeted by immense Madagascan vanilla pod seeds in warm full fat milk.
Palate: Puff of smoke mixed with tangy apple, yet elegant and mature - fantastically well rounded dram.
Finish: Long, smooth and luxurious.
Cadenhead Small Batch Alt a Bhaine 1992
$166.49
G&M CC Inchgower 2000
$97.19
Inchgower is a distillery you don't often see bottled as a single malt. This Gordon & MacPhail bottling under the Connoisseurs Choice label was matured in Refill Sherry and bottled at 46% without colouring or chillfltering. It is exclusive to KWM in Canada and the Day 20 bottling in the KWM Whisky Advent Calendar 2015.
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: leathery and nutty, subtle sherry notes and orangey fruits; there is a soft woodiness to it with, pine resin and cedar, also a note of Earl Grey Tea.
Palate: big, rich and very nutty, the, sherry notes are much more prominent and pleasant than expected; Fruit Roll Ups with brandy soaked cherries, vanilla and honey; as it settles down some notes of candied orange and Earl Grey Tea
Finish: medium long and sherried, a cascade of tingling spices and more Earl Grey Tea.
Comment: this is not a book to judge by its cover, the palate and finish are much better than the nose!
Producer's Tasting Note
Nose: Delicate Sherry influences with fresh pineapple, orange zest and peach aromas. Complimented by a delicate hint of pine needles.
Palate: Mouth warming with ripe banana, grapefruit and orange flavours. The finish is creamy with a milk chocolate edge.
Finish: Medium with a fruity and spicy edge.
Distillery Fact (Courtesy Gordon & MacPhail): "Inchgower Disitllery lies near the mouth of the River Spey, by the coastal town of Buckie. The majority of production goes into Bell's, Johnny Walker and White Horse blends."
G&M CC Auchroisk 1996
$125.99
Exclusive to KWM in Canada this independent bottling from Gordon & MacPhail is also our Day 10 whisky in the KWM 2015 Whisky Advent Calendar! Bottled at 46% without colouring or chill-filtering after maturing 18 years in Refill Sherry Hogsheads. Auchroisk is a whisky you seldom see bottled except from independent bottlers like Gordon & MacPhail.
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: butterscotch, flowers and freshly cut green grass; honey with dried cherries and cranberry, soft leather and spices.
Palate: soft, honeyed and fruity with more dried cherries and cranberry but also some honey dew melon and orange slices; there is a lot of spice that builds towards anise and fennel, some soft leather and more floral-grassy malt.
Finish: peppery and drying the fruits are still vibrant with fading leather and spices.
Comment: this is a classic Auchroisk, lacking some of the hard rough edges of some bottlings; flavourful and good value.
Producer's Tasting Note
Nose: Fresh and fruity with ripe plum and kiwi aromas. Toasted malt and subtle herbal notes with hints of old leather and aniseed.
Palate: The palate is peppery initially with stewed plums and lemon flavours. A lingering milk chocolate edge develops.
About Auchroisk (Courtersy of Gordon & MacPhail)
"A relatively young distillery, built in 1974 by Justerini & Brooks, Auchroisk (pronounced "oth-rusk") is located deep in the Speyside countryside, midway between Rothes and Keith. The distinctive collection of white washed buildings of Auchroisk has won many architectural awards for its design. Good water is a pre-requisite of distillation and this is found in abundance from nearby Dories Well. The stills at Auchroisk are high-necked, producing a light elegant spirit."