Scotch Malt Whisky Society 53.261
$191.99
SWEET SMOKY JUGGERNAUT
From Islay, this 11 year old comes in at 57.1% after maturing in a refill hogshead.
Flavour profile: Heavily peated.
Outturn: 303 bottles.
Panel's tasting note: "Neat, a lovely balance of sweet and smoke on the nose like a whisky-kissed smoked pecan pie served with whipped cream and a glass of plum liqueur. On the palate a sweet smoky juggernaut rumbled over our tongues with dense peat smoke, honey sweetness and slightly floral (jasmine) flavours – completely unexpected!
On the nose, with a drop of water, mellow, sweet and floral smoke whilst the taste still had plenty of sweet peat smoke fire. We felt like we were paddling down a river with the nose being the calm waters before being hit by the rapids on the palate and finally sent over a waterfall."
Adelphi Ardbeg 2004
$589.99
Independent bottlings of Ardbeg are fewer and farther between than teeth at an Appalachian dental convention. And when they do land on our shores, they tend to disappear before they even hit the shelves. This 14 year old from a single ex-bourbon barrel will be no different, because - let's face it - Ardbeg lovers know that the best malts from this ultra-cult distillery come from plain ex-bourbon, where the distillery's character is allowed to sing out loud and clear. The good folks at Adelphi are on record as saying "this is quite possibly the smokiest whisky that we have tasted in a long time."
An absolutely massive 60.7% abv.
Producer Tasting Note:
Autumn gold with a quick bead. Hospital corridors with antiseptic, Elastoplast and TCP. Fresh oysters in Tabasco, swimming pool footbaths, and a hint of briarwood. The oyster theme continues on the palate with salty rockpools, raging malt kilns and a refreshing candyfloss with grated lemon zest.
Alexander Murray Bladnoch 1990 25 Year
$199.99
This is the only Bladnoch in the market at the moment, and it is pre-closure stock! The distillery has been up and running again at full steam for a couple of years now, but sadly only the owner's Blend has founds its way to Canada. Matured in refill ex-Bourbon barrles and bottled at 40%. Would have loved to see this at a higher proof, but it is a fine whisky and good value for $200!
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: waxy, syruppy and very fruity; loads of tropical fruits: ripe mango, papaya and guava; midori melons and kiwi fruit too; silky vanilla icing sugar and clotted cream; voluptuous and velvety.
Palate: bright and fruity; more waxy oak and syrupy maple sugar; the base is silky vanilla and voluptuous clotted cream; the tropical fruits are still there: almost over-ripe mango and papaya, melons, Mandarin orange and white grapes; some delicate but decadent spice as it opens up.
Finish: light and medium in length; it fades before I'd like it to, but it does so in a soft, elegant and decadent way; the exotic fruits, and sweet oaky vanillans linger longest.
Comment: this is a lovely Bladnoch, which I have to say is a very hit or miss whisky for me; the distillery's former owner Diageo didn't ever show it much love; the second last owner, the lovely but eccentric Raymond Armstrong never really manage to get it working quite right; time will tell how the new Aussie owner does with it; but you can find comfort and refuge in this expression; for $200 it is a very good buy!
Karuizawa 1985 W.Khong Artifices
$12,815.00
Bottled as part of the Artifices Series, this Karuizawa was filled into a Sherry Cask (#2634) in August of 1985, and was bottled in August of 2015 at 30 years of age. 55.2%.
Karuizawa 1981 Yukka Series En Soi
$14,889.00
Karuizawa is one of world's most rare and collectible whiskies. This 32 Year old single cask, released as part of the Yuuka Series, is called En Soi. Bottled at 57.3%, from cask 8461, an ex- Bourbon Barrel.
86pts Serge @WhiskyFun.org
"Sherried Karuizawas - not to mention ex-Château Mercian wine casks - are more famous than the bourbons, but is that justified? Let's see... Colour: full gold. Nose: impressively oaky, we're wandering throughout a large carpenter's workshop and this is a very unusual and very pleasant feeling. Once these first feelings become subtler, some fudge, some quinces and a fistful of Havana cigars start to come through, together with more cellulose and cinnamon. Hints of cow stable too, tea... I have to say this could be an old Yamazaki ex-bourbon in my opinion. With water: rounder, with more sweet spices. Spicy sponge cake? A woodiness that's usually more to be found in some teas. Mouth (neat): big and oaky again, with bags of bitter oranges too. It's rather a grassy kind of oak, quite acrid and very cinnamony, which makes it a little difficult when undiluted. A real fighter, we're very far from those vanilla bombs that pop out everywhere these days. With water: some kind of spicy apple juice! Also cinnamon and quinces. Finish: long, still oaky, with a feeling of sawdust and tea. Comments: I find this excellent, but maybe less unusual and spectacular than most other old Karuizawas. In a way, it's more 'normal' - no I didn't say 'ordinary'. SGP:471 - 86 points."
Loch Lomond Open Royal Portrush 19 Year
$223.99
This limited edition 19 year old single malt has been bottled to commemorate Loch Lomond Distillery's partnership with the Open at Royal Portrush. The whisky was finished in "Clarret Wood" or ex-Bordeaux casks!
Producer's Tasting Note
"Matured in American Oak casks from its own onsite cooperage ensures that the fruit character has been maintained through the maturation with the addition of honey sweetness and other tropical fruits coming to the fore."
Sansibar The Clans Tullibardine 24 Year
$349.99
Matured in ex-Bourbon, this 24 year old Tullibardines was distilled in 1993, and bottled at 45.8%. Whisky Fun only scored it at 83pts, by I think that's a little undully hard; this is good, if not great whisky!
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: waxy, floral with honey, beeswax and kirsch; peaches in cream, vanilla pods, sage and sawdust; Honey Nut Cheerios, Cherry Nibbs, doughy and malty.
Palate: soft, waxy, malty and honeyed; very floral, fruity and toasty; vanilla pods, sage and more peaches and cream; more malty-doughy notes and loads of spices: dill, fennel and caraway; Cherry Nibbs, fresh peaches and melons.
Finish: long, coating, toasty and spicy; floral and fruity with vanilla.
Comment: this is classic signature 1993 Tullibardine; when the distillery first re-launched, 1993 was one of the key vintages; it doesn’t have as much fruit as I’d like, but it is a lovely malt; great depth and presence; crisp, but no rough edges.
83pts Whisky Fun
“Colour: white wine. Nose: I’m always finding ink and burnt herbs in Tullibardine, not that I’ve tried hundreds of them. This is no exception, there’s some ink, some porridge, some burnt cardboard, plenty of bread and yeasts, hints of rye… In short his one’s very bready, and that’s not something that I dislike. With water: frankly, you would think this is some 3 yo American craft malt whiskey. Made on location, not sourced from a whisky plant. Mouth (neat): rich and, I have to say, surprisingly good. There’s a feeling of melted Swiss cheese (raclette), and some wacky metallic notes to boot, but at least it’s got a huge personality, it’s very distillate-driven, and it’s pleasantly un-commercial. With water: yeast, bread, flour, rye, porridge… At least this baby tells you that malt whisky isn’t made by distilling vanilla and oak. Finish: medium, dry, a little austere. And very bready. Comments: bread eau-de-vie. There’s something natural to this. SGP:351 - 83 points.”
Lagavulin 12 Year 2018 Edition 57.8%
$131.24
The 18th annual release of Lagavulin 12 Year Cask Strenth has been matured in Refill American Oak Hogsheads and bottled at 57.8%.88pts Whisky Base.
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: creosote, tar and Demerara sugar in warm English tea; bright orange citrus, Himalayan salt, fennel seed, seaweed wafers with wasabi; steamed mussels and langoustines; the bold, medicinal, maritime notes eventually make way for melons and pineapple.
Palate: big, firm and malty with loads of sugary malt, tarry peat and heavily salted caramel; oily with firm but elegant smoke; still seafood-y and medicinal with big salty tones and crisp spices: fennel seed, Dutch licorice and star anise, as well as chilli oil; the fruits emerge late over a base of honey and vanilla.
Finish: long, coating and medicinal with crisp spices and slowly fading firm elegant smoke.
Comment: this is a firm but elegant bottling of Lagavulin 12 Year Cask Strength; not as delicate and fruity as the bottlings from the early 2000s, but a complex young malt with a maturity beyond its years.”
Curt's Comment
'Iconic' doesn't even begin to describe this one. Ever since Lagavulin launched the cask strength 12 year old back in 2002, it has been one of the most consistent and coveted of the young peaters on the market. Factor in the limited edition batch release aspect and you have a malt that, year upon year, has peatheads salivating and chomping at the bit. The distillery's name is inextricably linked with the flagship 16 year old, but it's this bourbon barrel-matured young beast that maybe gives a little more insight into what the distillery is capable of. I'd argue it's not only more interesting, but usually better than the 16 as well.
North Star Inchgower 11 Year
$95.17
Campbeltown. SOLD OUT