Month: January 2015 | MaltKlaus' Daily Drams

January 30, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Springbank Wood Expression Gaja Barolo 9y

Dram data:
Distillery: Springbank
Bottler: Official bottling
Distilled: February 2004
Bottled: October 2013
Age: 9 years
Limitation: 11.000
Price at the time of purchasing: 69€
Casks: 4 years refill bourbon, 5 years fresh Gaja Barolo casks
Alcohol: 54.7%
Unchillfiltered, no added colouring
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: dark, golden honey. The nose is noticeably different from the usual ex-bourbon or ex-sherry matured whiskies – the Gaja Barolo casks have done a good job at hiding most of the flavours from the initial ex-bourbon maturation and imparting their own style. Continue reading “Tasting: Springbank Wood Expression Gaja Barolo 9y”

January 28, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Hazelburn 2002-2014 12y by Cadenhead’s

Dram data:
Distillery: Springbank (special unpeated triple distillation)
Bottler: Cadenhead’s
Distilled: 2002
Bottled: July 2014
Age: 12
Limitation: 294 bottles
Cask: Bourbon Hogshead
Alcohol: 54,1%
Unchillfiltered, natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: Red Gold
The nose exhibits the same base character like the official 12-year-old Hazelburn I just tasted prior to this, but with a lot more cask influence. A light and fragrant base with notes of citrus, orange juice, orange oil, grapefruit, pepper, ginger and a dash of brine. Continue reading “Tasting: Hazelburn 2002-2014 12y by Cadenhead’s”

January 25, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Hazelburn 12y

Dram data:
Distillery: Springbank (special unpeated triple distillation)
Bottler: Original Bottling
Distilled: –
Bottled: about 2014
Age: 12
Limitation: –
Casks: –
Alcohol: 46%
Unchillfiltered, natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: Gold
The nose is fresh, citrussy, delicate, just as you would expect from a triple distillation, a very rare production process these days. It is, however, only the distillate being light, you can tell it was matured in quality casks adding a nice layer of depth.
Continue reading “Tasting: Hazelburn 12y”

January 21, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Glencadam 15y

Dram data:
Distillery: Glencadam
Bottler: Original Bottling
Distilled: –
Bottled: 09.08.2011
Age: 15
Limitation: –
Casks: –
Alcohol: 46%
Unchillfiltered, natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: straw
The nose is a classic, mellow, highland-style ex-bourbon cask nose. Vanilla pudding with a slice of lemon on top. Continue reading “Tasting: Glencadam 15y”

January 18, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Clynelish 1995 16y by Kintra

Dram data:
Distillery: Clynelish
Bottler: Kintra
Distilled: 12.1995
Bottled: 11.2012
Age: 16
Limitation: 90 bottles
Casks: Refill Sherry Butt 2156
Alcohol: 53,7%
Unchillfiltered, natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: straw
The nose immediately reminds me of medicine. Well, some might actually call whisky medicine… A spicy, herbal, peppery mixture. Continue reading “Tasting: Clynelish 1995 16y by Kintra”

January 14, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Bunnahabhain 1991 20y by Single Cask Collection

Dram data:
Distillery: Bunnahabhain
Bottler: Single Cask Collection
Distilled: 02.12.1991
Bottled: 22.08.2012
Age: 20
Limitation: 738 bottles
Casks: Bourbon hogshead 5468
Alcohol: 49,1%
Unchillfiltered, natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: gold
The nose is light, fragrant, perfumy. A rather shy islander. Sweet orange juice, ginger, ripe pears, red apples with a floral note on top. Continue reading “Tasting: Bunnahabhain 1991 20y by Single Cask Collection”

January 11, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Nikka Pure Malt White

Dram data:

Distillery: – (blended Malt)
Bottler: Nikka
Distilled: –
Bottled: ca. 2013-2014
Bottle Code: 6/14C441254
Age: NAS
Limitation: –
Price at the time of purchasing: ca. 40€ (yes, I paid too much at a retail store…)
Casks: –
Alcohol: 43%
Most likely chill filtered and artificially coloured
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: honey. Most likely fake.
The nose greets me with a combination of smoke, sweetness and herbal spices. It’s not often I encounter this kind of harmony, but then again this is a blended malt and as such it is designed to be that way. Continue reading “Tasting: Nikka Pure Malt White”

January 11, 2015July 6, 2017

Building your own whisky library

We all know the feeling: We’ve gone down to the dregs of a great bottle of malt and we wish we could preserve it. Well, why don’t we? It’s actually really simple to do so and there are two ways:

1: Some people always buy three bottles (or more). One to drink, one to keep and one to swap. This is the best case scenario but obviously doesn’t work for everyone given the massive investment, money-wise and in storage space required.

2: Just decant some into sample bottles and build your own archive.

Let’s explore the possibilities of option number two a little further: Continue reading “Building your own whisky library”

January 6, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Speyside 1995 18y by Cadenhead’s

Dram data:
Distillery: Speyside
Bottler: Cadenhead’s
Distilled: 1995
Bottled: July 2014
Age: 18
Limitation: 738 bottles
Casks: 1 Sherry butt & 1 hogshead
Alcohol: 62,8%
Unchillfiltered, natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: Red gold / light amber
The nose is… overwhelming at first. Yes, the alcohol is definitely noticeable. Sweet cough lozenges, caramellised ginger sticks, orange oil, rubber, wood spices and dark fruit puree in the background. Continue reading “Tasting: Speyside 1995 18y by Cadenhead’s”