Month: July 2015 | 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 22, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Mortlach 11y 2003 – 2015 by Cadenhead’s

Dram data:
Distillery: Mortlach
Bottler: Cadenhead’s
Distilled: 2003
Bottled: 2015
Age: 11 years
Limitation: 558 bottles
Casks: bourbon hogshead(s)
Alcohol: 57,3%
unchillfiltered; natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: light straw
The nose starts out on a light note with malt, vanilla, apricots and a hint of meatiness (or is that just autosuggestion?). Pretty strong on the alcohol at 57% ABV, this needs some water to allow further investigation. The alcohol is gone, the dram remains light. An at least 2nd fill hoggie I’d guess. Continue reading “Tasting: Mortlach 11y 2003 – 2015 by Cadenhead’s”

July 19, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Glengyle Kilkerran WIP 7 Bourbon 2004-2015

Dram data:
Distillery: Glengyle
Bottler: Official Bottling
Distilled: 2004
Bottled: 2015
Age: ca. 11 years
Limitation: 6000 bottles
Casks: ex-bourbon
Alcohol: 54,1%
unchillfiltered; natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: Gold
The nose opens just the way one expects the ex-bourbon Kilkerrans to: A bit shy yet elegant and full of character: Loads of vanilla and custard with a distinct sweetness, the typical fragrant Springbank peat and a hint of salt spray. At cask strength there’s also a noticeable alcohol note, so let’s add a dollop of water, shall we? Continue reading “Tasting: Glengyle Kilkerran WIP 7 Bourbon 2004-2015”

July 18, 2015October 7, 2016

Tasting: Glengyle Kilkerran WIP 7 Sherry 2004-2015

Dram data:
Distillery: Glengyle
Bottler: Official Bottling
Distilled: 2004
Bottled: 2015
Age: ca. 11 years
Limitation: 12000 bottles
Casks: ex-sherry
Alcohol: 46%
unchillfiltered; natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: fresh, reddish copper
This is not a big sherry monster on the nose – just like in previous years, it is sweet, fruity yet still delicate and gentle. There’s caramel, blood oranges with bits and peel, orange marmalade with ginger, light Oloroso sherry sweetness, sweet wine grapes, caramelised ginger and pineapple, fresh dates and figs, rock sugar, hints of spices and a light eucalyptus note from the alcohol (it’s hot in Austria at the moment so there’s quite some evaporation going on). Continue reading “Tasting: Glengyle Kilkerran WIP 7 Sherry 2004-2015”

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)”