Archives for June 2016

Yamazaki / 2016 Limited Edition

Summary: Country: Japan.
ABV: 43%.
Unit: 70cl.
Every year, Suntory releases a new limited edition of their Yamazaki and this year we have another masterpiece! No information on the number of bottles available was unveiled by Suntory for 2016 version however it is bottled at 43%, and it is a blend of young single malts matured in American oak casks, Bourbon barrels, European oak barrels, Sherry and Port Wine casks. Some of it has been aged over 20 years.
The nose is quite thick and resinous. There is a pleasant oiliness, with zesty citrus and peels, along with a hint of sherry. Plenty of oak and orchard fruits. The palate is of medium-body, with green notes and an earthen note, plenty of wood resin, and a floral character, with zest and sherried peels. The finish is of good length, with fruit and zest.

Ardbeg / Kildalton

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Islay.
ABV: 46%
Unit: 70cl.
Colour: Deep gold
Aroma: Seductive, exotic bouquet. Hints of smoked apricots in syrup, salt and pepper with soft, creamy vanilla. Smoky and herbal notes of woodsmoke and fennel. Water releases pine resin, vetiver root, coriander, liquorice and a curious soapy note.
Taste: The texture is soft and ‘sappy’, gently coating the tongue. An explosion of coal tar soap, aniseed, peppermint, coffee, sweet barley malt, and a lingering, aromatic smokiness.
Finish: Lengthy and fresh, with menthol, and spicy. Hints of allspice, clove and bitter almonds, revealing a distant vanilla essence sweetness.

Bruichladdich / Cask 1 "Wee Ruari"

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Islay.
ABV: 46%
Bottles Produced: 376
Bottle #: 210
This is a Lazarus whisky, the first single malt from one of Islay’s legendary distilleries, Bruichladdich, back from the dead on 29th May 2001 under new and collective ownership, reborn on that day with the first cask of its whisky produced by its signature traditional methods.
Bruichladdich 1On 29th May 2001, the honour of ‘filling’ that first cask was given to ‘Wee Ruari’, the five month old son of the distillery’s other legend, inspirational manager, Mark Reynier. It was his idea to buy the distillery into independent production. He then managed and stage managed the reborn distillery to a rolling success story, with a thrilling and ever inventive series of firsts.
We saw at first hand just how Reynier revolutionised the marketing of single malt Scotch. Always the master of the image and the master of ceremonies, he sent out stunning visual images no one could resist using; and he came up with fun ideas, events and sponsorships. All of these propelled the name of Bruichladdich into the spotlight and all of them underlined it cool sassiness with a hint of butch.
On 29th May 2001, while young Ruari was there in spirit, so to speak, his fond papa may have given him a little hand in filling Cask I.
That cask eventually yielded 376 bottles.
In the meantime, Bruichladdich’s success as a true independent was such that it became a target for the big spirits multinationals. On 25th July 2012, less than a year ago, the distillery was sold by its 60 shareholders to Remy Cointreau.
The only shareholder to oppose the deal was Mark Reynier, whose skills and imagination had driven its success.
With characteristic philosophical grace, Me Reynier understood the position of the other 59 shareholders who preferred to secure their personal finances and take the profit on the sale. He declined an offer to stay with the distillery, wished it well and walked away.
Now he and the not-so-wee now 13 year old Ruari, have asked Inveraray’s celebrated Scotch whisky specialist outlet, Loch Fyne Whiskies, under Master of Whisky, Richard Joynson, to sell 250 of the 376 bottles Cask I produced.
The family will retain the others and the 250 offered for sale to collectors are predictably vanishing at speed.
Loch Fyne Whiskies has made the decision to offer access to this historic malt to its own customers before they are all gone.
This whisky is not only unique and historic, it marks success and loss in a single dram. It measures the span of Mark Reynier’s life-saving connection with the distillery.
No Bruichladdich collection – and no single malt collection – will be complete without a ‘Wee Ruari’ – a 70cl single cask bottling, 11 years old, 46% Abv – an absolute one-off.
Source: ForArgyll.com

Glenglassaugh / Octaves Classic

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Highland.
Unit: 70cl
ABV: 44%
Appearance: Rich golden amber.
Nose: An abundance of sweet shop characteristics. Sherbet and candy apples with a gentle warmth of white pepper and cinnamon.
Palate: A vibrant green apple skin note balances with stewed yellow plums and hints of black vanilla pod. Clean, freshly sawn oak softens to crisp, sweet barley in the long finish.
Finish: A delicious combination of citrus and sweet complimenting the unique oak characters which develop in Octave cask maturation.

£51.50

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside
Bottle Size: 70cl
Age: 
Vintage: 
Strength: 46.%
Bottler: 
Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside.
ABV: 46%
Unit: 70cl
Maturation: Fully matured in quarter casks.
Colour: Bright summer gold.
Nose: Elegant waves of wood smoke intensify to burning heather with a delicious contribution of ripe orchard fruits. Subtle notes of peaches, cinnamon sugar and a slightly herbal note of fresh barley give an added contrast to the unique, rich peat character.
Taste: Intense peat smoke mellows to smouldering peat embers infused with green pear and nectarine fruit notes. Nutty oak and vanilla pods combine with a touch of white pepper and a twist of lime to give an intriguing, crisp, smoky finish.

Glen Scotia / Double Cask

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Campletown.
Unit: 70cl
ABV: 46%
The Double Cask is matured in their finest oak barrels then finished in a combination of first fill bourbon barrels followed by time in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks to produce this outstanding malt whisky that provides the perfect balance of rich spicy fruits, overlaid with the characteristic sea spray and vanilla oak finish for which the house of Glen Scotia is famous.
NOSE: Amber. Very sweet. Initially it is all creme caramel, caramelised fruit sugars, wood sugar, toffee and fudge before some apple and peach come through. In time a charred note of bourbon with a pleasing dusty dryness. Has some power.
PALATE: Sweet start and quite fat and though the alcohol gives a little tongue-tingling buzz the result is a good mid-palate weight. The dry distillery character is there still, but there is now depth to counter. Water slightly dismantles the different elements, but adds some dried mint.
FINISH: Deep and dark.
AWARDS: Gold Medal / 2016 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and Gold Award from the 2016 World Whiskies Awards.

anCnoc / 12 Year Old Single Highland Malt

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Highlands.
ABV: 46%.
Unit: 70cl
The anCnoc 12 Year Old is renowned the world over. Known as a must have in any whisky drinkers collection, it’s light and yet complex. Smooth yet challenging. And each twist and turn delivers a surprise. In fact, this is a dram that has something for everyone.
Nose: Soft, very aromatic with a hint of honey and lemon in the foreground.
Colour: Amber with a slight yellow hue.
Taste: Sweet to start with an appetising fruitiness and a long smooth finish. A malt for every occasion.
Ratings: 94 Points – Jim Murray's 2013 Whisky Bible.

anCnoc / 22 Year Old Single Highland Malt

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Highlands.
ABV: 46%.
Unit: 70cl.
Matured predominately in American oak, ex-bourbon casks as well as Spanish oak, ex-sherry butts, anCnoc 22 Years Old displays complexity and a wealth of character but its long lasting rich, smoky finish sets this dram apart from the younger offerings.
Colour: Bright gold with a copper tint.
Nose: Sweet and spicy with notes of honey and toffee. Warm Christmas cake is accentuated by the freshness of lemons, green apples and cut flowers. All wrapped in a delicate whiff of wood smoke.
Taste: Full bodied and complex. Distinct crushed clove, raisin and blood orange flavours are at the front, closely followed by layers of fragrant vanilla and leather. The long, rich finish is smoky and spicy.

anCnoc / Cutter

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Highlands.
ABV: 46%.
Unit: 70cl.
Peaty overview
Under the watchful eye of the Distillery Manager – and after a few anxious moments – anCnoc Peaty emerged once more from the stills at Knockdhu. Once laid down in bourbon casks, it developed beautifully, creating the most remarkable malt.
Dark peaty smokiness and light subtle flavours, as one.
The spirit has found form in a new range of individual expressions named after traditional peat-cutting tools, some of which are still used to this day. For we have those simple implements to thank for the wonder that is the Limited Edition anCnoc Peaty Collection. All that remains is to try them – and shine a light on your dark side.
creating anCnoc Peaty
When Knockdhu Distillery opened its doors back in October 1894, peat was most commonly used as a source of fuel throughout the Highlands.
There’s no doubt whisky made at Knockdhu was initially peaty but as time and technology moved on so did the production methods and with the dawn of specialist maltings the Knockdhu Distillery gradually moved to the unpeated style we associate with anCnoc Single Malt Scotch Whisky today.
In homage to our malt’s peaty origins we have crafted a truly remarkable Limited Edition Peaty range.
a craft? a science? both
anCnoc Peaty brings together dark peaty smokiness and light subtle flavours, as one. Each bottle carries a note of the PPM (parts per million) phenol in the distilled spirit.
In short, the higher the PPM levels, the peatier the whisky will be to taste and in turn helping you discover the perfect anCnoc Peaty expression to shine a light on your dark side.
The Cutter is a hand tool used to cut peat from less wet, shallower bogs.  This means the peat it reveals is drier and therefore more easily burnt producing a whisky that has a medium-heavy smokiness, in this case, with a phenol content of 20.5 ppm.
Colour: Cutter is pale yellow in appearance.
Nose: An initially thick and oily smoke structure reveals a sharper, more medicinal phenolic layer and a piercing burst of fruitiness. Ripe peaches and just a touch of oak. The nose is intense and unforgettable.
Taste: More ashy, with a slight apple-core bitterness. Leather and spicy vanilla is there too, lingering at the back, accompanied by sharper notes of pink grapefruit and ripe orchard fruits. Elegant and long. A kaleidoscope of spicy and peaty notes that die out with a juicy burst and a loud call for another sip.
Ratings: 96.5 Points / Jim Murray's 2015 Whisky Bible and World Whisky Awards 2015 Best Highland Single Malt with no age statement.

Glenmorangie / Ealanta

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Highland.
ABV: 45%
Unit: 70cl
Age: 19 Year Old.
Cask Type: Virgin American white oak.
Distilled/Bottled: 1993/2012
Glenmorangie Ealanta is the fourth annual release in our award winning Private Edition range. Scots Gaelic for 'skilled and ingenious', Ealanta is a 19 Years Old Glenmorangie, fully matured in virgin American white oak casks with a provenance that stretches all the way to the mountains of Missouri and the Mark Twain National Forest. The porous oak wood, air-dried for over 2 years, but in this instance never seasoned with any other whisky, allows our precious spirit to extract maximum flavours as nature intended – producing a whisky of incredible taste and smoothness, with layers of vanilla and candied orange peel, interwoven with sugar coated almonds. Non chill-filtered
Aroma: Toffee, butterscotch, vanilla, and a curious hint of stewed fruits. Classic Glenmorangie mentholic top-note, interwoven with an unusual nuttiness, reminiscent of Brazil nuts in toffee.
Taste: Candied orange peel, sugar coated almonds, sweet vanilla and marzipan.
Finish: The taste goes on and on, finally giving way to some oak-derived spices – clove, ginger and a hint of aniseed.
 
 

Cù Bòcan / 1988 Vintage Single Malt

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Highland's.
ABV: 51.5%
Unit: 70cl
Bottles Filled: 2200
Cù Bòcan have unleashed a different kind of beast. This special limited edition Cù Bòcan has been crafted by marrying refill Hogshead and refill Sherry butt matured whisky distilled on 2nd December 1988.
In their past lives, the casks were home to one of Islay’s peatiest potions and hints of the untamed spirit have been working their smoky magic over the years. The final creation – earthy, oaky and sweet – is now ready to be devoured.
Nose: Delicate campfire smoke and sweet ash give way to stewed pears, Peach Melba and toasted coconut. Hints of fresh cut grass, heather and cereal linger in the background with creamy buttermilk.
Mouth: Candied tropical fruits are perfectly balanced with an earthy peat tang. In time, warming dried fruit, blood orange and a gentle nut note emerge.
Finish: Earthy smoke and oak spice linger with a creamy texture.

Benriach / Peated Quarter Cask

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside.
ABV: 46%
Unit: 70cl
Maturation: Fully matured in quarter casks.
Colour: Bright summer gold.
Nose: Elegant waves of wood smoke intensify to burning heather with a delicious contribution of ripe orchard fruits. Subtle notes of peaches, cinnamon sugar and a slightly herbal note of fresh barley give an added contrast to the unique, rich peat character.
Taste: Intense peat smoke mellows to smouldering peat embers infused with green pear and nectarine fruit notes. Nutty oak and vanilla pods combine with a touch of white pepper and a twist of lime to give an intriguing, crisp, smoky finish.

Kininvie / 25 Year Special Release #1, The First Drops

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside.
ABV: 61.4%
Unit: 35cl
The Kininvie Distillery was opened on 5th July 1990 by Janet Sheed Robert, Grand-daughter of William Grant.
On that very day Cask 21 was filled and laid down in our warehouse.
An American oak, hogshead, the cask that previously held Bourbon has rested at Kininvie for 25 years until it’s release this autumn.
Cask 21 has yielded only 500 35cl bottles which have been bottled at cask strength and are not chill filtered.
Nose: Aromatic with a leafy fresh green character. Hints of geranium and spring meadow.
Taste: Rich oakiness with a defined fresh vanilla sweetness. Fleshy fruit and ripe berries are overlaid with a touch of dry oak tannin.
Finish: Sweet with a lasting oakiness.

Compass Box / Hedonism 10th Anniversary

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Highland.
ABV: 43%.
Unit: 70cl.
“None of us is as smart as all of us” Japanese Proverb.
This is a proverb that means a lot to me, enough that I featured it on the Compass Box website in 2000 when I started the business.
Over our first ten years there have been many people who have helped Compass Box achieve our success. This special 10th Anniversary bottling of our signature whisky Hedonism, bringing back our iconic " 
Over our first ten years there have been many people who have helped Compass Box achieve our success. This special 10th Anniversary bottling of our signature whisky Hedonism, bringing back our iconic "Hedonism head” (created by graphic artist Chris Edmunds for our first release), is a tribute to everyone who has helped Compass Box in our first decade.
The original bottling of Hedonism was the culmination of a painstaking search for great casks and it set a course for what Hedonism has become. I spent many months collecting cask samples from different distilling companies and brokers, tasting and re-tasting, blending the very best casks in innumerable combinations, until I felt I had something unassailably good. Good enough to launch the Compass Box Whisky Company.
The single cask, distilled in 1971 at the Invergordon Distillery, while much older than what we typically use for Hedonism, represents to me perfection in maturation, the basis for all the casks we select for Hedonism going back to that first batch in 2000.
This special edition is meant to be a suitable toast to all of you who have helped make Compass Box what it is today.
Thank you. Above all, share and enjoy.
John Glaser, Whiskymaker.
Availability: Only 144 bottles released for sale. This is a one-off bottling.
Flavour Descriptors: Deep, rich ï¬Â‚avours of vanilla, coconut and spice.
Recommendations: Sipped neat or with a splash of water to taste.
Distillery Sourcing: Single Invergordon cask distilled in 1971.
Wood: 100% American White Oak.