Malthound

Whisky & Spirits Blog | Compare Buy Enjoy

You are here: Home / Archives for Whisky tasting

Sampling The Glenlivet Founders Reserve – A Towering Reputation!

by Leave a Comment

The Glenlivet Founders Reserve

The Glenlivet Founders Reserve – A Towering Reputation

The Glenlivet Founders Reserve, announced last October and due to be released this March, is a new single malt that has been almost 200 years in the making.

Created to honour the original vision of their pioneering founder George Smith, The Glenlivet Founders Reserve pays tribute to the uniquely smooth and fruity taste he first envisioned way back in 1824.

Distilled using the same time-honoured techniques introduced by George Smith himself, The Glenlivet Founders Reserve is drawn predominantly from a range of traditional aged oak casks.

So, what did I think?

Here are my tasting notes …

Tasting Notes – The Glenlivet Founders Reserve ( 40% )

A NAS (No Age Statement) single malt whisky.

Nose: Heavenly citrus aromas with a hint of apple and vanilla creaminess. Slight woodiness in there as well.

Palate: Light feeling on the tongue, very delicate. Gentle fruits with a little vanilla.

Finish: Hint of pepper and spice adds well to a creamy finish which is moderately long.

Overall: An impeccably smooth, light dram that’s not too heavy on the palate.

Summary

There seemed to be a lot of flavours akin to the 12 Year Old in this dram, so you can’t go wrong there! A very drinkable dram. In fact, the more I dram it, the more I wish the sample bottle was a little larger!

Thanks to @TheGlenlivet and @DrinksPRAgency for the samples!

The Glenlivet is available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

Tasting Notes – Glendronach 20 Year Old Abbey Whisky Exclusive!

by Leave a Comment

Just look at the colour of that dram!

Just look at the colour of that dram!

Well Abbey Whisky has been sampling whisky cask samples again!

Their latest Whisky Exclusive is the result of all this ardous tasting and it is a Glendronach 20 Year Old – Cask 3400 to be precise!

Their last GlenDronach offering – single cask 33 was a fantastic success and I have a feeling, well in fact a certainty, that this success is about to be repeated.

For a start it has an amazing colour – I wouldn’t be able to resist it on this basis alone!

Glendronach distillery is located near Forgue, by Huntly, Aberdeenshire and is owned by another whisky stalwart, BenRiach.

Founded in 1826 by James Allardes it was the second distillery to apply for a licence to legally produce whisky under the recently introduced Excise Act of 1823.

The distillery draws its water from the Dronac burn within the distillery grounds. In addition to this it has its own floor maltings and two wash stills as well as two spirit stills.

So, what did I think? Here are my tasting notes …

Tasting Notes – Glendronach 20 Year Old Abbey Whisky Exclusive – Cask 3400
( 54.8% )

As I said earlier, the first thing that hits you is the drams amazing colour – it’s dark sherry appearance invites you in well before you get to nosing it.

The liquid is also very full bodied and generous, clinging to the glass in a gravity defying manner.

Nose: Glorious sweet sherry nose, golden syrup, molasses and tropical fruits including mango. There’s also a little wood and maybe even a hint of licquorice.

Palate: Lovely generous mouth coating liquid with luscious sweet rich fruits. There’s also sherry, toffee, chocolate and spice with a slight touch of grapefruit.

Finish: Rich, dark chocolate comes to the fore followed by a long spicy finish. A touch of dryness and woodyness are present as well.

Overall: One of the finest whiskies I’ve ever tasted. It looks good, has an amazing nose and tastes fantastic!
A Powerful sherry dram. One to be savoured and shared with only those who are worthy – be strict though – most of us won’t be!

£97.95

Many thanks to Abbey Whisky (@abbeywhisky) for an incredible sample!

Benromach Tweet Tasting: 4 Drams That Will Suit Everyone!

by Leave a Comment

Benromachs 4 Expressions!

Benromachs 4 Expressions!

Wednesday nights Tweet Tasting, which was once again ably hosted by Steve from The Whisky Wire, gave us the opportunity to sample an incredibly diverese range of drams from the Benromach distillery.

Benromach is a Speyside distillery founded by Duncan McCallum and F.W. Brickman in 1898 and currently owned and run by Gordon and Macphail who took over the distillery in 1993. Following a painstaking restoration, it was re-opened by HRH Prince Charles in 1998.

Since then sales of the classic Speyside malt have grown dramatically and Benromach is now exported to 42 countries around the world.

In 2013 a third distiller was recruited and additional warehouses were added to allow production to be expanded.

April 2014 saw a new look for the flagship Benromach 10 Years Old, reflecting its pre-1960s character and the fact that each cask is hand-filled, hand-weighed and hand-stamped.

On the night the malts sampled were:-

  • Benromach 10 Year Old
  • Benromach 100° Proof
  • Benromach Organic
  • Benromach Peat Smoke

If you want to catch up on what all the tasters had to say (and there was quite a few of them!) you can view the tweets by searching for the hash tag #BenromachTT on Twitter.

So, what did I think?

Here are my tasting notes … and the one which was my favourite on the night!

Tasting Notes – Benromach 10 Year Old ( 43% )

A pale amber colour for this 10YO – 80% Bourbon barrels, 20% Sherry hogshead. Final year in first fill Oloroso casks.
Nose: Heathery, slightly smokey, peaty with whiffs of sweetness and a lovely caramel. Giving way to stewed fruits, sultanas and vanilla and finally getting basil. A joy to nose!

Palate: Sweet xmas cake mixture, grapefruit and a whiff of smoke pushing thru the sherriness. Quite a raw beast this one …

Finish: Very fiery and peppery with a dry tanin aftertaste – long!

Overall: “Fiesty one you are!” comes to mind with the 10YO. A very drinkable dram.

Tasting Notes – Benromach 100° Proof ( 57% )

This whisky is rich sherry colour and has been bottled without chillfiltering.

Named after the old Imperial measure which followed a tradition established when skeptical sailors, who wanted to ensure their rum rations had not been watered down mixed spirit with gunpowder. If the mixture ignited, its strength was “proved”!
Nose: Sweet sherry frutiness. Apples and a sweet sugary something … rum! Dark chocolate and demerara for sure in there. Is this a wolf in sheeps clothing?

Palate: WoW! That tongue texture of pure spirit! Rich, sweet rich fruit cake, sherry and spiciness.

Finish: Very smooth finish, lovely muted pepperyness peat and smokiness blends together well.

Overall: In spite of it’s 57% ABV, this is a lovely dram to nose, sip and savour. Excellent dramming to be had here. Most people on the night panged for a roaring open fire to sip this by!

Tasting Notes – Benromach Organic ( 43% )

Matured in virgin oak casks giving this dram a pale amber colour.

Certified Organic from start to finish and meeting rigorous UK Soil Association standards for growing the ingredients, distillation, maturation and bottling. Unique on launch in 2006, it is still very rare today.
Nose: Strongly coconut with apples and oranges. Very fresh and ‘new’. There’s hints of chinese tea in there as well.

Palate: Sugary pears, pineapple and coconut, sherbert sweetness with fruity pleasures – so different from the 100!

Finish: A short finish – sweet to the end – maybe a slight hint of grapefruit. It gets quite zingy on the tongue though – almost citric acidy.

Overall: The freshness of the virgin oak casks gives this dram a vitality and youthfullness that’s unique. Soft, fruity flavours abound giving this malt a lightness that few other drams can achieve.

Tasting Notes – Benromach Peat Smoke ( 46% )

Matured in first fill oak Bourbon barrels and a pale straw like colour. The finest Scottish barley is malted with high levels of peat smoke at 67ppm (the phenol level.)


Nose: Smell that peat – heaven! Rich peat topped with smokiness and sea spray – take me to the smokery! Interstingly theres a hint of olives in there as well.

Palate: Lovely smooth, earthy peat, BBQ & smoke with a little smooth citrus.

Finish: Peppery, smokey finish coupled with smooth fruit.

Overall: Not as overpowering as you’d think in the peat department. Just very nicely done! A lovely dram.

My Favourite On The Night

My Favourite On The Night: Benromach 100 Proof – just an awesome dram – amazingly low price point as well!

It was Very closely followed by the Peat Smoke. I love a peat dram so it was a slightly painful decision to put the 100 before it but it just goes to show how good the 100 is!

Four different drams, four completely different tastes. An amazing feat and one which should ensure that there’s a Benromach to suit everyones palate!

Many thanks to Steve at The Whisky Wire (@TheWhiskyWire) for a great dram evening.

And of course, the team at Benromach, for sending the samples and without whom!

My fellow Tweeters were:-

@TheWhiskyWire @WhiskyWardrobe @WhiskySpeller @LaCaveDeCobalt @WhiskyFriends @MrSingleMalt @wernerswhisky @MashtunandMeow @Sherry_Ben @WhiskyCorner @raithrover @JohnnieStumbler @whiskyrepublic @julie_gwc @GeorgeHHutton @AlpacaJo @whiskytube @warburton81 @TheWhiskyKiwi @BeersIveKnown @annawizauk @Jamie_Rowley @dvdbloke @mynameisgone @Smokiechops @sjjgo @Andrew1McCallum @cenbons @msykesjones

Benromach is available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

Ballantine’s Tweet Tasting: Five Classic Blends To ‘Stay True’ Too!

by Leave a Comment

Stay True To Ballantine's Whisky Range

Stay True To Ballantine’s Whisky Range

Wednesday nights Tweet Tasting, which was once again ably hosted by Steve from The Whisky Wire, gave us the opportunity to sample one of the worlds powerhouse whisky blends in terms of global sales and awareness.

I’m talking, of course, about Ballantine’s which is the No.1 Scotch whisky in Europe and the No. 2 Scotch whisky in the world with their range selling over 70 million bottles a year worldwide.

Winners of more than 130 trophies and medals at international competitions in the past 10 years, Ballantine’s is known for its outstanding quality, unique richness of character and perfect balance.

The range, from Ballantine’s Finest to the exclusive 40 Year Old, is the most extensive in the world of Scotch and is maintained by Master Blender Sandy Hyslop, continuing the brand’s tradition of Master Blenders that dates back to 1827.

We were particularly honoured to have Sandy tasting along with us tweeters on the night which makes a special event even more special – after all, it’s always great to get the facts straight from the Head Drammers mouth!

Their was a fantastic selection of five whiskies being sampled on the night and they were:-

  • Ballantines Finest
  • Ballantines 12 Year Old
  • Ballantines 17 Year Old
  • Ballantines 21 Year Old
  • Ballantines 30 Year Old

If you want to catch up on what all the tasters had to say, you can view the tweets by searching for the hash tag #BallantinesTT on Twitter.

So, what did I think?

Here are my tasting notes … and the one which was my favourite on the night!

Tasting Notes – Ballantines Finest ( 40% )

Ballantine’s Finest is the oldest recipe in the current range, created in 1910 by the Ballantine’s family.

There are more than 40 malts & grains in this blend (with particular emphasis on Miltonduff and Glenburgie), carefully selected from 4 different iconic Scottish regions and matured in American Oak Barrels.

Ballantines Finest was Jim Murray’s No Age Statement Blend of the Year with a whopping 96 points!
Nose: Sweet vanilla & toffee – fruity and slightly woody with a bit of yummy spice!

Palate: Sweet fruits & honey with vanilla! Apples and a little grapefruit.

Finish: Warming and spicy with a long caramel backtaste.

Overall: A really nice blended whisky this, made even more remarkable by the retail price – amazing value for money!

Tasting Notes – Ballantines 12 Year Old ( 40% )

Ballantines 12 Year Old has won 26 medals in the world’s top spirits awards over the last 10 years.

The signature malts within the blend are Glenburgie & Miltonduff and the malt and grain whiskies used to create this 12YO are predominantly aged in American oak casks.
Nose: Subtle nose – vanilla & promises of something sweet … maybe icing sugar. Apple and oakyness come thru a little later but you have to be patient!

Palate: Sweet pear and creamy toffee, quite thin and light in the mouth.

Finish: A short finish with a nice spice and vanilla combination going well together.

Overall: Ballantine’s Master Blender Sandy Hyslop said this was his favourite blend of the range and I can see why – fantastic, all round flavours at an incredible price!

Tasting Notes – Ballantines 17 Year Old ( 43% )

This was Jim Murray’s Scotch Blend of the Year for 2010!

Every cask of Ballantine’s 17 is nosed before it’s emptied to be blended. Nothing is left to chance.


Nose: Faintly smokey with a lovely fruit hit!

Palate: Powerfully sweet with hints of stewed fruit – very smooth & luxurious – creamy even.

Finish: Tempered ginger spice, slight tanin – maximum yummy! 🙂

Overall: The stronger smoke adds something very special to the 17YO. Coupled with the smooth sweetness and you’ve got a very drinkable dram!

Tasting Notes – Ballantines 21 Year Old ( 40% )

The 21 Year Old has a higher proportion of whiskies matured in European oak casks compared to the rest of the range.


Nose: Rich, with a stronger woodiness to it – sweet n’ fruity with little whiffs of smoke.

Palate: Generous mouth feel, caramelised fruits, salty and a delicate taste of liquorice – lovely!

Finish: Satisfyingly long spicy finish with a gorgeous sweet n’ peppery finale!

Overall: The 21YO is a robust dram that’s got some serious Oomph! Very sure of itself and it has every right to be – it delivers!

Tasting Notes – Ballantines 30 Year Old ( 43% )

The very first batch of the Ballantine’s 30 was sold in 1930, so the stock was first laid down in 1900.

It won a Gold at the International Spirits Challenge and Jim Murray gave it 92 points.

Some of the whiskies are incredibly rare, from distilleries that are no longer in existence, Dalmunach and Dumbarton being two of them.

When asked to sum the 30YO up in five words, Sandy replied: “Fruity. Sweet. Voluptuous. Velvety. Balanced. That’s my taste of Ballantine’s 30yr old.”

He also added that for every Ballantine’s 30 yr old they sell, they lose 2 bottles to the angels. Eeek!
Nose: Fantastic pear – I can almost feel the grainy pear-ness! Mint, vanilla, banana, spice – all sorts of mature goodiness! A little bit of woodyness is in there as well.

Palate: Smooth, so smooth. Lovely sumptuous flavours of apricot & mango! Rich, sherry sweetness.

Finish: Smooth, mature, fruity sweetness and tempered spiciness that goes on and on in a glorious fashion!

Overall: A big hit wth the tweeters on the night and it’s not surprising – this is an exceptional dram that really shows the breadth of maturity that this fine blended whisky range can attain.

My Favourite On The Night

Well that has to be the Ballantines 30 Year Old – a standard defining blended whisky with a superior taste!

I was also well impressed with the 17YO – especially if the wallet is complaining – which it usually is!

Last, but certainly not least, I shall certainly be adding the 12YO to my drinks cabinet – a lovely ‘daily’ dram – and at such a fantastic price point!

Many thanks to The Whisky Wire (@TheWhiskyWire) for a great dram evening and the team at Richmond Towers (@DrinksPRAgency) for sending the samples!

And of course, @Ballantines, without whom!

My fellow Tweeters were:-

@TheWhiskyWire @EdinburghWhisky @TheWhiskyBoys @WhiskyWardrobe @Girl_Whisky @DrinksEnthusist @LRWhisky @TonyWTC @Whisky_Magazine @whiskyjunkie @OliverKlimek @champdenwhite @MCRWhiskyClub @Whisky_Belfast @SWWIG @WhiskyCorner @ben_cops @winepaper_fr @Thibaut_Octave @luxsure

Ballantines is available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

Tasting Notes: The Reference Range Of Whisky Just Got Bigger!

by Leave a Comment

Edu-Dram-cation!

Edu-Dram-cation!

New Samples To Study!

The ‘Reference Series’ is the very first range of educational blended malt Scotch whiskies.

A ground-breaking idea and unique in the marketplace, these blended malt Scotch whiskies not only enable drinkers to learn the ins and outs of whisky production techniques, but also taste superb in their own right, making the learning process thoroughly enjoyable.

The initial 3 releases of the Reference Series comprises blended whiskies which progress from I to III with increasing levels of old, rare and more characterful spirit in the mix.

This will show whisky lovers the progression of flavour profile that comes with the ageing process – a hotly disputed topic which can be clearly understood and appreciated in a controlled manner.

The range will eventually expand further to showcase particular ingredients or production techniques on top of this initial trio, which will be indicated in the name.

‘Reference Series’ is named for the fact one can taste the later editions then “refer” back to the original I, II & III for comparison.

Over time, the series will offer more and more combinations of ingredients and techniques, eventually growing to become the ultimate learning resource to truly understand the production and creation of whisky.

The entire range is available in 3cl bottles from Drinks by the Dram (available now, exclusively from Master Of Malt), so each whisky can be sampled without the need to purchase a full-sized bottle.

Learning has never been so much fun!

Learning has never been so much fun!

Tasting Notes – Reference Series II

Reference Series II has a much higher proportion of very old single malts than Reference Series I.


Reference Series II
 Nose: Pale straw colour. Orange fragrances mixed with oak.

Palate: Spicy with zesty orange, sweet sherry and a slight hint of dryness but well tempered.

Finish: Peppery finish, grapefruit, satisfyingly long, oaky.

Overall: A great drinkable dram, well rounded.
50cl, 47.5%
£55.95

Tasting Notes – Reference Series II.3

I’m tasting this out of order (what a rebel!) but this Reference Series just takes a portion of the Reference Series II blend and includes the colouring agent, E150a, also called Spirit Caramel.

Spirit caramel is used by distilleries and brands to achieve consistency of colour between batches whilst not affecting the flavour but this has been a matter of conjecture.

Reference Series II.3 allows you to form your own opinion!


Reference Series II.3
 Nose: Darker than II, more like amber. Minty, orange and caramel.

Palate: Fruity with sweet chocolate.

Finish: Spicy hit more pronounced, sweeter finish and grapefruit is still there.

Overall: Though it should taste basically the same I find that this seems sweeter, even icing sugary when compared to the II. Interesting!
50cl, 47.2%
£55.95

Tasting Notes – Reference Series II.1

This Reference Series takes a portion of the Reference Series II blend and finishes it in a fresh 50 litre cask previously used to hold Pedro Ximénez Sherry.


Reference Series II.1
 Nose: Sweet, woody with a lovely chocolatey aroma.

Palate: Rich, sweet, sherried fruits.

Finish: Long, peppery sweet n’ spicy that goes on forever.

Overall: Amazing how much sweetness the sherry casks impart when compared with II. It’s achieved a pleasant softness that was missing before.
50cl, 47.5%
£59.95

Tasting Notes – Reference Series II.2

This Reference Series takes a portion of the Reference Series II blend and includes 10% heavily peated Islay Single Malt.


Reference Series II.2
 Nose: Heavy peat, smoke and woodyness – basically dominating the nose.

Palate: Peat and smokey, sweet cake mixture and orange.

Finish: Long pepper spice, peat remains but not so powerfully.

Overall: The peats the thing with this dram but not so much as to totally swamp the blend altogether. Nice!
50cl, 47.4%
£56.95

Once again, much food (or drams) for thought – it’s really quite a challenge for the tastebuds and a unique way to see how a whiskies flavour changes with staged additions.

My favourite is proably the Reference Series II.2 with the 10% heavily peated Islay Single Malt. Always a bit of a sucker for peated whiskies I found this to be a nice balance between the range.

But don’t take my word for it – get back to school and enjoy some in-depth study yourself!

Many thanks to @MaverickDrinks for the samples.

Whisky Tasting: LAPHROAIG LIVE 2014!

by Leave a Comment

Heaven comes in 3cl. samples bottles!

Heaven comes in 3cl. samples bottles!

Wednesday 24th September saw the eighth annual Laphroaig Live broadcast from Sweden.

Streamed live from a tiny island called Fjäderholmarna, which is part of the archipelago just outside Stockholm, it was uniquely Scandinavian in flavour.

Of course this may have had something to do with the show’s location, a famous smokery restaurant called Rökeriet!

This years panel of whisky experts had the pleasure of sharing four phenomenal Laphroaigs:-

  • The latest Global expression called Select.
  • This year’s much acclaimed Cairdeas finished in Amontillado casks.
  • A unique 12 year old triple casked Nordic special.
  • A fourth sample that was decided by a Friends of Laphroaig online vote – the Laphroaig 18 Year Old in this case.

As always, the Distillery Manager, John Campbell was a member of the expert tasting panel accompanied by three famous Swedish personalities: Nour el Refai – a comedian, TV personality, host and a well-known Swedish radio presenter, Peter Borg – chairman of the Swedish Whisky Association and Håkan Dahlberg – a prolific Swedish whisky blogger of I Love Whisky.

The show ended with promises and hints of some great things coming for Laphroaig’s 200th. Anniversary next year, including long-hoped for 15 and 21 year old single malts.

No prizes for guessing where Laphroaig Live will be held next year then – Roll on 2015!

The Laphroaig range can be seen here!

Tasting Notes – Laphroaig The latest Global expression called Select

Laphroaig Select takes its name from the special selection of American and European casks, chosen for their unique character that they give during maturation.

Olorosso sherry butts, straight American white oak (non-filled with bourbon), PX seasoned hogs heads, Quarter Casks and finally First Filled Bourbon Casks were all used to vary cask maturation techniques enabling the creation of 6 new flavour combinations that were then tested by ‘The Friends of Laphroaig’.

From this they chose their favourite which then became LAPHROAIG SELECT.

Nose: Lovely smoke and peat hit straight away! Sweet, heathery overtones

Palate: Sweet sherry floral flavours with a peaty backnote.

Finish: Mild spice n’ pepper, lingering warm finish.

Overall: Another hit for this ever popular dram – but you need to be a ‘Friend of Laphroaig’ to purchase and enjoy it – but that’s not a great hardship!

Tasting Notes – Laphroaig This year’s much acclaimed Cairdeas

A firm favourite with ‘The Friends of Laphroaig’ is each Cairdeas release. This year is no exception with the Cairdeas being a Laphroaig that has been double matured first in “first fill” ex-bourbon casks then in Amontillado hogsheads for one year.

 Nose: Sweet sherry notes with rich chocolate.

Palate: Sweet, christmassy cake flavours with added cinnamon.

Finish: Smooth, sweet sherry with a mild finish.

Overall: There is muted smokiness and peat – surprising on such a powerful spirit – but that doesn’t mean that this release isn’t morish!

Tasting Notes – Laphroaig 12 year old Nordic special

A special creation for Laphroaig’s legion of Nordic fans using the traditional 10 year old as a starting point and triple casking over a further 2 year period.

Not currently available, it is due for release in the Scandinavian market at the end of the year.

 Nose: Peat, smokiness and heathery scents with a sea tang.

Palate: Classic 10YO Laphroaig peat & smoke with a nice sweet sherriness, shades of grapefruit.

Finish: Spiciness abounds with quite fierce pepper – but don’t worry – it compliments the sweetness!

Overall: This is going to be a popular dram – but you may need to travel to buy and enjoy it – that’s if the Nordic fans are willing to let it go!

Tasting Notes – Laphroaig 18 Year Old ( 40% )

A true classic and one chosen by ‘The Friends of Laphroaig’ to be the fourth malt to be tasted during the nights show. Last, but certaunly not least, this 18YO was worth all the waiting in the world for!

Made in limited quantities each year and therefore only able to be savoured by a fortunate few.

Nose: Peat smoke with a lovely caramel toffee.

Palate: Sherry and sultana sweetness, chocolate and banana.

Finish: Very smooth – the famous peat takes a partial backseat for sweetness, chocolate and heather!

Overall: A simply stunning dram – treat with respect – there’s not much of it about!

The Laphroaig range can be seen here!

Many thanks to @markettiers4dc for the samples and, of course, @Laphroaig without whom.

Whisky Tasting: Kilchoman’s Port Cask Matured!

by Leave a Comment

Kilchoman Port Cask Matured 2014

Kilchoman Port Cask Matured 2014

Well I think I’m in love!

I’ve just been sampling the latest offering from Kilchoman, their Port Cask Matured.

In my humble opinion I think it’s one of the finest drams I’ve ever tasted – a pure delight from nose to swallow!

Kilchoman’s Port Cask Matured release, the first of its kind from the distillery, is fully matured in ex-Ruby Port casks allowing for the full influence of the port casks to be imparted into the whisky.

Anthony Wills, managing director of Kilchoman, said: “We experimented with a number of different cask types to see which ones worked for a full maturation term and the ruby port casks are exceptional at just 3 years old.

The palate has a wonderful balance of port influence but maintains much of Kilchoman’s signature characteristics”

The Port Cask Matured release is non chill-filtered and is bottled at 55% ABV.

If love be a fleeting thing then I’m afraid this is true in the case of the Kilchoman Port Cask Matured – they have only released 1,000 cases and most online stockists seem to be out of stock already.

At the time of scribing only Abbey Whisky still holds stocks but they are on a strictly one bottle per customer arrangement – I think these will go very quickly.

So, don’t be tardy, grab one today and relish 70cl. of liquid love!

Tasting Notes – Kilchoman Port Cask Matured ( Cask strength – 55% )

Nose: Rich, glorious mahogany colour. A smokey peat that hits you straight away followed by Vanilla and chocolate.

Palate: Peat and smoke with a lustrous sweetness, shades of fruity cake mixture and a citrus zing.

Finish: Mellow warmth, smokiness and spice all lovingly blended – lingering sherry sweet provides a long finish.

Overall: The smoothness belies the 55% strength from this malt – it is gorgeous! If you can get hold of a bottle – do! You will not regret it. One of the best drams I’ve ever tasted!

Many thanks to Kilchoman (@Kilchoman05) for sending the sample!

Tasting Notes – Kilchoman 5YO Exclusive Bottling From Abbey Whisky!

by Leave a Comment

Tasting Notes - Kilchoman 5 YO Exclusive bottling

Tasting Notes – Kilchoman 5 YO Exclusive bottling

There is no doubt, it is official. Kilchoman is a very popular Islay malt whisky!

Not only does it fly off the shelves with each celebrated release but the whisky and it’s producers have also garnered a clutch of prestigious awards including Master Distiller of the Year 2013, Whisky of the Year at IWC 2013, Whisky Advocate’s Award for Islay Single Malt 2013 and Malt Advocates Artisan Whisky 2011.

From it’s first inception in 2005, the founder Anthony Wills was determined to get back to basics with whisky distilling.

Using barley which is grown in fields surrounding the distillery and traditional floor malting are just two of the processes undertaken at the distillery.

This dedication to detail is reflected in it’s flavour.

Seeing red can be a good thing!

Seeing red can be a good thing!

Abbey Whisky has managed to secure themselves a cask of this dram nectar and because they are very kind people, they are willing to share it with us!

Cask #285/09 has been matured for over four and a half years in a fresh bourbon barrel before being transferred to a Pedro Ximénez cask for a further four months maturation.

The idea is the Pedro Ximénez finish softens things down a little but still allows the dram to hold the traditional taste & characteristics of a Kilchoman whisky.

I think they have succeded!

Tasting Notes – Kilchoman 5 YO Exclusive bottling ( Cask strength – 58.3% )

Nose: Golden amber colour. Peaty aromas with brown sugar and vanilla.

Palate: Thickly peaty, sweet caramel combined with plump sultanas and a full cask strength alcohol hit to knock yer socks off!

Finish: Long spicy finish with slight peatyness, a modicum of tanin.

Overall: This is a fine meaty dram – the 58.3% sure packs a punch but in a controlled, defined way. It is difficult to believe this is such a young malt, it’s flavours offer a maturity seen in much older drams.
A malt whisky that is wise beyond it’s years!

Can’t believe Abbey Whisky is releasing this cask – I’d be tempted to keep it for private consumption.

But then, the folks at Abbey Whisky are very generous!

Many thanks to Abbey Whisky (@abbeywhisky) for sending the sample!

Kilchoman 5 YO Exclusive bottling has a limited stock of 270 bottles and is available to buy from Abbey Whisky priced at £78.95

Whisky Discovery Tasting: Tickets On Sale Now For An Exclusive Canadian Night!

by Leave a Comment

Whisky Discovery Tasting - 4 June

Whisky Discovery Tasting – 4 June

Whisky Discovery Tasting


Wednesday 4th. June 2014 (6:30 – 10pm)

The Embankment Pub, The Embankment, Bedford, MK40 3PD

Tickets £35.00

Kat and Dave from the Whisky Discovery blog are holding another of their successful whisky tastings in Bedford.

Their previous event in March sold out so it’s best to book early to be sure of getting a place!

This is an exclusive Canadian whisky tasting, where you get the chance to taste 7 different whiskies that are not available to buy in the UK. Guest host for the evening will be Canadian Whisky Blogger and expert, Johanne McInnis (aka WhiskyLassie).

They are also experimenting with a beer and chocolate pairing. During the interval there will be deli boards to tuck into, giving you a chance to chat with fellow guests and ask the expert any questions.

It’s promised to be a fun and relaxed evening, open to any new whisky drinkers and seasoned connoisseurs looking to try something new.

To book a place contact Kat at kat@whiskydiscovery.com.

For more information: Whisky Discovery Tasting

Tasting Notes: Kilchoman 4th Limited Edition 100% Islay Single Malt Whisky!

by Leave a Comment

Kilchoman 4th Limited Edition 100% Islay Single Malt Whisky

Kilchoman 4th Limited Edition 100% Islay Single Malt Whisky

Kilchoman has released its 4th limited edition 100% Islay whisky!

Forty first-fill bourbon barrels were selected, 32 five year old and eight four-year-old for the limited edition bottling.

The 4th Edition of 100% Islay is non chill-filtered, natural colour and bottled at 50% ABV.

The 100% Islay whisky range is unique. It is produced from barley grown at the distillery, and every step of the production is completed onsite so it is literally 100% Islay from barley to bottling. Previous editions have been awarded 2013 IWSC bronze, Spirits Business Gold and IWC Silver.

The 100% Islay is only lightly peated compared to the more heavily peated Kilchoman Machir Bay and Loch Gorm expressions.

Anthony Wills, managing director of Kilchoman, said: “The 100% Islay range is something we are very proud of and we hope that people will enjoy the latest offering. It is very exciting to be able to offer a product which is created 100% on Islay.”

“The 4th edition represents a significant development in the maturity of our 100% Islay range,” commented John MacLellan, distillery manager. “Its balance and complexity far surpassed our expectations.”

Kilchoman has also recently celebrated the appointment of George Wills at Kilchoman Distillery which means that there is now a full complement of the Wills’ family working at Scotland’s only farm distillery on Islay.

George joins his two brothers James and Peter, plus parents Anthony and Kathy Wills.

George’s particular remit will primarily be developing sales in the UK, although with a small family business he is often called on to turn his hand to many aspects of the business.

After working in the agricultural and property arenas, George was attracted to the drinks and hospitality sector, initially working as assistant manager at the renowned Oystercatcher Restaurant on Loch Fyne.

Three years on he moved to a gastro pub in north Wales, before taking on the management of a gastro pub in North Wales and latterly managing three pubs for Brightspire, where he has been working for the last five years.

George said: “I am very excited to join the rest of my family at Kilchoman and help promote our brands, throughout the UK particularly.”

From September this year the three brothers will embark on a five week journey around Europe in a specially adapted Land Rover, visiting European distributors and holding tastings at 20 or more events.

In November they will visit UK distributors and whisky events.

In the 1940s the boys’ great grandfather and his brother, Spencer and Maurice Wilks, designed and manufactured the first Land Rover in Britain.

It is fitting that 80 years on the entrepreneurial young brothers are setting off on their own journey of discovery to promote whisky that they have been helping produce at their family distillery on Islay – in a specially designed Land Rover.

Tasting Notes – Kilchoman 100% Islay 4th Edition Malt Whisky ( 50% ABV )


Kilchoman Loch Gorm Single Malt Whisky
 Nose: A pale straw colour malt with a smoky and peaty nose. Hints of citrus fruits.

Palate: Very light on the tongue. Surprising sweetness and smoky mellow peat. Dried fruit and spicy fruit cake mixture.

Finish: Dry black pepper, smooth smokiness which lingers long. The 50% gives it some bite!

Overall: I find this very similar to The Loch Gorm but with a milder peat hit. But that’s not a negative, just another way to enjoy the gorgeous peat flavours! Once again, a fantastic, morish dram that I’m sure will be well received by peat and Kilchoman lovers!
70cl, 50%
Average: £64.99

Many thanks to Kilchoman for the sample.


Kilchoman was founded in 2005 and is one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland and was the first distillery to be built on Islay for 125 years.

A working farm distillery, it is one of only a handful of distilleries still practising floor malting.

Kilchoman also grows a portion of its barley at the distillery, and completes all parts of the production process, from barley to bottling on the island.

Since the first bottling was released in 2008, Kilchoman has established itself as a high quality Islay Single Malt Whisky, winning the following awards:-

  • Kilchoman’s exceptional quality was recognised at the prestigious International Whisky Competition (IWC) when Anthony Wills was named Master Distiller of the Year 2013.
  • Machir Bay was named Whisky of the Year at IWC 2013. Loch Gorm was also awarded Gold, Machir Bay received Silver and 100% Islay 2nd Ed was given bronze.
  • Kilchoman 2007 Vintage received Whisky Advocate’s Award for Islay Single Malt of the Year 2013.
  • In 2012 Machir Bay was awarded two prestigious IWSC Gold medals and a Silver medal, and was named in GQ’s Best 100 Things of 2012.
  • Kilchoman won Malt Advocates Artisan Whisky of the Year 2011, only three years after the first bottling was released.

Kilchoman is available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

Tags

10 Year Old 12 year old 15 Year Old 40% 43% 46% 1980 Ardbeg bottle bottled bottling bourbon Bowmore Caol cask casks distillery douglas Glen Glenfarclas Glenlivet Glenmorangie gordon Highland Island Islay laing Laphroaig Lowland Macallan macphail malt range rare refill scotch sherry signatory single Speyside Springbank strength whisky year years

Archives

QR Code

QR Code for malthound.co.uk - scan the image with your smartphone & access malt whisky on the move!