HIGHLAND PARK ICE 17YO - DISTILLERY BOTTLING

Another anticipated release for this spring, is the Highland Park 'Ice'...

It's the first Highland Park Limited Edition after their 'Valhalla'-series and with this one, they remain with the Norse Mythology, this time going back to the legend of the creation of the realms, starting with 'Ice' and ending with 'Fire' in late summer/early autumn of 2016. Official sources confirm that there will not be 9 bottlings even though there are 9 realms in the Norse Mythology - Just to clear that up right away :-)

What else, you ask? well, the 'Ice' is made up of 100% ex-bourbon casks. There is, however, a small twist to these casks... they all had toasted oak cask ends, adding just a bit more to the whisky. It's also 'limited' to 30.000 bottles, 'limited' here meaning its a one-off bottling, there will not be another batch. Its RRP is £190, which is about 5% more than the last bottling in the 'Valhalla'-series, but it may, of course, vary depending on your location.

Preliminary rumors say this will taste much like the 'Freya' from the 'Valhalla'-series, so let's see if that's true...

Official picture by Highland Park

Highland Park 'Ice' 17yo 53,9%, ex-bourbon casks, 30.000 bottles, Distillery bottling

Colour is pale straw

Nose:
Very closed right after its poured - this needs a little TLC. After 10 mins with my hand around my Glencairn, this is a whole other creature. The nose is very deep and warming with vanilla, papaya, pineapple, orange blossoms, fresh ginger, sugary wort, hints of mint, buttered toast and a dash of smoke. Very nice :-)

Taste:
The arrival is thick and creamy and right away it gives off a little alcohol bite. This is replaced with lashing of honey, vanilla, spicy malt, overripe lemon, hints of cinnamon, gingerbread, orange liqueur and and some mellow peat. The finish shows a little licorice and spicy/peppery and vanilla'ed malt.

Not as light in style as expected, this one...

It carries that warm and thick feeling through both on the nose and palate and I don't really think it lives up to its name in that respect, but I do see where the official statement about this one being similar to the 'Freya' comes from. They are similar, yes, but I think if Highland Park had called 'Freya' for Ice and vice versa, the names and styles, would have fitted more properly.

Other than that, its there's not much to comment on other than its good straight forward whisky...

86/100!

Sample provided by Edrington Denmark

WOLFBURN 3YO (2016) - DISTILLERY BOTTLING

A very anticipated released in March 2016 is the first whisky from Wolfburn Distillery in Thurso, on the very edge of Caithness in northern Scotland.

Those of who you doesn't know Wolfburn, the distillery is rebuilt very close to where the original Wolfburn Distillery was built in 1821. The original distillery only operated for about 40 years before fell silent and into ruin.

The planning for the new Wolfburn Distillery started in 2011 and already in January 2013 the first spirit flowed off the stills at the new Wolfburn Distillery and for the past few weeks the guys at Wolfburn have been bottling their first release - a 3yo from ex-bourbon casks.

Read more about the story and resurrection of Wolfburn on their official website here: http://www.wolfburn.com/

You're probably very interested in what this tastes like, so let's get down to business...

Wolfburn Wall of Casks - Picture from Wolfburn Media Kit

Wolfburn 3yo 46% ex-bourbon barrels & quarter casks (2016) - Distillery bottling

Colour is pale white wine

Nose:

Picture by Wolfburn DK

A sweet and very mellow nose with vanilla and some apple, lemon, ginger shortbread, green banana and warm laundry out of the dryer. Yes, its young whisky, but served blind I would have guessed around 6-7 years as it has no real rough edges - you really have to take you time to find just vague hints of real youth in this, very impressive in fact!

Taste:
Just a slight bit more youth on the palate than on the nose, but still far from anything invasive. Lots of grassy and lemony notes. If left for a short while it gets slightly more fruity with nectarines coming through, along with ginger and a bit of vanilla again. Eventually some green grapes and an acidic and peppery and drying punch comes along with some cooling cucumber notes towards the very finish - a finish which is surprisingly long for such a young whisky!

OK, this is perhaps not a super complex of whisky, but people, it's just 3 years old and what they've managed at Wolfburn in such a short time is really commendable and its probably some of the best 3yo whisky I've tried.

Gonna love watching this one grow up... it definitely has potential!

83/100!

Wolfburn is available from March 18th 2016 in the UK and around Easter elsewhere, though it may vary from country to country.

Sample provided by the Danish Wolfburn Distributor

MACALLAN 1989 25YO - CADENHEAD AUTHENTIC COLLECTION

Much have been said about The Macallan amongst whisky anoraks over the past years...

First there was the launch of the Fine Oak series, which give us a look at what Macallan tastes like when you mix ex-bourbon and sherry casks. Back then there was an outcry and comments like 'its not The Macallan style' and 'You've ruined Macallan' were uttered. Still, you could get your usual sherry matured age statement Macallans along with your Fine Oaks, only that was about to change as well with the arrival of the Macallan 1824-series in 2013. Gone were the low end age statements and instead we saw the introduction of the 'Gold', 'Amber', 'Sienna' and 'Ruby' and again the uproar was there...

Now, as a whisky anorak I understand this... even if the 'Sienna' and 'Ruby' are good whiskies and the ones worth pursuing in the 1824-series, they are somewhat overpriced... but hey, what whisky isn't overpriced these days or on its way to be? More importantly - we need disclosure - whats in the bottle? if its only 7 years old, tell us so we can make an informed decision on whether we want to spend out hard earned money on what's being offered or if we want to go elsewhere.Now, I know got a bit off topic here, but those following my blog will know that this is an issue I care about *end of rant*

But what about Macallan from bourbon cask, like the ones that went into their Fine Oak series? Well, they're (so far) only available from the independent bottlers... but its my experience that it can work just fine. Macallan actually have a very good base spirit, that, that works just fine if the cask makeup is all right and a little age is added to it. You are, of course, not getting your usual expected sherried style of Macallans, but who says that bad if the cask is good?

This one from Cadenheads is a great example of just that...

Macallan old section - stillhouse no. 1 just visible to the left, June 12th 2013, © The Malt Desk

Macallan 1989 (xx.xx.1989/xx.10.2014) 25yo 51,4%, ex-bourbon barrel, Cadenhead Authentic Collection

Colour is golden

Nose:
Thick malt, a handful vanilla, some laid back citrus and a slight flora note. I also find a little warm apple pie in here. After a while, what I can only describe as gingery notes peeps through. There's white chocolate and a honeyed creaminess to go with that as well. The alcohol never gets invasive but instead delivers the above notes beautifully.

Taste:
Incredibly mouth filling with big waves of malt, oranges, vanilla custard and a little toffee. There's a red berry notes in here as well, more apple, hints of pineapple, fresh toast and birthday cake base. Mid to end palate really shows how good a malt spirit this is, as it gets incredibly smooth and the malts just keeps rushing in all the way to the end.

This is great stuff!

89/100!

IMPERIAL 1995 19YO - SIGNATORY VINTAGE SERIES

The New Year 2012/2013 saw the end of the old Imperial Distillery... the plans for its demolition was put into action, leaving only the old warehouses on site. Originally founded in 1897, it was given the name 'Imperial' in honor of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria I, though there wasn't much imperial greatness over its production span. It was closed several times over the years, so much that its actually spent 60% of being closed, rather than producing and it was mothballed for the last time in 1998.

By summer 2015 site owners, Pernod Ricard/Chivas Bros had finish building their new super distillery on site - Dalmunach, capable of producing some 10 mill. liters of spirit annually, placing it the same league as Glenfiddich, Ailsa Bay, Macallan and Glenlivet (might have forgotten about 1 or 2 more...).

Upon hearing about the plans to build a new distillery on site, I remember thinking and hoping for a new place that would not spoil the sights and tranquillity of the place. The old distillery wasn't a beauty - far from, but looking at Dalmunach, I think they've done a more than decent design job - to me it looks like a combination of both something new and old... so good job!

Time for the review...

Imperial Distillery, August 26th 2012 © The Malt Desk

Dalmunach Distillery, May 1st 2015 © The Malt Desk

Imperial 1995 19yo (21.08.1995/02.12.2014) 52,2%, Hogsheads#50165+50166, 546 bottles, Signatory Vintage

Colour is light amber

Nose:
Very rich and full - this has the making of an after-dinner dram to me...
I guessing the 2 refill sherry hoggies maybe? Lots of nuts, orange and overripe apple, lashings of thick juicy malt, a little vanilla caramel, honey. With time the nose starts heading in a clear citrussy direction. Leaving it for longer even notes of hops can be found...

Stunning nose!

Taste:
Very graceful bitter-sweet arrival, oranges and butter caramels. More fruits, apple and pears mostly along with cinnamon buns. Mid to end palate lots of malt and citrus comes through along with vanilla sticks and some peppery notes. The whole experience is very well balanced and creamy making this one of the best Imperials I've tried...

Glad I have a full bottle of this a rainy day! Excellent stuff!

89/100!

SMITH'S GLENLIVET 1974/2011 - GORDON & MACPHAIL

In continuation of Gordon & Macphail's 'The wood makes the whisky'-campaign, we once again find ourselves heading back to yesteryear, this time to 1974.

Also I always take extra care when tasting old whiskies like this as:

1. Old whiskies like this can be quite fragile and can easily fall apart, especially if (too much) water is added...
2. Time and oxidation in the glass and/or the bottle if not sealed properly
3. I cherish every chance I get to try old whiskies like this...
   With the way prices are going, it looks like that old whisky like this will be only for a select few in the future (read: people with money to spend on old whiskies) 
   

That, of course, warrants a whole other discussion, one covered elsewhere, both on here and in multiple online Fora and Facebook groups, so not getting into that any further during this post 

I often get a bit nostalgic when trying old whiskies like this,as they were made before computers took over most of the production and when making whisky were still very much 'hands on' ... add to that a great visit to Glenlivet Distillery during Spirit of Speyside 2013, a good tasting and ending the whole tour with quite a bit of 1977 sherry cask matured Glenlivet straight from the cask... Now what's not to love about that :-)

Let's get down to business before the nostalgia takes over and see what the wood have made of this whisky...

Old casks mixed with new ones at Glenlivet, May 4th 2013 © The Malt Desk

Smith's Glenlivet 1974/2011 43%, refill American oak & refill sherry casks

Colour is amber

Nose:

Picture by G&M

Oh, you got to love this nose - lots of things going on...
Polished cedar wood, fresh mint, floral notes and overripe fruit. With time, what I can only describe as dried herbs peeks through. There's also a darker note in there - maybe dark roast coffee beans or dark chocolate...

I could nose this all evening :-)

Taste:

Start off slightly spicy with peppery oak, then a rush of fruit - oranges/apricot style, but getting a bit thin mid-palate which surprises me a the delivery promised so much more... It does come back on the finish with some hints of vanilla, a little anise and some 'Grand Marnier' liquor.

This nose on this one is stunning, but the palate doesn't quite follow through, I'm afraid... still, its very, very good but I did expect just a little bit more from this one...

88/100!

Official sample provided by Gordon & Macphail

BENROMACH 35YO - DISTILLERY BOTTLING

Early in the 1980s, the production team at Benromach laid down some of sherry casks that has gone onto to becoming the new 35yo Benromach. Very few casks from that era remains as Benromach Distillery in was mothballed in 1983 and for that reason we're now looking at a production gap from 1983 until 1998 when Gordon & Macphail started production there again.

On its way to the retailers now are the Benromach 35yo which will land at a price of around £425 depending on where in the world you are. Its beautifully packaged and if you ask me, it could have been a lot more expensive than it is, when you compare it to similar bottlings from other distilleries... that said, the price tag still places it in the premium range of whiskies out there.

So, what's all the fuzz about, you ask?

Picture by G&M

Benromach 35yo 43% - Distillery bottling

Colour is Amber

Nose:

The first thing that comes to mind is just lovely old mellow whisky. There's a bit of lacquer, lots of overripe fruit - some very tropical in style, orange peel, honeycomb, barley wine, a noticeable smoky/burnt note in there as well along with a very present cinnamon note.... there's something about this whisky that reminds me of Xmas :-)

Picture by G&M

Taste:

Again very mellow, brown banana, fresh raisins, honey cake, marinated pear, some resin, slightly musty, more oranges and chocolate. On the finish, some toasted oak and traditional tobacco shop along with a refreshing hint of mint

This is great whisky from when I was still in school - time flies!

90/100!

Official sample provided by Gordon & Macphail

RARE BENROMACH 35 YEARS OLD SINGLE MALT WHISKY UNVEILED

The Benromach Distillery Company Ltd. today reveals one of their rarest expressions to date, Benromach 35 Years Old, an exclusive whisky crafted at the distillery before the Urquhart family, owners of leading whisky specialist Gordon & MacPhail, revived it in 1998.

Handcrafted using the finest natural ingredients at the Forres distillery, Benromach 35 Years Old is an exceptional whisky with real heritage and an original tale or two, having been laid down to mature in the 1980’s.  

Golden amber in colour, Benromach 35 Years Old (ABV 43%) is a most satisfying Speysider with cinnamon hints and beeswax polish, stewed pear and a delicate charred Oak edge.

The bespoke decanter style bottle protecting the precious whisky is encased within a wooden presentation box, reflecting the various elements which have gone into making the whisky; the copper stills, the dark, grained wood of the original washbacks, and the white of the limewashed distillery walls.

This rare whisky, dating back to a time before Benromach was restored in the ‘90s, exudes the heritage of the Speyside distillery. Created under the watchful eye of Donald MacDonald, former Distillery Manager, the casks this whisky was matured in have long been a part of the Benromach history. Willie McArthur, former malt man and warehouseman, was one of the workers responsible for protecting the precious casks remaining in the bonded warehouses.  

Benromach Distillery Manager Keith Cruickshank said: “Benromach 35 Years Old is a very special whisky for everyone at the distillery, as very few casks of Benromach remain from this time period. “Benromach today is created respecting the traditional working practices of yesteryear and is lovingly handcrafted by sight, by sound, and by touch, using the finest natural ingredients. The 35 Years Old is the perfect dram to toast the past, present and future of Benromach.”

Official Tasting notes:

Benromach 35 Years Old, 43% ABV

Colour: Golden amber

Aroma without water: Rich sherry influences with orange marmalade, kiwi and grapefruit aromas, complemented by gorgeous cinnamon spice

Taste without water: Initially, it is sweet on the palate with honey, fruitcake, ripe banana and melon flavours. Watch out for the smooth white chocolate edge as it develops, combined with a soft menthol note, giving a full body and long and smooth fruity finish

Aroma with water: Sherry influences with honey, blackcurrant and beeswax polish aromas, complemented by a subtle hint of cloves

Taste with water: A fabulous combination of white pepper followed by dried tobacco, dewy stewed pear, raisin and zesty orange peel flavours, heightened by a delicate edge of charred oak… the result of lingering for over three decades in oak casks.

Benromach 35 Years Old is available to purchase at specialist whisky retailers with an RRP in the United Kingdom of £425. Prices may vary in international markets due to duty and import taxes. For more information on Benromach, and to explore the wide range of expressions available, please visit www.benromach.com

About Benromach

Originally built in 1898, Benromach Distillery was brought back to life when leading whisky specialists Gordon & MacPhail purchased it in 1993. The distillery was extensively re-equipped over a five-year period before it was officially opened by HRH Prince Charles in 1998.

In reopening Benromach Distillery, Gordon & MacPhail decided to create a classic Speyside single malt – a style that draws its influence from Speyside whiskies pre-1960s.

Benromach Distillery is located on the outskirts of the ancient market town of Forres. A four-star visitor centre is open to the public throughout the year for tours and tastings. Benromach Distillery is a member of the world famous malt whisky trail.

AILSA BAY NAS SINGLE MALT - AILSA BAY

One of the upcoming releases in February is the Ailsa Bay Single Malt from Ailsa Distillery in Girvan in the Scottish lowlands.

Ailsa-what some of you might say?? Well, its the Wm. Grants & Sons (Glenfiddich, Balvenie, Kininvie, Girvan) new powerhouse of a distillery, neighbouring the Girvan Grain Distillery. It was built back in 2007 and was up until August 2013 equipped with 12 washbacks and 8 stills when another set of each was put into production, bring it up to 24 washbacks and 16 stills with a total capacity of 12.000.000 liters of spirit annually.

The distillery produces 4 types of spirit on its Balvenie-style stills. One light and fruity, one slightly more sulphury and 2 peated spirits... one medium peated and one heavily peated, around 50ppm.

The one in the review below will be the medium peated version on 21pp, around the same as Bowmore Distillery on Islay. This version was actually released in Denmark at the start of November 2015 and since its official release is coming up, it'll be a good time to review it here...

The Ailsa Bay Bottle, January 22nd 2016 © The Malt Desk 2016

Ailsa Bay No-age-statement, 48,9%, 21ppm, Distillery bottling

Colour is pale straw

Nose:
A lovely sweetness at first, vanilla, grist, pot ale, some floral notes (fabric softener?) and a few feinty notes peeking through - nothing offensive though... and then there's the smokiness. Its always there and present from the first nosing - complimenting the sweetness quite well.

Taste:
How old is this stuff? 6-7yo maybe? if so I'd say it has been in some very active casks... It has quite a decent arrival on pear notes, grass, custard, ginger, hints of white wine, lots of honey, fresh flowers from the garden and a very noticeable smoke (not peat), followed by a oaky/peppery rush. It reminds me of something in between an Arran and a Glenlivet with added smoke, so that isn't at all bad, right?

Now, regular readers will know I'm not a fan of NAS whisky unless its priced accordingly to whats in actually in the bottle - so is this one?? No, its too expensive if you ask me, at least here in Denmark where its just under £70

Is it good? Yes, its a nice fresh young whisky in a style that I could get used to... had it been at a better price.

84/100!

Finally, big thanks to Adrian for the sample

ARDMORE 1996 - GORDON & MACPHAIL

Quite often we see that the maturation of peated whisky in sherry casks turns out quite well, in fact there are already a few contemporary classics out there to prove that already - bottlings like Ardbeg 76 Manager's Choice, the Lagavulin 1985 21yo and the Talisker 1981 20yo. These are all island whiskies, which are often known for their peated style, but there's also distilleries on the Scottish Mainland that produces peated whisky - and one of them is Ardmore Distillery in Kennethmont in the East Highlands between Aberdeen and Huntly.

This particular expression is also matured in refill sherry hogsheads and is bottled by Gordon & Macphail, carrying the G&M Distillery label - a label expression also done by G&M with Glen Grant Distillery.

This whisky is a part of the Gordon & Macphail 'The Wood Makes the Whisky'-campaign... Here's my take on it...

Ardmore 1996 1996/2013 43%, refill sherry hogsheads, Gordon & Macphail

Colour is light amber

Picture by G&M

Nose:
Very sweet, yet distinctly peaty. Not heavily Islay-style peat but a rather delicate, yet noticeable one delivered with intertwining vinous notes. Quite delicious, actually. There's apple and some pepper in here accompanied by some lovely sweet candied and nutty notes

Taste:
Peat and a clear apple/pear theme and slightly burnt pastry. Quite some peated caramel notes and some warm banana over a bonfire. The finish reveals slight citrus notes and then heads towards thick toffee caramel notes and some spicy oak.

I'm most fond of whisky with an abv of 46+ because with those I can add the amount of water that fits my palate.... but one of the things that Gordon & Macphail seems to be quite good at is making sure that the flavour delivery in their whiskies almost never comes across thin. A big pad on the back to the folks at Gordon & Macphail for that... just remember to keep an age statement on your releases in the future too ;-)

85/100!

Official sample provided by Gordon & Macphail

** MERRY CHRISTMAS 2015 **

Have a Merry Christmas - The Malt Desk will be back in 2016