Blends Live Tasting Oct. 8th-10th

[pkt77242]

The Whiskies

Johnnie Walker Red, Black and Gold
Dewar's White and 12
Chivas Regal 12 and 18
Famous Grouse 12
Cutty Sark
J&B
Grant's
And any other blended whisky you may have...

Date and Time

Friday 8th Octl 7:00pm GMT - Sunday 10th Oct.

About...
For those of you who do not know what these are about, they run for generally 12+ hours and we all sit down (at various times) to taste a range of whiskies and share our notes and comments on the forum. Have a look in the Live Tasting forum for past events.

They are a great way to meet people on the forum, chat about your experiences and learn something new about the whiskies you have, and we all end up having a good time.

Please feel free to join in and post any comments or tasting notes you have. Tasting notes can be added using the Tasting Note tab on the postings page. (Note, the Age field on the tasting must be a number such as 7,9,10,18)


Here are the notes from last time we did this tasting. viewtopic.php?f=21&t=10954

[Ganga]

Hello Sean. Will you be doing some tasting this evening?

[pkt77242]

Hello Sean. Will you be doing some tasting this evening?

Ganga, I should be. I have 3 or 4 blends to taste.

[Ganga]

Ok, I'll be right back with a couple of blends.

[pkt77242]

Ok, I'll be right back with a couple of blends.

Think I will start with some Dewar's White Label

[Ganga]

How low can you go? I'm starting with the VAT69.

[pkt77242]

How low can you go? I'm starting with the VAT69.

That souds much better than this. I opened up the SOI Chat as well

[Ganga]

VAT 69 Gold Golden Light
40%
large brandy glass
Color: bright gold
Nose: fermenting grass, grain husks, estery
Palate: old raw grain, green grass, honey graham crackers
Finish: short, graham crackers and esters

[pkt77242]

Dewars White Label

N: honey, porridge, and some grain. Slightly bitterish. Some alcohol. Very slight okra smell.
P: Honey, lemon zest and some alcohol. Just a touch of grain and bitter nuts.
F: Short, bitter and some alcohol. A touch of lemon and nuts (mostly brazil).

Not to my liking. Not the worst I have ever had but I am not buying a bottle (this was a gift).

[Ganga]

Dewars White Label

N: honey, porridge, and some grain. Slightly bitterish. Some alcohol. Very slight okra smell.
P: Honey, lemon zest and some alcohol. Just a touch of grain and bitter nuts.
F: Short, bitter and some alcohol. A touch of lemon and nuts (mostly brazil).

Not to my liking. Not the worst I have ever had but I am not buying a bottle (this was a gift).

Gift? Seems more like some baited a trap.

[pkt77242]

Dewars White Label

N: honey, porridge, and some grain. Slightly bitterish. Some alcohol. Very slight okra smell.
P: Honey, lemon zest and some alcohol. Just a touch of grain and bitter nuts.
F: Short, bitter and some alcohol. A touch of lemon and nuts (mostly brazil).

Not to my liking. Not the worst I have ever had but I am not buying a bottle (this was a gift).

Gift? Seems more like some baited a trap.

A co-worker heard that I like scotch and so bought this for me for Christmas one year. Nice thought, but not so great for drinking (I mostly use it for hot toddies)

[pkt77242]

JW Gold 18

N: Honey, pears, peach and grain (coming across as oatmeal mostly). Just a touch of vanilla and cinnamon.
P: Honey and vanilla oatmeal. Some peaches as well. rather smooth with no alcohol. A hint of nuts (cashews and macadamia).
F: medium on honey and cinnamon. A touch of fruit (peach and pear). Slightly drying but still rather sweet.

Normally when I taste this against single malt it doesn't hold up but putting it against the Dewars White Lable makes it taste very good. For someone use to cheap blends this would be top shelf. For me, nice but not worth the price.

[Ganga]

JW Black 12 (I'd guess from the late 90s)
40%
large brandy
Color: medium gold
Nose: cinnamon sticks (candy), honey, peach pastry (heavy dough, not flaky), bee's wax
Palate: honey in wax straws, thrashed straw, dry spice rub
Finish: moderate, light smoke and dough

[Ganga]

JW Red (circa mid 1990s)
40%
Large brandy
Color: gold
Nose: cracked black pepper, cinnamon, August wheatfield, whisp of smoke
Palate: very peppery, wood smoke/smoked bacon, finished oak furniture, Southern iced tea
Finish: long mellow lightly spicey with smoke coming in and out

[pkt77242]

JW Red early 2000's

N: Lemon, pepper, grain and a hint of orange. A little sweet buns and slight waft of smoke.
P: sweet lemon and pepper. The orange and grain are here as well. Some caramel and a touch of oak/vanilla.
F: medium short on some citrus (lemon and orange) and pepper. Just a touch of smoke.

No alcohol and no off notes. Much better than I remember the current JW Red being. Was there a higher percentage of Talisker in this? I will snag a current JW Red mini soon and taste them against each other.

[Ganga]

Teacher's Highland Cream (guessing early 90s)
43%
large brandy
Color: medium gold
Nose: creamy, peaty smoke, lemons, cracked grains, wood wax
Palate: cried lemon rinds, rough grains, overcooked brownies, oily, salty
Finish: long,oily brownies

[Ganga]

Sunny Brook Kentucky Blended Whiskey
40%
large brandy
Color: medium to dark gold
Nose: rough grains, maple wood
Palate: maple syrup, cracked grains (mixed), some rye
Finish: long and rough

[pkt77242]

Teacher's Highland Cream

N: Porridge, lemon, some nuts and some veggies (squash, potato, and carrots).
Just a hint of sweetness.
P: Some porridge and nuts. Just a touch of smoke and peat. Sweet potato.
F: Shortish. on some smoke and peat. Now it is getting a little better. Just a touch of lemon and sweet potato.

Doesn't hold up to the JW Red but still nice.

[Ganga]

Ballantine's 12
Gold Seal
40%
large brandy
Color: amber
Nose: oak shavings, late summer meadow, dried honey
Palate: clover honey, sweet glazed bread, lemon rind shavings
Finish: mild, sweet

[Ganga]

White Horse 12
40%
large brandy
Color: orange/amber
Nose: Cinnabon store, orange and lemon mix
Palate: cinnamon cider, cedar, waxy
Finish: long and spicey, lingering

[pkt77242]

Black Bush. hey it is a blend even if it is Irish.

N: Sherry. Some strawberry and nuts. Some lemon and salt. Also a touch of spinach.
P: Some grape, strawberry and twigs. A touch of vanilla and oakl
F: Shortish but sweet. Grape and twigs.

Very nice but sweet and grapey.

[Ganga]

White Horse America's Cup (1987)
43%
large brandy
Color: amber gold
Nose: cinnamon, parafin, oranges (Valencia?), wax, orange honey
Palate: Big cinnamon, orange tea, waxy feel
Finish: long, cinnamon and wax

[Ganga]

Dew of Kilkarren
40%
large brandy
Color: lemon gold
Nose: tangerines, freshly cooked buns (light)
Palate: doughy, orange rinds, roasted malt
Finish: shortish, citric

[pkt77242]

Sheep Dip Old Hebridean 1990 (19yo Dalmore, 21yo Fettercairn and 25yo Ardbeg). A blended malt but hey it counts.

N: Smoke and some peat. Sweet with tangerine and nectarine. Maybe a touch of salt and seaweed.
P: Smoke and peat. Slightly thin but some orange and salt. Just a touch of nuts.
F: Short but smokey and peaty. Salt fish and seaweed. Some citrus.

I really wish they had bottled this at a higher abv, say 46% or higher. Still very good,, and I am glad that the chemical note from when I first opened it is gone.

[Ganga]

&$*%$^ I need to try that.

Inverarity NAS
40%
Color: gold
Nose: malt and herbs, smells like the milll
Palate: waxy, smoked cod (it's a Norse thing), waxy
Finish: moderate, wood and smoked fish

[pkt77242]

[quote="Ganga"]&$*%$^ I need to try that.

When I first opened it, it had a plastic chemical note, but now it is pretty damn good. mid 80's to high 80's. If it was bottled at 46% or higher instead of 40% it would probably hit the 90's. Just a little thin. But great smoke, peat and orange.

[dramtastic]

The Blend of Nikka 45%

Nose: Sweet and malty, oranges, pineapple, sawdust, hints of ginger and smoke.

Palate: Creamy, malty, some orange zest zing, pepper, peanut shells and smoke. Well balanced.

Finish: Creamy, nutty, pepper, nutmeg, lingering smoke and a little drying.

Another fine Nikka Blend. Nice way to finish of the bottle with some tasting notes.

[pkt77242]

The Blend of Nikka 45%

Nose: Sweet and malty, oranges, pineapple, sawdust, hints of ginger and smoke.

Palate: Creamy, malty, some orange zest zing, pepper, peanut shells and smoke. Well balanced.

Finish: Creamy, nutty, pepper, nutmeg, lingering smoke and a little drying.

Another fine Nikka Blend. Nice way to finish of the bottle with some tasting notes.

Nice notes DT and great to have you posting notes.

[Ganga]

Famous Grouse 12 Gold Reserve
40%
large brandy
Color: Gold
Nose: cinnamon, smoke, woody - cedar
Palate: cinnamon, nutmeg, mixed spices, honey, malt
Finish: lingering sweetness

[Ganga]

Dew of Ben Nevis 12
43%
Color: gold
Nose: harsh straw, some dough, citrus
Palate: sweet dough, dried lemons
Finish: mod long, citric dough

[Ganga]

Mitchell's blend (circa 07)
40%
Color: light gold
Nose: sweet cinnamon (springbanky), dough, straw
Palate: smoke fish, brine, malty
Finish: moderate, beautiful

[dramtastic]

Karuizawa Oakmaster 37%

Nose: Sherry, cherry, orange, plastecine, some sulphur but not out of place.

Palate: Reasonable amount of body for only 37%. Some oilyness, sweet spice, malt and grain.

Finish: Is sweet, oily, orange, nuts, with more malt and light grain.

Perfectly drinkable but nothing special. What can you expect for 10 bucks.

[pkt77242]

Karuizawa Oakmaster 37%

Nose: Sherry, cherry, orange, plastecine, some sulphur but not out of place.

Palate: Reasonable amount of body for only 37%. Some oilyness, sweet spice, malt and grain.

Finish: Is sweet, oily, orange, nuts, with more malt and light grain.

Perfectly drinkable but nothing special. What can you expect for 10 bucks.

You can't expect any more for $10 but besides the plastecine it sounds damn good.

[dramtastic]

Nice notes DT and great to have you posting notes.

Cheers Sean

[Ganga]

Makes me thirsty DT!