May 2011 - BACK TO BASICS

[Willie JJ]

Glenfarclas 105

Nose: The intensity of the oloroso casks is at the fore here. Spiced fruitcake and mashed raisins.
Palate: Initial barley sugar turns into demerara crystals before it succumbs to to the sherry spices.
Finish: Very drying with plenty of sugar, cinammon and pepper.
Comment: Lacks the complexity of A'bunadh, but its great fun nonetheless.

[Willie JJ]

Back to the islands now with a very old friend

[Willie JJ]

Talisker 10yo 45.8%

Nose: Instantly Talisker with its kippery nose. Underlying notes of citrus, sugar and malt flutter about but they can't compete with the smoked fish intensity and the sense of seashells drying on the side of Loch Harport. Old friend I've missed you.
Palate: This is where I think Talisker has changed the most over the years. The peppery attack is much less than it used to be and is overshadowed by an initial relatively smooth fruity/malty approach.
Finish: Only here does the pepper come back, crashing in with waves of salt.
Comment: Maybe I've just become desensitised over the years, but I do think that they have worked to make Talisker more accessible to a wider audience over the years. I suppose (grudgingly) that it is a good thing, but I do miss the mind blowing follow up to the amazing nose. Still its churlish to complain too much. It's a god amongst whiskies in my opinion.

[lockejn]

Talisker 10yo 45.8%

Nose: Instantly Talisker with its kippery nose.
...
Comment: Maybe I've just become desensitised over the years, but I do think that they have worked to make Talisker more accessible to a wider audience over the years. I suppose (grudgingly) that it is a good thing, but I do miss the mind blowing follow up to the amazing nose. Still its churlish to complain too much. It's a god amongst whiskies in my opinion.

Excellent review. Thanks!

[pkt77242]

Evan Williams Black Label

N: Corn, vanilla, carmel corn and a touch of banana.
P: Corn, vanilla and carmel. A touch of banana and some brown sugar.
F: shortish on corn, vanilla and caramel.

Pretty sweet but a great value at $9 for a 750ml.

[pkt77242]

Early Times

N: Corn, charcoal, vanilla and a touch of citrus. Some perfume and corn husk.
P: Big corn, charcoal and vanilla. Some perfume and maybe a touch of fresh cut grain.
F: short on corn charcoal and vanilla. just a hint of citrus (did some spritz some lemon in my glass?).

Simple but not bad at $8 for a 750ml.

[Willie JJ]

Evan Williams Black Label
$9 for a 750ml.

Early Times
$8 for a 750ml.

[Ganga]

Highland Park 12yo 40% bottled 2010

Nose: Hmm, the whisky and the glass are very cold. Need some warmth. Aah there it comes, classic HP12 with that heather honey. Getting some smokey toffee, malt concentrate and fresh orange notes now.
Palate: Mmm, initial sweetness is followed by light sooty notes so quickly its hard to separate them. Then its chewy citrus laced toffee with hints of barley sugar.
Finish: Little waves of salty/sweetness that drift into the middle distance.
Comment: Such an easy whisky to like. I always seem to enjoy drinking it but never remember that much about it afterwards. I should probably make a note to myself to have a dram of it every month just to remind myself how inexpensive whisky drinking pleasure can be.

Agree with the last comment. It would be fun sometime to head to head the 40 and 43% as well.

[Willie JJ]

It would be fun sometime to head to head the 40 and 43% as well.

That is clearly a project of great scientific merit to which some funding should be applied in the not too distant future.

[Ganga]

Glenfarclas 105

Nose: The intensity of the oloroso casks is at the fore here. Spiced fruitcake and mashed raisins.
Palate: Initial barley sugar turns into demerara crystals before it succumbs to to the sherry spices.
Finish: Very drying with plenty of sugar, cinammon and pepper.
Comment: Lacks the complexity of A'bunadh, but its great fun nonetheless.

Hm, older or newer bottling? First one I had from the initial release was huge spice bomb with Valencia oranges and toffee. Latter bottlings were bitter caramel, lacking in some of the spice character. Does this mean that the quality is getting better again?

[Willie JJ]

I've checked the empty. It was a 2004 bottling.

[Ganga]

The ones I recall being bitter were 2006-08

[Ganga]

White Horse 12, blend

Nose: big barley sugar with just a touch of smoke, lawn in need of a mow, lime
Palate: cracked barley smothered in liquid smoke (yeah, something dad had for the grill), lemon lime soda
Finish: lingering smoke and lime

I think this is a big step up from the NAS White Horse.

[Ganga]

Ok, I thought I would do a couple of Dalmore 12s. I will be using a large brandy glass.

First up, Dalmore 12 prior to the vatting change. This would be a batch from around 2008, right before the change over.

Nose: Big. barley sugars, oak, white pepper, sugar plums?- definitely a plum character, wood glue
Palate: sunflower shells, oak, nuts, figs/raisins, cracked black pepper
Finish: big and spicey, cayenne (but not really the hot part just the flavor) with cinnamon

[Ganga]

Dalmore 12 newer style from fall 2009

Nose: barley notes coming in over a bed of black tea and prunes, overripe dark fruits (berries, plums)
Palate: slight bite of "green" tobacco, plums, cherries (underripe)
Finish: kind of flat, fallen/bruised plums

While not disturbingly bad, it is a let down after the previous batches

[Ganga]

Inverarity Blend

Nose: licorice, artificial carmel, hint of orange rind, barley gasping for breath
Palate: black whip licorice, more carmel. This just wipes out everything else
Finish: long, licorice and more of the artificial carmel.

[Ganga]

Just to confirm the thoughts on the White Horse NAS

Nose: hint of anise, fresh picked barley, model glue
Palate: black licorice, barley grist
Finish: bold licorice

Ok, palate isn't too bad but the model glue doesn't work very well with the other things. If licorice or anise isn't your thing, avoid this one.

[Ganga]

Buchanan's 12

Nose: cedar, wood glue, barley bin, dried out oranges, estery
Palate: barley, parafin, light smokiness
Finish: light, candle smoke

[Willie JJ]

I wish I had something to join in with, but I'm not at home and there are no entry level drams here that I didn't try last night. I'm being forced to drink the good stuff

[Ganga]

Try 'em again. Use a different glass.

Then again, you could chime in with comments.

[pkt77242]

I wish I had something to join in with, but I'm not at home and there are no entry level drams here that I didn't try last night. I'm being forced to drink the good stuff

Poor Willie.

[Ganga]

Ballantines 12

Nose: barley spritzed with oranges, a little waxiness
Palate: oranges, cinnamon sticks, bee's wax, wet grist, slight smokiness
Finish: dying, gristy wax

This is very entertaining even if the notes don't show it.

[Willie JJ]

I feel bad for me

[Ganga]

I do too so we'll invite you into the stillroom.

[Willie JJ]

Then again, you could chime in with comments.

Since you suggest it I notice you are fnding a lot of licqorice and glue in the blends. Is that normally something you get from them?

[Ganga]

Not normally on the licorice. I think I find that more in various single malts. I find wood glue (Elmer's) in a lot of malts too. However, model glue is somethint that I find pretty much only in blends or Canadian whiskies.

[Ganga]

Hey, I had an Old Forrester here. Where'd it go? What gives?!

[Ganga]

Ah, the bottle has transported back into the room.

Old Forrester, 43%

Nose: corn, maple syrup, light mintiness, peanut butter
Palate: crushed mint, maple wood, peanut shells, almonds, vanilla, corn (grilled)
Finish: long, big vanilla and corn finish.