Bordeaux finishes, anyone?

[Red_Arremer]

What are the best bordeaux finish bottlings that you've had?

My girlfriend and I had a taste of the Bruichladdich Redder Still the other day. Can't speak for how well it's put together, but it was a very powerful and refreshingly exotic whisky. I wanted it, but, at 325$, I couldn't rationalize it. I tried Auchentoshan's 17yo OB bordeaux and thought it was a little bland. I know the Bowmore Dusk is bordeaux, and I'm interested, but I haven't tried it.

Any suggestions?

[Ganga]

If you are interested in wine finished whiskies, I would point you to the Murray McDavid line or the Isle of Arran distillery. Both have lots of finished whiskies in all kinds of red wines. Glenmorangie also has done some experimenting.

IMO, the Redder Still just wasn't that entertaining. I don't think I would have spent half the asking price. On the other hand, I did enjoy the Auchentoshan 17 when it first came out.

[Mr Fjeld]

I've only tasted a Burgundy finished Glenmorangie but that isn't exactly what you asked. I see Royal Mile Whiskies have a few Bordeaux finished whiskies:

ARRAN Chateau Margaux Finish


GLENMORANGIE 1987 Margaux


BENRIACH 16 Sauternes Finish
(Chateau d'Yquem casks)


EDRADOUR 1997 Sauternes Finish 50cl


BOWMORE 1992 Bordeaux Wine Finish 53.5%


EDRADOUR 1995 SFTC Bordeaux Finish 50cl


BRUICHLADDICH 15 Year Old - Sauternes Finish



http://www.royalmilewhiskies.com/find.a ... =&sfile=1=

[mikeymad]

mmmm yummy Mr Fjeld ....

thx

[Hereward]

The Bowmore Dusk is one of my favourites. Not to everyone's taste I know, but I always keep a bottle or two in reserve.

[Mr Fjeld]

mmmm yummy Mr Fjeld ....

thx

Mikey, I had a hard time resisting the call from my whisky cabinet after uploading the pickies.............

[Ganga]

I'd forgotten but there was the Bowmore Claret from several years ago. That bottle was tasty.

[laphroaig10_65]

Three years ago I drank the Edradour Bordeaux finish SFTC 11 yo 2005: according to my notes, very sweet, not very complex but very appetizing.
Bye
Luca

[TreacleSponge]

Three years ago I drank the Edradour Bordeaux finish SFTC 11 yo 2005: according to my notes, very sweet, not very complex but very appetizing.
Bye
Luca

I enjoyed this one too, but by far the best finish on Edradour that I've tried was the Gaja Barolo. I also liked the Bruichladdich 18yo, I forget which dessert wine its finish is.

[Deactivated Member]

I've only tasted a Burgundy finished Glenmorangie but that isn't exactly what you asked. I see Royal Mile Whiskies have a few Bordeaux finished whiskies

Nice pictures, but Sauternes is not a Burgundy - it's a white dessert wine. Red wine flavouring seems to make whisky taste of cherryade. And it tends to go this colour:


It's ironic, too, to see Edradour marketing a range of whiskies as "straight from the cask", when that's exactly what it isn't.

[Mr Fjeld]

I've only tasted a Burgundy finished Glenmorangie but that isn't exactly what you asked. I see Royal Mile Whiskies have a few Bordeaux finished whiskies

Nice pictures, but Sauternes is not a Burgundy - it's a white dessert wine. Red wine flavouring seems to make whisky taste of cherryade. And it tends to go this colour:

I know a Sauternes is not a burgundy - it's a bordeaux wine and that's why I posted it among the bordeaux wine finished whiskies. I've tasted several Sauternes but frankly I'm not very fond of dessert wine - with the exception of a couple of Trockenbeerenauslese I've tasted.

I'm a little sceptic towards wine finishing myself. Too much flavour of the month mentality and the ones I've tried have ended up trying too hard - like the Talisker DE (although it's a sherry finished whisky) .

[Deactivated Member]

I stand corrected. But in the context of adding flavouring/colouring to whisky, I tend to assume "Burgundy" or "Bordeaux" to mean adding a cherryade flavour and red colouring.

[Mr Fjeld]

Well, in retrospect I should have written it differently to avoid confusion; "I have not tasted any Bordeaux finished whiskies but here are few available from RMW"


About dessert wine finish - the only one I've tasted so far is the Caol Ila DE, a moscatel finished Caol Ila. Initially I liked it but I've given it some thought and I wonder if the sweetness from the wine replaces or outdoes the malty/gristy sweetness from the malted barley. So I wonder, is this really an enhancment of character? Maybe the smoke balances it but I'm not sure.

[TreacleSponge]

Red wine flavouring seems to make whisky taste of cherryade. And it tends to go this colour:


It's ironic, too, to see Edradour marketing a range of whiskies as "straight from the cask", when that's exactly what it isn't.

Of course, as with everything on these forums, it's a matter of taste. I find some wine finishes work well, some don't. Just as some whiskies that have only lived in sherry or bourbon barrels work well and others don't. I find some sherried casks add a flavour I hate that is a mix of orange/pyracantha blossom/cat wee. And it turns the whisky brown

I assumed "Straight from the Cask" refers to it being cask strength whiskies, matured in one type of hoggy then finished in another. Nowt ironical about it

[petrol9to5]

If you like the Bruichladdich Redder, I can recommend their Links Torrey Pines - which is a Bordeaux finish. Just polished one off myself - really rather sad to see it finished......
About a thrid of the price too !

[Red_Arremer]

My friend and I just split a bottle of the Bowmore Dusk. The stuff is surprisingly good.

Thanks for the heads up petrol9to5. I'll likely give that one a shot. Also thanks Mr Fjeld for giving me the heads up on the Bowmore 1992 Bordeaux. I can't wait for that one to get to the states. If it's in their vintage series It's sure to be full term Bordeaux.

[petrol9to5]

Following on from my recommendation for Bruichladdich Links Torrey Pines.... - Ive just opened up their 16YO Cuvee "Pomerol" - its an absolute stunner ! - If you like this type of whisky then I suggest you try it.
This is part of a range of 6, all with different bordeaux finishes. Anyone else experienced any of the others ?