Whisky Review: Cadenhead's Classic Highland Pure Malt

This is a blast from the past in a number of ways. While the blended malts from Cadenhead's various shops are reasonably well-known, they also released a line regional blended malts somewhere during the 2000s. While I can't date them precisely, the "Pure Malt" moniker is a clue since the phrase was banned after 2009.

This whisky was aged in what I'm guessing were refill ex-bourbon casks (maybe Nth refill sherry?), then bottled at 50% without coloring or chill filtration.

Cadenhead's Classic Highland Pure Malt

Nose: rather malty, shortbread, graham crackers, honey, butter, lightly floral. After adding a few drops of water it gets a little brighter, the honey notes are stronger, and the malt gets less grainy.

Taste: rather hot up front - opens with sweet malt and cask notes, a little vinous in the middle. After dilution the sweetness spreads out, the the oak and vinous notes expand, but it doesn't ever become tannic.

Finish: polished oak, sweet malt, almost sherried, a touch of something floral (rose?)

This is kind of an odd duck. I wasn't sure what to expect given the almost complete lack of information, though I want to say I had read somewhere that it might be teaspooned Highland Park? This reads much closer to Balvenie to me, albeit fairly young and at a much higher proof. If we're sticking to the Highlands, I guess Dalwhinnie could also fit the bill, but I've never seen that as an IB, so I can't imagine they'd be throwing casks of it into a no-name blended malt. Either way, there's not a lot to peg this as being from any particular distillery.

While it took me a while to warm up to it, in the end it was a perfectly pleasant, uncomplicated malt. Would I buy it again if I saw it at MSRP? Probably not. There's nothing here that I couldn't find from other sources. That's also to say that I don't see any reason to pick this one up at auction, especially if it goes for over the odds. But if you happen to find a dusty bottle for under $50, it's not a bad idea, just make sure to set your expectations accordingly.

Whisky Review: Bowmore 21 Year (Late-90s)

Finally, the last of this series. This is also one of the older Bowmore's I've ever had the chance to try. The Prime Malt 21 Year/1982 is the same age, but drawn from a slightly later period. Assuming that this OB is actually from the late-90s, it should have been distilled somewhere in the late-70s. I guess we'll see how much of a difference that makes.

This whisky was aged in (I believe) a mixture of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, then bottled at 43%, probably with coloring and chill filtration.

I purchased this sample from the Old England Scotch House.

Bowmore 21 Year (Late-90s)

Nose: kind of closed - oak-y sherry, maple syrup/caramel, vanilla, baking spices (cinnamon), light lavender, a touch of peat. After adding a few drops of water the bourbon casks are emphasized and most of the other notes fade into the background.

Taste: surprisingly hot - moderate sherry sweetness up front, joined by some oak tannins and floral notes in the middle, maltier fade out with a touch of peat. After dilution it gets a little watery but the heat entirely disappears, the sherry up front is replaced by American oak sweetness, and the floral notes shift into the background.

Finish: lingering oak and lavender, grape/purple, sherry residue, fresh malt

This is something of an odd duck. It appears to have leapfrogged the worst of the lavender, but the result is something kind of generic. Given that the peat has faded even more, I would probably peg this as some kind of older Highland malt. The lavender is the only thing really connecting it to Bowmore, though even that is balanced enough here that I'm not sure I would automatically guess it. If it had some of the older Bowmore tropical fruit I would move it up a notch, but I couldn't really find any. So there's nothing wrong with this malt and I would drink more if offered, but I also don't get the feeling that it's something I need to search out in future.

For a slightly different take on what I think is the same whisky, see The Whiskey Jug.

Whisky Review: Bowmore 17 Year (Late-90s)

Last week's 12 Year was already deep in the lavender era. If the dating of this miniature is correct, the spirit should be drawn from the late-70s to the early-80s - the very front end of that period rather than the middle.

This whisky was aged in a mix of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, then bottled at 43%, probably with coloring and chill filtration.

I purchased this sample at the Old England Scotch House.

Bowmore 17 Year (Late-90s)

Nose: big floral notes (lavender) with a purple/grape tinge, clean malt underneath, caramel, very light sherry, creamy vanilla, tannic oak and dry peat (more with time), and something savory. After adding a few drops of water the lavender becomes more integrated, the sherry is stronger, plus there's a little more peat and savoriness.

Taste: sweeter malt and bourbon cask notes bouncing back and forth with big floral/lavender up front, shifts towards bittersweet oak tannins from the middle back. After dilution the sweetness up front is joined by some sherry, the oak near the back is joined by some caramel, and citrus peel comes out around the middle.

Finish: lingering lavender, sweet malt and bourbon cask, polished oak tannins, very light peat, slightly sour

There are a lot of similarities with the 12 Year I just reviewed, but age had noticeably improved this one. While the lavender is still over the top, it's a little more integrated, though the even more diminished peat isn't around to help much. I do like the balance of bourbon and sherry casks, since I feel like the former often lets the spirit shine more than the latter (at least in Bowmore OBs) Unlike the 12 Year I would drink more if offered, but it's not something I need to search out. While the current 18 Year has its flaws, I honestly think it's a better whisky.

Whisky Review: Bowmore 12 Year (Late-90s)

This is a really interesting one for me since I've tried various iterations of the standard 12 Year a few times as well as the 12 Year Enigma. If my guess for the late-90s bottling date is correct, this was drawing spirit directly from the most infamous period in the late-80s/early-90s.

This whisky was aged in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, then bottled at 43% with coloring and chill filtration.

I purchased this sample from the Old England Scotch House in Ravenna.

Bowmore 12 Year (Late-90s)

Nose: thin and kind of muddled - caramel, floral, citrus peel, baked apples, savory notes, light sherry and peat, somewhat plastic-y malt, buttery. After adding a few drops of water the sherry and floral notes become stronger, some hand soap emerges, while the peat and malt almost completely disappear.

Taste: caramel and citrus sweetness up front with lavender notes, carrying through to the back where there is a little more oak and the floral notes grow stronger, somewhat vegetal in the middle. After dilution it becomes extremely watery, the malt is creamier, but the flavors remain much the same.

Finish: strongly floral (lavender, especially), hand soap (especially after dilution) clean malt, caramel, light but lingering peat

Unlike Legend, this time I need to give the nod to the modern version. The problems that Bowmore became notorious for - muddled character, big floral notes, soap, and little peat - are on full display here. Surprisingly even the higher strength isn't enough to save it. 43% is a fairly significant bump, but it still reads as rather thin. Water just wrecks it. ABV isn't everything, I guess.

It was a bit better on the second tasting when I could get more peat, which helped to balance out the other elements, but even then it didn't hit the mark. While I think it could be useful for blending to add a twist to a fruitier malt, there's nothing about it on its own that grips me. This actually helps me to appreciate modern Bowmore, even if it still has room for improvement, because I can see how they managed to rein in some of their flaws while retaining their core character.

Whisky Review: Bowmore Legend (Late-90s)

Time for some blasts from the past.

I managed to find a(n almost?) full set of Bowmore miniatures in a tiny whisky shop in Ravenna called the Old England Scotch House. Tucked away in a side street not far from San Vitale, it's the kind of specialist shop that barely exists in the States. While my lack of checked luggage prevented me from getting any of enticing bottles, I was able to find some very fun things in their selection of miniatures.

This whisky was aged in ex-bourbon casks, then bottled at 43% with coloring and chill filtration.

Bowmore Legend (Late-90s)

Nose: classic bourbon cask Bowmore - fresh malt, dusty grains, gentle caramel, berries, pleasant peat smoke, floral vanilla in the background. After adding a few drops of water it becomes rougher but more expressive - the berries expand, the malt is creamier, and the peat and oak get a bit stronger.

Taste: malt and cask sweetness up front continuing through to the back with some floral flourishes, a little tannic with some berries in the middle, plus light peat notes underneath that expand going into the swallow. After dilution it become softer and much more fruity (almost sherried), with the peat arriving earlier and more strongly, but also more oak tannins.

Finish: dry peat smoke, grape-y oak, floral, sweet malt

While nothing show-stopping, I really enjoyed it. While maybe a little less complex than the newer Small Batch I tried a while back, it is less overtly youthful and a little more full-bodied thanks to being bottled at 43%. The trademark Bowmore floral notes are present here, but much less strong than I've found in other expressions. This was probably drawn from their 90s distillate after they had solved their problems from the 80s.

I was also pleasantly surprised by how well it handled water. While it did lose a bit of body, the brighter, fruitier flavors were quite welcome. Oddly that also meant that the finish had more of an alcoholic nip, but that might have been solved by more time in the glass.

These bottles apparently can go for big money now, which is either a reflection of people liking this even more than I do or the current mania for bottles from the past, whatever their quality. But like I said above, if you can still find something like Small Batch (defunct, but not impossible to find at its original price) you'll be pretty close without breaking the bank.

Whisky Review: Glencadam 15 Year (2009)

Sort of like how the 17 Year was created when Ardbeg was revived, the first release from Glencadam after its purchase and restart by Angus Dundee was a 15 Year. This may have been because of the brief shutdown of the distillery between 2000 and 2003, leading to them trying to build up younger stock to ensure future releases, though I can't be sure.

Perhaps a bit behind the times, the 15 Year was originally bottled at 40%. When they introduced the 10 Year in 2009 they revamped the line at 46% and renamed the 15 Year "The Rather Dignified". I guess we'll see if it lives up to that.

This whisky was aged in ex-bourbon casks, then bottled at 46% without coloring or chill filtration on July 1st, 2009.

I purchased this sample from The Whisky Exchange.

Glencadam 15 Year (2009)

Nose: good balance between clean malt, gentle dusty oak, a little caramel, mixed fruit (berries, apples, pears), and light vanilla. After adding a few drops of water it gets kind of muddled, the alcohol is more overt, and the aromas shift towards the casks.

Taste: sweet malt with unripe apples and pears up front, rounded sweetness in the middle that fades out into gentle bittersweetness with some oak tannins. After dilution it gets kind of watery and hot without any development.

Finish: a little heat, clean malt, green fruit, gentle oak

While this is honestly more what I expected the 10 Year to be, it's really rather generic. While it is 50% older, I also suspect that there are some more active casks in the mix. At the same time I'm not sure this achieves much more than a competent Speysider. I appreciate that they stuck with ex-bourbon casks, which was somewhat uncommon even at the time when at least a touch of sherry was fairly standard. Something closer to the similarly aged Balblairs I've sampled could have pulled me in, but this isn't more than decent.

Whisky Review: Glencadam 10 Year (2009)

Despite having some samples in the back of my cabinet for the better part of a decade, Glencadam is one of those distilleries that I've managed to not experience yet. As usual, I will leave most of the history to Malt Madness, but there is one relevant wrinkle here.

Glencadam is one of the few remaining independent (major) distilleries in Scotland, having been purchased by the blender Angus Dundee in 2003. This was after Allied had mothballed the plant in 2000 and laid off all of the employees but one as surplus to requirements. Because the gap was relatively short, they have taken an approach more similar to Glendronach in maintaining a full age stated lineup. The 10 Year was introduced with a new label design in 2008 along with an upgrade to full craft presentation.

This whisky was aged in ex-bourbon casks (probably refill, given the lack of color), then bottled at 46% without coloring or chill filtration on June 25th, 2009.

I purchased this sample from The Whisky Exchange.

Glencadam 10 Year (2009)

Nose: straightforwardly malty - sweet, creamy malt, a touch of oak, graham crackers, mixed fruit (berries, melons), lightly floral, vanilla. After adding a few drops of water it remains largely the same, but a little bit softer.

Taste: clean malty sweetness up front, kind of green/new make-y with citrus/fruity/floral overtones and vanilla undertones in the middle, then gently bittersweet grain with more floral notes going into the finish. After dilution it becomes softer and sweeter, but the green notes in the middle largely fade.

Finish: a little heat, clean malt, fresh hay, floral, a touch of oak

This is right on the edge of being too immature for my taste. To a degree I commend them for being willing to put out a more 'naked' malt without any fussy casks, but I do wish the wood had been a bit more active. They clearly have some respectable if not remarkable spirit, so I can imagine it becoming better with more time.

As a small note, I was a bit worried when I got this miniature out because the fill level looked low, but between the picture I took immediately after purchase and on other sites selling these miniatures, it looks like that's just the fill point for Glencadam. A bit odd, but no harm done.

Whisky Review: Benromach 10 Year

Benromach is one of those distilleries that I've been hearing about for years, but never got around to trying. While its history goes back to 1898 (I'll leave the details to Malt Madness as per usual), when it was purchased by the independent bottler Gordon & Macphail in 1992 they were basically handed an empty shell with whatever old stock was left. So while the name has continued, the distillery itself is basically a new entity.

They have taken the approach of trying to resurrect an older lightly peated Speyside style. It took some time for them to get everything going again, but since then G&M has managed to build up a fairly solid core line of lightly peated whiskies along with heavily peated, organic, and triple distilled releases and a wide array of one-offs, often focusing on various kinds of casks, plus occasional and expensive releases from the old stock they acquired.

This release is aged for nine years in a combination of 80% first-fill ex-bourbon and 20% first-fill ex-sherry casks, then blended and married for at least one year in ex-sherry casks before being bottled at 43% (probably chill filtered, maybe a bit of coloring?).

I purchased this bottle in 2014, but couldn't find a bottling code.

Benromach 10 Year

Nose: a wonderful melange of sherry, creamy malt, caramel, vanilla, and gentle peat smoke, salty sea air, ripe and unripe bananas, herbal, cinnamon. After adding a few drops of water the peat becomes stronger, the sherry fades into the background, and the creamier/vanilla notes pop more.

Taste: opens with bittersweet sherry backed up by mild oak tannins, which becomes thicker around the middle, malty, apple, and floral overtones as the sherry fades a bit, then light oak, charred wood, and pleasant peat at the back. After dilution it becomes softer overall, but there's some wine-y tartness around the middle, the oak is less strong at the back, and the peat waits until the finish to show up.

Finish: sherry residue, peat smoke, moderately tannic/charred oak

This is hands down one of the best entry-level malts being made today. The middle ground between lighter unpeated malts and big, heavy peated malts has been hollowed out over the years as many distilleries that once used lightly peated floor malt have switched to unpeated commercial malt (looking at you, Glendronach and Glen Garioch), so it's good to see the few places that carry on the tradition. The closest current analog I can think of is Highland Park, especially since they are both overtly sherried, but the peat in this Benromach reads somewhere between Islay and Benriach to me, just at a lower pitch.

While this is no competition for the bigger peat/sherry combos, I really appreciate that this is just nice to drink. Anything bottled under 46% tends to catch some flack in the enthusiast community, but sometimes I really just want an easy drinking whisky with no threat of singing my taste buds. It's just plain nice whisky at a decent price (in most places).

Whisky Review: Provenance Benrinnes 11 Year 2004/2015

I haven't had a lot of experience with Benrinnes, but it's one of those distilleries that I've been meaning to explore more of. Their complicated partial triple distillation system up until 2007 is purported to give their spirit a unique character distinct from its other Speyside brethren.

This whisky was distilled in March 2004, filled into a refill hogshead, then bottled in November 2015 at 46% without coloring or chill filtration.

I purchased this sample from Dramtime, which still has samples as well as full bottles.

Provenance Benrinnes 11 Year 2004/2015 Cask #DL10965

Nose: lots of fresh malt, vanilla, light oak. After adding a few drops of water the nose becomes a little more expressive with some green apples and pears and a little citrus peel.

Taste: sweet malt up front with a slightly sour tang, some vague fruit and floral notes in the middle, then a fade gently into the finish. After dilution the flavors are brighter, the fruit is amplified, some vanilla comes out, and some of the notes from the finish creep forward into the middle.

Finish: oak-y incense, slightly savory, coffee beans, floral, pineapple

At full strength the only real redeeming feature I can find here is in the finish. The rest is almost a completely generic Speyside malt. The complexity and depth of the finish does make up for a lot, but I have to wonder how much better it could be if this case had been left alone for a while longer. More development in the aromas and flavors would have kicked this up several notches. Water helps bring it together and I wonder if this would have been better off bottled at 43%, but it's still not all that it could be.

What this does is make me interested in the van Wees cask strength release from the same vintage but two more years in the cask at roughly the same price. Even if that required the same level of dilution to open up, I'd at least get more to drink out of it.

Whisky Review: Provenance Auchentoshan 13 Year 2002/2015

I've had very mixed experiences with IB Auchentoshan, especially ones on the younger side. They often seem to be casks that weren't maturing particularly well and diverged from the distillery profile in one way or another. But I keep looking, because when they hit the mark they really work for me.

This whisky was distilled in October 2002, filled into a refill ex-bourbon hogshead, then bottled in November 2015 at 46% without coloring or chill filtration.

I purchased this sample from Dramtime, where both the sample and the full bottle are still available.

Provenance Auchentoshan 13 Year 2002/2015 Cask #DL10969

Nose: classic bourbon cask Auchentoshan - waxy, mixed citrus peel, green apple, caramel, dusty malt, fudge-y/polished oak, vanilla, something fishy in the background. After adding a few drops of water the citrus and vanilla notes get stronger, some berries come out behind, the wax fades into the background, and it feels aromatic in an almost perfumed fashion (but without any floral notes).

Taste: sweet with a citric tartness up front, creamier caramel around the middle, clean fade out through creamy fresh malt and vanilla. After dilution the sweetness becomes more mellow, the tartness largely fades until the back, but citrus peel rides on top of everything.

Finish: very malty, pleasant oak, lingering citrus peel and herbal notes

This is just really nice. Not particularly complicated, just a very straightforward presentation of what Auchentoshan is like when its put in a decent ex-bourbon cask. I happen to be a fan of this style, even if it doesn't reach the heights of their older casks. The finish is probably the weakest link, but my expectations weren't particularly high. I would happily buy a bottle if it was closer to €50, which is what I expect for a malt of this age.

Whisky Review: Kilchoman 100% Islay 7th Edition

As with the 6th Edition, the 7th continued the climb in age while maintaining the same vintage source. Let's find out what another year in the cask does for this spirit.

This whisky was distilled in 2010 from 20 PPM floor malt, filled into fresh and refill ex-bourbon casks, then bottled in 2017 at 50% without coloring or chill filtration.

I purchased this sample from Whiskysite, but full bottles are still available from Dramtime.

Kilchoman 100% Islay 7th Edition

Nose: very subdued dry peat smoke, rather herbal, dry malt, canola with a touch of olive oil, dried flowers, dried fruits, savory, Pixie Stix. After adding a few drops of water the peat comes more into focus, the oily notes become creamier, a strong vanilla note comes in, the oak becomes baking spices, and the herbal/floral notes are joined by dried fruits.

Taste: sweet malt and oats with oak in the background up front, mixed fruit in the middle, fades into drier malt with cold peat smoke, dried herbs, and mild oak tannins. After dilution there's a savory note that rides through the palate and blends with the fruit in the middle, plus the peat becomes less smoky and more herbal.

Finish: smoky/mossy peat, dry malt, oats, mild oak, dried flowers

Wow, the peat is really mild here. I'm not sure if that's because these casks were older or just a matter of which ones were picked, but this is a radical contrast from the 5th and 6th Editions. If the 5th Edition was Bowmore, this is drifting into Kilkerran/Tobermory territory.

Water really helps, to the point where I wonder if this would have been better off bottled at 46-48%. A little dilution brings the peat out and somehow manages to increase its complexity, which is not what I usually expect. It's almost enough to make me want more, but I'm not sure I could choose this over the exuberance of the 5th Edition.

Either way, if you're coming into this, I think you'll get the most enjoyment by properly calibrating your expectations. This is a long way from being a smoke bomb like some of their PE releases, but it seems like time is finally giving instead of just taking away.

Whisky Review: Kilchoman 100% Islay 6th Edition

The 6th Edition of Kilchoman's 100% Islay series continued the upward trend in age, much like Kilkerran's WIP releases. From what I can gather it was also a true vintage release, with all of the spirit distilled in the same year, whereas the 5th and subsequent releases have been mixes of vintages as the distillery had a wider variety of stock to draw from.

This whisky was distilled from 20 PPM floor malt in 2010, aged in fresh and refill ex-bourbon casks, then bottled in 2016 at 50% ABV without coloring or chill filtration.

I purchased this sample from Dramtime, which still has the full bottle.

Kilchoman 100% Islay 6th Edition

Nose: fresh malt, new make, vegetal peat (closer in character to PE malt), plastic, mint, black pepper, wood-y baking spices. After adding a few drops of water the peat comes into focus and some floral notes come out but it becomes more youthful and a lot less complex.

Taste: malt sweetness up front, herbal and vaguely fruity around the middle, the vegetal peat with strong floral notes bursting out at the back alongside some stone fruit in the background. After dilution the flavors are generally amplified, the peat spreads out, a savory note emerges, and whatever heat there was disappears.

Finish: floral malt, fresh vegetal peat, earthy

Compared to the 5th Edition this feels both simpler and less mature. While it's reasonably competent and I got some good floral flavors, that was pretty much the only thing that caught my attention. The aromas definitely got better with time and the flavors improved with water, but they didn't have the kind of balance I was looking for. So while I wouldn't refuse a bottle of this, I also don't feel any need to seek out more.

Whisky Review: Kilchoman 100% Islay 5th Edition

Kilchoman is one of the very few distilleries releasing these kinds of hyper-local whiskies. In their case it really does mean what it says - all of the barley is grown on Islay, they malt it themselves with Islay peat, and the distillation, maturation, and bottling all happen on Islay.

I tried the 3rd Release while I was at the distillery and wasn't particularly impressed, though I was also dealing with food poisoning that day so I doubt my palate was in the best shape. The reviews I read were similarly negative, so I more or less gave the lineup a miss until I was able to find them as samples.

This whisky was distilled in 2009 from 20 PPM floor malt, filled into ex-bourbon casks, then bottled in 2015 at 50% ABV without coloring or chill filtration.

I purchased this sample from Dramtime, who still have full bottles if not samples.

Kilchoman 100% Islay 5th Edition

Nose: a very pleasant level of smoke - more on the tarry/woody end of the spectrum but also some fresh/rotting vegetation, candied malt and maize, orange creamsicle, rather floral (roses, violets), earthy/chocolate/coffee. After adding a few drops of water the peat become softer and smokier, the flowers are on fire, some caramel comes out, and the malt is fresher and drier.

Taste: fairly hot throughout, malt and maize sweetness up front, quickly joined by robust peat smoke, berry top notes and an oily/oak-y thickness in the middle that fades towards the back, lightly floral, and then a dash of oak tannins at the back to give it a bittersweet lead up to the finish. After dilution the sweetness and smoke spread out to give a more consistent profile across the sip, some caramel comes out, and there's also a bigger floral bump at the back.

Finish: fresh malt, pleasant tarry peat smoke, a nice level of oak, berry compote residue

This is honestly a rather Bowmore-ish Kilchoman. It feels like they finally managed to tame the youthfulness of their earlier releases, so the lower PPM shifts it away from the comparisons with south coast Islay distilleries of their Port Ellen malt whiskies.

In keeping with that analogy, this reminds me a lot of Bowmore Tempest. Kind of hot, not the most complex, but what's there is quite good. The price point seems justified if only because there is so much more labor going into these releases, but I would still hesitate a bit. They're fairly reasonable within the context of the Kilchoman lineup, especially compared to their single casks, but I don't know if I could pull the trigger. However, if you're a more serious Kilchoman fan than I am, I don't think you'll be disappointed by this.

Whisky Review: G&M Connoisseurs Choice Arran 8 Year 1998/2007

Not too long ago Arran seemed like the new kid on the block. With the exception of Kilchoman, it had been one of the only truly new distilleries in Scotland for quite some time until the spate of new construction during the last decade. This spirit was distilled within a few years of their founding, which also happens to be the era when many of the single casks in my cabinet were distilled. So I was pretty happy to find this bottle for what was something of a bargain price at Clearview Spirits & Wines not long after Washington privatized their liquor system. Miraculously they also offered shipping to Oregon, which saved me a fairly long drive.

This whisky was distilled in 1998, filled into 'oak casks' (probably refill ex-bourbon casks, but maybe tired sherry casks), then bottled in 2007 at 46% without coloring or chill filtration.

G&M Connoisseurs Choice Arran 8 Year 1998/2007

Nose: very malty, a little caramel/toffee, vanilla, light oak, earthy/herbal, a little new make, vague floral notes. After adding a few drops of water the floral notes are amplified and become more perfume-y, while the new make notes turn into green fruits (apples/pears).

Taste: opens with balanced malt and cask sweetness with light berries, creamy citrus peel (orange?) starting right behind, fading through some light floral malt near the middle, then very light oak tannins going into the finish. After dilution the sweetness is amplified and carries further back, the oak becomes almost sherried in the middle, and there's a sort of funky floral/herbal/malty note at the back.

Finish: a little hot, fresh malt, caramel, gently herbal

While not a stunner, I've found this to be a rather pleasant malt. The casks weren't exceptional, but the quality of the spirit still manages to shine through. If you're not already a fan of Arran I'm not sure this has a ton to offer you, but it's a pleasant reminder for me of how much I enjoy what they've been putting out.

As with many other bourbon cask Arrans, I also found it to be a solid platform for blending. A little sherry cask malt smooths out its rougher edges, while peat takes it in a more herbal direction. Or you can do both, like I've found adding Benromach 10 Year to it.

Overall it's not worth being sad if you missed out on this particular bottle. There are plenty of other ways to get your hands on younger bourbon cask Arran, though that is more challenging if you'd like to try something from their earlier years of production. But I've found Arrans to be pretty consistent, so my guess is that their current output will be as good or better.

Whisky Review: Highland Park Magnus

Over the last decade Highland Park has gone from a relatively unassuming distillery within the Edrington group (even if I remember how much people griped when they switched over to the flat bottles) to a much more high profile brand, often for not so great reasons. While they used to have a rather basic lineup, they started to release an increasingly bizarre array of NAS whiskies with fanciful names and wild price points. They also went all-in on their 'Viking' heritage, from the one-offs named after various Scandinavian deities to the current lineup where most of their core releases seem to be some variant of "Viking X".

While most of their NAS releases were aimed at the higher end of the market, they have finally succumbed to inserting it at the bottom of their list as well. This is now their entry-level single malt below their 10 and 12 Year olds.

This whisky was aged in sherry seasoned casks (ex-bourbon casks refreshed with sherry), then bottled at 40% without coloring but with chill filtration.

I purchase this sample from Raised by Wolves in 2019.

Highland Park Magnus

Nose: pleasantly creamy malt, a touch of rounded sherry, mild peat smoke, green vegetation, heathery floral notes, a bit of ripe banana, light American oak, a little bit of new make spirit. After adding a few drops of water the malt becomes fresher and less creamy, the sherry retreats into the background, the peat gets stronger, and it generally loses whatever complexity it had before.

Taste: opens with creamy malt and sherry sweetness throughout, an undercurrent of new make spirit and pine with some berries around the middle, then a creamy fade out with a touch of oak. After dilution it becomes sweeter but less mature with more pronounced green malt notes, the sherry largely fades, but the peat shows up earlier at the back

Finish: very creamy malt, vanilla, sherry residue, a touch of heathery peat and pine, lingering chocolate

As I have commented a number of entry-level OBs, this is a whisky built to a price point. It is perfectly acceptable given the current state of the market, but there's nothing here that can't be found for a bit more from their age dated expressions. It reminds me of Bowmore Small Batch, which held a similar position in that distillery's lineup and also took the distillery profile and mellowed it down. While I wouldn't say no to this if offered, it's nothing that I would reach for again.

The best I can say is that it's inoffensive and the finish is mildly pleasant. I can see how this might hold appeal for more casual drinkers and could be a gateway for JW Black drinkers into single malts, there's pretty much nothing on offer for the whisky enthusiast. It's not a bad whisky, it's just not for me.

Whisky Review: The Gauldrons Small Batch #1

Douglas Laing has been putting out a series of regional blended malts for a number of years now, which entry-level NAS releases and more limited (though generally affordable) limited age dated releases. With the release of The Gauldrons they have completed their range with a blended malt from Campbeltown.

This whisky was aged in what I presume were refill ex-bourbon casks, then bottled at 46.2% without coloring or chill filtration.

I purchased this sample from WhiskySite.

The Gauldrons Small Batch #1

Nose: lots of fresh malt with a green edge (reminds me a bit of younger Auchentoshan), dry hay, hints of Campbeltown funk in the background. After adding a few drops of water the aromas are more closed off, but a bit of peat comes out.

Taste: clean malt sweetness up front that carries through to the back with hints of unripe fruit and rum-my Campbeltown funk swirling around it, rose petals going into the finish. After dilution it remains largely the same, but the sweetness is thicker and there's some fresh hay at the back.

Finish: clean malt, fresh hay, roses, vague fruitiness, very mild peat

Given that this isn't particularly peated, my best guess is that this is largely Glen Scotia with a little Springbank. I have yet to see any IB Kilkerrans, so I have to assume that all of Glengyle's production has stayed in house. My only other theory would be an inadequate cask of Hazelburn that Springbank passed on because it reads almost more like a Lowland malt than something out of Campbeltown.

Much like the Timorous Beastie 10 Year I tried, this is pretty lackluster. While it somehow reads as less overtly youthful, I'm struggling to find much that's particularly Campbeltown about it. I managed to dig out a bit of funk, but there was no peat, nothing industrial, and no leather. While this isn't bad, per se, there's nothing here that makes me want more. While I could keep trying the Laing's series, nothing so far has really drawn me in so far.

Whisky Review: Glen Garioch 12 Year

Somehow I completely forgot that I also had a miniature of Glen Garioch 12 Year when I reviewed the Vintage 1997 and neglected to taste them side by side. Hopefully my memory holds up well enough to make some sort of comparison.

This whisky was filled into ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks (though I expect much more of the former than the latter), then bottled at 48% without chill filtration.

I purchased this miniature from The Whisky Exchange in 2012.

Glen Garioch 12 Year

Nose: pleasant bourbon cask influence - caramel, moderate oak, a little vanilla, honey, orange blossom, citrus peel, somewhat savory, clean malt, fresh grapes, raisins, and berry preserves. After adding a few drops of water it gets maltier and sweeter, the cask influence diminishes, and the savoriness is amplified.

Taste: pleasant malty sweetness up front, a burst of mixed fruit in the middle, then a slide into savory but not particularly tannic oak with a touch of vanilla at the back. After dilution the flavors merge and spread out so they all arrive together, the fruit is amplified, and the oak gets stronger.

Finish: lightly tannic/savory oak, clean malt, a touch of mixed fruit

While not quite as characterful as the 1997, this is something that you can't find in many other places (Ben Nevis, maybe) - the savory character coupled with just enough fruit and a little bit of oak. While I could be happy with maybe 10-20% refill sherry casks to make it just a bit more complex, the undiluted bourbon cask character is a pleasant treat. I also wish they would bring back their lightly peated floor malt, which would also go a long way towards increasing the complexity without covering up the parts that make it so good. Those quibbles aside, I would still recommend this whisky. It's on the expensive side in my neck of the woods (~$60), but closer to the average price ($50 per Wine Searcher) and at 48% you're still getting a good deal.

Whisky Review: Bowmore 9 Year Sherry Cask Matured

Bowmore's lineup has taken more twists and turns over the last decade than any Islay distillery short of Bruichladdich. Somewhere in there they transformed from a fairly stolid and almost forgotten producer of peated whisky, frequently derided for the controversial quality of their distillate, to a powerhouse commanding top-tier prices. At the same time, they've also pushed out a number of budget options since their long-standing Legend release disappeared.

Contrary to the label, this whisky was matured in both ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks, then bottled in 2016 at 40% with coloring and chill filtration.

I purchased this sample from Dramtime.

Bowmore 9 Year Sherry Cask Matured

Nose: a hodgepodge of classic sherry notes, rotting seaweed, ocean air, a touch of peat, clean malt, oak, cheap cinnamon, floral notes, and fresh vegetation. After adding a few drops of water the peat expands and the sherry becomes fruitier, the seaweed disappears, and some fresh apple cider notes emerge.

Taste: sherry sweetness with a sour edge up up front, which dries out and is joined by an undercurrent of dry peat building gently towards the back, with a flourish of malt near the end. After dilution it gets softer, the sherry spreads out, the peat is pushed towards the back, and there's more noticeable oak.

Finish: dry peat, fresh malt, sherry residue, mineral/clay - the drier elements linger for a surprisingly long time

I wanted to like this more. It has a lot of the Bowmore hallmarks that I enjoy. The aromas are definitely the best part, even if I found them muddled. The finish had surprising staying power, though I wasn't totally sold on the profile. Even the classic Bowmore floral notes that can be off-putting kind of worked here, though more peat would have helped.

Overall I mostly wanted a bit more punch. The flavors were a little forgettable, but I could see myself enjoying this on the regular if I wanted something mildly peated that didn't expect a lot of attention. As is, it's just a little too tepid for me to recommend it.

I'm just not entirely sure what they were trying to get at here. Is this supposed to be a cheap, approachable Bowmore to draw people in? Is it trying to make money off of casks that weren't good enough for their standard releases? Or was it just trying to feed the ravening consumers demanding something new all the time? I really can't tell.

Whisky Review: Edradour 12 Year Caledonia Selection

This release came about as a collaboration with the Scottish musician Dougie MacLean, who wrote a famous song of the same name in 1977. He grew up in the same Perthshire region where Edradour is located and helped to select some of the casks that went in to the original version.

The whisky is originally aged in ex-bourbon casks, then transferred to ex-sherry casks for three years and bottled at 46% without coloring or chill filtration.

I purchased this miniature from The Whisky Exchange in 2012.

Edradour 12 Year Caledonia Selection

Nose: rich but relatively dry sherry, vaguely floral, honey, clean malt, bourbon cask influence, a little grungy funk. After adding a few drops of water it gets brighter and maltier, the sherry influence diminishes, and the floral notes become stronger.

Taste: thick, rich sherry begins up front and carries through to the back, there's a thick/oily mouthfeel, a little funk around the middle, honied malt underneath, more bittersweet and savory going in to the finish. After dilution the sherry fades a bit to reveal more malty sweetness and becomes brighter, but there's some unripe fruit tartness and peppery spice going into the finish.

Finish: some heat, strong sherry, vaguely savory, light oak tannins, clean malt, a little peat-y funk

Well... that was... sherried? Again, I'm not sure if this miniature has gone off, but there's really not much else going on here. It's surprisingly generic given all the distillery character I got out of the 10 Year, but maybe that's the heavy handed sherry casks. In some ways this reminds me of overly sherried Bruichladdich, which also suffers when the distillery character can't shine through.

Water helps push back the sherry, but it doesn't reveal much that makes the experience better. If anything it reads as more youthful. I might not say no to a fresh bottle if it was offered to me, but I'm pretty sure there are other whiskies I'd rather be drinking.

Whisky Review: Edradour 10 Year

Edradour is, to put it mildly, an odd duck. One of the smallest distilleries in Scotland (though the growth of craft distillers has changed the playing field), it is owned by the independent bottler Signatory. They produce both unpeated (Edradour) and peated (Ballechin) whisky, with fairly small core ranges supplemented by a dazzling array of limited editions and one-offs that would almost make Reynier-era Bruichladdich blush.

This whisky was aged in a mixture of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, then bottled at 40% with chill filtration and (maybe?) coloring.

I purchased this sample from The Whisky Exchange in 2012.

Edradour 10 Year

Nose: an odd mix of malt, sherry, and putty, some creamy vanilla and dunnage funk, apples/apple cider vinegar and floral notes in the background, with some bourbon barrel notes emerging after more time in the glass. After adding a few drops of water some new make notes come out, the peat become stronger, and the sherry isn't as strong.

Taste: opens with sherry sweetness and light baking spices that slowly transform into clean malt and apple cider vinegar, then light peat emerging at the back, with gentle oak tannins a constant presence in the background. After dilution the flavors are more integrated and have less evolution, but feel like a more coherent whole.

Finish: peat-y funk, green malt, a little oak and sherry residue

Given all of the very mixed reviews this malt has received in the past, I'm honestly unsure whether the mini has gone bad or if this is just what they were putting out at the time. There are bits and pieces that click for me, but taken as a whole it feels like a real mess. In that respect it reminds me a bit of Bruichladdich - some odd funk, sherry that doesn't quite fit, but a profile that I really want to like. I'd be interested in trying a sample of the 43% version from a full bottle, but I can't see myself springing for more than that right now.