Category Archives: Scotch

Dates for Spring 2012 Single Malt & Scotch Whisky Extravaganza Announced – Discount Code Within

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

This just in from our friends at the Single Malt & Scotch Whisky Extravaganza:

Ladies and Gentlemen are cordially invited to enjoy a connoisseur’s evening featuring rare & exceptional single malt, Scotch and unique whiskies from around the world. The evening includes a delicious dinner buffet as well as a selection of premium imported cigars for our guests’ later enjoyment. The Single Malt & Scotch Whisky Extravaganza brings the discerning enthusiast the opportunity to sample the participating whiskies in a sophisticated and elegant environment with genuine camaraderie and knowledgeable representatives from each participating distillery.

All events from 7:00pm-9:00pm. Registration begins at 7:00pm. Business casual, Jackets preferred. No denim or athletic attire. Special rates for groups of 8 or more.

Use the promotional code “TDH2012″ to save $15 on each ticket. You can purchase tickets directly from the website or call us at 800.990.1991.

Here’s the Spring 2012 Extravaganza schedule. Fall dates, which will hit many more cities, to be announced soon.

ATLANTA

March 28, 2012 The Intercontinental Buckhead

3315 Peachtree Road NE Atlanta, GA 30326

HOUSTON

April 18, 2012 The Intercontinental Houston Near The Galleria

2222 West Loop South Houston, TX 77027

DALLAS

April 25, 2012 Dallas/Addison Marriott Quorum By The Galleria

14901 Dallas Parkway Dallas, TX 75254

DENVER

May 2, 2012 The Brown Palace Hotel

321 17th Street Denver, CO 80202

NEW YORK

May 10, 2012 The Roosevelt Hotel

Madison at 45th Street New York, NY 10017

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Posted in Scotch, Upcoming Events, Whiskey

Review: Gordon & MacPhail Linkwood Cote Rotie Finish 1991 and Caol Ila Hermitage Finish 1997 Scotch Whiskys

Posted on February 4, 2012 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

We love Gordon & MacPhail around here. One of the biggest and most reliable independent Scotch whisky producers, its selection is insightful and its releases are utterly vast, with perhaps more than 100 bottlings on the market at any given time. Keeping up with G&M would be impossible even if it wasn’t incredibly expensive, but we were lucky to get our hands on two new releases from the exquisite “Private Collection” series. Thoughts follow.

Gordon & MacPhail Linkwood Cote Rotie Wood Finish 1991 – This 20 year old Speyside whisky spends 30 long months in ex-Cote Rotie wine barrels. I’ve had mixed luck with Rhone Valley wine barrel finishes, but this one hits on all cylinders. Rich and smooth, velvety almost, it starts with honey, vanilla, and nougat notes, then brings on lots of eastern spices — cinnamon, cloves, and cayenne pepper. Citrus oil fades in and out, along with some malty grain notes at the end. Complex but beautifully balanced and a bargain for a 20 year old malt. 90 proof. 1900 bottles made. A / $80

Gordon & MacPhail Caol Ila Hermitage Finish 1997 – Take a 14-year old smoky Islay and finish it in Hermitage wine barrels for 30 months and what do you get? Well, it’s interesting but a little muddy: Heavy peat on the nose, and plenty more on the tongue. The Hermitage tries to cut through this, particularly in the finish, but what manages to get across is little more than some relatively undefined orange peel sweetness. The color — a deep amber — hints at a lot of fruit. I do think it’s in there. Somewhere. 90 proof. 800 bottles made. B+ / $80

gordonandmacphail.com

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Posted in Rated A, Rated B+, Reviews, Scotch, Whiskey

Review: Highland Park 1998 Vintage

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

Distilled in 1998, bottled in 2010, this special edition of Highland Park 12 Years Old is only available in duty free shops, where I picked one up in the airport during my recent trip to Frankfurt, Germany.

Tragically I don’t have any of the standard HP12 here to compare it against, but I did sample it alongside my old standby Highland Park 18 Years Old just to see the family bond.

Highland Park 1998, distilled for the distillery’s 200th anniversary, offers the classic mix of sweet and smoke that Highland Park is known for. Nougat and honey are strong in the forefront, along with orange marmalade character. More smokiness — sweet peat and charcoal fire — than you would think comes on in the finish, lasting and lightly warming.

The 1998 lacks the strong sherry character of HP18, and doesn’t quite nail that amazingly full and silky body, either. Still, the 1998 is quite a lovely dram with plenty of fireside character to recommend it.

80 proof.

A- / 45 euros per 1 liter bottle / highlandpark.co.uk

highland park 1998 Review: Highland Park 1998 Vintage

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Posted in Rated A-, Reviews, Scotch, Whiskey

Body Found in Glenfiddich Vat

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

Surprised this doesn’t happen all the time.

A distillery worker’s body has been discovered in the Glenfiddich plant in Banffshire.

Tributes have been paid to team leader Brian Ettles, 46, who died at the plant in Moray on Saturday.

It is understood that he was found dead in a 16ft distillery vat filled with water and yeast. Police would not comment on where Mr Ettles’ body was discovered.

 

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Posted in Scotch, Whiskey

“Vatted” Malts No More

Posted on January 6, 2012 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

Whisky Advocate reports on the end of an era, terminologically speaking, anyway. In November the term “vatted” was declared illegal in Britain to use on whisky labels. The last legally “vatted” whisky was mixed up last night.

Vatted malts are a mixture of malts from different distilleries; they are distinct from blended whisky because they contain no grain whisky. But a few years ago the Scotch Whisky Association moved to have the term outlawed, and to have it replaced with the term “blended malt whisky.” Critics of the change, including Glaser and Compass Box, were vociferous in their opposition because they argue that the new term is far too similar to the term ‘blended whisky,’ and it is very difficult to explain to people, particularly in languages other than English.

For the record, I agree with Compass Box… farewell to the vat!

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Posted in Scotch, Whiskey

Review: Glen Garioch 1994 Vintage Scotch Whisky

Posted on December 25, 2011 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

Merry Christmas, dear readers! Hope your festivities are going well and you’re enjoying your favorite tipple. As for me, I’m sampling a new single malt whisky: Glen Garioch 1994 Vintage.

The somewhat simple spirits from Highlands-located Glen Garioch aren’t major names in the whisky world, and it’s trying to change that with upscale releases like this vintage-dated offering.

Glen Garioch 1994 is one of the last ever peated whiskys from this distillery (which was mothballed in 1995 before reopening a few years later, and it hasn’t used peat since). Bottled this year, you can do the math: It spent 17 years in ex-Bourbon casks.

The light straw color is surprising, and it would not normally indicate a whisky of this age. The nose, light and easy but with a smoky undertone, also screams more of youth than you’d expect. On the palate, the play between smoke and sweet are curious. There’s a butterscotch, caramel, and apple quality to the body… then the peat smoke rolls in, like a campfire that’s just getting started while you’re eating dessert. The flavors are complementary though, and even those who aren’t big peat fans will likely find the dram mild enough for easy consumption. (Even at 107.8 proof, it’s not a scorcher.)

The only thing lacking really is balance, as the elements here are not quite in harmony. I do like the way sweetness comes back to play in the finish, because while 1994 nods to Glen Garioch’s past, it goes out with a bow toward its future.

107.8 proof.

B+ / $110 / glengarioch.com

glen garioch 1994 vintage Review: Glen Garioch 1994 Vintage Scotch Whisky

 

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Posted in Rated B+, Reviews, Scotch, Whiskey

Review: Auchentoshan Valinch 2011 and 1999 Vintage Bordeaux Matured Whiskys

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

Auchentoshan is in just about every way an oddity. It’s the only distillery in the city of Glasgow (making it a Lowlands whisky), and it’s the only Scotch whisky that’s distilled three times instead of the usual two (meaning it comes off the final still at an incredibly high 162 proof). The house style uses unpeated barley.

I’ve long dismissed Auchentoshan as making rather simplistic, uninteresting whiskys, but these two impressive yet affordable, limited release bottlings have me rethinking the brand and digging into my archives to re-sample its standard releases. While these two new spirits are going to be incredibly hard to find, both are more than worth your while to do so.

Auchentoshan Valinch 2011 Limited Edition – This is simply a cask strength version of Auchentoshan Classic, a $30, non-age-statement spirit. Pale in color, hugely sweet, with burnt and brown sugar character on the tip of the tongue. Tropical notes follow, pineapple and lots of banana. Quite a bit of coconut and smoke on the finish, reminding one of the simplicity of Classic, but the much higher proof actually makes for a much more fulfilling whisky by giving it more oomph, although it still manages not to come across as overly hot. 2000 bottles made, 1200 available in the U.S. 115 proof. A- / $60

Auchentoshan 1999 Bordeaux Cask Matured – This isn’t a Bordeaux finished whisky, it’s a Bordeaux matured whisky: It has spent 11 full years in a former red wine cask, rather than just a few months getting a little finish in an oddball barrel, the normal M.O. for artisanal whisky makers. Bottled at cask strength, this deep amber whisky is quite a marvel. It starts off with a traditional malty character but very quickly takes you down a rabbit hole of exotic flavors. Wood is predominant, with a big caramel punch and lots of vanilla, too. The spice kicks in in the end, gingerbread, spiked apple punch, cherries, and fruitcake. Lots going on here, and definitely worth a look if you can find it (just 300 bottles are available in the U.S.). The price is criminally low. 116 proof. A / $70

auchentoshan.com

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Posted in Rated A, Rated A-, Reviews, Scotch, Whiskey

Tasting Report: The Single Malt & Scotch Whisky Extravaganza 2011

Posted on December 4, 2011 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

The Single Malt & Scotch Whisky Extravaganza is the smallest of the whisky shows, but that doesn’t mean it has something to prove. With fewer crowds and more thoughtful selections — no white dog here, folks — you can find quality whisky (overwhelmingly Scotch) at every table in the room.

This year the Extravaganza seemed smaller than in 2010, but all the big guns were still in the house. I sampled many of the same whiskys as last year, curious to see how consistent my notes would be. Here’s my 2010 writeup. Compare for yourself.

Tasting Report: Single Malt & Scotch Whisky Extravaganza 2011

Aberlour 18 Year Old / B / not much going on

Ardmore 30 Year Old / A- / sample almost too small to taste, but seemed quite delicious

The Balvenie 14 Year Old Caribbean Cask / A- / some say it’s too sweet; I find it pretty delightful, with a clear rum character to it

The Balvenie 15 Year Old Single Barrel / A- / sherry and cherry notes, a solid everyday dram

The Balvenie 21 Year Old PortWood / A / great age on this, apple notes

Bushmills 1608 Irish Whiskey / A-

The Classic Cask – 35 Year Old Rare Scotch Whisky / A+ / a clear favorite from 2010 and again a truly lovely one today; drinks like a cognac with rich chocolate notes

The Classic Cask – Ben Nevis 1997 12 Years Old / B / very young

The Classic Cask – Tomatin 1994 16 Years Old / B+ / getting there; still lots of grain character

The Classic Cask – Bunnahabhain 1997 Peated 13 Years Old / B+

The Classic Malts Caol Ila Distillers Edition / B+

The Classic Malts Glen Spey 21 Years Old / A / lovely vanilla notes

The Classic Malts Oban Distillers Edition 1995 / B+

The Classic Malts Oban 18 Years Old / B-

Dewar’s Signature Edition / A- / mild, citrus-infused

Douglas Laing The Premier Barrel – Highland Park 1996 13 Years Old / A

Douglas Laing Big Peat – Islay Vatted Malt / A- / great balance for such a  peat bomb; some sweetness here (a blend of Ardbeg, Bowmore, Caol Ila, and Port Ellen)

Douglas Laing Double Barrel 10 Years Old – Highland Park + Bowmore / A- / nice combo, again good balance

Glefiddich 21 Years Old / A- / on the mild side

The Glenlivet Nadurra / B+

The Glenlivet 21 Years Old / B / marsala tasting, funky – hard to believe this is from the same distillery as the 25 Year Old

The Glenlivet 25 Years Old / A / still an amazing whisky

Glenmorangie Extremely Rare 18 Year Old / B+ / finish seems off

Glenmorangie Signet / A- / a little more wood influence here

Glenmorangie Nectar D’Or Sauternes Cask 12 Years Old / A / much better this go-round; not much Sauternes intensity but the sweetness is stronger than I’ve encountered before

The Glenrothes Vintage 1994 / B+ / quite smooth, sugary

The Glenrothes Vintage 1998 / B+ / much like the 1994, a touch more youthful

Highland Park 12 Years Old / A- / an old standby, like the interplay of sweet and smoke

Laphroaig Triple Wood / B+

Longmorn 16 Years Old / A / a dark horse; where has this been hiding? nice body, great balance

The Macallan Sherry Oak 18 Years Old / A-

Michael Collins 10 Year Old Single malt / C+ / off

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society – 50.42 / B / 18 year old Bladnoch; big grain elements

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society – 125.48 / B / 12 year old Glenmorangie; mild

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society – 27.90 / A- / 10 year old Springbank

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society – 127.9 / B+ / 9 year old Port Charlotte; overpowering with smoke

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society – 71.33 / A- / Glenburgie (age unclear)

Suntory Yamazaki 18 Years Old / A / perfectly balanced Japanese whisky

Suntory Hakushu 12 Years old / B+ / the newest Japanese whisky to land on our soils, shows light peat, evergreen notes; aged at altitude

Usquaebach Old -Rare Superior Blended Scotch Whisky / B+ / touch of wood; easygoing

Usquaebach 15 Years Old Blended Scotch Whisky / B / bit over-wooded

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Posted in Irish Whiskey, Japanese Whisky, Scotch, Whiskey

Whisky Explorers Club Relaunches

Posted on December 3, 2011 by Christopher Null| 2 Comments

Throughout 2010 I was digging the Whiskey Explorers Club, which sent you four 50ml bottles of whiskey, six times a year, and invited you to guess what was inside. It was lots of fun (and not just because I dominated the leaderboard for most of the run), but imperfect: The little bags made it too easy to “cheat,” and more importantly being tied to the 50ml format meant the Club had a very small subset of the whiskey world to work with. Not a lot of high-end whiskey is bottled in the 50ml format, after all.

Now the WEC has been rejiggered and upgraded, and it’s lost an “e,” thanks to a partnership with Master of Malt. The key is that MoM can re-bottle just about anything for the WEC, putting spirits into non-bagged, miniature bottles (about 30ml each), unmarked aside from the code you use with the Explorers Club website printed on the label. The Club is still designed to expose drinkers to entry-level whiskys, but the variety should be greatly enhanced.

You can still find the Whiskey IQ Game here. Just plug in the code on the bottle and start guessing descriptors for color, nose, body, taste, and finish, then guessing what you’re actually drinking. The game mechanism is about the same as before, though the descriptive and scoring system still seems a bit wonky. Not only do I disagree with some of Ian Buxton’s tasting notes, but several of my picks simply didn’t register when they were graded. (As well, I would love nothing more than to have my chosen descriptives appear alongside the “official” ones so I could compare them at the end.) I was really pleased to go 4 for 4 in picking out the identity of each of these whiskeys blind.

I don’t want to spoil the surprise for anyone, but the first four whiskeys I received were all surprisingly high quality and high priced — not what I would term “entry level” at all! The focus, by the way, has overwhelmingly moved to the Old World. No more cheap Canadian whisky or widely available Bourbon in the mix. (Hence the change to “Whisky.”)

$160 gets you four sets of five whiskeys over the course of the year. That’s a slight hike over the old $120/year for 24 whiskeys, but the vast improvement in quality merits it.

On the whole, the “fun” aspect of the Whiskey IQ Game is still the same, but WEC has really upped the ante on the quality of the stuff being offered. Go for it.

forscotchlovers.com

whisky explorers kit Whisky Explorers Club Relaunches

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Posted in Scotch, Services/Retailers, Whiskey

Drinkhacker’s 2011 Holiday Gift Guide – Best Alcohol/Spirits for Christmas

Posted on November 24, 2011 by Christopher Null| 7 Comments

Happy Thanksgiving! While you’re enjoying your turkey, stuffing, and pie, many a thanksgiver’s thoughts turn to booze. Specifically, what one might buy for a favored loved one come holiday time. I’ve collected all my favorite spirits from 2011 here for you, but this is just a small sampling of what’s worthy on the market right now. Scan through the category of your choice for other ideas, and chime in with your own gift ideas!

Also check out our 2010, 2009, and 2008 holiday guides.

big bottom two years old 212x300 Drinkhacker’s 2011 Holiday Gift Guide – Best Alcohol/Spirits for ChristmasBourbon – Big Bottom Whiskey 2 Years Old Port Cask Finish ($40) – Technically not a Bourbon, but close enough. I gave only two A+ grades (outside of event coverage) all year, and this was one of them. Finding this now will be tough (we’ll have a review of the 3 Years Old version shortly), so if this doesn’t pan out try Parker’s Heritage Collection Cognac Finished 10 Years Old ($80) or Col. E.H. Taylor Old Fashioned Sour Mash Bourbon ($70). You can also try Angel’s Envy ($45), technically a 2010 release but also Port-finished and about as good as Big Bottom.

Scotch – The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve ($375) – This is my “go-to” whisky right now, though it’s rapidly depleting, and the price may make it a big much for anyone short of a spouse. If you can find  Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix ($95) or Laphroaig Cairdeas ($60), both make outstanding gifts. And MacKinlay’s “Shackleton” ($150) is worth the price alone for the conversation value.

Gin – Bloom Gin ($29) – No question on this one. The floral but not perfumy Bloom is one of my favorite gins today. It may be made for a woman, but it’s powerful enough for a man.

russian standard gold vodka 185x300 Drinkhacker’s 2011 Holiday Gift Guide – Best Alcohol/Spirits for ChristmasVodka – Russian Standard Gold Vodka – At $45, it’s pushing the boundaries of what anyone should pay for a neutral spirit, but it’s good and the package is striking enough to require no wrapping paper, saving you a few bucks. For your more avant-garde friends, check out Sub Rosa’s Flavored Vodkas ($30) or a bottle of Skyy Blood Orange ($18).

Rum – Montanya Platino Rum ($30) – So much good rum came out this year, but Montanya’s simple, pure, and bracing white rum is my winner for what you should give a loved one. Bottled in Colorado, not Latin America, they’ll immediately want to know more. For more traditional gifts, I also loved Berrys’ Own Panama Rum 10 Years Old ($80) and Brugal Extra Viejo ($27).

Brandy – “Original Gangster” XO Brandy ($25) – This gift works on a couple of levels. First, the packaging and name are so ridiculous that your hipster friends will get a solid, 25 dollar laugh out of it. Second, the brandy is actually pretty good, so you can actually drink it when you’re done giggling.

Tequila – Casa Dragones ($275) – The other A+ I gave this year, but considering the price of this. Tequila is still on the rise, and lots of good stuff is on the market, including Gran Dovejo Blanco ($47), El Gran Jubileo Extra Anejo ($65), and Excellia Blanco ($50), among many others.

Liqueur – Tatratea (up to $60) - A collection of five tea-flavored liqueurs, each increasing in proof level. Exotic and bizarre, and totally worthwhile for the liquor snob who has everything. Home cocktail enthusiasts would also love a little Pimento Dram ($28) or the all-new Drambuie 15 ($56).

Need another custom gift idea? Drop me a line or leave a comment here and I’ll offer my best advice!

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Posted in Bourbon, Brandy, Gin, Liqueurs, Rum, Scotch, Tequila, Vodka, Whiskey