Review: Chieftain’s Batch #10 – Linkwood 1991, Glenrothes 1997, Glenturret 1990, Bowmore 2002
A new batch of whiskies from indie bottlers Chieftain’s has turned out six new releases. Today we look at four of them. Thoughts follow.
Chieftain’s Linkwood 1991 24 Years Old – When I think of great, beautiful Speyside whisky, this is what it tastes like. Aged 24 years in (ex-bourbon) hogsheads, this whisky is soft and sweet, with notes of brown sugar, light toffee, subdued oak, and almonds on the nose. The malty but soothing body kicks up some spice notes, with strong secondary notes of Christmassy roasted nuts, and a sharp citrus character on the back end. The finish is surprisingly briny, echoing the malty, nutty notes that roll over the tongue on first blush. It’s a relatively simple whisky, but its just-perfect maturity proves to be quite enchanting. 92 proof. Cask #10369. A / $160
Chieftain’s The Glenrothes 1997 19 Years Old Pedro Ximenez Cask Finish – This PX whisky is a monumental bruiser, and right from the get-go it offers aromas of wood oil, raisins, Port reduction, well-roasted chestnuts, and old, old wood. This is all just a comparatively restrained prelude to the body, which is overwhelming with that PX sherry, which is drying and pungent with notes of dried flowers, jasmine, dried figs, bitter roots, and more of that heady furniture polish character. The finish is lasting but tight, raisiny, and full of funk. Not your father’s Glenrothes, for sure. 106.4 proof. Cask #91822. B / $150
Chieftain’s Glenturret 1990 25 Years Old Pedro Ximenez Cask Finish – Compare the Speyside Glenrothes to the Highland Glenturret, located considerably further to the south. This is a better balanced expression of a PX finished malt, though it is still loaded to the hilt with that PX character. On the nose, it’s thick with spice and oily nuts, raisins and Port wine — but balanced, lacking the astringency of the Glenrothes bottling. The palate is bold and expressive but, again, finding a better balance among notes of chocolate, toasty oak, toffee, and some brown sugar. That racy finish is heady and lengthy, but settles down into a groovy fireside character that keeps you coming back. Cask #91812. A- / $170
Chieftain’s Bowmore 2002 13 Years Old – Saving the peat for last, this a classic Bowmore aged in bourbon hogsheads. The nose is mild, just hinting at smokiness while keeping its focus more on notes of nuts, roasted grains, dark chocolate, and maple. The palate kicks off the peat character in earnest, with notes of fresh peat, lightly sweet smoke, and a slug of salty iodine, but the finish takes things back to fruit — mainly apples, plus perhaps some white peach notes. This is a rather laid back Bowmore expression that peat freaks may find undercooked — but perhaps is more approachable to the rest of the whisky world. 92 proof. Cask #2096-2097. B+ / $120
Chieftain's The Glenrothes 1997 19 Years Old Pedro Ximenez Cask Finish
$150
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Thanks for sharing this. I picked up all of these except the Glenturret and to this point am still unsure when the right time to uncork. Keep waiting for the perfect time but guess there is no such thing. Glad to see you thought well of all.