Whisky: Dramfest Arran tasting

Dramfest (I think 2021? 22?, it'd been delayed ... a bit) happened 4-5th March. I had some whisky. Possibly a reasonable amount. 

Have no faith in my ratings, outside of the two official tastings. Of course, if you agree, then they were the product of deep and insightful tastings.

Arran Tasting

hosted by Mariella Romano, exploring two drams from Arran. A distillery we haven't had much of in NZ for a few years. 

 

Arran 17yo Rare Batch Calvados Single Malt 52.5%

• Nose: salt, spiky, apple (lots!), pears
• Palate: apples, complex, smooth, 
• Finish: long apple, very complex

an experiment that worked very well. I haven't seen many (well ok, any) calvados finishes for scotch, but this worked really well with lots and lots of apples (and pears) everywhere.

9 or 10 /10

Lagg 'Release One' ex Bourbon single malt 50%

• Nose: dry, smoke, ash, complex, [and some word even I can't read]
• Palate: crisp apple, complex, salty, smooth, bacon, massive, spicy
• Finish: long, smooth, salt/dry on finish

9/10, the Lagg distillery is at the other end of Arran, and replaced the Lochranza label.

 

Whisky Tasting : SMWS

 First organised tasting of the year, and we're starting with the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS). I was a member of SMWS while in the UK, but the lack of support and availability in NZ meant I'd let membership lapse. But things seem to have turned around with WhiskyGalore taking over organisation and support. Which is great news.

 

105.40 8yo 66.2% "The sweet kiss of leather splinters" 

• Nose: apples, spice, sweet, dry, bouillon, bourbon, treacle
• Palate: treacle, apple, spices, papaya, oaky
• Finish: hot, long, spicy

8/10 Liked this one, complex, interesting. Think it's first dram I've had from the Tormore distillery.

41.149 11yo 57.8% "Merry Cherry Sherry"

• Nose: sherry, caramel, salty, vanilla, coriander
  
• Palate: guava,pear, cinnamon, fruity, coriander
  
• Finish: long, smooth, sherry

9/10 Quite a stunner, from Dailuaine, who do seem to nail great whisky.

55.70 15yo 57.7% "Royal Barley-bree"

• Nose: pears, apples, thyme, malty, ginger
  
• Palate: ginger, spicy, peppery, star anise, oranges, pears
  
• Finish: peppery, ginger, long

8/10 again, another lovely dram. ginger dominated with other spices hovering around. From Royal Brackla.

68.78 13yo 60.8% "Smoking bananas in a Frankincense den"

• Nose: dried apricots, oranges?, eggs
  
• Palate: lemonade, spritzic, marzipan, complex, smoked ham
  
• Finish: complex, spicy

9.5/10 dram of the night for me, really complex and interesting. a lot happening in nose and palate. From Blair Athol.

4.296 17yo 56% "Uplifting and life-affirming"

• Nose: apple, pear, bourbon, sweet, hint of smoke
  
• Palate: seafood, peaty, honey, manuka
  
• Finish: med, complex

9/10 subtle smokey/peaty which did give away the distillery, Highland Park.

108.48 10yo 62.7% "Fire in the Hold!"

• Nose: iodine, salt, bacon, lemon, medicinal
  
• Palate: dry, salty, heavily peated, jalapenos
  
• Finish: med
  

 8/10 Another good whisky, this time from Allt-a-bhainne, again somewhere I don't think I've had anything from.

 

Great tasting, all really good whiskies, with one stunning dram. Really fun tasting and nice surrounds (Roxy Cinema).

Slainte, B

 

 

 

 

Waiheke Whisky #2

 Morena all, second tasting set from Waiheke whisky. the first set was reviewed here and overall I liked them. This time it was the Dog Years Tasting Set - available here.

Here's the tasting notes:

New spirit
Nose rubber, astringent, paint stripping
Palte rubber, not much flavour,
Finish short, hot
3/10 Didn't like this as much as last time, although the last one was the peated new spirit

Sweet water
Nose pva, blue cheese, lollies, sweet,
Palate sweet, honey, ash, no complexity
Finish short, but of heat at end
5-5.5/10 Nose was good, but it seemed a bit one dimensional after that

Dyad
Nose sweet perfumed vanilla pods, Chardonnay, cut grass
Palate bourbon creamy Chardonnay spritzed, apple
Finish med hot

6.5-7 /10 Liked this more, interesting flavours coming through.

Cantankerous
Nose dark choc, sweet, watermelon , caramel,
Palate bourbon, choc, honey, maple, sweet
finish med long warming

7.5/10 (5.5) Divided the audience a bit, but I liked it. Interesting, if sweet, whisk which grew nicely on the finish.

Overall, similar scores to tasting set 1, there's some interesting things happening in their casks, and it looks like the complexity is growing nicely. Will continue to keep an eye on them.

Slainte

Divergence Whisky (NZ) tasting

 While down in Christchurch I was tasting some curiosity gin from The Spirits Workshop, and noticed they did whisky. So tried some of that too, admittedly with some trepidation as NZ whisky is very hit and miss - more miss for me. In theory we should be making stunning drams, but alas not so much. But signs are positive with some excellent stuff starting to pop up.

I liked it. Enough that I bought the tasting set here (I also got some gin, but none of you care about that, I can tell you it disappeared very quickly which is a good sign). 

I don't seem to have taken a picture of the tasting, so I'll stolen this from their website (soz!)

Virgin French Oak

• Nose: coke cola, vanilla, caramel, Benadryl, aniseed
• Palate: aniseed, caramel, Coca-Cola lollies, orange,   
• Finish: smooth med _ long aniseed

Very easy drinking, nice
7.5

Px Sherry Wood

• Nose: caramel, chocolate, oak, aniseed, peaches/nectarines, marshmallow, vanilla
• Palate: tingly, choc, aniseed, nectarine preserved oranges, ginger
• Finish: med long v warming dram

7/10 nose is great, palate good. This is the one I tried at the Riverside market...

Port Wood

• Nose: black berry, cinnamon nutmeg, apple  
• Palate: cinnamon spicy smokers lollies port soft 
• Finish: med sweet peppers

8 soft and interesting

All in all, I liked them. The Port wood was my favourite, but all good. I still have some left (200ml tasting sets are the best) so will be revisiting.

Last.FM 2022 summary

 Hi all, last.fm is a helpful wee site that collates (via an app) all the music you listen to. They then helpfully, summarise that each year for you. 

For those of you with addictive personalities, this can become an issue, I couldn't possibly comment, but some people have been known to replicate their vinyl playing on an mp3 player, just so the tracks are added to the last.fm site... 

No real surprises this year, I listened to fewer new artists, the top 10 artists is rather predictable (although note, they are not huge numbers...as there's a lot of diversity in the list). The most music was on Thursdays (huzzah, Thurs Night Music Night), and, err, I quite like the new Marillion album.  

Untappd, the drinking continues

 As none of you were asking for it, here's an update on how Alec and I continue to support local breweries.

Things are still pretty close, quantity wise I'm winning, variety-wise it's Alec.

Slainte, B

Whisky tasting: Best of the Best 2022

 Another year, another Best of the Best. Although this year we managed a reasonable number of tastings without Covid being a dick, and the format was changed to have the top rated whiskies of the year, rather than just the winner of each tasting. 

Usual crew assembled at the Basin reserve, which seems to be turning into a preferred whisky tasting venue for Regional Wines - which is great, more room, less temp fluctuations :)

Glenlossie 15yo 58.2% Signatory 2006

• N: sweet, cloves, apple, violets, vanilla, tannins, perfume
• P: apple, melons, sweet, long, truffles, bourbon
• F: long, sweet

8.5/10 for me, really liked this one (it came 7th overall 8.35, originally 8.71 in Sept). 

Ardnamurchan Cask Strength AD/02.22 58.7% NC2 sherry/bourbon

• N: sweet, salt, peat, bubblegum, banana
• P: apple, peppery, salt, ash
• F: med-long, hot

9/10 definitely liking where Ardnamurchan are heading at the moment, all of the recent ones we've had have been good (and there's a few in my cupboard now). Came 8th (8.26, was 8.61 in Oct).

Glendronach Cask Strength Batch10 58.6%

• N: sherry, old, subtle, leather, xmas cake, cognac
• P: very quick, hint of honey
• short, boring

7/10. It's not a bad whisky, but just not much happening for a cask strength, weird. Came 3rd 8.89 (8.68 in Sept).

Edradour Straight from the Cask 2011 58.5%

• N: sherry, sulphur, sweet, subtle, aged, lightish
• P: warm, honey, xmas cake, lovely
• F: smooth, long

8/10 came second (9.13, originally 9.23 in Sept). annoyingly it sold out before I could grab it (or the Ibisco) when they eventually reached NZ. oh well.

Mystery : Cotswolds

• N: sweet, citrus, nutmeg, bananas, fruit salad/melons
• P: warm, bourbon, honey, salt, pepper
• F: medium, peppery, warming

9/10 this was all very nice. I don't seem to have written down which Cotswolds it was, but I've had a couple this year and both were very good, there's a bottle of one of them sitting around here ...

Glendronach Parliament 21yo 48% oloroso/PX 2020.06.15

• N: lemonade, spritzic, sweet, apricots
• P: lemon, bourbon, sherry, decr alc., yeasty
• F: medium, warm honey

8/10 hey it's a Glendronach, you can be pretty sure it'll be drinkable. Possibly slightly overrated (aside from the gold/brown) at the moment, but still very good. Came 5th with 8.72 (was 8.81 in Aug)

Laphroaig 25yo 52% NC2 cask strength 2018 ex bourbon

• N: yum, salt, bacon, iodine, bring, complex, medicinal, strong, aged
• P: salt, bacon, iodine, strong
• F: long and complex

10/10 (I did give it 9.5/10 originally). Something magical happens to aged Laphroaig, it becomes very veyr drinkable. I'm not alone in this as it came 1st with 9.43 (was 9.13 in Aug) 

Talisker 15yo 2019 57.3% Special Release

• N: salt, sweet, medicinal, light, aged, peaty, apricots
• P: citrus, ash, peppery, cloves, salt
• F: peppery, long

8/10 I keep wanting to like Talisker more than I actually do. But this one is good, came 4th with 8.86 (8.88 in Aug). 

so there you go, pretty reasonable lineup of drams, bit of beer, a haggis, 

Slainte, B

Whisky Tasting : Salt & Smoke

 And so the October tasting rolls around, Salt & Smoke. Or, new whiskies that John fancied trying as the tastings are also known... 

Benriach Smoke Season 

• N: salty, increased alc., bacon, hint sherry, gentle peat, medicinal
• P: more peat, salty, custard, spikey, 
• F: sweet, long. peppery at the finish. hint of smoke.

Our mystery whisky for the evening, interesting and not too bad. Came 3rd (8.28), although I gave it 7.5/10

Ledaig 8yo Signatory 2011 wine hogshead finish 46%

• N: dry, peat, black tea, medicinal, banana cake, rubber
• P: dry, hot peat, pepper, astringent, medicinal, metalic
• F: med, bitter, peppery

Not popular, came 7th (6.56), and I gave it a 6/10. Ledaig seem a bit over-rated from the ones I've tried, oh well.

Port Charlotte PAC:01 2011 8yo 56.1%

• N: odd, honey, menthol, cinnamon, soapy
• P: manuka honey, rough, salty
• F: med, burning

6/10 (came 4th with 7.44) This was quite a disappointment for PC which I like. Was this one of the travel exclusives? dunno, but the last one of those was all chocolate and bacon without much subtlety. 

Cladach 2018 57.1% Cask Strength Special Release (Inchgower, Clynelish, Talisker, Oban, Caol Ila, Lavavulin).sweet, long. peppery at the finish. hint of smoke.

• N: minerals, chocolate-coffee, sweet, very light salt, spikey
• P: warm honey, sweet, burnt caramel, caramelised oranges,
• F: med-long, citrussy

I liked this a lot, 8.5/10. Really interesting and well balanced whisky, came 1st= with 8.83. It is however not cheap.

Glenglassaugh Torfa 50% Heavily Peated

• N: rich, peat, bandages, rubber, sherry, sweet, fresh
• P: nothing, bland
• F: short, sweet, hint of stonefruit

5/10 (came 5th= with 6.94) It hasn't improved since I tasted the first bottling, and really Glenglassaugh don't seem to have really come on, which is a shame as I loved the first of the new releases a few years ago. 

Talisker 8yo Special Release 2020 Natural Cask Strength 57.9%

• N: slight, ash, hokey pokey, ozone, chewy, rich
• P: warm, salt, bacon
• F: med-long

8/10 from me, and 5th= (6.94) from the group. I liked this, interesting and strong whisky which seemed well balanced. 

Ardnamurchan Cask Strength AD/02.22 58.7%

• N: hospital, caramel, vanilla, oaky, playdoh
• P: coconut, pineapple, sweet, incr alc., fruit salad, candied peel, smokey, blue cheese
• F:med-long, fruit salad.

8.5/10. I really liked this, as did the group (1st= 8.83) and it's a really good value for money. The Ardnamurchan's we've had recently have all been good / interesting, and a few of them have been brilliant (like this one)....

Next tasting will be best of the best...

-B

Whisky Tasting: Sherry v Bourbon

 The September Regional whisky tasting, Sherry v Bourbon finishes. Eight whiskies, mostly 43-46%, and mostly Signatory (and related) bottlings. 

Mortlach 12 yo Signatory 46% 2009

• n: grass, pineapple, tropical fruit, effervescent, citrus, green apples.
• p: green apples, tropical fruit, pepper, spicy, dry
• f: med-long, sour on finish.

7/10 didn't seem a very typical Mortlach, much lighter than usual. but tasty. Came 7th with an average of 7.27

Caol Ila 9yo Signatory 46% 2012

• n: bacon, smoke, burnt toast, crispy bits, parmesan.
• p: ash, watery
• f: short, boring

5/10. I like Caol Ila, I did not like this. There was very little there, nose was good. After that, err... Came 8th with 6.8, so it appears others didn't like it either.

Ben Nevis 8yo Signatory 46% 2013

• n: fruit salad, banda copy roll fluid, schanppes, mohito, hint of peat
• p: fruity, meaty, sulphurus, peppery, sweet !
• f: med spicy

7.5/10 interesting, i liked it more than the score suggests. Came 4th with 7.78

Glenlossie 15yo Signatory 58.2% 2006

• n: tasty, butterscotch, green apples, custard, chocolate, newsprint
• p: zesty, sweet, green apples, chocolate, citrus, fruit salad, 
• f: med-long

8.5/10 ok so i may have enjoyed the cask strength, but this was also a different class of whisky. I don't thin I've had much Glenlossie before, but would not turn it down again.

Came 2nd with 8.71.

Mystery: Glendronach NAS Cask 

• n: rum, caramel, incr alco, leather, orange, sticky toffee pudding, sugar (dark)
• p: warm, sugar, sweet, creamy, coffee, pepper
• f: long and peppery

8.5/10 yep thats a bit of me. But then again, once we found it was Glendronach, it made more sense. 

3rd, with 8.68

Speyside Distillery Cadenhead 13yo 46%

• n: caramel, toffee, woody, butter, chocolate, leather polish, ash
• p: watery, sugar
• f: short

5.5/10 this was pretty poor after promising much on the nose.

Others disagreed, and this was 5th, 7.44

Signatory Edradour 10yo 46% 2011

• n: rich, cake, sweet, complex, toffee, treacle, molasses.
• p: smokey peat, not pleasant
• f: short

5.5/10 again very disappointing and not what I expected from Edradour.

6th, 7.4

Edradour Straight from the Cask 10yo 2011 58.5%

• n: complex, molasses, citrus, liquorice, vinyl.
• p: sweet, sugar, molasses, complex
• f: long

9/10 yup that's more like it. count me in and much happier with this one.

Came 1st with 9.23

Slainte!

Whisky: Waiheke Whisky (NZ)

 I didn't make the most recent Regional tasting, so consoled myself with a tasting box from a new(ish) NZ distillery, Waiheke Whisky. They've released a set of four samples (3 whiskies, 1 new make spirit) which you can get here: https://waihekewhisky.com/products/nz-peat-tasting-set

Well, you could, but it's now sold out. So you'll have to live with my reviews.... I will say the info sheet they included was great, included yeast type, wash ABV, Spirit on/off concentrations, all great geek info.

Peated New Make 2022 45% 

• Nose: rubber, flowers, car parts, medicinal, damp dog/wool, peat, menthol
• Palate: rubber, peat, vigorous, pepper, grainy, salty
• Finish: med-long, hot pepper, peat, dry

as a new make, 6/10

Moss - lightly peated NZ single malt, WW Release 01 44% 2017-2022 American oak, ex-bourbon

• Nose: floral, vanilla, rubber, medicinal
• Palate: honey, toffee, spikey, spicy
• Finish: long, smooth

7/10

Seris 1 - lightly peated NZ single malt, WW Release 02; 42% 2016-2022 American oak, PX sherry

• Nose: perfume, marshmallows, great, sherry, sandlewood, parma violets
• Palate: sherry, watery, hint of peat, spicy
• Finish: med, spicy, builds

6/10 didn't live up to the nose unfortunately, but potential is there. 

Bog Monster 46% heavily peated 2015-2022, Virgin American oak, ex-bourbon. WW release 05

• Nose: sweet, dry, iodine, camphor, parma violets, lemon
• Palate: spicy, peat, salt, dry, earthy, peppery
• Finish: med-long

8/10 I liked this a lot. strong whisky, obviously I'm wanting some cask strength, but eh I'd buy a bottle of this. 

Overall, good whiskies, young, but real potential. There is no reason why NZ can't make world leading whiskies, except for the cost of getting good barrels here. And as a number of the new NZ distillers are turning to wine barrels, the future is looking very good.