Tamdhu Tasting : Regional

 I'm writing this up after a few beers and whiskies, which I'm hoping will make my notes during the tasting more legible. In the words of my favourite hero "what could possibly go wrong?"

So this was a Regional Wines tasting focussing on Tamdhu, a distillery I've come to like more over the years, which can probably be traced back to Neil...

Aberlour A'bunadh Batch 76

• N: nutmeg, marmalade, wood, balsa, PVA, perfume, syrup, sherry
• P: caramel, spicy, smooth, juicy, vanilla
• F: long, dry, raisins

I was a fan of the A'Bunadh thanks to Regional, we had a couple of early releases (6, 9?) and I've had a few bottles over the years 6, 10, mid teens, and a mid thirties. And the quality has definitely decreased. It used to be our benchmark for tasting, so was great to see the quality has come back. I gave this 8, and would happily have a bottle in the cupboard as a benchmark for sherry monsters. It came 2nd, with 9.33 

Glenfarclas 105 60% (current release)

• N: pineapple, acetone, fruit salad, sweet, sulphur, dusty shelf
• P: prickly, sap, caramel, green apple, light
• F: med long, integrated, dry

8/10 for me, but came 7th with an average of 8.14. It's used to be a go-to for me, but again had dipped, great to see it getting better again.

Tamdhu Batch Strength #6 56.8%

• N: lighter, pineapples, sweetness, meths, coconut, salty caramel, hint of citrus
• P: fruit salad, sweet, sour, metallic, boysenberries
• F: med tannin, sour

7.5/10 - this did not do well with the group coming last (8th) although still a respectable score of 7.94.

Tamdhu Batch Strength #3 58.3%

• N: sherry, rum, sweet, acetone, sour, molasses
• P: sherry, chocolate, raisins, thick, spicy, cinnamon, 
• F: long, chocolate

8.5/10 Came 4th with 8.98

Tamdhu Batch Strength #4 57.8%

• N: very sweet, fruity, pears, sour, musty, peaches, mushrooms, coffee
• P: citrus, dry, creme brulee, woody, pepper, 
• F: long, dry, pepper, heat builds

8.5-9 /10 I like this a lot. Interesting and complex. Didn't go so well with others coming 6th with 8.53

Tamdhu Batch Strength #5 59.8%

• N: sweet, high alc., sour, tobacco, ginger nuts, treacle, dry, woody
• P: sour, sick, fruit salad, oak, bourbon
• F: med

6.5/10 this one was pretty bland for me, although it did well coming 3rd with 9.0

Tamdhu Batch Strength #7 57.5%

• N: apple, pear, caramel, fruit, citrus, sea salt
• P: sulphur, parma violets, sherry, very sweet, coconut
• F: med-long

8/10 and came 5th with 8.84

Glenfarclas 105 60% (c. 2006 release)

• N: strong, high alc., sherry, musty, molasses, green apple, vinegar, calvados.
• P: musty, dry, tasty
• F: long, dry,

8/10 didn't seem to make a huge impression on me, although everyone else rated it as it came 1st (9.43). I used to like 105, and have an older bottle sitting in my cabinet....

So although I appear a bit disparaging about some of these, it's worth looking at what they scored by the group - they were all good whiskies. with the 'worst' whisky coming in at 7.94 (Tamdhu #6) it's a pretty good indication that was a good tasting. 

Whisky Tasting ; Whisky Cellar Series 005

 Tasting at Regional, but not part of our usual monthly tastings, this was run by Whisky Cellar's owner, virtually from Edinburgh. WC are an independent bottler, and the couple of theirs I've had were good so hopes were high for this.

Glentauchers Single Malt 14 yo first fill ex-bourbon, 53.8%

N: vanilla, rich, caramel, chocolate, coffee, marshallows

P: oaky, caramel, prickly, honey, fruit salad, melons, spicy

F: long, warming, citrus fruits

8.5/10 really liked this one, lovely nose and everything flowed well from it - great balance.

Invergordon Single Grain 31 yr fill ex-bourbon, 46.5%

N: rubber, oily, PVA, coconut rough, chocolate

P: light, coconut, salty, toasted rice

F: med light

6/10 i liked the lightness, but overall didn't rock my world

House malt single malt 10 yr, oloroso sherry butt, 57.1%

N: sherry, chocolate, burnt sugar

P: bitter, alcholic, sweet muscavado, light?

F: med, incr alco

6/10 I'd had this before, and really rated it (I even got a bottle) but this time not great. Having tried my bottle again, I'd still rate it an 8/10 so I guess situation?

Auchroisk Single Malt 13 yr PX Sherry finish, 56.7%

• N: apple, pears, fruitsalad, vanilla, sweet
• P: complex, leather, sherry, liquorice, brnady, nutty
• F: med-long

9/10 really liked this one, complex, interesting, sherry - win!

Benrinnes single malt 11yr pauillac red wine finish 56.2%

N: banan, sweet, cut grass, 

P: light, not much

F: short, weak

6/10 I didn't get much from this one

Longmorn single malt 11yr double cask finish: sauternes (8months) oloroso sherry (6months) 56.7%

N: sherry, old leather, sweet, hint of rubber

P: big tannic, sherry, bitter, berries, woody, sweet, demarara sugar

F: med-long, tea/tannin

8/10 ahhh good to see I still like Longmorn. I like it alot.

Bunnahabhain 'Moine' single malt 10yo ex-bourbon cask 55.4%

N: salt, bacon, rubber, medicinal, vigorous

P: rubber, salt, strong but light at times, vanilla, cream, dry

F: long, dry, big

9/10 A peated Bunna you say? why go on...

Really enjoyed this tasting, varied, and having the owner run it (albeit from Edinburgh) was cool. I can see me picking up some of their whiskies, probably on Series 6 or 7 now.

Slainte.

Whisky: New drams tasting

This months Regional Wines tasting focused on new whiskies that have arrived recently on our shores. Pricepoints were all middle, with one exception (Aberfeldy 18yo). 

GlenGrant 15yo [Mystery]

N: sweet, marshmallows, cut grass, bourbon, parma violets

P: prickly, sweet, spritzic, citrus, honey (when added water)

F: med-long, hint of oily finish.

7.5/10 This came 5th (7.82) I liked it as a quaffing dram.

Glenglassaugh 9yo USA wine hogs #522 9.5.2012-2022 bottled for Aotearoa 58.9%

N : sweet, hint of smoke and peat, bonfire, light

P: warm, 'sick', ashes, malt, burnt wood, bitter

F: long and not very nice.

5/10 Although others liked it (4th, 8.22) it didn't work at all for me. Everything was pretty unpleasant - another case where just because you can rack it in wine, doesn't mean you should. Sure, some of them are great, but this isn't one of those. Our group suspected they were offloading it on NZ :) 

I liked the old Glenglassaugh's I've had, but the new ones have been underwhelming.

Benrinnes 'The Benn' 10yo 55.5%

N: apples, shampoo, cider, dry, pears, stonefruit, ginger

P: ginger, pears, interesting, white wine?

F: medium - adding water made it more mellow and opened it up

8/10 (8.5 with water). The group didn't like it (7th, 6.87), however I did. Really loved the nose, and quite tempted to buy a bottle, it's different, light and interesting.

Blackadder 10yo Red Snake 108 1st fill bourbon July 2021 57.4%

N: coconut rough, sooty peat, incr alc., bourbon, custard, spritzic/citrus/lemon

P: spikey but no real flavour, salt, grapefruit

F: short and soapy

5/10, another disappointment for me. Came 6th, 7.2

Tamdhu #7 sherry casks batch strength 57.5%

N: sherry, sweet, complex, oldish, toffee, caramel, sulphur, spicy, rubber, tannins

P: big sherry, tasty, dark chocolate, rubber

F: warm and long, hint of pepper

9/10 loved this. Predictably ticked a lot of boxes for me, came 2nd 8.79 

Benriach 10yo Hart Brothers sherry butt 57.5% 10.2011-3.2022. 

N: sherry, sweet, complex, meths!, caramelised sugar, butterscotch, very sweet

P: caramel, sugar, oily, bitter chocolate, tannin

F: long, bitter

8.5/10 again very nice and tasty, came first 8.96

Aberfeldy 18yo 52% exceptional double cask sherry finish #3080 11.11.2002-22.06.2021

N: watery, light, wood, light sherry

P: very smooth veering to bland, civilised, one dimensional, 

F: short

6.5/10 For the price of this one, it's very disappointing. Actually, as a whisky it's very disappointing. Others loved it, 3rd 8.78, but for me, there wasn't much in the flavour department.

Interesting tasting, all of the whiskies were relatively young which I guess is now the default position for most distilleries as old stock is worth far more. But there's some interesting, and great, things happening in these drams...

Rum

 Rum, not a spirit I know much about, other than dump it in cocktails and try and get over those student rum n coke days.

Santisima Trindidad de Cuba 3YO

• N: light, menthol, grapefruit, mint
• P: light, tasty, menthol, grapefruit
• F: hot, short-med, 

6/10 very sweet.

Santisima Trindidad de Cuba 7YO

• N: sweet, pineapple, vanilla, minty
  
• P: peppery, vanilla
  
• F: med, vanilla
  

6.5/10 

Bayside Rum co. 

Uses kumara as base 

• N: musty, woody, PVA 
• P: vanilla, peppery, hint of wine
• F: long

6/10

La Progresiva Cuban Rum

• N: light, dark sugar, molasses
• P: molasses, sugary, vanilla
• F: med-short, peppery

8/10 i liked this one 

Black Tears Cuban Spiced Rum

• N: vanilla, spicy, cocoa, chocolate
• P: spicy, dry sweet, coffee, chocolate
• F: short

8/10 really liked this, and i can see it working in a espresso martini

El Dorado 12YO

•  N: demerara sugar 
• P: spicy, molasses, coconut
• F: long, peppery

8/10 wasn't expecting the coconut but it made for an interesting taste

El Dorado 15YO

• N: sugar, vanilla, wood, solvent
• P: vanilla, demerara sugar
• F: med

7/10 possibly more elegant than the 12yo but not half as interesting. fantastic colour in it tho.

Pleased I went, I'm not sure I'll rush to another one, but it had more variety than expected. and I can see myself using spiced rum in cocktails...

Whisky: Dreams of Dramfest '23 #1

 Some drams from the recent Dramfest, which reminds me I still haven't done the full list and rough ratings. I mean, I can see the bits of paper from here, but ... 

This is likely to be a two parter of dramfest, which seems a good thing.

Mystery: Tomatin 18yo Oloroso 46%

Nose: sweet, sherry, ginger, lemonade, treacle, demerara sugar,

Palate: sweet, honey, coffee, chocolate, sherry

Finish: long, salty, dry

8.5/10 This came 5th (8.12) really nice, nose was amazing and the rest of the whisky wasn't too bad. I'd guessed GlenAllachie based on the ginger and citrus on the nose..

Glen Scotia 'seasonal release' 2022, 12yo, 53.3%

N: sweet, woody, leather, vanilla milkshake, cedarwood, balanced, parma violets

P: sulphur, peppery, wood, cognac

F: long, astringent, 

6/10 it came 7th (7.69) I really didn't like this one.

The Whisky Cellar Series 5 Glentauchers 14yo 53.8%

N: dry, creamy, apple, spritzic, lemon, honey, toffee, vanilla, marshmallows

P: citrus, complex, lemonade, fruit salad

F: medium, 

8/10 Came 6th (8.03) I liked it.

Ben Nevis 25yo Blackadder 1996 Raw Cask 51.9%

N: coffee, sherry, dark chocolate, liquourice, black treacle

P: long, passionfruit dark chocolate, burnt sugar (in a good way)

F: long, sweet moving to dry

9.5/10 Perhaps unsurprisingly it came first (9.05). Fantastic whisky.

The Whisky Cellar Series 5 2012 House Malt 57.1%

N: sherry, woody, bananas, soy sauce, sausage rolls, dark chocolate

P: dark chocolate, miso, brown sugar, beef boullion, tiramisu

F: hot and long

9/10 Again, a win from me. Came second (8.89) aiming to pick up a bottle of this one.

GlenAllachie 10yo Cask Strength Batch #8 57.2%

N: lighter, mild sherry, caramel, chocolate, seemed lower alc., medicinal, ozone

P: chocolate, soapy, vanilla, coconut rough

F: medium, very sweet

7/10 a bit sweet on the finish for me. Came 4th (8.31)

Bunnahabhain Moine 16yo 2005 59.4% Blackadder Raw Cask

N: salt, peat, bacon, smoke, iodine, apple

P: smoke, bacon, soot, fire, sweet

F: long, hot, sweet

9/10. Tasty stuff, ticks all the Islay boxes very nicely. Came 3rd (8.85).  

Outside of the tasting, I've been enjoying a Tomatin 12yo and a Clynelish 14yo. 

Whisky: Campbeltown tasting

 Our band of intrepid boozehounds skipped the previous whisky tasting at Regional (fiscally responsible sherry finishes), but there was no way I'd miss a Campbeltown tasting. It's a region that seems to divide whisky drinkers, but I'm a fan.

Springbank 10yo 46%

Nose: apple, bourbon, dry, apricot, hint of mint?

Palate: apple, warm, custard, liquorice, earthy, 

Finish: hot, med-long

8/10 an excellent opening evening dram, it came 4th over all with 8.0 

Glen Scotia 46% 16yo (mystery whisky)

N: dry, lemonade, heavier nose, chocolate, salt, earthy, vinegar crisps, 

P: light, nicely balanced, apples, sulphur

F: med, but grows, dry

7/10 quite quaffable without being over the top or amazing. It came 5th with 7.64

Springbank Local Barley 10yo 51.6% (Belgravia barley)

N: salt, straw, ash, green apples, dry, sponge cake, ozone

P: ash, not much else

F: dry, long sulphur

5/10 yeah not a fan, I wasn't that blown away by the local barley tasting we did last year either. Over rated, and very over priced. It came 7th with 6.85, although it polarised the group with some very high scores and some very low ones.

Springbank 15yo 46%

N: sweet, sherry., chocolate, cough syrup, ash, liquorice

P: warm, apple, hint of peat, ash, creamy, cake, sherry

F: med, peppery

7.5/10 again nice enough, and a good drop. Came 3rd with 8.31

Longrow Red 15yo 51.4% (11 bourbon casks, 4 pinot noir)

N: rubber, sweet, vigorous, sour, burnt toffee, ash, sulphur, demerara sugar

P: long, sour, complex, pinot, chocolate, creamy

F: long, and interesting

9/10 loved this, again one that divided the audience. some almost failed it, which is why it came 6th with 7.06. 

Kilkerran Port Cask Matured 8yo 57.9%

N: age complex, sherry, tobacco, malt vinegar and salt, dettol, medicinal

P: medium sulphur, bacon, blue cheese, musty, meths

F: medium, medicinal

8/10 a nice vigorous dram this, interesting and complex, and appeared older than it was. It came 2nd with 8.73

Kilkerran Sherry Cask Matured 8yo 58.1%

N: Sweet, caramel, rich creamy, pencil shavings, complex

P: oaky, dark tea, old, chocolate

F: hot x buns, long

9/10 another really good dram, complex and again not reflective of its age. Came 1st with 8.81

Whisky: Dramfest GlenAllachie 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.

GlenAllachie Tasting

I might be a little in love with this distillery, so given all the other options for tastings I could have gone to, it was always going to be this. 

Hosted by Andrew Mustard...

GlenAllachie 'Scottish Virgin Oak' 9 yo 48.5%

First fill Scottish Oak and was in there for 12-15 months. 

• Nose: citrus, custard, smooth, vanilla, toffee
• Palate: citrus, oaky, vanilla, ginger
• Finish: long, smooth leading to pepper, butterscotch (initially)

This was amazing. the complexity, the depth, it couldn't have been better balanced. 

9.5 or 10 /10 for me. Which did mean it set a rather high bar for the next two drams.

 GlenAllachie 'Champagne Cask Finish' 8 yo, 50.5%

• Nose: wine notes, spritzic, ginger, lemon,
  
• Palate: ginger, butterscotch, creamy, ?limes
  
• Finish: relatively short

I did give it a 9, but this was the disappointing one (!). I liked how the ginger and butterscotch continues to show through as a house style (?) no matter what they're finishing the whisky in. Again, beautifully balanced, but lacking some of the depth of the other two. Would definitely drink again. 

GlenAllachie 'Mizunara Cask Finish' 17 yo 50.56%

• Nose: custard,spicy, chestnuts, chocolate, orange, hint of ginger
  
• Palate: honey, sugar, berries, hazelnuts, ginger
  
• Finish:chewy, very long, complex, spices (?ginger),
  

 Before you ask, Mizunara is Japanese oak (thanks Andrew, and Wiki), it is, apparently a prick to make barrels from. 

If the whisky it produces is this good, I'm ok with that. This was perfection in a glass. 

10/10

Look, my love for GlenAllachie (well ok, anything BW makes) is pretty clear, but these were exceptional whiskies. None are available, yet, as they haven't decided when to bottle (I helpfully suggested 'nows good'). 

-B

 

 

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