Entry #340 - The Summer of Tough Love...
 July 1, 2008 - After a reasonably fruitful Spring I started the
summer of 2008 at full dramming speed. The first weekend of
summer kicked off with a 'Midsummer Night's Dram' session in
the woods with some old friends (both of the human and the
spirit variety) on Friday. The dramming went on until 4:00 AM so
I traveled to Zeist in a slightly dazed state the next morning for
the annual 'Wigman Super Tasting' where I met up with some
of the maniacs (Serge, Olivier and Michel) and a few dozen other
whisky lovers. I was suffering from a relatively bad nose day, so
I stopped making notes after less than a dozen drams.
By that time we were only halfway through the whisky menu of
the evening. I don't get as frustrated as I used to when I'm not
able to make notes on the whiskies I'm enjoying, but some of
the drams served in Zeist were especially exquisite...
Here are the whiskies I've managed to score;
91 - Benriach 1976/2005 (57.6%, OB for Craigellachie Hotel)
90 - Benrinnes 1975/2006 'Flying Big Ben' (46%, G&M for Juuls)
86 - Glen Elgin 1975/2007 (46%, Berry Bros, C#5167-5170)
88 - Glen Elgin 1976/2006 (45.1%, Jack Wieber's Cross Hill)
92 - Highland Park 10yo SMWS - further details will follow
85 - Lagavulin 2008 Feis Ile Bottling - further details will follow
89 - Linkwood 15yo 1979/1994 (58.4%, Cadenheads Authentic)
88 - Millburn 26yo 1974/2001 (57.7%, Cadenhead's, Bourbon )
87 - Strathisla 1964 - further details will follow
90 - Tomatin 32yo ????/2008 (49.9%, The Collection, ????)
Can you tell the session was a little overwhelming? ;-)
Serge has faithfully been taking pictures for WhiskyFun, so I hope to add the missing details soon.
The Wigman Super Tasting itself started to wind down around 3:00 AM, but the aftertasting at the hotel lasted
until after 5:00 AM. You can imagine that my alcohol-ravaged brain and body were not in the best of shapes when the maniacs arrived in The Hague around noon on Sunday. Michel, Serge and Olivier bravely pushed on at
the 'Whisky In The Church' event, but I called it a day after half an hour or so to catch up on some sleep.
After all, I still had a heavy summer ahead of me...
Why? Well, I want to wrap up as much of the Distillery Data section as I can, before we have to start the
preparations for the Malt Maniacs Awards 2008. That means that I'll take it easy with this Liquid Log again for a
few months while I direct my efforts elsewhere. I've just refreshed the Hot List and the Hit List in the mAlmanac
and will keep our esteemed readers updated on current affairs in the whisky world (like the announced closure of the Springbank distillery) through the Mixed Messages Mailinglist and Malt Maniacs & Friends on Facebook.
Here's a list of the profiles that I've managed to wrap up so far. I'll add fresh distillery profiles to the list below as soon as they are finished. The most recent additions
are boldly printed...
Aberfeldy - a malt whisky distillery in the 'Midlands' region of Scotland, not far from Edradour & Blair Athol.
Aberlour - located in the heart of Speyside and founded in 1879 by the entrepreneur James Fleming.
Ailsa Bay - a new 'project' that's almost guaranteed to succeed, thanks to the backing of WM Grant & Sons.
Allt A' Bhainne - the distillery was closed when Pernod Ricard bought it in 2002, but was re-opened again.
Ardbeg - these days Ardbeg is one of the jewels in the crown of the LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy).
Ardmore - this distillery at the edge of the Grampian mountains was founded by Adam Teacher.
Arran - the distillery is located on the island with the same name, due East of Islay and Campbeltown.
Auchentoshan - for many years this was one of the few remaining Lowlands distilleries in Scotland.
Auchroisk - the Auchroisk single malt whiskies were sold under the name 'Singleton' in the 1990's.
Aultmore - this low profile distillery makes more whisky than, say, Laphroaig or Highland Park.
Balblair - the distillery was founded in 1790, making it one of the oldest operating distilleries in Scotland.
Balmenach - it's one of the 'Inver House' distilleries that are controlled by owners in South East Asia.
Balvenie - the more 'upmarket' brand of WM Grant & Sons, owners of Glenfiddich, Kininvie and Ailsa Bay.
Banff - a relatively obscure silent distillery with a solid reputation amongst many connoisseurs.
Benriach - the distillery made a 'false start' in 1898, but since a few years they're in top form.
Benromach - independent bottlers Gordon & MacPhail bought the distillery in 1992 and re-opened it in 1996.
Bladnoch - production-wise, this is one of Scotland's smallest distilleries (with Edradour and Kilchoman).
Braeval / Braes of Glenlivet - after being mothballed in 2002, the distillery re-opened on July 11, 2008.
Bruichladdich - clever marketing gave this Islay distillery a flying re-start in the early noughties.
Caol Ila - Diageo promoted this erstwhile 'bulk' brand to the 'Classic Malts' range a few years ago.
Cragganmore - one of the first malt whiskies many people get to try because it's a 'Classic Malt'.
Dailuaine - in 1889 Dailuaine was the very first distillery to be fitted with the typical 'pagoda' type roof.
Deanston - over the years the whisky from this fairly obscure Midlands distillery has grown on me.
Edradour - perhaps not Scotland's smallest distillery anymore, but definitely in the Top Three.
Glenallachie - it is one of the youngest distilleries in Scotland, owned by Chivas Brothers / Pernod Ricard.
Glencadam - one of just two remaining distilleries in the Eastern Highlands between Aberdeen & Dundee.
Glenfarclas - Aberlour and Glenfarclas picked up the sherry crown that Macallan dropped in 2004.
Glenfiddich - it has taken a while, but Scotland's largest distillery now has its own profile as well.
Glengoyne - this distillery worked its way into my Top 10 under the guidance of Ian MacLeod Distillers.
Glenlivet - the first legal distillery in the Glenlivet area managed to claim exclusive rights to the name.
Glenmorangie - arguably the distillery that invented 'finishing', Glenmorangie isn't as innovative anymore.
Highland Park - Scotland's Northernmost distillery, located on the Orkney islands.
Laphroaig - quite possibly the most famous distillery on Islay, popular amongst disciples of peat.
Loch Lomond - the recent SWA proposals would 'outlaw' many of Loch Lomond's whiskies.
Macallan - few people realise that Macallan is currently Scotland's #2 distillery, right after Glenfiddich.
MacDuff - after marketing their whisky as 'Glen Deveron' in the 1990's they went back to 'MacDuff'.
Springbank - the distillery will be closed down for a while due to 'excess stocks' and high fuel prices.
Tomatin - in 2002 eleven of the original stills at Tomatin were removed, but they're still in the Top 10.
Tullibardine - I'm not Tullibarine's biggest fan, but finishing has rescued some of their casks.
My next 'proper' log entry will (probably) focus on Springbank - but I want to finish at least half of all distillery profiles before I pick up the regular reports in this log again. The Dram Diary at the bottom of this page should keep you informed about my dramming adventures this summer. I expect to pick up this log again at the end of
the summer - and I hope to have wrapped up at least two dozen fresh distillery profiles by then.
I realise that some of you may feel a little disappointed because you won't get your regular doses of malt
madness spoon-fed to you through this page for a few months, but for now I'll have to direct you to the other sites in our parallel whisky universe; Malt Maniacs, WhiskyFun and the Malt Maniacs & Friends group.
Besides, through the Liquid Links page you can find hundreds of other whisky websites.
So, don't feel sad - the temporary closure of this liquid log is for your own good...
Sweet drams,
Johannes
Entry #339 - The Water of Life is getting murkier...
June 17, 2008 - Well, I had actually planned a 'Haarlem Nocturne' tasting session with fellow malt maniac Michel
van Meersbergen today, but after a painful visit to the pedicure this morning I could hardly walk. I had never
been to a pedicure before, so I don't know if that's normal - but for now I'll assume she knows what she's doing.
Anyway, I was in no condition to walk to Michel's home in the old inner city of Haarlem, so we decided to move the planned tasting session to next week.
 That gave me the opportunity to write up
some of my thoughts about a failry recent
development in a case that I got quite
excited about a few months ago. The
newly proposed whisky categories of
the SWA (Scotch Whisky Association)
specifically specify that a malt whisky
has to be distilled in a pot still. I have
to admit that I initially didn't give this a
second thought, but then I received the
news of protests at Loch Lomond distillery.
Anyway - I'll get into more details about that matter in my message to the Mixed Messages Mailinglist.
No fresh tasting notes here this time - but I've got a whisky-filled (and whisky-fueled ;-) weekend ahead with a little 'Midsummer Night
' open air dramming in the woods at my family's home on Friday night, the infamous Michiel Wigman Super Tasting on Saturday night (I'll be bringing a bottle of my beloved 'UD Rare Malts' Saint
Magdalene 19yo 1979), the 'Whisky In The Church' event on Sunday and finally some quiet 'afterdramming' on
Monday when we say goodbye to Serge and Olivier at the airport. The time you'll have to wait for my report on those events depends partly on the recovery time that my brain and liver will need after that...
Sweet drams,
Johannes
Entry #338 - Walpurgis Session - Post Script
 June 15, 2008 - Time flies when you're having fun...
It has already been six weeks since I had to wrap up my latest
'Walpurgis' session with whiskies that were not distilled in Scotland.
Since a whisky can't choose where it wants to be distilled I thought
it would be only fair to review some non-Scottisch whiskies and
whiskeys every now and then. I didn't get to sample all the exotic
stuff on my shelves during the last 'Walpurgis' session on April 30,
so here's a little 'post script' about four different whiskies and/or
whiskeys - two Irish whiskeys and three grain whisk... eh.. ieys?
Confused already? Well, I am. Canadian malt maniac Davin de
Kergommeaux opened the latest issue of Malt Maniacs with a great
E-pistle about the various spellings of the word 'whisky'. According
to Davin the 'rule' that the Scotch, Canadian and Japanese whisky
makers use the traditional spelling while Irishmen and Americans
always add the superfluous 'e' isn't etched in stone.
To add to the confusion, one of the candidates of tonight's session
is both a GRAIN and an IRISH WHISKEY. That's quite rare, because
most Irish whiskeys are pot still whiskeys. To produce the Greenore
Cooley uses a mash of IP maize (The IP refers to identity preserved,
meaning that this maize isn't genetically modified) and malted barley.
Cooley needs the enzymes in the malt to convert the starch in the
maize to sugar, as there are no enzymes present in the maize. To
produce a maize only product they would have to use commercial
enzymes only or "malt" the maize. They used between 5 and 10%
malt for the Greenore, which is distilled using two column stills (also
known as Coffey stills or patent stills). According to Cooley, maize
also produces a sweeter whiskey than wheat or other cereals.
So, in this case 'single grain' means the grain whiskey is produced by
a single distillery, not that it is produced from only one cereal or grain.
I suggest you check out the Beginner's Guide to Single Malt Whisky if you want to know more about the
difference between the production of Scotch whisky and Irish whiskey. I've been quite curious about this new 15yo release ever since it was announced. When the regular 8yo was released a few years ago it opened my
eyes to the potential of young grain whisk(e)y. A score of 72 points may not seem much compared to the average
malt whisky (theoretical average = 75 points), but quite a few single malts like Glen Moray and Fettercairn have now dropped below that.
Greenore 15yo Limited Edition (43%, OB, Cooley, Grain whiskey, Ireland, 5000 Bottles)
Nose: Clearly a grain whisky at first with an 'acetone' attack. Sweetens out quickly, settling down.
Clean with some faint vegetal notes in the background. Light in style with an evolving complexity.
After some 10 minutes it starts to really open up with bakery aroma's joining the grain attic bouquet.
Then the faintest hint of sulphur - gunpowder - and other organics. Smoke. Wow! A brief 'peacock's tail'.
Taste: Extremely smooth on the palate, almost like a bourbon. Big centre, hint of smoke in the dry finish?
Some malty notes, oddly enough. After some breathing the centre became a little nuttier. Roasted almonds?
Score: 78 points
- the perfect cross-over whiskey for bourbon lovers looking for some more complexity.
So, this is indeed a significant step up from the regular Greenore that's only half as old at 8yo.
With a score of 72 points the regular 8yo doesn't threaten most single malts from Scotland yet, but with a very
friendly price it offers a nice opportunity to try an altogether different style of whisky. For a long time, the only
Scottish single grain whisky on the mass market (that I knew of) was Blackbarrel - and that was a pretty foul dram. However, a few years ago some fabulous single grains from independent bottlers like Duncan Taylor cured
me of my prejudices. So, let's put two Scotch single grains against the Greenore now...
North British 25yo 1964/1990 (46%, SigV, C#10451-10454, 1300Bts., 75cl)
Nose: Clearly grain whisky, like the Greenore - but more metallic. medicinal - not in a good way.
Sourish - something must have gone wrong here... Like an old wet dirty cloth. Well, at least it has character...
Taste: Very weird start. Metallic again. Dust. Aspirin bitterness. Yuck! This drained all my sympathy quickly.
Score: 30 points
- the only reason I rank this above the Johnnie Walker Red is the (sort of) interesting nose.
One of the skeletons in Andrew Symington's closet I guess ;-)
Invergordon 40yo 1964/2005 (48.1%, Dewar Rattray, C#57633, 105 Bts.)
Nose: Starts with sweetness and an acetone attack. Faint tropical fruits. Not a lot of development.
Taste: Chewing gum balls. Hot centre. Strong tannins. Dry, tannic, medium long finish. A tad bitter.
It has an incredibly peppery twist at the end of the finish - like the Absolut Pepper Vodka of the 1980's.
Score: 74 points - but some maniacs put it in the 90's. Well, there's no accounting for poor taste I guess ;-)
Well, I've never been a huge fan of the average grain whisky - although I've tried a handful of brilliant exceptions
from Scottish distilleries like Invergordon and Carsebridge. As far as I'm concerned, these last two were not among them. That makes the 'better than average' score of 78 points for the Greenore 15yo even more
impressive. So, that inspired me to pull one more Irish whiskey from the bar;
Cooley 15yo 1992/2007 (56.4%, The Whisky Fair, Bourbon, 312 Bts.)
Nose: Fresh and vegetal. Also a hint of something metallic here. Sourish. Rhubarb. Apple.
It receives bonus points for complexity, that's for sure. A mellow fruitiness; a perfect summer whiskey.
Taste: The bourbon cask has a very dominant presence. Strong tannins in the middle and the finish.
Quite hot, even after I added a few generous drops of water. It feels younger than 15 years though.
The 'plywood' tannins really are a tad too harsh for my tastes - not the best cask Carsten ever chose.
That being said - it does have charms. After a LOT of time and some water tropical fruits emerged in the finish.
Score: 77 points
- a very nice nose but too woody on the palate for me to actively recommend it.
Well, to be honest I had expected a little bit more from a The Whisky Fair bottling at cask strength.
In fact, if I understand the production process of Irish whiskey correctly this was made with at least some malted
barley - as opposed to the unmalted barley (and/or other grains) that was supposedly used for the Greenore OB from Cooley. Oddly enough, I preferred the 'grain' variety under today's circumstances...
Sweet drams,
Johannes
Entry #337 - Wake Up & Smell The Whisky...
 June 12, 2008 - As you may have noticed I can get annoyed more easily than
most normal people. In fact, if getting annoyed were an Olympic sport I would
have to show up in China in a few weeks to defend my title... Fortunately,
very much like is the case with exciting sports like dwarf tossing, there just
are too few people getting annoyed at a semi-professional level to elevate it
from a hobby to an Olympic sport. That left me with loads of unspent spunk
to unload on the BIG Partnership in London, Edrington Group's PR agency.
One of the things that attracted me to single malt whisky in the first place
was the fact that it's a (relatively) authentic product in today's 'corporate'
society that mostly revolves around mass media and mass consumption.
When single malts only made up some 2% of the total whisky market in
the 1990's it was a real 'niche'. Most of the attention of the rubber desk
johnny's at the corporate headquarters went to their big brands, almost
invariably blends. Mass market tactics worked beautifully for these - and
you can find some fine examples of whisky advertising on WhiskyFun.
But over the last decade demand for single malt whisky has exploded.
For a long time malt whiskies and the distilleries that made them were
almost an afterthought; it was a necessary ingredient of the blended
whiskies that were the 'bread & butter' of the whisky industry. Even
after most distilleries and blenders had been gobbled up (or turned
into) large conglomerates and corporations, most of the money was
made with blends - so that's where the focus of the management
and shareholders was as well. But with the value of the segment
growing rapidly, the drive for further 'professionalisation' of the
approach of this former 'niche' market was strong.
Unfortunately, a more professional approach can be a pretty bad thing...
One of the distilleries that has embraced this new phase of professionalism in the malt whisky industry most
enthusiastically is Highland Park on the Orkney islands in the North of Scotland. Prices have exploded over the
last few years - the new 40yo bottling depicted here will set you back almost 1000 pounds. If they invested the
extra money that's pouring in right now in stuff like sherry casks so they can maintain the old 'house style' I could
live with that, but instead they spend it on things like a continuous stream of mostly meaningless press releases.
Most of the time those simply annoy the hell out of me, but sometimes they DO come in handy.
I recently came accross a sample from Olivier that just said 'HP 18 Lunar'. That didn't ring any bells, so I searched
my inbox for clues. Sure enough, this press release popped up;
Highland Park Honours the First 21st Century Lunar Nutation - 28/09/2006
Highland Park has created a limited edition 18 3/5 year old Lunar Bottling in honour of the first Lunar Nutation of the
21st century. This exceptional bottling celebrates the completion of the Moon's full cycle, a celestial phenomenon which
only happens every 18 3/5 years and is best observed from Orkney's Ring of Brodgar, one of the finest stone circles in
the world. This month is the latest turning point in the Moon's full cycle and it will not return to this point again until
2025. There are only 500 of these exclusive bottlings available (RRP £69.99) at this very distinct age profile, making
this a rare and collectable whisky, said Jason Craig, global controller, adding: "This limited edition is voluptuous, like our 18yo, only more so."
Matured using over 40 per cent first fill sherry oak casks and bottled at 45.1% abv, Highland Park Lunar is seductive
and full-bodied. It is a uniquely smooth and balanced single malt, with the Orcadian hallmarks of a toffee sweetness and mouthwatering smokey finish.
Gerry Tosh, brand ambassador, commented: "At Highland Park, just like the early inhabitants of Orkney, we have a
fascination with the mystical nature of things such as the solar system or the nature of whisky maturation. For many
years our award winning 18 year old has featured the Ring of Brodgar on our label as we believe in the craftsmanship
spent behind creating the perfect circle. Those fortunate enough to experience Highland Park's Lunar bottling will surely
appreciate the skill, craftsmanship and patience required to create this single malt. As there won't be another Lunar
Nutation until 2025 this is sure to become a collectors item." (...) Obviously, stocks will be very limited and demand is
expected to be high – we are informed that it will come in a special wooden presentation box with an explanatory leaflet so you will need to act quickly if you want to buy one.
Well, Olivier DID buy one and was good enough to share a sample with me.
So, let's see if this whisky indeed has magical properties...
Highland Park 18 3/5 yo 'Lunar Bottling' (45.1%, OB, Bottled 2006)
Nose: Sharpish for a second, then quieting down. Smooth and sweet with woody overtones.
It doesn't seem very expressive, but there are a lot of subtleties to enjoy. Smells older than 18 years.
This one really needs time! After fifteen minutes fruits, spices and organics jumped to the foreground.
Taste: A bit confused for a few seconds, then taking a sweet and fruity direction. Great mouth feel.
Well, at least at first - after a smoky centre it became a smidgen too harsh in the finish for my tastes.
Score:
88 points - Serge, Olivier and Konstantin all scored it in the 90's, but I wouldn't go quite that far.
Well - that WAS pretty good whisky, I have to admit.
Perhaps that was why the whisky that was actually DISTILLED during the previous Lunar Nutation (i.e. the 12yo
that was still readily available for chump change in the late 1990's) tasted roughly just as good ;-)
So, that got me inspired to rummage around my shelves for some other Highland Parks;
Highland Park 16yo 1990/2007 (46%, The Whisky Exchange, C#7059, 347 Bts.)
Nose: Fresh and sparkly, like a freshly cut apple. More of the 'wash' and beer aroma's later on. Some smoke?
A whiff of rotting grass and cattle feed. A tad metallic in the background. A 'natural' whisky. Puffy sweets.
Subtle development over time. In fact, this is surprisingly subtle for a (probably) sherry casked whisky.
Taste: A solid whisky with a faint touch of peat in the finish. Surprisingly ballsy (i.e. peaty) for a recent HP.
A tad grassy. Excellent mouth feel with a long, rough but fairly neutral finish. Beer traits here as well.
Score: 81 points - it's a good, solid malt whisky, but lacks the fruits I love in the OB's.
Highland Park 19yo 1988/2007 (55.7%, The Whisky Fair, bourbon hogshead)
Nose: Big, rich and sweet. Echo's of the organics and farmy notes in the 16yo TWE bottling, but more complex.
Sweeter too, with lovely bakery aroma's. Faintest hint of rubber and something oily, but not disturbing.
Taste: Quite a bit of power, just like the 16yo from TWE. Perfectly drinkable at cask strength. Touch of peat.
An excellent mouth feel; a solid sweet start evolves into a rougher, smokier centre and a long finish.
Score: 89 points - it really touches the 90's ceiling, but is just a smidgen too 'natural' for that.
That 89 points is really an average; over the course of half an hour it swung between 87 and 91 points.
Highland Park 20yo 1984 (57.9%, OB, C#45, 528 Bts., Germany)
Nose: Old tea. Subtle smoke. Deviant organics and some sourish balsamico overtones. Quite unique.
What an excellent malt; the base tone keeps shifting slowly and the various organics keep it interesting.
Taste: Chewy start; perfect mouth feel at cask strength. Smoky finish. Then an aged fruits interlude.
Perfect tannins in the finish. What a miracle on the palate; showcases the blessings of a good sherry cask.
Score: 90 points - those lucky German buggers! One of the last HP OB's for a reasonable price?
It dropped off a bit at the end (sulphur?), but until then it's a major thrill ride...
Woohaah.... I could have ended the session on a high note, but wanted just one more dram.
I picked another one from Orkney...
Scapa 13yo 1993/2006 (50%, DL OMC, REF3341, D. 09/'93, Btl. 11/'06)
Nose: Sweet, smooth and spicy - lovely start. The grainy origins shine through, but not disturbingly so.
Taste: Smooth start as well, but then it becomes feistier - and flatter, unfortunately. Hint of soap?
Unlike the nose, it's actually quite sharp on the palate, especially in the gritty, bone-dry finish.
Score:
81 points - but I was inclined to go with a score in the mid-80's based on the wonderful nose.
And that's it for this report. I'll look abroad again in my next entry - at Ireland to be precise.
Sweet drams,
Johannes
|
|
91 - Benriach 1976/2005 (57.6%, OB for Craigellachie Hotel, C#8079, 144 Bts.)
90 - Benrinnes 1975/2006 'Flying Big Ben'
(46%, G&M for Juuls, C#3343, 250 Bts.)
86 - Glen Elgin 1975/2007 (46%, Berry Bros, C#5167-5170)
88 - Glen Elgin 1976/2006
(45.1%, Jack Wieber's Cross Hill, sherry cask, 224 Bts.)
73 - Glenmorangie 1991/2002 Missouri Oak (55.7%, OB, 1000 Bts.) - Why did the Belgians give it 97 points?
76 - Glenmorangie 12yo (40%, OB, +/-2005, Taiwan) - a sample from Glenmorangie fan Ho-cheng.
78 - Glenmorangie 15yo Sauternes Finish (46%, OB, +/-2004) - another sample that Ho-cheng sent me.
81 -
Glenmorangie 18yo (43%, OB, +/-2000) - I'm glad I'm not the only one saving old samples...
92 - Highland Park 10yo SMWS
- further details will follow
85 - Lagavulin 2008 Feis Ile Bottling - further details will follow
89 - Linkwood 15yo 1979/1994
(58.4%, Cadenheads Authentic Collection, 5/1979, 11/1994)
88 - Millburn 26yo 1974/2001
(57.7%, Cadenhead's, Bourbon hogshead, 276 Bts.)
00 - Springbank 1996/2006 (59.2%, Whisky Kanzler, C#108)
84 - Springbank 1996 'Spiritus Sulphuris Volatilis'
(57.5%, OB, priv, C#118, 306 Bts.)
93 - Springbank 12yo 100 Proof (50%, OB, +/-1995, 'Double Dark', USA)
82 - Springbank 12yo '175th Anniversary' (46%, OB, 12000 Bts.) - this put me in a mildy celebratory mood.
81 - Springbank 12yo 1991/2004 Bourbonwood
(58.5%, OB, D. 12/'91 Btl. 02/'04, 5986 Bts.)
00 - Springbank 1991/2004 (54.2%, Murray McDavid, MM430, 300 Bts., Taiwan)
00 - Springbank 13yo 1993/2007 (58.7%, Single Malts of Scotland, C#694, 563 Bts.)
83 -
Springbank 15yo (46%, OB, +/- 2006) - after a weak start in the early noughties they're back in shape.
89 - Springbank 21yo
(46%, OB, 2400 Bts., +/-2005) - Loads of sherry, a hint of rubber & a pinch of peat.
87 - Strathisla 1964 - further details will follow
90 - Tomatin 32yo ????/2008 (49.9%, The Collection, ????) - further details will follow
63 - Tullibardine 10yo (40%, OB, +/-2005) -
65 - Tullibardine 15yo 1989/2004 (49.8%, Hart Bros, D. 04/'89)
77 - Tullibardine 26yo 1973/2000 (49.6%, Signatory, Sherry, C#2401, 278 Bts.)
78 - Tullibardine 1973/2004 (49.2%, OB, C#2517, 183 Bts.)
After the big overhaul of this website in 2006 and 2007 I've switched to a 'seasonal' rhythm for the HTML pages in my Liquid Log. At the end of each season I send my scores
to our French malt maniac Serge who adds them to the Malt Maniacs Monitor and
Malt Maniacs Matrix - along with the most recent scores of the other maniacs. So, you don't have to take my word for it; the matrix and monitor offer tens of thousands of scores for thousands of different whiskies. The new 'Specials' section on Malt Maniacs (scroll to the bottom of the home page to find it) offers tasting notes for a few dozen recently released single malts. As far as my personal 'Track Record' is concerned; I've stopped updating it after I passed the 2000 malts mark, but the last time I checked malt mileage was +/- 2500 single malt Scotch whiskies
seriously sampled & scored...
|
