Tasting the Kangaroo Island Spirits' Whisky range [Tasted #711 - 713]

If you've noticed we've been featuring more Aussie whisky on the blog over the past year, that's not by accident. Since moving back to Australia, I've been trying to re-acquaint myself with the scene, and trying more and more new Australian distilleries (alongside new whiskies from old favourites).

(Don't worry though, there's still plenty of crazy old rare Scotch being regularly posted over on the TimeforWhisky.com Instagram!)

One of those new(er) distilleries to recently come across my radar is Kangaroo Island Spirits, from (surprise surprise) Kangaroo Island in South Australia, South West of Adelaide. It's a place better known for its wildlife and wilderness than its whisky, but that may be about to change.

Kangaroo Island Spirits (KIS) was founded by Jon and Sarah Lark in 2006 as (this surprised me) Australia's first dedicated gin distillery (if that surname sounds familiar, it's no coincidence. Jon's brother is none other than Bill Lark, the Godfather of Australian whisky). Whilst gin was the focus, whisky was part of the longer-term plan, and around 2020 a brand-new 4,500L still was installed, making KIS the largest whisky distillery in South Australia. The whisky program uses locally grown Kangaroo Island barley, malted on the island and aged in ex-Bourbon barrel, Apera and Tawny casks.

Having quietly been maturing away for the past 5+ years, the whisky is now ready for its official release this month, coming in 3 forms - Bourbon, Apera and Tawny cask matured, each showing a different view of the same spirit. KIS were kind enough to send a sample pack for review recently, so let's dive in....

Kangaroo Island Spirits Single Malt Whisky Aged in Bourbon Casks (43% ABV, Single Malt, NAS, South Australia, Australia, $135AUD)
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Colour: Straw.

Nose: Vibrant and zingy — fresh lime zest leads, followed by lightly toasted oat cakes and a clean, breezy freshness that speaks honestly to its youth, but without harshness. 

Palate: Light in body, which suits the spirit character well. White pepper first, with a gentle vanilla sweetness and a touch of honey throughout. Clean and easy-going, with the ex-Bourbon cask providing a soft, sweet frame.

Finish: Short, with a pleasant honey spice trailing off.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 87/100 (Martin). A clean, well-made young spirit that wears its youth comfortably. The Bourbon cask has done its job without overstepping or overpowering — this is a solid foundation, and a good entry point into the range.

Kangaroo Island Spirits Single Malt Whisky Aged in Apera Casks (43% ABV, Single Malt, NAS, South Australia, Australia, $135AUD)

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Colour: Golden sunset.

Nose: Immediately more expressive - a burst of fresh-squeezed citrus leads the way, with orange juice and lemonade Icy Poles jostling for position. After a few minutes, some key lime pie notes emerge, lightly sweet and bright. The same youthful freshness as the Bourbon expression, but with a little more going on.

Palate: Follows the nose faithfully, which is often a good sign of a well-made spirit. Light and fresh, with Apera-derived sherry notes arriving gently - no heaviness or overt cask influence. Marmalade, mango and orange weave together nicely, making for a palate that's fruit-forward and enjoyable.

Finish: Medium in length, with mango, orange and a hint of peach lingering pleasantly. The fruitiness carries through well to the end.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 88/100 (Martin). My preference over the Bourbon cask - the Apera cask has added dimension and vibrancy without obscuring the spirit character. If Aussie whisky's best trick (even if not always done successfully) is deploying local wine casks without overpowering the spirit, this is an encouraging early example of that principle at work. 

Kangaroo Island Spirits Single Malt Whisky Aged in Tawny Casks (43% ABV, Single Malt, NAS, South Australia, Australia, $135AUD)
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Colour: Orange gold.

Nose: Richer and deeper than the previous two — there's a step up in complexity here. Milk chocolate and sultanas are front and centre, with an almost Christmas cake warmth underneath. The Tawny cask has worked harder and left a more definitive mark than on the other two.

Palate: Still youthful, but the Tawny has had some more noticeable impact. Berries, plum jam and cherry pie all make an appearance, giving the palate a darker, more dessert-like character that sets it apart from the other two. 

Finish: Medium to long, the longest of the three, with sultanas and dark chocolate hanging around in a satisfying way. 

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 88/100 (Martin). The most complex and characterful of the three, and a signal of intent from KIS. The Tawny casks have given this spirit a depth whilst still allowing the spirit to show.

Taken together, this is an encouraging debut. Youthful, but enjoyable, distinct, and a strong indication of things to come. The Bourbon Cask is clean and approachable, the Apera is bright and fruit-forward, and the Tawny is the standout for character and length.

The really interesting question (as with so many newer distilleries) is what these whiskies will become with another few years under their belt. The foundation is clearly there. Worth keeping an eye on.

Thanks to Kangaroo Island Spirits for the media samples.

Cheers,
Martin.

Benromach Contrasts range - Unpeated and Virgin Oak [Tasted #693 - 694]

We've been pretty fortunate here at TimeforWhisky to try some old and incredibly rare Benromach releases over the years. The last we tried was a 46yo single cask from 1972 (one of only 75 bottles) and the one before that a 41yo single cask from 1974. One thing we found with each of these was that they were incredibly delicious, well-made whisky, bottled at just the right time.

The thing is, "delicious" and "well-made" seems to be something that applies across the Benromach range, right down to the entry level 10 Year Old. I've referred to Benromach as a distillery who just make incredibly good, honest whisky, and I still stand by that today.

...which brings us to the "Contrasts" range, aiming to present a different (or Contrasting) view of Benromach, via a core range consisting of "Peat Smoke" and "Organic" , and a number of "Guest Contrasts" including the two we're tasting today - "Virgin Oak" (10yo and fully-matured in Virgin American Oak casks) and "Unpeated" (9yo and matured in a mix of ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry casks).

Benromach Contrasts Unpeated (46% ABV, Single Malt, 9yo, Speyside, Scotland)

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Colour: Light gold

Nose: Light, with hints of heather, oatcakes, pear, stewed fruits and just a lovely classic fruity Speyside nose.

Palate: Consistent with the nose, with a touch of herbaceousness, dried apricot, red apple and some salted caramel.

Finish: Floral and lifted, with some ginger notes through to the end.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 88/100 (Martin). 

Benromach Contrasts Virgin Oak (46% ABV, Single Malt, 10yo, Speyside, Scotland)

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Colour: Orange gold.

Nose: Oak and citrus spice, with some banana chips and bacon.

Palate: Sweet, less spiced than the nose suggests, more herbal and savoury, with some hints of smoked oranges.

Finish: Butter Menthol lozenges and mature oak.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100 (Martin). 

Cheers,

Martin.

Diageo Special Releases 2022 [Tasted #628 - 635]

It's that time of the year when Diageo unveils its annual Special Releases, albeit for us down under, it's a six-month delay from our northern hemisphere brethren.

Diageo has unveiled its annual Special Releases for 2022, which continue with the mythical theme similar to last year’s special releases. The 2022 series dubbed ‘Elusive Expressions’ sees Illustrator Ken Taylor back again, this time joined by a fellow visual artist, Kevin Tong. Ken Taylor was the Illustrator behind last year’s Fable theme illustrations.

While this year’s theme may be similar to last year’s, the lineup for the 2022 Special Releases is slightly different to last year’s. The 2022 Special Releases see Cameronbridge feature as part of the lineup as well as many familiar distilleries.

When the sample set arrived, Marto was in town and we decided that it would be heaps of fun to split the sample do a joint tasting and combine our notes. While there are some clear favourites amongst us, it was fun to compare the notes for the eight whiskies from the 2022 series. Though, from the entire series, there was one distillery that came out on top.

Here we go...

Cardhu

An interesting Cardhu 16yo, 56%, finished in Jamaican Rum casks. A$299

Martin: Pear, apple and hints of peach on the nose are complimented by a slight herbal note. On the palate, some subtle strawberries & cream notes along with hints of oak, following through to the long finish. 90.

Hendy: Tropical notes on the nose with some mango, and pineapple. Some hints of apples and stone fruits. The palate is soft and creamy, with loads more apples with some strawberries added. The spices appear gradually and slowly evolve into a nice milky chocolate finish. 91.

Oban

Oban 10yo, 57.1%, finished in ex-sherry and amontillado-seasoned casks. A$179.99

Martin: A herbal grassiness and slight saline smoked note on the nose, followed by a fairly simple, slightly salted beef note with underlying red berry notes. A long and warming finish with residual oak to the end. 87.

Hendy: The nose is quite fruity, apples, berries and grapes. Spices kick on the palate followed by the apples, and pears. The palate evolves with some chocolate mixed with some berries and pepper. The finish is long and warming and similar to Marto's note, quite an oaky finish. 90.

Clynelish

An unusual 12yo Clynelish, 58.5% ABV, matured in refill American Oak, then finished in PX/Oloroso seasoned casks. A$350

Martin: Baked apple pie with vanilla on the nose. Things are a bit more robust on the palate, with more of the expected notes from a sherry finish - nuttiness, a robust toffee note, some red berries and a hint of red apple. A long finish, slightly drying at the end. 90.

Hendy: Stewed apples and vanilla custard flows through the nose. You can also smell a hint of apple turnovers. The palate is fulsome and viscous, with apples, and raisins coming through from the apple turnover. There are some peppermint spices that follow. The finish is nice and round with remnants of white pepper spice and a layer of chocolate. 90.

Singleton of Glen Ord

A 15yo The Singleton of Glen Ord, 54.2% ABV, aged in refill American and European Oak, then double matured in wine-seasoned casks. This was one of my highlights from the 2022 series. A$199

Martin: The rich, robust but fruity nose is a welcome departure from the rest of the range tasted so far. Raspberries and strawberries, and after time some green apple. On the palate, cranberries and raisins are coated in milk chocolate, leading to a long and consistent finish. 91.

Hendy: Nice and fruity, raspberries, oranges, and stone fruits. The palate is soft at first and the spices gradually build. The fruits have come out again, apples, raspberries and stoned fruits. The spices remain for some time, into a somewhat long finish with a nice milk chocolate undertone. 92.

Mortlach

A rich and fruity NAS Mortlach, 57.8% ABV, finished in Tawny Port, Red Muscat and Virgin Oak casks. A$425

Martin: Rich and expressive on the nose, I wouldn't call it 'meaty', but it's definitely 'robust'. A well-polished palate that suggests some age, set against the backdrop of spicy, drying red fruit notes on the palate, and long, lingering raspberry on the finish. 90.

Hendy: Rich and fruity, baked apple pie with apple bits, and some glazed cherries on a warm baked loaf cake. The palate is quite welcoming with rich spices, more of the stewed apples from the apple pie, some berries and salted caramel brittle. The nutmeg and pepper spices continue to build and gradually disappear leaving an oaky, berry finish. 91.

Talisker

Talisker 11-Year-Old, 55.1% ABV, matured in first-fill ex-bourbon, refill, and wine-seasoned casks. A$199

Martin: Youthful saline smoke on the nose, leading to slightly herbal salted beef notes with a slight medicinal salinity. The palate follows the nose, with the herbal, grassy, saline smoke notes. The finish is long but a little thin, leading to residual dry smoke notes. 88.

Hendy: Quite briney and full of sud, dry seaweed amongst bonfire smoke. There are some subtle herbal notes as well on the nose. The palate is sweet but quite simple. There is some apple and cinnamon with very light nutmeg spice. The finish is slightly herbaceous and oaky but does linger for a while. 89.

Lagavulin

A 12yo Lagavulin, 57.3% ABV, matured in virgin oak casks and our smokiest reserves. A$229.99

Martin: A classic and thankfully, this one doesn't disappoint. Whilst the nose is lighter than you might expect (albeit with classic Lagavulin DNA still showing through). On the palate, things come to life, with briney Islay peat and complex chocolate orange amidst seaspray-soaked ropes. A long and smoked citrus finish rounds things out. 91.

Hendy: Earthy and Briny. The nose reeks of sea brine and salted fish. There are remnants of bonfire smoke by the beach. The palate is quite distinct to the nose, the sweetness of toffee green apple comes through with some milk chocolate. There is also some mulchy earth with black pepper spices and oak notes. The finish is quite tarry, there is an earthy oaky undertone but overall, the sweetness of the milk chocolate remains. 91.

Cameronbridge

For the first time ever, Cameronbridge 26yo single grain whisky, 56.2%ABV, finished in refill American oak. A$599.99

Martin: Citrus tea notes on the nose give way to a more drying, but rich palate with notes of stone fruits (pear, apple, peach) and drying oak. I found the finish reasonably short, with those stone fruit notes carrying through to the end. 88.

Hendy: Sweet milk chocolate, some nougat and toffee apple on the nose. The palate is equally as creamy, milky - milk chocolate. Some Ribena juice gradually follows followed with mint spices and shortbread. The finish is minty and oaky and the milky notes continue for some while. 90.

Cheers

Hendy (and Marto)

Thank you to Diageo and Example for sending us the Diageo Special Releases 2022 Collection kit for us to spend some time with.

Ardbeg Day 2022 - Ardbeg Ardcore [Tasted #577]

If there's annual whisky event we never fail to cover on TimeforWhisky, it's ArdbegDay! The annual event sees Ardbeg Committee members over the world celebrate all things Ardbeg, whilst enjoying one of Dr Bill Lumsden's latest creations created specifically for the celebration.

This year the creation is "Ardcore", a punked-up take on Ardbeg (harkening back to the 1970's alleged "hotbed of anti-establishmentarianism" in Islay), described as "like biting on a spiky ball". Not exactly a tasting note which immediately makes me want to dive in, but I'll admit I was intrigued.

Continuing 2021's trend, Hong Kong again held an actual event this year, and whilst recent events haven't quite been on the scale of 2014's epic Sydney tasting for "Auriverdes", it was fantastic to again be able to celebrate Ardbeg in person with other Committee members.

Held at Wan Chai's TMK (a suitable venue if ever there was one), Committee members came together to taste a lineup led by local brand ambassador Leo Jockovic, including:

• Ardbeg 10
• Ardbeg An Oa
• Ardbeg Corryvreckan
• Ardbeg Uigeadail
• Ardbeg Ardcore

...preceded by a Wee Beastie Highball, and paired with a menu of TMK's delicious sushi.

I love getting the opportunity to taste an entire range side by side - particularly as it gives me the opportunity to see how bottlings (and/or my own taste) have evolved. For example while Uigeadail has always been a favourite, during this taste I had the Corry slightly ahead in terms of score.

Of course, it was the Ardcore I was most interested in though, so on that note...

Adbeg "Ardcore" (Ardeg Day 2022) (46% ABV, NAS, Islay, $2198HKD in a pack with Wee Beastie, $235AUD, £87.46)

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Colour: Pale, light straw.

Nose: Citrus-infused peat, then a slight bittersweet choc note. Grapefruit, followed by some oak.

Palate: Sweet toffee initially, followed by some dark chocolate. There's an underlying herbal note I also got on the 10 (almost a slight grassiness), but it's subtle - the sweeter notes dominate.

Finish: Smoked herbal lonzenges with wafts of BBQ smoke.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 88/100. Not quite what I was expecting (for me, not exactly "biting on a spiky ball", but a relatively straight-forward, enjoyable dram. Given the choice though, I'd choose the Ten.

Think this sort of event is something you'd want to take part in? This year Ardbeg held many events like this, with Ardbeg Committee members getting the opportunity to attend. Make sure you sign up here for your chance next time around.

Cheers,

Martin.

Thanks to MHDHK for the invitation, and the bottle reviewed here.

Akkeshi Kanro & Boshu Single Malt Japanese Whisky (& Usui blended whisky) [Tasted #556 - 558]

After a bit of a pause, we're continuing our look at what Japanese whisky is today, this time with a trio of releases from Akkeshi - namely the "Kanro" & "Boshu" single malts, and "Usui" blended whisky.

These releases (sold and distributed in Hong Kong by AFTrade) are numbers 1, 2 and 3 in what will eventually be a 24 bottle series, known as the "24-season series", representing the 24 divisions of the solar year. 

Construction of the Hokkaido-based Akkeshi began in 2015, with distillation starting from October 2016. With stills by Forsyths (5,000L wash still, 3,600L spirit still) and the use of Mizunara casks, the distillery fuses the best of Scotland and Japan to, in their words, "create a whisky similar to Islay malts" - a departure from the typically lighter, unpeated Japanese whiskies we see today.

Following in the footsteps of some other new distilleries, Akkeshi released a few pre-whisky spirit bottlings to give people a taste of what was to come, under the "Foundations" range. I remember back in the day (when travel was possible) spotting and trying some of these at bars all over Japan - at 200mL and ~¥3,300 each, they were a cheap and accessible way to get an insight into the distillery's future whiskies.

Their first single malt whisky ("Sarorunkamuy") arrived in February 2020, and the series above followed. Let's dive in...

Akkeshi "Kanro" Single Malt Japanese Whisky (55% ABV, NAS, Hokkaido, Japan, no longer available)
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Colour: Yellow golden sunset.

Nose: Slight cereal note, with citrus spice, subtle smoke, and big notes of paprika and sandalwood. Slight salinity.

Palate: There's obvious peat, but a lighter, sweeter, fruitier variety. Hints of strawberry and orange, sea salt air, strawberries & cream, and a little of that cereal from the nose.

Finish: Long, light peat and slight new oak notes.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100.

Akkeshi "Boshu" Single Malt Japanese Whisky (55% ABV, NAS, Hokkaido, Japan, no longer available)
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Colour: Light yellow gold.

Nose: Citrus, lemon peel, blueberry, chocolate strawberries and a slight salinity.

Palate: Soft, subtle floral wooded smoke. Oak, coconut and campfire notes.

Finish: Dark chocolate, slight oak bitterness, citrus peel.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 89/100.

Akkeshi "Usui" Blended Japanese Whisky (48% ABV, NAS, Hokkaido, Japan, no longer available)
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Colour: Golden amber.

Nose: Burnt toast, cereal grains, milk chocolate powder.

Palate: Sweet and floral, with notable sandalwood, orange peel and hints of fresh oak. Sweet and robust, with caramel chews after some time.

Finish: Long, soft oak with a slight pepper spice.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 88/100.

Thanks to AFTrade for the samples of these whiskies. Whilst they're now all sold out, subsequent releases in the series are now available.

Cheers,

Martin.

More Malternatives - Super old Armagnac and Cognac from Wu Dram Clan [Tasted #514 - 517]

If it seems like there's been a bit less content here over the past year, it's true, but it's also partly because there's more going up on our Facebook page, and especially our Instagram. The site hasn't been forgotten (far from it), but more timely content will typically be found over on our Instagram account @TimeforWhisky (if you already follow us, thanks! If not, give us a follow - there might even be some prize giveaways soon).

One of the things I love about Instagram is the whisky community - and how a simple like, comment or story reply can spawn a great friendship, or the discovery of something entirely new...which is exactly how I discovered Wu Dram Clan (@wudramclan.official), an "Independent bottler of high quality single malt whisky, cognac, armagnac & gin" run by two blokes from Germany and one from Japan. 

I think it was an Instagram story I'd posted of Wu Dram Clan's 1967 Vallein Tercinier (a stunner I'd tried at the excellent House Welley Bar), which prompted Boris (aka @the.whiskyking, Lagavulin collector-extraordinaire and half of the German side of Wu Dram Clan) to reach out about a few more brandy releases they had coming up, and kindly offer to send me a few samples. Next thing I know, I had 3 generous samples of the following:

 

Just a casual ~58yo Armagnac Chateau de Gaube 1962/2020, a ~54yo Armagnac Aurian 1966/2020 and a ~41yo Armagnac Aurian 1979/2020! Whilst my Armagnac knowledge is well behind my whisky knowledge, I always welcome the opportunity for further education, and this seemed like a good way to do it...

Armagnac Chateau de Gaube 1962/2020 (48.6% ABV, ~58yo, Ténarèze, One of 144 bottles)
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Colour: Orange copper.

Nose: Fruity and musty, with some cereal notes. Intriguing. Old leather-bound books but with an undertone of overripe mango. A slight hint of sulphur, marmalade and coffee beans. 

Palate: Slight sulphur at first, but then more old leather and oak. Rainins, almonds, and a slightly "farmy" funk.

Finish: Long, old oak and vintage books, with a residual nuttiness.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100.


Armagnac Aurian 1966/2020 (53% ABV, ~54yo, Armagnac, $2,880HKD / AU pricing not available)
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Colour: Coffee-copper.

Nose: Fresh, floral and esther-y (nail polish), followed by a sherbet sweetness. With water came berries, lemon and after time, caramel-coated apples. 

Palate: Big on the esthers, initially, followed by nuts and pine needles. With water, some caramel apples.

Finish: Long, meaty and creamy. 

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 88/100. Suggest giving it a bit of time for the initial esthers to dissipate. Unique, but enjoyable.

Armagnac Aurian 1979/2020 (49.6% ABV, ~41yo, Armagnac, $1,980HKD / AU pricing not available)
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Colour: Red coffee-copper.

Nose: A bit more youthful compared to the others - red fruits with slight esthers, and with water, an intriguing grassy herbaceous note. 

Palate: Strong oak influence - wood varnish, leather, and bitter orange. With water, a lot more sweetness with jelly babies (green and yellow!) and lemon.

Finish: Short to medium in length, with oak and some orange peel towards the end.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 86/100. 

Thanks to the generosity of a friend in the HK whisky community, I also recently had the pleasure of sampling another Wu Dram Clan cognac - their 1962 58yo "Cognac Jean-Luc Pasquet" bottled at 40.4%.

Cognac Jean-Luc Pasquet 1962/2020 (40.4% ABV, ~58yo, Cognac)
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Colour: Dark copper orange.

Nose: Huge berries and an underlying earthiness/mustiness.  Camphour wood, acetone, milk chocolate and cocoa. 

Palate: Camphour, resin, varnish, then pineapple and peach! Chocolate-coated strawberrries, big mik chocolate and finally some big raspberry notes.

Finish: Long and slightly tropical, with peach, and dark bitter chocolate.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 91/100. So much going on here. Great stuff.

A huge thanks to Boris (aka @the.whiskyking) and Wu Dram Clan for the samples - if you're looking for a fun and delicious Malternative, definitely give these some consideration (if you can still find them). Remember too that old, vintage brandy isn't (yet) priced anywhere near old, vintage Scotch...so get in while you can!

Cheers,
Martin.

Tasted #486 - 487: 1980s Bowmore showdown - 15yo vs 30yo

You wouldn't know it by reading through my "Tasted" posts (as I'm about 400 posts behind...), but I'm a huge Bowmore fan, and have been for a while now. Not just because of the few crazy-rare and delicious examples I've been lucky enough to try (like this), but in general, it's a distillery whose character I (usually) love. IBs mostly, but I don't mind a lot of the OBs either.

I recently had these two bottles open at the same time, and felt they warranted a post. One, an older bottling of Bowmore 15yo Mariner (bottled c.2002), the other, an IB 30yo single cask bottled by Single Cask Nation. On the surface then, they might seem quite different:

• IB vs OB
• 30yo vs 15yo
• Single cask vs vatting
• Natural colour vs (likely) coloured
• Bottled 2019 vs bottled c.2002.

...but if you work back from the ages, you realise both are late 1980s spirit - the 30yo distilled in 1989, the 15yo likely around 1987 (both are also within 1.1% ABV of each other). Given the late 1980s was a pretty notorious area for Bowmore (when the spirit was often described as overly perfumed or soapy), I couldn't resist trying them side-by-side.

Bowmore "Mariner" 15yo bottled c.2002 (43% ABV, 15yo, OB, Islay, Scotland)

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Colour: Copper-brown gold.

Nose: Musty, earthy, with perfumed peat smoke. Noticeable notes of nutty sherry, and some oak / cigar boxes after some time.

Palate: Follows the nose, with continuing subtle (yet perfumed) peat smoke, then a good whack of lavender, spice, and pot pourri. Reasonably full-bodied for 43%, but you're not going to mistake it for a cask-strength banger. 

Finish: Oak with some residual lavender spice. Medium in length.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 88/100. Definitely showing some of those perfume notes evident on many Bowmores of the era, but with some other notes too, still an enjoyable dram.

Bowmore 1989 Single Cask ex-Bourbon 30yo bottled by Single Cask Nation (44.1% ABV, 30yo, IB single cask, Islay, Scotland)

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Colour: Golden amber-yellow.

Nose: It bursts with tropical pineapple, mango and papaya, and even a little passionfruit (now we're talking!) with less obvious floral and perfume notes. With time there comes lavender (subtle), vanilla and a little rancio. Interestingly, after the bottle was less than half full for a few months, the tropical notes seemed to step back a bit, and the perfume / floral notes came to the fore.

Palate: More perfume and less fruit than the nose, but still with noticeable fruit - mango, guava, lime and banana, followed by a little pot pouri. A little lemon, bubblegum, lavender and some oak round things out.

Finish: Floral, with hints of lavender again, herbal lozenges, and slight oak at the very end. Medium to long in length.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 91/100. This won't be everyone's cup of tea (indeed, it wasn't), but I dug it, quite a bit. Especially those early-stage tropical notes on the nose. Yum.

Cheers,

Martin.

Mars Komagatake Limited Edition 2018 & 2019 [Tasted #473-474]

The world of Japanese whisky is a complex one, filled with delicious drams, yes, but also traps for the unsuspecting consumer. Whilst there are many categories (some of which are explained brilliantly in this infographic from Nomunication), including blends, single malts, single grains, blended malts, single cask blends, and even shochu labelled as whisky, in my view you can loosely bucket Japanese whisky today into three broad categories:

1. "The OG's": The sort of whisky which filled the shelves just a few years ago, but now proves increasingly difficult and/or expensive to find. I'm including in here pretty much all age statement Suntory whiskies (e.g. Yamazaki, Hakushu, Hibiki), age statement Nikka whiskies (Yoichi, Miyagikyo, Taketsuru), closed distillery whiskies like the famed Karuizawa and Hanyu, and even Chichibu single malt (which even though is barely a decade old, definitely falls under the "difficult to find" and/or "expensive" banner).
2. "Fake" Japanese whisky - aka whisky sold as Japanese, but containing whisky distilled outside Japan. Now to be clear, under Japanese law this is perfectly legal (and to be even clearer, many reputable whisky brands do this with complete transparency - e.g. "world whisky" like Suntory's "Ao" & Ichiro's Malt "World Blended Whisky"), but there are an increasing number of whiskies which seem to try to "fool" the consumer into thinking they're entirely Japanese; and
3. Whisky distilled in Japan, yet is (relatively) available and affordable. Into this category falls whisky like "Nikka Coffey Malt", NAS Yoichi / Miyagikyo / Yamazaki / Hakushu (which seemed to be slightly more available on a recent trip to Japan), and Mars Whisky's range of single malt "Komagatake", including the two I'm reviewing today.

We tasted several Mars whiskies back in January this year (with President Hombo-san, no less) and this time around have two limited releases under the microscope - Mars Single Malt Komagatake Limited Editions 2018 & 2019.

It's not often you come across a (genuine) Japanese single malt, released in limited numbers, that you can easily buy, yet that's the case with these two, which are still readily available in Hong Kong (in fact I saw the 2019 edition at the airport last week!)

As non-chill filtered genuine Japanese single malts, bottled at a respectable 48% ABV,  they tick a lot of boxes on paper, but how do they stack up as whiskies to drink? Read on...

MARS Single Malt KOMAGATAKE Limited Edition 2018 (48% ABV, NAS, Japan, 1 of 10,000 bottles, $1,300HKD)
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Originally tasted back in January this year, this limited release of 10,000 bottles was aged entirely in ex-Bourbon / American White Oak barrels, and is said to include both peated and unpeated spirit, matured in Shinshu.

Colour: Light yellow gold.

Nose: Vanilla and toasted oak, slightly smoky toasted banana bread, oat cakes and faint wafts of smoke.

Palate: Toffee and caramel, then some ripe plum, orange zest, pot pouri. With time, some floral pear notes emerge.

Finish: Long, citrus with a floral lingering smoke.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale):  88/100. A few new flavours discovered the second time around, but the score remains the same. A youthful, yet enjoyable dram.

MARS Single Malt KOMAGATAKE Limited Edition 2019 (48% ABV, NAS, Japan, $1,380HKD)
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2019's release was distilled at Mars' Shinshu distillery and vatted from Bourbon barrels and "several other types of casks" (it literally says that on the box). The exact number of bottles released isn't known, but like its 2018 counterpart, it's a one-off limited release.

Colour: Light copper gold.

Nose: Instant fruit - pear, melons (rockmelon & honeydew melon), green apples and some oak.

Palate: Follows the fruitiness of the nose. Rockmelon, apricot, marmalade, some orange slices and hints of sweet Grand Marnier.

Finish: Apple flan, slight earthy "fruit smoke", peach pie.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale):  90/100. It's youthful and not overly complex, but it's also delicious and whilst great on its own, I imagine would make a great highball with a slice of apple.


Both 2018 and 2019 Limited Editions are available in HK from AFTrade, who kindly provided these bottles for review.

Cheers,
Martin.

Highland Park Valfather - Asia regional launch party, Taipei (Tasted #463)

Edrington certainly know how to throw a good party or dinner, but for Highland Park's latest release last week, they took it up a notch by holding a regional launch in Taipei, and flying in select media from various Asian markets. As one of four HK media outlets chosen to attend, we spent a fantastic 3 days in Taipei, covering 3 events all focused on the newest member of the Highland Park Family, Valfather.

The third and final in the "Viking Legends" trilogy (which began with Valkyrie and was followed by Valknut), Valfather is the disitllery's peatiest release yet, and represents the third collaboration with Danish Designer Jim Lyngvild. Bottled with No Age Statement and at 47% ABV, the whisky was matured entirely in refill casks.

Held at Brickyard 33 1/3 in the mountains surrounding Taipei, we weren't quite sure what to expect at first. Would it be a dinner? A tutored tasting? A booklet handed to us on the shuttle bus from the hotel (the stunning Humble House in downtown Taipei) gave a clue, outlining a number of activities we could take part in, to earn stamps and ultimately win Highland Park prizes.

The first involved having a picture taken with live Falcons (the more adventurous could hold the birds on an out-stretched arm too - see below). 

Alcohol and birds of prey - a winning combination!

Next was Highland Park's take on the beanbag toss...

 ..followed by an activity where guests could make their own personalised Highland Park keyring.

With all stamps collected, guests then needed to seek out a mysterious cloaked woman"who gave provided guests with their final prizes, an assortment of keyrings and other gifts.

With the games over, it was time for a Highland Park. Bar staff were kept busy all night serving a range of Highland Park drams, as well as a bespoke cocktail made specifically for the event - a twist on a Highland Park whisky sour.

After canapés and a few drams, guests congregated inside to hear from the two guests of honour - Gordon Motion (Highland Park Master Whisky Maker) and Jim Lyngvild (designer for the Viking Legends series).

Following a dramatic video introduction and an explanation of the Viking mythology and designs beheind the trilogy by Jim Lyngvild (himself a direct descendant of Orkney Vikings), Gordon Motion took the stage to talk us through a tasting of the new Valfather.

Designed to be a "light, ethereal" whisky to replicate Valhalla (Heaven), Gordon explained the whisky was matured entirely in refill butts and we all noticed it had a noticeably lighter hue when compared with the first two in the series.

 

Highland Park "Valfather" (47% ABV, NAS, Orkney, Scotland, $588HKD)

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Colour: Pale yellow sunrise.

Nose: Citrus smoke at first. More noticeable peat than previous HPs, but still very much Orkney peat (think earthy notes and heather, rather than iodine or smoked kippers). Hints of apple, green bananas, and some orange vanilla cream biscuits.

Palate: Gentle, sweet smoke wafts in and out, surrounded by notes of apple, toffee, vanilla slice and Crème brûlée.

Finish: Long with a vegetal, slightly floral smoke.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale):  88/100. An enjoyable (and suitably unique) end to the series. See here for comparison notes: Valkyrie & Valknut.

The next day, following an interview with both Gordon and Jim we were able to compare and contrast the series side-by-side, over lunch with a special new Highland Park added for good measure. Posts to follow shortly.

Cheers,

Martin.

A big thanks must go to Edrington HK for the invitation, and Edrington Taiwan / Singapore for the hospitality during our trip to Taipei.