Tasted #220: Connemara 12 Year Old

Following a recent masterclass at The Wild Rover (home to the CCWC) I took the chance to try and further my whisky passport, a great ploy by the folks at The Wild Rover to get you to try all sorts of whiskies from all over the world.

Having spoken to one of the guys from Dram Full at a recent Irish whisky masterclass, the Connemara came up in the conversation and was described as a peated Irish whiskey that certainly does not fare like a conventional Irish whiskey, nor a conventional peated whiskey. Connemara whiskies, from the Cooley distillery, it was said, have a mild, balanced peated character that subtly presents the peat along with the all the exciting notes that are inherent with the malt.

From the whisky slab, four Connemara whiskies were listed; the Connemara Single Malt, Connemara Cask Strength, Connemara 12yo and Connemara Turf Mor (the Octomore of Connemara -- the 'high peat' expression). Unfortunately, only the Connemara 12yo was available that night with all the other expressions on backorder, so it was off then to try the Connemara 12yo.

Connemara 12 Year Old (40% ABV, 12yo, Kilbeggan, Ireland, $140AUD)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A great tasting peated Irish whiskey that balances the gentle smoke with creamy, citrus, tropical fruit and spice notes. Not a bad dram to have on any spring night.

Colour: Light gold with a tinge of amber hue

Nose: Deliciously fragrant on the nose with notes of banana, cherry, strawberry, pineapple - loads of tropical fruits

Palate: The palate is clean, creamy with a subtle strawberry note that then develops into a more punchy peppery palate and then the gentle peat finally rolls in.

Finish: Medium to long, dry finish with a lingering Taiwanese pineapple cake note.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100.

Cheers,
Hendy

Tasted #175 to #180: GlenDronach 12, 15, Cask Strength Batch 3, 18yo Single Cask, 22yo Single Cask and 24yo 'Grandeur'

The first time we covered GlenDronach was back in February 2014, when Martin attended the inaugural launch of The Wild Rover's "Campbell Corner Whiskey Co-Operative" (CCWC). Roll forward one year later and here we are, re-united with the graceful GlenDronach once again. As many people would attest, GlenDronach is quite well known for its heavy sherry influence, often becoming people's 'sherry-bomb' favourite, along with the Macallans, Aberlour A'bunadh and the like.

Truthfully though, over the past year, I have grown fond of sherry cask matured whiskies - notably as I find the use of sherry casks tend to add a beautiful lightness and sweetness to the final expression - a treat for any occasion. Though this isn't necessarily true in all cases, as with the Glenmorangie Taghta, which was matured in an ex-Manzanilla sherry casks and exhibited a more salty, maritime profile to the expression.

So, after hearing about GlenDronach over the year and with my curiosity on the heavy sherry influence, I jumped at the opportunity [Martin: about time!] to sit in on the GlenDronach tasting when the masterclass was announced by The Oak Barrel.

Dave Withers of The Oak Barrel, now the Distillery Manager at Archie Rose Distilling Co in Sydney introduced the GlenDronach range, only after confessing to being a big GlenDronach fan himself. 

The GlenDronach line-up on the night included:

• GlenDronach 12 Year Old 43%
• GlenDronach 15 Year Old 46%
• GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 3 54.9%
• GlenDronach 1995 18 Year Old Cask #3025 51.1%
• GlenDronach 1991 22 Year Old Cask #1346 52.1%
• GlenDronach Grandeur 24 Year Old Batch 5 48.9%

GlenDronach 12 Year Old "Original" (43% ABV, 12yo, Highland, Scotland, $79AUD)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A rich, sweet and creamy single malt expression that has been matured in ex-PX and Oloroso sherry casks.

Colour: Dark copper

Nose: Vanilla at first, building up to some maltesers and toasted oats.
Palate: You can taste the sherry influence immediately, creamy, hints of orange rind, dried spices and cherry ripe.
Finish: The finish is reasonable, dry with a lingering toffee sweetness.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 91/100. A nice and balanced expression, one that you could perhaps drink on any night of the week.

GlenDronach 15 Year Old "Revival" (43% ABV, 15yo, Highland, Scotland, $105AUD)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A deep, sweet and leathery single malt expression matured in Oloroso sherry casks.

Colour: Dark 'burnt' caramel

Nose: Loads of raisins.
Palate: The palate is rich of sultana and raisins, hint of orange peels and dried spices.
Finish: The finish is dry.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100.

GlenDronach Cask Strength - Batch 3 (54.9% ABV, NAS, Highland, Scotland, $160AUD)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A lovely No Age Statement expression, both on the nose and on the palate derived from the mixing of malt aged in Oloroso and PX casks.

Colour: Rich, dark caramel

Nose: Raisins and rich dark chocolate.
Palate: The palate is full of sultanas and raisins with a hint of citrus, perhaps orange peels and a note of that chocolate from the nose.
Finish: The finish is long, extremely long and dry with dried spice remnants that linger with you for a while and more. Stunning.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100.

GlenDronach 1995 18 Year Old Cask #3025 (51.1% ABV, 18yo, Highland, Scotland, not available in Australia)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A truly remarkable single cask expression with a concoction of sweet cocoa, spices and PX sherry. My favourite expression of the night and one for any occasion.

Colour: Dark caramel.

Nose: The nose opens to cinnamon, cloves, a hint of tobacco and after a while, there's smoked ham in there also.
Palate: There is loads of sherry on the palate, which is creamy, rich, with a coating of dried spices. The palate gradually develops to notes of raisins and sweet cocoa.
Finish: Similar to Batch 3, the finish is extremely long with lingering spices and cocoa.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 93/100.

GlenDronach 1991 22 Year Old Cask #1346 (52.1% ABV, 22yo, Highland, Scotland, not available in Australia)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Loads and loads of sherry, all derived from the PX cask in which this whisky was gracefully aged.

Colour: Amber, almost with a red hue.

Nose: The nose is filled with honey notes that develop into Christmas cake, icing sugar and sweet caramel.
Palate: Loads of sherry on the palate, then there's that hint of tobacco, black peppercorn and some sweet cocoa.
Finish: The finish is dry and long leaving a nice malt on the palate and some peanut butter?!

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 91/100

GlenDronach 'Grandeur' 24 Year Old - Batch 5 (48.9% ABV, 24yo, Highland, Scotland, no longer available in Australia)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An old and wise GlenDronach, one of 600 bottles of this supple, soft-sherry laden expression.

Colour: Amber hue

Nose: The noes smells of cocoa, dried fruits and some tobacco.
Palate: Soft and complex that starts with dark orange chocolate, then the honey notes begin to reveal itself before leaving sweet hazelnut chocolate notes on the finish.
Finish: The finish is long and sweet, nutty with an overlay of dried spices.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100.

- Hendy.

St Paddy's Day at CCWC - Jameson Masterclass

It's been awhile since my last post, the Christmas / New Year holiday and work having taken over. Nevertheless, a few exciting posts coming up and also some reflection from my recent travel (more on that soon).

Continuing from the last Jameson tasting at CCWC (Campbell Corner Whiskey Co-Operative) at The Wild Rover in May last year and also ahead of the St Pat's day celebration, it would be fitting to re-visit the iconic Irish whiskey that is Jameson with Pernod Ricard's Jameson Brand Ambassador Lexie O'Toole at The Wild Rover.

This being my first Jameson masterclass and having had limited encounters with Irish whiskies in the past,  I did look forward to the tasting. This iconic Irish whiskey, founded by John Jameson (a Scottish lad) in 1780 at the Middleton distillery differentiates itself from American and Scotch whiskies through its use of both malted and unmalted barley and through its triple-distilled production process. The result, a remarkably pleasant, creamy and spice laden (as derived from the unmalted barley) whiskey -- as presented through the six Jameson whiskies on the night:

• Jameson Select Reserve (Small Batch)
• Jameson Gold Reserve
• Powers Gold Label
• Redbreast 12yo Single Pot STill
• Green Spot Single Pot Still
• Jameson 18YO

So here we go...

Jameson Select Reserve Small Batch (40% ABV, NAS, Cork, Ireland, $69.99AUD)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A mixture between the Irish pot still and a small batch of grain, deducing a sweet, rich expression from the distillation
Colour: Light copper
Nose: Smooth, sweet date and vanilla notes.
Palate: Light, spices, vanilla, nutty and where did that dark orange chocolate come from. Did I mention oily also
Finish: Medium, sweet and gentle spices
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 91/100. It's smooth, creamy and sweet -- reminds me of a bourbon.

Powers Gold Label (43% ABV, NAS, Cork, Ireland, $79.99AUD)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just released late last year, this whiskey is notably sitted between the Select and Gold reserve
Colour: Rich and golden copper
Nose: Sweet date, honey, vanilla, tobacco?
Palate: Loads of spices, heavy on the caramel
Finish: Long prolonged spices
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100

Jameson Gold Reserve (40% ABV, NAS, Cork, Ireland, $84.99AUD)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
They say this whiskey receives its sweetness from the wood, American Oak and its mixture of different potstills
Colour: Dark copper
Nose: honey and vanilla notes 
Palate: Sweet vanilla, cinnamon, iodine (where did this come from)
Finish: Longer than the Select Reserve and sweet lingering finish.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 89/100 (the same as what Martin scored) 

Redbreast 12yo (40% ABV, 12yo, Cork, Ireland, $99.99AUD)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A traditional style single pot still whiskey, aged for 12 years and heavily influenced by the sherry cask
Colour: Light, golden, did someone say red hue?
Nose: honey and vanilla notes (seems to be a common denominator)
Palate: Light, raisin, hint of sherry, dried fruits (apricot?)
Finish: Short and sweet.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100.

Green Spot Single Pot Still (40% ABV, NAS, Cork, Ireland, $99.99AUD)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aged mostly in second fill Bourbon barrels, with some aged in ex-Sherry barrels.
Colour: Light copper
Nose: Clove, cinnamon
Palate: Apple, cinnamon (now that's a combination), sweet date
Finish: Short with a sweet date finish
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 89/100 (never got those salmon notes)

Jameson 18 YO (40% ABV, NAS, Cork, Ireland, $135AUD)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Distilled a couple of times before being sent away in Oloroso casks
Colour: Golden
Nose: Honey, vanilla, orange
Palate: Dried fruit, sweet date, spices, iodine, hint of sherry
Finish: Medium and sweet
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100

Well, what can I say, my first Jameson masterclass and it was rather enjoyable. The tasting notes tend to be quite consistent between expressions though I did love the Select reserve slightly more than the other expressions. I wasn't sure if all the hints of iodine were from the naturally salty oloroso sherry, the sherry style casks used to mature many of the expressions.

The masterclass was fun and enjoyable and with Lexie, having spent some time in Belgium as an ambassador, also shared few interesting insights between these Irish whiskey expressions and the more classic trappist ;)

Whatever you do, wherever you are, Happy St. Paddy's Day!!

Cheers,
Hendy

This week in whisk(e)y #15

As you might know if you read this blog regularly, we get a fair few interesting press releases and news articles here at TimeforWhisky, and usually try to feature them with our own spin, experiences or comments. Sometimes though, they come thick and fast, and we just don't have time to do them all justice.

So we've decided to take a leaf out of some other excellent whisky blogs, and feature a "PR roundup" every now and then - basically a wrap-up of relevant press releases we've received in the previous week or so (including other interesting whisk(e)y news Steph & I think you might enjoy). So on with it then...

Whisky...in the sky?
No it's not a new method of whisky maturation (although we've seen space and sea maturation, so why not?) No, this is a unique event being held in Tasmania to attend a whisky tasting suspended 50 metres in the air.

"Imagine mingling in a clear roof VIP Marquee near Hobart's stunning waterfront before being lifted into the sky, 50 metres above ground level (higher than both the Marine Board & Hydro buildings) to watch the Sydney to Hobart Yachts cross the finish line. 

Guests will relax in their comfy recliner to take in Tasmania's stunning scenery, while sampling some very rare Overeem Single Malt Whisky supplied and presented by Casey Overeem himself. Accompanying the whisky will be selections of mouth-watering Tasmanian cheeses. 

The tasting table is suspended by a crane installed by a team of accredited professionals.
There will only be two whisky elevations. Casey Overeem will present on one, and Bill Lark (Lark Whisky) will present on another.

December 28 at 3:00pm - 4:00pm (Boarding from 2:30pm) - Lark
December 28 at 4:15pm - 5:15pm (Boarding from 3:45pm) - Overeem 

This is an exclusive event. Tickets are on sale now and will not last long! There are only 19 spots for public per elevation"

I love Lark and Overeem and can't think of a better way to enjoy them. If we were in the country, I would have been pretty keen for this. Tickets are available from here and are $290AUD each (18+ only).


It's a Laphroaig "Smoky Christmas" at The Wild Rover
The Wild Rover, and their Campbell Corner Whisk(e)y Co-Operative (which we've featured a few times on this site) are hosting a Laphroaig 'Smoky Xmas' on Friday 19th December, from 4pm-6pm. Dan Woolley and Michael Nouri will host an afternoon of whisky, cocktails, live music and freshly shucked oysters from Ralston Bros Oyster Farm.

The boys at "the Rover" know how to throw a bloody good party, and we have no doubt this one will be no different. Details on their Facebook page. We won't be able to be there, so have a 'phroaig for us!

"STORM" Malt Scotch Whisky
A few weeks ago at the HK Wine and Spirits Fair we came across a curious bottle of whisky called "Storm", from Lombard Scotch Whisky. Not having heard of Lombard, I enquired further and learned they have been in the industry since the 60s, as independent bottlers but also blenders, and previous suppliers to blenders. "Storm" is a vatted/pure/whatever the industry is calling it these days malt (i.e. a blend of malt whiskies only, no grain whisky) and whilst distilleries aren't provided, whiskies are described as being "influenced by the salt air and the sea" (which granted, could be one of many distilleries).

Lombard also do a number of single cask releases under their "Jewels of Scotland" label, and I was impressed to see the variety of distilleries available, some of which showed they've clearly been keeping casks for a long time (such as Brora). To quote the company:

"The collection covers the 6 areas: Speyside, Highland, Lowland, Campbeltown, Islay and Islands.  Ages range from 18 years to 42 years."

I wasn't able to take proper tasting notes of the small sample I tried at the show, but hopefully I'll be able to track the "Storm" down again (and a few of the single cask releases) and post up a proper review.

Cheers, 
Martin.

CCWC at The Wild Rover - Jameson - Tasted #90-#96 (#101drams)

The Wild Rover are seemingly a roll with their "Campbell Corner Whiskey Co-Operative" (CCWC), keeping things true to their roots for their third session with some of the finest whiskies to come out of Ireland's Middleton Distillery.

Yes, it was only fitting that an Irish bar host an Irish whisky tasting, and what a tasting it was, with a whole slew of whiskies (some quite rare) presented by Pernod Ricard's Jameson Brand Ambassador Ailbhe Garrihy. It's not often you try seven whiskies on a Monday night, but hey, such is the life of the whisky blogger, and so it was a few weeks ago that Steph and I made our way to The Wild Rover to try:

• Jameson Original
• Jameson Select Reserve ("Black Barrel")
• Jameson Gold Reserve
• Green Spot Single Pot Still
• Redbreast 12yo (a #101drams whisky)
• Middleton Very Rare
• Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve

It's no secret that, as a style, I'm not a huge fan of the lighter, smoother triple distilled Irish whiskies (I'm also not a fan of Auchentoshan, for the same reason), but I figured if I was going to find one I liked, it was probably going to be here.

Ailbhe opened the night with some information about the Middleton distillery, who now have over 1million barrels aging away, and make all the whiskies tasted here at the one site. After a few more interesting facts and figures, and a tasty cocktail, it was onto the whiskey...

Jameson Original (40% ABV, NAS (typically 5-7yrs), Cork, Ireland, $42.95AUD)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blend of pot still and grain whisky. Some unmalted barley giving it a creamy mouthfeel.
Nose: Light, sandy, with vanilla, chalk and some sour notes.
Palate: Light and sweet, smooth, sure, but almost too smooth. No real bite. Some banana notes. Would definitely go well in a lighter cocktail.
Finish: Very short.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 86/100. Not entirely to my taste as a sipping whiskey.

Jameson Select Reserve ("Black Barrel") (40% ABV, NAS (typically 7-15yrs), Cork, Ireland, $64.99AUD)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An interesting whiskey this one, one that's only been in Australia for ~9 months. One day each year, Middleton make a rare grain whiskey, which (unlike the other 364 days of the year) undergoes its first distillation in a pot still. That whiskey makes its way into this blend, along with other pot still malt whiskey.
Nose: Smooth, vanilla and honey notes. Bourbon cask influence seems strong.
Palate: Smooth, spicy, honey, cloves and raisins.
Finish: Medium, sweet, with notes of vanilla and cinnamon.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100. Consider this if you like a good, sweet Bourbon-influenced whiskey.

Jameson Gold Reserve (40% ABV, NAS (typically 10-21yrs), Cork, Ireland, $84.99AUD)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One of the first Irish whiskies I actually liked when I tried it years and years ago (before I was "into" whisky) at the Old Middleton Distillery in Dublin. Aged in a mixture of virgin French oak, and ex Bourbon and Sherry casks.
Nose: Big, sweet vanilla hit, honey, cut grass, some blueberries.
Palate: Light, caramel, some oak notes. Orange and toffee too.
Finish: Shorter than the Select, longer than the original. Sweet with citrus hints.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 89/100.

Green Spot Single Pot Still (40% ABV, NAS (typically 7-10yrs), Cork, Ireland, $99.99AUD)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aged mostly in second fill Bourbon barrels, with some aged in ex-Sherry barrels.
Nose: Rich, sweet, but "fuller" than the previous Jamesons. Some cinnamon.
Palate: Very different to the Jamesons! Big oak influence. Salmon fillet? Really? I kept going back and that's what I got (and no, I hadn't recently eaten salmon fillet!). Some honey too.
Finish: Short, oaky, and with those same inexplicable salmon notes!
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 88/100. Not sure what was going with those Salmon notes..

Redbreast 12yo (40% ABV, 12yo, Cork, Ireland, $99.99AUD) #101drams
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A single pot still whiskey, aged for 12 years.
Nose: Creamy, rich Christmas cake.
Palate: Light (noticing a trend here?) but slightly meaty, with Christmas pudding notes.
Finish: Short and meaty, but also rich and sweet.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100.

Middleton Very Rare (40% ABV, NAS (typically 25yrs), Cork, Ireland, $249.99AUD)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Limited to 5,000 bottles per year. $250/bottle, or free if anyone was willing to get a 'Sine Metu' tattoo on the night!
Nose: Very, very different this. Artichokes and mandarin. Some sulphur
Palate: Mouth filling, grainy, with some spice and cloves. None of the nose evident.
Finish: Short to medium, with strong notes of cloves.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 88/100.

Jameson Rarest Vintage (46% ABV, NAS (typically 25yrs), Cork, Ireland, $649.99AUD)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A blend of grain whiskey aged in Bourbon barrels, and pot still whiskey aged in port pipes.

Nose: Beautiful, rich, berries, sultanas, dates.
Palate: Bigger mouthfeel - this is more like it. Slightly spicy, but still with those berry notes.
Finish: Meaty, long, sherried.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 93/100. The highlight for sure and a great end to the night.

Cheers, 

 - Martin.

This Week in Whisk(e)y #6

As you might know if you read this blog regularly, we get a fair few interesting press releases and news articles here at TimeforWhisky, and usually try to feature them with our own spin, experiences or comments. Sometimes though, they come thick and fast, and we just don't have time to do them all justice.

So we've decided to take a leaf out of some other excellent whisky blogs, and feature a "PR roundup" every now and then - basically a wrap-up of relevant press releases we've received in the previous week. So on with it then...

It's single malt, but not as you know it - Woodford Reserve release "Classic Malt" and "Straight Malt"

We've featured Woodford Reserve's "Master's Collection" on the site before, but for those unfamiliar with the series, it's basically Woodford's annual opportunity to go a little crazy. Different finishes, different casks, four wood aging, and a few interesting ryes are a few examples of recent releases, but for this year (late 2013 in the States - we're a little behind) they've gone one step further with the release of two single malt whiskeys, and I hear through the grapevine we'll see them in Australia later in the year (and maybe earlier than that at the odd tasting).

The two releases are "Classic Malt" and "Straight Malt", both made from 100% barley, but differing by the types of cask used for aging - the Straight Malt in virgin oak (in the same way Bourbon is aged), the Classic Malt in used Bourbon barrels (in the same way a lot of Scotch whisky is aged). With both sitting at 45.2% ABV (continuing Woodford's trend of having all their whiskies end in 0.2% ABV), these should be interesting to compare. We can't wait.



The Wild Rover's "Campbell Cove Whiskey Collective"

Launched last week, we mentioned that The Wild Rover's "Campbell Corner Whiskey Co-Operative" (CCWC) included a list of 50 whiskies for members to work their way through before "unlocking" a selection of special drams. James from The Wild Rover has been kind enough to send through the full listing, and to be honest, it's a pretty fantastic list. With a good split between Irish and Scotch whiskies, and a few North American, Japanese and Aussies thrown in, it has something for everyone. Prices are reasonable too, considering the quality of the drams, with only 8 of the 50 above $20, and plenty for around $11-$14. We've linked the full listing below, but to call out a few of the more interesting ones:

• Ardbeg Supernova ($24)
• Connemara Cask Strength ($12)
• Longrow 1997 14yo Burgundy Wood ($14); and
• Van Winke 10yo ($22)

The current full listing can be found at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B53LQq_J9E22QW9GX1BiZnJ1amM/edit?usp=sharing

NZ Whisky receives 95 points from Jim Murray
I've voiced my thoughts on Jim Murray on this site before (in summary, I respect what he does but think people place too much emphasis on his ratings, considering he's only one man), but regardless, the man has tasted more whisky than the majority of us, and people keep buying his annual book release, so I guess his opinions are still highly regarded.

One of his views that I agree with, it seems, is that the NZ Whisky Company 21yo "South Island Single Malt" is a damn good whisky. I considered it the equal best when tasting 10 of their releases back in 2013, and Jim has given it 95 points in his 2014 Whisky Bible.

To quote the NZ Whisky Company press release:

"In a great start to 2014 for the New Zealand Whisky Company, Jim Murray’s latest edition hot off the press in London, sees the South Island Single Malt 21 y.o. scored at 95 points, placing it in the highly coveted category. This is the first time ever that a New Zealand whisky has scored so high and been anointed ‘Liquid Gold’. 

“This is a salute to the craftsmanship of the Dunedin distillers,” says company CEO Greg Ramsay. “Being recognised as one of the world’s great whiskies by Jim Murray, that’s the ultimate endorsement of your dram and all the Dunedin distillers like Cyril Yates can be proud that what they were doing in the 80s and 90s in New Zealand, was every bit as good as what the Scots were doing over in Speyside and on Islay.” 

The South Island Single Malt is the company’s flagship single malt, aged for 21 years in American Oak, ex-bourbon barrels. According to Murray’s latest bible, “you would be forgiven for thinking this was a 30 or even 35-year-old Speysider; almost a grassy maltiness melding into the light, exotic fruit and freshly chopped celery. Clean, delicate and elegant beyond words. 

If someone asked me how I would like my 21-year-old non-peated malt to come to me, it would probably be something like this: a top of the range 40-year-old. Proof that the country in which a whisky is made is totally irrelevant. Great whisky is great whisky.”
The whisky is now exported from Oamaru and available across Canada, the UK, Australia and Europe."

Until next time...sláinte.

Cheers,

 - Martin.

The Wild Rover's "CCWC" inaugural event - Glendronach

Originally mentioned back in October last year, Sydney's The Wild Rover have now launched their "Campbell Corner Whiskey Co-Operative" (CCWC), kicking things off this Monday just passed with a Glendronach tasting led by Douglas Cook of the distillery.

Without going into too much detail (see the post from October for the specifics), the Co-Operative allows anyone to join for a one-off $25 fee, and provides them with a card of 50 whiskies to work through (at very reasonably prices). Once done, the holder of a completed card is able to purchase some pretty rare and interesting drams at cost price. There are a few such drams already, including a 21yo Teeling and the 12yo Bushmills Distillery Reserve (available only from the distillery), with plenty more to come, potentially including a Port Ellen. In what I personally think is a solid move, the bar will reserve these drams only for members who have completed their card - you can wave as much cash as you like at them, they won't sell you a dram unless you've completed the card.

The CCWC will also see regular events, the first of which was this one from Glendronach (distributed in Australia by the lovely folk from island2island).

I'll admit Glendronach is a distillery I wasn't too aware of until quite recently, but after continually hearing about the quality of their drams from a number of reputable sources, I figured there must be something good there. My first taste of Glendronach (the 15yo) last year confirmed it.

I had a brief chat to Douglas before the event kicked off, and learnt that despite his title of "Regional Sales Manager", the distillery has such a small staff that his role is a lot more encompassing than the title suggests. Douglas occasionally plays a hands-on role in various facets of the whisky production and distribution, as well as his main role of spreading the word of Glendronach throughout Europe, Australia, NZ and Asia (in particular Taiwan - Glendronach's largest market).

Having been through periods of ownership by Teachers and Pernod Ricard, in 2008 the distillery was brought back into private ownership as part of the BenRiach Distilery Company. It was at this time the distillery chose to focus on sherried whiskies - recognising a gap in the market being addressed by very few other distilleries at the time.

Douglas, clearly passionate about the Scotch whisky industry and who (I suspect) could talk for hours about its intricacies if given the opportunity, taught us a number of interesting facts including:

• The origins of Glendronach's popularity in the 1820s, thanks in part to word of mouth from, uh, ladies of the night.
• Scotland produces on average 40 bottles of whisky, every second.
• All 1.5 million litres of Glendronach produced annually is aged on-site at their distillery in the North East of Scotland.
• Whilst the majority of Glendronach is aged in Oloroso and/or PX casks, they have released Sauternes and Tawny Port releases in the past, and may, possibly look at a peated release in the future.

After an introductory cocktail of Glendronach 12yo and home-made ginger beer (which was delicious, but perhaps a little spicey given we were about to taste some complex whiskies), Douglas talked us through the 12yo, 15yo and 18yo (to be covered in a separate tasting post) which I have to say were each fantastic.

Douglas, the island2island team and the guys from The Wild Rover did all they could to make this a fun and informative event, and I'd have to say they pulled it off very well. If they keep it up the CCWC could well become a staple on the Sydney whisky event calendar, like Shirt Bar's Scotch Club.

The next CCWC will be on 10th March - a tasting of Kilchoman by owner and master distiller Anthony Wills.

The Wild Rover can be found at 75 Campbell St, Surry Hills NSW.

Cheers,
 - Martin.