Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost & Rare (Tasted #387)

The house of Johnnie Walker has recently released a limited edition variant of its popular Blue Label; Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost & Rare. We had a snippet of this special release earlier with Simon McGoram, Diageo National Whisky Ambassador earlier this month.

The Ghost and Rare is a series of special releases created by Dr Jim Beveridge, Johnnie Walker Master Blender using whiskies from "ghost" distilleries that have closed with other malt and grain whiskies. In fact, the Blue Label Ghost & Rare feature the highly treasured Brora malt as well as malt from Pittyvaich and Cambus grain. The Brora malt has remained treasured for its quality and its ability to hold its peat notes with age. Martin and I have tasted various Broras in the past and have always fallen in love with each one. So to have Brora feature in this release, it was rather special.

A total of eight malts and grains make up this release and contrast to the original Blue Label for which input components are never revealed, this release includes confirmation on the components that make up the final blend. Clynelish, Royal Lochnagar, Glenkinchie, Glenlossie and Cameronbridge malt and grains were blended with the three "ghost" components above to make up the final blend.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare (46% ABV, NAS, Speyside, Scotland, $478.99)
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An interesting variation to the traditional Blue, the richness and earthiness add to the traditional profile which is more commonly known to be light, gentle and fruity. This particular release would certainly appeal to those with curiosity to unpack the 'rare' components that make up this blend or perhaps Brora fans out there that are wanting a different take of the single malt.

Colour: Caramel malt

Nose: Nice and rich, with caramel, nougat and hazelnut mixed. It's actually quite luscious. There are also hints of spiced oak and a level of earthiness. It's very interesting and rich for a blended nose.

Palate: Spiced sweet cinnamon coated apple, earthy with a level of nuttiness, caramel and slightly waxy.

Finish: The finish is long, slightly woody and nutty

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

The Blue Label Ghost & Rare will be available from Dan Murphy's and other selected independent liquor store from 5 March at an RRP $480.

Cheers
Hendy

Thanks to Liz Hunt of Leo Burnett Sydney for having us at the preview event.

Diageo "Classic Malts" Hong Kong launch dinner (Tasted #361-366)

Recently Steph and I had the pleasure of attending a dinner to celebrate the official launch of sixteen new Diageo Single Malts in Hong Kong, including six classic Malts like Lagavulin 16, Caol Ila 12 and Oban 14, along with ten 2016 special releases (many of which we enjoyed in Singapore last year, and again in Sydney earlier this year). We can get caught up in tasting some crazy, old, rare and vintage whiskies on this blog from time to time (see our Instagram for regular updates of what we're drinking), so it was nice to take a step back and revisit some of the whiskies that got me into whisky in the first place (Dalwhinnie 15yo for example was the first single malt I ever bought, and Oban was the first distillery I ever visited).

..hold on, you might be thinking. A launch for whiskies like the Lagavlun 16 and Caol Ila 12?! Haven't they been in HK for years? Well yes, but until now - not officially!

Held at Ah Yat Harbour View restaurant in Causeway Bay, the dinner was hosted by the affable Donald Colville, a man who carries the enviable title of Diageo's "Global Malts Ambassador". With six Classic Malts and two Special Releases, paired with an 8 course meal all presented by Donald, we were expecting an enjoyable night, and we certainly weren't disappointed. 

Opening with Glenkinchie 12yo (paired with Lo Shui goose liver with pork belly), Donald explained we would be traversing Scotland throughout the course of the dinner - starting in the Lowlands. To be honest, I've never been a huge fan of Lowland whiskies, but I did enjoy the 24yo Glenkinchie Special Release a few months earlier) so I was happy to try the 12yo again.


Glenkinchie 12 (43% ABV, 12yo, Lowlands, Scotland, $798HKD / £31.19 ex-VAT)
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Colour: Yellow amber.

Nose: Light, floral and citrusy - lemon mostly.
Palate: Light and fruity. Pears, lemon, and some honey. Youthful but by no means harsh.
Finish: Short length, with a slight citrus acidity.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 86/100. 

A nice enough dram (especially on a summers' day), and a great match with the pork belly (each lifting the flavours in the other), but not a whisky I'd choose over others if drinking neat.

After the introductory course, Donald gave us a little background into his path to whisky, which seemed to have been written from birth, given his family owned two Campbelltown distilleries, and his Great Grandfather actually traded whisky with Alexander Walker (son of "the" Johnnie Walker)! When you hear of someone having a family history like that, coupled with their obvious love of Scotch whisky, it's hard to think of a better person to hold the title "Global Malts Ambassador".

Next was Dalwhinnie 15yo, paired with Baked stuffed crab shell. Describing the new make Dalwhinnie spirit as "sulphury and sharp", Donald explained how time in oak tamed these notes whilst leaving a big, bold and flavoursome whisky.


Dalwhinnie 15 (43% ABV, 15 yo, Highlands, Scotland, $780HKD / £31.19 ex-VAT)
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Colour: Golden yellow.

Nose: Big rich fruity sherry. Apple, pear, nectarine, and rich fruitcake.
Palate: Bold, rich and viscous. Nutty, sweet, cherries and toffee.
Finish: Long, caramel/toffee, malty.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100. 

I was very pleased to see that even though this was the first single malt I ever bought, back in 2007 or so, I found it even more enjoyable that I did all those years ago. It was also a great match for the crab - each had big bold flavours and they bounced off each other brilliantly.

Next on the menu was the first of the Special Releases for the night - Mannochmore 25. I won't repeat the tasting notes as I tasted it in Singapore last year, but this as my highlight dram of the night. Paired with Braised whole abalone with Goose web and Chinese lettuce, it can't have been an easy match, but it held up well. Given how enjoyable this dram was on its own though, I found myself saving it for after the course.

We moved over to Speyside next, for the Cragganmore 12, paired with Deep fried yellow croaker. Donald explained how Cragganmore's still design (with its flat lyne arm) introduces complexity as the spirit hits the top of the arm, falling back down during distillation, and that complexity was certainly evident in both Cragganmores we tasted.

Cragganmore 12 (40% ABV, 12 yo, Speyside, Scotland, $480HKD / £30.28 ex-VAT)
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Colour: Yellow gold.

Nose: Light, floral, with hints of toffee and stone fruits.
Palate: Youthful, but with definite complexity. A mixture of walnuts, cherries, honey and toffee.
Finish: Medium length, meaty but also sweet.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 88/100. 

Next was the only NAS of the night...and also the most expensive bottling tasted. The Cragganmore Limited Release (Special Release 2016) was clearly popular, as (by the time I got my hands on it a second time for the photo below) it was all gone. NAS it may be, but we were reliably informed it contained whisky from 8-9 years, right up to "older than Donald". Unfortunately I couldn't tell you how old that actually is...but judging by the complexity in the whisky, a decent age! Tasting notes can be found in my Sydney tasting post.

Over to Oban next, for the classic Oban 14, paired with Stewed oxtail w/homemade sauce and red wine. Like Dalwhinnie, Oban also holds a special place in my whisky history, as the first distillery I ever visited (I also remember having some fantastic fish and chips near the distillery)!

Oban 14 (43% ABV, 14yo, Highlands, Scotland, $760HKD / £39.86 ex-VAT)
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Colour: Orange gold.

Nose: Sea spray soaked oranges.
Palate: Fried scallops, sea air, salted fish and chips. One of those drams that transports you somewhere instantly - for me, to that little fish and chip stall right near the distillery. 
Finish: Medium to long in length, with some salt-cured meat and slight oak tannins
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 91/100. Even better than I remember.

This was seriously delicious

Nearing the end of the meal, it was time to take a trip down to peat town - firstly with Talisker 10. An old favourite that I hadn't revisited for a while, I'd heard some people claim the "new stuff" wasn't as good as the "old stuff". Thankfully, for me, with this bottle at least, that wasn't the case, and it was just as good as I'd remembered. Paired with Ah Yat Signature Fried Rice, the saltiness in both the rice and the whisky complimented each other well. 



Talisker 10 (45.8% ABV, 10 yo, Isle of Skye, Scotland, $508HKD / £31.19 ex-VAT)
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Colour: Golden

Nose: Salty seasalt-laden oak, slight smoke, cherries. Seaweed,
Palate: More sea air, some caramel, a meatiness, and a noticeable amount of peat smoke which wasn't as evident on the nose.
Finish: Long, salty and malty.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100. 



The last dram of the night, paired with an incredible Baked sago pudding with black truffle and lotus seed cream was (both predictably and delightfully) Lagavulin 16. A perennial favourite, I'll admit I was surprised to learn that it had never been officially imported into HK (especially considering it's available in my local supermarket). Regardless, it's good to know it is know officially available, and if that means we'll see more of it - that can only be a good thing.

Lagavulin 16 (43% ABV, 16yo, Islay, Scotland, $980HKD / £39.96 ex-VAT)
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Colour: Copper brown.

Nose: Earthy smoke with tinges of sherry sweetness. Iodine notes abound, in a wonderful way.
Palate: Big BBQ meaty notes, lots of seaweed, fishnets, and seaside smoke. Plenty of sherry notes underneath all that peatsmoke too.
Finish: Long, spicy and peaty, with a touch of vanilla.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 91/100. Fantastic to see this is still an excellent dram after all those years, and it has to be said - a really, really good match with the sago pudding (although I think it matched best with the black truffle inside the pudding).

One thing this dinner highlighted for me was not only how versatile the Classic Malts range is (evidenced by the incredibly wide range of dishes they were paired with), but also how enjoyable they are on their own. The Dalwhinnie 15yo especially brought back memories (and was even better than I remembered), and Lagavulin 16 continues to be an absolutely world-class dram.

Gone!

A huge thanks to Moët Hennessy Diageo HK for a fantastic dinner, and a great trip down memory lane. The Diageo Classic Malts range is now available from all good whisky retailers in HK, whilst the Special Releases range is available from Moët Hennessy Diageo HK directly.

Cheers,

Martin.

Diageo Special Releases 2016 Tasting in Sydney (Tasted #354 - 356)

Sometimes in whisky (as in life), things just work out perfectly.

Take the other week for example. An invitation arrives for a tasting at 2pm on a Tuesday, in Sydney. On any normal week, I'd be 1) in Hong Kong, and 2) Working at 2pm (although considering the invitation in question was for the Diageo 2016 Special Releases, I'd probably try to wrangle some time off and be there). In this case however, there was no wrangling required. I was in Sydney, with a free day. Perfect.

So along I went to Sydney's timeless Rockpool Bar & Grill, to join what was to be a very special tasting. I'd been fortunate enough to try a few of the 2016 releases a few months earlier in Singapore, and whilst I would have loved to try those same drams again, I was very happy to see three of the five drams on tasting were ones I hadn't tried.

Specifically, we were to taste:

• Caol Ila 15yo "Unpeated Style" - Distilled 2000, 61.5% ABV
• Cragganmore Limited Release - 55.7% ABV
• Glenkinchie 24yo - Distilled 1991, 57.2%
• Brora 38yo - Distilled 1977, 48.65 ABV
• Port Ellen 37yo (16th Release) - Distilled 1978, 55.2% ABV

After a wonderfully refreshing Dalwhinnie 15 highball (with honey and malic acid), we took our seats to hear from Diageo Australia's newly-appointed National Whisky Ambassador Simon McGoram, who kicked things off with a brief history on the Special Releases (now in their 16th year), and how the much-loved Rare Malts of the 1990s gave way to the Special Releases of today.

Also of interest was the price of the 1st release Port Ellen - a mere £110! A far cry from the $5,000AUD of the 16th release we were about to taste.

(I remember back in 2009 picking up a catalogue from Park Avenue Liquor in New York, which I still have, with a whole range of Port Ellens from $200-$400USD. If only I'd had a little more foresight!)

For those unfamiliar with the Special Releases, it's basically Diageo's annual collection which shows off the various Scottish whisky distilleries, both malt and grain, within Diageo's immense portfolio. Typically the collection includes closed distilleries (like Port Ellen and Brora), operational distilleries (like Lagavulin and Talisker) and grain distilleries (like Cambus - also a closed distillery), and covers many of Scotland's whisky producing regions.

All bottles are bottled at cask strength, and the series has become increasingly popular with both drinkers and collectors alike. This year's collection runs from $170AUD (Caol Ila) to $5,000AUD (Port Ellen), so there's something for everyone.

You wouldn't usually expect to start a tasting of various Scottish regions with an Islay whisky, but in the case of Caol Ila's 15 year old "Unpeated Style", it was entirely appropriate. An annual release, this year's 15yo is from a batch made just once per year, in what Diageo call the "Highland Style", showing off the vibrancy of the Caol Ila spirit without the usual peat smoke.

Caol Ila 15yo "Unpeated Style" (Special Releases 2016) (61.5% ABV, 15yo, OB, Islay, Scotland, $170AUD)

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Colour: Light yellow gold.

Nose: Dried seaweed. Lemon tart. Salty, maritime notes, with hints of fresh tropical fruit.

Palate: Allen's Pineapple lollies, more seaweed, a fair amount of malt. A few drops of water brings a little smoke, but nothing like you'd get on a regular Caol Ila, especially one at 61.5% ABV!

Finish: Medium in length, with some vanilla, caramel and popcorn. 

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


The Cragganmore was next - the only NAS in the line-up. We're not ones to judge an NAS by its (lack of) age statement though - Diageo have proven (as we found with 2014's Clynelish) that they do NAS very, very well when it comes to Special Releases.

Cragganmore NAS (Special Releases 2016) (55.7% ABV, NAS, OB, Speyside, Scotland, Bottle #2,818 of 4,932, $750AUD)

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Colour: Yellow-orange sunset.

Nose: Earthy - mushrooms, dried vegetation and almonds primarily.

Palate: Citrus and spice initially, followed by nutty, vegetal notes. Stewed fruits follow, with the spices wafting in and out. The cask make-up (a mixture of refill hoggies, rejuvenated hoggies, and European Oak) shows.

Finish: Long, smooth and spicy. Slightly vegetal.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 91/100. A fantastic match with Jamon Bellota, it turns out (and of course very good on its own).

Next was the Glenkinchie 24 - the oldest official bottling ever released, and also the first to be matured entirely in European Oak. Fair to say I was a bit excited to try this one.

Glenkinchie 24 Year Old (Special Releases 2016) (57.2% ABV, 24yo, OB, Lowlands, Scotland, Bottle #988 of 5,928, $520AUD)

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Colour: Deep yellow gold.

Nose: Tropical fruit, Nutri-Grain cereal, milk chocolate, whilst retaining a floral lightness. Water brought out more of the fruit. It's a complex nose, for sure, but not one you'd immediately associated with a dram aged for 24 years in European oak.

Palate: Lightly spiced, with floral hints and some cereal notes from the nose returning. The tropical notes were there too - pineapple dusted with cinnamon.

Finish: Long, sweet fruity and fragrant spices. Walking through a spice market eating a sweet apple.

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

The Brora and Port Ellen rounded out the tasting, and I found very similar notes to when I'd tasted them a few months earlier (and unknowingly gave the same scores as then, too).

As expected, the Brora stole the show, with an incredible amount of complexity coupled with what I'll call "delicious elegance". The pick of the bunch, in my opinion, and a dram I could happily nurse for hours, seeking out more and more notes as time goes on.

As mentioned, nine of the ten 2016 Special Releases have been released in Australia (unfortunately, this year Australia misses out on the crowd favourite Lagavulin 12 Cask Strength, which we learned was very constrained due to "every market wanting to get their hands on the 200th Anniversary release". The nine available bottles are as follows:

AUCHROISK 25 year old, Distilled 1990, ABV 51.2%

3,954 bottles available worldwide. 216 for Australia.

RRP $520AUD

BRORA 38 year old, Distilled 1977, ABV 48.6%

2,984 bottles available worldwide. 108 for Australia.

RRP $2,800AUD

CAMBUS 40 year old, Distilled 1975, ABV 52.7%

1,812 bottles available worldwide. 68 for Australia.

RRP $1,400AUD

CAOL ILA 15 year old, Distilled 2000, ABV 61.5%

450 bottles for Australia.

RRP $170AUD

CRAGGANMORE, ABV 55.7%

4,932 bottles available worldwide. 180 for Australia.

RRP $750AUD

GLENKINCHIE 24 year old, Distilled 1991, ABV 57.2%

5,928 bottles available worldwide. 282 for Australia.

RRP $520AUD

LINKWOOD 37 year old, Distilled 1978, ABV 50.3%

6,114 bottles available worldwide. 300 for Australia.

RRP $1,100AUD

MANNOCHMORE 25 year old, Distilled 1990, ABV 53.4%

3,954 bottles available worldwide. 240 for Australia.

RRP $550AUD

PORT ELLEN 37 year old, Distilled 1978, ABV 55.2%

2,940 bottles available worldwide. 128 for Australia.

RRP $5,000AUD

With almost $10,000AUD worth of whisky across 5 bottles, it's fair to say this was no ordinary tasting, but it's one I was thrilled to join. A huge thanks must go to Simon, Diageo Australia and the team at Leo Burnett for the invitation and their hospitality during the afternoon.

Cheers,
Martin.