Gordon & MacPhail Private Collection 1949 from Glenlivet Distillery 74 Year Old [Tasted #650]

It seems like only yesterday I posted a trio of incredible whiskies from Gordon & MacPhail (because it was, admittedly a little late on my part), but evidently time and new releases wait for no-one, because today I'm back to taste G&M's latest - which just happens to be the second oldest whisky I've ever tried!

Glenlivet & Glen Grant seem to both be whiskies that can take incredible age, so it's no surprise this whisky hails from the former. Distilled on New Year's Day 1949 and bottled 6th March 2023, the whisky slumbered for an incredible 74 years in a single refill Sherry butt under the care of G&M, who were able to produce 192 bottles at a very respectable 49.3% ABV.

Drinking whisky distilled before I was born is a rare treat these days. Drinking whisky distilled before my parents were born though? I honestly didn't know if I'd get the chance again...and yet here we are.

Dave Broom said of the whisky:

"To find a whisky of this age is absolutely extraordinary. What comes across immediately is the fruit - there’s richness and there’s depth. You have this wonderful interplay of distillery character, of oak and oxygen. It’s a gift that keeps on giving."

...so let's see how I felt about it!

Gordon & MacPhail 1949 from Glenlivet Distillery 74yo Private Collection (49.3% ABV, 74yo, Refill Sherry Butt #11, Speyside, Scotland, One of 192 bottles, £35,000)
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Distilled on 1 January 1949(!) and bottled 74 years later on 6 March 2023, this incredible whisky has matured over a longer period of time than most people spend on this earth! It also happens to be the last cask of 1949 Glenlivet from Gordon & MacPhail.

Colour: Copper gold

Nose: Waxy oranges, dunnage warehouse and clean, sweet sherry to start with. Then comes ginger, toffee, the slightest hint of leather polish, cinnamon spice, and with some air, peach and stone fruit compote.

Palate: Big and rich, it flits back and forth between spicy sherry and zesty fruity/citrus notes, with mandarin peel, flamed orange peel, a slight meatiness and dusty oak. A second sip shows some chocolate - both milk and dark, more oranges (whole this time), Christmas cake, and an emerging herbaceousness - mint, or is that tea tree? It's a beautifully complex palate. Dave Broom referred to its layers and complexity, and he's spot on. There's tonnes going on here, all working in harmony. The oak spice is an underlying theme, but considering this whisky spent 74 years in oak, it retains impressive balance.

Finish: Long, orange chocolate with a soft residual oak undertone.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 93/100 (Martin). Generally speaking, a whisky shouldn't normally make it to 74 years old and still be good. How G&M manage to consistently put out whiskies of 60, 70, 80 years old that aren't just "good", but "incredible" never ceases to amaze me.

For the past 19 days, the whisky has been available for purchase at Dubai International Airport. Launched in partnership with Le Clos on Friday 1st September, the Dubai airport store had an exclusivity period, but the whisky is now available worldwide as of today, priced at £35,000. 

Cheers,

Martin.

Gordon & MacPhail launches 7 new Glenlivet Expressions, including Private Collection 1976 [Tasted #537 - #539]

Ahead of the September release of the oldest single malt Scotch ever bottled, Gordon & MacPhail's Generations 80-Years-Old from Glenlivet Distillery, G&M is launching seven new Glenlivet expressions across both its "Private Collection" and "Connoisseurs Choice" ranges.

The bottles, which range from £104 to £1,750 include:

• Gordon & MacPhail Private Collection 1975 from Glenlivet Distillery, Refill Sherry hogshead
• Gordon & MacPhail Private Collection 1976 from Glenlivet Distillery, Refill American hogshead
• Gordon & MacPhail Private Collection 1976 from Glenlivet Distillery, First fill Sherry hogshead 
• Gordon & MacPhail Private Collection 1980 from Glenlivet Distillery, Refill American hogshead
• Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice 1993 from Glenlivet Distillery, Refill American hogshead
• Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice 2003 from Glenlivet Distillery, Refill bourbon barrel
• Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice 2004 from Glenlivet Distillery, Refill bourbon barrel

Keep an eye on the blog for more details on the Generations 80 Year Old soon, but ahead of that, G&M were kind enough to send through samples of the Private Collection 1976 (American Oak hogshead), Connoisseurs Choice 2003 & Connoisseurs Choice 2004 so we could share our thoughts.

Gordon & MacPhail Private Collection 1976 from Glenlivet Distillery (43.9% ABV, 45yo (30th Jan 1976 to 8th Feb 2021), refill American hogshead #1565, 1 of 124 bottles, Speyside, Scotland, £1,750)

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Colour: Yellow gold.

Nose: Subtle pears, green apples and vintage oak spice. A creaminess emerges, vanilla milkshake-like, then apple pie with cream.

Palate: Leather (new leather) at first, remaining throughout and quite dominant. Honey-drizzled apple slices and licorice follow, with some maple syrup after some time. There's a slight milk chocolate note too after a while, but the leather remains throughout. 

Finish: Honied apples, a lingering nutty slice, and lemon zest.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100. Different notes to what I was expecting, based on the specs alone, but a very enjoyable and unusual dram, with a fantastic nose (an excellent candidate for the 1920s Blenders Glass, if you have one). The years have imparted some varied and interesting flavours, and it all works well together.

Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice 2003 from Glenlivet Distillery (46% ABV, 17yo (1st Jul 2003 to 14th Jun 2021), refill bourbon barrels #800356 & 800358, 1 of 510 bottles, Speyside, Scotland, £127)

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Colour: Light yellow gold (Riesling-like)

Nose: Green apple and paprika spice. There's a slight dustiness, and with time, some peaches and then apple crumble.

Palate: Follows the nose, with peaches and apple, but there's a creaminess to it - almost like a vanilla apple pie. After time a slight herbaceousness follows.

Finish: Herbaceous, with lingering vanilla cream.

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

Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice 2004 from Glenlivet Distillery (46% ABV, 16yo (10th Nov 2004 to 21st Jun 2021), refill bourbon barrels #800671 & 800672, 1 of 510 bottles, Speyside, Scotland, £104)

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Colour: Light yellow gold (Riesling-like)

Nose: Green apple and spice like the 2003, with a bit more meatiness - some tangy fruity BBQ sauce, with white pepper. After 20 minutes, vanilla cream emerges.

Palate: Banana, apple, pears, custard pie with vanilla cream. Slight hints of pineapple and pear.

Finish: Herbaceous, with a very slight meaty smoke.

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

All seven whiskies are available now, from the usual UK outlets including The Whisky Exchange (no word yet on Hong Kong or Australian availability or pricing). A big thanks to G&M and ANMComms for the samples.

Cheers,

Martin.

Gordon & Macphail "Private Collection" 1954 64yo Glenlivet and 1968 50yo Caol Ila (Tasted #418 - #419)

It's fair to say Hendy and myself have tried a fair few special drams this year, including a number of old and very old whiskies. Whilst we all know that older doesn't always equal better, there's something undeniably special about drinking a single malt (or even a grain, blend or other distilled spirit) aged for 40, 50, or 60 years, or more.

With the end of the year just around the corner, it was probably reasonable to expect that my "old whisky" quota had been used up, when low and behold the following package landed on the doorstep of TimeforWhisky HQ, courtesy of the lovely folk at Gordon & Macphail...

Containing not only the oldest ever commercially bottled Caol Ila (at 50 years old, distilled in 1968 making it very much "old style" Caol Ila), a sample of Glenlivet was included too - at a whopping 64 years old (1 year shy off the oldest whisky I've ever tasted). 

Considering the previous two months had also seen sample deliveries of a pair of 57yo Longmorns,  a 33yo Glenrothes and a 43yo Inverleven, you'd forgive me for feeling a little spoiled by G&M lately. Suffice to say, I wasted no time diving straight into 114 years worth of whisky...

First cab off the rank was the 1968 50 Year Old Caol Ila, distilled well before the distillery's expansion (completed in 1974), considered by many to be the point at which Caol Ila spirit became significantly lighter. Whilst I wouldn't usually start with an Islay, after 50 years it's a fair bet the majority of the "in your face" peat smoke will have dissipated, as was the case here. Bottled at a healthy 52.5% from a refill sherry hogshead (cask #4021901), this Caol Ila was aged from 21 March 1968 to 8th July 2018 and produced only 199 bottles.

Gordon & Macphail "Private Collection" from Caol Ila Distillery 1968 (52.5% ABV, 50yo, Islay, Scotland, £7,500)

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Colour: Light orange gold.

Nose: Orange rind and lemon zest. Dig a little deeper and there's some citrus-menthol smoke. Lots of fruit - green apples, pineapple, guava. After time licorice allsorts appear, followed by the burnt pastry crust on a lemon tart.

Palate: Full-bodied and "big". Orange zest at first, coated in allspice. Vanilla ice cream, orange chocolate, cranberry syrup and baked apple pie.

Finish: (Very) long, with hints of sweet citrus smoke and confectionary - lemon drops and gummy bears.

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

The 1954 64yo Glenlivet naturally came next, bottled at 41% from a single refill sherry butt (#1412) with an outturn of 222 bottles. Distilled on 15 April 1954, it was bottled on 27 April 2018.

Gordon & Macphail "Private Collection" from Glenlivet Distillery (41% ABV, 64yo, Speyside, Scotland, £9.950)

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Colour: Yellow golden sunset.

Nose: Well-aged sherry (on the drier, Fino / Manzanilla end of the spectrum). Lots of apple and a noticeable amount of grassiness. Rich creamy vanilla, soft oak, and a certain candle-like waxiness.

Palate: Well, that was unexpected. First some earthy smoke, with a distinct herbal note (herbal Strepsils actually). Then some berries - blueberry, raspberry and then sweeter strawberry notes coming to the fore, all with an undertone of aged leather. There's Manuka honey too, and some slight hints of matchheads, but the leather notes remain throughout. There's milk chocolate too, but it's subtle. Certainly the most fascinating Glenlivet I've ever come across.

Finish: A slight meatiness, more leather, mature honey and some oak. 

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100. Extremely balanced for a 64yo whisky, with the oak kept in line very nicely.

What an experience. A big thanks again to Gordon & Macphail for the samples.

Cheers,

Martin.

Tasted #393: The Glenlivet Code

The Glenlivet Code has launched in Hong Kong (and Australia), following The Glenlivet Alpha and The Glenlivet Cipher. What's with the funny names, you might ask?

Well...back in 2013 Glenlivet released Alpha, a mysterious Glenlivet with barely any details provided (no information on age, cask types etc..) . Next came Cipher, similarly with no details or tasting notes. Both came in matte black bottles and invited people to guess the production, tasting notes and so on before details were finally revealed.

For 2018, the distillery are back at it with a third release - "Code". Similar to Alpha and Cipher, Code invites you to "test your senses" with a online game in which you identify certain aromas and tastes within the whisky, and then learn how close you are to the "actual tasting notes", for example:

The "actual" (i.e. distillery official) tasting notes will be released at the end of 2018, but as nosing and tasting is such a subjective thing, here's hoping they also release the details on the whisky's make-up (age, cask type(s), and any other unique details), as that's what whisky fans will really want to know.

Until then, here are my thoughts and guesses..

The Glenlivet Code (48% ABV, NAS, Speyside, Scotland, $1,250HKD / $210AUD)

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Colour: Light orange-gold

Nose: Youthful, tropical notes. Pineapple chunks in milk chocolate. Raspberries, paw-paw, with a solid dusting of coconut over the top. Then some peach.

Palate: More mature fruits - ripe mago and paw-paw, with cinnamon, lots of milk chocolate, hazelnuts and a fair amount of oak (1st fill?).

Finish: Medium to long sweetly fruit-spiced, cocnut, raspberry jam.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100. My guess (probably way off): ~17yo with 1st Fill ex-Bourbon and ex-Chardonnay casks.

Many thanks to Pernod Ricard HK and DNA for the samples of this interesting new dram. The Glenlivet Code is available in HK for $1,250HKD and in Australia $210AUD.

Cheers,
Martin.

The Glenlivet pairing dinner at Le Méridien Cyberport Hong Kong

Steph and I had barely been back in Hong Kong a few days (after a great trip to Sydney) when an invite arrived for a whisky dinner with The Glenlivet, to be held at Le Méridien Cyberport. It'd been a few years since the last Glenlivet dinner we attended, and although Steph had plans,  my fondness for The Glenlivet (and you know, eating..) meant I wasn't about to say no. So on a Friday night recently, myself and good mate Eddie Nara jumped in a cab and headed towards "Sou ma gong" (Cyberport).

Upon arrival we were greeted by Darren Hosie (Regional Mentoring Manager for Chivas Bros and good friend of TimeforWhisky) and handed a cocktail made with Chivas and...Dragonfruit?! Different, but it worked perfectly as a refreshing antidote to the heat outside.

Taking our seats shortly after, the hotel's GM gave a brief introduction and explained how the hotel has run successful wine dinners in the past, but was looking to expand into whisky, hence the five malts laid out in front of us.

With guests ranging from whisky novices to enthusiasts (and one CEO of an Australian distillery...) Darren gave a brief introduction into how to taste / appreciate whisky, before we jumped into the first dram - The Glenlivet 12 Excellence. We first tasted the Excellence earlier this year with Charlie Maclean, and enjoyed the sherry matured notes that aren't present in the regular 12yo (the "Excellence" is designed for Asian palates and distribution is limited to only certain countries in Asia).

With hints of chocolate, orange, paprika and cinnamon, it's noticeably different to the regular 12yo, and when paired with Parma ham and (vodka-infused) melon balls, proved a great way to kick things off.

You'll have to forgive the references to "wine servings"...

Next came Steamed Foie Gras with Banana Chutney paired with The Glenlivet Nadurra. Whilst not the most visually-appealing dish, it was spot on in terms of flavours, and matched better than I'd expected with a cask strength whisky like the Nadurra.

Gazpacho on a heavenly-cloudy peach malange was next, paired with The Glenlivet 18. Given the spiciness of the dish, at first I thought this might have paired better with the Nadurra....but that just goes to show you why I'm not a chef (or food pairing expert). This was a fantastic pairing, with the spiciness of the dish picking up the some of the cloves and asian spices in the 18yo, and adding an overall Demerara-like sweetness. 

Next came Roasted beef fillet topped with Hazelnut, seasonable vegetables and orange gravy, paired with The Glenlivet XXV (25yo). A subtle / nuanced dram with a simple dish like a well cooked piece of beef was a smart option, and again these two complimented each other well.

Desserts often provide an opportunity for great whisky pairings, and this was no exception, with Whisky chocolate mousse with vanilla ice cream playing nicely off the sweeter, apple-like notes in the Limousin-aged The Glenlivet 15yo French Oak, even adding some hints of cinnamon that weren't obvious in either the dish or the whisky on their own.

In addition to the whisky and food pairings being a big success, the event also struck that perfect balance by being informative without going over guests' heads (or worse, putting them to sleep). With each course Darren gave a brief intro, explained a little about the whisky and thought process behind the pairing, and that was it. Guests seemed to appreciate the introduction, but also the chance to form their own thoughts on each pairing.

With the courses finished (and an extra dram or two of the XXV to wrap things up) it was time to call it a night. I'd have to say as the first Le Méridien Cyberport whisky pairing dinner it was a big success, and I look forward to seeing them run others in the future. Whilst I'd kindly been given a ticket courtesy of Pernod Ricard, at $888/head the dinner was great value - especially when you consider you'd almost pay that for a single dram of XXV in some Hong Kong bars!

TimeforWhisky.com would like to thank Darren, Pernod Ricard HK and Le Méridien Cyberport for the invite.

Cheers,
Martin.

Michael Wong "MW35" 35yo Single Cask Glenlivet launch (Tasted #309)

We've written about Dragon 8 Auctions a few times recently, though usually about the auctions themselves or the incredible bottles they've featured. In 6 short months they've certainly established their whisky credentials here in Hong Kong.

Not one to rest on their laurels though, Dragon 8 have recently released their own whisky, in collaboration with HK actor/singer/pilot/celebrity Michael Wong. Not just any whisky, mind you - a 35yo single cask Glenlivet, well and truly from the days when the distillery was still using Golden Promise barley.

Bottled at 49.8% ABV, it spent its life maturing in a single sherry hogshead, and comes presented in an engraved decanter along with two engraved Glencairn glasses, all secured in an impressive display case and limited to 228 bottles.

..which is all very nice, but what I wanted to know was - what was the whisky like?

Luckily Steph and I were able to answer that question recently, when Dragon 8 and Michael Wong held a launch party at Gaia Ristorante in Sheung Wan.

Never one to do things by halves, Dragon 8 ensured the party was every bit a "party", with magnums of Champagne, excellent food, a band, a few tunes belted out by Michael, and even a trio of Brazilian dancers to ensure guests continued to party well into the night.

...and of course there was plenty of the "MW35" to go around:

35yo Single Cask "MW35" The Glenlivet (49.8% ABV, 35yo, 1 of 228 bottles, Speyside, Scotland, $24,888HKD)

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Colour: Dark copper brown.

Nose: On first nosing there's no doubt this is every bit a sherried dram. Fruitcake, raisins, sherry-soaked prunes, it's all there. There's a hint of sulphur, but it's very minor and doesn't detract from the enjoyment at all. It's also, however, floral, fruity, with some hints of vegetation. The sort of unique combination of notes that usually only come with an extremely long time in oak.

Palate: Clean sherry - no discernible sulphur. Creamy, fruity (raisins, sultanas, cherries) with hints of caramel chews. It's drying, but not in a bad way, and whilst there's a slight tannic mouthfeel, it works well. The oak is there, but only to let you know that it spent a good 35 years getting to know this whisky (it doesn't dominate the whisky). It opens up nicely with a few drops of water too, with the sherry fruity notes exploding onto the palate.

Finish: Long and slightly tannic, with a lingering rich fruity sherry mouthfeel that makes you want to go back for a second dram and sit on it longer the second time (which we did...)

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 91/100. A nice, clean, lovely-drinking sherried whisky - a whisky that strikes the balance between being able to be appreciated by whisky fans, whilst also being enjoyed by whisky novices (there were plenty of both on the night). The rarity obviously makes it a special occasion dram, but for those occasions its well up to the task.

Update: A previous version of this article mentioned that this whisky was bottled by Signatory, information we took from the mock-up bottles at their Gamma auction in June (see last photo), and from this YouTube video. We have since been informed by Signatory Vintage Scotch Whisky Co. Ltd. that they were not involved in either the bottling or cask acquisition, or any other part of the final product (which is why their name is not present on the final decanters - only the early mock-ups). We apologise for any misinformation.

Cheers,
Martin.

The Glenlivet "Exclusive Whisky Party" (Hong Kong)

Pernod Ricard Hong Kong, in conjunction with the new Whisky Magazine Hong Kong & Macau (which you'll be hearing more about shortly) recently held an "Exclusive Whisky Party" at the recently-opened Seafood Room in Causeway Bay, with stunning views out over Hong Kong harbour.

Despite the name, the party was probably the busiest and most well-attended Hong Kong whisky Party we've attended (and we've been to plenty), with crowds filling almost every inch of Seafood Room's humungous 10,000 combined sq ft space. In one way though, the party was "exclusive", with guests being the first in Hong Kong to try the latest single cask offering - the 52.5% 16 year old "Bletherman". 

Unfortunately we couldn't make the earlier tasting session, and were only able to try it from a tumbler so we don't have detailed tasting notes, but what we did taste we liked - an incredibly rich dram, sherried but not overly so, with a delicious vanilla creaminess. Limited to 570 bottles, we suspect quite a few were gone by the end of the night.

With so many guests, you'd hope there'd be enough to keep everyone entertained...and the organisers didn't disappoint, with cocktails, cigars, a rooftop band performance, food stations (including some fantastic Jamón, but surprisingly little seafood), a choice of The Glenlivet drams (12, 15, 18, Single Cask "Bletherman" and Guardian's Chapter, which we helped select way back in 2013) and a whisky and tea pairing station, not to mention a photo station (where guests could have their photo taken and receive it instantly via e-mail and a few minutes later in printed form).

The highlight though was the game table, where guests tasted whiskies and nosed scents, and used tokens to guess the whisky / flavour. Winners at the end of the night walked away with a bottle of Glenlivet 12 Excellence and the Guardian's Chapter.

With the whisky flowing and everyone seemingly having a great time, the only downside of the night was when reality struck and we realised we had work the next morning...

Oh well, one more "Bletherman" for the road... (when it's gone, it's gone, right?)

Cheers,

Martin.

"Now & Then" tasting with Charlie MacLean at the Hong Kong Whisky Festival 2016 (Tasted #288 - 293)

At the Hong Kong Whisky Festival back in February, we were incredibly fortunate to share a Balvenie lunch with Scotch whisky writer and industry legend Charlie MacLean. That wasn't our only whisky experience with Charlie, though. Straight after the lunch, we headed upstairs to one of the InterContinental Grand Stanford's function rooms (with sweeping views of Hong Kong Island across the harbour), for one of Charlie's famous "Now & Then" tastings.

"Now & Then" style tastings come in many forms, but usually involve examining whiskies of today against their counterparts from an era gone by. This tasting was no exception, with the focus on Speyside single malts, namely Glenlivet, Glen Grant and Cardhu. Specifically, these gems:

• Cardhu 12 year old of today
• Cardhu "Highland Malt Scotch Whisky" 12 year old (1970s bottling)

• Glen Grant 10 year old of today
• Glen Grant 10 year old (1970s bottling)

• The Glenlivet 12 year old "Excellence" (a more Sherried 12yo bottles for only four countries in Asia)
• The Glenlivet 12 year old from the early 1970s (exact year unknown)

It's not often we get a chance to do such direct comparisons, but we've always found the opportunity to do so hugely enjoyable. This was no exception.

Charlie opened proceedings by explaining some of the background and history of each distillery, as well as some interesting insights that few would know (what Charlie doesn't know about Scotch whisky basically isn't worth knowing). Starting with Cardhu, Charlie talked of its "promotion" to a single malt product in 1968 (based on the success of William Grant & Son's Glenfiddich and others), and its subsequent yoyo-ing between being sold as a single malt and being reserved for blenders, before finally, its return as a single malt in 2006.

At that point we were all eager to dive into the first pair:

Cardhu 12 year old Highland Malt Scotch Whisky - 1970's (40% ABV, 12yo, Speyside, Scotland, £399)
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Colour: Pale yellow gold
Nose: Hugely tropical (passionfruit, papaya, pineapple), with a hint of mustiness but also plenty of freshly cut grass. Sweaty socks. After 20 minutes, loads of creamy caramel.
Palate: Soft, musty, with a slight meatiness and sweet tropical vanilla notes.
Finish: Medium length, with vanilla sweetness to the very end.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100. I suspect age may have slightly impacted the nose and palate, but there was enough going on to give an idea of what it would have been like ~40 years ago.


Cardhu 12 year old - modern bottling (40% ABV, 12yo, Speyside, Scotland, $74.99AUD / $768HKD / £34.08)
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Colour: Pale orange gold
Nose: Sweeter and with more caramel than the 70's bottling. There's still fruitiness, but berries and bananas this time.
Palate: Lighter, thinner, still very sweet, with a slight floral acidity and a touch of earthiness.
Finish: Longer than the 70's bottling, but a little less polished, with a little more alcohol burn.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 88/100. There were similarities between the two, but clear differences too (as you'd expect).

Next up was Glen Grant - a distillery whose standard OB releases of late I have to be honest, I haven't been hugely fond of. Charlie talked us through the distillery's strong Italian connection (which stretches further back than 2005's Gruppo Campari acquisition), it's position as number 1 single malt in the Italian market, and displayed his incredibly detailed knowledge with tidbits like the fact that in 1916 Glen Grant didn't add the alcohol proof to their labels.


Glen Grant 10 year old - 1970's (40% ABV, 10yo, Speyside, Scotland, £175)
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Colour: Light yellow straw
Nose: Big tropical fruit bouquet - whole oranges, apricots, pears, peaches. A touch of candle wax too.
Palate: Waxy, meaty, with a slightly earthy smoke and hints of wet grass.
Finish: Medium, rich, smoky with a rich toffee finish at the very end.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100.


Glen Grant 10 year old - current bottling (40% ABV, 10yo, Speyside, Scotland, $61.99AUD / £29.89)
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Colour: Pale straw
Nose: Strawberry cream and Iced Vovos. Hints of tropical fruit. Then some berries - Monte Carlo biscuits?
Palate: Thin, grainy and sugary-sweet. Not a whole lot to be impressed by.
Finish: Short, thin and bitter.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 86/100. Nice nose (initially), but a fairly disappointing palate and finish when compared to the 70's bottling.

With time running out and the small crowd eager to hear more about the whiskies in front of us, and their heritage, it was onto the final distillery of the day - The Glenlivet. Charlie being Charlie of course had a connection to the distillery - his first malt whisky tasting experience with with a school friend, whose dad just happened to own The Glenlivet Distillery at the time...


The Glenlivet 12 years old - 1970's (40% ABV, 12yo, Speyside, Scotland, £168)
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Colour: Orange gold
Nose: Subtle ashy smoke (that was unexpected). BBQ-grilled pineapple, with a very slight mustiness.
Palate: A big robust oily mouthfeel gives way to smouldering smoke and BBQ'd meats. The nose implied this would be sweet, but it wasn't at all - instead rich smoked meats dominate.
Finish: Long, toasted oak, with as light earthiness.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 91/100. Not quite what I'd expected, but enjoyable.


The Glenlivet 12 years old "Excellence" - current bottling (40% ABV, 12yo, Speyside, Scotland, $498HKD)
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A more heavily sherried 12 year old release from The Glenlivet only available in four markets in Asia.
Colour: Yellow-orange gold.
Nose: Light, floral, fruity - peaches and pear slices.
Palate: Smooth but a little thin. The floral and fruity notes continue, with honey-drizzled pears and a touch of Brazil nuts.
Finish: Medium to long, with a sweet nuttiness - think sugar-coated almonds.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100.

To experience a masterclass like this, and compare 3 of today's single malts with their 40+ year old (and yet same-aged) counterparts was truly a fantastic experience. To do so with one of the absolute legends of the Scotch whisky industry was just incredible. To then have Charlie sit down and provide detailed notes on my own little single malt small cask maturation experiment was amazing, but more on that later....

Cheers,
Martin.

TimeforWhisky.com would like to thank InterContinental Grand Stanford for the media ticket and invitation to the lunch and masterclass with Charlie MacLean. A round of applause needs to go to John and James too (they know who they are), for putting on such a fantastic show - a first-year effort, no less.

Malt Masters HK 2016 preview and tasting (Tasted #253 - 255)

The Malt Masters Hong Kong Whisky festival, as we mentioned back in December, is returning to Hong Kong in a few short weeks, to be held at Conrad Hong Kong on 27th and 28th February. To give give us a taste of what to expect, Malt Masters recently invited media to a private preview and tasting, held in one of the Conrad rooms that will host the festival.

Malt Masters are veterans of the HK whisky scene, having hosted their first festival 3 years ago, and a hugely successful festival in 2015 (which Steph covered here). The Malt Masters connection to the whisky industry goes back much further though, with the father of founder (and good friend of Time for Whisky) Ian McKerrow having previously run the show at Glenmorangie!

Ian opened the preview with an overview of the festival, focusing on the global mix of malts being represented at the festival this year (a theme to continue in our tasting shortly after). In addition to a number of iconic Scottish malts, the festival will feature American, Irish, Welsh, Swedish, Japanese and possibly even Indian whisky brands - both large players and boutique/craft distilleries alike.

Ian also explained that former Macallan and Dalmore Master Distiller David Robertson will be presenting in the VIP room (which will also feature the launch of the 27yo "Prometheus" Speyside single malt and tasting of a 1987 16yo Laphroaig, as well as an impressive lineup of rare and very, very old malts available for purchase by the dram). Pairing will also be a big focus of the festival this year, with cigar, cheese and food pairings all on offer (the latter courtesy of Scotch Broth Events).

Of course it wouldn't be a festival without masterclasses, and there are a number on offer over the two days, including:

• An introductory class on the language and art of whisky drinking
• Advice on building a whisky collection
• Ichiro's Malt Whisky; and
• The aforementioned pairing classes.

To preview the masterclass format, and introduce us to a few of the brands being represented, Malt Masters' brand ambassador and Head of Whisky Education Josh Tate took us through a tasting of:

• Penderyn Madeira Finish
• Taketsuru 17
• Glenlivet Nadurra Oloroso (Cask Strength); and
• Glenmorangie Companta (which we tasted back in 2014).

Penderyn Madeira Finish (46% ABV, NAS, Single Malt, Wales,  $89.99AUD / £37.28)

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Colour: Light orange-gold.

Nose: Sweet and floral. Taffy, sherbert - lots of sweet sugary confectionary.

Palate: Youthful but not harsh. Slight chalky rubberiness at first, moving into tropical fruits - passionfriut, bananas, peaches. Some grape, white wine (Chardonnay?) style notes.

Finish: Medium length. Slightest burn at the very end, with hints of sherbert.

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

Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt 17 (43% ABV, 17yo, Blended Malt, Japan,  $1,168HKD / $399AUD / £94.95)

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Colour: Gold.

Nose: Spice, pears, and some crème brûlée.

Palate: Lots of saltiness - quite surprising really as it's not a characteristic we usually get on the Yoichi or Miyagikyo (being the two single malts in this blend) - at least the ones we've tried. Some smoked herring, sea air and then just more salt. It's not offputting, just very, very...salty. 

Finish: Medium length, with the saltiness continuing through to the end.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100.  Enjoyable, and slightly odd.


The Glenlivet Nadurra Oloroso Cask Strength (60.7% ABV, NAS, Single Malt, Speyside, Scotland, $880HKD / $99.99AUD / £45.46)

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Colour: Dark orange-copper.

Nose: Big fruitcake notes, as you might expect, but also sweeter notes of cake icing.

Palate: A little closed up initially (understandable considering the 60%+ ABV). Rich, quite a bit of oak, with cherries and a slight nuttiness. With some water there's a lot of spice, and the nuttiness (Brazil nuts now) gets turned up significantly.

Finish: Medium length, slightly tannic, and spicy to the end after a few drops of water.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 91/100. I tried the non cask-strength version and found it didn't really blow me away. I was hoping this would - but it didn't. An enjoyable dram, no doubt, but I'd happily take an A'bunadh or even a GlenDronach 15 over it, if looking for a heavily sherried whisky.


In addition to the festival booths and master classes, Malt Masters HK will feature Dream Drams (all attendees will get one token), a branded Glencairn, unlimited tastings, a charity raffle, dining discounts and discounted whisky sales. With all of that, we have no doubt this year's festival will be a big success.

Tickets are available now for $800HKD (day ticket), with masterclasses at an extra $200HKD, and VIP room tickets an additional $400HKD. Tickets can be purchased here for Sat 27th Feb, and here for Sun 28th Feb.

Hope to see you there!

Cheers,
Martin.

Whisky Live Tokyo 2015 (Part 1): Whisky Live Tokyo Party

It was only a few months ago that the stars aligned and I ended up in London (on a short work trip) at the same time as Whisky Live London 2015. Fast forward to September, and I again found myself on a work trip that also conveniently coincided with another Whisky Live - Tokyo, this time. 

(This might not seem overly strange, if it wasn't for the fact that I don't work in the spirits or whisky industry at all - this blog is just a hobby through which I can indulge my passion...)

Unlike previous years, when it was part of the Tokyo Bar Show (which we also visited this year), Whisky Live Tokyo stood on its own for 2015. After some help from the friendly Stefan of Nonjatta, I finally learned that the event actually comprised two parts:

• A "Whisky Live Party" on Friday night, at the Park Hotel (home to "The Society" SMWS bar that we visited earlier this year); and
• "Modern Malt Market" - the more typical whisky show, with booths, talks, brand reps etc...

Tickets were hastily purchased, and the countdown began...

Whisky Live Party Tokyo 2015

Being a convenient 30 second walk from my hotel, I made my way over to the Park Hotel just before the show was due to begin, and did a lap to see what was on offer. The best way to describe the party would be like a smaller, more intimate whisky show. 200 people and 70 different whiskies, in a quieter, more refined setting.

After being handed a Brew Dog palate cleanser (side note: Japan seems to love Brew Dog!) and my sheet of 20 tokens, the first bottle I noticed was an Ichiro's Malt "Cards Series" Hanyu Colour Joker - a vatting of Hanyus from 1985-2000. Despite quite a few bottles (3,690 to be precise) being produced, these bottles are still highly collectible and fetch a pretty penny at auction. Fair to say this one wasn't going to last long...

A few other gems I spotted before the official opening were a 42yo WM Cadenhead indepedent bottling from The Glenlivet, a fair selection of SMWS bottles, the 2014 Yamazaki Mizunara, and plenty more. Soon enough it was time to start sampling.

Unsurprisingly about 8 minutes into the party, the Colour Joker (costing 7 of our 20 tokens) was empty. I'd tried it a few months earlier, but couldn't resist another dram so made sure I got in early. With big creamy orange notes on the nose and toasted oak, leather and red berry compote on the palate, it was as enjoyable as I'd remembered.

Next up was the 42yo The Glenlivet from WM Cadenhead, who were well represented at both the party and the show the next day. At 40.2% ABV, it's fair to say this one may not have seen it's 43rd birthday had it stayed in the barrel, but 42yo is still a mighty impressive feat nonetheless. With ripe peaches on the nose and an oaky, thin and smooth body, it was an enjoyable dram but nothing overly special - somewhat typical of the majority of well-aged (40yo +) independent bottlings we've come across.

By this point I'd run out of my 20 tokens, so quickly purchased another 10 (2000yen - approx $22AUD / $130HKD) which led me to the 2014 Sherry Cask release from Hakushu. I did find the number of tokens a little stingy (especially when considering the event didn't include a take-home glass, OR any included food), but I guess there were some pretty special drams on offer, and they had to ration them somehow.

Steph and I tried the Yamazaki 2014 Sherry Cask back in December last year (at the bargain price of about $3AUD / $17HKD for a dram - thanks Japan!) so I was keen to see how the earthier Hakushu spirit fared in similar maturation. Turns out - very well. Truly an excellent sherry bomb, with plenty of rich fruity Christmas cake notes whilst retaining that trademark earthy characteristic.

After a few more drams, and a chat with the legends from Melbourne's Whisky + Alement who were also in town, it was time to hear from our host for the night - whisky legend Dave Broom. Dave (donning a kilt, of course) gave a brief overview of what he's been up to, having not been to Japan in 2 years, then introduced the guests for the night - Akuto-san (Chichibu master distiller and industry legend), Fukuya-san (Suntory Chief Blender and the man responsible for Hibiki), Sakuma-san (Nikka chief blender), and Tanaka-san of Fuji Gotemba / Kirin.

Each briefly discussed the event, the Japanese whisky scene and their own whiskies, and engaged in a brief Q&A with Dave. When finished, we realised time was quickly running out to use our left over tokens (this was a 2 hour party after all, not an all-day show).

With remaining tokens in hands, it was off to the Nikka table to try a limited 21yo Port Wood Taketsuru blend released for the 80th Anniversary in 2014. With a sweet madeira nose (with hints of sweet pastries and icing), a big smoky palate with caramel and strawberry notes, and a long smoky finish with lingering demerara sugar hints, this was a surprising and enjoyable blend.

Time was almost up, but I managed to sneak a few final drams including a unique (to me) triple-distilled BenRiach 16yo sherry cask from 1989 (with lots of walnuts and glacé cherries on the nose, and a lemon peel zestiness with tapioca on the palate) and two single cask Nikkas (one a Miyagikyo, one a Yoichi) - both also from 1989.

When all was said and done, it was a great night and a nice change from the regular format of whisky shows. Even though some aspects could be improved (food could have been provided, a souvenir glass would have been nice, as would a few more tokens) considering the quality and rarity of the drams on offer, and the ticket price (5000yen - $56AUD / $320HKD) I'd still say the show was good value, and would happily return.

Keep an eye out for Part 2 which will cover Modern Malt Whisky Market Tokyo 2015 - the larger show on the following day.

Cheers,
Martin.