Halcyon Spirits 17yo Single Cask 2007 Caol Ila [Tasted #683]

You may have have seen us cover a few releases from recently-established Scottish-based Independent Bottler Halcyon Spirits over the past 12 or so months. After bursting onto the scene mid-2023 with a 30yo Macallan, followed by a 32yo Auchentoshan, 30yo Clynelish & 27yo Burnside, they've now ventured over to Islay with their first peated release - a 17yo single cask Caol Ila from 2007.

I've been saying for a long time now that (in my opinion) Caol Ila is one of the most versatile Scotch whiskies out there. It can be fantastic young, middle-aged or long-aged, it's great from both Sherry and Bourbon casks, it works well in highballs (try it with lemon peel), cocktails and neat, and it's absolutely magic, magic stuff from the early 1980s.

I remember drinking a lot of 2007, 2008 Caol Ila single casks about 6-7 years ago (at the time around 10yo), and many of them were excellent, so I was excited to try one with a bit more age on it...

Halcyon Spirits "Halcyon Release #5" Caol Ila Aged 17 Years (56% ABV, Single Malt, 17yo, 1 of 273 bottles, Scotland, £150)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Colour: Amber gold

Nose: Ashy, meaty BBQ at first, but with unmistakeable Caol Ila DNA underneath. Rich smoke, a slightly oak dustiness. After time, a subtle hint of meaty sulphur (in a good way).

Palate: Follows the nose, with some added sweet honey/maple notes, yet still plenty of smoked meat. It's soft, yet carries power and persistence. There's some hoisin sauce and glazed BBQ duck, and subtle, underlying hints of that trademark Caol Ila lemon-y note.

Finish: Long, soft smoke with a slightly sweet BBQ / lemon finish.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100 (Martin). Exactly what I hoped for - balanced, complex, delicious. For the price? Excellent value (especially for those in HK benefiting from the recently-reduced taxes).

Thanks to Halcyon for sending us the sample for this review.

Cheers,

Martin.

Gordon & MacPhail Recollection Series #3: 1984 Convalmore, 1981 North Port & 1991 Rosebank [Tasted #680 - 682]

A look back over our Gordon & MacPhail-tagged posts shows it's been a pretty great past few years when it comes to trying incredibly long-aged, well-matured whiskies here at TimeforWhisky.com. In addition to one-off bottlings in the the 60 Year Old, 70 Year Old and even 80 Year Old age ranges, we've also been introduced to "The Recollection Series" of whiskies - #1 in 2022, #2 in 2023 and now, hot off the press, comes Series #3.

These series feature single malts originating from closed, or long-time silent distilleries, with spirit matured in bespoke asks commissioned by G&M. 

Series #1 and #2 saw us taste some incredible drams like Glen Mhor from 1973 and 1982, 1982 St Magdalene, 1981 Port Ellen & 1981 Lochside, so whatever was in store for Series #3, we knew it would be good.

...and we weren't wrong. With 6 expressions this time around, the series is a little smaller, but no less impressive, featuring:

• Rosebank 1991 – RRP £2,100
• Glenlochy 1979 – RRP £4,000
• Convalmore 1984 – RRP £2,300
• Imperial 1990 – RRP £1,650
• North Port 1981 – RRP £3,850
• Port Ellen 1981 – RRP £10,000

Featuring eye-catching, bold new packaging, G&M calls the whiskies ‘forgotten masterpieces’ and ‘lost works of art’, with the distilleries’ spirit revived using stunning illustrations from Emmy-award winning artist, Bruno Mangyoku. 

Stuart Urquhart, Operations Director at Gordon & MacPhail, said: 

“This year marks our third Recollection Series, which again brings a carefully chosen selection of rare and unique whiskies to enthusiasts worldwide. We’re fortunate enough to have access to a liquid library which is testament to the relationships we’ve nurtured with whisky distillers for almost 130 years.

We’re proud to be able to revive the spirit of these historic distilleries, bringing their stories back into the present day.”  

Gordon & MacPhail "The Recollection Series #3" Rosebank 1991 32yo (51.2% ABV, 32yo, First Fill Bourbon Barrel #2114, Lowland, Scotland, One of 141 bottles, £2,100)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A distillery called Rosebank was operating as early as 1817. From 1840, under the ownership of the Rankine family, Rosebank prospered, however the distillery eventually closed its doors in 1993. It was reopened under new ownership to great fanfare in 2024. This release is one of the oldest and rarest Rosebank single malts ever released.

Colour: Light sunset gold.

Nose: Light and tropical, with orange, banana and pineapple. As a kid I used to love Golden Circle Tropical Punch fruit juice, and this nose took me straight back to those primary school playground days.  It's a subtle nose though - slowly revealing itself. After time, some lemon slice shows through too.

Palate: Fruity maple syrup? There's a rose-flavoured note, and in the background (subtle) pineapple and banana. 

Finish: Mango and guava! Big time, and long. I recently tried a single cask Springbank (interestingly the same age) and it also had this hugely tropical finish 

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 93/100 (Martin). The highest score I've ever given to a Rosebank? Probably. Feels like it's the best I've tried.

Gordon & MacPhail "The Recollection Series #3" North Port 1981 42yo (50.9% ABV, 42yo, Refill American Hogshead #2072, Highland, Scotland, One of 132 bottles, £3,850)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Single malts featuring the distillery’s original name, Brechin Distillery, are vanishingly rare. Founded in 1820 near Scotland’s east coast by three brothers, David, John and Alexander Guthrie, the distillery stood half a mile from the River Esk. It remained in family ownership for over a century, renamed North Port Distillery, before new owners closed its doors in 1928. It reopened after the Second World War only to fall silent again in 1983, with the site demolished in 1994. 

Colour: Light amber gold

Nose: Instantly, that well-matured, balanced, incredibly complex nose that shines through on so many of these older G&M releases. There's oak, there's fresh fruit (orchard fruits, peaches, apples) with slightly tropical undertones, nuttiness, fresh pear, and (with a drop of water) some pineapple, apricot and more peach.

Palate: Follows the nose just beautifully, with the oak and fruit in perfect harmony, alongside some gingerbread, mandarin, apricot and graceful oak.

Finish: Very, very long, with a slightly drying oak note and (after a drop of water), some peach.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 94/100 (Martin). Now THIS is whisky. Just a beautiful dram.

Gordon & MacPhail "The Recollection Series #3" Convalmore 1984 39yo (51.1% ABV, 39yo, Refill Sherry Hogshead #1733, Speyside, Scotland, One of 108 bottles, £2,300)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Opened as the fourth of Dufftown’s famed seven stills in the heart of Speyside in 1894, Convalmore’s waxy, fruity spirit has very rarely been seen as a single malt whisky. Dedicated almost entirely to blended whiskies, production was interrupted in 1909 by a fire. The distillery expanded in 1964 but was mothballed in 1985. The original buildings are still on the site but the production equipment has been removed. 

Colour: Rich mahogany.

Nose: Muted at first, but after some time it turns into a rich and elegant display of mocha, leather, fresh berries, berry compote and toffee.

Palate: Mature oak with noticeable, but not overpowering sherry notes. Flamed orange zest, black forrest cake, sherry-soaked cherries, cigar humidor, milk coffee and to round things out, hints of dried apricot.

Finish: Long, balanced oak with citrus hints.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 93/100 (Martin). My love for Convalmore continues.

For more information on Gordon & MacPhail or the Recollection series, visit www.gordonandmacphail.com.

Many thanks again to G&M who kindly provided the tasting of these three beautiful single malts, and & Weber Shandwick for the arrangement.

Cheers,

Martin.

Halcyon Spirits 27yo Single Cask 1996 Burnside [Tasted #677]

I wrote last year about new Scottish-based Independent Bottler Halcyon Spirits, and how their 2000-strong cask inventory probably meant we'd probably see many bottles to come. It wasn't long after their inaugural release (a 30yo Macallan) that I tasted their second release (a 32yo Auchentoshan) and whilst I didn't manage to try their third (a 30yo Clynelish), the team have now released (and kindly sent me a sample of) their fourth - a 27yo Burnside from 1996 (finished in an ex-sherry cask and bottled in 2024).

"Burnside", some of you may ask? Basically, a teaspooned whisky, or a blended malt which is predominantly one malt, with only a small amount of another. There's a whole discussion to be had about if all "teaspooned" whisky is really teaspooned, or if some of it is single malt simply labelled/sold as a blended malt, but that's for another post. 

In this case, Burnside is the name given to a whisky predominantly made up of Balvenie, with only a small amount of Glenfiddich. 

Halcyon Spirits "Halcyon Release #4" Burnside Aged 27 Years (52.9% ABV, Blended Malt, 27yo, 1 of 292 bottles, Scotland, £195)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Colour: Burnished copper-gold

Nose: Fruit & nuts, pear, honey and some molasses. There are sultana notes, and after some air & time to open up, subtle ginger hints.

Palate: Initial citrus zest, giving way to more honey and molasses, some oak spice, walnuts, dried oranges, vanilla custard, some green frog jelly lollies, and finally some cinnamon. The sherry influence is there, without doubt, but it doesn't overpower the whisky, allowing other notes to show.

Finish: Medium to long, with dried orange most predominant, and subtle ginger spice in the background.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100 (Martin). I enjoy Balvenie, and have always enjoyed the Burnsides I've tried - a lot. This one is no different - a great dram, and a very reasonable price for a 27yo (more or less) Balvenie!

Cheers,

Martin.

Halcyon Spirits 32yo Single Cask 1991 Auchentoshan [Tasted #652]

A few months ago I tried the inaugural release from Halcyon Spirits, a family-owned Scottish-based Independent Bottler founded by the blokes behind Whisky Hammer & Still Spirit. A first-fill sherry 30yo single cask Macallan was a pretty strong showing for a first IB, and whilst it was a little left-field, it was much enjoyed.

Halcyon are back with their second release, and it's another strong showing - this time a single cask 32 Year Old Auchentoshan, distilled in 1991 and bottled at 48.7%

The cask yielded only 140 (individually-numbered) bottles, selling for £550 (£458 ex-VAT).

You won't find a lot of Auchentoshan on this blog...in fact there's only one (from over a decade ago), and my tasting notes ended with "not a huge fan". I've tried plenty since, and it's just a distillery I've never loved. I can appreciate a well-made, well-matured whisky of course, it's just not something I'd choose to drink.

That said...the beauty of an independently-bottled single cask is it often doesn't "fit the norm", and so I'm always happy to have another crack!

Halcyon Spirits "Halcyon Release #2" Auchentoshan Aged 32 Years (48.7% ABV, Single Malt, 32yo, 1 of 140 bottles, Scotland, £550)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Colour: Orange Gold

Nose: Instantly nutty, with coconut and sandalwood following. There's oak, but it's balanced out by spiced fruit, fruit compote (peaches, lots of apricots, pears) and vanilla bean.

Palate: Spicy, sweet and intense. There's ginger, honey, almonds, along with an intense, yet creamy vanilla. Loads of peach and a little spiced orange, with balanced oak throughout.

Finish: Long, apricot and oak spice.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 91/100 (Martin). Well, here it is ladies and gentlemen. The first Auchentoshan I've enjoyed! Great work Halcyon Spirits.

A big thanks to Halcyon Spirits for the sample.

Cheers,
Martin.

Halcyon Spirits 30yo Single Cask 1993 Macallan [Tasted #646]

Whilst this blog may feature a lot of "OB" whisky, you only need to see my Instagram stories on any given day to know I'm a fan of Independently Bottled whisky...to the extent that it probably makes up 80% of what I drink these days.

I have my favourites of course, but I also love trying whiskies from new "Indies" on the market - no easy feat, considering the difficulties in obtaining quality casks these days. Heck, the scene has changed so much that even IB stalwart Gordon & MacPhail recently announced their intention to cease independent bottling!

I was recently contacted about a new Scotland-based Independent Bottler, Halcyon Spirits, family-owned and based in Aberdeenshire. Founded by Daniel & Craig Milne (responsible for both Whisky Hammer & Still Spirit, now 49% owned by HK-based Rare Whisky Holdings) the bottler has a warehouse of over 2,000 casks which presumably means we'll be seeing many more bottlings to come.

Kicking things off with a bang, Halcyon released their first bottling in June - none other than a 30yo 1993 vintage single cask Macallan (from a First Fill Sherry cask no less).

Bottled by Halycon at a cask strength 49.8% ABV, the whisky comes in at £2,950 per bottle, with only 238 bottles available here (at the time of writing, there were only 97 remaining). As nice touch, Halcyon Spirits will also fund the planting of ten trees for every bottle sold, meaning this inaugural release will result in 2,380 trees being planted.

Described by David Robertson (former Macallan Master Distiller) as “a superb example of a well matured Spanish oak sherry vintage whisky", I was fortunate enough to receive a sample from the folk at Halcyon so I could share my own thoughts.

As a side note, when I taste samples I'll often taste half, then come back to the other half a little later and see how it's evolved. This time "a little later" became several weeks, and it was interesting to see how the whisky evolved over that time, with the breathing space adding an extra (positive) dimension the second time around, despite the sub-50% ABV.

Halcyon Spirits "Halcyon Release #1" Macallan Aged 30 Years (49.8% ABV, Single Malt, 30yo, 1 of 238 bottles, Scotland, £2,950)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Colour: Deep Ruby-Copper

Nose: Fresh sherry and oak, with a good whack of maltiness. There's "old sherry wood" complexity here, but accompanied by the freshness and vibrancy of a younger dram too. After time, I found hints of coffee grounds, dates, and an unusual (but welcome) herbal note, along with some maple syrup.

Palate: Initially, big fruit - not the spicy, nutty oak that the colour and nose suggested, but more strawberry gum(!) and interestingly, Eucalyptus! I spoke to a few other bloggers who found it a touch soapy, but for me it was more Eucalyptus (my Aussie upbringing perhaps?) 

After another 10-15min, some trademark sherry notes started to emerge - cigar box, toffee, cinnamon, caramel, but still with an underlying Eucalypt / herbal note, and after a few weeks, more of a rounded, caramel malt note. Not exactly what I was expecting, but certainly enjoyable, and isn't uniqueness the whole point of a single cask anyway?

Finish: Long, warming oak with slight tannins only towards the very end.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 91/100 (Martin). A very solid showing for the first bottling from a new bottler (although clearly one with history and experience in the industry). Really looking forward to seeing what they release by way of future bottlings.

A big thanks to Halcyon Spirits & WSW for the sample.

Cheers,

Martin.

Tasted #594: 1957 "Moon Import" Bowmore (TimeforWhisky 10 Year Anniversary Dram)

Our 4th 10th Anniversary Dram dram (and first, but not last from this distillery) is a 1957 Bowmore from Italian Independent Bottler Moon Import.

Many whisky fans will be familiar with Samaroli, and the legendary independently bottled whisky they released in the 1970s to 1990s, but there were other equally legendary Italian independent bottlers at the time - Sestante (later Silver Seal), Nadi Fiori's Intertrade, and Moon Import to name the most notable ones. Whilst the latter is probably most well-known for its "Birds" series, they produced several other bottles as well, including this 1957 Bowmore, bottled in 1990 at 32-33 years old.

My love of Bowmore is no secret (especially to anyone who follows our Instagram) and as much as I love the older, tropical style Bowmores, particularly those from the 1960s, they're not exactly easy or cheap whiskies to procure these days. In a WhiskyFun article on a legendary Bowmore tasting (which I wasn't at, but which included this exact bottle) Angus MacRaild said  "I would hazard that Bowmore from the 1950s and 1960s is still recognised as one of the greatest spirits ever produced by mankind." 

It's pretty hard to ague.

I was fortunate enough to try this bottle thanks to the significant generosity of @whisky_is_better_aged (a name that'll come up again during these 10th anniversary tastings) - once in 2019, and again more recently.

"Moon Import" Bowmore 1957 (40% ABV, 32-33yo, Islay, Scotland, £8,500+)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Colour: Vibrant yellow gold.

Nose: Oh my goodness, this is tropical fruit heaven. Guava at first, then passionfruit. Some slight oat cake hints, then it's back to the fruit - pineapple, more passionfruit. There are some faint floral notes too. It's definitely got character, but there's a light delicateness to it as well (no doubt at least in part due to the 40% ABV).

Palate: More of the fruit from the nose - pineapple most predominantly, but there's guava, passionfruit (in spades) and mango to a slightly lesser extent. There's also a faintly BBQ-esque meaty note, and a slight salinity that reminds you of where this whisky originated. For me though, the fruit dominates, and whilst the whisky (bottled at 40%, now with 32 years of bottle ago) is undoubtedly full of flavour, you can't help but think it would have just that little more with some additional ABV, maybe.

Finish: Medium to long in length, with a residual sea-salt smoked passionfruit note.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 93/100. Ticks a lot of the tropical fruit notes I love, and is technically a very respectable whisky. Whilst I hate to default to the old "this would be better at a higher ABV" chestnut...I would have loved to try this around 50% ABV.

See you here tomorrow for #5!

Cheers,

Martin.

Tasted #593: 1955 Talisker 50 Year Old (TimeforWhisky 10 Year Anniversary Dram)

Number 3 in our 10th Anniversary dram roundup comes from The Isle of Skye, distilled way back in 1955 and bottled in 2005 by Gordon & MacPhail at a whopping 50 years old. I tasted this a few years back at Whisky Now Hong Kong (which I hope returns in 2023).

Now technically, this is a "Secret Skye" whisky and isn't actually labelled as a Talisker, but in 1955 there was precisely one distillery on the Isle of Skye. So it's either a Talisker...or a Talisker.

Talisker has never released an OB 50yo (this year's 44yo "Forrests of the Deep" is the oldest OB to date), so it's fair to say a 50 year old is pretty special (and with an average rating on WhiskyBase of 93.05, it seems others agree). 

It's also a lot darker / more sherried than any OB Talisker I can recall, coming from a single sherry butt. Sound like fun? Let's jump in then...

Gordon & MacPhail "Secret Stills" Isle of Skye (Talisker) (45% ABV, 50yo, Isle of Skye, $68,990HKD)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Colour: Deep rich mahogany.

Nose: Cloves, old books, aged leather and almonds (at first). Old dusty oak, with slightly saline hints, some raspberries and furniture polish / varnish. Then some grapefruit(!) notes appear, along with a long soft note of humidor.

Palate: Initially - berries. Raspberry, lingonberry, and even some lychee! There's a slight menthol note, and the oak is definitely there, but it's not overpowering (despite what the colour and 50 years in a first fill sherry butt might suggest)! Raisins and blackcurrants, toffee, licorice and black tea come next (the latter not overtly tannic), followed by dark almond chocolate, and some sweet, tobacco notes. Hugely complex, but also "clean".

Finish: Black tea, slight tannins.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 93/100. A hugely complex whisky - lots going on, and it's all extremely tasty.

You know where to find us tomorrow for dram #4!

Cheers,

Martin.

Adelphi Selection Ben Nevis 1996-2019 22 Year Old [Tasted #589]

Another day, another tasty 1996 Ben Nevis...this one from one of my favourite Indie Bottlers - Adelphi, bottled in 2019 from a re-fill sherry cask at 22 years old.

Source: The Whisky Shop

Adelphi Selection Ben Nevis 1996-2019 22yo (55% ABV, 22yo, 1 of 205 bottles, Highlands, Scotland, no longer available)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Colour: Orange gold.

Nose: Tropical and funk - two great Nevis traits (in this case, a little heavier on the tropical side - no bad thing). Lemon, lime, mango, a slight salinity and hints of paprika spice and oak.

Palate: Fruit spice, mince fruit pies, mango chutney and grilled BBQ pineapple, with some guava to round it out, and a nice subtle oak undertone.

Finish: Long, mango spice.

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

Cheers,

Martin.

Hidden Spirits Clynelish 26yo 1992-2019 [Tasted #588]

There's no doubt about it, Clynelish is a legendary distillery and throughout its history there have been some incredible bottles - especially from the 60s and 70s, and of course any "pre-Brora Clynelish" - these are bottles commanding huge premiums today, even for what was at the time a "standard" 12 year old (or younger) whisky.

Every now and then, a newer, "modern" Clynelish comes along, gets a great review and the whisky world goes into a bit of a frenzy. Probably the most notable / recent example of such a bottle was Hidden Spirits' 1992 26yo "Highproof" Clynelish, bottled from a single cask (#CY9219, if you're interested) in 2019 with an outturn of only 193 bottles.

I missed the boat on release, but managed to grab a sample from Timeless & Tasty (who do still have a great range of Clynelish in Hong Kong), giving me the opportunity to see if the hype was justified for this whisky which Serge Valentin famously gave a 94...

Hidden Spirits' 1992 "Highproof" Clynelish 26yo (50.1% ABV, 26yo, 1 of 193 bottles, Highlands, Scotland)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Colour: Light copper-gold.

Nose: Big notes of wax and yellow fruit - peach, pear, followed by sherbert. With water I found a little salinity.

Palate: Follows the nose well - viscous and waxy, with apples, pears and peaches. There's a little earthiness, a little sweetness, and a little grassiness. With water, a touch meatier, more salinity again. Overall very mouth-filling, rich and creamy.

Finish: Long, earthy, salted meats.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100. Yes, it's a very well-made, elegant, and well-integrated whisky. Very balanced too, with all the notes working in harmony. Is it a 94? Not in my books, but I'm not the world's foremost Clynelish expert either....a very solid dram regardless.

Cheers,

Martin.

Gordon & MacPhail "Private Collection 1952 from Glen Grant Distillery Platinum Jubilee Edition" 70yo [Tasted #568]

It's been less than a month since I wrote about this 64yo 1957 "Mr George Legacy" 2nd Edition Glen Grant, and if that was the oldest whisky I was to try this year, I'd consider it a pretty good year....but the fine people at Gordon & MacPhail had other plans, and were kind enough to send a sample of something even more special, commemorating an event that most of us will likely never again experience in our lifetimes.

I'm talking about the Queen's Platinum (70th) Jubilee, and the Gordon & MacPhail "Platinum Jubilee Edition" 70yo 1952 Glen Grant, bottled for the occasion. Not the oldest whisky we've tried on the site, but impressively, the equal second.

Bottled on the 6th February (the same date as Her Majesty's accession to the throne) after maturing for 7 decades in a first fill Sherry butt, the whisky serves as a fitting tribute to Her Majesty, having served the same amount of time on the throne.

Distilled on 26th January 1952, and bottled 70 years later at a cask strength 52.3% ABV, the "Gordon & MacPhail Private Collection 1952 from Glen Grant Distillery" sees just 256 bottles released worldwide, with a recommended retail price of £20,000, available from Gordon & MacPhail's own online shop in the UK, and no doubt Master of Malt for International buyers in due course. No word yet on Hong Kong or Australian pricing.

In support of the Queen’s ‘green canopy’ initiative and building on the successful 2021 partnership with Scottish charity Trees for Life we mentioned here, Gordon & MacPhail is donating a further £20,000 from the proceeds of the release.

 

So having well and truly established the whisky's suitability for such a momentous occasion, let's find out how it tastes...

Gordon & MacPhail "Private Collection 1952 from Glen Grant Distillery Platinum Jubilee Edition" 70yo (52.3% ABV, 70yo, Cask #381, One of 256 bottles, Speyside, £20,000)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Colour: Mahogany gold.

Nose: Fresh leather, waxed apples and juicy sultanas, followed by orange marmalade. Give it time (as you must always with such an old and complex whisky), and herbal notes (mint predominantly) and cigars emerge.

Palate: Hugely rich and mouthfilling, there are initial wisps of smoke, followed by dark chocolate, then milk chocolate, cigar humidor, oranges (orange cakes actually), then slight hints of mint. After time, notes of blackcurrant emerge. It's not an in-your face sherry bomb, it's more of a subtle, complex, evolving sherried dram. Impressive, hugely impressive.

Finish: Long and minty, with lingering grapefruit hints and minimal oaky notes.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100. Not quite the same intensity of sherry in the 64yo 1957 "Mr George Legacy" 2nd Edition, more of a subtle, intricate dram giving layers of different notes as time goes on. A fitting tribute to Her Majesty if ever there was one.

Cheers,

Martin.

Old Master Spirits' 1970 51yo Maison Tribot Grande Champagne Cognac [Tasted #565]

I wrote back in August last year about new Australian independent bottler Old Master Spirits, founded by two whisky lovers focusing on bottling well-aged, unadulterated Cognac, highlighting smaller maisons and with a mission to:

"...find very old cognac exclusively for Australia, to bottle it in its raw form and save it from going to one of the big brand blenders such as Hennessy who would blend this with younger cognac, filter it, add wood flavouring and sugars and water it down to 40%"

At the time I tasted both their 63yo 1957 & 36yo 1984 Cognac and hugely enjoyed them both, so when co-founder Deni reached out and asked if I'd like to try their next release, a 51yo Grande Champagne Cognac from 1970, I wasn't about to say no...

The Cognac this time comes from Maison Tribot, in the heart of the Cognac region, Grande Champagne. Distilled in a traditional pot still by Fourth generation distiller Jean Michel Tribot, the spirit spent 51 years in French Oak in the maison's ancestral stone-walled cellar, and was the oldest stock from their cellar. 

With an ABV of 50.3%, no additives and full maturation in Oak (which might seem obvious, but this isn't the case for all old Cognac) this is clearly an "spirit enthusiast's" Cognac...one I was excited to dive into.

Old Master Spirits 1970 Grande Champagne Cognac Maison Tribot V.70 A.51 (50.3% ABV, 51yo, 1 of 120 (500mL) bottles, France, $365AUD (available early May 2022))

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Colour: Rich firey amber.

Nose: Right up there's some instant fruitiness - mango, rockmelon and sweet orange, but there's also some menthol and mint, and after some time, the orange turns more to orange zest / marmalade. So far, so good!

Palate: Follows the nose well - but with more pineapple, papaya, rockmelon and peach. There's some gooey sweet caramel too, which plays in nicely with the fruitiness. Delicious.

Finish: Some black tea, but with none of the astringency you might expect after 51 years in oak. Slight oak hints, along with mango and barbecued pineapple.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 93/100. Extremely well-balanced, and delicious as well. Another absolute winner from Old Master Spirits.

Maison Tribot (label inspiration)

Old Master Spirits 1970 Maison Tribot 51 year old Cognac will launch in the first week of May 2022 at RRP of $365 through oldmasterspirits.com.au. Mailing list subscribers will have an opportunity for early access by subscribing at https://www.oldmasterspirits.com.au/#signup

Cheers,

Martin.

Berry Bros & Rudd's new bottle design (and a very special 1989 Bunnahabhain) [Tasted #541]

The whisky world (in particular the Scotch whisky world) talks a lot of provenance and history - as well it should. With whisky distillation legally sanctioned in Scotland in 1823, and distilleries commencing operations very soon thereafter (and many, like Bowmore and Glenturret, well before), there's a rich history to draw upon.

~200 years may seem like an impressively long time to be in business (and let's face it, it is), but it pales in comparison to Berry Bros & Rudd, Britain's oldest wine and spirit merchant who have not only been in operation since 1698, but have traded from the same shop the entire time. 

323 years is an incredibly long time to be in business (especially trading from the same location), but in all that time, Berry Bros have never had their own bottle design, with the "Own Selection" whiskies and spirits using a relatively standard design. Until now...

Launched in July this year, Berry Bros & Rudd's whiskies (and other spirits) now have a bottle worthy of the liquid, with a bespoke design by label designer Stranger and Stranger referencing the Berry Bros & Rudd shop's iconic arched windows.

As Guy Pratt, Design Director from Stranger and Stranger explains:

“The premises on St. James' in the heart of London’s West End is inextricably tied to the history of old London and the host of famous and extraordinary people who have passed through its doors. It was the famous arched windows of the facade that provided a way to express the merchant’s prodigious spirit credentials within the mould of the bottle itself, added to the base of the bottle they echo both the iconic facade and the scalloped decoration you might typically find on a heavy spirits glass. In this way we were able to celebrate the brand and the home it has occupied since 1698 in a single mark. For appreciators of fine spirits who unfortunately cannot visit the shop itself, Berry Bros & Rudd have just brought the shop to you!”

BBR's "Summer Release 2021" series is the first to be bottled in the new design, and features 6 diverse spirits from across the world - 5 Single Casks (a 2010 peated Bruichladdich, 2000 Clyenlish Sutherland, 2014 Guyana rum-finished Laprhoaig Williamson, a 2010 Islay-finished Diamond Rum from Guyana, and (the coolest of all) a 2016 Lark from Tasmania), alongside a "Small batch" whisky in the form of a 2009 12yo Linkwood - at only £60.

When BBR kindly offered to send me something to celebrate the new bottle design, I assumed it would be a few samples of the above - or perhaps even one of the bottles if they were feeling particularly generous. What I didn't expect was an entire bottle of single cask 1989 Bunnahabhain, labelled with my own name (or a slightly misspelt version of it) front and centre, adorning the new bottle design!

Incredibly generous and unexpected! Whiskybase suggests the cask (#5738 from 2015) was originally bottled for Shinanoya, but presumably they didn't take the whole cask, and a few fortunate souls were lucky enough to receive a personalised bottle in the new bottle design.

Of course, as lovely as the new bottle design is, ultimately it's all about the liquid inside, and so to that end, upon receiving the bottle I immediately ripped the cork out and poured myself a dram...and I'm glad I did!

Berry Bros & Rudd Single Cask 1989 Bunnahabhain (43.4% ABV, 1989-2015, 25yo, Hogshead #5738, 1 of 115 bottles Islay Scotland)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Colour: Bright yellow gold.

Nose: Rich yellow fruits - peach, pair, hints of lemon.

Palate: Zesty white chocolate, lemon pie. Creamy vanilla pie. Viscous mouthfeel, with marzipan and yellow jubes.

Finish: Long, with hints of pear and peach.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 91/100. Extremely drinkable, complex, and entirely enjoyable.

A big thanks to Berry Bros & Rudd for this beautiful personalised gift, and congratulations on a stunning new bottle design and range!

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)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

SMWS & Starward: Distillery 148 lands with two impressive releases [Tasted #535 & #536]

I heard a funny comment about the Scotch Malt Whisky Society the other day - that technically only one quarter of their name fully describes what they do. They no longer bottle only Scotch whisky, they no longer bottle only malt whisky, they no longer bottle only whisky...but they are still a Society (one of which I've been a devoted member since 2013).

Some may think the inclusion of grain whiskies, world whiskies and other spirits has changed the Society, and I agree - it's changed it for the better. This blog was always about enjoying whisky (and the occasional dark spirit) on its merits and flavour alone, regardless of where it comes from or how old it is, and that's a philosophy SMWS really take to heart.

So when SMWS started bottling whiskies from "new world" whisky countries like Taiwan, India, England, Denmark and Sweden, to me it wasn't a case of "Oh no, they're deviating from their roots!" it was a case of "OK, so when will we see an Aussie distillery?" 

That question was answered last month, when Luke McCarthy's excellent Oz Whisky Review broke the news that, finally, an Australian SMWS distillery code had been announced. Distillery 147 (Sydney's excellent Archie Rose) had the honour, with their 2yo 147.1 "Jacaranda Jam". Long-time readers might remember that time Archie Rose let me make a nuisance of myself by "helping" them "make whisky" one morning back in 2015 (long story short: it was great, educational fun).

Photo credit: SMWS Australia

They say "good things come in threes" and that's certainly the case here, as TimeforWhisky.com is pleased to be the very first to break the news that hot on the heels of 147.1 comes 148.1 (and in 2022, 148.2) - from none other than Melbourne's Starward!

Further down you'll find further details and my tasting notes on both releases (a huge thanks to Matt Bailey for the samples & opportunity), but I felt this was a good chance to revisit some key events in the history of Starward, and pull out a few highlights Hendy and myself have experienced over the years.

2013 was the year Starward's first whisky was released (matured in Australian ex-Apera casks), and was the result of 6 years of hard work, stemming from founder David Vitale's vision to create a quality, accessible, distinctly Australian whisky. It seems obvious now, but looking at Starward's recent success and immense following, but back then it was a big gamble.

TimeforWhisky.com's friendship with the distillery goes back to early 2013, when David was kind enough to give up an hour during a flying visit to Sydney to sit down and talk me through the (then) "New World Whisky Distillery" over a coffee at Shirt Bar. David generously gave me a 200mL bottle of the whisky, and my tasting later that evening confirmed this was one to keep an eye on! 

Fast-forward a few months to late 2013, and David was again kind enough to give me an in-depth, private tour of the distillery (the old Essendon Fields-based distillery, before the move to Port Melbourne), tasting the various stages along the way - wash, new make, and maturing cask samples. 

For me this it was a fascinating insight into this new Aussie distillery, and a real eye opener as to the differences between UK and Aussie distilleries - which was never more apparent than when I asked about the "spirit safe". David showed me the open, sheet-metal fabricated box (below) where the spirit ran off the stills, and asked if I'd like to have a taste - by cupping my hands underneath and scooping some up! Something you could never get away with in Scotland!

It wasn't long after that that Steph and I moved to Hong Kong & expanded TimeforWhsky.com into Asia, and Hendy came on-board to continue the Aussie coverage. Moving to HK meant leaving behind 99% of our whisky collection and taking only 1 bottle each, but for me the choice was easy - Starward's very first "New World Projects" Single Cask Release #1. I figured this had to be the only bottle in HK (if not Asia), and I used it to spread the good word of Aussie whisky until the bottle was emptied. 

I stayed in touch with David, and the following year had the pleasure of arranging Starward's very first tasting outside Australia, with David taking a small group of HK whisky lovers through an eclectic mix of Starward whisky, new make and gin. By that point, the Starward range had grown to encompass two core bottlings (a red-wine matured whisky sitting alongside the original ex-Apera product), along with a few weird and wonderful "New World Projects" releases.

Funnily enough, 6 years on I still regularly have whisky catch-ups with some of the same people (often at the same venue) only now they're bringing Starwards to the tastings themselves (not an easy feat, considering Starward still isn't officially distributed in Asia)!

It's hard to believe that was 6 years ago, but since then it's seemed the distillery can do no wrong, with the move to brand new distillery right in the heart of Melbourne (the main reason for my 24hr trip to Melbourne in 2018), multiple new release whiskies (some limited, like the recent Unexpeated and the ever-popular "Ginger Beer Cask" series, some permanent, like the innovative Two-Fold blended "Double Grain", which Hendy had the pleasure of seeing launched at the Distillery in 2019), and even a bottled cocktail series, including 2019's delicious "Red Manhattan".

...which brings us to today. It's probably fair to say that as a young distillery, having your stock sought by independent bottlers is a clear sign of your popularity, and Starward has (in the last year alone) been bottled by no less than 3 well-respected "Indies": Berry Bros & Rudd, Adelphi and That Boutique-y Whisky Company (the latter tasted by Hendy back in May).

Now however, Starward can add another feather to their cap: being bottled not just by another independent bottler, but by the world's leading whisky club, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

SMWS 148.1 Starward "Apera for Everyone!" will be the first release, a 6yo single cask "dot one" distilled on 27 November 2013 and matured in a 1st Fill Apera barrique. Sitting in the "Deep, Rich & Dried Fruits" flavour profile, this is the oldest independently bottled Starward ever released, and was distilled at the original Essendon Fields distillery. Bottled at 58.3%, it will be accompanied by a special historical write-up and released in the October Outturn, launching via regular and ballot release on Friday 1st October at midday AEST. From an outturn of 210 bottles, 174 will be made available to Australian members (the remaining 36 will be heading to the UK).

SMWS 148.2 Starward "Kirsch Me Quick", from the "Spicy & Sweet" flavour profile will follow in early 2022. A 3yo single cask bottled from a 1st Fill red wine barrique, it was distilled on 27 April 2017, weighs in at 55.5% and will see 274 bottles released (238 for Australia, 36 for the UK). 

So enough waiting....how do they taste!?

SMWS 148.1 Starward "Apera for Everyone!" (58.3% ABV, 6yo, Melbourne, Australia, Pricing TBC, Available from 1st October via SMWS.com.au)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Colour: Golden-brown treacle.

Nose: At first, that big fruity Apera hit, but then a nuttiness emerges, along with a slightly leathery herbaceousness. After time, some berries and cherry notes With a few drops of water, more fruit, with pear and some peach showing through. 

Palate: Initially: wow. Big apricot and peach notes, then chewy milkbottle lollies, caramel chews, fresh toffee and Manuka honey. Water adds a little herbal smoke and vanilla cream. Incredibly complex and delicious.

Finish: Warming, soft, and lasting for days, with apricot and fruit compote.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100. Super complex, AND super delicious. Starward casks set a high barrier as it is, but this goes well beyond. An absolutely unique and stellar dram.

SMWS 148.2 Starward "Kirsch Me Quick" (55.5% ABV, 3yo, Melbourne, Australia, Pricing TBC, Available early 2022 via SMWS.com.au)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Colour: Reddish golden-amber.

Nose: Fresher than the .1, with more red fruits & some dried fruits. There's a slight herbal note and dehydrated orange wheels. Water doesn't change it much.

Palate: Spice, soy, herbs, cigar tobacco - it reminds me a lot of other ex-red wine Starward single casks I've tried. The complexity and balance is excellent for a 3yo. There's a slight BBQ meatiness too, and with water, a more tannic / drying note, with more spice and less fruit (IMO, it's better without water).

Finish: Salted chocolate, long and slightly drying with berry-like tannins.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100. Closer to the single casks Starward fans know and love than the "dot one". Very good, and instantly recognisable as a Starward.

It's been my immense pleasure to break the news of this pairing of my favourite whisky club and one of my favourite distilleries, and equally great to see Starward come so far over the years. Well done to all involved, and a big thanks to Matt Bailey and the SMWS for the opportunity to taste and talk about these whiskies.

Cheers,

Martin.

Note: This article contains affiliate links. TimeforWhisky.com may earn a small commission on subsequent purchases made through these links.