Diageo Special Releases 2024 [Tasted #685 - 692]

A belated Happy New Year! What better way to get into the 2025 swing of things than with Diageo's "Special Releases" set (from uh, 2024, LOL). This year I'm trying something new with some quick-fire IG reel video reviews (the first here) which may well continue throughout 2025, but for those who like our lengthier written reviews, they'll continue too. Read on...

For those unfamiliar with Diageo’s Special Releases, they've been around since 2001, but have become somewhat different in recent years. Longer term whisky fans will recall the series being focused on well-aged examples of popular Diageo malts and grains, some from closed distilleries. However as the demand, scarcity (and of course price) for those rose - especially Brora and Port Ellen - Diageo took them out of the Special Releases in 2018 and put them into other series (like Prima & Ultima) and some one-off releases (like Port Ellen Gemini & Brora Triptych).

Hendy and I have covered Special Releases for a while now, having seen this evolution first hand (see our 2016, 2018/2019, 2020, 2021 & 2022 articles), and at times we've even been lucky enough to try the rarer malts that are no longer in Special Releases, like this 41yo Port Ellen and this 40yo Brora. Despite the changes, we always get a thrill from new Special Releases, and it's always fun to see well-known (and not so well-known) whiskies in a new light.

So, what do we have in the 2024 lineup? 

8 whiskies, all from operational distilleries, spanning 8-21yo (and one NAS). We have mainstays of the collection (like Lagavulin 12 Cask Strength and more recently, Talisker 8yo) but some more unusual releases too, like a 21yo Benrinnes, the second ever release of Roseisle, and an unpeated Caol Ila!

(We even have a dram finished in "stone spun" casks, and no I had no idea what they were either...)

Let’s get into them…

Roseisle 12yo "Origami Kite II" (Diageo Special Releases 2024) (55.6% ABV, Single Malt, 12yo, Speyside, Scotland, $1,080HKD / £112.50)
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To be honest this was probably the one that interested me the most last year, as the inaugural release from this Speyside distillery that only opened in 2010. It didn’t disappoint (quality-wise) so I’m eager to see how this second release fares, especially as it shares age and cask types in common with 2023’s. I really appreciate that despite the focus of the range, Diageo have kept this one simple without fancy cask finishes.

Colour: Light honey.

Nose: Honied spice, slight hints of white pepper with a vanilla creaminess.

Palate: Consistent with the nose, with spice at the front of the palate, followed by a creamy sweet vanilla noteat the back. Very subtle tropical hints - mango mostly.

Finish: Med to long finish with notes of vanilla cream.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 89/100 (Martin). Strong showing, like last year.

The Singleton of Glen Ord 14yo "Autumnal Walk" (Diageo Special Releases 2024) (54.7% ABV, Single Malt, 14yo, Highlands, Scotland, $1,215HKD / £110)
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Not everyone knows this, but Singleton is actually a brand rather than a distillery, and there are a few distilleries (Dufftown, Ord, Glendullan) sold under the label. Of the 3 Ord (which this is) is my favourite, with some amazing releases in the past (especially the 16yo Manager’s Dram). This one saw maturation in ex-Bourbon, ex-wine and refill casks with Pyrenean and Spanish Oak cask ends.

Colour: Orange marmalade.

Nose: Candied orange peel, stone fruits (pear mostly) and some hints of strawberry.

Palate: Retains the fruity confectionary notes of the palate, alongside some woodspice and sweet ginger.

Finish: Long, with subtle oak tannins and citrus.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 87/100 (Martin). 

Oban 10yo "Coastal Orchard" (Diageo Special Releases 2024) (58% ABV, Single Malt, 10yo, Highlands, Scotland, $890HKD / £108.33)
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From the first whisky distillery I ever visited! Part finished in new, freshly-charred Oloroso-seasoned American oak barrels and bottled at 58%.

Colour: Amber gold.

Nose: Slight cereal spice, with apricot hints. Breakfast in a glass!

Palate: The spice and apricot from the nose follows, with a more rounded, creamy mouthfeel with hints of custard, slight oak, and berry spice. I didn't find much sherry influence, despite the use of Oloroso-seasoned casks.

Finish: Oak spice.

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

Mortlach “Midnight Dusk” (Diageo Special Releases 2024) (57.5% ABV, Single Malt, NAS, Speyside, Scotland, $1,980HKD / £208.33)
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The only NAS in the lineup, this Mortlach deviates from the usual heavy, meatier, darker nature with a lighter, more youthful spirit, thanks to finishing in both red and white Italian wine casks. 

Colour: Yellow gold.

Nose: Youthful and grassy, with noticeable new oak.

Palate: Simple and straightforward, with stone fruits and subtle salty smoke, followed by apple, pineapple and salted caramel

Finish: Long with a slight oak astringency.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 86/100 (Martin). I always enjoy seeing whiskies presented in a different light, but if I’m honest I don’t see nearly $2,00HKD worth of value in this one...

Benrinnes 21yo “Grand Crescendo” (Diageo Special Releases 2024) (55.4% ABV, Single Malt, 21yo, Speyside, Scotland, $3,625HKD / £283.33)
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The oldest and most expensive in the line up, Speyside’s Benrinnes has (as far as I’m aware) only featured in Special Releases twice since the start, also last time in a 21yo in 2014 with a heavy sherry influence. This time around it’s been matured in a mix of American and European Oak wine casks, interestingly with a finish that’s longer than the original maturation (13yrs vs 8yrs).

Colour: Dark orange gold.

Nose: Subtle, understated and elegant. Nutty hints, berry hints and some toffee.

Palate: Soft, elegant but still powerful. Sherry notes are there, but they're subtle, slowly growing. Cherries, baked pie crust, hints of strawberry.

Finish: Long, baked cherry pie.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100 (Martin). Probably my top pick of the lineup this year (just edging out the Roseisle).

Caol Ila 11yo “Ambrosial Feast” (Diageo Special Releases 2024) (% ABV, Single Malt, 11yo, Islay, Scotland, $820HKD)

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As many of my whisky mates have heard me say, I reckon Caol Ila is one of the most versatile spirits out there. It can be delicious under 10yo, fantastic in its mid to late teens, beautiful in its 20s, and so on (and don’t get me started on early 1980s…beautiful spirit). What’s most interesting about this 11yo release however is it’s a rarely-seen unpeated Caol Ila! It’s not the first time we’ve seen one (there was one in 2015 and if I’m not mistaken, 2018 too) but it’s certainly not common, and for me is probably the most interesting “twist” we see in the lineup this year.

Colour: Yellow gold.

Nose: Oranges, pear, mango with an underlying nuttiness.

Palate: Less fruity than the nose, more hazelnut icecream, honey and oak (but with subtle hints of mango from the nose)

Finish: Long, with slight oak tannins

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 87/100 (Martin).

Talisker 8yo “Tidal Churn” (Diageo Special Releases 2024) (58.7% ABV, Single Malt, 8yo, Islands, Scotland, $780HKD / £75)

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I’m always excited to try a new young Talker, mostly because the 8yo from 2018’s Special Releases still holds the title of best young Talisker I’ve ever tried - and probably best 8yo whisky I’ve ever tried! If you ever come across a bottle, do yourself a favour and try it - you won’t be disappointed. With that lofty benchmark set, we have this year’s 8yo which is said to be finished in “stone-spun” casks. Yep...."stone-spun". I like to think I’m pretty au fait with whisky terminology, but that was a new one for me. As best I can tell, it’s a method of decharring a cask using stones and water. Ok...

Colour: Straw

Nose: Saline, coastal, very slight peat but of a coastal/maritime nature, not iodine or BBQ-esque.

Palate: More peat than the nose suggests, with brine, nutty salted fish, and some noticeable camfourwood.

Finish: Medium in length, with strong salinity.

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

Lagavulin 12yo “Fireside Tails”(Diageo Special Releases 2024) (57.4% ABV, Single Malt, 12yo, Islay, Scotland, $1,250HKD / £129.17)
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The mainstay of the special releases - Lagavulin’s famed 12yo Cask Strength. One of the most consistent and enjoyable releases of the lineup in my opinion, this year’s release is back to more traditional cask types (1st fill ex-Bourbon, refill hoggies and refill European Oak butts) rather than the past two years which saw Virgin Oak and even ex-Añejo tequila casks.

Colour: Light yellow gold.

Nose: Fruity campfire smoke - apples, pears (toasted), bonfire smoke.

Palate: Creamy, salted BBQ notes - think a salted caramel or vanilla tart with a campfire-toasted crust.

Finish: Long, fruit smoke with a drying spice.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100 (Martin). The classic Laga 12 CS rarely disappoints, and this one continues that trend.

So there you have it, 8 drams from 8 different distilleries. A big thanks to MHDHK for setting aside a tasting kit for us.

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)
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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)

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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.

Tasting the world's oldest whisky: G&M's Generations 80 Year Old from Glenlivet Distillery [Tasted #540]

We've featured our fair share of Gordon & MacPhail whiskies over the years - from the "Connoisseurs Choice" range (which, no hyperbole, deserves a lot of credit for bringing single malt whisky into the spotlight back in the 1960s) to the rare and always-exceptional "Private Collection" range. With whiskies ranging up to 70 years old, it's fair to say we've had some incredible tasting experiences.

One range we've never featured though is G&M's "Generations". Retained for only the longest-matured, most exclusive whiskies, there have only ever been 4 previous releases - two of which broke the record at the time as the oldest Scotch whisky ever bottled.

Since the last "Generations" release (a 75yo Mortlach in 2015), there's been quite an increase in incredibly-aged malts hitting the market (one distillery in particular has released no fewer than five 70+ year old whiskies since 2018), but to date, the oldest whisky ever commercially bottled has topped out at 78 years old.

Today though, G&M are regaining the crown, with the release of the world's first 80 Year Old Single Malt Whisky - Generations 80 Year Old from Glenlivet Distillery.

It would be easy to simply focus on the age of such a whisky, given how rare it is for whisky to remain in oak for so long and still legally be whisky, but that would mean brushing aside some incredible facts and figures, like:

• This whisky was distilled during World War II (1940), when production at Glenlivet (and all Scottish distilleries) reduced by two-thirds due to Govt-imposed restrictions before almost halting entirely/. Peat was also commonly used, even in distilleries that don't today produce "peated" whiskies.

• This incredible cask was looked after by four generations of the Urquhart family (who still own G&M to this day); and

• This whisky matured for 40% of the lifespan of The Glenlivet distillery!

The spirit for this release was filled into a 1st Fill Sherry Butt (which initially held mosto (freshly pressed grape juice), then sobretables (new wine post fermentation) before being filled with mature Sherry at Bodegas Williams Humbert) on 3rd February 1940, and was laid down in Elgin by George Urquhart (aka "Mr George") and his father John, to mature well beyond their own lives - all the way to 5th February 2020, when it was bottled as the very first 80 year old Single Malt Scotch.

I was incredibly fortunate to taste the whisky recently, over a 1:1 Zoom with Stephen Ranking - eldest member of the 4th Generation of Urquhart family and G&M's Director of Prestige. Speaking to Stephen and hearing him tell the story of this whisky and G&M's 125 years in business was fascinating, and a testament to G&M's long-standing relationships throughout the industry. 

For example, G&M were only able to obtain Glenlivet new make (going back to well before this one was bottled) due to long-standing relationships with the distillery - both business relationships (G&M would provide the distillery with business, casks and warehousing) but also personal relationships, as both families were close. Similarly, as a close personal friend of Alexander Williams of Bodegas Williams Humbert at the time, "Mr George" was able to secure quality casks and ensure they were prepared as required.

(Side note: one fact I really love about G&M is they still, to this day, only buy new make spirit and fill their own casks themselves, unlike most other independent bottlers who also buy mature casks for further maturation. Of course there's nothing wrong with buying mature casks, but G&M's approach affords significantly more control and oversight of the whisky's maturation. Due in no small part to their extensive relationships, they've been able to do this for over 100 Scottish distilleries throughout their 125 years.)

As Stuart Urquhart (Operations Director and member of the fourth generation of the owning family) explains of the spirit:

“Glenlivet’s style of spirit is often highlighted as a classic example from Speyside – smooth, light, fruity and slightly floral. Spirit from Glenlivet can withstand long term ageing, managing to retain its delicate character. It is imperative for us to select quality casks, made to our exacting specifications, to ensure the spirit is not overpowered. Typically, we use Sherry casks for spirit earmarked for long-term maturation, with bourbon casks deployed for shorter term expressions although there are always exceptions to the rule."

When reviewing a whisky, I'll be honest - I don't typically like to give a lot of attention to bottle and packaging design on the blog, but in this case, it warrants an exception. For the fifth Generations release, G&M looked to partner with someone who shared their values of ‘artistry’, ‘legacy’ and ‘craftsmanship', and they found him in Internationally acclaimed architect and designer, Sir David Adjaye OBE.

Not having an architect's eye myself, my first thought upon seeing the design was "yeah, that looks really cool", but speaking to Stephen highlighted the level of thought and planning that went into the designs:

• The decanter, with its "lenses" on the sides, is intended to cast the whisky in a different shade, showing off the different colours it goes through during maturation (the lenses are also functional, serving as handgrips. You wouldn't want to drop one of these!)

• The oak case (handmade in sustainable timber by Wardour Workshops) is intended to "open like an oak forest letting light through its branches".

• The blackened top of the handblown Glencairn crystal decanters is intended to echo a charred cask.

 

Generations 80 Year Old from Glenlivet Distillery officially launches today, as a release of 250 decanters bottled at 44.9% ABV. Interested parties won't be able to purchase one just yet however, as decanter #1 is going under the hammer for charity, with Sotheby's holding an auction on 2nd October in Hong Kong. In addition to the first decanter (and oak case and two tumblers), the winner will also receive:

• A unique & rare whisky tasting experience for four in London, tailored to the buyer, conducted by Stephen Rankin and attended by Sir David Adjaye OBE.
• The cask head of cask 340 which cradled the spirit for eight decades, presented in a bespoke frame.
• Sir David Adjaye OBE’s original, signed concept drawings for the decanter and oak case, presented in a bespoke frame.

Proceeds from the auction (minus costs) will be donated to Trees for Life, a Scottish charity with a mission to rewild the Caledonian forest, with whom Gordon & MacPhail colleagues have been actively involved in helping with tree planting, including native oaks, at their site at Glen Affric in the north of Scotland.

Pricing and availability for the remaining 249 decanters will be announced following the auction.

So, a historic and incredible feat of whisky-making, no doubt, but how does it taste? Many would claim (and I wouldn't disagree) that on average, Scotch single malt hits its "sweet spot" around 15-25 years old, and that for a whisky to make it to 40, 50, 60, 70+ years and 1) still be whisky and 2) still taste good is an incredible feat.

..but what about 80 years? Has 8 decades in a First Fill sherry butt rendered something of an oak bomb? Read on...

Gordon & MacPhail Generations 80 Year Old from Glenlivet Distillery (44.9% ABV, 80yo (3rd Feb 1940 to 5th Feb 2020), First Fill Sherry Butt #340, 1 of 250 decanters, Speyside, Scotland, pricing TBC)

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Colour: Rich, deep burnished copper.

Nose: Initially coconut, followed by cigar box, some mint & sandalwood. You get some of those woody notes that let you know a whisky has spent some time in-cask, but they don't dominate at all - far from an "oak bomb". Nose it for a bit longer (I spent 45 minutes on the nose alone) and you'll find pot pouri, lavender, and some caramel cream.  With a little drop of water, I found port, more sandalwood, rooibos tea and some orange.

Palate: Viscous and full-bodied, there's initially some citrus-infused oak, dried fruits (sultanas, papaya), pressed flowers, fig and hints of grassiness and mint. You get big "vintage whisky" notes (cigar box, leather) without the "old bottle effect" notes that often accompany whiskies of this era from decades gone by. Water brings out a little orange peel, some very slight tannins, more mint and after 40 minutes, the faintest hints of smoke appear. The layers in this are incredible - some of these notes only showed themselves after 20, 25, 30+ minutes. If you looked up "complex whisky" in the dictionary, you may well find a picture of this.

Finish: Incredibly long and mellow. Ginger tea, sandalwood, incense and orange peel.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 94/100. Just incredible - not only because this whisky made it to 80 years and still retained 44.9% ABV, but because it retains such balance and complexity. An absolute pleasure to experience - I sincerely hope whoever is lucky enough to purchase one of the 250 decanters opens it up and enjoys it with good friends.

A tremendous thank you must go to Stephen Rankin for generously giving up his time to take me through the whisky, and Gordon & MacPhail and Petrie PR for allowing me this incredible opportunity.

Cheers,

Martin.

Tasted #388: Caol Ila Single Cask 10yo 2006-2017 #302868 bottled for Club Qing & Wu Kin San

When visiting whisky bars and friends around the world, I like to bring a bottle to share, ideally something a bit different - something that won't have been tried before.

When your friends own bars that have over 1,000 bottles however, that can be a bit tricky, but I think I did OK on a recent trip to Sydney and Melbourne, by bringing two Caol Ilas, including this 10yo single cask, bottled for famed Hong Kong whisky bar Club Qing, and one of their awesome team Wu Kin San (a former olympic cyclist, in case you were wondering what the label was about).

Someone described this as an "elegant" Caol Ila, and I thought that was spot on. Not a drastic departure from the core 12yo on the nose, but plenty different on the palate (in a good way). Full notes as follows...

Caol Ila Single Cask #302868 2006-2017 bottled for Club QIng and Jack Wu (52.4% ABV, 10yo, Islay, Scotland, Cask #302868, No longer available)

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Colour: Pale straw.

Nose: Not a huge departure from a regular 12yo Caol Ila. Ashy BBQ, salty peat smoke and hints of salted lemon.

Palate: Super elegant. Rich, viscous and creamy. Lemon meringue pie with a toasted crust, topped with some stewed apricots. Complex beyond its years.

Finish: Long, with stewed pears, apricots and a slight meatiness.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100. A beautifully elegant Caol Ila, showing complexity and finesse beyond its years.


Many thanks Jack for keeping a bottle aside for me!

Cheers,
Martin.

Tasted #326 - 328: Three single cask GlenDronachs from Batch 11

Batch 14 of GlenDronach's excellent single cask releases may have just been released, but we're stepping back a little with this post - to January 2015's Batch 11. 

(For comparison, we'll have tasting notes on three of the recent Batch 14 releases - Oloroso Sherry Butt releases of course - in a few weeks. In particular, this 23yo, this 24yo and this 24yo.) 

These three whiskies came from a PX Sherry Puncheon (1990 Cask #1162), an Oloroso Sherry Puncheon (1995 Cask #4941) and my personal favourite - an Oloroso Sherry Butt (1994 Cask #54). Whilst I'd love to have full bottles of these, GlenDronach's single casks have been getting harder and harder to get a hold of lately, especially the official "Batch" releases from the distillery. I'm still managing to get a hold of a reasonable amount of "private" single casks - casks bottled for whisky shows, clubs, events etc.. (mostly from Taiwan and Japan), but the official "Batches" seem to sell out quicker and quicker every year.

Somewhat easier to get a hold of though are the 30mL sample drams Master of Malt sell via their "Drinks by the Dram" service...which is how I ended up tasting these...

GlenDronach Single Cask Batch 11 Cask #1162 1990 24 Year Old (52.9% ABV, 24yo, Single Malt from an ex-PX Sherry puncheon, Speyside, Scotland, was £104.96ex-VAT but no longer available)

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Colour: Dark mocha-copper.

Nose: Initially a little hot. Candied peanuts, raisins, lots of chocolate, hints of tobacco leaves and even a little saltiness.

Palate: There's definitely some PX sweetness here. Plenty of rich, berry-sherry notes, but overlaid with a big sugary/confectionary-like sweetness hit. Cigars, sea air, salted caramel. Oak. Water tones down the sweetness and brings out some tobacco notes.

Finish: Long. Coffee grounds, with a salty astringency. At the very end there's a reasonable amount f tannins. Wither water, a little more earthy.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale):  92/100. A very good whisky, but not as well balanced (especially when it comes to the oak) as the others.

GlenDronach Single Cask Batch 11 Cask #54 1994 20 Year Old (56.6% ABV, 20yo, Single Malt from an ex-Oloroso Sherry butt, Speyside, Scotland, was £79.96ex-VAT but no longer available)

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Colour: Treacle, maple syrup copper.

Nose: Toffee, demerara sugar, and a lot of spice - cloves. There's also a freshness, some nutmeg, and a lot of citrus oil - like a freshly expressed orange peel.

Palate: This is just all kinds of trademark GlenDronach - big rich juicy complex sherry. There's also hints of bacon, maple syrup, caramel, stewed berries and rich, warm cherry pie.

Finish: Long (LONG!), spicy-sweet, with a residual sweet treacle note that balances perfectly with hints of oak.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale):  94/100. Just a wonderful whisky.

GlenDronach Single Cask Batch 11 Cask #4941 1995 19 Year Old (57% ABV, 19yo, Single Malt from an ex-Oloroso Sherry puncheon, Speyside, Scotland, was £75.79ex-VAT but no longer available)

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Colour: Dark amber-copper (or as some would say - "correct").

Nose: Earthy at first. Then varnish/furniture polish, leather, tobacco and Brazil nuts. Beautiful nose. With water it becomes a little more earthy, a little more dusty.

Palate: Initially citrus-sweet, then moving onto rich mocha caramel. Sweeter and spicier than the nose, with hardly any of the furniture polish / leather from the nose. Water does add a little bit of those characteristics though.

Finish: Long, citrus-y and warming. Slight tannic astringency, which vanishes after a few drops of water.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale):  92/100. A very nice whisky but I wish the palate was as good as the nose suggested.


Cheers,
Martin.

Glenfarclas tasting with George Grant (Tasted #212 - 216)

Having run this blog for a few years now, we're lucky to get regular invites to various industry / media / trade events - many of which you end up reading about here. There's still the odd event though that we stumble upon completely by chance - this one being a perfect example. 

A few weeks ago I was at Tiffany's New York Bar in the Intercontinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong, enjoying a cold beer (respite from the stifling summer heat) ahead of an epic Islay whisky dinner, when I got chatting to their affable resident manager John. In the course of conversation, John mentioned that in just over a week, George Grant of Glenfarclas (Brand Ambassador and 6th Generation family member) would be hosting a tasting at the bar, and would I be interested in joining? You don't have to ask me twice! This would be the second noted Speyside figure I'd be meeting in Tiffany's in just a few months (the other being David Stewart of The Balvenie, back in June), and a good chance to speak to "the man behind the brand", after Steph and I had just visited the distillery a few weeks earlier.

There are some great whisky bars in Hong Kong, and Tiffany's (in our opinion) sits up there with the best of them. The range mightn't be the largest in Hong Kong (though it's quickly getting there), but they have an eclectic mix of IBs, OBs, and even some of their own cask finished whiskies (and if there was ever a bar with a décor that screamed "whisky bar", this would have to be it. Warm, welcoming, classy, elegant.)

Arriving on a hot Monday night, we took our seats and admired the lineup of drams, consisting of:

• Glenfarclas 12yo
• Glenfarclas 17yo
• Glenfarclas 25yo
• Glenfarclas 105
• Glenfarclas "Mystery Malt" (which we knew was a Family Cask, and later turned out to be the 1995 Release IX)

Having been to our fair share of tastings over the years, we've discovered there are brand ambassadors / master distillers who really need to work to hold the attention of a room, and there are those to whom it comes naturally. George clearly falls into the latter group, with his open, honest and humorous demeanour befitting his family-owned distillery perfectly.

Explaining the family naming convention (John, then George, George, George, his father John, and George himself), George recalled being slightly shocked at first seeing a grave with "his" name on it (actually his grandfather's), but slightly more at ease when he walked into one of the warehouses and realised there were also 55,000 casks of whisky with his name on them (enough to put anyone's mind at ease, we think).

Translating to "Valley of the Green Grass", Glenfarclas remains wholly family-owned to this day, which makes their global reach (76 markets until they added the Caribbean, bringing the total to 102 countries) all the more impressive. It was interesting to note that Germany is their largest market, and was the sole driver for their recent "Trilogy" series. George also had some other interesting insights, such as the myth of the "great Chinese whisky market" (which in his opinion, doesn't exist) and the growth he's seen in whisky in HK, having previously lived here for 12 years.

After a few more anecdotes and (truly interesting) insights into different whisky markets, we dived into the tasting...

Glenfarclas 12 year old (43% ABV, 12yo, Speyside, Scotland, $600HKD / $89.95AUD)
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Colour: Golden caramel (ironic given Glenfarclas' staunch lack of caramel colouring)
Nose: Flint, spice, a hint of smoke. Definitely sherried, but a "fresh" sherry - vibrant and youthful.
Palate: Spice, cinnamon, oat cakes and Brazil nuts. Slightest hint of smoke.
Finish: Medium length, spicy. Slightly "thin" towards the end.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100. A simple, easy drinking, every day dram.



Glenfarclas 17 year old (43% ABV, 17yo, Speyside, Scotland, $1,100HKD / $160AUD)
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Originally released exclusively for Japan, then HK, then other Asian markets, and now everywhere.
Colour: Orange gold
Nose: Well-rounded and sweet. Dried fruits, cherries. Almost port-like notes, and a lot of crème brûlée.
Palate: Smoother than the 12, but still with some of the spice the 12 showed. Much sweeter though, more "chewy", and more legs on the glass. More mouth-filling, more Oloroso notes.
Finish: Medium to long. The spice tones down and the Christmas cake notes amp up. Lots of Brazil nuts.

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



Glenfarclas 25 year old (43% ABV, 25yo, Speyside, Scotland, $2,400HKD / $189.90AUD)
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Colour: Bright orange.
Nose: A hint of flint, orange peel, a little crème brûlée, and strangely, a hint of salty sea air.
Palate: Much more sherry influence than the nose suggests. Lots of raisins and other dried fruits, nuts, but also big citrus notes.
Finish: Long. Slightly drying, bitter dark chocolate-dipped orange slices.

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



Glenfarclas 105 (60% ABV, NAS, Speyside, Scotland, $790HKD / $119.95AUD)
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George's grandfather's favourite apparently - so much so that he was secretly squirrelling away 6 bottles a week - 3 from George, and 3 from George's father!
Colour: Dark copper.
Nose: Huge toffee notes. Overwhemling(ly good). Dark chocolate. Thoughts instantly turn to dessert.
Palate: Big, slightly hot, lots of dark chocolate. A few drops of water adds some heat and orange zest.
Finish: Long, slightly hot, but smooth. Oranges and toffee.

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



Glenfarclas Family Cask 1995 Release IX (55.2% ABV, 17yo, Speyside, Scotland, no longer available in HK / AU it seems)
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I tried this a few weeks earlier at the distillery, and enjoyed it just as much the second time around. As the notes show, quite different to the previous drams!
Colour: Dark dirty copper.
Nose: Sugary sweetness - cola bottle lollies, and some pine nuts. Quite a mix!
Palate: Honied sweetness gives way to Brazil nuts, all with an undertone of those cola bottle lollies (which I loved as a kid). Unique, different...which really is what you want when you're paying significantly more than the standard 17yo!
Finish: Medium to long, with some residual barbecued meat notes at the end.

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

Soon after the drams were tasted, out came a birthday cake - it turns out it was George's birthday! (Lucky him, getting to spend it with us.)

Happy Birthday George, and thanks for a fantastic tasting (and for signing my bottle of £511.19s.0d)!

Keep an eye out for our write-up of the Glenfarclas distillery tour shortly.

Cheers,

Martin.

TimeforWhisky.com would like to thank InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong for the invite, and George Grant for giving up his time (on his birthday no less).

Tasted #153 - #156: Two single cask Yamazakis and two Yamazaki 12 component whiskies

As mentioned the other day, our visit to the Suntory Hakushu distillery last month uncovered an amazing find in the form of the distillery bar, with some seriously cheap whiskies for tasting (see the article or photo below for examples).

Of course, being TimeforWhisky.com, we weren't going to taste all those whiskies and not write about them, were we? No, no we weren't. We already covered the first four (Hakushu and Chita) whiskies tasted a few days ago, so now it's onto the Yamazaki whiskies we tried during the same visit...

Yamazaki 1986 Single Cask (51% ABV, cask 6B0168, NAS, Japan, not available for purchase)
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Colour: Dark, rich copper.
Nose: Molasses, cask strength rum!
Palate: Furniture polish, leather, slightly sour, but not to the point of spoiling the experience.
Finish: Incredibly short, sour and oaky.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100.

Yamazaki 1995 Single Cask (62% ABV, cask 5P70008 NAS, Japan, not available for purchase)
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Colour: Pale straw.
Nose: Sweet. with honey-like, ex-bourbon sweetness.
Palate: Mouth-filling and rich. Slightly hot. Lamingtons and cake icing.
Finish: Short, sweet and hot.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100.


Yamazaki "Sherry Cask" component whisky for Yamazaki 12 (50% ABV, 12yo, Japan, not available for purchase)
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Colour: Dark copper.
Nose: Very sweet - at a guess I'd say ex-PX. Plums and berries.
Palate: Cherry-like. Much dryer than the nose suggests. Hints of port, big bold shiraz, and dark rich red berries.
Finish: Short and drying, with lots of oak influence.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 89/100. Not bad but not something I'd choose to drink every day.


Yamazaki "Mizunara Cask" component whisky for Yamazaki 12 (50% ABV, 12yo, Japan, not available for purchase)
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Colour: Yellow golden
Nose: Coconut and paprika. Lots of pepper and spice.
Palate: Banana toast (but not like a young whisky or new make) sprinkled with coconut.
Finish: Medium length, drying and "dusty. Hints of spice at the very end.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 89/100. 

Cheers,

Martin.