NAS whisky - throwing in my $0.02

If you're a regular reader of the whisky "blogosphere" (I hate that word), you'll have no doubt noticed a number of recent posts giving various viewpoints on the topic of No Age Statement, or "NAS" whiskies. If not, see Caskstrength, Whisky Israel and Edinburgh Whisky Blog for their thoughts - highly reputable blogs (far better blogs than this one, I should add). Given all the debate, the discussions I've been having recently, and the fact that I'm predicting the rise of NAS in my 2014 whisky predictions, I decided it was time to throw my 2c into the mix.

There seems to be two ends of the spectrum - from "NAS will be the death of the whisky industry" to "Meh", with everyone having an opinion somewhere in between the two extremes. My opinion leans heavily towards the latter, and here's why:

1) NAS is not a new concept
Granted, the concept has gained prominence in the last year as we start to see more and more big players release high-publicised NAS whiskies (chief amongst them Macallan, with their 1824 Series retail release, and Glenfiddich with their Global Travel Retail "Cask" releases). NAS has been around for years though, and there's a good chance you've tried an NAS whisk(e)y, possibly without even realising it.



2) NAS does not necessarily mean "young"

Sure, a lack of age statement may (and probably does) mean there's an element of younger whiskies thrown in the mix - if there wasn't, the whisky would probably carry an age statement. But so what? If the liquid inside is quality, and you enjoy the taste, does it really matter? Does anyone chastise Balvenie TUN1401 for being an NAS whisky? No, because it's one of the best Speyside drams going around.


3) ...but even if it does, that doesn't necessarily mean "bad"
There's a common misconception amongst people relatively new to whisky that "older always means better", and that's just absolutely untrue. Yes, there are some excellent older whiskies - the current Glenfiddich 40yo for example still ranks as one of my favourite whiskies of all time, but there are also older whiskies that simply haven't aged well, or should have been bottled years before (I'm reminded of the example of a particular Scottish distillery which bottled a 50yo release at an eye-watering price, described to me as fairly ho-hum by someone who had tried it on more than one occasion).

Then there are plenty of examples of cracking younger whiskies - Old Hobart, for example, have only been in operation since 2005, yet have been producing fantastic whisky for years.

In short, "old" doesn't necessarily mean "good", and "young" doesn't necessarily mean "bad". There are several factors to take into account during whisky production (cask selection, environment, the distillate itself to name just three), and each plays a large part in the ultimate quality of the whisky.


4) There is a lot of excellent, excellent NAS whisky
If I look at the last duty-free (sorry, "Global Travel Retail") purchases Steph and I have made, I don't actually see many age-statement whiskies in there. Laphroaig PX Cask, Aberlour A'bunadh, Ardbeg Corryvreckan. All fantastic whiskies, all NAS. Not to mention Balvenie TUN 1401 Batch 5, Ardbeg Alligator (one of my top three whiskies of all time), Glenfiddich 125th Anniversary and Talisker Storm - also excellent NAS whiskies.

...and that's just the Scotch. Let's not forget George T Stagg, Makers Mark, Sazerac Rye and Balcones Baby Blue - all examples of premium, or ubiquitously popular American whiskies, and all NAS.


5) Not everyone is going to like every whisky
I think some people fall into the trap of trying one bad NAS whisky (or even just one they didn't like), and tarring the whole category with the same brush. Now sure, there are NAS whiskies I don't like. Auchentoshan Three Wood is one example (actually, I'm not a big fan of most Auchentoshan whiskies). White Oak Akashi is another. But there are also popular aged whiskies I don't like too. Macallan 12yo Fine Oak for example - not a whisky I would choose to buy (not a bad whisky, just one I don't love at the moment).

The point is, everyone's palate differs and not everyone is going to enjoy every whisky. To write-off an entire category because of a bad experience or two though, is (in my opinion) foolish, when the category has so many stellar examples.


6) Distilleries realise they have a brand to protect
Some of the NAS talk I've seen is about how the category will ultimately result in a decline in quality. Will it? We're talking about a seriously long-sighted (not to mention old) industry here. One that has to forecast demands years and years in advance. Even with NAS gaining prominence, no distillery is going to distill a whisky today and bottle it tomorrow (well, with a few niche exceptions).

I have no doubt that over the coming years, we'll see bad NAS whiskies (we'll no doubt see bad aged whiskies too), and if enough people think they're bad, they won't buy them, and the whiskies will be pulled from sale. If the distillery continues to release poor whisky (age statement or not), the market will react accordingly. Just as it always has done, and life will continue as normal.

Maybe that was a little more than 2c worth, but thanks for reading. I'd love to hear your thoughts - agree, disagree? Please feel free to comment below and let me know.

Cheers, 

 - Martin.

This Week in Whisk(e)y #5

It's been a few weeks since our last post. Sorry 'bout that - blame it on a trip to India (sadly with no quality Indian whisky like Paul John or Amrut in sight), then a few short trips around Australia. The posts should be back to their usual regularity from now on though, with a few exciting events this week and plenty of tasting notes to post up.

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

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

The Oak Barrel host Kilchoman founder, owner and master distiller

The Oak Barrel in Sydney's CBD run some pretty great tasting events (like this and this), and while we don't feature every one on this site, this particular masterclass caught our eye.

Kilchoman is famous for being the newest distillery to open on the Island of Islay (and the first to do so in 124 years), opening in 2005. Whilst that does mean their oldest whiskies are still relatively young, the distillery has won a number of awards already (and I'm not just talking about receiving high scores from Jim Murray...)

Dave and the team from The Oak Barrel are bringing Kilchoman's founder, owner and master distillery Anthony Wills to Sydney for a one-off class on Wednesday 12th March. As well as tasting a line-up of five Kilchomans, we're pretty excited to hear all about what goes into opening a brand new distillery, particularly in a region which hadn't seen one in over a century.


Link: http://www.oakbarrel.com.au/kilchoman-masterclass-with-anthony-wills/
Details: 6:30pm, Wed 12th March @ The Oak Barrel, 152 Elizabeth St Sydney. $40 / $50.

SMWS Australia releases new website
Two weeks ago, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society Australia unveiled their new website which (as well as offering an expanded range of society malts, all the usual society gear, and a 30th Anniversary edition of Unfiltered Online) just looks fantastic.

Whilst a new website wouldn't usually be something to get pulses racing, the SMWS do a huge amount for Scotch whisky in Australia, and their website is a great communication tool for members and non-members alike (in fact, the next round of tasting events go on sale today - get in quick, we will be!)

Members and non-members alike are recommended to take a peek: http://www.smws.com.au/

Glenrothes 1970 Single Cask - Australian release
Single cask whiskies are nothing new, or even rare, with some independent bottlers bottling nothing but, and with an increasing number of distilleries releasing original bottlings of single-cask whiskies (some, like the excellent Balvenie 15yo even form part of the distillery's regular lineup).

What you don't see often though, are original bottling single cask whiskies of significant age, like the 41yo Glenrothes 1970 "Extraordinary Cask", which is now available (1 bottle only) in Australia, through Perth's Liquor Barons

To quote the press release:

"Berry Bros. & Rudd is proud to unveil a limited collection of single cask bottlings 

from the lates [sic] 1960s and early 1970s. The Single Cask is something that we at 

The Glenrothes bottle rarely- indeed, since 1994, an average of less than one a 

year. The reason is that, generally, two or more good casks deliver greater 

complexity than one single cask but, just occasionally, casks are found with such 

personality and such excellence that they can stand alone as examples of 

supremacy of the bloodline. 

However, recently a small cache of casks of unimpeachable provenance came to 

the attention of Ronnie Cox. After a lengthy process of assessment, a small 

number of these casks was selected as being worthy of being bottled as The 

Glenrothes. The first of these casks to be bottled is the Single Cask 1970 #10573. 

The hallmarks of The Glenrothes are quality and purity, evident in the 

beautifully-balanced, elegant and well-mannered single malt with peerless 

texture, perfectly expressed by this single cask bottling. The spirit was distilled on 

July 6th 1970. Cask #10573, an ex-bourbon hogshead, yielded just 179 bottles at a 

natural strength of 40.6% alcohol by volume. It was transferred to glass on April 

2nd 2012. "

40.6% ABV implies the whisky was probably nearing the end of its potential life in the cask, but sadly with no tasting notes in the press release we can't tell you how it tastes. At $10,000AUD+ for the only bottle in the country, we're unlikely to taste it ourselves either, so you'll have to use your imagination...

That's all for this week...until next time...

Cheers,

 - Martin.

Tasted #63: Australia Day Special - Heartwood "Release the Beast"

Happy Australia Day, Australia!

Given the proliferation of excellent whisky we have on our shores, I figured today's tasting had to be an Australian whisky, and what better than one from Heartwood Whisky?

Fans of Australian whisky might be familiar with Heartwood, but for those who aren't, think of them as an Australian independent bottler, who only deal in (high) cask strength, high-quality whiskies.

Without going into too much detail (given this is a "Tasted" post), Heartwood currently have 10,000+ litres of Australian whisky maturing away. A lot of it is from Lark Distillery (where Tim who runs Heartwood also sits on the board), but some of it comes from other Australian distilleries too, such as Tasmania Distillery.

When Heartwood decide the whisky is ready they release it at cask-strength, which (due to the unique climate in Tasmania and cask storage conditions forcing the water to evaporate faster than the alcohol) often results in an ABV% higher than when the new make entered the barrel. Seems they have some tee-totalling angels in Tassie!

Whilst some releases are bottled at a mental ABV% like 72.5% ("The Convict Redemption", an excellent dram by the way), this one here was bottled at a slightly less insane 65.4%, after maturing in two port barrels and being finished in an Australian Sherry (aka Apera) cask. The website states NAS, but I've heard this one is around 7 years old.

Oh, and a final note - if you're reading about any Heartwood release, there's a good chance it'll no longer be available. While there are a few available at the time of writing, these whiskies do sell out very quickly. Not hard to see why...

Heartwood "Release the Beast" (65.4% ABV, NAS, Tasmania Australia)
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Heartwood on the left, a 40yo Glenrothes on the right.

Colour: Deep, deep copper. Rich, red. One of the darkest whiskies I've tasted for the site.

Nose: Big sherry hit at first - reminds me of the Kavalan Soloist which I tasted early last year. In addition to the obvious sherry notes, a fruity, nutty, sweet nose comes through. Complex and sweet.

Palate: Big, clearly strong, but also incredibly smooth. Very, very drying. Hints of hazelnuts. But dry, so dry. Absolutely no burn though - a whisky that has been matured and cared for well.

Finish: Still dry, with long berry notes. Hazelnut notes show through at the very end again.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 89/100. Not for the faint of heart (ha), but certainly not rough or unapproachable in any way. Incredibly smooth, reasonably complex and with some delicious notes. Try it with a drop of water and watch the flavours explode. All the Heartwoods I've tried have been excellent, and unique, so if you're a fan of different, interesting, quality Australian whisky, give them a look.

Thanks to Cooper from singlema.lt for the sample.

Cheers,
 - Martin.

Tasted #62: Old Hobart Overeem Bourbon Cask...the most impressive Australian whisky to date

Last week we brought news of Lark Distillery's intention to acquire Old Hobart Distillery & its Overeem products, an acquisition which we understand has now gone through.

Fitting, then, that the next "Tasted" post is an Overeem whisky. Specifically their new (and for the time being, limited) Bourbon Cask Matured release.

Until now, Old Hobart  have had a core range of only 4 expressions - Port and Sherry matured, in both 43 and 60% guises. They've also had limited runs of other whiskies, including a fantastic limited release produced for The Oak Barrel in Sydney (which Steph kindly bought me a bottle of as part of my birthday present last year), but the core range has remained the same. Until now that is, with this Bourbon cask release, released late in 2013 initially as a limited run of 170 bottles (#1 fetched $2,500 at auction), but with more to follow in 2014.

..and a bloody good thing that is too, as this is the best Australian whisky I've personally tasted to date.

I've always been a fan of Overeem whiskies, and found them to be amongst the best Antipodean whiskies available, but this has stepped it up a notch and proven that Australian whisky really can compete on a world scale. I'm just wishing I got one of the original 170 bottles now (the label on the bottle below says 700mL, but sadly it was but just a sample bottle).

Old Hobart Overeem Bourbon Cask Matured (43% ABV, NAS, Tasmania Australia, $200)
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Colour: Light, honied.

Nose: No hint of youth like can be found on some Australian whiskies. Sweet vanilla notes (to be expected), but also strong apple notes. Very strong! Also, pears. Fantastic nose.

Palate: Big sweet hit at the front of the tongue initially. Overall quite light on the palate, slightly floral, but with a big flavour - primarily apples and pears. Very, very smooth.

Finish: Surprisingly long. Hot, but never unpleasant. Slightly spicy towards the end.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 93/100. As I said above - the best Australian whisky I've ever tried (Steph hasn't tried it yet, but I'm sure she'd agree!) It's unlike any Australian whisky (or bourbon-matured Scotch for that matter) I've tried. If I had to, I'd say it's closest to a Springbank, or Lowland whisky, but with big fruity apple and pear notes...just fantastic. I'll definitely be seeking out a bottle of this.

Cheers,
 - Martin.

Tasted #61: Jack Daniels Holiday Select (2013)

A few weeks ago we wrote about the Jack Daniels Holiday Select, which Brown-Forman kindly sent Steph and I for Christmas. You can read more about it here, but in short it's a limited run of 49% ABV JD from barrels selected especially to create their distillery Christmas Tree. As far as I'm aware, this is the third annual release.

I've always been a fan of Jack Daniels Silver Select (which is basically Single Barrel at 50% ABV, made for the Global Travel Retail market), so this expression at 49% was off to a good start before I even cracked it...

Jack Daniels Holiday Select 2013 (49% ABV, NAS, Tennessee USA, $130AUD)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Colour: Rich golden sunset.

Nose: Spice, vanilla, a hint of oatmeal. A second nosing gives rich berry notes - raspberries, blueberries. Definitely has the standard JD notes too.

Palate: Yes this is definitely a JD! But more spice, much more oatmeal, more charred oak characteristics. Smooth and filling in the mouth - this is what a JD should be! Banana notes (which I've always gotten from JD) are evident too.

Finish: Long! Very long. Spicy cumin notes with a hint of berry fruits, but mostly banana, at the end.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100. An excellent limited JD expression with an interesting back story, a stunning bottle and quality / unique packaging. If you're a JD fan I'd suggest grabbing a bottle, although Dan Murphys seem to be sold out already.

Cheers,
 - Martin.

PS: Despite the photo above, as with all whiskies this was tasted in a Glencairn glass for consistency with my other tastings. 

This Week in Whisk(e)y #4

We get a fair few interesting press releases here at TimeforWhisky, and usually try to feature them with our own spin, experiences or comments. Sometimes though, they come thick and fast, and we just don't have time to do them all justice.

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

Lark Distillery Pty Ltd to acquire the Old Hobart Distillery and Overeem brand

Old Hobart Distillery, who regular readers might know I'm a bit of a fan of, have just announced that effective this Friday (17th Jan 2014), they will be acquired by Lark Distillery Pty Ltd. Lark and Old Hobart have worked closely together given Bill and Casey were mates from way back in the day, and it seems Casey is calling it a day (partially), with a plan to retain a role in Quality Control and the occasional brand ambassadorial role for Overeem.

Further details can be found in the press release here.

Bourbon & Bluegrass - Woodford Reserve & Jack Daniels
A lot of whisk(e)y events happen in major cities around Australia, but by no means do all the whisk(e)y fans live solely in major cities, so it's good to see the occasional event held outside the usual Sydney/Melbourne/Brisbane etc..

Like Gosford, for example, where Brown Forman are hosting "Bourbon & Bluegrass featuring Woodford Reserve and Jack Daniels".

Brown Forman always put on a fun night, and with an event described as a mixture of "American Whiskey and tasty southern food", along with "Woodford Reserve and Jack Daniels with some special surprises on the night" it's sure to be a good night. Unfortunately we have prior commitments otherwise we'd see you there!
Details: 6:30pm, Tuesday 4th Feb 2014 @ Reviver, 37A Mann St Gosford. $40.


Glenmorangie Cask Masters - Design Winner chosen

For those unsure of what the Cask Masters series is, you can read about it here, but in short it's Glenmorangie's take on a "crowdsourced" whisky (which we saw The Glenlivet do recently, to good effect).

First, the world selected the whisky (a Manzanilla-cask number), then the name ("Taghta"), now the design of the Glenmorangie Cask Masters has been chosen (see here).

It's a fun program, but given how long it's been running and how many people have had input, it better be a damn fine tasting/looking whisky!

Until next time...

Cheers,

 - Martin.

Tasted #60: The Balvenie 1973 single cask 40yo

Back in November I wrote about how Steph and I got to attend a fantastic dinner with The Balvenie's global brand Ambassador, Sam Simmons (aka Dr Whisky). The highlight whisky of the night was the final whisky - a 40yo, single cask, cask strength The Balvenie from 1973.

Not just *any* 40yo single cask cask strength The Balvenie, mind you. This was a whisky that David Stewart pulled (at Sam's request) from the cask just a few weeks before Sam's trip to Australia. Truly one of a kind (to put things into perspective, the commercially-available 40yo The Balvenie sells for over $4,000AUD/bottle).

This was the 5th 40yo whisky I'd tried (the others being from Glenfiddich, Glenfarclas, Master of Malt and The Glenrothes (DT)) and I was keen to see how so many years in the cask had treated the whisky. My scores of the previous four ranged from 90 to 98/100, proving age isn't necessarily the be-all and end-all of quality.

(Given it was the last whisky of the night, the notes aren't super comprehensive. Sorry 'bout that...)

The Balvenie 1973 Single Cask 40yo (46.7% ABV, 40yo, Speyside Scotland, unavailable - one of a kind)
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Colour: Deep, dark, rich copper.

Nose: Strong sherry notes, berries, and a strong oak influence.

Palate: Sandy/dusty, obvious oak influence, drying (like a big bold red wine with strong tanins), still with the berry notes.

Finish: To be honest, not great. Slightly waxy/crayon-y. Lengthy, but just not super more-ish like the Glenfiddich.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100. Without a doubt, this was an incredible opportunity (and one we were hugely thankful for) to taste such an old, unique one-off whisky. Was it the best whisky I've ever tried? No, not by a long shot (it was still a very good whisky, mind you). As many people know, age is only one factor in the taste/quality of a whisky, and there is such a thing as whisky being "too old". While I don't think this was "too old", it certainly showed strong oak influence, and some odd notes on the finish.

Was it one of the best single whisky tasting experiences I've had though? Certainly.

(I'm told there was a second 40yo 1973 which was on tasting at Sam's visit to Oak Barrel, but unfortunately we didn't get to try that one.)

Cheers,
 Martin.

The Scotch Whisky Experience & Diageo Claive Vidiz Collection (Edinburgh, Scotland)

For our first post of 2014....let's step back 5 years..

On the same 2009 trip as most of these photos were taken, I was also able to visit the Scotch Whisky Experience in Edinburgh, and the incredibly impressive Diageo Claive Vidiz collection.

The Scotch Whisky Experience is a tourist attraction aimed at broadening the public's knowledge of whisky, the distilling and ageing process, how to taste whisky, and how to enjoy whisky. It's an impressive facility into which the UK has pumped millions of pounds.

While not aimed at whisky experts, it's an enjoyable experience and includes more than you'd get from your average distillery tour - including being "inside" a mashtun, a sensory room (well executed), and a great shop. Good for young and old.

..but the real highlight for me came at the end - in the form of the Diageo Claive Vidiz Collection. Long story short - Claive was a whisky collector who'd amassed a 3,300+ bottle collection over 35 years, then sold it in its entirety to Diageo. Diageo then loaned it to the Scotch Whisky Experience, and here we are. If it's old, rare, unique, it's probably in here.

Then of course there was the tasting bar at the end, where I enjoyed my first Glenmorangie Signet. Wouldn't we like to see some of these prices in Australian bars!? $5.80 for The Glenlivet 15yo, $16 for a Glenfarclas 30yo!

According to their website, the collection still seems to be available for viewing. I can highly recommend the whole experience - even if you know everything about distilling and just want to check out the collection and the bar at the end!

Cheers,
 - Martin.

Martin's whisky predictions for 2014

For the final TimeforWhisky post for 2013, I've decided to make a few predictions for global whisky trends in 2014 (what makes me qualified to do that? Absolutely nothing! This is just for a bit of fun).

By putting this post up I could be setting myself up for ridicule, especially if we look back in 12 months and realise none of these have eventuated...but hey, I can handle that.

So without further ado, here are my 10 (5 serious, 5 sarcastic / not so serious) predictions for whisky trends in 2014:

Serious:

1. The rise and rise of NAS (Non-Age Statement) whiskies. As we touched on back in October, due to current worldwide demand for whisk(e)y, which was unexpected when a lot of the whisky we currently drink was being distilled, aged whisky stocks are starting to dwindle. NAS isn't a new thing, but with Macallan leading the way with a core series, and Glenfiddich following with a Global Travel Retail series, I think we'll start to see a lot more of this in 2014. I even think we could see a major blend move to NAS for at least one release in their core range.
   
   Will consumers take to it? Personally, I think so (having tasted the better The Macallan releases in the 1824 Series, I can confidently say NAS whiskies can still be fantastic drams. Just look at The Balvenie's TUN1401 and the prices it commands too).
   
   
2. The rise of "New World" whiskies. Scotland, Ireland, USA. These are countries we expect to produce whisk(e)y. Australia, Taiwan, Sweden, New Zealand, India - these are (just a few of the many) countries that historically, we don't, but that we all now know make some fantastic whisky. I'm confident we'll see this trend continue, with new distilleries AND new countries making their mark on the global whisk(e)y scene.
   
   If I was to make a specific prediction, I'd say we'll see a rise in (quality, world-class) Indian whisky. India currently has 10+ distilleries, but only 2 producing world-class whisky that I'm aware of. 2014 could see a 3rd.
   
   
3. Craft / quality Bourbon (and American whiskey in general) will grow in popularity in Australia. Australia is a nation that loves Bourbon, but typically mixes it with Coke. I think 2014 will start to see Bourbon being recognised by Australian drinkers as a quality sipping spirit, in much the same way Scotch has over the past few years. There's no shortage of great Bourbons available here - the general population just needs to realise that it doesn't always need to be mixed!
   
   
4. Flavoured whiskies. I really hope I'm wrong with this one.
   
   
5. Stronger whisky. I think we could see more and more "mainstream" whiskies moving up in ABV%, from 40 to 43%, 43 to 47%, with some moving even higher (not to SMWS-like levels, mind you).
   

Sarcastic / not so serious:

1. An Australian whisky will win a global award, and we won't hear the end of it for months.
   
2. The 2014 releases of Port Ellen and Pappy Van Winkle 23yo will cost an absurd amount, and will still sell out in minutes. My guess is £2,000 for Port Ellen, though £2,500 wouldn't surprise me.
   
3. A new "world's most expensive / oldest" whisky will be released (and will probably taste like eating a chunk of wood).
   
4. William Grant & Sons will release at least 3 new Global Travel Retail editions for 2014...and I'll try to buy them all.
   
5. Jim Murray will make a controversial statement in 2014, everyone will talk about it, but deep down, no one will really care.

Let's see how this washes up in 12 months...

On a final note - however you're celebrating New Years, we hope you enjoy it (ideally with a dram in hand), and we'll see you in 2014! Thanks again for reading our ramblings throughout 2013, and hopefully you find it even more entertaining in 2014.

Cheers, 

Martin.

Tasted #59: Dailuaine 1983 (#101drams)

One of the less specific whiskies on my #101drams charitable challenge list is number 20 - "Something distilled the year I was born". After reading through my list, fellow Aussie whisky blogger @whiskyledger (who runs the new but visually stunning blog "The Whisky Ledger") kindly sent me a sample he'd picked up a while back from Whisky Base in The Netherlands - a 1983 Dailuaine.

The Diageo-owned Speyside distillery of Dailuaine might not be well known to many (outside hardcore whisky fan circles), but there's a good chance most people have tried it before, seeing as it's a key malt used in a number of Johnnie Walker blends (only ~2% of the spirit produced makes its way into single malts, some of which finds its way into Gordon & MacPhail independent bottlings). So a whisky I've never tried, one distilled in the year I was born, AND a chance to knock off another #101drams whisky? Sounds like a winner to me.

Whisky Base samples come with a handy QR code, which told me everything about this particular whisky. Specifically, it was distilled on 23rd Feb 1983, bottled on 4/1/2012 (making it 28 years old), weighs in at 47.3% ABV, was aged in a hogshead and was part of a 265 bottle run.

Dailuaine 1983 (47.3% ABV, 28yo, Speyside Scotland, €85.00)
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Colour: Dull golden.

Nose: Rich, caramel, floral notes, slightly dusty. A second nosing gives big, big wafts of apple pie (cue American Pie references...)

Palate: Creamy, rich, still with a hint of apple pie from the nose, but more so baked goods in general - pastries, croissants.

Finish: Slight burn at back of throat, floral and citrus notes to the end.



Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 91/100. I wouldn't pay the asking price for a full bottle, but it's certainly cool to try a whisky that is so rarely seen in single malt guise...and even more so one that was distilled in the same year I was born!

Thanks again to @whiskyledger for the sample.

Cheers,

Martin.

Merry Christmas and thanks from TimeforWhisky.com

Just a quick note from Steph and myself to say MERRY CHRISTMAS, and many thanks for your viewership over the past 14 or so months.

This site remains an absolute pleasure to run, and we've been blown away by the positive responses, and number of visitors we've had since starting it, particularly in the last 6-7 months.

Whatever you're doing and wherever you are this Christmas, we hope you have a wonderful Christmas and manage to enjoy some down time - ideally with a dram or two.

Merry Christmas!

Why limit the whisk(e)y to just under the tree?

Sláinte, 

 - Steph & Martin.

Tasted #58: Mackinlay's Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky

A few days ago we wrote about the Australian re-release of Mackinlay's Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky. As promised, here are the tasting notes...

Mackinlay's Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky (47.3% ABV, NAS, Highlands Scotland, $199AUD)

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

Colour: Light, pale straw.

Nose: Toffee, very faint smoke notes. Rich, but notes of younger whiskies show through. Maple syrup notes come through too, after it sits for a while.

Palate: Light (given the ABV), with a slight citrus tang. Peat smoke at the back of the palate, with notes of boiled sweets. Water really accentuates the peat smoke (on the finish too).

Finish: Medium to long, peat smokey, with fresh grass / earthy lingering notes.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 91/100. Certainly a very decent whisky, but the real value with this dram is the back story and the whole "package" (see previous post).



Cheers,
 - Martin.

PR #16: Jack Daniels Christmas online hub and Christmas Barrel Tree

Who doesn't love a good Christmas promotion? Especially one involving booze, and especially one that allows Aussies to enter, with some seriously good prizes up for grabs.

For Christmas this year, Jack Daniels have set up an online hub at www.jackdaniels.com/christmas which, apart from being a beautifully designed site (up for a number of design awards), lets you win a trip to the distillery (with 7 friends!) or one of 5 bottles of "Holiday Select" every day until Christmas.

Holiday Select, you ask?

For the past few years, JD have built a Christmas tree at the distillery in Tennessee, made of JD barrels (140 barrels stacked 8m high). The whiskey from those barrels makes its way into a limited annual release known as "Holiday Select". You can find it at Dan Murphy's for $129.99AUD, or try a dram at a number of good Australian bars listed here.

We'll put our own tasting notes up shortly, but here's what JD have to say about the whiskey:

"Limited edition Holiday Select releases an aroma of rich apple and blackberry tones countered with sweet, heavy oak notes. Apple and oak follow through in the taste, while stronger undercurrents of cinnamon and nutmeg linger warmly long after your sip has finished. "

Personally Steph and I thought this was one of the most impressive bottles of Jack we've seen - similar to the Single Barrel / Silver Select, but with even more impressive packaging and labelling. It would definitely make an impressive Christmas present for any whisk(e)y fan.

The online hub also gives viewers a tour of Jack's office, tips on how to cook / BBQ with Jack, share a Christmas eCard and as mentioned, win a trip to Lynchburg or one of 5 bottles of Holiday Select daily.

Cheers,
 - Martin.

PR #15: Mackinlay's Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky Australian re-release

It seems there's barely a distillery or blender in existence these days who don't release a special/limited release in one form or another, often with an exciting or unusual back story. Whilst many of them are interesting, unusual, rare (and importantly - often great drams), it would be hard to find a whisky with a more fascinating back story than Mackinlay's Rare Old Highland Malt.

Whisky fans may remember this one from last year - it enjoyed a brief but exciting release through Dan Murphy's in Australia, then seemed to disappear quickly. The good news is, it's back - just in time for Christmas.

Those unfamiliar may be wondering what makes this whisky so special. To explain, we need to step back 114 years...

Over 1907-1909, explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton led a team on the gruelling British Antarctic Expedition, which saw them fall just short of their goal by less than 100 miles. During the expedition, they stored several crates of Mackinlay's Rare Old Highland Malt under a hut at Cape Royds (hey, who wouldn't want a dram after hundreds of miles of Antarctic expedition) which were left behind upon their return.

Fast forward to February 2007, and a team from the NZ Antarctic Heritage Trust discovered the crates. After much negotiation, three of the bottles made their way to Scotland, for expert analysis and re-creation by Whyte & Mackay, led by Richard Paterson (aka "The Nose"). To quote Richard:

“There can’t be a better gift for those that love history, adventure or whisky. Shackleton himself chose this whisky to keep the morale of his brave colleagues in harsh, cold conditions."

"The bottles recovered from the bitter Antarctic ice were carefully thawed and meticulously analysed to ensure our recreation of Shackleton’s whisky perfectly resembled the original malt from 1907. The result is a shimmering light honey colour, with a soft, elegant and refined aroma. "

"Detailed nosing reveals delicate notes of crushed apple, pear and fresh pineapple with notes of oak shavings, smoke and hints of buttery vanilla, creamy caramel and nutmeg. The tasting reveals an enduring spirit that has plenty of impact on the palate; a tantalising array of flavours that is both harmonious and exhilarating.”

Drawing upon their immense library of whiskies and using scientific analysis of the original bottles' contents, Richard and the W&M team were able to determine the make-up of the original whisky (47.3%, sherry cask matured, lightly peated, likely from whisky made at Glen Mhor), and faithfully re-create it, for the benefit of Whisky fans everywhere. The result is Mackinlay's Rare Old Highland Malt (Discovery Edition), a release of 50,000 bottles.

TimeforWhisky was kindly sent a bottle recently, and I have to say it's the most comprehensive and impressive "packages" I've seen for any whisky. I say "package" because it's more than just a bottle in an impressive box. As well as the authentic, untreated timber crate-like box, the package includes:

• A comprehensive 26 page booklet detailing the story of the whisky
• A plan of Shackleton's Hut
• Maps and timelines of the original journey
• A copy of a letter from Ernest Shackleton to his wife in 1908 
• Photographs from the expedition
• Diary extracts from the expedition
• Quotes from Ernest Shackleton
• A second colour booklet detailing the whisky's journey from ice to W&M, to store shelves; and
• Of course, a 700mL bottle of the whisky itself.

The authenticity isn't just limited to the contents of the bottle either - the bottle itself is a recreation, with rippled, bubbled glass and an ancient label as the photo below shows (if it were any other whisky, you'd think they needed to get their Quality Control in order)!

 

A whisky this unique deserves its own "Tasted" post, which will be posted shortly. In summary though, this is a whisky with an incredible back story and it tastes quite impressive too. Definitely one to consider as a Christmas present for any whisky fans in your life (or a Christmas treat for yourself).

Cheers, 

 - Martin.

Note: There is also a "Journey Edition" of this whisky, which I've yet to see in Australia, but hopefully it makes its way here soon (and not just because it's a #101drams whisky!

A big thanks to momentum2 and Whyte & Mackay for the sample bottle.

Botanic Australis Gin & launch party (Sydney)

I know, it's not whisky and it's not even a dark spirit, but Gin does seem to be the one (usually) unaged spirit that Whisky fans enjoy (I know I do). Even Master of Malt feature a "Ginvent" calendar alongside their hugely popular "Whiskey Advent Calendar", and let's face it, the spectrum of Gin can be pretty varied, just like whisk(e)y.

I guess what I'm saying is, it's not vodka.

As most of you would know, we aim to feature as much Australian content on this site as possible, and that's where the Mt Uncle Distillery comes in, and specifically their Botanic Australis gin.

Located in FNQ, Mt Uncle Distillery produce about as wide a variety of spirits as you can get. Vodka, rum, gin? Sure. Limoncello? Yep. Whiskey? Oh yes (hopefully to be featured on this site in the future). Did someone say Banana or Marshmallow Liqueur? (Probably not, but anyway, they produce those too).

A fortnight or so ago Nip of Courage (an Australian distributor also responsible for distributing Belgrove whisky) hosted a media gathering at Cremorne's Cotton Thief (part of a growing 'LoNoSho' small bar trend), with Mt Uncle Distiller Mark Watkins presenting his gin and talking through the botanicals and distillation process. Steph and I were invited to come along and try the gin along with a few cocktails.

Mark, who was genuinely passionate about distilling and making quality spirits, explained that not only are almost all the botanicals sourced from nearby the distillery, most are picked by the Mt Uncle team personally by hand (some home grown, some picked from the roadside)! Those botanicals, by the way include Juniper, Anise Myrtle, Cinnamon Myrtle, Lemon Myrtle, Finger Lime, River Mint, Peppermint Gum, Lemon Scented Gum, Wattle seed, Lilly Pilly, Riberry, Olida, Native Ginger, Bunya Nut and a "secret mystery native botanical" (there's always at least one..). With such unique Australian ingredients, we were pretty keen to taste it straight and see how it faired compared to the more established gins.

In a word...bloody well (ok, that's two words).

I've found some gins I love in a Martini, but wouldn't necessarily drink neat (say Bombay Sapphire, Hendricks), whereas others I could sip straight and neat (like Tanq Ten). Botanic Australis definitely fell into the latter category, but it was unlike any gin I'd tasted. The nose was initially all lemon and anise, but then some peppery notes came through. The palate showed the same, but also hints of mint and lime. The finish was long with slight notes of spice towards the end. Smooth right throughout too. The usual juniper notes were present, but it was the complexity of all the other flavours/scents that impressed me - a complex gin.

Knowing that a number of gins have their "signature' garnish (cucumber for Hendricks, capsicum for West Winds for example) I asked Mark what he recommended, and he said a citrus twist (the Martini we tried later, with a twist of lime, certainly backed this up).

After tasting the gin straight, we moved onto two cocktails, each made with Currong Comestibles shrubs (a non-alcoholic vinegar-based cordial) - one with Riberry and one with Rainforest Lime. Given the botanicals in the gin, both were perfect matches and made crisp and refreshing cocktails.

Botanic Australis has won International recognition for its packaging, which isn't surprising when looking at the bottle up close. Definitely one of the most impressive Australian bottle designs I've seen (up there with Starward).

Expect to see Botanic Australis appearing in Australian bottles hops shortly (in the meantime you can purchase it directly from the distillery). If you like your gin unique, versatile and Australian, this is one to seek out.

Cheers,
- Martin.

Steph & Martin from TimeforWhisky.com attended this event as media guests.

Tasted #57: Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey

Despite the Teeling family having whiskey ties back to 1782, the Teeling Whiskey Company has only been around since 2013 - following Beam's purchase of the family's former distillery, Cooley, in 2011.

I read a lot about Teeling earlier this year, including some great reports, so when I saw it was available at Dan Murphy's, I figured I'd have my chance to do a write-up. The company kindly sent me a bottle to let me do just that.

I'll be honest here - in the past I was never a big fan of Irish Whiskey. Not sure why, I could just never get into it. That's been changing though, and I've since discovered some cracking Irish drams (Jameson 18yo and Red Breast 12yo spring to mind as some of the drams that changed my mind).

Teeling Small Batch is an interesting release. At under $49.99AUD, it's priced very competitively (especially considering the RRP in the UK works out to be closer to $60, and we typically pay a LOT more than converted UK RRP for whisk(e)y.) At under $50, in price terms it sits in Jameson, Johnny Black and Glenlivet 12yo territory, yet it differs from these whiskies in more ways than one:

• 46% ABV
• Non-chill filtered
• "Small batch" (though no indication of what that really means)
• Finished in Flor de Caña rum casks!

Not really your average, sub-$50 whiskey. Let's get into then shall we?

Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey (46% ABV, NAS, Dublin Ireland, $50AUD)
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Colour: Light and golden - at a guess I'd say no caramel colouring here.

Nose: Sweet, youthful but not harsh (I guessed around 6 years of age, but apparently it's closer to 4yo - I hear this spirit is still from Cooley, their old distillery). Vanilla notes tell me it could have been aged in ex-Bourbon barrels prior to the rum cask finishing.

Palate: Smooth and relatively light - I would have picked it for closer to 40-43%. Buttery. A second sip shows a richer and creamier palate. The sort of whiskey you could sip all night.

Finish: Short and sherbert-y.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 89/100. A very respectable dram, and one you could easily sip all night. Considering that $50AUD doesn't get you a whole lot of Whisk(e)y in Australia, this should be considered a bargain. Definitely one to try if you're fond of Irish whiskey.

Cheers,

Martin.

Tasted #55 & #56: Old Pulteney 12yo and 17yo (#101drams)

Old Pulteney is a whisky that features a whopping 3 times on my #101drams Charitable Challenge, with the 17, 21 and 40 all listed. When I created the list I hadn't tried any Old Pulteneys - though it always had the image (in my mind) of a quality dram, slightly unusual and unique in location. Not dissimilar to Talisker I guess, though less prevalent.

When one of the guys from Inver House Distillers (who also do Balblair, Knockdhu, Speyburn and Balmenach) kindly got in touch, I asked if there was any chance of a sample or two. To say I was (pleasantly) surprised when, a week or so later, I received two full-size bottles in the post, would be an understatement! Here were two stunning bottles (the 12yo and 17yo) sent via Old Pulteney's Australian distributor, for me to try. Not a bad start to the week!

I always knew Old Pulteney had a history steeped in maritime tradition (being located on the East coast of Scotland), but didn't know it was also the most Northern distillery on the Scottish mainland (turns out I wasn't that far away from Wick when visiting Scotland in 2009). I also recently discovered that Old Pulteney actually put their maritime tradition into practice, by sponsoring a superyacht in the Clipper 2013-14 Round the World Yacht Race, which started in September this year in London.

The yacht must be moving at a pretty fast clip (ha) because this week they're already due to arrive in Australia (barely-related side note: I know a bloke who once sailed from London to Sydney with just his wife...but it took them 18 months. Perhaps if they were fuelled by Old Pulteney they'd have made it a bit quicker...)

So, now that you know Old Pulteney, what's it like as a whisky? Pretty fantastic, it turns out, and as unique as I'd expected/hoped for!

Not living near the ocean, I decided this was about the most
"maritime" setting I could create at home...

Old Pulteney 12 (40% ABV, 12yo, Wick Scotland, $75AUD)

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Nose: Rich, sweet, honied notes with a bit of grass, lots of vanilla and a slight nuttiness
Palate: Lighter than the nose suggests, with the honey and vanilla characteristics coming through most prominently (as you'd expect from the ex-Bourbon barrels). A faint hint of sea air too.
Finish: Medium length, mostly honied and with some brief nuttiness at the end.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 90/100. A great "entry level" dram and a unique one at that. Usually when you get hints of sea air, you can expect a bit of smokiness too, but I didn't get any on this, just a host of other flavours. Very enjoyable.


Old Pulteney 17 (46% ABV, 17yo, Wick Scotland, $150AUD)
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Nose: Same characteristics as the 12, but..lighter? Interestingly the colour was noticeably lighter too (though that's probably got something to do with the 12 having caramel colouring added). The lighter nose did strike me as being odd, given the higher ABV. A drop of water helps open it up.
Palate: Richer than the 12 - more like what I expected from a 46% whisky. More salty than the 12 (stands to reason - 5 years longer living near the sea) with some butter menthol and floral notes too. More earthy than the 12.
Finish: Medium to long, more butterscotch than anything (not a bad thing!)
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 91/100. Enjoyable like the 12, but just a bit "more" of everything, with some new flavours thrown in for good measure. I'll definitely enjoy this!

Cheers,

Martin.

Distillery Tour #1: New World Whisky Distillery | Purveyors of Starward (Victoria, Australia)

In what I hope becomes a more prominent category on this blog (especially after a planned trip to Scotland next year), here comes TimeforWhisky.com's first distillery tour write-up...

Those who have been reading this blog for a while now might be familiar with the New World Whisky Distillery. Back in March I sat down for a coffee with CEO David Vitale and a week or so later posted my tasting notes on their Starward Australian Single Malt Whisky. In short: a very impressive sub-3yr old whisky distilled and aged in an old maintenance hangar at Essendon Airport, and every part a "new world" whisky.

 

David made the offer then for me to tour the distillery any time I was in Melbourne. Despite being in Melbourne almost monthly since, it wasn't until a few weeks ago I actually had time to drop in for a visit. A very last minute phone call was made and David kindly said he'd be happy to show me around the next day.

After a safety introduction and donning of the obligatory hi-vis vest, the tour was underway. A very personal tour I might add, as it was just David, Ian (Distillery Production Manager) and myself. The setup reminded me of some of the Australian breweries I've visited - industrial but very clean and organised. Barrels took up a significant proportion of the (massive) floorspace, with the distillery itself taking a comparatively small corner. There was still plenty of space remaining and given the increasing popularity of Starward, I wouldn't be surprised if they start to fill it up soon.

We started with the tasting malted barley (always good to eat before drinking, right?) which is brought into the distillery already malted. Then onto the mashtun, and the stainless steel washbacks. Ian let me sample the wash, which (at close to 7% ABV) had a sour but smooth taste and reminded me of probably the most unusual beer I've ever tried - the Red Duck Gruiter.

Over to the wash and spirit stills,  where the liquid comes off at around 24% ABV and 71.5% ABV respectively. Cuts from the spirit still are made manually, and (having only toured distilleries in the UK before), I was a little surprised to see the "spirit safe" being completely open (in the UK, customs mandates the use of a spirit safe to secure the new make output). I was even invited to taste the new make right then and there as it came off the still. It's not every day you get to do that! It was surprisingly smooth and robust.

From here it was over to the barrels, most of which are palletised and stored upright to provide better wood extraction and more favourable evaporation. David talked me through the various barrels in use - including the usual ex-sherry (apera) and bourbon casks, as well as a few other varieties. It was pretty clear from the discussion that the guys place a huge emphasis on wood, which isn't surprising given the temperature variation that occurs in the region, and the resulting contact the spirit has with the wood.



David then took me over to the in-distillery "Tiki Bar", where he talked me through their sensory program - something the distillery considers hugely important to ensuring consistency and quality in the final product. Without going into too much detail, the sensory program involves blind tasting from a sample of barrels (at a cut-down 20% ABV), against a reference whisky (Famous Grouse), and noting characteristics, qualities, and whether whiskies are acceptable, unacceptable or "single cask quality". Note: the distillery doesn't currently bottle any single cask releases commercially, but based on what I tried, I hope they do in the future!

 Standing at the bar, David ran me through a sample sensory program, starting with new make and running through an example of single cask whiskies from 50L, 100L and 200L casks.


New make: Pears and freshly-cut grass on the nose. Pears with as slight nuttiness on the palate (no bubblegum or bananas here!). Medium-length, nutty finish. Smooth throughout.

50L cask sample: Rich, creamy with a sherry backbone. This tasted WAY beyond its years, and had the most amazing, rich sherried nose. I want a bottle from this exact cask! This was a seriously enjoyable and impressive whisky.

100L cask sample: Lighter than the 50L cask sample, with a fresh, citrus palate and a smooth, medium-length finish.

200L cask sample: Seemed younger and "hotter" than the previous samples - long finish though, and with similar characteristics to 100L in terms of palate.

After the tasting it was time to let David get home, and time for me to catch my flight back to Sydney. I hope David and the team consider running the occasional tour every now and then (perhaps similar to James Squire Brewery at Camperdown, who open once or twice a year for tours) as it was interesting, enjoyable and not something that's usually very accessible for those living in major cities in Australia.

A huge thanks to David and Ian for giving up their time, answering my many questions and showing me their setup in minute detail. I said this would be a distillery to watch earlier this year, and I stand by that. This whisky is already excellent and will only get better as time goes on.

Cheers,
Martin.