Tasted #65, #66, #67 and #68 (phew) - Glendronach 12, 15, 18 and 31yo "Grandeur"

The other week I attended The Wild Rover's "Campbell Corner Whiskey Co-Operative" (CCWC) launch, which saw us taste the Glendronach 12, 15 and 18yo with Douglas Cook of the distillery. Two days later, I was again sitting before Mr Cook (this time at the Oak Barrel) tasting the same line-up, but with one noteable addition - the 31yo Grandeur (Batch 1).

As the scores below probably indicate - these were all fantastic whiskies.

Glendronach 12yo "Original" (43% ABV, 12yo, Higlands, Scotland, $78AUD)

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Colour: Burnt, coppery orange.
Nose: Sherried, but not in a "smack you in the face" sherrybomb manner. Sweet, youthful, strawberries, candied fruits and the oft-mentioned "Christmas cake".
Palate: Nutty, dry (PX?), big sherry influence.
Finish: Dry, long, with a hint of citrus tang on the sides of the toungue.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 91/100. Definitely value for money as a quality, everyday drinking sherried dram.


Glendronach 15yo "Revival" (46% ABV, 15yo, Higlands, Scotland, $110AUD)
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Colour: Burnt orange but with more of a red hue than the 12yo.
Nose: Spice, caramel, cinnamon and orange peel.
Palate: Even more spice (this wasn't present on the 12yo at all), ginger, berries. Big tannins, big mouthfeel.
Finish: Sweet, medium to long, berries right to the end, with a hint of orange rind at the very end.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 93/100. Fantastic.

Glendronach 18yo "Allardice" (46% ABV, 18yo, Higlands, Scotland, $145AUD)
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Colour: Deep, deep copper. Almost burgundy.
Nose: Massive sherry hit. No surprise as to what type of cask this was aged in. Definitely has some older hints (leather, oak) but also sweet honey notes, which were unexpected. Maple syrup? Blueberries too. Complex. Could definitely nose this all night - preferably by a fireplace in the middle of winter.
Palate: Huge mouthfeel. Silky, soft and delicate but bursting with notes of blueberries, spice (though not as pronounced as the 15yo) and oak.
Finish: Sweet, big tannins, drying, extremely long, and still with those berries.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 94/100. A truly great whisky.

Glendronach 31yo "Grandeur" Batch 1 (45.8% ABV, 31yo, Higlands, Scotland, $890AUD)
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Colour: Dark copper / burnt dark orange.
Nose: Rich, with notes of port, sherbet, and berries (though this is no sherry monster). Age has definitely softened it.
Palate: Soft and subtle - no dominant characteristics here. Fruity, almost floral. Again, the age seems to have softened it.
Finish: Very, very long, berries, stonefruits.
Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 92/100. A great opportunity to try a very, very rare dram, but I'd choose the 18yo (especially if I was paying!)

Cheers,
 - Martin.

This Week in Whisk(e)y #6

As you might know if you read this blog regularly, we get a fair few interesting press releases and news articles 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...

It's single malt, but not as you know it - Woodford Reserve release "Classic Malt" and "Straight Malt"

We've featured Woodford Reserve's "Master's Collection" on the site before, but for those unfamiliar with the series, it's basically Woodford's annual opportunity to go a little crazy. Different finishes, different casks, four wood aging, and a few interesting ryes are a few examples of recent releases, but for this year (late 2013 in the States - we're a little behind) they've gone one step further with the release of two single malt whiskeys, and I hear through the grapevine we'll see them in Australia later in the year (and maybe earlier than that at the odd tasting).

The two releases are "Classic Malt" and "Straight Malt", both made from 100% barley, but differing by the types of cask used for aging - the Straight Malt in virgin oak (in the same way Bourbon is aged), the Classic Malt in used Bourbon barrels (in the same way a lot of Scotch whisky is aged). With both sitting at 45.2% ABV (continuing Woodford's trend of having all their whiskies end in 0.2% ABV), these should be interesting to compare. We can't wait.



The Wild Rover's "Campbell Cove Whiskey Collective"

Launched last week, we mentioned that The Wild Rover's "Campbell Corner Whiskey Co-Operative" (CCWC) included a list of 50 whiskies for members to work their way through before "unlocking" a selection of special drams. James from The Wild Rover has been kind enough to send through the full listing, and to be honest, it's a pretty fantastic list. With a good split between Irish and Scotch whiskies, and a few North American, Japanese and Aussies thrown in, it has something for everyone. Prices are reasonable too, considering the quality of the drams, with only 8 of the 50 above $20, and plenty for around $11-$14. We've linked the full listing below, but to call out a few of the more interesting ones:

• Ardbeg Supernova ($24)
• Connemara Cask Strength ($12)
• Longrow 1997 14yo Burgundy Wood ($14); and
• Van Winke 10yo ($22)

The current full listing can be found at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B53LQq_J9E22QW9GX1BiZnJ1amM/edit?usp=sharing

NZ Whisky receives 95 points from Jim Murray
I've voiced my thoughts on Jim Murray on this site before (in summary, I respect what he does but think people place too much emphasis on his ratings, considering he's only one man), but regardless, the man has tasted more whisky than the majority of us, and people keep buying his annual book release, so I guess his opinions are still highly regarded.

One of his views that I agree with, it seems, is that the NZ Whisky Company 21yo "South Island Single Malt" is a damn good whisky. I considered it the equal best when tasting 10 of their releases back in 2013, and Jim has given it 95 points in his 2014 Whisky Bible.

To quote the NZ Whisky Company press release:

"In a great start to 2014 for the New Zealand Whisky Company, Jim Murray’s latest edition hot off the press in London, sees the South Island Single Malt 21 y.o. scored at 95 points, placing it in the highly coveted category. This is the first time ever that a New Zealand whisky has scored so high and been anointed ‘Liquid Gold’. 

“This is a salute to the craftsmanship of the Dunedin distillers,” says company CEO Greg Ramsay. “Being recognised as one of the world’s great whiskies by Jim Murray, that’s the ultimate endorsement of your dram and all the Dunedin distillers like Cyril Yates can be proud that what they were doing in the 80s and 90s in New Zealand, was every bit as good as what the Scots were doing over in Speyside and on Islay.” 

The South Island Single Malt is the company’s flagship single malt, aged for 21 years in American Oak, ex-bourbon barrels. According to Murray’s latest bible, “you would be forgiven for thinking this was a 30 or even 35-year-old Speysider; almost a grassy maltiness melding into the light, exotic fruit and freshly chopped celery. Clean, delicate and elegant beyond words. 

If someone asked me how I would like my 21-year-old non-peated malt to come to me, it would probably be something like this: a top of the range 40-year-old. Proof that the country in which a whisky is made is totally irrelevant. Great whisky is great whisky.”
The whisky is now exported from Oamaru and available across Canada, the UK, Australia and Europe."

Until next time...sláinte.

Cheers,

 - Martin.

Wild Turkey Spiced launch event (by Steph)

Gruppo Campari, in association with Men at Work Comms launched the new and innovative Wild Turkey Spiced on a steamy Wednesday afternoon last week at Campari HQ in Sydney's St Leonards. The young crowd were introduced to the first "spiced Bourbon" in Australia, and the first-ever spiced Bourbon from what Wild Turkey are calling the “island of Kentucky”, in the office's relaxed Campari bar (complete with blow-up palm trees, sand and an exceptional harbour view).

 

“I wanted to develop a product that brought to life the best of our robust Bourbon, while delivering the smoother taste. Wild Turkey Spiced is a Real Kentucky Bourbon with flavours of Vanilla & Caramel and hints of Clove and Cinnamon” said Eddie Russell, Wild Turkey Master Distiller and Bourbon Hall of Famer (not present at the event).

Did it mix well? Absolutely! Oliver Stuart (“Ollie” - below), National Brand Ambassador at Campari Australia was the maestro behind the bar, mixing the sweet and spicy spirit with Coca Cola (i.e. the “hero” drink), dry, or freshly squeezed apple juice. Alternatively, it was perfect on its own with ice - still clearly a Bourbon, but with a spicier, fuller, sweeter taste.

Jordan Berger, NSW Brand Ambassador at Campari Australia was entertaining as “Jay”, the stranded-on-a-deserted-island surfer who found an indistinguishable bottle of locally-made spirit deep in a cave half buried under a mound of sand. Legend has it it was delicious on its own, amazing when mixed, and much-sought after by the Wild Turkey distillers when introduced to them.

This was the first event hosted by Gruppo Campari and Men at Work Comms that TimeforWhisky had attended, and it was clear that both were out to impress their guests. Delicious (and addictive) mini pies and sausage rolls were served, which went brilliantly with the spiciness of the Bourbon.  Plentiful platters of fruit, cheese and dips kept all guests thoroughly satisfied, not to mention the drinks (unfortunately I left before the Old Fashioneds came out, but I'm told they were very good!)

Wild Turkey Spiced is available nationwide with a recommended retail price of $49.99AUD per 700ml bottle (though on a visit to Dan's today Martin and I saw it for around $40AUD). http://www.facebook.com/wildturkeyau has additional information.

- Steph. 

The Wild Rover's "CCWC" inaugural event - Glendronach

Originally mentioned back in October last year, Sydney's The Wild Rover have now launched their "Campbell Corner Whiskey Co-Operative" (CCWC), kicking things off this Monday just passed with a Glendronach tasting led by Douglas Cook of the distillery.

Without going into too much detail (see the post from October for the specifics), the Co-Operative allows anyone to join for a one-off $25 fee, and provides them with a card of 50 whiskies to work through (at very reasonably prices). Once done, the holder of a completed card is able to purchase some pretty rare and interesting drams at cost price. There are a few such drams already, including a 21yo Teeling and the 12yo Bushmills Distillery Reserve (available only from the distillery), with plenty more to come, potentially including a Port Ellen. In what I personally think is a solid move, the bar will reserve these drams only for members who have completed their card - you can wave as much cash as you like at them, they won't sell you a dram unless you've completed the card.

The CCWC will also see regular events, the first of which was this one from Glendronach (distributed in Australia by the lovely folk from island2island).

I'll admit Glendronach is a distillery I wasn't too aware of until quite recently, but after continually hearing about the quality of their drams from a number of reputable sources, I figured there must be something good there. My first taste of Glendronach (the 15yo) last year confirmed it.

I had a brief chat to Douglas before the event kicked off, and learnt that despite his title of "Regional Sales Manager", the distillery has such a small staff that his role is a lot more encompassing than the title suggests. Douglas occasionally plays a hands-on role in various facets of the whisky production and distribution, as well as his main role of spreading the word of Glendronach throughout Europe, Australia, NZ and Asia (in particular Taiwan - Glendronach's largest market).

Having been through periods of ownership by Teachers and Pernod Ricard, in 2008 the distillery was brought back into private ownership as part of the BenRiach Distilery Company. It was at this time the distillery chose to focus on sherried whiskies - recognising a gap in the market being addressed by very few other distilleries at the time.

Douglas, clearly passionate about the Scotch whisky industry and who (I suspect) could talk for hours about its intricacies if given the opportunity, taught us a number of interesting facts including:

• The origins of Glendronach's popularity in the 1820s, thanks in part to word of mouth from, uh, ladies of the night.
• Scotland produces on average 40 bottles of whisky, every second.
• All 1.5 million litres of Glendronach produced annually is aged on-site at their distillery in the North East of Scotland.
• Whilst the majority of Glendronach is aged in Oloroso and/or PX casks, they have released Sauternes and Tawny Port releases in the past, and may, possibly look at a peated release in the future.

After an introductory cocktail of Glendronach 12yo and home-made ginger beer (which was delicious, but perhaps a little spicey given we were about to taste some complex whiskies), Douglas talked us through the 12yo, 15yo and 18yo (to be covered in a separate tasting post) which I have to say were each fantastic.

Douglas, the island2island team and the guys from The Wild Rover did all they could to make this a fun and informative event, and I'd have to say they pulled it off very well. If they keep it up the CCWC could well become a staple on the Sydney whisky event calendar, like Shirt Bar's Scotch Club.

The next CCWC will be on 10th March - a tasting of Kilchoman by owner and master distiller Anthony Wills.

The Wild Rover can be found at 75 Campbell St, Surry Hills NSW.

Cheers,
 - Martin.

Chivas Regal x SpaQ Partnership Launch

Kicking off the whisky event calendar for 2014, this Monday night Pernod Ricard hosted a launch event at Sydney's QT Hotel to celebrate Chivas Regal's new partnership with QT's SpaQ. Having attended some pretty fantastic Pernod Ricard events in 2013, Steph and I were looking forward to what was in store.

The event was to celebrate the recent partnership between Chivas Regal and SpaQ, whereby gentleman visiting SpaQ for treatments (which range from traditional wet shaves through to massages and hair cuts) will be able to enjoy a Chivas 12 or 18 before, during or after their treatment.

 

Makes a lot of sense, really. The Barber Shop popularised the idea of enjoying a tipple with your barber visit in Sydney, and with the QT Hotel being a licenced premises already, it was an obvious and easy move. Having enjoyed SpaQ's "The Don" shave last year (as part of a weekend-long 30th present thanks to Steph), I speak from experience when I say the treatments are first-rate. Sipping on a whisky could only add to the enjoyment.

The event drew a mixed crowd of media, celebrities and other whisky/bar folk, and everyone got along famously, enjoying canapes like tarlets of spanner crab, pulled pork burgers and prawn sliders, washed down with whisky sours (mixed by none other than industry stalwart Jason Crawley), Chivas 12 and Chivas 18. Shoe shines and hot towel shaves were available to anyone who felt a little scruffy.

To cap off the night, we were ushered into the SpaQ "Relaxation Room", a refined setting where we sat, chatted and enjoyed Chivas 25 poured by Ben Davidson, brand ambassador with Pernod Ricard.

A pretty fantastic way to kick off the whisky year, really.

Cheers,
 - Steph & Martin.

Tasted #64: Belgrove Distillery "Oats"

Late last year the kind folks from Melbourne's excellent Whisky bar Whisky + Alement sent me a sample of a very unusual whisky, which they'd picked up from their visit to Tasmania's Belgrove Distillery. We've featured the distillery on this blog previously, and commented on how owner/distillery Peter Bignell is doing some pretty interesting things down there. A perfect example of which is this "Oats" or "Four Grain" sample.

The sample arrived without much in the way of detail, but W+A sent me Peter's e-mail address and Peter quickly responded with everything I wanted to know and more. In a nutshell, the whisky is an experimental release (love 'em!) and is made up of about 65% oats, milled with the husks retained. The remainder is made up of 10% rye, 10% wheat and 15% malted barley.

The whisky's ABV sits at around 57.5% and was aged in a 50L American oak cask (4th refill, no re-charring or re-finishing) for 18 months.

Interesting, to say the least.

Belgrove "Oats" / "Four Grain" (~57.5% ABV, NAS, Tasmania Australia, not for sale - experimental sample only)
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Colour: Pale straw.

Nose: Young, but rich and fruity. Fruity like a lolly shop actually. Also hints of breakfast oats/porridge. Pretty complex really.

Palate: Rich and oily - quickly coats the mouth. Smooth throughout, it has strong taste of oatmeal (funny that). None of the fruitiness seems to carry through from the nose.

Finish: Short to medium, with oatmeal / shortcake notes at the end.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 89/100. Reminds me a little of Balcones Baby Blue (another young whisky). Unusual, but enjoyable.

No word yet on if we'll see this as an actual Belgrove release, but I think it'd be safe to say that Peter won't stop experimenting (which is a bloody good thing!)

Cheers,
 - Martin.

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)
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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)

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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.