The Macallan 65 year old in Lalique - The "Peerless Spirit" Hong Kong Launch

Today saw Edrington Hong Kong launch the sixth and final whisky in the "Macallan in Lalique Decanter" series - a series of six whiskies each representing one of The Macallan's famous "Six Pillars". The whisky in this particular decanter is not only the oldest in the series, but the oldest whisky ever bottled by The Macallan - at an incredible 65 years old.

Edit: Our tasting notes are now up here.

Selected Hong Kong media were invited to a lunch earlier today not only to see the unveiling, but also to taste the whisky. Yes, we got to taste this incredible whisky, and will have tasting notes up tomorrow.

But first, a recap of the series - each one bottled in hand-blown Lalique decanters.

The first in the series, a 50 year old Macallan released in 2005 at 46% ABV, celebrated The Macallan's "Exceptional Oak Casks", with a Lalique decanter designed to replicate the patina / woodgrain of an oak cask:

The second, using amber-coloured crystal (said to be extremely difficult to produce) was a 55yo at 40.1% ABV, designed to represent The Macallan's "Natural Colour":

The third in the series, a 57yo at 48.5% ABV, represented the "Finest Cut" - a reference to the extremely small 16% "heart" of the spirit run that The Macallan places into its casks:

A 60yo (at 53.2% ABV) followed, celebrating The Macalan's "curiously small stills", with a partially-frosted crystal decanter and small raised bumps to represent the rivets of a copper still:

Most recently (prior to the 65yo) came this 62yo at 53.1% ABV, to celebrate The Macallan's "Spiritual Home", aka Easter Elchies House (where Steph and I enjoyed a wonderful lunch last year):

Brand Director for The Macallan Ken Grier was in Hong Kong for the launch (we'll have our in-depth interview up in the next few weeks), and talked guests through the series, focusing on both the whisky and the partnership with Lalique.

Whilst many might see the bottles as "fancy packaging", hearing Ken talk about the partnership, and viewing the bottles up close, showed us two things - firstly, the decanters are absolutely incredible, with amazing attention to detail. When Ken mentioned that each is hand-made by up to 15 Lalique staff, we weren't surprised - it shows.

Secondly, it's clear the Lalique partnership is one founded in mutual respect and admiration for the "crafted" nature of each others' products, as opposed to being an opportunity for each to cash in on the other's name.

After Ken's introduction, we took a brief stroll around the venue (which we're told typically hosts art exhibits - very fitting) to see the displays representing each of the Six Pillars, along with a display of Lalique works (vases, perfume bottles etc..) which each showed off certain elements or techniques that had been re-used in The Macallan in Lalique range.

Taking our seats for the lunch, we were presented with a stunning 3 course menu (made even more stunning by the final whisky):

The Macallan theming was strong too, with plates, napkin rings, napkins and even the cutlery all bearing The Macallan's Easter Elchies house (aka the "Spiritual Home") imagery.

Edrington's event catering never fails to disappoint, and today was no exception, with the wagyu tenderloin being a particular highlight, and an especially good (yet unexpected) match with the Fine Oak 17yo.

Of course, we took some time out between courses to inspect the whisky for which we were all gathered - The Macallan 65yo in Lalique "The Peerless Spirit" decanter. Limited to 450 bottles, the whisky was distilled in November 1950 and aged in just two ex-Sherry American oak casks, bottled after 65 years at a cask strength of 46.3% ABV.

Using a "blown and pinched" technique, the decanter really is a work of art up close - although obviously for us, the liquid inside is the true work of art.

Back to our seats just in time for dessert, matched with a Hong Kong favourite, the Rare Cask. The Rare Cask was a well-chosen match, with the dessert bringing out some of the whisky's sweeter, chocolate notes, and pairing well with the strawberry ice cream and caramel "leaves":

Following dessert, and after a thorough palate-cleansing, we were as mentioned fortunate enough to taste The Macallan 65yo in Lalique. Full tasting notes will be up tomorrow in a separate post, but in a nutshell, it was an incredible whisky, with none of the overly-oaky traits we've seen on other 40 or 50+ year old whiskies before.

‘The Peerless Spirit’ decanter will retail for £23,000 / $35,000USD, and is limited to 450 bottles. It will be available in Hong Kong from this month.

Additionally, in January 2017 Edrington Hong Kong will put up a complete set of The Macallan in Lalique decanters, with all proceeds to be donated to charity (50% to HK-based charities and 50% to other Asia-based charities). We're told the set will be housed in a bespoke, yet-to-be created Lalique crystal cabinet, with additional items not available with the individual bottlings. We're also told the cabinet will contain a "secret drawer" with hidden whiskies! Have your chequebooks ready...

TimeforWhisky.com would like to thank Edrington Hong Kong for a truly fantastic and one of a kind event, to celebrate the launch of this incredible whisky.

Cheers,

Martin.

Ardbeg Night Sydney 2016 (Tasted #298 - 299)

Inspired by the colour of the new Ardbeg release, this year's annual Ardbeg Day was flipped into a more fitting celebration - Ardbeg Night. The notion of Ardbeg Night, other than to resemble the dark impression of the new Ardbeg "Dark Cove" release, was also to symbolise the gruelling tales from the 19th century when Ardbeg's Islay homeland was used by whisky smugglers as a notorious hideout. Prior to the founding of the Ardbeg Distillery by John McDougall, illicit whisky trade took place within caves and beaches around the site, hidden away from the island's excise officer.

With the increasing popularity of Ardbeg Day over the years (last year Ardbeg Day saw over 15,000 people attend 135 events globally), this year, few lucky Ardbeggians who purchased the Ardbeg Dark Cove Committee Release between March and April 2016 were awarded with tickets to the Ardbeg Night celebrations (our friend Matt Wooler of Distant Thunder Whisky Club (DTWC) was even one of those lucky Ardbeggians). To complement the Committee Release, a regular "Dark Cove" release was also launched. The regular expression is cut at 46.5% ABV whilst its committee brethren is cut at a  higher 55% ABV. See below for tasting notes on both, and here for Martin's earlier tasting notes on the Committee Release.

The 2016 Ardbeg Night Sydney was held on 28 May 2016, coinciding with the final day of Feis Ile 2016.

As Martin covered in the last post, the inaugural Hong Kong Ardbeg Night was held the night before at a venue known as "The Warehouse." Although there was no mention of the new Ardbeg "Dark Cove" release, the night appeared to be a success. 

In Sydney, no details were provided ahead of the day, other than for us Ardbeggians to congregate at Millers Point wharf at a set time. Boarding the chartered ferry at Millers Point, none of us were told where we were headed. It wasn't until I opened Google Maps upon docking that I realised we'd all been taken to an island not far from Millers Point; Goat Island. The warehouse on Goat Island was lit with a giant Ardbeg display and the setup even gave Vivid Sydney a run for its money.

Inside the warehouse, the atmosphere was "electrical". Old lanterns were scattered across the warehouse, giving it an eerie, dark and mysterious feel. The main bar was located at the centre of the warehouse and along the warehouse perimeter were activity stations where Ardbeggians could compete in everything from quoits to tug of war. The best part, (almost) everyone won. Some of the giveaways included Ardbeg umbrellas, Ardbeg beanies and a plush Shorties. Sadly, I only walked away with a beanie.



Upon arrival, Ardbeggians were spoiled with three different Ardbeg 10yo based cocktails:

• Ardbeg Lunar Eclipse; concoction of Ardbeg 10yo, apple juice, yuzu and sugar syrup 
• Peat'v Green; Ardbeg 10yo, elderflower, fennel syrup, cucumber juice
• Fashionable Smuggler; Ardbeg 10yo, Montenegro Amaro, coconut fat wash, pineapple syrup, chocolate bitters

All three cocktails were created by The Whisky Room and made good use of the classic Ardbeg 10yo as a base. The Lunar Eclipse was certainly refreshing. The others, sadly, I didn't get my hands on them though rumour has it that the favourite amongst the crowd was the Fashionable Smuggler.

As with last year's Ardbeg Day, Andrew Derbidge of Whisky and Wisdom (and Cellarmaster of the SMWS) was the honorary guest that had been bestowed with the responsibility of unveiling the new Dark Cove.

"Dark Cove" was described by Andrew as rich, filled with dark chocolate and cured ham. The general release of the expression was the one that had been previewed on the night with the Committee Release MIA. The expression saw maturation in both ex-bourbon and ex-dark sherry barrels. The darker appearance is what gives Dark Cove its name. 

Garth, the Ardbeg Ambassador was busy pouring out refills of the Dark Cove release (from a 4.5L Jeroboam) all night long.

 

Before delving into my personal notes on the general release, I compared my committee release notes against those from Martin's (below) from the time when Dark Cove was first released to the Ardbeg Committee back in March 2016. For comparison, here are my notes:

Ardbeg "Dark Cove" Committee Release (55% ABV, NAS, Islay, Scotland, no longer available)
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The Dark Cove release, to me, is one bold Ardbeg, punching the Ardbeg smoke yet showcasing other pleasant, fresh and crisp notes. This is an Ardbeg that you can love any day of the week.

Colour: Deep, orange copper (tinge of amber)

Nose: Rich, creamy, loads of raisins. The maritime note are subtle, so is the peat. The whiff is crisp and clean like fresh winter morning. 

Palate: Creamy and rich on the palate with summer berries, toffee, chocolate (chocolate berry tart?) coming through at first, followed by the Ardbeg campfire smoke; the peat. As the palate develops, it is then balanced with sweet peanut brittles and spices closely resembling nutmeg and cloves. 

Finish: Very long and smoky, ashy with fading maritime and spice notes. This fella sticks with you for a while.

Rating (on Hendy's very non-scientific scale): 92/100 (not vastly different and the sherry influence does make this Dark Cove that extra bit special).

--

Martin's "Dark Cove" Notes - originally posted in March

Colour: The darkest Ardbeg ever? Darker than the current regular line-up, for sure, but not quite El Diablo territory, and not as dark as some recent SMWS bottlings. Deep amber.

Nose: Rich, creamy peat....loads of peat. Coastal peat though - more maritime and less "campfire" than you may expect. Banana lollies and an overall freshness. At a guess I'd say there's a fair amount of youngish Ardbeg in here.

Palate: Big, rich and chewy. Peaty caramels (now there's an idea)! There's definite sherry influence, with red berries and a hint of mocha, but also a younger, fresher, sweeter character - licorice allsorts, musk sticks. Loads of coastal peat throughout.

Finish: Long and coastal-smoky. Fish nets, oysters, brine. With water comes a slightly earthier smoke. A hint of tannins at the end.

Rating (on Martin's very non-scientific scale): 91/100. Another very enjoyable Ardbeg, one with a younger, stronger peat influence than some of the previous Ardbeg Day bottlings.

Ardbeg "Dark Cove" Regular Release (46.5% ABV, NAS, Islay, Scotland, A$186)

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In comparison with the Committee Release, the General Release was equally as good though it did not punch as much sherry notes into you in the same way the Committee Release did. Nevertheless, in my view, the general release is equally a very nice and bold Ardbeg. Though given the choice and my preference for cask strength whiskies, I'd choose the Committee Release.

Colour: Deep, orange copper (tinge of amber) - I couldn't see any difference

Nose: Rich, creamy, fresh crisp morning maritime air. There is toffee, peppermint and raisins (though constrained). 

Palate: Similar to the Committee Release, the palate is creamy and rich, filled with child dark chocolate (the Lindt kind), jamón and sea salt. The Ardbeg campfire smoke; the peat is there and not over powering. As the palate develops, the grassy and peppery spices become more prominent. 

Finish: Long and smoky, the finish is dry (almost like dry wood chip smoke) and leaves quite a bit of tannin.

Rating (on Hendy's very non-scientific scale): 92/100

With the excise men about to knock down our door, we'd like to take this opportunity to thank Ardbeg and the folks at EVH PR for their hospitality. Another year, another success. The Ardbeg Night theme was different, eccentric, yet brilliantly thought out. Most importantly the night brought all Australian Ardbeggians together to celebrate this ecciting new release.

Until the next Ardbeg pour, Happy Ardbeg Day Night 2016!

Cheers

Hendy

Ardbeg Night Hong Kong 2016 review

After attending Ardbeg Day in Sydney in 2012, 2013 and again in 2014 (each event one of the best of the year), it was a shame to miss out on 2015's celebrations, though luckily Hendy attended and brought us all the info and some great photos.

Not being in Sydney again this year, I assumed I'd again be missing out on all the fun, when I learned that an official  Ardbeg Day Ardbeg Night was happening here in Hong Kong!

So along I went last Friday night to check it out and see how the event compared to the incredible Sydney Ardbeg Days. 

Held in a tri-level function space known as "The Warehouse" in Sai Ying Pun (which the organisers must have assumed would be hard to find, as they had staff placed in the surrounding streets directing guests all night), the party followed a similar format to Ardbeg Days in Sydney and around the world - i.e. games, giveaways, cocktails and a whole lot of Ardbeg.

A small desk set up on the street welcomed guests with an Ardbeg Day t-shirt, and a pair of 3D glasses which were required to read the secret codewords to gain entry ("Dark, Smoky, Peaty").

Giving the codewords at the entrance saw guests "branded" with an Ardbeg stamp, before being offered a welcome drink (Ardbeg 10 - neat or on the rocks) and the chance to have their photo taken with the Smuggler's Cove backdrop. Guests were also given stampcards, which after filling with two stamps (available by winning the games), entitled them to a hearty pour of Uigedail on the top level.

Heading up the stairs to the first level, guests were free to choose from 3 games (Tug o' War, "Stand Ardbeg up" and a boat game), or enjoy canapés and Bloody Marys made with Ardbeg 10 (which were delicious). We arrived right as the event started (hence the photos being not-too-crowded), but within 20 minutes the venue was packed.

As well as the Uigedail, the top level also had space for guests to sit and chat, and a (very challenging!) two-person game involving a ship's steering wheel, a silver marker and a maze. Fun, but not easy (and even less so after a few Uigedails)!

Another game involved seeing how long guests could hold an Ardbeg Mor (4.5L bottle / Jeroboam) with an outstretched arm (on the way out yours truly set the record at 1:01 - a time we're not sure was later beaten)!

With the Ardbeg flowing freely, the DJ keeping the venue cranking and everyone enjoying the games, it was a great night, even if it was a smaller celebration than the previous Sydney events.

Of course - you may wonder when the Dark Cove appeared. Sadly, it didn't! Hong Kong isn't getting an allocation (of either the regular edition or the Committee Release), and so there was none on tasting. See here for our tasting notes on the Committee Release from last month, and Hendy will have his thoughts on the regular edition, along with his write-up of the Sydney celebrations, up shortly).

Cheers,

Martin.

Tasting the Michel Couvreur Whisky range in Hong Kong

A few weeks ago we were treated to a tasting of the core lineup of Michel Couvreur whiskies, thanks to Natural Food & Beverage HK who have exclusive distribution rights in HK. That's eleven whiskies in total.

"Michel Couvreur?" you might ask, and understandably so. Hardly a household name, nor a widely available product, Michel Couvreur whisky does however have an interesting backstory and history, and a varied and unique line-up of whiskies.

If you're thinking it must be a French whisky, you'd be half-right. Michel Couvreur whisky starts life as Scottish New Make Spirit, but is then sent to Burgundy in France, where it enters oak (typically ex-Sherry casks), and undergoes maturation in an underground cellar. What other whisky can lay claim to that sort of lifecycle!?

The brainchild of a wine man (can you guess his name?), the MC lineup is a comprehensive one, with eleven whiskies on tasting during our session and even more available from time to time. From smooth, light, young and elegant Highland-style whiskies to big, robust, older Macallan-esque sherried whiskies, the lineup has something for everyone. 

The range was described to us as "whisky for wine people" and one look at the bottles certainly suggests that to be the case - with labels more akin to a Burgundy Red, wax tops and corks, if it wasn't for the shape of the bottle you could be forgiven for thinking these were French wines at first glance.

We unfortunately didn't take detailed tasting notes on each, but have given brief thoughts below:

Michel Couvreur "The Unique" Blended Scotch, 4yo, 44%: Bready and smooth, with slight hints of Chardonnay (no, really) and pears. This had a short but pleasant finish. 88/100.

Michel Couvreur "Clearach" 3yo, 43%: Spirity at first, turning to red berries and caramel, with an overarching sweetness. A short finish ends with smooth caramel. 90/100.

Michel Couvreur "Intravaganza" Single Malt, 3yo, 50%: Rich toffee and coffee notes, leading to a short, mocha-like finish. 91/100.

Michel Couvreur "Overaged Malt Whisky" Blended Malt, 12yo, 43%: Obvious sweet PX influence - light in palate but with a rich nuttiness on the finish. 91/100.

Michel Couvreur "Overaged Malt Whisky" Blended Malt, 12yo, 53%: Similar to the 43% bottling, but with more Christmas cake notes (sherry-soaked raisins, glace cherries). 91/100.

Michel Couvreur "Pale Single-Single" Single Cask, Single Malt, 12yo, 45%: A nicely perfumed nose with an earthy palate, but perhaps a little too "light" overall. 89/100.

Michel Couvreur "2005 x 2015" Single Malt, 10yo, 47%: Lots of trademark sherry notes (raisins, brazil nuts, toffee, berries), with slight hints of sulphur on the palate. 90/100.

Michel Couvreur "Candid Malt Whisky" Blended Malt, 8-9yo, 49%: Nutty and earthy with a nice long warming finish. 90/100.

Michel Couvreur "Special Vatting" Blended Malt, 12yo, 45%: Slightly perfumed, but with a big sherry nose and palate taking the fore - almonds, dates and prunes. A lovely palate. 92/100.

Michel Couvreur "Blossoming" Single Malt, 14-15yo, 45%: Reminiscent of a sherried Balvenie - not from of the regular lineup, but the single casks we've been lucky enough to try at the distillery (or when Sam Simmons came to town). Fruity, nutty and just very, very well made. The star of the line-up. 93/100.

Michel Couvreur "Very Sherried" 27yo Single Cask Single Malt, 27yo, 48%: Dark caramel-copper in colour, this dram had notes of rich toffee, hints of blackberries, and an aged-Glenfarclas like palate (which for us means confectionary - Cola bottle lollies), some Bannoffee pie and a long, long sweet finish. 92/100.

We'd tried one or two Michel Couvreur whiskies in the past, but it was a pleasure to try the entire core range in one sitting, and really explore the differences in these unique whiskies. We also love the fact that out of 11 whiskies, there were 8 different ABVs! Clearly the people running Michel Couvreur these days bottle their whisky based on "what's right for the whisky", not an arbitrary number.

Michel Couvreur whiskies are available in Hong Kong through Natural Food & Beverage HK and the few linked above are available worldwide through Master of Malt. We'd like to thank Natural F&B for having us as a guest in their office and for sharing the range with us.

Santé,

Martin.

World Whisky Day 2016 at Malt Whisky Bar

As the world celebrated World Whisky Day, and many in Hong Kong celebrated at Tiffany's New York Bar's event (which we heard was excellent but sadly couldn't attend), we were celebrating in a more low key manner, with a few friends and a few bottles at the excellent Malt Whisky Bar - one of our Top Whisky Bars in Hong Kong.

Organised by good friend Eddie Nara, the premise was simple - kick off with a cocktail (a delicious take on the Whisky Sour made by Bar Manager Tico and his fantastic team, with Chivas Regal Brothers' Blend and a real piece of barley as garnish), then move onto the drams...and speaking of drams, it was an international assortment (very fitting for "World" Whisky Day), with whiskies from Japan, Scotland, America, Australia and even a "Hong Kong whisky" (more on that one in a future post).

With whisky fanatics and newbies alike, it was a great few hours trying different drams and exploring the different profiles of each. Personal highlights included a 1995 Batch 11 GlenDronach single cask (18yo) ex-PX Puncheon and a 2011 Lagavulin Cask-strength....not to mention this:

With Feis Ile also kicking off, Eddie thought it fitting to crack out a special dram - his as-yet unopened bottle of Caol Ila Feis Ile 2013. Matured for 12 years in refill butts, hogsheads and barrels, it was then vatted and given a few extra months in more active hogsheads, before being given the finishing touches in European oak. A trademark Caol Ila in our books, but a lovely one at that, with slight hints of walnuts and a few obvious citrus notes.

All up, a brilliant way to spend World Whisky Day.

Cheers,
Martin.

Trading one of our "TimeforWhisky.com" Glencairns with one of Eddie's Barrel Concepts glasses.

The Whisky Show Sydney 2016 review (Tasted #294 - 297)

Annually, coinciding with World Whisky Day on 21 May, renowned Sydney whisky shop World of Whisky host one of the three whisky shows for Sydney - dubbed simply "The Whisky Show". We attended the Friday session which was rather good as the session hadn't been fully sold out and as such the crowd was quite manageable (although we did miss out on the four masterclasses which were to be held on the Saturday; the Kavalan, Laphroaig, Paul John and Bourbon masterclasses).

Hosted at the same location as the previous two years; the Stamford Plaza Sydney Airport (see our 2014 write-up here), though not the most convenient of locations, was large enough to accommodate a diverse range of distilleries and/or their distributors. Upon arrival, all guests were provided with a nosing glass and a bag containing a bottle of water and few nibblies. There were also a couple of water fountains placed along the centre of the exhibition room to allow rinsing of glasses and re-hydration.

As with previous years, 2016's show was well represented with a large range of brands (big and small) and various related exhibitors. Standouts included:

Ardbeg, Balvenie, BenRiach, Big Peat, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Connemara, Dalmore, Glendalough, Glendronach, Glenfiddich, Glenglassaugh, Glenlivet, Glenmorangie, Glenrothes, Jura, Kavalan, Kininvie, Laphroaig, Makers Mark, Old Pulteney, Paul John, Springbank, Starward, Tomatin, Uber Bar Tools, Writer's Tears



On the night, we observed that there was quite a mix between the line-ups across the different brands, some showcased an extensive range of their expressions whilst others showcased a select few:

• Starward focused on their two classic expressions; the Solera and the wine cask edition - though when asked nicely, Brand Ambassador Paul Slater was happy to bring out the ever-secretive Project X from behind the counter
• Springbank brought their limited release 17yo sherry wood expression into the mix, along with a Longrow and the Hazelburn 12yo
• Kininvie made its first appearance following its launch late last year with the Kininvie 17 and 23. The lovely Laura Hay was on the stand with Kininvie friends
• Similar to Kininvie, Paul John also made its first appearance, presenting five unique expressions from its portfolio (and a single cask which was presented to us from behind the counter)
• Bruichladdich put on a strong showing with two Octomore expressions; the 7.1 and 7.3. Phillip Mack of Dram Full represented Bruichladdich
• BenRiach was manned by our friend WhiskNick, and the line up included the 12yo sherry, 15yo sauternes, 16yo, 17yo Septendecim and the newly released (and one of our favourites from the night), Cask Strength Batch 1
• Tomatin showcased their range including few highlights; 14yo Port Casks and the ghostly Cù Bòcan
• The Glenrothes brought the Peated Cask Reserve which was released late last year, together with the 1992 Vintage and 2001 Vintage releases
• Disappointingly, GlenDronach only showcased the 12yo and there were no signs of the older core lineup, cask strength, or any of their single cask releases
• The hype around the Kavalan Solist Amontillado must have sent the expression straight to the shelves with no samples available, though it was available for purchase at the show
• Kavalan though did have the most expressions available, with a whopping eight expressions, including the Solist range and the King Car expression; and
• Douglas Laing held the Indie bottler fort, showcasing a number of bottles from the "Old Particular" series including a Ben Nevis 14yo and a Glengoyne 17yo.

Here are some tasting notes for a few favourites of the night...


Springbank 17 Year Old Sherry Wood Whisky (52.3% ABV, 17yo, Campbeltown, Scotland, $290AUD)
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A limited release from Springbank, fully matured in sherry oak casks and bottled at cask strength, this full bodied expression was quite enjoyable.

Colour: Rusted gold

Nose: The nose is filled with sweet cranberries, rich sticky date, moss and molasses.

Palate: The palate is clean and delightful with notes of berries, raisins and the sticky date from the earlier whiff. The palate is then slowly transformed with red chilli pepper and toffee notes.

Finish: Long with lingering peppermint spices.

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


BenRiach Cask Strength Batch 1 (52.3% ABV, 17yo, Campbeltown, Scotland, A$220 / £44.03)
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The inaugural release of the Cask Strength series from BenRiach. This malty, creamy and delicate expression was one of our favourites of the night. Can't wait to see future Cask Strength releases from BenRiach.

Colour: Champagne

Nose: The nose is sweet, fruity and creamy, loads of  sweet burnt caramel and butterscotch, sticky date pudding.

Palate: Merry Christmas, though not in July. Oaky and spicy, where is that Christmas pudding? There are hints of cinnamon tart and cinnamon dusted creme brulee. The creamy mouthfeel is then followed by a lingering black pepper spice. 

Finish: Long, sweet and not too drying.

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

Paul John Select Cask Classic (55.2% ABV, NAS, Goa, India, A$128 / £49.96)
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A limited cask strength release from Paul John; the second Indian distiller to hit the Australian market after Amrut. This unpeated cask strength release had been aged for around 7 years in ex-bourbon barrels.

Colour: Gold with amber tinge

Nose: The nose has bourbon all over it. Almost smells like a good breakfast; fruity malty, oaty with notes of honey and sweet vanilla.

Palate: The malt continues on the palate; creamy, mellow and loads of honey with a layer of black pepper spices from the oak. The higher ABV balances the sweet, malty notes.

Finish: The finish is long and there remains a chewy oaky mouthfeel. A nice solid dram.

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


Paul John Single Barrel (58% ABV, NAS, Goa, India, not commercially available)
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We were offered a sample of this Paul John Single Barrel following discussion of the general expression they had on offer. It is a preview of what is to come from Paul John, in the form of Single Barrel releases. This particular expression was aged in an ex-Jack Daniel's barrel for (presumably nine) years and bottled at cask strength. Overall, this was an excellent dram and we look forward to the official release of the expression.

Colour: Light amber

Nose: The nose is filled with loads sweet malt, honey and there's a strong hint of oak, almost resembling the smell of new wood lacquer.

Palate: The palate is deep, rich and presents a nice layer of vanilla tart. The tannic, citrus notes follow the sweetness and then there's some oak spice to finish. Similar to the Select Cask Classic, the higher alcohol ABV provides a layer complexity to this expression.

Finish: Long and lingering with plenty of oak and spice.

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




The Glenrothes Peated Cask Reserve (40% ABV, NAS, Speyside, Scotland, $99.80NZD)
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This newly released expression from The Glenrothes combines vatting from three vintage casks and finished in an Islay cask. This was a clean, elegant expression that packs a small hint of peat to balance. Interestingly the only online shop we could find selling it was based in NZ!

Colour: Pale straw

Nose: Malty, breakfast cereals; or rather breakfast whisky. There's no peat on the nose though the nose is fun with plenty of jolly lollies.

Palate: The palate is clean and very light, sweet molasses are evident and there is a gentle peat note that fades over time. A light layer of spice lingers.

Finish: Medium though there is a lingering malty sweetness.

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


As the clock hit eight o'clock, David Ligoff of World of Whisky rounded up the troops and called last drams. As we sign off, here are some more photos from the show:

The Sydney Whisky Show is on for this entire weekend. Whether you'll be at the show celebrating World Whisky Day or at home savouring your favourite dram, Happy #WorldWhiskyDay!

Cheers,
Hendy.