Monday, December 21, 2009

Christmas Picks 2009

Christmas Whisky Single Malt
When neighbours' stoops, yards, and windows become aglow in white, red and green, when mangers appear in churches, local parks, and Catholic school playgrounds, when you can hear 15 versions of Silent Night in a single visit to Macy's, you know it's that time again.

Perhaps I will do 8 Drams of Hannukah next year but for now, welcome to the third installment of Dr. Whisky's Christmas Picks (2007, 2008).

In the past, this annual prescription had a consistent UK slant (as that was where I called home
), focusing on supermarket discounts, UK specialist retailers, etc. This year my recommendations will still use my most trusted UK retailers but that UK bias will be slightly diminished as I live in the USA now and spend less time in Sainsbury and Tesco. This year I have been joined in this tradition of whiskevangelism by new arrivals in the whikyverse who can flush out my Christmas casebook:

Jeff at The Scotch Hobbyist recommends stuff HERE.
Matt and Karen at Whisky For Everyone d
o a great job of recommending by flavour HERE.
Lucas and Chris at Edinburgh Whisky blog provide an "ultimate" guide HERE.
John Hansell solicited recommendations from What Does John Know?'s cadre of prolific communicators HERE.

Or if you happen to be reading this from your gold encrusted, diamond studded iPhone from a Virgin Galactic flight, THESE Christmas whiskies might be more up your alley.

My Christmas whisky recommendations have always included best offers and sales, so I will try to do that again.

These guys ship nearly everywhere in the world:

The Whisky Exchange
Ardmore Traditional £20 (from £27)
Benromach 10 £24.50 (from £28.50)
Balvenie 12 DoubleWood £25 (from £29.50)
Dalmore 15 £39.50(from £44)
Glenfarclas 25 £82 (from £87)


Royal Mile Whiskies
Ardmore Traditional £20 (from £26)
Glenfiddich 12 Caoran £25 (from £30)
Glenrothes Select Reserve £27 (from £31)
Tamdhu 18 £35 (from £40)
Glenmorangie Signet £100 (from £110)

Binny's (Chicago but ship nationwide)
Balvenie 17 Madeira Cask $110 (from $130)
Glenfiddich 15 Distillery Edition $45 (from $50)
Glenmorangie Astar $75 (from $80)
Imperial 1994, Gordon & Macphail $64 (from $70)
Sheep Dip 1990 $70 (not money-off deals, but you want this stuff)


and if you can, try to grab Compass Box's Orangerie. It is beautifully packaged and will appeal to those who love OR loathe whisky. Think Drambuie without the sticky.

Whisky Gift Packs

Glenfiddich 15yo ($40/$45USD) - You really can't beat the value on this one. Comes with a 50ml of 18yo and a Glencairn glass (value $12 minimum)

Glenfarclas 15yo (£44) - comes with minis of 'Farclas 21 and 25! Win win!

BEST WHISKY CHRISTMAS GIFTS

Scotch Malt Whisky Society Membership
Joining the Scotch Malt Whisky Society is worthwhile for any malt drinker and would make a wonderful gift that keeps on giving as newletters, bottling lists, and tasting event listings arrive by mail year round. In the UK, there are members rooms in Edinburgh [Leith Vaults (mentioned in a past Dr. Whisky post HERE) and Queen St.] and London (Greville St.) and they are absolutely stunning venues and great spots to entertain guests... or just yourself.

In the USA, the SMWSA is equally wonderful but operates slightly differently. You still reveive mail and have access to an exclusive list of soctiety bottlings, but it is much more a network of friends, bottles, and events that come to you! Twice a year, the SMWSA tours the country hitting larger cities with the best consumer whisky fairs in the country. They never oversell tickets so there is always room to move, good food to eat, and the Shayne family and friends do such a great job (and are such wonderful people), paying membership to be invited to their tasting events is worth every single penny


BOOKS

The Malt Whisky Yearbook 2010
The most recent edition of the annual must-have from Ingvar Ronde, a book full of enough basics to educate the new whisky enthusiast, enough info entertain the casual whisky drinker, and enough detail to satisfy the real whisky nerds among us. Adn once again, it is so up to date it is baffling. Perhaps in Sweden you can publish from the future? As usual, the book includes detailed bios on all operating (and many closed) distilleries, stats and commentary on the year that was, info on websites (including this one), and an absolutely brilliant section of articles with contributions from the usual suspects. Add to that increasingly in-depth coverage of new Scottish distilleries and single malt distilleries from all corners of this whisky-soaked earth.

This easy to transport and easy to read softcover is part magazine, part book, part distillery gui
de, part industry report and ALL amazing reading with brilliant new additions every year. In an time when we all believe the internet exists to answer our every inquiry, when a quick search on our phones can help us instantly settle arguments and win pub quizzes (cheaters!), one book renews our faith in the value of the printed page in the digital age. If I could carry Charlie Maclean around in my pocket then I probably would, but until then, The Malt Whisky Yearbook is the only crib a whisky enthusiast needs.

Whisky and Philosophy: A Small Batch of Spirited Ideas
Not for the casual whisky lover, this collection of essays engages those most deeply engaged with the water of life in all its forms. While that is not to say there might not be a little something for everyone, Whiskey for Everyone is about as geeky as a collection of essays about the epistemology of unicorns or the aesthetics of Klingon language, arts and culture. All that being said, this collection was right up my alley and almost every essay managed to be simultaneously fun, interesting, and academic without taking itself too seriously. In fact, the most obnoxiously earnest pieces in the whole collection were the historical or "what is whisk(e)y" sections rather than the articles entitled "The Phenomenology of Spirits: How Do Whiskeys win Prizes" or, "Women, Whiskey, and Libationa
ry Liberation." As if sticking our noses in glasses with friends and discussing the intricacies of recipe, flavour and history of each dram wasn't nerdy enough, here is a book that takes our boozing habits to the most white collar ivory tower of levels. And what fun it is.

99 Drams of Whiskey: The Accidental Hedonist's Quest for the Perfect Shot and The History of the Drink
A very different read than the above, but by no means less entertaining. Written by a celebrated food columnist and blogger (Accidental Hedonist) Kate Hopkins, 99 Drams is a whirlwind trip through the varied world of whisk(e)y (Irish, Canadian, American, and Scottish). The narrative follows a literal trip to varied countries and distilleries and Hopkins somehow manages to fill every vignette with background facts that never bog down the flow or sacrifice her voice from being anything but one of the excited explorer. Perhaps a bit long-winded at times (just look at the title), 99 Drams does manage to keep your attention as an often laugh out loud travelogue love story between a truly relatable narrator and a spirit that intoxicates protagonist, companion, and reader.

Hope this has been of use.
If you have any whisky questions, do not hesitate to contact Dr. Whisky for a prescription.

And hey, have a safe happy merry.



Thursday, December 10, 2009

Malt Mission 2009 #373

Benromach 10 Tasting Notes Whisky Scotch Blog
Benromach 10yo
Speyside Single Malt Whisky

43% abv
£29

$50

When I was in Scotland in July I was in touch with Ian Chapman at Benromach and after a short volley of emails he very kindly invited me to see their distillery. Upon arrival, I was greeted by Ian, David Urquhart and distillery manager Keith Cruickshank.

It is a very unassuming place, and my hosts suited it perfectly. With just two distillers and only 200,000 litres produced per year, Benromach is the smallest Speyside distillery. After a walk around the distillery and warehouses at a relaxed-pace the lads sat me down for a dram, a coffee, and to willingly subject themselves to my interrogations.

They then presented me with the TOP SECRET box that a few whisky writers and bloggers have mentioned and explained elsewhere online. They were launching their first Benromach 10 year old, that is, the first ten year old whisky made entirely of whisky produced under their ownership and were investing in marketing the spirit in a clever and fun way. The whisky was matured for 9 years in a mixture of ex-bourbon (80%) and ex-sherry (20%) and then spent an additional year in sherry butts.

Gordon & Macphail (the Urquhart family) bought Benromach in 1998, a distillery that had been mothballed in 1993. It was reported recently that G&M's profits were halved last year over the previous. Nonethless, the company has increased investment at Benromach and now it is our responisbility to go out and support them. So do it.

To find out which bottle you want to go buy, see all past Benromach posts HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Rich, weighty, and warming with peat. Wet, water-logged soil sweetened with toffee, vanilla, and honey.

Luscious body, wood, malt, grapes, tobacco, apricots, dried apples, smoke, butterscotch... A mouthful of flavours. Stewed carrots, oatmeal, figs, a tannic grip, pine, carob, asparagus... a very complex array of flavours beautifully balanced.

SUMMARY:

A complex mixture of the whisky flavour wheel: sweet, earthy ,oily, woody, with the estery notes you'd expect from Speyside and the phenolic ones you might not. The Urquharts will proudly remind you that you can find nothing like the Benromach distillery in Speyside and, if true, this dram provides the most appropriate representation of that fact. A truly peerless dram.

I have to say that as a 10 year old Speysider, I don't think this has any parallels and would destroy its category at international spirits awards events (if the judges can fight the urge to continually define Speysiders as sweet, light, and floral whiskies). They can be so much more, they have been so much more, and they ARE so much more.

One of the best new releases, hell, one of the best whiskies, I have had the pleasure of drinking this year. Other opinions HERE and HERE.

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Monday, December 07, 2009

Malt Mission 2009 #372

Bladnoch 8yo Tasting Notes
Bladnoch 8yo
Lowland Single Malt Whisky

46% abv

£36

A first! Dr. Whisky has not yet featured a dram from Bladnoch disti
llery. Well after 370 Malt Missions, it's about fricking time. And appropriate premiere for the distillery as this release is the oldest edition made wholly of spirit produced by the current owners.

Bladnoch had a rocky century since being founded in 1817 by Thomas and John McLelland. Production ceased in 1905, operated intermittently between 1911 and 1937, dismantled in 1941, reopened in the 1950s, came under the ownership of InverHouse distillers in teh 1970s, sold to Arthur Bell & Sons in 1983 and eventually Guiness and United Distillers (the artist eventually known as Diageo) and was mothballed in 1993.

In 1994, Irish developer Raymond Armstrong purchased the distillery buildings (initally as holiday homes for his brother and their wives). Realising the importance of the distillery to the local economy and heritage, Armstrong became determined to get Bladnoch up and running as a distillery again. By December 2000, spirit once again flowed from Scotland's southernmost stills.

Bladnoch is one of the few distilleries that sells casks outside of the industry, ie. to you and your buddies. They are currently filling in to fresh ex-bourbon barrels using their highly peated make (18-22ppm). Click HERE for more info.

On his Bladnoch 8yo post, HERE, Ralfy seems to suggest that the "intrinsic quality" of the spirit is affected by marketing budgets of large companies. Because of this, he says, he favours smaller independent distillers. While I probably agree with his conclusion, I don't follow this logic. Nonethless, I do enjoy following his reviews wherever his rationale rollercoaster takes me. But to suggest that the guys making the liquid at Bladnoch are easier to connect with ("they view you as CUSTOMERS rather than CONSUMERS" paraphrase) than the staff at Glenmorangie or Glenfiddich or Glendullan is a sweeping generalisation and doesn't take into consideration that Bladnoch was operating as a tourist site/museum for years before it went back into production in 2000. That being said, his statement is based in a romantic idealism that is seemingly getting chipped away at more and more every day. The whisky world needs more of Ralfy's rants, Richard Paterson's shameless enthusiasm, and generally more respect rather than the laptop pundits' platitudes about the how the whisky industry is failing us this time, that time, and next time. But I suppose like a new girlfriend, the more we learn about her the more we take her for granted.

Don't know where that came from but there it is. Let's taste!

TASTING NOTES:

Fresh, new makey punch. Lemons, grapefruit, balanced with honey, vanilla, and orchard fruits.

Citric bitterness at first, new make barley sweetness, honey, slight oakiness, pear and apples.

SUMMARY:

Simple, clean, youthful and a good representation of a lowland style.

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Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Malt Mission 2009 #371

Mackmyra Special 03 Tasting Notes
Mackmyra Special : 03
"Small Casks, Big Flavour"

Swedish Single Malt Whisky
48.2% abv
£57

Hi. Haven't seen you since mid-November. How are you? Where are you? I am good, thanks. I am working in south Florida and I am determined to get a few posts our about new/recent releases up starting with this little stunner from Sweden.

Matured in small, specially-made 30-liter casks of ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, and new Swedish oak, the Mackmyra Special:03 promises to be, as the press literature assures me, "what you have been looking for."

Oh, you flirty Swedes...

Speaking of, Swedish whisky lovers have a real love affair with their native single malt with only 10% of Mackmyra's production being exported. But there are plans to increase that number to 50%... perhaps as the Swedish honeymoon period ends?

So yes, they are getting closer to being available in the USA, American readers. Lars tells me "the plan is to have bottles in Manhattan stores before March 2010." First we take Manhattan, then we take... Boston?

For more Mackmyra info and to see all Mackmyra had on the mission, click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Enticing mix of tar, vanilla, caramel and a fine fudge shop on the nose. Freshly baked bread, butterscotch, and juicy raisins. Increasingly complex with each nosing. Wood chips, pine, cinnamon, a chalky element, and a minty aroma in there as well. More, I am sure of it.

White grapes, sultanas, soy beans, and blueberries, all before a dollop of cream and jam. Full body with a luscious mouth feel and a nice bitter grip. Icing sugar, pear, and a driving oak that is simultaneously sweet and spicy. Balanced sweetness and great development sip after sip.

SUMMARY:

Great texture, very pleasant array of balanced flavours, all entirely quaffable even at 48.2% abv. There is certainly a gristy new make element to it, but that by no means works to this whisky's detriment. As much as the whisky geeks of the world stick to the attitude of "oh, the earlier editions were the best," I think I can say with confidence that this is my favourite Mackmyra yet. Truly individual, never jeopardizing the values of traditional whisky making but successfully displaying innovation and a realised vision of a new frontier for single malt whiskies. Excellent stuff.

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Monday, November 16, 2009

Malt Mission 2009 #370

Whiskey Tasting Notes
Honest McGee
"Medicial Elixir"
bot. Oct 31, 2009
Blended American Whiskey
abv% uknown

$¢£ priceless


It's about time that I wrapped up this pentad of American whiskies and what better way to do it than with something terribly unique and wholly unusual. I was intending to feature Parker's latest Heritage release but when Greenback Dollar and Associates handed me this wee bottle of goodness at WhiskyFEST NYC earlier this week I knew that it had to be tasted and shared post haste.

With an attractive matte label of vibrant although muted colours, Honest McGee comes complete with multiple text fonts and sizes, but what the text actually says is what is most intriguing:

"twas when he was serving on the western front of the great war that ol' trenchfoot mcgee first created his corn-based medicinal elixir to soothe the nerves of the allied troops. decades later, his great grandson greenie inherited the recipe and set about honoring his ancestor by bottling the elixir and selling it to rubes at a fair price. hand crafted from a blend of elmer t. lee bourbon, ancient ancient age bourbon, and rittenhouse rye (greenie chose to leave out the trench water), then finished in a cask that once contained alvear carlos VII amontillado, honest mcgee's blended american whiskey is as smooth as a southern gentleman, and as sassy as a southern belle."

Sounds delicious. More HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Grape juice and rich, sweet vanilla notes. Sweet and light with a weighty, oaky backbone. Creme brulee, a touch of sage, and more sweet grape notes like gum or juice powder.

Surprisingly mellow considering it is very likely 45% abv or more, with distinctly toasty characteristics. Raisins, vanillin, and oak strike in a quick, staccato chord of flavour that hints at stawberries, almonds and chocolate but alludes to much more than it actually becomes.

SUMMARY:
Not one to mull over for hours but, man, could I ever make this bottle empty quickly! What it lacks in development it more than makes up for in its drinkability:richness ratio. An interesting drop that takes the flavours of Kentucky into new, grape-soaked dimensions. What could very well have been a dry drop (Ancient Age 10yo + Rittenhouse Rye?) actually becomes a great bourbony bed upon which to let Elmer T Lee show all its sweet fruitiness. Add to that the fact that Greenie takes it all to the next juicy level with the amontillado finish and you have a medicinal elixir worth fighting for. More please?

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Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Malt Mission 2009 #369


Michter's 10yo, GH-1
Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey
47.2% abv
$75 (USD)

"Michter's: the Whiskey that warmed the Revolution."

In 1753, Swiss Menonite farmer John Shenk joined the American tradition of whiskey making and built a farm distillery in Schaefferstown, PA for "local use". Within four generations the family distillery became a commercial venture (apparently on the back of supplying Washington's troops with liquid courage) and was sold.

After prohibition closed the distillery, a confusing web of tales seems to exist that this author tries to untangle, but the story seems to end the same: "sometime around 1991 everyone just up and left." Today, what was the Michter's distillery is a crumbling, weed-overrun site that scarecely looks like it ever produced anything.

The name "Michter's", however, was sold to Chatham Imports who proceeded to revive the brand with great success.

And goddamn it if this isn't just another example of how hard it is to wrap one's head around the world of American whiskey. Can't wait to finish my American "weeks" here on the mission; I don't have time for invesitgative journalism!

There still seems to be plenty of mystery surrounding the Michter's name and history that scholars far more informed on the topic than Dr. Whisky cannot seem to answer. For more info, check out Cowdery's book, click HERE or HERE, or just have a googlygander yourselves. Geneology in the world of American whiskey can be hard to navigate, but is made somewhat easier by this great online resource from Sku, Complete List of American Distilleries and Brands, which tells us who bottles this liquid (KBD), but gives no info on who produces the sauce. Heaven Hill? Other? Anyone have an idea?

Finally, this past weekend we saw the Michter's range on optic at the Roebling Tea Room in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Not something you see very often in this country so I thought it was interesting and that I would share it with you here.

Now, finally, let's taste.

TASTING NOTES:

Whoa. Vegetal, meaty, oraganic and gingery. Some floral notes but the meatiness persists with lamb and peanut butter, ginger again, green peas and/or soy beans. Brown sugar, clay, muddy autumn leaves, and plasticine.

Kale, vinegar and ice cream truck butterscotch. Strachy, bean-y. Perfumy vanilla. Oaky and spicy on the way out.

SUMMARY:

Firm, fun flavours, unusual ones, too, but jaw-splittingly unbalanced. It would be hard to get me to fill another glass, YES even if I added some Bernheim Wheat, rye, vinegar or applesauce. What is the point in trying to make this more appealing to me? Life is too short to drink whisky I don't enjoy and lord knows there is no shortage of fine drops to drink instead.

Now, I have examined other reviews of this and spoken with several friends about their reactions to the whiskey and although it is quite clear that David and I had a very different reaction to this whiskey than the majority of others, I stand by my (our?) opinion and only slightly reluctantly press "publish", esp in light of all the recent Dr bashing.

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Monday, October 19, 2009

Malt Mission 2009 #368


Four Roses Single Barrel
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

TN 85-4L

50% abv

$40 (USD)

Although Wikipedia tells us that Four Roses was possibly named after original founder Rufus Mathewson Rose, his brother and two sons, Four Roses' website tells the story of Paul Jones, Jr., founder of Four Roses, whose love interest accepted his invitation to a grand ball and showed up wearing, as promised, a corsage of 4 red roses. I guess if we whisk(e)y nerds weren't spending all our online time surfing porn and writing vitriolic comments on whisky websites and fora we could remedy the spread of misinformation. But where would be the fun in that?

Four Roses produces 10 different recipes of bourbons out of 5 different yeast strains and two mashbills (one 60% corn, one 75% corn) at their Lawrenceburg, Kentucky-based distillery. While most of their whiskies are made with a mix of each between 2 to 10 of these different bourbons, this Single Barrel is, obviously, I suppose, made using only one.

From 1957, Four Roses bourbon was unavailable in its country of origin with Yellow and Black label being more easily found in Kyoto than Kentucky.

Master Distiller Jim Rutledge continues to make great whisky: 5 stars from F. Paul Pacult, Gold at the ISC, and Best Bourbon (no age statement) WWA 2008. So the verdict is in. What of any significance could my opinion possibly add?

Tasted as a part of a lovely morning session with DS.

TASTING NOTES:

Big and sweet. Luscious candy fruitiness, Bazooka bubble gum, Watermelon Hubba Bubba, Juicy Fruit. Coconut and gorse, even some baby powder with water.

Dry but chewy with basil, mint, caramel. Sweet and light, floral. Cream soda and maple with time and a pleasant slightly bitter and spicy finish.

SUMMARY:

Interesting and tasty drop that kept insisting I stick and re-stick my nose in the glass and revel in its big, sweet, voluptuous vapours. My only complaint (or perhaps oversight on my part) is that there is no indication of which mashbill this cask is made. They have this cool tool on their website but the numbers on the label (TN 85 4L) seem to have no relationship to the spirit codes but rather to the cask and warehouse number. Would be cool to know which spirit is which, esp as it is single barrel, no?

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Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Malt Mission 2009 #367


Bernheim Original
Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey

45% abv

£50
$45(USD)

Keeping the American theme going with a few more drops from whiskEy country up my labcoat sleeve. Sorry if it takes me weeks to pull 'em out.

Typical of American whiskey, the Bernheim story is shrouded in mystery, some confusion, and even a little intentional deceit. The Bernheim website reads, "Brothers Isaac Wolfe and Bernard Bernheim, pioneering German immigrants with little money and big dreams, established a distillery in Louisville, Kentucky in the 19th century. Since that time, the Bernheim distillery has consistently produced whiskeys lauded for their superior taste and quality." The Heaven Hill website reads, "Heaven Hill produces its whiskies at the historic Bernheim Distillery."

Historic? consistently making spirit? The old Bernheim distillery was demolished and the new one was built in 1992. The whisky is distilled at (the new) Bernheim distillery and is matured at Heaven Hill's facilities in Bardstown, Kentucky. The amazing Sku, who helped me clarify some details about this whiskey (and many others over the years), also points out that
this is straight wheat whiskey (>51% wheat), not to "be confused with what in Bourbon lingo is referred to as a "wheater." A wheater is a Bourbon in which the remaining grains, beyond the required corn, contain wheat instead of rye. In a wheater, corn is still the base grain. In wheat whiskey, which is not Bourbon, wheat is the base grain.

Thank you, my west coast malt loving brother!

Tasted with an east coast malt loving brother, David Stewart (no, not that one. Or that one).

TASTING NOTES:

Perfumy, aromatic, like hot tea. Vanilla, chamomile, and fresh mint. Simple and clean with a gentle spice beneath the sweet surface.

Very soft in the mouth, verging on bland. Not much of note happening here. Hmm... Late notes of bread, baguette and then... fin

SUMMARY:

In tasting this with DS, we were both speechless for no other reason than there was next to nothing to say about the flavours in this drop. Light? Clean? Yes, but also boring and inconsequential. Although unique in the world of American whiskey, I think Greenore provides a parallel but this drop doesn't come close to the complexities of oak influence in texture and flavour found in its Irish comparison.

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Saturday, September 26, 2009

The Man Who Walked Around the World




Just before setting off to Scotland, friend and colleague
Andrew Weir sent me a link to the new Johnnie Walker short film/ad "The Man Who Walked Around the World."

When I first viewed it, there had been 3000 views. There have now been 130,000, I believe the viral will continue to spread, and I feel no shame in sharing the contagion. Oh wait a sec, this one has subtitles. Ha. The one Andy sent me did not. Anyways... Will use this one for those of you who don't speak English, or those who do but cannae speak Scottish.

The video came up over conversation in the Highlander Inn, with a group of visitors to Glenfiddich Distillery, with members of The Edinburgh University Water of Life Society, and over several drops of Grant's 12yo with Robert Hill and David Stewart in the heart of Speyside. We all had different opinions and thoughts. Naturally. And thank god.

What are yours?

Sunday, September 20, 2009

On Scottish Soil


In Scotland again and it feels great.

Landed to beautiful weather, good friends, and a killer curry at Kebab Mahal

Walked into an OddBins and a Tesco to take note of the increases of whisky prices across the board since leaving the UK a year and a half ago. Everything is about six pounds more than when I was last living here.

The pubs are still where I left them.

Tomorrow I hope to pop in on the lads at Royal Mile Whiskies in the AM before heading up to Dufftown to spend some quality time at Glenfiddich and Balvenie distilleries and hopefully include a visit with the good folks at Duncan Taylor. I am sure I will get up to some more nonsense before heading back to my home, kjaerste, and bed in Brooklyn on Friday. Unlikely it will include another Malt Mission, but I do plan to down a few while over here.

Have a great week, wherever you are.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Malt Mission 2009 #366


Stranahan's
Straight Rocky Mountain Whiskey
batch 32, 11/22/06

47% abv

$55


As promised, here come some more world whiskies, starting with this sweet drop from firefighter/booze-lover partners Jess Gerber and George Stranahan. Using Rocky Mountain water and Rocky mountain barley, 80% from within Colorado, Stranahan's holds fast to the belief that the quality of the sources of their natural ingredients separate them from the rest of the whiskey-making world.

First bottled in April 2006, Stranahan's remains a truly small-batch operation with about 60,000 bottles released per annum. And, so far as I can tell, Stranahan's is a single malt in that it is made from barley exclusively. Sku's Recent Eats confirms this with his complete list of American Whisky Distilleries and Brands, the only one of its kind online, I believe. Thanks for the resource, Sku.

Now let's taste.

TASTING NOTES:

Delicious butterscotch sweetness. Cedar, oak, banana chips and other dried fruit.

Big vanilla bearhug, woody, apple-y, and mildly spicy. Quick sweet finish encourages another sip. Or serving.

SUMMARY:

Simple and simply wonderful. Quaffable, sweet, and balanced whiskey, although nothing distinctly single malt about it. It shares features more with American-style whiskey. And that's no criticism.

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Sunday, September 06, 2009

Malt Mission 2009 #365


Armorik Whisky Breton
Single Malt Whisky

40% abv

£28

$50(USD)


It's taken me a heck of a long time to finish this "week" of world/non-Scotch whiskies here on this whisky/whiskey blog, or as a friend called it, Dr. Whisky's Casebook. And I think we are going to try another five world whiskies at the encouragement of a reader who challenged me to uphold my promise now that I live in the Etats Unis and taste more American spirit.

This drop is from France and is distilled at the Warenghem Distillery in Lannion, Brittany. Like
stinky cheese, pâté, cornichons, and the baguette, Scotch whisky is ubiquitous in the French pantry. Still the worlds leading importer of Scotch whisky, France chugs back nearly 13 million cases of the liquid gold per annum, and the Cognac producers shake their heads in defeat and say, "c'est dommage."

Released in 1999, Amorik is widely available in France and has limited availablilty in the rest Europe, although I have seen it popping up in new places, most recently at Binny's in Chicago/Chicago/Chicago.

TASTING NOTES:

Vanilla and wine. Greasy, tarry, shoe polish, a savoury saltiness, like bouillon, with a light floral perfumy character throughout.

Dry and dusty, mossy, too, with a caramel apple-laden lift. Perhaps some ginger powder. Simple and light.

SUMMARY:

For origin and flavour, this is truly unusual stuff with more than just novelty appeal, and although I cannot think of ever coming home and saying, "man, I could really go for a drop of that Breton malt," I would keep a bottle on the shelf. But I am a fricking nerd.

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Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Malt Mission 2009 #364


Mackmyra Special '01
'Eminent Sherry'
Swedish SIngle Malt Whisky
51.6% abv
£80 (plus)


Not only a pioneer in Swedish whisky making but in whisky making across Europe, and indeed the world, the first Swedish whisky distillery spawned another in Spirit of Hven (2007) and inspired a look-alike bottle from Stauning in Denmark. But there are malt distilleries across mainland Europe, in France, Finland, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany...

And outside of Scotland, the best named distillery has got to be Gold Cock Distillery in Czech Republic. Become a friend of the Gold Cock today! Seriously.

In description of this 2008 limited release matured in ex-sherry barrels, the clean and easy to navigate Mackmyra website reads, "a cold winter's evening, crackling fire and good company to share the moment with. It is for moments this such as this that we have created Eminent Sherry. A taste that lasts a long time." As we all know, a long-lasting taste is only a positive feature so long as the taste is good.

For more distillery info and to see all Mackmyra had on the malt mission, click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Cocoa, vanilla beans, chocolate brownies, celery salt, figs, and butterscotch. Gala apples emerge with teh addition of water, raisins, and a nice oaky creaminess throughout.

Raisin fruitiness, oak, and extremely drinkable at this higher strength. Water increases the fruity sweetness and the finish is woody and mineral-y.

SUMMARY:

Impressive, and although showing signs of youth there is nothing immature about it. A very tasty, interesting, and satisfying drop. Mackmyra continues to impress, but your pay for the privilege of proof.

Malt Mission #361
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Monday, August 24, 2009

Malt Mission 2009 #363

Mackmyra First Edition
Mackmyra 1st Edition
Swedish Single Malt Whisky
46.1% abv
£50

$85 (USD)


Mackmyra is a small success story from an adorable wee distillery 2 hours north of Stockholm and this is their "first edition", an expression that followed the experimental, popular, and critically acclaimed Preludium series.

Released in June 2008, Mackmyra First Edition is matured in a variety of casks: about 50% first-fill bourbon, 45% smaller 100-litre oak casks, and about 5% Swedish oak casks, all matured in a mine 50 metres underground.

For more distillery info or to see all Mackmyra had on Dr. Whisky's Malt Mission, click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Light estery fruitiness with dense vanilla overtones. Creamy, oaky, but youthful. Lemony labne. Some rose water, floral notes, and a persistent vanilla/custardy sweetness that is deeply appealing.

Sweet and light, peaches, watermelon rind, and lychee fruit. Some parsley and basil. Creamy on the palate as well, yogurty. Grainy with notes of granola or other cereals. Vanilla again, like waffle cones, in the finish.

SUMMARY:

A deLIGHTful treat. Sweet, light, aperitif style whisky with a solid oak backbone. Water reveals new make-y notes that implicates the whisky's age, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. Spritely, estery, and exciting whisky from an increasingly exciting distillery.

Malt Mission #361
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Monday, August 17, 2009

Malt Mission 2009 #362


Antiquity Rare
Premium Indian Whisky
42.8% abv

$20 (USD)


From the spirits stable of Vijay Mallya's United Spirts Ltd (UB Group), Antiquity is a high end Indian whisky and is among the most expensive domestic spirits on the market.

Now, I should probably be putting "whisky" in quotation marks as the SWA, EU and WTO consider whisky "an alcoholic beverage distilled from a fermented grain mash" and 90% of all Indian whisky (this one included) is made with molasses-based spirit, thus not really "whisky" at all. Nonetheless, all over this label one finds the words "malt" and "whisky", among other authenticating descriptors like "finest", "royal lineage", "matured oak casks" and "traditional copper stills." However, although there are no clues on the box, it does clearly state on the bottle "Distilled from Sugar Cane Molasses. 19% matured malt and vatted malt spirit, 3 years old."

Antique, indeed.

In May, 2007 Mallya bought Whyte & Mackay thus securing a supply of Scotch whisky for his 'whiskies' and, in combination with his substantial press draw as the showy, jewellery-laden Indian billionaire playboy, the acquisition afforded him some lobbying power within the whisky world. So far, he has promoted no great ideas and has cut 100 Scotland-based jobs within Whyte & Mackay.

For an SWA-approved Indian whisky had on the mission, click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Sweet, with and industrial core. Grape juice and apple juice, vodka, balsa wood, glue, corn syrup, metal, motor oil, and white wine can all be detected. Strange brew.

Smoky, plastic, brasso. Pistachio and oil paints, glue, apple sauce and something reminiscent of a smoker's car. Dandelion bitterness. Oak. Starts much better than it ends.

SUMMARY:

Odd stuff, no surpise there, but actually tasted much better than expected.
I chose to sip it more than a few times and although the initial taste was actually quite pleasant, I grew to regret the decision every time.

Crazy, and inexplicable abv%. Any explanations or hypothoses welcome.

Malt Mission #361
Malt Mission #363
Malt Mission #364
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Friday, August 14, 2009

Malt Mission 2009 #361

Old Weller Antique
Old Weller Antique
"The Original 107 Brand"
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

53.5% abv
£25
$23


Fuck Scotch. There, I said it.

And you have ALL been thinking it. And typing it all over the world wide interweave. You know you have.

Fuck Scotch.
Say it!
Doesn't that feel good?

Money grubbing capitalists colouring their computer-produced imported barley spirit shit brown, pumping it into bell-shaped/square/triangular/crystal bottles (that POISON us!) and then increasing their carbon footprints by shipping it all over this blessed, otherwise perfect world, and selling it at a premium to noveau riche wankers from India to Indiana. Disgusting. How dare they?

Fuck fucking Scotch.
Yup.
THAT JUST HAPPENED.

1000 whisky jobs lost in Scotland last month, $16,000 dollar new releases, $18,000 bottles at auction, and mutually masterbatory awards and festivals where these whisky makers (read "venture capitalists") congratulate themselves to the point of orgasm, then bottle it and call their new make "the spirit drink that dare not speak its name." Well sirs, we do not swallow your lies. We spit.

Fuck Scotch.
Let's have a stretch of non-Scotch whiskies here on the Malt Mission.

Here's a 'wheated' bourbon from the good people at Buffalo Trace. And, as the faux-vintage label so eloquently says, this stuff is "7 summers old".

TASTING NOTES:

Full of vegetables and bitter oak. Parsnip, tomatoes, celery salt. Maraschino cherry. Starchy, brown sugar sweetness and raw corn.

Apple crumble, vanilla, boiled potatoes. Kicks my ass when I swallow it. baBang! Spicy. Cinnamon, some vanilla and maple syrup, but jeebus... Cutting it brings out pecans, more apples, and a warming butterscotch flavour. Oak drives the finish and, believe it or not, I reach for my glass again and again until it is dry.

SUMMARY:

Okay, maybe don't "fuck scotch" so soon.

Seriously, though, this liquid can take an insult and throw it right back in your face. Yes, this bourbon bites back. Alcohol with attitude. Definite bang for buck cuz I been banged up good.


Malt Mission #360
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Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Malt Mission 2009 #360

Port Askaig 17 25 Sukhinder Whisky Exchange
Just back from a week of whisky peddling in Florida. Yes, whisky. In Florida. In August. Amazing.

I have done this before (Malt Mission #62, Malt Mission #308, North American Adventure #5) and I am going to do it again. I am going to taste two drams in one malt mission. It just makes sense in this case. And I am on the road again all next week so the doctor has got to see as many patients as possible while in the office.

Both of these puppies are from Sukhinder and Rajbir Singh's Speciality Drinks/The Whisky Exchange and the first thing that must be said is that the packaging is fabulous. Each of these drops are vattings of dozens of casks and are intended to last a full calendar year in market. Released in April 2009, it is reported that these drops will be joined by a 30yo in the coming months. Probably good as the 25yo is already all sold out.

Port Askaig is, well, a port on the Sound of Islay half way up the east coast of the island where one can grab a CalMac ferry to the mainland or over to Jura. While the town itself has no distillery, it is nearest Caol Ila and then Bunnahabhain.

Port Askaig 17yo
Islay Single Malt Whisky
45.8% abv

£50


TASTING NOTES:

Sweet smoke, citrus bubblegum, ginger, vanilla and shortbread.

Coal, grapefruit, more bubblegum, and increasing ashiness. Salmon. Some more citrus, bitter like peels, then Apple sweetness and some pepper add to the ever-present smokiness.

SUMMARY:

Just back from Florida and I find a glass full of citrus. Nice. Loved the nose, maintaining a youthful character among some signs of age. A chewy drop for those that enjoy their peat with plenty of orange, grapefruit, and agave nectar sweetness to keep things interesting. Not overbearingly phenolic, but relentless in its smoky grip.

Port Askaig 25yo
Islay Single Malt Whisky

45.8% abv
£75

TASTING NOTES:

Sour lemon candy, sweet vanilla, roast chicken, very ripe canteloupe, boiled white rice, and a gently smoky, wood driven core.

Sprite, tar, hickory, salmon. Upon swallowing, oak impressions expand and grow increasingly drying. White grapes, magic marker, and raw potato flavours are all found in the long, woody finish.

SUMMARY:

Blind, one would be hard pressed to guess just how old this drop might be and rather than adding rich creamy tannins we often find after 20+ years, this drop remains fruity, tight, and dry.

OVERALL:

To be fair, neither of these are overly complex drams for extensive nosing, tasting and revisiting. These drops are for dramming, and dramming ye shall do. For £75, you really can't beat the price for a 25 year old whisky, but I would probably prefer to spend my money on the 17yo for flavour. But what do I know? The 25yo is already sold out so let the marketplace be the judge.

Malt Mission #356
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Monday, August 10, 2009

Malt Mission 2009 #359

Laphroaig 18 Tasting Notes
Laphroaig 18yo
Islay Single Malt Whisky
48% abv
£64
$95 (USD)

Replacing the Laphroaig 15yo in April of this year, Laphroaig 18yo has already found avid followers even while attracting the increasingly tired complaint that "whisky is expensive."
Probably doesn't help that when this bottle was announced the suggested price was about £10/$20 less than what it currently fetches on shelves around the world. But with only 7500 cases of this stuff produced per year and demand quite high, I imagine the unforseen inflation is simply the market's natural response. A shame it doesn't really work the other way.

See my whisky blogging brothers' reviews at Edinburgh Whisky Blog, TWEBlog,
Whisky for Everyone, and WhiskyFun.

Recent Laphroaig releases have been taking the iconic label in slightly new direction and this one St. Patrick's Day feel on the tube, no?

John Hansell has some words on when it will arrive in the USA HERE.

For more distillery info or to see all Laphroaigs had on the mission, click HERE. Big thanks to GS for sharing the drop.

TASTING NOTES:

Sweet, creamy, and spicy. Toffee, vanilla, some melon, dried apricots, and a warming smokiness with an extra little whiff of burnt cardboard. Sooty. Fresh overall impression weighted by smoke and a permeating sweetness.

Slap of peat smoke with some grassy characteristics. Honey, Nutella, and toast cooked above a smoldering campfire. Great oily texture as it fades with all the coal and iodine one might expect.

SUMMARY:

No big surprises here. Sweet and smoky, aged and balanced. Quaffable even at 48% abv, and this should be enjoyed in big sips. A great addition to the standard range that will not disappoint the FOL anoraks and might even recruit a few more fans
to the iconic distillery .

Malt Mission #356
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Friday, July 31, 2009

Malt Mission 2009 #358

Balvenie 17 Islay Cask
Balvenie 17yo Islay Cask
Speyside Single Malt Whisky

43% abv

$£ varies


Okay, not technically an Islay whisky, but as a part of an Islay-themed week here on the Malt Mission I thought I had better get some notes for this drop out there while I can as I am fortunate enough to have a near empty bottle sitting in my living room.

Originally released in 2001, The Balvenie 17yo Islay Cask was the first of a string of 17 year old experiments from Balvenie Malt Master, David Stewart. It would be 4 years before the next in the series was released, just enough time for this drop to generate a sort of cult following and for all available bottles to be snapped up. It wasn't until the 2007 release of The Balvenie 17yo Sherry Cask that interest in the 17yo series from Balvenie really began to simmer again. The polarized responses to 2008's 17yo Rum Cask only continued this interest and with this year's 17yo Madiera Cask (available in September) already receiving whisky-nerd online buzz, I know I better stock our stalls at whisky fairs with a few extra bottles.

This seems a good time to remind folks that I do work for William Grant & Sons, family distillers and owners of The Balvenie. To some readers I am perhaps no longer 'independent,' John Glaser gave me a big drunk hug when I took this position 15 months ago and said "sellout" in my ear, but I have done everything possible (and been allowed by my employer to do everything possible) to keep Dr. Whisky independent and free to express honest opinions of our own and competitors' whiskies. And I feel that I do. But I leave that verdict to you, I just thought it fair to remind you that I work for this whisky company.

That being said, as a whisky lover I have collected all of the Balvenie 17yo variants (before and after I began work with WGS) and have always respected the distillery as one of Speyside's, indeed, Scotland's best. This Islay Cask that Michael Jackson called "a picnic on the cliffs... reminiscent of the days Speysiders were peatier," won me over back in 2004 and is similar in concept to another whisky from William Grant & Sons tasted back at Malt Mission #177.

For more distillery info and to see all Balvenies had on the mission, click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Sweet, vegetal, oaky, and intriguing. Yellow plums, fresh corn, soy beans, salted butter, and cigarette filters.

Palate hints more at this drop's heritage with depth of age, creamy oak and luscious honey. Jammy and buttery before bursting with a puff of smoke and confusing the heck out of you. Endless finish of fresh fruits, cooked parsnip sweetness, and chimney smoke all in elegant harmony.

SUMMARY:

Not immensely complex, but a true drinking delight. An experiment that went right, as far as I am concerned. Beautiful whisky whose origin would puzzle even the most experienced malthead as s/he happily drinks the stuff. Yet more evidence of what an intergral part the casks (and their previous occupants) play in the final character of a given whisky. I have had similar Balvenies in the Single Barrel 15yo line that must have been filled into ex-Islay casks. Too bad it is nearly impossible to find this bottling anymore. Casks like this (ex-Islay) are in the system everywhere tho and I look forward to Balvenie, or any other typically unpeated-style distillery, releasing more of these onto the world.

Malt Mission #356
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Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Malt Mission 2009 #357

Ardbeg 17 year old
Ardbeg 17yo
Islay Single Malt Whisky
43% abv
$£ variable

Ardbeg 17yo was a whisky revered by whisky lovers everywhere, a phenomenon that only increased when it was discontinued. Subsequent releases have satisfied the mourners, but Ardbeg 17 remains a malt martyr.

Have a bottle? Don't open it! I found a few of these bottles for their original prices (in USD) when I first moved over here. I now notice that The Whisky Exchange is asking £200 for a bottle. Wow. Our bottles will taste even better knowing that they are worth over 5 times what I paid for them. Cheers to that!

For all more distillery info or to see all Ardbeg had on the Malt Mission, click HERE.

TASTING NOTES:

Soft and seaweedy, a vanilla and malt interplay that reminds of oatmeal cookies. Cereal notes with boiled kale and smoked gouda.

Soft again, sweet and oily. Some banana and applesauce before a dark and heavy weight of peat upon swallowing. Brightens up with some lemon but all the while maintaining that gentle rumble of peat smoke. Shorter finish than might be expected but typical Ardbeg length with that unique peatiness sticking around for ages.

SUMMARY:

Toronto Islands (Centre Island, to be precise), south shore. Most readers will not get that reference, but this Ardbeg is like finding a secluded spot near the city to enjoy the sunset not quite in silence, but seemingly so with the out-of-sight-out-of-mind phenomenon; you can still hear the hum of the metropolis but nothing you can see or smell or taste would indicate that it was, all the while, lurking behind you.

Not the big bad Ardbeg one might imagine, but at no point NOT Ardbeg. Elegant, wonderful, beautifully restrained stuff.

Malt Mission #356
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Monday, July 27, 2009

Malt Mission 2009 #356

Bowmore Maltmen's Edition
Bowmore Maltmen's Edition
Craftman's Choice

Islay Single Malt Whisky
54.6% abv

£150


I think I will do another string of Islay whiskies this "week" on the Malt Mission. I tasted many incredible drops while on Islay earlier this month but unfortunately I am quite anal about having a controlled environment for tasting if I intend to post them on this blog so I took very few notes. This is one I visited twice however, thanks to the kindness of Eddie and the ladies at the visitor centre. Thank you for your hospitality!

Bowmore is one of the last distilleries to still have a traditional floor maltings and one of only 6 (Balvenie, Bowmore, Highland Park, Kilchoman, Laphroaig and Springbank) to still use it for producing about 20% of it's malted barley needs. The malting process takes 5 days from steeping to kilning so the maltmen selected 5 casks to be vatted and bottled as their choice. The casks are all from 1995 producing a 13 year old malt whisky.

TASTING NOTES:

Canned fruit, prunes, plums, dry tobacco and grape juice. Sherry. Apple tobacco in a hookah.

Beachy. Sandy and salty with suntan lotion, jojoba, cocoa butter, papaya and banana. Spice comes through, too, with orange zest, cloves, and a hickory smokiness that sets the whole thing down on a bbq for dinner.

SUMMARY:

Rich, sweet, and beautiful. A very enjoyable drop that maintains the natural Bowmore characteristics while allowing the sherry influences to take the flavours in exciting new directions.

Malt Mission #355
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Friday, July 24, 2009

Malt Mission 2009 #355

Bruichladdich 2001
The Resurrection Dram
46% abv
£35
$80 (USD)

Launched in November 2008, the Bruichladdich Resurrection Dram is sure to stand out on your whisky shelf. Do not stare directly at the bottle (or canister) for more than two seconds.

Called the "resurrection dram" because it is made up of the first spirit produced after re-opening under new ownership in 2001, this is a limited release of 24,000 bottles and is a slightly peatier version of typical Bruichladdich (10ppm).

The distillery notes say "In 2001 when BDC started distilling Bruichladdich at first the peated malt BDC could secure was 10ppm which BDC distilled for part of 2001 until it could procure the traditional specification of 3 to 5 ppm for Bruichladdich. This release has been selected 100% from the 10ppm distillation and therefore makes this quite a rare bottling , and may never be repeated as most of the 2001 vintage has been or is being used in the multi vintage bottlings (3D series , Infinity , Rocks , Waves and Peat)"

Good responses to this bottling from the always reliable Whisky Notes can be found
HERE. Another report from the over-prolific Ralfy HERE. If you can watch more than 3 of his Whisky Review videos and not feel, well ralfy, then I will send you a bottle of whisky. Seriously! Although the muck up at Loch Fyne is absolutely classic, my fave is the one at Glen Gyle where poor Pete Currie has to patiently put up with this self-important whisky nerd with a tripod in his face. Watch for the eye-roll in Part 2, "So, so we'll just carry on..." Amazing.

At least the guy has links on his site... to himself. (*note- in the months following this post, Ralfy added external links. An extensive and valuable list, but I can't shake the feeling that he may have missed one...)

For more distillery info and for all Bruichladdich had on the Malt Mission, click
HERE.

Tasted with AW and AF.

TASTING NOTES:

Fresh berries, strawberry cream tarts, honey on toast, cake mix. Lightly fudgy and sweet, with milk chocolate and a floral (violet-y) peat. More suggestion of fruits, perhaps tropical, or dried ginger and apricot with a chlorinated whiff of smoke.

Choco biscuit, wafers, fresh fruits like red grapes and plums, synthetic fruit like bubble gum(Juicy fruits) or shampoo. A gentle spice increases with a slight bitterness of unripe fruitskins.

SUMMARY:

Let is get some air before jumping in to your glass and you will be rewarded. It has to be said that first impressions were not great (baby sick, grape skins, wet dog) but after time we all were throwing out “this is like a lollipop”, “immensely fruity”, and "wonderful to nose”. A complex dram for such a young age (7 years). The fruitier, more typical (whatever that means with a distillery that has releases 40 bottlings per annum) Bruichladdich aromas were there, just buried under an old-school smoke, similar to Brora, that added a farmy element to be loved by some and loathed by others. Just like the stark bottling design.

Malt Mission #351
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