September 2010

Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban

September 30, 2010
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The nose is a bit shy, but on the palate this whisky delivers a lot of interesting aromas. Quite smooth and creamy at 46% but a few drops of water bring out even more flavours. – Rating: 85/100

Whisky People #5 – Joshua Hatton

September 29, 2010
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Year of Birth: 1973
Place of Residence: Guilford, CT, USA
Profession: Sales and Marketing Manager
Whisky Involvement: Society president, blogger

Glen Keith 1995/2009 Dun Bheagan

September 28, 2010

Quite a pleasant malt from a closed distillery. It has quite a bit going on on the palate but is approachable enough to serve as a relaxing dram just for sipping away. – Rating: 84/100

Old Pulteney 1991/2006

September 27, 2010

Very complex and very well balanced. This is a highly enjoyable malt that can be sipped drop by drop. There is a minimal bitterness but it’s not disturbing in any way. – Rating: 87/100

Bruichladdich 1992 Sherry Edition Pedro Ximenez

September 26, 2010
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The colour suggests a sherry monster, but already the nose is lacking depth. You can well taste the PX sherry but the whisky seems to be missing. A failed attempt to save an inferior cask with a strong finish. – Rating: 73/100

Bowmore 1996/2009 Murray McDavid

September 25, 2010

A finish well done and not too overpowering. The fruity notes of the famous Pomerol mix quite well with the suprisingly strong peatiness of the Bowmore malt. – Rating: 83/100

Auchroisk 1993 Gordon & Macphail

September 24, 2010
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This malt reminds my a little of the infamous durian fruit that can also give you a good whiff of cheese. But in fact I quite like it, just as I like durian. – Rating: 80/100

Dramming With the Malt Whisky Yearbook 2011

September 24, 2010
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Imagine my surprise when Ingvar Ronde contacted me to tell me that dramming.com would be mentioned in the 2011 edition of his Malt Whisky Yearbook. Needless to say that I feel very honoured to be included in this important book.

Whisky Recipe: Ardbeg Gravlax

September 22, 2010
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To create a bit of a cross between gravlax and smoked salmon I had the idea of adding smoky whisky to the curing ingredients. I think the comparatively light-bodied and fresh character of Ardbeg is the perfect match for the salmon.

Macallan SMWS 24.111

September 21, 2010

A quite unusual but very enjoyable Macallan most probably from a Fino sherry cask. The richness in aromatic spice flavours is well balanced with fresh citrus notes. – Rating: 85/100

Bain’s Single Grain 5 yo

September 20, 2010

At five years of age, this grain whisky has not yet lost all of its harsheness but there is already a quite remarkable variety of enjoyable flavours. With longer maturation it should have the potential to match any fine old Scotch single grain. – Rating: 75/100

Strathisla 30 yo Gordon & Macphail

September 19, 2010
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The terrific sherry nose is almost matched by the very complex palate. But 43% ABV just a little too weak fo this malt. Rather dry but not overly woody for its high age. – Rating: 88/100

Whisky People #4 – Erik Burgess

September 18, 2010
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Year of Birth: 1966
Place of Birth: Tauranga, New Zealand
Place of Residence: Blantyre, Scotland
Profession: Cost controller in a hotel
Whisky Involvement: Whisky club member

Abhainn Dearg Spirit of Lewis

September 17, 2010

Like many newmakes this reminds me more of a fruit brandy than a whisky. It is actually quite sippable, if you don’t expect a peaty island malt. It is certain is worth watching its maturation progress. – Rating: 64/100

Speyside 1995/2009 “Der Whisky”

September 16, 2010

A very nice fruity malt that can take (and needs) quite a bit of water. In a way both smooth and spicy at the same time. This forum bottling is a dramatic improvement from previous year’s Glen Spey. – Rating: 84/100

6 Things That Shouldn’t be Done To Haggis

September 15, 2010
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I love haggis. Yes, I admit it, and I’m not even Scottish. But I only love the real thing. But the traditional haggis is under perpetual threat from many directions. Here is a selection of what people have done to the national dish of Scotland:

Glen Spey 1996/2008 “Der Whisky”

September 14, 2010

The extremely pale colour hints to an inactive cask. In fact it was a dead one. Don’t bother. – Rating: 55/100

Whisky Myths Debunked #5 – Scotch is Smoky

September 14, 2010
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In many articles about whisky you can find statements like “The difference between Scotch an bourbon is that Scotch tastes smoky”. This is a generalization that is simply not correct.

Glen Flagler “Pure Malt”

September 13, 2010

This malt is rather fragile and light-bodied, it needs a little water and quite some time to open up. It is a quite complex whisky but in a very subdued way. A very good aperitive when you have enough time to enjoy it. – Rating: 84/100

Dallas Dhu 1975/2005 Duncan Taylor

September 12, 2010

A marvelous dram rich of flavours and full of complexity. Fruitiness and spicyness are perfectly balanced, the flavours are interwoven very tightly so it is hard to pick anything that stands out. – Rating: 92/100 – Price Tag $$$$$

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