April 2011

Balvenie 12 yo Signature

April 30, 2011
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Not as fruity as the Double Wood, the second entry level bottling of Balvenie is more on the sweet and spicy side. It’s an enjoyable dram, but I prefer the former. – Rating: 82/100

Tormore 12 yo

April 27, 2011
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The standard Tormore bottling lacks in depth and is not really more enjoyable than a decent blend of the same age. – Rating: 70/100

Whyte & Mackay Special

April 26, 2011
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The Special is a decent enough entry level blend. It’s alright for sipping alongside a pint, but its taste profile is fairly simple – Rating: 66/100

Speyburn 1980/2006 Signatory

April 23, 2011
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This malt is a good example of what happens when a malt is left for a long time in a nearly incative cask. Random flavour notes appear that seem to have no connection. It can work, but it can also fail. The latter is true here. – Rating: 72/100

Eagle Rare 10 yo

April 22, 2011
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A massive bourbon nose is supported by a strong and dry palate. This whiskey proudly shows its age. It is quite dry and mildy spicy but not overly woody. – Rating: 85/100

The Black Fungus Conspiracy

April 22, 2011
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You would think that Scottish distillers know what’s going on in and around their distilleries. But anything happening beyond the distillery grounds seems to remain a mystery for them.

Tamnavulin 16 yo Master Of Malt

April 21, 2011
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Showing similar cereal aromas as the original 12 yo bottling, this malt plays in a higher league. It is quite richly flavoured, but the spices are a bit too dominant for me. – Rating: 81/100

Inchgower 14 yo Flora & Fauna

April 16, 2011
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This malt needs some time to open up. It has rather subtle aromas, actually a little too subtle for my taste. – Rating: 78/100

Glenglassaugh 1972/2010 Germany Exclusive

April 15, 2011
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If you like Black Forest cake, this is your whisky! The cherry and chocolate notes ot this malt are simply amazing, the floral hints are restricted to the nose. Mouthfeel is rich and creamy. – Rating: 91/100

Kilbeggan 18 yo

April 14, 2011
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The Kilbeggan 18 is an excellent blend that with its rather strong vanilla notes even bears some resemblance to a bourbon, but with a smoothness that sets it apart from the former. – Rating: 86/100

Caol Ila Moch

April 13, 2011
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This Caol Ila is more gentle than the standard 12 yo, but it is far from being bland and boring. It is a nice introduction to the world of peated whisky, but it is not easy to find in some markets. – Rating: 83/100

Springbank 12 yo Cask Strength

April 12, 2011
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I was told it was sulphured, but I found a very pleasant and typical Springbank. The combination of spice and citrus fruit with gentle smoke in a maritime setting is much to my liking. – Rating: 86/100

Glenmorangie Pride 1981 – Does Price Matter?

April 12, 2011

Looking for that special whisky gift? Here is the Glenmorangie Pride 1981. A 28 year old single malt with an extremely tight limitation of 1000 bottles very affordably priced at only €2750.

Nikka From The Barrel

April 11, 2011
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This is a very high quality blend with a stunning density of flavours and an emphasis on sherry. The affordable price makes it a very good deal. Rating: 87/100

International Whisky Competition 2011 – Chaos in Chicago

April 11, 2011

“The International Whisky Competition is the premium whisky competition in the world.” So the website of the competition proudly states. Bold words indeed from the newcomer who entered the ever-growing award and competition circuit in 2010.

Longrow 14 yo Sherry Cask Finish

April 7, 2011
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The sherry has mellowed out the peatiness of the Longrow a bit. The result is a stunning and well-balanced dram that perfectly combines fruitiness with smoke. – Rating: 89/100

Arran Madeira Cask

April 6, 2011
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Especially the nose is very madeira-like, the palate is both sweet and rather spicy. A very dominant finish that may be a bit too hefty for some, but I quite like it. – Rating: 82/100

Girvan 1990/2010 Clan Denny

April 5, 2011
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Even after twenty years in the cask, the grain whisky has retained some of its bite. The wood adds quite a bit of spiciness to that. Remarkably un-fruity for a grain but quite enjoyable. – Rating: 83/100

Sazerac 18 yo 2010 Release

April 4, 2011
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The mix of fruit, exotic spices and dry wood flavours in this rye is excellent. The age is well noticeable, but the spirit is so rich it has no problems to deal with it. – Rating: 88/100

The Last Drops

April 4, 2011
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Many whisky geeks have a Living Bottle that they use for blending experiments. I decided to adapt the concept by filling my sample remnants into a Living Sample Bottle.

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