May 2011

Benriach 21 yo “Authenticus”

May 31, 2011
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The peated nature of this malt becomes only obvious on the palate. It is a slightly waxy, full bodied and complex dram. – Score: 85/100

Benriach 15 yo “Solstice”

May 30, 2011
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A rich and complex malt with a well-done finish that is just strong enough not to overwpower the spirit. – Score: 85/100

Benriach 12 yo “Horizons”

May 30, 2011
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The nose is a bit disappointing, but the whisky is nice and smooth on the palate. The sherry adds some depth. – Score: 81/100

Miltonduff 1969/2010 Gordon & MacPhail

May 29, 2011
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This is an excellent light bodied sherry monster with a lot of flavours and just enough wood to make it even richer. It’s a pity that there are so no original bottlings of this distillery anymore. – Score: 88/100

Grant’s 18 yo

May 29, 2011
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The port finish adds a fruity touch to this blend that nicely complenents the driness contributed by the wood. But despite the old age there is still a slight harshness to be noticed. – Score: 80/100

Longmorn 16 yo

May 28, 2011
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Noticeably better than the version I tasted in 2009 and also quite different. The flavour profile is a bit unusual but this is quite a pleasant dram. – Score: 84/100

Craigellachie 12 yo Cask Sample

May 28, 2011

It is very difficult to pick out specific aromas on the palate. The whisky has a waxy and foll-bodied character but the rather odd flavours are probably not to everyone’s liking. – Rating: 79/100

Imperial 1998/2009 Signatory

May 27, 2011

A nice and fruity Speysider of the “easy sipping” category, quite enjoyable but not overly complex. – Rating: 83/100

Tamnavulin 1973/2011 Cask Sample

May 27, 2011
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A fine example of a light bodied malt that has accumulated a lot of sherry goodness during its long maturation. Despite its age the wood remains in the background. Rating: 86/100

Laphroaig 16 yo 1994 Cadenhead’s

May 26, 2011

This fine peated dram has got the typical Laphroaig tang, but it is not quite as flavour-laden as the standard distillery bottlings, probably because it does not seem to have been matured in a first fill cask. – Rating: 85/100

Hazelburn 2002/2011 Sauternes Finish

May 25, 2011
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The sweet wine finish puts the trademark orange notes into the background. A quite enjoyable malt, but there seems to be some sulphur present that contrary to my usual preferences does detract a bit. – Rating: 82/100

Dramming in Scotland 2011 #12+1 – People, Places and Moments

May 25, 2011
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During my Scotland whisky trip I made quite a lot of experiences that are not really worthy of an entire blog post but should not go unmentioned nonetheless.

Glen Elgin 30 yo 1978 Cadenhead’s

May 24, 2011

A rich and well-rounded malt that doesn’t show its age. It is easy to drink but still pretty complex. The nose is splendid, but the palate can’t quite keep up. – Rating: 83/100

Glentauchers 12 yo 1998 Cadenhead’s

May 23, 2011

A light and fruity aperitive-style malt. It has a good balance of flavours and is surprisingly smooth enjoyed neat. – Rating: 82/100

Dramming in Scotland 2011 #12 – Glenturret

May 23, 2011
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On my way back from Speyside to Edinburgh I made a pit stop in Crieff. I had recieved an invitation from my German Facebook friend Mark Giesler who wanted to show me Glenturret distillery, the home of the Famous Grouse blend.

Mortlach 16 yo 1994 Cadenhead’s

May 22, 2011

If you like Mortlach for its trademark meaty style, you might be disappointed with this bottle because it has an entirely different character. It is very dry and spicy without many other flavours to balance it out. – Rating: 73/100

Dramming in Scotland 2011 #11 – Glendronach

May 22, 2011
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Like Knockdhu, Glendronach is only about ten miles away from Huntly close to Forgue, so with the help of a lift I could visit this distillery as well. Retired distillery manager Frank Massie showed my around the place.

Littlemill 1992/2010 Dream Drams

May 21, 2011

This is a quite unusual malt with an interesting mixture of flavours. The first impression is rather strange, but it is thoroughly enjoyable if you you are a bit adventurous and don’t mind a little variation in your whisky menu. – Rating: 85/100

Dramming in Scotland 2011 #10 – Knockdhu

May 21, 2011
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After the Spirit of Speyside Festival my travels led me to the eastern part of the Speyside region. I had made an appointment for a visit at Knockdhu distillery where anCnoc whisky is produced.

Glencadam 15 yo

May 20, 2011
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The subtle aromas of this new version of the Glencadam 15 don’t give the palate too much of a challenge, but overall this malt is rather pleasant. – Rating: 81/100.

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