February 2013

The Ageless Revolution

February 27, 2013
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A spectre is haunting the whisky world – the spectre of No Age Statement whisky.

Port Askaig 30 yo Cask Strength

February 26, 2013
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Some very pleasant fruit notes are playing with the peat here. The mouthfeel is unusally creamy for a peated malt. – Rating: 87/100

Port Askaig 19 yo Cask Strength

February 26, 2013
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Quite a dry dram with a light bitterness on the palate. The finish is a bit timid. – Rating: 84/100

Port Askaig 12 yo

February 25, 2013
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There is an element of dirtiness in this whisky that adds a wickedly intriguing dimension. The spices in this are delightful. – Rating: 87/100

Midleton 20 yo 1991 For The Whisky Exchange

February 25, 2013
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This is what Irish whiskey is all about, a true benchmark for the ‘pure potstill’ style. – Rating: 92/100

Springbank 19 yo Cask 129 and 482 Master of Malt

February 20, 2013
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Two rather different Springers compared head to head – Ratings: 84/100 and 88/100

Balcones True Blue Cask Strength

February 19, 2013

I do like the spicy notes quite a bit, but there is a certain mustiness (probably the blue corn signature) that I am not a fan of. I much preferred the smoked Brimstone. – Rating: 80/100

Boxes Blend

February 19, 2013
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A very nice whisky with a somehow quiet character, nothing to ponder about, just to sip and relax. This is suprisingly good blending work by an amateur. – Rating: 82/100

Bunnahabhain 23 yo 1989/2012 Master of Malt

February 17, 2013
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The sweetness is the first thing you notice in this excellent dram. But then the fruit and liquorice join in. – Rating: 87/100

Tobermory 17 yo 1995/2012 Master of Malt

February 17, 2013
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Very spicy but still quite enjoyable, the mouthfeel is coating and a nice sweetness balances the spice. – Rating: 82/100

Bowmore 15 yo Laimrig

February 17, 2013

Rich fruity sherry flavours enter a fruitful symbisois with the trademark Bowmore mild peat. Essentially this is a cask strength version of the Darkest. – Rating: 87/100

High West Double Rye

February 16, 2013
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This is a massively spiced rye, and a very complex one as well. Blending 2 and 16 year old whiskies proves to be a brilliant idea here. – Rating: 90/100

Writer’s Tears

February 16, 2013

Very gentle and very closed. It is not a bad whisky but it is difficult to find something noteworthy in it. – Rating: 76/100

Alexander & James – Diageo’s Shop For The Rich And Naive

February 15, 2013
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A new online shop for spirits has been launched by Diageo. Alexander & James is named after Alexander Walker and James Buchanan, the founders of two of Diageo’s most popular whisky brands.

Karuizawa 48 yo 1964 for Wealth Solutions Poland

February 14, 2013
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This is a truly great whisky and not really what you would expect from a heavily sherried malt. Over the decades, wood spice and sherry fruit have blended into something unique here. My tasting notes just scratch the surface. – Rating: 94/100

Bally Delicious 23 yo 1989/2012 Master of Malt

February 13, 2013
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No guesses here, but the name might be a hint… Why not simply enjoy this rich and sumptuous dram. – Rating: 85/100

Masterson’s Straight Rye 10 yo

February 13, 2013

A very mellow rye whisky with a velvety mouthfeel, quite delicate but still rather complex.- Rating: 84/100

Amrut Fusion

February 13, 2013
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The spices in this are quite dominant, the light and sweet fruit notes only act as an accompaniment. A complex but sippable dram. – Rating: 83/100

Arran 16 yo 1996/2012 Master of Malt

February 12, 2013
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Sharp alcohol and rather strong spice hit your palate, the rest of flavours can barely keep up. – Rating: 80/100

Sullivan’s Cove Double Cask

February 12, 2013
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The nose is quite pleasant, but palate and finish suffer greatly from lack of impact. – Rating: 65/100

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