Whisky Party

The news of the week has to be the release of Highland Park’s limited edition Earl Magnus 1 expression – unfortunately only available in the UK. This absolutely gorgeous looking bottle got some coverage on the Edinburgh Whisky,  What Does John Know, and Whisky Intelligence blogs.

Tasting Notes from Bloggers We Trust:

• John Hansell reviews Tomintoul 33.
• Whisky for Everyone reviews Glenfarclas 21 and Chivas Regal 18. (As Whisky Host notes, Chivas is making the rounds in the whisky blogosphere lately).
• Whisky Fun tastes two Mannochmores and a bevy of Springbanks.
• Whisky Host does a head to head of the first two official releases from Kilchoman.
• Whisky Host is also planning a whisky dinner.  Follow along as he tastes potential drams and picks from among a selection of Balvenie, Tobermory and Dalmore (Part I) or Rosebank, Laphroaig, Benriach and Bowmore (Part II).
• Whisky Intelligence says that this 12 year old Hazelburn is worth every penny.
• Whisky Intelligence REJECTS this 12 year old Tamnavulin from Douglas Laing’s Provenance.
• Whisky Notes enjoys a Caol Ila 1980 and Aberlour 1990 (Malts of Scotland).  He rather less liked this Pittyvaich 20.

Whisk(e)y News on the Web:

• What are your predictions for whisky in 2010?
• The first Islay-malted spirit from Bruichladdich is now available.
• Meanwhile, the stills at Bruichladdich are undergoing repairs.
• Cask Strength announces the 10 nominees for this year’s Best in Glass award.
• Edinburgh Whisky gets into the Christmas spirit with their own guide to whisky gift-giving.
• Speaking of Edinburgh Whisky, the blog is approaching its 1 year anniversary.  Congrats guys.
• John Hansell wants to know what you are drinking for the holidays?
• Binny’s is having a holiday sale on whisky.
• More on the launch of a Glengoyne 40 year old at Whisky Intelligence.

Tasting Notes From Bloggers We Trust:

• Whisky Notes gives the Tobermory 1994 one of the worst grades I’ve ever seen: 45/100.  You’ve heard of sherry bombs?  Well this is a sulpher bomb.
• Whisky Intelligence, however, is liking this Bowmore 10 year old (Tempest Batch No. 1).
• Whisky Fun tastes two Macallans from Gordon & MacPhail (Speymalt).
• Whisky For Everyone tries Glenlivet 12 and an Ardmore 1990 from Gordon & MacPhail.
• Malt Advocate has high marks for this Evan Williams single barrel.
• Scotch Hobbyist got his hands on a sample of the Mannochmore 18 (Diageo 2009 Special Release), and calls it a “Speyside bourbon.”
• Drink Hacker reviews Lagavulin 1993 Distiller’s Edition, double matured in Pedro Ximinez sherry casks.

Whisk(e)y News on the Web:

• Another one bites the dust.  The Edrington Group is closing their Tamdhu distillery – a casualty of the economy – and focusing their resources on the Macallan, the Glenrothes, and Highland Park.
• Dalmore Oculus sold at Bonham’s for ₤23,000.
• Apparently Shackleton’s Whisky (found in Antarctica) will taste much like it did 100 years ago, which is to say, peaty.
• The Washington Post has some interesting coverage of Whisky Fest NYC.

Welcome to the Bourbon Edition of Best in Blog.  We’ve got some single malt news too, but lots of Bourbon notes coming out of the whiskysphere this week.

Tasting Notes from Bloggers We Trust:

• We’re kicking this roundup off with Dr. Whisky who says “fuck scotch” and wants to taste a spate of bourbon and ryes.  First up he tries Old Weller Antique “The Original 107 Brand” (Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey). It’s a “wheated” bourbon from Buffalo Trace.  The verdict isn’t good . . .
• Dr. Whisky also tries an Indian “whisky” and finds it “better than he expected.”
• John Hansell has thoughts on Buffalo Trace’s new “Antiques” collection.
• Here are his tasting notes for BT’s “Double Barrel” bottlings.
• Whisky for Everyone has notes on Tobermory 10 and Ben Nevis 10.
• Whisky Fun tastes two young Highland Parks (High Dark Plan and Hjarta).
• Whisky Notes had an eclectic week, tasting Port Charlotte (Nadi Fiori), Amrut Black Adder, Highland Park Hjarta, and a 1979 Port Ellen from Old Bothwell.
• Whisky Intelligence reviews Ardbeg Airigh Nam Beist, a Glenrothes 13 year old from Signatory, the Black Grouse, and Black Bull 30 year old blended scotch.

Whisk(e)y News on the Web:

• Whisky Cast interviews Elmer T. Lee.
• Macallan is now the second best-selling single malt in America.
• A 60 year old Mortlach is going up for auction this week.  Expected price is ₤10,000.
• Get the list of whiskies available at this years Whisky Fest (San Fran and New York).
• Scotch Hobbyist wants to know, “which stage of malt fanatic are you?“
• The Glenlivet Nadurra Triumph 1991 is headed to the United States.
• So is a 25 year old Rittenhouse Rye.
• Evan Williams is releasing a whiskey liqueur.
• Irish whisky distillery Tullamore Dew is releasing a 10 year old single malt.
• Whisk(e)y Apostle has a list of new US whisk(e)y releases.
• Following an 80% surge in sales over four years, Highland Park is making some substantial upgrades at their distillery.

Things seem to be slowing down a bit.  I’ve noticed fewer tasting notes these last few weeks, and much more in terms of news as distilleries announce new expressions or changes to their core ranges.  Are you noticing that as well?  I’ll try to get at least two new tasting notes up this week to compensate.  I’m eyeing the final dram or two in my Michel Couvreur Single-Single, and maybe my Glenkinchie 10.  A couple of light scotches for the humid weather we’re having in NYC.

Tasting Notes From Bloggers We Trust:

• Whisky Intelligence has notes on a Tobermory 11 from Dewar Rattray and a Royal Lochnagar 12 year.
• Ruben at Whiskey Notes finishes up his review of the Jura Paps collection with tasting notes on the Mountain of Gold and Mountain of Sound.
• Whisky Fun (who must never sleep), tastes some exquisitely bottled Tomintoul-Glenlivet 12 year, two Glenfarclas opposite two Port Ellens, and two Tomatins.

Whisk(e)y News on the Web:

• Probably the biggest news of the week was the release of the first batch of GlenDronach single cask offerings from the distilleries new owners.  The distillery is releasing casks from 1971, 1972, 1992, 1993 and 1996.  They range in age from 13 to 36 years.  The distillery plans to release a new batch every year.  Read about it at Edinburgh Whisky and Whisky Intelligence.  John Hansell has the goods on US imports of these vintages.
• Probably the second biggest story of the week was from BenRiach, which took home quite a few medals at the 2009 International Wine and Spirits Competition.  Get the details at Whisky Grotto and Whisky Intelligence.  Unfortunately for us in the United States, John Hansell reports that none of these award winning whiskies will be appearing on our local liquor store shelves.
• Whisky Intelligence has some info on new summer whisky releases from Bruichladdich.  No word on whether or not these bottles will make their way state-side.
• New Hebridean distillery Ahbainn Dearg is planning on selling 500, 500 cL bottles of their new make spirit.
• Kentucky Bourbon distiller Heaven Hill is releasing a new bottling of the Parker’s Heritage Collection called “Golden Anniversary.”
• Malt Advocate has a sad, final note mourning the passing of Michael Jackson (the drinks writer, obviously).

We’re a little heavier on the news and lighter on the tasting notes in today’s edition, but it’s not all bad as  the news is rather interesting.  Slainte.

Tasting Notes from Bloggers We Trust:

• Lucas at Edinburgh Whisky raves about the Laphroaig 18.  I can’t wait until this hits the states, though I agree with him that the price point is unreasonably high considering when compared to the now-discontinued (and perhaps my favorite) Laphroaig 15.
• Ruben at Whiskey Notes reviews the barolo-aged expression of the limited edition Jura Paps trio.  He gives it a decent grade, particularly on the nose.
• Putting his new ratings system to the test, Scotch Hobbyist reviews Bunnahabhain 12, calling it the “perfect summer scotch.”
• Whisky Intelligence pays tribute to Tobermory, with reviews of Tobermory 10, Tobermory 10 (Murray McDavid fresh sherry), and Tobermory 12 (Duncan Taylor).
• Whisky Fun gives great reviews to four Bowmores.

Whisk(e)y News on the Web:

• Glen Fiddich is launching a 1975 Vintage Reserve in order to celebrate 40 years since the start of the Scotch tourism industry boom.  Of note in this article from Whiskey Intelligence is the fact that each year’s vintage reserve is selected by amateurs from a limited number of  high quality barrels.  In previous years, whisky journalists and coopers have selected the final product.  Maybe next year it will be some intrepid scotch bloggers (hint, hint)?
• An online campaign was recently launched to protest Diageo’s closing of the Johnny Walker bottling plant in Kilmarnock. As someone who works in online organizing as my day job, this is a halfway decent campaign, showing more online acumen than most distilleries.
• Dalmore has announced a new range of single malts.
• Highland Park is now on Twitter and Facebook.
• John Hansell announces that Whisky Fest San Francisco will feature a very rare bottle from Jura.  He also notes that Suntory will launch their blended whisky, Hibiki 12, in the US this fall.
• Whiskey Grotto presents a history of the Old Fashioned.
• Want your own whisky?  The recently reopened Glenglassaugh Distillery is selling Octave casks of New Make Spirit.  The casks cost £500 and will yield 60 bottles after they age for 3 years.
• The Famous Grouse’s Master Blender is retiring after a 2 year transition process.  The Herald actually interviews John Ramsay, who has interesting things to say about the blending and tasting process.
• A new Ardbeg expression will come on the U.S. market in September, and John Hansell wants you to guess what it is.  My money is on Corryvreckan, which I’ve heard will replace the excellent Airigh Nam Beist.  I’ve already purchased my final bottle of the Beist to prepare for its discontinuation.
• Our friend Scotch Hobbyist has developed a new ratings system that I am quite frankly rather jealous of.  If anyone out there wants to help us out with some design work for something similar, let us know.

Tobermory port, Isle of Mull

Ledaig 14 year old, Signatory Vintage (dist. 1993)

Abv: 43%

Cask no. 395; bottle no. 116/361

Color: pale straw (natural color)

Legs: large beads, med-slow drop

Nose: honey, pears, lilacs, fresh-baked chocolate-chip cookies, wet grass

Palate: pears and other muddled fruit at first, on top of clean malt, along with a little peat, then a light, distinct kind of smokeyness that I compare to sampling a cirrus cloud

Body: med-full bodied, neither oily nor sharp, but definitely with presence in the mouth; slightly textured

Finish: med-long, with hints of almonds and nutmeg; the final flavor to reside in the back of the mouth is the light, cloud-like smoke

Overall: Ledaig (pronounced ‘led-chig’), a peated variant of Tobermory distilled on the Isle of Mull, is another Island malt that doesn’t get much love from whisky writers or drinkers, but which I enjoy thoroughly.  This expression from the Signatory Vintage series, bottled in 2007, costs around $50 and contains most of my favorite elements of the distillery-bottled 10 year old, especially that light and fluffy, cloud-like smoke.  Not an overabundance of flavors or complexity, but what there is combines for an interesting, unique taste.

Score: 8.4/10