Craigellachie aren't quiet about the fact that they like to do things differently. For example, while most distilleries remove the sulphur that occurs as part of the distillation, the Craigellachie style actively embraces it: the use of worm tubs for instance helps preserve sulphur notes and create the big, meaty character that the brand is … Continue reading Craigellachie 13 (46%, OB 2019)
Tag: Single Malt
Dalwhinnie Winter’s Gold (43%, OB 2017)
Dalwhinnie was one of the first Diageo distilleries to follow in Talisker's footsteps and release and entry-level no-age statement expression (I'm still amazed there isn't a Lagavulin NAS to be honest). Like all such expressions, this one comes with a story that explains its name, except it's not as fanciful as I had expected (I … Continue reading Dalwhinnie Winter’s Gold (43%, OB 2017)
Edradour 10 2004 (cask 400) Straight From the Cask (60.7%, OB 2014)
A 10 year-old single cask Edradour from a sherry butt bottled at a mighty 60.7% ABV - I don't think I need to say more. Except I will, because if the introduction doesn't exceed 55 words the formatting gets weird. It took me a while to get into Edradour, mainly because I was never particularly … Continue reading Edradour 10 2004 (cask 400) Straight From the Cask (60.7%, OB 2014)
Kavalan Bourbon Oak (46%, OB 2020)
I'm starting to believe that Kavalan is one of the most versatile distilleries out there. Its spirit seems to have chameleon-like tendencies and is equally at home in anything from traditional bourbon oak maturation to the most intense sherry and other fortified wine casks, to virgin oak. This particular bottle is the same kind of … Continue reading Kavalan Bourbon Oak (46%, OB 2020)
Port Charlotte Scottish Barley (50%, OB 2017)
Terroir matters for Bruichladdich, as the packaging states, which explains why this Port Charlotte was made with barley grown exclusively in Scotland. Barley is often an international affair, with distilleries importing it from as far as Ukraine for example. Bruichladdich have of course produced even more local varieties of their whisky, moving closer to Single … Continue reading Port Charlotte Scottish Barley (50%, OB 2017)
Glen Marnoch 29 (40%, Aldi Christmas Release 2017)
This was the second of the now-traditional Christmas releases from Aldi, which have all featured impressively aged Scotch single malts (as well as Irish whiskeys) at even more impressive prices. The first release in 2016 was a heavily sherried whisky almost certainly from Mortlach, as was indicated by the tell-tale bottling strength of 43.4% ABV. … Continue reading Glen Marnoch 29 (40%, Aldi Christmas Release 2017)
In Brief: Glendalough 13 (46%, OB 2016)
This is a distillery bottling, but Glendalough's whiskey hadn't come of age yet, so it was sourced from another distillery. It was a very pleasant surprise - quite 'naked' and eau-de-vie-like but not immature, with floral, citrus and stone fruit aromas that were reminiscent of bourbon-matured Bladnoch and Balblair. Irish whiskey can sometimes be a … Continue reading In Brief: Glendalough 13 (46%, OB 2016)
Edradour 12 2003 Bourbon Cask – Ibisco Decanter (55.6%, OB 2015)
No, I don't know what an Ibisco decanter is either, besides what you see in the picture. This is from a sample bought recently from Master of Malt, mainly because I had never had a fully bourbon-matured Edradour before and I wanted to see what it's like when it's not an idiosyncratic sherry monster. It's … Continue reading Edradour 12 2003 Bourbon Cask – Ibisco Decanter (55.6%, OB 2015)
Caol Ila 2003 (46%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice, 2015)
Caol Ila is always reliable and consistent. There are so many releases from independent bottlers (Gordon & MacPhail in particular always have a lot of Caol Ila), and nearly all of them are very good. It's not as great value as it used to be, but there's still a lot of young Caol Ila about … Continue reading Caol Ila 2003 (46%, Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseurs Choice, 2015)
Deanston 18 (46.3%, OB 2018)
This is the older-style bottle of the 18 year-old Deanston - the packaging may have had a slight face-lift but the whisky inside is the same. The label says 'bourbon cask finish', which is a bit vague (e.g. was it not in ex-bourbon casks for the main part of its maturation?). After checking with the … Continue reading Deanston 18 (46.3%, OB 2018)
The Daily Dram 