The Malt Cask

A quick review of a sample from Glengoyne today. This is from batch 006 of their Teapot Dram. What is the Teapot Dram from Glengoyne? Well that's the story taken from their website: "The Teapot Dram series has been created in tribute to an old Glengoyne Distillery tradition: until the 1970s, workers would be given three fingers of whisky, three times each day. Most distilleries gave their teams new make spirit, but not Glengoyne. At Glengoyne, the finest whisky from first fill Oloroso sherry casks was chosen for the distillery workers’ drams. The less seasoned stillmen would, to save face, discreetly pour some of their untouched drams into a copper teapot which sat on the canteen windowsill, ready for their older colleagues." Batch 006 was aged in first-fill Oloroso casks, was bottled unchillfiltered, without colouring and at the natural cask strength of 59.3%. Only 2772 bottles were released. The colour is pretty dark even if no age is stated on the bottl...

When you think about whisky, what country comes to your mind? Scotland, of course, the USA, Ireland, yes, but would you think England? Probably not. However, as I discovered with many other countries (France included!) there is whisky produced in England as well. In my experience however, not all English whisky is that great yet. The only one I have actually enjoyed is the whisky produced by the Cotswolds distillery. A few weeks ago, I got a message on my Instagram profile from a communications agency inviting me to visit a new distillery in London which had just past the 3 year mark in their whisky production. This distillery was Bimber. I had never heard of them before and asked for more information as getting down to London was not easy. A few days later. I found a parcel at my door with a very neat tasting set inside. And after a few busy weeks, I finally managed to find time today to sit down and get these 6 seals broken. Before I get into the samples in detail, what ...

Back into full bottle reviews after a couple of samples, and what a bottle! Caol Ila 12 is the bottle which properly started me on my whisky journey and still one of my favourite today. But I have already reviewed Caol Ila 12 before so it is about time I upgrade and move on to Caol Ila 18! I have always thought Caol Ila was the most underrated distillery on Islay, but I think things are changing and even if the distillery is the biggest producer on the island, demand (and prices) for older bottles of Caol Ila is soaring. In my opinion, the single malt produced at Caol Ila is not as pungent as the one produced by the 3 peat power houses (Laphroaig, Ardbeg and Lagavulin). It is more nuanced being what I love to call a 'salty peat' Islay malt. So what about the 18? Like with the 12, I guess the 18 is aged in ex-American oak. Unfortunately it is chillfiltered, coloured and bottled at 43%, so is the experience still here? Nose: Sweet and smoky, some tropical fruit a...

Second review in one month, and more Campbeltown whisky courtesy of @whisky_whims with the second sample Stuart sent to me: Longrow 18. Like with Kilkerran, I am looking at a peated single malt from Campbeltown but this one is a little older and was aged in ex-rum casks for 60% of it and refill sherry casks for the remaining 40%.  Longrow is produced by the Springbank distillery. Springbank is their mildly peated single malt and has been distilled two and a half times. Hazelburn is the name of their triple distilled non-peated single malt, and Longrow is their double distilled highly peated single malt. Longrow 18 is released in small batches each year but the casks used vary from year on year so do check the bottling date printed in black underneath the back label to know which one you have in your hand! That you very much again to Stuart for this great sample. Go and have a look at Whisky Whims' YouTube channel and check out his review of this Longrow 18! Slàinte! ...

Today I am reviewing a sample sent to me by Stuart @whisky_whims. He got in touch with me on Instagram and offered to send me a sample of Longrow 18 (review to follow) and of the brand new Kilkerran Heavily Peated. I guess I could not pass on the opportunity! Kilkerran comes from Campbeltown. It is produced by the Glengyle distillery and is one of the new kids on the block having only started production in 2004 (even if the distillery was actually founded in 1872 it had stopped production in 1925) I have tried their standard 12 and their 8 year-old cask strength which are fantastic so I am looking forward to pour this Heavily Peated sample into my glass! A little leak in transit but nothing too serious fortunately! There is no nonsense here as far as the presentation is concerned. This Kilkerran is presented in its natural colour, unchillfiltered and at the cask strength of 59.3%. The whisky has been aged for 55% in ex-bourbon casks and 45% in ex-sherry casks. Nose: Q...

Let's go to Asia today, specifically to Taiwan with the Concertmaster. In the last few years, Asian whiskies have become very trending particularly anything coming out of Japan, but not exclusively. Taiwanese whisky and Kavalan in particular have been producing some pretty amazing whisky too, winning quite a few prizes for some of their releases despite operating only since 2005. I have tried some of their Solist bottles (cask strength releases) which were very impressive, and their standard, more accessible range is not bad either.  Kavalan whisky is relatively young but the heat in which the spirit is aged accelerate wood interaction and therefore the maturation process, thus allowing the distillery to release younger whiskies which do not necessarily taste that young. So what about the Concertmaster? It is a single malt which was first matured in American oak before being finished in Ruby, Tawny and Vintage port barriques. We are not given an age on the bottle but I gue...

I cannot believe I have not yet reviewed this bottle as I opened it about 3 years ago. To be perfectly honest, I bought it at the same time as Woodford Reserve and Buffalo Trace, and preferred the other two to this one. Since, I have moved onto Blanton's Gold and some Rye, which meant the Maker's was left pretty much untouched. A few weeks ago however I had another pour and was pleasantly surprised. What put me off Maker's is the fact that at the time, I felt it tasted a little too mineral to my taste compared with Buffalo Trace and Woodford which were much sweeter. I guess that could be down to the fact Maker's use wheat in their mash bill instead of Rye. A few years down the line and it is not something that bothers me anymore! Maker's Mark Bourbon is bottled at 45% and is of course natural colour. Nose: There are two sides to the nose. There is some sweetness and fruitiness with vanilla, cherry, corn and even floral notes, but there is also some mi...