Whiskey - It's the water of life!

[Boris Blank's glass eye]

Is the 12 you saw the same spirit wolf-style yak bottle here?

Yep, the 12 yro is the white yak, the 16 yro is the green yak. I haven't found anything at all about the latter one on the whole goddamn internet, only the 1 liter travel retail exclusive. Both come in decorative tins, according to the store.
Reckon I'm going to call them tomorrow to find out more.

 

[Boris Blank's glass eye]

My Glenfarclas-Tomatin blend reached a month of age, so I opened it.

Looks more like the Tomatin, smells more like the Glenfarclas, and the taste... hits with the sherry bomb punch of the 105, while the fruits stay in the background and contribute more to the lingering finish, which reminds me more of fresh sour apples than the slightly vegetal green of the Tomatin. A drop of water brings a balance to the components, slightly suppressing the sherry and bringing the fruits into the foreground. The aftertaste is more reminiscent of cherries, first sour, then sweet. The alcohol content doesn't feel too high in the mouth, but it's definitely there.
I'd say it's a success.

While the store's sales clerks couldn't tell me if the Glen Scotia was from the older range, they did find the bottling dates - 2014 - which puts them into the old stock range, since the distillery was inactive from 1994 to 1999. I'm going to order a bottle sometime next week, along with something lighter in the $40-50 (tax included) range. Only problem is the range is damn wide there. Ancnoc 12 to Deanston Virgin Oak to Glenfiddich 12 to Singleton of Dufftown. Maybe try a bottle of rum or brandy instead.

Oh well, I've got the time to decide.

 

[Boris Blank's glass eye]

Arran Sauternes Cask Finish. Natural colour, non-chill filtered, 50% ABV, and it's in their core range.

Citrusy nose, a faint whiff of marzipan. Like a dessert wine, only heavier.
On the palate, fresh lemon and dried apricots, turning into spicy toasted oak, a hint of bitter cocoa. Slightly salty vanilla in the background. Sweet, honeyed fruits on the finish: apricots and melon.
A bit of water takes away much of the toasted oak and the slight bitterness, making it much sweeter, like a strong dessert wine.

There are quite a few worse ways to spend your local equivalent of the Ł44.99 MSRP.

And here's the green cow.


It's absolutely wild. The whole bottle is painted with some kind of thin enamel paint, like a car. I might get another one as a tiny investment, who knows?
Tasting notes sometime in the future.

 

[Syaoran Li]

As for "bourbon", has anyone claimed the rights to that yet? I know that scotch is only allowed to be explicitly labelled as such if it is distilled in Scotland; has the US (or even a region in the US associated with bourbon such as Tennessee) attempted to have bourbon classified in a similar manner?

The one legal requirement for bourbon that pretty much everyone can agree on is that bourbon has to be made in the United States and the mash has to be at least 51% corn or more.

There's more intricacies within American law like the fact that it must be aged in fresh white oak barrels that haven't been already used, and then you got other purist debates like whether or not a bourbon can be made anywhere in the United States, only in the South, only in Kentucky and Tennessee, or just Kentucky.

Personally, I generally prefer bourbons and Irish whiskeys but that's partly because I'm pretty much a common poorfag with common tastes

I enjoy Scotch every now and then, but I don't have as much experience with it, especially the single malts.

My main experiences with single malt Scotch is the typical Glenfiddich and Glenlivet entry-level stuff. Don't get me wrong, both are pretty good in their own right,

 

[AnOminous]

The one legal requirement for bourbon that pretty much everyone can agree on is that bourbon has to be made in the United States and the mash has to be at least 51% corn or more.

There's more intricacies within American law like the fact that it must be aged in fresh white oak barrels that haven't been already used, and then you got other purist debates like whether or not a bourbon can be made anywhere in the United States, only in the South, only in Kentucky and Tennessee, or just Kentucky.

There are also legally defined terms related to bourbon, like "bottled in bond," which means complying with and directly regulated by the federal government under an 1897 law called the "Bottled-in-Bond Act," requiring it be verified that the spirit is 100 proof, the product of one season, by one distiller, at one distillery.

It's usually used for bourbon but some other liquors (often archaic ones like applejack) are sometimes bonded.

 

[Pocket_Sand!]

Arran Sauternes Cask Finish

This is one I will have to pick up based on your notes. I've been jonesing for a sweeter whiskey as the weather warms up. I'll have to see who, if anyone, near me will have it.

 

[Niggaplease]

crown apple

 

[Papa Adolfo's Take'n'Bake]

I'm getting some serious hype for a bottle of Widow Jane Lucky Thirteen I bought for Memorial Day. A 95 proof bourbon form a stiller I have heard some rave reviews of. At the moment though, It's just the cheapo glen fodhry from total wine I decided to give a try. That one's alright, but I won't be buying another.

Edit for not to double post:

Hype was 100% warranted. The Widow Jane Lucky Thirteen release is unbelievably smooth for actually being 97 proof. Even as an older fart that can't drink too mich stright liquor at once any more this was smooth enough that I could sip on this all day.

 

[Boris Blank's glass eye]

This is one I will have to pick up based on your notes. I've been jonesing for a sweeter whiskey as the weather warms up. I'll have to see who, if anyone, near me will have it.

I can wholeheartedly recommend it after spending some quality time with the bottle. It's not a hugely complex whisky, but it does what it's supposed to very well. Great for summer afternoons and evenings, goes well with a lighter conversation. It's not going to blow an experienced drinker's mind, but it's bound to surprise any rookie with how it changes.

I've finally opened the GS 16yro. Honey-coloured, and it smells like honeyed engine oil. Sadly, neither the tin, nor the bottle carry any tasting notes aside from "fruity, floral, and spicy flavours", which describes a great number of different bottles. Some floral, salty lemon when I'm putting my nose in the glass.

Vibrant spices and salty seaspray on the palate, they almost burn my tongue. It's not the alcohol, it's very mild at 46% ABV. Faint vanilla hiding behind the ever-present oaky oily greasyness. Spicy, honeyed engine oil and pineapples.

The finish is fruity engine oil. Long-lasting flavours of lemon, apricots, faint quince, green apples, in contrast to the still prominent peat.

The oily scent lightens with time and transforms into butter, oak, and fresh walnuts. The palate starts with honey sweetness, the spices mellow out a bit, and the oil turns into tobacco. The finish stays the same.
Adding a drop of water does practically nothing, and I won't add more water just to find out how much would do anything.

I have no idea how it compares to the current 15yro, but, since my usual store seems to have discovered Campeltown, buying a bottle of it without paying the Ł20 delivery charge for The Whisky Exchange is possible. Too bad both Kilkerran 12 and and Kilkerran Heavily Peated sold out in two goddamn days.

 

[Afinepickle]

I'm an Islay Scotch guy. The sweeter and smokier the better. So distilleries like Ardbeg, Laphroaig and Lagavulin are my jam.

 

[Pocket_Sand!]

I can wholeheartedly recommend it after spending some quality time with the bottle. It's not a hugely complex whisky, but it does what it's supposed to very well. Great for summer afternoons and evenings, goes well with a lighter conversation.

That's 100% on the money. I managed to pick up a bottle Friday after work. It wasn't the most mind blowing dram I've ever had, but for nice evening sipping on the back patio (the weather in the Midwest USA was spectacular over the weekend) it was exactly what I wanted. Light and sweet, with very fine notes of honey and vanilla which when served slightly chilled on the rocks is a fine dram that I'll enjoy for many evenings to come. I have to thank you for the recommendation, Arran wasn't even on my radar before you put that one out there.

 

[Quoookie]

a 26'r of Lot No. 40 is on the lunch menu. only had it a few times but enjoyable. as for dinner..? i'll see what else i got here at home. might have some Ezra Brooks left. Good times ahead.

 

[Boris Blank's glass eye]

I've had well-known whiskies in June: Bunnahabhain 12 and Laphroaig Quarter Cask, and I don't think those need introduction. Come July, I've noticed my usual supplier stocking Cotswolds Founder's'Choice, which is probably the only one the founders would actually drink. Alas, it sold out by the time I decided to order, so I fell back to plan B: Tomatin 14 and a Legacy just to have something simple to drink.

I also bought two mini bottles, Benriach 10 and Glenglassaugh Torfa.

Spoiler: Torfa

Bunnahabhain 12 in the center, for reference.

It's very pale, but at least it's an honest colour. Not that it actually helps much. The tasting notes found on the official site are bullshit at best, and outright lies at worst. Smells better than it tastes, and its taste is dominated by peat. Faint background notes of fruits and honey, but oppressed by the peat.

At 20ppm, the same level as Connemara, it should be pretty mild, but the balance makes it feel smokier than a Laphroaig or an Ardbeg without having their Islay peat.

Adding water suppresses the peatiness, but the fruits and spices remain just as faint.

Avoid. 50% ABV, natural colour, no chill filtration don't save this whisky. There's around a million infinitely better bottles for the same price or lower.

I'll be updating this post with the Benriach 10 on Thursday and the Tomatin 14 on Friday.
Until then, another shitty photo showing the colour difference between the tawny port finished 14 and the Legacy.

 

[Boris Blank's glass eye]

Looks like I can't edit the previous post, oh well.

Spoiler: Benriach 10 (unpeated)

I found the initial aromas to be very concentrated. Smells of almonds, marzipan, and sour green apples. A whiff of damp earthiness gives a good contrast to them. The initial taste is very buttery. Green apples again, pears, some spices. Not bad at all. The finish, sweet and sour, lingers for quite a few minutes. Green apples, fresh and crisp, lightly sprinkled with cinnamon and clove, all under a thin layer of honey.

Gave it some water and left it to sit while I took a shower.

10-15 minutes of breathing later it did open up and changed quite a bit.
Smells a lot more of sweet citrus and sour apples with hints of ginger and vanilla in the background. It tastes sweeter as well, at least on the surface: I think I understand what Ralfy meant about tastes and sensations a bit better. Sweet apples, apricots and peaches, bananas, with the usual oak spices and a pinch of black pepper in the background. Citrus twists with the albedo left in for faint hints of bitterness. The finish didn't really change. Yeah, this is quite good stuff, especially at its price of around €42.

I'd like to see how it holds up against the Curiositas and the sherried 12 year old. German whisk(e)y critic Horst "oh god put the mic away when you're swishing it around in your mouth" Luenig said he preferred this one out of the three.

Spoiler: Tomatin 14

Again, not surprisingly, concentrated aromas. Red berries, mainly strawberries and cranberries, oak and toffeee.
Not very sweet either. Sour fruits and slightly bitter, spicy oak, with a hint of honey. Something resembling freshly peeled red apple skin? Long finish, slightly sweeter. Honeyed red apples and strawberries with oak spice.

Definitely needs some water and time to open up.

Much sweeter now, actually fits the tasting notes and the Tomatin motto "The Softer Side of the Highlands".
Rich, and quite heavy on strawberries, at least that's what I'm getting the most. Toffee and vanilla flavours stay in the background, but are still noticeable, and spices spice everything up a bit. Well balanced, there's nothing overpowering the rest, and the whole is more than a sum of all its parts. Honeyed red apple peel in the finish, slightly bitter and vegetal, but still not upsetting the balance. Eventually fades into oak spices.

This is another great daily drinker, especially if you want to take a break from the common ex-bourbon cask Speysides, even if it's a bit pricy for that. However, I don't think it's going to blow anyone's mind.
That said, the similarly aged Glenfiddich 15 and Glenlivet 15 are no match for it, and Glenfarclas 15 is an entirely different thing. The direct competitor would be the 14 year old Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban, but I haven't had that yet, so I have no basis of comparison.

 

[Syaoran Li]

Tbh I actually like the harsh taste of bourbons like Wild Turkey.

Same here. I'll admit, I genuinely enjoy a lot of the entry-level bourbons like Wild Turkey and Jack Daniels* and I've even been known to enjoy Jim Beam and Early Times, although Early Times is a lot better for mixed drinks, but is still okay if served neat. The one whiskey I've had that was truly unsalvageable even in a mixed drink that wasn't a cheapo Canadian blend would be Evan Williams

*-Jack Daniels might be a "Tennessee Whiskey" but that's really just a regional form of bourbon

 

[TFT-A9]

Same here. I'll admit, I genuinely enjoy a lot of the entry-level bourbons like Wild Turkey and Jack Daniels* and I've even been known to enjoy Jim Beam and Early Times, although Early Times is a lot better for mixed drinks, but is still okay if served neat. The one whiskey I've had that was truly unsalvageable even in a mixed drink that wasn't a cheapo Canadian blend would be Evan Williams

*-Jack Daniels might be a "Tennessee Whiskey" but that's really just a regional form of bourbon

Early Times is one of those whiskeys I simply refuse to touch, along with anything from Kessler.

 

[Syaoran Li]

Early Times is one of those whiskeys I simply refuse to touch, along with anything from Kessler.

I feel the same way about Evan Williams and Canadian Mist.

Early Times, Clan MacGregor and Black Velvet are the kind of low-end $10 whiskeys that are only useful for mixed drinks for the most part. Black Velvet tastes the worst when drank neat, but it's good if you want a Seven & Seven since it's cheaper than actual Seagram's Seven

If you're making a homemade Rob Roy or an Old Fashioned, it's far more sensible to just use Clan MacGregor or Early Times than Glenfiddich or Gentleman Jack.

 

[TFT-A9]

I feel the same way about Evan Williams and Canadian Mist.

Early Times, Clan MacGregor and Black Velvet are the kind of low-end $10 whiskeys that are only useful for mixed drinks for the most part. Black Velvet tastes the worst when drank neat, but it's good if you want a Seven & Seven since it's cheaper than actual Seagram's Seven

If you're making a homemade Rob Roy or an Old Fashioned, it's far more sensible to just use Clan MacGregor or Early Times than Glenfiddich or Gentleman Jack.

I would be hard-pressed to tell you which cheap Canadian I hate more - Canadian Mist, McMaster's, McAdams or Canadian Club (which isn't even particularly cheap, but Kessler product so). I'm already pretty ambivalent on Canadian whisky, to the point where I only really tolerate Crown and the only Canadian I can say I genuinely like is the Wayne Gretzky 99 Ice Cask finish. It's weird, because I actually kind of like some ryes, and Canadian and rye are surprisingly similar.

 

[Alexander Thaut]

I drink to get wasted. What's a good quality whiskey like?

 

[TFT-A9]

I drink to get wasted. What's a good quality whiskey like?

The end result is the same as any other whiskey, but you have fun getting wasted instead of begging the booze to hurry up and strip you of your sense of taste.