I’ll be hosting a whisky tasting Monday night at my favorite Manhattan bar called “d.b.a”. It’s a very informal affair, and we’ll have the tasting in the bar’s (heated, enclosed) back patio.
The theme is “Independent Spirit” and features eight different whiskies from eight different distilleries by eight different independent bottlers. The whiskies are from my own collection—some bottled more than 15 years ago.
The whiskies:
-Cadenhead’s “Highland Park”, 21 year old, distilled 1972, bottled 1994, 56.5%
-Whyte & Whyte “Inchgower”, 13 year old, distilled 1980, bottled 1993, 43%
-Signatory “Laphroaig”, 7 year old, distilled 2000, bottled 2007, 59.4%
-Murray McDavid “Bowmore” (finished in Viogner wood), 11 year old, distilled 1995, bottled 2006, 46%
-Gordon & MacPhail “Glenburgie” (single cask), 15 year old, distilled 1991, bottled 2006, 46%
-Mackillop’s Choice “Macallan”, 14 year old, distilled 1989, bottled 2003, 58.2%
-Scott’s Selection “Glen Elgin”, 25 year old, distilled 1980, bottled 2005, 44.1%
-Port Askaig (distillery undisclosed), 17 year old, 45.8%
The tasting starts at 7 pm. Contact the bar directly for information on tickets and pricing (212-475-5097). If you’re in New York, come and join us.
oh man. what a lineup.
wish i lived in NY just for those events.
;(
Sounds great and it also reminds me– How was that G&M Inverleven from the March 2 tasting? I don’t need notes. Just, you know, do you remember whether or not you liked it?
It was very much in the classic Lowland style. Light, easy-going, delicately fruity, with some grassy/hay notes. Enjoyable, but not distinctive.
I really appreciate that, John.
John, you ever participate in or hold any events in Los Angeles?
I have done tastings in the past in LA, but don’t have anything planned yet for 2010. Why don’t you come up to San Francisco in the fall for WhiskyFest?
John,
If you want any help (not that you’d need it) organizing a special tasting in San Francisco around Whiskyfest 2010 time, do let me know.
Looking forward to meeting you and tasting these!
Hi John. How do I arrange for you to come to SA!?
I’ll be there. Generous of you to share from your own collection.
Just called D.B.A. and they said no advanced tickets needed, just show up with $65 and you are good. She sounded as though she’d answered the same question 20 times so I thought I’d pass it along.
Thanks Jeff. Well, I only have one bottle of each so…if you are going, you might want to get there early, get your ticket, and have a beer.
Tasted 2 vintages from Port Askaig last sunday. a 25YO and a 30 YO. Liked the 25 YO better.
If you’ve had it, how does the Port Askaig 25 stack up against the Caol Ila 18 distillery bottling in terms of taste profile?
i look forward to reports on that signatory laphroaig (i’m assuming it’s from their non-chillfiltered series). i’ve been eyeing it on one our local retailers’ shelf for some time now.
I’ll give you a report right now, mongo. I’ve tried it a few times. It’s very good. Solid. I think better than the OB 10. If I were you I would snap it up right now. It is just going to get harder and harder to find indie bottlings of Laphroaig. I wish there was some in my area.
i don’t know to what extent people track replies on older topics on this blog but i thought i’d share my own impressions of the 2000 vintage of the signatory 7 year old un-chillfiltered. i liked it a lot, but i think i prefer the o.b 10 year old. herewith a more detailed set of first impressions:
i approached it with some trepidation expecting a laphroaig this young to put a knee in the groin first and ask questions later. my fears were largely unfounded. it has a wonderful, refined nose*–grassy and mildly smoky at first, developing a lovely fruit-cakey aroma soon thereafter. save the smokinesss, none of these qualities are present on the palate, on which the familiar take-no-prisoners laphroaig palette of flavours make themselves known in short order. however, despite being 3 years younger this tastes like a lighter version of the o.b 10 year old. it has yet to pick up either the depth or the bacony notes of its older sibling. a “must have” for laphroaig fans (i now have seven different members of the family in my bar) but not essential for anyone else. if you see it in a bar though you should give it a go.
*similar in fact to that of the ardbeg uigeadail.
thanks! it’s priced in the low-mid 50s, i believe.
That’s a decent price – a local retailer by me is gouging in the upper $70s!
bought it today for $53! will be cracking it open in a few hours.
Darn, I have parent-teachers conferences that night. That Glen Elgin is a really nice dram.
Yes, I have that one opened on my shelf – quite nice.
Gang, if you haven’t been to one of John’s tastings, you’re really missing out on a special experience! I learn something new every time…wish I could be there Monday night.
Thanks Mark.
Sounds great (DBA is awesome) wish I could be there but I’m off with the wife for the weekend – no kids – for first time in a year.
have none of those who attended recovered yet?
Sorry I missed this! Reports?
A great tasting last night. My first time meeting John and it was a pleasure. I’ll echo Mark’s comments and recommend attending one of John’s tastings if possible. Here’s a brief rundown of last night:
-Cadenhead’s “Highland Park”, 21 year old, distilled 1972, bottled 1994, 56.5%
This was the clear favorite of most at the tasting, but some sulphur notes turned me off a bit. Huge nose.
-Whyte & Whyte “Inchgower”, 13 year old, distilled 1980, bottled 1993, 43%
Nice whisky, overripe fruit. No real hint of the salt I get from the OB 14 yo. Everyone enjoyed this one.
-Signatory “Laphroaig”, 7 year old, distilled 2000, bottled 2007, 59.4%
A nice, refined nose followed by a beast of a taste. Smoke, coal, wet hay. Everyone enjoyed this one as well.
-Murray McDavid “Bowmore” (finished in Viogner wood), 11 year old, distilled 1995, bottled 2006, 46%
The finish dominated this one, though some of the Bowmore floral notes came through in the nose. The taste was just overpowered by the finish.
-Gordon & MacPhail “Glenburgie” (single cask), 15 year old, distilled 1991, bottled 2006, 46%
Again, sulphur notes turned me off. This was the least favorite of the group.
-Mackillop’s Choice “Macallan”, 14 year old, distilled 1989, bottled 2003, 58.2%
Nice bourbon cask Macallan. Fruity and floral.
-Scott’s Selection “Glen Elgin”, 25 year old, distilled 1980, bottled 2005, 44.1%
My personal favorite of the night. Orange fruit with a touch of ginger. Nicely balanced.
-Port Askaig (distillery undisclosed), 17 year old, 45.8%
Everyone liked this one a lot. Very smoky Islay character. A really satisfying whisky.
Thanks for the excellent summary!
John held a really great event. Malt could ask for no better advocate. A great tasting with some very interesting drops shared, great people to enjoy them with, all at a great bar. Success!!!
It was indeed a lot of fun. I enjoyed hanging out with my WDJK friends, tasting some exciting whiskies, and hanging out at the very unpretentious d.b.a. I also quaffed a couple wonderful pints of ale while I was there.
Excellent summary. A great night with miserable weather. Someone should have warned me that it was monsoon season in New York. My personal favourite was the Port Askaig, followed closely by the Cadenhead Highland Park. The 7yo Laphroaig was also very impressive for a young malt. John is a great host for this type of event – very knowledgeable and accessible. Would recommend future events to any malt whisky fans.
Amazing event John!
My top three in order were
Cadenhead’s “Highland Park”, 21 year old, distilled 1972, bottled 1994, 56.5%
Signatory “Laphroaig”, 7 year old, distilled 2000, bottled 2007, 59.4%
Whyte & Whyte “Inchgower”, 13 year old, distilled 1980, bottled 1993, 43%
I found a signatory laphroaig 7 year old from 2001 in Brooklyn and the vintage we had was available at binny’s. I got it and it’s great. how much different do you think it is from the 2000 vintage? any idea where I can get the whyte and whyte inchower or something similar?