Whisky Advocate Blog » Friday’s Pick

Friday’s Pan: A tale of two Tomintouls, Part II

John Hansell — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:00:12 +0000

This is the second of the two new limited release Tomintoul whiskies. I liked the Sherry Cask Finish 12 year old which I posted up here last Friday. This peaty one, however, tastes a little green. It is yet another example of younger whiskies lacking an age statement being released. Expect a lot more of this over the next decade as all the spirit that the companies are cranking out becomes legal.

Tomintoul, “With a peaty tang”, 40%, $45
Youthful, and somewhat brooding for a Tomintoul. I can tell there’s some young whisky in here, as there’s a suggestion of new make spirit interwoven with notes of heather, ripe barley, raw peat and lingering smoke. I like the concept, but wish the young component (the peated part of this whisky?) was matured a bit longer.

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 72

Friday’s Pick: A tale of two Tomintouls, Part I

John Hansell — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 09:00:46 +0000

Two new limited-edition Tomintoul whiskies are going into distribution in the U.S. I posted my review of one of them below. I’ll post the other one next Friday. The Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish, reviewed below, really surprised me with how mature and richly flavored it was for being only 12 years old.

Tomintoul, Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish, 12 year old, 40%, $70
The subtle sherry adds an additional level of complexity when compared to the standard 10 year old and takes Tomintoul to a new level. Rich, creamy, and well balanced notes of toffee, vanilla fudge, toasted nuts, and elegant fruit. An incredibly delicious whisky for 12 years old.

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 88

Friday’s Pan: Duncan Taylor (Cameronbridge) 28 year old

John Hansell — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 12:00:30 +0000

Yes, I know. March is over, and with it, “Friday’s Pans”. But I have one more pan before moving on to a happier review next Friday.

Duncan Taylor (distilled at Cameronbridge), Cask #3583, 28 year old, 54.4%, $125
Its best attributes are vanilla, toasted coconut, and tropical fruit. But the rest of this grain whisky is a bit of a disappointment. It is thin and, at times, harsh. A paint thinner component is evident (especially on the nose), along with more wood on the finish that this thin body can handle. Two Carsebridge grain Scotch whiskies from DT which I have tasted recently were much better—richer and creamier, and with more balance.

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 73

Friday’s Pan: Signatory (peated Bunnahabhain), 1997 Vintage

John Hansell — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:00:07 +0000

Signatory (distilled at Bunnahabhain), cask #5279, 1997 vintage, 9 year old, 59.9%, $45
The owners of Bunnahabhain are making a peated version of this normally unpeated Islay whisky to put in their peated blend, Black Bottle. But they have not yet put out, as a regular item, a peated expression of Bunnahabhain single malt for purchase. However, some of the independent bottlers got their hands on some, and this might be the first one to be offered in the U.S. It’s what you would expect a 9 year old peated Bunnahabhain to taste like: toffee, vanilla fudge, and nuts (the Bunny signature), kiln peat smoke, and a bit too much youthfulness from its young age. I like the potential of this whisky, but it needs a few more years to mature to acceptable levels. (Bottled for Binny’s Beverage Depot.)

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 77

Friday’s Pan: Glenmorangie Lasanta

John Hansell — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 12:00:49 +0000

Glenmorangie Lasanta, 46%, $65
Finished in sherry casks. The sherry adds a nutty toffee sweetness, bramble, and other assorted red fruit and raisin, with the tell-tale Glenmorangie complexity tucked underneath. A bit heavy on the sherry, too, for such a subtle spirit. This is the only whisky from the new like of Glenmorangie that I’m not very excited about. A few of the others, especially the Original 10 year old, are very good.

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 79

Friday’s Pan: Benromach Organic

John Hansell — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 12:00:53 +0000

Benromach Organic, 43%, $75
Huge oak impact for such a young whisky. Fresh oak shavings, dry vanilla, and subtle toasted coconut throughout. Some dried fruit, sultana and toffee too up front, but this is quickly consumed by the oak. Dry, hot, resinous finish. Not an old whisky, but already showing too much oak.

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 74

Review: Murray McDavid Glenglassaugh 1986

John Hansell — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:00:29 +0000

Several of you have asked me about this whisky in the past week, so I thought I would post it up now given that it will not appear in Malt Advocate until the 3rd Quarter issue later this year.

Murray McDavid “Mission” (distilled at Glenglassaugh), 1986 vintage, 20 year old, 55.3%, $175
The ruby/antique amber color suggests a first-fill sherry cask. The nose and palate confirm. This whisky is a mouthful: fruitcake, roasted chestnuts, burnt raisin, candied orange, molasses, leather, tobacco, dark chocolate, wax and a hint of clove. An incredible amount of sherry, but it’s not cloying. The flavors are clean, complex and well-balanced.

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 86

Friday’s Pan: The Macallan Lalique Decanter, 55 year old

John Hansell — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 12:00:53 +0000

The Macallan Lalique Decanter, 55 year old, 40.1%, $12,000
Deep, thick nose, with sappy oak, dried citrus, old leather, spearmint and background leafy smoke. Nicely viscous on the palate, with similar notes as the aroma. But mid-palate the age gets the best of this whisky. The flavors flatten out and the wood dominates through the finish as the leather notes linger.

It’s a rare treat to taste a whisky this old. If you like Lalique (and have the money), then this new bottling is worth some consideration, because there are certainly moments of intrigue on the nose and beginning of the palate. But, I have tasted several other 50-plus year old Macallans, and I can say with certainty that the 50 year old Millennium bottling and the 1946 vintage release were better and can probably still be found for a significantly lower price (Only 420 bottles available worldwide.)

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 74

March will be “Friday’s Pan” month

John Hansell — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:56:49 +0000

When I created Friday’s Picks & Pans, I included the “Pans” part for a reason. I don’t just want to tell you about the whiskies I like. I also want to let you know the whiskies that disappoint me.

So, for the entire month of March, every Friday I will do just that.

Friday’s Pick: Eagle Rare 17 yr. (2007 release)

John Hansell — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:00:53 +0000

Eagle Rare, 17 year old, 45%, $55
While labeled as a 17 year old, it’s actually 19, distilled way back in 1988. Each year’s release of this whiskey just seems to get better and better. Some of the earlier vintages turned slightly oaky and dry for balance, (the 10 year old Single Barrel Eagle Rare whiskeys did too a while back), but those smart people over at Buffalo Trace fixed just keep on improving the line. Tight, well-balanced notes of molasses, vanilla, and candied fruit and sweet corn, peppered with crisp mint, cinnamon, and polished leather. Eagle Rare 17 year old is evolving into a whiskey of classic proportion.

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 94

Friday’s Pick: Brora 30 year old

John Hansell — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 00:14:27 +0000

Brora, 30 year old, 55.7%, $400
Astonishingly fresh and clean for 30 years in oak, and with incredible depth. Slight oily texture. Appetizing brine, with honeyed vanilla, mustard seed, green olive, Seville orange, and lemon zest. Underlying smoke, damp peat and seaweed. Put simply, Brora at its finest.

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 95

Friday’s Pick: Bushmills 1608

John Hansell — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 11:30:39 +0000

Keeping in the Irish whiskey theme for the “Friday’s Pick”, here’s Bushmill’s newest entry. I’ve been sitting on this whiskey for a while, waiting closer to its release date here in the U.S. before posting a review. It’s a really nice, limited-edition, blended Irish whiskey released to celebrate the 400th Anniversary of Bushmills (the location, not the distillery).

Bushmills 1608, 46%, $75
A blend of three different types of whiskey—malt whiskey, grain whiskey, and a third component which is said to be a malt whiskey produced from crystal malt. Brewers and homebrewers will know crystal malt well, being a slightly caramelized version of malted barley. Its rich texture suggests a decent malt content for a blend. Layers of sweetness (honeyed vanilla, rummy molasses, toasted marshmallow) are balanced by toasted nuts, dried fruit, and dark chocolate. Very dynamic and with plenty of grit. Smartly bottled at 46% ABV.

Advanced Malt Advocate Magazine rating: 90

Friday’s Pick: Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve

John Hansell — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 18:28:51 +0000

This whiskey will be hitting the shelves in the U.S. in March, and there’s a press dinner in NYC later this month. As you have come to expect with “What Does John Know?”, I already have this whiskey and I’m offering my thoughts well in advance.

Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve, 2007 Release, 46%, $250
Jameson’s newest premium release. The combination of aging some of the pot still whiskey in port casks, including some older whiskeys (over 20 years old), along with bottling the whiskey at 46% ABV (and not chill-filtered) has helped make this whiskey rich, deep, and complex. This is a silky smooth, lush, multi-faceted whiskey with notes of honeydew melon, nectarine, banana bread, creamy vanilla, chocolate fudge, toffee, warming cinnamon and nutmeg. The port influence marries nicely with robust oak notes, and the grain whiskey component helps to keep it very drinkable. A more intense affair when compared to the “great anytime” 18 year old expression. A classic after dinner Irish whiskey.

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 95

Friday’s Pick: Lonach “Carsebridge” 1963

John Hansell — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 18:15:31 +0000

Lonach (distilled at Carsebridge), 1963 vintage, 43 year old, 43%, $115
A rare bottling indeed, from this now defunct grain distillery. Very tropical, with a macaroon and vanilla cream foundation. Complementary notes of marshmallow, crème brulee, honey and pineapple. Surprisingly vibrant for a 43 year old whisky and, while expressing sweeter notes, not at all cloying (the grain whisky aspects actually helps here). Soothing and distinctive. Great price, too!

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 85

Friday’s Pick: The Glenrothes, 1975 vintage

John Hansell — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 21:50:51 +0000

The Glenrothes, 1975 vintage, 43%, $500
A polished, very elegant expression with subtle complexity throughout. Notes of squeaky-clean fruit (tangerine, peach, nectarine, kiwi) in light syrup. Vibrant spice (cinnamon, white pepper, anise), creamy vanilla and almond evolve on the palate, leading to a gentle finish. Surprisingly lively for a whisky more than 30 year old.

When I think of great Glenrothes vintages, I go back to the 1972 vintage for comparison. Both are comparable in quality, with the 1972 vintage showing darker sugars, more weight, and more roasted nuts.

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 93