The Eagle Has Landed - The Arran Eagle

Dan Dare, star
of the Eagle comics

There is currently a slew of new releases hitting the drinks market and this is naturally very exciting. Blackwood's are releasing the 2008 vintage of their excellent Shetland gin. The cask finish connoisseurs at Glenmorangie have released the Sassacaia cask-finished Artein (more on this soon); and the guys at Kilchoman have the 2006 Vintage on the market boasting a substantial five years of ageing. New releases always incur a fair deal of hype followed by satisfied approval or fist-shaking, vengeful disappointment. So as I try the new release from the Island distiller's of Arran I prepare my self for the best and the worst.

The Eagle unsurprisingly boasts a flamboyant painting of the bird of prey on its display tube. There is something about the iconography of the eagle that is quite exciting, it conjures images of Roman legions, mountainous wilderness and for vintage comic afficianados, the epic Dan Dare stories. So just from the packaging I am getting a little giddy with excitement, I am un-apologetically a sucker for branding. It is always a deeply satisfying moment when you tease off the foil cap and pop the cork and you are greeted by the aroma of what is clearly a great whisky. My experience with Arran is limited to one short vertical tasting, this whisky reminds me of Arran's excellence.

Arran Eagle
46% - Distilled 1999 - Bottled 2012
Nose: At first there is plain chocolate followed by cinnamon and dry stem ginger cut with a healthy dose of vanilla seeds. With time baked apple and a hint of gooseberry showcase the fruitiness this malt has to offer.
Palate: Green apple with the sweetness of pear dressed with cream and sharpened with a pleasing bitterness at the back of the mouth.
Finish: Chocolate again with spiced apple. I can't quite describe how long the finish on this whisky is without being sycophantic... superb.
Overall: A busy aroma followed with a Glenfiddich-eske flavour profile topped with a sturdy finish. The Eagle is a showcase of the excellent spirit flowing out of Arran at the moment. This is a new distillery reaching maturity with excellence.

Glenfiddich: A Masterclass

Glenfiddich Distillery

I am a huge fan of Glenfiddich. Yes, they are the world's best selling single malt whisky. Yes, they are available in pretty much every pub, supermarket and off-licence from Scunthorpe through to Kensington. And yes, they are available worldwide. BUT! I argue. They are vastly misrepresented because of this proliferation. After being introduced to whisky by drinking Talisker and Laphroaig with my Dad, I drank Glenfiddich with mates in a variety of pubs. My point? I drink such a wide range of whiskies now, but it wouldn't be without the Glenfiddich 12 year old that I could have begun to afford to do this.

Stage One. Glenfiddich 12 year old with friends in rural pubs in sleepy but largely drunk Shropshire. Stage Two. I'm nineteen in a whisky bar in Edinburgh with limited funds and I try my first highly aged whisky. It's the Glenfiddich 30 year old; I begin to appreciate 'fine' whisky. Stage Three. I work in the whisky trade I sample the Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix... life is perfect. Glenfiddich for all its availability remains for me a motorway to whisky appreciation. So, yes, I will continue to drink whiskies from small, exciting distilleries. Yes, I will continue to drink obscure cask-strength bottlings. And, yes, I will continue to drink Glenfiddich because it represents two important facets of whiskies. One, it is accessible and affordable which invites new acolytes into our glorious world. Two, as demonstrated with bottlings like the Age of Discovery and the Snow Phoenix, it's rather damn good.

A selection of the stills
at Glenfiddich

Glenfiddich is a rather large distillery, boasting twenty-eight stills of three different shapes. It is still family owned which is something of a triumph for the world's number one single malt. To cap it off the family's blend, the renowned Grant's, is the third largest blend in the world. Despite all of this there is ingenuity within the company, demonstrated with the superb Solera Vat and Rich Oak bottlings. The first using the Spanish/Portugese system that means the vat is always left at least half full (potentially some whisky from the first dosage is still in there; fast forward fifteen years...); the latter uses virgin American and Spanish oak for excellent results. So yes we've all tried an array of delights from casks from Islay to Japan but where would we be without that Glenfiddich 12 year old in that pub smelling discreetly of cabbage and pumping power ballads out of the jukebox; I'd argue not here. Not in a world of singe casks and a whsky boom. So here's to Glenfiddich - the beginning!

I was lucky... quite a while back. Steve Rush of that there Whisky Wire invited me to a Twitter Twasting to try not one.. not two.. not even three.. but four Glenfiddich whiskies. I was happy to join, but curse my luck I had to host another tasting elsewhere and could not participate. Still, I am armed with the whiskies so a tasting is well in order! To top off my good luck, Jamie Milne of that there Glenfiddich kindly invited me to my Almer Mater's big brother, Boisdale of Canary Wharf, to taste a few more of this Speyside distillery's delights. So here follows a lot of tasting notes...

Firstly the Twitter Tasting samples:

Glenfiddich 12 Year Old
40% - Distillery Bottled
Nose: Nutty caramel at first, becoming vinous with stewed pears to compliment. With time a gooseberry element appears.
Palate: Soft and sweet with a slight bite. Biscuit and spice pleasantly massage the palate.
Finish: Malty with oaky vanilla and spice.
Overall: This is a whisky that has so much going for it, and is as great a Scotch for beginners as it is for the veteran wanting a relaxing dram.

Glenfiddich Solera Vat
40% - 15 Years Old - Distillery Bottled
Nose: Orange rind, raisins and currants, vanilla pods, mixed spice. After this Christmas cake fanfare there are pleasing notes of cider.
Palate: A burst of spice and fruitcake, very sweet, very rich. Then I get a suggestion of smoke?
Finish: Gentle oak, Christmas cake dough, stewed apples and dark brown sugar. A long finish becoming creamy and spicier with time.
Overall: I think this long tasting note says it all, a great whisky. Plus the use of the Solera system promises plenty for the future!

Glenfiddich 18 Year Old
40% - Distillery Bottled
Nose: Chocolate cake topped with fudge, on a bed of stewed pears scattered with mincemeat.
Palate: Rich Christmas pudding notes followed with plain chocolate and ground coffee. Finally some of that pear from the nose spins in.
Finish: Very gentle but lengthy with light spice, cinnamon maybe.
Overall: This whisky is more elegant than the above and arguably more refined. A pleasing dram that presents its age nicely but not as exciting as the Solera Vat.

Glenfiddich Age of Discovery
40% - 19 Years Old - Madeira Casks
Nose: In the nicest possible way; cheap dark chocolate. Then there is a storm of nutmeg, stewing Bramley apples metamorphing into Granny Smith's, and a dusting of cinnamon.
Palate: Intense rich stewed fruits with a fair dollop of wood spice. On top of this there is orange zest and essence of a sweet shop.
Finish: Chocolatey, with light fleshy fruit and in time sour sweets provide a fantastic encore.
Overall: A really interesting whisky here, I don't usually appreciate Madeira finishes, but the Age of Discovery demonstrates their use excellently. If I was nitpicking I'd argue for a higher ABV to give this great whisky more weight, but I quite like that Glenfiddich flys the bottle-strength flag proudly!

And the ones Jamie Milne kindly allowed me to try:

Glenfiddich Rich Oak
40% - 14 Years Old - Virgin American and Spanish Oak
Nose: Clear new oak influence, fresh orange juice and peel, leading to dominant vanilla and dried apple. With time - oat cake notes develop.
Palate: Very creamy, focussing on vanilla and lime zest flavours; with the oak perpetuating throughout.
Finish: Masses of oak here, with tempting hazelnut nuances on top.
Overall: The new make spirit really comes through. This dram is evidently oaky but the virgin wood influence never destroys the balance of the palate.

Glenfiddich Distillery Edition
51% - 15 Years Old
Nose: Grapes and gooseberries join a floral nose with strong yet clean vanilla notes.
Palate: Ginger and black pepper immersed in blackberries.
Finish: Ashy at first but followed by blackcurrant jelly and dried berry fruits.
Overall: The unusually high ABV is excellently disguised. This whisky tastes very different from the distillery norm but is very good for it.

Glenfiddich Gran Reserva
40% - 21 Years Old - Rum Cask
Nose: Banana with light heathery floral notes doused in brown sugar and heaps of figs and dates.
Palate: Fruity and peppery; with lime highlights and hints of anise and spearmint.
Finish: Citrus limes notes dominate with cardamon spice and a distinct fruitiness.
Overall: Intriguing; this Glenfiddich offers something different again, like the Distillery Edition. This whisky adds something once again to the Glenfiidich range.

Banish the January Blues with Auchentoshan 1975

Well January was a blow to motivation. As clouds rolled over London, as Christmas cheer turned into New Year gloom, and as the economy shrunk like wool in a hot wash; it has been immensely difficult to summon the boundless enthusiasm for the delights of whisky. For the last month I have been indulging in wine (principally chardonnay), beer and cocktails. All the whisky I have been drinking has been standard release, supermarket, pub fare that is less likely to excite the whisky enthusiast. Then finally there was a whisky to shake me out of this dire hole - this vacuum of barrel aged malt barley aged spirit. This whisky was the almighty 1975 Auchentoshan. A 35 year old dream of a dram that makes you sit bolt upright and shout, "Now this is whisky!" As you may know I don't stand by the 'older is better' motto, but by God! Ladies and Gentleman I give you...

Auchentoshan 1975
46.9% - 35 Years Old - Distillery Bottled
Nose: Green melon and lemon flavoured boiled sweets, next there is tumeric and mango chutney. Sesame seeds, tree sap and vanilla complete this full-nose.
Palate: Spicy, namely lime pickle. There is green tea and herbal oak notes as well.
Finish: A burst of lemon followed with walnut and mango, later a woody presence announces itself.
Overall: An incredible whisky boasting curry spice notes and a lengthy finish. As much as I reject aged whisky it's always great to taste a whisky as complex and intriguing as this impressive Lowland.

Rediscovering The Classics: Laphroaig 10 Year Old

Gin cocktails at Evil Eye

Tonight's review is of an absolute classic. This whisky is self-defining, iconic and unique. What I like most about this whisky is that it gives me a feeling that can only be given by a few things. I get the feeling every time I travel to York. I love York; it has the perfect combination of historic architecture, excellent pubs and nostalgic value. It is like the feeling of coming home when I get Bangers and Mash at the Lendal Cellars or a pint of Yorkshire Terrier at the... er... Yorkshire Terrier. A trip to Jorvic and the Cathedral before a cocktail at Evil Eye Lounge and a browse of the beer selection at The Bottle on Stonegate makes for a very happy Angus.

I get the same feeling everytime I climb the Berwin hills behind Llanrhaeadr Waterfall back home. The spray off the falls and the rugged terrain are reminiscent of a time before man etched his face on the Earth. Like York there is a feeling that everywhere should be like this and everything will be alright. It is a feeling that in unclouded by worry or unnecessary detail, a feeling about enjoying the moment.

Llanrhaeadr

Tonight's whisky is the unapologetic Laphroaig 10 Year Old. Every time I drink this whisky I am filled with a feeling of calm. Laphroaig isn't a whisky trying hard to impress, it is a whisky that forces the drinker to come to it on its own terms. Its Marmite attitude can make it unapproachable for some drinkers but as soon as you come to terms with its balls-out confidence it becomes the most rewarding of all whiskies. I think it is unarguable to say that Laphroaig is a whisky hero. When I drink it I don't worry about how it is made. I don't care about cask selection or the slightly troubling small print 'mit Farbstoff' (with colouring). I couldn't give a damn about ABV or PPM, when I drink the Laphroaig 10 it is about coming home to what whisky is really about - the greatest drink on the planet. So without any further ado here's my tasting note to add to the legions of others shouting its praise. Slainte!

Laphroaig 10 Year Old
40% - Distillery Bottled
Nose: An island harbour protected behind the stormwall; the sea laps at a peaty shoreline. Amongst this intense maritime character there is a sweet citric character that plays with the earthy peat.
Palate: Peat bog followed with peat smoke. There is a marshmallow sweetness and a nutty undercurrent that provides flavour beyond simple peat notes.
Finish: Almost beer like with hops and gentle smoke. Lastly there is a fire that remains in the belly seething like Smurg on his treasure.
Overall: Such a characterful nose followed by a playful palate. The finish has the fire all good whiskies have burning underneath. The Laphroaig 10 is a masterclass in character development. Time for a second glass!

Merry Christmas! (and a Dalmore Cigar Malt)

Merry Christmas from me and Mrs Peatreek!

Well it’s finally Christmas, marking the end of the busiest two weeks of my working life. So I was well in the need for some Compass Box Hedonism chased with a glass of Last Vatted Grain and some Port in front of the film epic that is Matilda to put me in the festive spirit. This morning Buck’s Fizz was the order of the day with a bottle of 2000 Chateau Lanessan with venison Christmas lunch. The drink will continue to flow with Blackwood’s 60% Gin, 2009 Meursault from Frederic Magnien, then Port and an angelic host of Christmas whiskies.

Choosing a whisky for Christmas is always a challenge but this year there is a clear winner. After years of scepticism of the Dalmore range I am finally discovering their grandiose charms. The 15 Year Old revealed a fantastic finish to me, the 18 Year Old a chocolate smothered palate and the King Alexander the most sensuous nose. However it is the latest release that has topped them all (and it contains no E150a!) this is the Dalmore Cigar Malt, the replacement to the Gran Reserva and an eye-opening dram.

Dalmore Cigar Malt
44% - No Age Statement – Distillery Bottled
Nose: Hoyo de Monterrey cedar cigar box notes with classic Dalmore toffee, rich red fruits, port, leather and a mustiness I associate with old attics.
Palate: Fairly light body with toast and tobacco spice notes.
Finish: Tobacco leaf, rich but with a soft sherried conclusion.
Overall: An aptly named whisky, apparently the ideal cigar pairing is with a Partagas Series P No. 2 although I’d argue a cigar of that calibre would overwhelm the lighter notes of this whisky, but then I don’t smoke, so the allure of cigars is somewhat lost on me. Merry Christmas everyone, Slainte!

My Lucky Day... Glenlivet 40 Year Old

There are some days at work that certainly pay off. Especially if you are offered a dram of forty year old whisky to brighten your day. Today I was as lucky when Joel and Neil from that there Cask-Strength blog rocked up with a bottle of forty year old single cask Glenlivet. I have always maintained a scepticism about old age whisky that although it can be excellent it does propagate the myth that whisky is exclusive to the privileged, when bottles such as the Longrow C.V. and Aberlour A'Bunadh scream otherwise. Politics aside, some forty plus whiskies are rather damn good, and the whisky I was being offered was thoroughly top notch. Cheers guys!

Glenlivet 40 Year Old Atlantic
41.6% - 40 Years Old - Distillery Bottled 16/09/2005 - Sherry Cask
Nose: Ginger provides a warm welcome coupled with tropical fruits notably pineapple and dried mango. With time a herbacious nature reveals itself with rosemary, mint, anise and a drop of pine resin.
Palate: A fantastical burst of spice; cardamon, ginger, cloves and vanilla mingling like spice merchants on the taste buds.
Finish: Menthol, oak, cream and spiced cake dough entwine in an excellently long finish.
Overall: So incredibly fresh. Unlike any forty year old I've tried before yet with a complexity that hammers home its venerable age. This is a masterclass in old age whisky.

Stormy Weather - Springbank Cask Strength

There's been a fair amount of tempestuous weather recently with 100mph winds, cold spells and lashings of rain. It seems that after a mild autumn, winter has finally launched its icy claws upon us. Personally I love stormy weather because, like being on a mountain, it reminds us of the raw power of nature. That we are sitting on a small rock in an angry universe with the odds stacked against us. Plus there's nothing like being stuck inside whilst the elements batter the walls like a Viking berserker on amphetamine.

I was going to suggest a warm and satisfying whisky to drink whilst the weather kicks off like a two-year old on E150a, but then I decided to review a whisky that is as stormy as the weather. This whisky is the Springbank 12 Year Old Cask Strength, a whisky with more teeth than the Jabberwocky and the ferocity of the European perception of David Cameron.

Springbank Cask Strength
58.5% - 12 Years Old - Distillery Bottling
Nose: A rusty old tug boat leaking engine oil and spewing smoke, pulling into a busy harbour of maritime aromas. With water some of those grapey Springbank notes appear.
Palate: The calm eye of the storm with heather, herbs and caramel.
Finish: Thick heavy smoke, positively industrial. Massive and long (ahem).
Overall: This whisky is a storm of industrial aromas, it harks back to Cambeltown's glory days and the Industrial Revolution. Part of me thinks I shouldn't like it but I'd be lying if I said so. Beware, this whisky takes no prisoners.

One To Calm The Nerves... Caol Ila 18 Year Old

There was a panic in my girlfriend's eyes like I had never seen before, I could understand her manic frustration perfectly. We had been pounding the cold dark streets of the Isle of the Dogs on a desperate mission to find a most important temporal artefact. As we muscled our way into every shop we passed, we tore down the aisles not hesitating to put back the items we had thrown off the shelves in our frantic search. As each shop became a venue of disappointment, as the shadows grew longer and as the wind became more piercing, we began to take on the hunched dribbling shapes of incensed maniacs. Our search was becoming a forlorn hope, a quest without its Holy Grail, a maze without an exit. Then, without warning, a beam of light struck us, and as we shielded our eyes from its brilliance we could just make out a name... Tesco. Inside this humble bazaar we would find our goal amongst its trinkets and delectables. Here we found our salvation. Here we found the last available Advent Calenders on the Isle of the Dogs on the third of December. Three days into the month and every calender this side of Poplar had sold out. We were left with a Mars calender for myself and a Pixar Cars 2 calender for Ellen (she's never seen the film). We could return home clinging to our wares exhausted, happy - adventurous.

After all that stress it was time for a whisky and what better whisky to settle back and crack three windows of Mars chocolate with than a Caol Ila 18 year old?

Caol Ila 18 Year Old
43% - Distillery Bottling
Nose: Gusty Highland sea shore with smoking ship's beams cut with kiwi and passion fruit and a splash of cream. Finished with a wallop of peat.
Palate: Sizeable peat influence with a light but sea salty body powdered with white pepper.
Finish: Peat and pepper with parma violets and some herbal action, good length.
Overall: A well made peated whisky, if a little uninspiring. Tasty but not eye-opening.

Rediscovering The Classics: Talisker 10 Year Old

Some readers of this blog may have noticed that there haven't been many posts this week. Unfortunately I have been taken sick. Drinking, and even the thought of drinking, has been far from my mind. My greatest affliction is an unwillingness to seek help, I come from the school of thought that insists all illness is just a sniffle and people should just 'man-up' and get on with life. The extremity of this became apparent to my girlfriend when I took a fortnight to go to the doctor's when I went down with a rather nasty case of tonsillitis. It wasn't until I realised my tonsils had turned black and were leaking pus did I surrender and took my 'cold' to the doctor. The most horrid part of any illness is the point at which you can't face a drink. Whisky may cure a cold but stomach infections, tonsillitis and chicken pox lay outside of its glorious remit. So having not tried anything new this week I thought I'd talk about the single malt that started it all...

I've drunk whisky for quite a long time, beginning with Drambuie before progressing to Famous Grouse. However the first single malt I tried was the almighty Talisker 10 Year Old. One of my Dad's favourites, it was an introduction to a whole new level of whisky drinking. For years Talisker was my absolute favourite to the extent that my friend Rob and I took a day to train and bus hop to Skye then hike nine miles to the nearest pub for a Talisker 18 Year Old. Talisker was my earliest benchmark for judging whisky. It has a ferocity coupled with flavours that for me define whisky. Although I now appreciate many different whiskies for their different complexities I still have a soft spot for my old favourite. Here's to Talisker!

Talisker 10 Year Old
45.8% - Distillery Bottling
Nose: That trademark black and white pepper with kippers, melon and apple following, closed with ashy coal smoke.
Palate: The smoke continues straight on to the palate with a vanilla sweetness and peaty pepper.
Finish: Malty, long and spicy with waves of gentle smoke.
Overall: A classic malt indeed, excellent with haggis, perfect all year round. I find it pleasing that no matter how many whiskies I try, I still enjoy a good Talisker. Slainte.

Winter Is Coming... Glenrothes 1985 and Aberlour A'Bunadh Batch 36

Me with the snow lady

As I step out my flat I am confronted with a slight chill. A chill that has long been covered with unseasonably mild and balmy weather. The sky is grey and misty, the day is getting shorter and Christmas is perpetuating itself across the land. It appears winter is here. With that I nip back inside to grab my summer jacket (I seem to always be a season behind in both fashion and temperature). Winter is a very exciting time for all drinkers out there, alcoholic or not. Winter promises hot chocolate, mulled cider and wine, dark beers, warming lemony concoctions, cognac, champagne celebrations, large meals with copious amounts of wine, and of course whisky. Furthermore with all the food and celebrations to come this seasons drinking needs military planning. Christmas for example is a challenge of cost and quantity. I have to start the day with Buck's Fizz, G&T before the meal, white wine (I'm resisting Corton Blanc with great difficulty) with the starter, and red with the main (I'm considering investing in a hideously excessive double magnum). There needs to be whisky or cognac after and the day must close with a bottle of port. Boxing Day is another challenge; perhaps beer? Sherry? Pub anyone? Even before Christmas there is mulled wine to make, German Christmas markets with their alcoholic wares to sample and much more. This is why I am an advocate of planning my season's drinking well in advance.

This of course brings me on to whisky. Undoubtedly in the next few months I will blog a lot about Christmas and whisky but there is one important decision to be made now, and that is the whisky I'll turn to when I just want a quick drink. I have nailed this down to two options. The Glenrothes 1985 and the Aberlour A'Bunadh. The attraction of these two whiskies is that being sherry cask they have warming wintry notes that perfectly match the season. The question is which one?

Glenrothes 1985
43% - Distilled 21/7/85 - Bottled 31/5/05 - 20 Years Old
Nose: Raisins and a hint of dark chocolate leading a rich and satisfying burnt Christmas cake character that lends a rich and intense twist to this dram.
Palate: Thick, burnt raisins replace the Christmas cake here, with a little dried banana lingering at the back.
Finish: Sweet almost bourbon like with kiwi fruits at first then lots of port and chocolate!
Overall: A Christmassy malt indeed, the presence of port, chocolate and Christmas cake is promising indeed. This is my second Glenrothes, and a vast improvement on a disappointing Rattray bottling I'd tried previously.

Aberlour A'Bunadh Batch 36
60.1% - No Age Statement - Oloroso Cask
Nose: A vinous edge almost cognac-like, there is stewing mincemeat beneath sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg, then at the back there is a sherried chocolate ganache.
Palate: Syrupy and spicy, Christmas pudding and intense dried fruits.
Finish: Bitter dark chocolate, a hot flash of Oloroso culminating with orange rind and demerara sugar.
Overall: Such a great sherry cask whisky at a fantastic price. Although high in alcohol (that I enjoy) it could also take plenty of water (almost itself again) if a softer drink is required. Furthermore I have a cold and can't smell a thing, this says a lot about the intensity of this whisky. This has to be the winner purely on price points alone. The Glenrothes is great, phenomenal even, but for a day-to-day whisky the A'Bunadh is much more versatile. A fantastic pair of whiskies!

Short But Sweet: Glenkinchie Distiller's Edition

The other day I tried a whisky I didn't expect to enjoy, that left me pleasantly surprised. The whisky was the Glenkinchie Distiller's Edition. The reason I didn't have high hopes was that although I can appreciate Lowland whiskies, my tastes are certainly for the more intense flavours of the Northern distilleries. However the Amontillado sherry cask finish gave the Glenkinchie Distiller's Edition another level of flavour without making the whisky clumsy. In essence this is a whisky where the cask finish compliments and supports the spirit without dominating or cloaking it. Slainte!

Glenkinchie Distiller's Edition
43% - 14 Years Old - Amontillado Cask Finish
Nose: Rosé and rose bouquet with parma violet and Skittles sweets in an elegant and charming aroma.
Palate: Light mouthfeel, floral with delicate fruitcake notes and a touch of sherry.
Finish: Stewed fruits galore with the sherry finish closing the show.
Overall: Lovely balance with clearly defined flavours, I particularly enjoyed the rosé and rose combo on the nose.

Diageo Special Releases 2011: Lagavulin 12 Year Old

It's always a pleasure when a younger whisky outstrides its older brothers. The Longrow C.V. jumps to mind as a whisky that outshines all but the glorious 18 year old Longrow. I think younger whiskies have a vibrancy about them that is as desirable in a whisky as the rounding of old age. Furthermore it is important that younger whisky is held in as deep regard as older whisky because it offers a more affordable and often more exciting product than highly aged whisky. The distilleries at Kilchoman and Kilkerran are setting benchmark for young whiskies that can do this. Both offer complexity in youth that many whiskies struggle to achieve in old age. This is why the Lagavulin 12 year old is one of my winners of the Diageo Special Release class of 2011. It has so much more going on than the 16 year old and has none of the failings of the Distiller's Edition. It is a perfectly balanced smoky dram.

Lagavulin 12 Year Old
57.5% - Refill American Oak Casks
Nose: There is a classic peatiness immediately present that promises a satisfying drink. Next there are hay fields, fresh citris notes and raspberry with a touch of mincemeat. There is also a leathery quality that gives this malt a robustness I enjoy in a whisky.
Palate: Raspberry cut with herbs and sweet meat smoked over a wood fire.
Finish: Those leathery notes return couples with olive oil and great length. Smoke stays until the end with a minerally character.
Overall: Such a drinkable dram (like the Caol Ila Unpeated 12 Year Old) I could drink this all night. There is excellent balance of smoke and other intrinsic flavours. Fantastic at cask strength, Lagavulin should be proud of this one!

Diageo Special Releases - Caol Ila Unpeated 1990

This is the first of the Diageo special releases that swept me off my feet this year. I tried my first Rosebank that I rated highly, my first Port Dundas that opened up the gates of grain whisky and anyone who read yesterday's review would have seen my opinion on the unimpressive Knockando. However, it was the Caol Ila that was the first that truly impressed me this year. For a while now I have seen the range of unpeated Caol Ilas, however having never tried them I had no opinion on them. Recently I tried the incredible Ardbeg Blasda, a lightly peated Ardbeg that was a beautiful demonstration of the complexity behind the smoky veil of peat so I was very excited to try a Caol Ila that was entirely unpeated...

Caol Ila 1999
64% - 12 Years Old - Unpeated
Nose: So distinctly Islay without being peated. Chlorine without phenol, citrus fruits notably lime. Also with green apple extract and green grapes with a hint of nectarine.
Palate: Fresh green fruits with vanilla essence, creamy and mouth-wateringly drinkable.
Finish: Creamy with chocolate notes, becomes soft and elegant with water.
Overall: Despite no peating, this 'Highland' style malt is clearly Islay born. Drinkable with layers of earthy Islay flavour. A champion of this year's Special Releases.

Diageo Special Releases 2011 - Knockando 1985

Of all the Diageo Special Releases this year, only one failed to impress me as much as I had hoped. This was the Knockando 25 Year Old, this whisky was one of three special releases from existing rather than closed distilleries. The other two hit the mark like Robin Hood at an archery contest. This is not to say this whisky was bad in any way, but for a 25 year old sherry cask whisky I was a little underwhelmed, especially with such great sherried whiskies emerging from Scotland currently. Furthermore, with a recommended retail price of £135, I didn't think it offered the depth and complexity required for a whisky in that price bracket. Anyway, with no further ado...

Knockando 1985
43% - 25 Years Old - First Fill Sherry Casks
Nose: Lots of toffee to begin with Christmas cake and raisin notes following, beneath lies a dark anise character. Clear Oloroso presence.
Palate: Demerara sugar, stewed red fruits (predominately strawberry), smoother with water with slight chocolate notes.
Finish: Too short for my liking, espresso and a touch of salt, giving the finish a drying character.
Overall: The Knockando was not a bad whisky, but didn't offer what I would expect for its age or price. There was an intensity lacking that maybe could have been added with being bottled at cask strength.

Lost Distilleries Chapter 3: Port Dundas 20 Year Old

This is my second review of the Diageo Special Releases 2011 (see here for the floral Rosebank).

Grain whisky has been an important discovery for me. Alongside rye whiskey, grain has opened up a completely new style of whisky to my palate. For the uninitiated grain whisky is made from unmalted grain, whereas single malt whisky is made from malted barley. Grain whisky can be distilled in pot or coffey stills, and has a sweeter flavour to malt whiskies. My awakening to grain was at the hands of the sublime Compass Box Hedonism, a syrupy dram that is just fantastic. Grain whisky is often under-represented as the vast majority of the product is used for blended whiskies, and hence is much under-appreciated.

Tonight's review is of the first ever Diageo Special Release grain whisky from the closed distillery at Port Dundas, that like most Scottish grain distilleries, was in the Lowland region. It was closed in 2009 when Diageo grain whisky production shifted to Cameron Bridge and North British distilleries. This release is 100% grain whisky and the oldest official release, blended from three casks distilled in 1990 and matured in a combination of casks. This was to be a bit of a treat.

Port Dundas 1990
57.4% - 20 Years Old - 1,920 Numbered Bottles Worldwide
Nose: Cherry leaps out of the glass with dark chocolate chasing behind in a combination much like the Green & Black's Cherry Chocolate. There is a real leatheryness to the nose with a grassy freshness mingling in. On a second take sawdust announces itself ever so politely.
Palate: Pepper and tobacco swirl around in a spicy waltz on a vanilla dance floor. Syrupy if a little too hot on the alcohol, water improves this dram.
Finish: Light yet vast, chocolate eclairs galore with a touch of aniseed.
Overall: Very good, a lot of complexity and depth here. I felt this whisky didn't need to be cask strength though, still with water, amazing.

To The Seaside! Clynelish 14 Year Old

I have found that I have a penchant for coastal whiskies. From the salty Campbeltown malts to the briny Pulteney, I am a fan. I find it intriguing that a whisky can (arguably) take on the character of the environment in which it is aged. I don't know how much this is true or how much is romantic terroir-driven musings, but coastal whiskies do have a saltiness to them. Recently I was fortunate enough to try one that I cannot remember having tried before. This whisky is the Clynelish from the legendary distilling town of Brora.

Clynelish 14 Years Old
46% - Distillery Bottled
Nose: Briny - reminiscent of fresh sea air, underneath there is honeyed vinigarette, grape and hovering smoke with a biscuity quality that adds substance to a full nose.
Palate: Sea salt and digestives (ship's biscuits?) with underlying fruit notes.
Finish: Grapes and stewed apples with a crisp acidity.
Overall: Fresh, clean and enticing. The Clynelish 14 reminds me of Springbank, if a little more savoury. Great standard release whisky for coastal fans.

Welcome to Speyside - Strathisla 12 & 30 Year Olds

The location of my favourite
distillery tour (to date).

Of the limited number of distillery tours I have had the pleasure of joining, one has stood out as a favourite. Not because it was the most in-depth or the most wide-ranging but because it was the most charming. This tour was at the much-underated Speyside distillery of Strathisla, whose product principally goes into Chivas Regal and the excellent Royal Salute. The distillery is located to the east of Speyside and claims to be one of the oldest Highland Distilleries. It is certainly picturesque enough with cobbled pathways cherry trees, pogoda roofs and a waterwheel, but it was the tour that made it. The chap leading us around had worked in various roles at the distillery and had taken on the tour in retirement. He gave us a brilliant impression of what a working distillery was really like. Furthermore he let us try the malt that would open my eyes to the potential of Speyside. Strathisla is ever so lightly peated and it was this trace of smoke that appealed to my then peat-obsessed taste buds. So here's to Strathisla!

Strathisla 12 Year Old
43% - Distillery Bottled
Nose: Raisins, stewed pears, malt and fresh-cut grass play with a subtle smokiness, like burning hay with a phenolic chlorine edge giving another dimension to this dram.
Palate: Viscous malty aniseed with a touch of spicy smoke.
Finish: Full and wonderful; licquorish and burnt raisins with medium length.
Overall: A dram I link to a place and time so I am a little biased, but for me it is a great whisky to sit and relax with. Happy days!

Strathisla 30 Year Old
43% - Bottle by Gordon & MacPhail
Nose: Raisins and drifting wood smoke leading to pear and rum. Beyond this rich fruity nose there is chocolate and coffee cake with echoes of cumin and anise.
Palate: Sweet oily pear, smoke, malt and mocha in a lip-smackingly delicious combination.
Finish: Raisiny wood notes with a burst of pear drops with superb duration.
Overall: Fantastic: Complex, long, balanced, where can I buy more of this old bastard?

The Lost Distilleries Chapter 1: Brora

Rarity comes in many forms: Anne Widdecombe’s sex appeal, the skeletons still in Ryan Giggs' closet and Boris Johnson’s self-awareness. Rarity in whisky is often synonymous with collecting, a divisive trait among whisky lovers. To collect or to taste, that is the question? The compromise of course is both but - alas, few of us can afford such a luxury. My approach has been to collect tastings. I try to add as many new whiskies to my collection of tasting notes and this way at least I don't have to invest in a cellar. Even better for me is that there are more whiskies than I could possibly taste. The Benriachs, Longmorns and Tullibardines still elude me, as do many others. Hence it has become my noble quest to taste as much of the whisky that this planet can provide for me. However, I couldn't just set about this quest, this mission, this journey without adequate preparation and planning. There have to be priorities. Some whiskies knocking around today may not be in ten, fifteen, twenty years and at least if they are, they are going to be rather pricey and probably locked and bolted in someone's vault. Although I am sure I am capable of an Ocean's 11-style heist to free such whiskies from the dastardly collectors, I have neither the will nor the want.

Brora Distillery

So my priorities are the whiskies of the Lost Distilleries. These distilleries fall into a tragic chapter of the Scottish whisky saga. In the eighties thanks to the damn economy (déjà vu anyone?), many distilleries had to be closed. The reason was often because the distillery didn't contribute to a major blend or didn't have the tourist appeal of another (Rosebank being a good example here). So this led to perfectly good or dare I say it perfect whisky falling out of production. Port Ellen, Rosebank and Brora are just a few examples of these. Of course 30 years down the line, some of the better whiskies have aged rather nicely and have become very popular indeed, hence their rarity. Brora is the one that became my initial target, as I had already tasted Port Ellen thanks to my girlfriend's vain fixation with her namesake. Then came the day that I had the opportunity to help host a fine and rare tasting, and top of the list was Brora - and I would not be disappointed.

Brora 30 Year Old
54.3% - Bottled 2010 - Distillery Release
Nose: Tobacco and chlorine intermingle first with light peat following. Caramel and treacle then take to the stage with phenol dancing in the background. Next raspberry and fruit compote enter stage left with an encore of nettle.
Palate: The smoky embers of a beach-side fire provides structure whilst there are layers of flavour including white pepper, roasted peaches held together with a slight acidity.
Finish: Soft and creamy with dry sherry wood and peach. The finish continues in waves, softness then fruit comfit recurring.
Overall: An enthusiast’s malt, complex and intriguing. Rare and collectable it may be, but this is a whisky for drinking. Now where are the dregs of that bottle?