Counting Down The Days... Glendronach 1989

If you watch a great film you immediately have high hopes for the sequel. I remember waiting for each Lord of the Rings release, each X-Men release and each Star Wars release; frothing at the mouth like a bunny in a laboratory for each one of them; and like most kids my age I looked forward to each Harry Potter book like the Second Coming. There is nothing like the excitement of anticipation. The consequence of this is obviously the disappointment of the poor sequel. The Matrix Reloaded's of this world. The ones where your heart sinks, your smile droops and your hand deftly pens a death threat to the director... or not.

What sequels do is immerse you in a saga, the wait and knee-shaking, night-before-Christmas, excitement that comes with the nail-biting waiting are as much a part of the experience as the sequel itself. Christmas would be beyond awful if there wasn't the tinsel-be-laden, mince pie be-decked lead-up that works us all into a wide-eyed consumerist-cum-consumptionist frenzy; and so it is with whisky. Like everyone else I pander to each Ardbeg release and each Diageo special release like a diligent puppy to an abusive master, but this is what makes whisky fun. Then last year I was introduced to Glendronach, indeed for the very first time, via the almighty 1989 release and from whence my love of the 'Dronach was born. Needless to say I looked forward to this year's release...

I was a massive fan of last year's Glendronach 1989, in fact it was the whisky that got me into Glendronach. So when I realised I would be tasting this year's release my excited anticipation went into overdrive. I had really enjoyed all the other releases this year but the 1989 had more significance. Having tried it I was not to be disappointed, in fact I would argue it was the most interesting and different of all the releases I have tried (the 1992 has sadly eluded me).

Glendronach 1989
54.1% - 21 Years Old - PX Cask - Cask 2917 - Bottle 40/618
Nose: Dense dark chocolate but with a contrasting floral side on a bed of roasted coffee beans, orange fondant and sultanas.
Palate: Coffee galore with that orange fondant returning and a suggestion of brown sugar. Holds the alcohol well.
Finish: Brazil nut is the catechism here, clean and long.
Overall: Great balance, an amalgamation of intriguing flavours and that 'Dronach moreish-ness that is completely irresistible. A welcome sequel for my money.

Lost Distilleries Chapter 4: Port Ellen 1978 and Port Ellen 1982

Ellen & I drinking an altogether
different beverage... bubble tea

There is one whisky above all that I would consider the Elysium of all whisky. I am not being at all original in saying this, but Port Ellen remains the whisky I hold in highest regard. I can only defend this pandering to the old and rare through how I was introduced to this finest of malts.

A little while back when I was still fairly new to whisky I was stood in my kitchen cooking a tasty treat. Then in walks my girlfriend Ellen (no prize for guessing the whisky she had bought) grinning, holding something behind her back. She then produced a miniature bottle of Port Ellen. Now at this point I should have dropped to my knees and kissed the ground she walked on, for this was my first ever Port Ellen. Perhaps not unfortunately, my whisky knowledge was fairly limited. I was aware that Port Ellen was an expensive and well-liked malt but I did not realise how rare and brilliant it is. So a little while later I poured myself a glass and happily enjoyed it. I loved it, its flavour profile and weight instantly appealed to me. Yum...

Of course now I realise how ignorantly I consumed this Port Ellen. However I think the fact that I loved this whisky so much without realising its value says a lot about the actual quality of this superb dram. Since then I have also tried the latest Diageo Special Release and was once again bowled over. This peated whisky is, for me, a fantastic expression of how smoke and body can harmonise perfectly with one another.

Port Ellen 1982
43% - 28 Years Old - Bottled in 2010 by Gordon & Macphail - Refill Sherry Butt
Nose: Linoleum struck me first with floral iodine notes complimented with a smoky, salty and seaweed scent combo.
Palate: Supple mouthfeel (light with some texture), the peat smoke swirls on a coastal grapey saltiness with a touch of sulphur (in no way a criticism).
Finish: Seabreeze with a burst of tropical fruits that hold on for a long time to come.
Overall: Light, saline and smoky; everything I want in a whisky. The peat doesn't overpower nor is it too light, excellent balance, why is this distillery closed?!

Port Ellen 1978
53.9% - 32 Years Old - 2,988 Numbered Bottles
Nose: I get that maritime linoleum character again with peat intricately woven in. The nose is gentle and sweet with soft vanilla and toffee notes becoming almonds over time.
Palate: Light and fruity, like soft fruitcake with a touch of honey and a hint of salt.
Finish: Pepper and smoke cling on to begin with, followed by light pine.
Overall: A great distillery edition, the sweet fruitiness surprised me as I was expecting the more coastal quality of my previous contact with Port Ellen. However the balance of flavour and smoke remained with that light mouthfeel being retained. More please!

Lost Distilleries Chapter 1 Part 2: Brora 32 Year Old

There are two names that dominate discussion on old and rare whisky: Port Ellen and Brora. The former I will discuss tomorrow but it is Brora I want to address today. What is special about both of these whiskies is that they were closed not because they were producing bad whisky but because of the economic environment of the time. So what we are left with are two excellent whiskies, aged to perfection and with no more to ever be produced. This is a recipe for expensive whisky, and usually I am quite critical of expensive whisky. I believe for a whisky to push the £150 barrier, it has to be able to justify itself. However with Port Ellen and Brora I can't even pretend they are unnecessarily expensive, they are top notch whisky, they aren't lavishly packaged and they are old (i.e. Warehouse costs). Worst of all, with depleting stocks they are soon to be extinct and this is very sad indeed.

Brora, for me, is a connoisseur's whisky. It has layers of flavour, some may not be to everyone's taste, but for anyone who wants to sit and consider a dram - this is the one. When I found out I was going to get to try this intricate malt again I was of course excited. In fact that's an understatement, I was whipping myself into an ecstatic frenzy of excitement, frothing at the mouth like a cappuccino machine, hallucinating glencairn glasses on the Tube, etc. Of course through all this anticipation, I thought it was going to taste similar to last year's release... I was very wrong. Last year's release had a tobacco and chlorine dominated nose, a smoky and peppery palate and a sherry forward finish (see here for this review). This Brora was very different, and I have to say... better. I have a preference for coastal malts and as soon as I tried this year's release I was immediately taken back to sampling Clynelish and Springbanks - whiskies I rate very highly. This Brora is a dram for drinking, not analysing to death. It is what a whisky should be, and I hate that it's collectable.

Brora 32 Year Old
54.7% - 1,404 Individually Numbered Bottles
Nose: Coastal, reminds me of Clynelish and Springbank. Grape arrives first providing vitality and vibrancy. Next, smooth waves of oak smoke and a sprinkling of salt giving a mineral backdrop to this whisky. Finally sherbet lemon gives a sweeter character that mellows the nose into a cohesive whole.
Palate: I got a slight medicinal character (maritime?). The saltiness returns giving it a drying mouthfeel. The grape notes are still present but become more spicy and dense.
Finish: Infinitely long, mint holds the fort from here with smoke and a touch of pepper. Incredible.
Overall: Where last year's release may have had more complexity, this year's is carefully woven and satisfying, with the peat working more elegantly with the spirit. The aromas and flavours make me want to drink it and enjoy it. For me this is the mark of the best whiskies. Deserved of its high regard.

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.

Lost Distilleries Chapter 2: Rosebank 21 Year Old

Last week I was fortunate enough to attend the Diageo Special Releases 2011 launch, giving me the chance to sample whiskies way beyond the limits of what I can afford. Over the next week I am going to release my notes culminating with the almighty Port Ellen (this seems suitably dramatic to me). What is most exciting about the Diageo Special Releases is the chance to try those increasingly rare whiskies from the lost distilleries of the eighties and early nineties combined with some different takes on existing whiskies. All I can say is that I was not disappointed. From Caol Ila to Port Dundas, there were a lot of great drams to be had, all at cask strength, all different. So today I start with my first experience of that Lowland classic - Rosebank.

One malt I was particularly looking forward to was the Rosebank. Despite having heard lots about this closed distillery I've never got to try it. Rosebank like most Lowland distilleries, triple distils its spirit. What is particularly sad about Rosebank is that it was closed in favour of the more picturesque and higher capacity distillery at Glenkinchie. A triumph for marketing was a tragedy for whisky. I had heard many good things about Rosebank and after a while I assumed it was just hype, I felt people just wanted another Port Ellen or Brora. So I tasted the Rosebank with suspicions that it would offer less than was anticipated. Naturally I was wrong...

Rosebank 1990
53.8% - 21 Years Old - 5,604 Numbered Bottles Worldwide
Nose: Roses as the name suggests with parma violet aromas woven in to this intensely floral dram. This flowery aroma was followed by a scent I can only describe as citrus fruit petals or lemon grass perhaps. There was also a vinous quality that I found hard to place, I heard Viognier mentioned a couple of times, so maybe that?
Palate: Peaches and stone fruit dominate this silky dram, with lemon and sugar skipping behind.
Finish: Soft and short, with that floral quality returning with a flash of milk chocolate.
Overall: Fantastic, a lot going on without it seeming clumsy. Most surprisingly was that this whisky worked well at cask-strength and I didn't feel it required water. The Rosebank has given me a new appreciation of the potential of Lowland whiskies. Next I'd like to try a independent bottling for comparison so as to see the scope that this closed distillery once offered... Watch this space for more special release reviews!